A LIGHT FOR THE IGNORANT OR A Treatise shevving that in the nevv Testament is set forth three Kingly States or Governments that is the Civill State the true Ecclesiasticall-State and the false Ecclesiasticall State Mat. 15.13 Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp Seene and allowed Printed in the Yeare 1638. The Epistle to the Reader VVell affectionated Reader It is as thou knowest a divine precept that we should giue Honour to whom honour is due Jmplying therein that no honour is due either to PersoÌ„s or things but in a lawfull and right way And hence it is that many of Gods deare Servants both haue and still doe refuse to yeeld any Reuerence Honoor Service c. vnto Archbishops Bishops and their dependent Offices I say as they are Ecclesiasticall persons doe administer in their Spirituall Courts as they terme them in regard they have assumed such a State as is to speake properly and truely of it neither Iure Divino nor jure Humano warrented by the word of God But of this I shall not need to say any more in regard thou shalt find what here I say cleared proved sufficiently viz. that their calling is not froÌ„ God either in a divine or humane respect but according to the scripturs after mentioned altogether every way from the Devill And therfore look unto it whosoever thou art that thou like Mordecay bow not the knee to any of these Amaliks but on the contrarie Feare God and honour the King and give reverence Only to such ordinances as God binds thy Conscience too either in respect of nature or grace and soe doeing thou shalt Give vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars And give vnto God those things that are Gods And that thou mayst so doe the Lord sanctsfie both this and all other good meanes and helps to thee A LIGHT FOR THE IGNORANT OR A Treatise shevving that in the nevv Testament is set forth three Kingly States or Governments that is the Civill State the true Ecclesiasticall-State and the false Ecclesiasticall State THere are in the new Testement of Christ Iesus three Kinglie States or Governments The Civill State The true Ecclesiasticall State And the false Ecclesiasticall State Two of them are of God and the third is of the Divill They all consist of these Seven particulars following In the First place these three pollitique Regiments hath each of them a King or Head over them Secondly They haue each of them authoritie power or state pollitique Thirdly They haue books and Charters wherein their statutes Lawes and Cannons are writen Fourthly Each of these make themselves Citties Corporations or bodies politique Fiftly They haue Officers and deputies who are their seuerall Ministers to and in there bodies or Corporations Sixtly They have Lawes ordinances and administrations for these officers to administer to their subjects according to there severall functions in the name and by the power of their proper King and head from whom they haue received their authority in whose name they administer Sevenlie and lastlie they haue subjects or members governed by and in their seuerall pollitique States and powers vnder their severall â—eads The First particular Handled These haue each of them a King or Head over them The Civill State The First is the State of Magistracie or civill State that wherein Cesar is to haue his due as King and head these Kings heads are to be prayed for of all Gods people as their Heads and gouernours Rom. 13.1.2 1. Tim. 2.2 The true Ecclesiasticall State This state is Christs the annointed Psa 2.6 Acts. 2.26 whome God the Father hath set upon the Throne of David Jsay 9.6.7 and he is King of Saints Rev. 15,3 Yea the King of Kings Lord of Lords Rev. 17.14 19,16 The False Ecclesiasticall State The third is the helish state of the Beast his Kingdome or state of Rome which in the 13. Rev. v. 2. is said to haue his power from the Devill also he is said to haue a Throne therefore hee is a King 11. c. He is called the King of the Locusts which is there said to bee the Angell of the bottomlesse pit v. 11. Secondly these haue each of theÌ„ a Kingly state or power pollitique The Civill State This power or Civill state is of God and is the Charracter of Gods soveraigntie over man is displaid by his Communicating the same unto Kings such as are in authority under them for which cause hee hath said yee are Gods and God must and is obeyed by stooping and submitting to this power and state and he that resisteth this power resisteth the ordinance of God Rom. 13. c. The true Ecclesiasticall State Likewise this state is of God for it is the Kingdome of his deare Sonne is not the Civill state but the Ecclesiastical state of Christ his