Bedemontane Protestants have preserved their Religion incorrupt longer then any Church with a ministry indowed with Tythes Hire in the World And likewise the Primitive times never wanted able Teachers as the best Histories say although they lived either upon their labour or the free Offering of them that were converted and was not so disquieted with politicall complying opinions and curiosities and nicities and distinctions and contentions until Constance began to inrich and give Lands and great reveneus to the Church And then they began to side and controvert in State matters and grew into Pride Idleness and Fulness insomuch that Histories say a voice was heard from Heaven This day poyson hath been shed in the Church So you Protestants view over your Fathers whom the Ministers hath talked on And so now if they will own their practice so as to walk in it and let them never be reckoned as Ministers of Christ more who cannot be content with his allowance and let forcing alone about maintenance and the Tythes alone to the Priest of the first Covenant and let bargining alone for wages and seek not hire of them you work not for and if your Gospel will not maintain you you have good cause to question it whether it be the very same the Apostle preached and the Primitive Fathers and never such a cry be heard more among people for maintenance and hire for wages and Tythes But he that hath the Gospel let him preach the Gospel and live of the Gospel not upon Tythes and forced maintenance and set stipends for the Gospel condemns this a cloud of witness is against it both in former and latter ages yea it is inconsistent unto reason to require Tythes in this age by the Ministry First the Levites were one of the twelve Tribes if they were not the twelve part of the people but so is not the Priests now Secondly they had no portion among the rest of the Tribes but the Teachers and Priests now have equal to other men in Lands and Revenues Thirdly The Priests were but to have the tenth of all clean things but now clean and unclean Beasts Birds and Fowls Piggs Eggs Turnups and every thing which were not Tythable under the Law Fourthly their service was great at the Tabernacle and Temple and in time of the war and sojourning it is not so with Priests who staies over a few families all their life long Fifthly Seeing the service is abrogated for which the Levites had Tythes and none of the service performed now no reasons that tyths should be required now when the work is not done unto which the tythes belonged Sixthly the Levites were of Aarons priesthood of which tribe Christ came not but of the tribe of Juda but these priests are not after Aaron nor Levi neither their successors therefore hath no right to tythes Seventhly that which was given by the command of God only to Aaron and his Sons and Levites and never to any other priesthood or Ministry Now seeing the Law is changed and the priesthood changed Christ being come these priests are unreasonable who demanded them contrary to the command of God which belongs only to that priesthood CHAP. XIX Respecting of persons and Complemental bowings and worshipping one another and flattering titles no good manners but are in the transgression and hath been antiently reproved and condemned ALthough this Generation have so far run after every invention and vain custome and tradition into complements and flattery and deceit and respecting of persons which is a thing in high esteem as a piece of good breeding and education and good manners accounted not only among the prophaner sort but even among Christians so called who have conformed unto every vain custome of the Nations Yet they that know the life of Christ cannot do so and they that abide in his doctrine must not do so though things be never so applauded by fallen men whose glory is in that which is earthly Yet God beholds not nor looks not as man but his thoughts are contrary to mans in that state and that which the Sons of men in the fallen estate do highly esteem of is disesteemed by the Lord. The best manner of walking is that which the Lord directs and leads into which is pure and holy and incorrupt and the Saints practise who were taught of God is the best example to follow and their manner and deportment among the Sons of men are chiefly to be followed Although that which is from below doth and hath ever disesteemed their way and the honour that comes from above although the Heathen had many Lords and many Gods Yet it was said to Israel thy God is but one and him shalt thou bow unto alone and reverence his Name Israel was not to follow the vain customes of the Nations neither follow their example who served not the living God with their hearts multitudes are not to be followed in doing evil Custome without Truth is but a bad plea antiquity with unrighteuosnesse is but bad proof that which leads into degeneration is not to be minded but that which leads into restoration and innocency The Redeemed of the Lord and the Israel of God now who works after the directions and leadings of Gods holy Spirit upon whom peace resteth are otherwise taught then to follow vain customes which begets one another into pride and deceit and unbelief Christ reproved the Pharisees for seeking honour one of another and told them they could not believe who sought it Was it reprovable then is it commendable now are there not many that seek it now Yes that which is offended when it is not complemented and bowed unto seeks it and would have it and is in the unbelief what capping and cringing what bowing and scraping in which many spends much of their time what complements and fained speeches is daily invented and gestures and Ceremonies of which there is hardly any end which people runs into now who calls themselves Christians many generations before cannot paralel it and yet this must be counted good manners and be reckoned as such Oh! The Lord is grieved with these things and they are abominable in his sight will provoke the Lord to anger if they be persisted in and the honour which is from above they despised And what invented words and names which puffs up the proud minds is people run into and like Ephraim in the transgression seeds upon wind and that which will vanish as a buble and pass away as a morning dew God will stain it all and the pride and glory of all flesh and bring contempt upon all the honourable of the Earth for the Saints knew who were come out of the respect of persons that the fashion of the world and the customâ— and manners and glory and honour and esteem thereof should pass away and that all that come to the beginning again to union with God must die to all these things which is got and entred
Churches or Meeting places but on the other side the second Nicene Councils determined that Images were not only to be placed in the Churches but also to be worshipped and the pope said that Images were to be Lay-mens Calenders The latter Council under Julius the second did repeal the Decrees of the Pisan Council The Basil Council deterrmined that a Council of Bishops was above the Pope but the Lattern Council under Leo Decreed that the Pope was above the Council and they decreed also that he that should think otherwise should be held for an Heretick and yet the Bishops and Abboâ—s in the Council of Basil aforesaid Decreed that they that judged that the Bishops were not above the Pope were Hereticks and yet these Councils the Church of Rome layes claim to to be of their Faith and Church and yet one making void what another had decreed The same Council did with an uniform consent remove the Pope Engeâ—ius and put Amidius in his place But Engenius vilifies the Councils decrees and condemns them The Council of Trent commanded that Bishops should teach the people and should have no more benefit for preferment then one place But since they have made this decree void and now whole Countries is too little and the Protestants imitates the same and does not teach the people and so of what validity have these Councils been worth or of what force hath the Decrees been of mutable men who have been tossed up and down like waters need I nominate the several Convocations and Councils that hath been amongst the reformed Churches as they are called and their Synods one while decreeing this the next throwing it down again And yet all these will lay claim to be Ministers of the True Church and persecute as Hereticks to death them who owns not their Changeable Decrees and mutable Institutions but such hath been the Arogancy and pride of her that hath set as a Queen upon the waters that she must be the only Judge and then the Prophets must be slain Pope Julius said no Council is of any credit unless it be confirmed by the Church of Rome And Boniface the eighth saith that no man in the world can be saved unless he be subject to the Romane Church And Pope Paschal thus said as though said he any Council