A SHORT DECLARATION of the mistery of iniquity Ier. 51.6 Flee out of the midst of Babell and deliver every man his soule be not destroyed in hir iniquity for this is the time of the lords vengeance he vvill render vnto hir a recompense Hosea 10.12 Sovv to your selves in righteousnes reape after the measure of mercie breake vp your fallovv ground for it is time to seeke the lord till he come raine righteousnes vpon you Anno 1612. To the Reader THE feare of the almighty through the vvorke of his grace having novv at last over vveyed in vs the feare of men vvee have thus farr by the directiō of Gods vvord and spirit strecthed out our harts and hands vvith bouldnes to confesse the name of Christ before men and to declare to Prince and People plainly their transgressions that all might heare see their fearefull estate and standing and repent and turne vnto the lord before the decree come furth and before the day of their visitation be past and that the thinges that belonge to their peace be altogether hid from their eies and vvhereas in this vvriting vvee have vvith all humble bouldnes spoken vnto our lord the King our defence for this is that vvee are taught of God especially to make supplications praiers intercessions and give thankes for our lord the King and wee are taught that the gracious God of heaven by whome the King reignes would that the King should be saved and come to the knowledg of the truth and therefore wee the Kings servants are bound especially by all the godly endeavors of our soules and bodyes to seeke the salvation of the K. although it were with the danger of our lives for if vvee savv our lord the Ks. person in dāger either by privy conspiracie or opē assault wee vvere bound to seeke the Ks. perservation delivrance though it werewith the laying downe of our lives which if wee did not wee should readily and most worthily be condemned for traytors hovv much more are wee bound to seeke the preservation and delivrance of the soule and body of our lord the King seeing wee see him in such great spirituall danger as wee do And if anie shal be offended at vs for so doeing they therein love not the King and if our lord the King should be offended at vs his servants for so doeing the King therein loves not himselfe and if all men and the King should for this be offended vvith vs which God forbid yet herein wee are sure our God wil be well pleased with vs in that wee have with our best strength and faithfullnes obeyed him who comaunds and teacheth vs to admonish all men every where to repent and this is our sure vvarrant and our assured hope and comfort Now as wee have according as wee hold our selves bound thus farr confessed Christs name before men by writinge so wee shall the lord assisting vs be ready as wee hold our selves bound to confesse Christ before men by vvord of mouth not fearing through Gods grace them that kill the body and after that are not able to do anie more In this duty to God and his people wee must needs confesse wee have hitherto greatly fayled but wee will novv be ready the lord strengthning vs rather to be sacrificed for the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and for the service of your faith then to faile as vvee have done both in our dutyes to God and you This vvee readily vovve to God and promisse to you and to vvill to do this good is present vvith vs but vvee find no meanes in vs to performe this duty and service vvee see a lavv in our flesh strongly rebelling against the lavv of our mynds but our assured trust confidence is that Gods grace alone is sufficient for vs to make vs every vvay able vnto these thinges vnto the vvhich of our selves vvee are no vvay able yet wee vvill say with the holy Appostle Paul If God be on our side vvho can prevaile against vs vvho shall seperate vs from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecutiō or famin or nakednes or perill or svvord no the lord vvee trust in these thinges vvill make vs conquerors and though our outvvard man should perish or suffer many afflictions vvhich vvee vvere most folish if vvee should not vvait for yet let the people of God looke vnto the truth vvee vvitnes consider vvith holy and vvise harts vvhether vvee have not good vvarrant yea direct comaundement to do that vvee do though vve be vnfitt and vnvvorthy for such a service Shall vvee heare the lord say Come out of hir my people and shall the Spirit of God comaund him that heareth say Come and shall not vvee say Come Shall the vvord of the lord comaund to Call vp Archars against Babell and all that bend the bovv to beseig it round about and let none escape to recompence hir the dubl Ier. 50.29 Reuel 18. And shall vvee spare our arrovves though they be vveake and shall the Spirit of God say All yee that are myndfull of the lord kepe not silence Esa 62.16 And shall vve hold our peace because vvee are not eloquent No no vvee have too long neclected our duties herein and novv through Gods grace vve dare no longer do so and therefore do vvee thus cry vnto you the people of God saying Babilon is fallen she is fallen Come out of hir Come out of hir for if you still partake with hir in hir sinnes you shal certenly be partakers of hir plagues and therefore also vvee say Let him that is a thirst Come and let vvhosoever vvill take of the vvater of life freely and vvee call vnto all valiant Archers that bend the bovv to come to the seige against this great Citié and vvee pray all that are myndfull of the lord not to kepe silence nor to give the lord rest till he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the vvorld And our continevvall praiers vnto the lord are and shal be that the lord vvill enlighten your vnderstandings and raise vp all the affections of your soules and spirits that you may apply your selves vnto these thinges so far as his vvord and spirit doth direct you and that you may no longer be deceived and seduced by those false Prophetts who prophesie peace vnto you vvhen vvar and destruction is at the doore vvhich the lord give both you and them to see that you may all flie vnto the lord for your delivrance and salvation Amen Tho Helvvys The principal matters handled in the Booke A Declaration vvith proofe that these are the days of greatest tribulation spokē of by Christ Mat. 24. vvherein the abhominatiō of desolatiō is seene to be set in the holy place That there hath bene a generall departing from the faith and an vtter desolation of all true Religion That the Prophesie of the first Beast Reuel 13. is fulfilled vnder the Romish
weeke which are three daies and a half Iohn saith Revela 11. The two witnesses the Word and Spirit off Truth lye killed in the streets three daies and a half And Reve. 12. The Woman which is the Kingdome of Christ the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of al the faithful Gal. 4. fleies into the wildernes for a time times and half a time which may with good warraÌ„t according to these prophesies be expounded to a day two daies aÌ„d a half Thus then we coÌ„clude The true sacrifices and oblations of the people of God The word and spirit And the Heavenly Ierusalem the spowse of Christ Ceasing speing dead in the streetes and being fleed into the wildernes it must needes followe that there was an vtter desolation off all the holy thinges and of all the meanes of salvation For further confirmation of this see the wordes of Thapostle 2. Thes 2.3 speaking of the last day where he saith That day shal not come except there come a departing first It were much weaknes in anie to thinke that this is not spoken of a general departing in that there were manie particuler departings in Thappostle times But here he speakes of a departing from the truth and an exalting of an adversarie the man of sinne to sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God whome the Lord shal consume with the spirit of his mouth abolish with the brightnes of his cominge These wordes shewe to the vnderstanding of the most simple that there is an vtter departing in that there must bee a comeing againe for the abolishing of this wicked man And here may bee discovered by the way the damnable heresie of those men which are twice dead and plucked vp by the rootes and those are they which are fallen from grace which were once dead and have beene quickned by the word and Spirit of God aÌ„d are dead againe which now hold aÌ„d say that the man of sinne sitts and rules in the Church off Christ In this place it is shewed that the spirit of the Lords mouth consumes the man of sinne and the brightnes of Christs coming abolisheth him Now wee confesse if there can bee a Church of Christ where the spirit of the Lords mouth is not and where his brightnes shineth not in such a church the maÌ„ of sinn may sit and rule as God and these men are onely fitt subjects for such a Kingdome but let the children off God learne to knowe and professe that in the Church of Christ there is the spirit of the Lords moueth and his shininge brightnes which consumes and vtterly abolisheth the man of sinne and therefore they cannot both cule in one house Now for the bare words about which they contend thus much wee say not to them but to such as may bee in danger to be seduced by theÌ„ These are the words Thappostle speaking of the man of sinne who exalteth himselfe against al that is called God or that is worshipped saith thus So that he doth sitt as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God Now as it is said he sits as God shewing himselfe that he is God even so doth he sitt as in the Temple of God shewing it to be the Temple of God This exposition is agreable to the ground of the scriptures and according to the proportion of faith for the scriptures teach vs every where and wee beleeve that Christ is the head of his Church And he walkes in the midst of the seaveÌ„ goldeÌ„ câ—ndlestickes he sits in his church being God aÌ„d the maÌ„ of sinne caÌ„not sit with God as God in the teÌ„ple of God Therefore we say vnto these meÌ„ as our saviour Christ said vnto Sathan hence from vs. It is written 2. Cor. 9.15.16 What concord hath Christ with Belial And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols etc. and 1. Cor. 10.21 Ye cannot drinck the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils yee cannot bee pertakers of the table of the Lord and the tâ—ble of Devils But seeing these men can find no better a pretence to followe and to helpe to heale the deadly wound of the head of the Beast then by pretâ—ding that they have found him sitting in the Temple off God they looking with the same eie may find also in the same place that he sheweth himselfe that he is God and if they wil abide by the letter of the Scripture herein likewise then have they found a new temple and a new God most fitting for them because that their Temple and God and they shall all perish together wee meane those onely that have bene enlightned with this truth that Christ and the man of sinne cannot rule and reigne or dwel together in one house aÌ„d now have they found as they most blasphemouâ—â—y affirme Christ and the man of sinne exalted both in one Temple In al this we have not digressed from the matter in haÌ„d in that we have shewed that by the departing the man of sinne was exalted aÌ„d therefore the departing was general and the maÌ„ of sinne his exaltation general as doth further appeare by the words of Daniel 9.27 where he saith speaking of the sacrifices for the overspreading of the abhominations he shall make it desolate Answerable to this prophesie is that prophesie in the booke of the Revel 13.7 where it is writteÌ„ it was giveÌ„ vnto him speaking of the Beast that had 7. heades and 10. hornes to make warr with the Saâ—cts to overcome them power was given him over every kindred tongue nation Who can deny but this is general eveÌ„ a general desolatioÌ„ wheÌ„ the Sainctes are overcome And wheÌ„ al that dwel vpoÌ„ the earth as followeth vers 8. Shal worship the Beast All our perticuler knowledg of the fulfilling of this prophesie wil make it more evideÌ„t And who doth not knowe and see that this prophesie is fulfilled in that Romish misterie of iniquitie who yet sits vpon manie waters with whome have comitted fornication the Kinges of the Earth the inhabitants of the earth are dranken with the Wine of hir fornication Revel 17.2 Wee doubt not but manie will agree with vs in this vnderstanding and wee that wish vnfainedly the salvation of al and that they would come to the knowledg of the truth do earnestly desire that those that are over-whelmed in this misterie of iniquitie and vnder the power of this deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes would but consider which way it can bee avoided but that this prophesie is fulfilled in that great exaltatioÌ„ of the man of sinne in that Romish profession and if they would come out to the Scriptures and perticulerly vnto this booke of the Revel they should be forced either to deny the prophesies of this booke to bee true or els they must needes yeild that they are fullfilled in that their profession for how shal they bee able to point our vpon the face of the whole earth
of vnrighteousnes above it in that there is in it the hight and power of al pride aÌ„d crueltie reigning and ruling over mens consciences as God vnder a most glorious shewe of godlines where by al Nations have bene made drunke with the wine of that Cup of fornication and whereby the whole power of Christ in his lawes statutes and ordinaÌ„ces hath bene aÌ„d yeâ— is abolished vtterly aÌ„d in the streets of this great Citie we meane nâ— perticuler place but the whole misterie of iniquitie spiritually called Sodome aÌ„d Egypt hath the corpes of the two witnesses of the Lord his word and spirit in the doctrine of the Apostles â—yen dead For who doth not knowe that they have altogether taken the word of God from the people that they migh not have it â—o much as in their owne language neither may they meddle with the spirit of knowledg and vnderstanding of it but from thâ—â— as they thought and yet do thinke good to deliuer it vnto them and that must stand for the Word and spirit of God without trying And this may suffice for a plaine and general discoverie of that BabiloÌ„ Sodome Egipt spiritually so called and of that Beast wiâ—h â—eaven heads and ten hornes and the rather seing there are so manie excelleÌ„t discoveries written thereof And shal we now sit downe as though our danger were past in finding out the first Beast and so make the prophesie of God Rev. 1â— 11 of no effect which so plainely sets furâ—h and describes a second beast off no lesse danger then the first shal we so betray the cause of God and the soules of thousands and ten thousaÌ„ds of meÌ„ God forbid and wil anie of you that frely approve of al the findings out aÌ„d discoveries of the first Beast not with willingnes consent to the finding out off the second far be it from you to have so little love to Gods truth and the salvation of men Wel we wil do our endeavors to diâ—cover the secoÌ„d beast leaveing it to the coÌ„sciences of whoÌ„soever it may most concerne to judg whether we deale faithfully or no and we wil forejudg our selves to deale most weakely Revel 13. FroÌ„ the 1. vers to the 18. It is written I saw another Beast comeing vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the lambe but hee spake like the dragon doth exercise the power of the first Beast saieing to theÌ„ that dwel on the earth that they should make an image of the first Beaste causeth as manie as would not worship the image of the Beast should bee killed made all to receive a marke in their right hand or in their fore heads that no man might buy or sell save he that hath the marke or the name of the Beast or the number of his name Which way now in finding out the second Beast shal we bee able to looke besides that great Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishops and Lord-Bishops are not you they that pretend in meeknes and humilitie the word and power of the Lambe who saith Learne of mee that I am meeke lowly c. But exercise the power of the beast and speake like the dragon have you not made and set vp the image of the Beast is not your pompe and power like his and hath there not beene much like crueltie vsed by that power Doth not the blood of the dead crie and have not the imprisoned groaned vnder that crueltie and do not the silenced at home and the banished abroad dayly complaine may not all these crie How long Lord how long when wilt thou revenge Are not your Canons and Consistories and all the power that belonges vnto them with al the rest of your Courts Offices and Officers are not these parts of the image are they not like the Beast wil you say they are like the lambe or like his Apostles it cannot bee that you should say they are the feare of the Almightie would astonish you And if you cannot possibly prove that power that Pompe that crueltie those Canons and Courtes with the belongings and belongers therevnto to bee like the laÌ„be Then let the terror of the Almightie possesse you and make you afraide to vse and possesse al those thinges vnder the pretence of the power of the Lambe Have you not soules to save pittie your selves aÌ„d perish not there is mercie with the Lord if you wil feare him What will it profit you to enioy these thinges for a little while as manie of your predecessors have done before you even a little while and then be condemned and fal vnder the feirce wrath of God had you not much better a thousand times better yea ten thousand times better and more too be ministers of Christ abounding in labors in wearines painfulnes in watchings often in hunger thirst in fastings often in cold in nakednes that you might say at your last ends not as Apostles but as thapostle saith Wee have fought a good feight have finished out course we have kept the faith Hencefurth is laid vp for vs the Crowne off righteousnes But if this bee your feight as it hath bene the feight of divers of your predecessors to cause as manie as would not worship the ymage of the beast your Hyrarchie should be killed aÌ„d to make al both smale and great rich aÌ„d pooer bond and free to receive a marke in their right hand or in their forehead and that no man may buy or sell save he that hath the marke of the beast or the number off his name if this bee your feight it is evidently the feight of the second Beast and not the feight of Thapostle Paul And there is no Crowne off righteousnes laid vp for such a feight And do you not al these thinges when you force and compel men to submit to your whole conformity which is the perfect image of the beast Not to speake of your surplice and Crosse and Churchings and Burials and Coopes and Chauntings and Organs in your Cathedrales and how manie mo such abhominations wee cannot recken vp neither need wee seeing so many writings are ful off them but whosoever shal looke vpon them with an eie of lesse then halfe vprightnes shal easily see them to come out off the bowels of the beast and to bee the deformed image of his vgly shape To let al these passe the least whereof shal be called to account in the day of the Lord wee come to your Common Booke not medling with everie perticuler of it but with the most general By what power do you make praiers and bind men to them and appoint the order of them in time and place Whereoff two you appoint to be read everie evening without alteration some praiers to bee said after the Curate bee paid his due some on the North side the Table some in one place some in another Will you see a speciall ground of these four abhominations in appointing your Preists what to
in hand let it bee truely observed whether those that are off the Romish profession servants of the first beast coming in question before this Hyrarchy have not found much more favour then those that have stood most for reformation and hath there not beene gnashing of teeth and gnawing off tongues with al extreame perversnes and contempt against the one when there hath bene good myld and eeven carriage towards the other Which good carriage towards them wee disaprove not nor envye not but could wish that the holesome word of doctrine withall the cords off love were applied and vsed vnto them for their information and drawing them from their blind errors But wee mention it to this end to shew what vprightnes there can bee to God or the King in this For first it is not possible but this whole Hyrarchy wil confesse that those which seeke reformation have much more light of truth and gifts of knowledg for the building vp of a people vnto God then the other and that the first and they are al of one iudgment concerning the doctrines off the Scriptures in the foundamental points of Religion as they speake and yet there is no comparison betwixt their pacient enduring them of the Romish professioÌ„ aÌ„d there impacieÌ„t not enduring of the other is this vprightnes to God Secondly touching the King and State the ChildreÌ„ in the streets knowe the treachery and infidelitie that hath beene found in divers of the one profession aÌ„d they themselves knowe the ever vntouched fidelitie of the other what vprightnes is this to the King and State the evident reason of this may appeare vnto the wise and may not this appeare to beâ— it That the Romish profession is but cheifly an enemy to the Kingdome of Christ and but dangerous in some of them to the Kingdome of the King approving of ArchBishops and Lord Bishops and could wiâ—h they were Cardinals But those of al sorts that seeke reformation are most cheifest enimies to the Kingdome off ArchBishops and LordBishops and would have them humble and faithfull Pastors to feed the fâ—oth and therefore in no wise are to bee suffered how true soever they bee to God and their King And doth not all this shewe the affinitie and nearnes betwixt the first and second Beast But least anie should stumble at this part of the prophesie Revel 13. vers 12. Where it is spoken that the second Beast causeth the Earth and them that dwel therein to worship the first Beast and therefore the Romish Beast being the first this Hyâ—archy cannot bee the second in that it doâ—h not cause men to worship the Pope off Rome Wee pray it may be observed how that it is shewed 2. Thess 2.7.9.10 That the mistery of iniquitie is a working power of sathan which working power according to the degrees there of is set furth vnto vs in the booke of the Revel after divers maners aÌ„d discribed vnto vs in divers shapes or similitudes aÌ„d named vnto vs after divers names and in the hight off the exaltation thereof this power is set furth aÌ„d discribed vnto vs vnder the two names and similitudes of the first and second Beast both which exercising one power though in divers likenesses do bring al both smale aÌ„d great vnder the subiection of that one power both their harts being set to do mischief talking of deceipt at one table Dan. 11.27 And so doth the second beast cause al to worship the first in that it is al one power building vp one kingdome And the Popes person is not the mistery of iniquitie for then when the Pope were dead the mistery off iniquitie and the Beast were dead vntil another Pope were set vp and iff the Popes person were the man off sinne then the Lord by the spirit off his moueth should abolish and consume the Popes person but there is no such prophesie of scripture And then should the prophesies of the fal off Babylon bee vnderstood off the overthrowe and consumeing of the earthen or stone wals and timber houses off a Citie But this were too carnal an vnderstanding to conceive that the spirit off Gods mouth which shal consume the man off sinne spoken off 2. Thes 2. and shal shake in sunder the Citie which spiritually is called Sodom Egypt It were to carnal to vnderstaÌ„d this to be of earthly houses and Cities aÌ„d fleshly persons they are not the matter aÌ„d substance that shal be abolished by the brigtnes of this his comeing here spokeÌ„ off as we doubt not but wil easily appeare to the wise though some have bene and are much mistaken herein And that we may come to the true vnderstanding of this part of the prophesie Chap. 13. vers 13. And he did great wonders speaking of the second Beast so that he made fire come downe from heaven in the sight off men And to see how it is fulfilled in the second Beast wee must remember as we have formerly said that this is a spiritual prophesie of a spirituall mistery of iniquitie which none may deny and then doth it appeare that these wonders wrought by makeing fire come downe froÌ„ heaven are lying spiritual wonders and the fire is a false spiritual fire The which even as the true spiritual fire which is the holy Ghost doth truly worke woÌ„derful powerfully vpoÌ„ the harts and affections of them that beleeve the truth even so this false fire which is the spirit and power off Sathan doth worke effectually vpon the harts and affections off those that receive not the love off the truth and that after a wonderful manner off deceivablenes off vnrighteousnes so that men are strongly perswaded and beleeve that it is the true Fire from heaven even the spirit off God And this Fire hath the Hyrarchy off ArchBishops and Lord-Bishops made come downe from heaven especially in their former times when men had their word and power with their praier booke and al their Cathedral abhominatious in such admiration and with such zeale were affected vnto them and as yet some are to this day zealously perswaded off the holines and goodly order off these things al which in the Beast that hath two hornes like the Lambe made such a glorious shewe being compared to the former thinges as men were ravished in their spirits and thought and yet some fewe do thinke that their harts and affections were kindled with fire from heaveÌ„ By this false fire which is by an effectual working power in al deceivablenes of vnrighteousnes even hereby hath and doth the first and second Beast worke all their signes and lying wonders and whilst men through great ignorance have and do looke for some straing seights from heaven to knowe the two Beasts by their harts have bene are with the pleasures of vnrighteousnes stolne away This can all that are of anie vnderstanding who now remaine vnder the power of the second Beast easily discerne how by a wonderful fiery blind zeale all those that
