Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	aaron_n	call_v	priest_n	126	3	6.4884	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66360	Ho Antichristos the great antichrist revealed, before this time never discovered, and proved to be neither pope, nor Turk, nor any single person, nor the succession of any one monarch or tyrant in any policies, but a collected pack, or multitude of hypocritical, heretical, blasphemous, and most scandalous wicked men that have fulfilled all the prophesies of the Scriptures ... and especially have united ... together by a solemn league and covenant to slay the two witnesses of God, Moses and Aaron ... that is, the supreme magistrate of the Commonwealth, and the chief pastors and governours of the Church of Christ, and the Christian world is requested to judge whether the Assembly of Presbyterians consulting at Westminster, together with the independents, Anabaptists, and lay-preachers be not the false prophet ... and whether the prevalent faction of the long Parliament ... that killed the two witnesses of Jesus Christ, 1. Charles the First ... 2. William Laud ... be not the grosse and visible body of the same antichrist / by Gr. Williams.	Williams, Gryffith, 1589?-1672.	1660 (1660)	Wing W2662; ESTC R25201	504,825	313

the Civill State decayed and the Power of the Emperors was so usurped and transferred unto the Pope because this Power which they now unjustly exercise was the just Power of the Emperor and of other Kings whom the Pope and his Cardinalls subjected Volater l 22. Authropolog in Alexand. 3. Hoveden Math. Paris in Reg. Joh. ursburgens in Fred. 1. as the Histories do relate unto themselves Sol. I answer that the Holy Ghost meaneth not that this second Beast took away and usurped the Power and Authority of the first Beast but did all Acts and exercised all his jurisdiction and his function by vertue of the power and under the protection and the countenance that he received by and from the authority of the first beast as the Sheriff exerciseth the power of the King for the service of the King for so the words do plainly intimate that this two horned Beast exercised the Power of the former beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presence of him or before him that is for the service and to the use and behoofe of the former Beast because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In conspectu Jehovae saith Tremelius 1 Sam. 2.18 is here equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dative case as when it is said that Samuell was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring in the presence of the Lord or before the Lord it signifieth as it is also expressed Cap. 3. 1. that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring to the Lord so this second Beast exercised all the Power of the first Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the use service and setting forward the practises and designes of the first Beast and this appeareth very cleare from the words immediately following in that this second Beast causeth the Earth and them that dwell therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 13.12 that they should worship the first Beast that is not to ascribe any Divine Honor but to submit themselves to obey and to serve and assist the first Beast And we know the Pope and his Cardinalls and so all the Roman Clergy That the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy cannot be meant by the second Beast cause all the Rulers of the Earth and all the Iuhabitants thereof to worship Honour and serve themselves as those that are most worthy of Honour for the care that they take to save the soules of the people rather and before the other Beast that is the Civill Magistrate which careth onely for our Temporall estates and the things of this present life and therefore deserves not so much worship as the other that by the Testimony of the Apostle are worthyer of double Honour because they labour to bring us to eternall life in which respect we find how the Popes exacted Plat●na in vita ejus French Epit. p. 93. and required the greatest Kings and Emperors to serve and to worship them as Gregory the third did to Leo Iconomachus Gregory the seventh to Henry the fourth Pope Zachary the first to Childerick King of France Allexander the third to Frederick Barbarossa Celestine the third to Henry the sixth Speed in the life of King John Hoveden Annal p. 2. sub Rich. 1. Innocent to King John Adrian the fourth that made the Emperor to hold his stirrop and the like that you may find in the Annalls and the lives of the Kings and the Emperors and therefore questionless the Pope Cardinalls and Clergy of Rome cannot be understood by this second Beast But all that is here specified and spoken of the second Beast The Parallel That the Assembly of Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay Preachers of the Parliament are the second Beast and the false Prophet doth in every particular point agree and most aptly cohere with the Parliaments Heter●geniall and La●dicean Assembly of Divines that sat at Westminster together with their dispersed Disciples wheresoever inhabiting within these Kingdomes and with the swarme of Independant and Lay-Preachers that sprang up since the beginning of that Parliament for these Presbyterian Divines that contrary to their Oathes contrary to the Commands of their King and contrary to their Faith given in the presence of God and in Gods House when they were admitted to Holy Orders and the rest of the Independant and Lay-Preachers have as the Text saith exercised all the Power of the Parliament they sat in Westminster under the wings of the Parliament and with the rest of their Associates wheresoever dispersed trusting to the