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
A LOOKING-GLASS FOR THE TIMES BEING A Tract concerning the Original and Rise of Truth and the Original and Rise of Antichrist SHEWING By pregnant instances of Scripture History and other Writings That the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers in this day and their Sufferings are the same as were the Principles and Practices of Christ and his Apostles and their sufferings 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 since the dayes of the Apostles In a constant Series out of the Ecclesiastical History by way of Chronology for near the first 600. years and other Fathers so accounted and learned Men both of the former Day and This. That Men may once see and be advised in the words of the Principles of their own Professions and of others whom they esteem That the Truth held and practised by the People called Quakers is no other than what themselves or such as they approve of have held forth in Word or have practised By GEORGE BISHOPE DEUT. 32. 7. Remember the dayes of Old consider the years of many Generations Ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee London Printed in the Year 1668. ERRATA PAge 4. line 38. for here read herein p. 6. l. 30. r. or worship p. 7. l. 49. f. men r. man p. 8. l. 25. f. or r. and. l. 28. f. Presbyters r. Presbyteries p. 11. l. 24. f. a far r. as far f. to God r. from God p. 13. l. 10. f. he r. so l. 22. r. or not l. 28. f. Evarius r. Evagrius p. 16. l. 46. f. lay r. have p. 17. l. 10. f. This r. Thus l. 39. f. at r. of p. 20. l. 15. r. have first l. 16. f. where r. when p. 21. l. 14. r. Egypt and Judah l. 46. r. first fierce p. 24. l. 41. f. understood r. underwent p. 25. l. 7. f. yeelding r. yeelded p. 26. l. 32. f. Cresseus r. Cressens p. 31. l. 40. f. Booths r. Baths l. 49. r. other crimes p. 35. l. 35. f. Phais r. Rhais p. 36. l. 19. f. Marcinus r. Macrinus p. 38. l. 18. f. divided r. derided l. 41. r. and after he p. 39. l. 27. f. cry r. burst p. 40. l. 19. f. excede r. Expede p. 41. l. 3. r. as Adversaries l. 6. f. resisted r. resisting l. 22. f. Valevianus r. Valerianus l. 42. r. and taking further p. 42. l. 19. f. profession r. promotion p. 43. l. 13 14. f. camping r. cramping l. 24. f. Thorianus r. Florianus l. 33. f. there r. therein l. 46. f. Dysties r. Dystres p. 44. l. 8. f. tyred r. tryed l. 18. f. Sacrifices r. Sacrificers l. 29. f. Veterus r. Veterius p. 45. l. 32. f. Anthemus r. Anthimus p. 46. l. 21. f. Bears r. Boars l. 26. f. drawing r. draw nigh l. 29. blot out of p. 48. l. 12. f. Philorenus r. Philoromus l. 47. f. in r. as p. 52. l. 28 29. f. Constantinus r. Constantius p. 53. l. 18. r. Valerius Constantine p. 54. l. 37. f. Vecturius r. Veterius p. 55. l. 22. f. Lucinnius r. Lycinnius l. 33. r. after another then they came to do the same things one to another p. 62. l. 25. r. were in a manner p. 66. l. 13. f. disposition r. deposition l. 42. r. his Edict p. 67. l. 4. f. other r. one l. 35. f. all r. him at p. 69. l. 3. f. exhorted r. exhorteth l. 33. f. Theogius r. Theognis p. 70. l. 35. r. himself able p. 73. l. 40. f. then r. when p. 74. l. 40. f. Theogius r. Theognis Maris f. Maros p. 75. l. 35. r. taken his leave p. 77. l. 41. r. at one of p. 78. l. 37. f. grains r. grain p. 82. l. 34. f. bread r. beard p. 85. l. 17. r. or rather p. 86. l. 16. f. scorched r. scourged p. 89. l. 23. r. obedience is p. 94. l. 23. after wide put out and. l. 50. put out not p. 97. l. 43. f. Pyhlagonia r. Paphlagonia p. 98. l. 35. blot out No. p. 99. l. 24 25. f. departed r. deposed l. 37. f. Theontius r. Leontius p. 100. l. 21. f. Consults r. Consuls p. 101. l. 18. f. Herachius r. Heraclius 21. f. disordited r. discredited l. 42. f. abhorred r. abhorring p. 103. l. 3. r. witness as to this particular p. 104. l. 6. f. wandrings r. bandyings l. 8. r. is not or they have lost the thing l. 13. f. Ethnicks r. Ethicks p. 106. l. 27. f. no r. or p. 108. l. 2. f. this r. his p. 109. l. 25. f. sentere r. sincere p. 115. l. 41. f. of Nicia r. at Nicea p. 118. l. 23. f. Persecutors r. Persecutions l. 24. f. pertencious r. portentious p. 123. l. 31. f. disease r. decease p. 127. l. 25. f. decrease r. decease p. 129. l. 29. f. own their r. to their own l. 45. f. communicate r. communicated p. 133. l. 17. r. for no open show p. 134. l. 16. f. trained r. retained p. 137. l. 13. f. which those r. with those p. 139. l. 35. f. Illiricum r. Illirium p. 140. l. 38. f. The Readers r. Whether the Readers p. 141. l. 19. f. Cyrus r. Cyprus p. 142. l. 1. f. Confusions r. Confessions p. 143. l. 26. after Eunomotheophrani r. and those with Eutichius Eunomitichians p. 144. l. 3. blot out then l. 4. f. Galatia r. Galitia p. 153. l. 33. f. Chaldon r. Chalcedon p. 155. l. 4. f. which r. with l. 23. f. Illiricum r. Illirium p. 171. l. 21. f. this r. his p. 181. l. 41. r. a secret favourer p. 202. l. 1. r. page 36. l. 14. blot out the Greek p. 210. l. 5. blot out in l. 16. after not r. not in the oldness p. 213. l. 10. f. these r. those l. 48. f. motions r. notions p. 214. l. â— f. these r. those l. 32. in the Marg. f. est r. et l. 35. f. debit r. dedit l. 32. f. decree r. degree p. 216. l. 10. blot out and. p. 217. l. 26. f. these are r. they are p. 218. l. 2. f. one r. our l. 15. f. or it must be r. or it will be l. 41. r. it concerns us p. 219. l. 45. f. desired r. defined l 49. r. these will p. 226. l. 1. r. which is in it self h marg l. 4. f. congruus r. congrua marg k l. 2. f. meus r. mens p. 227. marg m l. 5. f. costos r. custos f. procul r. prout marg q l. 3. f. siquamur r. sequamur marg a l. 4. f. siquuntur r. sequuntur l 40. f. Velcurior r. Velcurio marg f l. 9 f. Patrie r. Patriae p. 228. marg h l 1. f. justio r.
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
