said unto them He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man the field is the world the good seed arâ— the children of the Kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one the enemy that sowed them is the Devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the Angels Now read the Parable as Christ hath expounded it The Servants of Christ the Son of man discover tares that is Children of the wicked one sprung up in the field the world where Christ sowed good seed that is Children of the Kingdom They state this Question to Christ and ask him Wilt thou that we go and gather them up or root them out here 's the Question Now Christ's determining of it follows But he said nay and withall gives a reason why they should not lest while ye gather up the tares the children of the wicked one ye root up also with them the wheat the children of the Kingdom Then he gives a positive Precept or Command Let hoth grow together until the harvest the end of the world And to satisfie his Servants and stay their minds from further enquiry or doubt in this matter he tells them upon whom he will put this work In the time of harvest at the end of the world I will say to the reapers the Angels Gather ye together first the tares the children of the wicked one and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat the children of the Kingdom into my barn What can be more clearly exprest to shew That the Children of the Kingdom are not to root up or destroy the Children of the wicked one out of the World But they are hereby plainly commanded to let both grow together in the Field that is in the World until the end of the World Now admit which yet is not granted That the Papists were in very deed the Children of the Kingdom and that the Protestants were the Children of the wicked one and pestilent Hereticks as they please to term them yet you see what Rebels these Papists are against the Doctrine and Command of Christ in seeking to root them out and what incorrigible usurpers and intruders they are who thrust themselves upon that work which Christ hath declared shall be the work of the Angels by his appointment So now you may plainly see that the Papists as they are fallen from the Spirit of Christ so also they are fallen from the Doctrine of Christ into plain disobedience and rebellion against him And therefore if any of them shall out of zeal seek to destroy Hereticks you see their zeal is but a blind zeal without knowledge they that do so are ignorant of God and of Christ and his Doctrine for that 's the reason that Christ gives of a bloody zeal These things will they do unto you because they know neither the Father nor me It may be they can talk high things of God and of Christ with their tongues but I say they know him not they know not the divine Nature nor are partakers of it and therefore are they of a bloody zeal Let the Priests Jesuits Monks Confessors or Pope himself scorn it as much as they will yet I say such know him not bloody-minded men know not God the Father nor Christ Jesus they have no fellowship with his Spirit being acted by him that was a Murderer from the beginning I have now done with these their unsound and erroneous Principles whereby they animate their people and harden their Consciences to run on into mischief And I hope the error and wickedness of these Principles will be plain to the meanest capacities by the Scriptures of truth produced to disprove them I shall now set before you a few better Principles for them to meditate on which will better abide the tryal being according to plain Scripture and which will bring more peace at the last to those that are found walking according to them whereby also you may take some Prospect of the dangerous Paths of the Leaders of the Papists 1. That Jesus Christ came into the world to save mens lives not to destroy them and therefore would not suffer his Disciples to be destroyers Luk. 9.56 From this Principle it 's easie for any to draw this Inference That therefore destroyers and murderers are not of him but of their Father that was a murderer from the beginning 2. That Jesus Christ came a light into the world that whosoever believeth in him and followeth him should not abide in darkness Joh. 12.46 But should have the light of life Joh. 8.12 Hence you may safely infer That he that keeps people in darkness and makes them believe that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion doth not walk in the steps of Christ but opposes this end of his Coming to enlighten the World 3. That the not knowing the Scripture and power of God is a cause of error for so Christ taught Mat. 22.29 Hence it 's plain That depriving people of the use of the Scriptures which testifie of Christ the power of God is not the way to keep them out of error but to keep them in it 4. That Christ Jesus our Lord came to establish truth in the Earth and to extirpate falshood not only in Oaths and Covenants according to the first ministration but even in every little word without swearing therefore he teacheth Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay Mat. 5.37 This Inference easily follows hereupon That they that speak lyes in hypocrifie do not give heed to him and his Spirit but to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Tim. 4.1 2. And therefore Lyars are excluded the Kingdom Rev. 21.27 and Gh. 22.15 5. That our Lord and Master Christ Jesus humbled himself and became of no reputation and we are bid to be like minded Phil. 2.5 6 7. He was meek and lowly in heart and bids us learn of him Mat. 11.29 Hence we may take notice That exalted Spirits fierce and high-minded Spirits who seek the greatness and glory of this World are no good examples to follow because they have not learned that of Christ 6. That he that humbles himself as a little Child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18.4 Then he is not the greatest that exalts himself above all as the Pope doth God beholds the proud afar off Psal 138.6 Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased Mat. 23.12 7. That Christ Jesus our Captain and Lord came to set up a peaceable Kingdom consisting of a people peaceable harmless and innocent in the World They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain saith he Isa 11.9 Then he came not to beget or bring forth a turbulent fort of Plotters Contrivers and Actors of mischief and violence so contrary to his own nature Where will such hurters and destroyers find place in all God's holy Mountain 8. As ye would that men should do unto you
