is requisite that all should know him and what is his will and how can they do that unless they know the Principle of him where only his Will is to be known according to the decree of means conducing thereunto and this can only be the Spirit as his own words hath expressed it as hath been rehearsed which is graciously afforded them which must by the Doctors own words be the manifestation of the Spirit given to every one to profit withal of which the Apostle speaks and which he himself in the next words further expresses what it is This is the great Dictate of Nature which cannot be that which is in the transgression but the Divine and Prescript of the Law and what Law that is in the very next words he expresses This Duty is no less imprinted in the heart of man than in the Decalogue So it 's the Law written in the heart and the fear put into the inward parts which till it was come viz. the new Covenant the Seed which is Christ the Law or Decalogue was added or the outward administration which the other should do when it was come which was within but not seen or felt but put under or as it were dead buried and so lying the Seed which is Christ as hath been said amongst the means which God makes use of for the discovery of himself the Holy Scripture this must be understood by his own expressions by the Spirit as aforesaid is not onely the most excellent of all others but as to saving Truths it is the sole and only manifester thereof Thus as to the first part that is That all should know God and do his Will the great Dictate of Nature and Prescript of the Law And this great Dictate of Nature and Prescript of the Law must needs be the measure of God by which only God can be known and his Will done which all must have or how else can it be natural for Nature is a comprehensive word or that in which all that are of that stock and kind are intituled or invested or it cannot be Nature or a Law to be observed by all or prescribed if all have it not And so it is our or the Principle of the Quakers viz. the measure of God in all whereby and in which he is to be known and who is the Teacher of his People Now as to the other which is Preaching or teaching of others As the knowledge of God and what knowledge that is and how it hath been declared already out of his own words and unavoidable conclusions therefrom which I must desire the Reader to carry along with him that he may bear the sence for there is something in this matter attended with the Spiritual subjection of the Soul unto him intirely is the principal Commandment in the first Table which is the Principle of the People called Quakers as aforesaid as his own words hath concluded it So in the second the main thing enjoyned is the love of our Neighbour Now to love another is to wish and to will unto him all these things which we think good for him and as far as lies in our power to procure them for him yet this is not to love ones Neighbour as ones self by the Doctors leave as they use to say but as a man thinks it's good for his Neighbour So this is a wrong interpretation to the Commandment and so a taking away from thence and it is too narrow and hath a restriction And the more perfect discoveries of things that a lover hath the more perfect and excellent is the good that he wishes and cannot but wish unto him whom he loves Now since that love must be of a very transcendent degree and proportioned to that wherewith we love our selves it cannot be such unless we desire to communicate and impart unto our beloved as far as in us lies that which is the principal of all Goods and since the knowledge of God is life eternal and consequently the chiefest good one can wish unto another and what that knowledge of God is and wherein it consists and where it lies hath already been observed from his own words viz. the great Dictate of Nature the Prescript of the Law no less imprinted in the heart of man than in the Decalogue viz. the measure of God in every man which gives to know God and wherein onely he is to be known the knowledge of whom is eternal life It follows from the Dictates of this commanding and commanded Love that it is not Arbitrary for any to will or refuse to instruct another in this saving Knowledge viz. the measure of God the great Dictate of Nature the Prescript aforesaid to teach from this if he be able so to do but all are indispensibly obliged to this performance of their duty Thus the Doctor hath in terminis or so many words held forth the very same thing and no other than what the people called Quakers affirm as their Principle viz. that all should know God and what is his Will That this is the great Dictate of Nature and Prescript of the Law that this duty is no less imprinted in the heart of man than in the Decalogue that this Knowledge is saving and to instruct one another in this saving knowledge all that are able that is to say such as have received a gift in whom the thing moves to speak which gives the ability for this must be necessarily understood by those words and I suppose will be judged to be no straining of the signification of those his words are indispensibly obliged to the performance of this as their duty that is to say in the Scripture words As every one hath received the gift so minister the same one unto another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. Moreover that the only publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the Holy Scripture is he who is the Author of them from the breathings of whose Spirit it derives all its verity perspicuity and authority and that therefore as there was never any visible Judge of Faith appointed by Christ so neither is there any use or need of such an Arbitrator These things and many more to the same purpose which I have omitted because of brevity A friendly man hath helped me to in his Book Intituled Light shining out See Light shining out of darkness pag. 76 77. and so onwards of Darkness c. printed in the year 1659. in which year the Doctor was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and for profession of those called Independants as the * Doct. Ingelo other Doctor is now of Eaton Colledge and so of the Collegiats I shall now take a third Doctor one of the Episcopals and a present Bishop by name Doctor Jeremiah Taylor now Bishop of Down and Connor in Ireland and a man of singular abilities and ingenuity and very famous for a Book of his Intituled Liberty of Prophesying written
initio l. 3. f liberii r. liberi l. 5. f. Uno ciâ—ca r. quocirca l. 8. f. eam r. eum p. 231. l. 10. f. by Arrians r. from Arrius l. 31. f. Treatises r. Treatise p. 234. l. 31. f. father r. further A Looking-Glass for the TIMES c. THE Everlasting God which setteth the bounds to the Nations and declareth to man his thoughts is not circumscribed to time or place but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him This said Peter of old who once thought as did the Samaritans that all Religion was impaled to the Jews who had the Circumcision to whom pertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises whose were the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Therefore he thought it much in the Vision that was shewen him to Arise slay and eat Not so Lord said he for I Acts 10. 13 14 15. have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean But said the Voice the second time What God hath cleansed that call not thou common in the Case of the Centurion unto whom he was sent being a Gentile to turn unto the Faith And said Christ Jesus to the Woman of Samaria who said Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say That in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father Ye worship ye know not what We know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. 20 21 22 23 24. And said the Apostle Who hath also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life but if the ministration of the Letter written and engraven in stones was glorious so that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious for if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of Righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth for if that which was done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious 2 Cor. 3. 6 to the 12. The intent and substance of all which is as much as to say That there is no Religion under the Sun or no prescription that ought to be as to any thing that relates to the Worship of God or that is ground of Worship since Christ came in the flesh and was offered up but what is within in Spirit and in Truth which is in opposition to all outward Forms which proceed not from the Spirit For Israel of old during the State under which they stood of an outward Administration had no further reference than to themselves who had the Circumcision or outward Administration the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which Law was added because of transgression till the Seed should come which is Christ who being come put an end to Circumcision and that outward Administration which with the Jew ended who was of the Stock of Sem which related not to the Gentile So that whole Administration with the particularity of the Jew in the flesh had an end and hath no more ground of enforcement wherefore the Gentiles should be obliged to a form or that form of Worship or outward Administration then if the Jew in the flesh had not been or that outward Administration for it related to time and persons and not to the body of the World or the universality of dayes which time being out or expired and those persons or Nations at an end as to that for which they were taken into a particular consideration the thing hath also an end with them and cannot admit of a force upon themselves or those that are yet left of the Jewish Nation much less upon those who are not Jews but Gentiles whom the Lord never so took in nor dealt with as to any outward Administration So that to enforce or to endeavour so to do from what was once the Administration of God in the flesh to the Jews on them who are not Jews but Gentiles what the Scriptures hold forth to be the outward administration of the Jews or to seek to ground from thence a bottom why all Nations or the Nations of the Gentiles should be in an outward administration of Worship and should be bounded in or denominated by any particular form is to put force upon the Scriptures and to hold forth that which neither doth the Scripture nor is the intent of the Spirit and which Christ Jesus ended in the Jew and the Apostles testified unto so to be ended as aforesaid For in the first place Where there is no ground or bottom for such a thing no such thing from such a thing can be concluded But no such bottom or ground is there for any such thing as from the Judaical Policy to enforce a legal Administration or outward form of Worship as hath been declared since Christ was offered up and an end put thereby to that Administration Therefore to enforce any such thing now that he is offered up and that Administration ended is to enforce such a thing without a ground or bottom In the next place The Lord Jesus when he was offered up and ascended gave gifts unto men not outward Administrations as to Times Places and Nations Some Evangelists saith the Apostle some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come saith he in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. Thirdly The Administration of the Spirit or of Righteousness is that which excels in glory as hath been said and even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth 2 Cor. 3. 9 10. Fourthly All outward Administrations had a time to end as well as to begin and they had a signification which the thing signified being come vanished and came to nothing So all that which was the Administration to the Jews had its beginning and end its time to come to nothing and to vanish as it had to begin which
