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A56917 A brief discovery of the three natures viz., humane, divine, devilish, the rootes or originals of the politike states of Caesar, Christ, Antichrist in relation to a former treatise discovering the said three states, and withall farther clearing the usefulnesse thereof : whereby also is laid open to humane reason the impossibility of compulsive ecclesiasticall government to be of divine institution, and that liberty of conscience is to be allowed by all unto all, holding the bounds of civility, fully confirmed by principles in nature and Holy Scripture : humbly presented to the serious consideration of the High Court of Parliament / by Michael Quintine. Quintyne, Michael. 1642 (1642) Wing Q226; ESTC R13006 12,945 21

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A BRIEFE DISCOVERY OF THE THREE NATVRES viz. Humane The rootes or originals of the Politike States of Caesar Divine The rootes or originals of the Politike States of Christ Dev●●●●sh The rootes or originals of the Politike States of Antichrist ●●…clation 〈◊〉 a former Treatise discovering the said three States and withall farther clearing the ●●●…nesse thereof ●●ereby also is laid op●n to humane reason the im●●●●●bility of compulsive Ecclesiasticall Govern●●●● to be of Divine Institution 〈◊〉 that Liberty of 〈◊〉 is to be allowed by 〈◊〉 unto all holding the bounds of Civility 〈◊〉 confirmed by principles in Nature and Holy Scripture Humbly presented to the serious consideration of the High Court of Parliament By Michael Quintine Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the 〈◊〉 and thy seed and her seed Iam. 2.12 So speak yee and so doe as they that shall 〈◊〉 by the Law of Liberty London Printed 1642. TO THE HIGH COURT Of Parliament now assembled within his Majesties Realme of England be all rightness of spirit the root of irreproveable designs and prosperous correspondent successe in all matters pertaining to godliness State Common-wealth in every respect I Formerly committed to the consideration of this most Honourable Assembly a Treatise containing a briefe discovery of the Civill true Ecclesiasticall and false Ecclesiasticall States in the essentiall and maine circumstantiall parts of each body or state being the most exact way to discover and rectifie grievances in any State of Policy whereby God and Caesar may have their due for the accomplishment whereof and further clearing the usefulnesse of what is therein contained I doe humbly begge your impartiall Examination of the ensuing passages evidently manifesting from whence these said severall Policies do spring or arise and confirming withall what is already proved by the said Treatise touching the great abuses done to the Church of Christ and Civill State by the false Ecclesiasticall State or Kingdome of Antichrist All things have their begining and ending from God as the Primary cause of them Rom. 11.36 Also all things have their being through Secondary Naturall or instrumentall causes Matth. 7.16 17 18.19 20. The roote and ground of Policie is Nature Divine Humane or Devillish it is properly of use to none but such creatures as participate of an immortall spirituall substance All things under the degree of humane nature are uncapable thereof and all other immortall spirits are invisible witnesse the whole Creation in all ages past present and to come Mankinde or humane nature in the condition she now standeth under the curse being thereby made liable through mercy of redemption unto salvation and through wrath of reprobation unto damnation is subject unto a threefold Politicke Government viz. 1. Humane or Civill Government or the Policie of Magistracie which concernes men in ordering of their bodies and estates which ariseth from the Law of the nature of man in man towards man in the state of Innocency 2. True Ecclesiasticall State or Kingdome of the Gospell the visible government of Jesus Christ who sitteth upon the Throne of David in Divine Policy which issueth from the Law of the divine nature which is perfect love as is testified in the Sonne of Love the salvation of Mankinde 3. And false Ecclesiasticall State or Kingdome of Antichrist devilesh or visible Government of the sonne of pride which in spirituall politique jurisdiction exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or said to be of God in matter of policy sitting in the Temple of God which is conscience as God subjecting or ruling over the same by compulsion the portion of fooles and unreasonable men for it loves opposite and preventeth any course of nature which floweth from the Law of the spirit of envy the nature of the devill the father of lies all mischiefe and confusion These three States of Policy of which I have formerly treated more at large the holy Scripture and common or humane reason shew forth in a lively manner issuing from the three natures namely Humane Divine and Devillish To the true and substantiall discovery of the which three natures the rootes of Policie and how they are joyntly consisting in man without intermixion and interposition of contraries I shall in this Treatise most chiefely and briefely addresse my selfe Humane nature or the nature of mans body his elementary or fleshly part of his essence which essence consisteth of flesh and spirit Rom. 7.22.23 Thou art considerable and likewise the whole man in a two-fold State and condition As created or redeemed as fallen and under the curse The nature of the sprituall part of mans essence will be discovered in setting forth the divine and divillish nature spirit or disposition