any one part of this prophesie fulfilled but it shal be found in and from them For which way should they go about to shewe the man of sinn being the misterie off iniquitie in the deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes to bee exalted sitting as God and as in the Temple off God Sitting vpon â—eaveÌ„ Kinges ten Kings giveing their power therevnto if these prophesies be not fulfilled in that their Romish profession then is it not nor ever was it begun nor fulfilled in anie false professioÌ„ of Christ vpon the earth which cannot be because we see here thapostle to the Thes saith The misterie of iniquitie doth already worke And in that this prophesie of Christ also is come to passe Mat. 24. where he saith Manie wil come in my name saieing loe here is Christ c. this proves that the abhomination of defolatioÌ„ is set vp already in the high places The prophesie then being fulfilled it must needs be fulfilled according to the due proportion thereof in exaltation and power which must of necessitie be in that Romish Church as if they were not altogether blind they might see by lookeing vpon that Church at Rome which Thapostle Paul writ vnto And by compareing that Church in Rome and this Church of Rome together they shal see a straing exaltation of power and pompe such as there is no prophesie of Scripture for to bee in the Church of Christ A spiritual power setting vp a Pope or Bishop by vertue of his Office with a Triple Crowne Kinges and Princes bowing to him and serveing him and by vertue off his Office carrieing a bloody sworde and his hands ful of blood this is part of his outward pompe and power Also bearing spiritual names of blasphemie as to bee head of the Church and Bishop of the vniversal flock taking vpon him to have power to cast soule and bodie to hel and to send to heaven whome he wil to make spirituall lawes and decrees what he will and to bind mens Consciences to the obedience thereof If this bee not he that sits as God shewing himself to bee God If this bee not the abhommation of desolation set vp where it ought not to bee where should it befound Can the earth afford a greater exaltation of the man of sinne then this and doth it not reach from hel to heaven what hart would not tremble to see and heare of such high blasphemie and sinne against God If it were not the Lord of hostes that shal judg these thinges there could not judgmeÌ„ts great enough hee found but these sinnes of highest pride towards God and greatest crueltie towards his Sainctes shall go vp into heaven and God shall remember al these iniquities and reward the duble whereat although the spirit of God bidds the heavens rejoyce the holy Apostles Prophets because God hath punished revenged for their sakes Revel 18.20 Yet who can but with compassionate hartes lament to see so manie soules perish dayly and continually vnder this destruction For al the soules vpon the earth that exalt give power and submit themselves to this Man of sinne and so dye they perish to everlasting destruction although they do it ignorantly A hard doctrine wil this seeme to the most But the moueth of the Lord hath spoken it Thappostle in this place of 2. Thes 2. proves it without al contradiction where it is said vers 10. That the man of sinne his comeing is in all deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes amonge them that perish First then here is proved that the misterie of iniquitie prevailes by deceaveablenes now men are deceived by being ignorant of the deceipt and they that are thus deceived through ignorance are they that perish for saith Thappostle this deceiveablenes is effectual or prevailes amonge them that perish and vers 12. That all they might bee damned which beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes speaking of this deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes by the man of sinne For further proofe thereof take the voice from heaven Revel 18.4 which saith Go out of her my people that ye bee not parraker of hir sinnes that ye receive not of hir plagues Here is no exception ignorant or not ignorant if they come not furth at the voice of the Lords cal but stil remaine and abide there they shal surely bee partaker of hir plagues hir plagues come at one day they are death sorrowe famine burning with fire in one houre shal she bee made desolate vers 8. and 19. Whose soule would not mourne to heare of so manie great Princes States and people abroad and to see Nobilitie Gentrie and people at home perish and ready to perish daylie vnder this so great and swift destruction it were to be wished that al good and holy meanes were vsed for their information and instruction herein with love and meekenes by the sword of the spirit which sword onely is to bee vsed to compel meÌ„s consciences to submit to the truth that is the spirit of the Lords moueth whereby he will consume the man of sinne Aff by this wee have said wee can neither perswade them to bee carefull of their owne estates which is fearefull nor perswade anie other to bee more careful of them and more compassionate of their estates yet thus much have wee gained towards the cause in hand that it being proved that the misterie of iniquitie and the abhomination of desolation is exalted to the highest in that Romish profession then wee doubt not but it wil be yeilded that all Nations acknowledging Christ have bene overspred aÌ„d vnder the power of that Romish profession and so are al these prophesies fulfilled in our eies which have beene produced to prove that there hath beene an vtter desolation of Christes power and authoritie and the power and authoritie of the man of sinne exalted and it hath also bene proved that all that submit themselves to that power of the man of sinne do and must perish except they repent Therefore according to our first words wee exhort al peoples and nations and tongues to take heed and beware least they be vnder the woes of everlasting destruction prophesied of in this booke of the Revel and they themselves be not aware thereof And seing it is proved that al peoples and nations and tongues have bene vnder it let them that thinke they are come furth looke how they are come furth least they be deceived or least comeing furth they have booked back againe to whome our Saviour Christ saith Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots wife Wee doubt not but wee shal have the ready consent of divers natioÌ„s and peoples to approve of our vnderstandings and application of this prophesie of the exaltation of the man of sinne to bee fulfilled in the Sea of Rome and wee need to make no question but therein wee are of one judgment in the truth for it is vnpossible that the hare of man should device a misterie of iniquitie or deceaveablenes
is that wee may but try the power of these called Spirituall Lords and that by earthly power they may not force men to yeild vnto their spirituall aucthority How can it but seeme equall in the Kings seight that spirituall lords should have no more spirituall authority then they can gett and mainteyne by spiritual power And if the Hyrarchy themselves thinke it vnequall that the doctrine of their power should be tryed be not most willing ready therevnto but shall by pollicie secret intimations shift it of then shall our lord the K. that is wise easily deserne that their deeds are evill and they hate the light neither cometh to the light least their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 But they that do truth come to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Thus shal our lord the King all the world have a ful tryall of them whether their deeds are wrought according to God or no for if they will now come to the light of Gods word in the sight of all men and manifest their deeds to be wrought according to God then have they approved them selves but if they do not then hath our Saviour Christ here condemned thē with his owne mouth and let our lord the King also condemne them in his owne wisedome Shall wee need to be importunate with our lord the King in this cause of his poore people which concernes the condemnation of all their soules what need wee seeing our lord the King knowes that a King that iudgeth the cause of the poore rightly his throne shal be established for ever Pro. 20.14 Then let our lord the King here the cause of the poore and the rather in that the Kings most noble Predecessor hath before iustly adiudged the same cause and freed his people so far of the bondage wherein they were King Henry the 8. that Prince of great renowne freed his people from the bondage of the first Beast especially in these two great and maine perticulers in causing the scriptures to be set over and printed for the people in their owne language that so they might heare the word with their owne eares and also that their worship should be in their owne tongue that they might speake to God with theyr