was when the thing signified the end and intent of that Administration was come which was Christ the morning being come the shadows fly away that which was before transgression being come that comes to be removed which was added because of transgression Fifthly The Spirit it was that led the Disciples into all Truth not the Letter for that kills as the Apostle saith as aforesaid Sixthly And the Worship which Christ who was the end of the Letter set up for all to walk by whether Samaritan or the Inhabitant of Jerusalem Jew or Gentile bond or free Barbarian or Scythian Male or Female the publick Worship which he would have all to be exercised in and which he saith The Father chuses to worship him the true VVorshippers which are not at this Mountain nor at Jerusalem that in which he said the true Worshippers should worship and that the time was to come or cometh Yea it now is saith he Is the Spirit John 4. as aforesaid So that the Glory that excelleth the Administration of the Spirit which exceeds in Glory the Spirit which gives Life the Gift not the outward Administration the thing that is come not that which is done away the substance not the shadow the Institution of the Son which abides in the House for ever not the Administration of the Servant which is not to abide in the House for ever the universality or largeness where the partitian Wall is taken down not the particularity or narrowness where the partitian Wall standeth is that which in this day since Christ was offered up and ascended is to be looked to and heeded as that which is pleasing to the Lord and which he accepts For I would demand Wherein or upon what bottom can any ground a contrary Assertion Is Christ come or not Is he offered up or not Is he ascended or not Fills he all things or not If he be so why then is that enforced or sought so to be or placed which was before he came which was to end in him Either he is come or he is not come if he is not come then let such say so in open words who do the things that were to be or had their being before he came if he be come how dare any to enforce that or seek so to do which was before he came or that which by his coming is done away The Matter is brought or lies in a narrow compass and there is no trifling in the Matter the things are of the highest consequence and mortals must take heed of giving Law to their Maker and the Potsherds of the Earth must beware of clashing against him that formed them and they who are in the condition or state of destruction must heed how they ascend or seek so to do in his Throne who lives for ever who came to redeem on whose shoulders the Government lies who is the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Wonderful Counsellor the Head of his Church King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality and eternal Life to whom be Glory and Power and Dominion everlasting Away then with all outside Religion that is to say all that which proceeds not from Spirit and Truth away with all Forms that come not from the power of Godliness away with all Jewish and outward Worship Forms Constitutions Canons Orders Decrees Directories Catechisms Confessions of Faith all forcing of Religion all persecution because of Religion all Injunctions Synods Councils Prescriptions Ordinances of Men all outward fleshly carnal Commandments Traditions all imitations of Christ and his Apostles and doing things by example of them or because of what they did or were led into where the same Spirit of Jesus is not the Leader as it was in them is not the ground and bottom root and source as it was theirs Away with all private Religions and Worships and Precepts of Men all National Worships and Religions all forcings such Religions and Worships Christ the Substance is come Christ the true Jew inwardly is come Christ the (a) Phil. 3. 3. Circumcision in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of God that hath no confidence in the flesh is come Christ the publick Worship in the Spirit and Truth is come he is dead and risen again and ascended (b) Rom. 6. 9. No more hath death dominion over him He is (c) Col. 3. 13. Head of his Church He is (d) Gal. 4. 1. Lord of all He is (e) Rom. 9. 5. God over all blessed for ever the (f) 1 Tim. 6. 15. onely Potentate and King of the Princes of the Earth he lives for ever For you must make him something or nothing if he be come and if he hath put an end to those if he so spake as aforesaid and if that be the Worship and those the Worshippers the Father seeks which is and who worship in Spirit and in Truth then the Worship at this Mountain and at Jerusalem is to be no more no more the fear of God to be taught by the precepts of men which was complained of in that day when the Isa 29. 13. Administration was outward the teaching for Doctrine the Commandments Mat. 15. 9. of men which he then reproved no more clutter or adoe among men as to Religion and the settlement and the inforcing thereof If these things be and as of right and what ought to be then he is not come dead risen ascended into Glory How long halt ye between two Opinions either subscribe to these things and that he is the Head of the Church which is in God or deny him as your actions speak who enforce these things and require them Now because it may be thought that I am here too dogmatical and that I have stamped things according to mine own Image and understanding and that I take upon me to judge all the Worlds Professions and Religions that have been since Christ and his Apostles and that I seem to intend to set up instead of or in the room of the other something that my self fancies or some few that are called Quakers who were but of yesterday as some may say I shall to what I have indefinitely already concluded according to Truth and the Spirit and demonstration and proof thereof and of the Scriptures proceed further to shew First The Original and Rise of the Truth from the dayes of Christ and his Apostles throughout the Apostacy to this day or that the Truth which we who are called Quakers now pretend to is the same that was in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles which hath had more or less in this thing or in that a testimony throughout the Apostacy unto this day that is to say that some because of such testimony have suffered as well as testified since the dayes of the Apostles Secondly The Original and Rise of Antichrist from Christs and his Apostles dayes unto this shewing in all by instances of Scripture and History that
but to all Nations of the Earth to the Gentiles the Church of God amongst them which to gather or to draw into one was the Gospel sent and preached and the Worship now was no longer National nor was it the National Worship of the Jews which also was commanded of God and accompanied with his presence while the end of it was not come or accomplished But it was every where Spirit and Truth not Form and Letter fearing of God working of Righteousness is accepted of him the true Worshippers the Worshippers whom the Father seeks to worship him All the others were dasht in pieces the end was accomplished it stood not in meats and drinks the Kingdom of God but in Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost not in killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen but in an humble and contrite heart and that trembled at his Word the Sacrifices of God which even under the Law were entitled and said to be his through all which he looked for and accepted which the Sacrifices and the blood of Goats and Bulls signified Circumcision and all the Ordinances of the Jews which Moses commanded and which it was death not to observe comes now to be called beggerly Rudiments the Hand-writing of Ordinances the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances the enmity which he destroyed on the Cross and blotted out which the Apostle saith was against them and which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear And he saith Touch not tast not handle Gal. 5. 2. Phil. 3. 2 3. not which all saith he perish in the using And if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing I wish them cut off that trouble you And beware of Dogs and beware of evil workers beware saith he of the Concision for we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And the Apostles now as any were gathered into the Church they gathered them out of all the Jewish Observations and Heathenish worshipping of Idols into one God and Name of the Lord Jesus who was the great Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul Not into the Name of the Church of the Jews or the Temple or of this Region and that but into the Name of Christ Jesus The Churches of what Of the Jews c. Nay the Churches of Christ Christ the Head of the Church which are in 1 Thes 1. 1. Judea c. The Church which is in God Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God Not in this man or that not in this profession and that barely but in God And so it was during the Apostles times of which the Scripture makes mention and their business was to open the eyes to turn men from darkness to the light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith which is in me As Paul saith of his Commission which he received of the Lord Acts 26. 18. And he stiles himself an Apostle not of men neither by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father which raised him from the dead And he saith The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith But finding fault with them that is the first Covenant and the things therein of which he had been speaking in the former words he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11 12. Now here is nothing of Churchship of an outward Administration and Worship of a delegation of Power to any to constitute and appoint Worships or how God should be worshipped or what Discipline should be used in the Church or what Power the Church should have as to visible things and who should be the Governors or Rulers thereof that should direct or order as to that throughout all Ages but a turning to a Principle wherein God is to be known and whereby he is to be worshipped Not to Man Kings Princes Governors States Emperors no not to Presbyters Councils Fathers Pastors Officers Synods Be ye followers 1 Cor. 11. 1. of me as I also am of Christ saith Paul But to the Light the Light of the Son of God who is Light God is Light and in him is no darkness at all the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles the Light of the World the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World that which sheweth man that is in the Transgression that he is in the dark that turns him from the darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God The Lord never sent to turn man unto man nor did he ever give power to man to order man as to the Worships of him no not in the Mosaical Administration all the World have been in mistakes about these things but he alwayes reserved the power in himself and by the guidance and order of him man was to be directed and God to be worshipped for from the Lord Moses received in the mount what was that Administration hitherto to the Law of Moses when the Israelites were gone astray and had transgressed were all things to be reduced and the reformation to be made the Law of Moses which was a figure of that which came by Jesus Christ unto which all things after he was come to which Moses his Administration or the Law which was given by Moses was to have reference as it was to spring from it And the coming of him was the time of Reformation of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 10. Which stood saith he speaking of that Ministration which in the verse before he calls a
