all subdued before you had founded and built up that Interest and Strength by which they opposed the Glorious out-goings of GOD before you and endeavoured your Ruine This is that which I call the Scotch-Presbytery and now compare with the Romish-Papacy 1. The Comparison is first to be made in those things which I call Agreements between them and these are Six 1. Agreement Both joyn in setting up the Scriptures the Word of God outwardly exprest as the Letter of that Law by which all things of Christianity and Religion are to be judged So Scotus himself teacheth in his Preface to his Disputes upon the Sentences that Religion must be grounded upon a Revelation In this not onely the Romish-Papist and Scotch-Presbyter but all who pretend with any face to any thing of GOD or CHRIST do concur But there are two things in a Revelation There is Lex Revelata and Lumen Revelationis that is the Law Revealed and the Light of Revelation One is the Subject or Master but the other is the Forme the Life the Essence of a Revelation Now these Two Parties meet in this to magnifie the first of these the Law Revealed This they make the foundation of their Throne the Scepter of their Government which as taken singly by it self is but a breathlesse Carkass or a Dead Letter Herein a Living Member of IESVS CHRIST is in this Point distinguished from all otherâ—… He receiveth ownes bowes down to the Law revealed upon this account because it comes down from Heaven into his heart in a Light of Divine Revelation 2. Agreement These two of whom we speak do Both asseâ—… a visible Iudge on Earth upon whom all Particular Persons are to depend for the Determining of those two Grand Questions First what is Scripture Secondly what the sense of that Scripture is The Romanists say that this Iudge is the Pope or an Oecumenicall Councell The Scotch Presbyter is for a Nationall Assembly or rather an Oecumenicall Assembly if the Civil Government would bear it This Presbyter condemns the Papist justly because he suffereth not the people to read the Scriptures in their own Tongue But who art thon O man who condemnest another and dost thy self the same thing while thou forbiddest private persons to read the Scriptures with their own Eyes Thou confinest them to Spectacles of the Assemblies making while thou permittest the Reading but prohibitest the Interpreting of the Spriptures according to that sense which the Holy Spirit brings forth to every man in his own spirit if it be not stumpt for Currant by the Spirit of the Generall Assembly Why dost thou judge the Papist for exalting un-written Traditions to an Equall Authority with the Scriptures when thy way maketh the Scripture it self in the Letter and Meaning of it a Tradition of the Elders 3. Agreement Both these Sects have a very great Jealousie over the Spirit of GOD As the Pharisees said concerning IESUS CHRIST Joh. 11 48 If we let this man alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation So say these two the Romish and Scotch Principles in the hearts of men If we yeeld to this to let the Spirit alone and to suffer all men to believe on the Holy Ghost as the onely witness and evidence of Divine Truth if we give way to this as sound doctrine that it is the proper office of the Third Person the Spirit and of him alone to Apply Truth Authoritatively as it is of the second Person to Act of the first Person to Decree that it belongs to this Spirit alone authoritatively to testifie in the spirits of Men what those words are which himself hath taught what the meaning of the Spirit is in those words if this be once granted that nothing is to be received as Divine Truth but that which brings an Epistle of Commendations along with it written by this finger of the Living GOD upon the Heart then farewell all Religion all manner of Sects Heresies Heathenisme will break in upon us and take away the very face of a Church from amongst us It is said of JESUS CHRIST that He was numbred among transgressors in his death Such usage as our Saviour himself found on Earth from Pilate and the Priests such doth his Spirit find to this day from the Papacy and that Presbytery of which we speak The Holy Ghost as he appears and gives forth his Oracles in his Temples which are his Saints is numbred among Whimsies Fancies Fanatick Furies Enthusiasmes and so is condemned is suppress'd 4. Agreement A watchfull Opposition to all Growths of Truth above the pitch and stature of Opinions commonly received Nothing is accounted so dangerous in things pertaining to the Gospel as Innovation although S. Paul command us still to be transformed in the Renewing of our Mindes that we may prove what the good and acceptable will of GOD is and this to Saints already converted as a continual duty in which they are ever to be exercising themselves that they may have new mindes to day in comparison with those which they had yesterday and new mindes again tomorrow in comparison with their mindes to day yet the same Iesus yesterday to day and for ever As in some places of the River Thames you have Wyers set up quite crosse the River and basket nets laid in those Wyers to catch those Lampries that come swimming up against the stream so both in Papacie and in Rigid Presbyterie all Constitutions Methods frames of Doctrine and