things that are reproved are made manifest by the light wherefore I say againe by that glorious light God hath given to me I will shew you in briefe what dishonour disgrace the Clergy bring against Christ and his glorious Church in reading of some part of the Service booke for the Clergy say wee are all miserable sinners and there is no health in us now if there be no health in us then wee are all reprobates for Know yee not that Iesus Christ is in yee except yee bee reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 Hereby I understand that if Christ by the vertue of his word doth shine in his people then I am sure there is some health in us but the Clergy say there is no health in us therfore let any man judge if they do not accuse the people to be in the state of reprobation Againe the Clergy say that we are all miserable sinners but if I ask any of them if the body of Christ be a body of sin and misery they will answer no Why then my answer to them again is in Ephes 1.22 God gave his son Christ to be head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all This place of Scripture doth prove and signifie that all those people that will be reconciled to Christ and to the new Testament their spirits shall be joyned to the glorious and mysticall body of Christ and thereby they shall be set free from the bondage of sin and misery Againe the Clergy by reading of some part of the Service Book they bring the people under the obedience of the old Law which is the bondage of death and corruption Againe the Clergy in reading of the Service Booke they teach the people to worship God in a false way for they teach the people to fall downe on their knees and pray for Christs Church militant here on earth which is a vaine and false worship for they have no Scripture in the new Testament to prove that Christ hath any such Church but I can prove by plaine truth of Scripture that Christ hath a glorious and triumphing Church here on earth but that the Clergy teach the people to deny for they say that Christs Church is militant here on earth but glorious and triumphing in the world to come but not here upon earth But I say plainly that is a doctrine of devils for the devill he strives by his carnall ministers for to teach the people to worship and obey that which is false and to deny that which is just and true for I will prove in briefe that Christ hath a glorious and triumphing Church here on earth for Christ saith Joh. 12. Father glorifie thy name then came a loud voice from heaven saying I have glorified it and will glorifie it again and Joh. 17. Christ saith plainly The glory which thou gavest me I have given unto them that they may be all one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Againe 2. Cor. 2.14 the Apostle saith expresly Now thanks be unto God who alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ Jesus this word alwayes plainly signifieth here in this world and in the world to come forever Thus I praise God I have proved in briefe that Christ hath a glorious and triumphing Church here on earth and Christ will have his glorious and triumphing Church by degrees for to flourish over the face of the whole world which will be to the overthrow of the devill and the false Church and I praise God I have shewed you what dishonour and disgrace the Clergy bring against Christ and his Church in reading of the Service Booke My text saith All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light now by that light God hath given unto me I understand the Pope and his Clergy in their Service Book they have but the Lords Prayer and some of the holy Epistles of S. Paul and other parts of the Gospell and thereby they have set a glosse and a glorious colour upon their Service Book that so they may the more closely and craftily blinde and deceive the people for it is said in the 13. Verse that the beast maketh fire come down from heaven and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth I understand the fire that cometh out of heaven is those parts of the Gospell which the Pope and the Bishops have caused to be put in their Service book for the Word of God which is revealed in the New Testament doth signifie the Holy Ghost and fire Againe I say plainly that the divine power of the World of God in the Gospell of Christ will be as a flaming and consuming fire for to burn up all those errours and false traditions which the Pope and the Bishops have invented in their Service book Againe I say that the divine power of the Word of God in the doctrine of the new Testament will be a flaming and a consuming fire for to burne and consume all false power as touching Church government and false doctrines which is contrary to the true worship and Word of God Againe I understand that my glorious God hath appointed and commanded that for preaching and Church-government that must be held forth for to gather the people into the mysticall body of Christ But for those two beasts the Pope and his Clergy and the Bishops here in England and their Clergy by their false doctrine and false power they keepe the people out of Christ as I shall prove in briefe for the Apostle saith expresly 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature and to be a new creature is to be reconciled to Christ and to the new Testament Old things are past away behold all things are become new I understand the old things that are past away is the old Law and Testament For as circumcision and the bloud of buls and goats did belong to the old Law and Testament which Christ hath abolished Now on the other side Baptisme and the Bread and Wine they are two holy Ordinances which do belong to the body of Christ and to the second covenant of grace Now these things which I have proved in briefe will overthrow the Bishops and all their clergy for their order is to read a chapter in the old Testament and then another in the new and when they are in their pulpits they joyn in their doctrine the old Law and Testament and the new together as if they were both as one and in so doing they have blinded and deceived all those people that are as yet held under their power for if there be any Divine or other man that can finde any one place of Scripture in the new Testament for to prove as he thinks that the ministration of the old Law and Testament is to be joyned to the glorious body of Christ if I cannot finde five other plaine truths to prove that he is deceived