offending but therein is infirmity in vs and no faithfulnes to God nor them The wise King that knew right well the power and aucthoritie of a King adviseth not to stand in an evill thinge before the King for he will do what soever pleaseth him Eccle. 8.3 But in a good cause why should wee feare to stand before Kings seeing their thrones are established by justice Pro. 16.12 Our cause then being good for it is the cause of God as all shall confesse Thus much is it that wee do in all reverend humility beseech of all Kings Princes that they will performe this service vnto the lord according to this prophesie prophesied of theÌ„ in the performance whereof the lord requires their ferveÌ„t zeale which they ought to shew by their perfect hatred detestatioÌ„ of the whore by which zealous hate they are to be provoaked to make hir desolate naked to eate hir nesh burne hir with fire after this manner with these great ferveÌ„t affections shall these Kings that obey the lord in this worke serve him In all this wee beseech that wee may not be vnderstood as though wee ment that Kings should do this by their temporall sword of justice no nothing lesse the lord requires no such meanes in this busines for he hath testified by Prophesie as wee have formerly shewed 2. Thes .2 that he will abolish consume the man of sinne the mistery of iniquity which is this Beast and whore and citie by the spirit of his mouth by the brightnes of his comeing and therefore this prophesie may not be vnderstood that Kings ought to do this by their temporall power but by the word and spirit of the lord in their testimony withall holy zeale and this cannot be done except they first take all their power and authoritie from the Beast for no man can serv two Masters but he shall please the one and displease the other Kings cannot serve the lambe and the Beast but they must needs hate the one and love the other and this is most plainely set downe in this Prophesie Revel 17. for in the 13. and 17. vers it is said of Kings that they shall have all one mynd be of one consent with the Beast shall give their power aucthority vnto the Beast shall feight with the lambe vntill the words of God be fulfilled And in the 16. vers They shall hate the whore make hir desolate for God hath put in their harts to fulfill his decree Thus wee see these Kings propresied of by the spirit of the lord to do this great worke of God when they shall take it in hand they shall not halt betwixt two opinions they shall not be neither hote nor cold but they shall be most zealonis for the glory of God and shall no longer retayne anie frendship with the Beast alwaies our meaning is spiritually now â—â—en those Kings and Princes that will in this service obey the most high God and advaÌ„ce his glory that hath so greatly advanced them to high honor and dignity let them take all their power and aucthority from the Beast and with drawe all the affections of their harts and soules and turne them to hatred and to an vtter abhorring of the Beast and whore and so shall they make it manifest vnto all the world that they are true lovers of the lambe and perfect haters of the Beast and that they are they in whome this prophesie is fulfilled Oh that Kings and Princes would strive to go one before an other in giveing honor to God herein And amongst all the rest of the great and mighty Kings and Princes of the earth loyalty nature and grace doth bind vs with disires of exceeding dutifull and reverend affections to wish and desire that our lord and K. might be with the foremost in this great and acceptable service of the King of Kinges and lord of lords which were a worthy service most well beseeming our lord the King for whome the King of heaven hath done so great things and if our lord the King will do this service for his God then must he not by his power support the Beast nor his image which are one and the same power And seeing our lord the King hath seene the deepe iniquity of the peremptory ruling Presbitery let him much more see the high iniquity of the proud ambicious cruell ruling Prelacy which is a power set vp in the place of God bearing the names of high blasphemy Oh let it be far from our lord the K. to give his power which God hath given him to punish evill doers and to reward them that do well 1. Pet. 2.14 Let it be far from our lord the King to give this power to the Beast or his image for that advanceth the mistery of iniquity and smiteth downe the mistery of godlines God hath not comunicated his owne power to Kings and Princes for this end And seeing wee have begun to speake to our lord the King let vs declare what power and aucthority God hath given to him wherevnto his subiects ought of conscience to obey Our lord the King hath power to take our sonnes our daugthers to do all his services of ware and of peace yea all his servile service what soever and he hath power to take our lands our goods of what sort or kind soever or the tenth thereof to vse at his will and he hath power to take our men servants and maid servants and the cheife of our yong men and Cattle and put them to his worke and wee are to be his servants 1. Sam. 8.11.18 in all these thinges our lord the King is to be submitted vnto and obeyed Also he hath power to make all manner Gouernors lawes and ordinances of man 1. Het 2.13.14 Thus doth God give our lord the King power to demaund and take what he will of his subiects it is to be yeilded him and to comaund what ordinance of man he will and wee are to obey it And in all these things wee acknowledg before God men wee ought to be subiect not for feare onely but also for conscience sake â—oâ—n 13.5 Wee meddle not with anie conditions or contracts made betwixt the King and his people whereby our lord the King in fauour may or doth abridg himselfe of his prerogative and so make himselfe subiect to his owne covenants or conditions which our lord the King ought to keepe though it be to his disadvantage if they be not meerly vnlawfull but wee speake onely of that power which God hath given to the King all which our lord the King ought to vse lawfully but if he should do otherwise which God forbid he is in these things to be submitted vnto Eccl. 8.3.4 and 1. Pet. 2 18.-24 who soever resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God shall receive to them selves condemnation Rom. 13.2 Thus hath God given our lord the King all worldly power which
is that wee may but try the power of these called Spirituall Lords and that by earthly power they may not force men to yeild vnto their spirituall aucthority How can it but seeme equall in the Kings seight that spirituall lords should have no more spirituall authority then they can gett and mainteyne by spiritual power And if the Hyrarchy themselves thinke it vnequall that the doctrine of their power should be tryed be not most willing ready therevnto but shall by pollicie secret intimations shift it of then shall our lord the K. that is wise easily deserne that their deeds are evill and they hate the light neither cometh to the light least their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 But they that do truth come to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Thus shal our lord the King all the world have a ful tryall of them whether their deeds are wrought according to God or no for if they will now come to the light of Gods word in the sight of all men and manifest their deeds to be wrought according to God then have they approved them selves but if they do not then hath our Saviour Christ here condemned thē with his owne mouth and let our lord the King also condemne them in his owne wisedome Shall wee need to be importunate with our lord the King in this cause of his poore people which concernes the condemnation of all their soules what need wee seeing our lord the King knowes that a King that iudgeth the cause of the poore rightly his throne shal be established for ever Pro. 20.14 Then let our lord the King here the cause of the poore and the rather in that the Kings most noble Predecessor hath before iustly adiudged the same cause and freed his people so far of the bondage wherein they were King Henry the 8. that Prince of great renowne freed his people from the bondage of the first Beast especially in these two great and maine perticulers in causing the scriptures to be set over and printed for the people in their owne language that so they might heare the word with their owne eares and also that their worship should be in their owne tongue that they might speake to God with theyr owne tongue and not in a straing tongue as they did Let heaven and earth iudg and let our lord the K. iudg let all the Kings people iudg whether this was not the depth of all darknes when men might not knowe what God speake vnto them nor knowe in their publique worship what they speake vnto God Let our lord the K. iudg whether ever there was such spirituall cruelty vpon the earth when the poore people of God for whome Christ died were debarred from the presence of God in their publique worship might neither heare god nor speake to God with their owne outward cares tongues but as the Ministers of the mā of sinne appointed and in astraing tongue as they taught them Wee knowe our lord the K. doth see that heere the abomination of desolation was set vp in the high places as also that the Corpes of the two witnesses of God prophesed of Reuel 11.8 which are the word and spirit of God lay dead in the streets of that great Citie there being no true vse at all of them and the people being deprived of the life of them for the word was a dead letter vnto them and the spirit a dead spirit The Kings predecessor of famous renowme thus freed his people from that bondage of the first Beast but there is risen vp a second Beast which exerciseth the power of the first Beast and now our lord he Kings people cry vnto the King with the sighes and groanes of their spirits and would cry also with a lowd voyce but for feare of the Beast and humbly besech the King that he would put too his helping hand to free his people from the bondage of the second Beast that their soules may not perish to everlasting perdition which all must do which are vnder the bondage of the same and so continewe And now let the King heare with an eare of compassion and see with an eie of pittie the cruell spirituall bondage that his poore people are kept vnder by the second Beast in these perticulers The Kings people have the word in their owne language and may pray in their owne tongue But they must not vnderstand the word but as the Lord Bishops will have it vnderstood and they must not pray nor administer in the holy things but as they appoint Now let the King with a godly wise hart consider in what woefull Spirituall bondage Gods people and the Kings are kept by this Hyrarchy Now plainely would our lord the King see the cruell Spirituall tyrany hereof if the King would make it but his owne cause Would not the King thinke it a must cruell tyranny if the King should be by force compelled to vnderstand and beleeve the scriptures as the Hyrarchy of Rome would have him And to worship God and administer in the holy thinges as that Hyrarchy would appoint And if the King would not so do that then that Hyrarchy should have power to put the King in prison and if that would not serve the turne to procure or cause the Kings life to be taken from him or at least to banish the King from his Kingdome nation would not our lord the K. thinke this great tyrany cruell bondage Wee knowe the King would for which cause the K. and his predecessors have cast of this bondage Then let the King see that the Kings people are vnder this same bondage for if they will not vnderstand the scriptures and worship God as the Hyrarchy of Arch. Bs. and lord Bs. comaund appoint they straight send a pursivant apprehēd them by violence and force imprison them sometimes divers yeres manie times not suffering so much as their wives to come at them and if their lives cannot be gotten then procure their exile or banishment The lord give the King a hart to pittie his people herein the King is ignorant of these dealings and none dare tell the King thereof the Prelacy have bene so mighty and so cruell And will it please the King to veiwe the cause of his people being true and faithfull subiects yet further what doth it profitt the Kings people to have the word of God to heare and read it seeing they are debarred of the spirit of God to vnderstand it but according to private interpretation by the the lord B. as though they had the spirit and could not err Oh that our lord the King that is a man of excellent wisedome would but bēd his wisedome to behold how that herin wherein the whole power of the Beast consists this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. doth nothing differ from the first Beast for the first Beast kepes both the word and spirit
from the people and they kepe the spirit of God in bondage then is the word of God of no effect debarring the people of God thereof tying them to their spirits in the vnderstanding of the scriptures which none may try whether they be of God or no but must beleeve and obey or els go to prison and if they will not yeild either he hanged or banished Iudg O King is this a rule of direction and ordinance of the Lambe That comaund Bishops to be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evill men patiently instructing them with meeknes that are contrary mynded proveing if God at anie time wil give them repentance that they may acknowledg the truth and come to amendment c. 2. Tim. 2.24.25.26 By these fruits may our lord the King his people knowe the Bishops of the lambe that is lowly and meeke and bids learne so to be of him Mat. 11.29 but to pull men that are contrary mynded out of their houses by Pursevants to cast them into prison and cause them to lye there at excessive charges vtterly vndoeing them their wives and children and bringing them to all out ward misery and causing them to be banished from vnder their natural Prince to whome they are most true subiects furth of their native country and from their fathers houses and all their frends and familiars Will not our lord the King say that these are the Bishops of the Beast who is like a leopard and his feet like a Beares and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon Reuel 13. of whome they learne to be proud and cruell And all these eviles and manie moe have come vpon the Kings people because they will not vnderstand the scriptures by the spirit of the lord Bs. and pray in their worship to God by the direction of their spirit Will our lord the K. heare the earnest complaint of his people herein and grant redresse that as the Ks. people by the meanes of the Kings most noble predecessor enioy that blessed liberty to read and heare the word of God in their owne language and to pray in their publique worship in their owne tongue that so by our lord the Kings meanes the Kings people may enioy this blessed liberty to vnderstand the scriptures with their owne vnderstandings pray in their publique worship with their owne spirits and then if men err their sinne shal be vpon their owne heads the Kings hand shal be innocent cleare from their transgression which it cannot be if the K. shall willingly suffer his power to be vsed to compell men to pray and vnderstand by the direction of the Lord Bs. spirit and if the King shall give his power to the Lord Bs. but to compell meÌ„ to eat meates which through our lord Iesus Christ are all cleane yet to him that iudgeth them vn cleane to them they are vncleame Rom. 14.14 in which case if a man freely of his owne accord do eat and doubt he is condemned because he eateth not of faith why then if a man in this case be forced by the Kings power whether he will or no to eat when he doubteth and so he be condemned vers 24. is not this to wound the weak conscience and to sin against Christ 1. Cor. 8.12 and can our lord the Kings hand be innocent herein When by the Kings power men shal be compelled to sin Oh that the King would then see that if he may not give his power to rule mens coÌ„sciences in the least things that are indifferent much lesse hath the King power to comaund mens consciences in the greatest thinges betwene God and man This being so wee the Kings servants with all the humility reverence that can or may be given to anie earthly Prince do out of the true Loyalty obedience faithfulnes of our harts thus speake vnto the King Let it suffice our lord the King and let it not seeme a smale thinge that the God of Gods hath made our lord the King a mighty earthly K. over divers nations and hath given our lord the King an earthly power to make lawes ordinances such as the King in his owne wisedome shall thinke best and to change alter them at his pleasure to rule and governe his people by and to appoint Gouernors Officers to execute the Kings will and all the Ks. people are bound of conscience to God and duty to the King to obey the King herein with their goods bodies lives in all service of peace warr and who soever shall resist the King herein they resist the Ordinance of God and shall receive iudgment from God besides the punishmeÌ„t with the sword of iustice which God hath given to the K. to punish evil doers that traÌ„sgresse the K. lawes And God hath also honored the K. with titles and names of Maiesty that are due vnto himselfe Psal 82.16 Dan. 5.18 hath comaunded honor to be given vnto the K. 1. Pet. 2. â—7 And God hath comaunded all his people specially to pray for the K. 1. Ti. 2.2 Let this Kingdome power honor fully satisfie our lord the Ks. hart let it suffice the K. to have all rule over his peoples bodies goods let not our lord the K. give his power to be exercised over the spirits of his people for they belong to another Kingdome which can not be shaken Heb. 12.22.23.28 differing from all earthly Kingdomes for our lord the K. knowes that the cheife of earthly Kingdomes are compared to gold silver brasse iron Dan. 7.37.46 But this is the Kingdome which the God of heaven hath set vp which shall neuer be destroyed this Kingdome shall not be given to another people but to the holy people of the most nigh God all powers shall serue obey him daÌ„ 2.44 7.27 Therefore in this Kingdome let our lord the K. give vs his servants leave againe to tell the K. that he must be a subiect that our lord the K. hath no power nor prerogative as a King to make lawes for in this Kingdome there is but one law-giver who is able to save to destroy Iam. 4.12 neither hath our lord the King power to appoint Officers in this Kingdome and much lesse to make spirituall lords over this Kingdome to bring all mens spirits in subieccion to their spirits in the vnderstaÌ„ding of the scriptures and worshipping God Wherein least wee may seeme to speake vntruely to the K. wee humbly beseech our lord the K. that it may be law full for his servants with his Princely fouour to shew the K. some few perticulers out of a multitude And first wee shew the K. that whereas our Saviour Christ Mat. 18.15 â—0 gives a rule of direccion to admonish a brother if he sin not speaking perticulerly of some sinnes but generally of all or anie one sinne as wee the K. servants vnderstaÌ„d with all the vnderstanding that God hath giveÌ„ vs. The
and say Iudah was a true Church Israell a false Church and the Philistimes no Church these are but your owne sayings aÌ„d devisings without proofe whereby you have and doe mightilie deceive although your words bee without all vnderstanding for Israell was a true Church as Iudah was for the Israelites were the true seed off Abraham seperated from the world vnder the Covenant off God which was the Covenant off Circumrision Gen. 17 7-15 as well as Iudah in Hezechiahs time when they same to the passover And if they had beene the false seed off Abraham then had they beene false Israelites then had their circumcision beene false and they had beene a false Church So had they beene no seed off Abraham no Israelites their Circumcision no Circumcision and so no Church For a full conclusion and a certen rule off drection from the Word off God whereby the People off God may try all your deceitfil distinctions off this kind when you put difference betwixt True False and none in or off anie Ordinance off God Lett all observe and would to God you your selves would bee informed that God and his lawes and Ordinances are one Iohn 14.6 Off equal power authoritie and truth and therefore you can no more say a true Church a false Church and no Church a true Baptisme a false Baptisme and no Baptisme which are holie ordinances of God then you can say a true God a false God and no God and your distinction wil hold no more betwixt a false Church and no Church a false baptisme and no baptisme then betwixt a false God and no God and iff a false God be no God then a false Church is no Church of God and a false baptisme is no baptisme of Christ Your false Church then being as is shewed and proved no Church of God then it is the Synagogue of Satan and your false baptisme being no baptisme of Christ then it is the baptisme of Sathan The Lord give you to consider of your estates and standings herein that although your contempt of ve is and hath beene great yet you may not stil conâ—emne Christ and his truth the meanes of your salvation though witnessed by vs that are so much despised in your eies Haveing thus shewed you by evidence off truth that you bringing your false baptisme out of a False church both which yourselves confesse your baptisme is no baptisme and that false Church is no Church this being made plaine as the indifferent may iudg wee will trie Mr. Robinsons ground for this reteined baptisme who wil bee found to make haist to deceive with as manie windings and turnings as anie anâ— he not altogether trusting to bring his baptisme froâ— Israel he strives withal deceitful skill to prove that their baptisme is true in one respect though brought from Babilon And this matter he vndertakes afâ—â— this manner in his booke off iustification of seperition Pag. 184 185. He Commends vnto the Reader a distinction off a twofold respect Baptisme saith Mr. R. is to be considered first nakedlie and in the essentiall causes the matter water The forme washing with water into the name off the Father c. These are the essential causes of Mr. R. naked Baptisme in this respect he confesseth true baptisme both in England and Rome Mr. R. shal wee speake angerlie to you and mourne for the hardnes off your hart and great blindnes and ignorance Have you lost the beginings of knowledg in the misterie of Godlines is all light shut from your eies and al truth debarred from your vnderstanding that you should write thus That water and washing and words are the essential causes or matter of Baptisme if you had knowne Christ of whose Baptisme you pretend to speake you would never have written thus do you knowe that Christs Kingdome is a spiritual Kingdome his Ordinances spiritual Ordinances and wil you confesse this with your tongue and with your tongue and deeds denie it Which that it may appeare plainelie you do consider with your selfe and let all that seeke the Lord in spirit and truth consider with what vnderstanding you can say that naked Water washing words are the essential causes of a spiritual Baptisme thus doe you spoile men through Philosophie and vaine deceit in which iniquitie you abound away with your naked respect and bee counselled to buy whit rayment that you may bee clothed that your vile nakednes do not appeare Knowe you not that al they that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ And do you come with your Philosophie to teach simple soules a naked baptisme and make it good with respects The Lord give you grace to see your great evil herein and the Lord deliver his poore people from these your deceitful waies and the lord give them to learne to knowe from the word of God that there is but one Baptisme of Christ Ephes 4.5 And that whosoever is baptized into Christ hath put on or is clothed with Christ Gal. 3.27 and therefore whosoever shal walke with your naked baptisme shal bee found naked at the day off Christs appearing though you peece it and patch it with greene leaves and for your essential causes lay downe plainlie what baptisme you speake of and you shal be convinced in your selfe as thus if you say off Christs baptisme which is spiritual that the essential matter thereof is earthlie water would not your ignorance easilie appeare the like of your forme if you should say that the forme of spiritual baptisme is bodilie washing onelie with bare words your owne vnderstanding would reprove you It were to be wished and you have often bene required to lay away your schoole tearmes in the causes of God whereby you do for the most part but hide the truth and blind the eies of the simple How do you thinke the simple should vnderstand you in the essentiall causes and matter and forme of baptisme do the Scriptures shew that anie of the holie men of God did ever thus distinguish if your Art had bene good or profitable could not our Saviour Christ have vsed it for the manifestation of his truth aÌ„d would he not have endued his Apostles with that gift Yea the Lord endued them with the most excellent gifts for the evident declaration of his truth whereof Lodgick and Philosophie was none which vaine sciences if you had not vsed you could never have forged so manie deceits as you have in your booke And now wee disire you to knowe that the Scriptures teach not anie Baptisme that is in one respect true and in other respect false there is no such thinge in the whole word of God these are but your owne devices wherein you devide Christ to serve your owne turnes to deceive perswading men that they are in one respect truelie baptized and in another respect falslie baptized and if they wil come and walke in your waie and ioyne to your societies you can make that part which was false true What Poperie
seing they iustifie themselves in them and say they sinne not therefore their sinne remaineth and cannot bee taken away by Christ As for example You all iustifie the baptizing of infants now when you repent of all your sinnes of ignorance have you anie thoughts to repent of that and if you were asked would you not with your last breath iustify that you have done wel therein and that the baptizing off Infants is a holy ordinance of Christ but if it be no ordinance of Christ and that you sinne therein cā you be so simple as to imagine that this sinne shall come within your general repentance Wherein you blesse and iustifie your selves You can no more bee forgiven at Gods hands then they that ignorātly set vp a false Christ ād iustify him to be the true Christ or thē they that put the true Christ to death and iustify he is a false Christ We know your answere in this willbee that if you could see it to be your sinne to baptize infants and to mainteyne it to bee a holy ordinance off God you would repent of it but before you cannot wil not God answere you that when hee can see you repent he wil forgive you but before he cannot Ezek. 18.21.27 Wil not the Pope make the same answere for al the bloody persecutions wherewith he hath and doth persecute al Protestants so called Wil not the lord Bishop make this answere for all their wicked and cruel persecutions against the Puritanes ād Brownists so caled but shal they be pardoned they iustifying thēselves in al these wickednesses wherein they think they doe God service because they repent of al their sinnes of ignorance whereof they iustifie these to bee none wil God pardon thē in al this their wickednes because they cannot see it to be their sinne You al wil grant they cannot be pardoned of these sinnes they iustifying themselves therein neither can anie be pardoned of anie sinne they iustifying themselves therein If this were duely considered it would make men take heed what they professe or practice in the profession of Christ seeing if they professe or practice anie thinge that is not according to the word of God and iustifie it for good they must perish and cannot be saved it stands therefore al men vpon the peril of their soules to looke to their waies and to bee vpon a sure ground from Gods word what they condemne for evil or error ād what they mainteyne and iustifie for truth for if they that iustifie the wicked they that condemne the iust be an abhomination vnto the Lord. Pro. 17.15 Then they that iustifie error and wickednes and condemne truth and righteousnes calling light darknes darknes light such must needs bee an abhomination to the Lord. If al the learned Scribes and Pharisies and false Prophets in the world had harts to beleeve this and confesse it it would make them take heed what they iustified for truth ād what they condēned for error and how they taught others to do so If al the careles professors of Christ that professe him in word would beleeve this word of the lord to bee true it would make them looke more circumspectly to their waies and not thinke that anie profession of Christ is sufficient and that they may professe Christ after that manner that is best pleasing to their owne mynds makeing the way large that they may walke therein at liberty according to the vanity and excesse of their owne harts If the simple harted who in manie things are weyued from the world and who have manie zealous disires in them did faithfully beleeve the Lord herein that if they iustifie anie false waies vntruth or error and condemne anie way off light and truth their sinne remaineth they are an abhomination to the Lord if they did beleeve God herein it would make them take heed how they went on in their ignorant zeale being led by their Teachers approving and iustifying what they teach thē and disapproveing and condemning what they reach them to disaprove and condemne Forsakeing the teaching off Gods Spirit not thinking it possible for themselves to attayne to the vnderstanding off the Scriptures but by the teaching of their learned and good men as they falsely cal them but if they did beleeve this word off the Lord that they must perish if they iustifie anie one error or false way and condemne anie one truth it would make them with feare and trembling to seeke wisedome knowledg and vnderstanding of God that they being taught off God might bee able of themselves by the helpe of the holy Spirit the onely true Teacher and leader into all truth to discerne and iudg betwixt good and evil light and darknes truth and error least they relying vpon men be seduced and led to iustifie false waies and condemne the way of truth in anie perticuler and so fal vnder the iust iudgment off the Lord evē the iudgment of eternal death and condemnation a right recōpence of reward for al that wil of ignorant simplicity out of their good meanings ād zealous affectiōs falsly so called submit themselves to be led ād taught onely of men seeking for knowledg at their mouthes ād not wholly depēding vpō the scriptures for instruction and the spirit of God to teach thē the vnderstanding thereof neclecting of faith the reading and searching and meditating of the scriptures day and night and earnest praying without doubting that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisedome to direct thē to the true vnderstanding ād meaning of God in the Scriptures that they might be able if an Angell frō heaven should come and teach them anie other doctrine then Christ and his Apostles hath taught to iudg him accursed when this way shal be once truely learned ād faithfully practized of Gods people to attayne to true knowledg then shal all that seeke after Christ strive to enter into his kingdome by regeneration and new birth being borne againe of water the Holy Ghost then shal men learne to knowe the true baptisme of Christ which is the baptisme of repētāce for the remission off sinnes and be therewith Baptized and put on Christ and not satisfie themselves with childish baptisme in which baptisme they have not nor could not put on Christ and without which baptisme of repentance for the remissiō of sinnes they cannot put on Christ and then shal the elect of God not be deceived by the multitude of false Prophetts with al their lying wonders that say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but they shal take heed to the glorious brightnes of his coming which shal be in the shining light of his truth vnto the which the chosen of God shal flie ād come from far as Eagles to their pray And to this clere light of truth the Lord that hath bought you all with his blood raise vp your harts that you may seeke his face and be filled with the fulnes of his presence
