haply find him not being far from any of them giving them by these daily blessings opportunity at least to know consider and thankfully to acknowledge some divine goodness be it under what name or notion soever to be the authour and bountiful bestower of these daily mercies whereby as God leaves not himself without witness so he leaves all without excuse or ability to plead that they were destitute of all means to obtain acceptance with God to their salvation Again what means the giving of talents to some more to some less or fewer but to all some one at least to know good and evil so far as to know when another wrongs him in like proportion must he know when he wrongs another and that as he would not have another wrong him in the least so should not he do the least wrong to any other but to do as he would be done unto according to the Golden Rule or Law written in every mans heart What else meaneth the Apostle Paul in Rom. 2 26 27. If the uncircumcision keeps the righteousnesse of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision and shall not the circumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the law judge thee who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the Law See further the 11 12 13 14 15 verses of the same Chapter wherein it is said thus When the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law having not the law are a law unto themselves which shews the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another What may we think of Iob being an upright and just man that feared God and eschewed evil what can be thought of Iobs friends Bildad Zophâ—r Eliphaz and Elihu but that they were sober honest wise and just men fearing God although they were mistaken as who might not in Iobs particular and extraordinary case And what meaneth the story of Cornelius Act 10 being an uncircumcised Gentile destitute of the knowledge of Christ yet had acceptance with God and his prayers heard notwithstanding And what think you of Peters Proclamation thereupon saying Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Hence I conceive without offence to any otherwise minded may be concluded First That all those who never enjoyed true Ministry of the Gospel of Christ shall never be judged for not believing or not obeying the Gospel of Christ but shall be judged either as in sincerity they have indeavoured to observe the good and eschew the evil known to them or have wilfully swerved from it without repentance and amendment for God accepts men according to that they have and not according to that they have not 2 Cor. 8.12 And to whom much is given of him only much shall be required and little of him to whom little is given Secondly That God never concluded any Nation or person so to condemnation as not to afford them and him sufficient means within his reach and power to escape the same and to procure acceptance with him These J deem with submission to better Judgements may as safely and truly be concluded as to affirm That God is most just good and merciful That his mercy is extended over all the works of his hands who hateth nothing that he hath made but filleth all things with his goodness and heareth the young Ravens that cry to him for meat Ps 104.27 28. Ps 145.16 17. Ps 147.9 Accursed then are the tongues and pens of such evil servants that render this indulgent bountiful and good Master to be hard and austeer to reap where he did not sowe and to propose grace and mercy to far the greatest part of the sons and daughters of Adam when he never intended it to any of them but contrariwise had inevitably absolutely and personally concluded them to exquisite and endless misery of his meer will and power long before they were born and that without respect to any sinful or evil action of theirs FINIS Prov. 27.5 Open rebuke is better then secret love Pro. 12.1 Who so loveth instruction loveth knowledge but he that hateth reproof is bruitish Pro. 28 16. The Prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressour but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his dayes Vers 17 A man that doth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit let no man stay him Pro. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 27.6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful POSTSCRIPT MR. John Brayne a learned man in his Book intituled The unknown Being published 1654. in page 3. telleth us as a matter of exceeding great note and concernment to all men which is the gross corruptings of the Word of God in the false translating of it the Translators putting down in an hundred places neer life for soul rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul which ought not to be the word and sense is destroyed by it and false doctrine taught to the people wherefore in especial there is an extream necessity of another Translation to be published and this called in The Old Testament in this particular is better translated then the New though some such in the Old as that the mind of God is no way expressed but clean contrary things And