appeare by comparing the one with the other as thus SECT 2. THe Soule is said to be in all and every part of man and so The elect in the â—â—â—d compâ—â—â—d to the â—â—ulâ— in man are the Elect disporsed into every part of the world Mat. 24. 31 2. As the body of man is carnall and the Soule spirituall so are the men of the world said to be carnall minded men and the elect spirituall minded men Rom. 8. 4 5. 3. As the Soule is a companion to the body untill the death of the body so the elect be in the world until the desolution of it Mat. 28. 22. 4. As the absence of the soule procureth the death of the body so the extracting of the elect wil procure the consummation of the world Mat. 24. 22. Psal 50. 3 4 5 6. 5. As the carnal substance of man cannot properly be termed man without the Soule which giveth its being unto it no more can the men of the world be properly termed a world without the elect who as it were giveth a being unto it for whose cause the world doth subsist being such as stand in the gap betwixt the wrath of God and the world to which purpose Scriptures are plentiful 6. As the Soule is said to be the chiefe part of man or the man it self by whose infusion man is said to become a living soule Gen. 2. 7. So are the elect the chiefe part of the world and so consequently a world it self the wicked of the world being only the externall forme as the Body is to the Soule Again the world may be divided into two distinct Kingdomes The â—lect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or liâ—â—le world the one belonging to Christ consisting of the number of the elect Heb. 12. 23. and the other to Sathan who ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. and in this sence the one may as properly be termed a world as the other the elect being a Microcosme or little world in respect of the greater as man is so termed in regard of his respondance with the greater being the Boâ—ke of Nature and carâ—ying about him an epitomy of the world and so are the elect in respect of the neâ—renesse of the relation betwixt them and the men of the world or the world of worldly men there being no difference in respect of their externall forme and outward condition Eccle. 2. 14. one event of death hapning to both sorts of them Eccle. 9. 2. SECT 3. Obj. WHerein doth the chiefe difference consist betwixt the men of the world and the men in the world Ans In the internall motions of the minde which are of two The motions of thâ— minde câ—mpared 〈◊〉 the mâ—ions of the world sorts for as in the world there is two locall motions Rationall and Irrationall so in the minde of man there is likewise two sorts viz. Intelectuall and sensuall the one good and the other evill the one proceeding from the God of the elect and the other from Sathan the god of the world or carnal minded men 2 Cor. 4. 4. by which two distinct motions the two distinct Kings governe and rule their distinct Kingdomes or Subjects Now these two Kingdomes being thus mixed and undistinct to Christs Kingdome and the world mixed the eye of man and in regard there is and will be some elect to call out of their naturall estate and condition until the now second comming of Christ to judge Anti-christians therefore he putteth his elect under the same notion in which the men of the world are under for though there be not many wise after the flesh not many rich or noble that are of the elect world yet the comparison admits of some such The Elect being thus in the world as the Soule in man can no The elect cannot be calleâ—â—ut by preaching to ali Nations more be called out of their naturall estate and condition by reason of originall corruption being all by nature the children of wrath without preaching to the men of the world amongst whom they inhabite then a Soule can be converted without preaching to the body in which it is contained And therefore it is that Christ commandeth his Disciples to preach to all nations Mat. 28. 19. in regard he had in each nation kindred and people some elect which he had ordained to call out of their naturall condition by that meanes Unto which elect he giveth an understanding faculty that they shall attend to the words which shal be spoken by such Messengers As the Lord is said to open the heart of Lidia that she attended to the words spoken by Paul Act. 16. 14. which Christ also affirmeth Mat. 13. 11. To them it is given to understand the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven but to the other viz. the men of the world it is not given And hence it is that many are called but few chosen for though all be preached unto yet no more then are ordained to eternall life shall beleeve Act. 13. 48. As for the rest Sathan their God shall so blinde the eyes of their understanding that in seeing they shall see and not perceive and hearing they shall heare and not understand Mat. 13. 13 14 15. Mark 4. 12 13. Luk. 8. 10. Joh. 12. 39 40. Rom. 11. 8. it is therefore a frivolous conceit that the Passion Christ redeemed no more then his Father gave him of Christ should extend it self to redeeme any more then God the Father had given him Joh. 17. 12. which being lost in Adam may fitly be termed lost sheep and certainly if Christ had redeemed them whom he termeth the men of the world Joh. 17. 14. he would not have refused to have prayed for them but he sayeth in plaine termes he prayeth not for the world vers 9. viz. for the men of the world for if Christs Humanity should wil his Diety to save reprobates and children of perdition without doubt they should be saved For who hath resisted his will SECT 4. Obj. CHrist is said to pray for his enemies Luke 23. 34. viz. which was actors in the crucifying of him Ans It is likely that some of the Elect not being as then called Elect people might be guilty of the Passion of Christ out of their natural state and condition might consent unto his death and be as fierce and violent in that act as any other amongst the multitude yea more violent not knowing what they did as may be collected from the words of Christ in his prayer for them Father forgive c. which was made manifest in many of them after Peters Sermon Act. 2. 36. where it is said that hearing of what they had done to the Lord of Life they were pricked in their hearts and cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we doe to be saved The like forwardnesse was also in the Apostle Paul Act. 9. 15. before his conversion in persecuting of Christ in his members yea who
The Printer to the Spectator THat Embleme whereon thou didst looke Is but the shadow of the Booke By reading which thou maist behold That in expresse which here is told By Figures there thou 't plainly see The Pope and his fraternity Of Prelates Presbiterians and The Author a Rev. 18. 1 2 c. whom thou seest there stand Disputing to the life where he Doth use his Christian b Mat. 10 6 pollicy By singling each of them apart Aluding unto Daniels Art By which he found the Elders lye And clear'd Susannas chastity So he like to a Champion stout In this incounter first culs out Errors chiefe Patrons c Athists and Antiâ—rinitarians who deny There is a God or Trinity These being conquered he doth finde A Monster of another minde Who saith there is a God d The Pope 2 Thes 2 3 4. but he Doth proudly claime the same to be And that he can mens Sins forgive If they 'le but see him whilst they live This he subdues likewise and then He findeth divers sorts e viz Prelates Pâ—oâ—bâ—terians other Sectaries Rev 17 12. 15 of men The which from him doth hold their power All which within one day f Rev. 18. 8. or houre g vâ—r 17 18. o R v. 19. 1 2. He hath subdued Therefore his head with Bayes I have adorn'd doe thou the like by praise Laus Deo in excelcis AN EMBLEM OF ANTICHRIST In his three fould Hirerchyes of Papacy Prelacy Presbytery As allso a description of the Trenatie in Vnitie Vnitie in Trenatie of their Lord God the Pope in his Holyneses Dietie 2. thes 2. 4. A Small Rome left for the Pope etc. Prellat Wee are all tatterd broken to peeces Pope Presbiter They reiect our church calling from thee Cry aloud for he is a god 1. Kings 18. 27. And it came to pass at Noone that Elijah Mocked them saying c. I neede not put a Beareskin on A Beare Or pin a Devill to A Cauileare Rev 16. 19. 20. 21. And the Great City was devided into THREE PARTS etc. ROME RVIN'D BY WHITE HALL OR The Papall Crown demolisht Containing a Confutation of the three Degrees of Popery viz. Papacy Prelacy and Presbitery answerable to the Triple Crowne of the three-headed Cerberus the Pope with his three-fold Hierarchies aforesaid With a dispelling of all other dispersed Clouds of Errour which doth interpose the clear Sunshine of the Gospel in our Horrizon Wherein the chiefe Arguments each of them have for the vindication of their erronious Tenents are incerted and refuted with a description of such whem the true Church of Christ doth consist of As also how and by whom they may be gathered and governed according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in the Primative purity thereof Isaiah 40. 3 4 5. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a high way for our God every valley shall be exalted and every mountaine and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight and thorough places plaine and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it By Iohn Spittlehouse assistant to the Marshall Generall of the Army under the Command of his Excellency the Lord Generall Fairfax Imprimated by Theod. Jennings and entred in the Stationers Hall Printed at London by Thomas Paine and are to be sold at his house in Goold Smiths Alley in Redcrosse Street 1650 Fâ—llow Christians THere hath been many predictions of these present times both oâ—â— oâ— Scâ—ipture and other Aâ—thors 〈◊〉 of whâ—ch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he â—s reâ—ite which I professe before the great God of Heaven and Earth is not out of any ostentation in relation to my owne particular person but meerly to stir up the hearts of all men to take not â—â—e of the Lords present designe to which purpose in the Old Testament we haâ—â— these Scriptures viz. Dan. 2. 34 35. 7. 18. 27. Mâ—l 3. 1. c. and 4. 1 2. 3. 5. 6. Joel 2. 28 29. 30. 31. â—2 In the New Testament Mat. 17. 11. Rev. 18. 1. 2. 4. 6. Chap. 21 c. For Predictions since I shall only cite these which I have collected out of Mr. Bâ—aines writings a mâ—n yet I never saw I. Viz. One of Merlinus Calcâ—donius a Scot. After a long tribulation of Christians and effusion of innocent blood the prosperity and praise of God shall come to a desolate Nation I meane the Christians for an excellent Pastor shall come and rectifie all things and all things and all things shall be according to the forme of the primative Church II. Saint Bridget saith of the Pope that a Sword of God shall peirce his body and run him thorow from head to heart never to be pulled out and after his Armies his Viccars and Ministers their Soules shall be debarred the glory of God and their dignity and goods shall be devolved unto others III. Joaohim an Italian Abbot in his concord of the two Tâ—staments hath written many Predictions which accord with thesâ— IV. Joannes de rupe Scissa once Bishop of Paris hath fore-told that the Popes Arch-Bishops Bishops and the whole Clergy of Rome shall be brought back again to the primative forme of Christ and his Apostles with most sharp scurges and that all temporall principalities shall be taken away from the Clergy V. Joannes Wolsius citeth this Prediction viz. Europae genitus terra vir justus aequus Pastor earit caeli claves non regna gubernan Pax erit toto surget concordia mundo Una fides unus regnabit in omnia princeps What other late Predictions you have had I leave to your memories I could say very much in relation to my selfe and how wonderfully providence hath carried on this work by me but I will not beare testimony of my selfe let what is written doe it whether for me or against me Here likewise followeth three generall Principles drawne out of the Treatice for the inducement of every one to read and practise I. BY practising the Government contained herein you will manifest your selves to be Christs Disciples by being obedient to his and his Apostles institutions contrariwise you declare your selves enemies to both II. By â—o doing the Church of Christ will be distinguished from the world as also made visible to the world as a City which is at unity in it selfe Psal 122. 3. III. Those that participate of that union wil be freed from these grievances viz. 1. From the corrupt Clergy 2. From the unjust maintenance which they yet enjoy and 3. In a great part from the corruption of the Lawes of the Land as also from the Caterpillers the Lawyers which are breed and nourished thereby which two grand Moth-wormes have almost consumed both Church and Common-wealth as all rational men very wel
