contradicting it converted the world to Christianity And although our Saviour gave power to all his Disciples to preach the Gospel yet only to the Apostles He expounded the Scriptures beginning at Moses And it was Luk. 24. 27. the Apostles understandings which he opened that they might understand the Scriptures And the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets ver 45. Our Saviour therefore having promised the continuance of all ghostly power in his Church and having given the power of the interpretation of the Scriptures that is those Scriptures which concern him immediately only to his Apostles the authority of the interpretation of the Scriptures is continued only in their successors the Bishops As my Father sent me so send I you S. Joh. 20. 21. 17. Our Saviour being the Head of the Catholique Church therefore To whom the right of making Ecclesiastical laws belongs all the body of the Church cannot make one Article de fide and Whoso shall go about to adde or diminish from the prophesie of the book of life God shall plague him and take away his part from the book of life Rev. 22. 18 19. Yet where he gives command to his Church to do any thing but gives it no direction how it should be done as Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14. 40. there he gives the Church a power to make laws for the execution of his command for decencie and order must presuppose laws and directions and where there are no laws there things must necessarily be done indecently and disorderly It therefore belongs to the magisterial or governing part of the Church that is the Bishops to make laws for the decencie and order of the Publique service of God Consecration Sacraments things offered up to God and Rites of Marriage 18. It was only to Timothy as Bishop of the Ephesians that S. Paul To whom the composing of Publique Liturgies belongs 1 Tim. cap. 2. exhorts that first of all prayers supplications intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men Therefore to Bishops it only belongs And S. Ambrose his Liturgy is continued in Milan to this day if no alteration were since the Council of Trent 19. The next Order in the Church of Christ to Apostles and Bishops Of Priests and their function is that of Presbytery or Priesthood as S. Paul says 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers The Sacerdotal or Priestly power in most things is the same with Episcopal or Pontificial as both of them have power to consecrate the Sacrament of our Lords Supper and give it to the Laity both of them have power of Absolution and Remission of the sins of believing and repenting sinners both have power of Benediction of offering up the service of the Church both of them have power to preach the Gospel that is preach what our Saviour the Apostles and Evangelists taught and what Interpretation the Church hath made both have power of publique baptizing Infants both have power of visitation of the Sick celebrating Marriage and pronouncing man and wife But Ordination Confirmation Excommunication Interpretation of Scriptures And therefore if any Priest preaches any other Interpretation of the Scriptures than what the received Interpretation of the Fathers of the Eastern and Western Churches have made and the Councils of the first 400 years after our Saviour which Interpretation is received and acknowledged by the Bishops of the Church of England the Bishops by the testimony of two or three witnesses may judge him Visiting Parochial Congregations composing Publique Forms of Prayers Consecration of Churches and things offered up to God belong only to Bishops 20. Deacons are almost in the same proportion to Priests as Priests Of Deacons and their function are to Bishops Deacons may preach the Gospel which is evident for the Samaritans were converted by the preaching of Philip. A Deacon is the Minister of Bishop and Priest to assist them in offering up the Publique Act. 8. 12. service of the Church in giving the Cup after them in the Sacrament in taking the offerings of the Priest in the Visitation of the sick in Publique Baptism But a Deacon cannot consecrate the Sacrament pronounce Absolution nor Benediction and these three no question are the Orders which S. Paul calls first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. for in all things but only preaching and baptizing a Deacon is the Minister of the Priest and Bishop 21. Ecclesia says S. Cyprian est plebs episcopo adunata or as the Church What is a Church of England hath defined it a Church is a Bishop Curates and Congregations committed to his charge Every Congregation being a Parish that is a Priest rightly instituted and inducted exercising his function and the inhabitants of that Parish conforming themselves to the rules of the Bishop Una ecclesia plures episcopos non habet plures presbyteros habet And therefore S. James says If any among you be sick let him call the elders of the Church cap. 5. 14. such was the Church of Ephesus of Smyrna Laodicea Antioch c. and such is the Church of London Rochester c. A National Church is the aggregation of several Churches in one A National Church Kingdom in the same form of Liturgy Doctrine and Publique Worship of God such are the Churches of Greece Moscovy England France c. The Catholique Church is all Christian Churches united to one Head The Catholique Church Christ Jesus 22. He that heareth not and obeyeth not the Church is to be accounted He that denies the authority of the Church denies the authority of the Scriptures S. Luk. 10. 