is this to take vpon you to dispence with the false administrations in the ordinances of Christ thus do you runne into darke places whilst you forsake the lanterne that should light your pathes which light of truth teacheth you and all men that the baptisme of Christ is the Baptisme of amendement of life for the remission off sinnes Mark 1.4 And our Saviour Christ saith Except a man bee borne off water and off the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3. and Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neare with a true hart in assurance of faith our harts being pure from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Here is the true Baptisme set downe which is the Baptisme off amendement off life for the remission off sinnes And here is the true matter where with men must bee washed which is water and the Holie Ghost that is pure from an evill conscience and washed with water Therefore can you not devide the water and the spirit in this Baptisme Christ hath ioyned them together and he that denies washing or is not washed with the spirit is not baptized and hee that denies washing or is not washed with water is not Baptized because wee see the Baptisme of Christ is to bee washed with water and the Holie Ghost And to take away a subtile exception if a man bee in prison or anie place and bee coÌ„verted to the lord aÌ„d would be baptized with water but cannot he is accepted with God who accepts the will for the deed 2. Cor. 8.12 and herein is the Lords mercie equal with his iustice for if a mans hart consent to evil he is giâ—â—ie before the Lord although he do it not Mat. 5.27.28 Thus much to discover the great deceitfullnes off your waie in the first respect of your false distinction wherein you would prove onelie the essential matter water and washing with water and words he essential forme Wee passe by your forme of words because wee thinke you wil not stand vpon it in that you see there is no certen forme of words held Act. 10 48. and 19.5 And take this with you to consider of that if there were anie truth in your distinction and respect then were anie washing with water with those words the true matter and forme of Christs Baptisme and so if one Child baptized another with water and those words it is true baptisme in that respect and let that Child come aÌ„d ioyne to you ad you can make it good in al respects Passe not these things over as you have done for you are not able to answere them with anie true vnderstanding from Gods word and so wee come to your second respect Secondly you say baptisme is to be considered clothed with such appurtenances as wherewith the Lord hath appointed it to bee administred as for example a lawful person by whome a right subiect vpon which a true Comunion wherein it is to bee administred dispenced in which regard you say you do not approve it to bee true Baptisme either in Rome or England If darkest error did not possesse your hart you could never have written such thinges but that wee knowe your stifnes in your false waies wee should pittie to point out your palpable ignorance in these thinges did ever man of anie vnderstanding in religion write thus You are lighter then vanitie herein Will anie man that hath anie knowledg of God bee so blind as not to see how the spirit of error doth lead you to iustifie that a baptisme where there is neither the spirit off God lawful minister right subiect nor true comunioÌ„ is the true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in the essential parts thereof Hath the like ignorance appeared in these daies esspecially amongst men that will â—rie out for proofe by Scripture in all things If this your ground were true then a Turk baptizing a Turk with water and those words in anie assemblie whatsoever is the true Baptisme of Christ in the essential parts thereof see what rocks you runne vpon whilst you forsake the waie of truth it may now appeare no marvil though you would have baptisme to bee nakedlie considered you have made a most naked baptisme and ordinance of Christ of it First where there is no spirit of God no lawful minister no right partie to bee baptized no true comunion it may wil be called a naked baptisme and you a naked man of al grace and godlie vnderstanding to maintaine it for a true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in anie respect If al this wil not serve to convince you wee will yet smite you with the rod of froÌ„ aÌ„d breake you like the potters vessel in this point You professe and acknowledg that Baptisme comes in the fâ—ead off Circumcision then let all men iudg whether if Circumcision being administred by an vnlawfull person vpon no right subiect and in no true Comunion could ever have beene approved for the true ordinance of God in the essential causes thereoff and whether one so Circumcised could vpon anie conditioÌ„s have bene admitted to the passover you wil we hope be destitute of al devices to aÌ„swere this al those that are anie waie indifferent betwixt you and vs wil see your great error herein that iff a Babilonian had circumcised a Babilonian in their babilonish assemblies that Circumcision had not bene in anie respect the Ordinance of God and such a one could vpon no condition have bene admitted to the passover by that Circumcision Now to shew that you hold England Babilon in your booke throughout it appeares but wee especiallie hold you to these Pag. 277. and 338. where you affirme that Rome and England were never within the covenant of God as Iudah was So have you debarred your selff from bringing your circumcision and so your baptisme from Apostate Israel and therefore you must hold your selfe to this to prove circumcision administred in BabiloÌ„ by an vnlawful person vpon a wronge subiect and in no true Comunion you must prove such a circumcision the Ordinance of God in anie respect aÌ„d that one so circumcised might bee admitted to the passover prove this and wee will confesse that your skill is above all mens herein and Ezra and Nehemiah shall bee reproved off you for causing the people to put away the Children that were borne off the straing Wives in Babilon Ezra 10.3 Nehem. 13.23.24.25 Off whome if you make question whether they were circumcised you cavell without cullor for then had the Israelites bene giltie of the breach of the Lords covenant whereby they were commaunded to circumcise all their males in their houshould But wee will leave you to prove your Babilonian Circumcision to bee in anie respect the Ordinance off God and prove it by Scripture and by sound reasoning from the ground off Scripture and not by Lodgick and Naturall Philosophie shewing things in nature to bee true which will not in Spirit bee proved true And thus do you deceive
in hand let it bee truely observed whether those that are off the Romish profession servants of the first beast coming in question before this Hyrarchy have not found much more favour then those that have stood most for reformation and hath there not beene gnashing of teeth and gnawing off tongues with al extreame perversnes and contempt against the one when there hath bene good myld and eeven carriage towards the other Which good carriage towards them wee disaprove not nor envye not but could wish that the holesome word of doctrine withall the cords off love were applied and vsed vnto them for their information and drawing them from their blind errors But wee mention it to this end to shew what vprightnes there can bee to God or the King in this For first it is not possible but this whole Hyrarchy wil confesse that those which seeke reformation have much more light of truth and gifts of knowledg for the building vp of a people vnto God then the other and that the first and they are al of one iudgment concerning the doctrines off the Scriptures in the foundamental points of Religion as they speake and yet there is no comparison betwixt their pacient enduring them of the Romish professioÌ„ aÌ„d there impacieÌ„t not enduring of the other is this vprightnes to God Secondly touching the King and State the ChildreÌ„ in the streets knowe the treachery and infidelitie that hath beene found in divers of the one profession aÌ„d they themselves knowe the ever vntouched fidelitie of the other what vprightnes is this to the King and State the evident reason of this may appeare vnto the wise and may not this appeare to beâ— it That the Romish profession is but cheifly an enemy to the Kingdome of Christ and but dangerous in some of them to the Kingdome of the King approving of ArchBishops and Lord Bishops and could wiâ—h they were Cardinals But those of al sorts that seeke reformation are most cheifest enimies to the Kingdome off ArchBishops and LordBishops and would have them humble and faithfull Pastors to feed the fâ—oth and therefore in no wise are to bee suffered how true soever they bee to God and their King And doth not all this shewe the affinitie and nearnes betwixt the first and second Beast But least anie should stumble at this part of the prophesie Revel 13. vers 12. Where it is spoken that the second Beast causeth the Earth and them that dwel therein to worship the first Beast and therefore the Romish Beast being the first this Hyâ—archy cannot bee the second in that it doâ—h not cause men to worship the Pope off Rome Wee pray it may be observed how that it is shewed 2. Thess 2.7.9.10 That the mistery of iniquitie is a working power of sathan which working power according to the degrees there of is set furth vnto vs in the booke of the Revel after divers maners aÌ„d discribed vnto vs in divers shapes or similitudes aÌ„d named vnto vs after divers names and in the hight off the exaltation thereof this power is set furth aÌ„d discribed vnto vs vnder the two names and similitudes of the first and second Beast both which exercising one power though in divers likenesses do bring al both smale aÌ„d great vnder the subiection of that