receive of mine and shew it unto you All things that the Father hath are mine therefore I said unto you that he shall take of mine and shew it unto you with Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father Object Our Saviour acknowledgeth the Father to be greater then he Joh. 14. 28. how then can he be equall with him Answ That was spoken in respect of his Humanity with his How the Father is said to be greater then the Son Diety for as he was God he was greater then as he was Man and therefore he saith that he speaketh not of himselfe Joh. 14. 10. but that he was equall with the Father may further appeare in the 14. vers where he saith If ye aske the Father any thing in my name I will doe it As if he should have said If ye aske any thing of my Diety in my name as I am Man as I am God I will grant it SECT 4. Object WHerein consisteth the union of the two Natures Answ In this blessed union the humane Nature of Christ assumed not the Divine but the Divine assumed and took unto Of the union of the two Natures it the humane nature for the Divine nature of Christ was a Person subsisting of it selfe from all beginnings In the union of the blessed Trinity the humane had no subsistence of it selfe before it was so assumed but as soone as it began to be it was assumed into the Person of the Son of God And so that human nature consisting of body and soule which Christ assumed became the particular body and soule of the Sonne of God And therefore the Apostle saith that God purchased his Church with his owne blood Act. 20. 28. Yet in the uniting of the two Natures of Christ we must take heed of two errors 1. That by uniting them we imagin not either of the two We are to avoyd two errors in the uniting of them Natures to be absorpt or abolished or that there is a confusion of Natures as in the commixion of Honey and Water neither of them retaining the same name or nature or that out of these two natures a third commeth forth compounded of them both as in the commixion of the Eliments 2. Neither is this Vnity to be too much extinuated or lessened as to thinke the Vnion to consist only in Assistance as the Angel stood by Peter Act. 12. or only in a certaine conjunction as when two divers Mettels are put together but they are so united as that the properties of both natures remaine and yet there is but one person subsisting of them both Like as the body and soule are united together and the fire and red hot Iron SECT 5. Of the communion of the Graces in the union of the two natures AS touching the communion of the Graces in the union of the two Natures 1. The Divine Nature received not any increase of Grace in regard it can have no imminution being it selfe most perfect and unchangeable but the Humanity was perfected by this union and received increase of gifts Joh. 16. 4. 2. The Graces communicated are either created or finite or Graces of two sorts finite and infinite uncreated and infinite The created and finite Graces as Wisdome Knowledge Holinesse and the rest are not in Christ as he is Man the essentiall Of finite Graces properties of his Diety but effects only thereof infused into Christs human Nature being finite and created as the Humanity it selfe was yet they are given to Christ without limitation and measure which in the Saints are limited and given by measure 3. These Graces were not all at once in the highest perfection appearing in Christ in the dayes of his flesh but they received increase by reason of the infirmity of the human nature which he assumed as it is said Luk. 2. 52. That Jesus increased in wisdome but after Christ was glorified then they shined in him in the greatest perfection SECT 6. Of infinite Graces BEsides these finite and created gifts there are others that are not finite neither can be referred to the first sort as the universall dominion over all Creatures the power of remitting of sins of judging the world adoration vivification inffnite glory c. For 1. These being particular to the Divine Nature yet by vertue of this union are even communicated to the man Christ Who is made Heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. Judge of the world Act. 17. 31. 10. 42. And whose flesh giveth life Joh. 6. 51. 2. These divine gifts are not formally or essentially in the human nature nor as the first gifts for this were to make the tâ—o natures equall and to confound their properties 3. It is more then a visible communicating for such as is the communion such is the union as the one is reall though not essentiall so is the other As in Iron made red hot with fire neither Simile hath the Iron lost his former qualities and yet it giveth light heat and burneth not by any essentiall Phisicall quality infused into it but by the reall union and conjunction of the fire and so the God-head shineth and worketh really in the human nature of Christ 4. The Divine Nature of Christ worketh not now by it selfe alone as before his Incarnation Sed cum ea par â—am but with it and by it exercising and shewing it selfe for the human nature of Christ quickneth and knoweth all things as omnipotent not formally and essentially by it selfe in its owne being as the God-head doth but in having the Divine Nature inseparably united unto it by vertue whereof it doth all those things even as the hot Iron burneth and heateth by the vertue of the fire which is in it 5. As before was shewed that the gifts and graces of the human nature of Christ did not appeare in their perfection all at once so this communion of these Divine properties did not wholly shew it selfe in the dayes of Christs flesh for though the God-head was united to his Humanity in the very first conception yet it did somewhat restraine the opperation thereof because of the worke of our redemption the Divine nature did rest in Christ that the Humane might dye 6. In that Christ is said after his Ascension to sit at his Fathers right hand it is neither in respect of his Divine nature which was never absent from thence nor yet as though his Human nature did not sit there before seeing in the very conception the Humane nature was united to the Divine but because then the power and kingdome of Christ was made manifest to all the world which before lay hid in him the Divine nature worketh by the Humane and the Humane by vertue thereof administreth all things And yet albeit betwixt the Divine and Human nature of How these Graces were really and personally
communicated unto Christs humane nature Christ there is a communion reall and personall the Graces created and finite are really communicated to Christs humanity as his wisedome knowledge holinesse c. but the gifts which are infinite and peculiar unto God as to be omnipotent omni-present knowing all things c. are imputed only personally As the man Christ is omnipotent omni-present knowing all things but not the Manhood of Christ for our blessed Saviour saith that the Son himselfe that is in his humanity knoweth not the day and houre of his comming to Judgement Mat. 13. 32. And this is further to be considered that the Manhood communicateth not any property to the God-head of Christ really for the Divine nature receiveth nothing but giveth all but only personally â—in concreto non in abstracto As Mary is called the Mother of God-Christ not of his God-head and God suffered for us but not the God-head but the Diety of Christ communicateth to his Humanity both really and personally SECT 7. Hereticks condemned touching Christs Divine Nature HEre then are condemned all such Hereticks which erre touching the Divine and Human nature of Christ 1. As touching Christs divine Nature some utterly denying it making Christ a meere man and not to have been before he was conceived in the Virgin Mary which was the Heresie of Corinthus and Ebion contrary to Scripture which saith that the Word which was made flesh was in the beginning Joh. 1. 1. 2. Them that would have another Nature in Christ besides his Human but not of the same substance with God yet of an higher nature then any creature as Carpocates and Arius but our blessed Saviour himselfe saith I and my Father am one Joh. 20. 30. 3. Them that affirme that Christ besides his Human nature consisted of a Divine yet not begotten of the Father but makeing one Person with the Father as well as being of one substance so the Sabellians and Patro-passians whereas the Apostle saith God sent his Son made of a woman Gal. 4. 4. the Person then of the Son and not of the Father was made man for us SECT 8. Touching Christs human nature 1. IT condemneth all such as affirme that Christ was not a true man but only in outward appearance as the Manaches and The like touching his Human nature Mertionites who are confuted by Christs owne words Luk. 24. 29. Handle me and see me for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have with 1 Cor. 15. 47. Act. 2. 22. 1 Tim. 2. 5. 2. Those which hold that Christ had not his flesh of the Virgin Mary but brought it with him from Heaven contrary to the Apostle who saith that he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. 3. Those who hold that Christ had a true Human nature but in respect of his body only as Apollonaris of Laâ—dicea who is convinced by the words of our Saviour Mat. 26. 38. My soule is heavie unto the death 4. Those who grant that Christ tooke upon him our whole Nature but not our human infirmities for the Apostle teacheth the contrary that Christ was in all things tempted in like sort as we are yet without sinne Heb. 4. 15. For infirmities are of two sorts Personall and Naturall SECT 9. Of Personall and Naturall infirmities 1. SOme are Personall as blindnesse sicknesse diseases as Leprosie c. and these Christ was not subject unto 2. There are Naturall infirmitios which doe belong to the whole Human nature as wearinesse hunger griefe and such like and these our blessed Saviour undertooke that he might in all things be like unto us Heb. 5. 2. which is also evidenced Mat. 4. 2. where it is said that after he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred and Mat. 26. 38. where himselfe confesseth that his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even to the death c. 5. Those that hold that Christ had a true Human Nature but after the uniting thereof with the God-head it was absorpt of his Divine Nature which only remained and this was the Heresie of Swenâ—feildius But we are otherwise taught in the Scriptures that Christ ascended up in a true visible Human Body and that he shall with the same returne again into the world at the last day Act. 1. 11. 6. Those who hold that the Divine Nature of Christ causeth his Humanity which by the property of its owne nature which The Luthreans error it retaineth for ever can be but in one place at once to be every where which is the opinion of the Luthreans their reason being this viz. because say they the God-head being every where maketh the Humanity for the union sake partakers of its glory To which we answer SECT 10. The Luthreans confuted 1. THat the Assertion concludeth a contradiction for how doth Christs human nature retain the naturall property thereof for ever in being but in one place at once if it be every where by vertue of the God-head 2. If by vertue of this union the human nature can doe all things which the Diety doth then the human nature should be absorpt and as it were changed into the Divine 3. There is a mutuall communion of the properties betwixt the two Natures of Christ but such as destroyeth not the true properties of either but if the property of the Diety were communicated to the humane nature to be every where the Humanity of Christ should be altered in nature being without the true property thereof which is to be but in one place at once 4. As the reason of this Assertion is not sound so the conclusion it selfe viz. of Christs omni-presence in his Humanity is contrary to the Scriptures where the Apostle Peter saith Whom the heavens must contain untill the time that all things must be restored Act. 3. 21. This which hath been spoken I suppose is sufficient to convince all such as deny the Divinity of Christ or that he is not equall with the Father and the Holy Ghost but least some curious Naturalists should not be herewith satisfied in the unity of the Trinity and the Trinity in unity relying more upon human or carnall reason then Scripture I will therefore recite the opinions of sundry men touching the Trinity and Vnity of the three Persons in the same by which they may be made unexcusable and also shamed out of their absurd Heresies and Blasphemies and so revoke them for ever SECT 11. Severall sorts of people proving a Trinity of Persons in the God-head 1. TO which purpose some of the Rabbins doe in the name Jehovah comprehend a Trinity for Jehovah say they betokeneth a God begetting or giving essence and if there be a God begetting there must also be a God begotten and because it is impossible but that betwixt the God begetting and the God begotten there should be a coeternall and substantiall love therefore in this name is also insinuated the Holy Ghost the God of
