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
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
was when the thing signified the end and intent of that Administration was come which was Christ the morning being come the shadows fly away that which was before transgression being come that comes to be removed which was added because of transgression Fifthly The Spirit it was that led the Disciples into all Truth not the Letter for that kills as the Apostle saith as aforesaid Sixthly And the Worship which Christ who was the end of the Letter set up for all to walk by whether Samaritan or the Inhabitant of Jerusalem Jew or Gentile bond or free Barbarian or Scythian Male or Female the publick Worship which he would have all to be exercised in and which he saith The Father chuses to worship him the true VVorshippers which are not at this Mountain nor at Jerusalem that in which he said the true Worshippers should worship and that the time was to come or cometh Yea it now is saith he Is the Spirit John 4. as aforesaid So that the Glory that excelleth the Administration of the Spirit which exceeds in Glory the Spirit which gives Life the Gift not the outward Administration the thing that is come not that which is done away the substance not the shadow the Institution of the Son which abides in the House for ever not the Administration of the Servant which is not to abide in the House for ever the universality or largeness where the partitian Wall is taken down not the particularity or narrowness where the partitian Wall standeth is that which in this day since Christ was offered up and ascended is to be looked to and heeded as that which is pleasing to the Lord and which he accepts For I would demand Wherein or upon what bottom can any ground a contrary Assertion Is Christ come or not Is he offered up or not Is he ascended or not Fills he all things or not If he be so why then is that enforced or sought so to be or placed which was before he came which was to end in him Either he is come or he is not come if he is not come then let such say so in open words who do the things that were to be or had their being before he came if he be come how dare any to enforce that or seek so to do which was before he came or that which by his coming is done away The Matter is brought or lies in a narrow compass and there is no trifling in the Matter the things are of the highest consequence and mortals must take heed of giving Law to their Maker and the Potsherds of the Earth must beware of clashing against him that formed them and they who are in the condition or state of destruction must heed how they ascend or seek so to do in his Throne who lives for ever who came to redeem on whose shoulders the Government lies who is the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Wonderful Counsellor the Head of his Church King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality and eternal Life to whom be Glory and Power and Dominion everlasting Away then with all outside Religion that is to say all that which proceeds not from Spirit and Truth away with all Forms that come not from the power of Godliness away with all Jewish and outward Worship Forms Constitutions Canons Orders Decrees Directories Catechisms Confessions of Faith all forcing of Religion all persecution because of Religion all Injunctions Synods Councils Prescriptions Ordinances of Men all outward fleshly carnal Commandments Traditions all imitations of Christ and his Apostles and doing things by example of them or because of what they did or were led into where the same Spirit of Jesus is not the Leader as it was in them is not the ground and bottom root and source as it was theirs Away with all private Religions and Worships and Precepts of Men all National Worships and Religions all forcings such Religions and Worships Christ the Substance is come Christ the true Jew inwardly is come Christ the (a) Phil. 3. 3. Circumcision in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of God that hath no confidence in the flesh is come Christ the publick Worship in the Spirit and Truth is come he is dead and risen again and ascended (b) Rom. 6. 9. No more hath death dominion over him He is (c) Col. 3. 13. Head of his Church He is (d) Gal. 4. 1. Lord of all He is (e) Rom. 9. 5. God over all blessed for ever the (f) 1 Tim. 6. 15. onely Potentate and King of the Princes of the Earth he lives for ever For you must make him something or nothing if he be come and if he hath put an end to those if he so spake as aforesaid and if that be the Worship and those the Worshippers the Father seeks which is and who worship in Spirit and in Truth then the Worship at this Mountain and at Jerusalem is to be no more no more the fear of God to be taught by the precepts of men which was complained of in that day when the Isa 29. 13. Administration was outward the teaching for Doctrine the Commandments Mat. 15. 9. of men which he then reproved no more clutter or adoe among men as to Religion and the settlement and the inforcing thereof If these things be and as of right and what ought to be then he is not come dead risen ascended into Glory How long halt ye between two Opinions either subscribe to these things and that he is the Head of the Church which is in God or deny him as your actions speak who enforce these things and require them Now because it may be thought that I am here too dogmatical and that I have stamped things according to mine own Image and understanding and that I take upon me to judge all the Worlds Professions and Religions that have been since Christ and his Apostles and that I seem to intend to set up instead of or in the room of the other something that my self fancies or some few that are called Quakers who were but of yesterday as some may say I shall to what I have indefinitely already concluded according to Truth and the Spirit and demonstration and proof thereof and of the Scriptures proceed further to shew First The Original and Rise of the Truth from the dayes of Christ and his Apostles throughout the Apostacy to this day or that the Truth which we who are called Quakers now pretend to is the same that was in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles which hath had more or less in this thing or in that a testimony throughout the Apostacy unto this day that is to say that some because of such testimony have suffered as well as testified since the dayes of the Apostles Secondly The Original and Rise of Antichrist from Christs and his Apostles dayes unto this shewing in all by instances of Scripture and History that
