for one of their preachers called Mast Rob. hath had a writing of mine in his hands above six moneths Now above 12 months and as yet I can get no answer it seemes hee knoweth not how better to hide his errors then by silence and this will bee the case of all false Bishops and Ministers Iohn 3.20 Iohn 3.10 who had rather be mute and dumb then to be drawn into the light with their errors Therefore permission of conscience and liberty of the gospel in our land of great Britain wil mightily further the advancement of the Apostolick faith and chiefly their bookes whereout sufficient matter will be drawn for the convincing of every particular Religion which is against the Religion stablished by Christ and his Apostles who by all meanes lawfull sought the conversion and salvation both of Jewes and Gentiles 1 Cor. 9.20.22 Act. 16.3 And they are unconstant and faith lesse men or at least very ignorant that think error will overcome and prevaile against the truth For the abolishing of such thoughts I desire such men to consider the mighty victory and prevailing of the truth in the time of Christ his Apostles which notwithstanding resisted and disputed against by the most part of the Priests and learned men both of Jewes and Gentiles yet overcame and prevailed against all the errors of the high Priests and great learnedmen both of the Jews and Gentiles and the Apostle faith we cannot do any thing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 but for the truth and seeing it is the same truth which all good men would embrace why should wee not hope the same victory by it Did not King Darius all the people both Iew and gentils cry out and say that truth is great and strongest 1 Esd 4.38.41 Why then should those that have the truth and those that would have the truth be afraid of error seeing truth discovereth dark and dangerous wayes of error though abroad in open books even as light discovereth dark and dangerous places though abroad in open high wayes And as the more darke and dangerous the wayes be the more necessary needfull will light be found of all that travel So the more darke and dangerous the errors be the more needfull and profitable wil truth be found of al that would travel to heaven But some may object and say let all this be granted yet it is no wisedom we think to bring dangerous errors into the light that so many men may stumble at them Which being not brought to light would not be so much as known to some I answer no more then a Rock that lyeth hid under water Answer which for want of bringing into the light many men may make Shipwrack there on and so stumble or fall neverthelesse though it be not so much as known to them before Therefore as a Rock in the Seas though not so much as known to some yet for want of being made known many men stumble and fal thereon and so perish both men and goods So an error though not so much as known to some yet for want of being made known many men may stumble and fall thereon and so perish both bodies and soules the which is more lamentable And as Rocks in the Seas the more they manifest themselves So errors in the world the more they manifest themselves the more furtherance in the way to heaven And you shall understand that errors being brought to the light of the word of God will vanish as darknes before the light of a torch even as the chaffe before the winde cannot stand so error before truth cannot abide therefore it is no hinderance but a great furtherance to have all erroneous Rocks in the haven to heaven made knowen and published And a great and sure argument it is Another true signe of false ministers that those Bishops and Ministers have not the truth that publikely dare not dispute or write against error as may be seene in the Bishops ministers in Queen Maries dayes which could not abide to have books written Printed of that which they called error and heresie but caused that if any such were written both them and the Authors to be burned if they could come by them Therefore if permission of conscience and libertie of the Gospel be not granted and burning lawes repealed then the Bishops ministers now may perswade and cause to be burned both the Books the Authors that have the truth instead of heresy and hereticks even as their predecessors have done already The Word of God the onely defender of the faith of Christ and so shed more innocent bloud and also provoke the Lord to further wrath against the King and State It is not the gallowes nor the prisons nor burning nor banishing that can defend the Apostolick faith indeed the King and State may defend Religions peace by their sword civil power but not the faith otherwise then by the word and spirit of God The dutch Princes and Peeres say that force sword gallows in matter of religion is a good meanes to spil bloud and make an uprore in the land but not to bring any man from one faith to another The Pagans will not persecute one another for religion though as I read there be above three thousand sorts among them And you know both King Henry Queen Mary thought themselves defenders of the faith and though they burned hereticks and heresy when