thereof although he knoweth that it tendeth to his owne ruine and perdition SECT 3. NOw seeing they thus faile in their foundation what can be The Papists foundations infirme expected concerning their building seeing they faile in their Principles what may be expected in their Consequences seeing they faile in proving the Supremacy of Peter over the other Apostles how farre will their lord god come short to justifie the wearing of a triple Crown of Gold and the rest of his Pontificall Vestments being farre more fit for a Stage-player then a Minister of the Gospel I wonder what Scripture he hath for the wearing of such like toyes unlesse as I said he derive them from Aarons garments which the most ignorant know that they were but Types of Christ and are also abolished by Christ as that Anti-christ of Rome very well knoweth but where doth he read of a triple Crown which Peter wore he may be ashamed to abuse the world with such fopperies as that it was left by the Apostle Peter and that it is yet to be seen in Peters Church and that Silvester shewed it to Constantine which he said Peter used by the instinct of the Spirit that the verity might be answerable to the figure viz. that Christs High-Priests might weare that which the High Priest the Figure of Christ did weare SECT 8. NOw who that is in his wits will beleeve that Peter did weare a triple Crown of Gold who had not sometimes a penny in his purse Act. 3. 6. as also in that his Lord and Master The glory and Crown of the Apostles was crowned with Thornes I blush therefore to see men so stupid as to beleeve that the Apostles used such worldly pomp whose glory was their poverty and the contempt of the world their Crown and suffering and if there had been any such Crown it had rather belonged to Paul then Peter for he was the Apostle of the Gentiles the other of the Circumcision Againe if that be Peters triple Crown which is to be seen in Saint Peters Church why doth his Holinesse refuse to weare it but rather make use of a Massie triple Crown of Gold and precious Stone and as for Aarons Crown it was a Type of Christ and not of the Pope and temporall things doth not prefigure temporall one triple Crown another but that outward Crown did shadow forth that Spirituall Kingdome and regall dignity of Christ SECT 9. LEt all the world therefore take notice what subtill and devillish The Popes subtilty inventions this Instrument of Satan useth that he may still delude the world and continue in his worldly pomp and glory and the better to bring the world to his bend he termeth himself a Servant of Servants which his Claw-backs say he assumeth as a signe of great humility which he cunningly â—â—sinuateth from the words of our Saviour Mat. 20. 26. He that will be great amongst you let him be your Servant and thus doth he wrest the Scriptures to his owne end but it will speedily appeare that like another Câ—iphas he proficieth of the destruction of his owne kingdome and that he will very suddenly become a servant of servants indeed as Canaan was yea and become a servant to them that served him Againe his insolency is intollerable in that he thinketh scorne to be reproved yea though he should send ten thousand soules to Hell yet none must say why doest thou so SECT 6. Object WHat need is there of reproving him seeing he cannot erre Answ The Pope is farre inferiour to Aaron who erred by The Pope â—â—rre inferiour to Aaron or Peter who erred making the golden Calf and though he was appointed of God and elder brother to Moses yet did Moses openly reprove him at the least I hope he will not challenge to be superiour to Peter who erred in denying his Master Mark 14. 68. 70. 71. as also by dissimulation whereof he was openly reproved by Paul Gal. 2. 11 c. His unparalleld presumption appeareth also in taking upon him to forgive sinnes yea to have God at his command for in case a man sinne and crave pardon of God and he forgive him it is to no purpose unlesse his holinesse doe the like for the Lord hath ingaged himself to the Pope that whatsoever he doth remit on earth shall be remitted in heaven but the Popes Holinesse hath not done the like to God by which means he forceth the ignorant people to a composition as did his Brother Judas by a quid dabitis What will you give me so that he hath not only man at his command but he hath also got God upon the hip as we use to say forgetting the saying of his cousen Germen the Scribes end Pharisees Mark 2. 7. which may very justly be attributed unto him viz. Why doth this man thus blaspheme who can forgive sins but God only SECT 11. Object VVHat difference is there betwixt absolving and remitting of sins Ans Absolution implyeth a forgivenesse of sins by Authority The difference betwixt Absolution and Remission of sinâ— remission only by way of Declaration wherefore the latter may be permitted to men but the former only to God for if man could forgive we need not aske pardon from God but how should a Man forgive anothers sins who cannot forgive his own true they may absolve by preaching sins in generall but not apply their absolution to particular men because they know not whether their repentance be sound or hollow for God only knoweth the heart of man and therefore is only able to forgive the sins of men Mark 2. 7. CHAP. VII The seventh Chapter treateth of Transubstantiation with a confutation thereof SECT 1. THe next thing which I will insist upon is their detestable Heresie of Transubstantiation by which they say the Sacrament of bread is converted into the reall Body and bloâ—d of Jesus Christ in which he was conversans here on earth and in which he was crucified yea that they eate his very Flesh and gnash his very Bones in their teeth like so many Caniballs or Man-â—aters and that after the words of Consecration there remaineth not so much as the substance of bread but only the meere accidents and qualities of it yea that it is substantially and really the Body and blood together with the Soule and Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that under each kinde and under every part of each kinde whole Christ is comprised and that it is not so whilst it is taken but before and afterward in the consecrated peices reserved and remaining after the Communion and that all Communicants both bad and good doe eate the very naturall Body of Christ Obj. Doth not our Saviour say in plain termes that if we eate not the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood we have no life in us and that whosoever eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood hath eternall life and he will raise them up at the
THe Sacrament then of the Body and blood of Christ is given The Body and blood of Christ only eaten and drunk by faith taken and eaten only after a spirituall manner by the mouth of faith and it is a token of love which Christians ought to have amongst themselves and for which it is called the Lords Table 1 Cor. 10. 11. the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 10. a communion of the body of Christ and they that partake thereof though they be many yet are but one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. Now the same faith shall save us which saved the Fathers before Christs Incarnation who did eate his body and drink his blood spiritually through faith and therefore as the Manna which came down from Heaven and the water which issued out of the Rock was the same to the Israelites as the bread and wine in the Sacrament is to us and in regard as many as did apprehend Christ in the Manna and water of the Rock are said to eate the same spirituall meat and to drink the same spirituall drink which we doe and albeit the figures are changed and altered yet faith abideth one and the same And thus the Fathers did eate Christ before the Manna and after the Manna was ceased Having shewed the manner of eating Christ in the Manna and seeing the like may be spoken of the Pascall Lambe which was not to be eaten raw Exod. 12. 9. that is carnally substantially and visibly with what face can these blockish people think to eate with their mouth and teeth the very body and bones of Christ And who may better be said to eate Christ raw then they which come not with a true and a lively faith but with such an erronious perswasion therefore as raw flesh is offensive to the stomack and such an one as eateth it may to said to eate his owne death so they that eate and drink in the Sacrament unworthily are said by the Apostle to eate and drink their owne damnation 1 Cor. 5. 7. SECT 10. By whom the Sacrament is truly eaten 3. AS none were admitted to eate of the Lambe of Consecration Exod. 29. 33. but such as were of Abrahams Family so none but those that are of Christs Family indeed and doe beleeve in him can be partakers of his body and blood for whosoever saith Christ eateth of my body and drinketh of my blood hath eternall life Joh. 6. 54. so then those men are grosly mistaken and deceived that think that the wicked and unbeleevers doe eate the very flesh and drink the very blood of Christ in the Sacrament for then it would follow upon our blessed Saviours words that they shall have eternall life Further as the Pascall Lambe was not to be eaten by uncircumcised persons or such as were strangers from the faith of Israel Exod. 12. 33. so neither are those Mysteries or Sacraments of Religion to be given to Infidels or profaine persons for our Saviour would not have us give holy things to doggs or cast pearls amongst swine Mat. 7. 2. This shall seeme to be spoken in confutation of the Papists detestable and damnable opinion of Transubstantiation as also that the Sacrament of the Altar giveth life Ex eperè operato by the thing done and being present at though there be never a good thought thereunto by him that is present and a receiver thereof as also that the true and naturall body of Jesus Christ is in with and under the Bread and Wine and may be eaten chewed and digested even of Turkes and Infidels as also that the same true and reall body of Jesus Christ may be devoured of Doggs Hoggs Cats Rats and so consequently these creatures receive and injoy by vertue of the same eternall life which is blasphemy in the highest degree SECT 11. Whether the corporall presence of Christ can be in more places then one at one time Obj. THe Papists verifie it may their reason is because Christs Man-hood say they is so annexed to his God-head as fire in Iron which cannot be separated and therefore must be in all places with the God-head Ans That assertion is false as may evidently appeare by The body of Christ not in two places at one time these Scriptures as Luk. 24. 6. when the woman sought Christ at the Sepulchre where the Angels told them that he was not there for he was risen but if his body had been in every place the Angel had lyed As also at the raising of Lazarus Christ saith to his Disciples I am glad for your sakes that I was not there Joh. 11. 15. and so Christ should not have spoken truly if that he had been there as he was Man Moreover Christ saith The poore you shall alwayes have with you but me you shall not have alwayes Joh 12. 8. Again it followeth not that every thing that is in God should be in every place as God is for the Scripture saith That in him we live move and have our being Act. 17. 28. and yet we are not in every place as he is God for so he is in all places but as he is man he sitteth at his Fathers right hand and if we should grant Christ to be in all places as he is Man we should take away the truth of his body for though his Man-hood be in God and God in his Man-hood yet is followeth not that it should be in all places as his Diety is for as touching his Manhood he was on earth not in heaven when he said No man ascendeth into heaven but he that descended from heaven Joh. 3. 13. And further to confirme this point Christ saith to his Disciples I ascend to my Father and yours my God and yours Joh. 20. 17. Again the being of one body in divers places or in two places at once is against nature and Scripture cannot allow of it One writing to his friend to resolve him touching that passage of Christ to the Thiefe on the Crosse where he saith This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Luk. 23. 43. whether our Saviour meant he should be with his Soule or his Body or his God-head in paradise to which question his friend returned this answer Touching Christs corporall Body that day it was in the Sepulchre and that was not in paradise although in a garden and as touching his Soule it was that day in Hel and none will say that paradise was there therefore that text saith he must needs he understood to be spoken of his God-head and therefore Christs Man-hood was neither that day in heaven or on earth but in the Sepulchre SECT 12. Of Christs preaching to the Spirits in prison Object IN that reply is confirmed that the wicked of the old world were not so condemned but that they might be redeemed from them by the descension of Christ who is said by Saint Peter to be quickned in the Spirit by the which he preached to the spirits in prison which
