The Examiner defended IN A Fair and Sober ANSWER TO The Two and twenty QUESTIONS which lately examined the Author of Zeal Examined In this ANSWER are not unseasonably touched Christ's interest in this and all Nations Christ's interest and the Commonweals as to the present affairs The true nature of all Civil States The nature of all Civil Magistracie and of the Civil Sword The Title of Christian Magistrate National Churches and Covenants The world of Religions and Consciences thorowout the world The permission due to Conscience in meerly Spirituals all the world over Idolatry and the kindes of at The Spiritual and Civil Sword and the effects of them in Spirituals The Forms of Worship The causes of destruction to Nations The Violence to the Souls of men and of Interest the cause of it The dangerous consequence of such Violences experimented in so many Nations The difference of the Land of Canaan and the Kings thereof from all Lands and Kings besides Christ Jesus himself and his followers ever accounted and punished as the greatest Hereticks Blasphemers c. The crying guilt of Soul-Rapes and National hypocrisie in Worship The light of Nature in Spirituals The acts of Asa Artaxerxes c. The Fast of Nineveh The Conscientious differences of the most Conscientious in the world about God's Worship The justice and prudence of State-provision against all â—ncivilities both of Popish and Protestant Ranters LONDON Printed by James Cottrel 1652. To the Reader Pious Reader TWo honorable Gentlemen as is said have so far lately honoured Christ Jesus and their honorable stations The occasion of this Discourse and them selves as to try by the Sword of God's Spirit the Word of God whether the World and the Civil States and Nations thereof may permit Idolaters Hereticks c. The first of these Two Worthies published his Zeal Examined The second attempts upon the former with Two and twenty Questions under this Title The Examiner Examined It was desired that the Examiner of Zeal might have examined these Questions also But finding an indisposition of health upon his person and multiplicity of Publike affairs engaging his hours and minutes I have been humbly bold to look up to heaven and to beg the finger of God's most holy and gracious Spirit for the dissolving and untying of them It was a truely-gallant and heavenly speech of the Author of these Questions An heavenly speech whosoever he be in his Epistle or Preface I profess my self a lover of Truth wheresoever I finde it though in an heap of Errours for I know well that it is the high-way to be given up to strong delusions not to receive the love of the Truth yea an universal love of all truth But I had almost said not onely What Saint what Angel but What man will not say Vincat Veritas We know who said Amicus Plato c. magis Amica Veritas Such counsel is like our common counsel of Physick to others but not so pleasing and practical in our own distempers And Oh how many are the Skreens the Veils the Hoods the Vizards the Curtains the Hangings the Cloâ—ks the Clouds and Colours by which the lustre and shining of that which we call Truth is hidden and eclipsed from us For instance 1. Truth suspected for a Novelty This cannot be Truth it is a Novelty What will this babler say said the famous Academians of Athens he feemeth to be a setter forth of new Gods though all the old were false and indeed but new and therefore false because not the Alpha and Omega Quod antiquissimum optimum the First and the Last Thus cry the Papists against the Protestants and the Protestants against each other New Doctrines New Men New Lights New Christs New Gods c. There is no room in the Inne for Christ Jeus his Mother 2. Commonly Truth is outwardly poor ovely among the beasts in the stable in the Manger A poor Carpenters son whence hath be such learning How should such base and unlikely Medicines as Clay and Spittle pâ—n men 〈◊〉 How should the dry and lowe tree be fruitful How poor Fisher-men Tent-makers Mechanicks know and preach Christ Jesits c. He takes away our Hogs say the Gadarenes and therefore beseech him to depart from us 3. Truth is costly By this Trade saith Demetrius and his Crafts men we have our living c. our Popedoms Bishopricks Benefices If we believe this Doctrine the Romanes will come and take away our place and nation c. How can you believe saith Christ Jesus who receive honour from one another 4. Truth is in disgrace and not that honor which comes from God alone How many had been convinced and perswaded that Christ Jesus was the Son of God but that they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God Howsoever sometimes it hath pleasad God to take off the Rod and Plough of the wicked 5. Truth is persecuted from the back of the righteous yet the general Rule is That All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must be hunted The great Lord General Christ Jesus carried his Cross and Gallows and professath it impossible for any to follow him without a denying of himself and taking up his Cross or Gallows also Thus are we saith David and Paul as sheep for the shambles all the day long Thus must those blessed Petitioners under the Altar wait until the rest of their fellow-brethren and servants were slain also Hence though Christ's followers have ever found the sweetest enjoyments of God and Christ and the holy Spirit in sufferings yet how harsh is this Alarm to flesh and blood which therefore rather seeks a thousand shifts to swear to subscribe to conform upon the point to deny Jesus Christ c. Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth 6. Truth is prejudiced Can Micaiah ever speak good to me who never yet spake good to me And Hast thou found me O mine enemy said A had to two Prophets This Stone the builders have abready refused c. This may be Jebovah 's miraculous work to chuse the stones cast by c. but flesh and blood cannot got over this mountain Do any of the Rulers believe in him Do the learned Scribes 7. Truth is followed with sew wise great learned the Reverend Clergie the King the Queen the Parliament the Counced the University the Convocation the Assembly the Synod Oh how thick is this Choud that the eyes of the wisest cannot pierce it for it is God 's designe that few wise and piencing eyes are chosen to see Christ Jesus and his despised Truths and Mysteries How many whom Christ invites send Christ this answer 8. Truth findes few at leasure I have not such time to search the Scriptures as the Bereans had So many are my distractions so neoessary are my occasions about my Farm about my Oxen about my Merchandise about my Marriage Go thy way
such whose either consciences or necessities cannot permit them to practice that notorious Iudaism of Tythes The Nonconformers it 's true were sued and cast and paid but they were never so torn with the three-tooth'd Hook of Elies SOns the Treble da mages and oppressions I as therefore shat Grace what Godliness that is that teacheth us after all our our former sins and judgements and deliverances and vows to stop our Eares from the oppressed their Cries their Teares their Consciences and to imagine that our Commonweal our parliament our Counsel our Commonweal our parliament our Counsel our Army our Navy must prosper in our most knowne oppressings of Him whose is all power in Heaven and Earth the Son of God Christ Iesus The sum of the fourth Question Whether the Magistrate Quest 4 he not bound to love God and to advance his Glory true worship and service and the good of his people with all his might I ask Whether as before the Magistrate being the Civil officer of the People hath any Might Answ Authority or Power but what the People commit unto him And Whether any People will or can betrust such a Power to the civil magistrate to compel their Souls and consciences unto his Secondly Spiritual weapons and carnal compared Whether the Spirit of God speak not expresly that the Weapons of Christians are not Sword and Might but the Spirit and whether his Spiritual Weapons 2 Cor. 10. be not sufficiently and abundantly able and mighty to bring down every strong hold and every high thing and every imagination and thought to the obedience of Iesus Christ And Whether ever any carnal might ever did or can effect ought in Christianity but the storming of the Nations into an Antichristian Hypocrisie and Compliance Thirdly The woful effect of carnal weapons in Spirituals Whether this Principle of the Magistrates putting forth his carnal might in spirituals hath not constantly occasioned the Magistrate according to the mistakes of his owne conscience to promote Superstition and Idolatry And also hath rendred the strongest sword to be the measure and standard of all Religion in the World and the Magistrates thereof the Nimrods and mighty Hunters before the Lord Fourthly I ask Where Christ Iesus the onely Law-giver to Christians hath appointed in his holy Testament Christ Jesus not forgetful to furnish his kingdom with spiritual weapons the civil swrod the judge and defender of his Religion and Worship And why he hath not furnished his civil Magistrates of Iustice in the World with such hearts and spirits but contrarily hath call'd few of them to the profession of his Name And whether he hath not ever furnished and doth and will his spiritual Ministers and Messengers with spiritual might and power sufficiently and abundantly efficacious for the propagating of his holy Name and Truth and for the confounding of Antichrist and all Antichristians by the breath of his Mouth that two edged Sword of his Spirit Fifthly Whether Christianity did ever so flourish The sirst and last times of Constantine considered as when the people of God in the first 300 yers after Christ had no might but that of Christs spiritual weapons Ans when it pleased God to raise up Constantine to give some rest to his people from persecution whether Christianity did most flourish in the first time of Constantine when he