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
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
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
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
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
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
was when the thing signified the end and intent of that Administration was come which was Christ the morning being come the shadows fly away that which was before transgression being come that comes to be removed which was added because of transgression Fifthly The Spirit it was that led the Disciples into all Truth not the Letter for that kills as the Apostle saith as aforesaid Sixthly And the Worship which Christ who was the end of the Letter set up for all to walk by whether Samaritan or the Inhabitant of Jerusalem Jew or Gentile bond or free Barbarian or Scythian Male or Female the publick Worship which he would have all to be exercised in and which he saith The Father chuses to worship him the true VVorshippers which are not at this Mountain nor at Jerusalem that in which he said the true Worshippers should worship and that the time was to come or cometh Yea it now is saith he Is the Spirit John 4. as aforesaid So that the Glory that excelleth the Administration of the Spirit which exceeds in Glory the Spirit which gives Life the Gift not the outward Administration the thing that is come not that which is done away the substance not the shadow the Institution of the Son which abides in the House for ever not the Administration of the Servant which is not to abide in the House for ever the universality or largeness where the partitian Wall is taken down not the particularity or narrowness where the partitian Wall standeth is that which in this day since Christ was offered up and ascended is to be looked to and heeded as that which is pleasing to the Lord and which he accepts For I would demand Wherein or upon what bottom can any ground a contrary Assertion Is Christ come or not Is he offered up or not Is he ascended or not Fills he all things or not If he be so why then is that enforced or sought so to be or placed which was before he came which was to end in him Either he is come or he is not come if he is not come then let such say so in open words who do the things that were to be or had their being before he came if he be come how dare any to enforce that or seek so to do which was before he came or that which by his coming is done away The Matter is brought or lies in a narrow compass and there is no trifling in the Matter the things are of the highest consequence and mortals must take heed of giving Law to their Maker and the Potsherds of the Earth must beware of clashing against him that formed them and they who are in the condition or state of destruction must heed how they ascend or seek so to do in his Throne who lives for ever who came to redeem on whose shoulders the Government lies who is the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Wonderful Counsellor the Head of his Church King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality and eternal Life to whom be Glory and Power and Dominion everlasting Away then with all outside Religion that is to say all that which proceeds not from Spirit and Truth away with all Forms that come not from the power of Godliness away with all Jewish and outward Worship Forms Constitutions Canons Orders Decrees Directories Catechisms Confessions of Faith all forcing of Religion all persecution because of Religion all Injunctions Synods Councils Prescriptions Ordinances of Men all outward fleshly carnal Commandments Traditions all imitations of Christ and his Apostles and doing things by example of them or because of what they did or were led into where the same Spirit of Jesus is not the Leader as it was in them is not the ground and bottom root and source as it was theirs Away with all private Religions and Worships and Precepts of Men all National Worships and Religions all forcings such Religions and Worships Christ the Substance is come Christ the true Jew inwardly is come Christ the (a) Phil. 3. 3. Circumcision in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of God that hath no confidence in the flesh is come Christ the publick Worship in the Spirit and Truth is come he is dead and risen again and ascended (b) Rom. 6. 9. No more hath death dominion over him He is (c) Col. 3. 13. Head of his Church He is (d) Gal. 4. 1. Lord of all He is (e) Rom. 9. 5. God over all blessed for ever the (f) 1 Tim. 6. 15. onely Potentate and King of the Princes of the Earth he lives for ever For you must make him something or nothing if he be come and if he hath put an end to those if he so spake as aforesaid and if that be the Worship and those the Worshippers the Father seeks which is and who worship in Spirit and in Truth then the Worship at this Mountain and at Jerusalem is to be no more no more the fear of God to be taught by the precepts of men which was complained of in that day when the Isa 29. 13. Administration was outward the teaching for Doctrine the Commandments Mat. 15. 9. of men which he then reproved no more clutter or adoe among men as to Religion and the settlement and the inforcing thereof If these things be and as of right and what ought to be then he is not come dead risen ascended into Glory How long halt ye between two Opinions either subscribe to these things and that he is the Head of the Church which is in God or deny him as your actions speak who enforce these things and require them Now because it may be thought that I am here too dogmatical and that I have stamped things according to mine own Image and understanding and that I take upon me to judge all the Worlds Professions and Religions that have been since Christ and his Apostles and that I seem to intend to set up instead of or in the room of the other something that my self fancies or some few that are called Quakers who were but of yesterday as some may say I shall to what I have indefinitely already concluded according to Truth and the Spirit and demonstration and proof thereof and of the Scriptures proceed further to shew First The Original and Rise of the Truth from the dayes of Christ and his Apostles throughout the Apostacy to this day or that the Truth which we who are called Quakers now pretend to is the same that was in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles which hath had more or less in this thing or in that a testimony throughout the Apostacy unto this day that is to say that some because of such testimony have suffered as well as testified since the dayes of the Apostles Secondly The Original and Rise of Antichrist from Christs and his Apostles dayes unto this shewing in all by instances of Scripture and History that
