of this Deity and of Cursedness in Disunion from it But now let 's descend to Cultus Institutus and Cultus Naturalis an Instituted and a natural Worship Come to the light of nature worshipping this Deity Come to the seven precepts of Noah which some both Jewes and other ancients talk of and then I ask if it be not a downright Doctrine of Free-will in depraved nature No spirituat object seen with a natural eye If it be not to run point-blank against all the Histories of the Nations and all present Experience of mankind in all known parts of the World to attribute so much light to any of the Eldest and Gallantest sons of Nature as to attain a spiritual and saving knowledge of God to attain a love unto God in all their knowledge to attain the mystery of the Father and of the Son God manifested in Flesh by whom Creation and Redemption are wrought to the matter of true worship or to any thing but Splendidum Peccatum without the Revelation of the Word and Spirit of God out of his absolute free and peculiar Grace and Mercy in Christ Jesus Hence I ask The monstrous opinions of the Nations as to Dieties and their worships If from this Corruption of Nature it have not sprung that the wisest Nations Councels Parliaments have run into such monstrous opinions about the Gods and the number of them and so many monstrous and horrible and some ridiculous kindes and waies of worship Thus did the Chaldeans the Egyptians the Persians the Greeks the Romans and all the Generations and Nations of men unto this day It is true It is charged upon the wisest of the Sons of men Rom. 1. They glorified not God as God that they were not thankful that they gave the glory of the Creator to the Creature and that therefore God delivered them up to those moral filthinesses and defilements It is true Two deep dungeons of moral wickedness into which the conscience of some in worshipping have tumbled That because men received not the Truth in the Love of it God delivered them up to strong Delusions to believe lyes And also these Spiritual Judgements have proceeded so far that the poor deluded Generations of men have tumbled down millions of millions one upon the neck of another into these two deep and doleful Dungeons The first Whoredom and Murder Of practising uncleanness and Whoredome practised by some Nations even upon the very account of Religion and Conscience The second Of Cruelty and Murder as of Baals Priests cutting and launcing themselves and of many Priests and Sects afflicting themselves in some Nations with many Torments and above all that of the abominable and most inhumane Sacrificing mankind In which horrid Worship not onely the Mexicans did abound The Sacrificing of mankind out of conscience in their Sacrificing yearly many thousands Infants to their bloody Dieties before the coming of Pizarro amongst them but also Gods owne people of Israel and none of the very Kings of Iudah before repentance fell into this bloody pit of offering up their Children through the fire to Molech I readily acknowledge that in these cases mentioned The Civil Sword must cut off all Incivilities though under Religions pretences masked and covered and in all other cases wherein Civility is wronged in the Bodies or goods of any the Civil Sword is Gods Sword as well as mans for the suppressing of such Practices and Appearances yea and the very Principles of them and for the Incouragement and applause of the contrary Chastity Humanity c. Hence I honour that noble act of the Emperour of Rome who censured that famous Ovid for that wanton Book of his De Arte amandi as a sparke to immodesty and uncleanness and doubtless it is the the duty of the civil sword to cut off the Incivilities of our times as the monstrous haire of women up-the heads of some men c. But yet I ask Whether Paul speak ought in the first of the Romans of any humane Iudge or Iudgement upon the Nations of the World for their meer Idolatries thus most dreadfully plagued already by the most righteous Iudge of the whole World in those strong Delusions and Lyes and deliveries up to so many Lusts and Sins which also run upon the Civil Sword of God and man for their uncivil and unrighteous practices I ask further All seeming incivilities not to be lookt upon with one eye Whether or no some seeming Incivilities which the Light of Nature more fairly may condemn and hale before the Civil Tribunal yet may not be such and so Circumstantiated with Impressions from Heaven that they ought not so suddenly and easily to be condemned and punished but with a more tender and observant Eye be distinguished For not to instance in any disputable Acts which the holy Scripture and experience presents us with what shall be said to that very common and constant practise of Circumcision The practice of Circumcision a seeming Incivility commanded by God himself to the Iewes and now entertained by one of the greatest Empires of the World the Turks may not it be with faire probability argued to be against the light of Nature For Although the