Church or power which he received of his Father Mat 28.18 after that he rose again from the dead by which power he authorised his Apostles sent theÌ„ on his errand or message to al the world Mat. 28. which power the Apostles vsed in planting Churchs and Church Officers which power Christ gives to all the Churches of the Saints to the end of the world it is the power given to them to bind and loose too and from the Devill and to right each others wrongs Mat. 18. it is the same power and state the Churches had coÌ„mitted to them by the Apostles who reproved the Churches for not using it to suppresse sinne and sinne rs 1 Cor. 5. with the seuen Churches in Asia Rev. 2.3 c. these and many more are the severall vses the Lord hath made of this true Ecclesiasticall or Church state and Goverment The False Ecclesiasticall State This Angell of the Bottemlesse pit Rev. 9.11 the King of the Locusts hath a state throne power and great authority Rev. 13.2 in the same Chapter it is said he hath power to continue 42 moneths v. 5. that is 126. dayes as c. 12.6 counting each day for a yeare as the Lord doth in numbers 14.34 and Ezec. 4.6 it is 1260. yeares that is the length or time of his Raigne that one and the same time which Christs Kingdome vnder the name of the holie City shal be trod under foot Rev. 11.2 Likewise that is that power or state that the woman or great whore sits or rids uppon whereby shee is able to Raigne Rev. 13.16 c. 17. as a Queene over the Kings of the earth And Lastly this state is soe great that it Captiuates all Kings Princes Emperours yea all the world of vngodly men Rev. 13.7.8 wonders followes and worships this state or beast and if they will not he hath such power and authority that hee will compell high and low rich and poore bond and free to submit unto him to kill all those that are found refractory to his state and power Rev. 13.15.16.17 This is the False Ecclesiasticall state and power
in the Body or Assembly of the Saints as the former scriptures largely declare Secondly that they were not forced nor compelled to submitt to theis power but as the loue of God shed abroade in their hearts the Doctrine of the Apostles by the power of the spirit caused them freely and willingly to submit themselves unto it Acts 2.41 for Christ and his Apostles never used any means to bring his saints into his Kâ—ngdome The False Ecclesiasticall State Soe in Like manner the Dragon that Old Serpent Rev. 12. â— gave to his son of perdition the Beast his power throne great authority Rev. 13.2 And this man of sinne hath conveyed to all his Cergie his power by vertue wherof they are all rulers men of authority in all nations where he hath established them as is declared Rev. 9 Chapter 10 First Verse s wher it is said hey haue Crownes upon their heads like gold that is counterfit power and authoritie by vertue of this power pollitique are made one intire body pollitique under one head King soe called vers 11. and are distinct from the Layety living in by the practise of this power with reference to that Head though they bee never soe farre disperced or remote from him this beeing observed the disproportion will appeare in these two particulers First the subject place where this power doth recide it beeing in the body of the Clergy the Layety being excluded though never so high or great in place as Iudges Iustices Lords Knights c they refusing it as a matter not belonging to them but to the Clergy Secondly this power compells all in all nations will they nill they to come under this Government and to obey his power and authority Rev. 13,8.16 where it is said he made all great and small rich and poore free and bond to submit to him else they should not buy nor sell nor live ver 17. and ch 11 7. The true Ecclesiasticall State A Third disproportion shall appâ—aâ—e in this Every Kingdome or pollitique state whether Civill or Ecclesiasticall hath their severall bookes and Charters wherein is contayned the Platforme of there severall governments soe every Church is knowne by its owne articles Cannons and Constitutions so that they that will know what Church Ministery and worship Christ and his Apostles hath planted in the new Testâ—ment after the Câ—remoniall was abolished they must read the Acts of the Apostles with the Epistles Acts 16.4 1. Cor. 14.37 Revel 22 18.19 Yea the whole new Testemenâ— and there they shall finde Jesus Christ our Lord and King his Bookes of Cannons Articles and Ordination to guide and direct the Churches of the saints in his Kingdâ—me vnto the end of the world The False Ecclesiasticall State Also in the False State they that would know what goverment Church Ministery