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
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
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
but to all Nations of the Earth to the Gentiles the Church of God amongst them which to gather or to draw into one was the Gospel sent and preached and the Worship now was no longer National nor was it the National Worship of the Jews which also was commanded of God and accompanied with his presence while the end of it was not come or accomplished But it was every where Spirit and Truth not Form and Letter fearing of God working of Righteousness is accepted of him the true Worshippers the Worshippers whom the Father seeks to worship him All the others were dasht in pieces the end was accomplished it stood not in meats and drinks the Kingdom of God but in Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost not in killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen but in an humble and contrite heart and that trembled at his Word the Sacrifices of God which even under the Law were entitled and said to be his through all which he looked for and accepted which the Sacrifices and the blood of Goats and Bulls signified Circumcision and all the Ordinances of the Jews which Moses commanded and which it was death not to observe comes now to be called beggerly Rudiments the Hand-writing of Ordinances the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances the enmity which he destroyed on the Cross and blotted out which the Apostle saith was against them and which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear And he saith Touch not tast not handle Gal. 5. 2. Phil. 3. 2 3. not which all saith he perish in the using And if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing I wish them cut off that trouble you And beware of Dogs and beware of evil workers beware saith he of the Concision for we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And the Apostles now as any were gathered into the Church they gathered them out of all the Jewish Observations and Heathenish worshipping of Idols into one God and Name of the Lord Jesus who was the great Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul Not into the Name of the Church of the Jews or the Temple or of this Region and that but into the Name of Christ Jesus The Churches of what Of the Jews c. Nay the Churches of Christ Christ the Head of the Church which are in 1 Thes 1. 1. Judea c. The Church which is in God Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God Not in this man or that not in this profession and that barely but in God And so it was during the Apostles times of which the Scripture makes mention and their business was to open the eyes to turn men from darkness to the light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith which is in me As Paul saith of his Commission which he received of the Lord Acts 26. 18. And he stiles himself an Apostle not of men neither by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father which raised him from the dead And he saith The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith But finding fault with them that is the first Covenant and the things therein of which he had been speaking in the former words he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11 12. Now here is nothing of Churchship of an outward Administration and Worship of a delegation of Power to any to constitute and appoint Worships or how God should be worshipped or what Discipline should be used in the Church or what Power the Church should have as to visible things and who should be the Governors or Rulers thereof that should direct or order as to that throughout all Ages but a turning to a Principle wherein God is to be known and whereby he is to be worshipped Not to Man Kings Princes Governors States Emperors no not to Presbyters Councils Fathers Pastors Officers Synods Be ye followers 1 Cor. 11. 1. of me as I also am of Christ saith Paul But to the Light the Light of the Son of God who is Light God is Light and in him is no darkness at all the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles the Light of the World the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World that which sheweth man that is in the Transgression that he is in the dark that turns him from the darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God The Lord never sent to turn man unto man nor did he ever give power to man to order man as to the Worships of him no not in the Mosaical Administration all the World have been in mistakes about these things but he alwayes reserved the power in himself and by the guidance and order of him man was to be directed and God to be worshipped for from the Lord Moses received in the mount what was that Administration hitherto to the Law of Moses when the Israelites were gone astray and had transgressed were all things to be reduced and the reformation to be made the Law of Moses which was a figure of that which came by Jesus Christ unto which all things after he was come to which Moses his Administration or the Law which was given by Moses was to have reference as it was to spring from it And the coming of him was the time of Reformation of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 10. Which stood saith he speaking of that Ministration which in the verse before he calls a