but to all Nations of the Earth to the Gentiles the Church of God amongst them which to gather or to draw into one was the Gospel sent and preached and the Worship now was no longer National nor was it the National Worship of the Jews which also was commanded of God and accompanied with his presence while the end of it was not come or accomplished But it was every where Spirit and Truth not Form and Letter fearing of God working of Righteousness is accepted of him the true Worshippers the Worshippers whom the Father seeks to worship him All the others were dasht in pieces the end was accomplished it stood not in meats and drinks the Kingdom of God but in Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost not in killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen but in an humble and contrite heart and that trembled at his Word the Sacrifices of God which even under the Law were entitled and said to be his through all which he looked for and accepted which the Sacrifices and the blood of Goats and Bulls signified Circumcision and all the Ordinances of the Jews which Moses commanded and which it was death not to observe comes now to be called beggerly Rudiments the Hand-writing of Ordinances the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances the enmity which he destroyed on the Cross and blotted out which the Apostle saith was against them and which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear And he saith Touch not tast not handle Gal. 5. 2. Phil. 3. 2 3. not which all saith he perish in the using And if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing I wish them cut off that trouble you And beware of Dogs and beware of evil workers beware saith he of the Concision for we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And the Apostles now as any were gathered into the Church they gathered them out of all the Jewish Observations and Heathenish worshipping of Idols into one God and Name of the Lord Jesus who was the great Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul Not into the Name of the Church of the Jews or the Temple or of this Region and that but into the Name of Christ Jesus The Churches of what Of the Jews c. Nay the Churches of Christ Christ the Head of the Church which are in 1 Thes 1. 1. Judea c. The Church which is in God Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God Not in this man or that not in this profession and that barely but in God And so it was during the Apostles times of which the Scripture makes mention and their business was to open the eyes to turn men from darkness to the light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith which is in me As Paul saith of his Commission which he received of the Lord Acts 26. 18. And he stiles himself an Apostle not of men neither by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father which raised him from the dead And he saith The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith But finding fault with them that is the first Covenant and the things therein of which he had been speaking in the former words he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11 12. Now here is nothing of Churchship of an outward Administration and Worship of a delegation of Power to any to constitute and appoint Worships or how God should be worshipped or what Discipline should be used in the Church or what Power the Church should have as to visible things and who should be the Governors or Rulers thereof that should direct or order as to that throughout all Ages but a turning to a Principle wherein God is to be known and whereby he is to be worshipped Not to Man Kings Princes Governors States Emperors no not to Presbyters Councils Fathers Pastors Officers Synods Be ye followers 1 Cor. 11. 1. of me as I also am of Christ saith Paul But to the Light the Light of the Son of God who is Light God is Light and in him is no darkness at all the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles the Light of the World the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World that which sheweth man that is in the Transgression that he is in the dark that turns him from the darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God The Lord never sent to turn man unto man nor did he ever give power to man to order man as to the Worships of him no not in the Mosaical Administration all the World have been in mistakes about these things but he alwayes reserved the power in himself and by the guidance and order of him man was to be directed and God to be worshipped for from the Lord Moses received in the mount what was that Administration hitherto to the Law of Moses when the Israelites were gone astray and had transgressed were all things to be reduced and the reformation to be made the Law of Moses which was a figure of that which came by Jesus Christ unto which all things after he was come to which Moses his Administration or the Law which was given by Moses was to have reference as it was to spring from it And the coming of him was the time of Reformation of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 10. Which stood saith he speaking of that Ministration which in the verse before he calls a
Figure only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation Heb. 9. 10. Moses his time or the duration of the standing of the Law or the outward Administration or Jewish National Worship was not to remain for ever the first Covenant but it was to pass away and to have an end as not being able to make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 10. 1. though it was commanded of the Lord So there was to be a time of Reformation when that which could not make the comers thereunto perfect was to be removed when that which was the shadow of good things to come but not the very Image of the things as the same place hath it was to have an end which was in the coming of him who was perfect who perfects for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. which the other lead unto For by one Offering saith the Apostle in the verse aforesaid he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and this was called the time of Reformation when he came who put an end to all that was outward and had a visible or an outward Administration which could not make the comers thereunto perfect nor was appointed for that end and purpose but to lead unto another thing which should put an end thereunto and which was its end Now I say if the very outward Mosaical Jewish Administration National Worship the first Covenant which was all the outward Government which was commanded of God in the World was not of man but from the Lord which yet had reference to another thing which was Christ the new Covenant the Law put into the mind and wrote in the heart which was the Prophet which Moses said unto the Jews the Lord their God should raise unto them of their Brethren like unto him whom they should hear in all things whatsoever he should say unto them and that it should come to pass that every Soul he doth not say Body that will not hear that Prophet should be destroyed from among the people Acts 2. 