of Justification best known to him that hath it Object THe Scriptures commending the righteousnesse of Abraham and other Patriarks doth rather make 〈◊〉 sure and certaine of their salvation then themselves Ans No mans salvation can be better knowne unto 〈◊〉 then to himself for as the life of the body is more felt where that life is then of others which only see the body to live so faith which is the life of the Soule as the Scripture saith the just shall live by faith is better apprehended of those that have the possession of it then of such as only behold it Again in vain doth the Apostle exhort us to labour to make our calling and election sort 2 Pet. 1. 10. if it could not be accomplished Obj. The Apostle exhorteth us to work it out with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. Ans The Apostle in that place doth not deny but that it may be wrought out he therefore exhorteth us so to demeane our selves as that we doe not presume of any worthinesse in our selves that may deserve it and therefore he also exhorteth them that stand to take heed lest they fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. lest being secure of our election which is certaine and infallible in regard that whom God loveth he loveth unto the end We sinne presumptuously trusting to Gods election and therefore the Apostle exhorteth us to work it out with feare and trembling least we being circumvented of Satan who can transforme himself into an Angel of light to deceive us and so be prevented of that which we vainly hoped for Obj. When may a man be certain of his election or salvation Ans When he regardeth not sinne in his heart and untill When a man may be assured of his salvation then he cannot for the Prophet David speaking by experience saith that so long as he regarded sinne in his heart the Lord would not beare his prayers Psal 66. 18. so that when we feele in our selves that we are throughly dead unto sinne and to all the affections and desires of the same it is impossible that we should be certaine of our election for in this it may be said as of the Commandements that he that keepeth them all and offendeth in one that is he that keepeth them all but one is guilty of the breach of all in regard that the charge was to keep that one as well as all the rest So he that in his affections is dead to all manner of sins but one which he still desireth to retaine being his darling sinne and that either for profit or pleasure is in the same respect guilty of all it being probable that he would breake the rest upon the like termes in which state and condition a man cannot be fully assured of his salvation SECT 10. How a man is said to sinne and yet sinneth not Object SVppose that a man should finde in himself that he is dead in his affections to all manner of sinne yet this man so long as be liveth will sinne how can be then be assured of his salvation Ans I have told you that was the maine reason why the Apostles did give the exhortation to worke it out with feare and trembling yet neverthelesse though such a man sinne daily so is be not with a desire and affection but in respect of the flesh â—usting against the Spirit yet may he be assured of his salvation for the Apostle affirmeth touching his owne person being in the same predicament that it waâ— not he that sinned but sinne or the corruption of his owne nature that dwelled or remained in him Rom. 7. in which Chapter he maketh an absolute distinction betwixt them who may be assured of their election and them that may not and that in respect of mens affections and desires to sinne or not to sinne where making himself the president he confesseth that in him that is in his nature there dwelleth no good thing and that to will was present with him but how to performe that which was good he found not and that the good which he would have done he did not Whereupon he maketh a second conclusion that it was not he that did it but sinne c. So that the reason of the Apostle thus excusing himself in sinning was because he had a delight in the Law of God in the inwardman And that he had no pleasure in those sins which he daily committed through the infirmity of his flesh and the temptations and allurements provoking him thereunto from Sinne is made gâ—eater or lâ—sse in respect of the delight which is taken in sinning which he desired deliverance so that albeit his so sinning he doth not doubt of his election but was assured of it as appeareth in the 25. vers by Jesus Christ who had taken away one guilt of such sins And from this argument of the Apostle we may conclude that it is not sinne that procureth damnation to any one but meerly the delight which men take in the action of sinne And therefore the Apostle describing the blessed estate of a The blâ—ssed state of a regenerate man regenerate man saith that he sinneth not neither can sinne which is so spoken in regard he taketh no delight or pleasure in that sinne so committed by him and so is not imputed unto him as sinne The same Apostle also saith that there is no condemnation Rom. 8. 14 15 16 17. to such as walâ— not â—fâ—er the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 11. 1. And that as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God and if Sonnes then Heires and Co-heires with Christ so then as many as are such may claime such a title and priviledge And contrariwise them that are not such are not to enioy such priviledges or prerogatives CHAP. XI The eleaventh Chapter treateth of their tenent of Free-will SECT 1. THe Pelagians were of opinion that they could without the grace of God doe some good worke or act by which they put a thick wall betwixt them and the fire of Gods Spirit lest they should be heated thereby and warmed with love To which opinion the Roman Catholicks consent whose assertion is Obi. That a man naturally without faith or without the speciall assistance of God can performe some Morall good workes if no temptation let Ans Both these assertions is sufficiently confuted in that one sentence of our Saviour Joh. 15. 5. Without me you can doe nothing yet to cleare the point more fully I will lay down all their arguments by which they vindicate their assertions and answer â—o each particular and to this purpose SECT 2. THey urge the words of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 1. 19. If ye will consent and they ye shall eate the good things of the Land As also Exod. 15. 26. If thou wilt give care unto his Commandements As also Exod. 19. 5. If ye â—ill heare my voyce and keep my covenant From these and such like places they argue
switch is not equall with him that striketh with a sword 6. Cum quem with whom the sinne is committed as fornication betwixt them that are married is more heynous then betwixt single persons 7. Vbi where in what place it is committed for it is more heynous to steale in a Church or Congregation of Gods people then in another place 8. quando when for it is more heynous to steale in time of Divine worship then at other times 9. Ad quid to what end for the end maketh a thing of it self lawfull or unlawfull Now to make an action lawfull or good all these things must concurre but it is enough to make it evill if it faile in any of them and this faultinesse of the action passeth with the action it selfe which is the subiect thereof and remaineth not 3. There is left behind a macula a certain stain or blot in the Soule whereby the Image of God is deformed 4. Besides this stain there is a guiltinesse of punishment 5. The punishment it selfe which is Hell Fire without true repentance SECT 7. Object VVHether doe we sinne of necessity or of a voluntary disposition for if it be of necessity it ceaseth to be sin and if it be voluntary it may be avoïded Answ Sinne is both of necessity and voluntary First it is of Sin is both of necessity and voluntary necessity in respect of Adams fall by which we became Bondslaves to sin and Satan Secondly in that we have originally a seed of that defect in us procured by him and so can will nothing but that which is evill that as the Apostle saith We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves as of our selves 2 Cor. 3. 5. it being proper to God alone to work in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Object The Apostle saith he would that which was good though he could not accomplish it Rom. 7. 15. Therefore man of himselfe can will that which is good Ans The Apostle in that place speaketh not of the Naturall man but of the regenerate for he addeth I am delighted in the Mâ—n corrupt both in soule and body Law according to the inward man but saith he I see another law in my members resisting the law of my minde Rom. 7. 22. And it will fully appeare that we are corrupt in both parts viz. in soule and body For that which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3. 6. And to be carnally minded iâ— death Rom. 8. 6. And therefore in vain doe we seek in man either integrity understanding or the feare of God For the will is so fast bound by the slavery of sinne that it cannot move it selfe to that which is good and much lesse apply it selfe thereunto For such a motion is onely a beginning of turning unto God which is wholly attributed to the grace of God in Scripture as in Jer. 31. 18. where Ephraim is said to desire of God to turn him that he might be turned And the Spouse in the Canticles Draw me and I will run after thee with divers other The effects of Nature and Grace places of Scripture which doth testifie the same It is therefore proper to Nature to will that which is evill and to Grace that which is good whereupon it followeth that men are drawn unto evill by necessity of will and yet they are not constrained to commit it Again on the other side it commeth to passe through the the infinite goodnesse of God that godly men cannot doe evill through any forceable compulsion for otherwise the minde of man in its owne nature is voyd of all grace for which cause it is said that he that hath begun a good worke in us will also finish it Phil. 1. 6. 2. 13. as also It is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure The Lord also speaking by his Prophet saith that he will give his people a new heart and take from them their stony heart and also put his Spirit in the middest of them and make them walke in his Commandements Ezec. 35. 26. by which it appeares that all the inclinations to goodnesse proceed only from Gods Spirit moving us thereunto secretly saying This is the way follow it Grace then goeth before every good work it doth not follow after but so that will and desire doth accompany it not lead it For the will doth worke by grace the Lord preventing him that is unwilling that he may be more willing and that he may not will in vaine so that there can no will be found which is inclining to good save in the elect but the cause of election must be sought without men whereby it is proved that man of himself hath not a right will but that it floweth from the same good Man of himself hath not a right will pleasure whereby he was elected before the Creation of the world as also that the beginning of willing and doing well proceedeth from faith and faith is the gift of God it must needs then follow that it is of meere grace when we begin to will that which is good being inclined and bent naturally to evill As also by the instance of David who desired the Lord to create in him a new heart Psal 51. 12. yea we are as prone thereunto as the sparkes to fly upward SECT 8. The Pelagians two-fold question answered THe will therefore is the Patient and not the Agent and therefore to resolve the Pelagians two-fold doubt viz. whether we sin willingly being made bond-slaves to Satan and whether in evill workes we ought to attribute any thing unto God we thus answer As touching the first we answer that mens wills may be compared to an Horse that waiteth his Masters pleasure and God and the Devill may be compared to Horsâ—-men or Riders but if the Devill possesse it he carrieth it head-long unto death as it were an Hunter over hedge and ditch as we may instance in that example of Job upon whom it was the Lords pleasure to exercise by calamity the patience of his servant but contrariwise Satan endeavoureth to drive him into dispaire Again the Caldeans study contrary unto equity to get gaine by that which was another mans in which passage one and the same act may be ascribed unto God Satan and Man but the variety in the manner and end maketh the justice of God appeare without any fault and in the other the wickednesse of Satan and Man is discovered to their perpetuall shame and reproach Obi. If it be not in the power of a Sinner to obey exhortations should be made in vaine admonitions should be superfluous and reprehensions rediculous Ans Our Saviour saith that without him we can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. and yet notwithstanding he doth neverthelesse reprove those that did evill without him as we may see in his reproofes which he uttered against Corazin and Bethsaida Mat. 11. 21. as