could make Laws for the Church of Rome and all Councils do subsist by it and receive their strength from it and that wâ—h the Pope approveth or disapproveth And so all Confederacies Councils of men who are out of the life and power of God doth decree that which brings the Seed of God into bondage Now Rome look to thy infallability and thy universality which thou so much cryest up and thy unity one while sets up one thing another time throws it down again when it wil not sâ—rveparticular interests and what a stir has here been amongst them that call themselves reformed in these latter ages one setting up this another that sometimes this service for a worship then the next calls it Idolâ—trous then another service and this Ceremony and the other Ceremony and this Pater noster and the other Creed this Caâ—echism and the other Caâ—echism these Articles of Faith the next Synod make them void and so leads people into distraction and madness and this Caâ—on and the other Institution one while its Idolatrous another while Sacred and Holy And thus people has been led up and down many generations too and â—ro up and down and persecâ—tion about Changeable Mutable and alterable things and the life which redeems out of the world up unto God has not been sought after And so all that looks to have peace and to enjoy the Testimony of Gods blessed Spirit come out of this Babylon this City of confusion whose seat is â—rected upon the sand whose Foundation is laid in the waters and faith upon the humane institutions of men which are variable and subject to Mutation and come to know the Rock of Ages and the unalterable Council of the Lord and the wisdome of the most High to rule in your hearts wait in the Immortal Light of God which is within that you may see over all these Mountains of darkness which is risen up in the Apostacy and over all the Institutions Decrees Statutes Ordinances and Inventions of men to before all these things were and come to him who is the beginning of the Creation of God who is that quickning Spirit by which all that believe are raised out of death to be partakers of the Life which is Immortal which fades not away and the Lord will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Away with all Types and Figures Shadows and Vails humane Institutions and Ordinances of men Ceremonies and vain superstitions Traditions which God hath no pleasure in which doth not profit at all and whatsoever leads the mind into visible things from the invisible God is to be thrown aside as a menstruoâ—s Cloath and as the breath of abominable things which God will confound because he hath no pleasure in them for the life is risen and the vail of the covering is rent which has been spread over all Nations the night is gone the day is come and appeared in brightness the shadows are past away and the morning of Righteousness is appeared the Son of God is come who has given his flock an understanding in whom life and blessedness and peace and everlasting Consolation resideth and resteth upon his People for ever more CHAP. XVI Something concerning the worship of God whether that Kings and Rulers now in Gospel times have any power from God to compel or force about Spiritual things declared and some Scriptures answered which hath been perverted by them who are in the Apostacy to maintain the Beasts power and the false Churches worship under the raign of Antichrist VVHen the Lord brought Israel out of the land of Eygpt by a strong hand and an outstreched arme he made a Covenant with them and gave forth a Law at Mount Sina by the hand of Moses the Judge of Israel and statures and Ordinances which Israel should walk in who were as a family who came of one stock and the Laws and Statutes which were then given forth was concerning civil things as concerning man and man and betwixt a man and his Neighbour and for the Government of whole families and the Camp of Israel And likewise Laws and Statutes which concerned the worship of the true God which may be read at large in Exodus Numbers and Dâ—uteromony and that worshipped not the true God according to the command given in the first Covenant which was outward were to have Judgment executed upon them according to the Law and Moses over Israel and the rest of the Judges were to see the Laws and Statutes Executed upon the transgressors and if any were an Idolater worshipped a false God or a Blasphemer were to be stoned to death or Sabbath-breaker was to be
were quickned by it in their hearts and minds who believed and heard the voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live Who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest professors and ordinance men and were for conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest professors and observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that was in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach and Disciple all Nations in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave power to cast out Devils and work Miracles Prophesied after a season the word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified And these who was sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received gifts from the holy Ghost for the work of the Ministery they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the power of God and the wisdome of God for the remission of sin and the word of faith they declared in the mouth and in the heart and went not to Tables of stone to direct people thither but to bring people to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who was commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministery and through their words which they declared many did beleive both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of Jews as did believe and separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in houses and other places Acts 20. 7. Chap. 28. 30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain places in Towns and Cities not onely at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Collosse The ssolonica Corinth and divers other places which were long to enumerate Act. 11. 9. Chap. 17. 1 2. Chap. 18. 4. But now mark this that by which the Apostle gathered them from the Jewish Temples and Priest-hood and the Gentiles from their â—dols Temples was by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel to wiâ— noâ— the Law nor the Ordinances of the first Covenant but the Power of God and the word of reconciliation for the first Covenant of the Jews made not the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience Neither the Gentiles Idols Temples nor Worships made them perfect as pertaining to the conscience but rather made them worse and more corrupted Heb. 9. 9. But the preaching and publishing of the word of reconciliation that did it was committed to the Disciples it was received and believed in by many both Iews and Gentiles as at Ephesus and elsewhere and they were made a habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes. 2. 22. Now mark this they preached not up the Letter of the Law nor that which was written in Tables of stone for the first Priest-hood that was ended and the Ministry of that and the vaile was over their hearts while Moses was read and their ability stood not in the litteral knowledge or in that which was written But they were able Ministers of the New Testament of the Spirit and so all that did beleive both Jews and Gentiles who received the word of Faith which was nigh in the mouth and in the heart Rom. 10. 8. They grew up in the knowledge of God and of his holy Sprit and great gifts grew amongst them as of Prophecy of speaking with Tongues of Interpretation and there was diversity of gifts and diversity of operations yet all by the same Spirit which the Apostles was made Ministers of and which they that did beleive and receive received gifts from it and knew the operation of it which wrought in them mightily to the throwing down the strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 4. And the principalities and powers of Darkness and to the translating and changing of them from darkness to Light and from Saâ—ans power to the power of God even into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1. 