owne tongue and not in a straing tongue as they did Let heaven and earth iudg and let our lord the K. iudg let all the Kings people iudg whether this was not the depth of all darknes when men might not knowe what God speake vnto them nor knowe in their publique worship what they speake vnto God Let our lord the K. iudg whether ever there was such spirituall cruelty vpon the earth when the poore people of God for whome Christ died were debarred from the presence of God in their publique worship might neither heare god nor speake to God with their owne outward cares tongues but as the Ministers of the mā of sinne appointed and in astraing tongue as they taught them Wee knowe our lord the K. doth see that heere the abomination of desolation was set vp in the high places as also that the Corpes of the two witnesses of God prophesed of Reuel 11.8 which are the word and spirit of God lay dead in the streets of that great Citie there being no true vse at all of them and the people being deprived of the life of them for the word was a dead letter vnto them and the spirit a dead spirit The Kings predecessor of famous renowme thus freed his people from that bondage of the first Beast but there is risen vp a second Beast which exerciseth the power of the first Beast and now our lord he Kings people cry vnto the King with the sighes and groanes of their spirits and would cry also with a lowd voyce but for feare of the Beast and humbly besech the King that he would put too his helping hand to free his people from the bondage of the second Beast that their soules may not perish to everlasting perdition which all must do which are vnder the bondage of the same and so continewe And now let the King heare with an eare of compassion and see with an eie of pittie the cruell spirituall bondage that his poore people are kept vnder by the second Beast in these perticulers The Kings people have the word in their owne language and may pray in their owne tongue But they must not vnderstand the word but as the Lord Bishops will have it vnderstood and they must not pray nor administer in the holy things but as they appoint Now let the King with a godly wise hart consider in what woefull Spirituall bondage Gods people and the Kings are kept by this Hyrarchy Now plainely would our lord the King see the cruell Spirituall tyrany hereof if the King would make it but his owne cause Would not the King thinke it a must cruell tyranny if the King should be by force compelled to vnderstand and beleeve the scriptures as the Hyrarchy of Rome would have him And to worship God and administer in the holy thinges as that Hyrarchy would appoint And if the King would not so do that then that Hyrarchy should have power to put the King in prison and if that would not serve the turne to procure or cause the Kings life to be taken from him or at least to banish the King from his Kingdome nation would not our lord the K. thinke this great tyrany cruell bondage Wee knowe the King would for which cause the K. and his predecessors have cast of this bondage Then let the King see that the Kings people are vnder this same bondage for if they will not vnderstand the scriptures and worship God as the Hyrarchy of Arch. Bs. and lord Bs. comaund appoint they straight send a pursivant apprehēd them by violence and force imprison them sometimes divers yeres manie times not suffering so much as their wives to come at them and if their lives cannot be gotten then procure their exile or banishment The lord give the King a hart to pittie his people herein the King is ignorant of these dealings and none dare tell the King thereof the Prelacy have bene so mighty and so cruell And will it please the King to veiwe the cause of his people being true and faithfull subiects yet further what doth it profitt the Kings people to have the word of God to heare and read it seeing they are debarred of the spirit of God to vnderstand it but according to private interpretation by the the lord B. as though they had the spirit and could not err Oh that our lord the King that is a man of excellent wisedome would but bēd his wisedome to behold how that herin wherein the whole power of the Beast consists this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. doth nothing differ from the first Beast for the first Beast kepes both the word and spirit
Christs owne works Ioh. 10.14 And al the power you have to administer is by the authority of the Bishops bull which you have in so great contempt and yet it is all the seale of your admittance to your ministerie and warrant for your administration therein a most sit warrant for such administrations Oh that you could see these thinges if you have anie the least love of God in you cast of al these abhominations aÌ„d become the disciples of Christ and preach Christ in his owne ordinance as his disciples did Act. 11.19 which if you wil not doe buâ— runne on in the heate of your blind zeale in this your false ministerie theÌ„ shal you be found to be those false prophets that come in shepes clothing of whome our Saviour Christ hath fore told Mat. 7.22 that shal say Lord Lord have wee not by thy name prophesied by thy name cast out Devils by thy name done manie great workes To whome he wil answere I never knewe you depart from me ye that worke iniquity Let this suffice to have proved by Gods word that your Election and Ordination to the Office off your ministerie is not off God and that you have not entred in by the doore but have climed vp another way and therefore are theeves robbers false Prophets hierlings straingers whose voices Christs sheepe knowe not but they flee from you and wil not followe you Ioh. 10.5 And by this are all they that heare you and followe you most plainly proved vp the most evident words off Christ that they are no one of them his sheepe for he saith His Sheepe knowe his voice followe him they wil not followe a strainger for they knowe not his voice And this is al the comfort that Gods word doth afford anie one of you in your flocks that followe you they are not Christs Sheepe And this is all the comfort that the people can have off you You are not Christs Sheepherds so are you like people like Preist like Sheepherds like Sheepe And you shall perish everie Man for teaching and drawing them after you because you are false Prophetts and are not sent of God and the People shall perish everie one off them for hearing and following you because you are straingers and hirelings iff you and they repent not Luk. 13.3 This is the word off the Lord the which you shal neither al nor anie one off you bee able to gainsay for you shal never bee able whilst heaven and Earth endureth to make anie shew from Gods word for your entrance into your Office off ministery and then are you vtterly confounded in al your waies aÌ„d al the people that follow you Wee have spoken sharply vnto you as it may bee thought and if wee have not wee had need seeing you have bene so often spoken vnto off this your false ministery and that with excellent words and yet you have not regardâ— which might discomfort vs in you and discorage vs in our owne simple playnnes But the love of Gods glory which through his grace wee hold most precious and the longing disire off our soules after your salvation and the salvation of this whole land which is so deare vnto vs and wee so much wish and pray for And the hope and assurance we have of Gods mercie and power to prevaile by weake meanes these causes have stirred vs vp driven vs on and encoraged vs to speake thus vnto you And wee pray you by the name off Iesus that as there is anie purpose off hart in you to feare God and walke-in his waies or anie love in you to this people whome you are bound so much to regard with al faithful carefulnes make haist to reforme your owne waies and to enforme this people in the way to life and salvation according to the strict rule off Gods word and do not stil lead them on in the way to death and condemnation according to the new inventions off your owne harts and old traditions off other men Wee will now returne to speake a few words off your ground and reasons or rather excuses that cause you to vndergo these thinges whereoff you cry out so much for reformation One 〈◊〉 because it is vnder a Christian King Wee demaund off you how iff the King should bid you truely enforme him whether it were more lawful for a Christian King to restraine the Church off some off the Ordinances which Christ hath appointed then for a Heathen King It can not bee that you would tell the King that a Christian King might more Lawfully do such evill then a Heathen King iff you should you would make Christianity a liberty â—o sin which may not bee why then iff a Christian King may not more lawfully do such evil evil sure you hold it to be els why cry you out so much for reformation neither may you more lawfully obey him in such evil then a