Antichrist from whom they are descended and succeeded both lineally and of great antiquity Mystically Wherefore I humbly beseech the King and Parliament that you will betimes listen unto the holy spirit in the mouth of the prophet which saith Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned or instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord in feare and rejoice in trembling kisse the Son of God lest hee be angry and ye perish in the way of persecution when his wrath shall suddenly burn Let not therefore the Kings of the earth band themselves with the Bishops and Ministers of Antichrist Psal 2. â— 3. 1 Ioh. 2.20 Rev. 17.14 nor Princes assemble themselves together against the Lord and against his amointed that is against Christ and his Church seeing both he and she break your bands and east your cords from them Rev. 12.11 Yea her seed overcommeth you by the bloud of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives unto death Beware then in time lest you offend any more of these little ones that beleeve in Christ seeing Christ saith it were better to have a milstone hanged about the neck Matth. 18.6.10 and drowned in the depth of the Sea then so to do He meaneth that it were better for you to lose your lives then any way to consent to the offence of such little ones that beleeve in Christ See then I pray that they be not despised burned banished hanged and imprisoned For their Angels alwaies behold the face of Christs Father in heaven and remember he saith Matth. 10.38 39. Matth. 11.35.36 the tree is known by his fruit but persecuting of Christians is an evill fruit And that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things but persecuting of christians is no good thing and that for every idle word men shall speake they shall give accounts at the last day of judgements How much more for every wicked and cruel deed of persecution as burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of those that confesse with the mouth Rom. 10.9 and beleeve with the heart the Lord Iesus and that God raised him from the dead whose laws and ordinances they are carefull to keepe and obey Christ saith that such shall be saved and yet you feare not to burn banish hang and imprison such But if you beleeve that God will avenge his elect Luk 18.9 beware of persecuting his servants that cal on his name specially such as witnesse his truth against the abominations of Antichrist Suffer not your Bishops to destroy those men and women that strive to serve God according to his will in his word Be not your Bishops executioners in burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of harmlesse and peaceable Christians but let them enjoy freedom of the gospel and liberty of conscience that so the apostolick Church which is scattered and driven into the wildernesse and desart of this world may be againe gathered together both of Jews and Gentiles into visible and stablished congregations 2 Thes â— 8 And that the Catholick and universall Church of Antichrist may bee consumed and abolished by his word and spirit as the holy Apostle hath foretold even the uttermost of his arrivall which is the Emperiall and triple Crowne I pray the Lord to give such grace the Sea of Rome may ebbe apate through the triple sea of Rome And again I humbly intreat the King and Parliament to vouchsafe to heare me with patience yet a little further If freedom of the Gospel and permission of conscience might be granted then would not Papists nor any others dissemble their religion to the dishonor of God the destruction of their souls and to the great danger both of King and State seeing they are forced to Church against their consciences may not Popish Priests and Jesuites unawares to the Bishops become the Bishops Ministers seeing the change of their Religion and religious habit differ so little and so by degrees infect the people with more Popish doctrine as occasion shall be Nota. From Popes submission there is great suspition And such men will readily embrace the Bishops Orders and so they shall readily have the Bishops favours by which means they may more easily and speedily have accesse unto the Court and presence of the King and Prince which indeed is very dangerous howsoever not regarded Therefore I doe according to my duty humbly advise his Majesty not to beutifie his Court and presence with any popish stones not with one though it be of Alablaster But permission of conscience and freedom and liberty of the Gospel will no way be dangerous to the King or State if such like rules as these be observed 1. That no people tainted with treason doe beare any office 2. That all sorts of people tainted with treason do at all times from home weare a black hat with two white signs the one before 1 Kin. 2.36 41 42. Rom. 13 1. to 5. the other behind in open sight 3. That no people tainted with treason approach within ten miles of the Court without licence 4. That no people tainted with treason do inhabit the City of London nor yet within ten miles thereof 5. That