16. as a Heathen man Matth. 18. 17. And what is a Heathen man but he which denies or believes not the Scriptures Nor is it men which men despise and set at nought in despising the Church but God and Christ himself for He that despiseth you viz. them sent by Christ despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me That Regality is a sacred order being an institution of God Gen. 49. 10. Annot. 1 and every King the Lords Anointed is in more then thirty places expressed by God himself It is therefore I conceive why the Church of Rome allows Kings the Sacrament in both kinds But how Kings as being Christian can have any ghostly power instituted by our Saviour to be only in his Church and that only by such means as he hath prescribed I do not understand For Kings as Kings are no essential part of Christs Church and therefore cannot create ghostly power And this King James confessed as you may read in Spotswoods History p. 514. And if Kings by becoming Christian have ghostly power then is the power left by our Saviour to his Church not only weakned by Kings being converted to Christianity but also divided which is
excommunicated or damned who differ in some things from the doctrine of the Pope who appeal from his decrees and hinder the execution of the ordinances of him or his Legates Although the Sesession of the Church King and Kingdom of England The reformation of King 1 d. was not Schismatical from the Papacy were an Act of Schism yet being done in the Reign of H. 8. one of the greatest favorers of the Papacy that ever was King of England and to his death as great an assertor of the Rites Ceremonies and Religion of it and in such a state independent from the Church of Rome was the Church and Kingdom at the time of Edwards Reformation whatsoever therefore his Reformation was yet could it not be Schismatical Whatever the Romanists pretend to unity and peace in their Church yet The rites and ceremonies of Edwards reformation were more uniform then before it is most manifest that in the Realm of England and Dominion of Wales in several places were used divers forms of Prayer commonly called the Service of the Church viz. that of Sarum of York of Bangor and Lincoln but also of late divers and sundry forms and fashions were used in the Cathedral and Parishes Church of England and Wales as well concerning the mattens or morning prayer and evening song as also concerning the holy Communion commonly called the Mass with divers and sundry rites and ceremonies concerning the same and in the administration of other Sacraments of See preamble to the Statute of 2 3. Ed. 6. Cap. 1. That the Scriptures Lords Prayer and Creed should be read in the English tongue is no new thing in England the Church whereas the service enjoyned in the Reign of Ed. 6 was uniform in all places of England and Wales as well in Parish Churches as Cathedrals In the Reign of King Ethelbald in the year of our Saviors incarnation 748. in a convocation held in the Prouince of Canterbury Cuthbert the Archbishop of his Clergy did Enact that the sacred Scriptures should be read in their monasteries the Lords Prayer and Creed taught in the English tongue Speed in the Reign of Ethelbald para 4. page 343. and how much it was against the Word of God and the custom of the ancient Church to use a tongue unknown to the people in common prayer and administration of Sacraments see the conference at Westminster an primo Eliz. which were never yet answered that I know of If any thing Heretical had been contained in the common Prayer administration Edwards reformation was not Heretical of Sacraments c. made in the Reign of Ed. 6. it would have been sufficiently shot at having so many adversaries at home and abroad but no such crime was ever that I ever heard of imputed to it if there be let the adversaries of it yet shew it affirmanti incumbit probatio If then not onely the Kings and supreme powers always under the old Covenant King Edwards Reformation was warrant-able materially and formally had this right of invoking the high Priest and other Priests and if God always punished the Kings of Judah and Israel for suffering the people to commit Idolatry and if God himself so often commends the zeal and reformation of Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Asa Josiah c. and if ever since Christianity the Bishops by that Divine Canon to Timothy have always had in 1 Tim. cap 2. their particular Churches right of composing publick Liturgies and in national Synods a right of composing publick and national Liturgies And the Liturgy of Edward being composed and received by the Bishops of the Church of England to that end convened and assembly by the King this Liturgy being neither schismattical nor containing any thing heretical is both for matter and form warrantable Object If the Sacriledge and extention of the civil Jurisdiction in giving the civil Magistrate licence to take cognizance of the publique Liturgy and administration of the Sacraments be objected The answer is easie Let the Courtiers and Parliament answer for it the Church was patient not agent in them The Church of Rome having robbed the poor laity of one half of the institution of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and kept the people in such The King and Church had great reason to make Reformation in Religion stupid ignorance that in the publick worship