one power both their harts being set to do mischief talking of deceipt at one table Dan. 11.27 And so doth the second beast cause al to worship the first in that it is al one power building vp one kingdome And the Popes person is not the mistery of iniquitie for then when the Pope were dead the mistery off iniquitie and the Beast were dead vntil another Pope were set vp and iff the Popes person were the man off sinne then the Lord by the spirit off his moueth should abolish and consume the Popes person but there is no such prophesie of scripture And then should the prophesies of the fal off Babylon bee vnderstood off the overthrowe and consumeing of the earthen or stone wals and timber houses off a Citie But this were too carnal an vnderstanding to conceive that the spirit off Gods mouth which shal consume the man off sinne spoken off 2. Thes 2. and shal shake in sunder the Citie which spiritually is called Sodom Egypt It were to carnal to vnderstaÌ„d this to be of earthly houses and Cities aÌ„d fleshly persons they are not the matter aÌ„d substance that shal be abolished by the brigtnes of this his comeing here spokeÌ„ off as we doubt not but wil easily appeare to the wise though some have bene and are much mistaken herein And that we may come to the true vnderstanding of this part of the prophesie Chap. 13. vers 13. And he did great wonders speaking of the second Beast so that he made fire come downe from heaven in the sight off men And to see how it is fulfilled in the second Beast wee must remember as we have formerly said that this is a spiritual prophesie of a spirituall mistery of iniquitie which none may deny and then doth it appeare that these wonders wrought by makeing fire come downe froÌ„ heaven are lying spiritual wonders and the fire is a false spiritual fire The which even as the true spiritual fire which is the holy Ghost doth truly worke woÌ„derful powerfully vpoÌ„ the harts and affections of them that beleeve the truth even so this false fire which is the spirit and power off Sathan doth worke effectually vpon the harts and affections off those that receive not the love off the truth and that after a wonderful manner off deceivablenes off vnrighteousnes so that men are strongly perswaded and beleeve that it is the true Fire from heaven even the spirit off God And this Fire hath the Hyrarchy off ArchBishops and Lord-Bishops made come downe from heaven especially in their former times when men had their word and power with their praier booke and al their Cathedral abhominatious in such admiration and with such zeale were affected vnto them and as yet some are to this day zealously perswaded off the holines and goodly order off these things al which in the Beast that hath two hornes like the Lambe made such a glorious shewe being compared to the former thinges as men were ravished in their spirits and thought and yet some fewe do thinke that their harts and affections were kindled with fire from heaveÌ„ By this false fire which is by an effectual working power in al deceivablenes of vnrighteousnes even hereby hath and doth the first and second Beast worke all their signes and lying wonders and whilst men through great ignorance have and do looke for some straing seights from heaven to knowe the two Beasts by their harts have bene are with the pleasures of vnrighteousnes stolne away This can all that are of anie vnderstanding who now remaine vnder the power of the second Beast easily discerne how by a wonderful fiery blind zeale all those that
seing they iustifie themselves in them and say they sinne not therefore their sinne remaineth and cannot bee taken away by Christ As for example You all iustifie the baptizing of infants now when you repent of all your sinnes of ignorance have you anie thoughts to repent of that and if you were asked would you not with your last breath iustify that you have done wel therein and that the baptizing off Infants is a holy ordinance of Christ but if it be no ordinance of Christ and that you sinne therein cā you be so simple as to imagine that this sinne shall come within your general repentance Wherein you blesse and iustifie your selves You can no more bee forgiven at Gods hands then they that ignorātly set vp a false Christ ād iustify him to be the true Christ or thē they that put the true Christ to death and iustify he is a false Christ We know your answere in this willbee that if you could see it to be your sinne to baptize infants and to mainteyne it to bee a holy ordinance off God you would repent of it but before you cannot wil not God answere you that when hee can see you repent he wil forgive you but before he cannot Ezek. 18.21.27 Wil not the Pope make the same answere for al the bloody persecutions wherewith he hath and doth persecute al Protestants so called Wil not the lord Bishop make this answere for all their wicked and cruel persecutions against the Puritanes ād Brownists so caled but shal they be pardoned they iustifying thēselves in al these wickednesses wherein they think they doe God service because they repent of al their sinnes of ignorance whereof they iustifie these to bee none wil God pardon thē in al this their wickednes because they cannot see it to be their sinne You al wil grant they cannot be pardoned of these sinnes they iustifying themselves therein neither can anie be pardoned of anie sinne they iustifying themselves therein If this were duely considered it would make men take heed what they professe or practice in the profession of Christ seeing if they professe or practice anie thinge that is not according to the word of God and iustifie it for good they must perish and cannot be saved it stands therefore al men vpon the peril of their soules to looke to their waies and to bee vpon a sure ground from Gods word what they condemne for evil or error ād what they mainteyne and iustifie for truth for if they that iustifie the wicked they that condemne the iust be an abhomination vnto the Lord. Pro. 17.15 Then they that iustifie error and wickednes and condemne truth and righteousnes calling light darknes darknes light such must needs bee an abhomination to the Lord. If al the learned Scribes and Pharisies and false Prophets in the world had harts to beleeve this and confesse it it would make them take heed what they iustified for truth ād what they condēned for error and how they taught others to do so If al the careles professors of Christ that professe him in word would beleeve this word of the lord to bee true it would make them looke more circumspectly to their waies and not thinke that anie profession of Christ is sufficient and that they may professe Christ after that manner that is best pleasing to their owne mynds makeing the way large that they may walke therein at liberty according to the vanity and excesse of their owne harts If the simple harted who in manie things are weyued from the world and who have manie zealous disires in them did faithfully beleeve the Lord herein that if they iustifie anie false waies vntruth or error and condemne anie way off light and truth their sinne remaineth they are an abhomination to the Lord if they did beleeve God herein it would make them take heed how they went on in their ignorant zeale being led by their Teachers approving and iustifying what they teach thē and disapproveing and condemning what they reach them to disaprove and condemne Forsakeing the teaching off Gods Spirit not thinking it possible for themselves to attayne to the vnderstanding off the Scriptures but by the teaching of their learned and good men as they falsely cal them but if they did beleeve this word off the Lord that they must perish if they iustifie anie one error or false way and condemne anie one truth it would make them with feare and trembling to seeke wisedome knowledg and vnderstanding of God that they being taught off God might bee able of themselves by the helpe of the holy Spirit the onely true Teacher and leader into all truth to discerne and iudg betwixt good and evil light and darknes truth and error least they relying vpon men be seduced and led to iustifie false waies and condemne the way of truth in anie perticuler and so fal vnder the iust iudgment off the Lord evē the iudgment of eternal death and condemnation a right recōpence of reward for al that wil of ignorant simplicity out of their good meanings ād zealous affectiōs falsly so called submit themselves to be led ād taught onely of men seeking for knowledg at their mouthes ād not wholly depēding vpō the scriptures for instruction and the spirit of God to teach thē the vnderstanding thereof neclecting of faith the reading and searching and meditating of the scriptures day and night and earnest praying without doubting that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisedome to direct thē to the true vnderstanding ād meaning of God in the Scriptures that they might be able if an Angell frō heaven should come and teach them anie other doctrine then Christ and his Apostles hath taught to iudg him accursed when this way shal be once truely learned ād faithfully practized of Gods people to attayne to true knowledg then shal all that seeke after Christ strive to enter into his kingdome by regeneration and new birth being borne againe of water the Holy Ghost then shal men learne to knowe the true baptisme of Christ which is the baptisme of repētāce for the remission off sinnes and be therewith Baptized and put on Christ and not satisfie themselves with childish baptisme in which baptisme they have not nor could not put on Christ and without which baptisme of repentance for the remissiō of sinnes they cannot put on Christ and then shal the elect of God not be deceived by the multitude of false Prophetts with al their lying wonders that say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but they shal take heed to the glorious brightnes of his coming which shal be in the shining light of his truth vnto the which the chosen of God shal flie ād come from far as Eagles to their pray And to this clere light of truth the Lord that hath bought you all with his blood raise vp your harts that you may seeke his face and be filled with the fulnes of his presence
