have confessed often I am a Christian was most baâ—barously tormented instead of all other things of his Name and City and Kindred neither could the Gentiles get any other Language of him Wherefore it is said the President and the Tormenters were fiercely set against him and when as now there remained no punishment unpractised at length they applyed to the tenderest part of his Body plates of Brass glowing hot which fryed seared and scorched his Body yet he is said to remain unmoveable nothing amazed and constant in his Profession Over all his Body his Flesh is said to be wounded his Members bescarred his Sinews shrunk so that the natural shape and outward hue was quite changed And whenas his Tormenters a few dayes after brought him to the place of Torment hoping that if they punished him now having his whole Body as it is said puft up with swelling and festred Wounds so fore that it might not be touched no not with the and the second time being brought to torment had his pain taken away and the shape of his body restored Biblis fainting at first came on again and had her lot among the Martyrs least finger they should overcome him and prevail or if he died in torment it would terrifie the rest and so warn them as they thought to take heed None of all these things hapned unto him but beyond all mens expectations in the latter torments his Body is said to have been released of the pain to have recovered the former shape and the Members to have been restored to their former use Biblis having fainted through cruel torments they brought out again hoping again to cast a reproach upon the Christian Faith but she coming again to the Torments is said as one awakened out of a dead sleep to cry out unexpectly to the Tormenters and to say How can ye devour Infants which were not suffered to suck the blood of bruit Beasts and confessing her self a Christian was appointed to take her lot amongst the Martyrs of Jesus Then they took a new devise to keep them in noysome Dungeons and New devises to destroy them by stench and cruelty of Prisons Photinus Bish of Lyons above ninty years of age carried by Souldiers before the Tribunal Seat Prisons and in Stocks to the fifth Hole after their grievous torments seeing their torments they went through as aforesaid by the stench and cruelty of which and the festring of their Wounds many died And Photinus Bishop of Lyons being above fourscore and ten years old weak of Body and scarce able to draw breath through the imbecility of Nature as the History saith in the repetition of the Letter aforesaid out of which all that I have said is continued was carried of the Souldiers and laid before the Tribunal Seat with a great shout of the Multitude as if saith the History he had been Christ where were the Potentates or Chief of the City being demanded by the President Who is the God of the Christians He answered If thou become worthy thou shalt understand Whereupon he was cruelly handled and is said to have suffered Kickt struck beaten cast into Prison many stripes such as were near to him struck at him both with hand and foot reverencing or having respect to his years nothing at all and such as stood afar off look what each one had in his hand that was thrown at his head and such as ceased from pouring out their poysoned malice thought themselves to have grievously offended supposing by this means saith the Letter to revenge the ruine of their rotten Godds but he almost breathless they cast into Prison where after two dayes he departed this life Vetius Epagathus one of the Brethren saith the Then dies Vetius Epagathus a Noble Man History repeating the Letter having fulness of love towards God and Man whose conversation was so perfect though a young man that he was thought comparable to Zacharias the Priest for he walked unblamably in all the Services Ordinances of the Lord and very serviceable to his Neighbours having great zeal fervency of the Spirit of God allowed not of the Sentence unjustly pronounced against them for after they had born manfully all such vexations as the multitude laid upon them as exclamation scourgings dragging spoyling stoning fettering and the like whatsoever the heady and savage Multitude accustomed to practise against the professed Enemies they were led unto the open Market-place and examination being had they were condemned in the presence of the people by the Tribune and the other chief Potentates of the City until the Presidents coming before whom they were brought which had exercised all kind of extream cruelty against the Christians but with vehement motion required that audience might be given him to demanding audience to plead for the Christians was denyed and confessing himself a Christian was Martyred called The Christians Advocate plead for the Brethren alleadging that they had committed no impiety which being denyed him for he is said to be a Noble Man of such as compassed the Tribunal Seat and of the President rejecting this just Petition and onely demanding Whether he was a Christian he confessed it with a loud voice and so he was received into the fellowship of the Martyrs and called The Advocate of the Christians The aforementioned stirred by his Example hastned themselves to Martyrdom and became more lively and ready Great it is said was the whole rage both of the President People and Souldiers against Sanctus Sanctus Deacon of the Church of Vienna and against Maturus lately baptized Maturus yet said to be a noble Warriour and against Attalus a Pergamenian Attalus who is said to be alwayes a Pillar and Fortress of the Faith and against Blandina the Woman aforesaid because of whom it 's said they quaked Blandina for fear yea and that her Carnal Mistress as she is called which