Claudius whom Caius Caligula succeeded who was Nero the first chief persecutor of the Christians the successor of Tiberius to the dayes of Constantine and so onwards as the same spirit ruled in the Emperors who made their Laws like themselves and shewed the inward portraicture of their bloody brests by inflicting most inhumane sufferings of which what I have further to say gives a more particular account Read your Authors saith Tertullian Tertul. in Apolog. cap 5. his account thereof and of him in his Apology for the Christians to the Gentiles there you shall find Nero chiefly to have persecuted this Doctrine which was that of the Christians at Rome where the whole East was now subdued he became cruel unto all men We boast and brag saith he of such a famous persecutor for they which knew him may easily perceive that this our Doctrine had never been condemned by Nero had it not been passing good So the setting up of Religion by man the requiring of man to observe the Religion that was set up by man was that which at first gave the occasion or was the ground of the first and the fiercest persecutions And of Persecution the ground of it for as Tertullian hath fully and well said as aforesaid unless that God please man he is not made God A strange presumption that poor man whose breath is in his Nostrils and is not sure that once more he shall breath should be so bewitched with the inchantments of the wicked One and so deluded as to take upon him to prescribe unto God and in effect to say unto him who made him Thou shalt not be or have any The sence of Persecution in effect of God and what of him it saith according to Tertullian Worship but as I will and shall please to afford thee Indeed he might well assume and say as upon the former account as aforesaid Man must be gracious and favourable unto God A strange inversion yet it is that which all that which by the force or power of man would prescribe how God shall be worshipped doth affirm and speak viz. If thou please me or if it so like me thou shalt be so and after this manner worshipped otherwise expect not any Worship in the World pray thou unto me that I may be gracious and favourable to thee for unless thou please me thou shalt not be God thou shalt not be worshipped It were well if mens eyes were open to see these things and how their And what the seeking to enforce Religion signifies as to that or speaks setting up of Worship of Religion something that is of their own mind and framing which is not from the Spirit the Principle the measure of God in them is the same with what hath been rehearsed for if he be a God knows not he how to direct his Worship If he hath made the World and Man and required Man to worship him and to do what is pleasing in his sight knows not he how to direct man in what manner to worship him Or hath he left man so without something of himself to guide and instruct him that man must needs take upon him to advise and instruct yea to inforce as to the Worship of God Gird up now thy loyns like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me said the Lord to Job cap. 40. vers 7. who answered I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye doth see thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 41. 5 6. These things would be ridiculous to affirm yet the things speak it and every dayes experience manifests it how vain man would be wise who is born as the wild Asses Colt who Job 11. 12. would teach his Maker and instruct the holy One of Isâ—ael and instead of abiding at his Feet to intreat his Grace and Favour seems to seek to bring his Maker to his feet to intreat his grace and favour how and that he may be worshipped Well these things cost them hard who ran this course through And the consequence thereof as to punishment throughout all Generations as a warning to this all Generations and this will cost them hard who run the same course now the Lord will be known by the Judgements that he will execute And as Heathens and those who bear the Name of Christians but are otherwise in Nature do the same thing who enjoyn Worship and require men to conform unto their Decrees therein for the spirit in both is the same so will they partake of the same punishment Judah and Edom and the Children of Moab and Ammon all that are in the utmost Corners that dwell in the Wilderness For all these Nations are uncircumcised and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Jer. 9. 26. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will punish all them that are circumcised with the uncircumcised vers 25. So all Kings and Princes Lords and Potentates of the Earth had need to look about them and consider how they meddle with his Dominion who lives for ever in the Conscience as to his Worship How they say in effect Unless he please them he shall not be made God and so by their Decrees speak that they must be gracious and favourable to God as the Heathens did of old lest he dash them to pieces Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way if his anger be kindled yea but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal 2. 12. Thus stood the case of the Heathen Emperors as to God by the And the reason thereof judgment of Tertullian whose judgment is true and this proves the consequence when as by virtue of their Power and Jurisdiction they took upon them to meddle with his Dominion in the Conscience as they went over and murthered all sence of God or as the sence of God and his Majesty and dread was murdered in their hearts so they murdered those who retaining a sence of the dread and Majesty of God in their hearts could not bow down unto and worship their Godds their National Worship which required all men to fall down and worship it The truth of it is they required God to fall down and worship and because that which was of him in men hindred many from so doing therefore they laid at God what they could but missing him whom they could not reach they killed the Creature in which he was which that of him which was in them kept them from doing and bore them through all that which the rage of man executed upon them because of God And thus stands it with all those who tread the same steps the spirit is the same and the way is the same and the work is the same and the same will be the end of those that tread therein Nero was the first of all the Emperors