the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers in this day are the same as were the Principles and Practices of Christ and his Apostles in that and of the Holy-men of God since and the Martyrs of Jesus who have prophesied in Sackcloth and that the Apostacy hath held all other professions ever since the dayes of Christ and his Apostles in which I shall of necessity be somewhat large because the nature of the thing requires it but with what brevity I can I shall reduce them to what I have laid down and determined And because I may not seem too prolix and tedious I shall comprehend much of what I have to say under these four heads or the following four heads are the things in which I shall comprehend much of what I have to say First National Worship how it came in when it ended and what testimonies the Scriptures and History afford against it since it was at an end Secondly Swearing and what appertains to that when and how it arose and when it had an end and since it was at an end what testimonies are against it Thirdly Bearing of Arms when and how that was and wherefore it is that now it is declined by us and what may be said as to that during the Apostacy Fourthly The changeable Priesthood its rise date time and end and of what concerns it and of what hath been said and suffered in opposition thereunto since it had its end Of these things I intend to treat and begin in their order First General Head concerning National Worship First With National Worship National Worship had its institution under the Jews or the Jewish was the only Nation which the Scriptures mention to have had a Worship that was National ordained of God who as a Figure or Representation of what was to be Universal in reference to those throughout the World whom the Lord would gather to be Kings and Priests unto God a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People This Nation of the Jews had their Laws and Ordinances their Kings and Governors their Religion and Worship all outward though they had their inward signification which was Christ the Messiah the Prophet which was to come who according to the flesh was of theirs who were of the Seed of Abraham whose Seed in the Spirit the Seed of Abraham are the Elect the Children of Abraham whom to redeem he came in the flesh so the whole constitution of the Jewish Kingdom whether as to the Civil Policy or Ecclesiastical had its face looking hitherward which it signified which it represented Now in the fulness of time he coming whom these things did hold forth and typifie and which in his flesh the last of all was accomplished the things themselves ceased and he whiles he was not yet offered up and all things yet were not accomplished began to end them as the morning doth the night as the day approacheth And he said unto the Pharisees The Kingdom of God is within you it cometh not by observation Luke 17. 21. or it is not outward that is to say such as your Kingdom is an Administration which is to be seen with the outward eye but it is of an inward and intrinsecal nature seen by another eye that seeth not as man seeth but beholds things as they are which gives Law to wickedness reproves judges it as your outward Administration represents which shews you how God will be worshipped and when and what you are to do which your outward Government in all the particulars thereof had reference unto which because of transgression which came over and had blotted out the other the Law written in the heart and the fear put in the Heb. 8. 10. Gal. 3. 6. inward part the Seed which is Christ the High Priest of his People was added or given which was not at first to wit the Law written in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Table of the Heart and which was promised should be again and which now came to be fulfilled So the Partition-Wall came to be removed and that which was general to the Jews in the Figure who were singled from all the Nations in particular came to be general to the Jew in the Spirit throughout all Nations and to be no more particular to the Jew and this was that which Peter aforesaid came to be informed of when in the Vision he was sent to the Centurion and which made him speak having been so informed as aforesaid I perceive of a truth that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him So the thing being come Christ Jesus the Universal Head of the Church which the Priesthood signified to the Nation of the Jews the Partition that is to say the Nation of the Jews or the Laws Ordinances and Administrations of Moses which were outward came to be taken away and the Vail to be rent and no more was the National Church-Worship to be minded which that constitution held forth but the Worship which was to be Universal Now through the offering of him up and the Law in the Heart and the fear in the inward parts Christ the Seed was that which every one was to know and worship by as it was in the beginning before transgression was and as before the Law was given by the Prophets and holy men of God Abraham who saw his day and rejoyced who said Before Abraham was I am Noah Enoch c. The Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ Hence it came to pass that upon the first encounter when after he was risen from the dead and ascended and the Holy Ghost was given the Comforter which he said he would send to them which should abide with them for ever the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father which he said should receive of his and give unto them the Latitude or rather Narrowness was no longer to the Nation of the Jews but its extent was to the end of the World How hear we every man in his own tongue wherein he was born Parthians and Medes and Elamites and dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judea and in Cappadocia in Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia in Egypt and in the parts of Lybia about Cyrene and strangers of Rome Jews and Proselytes Creets and Arabians We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful Works of God And there were added the same day unto them about three thousand Souls Peter a Jew according to the flesh preaching to them who were Gentiles and Jews now promiscuously together and to the Gentiles The promise is to you and to your Children and to those that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2. 8 9 10 11 39 41. So that the limits of the Church was now no longer restrained to the People or Nation of the Jews nor the Worship
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
Band of Souldiers compassing Beset with a Pand of Souldiers them as it were with a Net This Matron seeing her self and her Daughters in great peril by no means possible to be avoided Advised by the Mother above aâ—l not to sâ—ffer the abusing of their bodies and to be constant pondered with her self the punishments ensuing and that which was most grievous of all the abusing of their Bodies she admonished in no wise to be suffered no not once to sink into their ears and said further That if they committed their Souls as Bondslaves unto Satan it were a thing more intollerable then any death or destruction Yet there remained one remedy for all and that said he was to fly to the Lord for refuge After deliberation and to flie to the Lord with uniform consent they laid down what was to be done they apparelled themselves gorgeously and took their journey towards Antioch in the midst of the way when their Guard severed Cast themselves into tâ—e River as they were carried towards Antioch and are drowned Another couple of Virgins cast into the Riâ—er themselves as about to serve Nature they cast themselves into the floods that slided thereby and drowned themselves Those Heathen Idolaters threw into the Sea another couple of Auteochian Virgins renowned for all Virtues true sisters of noble Lineage of good life of tender years of goodly beauty of honest mind of godly conversation of wonderful disposition as though the earth could no longer bear them such were the Tragedies of Antioch In Pontus they suffered punishment hardly Sufferings in â—ontus and the variety and exquisiteness of them to be heard