Iewes might plead The Institution of this Ordinance was from Heaven and the Lord of Nature That it was done in so solemn and Religîous a way that it was not performed with any lascivious or uncleane observations or gestures but with Horror and Pain and Bloodshedding and great Affliction of the outward man as we see in the Shechemites And lastly That it was attended with heavenly and mystical significations as a Type and Figure Yet not withstanding how was it branded and blackr with the Scorned and Jeers of the Nations insomuch that the very Sabbath the solemn worshipping of God one day in seven in a most religious acknowledgement of his most glorious Creating of this wonderful frame of the World in six was jeered from this very seeming Incivility of Circumcision Recutitaque Sabbata c. the Circumcised Sabbaths c. If Abraham had lived now in England one of the most zealous Nations of the World Abrahams Sacrificing of Isaak a seeming incivility for inflicting torments on others and being tormented for Religion and Conscience what would our rash Zealots have done with Abraham in case he had Sacrificed his son Isaac c. would they have examined the miraculous conception of the Child a s from Heaven and the reason that that most holy and most glorious hand that so miraculously and supernaturally gave him now call'd againe for him by a Voice miraculous from Heaven also would they have observed the Man so Holy and so Faithful his Addresses to the Act to Holy and so free from Passion from Designe c. Or if the Mother of the Lord Jesus had brought forth her Son amongst us So Maries bringing forth of Christ Iesus and it should have been acknowledged without
that yet beloved people And so consequently Whether all those bloody Persecutors Papists and Protestants who have used to draw this shaft out of this Quiver of Scripture whereby to pierce the tender heart of Christ Jesus yea and all that give a power to the Civil Magistrate in Spirituals from this Scripture Have not most ignorantly profaned this Prophecie and that to usurpation over the Temple of God the Consciences of Gods own people and to bloody violence against their Bodies although under a cloak of providing wholesome food for their children and prohibiting poyson c. Secondly I ask Whether there be not two sorts of Nurses literal and mystical Fathers Mothers Nurses distinguished and again of mystical two sorts Civil and Spiritual as also Whether there be not the same distinction of Fathers and Mothers who are distinct from Nurses c. And whether these Kings and Queens in Isa 40. yea and suppose all other lawful Magistrates must needs be understood to be spiritual Nurses such as Paul who was no King c. professeth himself to be being a Messenger of Christ Jesus to the Thessalonians and spiritual fathers and mothers such as he profess'd he was to the Corinthians and Galatians Or Whether here is not prophesied and promised to this People or rather whether is there not here prophesied and promised to these Saints whether literal or spiritual Iews that Kings and Queens shall put off their Lion-like and Lion ss-like nature towards Gods people and shall be as the Poets used to write good Kings ought to be shepherds of the people c. If this be not the true meaning I aske why is it said Wonderful honour that Kings and Queens shall yeeld to the Sain's verse 23 That these Kings and Queens shall bow down to these Iewes with their Face toward the Earth and like the dust of their feet which posture and practice seems not to imply a disrobing themselves of their civil Dignities and Authorities for that is it by which they shew such kindness to the Saints but rather their high esteem unto these Saints in heavenly and soul matters and that in spiritual respects they are so far from challenging to be Fathers and Iudges of what is wholesome food and poyson that they bow downe and kisse the feet of Christ Iesus in his Saints far more superiour in spirituals then themselves Thirdly Kings and Queens and all Magistrates essentially Civil and as a Master of a Ship c. I aske whether the Office of Kings and Queens c. be not in the ship of all Commonweals in the world meerly and essentially Civil just as the Office of a Captain or Master of a Ship at Sea who ought of all his Passengers to be honoured and respected paid and rewarded for his service But as to the Consciences of the Passengers whether Jews Turks Persians Pagans Papists Protestants c. whom he transports from Port to Port upon a civil account of payment and recompence I ask whether he go not beyond the Sphere of his Activity if he act by any authoritative restraining them from their own Worship or constraining them to his And whether he have any more to do but a shewing kindness and countenance according to the quality and temper of his owne Beliefe and Conscience Fourthly I ask Idolatrous and Popish Magistrates as lawful as c. Whether all Magistrates in the world of what quality and conscience soever be not as true and lawful Magistrates as he that is