the Body selling for Bond-men and Bond-women Banishment upon pain of Death and Death it self after the most exquisite and various manners that can be thought of as Ages and Generations have proved of which I am by and by to speak and give witness And the reason hath bin because being gone from that of God in them by and in which they should vvorship him and every one in their ovvn particulars vvhich is near vvhose Injunction as it is in Spirit so is the Worship and the Punishment of not so vvorshiping they are in nothing but vvhat is outvvard themselves and knovv no more of God than vvhat themselves think which being indeed nothing at all that is so far and as they are gone from that or worship or compel thereunto otherwise than that their Worship is like their Godd which is as themselves These things thou hast done and I kept silence Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such â— one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50. 21 22. and being as themselves their punishment is as themselves which is outward corporeal as man is not in the Spirit So every one that makes a Worship makes a Godd and every one that worships not God in Spirit and in Truth makes a Worship and confounded be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols worship him all ye Godds Psal 97. 7. And the Enemy is in all this who as I have said being far from God himself endeavours to put man as far as himself he removes him from having respect to and minding that of God in him to look afar off well knowing that if he can but once do that he shall never know God and then he can easily perswade man to be as God and to give Laws how he indeed as God may be worshipped and to torture and torment the Bodies of those who worship God as he will be worshipped or who cannot worship God as man would have him worshipped For he that would drive a man from the Measure of God in himself to worship God as he pleaseth drives a man from God and instead of God sets himself up to be worshipped and himself being set up or he having set up himself to be worshipped he takes revenge and punishes those who will not worship what himself sets up and so falls into the predicament of Nebuchadnezzar and of all those who because of Worships not conforming to their Laws of Worship have caused men to suffer as the Histories now to be made mention of give instance And here lest I should seem too prolix and fill a Volumn with that which a lesser space may serve to give evidence to what I have in hand I shall principally confine my self to what Eusebius Pamphilius Socrates Scholasticus and Evarius Scholasticus in their Ecclesiastical History have set down and touched at for near the first six hundred years after the death of him who is Lord and King and lives for ever And here I shall be as short as well I may that in a thing of this consequence I may convince what I have here asserted to this and the Ages that shall succeed to the end that as the wise man said it may appear that as to God and his Worship and Worshippers and what they have received who have worshipped him in Spirit and in Truth from them who have held up the Ecles 1. 9. Form without and not knowing and not from the Power of God there is no new thing under the Sun but as they did of old so in this day the same they receive from such as are in the Form who know and are in the Power of God and how that which hath held up the Form and hath prescribed Laws and Constitutions Creeds and Governments by which God should be worshipped have stained the Earth with blood and with the most horrible torments and sufferings most exquisite have wrung out of every Age this confession That destruction and violence is in their Paths and the way of Peace they have not known And this one thing hath proved that man was in all this or rather the Devil in man who having set up himself as God destroyes as he can all those who will not fall down and worship him which is not the Religion of God the Wisdom which is from Above which is first pure then peaceable Jam. 3. 17. gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie nor the Worship of him who saith He came not to Luke 9. 3â— destroy mens lives but to save them And here I shall take upon me no affected Stile nor strain any thing beyond what they speak in themselves but as the Spirit of the Lord of whom I am moved this to undertake shall lead and give me to whom be the glory of his own working who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Eusebius in his first Book of Ecclesiastical History Chapter the first Eus lib. 1. c. 1. taking upon him to speak of the Divinity and Humanity of Christ the Lord and treating of the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Name of Christ which the Heathen in that day thought a very Novelism who worshipped Images and Idols such things which they made to themselves who sacrificed to Devils not to God as it was said of Jeroboam He ordained him Priests for the high Places for the Devils and 2 Chron. 11. 15. Deut. 32. 17. for the Calves which he had made And by Moses They sacrificed unto Devils not to God to Godds whom they knew not to new Godds who came newly up whom your Fathers knew not and which he forbad to Israel when he said They shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils after whom they are gone a whoring This shall be a Statute unto them said the Lord by Levit. 1. 17. 7. Moses throughout their Generations I say he speaking of the Divinity and the Humanity of Christ and treating of the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Name of Christ which the Heathen in that day counted a Novelism brings him in thus This Light saith he going before the World and all the Worlds the Intellectual and Essential Wisdom and the living Word of God being in the beginning with the Father who but the Father alone hath rightly known Implying that they took upon them that which they did not understand who did undertake to speak of him and his descent and beginning of dayes who is from everlasting also of his Religion and the Age and Antiquity thereof who knew him not much less his Religion This was the ground of all the most cruel and Heathenish persecutions of the Christians and of the then called Christians one of another of which he and the aforementioned treat they knew not
wrote in that day the reason of the wrong Judgment of the youngness of Truth then is the same of the same censure of it now the ground hath been declared and the bottom which I thought convenient to take notice of in the entrance of what I have to say as he did in the beginning of what he spake the same being then as it is now and the answer the same with that upon which he grounded that which he said as aforesaid which I have inserted in order as his History began of which he layes this as the ground and bottom and which I quote that such men may see that that which they lay as the ground of their own Principles is no other but the same on which we are grounded who pretend to the Truth and that so they may not be offended with their own Principle when they come to see it in the hand of another or others professing and coming to that which themselves pretend to yet come not at but run on those that both come to and pretend it as is the case of the People called Quakers at this day who are run upon as bringing up some strange and uncouth Doctrine which is no other then what was in the beginning the ground of which was before the World and which when they will lay a bottom for their own work they must come to or no