Figure only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation Heb. 9. 10. Moses his time or the duration of the standing of the Law or the outward Administration or Jewish National Worship was not to remain for ever the first Covenant but it was to pass away and to have an end as not being able to make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 10. 1. though it was commanded of the Lord So there was to be a time of Reformation when that which could not make the comers thereunto perfect was to be removed when that which was the shadow of good things to come but not the very Image of the things as the same place hath it was to have an end which was in the coming of him who was perfect who perfects for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. which the other lead unto For by one Offering saith the Apostle in the verse aforesaid he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and this was called the time of Reformation when he came who put an end to all that was outward and had a visible or an outward Administration which could not make the comers thereunto perfect nor was appointed for that end and purpose but to lead unto another thing which should put an end thereunto and which was its end Now I say if the very outward Mosaical Jewish Administration National Worship the first Covenant which was all the outward Government which was commanded of God in the World was not of man but from the Lord which yet had reference to another thing which was Christ the new Covenant the Law put into the mind and wrote in the heart which was the Prophet which Moses said unto the Jews the Lord their God should raise unto them of their Brethren like unto him whom they should hear in all things whatsoever he should say unto them and that it should come to pass that every Soul he doth not say Body that will not hear that Prophet should be destroyed from among the people Acts 2. 23. How much more now that the thing is come which those Administrations had reference unto the great Reformer ought all things now in relation unto Worship have reference unto him and how ought all things of this nature thither to be directed For as I said he sent not to turn from man to man from the darkness to man but to the Light to the Principle of God that which is of God in man the Seed which is Christ the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 26 27. that men may know who they worship and when and how thy may worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Spirit that is something that is Spirit that is of the Nature that God is that is Spirit and Truth that is as as he is Spirit they that worship him must worship him not in the Letter not in the Injunctions of men not in an outward or fleshly Principle not in man or the spirit of man but of God which is in opposition to all that is of man or cometh from man that is not from the Spirit or Principle of God So men must first come to learn or be turned to the Light to the Principle of God to that which is Spirit by which they may come to know him that dwells in the Light that is inaccessible as to all that is mannish or mortal from the darkness all that is from man or of him who is mortal then something may be said to them as to the Worship of God then they are somewhere and know something which God accepts and in which he is well pleased such Worshippers the Father seeks to worship him All other Worships are not available nor are they to any purpose nor doth God seek them though men may think thereby that they seek after God The time of Reformation svveeps them avvay to the Moles and to the Bats to go into the Clefts of the Rocks all the Idols of Silver and of Gold which are made each one for himself to worship and into the tops of the ragged Rocks for fear of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2. 20 21. The great Reformer gives them no standing every one must worship him from his Temple whose Temple ye are saith the Apostle to the Saints Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God saith he and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. In his Temple doth Psal 26. 9. every one speak of his glory Novv man coming to be the Temple of God and the Spirit of the Lord dvvelling in man and the Principle of God in man being knovvn 1 Cor. 3. 16. here the Worship comes to be knovvn vvhich is in the Spirit and in Truth and this is that vvhich the Father seeks So avvay vvith all inventions of men in the Worship of God avvay vvith all Imitations and Likenesses avvay vvith the shadovvs even of good things to come Novv the thing it self Christ Jesus is come the Principle the Measure of him is knovvn the Incense or Odour vvith Rev. 8. 3. vvhich the Prayers of all Saints are offered upon the Golden Altar vvhich is before the Throne vvhich God accepts The Principle of God is to lead the Spirit of the Lord to offer as this moves the Lord accepts in this he is vvell pleased the living Root must be knovvn something that is holy that never sinned to guide and direct something that is as he is vvho is holy and no iniquity can come near his dvvelling Hab. 1. 13. then the Worship is accepted of the Lord. Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heuven that is to bring down Christ from above Say not Who shall descend into the deep that Rom. 10. 6 7 8. is to bring up Christ again from the dead You need not go so far you need not look vvithout you to Forms Constitutions Ordinances of Men Laws and Imitations the thing is vvithin you the Lord hath brought it nigh to you he hath not put you to another You must account for your selves and joy or be undone for your selves every man is an Individual he is made so by God An Individual signifies a being by it self that can never be mixed that can never be made tvvo something vvherein a man is determined for ever vvhich the Lord should guide of vvhom the Lord vvill require an account the Lord hath not put you to seek here and look there Loe here and loe there it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is
wrote in that day the reason of the wrong Judgment of the youngness of Truth then is the same of the same censure of it now the ground hath been declared and the bottom which I thought convenient to take notice of in the entrance of what I have to say as he did in the beginning of what he spake the same being then as it is now and the answer the same with that upon which he grounded that which he said as aforesaid which I have inserted in order as his History began of which he layes this as the ground and bottom and which I quote that such men may see that that which they lay as the ground of their own Principles is no other but the same on which we are grounded who pretend to the Truth and that so they may not be offended with their own Principle when they come to see it in the hand of another or others professing and coming to that which themselves pretend to yet come not at but run on those that both come to and pretend it as is the case of the People called Quakers at this day who are run upon as bringing up some strange and uncouth Doctrine which is no other then what was in the beginning the ground of which was before the World and which when they will lay a bottom for their own work they must come to or no bottom they can lay also that the Controversies may cease and that in this particular it may appear we are not diverse from Christ nor his Apostles nor the holy men of God nor the Principle on which they pretend to build their own Profession which they not holding to come to persecute those who hold it as it was in the beginning The Son of the Bondwoman the Son of the Freewoman for as the Gal. 4 29. Scripture saith as it was then so it is now Also that in this work I may proceed methodically and as it ought taking away all ground of Objections and representing every thing as it is And so I come to that for which I chiefly quoted these Authors and shall in order go as I find the History which by that time I have finished I hope no reasonable or sober man when he hath read and considered all in the Spirit of Truth will have cause to say that either the things are needless or that he mis-spent his time in taking notice of what lies here now to be spoken to or discoursed of This then concerning National Worships and the sufferers by or because The ground of National Worship and the sufferings by them of the not complying with them and how it came that there were such Worships after the decease of the Apostles and so how they came in and on what steps they have stood and do stand at this day that is to say the sufferings by reason of them as I have shewed their Original as to the Jews on the foot of which no National Worship can have Warranty or Ground though upon that foot they have seemed to place their Ground and Warranty as hath been declared National Worship how it came in and what it was as to the Jews and how and when it had its end I have already manifested Spirit and Truth the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus the newness of the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth after his Resurrection Ascension put it out that which was in the letter in the outward Administration in Carnal Rites Ordinances and Commandments which were in the Jew the shadows of good things to come but not the very things themselves came to have an end when this promise was fulfilled So the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ testified of which the Scriptures bear Record and for this they suffered â—â—â—m the Jew that stood in the outward Commandment Worship and â—â—ministration the shadow that once was of that good thing which whiles the shadow continued was to come but being come the shadow had an end So the Jew in the flesh persecuted the Jew in the Spirit the Circumcision made with hands the Circumcision made without hands and here began the dispute in that day which hath continued unto this which is the thing I have hitherto treated of and now shall proceed further to demonstrate according to the Histories of the things that have been done since the decease of the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus and what they went through as it is mentioned in the Scriptures And here the Heathens give me the first occasion of drawing the Sufferings by the Heatâ—ens on the foot of National Worship during the dayes of the Apostles bloody Roll of Sufferings at which these Histories at large do make mention At (a) Acts 6. 