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A26924 The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated and argued by Richard Baxter ; who earnestly beseecheth rulers and clergy not to divide and destroy the land and cast their own souls on the dreadful guilt and punishment of national perjury ... Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1689 (1689) Wing B1259; ESTC R2816 234,586 307

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M. 1. There is no place of doubting of their universal sence For an Indefinite term in re necessaria is equal to an Vniversal And they except the unbaptized from Christian Burial 2. It is Baptized Infants as such that they speak of and that under no other Character nor with the least exception And a quatenus ad omnes valet argumentum 3. The Canon commandeth Ministers to baptize all Infants without exception that are brought to them on any Sundays or Holy-days to be baptized after the Manner of the Church of England 4. I have spoken with the Bishops that brought in and promoted this Article and they own the universal sence supposing the true form of Baptisme and say that as any man hath right to take up an exposed Infant in the streets and take it in so hath any one to bring the Child of a Heathen Infidel Atheist or Sadducee to baptisme 5. If they had meant it only of some baptized Infants and not all they knew the Non-conformists were of the same mind and then they would have told us what sort they mean. L. I. And why may not an Article of Faith be newly declared we have not read the Fathers It may not be unknown to them And I have heard that they are for it M. The most ancient Churches were so much employed in baptizing the adult Converted from Infidelity that we read little or nothing expresly and particularly what they did about Infants in Baptisme They baptized none at age without a serious Profession of true Faith and Repentance and holy Dedication to Christ They used to keep these as Learning Catechumens long before they baptized them save in case of necessity near death Therefore they had their set-times of the year for baptizing two or three times as our Bishops have now for ordaining And after all this strict preparation they pronounced the baptized in a state of Salvation but it was only on supposition that he was a sincere penitent covenanting Believer Even Hildebrand Pope Greg. 7. in his time concludeth that baptisme saveth none that dissemble or have not the Faith and Repentance which they profess which the Papists do ordinarily confess and Protestants much more And as for Infants the Ancients compelled not Christians themselves to baptize them but left them to their own choice Tertullian is for long delay till-they understand saying Cur festinat innocens at as Greg Nazianzene would have them stay at least three years In danger of Death they alway hastened Augustine and many others that had Christian Parents were not baptized till at Age. And they took Christians Infants as Paul did to be not unclean but holy and would receive others brought by such as adopted or owned them as Pro-parents But it was never the judgment of the ancient Churches that all Heathens or Infidels Children have right to Baptisme and Salvation if any will but offer them to Baptism Much less that it is certain by Gods Word that all such are saved 2. Articles of Faith are all contained in the Scripture and that is not new therefore nothing that is new can be an Article of Faith nor can it be said to be newly declared which was there from its beginning L. II. And why call you it arrogant and dividing M. Because it presumptuously condemneth the Reformed Churches and the Christian World determining that to be so certain by Gods Word that none should doubt of it that will be a Minister when the Christian World is of many several opinions about it L. What be those Opinions about it M 1. Some hold that the Covenant being the same pardoning saving Covenant that is made to the faithful and their Seed and their Children expresly called Holy they are all in a state of pardon and salvation before baptisme and baptisme doth but celebrate and invest them in it before the Church and solemnly seal their Covenant right And that this saving right is given only to the seed of the sincerely faithful or at most to those that have such Pro-parents though the Seed of Hypocrites must be received by the Church that know not mens hearts And this I take to be the Truth 2. Some others hold that this right to Salvation belongeth to them that have Grand-fathers and Grand-mothers or remote Ancestors that were truly Godly Christians 3. Some hold that it belongeth to all the Seed of professed Christians how bad soever the Parents be 4. Some hold that it belongeth only to the Children of true Believers that are baptized but not to