of fingers of both hands were pricked under the tender Nails with sharp Quills others had hot boyling Lead poured on their backs the most necessary Members of their bodies maimed others indured shameful intollerable and such The Judges wit exercised in devising new torments and out of measure cruelties and contending for that purpose torments as may not be told of in their privy Members and in the secret bowels of their bodies Such saith the History as these noble and lawful Judges excogitated for tokens of their sharp wit and deep wisdom daily also they found new torments contending one with another who should excel in spiteful inventions and additions of torments this calamity was extream and out of measure cruel And when as henceforth they dispaired of increasing They are wearied with slaughters and begin to practise courtesie which is their mischief and now were wearied with slaughter gotten their full of blood-shed voluntarily they mittigated their rage they practise courtesie their pleasure forsooth saith the Historian is henceforth to punish with death no longer It is not requisite say they that the Cities should be stained with blood issuing out of our own bowels that the most noble Empire of the Caesars should be blemished and defamed with the Title of Cruelty the Emperor himself being well known for Clemency and Benignity yea rather the gracious goodness of the Emperors Highness is to be stretched forth and enlarged towards all men that they be no more punished with death they deemed their cruelty aswaged and Emperors clemency to shine in that they command our eyes to be pulled out saith the Historian and the their right eye to be pulled out and the left leg unjoynted or sawn asunder in the Hams left leg to be unjoynted wherefore by reason of this cruel courtesie it may not be told what number and infinite saith he multitude of men having their right eyes pulled out and the empty places seared with hot burning Irons their left leg sawn asunder in the Hams and seared likewise were condemned to the Quarries and sent to the Quarries And this is the Emperors couâ—â—esie Several tormented besides and Mines throughout the Provinces to the digging of Metals not for commodity and profit sake but for affliction and misery But besides all this they were led forth to sundry kinds of torments which may not be rehearsed whose valiant Acts also cannot be described Lastly The Bishops and chief Rulers Cap. 13 Anthymus Bishop of Nicomedia beheaded of those Churches that suffered Martyrdom were Anthymus Bishop of Nicomedia who there was beheaded as aforesaid In Phenicia Luciania Minister of the Congregation at Antioch who Luciana put to death at Antioch preached at Nicomedia in presence of the Emperor the Kingdom of Christ Tyrannion Bishop of Tyrus Zenobius Minister of Tyrannion Bishop of Tyrus Zenobius Minister of Zidon Silvanus Bishop of Emissa and others put to death cast into the Sea Zidon and Silvanus Bishop of Emissa who together with others were thrown to feed Beasts The other two both at Antioch glorified God by their patient deaths Tyrannion buried in the bottom of the Sea and Zenobius reputed an excellent Physitian after Scourgings and bitter torments died most constantly Among the Martyrs of Palestina Silvanus Bishop of the Churches in Silvanus Bishop of Goza beheaded Nine and thirty Officers sent to the Mine Pits in Phoenos Gaza was beheaded together with nine and thirty Officers which were committed to the Mine Pits in Phoenos In Egypt Peleus and Nilus Egyptian Bishops were burned to Ashes Of Cesarea Peleus Ninus Egyptian Bishops burned to Ashes Pamphilus Senior of Cesaria suffered death Peter Bishop of Alexandria Faustus Ridius Ammoniâ—s Ministers martyred Phileas Hezechias Pachynius Theodorus Bishops of Egypt and multitudes of other famous men put to death in Egypt Thebais and that Region The end of the ten Persecutions and the reason of producing them The end of the Tyrants and sad case of the Empire Cap 14. Pamphilius the Elder said to be the renowned Pillar of that place The most famous of Alexandria Thebais and Egypt that suffered were Peter Bishop of Alexandria Faustus Ridius and Ammonius Ministers and Martyrs Also Phileas Hezechias Pachymius and Theodorus Bishops of the Churches in Egypt And besides these saith the History infinite other famous men whose names are well known in the Congregations throughout that Region Thus have I travelled through the ten most famous Persecutions and therein most of the chiefest of them in general or particular to shew the effect or the bloody consequence of National Worships or the enforcing of Religion by the Laws of men which is not Spirit and Truth but Letter and Death as these instances have abundantly manifested and to make appear how God is against them and supporting his people in protesting against them and overthrowing the Persecutors as this very Tyrant knew who in the twentieth year of his Reign and not full two years after this hurly burly with the Christians when as before the affairs of the Empire prospered well and found good success now it suffered a change and such a one as the Historian observes never befel the Empire before turning all upside down Dioclesian the chiefest being overtook with no small disease Anno. 307. Dioclesian be reft
and cut off every way with the most cruel and detestable sufferings and trampled under foot as if they were not fit to live among men or as Beasts of prey were made to be destroyed they were accounted eminent and honourable and had to doing in the mannagement of publick Affairs and in the very Emperors Pallaces were the men of account and trust they degenerated from the natural Rule of Piety as are the Historians own words and his honest and right observation and after The Historians account of the cause as among the Christians of the Persecutions that one pursued another with open contumely and hatred as he goes on and speaks and when saith he we impugned our selves by no other than our selves with the Armour spite and sharp Spears of opprobious words so that Bishops against Bishops and People against People raised Sedition Last of all when that saith he cursed hypocresie and dissimulation had swom even to the brim of malice the heavy hand of Gods high Judgment after his wonted manner whilst as yet saith he the Ecclesiastical Companies assembled themselves nevertheless began softly by a little and a little to visit us so that the Persecution that was raised against us took his first Original from the Brethren which were under Vecturius the Captain aforesaid persecuted the Souldiers in Camp Banner in Camp when as saith he we were touched with no manner of sence or feeling thereof neither went about to pacifie God we heaped sin upon sin thinking like careless Epicures that God neither cared nor would visit our sins and they who seemed our Shepherds saith he Anno. 301. And lamentation oâ—er the divisions of the Christians and the consequences of them Lam. 2. laying aside the Rule of Piety practised Contention and Schism among themselves and whilst they aggravated these things that is contentions threatnings mutual hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in ambition much like Tiranny it self I say saith he then the Lord according to the saying of Jeremiah made the Daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel and remembred not his footsteps in the day of his wrath the Lord hath drowned all the beauty of Israel and overthrown all