A plaine and briefe discovery of those two beasts that are written Revel 13. AND To show what dishonour and disgrace the Clergie bring against Christ and his glorious Church in reading some part of the Service-Book Againe I praise God I have shewed in briefe the true signification of Christ and his glorious Church with those holy Ordinances that doe belong unto it Gathered and directed by that grace God hath give to me James Hunt All glory be to God on high Printed for J.H. 1643. IT is written Eph. 5.13 All things that are reproved â—e â—â—aâ—â—â—nifest by the light Now by that glorious light God hath given to me I will show you the signification of those two beasts that are written Rev. 13. The first beast riseth out of the sea which signifieth the Pope and all his Clergy which have gathered to themselves so many false doctrines that the Spirit of God compares it unto the deep and broad sea But the second beast he cometh up out of the earth which signifieth the Bishops here in England and all their Clergy which have gathered to themselves so many false written books that for their number they may be compared unto the starres in the firmament which false written books do arise and proceed from the devill who is called the god of the earth and by those false written books the Bishops and their Clergy have deceived all those people that are as yet held under their power but the people whom the Clergy have blinded they cry out against me saying who hath made thee a Judge or a Preacher My answer is God my glorious Father and Christ Jesus my redeemer they have raised me up by the vertue and divine power of their Word for to be a Judge and a Preacher for to judge and divide betwixt truth and errour light and darknesse for I hope all that shall read this book they may understand from whence my judgment doth arise and proceed Again it is said the second beast he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him Now I will prove that the Pope and his Clergy and the Bishops and their Clergy their power not long ago was both as one First for the Pope he hath made the people believe that no man can be a true and sound Preacher but he must be brought up in the Universities and so say the Bishops and their Clergy but alas they are deceived upon both sides for God hath laid the Gospell in such a complete way that if there be a mystery or parable that speaketh somthing dark in one place a man may find two or three places for to prove and justifie what that dark mystery signifieth and that is the true and perfect way to open and unfold the mysteries of God to the true meaning and signification and I praise God I can prove these things may be done without the help of the Latin or Greek tongue for I can prove it by plain truth of Scripture Againe for the Pope he will not allow that any man shall be a Preacher for to declare his mind to the people but first he must be sworne for to observe those Canons and articles that the Pope or some of his Assignes shall set forth The very same power did belong to the Bishops here in England Againe for the Pope all Magistrates and Church-Wardens are sworne for to uphold the Pope and his Clergy in their way that if any man reprove them for to say their power or their doctrine is false then the Magistrates cast him into prison or els the Church-Wardens will complaine of him in the Spirituall Court and when he comes there if he do not play the hypocrite and say he is sorry for that he said and fee the Officers with money he shall be cast into prison if not put to death The very same power not long agoe did belong to the Bishops and their Clergy here in England Againe for the Pope he and all his Clergy have deceived the people in making the people believe that the old law is a rule of obedience for the people to be led and guided by and so say the Bishops and all their Clergy But they are deceived on both sides in their judgment for I can prove the more they bring the people under the obedience of the old Law the more they bring them under the bondage of the devill My first proofe is Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the children were made partakers of flesh and bloud Christ likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devill and so to deliver all those who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage This place of Scripture doth plainly signifie that all those people that were under the old Law they were under a yoke of bondage untill Christ freed them by his suffering on the crosse Again Rom. 7.6 the Apostle saith plainly and so say I Now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held as under the chaines and bondage of Satan that we should serve in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter that is in newnesse of the Gospell and not in the oldnesse of the law Thus I have proved in briefe that the old Law is the spirit of bondage and so is the devill And hereby I have overthrown the Pope and his Clergy and the Bishops their Clergy in their judgment because they say the old law is a rule of obedience Againe I will shew you in briefe that S. Pauls false zeale was to the old Law when he was a persecuter of Christ for he saith plainly conserning his zeal persecuting the Church Touching the righteousnesse that is in the Law blamelesse Phil. 3. Thus I have proved in briefe that S. Pauls false zeale was to the old Law when he was a persecutor of the Church of Christ and in so doing let any man judge if he were not an enemy to God and a friend unto the Devill and so will all those Divines be found and proved so to be that keep the people under the obedience of the old Law Againe I say all those Magistrates and Church-wardens will be found to be Gods great enemies that shall strive to uphold the Clergy in their wickednesse and thus I have proved in briefe and shall prove againe at large that those two beasts signifie the Pope and his Clergy and the Bishops here in England and their Clergy which by their false power as conserning Church government and false doctrine they keepe the people under the bondage and captivity of the devill and the plaine truth is many of the Magistrates and Church-wardens doe yet uphold them in their abominable wickednesse for they will not suffer the Prophets of God to reprove them for their false power and their false doctrines which is abominable in the sight of our glorious God My text saith All