The nature of mans humane part in the created state as the Morrall Law of God and the person of Christ doe witnesse was without sinne made righteous according to the Image of God Gen. 1.17 And according to the disposition or nature then in man towards man out of the law thereof which is the ordinary meanes through Gods favour and mercy of the generall preservation of mankinde springeth civill Government or Magistracie Rom. 13. But ever since Adam and Eve were snared with an ambitious temptation and would be wise without allowance they drew a curse upon their humane nature themselves and throughout all their posterity even to the end of the world and ever since they tasted of the tree of Knowledge of good and evill which was forbidden they and theirs in the humane part have alwayes loved evill more then good which is an infallible testimony of a cursed change in the nature of humanity Therefore Humane nature Take notice that thou art now since thy fall in thy Elimentary constitution cursed mischievous and averse to any good inclining to the nature of the Angells who left their first estate and art become pleased in nothing more than the exercise of pride deceit and envie an Humorist seeking thy selfe although to the destruction of thy selfe and all that have or may have any relation unto thee thus much hath the whole race of mankinde except the Sonne of God himselfe manifested plainely expressing an undeniable effect of the curse the unruly and exceeding predomination of one element or other in the said nature this is the nature of the humane or bodily part of man no civill calling but redemption exempted any man in any measure common experience is witnesse enough besides holy Scriptures confirmeth the truth thereof Rom. 3.10 to ver 19. Psal 51.5 Rom. 7.18 Notable proofe also hereof is the Scripture discovering the throne of affections the principle part in the body of man and may well be taken for the whole man Gen. 6.5 Jer. 17.9 Matth. 15.19 had not God out of his love in generall to man given the State of Magistracie which was for restraint of the unrulinesse of mans humane nature Rom. 13.3.4.1 Tim. 1.9.10 what difference would there appeare betweene earth and hell only in case of
who to confound mankinde in all wayes by his deluding feates and wiles hath brought in fashion in all parts of the earth violent and compulsive government of conscience knowing whilest that continueth humane race especially the most upright and innocent must to wracke for who in conscience can governe or be governed by humane power but for civilities sake except such men as can to gaine the world and present welfare of their flesh subject conscience to any thing excusing themselves upon the unjust demanded charge of others who for all their great takings upon them have as much to doe in that respect to give account for themselves as they the truth of this discovery is plaine enough by experience that the nature of the devill is infinite envie if men would looke into it but what shall I say if our first Parents in the time of innocencie were short sighted well may their posterity conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquitie be blinde And that the nature spirit and disposition of the hellish rabble the whole company of devillish men and Angells is envie the same with the devills their spirituall Father See Ioh. 8.44 1 Ioh. 3.10 11 12. That the essence of man consisteth of a two-fold substance is formerly proved the nature of his humane part and the nature of his spirituall substance being derived from God or the devill together with the nature of them also is likewise set forth which three natures are also discovered to be the ground and roote of Policie The next thing intended and promised in this Treatise is to lay open how two natures are consisting in man without intermixtion and interposition of contraries which in any height of measure is the meanes of confusion in any creature By the way it falleth to my hand to speake of the excellencie of the constitution of humane nature in the first creation which was without sinne and whereunto all the creatures besides were made subiect and inferiour both in the nature of their constitutions government and use which humane constitution also was made serviceable being the subiect part of man to the right spirit which God breathed into him whereby man became that compleate creature in both parts the discription of whose nature in both respects is the Morrall Law of God whose lively or rather living Image was the onely begotten Son of God that quickning spirit Jesus Christ the Redeemer of what was lost in and by man in and for all the Elect and chosen seede of Adam but for brevitie sake I shall omit to speake any more of it and according to my purpose indeavour to shew how the essence of man consisteth of a two-fold substance without interposition of contrary natures Man considered as formerly created and fallen redeemed and under the curse the Law of Justice holds him liable to love and wrath salvation and reprobation and to be made a vessell of honour and dishonour without any wrong and injustice at all The consideration of man as created in righteousnesse as redeemed from all iniquitie Tit. 2.14 whereby righteousnesse is imputed and man becomes as made without sinne is both one if any difference be in case of priviledge redemption affords the greater making stronger the union by the meanes of reconciliation wherein the redeemed are indeered unto God Rom. 5. from vers 6. to 11. Rom. 8.32 c. And God is the like unto them 1 Pet. 1. from 13. to 20. The case standing thus betweene