the unbaptized 5. Some hold that it belongeth to Hypocrites Children that are baptized but not to the unbaptized 6. Some hold that it belongeth to all baptized ones if they have God-fathers that profess Christianity 7. Some hold that it belongeth to all baptized by a true believing Minister for the Faith of the Church 8. Some hold that it belongeth to none that by Baptism are taken into any Congregation guilty of Heresie or Schism 9. Some hold that it belongeth to all that are baptized by a Minister who is ordained by Bishops that have uninterrupted Canonical Succession and not to others 10. Some hold that the Baptisme of a Lay-man or a Woman may be effectual to the Salvation of such 11. Some Conformists hold that all Infants in the World are saved baptized and unbaptized 12. The most of the Papists hold that the baptized are saved both from the pain of Sense and of Loss but the unbaptized are saved from the pain of sense only but not of loss and so have neither Joy nor Sorrow 13. Many wise Men hold that Salvation is certain according to the first Opinion to the Seed of Sincere Believers but that we have no certain notice at all what God will do with all the rest baptized or unbaptized 14. Many think that God hath a certain number of Infants Elect whom he will save and will cast away the rest but that no man can know who they be though the Faithful may have some uncertain hopes for their Children more than others but no Promise 15. Some think that the Common state of Infants in the Life to come is utterly unrevealed and unknown to us I do not say that none of these opinions should be disclaimed But among all which Learned godly men of all Countries hold to say he that is not certain of some one of them as God's word is unmeet to be a Minister is dividing arrogance of men that overvalue themselves L. III. How then can you make good your charge of falsehood May it not be true among many false ones M. I make it good two ways men must say they are certain that are not certain 1. No man can be certain that God's word saith that which it doth not say But God's word doth not say directly or by consequence that all baptized dying Infants are undoubtedly saved He that saith there is such a word let him produce it It is suspicious that these same men
to be certain he cannot tell that another doth L. But though you be not certain of it the subscribers may M. 1. I have proved that no man is certain of it 2. Judge by all the rest of their wisedom whether every Youth that comes for Ordination from the Universities be so much wiser than we that they are certain of this which we think uncertain or false Judge by their other qualifications whether the seven thousand Ministers that declared their assent to the Book before they ever saw it are like to be certainer than the two thousand that were cast out And are they certain of this that are uncertain of many great and weighty truths through ignorance 3. Yea many Conformists and Papists say that Infant Baptism cannot be proved by Scripture but by Tradition And can Ten thousand Ministers then be certain by Scripture that baptized Infants are saved How gross a contradiction is this 4. And judge farther of the credit and modesty of such men some Divines say that Faith it self hath not evidence and that he that doubteth of Christianity and the Life to come may be saved if his belief of it be but strong enough to make him trust and prefer it before all this world And I hear their greatest Divines say that few would be saved if none but they that are undoubtedly certain of the Life to come and of the truth of the Gospel should be saved And yet all must be cast or kept out of the Ministry that will not affirm that they are more certain of a hard Controversie if not of an untruth than Christ requireth us to be of our very Christianity L. IV. What is the fourth part of your reason against this point M. 1. We dare not father that on God which he never spake 2. And we dread the curse Rev. 22. against them that shall add to his word viz. that he will add his curses upon them How terribly are false Prophets threatned that say Thus saith the Lord when the Lord never said it This is to belie God and to take his name in vain And for Nine thousand or Ten thousand Ministers to affirm that this is certain by God's word that they are undoubtedly saved and when they have done cannot to this day shew us one word of God that saith it is such an adding to his word as we had rather still be called all that 's naught and imprisoned than be guilty of We take it for a Fanatick presumption in Papists to pretend to be infallible in Councils in determining those things which out of the Council through ignorance they understood not and how it should be but by Enthusiasm or fanatick pretence of Inspiration that a multitude of raw ignorant