5. Antioch it was that the Disciples of Jesus were first called Christians a Nickname or term of slander no doubt given or cast upon such by way of reproach or derision or marking out for mischief as the consequence both from the one and the other gives at large to understand The Gentiles or Heathen had their Worships they sacrificed to Devils not to God they were mad upon their Idols Spirit Jeâ— 5. 38. and Truth that was risen from the dead came to root them up as it did put an end to the Administration of the Jew or his National Worship it turned the World upside down which had put it down and crucified it Acts 17. 6. in Jesus and changed the Laws and Customs and said That they were Acts 19 26. 17 6. no gods that were made with bands and overturned the Decrees of Cesar as even in the Apostles dayes they spake of the Disciples of which the Scriptures makes mention Spirit and Truth overturned it The Devil had his false Worships as he hath had ever since he entred into man he made still adoe in the World about his Worship he stirred up Cain to kill his Brother Abel about his Worship he raised up the chief Priests 1 John 3. 12. and Pharisees to put him to death who came to overturn his Worship he set them on against his Disciples when they preached the Resurrection of the dead that risen again that came to put it under And the Devil said John by the Spirit of Prophesie in the Revelation shall cast some of you into Prison Man thinks he should worship God something calls Rev. 2. 10. after man though he is fallen to return to God and worship him who gave him his being The Devil being entred by reason of transgression seeks to deceive man and being in man sets man upon making of Worships and then to destroy all that will not observe what he hath set up as his Worship or would have to be set up as the Worship of God God is from everlasting his Worship is as he is they which stand in his Worship and which Worship from him are
gentle and meek easie to be Jam. 3. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 25. entreated with meekness instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them the knowledge of the Truth It is Spiritual and the Weapons thereof are not Carnal but mighty through the Spirit But that 2 Cor. 10. 4. which stands in the Worship of man or of the Devil or of the Worship of the Devil or man is otherwise It is like that from whence it came which is Carnal and outward and fierce and implacable and destructive in the consequence to those that bow not thereunto which is a demonstration of that from whence it came as pertaking of its nature and being like thereunto This I write to give a little taste of the difference of either that as I go along all may see what things have ruled in the World and what hath been the ground of the troubles that have been therein concerning Religion and that they may know what that Religion is that ends in death and other sufferings and may be convinced how far it is from that which came not to bring death but to deliver from it which seeks the destruction of the spirit that leads aside from God not the man but to redeem and deliver him And here as in a Glass these things may be seen and discovered and with great perspicuity and plainness if men shut not their eyes on purpose and refuse to see though the day-light break in never so bright upon them whose eyes the god of this World hath blinded even the minds of them lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who 2 Cor. 4. 4. is the Image of God should shine unto them As the Apostle spake in his day of those to whom his Gospel was hid even to them that were lost it was so plain it was so perspicuous If our Gospel be hid it is to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded their minds c. as aforesaid 2 Cor. 4. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. So there I leave this matter and shall proceed to shew what hapned or came to pass after the time of which the Scriptures give testimony being the thing of which I have declared to treat though thus much was necessary to say to bring things down from the beginning to their due order and place and so I shall proceed Sufferings by the Heathen after the days of the Apostles The Roman Emperors were worshippers of Images of Godds their Jurisdictions were large and their Worships they made as large as their Jurisdictions nothing was more against that which was not God than the Name of that or of him which came to redeem from dumb Idols to the Service of the living God and this was Christ Jesus he gave a great start to the Godds made with hands the Inventions of men who had eyes and saw not ears and heard not neither did they understand The Psal 115. 5. Power in which he stood and the Miracles which he wrought were such that drew to him great admiration throughout the World The Romans had jurisdiction over Judea in those dayes and the Regions thereabouts they were an inquisitive and understanding People as men though ignorant of God their Lievtenants Prefects and Governors usually gave them account who had the chief rule of what considerably passed in their Provinces and was most remarkable the mighty things which Jesus did and how he was put to death and rose again went not without its observation and report Pilate under and by whom he suffered Pilates account at the instigation of the Jews being then Governor of Jerusalem who washed his hands and said He would have nothing to do in the death of that just Person though he afterwards delivered Jesus to their wills notwithstanding that he knew that through very envy Jesus was delivered to him having a sence upon him of what Jesus was and of the mighty things he had wrought signified the matter so unto Tiberius who was Anno. 18. to Tiberius Emperor of Jesus occasioned then Emperor that he had him in great Reverence and his Doctrine and declared to the Senate That it pleased him right-well and so would have had him put among the number of their Godds but they received it not because of the decree that was amongst them That no Godd should be consecrated by the Emperor unless it were first agreed upon by the Senate as Eusebius quotes Tertullians words who nevertheless viz. Tiberius Euseb lib. 2. cap. 2. gave not over but persevered in his Opinion of Jesus and his Doctrine â—hreatning them with death that would accuse the Christians The Seâ—ate the liberty of the profession of saith Eusebius of Tertullians words rejected it because they had not allowed the same but he persevered in his Opinion threatning them death that would accuse the Christians And this maketh for us saith Eusebius of Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians that the Deity is weighed amongst you after mans will and judgment unless God please man he is not made God so that saith Tertullian by the Decree man must be favourable Tertul in Apolog advers Gentes cap. 3. and gracious unto God This was the wisdom saith Eusebius of Tiberius his retaining of the sence of Christ and his Doctrine of the Divine Providence lightning his mind that the preaching of the Gospel should pass Christian Religion at the beginning throughout the World So I have given the ground or occasion as to men how the fame of Jesus had its liberty to go through the World which as Eusebius hath observed no doubt was through the Wisdom of God and his mighty Hand that the report of what he was and did from Pilate should bear that weight with Tiberius as to allow a propagation thereof throughout his Dominions which extended very far by reason of which it so came to pass that multitudes were turned from their Idols and worshipped the God which made Heaven and Earth through his Son Jesus Christ Thus got the Name Christian footing in the World and spread it self Which spreading it self over under the whole Heaven as it were of the Roman Empire into Towns Cities Nations Provinces and the Lord was called upon who made Heaven and Earth the Sea and the dry Land of which John speaks and the Earth was replenished with the knowledge of the Lord But in The World occasioned or the Persecution because thereof this state it stood not long but the Enemy as soon as he could wrought off that sound which was of what Jesus was from all the Emperors that succeeded Tiberius and the sence of him and it and got the constitutions of the Roman Empire for the enforcing of the Worship of their Idol become General Godds to take place which gave occasion of infinite sufferings and unheard of Butcheries to be committed on the Christians from the dayes of Nero who succeeded