they burned Men and their books Idol Bishops and false Ministers authors of persecution Rev. 16.14 but now you see and must acknowledge that they were peesecutors of the faith instead of defenders therof and also that they through the instigation of their bloudy Bishops burned the word of God and those that professed and wrought it instead of heresy and hereticks And thus it will be now if the Bishops and their Ministers may have their wils and therein they as their predecessors fulfill the word of God in gathering Kings of the earth to the battell of the great day of God Almighty For they perswade Kings to force their subjects Rom. 10.14.17 to receive the faith and to be of the Church whereas the word of God teacheth otherwise saying Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and not by the Kings sword And Christ saith Teach of nations and not force all nations and this teaching is to be understood by the word and writing of the Prophets and Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Christ which is the Word of God For they that wil be of the true Faith and Church must be called thereunto out of the World by the Word of God in every nation and not forced and constrained in every nation as the Bishop of Rome and all other false Bishops and Ministers have and doe perswade Kings Emperors and Magistates And his Majesty and Parliament may please to understand that so to do Mat. 16. 16.
Mat. 12.36 fear God and be like unto him for he causeth his sun to shine both on just and unjust Think at last you must give an account of your works many at the day of judgemnt will bee ever burned for killing and burning innocent Christians but no man shall be damned for saving their lives leane then I humbly beseech you on the right side of mercy rather then yeeld unto such as perswade to persecute innocent christians for they cannot help you when you must give account therof unto Christ who adviseth you otherwise although they be such as erre how much more such as do but seem to err and for difference in religion ought you to save their lives and I do in all humility affirm Maâ— 13.29.30 39 Acts 17.31 that those which advise you to pluck up and burn the tares which Christ commands to be let alone till the end doe advise you to pluck up and burn the commandement of Christ unto whom assuredly except amendment you shal give account at the day appointed Therfore beleeve not such as counsel you to shed blood for judgment in religion for if themselves should suffer the pain they would verily give you other counsell be not then their executioners any longer for all that will live godly in Christ 2 Tim. 3.12 shall suffer persecution though you do your best to hinder it And I pray to remember that to preach the gospel after the mind of Christ is to bring glad tydings unto the people but to burn banish hang and imprison for religion is not to bring glad but woful tydings unto the people Luk. 2.10 Rom. 1.16 let it not therefore bee any longer preached in your Majesties dominions I meekly intreat Though Paul plans and Apollos water 1 Cor. 3.6 yet it as God that giveth the encrease But your Bishops and Ministers will have an increase whether God will or not or else they will burn banish hang and imprison Kings and Magistrates are Gods Ministers and not the Bishops therefore I humbly beseech you to withstand the bloudy minds of your Bishops that there be no more innocent Christians persecuted to death for Religion A crying sin I read that in the Netherlands above a hundred thousand persons have been put to death for religion but now praised be God we have no such wofull tydings preached among us the Lord work as much in our land I beseech him that so you may no longer burn and banish the servants of Christ for he saith they that do these things have not known the Father nor me Joh. 16.3 yet I confesse you have the zeal of God for you think you do God good service in burning Christians that differ from your Religion But I also confesse your zeal is not according to knowledge for your Bishops and Ministers being indued with University and high school learning Ro. 10.2 3. divinity and doctrine but being ignorant of the lowly learning heavenly divinity and doctrine of Christ have and do stil go about to stablish their own and have not yet submitted themselves to the lowly learning divinity and doctrine of Christ and therefore like their predecessors wil perswade you to burn banish c. such Christians as they hold to be in error about doctrines and questions of faith and Religion right as if they had the power to rule govern and dispose the hearts and spirits of Kings Princes and people even as they list and also to make them good and righteous when they will and to cause them to understand and beleeve the gospel even by a day and hour appointed which to do belongeth to God alone and therefore Christ saith Iohn 6.44 no man can come to me except the Father draw him and Christ will have his Ministers to preach to such as are worthy willing and not as your Ministers who come to them whom they hold unworthy and find unwilling and say Mat. 10.11 24. Will ye not come to