the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers in this day are the same as were the Principles and Practices of Christ and his Apostles in that and of the Holy-men of God since and the Martyrs of Jesus who have prophesied in Sackcloth and that the Apostacy hath held all other professions ever since the dayes of Christ and his Apostles in which I shall of necessity be somewhat large because the nature of the thing requires it but with what brevity I can I shall reduce them to what I have laid down and determined And because I may not seem too prolix and tedious I shall comprehend much of what I have to say under these four heads or the following four heads are the things in which I shall comprehend much of what I have to say First National Worship how it came in when it ended and what testimonies the Scriptures and History afford against it since it was at an end Secondly Swearing and what appertains to that when and how it arose and when it had an end and since it was at an end what testimonies are against it Thirdly Bearing of Arms when and how that was and wherefore it is that now it is declined by us and what may be said as to that during the Apostacy Fourthly The changeable Priesthood its rise date time and end and of what concerns it and of what hath been said and suffered in opposition thereunto since it had its end Of these things I intend to treat and begin in their order First General Head concerning National Worship First With National Worship National Worship had its institution under the Jews or the Jewish was the only Nation which the Scriptures mention to have had a Worship that was National ordained of God who as a Figure or Representation of what was to be Universal in reference to those throughout the World whom the Lord would gather to be Kings and Priests unto God a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People This Nation of the Jews had their Laws and Ordinances their Kings and Governors their Religion and Worship all outward though they had their inward signification which was Christ the Messiah the Prophet which was to come who according to the flesh was of theirs who were of the Seed of Abraham whose Seed in the Spirit the Seed of Abraham are the Elect the Children of Abraham whom to redeem he came in the flesh so the whole constitution of the Jewish Kingdom whether as to the Civil Policy or Ecclesiastical had its face looking hitherward which it signified which it represented Now in the fulness of time he coming whom these things did hold forth and typifie and which in his flesh the last of all was accomplished the things themselves ceased and he whiles he was not yet offered up and all things yet were not accomplished began to end them as the morning doth the night as the day approacheth And he said unto the Pharisees The Kingdom of God is within you it cometh not by observation Luke 17. 21. or it is not outward that is to say such as your Kingdom is an Administration which is to be seen with the outward eye but it is of an inward and intrinsecal nature seen by another eye that seeth not as man seeth but beholds things as they are which gives Law to wickedness reproves judges it as your outward Administration represents which shews you how God will be worshipped and when and what you are to do which your outward Government in all the particulars thereof had reference unto which because of transgression which came over and had blotted out the other the Law written in the heart and the fear put in the Heb. 8. 10. Gal. 3. 6. inward part the Seed which is Christ the High Priest of his People was added or given which was not at first to wit the Law written in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Table of the Heart and which was promised should be again and which now came to be fulfilled So the Partition-Wall came to be removed and that which was general to the Jews in the Figure who were singled from all the Nations in particular came to be general to the Jew in the Spirit throughout all Nations and to be no more particular to the Jew and this was that which Peter aforesaid came to be informed of when in the Vision he was sent to the Centurion and which made him speak having been so informed as aforesaid I perceive of a truth that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him So the thing being come Christ Jesus the Universal Head of the Church which the Priesthood signified to the Nation of the Jews the Partition that is to say the Nation of the Jews or the Laws Ordinances and Administrations of Moses which were outward came to be taken away and the Vail to be rent and no more was the National Church-Worship to be minded which that constitution held forth but the Worship which was to be Universal Now through the offering of him up and the Law in the Heart and the fear in the inward parts Christ the Seed was that which every one was to know and worship by as it was in the beginning before transgression was and as before the Law was given by the Prophets and holy men of God Abraham who saw his day and rejoyced who said Before Abraham was I am Noah Enoch c. The Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ Hence it came to pass that upon the first encounter when after he was risen from the dead and ascended and the Holy Ghost was given the Comforter which he said he would send to them which should abide with them for ever the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father which he said should receive of his and give unto them the Latitude or rather Narrowness was no longer to the Nation of the Jews but its extent was to the end of the World How hear we every man in his own tongue wherein he was born Parthians and Medes and Elamites and dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judea and in Cappadocia in Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia in Egypt and in the parts of Lybia about Cyrene and strangers of Rome Jews and Proselytes Creets and Arabians We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful Works of God And there were added the same day unto them about three thousand Souls Peter a Jew according to the flesh preaching to them who were Gentiles and Jews now promiscuously together and to the Gentiles The promise is to you and to your Children and to those that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2. 8 9 10 11 39 41. So that the limits of the Church was now no longer restrained to the People or Nation of the Jews nor the Worship