fellows or lads should come to find that in God's word as undoubtedly certain which none of us in forty or fifty years search could ever find there I cannot tell L. I know not what to say to this I would they had left it to mens free thoughts M. And do you think now that it 's lawful for us deliberately to Assent and Consent that this is an undoubted certainty when we are not certain nor believe it to be true Should we lie to be conformable were there but this one thing it obligeth us to Nonconformity whatever we suffer for it CHAP. X. Point VII Of the English sort of Godfathers at Baptism L. WHat have you against our use of Godfathers in Baptism M. I. Negatively we are not at all against the old sort of Patrimi Susceptors or Sponsors that were used at Baptism in the ancient Churches though we think it but a prudential thing and not of necessity to Baptism L. What mean you by the ancient sort what did they M. At first the adult were themselves Baptized for their Children had no right till the Parent was a Christian. And for three hundred years Christians were under Heathen persecution in which some forsook Christ for fear by apostasie and others died while their Children were in Infancy who were thereby exposed to desertion or to Infidel Education Wherefore to secure the Education of these Infants the Susceptors that joyned with the Parents as their Seconds 1. Did testifie their opinions of the Parents as serious Christians not like to apostatize 2. And did promise that if the Parents either die or apostatized they should undertake the Childrens Education But if the Parents were dead already they undertook to Educate the Child themselves as their own But they were Sponsors for no Infidels Child unless they first adopted him or took him for their own L. And what doth our Godfathers differ from this for which you take them to be sinful or not approveable M. The difference is so great and maketh so great a change in our Christening as I am loath to name to you 1. With us godly Christian Parents themselves are forbidden to be Godfathers with the rest and to speak one word much more to profess that they dedicate them in Covenant to Christ Nor must the Minister urge the Parent to be present lest his consent seem necessary 2. The Godfathers and Godmothers are neither tyed to bring the Children of Christians only nor only such as they take for their own but without difference may bring the Infants of any Atheists Sadducees Jews Infidels or open enemies of Christ and godliness without taking them for their own 3. They personate the Child in promising and professing in his name without authority so to do 4. They do not only promise what the Child shall do hereafter but they at present profess that the Child by them or they personating it do Believe renounce sin and desire Baptism As if the Child were bound to do this by himself or by another 5. Godfathers too commonly covenant for the future Education of the Child themselves to do it or cause it to be done which they neither ever purposed to perform or ever made the Parents believe that they intended and so make Christnening a perfidious Vowing or Covenanting with God These are not things indifferent I think L. 1. How prove you that the Parents may not be prime covenanters or Sponsors for their own Children Are not they obliged to get Godfathers and Godmothers for them who are supposed to come by their procurement And doth not that signifie their own consent to what these are to undertake M. It signifieth only that the Law constraineth them to let their Children be baptized to avoid their own punishment and to get others to enter them into the Christian Covenant But not that they either are Christians or consent to that Covenant themselves either for themselves or Children For 1. Known Atheists Infidels and Sadducees that deny Christianity are bound by the Law to get Godfathers for their Childrens Baptism as well as Christians and such cannot be supposed to covenant for them with Christ themselves The Sixty eight and Sixty nine Canons command Ministers to refuse no Child that is brought
such as he may not with a good Conscience subscribe unto let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Arch-Bishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors L. I hope you that agree with the Church in Doctrine have nothing against Publishing such an Excommunication M. I Subscribe to the Doctrinal Articles as true because I judge of them by what I take to be the Author's meaning But 1. The words in the obvious sence are divers of them liable to Exceptions 2. And some of them about Traditions Ceremonies c. are of small moment and dubious 3. And every word that is true is not an Article of the Creed nor necessary to Church Communion so that all Men must be cast out of the Church that dissent from it And