so do ye unto them this is Christ's Doctrine and the sum of the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7.12 Ponder this you destructive Plotters Jesuits Priests Confessors c. Would you have others seek your ruine Would you have others to lye to you to deceive you till they could destroy you Are your Consciences so far seared or your Understandings blinded that you are not able to judge aright in this case concerning your selves and then concerning others Or do you see these things viz. that you do those things which you would not have done to you and yet in defiance of Christ's Doctrine will continue to go on in doing so Consider your ways and take warning you will find it hard kicking against the pricks How far are you from doing as you would be done by when as you use them despitefully that harm you not 9. The Ministers of Christ they used only spiritual weapons for the propagating of the Church of Christ The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but yet mighty being spiritual saith the Apostle and so they were such as reached the Understanding and Conscience to bring down high imaginations and every thought into obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 The Pope's Ministers seek to propagate their Church with carnal weapons such as cannot inform the Understanding and Conscience therefore they are altogether unlike the true Ministers of the Gospel in their way In what rank of the Ministers of Christ then will you appear that use such weapons for your work when every man's work shall come to tryal 10. Christ Jesus sets before us the example of our heavenly Father to follow in doing good against evil that we may be worthy to be accounted his Children Mat. 5.44 45. How far then are they from doing good against evil that do evil to them that seek not their hurt How shall we account them Children of our heavenly Father 11. We are to follow men as they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Because he left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Hence we may infer That it 's needful that men know the Scriptures that they may be acquainted with the life and conversation of Christ and so knowing his spirit and life they may be able thereby to judge of the steps of those they follow for otherwise how shall they judge of mers steps by his Is not this the reason then why you leaders of the Papists keep your people from the free use of the sincere Scriptures of truth that they being ignorant thereof you may lead them as you please 12. Christ Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life the faithful and true Witness whose words were so established in truth that though Heaven and Earth pass away yet his words shall not pass away Mat. 24.35 Solomon also witnesses that the lip of truth shall be established for ever but a lying tongue is but for a moment How long then will your deceitful tongue bear you out whose words are full of lying and slandering reports and whose oaths are full of equivocation and mental reserves to make your tongue utter to the Understandings of men a false thing Is this the lip of truth that belyes the Mind Is not speech given for this end to utter the Mind Where have you any example or precept or consent for this deceit either from Christ or any of his followers Who then that would follow Christ can follow you Are not you to be turned away from as persons leading out of the footsteps of him that was and is the faithful and true Witness I shall not multiply more These few Principles if men did live in them as they ought to do if they be Christians how peaceably how securely how comfortably might they live together in the World though of several perswasions in many points of outward observations about Worship But what peace what security what rest can men have among those who are bloody-minded and deceitful and treacherous giving themselves up to speak lyes in hypocrisie who are among men as Beasts of prey among the Flocks as Lions lurking in their dens watching for the prey If there be any room left in your hearts ye Romanists for consideration of your ways I entreat you for your own good ponder with your selves a little and consider your latter end and the Judgement that will follow when the impartial Judge will bring every thing to light and render to every man according to his deeds done in the body What plea will you then have when he shall say to evil doers Depart from me I know you not ye workers of iniquity The wickedness now of the foregoing Principles of the Papists being laid open and upon good grounds rejected and some better Principles according to Scripture set before them yielding more peace among men and in a man 's own Conscience also and better hopes of future happiness I shall now touch a little their great Bulwarks or Props whereby they uphold this their Kingdom of darkness upon these rotten Principles And they are these two principally namely Cruelty and Ignorance and these are like two Arms wherewith they hold fast their Subjects There be many other things accompanying these as Lyes Slanders Defamations scornings of others proud boasting of their Antiquity and of their Succession to