23. How much more now that the thing is come which those Administrations had reference unto the great Reformer ought all things now in relation unto Worship have reference unto him and how ought all things of this nature thither to be directed For as I said he sent not to turn from man to man from the darkness to man but to the Light to the Principle of God that which is of God in man the Seed which is Christ the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 26 27. that men may know who they worship and when and how thy may worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Spirit that is something that is Spirit that is of the Nature that God is that is Spirit and Truth that is as as he is Spirit they that worship him must worship him not in the Letter not in the Injunctions of men not in an outward or fleshly Principle not in man or the spirit of man but of God which is in opposition to all that is of man or cometh from man that is not from the Spirit or Principle of God So men must first come to learn or be turned to the Light to the Principle of God to that which is Spirit by which they may come to know him that dwells in the Light that is inaccessible as to all that is mannish or mortal from the darkness all that is from man or of him who is mortal then something may be said to them as to the Worship of God then they are somewhere and know something which God accepts and in which he is well pleased such Worshippers the Father seeks to worship him All other Worships are not available nor are they to any purpose nor doth God seek them though men may think thereby that they seek after God The time of Reformation svveeps them avvay to the Moles and to the Bats to go into the Clefts of the Rocks all the Idols of Silver and of Gold which are made each one for himself to worship and into the tops of the ragged Rocks for fear of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2. 20 21. The great Reformer gives them no standing every one must worship him from his Temple whose Temple ye are saith the Apostle to the Saints Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God saith he and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. In his Temple doth Psal 26. 9. every one speak of his glory Novv man coming to be the Temple of God and the Spirit of the Lord dvvelling in man and the Principle of God in man being knovvn 1 Cor. 3. 16. here the Worship comes to be knovvn vvhich is in the Spirit and in Truth and this is that vvhich the Father seeks So avvay vvith all inventions of men in the Worship of God avvay vvith all Imitations and Likenesses avvay vvith the shadovvs even of good things to come Novv the thing it self Christ Jesus is come the Principle the Measure of him is knovvn the Incense or Odour vvith Rev. 8. 3. vvhich the Prayers of all Saints are offered upon the Golden Altar vvhich is before the Throne vvhich God accepts The Principle of God is to lead the Spirit of the Lord to offer as this moves the Lord accepts in this he is vvell pleased the living Root must be knovvn something that is holy that never sinned to guide and direct something that is as he is vvho is holy and no iniquity can come near his dvvelling Hab. 1. 13. then the Worship is accepted of the Lord. Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heuven that is to bring down Christ from above Say not Who shall descend into the deep that Rom. 10. 6 7 8. is to bring up Christ again from the dead You need not go so far you need not look vvithout you to Forms Constitutions Ordinances of Men Laws and Imitations the thing is vvithin you the Lord hath brought it nigh to you he hath not put you to another You must account for your selves and joy or be undone for your selves every man is an Individual he is made so by God An Individual signifies a being by it self that can never be mixed that can never be made tvvo something vvherein a man is determined for ever vvhich the Lord should guide of vvhom the Lord vvill require an account the Lord hath not put you to seek here and look there Loe here and loe there it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is
it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it said Moses even of that which he gave as an outward Commandment which was near in Christ which the outward signified which being blotted out by reason of Transgression that which was within but blotted out by reason death was come over was given without But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Deut. 30. 13 14. The Word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach saith Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. there is no need of going afar off As he hath made man individual so he requires every individual man to worship him and he hath put something of himself a measure of Christ Jesus into every individual man whereby and wherein every individual man may worship him this is General this is Universal this is Publick this is Catholick he hath not left man to seek out of himself to form to shape to liken nor to depend one man upon another how or wherein he should be worshipped he hath not put him to that hazard neither hath laid upon him that which is a heavy burden or too hard for him to bear or at too great a distance or at any distance at all but as he hath required man so he is near man or he hath put into man that which will enable him to do as he requires So the Lord is no hard Master nor doth require impossibilities nor hath he left man to wander up and down but he is near him to take him by the hand and to lead him to all