also was one of the persecuted Martyrs was very careful lest peradventure at the time of her Answer by reason of the frailty of her flesh she should not persevere constant Maturus Sanctus Blandina and Attalus were led unto the bruit Beasts in the popular and publick Spectacle of the Led to the wild Beasts Maturus and Sanctus diversly tormented Heathenish inhumanity as are the words at the day appointed of set purpose for so beastly a bucking where again Maturus and Sanctus were diversly tormented with all kinds of punishments as if they had suffered nothing before yea rather as it were with many new means repelling the Adversary they bear again the victorious Garland suffering again the wonted revilings all the cruelty of the savage Beasts and whatsoever the outragious multitude craved and demanded and above all they patiently suffered the Iron Chair wherein their Bodies broiled as in a Frying-pan filling such as were present with the loathsome Put in the Iron Chair and broiled savour of that their foulsome froth Neither were
Figure only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation Heb. 9. 10. Moses his time or the duration of the standing of the Law or the outward Administration or Jewish National Worship was not to remain for ever the first Covenant but it was to pass away and to have an end as not being able to make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 10. 1. though it was commanded of the Lord So there was to be a time of Reformation when that which could not make the comers thereunto perfect was to be removed when that which was the shadow of good things to come but not the very Image of the things as the same place hath it was to have an end which was in the coming of him who was perfect who perfects for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. which the other lead unto For by one Offering saith the Apostle in the verse aforesaid he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and this was called the time of Reformation when he came who put an end to all that was outward and had a visible or an outward Administration which could not make the comers thereunto perfect nor was appointed for that end and purpose but to lead unto another thing which should put an end thereunto and which was its end Now I say if the very outward Mosaical Jewish Administration National Worship the first Covenant which was all the outward Government which was commanded of God in the World was not of man but from the Lord which yet had reference to another thing which was Christ the new Covenant the Law put into the mind and wrote in the heart which was the Prophet which Moses said unto the Jews the Lord their God should raise unto them of their Brethren like unto him whom they should hear in all things whatsoever he should say unto them and that it should come to pass that every Soul he doth not say Body that will not hear that Prophet should be destroyed from among the people Acts 2. 23. How much more now that the thing is come which those Administrations had reference unto the great Reformer ought all things now in relation unto Worship have reference unto him and how ought all things of this nature thither to be directed For as I said he sent not to turn from man to man from the darkness to man but to the Light to the Principle of God that which is of God in man the Seed which is Christ the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 26 27. that men may know who they worship and when and how thy may worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Spirit that is something that is Spirit that is of the Nature that God is that is Spirit and Truth that is as as he is Spirit they that worship him must worship him not in the Letter not in the Injunctions of men not in an outward or fleshly Principle not in man or the spirit of man but of God which is in opposition to all that is of man or cometh from man that is not from the Spirit or Principle of God So men must first come to learn or be turned to the Light to the Principle of God to that which is Spirit by which they may come to know him that dwells in the Light that is inaccessible as to all that is mannish or mortal from the darkness all that is from man or of him who is mortal then something may be said to them as to the Worship of God then they are somewhere and know something which God accepts and in which he is well pleased such Worshippers the Father seeks to worship him All other Worships are not available nor are they to any purpose nor doth God seek them though men may think thereby that they seek after God The time of Reformation svveeps them avvay to the Moles and to the Bats to go into the Clefts of the Rocks all the Idols of Silver and of Gold which are made each one for himself to worship and into the tops of the ragged Rocks for fear of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2. 20 21. The great Reformer gives them no standing every one must worship him from his Temple whose Temple ye are saith the Apostle to the Saints Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God saith he and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. In his Temple doth Psal 26. 9. every one speak of his glory Novv man coming to be the Temple of God and the Spirit of the Lord dvvelling in man and the Principle of God in man being knovvn 1 Cor. 3. 16. here the Worship comes to be knovvn vvhich is in the Spirit and in Truth and this is that vvhich the Father seeks So avvay vvith all inventions of men in the Worship of God avvay vvith all Imitations and Likenesses avvay vvith the shadovvs even of good things to come Novv the thing it self Christ Jesus is come the Principle the Measure of him is knovvn the Incense or Odour vvith Rev. 8. 