the wheat and tares grow together in the world untill the Harvest Mat. 13. And so in humble manner we proceed CHAP. I. The doctrine of the Holy Ghost contained in the sacred Scriptures is the rule of faith and not any Church Counsell Prince or Potentate nor any mortall man whatsoever Proved BY the Scriptures themselves which are the writings of Moses and the Prophets The Evangelists and Apostles These are a sufficient Rule to trie all faith and religion by Our reasons are 1. They are inspired of God and are able to make us wise unto salvation and perfect to every good worke 2. Tim. 3.15 Secondly because these writings were written that we might have certainety of the things whereof we are instructed Luke 1.4 That our joy might be full 1. Ioh. 1.4 and that we might beleeve and in beleeving might have life Ioh. 20.31 Thirdly we are cōmanded Not to presume or be wise above that which is written 1. Cor. 4.6 For with this weapon Christ put to flight the devill Mat. 4. and taught his Disciples Luk. 24.27 46. and Paul taught Christ Iesus Act. 17.2 The godly are commended for searching the Scriptures Act. 17.11 and commanded to search them Ioh. 5.39 and they that vvill not beleeve these Writings will not beleeve Christs vvords nor one that should come from the dead Ioh. 5.47 Luke 16.31 If any Papist or Atheist aske how vvee know all or any of these Scriptures to be inspired of God Wee answer The eare saith Iob 12.11 discerneth words and the mouth tasteth meate for it selfe And as the eie discerneth the light of the Sun so doth our spirit discerne these Scriptures to be of God and that for these reasons First in regard of the majestie wisedome and Grace of them from all other writings For there is as great glorie in these Scriptures as in the making of this vvonderfull vvorld which may evidently be seene Secondly by their teachings which excelleth all humane teachings leading us from Satan from this world and our selves to God in holinesse faith love feare humilitie Thirdly the true events of them or fulfilling of the Prophesies conteined in them Fourthly the consent and agreement of all the parts of them the like wherof cannot be shewed of so many severall Writers since the vvorld began Fiftly the admirable preservation therof against time and tyrants all which could not extinguish them Sixtly the devill and his instruments rage against those that practise the doctrines conteined in them Seventhly the conversion of thousands to God by the power of the doctrine of them Eightly the vengeance of God upon such as have not obeyed them Ninthly the acknowledgement of them by the verie professed adversaries thereof Tenthly the miracles from heaven confirming them Eleventhly the sight of a Saviour to man is onely from them And lastly the simplicity of the Writers and plainenes of the writings For God hath chosen the meane contemptible and despised to publish the mysteries of his will These are sufficient to perswade that these holy Writings are inspired of God and so able to make us wise to salvation and perfect to every good worke These Scriptures conteine the Law and Testimonie and if any Councell Church Prince or Potentate speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Esa 8.20 but we are commanded to hold them accursed Gal. 1.8.9 For whosoever shall adde unto these things God shall adde the plagues written herein and who so shall take away from those things God shall take his name out of the booke of Life and out of the holy Citie and from those things that are written Revel 22.18.19 Much by us shall not need to be vvritten in this thing it is so evident and so generally acknowledged except the Papists onely we will bring some humane Testimonies The Protestants affirme Whites Way to the Church Dedicated to the Bishops pag. 12. That it is the doctrine of the Church of England Article six that the Scriptures comprehended in the old and new Testament is the Rule of Faith so far that whatsoever is not read therein nor cannot be proved thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed but by it all doctrines taught and the Churches practice must be examined and that rejected which is contrary to it under what title or pretence soever it come unto us And further they say pag. 1. That the Pope or any mortall man should be the rule that must resolve in questions and controversies of faith is an unreasonable Position voide of all indifferency when common sence teacheth that he that is a Party cannot be a Iudge And againe p 17. Which is the Church is controversall which is the Scriptures is not therefore let that be the Rule which is out of doubt Againe pag. 44. The Scriptures containeth the Principles of our faith and shall we not beleeve them Or cannot we know them of themselves infallibly without we let in the authority of the Church This and much more the Protestants have written sufficiently confirmeth That no Church nor man whatsoeuer may be a Rule or Iudge in matters of Faith but onely the holy Scriptures and whosoever teacheth or practiseth otherwise they must hold maintain the Papists Creed or Colliers faith which the Protestants so much detesteth mentioneth p. 6. out of Staphilus his Apologie Thus The Collier being at the point of death tempted of the devill what his faith was answered J beleeve and die in the faith of Christs Church being againe demanded what the faith of Christs Church was that faith saith he that J beleeve in Thus the devill getting no other answer was overcome and put to flight by this faith of the Collier every unlearned man may trie the spirits of men