desolation set vp in the high places Is it not deepe error off ignorance then for men not to see that there is now the greatest cause of sorrowe and lamentation that ever was And next to shewe in fewe wordes the error of them that thinke the danger of the daies is past Let them looke vpon the wordes of our Saviour Christ when he speaketh off the shorting of those daies he saith in Mat. Then if any shal say Loe here is Christ or loe there is Christ beleeve it not And in Luke Take heed bee not deceaved for manie will come in my name c. Is not this instant these daies was there ever so manie saying Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ And was there ever so many false professioÌ„s of Christ aÌ„d false Prophets shewing great signes and wonders if it were possible to deceave he verie elect who can then denie but that these are deepest daies of danger whereof Christ gives such warninge to take heed Therefore easilie may they heare see their error into whose harts that ymagination hath once entred to thinke that these dangers here prophesied of are past Why then if the end of these sorrowes be not past and the beginings bee past as is shewed then must it needes bee confessed that the daies of greatest tribulation are present But who considers these thinges Or who regardeth the words of this great Prophet If men did consider and carefully behould these thinges what hart could conceave sorrowe enough and what head could conteyne teares or tongue have sufficient words to expresse and vtter the sorrowes fittinge these daies If Ieremiah complayned for want of teares and could not bee satisfied with sorrowing for the slayne of the daughter of Syon that perished by the sword and famyne which was but bodily death how much more cause have men now to sorrowe to see men poysoned with bitter waters killed with fire and smoake and brunstone stung with scorpions hurt with Servents Revel 9.5 and 8.11 And cast into the great winepresse of the wrath of God rev 19.20 which is the everlasting destruction of soule aÌ„d bodie in Hel to suffer al the plagues torments and judgments off wrath for ever Was the famine of bread and the sword of Nabuchad-nezzar and the seaventie yeres captivitie a ful sufficient cause to make Ieremiahes eyes faile with teares his bowels swell his hart turne within him his liver to bee powred vpon the earth And are not al the woes vttered by the seaven Angels from the sound of seaven trompets whereof an Angel flieing through the midst of HeaveÌ„ said with a lowde voice woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth from the soundes remaining of the trumpets of the three angels which yet must blowe their trumpets And have not these three last Angells blowen their trumpets aÌ„d doth not the sound thereof yet sound in our eares and are not al the woes thereof yet in the sight of our eies are not al these woes which are woes of everlasting death and destruction sufficient to breake mens harts al into peeces What stony hardnes of hart possesseth men in these daies that their harts do not melt for these woes A maine aÌ„d general reason of al this is because this prophesie is of spiritual desolations distructions and woes and cannot bee vnderstood but with spiritual harts nor sene but with spiritual eyes and the harts and eies off men are naturall and carnall and therefore these thinges cannot affect them 1. Cor. 2.14 Another special reason is because men do not consider how far these thinges concerne themselves but everie Nation and everie people and everie Man puts these daies farr from them as no waie apperteyning to them If wee therefore could prevaile Oh that wee might prevaile by al the feare and love off God to perswade men and by the compassionate pittie of the salvation of their owne soules move them with deepest consideration to consider how nearely those thinges concerne them least they bee vnder these woes and bee not aware thereof which men may easilie be by reason of the great ignorance that is in all men perticulerly in the vnderstandinge of the Prophesie of this booke off the Revelation Which most men though otherwise accompted mightie in the Scriptures doe passe by seldome or never touching them in their Teachings or writinges being taynted wee doubt not with their owne insufficiencie therein which if they would acknowledg it were comendable their acknowledgment wee meane not their ignorance But yet their â—ourse is much more comendable then all theirs that have busied themselves to bring furth so manie ymaginarie expositions of that holie writt wee say ymaginarie expositions because they are for the most part but according to the vaine ymaginations and fancies of mens myndes without the warrant of the word and spirit Wee confesse in humility to our owne shame we are better able to reprove this then to correct it acknowledging vnfainedly and growning daily vnder the burthen of our owne great ignorance and blindnes in the vnderstandinge off the prophesie off that booke All this may further provoake vs with you and you with vs to take heed least we bee vnder anie part of this desolation and woe vnder which whosoever is and remaines he must perish as by the grace of God wee shall make evidently appeare from the Scriptures therefore let al People and nations and Tongues take heed and beware And first to proceed in this cause wee will endeavor to prove by the witnes of the vndoubted word of truth that all Nations and Peoples vpon the earth that have or doe professe Christ for of them onely is this prophesie have beene vnder this abhomination of desolation The words of the prophesie thereoff by Daniel makes is most plaine where he saith In the middest of the weeke hee shall cause the sacrifice oblation to cease for the overspreading of the abhomination hee shall make it desolate Daniel 9.27 Agreable to this prophesie is that Revel 11. Where it is said That the two witnesses off God which are the spirit of truth and the word of truth in the testimonie of thapostles Ioh. 15.26.27 act 5.32 Which are two Olive trees two candlestickes standing before the God of the Earth haveing power to shutt heaven that it raine not to turne the waters into blood and sinyt the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they will Their Corpes shall lie in the streets off the great Citie spiritually called Sodome Egipt Three daies an half after three daies a half the Spirit of life from God shall enter into them they shal stand vp on their feet And with these two prophesies agrees also the prophesie Revel 12.14 Of the woman flieing into the wildernes into hir place where she is nourished for a time times half a time Let vs compaire these prophesies together Daniel saith the sacrifices and oblations cease in the midst of the
any one part of this prophesie fulfilled but it shal be found in and from them For which way should they go about to shewe the man of sinn being the misterie off iniquitie in the deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes to bee exalted sitting as God and as in the Temple off God Sitting vpon â—eaveÌ„ Kinges ten Kings giveing their power therevnto if these prophesies be not fulfilled in that their Romish profession then is it not nor ever was it begun nor fulfilled in anie false professioÌ„ of Christ vpon the earth which cannot be because we see here thapostle to the Thes saith The misterie of iniquitie doth already worke And in that this prophesie of Christ also is come to passe Mat. 24. where he saith Manie wil come in my name saieing loe here is Christ c. this proves that the abhomination of defolatioÌ„ is set vp already in the high places The prophesie then being fulfilled it must needs be fulfilled according to the due proportion thereof in exaltation and power which must of necessitie be in that Romish Church as if they were not altogether blind they might see by lookeing vpon that Church at Rome which Thapostle Paul writ vnto And by compareing that Church in Rome and this Church of Rome together they shal see a straing exaltation of power and pompe such as there is no prophesie of Scripture for to bee in the Church of Christ A spiritual power setting vp a Pope or Bishop by vertue of his Office with a Triple Crowne Kinges and Princes bowing to him and serveing him and by vertue off his Office carrieing a bloody sworde and his hands ful of blood this is part of his outward pompe and power Also bearing spiritual names of blasphemie as to bee head of the Church and Bishop of the vniversal flock taking vpon him to have power to cast soule and bodie to hel and to send to heaven whome he wil to make spirituall lawes and decrees what he will and to bind mens Consciences to the obedience thereof If this bee not he that sits as God shewing himself to bee God If this bee not the abhommation of desolation set vp where it ought not to bee where should it befound Can the earth afford a greater exaltation of the man of sinne then this and doth it not reach from hel to heaven what hart would not tremble to see and heare of such high blasphemie and sinne against God If it were not the Lord of hostes that shal judg these thinges there could not judgmeÌ„ts great enough hee found but these sinnes of highest pride towards God and greatest crueltie towards his Sainctes shall go vp into heaven and God shall remember al these iniquities and reward the duble whereat although the spirit of God bidds the heavens rejoyce the holy Apostles Prophets because God hath punished revenged for their sakes Revel 18.20 Yet who can but with compassionate hartes lament to see so manie soules perish dayly and continually vnder this destruction For al the soules vpon the earth that exalt give power and submit themselves to this Man of sinne and so dye they perish to everlasting destruction although they do it ignorantly A hard doctrine wil this seeme to the most But the moueth of the Lord hath spoken it Thappostle in this place of 2. Thes 2. proves it without al contradiction where it is said vers 10. That the man of sinne his comeing is in all deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes amonge them that perish First then here is proved that the misterie of iniquitie prevailes by deceaveablenes now men are deceived by being ignorant of the deceipt and they that are thus deceived through ignorance are they that perish for saith Thappostle this deceiveablenes is effectual or prevailes amonge them that perish and vers 12. That all they might bee damned which beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes speaking of this deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes by the man of sinne For further proofe thereof take the voice from heaven Revel 18.4 which saith Go out of her my people that ye bee not parraker of hir sinnes that ye receive not of hir plagues Here is no exception ignorant or not ignorant if they come not furth at the voice of the Lords cal but stil remaine and abide there they shal surely bee partaker of hir plagues hir plagues come at one day they are death sorrowe famine burning with fire in one houre shal she bee made desolate vers 8. and 19. Whose soule would not mourne to heare of so manie great Princes States and people abroad and to see Nobilitie Gentrie and people at home perish and ready to perish daylie vnder this so great and swift destruction it were to be wished that al good and holy meanes were vsed for their information and instruction herein with love and meekenes by the sword of the spirit which sword onely is to bee vsed to compel meÌ„s consciences to submit to the truth that is the spirit of the Lords moueth whereby he will consume the man of sinne Aff by this wee have said wee can neither perswade them to bee carefull of their owne estates which is fearefull nor perswade anie other to bee more careful of them and more compassionate of their estates yet thus much have wee gained towards the cause in hand that it being proved that the misterie of iniquitie and the abhomination of desolation is exalted to the highest in that Romish profession then wee doubt not but it wil be yeilded that all Nations acknowledging Christ have bene overspred aÌ„d vnder the power of that Romish profession and so are al these prophesies fulfilled in our eies which have beene produced to prove that there hath beene an vtter desolation of Christes power and authoritie and the power and authoritie of the man of sinne exalted and it hath also bene proved that all that submit themselves to that power of the man of sinne do and must perish except they repent Therefore according to our first words wee exhort al peoples and nations and tongues to take heed and beware least they be vnder the woes of everlasting destruction prophesied of in this booke of the Revel and they themselves be not aware thereof And seing it is proved that al peoples and nations and tongues have bene vnder it let them that thinke they are come furth looke how they are come furth least they be deceived or least comeing furth they have booked back againe to whome our Saviour Christ saith Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots wife Wee doubt not but wee shal have the ready consent of divers natioÌ„s and peoples to approve of our vnderstandings and application of this prophesie of the exaltation of the man of sinne to bee fulfilled in the Sea of Rome and wee need to make no question but therein wee are of one judgment in the truth for it is vnpossible that the hare of man should device a misterie of iniquitie or deceaveablenes
it would in-ruch the Crowne and fill the Kings coffers vpheaped with such a yerely revenewe as no peace nor war should ever be able to make theÌ„ half emptie and all this may be done by a holy good just and lawful meanes Fourthly it would in-ritch the whole land above measure and that in disburdening the land of al those Courts with al the suites aÌ„d services that belonge vnto them the taxations fees and penalties whereof are without number And the King would stand no need of taxes and subsidies although we would not wish the Kings people to with drawe the shewing off their loyale love to our Lord and King in those things Oh what a ful and ready consent would there bee in the kings people to these things how profitable would it be vnto them the Lord perswade his hart to it seing it would be for Gods glory his owne benefit and the so great good of his whole land and it would be the greatest and cheifest benifit of all to them to whome it may seeme the greatest losse for they should be disburdened of those things which although they he pleasant for a season yet they wil be most bitter in the day of account which wil come let them be sure and it would make them live moderately of that they have and vse good and honest endeavors to support themselves and there would be true comfort in such gaine Lastly to make it appeare plainly enough that this Hyrarchie of Arch Bishops and Lord Bishops is the image of the Beast let al behold the names off blasphemie which it bears and they are these so farr as wee knowe the number of them Arch-Bishops Prymâ—ts Metropolitanes Lords Spirituall Reverend-Fathers Lords Grace What names of blasphemy are here they are the titles and names of our God and of our Christ What words of detestation were sufficient to bee vttered against such blasphemous abhomination who is able to keepe silence If men professing Christ wil not speake the stones shal speake rather theÌ„ the lord wil be without witnesses Shal men be afraide to speake for feare of losse of goods of Lands or for feare of imprisonment banishment or death No no let them take al life and all Let them shed blood vntil they have enough and let the servants of God reioyce in the saieing of the Angel of the waters Revel 16.5.6 Lord thou art iust which art which wast which shal bee because thou haist judged these things for they shedd the blood of the Saincts Prophets And therefore haist thou given them blood to drincke for they are worthy This hath the Lord fulfilled vpon all those that are dead and have not repented of this abhomination and this wil the Lord fulfill vpon al that are alive if they repent not Is it not sufficient to dispoyle aÌ„d rob Christ of al his power but you wil also take froÌ„ him the rules of honor due vnto his name To passe by your derived Grecian names which wee to speake the truth are not able to our owne satisfaction to declare the interpretatioÌ„ of aÌ„d that no way lesseneth the iniquitie of them but rather shewes it more that you should get you names of such hidden blasphemy that simple men cannot vnderstand without an interpreter let vs speake with fearefulnes off that name which you might al tremble to heare off and that is Lords spiritual The verie artribute of the God of al spirits for he onely is the Lord spiritual and the spiritual Lord. And give vs leave to shewe you how you are hedged in that al subtile sophistry shal not helpe you out Beare you not this title by reason off your spiritual power and aucthoritie and do you not by this your spiritual power and aucthoritie make spiritual Canons and decrees and are not al your Courts spiritual Courts and do you not require spiritual obedience in al these things is not your title aÌ„d power a differing title and power from al other Lords see how the stile doth hedg you in which goes thus All the Lords Spiritual Temporal So that you cannot say you are spiritual Lords becaÌ„use of your professioÌ„ for you wil not deny but the temporall Lords are spiritual Lords in profession as wel as you Therefore must it needs bee that you are spiritual Lords because off your spiritual power and spiritual power is over the spirits off men so then as Temporal Lords have power over mens bodies so must spiritual lords have power over mens spirits but there is onely one spiriritual Lord which is the Father of spirits and therefore whosoever taketh this title and this power vpon themselves they take vpon them the name title and power of God and this is the maÌ„ of sinne that sits as God sheweing himselfe to bee God which herein the second Beast doth according to or in the image of the first Do you thinke that God hath forgotten to bee iust and are his judgments gone for ever Can you see and condemne in your words and writings the exaltation off the man of sinne in the Romish profession and can you not see and condemne it in your owne to such saith thapostle Paul Rom. 2.3 O thou man that condeÌ„nest theÌ„ that do such thinges dost the same thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the IudgmeÌ„t of God And for that duble degree of Reverend-fatherhood which you take to your selves some of you being most Reverend and some Right Reverend Fathers how might wee find out vnder what condition you beare this name It is plaine that you beare not that name because you have begotten all that people in Christ for most coÌ„monly you are their Reverend Fathers in God before they ever heard your voices then must it needs bee in you a name by inspiration seeing it is not by operation or worke So are you inspired with a Reverend Fatherhood vpon the instant time of your entrance before you have wrought anie worke amonge that people When you shall meet Christ in his coming what will you answere him for the breach of his strait commaundement herein where he saith Cal no man your Father vpon the earth for there is but one your Father which is in Heaven Are you not exalted above your brethreÌ„ by this name then you are they of whome Christ speakes of in this place and whome he wil bring follow Mat. 23.9.10.11 For thus takeing vpon you the name of God and exalting your selves above the brethren And iff you have not sold your selves to worke wickednes which God forbid and if you thinke it robbery to make your selves equall with God let your harts tremble and your hands shake to subscribe to such names of blasphemy and let your eares tingle when you heare theÌ„ vttered and red in your presence and observe but what magnificency is vpon you when you sit vpon your high places aÌ„d heare your selves thus intituled and remember that hee sitts over you that will tread you vnder foote for thus
are vnder the power of the first Beast are misledd but they cannot discerne their owne estates which are one and the same vnder the second Beast who is more deceiveable because of his two hornes like the lambe and therefore men had need more carefully to looke vnto thēselves least they be still deceived except men wil rest in security and perish to destruction which all must do that obey the power either of the first or second Beast as is withal evident plainnes shewed Revel 14.9.10.11 where it is written If anie man worship the Beast and his jmage and receive his marke in his fore-head or in his hand and whosoever receiveth the print of his name he shall drinke saith the spirit of the lord of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred into the cup of his wrath and shal be tormented with fire brimstone they shall have no rest day no◠night What will prevaile with men if neither the fore warning prophesies nor threatning iudgments of the lord will move them to consider and flee the feirce vengance that is already come Doth our Saviour Christ tell that the abhomination of desolation shal be set vp in the holy places and doth Thappostle Paule shew that the man of sinne exalts himselfe and sitts as God in the Temple of God and doth the prophesie of the Revel so duely set downe and declare the manner of the workeing of the misterie of iniquitie according to the severall degree thereof vntil it come to that hight of exaltation before spoken of by Christ by Th-appostle in the similitude of the first and second Beast who beares the names of blasphemy in takeing vpon them the names and attributes of God as is before shewed causing all that dwell vpon the earth to worship the Beast and his image and so sitts as God in the high places and in the Temple of God which is in the harts of men 1. Cor. 3.16 and 2. Cor. 6.19 and do wee see all these things fulfilled before our eies and will not he that readeth consider And doth our Saviour Christ showe the greatest iudgments of the lord to be vpon men in those days in so much as no flesh shal be saved and except those days should be shortned no flesh should ever be saved doth th-Appostle Paul shew that because men will not receive the love of the truth the lord shall send them strange delusiōs that they should beleeve lies that all might be damned which beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in vnrighteousnes And doth the spirit of God in the Reuel by Iohn say that all who worship the Beast or beare the least marke of the Beast and his jmage shall drincke even of the meer wine of Gods wrath out of the cup of his wrath And wil not all this move the hardned harts of men to looke about and carefully to search out the prophecies of scripture concerning these things compare them with these times and seeke and find out how they are fulfilled which through the grace of God every faith fuil hart seeking shall now easily discerne seeing the first Angell Revell 16. hath powred out his viall so that noysome grevious sores do appeare vpon the men which have the marke of the Beast and vpon them that worship his image yea Glory and honor and praise be given to our God the fifth Angell hath also powred out his viall vpon the throne of the Beast and his Kingdome doth already wax darke who doth not see this that lookes but with anie seeing eie after religion Doth not now more then ever the noysome botches of manye grosse absurdities appeare in the bewitched vnderstanding of those men that beare the marke and worship the Beast and his jmage and is not the palpable darknes of blind ignorance openly discovered vpon the throne of the Beast And doth not the bewty of his image fade Is not the baptizing by midwives quit vanished And doth not Bishoping of yong and old much decay Doth not the duely reading of Iniunctions and homilies growe to forgetfulnes and are not prophane perambulations well layd aside and do not holy evens and days and ember wekes almost passe out of mynd and is not the booke it selfe become much out of vse Hath not whole conformitie received a blowe and will not anie halting subscription serve the turne Oh that the spirituall Lords of this spirituall Kingdome could see that the smoake of the burning there of is already deeply begun and doth highly ascend that they themselves might helpe to heape coales vpon the throne thereof and flee from the burning therewith Let them not fore cast to preserve it nor seeke to deliver it out of the hand of the Almighty they may more easily pull the pray out of the lyons mouth or dravve out leviathan vvith an hooke then prevent the mighty one that hath iudged these things Revel 18. vvho is clothed vvith a garment dip◠in blood and his name is called The. vvord of God And vvho hath vpon his garment and vpon his thigh a name written The King of Kinges and Lord of Lords Reuel 19.12.16 Thus have wee according as wee foretold of our selves set downe these thinges with great jnability but yet with all fidelity according to our consciences in the best measure of vnderstanding concerning the second Beast who hath caused to make the jmage of the first And wee disire the Godly wise that seeke salvation by the Lambe that they will compare the Beast which wee all agree to be the Romish Hyrarchy and his jmage which how can it be ymagined but the Hyrarchy of Arch. Bishops and lord B. must needs be compare them together in their spirituall Pomp spirituall names of blasphemy spirituall power and Cruelty and cast but a partly indifferent eie vpon their administrations in their Offices Officers Courts Canons and decrees and then let the word and spirit of God direct the to judg righteously of the Beast and his jmage to knowe them that thou mayst not submitt to the spirituall power of the Beast and his image neither receive his marke in thy forehead nor in thine hand or the least print of his name for if thou dost thy portion is to drinke of the Cup and vvine of Gods wrath and to be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angells and in the sight of the Lambe The word of the lord hath spoken it and his word is true and not lieing BVt shall wee now thinke wee have fully discharged our selves to God and men in speaking generally vnto all and shall wee not in humility perticulerly call vpon those servants of the lord of whome he hath especially prophesied that they shall hate the whore and make hir desolate and naked shall eate hir flesh and burne hir with fire this shal be done saith the lord by the Kings of the earth Reuel 17.16 of whome wee could be content not once to speake for feare of