and worship the man of sinne hath established he must viewe his Platforme contayned in his Booke of Cannons Articles and Ordintion â—f the Priests Deacons his Bookes of homilies and Common Prayers for in them is contayned those institutions Lawes and ordinances that he hath established but how contrary to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testement they that are Spirituall in part doe know and how obedience to them is inforced and divine Lawes omitted and laid aside the poore saints doe finde and fâ—…e to there smart The true Ecclesiasticall State A Fourth Disproportion This State makes not Nationall nor Provinciall pollitique Bodies but only particuler Congregations or assemblies of Saints as in Judea one Nation yet divers Churches Gal. 1.22 Soe Galalia one nation yet many Churches ver 3. likewise Asia hath seaven seuerall Churches ver 1.11 and where there was but one the Holi ghost speakes in the singuler number as the Church at Rome another at Corinth another at Collossia another at Thessaloniea and the like Secondly the Congregations of our Lord Christ come freely and willingly as so many living stones 1 Pet. 2.4.5 volluntarily â—…iting themselues together whereby they become A Spirituall house and a Royall Priesthood ver 9. and are hereby capable of performing the publique worship of the New Testament wherein they are to offer as Living sacrifices their Soules and Bodies Rom. 12.1 and by faith to haue Communion with their Mediator Heb. 12.24 as he hath promised to all such assemblies gathered in his name and power Rev. 21.3 Math. 18 19.20 which is the forme and beeing of this their visible and pollitique vnion communion Ephe. 2.20.21.22 Coll. 2.19 Thirdly the visible Churches of Christ are independent Bodies there is Equallity or apparity amongst them that is they are all alike in Iurisdiction authority they are all Golden Candlestickes Rev. 1.20 they are every one of them a Ierusalem compact together within it selfe Psal 122.3 compared with Heb. 12.22 hauing each of them whole Christ for their mediatour that is Priest Prophet and King and thereby enjoy all his power and all his promises and all his Lawes and ordinances with all his liberties and previledges Fourthly and Lastly in the vse of their liberty which they enjoy from and vnder Christ their Head and dwels in the whole body in the vse whereof they are inabled to exclude sinne and sinners and ought that offends God or them 1. Cor. 5.13 2 Thes 3.14 Acts 3 and to establish among them such Officers Ordinances and Admistrations as their Lord King hath given them for their comfort and profit by this power they can examine and try False teachers Rev. 2.2 they can reproue and admonish proud ones and exhort the negligent Coll 4.17 thus their power and liberty from Christ their head becomes a great benefit and a great good to the whole body in these and divers others perticulers of great weight The False Ecclesiasticall State But this False State brings ten Kingdomes into one pollitique body Rev. 17.12.13.15 hath set heads over nations to bring them into pollitique bodies Ecclesiasticall as for example England is one pollitique body Ecclesiasticall as well as Civil vnder one Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Pope of Lambeth and by the sinewes and bonds of his Ecclesiasticall power the whole hand as one body is knitt and bound to that Ecclesiasticall Head by vertue of that Romish authority that hee successively doth exercise and hath received from Austin the Monke who consecrated authorized sent into this Land to establish this power according to Pope Gregorius his will wisdome and power Farther this False State hath left noe liberty nor power to any person good or bad Rev. 13.7.8 but compels and forces all in the name and power of Antichrists successours will they nill they haue they faith or no conscience or no conscience this beast will be served and obeyed of all states degrees and conditions of all people in the world ver 15.16.17 soe that there is noe Ecclesiasticall body of his making whether it be the great Catholique Babylon Reuel 16.19 or Nationall or Provinciall or