whether they be of God or no by this faith he may resist the devill and judge the true interpretation from the false and dis erne the Catholique from the Hereticall Minister the true doctrine from the forged For if this answer of the Collier and the Papists conclusion upon it be not sound but detestable as the Protestants confesse and cry woe unto the Papists for the same and that justly Then is it no lesse detestable in the Protestants or any other to require or force any to yeeld so in Religion and Faith that upon such a temptation he hath no better answer to make then as the Collier to say I beleeve and die in the faith of the Church or of the Prince or of the learned For being demanded what that faith is if he be not able to prove it by Gods word conteyned in the Scriptures it is no better then the answer of the Collier The faith that I beleeve in c. Oh how manie millions of soules in this Nation not Papists but Protestants live and die and have no other faith then this CHAP. II. The interpreter of this Rule is the Scriptures themselves and the Holy
in him vers 49. but this people that know not the Law are cursed The truth of this is as plaine as may be that the Scriptures being the rule of Faith perfect and absolute and that the plainenesse of them is such as that by the Spirit of God they may easily be understood of those that feare and obey God but of none else and that such are most commonly the poore and despised For if any want wisedome be he never so simple let him come unto God and hee will give him Iam. 1.5 which is also confirmed by humane testimonie The Protestants confesse that in the Primitive Church the doctrines and severall points of Religion were known and discovered by the most meane of the people and rhe Bishops exhorted them therunto c. Whits way pag. 7. And that this rule is of that nature that it is able to direct any man be he never so simple yea the most unlearned alive may conceive and understand it sufficiently for his salvation pag. 9. And they relate the sayings of the Ancients in this time First Clemence Alexandrinus The word is not hid from any it is a common light which shineth to all men and there is no obscuritie in it c. pag. 32. Next Augustine God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacitie of babes and sucklings that when proud men will not speak to their capacitie yet himselfe might After him Chrisostome The Scriptures are easie to understand and exposed to the capacitie of every servant and Plowman and widow and boy and him that is most unwise therefore God penned the Scriptures by the hands of Publicanes Fishermen Tent-makers Shepherds Neatherds and unlearned men that none of the simple people might have any excuse to keep them from reading and that so they might be easie to be understood of all men the Artificer the Housholder and Widow woman and him that is most unlearned Yea the Apostles and Prophets as Schoole-masters to all the world made their writings plaine and evident to all men so that every man of himselfe onely by reading them might learne the things spoken therein Next Iustine Martyr saith Heare the words of the Scripture which be so easie that it needs no exposition but onely to be rehearsed And this the Protestants say was the perpetuall and constant judgement of the ancient Church c. And further he alledgeth pag. 21. Theodoret who writ of his times You shall every where see these points of our faith to be knowne and understood not onely by such as are Teachers in the Church but even of Coblers and Smiths and Websters and all kinde of Artificers yea all our women not they onely which are booke-learned but they also that get their living with their needle yea mayd-servants and wayting-women and not Citizens onely but Husbandmen of the Country are very skilfull in these things yea you may heare among us Ditchers and Neatherds and Wood-setters discoursing of the Trinitie and the creation c. The like is repeated by others And say the Protestants His doctrine that was President in the Trent Councell That a Distaffe was fitter for a woman then a Bible was not yet hatched c. Oh! it were well if the contempt of these pious practises were paled onely within the Romish profession and were not practised in and among those that professe themselves to be separated therefrom As what is more frequent in the mouthes of many learned Protestants then these and such like words Must every base fellow Cobler Taylor Weaver c. meddle with the exposition or discoursing of the Scriptures which apperteyneth to none but to the learned Yea doe they not forbid their owne Ministers to expound or discourse of the Scriptures Read the 49. Canon which is No person whatsoever not examined and approved by the Bishop of the Dioces or not licenced as is aforesayd for a sufficient and convenient Preacher shall take upon him to expound in his owne Cure or elsewhere any Scripture or matter or doctrine but shall onely studie to read plainly and aptly without glosing or adding the Homilies alreadie set forth or hereafter to be published by lawfull Authoritie c. So that not onely Iesus Christ and his Apostles who are alive in their doctrine though not in their persons are forbidden all exposition of holy Scriptures or matter or doctrine not being licensed by the Bishops but also their owne Ministers who have sworne Canonicall obedience to them Yet when they are put to answer the Papist who practise the same thing they take up both Scriptures and ancient Writers to confute it CHAP. V. The learned in humane learning doe commonly and for the most part