your owne Soules to looke about you to shake of that long security formality in Religion that you have layne in For God of all things cannot indure Lukewarmenes Revel 3. 16. And search out diligently the truth of things and try them in the Ballance of the Sanctuary I beseech you take things no more vpon trust as hitherto you haue done but take p•ines to search and fi•de out those Spirituall and hidden truthes that God hath enwraped in his sacred Booke and finde out a bottom for your owne soules For if you will haue the comforts of them you must bestow some labour for the getting of them and you must search dilligently before you finde them Pro. 2. Labour also to withdraw your neckes from vnder that Spirituall and Antichristian bondage unto which you haue for a long time subjected your soules least the Lord cause his plagues and the searcenesse of his wrath to seize both vpon your bodies and soules seeing you are now warned of the danger of these things For hee himselfe hath said Revel. 14. 9. 10. 11. That if any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand The same shall drinke of the wine of his wrath which is powered out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shal be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presences of the holy Angels in the presence of the Lambe and the smoake of their Torment ascended vp for ever and ever and they haue noe rest day nor night who worship the Beast his Image and whosoever receiveth the m•ke of his name Therefore as you loue your owne soules and looke for that immortall Crowne of happines in the world to come looke that you with draw your selves from that Antichristian power slavery that you are now vnder even as God himselfe hath commanded and injoyned you in Rev. 18. 4. saying Come out of her my people that you bee not pertaker of her sinns and that yee receive not of her Plagues for her sinnes have reached vnto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Here is the voyce of God himselfe commanding all his chosen ones though they have lived vnder this Antichristian slavish power and estate along time yet at last to withdraw their obedience and subjection from it My Brethren wee are all at this present in a very dangerous and fearefull condition vnder the •dolatrous and spirituall bondage of the Prelates in regard wee have turned Tray tours vnto our God in seing his Almighty great name and his Heavenly truth troden under foote and soe highlie dishonoured by them and yet wee not onely let them alone in holding our peace but most slavishlie wickedly subject our selves unto them fearing the face of a peece of durr more then the Almightie great God of Heaven and earth who is able to cast both body Soule in to everlasting damnation Oh repent I beseech you therefore repent for that great dishonour you have suffered to bee done unto God by your fearfullnes and cowardlines for the time to come put on couragious resolutions like valiant souldiers of Iesus Christ and fight manfullie in this his spirituall battell in which battell some of his souldiers haue allready lost part of their blood and withall Study this Booke of the Revelation and there you shall finde the mistery of iniquitie fullie vnfolded and explaned and also you shall se what great spirituall battels haue beene fought betwixt the Lambe his Servants and the Dragon the Devill and his vassals and some are yet to fight Therefore gird on your Spirituall armour Spoken of Ephes. 6. that you may quit your selves like good faithfull Souldiers and feare no coulors the victory and conquest is ours allready for wee are sure to have it I do not speake of any bodily and temporall battell but onelie of a spirituall one and be not discouraged and knoct of from the study of it because of the obscurity and darkenes of it for the Lord hath promised his enlightening Spirit unto all his people that are laborous and studious to know him aright and also he hath promised a blessing and pronounced a blessednes vnto all that read and labour to keepe the things contayned in this booke Rev. 1. 3. My Christian Brethren in the bowels of Iesus Christ I beseech you doe not contemne the things that are delivered to you in regard of the meanesse and weaknesse of mee the instrument being but one of the meanest and unworthiest of the Servants of Je•us Christ for the Lord many times doth great things by weake meanes that his power may be more seene for wee are to ready to cast our eye vpon the meanes and instrument not looking up unto that Almighty power that is in God who is able to doe the greatest things by the weakest meanes and therefore out of the mouthes of Babes Suckling• he hath ordayned strength Psal. 8. 2. And hee hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty base things of the world things which are dispised hath God chosen Yea things which ate not to bring to nought things that are 1. Cor. 1.27.28 And he giues the reason wherefore he is pleased so to do That no flesh should glory in his presence So you se God is not tyed to any instrument means to effect his own glory but •ee by the least instrument is able to bring to passe the greatest things It is true I am a yong man and noe Scoller according to that which the world counts Scollership yet I have obtayned mercie of the Lord to be faithfull hee by a divine prouidence hath brought me hither this day I speak to you in the name of the Lord being assisted with the spirit power of the God of Heaven and earth I speake not the words of rashnes or inconsideratenesse but the words of sobernes and mature deliberation for I did consult with my God before I came hi•her and desired him that he would direct and enable me to speake that which might be for his glory and the good of his people And as I am a Souldier fighting under the banner of the great and mightie Captaine the Lord Iesus Christ and as J looke for that Crowne of immortality which one day I know shall bee set upon my temples being in the condition that I am in I dare not hold my peace but speake unto you with boldnes in the might and strength of my God the things which the Lord in mercy hath made knowne unto my Soule come life come death When I was here a bout there came a fat Lawier I do not know his name commanded me to hold my peace leave my preaching To whom I replied and said Sr. I will not hold my peace but speake my minde freely
