our friends house at Lin where we lodged it being two miles out of the town we were persued and also apprehended by the Constables under the name of erronious persons being strangers and by that power were caried after a full and clear manifestation of our unfreeness unto their Assembly then to Prison and after a while were also brought before their Iudgment seat in which two Assemblies to which we were forced they drew forth matter enough as they conceived to make us transgressors thereupon proceeded to sentence us without producing either Accuser Witness Iury Law of God or man whereby either we might appear to be guilty or they to be just and justified in their proceedings against us 2 After we were thus persued and apprehended under the name of erronious persons and strangers and by their Court condemned and sentenced as Herericks or scismaticks a motion being made by their Governour touching a discourse with their Ministers was readily accepted by us and often repeated and as often promised by them but yet could not be obtained as is here at large to be seen 3 Although through the mercifull hand of our God upon us we had wronged no man corrupted no man defrauded no man as he together with our Consciences then did and still to this day do bear us witness yet besides the exceeding great loss and detriment otherwise sustained we had all no doubt met with as cruell Scourgings as his faithfull servants of old had not the provident hand of our God so disposed the hearts of some of our friends to lay down our ransome by which two did escape and this did evidently appear in the third who came under their zealous yet merciless hands and received from them 50 stripes above the restraint of the Iews as writers report yea and such entertainment no doubt should strangers or Angels from Heaven yea Christ Iesus himself have received at their hands if they could effect it in case they should have come among them and not submitted as it is not possible they should unto that golden and glorious Image or likeness of the worship and way of God appointed by Christ which they have set up 4 When this faithfull Martyr and Witness that Christ is the Lord had born this fourscore and ten stripes cruelly laid on not only with a patient mind but with an exceeding great joy of the holy spirit as the spectators could not but discern and was loosed from the Post and was going to Prison again some being inwardly moved with joy in beholding the gracious support which the Lord afforded him as they have affirmed could not forbear to take him by the hand for which thing sake two of them were apprehended sentenced to pay each of them 40 s or els be whipt Let the Actors themselves and all that peruse their practice for cautions sake consider whether the spirit by which they are led thus to act be not very like unto if not the same which is seen Revel 13. Acting the second Beast that arose up out of the Earth which had two hornes like a Lamb yet spake like a Dragon and exercised all the power of the first Beast that was before him caused a lively Image to be made unto him and forced the Earth and them that dwel herein both small and great rich and poor free and bond to worship his Image and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke or the name or the number of his name Here is Wisdom and let such as desire from their hearts to live Godly in Christ Iesus and do as really expect to suffer with Christ in this present evill World as they do to reign with him in that good World which yet is to come let such I say consider and bear still in mind these expressions Revel 13. 10. He that leadeth into Captivity shall go into Captivity he that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword here is the patience and faith of the S ints Rev. 12. 11. And they overcame him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 6. 9 10 11. I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they beld And they cryed with a loud voice saying how long holy and true wilt thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwel on the Earth c. Rev. 20. 4. And I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the Witness of Iesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshiped the Beast neither his Image neither had received the marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years And now forasmuch as it was boldly affirmed by a Solicitor for New-England and that in the Councell Chamber before that honourable Committee there assembled in Councell that men in New-England might freely injoy their understandings and Consciences provided they walk civilly among them and that they that suffered of late did not suffer for their Consciences but for some misdemeanor thereby endeavouring to possess those noble brests with that which is false therefore I think it necessary both for the Vindication of truth and to the end that such worthy persons may not be taken with or deceived by such unworthy reports so as to be drawn to countenance persons that walk in a way that they are ashamed in plain and open terms to prosess and acknowledge for these ends I say I think it necessary to produce their Laws at least such as speak to the matter in question whereby these two things will plainly appear 1 That they that will not or else in Conscience towards God cannot conform to their worship or suspend the worship of God as their Souls are perswaded are by the authority of their Laws to be forced to the one and restrained from the other and that the Magistrate is thereby not only justified in but also injoyned unto such a proceeding against them