13. And several Congregations in divers Places were all one body whereof Christ the life was the head in which they had believed and of whose power they had tasted grew up in knowledge and wisdom and gifts and the day of Christ approached which Abraham saw And they exhorted one another admonished one another and when they met togethere at several places every one according to the gift of God as he had received nor from the Letter but from the Spirit did and might admister to the edification one of another and to the building up and comforting one another in the most holy faith which gave them victory over sin which faith was ought in them by hearing of the word that was nigh them in the mouth and in the heart which was the word of consolation which was in the beginning Moreover when they met together they might Prophesie one by one and every one exercise his own gift to the edification and comfort of the body as the Spirit did lead them in order and if any went out from his measure he was judged by them that were in the Spirit Furthermore they that had beleived the Gospel which was published to them for remission of sin they grew up into great enjoyments and attainments in the righteous life of Christ which was manifest in them And though first they knew the Ministration of Condemnation and the sentence of death yet afterwards came to know the Ministration of the spirit and the sweet assurance ard Testimony of it bearing witness to the Spirit that they were the Sons of God and they were made heirs according to the promise Heb. 6. 17. and were made joynt heirs and co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdome which is immortal which fados not away and did come to know Mount Sion and the City of the Living God Heb. 12. 22. and it were large to speak of the glory and the transcendent excellency of the Church of Christ which became a purchased possession to him in the primitive times or the first hundred years after the manifestation of Christ in the flesh But take notice of this that them that were sent out who had received freely of the Father of Christ and of the Spirit Ministred freely as they had received freely without
Christ to be her Husband and sate as a Queen and the Kings of the Farth John saâ— in the Revelation drink of her Cup and bewitched by her Sorceries and then all the Nations becoming Water and unstable being drunk with fornication sraggered up and down and reeled up and down and stood in nothing being out of the power which should have stablished them And then a great Beast arose out of these Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People which are these waters with seven heads and ten horns and then these Apostatized Disciples or Ministers which preached for filthy Lucre and them that beleived them sheltered them under the Beast and cryed who is able to make war with the Beast and the Kings of the Earth gave their strength to the Beast which arose out of the waters and now the false Church gets upon him these that had the form of Godliness and out of the power and rides upon the Beast and he carries her and hath done this many years and she hath travelled in the greatness of his strength And then Laws began to be made about Religion and then began compelling we heard of none in the Primitive times nor in the true Church but now the false Church calling her self by the Free-Womans name and getting on the outward dress and habit and attire saith I am she have not I the form and ordinances which was practised in the Apostles dayes Who doubts of that may look into the Primitive times and see that I am conformable to the form which was amongst the first Christians in things that are outward And thus she hath deceived the Nations Rev. 18. 23. Now Rome look to thy beginning and read thy Original and view thy Antiquity We will grant thee every dram and every hour of time these thirteen hundred years and prove thee to be in the Apostacy in doctrine and practice from the Primitive time after the first hundred years after Christ was manifested in the flesh And Christendom look about thee for thou art measured and thy compass is seen If Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People have drunk the Whores Cup since Johus dayes as will be made manifest then what cause hast thou Rome to boast of Antiquity and universality for that doth the sooner prove thee to be a Harlor then the true Church and thy universality which hath long been boasted of proves thee no more to be the true Church of Christ then the sea can prove it self to be a Rock for if Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Languages and People universally be the waters that the Whore sits upon and the Beast rose out of the Waters Now read thy self we have measured thee as in the hollow of a hand and we have thee in the Apostacy clear thy self when thou can If the Beast compelled all both small and great to worship him and made war with all that bore not his Image then we have thee between us and the Apostles time as in a press for not such compelling was in the true Church by any Ecclesiastical or Secular power Instance if thou can from the Apostles writings any such thing or where Cains Weapons was lifted up or Creatures men and women killed by the Sword or destroyed with lingring torments in the time of the Apostles Now in that it is said the Church hath been universal to that more might be said Europe or some parts adjacent is not all the Earth and it is no where found since the Apostles that klling and compelling and forcing hath been but by thee and them that are at the best but in the Suburbs of thy City which afterwards I shall in brief descend to and so it is evidently known that thy Church so called hath been upheld more by cruelty and force then any sound Doctrine or Practice agreeable to the Apostles dayes Though thou may wipe thy Mouth and say I am clear we persecute none to death we have a Beast to ride upon and will make war for our City and will compell to our worship and institutions we 'l cry him up for the higher power and we will frighten people that who resists this resists the ordinance of God And he will kill and destroy and compel and force and we shall be clear and he will call us the holy Church and we will call him the higher Power And so it is clear and evident by what hath been said that thou art in the Apostacy as hereafter shall be manifested by name and practice First thy Ministers are not according to the Ministers of Christ in the Primitive times their call not such their practice noâ— such They were made Ministers in the primitive times by the holy Ghost and by the Spirit but yours by natural parts Tongues Arts Philosophy and Study and packing up Old Authors together to make a little discourse of and this must be called the Gospel Secondly the Ministers of Christ they preach freely not for gifts and rewards and Tythes but you have brought in Judaisme Tythes which belongeth to the first Priest-hood your Oblations Obventions your Mortuaries and these Invented and Introduced things to maintain your Ministers by Thirdly the Ministers of Christ did not compel any at Corinth Thessalonica Macedonia or any other Church to give them such and such maintenance by force who received not their Doctrine But you compel and force and have made that which you call the Gospel chargeable to the Earth where you have power 1 Cor. 9. 18. Fourthly your Doctrine is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the primitive times as that the real and substantial presence of Christs Body and blood after the consecration of Priests is in the bread and wine which may corrupt and so doth not the body of Christ do contrary to Christs Doctrine who saith he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood shall live for ever Joh. 6. 56. But you that eat that which you call his substantial and real Body and blood both it and you shall corrupt Fifthly of the unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse this sacrifice doth no good at all for where there is no blood there is no life and where there is no blood there is no remission saith Paul Heb. 9. 14. and so your sacrifice is abominable and an Idol and such an one as there is no mention made of in the Scriptures Sixthly of your Liturgy and publick prayers in an unknown tongue this is an unprofitable and a vain Worship and this is like your unbloody Sacrifice herein you are like Barbarians one to another and how should they that worship with you say Amen when they know not what you say you praying in an unknown tongue is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said 1 Cor. 14. and the 18 verse I thank my God I speak with Tongues more than you all verse 19. yet in the Church I had rather speake five words with my understanding that I might reach others also then ten thousand in an unknown Tongue