Discipline seem to be as wyers with nets in them set crosse the whole stream of civil and Religious conversation to catch every discovery of Christ every manifestation of the Gospel which comes up against the present Tide the general Current of Principles and Positions They labour as to hedge in the Wind to binde up the sweet influences of the Spirit they will not suffer it to blow where it lists because they know not whence it comes or whither it goes 5. Agreement in Annexing the Spirit to outward Formalities Like Simon Magus Both seem to believe that the Gifts and Ministery of the Spirit may be purchased by the Coin of Education Parts Moral honestie formal Qualifications Ceremonious Observations of outward Rites So is their way laid so are all their practices managed as if by a kind of Simoniacal Magick that power which alone can aw or secure us from the divel were shut up within the circle of their custemary and solemn Forms VVhen the LORD saith Neither on this Mountain nor in Jerusalem but in spirit and truth shall all men worship the Father Yea say they but spirit and truth dispense themselves within the Ierusalem of this Church-order on the Mountain of these rituall observations these consecrated forms 6. Agreement in making Religion a Rise to Civil Pomp and Power JESUS CHRIST saith My Kingdom is not of this world But say these two Factions Our Kingdom
ENGLAND'S DELIVERANCE From the Northern Presbytery COMPARED With its Deliverance from the Roman Papacy BY PETER STERRY Once Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge now Preacher to the Right Honorable the Councell of State sitting at WHITE-HALL Printed at Leith by Evan Tyler 1652. To the SUPREME AUTHORITY Of the COMMON-WEALTH of ENGLAND The High Court of PARLIAMENT RIGHT HONORABLE IT may seem strange that in the Thanksgiving on this Day I have exalted the praises of the present season above the head of this Ancient Mercy If I deceive not my self I have not done this to the disadvantage of those old loving kindnesses nor without great Examples Is not this the beaten way of JESUS CHRIST with his Church to make succeeding visits and loves by being a grave to those that have been already to become a Resurrection to them giving them a more Excellent Being in this Relative State and Subordination than they had in their absolutenesse Did John the Baptist encrease his glory by any thing more than by that sweet readinesse to decrease before JESUS CHRIST How do the holy Pen-men in all their Prophesies or Praises frequently make every present subject but as a sight to direct their eye while their spirits fly to this mark the Heavenly glory of CHRIST in this last Appearance which is now from the midst of its Thunders Lightning upon the Earth Right Honourable I hambly intreat your Patience a little further while I present you faithfully with my Sense in the Comparison which I make between the Papacy and Rigid Presbytery I shall do this in three words spoken to three things Forms Persons Principles 1. As to Forms I grant some to be purer than others I allow the Church-form of Presbytery to excell the Papacy as the fairnesse of the Moon doth the darknesse of the Night I allow it to be in the first Rank of the purest outward Forms although not the first of that Rank I believe it the duty of every Christian to follow after the best Forms Yet is there a more excellent way which is that of Love My Brethren our Joseph our Jesus chargeth us not to fall out on the way though we walk in different paths We are Brethren let no outward Forms divide us one from another if they divide us not from CHRIST if they have not in their own nature an enmity to the naturall Image of CHRIST which is Civility Morality or the Heavenly Image which is Spirituality Let us receive one another into the Glory of GOD as CHRIST receiveth us though that Cloathing of the outward Form be not of the same fashion upon all nor on some so well shap'd as on others to the Proportion of the Body which is CHRIST The Lord JESUS hath his Concubines his Queens his Virgins Saints in Remoter Forms Saints in Higher Forms Saints unmarried to any Form who keep themselves single for the immediate embraces of their Love But CHRISTS Dove in all these is One the New Creature in CHRIST the spirituall birth of the Spirit the only One of her Mother that Hierusalem above which is the City compact that Band of Peace that Unity of Saints the Holy Ghost 2. As to Persons Fathers and Brethren of the Presbytery You together with me desire after sit drwn under the shadow feed upon the sweet fruit of the same Apple-tree in the midst of the trees of the Forrest though not of the same Arm and Bough of that Tree I would not in any thing offend you who are in the number of the excellent Ones in which is all CHRIST'S Delight on earth If I grieve you what shall make me glad There are of you who are ready to answer this government of JESUS CHRIST as Peter did CHRIST Thou knowest that I love thee Feed then the sheep feed the Lambs in those fresh Pastures into which He now leads you You who are of another mind appear to me like good old Zachary Though an Angel from Heaven witnesse that the things now come to passe are the very answers to those prayers which your selves put up many years agone yet you cannot