the Body selling for Bond-men and Bond-women Banishment upon pain of Death and Death it self after the most exquisite and various manners that can be thought of as Ages and Generations have proved of which I am by and by to speak and give witness And the reason hath bin because being gone from that of God in them by and in which they should vvorship him and every one in their ovvn particulars vvhich is near vvhose Injunction as it is in Spirit so is the Worship and the Punishment of not so vvorshiping they are in nothing but vvhat is outvvard themselves and knovv no more of God than vvhat themselves think which being indeed nothing at all that is so far and as they are gone from that or worship or compel thereunto otherwise than that their Worship is like their Godd which is as themselves These things thou hast done and I kept silence Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such â— one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50. 21 22. and being as themselves their punishment is as themselves which is outward corporeal as man is not in the Spirit So every one that makes a Worship makes a Godd and every one that worships not God in Spirit and in Truth makes a Worship and confounded be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols worship him all ye Godds Psal 97. 7. And the Enemy is in all this who as I have said being far from God himself endeavours to put man as far as himself he removes him from having respect to and minding that of God in him to look afar off well knowing that if he can but once do that he shall never know God and then he can easily perswade man to be as God and to give Laws how he indeed as God may be worshipped and to torture and torment the Bodies of those who worship God as he will be worshipped or who cannot worship God as man would have him worshipped For he that would drive a man from the Measure of God in himself to worship God as he pleaseth drives a man from God and instead of God sets himself up to be worshipped and himself being set up or he having set up himself to be worshipped he takes revenge and punishes those who will not worship what himself sets up and so falls into the predicament of Nebuchadnezzar and of all those who because of Worships not conforming to their Laws of Worship have caused men to suffer as the Histories now to be made mention of give instance And here lest I should seem too prolix and fill a Volumn with that which a lesser space may serve to give evidence to what I have in hand I shall principally confine my self to what Eusebius Pamphilius Socrates Scholasticus and Evarius Scholasticus in their Ecclesiastical History have set down and touched at for near the first six hundred years after the death of him who is Lord and King and lives for ever And here I shall be as short as well I may that in a thing of this consequence I may convince what I have here asserted to this and the Ages that shall succeed to the end that as the wise man said it may appear that as to God and his Worship and Worshippers and what they have received who have worshipped him in Spirit and in Truth from them who have held up the Ecles 1. 9. Form without and not knowing and not from the Power of God there is no new thing under the Sun but as they did of old so in this day the same they receive from such as are in the Form who know and are in the Power of God and how that which hath held up the Form and hath prescribed Laws and Constitutions Creeds and Governments by which God should be worshipped have stained the Earth with blood and with the most horrible torments and sufferings most exquisite have wrung out of every Age this confession That destruction and violence is in their Paths and the way of Peace they have not known And this one thing hath proved that man was in all this or rather the Devil in man who having set up himself as God destroyes as he can all those who will not fall down and worship him which is not the Religion of God the Wisdom which is from Above which is first pure then peaceable Jam. 3. 17. gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie nor the Worship of him who saith He came not to Luke 9. 3â— destroy mens lives but to save them And here I shall take upon me no affected Stile nor strain any thing beyond what they speak in themselves but as the Spirit of the Lord of whom I am moved this to undertake shall lead and give me to whom be the glory of his own working who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Eusebius in his first Book of Ecclesiastical History Chapter the first Eus lib. 1. c. 1. taking upon him to speak of the Divinity and Humanity of Christ the Lord and treating of the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Name of Christ which the Heathen in that day thought a very Novelism who worshipped Images and Idols such things which they made to themselves who sacrificed to Devils not to God as it was said of Jeroboam He ordained him Priests for the high Places for the Devils and 2 Chron. 11. 15. Deut. 32. 17. for the Calves which he had made And by Moses They sacrificed unto Devils not to God to Godds whom they knew not to new Godds who came newly up whom your Fathers knew not and which he forbad to Israel when he said They shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils after whom they are gone a whoring This shall be a Statute unto them said the Lord by Levit. 1. 17. 