3. vvhich the Prayers of all Saints are offered upon the Golden Altar vvhich is before the Throne vvhich God accepts The Principle of God is to lead the Spirit of the Lord to offer as this moves the Lord accepts in this he is vvell pleased the living Root must be knovvn something that is holy that never sinned to guide and direct something that is as he is vvho is holy and no iniquity can come near his dvvelling Hab. 1. 13. then the Worship is accepted of the Lord. Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heuven that is to bring down Christ from above Say not Who shall descend into the deep that Rom. 10. 6 7 8. is to bring up Christ again from the dead You need not go so far you need not look vvithout you to Forms Constitutions Ordinances of Men Laws and Imitations the thing is vvithin you the Lord hath brought it nigh to you he hath not put you to another You must account for your selves and joy or be undone for your selves every man is an Individual he is made so by God An Individual signifies a being by it self that can never be mixed that can never be made tvvo something vvherein a man is determined for ever vvhich the Lord should guide of vvhom the Lord vvill require an account the Lord hath not put you to seek here and look there Loe here and loe there it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is
of his wits and Maximinianus depose themselves which bereaved him of his wits together with Maximinianus the second to him after they had been Emperors for the space of twenty years as aforesaid deposed themselves and lived a private life from which time to his end Dioclesian wasted and pined Dioclesian wasts away with Diseases Maximinian hangs himself Constantius and Maximinus sole Emperors away with Diseases and Maximinian hanged himself Constantinus and Maximinus then took the sole government of the Empire which had before four Princes at one time governing Constantius was very friendly and Persecution on his hand loosened from the Christians Maximinus persecuted them sorely though at Maximinus sorely plagued in his body at Tarsus times he would seem to be otherwise minded The Hand of God pursued him so that at Tarsus a great plague fell upon him first taking hold in his flesh and afterwards proceeding to the very Soul for there arose suddenly in the secret parts of his body an impostume or running sore afterwards in the lower part of his Privities a botchy corrupt Boyl with a Fistula whence issued out with a Botch corrupt matter eating up the inward bowels and an unspeakable multitude of Lice swarming out and breathing a deadly stench and Lice and stench when as the corpulency of the whole body through abundance of meat before the Disease came was turned into superfluous grosness and then being grown into matter yeelded an intolerable and horrible spectacle to the beholders wherefore of the Which flew some of his Physicians Physitians some being not able to digest that wonderful noysome stench were slain some other when there remained no hope of Others were executed because they could not help recovery by reason of the swelling throughout the whole body being not able to help at all with their Physick were cruelly executed themselves Whilst the Hand and Plague of God was on him and he lay in his miserable plight he pondered with himself the rash enterprises he had practised against the Worshippers of God Cap. 18. In this plight he repents confesses to God Commands persecution to cease wherefore returning unto himself first he confesses his sins to God next calling upon him such as were about him he gave commandment that with all speed they should cease from persecuting the Christians and that by Decree and Commandment of the Emperor they should build again their Churches and that they should meet often to celebrate their wonted Ceremonies and pray for the life of the Emperor And immediately that And desires Prayers of the Christians for his life The Proclamations hastned which by word he commanded was indeed brought to pass The Proclamations of the Emperor were published throughout the Cities containing a recantation of those things formerly prejudicial unto the Christians in this form The Emperor Caesar Maximinus Puissant Magnificent chief Lord The Copy of the Edict Lord of the Thebais Lord of Salmatia five times Conqueror of Persia Lord of Germany Lord of Egypt twice Conqueror of the Carpyans six times Conqueror of the Armenians Lord of the Medes Lord of the Adiabeni twenty times Tribune nineteen times general Captain eight times Consul Father of the Countrey Proconsul And the Emperor Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantius some read Constantius but it is not so found in the Greek Vertuous Fortunate Puissant Noble chief Lord general Captain and Tribune five times Consul Father of the Countrey Proconsul Among other things which we have decreed for the Commodity and profit of the Common Wealth our pleasure is first of all to order and redress all things according to the antient Laws and Discipline of the Romans and withal to use this provisoe That the Christians which have forsaken the Religion of their Ancestors should be brought again to the right way for after a certain humour of singularity such an Opinion of excellency puffed them up that those things which their Elders had received and allowed they rejected and disallowed devising every man such Laws as they thought good and observed the same assembling in divers places great multitudes of people Wherefore when as our Edict was proclaimed that they should return unto the Ordinance of their Elders divers standing in great danger felt the penalty thereof and many being troubled therefore endured all kinds of death And because we