those whose lives and spirits they have quite deserted wrestings of truth and true reports making people believe falshoods false glosses put upon their own wicked actions and designs to do mischief and a great deal of such like stuff they raise a mist with to blind peoples eyes What a pudder did they lately make about the Death of that Worthy Godfrey whom they most barbarously murthered in Somerset-house covering their Cruelty every way by turning it upon his own head as if he kill'd himself or as if he were kill'd by Robbers c. But God infatuated them in the action and made it manifest that neither he himself had done it nor was he kill'd by Robbers for they that rob by the High-ways take away Money not only Writings And for killing himself they could not make that hang together neither for he could not fall upon his own Sword after he had broke his own Neck and how could he break his own Neck after he had faln upon his Sword or how could he do both at once as some would have excused it Yet these and such like Forgeries how did they fly about and were backed with that confidence that they dazled the minds of many especially of great persons among whom the Papists most conversed Thus they manifest their Kingdom to be a Kingdom of Crnelty backt with lyes and falshoods and other works of darkness But Godd hath been pleased to force out the truth of this bloody action from some that were privy to it and could relate the circumstances of it so that it 's blazed upon the house-tops in spite of all their windings and turnnigs to hide it Their
darkness done in his cruel Inquisitions will all press upon him And yet this Man whose Sins and Cruelties and unmerciful Massacres reach to Heaven he must be the Man to forgive men their sins Oh the blindness and besotted condition of men whom the Lord hath given up to strong delusion I beseech you let us understand who they are that are given up to strong delusion to believe a lye if they be not that train that follows the Pope and depends upon him for the pardon of their sins For the strong delusions are to come upon them that follow the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition who exalts himself above all that 's called God and who sits in the Temple of God as the Pope doth And so you may find these deluded ones spoken of as the train of that exalted Man of Sin in the same Chapter with him 2 Thess 2. But the Pope pretends to have power to pardon sins because Christ gave that power to his Apostles for he boasts of his Succession to them especially to Peter But I aver that he that is departed and fallen away from the Apostles Spirit and Doctrine is no true Sucessor to them nor hath that power which they had The Apostles were innocent holy humble men of heart not seeking the glory of this World as the Pope doth not exercising dominion over mens Faith and Conscience as the Pope doth nor lording it over God's Heritage as the Pope doth but were ensamples of piety and holiness to the Flock of Christ But the Pope walks contrary to their Example and to their Doctrine being a devouring Wolf where he cannot exercise dominion over mens spirits He indeed arrogates to himself the title of Holiness but is far from the life of it being a ring-leader into wickedness murthers massacres perjury dissimulation and wicked fraud encouraging his Children to take Tests or Oaths so that they may lurk among us like Foxes under Sheeps cloathing until they can seize upon their prey Is not here plainly a departing and falling away from the upright and innocent spirit and wholesom doctrine of the Apostles When will your eyes be opened you that are his Subjects and Slaves When will you be sensible and understand what manner of Holiness you have set before you to follow I pray you consider what is it above and beyond these wickednesses that he shall live in who is such a Man of Sin and Son of Perdition See if you can find out grosser abominations among all that profess Christianity for which those titles may be put upon any man more justly So then seeing he is thus departed and fallen away from the Apostles spirit and doctrine who will trust to him for the remitting of their sins who have any good understanding or sound reason left in them and are not given up to strong delusion to believe a lye 4. I proceed to a fourth Principle of the Romish Church viz. That the Church of Rome whereof the Pope is Head is the true Church of Christ and all that depart from them are Hereticks That there was once a true Church and a precious Church of Christ at Rome I grant while they followed the Doctrine and innocent Life of Christ and his holy Apostles But since they are fallen therefrom into the murthering and lying treacherous spirit they are become degenerate and thereby cut themselves off as a Branch withered is cut off from the Vine But here by the way before I proceed any further I desire to be rightly understood that the bent of my Discourse is not against those that are simple-hearted and harmless among them and honest according to their knowledg but it is against the ruling and leading part who lead the rest into evil these are fallen away from Christ and hold others in bondage and keep them in captivity as the Israelites were kept captives in Babylon of old So there is a people that God calls his people in Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth For saith the Scripture Come out of her my people which words were insignificant if he had not a people in the midst of Babylon This being premised which I desire may be minded all along I shall now for the finding out of the truth or falshood of this 4th Principle put the Question thus viz. Whether the present Church of Rome that is the ruling leading part and the ruled part from the Pope to his meanest Minister or Subject who are spirited to teach or actively to put in practice the destructive