Secondly whether hath your Gospel been universally and publickly preached these sixteen hundred years or nay And is it the very same that was preached in the first hundred or two hundred years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the whores cup of fornication And then Nâ—tions were Waters Seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds and Tongues which are the waters upon which your Church is Scituated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred years after Christ was manifested in the flesh Much might be said to demonstrate the Truth which is in hand that there hath been an apostacy the beginners whereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterward grew into a body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writers which have given a narrative of the first five hundred years declared that there was a great loss within 300. years but in five hundred years or less the very power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the form And though your Church pleads Antiquity for a Thousand years for these things a fore mentioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyne issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cains and Chores way for an example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Counsel that rose out of the waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great body of darkness some of the practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter ages So that the worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christs and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless number of vain Traditions Avemaries Creeds and Pater nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be collected that there hath been a great Diviation and apostacy from the Doctrine and practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches doctrine and practices in the first hundred years after Christ and if these things be found invented and without footing or ground then let them that are informed depart from them CHAP. III. But now to descend a little further nearer unto our own age to speak somthing to them which I believe look upon themselves to be Catholick and Apostolick in Doctrine and practice according to the Primitive time and order and that they are totally come out of the Apostacy THis I have to say to you which is my judgement and belief and that upon good ground that you are in many things in the Apostacy as hereafter I shall demonstrate and to tell you nakedly and plainly we look upon the reformation which was made in denying the Church of Rome to be but very weak and poor and feeble and imperfect comparatively with the Doctrine and practice and order in the Primitive times in so much that we judge upon good grounds that it cannot be parrelled with the Church in the Primitive times which I have spoke of before in that you have denyed the Pope to be the head of the Church and so are called Protestants So am I knowing that Christ is the head of the Church and ought to rule by his Spiritual Scepter and his eternal power in the hearts and consciences of people and in and over the true Church which is his body whereof he is the head and let all take heed who doth intrude and take upon them that which belongeth to the King of Kings and King of Saints as to matter of head-ship Regulation or Goverment for all power is committed unto him in Heaven and Earth and the Father hath given it to him and will not have any other have that Glory But whosoever seeks it must be condemned and his glory he will not give to another For the Lamb is worthy of glory and strength And though the Church of Rome be generally acknowledged to be in the Apostacy by them that are separated from them and that upon good grounds yet I say the Separation is in some little or smal part more in name then in nature more in form then in power more in some circumstantial things then in the very ground it self and very many of these Doctrines Practices Discipline and order as they call it I find to be upholden practiced and contended for which are found in the former I have mentioned First of all to instance that which is generally holden out by the reformed Protestants is that the writings of Mathew Mark Luke and John and the several Epistles is the Gospel which the Primitive Disciples and Ministers preached and published and which People did receive and by believing the found thereof were accounted Christians and believers We would have all to know the Gospel was preached to Abraham before Mathew or Mark or any of the Apostles writ a word Moreover we would have all to know that Christ had preached glad tidings to the captives and some of the Disciples had preached the word of the Kingdom before Matthew or Mark or Luke or John had wrote a word my reasons are divers Matthew Mark Luke and John must needs hear and see that done which they testified of before they writ and if Matthew Mark Luke and John be the Gospel the writings of them I intend then the Disciples could not preach it before it was given forth and if the Epistles be a part of the Gospel this the Disciples could not preach before it was written for Paul succeeded and was converted after divers of the Apostles had preached the Gospel so then doubtless the Disciples and Apostles had something to say and declare and pâ—blish before any of the new Testament was written and it is manifested that they were not sent out to preach the Law nor the ordinances of the first Covenant after Christ were offered up the end of the first So then there was something and is something which was preached by them and is to be published now to all that are made Ministers by the holy Ghost and that is in few words the power of God which was before the new Testament so
these thing to be feeble and poor and beggerly things and hath no agreement or congruity with the primitive times And should people be limitted or stinted to such a certain form of words called service or prayer and divine worship Was that ever reckoned divine worship that was not from the Divine Spirit But it may be you will say the words are good or some of them I am not speaking about words but the Spirit from which every service ought to be performed to the Lord God and the primitive Christians prayed in the spirit and with understanding and sung with the spirit and with understandnig 1 Cor. 14. 15. And there was some that knew not what to pray for as they ought but the Spirit helped their infirmities Rom. 8. 26 But you konw what to pray for and how much must be said on such a day or such a time and if there be a Homily or a Sermon Lettany must be missed Now I say if it be Divine worship or any thing wherein God is honoured and the people bettered nothing of it ought to be wanting But these things the Primitive times doth not countenance but when the power was lost and the life gone from and the Spirit erred from these things have come into the latter dayes which have been very perillous times as to them who have kept the Apostolick faith and the order of the primitive Church Many more things we could instance which are practiced as for discipline and order and some for necessity which hath no affinity or union at all with the Primitive Churches but rather are things which are too near of Kin unto her that sits as a Queen upon the waters whose flesh must be burnt with fire who hath drunk the blood of the Saints and how many of the Lords servants have suffered in and about these things not only in the Church of Rome but also by them which have been called reformed many have known and are living witnesses thereof And all these Temples Bells Hour-glasses Pulpits Cushons Altars Tables and Founts which are things that pertain to them that locks they are come out of the Apostacy but the Spiritual minded sees over them and beyond them and before these things And also sees through the Spirit of Prophesie and time when they shall be no more adored worshipped and honoured But God shall be feared in the hearts of the Sons of men and glory shall be given to him and he shall be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth as he was in the Primitive times when the Beast and the false Prophet and them that wrought Miracles before him and all they that have cryed who is able to make war with the Beast and have cryed worship him All must be taken alive Remember that alive in their strength and cast into the Lake and the Mother of Harlors shall be made desolate her Cup of Fornication thrown under foot The Kings of the Earth shall deny it and to give their strength any longer to the Beast and then shall that be fulfilled Rejoce ye Prophets and holy men of God and ye that have suffered for the hour of his Judgement is come and as she hath served the Saints so shall she be served and rewarded double and the day hastens and the times and seasons we see and know as God hath made them manifest The man-child is descended again who hath right to rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break the ungodly in pieces as at potters vessel and stamp the residue of his enemies under his feet And the Church is coming out of the wildernesse again who leans upon the breast of her beloved who is clothing her again with beauty in stead of ashes and putting upon her again the beautiful garments of glory and excellency even his own righteousness and they that see it their hearts shall be made glad and their souls rejoyce in God and their flesh rest in hope for the time is come when she must appear again which hath been retired and hid in a place which God hath