Power and Protection of the Parliament they Preached Consulted and Determined all things by the Power and Authority and for the service and advancement and behoofe of the Parliament for the overthrowing of the King See also what the Author of the last Will and Testament of Sir John Presbyter saith Edwards in his Gangraena p. 26. the rooting out of the Bishops and the utter defacing of Gods Church And I think all the people of this Land knoweth this to be so true that I need not use any argument to confirm it and so the Independant Sectaries do avouch that the Presbyterian Government is the false Prophet and the Beast here spoken of and the third part of the great Citty Revel 16.19 and on the other side the proud Presbyterians do as confidently aver that the Independants and Lay-Preachers are this Beast and so Clodius accusat moechum Catelina Caethegum and I out of their own mouthes will take it pro confesso and conclude them both to be partes constitutivas the chiefest constituting parts that make up the second Beast That the false Prophet is three fold● and the false Prophet And this false Prophet is like the three-headed Cerberus consisting of three speciall branches or three sort of Preachers 1. The Presbyterians And to begin with the last 2. The Independants And to begin with the last 3. The Lay Preachers And to begin with the last 1. The Lay Preachers may rightly be said to be one of the heads of Cerberus and the false Prophet in two speciall respects 1. In respect of his eutrance into his Office 2. In respect of his ignorance to discharge the duties of his Office For 1. 1. The Lay Preacher a false Prophet in two respects 1. His unjust entrance Malach. 2.7 that the Priest is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts and the Apostle tells us that no man taketh this Honour unto himselfe that is to be a Messenger and an Embassador sent from God but he that is called of God as was Aaron and how was Aaron called First by the inward inspiration of Gods Spirit Secondly least he should be mistaken in the inspiration of the Spirit because there are many spirits by the appointment and Ordination of Moses that had his Authority from God to approve of his Vocation and to confirm him in his Priestly Office thus was Aaron called and yet more then this Heb. 5.4 the Apostle saith that Christ himself who is the wisdom of God yet glorified not himself to he made an High Priest but

without adding the prevalent faction as sometimes for brevity sake I may omit I desire my Reader to remember that I mean only those and that party of whom it is demanded Whether they have not all and every one of the notes and marks of the great Antichrift and have done all the things and fulfilled all the Prophesies that should be fulfilled and done by the Antichrist And because the event of things are the best commentaries upon Prophesies The Events of things are the best Comments upon Prophesies if so it be apparent that all the things sayings and doings that are prophesied and foretold should be done by the great Antichrist are all manifestly seen to be done and fulfilled in them and by them aforenamed and by their confederates and adherents I know not how to give satisfaction to them that demand this question or how to deny them to be the Antichrist and to acquit them from that suspicion But I will leave the answer of these demands and resolution of those Questions to be de ermined by those unpartial Judges that are quicker sighted than I am and I will proceed not to foretel any thing but to explain unto you what the Prophets have foretold us should come to pass and should be done in the time and by the members of the great Antichrist and for the application of those Prophesies as fulfilled in these dayes and by these men I leave it to the better observers of the transactions of our time whether they can rightly do so or not And first That Apostasie or rebellion is the door through which the Antichrist entereth into the Church I finde the Apostle telling us that the door and breach or gap whereby the Antichrist shall have way to enter into the Church and sheepfold of Christ to destroy his flock will be apostasie or rebellion for when the Thessalonians had heard that such a great egregious Antichrist should come and thereupon did presently expect him and then thought the day of Christ his coming to judgment should instantly follow because they had heard that his coming should be towards the end of the world and but a little before the day of Christ his coming the holy Apostle to rectifie their misapprehension of what they had heard and to explain the truth and time of both their comings saith the day of Christ shall not come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quin venerit defectio prius until there be first a failing or falling away 2 Thess 2.3 as Beza translates it or nisi venerit prius rebellio unless there comes a rebellion first as the Syriac hath it and as very many of the best Interpreters say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth because every rebellion is a falling away from what we should be And this rebellion is conceived by some Authors to be that which the people made in Rome against Nero and by others it is thought to be that which the Jews made against Florus or that which the grand rebell Barchochebas made against Rufus in the time of the Emperour Adrian who did therefore sufficiently chastice the Jews for their apostasie and revolt and others of no small esteem do understand it of the ruine of the Roman Empire and the Provinces revolt from the Roman Empire under the Turk and other apostate Governors of the Provinces as Niger Albinus and the rest that proved false against their Emperors but Mr. Calvin which is ever held the best textuary