with his Colleageue Licinius published the edict of Freedome of Religion to hissubjects or in his after-times when he compell'd all the World to Christianity but as is confest by many occasioned the World to put on the bare and empty name of Chrislian c. Lastly I ask Whether this Principle of the Magistrates employing the carnal sword or Might in spirituals The Carnal sword an Spirituats the occasion of so much bloodshed in former and in our late Wars have not in all Histories and Experience been the Firebrand which hath kindled such devouring flames of War about Religion in all both Popish and Protestant Countries And Whether it did not kindle our late Wars and occasion all the dreadfull Calamities between the Bishops and the Presbyters which proved fatal to the both And whether all these Experiences are not the voice of God out of the whirlwind to waken all the Magistrates of the World to keep within the Civil sphere of Civil Jurisdiction and Deminion The sum of the fifth Question Whether the people be not bound to pray for Magistrates Quest 5 that under them we may live a peaceable and quiet life in all Godliness and Honesty and whether the Magistrate is not bound to do that for which the People pray c. 1. I ask Answ Whether as some have urged these words godliness and honesty be rightly translated but rather upon a mistake in the Translation weakly made the ground for the Magistrates being the heeper of godliness in the first and honesty in the second Table 2. I ask The puring and pre-eminence the first Christian times To whom this direction of praying for Magistrates was given Whether they were not the first and purest Saints and those times the most glorious wherein the Saints enjoyed two such helps as no Christians ever since did First the presence of the holy Apostles or messengers of Christ Jesus amongst them Secondly the wonderful effusion of the holy Sourit of God in those rare and miraculous gifts and operations 1 Cor. 12. Now to imagine that those first Saints should pray for the Civil sword to defend I speak not of their persons but their godliness and suppress ungodliness c. doth it not imply this twofold strange and most unchristian Paradox First Two strange Paraderes that those Saints must imagine those Civil Magistrates to have a clearer sight in discerning and an higher Authority in judging of Godliness and Christianity then themselves and the Apostles of Christ Jesus who are call'd expresly the Ministerial Foundations of the Churches Fphes 2. Secondly That they being thus call'd of God and indued with the Spirit of God so savingly so miraculously yet should not be able to live in Godliness and the pure profession of Christ Jesus without the help of a carnal sword to preserve them pure establish and reform them c. Thirdly I ask therefore Whether the scope of the holy Exhortation be not this The scope of 1 Tim. 2. pray for Magistrates That those first Believers and all Believers in the Ages following should be much in prayer with God and not onely for themselves but for all men and especially for Magistrates the Chiefe of men 1. That such as were Gods Elect amongst them might be called 2. For the peace of the Nation and Cities wherein they lived and so consequently that God would gratiously guide the hearts of the Helms-men the Magistrates that the ships of the several states wherein the Saints as Passengers were imbarqued might Sail in peace and safety that in the peace thereof they might have peace according to the
and Paul the Tent-maker Further I ask Whether that Rule be not constant in the Christian Profession Not many Wise not many Noble not many Mighty And therefore Whether it be not against the purpose and designe of God and aaginst his declared will and course that his Servants should expect many Christian great or noble persons many Christian wife or learned men many Christian mighty men either for wealth or valour many Christian magistrates c. Hence though we finde the Saints in Caesars houshold Phil. 4. yet I ask How many Caesars Masters of those houshoulds do we finde believing in lesus for three hundred years together and therefore shether the poorest Saint in the Houshold or Court of these Caesars were not higher in Spiritual and Christian respects then those Emper ours of the World themselves Thirdly A true Christian who What is it that makes a Christian but the Spirit of Christ in a person manifested in the profession of his Name before the World Mat. 16. Rom 10. And if so I ask Whether that more of the Grace and knowledge of Christ render not persons more and more eminent and glorious in Christianity And consequently Whether the poorest Subject or Servant participating of more of the Grace and spirit of Christ be not invested with more of the Authority and Power of Christ Iesus What Christions the highnest in his affaires and Kingdome then the highest Magrstrates or Superiours that are not so indowed According to that Honour of all his Saints who especially bind Kings in chains c. And that charge from Heaven Iames 2.1 My Brethren have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus with respect of persons a Scripture that being read out in the following words seems at first blush to intrench upon civility and good manners except it be granted this in Christianity the greatest respect is not given to greatness of Place Birth Wealth Autherity Braverie c. but to the greatness of Humility and Grace of Christ according to that of the Lord Iesus Match 18. Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven We read of two mighty Princes professing the name of Christ meeting together in England Charles the Fifthe Emperour of Germany Two mighty Princes pretending to glorious Hights in Christianity and Henry the Eighth of England Their names then soar'd so high for Christianity that they were both in Letters of Gold set upon the very Gates of Guildhal in London Carolus Defensor Ecclesiae Henricus Fidei yet when Luther or the poorest follower of the truth of Christ iesus witnessed by Luther were condemned and persecuted by that Charles the Fifth the great defender of the Church I ask Who had the greatest Authority in Christs affaires the great Emperous Charles or the poorest true Christian Yet the poorest witness of any truth of Christ Jesus above them And when that glorious pretended Defendour of the Faith Henry the Eighth with all his Nobles and Bishops sat in person with so much Glory and Majesty Terrour and Authority in that famous Disputation and Condemnation of that faithful witness of Christ Iesus Iohn Lambert I ask where was in truth the true Autority and power of Christ Iesus Whether in the stately assembly of Kings Nobles and Bishops or in the two-edged Sword of the Word and Spirit of God in the mouth of that one single and yet most faithful witness of Christ Iesus Nay further I ask The Authority of reproving in the name of Christ If that rule of Christ Iesus Luk. 17. be not yet in force If thy Brother sin against thee reprove him if he repent for give him Consequently Whether a Magistrate eminent in the grace and knowledge of Christ yet if a Brother in Christ be not to be reproved for sIn by his lowest Groom or handmaid and that by way of Authority in hte Name of Christ Jesus Yea and I add Whether have not such inferiour persOns Authority from Christ upon Repentance to grant a true pardon to such a magistrates penitent Soul then all the Popes and Priests in the World can affoard him And in case of final obstinacy contradicting and blaspheming I ask Whether such a poor Believer in Christ Jesus hath not a power and priviledge to separate from such a Magistrate in spiritual respects and refuse to touch Spiritually sUch a Spiritually unclean person The sum of the seventh Question Whether Artaxerxes and the K. of Nineveh Quest 7 did well in making their decrees c. I ask Answ Whether these two Kings and the Instances be not ill coupled for the one Artaxerxes Ezra 7. gave free liberty of conscience to the Iewes Artaxerxes his decree examined whereas the King of Nineveh forced all his people to a positive Act of Fasting But more particularly as to Artaxerxes 1. Was not an Idolatrous King A Terror of God sometimes causeth dilaters to favour Gods people a stranger from the God of Israel one that held the people of God in slavery one that had no true love to the God of Israel nor his people but onely out of a fear of the wrath of the God of Israel she wed favour to his people granted them free liberty of their conscience to go up to Ierusalem to worship 2. He bountifully incouraged and assisted them 3. He furnished them with a Decree suiting to their National Estate and mixt condition of Church and Comonweal But Secondly I ask Did this Artaxerxes compel any of these Iewes to his owne Religion which he believed to be the onely true the Religion of the Persians Or did he compel the Persians to the worship of the God of Israel Or did he compel the Iewes themselves or any one man of them to go up to the worship of their owne God at ierusalem but verse 13. Let all which are minded of their owne free will go up c. Therefore Thirdly I ask Artaxerxes his edict freely made for soul freedom What Conclusion can be gathered from thence but that it sometime pleaseth God to affect the hearts of Idolatrous Kings with kindness to his people and forceth them to permit his people the liberty of their consciences yea and that with Countenance Incouragements and Authority for which mercy although the Nations where they live and the Princes thereof partake not of such mercies themselves yet ought Gods people to praise God as Ezra doth Fourthly I ask Whether this Instance of Artaxerxes do not absolutely condemn the forcing of all the people and consciences in a Nation to one way of worship whether Popish or Protestant or to any particular sect or way of either of them And Whether it do not absolutely make for Soul-Freedom in spiritual matters in that these very Iewes were not forced to their own Ierusalem but as every one was freely willing c. Secondly As to the proclamation of the King of Nineveh First I ask Whether all