his strong holds and according to the prophesies in the Psal 87. Psalms He hath overthrown and broken the Covenant of his Servant and prophained his Sanctuary casting it on the ground by the overthrow of his Churches he hath broken down all his Walls he hath laid all his Fortresses in ruine All they that passed by spoiled him and therefore he is become a rebuke unto his Neighbours for he lifted up the right hand of his enemies and turned the edge of his Sword and aided him not in the time of Battle but caused his Dignity to decay and cast his Throne down to the ground the dayes of his Youth he shortned and above all this he covered him with shame I have repeated this his words at large for example sake that the The use of it as to England consequence of such things may be avoided by the avoiding of such things as these and that it may be taken notice of that the Lord hath a correction in suffering such dayes as these to come for them that go astray as he hath judgment for his Enemies who work such things and seek to set up their Dominion over his Principality who lives for ever who will needs prescribe to his Worship and make Laws how he or rather themselves as I have shewed shall be worshipped and destroy and cause to suffer such as cannot fall down and worship the Laws they make and the Images they set up It would require a Volumn if I should go through these things also as in observation of what History affords in this particular even of those very Christians and what they suffered as the ends of this Emperor Maxentius and Lucinnius who rose up in the dayes of Constantine Son to Constantius of whom I have by and by to treat and the general end that then became of those Persecutions when Maximinus was dead and Lycinnius also and Constantine came also to be Emperor alone who being a Christian and a wise and mighty Prince struck all those cruelties and death under foot and gave peace unto all it being also something besides my purpose to notifie those divisions that as peace and rest came rose up among them further then what I have observed already what was among them then when they had no power that which followed in the dayes of Constantine and after serving to my intent herein and of which I shall speak when as I come to shew how that when the Christians came to impose Faiths or National Worships one upon another as did the Heathens to them to gather for their National Worship or Gods of which I have treated and through all to prove the truth of what I have laid down concerning these things and the consequences of all Religions Professions Worships that are not from Spirit and Truth but stand in the contrary Before I come unto which it will be necessary seeing that I have hitherto kept along with the History that I go along in order and give something to be understood of the Persecution which yet the Christians sustained after the death of Dioclesian and Maximinianuâ— aforesaid which is reckoned the tenth Persecution and of this Mâ—â—iminus after his Edict of Liberty to the Christians of which I have made mention Constantius ending his dayes in Quietness and Peace being Emperor Constantius dies in peace Anno. 311. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 14. Constantine proclaimed full Emperor by the Army alone in the presence of his natural Son Constantine who was proclaimed full Emperor and Caesar by the Army being a follower of his Fathers Piety as the Historian observes in Christian Religion and such a one saith he was he But Lycinnius whilst these things were a doing for Constantius died at York in Lycinnius also created Emperor England in the year 310. by common consent of the Potentates as he calls them was also created Emperor and Augustus This grieved Maximinus very sore who unto that time was alone called Maximinus grieved thereat invades their Jurisdictions intitles himself Augustus is attainted of Treason against Constantime deposed aspires again dies a shameful death Caesar of all men who also being Tirannically disposed violently of his own mind invaded the Empire intituled himself Augustus but being attainted of Treason and found to have conspired the death of Constantine and after deposition to have aspired again after the Emperial Scepter died a most shameful death His Son Maxentius which exercised Tiranny at Rome as saith Cap. 15. Maxentius his Son at first dissembles with the Christians at Rome commands Persecution to cease proves afterwards otherwise than he pretended the Historian in the beginning of his Reign dissembled with the Christian Faith egregiously and creeping into credit by flattering the
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
against the Kingdom of Christ And the Son of Man came not to destroy mens lives but to save saith he of himself Luke 9. 56. And my Kingdom is not of this World if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my Kingdom is not from hence John 18. 36. Both are besides the Question the Heathen and the Christian so called in this matter for his Doctrine alloweth no other thing but conviction by and in the Spirit whose Worship is Spirit and Truth as hath been declared About what is called the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity and the The tearms Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity the ground of all this persons of the God-head which man cannot attain unto nor possibly can come with all his Wisdom to understand are they divided and one against another who pretend to his Name which his Kingdom is against and which is not his Kingdom quite besides the matter are all such who by any other way than the Spirit seek to enforce the Doctrine of Jesus and belief in Christ This I say was the cause of the division and in at this door entred the enemy to make shipwrack of the Flock as by and by I shall make manifest though the Emperor seems to be of another mind in his Letter aforesaid wherein he saith further Neither is there occasion ministred A further account of the Emperors Letter to confute his proceedings to contend about the chiefest Commandment in holy Scripture neither is there sprung any new Opinion touching the Service of God for you retain the one and the same sentence in substance of Faith so that you may easily imbrace the uniform consent of Unity and Concord for it is not well that for your contention about slender matters and trifling toys so great a multitude of the People of God through your negligence should be at discord among your selves yea it is supposed not only not well but altogether intollerable And that in few words I may lay before your eyes some presidents hereof I will reason with you And so he goes out and tells them of the Philosophers how they agree among themselves and all joyntly profess one Title and Name of Discipline and yet vary and disagree in some odd Opinion which severally they hold who though they so dissent yet in respect of their Profession joyn hands and like Birds hold together And from thence he argues How much more should Christians Then he pleads with them upon the foot of his capacity as chief Minister And saith he let me therefore enjoy the dayes in peace and the mights without molestation that the pleasure that ariseth of the pure Light of Concord and quiet Life may henceforth be inviolably conserved if it otherwise happen saith he it behoveth me to sob and sigh and to shed many a salt tear and beseecheth them hereupon to hear him and tells them how the understanding of those things turned