this Excommunication extends to Lay-Men who are not bound to know as much as Ministers L. What is therein the Articles that any good Man can scruple M. Article 3. Learned Men doubt of Christ's going down into Hell. Art. 4. That Christ's Body in Heaven hath Flesh and Bones is contrary to two General Councils that of Nice and that before it at Const. which it confuteth And in this they agree Art. 8. That Athanasius's Creed ought to be omnino recipiendum credendum wholly received and believed when the Damning part is scrupled by many Conformists Art. 9. Bishop Ieremy Taylor was against that of Original Sin. Art. 10 Many called Arminians are against that No Power to do good Works Art. 11. Many Conformists are against the word We are accounted Righteous before God only for the merit of Christ because a subordinate Righteousness is mentioned many Score or Hundred times in Scripture Art. 12. Many think that good Works spring not necessarily from Faith but freely Art. 13. Many think that merit of Congruity may be held and that Men by natural or antecedent Works may be made meet to receive Grace which Dr. Hammond in his Annotations seemeth much to insist on under the Name of Probity Art. 14. The said Dr. Hammond and many other write for good Works over and above God's Commandments as only counselled by God and voluntarily done which this Article calleth Arrogancy and Impiety And many follow Dr. Hammond and yet subscribe this Art. 15. Is denied by them that think Infants sinless when Baptized Art. 16. Many deny falling from Grace given Art. 17. Dr. Hammond and his Followers seem to deny the absolute Election here described Art. 18. Many good Men think some are saved that live up to the Light of Nature and yet this Article curseth them that say so Art. 19. The Description of the Visible Church greatly disagreeth from that now given by many great Church-men not at all mentioning the Bishops or their Government in it And some deny that the Church of Rome hath Erred De Fide. Art. 20. The Churches Power to decree Ceremonies as not limited here is doubted of by good Christians And they see not how that is not made necessary to Salvation contrary to this Article which is made necessary to avoid Excommunication as for wicked Errour Art. 21. Too many deny what is said here against gathering Councils witout the Will of Princes and that Councils may 〈◊〉 in things pertaining to God c. Art. 23. Seems defective about calling Ministers to them that are for uninterrupted Canonical Succession c. Art. 25. Contrary to this Article some great Church-men think that Confirmation at least is a Gospel Sacrament and that it hath a visible sign ordained by God. I will proceed no further herein By this it is evident that many Subscribers are great Nonconformists and if they speak their Minds are Excommunicated ipso facto L. You make our Articles of Religion a doubtful thing what certainty then is there of the Protestant Religion M. The Protestant Religion is the Holy Scriptures older than our Form called the 39 Articles which are a laudable sound account how we understand the Scriptures but not of such perfection that all Men must be Excommunicate that say any word in them is faulty Chap. XXV Point XXII Of Publishing the Sixth Canons Excommunications L. WHat is the Sixth Canons Excommuication M. Whosoever shall affirm that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law Established are wicked Antichristian or Superstitious or such as being commanded by lawful Authority Men who are Zealously and Godly affected may not with any good Conscience approve them use them or as occasion requireth subscribe unto them Let him be Excommunicate ipso facto and not restored till he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors L. I confess it sounds harshly to lay so great stress on every Ceremony of the Church as to Excommunicate every one that Calleth any one of them unlawful What could be said more of the Ten Commandements or the Creed If it be a wicked Errour to mistake about a Ceremony or to account a Cope or a Pair of Organs unlawful the Lord have Mercy on us what a Case are we all in by wicked Errours What shall my poor Country Neighbours and Tenants do that few of them understand one half the Creed M. Yet 1. The Articles and our Ordination-Vow oblige us to believe and teach that nothing is necessary to Salvation but what is contained in the Scripture or certainly proved by it And that General Councils and all Men are fallible And sure they are very near to Infallibility who are so Infallible about every Rite and Ceremony that they dare bind all the Land to justifie or notblame them on pain of ipso facto Excommunication 2. Yet Grotius and Bishop Taylor that justifie some Lying are Men that deserve Praise with them and in truth And Oh! how many Thousands live quietly in