heathen King Leave off such deceitfull pretences and vaine ymaginations for the which iff you should bee required warrant out off Gods Word you would easily see that it is but an excuse off a false shewe The Disciples off Christ who were most obedient subiects and taught you and vs all obedience vnto our King yet they would not be restrained in the causes off God but chose rather to obey God then men and rather to suffer imprisonmeÌ„t and beating then to bee restrained either of preaching or practicing anie off the ways off God although they were commaunded imprisoned beaten by the High Preist the Counsel and al the Elders off Israel that were no heathen Governors Act. 5. Those were faithful disciples and were content to obey in al sufferings And such obedience should you have submitted vnto iff your harts had bene vpright to God and the King herein but you have al bene found deceitful vpon the weights aÌ„d lighter then vanity it selff in these thinges when you came to trial and have dawbed with vntempered morter and no marvil though you fel because the lord was not your streÌ„gth in that you sought not the right way but would have established a Presbitary Hyrarchie and a decreing Synod which would have bene no more pleasing to God then an Hyrarchie off Arch Bishops and Lord Bishops and a Canonical ConvocatioÌ„ house for they have both one mynd with the Beast and give the right haÌ„d off fellowship one to aÌ„other seeking aÌ„d exercising one power which is to rule over mens consciences by their owne lawes and decrees Therefore strive no more for that your waie the Lord wil ever be against you in it For iff a Ruling Presbitary by their Synodal decrees and ordinances bee lawful then why not a Ruling Prelacy by Convocation Canons lawfull and then why not a Ruling Pope These are all off one Condition in their degrees and not anie one of them more pleasing to God then another although they bee every one more sinful in their degrees then other yet they al abolish
wherein you are by great and marvelous signes and wonders as the spirit of God hath declared Revel 15. and 16. Chap. by the seaven Angels which powre out the seaven vialls of the wrath of God vpon the Earth But you must knowe that this is a spirituall Prophisie and al these are spiritual signes and wonders which the lord hath graciouslie promissed to shew vpon Babilon Egipt and Sodom spirituallie so called to the destruction and everlasting overthrowe of the Scarlet cullored Beast and the Woman that sits vpon him which woman is that great Citie Babilon and vpon all the people that come not furth at the call of his voice Revel 17.18 Chap. But take heed you bee not deceived by lookeing for their things with carnal eies as the Iewes did who looked for an earthlie King to deliver them so that whē their spiritual king came they knewe him not but hated him dispised him persecuted him killed him and cast him out and so remaine in transgression and vnder condemnatiō vnto this day by the iust iudgment of God Take heed least you do so in sueing after and seeking by earthlie meanes to be delivered out of your spiritual bondage and when the spirituall meanes and way is shewed you you contemne it dispise it hate it persecute it speake al manner of evil against it oppose it reiect it and condemne it and so remaine stil in your transgression and vnder the condemnatiō of the iust iudgment of God which the Lord hath pronounced against all those that come not furth of Babilon partaking thereby with hir in hir sinnes and so shal be made pertakers of hir plagues which plagues you cannot escape if you come not furth but beleeve those false Prophets that prophesie lyes vnto you Be not deceived by your good intents ād meanings and good desires whereof you are full Nor by your great affections of zeale wherewith you abound above al people that we knowe or have heard of that have anie knowledg of the Gospel wee speake not of the ignorant zealous Papists that go before you and all the earth that knowe the name of Iesus in these things which makes them thinke their estates most happie Take you heed least you bee also still hereby deceived Wee confesse these are excellent things if knowledg and faith go with them Furthermore your obedience vnto the second and great comaundement which is Love thy neighbour as thy self and al the particuler dueties thereof as Honor Parents do not comit adultery Kil steale beare false witnesse Covet nothinge that is thy neighbours In these excellent duties verie manie of you greatly abound and wee cannot but with great affections looke vpon you and love you for them yet knowe that manie Papists are nothinge behind you in these thinges Therefore let not these things deceive you as though you had all things because you have these You see it testified by our Saviour Christ that a man may have or do all these things and yet not follow Christ as is shewed in the example of that excellent Ruler whome Christ looked vpon and loved for those excellent things in him Mark 10.21 And therefore please not your selves so much in those things although wee acknowledg they are worthie of great comendations in you and our soules are much affected to you for them But iff you followe not Christ in the regeneration that is if you bee not borne againe of water of the Spirit so enter into the Kingdome off Heaven all is nothinge as you see by the example of this Ruler And Cornelius Act. 10. If he had not bene baptized with the holy ghost and with Water for all his praiers and almes he had not nor could not have entred into the Kingdome off Heaven Thus entered all the people off God of whose entrance the Scriptures give testimonie either by rule or example and therefore if there bee anie other entrance found out it is not nor cannot bee of God this onelie is the doore which Iesus Christ hath set open for all to enter in at that enter into his Kingdome Iohn 3.5 and the Lord sanctifie al your harts with grace that you may enter in thereby For no other way off salvation hath Christ appointed but that mē first beleeve and bee Baptized Mark 16.16 Thus have wee freely spoken the truth vnto you from our harts suspect vs not of the least contempt or dispite iff wee seene sharpe There are multitudes of you of that Puritane profession so called that knowe our love is most true and vnfained to you all and that wee cannot but love and reverence you and therefore wee cannot but the more seeke your reformation wish it and pray for it and wee will not give the Lord rest therein vntill hee heare vs that wee may see your salvation accomplished THe next false profession off Christ and false Prophets amongst you that wee will by Gods assistance speake of is that false profession and those false Prophets which are vsually called Brownists you are they that say you are Iewes but are none and have made your selves a name to bee the Seperation and are falsly so called but are not as through the helpe of our God we shal make it plaine by the Word of the Lord both to your owne consciences if you wil not alwaies resist the truth and also to the consciences of al others And this we will do by those grounds of truth which you acknowledg which you must be forced either to forsake or els be cōvinced by them And the first ground is this in your Booke called the Apologies the first part of your third position stands thus set downe A true visible Church is a Companie of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel And by this meanes that is by the word of God and by thus doeing that is seperating themselves from the world and ioyning together say you they are become a true visible Church Now to come to a full discoverie off your false profession off Christ Let it be observed that you confesse you were off the World before you seperated Which when you were then were you Enimies vnto Christ for Christ testifieth the World hates him Iohn 7.7 Then were you none off Christs for those that are Christs or off Christ are not of the world Ioh. 17 1◠and now to be come Christs you say you are called and seperated from the World by the word of God and ioined together by voluntarie profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel This is your constitution wherein you have erred as may plainlie appeare for when you were called and as you say seperated you should have ioined to Christ and have entred into his Kingdome which seing you have not done you are not seperated from the world nor have no fellowship in the Gospel Wee confesse the