B. Hall in his Revelation unrevealed Ensebius l. 4. c. 6. even since the Apostles time as B. Hall saith wonders that so many learned men as understood these words of the Apostasie or rebellion of those revolters from the Roman Empire should so far mistake the Apostles meaning nisi quod cum errasset unus turmatim alii sine judicio sequuti sunt eum unles sit be that when one hath erred others without judgement or any further search for the truth have followed him which is an usual fault and a great fault amongst many writers where they see one run they are often ready like sheep without reason to follow after him And yet I wonder not so much herein as Mr. Calvin doth because the Apostle might well mean The rebellion against the Magistrate doth ever precede a recession from the faith and Gods service both the apostasie and rebellion from the temporal Monarchy of Rome as the type or Prodromos and also from the spiritual Kingdome of Christ which is the Church as Estius Anselmus and very many more of our best Protestant writers do interpret it because commonly they that rebel against the one will never stick at the other but when they kick against the Magistrate they will presently spurn against the Priest and God requireth obedience to be observed towards the civil Magistrate as well as to the spiritual Minister neither shall you ever finde that any departed from his true and obliged obedience to his lawfull Governor but he presently apostatized and made a recession from the true service of God as when Jeroboan● rebelled and made a recession from his obedience to his King he presently made a defection from the true God and a discession from his worship to serve his golden calves and when the Satrapasses and Tetrarchs of the Provinces rebelled against the Roman Emperors they presently fell away from the Church and instead of Christ took Mahomet for their Prophet and the Jews tell us plainly we have no King or will have no King because we feared not the Lord to shew unto us Hosea 10.3 that a discession from Gods service doth ever accompany the rebellion from the civill Government and the rebellion against our Governors is the fore-runner of our discession from the true service of God and the faith of Christ because that our Governors which have the charge to see that the true faith and right service of God be preserved do while they are obeyed hinder this Apostasie and falling away from Gods service but when they are resisted and the bond of our obedience to them broken there is no stop of this apostasie but that every one may be of what faith and do what service he pleaseth and as he pleaseth unto God And therefore I take this apostasie and rebellion that the Apostle speaketh of here What apostasie or rebellion is here meant by the Apostle to be chiefly meant for a civil rebellion against the supreme Magistrate as he is custos utriusque tabulae the defender of the faith and preserver of Gods publique service and a spiritual opposition or withstanding of our spiritual Governors and the discipline of Christ his Church and so a falling from the true Doctrine and the faith of Christ which is the end of that progression and last step of this apostafie that begins in our disobedience and rebellion against Moses and Aaron and ends with our discession from God and Gods service for thus S. Paul saith the Spirit

boasting and bragging or prae se ferens as Beza translates it pretending that he is God or as Tremellius saith ostentet seipsum ac si Deus esset he will carry himself as if he were a God that is in Gods stead the true King to rule the people and the right Bishop to govern the Church of Christ or That the Antichrist will wholly direct the Clergy and dispose of all things in the Church and about the service of God as some do read it he would be esteemed and taken tanquam sit Deus for such a supream Monarch and chief Governor over Gods Church as God said unto Moses he should be to Aaron his God to direct him in all the service of the Tabernacle and the whole worship of God so will the Antichrist be such a God to order direct and dispose of all the worship of God and how all the Clergie in order and without order should behave and carry themselves in the whole service of the Church which I take to be the true meaning of the Apostle in this place For this shewing himself or bragging that he is God is not to be understood that he would have himself believed to be the true and everliving God and worshiped with divine worship as the Historians tell us Alexander Antigonus Augustus Caligula Domician and divers others of the Caesars and Emperors were transported to that height of pride and ambition as believing themselves to be more than men to require the people their subjects to take them for Jupiter Apollo or some other of those anciently esteemed Gods and to ascribe the honor and worship that was usually given to those Gods unto themselves as Altars Sacrifices and the like whereof Virgil speaking of Augustus saith Virgilius eglog 1. Illius aram Saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus And Horace also saith Horatius epist. l. 2. Jurandásque tuum per nomen ponimus aras But the meaning of the Apostle is that this man of sin the Antichrist will bragge and boast unto the people that he is all for God and for the honor and service of God and therefore sits in the temple of God to set out the right directory of serving God that so God through him and by his only means and endeavors might be rightly served and worshipped according to his directory as the Mahometans worship Mahomet according to his Alcoran and we formerly worshipped God according to the form prescribed unto us by our Governors in the book of Common-prayer and so he sheweth that he is God that is most