most truly Godly and Christian like as Idolatrous and Pagan Fathers Husbands Masters are as truly such in their Relations c Whether doth not the holy Testament of Christ Iesus acknowledge this the Lord Iesus both by his word and practice commanding obedience honour maintenance for their Civil relations and work sake Fifthly Whether Kings and Queens The People of each Nation the fountain of the Government of it and other Princes receive not all their Power and Anthority from the several and respective Peoples who call them and impower them to their several and respective Services Accordingly Whether it have not been declared by the Parliament that the fountain and original of all Authority and Rule is the People consenting and agreeing in their several Combinations by themselves or their Deputies for their better subsistence in Peace c. Power of judging in Spirituals detected to be but usurpation in Kings and Queens c. And consequently Whether have the Nations and People of the world in their meer natural and national capacities any one jot of Spiritual and Divine power with which to betrust their Magistrates and Officers And if upon due weighing in the Balance of the Sanctuary it be found that they have not Is not this chalenging of Spiritual power to judge and determine what is soul-food and soul-peyson I mean in a coercive way binding all souls and the very souls of them that sent them and who neither did nor could commit such Power unto them Is not this I say a soul-rape and tyranny and a meer policy of Satan deceiving too often honest and zealous mindes but most commonly acting the subtil Ieroboams and Nebuchadnezzars of the world to erect their State-Calves and Images c. Sixthly Admit some Kings Queens thus to have been impower'd by God in some juncture of time either for the Jews sake Few Magistrates in the world savingly know Christ Jesus or any of his people upon some especial and extraordinary account yet I ask What is this to all Kings and Queens and Magistrates in the world that it should be their charge duty and calling imposed upon them from Heaven when the counsel of God is revealed that as his flock is a little flock and that he appointed spiritual Pastors and Shepherds for the feeding of them so his holy purpose was to call few wise few noble few mighty to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus Seventhly If the counsel of Christ Jesus had been otherwise and that he had committed as is pleaded the judging of soul-food and poyson to the Kings and Queens Christ Jesus rarely sends godly Kings Queens c. c. since he wanted not power for all power in heaven and earth was his nor love and faithfulness for he laid down his life and poured out his heare-blood for his I ask Why in the first three hundred yeers under the Romane Emperours nor in the second and third three hundred under Emperours and Popes nor ever since he hath not been pleased to furnish the world with such Shepherds but rather permitted Wolves and Lions c. notwithstanding that he is pleased sometimes after long and sharp persecutions to stir up some blessed instruments as Rocks and Trees Fathers Mothers Nurses to refresh and shade and comfort and countenance his servants Eighthly When it hath pleased him graciously to call and change by his Word and Spirit any of the Wise and Noble and Mighty of the
command of God to his people in Babel Ier. 29. That so the Saints injoying civil peace and also if it may be the holy pleasure of God injoying rest from persecution Act. 9. might multiply walking in the fear of God and Christian Edification whatever the Religions fo the States or the magistrates there should be though Babylonian Roman c. fourthy I ask Whether the blessed Spirit of Life and Regeneration which is in all Gods people be not abundantly sufficient to preserve them in Godliness and true Christianity to preserve them from falling and to reform and restore them from all their Backslidings and declensions I add to preserve them 1 Iohn 3. Rom 6. â— Iohn 5. that sin have no dominion over them that they sin not and watch against the touching of Satan to preserve them in the use of the Word and prayer and all such paths and meanes which in Faith they are perswaded of to be the commands of Christ iesus The most holy and most powerful and eternal indwelling of Gods most holy Spirit in all Gods Children All this and more the holy Spirit of God works in Gods Children although there should not be a Magistrate in the World yea although all the World and the whole World oppose them yea although there were no Heaven nor Hell no Resurrection no Iudgement nor World to come wherein they should be rewarded or punished glorifyed or tormented yea although they should want all Spiritual helps and Teachers which respectively are necessary for they have received an Anointing which teacheth them and abident with them and will abide with them for ever Fifthly I ask Whether in the present state and juncture of affaires in England The divisions of the Clergie now