believe because the way is not in the ordinary track of your Principles and Expectations Therefore are you struck dumb for a season that you cannot make a good confession of these Appearances of GOD But when the Child shal be born the Glory perfectly brought forth then your selves shal name it John which being interpreted is Grace then shall even your tongues be loosed to praise this Day-spring from on high which hath visited us then shal you acknowledg that this was the gate of heaven though you were not aware of it Now the Lord himself bring it to pass that all you who in your pâ—…st dispensations have been fathers to these present discoveries may suddenly turn your hearts to your children lest he come and for your sakes smite the earth even all flesh with a curse 3. As to Principles The marriage between our Saviour and the Soul is a marriage of Spirits a marriage in one spirit No union with any form makes this Marriage or dissolvs it That which alone stands in enmity to these Heavenly Espousals is union with a strange spirit This strange spirit is the Great Whore Babylon Mother of fornications One of her names is Mystery because she puts her self into all forms from the lowest to the highest from the most outward to the most inward from the darksomest among men to the lightsomest amongst Angels This is the great work of a Saint to watch to watch the Spirit of CHRIST as be makes his removes out of one Appearance into another to watch the spirit of Antichrist as that also shifts its forms Right Honorable For this I have desired in my Preaching in my Prayers to work with GOD even for the opening of the eyes of men to see that the same spirit which lay in the polluted Bed of Papacy may meet them in the perfumed Bed of Presbytery that the fornications and sorceries of this Whore are then greatest when they are most Mysterious that she is able by her sorceries to bewitch those that have attained to a great degree of spirituality as the Galatians To this purpose have I in my Sermon represented the same spirit which dwels in the Papacy when it enters into the Purer form of Presbytery as fuller of mystery so fuller of despight of danger not to make the form or persons but that Principle that spirit unfit to be cherished by any Person in any foâ—…m The Highest Godlinesse and the Highest Wickeanesses are those which are most Spirituall Now O Christians you fight not with Flesh and Blood but Principalities and Powers spirituall wickednesses in Heavenly forms But this is your comfort spirituall wickednesses ascend as high as the Heavens even into Angelical forms but spiritual Godlinesse goes up above all Heavens together with CHRIST into the bosome of the Eternall Spirit from whence it looks down upon the Angels
these three parts of the Reason you will have from them all in consort a full Harmony with and a clear Demonstration of the Doctrine If this be the Designe of GOD to discover Christ in the Spirit if all GODS works and mercies toward the Creature be in order to this Discovery if this be the end and the last of all GODS Wayes then it follows naturally from hence that as this discovery growes so likewise must all GODS Works and Mercies to his people grow in the same Proportion the later discoveries Brighter the later works Better and Greater than the former There are two Uses which I intend and those are two Exhortations 1. Use An Exhortation to us to be like GOD to answer his Blessings with our praises in the same way and Method As the pleasant Colours of the morning have a glorious Buriall in the clearer light of the Day so is it the way of God to make former Mercies which are in themselves very precious yet to be but as thinner eares as leaner kine to ensuing Mercies and to be devoured of them as the fuller the fatter contrary to that which was in Pharaohs Dream Accordingly my Text commands us to make it our way in our Praises to wrap up and overwhel me the memory of precedent favours with the more joyfull mention of succeeding ones as in the Tabernacle boards of Wood were hid under and over-laid with Silver or Gold As the Moon ascendeth towards the midst of heaven so doth the Sea rise and swell thus should our praises rise as the Mercies of the LORD rise to overflow their former Channels and Banks This is the Duty which is enjoyned in my Text It shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the NORTH This is the Duty which is grounded on my Doctrine It is the way of the Lord to make his last Mercies better then his first If the LORD make former mercies in comparison with later ones but as the Foot-stool to the Throne but as the tuning of the Instrument to some more excellent Melody then is it also fit that our praises for former mercies in comparison with our Praises for later mercies should be onely as the lifting up of our Feet on the Footstool in order to our sitting down upon the Throne or as the tuning of our voyces to sing some Pleasant Song of our Beloved Right Honourable God hath given us the Former and the Later Rain of his Loving-kâ—…dnesses With the Former Rain He preserved us and cherished us when we lay as seed in the Dust of the Earth Such a former Rain was our deliverance from the Papacy by many signal providences and preservations amongst which is this most eminent