is that wee may but try the power of these called Spirituall Lords and that by earthly power they may not force men to yeild vnto their spirituall aucthority How can it but seeme equall in the Kings seight that spirituall lords should have no more spirituall authority then they can gett and mainteyne by spiritual power And if the Hyrarchy themselves thinke it vnequall that the doctrine of their power should be tryed be not most willing ready therevnto but shall by pollicie secret intimations shift it of then shall our lord the K. that is wise easily deserne that their deeds are evill and they hate the light neither cometh to the light least their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 But they that do truth come to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Thus shal our lord the King all the world have a ful tryall of them whether their deeds are wrought according to God or no for if they will now come to the light of Gods word in the sight of all men and manifest their deeds to be wrought according to God then have they approved them selves but if they do not then hath our Saviour Christ here condemned thē with his owne mouth and let our lord the King also condemne them in his owne wisedome Shall wee need to be importunate with our lord the King in this cause of his poore people which concernes the condemnation of all their soules what need wee seeing our lord the King knowes that a King that iudgeth the cause of the poore rightly his throne shal be established for ever Pro. 20.14 Then let our lord the King here the cause of the poore and the rather in that the Kings most noble Predecessor hath before iustly adiudged the same cause and freed his people so far of the bondage wherein they were King Henry the 8. that Prince of great renowne freed his people from the bondage of the first Beast especially in these two great and maine perticulers in causing the scriptures to be set over and printed for the people in their owne language that so they might heare the word with their owne eares and also that their worship should be in their owne tongue that they might speake to God with theyr owne tongue and not in a straing tongue as they did Let heaven and earth iudg and let our lord the K. iudg let all the Kings people iudg whether this was not the depth of all darknes when men might not knowe what God speake vnto them nor knowe in their publique worship what they speake vnto God Let our lord the K. iudg whether ever there was such spirituall cruelty vpon the earth when the poore people of God for whome Christ died were debarred from the presence of God in their publique worship might neither heare god nor speake to God with their owne outward cares tongues but as the Ministers of the mā of sinne appointed and in astraing tongue as they taught them Wee knowe our lord the K. doth see that heere the abomination of desolation was set vp in the high places as also that the Corpes of the two witnesses of God prophesed of Reuel 11.8 which are the word and spirit of God lay dead in the streets of that great Citie there being no true vse at all of them and the people being deprived of the life of them for the word was a dead letter vnto them and the spirit a dead spirit The Kings predecessor of famous renowme thus freed his people from that bondage of the first Beast but there is risen vp a second Beast which exerciseth the power of the first Beast and now our lord he Kings people cry vnto the King with the sighes and groanes of their spirits and would cry also with a lowd voyce but for feare of the Beast and humbly besech the King that he would put too his helping hand to free his people from the bondage of the second Beast that their soules may not perish to everlasting perdition which all must do which are vnder the bondage of the same and so continewe And now let the King heare with an eare of compassion and see with an eie of pittie the cruell spirituall bondage that his poore people are kept vnder by the second Beast in these perticulers The Kings people have the word in their owne language and may pray in their owne tongue But they must not vnderstand the word but as the Lord Bishops will have it vnderstood and they must not pray nor administer in the holy things but as they appoint Now let the King with a godly wise hart consider in what woefull Spirituall bondage Gods people and the Kings are kept by this Hyrarchy Now plainely would our lord the King see the cruell Spirituall tyrany hereof if the King would make it but his owne cause Would not the King thinke it a must cruell tyranny if the King should be by force compelled to vnderstand and beleeve the scriptures as the Hyrarchy of Rome would have him And to worship God and administer in the holy thinges as that Hyrarchy would appoint And if the King would not so do that then that Hyrarchy should have power to put the King in prison and if that would not serve the turne to procure or cause the Kings life to be taken from him or at least to banish the King from his Kingdome nation would not our lord the K. thinke this great tyrany cruell bondage Wee knowe the King would for which cause the K. and his predecessors have cast of this bondage Then let the King see that the Kings people are vnder this same bondage for if they will not vnderstand the scriptures and worship God as the Hyrarchy of Arch. Bs. and lord Bs. comaund appoint they straight send a pursivant apprehēd them by violence and force imprison them sometimes divers yeres manie times not suffering so much as their wives to come at them and if their lives cannot be gotten then procure their exile or banishment The lord give the King a hart to pittie his people herein the King is ignorant of these dealings and none dare tell the King thereof the Prelacy have bene so mighty and so cruell And will it please the King to veiwe the cause of his people being true and faithfull subiects yet further what doth it profitt the Kings people to have the word of God to heare and read it seeing they are debarred of the spirit of God to vnderstand it but according to private interpretation by the the lord B. as though they had the spirit and could not err Oh that our lord the King that is a man of excellent wisedome would but bēd his wisedome to behold how that herin wherein the whole power of the Beast consists this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. doth nothing differ from the first Beast for the first Beast kepes both the word and spirit
cruelty thereof executed by the Ks. power whereby they make our lord the K. gilty of all the imprisoment banishment persecution which by the Kings power they impose vpon all the faithfull subiects of the King who with stād their abhominations But aboue all let our the King for the glory of God and for the salvation of the Kings owne soule suffer vs the Kings servants thus far to prevaile with the King that our Lord the King would but search the scriptures whereby the K. knowes he must be directed if he wil be saved and let the King see with his owne eie what showe of warrant can be found that the King should take vnto himself power to Elect Bishops Oh wee beseech the King that the successive possession and the goodly apparence of this power may nothinge sway with our lord the King herein but let the King set before his eies the worthy recorded remembrance by the spirit of God of Cyrus King of Persia who brought furth the vessells of the house of the lord which Nabuchadnezzer had taken out of Ierusalem had put them in the house of his God Ezra 1.7.11 Not regarding the monuments of his predecessors great cōquest nor the dispoyling of his Gods of such bewtifull ornaments nor the departing with treasure of so great value All these respects could not hinder this King for restoring the vessells of the house of the Lord. Let our lord the K. be no lesse mynded to the house Church of God but let our lord the King freely restore at once to the Church and house of God the whole glorious power of Christ the onely King thereof and perticulerly that most bewtifull ornament of Election and ordination of the Bishops and deacons thereof who ought to be elected ordeyned according to the rule of the holy ghost Act. 14.23 6.3 and who ought to be qualified withall and every one of those gifts and graces set downe vp Th-appostle 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. yea their wives childrē also or els it is grevious iniquity to chuse them And who must onely by their Office beare those names titles which the holy ghost hath given them and lead or rule by that power which Christ hath appointed and by those lawes and ordinances and live by those maintenāces if they stand need And will our lord the King change all these and manie mo lawes statutes and ordinances which Christ Iesus the mediator and King of the new Testament hath appointed and ordeyned in his Church Will the King take this power to himself to Elect in such manner and such men as the King thinkes good And give names titles and power such as best pleaseth the King Hath Iesus-Christ with his blood purchased to himself this honor to be the head of his Church Ephes 5. And hath he shewed himself a faithfilll Mediator And hath he bene accounted worthy of more glory then Moses And hath he builded his owne house himself Heb. 3. And shall he be dispoyled of all his honor And will our lord the King be entised by evill men to enter vpon the inheritance of the Sonne of God in appointing and by the Kings power suffering to be appointed Lords and lawes in and over the house of God which are not according to the patterne Which lords