Bowells therefore of pity in us toward poor sinners like our selves If any sence of the mercies and pitie of Christ Iesus to our selves How should we compassionate the Captivated and sometimes the striving and relucting souls of thousands about these and the like Opinions How many thousands and ten thousands of Gods ancient Friends and Acquaintance The Iewes Conscientious plea from Scripture the Iewes will say unto us How can that Iesus whom you pretend be the true Messiah the anointed of God he whom all the Prophets told of whom all the Fathers lookt for How did he deliver us from the Roman yoakes how hath he redeemed us these 1600 years since from all our Enemies in the Lands of our Dispersions and Scatterings How many thousand Papists will tell us that Iesus the Son of Mary he is the blessed Messiah that was to come and why should we not believe him that plainly said This is my Body Is he not able to make good his word in a real and corporal presence Did he not say to Peter thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church To thee will I give the Keys of the kingdom of heaven How many thousand will tell us that the great and wonderful mystery of the holy Trinity is beyond their understanding and reach and they cannot believe and die for that which passeth their comprehension as also that the knots of holy Scripture besides those of Reason are very great and wonderful How many thousands are perswaded that the several Orders in the government of Christs House and Kingdom The several conscientious pleas of the more knowing and most godly persons in England are not manifested in vain unto us in the Word of God in particular the order of Bishops Nor are there thousands and then thousands wanting who will triumphantly ask us What that laying on the hands of the Presbytery was How many Consciences will ask how we can dare to say that Christ Jesus died not for all when so many Scriptures speak of the propitiation for the sins of the whole world And why say they shall the power of Nature be so slighted when Christ Jesus tells us that he would but Jerusalem would not And how is that doctrine say they so infallible of the impossibility of a final breach between Christ Jesus and Believers when so many Caveats Warnings Items are given us nor to fall and so many dreadful examples especially in these times of the departure of so many from Christ Jesus to the world with Demas and Judas to honour and preferment with Diotrephes to lusts and pleasures and many abominations with the stony ground How many are assaulted by Satan to question the Godhead of the Son of God and of the Holy Spirit and of the truth of the holy Scriptures Whether there are no more holy Scriptures but these and whether the Translations and infallible and which are to be rested or relied on Oh how merciful how pitiful are the bowels of the Lamb of God to poor wandring sinners And how sierce how cruel are the thoughts of his Corrival Antichrist who makes it so casie to be born againe to have Gods Spirit to the Orthodox to be truely Zealous against Idolaters Blasphemers Hereticks c. The sum of the sixteenth Question Whether Idolaters may not be punished Quest 16 because the Magistrate doth not know the heart of the Idolaters and whether this opposeth not the word of God by Moses and the punishment of the worshippers of the Calfe and Baal and the Prophets of Baal Unto which may be added the seventeenth Question viz VVhether Idolaters may not be convinced by Acts Quest 17 as well as a Murtherer and thereby the heart of the Idolater is discovered for the Murtherer is discovered guilty because of Malice in his heart As also the eighteenth VVhether of two sins Quest 18 that which is discerned ought not to be punished because the other is not punished for want of discerning First Answ Not to respect what hath been said as to the Distinction of Idolatry as to the nature of civil Magistracie and its power the different dispensations of God divers times and divers waies and at last by his Son To the Fathers in familes to Moses and the Prophets in the typical Land of Ganaan and at last all the world over by his most glorious and dear Son God blessed for ever I ask first Whether the Examiner can be fairly charged to bring it in as a reason that Idolatry should not be punished because the Magistrate doth not know the heart of the Idolater The Spaniards sacrificing millions of mtn to that grand Ido of the world the Indian gold And will all that the Examiner speaks there of the heart be fairly cast up and amount to more then the forementioned distinction of Religious and moral Idolatry and that opened by that so famous instance of the Spaniards in the West-Indies who cryed out against the poor Indians Idolaters Idolaters Heathens worshippers of the