none tainted with treason do make any assembly or congregation 6. That no person or persons in whatsoever difference by reasoning or disputing do draw any weapon nor give any blow stroke or push in paine and penalty as his Majesty and Parliament thinke meet 7. That for the more peace and quietnes and for the satisfying of the weak and simple among so many persons differing in Religion it bee lawfull for every person or persons yea Jewes and Papists to write dispute confer and reason print and publish any matter touching Religion either for or against whomsoever always provided they alledge no Fathers for proof of any point of religion 2 Tim. 2.24 25 Iames 3.17 but only the holy Scriptures neither yet to reproach or slander one another nor any other person or persons but with all love gentleness and peaceableness informe one another to the glory of God honor of the King and State and to their own good and credit Note A true signe of false Bishops and Ministers by which means both few errors and few books wil be written and printed seeing all false Ministers and most people have little or nothing else besides the Fathers to build their religion and doctrine upon or if it be once stablished by law that none shall confirm their religion and doctrine by the Fathers and by prisons burning and banishing c. but by the holy Scriptures then error will not be written nor disputed except by obstinate persons feared consciences seeing the word of God will be no shelter for any error Yea I know by experience among the people called Brownists that a Man shal not draw them to write though they be desired
THis usefull Treatise Entituled Religions Peace long since Presented by a Citizen of London to King JAMES and the High Court of Parliament then sitting I allow to be Reprinted Aprill 1. John Bachiler RELIGIONS PEACE OR A PLEA for Liberty of Conscience Long since presented to King James and the High Court of Parliament then sitting by Leonard Busher Citizen of London and Printed in the Yeare 1614. Wherein is contained certain Reasons against Persecution for Religion Also a designe for a peaceable reconciling of those that differ in opinion Rom. 14.5 10. One man esteemeth one day above another another man esteemeth every day a like let every man be fully perswaded in his own minde But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou despise thy brother for we shall all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ LONDON Printed for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-alley 1646. TO THE Presbyterian Reader THis Treatise which as a supplication to King James and the Parliament was Printed in the yeare 1614. is for your good now againe re-printed the Author thereof Leonard Busher an honest and godly Man as I make no doubt will appeare to you in the perusall of his Booke intended two things therein First to make it appeare that the Bishops were not true Ministers or successive from the Apostles but rather a Siens or branch of the Popish stocke descended from the Romish Hierarchy to whom they owned their Instauration Ordination and Function Had this advice been believed and embraced by the Parliament then the mischiefes they have since practised much of the blood that hath been shed and the miseries that by their meanes have been brought upon us had in great measure been prevented but his Counsell was then slighted though by the wisdome of this present Parliament put in execution whereby we are secured for the future from the domination compulsion against Conscience and notorious cruelties of that sort of men Whence we may learne that what to a people at one time seemes strange and absurd and in no wise to be admitted of at another time appeares an acceptable truth the reason is because wee are not Masters of our owne understandings but suffer them to bee dull'd and corrupted till misery and the sting of oppression opens our eyes so that we embrace truth more out of necessity then choice The second thing his Discourse drives at is to make it appeare by Scriptures and sound Arguments that the onely way to make a Nation happy and preserve the People in love peace and tranquillity is to give liberty to all to serve God according as they are perswaded is most agreeable to his Word to speake write print peaceably and without molestation in behalf of their severall Tenets and wayes of Worship wholsome and pertinent Laws being made upon penalties to restrain all kinde of vice or violence all kinds of reproach slander or injury either by word or deed And though this advice likewise seemes not the best to some especially to you my Brethren in the Presbyterian way yet am I well assured that this Nation will never be happy but as hitherto it hath been so for the future it will be distracted with oppression and persecution and the faces of one sort of men set against another till liberty of Conscience be allowed Indeed a man would thinke we had beene school'd and whist long enough to it by our calamities for went whereof this age and that age and