because Christ is not their buckler nor faith their sheild nor the sword of the spirit the weapon of their warfare they have deceitfully seduced our lord the King bringing themselves vnder his protection for their defence and getting the Ks. sword into their hands to destroy all that speake or write against them preferring their owne Kingdome before either Christs Kingdome or the kingdome State of our lord the King as wee have already shewed vnto the King in that they with such loveing patience suffer and permitt so manie thousands of Romists who by their profession and the practices of some of them are dangerously opposite to the Kingdome of Christ and to the King and State But these Lords Bs. Cannot in anie wise endure one that doth faithfully seeke for reformation because such are onely adversaries to their kingdome Wee still pray our lord the King that wee may be free from suspect for haveing anie thoughts of provoking evill against them of the Romish religion in regard of their profession if they be true faithfull subiects to the King for wee do freely professe that our lord the King hath no more power over their consciences then over ours and that is none at all for our lord the King is but an earthly King and he hath no aucthority as a King but in earthly causes and if the Kings people be obedient true subiects obeying all humane lawes made by the King our lord the King can require no more for mens religion to God is betwixt God and themselves the King shall not answere for it neither may the King be iugd betwene God and man Let them be heretikes Turcks Iewes or what soever it apperteynes not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure This is made evident to our lord the King by the scriptures When Paul was brought before Gallio deputie of Achaia and accused of the Iewes for persuading men to worship God contrary to the law Gallio said vnto the Iewes if it were a matter of wronge or an evill deed o ye Iewes I would according to right mainteyne you he drave them from the iudgment seat Act. 18.12.17 shewing them that matters of wrong and evill deeds which were betwixt man man apperteyned onely to the iudgment seat and not questions of religion The like is shewed by the Twne clerke of Ephesus in Act. 19.38.39 And further Paul being in like case accused of manie thinges Act. 24. in the 25. chap. he appeales to Cesars iudgment seat where he saith he ought to be judged approveing and justifieing thereby that Cesars power judgment seat was the holy Ordināce of God and our Saviour Christ is himself obedient therevnto comaunds teacheth his Disciples obedience but this judgment seat power which was of God had nothinge to do in the causes of the Religion of God as our lord the King may see for if it had then could not our Saviour Christ have comaunded obedience therevnto but he must have vtterly overthrowne his owne kingdome and power Neither could Th'appostle Paul have said he ought to be judged at Cesars judgment seat if Cesar had or might have judged in causes of Religion to God for then had he vtterly overthrowne the Office of his Appostle-ship and then had he submitted his Appostle-ship wholy to the judgment of Cesar and so had the power and aucthority of it bene altogether destroyed made of no effect which might in no wise be Now let our lord the K. whose honor it is wisely to judg in thinges that differ judg whether there be in these daies anie other earthly power or anie other spirituall power
of God did ever by example practice nor by rule comaund nor give power that anie should be compelled by anie bodily punishment to obey their lawes and Ordinances which were infalibly true holy and good How much lesse ought our lord the King to comaund or give a power to Arch-Bs lord Bs. men full of the spirit of error to make lawes Canons with aucthority from the King to compell by imprisoment sharpe persecutions the Kings true subiects and people of God vnto the obediente thereof who for their religion to God although they be contrary mynded to the K. therein ought not seeing they deserue not to be punished either with death or bonds this is cōfirmed to the K. by the testimony of King Agrippa and noble Festus the governor who adiuged Paul to have done nothing worthy of death or bonds but that he might have bene loosed if he had not appealed to Cesar yet Paul was contrary mynded to Cesar to the jewes in his religion to God But they iudged him by the lawe of Nations by the power of which law the Kings of the nations are to rule judg according to their owne severall lawes against which law Paul had not transgressed for his cause was concerning the faith of Iesus Christ which could not be judged by that law And let our lord the King give his servants leave to comend this to the Kings best observatiō which is worthy to be observed that where soever in the new testament throughout the professors of the faith of Iesus were adiudged by earthly rulers Governors for anie thinge that they did or held of conscience to God of faith to Iesus Christ if earthly Rulers and Gouernors tooke the cause in hand by their power the iudgment was alwaes wicked and abhominable And if our lord the King will but begin his obseruation at the fore-runner of Christ Iohn Baptist whome Herod put in prisō and beheaded And then let the King come to Iesus Christ whome they iudged and crucified finding no evill he had done And so if it please the K. to looke throughout the whole booke of the Act. there the King knowes how the disciples of Christ were imprisoned threatned beaten stoned The made Saul hauock with his letters of Comission and entred into every house and drew out both men wemen and put them in prison Then Herod stretched furth his hand and vexed certen of the Church and Killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and Caught Peter and put him in prison Then were Paul and Sylas taken at Philippi by the Gouernors and people and were sore beaten cast into prison and the Iailer comaunded to kepe them surey being charged to preach Ordinances which were not lawfull for the Romans to receive nor observe Here may our lord the King see a true patterne how the people of God are persecuted when the Civill power doth iudg their cause of their faith and profession in their religion to God Thus have worldly Gouernors delt with the Church of Christ when the disciples fell vnder their censure for their faith to God And all these sentences of death bonds and persecutions the King can iugd to be vniust and vnlaw full in that these Rulers and Gouernors had no lawfull power nor aucthority to iudg Christ nor his disciples for matters of faith they being in all other thinges obedient to their lawes But men wil say all this is answered in one word They were heathen Rulers Now if our lord the K. will challeng a Prerogative or power becaus he professeth Christ then let it be lawfull for the King servants to tell the King that it he will professe to be a disciple of Christ that gives the King no power to do anie of all these thinges to imprison to banish to put to death that belongs onely to his earthly Kingdome for Christ and Appostles had no such power given them neither taught they the disciples to take vpon them anie such power and to execute it vpon the contrary mynded but taught them the cōtrary to instruct thē with meeknes and by preaching the word seeke their conversion with all long suffering and not to destroy them by severe punishments yea the disciples of Christ must wait and labor for the grafting in againe of the Iewes according to the prophesies of the scriptures Rom. 11.24.27 and therefore the King knowes they may not be destroyed although they be the greatest enimies of Christ that are vpon the earth and have and yet do cast the greatest reproach and contempt vpon Christ with such words as are most fearfull to vtter yet must the disciples of Christ wait for their conversion and not worke their destruction And let our lord the King call to mynd how the Appostle Paul teacheth all the disciples of Christ to be mynded towards all infidells Rom. 1. 14.15 where he saith Iam debter both to the Grecian and to the Barbarian both to the wise and to the vn wise And the same Appostle 1. Cor. 9.20.21.22 saith To the Iewes I become as a Iew to them that are vnder the law as though I were vnder the law to them that are without the law as though I were without the law to the weake I become as weake that I may wīne the weake I am made saith Th-appostle all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes save some All these instructions and directions are for our lord the King to direct the King how he should go in and out with holines all meeknes before his people to wynne them to Christ and not to set vp a Cruell Hyrarchy to make havock of the K. people as Saul did pulling them out of their houses both men and wemen casting them into prisons forceing them to flee the land and persecuting them with all cruelty May the King suffer all this to be done by his power vpon this ground of being a Christian King the Kings servants shewe the King yet once againe in all humility that Christ the King did not so himself he never appointed to be punished anie one man for desobeing his Gospell with the least bodily punishment And therefore wee instantly exhort our lord the King that the King would be no longer seduced by those most dangerous deceivers that have gottē the Kings power to punish those that Christ the King of Israell would not punish that persuade the King that the King hath the same power in the Kingdome and over the house and people of Christ that the Kings of Israell had in that Kingdome and over that house and people of God as it was the Church of God Wee according to our great weaknes have shewed to our lord the King before that the King cannot challeng that power meaning onely in respect of Religion And wee will by the Kings favour repeat the substāce of the whole ground in few words and wee beseech the King that wee may the rather do