offending but therein is infirmity in vs and no faithfulnes to God nor them The wise King that knew right well the power and aucthoritie of a King adviseth not to stand in an evill thinge before the King for he will do what soever pleaseth him Eccle. 8.3 But in a good cause why should wee feare to stand before Kings seeing their thrones are established by justice Pro. 16.12 Our cause then being good for it is the cause of God as all shall confesse Thus much is it that wee do in all reverend humility beseech of all Kings Princes that they will performe this service vnto the lord according to this prophesie prophesied of theÌ„ in the performance whereof the lord requires their ferveÌ„t zeale which they ought to shew by their perfect hatred detestatioÌ„ of the whore by which zealous hate they are to be provoaked to make hir desolate naked to eate hir nesh burne hir with fire after this manner with these great ferveÌ„t affections shall these Kings that obey the lord in this worke serve him In all this wee beseech that wee may not be vnderstood as though wee ment that Kings should do this by their temporall sword of justice no nothing lesse the lord requires no such meanes in this busines for he hath testified by Prophesie as wee have formerly shewed 2. Thes .2 that he will abolish consume the man of sinne the mistery of iniquity which is this Beast and whore and citie by the spirit of his mouth by the brightnes of his comeing and therefore this prophesie may not be vnderstood that Kings ought to do this by their temporall power but by the word and spirit of the lord in their testimony withall holy zeale and this cannot be done except they first take all their power and authoritie from the Beast for no man can serv two Masters but he shall please the one and displease the other Kings cannot serve the lambe and the Beast but they must needs hate the one and love the other and this is most plainely set downe in this Prophesie Revel 17. for in the 13. and 17. vers it is said of Kings that they shall have all one mynd be of one consent with the Beast shall give their power aucthority vnto the Beast shall feight with the lambe vntill the words of God be fulfilled And in the 16. vers They shall hate the whore make hir desolate for God hath put in their harts to fulfill his decree Thus wee see these Kings propresied of by the spirit of the lord to do this great worke of God when they shall take it in hand they shall not halt betwixt two opinions they shall not be neither hote nor cold but they shall be most zealonis for the glory of God and shall no longer retayne anie frendship with the Beast alwaies our meaning is spiritually now â—â—en those Kings and Princes that will in this service obey the most high God and advaÌ„ce his glory that hath so greatly advanced them to high honor and dignity let them take all their power and aucthority from the Beast and with drawe all the affections of their harts and soules and turne them to hatred and to an vtter abhorring of the Beast and whore and so shall they make it manifest vnto all the world that they are true lovers of the lambe and perfect haters of the Beast and that they are they in whome this prophesie is fulfilled Oh that Kings and Princes would strive to go one before an other in giveing honor to God herein And amongst all the rest of the great and mighty Kings and Princes of the earth loyalty nature and grace doth bind vs with disires of exceeding dutifull and reverend affections to wish and desire that our lord and K. might be with the foremost in this great and acceptable service of the King of Kinges and lord of lords which were a worthy service most well beseeming our lord the King for whome the King of heaven hath done so great things and if our lord the King will do this service for his God then must he not by his power support the Beast nor his image which are one and the same power And seeing our lord the King hath seene the deepe iniquity of the peremptory ruling Presbitery let him much more see the high iniquity of the proud ambicious cruell ruling Prelacy which is a power set vp in the place of God bearing the names of high blasphemy Oh let it be far from our lord the K. to give his power which God hath given him to punish evill doers and to reward them that do well 1. Pet. 2.14 Let it be far from our lord the King to give this power to the Beast or his image for that advanceth the mistery of iniquity and smiteth downe the mistery of godlines God hath not comunicated his owne power to Kings and Princes for this end And seeing wee have begun to speake to our lord the King let vs declare what power and aucthority God hath given to him wherevnto his subiects ought of conscience to obey Our lord the King hath power to take our sonnes our daugthers to do all his services of ware and of peace yea all his servile service what soever and he hath power to take our lands our goods of what sort or kind soever or the tenth thereof to vse at his will and he hath power to take our men servants and maid servants and the cheife of our yong men and Cattle and put them to his worke and wee are to be his servants 1. Sam. 8.11.18 in all these thinges our lord the King is to be submitted vnto and obeyed Also he hath power to make all manner Gouernors lawes and ordinances of man 1. Het 2.13.14 Thus doth God give our lord the King power to demaund and take what he will of his subiects it is to be yeilded him and to comaund what ordinance of man he will and wee are to obey it And in all these things wee acknowledg before God men wee ought to be subiect not for feare onely but also for conscience sake â—oâ—n 13.5 Wee meddle not with anie conditions or contracts made betwixt the King and his people whereby our lord the King in fauour may or doth abridg himselfe of his prerogative and so make himselfe subiect to his owne covenants or conditions which our lord the King ought to keepe though it be to his disadvantage if they be not meerly vnlawfull but wee speake onely of that power which God hath given to the King all which our lord the King ought to vse lawfully but if he should do otherwise which God forbid he is in these things to be submitted vnto Eccl. 8.3.4 and 1. Pet. 2 18.-24 who soever resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God shall receive to them selves condemnation Rom. 13.2 Thus hath God given our lord the King all worldly power which
extendeth to all the goods and bodies of his servants And doth our lord the King require anie more wee knowe he doth not then let not our lord the King now be angry that wee his servants speake the second time vnto him Doth not the King knowe that the God or Gods and lord of â—ords hath vnder him made our lord the King an earthly King and given him all earthly power and that he hath reserved to himself a heavenly Kingdome a kingdome that is not of this world Ioh. 18.36.37 neither are the subiects of his kingdome of this world Ioh. 17.14 and yet this King was in this world and his subiects are in the world Vers 12. that with this kingdome our lord the King hath nothinge to do by his Kingly power but as a subiect himself and that Christ is King alone onely high Priest and cheife Bishop and there is no King no Primate Metropolitane ArchBishop lord spirituall but Christ onely nor may be either in name or power to exercise aucthority one over another Luk. 22.25.26 Mat. 23.11.12 And will our lord the King not withstanding all that Christ hath done for him in giveing him such a kingdome with such great dignity and power therein will the King not withstanding enter vpon Christs kingdome and appoint or by his power suffer to be appointed Lawes Lords Law makers over or in this kingdome of Christ who wee may be bold to say with warrant if he were vpon earth in the flesh he would be subiect to our lord the King in his earthly kingdome for so was he to Cesar Mat. 17. he paid him tribute and he comaunded to giue vnto Cesar thinges that were Cesars Yea he would not meddle with anie thing that belonged to the King not so muchas to comaund the two beethren to devide the inheritance nor to judg the woman taken in adultery Far be it theÌ„ from the hart of our lord the King to give his earthly power to anie to rule as lords over the Kingdome and heritage of Christ which he hath reserved to himself to rule and governe onely by his word and spirit where no earthly power may be admitted in that it is no earthly kingdome Behold now wee have begun to speake vnto our lord the King and wee are but dust and ashes and our lord the King is but dust and ashes aswell as wee therefore let not our lord the King be angry that his servants speake the third time vnto him wee knowe our lord the King may do what soever pleaseth him and who shall say vnto him what dost thou Eccles 8.3.4 Yet though he should kill vs wee wil speake the truth to him It is the Kings honor to search out a thinge Prov. 25.1 And wee knowe the King is a wise man and a man of vnderstanding thus then wee speake vnto him Will the King challeng to himselfe to sitt vpon the throne of David and to iudg Israell wee the Kings servants meane will the K. have the same power now over the church house of God that the Kings of Israell had vnder the law who satt vpon Davids throne will and ought the King to make a covenant