although the men otherwise walk not only as civilly or soberly as themselves but also righteously and Godly in this present evill World and are such indeed as are a Law to themselves 2 Although they have Laws thus to proceed to force all to their worship to restrain those that differ from them from that worship to which their Souls are perswaded yet in our case they were so far transported with zeal that what they did unto us they did without Law yea against those Cautions which their own Laws have provided Certain Lawes established in the Colony of the Mathatusets in New-England and drawn forth by constraint to prove that the Authority there established cannot permit men though of never so civill sober and peaceable a Spirit and Life freely to enjoy their understandings and consciences nor yet to live or come among them unlesse they can
that may be presented for the preservation of the whole And this in brief is the sum of that administration of Christs power in earth so far as it meerly concerns the outward man with respect to others that may uphold it or molest it and is managed by that sword of steel which in reference unto him is called in scripture the rod of iron by which he rules the nations and breaks them to peeces like a Potters vessel and with this administration of his power on Earth Right Honourable hath he who is the Lord of Lords and shall ere long appear as King and Judge of all betrusted you in these three Nations having as a manifest token thereof put into your hand that iron rod and to admiration hath strengthened and upheld your arm for the subduing and ordering of the same There is yet besides this another administration of Christs power on Earth which compared with this may be truly termed heavenly and spirituall it being that which suiteth with and principally is exercised about the spirituall or hidden part of man to wit his spirit mind and conscience which is indeed the most naturall Lord and commander of the outward it and all things belonging thereunto being but naturally subject and readily obedient from which very consideration it is that it is more safe and also more honourable for the powers on earth to have one thousand souls to be subject to them for love and conscience sake than to have ten thousand times ten thousand bodies seemingly subject for wrath sake and for fear of revenge this spirit and great commander in man is such a sparkling beam from the Father of lights and spirits that it cannot be lorded over commanded or forced either by men devils or angels but onely leaving its first station wherein it came so neer to the light and glory of God it is now caused to possess death and darkness and by that means is in a capacity by men and devils to be deceived and so by perswasion to be mis-led This spirituall administration of Christs power in and over the spirits and consciences of men as it extends to all the inward and hidden motions and actings of the mind so to all the outward manifestations of its powerfull commands in the outward man in reference unto God and especially unto such as appertain to the visible worship and service of God who hath declared himself to be a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and seeks such and onely such to worship him This spirituall administration so far as it concerns the outward man is managed not by a sword of Steel which cannot come neer or touch the spirit or mind of man but by the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of his servants the word of truth and especially as to the efficacy and to the inward man by the two-edged sword of the Spirit that spirituall law and light with which these candles of the Lord are enlightned and that by himself who is that light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world and this spirituall administration of Christs power on earth in and over the spirits minds and consciences of the sons of men and also over the outward man as to worship meerly is committed into the hands of the Spirit of Christ who is his vice-roy here on earth and is only able to deal with spirits by way of convincing converting transforming and as it were a-new creating of them and so to translate them out of the Kingdome of darkness in which they are by nature into the glorious â—iberty of the Saints in light Who is pleased also to make use of the mouths of his servants and through them as empty reeds and crooked rams-hornes to overturn the spirits and spirituall strong holds of men and devils and by them to convict avenge and execute the sentence written which upon such as manifest the emnity that is in their minds in the highest degree even against the holy Spirit himself the only sin unpardonable for all other sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven I say the written sentence that is to be executed upon such is anathema maranatha that is accursed with this intimation our Lord cometh leaving them untill he meet with them and otherwise than thus the servants of Christ cannot proceed having express command not to strive but to be patient apt to teach in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves to wait if God at anytime wil give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth Thus if it please the Father of lights to give you Right Honorable to distinguish between these two administrations of Christ's power here on earth and to leave that part to himself in the hand of his Spirit which cannot be conferred on others nor yet rightly managed but by the two-edged sword of that Spirit and wholly give up your selves to improve that part which belongs unto