extendeth to all the goods and bodies of his servants And doth our lord the King require anie more wee knowe he doth not then let not our lord the King now be angry that wee his servants speake the second time vnto him Doth not the King knowe that the God or Gods and lord of â—ords hath vnder him made our lord the King an earthly King and given him all earthly power and that he hath reserved to himself a heavenly Kingdome a kingdome that is not of this world Ioh. 18.36.37 neither are the subiects of his kingdome of this world Ioh. 17.14 and yet this King was in this world and his subiects are in the world Vers 12. that with this kingdome our lord the King hath nothinge to do by his Kingly power but as a subiect himself and that Christ is King alone onely high Priest and cheife Bishop and there is no King no Primate Metropolitane ArchBishop lord spirituall but Christ onely nor may be either in name or power to exercise aucthority one over another Luk. 22.25.26 Mat. 23.11.12 And will our lord the King not withstanding all that Christ hath done for him in giveing him such a kingdome with such great dignity and power therein will the King not withstanding enter vpon Christs kingdome and appoint or by his power suffer to be appointed Lawes Lords Law makers over or in this kingdome of Christ who wee may be bold to say with warrant if he were vpon earth in the flesh he would be subiect to our lord the King in his earthly kingdome for so was he to Cesar Mat. 17. he paid him tribute and he comaunded to giue vnto Cesar thinges that were Cesars Yea he would not meddle with anie thing that belonged to the King not so muchas to comaund the two beethren to devide the inheritance nor to judg the woman taken in adultery Far be it theÌ„ from the hart of our lord the King to give his earthly power to anie to rule as lords over the Kingdome and heritage of Christ which he hath reserved to himself to rule and governe onely by his word and spirit where no earthly power may be admitted in that it is no earthly kingdome Behold now wee have begun to speake vnto our lord the King and wee are but dust and ashes and our lord the King is but dust and ashes aswell as wee therefore let not our lord the King be angry that his servants speake the third time vnto him wee knowe our lord the King may do what soever pleaseth him and who shall say vnto him what dost thou Eccles 8.3.4 Yet though he should kill vs wee wil speake the truth to him It is the Kings honor to search out a thinge Prov. 25.1 And wee knowe the King is a wise man and a man of vnderstanding thus then wee speake vnto him Will the King challeng to himselfe to sitt vpon the throne of David and to iudg Israell wee the Kings servants meane will the K. have the same power now over the church house of God that the Kings of Israell had vnder the law who satt vpon Davids throne will and ought the King to make a covenant and cause all to stand to it and must all stand to it and will ought the King to compell all that are found in his dominions to serve the lord as the King comaunds 2. Chro. 34.32.33 and will and ought the King to slay all that come not to the passover Num. 9.13 If our lord the King have this power theÌ„ he ought duly to execute it and then he sitts vpon Davids throne and then the King of Spaine hath the like power to compell all in his dominions to serve God as he comaunds so every king sitts vpon Davids throne and all Kings are herein to be obeyed for will not our lord the King that is a man of vnderstanding yeild that Queene Marie the Kings noble predecessor had the same power and aucthority by hir sword of justice over hir subiects that our lord the King hath and that hir subiects were bound to obey hir in all things and submitt to hiâ— sword of iustice as well as our lord the Kings subiects are to obey him and submitt to his sword of iustice for all earthly Kings have but one manner of power and sword Rom. 13. Chap. If our lord the King by his deseruing iudgment see this then our lord the King will easily see that as Queene Mary by hir sword of Iustice had no power over hir subiects consciences for then had she power to make them all Papists and all that resisted hir therein suffered iustly as evil doers neither hath our lord the King by that sword of iustice power ouer his subiects coÌ„sciences for all earthly powers are one and the same in their severall dominions And if our lord the King will have anie other power it must be a spirituall power and theÌ„ that must be with an other sword even a spirituall sword for an earthly sword is ordeyned of God onely for an earthly power and a spirituall sword for a spirituall power and Offences against the earthly power must be puinshed with the earthly sword and offences against the spirituall power with the spirituall sword and with this sword the King of Kings make our lord the King mighty through him to cast downe holds casting downe the ymaginations every high thing that is exalted against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10.4.5 Who is the fruit of Davids loynes concerning the flesh and onely sitts vpon Davids throne for ever Act. 230. Luke 1.32.33 Esa 9.7 And vpon his kingdome to order it to stablish it with iudgment with Iustice The rod of whose power is sent out of Syon who is ruler in the midst of his enimies whose people shall come willingly Psal 110.2.3 and requires not anie earthly power to build vp his Church as he sheweth when he declareth that all power was given him in heaven and in earth he bids his Disciples Go therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the father c. he that shall beleeve and be Baptized shal be saved But he that will not beleeve shal be damned Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.16 who when he ascended vpon high he led captivity captive and gave gifts vnto men he gave some to be Appostles c. for the reparing or gathereing together of the Saincts Ephes 4.5.12 Here is shewed vnto our lord the King that which wee knowe he is not ignorant of that Christ onely sitts vpon Davids throne to order it and wee the Kings servants shew it that the King might not be deceived by deceivers who would perswade the K. that he hath the same power over the Church of Christ that the Kings of Israel had over the Church of the old Testament to this end that they might vse the K. earthly power to rule over and build
vp as they pretend the spirituall Tabernacle Temple and Church of Christ which if the King shall suffer them to do he shall sinne against God in entring vpon the kingdome of Christ who onely is King of Israell Ioh. 12.15 whose power and sword are spirituall whose Tabernacle TeÌ„ple and house is holy made with out hands 2. Cor. 3.17.1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 9.11 and therefore hath given spirituall gifts vnto men for the gathering together of the Saincts for the worke of the mistery and for the building vp of his body which is his Church and doth not will nor require to have people comaunded and compelled by an earthly sword or power as in the days of Hezekiah and Iosiah Kings of Israel for that was an earthly or carnall comaundement Heb. 7.16 and they had a worldly Tabernacle made with hands and worldly ordinances and Carnall rites Heb. 9.1.2.10 and therefore were the Ordinances or law comaunded to be kept by a worldly power and the Tabernacle to be built by hands but now wee have a Tabernacle which the lord pight and not man Heb. 8.2 and that carnall comaundement is changed Heb. 7.12 and wee have a comaundement after the power of endles life vers 16. vnto the obedience of which law no earthly Kings power can cause or bring anie one man to obey in anie one thing and the which Tabernacle not made with hands no earthly power which consists onely of the strength of hands can cause to be built in anie one part thereof but all this is to be done onely by the K. of Israels power who hath all power given him in heaven and in earth whose power is all sufficient to bring vnder obedience all his subiects where vnto no earthly power can be helpfull whose sword is his word which is lively and mighty in operation and sharper then anie two edged sword Heb. 4.12 and therefore needs not the helpe of anie Kings sword If his sword will not prevaile to bring men vnder obedience to his owne lawes what can our lord the Kings sword do it is spirituall obedience that the lord requires the K. sword caÌ„not smite the spirits of meÌ„ if our lord the K. shall force coÌ„pell meÌ„ to worship eate the lords supper against their coÌ„scieÌ„ces so shall he make his poore subiects to worship and eat vnworthily whereby he shall compell them to sinne against God and increase their owne judgments On let not our lord the K. suffer such evill to be done by his power little doth our lord the King know how many thousands of his people have bene compelled through troble and for feare of troble to worship and to eat the lords supper vnworthyly and so to worship and to eat and drincke to ther owne damnation who although they perish in their owne sinnes yet their blood wil be required at their hands that have compelled them so to sinne against their consciences and the lord in mercy give the K. a hart to looke vnto it that it be not laid to our lord the K. charg if he shall suffer them to exercise such powre by his authority And wee bow our selves to the earth before our lord the K. in greatest humblenes beseeching the K. to iudg righteous iudgment herein whether there be so vniust a thing and of so great cruell tyranny vnder the sunne as to force mens consciences in their religion to God seeing that if they err they must pay the price of theyr transgression with the losse of their soules Oh let the K. iudg is it not most equall that men should chuse their religion themselves seeing they onely must stand themselves before the iudgment seat of God to answere for themselves when it shal be no excuse for them to say wee were commanded or compelled to be of this religion by the King or by them that had authority from him And let our lord the K. that is a man of knowledg yet further consider that if the K. should by his power bring his people to the truth and they walke in the truth and dye in the profession of it in obedience to the Kings power either for feare or love shal they be saved The K. knowes they shall not but they that obey the truth in love whome the love of God constrayneth their obedience onely shal be acceptable to God 1. Cor. 13. Thus may our lord the K. see that by his Kingly power he cannot cause or make men bring an acceptable sacrifice to God and will the King make men whether they will or no bring an vnacceptable sacrifice to God and shall the King herein thinke he doth please God God forbid If the King will please God in such service then must he seeke to convert sinners from goeing astray Iam. 5.20 turne men to righteousnes Dan. 12.3 not with his sword of iustice but by the foolishnes of preaching for that is the meanes whereby God hath appointed to save them that beleeve 1. Cor. 1.21 and 27. for God hath chosen appointed the foolish things of the world the weake things the vile things the things that are dispised and things which are not to confound and bring to nought things that are and these things hath God chosen to set furth Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Here is not the absolute auctenticall word of comaund nor the mighty powerfull punishing sword of our lord the King required to this worke of the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus-Christ And let the King call to mynd that which no doubt the King hath often redd in the gospell according to Luk. Chap. 9.52.56 That when the Samaritanes would not receive Christ and that his disciples said wilt thou that wee comaund fire to come dovvne from heaven and consume them Iesus rebuked them and said â—ye knowe not of what spirit ye are the sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them wherby the King doth see that Christ will have no mans life touched for his cause if the Samaritans will not receive him he passeth by them if the Gadarens pray him to depart he leaves them if anie refuse to receive his disciples he onely bids them shake of the dust of their feet for a witnes against them Here is no sword of iustice at all required or permitted to smite anie for refusing Christ Then let not our lord the King suffer his swore of iustice which God hath given him with power from himself to defend and rule with aucthority keepe in all obedieÌ„ce his owne people people of God vnto the Ks. owne lawes statutes which apperteynes to the well governing and ruling of the Kings state kingdome which is worldly and must fade away Let not our lord the K. suffer this sword to be vsed to rule and keepe in obedience the people of God and of the K. to the lawes statutes and ordinances of Christ which apperteyne to the well governing and ruling of the
kingdome of Christ which is heavenly and endureth for ever the sword of whose kingdome is spirituall by the power of which sword onely Christs subiects are to be ruled and kept in obedience to him by the which sword our lord the K. must be kept in obedience himself if he be a disciple of Christ a subiect of Christs kingdome And this takes away with out gain-saying all the Kingly power authority of our Lord the K. in the kingdome of Christ for he cannot be both a King a subiect in one and the same kingdome the Kings vndestanding hart will easily deserne this Then let our lord the K. in all happines prosperity sitt in his owne Princely throne of that mighty Kingdome of Great Britanne Which God hath given to the King and to his posterity and the lord give the K. a most wise hart to rule iudg his people and the lord give all his people faithfull harts to love obey him and let all those the K. enimies that would not that he should reigne over them bestayne before him And let our lord Iesus-Christ in power and Maiesty sitt vpon Davids throne the throne of the Kingdome of Israell which his father hath given vnto him let Christ according to his owne wisedome iudg his people Israell and let our the K. be his subiect the which our lord the King yeilding himselfe to be the K. must needs grant that as he is an earthly King he can have no power to rule in this spiritual Kingdome of Christ nor can compell anie to be subiects thereof as a King whilst the K. is but a subiect him self for there may be but one King in Israel And let not our lord the King be now angry and his servants will speake but this once Will our lord the K. being him self but a subiect of Christs Kingdome take vpon him by his Kingly power to make Primats Metropolitans Arch. Bishops and lord Bishops to be lords in the Kingdome of Christ and over the heritage of God And will our lord the K. do this against the whole rule of Gods word wherein there is no one tittle to warrant our lord the K. thertoo Will not our lord the K. be supplicated by the humble petition of his servants to examine his power authority herein Farr is it from the harts of vs the Kings servants to move the King to depart from the least tittle of his right that belongs to his Royall Crowne dignity and farr be it from the King to take from Christ Iesus anie one part of that power honor which belongs to Christ in his Kingdome Let our lord the King pardon his servants for medling in this matter for wee professe our selves bound vpon the perill of our soules to be faithfull subiects both to Iesus Christ our K. to our lord K. there fore it stands vs vpon to know what belongs vnto Christ our heavenly K. and vnto our earthly K. and Christ our spirituall K. hath freely spoken vnto vs coÌ„maunded vs to give vnto our K. that which is our Ks. will not our lord the K. say as freely vnto vs give vnto God that which is Gods Wee doubt not but our lord the King will say so why then we appeale vnto our lord the K. that is our earthly K. lett the K. speake according to the true iudgment of his hart will the K. say that it belongs to him to make spirituall Lords over the house of God And will the K. warrant his saying to be Good And if the King warrant it onely by his Princely prerogative may wee therepoÌ„ give vnto the King this power in submitting our selves to such spirituall Lords and to their power were not this to take from our Spirituall Lord and King that which is even his owne name title and power and give it to another what greater evill can be comitted against Christ then to take his honor and power from him and give it to earthly meÌ„ who should feare tremble before him in giveing to him glory honor and not takeing from him Let not our lord the King be partaker in such great evill to suffer a power and name of blasphemy to be set vp so directly against the expresse comaundement of Christ who forbidds all Lordly titles and ruleing power one over another in his Kingdome we dare not but thinke it is done ignorantly both by our lord the K. who suffers this and by them that administer in this greatest evill wee the Kings servants say this greatest evill in that it is the abomination of desolation set vp in the high places which are the dayes of greatest tribulation that ever was or shal be the which dayes except they should be shortned no flesh should be saved And if it shall not yet appeare vnto our lord the that this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishops and lord Bs. is this abhomination of desolation set in the high places then wee beseech the K. vpon our knees by his highest honor and renowne by his truest justice most righteous iudgmeÌ„t by his most Godly Princ-like care of the salvation of al his subiects and lastly above all by his cheifest love vnto God to his holy truth That our lord the King will with his Royall coÌ„sent give way that this cause may come to an equall tryall but thus farr that the K. will but take hold his sword of iustice from this Hyrarchy that they may not smite the faith full true loyall subiects of the K. therewith neither to death nor to imprisoment nor to banishment for speaking or writing onely against their Kingdome And let our lord the King by the humble supplication of vs his servants be intreated to leave them to defend their spirituall power and names by the sword of the spirit which ought onely to be the weapon of their warefare if they be spirituall Lords as they pretend and then shall â—ur lord the K. see this cause truely decided to the Ks. honor and great comfort for the K. knowes that this Hyrarchy withall their learned dependancy if their cause be good they cannot lose it for want of learning in that they have wisedome learning if it be according to godlines sufficient to convince the whole earth and if they can with all that masse of learning mainteyne their Primacie and Prelacy Arch-Bishopry and spirituall Lordships then may our lord the King let them enioy it with comfort but if they cannot with all the spiritual weapons and armor they have vphold it then let it fall and go into the bottomles pitt from whence it is come Revel 9.2 and whether it must go though all the Kings on the earth should strive to vphold it Revel 20.1.2.10 Let not our lord the K. therefore give the least support therevnto by the power of his sword The lord grant that wee may find fauour in the Kings eies in this so iust and equall a cause which
lord Bs. say this is not to be vnderstood generally of every sinne against God but perticulerly of some and herein must wee be subiect to the spirit of their vnderstanding and that rule of Christ must be made no sure nor perfect rule Next let vs shew the K. that if there be such a sin comitted as the Bs. do iugd to be a sin according to their rule which let the K. give his servants leave to suppose to be adultery that it proceeds or comes to this degree that it must be told vnto the Church which wee vnderstand to be the whole congregatioÌ„ moe or lesse The lord Bs. by their spirit of vnderstanding say tell the Church That is to be vnderstood tell the Ordinary which is either the Bishops chaÌ„cellor or the Archdeacons Officiall they are they that have power to bind in earth it shal be bound in heaveÌ„ their fees being paid theÌ„ they have power to loose on earth it shal be loosed in heaven Oh that the Ks. eare would but heare half the depth of this iniquity the Ks. servants knowe the Ks. hart would never endure it that his peoples consciences should be thus wounded and their soules destroyed by being coÌ„pelled to submitt to such spirits of vnderstanding Furthermore let our lord the King knowe that whereas the Holy ghost testifieth Act. 14.23 saieing that they had ordeyned Elders by Election in every Church and praied and fasted this wee vnderstand was the whole Congregations fasting and praying and Election and that the Church hath power to appoint some to ordeyne or lay on hands if there be no Elders as they did Act. 13.2.3 but all this say the Lord B. by the spirit of our vnderstandings doth belong vnto vs and the Patron and the people have nothinge to do but must be content to have such a Pastor as wee appoint though they never heard him knewe him nor saw him and although the congregation after ward should like neuer so well of him yet the Lord Bishops they have power to take him away from them to deprive him and silence him punish them if they heare him although he be never so well approved amongst them Thus must the Kings peoples be compelled to vnderstand the scriptures for the advancement of their power of Ordination and deprivation And whereas wee the Kings servants vnderstand according to the best vnderstanding that God hath given vs that Th-appostle Paul giving a rule of direction for the people of God how to worship God when they come together 1. Cor. 14.26.33 That every one as he hath a Psalme or a doctrine or a tongue may speake to edification and if anie thinge be revealed to another that sitteth by the first is to hold his peace for all that have gifts may prophesie one by one and in all this God is noe the God of confusion but of Order Thus do we hold the disciples of Christ ought to come together to worship God and edifie one another in the libertie of the spirit according to the gifts and graces that are given to every one Rom. 12.6 And that every man as he hath received the gift may administer the same one to another 1. Pet. 4.10 The lord Bs. vtterly deny the substance of all this vnderstanding and their spirit of vnderstanding directs that when the Congregation is come together the Preist or Curate that is licensed by them onely must performe the worship and must beginne their worship with their booke strictly tying them to such sentences and then to that which is written after then a Confession then an absolution with virsickles and answeres and Psalmes and lessons and Te Deum and the Latany 3. daies a weeke and at other times when the Ordinary shal comaund Thus may our lord the King see how his peoples spirits are in bondage to the lord Bs. spirit in the vnderstanding of the scriptures and they must of force against their consciences vnderstand them as they comaund or els go to prison And our lord the King may also see that whereas neither Christ nor his Appostles ever commaunded or practiced anie set forme of worship whose spirit had bene most fitt to have ordeyned such an order yet the Lord Bs. in the perfect jmage of the first Beast have composed a proportion and framed an order of praiers and readings for the worship of God comaunding absolutely the observation thereof forceing the spirits of the Kings people to be subiect to ther limitations herein and so deliuer Gods people their bread by waight and their water by measaure not suffering the hungry to be satisfied with the bread of life nor the thirsty to be quenched froÌ„ the rivers of waters but forceing the vnwilling to drincke stolne waters out of their Cesexons and eat hidden bread out of their store-houses but the simple that eat and drinke thereof knowe not that the dead are there that their ghests are in the depthes of hell Pro. 9.17.18 Let not our lord the K. be despleased seeing his servants speake but the words of sobriety and if the K. shall thinke wee misapâ—y theÌ„ that is the thinge which wee so humbly earnestly beseech the K. may come to tryall by the Ks. free consent and that the Kings hand of power may not be against the iust and due tryall thereof Now when wee the Kings servants do sue for a tryall wee disire our lord the King not to conceive that his servants meane a day of dispute and so to handle the cause of the lord as men that contend for prizes who submitt their cause to private censure for that it is private and concernes but themselves but our humble and most equall sute to our lord the K. is that seeing this Hyrarchy of Arch. Bs. lord Bs. do challenge such power prerogative over our consciences that all who cannot of consciente yeild it vnto theÌ„ may walke according to their consciences and publish their defence against them that these that beare the names of spirituall lords may by spirituall power onely convince their gain-sayers and not pretend to be spirituall Bishops and vse onely the Kings temporall sword to rule and convince men with And that our lord the King would suffer vs his servants to demaund of them that take vpon them to be lord Bs. of whome they have learned to rule by such power and who hath taught them to put the contrary mynded in prison how they wil be able to answere him that will bring the greatest of them to answere who taught all his disciples to 〈◊〉 not the contrary mynded with meeknes proveing if at anie time God will give them repentance and hath taught them to be gentle suffering the evill 2. Tim. 2.24.25 And let our lord the King give vs his servants leave to ask these Lord Bs. whether they thinke that God hath forgotten this his comaundement or that he wil quite forget to put it in their accompt because