bottom they can lay also that the Controversies may cease and that in this particular it may appear we are not diverse from Christ nor his Apostles nor the holy men of God nor the Principle on which they pretend to build their own Profession which they not holding to come to persecute those who hold it as it was in the beginning The Son of the Bondwoman the Son of the Freewoman for as the Gal. 4 29. Scripture saith as it was then so it is now Also that in this work I may proceed methodically and as it ought taking away all ground of Objections and representing every thing as it is And so I come to that for which I chiefly quoted these Authors and shall in order go as I find the History which by that time I have finished I hope no reasonable or sober man when he hath read and considered all in the Spirit of Truth will have cause to say that either the things are needless or that he mis-spent his time in taking notice of what lies here now to be spoken to or discoursed of This then concerning National Worships and the sufferers by or because The ground of National Worship and the sufferings by them of the not complying with them and how it came that there were such Worships after the decease of the Apostles and so how they came in and on what steps they have stood and do stand at this day that is to say the sufferings by reason of them as I have shewed their Original as to the Jews on the foot of which no National Worship can have Warranty or Ground though upon that foot they have seemed to place their Ground and Warranty as hath been declared National Worship how it came in and what it was as to the Jews and how and when it had its end I have already manifested Spirit and Truth the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus the newness of the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth after his Resurrection Ascension put it out that which was in the letter in the outward Administration in Carnal Rites Ordinances and Commandments which were in the Jew the shadows of good things to come but not the very things themselves came to have an end when this promise was fulfilled So the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ testified of which the Scriptures bear Record and for this they suffered â—â—â—m the Jew that stood in the outward Commandment Worship and â—â—ministration the shadow that once was of that good thing which whiles the shadow continued was to come but being come the shadow had an end So the Jew in the flesh persecuted the Jew in the Spirit the Circumcision made with hands the Circumcision made without hands and here began the dispute in that day which hath continued unto this which is the thing I have hitherto treated of and now shall proceed further to demonstrate according to the Histories of the things that have been done since the decease of the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus and what they went through as it is mentioned in the Scriptures And here the Heathens give me the first occasion of drawing the Sufferings by the Heatâ—ens on the foot of National Worship during the dayes of the Apostles bloody Roll of Sufferings at which these Histories at large do make mention At (a) Acts 6. 5. Antioch it was that the Disciples of Jesus were first called Christians a Nickname or term of slander no doubt given or cast upon such by way of reproach or derision or marking out for mischief as the consequence both from the one and the other gives at large to understand The Gentiles or Heathen had their Worships they sacrificed to Devils not to God they were mad upon their Idols Spirit Jeâ— 5. 38. and Truth that was risen from the dead came to root them up as it did put an end to the Administration of the Jew or his National Worship it turned the World upside down which had put it down and crucified it Acts 17. 6. in Jesus and changed the Laws and Customs and said That they were Acts 19 26. 17 6. no gods that were made with bands and overturned the Decrees of Cesar as even in the Apostles dayes they spake of the Disciples of which the Scriptures makes mention Spirit and Truth overturned it The Devil had his false Worships as he hath had ever since he entred into man he made still adoe in the World about his Worship he stirred up Cain to kill his Brother Abel about his Worship he raised up the chief Priests 1 John 3. 12. and Pharisees to put him to death who came to overturn his Worship he set them on against his Disciples when they preached the Resurrection of the dead that risen again that came to put it under And the Devil said John by the Spirit of Prophesie in the Revelation shall cast some of you into Prison Man thinks he should worship God something calls Rev. 2. 10. after man though he is fallen to return to God and worship him who gave him his being The Devil being entred by reason of transgression seeks to deceive man and being in man sets man upon making of Worships and then to destroy all that will not observe what he hath set up as his Worship or would have to be set up as the Worship of God God is from everlasting his Worship is as he is they which stand in his Worship and which Worship from him are
of his wits and Maximinianus depose themselves which bereaved him of his wits together with Maximinianus the second to him after they had been Emperors for the space of twenty years as aforesaid deposed themselves and lived a private life from which time to his end Dioclesian wasted and pined Dioclesian wasts away with Diseases Maximinian hangs himself Constantius and Maximinus sole Emperors away with Diseases and Maximinian hanged himself Constantinus and Maximinus then took the sole government of the Empire which had before four Princes at one time governing Constantius was very friendly and Persecution on his hand loosened from the Christians Maximinus persecuted them sorely though at Maximinus sorely plagued in his body at Tarsus times he would seem to be otherwise minded The Hand of God pursued him so that at Tarsus a great plague fell upon him first taking hold in his flesh and afterwards proceeding to the very Soul for there arose suddenly in the secret parts of his body an impostume or running sore afterwards in the lower part of his Privities a botchy corrupt Boyl with a Fistula whence issued out with a Botch corrupt matter eating up the inward bowels and an unspeakable multitude of Lice swarming out and breathing a deadly stench and Lice and stench when as the corpulency of the whole body through abundance of meat before the Disease came was turned into superfluous grosness and then being grown into matter yeelded an intolerable and horrible spectacle to the beholders wherefore of the Which flew some of his Physicians Physitians some being not able to digest that wonderful noysome stench were slain some other when there remained no hope of Others were executed because they could not help recovery by reason of the swelling throughout the whole body being not