him from his journey in the East when he was come as far as Nicomedia I should fill a Volumn if I should speak very particularly of these Some reasons of the quoting of these things and why other things are omitted things and yet I can hardly tell how to let them pass by they being of such consequence and pertinent to the matter in hand and needful for all men to know and understand seeing that so much lies on the foot of this matter worthily deserving the most serious consideration and to be above many things weighed and considered Now I shall proceed to what remains as worthy of observation The Nicaene Council held Anno 328. comes to have an end but not the Division in this matter the Nicaean or Council of Nice aforesaid which began some say in the year 324. some 326. some other 328. came to have an end but the Division ceased not but increased and banded it self throughout those Cities and Provinces and Constantine himself had enough of them who whether by conviction Constantine seems to incline to favour Arius of his rashness who drew the Sword in the quarrel of Religion or through the importunity of his Sister Constantia late wife The supposed causes thereof to Lycinnius who is said by the Historian to have commended a Priest of the Opinion of Arius to her Brother during her weakness of which she died which Priest she dying is said to be of great account with the Emperor or whether both is hard to determine This appeareth by the Historian that Constantia had the influence as aforesaid which if she had not which yet I judge to have had to do in the matter that he became more gentle and being Arius is bespoke to the Emperor as willing to sign the Nicene Creed presented by the said Priest with the account of Arius as if he would subscribe the Canon of that Council if he might be admitted to Constantines presence and moreover that he was falsly accused the Historian quoteth the Emperor to have said If Arius The Emperor receives the account thereof his words thereupon be of that mind and as you say agreeth with the Faith confirmed by the Council I will not onely give him the hearing my self but also send him with honour to Alexandria Arius being sent for comes to Constantinople and Euxojus a Arius being sent for comes to Constantinople and Euxojus Constantine bids them welcome Deacon whom Alexander deposed with Arius Constantine bids them welcome they frame and give their Recantation in writing to the Emperor at his demand The Emperor sends him to Alexandria again Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria for Alexander Cap 20. They frame their Recantation was dead refuses to receive him Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia writes to Athanasius and also procures the Emperors Letters to command Athanasius to admit Arius and his complices Arius sent to Alexandria again Athanasius wrote back again to the Emperor That it was not lawful for such as had made shipwrack of their Faith and had been held Athanasius refuses to receive â—im Eusebius of Nicomedia wâ—ites to Athanasius and procures the Emperor to write to receive him Athanasius still refuses The Emperor is vext writes again and threaâ—ens to depose him for accursed of the Church after this their turn and conversion to receive their former dignities This vexed the Emperor who being chafed conceived great displeasure in him against Athanasius and thus wrote to him In as much as thou art made privy to our will and pleasure see that thou make the door wide open to all that desire to enter into the Church for if I understand that any one which desired to be made a Member of the Church hath by any means through thee been hindered or his entrance stopped I will forthwith send one of my Officers who by Authority from me shall forthwith depose thee and also place another in thy room
demand of cancelling And at length is left out Now the different translations of the same Creed what that makes and the consequences thereupon all the other forms of Faith upon the enjoyning of which such multitudes of Christians were tormented and destroyed and the Peace of the Empire broken and War and Earthquakes and Pestilences as the consequence from the hand of the Lord wherein millions were undone and ruined I say all the other forms of Faith must be cancelled at least it is so demanded that this Creed All must be cancelled that the Greek Copy may stand of that Faith which in Latin the form thereof is called in which being wrote first in Latin must be called in but being now translated into Greek must be read as that which should succeed Had it not been recorded and that by men of that Age and Considerations upon this who in those things were concerned wrote either as being eye Witnesses or from them that were it were hard to be believed that so many otherwise wise and learned grave men should so extreamly be besotted to keep ado in matters of Faith the highest thing as to God to trifle and I may say fool it in things of such weight so as to become ridiculous and a laughing-stock to Children but this is the consequence when men go out of their place to meddle with things which they have nothing to do with and that are beyond their reach in being definitive as to him and the belief and worship of him and the enjoyning thereof who is Infinite who is of a Spiritual Nature who is a Spirit and so is all that which relates to the Faith and Worship of him and therefore ought no otherwise to be attempted to be defined or enjoyned but by the Spirit in Spiritual wayes and means which cannot be confined which is as the Wind which blows where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof saith Christ but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it geoth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3. 8. The said Creed being read those who liked not the Contents The Council hereupon is divided and Circumstances thereof rose up and said We came not hither as if be wanted Faith and Belief for we retain that Faith which What the opposite party said we learned from the beginuing but we are come to withstand novelties if ought be practised prejudicial to the same And so they And how they bad the Greek-Copy-men curse Arius bad them curse and renounce the Heresie of Arius if it were otherwise in such wise as the old and antient Canon of the Church hath banished all heretical blasphemous Doctrines It is apparent And place the troubles of the World on the foot of his Opinions The others withstand them The Unity is broken Some cleave to the Greek-Copy-form of Faith said they to the whole World what tumults and troubles the blasphemous Opinions of Arius hath raised even unto this day in the Church of God Ursacius Valens and the rest accepted not of this whereupon saith the History the bond of Unity retained in the Church of God was broken asunder Their men cleaved unto such things as the Council of Ariminum had decreed I think it should be Sirmium where the form was agreed for this Council seems to have agreed on nothing but only to divide the other confirmed the Canons of the Nicene Council and derided the Others to the Nicene and deride the other Athanasius his Pasquil on the Greek-Copy-Faith Contents of the Creed that was then read Athanasius also in a Letter to his Friends scoffs them exceedingly in that they began their Creed or the Creed began thus In the presence of Constantius And its date of the Consuls then and the name of their Lord the Emperor the Month the day of the month