Sun and yet themselves did most notoriously bow down to the Golden God the Indians Gold as all Europes Nations and England more or less and in a sordid and bloody devotion did sacrifice to that Golden Images so many thousands yea millions of the Inhabitants It is incredible how many millions of mankind were there destroyed as their own Cardinal wrote to the Emperour Charles the fifth as Idolaters Blasphemers c. But it is very credible and easie to believe what stumbling blocks such their Covetousness and Cruelties were to the poor Indians insomuch that they abhorr'd to hear the Spanish Priests to talk of Heaven whither the Spaniards were said to go whose Covetousness and Cruelties they thought would never send them to a place of Blesedness Secondly I ask Whether those Examples of punishing the Worshippers of the Calfe and of Baal and of Baals Priests are presidential and binding unto all the Nations of the World And whether the Paralleling of all Times to that ceremonial Time The new piecing up of the vaile of the temple and all places to that typical and ceremonial place be not indeed upon the point a new piecing up of the vaile of the Temple which the right hand of the God of Heaven hath rent and a preferring of Moses the Servant before the Lerd Fesus the Son yea and consequently a denying of the Lord Iesus the great Messiah to be yet come Thirdly I ask If these Examples be now presidential The Bishops root and branch and all faise Ministers ought to be put to death Whether if there were such Civil Magistrates Monarchs of the world as formerly yea and however whether it be not the duty of all the Magistrates in the World to destroy even beyond all compare and Imagination the greatest part if not almost all the Inhabitants of the whole World for some false Worship Idolatry and one Golden Calf or another Yea I ask Whether by this rule the
Paul and Peter and Christ and God saith Festus until I have a more convenient time c. It is the voice of my Beloved saith the soul Cant. 1. yea Martha knows 't is Christ 's voice but dinner must be drest and 't is for Christ himself also c. This Jesus say the Jews cannot be He This man is a Glutton a Drunkard a Company-keeper And just as John because austere and harsh came from hell and had a devil was Jesus a Glutton c. because of a mire loving and sociable of a more merciful and pitiful disposition and cenversation I acknowledge the followers of Christ Jesus The lives of Gods children causing his name to be blasphemed like to kindle Fares of persecution by unchristian courses may cause the Name of Christ to be blasphemed as questionsess the lives of many Papists and Protestants cause both Jews and Turks and Pagans to stumble at him and therefore were there no slaughter of Witnesses in question I cannot but suspect a storm a fire â— straight impending which shall bring forth a more refined and purer Edition of Christianity to the whole world yet since the devil in English is an Accuser standeres c. it is but devilish to reproach and it is but foolish to stumble at reproaches There is another of a finer spun and thread 10. Our spiritual sences may deceive us which damps the ingennous searchings after Truth and that is like unto deceptio visus a Delusion from our very Senses and from our very experiments of our good canditions Truth kept out by experience Thus not onely ignorant souls plead for the old Religion and the Jews for their cakes to the Queen of heaven then 't was better c. but what rejoycing findes the heart of David himself and so wany thousands of Israel with him even in a false carrying of the Ark the signe of God 's most holy presence Yea is it not one of the unkindest Answers that ever was given to so dear a Saviour Cant 5. My feet are washed how shall I defile them c. Lastly 11. Hatred of Truth the highest wall against it What trembling calls for that most black and horrid sackcloth of hell it self to the weaving of which many of the former contribute to wit a malicious hatred of the very purity and holiness of the Son of God There is a twofold hatred of Christ Jesus Two walls of hatred of Truth First Natural The wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God But this wall is saltable and breakable and blessedly gives way in Gods chosen to reconciliation and leagues of eternal loves with Jesus Christ The second is a wall so high and strong as it stands for ever This is a malice and hatred after light Such probably was Saul 's against David the shadow and the Pharisees against Christ Jesus himself They hated him and said He shall not raign over us Thus among the many hundreds of false Prophets there is one more saith Ahab Micaiah but I hate him c. The result of all these gentle Reader is too often even in the heart of the greatest lover of Truth in the world a seeret prejudice Resolutions against truth a barricado a resolution against some Truths of God Such a resolution was that of the Captains consulting Jeremiah about