godly and so a God by the participation of the godliness and holiness of God which exposition doth most fitly agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he sheweth himself to be which is the rediest way to deceive the people And whether the long Parliament hath not usurped this ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction over all the holy things Let the Reader judge whether this be not fulfilled in the long Parliament and to set forth the sole Directory of Gods service tanquam sit Deus as if they alone had Aarons Office to order all the other Priests and Levites or had the spirit of S. Paul infallibly to direct the Church of Christ as well as Moses his Authority and the power of a King to rule the people Let the Parishes and people of God that have none other form of Gods service but what the Parliament Preachers and the observers of their Directory do use be the Judges both of what service and of what Doctrine is brought unto them I make small account though I will not pass it unsaluted of that Observation which some men have made that the Parliament House where the members of the long Parliament sate Arise Evans in his Voice from heaven was a Chappel consecrated by King Edward the 3. to be the Temple of God as appeareth by many Records because many other Parliaments have sate in that Chappel and yet not any of them all have usurped this power to be the supream disposers and directors of all the holy service of God the Commanders of all the Bishops and Priests of the most high God how to do his service and what service should be done unto him and to make themselves the sole Possessors the right owners to dispose sell or give all the Revenues lands states Tythes and offerings of the Church as it is said the Antichrist would do and which he may no better nor so well do as Scyrus and Procrustes the two vilest robbers that we read of could take thy purse and all thy mony by the High-way side And here also I cannot omit to observe Note the word fit in the temple that the Apostle saith that the man of sin shall not stand but sit in the Temple of God where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to fit as where it is said that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 4.6 and 20.12 sate by the well and so the two Angells were seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sitting in white raiments is to be distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which betokeneth and signifieth collocare to place or to set a thing in some place as it is where the Apostle saith if you have judgments of things pertaining to this life 1 Cor. 6.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set such or place them to judg who are least esteemed in the Church and so where it is said that the Disciples brought the Asse and the Colt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they set him Matth 21.7 or placed him thereon And therefore it is rightly concluded by Maresius that this sitting in the Temple of God is ill applyed by Grotius to Caius Caligula his causing of his Statue to be placed in the Temple at Hierusalem but it may most properly signifie the sitting of the Parliament Let the Reader judge of this or the like society of men in that place where they intend to acquiesce and rest themselves whether the place be physical or Metaphysical And whether the Parliament resolved not only to stand in that their dignity and Authority for a while or intended to sit and acquiesce and continue themselves and their Successors for ever in the Parliament-House and in the Temple of God to govern the Church of God as God themselves know best I will not judge of their Intention CHAP. VI. That the Antichrist is a great Professor of Religion and a seeming Saint That he belyeth his Profession and is indeed the greatest Hypocrite in the world What the great Lye of the Antichrist is What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth What it is to deny Jesus to be the Christ And how the Father and the Son may be denied two manner of waies 2. THough I might go on

a King and a Priest and so in denying him to be Christ he denieth him to be Jesus and a Saviour which he saith he beleeveth him to be and therefore he must needs be a great Lyar in saying that now which he presently denieth Question But here the question may be demanded How is it or how can it be that the Antichrist which professeth himself to be not a Jesuit from the name of Jesus but a Christian as they were first termed in Antioch from the name of Christ and saith he doth acknowledge and beleeve and will not and doth not deny Jesus to be both a King and a Priest yea his King and his Priest whom he doth above all others both honour reverence and obey as his King and as his Priest should notwithstanding be said and said truly without any unjust impuration laid upon him to deny Jesus to be the Christ that is the King to rule and the Priest to govern and to instruct his Church I answer that the Apostle meaneth not Respons That the Antichrist should in plain words positively and peremptorily deny Jesus to be a King and a Priest He that sayeth thou art my King and I am thy Subject but thou shalt not rule me neither will I obey thee is not he a Lyar as the Jews Turks and other Infidels do when as he confesseth publikely and in plain terms and never denieth with any manner of words that Jesus is not the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that he is not a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedech but professeth the same as much and more than any man living and yet herein he is the great Lyar because that what he saith in words Factis negat he apparently denieth by his deeds which are the chiefest affirmation or negation of any truth