as hath beene formerly said the false Church hath no power nor Charter nor office for all these things are locked up within the body of the Clergie soe is it as true that they are distitute of all lawes or administrations amongst themselves so that all they haue at any time is brought to them by these Crowned Stinging messengers of that authority as Common sence and reason proveth â—hat the Clergie being a pollitique and distinct body of themselves from the Layety hauing all power and authority Ecclesiasticall in themselues must of necessity haue all lawes ordinances and administrations in themselves whether they bee divine which they haue by vsurpatoÌ„ or humane by their own InventioÌ„ they only posesse them and haue power to vse them not fearing adding or detracting the Lay congregations being altogether passive herein til their Jnjuâ—tion make them active Soe the lawes and ordinances of this state being innumerable as their officers are J must omit for to name them as their severall false holy things Kneeling in the of receiuing Signeing with the Crosse in Baptisme Churching of women Reading Prayers with the Consecrating of Dayes Times Places Persons Garments with their Anoynting of the Sicke and vnholy Orders of consecration with other innumerable inventions not worthy aplace in Christians thoughts onely note the opposition of their law against the law of Christ in vehement prohibiting and strongly barring all Lay men as they call them from preaching that let Christ giue never soe great abillities or guifts to lay men they are never suffered to make any publique vse of them but it is horrible prophanesse and sacrelegious presumption soe to doe and this prohibition of the Clergie is and hath been so vniuersall that it reacheth to the foure Corners of the earth and with holdeth this spirituall winde of Christ Jesus in the mouth of his Saints that it shall not blow upon them that are in the earth Revel 7. The true Ecclesiasticall State A Sevevth DisproportioÌ„ is betwixt their subjects or members the subjects or members of Christs Kingdome 〈◊〉 Church must be beleeving Disciples they must bee Saints by Calling sanctified in Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 1.2 they must be liuing stones to build his house withall 1 Petâ— 2.5 such as these and these onely are enjoyned to observes whatsoever he commands them to these only is his Kingdome and dominioÌ„ given these be they that are crowned as Kings anoynted as Priests the mediatour himselfe being theirs he hath committed the administrâ—…ion of his mediatorship in his Church to them But to the Wicked saith God what hast thou to do with these things Psa 50.16 Thou hast not a wedding garment therefore binde him hand foote cast him out as leaven dangerous to hurt the body 1 Cor. 5.7 For without shall be dogges inchanters and those that loue make lyes Rev. 22.15 But within there shall be noe vncleane thing Revel 21.27 The False Ecclesiasticall State But the Subjects of this foule body are all vncleane and hatefull birds Revel 18.2 the Cage that holds them being the Ecclesiasticall state of Rome is become the habitatioÌ„s of Devils the hold of every foul spirit so that the vnfitâ—ests members which they can least indure or suffer amongst them are the conscious saints they are the soonest turned out cut of and killed by them Revel 13.15 but yet if the saints or Christ himselfe can by temptations or compulâ—ion bee drawn to worship the Devill he will haue it of them Mat. 4.9 for he will haue all the world to worship him if high and low rich and Poore bond and free be all the world he will compell them to bee subjects or members in his black Regiment Revel 13.16.17 For these dwell and rule make change lawes and times in this their habition which is the bottemlesse pit as the Father Sonne holy Ghost do in their habitation which is the New Jerusalem The true definition of a true visible Church of Iesus Christ. 1. THat every true visible Church of Christ are a company of people called and seperated out of the world a By the word of God Ioyned b together in the fellowship of the Gospell by volentary c profession of fayth and obedience of Christ a Levit. 20.26 Nehe. 10,18 Ezeche 44 7.9 1 Pet. 2.9.10 Act 2.40 Act 19.9 1 Cor. 1.1 2 Cor. 6.17 Revel 18.4 b Act. 11.21.23 Ier. 50.4,5 c Act. 2.41 2 That every true visible Church of Christ is an independent body of it selfe Revel 1.3 chapt hath power from Christ her head Coll. 1.18.24 to bind loose to receive in cast out by the Keys of the Kingdome Mat. 18.17.18 Psa 149.8.9 1 Cor. 5.4.5.12 2 Cor. 2.7.8 3 That Jesus Christ hath by his Last wil and Testament given vnto and sett in his Church sufficient rodinary Officers with their quallifications Callings and worke for the Administration of his holy things and for the sufficient ordinary Instruction Guidance and service of his Church to the end of the world Rom. 12.6.7.8 Ephe. 4.11.12.13 Heb. 3.2.6 1 Tim. 3.2.8 Chapt. 5.9.10 Act. 6.3 And that all the Officers in the Church are but onely five and noe more namely Pastor Teacher Elder Deacons Widdows Rom. 12.7.8 Ephe. 4.11 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 Ch. 5. Tit. 1.5.7 FINIS