wrote in that day the reason of the wrong Judgment of the youngness of Truth then is the same of the same censure of it now the ground hath been declared and the bottom which I thought convenient to take notice of in the entrance of what I have to say as he did in the beginning of what he spake the same being then as it is now and the answer the same with that upon which he grounded that which he said as aforesaid which I have inserted in order as his History began of which he layes this as the ground and bottom and which I quote that such men may see that that which they lay as the ground of their own Principles is no other but the same on which we are grounded who pretend to the Truth and that so they may not be offended with their own Principle when they come to see it in the hand of another or others professing and coming to that which themselves pretend to yet come not at but run on those that both come to and pretend it as is the case of the People called Quakers at this day who are run upon as bringing up some strange and uncouth Doctrine which is no other then what was in the beginning the ground of which was before the World and which when they will lay a bottom for their own work they must come to or no bottom they can lay also that the Controversies may cease and that in this particular it may appear we are not diverse from Christ nor his Apostles nor the holy men of God nor the Principle on which they pretend to build their own Profession which they not holding to come to persecute those who hold it as it was in the beginning The Son of the Bondwoman the Son of the Freewoman for as the Gal. 4 29. Scripture saith as it was then so it is now Also that in this work I may proceed methodically and as it ought taking away all ground of Objections and representing every thing as it is And so I come to that for which I chiefly quoted these Authors and shall in order go as I find the History which by that time I have finished I hope no reasonable or sober man when he hath read and considered all in the Spirit of Truth will have cause to say that either the things are needless or that he mis-spent his time in taking notice of what lies here now to be spoken to or discoursed of This then concerning National Worships and the sufferers by or because The ground of National Worship and the sufferings by them of the not complying with them and how it came that there were such Worships after the decease of the Apostles and so how they came in and on what steps they have stood and do stand at this day that is to say the sufferings by reason of them as I have shewed their Original as to the Jews on the foot of which no National Worship can have Warranty or Ground though upon that foot they have seemed to place their Ground and Warranty as hath been declared National Worship how it came in and what it was as to the Jews and how and when it had its end I have already manifested Spirit and Truth the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus the newness of the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth after his Resurrection Ascension put it out that which was in the letter in the outward Administration in Carnal Rites Ordinances and Commandments which were in the Jew the shadows of good things to come but not the very things themselves came to have an end when this promise was fulfilled So the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ testified of which the Scriptures bear Record and for this they suffered â—â—â—m the Jew that stood in the outward Commandment Worship and â—â—ministration the shadow that once was of that good thing which whiles the shadow continued was to come but being come the shadow had an end So the Jew in the flesh persecuted the Jew in the Spirit the Circumcision made with hands the Circumcision made without hands and here began the dispute in that day which hath continued unto this which is the thing I have hitherto treated of and now shall proceed further to demonstrate according to the Histories of the things that have been done since the decease of the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus and what they went through as it is mentioned in the Scriptures And here the Heathens give me the first occasion of drawing the Sufferings by the Heatâ—ens on the foot of National Worship during the dayes of the Apostles bloody Roll of Sufferings at which these Histories at large do make mention At (a) Acts 6. 5. Antioch it was that the Disciples of Jesus were first called Christians a Nickname or term of slander no doubt given or cast upon such by way of reproach or derision or marking out for mischief as the consequence both from the one and the other gives at large to understand The Gentiles or Heathen had their Worships they sacrificed to Devils not to God they were mad upon their Idols Spirit Jeâ— 5. 38. and Truth that was risen from the dead came to root them up as it did put an end to the Administration of the Jew or his National Worship it turned the World upside down which had put it down and crucified it Acts 17. 6. in Jesus and changed the Laws and Customs and said That they were Acts 19 26. 17 6. no gods that were made with bands and overturned the Decrees of Cesar as even in the Apostles dayes they spake of the Disciples of which the Scriptures makes mention Spirit and Truth overturned it The Devil had his false Worships as he hath had ever since he entred into man he made still adoe in the World about his Worship he stirred up Cain to kill his Brother Abel about his Worship he raised up the chief Priests 1 John 3. 12. and Pharisees to put him to death who came to overturn his Worship he set them on against his Disciples when they preached the Resurrection of the dead that risen again that came to put it under And the Devil said John by the Spirit of Prophesie in the Revelation shall cast some of you into Prison Man thinks he should worship God something calls Rev. 2. 10. after man though he is fallen to return to God and worship him who gave him his being The Devil being entred by reason of transgression seeks to deceive man and being in man sets man upon making of Worships and then to destroy all that will not observe what he hath set up as his Worship or would have to be set up as the Worship of God God is from everlasting his Worship is as he is they which stand in his Worship and which Worship from him are