jurisdiction Callings and power from the King But they haue now openly in the High Commission Court renounced that as was heard by many at the Censure of that Noble Dr. And as you may fullie read in his Apollogeticus And in his Answer to Sr. Iohn Bankes his Information Novv J will here mantaine it before them all That their Calling is so farre from being Iure Diuino as they say they are that they are rather Iure Diabollico Which if I be not able to proue let me be hanged vp at the Hall Gate But my Brethren for your better satisfaction read the 9. 13. Chapters of the Reuelation and there you shall see that there came Locust out of the Bottomlesse Pitt part of vvhom they are and they are ther liuely discirbed Also you shall there finde that the Beast which is the Pope or Roman State and Goverment hath given to him by the D•agon the Devill his Power and Seate and great authoritie Soe that the Popes authoritie comes from the Devill and the Prelates and their Creatures in their printed Bookes do challenge their authoritie jurisdiction and Power that they exercise over all sorts of people is from Rome And for proving of the Church of England to be a true Church their best strongest argument is that the Bb. are lineally discended from his Holines or impiousnes of Rome as you may read in Pocklingtons Booke called Sunday no Sabboth So that by their own confession they stand by that same power and authoritie that they haue receaved from the Pope Soe that their calling is not from God but from the Divill For the Pope cannot give a better authoritie or calling to them then he himselfe hath But his Authoritie and Calling is from the Devill Therefore the Prelates Calling and authoritie is from the Devill alsoe Revel. 9. 3. And there came out of the smoake Locusts upon the earth and unto them was given power as the Scorpions of the earth haue power to hurt and vndoe men as the Prelates dailie doe And also Revel. 13. 2. And the Beast which I sawe saith S. Iohn was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon that is to say the Devill gaue him his power his seat and great authority and ver. 15. 16. 17. And whether the Prelates as well as the Pope do not daily the same things let every man that hath but common reason judge For do not their daily practises and cruell burdens imposed on all sorts of people high and low rich and poore witnesse that their discent is from the Beast part of his state and kingdome Soe also Revel. 16. 13. 14. All which places do deçlare that their Power a•d authority being from the Pope as they themselues confesse Therefore it must needes originally come from the Devill For their power callings must of necessitie proceede either from God or else from the Divill But it proceeds not from God as the Scriptures sufficiently declares Therefore there calling and power proceeds from the Devill as both Scripture and there owne daily practises doe demonstrate and prove And as for that last place cited Rev. 16. 13. •4 Jf you please to reade the Second and third parts of Dr. Bastwicks Letany you shall finde he their proves that the Prelates practises doe every way suite •with and make good that portion of Scripture to the vtmost For in their Sermons that they preach before his Majestie how doe they incense the King nobles against the people of God labouring to make them odious in his sight stirring him up to execute vengance vpon them though they be the most harmelesse generation of all others And as for all these officers that are vnder them made by them for mine own particular I cannot se but that their callings •re as unlawfull as the Bishops themselves and in particular for the callings of the ministers J do not nor will not speake against their persons for I know some of them to be very able men and men of excellent gui•tes and quallifications and I perswade my Ielfe their souls are very deare and pretious in the sight of God Yet not withstanding this proves not their Callings to be ever the better As it is in civill government If the King whom God hath made a lawfull Majestrate make a wicked man an officer hee is as true an officer and as well to be obeyed comming in the Kings name as the best man in the world comming with the same atthoritie for in such a case he that is a wicked man hath his calling from as good authority as the godliest man hath And therefore his calling is as good as the others But on the other side if he that hath noe authoritie make officers though the men themselues be never so good and holie Yet their holines maks their calling never awhitt the truer but still is a false a calling in regard his authority was not good nor lawful that made thē evē so the ministers be they never so holy mē yet they haue one and the same calling with the wickedest that is amongest them their holines proues not their callings to be ever the truer seeing their authority that made them ministers is false and therefore they haue more to answer for then any of the rest by how much the more God hath bestowed greater guists vpon them then vpon others and yet they detaine the truth in vnrighteousnesse from Gods people and do not make knowne to them as they ought the whole will and counsell of God And againe the greater is their sinne if their callings be vnlawfull as J verily beleeve they are in that they still hold them and doe not willingly lay them downe renounce them for they do but deceiue the people and highly dishonour God and sinne against their owne soules while they preach vnto the people by vertue of an Antichristian and vnlawfull Calling and the more godlie and able the Minister is that still preaches by vertue of this calling the more hurt he doth for the people that haue such a Minister will not be perswaded of the truth of things though one speake informe them in the name of the Lord but will be ready to reply Our Minister that preaches still by vertue of this Calling is so holy a man that were not his calling right good I do assure my selfe he would no longer preach by vertue thereof And thus the holines of the minister is a Cloake to couer the unlawfulnes of his calling and make the people continue rebells against Christs his Scepter and Kingdome which is an agreuation of his sinne for by this meanes the people are kept off from receiving the whole truth into their soules rest in being but almost C•ristians or but Christians in part B•t Oh my Brethren it behoues all you that feare God and tender the Salvation of