of his wits and Maximinianus depose themselves which bereaved him of his wits together with Maximinianus the second to him after they had been Emperors for the space of twenty years as aforesaid deposed themselves and lived a private life from which time to his end Dioclesian wasted and pined Dioclesian wasts away with Diseases Maximinian hangs himself Constantius and Maximinus sole Emperors away with Diseases and Maximinian hanged himself Constantinus and Maximinus then took the sole government of the Empire which had before four Princes at one time governing Constantius was very friendly and Persecution on his hand loosened from the Christians Maximinus persecuted them sorely though at Maximinus sorely plagued in his body at Tarsus times he would seem to be otherwise minded The Hand of God pursued him so that at Tarsus a great plague fell upon him first taking hold in his flesh and afterwards proceeding to the very Soul for there arose suddenly in the secret parts of his body an impostume or running sore afterwards in the lower part of his Privities a botchy corrupt Boyl with a Fistula whence issued out with a Botch corrupt matter eating up the inward bowels and an unspeakable multitude of Lice swarming out and breathing a deadly stench and Lice and stench when as the corpulency of the whole body through abundance of meat before the Disease came was turned into superfluous grosness and then being grown into matter yeelded an intolerable and horrible spectacle to the beholders wherefore of the Which flew some of his Physicians Physitians some being not able to digest that wonderful noysome stench were slain some other when there remained no hope of Others were executed because they could not help recovery by reason of the swelling throughout the whole body being not able to help at all with their Physick were cruelly executed themselves Whilst the Hand and Plague of God was on him and he lay in his miserable plight he pondered with himself the rash enterprises he had practised against the Worshippers of God Cap. 18. In this plight he repents confesses to God Commands persecution to cease wherefore returning unto himself first he confesses his sins to God next calling upon him such as were about him he gave commandment that with all speed they should cease from persecuting the Christians and that by Decree and Commandment of the Emperor they should build again their Churches and that they should meet often to celebrate their wonted Ceremonies and pray for the life of the Emperor And immediately that And desires Prayers of the Christians for his life The Proclamations hastned which by word he commanded was indeed brought to pass The Proclamations of the Emperor were published throughout the Cities containing a recantation of those things formerly prejudicial unto the Christians in this form The Emperor Caesar Maximinus Puissant Magnificent chief Lord The Copy of the Edict Lord of the Thebais Lord of Salmatia five times Conqueror of Persia Lord of Germany Lord of Egypt twice Conqueror of the Carpyans six times Conqueror of the Armenians Lord of the Medes Lord of the Adiabeni twenty times Tribune nineteen times general Captain eight times Consul Father of the Countrey Proconsul And the Emperor Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantius some read Constantius but it is not so found in the Greek Vertuous Fortunate Puissant Noble chief Lord general Captain and Tribune five times Consul Father of the Countrey Proconsul Among other things which we have decreed for the Commodity and profit of the Common Wealth our pleasure is first of all to order and redress all things according to the antient Laws and Discipline of the Romans and withal to use this provisoe That the Christians which have forsaken the Religion of their Ancestors should be brought again to the right way for after a certain humour of singularity such an Opinion of excellency puffed them up that those things which their Elders had received and allowed they rejected and disallowed devising every man such Laws as they thought good and observed the same assembling in divers places great multitudes of people Wherefore when as our Edict was proclaimed that they should return unto the Ordinance of their Elders divers standing in great danger felt the penalty thereof and many being troubled therefore endured all kinds of death And because we perceive many as yet to persist in the same madness in their yeelding due worship to the Caelestial Godds nor regarding the God of the Christians having respect unto our benignity and godly custom pardoning all men according to our wonted guise we thought good in this case to extend our gracious and favourable clemency that the Christians may be tollerated again and that they may repair again the places where they meet together so that they do nothing prejudicial to publick Order and Discipline We mean to prescribe unto the Judges by another Epistle what they shall observe Wherefore as this our gracious Pardon deserveth let them make intercession to their God for our Health for the Common Weal and for themselves that in all places the Affairs of the publick Weal may be safely preserved and that they themselves may live securely in their own houses I have mentioned this Edict or Proclamation the rather that men The reason of the reheaâ—sal of the Copy of the Edict however swel'd with Titles Dominions and Honours notwithstanding all that they can say of them and do by them must come to bow to him whom in their hearts they despise and seek to trample his Worship and Worshippers under foot who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth Great calamities attended the Roman Empire whilst their rage was The sad consequence of these persecutions to the Roman Empire and the forbearance of them great against the Christians whilst they imposed the Worship of their Heathen Godds and destroyed all those who could not bow down unto nor worship them which when they forbore and left to these who worshipped the Lord to worship him according to his Spirit not according to their Law it flourished was safe and increased I should be marvellous large if I should go through those things also in particular The rebellious invasions divisions amongst themselves Plagues Pestilences Famines Earth-quakes and untimely deaths that befel those Emperors themselves the Lord when he saw time cutting short their race who ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutor notwithstanding that he saw it good also to suffer those things to be to prevent greater The end of the Lord to the Christians in suffering these persecutions mischiefs amongst the Christians and to give testimony before all the World of his Power that was in them wonderfully to carry them through whatsoever was laid upon them for the testimony unto his Name For the Christians when a little ease and liberty befel them and the Hand of the Lord so wrought that instead of being cast out like Dogs
was wont to be the care of the Romans hearkened to rumors of idle Stories That Chosroes was either dead or at the point of death and was sore displeased at Martianus that he lingered the Siege and brought him not the Keys of the City Who was in no capacity to reduce it and which City was thus relieved as aforesaid These things brought great shame and reproach to Justinus especially seeing that Gregory Bishop of Antioch being fully informed of all those expeditions by the Bishop of Nisibis who bore good will both to the Romans and to the Christians gave Justinus fully to understand it which he gave neither ear to neither He will not believe did he believe what Gregory had wrote in his Letters onely those things he thought to be true which best seemed to serve his profound sensuality and living in voluptuousness and pleasure and so as such persons use to do who build too much on prosperous conceits and cannot endure to hear any thing that is otherwise he wrote back to Gregory rejecting his Letters as false reports Rejects his Letters If they were true yet the Persians should not win the City Builds Castles in the Air thinks this and that but not what concerned the safety of the Roman Empire According to his Dreams so is his success and raise the Siege before his power came or if they won it before they should be met with ere they left the Countrey Thus building Castles in the Air and divining according to his pleasure of the coming to pass of every thing or that it must be so because he thought it so as if all the World must be captivated to what he said and did think or would have in the height of his pleasure whether there were means or no reasonable to accomplish it and to heighten up his shame and downful instead of inforcing his Affairs and making them better he sent for Acacius a man of a He removes Martian by Acacius proud spirit and disdainful condition to Martianus with this commandment That if Martianus had not before put one foot into the City he should put him besides his Honour and Dignity which Acacius in all hast performed to the great hurt of the Roman Common-Wealth to satisfie the Will of the Emperor for unknown to the Army he deprived Martianus being out of the Empire of all Martial Honour and Dignity which when The Captains hereupon shake off their Armor steal away leave the Siege Justin laught at by all men Adaarmanes destroyes all before him the Captains understood they shook off their Armor and stole away privily scattered themselves here and there in their flight and left the Siege to the great laughter of all men Adaarmanes on the other side having a mighty Army both of Persians and the Barbarians called Scenetae passing by Circisium which was a strong boundary between the Romans and the Persians destroyed all the Roman Countries before him with Fire and Sword and every sort of lamentable invasion shewing no Makes lamentable havock Shews no mercy in word or deed Chosroes besets the Souldiers about Daras The Countrey over-run freely mercy at all neither in word nor in deed he took Castles and many Villages and no man withstood him First because the Roman Army wanted a Head next for that Chosroes had beset all the Souldiers about Daras and therefore the Countrey was over-run freely and destroyed without any fear at all Chosroes Souldiers also invaded Antioch yet they had a repulse unexpectedly though part of the Wall was fallen down and most of the people Antioch assaulted yet strangely preserved The Countrey in Rebellion and the Bishop with the Treasury of the Church gone and the Countrey all in rebellion Adaarmanus missing here he set fire on Heraclea afterwards Cap. 10 Heraclea he set on fire Broke his Articles with Apamia Plunders destroys called Gagalica and marched strait to Apamia and contrary to his Covenants for the City submitted to Articles their Walls being down to the ground he burned the City bereaved them of all their substance destroyed all subdued not onely the City but the Countrey about and taking with him the Bishop and Lieutenant of the City went his way and joyning with Chosroes who was in the Siege of Daras after five months Leaguer Takes Daras being joyned with Chosroes The Governors treachery from the beginning took it John the Major making no resistance the City was of exceeding strength but made no resistance as they might it was ransacked many of them were slain and many were taken alive and the City reserved and fortified Many slain many taken alive The City fortified Cap. 11. Justin falls as much below as he was high before and would hear nothing by the King and so he returned home Justinus hearing of all this adverse success as being drowned in sensuality as he would hear nothing that might have been in order to withstand it so great was his pride and insolency banishing understanding and removing reason out of his Seat So now he takes it far more grievous than the common course of Nature could bear and falls into frenzy and madness so that he Falls distracted had no sence or understanding of that which was done whereupon Tiberius a Thracian born one that was of chiefest Authority Tiberius takes on him the Government Sends Trajanus from the Empress to Chosroes bewailing her state to get a peace and Estimation with Justinus took upon him the Government of the Empire he sent Trajanus as from the Empress Sophia Bewailing her condition as having a Husband bedrid and in such a condition and so he speaking her condition and a peace upon the lamenting the woful plight her Husband stood in and the state of the Common-Wealth wanting a head and that it would not be for his honour to tryumph over a silly Widow to insult over an Emperor that was sick and bedrid to invade a Common-Wealth that was destitute of aid and succâ—r that he of old being diseased had not only the like humanity shewed to him but also the best Physitians sent to him from the Empire of Rome to ease him of his grief obtained a three Obtains it for the East for three years years League not only for the Romans but Armenia from Chosroes who immediately before was determined to over-run the Roman Dominions Thus Tiberius wrought about and stoped the inundation of The inundation stopt then Sermium taken elsewhere the ruine of the Romans which like the Sea was flowing in at that door in the East but in other places he could not so presently quiet things and set the Common-Wealth in order for Sermium was taken by the Barbarians In the mean time Sophia the Empress or rather the Hand of Cap. 13. Justin brought to sence consents that Tiberius should be his fellow Emperor God so wrought upon Justinus that he came to a sence of his condition and