rest is necessary for the body so recreation is for the minde yet there are other delights and recreations which No necessity to tell lyes may be used There is no such necessity to jeast and make sport with telling of Lyes David could say That the Lawes of God was his delight 2. Though none other be hurt yet the lyar hurteth his owne Soule because he speaketh not the truth therefore this kinde of lying is not tollerable 3. There is diversity of recreations and also diversities of men which are affected with such delights and recreations which may be reduced to these foure sorts 1. Our Saviour needed no such delight or recreation at all Four soâ—â—s of recreations belonging to foure sorts of men who as he is often read to have wept so is he never found to have laughed for whereas recreations and delights are to succour the infirmities of our Nature Christ being God could reare himselfe up from all such mortall defect as he would himself without any help or supportation 2. There is another sort of perfect men who are given to heavenly Meditation and their delight and recreation is not in such jeastings and merrements but in holy exhortations and â—haste communications 3. There is another sort in another extreame who are altogether earthly minded who when they will recreate themselves turne them to their sports of iniquity as unto eating drinking wantonnesse lasciviousnesse 4. There are others which are in the middle betwixt these two which turne them to delights of a middle nature which are neither spirituall nor altogether carnall but honest and seemly No kindâ— oâ— lyes tollerable recreations but that no kinde of Lyes at all are tollerable may appeare by these reasons ensâ—ing SECT 5. 1. ONe reason may be taken from the nature of a Lye the Law of God is truth and whatsoever differeth from truth doth transgresse the Law therefore a Lye which is a swarving and declining from the truth transgresseth the Law and so consequently is sin 2. By way of comparison with other sins why should it be rather lawfull to lye then to commit Adultery if it be not lawfull to doe the one upon any occasion whatsoever then neither the other also for by Adultery the body chiefly is corrupted but by making a lye principally the Soule 3. Divers speciall cases may be propounded wherein if lying were in any case to be tollerated it should seeme to have the most just excuse but not being allowed in these things it is lawfull in none viz. 1. That it is not lawfull to tell a Lye and commit a lesse evill to avoyd a greater evill as if one had rather make a lye and offer sacrifice to Idols then to have his body deâ—iled which was Origins case for here the case is this They which force a man to doe any unlawfull thing threatning that they will doe worse doe in a manner say thus Fac tu male ne nos faciamus doe thou evill to prevent us from doing evill now whether is it better to doe evill or to suffer it to be done by another this rule therefore ought to be held We ought rather to shun our owne sinning then anothers Again it is not in sin as in matters of profit in the world we call not that a lose which is lost in hope of a greater gaine but it is not so here that it should be no sin that is admitted lest a greater be committed 2. Neither is it lawfull to tell a lye to save a mans life for he that lyeth slayeth his owne Soule and a man is not bound to slay his owne Soule to save anothers temporall life We must leave our temporall life for anothers eternall life but to hazard our eternall life for anothers temporall life there is no reason Again in sins we must more take heed of the commission of any fact of our owne then the permission of another fact 3. We are not to lye for anothers everlasting Salvation as if one in captivity not perfectly won unto the faith who is not like to be brought unto the faith unlesse the Keepers be deceived by some lye and he delivered out of their hands for a lye in this case is no more to be devised then adultery to be committed for if chastity be not to be violated much lesse is verity if then in these speciall cases a lye is not to be admitted to avoyd a greater evill as to save another mans life to preserve the chastity of the body nay not to save another mans Soule then much lesse is it lawfull to make a lye in jeast to shew others sport or to delight them 4. If the examples be objected out of the Old Testament as Objections of lâ—â—s in Scripture answered of Jacobs dissimulation with his Father Isaac when he got the blessing of the Midwifes excuse of Rahabs lye made for the Spies received into her house these answers are made SECT 6. 1. EIther are they figuratively spoken and so no lyes 2. If lyes not to be imitated for we must consider not what is expressed in fact but what is signified in sence for it is no lye in speech when one word is put for another as in Metaphors and other Tropes neither is it in matter when â—ne thing is signified by another 2. Neither are they lyes which are mentioned in Scripture if they be spoken figuratively or if they were lyes they are not to be imitated no more then was Davids murder and adultery 3. They are condemned by way of comparison not absolutely 4. Concerning the excuse of the Midwife and of Rahab their fallacy was not rewarded in them but their mercy the benignity of their minde not the iniquity of their lying Therefore by that straight charge and Commandement of God Four reasons why we ought not to lâ—e Thou shalt not beare false witnesse men are warned to take heed of lying and speaking untruths under what pretence soever and that for these foure causes 1. Because lying maketh men like to the Devill for as God is truth and all that love the truth are the children of God so they that use lying are the children of the Devill for he is a lyar and the father of lyes Joh. 8. 44. he told the first lye that ever was made in the world when he said to Eve Ye shall not dye c. 2. Because humane society and intercourse is by this meanes dissolved for how can one man trust another if lying and disseâ—ling should be used this reason the Apostle urgeth Eph. 4. 25. Cast away lying and let every man speake truth to his neighbour for we are members one of another 3. Because the lyar looseth his credit that he cannot be beleeved no not when he telleth the truth as Eccle. 34. 4. Who can be cleansed by the uncleane or what truth can be spoken of a lyar 4. We must take heed of lying for it destroyeth the soule Wisd 1. 11. The mouth that
that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the Throne of God he should be contrary to himself for elsewhere he saith Sweare not at all neither by heaven for it is the Throne of God Mat. 5. 34. We are also commanded by God himself that we should sweare We ought only to sweare by the name of God only by his name Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and sweare by his name which text our Saviour abridging Mat. 4. interpreteth it by the word only him only shalt thou serve So also Deut. 10. 20. Exod. 23. 13. it is directly forbidden that they should take the name of any other God in their mouthes 2. God reprooveth those that sweare by any other then by him as Zep. 1. 5. I will cut off him that worship and sweare by the Lord and Malcham 3. Invocation only belongeth unto God but the taking of an Oath is a kinde of invocation therefore it is a service due only unto God 4. In the taking of an Oath we call God to witnesse unto our Soules that God only knoweth the secrets of our hearts but neither Angels or Saints doe so Ergo. 5. He that sweareth giveth power to him by whom he sweareth to punish him if he sweare falsly but God is only able to punish the Soule Mat. 10. 20. SECT 2. Obj. â—Oseph did sweare by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 15. Ans Some held that this was no Oath but a vehement kinde of asseveration as Hanna said to Eli As thy soule liveth 1 Sam. 1. â—6 and Abner to Saul Sam. 17. 56. And so they would have the meaning to be this As truly as Pharaoh liveth or as I wish his life and heâ—lth so it is true that I say but it is not all one kinde or phrase to say unto one present As thy soule liveth and of one absent to say by his life or soule it therefore shewed some infirmity in Joseph though he worshipped the true God yet he learned to speake as other Courtiers did to sweare by Pharaohs life yet rather of custome of speech or the more cunningly to conceale himself from his Brethren then of any purposed imitation of their superstitious Oathes therefore Josephs example can be no warrant for us to imitate Obj. It is usuall when men take an Oath to lay their hand upon the Gospel therefore it is lawfull to sweare by the Creature Ans Men using the externall signe doe not sweare by it no more then Abrahams servant did sweare by his Masters Thigh when he put his hand under it Gen. 24. 1. he sware by the name of God So the Lord saith I will lift up my hand to heaven and say I will live for ever Deut. 32. 40. and the Angel lifted up his hand to heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever Rev. 10. 6. so they lay their hands upon the Book as a visible signe or seale of the Oath but they sweare not by the Book but by God the Author of the Book but of the two I rather approve of the lifting up of the hand as in the presence of God ' it being the posture which the Angels and God himself are said to approve of as in the texts afore mentioned SECT 6. The close of the first Booke LAstly and to conclude the Discourse touching the Popes Tenents of the first Magnitude I will close them with the Magistrate from whose Power and Jurisdiction they exempt their Ecclesiasticall persons whereas in the time of the Law from whence they derive all their trumperies if the Priest ministring at the Altar had committed wilfull murther might be taken from it and put to death by the Magistrate wherein appeareth the soveraigne right and power which then the civill Magistrate had over the Priests of the Law as they were subject to the Magistrate in which respect neither are the Ministers of the Gospel any more exempted now from the Civill power then them Priests were then for the Apostle saith Let every soule be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. In which generall speech none are exempted yea Christ himself who might have pleaded greater priviledges in that behalf then any refused not to pay tribute for avoyding of offence Mat. 17. 27. So that touching the outward man we see both Christ and his Apostles yeelded themselves unto Caesar viz. to the Civill Magistrate Thus have I by Gods assistance discovered the greatest part of the grand treacheries of the Church of Rome or their Masse of delusions by which they have melted away all true religion and devotion from their ignorant followers as also have drawn tribute and advantage to themselves by wasting and melting their suâ—stances and running it into their own Coffers the Lord therefore in mercy open the eyes of these poore Creatures who have been so long deluded by that man of sinne who hath so long reigned over their bodies and soules in that tyrannous manner and that they may apply themselves to the Prophets direction to aske for the old way which is the good way and to wâ—lke therein Jer. 6. 16. as also to give them a heart to loath and abhor those damnable doctrines which are maintained by him and his adherents so directly against the Word of God as hath been made manifest in this Treatise which the Lord in mercy grant The Second part of Romes ruine by White-Hall c. Wherein is contained the confutation of Prelacy with other erronious opinions of the times c. CHAP. I. The first Chapter treateth of Vniversall redemption SECT 1. HAving in the first Treatise displayed the highest or grand delusion of Anti-christ I shall now incounter with the second sort of them being as branches of the same Tree or streames of the same fountaine which remaine yet unlopped or dryed up in this Nation in which onset I shall in the first place adventure of that too much owned Tenent of Vniversall redemption which gangreen doth much endanger the Spirituall life of many a poore soule My resolution in the enterprise shall be only to strike at the head of the Argument viz. Whether Jesus Christ by his death and passion redeemed the whole world yea or no against which affirmative part if I shall prevaile the circumstantiall members will fall of themselves And 1. That these places of Scripture cited by them to prove their assertions cannot possibly be meant of every particular person in the world will plainly appeare by Christs owne distinction in that expression of his to his Apostles Joh. 17. 11. 16. by comparing of which texts it will evidently appeare that the elect are a sort of people which are in the world and yet not of The elect in the world â—nâ— yet not of the world the world in the world in respect of their externall forme and substance and yet noâ— of it in respect of their internall affections so that they are in the world no otherwise then the Soulâ— is in man as wil