erre and know not the Truth but persecute it and the professors of it and therefore to be no further followed then we see them agree with the Truth THe next in order is That seeing the Lord reveileth his secrets to the humble though wanting humane learning That we now prove that on the contrarie God usually and for the most part Hideth his secrets from the learned and suffreth them to erre and resist the Truth yea so far as to persecute it and the professors of it And first let us beginne with the learned Heathen who were behind none in humane learning The wise men of Egypt how did they resist the powerfull truth of God delivered by Moses yea they resisted it with such signes and lying wonders as the heart of Pharaoh and all his people was hardened against it Exod. 7.11.12.18 8.7 And what was the cause of the destruction of Babel but the trusting in the learned Esa 47.13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Counsels c. And Esa 44.25 I destroy the tokens of the Southsayers and make them that conjecture fooles and turne the wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse The things of Gods dealing none of the learned of Egypt or Babel could interpret but Ioseph and Daniel Next come to the learned Priests and Prophets of the Iewes whose lips should have preserved knowledge and at whose mouth the people should have sought the Law But saith the Lord Mal. 2.7.8 They are gone out of the way they have caused many to fall by the Law c. Also Esay 29. Stay your selves and wonder they are blind and make you blind they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not by strong drinke for the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes the Prophets and your chiefe Seers c. Therefore the Lord said Because this people come neere unto me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but have removed their hearts far from me their feare towards me was taught by the precepts of men Therfore behold I will againe doe a marveilous worke in this people even a marvellous worke and a wonder for the wisedome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be
hid c. And Esa 56.10 c. Their watchmen are all blind they have no knowledge c. and these shepheards cannot understand for they all looke to their owne way every one for his owne advantage and for his owne purpose Also Ier. 8.9 The wisemen are ashamed they are afraid and taken for loe they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisâ—dome is in them c. Reade Ier. 14.14 c. and 50.6 My people have beene as lost sheep their sheepherds have caused them to goe astray and have turned them away to the Mountaines c. And Micha 3. ch Night shall be unto them for a vision and darkenesse for a divination and he Sunne shall goe down over the Prophets and the day shall be darke over them c. For they have no answer of God They build up Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie c. And Zeph. 3.4 Her Prophets are light and wicked persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuarie they have â—…rested the Law And in the time of our Saviour how had they made the commandements of God of no authoriâ—y by their Traditions Mat. 15. And Act. 13.27 For the Rulers of Ierusalem the high Priests Scribes â—nd Pharisees knew not Christ nor yet the words of â—he Prophets which they heard read every Sabbath day but fulfilled them in condemning him And our Saviour saith thanke thee O Father because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding Mat. 11. And none of the Pharisees or Rulers beleeved on him Ioh. 7.48 And the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse And vers 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called and others moe Next for the learned since the time of our Saviour The Councell of Ephesus where were present 132. Bishops of Seleucia where were present 160. Bishops related by the Protestants how grievously did they erre in decreeing flat Arianisme Who is ignorant knowing the Histories that from time to time both particular Popes and Generall Councels have grossely erred in many things Onely one wee will mention passing by Trent and others the Councell Lateran we meane which for Vniversalitie was behind none where were present two Patriarches 70. Archbishop Metropolitanes 400. Bishops 12. Abbats 800. Coventuall Priors the Legates of the Greeke and Romane Empire besides the Orators and Embassadours of the Kings of Ierusalem France Spaine England and Cyprus in which Councell it was decreed That all Heretiques and so many as in any point resist the Catholique Faith should be condemned c. And that the Secular powers of what degree soever they bee shall be compelled openly to sweare for the defence of the faith that to the uttermost of their power to roote out and destroy in all their Kingdomes all such persons as the Catholique Church had condemned for Heretiques and if they doe not they shall be excommunicate and if they doe not reforme within one whole yere then the Pope may denounce all his subjects absolved and utterly delivered from shewing or owing any fidelitie or obedience towards him Againe That the Pope may give that land to be occupied and enjoyed of the Catholiques to possesse it all Heretiques being rooted out quietly without contradiction Tho. Beacon Cum privil An. 1567. And the Protestants say that this imperfection hath hung so fast upon all Councels and Churches that Nazianzen saith He never saw any Councell have a good end White pag. 83. Are not here sufficient Testimonies proved from Scriptures and Experience that the learned have