able to help at all with their Physick were cruelly executed themselves Whilst the Hand and Plague of God was on him and he lay in his miserable plight he pondered with himself the rash enterprises he had practised against the Worshippers of God Cap. 18. In this plight he repents confesses to God Commands persecution to cease wherefore returning unto himself first he confesses his sins to God next calling upon him such as were about him he gave commandment that with all speed they should cease from persecuting the Christians and that by Decree and Commandment of the Emperor they should build again their Churches and that they should meet often to celebrate their wonted Ceremonies and pray for the life of the Emperor And immediately that And desires Prayers of the Christians for his life The Proclamations hastned which by word he commanded was indeed brought to pass The Proclamations of the Emperor were published throughout the Cities containing a recantation of those things formerly prejudicial unto the Christians in this form The Emperor Caesar Maximinus Puissant Magnificent chief Lord The Copy of the Edict Lord of the Thebais Lord of Salmatia five times Conqueror of Persia Lord of Germany Lord of Egypt twice Conqueror of the Carpyans six times Conqueror of the Armenians Lord of the Medes Lord of the Adiabeni twenty times Tribune nineteen times general Captain eight times Consul Father of the Countrey Proconsul And the Emperor Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantius some read Constantius but it is not so found in the Greek Vertuous Fortunate Puissant Noble chief Lord general Captain and Tribune five times Consul Father of the Countrey Proconsul Among other things which we have decreed for the Commodity and profit of the Common Wealth our pleasure is first of all to order and redress all things according to the antient Laws and Discipline of the Romans and withal to use this provisoe That the Christians which have forsaken the Religion of their Ancestors should be brought again to the right way for after a certain humour of singularity such an Opinion of excellency puffed them up that those things which their Elders had received and allowed they rejected and disallowed devising every man such Laws as they thought good and observed the same assembling in divers places great multitudes of people Wherefore when as our Edict was proclaimed that they should return unto the Ordinance of their Elders divers standing in great danger felt the penalty thereof and many being troubled therefore endured all kinds of death And because we perceive many as yet to persist in the same madness in their yeelding due worship to the Caelestial Godds nor regarding the God of the Christians having respect unto our benignity and godly custom pardoning all men according to our wonted guise we thought good in this case to extend our gracious and favourable clemency that the Christians may be tollerated again and that they may repair again the places where they meet together so that they do nothing prejudicial to publick Order and Discipline We mean to prescribe unto the Judges by another Epistle what they shall observe Wherefore as this our gracious Pardon deserveth let them make intercession to their God for our Health for the Common Weal and for themselves that in all places the Affairs of the publick Weal may be safely preserved and that they themselves may live securely in their own houses I have mentioned this Edict or Proclamation the rather that men The reason of the reheaâ—sal of the Copy of the Edict however swel'd with Titles Dominions and Honours notwithstanding all that they can say of them and do by them must come to bow to him whom in their hearts they despise and seek to trample his Worship and Worshippers under foot who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth Great calamities attended the Roman Empire whilst their rage was The sad consequence of these persecutions to the Roman Empire and the forbearance of them great against the Christians whilst they imposed the Worship of their Heathen Godds and destroyed all those who could not bow down unto nor worship them which when they forbore and left to these who worshipped the Lord to worship him according to his Spirit not according to their Law it flourished was safe and increased I should be marvellous large if I should go through those things also in particular The rebellious invasions divisions amongst themselves Plagues Pestilences Famines Earth-quakes and untimely deaths that befel those Emperors themselves the Lord when he saw time cutting short their race who ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutor notwithstanding that he saw it good also to suffer those things to be to prevent greater The end of the Lord to the Christians in suffering these persecutions mischiefs amongst the Christians and to give testimony before all the World of his Power that was in them wonderfully to carry them through whatsoever was laid upon them for the testimony unto his Name For the Christians when a little ease and liberty befel them and the Hand of the Lord so wrought that instead of being cast out like Dogs
purpose gathers together great Forces and at length being drawn forth somewhat from the City of Rome near unto which Constantine Maxentius and many of his Souldiers fighting with Constantine are sunk in the River Tiberis had approached having overcome a good part of Italy he was totally overthrown first himself then his Guard sinking as Lead into the deep Waters through the falling of a Bridge of Boats that he had caused to be made over the River Tiberis for the passage of his Souldiers so that he was utterly foiled and overcome And as for Maximinus his end was not long after for Anno. 318. Dioclesian died about the same time Cap. 10. Maximinus overthrown by Licinnius under great ignomy slayes his Priests and Inchanters Ordains liberty to the Christians he waged Battle with Lycinnius that was Emperor with Constantine was overcome also and forced to fly he slew many Priests and Prophets of their gods being strucken with rage and madness and made subject to most vile shame and reproach as Inchanters and Deceivers which had villanously betrayed his Person by the procurement and trust of whose Oracles he had gone forth and waged Battle And as for the Christians after he had glorified the God of the Christians he ordained a most perfect and absolute Decree in behalf of their liberty as he had upon the Letters of Constantine and Licinnius after the overthrow of Maxentius wrote something before but this served not his turn for he had been an old dissembler as well as a bloody persecutor driving up and down as I have given instance so that as the They trust him not Christians trusted him not notwithstanding his Edict upon the Letters from the Emperor who had dealt so contrary with them before for neither gathered they a Synod nor medled with publick Affairs