principles of their Church be the only true Church of Christ Now for the readier finding out of the truth or falshood in this Question I shall set another by it which may run parallel with it to give light to it namely Whether a people teaching or by principles practising lying perjury or false swearing hypocrisie and dissimulation Plots and conspiracies to destroy others assassinations secret murders and open massacres and other such like abominations and all this with consent and approbation of their Church Whether such a people be the only true Church of Christ and all that withdraw from them be Hereticks Thus the Question is truly stated concerning the present Church of Rome as their actions make it manifest and being thus stated I think I may leave the deciding of it to the meanest capacity where there is any grain of honesty left in their hearts towards Christ Jesus the Head of his Church for certainly none will say that such a Church is the only true Church of Christ and all others Hereticks except they have sold themselves to speak wickedly Now that the Pope and his Romanists are such a people they themselves prove by matter of fact and by their actions they sufficiently declare it to this present Age which is constrained for its own security to use the best means it can to preserve it self from their assassinations stabbings stranglings sinothering of their persons burning of their Houses and Cities and from their bloody hands and merciless massacres The Church of Christ in the Apostles days was the pillar and ground of truth upholding and holding forth truth in the World by teaching it and by living in it and so by living a just and innocent harmless life among men so that they were of no danger to others among whom they lived But the Church of Rome is come to that that she is become the pillar and ground of lyes and slanders of equivocation false accusations truce-breaking hypocrisie to seem one thing and be another to deny or hide their own Principles for wicked ends she is so far fallen from an innocent harmless life that she is become the pillar and ground of Plots and wicked designs to contrive the blowing up of Parliaments the ruine of Nations the destruction of Kings and Rulers the massacring of multitudes and butcherly murthering of thousands of innocent people that do them no harm This is the Pope's Roman
them when ye see the multitude before them and behind them worshipping them Thus it is also in the streets of the great City mystical Babylon Rome and among her Children when they go about the streets with their Host besides all the rest of their Idolatry committed in their places of Worship and in secret 3. As Babylon of old was exalted above all and call'd Lady of Kingdoms Isa 47.5 and the glory of Kingdoms Isa 13.19 So Rome exalts her self in like manner and calls her self Mother Church and Caput omnium Ecclesiarum i.e. the Head of all the Churches and sits as Queen over all in her own exalted mind But then 4 thly and lastly Rome is most fitly call'd Babylon because she holds the seed of God in bondage and captivity Whom she leads captive once she will hardly let them escape without danger of their lives or cruel torments in her Inquisitions they must become perfect slaves to her Superstitions Will-worships and Idolatries And what bondage is like to this that people to whom God hath given reason and understanding shall not make use of it but lay it aside and submit wholly to the understandings or rather wills of others though it be against their own and so be urged to submit to that which is against the light in their own Consciences And this is the greatest bondage and captivity of all and therefore well may Rome be called Babylon the great She is also called Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth She brings forth Harlots that is such Children as go a whoring with her after her Inventions Those that in tenderness of Conscience and in subjection to the words of Christ who said In vain do you worship me after the traditions of men will not joyn with them in their invented traditions and superstitions such she owns not for her Children she will be no Mother or Nurse to such but seeks to murder them in cold blood as none of hers she will be only Mother of Harlots that can prostitute themselves with her to her Idolatries and Inventions and if they can do that it shall not break the band between them although they be common Harlots in the vulgar sence but she will remain their Mother She is also Mother of abominations in the earth Not only Mother of abominations in Worship and superstitious Inventions but also Mother of abominations in the earth abominations as to the civil life of men without the consideration of worship abominations to men as they are men living upon the earth To manifest this I shall quote one Scripture and then her own actions will testifie the truth of it against her It is Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are abomination to him A proud look a lying tongue hands that shed innocent blood an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischief a false witness that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among brethren Now see and judge if Rome be not Mother of these abominations Who more lofty in spirit than the Pope and his Romanists Can any compare with him who exalts himself over all makes his Cardinals as Princes his Bishops and whole Clergy as great men and makes his whole Train dispise others as Hereticks not worthy to live in the earth Here 's a proud look indeed And for a lying tongue Rome's Children are so pregnant with that that one cannot tell how to believe either what they say or what they swear How miserably were the Protestants in Ireland cheated by them by fair promises and deep oaths that they would secure their Goods for them in the time of that bloody