the new Testament which he hath purchased sealed vnto vs with his blood to stand for a law of Election and Ordination for ever vnto which who soever addeth or taketh away either in word or action by Doctrine or example the Lord will add vnto them all his judgments and take away all his mercies Reuel 22.18.19 You being thus by the word of truth all declared and proved to be false Prophetts not haveing entred into the shepefold by the dore it must needs follow according to the words of the Lord that all the great signes and wonders that you shew in this your false ministery are lying signes and wonders Let it not be grevious vnto you to heare of these thinges whereby to provoake you to wrath but let it be grevious to you that you thus sinne and so be provoaked to indignation against your selves that you may come to repentance Here is all your Zeale of wonder and signes of so great fervency whereby you worke vpon the blind consciences and ignorant affections of the simple deceaved soules proved to be false and deceaveable all your fire wherewith you kindle the harts of men and seduce simple woemen makeing them beleeve you have brought it from heaven all this is but the false enlightning and heat of a false spirit even of that spirit which your spirituall Lord breathed vpon you when you kneeled on your knees before him and he laid his hands vpon you and most blasphemously even in the high dishonor of the spirit of grace bad you receive the holy ghost by and in the power of this spirit do you preach and pray and do all your great wonders and other spirit have you none for this is the spirit to which you have submitted and by this spirit onely are you sent and therefore are you all false Propheets and you have not the spirit of God abiding in you ye are gone out of the way ye have caused manie to fall ye have broken the Covenant of levi in that you are admitted to the Order of Priesthood by the Man of sinne who is an adversary against God to whose blasphemous consecrating of Preists directly contrary and opposite to the holy established ordinance of Iesus Christ in the Gospell â— the spirit of God can give no approbation 〈◊〉 neither admitt of such to be the Prophetts of God that have not entred by Christ the true doore and way but have entred by him that sitts as God in the Temple of God but adiudgeth you all to be false Prophetts Leave of therefore your great daies of humiliation by fasting and praier wherein sometymes you make the people to Cover the Alter with teares and whereby some of you have taken vpon you to cast out manie Devills goeing on to the hight in shewing signes and lying wonders to deceave if it were possible the very Elect according to the prophesie of Christ which is thus fulfilled in you Kindle fire vpon the alter of the Lord no more in vaine the Lord hath no pleasure in you neither will accept an Offering at your hand but will curse you as deceavers who vow a holy Offering but bring a Corrupt Sacrifice vnto the Lord Mala. 1.14 and all this you do and shall do so long as you serve in your Office and Ministery received by the power and authority of the Man of sinne contrary to the holy Ordinance of Election and ordination appointed by Christ in the new Testament And now al these thinges we dare not but thinke you have done and do through ignorance Amend your lives therefore and turne that these your great and grevious sinnes may be put away when the time off refreshing shal come from the presence of the Lord. And take heed both you and al the people that do with such admiration runne after you as wee our selves have done wee speake it to our owne shame take heed least that now your ignoraÌ„t zeale and fiery spirits of error wherewith you have enflamed the harts off the simple being discovered take heed least you boyle in great heat gnawe your tongues for sorrow blaspheme the God of heaven for your paines for your sores repent not of your works as is prophesied men shal do Revel 16 9-11 From which hiest measure off sinne the Lord for his Christs sake deliver you and through Gods grace wee wil hope better thinges off you which the Lord grant we may find in you for the Lord knowes our vnfained harts disire is that you might al be saved And we exhort the people off God no longer to harken to the voice off straingers but that they flee from them according to the Counsel of our Saviour Iesus Christ Ioh. 10.5 And let the people see with their owne eies how you have al shewed your selves to bee hirelings which are not the Shepherds neither the sheepe are your owne in that seing the wolfe coming you have fledd and left the sheepe nay manie of you even of those that are accounted most faithful and holy have and do go your selves and lead Your flocks to heare the voice of strangers that are set vp and stand vp in that Office and publique place which you challeng for your owne and are glad your selves to preach in corners Others of you make a secret composition with the Hyrarchy which you professe to abhor and then heir some wretched maÌ„ vnder you to surplice aÌ„d crosse and sinne for you Oh how hateful and abhominable are the works off darknes of this kind which are done off you in the light and al this vnder a great seeming shew off holines but is meere hypocrisie aÌ„d dissimuâ—ation because you are hirelings and not good shepeherds who would lay downe their lives for their sheepe rather then lead them into the hand of the destroyer and if you deny them to bee theeves and robbers that come into your places aÌ„d are made pastors over your flocks against your wils and against the mynd off the flock then must you needs acknowledg them true shepeherds over the flock and that they have come in by the doore aÌ„d acknowledg your selves iustly thrust out seeing you in your iudgments hold but one Pastor over a flock Wee wil not follow you in these perticulers except further occation be offered But remember how you compare your fellow Preists to Circumcellions or Fryers goeing vp and downe with the bishops bulls like beggers to see where they can get entertainment and see not al this while your selves yea some of your cheife spirits for working lying wonders stand in the market place to be hired from the East to the west aÌ„d to be transported froÌ„ North to South wheresoever you can get a good Towne pulpit or a privileged Chappel a great Chamber or dyning parlor to administer in how prophane soever the Towne or houshold be you wil not let to make theÌ„ all partakers of the holy thinges at first before you knowe your shepe or your shepe knowe you contrary to
comparisons to the capacitie of man shewe and declare the power and love of Christ over and to his church and the subiection that the Church is to yeild to him in everie thinge which subiection seeing your church wil not yeild to Christ but denies him the whole power off Goverment over it Christ cannot be head off such a Church neither can your Church bee his bodie for everie bodie is guided and Governed by it owne head and none of aâ— you that are members off that bodie are members of the bodie of Christ But the spiritual lord Arch Bishop and Lord Bishop are head of your Church in that it is in subiection to theÌ„ in everie thinge as you well knowe and therefore is it their bodie for everie head hath it owne bodie and you al are members of their bodie whereof Christ is not the Saviour but he is the Saviour of his owne body which is his Church whereof he is head Ephes 5.23 The God of grace give you grace to consider your feareful estates and standings herein and deliver you froÌ„ that daÌ„gerous delightful securitie wherewiâ—h your harts are so overipred all your sences and affections being bewitched aÌ„d ravished by that ware of Gold Silver al excellent mettales of pearles al precious stones of silke scarlet al costly vestures of vessels of yvory and of al most precious wood off Cinamon and odours and oyntments frankincense and Wyne and Oyle and fyne floure and wheat and Beasts and Sheepe and Horses and Charetts and Servants and Soules of Men and Apples that your Soules lust after All these things hath the Holie Ghost set downe most larglie Revel 18. to discover the deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes in al the precious delightful sweet and pleasant spiritual baites and snares that are in that your glorious professioÌ„ of Puritanisme whereby your soules are bewitched and ravished as also in al other professions amongst those people that are the waters wherevpon the woman arayed in purple and Scarlet doth sit Revel 17. Of which people you are in that you are in subiection vnto the power of the Beast and his image and therefore are al your sacrifices oblations aÌ„d incense in vaine your Prophesieings or preachings your praiers and praisings of God are an abhomination vnto the Lord your silver is become drosse your wine is mixt with water The Lord hath covered you with a spirit of flumber and hath shut vp your eies Your Prophets and your cheife Seers hath he covered because you come neare vnto him with your mouth and honor him with your lips in calling Christ your King but you have taken Goverment from his shoulder who is called wonderful Councellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the increase of whose government peace shal have no end Esa 9.6.7 and here doth the Prophet shewe likewise that he sits vpoÌ„ Davids throne vpon his Kingdome to order it but al this power you give vnto your strange Lords and yet you crie and say that Christ is your King Thus do you flatter with your lips dissemble with your tongues and your waies are not vpright before the Lord. What might we say to provoake you to set your harts to seeke the lord and to turne your feet to walke in his pathes and your eares to harken to his voice which seing you wil al with earnestnes professe to do do it with faithfulnes and cast away al ignorant hipocrisie and now that the abhomination of desolatioÌ„ is set vp before your eies heare this voice of the lord flee into the mountaines aÌ„d Come out of hir my people and turne not back to that which is left behind Remeber Lots wife Math. 24.15.16 Revel 18.4 Luk. 17.31.32 Wee will vse no more reasons to prove you are not come out of Babilon but you owne confessioÌ„ shal witnes against you in that you daylie complaine of your bondage therefore you may see you are in the house of bondage but there is no bondage in the house off God where the Children off the free Woman standfast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free Galat. 