7. Moses throughout their Generations I say he speaking of the Divinity and the Humanity of Christ and treating of the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Name of Christ which the Heathen in that day counted a Novelism brings him in thus This Light saith he going before the World and all the Worlds the Intellectual and Essential Wisdom and the living Word of God being in the beginning with the Father who but the Father alone hath rightly known Implying that they took upon them that which they did not understand who did undertake to speak of him and his descent and beginning of dayes who is from everlasting also of his Religion and the Age and Antiquity thereof who knew him not much less his Religion This was the ground of all the most cruel and Heathenish persecutions of the Christians and of the then called Christians one of another of which he and the aforementioned treat they knew not
Claudius whom Caius Caligula succeeded who was Nero the first chief persecutor of the Christians the successor of Tiberius to the dayes of Constantine and so onwards as the same spirit ruled in the Emperors who made their Laws like themselves and shewed the inward portraicture of their bloody brests by inflicting most inhumane sufferings of which what I have further to say gives a more particular account Read your Authors saith Tertullian Tertul. in Apolog. cap 5. his account thereof and of him in his Apology for the Christians to the Gentiles there you shall find Nero chiefly to have persecuted this Doctrine which was that of the Christians at Rome where the whole East was now subdued he became cruel unto all men We boast and brag saith he of such a famous persecutor for they which knew him may easily perceive that this our Doctrine had never been condemned by Nero had it not been passing good So the setting up of Religion by man the requiring of man to observe the Religion that was set up by man was that which at first gave the occasion or was the ground of the first and the fiercest persecutions And of Persecution the ground of it for as Tertullian hath fully and well said as aforesaid unless that God please man he is not made God A strange presumption that poor man whose breath is in his Nostrils and is not sure that once more he shall breath should be so bewitched with the inchantments of the wicked One and so deluded as to take upon him to prescribe unto God and in effect to say unto him who made him Thou shalt not be or have any The sence of Persecution in effect of God and what of him it saith according to Tertullian Worship but as I will and shall please to afford thee Indeed he might well assume and say as upon the former account as aforesaid Man must be gracious and favourable unto God A strange inversion yet it is that which all that which by the force or power of man would prescribe how God shall be worshipped doth affirm and speak viz. If thou please me or if it so like me thou shalt be so and after this manner worshipped otherwise expect not any Worship in the World pray thou unto me that I may be gracious and favourable to thee for unless thou please me thou shalt not be God thou shalt not be worshipped It were well if mens eyes were open to see these things and how their And what the seeking to enforce Religion signifies as to that or speaks setting up of Worship of Religion something that is of their own mind and framing which is not from the Spirit the Principle the measure of God in them is the same with what hath been rehearsed for if he be a God knows not he how to direct his Worship If he hath made the World and Man and required Man to worship him and to do what is pleasing in his sight knows not he how to direct man in what manner to worship him Or hath he left man so without something of himself to guide and instruct him that man must needs take upon him to advise and instruct yea to inforce as to the Worship of God Gird up now thy loyns like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me said the Lord to Job cap. 40. vers 7. who answered I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye doth see thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 41. 5 6. These things would be ridiculous to affirm yet the things speak it and every dayes experience manifests it how vain man would be wise who is born as the wild Asses Colt who Job 11. 12. would teach his Maker and instruct the holy One of Isâ—ael and instead of abiding at his Feet to intreat his Grace and Favour seems to seek to bring his Maker to his feet to intreat his grace and favour how and that he may be worshipped Well these things cost them hard who ran this course through And the consequence thereof as to punishment throughout all Generations as a warning to this all Generations and this will cost them hard who run the same course now the Lord will be known by the Judgements that he will execute And as Heathens and those who bear the Name of Christians but are otherwise in Nature do the same thing who enjoyn Worship and require men to conform unto their Decrees therein for the spirit in both is the same so will they partake of the same punishment Judah and Edom and the Children of Moab and Ammon all that are in the utmost Corners that dwell in the Wilderness For all these Nations are uncircumcised and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Jer. 9. 26. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will punish all them that are circumcised with the uncircumcised vers 25. So all Kings and Princes Lords and Potentates of the Earth had need to look about them and consider how they meddle with his Dominion who lives for ever in the Conscience as to his Worship How they say in effect Unless he please them he shall not be made God and so by their Decrees speak that they must be gracious and favourable to God as the Heathens did of old lest he dash them to pieces Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way if his anger be kindled yea but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal 2. 12. Thus stood the case of the Heathen Emperors as to God by the And the reason thereof judgment of Tertullian whose judgment is true and this proves the consequence when as by virtue of their Power and Jurisdiction they took upon them to meddle with his Dominion in the Conscience as they went over and murthered all sence of God or as the sence of God and his Majesty and dread was murdered in their hearts so they murdered those who retaining a sence of the dread and Majesty of God in their hearts could not bow down unto and worship their Godds their National Worship which required all men to fall down and worship it The truth of it is they required God to fall down and worship and because that which was of him in men hindred many from so doing therefore they laid at God what they could but missing him whom they could not reach they killed the Creature in which he was which that of him which was in them kept them from doing and bore them through all that which the rage of man executed upon them because of God And thus stands it with all those who tread the same steps the spirit is the same and the way is the same and the work is the same and the same will be the end of those that tread therein Nero was the first of all the Emperors
them joying and tryumphing at their end as if she had been invited to a Wedding Dinner and not to be cast among wild Beasts after scourging after buckling with wild Beasts after the broyling of her body as it were in a Frying-pan at length she was wrapped in a Net and tumbled before a wild Bull which fanned and tossed her with his Horns to and fro yet had she no feeling of all these things her mind being fixed and wholly set upon the conference she had with Christ and in the end she was beheaded the Pagans themselves pronouncing That never any Woman was heard of among them to have suffered so many and so great torments Neither did their rage and cruelty against the Christians so cease for the barbarous Gentiles being provoked by a wicked Fiend saith the History could not quiet themselves but that their furious rage practised another kind of malitious spight upon the dead Carkasses neither were they pleased in that they were overcome and void of natural feeling and sence but proceeded further like bruit Beasts both President and People were furiously provoked prosecuting them with like hatred that the Scripture may be fulfilled He that is wicked let him be wicked still and he that is just let him work Righteousness still The Bodies of those that were choaked in Prison cast to dogs for as many as were choaked up with the noysome sent of the Prison were thrown to be devoured of Dogs and a continual watch set day and night that none of them should be buried And gathering together the Reliques of the Martyrs Bodies some undevoured by Beasts some And guarâ—ed of them to be devoured unburnt by fire partly torn and partly burned with the Heads and stumps of others uncovered with earth they committed them for the space of many dayes to the custody of Souldiers others fretted and fumed snatching at them with the gnashing of their Teeth seeking further revengement of them others derided and scoffed them magnifying their Idols as cause of this our calamity and such as were of a milder nature and somewhat sorrowed at our suffering upbraided us and said Where is their God and what profited them this Religion which they Others said Where is their God prefer before their lives And such was the variable and devilish disposition of the Infidels to our great sorrow because we were not permitted to bury the dead bodies of the Martyrs neither stood the night in any stead to us for that purpose neither would money perswade the Keepers nor our Prayers move them but they kept the bruised Carkasses of the Saints as if some great Commodity grew unto them by keeping them unburied To be short after that the bodies of the blessed Saints had been every kind of way spitefully and scornfully intreated The stumps of their bodies lying six dayes unburied are burnt and the Ashes cast into the River Rhodanus lest they should rise again or that their God should help them The French sustain lying whole six dayes unburied at length they were burned to Ashes the Ashes also they gathered and scattered in the River Rhodanus which passed by so that no Jot or Relique thereof should longer remain upon Earth This they did to the end they might overcome God and hinder the reviving of the Saints lest that as they said there should be any further hope of the Resurrection whereof say they the Christians being fully perswaded bring amongst us a strange and a new Religion they contemn punishment and hasten themselves chearfully unto death Now let us see whether they can arise and whether their God can help