their Communion who err in greater Matters than a Ceremony 3. And judge by what I have said of the Symbolical Crossing in Baptism Godfathers c. whether it be a wicked Errour deserving Excommunication and Ruine to charge any one of their Rites with Sin. 4. Was it not enough to cast us out of Ministry and Maintenance for blaming a Ceremony but they must cast us out of the Church what is Pharisaical if this be not Chap. XXV Point XXIII Of Publishing the Seventh Canons Excommunications M. THe Seventh Canon is Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Government of the Church of England under His Majesty by Arch-bishops Bishops Deans Arch-deacons and THE REST THAT BEAR OFFICE in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God Let him be Excommunicate ipso facto and so continue till he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors L. Mark here that And connexeth all these Offices it is not OR disjunctively So that you fall not under this Canon if you condemn every Church Office save one if you condemn not all M. That 's a meer violent unjust exposition The Government is the thing named as consisting of many
they ought to be restrained and there are lower punishments than depriving them of their Toleration which are for lower faults 2. But if Rulers will oppress we cannot help that and must not therefore be ungoverned CHAP. LXI Whether the Extirpation of the Non-Conformists be not rather to be attempted than an Vnion with them by these means L. IT 's long since our former Conference and now there is discovered a Treasonable Plot against the King and his Brother and a multitude of Addresses tell us that it was the Plot of the Dissenters and the Product of Conventicles and therefore ●●ave the extripation of them all and that they may no more be trusted as having Principles were concileable to Monarchy and Subjection and the loudest cry now runs that way M. What is the Treasonable Plot L. To Kill the King and Duke and raise an Army and to Change the Government or Governours at least M. Who do they mean by Dissenters or Conventiclers L. All that Conform not to the Church of England as it is now setled by the Law. M. The Law setleth the Essentials Integrals and Accidents of the Church Do you mean every one that disliketh any one Office as Lay-Chancellors use of the Keys or any Ceremony or Form If so I do doubt most that come to Church and Communicate with it dissent from some such Circumstances L. Well suppose it be those that separate from it M. There are now these following sorts of known Dissenters called by many Conventiclers I. Those that like the way of Episcopacy and Liturgy best as here setled but yet will also occasionally join with other Churches as the French Dutch Lutheran or some Non-Conformists II. The Pacifick Non-conformists who at the King's Return Petitioned for Arch-Bishop Vsher's Model of the Primitive Episcopal Government and thankfully accepted the King's Declaration III. The Presbyterians who are for Government only by Synods of equal Presbyters Teaching joined with meer Ruling ones IV. The Independants and Separatists V. The Anabaptists who are half Arminians and half not VI. The Fifth-Monarchy Party most of which are Anabaptists also VII The Quakers VIII The Papists IX The Infidels Iews Hobbists and Atheists Is the meaning that all these are the guilty Rebels to be destroyed or which of them is it L. If all I doubt the King would lose no small part of his Subjects But you know the Papists are not numbred with the Dissenters or Conventiclers M. Say you so Do those that differ but about a Ceremony or Lay-mans use of the Keys or the largeness and paucity of Bishops Churches dissent more from you than the Papists that would bring King and Kingdom under a foreign Jurisdiction and introduce all the Mass and doctrinal corruptions of their Church Read Bishop Downham's Catalogue of Popish Errours de Anti-Christo or Dr. Willet's Chamier's Iewell 's or any such and judge And do you think that the Mass is no Conventicle or more lawful than the forbidden assemblies of Protestants L. Well But it 's Protestant-Dissenters that I mean. M. So then You would have Protestant-Dissenters rooted out and not Papists or Infidels L. We would have those rooted out that were in the Plot which the Papists were not M. No doubt but such a Plot as you describe deserveth the extirpation of those that were guilty of it But I pray you compare not the innocency of Papists in their Principles with the Protestants Or read Bishop Barlow's and Hen. Fowlis's Books and Prin's History of Bishops Treasons and judge as you see cause But it 's none of my business now to accuse the Papists Do but grant that the innocent should not suffer for the crimes of the guilty and we are agreed L. But is it not justly supposed that the whole Party is guilty