usually erred and that so often the holy Scripture warneth us to beware of false Prophets for many are gone out into the world 1. Ioh. 4.1 c. And will not your Majestie your Highnesse your Honours your Worships be pleased to consider of these things but will your selves submit the guidance of your soules to the learned Spirituality as they are called without due examination by the Scriptures which if you doe we can but bewaile with the sorowes of our hearts and are you not herewith satisfied but will you with your power which God hath given you to use well compell and constraine your subjects and underlings to beleeve as the learned binding our consciences by not suffring us to reade and search the Scriptures which if you abhor as being the Romish practise will you doe that which is worse letting us reade the Scripture wherby we may know the will of our heavenly Master and have our consciences enlightned and convinced but not suffer us to practise that we learne and know and that our consciences are convinced of by the Scriptures whereby our sinne and condemnation is made greater against God then the blinde Papist as is proved Luk. 12.47 but we must captivate our consciences and practise to that which in our soules we know to be will and contrary to the manifest law of the Lord onely because the learned have so decreed whom you acknowledge are subject to erre as well as others or else lie in perpetuall imprisonment and be otherwise grievously persecuted May it please you to observe that The Church of Rome seeth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh hath abolished the Priesthood of Aaron and the Legal sacrifices but the learned Iewes see it not to this day nay the high Priests Scribes and Pharisees saw it not but for the publishing thereof persecuted Christ the Lord his holy Apostles to the death calling their doctrine heresie them seditious enemies to Caesar what not for which their cruelty we all justly condemne them so often as we reade the holy historie And the Church of England seeth divers damnable doctrines of the Church of Rome this among many That the Scriptures are not the onely rule of faith but that men ought to be constrained to beleev as the Church beleeves the Protestants see the iniquitie of this because they see all Churches are subject to erre But the learned Papists see it not but have decreed That who so resisteth any point shal be judged as an Heretique and suffer fire and fagot for the which the Protestants and we justly cry out against them for all the innocent bloud that they have shed And we see most manifestly that whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and that no mortall man may make a law to the conscience and force unto it by persecutions and consequently may not compell to any religion where faith is wanting But the learned of this land see it not or rather will not practise it but for our profession practise of this truth procureth your temporall sword for their spirituall is without edge to persecute us by casting us into prisons where some of us have remained divers yeres in lingring imprisonment without hope of release till our God perswade the harts
of your Majestie your Highnes your Honors your Worships to take pitie on us our poore wives and children or his heavenly Majestie release us by death Will not succeeding ages cry out against these cruell courses of the Protestants as well as they crie out against the crueltie of the Iewes and Papists Yes we are assured they will as many millions doe in other Nations at this day The Scriptures declare the cause of the blindnesse of the learned Iewes was Not the obscurity of the Scriptures but that they winked with their eyes lest they should see and lest their honour and profite should decay and come to nothing Ioh. 11.48 and because their feare towards God vvas taught by mens Precepts and because they looked to their own vvay and to their owne advantage and had rejected the word of the Lord and because they builded their Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie and sought their own Honour and not Gods So the cause of the blindnesse of the learned Papists in denying the Scriptures to be the onely rule of faith is not the obscurity of the Scriptures but they receiving not the love of the Truth God hath given them up to strange and strong delusions and the cause of their not receiving the love of the truth being all those afore-named in the Iewes And the Protestant well observeth that the causes why the Papist deny the Scriptures onely sufficiencie and strive so much for their Churches Authoritie are two First That they might make themselves Iudges in their own cause For vvho seeth not that if the Church be the rule of faith and theirs be the Church which way the verdit will goe Next For that the greatest points of their Religion have no foundation on the Scriptures So that take away the Scriptures and establish their Religion but establish the Scriptures and their Religion vanisheth and that Mother of whoredomes that glorified her selfe as a Queene shall be consumed for her Merchants that are wexed rich through her pleasure and profites shall waile and weep The which they now seeing shut their eyes lest they should see that that should bring them from those Honours Profites and Pleasures In like manner it may easily be judged by everie indifferent heart that the cause why the learned of this land will be blind in not ceasing to constraine men to practise that in Gods worship in which they have not faith nay vvhich is contrarie to the light of their consciences