whereupon death insueth is said to seeke his owne death and yet they desire to live but upon their unruly and disorderly behaviour death followeth So God is likewise said to harden the heart by the like figurative speech because the harding of the heart insueth upon the abuse of these things which God tendeth not to that end but they pervert them to their owne hurt and this opinion may also be safely received and acknowledged but yet there is somewhat more to be added SECT 8. BUt by the way to binde and harden though it signifie an Act Foure things are said to blinde or harden the heart proceeding from him that hardneth yet it is not alwaies so taken for we shal finde in Scripture that foure waies a thing is said to blinde and so consequently to harden viz. 1. Gifts are said to blinde the eyes as Deut. 16. 19. not that they being a dead thing can corrupt the judgement but mens corrupt hearts taking occasion is thereby inticed to corrupt or pervert Justice 2. The Devill is said to blinde the eyes of the wicked 2 Cor. 4. 4. Whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that beleeve not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them 3. The malice of a mans owne heart is said to blinde and harden as Pharaoh hardned his owne heart 4. God is said to blinde the eyes and harden the heart Esa 6. 10. Make the hearts of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heart with their eares and understand with their hearts and be converted and be healed 1. Gifts doth blinde occasionalliter by way of occasion 2. Mans heart blindeth meritoriâ— by way of desert or meritoriously because it deserveth to be further blinded and hardned 3. The Devil blindeth insitando by insisting and stirring up to sin and 4. God blindeth subtrahendo gratiam by withdrawing his grace and inflicting the punishment of induration upon them SECT 9. FUrther God is said to harden the heart in his divers leavings In what respects God is said to work in the action of the hardning the heartâ— and forsakings of them as First he suffereth them to follow their owne lusts and desires not giving them power or grace to restraine them as Rom. 1. 24. He gave them up to their owne hearts lusts 2. He giveth them abundance of ease and prosperity whereby they are intangled and therefore the Prophet prayeth Give me neither poverty nor riches Prov. 3. 8. 3. He denyeth them the benefit of wholsome correction and affliction whereby they should learne to know themselves as the Apostle saith The Lord doth receive no childe whom he doth not chastise and if we be not chastised then we are bastards and no Sons Heb. 12. 6. 8. 4. God forbiddeth his Servants to pray for such 1 Joh. 5. 16. and so they want the benefit of their prayers as Jeremiah is forbidden to pray for the people Jer. 14. 11. 5. God in his Justice depriveth them of such as should travell for their Soules and bring them unto God as the Apostle left the wilful and obstinate Jewes and shoke of the dust of their feet against them Act. 13. 51. 6. The Lord taketh from them the preaching and knowledge of his Word as the Lord threatned by his Prophet Amos to send upon them a famine but not of bread or water but of hearing the Word Amos 8. 11. 7. God suffereth them to be deceived by flatterers and unfaithful Counsellors as Rehoboam was by his young men 2 Chro. 10. 8. 8. The more strongly to delude them the Lord sometimes suffereth false Prophets to shew signes and wonders as the Apostle saith of the false Prophet Antichrist whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 2 Thes 2. 9. 9. The Lord permitteth Satan to invade them and to work upon them all his pleasure as the evil spirit sent of the Lord upon Saul 1 Sam. 16. 14 And a lying spirit was in the mouth of Baals Prophets to deceive Ahab 1 King 22 2â— 10. God taketh from them all helps whereby they should be defended from the assaults of Satan as the Lord threatned to doe to his unfruitful Vineyard saying I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up I will breake downe the wall thereof and it shall be trodden downe Isa 5. 4. Now the Lord doth not thus forsake until they have forsaken him as Isaiah sheweth Chap. 59. 2. your wickednesse have seperated betwixt you and your God SECT 10. Obj. GOd may be also said to harden the heart because he disposeeth thereof and directeth it to such an end as he himselfe propoundeth Ans 'T is true as God ordaineth the end so hath he also ordained the meanes to the end as Act. 2. 23. where Christ is said to be delivered by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God yet was he betrayed and delivered by Judas whose act in some respects is said to be the Lords because he so disposed of it to affect and accomplish his glorious Counsel in redeeming his elect by the death of his Son But this cannot safely be affirmed that the Lord should be said to doe these things which he ordaineth and disposeth for God so disposed of that Spiritual Cumbat which the Apostle Paul found in his flesh that it tended further to Gods glory and the manifestation of his power as the Lord saith My grace is sufficient for thee my power is made perfect through weaknes yet God was not the worker of that temptation but the Apostle imputeth it unto Satan 2 Cor. 12. 7. Like as in the Creation God made light but made not darknesse but only Sin a defect of good as darknesse of light made a seperation betwixt the light and darknesse it being only a defect of light Gen. 1. 14. so the workes of darknesse God cannot be said to make only he disposeth and ordereth them SECT 11. AGaine some referre the worke of God which he sheweth in the hardning of the heart to that generall power which he giveth unto the Creature in whom all things live move and have their being as Act. 17. 28. for the hardning of the heart as it is an action or worke is of God but as it is evil it proceedeth from man Evill acts as they are acts are good and proceed from God the Author but this solution doth not take away the doubt for as God is the Creator and so the generall Good and evill moâ—ions of the heart worker he only giveth power to move the heart which moving being the generall action is divided into two parts for there are good motions of the heart and evil the one mollyfying the heart and the other hardning of it In the good motions God concurreth two wayes 1. As a How the Lord worketh in them motions generall mover by his
ruleth his temporall Kingdome by a temporall power by the power of the Sword Rom. 13. 1 2 3 c. 5. That their Lawes are distinct wil also appeare Rom. 8. 5 6. c. where the Apostle saith that the Law of Jesus Christ is a Spirituall Law but we all know that the Law of the Civil Magistrate is a Politicall Law 6. That the obedience which is required of each of them are distinct obediences wil appeare by the words of our Saviour Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth yea it is such saith he whom the Father seeketh to worship him but we all know the other obedience is carnall or temporall Again the Subjâ—cts of these Kingdomes are of two distinct humours or affections as wil also appeare by these words of our Saviour Joh. 15. 19. If ye were of the world the world would love his owne but ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you And what thing is more apparant in this Nation then the deadly enmity betwixt the Subject of the temporall Kingdom of Caesar or the World and the Subject which belongeth to the Spirituall kingdom of Christ betwixt the subjects of the flesh and the Spirit SECT 8. Obj. HOw can the Kingdome of Christ be said to consist of men when they belong to the Kingdome of Caesar or the civill Magistrate Ans Men may be in the world and yet not of the world as our Christs Subjects in the world but not of the world Saviour affirmeth where he saith I am no more in the world but these are in the world viz. his Disciples and yet in the 16. ver he professeth that the said parties were not of the world the distinction then betwixt the Subjects of Christ and them of Caesar must be this that them of Christs Kingdome are in the world but not of the world as the other are Obj. One man cannot serve two Masters and therefore not both Christ and Caesar Ans Man is composed of two parts viz. a Soule and a Body Of the composition of man which Soule or Spirit is that which Christ accepteth of as his Subject and therefore it is distinguished from the externall part of man by these notions viz. The inward man the Spirituall man the hidden man c. And the other part of man viz. the visible part of man is termed The outward man the carnall man the sonne of man c. Now this inward man or Spirituall subject of Christ being obedient to the Spirituall governance of Christ as that of the outward man to the Politicall government of the How a man may be a subject to Christ and to Satan Civill Magistrate may be subject to both yea and give unto both their just rights yea I may safely say that he whose Spirit or inward man is Christs loyall subject wil also in his externall man be the like to the Civill Magistrate and so may as our Saviour commandeth Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods And contrariwise that outward man whose inward man is a subject to Satan the Prince of this world is the greatest enemy both to Christ and to the Civill Magistrate witnesse the Cavaliers of this Nation SECT 9. Obj. THey seemed to testifie their affections to the late King much more then the Parliaments Party Ans A seeming friend is no friend and such were they to him for-the love which they pretended to him was meerly for their owne ends why did the Papists in these last Warres fight Wherefore the Papists fought for K. Charls for King Charles who would have murthered Queen Elizabeth and King James was it not apparently manifest because he was for them and the other against them Again wherefore was it that the prophaine Sabbath-breakers of the Nation fought for him but because of his Booke of tollerations of such like stuffe as they most desired and contrariwise why was it that they fought against the Parliament but because they conceived they would curbe them for doing such things as they desired to have done yea I appeale to any conscientious man to judge that in case the King had been of the Parliaments Opinion and the Parliament of the Kings whether they would have fought for Parliament or King whether then they would have adored or Idolized him as then they did and by so doing is it not apparent that they procured his ruine Now these things formerly spoken of being granted it must Christ 〈…〉 mâ—â—â—ly Spirituall needs follow that the Kingdome of Christ consisteth meerly of Spirituall things and the Kingdome of Caesar or the Civill Magistrate of temporall things so that whatsoever is of a Spirituall cognizance belongeth to Christs Kingdome and Government and whatsoever is of a temporall or civill cognizance to the Civill Magistrate they are therefore as distinct as the Sun from the Moone that of a civill cognizance receiving its light from that of Christ as the Moone doth receive her light from the Sun yea each of them doth as meerly belong to the distinct persons of Christ and the Civill Magistrate as the Sun proper to rule the day and the Moone the night Seeing then that each Kingdome hath its distinct Governours Subjects Power and Law why should they intrench upon one anothers liberties especially for the inferiour to disturbe the superiour a King an Emperour and doubtlesse conceive how ill it would be taken for one King to invade another Kings Territories and so much and more cause hath Christ to be offended with the Civill Magistrate that will presume to interest himselfe in that which doth not concerne him especially when the Civill power whereof he is made an officer is given to him by Christ CHAP. III. Treateth of the Civill Magistrate in matters of Religion SECT 1. Object HAth not the civill Magistrate ought to doe in matters of Religion Caesars Governmenâ— meerly civill Ans The Civill Magistrate is only concerned in things of a civill Cognizance his duty in point of Religion is chiefly this viz To keep the Kingdome How farre he ought to act in point of religion of this world in such awe as that the Kingdome of Christ may not receive damage by it to keep wicked and debauched people in such obedience by the power of the Sword as that the power of the Word may have its free progresse in their Dominions so that the Saints or Church of Christ may live under their protection a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty yea to any rationall man the very name of his Office viz. Civill doth clearely demonstrate that his power consisteth meerely in Civill things Obj. Hath the civill Magistrate no power from God to compell the outward man to observe spirituall injunctions Ans The Magistrate ought not to force any man in respect of his opinion