and well suits with that sword which you are now betrusted with it will much conduce to his glory your own praise and the peace and settlement of these three Nations over which the Lord hath set you And whereas Right Honorable it is in your hearts to propagate the Gospell of Jesus Christ the thing is excellent that is in your hearts and I hope the way to effect it is before you which is sith the Lord of hoasts hath said that works of this nature are carried on not by might nor by power but by his Spirit therefore to give way to his Spirit for the effecting thereof and to this end I humbly propose that your way to further this glorious design as to the might and power this Lord of Hoasts hath betrusted you with is 1. Not so much as to touch his Anointed and to do his Prophets no harm their ointment being the Spirit of prophecy and this Spirit of prophecy the testimony and witness of the Gospel of Jesus And 2. As obedient and dutifull servants to that Lord of Lords to suffer the Tares which being by the adversary sown after the Wheat must needs be ment erronious hereticall and antichristian persons professing the Gospel I say to let these tares alone in that part of the field or world over which the great Lord of the harvest hath placed your Honors sith it is his pleasure they shall there remain to the time of the harvest being the end of the world and that out of his tender respect to the Wheat lest in plucking up the tares though evidently discerned by his servants the Wheat should be rooted up also And 3. To the same end not to give your sword or power to the beast nor yet to suffer your power neither in these three nations nor yet in any forreign part of the world to be so misused by any to whom 't is committed as by vertue thereof out of an ignorant zeal and blind devotion pretending to pluck up the tares which yet is contrary to the express
oppose themselVes which word signifieth a setting a mans self in an opposition to the truth in a more than an ordinary manner even by way of covenant or resolution of spirit yet are they still to be waiting with meekness upon them if God at any time will giVe them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may recoVer themselVes out of the snares of the deVil who are taken captiVe by him at his will Another argument that there can be no warrant from Christ for such a practice as this is taken from such expressions of his wherein he shews his dislike thereof and it standeth thus 7. Arg. If Christ Jesus the Lord have sharply reproved and checked his servants when he hath espied such a spirit as this but breaking forth in them then can no servant of his have any countenance much less authority from him so to practise But the first is true he hath sharply reproved them when he espied such a spirit as this but breaking forth witness his words Luke 22. 24 25. c. Joh. 18. 10 11. Mat. 26. 51 52 53. 54. Luke 9. 46 47. 49 50. 52 53 54. 55 56. where it is said when the Samaritans perceived that Christs face was towards Ierusalem they did so envy him for Ierusalems sake which was the place of Gods worship that they would not receive him nor afford unto him such common curtesie as belonged unto strangers for which discurteous repulse of their Lord and master James and John in a preposterous zeal judged that they deserved to dy and thereupon moved the question to Christ in these words verse 55. Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them but what is the answer of Christ it is said he turned and rebuked them saying ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of They were scarce awar that they were hereunto moved by no other spirit than the spirit of Antichrist for saith he The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them and if he came into this world to save mens lives and not to destroy them and will have his Servants to learn of him meekness and mercy and to be as he was in this present evil world I say if he came to save mens lives even the rebellious then no servant of his can have any authority from him for such cases as these to destroy them The last Argument standeth thus 8. Arg. That which of it self is inconsistent with the civil peace liberty prosperity and safety of a Place Commonwealth or nation no servant of Christ Jesus can have liberty much less authority from his Lord to do But this outward forcing of men in matters of conscience towards God to believe as others believe and to practise and worship as others do cannot stand with the Peace Liberty Prosperity and safety of a Place Commonwealth or nation Therefore no servant of Christ can have any liberty much less authority so to do The first proposition can scarce be denyed if these things be considered sci That Christ Jesus the Lord is the Prince of Peace Isa 9 6 Heb 7. 2. and the more a man is made partaker of and led by the Spirit of the Lord which is the Spirit of Peace the more peaceable and quiet is he like to be towards all men with whom he hath to do for this Prince of Peace hath given express command unto all his Servants who are the Children of Peace in whose hearts his word stands with power as the word of a King to be at peace among themselves 1 Thes 5 13. To live in peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. To follow peace with all men Heb 12. 14. To seek peace and ensue it 1 Pet. 3. 11. To follow after those things that make for peace Rom. 14. 19. If it be possible as much as in them lyeth to have peace with all men Rom. 12. 16. Yea not to seek their own but every man anothers wealth 1 Cor. 10. 