God and man by redemption whereby the humane part of man is made or become as at first a subiect or materiall vessell for a divine reasonable or living soule and although full of frailty and infirmity as all elementary and mortall bodies as also as earth and drosse it self in comparison of any divine spirituall substance which as it is in it self is void of any divin use yet such as God in his wisedome is pleased to make part of the essence of man which setteth forth the glory of redemption and the power of Christ in the work of salvation 2 Cor. 12.9 so man in his consistance of soul and body flesh spirit is imputed as in first creation without sin and said to be born of God not to commit sin as God accounts of his children through redemption 1 Joh. 3.9 10. And thus the two Natures Divine and Humane are consisting in man without intermixion of contraries though through infirmitie of the flesh subject to naturall corruption temptation of the devill and abuse of the men of the world against which they warre untill the perfection of the redemption of the body doe appeare even untill Mortality hath put on Immortality Man considered fallen and under the curse is a correspondent subject for the devill being both inclineable to confusion and the way of destruction as is set forth in their severall natures these are the enemies Tares which he sowed amongst the good seed these grow together in the world untill the harvest of God I need not stand to relate the meanes of their union nor the testimonies thereof the world in all parts every day yeelds plenty thereof what doth God reprobate but the devils own the union it selfe of the nature of man and of the spirituall substance which he receiveth from the devill as the father thereof is all one by way of infusion with that of God and man differing only in nature and substance and the end thereof Thus contrary to the two-fold consistence of the essence of the redeemed is this of the cursed without contrariety in nature of both parts but not without mans confusion because in this case the poore creature Man is made a slave unto the worst of creatures whereby his being and end becomes more vile and miserable than the most inferiour creature which God formed out of the earth This once more with my heart in my hand in the sight and discovery of natures the fountaines of Policy for the truths sake which is the way of all mans reall happinesse Must I speak unto this high Court which guideth the Raines of the power of all the State of this Land If the strength of the devils envy through delusion was too hard for you Parents in the time of Innocency in their nature and hath since their fall prevailed against divers of their posterity both by deceit and violence to the confusion of them in respect of matters spirituall and temporall Consider ye civill powers and yet children of Adam and Eve yea and since the curse are ye not as liable to be corrupted in your policy which is but the image of their nature both in the nature use and service thereof may not ye subscribe to devillish advise reaching after more and higher dominions than God hath given you and make what is your own an instrument of confusion in imploying it out of bounds to the destruction of innocent bodies which is worshipping the devill and an effect of the curse upon mankinde such
eternity of evill and misery the humane nature being thus subjected under the power of justice God is free in the compassion of his love to bestow his Spirit and redemption where he please and in his wrath and displeasure to reject and cast away whom he will who and what shall contend with his Maker Rom. 9.20 21. The nature of the spirituall substance the immortall soule the formall part of the essence of man it issueth from God or the devill and is one of the said two Fathers or Fountaines of Spirits and it will be sufficiently set forth in the discovery of their natures But that the soule of man receives his being and participateth in nature as aforesaid take a few proofes from principles in Nature and Positive truth of Divine Writt Man begets a Sonne in his owne likenesse in the nature of his materiall substance but the often contrarietie in the spirits of parents and children as godly parents and wicked children wicked parents and godly children the unlikenesse in that part proveth them no soule Parents Likewise in case Parents should beget soules when as often times the father and mother are contrary in nature of spirit what shall be their Off-spring in that respect The Scripture sheweth plainely that the children of God in respect of their soules and the nature of them are said to be borne of God Joh. 1.13 Joh. 3.6 God is called the Father of them in respect of that part of their essence Matth. 5.16 and ver 48. Luke 12.32 Christ cleareth this point to the full discovering the Fountaine or Father of the spirit of the Jewes who went about to kill him Joh. 8.42 and 44. and in Heb. 12.9 the Holy Ghost tearmes our naturall parents Fathers of our flesh and God the Father of Spirits The divine nature spirit qualitie or disposition of God which most specially of any part of his essence sets him forth to be what he is the onely and absolute good Matth. 