of that nature nor may they be required but he the Reformer is to be heard in all things the Law wrote in the heart the fear put in the inward part who hath put an end unto them all the way is open unto the Father Through him saith the Apostle we have all access unto the Father through one Spirit And there is neither Jew nor Gentile Barbarian or Scythian Bond or Free Male or Female but all are one in Christ Jesus he hath put an end to them all who is come through and hath made way through Death Hell and the Grave and hath slain the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances and nailed them to his Cross and broke down the Partian Wall and abolished them So that there is an end to all things of this nature he hath put it who hath made the end and to this of Swearing as unto the rest and that not onely inclusively or as a particular of that administration which was outward which he wholly put an end unto but exclusively as I may so say or by a particular provision or prohibition Ye have heard that it hath been Mat. 5. 33 34 35 36. said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform thine Oath But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is Gods Throne nor by the Earth for it is his Footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thy Head because thou canst not make on Hair white or black but let your communication be Yea yea and Nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil And James who wrote unto the twelve Tribes who were scattered abroad saith to them But above all things my Brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation Emphatical and plain words above all things swear not nor by any other Oath lest you fall into condemnation And swear not at all whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil These things are as full as they can be exprest words of weight and depth and large comprehensiveness so peremptory and flat that one would think none could find out a way to evade them that is to say durst to do it Yet what hath not man dared to do in this particular and upon this very foot How have they put multitudes of people both in this and other Ages to most exquisite sufferings Policarpus who suffered under Verus the Emperor who began his Euseb l. 4. c. 15 Reign about the year 163. being brought forth and demanded by the Proconsul to Swear by the Fortune of Caesar to repent him of what was past and to say Remove the Wicked by which was intended the Christians And again Swear and I will let thee go Blaspheme and deny Christ and I will let thee go And again Swear by the Fortune of Caesar Policarpus answered If thou requirest this vain glory that I protest the Fortune of Caesar as thou sayest feigning thou knowest me not who I am Hear freely I am a Christian He was burned quick at Smyrna of which he was Bishop Ponticus and Blandina a Lad of fifteen years old and a Woman who Euseb l. 5. c. 10 endured notable torments and at last death by the Heathen in France in the Reign of Antonius Verus about the year 179. being the seventeenth year of his Reign of whose sufferings and constancy I have already given a particular account who often by the Heathen were urged to swear which they refused Basilide◠a Souldier in Authority in the Roman Host being upon some Euseb l. 6. c. 4. occasion required to swear by his fellow Souldiers affirmed plainly That it was not lawful for him to swear for he said he was a Christian and that he would in very deed protest the same I have given an account of him and how he came to be a Christian before page To which I refer the Reader as to a noble example they thought he dallied at first but being brought before the Judge and he confessing the same was clapt in Prison and beheaded Evangelica veritas non recipit juramentum saith Jerom The Evangelical or the Truth of the Gospel admits not of an Oath And saith Chrysostome Non oportet ut vir qui Evangelicè vivit juret omninò It behoveth not or it is not meet or it ought not to be that the man or he which lives according to the Gospel should swear at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians ought not to swear at all saith Justin Martyr Plato saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Let an Oath be absent from every one as much as to say let none Swear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meander also hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Fly an Oath although thou mayest swear justly Plato also saith again in his twelfth Book concerning Laws Ne quis juret ipse ne ab altero jusjurandum exigat i. e. Let no man swear himself and let him not require or compel an Oath of another Ausonius in his second Epistle saith Jurare aut falsum dicere par habuit To swear or speak falsly is the same Hesiod in his Theogonia places an Oath among the brood of contention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pag. 88. An Oath saith he which greatly burteth men Again he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presently an Oath goes with corrupt judgments * Cito enim abit jusjurandum una cum pravis judiciis or When Justice appears among men then swearing vanishes As is Hesiod's scope in that place p. 13. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. neither ought he to swear this or any thing this thing or swearing shall never be or there ought to be no such thing as to swear saith Theognis Vers 660. Wherefore should I reckon up Origen Chrysostome Theophilact Oecomenius Hillary Athanasius Jerom Theodoret Lactantius and others who had frequent invectives against swearing Or Basil who commended a famous Greek called †Clineas cum posset effugere trium talentorum mulctam jurando injuriam pati maluit quam jurare Clineas who rather than he would save a Mulct of * Accounted 300 l. Sterling at the least three Talents by swearing suffered loss of his honour which he thought caution sufficient for his honesty suffered the payment mentioned by Sam. Fisher in his Answer to Bishop Gauden about Swearing or the many thousands of these latter Generations contained in the Books of Martyrs and other Histories I should fill the World anew with that with which it is full enough already and yet signifie little more than as a drop doth to the Sea shew what from the Principle came but the fulness is the Principle that he changed it that he put an end to it with all the body
after this the Judgment So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 24 25 26 27 28. So the Changeable Priesthood had an end in him who changeth not Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever And his Apostles were Ministers of that of which he was of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit not of that which changeth but of that which changeth not for the Letter that which changed killeth but the Spirit that which changeth not giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. And who saith the Apostle is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. The changeable Priesthood was then of the Law which could not make the comers thereunto perfect but the bringing in of a better hope which hope is Christ Christ in you the Hope of Glory the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest to his Saints saith the Apostle which maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is spread abroad in our hearts which was a stedfast and stable thing which was not subject to change neither was it to pass away So Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by the Will of God And when it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before me But I went into Arabia c. Gal. 1. 15 16 17. And here stood their bottom in Christ that changeth not whose Minister he was he preached his Ministry that changed not his Ministry did not change because he of whom he preached and who sent him to preach did not change he was not in mans will which made and unmade at his pleasure nor was he a Minister of Man to preach what man pleased or Conformity he received not by Tradition or by certain conclusions or Systems of Divinity or Art what to say but the Son of God being revealed in him he consulted not with flesh and blood neither with the other Apostles that were before him but preached c. Thus stood the state of Paul and the Apostles who had the mind of Christ but the Form and the Letter which was done away from that he preached not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit Now the Form and the Letter being done away there was no room for that which was the Ministry of the Form or the Letter no more killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen no more Sacrifices Washings New Moons Sabbaths Shadows of good things to come who were the Shadows but not the very things themselves which changed into the thing come or had an end in it no ground or footing at all for that but as he who is everlasting was come the same for ever so the Ministry must be of and from him he must send he must be revealed the words must be spoken from his mouth not the Letter but the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter but the newness of the Spirit Thus stood it in the dayes of the Apostles So the Ministry or Priesthood that changeth hath no ground from Christ and his Apostles but is quite otherwise it is a changing or deviation from them it hath no footing either in the Letter or in the Spirit not in the Letter for that was a Priesthood Figurative having relation to him that was to come which in him ended so there was to be no more as there never was but that not in the Spirit for that is it which changeth not is not at the will order or direction of man but the Will of God its ground its bottom its fountain its beginning and end is from him who changeth not whom the changeable signified I need not be long in these things the matter being so plain already the whole progress of the History which I have before been particular in speaks the Priesthood after the Apostles decease to be changeable leaning to this Creed and that confession of Faith and varying and changing according to the leaders of that Confession and this Creed and what work it made in the World I have manifested whatsoever stands not in him which changeth not that is called Ministry which is not Spirit and proceeds from it is not from him who is the Head of the Church the Law-giver and Teacher of his People it hath no footing from the Scriptures of Truth nor the Spirit of them it is so far from the Spirit that in that sence it is not Letter it hath no relation to that of the Jews the Priesthood which was changed and ended in Christ nor to Christ Jesus or the Ministry of him who changed the Priesthood Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye said the evil Spirit which was in the man whom the Exorcist Jews took upon them to adjure by Jesus whom Paul preached from whence cometh Acts 19. 