our Liege Lord Flavius Eusebius and Hypacius renowned Consuls the Eleventh Kalends of June We believe in one onely True God c. Which he saith was never heard of before among Christians when they had written such things as they thought necessary to be believed of them they saith he laid down the Consuls the month and the day that it might easily appear unto all wise men their Faith not to have been before the Reign of Constantius Furthermore saith he when they take Pen in hand to pronounce what they think of the Lord they name another Lord to wit Constantius for it was he that opened the gap saith he into impiety and whilst they denied the Son of God to be Eternal for those enemies of Christ saith he fell into such outragious impiety they intituled the Emperor to be Sempeternal or Everlasting Then whereas they might pretend the example of the Prophets who name themselves to have prophesied in such and such a Kings Reign as their And his answering the case of the Prophets as to the times mentioned of their prophesie President They saith he are fouly deceived and bewray every one his own ignorance and folly for though the Prophets saith he made mention of the times they lived in yet were they not the first founders of the Service of God and Sacred Religion it was long saith he before their times it was from everlasting it was before the Foundations of the World were laid the which verily God himself saith he by Christ hath prepared for us The times when their Faith had their Original they did not signifie for there had been faithful men long before them for those were the dayes when such promises of God and Prophesies of things to come were preached by them Moreover saith he in the aforesaid specified times their Faith had not her first Foundation and beginning but the Prophers themselves but these our Southsayers neither writing of Stories neither prophesying of things to come do write their Catholick Faith was published adding immediately thereunto the times of the Consuls the month of the year and the day of the week Even as the Holy Men of God saith he have declared both the times of the matters they wrote of and the years of their own Ministry so these men have noted unto us the dayes when their Faith began and as they saith he took Maxilla and Montanus for their Lord so these men instead of Christ have chosen Constantius and so in many other expressions he goes on to reflect these things upon them which I think too long to mention though hitherto I judge and I hope it will be so thought what is said to be convenient Well the issue of this Council was they deposed Valens Ursacius Valens Vrsacius and four more chief Bish deposed for not cursing the Heresie of Arius They run to the Emperor The others write to the Emperor and send twenty Bishops therewith Auxentius Germanius Cajus and Demophulus the chief men in this matter because they refused to renounce and accurse the heresie of Arius
Page 22. reproof as so many Mephibosheths their Master teaches them to go uprightly but they still shew their lame leg and shame their Master as if a man might be a Christian and yet be the vilest person in the World doing such things for which the Laws of men have provided both smart and shame and the Laws of God have threatned the intollerable pains of an unsufferable and never dying damnation And in his measure of the Evangelical Righteousness he saith It must at least be so much that is as the Scribes and Pharisees We must keep the Letter of the whole Moral Law We must do all that lies before us all that is in our hand the outward work must Page 24. be done and it is not enough to say My Heart is right but my Hand went wrong a right Heart alone will not do it or rather the Heart is not right when the Hand is wrong for once for all let us remember this That Christianity is the most profitable the most useful and the most bountiful institution in the whole World and the best definition Page 25. I can give of it is this It is the Wisdom of God brought down among us to do good to men Christian Religion is something that is not seen it is the hidden Page 29. man of the heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is God that dwells within True Christians are men who as the Chaldee Oracle said †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 2. 14. are cloathed with a great deal of mind I will speak unto their Heart To preach the Gospel saith he where the Spirit is the Preacher and the Heart is the Disciple and the Sermon is of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Our Service to God must not be in outward works and Scenes of Religion it must be something by which we become like God solemn Prayers and the Sacraments and the Assemblies of the Faithful Page 31. and Fasting dayes and Acts of external Worship are the Solemnities Page 32. and Rights of Religion but the Religion of a Christian is in the Heart and Spirit And this is that by which Clemens Alexandrinus desired the Righteousness of a Christian * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the parts and faculties which make up a man must make up our Religion but the Heart is Domus Principalis it is the Court of the great King and he is properly served with Interior Graces and Moral Virtues with a humble and a good Mind with a bountiful Heart and a willing Soul and these command the Eye and give Law to the Hand and make the Shoulders stoop but anima cujusque est quisque then he is within A mans Soul is the man and so is his Religion and so ye are bound to understand it No external action can purifie the Soul because its Nature Page 33. and Operation being Spiritual it can no more be changed by a Ceremony by an external Solemnity than an Angel can be carressed with sweet meats or a mans Belly be filled with Musick or long Orations The Sum is this No Christian does his duty to God but he that serves him with all his heart and although it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness even the external also yet that which makes us gracious in his eye is not the external it is the love of the heart and the real change of the mind and obedience of the Spirit That 's the first great measure of the Righteousness Evangelical Our Righteousness must be the purification and the perfection of the Spirit A Christian must not look upon a Woman to lust after her he must hate sin in all dimensions and in all distances and in every Angle of its Reception To abstain from all appearances of evil Charity vaunteth not its self And upon this Saint Basil saith That Ecclesiastick Persons and so every Christian in his proportion ought not to go in splendid and vain Ornaments every thing that is not wisely useful or proportioned to the state of the Christian but ministers only to vanity is a part of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a vaunting which the charity and grace of a good Christian does not well endure it is no wonder if Christianity be nice and curious it is the cleanness and the purification of the Soul and Christ intends to present his Church to God without spot or wrinkle or any such thing N. B. or any such thing if there be any irregularity less than a wrinkle the Evangelical Righteousness doth not allow it And certain it is he is dull of hearing who understands not the Voice of God unless it be clamorous in an express and a loud Commandment proclaimed with Trumpets and Clarions on Mount Sinai A willing and an obedient ear understands the still Voice of Christ and