that he requires he is in him to tell him what he should do and he is with him to enable him to do what he would have him the same that doth the one doth the other Herein is the loving kindness of God seen and his justice that he requires no more than he enables to do and that he gives to enable to do what he requires and to another man hath not the Lord left man to be directed but the thing is in himself which all the World is mad at because the Devil is in all the World and he would perswade man that God is afar from him as the Devil is to God and gets his eye abroad to look at a distance where God is not to be found That which is to be known of God is manifest in man for God hath shewn it unto him but the work of the one my hath been to draw man from this The invisible things of him are clearly seen from the Creation of the World being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 19 20. Yet because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like corruptible man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves who changed the Truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever Amen For this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their Women did change their natural use into that which is against Nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the Women burned in their lust one towards another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient c. vers 21 to the end So here 's the reason why men are so far off God and are strangers unto him and become abominable and to every good work reprobate it is not that God is not near them or that that of God which is to be known is not manifest in them even his eternal Power and Godhead but because they like not to retain him in their knowledge because when they know God they glorifie him not as God neither are thankful but become vain in their imaginations so they come to change the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image like unto corruptible man men come to form God like unto themselves and make him like as they imagine him to be therefore God gives them up who change the Truth of God into a lie into imaginations of things without them their foolish heart being darkned and to worship the Creature more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever Here 's the reason of all the false Worship in the World all worshipping of God at a distance all inventions of men and their medling and having to do with Worship and to order that all outward Constitutions and Persecution for not observing the same Men are gone far from God their foolish heart is darkned they are become vain in their imaginations they are alienated from God by wicked works they have not liked to retain God in their knowledge nor have been thankful that that of God which is to be known was manifest in them therefore have they put God afar off and looked upon him at a distance and so have made Images and Representations and taken upon them to form him as they please and a Worship for him as they please and they that will not fall down to it into the fiery Furnace they must be thrown and into the Lyons Den he must be cast that will make a Petition to any other Godd that will not worship God after that manner of Worship and as those their Laws have prescribed First They are gone from that which is of him in them by which they might know him that they have not liked to retain in their knowledge nor glorified God as God when they knew God will not own that which is to be known of God which is manifested in them as it is then they think of God without them as he is not then they frame Worships according to their own minds after this manner and after that shaping God as they please and a Worship for him whom they have so shaped who have neither heard his Voice at any time nor seen his shape outwardly then they compel all to serve this God so shapen and to worship him as they have shaped and formed his Worship some after this manner some after that and those that will not Fines Imprisonments Suspensions from Places and Dignities casting out and Excommunications Whippings losing of Ears burnings in
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
Christ the Light which he saith went or was before the World and all Worlds the Intellectual and Essential Wisdom and the living Word of God who was in the beginning with the Father therefore they thought him a thing or some Imposter in time about that time or but then brought forth or appearing or known in the World when those who pretended to him were nicknamed Christians that is to say in such a year of the Reign of such a Roman Emperor who is without beginning of dayes or end of Life as hath been declared Also they who were called Christians and yet persecuted one another were from the Light Christ the Light which was before the World and so far or whilst as such that is to say persecuting one another knew not that or were not in it which was before the World So they placed things in time the Heathen their gods before him whose Name was Christ and that which one called Christian persecuted another for before that for holding of which or not holding Persecution of the Christians one called Christian persecuted another And here as I said before was the ground of both and of all those who since and at this day persecute others upon account of Religion or the Worship of God their not knowing or not abiding in the knovvledge of him vvho is the Light of the World the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which was or went before the World was Who but the Father alone hath as hath been said rightly known For all such judging of things relating unto him in time and thinking of him as they think of themselves think grosly and so put the determination of Truth according to the measure of themselves who a beginning have and must come to an end which is wholly out of the verge of Truth which neither hath beginning nor end So these gross apprehensions both in the Heathen and such as were called Christians is the reason or ground wherefore they call Truth Novelism and so persecute one another because of Truth they are absolutely from that which was before time was by which the World was made in that which is in time which knows not that by which time was and in which time was made which hath a beginning and must end which never could nor can judge of Truth which hath no end as it never had a beginning Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all Generations before the Mounâ—ains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal 90. 