and deliver them from our hands Thus far of the Sufferings of the French under this Emperor out of the Sufferers own Writings which though it be a little prolix and so may seem somewhat besides the intent of this Discourse yet being so pertinent and of so circumstantial a nature I thought it convenient to give the Reader a relation thereof that in the instance of these he may see how grievous the persecution was and how inhumane on the one hand and on the other how the Lord sustained and carried them through like noble Conquerors In the other places the persecutions were not so great nor the inhumanities so long and terrible to flesh and blood but he made them easie and caused those to overcome who were faithful unto the greatest Persecutions him Besides these of cruel Torments and Death they were exercised with Exile as well as Death Exile from their Houses Booths and common Market-places and not only so but every one of them were charged not to shew his face with the weakness also of many who through fear of torments fell from the Faith who notwithstanding many of them came on again and confessed The fallings of many for fear Exeâ—cise the French themselves what they were viz. Christians and died constant in the Faith though the enemy wrought by their first stepping aside no small disadvantage and these were divers of the Ethnicks their own Servants whom those terrible Spectacles of grim Beasts and torments made to start and to accuse their fellow Christians falsly as using the feastings of Thiestes and the incests of Oedipus with divers others which themselves They are falsly accused of disordeâ—ed conversations say may neither Godly be thought upon neither with modesty uttered neither without impiety be believed Through the egging on and perswasions of the Souldiers these things were feigned and reported of them which was the wile of the Devil in all Ages where he cannot otherwise thereto make Truth to suffer and the followers thereof that his Instruments may have something to pretend to sober men that they are not such as he knows them to be and which they are and sober people take them for but on the contrary such as they are themselves who so force the report that they may seem worthily to put them to death wiping off thereby the opinion of their sanctity so far as he is able that neither may their sufferings sink into the hearts of others neither take with them so as to turn them to the Truth but having removed them by such reports out of the Opinion of the Sober he might have also an influence on them to give them sufferings which proved something to these Servants of the Lord for these reports being bruited abroad every body they write was moved and incensed against them insomuch that they who for familiarity sake used moderation before now were exceedingly moved and mad with them Then was say they the saying of our Saviour And thereby cast out of the minds of the most sober fulfilled The time will come when every one that slayeth you shall think that he doth therein God good service Then suffered say they again the holy Martyrs such torments as tongue cannot express and Satan also provoked them with all might possible that they might utter some blasphemy There were certain
Then which what can be more clear to the thing which I have asserted and for which I quote the Doctor A Teacher dwelling in our Natures A natural kind of Christianity A Law which with the common Notions of good and evil is planted in our Souls An eternal Righteousness A Law written in our hearts An infallible Law not a mortal Rule given by this or that mortal No liveless Precepts written in Paper or upon Pillars but immortal being ingraven by the eternal Nature in immortal minds A Law not written in Tables or Books but dwelling in the mind alwayes as a living Rule which never permits the Soul to be destitute of an interior guide Neither shall they ever be forgotten or abrogated for there is in them a great God that never waxeth old The Laws of reasonable Nature eternal and indispensible not customs of men or constitutions of Princes alterable at pleasure but written in our Souls by God I think I need say no more but leave this thing to the consideration of all moderate men concerning our Principle which being as much as I need say to it let me onely add what the Doctor presently by way of anticipation produces in reference to the aforesaid Aphorisms or Positions as to what may happily be objected by such as see not Nature to be so or such as is here asserted Nature saith he may be so perverted by vice that men will not acknowledge the innate motions of Truth so Justin Martyr saith the Doctor told Trypho (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being corrupted by a bad education evil custom and wicked institutions they destroy their natural Notions And as Porphryry's Phrase is (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do speak falsly of our Nature And are therefore justly rejected by Aristotle as incompetent Judges of Nature Pol. 1. 