that the Beast which ascended out of the bottomloste Pitt which is the Pope and Roman State hath his power and authority given him by the Dragon the Devill So that all the power which the Pope hath and doth exercise originally comes from the Devill If you reade also some Bookes lately set forth by the P•elates themselves and their Creatures you shall there finde that they claime their jurisdiction standing and power from the Pope Now if their power and calling be from the Pope as they themselves say it is then it must needs be from the D•vill also For the Popes power and calling is from the Devill And he cannot give a better power and calling to them then he himselfe hath and I pray Sir if the Bishop of Ca•terbury be offended at that which J spake yesterday tell him I will seale it with my bloud And if he please to send for me I will justifie it to his face and if I be not able to make it good before any noble man in the Kingdome let mee loose my life Ey but it had been a great deale better said he for thine owne particular good to have beene more sparing of thy speech at that time No Sir said I nothing at all for my life and blo•d is not deare and precious to me •o I may glorifie God and doe him any service therewith I assure thee said he I was exceedingly chidd about thee and also there were old businesses rubd up •gainst mee concerning Dr. Lai•on and Mr. Burton for that Liberty that they had Wherefore were yo• chidd fo• me said I About the Bookes said he that you threw abroade in regard you were close Prisoner and yet had those Bookes about you I would aske you one question Did you bring those Bookes to the F•eete with you or were they since brought to you by any other I beseech you Sir pardon me for revealing that said I. Then he would have knowne who they were that most resorted to me I desired I might be excused in that also Ey but you must give me an answer said hee for I must certifie the Lords thereof Then said I I pray you tell their Honours I am unwilling to tell you What were those Bookes said he that you threw abroade were they all of one sort Those that have them said I can certifie you of that I my selfe have one of them said he and have read it and I can finde no wit in it there is nothing but railing in it Sir said I I conceive you are mistaken for the Booke is all full of wit it is true this Booke which you lighted on is not so full of soliditie as other of his Bookes are but you must understand that at that time when the Dr. made that Booke hee was full of heavines and in danger of a great punishment for the Prelates had breathed out more crueltie against him for writing his Apology And at that time also he was compassed about on every side with the P•stilence Th•refore he made that Booke to make himselfe merrie But said he hee doth not write any thing in it to the purpose against the Bishops callings Sir said I I must confesse you lighted on the wo•stof the 3. And it is true there is not much soliditie and force of argument in it but only mirt• But the other two are as full of s•l•ditie as this is of mir•h What were they •f 3. so•ts said he Yes Sir that they were said I What were the other two called said he The one said I was his Answer to Sr. I•hn Ba•ks his Information The other is an Answer to some Objections that are made against that Booke which you have But if ever you reade his Latine Bookes you shall there finde soliditie enough and the wickednes and unlawfulnes of the Bishops Callings and practises set forth to the full What Latine Bookes be they said he His Flagelluw for which hee was first Censured said I What hath hee been twice Censured said he Yes said I he was Censured in the High-Commission Court for writing his Flagellum And after that he wrote his Apology and that little Booke which you have which were the cause of his Censure in the Starr-Chamb•r But hast thou any more of those Bookes said he Sir said I if I had had 20. of them more they should all have gone yesterday But hast thou any more of them now said he Sir said I I verily think• that if I should tell you I had not you would not beleeve me and therefore if you please you may search my Chamber So I must said he for the Lords have commaunded me so to doe therefore open your Trunke Sir said I it is open alreadie Search it Iohn Hawes said he So he search it and found nothing there Open the Cubbard said he So I gave the Porter the key of my Cubbard to search it and he found nothing there but my victuals Search his pocket said the Warden Indeed Sir said I there is none in them Yet he searched them and found as I said Then he searched all my Chamber over but found nothing at all Well Sir said I now you can certifie the Lords how you finde things with me But I pray Sir mu•• I still be kept close Prisoner I hope now the Lords have inflicted their Censure on me they will not still keepe me close No said hee within a little time you will be eased of it So we tooke our leaves each of other and hee went away And the next day being Fryday and a Starr-Chamber-day J hoped I should have had the Libertie of the Prison But in stead thereof newes was brought me at evening that I must be removed to the Common Goale or a worse place and that I must bee put in Irons Well for all this my God enabled me to keep my hold still and not to let my confidence goe For blessed be his name for it this newes did not in the least manner trouble me And upon Saterday morning Iohn Hawes the Porter came with the Woman that looked to mee to my Chamber to stand by her that none might speake with me till she had made my bedd and done other things for me And he told me hee was sorrie to heare such newes as he did concerning me VVhat is it said I I heare said he that the Lords have ordered that you must be put into the Wards and kept close Prisoner there and lie in irons and none must be suffered to come at you to bring you any thing but you must live upon the Poore Mans Box Sir that 's verie hard said J but the will of my God be done For mine owne part i• nothing at all troubles me For I know in whom I have beleeved and I know not one Haire of my Head shall fall to the ground without his providence And I have cast up my account alreadie what it will cost me Therefore I waigh not any thing that can be