is ready to obey his meaning at half a word and that is the Righteousnesse Evangelical The Righteousness Evangelical must be like Christ's seamless Coat Page 44. all of a piece from the top to the bottom it must invest the whole Soul Misma Dumah Massah said the Proverb of the Rabbins it is this and it is the other and it must be all it must be an Universal Righteousness not a little knot of holy Actions scattered in our lives and drawn into a sum at the day of Judgment but it must be a state of holiness To be zealous for God and for Religion is good but that will not Page 45. legitimate cruelty to our Brother The Righteousness Evangelical is another kind of thing it is a holy conversation a God-like life an Universal obedience a keeping nothing back from God A Sanctification of the whole man and keeps not the Body only but the Soul and the Spirit unblameable to the coming of the Lord Jesus These are such things saith he a little before which if a man will stand to defend possibly a modest reprover will be more ashamed than an impudent offender Page 40. Page 49. Among the Hebrews the Trees of the Lord did signifie such trees as grew of themselves and all that are of God's planting are such as have a vital principle within and grow without constraint I do not know how to give a fuller expression to the Principle of the People called Quakers and indeed the whole of them are very full as much as in so many words can well be exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one said it of the Christians They obey the Laws and by the goodness of their lives exceed the Laws And certain it is no man hath the Righteousness Evangelical if he resolves alwayes to take all his liberty in every thing that is meerly lawful or if he purpose to do no more than he needs must that is no more than he is just commanded for the reasons are plain The sum of all is this The Righteousness Evangelical is Page 67 68. the same with that
Then which what can be more clear to the thing which I have asserted and for which I quote the Doctor A Teacher dwelling in our Natures A natural kind of Christianity A Law which with the common Notions of good and evil is planted in our Souls An eternal Righteousness A Law written in our hearts An infallible Law not a mortal Rule given by this or that mortal No liveless Precepts written in Paper or upon Pillars but immortal being ingraven by the eternal Nature in immortal minds A Law not written in Tables or Books but dwelling in the mind alwayes as a living Rule which never permits the Soul to be destitute of an interior guide Neither shall they ever be forgotten or abrogated for there is in them a great God that never waxeth old The Laws of reasonable Nature eternal and indispensible not customs of men or constitutions of Princes alterable at pleasure but written in our Souls by God I think I need say no more but leave this thing to the consideration of all moderate men concerning our Principle which being as much as I need say to it let me onely add what the Doctor presently by way of anticipation produces in reference to the aforesaid Aphorisms or Positions as to what may happily be objected by such as see not Nature to be so or such as is here asserted Nature saith he may be so perverted by vice that men will not acknowledge the innate motions of Truth so Justin Martyr saith the Doctor told Trypho (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being corrupted by a bad education evil custom and wicked institutions they destroy their natural Notions And as Porphryry's Phrase is (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do speak falsly of our Nature And are therefore justly rejected by Aristotle as incompetent Judges of Nature Pol. 1. 5. in these words (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are to enquire concerning what is natural of these who are in their natural temper and not of those who have corrupted their Nature I think no more needs be said then the very words before rehearsed in reference to those who take upon them to judge and speak evil of this Principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Doctor of vulgar Practice and the M. Tyr. Dissert 20. producing thereof for slight justifications of actions in the Preface aforesaid For no place can create Virtue by common Suffrages But it is the glory of men saith he to conform their lives to the external reasons of goodness whose indispensible Principles is connate with our Souls And saith he do not men perceive in their Souls Bentevol and Vran. 2 Part cap. 6. a natural Obligation to the practice of Justice and know certainly they should not invade the rights of others because they would not be disturbed in their own possessions Which answers to what he said as to the Principle which is the Law and the Prophets That is all that is religious or relative from one man to another in that little or narrow Sentence is comprehended to wit saith Christ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. To this of the Doctors let me add a few more instances of the Antients which seem both to speak and explain what I have quoted of his and what he hath spoken concerning Nature and God Out of the Minor Poets pag. 213. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mind is God in us in the particular And pag. 227. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. God is Conscience in all mortal men Thus as to the Mind and Conscience As to Nature saith Seneca De Benefic cap. 7. (a) Quid enim aliud est natura qnam Deus est Divina ratio toti Mundo partibus ejus inserta What other thing is Nature than God and the divine Reason placed in the whole World and its parts And the same Seneca in his Epistles lib. 1. saith Epist 31. (b) Debit tibi illa quae si non diserueris par Deo surges Nature hath given thee those things which if thou forsakest not thou wilt arise like God I may now proceed to another viz. Doctor John Owen sometimes Vice-Chancellor of Oxford who taking upon him to write against the People called Quakers thus wrote for them and their Principles Concerning the interpreting of the Scriptures he layeth it down as an indubitable Truth and which hath been proved to be such by the reformed Divines as they are called the things following viz. That the only publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of Doctor Owen's Exerc. 2 9 7. against the Quakers the Holy Scripture is he who is the Author of them from the breathing of whose Spirit it derives all its Verity Perspicuity and Authority This Author and Interpreter of the Scriptures is the Spirit partly speaking in the Scripture and setting down its mind therein and if there be any doubtful and obscure passages therein explaining himself by that Analogy or Harmony of the whole Doctrine which is found therein and partly infusing a spiritual Light into our hearts whereby we may be led into the knowledge of all necessary Truths revealed in the Word And therefore as there never was any visible Judge of Faith then man quatenus as man hath nothing to do in it and so what is become of all the institutions and inforcings of men or their medling with Religion and the imposings which the Doctor himself wrought the Council of the late Army to in their Address to the then called Long yet ending Parliament which undid the Army and wrought them against their Declarations and Engagements appointed by Christ So neither is there any use or need of such an Arbitrator Again he saith That every Christian hath it as a duty incumbent upon him to inquire into the mind of God in the Scriptures and no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit shall reveal them but we have the mind of Christ then Christ must be within the Hope of Glory for where the mind of Christ is there is Christ that is to seek into the meaning of them and that must be by the Spirit as are his own words as aforesaid by all requisite means and himself saith there is no other but the Spirit the only publick authentick and infallible Interpreter as aforesaid and to expound them to himself which must be by knowing his Teacher within for his own edification for the just shall live so every man must have it in his own particular by his Faith Thus as to the Interpretation of the Scriptures Now as to Teaching and the teaching of others or Preaching Sect. 14. In that community saith he between God and man through a Relation which a reasonable creature cannot but have to a good Creator from whence arises this indispensible necessity to worship and obey him it