is Not the obscuritie of the Scriptures But their winking with their eyes lest they should see that that would take away their honours profits and pleasures For if Bribes blinde the eyes of the wise Deut. 16.19 then honours profits and pleasures much more For who seeth not if none should be compelled to practice any thing in Gods worship but what they have faith in which will make them read willingly and worship holily then the Honours Profits and Pleasures of the learned men in respect of Spiritualty would decay although your Majestie might lawfully give them what temporall Honours Profits and Pleasures your Highnesse liked of These are the true causes of the blindnesse of the learned For so Christ saith Ioh. 5. How can yee beleeve when yee seeke honour one of another and seeketh not the honour that is of God And how can men but be blind in Gods mysteries vvhen they look to their own way for their own advantage and for their own purpose For having rejected the word of the Lord what wisedome is in them they have no answer of God that build up their Syon for so they account their Churches or professions vvith bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie If these learned could free us from the Lords wrath or that they might answer for us and we be free it were safe for us to submit our selves and captivate our judgements and practise to them but seeing they cannot so much as deliver their own soules and that if the blind leade the blind both must fall into the ditch Mat. 15. and everie one give account of himselfe to God Rom. 14. and be judged by his own workes done in the flesh 2. Cor. 5. and that the soule that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18. vvee dare not follow any mortall man in matters of salvation further then wee know him to agree vvith Gods meaning in the Scriptures Paul the holy Apostle of Iesus Christ taught that we should follow him no otherwise then he followed Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 yea Christ himselfe sent men to the Scripture to try his doctrine Ioh. 5. The Apostles suffred their doctrine to be tryed and commended them that tryed it Act. 17.11 And the Protestants confesse White pag. 127. This doctrine was never misliked till a Church arose up whose silver being drosse and whose milke poyson could not endure the tryall which being true that we may trie why may we not also judge and practise according as Gods Spirit shall direct us in our tryall If a man should drinke poyson and know it to be poyson were he not in a worse estate then hee that should doe it ignorantly not knowing thereof even a murtherer of himselfe in the highest degree so he that drinketh spirituall poyson knowing it for so it is unto them they not having faith in it he is in a worse estate even a murtherer of his owne soule in the like degree And therefore that Church or those learned that vvill suffer their doctrine to be tryed and yet constraine men to receive it and practise it when upon tryall their consciences are convinced of the falshood thereof are worse and doe more highly sinne then they that constraine a blind conscience though both be evill Wee despise not learning nor learned men but doe reverence both it and them according to their worthinesse onely when it is advanced into the seat of God and that given unto it which apperteineth to the Holy Ghost which is to leade into all truth then ought all as Hezekiah did unto the brazen serpent detest it and contemne it CHAP. VI. Persecution for Religion is against the Law of Christ FIrst himselfe commanded Mat. 13.30 vvith 38. Let the Tares and wheate grow together in the world untill the end of this world Secondly the same Christ our Lord commandeth Mat. 15.14 that they which are blindly led on in false Religion and are offended at him for teaching true Religion should be let alone deferring their punishment unto their falling into the ditch Thirdly hee reproved his Disciples vvho would have had fire to come downe from heaven and devoured those Samaritanes that vvould not receive Christ saying Yee know not of what spirit yee are the Sonne of man is not to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.54.55 which plainely proveth that Christ vvould have no man hurt for Religion although they be refusers of him Fourthly the Holy Ghost teacheth the servants of the Lord must not strive but be gentle towards all men suffering the evill
give lawes to Christians whereby to binde their consciences for willingly freely and uncompelled with a readie desire and chearefull mind must those that come run unto Christ Martin Luther in his booke upon the Civill Magistrate The lawes of the civill Government extends no further then over the bodie and goods and to that which is externall for over the soule God will not suffer any man to rule onely he himselfe will rule there wherefore wheresoever the civill Magistrate doth undertake to give lawes unto the soule and consciences of men he usurpeth that government to himselfe which apperteyneth to God c. Martin Luther upon 1. King 6. In the building of the Temple there was no sound of iron heard to signifie that Christ will have in his Church a free and willing people not compelled and constrained by lawes and statutes Againe upon Luke 22. It is not the true Catholique Church which is defended by the secular arme or humane power but the false and fained which although it carie the name of a Church yet denyeth the power thereof And upon Psal 17. For the true Church of Christ knoweth not the worldly arme which the Bishops now a daies chiefly