Massacre and yet when they had got them into their hands refused to restore them yea and afterwards murthered them And so 3dly They have hands that shed innocent blood none like them for that 4thly An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations Whose hearts are so full of wicked imaginations Plots Conspiracies and devices of Cruelty as Rome's Children 5thly Whose feet are swifter in running to mischief than the Papists who in one brunt can cut off so many thousands by Massacres before they make an end Their feet are speedy to do mischief when they get but the opportunity 6thly Another abomination is a false witness that speaketh Lyes If we go no further than this year how have they endeavoured to choak all true reports among us with their lyes and falshoods Witness the false reports and lying stories that they gave forth about the death of Worthy Godfrey till the truth appeared by Evidence and could no longer be hid 7thly and lastly He that saweth discord among brethren is also one of the abominations in the earth This is one of Rome's Principles Divide impera Divide and then command Divide what 's that but sowing of discord destroying of concord setting one against another that she may fish in troubled waters Whether she made the former division and discord between the late foregoing King and the People or no I will not say but if they did it 's but according to their Principle Thus you see Rome is a fruitful Mother of abominations of the earth And now you may also at leisure view all these things over again and see how pertinent all these Characters of the great Whore are to Rome they fit her as a garment that sits close and compleat upon a man's back And why then we should be afraid to look upon her as that great Whore here described by the Angel to John I know no reason especially if we add that which follows in the 6th Ver. of this 17th Chap. viz. And I saw the Woman that is the great City seated on seven Hills drunken with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus And when I saw her I wondred with great admiration But having spoken of this afore and shewed that it must be Rome professing Christianity and not heathen Rome that caused this great admiration I forbear to speak more of it now I say till Rome shew the contrary to these Characters by a better lise and conversation they will rest upon her And it 's not by her poysoning and stabbing fire and faggot Inquisitions and Massacres that she can clear her self No that way confirms and fixes these marks more fully upon her the more she seeks to wipe off the stains of blood that are upon her by such means the more and greater they still appear And now for the deciding of the Question in hand which all that I have said tends to Let any that have any reason of their own to make use of and any honesty and faithfulness in their hearts towards God and Christ Jesus our Lord judge and determine the Question Whether this Church of Rome so guilty of these things be the only true Church of Christ now and all others that draw from her be Hereticks I hope whosoever considers these things
will easily be convinced that the withdrawing from this Church of Rome doth not make a man a Heretick I also further affirm That he is no Heretick that doth justly loves mercy and walks humbly with God because these are the weighty things which the Lord requires in man He is no Heretick that abides in the Doctrine of Christ and in the innocent life of Christianity but he is the Heretick that strives against these things to overthrow them to overthrow the Doctrine of Christ to overthrow innocency truth just and upright walking and mercy In every Nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him therefore cannot be a Heretick but he that casts the fear of God behind his back and works the works of him that was a Lyar and Murderer from the beginning he is the Heretick because he hath chosen Inventions and false Doctrines of his own to follow contrary to the Lord's requirings Having done now with this Principle wherewith they so magnifie themselves and would frighten others I proceed to the next 5. The 5th Principle I named is this That out of the Church is no salvation Extra Ecclesiam non est salus say they This is to be understood of their Church And that being sufficiently laid open by their own practice I think it needs no further evidence to disprove it unless people will needs believe that there is no salvation but among blood-thirsty Murderers and Lyars and false Swearers and such like But observe the craft and cunning of this Principle which Rome makes use of to her own advantage First It serves as a Decoy to draw in the simple among them under hopes that there they may find salvation Secondly It serves as a Jaylor to keep them in when they are in for thereby they terrifie them as if it were damnation to depart from their Church yea or to entertain thoughts that others who are out of their Church can be saved for out of the Church say they there is no salvation and they would have you believe that there is no true Church but theirs and so out of their Church there is no salvation This they would make men believe although by their fruits the Lord hath made them manifest to be a Nursery of abominations But put case that the Church of Rome were the only true visible Church or understand any other true visible Church any people whatsoever gathered and constituted into a visible body yet even in such a case I do not see how it can hold true that out of that Church there is no salvation Let those that are otherwise minded prove it for my part it is plain to me according to the Scripture That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him And that God will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality to them he will render eternal life Rom. 2.6 7. And again upon this occasion when