and the best witnesses to confirm both what we say and what we deny as both our Saviour and his Apostle St. Paul do sufficiently testifie And so What it is to deny Jesus to be the Christ the meaning of denying Jesus to be King and Priest is not to be understood of any verbal denial but that the Antichrist though he doth in words confess him to be his King and his Priest and denieth him not to be anointed by God with the true Oyle of grace He that denieth Jesus to execute the Office of King and Priest denieth him to be King and Priest the oyntment of Gods Spirit above and beyond all others that ever were anointed to be the King and the Priest of the whole Church yet by his deeds and his actions he would most treacherously and maliciously deny and hinder Iesus to exercise and execute those Offices that is his Kingly Offices and his Priestly Office by those his deputies and Vicegerents whom he appointeth and placeth under him and in his stead to rule govern and to instruct his people here on earth for he being ascended into heaven executes these Offices of King and Priest none otherwise now in his personal absence than by his Substitutes and Deputies that he placeth to be Kings and Priests under him and whosoever denieth and hindereth them to discharge their duties and to execute those Functions and Offices of King and Priest denieth Jesus to execute the same and to discharge the duties of his Kingly and Priestly Office And we must not understand the Apostles words that the Antichrist denieth Jesus to be the Christ or his denial of him to be the true Messias and Saviour of the World and for that end to be anointed both for a King and a Priest which he never denieth or otherwise if this were his denial of him to be a King and a Priest to this end That thousand thousands deny Christ to be Jesus but the Antichrist only denieth him whom he confesseth his Jesus to be the Christ we should have ten thousand thousands of such Antichrists as Iews Turks and all the Infidels over all the World that deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be anointed for a King and a Priest to become the true Messias and to save his people from their sins for we know that all those do thus peremptorily deny Iesus to be the Christ or to be thus and to this end anointed to be King and Priest and yet they are not said to be the Antichrist nor the great Lyar which the Antichrist is said to be because their lye doth not contra mentem ire nor deny that which they affirm deny by their doings what they affirm by their sayings but their hearts and their tongues do conceive and confess the same thing that Iesus is not the Christ neither their King nor their Priest and the Antichrist doth the clean contrary saying in words that he is his Jesus and yet by his deeds utterly deny him And therefore by this ample Explanation of this mystical Sentence that the Antichrist is a great Lyar because he denieth Iesus to be the Christ I hope it is made plain enough that the meaning of the Apostle is that the Antichrist which mendaciously and falsely like a great Lyar professeth himself a Christian and acknowledgeth in his words that the Lord Iesus is the Christ that is his King and his Priest and himself his loyal Subject and the most faithful Servant of Christ will notwithstanding all this great profession maliciously deny and most rebelliously hinder and oppose the lawful Deputies Lieutenants and Servants of Christ our King and Priest to execute and to discharge their Kingly and Priestly Offices under Christ and in Christ his stead and will as I shewed you from the force and true meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so deny them to execute their functions that nothing will satisfie or serve his turn untill he hath utterly destroyed both King and Priest and so denied them both to serve their Offices and to live in their places that is to be King and Priest Thus the Antichrist denieth Iesus to be the Christ by denying his Deputy-Kings and Priests He that resisleth Christ his Deputies resisteth Christ himself to execute their Kingly and Priestly Offices under him for as he that resisteth the lawful Magistrate resisteth the Ordinance of God saith the Apostle and so far as he resisteth Gods Ordinance he resisteth God himself because Man can make no other visible resistance of God than by the resistance of his Ordinance So he that revolteth from or rebelleth against the execution of these Offices of Christ by those deputies that he sets under him here on earth is rightly said to revolt from and rebel against Christ and so he that denieth them to execute their Offices of Kings and Priests under Christ may justly be said to deny Iesus to execute his Office of King and Priest even as you see he that resisteth against the Kings Sheriffe or Lieutenant is justly said to rebell against the King For though Christ be now in heaven yet he hath his Kingdom here