church and hear and will ye not beleeve our doctrine but we wil make you or else we will burn you for hereticks Thus will they taunt meek and holy Christians who are torn like sheep among the wolves but Christs ministers will with meeknes instruct such as are contrary minded tolerating the evill men patiently proving if God at any time wil give them repentance 2 Tit. 2.25 Ioh. 13.35 that they may know the truth wherby they shew plainly that they are Christs disciples and have that true faith which worketh by love even as the Apostle saith the which I pray you to consider that so you may both know and obey the will of Christ Now saith he abideth faith hope and love 1 Cor. 13. but the chiefest of these is love for where love is there is no disdaine it seeketh not her own things it is not provoked to anger it suffereth all things it hopeth all things it indureth al things Yea the love of Christ so loveth that it will not vex nor persecute any that call on his name therefore I humbly pray you to remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body and to shew them mercy Heb. 13.3 for mercy rejoyceth against judgment but judgment mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy If ye be friendly to your brethren onely what singular thing do you Iam. 2.13 doe not the sinners the same be not like unto them Luk. 6.32 37. but unto your heavenly father whose wisdom love and mercy I beseech him to grant you that so you may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved and that we your Majesties faithfull subjects 1 Tim. 2. may lead a peaceable and quiet life even in our own nation in all godlinesse and honesty Amen Now them that are persecuted 2 Pet. 4 12. I exhort with the words of the Apostle Peter Dearly beloved think it nor strange concerning the fiery trial that is among you to prove you as though some strange thing were come unto you but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall appear ye may be glad and rejoice If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you â— Pet. 2.2 which on their parts is evil spoken of but on your part is glorified but let no man suffer as an evil does or as a murtherer or as a busie body in others matters but if one suffer as a Christian Acts 24.14 let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalf For all the martyrs of the Apostolick Church have suffered as evill doers and as hereticks For the time is that judgment must must begin at the house of God if it first begin at us saith the Apostle what shal the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls unto him in weldoing as unto a faithfull Creator Antichrist and his persecution shall bee made low â— Thes 2.4 Read Esay 2.2 4 11 16. He shal judge among the nations and rebuke many people they shall break their sword into mattocks and their spears into sithes nations shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn to fight any more the high lookes of man shall be humbled and the loftinesse of man shal be abased and the Lord only shal be exalted in that day for the day of the Lord of hosts is upon all the proud and haughty and upon all that is exalted and it shall be made low Little David overcame great Goliah yet not brought up in war unlearned Peter confuted the learned Priests yet by calling a Fisherman Attend and help Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.7 and you shall see the wonderfull works of God For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknes of God is stronger then men And God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and things that are despised hath God chosen to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1.25 28. Leonard Busher FINIS
Sermons nor yet by their bookes which are full fraighted with false doctrines and confirmed and countenanced not onely by the Kings authority and power but also by wresting and false interpreting of the Scriptures and by alledging of popish Fathers which through the great ignorance of the people doe greatly prevaile btt then shall be abolished through the word and spirit of god his two witnesses in the mouth of his servants Rev. 11.3 and 19.10 who by word and writing shall breed such knowledge that none of wisedomes children shall be deceived Another reason why so many good people are now deceived is because we that have most truth are most persecuted and therefore most poore whereby we are unable to write and print as we would against the adversaries of the truth it is hard to get our daily food with the labors of our weak bodies and feeble hands how then should we have to defray other charges and to write and print I have through the help of god out of his word made a scourge of small cords 2 Pet. 2.2 wherewith Antichrist and his Ministers might be driven one of the Temple of God Also a declaration of certain false translations in the new Testament but I want wherewith to print and publish it therefore it must rest til the Lord see'th good to supply it It is the kings honor to search out a thing Prov. 25. Exod 3.6 In mean while I humbly intreat his Majesty and Parliament to give me leave to prove the Bishops