prepared for her while the false Church sate as a Queen and the Apostates as Princes and their merchandize sold at dear rates But their joy shall be turned into mourning and alas alas shall be the cry of them that have been in Glory with her for their frankincense odours and sweet perfumes and scarlet and purple and gold and silver and wood and Tin and Iron and Brass none will buy any more none of the Lambs followers nor none of the true Churches children who worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh neither in any outward appearance but in the hidden life of God but in the immortal life which he hath brought to light through his blessed Gospel which he hath caused to be published again the joyful sound whereof many captives have heard and are glad and a numberless number shall hear the joyful sound thereof and shall enquire after the brightness of the rising of the Son Therefore all Apostates Hills and Mountains make room make way the Lord is risen in power and in Glory which shall dazzel the eyes of all the Earthly and shall extinguish and put out the very brightness and the glory of all invented worships in the Apostatized ages and shall bring them that believe in the everlasting Gospel to stability to the rock of ages to the valley of Achor to Mount Sion to the blessing of the everlasting hills And blessed are they that hear and believe and wait to be made partakers of that which the Lord is about to do in the Earth as he hath shewn and foreshewn to his servants the Prophets CHAP. IIII. Now a few words to shew unto all how they may come out of the Apostacy to be members of the true Church which is in God the Lambs wife SO far as God did appear in any age or generation or manifest himself unto the Sons of men in any shadows figures representations or outward appearances the evil Spirit and Serpents seed and evil doer alwayes took up the form of the thing when it came into reputation as largely might be demonstrated and instanced through all ages and Generations till the closure of the Apostles Writings something whereof hath been briefly hinted at before so in this I shall be very brief The Jews held up the Types and Figures of the first Covenant and the ordinances thereof and opposed Christ the Light the everlasting Covenant and also the publishers thereof Moreover when the name of Christ came to be spread abrood then false Apostles and deceitful workers who were enemies to the Cross and to the power of God they preached Christ out of contention and envy and for filthy lucre and by wicked practices made the name of Christians odious among the Heathen as it is this day and caused the worthy name by which the Saints were saved to be blasphemed by their ungodly practices Rom. 2. 24. When the
not in the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christ went out into the World and the World went after them and so lost both Power and form of Godliness and invented things some from the Heathen and much from the Priests under the Law Sextus the first commanded that the Corporis should be of linen cloath only and that of the finest and purest and forbad that Lay-men should handle the Hallowed Vessels and namely Women were Prohibited hallowing the Priest Vestures and Altars and Cloaths diversity of vestures of sundry orders were muchwhat taken from the example of the Hebrew Priest-hood was practised and ordained by S. even Bishop of Rome And Sabinianus decreed first that the people should be assembled together to hear Service at certain hours by ringing of bells And John the 22. Bishop of Rome ordained that bells should be roled every day three times and that theâ— every man should say three times Aâ—emary as Polidore saith Lib. 6. The invention of bells was from imitation of the Hebrews because the high-Priest had in the skirts of his uppermost garments little bells to ring when he was in the holy place within the vaile And the banners and trophies which are hung up in Churches were taken from the Heathen which did bear them to signifie the Conquest of their enemies and these have been set up in the Churches so called by some of the Bishops of Rome to declare as they said the triumph of Christ over death and hell Now all Nations who are called Christians look to your original and from whence these practices have risen and those things are continued even amongst the Protestant Churches are either from the Iews or from the Heathen or from the Apostatized Bishop of Rome long after the dayes of the Apostles and so these Hoods and Surplices and Caps and Bonnets and Cowls and Tipets and Miters and canonical Coats and Girdles and divers strange attires it is like to prove these things we must have Aarons breeches brought in and the linnen Ephod and his Sons Girdles and Coats and Bonnets and the high-Priests Mitre and all these Candlesticks for a Gospel proof CHAP. X. Concerning Mattens and singing of Psalms by course in musical tunes and supplications and short prayers called Letany THE Jews under the Law had many Officers which belonged to the Temple-worship among which were singers as the sons of Corah and the sons of Asaph and Exrahites and chief Musitians c. and divers Psalms were given forth by the Spirit of God by David and others upon several occasions sometimes after victories and sometimes when he felt the presence of God and the working of his power and who were eye-witnesses of his wonderous works as the rest of Israel was many times as at the dedication of the Temple and also when they came out of captivity Neh. 7. 44. chap. 12. 27. 42 43. Psal. 149. 3 150. 3 4. and all these Singers of songs pertain to the Temple and the first Covenant and to that Priest-hood which could not continue by reason of the faultiness thereof Heb. 8. 7. and because all these things did not make perfect as pertaining to the conscience and was but to continue for a time untill the time of Reformation and then an end of the Temple Priests and Worship of the Singers and Porters and Organs and stringed Instruments as in matter of worship an end was put to all these when he was offered up that perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified And the Christians and true Believers in the primitive times who had received the spirit in which they did Rejoyce in and with what words the Spirit was pleased to utter and they that had received the Holy Ghost did joy in the Holy Ghost and they that did sing sang in the Spirit and with the Spirit and with understanding from the feeling of the living which they had in their hearts of Gods presence and his assurance and he that had a Psalm might sing but all the Church did not sing together a Psalm was a gift of the Spirit every one had it not there was diversity of Gifts and diversity of Operations Prophecy Interpretation and a Psalm were Gifts which were received from the Spirit and not by tradition 1 Carinth 14. 15. Ephes. 5. 19. James 5. 13. And they that overcome and were redeemed from the Earth who had followed the Lamb who had given them victory over sâ—n death and the Grave they sang a new song which none could learn but those whose names were Written in the Lambs Book of life Rev. 14. 1 2 3. chap. 19. 1. 6. and these were the songs of the redeemed which God had delivered our of their Enemies Hands and they were witnesses of his Wonderous Works and praised the Lord in the Spirit and with understanding and did not get a form of words of Davids words which he spake after his victories and Triumphs over his enemies and also they prayed in the Spirit and with understanding and spoke as it gave utterance and as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and were not limitted as how Short or how Long but as the Spirit gave utterance and not limited to hours and set times but when the Spirit of God which they had received moved thereunto and then their Prayers were accepted and were as sweet incense Rev 5. 8. chap. 8. 3. 〈◊〉 and were not stinted to set hours but as they saw in the Wisdom of God and were moved by his Spirit But since the Apostacy that the Spirit hath been lost by many and the power and some of form retained and then they began to imitate three times a day and seven times a day but Mattens at set times and hours was appointed by Hierom as Polydore and others say Also the Heathen they had Mattens as Apuleus saith which they sung at divers times of the day and so sorted the hours of the day for sacrifices which they did offer unto their Idols Pelagius the second was the first that Commanded Priests to say them dayly and said as the just man falleth seven times so by instant prayers and Mattens he might as often rise and amend Urbanus the second ordained the Mattens called the Ladies Mattens to be said daily and confirmed them in a Councel which he had at Mount Clear in France and Damasus Bishop of Rome gave Commandment that Martens should be said or sung in all Churches and added Gloria Patri to the end of every Psalm Damasus also instituted that Psalms should be said or sung by course Damasus also Commanded that the Creed should be said every hour And Vitilianus invented the decent tunes wherewith the hymns be sung and joyned the Organs but there was divers and sundry manners of prayers and forms and Mattens and singing devised by many as Bennets Monks had one use and Bernard another and Dominicks brethern had one order by themselves and every provincial Bishop made a several use in