and service of God they should neither use their reason nor understanding by imposing it upon them in an unknown tongue as if in the publick worship and service of God he were not to be served by intellectual and rational creatures and had filled the Mass with more prayers to the Virgin Mary and Saints which could no ways relieve them and so at best super fluous and vain there was great reason in the King and Church to a make a reformation of the Religion and publick Worship and Service of God Of Queen Maries Ecclesiastical Laws Although King Ed. were a Prince of transcendent Vertue and Learning far above his years yet doubtless his youth was not onely much abused in his Reign where a man might have seen all the woes pronounced by God upon that Nation where the King is a childe or where a company of men in Parliament arrogate to themselves the Politick capacity of a King abstracted from his person but also at his very death caused not without suspicion of poyson was he deluded upon specious pretences by his whole Councel but principally by the Duke of Northumberland to make way for the Lady Jane Gray in the time of his sickness married to his fourth son Guilford Dudley to declare the said Lady Jane the rightful heir and successor to the English Monarchy to the manifest wrong and injury not onely of Queen Mary and Elizabeth afterward Queens of England but also of Mary Queen of Scots heir to Margaret the eldest daughter of Henry the seventh whereas the Lady Janes Title was descended from Mary the younger daughter of H. 7. yet it so pleased God that this unjust Will should onely bring destruction both to the Lady Jane and her husband whereas the Ladies Mary and Elizabeth and the Posterity of Mary Queen of Scots did all succeed and enjoy the possession of the English Diadem of which they were debarred by this Will of King Edward That the Title of Head of the Church was continued by Queen Mary appears by the Parliament begun and holden at Westminster the fifth of October in the first year of her Reign in the first and second session of it where she is stiled our Gracious Soveraign Lady Mary by the Grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in Earth Supreme Head of the Church of England and Ireland but in the second Parliament of her Reign being holden at Westminster the second of April the first year of her Reign the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of England and Ireland is not mentioned Declares
but our Saviour Patriarchs and Kings were the Lords anointed Nor is Gods anointed peculiar to them not the material anointing and the receiving and believing Gods revelation of him-self in the Scriptures is essential to the making of Gods anointed here but all rightful Kings are so whether they be materially anointed or believe Gods revelation of himself in the Scriptures or not For not only Cyrus was not Isa 45. 1. materially anointed and an unbeliever yet Gods anointed but Nabuchadnezzar also a cruel persecutor and destroyer of Gods people But Lam. 4. 20. God calls them Mortal Gods too Psal 82. 6. And is it not strange that our Saviour should say No power can be but from above data desuper and that Joh. 19. 11. Men should be so impudent as to affirm that there is no power unless data de subter and that against all sense and reason as well as faith For it is impossible that any Power should be superior to the cause of its being or that any thing should give that to another which it self hath not How then can an imaginary rout of Men give a power of life and death and of creating property which not any of them nor all of them together have to another 3. Humane Laws being the accidents or effects of Regal Power they Regal power not made by Humane laws cannot be superior to give or create a being to the cause Regal Power therefore cannot be made or created by Humane Laws 4. That in Regality as well as in Subjects estates jus proprietatis The possession or exercise of Regality does not create Regal power possessionis have been divided and Regal power usurped and exercised by them who had no right thereunto is not only testified by infinite Authorities out of prophane History but also many times in Sacred Writ as in the cases of Absolom Adonijah Athaliah c. It is true indeed that there is no visible power under Heaven but only Mens Consciences that can judge between an Usurper and a rightful Prince Yet ought men principally to have a care how they offend herein for God no where denounces a more dreadful sentence nor shewed a more terrible judgement then upon such Rom. 13. Men Num. 16. And if in Regality possession alone did create a just title then were summa injuria summa justitia it being no question the highest injury to invade the highest authority or dominion of another 5. If possession conjoyned with the submission and acknowledgement Possession with the Subjects acknowledgment and submission does not create Regal power of the Subjects did create regal power or right of command which Kings have over their Subjects then were the dominion of Theeves and Pirates where others submit to them just and Jeroboams title good to the kingdom of the Ten Tribes nor the Children of Israel Rebels but true Subjects after they had quietly submitted themselves to Jeroboam But this is false for God does denounce them Rebels to the house of David unto this day 1 Kings 12. 19. And Jeroboam himself a Rebel after he was quietly 1 King 12. 