with one question by which you may perceive the ignorance of your Bishops 't is this how they will bee able to prove a resurrection from these words I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Onely from these words will they prove the resurrection if they be the Bishops of Christ for he proved the resurrection from hence Luk. 20.27 The question is hard I grant but if their Lordships be not able to interpret it according to the meaning of Christ as I am sure they are not then it will be another cause very sufficient for their deprivation from their Lordly and idol offices and princely livings But because most men do wrest and mis-interpret the Scriptures some of wickednesse and some of ignorance for the utterance of their doctrines and so deceive both Prince and people I will shew how you shall perceive it lest thereby you still be deceived Every Scripture therfore mis-interpreted do make a contradiction As for example M. Iohnson one of the Preachers called Brownists to prove Rome a true church alledgeth 2 Thes 2.4 where the Apostle sheweth That the man of sin and son of perdition sitteth in the Temple of God which words Temple of God he interpreteth to be the church of God whereby he doth greatly erre for then such interpretation will contradict this scripture which saith 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of God is the pillar and ground of truth But if the man of sin sitteth there Rev. 28.2 Rev. 18 4. then it is a hold of foul spirits a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird as the Scripture speaketh yea the pillar and ground of falshood and not of truth Neither would the Lord call his people out of her as he doth if it were the true Church Rev. 12.13 14. Also if the temple of God in that place be interpreted the church of God this foul absurdity and contradiction will follow viz. that the Church called the woman to whom were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wildernesse from her persecutors for a time times and half a time was not persecuted neither yet did sly into the wildernesse so long a time Neither yet was the Church called both woman and whore Re. 17.1 5. also great Babylon the mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth drunken with the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Iesus as the Scripture testifyeth Again if that be the church of God where the man of sin sitteth then the winepresse was not troden without but within the Church and so it also crosseth this Scripture which saith Rev. 14.20 the winepress was troden without the City so that blood came out unto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs Ergo a false interpretation Moreover we are not to understand the word Temple at all times to mean the Church for when Christ said destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up again did not mean the church nor yet the materiall Temple wherin he was but meant his body yet the Jews understood the word Temple otherwise even as Mr. Iohnson c doe here understand the word Temple otherwise then the bodies of peoples multitudes nations Rev. 17.5 and tongues which they ought not to doe Likewise Paul when he said If any man destroy the Temple of God him will God destroy did not mean the Church but the members of the Church So when he said the man of sin sitteth in the Temple of God he did not mean so much as the members of the church much lesse the church Therefore it must be understood that all those in whom the man of sin sitteth are called the Temple of God onely in respect that the Lord hath bought them for the Lord hath bought all men 2 Pet. 2.1 1 Joh. 2.2 1 Cor. 6.19 20. 7.23 Lev. 18.6 even the false teachers that deny him Therefore no man is his own in that respect but the Lords Also the Bishops themselves to prove brothers and sisters children may marry alledge Lev. 18. But that Scripture do not prove such marriages but the full contrary for it saith none shall come near to any of his kindred to uncover shame But brother and sisters children are kinsfolks Lev. 18.17 therefore they may not come near to uncover shame for that were wickednesse This they must confesse or else prove that brother and sisters children are not kinsfolks which they cannot seeing then brother and sisters children cannot call cozen and so all cozenship is blotted out by their doctrine for uncles and Aunts call their brothers and sisters child nephew neece Thus many Bishops and preachers do deceive Kings Princes and peoples by wresting and misinterpreting the Scripture Col. 2 8.1â— Therefore I earnestly desire your Majesty and Parliament to beware lest there be any man that spoyle you through Philosophy and vaine deceit through the Traditions of men according to the rudiments of the World and not after Christ 1 Tim. 6. â— 20 21. â— And to avoid profane and vain bablings and Antithesis or opposition falsly called learning which while some professe they have erred concerning the faith And now O King Prince and Parliament open your eyes and listen your eares unto compassion and mercy 2 Cor. 5.10 Mat. 5.45 Ver. 21 22. Lu. 18.7 8. 2 Thes 14.8 Jam. 1.5 6.