be compared to the Moabites Ammonites c. as also such Priests as have their call from Antichrist ought to be discharged of their office by the Magistrate as then Neh. 7. 64. albeit they have accompanied us during our said Captivities the ancient Statute Law of Christ and his Apostles being now clearly discovered unto us and therefore we ought to baptize all such as are of the houshold of faith and desire to renew the Covenant which their predecessors in Christianity practised in the primative times and that who ere they be that shall refuse to be so initiated or incorporated into the Body or Church of Christ now militant that soule ought to be cut off from the Church of Christ as the other was from the congregation of Israel Againe it is evident that as the Israelites had offended in the Wildernesse by their omission of Circumcision so they were likewise moved by a secret constraint to be Baptized of John the Baptist in Iordan as in Matth. 3. yea many of the Pharisees and Saduces verse 7. 8. c. SECT 7. Obj. VVHere is any now so called to Baptize as John the Baptist and the Disciples or who must first Baptize him that beginneth to Baptize others Ans Who Baptized Iohn the Baptist or the Apostles or Disciples of Christ seeing that Christ himselfe baptized none Iohn 4. 2. Obj. They were immediatly called to that office by Christ himselfe but there is none so called in these dayes Ans 'T is very true there is not so and therefore the now The Church of Christ hath retained the purity of baptisme by succession Church of Christ hath it by succession from them Apostles and Disciples that were so immediatly called and gifted Obj. How can that be in regard of the generall Apostacy which hath hapned since by meanes of Antichrist and his adherents Ans Generall Rules admit of some exceptions againe that is but meerly your conceipt as it was sometimes of the Prophet Elisha who thought the Apostacy in his time to have been universall amongst the ten Tribes 1 King 19. 10. yet the Lord leteth There hath not been a totall apostacie him know that he judged amisse for saith he I have left me seven thousand in Israel all the knees which have not bowed unto Baall and every mouth which hath not kissed him ver 18. So in the Apostacy which hath hapned by meanes of Antichrist and his adherents though you imagine it to be generall yet hath it hapned but in part as that of the Jewes Rom. 11. 25. for otherwise Christ should have been deprived of his Church militant which he hath ever preserved in part since he had a Church as also in that he hath promised to be with it unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. therefore albeit the true Church hath been hid for one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares in its wildernesse condition yet we must not therefore conclude that she hath been so long dead or utterly lost God having ever preserved her under that despised notion of Annabaptists unto this present time SECT 8. Obj. CAn you say that the Church of Christ hath been ever preserved in England since the Apostacy under that nâ—tion Ans It is impossible I should but yet it doth not follow that therefore it hath not been preserved in any place for the true The Churches of Christ in England received their rise from other Churches Church was given to understand that there was many Apostates or Antichrists even in the Apostles time 1 Epist Iohn 2. 18. which doubtlesse had their increasings untill that Prophecy was fulfilled which is described unto us by the Apostle Paul 2 Thess Chap. 2. which Man of sinne when he had obtained his highest altitude was to be destroyed by the brightnesse of the comming of Christ as is there also expressed which the Apostles fore-seeing did admonish the Churches then extant to keepe close to the faith as also to demeane themselves according to their direction as in the three first verses of that Chapter with ver the 15. as also Chap. 3. 1. c. and therefore 't is likely that those Churches in England received their rise from them of Geneva and them from others and so by gradations even from them Churches planted by the Apostles themselves for otherwise how could such Churches remaine extant but by succession from the Apostles being so lively a representation of their Churches as if they had been planted by the Apostles themselves a Church most likely of any Church in the world to be the true Church of Iesus Christ SECT 9. VVItnesse the little noyse it hath made in the world 1 Kin. The Anabaptisticall church so called proved to be the true Church 19. 12. in comparison of the Church of Rome or the Prelaticall or Presbiterian Church as also how little it hath interposed the civill Magistrate witnesse the Churches in London under that notion to their immortall praise be it spoken who when invited by the Levelling Party to disturbe the present Parliament in point of their civill Office did manifest their utter dislike of such actions desiring only to live under them a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty as by their Petition to the Parliament will fully appeare wherein also the now Parliament is acknowledged by them to be the supreame power of the Nation yea I am much mistaken if they were not the very first that did subscribe by Petition to the present government of the Nation for which with the reasons afore mentioned I conclude that that Church which you by way of reproach call Anabaptisticall is the true Church of Iesus Christ which hath been preserved from the power of the Dragon of Papacy and his Angels of Prelacy and Presbitery which was ready to devoure it so soone Rev. 12 5 6. as it was borne viz. in the Apostles times but it was caught up unto God and to his Throne and is now to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron this is the woman which fled into the Wildernesse of the world viz. amongst so many various opinions as hath been for these thousand two hundred and threescore yeares during which time she hath by providence been kept from their errors and preserved in her primative purity This being the time that her Michael and his Angels viz. the Pastors of that Church Michael the now Angel of the Church of Christ Rev. 12 7 8 9 is to make warre against the Dragon and his Angels and the old Serpent called the Devill and Satan as viz. the Pope and his Hierarchies of Papacy Prelacy and Presbitery and shall so prevaile as that there shall not be found any more place for him in his heaven or ministry which the Lord in mercy accomplish Now this Church being so preserved hath as much power to send out Labourers into Christs Harvest to teach and baptize for the rebuilding of the Church of Christ as any Church
and path Religious then rich he would have his Ministers like burning and shining Lamps to the illumination and salvation of his people but the Devill tels them this is a soure strict and precise way and it is not meet that such admired eminency of Noble or learned parts should be confined to such obscuriâ—y that such rare gifts and depth of knowledge should intermixe amongst a number of rude ignorant and uncapable Clownes and therefore he labours yea and prevailes with almost all of them to raise their spirits to higher hopes and to plunge presently into the current of the times and be made some body in the The worlds principle world And hereupon their hearts being ravished with the pleasing apprehensions of worldly glory and humane greatnesse represented by Satan in the most illustring formes to their ambitious imaginations they resolve fearfully against their owne soules to follow the streames and to plot all meanes and wayes of preferment disclaiming all occasions that tend to precisenesse studying only to understand the world and to negotiate for advancement And upon this very score it was that the boone Athâ—â—ian-like The practice of our Aâ— beâ—iâ—n blades blades of the times derided Doctrine and use in Sermons as poore and beggerly edifying plainesse foolishnesse of Preaching knowing that by so doing they should ingratiate themselves into the times and please those great ones who had rather have their eares tickled then their Consciences touched to have pillowes sowed under their armes that they might lye more soft upon their beds of security then to have the keene arrowes of Righteousnesse and Truth fastned in their sides by the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ to drive them to sincerity And thus have those daubers made shipwrack of their Consciences by their base flattering and depending on such great ones who have also been made hereby enemies to Professors and their owne Soules SECT 3. Obj. VVEll but to proceed where we left what shall follow in case the Offender be dampnified by the Church to pay a certaine sum and he refuse Ans The party so refusing to be ordered by the Church doth thereby declare his contempt to the power given to it by Christ upon which he is to be ejected the Church and so reduced to the state and condition of a Heathen man and a Publican Obj. But must the Plaintiffe then lose his money Ans He hath then no other meanes to obtaine it then by the Wherein the Maâ—istraâ—e is câ—ncerned Lawes of the Nation by which the Civill Magistrate ruleth Obj. Wherein consisteth the power of the Magistrate Ans He hath to doe in all things of a civill Cognizance or that goe out of their Spirituall condition into a Morall offence as injustice evill transgression into tumult or disturbance of publick and private peace actually or expresly and not interpretatively for so the Nations interpreted the Jewes as troublers of the State and the Jewes Christ and his Disciples as movers of sedition The Papists and Prelates interpreted the Non-conformists or reproached Puriâ—ans as factious and tumultuous so as in any thing of a Morall or Secular Cognizance which the Magistrate hath cleare rule for to walke by from the Word of God and not otherwise and in so doing he ought to act because he is the best Legislater and Interpreter and can best resolve in things touching publick liberty but otherwise all manner of differences whatsoever which may happen in the Church without the limits of a Morall offence may and ought to be decided in and by the Church it selfe as hath been fully proved Obj. Ought not Church businesses to be determined by voyces Ans We never read of any such conclusion made by any How Church â—usineâ—â—ssâ— may be concluded Church mentioned in Scripture as that every particular member was asked apart touching his nilling or willing in such controsie neither is it probable that any such course was used by them but rather the matter being fully debated by some eminent persons as it is usuall in Courts of Parliament c. As also it was by Peter and James Act. 15. that then all the reall body will willingly condiscend to ratifie and confirme it Obj. It cannot be imagined that every case will be made so cleare as that the Church will condiscend as you would have them and if so how would you have the peoples thoughts expressed in such cases Ans It may be done by lifting up the hand or dividing themselves into two bodies or by I or no as it is usuall in Parliaments or Committees Obj. But what if there be an equality of parts as many for as against what will ensue Ans What will ensue in the Court of Parliament in the like case or in your Assembly of Divines and therefore the same course you would take in such courses aforesaid we will take the same in this and thus have I stopped your moâ—th with your owne morsell SECT 4. Obj. MAy not every Member present at such a meeting speake to the point in question if he please Ans Yea he may doe so as in like case may be done by any Member of Parliament or other Counsâ—ll but it ought to be done according to the Apostles rule viâ— with dâ—cency and order and to avoyd conâ—usion as much as may be Obj. I have observed at some of your meetings an horrible confusion Ans Such disorders I hope will speedily be reformed in our An example of the Apostles for deciâ—ing controversiâ—s Brethren to which purpose we have a notable example in that Dispute beâ—wixt the Apostles â—lders and Brethren at Jerusalem concerning the matter of Circâ—mcision Act. 15. who at the first did as you say of our Brethren Dispute confusedly but whilst they did so they had much Dispute to little purpose as appeareth by the seventh verse of that Chapter untill way was given that they might speake by course whereupon Peter being commonly the first in such matters began to open the case apart by himselfe the rest of the Apostles and Elders being silent as may appeare by the same verse and yet we may perceive that the multitude termed the Brethren ceased not to speake confusedly untill Peter had ended his speech and that they gave audience to Paul and Barnabas untill which time the text doth not render them silent by which passage is really demonstrated unto us the fruitlesse issues of confused discourse as also the fruitfull effects of decency and order for we read as soone as Paul and Barnabas had delivered themselves to whom the Brethren is said to give audience the Apostle James being the next which spake did in few words gâ—ve the multitude satisfaction And from hence we are taught the order and method which Who ought 〈…〉 made use of in Church 〈◊〉 we ought to use upon any occasion of businesse which may concerne the Church as first to make choyce of them whom we conceive is the most judicious and that