gained to it when as they commanded the Parishes to buy it and then sells it them again that the Priest must have an offering at Easter also a token of a piece of lead a token that they are at unity with the Priest or else they may not have their bread and wine again for which they paid before and this hath been called a great mystery CHAP. XII Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and the Gospel BEfore the Law was given forth there were divers did offer sacrifice and buidled Altars unto the Lord as Seth Abel Melchizedeck Abraham Isaac and Jacob who pere guiders and directers of People in the way of righteousness who instructed their Families in the fear of the Lord But after the Law was given forth Aaron and his Sons and they were to offer sacrifice according to the command of the Lord and to perform the worship that God had appointed For that time and age at the Tabernacle and Temple there was Levites who bore the Ark and looked to the vessels and pitched the Camp and divâ—â— other services as singers and readers of the Law and Prophets on their Sabbath dayes and Porters and the like and all these petrained to the first Covenant and Priesthood which was to have an end both the Priesthood and the Law and the service thereof for it was but to continue till the substance came Now Christ being come the end of the Law for righteousness unto all that beleive made after the order of Melchizedeck and not by a carnal commandment he offered up himself once for all and became the Author of eternal Salvation unto them that believe put an end to the first Worship and Priest-hood Before he was offered up he chose Disciples unto him Twelve and also Seventy and endued them with Power and many did Believe through their words and they were not Men of great parts but as they were sitted by the Holy Ghost that gave them utterance and they were sent out not to Preach the Law but the Word of the Kingdom and many did Believe and grew and were confirmed in the Faith and after Christs Ascention the Holy Ghost was Poured forth upon them in a more ample manner and it did bring to their remembrance as Christ had foretold and they received great Gifts for the work of the Ministry some were Prophets some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and all made Ministers by the Spirit for the work whereunto they were chosen and many were converted and did believe then they that had the Word of God to publish travelled as they were led and Moved by the Spirit to publish the glad tydings of the Gospel and when the Believers were many and many young in the Faith they ordained Overseers or Bishops or Elders who were sound in the Faith to watch over them that were begotten but mark they were approved men and Faithful and of blameless lives not given to covetousness neither did tirannize over them in rigour but were apt to teach and instruct in love and gentelness and they that had been Ancient Laborers in Gods Work did so who had received a Gift to Minister unto others and as to be helpers in the Work of the Gospel and all that were ordained were ordained by the Holy Ghost although its true they had the consent of the Brethren and the Church in that thing and there were also Deacons ordained which served to look to the Widows and for the Ministration of the Poor and these were faithful men and had also a gift Stephen was one full of the Holy Ghost and these were helps unto the Apostles also theâ—e were some Faithful Widows who were examples to younger men and to instruct them and to be patterns unto them and all was as a body knit together in love and served the Lord and strengthened one another in the faith and served one another in love and all these forementioned served the Lord freely and willingly and not for rewards and gifts and benefices and earthly things this was the state and glory of the Church in that time in short and these are the Ministers we read of in the Primitive times But since the Apostacy hath entered in and the Power hath been denied of Godliness there is such a numberless number of names crept in we never heard of then and so many offices and yet none of that work done which the Ministers of Christ did but certain new invented things brought in for worship and service and the power despised and men seeking offices and great titles and great benefits and great revenues and the heritage of God is laid waste and the earth become like a wildernesse unplanted with good and the sheep is scattered And so all may compare these ensuing names and offâ—es with the Apostles dayes and the primitive Church and see if they be alike First of all The Pope his holiness Christs Vicar universal Bishop Metropolitan Bishop Lord Cardinals which were but Priests at the first ordained to baptize the Heathen who came to Rome when the seat thereof began to be had in honour but now they are swelled big and become Princes and the only men to govern States also Monks of divers orders and Friars of divers orders Hieroms order of Austins order Gregorys order Carmalite Friars Cross or Crouchet Fryors of Dominicks order of S. Frances order Benets order and all of these orders sprung up and were ordained in the midnight of darkness within this four hundred years at the most as were easily proved and Trinity order and Brigandine order of Jesuites and Hermites and Anthonies order and Clunisencies order And Nuns sprung up First of one St. Clara one order then Brigidia a widow in the time of Urban the fifth in the year 1370. and all these kind of orders were distitute of the true order of the primitive Church and their service was appointed by them that ordained them and these practised the patched inventious that were given them for worship which hath not concord with the primitive Doctrine but borrowed from the Iews or Heathen And all these kind of Offices and Officers have been acting their parts this many years and led people into superstitious blindness and further from the Lord then ever But to come to the reformed Churches so called and there is so many Officers and names but few that do accord with the Apostles times either in name or nature As Metropolitan Bishops Arch-bishops Lord-bishops we heard not of Lord Timothy or Lord Titus Bishops before mentioned but to come on to other Orders Arch-deacons Deans and Chapters Prebends and these must attend on some old superstitious Buildings called Cathedrals or Ministers and there performs a service somewhat like the former these are injoyned their service like the Levites and Priests of old by turns and course as once in a month or two it may be and have a hundred or two hundred pounds in the year for the same and
hardly stir from thence till they die except some greater advance offer it self also Commissaries Procters Parotters and these are subservient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batchelors of Divinity Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchelors of Art Graduates under-graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsons Vicars Priests Curates and Church wardens all which titles and names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning office work or Doctrine and notwithstanding all these orders and sorts who are fitted by humane learning or natural study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the word of righteousnesse neither hath the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to the weary nor to turn the sinner from his sins and thus the form of things titles and names are holden up but who seeks after the power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Literal Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the ministration of the Spirit few is acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if they be not Persecuted So in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dayes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and practice divers of which I have touched upon to the intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the mist of ignorance and come to worship God in spirit and truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevails not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their life neither walk after their example so take but a few more Institutions which is called Apostolick to this day among them called Christian Churches Clatus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this