neither did the Lord who releasing him of his former Neither did the Lord. extremity upon his bowing by affliction and freeing the Christians which he revearsed and persecuted again thereupon now give him any release but notwithstanding he was made to confess and give glory to him whom he had ran against yet his measure being full now cut him off so he died not as Captains in War saith the Historian who fighting manfully in Battle for their Countrey for Virtue and their Friends are commonly wont to endure couragiously a glorious death but like an impious person and a Rebel against God his Army as yet lying in the Who whilst he lay in secret his Army being in the field smote him with an incurable Plague Field and he tarrying at home and in secret he suffereth due punishment being stricken with a sudden Plague of God over all his Body so that he was vexed with great torments and griefs pined away with hunger fell down from his Bed his flesh altogether wasted by invisible fire sent from above so that it consumed dropped away and lost all the fashion of the old form whereas there remained nothing unto him save only the bare bones like a painted Image dried up of a long time Neither did the beholders Which after most grievous torments and unheard of take his body for other than the Sepulchre of the Soul buried in a body that was now dead and altogether consumed when as yet he burned more vehemently than the boyling Baths are wont out of the inward Closets of the Marrow his eyes leapt forth and passing their bounds left him blind but he breathing as yet And his confession to the Lord that he suffered justly in the torments making his confession to the Lord called for death and at length confessing himself to have suffered these things justly and instead of revengement for the madness he presumed and practised against Christ Jesus gave up the Ghost Gave up the Ghost Thus ended Maximinus and thus ended Maxentius and so let all The end of both these Tyrants The persecution of Lycinnius thine enemies O God perish And thus ended the fierce persecutions of the Christians from the Heathen onely Lycinnius gave now and then some overtures but he being laid aside through some workings against Constantine the persecutions had a full end and the Christians as from the Heathen had rest from persecution though from themselves and as doing that unto one another which the Heathens exercised towards them what I have to say yet giveth instance So I proceed in the particular of the Christians to give particulars to this first thing laid down by me viz. National Worships Creeds or confessions of Faith Laws or Doctrine and Government concerning Religion enforced by men what it hath produced in the World as it is in enmity unto God unto the Religion the Worship of him which is in Spirit and in Truth And here I shall gather up matters as narrowly as I can and yet bear The 〈◊〉 praeludiu◠〈◊〉 the followâ—â—g matter the intent and drift of this Discourse to what I have proposed which I suppose will not be unprofitable seeing that on this very foot what hath been the consumption of multitudes of thousands in the former dayes is the present sufferings in this of such who being come to Spirit and Truth cannot conform to the Worship either on this Mountain or at Jerusalem as was said in the beginning And so I come to this second Particular and therein to the close of this Head which I hope will not seem large to the sensible and men of understanding seeing that the end and drift of what I have said and have yet to say is in a matter of highest importance viz. the Worship of God and to the present case as to imposition in relation to Worship And here as I said before I shall mind no affected Stile or to please the ears of men but as I shall receive by that which leads into all truth so I shall communicate the counsel that shall be with me in this matter No sooner were the Tyrants cut off and throughout the whole Empire Anno. 330. The Heathen persecution ceasing the Christians fall a persecuting one another of Rome Peace and Quietness was setled to the Christians by the means of Constantine and Lycinnius who married with his Sister whom he made Emperor with him who as yet had attempted nothing against the Christians and the Heathen persecutions on all hands laid aside but difference began to arise among the Christians as it had done before as I have intimated which produced the last persecution of which I gave former instance and they who joyntly and together withstood the force of the Heathenish persecution came now to be at variance and at length to do the same things one to another as the Heathen had done unto them together The difference began among themselves for having all quiet in the When all things weâ—e quiet in the Empire and Empire through the wonderful working of the Lord who thought it fit to give a little rest after their sore
initio l. 3. f liberii r. liberi l. 5. f. Uno ciâ—ca r. quocirca l. 8. f. eam r. eum p. 231. l. 10. f. by Arrians r. from Arrius l. 31. f. Treatises r. Treatise p. 234. l. 31. f. father r. further A Looking-Glass for the TIMES c. THE Everlasting God which setteth the bounds to the Nations and declareth to man his thoughts is not circumscribed to time or place but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him This said Peter of old who once thought as did the Samaritans that all Religion was impaled to the Jews who had the Circumcision to whom pertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises whose were the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Therefore he thought it much in the Vision that was shewen him to Arise slay and eat Not so Lord said he for I Acts 10. 13 14 15. have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean But said the Voice the second time What God hath cleansed that call not thou common in the Case of the Centurion unto whom he was sent being a Gentile to turn unto the Faith And said Christ Jesus to the Woman of Samaria who said Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say That in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father Ye worship ye know not what We know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. 20 21 22 23 24. And said the Apostle Who hath also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life but if the ministration of the Letter written and engraven in stones was glorious so that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious for if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of Righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth for if that which was done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious 2 Cor. 3. 