is requisite that all should know him and what is his will and how can they do that unless they know the Principle of him where only his Will is to be known according to the decree of means conducing thereunto and this can only be the Spirit as his own words hath expressed it as hath been rehearsed which is graciously afforded them which must by the Doctors own words be the manifestation of the Spirit given to every one to profit withal of which the Apostle speaks and which he himself in the next words further expresses what it is This is the great Dictate of Nature which cannot be that which is in the transgression but the Divine and Prescript of the Law and what Law that is in the very next words he expresses This Duty is no less imprinted in the heart of man than in the Decalogue So it 's the Law written in the heart and the fear put into the inward parts which till it was come viz. the new Covenant the Seed which is Christ the Law or Decalogue was added or the outward administration which the other should do when it was come which was within but not seen or felt but put under or as it were dead buried and so lying the Seed which is Christ as hath been said amongst the means which God makes use of for the discovery of himself the Holy Scripture this must be understood by his own expressions by the Spirit as aforesaid is not onely the most excellent of all others but as to saving Truths it is the sole and only manifester thereof Thus as to the first part that is That all should know God and do his Will the great Dictate of Nature and Prescript of the Law And this great Dictate of Nature and Prescript of the Law must needs be the measure of God by which only God can be known and his Will done which all must have or how else can it be natural for Nature is a comprehensive word or that in which all that are of that stock and kind are intituled or invested or it cannot be Nature or a Law to be observed by all or prescribed if all have it not And so it is our or the Principle of the Quakers viz. the measure of God in all whereby and in which he is to be known and who is the Teacher of his People Now as to the other which is Preaching or teaching of others As the knowledge of God and what knowledge that is and how it hath been declared already out of his own words and unavoidable conclusions therefrom which I must desire the Reader to carry along with him that he may bear the sence for there is something in this matter attended with the Spiritual subjection of the Soul unto him intirely is the principal Commandment in the first Table which is the Principle of the People called Quakers as aforesaid as his own words hath concluded it So in the second the main thing enjoyned is the love of our Neighbour Now to love another is to wish and to will unto him all these things which we think good for him and as far as lies in our power to procure them for him yet this is not to love ones Neighbour as ones self by the Doctors leave as they use to say but as a man thinks it's good for his Neighbour So this is a wrong interpretation to the Commandment and so a taking away from thence and it is too narrow and hath a restriction And the more perfect discoveries of things that a lover hath the more perfect and excellent is the good that he wishes and cannot but wish unto him whom he loves Now since that love must be of a very transcendent degree and proportioned to that wherewith we love our selves it cannot be such unless we desire to communicate and impart unto our beloved as far as in us lies that which is the principal of all Goods and since the knowledge of God is life eternal and consequently the chiefest good one can wish unto another and what that knowledge of God is and wherein it consists and where it lies hath already been observed from his own words viz. the great Dictate of Nature the Prescript of the Law no less imprinted in the heart of man than in the Decalogue viz. the measure of God in every man which gives to know God and wherein onely he is to be known the knowledge of whom is eternal life It follows from the Dictates of this commanding and commanded Love that it is not Arbitrary for any to will or refuse to instruct another in this saving Knowledge viz. the measure of God the great Dictate of Nature the Prescript aforesaid to teach from this if he be able so to do but all are indispensibly obliged to this performance of their duty Thus the Doctor hath in terminis or so many words held forth the very same thing and no other than what the people called Quakers affirm as their Principle viz. that all should know God and what is his Will That this is the great Dictate of Nature and Prescript of the Law that this duty is no less imprinted in the heart of man than in the Decalogue that this Knowledge is saving and to instruct one another in this saving knowledge all that are able that is to say such as have received a gift in whom the thing moves to speak which gives the ability for this must be necessarily understood by those words and I suppose will be judged to be no straining of the signification of those his words are indispensibly obliged to the performance of this as their duty that is to say in the Scripture words As every one hath received the gift so minister the same one unto another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. Moreover that the only publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the Holy Scripture is he who is the Author of them from the breathings of whose Spirit it derives all its verity perspicuity and authority and that therefore as there was never any visible Judge of Faith appointed by Christ so neither is there any use or need of such an Arbitrator These things and many more to the same purpose which I have omitted because of brevity A friendly man hath helped me to in his Book Intituled Light shining out See Light shining out of darkness pag. 76 77. and so onwards of Darkness c. printed in the year 1659. in which year the Doctor was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and for profession of those called Independants as the * Doct. Ingelo other Doctor is now of Eaton Colledge and so of the Collegiats I shall now take a third Doctor one of the Episcopals and a present Bishop by name Doctor Jeremiah Taylor now Bishop of Down and Connor in Ireland and a man of singular abilities and ingenuity and very famous for a Book of his Intituled Liberty of Prophesying written