perceive many as yet to persist in the same madness in their yeelding due worship to the Caelestial Godds nor regarding the God of the Christians having respect unto our benignity and godly custom pardoning all men according to our wonted guise we thought good in this case to extend our gracious and favourable clemency that the Christians may be tollerated again and that they may repair again the places where they meet together so that they do nothing prejudicial to publick Order and Discipline We mean to prescribe unto the Judges by another Epistle what they shall observe Wherefore as this our gracious Pardon deserveth let them make intercession to their God for our Health for the Common Weal and for themselves that in all places the Affairs of the publick Weal may be safely preserved and that they themselves may live securely in their own houses I have mentioned this Edict or Proclamation the rather that men The reason of the reheaâ—sal of the Copy of the Edict however swel'd with Titles Dominions and Honours notwithstanding all that they can say of them and do by them must come to bow to him whom in their hearts they despise and seek to trample his Worship and Worshippers under foot who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth Great calamities attended the Roman Empire whilst their rage was The sad consequence of these persecutions to the Roman Empire and the forbearance of them great against the Christians whilst they imposed the Worship of their Heathen Godds and destroyed all those who could not bow down unto nor worship them which when they forbore and left to these who worshipped the Lord to worship him according to his Spirit not according to their Law it flourished was safe and increased I should be marvellous large if I should go through those things also in particular The rebellious invasions divisions amongst themselves Plagues Pestilences Famines Earth-quakes and untimely deaths that befel those Emperors themselves the Lord when he saw time cutting short their race who ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutor notwithstanding that he saw it good also to suffer those things to be to prevent greater The end of the Lord to the Christians in suffering these persecutions mischiefs amongst the Christians and to give testimony before all the World of his Power that was in them wonderfully to carry them through whatsoever was laid upon them for the testimony unto his Name For the Christians when a little ease and liberty befel them and the Hand of the Lord so wrought that instead of being cast out like Dogs
of what he had done so that he consented that Tiberius should be his fellow Emperor and in the open Hall before John the Bishop together with his company the Princes and Magistrates and the Pretorian Souldiers clad Tiberius with Puts the Imperial Robe openly on him and the Souldiers Cloak-Makes a Speech with great sence and tenderness the Imperial Robe and compassed him with the Souldiers Cloak and said to him as followeth Let not the glory of this Garment lead thee into error neither be thou deceived with the glorious shew of such things as are subject to the senses wherewith I my self now alas being snared have brought my self foolishly into these grievous torments Wherefore in governing the Empire in great moderation and mildness of Spirit redress what is amiss and correct what I have lewdly committed And pointing at his Magistrates with Bids him beware of the Magistrates present who brought him into that misery his Finger Thou must in no wise said he be ruled by these men for these be they that brought me into this lamentable plight and the misery thou seest me in This he uttering with many sighs and sobs made the tears to Tears trickled down the eyes of those present trickle down the cheeks of those present no History having to that day on record such lamentable words as he then uttered And Tiberius being proclaimed Caesar he set himself to the recovery Cap. 11. Tiberius sets himself to the recovery of the Empire being not able a little before to look the Abari in the face of the Common-Wealth which was brought very low for he himself being sent but a little before against the people called Abari his Souldiers were not able to look them in the face so that it was much he came alive into the Roman Jurisdictions for by following the rash head of Justinus he together with the whole Common-Wealth of Rome was in such danger of utter The Common-Wealth near utter wreck foil that they were like to lose unto the Barbarians the great renown of the Roman Empire Tiberius is commended not only for his person and mind which The praise of Tiberius became Majesty but for his wise and discreet management of things and moderation both for dyet and otherwise He took Relieves the oppressed Takes off Taxes all that Gold for counterfeit which was got with the tears of the Commonalty The Tributaries to the Empire he forgave one years Tribute the Manors and Farms which Adaarmanes the Persian General had in a manner brought to decay by setting them at grievous Tribute he released and not only considered their loss but recompensed them over and besides the injurious Exactions and Pensions he forgave for the which other Emperors were accustomed to deliver and in a manner to sell their Subjects to be abused of the Magistrates at their pleasure and Makes Laws against Oppression made a Law that no such things afterwards should be committed And with the sums of money which his Predecessor had both wickedly and injuriously appointed to be gathered he made ready Provids against the Persians an exceeding great Army for Battel against the Persians a great Army of valliant men and noble persons he gathered together beyond and on