19.17 is infinite love every part of the whole creation doth testifie the truth thereof which he made not to supply his owne want the continuall supply of the sundry wants of the whole earth doth the same the great mountainous worke of love never to be forgotten by the sonnes of men the giving of the price of Redemption his onely begotten sonne his expresse Image who laid downe his life for his people fulfilling the will of his Father Ioh. 3.16 17. A testimony without exception proving the nature of God to be infinite and matchlesse love Rom. 5.8 The nature and qualitie of all things is the most eminent part of their essence and so it is the most pernicious part by which God is made knowne to the sonnes of men for his nature or spirits sake which is love hee is called love 1 Ioh. 4.16 for a testimony hereof alwayes to stoppe the mouthes of lyers and their father whose envie would cloud all the favour of God towards poore men besides the state of humane Policy God hath from Adam unto this day from time to time instituted a state of Divine policy in publike testimony and visible acknowledgement of the fellowship which he hath with his redeemed ones and now according to the fulnesse of time manifesting the fulnesse of his love in paying downe the full price of Redemption the perfection and full accomplishment of the worke of salvation of his divine Nature which is perfect love and goodnesse he hath instituted a visible state of divine Policy for the sonne of his Love the Captaine of salvation and his people of Love here upon earth which is composed of love not onely for matter and forme but also in respect of state and platforme and the Lawes and Ordinances thereof upon what can man thinke or looke and not see the tender mercies of God over all his workes Psal 145.9 And that the Nature Spirit or disposition of the whole Hoast of God both men and Angels is Love the Word of God cleareth it experimentally by the ministring of the Angells and by the Morrall Law of God both Tables written in the hearts of men which are made partakers of the divine nature for by love is the same fulfilled Rom. 10.13 The nature Spirit or disposition of the Divell from whom every base spirit deriveth his measure of unnaturall lewdnesse both men and Angels of the devilish broode is infinite envie Loves opposite the first Act that ever the devill did unto mankinde proveth the truth thereof for in his hopelesse desperate fallen estate without any expectation of reliefe to himselfe he treacherously deceived man in the time of his innocencie and by delusion and flattery through rebellion against his Maker drew him into the thraldome of sinne and misery notwithstanding it could be no abatement to his owne Gen. 3. and ever since man hath subsisted in an hope of redemption from time to time and in sundry ways hath the nature of the devill beene largely expressed to be envie her selfe which is alwayes so ready to worke mischiefe that she pines at the good of any witnesse the case of Adam Abel and Iob yea all of note for uprightnesse upon record in Scripture from age to age farther testimony hereof is 1 Chron. 21.1 1 Pet. 5.8 The severall states of Policy which God did opportunely institute in the world for the good and comfort of men the upright in speciall against which none but the nature of the devill boundlesse envie could except or vilifie them yet the chiefest of them hath she undervalued and by delusion hath drawne the chiefe of the earth in the state of civility and the greatest part of temporizing subjects thereof likewise to tread the same under foote and all that apparantly incline thereunto and hath caused the earth the great ones greatest part therof to set up countenance and support a state of Tyranny in matters of conscience wherein is disorderly forced together with violence divine and civill things to the confusion of both the service he willeth and delighteth in even the utter undoing of the whole earth In the time of the state of the Jewes which God ordained as a great light to shew the world that he had visible fellowship with such as feare him and to preserve them in holinesse then and therein how did the envie of the devill and his crew shelter such oppression and grosse abuse of Gods holy things which grew to such an height of hipocrisie that they were not ashamed without Law or Reason yea contrary to both to put to death equity yea Love himselfe the very Sonne of God whom none could convince of sinne which effected the confusion of their house Matth. 23. and since the desolation thereof and Gods election of the Kingdome of his Sonne in the state of love composed of matter and forme of love Subiects won by love Volunteers worshipers in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 24. How hath matchlesse envie beene palpably manifested to be the nature of the devill
practise hath been the lot of many Nations and particular persons witnesse your own experience Why doe ye as parents of soules and spirits meddle in the command of conscience and support such as doe with sword and maintenance is it typicall as in the time and state of the Jewes or as if Christ were not risen from the dead or doe you thinke God accepts of more than he requires at your hands or will you make an intermixion one head of two bodies or two heads of one body which cannot be otherwise if Church and Common-wealth be all one or being as two under one head which nature and policy both deny in Scripture and common reason will ye work your own confusion in taking Gods work upon you in making worshippers in spirit and truth for such only God requires Ioh. 4.21 22 23 24. which by compulsion you must doe or make hypocrites can ye draw men to Christ in Spirit or Policy which is not in your power Ioh. 6.44 45 46. or will ye who should provide for the strength of the Law of humanity breake the Law of Charity belonging to conscience Rom. 14. This great spirituall State of jurisdiction now in fashion or any that is like to be of the constitution of