their stay in Caldea yet secretly resolved to go down to Egypt Thus like those fourty resolved to kill Paul they pretend to enquire something more perfectly The truth is Truth is a prisoner upon suspition How many millions are the conspirators against the life of it And yet let 's examine the prisoner call Assemblies Classes Synods Councels c. appoint Disputations Conferences c. But before the prisoner come to the Governour the Parliament the Councel c. stab it kill it Yet God forbid we should wound the Truth but the Heretick the Seducer the Disturber c. My humble prayer therefore is presented to the Father of lights who is light and love and truth that these honorable Examiners and all those noble Bereans who candidly shall please to examine them and this may cry with David sensibly and cordially Psal 119. I am a stranger in the earth O hide not thy commandments from me ERRATA Page 10. read shadowing rocks and trees p. 27. l. 4. put out but. p. 41. for Religions r. religious p. 42. for ought they r. ought they not p. 54. l 24. for height and prudence r. high prudence p. 56. l. 29. for Wheâ— r. Whether p 57. l. 12. for Sorms r. Storme p. 61. l. 2. r. Canaan p. 74. in the margin r. whether the pishops p. 76. for the Idolatry r. Idolatry The EXAMINER DEFENDED THe Ship of the Commonwealth like that gallant * The Soveraign or Commonwealth Ship now going forth so called must share her weals and woes in common As the one so the other hath its dangers of Rocks and Sands Common Woes Storms and Tempests Want of Provisions Sicknesses and Diseases treacherous and professed enemies Fires Leaks Mutinies and c. I humbly beg of God and wish to both their Fair Windes and Weathers Plentiful provisions Unanimity and Peace Preservations Victories Boon Voyages Weals and joyful Anchoring in their desired Ports and Harbours Such woes and weals are common to all that sail in either Now in a Ship there is the whole and there is each private Cabbin A private good engageth our desires for the publike and raiseth cares and fears for the due prevention of common evils Hence is it Common Duty that in a Ship all agree in their commanding orders and obeying stations to give and take the Word to stand to the Helm and Compass to the Sails and Tackling to the Guns and Artillery This is this must be done in Artificial and in each Civil Ship and Commonweal Hence not to study and not to endeavour the common good and to exempt our selves from the sense of common evil is a treacherous Baseness a selfish Monopoly a kinde of Tyranny and tendeth to the destruction both of Cabin and Ship that is of private and publike safety I hope it will not therefore be offensive Christs Interest the Commonweals that into the great and common treasury I cast my mite and say Christs interest is the Commonweals Christs interest is that Sheat Anchor at which this Ship hath rid and can onely ride in safety All power in heaven and earth is his If England make peace with him ally with him c. though every dust of the field were an army and every drop of the Ocean sprung up a Navy against us yet our tranquillity should not be shortned our Commonweal our Parliament our Peace should flourish But where is that man whose Case is not right Where is the conscientious Papist or Prelatist or Presbyterian Every Christ but one the true calls for the Civil sword and maintenance or Independent that assumes not
Lev. 20. but that the Israel and people of God who are Nazarites or separated unto him from all the people of the World ought to touch no uncleanness and not onely to separate from Religious Idolatry All Gods people are separated unto himself but even to separate from and abhor that Moral Idolatry Covetousness and to hold no Spiritual Society with that man being calld a Saint or Brother who covets this Worlds goods which thing is not to be once named among the Saints Ephes 5. But fifthly I ask What is this to all the Nations of the World who as Nations are all parts of the World and lie faith Iohn in wickedness in Idolatries and Superstitions rolling and changing as Waves of the Sea in restless Lusts and Passions of all sorts c. Did not God wink at the Nations Act. 17. and is he not still pleased to wink at those numberless Nations of the World unto whom the sound of a Saviour reacheth not The State of all the numberless numbers of the Sons of men without Christ in the world How wonderful are the Dominions of the Grand Seigniour the Turkish Emperour and the mighty Empire of the Persians the great Mogul the Chinois the Tartars and the many millions of millions of the Sons and Daughters of Men who in all Ages and Nations pass on in outward Peace Prosperity and Glory amongst some of whom God may call some to fear him and love the Lord Iesus But for any of these whole Nations to be become Christians A National Church a fiction and not found in Christs Testament that is to be anointed with Christs Spirits I ask Whether such a thing be found in Christs