by the hand and say these words after the Minister I John take Anne to my wedded wife to love and cherish in sicknesse and in health until death us depart according as God hath commanded by the divine power of his Word and thereunto I give thee my troth and then for the woman I Anne take John to my wedded husband to love and to cherish in sicknesse and in health until death us depart according as God hath commanded by the divine power of his Word and thereunto I give thee my troth And after this the Minister shal read that part of Scripture as is written Eph. 5. beginning at the 22. Verse and read to the end of the chapter And thus I praise God I have shewed you in brief what wil be sufficient for marriage which is agreeable to Gods Word and wil now for the burial of the dead I think it fit that the dead bodie be caried into the Church and there may be Divine Service or Preaching for the edifying of the people and then lay the dead body into the grave and the Priest and people may sing to the praise and glory of God the 113. Psalme for there is no cause of mourning for those that die in the faith of Christ therefore I say again I thinke it fit when the dead body is laid in the grave for the Priest and people to sing a Psalme And thus I have shewed you in briefe what wil be sufficient for the burial of the dead Now for Church-govemment I think it fit for to have a Justice of Peace in every Parish of note for to bear the sword of justice for to punish the evil doers and for the upholding of the just and good Againe I thinke it fit for to have Church-Wardens and Side-men in every Parish as already is for to keep the Houses of God in repair and for gathering of money for the poore that the hungry may be fed and the naked may be cloathed that so the members of Christ may rejoyce in glory together Now some with say this Church-government hath beene held here in England a long time My answer is in some respects it is very good but by the help of God I shal prove in brief that in some respects as it is held forth it is abominable in the sight of God for the Magistrates and Church-wardens they will suffer none to declare their mind to the people in the Churches but those which have beene brought up in the Universities and in so doing they deny God of his divine power for God breaths his Spirit where it pleaseth him Againe I say if God give a man a great and perfect gift concerning the art of preaching the Clergy and Magistrates will not suffer him to exercise his gift unto the people which God doth allow and command by the divine power of his Word as I shall prove in briefe My first proofe is in 1 Pet 2.9 Ye are a royall Priesthood an holy nation that you should shew forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light Now I pray how shall the Saints and servants of Christ set forth those praises and honour and glory which doth belong to Christ and his glorious Church but by the manifestation of his Word which is revealed in his Gospell Againe the Apostle S Paul saith expresly 1 Cor. 14. When the Church are come together let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge for ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted This saying of S. Paul doth plainly prove and signifie that God hath appointed that every man should have free liberty for to exercise his gift in the Church in an orderly and decent way for he saith All may prophesie one by one and for to prophesie is to open and unfold the mysteries of God to the true meaning and signification Againe I plainly understand that prophecying and preaching they are both as one in signification for prophecying is to unfold the mysteries of God to the praise and glory of his grace and to the confounding of false power and false doctrine which proceedeth from the devill and preaching is for the very same purpose I say that which doth proceed from God Now the Apostle maintaines his argument with a commanding power for to prove that God doth allow that every man should have free liberty to declare his mind in a decent way for he saith expresly in the 37. Verse of the same Chapter if any man think himselfe to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord. Thus I praise God I have proved by plaine and cleer signification of Scripture that God doth allow and command by the divine power of his Word that his Saints and servants should have free liberty for to declare their mind in the Church in an orderly and decent way but the Clergy and Magistrates and Church-wardens they will not suffer those things to be done in the Church which God hath commanded by the divine power of his Word I pray God give the Clergy and Magistrates and Church-wardens all grace to forsake that wicked practise and that henceforth they will suffer those things to be done in the Churches as God hath commanded which if they shall wilfully refuse to do they will be sure to have their portion in hell for ever Thus I praise God I have shewed you in briefe how Church-government may be held to the praise and glory of God Againe I have shewed you how Church-government in some râ—spects is held forth which is abominable and hatefull in the sight of God Againe I acknowledge the Lords Prayer and other golâ—ly prayers and Davids Psalmes shall abide in the Church of Christ for ever for the Psalmes those that are in prose to be read for Divine service and those that are in meeter for the people to sing to the praise and glory of God but for the old Law and Testament that is quite abolished by Christ Now if there be any Protestant Papist Anabaptist or Brownist that can be able to shew and set forth Christ and his glorious Church with those holy Ordinances that doth belong unto it in a plainer and cleerer and briefer way then I by Gods help have done I shall rejoyce to see that manâ— and I will be of his Religion if it shall appeare so to be by the plaine and cleare truth of the word of God and by the judgement of the high Court of Parliament which I hope are gathered together for the triall of the spirits FINIS