like that of the Friers in Chaucers tiem wherein as Chaucer observes of the four great differing Orders of Friers in his time every Sect every Order and conscience pleads the integrity and purity of their way and the People of God themselves are so divided and differently perswaded as of late in the Scotch wars to blood and dreadfull slaughters I say I ask Whether we may pray without prophaning of the holy Name of God and the guilt of the breach of the civil Peace of the Nation that God would send such Magistrates who should authoritatively judge whose Conscience whose Worship whose Godliness is true What prayers ought to be put up for Magistrates and accordingly maintain that Godliness defend that Faith advance the Worship and service of God c. As also prohibite by his carnal Sword all other Consciences Worships and Godliness as Schismatical heretical Seditious Blasphemous c. How much rather ought we to pray that it may pleasethe most holy and only wise Goe to vouchsafe such a Spirit of Godliness and Wisdomie to the Rulers of this Commonweal that the civil Rights may be preserved and Civilities may flourish in Righteousness and Mercy even in the midst of so much spiritual Division and Opposition which are and must be greater and greater in all Nations of the World when once the Chains and Yoaks of implicite Faith Soul Yoaks believe as the Church believes Decrees and Precepts of Men Tradition of Elders Customes Antiquity c. re torn off and broke from the souls and necks of the People and Inhabitants hereof The sum of the sixth Question Whether Abraban and Jacob Quest 6 and others before the law were not Magistrates in their Families and commanded and reformed their Families in matters of Religion or were meetly fello-Servants with their Servants as the Examiner saith First I ask Whether the Questionist hath dealt fairly with the Examiner Answ in bringing him in s0 odiously to say that Abrahams and Jacobs Housholds might command them as well as Abraham and Jacob might command their Houshoulds And Whether or no did the Examiner once mention Abraham and Iacob It is true he maintaineth and with express words and clear light of holy Scripture well may that in Religious matters the Magistrate and Subject are fellow-Servants but gave he any colour or appearance of Countenance to Servants to be inobsequious to their Masters Children to their Parents Wives to their Husbands people to Magistrates in all their civil spheres and respects I ask further The dispensations of the Fathers and magistrates of Cods Israel figurative and typical Is the consequence fairly gathered that because Abraham I saack and Iacob and those Fathers of Families and Elder Brothers those Saviours Judges Governours and Kings of the Israel and people of God in those sigurative times and typical administrations commanded and punished even with a material and carnal sword in spiritual matters therefore every Master of a Family Husband Father Elder brother Judge governour King Magistrate hath the same Authority in spiritual matters now And that therefore according to Numb 30. an Husbands or Father may now disannul and over-rule the meerly Religious Vowes and Devotions of their Wives and Daughters Or rather since the Lord Jesus the substance of those shadowes is come Whether ti be not one express end of his coming Great diviscons in matters of Conscience necessary c. to set a man at variance which his Father Mat. 10. in a family of five persons to set two against three and three against two that is in the matter of Religion and Canscience And I ask Whether the wife notwithstanding in civil converse she submit with all wife-like submission and affection yet as to Religion ought she not to judge of her Husbands Beliefe or Unbelief in God and may she not joyn with him or separate from him labouring to be a Saviour to him How knowest thou O Wife but that thou mayest save thy Husband c. And so consequently the servant to his Master the Child to his Parent the subject and souldier to the highest Magistrate and Commander For Gal. 3. there is neither Iew nor Greek there is neibond nor free there is neither male nor female for yea are all one in Christ Iesus Secondly I ask Whether it be not the designe of God for the manifestation of his owne most glorious Brightness to cary on the Mystery and Glory of Christianity in the meanest and lowest of Earthen Vessels according to that of Iames 2. Hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith Gods designe of chusing men of low deeree not many wise noble nor mighty and Heires of the Kingdom Hence in a most stupendious condescension God manifesteth himself in Flesh and that Flesh must be taken from a poor Carpenters wife and she delivered of her blessed fruit in a stable amongst Beasts And however he command thousand thousands of those most blessed Invisible Spirots the Angels yet for his visible attendants and Embassadours to the World were they not ordinarily of a low Ranck and condition even those two Pillars whose names have so sounded in all parts especially at Rome and London Peter the Fishcrman