12. The Heathens accounted the Christian Religion or Christ and his The ground of the Heathen Persecution and of the Christians and of the Christians persecuting one another Worship an upstart thing the Christians so called that persecuted accounted what they persecuted a thing that was an upstart they laid their Force they put their Penalties their Laws their Death Why they were in that which stood in time that knew not the Light which was before the World was which is the Intellectual and Essential Wisdom the living Word of God which was in the beginning with the Father who alone the Father hath rightly known All things are delivered me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 27. And these persecuted one another about Worship Why Because they saw not the Light they saw not that Light by which all things were made but being in that which is made and seeing with that eye or the eye which is made and not with the Light which was before the World the Principle of God they quarrelled about Religion and the Worship of God and for that shed blood which came not to destroy mens lives but to save them as hath been declared who will have no bloody Sacrifices since he was offered up who by one offering for ever perfected those that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. So that the reason of all lies here Men not coming to that which was before the World was not knowing or not believing or abiding in that by which all things were made which was before all things and taking upon them to judge of that which was before the World was judge like themselves and prosecute their Judgments with things like themselves and make that which they prosecute like to themselves which is perishing and transitory which they cut off and destroy they count Truth new an upstart Christ Jesus this thing that Novelism they persecute cut off and seek to do it because they see not the Antient of dayes whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion that which shall never have an end his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7. 14. Eusebius addeth Which is before every Creature and workmanship Euseb further account of Christ the Light both of visible and invisible things the first and only Son of God chief Captain of the Celestial Rational and Immortal Host the Angel of the great Counsel and Executor of the great Will of the Father Maker and worker of all things together with the Father which after the Father is the cause and Author of all things which are created the true and only begotten Son of God Lord God and King of all things which are created receiving Dominion and Rule of the Father by the said Divinity Power and Glory All this he calls the Light as aforesaid and withall saith His Generation And his Generation who shall be able to declare For the Father no man hath known but the Son neither at any time have any known the Son but the Father alone which begat him in the words aforegoing So that here he layes the bottom of his History which he calls Ecclesiastical The bottom of his History and of the Truth or relating to the Church or the Worship of God which is the Antiquity unto which he pretendeth against that which rose up against the Christians in that day both by the Jews and Heathens as a thing but of yesterday of young date and not everlasting the same untâ— which answereth now in this that which pretendeth now to Truth as a new thing never heard of before no Antiquity before a few years late past which is everlasting Christ the Light which was before the World was by whom all things were made which was made without whom nothing was made which was made which was with God which was God in whom was Life and the Life was the Light of men which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 2 3 4 9. Here 's the Antiquity here 's the Antient of dayes here 's the Original the Principle of them that pretend to the Light in this day hitherto pretended he that
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
learned before neither to receive the Faith we have not received before but to walk in the Faith of our Forefathers and not fall from the same unto our lives end But a man may here reply and say thus saith the Historian O Eleusius The Historians return upon Eleusius How calledst thou such as assembled at Antioch Fathers and yet denyest their Ancestors to be Fathers For the Bishops of Nice and the establishers of one Substance ought more properly to be called Fathers partly for that they were more antient and partly also because the Bishops at Antioch were found to be such as cut their Fathers throats these men of their Progeny without good advisement do tread the steps of Murderers And how I beseech you saith he do they allow of their electing and laying on of hands as sufficient and lawful when as they cancel their Faith and abrogate their Canons for imperfect and corrupt Doctrines If they had not the Holy Ghost which lighteth upon every one that enters into Holy Orders these men receive not the Function of Priesthood for how can they receive of them which had it not to give These things in my Opinion saith he may very well be urged against Eleusius Yet again another controversie arose among them Whereas Another controversie concerning part of Acacius Creed viz. The Son of God being like unto the Father It is demanded how It is answered Acacius his Creed had affirmed That the Son of God was like unto the Father It was demanded Wherein the Son was like unto the Father No Arcacius answers not in Substance but onely in Will and Mind The others replyed That he was like unto the Father in Substance And of this question all that day they reasoned All the day is held with it Acacius confuted He is