a Centurion being a stranger as to Israel which was then the Church came to Jesus to have his Servant healed of the Palsie and desired him but to speak the word and his Servant should be healed hereupon Christ said I have not found so great saith no not in Israel And then he adds further these words And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness Mat. 8.11 Luk. 13.29 What signifies this but that many Children of a visible Church shall be cast out when as many others that appear not of it shall come from all parts and sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sixthly Another of their Principles is this Fides non est servanda cum Haereticis that is Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks If Joshua had been under the Church of Rome's Doctrine he would not have kept faith with the Gibeonites when they obtained a league with Israel by craft But he had a better instructer than the Pope and gave better instruction and therefore both he and the Princes of Israel would not that the Gibeonites should perish because of the league and peace made with them and because they had sworn unto them yea although these Gibeonites were of the Nations that were to be rooted out So great authority had an Oath and Covenant and did so greatly oblige at that day as you may read Josh 9. But the Pope he can trample upon all Solemn Oaths Leagues and Covenants whatsoever and break all bonds at pleasure yea and all bounds of humanity and solemn Engagements when he pleases if he do but say They are Hereticks with whom the League is made What is it that can bind him or his Disciples Therefore in the end who will trust the Papists to make any league with them or at leastwise depend upon that league with security and not rather secure themselves against them as well as they can Time was when an Oath or Covenant gave rest to people but now it can give none to people of another profession that have to deal with the Papists because faith is not to be kept with them as they say Thus they are fallen from the fidelity of mankind to the deceitful tricks of Satan Formerly men rested in one another's friendship and ceased from strife and controversie and fear one of another when they had passed their Oath because it was then an immutable thing among men and so an Oath was the end of all strife as you may read it was so between Laban and Jacob Gen. 31. And the same immutability and weight that was in an Oath among good men the same immutability and stedfastness Christ Jesus did require in words under his Ministration Let your yea be yea and nay be nay But the Papists hold to neither of these neither to truth in Words nor truth in Oaths So that you may plainly see that herein the Pope and his Children and Confederates in Antichristianism are faln away not only from Christ's Doctrine but also from the fidelity of that first Ministration which said Thou shalt not forswear thy self We are commanded to put away Lying Eph. 4.25 But false Swearing and Covenant breaking is the height of Lying Lye not one to another seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds saith the Apostle Col. 3.9 But the Pope teaches his Children to put on the old man and his deeds and to give themselves up to Lying and false Swearing and Covenant breaking whereof many instances might be produced take these two or three About the year 1444. if Bucholcer compute aright when the Turke and Christians had confirmed a Truce between them by solemn Oaths on both sides Eugenius the
Cruelty I say accompanied with such things as I have named is one of their main guards or supports of their Religion It is like a wall of fire round about them so that if any among them shall but attempt to get out from them what can they look for but Fire and Faggot or a most hellish Inquisition if they catch them And what tortures and torments are acted there may sufficiently affright and terrifie such as think of deserting them This Cruelty is innate to their Religion for finding themselves defective of truth to uphold it they make it up with cruelty and with lyes when they have done to hide it That horrid piece of Cruelty intended by the Gunpowder-Plot and carried on so far as it went by their Creatures though those Actors in that work of darkness be honoured by them at Rome yet they would have you believe that it was only a trick of State so impudently shameless are they in forging lyes They would also make you believe that the Book of Martyrs is full of lyes and no better than a Fable because it records the abominable Butcheries and Cruelties which by them were acted upon conscientious people And all the ground they have to belye it is from hence that there was a mistake or two in it which Fox himself who was the Composer of that Book first discovered having had some wrong information given him in those particulars Thus they are not ashamed to act Cruclties but are ashamed to be apprehended therein for indeed their actions are so barbarous that even humane nature may blush to be found guilty thereof And yet they are fain to fly to this refuge of defence to uphold their Religion and also for the propagating of it For indeed to speak properly it is not the Kingdom of God and of Christ having truth for its foundation which they uphold but it 's a Kingdom of pride luxury and wantonness and debauchery which wants a foundation in truth therefore fly they to Cruelty for their support And their Cruelty so rings over the World that all but themselves and their slaves dread to come under their power For there is no mercy in them to old or young male or female to innocent Babes or Women with Child Oh the tortures and the invented devices of Cruelty that they put people to in Ireland since our memory in the year 1642. driving them into Rivers by droves and keeping them therein from getting-forth till they were drowned This was