cruelty thereof executed by the Ks. power whereby they make our lord the K. gilty of all the imprisoment banishment persecution which by the Kings power they impose vpon all the faithfull subiects of the King who with stād their abhominations But aboue all let our the King for the glory of God and for the salvation of the Kings owne soule suffer vs the Kings servants thus far to prevaile with the King that our Lord the King would but search the scriptures whereby the K. knowes he must be directed if he wil be saved and let the King see with his owne eie what showe of warrant can be found that the King should take vnto himself power to Elect Bishops Oh wee beseech the King that the successive possession and the goodly apparence of this power may nothinge sway with our lord the King herein but let the King set before his eies the worthy recorded remembrance by the spirit of God of Cyrus King of Persia who brought furth the vessells of the house of the lord which Nabuchadnezzer had taken out of Ierusalem had put them in the house of his God Ezra 1.7.11 Not regarding the monuments of his predecessors great cōquest nor the dispoyling of his Gods of such bewtifull ornaments nor the departing with treasure of so great value All these respects could not hinder this King for restoring the vessells of the house of the Lord. Let our lord the K. be no lesse mynded to the house Church of God but let our lord the King freely restore at once to the Church and house of God the whole glorious power of Christ the onely King thereof and perticulerly that most bewtifull ornament of Election and ordination of the Bishops and deacons thereof who ought to be elected ordeyned according to the rule of the holy ghost Act. 14.23 6.3 and who ought to be qualified withall and every one of those gifts and graces set downe vp Th-appostle 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. yea their wives childrē also or els it is grevious iniquity to chuse them And who must onely by their Office beare those names titles which the holy ghost hath given them and lead or rule by that power which Christ hath appointed and by those lawes and ordinances and live by those maintenāces if they stand need And will our lord the King change all these and manie mo lawes statutes and ordinances which Christ Iesus the mediator and King of the new Testament hath appointed and ordeyned in his Church Will the King take this power to himself to Elect in such manner and such men as the King thinkes good And give names titles and power such as best pleaseth the King Hath Iesus-Christ with his blood purchased to himself this honor to be the head of his Church Ephes 5. And hath he shewed himself a faithfilll Mediator And hath he bene accounted worthy of more glory then Moses And hath he builded his owne house himself Heb. 3. And shall he be dispoyled of all his honor And will our lord the King be entised by evill men to enter vpon the inheritance of the Sonne of God in appointing and by the Kings power suffering to be appointed Lords and lawes in and over the house of God which are not according to the patterne Which lords because Christ is not their buckler nor faith their sheild nor the sword of the spirit the weapon of their warfare they have deceitfully seduced our lord the King bringing themselves vnder his protection for their defence and getting the Ks. sword into their hands to destroy all that speake or write against them preferring their owne Kingdome before either Christs Kingdome or the kingdome State of our lord the King as wee have already shewed vnto the King in that they with such loveing patience suffer and permitt so manie thousands of Romists who by their profession and the practices of some of them are dangerously opposite to the Kingdome of Christ and to the King and State But these Lords Bs. Cannot in anie wise endure one that doth faithfully seeke for reformation because such are onely adversaries to their kingdome Wee still pray our lord the King that wee may be free from suspect for haveing anie thoughts of provoking evill against them of the Romish religion in regard of their profession if they be true faithfull subiects to the King for wee do freely professe that our lord the King hath no more power over their consciences then over ours and that is none at all for our lord the King is but an earthly King and he hath no aucthority as a King but in earthly causes and if the Kings people be obedient true subiects obeying all humane lawes made by the King our lord the King can require no more for mens religion to God is betwixt God and themselves the King shall not answere for it neither may the King be iugd betwene God and man Let them be heretikes Turcks Iewes or what soever it apperteynes not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure This is made evident to our lord the King by the scriptures When Paul was brought before Gallio deputie of Achaia and accused of the Iewes for persuading men to worship God contrary to the law Gallio said vnto the Iewes if it were a matter of wronge or an evill deed o ye Iewes I would according to right mainteyne you he drave them from the iudgment seat Act. 18.12.17 shewing them that matters of wrong and evill deeds which were betwixt man man apperteyned onely to the iudgment seat and not questions of religion The like is shewed by the Twne clerke of Ephesus in Act. 19.38.39 And further Paul being in like case accused of manie thinges Act. 24. in the 25. chap. he appeales to Cesars iudgment seat where he saith he ought to be judged approveing and justifieing thereby that Cesars power judgment seat was the holy Ordināce of God and our Saviour Christ is himself obedient therevnto comaunds teacheth his Disciples obedience but this judgment seat power which was of God had nothinge to do in the causes of the Religion of God as our lord the King may see for if it had then could not our Saviour Christ have comaunded obedience therevnto but he must have vtterly overthrowne his owne kingdome and power Neither could Th'appostle Paul have said he ought to be judged at Cesars judgment seat if Cesar had or might have judged in causes of Religion to God for then had he vtterly overthrowne the Office of his Appostle-ship and then had he submitted his Appostle-ship wholy to the judgment of Cesar and so had the power and aucthority of it bene altogether destroyed made of no effect which might in no wise be Now let our lord the K. whose honor it is wisely to judg in thinges that differ judg whether there be in these daies anie other earthly power or anie other spirituall power
but the same that was in Christ and his Appostles times in which times all earthly power was in the hands of earthly Kings and Princes and them that were in aucthority vnder them and Christ and his Appostles diminished not Kings and Princes of the least tittle thereof And all spirituall power was in the hands of Christ and his Appostles that were in aucthority vnder him of which spirituall power aucthority Christ nor his Appostles would suffer no earthly K. to diminish them of the least tittle thereof but rather gave them their lives if then our lord the K. do deserue that earthly Kings and Princes had the same power then that Kings and Princes have now and that Kings Princes had no power then over mens religion which was spirituall and belonged to Christ men were then to give vnto God that which was Gods and vnto Cesar and so vnto all earthly Princes onely that which apperteyned to them Then let our lord the King judg by what warrant of Gods word the King can now take to himself a spirituall power and set vp an Hyrarchy of Arch Bishop Lord B. and give aucthority to them to make lawes and Canons of Religion and to give them power to compell men vnto the obedience there of by such seveer courses as they have done Let our lord the King consider and the Lord give the K. wisedome therein that if no King nor Prince could have set vp such an Hyrarchy with such power and titles then but they had vtterly troden vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles for Christ and his Appostles must have bene subiect therevnto neither may anie King set vp such an Hyrarchy now because it doth vtterly tread vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles as well now as it had done then for wee have now Christ and his Appostles in all their power dignity as well as they had in those dayes according to that saying of our Saviour Christ in the parable They have Moses and the Prophetts And wee humble beseech our lord the K. a little to suffer the foolishnes of his servants although wee may seeme as fooles vnto the king herein If there had bene such a steaing Hyrarchy set vp in Christ and Th-appostles daies would the Hyrarchy have suffered vs that are thousands of the K. of great Brittans subiects to have gone to Christ his Appostles to have asked them whether wee should have obeyed them or no in all their Canons and ordinances And whether wee should have given thē those titles of superiority and all that ruling power which they challeng over vs the Kings subiects sureby they will say they would not have denyed vs that liberty to have gone in so waighty a cause and being so manie to have asked Counsell of Christ and his Appostles what wee should have done 20. thousands being ignorant and 10. thousands being doubtfull whether anie such power might be submitted too or no and thousands being out of all doubt that it might not be submitted vnto they will say they would not have denyed vs but wee knowe what their Canons would have made of it and wee may suspect justly that they would have enformed the King that it were very dangerous to suffer so manie to go vnto Christ and his Appostles for counsell and that it were not fitt to suffer such giddy heads to have that libertie for makeing rents and divisions and that it were much more safety for the King to suffer them to make all whole by their power and to subdue such busie refractary spirits Let the King with fauour suffer his servants thus to speake by the way least peraduenture anie such thinges come in the way And wee the Kings servants now takeing it for granted that the Arch Bs. and lord Bs. that professe such great holines would not have deneyd vs to have gone to Iesus Christ and his Appostles to be directed And if Christ and his Appostles had in the hearing of all our owne eares being so ma witnesses comaunded vs absolutely not to yeild the Arch-Bs and lord Bs. anie such power or names could wee yeld it them Although the Arch-Bs and Lord Bs. should with 20. thousands of witnesses affirme that Christ and his Appostles spake otherwise to their hearing Would our lord the King thinke it equall that wee should be forced to beleeue their hearing because they are lord Bs. contrary to the hearing of our owne eares being so manie witnesses of one Nation and tongue besides hundreth thousands of witnesses of other Nations tongues Wee knowe our lord the K. would thinke it no more equall if the case were so that wee should be forced to beleeve the lord Bs. hearīg then that they should be forced to beleeve our hearing Then iugd O King for the case is all one and the same for wee have Christ and his Appostles in their writings and they do absolutely speake to our vnderstandings that in no wise there ought to be anie such Hyrarchy of Arch Bs. and Lord Bs. in Christs Church And the Lord Bs. say that Christ and his Appostles speakes to their vnderstandings that there power and names are not cōtrary to Christs words Can our lord the King that is accompted a most wise and iust Prince in his iudgment iudg that wee are all bound to cast away our owne vnderstandings of Christs speaking and are to be compelled to beleeve and vnderstand Christ to speake as the lord Bs. vnderstād Christs speaking Oh let our lord the King with compassion consider whether ever since the heavens and earth were created there was a more vnequall extreame cruelty then this that the Kings people should be compelled in a cause that concernes the everlasting condemnation of their soules bodyes to Hell of force to submitt their soules and bodies to the vnderstanding of the Lord Bs. that are not able to direct themselves from the waies of death but are perished every man that ever bare that Office with those names and power if they repented not thereof although they had no other sinne and they also that do now beare that Office with those titles power shall likewise all perish to everlasting destruction if they do not repent thereof and cast it away the spirit of the lord hath spoken it Reuel 19.20 the Beast was taken and with him that false Prophet that wrought myracles before him whereby he deceived them that received the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his jmage these both were cast aliue into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And thus manifesting to our lord the K. that Iesus Christ is onely K. of Israell that sitts vpō Davids throne therefore onely hath the power of the King of Israel and none may partake with him in that kingdome and power who had the Spirit without measure and yet neither he nor his Appostles that had the Spirit without error to deliuer the Counsels
of God did ever by example practice nor by rule comaund nor give power that anie should be compelled by anie bodily punishment to obey their lawes and Ordinances which were infalibly true holy and good How much lesse ought our lord the King to comaund or give a power to Arch-Bs lord Bs. men full of the spirit of error to make lawes Canons with aucthority from the King to compell by imprisoment sharpe persecutions the Kings true subiects and people of God vnto the obediente thereof who for their religion to God although they be contrary mynded to the K. therein ought not seeing they deserue not to be punished either with death or bonds this is cōfirmed to the K. by the testimony of King Agrippa and noble Festus the governor who adiuged Paul to have done nothing worthy of death or bonds but that he might have bene loosed if he had not appealed to Cesar yet Paul was contrary mynded to Cesar to the jewes in his religion to God But they iudged him by the lawe of Nations by the power of which law the Kings of the nations are to rule judg according to their owne severall lawes against which law Paul had not transgressed for his cause was concerning the faith of Iesus Christ which could not be judged by that law And let our lord the King give his servants leave to comend this to the Kings best observatiō which is worthy to be observed that where soever in the new testament throughout the professors of the faith of Iesus were adiudged by earthly rulers Governors for anie thinge that they did or held of conscience to God of faith to Iesus Christ if earthly Rulers and Gouernors tooke the cause in hand by their power the iudgment was alwaes wicked and abhominable And if our lord the King will but begin his obseruation at the fore-runner of Christ Iohn Baptist whome Herod put in prisō and beheaded And then let the King come to Iesus Christ whome they iudged and crucified finding no evill he had done And so if it please the K. to looke throughout the whole booke of the Act. there the King knowes how the disciples of Christ were imprisoned threatned beaten stoned The made Saul hauock with his letters of Comission and entred into every house and drew out both men wemen and put them in prison Then Herod stretched furth his hand and vexed certen of the Church and Killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and Caught Peter and put him in prison Then were Paul and Sylas taken at Philippi by the Gouernors and people and were sore beaten cast into prison and the Iailer comaunded to kepe them surey being charged to preach Ordinances which were not lawfull for the Romans to receive nor observe Here may our lord the King see a true patterne how the people of God are persecuted when the Civill power doth iudg their cause of their faith and profession in their religion to God Thus have worldly Gouernors delt with the Church of Christ when the disciples fell vnder their censure for their faith to God And all these sentences of death bonds and persecutions the King can iugd to be vniust and vnlaw full in that these Rulers and Gouernors had no lawfull power nor aucthority to iudg Christ nor his disciples for matters of faith they being in all other thinges obedient to their lawes But men wil say all this is answered in one word They were heathen Rulers Now if our lord the K. will challeng a Prerogative or power becaus he professeth Christ then let it be lawfull for the King servants to tell the King that it he will professe to be a disciple of Christ that gives the King no power to do anie of all these thinges to imprison to banish to put to death that belongs onely to his earthly Kingdome for Christ and Appostles had no such power given them neither taught they the disciples to take vpon them anie such power and to execute it vpon the contrary mynded but taught them the cōtrary to instruct thē with meeknes and by preaching the word seeke their conversion with all long suffering and not to destroy them by severe punishments yea the disciples of Christ must wait and labor for the grafting in againe of the Iewes according to the prophesies of the scriptures Rom. 11.24.27 and therefore the King knowes they may not be destroyed although they be the greatest enimies of Christ that are vpon the earth and have and yet do cast the greatest reproach and contempt vpon Christ with such words as are most fearfull to vtter yet must the disciples of Christ wait for their conversion and not worke their destruction And let our lord the King call to mynd how the Appostle Paul teacheth all the disciples of Christ to be mynded towards all infidells Rom. 1. 14.15 where he saith Iam debter both to the Grecian and to the Barbarian both to the wise and to the vn wise And the same Appostle 1. Cor. 9.20.21.22 saith To the Iewes I become as a Iew to them that are vnder the law as though I were vnder the law to them that are without the law as though I were without the law to the weake I become as weake that I may wīne the weake I am made saith Th-appostle all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes save some All these instructions and directions are for our lord the King to direct the King how he should go in and out with holines all meeknes before his people to wynne them to Christ and not to set vp a Cruell Hyrarchy to make havock of the K. people as Saul did pulling them out of their houses both men and wemen casting them into prisons forceing them to flee the land and persecuting them with all cruelty May the King suffer all this to be done by his power vpon this ground of being a Christian King the Kings servants shewe the King yet once againe in all humility that Christ the King did not so himself he never appointed to be punished anie one man for desobeing his Gospell with the least bodily punishment And therefore wee instantly exhort our lord the King that the King would be no longer seduced by those most dangerous deceivers that have gottē the Kings power to punish those that Christ the King of Israell would not punish that persuade the King that the King hath the same power in the Kingdome and over the house and people of Christ that the Kings of Israell had in that Kingdome and over that house and people of God as it was the Church of God Wee according to our great weaknes have shewed to our lord the King before that the King cannot challeng that power meaning onely in respect of Religion And wee will by the Kings favour repeat the substāce of the whole ground in few words and wee beseech the King that wee may the rather do
violate and vtterly abolish that holy law of Election which Christ hath ordeyned in his Church for the chusing of the true shepherds of his sheepe and for the keeping of theeves and robbers out of his shepefold Next in order to be spoken of is Ordination a holy ordinance of God comanded by the holy ghost Tit. 1.5 and the example of the administration thereof given vs by th-Appostles in the church of Christ Act. 6.6 practiced by the disciples Act. 13.1.3 And taught vs to be a doctrine of the beginings of Christ and of the foundation Heb. 6.1.2 being called the Doctrine of laying on of hands And this Ordinance was performed and done in the presence of the Church or congregation by fasting and praier and laying on of hands ordeyning and appointing and seperating thereby those that were Elected and chosen to Office Act. 6.6 and 13.2.3 and 14.23 And all this was performed and done by and in that Congregation whereof they were chosen Officers the Church or Congregation being in this holy māner assembled together to performe this 〈◊〉 ordinance all fasting and praing to the lord with one hart and soule to give a blessing vnto that his owne Ordinance Is your Ordination like vnto this which the best of you all are fayne to get by sute and service by riding and runing by attending and wayting by Capping and curtseing and at last by prostrating your selves on your knees at the feet of an Arch-Bishop or lord Bishopp receiving your Ordination from him who herein exaltes him self above God exercising the power of the beast dispoyling Christ and his Church of this holy Ordinance takeing it wholly into their owne power and disposing of it onely to such as promisse faith full obedience vnto the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishop and lord Bishop which is the second Beast and which your selves say both in words and writings is an Antichristian Hyrarchy The lord give you eies to see how you have broken the Covenant of the lord in polluting and abolishing this his holy Ordinance and be ashamed to remember the Covenant you have made with this Hyrarchy by which Covenant of obedience you have gotten your Ordination and so are the Prophetts of the Beast for to whome soever you give your selves to obey his servant you are to whome you obey Rom. 6.6 although you deny him in words as you do Have you gotten an Office of the Hyrarchy and vnder the Hyrarchy and will you in words and writings protest against the Hyrarchy and yet reteyne your Office which you have gotten by promissing obedience therevnto and thinke you to serve Christ with this your stolne Office Halt not so betwene Christ and the Man of sinne but if you will deny your lords that have preferred you to Office deny their Office also in both which you shall do well but if you will reteyne your Office reteyne your Lords also that have preferred you in both which you shall do evill What conscionable answere will you make to these thinges dare anie affirme that Christ hath appointed such an Ordination either in the manner of administration or in the meanes of coming by it hath Christ appointed you to sue and make meanes to a Prelate and ride manie myles with letters of comendations pay all fees that are due wee speake within our compasse to get Ordination Did Th-appostles ever ordeyne Pastor but before or in the presence of the flock did anie ever go and sue or seeke to Th-appostles to be ordeyned and when anie were ordeyned did they kneele downe at Th-appostles feet and did Th-appostles bid them receive the holy ghost is this the manner and meanes set downe in the scriptures of coming by Ordination and if it be not how dare you seeke and submitt your selves to it Will you say that Christ hath appointed no certen due order and meanes of Ordination then do you blaspheme in saieing the rules and examples of the new Testament are vncerten rules of direction and so make you Christ not so faithfull as Moses Is the holy Ordinance of laying on of hands one of the doctrines of the foundation Heb. 6.1.2 and may it be come by by anie meanes or from anie persons yea even from the Pope and you approve of it as you do seeing you have no Ministery but from Rome it is the roote from whence all your Ministery is sprung and the Wild Olive wherein you are all by your Ordination engrafted and therefore as the roote is such are the branches and the roote you all confesse is most vnholy and so doth the lord judg you you evill servants out of your owne monethes you are all most vnholy and false Prophetts the Prophetts of the Beast and not of Christ in that you are not Elected and Ordeyned by the rules of Christ and have not the word of God nor testimony of your flocks for your true entrance What can you now have to say for this your Office thus vniustly come by except you will plead possession how vniustly soever it be come by for a good title and so justify Ahabs possession of Naboths vineyard when Iezabell had slayne the right owner thereof As the lord liveth no lesse but much more is the wickednes of your possession in that the Beast hath troden vnder foote and crucified the Sonne of God Reuel 11.8 and sitts as God in the Temple of God and hath appointed you his Preists to serve at the Alter and thus have you consented together in evill and trample vnder foote the Testament which Christ hath purchased with his blood and have broken into the sheepfold of the lord like theeves and robbers and do nothing but steale kill and destroy for you distroy all the people that submitt to your Ministery in that you bring them thereby vnder the power of the Beast you haveing fallen downe on your knees and worshipped the Beast receiving your spirit and Office from the Beast and the people are all partakers of this sinne in that they admitt of you in your Office and thereby yeild that power which Christ hath reserved in his owne body which is his Church vnto the Beast so are you all dispisers of the law of God and have given away his holy Ordinance of Election and Ordination which he hath by his owne word and Spirit appointed in his Church you have given Christs honor herein vnto the Beast and so are all both Preists and people worshippers of the Beast and his jmage and have received his marke and therefore shall you all drinke of the mere wyne of the wrath of God if you repent not Reuel 14.9.10 And thus much to the ministery of the Puritane profession to prove them all false Prophetts as those that runne and God hath not sent them their Election and Ordination to their Office and their possession of their Office being most vnholy and vniust not being according to the exact rule of the law of Christ Iesus distinctly and most perfectly set downe in