I need not stand any longer to unkennell this Beast seeing that the same things that are incident to the Presbyterians may be truely applyed to the Independants but that in my judgement the Independant is less rigid more tolerable and quiet and of far better faith and principles then the Presbyterians 3. 3. The Presbyterians the first fountain and the chiefe Head of this false Prophet The Presbyterians not as they are Presbyters but as they now shew themselves to be under this notion and name of Presbyterians are the primum mobile and the maine stock from whence do spring all the branches of this false Prophet and though I might collect many more yet I will infist and that briefly but upon these foure points besides their correspondency with what the Spirit of God setteth down here that do sufficiently shew them to be this false Prophet and they are 1. Their Apostasie 1. Their Apostasie For 2. Their Perjury For 3. Their Hypocrisie For 4. The obliquity of all their actions For 1. 1 John 3.19 They were with us and as St. John saith they went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but in the height of their pride they left their station forsook their coulors and started aside like a broken bowe And so 2. 2. Their Perjury The Oath of the Presbyters when they are made Ministers In Apostatizing from that Profession which they made at their Ordination and denying their Bishops and Diocessans to be their Guides and their Governors they became perjured to break their faith and to falfifie their Oath which they made in the presence of God and his Congregation when they were ordained for when any one is to enter into the Holy Order of Priesthood the Bishop demands of him will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chiefe Ministers unto whom the Government and Charge is committed over you following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selfe to their godly judgements and he that is to be admitted Priest answereth I will so do the Lord being my helper which is a promissory Oath that requireth performance and may no way be dispensed with and violated at our pleasure as that Learned Regius Professor of Oxford Doctor Sanderson Vide Dr. Sanderson de Juramento Promissorio in that excellent Book De Juramento Promissorio hath most amply declared unto us and shall we think that they can be true Prophets to us that have been false and perjured to themselves or shall we commit our soules to their custody that have forfeited their own soules unto the Devill or shall we not believe that these rather then the Roman Clergy are this false Prophet For 1. They have not refused to be subject and obedient to their Governors nor stepped aside from their station and therefore cannot be taxed with this Apostasie that the Apostle ascribeth to the many Antichrists that were in his time 2. They have not falsified their faith and perjured themselves in not performing their Oath and observing their promise which they made when they entered into Sacred Orders but to proceed 3. For their hypocrisie I leave it to the world to judge of it And 4. For the obliquity of their actions it is well observed by one that in all their doings they and their Proselites do imitate King Saul to a haire for first King Saul without any respect or regard to the Office and Authority of the Priest would presume to offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 10. as afterwards Vzziah would have done so the new Presbyters though they cannot show that they have any authority descentive from hand to hand from the Apostles as all 2 Chron. 26.16 17. and every true Presbyter ought to have yet will they intrude themselves to do the offices of the Ministers of Christ 2. Saule had an evill spirit that could not abide any musick but would have killed David when he played before him 1 Sam. 18.10 11. so the Presbyterians cannot endure any Organs or Musick in the Worship of God 3. Saul made no conscience of his Oathes but through the vehemency of his Zeal forsooth to Gods Honour he despised the wisdom of his fore-fathers and therefore he breaks the Oath that they made unto the Gibeonites and would needs slay those harmeless Gibeonites and the whole Nation of the Jewes must smart for his foolish rashness and his bloody act so the Presbyterian or Rumpe Parliament and their Teachers the Presbyters were such Zelots and so Holy that they despised the wisdom of our former Parliaments and so brake their Oathes of their Alleageance and Supremacy to the King and as I said before of their obedience and subjection to the Bishops and the Church of Christ and slew the two Witnesses of God and the whole Kingdom hath ever since smarted for the same 4. Saul was a most malicious man and as cruell as any one of those times as you may read how he persecuted and hunted after the life of David 1 Sam. 18.11 Chap. 19.1.10 Chap. 21.1 c. without any cause and against all Reason would have put his own son Jonathan to death and did not the Presbyterian Parliament as maliciously hunt after the Kings life and the Bishops and abundance more of the Kings Party let my Reader judge 5. This goodly King for Davids sake caused fourscore and five persons of the Lords Priests that did weare a linnen Ephod saith the Text to be slain and all that they had to be destroyed and did not the Proselites of these Presbyters for King Charles his sake because they were honest and faithfull unto their King as he was loving and like a Father unto them run and ruinate well-near as many Bishops besides the Deanes Prebends and many more godly Ministers that were Canonicall and wore the linnen surplice though they that hated the surplice escaped their brethrens fate and were protected and advanced by these Presbyters as those that rejected the linnen Ephod were preserved by Saul for it is most evident that the Spirit of God would not have set down the garments of those Priests that were destroyed but to intimate unto us that some other false Priests that could no more abide the linnen Ephod then our Presbyters can now endure the white surplice were joyned with Saul and whispered in his ears against those that did wear the Ephod as the Presbyterians did alwayes ring in the ears of the Parliament men against the wearers of these holy garments otherwise it had been enough to say that Saul had caused to be slain so many Priests of the Lord without any further mention of wearing the linnen Ephod but the holy Ghost setteth not down the least title to no purpose And I could wish his Majesty would well consider how that very very many of the prime Presbyterians in London and the country made