4.31 and 5.1 Why are you then stil in bondage vnder all those Ceremoniall Traditions which you say your soules abhor iff you be off those that Christ hath made free Shall we intreat you with Godlie advisednes to consider what the bondage is and see how you looke to bee delivered is not your bondage you complaine off a spirituall bondage in that you are restrained of spiritual libertie in the holie things Haveing Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Canons pressed vpon you which of Conscience you cannot obey so is it plaine your bondage is spiritual And how would you bee delivered from your spiritual bondage aÌ„d who should bee your deliverer Can you bee delivered but by a spiritual power and caÌ„ you have anie deliverer but a spiritual Lord if you seeke to and depend vpon anie other Lord to bee delivered from spirituall bondage you take vnto yourselves another God and set vp a spiritual power against the power of God And whereas you should put on the whole armor of God and wrestle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places and stand fast you have shrunck in the day of batâ—le and have not faithfully contented for the maintenance off the faith given to the Saincts But have and do yeild to the Spirituall wickednesses which are vnder the power of those spirituall Lords the Arch Bishops and Lordbishops and have cast of the armor and sword off the Spirit wherewith you should resist and overcome and wherby these spiritual wickednesses shal bee consumed and abolished and you have taken vnto your selves a direction after the device off your owne harts seeking and sueing by petitions not to God but to meÌ„ that you might have leave as you pretend to sett vp Christ for your King and Governor and if you could get leave you make shewe as though you would reforme matters that are greatlie amisse but seing you cannot you are content to let them alone and grone vnder them for so you speake and not to bee too busie least you should make matters worse Of this same condition were the people of Israel when Moses was sent to bring them out of Egipt for when they saw that leave would not bee granted but that more worke was laid vpon them and that there was danger and trouble they would have made their peace and have groned still vnder their burthens as they had done and so have continewed in that their bondage as you do in your spiritual bondage but the Lord was merciful vnto them according to his owne promisse and brought them out by a mightie hand and with great signes and wonders and even so hath the Lord promissed to bring his Elect which are those that harkeÌ„ to the voice of his Call out of this spiritual bondage of Babilon Egipt and Sodom
Lord hath called vnto you and you have ioined your selves together in a voluntarie profession but you have not ioyned your selves to Christ ād therefore is your profession a false profession and you have a false Christ that is no Christ as shal bee hereafter plainlie proved And to shew you that you are not ioyned to Christ you being of the world before you constituted or set vp your Church by your owne confessions the word off the Lord doth evidentlie declare that there is no way for them that are of the world who are not in Christ but enimies to Christ as all that are of the world are there is no other way to ioyne and come to Christ but onelie to Amend their lives bee Baptized Act. 2.38 and Gal. 3.27 Al ye that are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Let vs now intreat you on Gods dehalf that you wil no longer be feighters against God in contending against his truth from the which wee trust through the mercie of God you shal not bee able anie longer to hide your selves For if al men that knowe God and his Sonne Christ Iesus will not confesse that infidels and vnbeleevers have no other way to come and be ioyned to Christ but onely by beleeving and being baptized then you that confesse you were of the world before you set vp your Church must needs confesse also that you were infidels and vnbeleevers for you shal bee ashamed to say that there are anie beleevers of the world seeing our Saviour Christ saith Iohn 14.17 The World cannot receive the Spirit of truth and Iohn 16.8.9 The Comforter shall reprove the world of sinne because they beleeved not in me and Iohn 17.25 O righteous Father the World hath not knowne thee and Iohn in his first Epist Chap. 5.18.19 speakes thus We knowe that were are of God this whole World lieth in wickednes And this being the condition of thē that are of the world 1 That they cannot receive the Spirit of truth 2. That they beleeve not in Christ 3. That they knowe not God 4. That they lye all in wickednes You confessing your selves to be of the world before you ioined your selves together in your voluntarie profession by a Covenant of your owne devisings you being of the world your Condition was the same Then were you without the Spirit of truth vnbelevers not knowing God Lying al in wickednes and so are you all infidels ād their was nor is no way for you to ioyne vnto Christ but to amend your lives be Baptized and by Baptisme to put on Christ Which seeing you have not done you are stil of the world the spirit of truth is not in you you are infidels and vnbeleevers you knowe not God and you remaine in your wickednes and so is your profession a false profession of Christ and you have not the true Christ but a false Christ and so is your Baptisme a worldly baptisme brought out of the world an Ordinance of the world and not the baptisme and Ordinance of Christ whose baptisme is not of the world as he is not of the world Shal wee need to lay downe anie other ground to convince you and stop al your moueths is not this easie plaine and evident enough What can bee more plaine You confesse your selves you were of the world before you made your seperation from England and our Saviour Christ saith that they which are of the world beleeve not in him and who wil not grant that they that beleeve not in Christ are infidells or vnbeleevers then you being of the world were infidells or vnbeleevers and the Holy Ghost teacheth that infidels or vnbeleevers must Amend their lives be baptized by Baptisme put on Christ And our Saviour Christ Mark 16.16 giveing a generall direction to his disciples to preach the Gospel to al gives likewise a general direction what al vnbeleevers must do iff they wil bee saved They must beleeve and be Baptized This strait are you now driven vnto either to confesse that before your seperation you were infidells or vnbeleevers and then you must beleeve and be baptized or els that you were beleevers and faithful and then have you Seperated from a faithfull and beleeving People and not from the World and you must returne to your vomit with that false prophet your first and cheife Shepherd that hath misled you vp on these false grounds who not being able through his infidelitie to kepe his face towards Ierusalem and the Land of Canaan hath fainted in the way and rebelled in the wildernes and is returned to his so much formerlie detested Babilon and Egipt And next let vs shewe vnto you that your Prophets are al false Prophets and although it bee a full sufficient proofe that they are false Prophets because they are Elected and ordeined to their Office by a cōgregatiō of infidels or vnbelevers that are not ioyned to Christ and have not put on Christ by baptisme yet wee wil further shewe them to bee false Prophets because they Prophesies lies and by their lying wonders would if it were possible deceive the verie Elect these are deceiptful workers transforme themselves into the Prophets of Christ as though they were the Ministers off righteousnes whose end saith Thapostle shal bee according to their workes 2. Cor. 11.13.15 yet they doeing it ignorantly through vnbeleife if they repent may be received to mercy 1. Tim. 1.13 but they must repent as Paul did who left of being a persecutor a blasphemer and an oppressor els he could never have bene saved so must they leave of being false Prophets seducers and deceivers or els they shall all bee damned Revel 19.20 And first to shew how your false prophets do trāsforme themselves whereby they are most dangerous deceivers and tempters they in the forefront of their crie come with a maine ground of truth ād this they vtter with a lowd voice It is fallen it is fallen Babilon that great Citie Go out of hir my people c. and seperate your selves and come out this is al their crie to bring the people from the assemblies of England ād then they runne vpon England and prove it Babel and Babilon we confesse with proofe enough which when they have done working a iust distaist in the harts of some people of the spiritual abhominatiōs in those assemblies so far as they themselves dislike but being loath to cast Babilon cleane to the ground and vtterlie to make hir naked and desolate and to lay all hir honor in the dust and not being willing through hardnes of hart and want of true zeale and holines to runne the rate to the end and to seperate thēselves from al vncleanes they teach you stil to reteine your first and cheife badg or marke of Babilon which is your baptisme wherein you receive the seale of the covenant of grace as they say ād teach you ād this you may not part withal vpon anie condition Is there anie