the new Testament which he hath purchased sealed vnto vs with his blood to stand for a law of Election and Ordination for ever vnto which who soever addeth or taketh away either in word or action by Doctrine or example the Lord will add vnto them all his judgments and take away all his mercies Reuel 22.18.19 You being thus by the word of truth all declared and proved to be false Prophetts not haveing entred into the shepefold by the dore it must needs follow according to the words of the Lord that all the great signes and wonders that you shew in this your false ministery are lying signes and wonders Let it not be grevious vnto you to heare of these thinges whereby to provoake you to wrath but let it be grevious to you that you thus sinne and so be provoaked to indignation against your selves that you may come to repentance Here is all your Zeale of wonder and signes of so great fervency whereby you worke vpon the blind consciences and ignorant affections of the simple deceaved soules proved to be false and deceaveable all your fire wherewith you kindle the harts of men and seduce simple woemen makeing them beleeve you have brought it from heaven all this is but the false enlightning and heat of a false spirit even of that spirit which your spirituall Lord breathed vpon you when you kneeled on your knees before him and he laid his hands vpon you and most blasphemously even in the high dishonor of the spirit of grace bad you receive the holy ghost by and in the power of this spirit do you preach and pray and do all your great wonders and other spirit have you none for this is the spirit to which you have submitted and by this spirit onely are you sent and therefore are you all false Propheets and you have not the spirit of God abiding in you ye are gone out of the way ye have caused manie to fall ye have broken the Covenant of levi in that you are admitted to the Order of Priesthood by the Man of sinne who is an adversary against God to whose blasphemous consecrating of Preists directly contrary and opposite to the holy established ordinance of Iesus Christ in the Gospell â— the spirit of God can give no approbation 〈◊〉 neither admitt of such to be the Prophetts of God that have not entred by Christ the true doore and way but have entred by him that sitts as God in the Temple of God but adiudgeth you all to be false Prophetts Leave of therefore your great daies of humiliation by fasting and praier wherein sometymes you make the people to Cover the Alter with teares and whereby some of you have taken vpon you to cast out manie Devills goeing on to the hight in shewing signes and lying wonders to deceave if it were possible the very Elect according to the prophesie of Christ which is thus fulfilled in you Kindle fire vpon the alter of the Lord no more in vaine the Lord hath no pleasure in you neither will accept an Offering at your hand but will curse you as deceavers who vow a holy Offering but bring a Corrupt Sacrifice vnto the Lord Mala. 1.14 and all this you do and shall do so long as you serve in your Office and Ministery received by the power and authority of the Man of sinne contrary to the holy Ordinance of Election and ordination appointed by Christ in the new Testament And now al these thinges we dare not but thinke you have done and do through ignorance Amend your lives therefore and turne that these your great and grevious sinnes may be put away when the time off refreshing shal come from the presence of the Lord. And take heed both you and al the people that do with such admiration runne after you as wee our selves have done wee speake it to our owne shame take heed least that now your ignoraÌ„t zeale and fiery spirits of error wherewith you have enflamed the harts off the simple being discovered take heed least you boyle in great heat gnawe your tongues for sorrow blaspheme the God of heaven for your paines for your sores repent not of your works as is prophesied men shal do Revel 16 9-11 From which hiest measure off sinne the Lord for his Christs sake deliver you and through Gods grace wee wil hope better thinges off you which the Lord grant we may find in you for the Lord knowes our vnfained harts disire is that you might al be saved And we exhort the people off God no longer to harken to the voice off straingers but that they flee from them according to the Counsel of our Saviour Iesus Christ Ioh. 10.5 And let the people see with their owne eies how you have al shewed your selves to bee hirelings which are not the Shepherds neither the sheepe are your owne in that seing the wolfe coming you have fledd and left the sheepe nay manie of you even of those that are accounted most faithful and holy have and do go your selves and lead Your flocks to heare the voice of strangers that are set vp and stand vp in that Office and publique place which you challeng for your owne and are glad your selves to preach in corners Others of you make a secret composition with the Hyrarchy which you professe to abhor and then heir some wretched maÌ„ vnder you to surplice aÌ„d crosse and sinne for you Oh how hateful and abhominable are the works off darknes of this kind which are done off you in the light and al this vnder a great seeming shew off holines but is meere hypocrisie aÌ„d dissimuâ—ation because you are hirelings and not good shepeherds who would lay downe their lives for their sheepe rather then lead them into the hand of the destroyer and if you deny them to bee theeves and robbers that come into your places aÌ„d are made pastors over your flocks against your wils and against the mynd off the flock then must you needs acknowledg them true shepeherds over the flock and that they have come in by the doore aÌ„d acknowledg your selves iustly thrust out seeing you in your iudgments hold but one Pastor over a flock Wee wil not follow you in these perticulers except further occation be offered But remember how you compare your fellow Preists to Circumcellions or Fryers goeing vp and downe with the bishops bulls like beggers to see where they can get entertainment and see not al this while your selves yea some of your cheife spirits for working lying wonders stand in the market place to be hired from the East to the west aÌ„d to be transported froÌ„ North to South wheresoever you can get a good Towne pulpit or a privileged Chappel a great Chamber or dyning parlor to administer in how prophane soever the Towne or houshold be you wil not let to make theÌ„ all partakers of the holy thinges at first before you knowe your shepe or your shepe knowe you contrary to
name and title of a king then of the power and goverment of a king Let the simple iudg whether is greater a king of great power and goverment or a king of great name and title Let them contend and see who shall get the victorie All this wee set downe to shewe how greatly you do er through ignorance that cannot deserne that power and govermeÌ„t in earthly kings is much greater theÌ„ name and title and therefore you err in Common iudgment But you do err much more in spirituall iudgment in that you cannot deserne Christs name and power off goverment to bee of equall estimaâ—ion for if you doe not hold al thinges in Christ and all things of Christ to bee equall and of like condition or proportion you overthrow the nature and propertie off God as thus Al the Graces of Christ in himself are equall a like and al his workes are equal a like It was all one with God to make Behemoth spoken of Iob. 40. and the Pismice Pro. 30. and God estemeth theÌ„ both a like so al the word of God is a like aÌ„d of like power and authoritie as Christ himself sheweth when an expounder of the law asked him which is the first and great Comaundement Iesus answered Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with al thy hart soule and mynd this is the first and the great Comaundement the secoÌ„d is like to this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe And thapostle Iames makes it most plaine that the comaundements of God are all of like power and authoritie and al of like necessitie to be obeyed aÌ„d the holy ghost doth shewe an evident reason wherefore everie comaundement is a like to be obeyed and why the breaking of one is the breaking of al because saith the holy Ghost by Thapostle he that comaunded one comaunded al. Iam. 2.10.11 From which ground of truth wee thus speake vnto you in the words of the holy ghost He that hath comaunded in the Church the true preaching of the word true baptisme and true administration of the Lords supper The same God hath comaunded also true goverment in the Church therefore although you should have the word of God truely preached and baptisme and the supper of the Lord truely administred yet iff you have a false Goverment you are transgressors of the whole law of God and gilty of al. Thus doth the word of God disaprove aÌ„d vtterly condeÌ„ne that blasphemous doctrine of pous whereby you fearefully deceive your selves and the people of God whilst you hold and teach that Christs goverment in his Church is not fundameÌ„tall And besides the word of God we have endeavored to shew you that in al humane sence and vnderstanding a king that hath not the power of govermeÌ„t over his subiects but they submit to the goverment of strang lords they are disobedieÌ„t aÌ„d rebellious aÌ„d give their king onely the name of King aÌ„d such subiects are you giveing Christ onely the name of a king but give his power of goverment to strang lords your lord Archb. and Bishops who enlarge you by their spirit and you are enlarged and who restraines you by their power and you are restrained who sets you vp for shepherds when you please theÌ„ aÌ„d puts you downe like hirelings wheÌ„ you offend theÌ„ who if they destroy your flock before your faces and you stand by you dare not aid theÌ„ but give Councel for peace to submit to their crueltie although they should condemne your most innoceÌ„t and iustifie the most gilty and al this evil aÌ„d much more you iustly bring vpon your selves and the people in teaching and professing that you differ not froÌ„ the Lord Bs. in any fundameÌ„tal point making and accounting there by the goverment which Christ hath appointed in his Church not to be fundamental wherein you sinne against God with an high haÌ„d makeing Christ Iesus a vaine Lawgiver whilst by your practice and profession both in deeds aÌ„d words you declare that the Ordinances of Christ which he hath appointed for the whole goverment of his Church are not of absolute necessitie and fundameÌ„tal If the Iewes had so said and practiced against the ordinaÌ„ces which they received for the goverment of the TeÌ„ple and Tabernacle and appointing the officers by the mouth of Moses it had made an vtter coÌ„fusioÌ„ of al aÌ„d they must have died And behold a greater theÌ„ Moses is here giveing ordinances for the goverment of his Temple aÌ„d Tabernacle and for the ordeining of Officers against which iff you resist and admit of anie other you must dye except you repent Heb. 10.28.29 and 12.25 for you make an vtter confusion of al. Oh that you would but looke with your eies and see what a confusion it would have brought into the Temple and Tabernacle if anie other Officers and anie other goverment had bene brought in then Moses appointed had not all their sacrifices and services bene polluted aÌ„d most abhominable to the Lord would Moses ever have endured it and would Aaron have consented there vnto They would not and if all the people had they al had bene destroied with Korah Dathan and Abiram who would have overthrowne the goverment and Officers of the temple for the Lord would have bene as iust in his iudgment vpon al as vpon sâ—me Oh that you would consider this and forget not God least he teare you in peeces and there bee none that can deliver you Are the Lawes and Ordinances given by Iesus Christ for the govermeÌ„t of his Temple and Tabernacle and appointing of his Officers not so perfit as those that was given by Moses and wil not the bringing in of anie other Officers and goverment into the Church of Christ then hee hath appointed cause as great as confuâ—ion as it would have done in the Temple and shal not al the sacrifices and services be polluted and most abhominable as theirs would have beene wil Christ Iesus the Mediator and high Preist endure it or consent vnto it anie more then Moses and Aaron would have done if you say he would then you make Christ lesse faithful then Moses and make his Church lesse holy then the Temple was and his lawes and Ordinances not to peâ—fit as those that were given by Moses and so shal the transgression against them deserve lesse punishment but but all the Prophets and Apostles and Christ Iesus himself testifieth the contrarie to this as you know right wel and most especially the Author to the Hebrewes handleth these thinges at large shewing that the Temple Tabernacle and al the Officers and offices and ordinances off administration for Goverment and service given by Moses were but a paterne shadowe and similitude of the Heavenly Temple and Ordinances established and given by Christ who is the Mediator of a better Testament established vpon better promisses and is the High Preist of a more perfect Tabernacle and hath purified al the ordinances with a better blood he is faithful as
comparisons to the capacitie of man shewe and declare the power and love of Christ over and to his church and the subiection that the Church is to yeild to him in everie thinge which subiection seeing your church wil not yeild to Christ but denies him the whole power off Goverment over it Christ cannot be head off such a Church neither can your Church bee his bodie for everie bodie is guided and Governed by it owne head and none of aâ— you that are members off that bodie are members of the bodie of Christ But the spiritual lord Arch Bishop and Lord Bishop are head of your Church in that it is in subiection to theÌ„ in everie thinge as you well knowe and therefore is it their bodie for everie head hath it owne bodie and you al are members of their bodie whereof Christ is not the Saviour but he is the Saviour of his owne body which is his Church whereof he is head Ephes 5.23 The God of grace give you grace to consider your feareful estates and standings herein and deliver you froÌ„ that daÌ„gerous delightful securitie wherewiâ—h your harts are so overipred all your sences and affections being bewitched aÌ„d ravished by that ware of Gold Silver al excellent mettales of pearles al precious stones of silke scarlet al costly vestures of vessels of yvory and of al most precious wood off Cinamon and odours and oyntments frankincense and Wyne and Oyle and fyne floure and wheat and Beasts and Sheepe and Horses and Charetts and Servants and Soules of Men and Apples that your Soules lust after All these things hath the Holie Ghost set downe most larglie Revel 18. to discover the deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes in al the precious delightful sweet and pleasant spiritual baites and snares that are in that your glorious professioÌ„ of Puritanisme whereby your soules are bewitched and ravished as also in al other professions amongst those people that are the waters wherevpon the woman arayed in purple and Scarlet doth sit Revel 17. Of which people you are in that you are in subiection vnto the power of the Beast and his image and therefore are al your sacrifices oblations aÌ„d incense in vaine your Prophesieings or preachings your praiers and praisings of God are an abhomination vnto the Lord your silver is become drosse your wine is mixt with water The Lord hath covered you with a spirit of flumber and hath shut vp your eies Your Prophets and your cheife Seers hath he covered because you come neare vnto him with your mouth and honor him with your lips in calling Christ your King but you have taken Goverment from his shoulder who is called wonderful Councellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the increase of whose government peace shal have no end Esa 9.6.7 and here doth the Prophet shewe likewise that he sits vpoÌ„ Davids throne vpon his Kingdome to order it but al this power you give vnto your strange Lords and yet you crie and say that Christ is your King Thus do you flatter with your lips dissemble with your tongues and your waies are not vpright before the Lord. What might we say to provoake you to set your harts to seeke the lord and to turne your feet to walke in his pathes and your eares to harken to his voice which seing you wil al with earnestnes professe to do do it with faithfulnes and cast away al ignorant hipocrisie and now that the abhomination of desolatioÌ„ is set vp before your eies heare this voice of the lord flee into the mountaines aÌ„d Come out of hir my people and turne not back to that which is left behind Remeber Lots wife Math. 24.15.16 Revel 18.4 Luk. 17.31.32 Wee will vse no more reasons to prove you are not come out of Babilon but you owne confessioÌ„ shal witnes against you in that you daylie complaine of your bondage therefore you may see you are in the house of bondage but there is no bondage in the house off God where the Children off the free Woman standfast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free Galat. 4.31 and 5.1 Why are you then stil in bondage vnder all those Ceremoniall Traditions which you say your soules abhor iff you be off those that Christ hath made free Shall we intreat you with Godlie advisednes to consider what the bondage is and see how you looke to bee delivered is not your bondage you complaine off a spirituall bondage in that you are restrained of spiritual libertie in the holie things Haveing Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Canons pressed vpon you which of Conscience you cannot obey so is it plaine your bondage is spiritual And how would you bee delivered from your spiritual bondage aÌ„d who should bee your deliverer Can you bee delivered but by a spiritual power and caÌ„ you have anie deliverer but a spiritual Lord if you seeke to and depend vpon anie other Lord to bee delivered from spirituall bondage you take vnto yourselves another God and set vp a spiritual power against the power of God And whereas you should put on the whole armor of God and wrestle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places and stand fast you have shrunck in the day of batâ—le and have not faithfully contented for the maintenance off the faith given to the Saincts But have and do yeild to the Spirituall wickednesses which are vnder the power of those spirituall Lords the Arch Bishops and Lordbishops and have cast of the armor and sword off the Spirit wherewith you should resist and overcome and wherby these spiritual wickednesses shal bee consumed and abolished and you have taken vnto your selves a direction after the device off your owne harts seeking and sueing by petitions not to God but to meÌ„ that you might have leave as you pretend to sett vp Christ for your King and Governor and if you could get leave you make shewe as though you would reforme matters that are greatlie amisse but seing you cannot you are content to let them alone and grone vnder them for so you speake and not to bee too busie least you should make matters worse Of this same condition were the people of Israel when Moses was sent to bring them out of Egipt for when they saw that leave would not bee granted but that more worke was laid vpon them and that there was danger and trouble they would have made their peace and have groned still vnder their burthens as they had done and so have continewed in that their bondage as you do in your spiritual bondage but the Lord was merciful vnto them according to his owne promisse and brought them out by a mightie hand and with great signes and wonders and even so hath the Lord promissed to bring his Elect which are those that harkeÌ„ to the voice of his Call out of this spiritual bondage of Babilon Egipt and Sodom
is fulfilled in the Romish profession so are al these thinges done by theÌ„ And moreover to these the prophesie Revel 17. of the woman and the Beast and the Ten Kings that give their power and authoritie to the Beast these feight with the Lambe Can you say that anie of theâ—e are beleevers and Christians that feight against the lambe No the Spirit off God testifieth in this place that they which are called and chosen faithful are on the lambes side They then that feight against the lambe are those that are not called nor chosen nor faithfull therefore must they needs bee infidels aÌ„d vnbelevers Al these prophesies being confessed of you to be already accomplish by and vnder that Romish profession how shal you of the church of England and the Presbitarie bee able to say that they of the church of Rome are beleevers and Christians and if they bee not beleevers and Christians then are they infidels and vnbeleevers and so is your baptisme and ministâ—rie off England and the Baptisme off the Presbitarie and al the ordinances that you have received from Rome to be cast away as the markes of the Beast and most abhomâ—nable to the Lord. But it shal not bee a misse seeing there ariseth so iust an occasion to shewe the Lord directing vs the ground and roote of all this evill and sinne against the maiestie and holines of God against all which you off England and the Presbitarie sinne in accounting Rome and all them of that profession Christians although all these abhominations which wee have shewed in al these prophesies and might be shewed in manie moe bee committed and to this day maintained by them to the highest dishonor of God in exalting the man of sinne to sit as God in the Temple of God and to the vtter polluting of al the holie ordinances of God in abolishing the witnesse of the Lord his word and Spirit and killing the Saincts feighting against the Lambe makeing all the Nations of the earth to worship the Beast and to drincke of the wine of hir fornications that sits vpon many waters notwithstanding al this these you account Christians vpon this ground and from this roote because when they are infants they are washed with water in the name off the Father ere and you approve that they are Baptized when they are infants because they are the seed of Christians and of the faithful What words might we take to our selves to make your madnes and the madnes of al the world herein to appeare who pretend that al the seed of Christians and of the faithful are to bee Baptized onely aÌ„d vnder this preteÌ„ce baptize aÌ„d approve of the baptizing of the seed of al the wicked and vngodly in these parts of the World yea those that have beene wicked to the third and fowrth generation and to the tenth generation enimies of God and bloody persecutors of his truth destroying the faith of Iesus and advanceing the man of sinne The seed of all these are baptized and by reason of this Baptisme they are all held and accounted Christians by you although they walke in the stepps off their fore-Fathers Is there anie knowledg of God in these thinges Or do men thinke that now vnder the Gospel they may doe and approve off what they wil will men neither walke by the Law of God nor by the law they propound vnto themselves Do you set downe a Law to your selves that the infants off the faithfull are to bee Baptized and do you approve off the Baptizing of the infants of the enimies of God that feight against the lambe and the infants of some also that have not so much faith as the Devils who beleeve and tremble In the word of vnspeakable wisedome hath the holy Ghost said that the Nations shall bee drunck with the Wine of hir Fornications Who may not see this Prophesie fullfilled For if men were not druncke so as they can neither see their way nor tell what they say they would not walke thus and speake thus like druncken men The Church of England and the Presbitarie doe allowe of the Baptizing of al the Infants of Rome whose Pope aÌ„d Cardinals aÌ„d al their whole ministery that administer the baptisme and the parents of the infants that are baptized and those infants being alreadie come to be men of yeres would destroy their Kings and Princes and Countries and al them for professing Christ as they do are these the seed of the faithful and is this to baptize and allowe of the baptisme of the seed of the faithful Wey wiâ—h your selves what truth their is in this And the Brownists they approve of the baptisme and baptizing of theÌ„ whose parents persecute their owne children for walking in their way are these the seed of the faithful What blindnes and invprightnes is this to professe a ground and walke by no ground You must agree iff you can among your selves aÌ„d make a new law this you se wil not serve your turne for if you allowe none to bee baptized but the seed of the faithful you wil not have whole Countries and Nations all Christians as you have It is apparant therefore whatsoever you say that you hold that al infants whether their parents bee faithful or vnbeleevers shal be baptized your rule then is that both the seed of the faithful and vnfaithful shal bee Baptized and that is your practice what warrant caÌ„ be found for this or it is no matter whether there be warrant or no You alledge circumcisioÌ„ for your ground that because infaÌ„ts were circumcised therefore infants must be Baptized but yet you cannot find that the infants off anie people were to bee circumcised and if anie were circumcised but those that God commaunded he Lord nor his faithful servants never approved off it And wil you now approve of anie Baptisme and make it good aÌ„d yet make circumcision your example The Lord perswade your harts and the harts of all men to begin while it is day to examine the grouâ—d of your pâ—actice herein that you may stand before the Lord in the last day and through Christ be able to approve that you have walked by the strict rule off Gods word and not by the vaine inventions of men which God hates and let al Gods people hate but his law let them love which is a perfit Law and converteth the soule and it is pure and giveth light to the eies Psal 19. But by this your practice it is made a most inperfect law when you say that the infants of the faithful are to bee Baptized onelie and when you have laid that downe for your law you both Baptize and approve for good the Baptisme off the infants of he vnfaithful and vnbeleevers and enimies off God and his truth this is neither perfect nor pure law therefore it is not the law of God You ther that wait for salvation by Christ Iesus may not walke by that imperfect and impure lawe but must seeke
diligentlie with your whole harts the law and statutes off the Lord that you may keepe them which lovâ— when you shal diligentlie aÌ„d faithfully search into through out you shal no where find it once mentioned that anie infants are to be Baptized and therefore it is but the meere vaine invention and tradition of men which who so followeth can never have favour nor acceptance with God because they make the Law off God of no authority Mark 7.13 In this great and waighty cause wee wil not through the grace of God burden you with manie grounds or arguments but lay downe before you some few things withall the plainnes and evidence of truth wherwith God shall make vs able And first wee pray al those whose harts God hath inclined to seeke his truth and who desire in vprightnes to walke in the light that they wil duelie consider what the CovenaÌ„t of the Gospel is and with whome it is made and thus hath the Lord set it downe This is the Covenant saith the Lord that I wil make with the house of Israel I wil put my law in their inward parts and write it in their â—aâ—ts and I wil bee their God and they shal bee my people Iere. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 And our Saviour Christ declares this more fullie Mark 16.16 Where he saith Go ye into al the World and preach the Gospel to everie Creature he that shal beleeve and be baptized shal bee saved Thus doth the Lord by his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel put and write his law in the harts of men according to the Parrable of the sower Mat 13.23 And they shal beleeve in him and bee Baptized Thus they shal be his people and he wil save them and so is he their God Here is the new Covenant set downe by the Holie ghost both on Gods behalf and on their behalf with whome it is made and here is it plainlie declared and expounded by Christ himself The Lord on his behalfe doth Covenant that he wil put and write his law in mens hâ—res by the power of his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel and he wil bee their God and save them and the Covenant on his peopls behalf which they are to keepe and performe is to beleeve the Gospel and bee Baptized Let al men now that have anie willingnes of hart to bee enformed by the word of God and whose harts are not wilfullie set to go on in their igno◠〈◊〉 â—old waies without trying their waies whether they bee of God or no let them wee say search examine and try by what shewe of truth it can possibly bee conceived that vnder or by this Covenant of the new Testament infants should be baptized where the Lord requires no such thinge in this Covenant of men to baptize their infants and if you wil but see and consider with wise and gracious harts how the Lord doth set downe the Covenant which he made with Abraham Gen. 17. You shal see with what evidence the Lord in mercie doth set it downe Thus saith the Lord to Abraham I wil establish my Covenant betweene thee and me thy seed after thee in their generation for an everlasting Covenant to bee God vnto thee and thy seed after the and I wil give to thee and to thy seed after thee all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I wil bee their God this is on the Lords behalf and saith the Lord This is the Covenant that thou and thy seed after thee shal kepe Let every man-child amonge you bee circumcised yee shal circumcise the foreskinne of your Flesh and every man-Child at eight days old aswel he that is borne in the house as he that is bought with monie this is the Covenant on Abrahams behalf and his seed Thus doth the lord declare in every perticuler his Covenant with his people aswel what he wil do for them as also what he requireth them to do in obedience to him aÌ„d here wee see God hath comaunded Abra aÌ„d his seed to circuÌ„cise al the males in their house And now this Covenant is disanulled and all the Ordinances thereof as is shewed Heb. 7.18 And the Lord saith he wil make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not like the old teaching vs that wee should not forme and frame it according to the old but that wee should receive it according to the new forme and frame wherein he delivers it vnder which Covenant the Lord doth not commaund or require of his people that they should Baptize all their houshold and infants both borne in their house and bought with monie according as vnder the old Covenant he commaunded that they should circumcise them How dare you then thus contend against the Lord and whereas he saith he wil make a new Covenant not according to the old you wil say and have it according to the old for you wil have it that according as infants were circumcised vnder the old Covenant so you will haue infants Baptized vnder the new is not this to set yourselves against the lord and to change his Covenant which he hath sealed with his blood and after your owne wils in what you thinke good to make it according to the old Covenant directly contrary to the Lords owne word aÌ„d saying and you have no way to mainteyne the baptizing of infants but by saying the new Covenant is according to the old and this is to say directly contrary to the saying of the Lord who is the Covenant maker and who saith in plaine words the new Covenant which I wil make with Israell shal not bee according to the old Here it is made evident to al that wil not resist the truth that your baptizing of infants is contrary to the new Covenant of the Lord. Thus do you to make your owne tradition good make the new Covenant like the old which the Lord saith is not like the old how can you possibly oppose the word of the lord more directly Furthermore the holy ghost by the Author vnto the Heb. Chap. 9. endeavoring by al evidence to prove that the new Covenant is not like the old sheweth that the old Testament or Covenant had a worldly Sanctuary and that the service of that Tabernacle onely stood in meates and drincks and divers washings and Carnall rites which purified the Flesh but purged not the Conscience and the holie Ghost sheweth there that the new Testament or Covenant hath not a worldlie Sanctuarie and that the service of that Tabernacle stands not in carnal rites which purge not the conscience but 〈◊〉 is a perfect Tabernacle the sacrifice where of doth purge the conscience from dead workes to serve the ljveing God Thus doth the scripture shew that the ordinances of the new are not according to the ordinances of the old and for this cause saith the holy ghost Christ is the Mediator of the new Testament that is because the new Testament or Covenant and Cabernacle