compulsion which jumbleth and tumbleth together the finest natures and soulest worship Gods Divine and holy Ordinances with foulest and profanest natures which will one day cost confusion of soules and blood enough were it not for the great temporall revenewes entailed upon her shee would not in humane reason and common equity be so much stood upon and contended for for those that goe about to yoke others consciences would not bee served so themselves except they be devils incarnate and will become any thing in Religion to serve covetous ends Bondage of conscience is the grossest slavery and most devillish captivity upon earth from whence springeth the greatest treachery and most dangerous rebellion which the earth can afford yee may beleeve it when ye see it All liberty within bounds of civility incourage industry and begets a rich Nation hindereth not prevention of dotage and underhand conveighance of estate to forraigne Belly-gods who by flattery rob people stronger in zeale then knowledge of their bodily means of safeguard and load their soules with an increase of unnaturall slavery even to their destruction So hoping of the true effect of upright dealing with God and Man the sight of that liberty of truth which bringeth peace strength and safety to all Lands and people of Innocency I remaine Gods and Yours in all due service to my power M. Q. Now followes the Reasons and Motives that set me upon this Worke. NOt long since I commended to your Highnesse and the Parliament one Treatise containing an essentiall discovery of the States of Policie as they are distinct one from another And another since of the Natures likewise from whence they spring both which in effect binde both your Soveraignty and your chiefest Court of Councell to cast about for the preservation and defence of your Kingdomes and every subject thereof in the liberty of conscience keeping the bonds of civility and humanity but although at a farre distance I perceive the old course is still on foote making sides of Religion and yokes for conscience on all sides wherein hath a world of blood beene spilt already and much more will be if the same continue Covetousnesse pride and delusion must bring forth their fruits where they grow as doe all other things for any hurt which befalls mankinde let the pretence be what it will floweth from thence not from Christian Religion for neither Christ himselfe or any of his Disciples upon Record in the New Testament Apostles or Evangelists or others did in a warlike way either offend or defend themselves for their Religions sake From former passages expressed in both the said Treatises I have manifested sufficient ground of boldnesse for speaking to you Gods of the earth which to rehearse or inlarge is not improper and for these causes following I am constrained yet further to move your greatnesse and being reasonable therein if ye being as gods despise me I shall notwithstanding fulfill the will of the Lord of Lords in discovering the spirits of error though I perish in the Worke with the strength of his encouragement Mat. 10.32 The first cause is this I being by the Law of Humanity or the nature of man as deepely ingaged in the joy of the welfare and sorrow of the misery thereof though a nothing as having any interest in the power of enlargeing or preventing either am bound by the Law of the Spirit of Humanitie and Christianity to discover any thing or course tending to the accomplishment of both wherein is fulfilled the dutie of innocencie and uprightnesse without feare the roote of slavery and flattery according to Marke 4.22 and Mat. 10.27 28. The second cause is for that there are and shall be many false Christs false prophets and false Teachers as there be many Antichrists and false Churches according to the prophesies of the New Testament Matth. 24.4 5. also vers 24. 2 Pet. 2.1 1 Joh. 2.18 These are all one in spirit and in that respect are of the devill or as the devill himselfe working the misery and confusion of mankinde in the greatest measure that may be the being of the world reserved and that according to the working of Sathan also as in the beginning Serpent-like and as in the full strength of his Raigne Dragon and Lyon-like as is set forth 2 Thes 2.9 10. The Revelation sets forth at large the spirit of Antichrist or false Church in his full portracture in every part and member of the said body from the sixt Chapter to the latter end of the same booke Now although not in any measure invested in any power of suppressing any course of evill and lifting up or inlivening any of good yet as fully bound to discover both by Christian and naturall bonds as any if all sanctity and salvation both of soule and body be of the Spirit of God Christ and the Church or Kingdome of Christ then of necessity is all mischiefe of sinne and misery touching man of the spirit of the devill Antichrist and his Kingdome and in short consider each Kingdome is to be discerned by the Doctrine and Learning and the Discipline or Government of the Spirit thereof and so the Doctrine of the Gospell teacheth touching matters of the soule whose welfare is accomplished and inlarged by the freedome and peace of conscience Christians to beare one with another and the stronger to suffer for the weaker knowing that none is master of his owne light or anothers and in case of greatest gainsaying or persecution for conscience sake to suffer without resistance to doe good to all even our enemies in respect of that part of our well being the discipline therof is a government without Master or Lordship as hath been formerly set forth agreable