19. possessed and acknowledged by the Ten Tribes 2 Chron. 13. 6. It is a very remarkable thing that the Subjects of this Nation although Annot. pretending to be Christians have against all rules of Christian Faith placed all power in Government to be from the people and their obligation to it to be from their own submission to it and have by their often forswearing themselves to this and that Government not only habituated themselves into a belief that there is no such thing as right or power in Government but only possession but also taken away all Religion and Obligation of an Oath in things lawful and indifferent God no doubt permitting it that they who would not stand and be protected by his ordinance and institution should fall into all infidelity and perjury and never be true to any thing they sweare to and set up instead of it 6. If the Law of God or Nature did create Regal Power by the acknowledgement The Law of God or Nature does not create Regal power by the submission or any act of the Subject or submission of Men thereunto or that Subjects were the essential instruments by which Regal Power was originally created and yet is continued in the world then were not Men only free from Regal or Higher Powers before they did submit thereunto but also free to make whom they would their Prince and so by consequence there can be no such thing as Hereditary Monarchy in the world which for many Hundred nay Thousand years where God was not pleased to reign himself immediately over his peculiar people was in the old time the only Government in the world For above 3000 years after the Creation was neither Aristocracy Democracy or Elective Monarchy ever heard of in the world and yet Hereditary Monarchy is in above 19 of 20 parts in the world the only Government Nor would any Government that ever was or is in the world grant this liberty to any one born in their dominion but upon resisting it or renouncing it whether he ever submitted to it or not proceed against him not as an Enemy but as a Rebel and Traitor To suppose therefore that Subjects acknowledgment and submission is previous the essential means by which God does create Regal or Higher Powers is upon the matter to give the Lye to all the Powers and Governments that are or ever were in the world 7. None of these things therefore but some higher cause must create Regal power and that Regal Power is the Ordinance of God the Apostle Regal Power is the Ordinance of God and created by the Law of Nature saies expresly where he saies Rom. 13 that he which resisteth the Higher or Regal power resisteth the Ordinance of God And that this is not Gods Ordinance only to them who receive and believe his revelation of himself in the Scriptures is evident by his ordaining of Hazael Cyrus Nabuchadnezer c. and to put all out of question the Apostle here calls Higher or Regal Power Gods Ordinance and at that time whenas there was no King in the world which did receive the Scriptures for the revealed word of God Besides Kings reign by God c. Pro. 8. 5. and that Kings reign by God not only where he is believed as having extraordinarily revealed himself in the Scriptures Job in the state of nature long before the Job 3. 6 7. Moral Law was given by Moses saies Reges in solio collocat in aeternum Regal power therefore is Gods Ordinance and from the Law of Nature 8. Regal power being Gods Ordinance and created by the Law of Adam had Dominion over all Creatures and not as Father Husband or Master of a Family Nature there was never any time wherein Men were borne out of subjection to it not but that the Laws of Nature
or at least ought to be a Presbyter but every Presbyter is not a Bishop For St. Paul saies Against an Elder or Presbyter receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses 1 Tim. 5. 19. But equals cannot judge equals therefore Timothy as a Presbyter could not judge a Presbyter therefore he should judge him as being Bishop and so by consequence Presbyters are subject to the judgment of Bishops that is in Episcopal jurisdiction Besides Bishops have power of ordination of Presbyters in every City 1 Tit. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 22. but it is no where found that ever Presbyters did ordain Bishops It is not therefore Ecclesiastical practice only that is the universal practice of all Christians in all ages untill John Calvin but the institution of our Saviour by which Bishops do excell and govern Presbyters It was after the destruction of Jerusalem that Episcopi Presbyteri caepere appellari Pontifices sacerdotes as the most learned Estius observes and that the name of Priest is not a Jewish Distin 24. l. 4. pag. 35 36. word is evident for Melchisedech was not a Jew and yet a Priest and our Saviour a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech 11. What St. Paul in the end of his Epistle to Timothy calls Bishop of An Apostle and Bishop the same the Ephesians St. John Revel 2. 1. calls Angel of the Church of the Ephesians So St. Paul and St. John understand the same thing by Angel and Bishop but Angelus and Apostolus are the same and therefore Episcopus and Apostolus are the same But what need that be proved by deduction which the Apostle Gal. 1. 19. expresseth For James was none of the twelve yet being Bishop of Jerusalem St. Paul testifies him to be an Apostle Besides it is evident Episcopatus is the office as well of an Apostle as a Bishop Act. 1. 