the easiest death they put them to Some they hanged some they ript open and let out their bowels some they starved to death some they buried alive ript up Women with Child dashed the heads of Infants against the stones commonly stript Men and Women naked and caused them to perish with cold and hunger many most beastly and barbarous tortures they put both Men and Women to And this now is their way of defending and propagating their Religion which their God who was a Murderer from the beginning acts them violently forward in Time was when they were something more moderate in their bloody ways when they cited people into their Courts and gave them a Tryal at their Laws and suffered them to argue for their Religion But now they are become violently savage and bruitish beyond all humane modesty whereby we may take notice of two things 1. That they are Seducers and that we need not doubt of because they wax worse and worse according to the Character which the Apostle gives of Seducers 2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2. We may hence also have strong hopes that they have but a short time to reign and rage in the World for therefore Satan is come down among them with great rage knowing that he hath but a short time This their Cruelty now and not Truth is one of the grand pillars by which their Kingdom is upheld Secondly Another pillar upon which their Irreligion as I may call it or Kingdom of Darkness stands is Ignorance They take away the Key of Knowledge from men and keep them in blindness that so they may be led by them as they please And to colour this piece of policy they would perswade their people that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion and that the Scriptures make men Hereticks as some of them in the Massacre in Ireland got an English Bible and trampling upon it in the dirt as is informed cursed it saying that that was the cause or ground of all the Difference and therefore it is a thing not to be born with by them that any of their Lay-people as they term them should have the Bible or Testament except it be as they have corrupted it So they keep them from that that they may keep them in ignorance and they keep them in ignorance that they may rule them as they please and the people being deluded by them are willing to have it so for they see not the Serpent's subtilty that lyes hidden under that Maxime That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion It is indeed the Mother of Devotion but to whom Not to God I testifie but to the Pope and his superstitious and idolatrous Worship Ignorance keeps men devout to him and his will-Worship but Christ Jesus came to raise up a people that should worship God in spirit and in truth and his Spirit is the Spirit of a sound mind not a Spirit of blindness and ignorance The devoutest men upon Earth have always been a knowing understanding people witness Noah Daniel and Job Samuel David and the rest of the Worthies renowned in Scripture yea and the Son of God himself who was filled with wisdom and truth who sometime spent the night in prayer to God and he that is born again is in his measure renewed in knowledge after his image Col. 3.9 10. Lye not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Mind this that the new man is renewed in knowledge he is not kept in darkness and ignorance to make him devout to God When Paul came to Athens and beheld their blind devotion in their ignorance to rectifie this their devotion he endeavours to bring them to true knowledge not to keep them still in ignorance for that was his work as also the work of the rest of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ to turn men from darkness to the light and so from the power of Satan whose Kingdom is in darkness unto God who is light that so they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus Act. 26.18 Now he that stops up the light from men must needs be a Thief and a Robber which comes to steal 1. To steal away the hearts of men from Christ to himself and from devotion
his deeds And when a greater plea shall have no acceptance as namely Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name have done many wonderful works But Christ shall say unto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. 8. Whether ever the true Christian Church or any members of it standing faithful dissembled their profession by denying or swearing against their Principles in open words to save themselves thereby from men 9. Whether that be not a denying of Christ before men to deny that Truth which he hath left us to profess and hold forth in the World And whether he will not deny such and be ashamed of them before his Father You that think you are in the truth and yet deny it apply this to your selves 10. Whether they who dare not avouch their Religion and Principles before men in truth and sincerity when called to it have any Religion in them worth the owning 11. Whether a mercyless people or a more merciful people be nearer to the true Church of Christ 12. Whether a people degenerated from the true upright humble inoffensive peaceable quiet sincere holy life of Christianity and faln to Lying Treachery Plots Murders Massacres and such like evils be the only true Church of Christ And whether all others are Hereticks who shall depart from their Communion Let your Consciences speak as it will do before the Tribunal of the Lord. 13. Whether a people that make the Times perillous through their Plots Assassinations Murders Treacheries and such like evil courses although they should retain a form of godliness in outward shew be not such as are to be turned away from according as the Apostle admonishes 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. 