this side the Alps of the Massagetae with other Scythian Nations so that he had well nigh one hundred and fifty Troops of chosen Horsemen ready and well nigh appointed whereby he gave an utter foil to Chosroes who after the taking of Daras in the Summer Armenia over-run by Chosroes He marches towards Cesarea time had over run Armenia and from thence marching towards Caesarea the head City of Cappadocia thought to have taken that and behaved himself so insolently that when the Roman Is very insolent to Tiberius's Ambassadors Ambassadors came from the Emperor to him he would not give them audience but very disdainfully bad them follow him to Caesarea and there he would sit and hear them what they had to say but when he saw the Roman Host whose Captain was Justimanus Thinks not of this mighty Army which now looks him in the face He is appaled and daunted the brother of Justinus who was cruelly murdered at Alexandria as aforesaid all in Armor coming to meet him the Trumpet sounding to Battel the clamour of the Souldiers piercing the Skie orderly placed in the Front in Battel Array foming out with great fury nothing but present death and so goodly a Troop of Horsemen such as none of the Emperors before ever thought of he was greatly astonished and because it fell out unlooked for and on a sudden he sighed heavily and would not give the onset as he lingered and deferred the Battel thinking Would not give the onset Curs a Scythian engages him cuts many to pieces takes the Train the Kings Treasure c. by craft to deceive them Curs a Scythian Captain of the right Wing set upon him his violence the Persians could not withstand but forsook the Front of the Host he made a great slaughter of them and pursued them at their backs to the Artillery and the whole preparation of the Army where he took the Kings Treasury and Jewels and all his Ordinance for War which Chosroes saw and suffered thinking it better than that Curs should set on him he took also great spoils and sums of money and the continual And the continual fire the God of the Persians Fire the God of the Persians so singing a Hymn of praise by Candle-light he came to his Company All this while Chosroes stirred not nor as yet was the set Battel began but only light Skirmishes as the manner is one while on this side and the other while on that At length Chosroes setting a mighty Beacon on fire Chosroes makes an onset on one part of the Roman Army in the night purposed to give the Enemy the Battel The Romans being divided into two Armies he set about midnight on that Host which lay in the Camp on the North side who giving back They give back burns Miletina The Roman Army conjoyned pursue him to Euphrates He escapes over on an Elephant The greatest part of his Army drowned Gets into the East to live in peace being unprovided he set fire on Miletina and sought to cut over the River Euphrates but the Romans Army joyning together pursued them so that he fearing himself got upon an Elephant and passed over Euphrates but the greatest part of his Army in swimming and conveying themselves over were drowned he understanding this with as many of his men as were left alive got into the East after this recompense of his insolence and cruelty where he abode because of the league aforesaid held in those parts After this Justinianus over-ran the Marches of the Persian Dominion Justinianus over-runs the marches of the Persians none resisting and remained there all the Winter long without let or hinderance and returned without the loss
the World and the Prince of it hath sought to pull down but hath not been able Naked Truth which is greater than all by its own force and virtue which is spiritual hath overcome and given all to do the same who have been led and guided by it that which subdues the spirits of men that which chains that binds the strong man armed and makes the Devils subject can certainly prevail to keep all that are guided by it in whom it lives and by whom they are preserved and kept The Lord the everlasting God neither fainteth nor is weary there is no searching out of his understanding The Power of God Christ Jesus by whom all things were made and preserved without which said he to Pilate nothing could be done unto him without doubt is able and will as he sees its most advantage to his Truth and the glory of his Name keep those in whom it lives who know the Rock that is higher than they the strong Tower the Name of the Lord to which the Righteous fly and are saved This may suffice to answer the Objection which happily may arise in some in point of safety should that be insisted on which looks to outward Arms the Truth had never been at this day had not the virtue and power thereof preserved and kept it self and all who have kept to it Wars and the Sword were not in the beginning in the beginning it was not so man was made in that or by it which made the Creation there was no variance Adam gave names to all the Creation the Creatures came to Noah by an instinct not humane to be preserved in the Ark. The first use of Arms was found in Cain who killed his Brother because of Religion the enmity entered with transgression the strange Nature which knew not that in which all things were made which sought the destruction of that which was made that which is come to redeem from transgression redeems from the consequence or that which followed by reason of transgression as well as transgression removes the enmity casts it out which having entered into the Creation seeks to destroy it which is the Devil and brings where man was in the beginning where one Spirit that by which all things were made which is tender to that it hath made which is the Harmony or Union where no Jar is lives and rules and hitherto things must all come again And as that in and by which all things were made comes to live as it comes to live works to this out of the contrary and that which will be in the end must be in the beginning and a beginning it must have and some must begin it and who should or can do this but those in whom this is so come to live that in the particular hath so far overcome that this it can do which is to be an example or a leader to the rest till iniquity being overcome and that which destroyes the Creation being cast out the Earth enjoy her Sabbaths again and the oppressor ceaseth out of the Land Happy is that people who are in such a case saith the Psalmist Psal 144. 