20. There is therefore no difference between an Apostle and a Bishop only Apostles constituted by our Saviour had their function universal whereas the Bishops or Apostles ordained by the Apostles had but a Topical function that is the exercise of their power was restrained to their City or Diocess And all Ecclesiastical writers do affirm that St. James did preside in the Council of Jerusalem although St. Peter with other of the Apostles were Members of it 12. Our Saviour having promised the ghostly power of Confirmaion Ordination The Power of Bishops which Priests have not c. to be with his Church to the end of the world and the power of Ordination Confirmation and Excommunication being bequeathed only to the Apostles the power of Ordination Confirmation and Excommunication descend only to the Apostles successors viz. Bishops rightly ordained 13. Not the voice and letter but the genuine and true sense of the Of the interpretation of Scriptures Word of God is the Canon of Christian Doctrine for the minde cannot be governed by Scriptures unless understood It is necessary therefore that Scriptures be interpreted before they be made a rule It will therefore follow that either God hath left a Power which may interpret Scripture or else that God hath revealed himself to Men without sense or meaning but the latter of these is most false and blasphemous therefore it is true that God hath left a power upon earth which may interpret the Scriptures 14. If the Scriptures were as Arts and Sciences which are derived from The Scriptures cannot be interpreted by themselves that is one place by another higher Principles or Axiomes which though they cannot be proved but are as Aristotle calls them indemonstrable propositions yet are so clear and manifest that no exception can be taken to them then indeed the Scriptures as well as Arts and Sciences might be proved one place by another untill they were resolved to their first Principles which though granted cannot be proved But it is far otherwise with the Scriptures for there is no Scripture which is not of like Authority with any other every Scripture being the Word of God one place of Scripture therefore cannot be interpreted by the consequents which may follow from another any more then the consequents which follow from Quae eidem sunt aequalia inter se sunt aequalia may be interpreted by Omne totum est majus sua parte 15. There is no prophesie of the Scripture of any private interpretation Not all they who do translate the Scriptures are the intepreters of them 2. Pet. 1. 20. It is not therefore every one who can translate the Scripture out of one language into another with his own private conceptions upon them which renders them to be interpreted by him What then hath God revealed himself to mankind in general without sense or meaning No it does not follow for as in temporal Laws no man can interpret them but he that made them either by himself or them whom he shall constitute yet every man may by his reason and discourse direct his own actions in conformity to those Laws but if he shall do any act upon misconstruction or interpretation of his own his mistaking the meaning of the Law shall not excuse him So private men may endeavor to direct their actions accordingly as they suppose God hath directed them in the Scriptures yet if upon their own heads they undertake to interpret the Scriptures although in order only to their own actions their misunderstanding the Scriptures shall never excuse any unjust act 16. Every Law of God is the Word of God but every Word of God is not the Law of God as Jacob went into Egypt is the Word but not the To whom the Authority of the interpretation of Scripture doth belong the Law of God The Scriptures contain Political Historical Moral and Natural things which are not rules of the mystery of Christian Faith and Religion Those things which concern Morality and Temporal power and Government our Saviour made no alteration in them for he saies St. Matth. 5. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil And therefore quid est homicidium quid furtum quid sit meum vel tuum c. belongs to the Temporal power as much since our Saviour as before and truly I do not think I should do the Church of England any wrong if I should with Lindwood affirm that not only the Probate of Wills but also the cognisance of Tithes was in the Church ex consuetudine Angliae but those things which relate to mysteries of Christian faith as our Saviors being the Son of God took humane nature upon him and was born of a Virgin preached repentance died upon the cross for the sinnes of the world rose again the third day c. God to make his power known by the preaching of a few mean men and Fishermen and from the mouths of babes and sucklings all Temporal power not only not permitting but