and cause all to stand to it and must all stand to it and will ought the King to compell all that are found in his dominions to serve the lord as the King comaunds 2. Chro. 34.32.33 and will and ought the King to slay all that come not to the passover Num. 9.13 If our lord the King have this power theÌ„ he ought duly to execute it and then he sitts vpon Davids throne and then the King of Spaine hath the like power to compell all in his dominions to serve God as he comaunds so every king sitts vpon Davids throne and all Kings are herein to be obeyed for will not our lord the King that is a man of vnderstanding yeild that Queene Marie the Kings noble predecessor had the same power and aucthority by hir sword of justice over hir subiects that our lord the King hath and that hir subiects were bound to obey hir in all things and submitt to hiâ— sword of iustice as well as our lord the Kings subiects are to obey him and submitt to his sword of iustice for all earthly Kings have but one manner of power and sword Rom. 13. Chap. If our lord the King by his deseruing iudgment see this then our lord the King will easily see that as Queene Mary by hir sword of Iustice had no power over hir subiects consciences for then had she power to make them all Papists and all that resisted hir therein suffered iustly as evil doers neither hath our lord the King by that sword of iustice power ouer his subiects coÌ„sciences for all earthly powers are one and the same in their severall dominions And if our lord the King will have anie other power it must be a spirituall power and theÌ„ that must be with an other sword even a spirituall sword for an earthly sword is ordeyned of God onely for an earthly power and a spirituall sword for a spirituall power and Offences against the earthly power must be puinshed with the earthly sword and offences against the spirituall power with the spirituall sword and with this sword the King of Kings make our lord the King mighty through him to cast downe holds casting downe the ymaginations every high thing that is exalted against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10.4.5 Who is the fruit of Davids loynes concerning the flesh and onely sitts vpon Davids throne for ever Act. 230. Luke 1.32.33 Esa 9.7 And vpon his kingdome to order it to stablish it with iudgment with Iustice The rod of whose power is sent out of Syon who is ruler in the midst of his enimies whose people shall come willingly Psal 110.2.3 and requires not anie earthly power to build vp his Church as he sheweth when he declareth that all power was given him in heaven and in earth he bids his Disciples Go therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the father c. he that shall beleeve and be Baptized shal be saved But he that will not beleeve shal be damned Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.16 who when he ascended vpon high he led captivity captive and gave gifts vnto men he gave some to be Appostles c. for the reparing or gathereing together of the Saincts Ephes 4.5.12 Here is shewed vnto our lord the King that which wee knowe he is not ignorant of that Christ onely sitts vpon Davids throne to order it and wee the Kings servants shew it that the King might not be deceived by deceivers who would perswade the K. that he hath the same power over the Church of Christ that the Kings of Israel had over the Church of the old Testament to this end that they might vse the K. earthly power to rule over and build
vp as they pretend the spirituall Tabernacle Temple and Church of Christ which if the King shall suffer them to do he shall sinne against God in entring vpon the kingdome of Christ who onely is King of Israell Ioh. 12.15 whose power and sword are spirituall whose Tabernacle TeÌ„ple and house is holy made with out hands 2. Cor. 3.17.1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 9.11 and therefore hath given spirituall gifts vnto men for the gathering together of the Saincts for the worke of the mistery and for the building vp of his body which is his Church and doth not will nor require to have people comaunded and compelled by an earthly sword or power as in the days of Hezekiah and Iosiah Kings of Israel for that was an earthly or carnall comaundement Heb. 7.16 and they had a worldly Tabernacle made with hands and worldly ordinances and Carnall rites Heb. 9.1.2.10 and therefore were the Ordinances or law comaunded to be kept by a worldly power and the Tabernacle to be built by hands but now wee have a Tabernacle which the lord pight and not man Heb. 8.2 and that carnall comaundement is changed Heb. 7.12 and wee have a comaundement after the power of endles life vers 16. vnto the obedience of which law no earthly Kings power can cause or bring anie one man to obey in anie one thing and the which Tabernacle not made with hands no earthly power which consists onely of the strength of hands can cause to be built in anie one part thereof but all this is to be done onely by the K. of Israels power who hath all power given him in heaven and in earth whose power is all sufficient to bring vnder obedience all his subiects where vnto no earthly power can be helpfull whose sword is his word which is lively and mighty in operation and sharper then anie two edged sword Heb. 4.12 and therefore needs not the helpe of anie Kings sword If his sword will not prevaile to bring men vnder obedience to his owne lawes what can our lord the Kings sword do it is spirituall obedience that the lord requires the K. sword caÌ„not smite the spirits of meÌ„ if our lord the K. shall force coÌ„pell meÌ„ to worship eate the lords supper against their coÌ„scieÌ„ces so shall he make his poore subiects to worship and eat vnworthily whereby he shall compell them to sinne against God and increase their owne judgments On let not our lord the K. suffer such evill to be done by his power little doth our lord the King know how many thousands of his people have bene compelled through troble and for feare of troble to worship and to eat the lords supper vnworthyly and so to worship and to eat and drincke to ther owne damnation who although they perish in their owne sinnes yet their blood wil be required at their hands that have compelled them so to sinne against their consciences and the lord in mercy give the K. a hart to looke vnto it that it be not laid to our lord the K. charg if he shall suffer them to exercise such powre by his authority And wee bow our selves to the earth before our lord the K. in greatest humblenes beseeching the K. to iudg righteous iudgment herein whether there be so vniust a thing and of so great cruell tyranny vnder the sunne as to force mens consciences in their religion to God seeing that if they err they must pay the price of theyr transgression with the losse of their soules Oh let the K. iudg is it not most equall that men should chuse their religion themselves seeing they onely must stand themselves before the iudgment seat of God to answere for themselves when it shal be no excuse for them to say wee were commanded or compelled to be of this religion by the King or by them that had authority from him And let our lord the K. that is a man of knowledg yet further consider that if the K. should by his power bring his people to the truth and they walke in the truth and dye in the profession of it in obedience to the Kings power either for feare or love shal they be saved The K. knowes they shall not but they that obey the truth in love whome the love of God constrayneth their obedience onely shal be acceptable to God 1. Cor. 13. Thus may our lord the K. see that by his Kingly power he cannot cause or make men bring an acceptable sacrifice to God and will the King make men whether they will or no bring an vnacceptable sacrifice to God and shall the King herein thinke he doth please God God forbid If the King will please God in such service then must he seeke to convert sinners from goeing astray Iam. 5.20 turne men to righteousnes Dan. 12.3 not with his sword of iustice but by the foolishnes of preaching for that is the meanes whereby God hath appointed to save them that beleeve 1. Cor. 1.21 and 27. for God hath chosen appointed the foolish things of the world the weake things the vile things the things that are dispised and things which are not to confound and bring to nought things that are and these things hath God chosen to set furth Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Here is not the absolute auctenticall word of comaund nor the mighty powerfull punishing sword of our lord the King required to this worke of the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus-Christ And let the King call to mynd that which no doubt the King hath often redd in the gospell according to Luk. Chap. 9.52.56 That when the Samaritanes would not receive Christ and that his disciples said wilt thou that wee comaund fire to come dovvne from heaven and consume them Iesus rebuked them and said â—ye knowe not of what spirit ye are the sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them wherby the King doth see that Christ will have no mans life touched for his cause if the Samaritans will not receive him he passeth by them if the Gadarens pray him to depart he leaves them if anie refuse to receive his disciples he onely bids them shake of the dust of their feet for a witnes against them Here is no sword of iustice at all required or permitted to smite anie for refusing Christ Then let not our lord the King suffer his swore of iustice which God hath given him with power from himself to defend and rule with aucthority keepe in all obedieÌ„ce his owne people people of God vnto the Ks. owne lawes statutes which apperteynes to the well governing and ruling of the Kings state kingdome which is worldly and must fade away Let not our lord the K. suffer this sword to be vsed to rule and keepe in obedience the people of God and of the K. to the lawes statutes and ordinances of Christ which apperteyne to the well governing and ruling of the