in page 11. he further telleth us viz. That it s no wonder Austine and others run to Philosophy having lost the knowledge of the Spirit which was immortal to prove the soul immortal against the Scripture upon which Philosophical hinges the Divinity of the now times are hanged in which Untruths Errours and Deceits are told the people to the overthrow of hope and shaking of faith in men and destruction of the truth And in this follow not the Lords Spirit but their own Ezek. 13.3 ☞ After my setting down this learned Authors judgement concurring with the rest of the Authors formerly cited concerning the erroneous Translations of Scripture there came to my hand another small Treatise of his intituled Heavens witness to the worship and worshippers on earth wherein he not onely confirmes what in this Discourse is asserted for the necessity of divine and powerful evidence to attest the truth of doctrine Believers and Churches of the Gospel but also shews how God by some such divine evidence gave witness to true worship both before the law in time of the law and to the worship of the Gospel from Christ to the Apostasie Anno 406. Together with abundant Testimonies of Scripture proving that the Truth and the true Church was not nor when restored shall not be without the same with which as at first God again will restore the Church ERRATA IN page 3. line 16. for incestur saith Ieremie read micetur saith S. Irency pag. 6. lin 17. for pareas minori read pareas insane minori l. 21. r. Erasmus p. 7. l. 7. r. allowable l. 16. r. Isidorus and there and elsewhere for Sextus r. Sixtus p. 12. l. 21. f. untelligable r. unintelligable p. 14. l. 1. r. Brescia p. 20. l. 7. r. in ore gladii Cruentandi p. 23. l. 25. r. Anthographs p. 27. l. 24. r. of the Trinity p. 51. l. ult r. verities p. 55. l. ult r. 1 Cor. 12.7 12. p. 72. l. 3. f. He that hath r. He that believeth hath p. 81. l. 9. f. on r. by l. 10. f. by r. on
circumcize all his male-servants whether born in his house or bought with money of any stranger though not of his seed as well as his natural seed Gen. 17. but these baptize no servant from that ground which they may as warrantably do as baptize any Infant Nor are the Anabaptists who deny the baptizing of Infants excusable upon the same account in pretending to derive divine authority to preach and baptize from the meer recital of that authority which was by Christ given personally to the eleven Apostles who both received and exercised the same long before the recital thereof in Matth. 28. from which no such authority can be derived to any because on that recital no authority at all was conferred by the eleven Apostles themselves there mentioned nor was their authority the more for it 's being there recited nor had it been the less if it had never been recited either there or any where else and therefore no such authority can be derived from that or any other Text. Besides these are very partial in that they assume such great and sublime authority to themselves from the meer recital of such authority given by Christ to his Apostles and not withall judge themselves also as well bound by the recital of that prohibition given also by Christ to the same Apostles viz. That they should not go out in the excercise of that Ministerial Function until they were indued with power from on high by the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon them Luke 24.49 Act. 1.4.8 And therefore upon due consideration of the whole matter it will be found That these do assume to themselves from meer recitals more authority then that which Christ gave to the Apostles themselves and whereof the Scriptures are but bare recitals Some other there are who disowning all the former wayes of conveyance yet to keep on foot that divine authority and that reverence accommodation which usually they received thereby in the world would by another trick both cozen themselves and all others their own consciences only excepted by telling the people that this divine authority which hitherto they have mist of must needs be in them and that they by their free election and bountiful contribution may convey it on whom they will and on them if they please but this also will be found a meer shuffle and as vain as any of the former for we finde both by Scripture and reason That a true Ministry divinely authorised and impowered did and alwayes must precede beget and constitute a true Church divinely authorised and that no Church or people whatsoever who are not so begotten and indued with divine power and authority themselves can possibly convey any such divine authority on any other this is evidently seen a truth by all the empty vain and fruitless laying on of hands used as well in particular Churches as by others in their Ordination of Ministers in imitation of the Apostles laying on their hands whereby the manifest and powerful gifts of the Spirit as that of tongues and prophesie c. were conveyed Act. 19.6 This form is still retained generally throughout Christendome as well as amongst us but where 's the power that should