Testament or be in experience true of the Body of this or any other Nation Sixthly Whatever be the pretence and mist which Satan casteth I ask with a famous observer once Lord Chancellour of England Whether all Violence in Religion be not for some sinister cause and Interest Jehu pretends and boasts Come see my zeal for the God of Israel c. He acted gloriously Magistrates act zealously for an Interest with wonderful Activity Impartiality and seeming Piety And yet I will visit the blood of Jehu saith the Lord Hos 1. for he took not heed with all his Heart c. For having got the Throne of Jeroboam to maintain that Throne and Crown he goes on in the sins of Jeroboam and kept up still the worship of the Calves which Jeroboam had set up What a wonderful noyse an sound have those three Greek names Idolatry Heresie Blasphemy The World scar'd by strange names made in the world to the scaring and affrightment of poor people in both Popish and Protestant Countries But let the Zeal of the most Zealous outcries be examined in plain English and let the Zealous even such as make profession of the most reformed National Ministeries in the most Reformed Churches I say lot the most Zealous impartially Examine and it shall be found that the Bottome and Root of the matter is a plain Merchandizing with the word of God and as it was in Rome and is Omnia Roma cum precis c a very Sale of Law and Gospel Moses and Christ Heaven and Hell God himself and the Soules of men I truely honour the many excellent Persons Ministers pretend zealously but for an Interest and the excellent Abilities both humane and Divine of many that have profest and do the Nations Ministery or Service I confess there is a due of Temporals to such as Minister Spirituals but withall I ask What is it but a Trade and Living but a Merchandising for gain when men profess they cannot without so much or so much preach Christ Jesus Surely the Apostacia hath been most wonderful and dreadful The maintenance of Christs true Ministers None can say but that the Lord Jesus did send out such Preachers of his Truth as did trust him and Lacked nothing who did as freely give as freely they had received who did labour spiritually and upon defect of supplies through the poverty or coldness of the Saints did labour with their own hands and other course for his Messengers in most infinite wisdom took he none nor will his true Ministers and Prophets desire he should and whatever other Prudential Images and Inventions are set up will he disclaim and judge when he appears in flaming fire c. What should be so free in the world What more free and yet what more bought and sold then light as divine and heavenly light and yet what is so frequently and so dearly sold as that Light I speak as to the external preaching of many holy Truths I shall desire to be corrected if Ierre in the Piety or Charity of the Question and ask If any man can possibly by rules of Christ Jesus profess a Ministenance to him and his Yea although he have so much Civility as not to make a Bargain for so much or so much yet if there be an implicite Expectation or Dependance upon such a Service or Ministery for a Salary maintenance c. I ask Whatever the Person Mercenary light his Gifts Experiences Light be whether is Calling and Standing be not as truely Mercenary and Unchristian as his that stands at the Corners of the Streets in dark Nights with ready lights and linkes offering to go with any call presuming on a pay and therefor his word is to every likely passenger Will you have a light Sir Lastly I ask Whether as the Lord Jesus speaks of false Prophets we any not discern false Doctrines Bloody fruits of a pretended holy Root Tenents and Opinions by the horrible fruits which this bitter Root hath brought forth to the slaughter of so many thousands and ten thousand times then thousand of mankinde Religiously and Zealously as it pretended hunting one another as wild Beasts Monsters Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers c. Yea And which may cause a Soul truly in love with Christ Iesus to tremble this above all other hath been that bloody Knife that hath so many thousand and then thousand times stab'd the Lord Iesus to the Heart in the bloody hunting of so many his Servants and Followers as the greatest Hereticks Blasphemers c. both in this and other Nations The sum of the fifteenth Question Whether the Examiner hath not set himself to confute Paul Quest 15 saying it is not easie to finde that the Heathen should not make a Graven Image nor any marvel that they should by the forme of some Creature represent him c. Whereas Paul proves that the Eternal power and Godhead are so manifest that they are without excuse who knowing God do not glorifie him as God c. but change the glory of God into an Image c. First Andsw I ask Whether the Proposer of these Questions expresseth not very little of that Christian Moderation The Examiner unchristianly dealt with and Equity and Equanimity of