one of our Preservation from the Gun-powder-Treason which we celebrate on this Day But the LORD hath given us the Later Rain also by which he hath made us to spring up out of the Dust into a Pleasant Garden He hath made us as a Garden enclosed with the Quick-set hedge of his Divine Wisedom and Power that no Wilde-Boar hath been able to break in upon us He hath watered us with his own Foot walking up and down in the midst of us that our Beds and Plants are green Let us now say with a loud voice of Thanksgivings The Lord liveth who hath brought us up from the Romish-Papaoy which is Spiritually Egypt by a mighty Deliverance and manifold preservations as this Glorious one of the immediate prevention of a dreadfull Blow by Gun-Powder But then let us say again with a louder Noise of praises that may drown the former voice The Lord liveth who hath brought us up out of the Scotch Tyranny and Scotch Presbytery which came like a Tempest from the NORTH As the husband and children of the Wise Matron say to her Proverbs 31. verse 29. Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all so may England say now to the LORD In many mercies as especially that of saving us from this bloudy Designe of the Egyptian Papacy Thou hast done Graciously and Wonderfully but this last mercy by which thou hast saved us from the Black plots and Bloudy powers of the NORTHERN PRESBYTERY hath excell'd them all Right Honourable The seed of GOD in this Nation hath had two Capital Enemies the Romish-Papacy the Scotch-Presbytery This Nation hath had a two fold Capital Deliverance from these Two Capital Enemies Now that we may rightly savour the sweetnes of Both these Deliverances that we may have a Taste of nay feast our selves upon that Good Word in my Doctrine made Good to us in our Experiences namely the LORDS keeping the Best Wine for the Last that we may answer my Text and my Application in bringing forth the Best Wine of our praises at the Last and for the last mercies I shall compare these Two Capital Enemies of Yours each with other My way of proceeding in this Comparison shall be first to shew their Agreements Secondly those Differences in which your last Enemy appears to be the Worse This will let you see how much your last Mercies are the Best and how much your Last Praises ought to be so too in answer to your Last Mercies Cautions Right Honourable and you Beloved who hear me this Day I intreat you all to take notice of the Cautions which I here interpose before I enter upon this Comparison that I may separate the vile among Principles from the precious or innocent among principles or persons I profess not at all to speak against the forme of Presbytery if considered in its simplicity in its virginity as it is meerly a way and order in which Saints have Communion with GOD and each with other according to their present light as it kisseth the golden Scepter of the Spirit submitting and subordinating it self unto the rule of that Spirit being desirous of no more no other power authority or esteem than what that Spirit shall put upon it by putting forth it self in it Much lesse would I grieve or cast contempt upon any little one among my Fathers Children any honest sanctified heart that walks in that form of Presbytery with humility and integrity believing that so it ought to worship GOD But that Presbytery which I compare with the Papacy is such as appropriateth to the Outward Form those things which pertain only to the Power of the Spirit such as by vertue of an Outward Church-form assumes a Spiritual and Civil power to it self such as out of the Golden cup of a glorious Profession makes it self drunk with the wine of Fornications with Earthly powers and interests such as takes to it self the Iron Mace of fleshly force and fury to break in pieces at pleasure Common-wealths Crownes Consciences Estates and Hearts of men Right Honorable this is that Presbytery on which those Enemies whom the LORD hath last of
is signified by Egypt to the Iews and what by their being brought up out of it Ans. This is plain in the Letter of the Scriptures and needeth no answer to those who have read Moses and his Book of Exodus 2. Question What is meant by the NORTH as to the children of Israel Answer Babylon stood NORTH to the Holyland and the Return from the Captivity at the end of the seventy years was a Bringing up of the People of GOD from the NORTH But that cannot be the Meaning here for Three Reasons 1. Reas. The Return from Babylon was not with such an out-stretched Arm with such a Glory of Miracles of the Divine Presence it was not to such a Rest as the comming up out of Egypt had been 2. Reas. The Children of Israel were not all brought back from the NORTH at that time only Two Tribes and these but in part 3. Reason My Text joyns with the bringing up of Israel from the NORTH the bringing of them from all places into which they have been scattered which was never yet done These two universalities of the Promise for all Israel and from all places remain unaccomplished to this day When GOD brought up Israel his son out of Egypt He planted him as a vineyard with a Legall Dispensation with fleshly Ordinances a Tabernacle a Temple a VVorship a Presence a Glory appertaining to these But Ieshurun waxed fat with these fleshly VVorships