after this the Judgment So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 24 25 26 27 28. So the Changeable Priesthood had an end in him who changeth not Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever And his Apostles were Ministers of that of which he was of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit not of that which changeth but of that which changeth not for the Letter that which changed killeth but the Spirit that which changeth not giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. And who saith the Apostle is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. The changeable Priesthood was then of the Law which could not make the comers thereunto perfect but the bringing in of a better hope which hope is Christ Christ in you the Hope of Glory the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest to his Saints saith the Apostle which maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is spread abroad in our hearts which was a stedfast and stable thing which was not subject to change neither was it to pass away So Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by the Will of God And when it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before me But I went into Arabia c. Gal. 1. 15 16 17. And here stood their bottom in Christ that changeth not whose Minister he was he preached his Ministry that changed not his Ministry did not change because he of whom he preached and who sent him to preach did not change he was not in mans will which made and unmade at his pleasure nor was he a Minister of Man to preach what man pleased or Conformity he received not by Tradition or by certain conclusions or Systems of Divinity or Art what to say but the Son of God being revealed in him he consulted not with flesh and blood neither with the other Apostles that were before him but preached c. Thus stood the state of Paul and the Apostles who had the mind of Christ but the Form and the Letter which was done away from that he preached not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit Now the Form and the Letter being done away there was no room for that which was the Ministry of the Form or the Letter no more killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen no more Sacrifices Washings New Moons Sabbaths Shadows of good things to come who were the Shadows but not the very things themselves which changed into the thing come or had an end in it no ground or footing at all for that but as he who is everlasting was come the same for ever so the Ministry must be of and from him he must send he must be revealed the words must be spoken from his mouth not the Letter but the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter but the newness of the Spirit Thus stood it in the dayes of the Apostles So the Ministry or Priesthood that changeth hath no ground from Christ and his Apostles but is quite otherwise it is a changing or deviation from them it hath no footing either in the Letter or in the Spirit not in the Letter for that was a Priesthood Figurative having relation to him that was to come which in him ended so there was to be no more as there never was but that not in the Spirit for that is it which changeth not is not at the will order or direction of man but the Will of God its ground its bottom its fountain its beginning and end is from him who changeth not whom the changeable signified I need not be long in these things the matter being so plain already the whole progress of the History which I have before been particular in speaks the Priesthood after the Apostles decease to be changeable leaning to this Creed and that confession of Faith and varying and changing according to the leaders of that Confession and this Creed and what work it made in the World I have manifested whatsoever stands not in him which changeth not that is called Ministry which is not Spirit and proceeds from it is not from him who is the Head of the Church the Law-giver and Teacher of his People it hath no footing from the Scriptures of Truth nor the Spirit of them it is so far from the Spirit that in that sence it is not Letter it hath no relation to that of the Jews the Priesthood which was changed and ended in Christ nor to Christ Jesus or the Ministry of him who changed the Priesthood Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye said the evil Spirit which was in the man whom the Exorcist Jews took upon them to adjure by Jesus whom Paul preached from whence cometh Acts 19. 13 14 15. this new covered Priesthood which filleth the earth may a man say that is neither Paul nor Jesus nor Jew nor Christian it 's much that men are not ashamed of these things Man makes man men make themselves diversities of men make diversities here 's the Priesthood a God they make a System of Divinity a Form of Worship and then they form themselves or one another Ministers of that form of Worship Teachers of the Systems or Precepts of Religion they made of the God whom they formed Thou shalt have no other God but me said the Lord to Israel of old who gave Israel a form whereby to worship God but now men make Godds and make forms of Worship for their Godds and Priests to their forms and whosoever will consecrateth himself a Priest or is consecrated to whatsoever Godd he hath made or Worship he hath formed which is not from that which is everlasting the Priest that is for ever that changeth not Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of the Priests of the high places it is said of in the dayes of Jeroboam 1 Kings 13. 33. And the man Micah had an house of gods and made an Ephod and Teraphim and consecrated one of his Sons who became his Priest In those dayes there was no King in Israel Judg. 17. 5 6. So the matter is plain the ground original or rise of all the Priesthood or Ministry that is not Spirit that is not in and from that which changeth not the Ministers of Christ in whom is no variableness or shadow of changing is neither from Christ nor the Scriptures and hath neither ground nor foundation to be believed in or heard whose rise is not in the Letter of the Scriptures nor the Spirit whose bottom is man and the will of man or rather the Devil in man