15. in a thing of another nature Yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. He gave his back to the smiter and his cheeks to them that plucketh off the hair and hid not his face from shame and spitting Isa 50. 6. The same is now where and as he is witnessed and his Dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdom that which shall not pass away All that were led by his Spirit in all Generations pertook of his mind in this and thereby overcame the Lord sustained them so that they fainted not That which fights with the Sword must subdue the Spirit or it cannot overcome the body in which the Spirit is if the Spirit be overcome without the Sword bound or chained up is it not the same yea is it not better and there is a way to this and the man sees and hath proved it so who knows the Wisdom and the Power of God So let all men be satisfied in this thing the Doctrine that I preach is not new it was in the beginning and is in measure in some again and will be in the end The Prophets have prophesied so the Lord of Life in his humiliation witnessed it to be so so did the Prophets and Apostles so have all his Witnesses to this day and so now it is witnessed and will be till all hath an end and till time is no more The Witnesses of Jesus though men of War otherwise laid down to this The Roman Captains and Souldiers when it came to this laid down their Sword-Girdles as aforesaid and imbraced death as Christians I am a Christian and so suffered so have the Christians in succeeding Ages Why should I fill the World with reports of what Histories have said of this matter any further The ground hath been shewn wherein War stands and the reason and ground of the alteration and wherein that stands which gives it I hope no considerate man by this time will look strange upon this Position but having duly weighed things will see the rise of the one and of the other Arms and that which subdues them and so will be more gentled at least to the contrary Principle if not convinced of it which they may be in due season for which cause this is written at least that the ground on which we stand as to these things may be understood or that we may give a reason thereof to this and Generations to come and not appear as Monsters which the opposites to us would make in this thing who are no otherwise therein then on the ground aforesaid which he that thinks he can overthrow let him manifest himself therein So far at this time is it with me to write of this thing and so I shall proceed THE Fourth General Head Concerning the Changeable Priesthood The fourth and last Head is the Changeable Priesthood the Rise and Original of that and of the contrary to which I shall speak and then I shall end as to these Heads or Particulars THE Changeable Pristhood had its Date with the Nation of the Jews it was Figurative and ended in him who changed the Priesthood who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck without beginning of dayes or end of life whom the Changeable Priesthood signified For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the True but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer up himself often as the high Priest entred into the holy Place every year with blood of others for then must be often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed for men once to die but
Page 22. reproof as so many Mephibosheths their Master teaches them to go uprightly but they still shew their lame leg and shame their Master as if a man might be a Christian and yet be the vilest person in the World doing such things for which the Laws of men have provided both smart and shame and the Laws of God have threatned the intollerable pains of an unsufferable and never dying damnation And in his measure of the Evangelical Righteousness he saith It must at least be so much that is as the Scribes and Pharisees We must keep the Letter of the whole Moral Law We must do all that lies before us all that is in our hand the outward work must Page 24. be done and it is not enough to say My Heart is right but my Hand went wrong a right Heart alone will not do it or rather the Heart is not right when the Hand is wrong for once for all let us remember this That Christianity is the most profitable the most useful and the most bountiful institution in the whole World and the best definition Page 25. I can give of it is this It is the Wisdom of God brought down among us to do good to men Christian Religion is something that is not seen it is the hidden Page 29. man of the heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is God that dwells within True Christians are men who as the Chaldee Oracle said †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 2. 