the other age and every age hath been miserable For want whereof the Apostles suffered martyrdome the Saints and godly of all times have been hunted like Patridges by birds of Prey And yet good men in the esteem of a great part of the world especially of the rich and powerfull they have suffered as evill-doers disturbers of the World Heretiques Schismaticks seditious Persons and those that put them to death have had the reputation of being maintainers of Truth and sound Doctrine so apt in all ages have the people been to mistake good for evill and evill for good The Plea for liberty of Conscience is no new Doctrine as old certainly as the blessed Word of God it selfe which gives us this unmovable foundation thereof That every Man should bee fully perswaded of the truth of that way wherein hee serves the Lord And though there has been struglings in all ages to make good this blessed birthright to all peacefull People yet through thePotency and subtlety of Popes Bishops and Ministers that preferred the advance of themselves and their usurped and abused Function before the good and welfare of the People we have been deprived of this blessing next to the manifestation of Gods love and goodnesse to us the most excellent and desirable in this world for want wherof and by means of its contrary Persecution this Vniverse esâ—ecially the Christian part thereof hath suffered continuall agony and earthquake Warres and its miseries have overspread all Lands States have been shaken and subverted Love meeknesse gentlenesse mercy the truest badges of Christianity have been dampned and banished and in their roomes cruelty hardheartednesse respect of Persons Prisons tortures c. things that our blessed Lord and Master and his Apostles never prov'd unlesse upon their own afflicted bodies have had great sway for these many hundred yeares Hence is it that in stead of Peace we have frequently had the Sword in stead of sweet tranquillity love and affection hatred contention disaffection and the bitter fruits thereof hath reign'd amongst us and in all probability will reigne till God shall put it into the heart of the Parliament to make tryall for prevention thereof of this God-like way which in the ensuing Treatise is held forth I hope upon perusall thereof you that are my Brethren of the Presbyterian way will abate much of your misguided eagernesse in prosecuting your conscientious Brethren Consider I beseech you St. Paul before his conversion he was as zealous I make no question as any of you when he persecuted the Saints and (a) Acts 8.3 made havock of the Church that is of Gods People congregated together to worship and serve God when hee (b) Verse 3. entred into every house and drew out both men and women to put them to Prison when he (c) Act. 9.1 breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord when he (d) Act. 9.2 procured Letters of the High Priest to goe to Damascus where if he found any of that way then the hereticall way in his account he might bring them downe to Hierusalem when he (e) Act. 8.1 consented to Stephens death In all these violent motions he was zealous and hearty and thought hee did God good service in the suppression of a rising Sect that were against the High Priests learned Rabbies and Doctors of the Law Ceremonies strict Injunctions and observations of the Judaicall and Priestly Law You see how farre mistaken zeale can goe Consider this I beseech
you I know you are especially you that are Laymen zealous as you think for God and his Truth as Paul was But I hope there will a time come and I wish it were now present when in the midst of your heat and fervency the glorious and shining brightnesse of Love will appeare in your hearts like the light surrounding Paul going to Damascus and the scales of ignorance and mistake will fall from your eyes and then you will lament all the evill which through weaknesse you have brought upon your Brethren you will then blame your owne zeale and importunity and apply your selves more cordially and constantly to observe our Saviours rule of equity to doe unto others what you would have others doe unto you Peruse this Treatise I beseech ye with a single heart and unprejudiced mind and let it sway you as the Arguments thereof are efficacious and the Scriptures therein urged are pertinent and convincing So wisheth yours and all other good Mens true Friend H. B. To the High and Mighty King James by the grace of God King of great Britain France and Ireland and to the Princely and right Honorable Parliament Leonard Busher wisheth the wisdom of Solomon the zeal of Josâ—…s and the mercy of Christ 1 Cor. 5.5 with the salvation of your Spirits in the day of the Lord Jesus FOrasmuch as your Majesty and Parliament do stand for the maintenance of the Religion wherein you are born and for the same do most zealously persecute with fire sword I have thought it good and also my duty most Royall Soveraign to inform your Majesty and Parliament thereof In all humimility therefore I give you to understand that no Prince or People can possible attaine that one true Religion of the Gospel which is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ meerly by birth (a) John 3. â— for Christ saith Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Also the Apost Iames saith (b) Jam. 1.18 Of his own will be begat us by the word of truth and the Apostle Peter saith (c) 1 Pet. 1.3.23 Matth. 