13 14 15. this new covered Priesthood which filleth the earth may a man say that is neither Paul nor Jesus nor Jew nor Christian it 's much that men are not ashamed of these things Man makes man men make themselves diversities of men make diversities here 's the Priesthood a God they make a System of Divinity a Form of Worship and then they form themselves or one another Ministers of that form of Worship Teachers of the Systems or Precepts of Religion they made of the God whom they formed Thou shalt have no other God but me said the Lord to Israel of old who gave Israel a form whereby to worship God but now men make Godds and make forms of Worship for their Godds and Priests to their forms and whosoever will consecrateth himself a Priest or is consecrated to whatsoever Godd he hath made or Worship he hath formed which is not from that which is everlasting the Priest that is for ever that changeth not Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of the Priests of the high places it is said of in the dayes of Jeroboam 1 Kings 13. 33. And the man Micah had an house of gods and made an Ephod and Teraphim and consecrated one of his Sons who became his Priest In those dayes there was no King in Israel Judg. 17. 5 6. So the matter is plain the ground original or rise of all the Priesthood or Ministry that is not Spirit that is not in and from that which changeth not the Ministers of Christ in whom is no variableness or shadow of changing is neither from Christ nor the Scriptures and hath neither ground nor foundation to be believed in or heard whose rise is not in the Letter of the Scriptures nor the Spirit whose bottom is man and the will of man or rather the Devil in man
in the life time of the late King Charles whose Chaplain he then professed himself to be when those called the Synod were sitting at Westminster and had consulted the Directory and Catechisme his words in a Printed Book of three Sermons preached by him at Dublin in Ireland out of the first of which these are taken are these Speaking from that Scripture Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. 20. Which is the Text from which he preached and in particular of the Law of Moses in or according unto which stood the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees which must be exceeded he saith When Christ brought life and immortality to light Evang. Righteous Page 3. through the Gospel and hath promised to us things greater than all our explicite desires bigger than the thoughts of our hearts then saith the Aposile (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then we draw near to God and by these we are enabled to do all that God requires and then he requires all that we can do more love and more obedience then he did of those who for want of these helps and these Revelations and these Promises which we have but they had not were but imperfect persons and could do but little more than humane Services Christ Page 4. hath taught us more and promised to us more than ever was in the World known or believed before him and by the strengths and confidence of these thrusts us forwards in a holy and wise Oconomy and plainly declares that we must serve him by the measures of a new love to do him honour by wise and material glorifications be united to God by a new Nature and made alive by a new Birth and fulfil all Righteousness to be humble and meek as Christ to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is to be pure as God is pure to be partaker of the Divine Nature to be wholly renewed in the frame and temper of our mind to become people of a new heart a direct new Creation new Principles and a new Being to do better then all the World before us ever did to love God more perfectly to despise the World more generously to contend for the Faith more earnestly for all this is but a proper and just consequent of the great promises which one Law-giver came to publish and effect for all the World of Believers and Disciples The matter which is here required is certainly very great for it is to be more righteous than the Scribes and Pharisees more holy than the Doctors of the Law than the Leaders of the Synagogues than the wise Princes of the Sanhedrim more righteous than some that were Prophets and High Priests than some that kept the Ordinances of the Law without blame men that lay in Sackcloth and fasted much and prayed more and made Religion Page 6. and the study of the Law the work of their lives This was very much but Christians must do more they did well and we must do better their Houses were Marble but our Houses must be gilded and fuller of glory but as the matter is very great so the necessity of it is the greatest in the World it must be so or it must be much worse unless it be thus we shall never see the glorious Face of God Here it concerns us to be wise and fearful for the matter is not the question of an Oaken Garland or a circle of Bayes and yellow Ribbond it is not a question of Money or Land Page 7. nor of the vainer rewards of popular noise and the undiscerning suffrages of the people who are contingent Judges of good and evil but it is the great stake of life eternal We cannot be Christians unless we be righteous by the new measures The righteousness of the Kingdom is now the only way to enter into it for the Sentence is fixed and the Judgment is decretory and the Judge infallible and the Decree irreversible for I say unto you said Christ Unless your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter the Kingdom I have put these things together as they lie in the Bishops own order and words that I might not seem by dis-joyning them to vary his sence whilst I repeat his words In what follows I shall be more short In speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees wherein the Righteousness did consist and wherein it fell short of the Evangelical Righteousness which he saith is required he saith It was a great innocence if they Page 15. did not rob the poor then they were righteous men but thought themselves not much concerned to acquire that godlike excellency a Philanthropy and love to all mankind Again in the conclusion of such his discriminations of them he saith Page 18. Page 19. This was the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and their Disciples the Jews which because our Saviour reproves not onely as imperfect then but as criminal now calling us unto a new Righteousness the Righteousness of God the Law of the Spirit of Life to the Kingdom of God and the proper Righteousness thereof It concerns in the next place to look to the measures of this And as for these measures he saith Ibid. As for this in my Text it is indeed our great measure but it is not a question of Good and Better but of Good and Evil Life and Death Salvation and Damnation for unless our Righteousness be Page 20. weighed by new weights we shall be found too light when God comes to weigh the actions of all the World and unless we be found more righteous than they we shall in no wise that is upon no other tearms in the World enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Now concerning this we shall do very much amiss if we take our measures by the manners and practises of the many who call themselves Christians for there are as Nazianzen expresses it the old and the new Pharisee I wish it were no worse among us and that all Christians were indeed righteous as they were it would not be just nothing but I am sure that to bid defiance to the Laws of Christ to laugh at Religion to make merriment at the debauchery and damnation of our Brother is a state Page 21. of evil worse than that of the Scribes and Pharisees And yet even among such men how impatient would they be and how unreasonable would they think you to be if you should tell them Then there is no present hopes or possibility that in this state they are in they can be saved But the World is too full of Christians whose Righteousness is very little and their iniquities very great And now adayes a Christian is a man that comes to Church on Sundayes and on the week following will do shameful things being according to the Jewish Proverbial
Page 22. reproof as so many Mephibosheths their Master teaches them to go uprightly but they still shew their lame leg and shame their Master as if a man might be a Christian and yet be the vilest person in the World doing such things for which the Laws of men have provided both smart and shame and the Laws of God have threatned the intollerable pains of an unsufferable and never dying damnation And in his measure of the Evangelical Righteousness he saith It must at least be so much that is as the Scribes and Pharisees We must keep the Letter of the whole Moral Law We must do all that lies before us all that is in our hand the outward work must Page 24. be done and it is not enough to say My Heart is right but my Hand went wrong a right Heart alone will not do it or rather the Heart is not right when the Hand is wrong for once for all let us remember this That Christianity is the most profitable the most useful and the most bountiful institution in the whole World and the best definition Page 25. I can give of it is this It is the Wisdom of God brought down among us to do good to men Christian Religion is something that is not seen it is the hidden Page 29. man of the heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is God that dwells within True Christians are men who as the Chaldee Oracle said †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 2. 