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
it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it said Moses even of that which he gave as an outward Commandment which was near in Christ which the outward signified which being blotted out by reason of Transgression that which was within but blotted out by reason death was come over was given without But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Deut. 30. 13 14. The Word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach saith Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. there is no need of going afar off As he hath made man individual so he requires every individual man to worship him and he hath put something of himself a measure of Christ Jesus into every individual man whereby and wherein every individual man may worship him this is General this is Universal this is Publick this is Catholick he hath not left man to seek out of himself to form to shape to liken nor to depend one man upon another how or wherein he should be worshipped he hath not put him to that hazard neither hath laid upon him that which is a heavy burden or too hard for him to bear or at too great a distance or at any distance at all but as he hath required man so he is near man or he hath put into man that which will enable him to do as he requires So the Lord is no hard Master nor doth require impossibilities nor hath he left man to wander up and down but he is near him to take him by the hand and to lead him to all that he requires he is in him to tell him what he should do and he is with him to enable him to do what he would have him the same that doth the one doth the other Herein is the loving kindness of God seen and his justice that he requires no more than he enables to do and that he gives to enable to do what he requires and to another man hath not the Lord left man to be directed but the thing is in himself which all the World is mad at because the Devil is in all the World and he would perswade man that God is afar from him as the Devil is to God and gets his eye abroad to look at a distance where God is not to be found That which is to be known of God is manifest in man for God hath shewn it unto him but the work of the one my hath been to draw man from this The invisible things of him are clearly seen from the Creation of the World being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 19 20. Yet because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like corruptible man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves who changed the Truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever Amen For this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their Women did change their natural use into that which is against Nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the Women burned in their lust one towards another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient c. vers 21 to the end So here 's the reason why men are so far off God and are strangers unto him and become abominable and to every good work reprobate it is not that God is not near them or that that of God which is to be known is not manifest in them even his eternal Power and Godhead but because they like not to retain him in their knowledge because when they know God they glorifie him not as God neither are thankful but become vain in their imaginations so they come to change the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image like unto corruptible man men come to form God like unto themselves and make him like as they imagine him to be therefore God gives them up who change the Truth of God into a lie into imaginations of things without them their foolish heart being darkned and to worship the Creature more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever Here 's the reason of all the false Worship in the World all worshipping of God at a distance all inventions of men and their medling and having to do with Worship and to order that all outward Constitutions and Persecution for not observing the same Men are gone far from God their foolish heart is darkned they are become vain in their imaginations they are alienated from God by wicked works they have not liked to retain God in their knowledge nor have been thankful that that of God which is to be known was manifest in them therefore have they put God afar off and looked upon him at a distance and so have made Images and Representations and taken upon them to form him as they please and a Worship for him as they please and they that will not fall down to it into the fiery Furnace they must be thrown and into the Lyons Den he must be cast that will make a Petition to any other Godd that will not worship God after that manner of Worship and as those their Laws have prescribed First They are gone from that which is of him in them by which they might know him that they have not liked to retain in their knowledge nor glorified God as God when they knew God will not own that which is to be known of God which is manifested in them as it is then they think of God without them as he is not then they frame Worships according to their own minds after this manner and after that shaping God as they please and a Worship for him whom they have so shaped who have neither heard his Voice at any time nor seen his shape outwardly then they compel all to serve this God so shapen and to worship him as they have shaped and formed his Worship some after this manner some after that and those that will not Fines Imprisonments Suspensions from Places and Dignities casting out and Excommunications Whippings losing of Ears burnings in