24. To seek the peace of the place where God hath bounded his habitation yea and to pray unto God for it and for the rulers thereof Jer. 29. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 2. By all which it doth evidently appear that that which of it â—elf cannot stand with the peace and prosperity of a place and nation that can no servant of Christ have by the authority of this Lord unless by a just judgement from him upon the rulers of this world for giving their power and sword to the beast thus to be abused and made drunk with the blood of the Saints which his tender heart cannot but avenge upon themselves and upon the Nations for their loving to have it so And as for the second Proposition which is this that this outward forcing of men in matters of conscience towards God to believe as others believe and to practise and worship not as themselves but as others are perswaded cannot stand with the peace liberty prosperity and safety of a Place Nation and Commonwealth this will as plainly appear in the examination of each particular thereof And first it cannot stand with the peace of a Commonwealth for as there could be no peace expected in the Israel of old so long as that harlot Jezabel who thirsted after innocent blood could at her pleasure obtain the seal and power of the King to effect her bloody design upon the servants of the Lord who withstood her Idolatrous Priests and that Idolatrous way and worship which they had set up so likewise as long as that spirituall Jezabell among those that account themselves the Israel of God who is seen in Rev. 17. 3. to ride upon that scarlet-coloured beast and to own her self as the City and spouse of that great King the King of Saints so long I say as she can by her glorious deckings and splendours so deceive and allure the Kings and Rulers of the earth to commit fornication with her and to give their sword and power to the beast that bears her up there can be no expectation of peace in the earth but still of wars and rumours of wars untill mens hearts fail them for so long as there is an outward force or power to be had to maintain and uphold the carnall interests and advantages of some upon religious accounts and to persecute others who for conscience sake towards God dare not yea cannot conform to their way What hopes are hereby begotten and nourished in some what jealousies suspicions and fears in others what revengfull desires in most yea what plottings and contrivings in all and as a fruit and effect hereof what riding running troublesome and tumultuous assemblings together and â—idings yea and outragious murderings and bloodshedings are hereby produced in a Nation to gain that power and sword to their party either to crush suppress or cause the other to conform or at the least and best to save themselves from being crushed suppressed or forced to
conformity But were this snare of the destroyer and murderer once discovered and broken which is under a specious and religious pretence of doing God good service to oppress and slay his innocent servants and children and to force men to that which their minds and consciences are not perswaded unto which is worse than Idolatry or at least would it please the most high to help the Kings and Rulers of the earth to take King Davids counsell Psal 2. which is to kiss tâ—e son lest be angâ—y and in his anger smite thâ—â— glorious Image which Nabuchadnezzer saw in his dream Dan. 2. 31 32 33 34. upon his feet that were part of iron and part of clay and so break them to peeces that the iron the clay the brass the silver and the gold be broken to peeces together become as chaff and so vanish away that there should no place be found for them And would it please the most high to put it into their hearts to manage that power and sword of steel which he hath put into their hands and takes out again at his good pleasure so that it might onely attend the very thing for which it is bestowed upon them which is to do justly and to shew mercy as those that walk in such eminent places humbly before the Lord which are things more pleasing to him than such burnt offerings and sacrifices although they amounted to thousands of rams or ten thousands of rivers of oyl especially being such as he hath not required at their hands how soon would the earth which now is moved exceedingly reels to and fro like a drunkard and is removed like a cotâ—â—â—â— â—â—ome a quiet and peaceable habitation for if there were neither fear on one hand nor hope on the other that this sword should be drawn forth to maintain the carnall interests of some which they enjoy upon religious pretences and to suppress the understandings and consciences of others to the hazard of their proper and lawfull interests and outward enjoyments and all men should see the Rulers as resolute in this point as Galio was so that men of all sects and religions which now are various were become hopeless of any other help to support themselves and their way or to draw others thereto than what by the word of God they can attain unto how soon would these tumults cease the enmity in point of Religion be slaâ—n and all things in peace and for my part I cannot expect that the swords should be beaten into plowshares and the spears into pruning hooks that nation shall not rise against nation neither shall they learn war any more which is a thing which the mouth of the Lord hath spoken of untill that be accomplished which should occasion it which is expâ—eâ— by the Prophet in these words For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Micha 4. 3 4 5. And as this forcing of men for their conscience sake cannot stand with the peace of a Nation or Commonwealth so neither can it stand with the liberty thereof as those two instances Rev. 13. 