6 to the 12. The intent and substance of all which is as much as to say That there is no Religion under the Sun or no prescription that ought to be as to any thing that relates to the Worship of God or that is ground of Worship since Christ came in the flesh and was offered up but what is within in Spirit and in Truth which is in opposition to all outward Forms which proceed not from the Spirit For Israel of old during the State under which they stood of an outward Administration had no further reference than to themselves who had the Circumcision or outward Administration the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which Law was added because of transgression till the Seed should come which is Christ who being come put an end to Circumcision and that outward Administration which with the Jew ended who was of the Stock of Sem which related not to the Gentile So that whole Administration with the particularity of the Jew in the flesh had an end and hath no more ground of enforcement wherefore the Gentiles should be obliged to a form or that form of Worship or outward Administration then if the Jew in the flesh had not been or that outward Administration for it related to time and persons and not to the body of the World or the universality of dayes which time being out or expired and those persons or Nations at an end as to that for which they were taken into a particular consideration the thing hath also an end with them and cannot admit of a force upon themselves or those that are yet left of the Jewish Nation much less upon those who are not Jews but Gentiles whom the Lord never so took in nor dealt with as to any outward Administration So that to enforce or to endeavour so to do from what was once the Administration of God in the flesh to the Jews on them who are not Jews but Gentiles what the Scriptures hold forth to be the outward administration of the Jews or to seek to ground from thence a bottom why all Nations or the Nations of the Gentiles should be in an outward administration of Worship and should be bounded in or denominated by any particular form is to put force upon the Scriptures and to hold forth that which neither doth the Scripture nor is the intent of the Spirit and which Christ Jesus ended in the Jew and the Apostles testified unto so to be ended as aforesaid For in the first place Where there is no ground or bottom for such a thing no such thing from such a thing can be concluded But no such bottom or ground is there for any such thing as from the Judaical Policy to enforce a legal Administration or outward form of Worship as hath been declared since Christ was offered up and an end put thereby to that Administration Therefore to enforce any such thing now that he is offered up and that Administration ended is to enforce such a thing without a ground or bottom In the next place The Lord Jesus when he was offered up and ascended gave gifts unto men not outward Administrations as to Times Places and Nations Some Evangelists saith the Apostle some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come saith he in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. Thirdly The Administration of the Spirit or of Righteousness is that which excels in glory as hath been said and even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth 2 Cor. 3. 9 10. Fourthly All outward Administrations had a time to end as well as to begin and they had a signification which the thing signified being come vanished and came to nothing So all that which was the Administration to the Jews had its beginning and end its time to come to nothing and to vanish as it had to begin which
but to all Nations of the Earth to the Gentiles the Church of God amongst them which to gather or to draw into one was the Gospel sent and preached and the Worship now was no longer National nor was it the National Worship of the Jews which also was commanded of God and accompanied with his presence while the end of it was not come or accomplished But it was every where Spirit and Truth not Form and Letter fearing of God working of Righteousness is accepted of him the true Worshippers the Worshippers whom the Father seeks to worship him All the others were dasht in pieces the end was accomplished it stood not in meats and drinks the Kingdom of God but in Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost not in killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen but in an humble and contrite heart and that trembled at his Word the Sacrifices of God which even under the Law were entitled and said to be his through all which he looked for and accepted which the Sacrifices and the blood of Goats and Bulls signified Circumcision and all the Ordinances of the Jews which Moses commanded and which it was death not to observe comes now to be called beggerly Rudiments the Hand-writing of Ordinances the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances the enmity which he destroyed on the Cross and blotted out which the Apostle saith was against them and which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear And he saith Touch not tast not handle Gal. 5. 2. Phil. 3. 2 3. not which all saith he perish in the using And if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing I wish them cut off that trouble you And beware of Dogs and beware of evil workers beware saith he of the Concision for we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And the Apostles now as any were gathered into the Church they gathered them out of all the Jewish Observations and Heathenish worshipping of Idols into one God and Name of the Lord Jesus who was the great Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul Not into the Name of the Church of the Jews or the Temple or of this Region and that but into the Name of Christ Jesus The Churches of what Of the Jews c. Nay the Churches of Christ Christ the Head of the Church which are in 1 Thes 1. 1. Judea c. The Church which is in God Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God Not in this man or that not in this profession and that barely but in God And so it was during the Apostles times of which the Scripture makes mention and their business was to open the eyes to turn men from darkness to the light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith which is in me As Paul saith of his Commission which he received of the Lord Acts 26. 18. And he stiles himself an Apostle not of men neither by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father which raised him from the dead And he saith The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith But finding fault with them that is the first Covenant and the things therein of which he had been speaking in the former words he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11 12. Now here is nothing of Churchship of an outward Administration and Worship of a delegation of Power to any to constitute and appoint Worships or how God should be worshipped or what Discipline should be used in the Church or what Power the Church should have as to visible things and who should be the Governors or Rulers thereof that should direct or order as to that throughout all Ages but a turning to a Principle wherein God is to be known and whereby he is to be worshipped Not to Man Kings Princes Governors States Emperors no not to Presbyters Councils Fathers Pastors Officers Synods Be ye followers 1 Cor. 11. 