follow here 's the shell but where 's the kernel Might not little children or Apes in imitation of these lay hands one upon one another to as good purpose and with as much success Nor want we many amongst us who would needs have this whole Nation governed meerly by the Lawes and Ordinances of the Jews recited in Scripture and by Scriptural precepts onely pretending its divine authority to be alike over us as the Lawes and Ordinances given by Moses were over the Jews but how by this our case would be better then now it is I cannot imagine unless our Lawyers could which is not likely and would against their own profit which is not to be hoped make more certain and undoubted Translations Commentaries and Expositions of Scripture then ever any of the most Orthodox Divines have hitherto done But these men as it seems deeming themselves Saints and to be divinely authorized from Scripture to make this Nation the Kingdome of Christ and to set up and enthronize themselves to rule and raign for Christ and in his stead do declare it now their duty to effect all this by force and power * In their Standard set up pag. 10. inviting all the upright in heart to follow and joyn with them in this the work of the Lord * I wish that all Christians besides such as do jump with them were not to be numbred among the Heathen upon whom they would execute vengeane if they had power in their hands to do it To execute vengeance upon he Heathen and punishment upon the people c. and for this take their warrant from Psal 50.5 Psal 94.15 Psalm 149.7 applying these and very many other Scriptures of like import now unto themselves which do properly belong to other times persons and not to be fulfilled until the times of restoration of the Jews and the personal coming of Christ to set up his Kingdome But these mistakes at least as I conceive do arise from their deeming as many others inconsiderately do that the coming of Christ and his Kingdome is to be meerly spiritual by his grace coming and ruling in mens hearts without his personal coming whereas the Scripture plainly sets forth his personal coming in power and great glory visible to all men Act. 1.11 Act. 3 20 21. Matth. 24.30 Luke 21.27 Esa 40.5 after which he will gather together his ancient and elect people the Jews out of all Countreys where they are dispersed Luke 21.28 Matth. 24.31 compared with Esa 11.12 c. after which he will set up his Kingdome Luke 21.30 31. Luke 19.11 12 13. which shall be upon the earth and at the end of this world when he will gather and destroy out of his Kingdome the earth all the wicked and them that work iniquity Matth. 13.39 40 41. Then and not till then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of ther father vers 23. and then Christ will be King over all the earth Zach. 14.9 which will not be until his personal coming on the earth as ver 4 5. do manifest And then will be fulfilled the promise to Abraham and his seed to inherit the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession Gen. 17.8 wherein whilest he lived he did but so journ and dwell as in a strange Countrey with Isaac and Jacob heirs with him of the same promise Heb. 11.8 9. Act. 7.4 5. these all died in faith and expectation of that promise nevertheless to be performed to them afterward Hebr. 11.13 Then will the Kingdomes of this world become the Kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ wherein he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11 15. having the Heathen for his inheritance and the utter parts of the earth for his posession Psal 28. And
that it will swallow it up and cause it to vanish as the light of a candle will do at the presence of the Sun and so far bury it in oblivion that it shall never more be remembred for ever Jer. 23 from 3 to 9. This whole life is the time for the Saints and righteous to suffer in for and in hope of reward and rest in that Kingdome with Christ at his coming 2 Thess 1 4 to 9 but these men would fain be reaping before harvest and before the time of sowing is ended and be reigning in that Kingdome before the blessed Patriarchs and Apostles who yet sleep in the dust and who are to be the prime heirs and inheritours with Christ of that Kingdome Matth 8 11 Luke 22 30 yea and without and before Christ there raigns himself and before that Kingdome or the time of setting it up be come which may not be But the authority assumed and now attempted by these men seems at least to me to be much like to that which is exercised by his Holinesse the Pope as Christs Vice-gerent upon earth over all both persons and causes for which he pretends divine authority and that from Scripture also for from Ps 91.13 which sayes thus Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and Dragon thou shalt trample under feet By pretence of divine authority from this Scripture he most presumptuously tramples under foot all civil Magistracy and sets his feet upon the necks of Emperours Like as I my self once heard Psa 45.16 expounded from a Pulpit in Pauls the Text runs thus Instead of thy Fathers shall thy