use Againe in Postil Dom. 1. post Epiph. Let not Christians be commanded but exhorted for he that will not willingly doe that whereunto he is friendly exhorted hee is no Christian wherefore those that doe compell them that are not willing shew thereby that they are not Christian Preachers but worldly Beedles Againe upon 1. Pet. 3. Jf the Civill Magistrate would command me to beleeve thus or thus J should answer him after this manner Noble Lord looke you to your civill or worldly governement your power extends not so farre to command any thing in Gods Kingdome therefore herein I may not heare you For if you cannot suffer that any man should usurpe authoritie where you have to command how doe you thinke that God shall suffer you to thrust him from his seat and set your selfe therein Many moe might be produced onely we will adde the judgement of some that are subject to troubles for their Religion as we the Puritanes so called in their Adm to the Parl. This is a part of their Petition That Papists nor other neither constrainedly nor customably communicate in the mysteries of salvation as also their Supplication for Tolleration printed 1609. in Pag. 21. c. And lastly the Papists who of all other have least cause to speake against persecution in that the enactâ—ng it a law proceeded from them and is so usually practised by them where they have power yet thus â—hey write in a booke full of wickednesse lately set forth yet allowed by their Superiours Moreover the meanes which Almightie appointed his officers to use in the â—onversion of Kâ—ngdomes and people was humilitie patiâ—nce charity c saying Mat. 10.16 Behold J send you as â—heepe in the midst of wolves he did not say I send you as wolves among sheep to kill imprison spoyle and devoure â—hose unto whom they were sent Againe he said ver 17 â—hey to whom J send you will deliver you up in Councells â—nd in their Synagogues they will scourge you and to Presidents and to Kings shall you be led for my sake he doth not say you whom I send shall deliver the people whom you ought â—o convert into councels and put them in prisons and leade â—hem to Presidents and tribunall seats and make their Reliâ—ion fellony and treason Again he saith vers 12. When â—ee enter into a house salute it saying peace be to this house He doth not say you shall send Pursuivants to ransacke and â—poyle the house Againe he saith Ioh 10. The good Pastor giveth his life for his sheep the theefe commeth not but for to steale kill and to destroy he doth not say the theefe giveth his life for the sheep and the good Pastor commeth not but for to steale kill and to destroy Wherefore so much as is lawfull for poore subjects wee humble beseech your Majestie that converting of us by killing imprisonments confiscation of goods ransacking and spoyling by Promoters and Pursuivants c. laid aside at which the Christian world is scandalized it would please your Majestie to give order that Disputations Conferences and sweet meanes may be used for the discussion of truth according to the doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles which is peaceable modest swasible consenting to the good full of mercie and by those meanes if we should he in errour your Majestie might easily gaine us c. And if we should forsake our Religion for feare of the losse of our temporall goods imprisonments hanging and not out of information in beleefe we should be but Atheists and be worthy to bee hanged up in deed for dissembling with men and violating all obligation to God c. These are their words whereby we holding our peace our Adversaries speake for us CHAP. IX It can be no prejudice to the Common-wealth but much good if freedome of mens consciences be suffered VVEe feare notwithstanding all the manifest Testimonies of God and men that the learned will labour to possesse your Majestie and the rest in Authoritie That Tolleration will be hurtfull and dangerous to the State wee will a little more therefore most humbly intreate your patience to heare us discover by Scripture and experience that it will not as also to take out of the vvay their obiections Abraham abode among the Canaanites a long time yet contrarie to them in Religion Gen. 13.7 16.3 Againe he sojourned in Gerar King Abimelech bidding him dwell where it pleased him chap. 20. chap. 21.33.34 Isaak also dwelt in the same land yet contrarie to the King and his Subjects in Religion ch 26. Iacob lived 20. yeres with his uncle Laban in one house yet differed in religion Gen. 31.30.33 The people of Israel continued 430. yeres in that famous land of Egypt Exod. 12.40 afterward were caryed into Babylon where they remained 70. yeres all which times they did differ in Religion yet no danger to the State Come to the time of Christ when Israel was againe captive to the Romans where lived divers Sects of Religion Herodians Scribes Pharisees Sadduces Libertines and Samaritanes besides the common Religion of the Iewes Christ his Apostles all of which differed from the common Religion of the State which in all likelyhood was the worship of Diana which all the world almost then vvorshipped Act. 19.20 yet all these lived under the government of Caesar being nothing hurtfull to the State and Common wealth for they were all subject to all humane Lawes as was meet And when sâ—me of these Sects began to persecute the truth 〈◊〉 usually falshood doth persecute truth but never 〈◊〉 falshood then these persecutors did most of all 〈◊〉 the State and cause tumults as appeareth Act. 〈◊〉 c. and 14.15 and 19.29 c. and ch 21. c. 〈◊〉 whereas if they would