and Paul the Tent-maker Further I ask Whether that Rule be not constant in the Christian Profession Not many Wise not many Noble not many Mighty And therefore Whether it be not against the purpose and designe of God and aaginst his declared will and course that his Servants should expect many Christian great or noble persons many Christian wife or learned men many Christian mighty men either for wealth or valour many Christian magistrates c. Hence though we finde the Saints in Caesars houshold Phil. 4. yet I ask How many Caesars Masters of those houshoulds do we finde believing in lesus for three hundred years together and therefore shether the poorest Saint in the Houshold or Court of these Caesars were not higher in Spiritual and Christian respects then those Emper ours of the World themselves Thirdly A true Christian who What is it that makes a Christian but the Spirit of Christ in a person manifested in the profession of his Name before the World Mat. 16. Rom 10. And if so I ask Whether that more of the Grace and knowledge of Christ render not persons more and more eminent and glorious in Christianity And consequently Whether the poorest Subject or Servant participating of more of the Grace and spirit of Christ be not invested with more of the Authority and Power of Christ Iesus What Christions the highnest in his affaires and Kingdome then the highest Magrstrates or Superiours that are not so indowed According to that Honour of all his Saints who especially bind Kings in chains c. And that charge from Heaven Iames 2.1 My Brethren have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus with respect of persons a Scripture that being read out in the following words seems at first blush to intrench upon civility and good manners except it be granted this in Christianity the greatest respect is not given to greatness of Place Birth Wealth Autherity Braverie c. but to the greatness of Humility and Grace of Christ according to that of the Lord Iesus Match 18. Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven We read of two mighty Princes professing the name of Christ meeting together in England Charles the Fifthe Emperour of Germany Two mighty Princes pretending to glorious Hights in Christianity and Henry the Eighth of England Their names then soar'd so high for Christianity that they were both in Letters of Gold set upon the very Gates of Guildhal in London Carolus Defensor Ecclesiae Henricus Fidei yet when Luther or the poorest follower of the truth of Christ iesus witnessed by Luther were condemned and persecuted by that Charles the Fifth the great defender of the Church I ask Who had the greatest Authority in Christs affaires the great Emperous Charles or the poorest true Christian Yet the poorest witness of any truth of Christ Jesus above them And when that glorious pretended Defendour of the Faith Henry the Eighth with all his Nobles and Bishops sat in person with so much Glory and Majesty Terrour and Authority in that famous Disputation and Condemnation of that faithful witness of Christ Iesus Iohn Lambert I ask where was in truth the true Autority and power of Christ Iesus Whether in the stately assembly of Kings Nobles and Bishops or in the two-edged Sword of the Word and Spirit of God in the mouth of that one single and yet most faithful witness of Christ Iesus Nay further I ask The Authority of reproving in the name of Christ If that rule of Christ Iesus Luk. 17. be not yet in force If thy Brother sin against thee reprove him if he repent for give him Consequently Whether a Magistrate eminent in the grace and knowledge of Christ yet if a Brother in Christ be not to be reproved for sIn by his lowest Groom or handmaid and that by way of Authority in hte Name of Christ Jesus Yea and I add Whether have not such inferiour persOns Authority from Christ upon Repentance to grant a true pardon to such a magistrates penitent Soul then all the Popes and Priests in the World can affoard him And in case of final obstinacy contradicting and blaspheming I ask Whether such a poor Believer in Christ Jesus hath not a power and priviledge to separate from such a Magistrate in spiritual respects and refuse to touch Spiritually sUch a Spiritually unclean person The sum of the seventh Question Whether Artaxerxes and the K. of Nineveh Quest 7 did well in making their decrees c. I ask Answ Whether these two Kings and the Instances be not ill coupled for the one Artaxerxes Ezra 7. gave free liberty of conscience to the Iewes Artaxerxes his decree examined whereas the King of Nineveh forced all his people to a positive Act of Fasting But more particularly as to Artaxerxes 1. Was not an Idolatrous King A Terror of God sometimes causeth dilaters to favour Gods people a stranger from the God of Israel one that held the people of God in slavery one that had no true love to the God of Israel nor his people but onely out of a fear of the wrath of the God of Israel she