kingdome of Christ which is heavenly and endureth for ever the sword of whose kingdome is spirituall by the power of which sword onely Christs subiects are to be ruled and kept in obedience to him by the which sword our lord the K. must be kept in obedience himself if he be a disciple of Christ a subiect of Christs kingdome And this takes away with out gain-saying all the Kingly power authority of our Lord the K. in the kingdome of Christ for he cannot be both a King a subiect in one and the same kingdome the Kings vndestanding hart will easily deserne this Then let our lord the K. in all happines prosperity sitt in his owne Princely throne of that mighty Kingdome of Great Britanne Which God hath given to the King and to his posterity and the lord give the K. a most wise hart to rule iudg his people and the lord give all his people faithfull harts to love obey him and let all those the K. enimies that would not that he should reigne over them bestayne before him And let our lord Iesus-Christ in power and Maiesty sitt vpon Davids throne the throne of the Kingdome of Israell which his father hath given vnto him let Christ according to his owne wisedome iudg his people Israell and let our the K. be his subiect the which our lord the King yeilding himselfe to be the K. must needs grant that as he is an earthly King he can have no power to rule in this spiritual Kingdome of Christ nor can compell anie to be subiects thereof as a King whilst the K. is but a subiect him self for there may be but one King in Israel And let not our lord the King be now angry and his servants will speake but this once Will our lord the K. being him self but a subiect of Christs Kingdome take vpon him by his Kingly power to make Primats Metropolitans Arch. Bishops and lord Bishops to be lords in the Kingdome of Christ and over the heritage of God And will our lord the K. do this against the whole rule of Gods word wherein there is no one tittle to warrant our lord the K. thertoo Will not our lord the K. be supplicated by the humble petition of his servants to examine his power authority herein Farr is it from the harts of vs the Kings servants to move the King to depart from the least tittle of his right that belongs to his Royall Crowne dignity and farr be it from the King to take from Christ Iesus anie one part of that power honor which belongs to Christ in his Kingdome Let our lord the King pardon his servants for medling in this matter for wee professe our selves bound vpon the perill of our soules to be faithfull subiects both to Iesus Christ our K. to our lord K. there fore it stands vs vpon to know what belongs vnto Christ our heavenly K. and vnto our earthly K. and Christ our spirituall K. hath freely spoken vnto vs coÌ„maunded vs to give vnto our K. that which is our Ks. will not our lord the K. say as freely vnto vs give vnto God that which is Gods Wee doubt not but our lord the King will say so why then we appeale vnto our lord the K. that is our earthly K. lett the K. speake according to the true iudgment of his hart will the K. say that it belongs to him to make spirituall Lords over the house of God And will the K. warrant his saying to be Good And if the King warrant it onely by his Princely prerogative may wee therepoÌ„ give vnto the King this power in submitting our selves to such spirituall Lords and to their power were not this to take from our Spirituall Lord and King that which is even his owne name title and power and give it to another what greater evill can be comitted against Christ then to take his honor and power from him and give it to earthly meÌ„ who should feare tremble before him in giveing to him glory honor and not takeing from him Let not our lord the King be partaker in such great evill to suffer a power and name of blasphemy to be set vp so directly against the expresse comaundement of Christ who forbidds all Lordly titles and ruleing power one over another in his Kingdome we dare not but thinke it is done ignorantly both by our lord the K. who suffers this and by them that administer in this greatest evill wee the Kings servants say this greatest evill in that it is the abomination of desolation set vp in the high places which are the dayes of greatest tribulation that ever was or shal be the which dayes except they should be shortned no flesh should be saved And if it shall not yet appeare vnto our lord the that this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishops and lord Bs. is this abhomination of desolation set in the high places then wee beseech the K. vpon our knees by his highest honor and renowne by his truest justice most righteous iudgmeÌ„t by his most Godly Princ-like care of the salvation of al his subiects and lastly above all by his cheifest love vnto God to his holy truth That our lord the King will with his Royall coÌ„sent give way that this cause may come to an equall tryall but thus farr that the K. will but take hold his sword of iustice from this Hyrarchy that they may not smite the faith full true loyall subiects of the K. therewith neither to death nor to imprisoment nor to banishment for speaking or writing onely against their Kingdome And let our lord the King by the humble supplication of vs his servants be intreated to leave them to defend their spirituall power and names by the sword of the spirit which ought onely to be the weapon of their warefare if they be spirituall Lords as they pretend and then shall â—ur lord the K. see this cause truely decided to the Ks. honor and great comfort for the K. knowes that this Hyrarchy withall their learned dependancy if their cause be good they cannot lose it for want of learning in that they have wisedome learning if it be according to godlines sufficient to convince the whole earth and if they can with all that masse of learning mainteyne their Primacie and Prelacy Arch-Bishopry and spirituall Lordships then may our lord the King let them enioy it with comfort but if they cannot with all the spiritual weapons and armor they have vphold it then let it fall and go into the bottomles pitt from whence it is come Revel 9.2 and whether it must go though all the Kings on the earth should strive to vphold it Revel 20.1.2.10 Let not our lord the K. therefore give the least support therevnto by the power of his sword The lord grant that wee may find fauour in the Kings eies in this so iust and equall a cause which
but the same that was in Christ and his Appostles times in which times all earthly power was in the hands of earthly Kings and Princes and them that were in aucthority vnder them and Christ and his Appostles diminished not Kings and Princes of the least tittle thereof And all spirituall power was in the hands of Christ and his Appostles that were in aucthority vnder him of which spirituall power aucthority Christ nor his Appostles would suffer no earthly K. to diminish them of the least tittle thereof but rather gave them their lives if then our lord the K. do deserue that earthly Kings and Princes had the same power then that Kings and Princes have now and that Kings Princes had no power then over mens religion which was spirituall and belonged to Christ men were then to give vnto God that which was Gods and vnto Cesar and so vnto all earthly Princes onely that which apperteyned to them Then let our lord the King judg by what warrant of Gods word the King can now take to himself a spirituall power and set vp an Hyrarchy of Arch Bishop Lord B. and give aucthority to them to make lawes and Canons of Religion and to give them power to compell men vnto the obedience there of by such seveer courses as they have done Let our lord the King consider and the Lord give the K. wisedome therein that if no King nor Prince could have set