themselves in their Ministry as becommeth Christians and that they may have the protection of the Souldiery if need require to that purpose as also that such course may be taken with their opposers as your wisdomes shall thinkâ— meet II. That the Churches which shall be gathered by such may be freed from paying any wages to the Antichristian Clergy of the times III. That so soone as a computent number is gathered together in Church Fellowship by the aforesaid Rule or Method that they may have the freedomâ— to make choyse of a Pastor whether out of themselves or elsewhere as God shall move them IV. That Churches so modelled may he permitted to end all manner of Controversies which arise amongst themselves not running into a Morall offence by the reall Body of the Church to whom the parties doe belong or by some Members set apart and impowred by them to that purpose Right Honourable These things we desire of you not as you are Magistrates or great men of the world for as you are such we know you are like so many Gaâ—â—ioâ—s not caring for any of these things neither Act. 18. 17. was it ever the practise of Christ or his Apostles to request such favours from the Civill Magistrate for well they knew they were as averse to such actions as darknesse to light or Hell to Heaven but we desire these things may be done of you as you professe your selves to be Saints and Subjects to Christ and so consequently our Brethren who have exalted you to the places you are in above us to this very purpose Which request of Christ by us if you refuse to grant know he hath yet the same power in his hands as formerly and can as well pluck you down as he hath done your Predecessors thus having authority from God for what we request we are bold to speake unto you not after the manner of the Scribes A Postscript to the Brethren of the Independants Antinomians Seekers and all that reject and despile Ordinances I Am confident it is the hearty desire of you all that the new Jerusalem may have its descention from God out of Heaven that Religion may now be established in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ who hath now likewise another thrice noble Cirus published his Proclamation for the rebuilding of the Spirituall Jerusalem as also to restore the vessels of the Sanctuary which Antichrist that Nabuchadnezzar-like King of Spirituall Babilon had taken away and polluted in the houses of his God Ezra 1. 7. viz. in his Hirarchies of Papacy Prelac and Presbitery in which places they have given them holy â—â—ings unto Dogs by admitting all sorts of people to drink Wine out of them Bowles of the Sanctuary and to be incorporaâ—ed as Members of that divine Society which the Church of Christ ought to consist of Deare friends mistake me not in this Treatice which I have published as that I intend thereby to place the shadow for the substance the signe for the thing signified the twilight for the noone-day the shell for the kernell the forme of Religion for the power of it for I doe ingeniously confesse that there is no more compare betwixt this forme of Government I have published in relation to outward Ordinances and the inward Spirituall worship of a Christian then betwixt a Body and its Soule the letter of the Scriptures and the spirituality thereof betwixt the Alphabeticall letters and the most learnedst Oration betwixt a Gam-ut and the most melodious consort of Voyces or Instruments betwixt the Temple and him that dwelleth in it yet let me tell you that Christ hath his militant Church as well as his triumphant his visible Church as his invisible And albeit that Solomons Temple and so consequently all other materiall ones consisting of Wood Stone c. are abolished as also the Leviticall Ceremonies belonging thereunto in regard that Christ the substance thereof hath manifested himselfe and so consumated them yet know that he requireth a Tabernacle or Temple now amongst us as he did then and therfore I may fitly use the Apostles expression unto you viz. Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost unlesse ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. 6. 16. 19. he also termeth our bodies fleshly tabernacles 2 Pet. 1. 14. our Saviour also affirmeth as much where he saith that where two or three are met together in his name he will be in the midst of them Mat. 18. 20. intimating thereby that they are his Temple in reference to which the Apostle also termeth us living stones built up to a spirituall house or holy Priesthood to offer spirituall Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. the foundation of which building is also said to be Christ himself ver 4 5. the Apostle Paul also affirmeth as much 1 Cor. 3. 11. saying that other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ In which workmanship he professeth himselfe to be a Labourer or Workman ver 10. as also Ephe. where he doth fully describe the foundation materials and building as in ver 19. c. viz. Ye are no more strangers and forrainers but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Againe 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwelleth in you Againe ver 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are Christian friends I presume these Scriptures forementioned will clearly convince you that Christ hath a Temple upon earth consisting of the fleshly tabernacle of his Saints who are as living stones built up thereunto Now the Saints being such materials cannot in a dislocated condition be said to be built up altogether therefore upon necessity there must be gathering of such materials together before they can be compleated into such a structure as Christ will have residence in by his Spirit which being but one cannot be divided into many bodies contrary one to another as also conglutaniz'd by some externall or visible union and communion one with another and therefore our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his Apostles in their divine wisdome hath to this very purpose left us a president to accomplish the same viz. by Doctrine Baptisme and the Lords Supper the first being to call the second to admit and the third to unite or knit together which is prefigured unto us by the Bread and Wine which are composed of many Graines and Grapes 1 Cor. 10. 17. 1 Cor. 12 c. And being thus compleated in
union and communion we have also further directions from them how this Temple or Fabrick may be kept from pollution within or ruine without viz. how it may be preserved from corruptions in Doctrine or outward behaviour as by Pastors Elders c. who are to teach and over-see 1 Tim. 5. 17. yea all Pauls Epistles doth chiefly tend to that purpose Now Christian friends I beseech you consider seriously in what a condition you are now in for to destroy this Temple is really to destroy your selues both in Body and Sovle for if you disclaime your bodies to be materials of that fore-mentioned Fabrick or Temple it most of consequence follow that you also disclaime Christ who hath his residence there for as the Spirit of a Saint is included in his naturall body so is Christ included in that Spirit by which they are made one but you by disclaiming your bodies to be of that Temple doe thereby deprive your spirits of the Spirit of Christ and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8. 9 c. And if not Christs who doe you belong unto if not to Satan True I doe acknowledge most of your bodies to be Temple proofe fit stones to be put into the fabrick but know that so long as you lye in such distinct â—eapes out of the building as you doe and not put into the worke so long you cannot be possessed of the Temple Spirit And hence it is that there are such diversities of spirits amongst you Againe I doe also acknowledge that many of you are so excellent 〈◊〉 in â—â—â—â—logy that you stand 〈◊〉 â—â—re in need of externall 〈…〉 man oâ— Mâ—ke 〈◊〉 Accademian of an Accidence or 〈◊〉 or a skilfull Musician of a Gam-ut in regard the one could subsist and the other practise if there were of none of them to be had they being so practicall in the Theory as that they are become naturalized unto them yet goe to any of these parties and inquire of them by what meanes they came to these abilities and experiments and the Accademian will tell you it was first by learning his A. B. C. and so on by gradations as to his Accidence Grammer c. The Song-man and Musician will tell you it was first by learning their Gam-ut and so on to other Musicall proportions the strong man will you it was first by breast Milke c. by which he gained his strength But yet none of these before mentioned will despise their small beginnings or are so ignorant as to think any other can come to the like knowledge or strength by any other meanes however they will acknowledge them to be the naturall or most usefull meanes to attaine such knowledge or strength Therefore albeit you think your selves strong men in Christ and can digest the strong meat of the Word and have the Spirituall or Logicall knowledge of the Scriptures of the hidden or deep secreets of God in Christ Jesus and are able to comprehend the height and depth of the Scriptures yet doubtlesse you are not ignorant that there are also babes in Christ which stand in need of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. and that you your selves were sometimes such Despise not therefore the meanes by which you have attained to your present knowledge and by which you have been nourished up to your present stature in Christ Reject not therefore the letter of the Scriptures or the Ordinances of hearing the Word or receiving the Sacraments experienced Paul could tell you that he had not knowne sin but by the letter of the Law And Christ admonisheth us to search the Scriptures and saith they testifie of him Joh. 5. 39. The Author to the Hebrews also saith that he that commeth to God must first know that God is Heb. 6. 1. c. we are also taught that the Scriptures were written for our instruction Rom. 15. 4. yea we are admonished to be mindfull of those sayings which the Prophets and Apostles have written as to a sure word of truth 2 Pet. 1. 19. c. Now whereunto tendeth all these exhortations if the letter of the Scriptures be of no use The like may be also said of the Word preached and of the Sacraments Wherefore was it that the Apostles used such meanes to build up Saints in the holy faith or why are such presidents of their left upon record unlesse we should receive them as presidents to imitate Againe why did they exhort us to be followers of them as they were of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. unlesse it be to practice what Christ and they did But they did preach and exercised the Sacraments as by baptizing Beleevers and of that of the Lords Supper witnesse the Acts of the Apostles and 1 Cor. 10. 1â— 11. 20. as also Christs owne practise and imitation Mat. 26. 26. 28. 12. I say if these Ordinances be not to be practised by the now Christians who are they prescribed you will reply they were requisite for them times which were only shadowes of these but now God will burne up all such drosse in his Church To which I answer though the Lord hath promised to burne up all the drosse in his Church yet hath he not therefore promised to burne up his Church with them Againe every shadow hath its substance and every substance its shadow and albeit these Ordinances be as the shell to the kernel yet must the kernel have its shell to ripen in or it will never increase to its maturity If you can deny Christ a Church Militant you may also deny the use of Ordinances but the Holy Ghost hath and doth manifest that the fleshly tabernacles of the Saints are his Temple as I have shewed therefore so long as there shall be Saints upon earth so long wil Christ have a Church Militant which Militant Church can no more subsist without Ordinances then a spirit in a dead body You wil reply we are not attained to perfection and therefore for us to make use of Ordinances were againe today the foundation of Repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God My answer is Albeit you have much knowledge in the secrets of God yet are you not composed all of Spirit you have as wel a carnall part as a Spirituall part The Apostle Paul found in himselfe as well the Law of the Flesh as of the Spirit Rom. 7. 33. c. which fleshly substance you are to conforme to such Ordinances which Christ hath instituted in his Church Militant whilst you are Members thereof True it is Antichrist hath polluted them as much as lay in him both in the doctrinall and traditionall paâ—â— of them which by Gods assistance I have much if not altogether purged and cleared from their Antichristian drosse and reduced them to their primative purity out of that masse of corruption they were involved in To which Lawes and Ordinances of your Master Christ I hope you wil yeeld a willing