14. are cloathed with a great deal of mind I will speak unto their Heart To preach the Gospel saith he where the Spirit is the Preacher and the Heart is the Disciple and the Sermon is of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Our Service to God must not be in outward works and Scenes of Religion it must be something by which we become like God solemn Prayers and the Sacraments and the Assemblies of the Faithful Page 31. and Fasting dayes and Acts of external Worship are the Solemnities Page 32. and Rights of Religion but the Religion of a Christian is in the Heart and Spirit And this is that by which Clemens Alexandrinus desired the Righteousness of a Christian * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the parts and faculties which make up a man must make up our Religion but the Heart is Domus Principalis it is the Court of the great King and he is properly served with Interior Graces and Moral Virtues with a humble and a good Mind with a bountiful Heart and a willing Soul and these command the Eye and give Law to the Hand and make the Shoulders stoop but anima cujusque est quisque then he is within A mans Soul is the man and so is his Religion and so ye are bound to understand it No external action can purifie the Soul because its Nature Page 33. and Operation being Spiritual it can no more be changed by a Ceremony by an external Solemnity than an Angel can be carressed with sweet meats or a mans Belly be filled with Musick or long Orations The Sum is this No Christian does his duty to God but he that serves him with all his heart and although it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness even the external also yet that which makes us gracious in his eye is not the external it is the love of the heart and the real change of the mind and obedience of the Spirit That 's the first great measure of the Righteousness Evangelical Our Righteousness must be the purification and the perfection of the Spirit A Christian must not look upon a Woman to lust after her he must hate sin in all dimensions and in all distances and in every Angle of its Reception To abstain from all appearances of evil Charity vaunteth not its self And upon this Saint Basil saith That Ecclesiastick Persons and so every Christian in his proportion ought not to go in splendid and vain Ornaments every thing that is not wisely useful or proportioned to the state of the Christian but ministers only to vanity is a part of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a vaunting which the charity and grace of a good Christian does not well endure it is no wonder if Christianity be nice and curious it is the cleanness and the purification of the Soul and Christ intends to present his Church to God without spot or wrinkle or any such thing N. B. or any such thing if there be any irregularity less than a wrinkle the Evangelical Righteousness doth not allow it And certain it is he is dull of hearing who understands not the Voice of God unless it be clamorous in an express and a loud Commandment proclaimed with Trumpets and Clarions on Mount Sinai A willing and an obedient ear understands the still Voice of Christ and is ready to obey his meaning at half a word and that is the Righteousnesse Evangelical The Righteousness Evangelical must be like Christ's seamless Coat Page 44. all of a piece from the top to the bottom it must invest the whole Soul Misma Dumah Massah said the Proverb of the Rabbins it is this and it is the other and it must be all it must be an Universal Righteousness not a little knot of holy Actions scattered in our lives and drawn into a sum at the day of Judgment but it must be a state of holiness To be zealous for God and for Religion is good but that will not Page 45. legitimate cruelty to our Brother The Righteousness Evangelical is another kind of thing it is a holy conversation a God-like life an Universal obedience a keeping nothing back from God A Sanctification of the whole man and keeps not the Body only but the Soul and the Spirit unblameable to the coming of the Lord Jesus These are such things saith he a little before which if a man will stand to defend possibly a modest reprover will be more ashamed than an impudent offender Page 40. Page 49. Among the Hebrews the Trees of the Lord did signifie such trees as grew of themselves and all that are of God's planting are such as have a vital principle within and grow without constraint I do not know how to give a fuller expression to the Principle of the People called Quakers and indeed the whole of them are very full as much as in so many words can well be exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one said it of the Christians They obey the Laws and by the goodness of their lives exceed the Laws And certain it is no man hath the Righteousness Evangelical if he resolves alwayes to take all his liberty in every thing that is meerly lawful or if he purpose to do no more than he needs must that is no more than he is just commanded for the reasons are plain The sum of all is this The Righteousness Evangelical is Page 67 68. the same with that
Scripture before the Church and acknowledges none but the Scripture the sole Interpreter of its self to the Conscience For if the Church be not sufficient to be implicitely believed as we hold it is not what can there else be named of more Authority than the Church but the Conscience than which God only is greater 1 John 3. 20. But if any man shall pretend saith he that the Scripture judges to his Conscience for other men he makes himself greater not only than the Church but also than the Scripture than the Consciences of other men A presumption saith he too high for any mortal since every true Christian is able to give a reason of his Faith hath the Word of God before him the promised Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ within him 1 Cor. 2. 16. A much better and safer guide of Conscience saith he which as far as concerns himself he may far more certainly know then any outward rule inposed on him by others whom he inwardly either knows not nor can know at least knows nothing of them more sure than this one thing That they cannot be his Judges in Religion 1 Cor. 2. 