vp such an Hyrarchy with such power and titles then but they had vtterly troden vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles for Christ and his Appostles must have bene subiect therevnto neither may anie King set vp such an Hyrarchy now because it doth vtterly tread vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles as well now as it had done then for wee have now Christ and his Appostles in all their power dignity as well as they had in those dayes according to that saying of our Saviour Christ in the parable They have Moses and the Prophetts And wee humble beseech our lord the K. a little to suffer the foolishnes of his servants although wee may seeme as fooles vnto the king herein If there had bene such a steaing Hyrarchy set vp in Christ and Th-appostles daies would the Hyrarchy have suffered vs that are thousands of the K. of great Brittans subiects to have gone to Christ his Appostles to have asked them whether wee should have obeyed them or no in all their Canons and ordinances And whether wee should have given thē those titles of superiority and all that ruling power which they challeng over vs the Kings subiects sureby they will say they would not have denyed vs that liberty to have gone in so waighty a cause and being so manie to have asked Counsell of Christ and his Appostles what wee should have done 20. thousands being ignorant and 10. thousands being doubtfull whether anie such power might be submitted too or no and thousands being out of all doubt that it might not be submitted vnto they will say they would not have denyed vs but wee knowe what their Canons would have made of it and wee may suspect justly that they would have enformed the King that it were very dangerous to suffer so manie to go vnto Christ and his Appostles for counsell and that it were not fitt to suffer such giddy heads to have that libertie for makeing rents and divisions and that it were much more safety for the King to suffer them to make all whole by their power and to subdue such busie refractary spirits Let the King with fauour suffer his servants thus to speake by the way least peraduenture anie such thinges come in the way And wee the Kings servants now takeing it for granted that the Arch Bs. and lord Bs. that professe such great holines would not have deneyd vs to have gone to Iesus Christ and his Appostles to be directed And if Christ and his Appostles had in the hearing of all our owne eares being so ma witnesses comaunded vs absolutely not to yeild the Arch-Bs and lord Bs. anie such power or names could wee yeld it them Although the Arch-Bs and Lord Bs. should with 20. thousands of witnesses affirme that Christ and his Appostles spake otherwise to their hearing Would our lord the King thinke it equall that wee should be forced to beleeue their hearing because they are lord Bs. contrary to the hearing of our owne eares being so manie witnesses of one Nation and tongue besides hundreth thousands of witnesses of other Nations tongues Wee knowe our lord the K. would thinke it no more equall if the case were so that wee should be forced to beleeve the lord Bs. hearīg then that they should be forced to beleeve our hearing Then iugd O King for the case is all one and the same for wee have Christ and his Appostles in their writings and they do absolutely speake to our vnderstandings that in no wise there ought to be anie such Hyrarchy of Arch Bs. and Lord Bs. in Christs Church And the Lord Bs. say that Christ and his Appostles speakes to their vnderstandings that there power and names are not cōtrary to Christs words Can our lord the King that is accompted a most wise and iust Prince in his iudgment iudg that wee are all bound to cast away our owne vnderstandings of Christs speaking and are to be compelled to beleeve and vnderstand Christ to speake as the lord Bs. vnderstād Christs speaking Oh let our lord the King with compassion consider whether ever since the heavens and earth were created there was a more vnequall extreame cruelty then this that the Kings people should be compelled in a cause that concernes the everlasting condemnation of their soules bodyes to Hell of force to submitt their soules and bodies to the vnderstanding of the Lord Bs. that are not able to direct themselves from the waies of death but are perished every man that ever bare that Office with those names and power if they repented not thereof although they had no other sinne and they also that do now beare that Office with those titles power shall likewise all perish to everlasting destruction if they do not repent thereof and cast it away the spirit of the lord hath spoken it Reuel 19.20 the Beast was taken and with him that false Prophet that wrought myracles before him whereby he deceived them that received the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his jmage these both were cast aliue into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And thus manifesting to our lord the K. that Iesus Christ is onely K. of Israell that sitts vpō Davids throne therefore onely hath the power of the King of Israel and none may partake with him in that kingdome and power who had the Spirit without measure and yet neither he nor his Appostles that had the Spirit without error to deliuer the Counsels
of God did ever by example practice nor by rule comaund nor give power that anie should be compelled by anie bodily punishment to obey their lawes and Ordinances which were infalibly true holy and good How much lesse ought our lord the King to comaund or give a power to Arch-Bs lord Bs. men full of the spirit of error to make lawes Canons with aucthority from the King to compell by imprisoment sharpe persecutions the Kings true subiects and people of God vnto the obediente thereof who for their religion to God although they be contrary mynded to the K. therein ought not seeing they deserue not to be punished either with death or bonds this is cōfirmed to the K. by the testimony of King Agrippa and noble Festus the governor who adiuged Paul to have done nothing worthy of death or bonds but that he might have bene loosed if he had not appealed to Cesar yet Paul was contrary mynded to Cesar to the jewes in his religion to God But they iudged him by the lawe of Nations by the power of which law the Kings of the nations are to rule judg according to their owne severall lawes against which law Paul had not transgressed for his cause was concerning the faith of Iesus Christ which could not be judged by that law And let our lord the King give his servants leave to comend this to the Kings best observatiō which is worthy to be observed that where soever in the new testament throughout the professors of the faith of Iesus were adiudged by earthly rulers Governors for anie thinge that they did or held of conscience to God of faith to Iesus Christ if earthly Rulers and Gouernors tooke the cause in hand by their power the iudgment was alwaes wicked and abhominable And if our lord the King will but begin his obseruation at the fore-runner of Christ Iohn Baptist whome Herod put in prisō and beheaded And then let the King come to Iesus Christ whome they iudged and crucified finding no evill he had done And so if it please the K. to looke throughout the whole booke of the Act. there the King knowes how the disciples of Christ were imprisoned threatned beaten stoned The made Saul hauock with his letters of Comission and entred into every house and drew out both men wemen and put them in prison Then Herod stretched furth his hand and vexed certen of the Church and Killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and Caught Peter and put him in prison Then were Paul and Sylas taken at Philippi by the Gouernors and people and were sore beaten cast into prison and the Iailer comaunded to kepe them surey being charged to preach Ordinances which were not lawfull for the Romans to receive nor observe Here may our lord the King see a true patterne how the people of God are persecuted when the Civill power doth iudg their cause of their faith and profession in their religion to God Thus have worldly Gouernors delt with the Church of Christ when the disciples fell vnder their censure for their faith to God And all these sentences of death bonds and persecutions the King can iugd to be vniust and vnlaw full in that these Rulers and Gouernors had no lawfull power nor aucthority to iudg Christ nor his disciples for matters of faith they being in all other thinges obedient to their lawes But men wil say all this is answered in one word They were heathen Rulers Now if our lord the K. will challeng a Prerogative or power becaus he professeth Christ then let it be lawfull for the King servants to tell the King that it he will professe to be a disciple of Christ that gives the King no power to do anie of all these thinges to imprison to banish to put to death that belongs onely to his earthly Kingdome for Christ and Appostles had no such power given them neither taught they the disciples to take vpon them anie such power and to execute it vpon the contrary mynded but taught them the cōtrary to instruct thē with meeknes and by preaching the word seeke their conversion with all long suffering and not to destroy them by severe punishments yea the disciples of Christ must wait and labor for the grafting in againe of the Iewes according to the prophesies of the scriptures Rom. 11.24.27 and therefore the King knowes they may not be destroyed although they be the greatest enimies of Christ that are vpon the earth and have and yet do cast the greatest reproach and contempt vpon Christ with such words as are most fearfull to vtter yet must the disciples of Christ wait for their conversion and not worke their destruction And let our lord the King call to mynd how the Appostle Paul teacheth all the disciples of Christ to be mynded towards all infidells Rom. 1. 