the Body selling for Bond-men and Bond-women Banishment upon pain of Death and Death it self after the most exquisite and various manners that can be thought of as Ages and Generations have proved of which I am by and by to speak and give witness And the reason hath bin because being gone from that of God in them by and in which they should vvorship him and every one in their ovvn particulars vvhich is near vvhose Injunction as it is in Spirit so is the Worship and the Punishment of not so vvorshiping they are in nothing but vvhat is outvvard themselves and knovv no more of God than vvhat themselves think which being indeed nothing at all that is so far and as they are gone from that or worship or compel thereunto otherwise than that their Worship is like their Godd which is as themselves These things thou hast done and I kept silence Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such â— one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50. 21 22. and being as themselves their punishment is as themselves which is outward corporeal as man is not in the Spirit So every one that makes a Worship makes a Godd and every one that worships not God in Spirit and in Truth makes a Worship and confounded be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols worship him all ye Godds Psal 97. 7. And the Enemy is in all this who as I have said being far from God himself endeavours to put man as far as himself he removes him from having respect to and minding that of God in him to look afar off well knowing that if he can but once do that he shall never know God and then he can easily perswade man to be as God and to give Laws how he indeed as God may be worshipped and to torture and torment the Bodies of those who worship God as he will be worshipped or who cannot worship God as man would have him worshipped For he that would drive a man from the Measure of God in himself to worship God as he pleaseth drives a man from God and instead of God sets himself up to be worshipped and himself being set up or he having set up himself to be worshipped he takes revenge and punishes those who will not worship what himself sets up and so falls into the predicament of Nebuchadnezzar and of all those who because of Worships not conforming to their Laws of Worship have caused men to suffer as the Histories now to be made mention of give instance And here lest I should seem too prolix and fill a Volumn with that which a lesser space may serve to give evidence to what I have in hand I shall principally confine my self to what Eusebius Pamphilius Socrates Scholasticus and Evarius Scholasticus in their Ecclesiastical History have set down and touched at for near the first six hundred years after the death of him who is Lord and King and lives for ever And here I shall be as short as well I may that in a thing of this consequence I may convince what I have here asserted to this and the Ages that shall succeed to the end that as the wise man said it may appear that as to God and his Worship and Worshippers and what they have received who have worshipped him in Spirit and in Truth from them who have held up the Ecles 1. 9. Form without and not knowing and not from the Power of God there is no new thing under the Sun but as they did of old so in this day the same they receive from such as are in the Form who know and are in the Power of God and how that which hath held up the Form and hath prescribed Laws and Constitutions Creeds and Governments by which God should be worshipped have stained the Earth with blood and with the most horrible torments and sufferings most exquisite have wrung out of every Age this confession That destruction and violence is in their Paths and the way of Peace they have not known And this one thing hath proved that man was in all this or rather the Devil in man who having set up himself as God destroyes as he can all those who will not fall down and worship him which is not the Religion of God the Wisdom which is from Above which is first pure then peaceable Jam. 3. 17. gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie nor the Worship of him who saith He came not to Luke 9. 3â— destroy mens lives but to save them And here I shall take upon me no affected Stile nor strain any thing beyond what they speak in themselves but as the Spirit of the Lord of whom I am moved this to undertake shall lead and give me to whom be the glory of his own working who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Eusebius in his first Book of Ecclesiastical History Chapter the first Eus lib. 1. c. 1. taking upon him to speak of the Divinity and Humanity of Christ the Lord and treating of the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Name of Christ which the Heathen in that day thought a very Novelism who worshipped Images and Idols such things which they made to themselves who sacrificed to Devils not to God as it was said of Jeroboam He ordained him Priests for the high Places for the Devils and 2 Chron. 11. 15. Deut. 32. 17. for the Calves which he had made And by Moses They sacrificed unto Devils not to God to Godds whom they knew not to new Godds who came newly up whom your Fathers knew not and which he forbad to Israel when he said They shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils after whom they are gone a whoring This shall be a Statute unto them said the Lord by Levit. 1. 17. 7. Moses throughout their Generations I say he speaking of the Divinity and the Humanity of Christ and treating of the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Name of Christ which the Heathen in that day counted a Novelism brings him in thus This Light saith he going before the World and all the Worlds the Intellectual and Essential Wisdom and the living Word of God being in the beginning with the Father who but the Father alone hath rightly known Implying that they took upon them that which they did not understand who did undertake to speak of him and his descent and beginning of dayes who is from everlasting also of his Religion and the Age and Antiquity thereof who knew him not much less his Religion This was the ground of all the most cruel and Heathenish persecutions of the Christians and of the then called Christians one of another of which he and the aforementioned treat they knew not
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