of those Principles which have caused particular mens rebellions and that it is their Preachers and Conventiclers that have caused all M. You that are a Lawyer should know somewhat of the Rules of Iustice or Humanity at least Come on and let you and I consider soberly of the case And first to your face I challenge you to name and prove any the least difference between the Non-conformists who sought for Concord at the King's Restoration or the party of meer Non-Conformists and the Protestants of the Church of England in their Principles about the Power of Princes and the Subjection and Patience of the People Name any difference if you can L. You would make one believe that great Numbers are inhumanely impudent that charge them with such heinous difference if there be none M. Why do you not name the difference if there be any Contrarily 1. We all take the same Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy 2. We Subscribe all the same Articles of Religion about the Power of Magistrates 3. We have often professed our consent to all that is written for Magistracy and Subjection in all the Scripture in any General Council save what is for the Papal Tyranny over Princes and People or in any Confession of any Christian Church Greek Papist or Protestant that ever we saw and for all that for the Power of Kings but not all against it which the generality of Fathers Historians Philosophers Politick-writers Lawyers Canonists or Divines are for And is not all this yet enough 4. I have oft told you where e.g. Bishop Andrews in Tortura Torti Sir Fran. Bacon Lord St. Albans and many others have vindicated the principles of the English Non-conformists as the same with the Church's in point of Loyalty against the Papists accusations L. But do not you know who wrote the Political Aphorisms or Holy Common-wealth condemned lately by the Oxford Convocation M. And do not you know 1. That the Author had never leave to confute his accusers about it 2. Do you not know that he hath divers years ago written a large Book called his Second Plea for Peace fully opening the Principles which he and his Consenters hold and no man hath writte● one word against any of them that I hear of to this day Is this fair dealing then to silence what at large he owneth and name only a writing 29 years ago which he never was heard about 3. Do you not know that the Famously Learned Tho. White a Papist wrote at the same time the like Doctrine and will you charge that on the Party of Papist● 4. The Historians Rule is Distingue de temporibus Do you know in what times that was written And know you not that few men then living wrote and spake more plainly against the Usurpation than he did 5. And you see that the Oxford Convocation condemn the writings and principles of the Doctors of the Church of England as well as others And as for Knox and Buchanan we are no more guilty of their words than of Iewell 's Bilson's Hooker's Laud's or any such L. But if you differ not from the Church of England in Principles of Loyalty why do you not take the
were reformed and all granted therein which I have proposed alas there is so much to be done for the Reformation of the Persons that must execute good Laws Lords Bishops Patrons Priests c. without whom Laws are but a dead letter and against whose enmity and oppositions they are unlikely to prevail that I die the more willingly because I see no appearance of any such Golden Age or amiable Reformation and general Concord as might tempt me to desire to live much longer on Earth The Reformation of our Universities Clergy Nobility Gentry and licencious Youth and malignant Haters of Serious Godliness is a work for Omnipotency and would afford me matter for a Volume were I to write on such a Text as Ezek 37. 3. Son of man can these bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest In the mean time it giveth me matter for Groans Tears and Prayer but no belief of that good man's Prophecy who confidently foretelleth us of that Blessed Age about eight years hence If the Second Part of my Moral Prognostication written with more doubt than hope should prove as true as the First Part did of this Progress of Malice and Divisions I doubt it is but some small Rudiments or Preparations for such a Blessed Change that the men of the present times must see I should rejoice if They I mean God by them confute my fears CHAP. LXII Fifty Questions to unjust Silencers GOD IS LOVE AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD AND GOD IN HIM Iohn 4. 