He kick'd the Heel against his Master that fed him his Father that brought him up He set up the Temple above the LORD of the Temple he holds up the Ordinances against him when he came who was Greater then the Ordinances and the End of them all Then did God thunder from Heaven against his Holy Things and consume them with his Lightnings Then did he scatter Israel into a Dispersion a Desolation where he wanders abides shut up without Priest or Teraphim even untill now When the Nation of the Iews was taken away Christians in the Letter immediatly succeed into their place They sit down at a Table of fleshly Ordinances They also are in snared by their Table Their Hearts grow fat their Eyes are closed up with flesh They see not to the End of the Letter and therefore cannot own the Lord that Spirit when He comes to those who are under the Letter as to his own Christians succeeding the Iews in Ordinances in Idolizings of the Letter in rejection of the Lord the life of the letter for the leter's sake succeed them also in their desolations dispersions and shall at last accompany them in their return to their everlasting rest 3. Question What Egypt signifies in the state of Christianity Answer Egypt is Sodome the Mother of fornications and Witchcraft Antichrist is Egypt and Sodome Spiritually as Iesus Christ is Goshen and Canaan the land of light of rest There are many Anti-christs but two principle ones 1. The Anti-christ to the letter 2. The Anti-christ in the letter to the Spirit 1. The Anti-christ to the letter This is like the Samaritans of old a spirit of Heathenism and profanenesse bringing forth it self into a loose profession of Christianity that it may oppose it self to the purity of holinesse according â—…o the letter and perseeute Iesus Christ in the fleshly maniâ—…estations of himself This is that spirituall Egypt which will not suffer the people of God to go forth three dayesâ—…ourney into the VVildernesse to worship on Mount Sinai 〈◊〉 the outward purity of ordinances and legall cleansings of â—…e flesh 2. The Anti-christ in the letter to the Spirit through an annoynting in the flesh with many heavenly gifts unto the illumination and sanctification of the flesh unto tasts of touches of a Spirituall a Heavenly sweetnesse and power becometh an enemy to the Heavenly substance to Jesus Christ as he is a Quickning Spirit This is that Spirituall Egypt which will not suffer the people of God to go forth free from Mount Sinai three dayes journey further through the Wildernesse through the death of Christ to worship on Mount Sion This is the Abomination of desolation set up in the Holy Place or where it ought not to be of which JESUS CHRIST speaketh It is the ordinary phrase of Scripture to call an Idol an Abomination Now this is the setting up of an Idol where it ought not to be even in the Holy place The spirituall whore cloathes her self with the ordinances of Christ she washes and bathes her self in the letter of the Scriptures untill her flesh shine with the exact purity of an outward holinesse she perfumes her self with the sweet savours of the oyntments of the spirit decks her self with the fleshly manifestations of the Heavenly Bridegroom as with Jewels When she hath done all this she shews her self for the Ierusalem above the true Mother of all the Saints she persecutes the Free-woman out of the world into the Wildernesse that she may with the more ease and quiet passe for her The lovers of this whore cry up the glory of Christ in the flesh his ordinances his outward word his appearances to his impressions on the earthly man foâ—… a pretence that they may cry down Iesus Christ as hâ—…comes in the glory of the Father as he is the new and heâ—…venly man This is the Highest Abomination being thus set up in tâ—…holie Place in the Sanctuary it self to maintain an oppâ—…sition to the invisible glory of the most Holy Place whiâ—… is within the vail As this is that highest Abomination so it brings tâ—… greatest desolation along with it It makes desolate that hâ—…ly Place those holy things in which it is set up Ordinances Qual fications Manifestations the Flesh of CHRIST the letter of the Scriptures it scatters the flock of CHRIST one from another into the Wildernesse it brings the death of JESUS CHRIST as a sign upon them it drives them out into a Cold Frozen Barren Dark Desolate state as into the Corners of the NORTH Right Honourable Twice have those Two Spirituall Egypts when you have been carryed forth from the midst of them with a mighty Arm followed you with Mighty Hosts to bring you back again into a Land of darknesse and House of Bondage Twice hath the LORD over-whelmed them in the Red Sea of their own Blood Two severall Quarrels have you had with these two Egypts Your first Quarrell with the one was for the Purity of the Letter and Ordinances against a Spirit of Profanenesse and Superstition Your second Quarrell with the other was for the freedom of the Spirit in his holy his heavenly Outgoings goings before you both as to Religion and Civill Rule against the Letter and Ordinances perversly opposed to the Spirit which is the Light Life Truth End of both Two severall Testimonies hath the LORD given on your side against your Enemies in these two quarrels as for your Enemies He hath made