1. of me as I also am of Christ saith Paul But to the Light the Light of the Son of God who is Light God is Light and in him is no darkness at all the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles the Light of the World the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World that which sheweth man that is in the Transgression that he is in the dark that turns him from the darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God The Lord never sent to turn man unto man nor did he ever give power to man to order man as to the Worships of him no not in the Mosaical Administration all the World have been in mistakes about these things but he alwayes reserved the power in himself and by the guidance and order of him man was to be directed and God to be worshipped for from the Lord Moses received in the mount what was that Administration hitherto to the Law of Moses when the Israelites were gone astray and had transgressed were all things to be reduced and the reformation to be made the Law of Moses which was a figure of that which came by Jesus Christ unto which all things after he was come to which Moses his Administration or the Law which was given by Moses was to have reference as it was to spring from it And the coming of him was the time of Reformation of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 10. Which stood saith he speaking of that Ministration which in the verse before he calls a
Figure only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation Heb. 9. 10. Moses his time or the duration of the standing of the Law or the outward Administration or Jewish National Worship was not to remain for ever the first Covenant but it was to pass away and to have an end as not being able to make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 10. 1. though it was commanded of the Lord So there was to be a time of Reformation when that which could not make the comers thereunto perfect was to be removed when that which was the shadow of good things to come but not the very Image of the things as the same place hath it was to have an end which was in the coming of him who was perfect who perfects for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. which the other lead unto For by one Offering saith the Apostle in the verse aforesaid he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and this was called the time of Reformation when he came who put an end to all that was outward and had a visible or an outward Administration which could not make the comers thereunto perfect nor was appointed for that end and purpose but to lead unto another thing which should put an end thereunto and which was its end Now I say if the very outward Mosaical Jewish Administration National Worship the first Covenant which was all the outward Government which was commanded of God in the World was not of man but from the Lord which yet had reference to another thing which was Christ the new Covenant the Law put into the mind and wrote in the heart which was the Prophet which Moses said unto the Jews the Lord their God should raise unto them of their Brethren like unto him whom they should hear in all things whatsoever he should say unto them and that it should come to pass that every Soul he doth not say Body that will not hear that Prophet should be destroyed from among the people Acts 2. 23. How much more now that the thing is come which those Administrations had reference unto the great Reformer ought all things now in relation unto Worship have reference unto him and how ought all things of this nature thither to be directed For as I said he sent not to turn from man to man from the darkness to man but to the Light to the Principle of God that which is of God in man the Seed which is Christ the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 26 27. that men may know who they worship and when and how thy may worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Spirit that is something that is Spirit that is of the Nature that God is that is Spirit and Truth that is as as he is Spirit they that worship him must worship him not in the Letter not in the Injunctions of men not in an outward or fleshly Principle not in man or the spirit of man but of God which is in opposition to all that is of man or cometh from man that is not from the Spirit or Principle of God So men must first come to learn or be turned to the Light to the Principle of God to that which is Spirit by which they may come to know him that dwells in the Light that is inaccessible as to all that is mannish or mortal from the darkness all that is from man or of him who is mortal then something may be said to them as to the Worship of God then they are somewhere and know something which God accepts and in which he is well pleased such Worshippers the Father seeks to worship him All other Worships are not available nor are they to any purpose nor doth God seek them though men may think thereby that they seek after God The time of Reformation svveeps them avvay to the Moles and to the Bats to go into the Clefts of the Rocks all the Idols of Silver and of Gold which are made each one for himself to worship and into the tops of the ragged Rocks for fear of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2. 20 21. The great Reformer gives them no standing every one must worship him from his Temple whose Temple ye are saith the Apostle to the Saints Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God saith he and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. In his Temple doth Psal 26. 9. every one speak of his glory Novv man coming to be the Temple of God and the Spirit of the Lord dvvelling in man and the Principle of God in man being knovvn 1 Cor. 3. 16. here the Worship comes to be knovvn vvhich is in the Spirit and in Truth and this is that vvhich the Father seeks So avvay vvith all inventions of men in the Worship of God avvay vvith all Imitations and Likenesses avvay vvith the shadovvs even of good things to come Novv the thing it self Christ Jesus is come the Principle the Measure of him is knovvn the Incense or Odour vvith Rev. 8. 3. vvhich the Prayers of all Saints are offered upon the Golden Altar vvhich is before the Throne vvhich God accepts The Principle of God is to lead the Spirit of the Lord to offer as this moves the Lord accepts in this he is vvell pleased the living Root must be knovvn something that is holy that never sinned to guide and direct something that is as he is vvho is holy and no iniquity can come near his dvvelling Hab. 1. 13. then the Worship is accepted of the Lord. Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heuven that is to bring down Christ from above Say not Who shall descend into the deep that Rom. 10. 6 7 8. is to bring up Christ again from the dead You need not go so far you need not look vvithout you to Forms Constitutions Ordinances of Men Laws and Imitations the thing is vvithin you the Lord hath brought it nigh to you he hath not put you to another You must account for your selves and joy or be undone for your selves every man is an Individual he is made so by God An Individual signifies a being by it self that can never be mixed that can never be made tvvo something vvherein a man is determined for ever vvhich the Lord should guide of vvhom the Lord vvill require an account the Lord hath not put you to seek here and look there Loe here and loe there it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is