off the Mone shal be as the light off the Sunne the light off the Sunn shal be seaven fold like the light of seaven days in the day that the lord wil bind vp the breach of his people heale the strooke of their wound And Esa 32.19 thou shalt not see a feirce people a people of dark speach that thou canst not perceive of a straing tongue that thou canst not vnderstand Al this teacheth the people of God to looke for plaine pathes to walke in which do shine with brightnes as also that the witnesses of the lord shal be a people that shal speake plainly to the vnderstanding of the simple therefore the Lords people must not walke in blind and secret wayes nor desert pathes which are not light and plaine nor be seduced by false Prophets and deceitful people that speake in their feirce heate dark and obscure thinges who are ful of deceitfull distinctions blind consequences and al turning of devices to deceive the simple saying loe here is Christ loe there is Christ of such our Saviour forewarnes his people that they beleeve them not although they shal shewe great signes and wonders but that they shal set their harts aÌ„d turne their eies vnto the cleare light of truth which is the everlasting gospel that the Angell flieing through the midst of heaven preached vnto them that dwel on the earth to every nation kindred tongue people Revel 14.6 This is the spirit off the Lords mouth wherewith he wil consume the man of sinne and abolish him by the brightnes of his comeing 2. Thes 2. By the ministery of the seaventh angel who when he hath poured out his viall their shall bee sounds lightnings thunders a great earthquake such as nevers was the great Citie shal be rent in three parts the Cities of the Nations shal fal that great Babilon shal come in remembrance before God hee shal give vnto hir the Cup of the wine of the feirenes of his wrath Rev. 16. Thus by the glorious light off the Gospell shall the misterye off iniquity be abolished And whereas our Saviour Christ saith that this his comeing shal bee as the lightning cometh out off the East and is seene into the west this makes it manifest vnto vs that the glorious overspreading off the gospel againe shal be as at the first General over all and that men shal seeke after and resort vnto the light of the truth of God as Eagles do to their pray according to the prophesie of Esa 60.4 Lift vp thyne eies round about and behold all these are gathered come to thee thy sonnes shal come from farr Esa 66.18 The Lord saith it will come that I shal gather all Nations and Tongues and they shal come and see my glory And the Lord by the Prophet Amos. 9.11 12. saith In that day wil I raise vp the Tabernacle of David that is fallen downe and close vp the breaches thereof will raise vp his ruins and I wil build it as in the dais of old and Esa 11.11.12 In the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people and he shal assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scatered of Iudah froÌ„ the fower corners of the world And herevnto agreeth the Prophesie Revel 19.17 Where the Angel that stands in the sunne cries with a lowd voice to al the foules that flye through the midst of heaven come gather your selves together to the supper of the great God and Revel 21. The Holy Spirit speaking of the glorious exaltation of the Holy Citie after the destruction off Babilon saith The Kings of Earth shall bring their glory and honor vnto it the glory and honor of the Gentils shal bee brought vnto it And this yet â—s the hope comfort of the Saincts of God that it shal come to passe that they which now come against Ierusalem shal go vp from yere to yere to worship the King the Lord of hoasts and to kepe the Feast of Tabernacles Zach. 14.16 Therefore saith the voice out of the Throne praise our God all yee his servants and ye that feare him both smale and great for the Lord that almightie God doth now raigne let vs bee glade and reioyce and give glory to him for the marriage off the lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hirself Revel 19.5.6.7 These words are faithful aÌ„d true which must shortly bee fulfilled blessed is hee that observeth the Words of the prophesie off the booke Revel 22.6.7 But woe woe woe then bee vnto all that doe not marke and observe them and faithfully and carefully keepe the Words off the Prophesie off this Booke But wee demaund in all these daies of tribulation which are such as never were nor ever shal be where shal the ignorant appeare iff in the daies of so great danger when there shal bee as there now is so manie false Prophets shewing such signes and wonders so as if it were possible they should deceive the very elect if in these daies the ignorant bee seduced through their ignorance shal they drinck of the Cup of the wine of Gods wrath The word of the Lord is perfect and plaine they shal al perish that are ignorant and are deceived because they receive not the love of the truth therefore God shal send them stronge delusions that they should beleeve lyes and bee damned 2. Thes 2. And it is iust with the Lord their ignorance being declared to be for want of the love of the truth Thus then is this ground off truth most evident aÌ„d plaine they that through grace in Christ receive the love off the truth they are the Elect of God and shal not bee deceived but shal bee saved But they that through the effectuall working of Sathan withal his signes and lying wonders receive not the love of truth they shal bee deceived and beleeve lyes and bee damned Moreover our Saviour Christ saith if the ignorant lead the ignorant they shal both fall into the pit Mat. 15.14 let al therefore take heed and learne to knowe the truth of God and to love it and to vnderstand his word themselves seeing the Lord hath comaunded them not to followe such as say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but to looke vnto the shyning light of truth whereof if they bee not able to iudg and deserne of themselves by the direction of Gods spirit they can never have faith nor assurance in the way they walke so shal they runne blindfold to destruction not knoweing whether they are sedd False prophets or true Prophets are al alike to them they being ignorant of the scriptures whereby they should examine them and find them out and try their doctrine such must needs bee carried away with every blast off vaine doctrine wheÌ„ they are not able to try the spirits whether they be of God these
Amen Wee hold our selves bound to acknowledg aÌ„d that others might be warned to manifest how we have bene through our great weaknes missed by deceitfull harted leaders who have and do seeke to save their lives and wil make sure not to loose them for Christ and therefore they flee into forraine Countries and free States aÌ„d drawe people after theÌ„ to support their kingdomes first seeking their owne safeties and then publishing as they pretend the gospel or seeking the Kingdome of heaven as farr as they may with their safetie and this they iustifie by perverting and misapplying the words of our saviour Christ where he saith when they persecute you or drive or thrust you out off one city flee into another mat 10.23 these words have they picked out for their purpose casting away or leaving furth divers rules of Christ goeing before and following in the same scripture which cannot permit of their exposition and practice but wee wil onely instance the reason why our saviour Christ bids them when they are persecuted in one Citie go to another and his reason is this for verily I say vnto you ye shal not go over al the Cities of Israel til the Sonne of man come This sheweth that our Saviour Christs meaning was that when they were driven or expelled out of one Citie they should go to another City in Israel to preach the gospel vnto it but these men flee to Cities to the which they cannot preach the gospel being of a straing tongue neither have they any intent or meaning to preach the gospel to those Cities their fleeing is not to that end but to save themselves for being as shepe in the midst of wolves aÌ„d for being delivered vp to Counsels and for being brought to Governors and Kings for Christs sake in witnes to theÌ„ to the GeÌ„tiles these men need not this advise of our saviour Christ who Counsels his Disciples to take no thought what they shal speake or what they shal answere when they are brought before Princes and Governors for they flee to such places where they make sure they shal never come in question before them The Disciples of Christ vnto whome he speake these words wheÌ„ they persecute you or drive you out of one Citie flee into another did not vnderstand our Saviour Christ as these men do if they had they would not have beleeved the Angel Act. 5.19.20 that bad them when he had delivered them out of prison Goe and stand in the Temple speake to the people al the words of this life they would have said Wee have bene imprisoned aÌ„d persecuted therefore we are to flee our Lord taught vs so But they obeyed the voice of the Angel knowing it did not contradict that rule of Christ neither would they if they had vnderstood Christ as these men do after they had bene beaten comaund to speake no more in the name off Iesus stil have staped in that Citie daylie in the Temple from house to house teaching preaching Iesus Christ Act. 5.40.42 but these meÌ„ flee before they feele either stroakes or bands and teach meÌ„ so The whole scriptures are against them in this their vnderstanding The 8. of Thact 1 4. might suffice to satisfie them in this point and to discover their error fully where it is shewed that there was great persecution against the Church at Ierusalem they were al except Thapostles scattered abroad through the RegioÌ„s of Iudea Samaria Act. 11.12 they that were scattered abroad went throughout til they came to Phenice Ciprus Antiochia