28. Mark 16. Being born anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God who liveth and endureth for ever Therefore Christ commanded this word to be preached to all nations that thereby they may attaine the new birth By which your Majesty and Parliament may perceive that the one true Religion of the Gospel is not attained by naturall birth for then all Princes and peoples in all nations should have that one true Religion of the Gospel the which you see and grant they all have not yet many of them also will defend their Religion wherein they are born by fire and sword as if it were their naturall and earthly inheritances or had with fire and sword been gotten and therefore will with fire and sword maintain and defend it But your Majesty and Parliament may please to understand that the Scriptures doe teach that the one true Religion is gotten by a new birth even by the word and spirit of God and therewith also it is onely maintained and defended For the word of God is lively and mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10.4 Ephe. 6.17 Heb. 4 1â— and sharper then any two edged sword and entereth through even unto the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joints and of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Seeing then the one true Religion of the Gospel is thus gotten and thus defended and maintained namely by the word preached onely let it please your Majesty and Parliament to be intreated to revoke and repeale those Antichristian Romish and cruell laws that force all in our Land both Prince people to receive that Religion wherein the King or Queen were born or that w th is stablished by the Law of man and in stead thereof enact and publish that Apostolick Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.16 Acts 8.12 Lu. 24.4 7. Acts 8.12.37 â— 41 Christian gentle and mercifull law of Christ viz. Goe teach all Nations preach the Gospel to every creature that is Christ will have his ministers to preach and teach the people of all Nations the things that concern the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Messiah repentance and remission of sins and to baptize in his name such as doe beleeve And forasmuch also that the false and Antichristian religion did come by the spirit of error and doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 Rev. 16.14 and not by fire and sword therefore by the spirit of Christ and doctrine of the word of God must it be driven out of the hearts and consciences both of Prince and People and not by fire and sword as the false Bishops and Ministers have and doe still perswade Therefore may it please your Majesty and Parliament to understand that by fire and sword to constrain Princes and peoples to receive that one true Religion of the Gospel Mark 9 38 39. is wholly against the minde and mercifull Law of Christ dangerous both to King State a means to decrease the Kingdom of Christ and a means to increase the kingdom of Antichrist as these reasons following do manifest The which I humbly beseech your Majesty and Parliament carefully to consider and that according to the Word of God which shall judge every man according to his deeds Mat. 16.27 Rev. 16.14 Luke 9.55 56. Joh. 12.47 persecution is a work well pleasing to all fals Prophets and Bishops but it is contrary to the mind of Christ who came not to judge and destroy mens lives but to save them And though some men and women beleeve not at the first houre yet may they at the (d) Mat. 20.6 7. eleventh houre if they be not persecuted to death before And no King nor Bishops can or is able to command faith (e) Eph. 2 8 1 Tim. 1.13 Act. 20.11 That is the gift of God who worketh in us both the will and the deed of his own good pleasure set him not a day therefore in which if his creature hear not and beleeve not you will imprison and burn him Paul was a blasphemer and also a persecuter and could not be converted by the Apostles and Ministers of Christ yet at last was received to mercy and converted extraordinarily by Christ himself Jam. 5 11. â— Pet. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.19 who is very pitifull and mercifull and would have no man to perish but would that all men come to repentance but not by persecution but by the word of reconciliation which he hath committed to his ministers And as Kings and Bishops cannot command the wind so they cannot command faith Joh. 3. and as the winde bloweth where it listeth so is every man that is born of the spirit You may force men to Church against their consciences 1 Sam. 15 1â— â—4 but they will beleev as they did afore
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.