16. The most fundamental and comprehensive Article of Natural and Evangelical Religion How Angels fell from Love and became Devils malignant Spirits is not revealed fully to us but that such there are both Scripture and too great Experience certify us But how Man fell is told us in the Scripture It pleased God to make a rank of intellectual Animals left to their understanding self-determining free-will between the Brutes which are determined to things Sensible and the confirmed Angels who are determined to things Spiritual It pleased him to oblige and allure Man by his Blessings to live still in the love of God but withal to permit the malignant Tempter to try whether by his allurement and deceit he could win him from this Holy Love As if a man should leave his Daughter to be his Wife who could win her own consent The malignant Spirit prevailed and turned man from the Reigning Love of God to the Love of SELF Self-pleasing Self-ruling and Self-trusting and having won man's Will he is by just permission become his Prince as long as he can keep the Will which he hath won But Infinite LOVE first promised and then gave his SON to be the PRINCE OF LOVE and so the Captain of our Salvation His Incarnation Doctrine Life and Suffering his Resurrection Ascension Intercession and Government are but the works of LOVE for Man's Salvation which is to recover the Will of Man to the Reigning Love of God from the Carnal Sensual self-love A war is thus commenced between Christ and Satan Christ's warfare is to Conquer malignant Enmity and set up a Kingdom of Love. The Devils work is to assimilate man to himself and to make him a Lyer Malicious and a Destroyer Thus two Kingdoms are set up in this World which are in continual war against each other The Subjects of each are discernible by their works TRVTH LOVE and DOING GOOD are the works and marks of the one and LYING HATRED and HVRTFVLNESS are the works and marks of the other and HOLINESS and DEVILISM constitute this world Cain and Abel were the leading instances Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice unto God than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was Righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh He conquered but died as did our Saviour 1 Ioh. 3. 12 14. Cain was of that wicked one and slew his Brother And why slew he him Because his own works were Evil and his brothers Righteous In this warfare we must live and die Marvel not my Brethren if the world hate you though we die as Abel we know that we have passed from Death to Life because we Love the Brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death though as Cain he kill and seem to conquer All that believe not a better life which will abundantly make up the loss of this are his subjects who is called the GOD OF THIS WORLD who blindeth the minds of unbelievers 2 Cor. 4. 4. Devils are called The Rulers of the Darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. The Princes who set up a Worldly interest against or above the Heavenly interest are called The Princes of this world that come to nought 1 Cor. 2. 6. And to be Wise only for an interest is The Wisdom of the world which is Foolishness with God 3. 18 10. Thus Christ fighteth by Love to win Souls to Love for the Glorious World of Love and the Devil by Malice to destroy Love and separate them from the God and World of Love by fighting as Dogs about their Carrion for their fleshly interest in this deceitful world but the time is short and the War will be short but the Victory sweet and the Crown everlasting And it is greatly to be considered that as Christ's Cause Subjects are contrary to the Devils so also is his manner of Fight and Conquest Christ and Christians fight not by Wrath and Hatred against their Haters but by loving them as Men and praying for them even when they suffer by them And in this course it is that they are more than Conquerours Rom. 8. 37. And heap Coals of Fire on their Heads which will burn them for ever that would not on Earth be melted by them It seemeth a strange thing to us to see the poor French-men come hither from their own pleasant Land in Raggs and Bodily Distress And who expelleth them And for what Who caused all the blood and banishments that have been exercised on Christians since the Heathen Persecutions And for what Who destroyed those many thousands of Christians called Albigenses and Waldenses and Bohemians in History mentioned And for what Who set up the Inquisition as against Protestants and Tormented and Burnt so many And for what Who caused the French and Irish and other Massacres and Murders And for what Who keep out Truth and Reformation from all Kingdoms subject to the Pope It is men in the Sacred Offices Ecclesiastical and Civil We all own Reverence to Magistrates and Pastors Satan is not so foolish as to do his work in his own name nor to put its proper name upon his work Did you ever hear or read of Persecutors who openly said We are the Servants of the Devil and come against you for his Interest and in his Name to perswade or persecute you from Christ and your obedience to God and your Salvation No It is as for