reasoned with concerning his Books His answer Acacius being confuted when it was demanded of him Why in his Books he had avouched and written the Son in all things to be like unto the Father and now denyed that the Son was of one Substance with the Father Made answer No man that ever was either of old time or late dayes is wont to be tryed by the Books that he wrote And this is the Harmony which the Councils and the Fathers so Observations upon the whole called have had as to the Truth which is the consequence of all that which meddles with the Faith and Worship of God with the things that are of Man the wisdom of the Wise which he saith he will destroy and will bring to nothing the understanding of the Prudent That no flesh may glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 14. For Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World For after that in the wisdom of God the World by wisdom knew not God vers 20. And Father I thank thee Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto Babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Mat. 11. 25. And these things are manifest in these Disputations which hath produced as is signified to the Reader When they had sifted out this question diligently on both sides When yet they could not agree Leon as dissolves the Council and could not agree Leonas rose up and dissolved the Council And this was the end of the Council held at Seleusia The next day when they made suit to him to prorogue the Council he Refuses to hear them the next day And bids them go home and brawl in their own Churches His Speech would not sit with them again but told them flatly That the Emperor had sent him to be present at a uniform and peaceable Council But insomuch that divers of you are at discord and debate among your selves I cannot away saith he with your Company go your wayes therefore daily and brawl ye at home in your own Churches This being done saith the History the conspiracy of Acacius The Faction of Acacius absent themselves supposing now that they had got their desired excuse absented themselves and would not shew their faces at the Council The The others meet and summon Acacius to decide Cyrils matters others met again at the Church and summoned Acacius with his Company to decide Cyrillus his matter who was Bishop of Jerusalem who had been accused and deposed his Bishoprick for what cause the History maketh not mention and being called to purge himself absented for the space of two whole years thinking thereby to escape and the crime to be forgotten as soon as he was departed Cyril appeals to the Judges of the High Court Constantius admits it The first President of appealing from the Ecclesiastical Canon he appealed unto the Judges of the Higher Court Constantine the Emperor admitted the appeal he was the first of all and alone that gave forth a President prejudicial to the practice of the Ecclesiastical Canon as if the matter had been to be decided before Lay Judges At length he came to this Council to have his Cause heard and therefore the Bishops sent for Acacius and his Company to the end they might not only hear Cyrillus but also examine such as had been accused and were fled to the faction of Acacius but when they had often cited them and they appeared Acacius is deposed and many Bishops more not they deposed Acacius himself and Georgius Bishop of Alexandria Ursacius Bishop of Tyre Theodorus Bishop of Cheteraphon a City of Phrygia Theodosius Bishop of Philadelphia in Lydia Evagrius Bishop of the Isle Miletene Theontius Bishop of Trypolis in Lydia and Eudoxius who first had been Bishop of Garmanicia and afterwards crept by wiles into the Bishoprick of Antioch in Syria and last of all they deposed Patrophilus for stubborn behaviour and disobedience Nine more they excommunicated Nine are excommucated and decreed they should remain in that state till they had answered for themselves and cleared them of the crimes laid to their charge When these things were done they wrote to the Churches Anianus put in Eudoxious room what they had decreed and put Anianus in Eudoxious room whom the Faction of Acacius apprehended and delivered to Eudoxious sent to Exile Leonas and Lauricuis who sent him forthwith into Exile Then the Bishops that put in Anianus made a long Plea and discoursed at large before Leonas and Lauricius against Acacius and his confederacy Acacius pleaded against and his confederacy federacy but when they prevailed nothing they took their But they not being heard Get to Constantinople to acquaint the Emperor what was done at the Council voyage to Constantinople to certifie the Emperor what they had done in the Council the Emperor was then come thither from the West and had taken away the Office of Proconsulship and instead thereof ordained a certain Government at Constantinople which he endowed with the Title of Honour But
Seleucia and accursed the contrary Faction to wit of the Acacians rejected the Faith that was set forth at Ariminum and confirmed the Creed that was read in the Council at Seleucia It was the same which a little before was established at Antioch of which I have spoken These men being reasoned withal in this sort viz. You that are called Macedonians if so be that you differ from the Acacians how is it that you could find in your hearts to communicate with them unto this day as if they had been of one Opinion with you Sophronius as in the name of the rest Fall into an indifferency between the Faiths of two Councils that of Nice and of Aetius The difference between both and the absurdities made thereunto this Answer The Bishops of the West Churches have in a manner doted over the Faith of one Substance Aetius also in the East endeavoured to corrupt the sentere Doctrine teaching the dissimilitude of Substance in the Father and the Son Both these Opinions are absurd they unadvisedly and without discreet judgment joyn'd in one the distinct and severed Substances of the Father and the Son linking it not well together under the name of Coessential or one Substance but Aetius parted divided the property of Nature which the Son hath together with the Father terming it the unlikeness or