tittle that is greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be Blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sextus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained Holy Water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in Christians houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the Communion should be laid upon an Altar and that Lay people should not touch the Holy vessels nor the Holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the ninth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147 after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that Crism should be Ministred as Baptism and that Children should have God-fathers and God mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on the Sunday Urbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained Church-yards to be hallowed and forbad marriage of Priests Pontianus the eighteenth Bishop ordained that Psalms and Mattens should be sung in Church night and day to drive away evil spirits Sextus the twenty fourth Bishop in the year 222. after Christ ordained that Priests should wear Holy Garments as Coops and divers other things in imitation of Aaron and then came up surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Foelix the twenty sixth Bishop of Rome ordained division of Parish Churchres and Diocesses to Bishops Leo the Emperor gave Commandment that all Images and Pictures of Saints should be taken out of the Churches for the avoiding of Idolatry but the Bishop of Rome withstood the Emperor the Emperor for his confirmation of taking of Images away called a Councel of Bishops about three hundred and thirty and they ordained and decreed that all Images should be taken away and burned in the 740. But in the year 769. Gregory the third called a Council together at Rome near a thousand Bishops and condemned Leo the Emperor and three hundred Bishops for taking Images out of the Churches and yet the former Counsel and this all of one Faith and Church which they use to say could not erre and the latter decreed they should be adored and Worshiped with all reverence Boniface the eighth he gave licence to the mendicant Friars to hear the private Confession of sins that people should confess to them Pope Alexander gave commandment that the Sacrament should be made of the Sweet Bread and commanded that water should be mingled with wine Innocentius the third ordained that People should confess their sins to a Priest once a year in the year at the least And these kinds of Decrees stand for Apostolical to this day among the Apostates and the reformed Churches so called do own many things that are too near a kin to them and preffeth them for Ordinances and holy Institutions yea in many Countries the self same things are both owned and practised in many particulars which I have mentioned before in other parts of this Book and are looked upon as divine service and holy Worship which the Ministers of Christ who have the word of reconciliation to publish are ashamed of knowing them to be such things as never was practised nor holden out by Christ or his Apostles but are brought in since darkness hath over-spread the Earth and the Power of God hath been lost And at the first Institution thereof though there might be some shew of a good intention in the formers of them but now they are become absolute Idols and however at the first some of the things mentioned might seem to some to be indifferent yet now being prest of necessity as the Ordinances of God they are become Idols and ought to be thrown away and departed from by all that professeth the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the worship of God in the Spirit For the Lord God hath drawn away his presence out of all formal and visible appearance since Antichrist and the false Church hath got them on for a Garment and to cover themselves withall to the deceiving of the Nations And now in this the day of his power hath appeared in a more mysterious and secret and hidden way and in a more spiritual appearance Into this deceit cannot enter nor transform and therefore all Babylons Merchants are angry and Antichrists followers are full of Wrath and the Dragon cast out floods after the heir and her that brings him forth and makes War with her Seed but the Lord is putting on her Beautiful Garments and Marrying her to himself and she shall reign and her Seed who are born of the Spirit when she that sat as a Queen upon the
wholsome Institution amongst you And so for shame let all that profess Reformation and the Doctrine of godliness and the faith of Christ and the practise of the Apostles as their example Come out of things which the Harlor hath invented and say as Abraham said to the King of Sodom That he would not take a shoe-latchet least he should say he had made Abraham Rich So let them that professes Reformation not keep a shoe-larchet nor one lap of the Whores garment nor any piece of her Ornaments that she may not boast any more that we are made rich by her merchandize so purge out horn and huff and all the old leaven out of your hearts and out of your Assemblies and come to believe in Christ the true light that lighteth every one that comes into the world that he may be your Law-giver whose Institutions are spiritual and his Ordinances heavenly which makes perfect and clean and pure the comers there unto and so let the old Româ—sh tâ—ash and foolish Ceremonies about worship alone many of which are borrowed from the Heathen and judge not any for departing from them nor perâ—ecute none for not observing of them for who so doth will manifest themselves to belong to the City which is to be overthown and to be in the Apostacy and not Members of the true Church of Christ the Lambs Wife And many more things which stands yet amongst them called Christions as set discourses hath been set up â—â—lled homilies And the aâ—oresaid W. H. shews the ground wherefore they were devised Some complained that their Churches and Universities were spoiled with error as many are at this day by which there was a want of able Pastors four Sermons were appointed by publick order in the year only and certain homilies was devised by learned men and confirmed for sound Doctrine by the Clergy who made them and the Authority of the Prince which homilies were appointed to be read by Curates of a mean understanding and them that had but mean pay as five mark or twenâ—â— Nobles a year of which sort we had many in England in the year 1640. I desire we have no more leâ—st more ignorance abound and these homilies were to be read after a certain number of Psalms read and the Leâ—any and an Epistle and Gospel and it may be Aâ—hâ—nasius or Nicene Creed and this was the worship which hath been holden out even amongst the reformed as spiritual worship all which while people has been exercising themselves in those things they have been further and further off from God and the knowledge of his truth which is manifest to them that believe not by the Injunctions and Ordinances of men but by holy Spirit which leads out of all Error Superstition and deceit and all that believes in it comes to be taught of the Lord and worship in that which is pure and are acceptable in his sight CHAP. XV. Something Concerning the General Councils since the Apostles dayes though they have been all of one faith and though it hath been said the Church could not err all which of the several Councils belonged to the Church of Rome yet see the difference IN that which some call a Council or a Synâ—d at Jerusalem Acts 15. when some dissention arose because of some of the Phariâ—ees that believed and yet would needs Judge it needful for all that believed to be circumâ—iâ—ed So they that stickt in the outward Types and Figures would needs lay yoaks upon the necks of them who were come to the substance So the Apostles Elders and Brethren coming together seeing the state of the matter stood not disputing years together as the Council of Trent forty years but they as they saw in the wisdom of God sent some chosen men from Jerusalem to the Gentiles to certifie the Gentiles by the Spirit of the Lord that they abstained only from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from Fornication from which if you keep your selves you shall do well Acts 15. they pressed not upon them the ordinances of the Jews neither the custome of the Gentiles in the unbelief which since this the Church of Rome hath done and diverse Councils appertaining to her hath cumbred people with multitudes of things and heavy yoaks some borrowed from the Jews in the unbelief and some from the Heathens in the unbelief and prest their Institutions and inventions as Ordinances of Christ upon all the Members of the Church which are so many and so innumerable and all contrary to the Primitive Church And they have been of the nature of those Councils