and cut off every way with the most cruel and detestable sufferings and trampled under foot as if they were not fit to live among men or as Beasts of prey were made to be destroyed they were accounted eminent and honourable and had to doing in the mannagement of publick Affairs and in the very Emperors Pallaces were the men of account and trust they degenerated from the natural Rule of Piety as are the Historians own words and his honest and right observation and after The Historians account of the cause as among the Christians of the Persecutions that one pursued another with open contumely and hatred as he goes on and speaks and when saith he we impugned our selves by no other than our selves with the Armour spite and sharp Spears of opprobious words so that Bishops against Bishops and People against People raised Sedition Last of all when that saith he cursed hypocresie and dissimulation had swom even to the brim of malice the heavy hand of Gods high Judgment after his wonted manner whilst as yet saith he the Ecclesiastical Companies assembled themselves nevertheless began softly by a little and a little to visit us so that the Persecution that was raised against us took his first Original from the Brethren which were under Vecturius the Captain aforesaid persecuted the Souldiers in Camp Banner in Camp when as saith he we were touched with no manner of sence or feeling thereof neither went about to pacifie God we heaped sin upon sin thinking like careless Epicures that God neither cared nor would visit our sins and they who seemed our Shepherds saith he Anno. 301. And lamentation oâ—er the divisions of the Christians and the consequences of them Lam. 2. laying aside the Rule of Piety practised Contention and Schism among themselves and whilst they aggravated these things that is contentions threatnings mutual hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in ambition much like Tiranny it self I say saith he then the Lord according to the saying of Jeremiah made the Daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel and remembred not his footsteps in the day of his wrath the Lord hath drowned all the beauty of Israel and overthrown all his strong holds and according to the prophesies in the Psal 87. Psalms He hath overthrown and broken the Covenant of his Servant and prophained his Sanctuary casting it on the ground by the overthrow of his Churches he hath broken down all his Walls he hath laid all his Fortresses in ruine All they that passed by spoiled him and therefore he is become a rebuke unto his Neighbours for he lifted up the right hand of his enemies and turned the edge of his Sword and aided him not in the time of Battle but caused his Dignity to decay and cast his Throne down to the ground the dayes of his Youth he shortned and above all this he covered him with shame I have repeated this his words at large for example sake that the The use of it as to England consequence of such things may be avoided by the avoiding of such things as these and that it may be taken notice of that the Lord hath a correction in suffering such dayes as these to come for them that go astray as he hath judgment for his Enemies who work such things and seek to set up their Dominion over his Principality who lives for ever who will needs prescribe to his Worship and make Laws how he or rather themselves as I have shewed shall be worshipped and destroy and cause to suffer such as cannot fall down and worship the Laws they make and the Images they set up It would require a Volumn if I should go through these things also as in observation of what History affords in this particular even of those very Christians and what they suffered as the ends of this Emperor Maxentius and Lucinnius who rose up in the dayes of Constantine Son to Constantius of whom I have by and by to treat and the general end that then became of those Persecutions when Maximinus was dead and Lycinnius also and Constantine came also to be Emperor alone who being a Christian and a wise and mighty Prince struck all those cruelties and death under foot and gave peace unto all it being also something besides my purpose to notifie those divisions that as peace and rest came rose up among them further then what I have observed already what was among them then when they had no power that which followed in the dayes of Constantine and after serving to my intent herein and of which I shall speak when as I come to shew how that when the Christians came to impose Faiths or National Worships one upon another as did the Heathens to them to gather for their National Worship or Gods of which I have treated and through all to prove the truth of what I have laid down concerning these things and the consequences of all Religions Professions Worships that are not from Spirit and Truth but stand in the contrary Before I come unto which it will be necessary seeing that I have hitherto kept along with the History that I go along in order and give something to be understood of the Persecution which yet the Christians sustained after the death of Dioclesian and Maximinianuâ— aforesaid which is reckoned the tenth Persecution and of this Mâ—â—iminus after his Edict of Liberty to the Christians of which I have made mention Constantius ending his dayes in Quietness and Peace being Emperor Constantius dies in peace Anno. 311. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 14. Constantine proclaimed full Emperor by the Army alone in the presence of his natural Son Constantine who was proclaimed full Emperor and Caesar by the Army being a follower of his Fathers Piety as the Historian observes in Christian Religion and such a one saith he was he But Lycinnius whilst these things were a doing for Constantius died at York in Lycinnius also created Emperor England in the year 310. by common consent of the Potentates as he calls them was also created Emperor and Augustus This grieved Maximinus very sore who unto that time was alone called Maximinus grieved thereat invades their Jurisdictions intitles himself Augustus is attainted of Treason against Constantime deposed aspires again dies a shameful death Caesar of all men who also being Tirannically disposed violently of his own mind invaded the Empire intituled himself Augustus but being attainted of Treason and found to have conspired the death of Constantine and after deposition to have aspired again after the Emperial Scepter died a most shameful death His Son Maxentius which exercised Tiranny at Rome as saith Cap. 15. Maxentius his Son at first dissembles with the Christians at Rome commands Persecution to cease proves afterwards otherwise than he pretended the Historian in the beginning of his Reign dissembled with the Christian Faith egregiously and creeping into credit by flattering the