14. Whether a people full of violence as the old World was and as Sodom of old was a people full of Slanders and Lyes to hide their works of darkness as if they were afraid that the World should see their treacherous intents before they put them in execution Whether such a people be not well-nigh ripe for destruction These Queries I leave with you to satisfie your Consciences in if there be any fear of God remaining in them and let me entreat you not to deal deceitfully with your own Consciences which will be witness against you at the great Day when the Pope's Indulgences and Pardons will do you no good As for Answer to me in these things I cannot rationally expect any from the Scriptures of Truth for they are not contrary to themselves I know the Pope and his Romanists have one Catholick or universal Answer for all Objections Arguments Doubts Oppositions Questions c. whereby to prevent discoveries of their weakness or rather wickedness And that any one may expect that writes or speaks against their mystery of wickedness and it 's the same wherewith they have silenc'd Godfrey For they are sensible that their Cause will not abide the light and therefore they flee from that to this work of darkness to murder which they back with Lyes and Slanders And therefore let this be a Testimony to all that have any understanding That they are Children of darkness and not Children of the light for it is the testimony of our Lord himself That he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God But every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved or made manifest Joh. 3. POST-SCRIPT FOr the sake of some honest-minded People ' who perhaps may think that I too much limit the Mystery of iniquity or the Great Whore or Babylon the great in seeming to fix them to any particular People to such I give this Account in short That the Mystery of iniquity and Great Whore which carries that Mystery written on her forehead and Babylon the great and such like Titles are not given in Scripture to the universal or general Kingdom of Satan but to a limited Mystery both as to time and place For 1. That Mystery of iniquity had not its rise or beginning till after the appearance of Christ in the flesh it began but to work in the Apostles days but was not then revealed openly 2. It was to follow or accompany a falling away from Christ in life and power though not in profession 3. It was letted for a time by an Enemy namely when Satan in his open hostility raged against Christianity in the persecuting Emperors and so by them letted or kept down the rising of the Mystery of iniquity until that Enemy was taken out of the way 4. It is also limited or bounded as to time of discovery and consumption and after that of rooting out for the Kings of the Earth who have given their power to the Beast and so to the Whore and so also to the Mystery for they are all linked together in a Chain they shall survive or out-live it for they shall hate the Whore and eat her flesh and burn her with fire and make her desolate Rev. 17.16 5. Lastly It is limited as to place thus far That the chief Seat of it where it is to be found is particularly described by the Angel though its influence may extend far And therefore it is not that general Dominion or Kingdom of Satan which he hath had in wicked men from the beginning and in all wicked men and shall have every where among them until the end But it is a certain circumscribed Mystery limited both as to time and place of its chief Seat though extended far for place and long for time FINIS Books Printed for a general Service BArclay's Apology for the true Christian Divinity as it is held forth and preached by the People called Quakers being a full Vindication of their Principles by Arguments deduced from Scripture and right Reason and the Testimony of famous Authors both Ancient and Modern Robert Barclay's Apology for the true Christian Divinity vindicated from John Brown's Examination and pretended Confutation thereof R. Barclay's Epistle of Love and friendly Advice to the Ambassadors of several Princes of Europe met at Nimeguen to consult the Peace of Christendom G. Fox and John Burneat A New-England Fire-brand quenched being an Answer to Roger Williams of Providence in New-England which he dedicateth to the King As also an Answer to his Appendix wherein are Testimonies of Ancient and Modern Authors concerning the Light Scriptures Rule and the Soul of Man William Shewen The true Christian's Faith and Experiences briefly declared concerning God Christ the Spirit the holy Scriptures the Gospel and Doctrines thereof with a few words concerning Conscience To which is added a small Treatise concerning evil Thoughts and Imaginations and good Thoughts and heavenly Meditations G. Keith's Quakerism no Popery G. Keith Immediate Revelation not ceased or Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God revealed in Man revealing the Knowledge of God With an Appendix containing an Answer to some further Objections G. Keith The true Christ owned as he is true and perfect God and true and perfect Man being an Answer to a Pamphlet called the Quakers concerning the Man Christ writ by a nameless Author in Answer to a Book called The Way cast up and the stumbling Block removed from before the feet of those who are seeking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward By G. Keith George Keith The way to the City of God described or a plain Declaration how any man may within the day of Visitation given him of God pass out of the unrighteous into the righteous state as also how he may go forward in the way of holiness and so be fitted for the Kingdom of God Stephen Smith The true Light discovered to all who desire to walk in the day being a Collection of his Writings in a small Volume 8o Compendium trium Linguarum Latinae Graecae Hebraicae A Compendium or Abridgment of three Languages the Latin Greek and Hebrew couched and exhibited in a short and easie method for the studious and Christian Youth