5. in these words (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are to enquire concerning what is natural of these who are in their natural temper and not of those who have corrupted their Nature I think no more needs be said then the very words before rehearsed in reference to those who take upon them to judge and speak evil of this Principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Doctor of vulgar Practice and the M. Tyr. Dissert 20. producing thereof for slight justifications of actions in the Preface aforesaid For no place can create Virtue by common Suffrages But it is the glory of men saith he to conform their lives to the external reasons of goodness whose indispensible Principles is connate with our Souls And saith he do not men perceive in their Souls Bentevol and Vran. 2 Part cap. 6. a natural Obligation to the practice of Justice and know certainly they should not invade the rights of others because they would not be disturbed in their own possessions Which answers to what he said as to the Principle which is the Law and the Prophets That is all that is religious or relative from one man to another in that little or narrow Sentence is comprehended to wit saith Christ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. To this of the Doctors let me add a few more instances of the Antients which seem both to speak and explain what I have quoted of his and what he hath spoken concerning Nature and God Out of the Minor Poets pag. 213. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mind is God in us in the particular And pag. 227. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. God is Conscience in all mortal men Thus as to the Mind and Conscience As to Nature saith Seneca De Benefic cap. 7. (a) Quid enim aliud est natura qnam Deus est Divina ratio toti Mundo partibus ejus inserta What other thing is Nature than God and the divine Reason placed in the whole World and its parts And the same Seneca in his Epistles lib. 1. saith Epist 31. (b) Debit tibi illa quae si non diserueris par Deo surges Nature hath given thee those things which if thou forsakest not thou wilt arise like God I may now proceed to another viz. Doctor John Owen sometimes Vice-Chancellor of Oxford who taking upon him to write against the People called Quakers thus wrote for them and their Principles Concerning the interpreting of the Scriptures he layeth it down as an indubitable Truth and which hath been proved to be such by the reformed Divines as they are called the things following viz. That the only publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of Doctor Owen's Exerc. 2 9 7. against the Quakers the Holy Scripture is he who is the Author of them from the breathing of whose Spirit it derives all its Verity Perspicuity and Authority This Author and Interpreter of the Scriptures is the Spirit partly speaking in the Scripture and setting down its mind therein and if there be any doubtful and obscure passages therein explaining himself by that Analogy or Harmony of the whole Doctrine which is found therein and partly infusing a spiritual Light into our hearts whereby we may be led into the knowledge of all necessary Truths revealed in the Word And therefore as there never was any visible Judge of Faith then man quatenus as man hath nothing to do in it and so what is become of all the institutions and inforcings of men or their medling with Religion and the imposings which the Doctor himself wrought the Council of the late Army to in their Address to the then called Long yet ending Parliament which undid the Army and wrought them against their Declarations and Engagements appointed by Christ So neither is there any use or need of such an Arbitrator Again he saith That every Christian hath it as a duty incumbent upon him to inquire into the mind of God in the Scriptures and no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit shall reveal them but we have the mind of Christ then Christ must be within the Hope of Glory for where the mind of Christ is there is Christ that is to seek into the meaning of them and that must be by the Spirit as are his own words as aforesaid by all requisite means and himself saith there is no other but the Spirit the only publick authentick and infallible Interpreter as aforesaid and to expound them to himself which must be by knowing his Teacher within for his own edification for the just shall live so every man must have it in his own particular by his Faith Thus as to the Interpretation of the Scriptures Now as to Teaching and the teaching of others or Preaching Sect. 14. In that community saith he between God and man through a Relation which a reasonable creature cannot but have to a good Creator from whence arises this indispensible necessity to worship and obey him it
and exercised in remitting then exacting the rigor of the Laws there being nothing worse than Legal Tyranny Beware of exasperating any Faction by the crosness and asperity of some mens passions humours and private Opinions imployed by you grounded onely upon the differences in lesser matters which are but the skirts and suburbs of Religion wherein a charitable connivance and Christian Toleration often dissipates their strength whom rougher opposition fortifies and puts the despised and oppressed Party into such Combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their Persecutors who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commiseration which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion The more conscious you shall be to your own merits upon your people Pag. 225. the more prone you shall be to expect all love and loyalty from them And to inflict no punishment upon them for former miscarriages You will have more inward