children be whom thou shalt make Princes thorow all the earth By Fathers said he are meant the Patriarchs and Apostles and by Children are meant the Lords Bishops who are their successors Hence this learned Preacher in further prosecution of this his Text with great confidence asserted the principality of Bishops and their superiority over other Ministers to be of Divine Right And there 's no doubt but these called fifth Monarchy-men may prove their dominion over all others to be of Divine right as well as this Nay who can doubt but that Presbyters Independents Separatists Anabaptists yea and Mahometan Priests also can prove their several authorities to be of divine right as well as either of the former and that from Scripture too and if they can not they are very unworthy such offices of dignity and such places of profit as to be Masters and Heads of Colledges c. and if the Revenues of the best Bishopricks were also added thereto there 's no doubt but that these would easily swallow it up without making any bones thereat the name being onely changed Nay have we not had some who lately riding on hors-back into Bristol received such honour acclamations and attributes as were given to Christ when he rode into Jerusalem and no doubt but all this was done by some divine authority drawn from the Scripture Mat. 21. where the manner of Christs so riding into Jerusalem is recited And why might not the horse have run and bruised the riders foot against a wall by divine authority likewise from that Scripture which recites how that Balaams Asse dealt so by that false prophet Numb 22 25. But I shall at present forbear to trace this divine Goddess and great Idol any further but shall now leave her to the view of all men as she is set forth in Rev. 17. like a Queen sitting upon her Throne most sumptuously arraied in purple and scarlet and gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls having a cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication upon whom the more I look the more I wonder even with greatest admiration when I consider how such a counterfeit painted strumpet as this hath so much so long and so universally beguiled in effect the whole world and intoxicated many such men as are otherwise most exquisite wise and exact in far smaller matters I shall now conclude removing onely a scruple which from this Discourse may arise in some honest hearts to this effect Object Since there is no name given under heaven whereby men can be saved but by the name of Iesus Christ and none can be saved by that name but such as truly believe therein and none can have a sufficient ground for true and Christian faith but by a true Ministry evidencing the truth and divine authority of their doctrine by demonstration of the Spirit and power of God And if the case be so as by this Discourse it seems to be In what condition are all such who never enjoyed such a Ministry is not their case necessarily damnable Answ I say no for although it be granted That none are saved but by Christ yet many millions of thousands may be and are saved and that by Christ who never enjoyed any such Ministry never believed in Christ nor heard of him for what else think we should become of all infants since Adam who died in their infancy whose salvation at least their freedome from condemnation cannot upon any good ground be doubted of for they have suffered death the natural effect of Adams transgression from which at the resurrection they shall be redeemed and discharged by Christ for what or for whose sin can they then be condemned at the day of Judgement since they have committed none themselves and shall have already suffered death for Adams sin and from which they shall then be acquitted by Christ And their salvation as I conceive is as little to be doubted of because that condition or sort of mankinde which Christ himself did put as a president and example for his Disciples to conform themselves to for to become inheritours of the Kingdome of heaven must needs be inheritours of the Kingdome of heaven but such are little children and Christ affirmed that of such is the Kingdom of heaven and who then hath need or reason to doubt thereof The same may be deemed the case of all born Ideots living and dying so And what may be thought of all the Heathen nations people in the world since Adam that have lived to years of discretion can any man reasonably think that God hath left all these quite destitute of all means of salvation and of acceptance with him did God afford them or any of them such an ample excuse at the day of judgement as they might then have upon that account No surely for then all mens mouths will be stopped and no such reasonable and just excuse shall be found in the mouth of any What meaneth Saint Paul when he saith in Act. 17.25 26 27. That God had made of one blood all Nations to dwell on the face of the earth giving to all life breath and all things as rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness chap 14 17 and to what end did God all this but that they might seek him and