that David speaks of Psal. 2. who took Council against the Lord and against his Anointed and that was a Council which condemned the Son of God Christ Jesus and these Councils though Rabbies and great men yet they â—rred from the life But to come downward amongst the Doctors and Bishops of that which they call the Catholick Church the Council that was held at Carthage under Cyprian decreed that those who were baptized by Hereticks ought to be baptized again which others called it error And that Councils proceedings was condemned The Niceâ—e Council decreed flat Idolatry about worshipping of Images and the Council at Constantinâ—ple condemned that proceedings and their decrees The Council of Basil as Albeâ—â—us Pâ—igius saith decreed against all reason and against the Scriptures The Council of Armenium decreed for the Aâ—meâ—iaâ—s that Christ was not God The Council of Calcedon which was one of the four that Gregory the great compares to the four Gospels that the Decrees were as sure and Constitutions as certain infallible as the Scripture yet Pope Leo did not stick to condemn it and all them as unadvised And these Councils has been one against another and the multitude of their votes is brought for great proof not only amongst the Romanists but also amongst them that are separated from them so Councils have erred and hath opposed one another yet and the Popes and Bishops of Rome to Leo the fourth abrogated and made void the Acts of Adrian yet they both said they were Peters successors and infallible And Stephanus Bishop of Rome made void the Acts and decrees of Formosâ—s and Sabinian the Pope commanded that Gregories Mass and all Pope Gregories writings should be burnt And all of these said they had the Keyes to bind loose and yet one bound that which another had loosed and another loosed that which the former had bound and yet all these claimed infalibility The Council of Carthage Decreed that the Bishop of Rome should not be called high Priest nor chief of Priests nor the head of the Church but following Councils have stiled him chief Priest chief Bishop and head of the Catholick Church The Eliberine Council Decreed that no Images should be set up in the Churches nor worshipped nor the walls painted Likewise the Council of Constantinople before mentioned decreed that Images were not to be suffered in the
about Spiritual matters for the worship of God But we never read of any called Christians that did so untill Pelagius a Bishop of Rome or Pope when the Emperour had given Boneface the third this power to be called the Chief Bishop and head universal over all Christian Churches Then he begun to make temporal Laws to punish about Spiritual things And Pelagius made a decree that Hereticks should be punished with Temporal death about 555 years after Christ So let all Princes Magistrate and Rulers who denies the Church of Rome in her Apostacy follow not her example but leave every one free to the Lord in Spiritual matters as concerning his Worship for to him must every one give an account in his own day when it shal be required from which the wicked shall not be able to fly Another Objection But then it may be said what power will you allow unto Magistrates that profess the Name of Christ Or how far have they Authority from God to punish evil doers and encourage them that do well Answer It is said by me Kings Rule and Princes decrees Justice there is a ruling by him and that is a ruling in the power of God in him He that rules in the power of God measures equal justice unto all men and ruleth by the good and wholsome Laws which are made by the will of God which is according to Gods witness which he hath placed in every mans heart and such a one is a Temporall head over the temporal body ruleth in Righteousness in temporal things But Christ he is the head of the body that is spiritual which is his Church Now the Law is against the lawless as against Liers Swearers Stealers Cursed speakers Murderers Man-slayers Man stealers Violence and Oppression and Deceit and that which tends to the hurt and destroying of the Creation And he that is the Executor of the Law ought to inflict temporal punishments for temporall facts provided that every punishment be suitable to the transgression and go not beyond it and in so doing he rules for God and the sword is to be turned against that which doth evil and to keep peace amongst all men and to keep down all strife and Contention Quarrelling and fighting and keeping the unruly from devouring and destroying one another And this is to rule for God in a Nation in the Creation and to countenance the honest upright and quiet and meek and this is a praise unto them that do well and this is that which would keep the Nations at peace And here Governors and Rulers comes to be blessed when the Princes thereof rules in Righteousness and when people live under them a holy godly and quiet life But when Godliness Holiness Righteousness is counted as a crime and wickedness and violence and iniquity set up that Nation is near a judgement and for the iniquity of Rulers Kings and People many fruitful Lands hath the Lord made barren and that which is for the well-being and preservation for the universal good and all people therein all people ought to render obedience unto such Command for conscience sake and all people ought â—to obey Rulers and Governours in that which is good and lawful and warrantable in the sight of God unto all just commands to yeild obedience not for wrath but for conscience sake For so the Lord requires which will be acceptable and pleasing in his fight And all Magistrates who are Christians ought to be paterns of Holiness and Righteousnesse to their people and to admonish exhort and reprove the prophane and ungodly and to the worship of the True God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth It is the duty of every true Christian who is a King and a Priest unto God CHAP. XVII Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the unlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in Gospel times Though Apostates mingle the Ordinances of both together denying all oaths proved to be no new Doctrine IN the beginning when God Created the Heavens and the Earth all things that are therein by the Word of his power and set the bounds the habitations thereof separated betwixt Light Darkness And when man was Created in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them Now the Image of God consists in Righteousness Holiness Equity long suffering Patience Goodnesse Mercy and Truth the Glory thereof is unspeakable man being in this Image there was no trangression nor sin nor sorrow man was bound unto his Maker by the Power in which he was made yea he was in a capacity to Fear Love Honour Obey and Worship his Maker from the virtue of that Power and Principle which God had placed in him which some ignorantly calls the Law of Nature But that is not the intention of my discourse to contend what it was but to shew that man was at union with God and bound unto him by that which God had placed in him in which his wisdom power and dominion stood to rule over all the Creatures life was in him there was no death then in this the Obligation stood not in outward written commands or ordinances but it stood in that which was internal and invisible this was before the transgression here was no Oaths yet nor outward Covenants made nor outward Ordinances But after man had transgressed and eaten of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil and gone from the power and broken the Covenant he lost his wisdome and folly entred he lost his dominion and weaknesse entred he lost his knowledge and ignorance entred and an earthly part and a mutable came to have Dominion not that this was evil in it self being subjected by the power and word in its place and in the state wherein it was good but man being gone from the power and from the Covenant joyned to something out of it and out of the mind and listened to that which should have been ruled over that became a Leader which God never appointed and this led mans heart from the invisible God of life and light who is immutable to lust after visible things and mutable and earthly things and into instability And so his heart and mind and affections became more and more to be alienated from the Lord and his understanding more darkned yet such was the love of God unto mankind that he did not wholly cast him off here but followed him with his mercies and promised the Seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head and so it did yet the Adulterers generation in the transgressing nature were great and fast and there was but few before the flood in comparison of the Multitude who bore the Image of God and few in a generation as Abel Enock Seth and the rest went after the Imaginations of their own hearts and set up Images and Idols and also after the Flood when the