10. and 15. 16 17 together with daily experience doe lively demonstrate in which Scriptures it is plain to be seen that whilst the Beast reigneth through the power of the Kings of the Eath all are restrained of their liberty and brought to conformity they cannot buy nor sel unless they conform to the Beast no not the great ones Kings and Rulers themselves they shall rather cease to be Kings than cease to conform when once they have given their power to him for then they have not been able to stand before him as Emperors Kings Princes and Governors have by wofull experience through a sad hand of God found to be true And as by the righteous judgement of God they that have upon this accompt killed with the sword must have a time also to be killed with the sword so they that have led into captivity must also be led into captivity so that by this it appears it cannot stand with the liberty of a place and Nation And that it cannot stand with the prosperity and safety therof will appear from a twofold consideration the first whereof is with respect to piety the second to policy That which is taken from piety is this If the matter be duly considered and weighd it cannot be expected but that this outward constraint or restraint of men in matters of conscience for the worship of God in this present evill world and by the powers therin much chiefly reflect and light upon such as being called out of the world can neither conform to worldly vanities nor worldly worships but to the pure voice and word of God and to the testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord which if true as indeed it cannot be denied then it will easily appear to be both unsafe and unprosperous for a state or nation to be found medling herein for as much as the Lord of hosts hath said he that toucheth you toucheth the aple of mine eye Zach. 2. 8. and again Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm 1 Chron. 16. 22. and King David had well observed concerning the Israel of old that the Lord suffered no man to do them wrong but even reproved Kings for their sakes Psal 105. 14. And if the Lord of hosts who is full of bowels of compassion be so taken with the oppression of the poor and sighing of the needy that â—e will not long forbear but will arise relieve him and set 〈…〉 safety from him that pusseth at him or would insnare him Psal 12. 5. shall he not much rather avenge his own elect which give him no râ—â—t but câ—y night and day unto him Luk 18. 7. yea I tell you saith Christ he will a venge them speedily And now how unsafe and unprosperous it is for a Kingdome or State to ly thus open to the vengeance of God which if it breaks forth is like to overturn overturn overturn it as the prophet speaks Ezek. 21. 25 26 27. will not be a hard thing to discern Again it cannot well stand with the prosperity and safety of a State or Nation upon a politick ground or consideration For it best suits with policy be the power in the hands of Kings and Princes but especially of States and Commonwealths 1. To engage not only one party or sect alone but all parties therein to the present power and to the supporting thereof 2. To do this not by giving away any part of the power to any party or sect to oppress or inforce others to their way for their carnal and private respects for that as hath been shewn is the way to lose it themselves except they conform yea to be brought to conformity but to afford its protection equall to all without respect unto any at least in this 〈◊〉 keeping them thereby safe under God in respect of their persons names and estates 3 And to engage them all upon the strongest engagements which are not carnal outward advantage they being of tentimes so far from advancing the same that they prove notable means to make the obstruction but this wherein one man may be as wel assured that he shall not be forced to another man understanding and conscience as that another shall not be forced unto his Which indeed is an engagement that is stronger than death the voice of each manâ— conscience being to him as the voice of his God by this means shall all parties be deeply obliged to the utmost of their lives and estates to beaâ— up that power without which they cannot expect to enjoy peace liberry and safety themselves so shall the rulers also have somewhat more vacancy to consider what it is that the Lord of hosts doth require at their hands which is to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly before the Lord Mic 6 7. 8. And whereas it is added every man being such c. which is to shew that whether such liberty as this should be granted or 〈…〉 in this present world yet it concerns and also well becomes the servants of Câ—â—â—â—t not to alter their course but to be still found keeping the commandments God and the testimony of Jesus and to beating in mind what is said Rev. 12.11 And they overcame him by the bloâ—d of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death hâ—â—kning also for his voice who saith Rev. last 20. Surely I come quickly with the like closing therewith as there is exprest Amen Even so come Lord Jesus FINIS * A Wampon Peague is the sixâ—h part of a penny with us Heb. 1. 3. 8. 1. Heb. 8. 6. 10 11 12. Act. 10 43 Jo. 1. 45. Acts 3. 21. 7. 37. Matth. 17. 12 13. Matth. 11. 11 12 13 14. Eph. 1. 1. Col. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 2â— 7. 23. 1 Cor. 12 13. Col. 2 19 2 Eph. 20. 21 22. 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Heb. 12. 2. Acts 9. 6. Ps 85. 8. Io. 10. 5. 4 â—o 23 24.