preaching the word Here wee may see that notwithstanding the great havoch Saul made of the Church and entred into every house and drew out both men and wemen and put them in prison yet thapostâ—es did not flee and they that did flee went to Cities to the which they could and did preach the gospel but neither the example of Thapostles that did not flee nor of them that were scattered who weÌ„t to Cities to which they preached the Gospel wil serve these mens turne but they flee to Cities most comodious for their safetie and profit to which they caÌ„not preach the Gospel Furthermore Act. 14. although there was an assault made both of the Iewes Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas to do them violence at Iconium and although Paul was stoned left for dead at Listra yet they returned againe to Listra and Iconium to confirme the disciples harts preferring that duty before the feare off persecution For further overthrowing off this misvnderstanding off these words off our Saviour Christ when they persecute you in one Citie flee into another Lett all Godly harts consider how Thappostle Paul commended and reioyced in the Church of the Thessalonians because off their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they suffered 2. Thess 1.4 And in the first Epist 2.14 in commendation off them he saith Brethren yee are become followers off the Churches off God in Iudea which are in Christ Iesus because you have also suffered the same thinges off your owne Countriemen even as they have done of the Iewes Thus doth Thappostle commend the Churches of Iudea and off Thessalonica for their constant suffering of persecution in their owne Countries not once advising or teaching them to flee out off their Countries to avoid persecution This is a new doctrine of devils brought in by men that were never sound in the faith Further heare what the Spirit saith to the Church of Pergamus I knowe thou dwellest where sathans throneis thou haist kept my name and haist not denyed my faith even in those days when Antipas my faithfull marter was slayne amonge you where Sathan dwelleth and to the Chur of Smyrna the spirit saith Feare none off those thinges which thou shalt suffer behold it shal come to passe that the devil shal cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed ye shal have tribulation ten dayes bee thou faithful vnto the death I wil give thee the Crowne of life Re. 2. Who wil not be blind may se heare how the spirit of God commends the Saincts for holding the faith and dwelling where there was bloody persecution and where Sathan dwelled and doth not exhort them to flee but not to feare what they should do vnto them Let then the simple hatred be no more seduced by these men who have rent the words of our Saviour Christ when they persecute you or drive you out of one Citie flee into another from the true sence and meaning wherewith they stand compassed â—cund about in Mat. 10. And whereas our saviour Christ in these words gave a rule off direction vnto his disciples how they should proceed in the publishing off the Gospel appointing them wheÌ„ they were expelled or persecuted in one Citie that they should go to another to preach because there was manie Cities off Israel to go through these men of corrupt mynds lovers off
but the same that was in Christ and his Appostles times in which times all earthly power was in the hands of earthly Kings and Princes and them that were in aucthority vnder them and Christ and his Appostles diminished not Kings and Princes of the least tittle thereof And all spirituall power was in the hands of Christ and his Appostles that were in aucthority vnder him of which spirituall power aucthority Christ nor his Appostles would suffer no earthly K. to diminish them of the least tittle thereof but rather gave them their lives if then our lord the K. do deserue that earthly Kings and Princes had the same power then that Kings and Princes have now and that Kings Princes had no power then over mens religion which was spirituall and belonged to Christ men were then to give vnto God that which was Gods and vnto Cesar and so vnto all earthly Princes onely that which apperteyned to them Then let our lord the King judg by what warrant of Gods word the King can now take to himself a spirituall power and set vp an Hyrarchy of Arch Bishop Lord B. and give aucthority to them to make lawes and Canons of Religion and to give them power to compell men vnto the obedience there of by such seveer courses as they have done Let our lord the King consider and the Lord give the K. wisedome therein that if no King nor Prince could have set vp such an Hyrarchy with such power and titles then but they had vtterly troden vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles for Christ and his Appostles must have bene subiect therevnto neither may anie King set vp such an Hyrarchy now because it doth vtterly tread vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles as well now as it had done then for wee have now Christ and his Appostles in all their power dignity as well as they had in those dayes according to that saying of our Saviour Christ in the parable They have Moses and the Prophetts And wee humble beseech our lord the K. a little to suffer the foolishnes of his servants although wee may seeme as fooles vnto the king herein If there had bene such a steaing Hyrarchy set vp in Christ and Th-appostles daies would the Hyrarchy have suffered vs that are thousands of the K. of great Brittans subiects to have gone to Christ his Appostles to have asked them whether wee should have obeyed them or no in all their Canons and ordinances And whether wee should have given thē those titles of superiority and all that ruling power which they challeng over vs the Kings subiects sureby they will say they would not have denyed vs that liberty to have gone in so waighty a cause and being so manie to have asked Counsell of Christ and his Appostles what wee should have done 20. thousands being ignorant and 10. thousands being doubtfull whether anie such power might be submitted too or no and thousands being out of all doubt that it might not be submitted vnto they will say they would not have denyed vs but wee knowe what their Canons would have made of it and wee may suspect justly that they would have enformed the King that it were very dangerous to suffer so manie to go vnto Christ and his Appostles for counsell and that it were not fitt to suffer such giddy heads to have that libertie for makeing rents and divisions and that it were much more safety for the King to suffer them to make all whole by their power and to subdue such busie refractary spirits Let the King with fauour suffer his servants thus to speake by the way least peraduenture anie such thinges come in the way And wee the Kings servants now takeing it for granted that the Arch Bs. and lord Bs. that professe such great holines would not have deneyd vs to have gone to Iesus Christ and his Appostles to be directed And if Christ and his Appostles had in the hearing of all our owne eares being so ma witnesses comaunded vs absolutely not to yeild the Arch-Bs and lord Bs. anie such power or names could wee yeld it them Although the Arch-Bs and Lord Bs. should with 20. thousands of witnesses affirme that Christ and his Appostles spake otherwise to their hearing Would our lord the King thinke it equall that wee should be forced to beleeue their hearing because they are lord Bs. contrary to the hearing of our owne eares being so manie witnesses of one Nation and tongue besides hundreth thousands of witnesses of other Nations tongues Wee knowe our lord the K. would thinke it no more equall if the case were so that wee should be forced to beleeve the lord Bs. hearīg then that they should be forced to beleeve our hearing Then iugd O King for the case is all one and the same for wee have Christ and his Appostles in their writings and they do absolutely speake to our vnderstandings that in no wise there ought to be anie such Hyrarchy of Arch Bs. and Lord Bs. in Christs Church And the Lord Bs. say that Christ and his Appostles speakes to their vnderstandings that there power and names are not cōtrary to Christs words Can our lord the King that is accompted a most wise and iust Prince in his iudgment iudg that wee are all bound to cast away our owne vnderstandings of Christs speaking and are to be compelled to beleeve and vnderstand Christ to speake as the lord Bs. vnderstād Christs speaking Oh let our lord the King with compassion consider whether ever since the heavens and earth were created there was a more vnequall extreame cruelty then this that the Kings people should be compelled in a cause that concernes the everlasting condemnation of their soules bodyes to Hell of force to submitt their soules and bodies to the vnderstanding of the Lord Bs. that are not able to direct themselves from the waies of death but are perished every man that ever bare that Office with those names and power if they repented not thereof although they had no other sinne and they also that do now beare that Office with those titles power shall likewise all perish to everlasting destruction if they do not repent thereof and cast it away the spirit of the lord hath spoken it Reuel 19.20 the Beast was taken and with him that false Prophet that wrought myracles before him whereby he deceived them that received the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his jmage these both were cast aliue into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And thus manifesting to our lord the K. that Iesus Christ is onely K. of Israell that sitts vpō Davids throne therefore onely hath the power of the King of Israel and none may partake with him in that kingdome and power who had the Spirit without measure and yet neither he nor his Appostles that had the Spirit without error to deliuer the Counsels