diversity of Substance and inasmuch as both these fall into contraries and meer extremities we thought good to walk in the mid way and hold the mean between both to retain the true and godly Opinion That the Son is of like Substance with the Father This was the answer Sabellius Collect of Councils impugning both Arius and the Nicene Creed and Aetius and of Sophronius as Sabinus writes in his collection of Councils in the Name of the Macedonians so called who by this appeared to impugn both Arius and partly those who held the clause of one Substance charging Aetius as the Author of the diversity of Substance in the Father and the Son and not the Acacians whilst they Whilst they seem to go between both make a new one of their own craftily dissemble and cloak the Truth saith the Historian and impugn them both as aforesaid But with their own words they overthrow themselves saith he for indisplaying and opening both Opinions they lay down a new one of their own These things I assert and lay down that it may appear how all The intent of producing these instances Sects of the Christians having an intermission of their particular sufferings yet retained and held their singular Opinions for which they suffer and as they could sought to enforce them as what follows manifests and shews more particularly what were their Opinions But a scourge for these things the Lord soon raised up as he had in times past for whilst the Christians were Whilst they differ among themselves Cap. 9. Who return from Banishment Julian turns a scourge for all He hears the Christians in spight to Constantius but is in grudge to them himself thus going together by the ears one with another as soon as they returned from Captivity or Exile Julian who in the beginning of his Reign shewed himself meek and courteous to all men in process of time appeared not alike unto all men particularly to the Christians whom he would hear at will many things that tended to the discredit of Constantius but otherwhile he shewed his grudge and malice to them every where He commanded Eleusius Bishop of Cizicum in Bythinia in two months time to build up the Novation Church which he had pulled down at his own Eleusius commanded to build the Novation Church which he had pulled down in two months at his own charge Cap. 10. Julian Sacrifices at Constantinople Maris Bishop of Chalcedon and Julian and what passed between them cost he set up afresh the Rites of the Gentiles he set wide open their Temples and offered Sacrifice saith the Historian in the Cathedral Church at Constantinople to the Goddess Fortune where her Idol was set up About this time Maris of Chalcedon being led by the hand to Julian for he was old and had a Web grown over his eyes which bereaved him of his sight he began to rebuke him sharply calling him an Impious Person an Apostate and an Atheist The Emperor returned him with the like and opprobiously said He was a blind Fool And further Thy God of Galilee will not restore thee thy sight again for Julian called Christ a Galilean and all Christians the same I thank God replyed Maris to the Emperor which made me blind lest that ever I should set mine eyes upon so ungracious a face as thine is To which the Emperor made no answer but handled him roughly And when Julians craft in avoiding putting the Christians to death because he saw they could suffer and were reverenced therefore And his device that they shouâ—d not be brought up to learning he perceived that such as suffered Martyrdom were highly reverenced and honoured by the Christians under the Reign of Dioclesian and when he understood for certain that divers of them now would willingly suffer Martyrdom he went another way to work and devised how to disappoint them of that and yet to accomplish his end on the Christians which was he made a Law That the Christians should not be brought up in prophane as it 's called Literature For saith he seeing they have the gift of utterance so readily they will easily be able to overthrow the quirks of Logicks wherewith the Gentiles do uphold their Doctrine And saith the History although he let pass the unsatiable Tyranny practised Lest they should out-do the Heathen Socrates Opinion of what makes a Persecutor in the time of Dioclesian yet ceased he not altogether from Persecution In my Opinion saith he he is a persecutor that molesteth any kind of way such men as lead a quiet and peaceable life Farthermore he gave out a Proclamation That such as would Cap. 11. Julian proclaims a cashieâ—ing all the Christians out of the Camp that will not Sacrifice None to bear Office in the Common-Wealth that were Christians And his Reason not renounce the Christian Faith should Warfare no longer in the Emperors Pallace That all should prepare to do Sacrifice That no Christian should bear Office in the Common-Wealth for their Law saith he forbiddeth the use of the Sword unto such as deserve death and therefore they were not fit to be Magistrates He allured whom he could to offer Sacrifice but those who were Christians indeed saith the History and those also who were thought to be no less Hereupon Jovianus Valentinianus Valence all three afterwaâ—ds Emperors throw down their Sword-Girdles to suffer as Christians made themselves manifest as upon a publick Theatre Jovianus Valentinianus and Valence who were successively all three of them afterwards crowned Emperors with many more threw down their Sword-Girdles and said They would rather