thereof or National Faiths or Worships which is the first Head which I laid down and under which I have couched all the particulars herein mentioned that once for all throughout almost the whole Series of the first six hundred years I may shew as in one continued line what hath been the proper consequences and effect both as to Division Schism Tumult Opinions Wars Bloodsheds Earthquakes all kind of extremities from God and man one to each other upon the foot thereof That this Age may yet be warned lest the driving on of the same things which those heretofore did and so suffered and these hitherto have so far gone on in as to This Head is finished extream sufferings and banishment make England an Acheldama and instead of setling disjoynt it for ever I now come to the other particulars in which I shall be more curt or short as having to do with such things as neither in their matter nature or tendencies require so large an entertainment Evagrius closeth up the sixth Book of his Ecclesiastical History Anno. 595. The History ends the twelfth year of Mauricius Phocas murders him and his Family Becomes Emperor Makes the Bishop of Rome Universal Bish or Pope Anno. 600. Gave him an Indulgence Anno. 600. with the year five hundred ninty and five being the twelfth year of Mauricius Tiberius Shortly after came the Bishop of Rome to be made Universal Bishop or Pope through the donation of Phocas about the year 600. who would seem to forgive him his bloody murder of his Master Mauricius and his house about five years after which makes the sum six hundred THE Second General Head CONCERNING SWEARING The second general Head which I proposed in the beginning to treat of is SVVEARING concerning which I shall thus speak SWearing as National Worship had its institution under the Jews where their Worship and Service being outward that which was the Bond or Obligation thereunto was also of the same nature So the Jew was required to swear Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Righteousness and Judgment and so among men an Oath was an end of all strife And many of the holy men of God sware who were before the Law who notwithstanding were in the state unto which the Law was afterwards administred As Abraham Isaac and Jacob who built Altars were in outward Administrations and worshipped the Lord and so were Abel and Cain after the Transgression they offered unto the Lord the first Fruits of the Ground and their Cattel for transgression having entered and man by reason of transgression being from that in which he was made thitherto he was brought again or the communication of the knowledge of God was by things which were outward and their service unto him though yet they were not without the thing that was inward which gave them the sence of the Lord and from which the outward many times proceeded So the Jews had the inward and there was an eye that saw through all that which was outwardly administred the Seed which is Christ but the sight and sence of this was little and weak by reason of transgression which had entered which had blinded the eye which to open and to bring to the sight of that which was before the transgression was the Law was added or the outward administration which being earthly and like to that into which man was drove after he had sinned by things that were earthly and outward man was brought by little and little to the sight of the inward which was vailed over And so the Law came to be added or the outward administration or that which stood in the earthly to answer to the state of man which was in the earth that so in or by an administration of that which was earthy suitable to the earthy estate in which he was the understanding or sight of the other thing might be brought through and the Vail might be done away Now these things held as I said before to the first particular of National Worship but till the time of Reformation till that time came which being in thâ— flesh the nature that had sinned and transgressed over which darkness was come which took upon it the nature and was made flesh broke through the outward Administration and the Nature which was suitable to it and from within rent the Vail which was the flesh or the earthy into which man was drove as I said when he had transgressed and tore it in pieces the Partitian Wall that which separated and of twain made one new man which is Christ So as in the Nature which is fleshly and of the Earth the Seed which is Christ in which man was made being covered over and intomb'd so that man had little or no understanding of that in which he was made to lead and guide him but as that Nature was helped by administration which was suitable unto it so he coming in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemning sin in the flesh broke through in the Nature Death and Hell and the Grave and the powers of the Prince of Darkness which lodged in the Nature and there had its hold by reason of transgression over that as to the particular of every man in which man was made and brought to light to the understanding of man the manifold wisdom of God that which had been hid from Ages and Generations past which had been covered over and buried and laid in the earth and the earthy over it as aforesaid And so ceased the thing of an outward administration as he the Seed which is Christ coming into the Nature unto which the outward was which was of the same Nature which kept the Seed under in which lodged the enemy who entered by reason of transgression to keep it from rising as in the particular of this and that man and as to any thing that came from without to get entrance through this Bar to that which lay under by reason of which man might come to see where he is I say ceased the thing of an outward Administration as he coming into the Nature passed through and rent it to pieces that is to say the Nature in which stood the Bar and the Administration which was to the Nature in which the Bar stood So that which at first which by reason of transgression came to be put under being brought through again the understanding and knowledge of man to lead and guide that which was a help to man in the state in which he stood came to be removed as was the Nature in the particular of him who took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham and by one offering for ever perfected those that are sanctified And now those things being come to an end as he as aforesaid came through all and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel which is the power of God to salvation no stress is to be put upon things