15. The Spiritual man judges all things but he himself is judged of no man chiefly for this cause do all true Protestants account the Pope Antichrist for that he assumes to himself this infallibility over both the Conscience and the Scripture sitting in the Temple of God as it were opposite to God and exalting himself over all that is called God or is worshipped 2 Thes 2. 4. That is to say not onely above all Judges and Magistrates who though they be called Godds are far beneath infallible but also above God himself by giving Law both to the Scripture to the Conscience and to the Spirit it self of God within us when as we find James 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another That Christ is the only Law-giver of his Church and that it is here meant in Religious matters no well-grounded Christian will deny Thus also St. Paul Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest the Servant of another to his own Lord he standeth or falleth but he shall stand for God is able to make him stand As therefore of one beyond expression bold and presumptuous both these Apostles demand Who art thou that presumest to impose other Law or Judgment in Religion than the only Law-giver and Judge Jesus Christ who can only save and can destroy gives to the Conscience And the forecited place to the Thessalonians by compared effects resolves us That be he or they who or where-ever they be or can be they are of far less Authority than the Church whom in these things as Protestants they receive not and yet no less Antichrist in this main point of Antichristianism no less Pope or Popedom than he at Rome if not much more by setting up Supream Interpreters of Scripture either those Doctors whom they follow or which is far worse themselves as a Civil Papacy assuming unaccountable Supremacy to themselves not in Civil only but Ecclesiastical Causes Seeing then that in matters of Religion as hath been proved none can judge or determine here on earth no not Church-Governors themselves against the Consciences of other Believers my inference is or rather not mine but our Saviour's own that in those cases they neither can command nor use restraint lest they run rashly on a pernitious consequence forwarned in that Parable Mat. 13. 26 to 31. Lest while ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them let both grow together until the Harvest and in the time of Harvest I will say to the Reapers Gather ye together Page 13. first the Tares c. Whereby he declares that this work neither his own Ministers nor any else can discerningly enough or judgingly perform without his own immediate direction in his own fit season and they ought till then not to attempt it which is further confirmed 2 Cor. 1. 14. Not that we have dominion over your Faith but are helpers of your joy If the Apostles had no dominion or constraining power over Faith or Conscience much less have ordinary Ministers 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. Feeding the Flock of God not by constraint c. neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage Much more I might have produced as to this Author even the whole Discourse wherein he fully convinces what in his Title page he asserts to wit That it is not lawful for any power on earth to compel in matters of Religion He is one who pretends to the Church of Christ but not by compulsion to Church-ship or matters of Religion as this his Treatise shews him Concerning God Doctor Ingelo produces Plotin as expressing him Doctor Ingelo See Tabu Bentivo Vâ—an under the respective Heads of this and that which follows to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Root of the Soul And Pithagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Fountain of everlasting Nature Concerning a mans knowing of himself he saith He hath called the Governor of Tapinophorosine or Humility because the knowledge of ones self is the natural root of Humility Now what gives the knowledge of a mans self but that which searcheth the Heart And what is the natural root of Humility but the Fountain of everlasting Nature from which humility springs of whose fulness we have all received grace for grace saith the Apostle in whom the fulness of the God-head dwells bodily who saith Learn of me for I am lowly and meek And behold the King cometh meek riding on an Ass the Foal of an Ass who is the high and lofty One who inhabiteth Isa 57. 1â— Eternity whose Name is Holy who dwelleth in the high and holy Heavens in him also that is of an humble and contrite Spirit to revive the heart of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones whose Nature is Everlasting and who is the Spring thereof but he who is without beginning of dayes or end of life who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck as aforesaid from whom every thing that is like him springs Concerning Conscience he saith It is a natural Principle and what that Nature is I have already shewed not to be eradicated by any Act of man so it is Eternal for what man cannot eradicate is not of man a severe reprover and sharp Corrector of those bold sinners who offer violence to it by the Doctors leave if I may so say after the usual manner amongst men that which witnesseth in the Conscience is that which here is put under the notion of Conscience for there be whose very Consciences are defiled who have made shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience whose Conscience is seared with a hot Iron and so whilst such it answereth not or not aright But that which witnesseth in Conscience which is the severe Reprover the sharp Corrector