complacency in pardoning one than in punishing a thousand And in his Meditations upon Death after the Votes of Non Addresses Head the 28th he saith I can both forgive them to wit those he calls Pag. 239. his Destroyers speaking of his Charity which was his noblest revenge upon them by which he saith I thank God I can both forgive them and pray for them that God would not impute my blood unto them further than to convince them what need they have of Christs blood to wash their Souls from the guilt of shedding mine The Will of God hath confined and concluded mine I shall have the pleasure of dying without any pleasure of desired vengeance And in that Head of the denying of his Chaplains their attendance on him being the 24th he saith They that envy my being a Pag. 198. Pag. 189 190 191. King are loth I should be a Christian whilst they seek to deprive me of all things else they are afraid I should save my Soul I pitty all of them I despise none only I thought I might have leave to make choice of some for my special Attendants who were best approved in my Judgment and most suitable to my affection for I held it better to seem undevout and to hear no mens praying then to be forced or seem to comply with those Petitions to which the heart cannot consent nor tongue say Amen without contradicting a mans own understanding or belying his own Soul Lastly Alexander Henderson in his second Paper to the King thus Alex. Henders second Paper to the King pag. 34 35. speaks Concerning the forcing of Conscience which I pretermitted in my other Paper I am forced now but without forcing of my Conscience to speak of Our Conscience may be said to be forced either by our selves or by others by our selves when we stop the ear of our Conscience and will not hearken or give place to information resolving obstinately Ne si persuaseris persuadebis which is no less than a resisting of the Holy Ghost and the hardning of our hearts 2. Or when we stop the mouth and suppress the clamour of our Conscience resolving rather to suffer the Worm to gnaw and the fire to burn inwardly than to make confession of that we are convinced to be Truth 3. Or when we sear our Conscience as with a hot Iron that it becometh senseless which is the punishment of the former unto which is opposed the truly tender Conscience such as Josiah had 2 Kings 22. 19. Again 1. our Conscience is said to be forced by others when they obtrude upon us what is in it self evil and unlawful the other is by doing it against a Dictate of Conscience which is a contempt of God whose Vicegerent it is 2. Or when others urge us to do that which in it self good or may lawfully be done but through error of Conscience we judge it to be evil and unlawful if in this case we do not that which is prest upon us we sin because the thing is good and lawful And if we do it we sin because we do against our Consciences which in this case bindeth but obligeth not And yet there is a way to escape out of this Laborynth it being repugnant to the equity of the Will of God to lay a necessity of sinning upon any man the only way is to lay aside such a Conscience it being a part of the old Man which we are commanded to put off otherwise we being sufficiently informed and yet cleaving to our old error we rather do violence to our Conscience our selves than suffer violence from others Unto this of the late Kings and Alexander Hendersons let me add a few sayings of the Fathers Tertullian writes thus to Scapula (c) Quia Religionis non sit cogere Religionem quae sponte fuscipi debeat non vi It appertaineth not to Religion to force Religion which ought to be freely taken up not by force And in his second Book against Marcian he saith (d) Non imponereâ—ur lex ei qui non habet obsequium debitum legi in sua potestate eadem arbitrii libertas potestas quae fuit in Adamo etiam nunc efficit victorem de eodem Diabolo A Law should not be imposed on him who hath it not in his power to do what the Law requires the same liberty of the Will and Power which was in Adam even now accomplishes dominion over the same Devil And in his fourth Book against Marcian he saith (e) Regnum Dei intra vos est quis non ita interpretabitur intra vos est id est in manu in potestate vestra si audiatis si faciatis Dei praeceptum The Kingdom of God is within you who will not interpret is within you in your hand in your power if you hear if you do what God commands And saith Cyprian in his Sermon about Baptisme (f) Nos quod agendum est scire quod scimus facere posse We know what we should do and we can do what we know Also Arnobius saith (g) Injustum est extorquere invitis in contrarium voluntatis inculcare quod nolint It is an unjust thing to force an unwilling mind to that which is contrary to its will and to press that which men would not have Lactantius concerning true Worship cap. 8. saith (h) Nobis autem lex Dei revelata est quae perinde ut stellae Nautis noctu nobis praelucer ad viam sapientiae Lex illa est recta ratio naturae congruus diffusa in omnes constans sempiteâ—na quae vocat ad officium jubendo vitando a fraude deterriat The Law of God is revealed to us which enlightens or shews the way of Wisdom as the Stars do the Marriner in the dark night That Law to wit the Law of God is right Reason agreeing with Nature diffused or shed abroad in all or put into every one constant eternal which by requiring forbidding and deterring from