and ordinances are not carnal but spiritual But if you wil have infants Baptized that is washed with water and certen words then you bring in a carnal rite which purgeth not the conâ—cience for you do not hold that the Infants consciences are purged thereby and so doe you make the new Covenant and ordinances carnal like vnto the old which may not bee except you wil directlie oppose the evident word of the Lord as you have long herein done to your vtter destruction except you repent Wee disire moreover the people off God whose harts are sect to seeke his face that they wil search the Scriptures to see what the baptisme of the new Testament is declared to bee which being faithfullie searched into shall convince vnto all the Earth that it cannot apperteyne vnto infants And first in the gospel according to Mark. 1.4 It is preached by Iohn to bee Baptisme of amendement of life for the remission of sinnes And Thapostle Rom. 6.4 saith Baptisme is a burieing into the death of Christ that wee should walke in newnes of life and Gal. 3.26 27. Thapostle saith Baptisme is the putting on of Christ by faith How should this Baptisme belong vnto infants can there be amendemeÌ„t off life for the remission of sinnes in Infants and can Infants bee buried into the death of Christ to walke in newnes of life and can infants put on Christ by faith if they can do none of al these thinges which is most plaine they cannot then may they not bee Baptized What were sufficient to give satisfaction in this long conceived error of baptizing infants You may see by the ordinance it selfe they are not capeable of it and you may see that the lord by the covenant doth not commaund nor require anie such thinge at the hands of parents to Baptize their Infants and all their houshould The Covenant is that men should beleeve and bee Baptized but their is no one word to comaund them to baptise their infants and all their hous hould Oh that you would bee wearie of this your great ignorance to say that baptisme is the seale of the Covenant and yet you wil seale them that cannot receive the seale and them that are not once mentioned in the Covenant bringing in vnder the Covenant whome you wil without the wil and mynd of the Lord and although the Covenant shall still overthrowe you that there can none bee vnder the Covenant but they which beleeve and are Baptized for the Lord wil admit of no other then he hath mentioned in his Covenant though you seale never so manie with water and words although this might suffice yet wee will endeavor by the Lords assistance to convince you by your owne ground You cannot denie but that there is neither rule nor example in al the new Testament for the Baptizing off infants whereby you confesse that the Mediator off the new Testament hath not appointed it therefore you are driveÌ„ to prove it by consequence makeing your selves and the simple beleeve that it must needs follow by a necessarie consequence that as infants were circumcised so must they bee baptized Iff you will have a necessary consequence of this then must you make it off the whole matter and not of part as you thinke good as thus Hee that wil bee a Proselite must bee circumcised and all the males in his houshould so then if your consequence from this ground be necessary he that wil be a Disciple of Christ must be baptized and al his houshold it followeth he vpon your consequence that no man can be admitted a Disciple except al his houshold wil bee baptized for no man could be admitted a Proselite except all his males were circumcised If then a Iew that hath a wyfe and divers Children and bondmen as they have come to the faith of Iesus iff his Wyfe or anie of his Children or bondmen will not bee Baptized then cannot he bee admitted to bee a disciple of Christ except you will allowe him by his authoritie to cause them to bee Baptized whether they beleeve or no as they did by their authoritie circumcise their hous hold Thus must your consequence stand iff you will not bee willing to deceive your selves in the meanes off your salvation Deale Faithfully therefore with God and his truth and his people you that take vpon you to bee guids and lead not Gods people to destruction by such deceits as this that when you have neither rule nor example to prove that infants must be baptized yea and when the Covenant of the Lord doth evidently debarr them and the Ordinance off Baptisme considered in it selfe also yet you will to bring in and mainteyne he tradition off your Elders prove it by a consequence from the Covenant of the old Testament and make the new like the old When the Lord saith it is not like nor shall bee according to the old And if the people off God would but with vpright harts read diligently the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes they should through the grace off God find to their ful satisfaction the difference betwixt the old Covenant and the new and the Preisthood and the Tabernacle aÌ„d the Ordinances Services and Sacrifices set downe so plainly as it would make an end of this controversie and manie moe to the advancement of Gods truth and the salvatioÌ„ of the soules of his people that shall follow him in the regeneration or new birth which is to bee borne againe of water and of the spirit In which regeneration or new birth who so followeth him not cannot enter into the kingdome off Heaven In that Epistle to the Heb. they that read shall find as wee have formerly shewed that the old Covenant was a carnall Covenant and commaundement Heb. 7.16 and as the Lord speaketh to Abraham Gen. 17.13 speakeing of the Covenant off circumcision saith my Covenant shal be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant and as the Covenant was so was the Preisthood and the Tabernacle aÌ„d the sacrifices and service al carnal and worldly 〈◊〉 is withal evidence and plaines in that Epistle set downe but the new CoveÌ„ is not a Cove in the flesh but is a CoveeÌ„ in the spirit a spiritual CoveÌ„ written in the harts mynds of Gods people established vpon better promisses then the first Covenant and all this is evident by the words off the Covenant which are They that beleeve and are Baptized shall bee saved And as this Covenant is spiritual so is the Preisthood so is the Tabernacle and all the Ordinances Sacrifices and services there off and al this is most plainly set downe in that Epistle to the Hebrewes Which difference betwixt the old and the new Covenant if it were carefully searched vnto and found out it would overthrowe your deceitfull consequence which â—yoâ— drawe from CovenaÌ„ts that are dislike or not a like in substance contrary to al vnderstanding and it would make you cast away your carnal baptizing of infants and to
Baptize no infants but such infants as were Babes in Christ such as are begotten by the imortall seed of the word and it would discover vnto you your carnal ignorance and blindnes in holding that Isralites beget Isralit snow as vnder the law or that Christians beget Christians by generation which hath brought in such madnes amongst men as the Brownists hold aÌ„d professe â—hat no infants that dye are vnder the Covenant of grace and salvation but such as they beget Thus do they onelie beget infants that are heires off salvation and al this and much more evil comes vpon makeing the new Covenant like the old and so make them both carnal which you doe herein in holding that parents begett Children to bee vnder the Spirituall Covenant by carnal generation But because some through the great weaknes off their judgment and vnderstanding cannot see the old Covenant to bee a carnal Covenant wee wil in short yet further endeavour to shewe how it is a carnall or worldlie Covenant First it was a carnal CovenaÌ„t in that al the promisses that God made to Abraham in that Covenant of Circumcision were of worldlie thinges as wee may see Gen. 17.5.6.7 where the Lord saith I will make thee exceeding fruitful I wil make Nations of thee yea Kings shal proceed off theâ—e and I wil give thee and thy seed after the all the Land off Canaan for an everlasting possession Here is this whâ—le Covenant of circumcision which God makes wherein there is no promisse but of worldlie thinges Secondlie in this Covenant of circumcision the lord requires a carnal obedience that is Let every man Child bee circumcised in the foreskinne of the Flesh. Thirdlie the judgment for the breatch of this Covenant is a worldlie iudgment vers 14. The vncircumcised man-child in whose Flesh the fore-skinne is not circumcised that person shal bee cut of from his People because he hath broken my Covenant Add moreover vers 13. Where the Lord saith This is my Covenant in your Flesh. Who wil bee so blind as not to see that this is a carnal Covenant Wiâ— men bee so void off all vnderstanding as to say that God makes a Spirituall Covenant with a people in their Flesh though men have bene so ignorant let them not be so ignorante stil After the like manner as hath bene spoken off the Covenant may bee spoken of the Tabernacle Preisthood and al those services and carnall rites in all which Covenant and worldlie ordinances their is no promisse of salvation for the keeping of them nor cannot be because they make not holie concerning the conscience Heb. 9.9 Neither sanctifie they the commers therevnto Chap. 10.1 Nor there is no judgment of condemnation pronounced against anie although they should presumpteouslie breake thine but bodilie death Num. 15.30 Heb. 13.28 etc. yet through repentance such might bee saved But now vnder the new Covenant which is spiritual there is promisse of salvation to them that keepe it For he that beleeves and is Baptised shal bee saved And there is condemnatioÌ„ pronounced against them that kepe it not he that wil not beleeve shal bee damned and he thaâ— sinneth presumpteouslie or willinglie of knowledg against this Covenant or anie of the ordinances thereof shal never bee forgiven Heb. 20.19 Thus may all see that wil not winck with their eies that the new Covenant is not likt the old But is a Covenant established vpon better promisses and that the first Covenant is established vpon Worldlie or Earthlie promisses But the new Covenant is established vpon spiritual or heavenlie promisses even of life and salsalvation The difference of these two Covenants being with a spiritual eie discerned it wil easilie overthrowe that most false and vnproper consequence which is drawne from the old Covenant to the new for the Baptizing of infants which consequence iff it were rightlie laid downe the darknes of it would easilie appeare as thus Vnder the old Covenant infants were circumcised in the flesh so vnder the new Covenant infants must be Baptized in the flesh what ignorance is this What wine of Fornication That hath made drunck al Nations there is no such Baptisme in the new Testament as Baptisme in the Flesh God forbid that men should remaine still so ignorant as to thinke that Christ Iesus in his heavenlie Kingdome and new Covenant hath established anie carnal rite or Ceremonial Ordinance the handwriting whereoff he hath put out and abolished Col. 2.14 And therefore the Baptisme of the new Testament must needs be a spiritual baptisme of water the spirit Ioh. 3.5 with which baptisme infants cannot be Baptized so is it great wickednes and a propâ—anation of the holie and divine ordinance off God to vse such administration vpon infants makeing hereby the ordinance of God of no effect there being no benifit or advantage end or vse of it for you wil al confesse that al infants must be regenerate and borne againe or els they cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven and our Saviour Christ the Saviour of vs al saith that they that are borne againe must be borne of water and the Spirit To what end then is the Baptizing of infants they not being regenerate thereby Furthermore you frame your consequence with these words as infants were sealed with the seale of the Covenant vnder the law so they must bee sealed with the seale of the Covenant vnder the Gospel Wee demaund of you is washing with water a seale If it bee a seale it is a seale in the Flesh where then is the print or impression thereof It hath none therefore it can bee no seale Oh how blindlie are the wisemen of the world carried away in these thinges contrary to al vnderstanding to bee brought to ymagine that washing an infant with water is a seale are not these vaine inventions without ground of Scripture reason or common sence Can you walke thus and thinke to please God Will God bee pleased with you when you walke in those waies that best please your owne mynds Bee not deceived God will not hold you gilties for thus vsing his name and Ordinance in vaine If you will examine the new Testament throughout you shall find no seale nor none sealed but they that beleeve who are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promisse Ephes 1.13 By which Holy Spirit wee are all Baptized into one body 1. Cor. 12.13 And there is but one Spirit one Baptisme and one body Ephes 4.4.5 Which holy seale of the Spirit seeing infants cannot have they cannot bee Baptized with that one Baptisme into that one body so is your consequeÌ„ce for the baptizing of infants directly contrary to the CovenaÌ„t and ordinance of God the Covenant of the lord being that they which beleeve are baptized shal be saved and the ordinance being the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes To conclude this point with a ground that al who have anie knowledg of the word of God will confesse which is
this the Covenant of the new Testament is a Covenant of life and salvation onely to all that beleeve and are baptized Mark 16.16 The seale off the CovenaÌ„t must needs be aunswereable to that holy Covenant a seale of life and salvation onelie to them that beleeve and are Baptized Ephes 1.13.14 Revel 2.17 and 28. Thappostle here to the Ephes doth shewe that after they beleeved they were sealed with the holie Spirit of promisse Let all then confesse with whome there is anie vprightnes that infants who cannot beleeve for Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 cannot bee sealed with the seale of this Covenant it is not in the power of parents to set this seale vpon their infants as it was in their power to set the signe of Circumcision vpon their Flesh Therefore is it not required of them by the Lord and it is altogether impietie and wickednes and a prophaning of the holie ordinance of God to take in hand to administer it vpon infants and the Lord will revenge himselfe for such wickednes if it bee not repented of But against this ground of truth that the Covenant of life and salvation is made onelie with them that beleeve and are Baptized it is obiected that the Covenant is made with them and their seed and though manie writers write thus and most men affirme it yet Mr. Robinson being next hand wee will produce his warrant for this ground being as good as anie others and he as vnadvisedlie overseene in the setting it downe Thus speakes he in his Booke Pag. 282. The Scriptures everie where teach that parents by their faith bring their Children into the Covenant off the Church intitle them to the promisses litle doth Mr. Rob thinke how suddenlie in his accustomed haist he hath brought in a meritorious faith it were to bâ— wished that he and al meÌ„ did see and feele that their faith is little enough to bring themselves vnder the Covenant of God if it were not for the gracious and most mercifull acceptance off God in Christ But God hath not promissed anie where to accept to salvation of the parents faith for their Children nor to condemne them for their parents infidelity this is but one among manie of Mr. Ro. doctrines of Devils which he hath heaped vp in his tedious booke his proofe for his doctrine is Gen. 17. And wee prove his doctrine most false by Gen. 17. where AbrahaÌ„ his faith and earnest praier to God could not bring Ismael his Child of 13. yere old vnder that Covenant vers 18-21 Thus is Mr. Ro. altogether overseene in the scripture that he himself allegeth Add moreover to this Gen. 25.23 Where Izhaks faith could not bring Esau vnder the Covenant Thus may all see that Mr. Ro. doth but quote scripture for his proofe and not shewe how it proves his ground The next proofe for this ground is Act. 2.39 Where Thappostle speaking to and of al the vnbeleeving Iewes and Gentils saith the promisse is made to you and to your Children even as manie as the Lord our God shall call How Mr. Ro. will apply this to his purpose we knowe not but wee confesse that this promisse They that beleeve and are Baptized shal bee saved is made to al the vnbeleeving Iewes and Gentils and their Children to this day but this doth no way prove that the faith of the parents in titles children to the promisses nor that the promisse of salvation is made to the vnbeleeving Iewes and Gentils or to their Children except they and their children amend their lives and be baptized And whereas Mr. Rob. as it should seeme vnderstands children in this place to bee infants wee wil first leave that to him to prove that thappostle speakes heare concerning infants and then wee will require of him how he proves that the inheritance off the Kingdome of heaven goes by succession of generation as the land of Canaan did For the second part of his vniust and vngodly affirmation that God takes occasion by the sinnes off the parents to execute his iustice to condemnatioÌ„ vpon the children herein Mr. Ro. dubles his sinne in that as he hath before made the parents faith the cause of blessing to salvation which he saith is every where to be found in the scriptures but shewes no where so now he affirmes that parents infidelity is the cause of Gods iudgment to condemnation vpon their children Mr. Ro. propounds his doctrine and rule for a general rule and doctrine To prove him a falfe Prophet in this also wee refer the Godly reader to the 1. King 14. where it is shewed that Abyah the sonne off most wicked Ieroboam being but yong was not cursed for his Fathers sinnes and Iosiah being but eight yere old when his Father died the Lord blessed him aboundantly in his infancy notwithstanding al the grevious transgressions of his Father Ammon 2. Chro. 33. and 34. Chap. Neither did the Lord punish the people of Israels children for that their great transgression Num. 14 27-39 when they murmured because of the spies by which sinne although they so provoked the Lord to wrath as he caused al their carcasies to fal to bee waisted and consumed in the wildernes not suffering anie one of them to go into the Land of Canaan save Ioshua and Caleb yet eveÌ„ then in his anger he declared his mercie to al their Children promissing to bring them into the Land Now wee confesse with Mr. Ro. that wee are al by nature the Children of wrath conceived and borne in sinne but wee disire to knowe of Mr. Ro. whether he hold not that al Children are alike the Children of wrath and alike begotten in sinne or that some parents confer grace by generation more then others and if they do not as wee assure our selves you wil confesse but that all Infants are alike in themselves the Children off wrath then let vs see not after a sort but directly by what evideÌ„ce of scripture it can be proved their sinnes being al alike in themselves that God should execute his justice to condemnation vpon some children for the sinnes of their paâ—ents and shew mercie to salvation vpon others for the faith of their parents seeing the iust God hath said that every one shal receive salvation or condemnation according to that which hee hath done in the flesh and not acording to that which his parents hath done And let al se Mr. Ro. great iniquity in this his affirmatioÌ„ in that he blaÌ„sphemously chargeth the most holy and iust God to punish infaÌ„ts to condemnation for the actual sinnes of their pareÌ„ts when they themselves have not sinned after the same manner of transgression Rom. 5.14 and we pray M. R and al men to consider the words of the lord Exo. 20. who saith he wil visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the childreÌ„ of theÌ„ that hate him which hatred is shewed by the breach of his comaundemeÌ„ts but do infaÌ„ts hate
God and breake his comaundemeÌ„ts you al confesse with the Prophet Eze. 18.14.17 notwithstaÌ„ding these words in Exo. 20. That if a wicked man begett a sonne that seeth al his Fathers sinnes which he hath done feareth neither doth such like he shal surely live then must you grant that the infants of wicked parents that do not such like sinne as their pareÌ„ts do shal not dye Thus much to stop M. Ro. for the preseÌ„t in his speedy courses who runnes his race as though he were stronge and none could stay him but the lord and his word wil overthrowe him in these his waies if he repent not whose repentance we much disire to Gods glory and for his owne good And now let the covenaÌ„t of the lord staÌ„d firme and good against al the adversaries thereof which Covenant is they which beleve are baptized shal be saved the words whereof being spokeÌ„ by him that made it do with authority convince to the Consciences of all that will heare them that this Covenant is made onely with them that are beleeve and are baptized which is with them that of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4 12-16 And not they that are of the Flesh of Abraham there are saith thappostle Children of the Flesh and Children off the promisse but the Children of the promisse are counted for the seed Rom. 9.8 How ignorant and obstinate are men become whome no word of God can perswade but they wil have the Children off the Flesh to bee the Children off the promisse and the seed for they wil have the seed of the faithful that is al the Children begotten off their bodies to bee the Children of the promisse and the sead with whome the Covenant is made saying the Covenant is made with the faithful and their seed meaning all the Children begotten of the Flesh yet â—happostle faith the Children of the flesh are not the seed but thapostles testimony wil not serve the turne the Pope saith it is not so and the Bishops and Presbitary haveing learned it of the Pope say it is not so And thâ— Brownists haveing learned it of the Bishops say it is not so Here are manie witnesses and they have long and ancient custome and the fcuyt is faire to looke vpon and pleasant to the eie and mynd that infants are begotten and borne Christians the most wicked and prophane parents that are like this wel that they may bee accounted to beget Christians and that their Children may bee made members off the body off Christ when they are new borne the best men like this wel and the worst like it wel This pleaseth al Flesh in these parts of the world there was never anie one doctrine of Christ nor of thappostles that ever was so acceptable to all men it must needs be acceptable because so good a thinge is so easily come by what a geevious thinge would it bee if one might not bee a Christian and member of Christs body before they had learned Christ and to beleeve in him this would troble Children if they should bee forced to learne to knowe Christ before they could be admitted to bee his Disciples and to be Baptized and this would bee a great troble to parents that there Children should not be baptized before they had carefully brought them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord and this would bee a great burden to Bishops and Preists if they should have none admitted members of heir Church vntill by their diligent aÌ„d faichful preaching of the gospel they were brought to knowledg faith and repentaÌ„ce and to amend their lives and bee Baptized If these old doctrines of Christ and his Appostles should now bee put in practice it would troble and offend all the world being so contrary to al custome and Counsels and affections off men O crooked and foolish generation how long shal the Lord beare with you how long shal he suffer you wil you make the way broad and wide which he hath made strait and narrow wil you stil walke in the traditions of meÌ„ after the lusts of your owne harts and treade his statutes vnder your feet shal the long evil custome and false testimony of men agreable to your owne affections overthrowe the divine and true witnes of our Lord Christ and his Apostles Doth our Saviour Christ say that those with whome he hath made the new covenaÌ„t are they in whose mynds and harts he hath written his Law whome hee declares to bee those that beleeve and are baptized and wil you add vnto the Covenant of the Lord and say it is made with the faithful and their seed before they can beleeve and doth Thappostle say that the seed to whome the promisse is made are they which are off the faith of Abra aÌ„d not they that are of the flesh of AbrahaÌ„ and wil you say that they that are of the flesh of the faithful are the seed with whome the Covenant is made can you device in your harts more directly to oppose the Lord and falsefie his truth theÌ„ you do herein Wil you thus contend against the lord and dispite the Spirit of grace and trample vnder foote the blood of the new Testament and thinke that you shal escape much more punishmeÌ„t theÌ„ they that dispised Moses law deceive not your selves aÌ„d do not thinke that God careth not for these things and that he regardeth not the breach of his holy ordinances because he seemes to hold his peace in that he strikes you not with bodily iudgments but except you repeÌ„t he wil reprove you and set al these thinges in order before you and teare you in peeces when there shal be none that can deliver you Oh consider this aÌ„d forget not God what shal it profit you to have your infants washed with water and a few words whereby the name of the Lord is blasphemed and you perish for so prophaning his Ordinance the infant is never the better it shal not be saved thereby aÌ„d there is no such obedience required at your hands let the word off the Lord be your guid in these thinges and not the word of man nor long custome although it be in a thinge that is most pleasing to your carnal mynds Thus leaving to your remembrance that AbrahaÌ„s faith could not bring his Children vnder the CovenaÌ„t in that it did not bring Ismael nor anie one of his six sonnes that he had by Keturah his Wife vnder the Covenant Gen. 25. and therefore that is a most deceitful and false ground to say that they were circumcised because they were vnder the Covenant and that they are vnder the Covenant by Abrahams faith for then had al Abrahams bondmen and houshold bene vnder the Covenant and Ismael whome the Lord denyes to bee vnder the Covenant and yet he and they al were commaunded to bee circumcised This then is the ground of truth which cannot be gainsaied that al the males free and bond that were borne in Abrahams