14. are cloathed with a great deal of mind I will speak unto their Heart To preach the Gospel saith he where the Spirit is the Preacher and the Heart is the Disciple and the Sermon is of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Our Service to God must not be in outward works and Scenes of Religion it must be something by which we become like God solemn Prayers and the Sacraments and the Assemblies of the Faithful Page 31. and Fasting dayes and Acts of external Worship are the Solemnities Page 32. and Rights of Religion but the Religion of a Christian is in the Heart and Spirit And this is that by which Clemens Alexandrinus desired the Righteousness of a Christian * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the parts and faculties which make up a man must make up our Religion but the Heart is Domus Principalis it is the Court of the great King and he is properly served with Interior Graces and Moral Virtues with a humble and a good Mind with a bountiful Heart and a willing Soul and these command the Eye and give Law to the Hand and make the Shoulders stoop but anima cujusque est quisque then he is within A mans Soul is the man and so is his Religion and so ye are bound to understand it No external action can purifie the Soul because its Nature Page 33. and Operation being Spiritual it can no more be changed by a Ceremony by an external Solemnity than an Angel can be carressed with sweet meats or a mans Belly be filled with Musick or long Orations The Sum is this No Christian does his duty to God but he that serves him with all his heart and although it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness even the external also yet that which makes us gracious in his eye is not the external it is the love of the heart and the real change of the mind and obedience of the Spirit That 's the first great measure of the Righteousness Evangelical Our Righteousness must be the purification and the perfection of the Spirit A Christian must not look upon a Woman to lust after her he must hate sin in all dimensions and in all distances and in every Angle of its Reception To abstain from all appearances of evil Charity vaunteth not its self And upon this Saint Basil saith That Ecclesiastick Persons and so every Christian in his proportion ought not to go in splendid and vain Ornaments every thing that is not wisely useful or proportioned to the state of the Christian but ministers only to vanity is a part of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a vaunting which the charity and grace of a good Christian does not well endure it is no wonder if Christianity be nice and curious it is the cleanness and the purification of the Soul and Christ intends to present his Church to God without spot or wrinkle or any such thing N. B. or any such thing if there be any irregularity less than a wrinkle the Evangelical Righteousness doth not allow it And certain it is he is dull of hearing who understands not the Voice of God unless it be clamorous in an express and a loud Commandment proclaimed with Trumpets and Clarions on Mount Sinai A willing and an obedient ear understands the still Voice of Christ and is ready to obey his meaning at half a word and that is the Righteousnesse Evangelical The Righteousness Evangelical must be like Christ's seamless Coat Page 44. all of a piece from the top to the bottom it must invest the whole Soul Misma Dumah Massah said the Proverb of the Rabbins it is this and it is the other and it must be all it must be an Universal Righteousness not a little knot of holy Actions scattered in our lives and drawn into a sum at the day of Judgment but it must be a state of holiness To be zealous for God and for Religion is good but that will not Page 45. legitimate cruelty to our Brother The Righteousness Evangelical is another kind of thing it is a holy conversation a God-like life an Universal obedience a keeping nothing back from God A Sanctification of the whole man and keeps not the Body only but the Soul and the Spirit unblameable to the coming of the Lord Jesus These are such things saith he a little before which if a man will stand to defend possibly a modest reprover will be more ashamed than an impudent offender Page 40. Page 49. Among the Hebrews the Trees of the Lord did signifie such trees as grew of themselves and all that are of God's planting are such as have a vital principle within and grow without constraint I do not know how to give a fuller expression to the Principle of the People called Quakers and indeed the whole of them are very full as much as in so many words can well be exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one said it of the Christians They obey the Laws and by the goodness of their lives exceed the Laws And certain it is no man hath the Righteousness Evangelical if he resolves alwayes to take all his liberty in every thing that is meerly lawful or if he purpose to do no more than he needs must that is no more than he is just commanded for the reasons are plain The sum of all is this The Righteousness Evangelical is Page 67 68. the same with that
to send the Holy Ghost unto them for that end And in his Speech to the Parliament 1609. he saith It is a sure rule in Divinity That God never loves to plant his Church by violence and bloodshed c. And in his Apology aforesaid page 4. speaking of such Papists as took the Oath he saith thus I have a good proof that I intended no persecution against them for Conscience-sake but onely desired to be secured for Civil Obedience which for Conscience cause they were bound to perform -And in his Expos Rev. 20. printed 1588 and 1603. he saith The compassing of the Saints and the besieging of the beloved City declareth unto us a certain note of a false Church to be persecution for they came to seek the faithful the faithful are those that are sought the wicked are the besiegers and the faithful besieged James whom Alex. Henderson had quoted in reference to the Argument he was upon in relation to Religion would tell you That a bloody Reformation was never lawful as not warranted by God's Word and that Preces Lacrimae sunt Arma Ecclesiae that is Prayers and Tears are the Arms of the Church I need say nothing farther to demonstrate this matter also seeing that on both hands in the Kings and A. Henderson's Papers there is a plain detestation of Persecution To which let me ad some few instances of the said Kings in his said ΕΙΚΟΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ which may make up this sum In that part of it which relates to the coming in of the Scotish Army Head the 13th the King saith Nor do I know any such tough malignant humors in the constitution of the English Church which gentler Applications than those of an Army persecution and force are equivocal in their nature though not in measure to an Army and so what is said of the one may be as truly said of the other or the same word to the one saith the same to the other might not easily have removed nor is it so proper to hew out Religious Reformations by the Sword as to pollish them by fair and equal Disputations Page 93. amongst those who are most concerned in the differences whom not Force but Reason ought to convince And sure in matters of Religion those Truths gain most on mens Judgments and Consciences which are least urged with secular violence which weakens Truth with prejudices And if Presbytery in such a Supremacy be an institution of Christ sure it differs from all others and is the first and onely point of Christianity that was to be planted and watred with so much English blood whose effusions run in a stream so contrary to that of the Primitive Planters both of Christianity and Episcopacy which was with patience shedding of their own blood not violent drawing of other mens Sure there is too much of man in it to have much of Christ Nor may any men I think saith the King without sin and presumption Page 95. forcibly endeavour to cast the Churches under my care and tuition into the moulds they have fancied and fashioned to their designs till they have first gained my consent and resolved both my own and other mens Consciences by the strength of their Reasons other violent motions which are neither Page 96. Manly Christian nor Loyal shall never either shake or settle my Religion nor any mans else who knows what Religion means and how far it is removed from all Faction whose proper engine is Force the Arbitrator of Beasts not of reasonable Men. Also in reference to the Covenant under the 14th Head he saith The enjoyning of Oaths upon the people must needs in things doubtful be dangerous Page 100. as in things unlawful damnable Also in the Prayer adjoyning to that Head he saith Make them at length seriously to consider that nothing violent and injurious can be religious Pag. 108. And upon the Head of the many jealousies raised and scandals cast upon him to stir up the people against him being the 15th Head he saith In point of true conscientious tenderness I have oft declared how little I have desired my Laws and Scepter should entrench on Gods Sovereignty which is the only King of mens Consciences and yet he hath laid such restraints upon men as commands them to be subject for Conscience-sake giving no man liberty to break the Law established further than with meekness and patience they are content to suffer the penalties annexed rather than disturb the publick peace And upon that Head of the Ordinance against the Common-Prayer-Book being the 16th he saith That these men I say should so suddenly change the Liturgy into a Directory speaking of that alteration of the one to the other by those men who cryed out of the rigor of the Laws and Bishops which suffered them not to use the liberty of their Consciences in not using the Service-Book who lately had either subscribed to used and maintained or refused to use it in the Page before and now applies these words to them as if the Spirit needed help for invention though not for expressions As if a matter prescribed did not as much stint and obstruct the Spirit as if it were clothed in or confined to fit words which he calls in the next words Legerdemain to deceive the vulgar And in the next Paragraph he saith Thus I see that no men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous exacters on others to conform to their illegal Novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawful Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended conscientious Liberties And in the Prayer after that Head he saith Evermore defend thy Church from blind Zeal and over-bold devotion Then upon the 18th Head which speaks of Uxbridge Treaty c. he Pag. 132. Pag. 150. Pag. 151. Pag. 159. saith as to his Sword and Reason Having greater confidence of my Reason than my Sword And it being an office not only of humanity rather to use Reason than Force but also of Christianity to seek peace and ensue it And the highest tide of success set me not above a Treaty nor the lowest ebb below a Fight Though I never thought it any sign of true valour to be prodigal of mens lives rather then to be drawn to produce our own Reasons or to subscribe to other mens And in the Prayer O thou that art the God of Reason In that to the now King then Prince of Wales being the 27th Head he saith Take heed of abetting any Factions or applying to any publick discriminations in matters of Religion contrary to what is your Judgment and the Church well setled your partial adhering as Head to any one side gains you not so great advantages in some mens hearts who are prone to be of their Kings Religion as it loseth you in others who think themselves and Pag. 229 the Profession first despised then persecuted by you Your Prerogative is best shewed