wed favour to his people granted them free liberty of their conscience to go up to Ierusalem to worship 2. He bountifully incouraged and assisted them 3. He furnished them with a Decree suiting to their National Estate and mixt condition of Church and Comonweal But Secondly I ask Did this Artaxerxes compel any of these Iewes to his owne Religion which he believed to be the onely true the Religion of the Persians Or did he compel the Persians to the worship of the God of Israel Or did he compel the Iewes themselves or any one man of them to go up to the worship of their owne God at ierusalem but verse 13. Let all which are minded of their owne free will go up c. Therefore Thirdly I ask Artaxerxes his edict freely made for soul freedom What Conclusion can be gathered from thence but that it sometime pleaseth God to affect the hearts of Idolatrous Kings with kindness to his people and forceth them to permit his people the liberty of their consciences yea and that with Countenance Incouragements and Authority for which mercy although the Nations where they live and the Princes thereof partake not of such mercies themselves yet ought Gods people to praise God as Ezra doth Fourthly I ask Whether this Instance of Artaxerxes do not absolutely condemn the forcing of all the people and consciences in a Nation to one way of worship whether Popish or Protestant or to any particular sect or way of either of them And Whether it do not absolutely make for Soul-Freedom in spiritual matters in that these very Iewes were not forced to their own Ierusalem but as every one was freely willing c. Secondly As to the proclamation of the King of Nineveh First I ask Whether all
Spirit which a Follower of Christ Jesus pretends to in setting the words which bear a better sence yea and the Heart of the Examiner upon the Rack by infinuating little less then that he hath set himself to contradict and fight against God himself and his most holy Spirit in Paul his Servant and Penman Whereas a more sober and Dove-like Christian Eye will read no more but a faithful and Christian plea for moderate and Christian thoughts to all the Nations and Generations of the World who although by the hightned power of Reason they may possibly attaine to as above hath been discoursed by the light of Nature many Convictions and Confessions of a Godhead The Natural estute of all and the very best of mankind Yet is it not so facile and easie for them having so many thousand clogs and chaines of barbarous Ignorance and Education and Lusts hanging on them to soare so high with the wings of meer Natural corrupted Reason as to to finde the true God and the true Way of glorifying God acceptably in Christ Iesus Yea I ask Whether this is possible to be attained unto as abovesaid But rather that this place of Paul Rom. 1. implies that the wisest and most industrious of the Sons of Men will be found guilty of gross Negligence and undervaluing of God and of being inslaved by many corrupt Lusts Examples Customes Fear of men Tradition of Fathers and of not improving that Power of Reason and understanding in themselves so far and so high as they ought and might also do Secondly I ask If it be easie for the Nations of the World to escape and miss these Rocks of Idolatry All the Nations of the World wandring in Idolatry and superstition Superstition Will-worship c. how comes it to pass that all the Generations of mankinde from the first Creation and Fall of Man to this day the Phoenicians the Chaldeans the Egyptians the Persians the Grecians the Romans and the many millions of millions of wise and understanding men not onely the Pagans but the Turks the Iewes the Papists and carnal Protestant should so stupendiously and constantly wander from the glorifying of God as God but by invented Images and Representations of Superstition Will-worship darken his Glory c. Thirdly If it be so easie to escape Idolatry Superstition Will-worship c. How is it that the holy Spirit record how easily how wonderfully Gods owne people and choicest Servants hardly kept from Superstition and Will-worship c. and fearfully Gods owne people Aaron the Leader and all Israel with him slipt into the Idolatry of the Golden Calf yea and afterwards the whole ten Tribes of twelve Gods owne people apostate to the Calves againe of Jeroboam How is it that not onely the Godly Kings of Iudah neglected the demolishing of the high places and the reforming of what was notoriously Superstitious and that not onely Solomon built houses for the gods of his Wives but even David and thirty thousand of Israel with him brings up the Arke of God the signe of Gods presence with wonderfull Solemnities shootings and rejoycings until they met with Perez-Uzzah the Breach of Uzzah the signal of Gods displeasure How is it that not onely many shall seek to enter and shall not be able Christ Iesus not easily found of not onely pretenders but Cordial Intenders and Israel obtained not that which they sought for as it is written Rom. 2. But even the tender