off the Mone shal be as the light off the Sunne the light off the Sunn shal be seaven fold like the light of seaven days in the day that the lord wil bind vp the breach of his people heale the strooke of their wound And Esa 32.19 thou shalt not see a feirce people a people of dark speach that thou canst not perceive of a straing tongue that thou canst not vnderstand Al this teacheth the people of God to looke for plaine pathes to walke in which do shine with brightnes as also that the witnesses of the lord shal be a people that shal speake plainly to the vnderstanding of the simple therefore the Lords people must not walke in blind and secret wayes nor desert pathes which are not light and plaine nor be seduced by false Prophets and deceitful people that speake in their feirce heate dark and obscure thinges who are ful of deceitfull distinctions blind consequences and al turning of devices to deceive the simple saying loe here is Christ loe there is Christ of such our Saviour forewarnes his people that they beleeve them not although they shal shewe great signes and wonders but that they shal set their harts aÌ„d turne their eies vnto the cleare light of truth which is the everlasting gospel that the Angell flieing through the midst of heaven preached vnto them that dwel on the earth to every nation kindred tongue people Revel 14.6 This is the spirit off the Lords mouth wherewith he wil consume the man of sinne and abolish him by the brightnes of his comeing 2. Thes 2. By the ministery of the seaventh angel who when he hath poured out his viall their shall bee sounds lightnings thunders a great earthquake such as nevers was the great Citie shal be rent in three parts the Cities of the Nations shal fal that great Babilon shal come in remembrance before God hee shal give vnto hir the Cup of the wine of the feirenes of his wrath Rev. 16. Thus by the glorious light off the Gospell shall the misterye off iniquity be abolished And whereas our Saviour Christ saith that this his comeing shal bee as the lightning cometh out off the East and is seene into the west this makes it manifest vnto vs that the glorious overspreading off the gospel againe shal be as at the first General over all and that men shal seeke after and resort vnto the light of the truth of God as Eagles do to their pray according to the prophesie of Esa 60.4 Lift vp thyne eies round about and behold all these are gathered come to thee thy sonnes shal come from farr Esa 66.18 The Lord saith it will come that I shal gather all Nations and Tongues and they shal come and see my glory And the Lord by the Prophet Amos. 9.11 12. saith In that day wil I raise vp the Tabernacle of David that is fallen downe and close vp the breaches thereof will raise vp his ruins and I wil build it as in the dais of old and Esa 11.11.12 In the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people and he shal assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scatered of Iudah froÌ„ the fower corners of the world And herevnto agreeth the Prophesie Revel 19.17 Where the Angel that stands in the sunne cries with a lowd voice to al the foules that flye through the midst of heaven come gather your selves together to the supper of the great God and Revel 21. The Holy Spirit speaking of the glorious exaltation of the Holy Citie after the destruction off Babilon saith The Kings of Earth shall bring their glory and honor vnto it the glory and honor of the Gentils shal bee brought vnto it And this yet â—s the hope comfort of the Saincts of God that it shal come to passe that they which now come against Ierusalem shal go vp from yere to yere to worship the King the Lord of hoasts and to kepe the Feast of Tabernacles Zach. 14.16 Therefore saith the voice out of the Throne praise our God all yee his servants and ye that feare him both smale and great for the Lord that almightie God doth now raigne let vs bee glade and reioyce and give glory to him for the marriage off the lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hirself Revel 19.5.6.7 These words are faithful aÌ„d true which must shortly bee fulfilled blessed is hee that observeth the Words of the prophesie off the booke Revel 22.6.7 But woe woe woe then bee vnto all that doe not marke and observe them and faithfully and carefully keepe the Words off the Prophesie off this Booke But wee demaund in all these daies of tribulation which are such as never were nor ever shal be where shal the ignorant appeare iff in the daies of so great danger when there shal bee as there now is so manie false Prophets shewing such signes and wonders so as if it were possible they should deceive the very elect if in these daies the ignorant bee seduced through their ignorance shal they drinck of the Cup of the wine of Gods wrath The word of the Lord is perfect and plaine they shal al perish that are ignorant and are deceived because they receive not the love of the truth therefore God shal send them stronge delusions that they should beleeve lyes and bee damned 2. Thes 2. And it is iust with the Lord their ignorance being declared to be for want of the love of the truth Thus then is this ground off truth most evident aÌ„d plaine they that through grace in Christ receive the love off the truth they are the Elect of God and shal not bee deceived but shal bee saved But they that through the effectuall working of Sathan withal his signes and lying wonders receive not the love of truth they shal bee deceived and beleeve lyes and bee damned Moreover our Saviour Christ saith if the ignorant lead the ignorant they shal both fall into the pit Mat. 15.14 let al therefore take heed and learne to knowe the truth of God and to love it and to vnderstand his word themselves seeing the Lord hath comaunded them not to followe such as say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but to looke vnto the shyning light of truth whereof if they bee not able to iudg and deserne of themselves by the direction of Gods spirit they can never have faith nor assurance in the way they walke so shal they runne blindfold to destruction not knoweing whether they are sedd False prophets or true Prophets are al alike to them they being ignorant of the scriptures whereby they should examine them and find them out and try their doctrine such must needs bee carried away with every blast off vaine doctrine wheÌ„ they are not able to try the spirits whether they be of God these
wherein you are by great and marvelous signes and wonders as the spirit of God hath declared Revel 15. and 16. Chap. by the seaven Angels which powre out the seaven vialls of the wrath of God vpon the Earth But you must knowe that this is a spirituall Prophisie and al these are spiritual signes and wonders which the lord hath graciouslie promissed to shew vpon Babilon Egipt and Sodom spirituallie so called to the destruction and everlasting overthrowe of the Scarlet cullored Beast and the Woman that sits vpon him which woman is that great Citie Babilon and vpon all the people that come not furth at the call of his voice Revel 17.18 Chap. But take heed you bee not deceived by lookeing for their things with carnal eies as the Iewes did who looked for an earthlie King to deliver them so that whē their spiritual king came they knewe him not but hated him dispised him persecuted him killed him and cast him out and so remaine in transgression and vnder condemnatiō vnto this day by the iust iudgment of God Take heed least you do so in sueing after and seeking by earthlie meanes to be delivered out of your spiritual bondage and when the spirituall meanes and way is shewed you you contemne it dispise it hate it persecute it speake al manner of evil against it oppose it reiect it and condemne it and so remaine stil in your transgression and vnder the condemnatiō of the iust iudgment of God which the Lord hath pronounced against all those that come not furth of Babilon partaking thereby with hir in hir sinnes and so shal be made pertakers of hir plagues which plagues you cannot escape if you come not furth but beleeve those false Prophets that prophesie lyes vnto you Be not deceived by your good intents ād meanings and good desires whereof you are full Nor by your great affections of zeale wherewith you abound above al people that we knowe or have heard of that have anie knowledg of the Gospel wee speake not of the ignorant zealous Papists that go before you and all the earth that knowe the name of Iesus in these things which makes them thinke their estates most happie Take you heed least you bee also still hereby deceived Wee confesse these are excellent things if knowledg and faith go with them Furthermore your obedience vnto the second and great comaundement which is Love thy neighbour as thy self and al the particuler dueties thereof as Honor Parents do not comit adultery Kil steale beare false witnesse Covet nothinge that is thy neighbours In these excellent duties verie manie of you greatly abound and wee cannot but with great affections looke vpon you and love you for them yet knowe that manie Papists are nothinge behind you in these thinges Therefore let not these things deceive you as though you had all things because you have these You see it testified by our Saviour Christ that a man may have or do all these things and yet not follow Christ as is shewed in the example of that excellent Ruler whome Christ looked vpon and loved for those excellent things in him Mark 10.21 And therefore please not your selves so much in those things although wee acknowledg they are worthie of great comendations in you and our soules are much affected to you for them But iff you followe not Christ in the regeneration that is if you bee not borne againe of water of the Spirit so enter into the Kingdome off Heaven all is nothinge as you see by the example of this Ruler And Cornelius Act. 10. If he had not bene baptized with the holy ghost and with Water for all his praiers and almes he had not nor could not have entred into the Kingdome off Heaven Thus entered all the people off God of whose entrance the Scriptures give testimonie either by rule or example and therefore if there bee anie other entrance found out it is not nor cannot bee of God this onelie is the doore which Iesus Christ hath set open for all to enter in at that enter into his Kingdome Iohn 3.5 and the Lord sanctifie al your harts with grace that you may enter in thereby For no other way off salvation hath Christ appointed but that mē first beleeve and bee Baptized Mark 16.16 Thus have wee freely spoken the truth vnto you from our harts suspect vs not of the least contempt or dispite iff wee seene sharpe There are multitudes of you of that Puritane profession so called that knowe our love is most true and vnfained to you all and that wee cannot but love and reverence you and therefore wee cannot but the more seeke your reformation wish it and pray for it and wee will not give the Lord rest therein vntill hee heare vs that wee may see your salvation accomplished THe next false profession off Christ and false Prophets amongst you that wee will by Gods assistance speake of is that false profession and those false Prophets which are vsually called Brownists you are they that say you are Iewes but are none and have made your selves a name to bee the Seperation and are falsly so called but are not as through the helpe of our God we shal make it plaine by the Word of the Lord both to your owne consciences if you wil not alwaies resist the truth and also to the consciences of al others And this we will do by those grounds of truth which you acknowledg which you must be forced either to forsake or els be cōvinced by them And the first ground is this in your Booke called the Apologies the first part of your third position stands thus set downe A true visible Church is a Companie of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel And by this meanes that is by the word of God and by thus doeing that is seperating themselves from the world and ioyning together say you they are become a true visible Church Now to come to a full discoverie off your false profession off Christ Let it be observed that you confesse you were off the World before you seperated Which when you were then were you Enimies vnto Christ for Christ testifieth the World hates him Iohn 7.7 Then were you none off Christs for those that are Christs or off Christ are not of the world Ioh. 17 1◠and now to be come Christs you say you are called and seperated from the World by the word of God and ioined together by voluntarie profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel This is your constitution wherein you have erred as may plainlie appeare for when you were called and as you say seperated you should have ioined to Christ and have entred into his Kingdome which seing you have not done you are not seperated from the world nor have no fellowship in the Gospel Wee confesse the
is this to take vpon you to dispence with the false administrations in the ordinances of Christ thus do you runne into darke places whilst you forsake the lanterne that should light your pathes which light of truth teacheth you and all men that the baptisme of Christ is the Baptisme of amendement of life for the remission off sinnes Mark 1.4 And our Saviour Christ saith Except a man bee borne off water and off the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3. and Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neare with a true hart in assurance of faith our harts being pure from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Here is the true Baptisme set downe which is the Baptisme off amendement off life for the remission off sinnes And here is the true matter where with men must bee washed which is water and the Holie Ghost that is pure from an evill conscience and washed with water Therefore can you not devide the water and the spirit in this Baptisme Christ hath ioyned them together and he that denies washing or is not washed with the spirit is not baptized and hee that denies washing or is not washed with water is not Baptized because wee see the Baptisme of Christ is to bee washed with water and the Holie Ghost And to take away a subtile exception if a man bee in prison or anie place and bee coÌ„verted to the lord aÌ„d would be baptized with water but cannot he is accepted with God who accepts the will for the deed 2. Cor. 8.12 and herein is the Lords mercie equal with his iustice for if a mans hart consent to evil he is giâ—â—ie before the Lord although he do it not Mat. 5.27.28 Thus much to discover the great deceitfullnes off your waie in the first respect of your false distinction wherein you would prove onelie the essential matter water and washing with water and words he essential forme Wee passe by your forme of words because wee thinke you wil not stand vpon it in that you see there is no certen forme of words held Act. 10 48. and 19.5 And take this with you to consider of that if there were anie truth in your distinction and respect then were anie washing with water with those words the true matter and forme of Christs Baptisme and so if one Child baptized another with water and those words it is true baptisme in that respect and let that Child come aÌ„d ioyne to you ad you can make it good in al respects Passe not these things over as you have done for you are not able to answere them with anie true vnderstanding from Gods word and so wee come to your second respect Secondly you say baptisme is to be considered clothed with such appurtenances as wherewith the Lord hath appointed it to bee administred as for example a lawful person by whome a right subiect vpon which a true Comunion wherein it is to bee administred dispenced in which regard you say you do not approve it to bee true Baptisme either in Rome or England If darkest error did not possesse your hart you could never have written such thinges but that wee knowe your stifnes in your false waies wee should pittie to point out your palpable ignorance in these thinges did ever man of anie vnderstanding in religion write thus You are lighter then vanitie herein Will anie man that hath anie knowledg of God bee so blind as not to see how the spirit of error doth lead you to iustifie that a baptisme where there is neither the spirit off God lawful minister right subiect nor true comunioÌ„ is the true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in the essential parts thereof Hath the like ignorance appeared in these daies esspecially amongst men that will â—rie out for proofe by Scripture in all things If this your ground were true then a Turk baptizing a Turk with water and those words in anie assemblie whatsoever is the true Baptisme of Christ in the essential parts thereof see what rocks you runne vpon whilst you forsake the waie of truth it may now appeare no marvil though you would have baptisme to bee nakedlie considered you have made a most naked baptisme and ordinance of Christ of it First where there is no spirit of God no lawful minister no right partie to bee baptized no true comunion it may wil be called a naked baptisme and you a naked man of al grace and godlie vnderstanding to maintaine it for a true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in anie respect If al this wil not serve to convince you wee will yet smite you with the rod of froÌ„ aÌ„d breake you like the potters vessel in this point You professe and acknowledg that Baptisme comes in the fâ—ead off Circumcision then let all men iudg whether if Circumcision being administred by an vnlawfull person vpon no right subiect and in no true Comunion could ever have beene approved for the true ordinance of God in the essential causes thereoff and whether one so Circumcised could vpon anie conditioÌ„s have bene admitted to the passover you wil we hope be destitute of al devices to aÌ„swere this al those that are anie waie indifferent betwixt you and vs wil see your great error herein that iff a Babilonian had circumcised a Babilonian in their babilonish assemblies that Circumcision had not bene in anie respect the Ordinance of God and such a one could vpon no condition have bene admitted to the passover by that Circumcision Now to shew that you hold England Babilon in your booke throughout it appeares but wee especiallie hold you to these Pag. 277. and 338. where you affirme that Rome and England were never within the covenant of God as Iudah was So have you debarred your selff from bringing your circumcision and so your baptisme from Apostate Israel and therefore you must hold your selfe to this to prove circumcision administred in BabiloÌ„ by an vnlawful person vpon a wronge subiect and in no true Comunion you must prove such a circumcision the Ordinance of God in anie respect aÌ„d that one so circumcised might bee admitted to the passover prove this and wee will confesse that your skill is above all mens herein and Ezra and Nehemiah shall bee reproved off you for causing the people to put away the Children that were borne off the straing Wives in Babilon Ezra 10.3 Nehem. 13.23.24.25 Off whome if you make question whether they were circumcised you cavell without cullor for then had the Israelites bene giltie of the breach of the Lords covenant whereby they were commaunded to circumcise all their males in their houshould But wee will leave you to prove your Babilonian Circumcision to bee in anie respect the Ordinance off God and prove it by Scripture and by sound reasoning from the ground off Scripture and not by Lodgick and Naturall Philosophie shewing things in nature to bee true which will not in Spirit bee proved true And thus do you deceive
naturall men and your selfe as in this point in hand because with your carnall eies and eares you see and heare water and washing with such words to bee vsed in the administration off the Lords Baptisme therefore you according to your naturall vnderstanding iudg these thinges to bee the essentiall causes of spirituall Baptisme and teach simple soules that these things being once truely done they are not to bee repeated or done againe when they are whollie natural actions and prophanelie done as you confesse and therefore can in no respect be said to be the Baptisme off Christ which is whollie a spirituall action aÌ„d ought holilie to be performed and done Thus do you make the ignorant beleeve that you can put the spirit off grace into naturall actions formerlie prophanelie done and make the same actions Spirituall and acceptable to God Thus do you make Mid-wives baptisme good and the holie ordinance of God in the essential causes so can you make al the prophane praiers and sermons in playes which are vsuall holie and good actions and the Ordinances of God This then is your rule denie it if you can everie washing with water into the name off the Father etc. is the true Baptisme and Ordinance of Christ in the essential causes thereof by whome soever administred and vpoÌ„ what person or thinge soever This may bee good in lodgick and Philosophie but this is blasphemous cursed doctrine in divinitie and woe are wee for you that ever such abhominations should bee vttered by you wee are a shamed to follow you in the perticuler application of these things which if they should be vrged to the ful it would make everie hart that had anie grace and knowes you tremble and greive for you This hath your Lodgick and Philosophie brought you to whereby you have confounded manie a simple hart and weake vnderstanding and whereby you thinke you have a Privilege to vnderstand the meaning off God in the Scriptures before them that are ignorant of these Arts But now hath the Lord confounded you in them glorie to be his Name and the Lord give you a hart to acknowledg it and to repent and denie your selfe and give glorie to God Wee will omit to speake off your vnproper speach saying that Baptisme must be clothed with a right person vpon whome it must be administred Thus to make your maâ—ters to agree you speake preposterous things for the party must put on and bee clothed with baptisme and not baptisme bee clothed with the partie The next thinge that by the helpe of our God wee will endeavor to discover you to bee a false Prophet and a deceaver in is in a stronge ground you have wherevpon you much relie and often repeat it in your booke and that is this You say Baptisme is the vessel off the Lord as when the house of the Lord was destroyed the vessels thereof together with the people were caried into Babilon they remained stil the vessels off the Lords house in nature right though prophaned by Belshazzar and made quaffing bowles being brought againe out of Babilon to the house of the lord were not to bee new cast but being purified might againe be vsed to holie vse So this holie vessel Baptisme though prophaned in Babilon being brought againe to the house of the Lord remaines stil the holie vessell off the Lord. This is a strong doctrine from example both with you and al the rest of the false Prophets off your profession and no marvil though you deceive greatlie hereby because the doctrine and example is good but most deceitfullie misaplyed of you for you preteÌ„d hereby as though your baptisme were brought from the house of the Lord as the holie vessels were will you iff there bee anie vprightnes in you shew how and from what house of the Lord your holie vessel of baptisme was brought you shew vs plainlie from whence you have brought it againe out of Babilon that is England But out of what house of God came it before it came into Babilon that is England that is not shewed how deceitfully do you faine these things These are the imaginations off your owne vaine harts far have anie of you brought your Baptisme from the house of the Lord into England have you anie other roote or foundation for your baptisme then England do not all men knowe that your vessel off Baptisme was composed formed framed and made there How shal anie man bee able to open his mouth to denie this Why then your holie vessel falflie so called was made in Babilon Thus are you found false dissemblers to say and faine that your baptisme is a vessel brought out of the house of the Lord into Babilon as the vessels of the Temple were wheÌ„ it is most evident that it was molded and made in the Church of England which you confesse is Babilon Mr. Rob. had not you and al your Congregation the true matter as you cal it and true forme of your baptisme in England and was it not administred vpon you al in the assemblies of England then was your vessel off baptisme made there see your deceit herein if there bee anie grace or vnderstanding in you How have you blinded the eies of the simple herein and how hath Sathan seduced you and your owne hart deceived you Now the Lord Iesus give you a hart to repent and in the name of the Lord wee beseech you repent for you have bene and are a malicious adversarie of Gods truth and you lead manie soules in the way to destructioÌ„ The lord for his Christs sake deliver you out of these and all the snares â—f Sathan and the Lord deliver his people out of the net wherein you have like a cuning fowler taken theÌ„ and overthrowne them And wee pray you that you wil with patience suffer vs to shew you how you are al deceived in this point in saying baptisme is the vessel off the Lords house and brought from thence and so applie it to your owne baptisme which you may see iff you do not both winck and cover your eies never came out of the house of the Lord except you wil say The Church of England is the house of the Lord which wee hope the Lords word hath convinced to al your consciences that it is not therefore your baptisme can not be the vessel of the Ls. house but it is the true doctrine or Ordinance of baptisme that may bee said or called by way of comparison the vessel of the Lords house and this we and al must needs confesse is the vessel of the Lords house whether soever it is carried either to Rome or England and though it be polluted and prophaned there as both it and manie other doctrines and ordinances of the Lord are yet being purged from those errors aÌ„d abuses wherewith both they and you have and do pollute theÌ„ they may aÌ„d ought to bee brought into the house of the Lord againe and remaine holie vessels