after this the Judgment So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 24 25 26 27 28. So the Changeable Priesthood had an end in him who changeth not Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever And his Apostles were Ministers of that of which he was of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit not of that which changeth but of that which changeth not for the Letter that which changed killeth but the Spirit that which changeth not giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. And who saith the Apostle is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. The changeable Priesthood was then of the Law which could not make the comers thereunto perfect but the bringing in of a better hope which hope is Christ Christ in you the Hope of Glory the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest to his Saints saith the Apostle which maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is spread abroad in our hearts which was a stedfast and stable thing which was not subject to change neither was it to pass away So Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by the Will of God And when it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before me But I went into Arabia c. Gal. 1. 15 16 17. And here stood their bottom in Christ that changeth not whose Minister he was he preached his Ministry that changed not his Ministry did not change because he of whom he preached and who sent him to preach did not change he was not in mans will which made and unmade at his pleasure nor was he a Minister of Man to preach what man pleased or Conformity he received not by Tradition or by certain conclusions or Systems of Divinity or Art what to say but the Son of God being revealed in him he consulted not with flesh and blood neither with the other Apostles that were before him but preached c. Thus stood the state of Paul and the Apostles who had the mind of Christ but the Form and the Letter which was done away from that he preached not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit Now the Form and the Letter being done away there was no room for that which was the Ministry of the Form or the Letter no more killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen no more Sacrifices Washings New Moons Sabbaths Shadows of good things to come who were the Shadows but not the very things themselves which changed into the thing come or had an end in it no ground or footing at all for that but as he who is everlasting was come the same for ever so the Ministry must be of and from him he must send he must be revealed the words must be spoken from his mouth not the Letter but the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter but the newness of the Spirit Thus stood it in the dayes of the Apostles So the Ministry or Priesthood that changeth hath no ground from Christ and his Apostles but is quite otherwise it is a changing or deviation from them it hath no footing either in the Letter or in the Spirit not in the Letter for that was a Priesthood Figurative having relation to him that was to come which in him ended so there was to be no more as there never was but that not in the Spirit for that is it which changeth not is not at the will order or direction of man but the Will of God its ground its bottom its fountain its beginning and end is from him who changeth not whom the changeable signified I need not be long in these things the matter being so plain already the whole progress of the History which I have before been particular in speaks the Priesthood after the Apostles decease to be changeable leaning to this Creed and that confession of Faith and varying and changing according to the leaders of that Confession and this Creed and what work it made in the World I have manifested whatsoever stands not in him which changeth not that is called Ministry which is not Spirit and proceeds from it is not from him who is the Head of the Church the Law-giver and Teacher of his People it hath no footing from the Scriptures of Truth nor the Spirit of them it is so far from the Spirit that in that sence it is not Letter it hath no relation to that of the Jews the Priesthood which was changed and ended in Christ nor to Christ Jesus or the Ministry of him who changed the Priesthood Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye said the evil Spirit which was in the man whom the Exorcist Jews took upon them to adjure by Jesus whom Paul preached from whence cometh Acts 19. 13 14 15. this new covered Priesthood which filleth the earth may a man say that is neither Paul nor Jesus nor Jew nor Christian it 's much that men are not ashamed of these things Man makes man men make themselves diversities of men make diversities here 's the Priesthood a God they make a System of Divinity a Form of Worship and then they form themselves or one another Ministers of that form of Worship Teachers of the Systems or Precepts of Religion they made of the God whom they formed Thou shalt have no other God but me said the Lord to Israel of old who gave Israel a form whereby to worship God but now men make Godds and make forms of Worship for their Godds and Priests to their forms and whosoever will consecrateth himself a Priest or is consecrated to whatsoever Godd he hath made or Worship he hath formed which is not from that which is everlasting the Priest that is for ever that changeth not Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of the Priests of the high places it is said of in the dayes of Jeroboam 1 Kings 13. 33. And the man Micah had an house of gods and made an Ephod and Teraphim and consecrated one of his Sons who became his Priest In those dayes there was no King in Israel Judg. 17. 5 6. So the matter is plain the ground original or rise of all the Priesthood or Ministry that is not Spirit that is not in and from that which changeth not the Ministers of Christ in whom is no variableness or shadow of changing is neither from Christ nor the Scriptures and hath neither ground nor foundation to be believed in or heard whose rise is not in the Letter of the Scriptures nor the Spirit whose bottom is man and the will of man or rather the Devil in man