Love and Dove and undefiled of Christ Iesus Cant. 5. rising up to open to her Beloved she findes him agrieved at her unkindness and gone she sought him but she found him not she called him but he gave no answer Fourthly The divisions of Reuben yea even of Iudah How is it that not onely God sendeth Antichristians strong Delusions which so hold their Understanding Conscience Iudgement and Affections that they really belive Lyes notorious and great Lyes but even at this Day among our selves the Consciences of Gods children and people in whom the blessed fear and love of God hath shined how are they I say divided each from other not onely Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Iudah but even Iudah against Iudah Insomuch that Gods people at this day have not onely occasioned that reproachfull terme of Sectaries because of their separation from the National Churches gathering themselves into separate Congregations but even from their Sects and Divisions among themselves And I ask whether this shall not be and must continue until the blessed time of one Heart and one Spirit and one Lip which God will vouchsafe to all his people Fifthly Since every Way Manner or Form of Worship of Church of Ministery of Prayer of Baptisme c. that onely excepted which the Lord Iesus appointed is an Invention an Image a molten or carved Image And consequently Gods people full of Images how much more the Nations the many strange waies and kindes and formes of Protestant Churches National Provincial Diocesan Parochial Presbyterian Independent Separated Half-separated Baptized one way a second a third way as to their various Formes and Constitutions are but Images and Pictures and none but one of them if any of them be yet according to the first pattern And since Gods own people have had a great share and hand in such framings c. both in England Scotland France Low-Countries c. I ask If it be not much more easie for the poor Nations of the World who sit in darkness as of old to erect Images of Gold and Silver Wood Stone c. and of late Waies and Manners of Worship though more subtle and mysterious yet as real Images as those of the grossest Composition Lastly I ask If there be not a deep and heaven-designe Gods designe to suffer the Nations and his own people to wander and feel the want of his holy Spirit in the use of all means of the most holy and onely wise God thus to suffer the world and his people also to divide and scatter and dissipate themselves Thus to cause the holy Scriptures amongst both Papists and Protestants the pretended Rule of Life and Light unto all their waies and Consciences to be so Pen'd so Written so translated that as it was said of Iesus Christ he was given for a stumbling Block and Rock of offence as well as for a Rock and Foundation to his people So may it not also be said of the holy Scripture and the texts and writings thereof from whence so many and so wonderfully different perswasions and Consciences are risen In particular I ask If it have not been wonderfully easie from the seeming light of Nature and Scripture too to slide into the many wandrings and Labyrinths of consciences now extant which though but Threds and Strawes yet do hold the conscience as with Chaines of Adamant until the holy and blessed Spirit of God discover and dissolve c. If there be any
whether to offer to this work one peny or not as appeares both by the Decrees of Cyrus in the first Chapter of Darius in the sixth and of Artaxerxes in the seventh Secondly he decreed bountitiful Assistance out of his owne Treasury toward the building of the Temple the Sacrifices c. Thirdly a Decree against any that should oppose or hinder the building of this House and therefore accordingly whosoever would not do the Law of God and of the King judgement must be executed speedily c. And chap. 6.11 whosoever should alter Darius his decree Timber should be pull'd downe from his house and being set up he must be hanged thereon and his house made a dunghil If any shall say The command of God and the King here mentioned was a command and Law in Spirituals c. I ask What Law was the Law of Artaxerxes the King The Law of Artaxerxes was an absolute Law of Toleration of the Iews Conscience vastly differing from and opposite to his was it of commanding the Iewes to his Worship and Conscience in an Uniformity of Worship to the Nation wherein they were captive Yea was it a commanding of the Iewes to their owne Religion or onely on his part a Law of Toleration and Freedome to practise their owne Religion Conscience and Worship and that with favourable Incouragement from himself For as before if the force were removed although Artaxerxes should have given them no Countenance nor Incouragement Yet I ask whether as Iewes Gods people and subjects they ought not of themselves to have departed from Babylor and from all parts of the World and to have ascended to Ierusalem as the Iews literally dream to their holy City and there have built the Temple and presented their Sacrifices