her but if he will do none of these let him set her free without price If a man slea another willingly he shall be slain himself but if a man slea another not lurking or lying in wait or unwillingly or of necessity so as he were given into his hand by God let him flee to Sanctuary and save his life and forfeit nothing If a man of ambition and guile slea his neighbor let him be taken from mine altar and be put to death If a man slea his father or mother he shall be put to death If a man forestall a Freeman and he sell him to another man he shall be put to death If a man revile his father or mother he shall be put to death If a man slea another with a stone or with his fist and yet he can go with a staff get him a Physitian and let him do his work while he is impotent If a man willingly slea his Note slea is to strike as well as kill servant or his handmaid so as he doth not die in a day but live two or three nights although he be guilty let him be free because they were his goods but if he die the same day let him be guilty If a man by contention hurt a wife with child let him repair the damage that shall be adjudged if she die he shall be put to death If a man put out anothers eye let him lose his eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound with wound skar with skar If a man strike his servant or handmaid so as he loses an eye let him be free therefore or if he strike out a tooth let him be free If an oxe gore any man or woman so as he die let him be stoned and eat his flesh and let the master of the oxe be guiltless if in two or three days he did not know that the oxe gored a man if he knew it and yet would keep him and the oxe afterward kill a man or woman let the oxe be stoned and the master either put to death or pay that price which shall be imposed upon him for the life be it son or daughter the law is the same if he be a servant or handmaid which is gored to death let the oxe be stoned and thirty shillings be paid to the master If a man dig a pit and shall leave it uncovered he shall pay the value of any beast that falls into it and dies If the oxe of one gores the oxe of another so as he dies let the live oxe be sold and his price and the flesh of the dead one be given to the Lord if after the oxe wound another and he die let him sell the oxe and give the price and the flesh of the oxe that is killed to the Lord thereof If the master knew the oxe had gored another and would not take warning nor sell him he shall give two and four sheep for one if he hath not wherewith to pay let him be sold for theft If a Thief break a mans house in the night and there be slain he shall not be guilty of manslaughter but if it be after sunrise he shall be guilty of manslaughter if ready to be killed he were not necessitated If a man shall put fire into standing corn and burn it the author shall give the value of the damage If a man trust another with goods to keep and he privily steal them let him repay double but if it be not found that he which was intrusted used no deceit let him be excused If the thing intrusted were a living creature if he can bring witness that it was taken away by enemies or that it is dead he shall not repay but if he cannot bring witness nor free himself from guilt let him swear he is not guilty If a man corrupt a virgin unbetrothed and slept with her let him be fined and take her to wife but if her father will not so bestow her let him pay her portion after the value of virgins portion Women Fortune-tellers Charmers and Soothsayers suffer not to live He that hath had any thing to do with a beast shall be put to death He that offers sacrifice to any other Gods shall suffer death A stranger or inhabitant thou shalt not hurt for thou wert a stranger in the land of Egypt A widow or orphan do not oppress nor vex if you shall oppress and they complain I will hear their prayrs and slea you with my sword your wives shall be widows children orphans If thou lend money to thy acquaintance be not a gainer from him nor exact usury of him If thou take the garment of one for a pledg who hath only that for a covering restore it before the sun set but if he complain to me I will hear him for my mercy Do not speak evil of the Lord nor curse him who is the Prince of the people Pay thy Tithes and thy first born and first-fruits give to God Do not taste the flesh torne from beasts but cast it to the dogs Do not trust to a deceitful mans word nor hearken to it as to obey it nor favor him in judgment nor esteem his witness but as a tale Do not follow the ill counsel of the people nor in controversie of right incline to the opinion of the multitude nor do thou hold any thing common with wrong If thou shalt find any fourfooted beast of thine adversary straying out of the way reclaim him Judge rightly do not judge otherwise to the poor and adversary then to the rich and friend Do not tell a Lye Do not slea the innocent and just Do not take a gift for it oftentimes blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the speech of the prudent Do no injury to the stranger nor inhabitant Do not take the names of other Gods in swearing nor have them in thy mouth These are those Laws which the Almighty God himself did give to Moses and commanded him to keep and also the onely begotten Son of God when he came into the World openly taught That he did not come down to destroy the Law but to fulfil it with gentleness and goodness for he delivered the rule of true Piety After that they nailed him to the Cross before that his Apostles were together nor were scattered for preaching the Gospel converted many Nations and sent Apostles and Interpreters of the Scripture to Antioch Syria and Cilicia to learn Christs Law and what should then befal them should by a Messenger be sent back to them in writing This is that Epistle which the Apostles sent to all the people of Antioch Syria and Cilicia which were converted from the bondage of the Gentiles to Christ The Apostles and Elder Brethren wish health to you Assoon as we heard that certain men which went from us had troubled you with words and commanded some things which they had not in command from us and had made