therefore Christ commanded his disciples to teach all nations and baptize them that is to preach the word of salvation to every creature of all sorts of nations that are worthy and willing to receive it and such as shal willing gladly receive it he hath commanded to be baptized in the water that is dipped for dead in the water and therefore the Apostle saith Else what shall they do who are baptized for dead 1 Cor. 15.19 Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 Luke 8.37 if the dead be not raised why are they baptized for dead And therefore he saith we are buried then with him by baptism c. and it is to be wel observed that when Christ would have preached the word of salvation to the Gadarens he did not compell them when they refused but finding them unwilling to receive him and his word Luk. 9.54.55 he turned from them without hurting them also when James and John saw that some of the Samaritans refused Christ they would have commanded fire from heaven to consume them as Elias did but Christ rebuked them and said Ye Know no of what spirit are for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them By all which it may please his Majesty and Parliament to take knowledg that Christ will have none consumed with fire and sword for not hearing and not receiving his Word And that howsoever it hath been the mind of Antichrist to destroy mens lives for Religion and therein have not spared neither Prince no people yet it is not the mind of Christ that Princes should destroy their subjects nor yet that Subjects should destroy their Princes for difference in Religion And therefore why should Bishops perswade Princes and people and why should King Prince and people be perswaded by their Bishops and Ministers to be contrary minded to Christ verily it is a notorious and plaine token of a false faith and discipline that is defended by fire and sword the power and authority of Princes And they cannot be Christs Bishops and preachers Christs Bps. will not bee Lords ever the consciences that perswade Princes and peoples to such antichristian tyranny and cruelty And it is very evident that those Bishops and Ministers which give over men and women to the Magistrate to be perswaded by persecution doe shew clearly that their doctrine is not good and that they want the word and spirit of God and therefore flee to the Magistrates sword for the forcing of them to their faith and discipline and as the wine is not good which we are forced to drink so those doctrines are not good which we are forced to beleeve But it may be by this time all those Bishops who unfainedly fear God and truly love the King wil haste and make speed to come unto his Majesty for pardon acknowledging the truth of this book confessing their ignorance and arrogance in the knowledge of Gods word and in compelling the people to heare the word preached and for imprisoning burning banishing and hanging for Religion contrary to the mind of Christ and also for stopping the mouths of men and burning their books that preach and write contrary to their minds and wils yea it may be they will also confesse and say Oh most gracious King we beseech your Majesty to shew us mercy and to forgive us our spirituall pride and ambition in that we have thus long usurped the blasphemous titles of spirituall Lords and Lords graces the which titles we now to the glory of God and honor of the King The Bishop â—…oe know in their consciences that this is true Iob. 32.22 Phil 2.9.11 do with unfained hearts confesse to be due and belong onely to Christ himself and that the name and title of spirituall Lord cannot belong to any earthly creature no not to the King or Emperor because it is an heavenly name and title how much lesse can it belong or be due unto us your Majesties unworthy subjects and scholars And for so much as we now understand the Lord be praised therefore that the holy and heavenly name and divine title of spirituall Lord is as much yea as high and great as the name and title of a spirituall God also that it is a name above every name which God the Father hath given unto Christ onely to the end that every knee should how unto that onely and heavenly name and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Messiah the Lord unto the glory of God the Father that in all things Christ might have the preheminence for be alone is the head of the Church Col. 1.18 which is his body the which cannot bee so long as we or any other Bishops do hold and retain that divine high and superexcellent name and title of spirituall Lord because then it cannot be said that God hath so highly exalted him as to give him a name above every name seeing our names and titles are also spirituall and are called spirituall Lords so well as the son of God Iesus the messiah the remembrance hereof most gracious soveraign do make us to tremble before God and the King The Bps. in titles equall to the sonne of God And therefore we must earnestly desire your sacred Majesty and the whole Parliament to discharge and release us of these fearfull names and titles that do onely belong to the son of God Iesus the onely spirituall Lord that God hath given unto his Church Note Gods blessings iâ— expected unles these idols bee rejected who are exalted above all earthly Gods Moreover we do according to the truth acknowledge that if we should any longer retaine these divine and high names of spiritual Lords and Lords graces we should therein be intituled not only with a name equall to our Lord Iesus the onely begotten son of God but also we should be intituled with a name and title above your right excellent Majesty yea above all Emperors Kings and Princes of the earth the which alone we doe acknowledge to bee a sufficient cause to put us down and to deprive us of these usurped names and blasphemous titles Also we do confesse that our pomp and state wherein we now live is more like the Bishops of the Catholick church of Antichrist then any way like the Bishops of the Apostolick Church of Christ unto whom we acknowledge we ought to be made like and also to be qualified with the like gifts and graces of the Spirit or else in no case we can be meet Bishops for the Church of Christ as the Apostle plainely teacheth both to Timothy and Titus c. 1 Tim. 3. Tith 6.9 And we must further acknowledge and confesse that our houses housholds and revenues are more fit and meet for Princes Dukes and Earls then for the Bishops of Christ Wherfore being moved and stirred up hereto by the feare of God we earnestly beseech your Majesty and Parliament also to disburden us of this great
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.