c. Further The literal and Spiritual Iew. I ask As Artaxerxes made not one Law either how or when the Iewes should pray or fast c. but left them free to their owne Conscience to go up or not to go up to Ierusalem so when these Kings did makes Lawes in Spirituals as concerning prayer whether Daniel did not well in refusing to cease praying or by shutting of his window to give appearance of obedience though to the extream ruine of life c. And consequently Whether as the Iewes refused to be subject to any Judicature but Gods alone revealed by Moses So whether Christian Israel and Iews ought to acknowledge any Tribunal but Gods Thirdly I ask Whether the plain English of not tolerating the Idolater and Heretick hath not been in all Ages since Christ Iesus the not tolerating indeed of Christ Iesus God manifested in flesh and both in his owne Person and in his Followers the hunting or persecuting of him out of the world Was there ever any of the Prophets esteemed so great an Heretick from the Iewish Religion Christ Iesus accounted and hanged as the greatest Blasphemer and Heretick that was as Christ Iesus was was there ever such a Blasphemer of God as the High Priest esteemed him as the blessed Son of God God himself Christ Iesus And doth not the many Books of Martyrs in our owne and other Languages set forth that under this Hood and Vizard the Devil hath cast the Saints into Prison Rev. 2. He hath watched to devour the Man-child Rev. 12. and hunted the Woman the Spouse of Christ Jesus and her seed And the great Whore pretending that she drinks the blood of Hereticks c. hath been drunk with the blood of the Saints and Witnesses of Iesus Rev. 17. Hence will not Reason suspect a Murtherous snare in the Law pretended against Thieves Robbers True grounds of suspition in Spirituals Whores c. and yet most commonly falling upon none but honest and faithful chast and modest Persons Are not these Engines worthily to be questioned which pretending to take none but Birds of prey and Wolves c. and yet ordinarily catch nothing but harmeless Doves the Sheep and Lambs c. If it be said Idolatry Heresie c. are the chiefest Enemies in Religion c. I ask First If those very famous Religions which have pretended themselves the truest in the World have not been found the greatest Idols c. Secondly Christ Iesus his Spiritual provision against Spiritual Adversaries Grant them to be the greatest Enemies yet since Enemies are of two sorts Spiritual and Corporal I ask Whether as Corporal weapon are proper against Corporal so whether Spiritual weapons are not only proper against meerly Spiritual Adversaries Thirdly Could Christ Iesus so forget himselfe as not to take sufficient order for Spiritual weapons against all his Spiritual enemies In a Battel or Fight by Sea or Land how apt are men to charge Generals and Commanders if Ammunition be wanting c. Yea in that case how justly may men complain as in 88 that Powder was said to be wanting in our own Ships at our owne doores And shall iâ— be imagined that the Last Will and Testament of the Son of God his whole Life his 40 daies after his Resurrection and those Gifts which upon his Triumph in Heaven he sent upon men should leave his Army his Family his Kingdome his Wife unprovided c. so that in the very day of the Battel they must be forced to the Forge of the Philistims to borrow Swords Halberts Guns Pikes Prisons Halters against Idolaters Hereticks c. Fourthly I may end and ask in the Proposers owne words whether he be not neer a Curse that would change the two-edged Sword of Gods Spirit the word of God for a Sword of steel in the hand of Civil Officers and the Arme of the eternal Spirit of God for an arme of Flesh c. And if blessed are Christs peace-makers Christs Cursings and Blessings and Christs persecuted Matth. 5. how neer to a curse doth he come that brings not Buckets to quench but Bellowes to kindle the Fire of Gods Jealousie against State Inventions the Fires of persecutions and hunting of Christs Saints the Fires of devouring Wars amongst the Nations for their respective Religions and Consciences How neer to a curse doth he come who under a Cloak of Christian Magistrate True Religion Zeal against Idolaters Hereticks c. shall conceal a Dagger which yet I hope this Proposer knowingly doth not stabbing at the heart of God his Christ his Spirit his Saints his pure Worship yea and at the Heart of all Civil peace and Civil Magistracie and Civility it self throughout the whole World And therefore lastly I ask Whether these two Examining Worthies shall not be wrapt up in the everlasting Armes of Blessedness it self while they improve their Talents uprightly and impartially in the further Examination of this Fire of Zeal in question Yea and whether not onely these two honourable Senatours but the most renowned Senate of the world the Parliament it self shall not be truly crowned with the Lawrells of true Nobility as the Bereans were while they Candidly and Impartially Examine whether these things are so or no FINIS