departed the City and those of the Faith The Arrians depart The Nicenians take their place of one Substance came into their room and took possession of the Churches Thus whilst the Arrians stood so stubbornly to own their Opinion What the stout Spirit of the Arrians met with Persecution the consequence of Theodosius enforcing the Faith of one Substance as to Faith and Religion as stout a Spirit entered into the Emperor who by little and little introduced a settlement of his own Opinion which was of the Faith of one Substance which he endeavouring to establish contrary to the Universal Liberty which Gratian had granted brought divers Persecutions as is the proper nature of imposing of Religion One hundred and fifty Bishops of the Nicene Faith or of the Cap. 8. A Council at Constantinople of 150 Nicene and 36 Macedonian Bishops By order of Theodosius he seeks to perswade the Macedonians to the Niâ—ene Faith which they had subscribed Creed containing the Clause of one Substance and thirty and six of the Macedonians being met together in a Council at Constantinople which Theodosius had summoned partly to settle a Bishop in Constantinople Gregory being gone to Nazianzum refusing that Bishoprick as aforesaid and partly to confirm the Canons of the Nicene Council he together with the other Bishops greatly endeavoured to bring them over to them urging their Embassy by Eustathius to Liberius of Rome and their Subscription then and that not long before without exception they had communicate throughout every Church with such as held the Faith of one Substance No Arguments prevail this Faith of one Substance still remaining a jar in the way and that they would behave themselves neither godly nor religiously sithence they aforetime had ratified the same Opinion and Faith with them if now again they sought to overthrow such things as before they advisedly decreed but all would not do Their hat answer rather to joyn with the Arrians They leave Constantinople and send their Letters every where against the Nicenian Faith which once they had subscribed The rest place Nectarius in the â—oom of Gregory that was gone They make Patriarks establish the Nicene Faith No Bishop to intermeddle with aâ—others Diocess The Emperor consents The Council ends they said flatly Rather than they would subscribe unto the Faith of one Substance they would hold with the Arrians So they left Constantinople and sent their Letters every where that they should in no wise consent to the Nicene Council The one hundred and fifty Bishops which remained placed Nectarius by Office a Pretor of Noble Lineage whose Ancestors had been Senators Bishop of Constantinople enstalled Constantinople next in the Empire to the Bishoprick of Rome because called New Rome and made Patriarks and established the Nicene Faith and that no Bishop should leave his one Diocess and intermeddle with Forreign Churches which till that time because of Persecution was suffered To all which the Emperor gave his consent so the Council was dissolved Thus things went at Constantinople where the beginning of the This new fire burns after through the Empire new fire kindled which afterward burnt through the Empire which by and by I shall in particular treat of giving only this intimation by the way That Meletius dying at Antioch his Favourites Cap. 9. Meletius Favourites refuse after his death to be under Paulinus contrary to the Oath Flavianus is chosen would not be under the Jurisdiction of Paulinus though the Oath was taken in the former uproar which quieted it that so it should be but chose Flavianus one of the six aforesaid by whom the Oath was taken that it should be submitted So discord rose again in that City and Tumults and Divisions and those of Antioch became to be divided again not about the Faith saith Antioch divided hereabouts the History but the Colleague aforesaid the Faith was concerned but their fond contention in choosing a Bishop for Meletius being made by the Arrian Bishop Paulinus refuseth him as his Colleague as aforesaid The banishment of the Arrians from their Churches caused a Cap. 10. A Council again is called by Theodosius to reconcile if it might be all Opinions for the flame was grown great through the expulsion of the Arrians great flame of tumult and schism to arise every where the Emperor perceiving it summoned a Council of all Opinions if so be possible he might reduce them into one and particularly the Faith which himself held for he had peace as to the Civil State throughout his Dominion At that time the Valiant Captain of the Goths Athanarichus being come in with all his power and shortly after dying at Constantinople and he having created his Son Arcadius He advises with Nectarius how to accompâ—ish his design viz. Theodosius Augustus or Emperor The Bishops of all sorts being come he devised how he might rid the Christians of Contention and Discord and with Nectarius advised for that purpose saying That the Controversies and Quarrels that molested the quiet state of the Church ought to be sifted out and the punishment to light on the Pates of them that were found to be the Authors of Schism and disturbers of Peace and Quietness This made Nectarius very pensive and sad because of the consequence Nectarius consults with Agelius he consults with Agelius Bishop of the Novations who held the same Faith with those of one Substance Agelius was little Agelius with Sisinius at disputation and appoints Sisinius a Reader of his Church who was a man very eloquent well experienced in all things a skilful Interpreter saith the Historian of Holy Scripture and a notable Philosopher who knowing well enough that Disputations would not only not reconcile Schisms but also fire the slimy matters of contention he thus advised That it was best to avoid the Sisinius his Judgment strife of Logical Disputations For this was the manner of the Bishops when they met together in Councils and Synods to cleave Hairs as they use to say at Arguments and they that were most curious and subtile therein were accounted the best Masters of Faith and so carried the matter not according to the Revelation of Truth but the subtilty of man in things relating unto Truth through which came all this adoe and trouble in the World and to lay before them the form of Faith established by their Ancestors and in pursuit hereof the Emperor should demand Whether they made any account of the antient Fathers who governed the Church godly and prudently before the Schism and Division still the matter stood upon man which made all this stir not knowing the Principle of God in and by which only the Truth can indeed be known and determined or condemned them as Aliens and far-estranged from the Christian Faith If they rejected them then let them saith he boldly pronounce them accursed If they presume so bold an enterprize then saith he will the common