14.15 where he saith Iam debter both to the Grecian and to the Barbarian both to the wise and to the vn wise And the same Appostle 1. Cor. 9.20.21.22 saith To the Iewes I become as a Iew to them that are vnder the law as though I were vnder the law to them that are without the law as though I were without the law to the weake I become as weake that I may wīne the weake I am made saith Th-appostle all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes save some All these instructions and directions are for our lord the King to direct the King how he should go in and out with holines all meeknes before his people to wynne them to Christ and not to set vp a Cruell Hyrarchy to make havock of the K. people as Saul did pulling them out of their houses both men and wemen casting them into prisons forceing them to flee the land and persecuting them with all cruelty May the King suffer all this to be done by his power vpon this ground of being a Christian King the Kings servants shewe the King yet once againe in all humility that Christ the King did not so himself he never appointed to be punished anie one man for desobeing his Gospell with the least bodily punishment And therefore wee instantly exhort our lord the King that the King would be no longer seduced by those most dangerous deceivers that have gottē the Kings power to punish those that Christ the King of Israell would not punish that persuade the King that the King hath the same power in the Kingdome and over the house and people of Christ that the Kings of Israell had in that Kingdome and over that house and people of God as it was the Church of God Wee according to our great weaknes have shewed to our lord the King before that the King cannot challeng that power meaning onely in respect of Religion And wee will by the Kings favour repeat the substāce of the whole ground in few words and wee beseech the King that wee may the rather do
it in that the whole cause depends thereon And wee repeat it vnto the King in these few words which shall never be disanulled or made void whilst the heavens and earth endure not because they are our words God forbid anie such arrogancie should possesse our harts but they shall never be made void neither shall anie ever be able to gain-say them with anie shew of truth because they are the words of the everlasting God of truth whereby wee shew vnto the King that the King cannot have that power in respect of Religion to God in the kingdome and over the house and Israell or people of Christ now that the Kings of Israell had in the old Testament or in the tune of the law The ground wee repeat vnto the King is this That the kingdome of Israell was an earthly or worldly kingdome an earthly or worldly Temple Tabernacle or house an earthly or worldly people and the King an earthly King who in and over all that kingdome Temple and people could require onely earthly obedience But the kingdome of Christ now is an heavenly kingdome not of this world his Temple Tabernacle or house an heavenly Temple Tabernacle or house his people a heavenly or spirituall people not of this world and the King Christ Iesus a heavenly spirituall King requiring spirituall obedience Therefore our lord the King can not as a King have anie power over this kingdome Temple Tabernacle house and People of God in respect of the Religion of God because our lord the King his kingdome is an earthly kingdome and to our lord the King belongs onely all earthly obedience service and duty which ought to suffice anie earthly man And the God of all Grace give our lord the King a gracious hart fully to be satisfied and contented with that great honor power and dignity that belongs vnto the King and to give glory and honor to God for it that it may go well with the King and his posterity for ever And the God of heaven deliver the King from all such enchanters of Egipt as shall perswade the King to take vpon him the power of the Kings of Israel over the Church of Christ onely for the setting vp and supporting of their High Priest hood with vrim and Thummim with Pompe and power and the Leviticall revenewes of Israell which they challeng and hold as apperteyning thervnto forceing the Kings people by cruelty to obey them as though with them onely remayned the oracles of God And now if they will shew anie manner of vprightnes vnto God or faithfulnes to the King or anie regard to Gods people let them not mainteyne their kingdome which they have obteyned of the King by deceit and flatteries as is prophesied Dan. 11.21 Let them not mainteyne it by the Kings sword and power but let them come furth with that sword and power whereof they glory so much and vse so little and mainteyne their names power cruelty with it and wee professe before God the whole hoast of heaven before our Lord the King and all his people that if they can prove evidently to our consciences by the holy word of God that wee may obey them in all their Canons and decrees and give them those names and titles without the everlasting destructiō of our soules and bodies in hell yea if they can but prove that wee ought to rest or depend vpon their iugdments vnderstandings in the exposition of anie one part of Gods word or that they have power to ordeyne and appoint anie one Ordinance or the manner of administring anie one Ordinance in the worship of God and Church of Christ wee profess vnto our lord the King wee will yeild them all the obedience they require But if they will prove these thinges onely by Conuotation Canons how can our lord the King require that the Kings servants should dishonor God by casting his holy truth away and with it the salvation of our soules and depend vpon their Canons and yeild them obedience and perish both in soules and bodies Wee have rather chosen thus to say downe our lives at the feet of our lord the King in presenting the cause into the Kings presence Saying with Ester If we perish we perish for coming thus boldly vncalled into the Kings presence but we will wait with hope and expectation that through the gracious worke of the lord the King will hold furth his golden rod that wee may live and not so onely but also that by the Kings meanes comfort and delivrance shall appeare vnto Israell And that our lord the King will say as that great King of Persia said Ezra 1.2 The lord God of heaven hath given me many Kingdomes of the earth and hath comaunded me to build him an house in Ierusalem who is he amongst you of all his people with whome his God is let him go to Ierusalem build the house of the lord God of Israell And as King Darius said Ezra 6.7.16 Suffer the worke of the house of God that the Israelites may build this house of God in his place that they may offer sweet odours vnto the God of heaven and pray for the Kings life and for his sonnes And as Artahshashte King of Persia said Ezra 7.23 what soever is by the comaundement of the God of heaven let it be done spedily for the house of the God of heaven for why should he be wroath against the Realme of the King and his children Thus beseeching the director of all harts to direct the Kings hart in these thinges wee continew praying for the King and his Sonne and the Kings Realmes and children That the King and his seed to Gods glory may sitt vpon the throne of Great Brittane whilst the earth endures possessing from God wisedome and Riches and Honor befitting the dignity of their high Renowne that they may walke in the waies of god that god according to his promisse may prolong their dayes And the Lord give all the Kings people faithfull vpright and honest harts that they may all with one hart as one man Feare God and Honor and obey the King with all the honor and obedience that hath or can be due to anie earthly King or Prince which is all earthly and worldly obedience with lands goods bodie and life And wee most humbly supplicate our Lord the King and all the honorable and worthy Gouernors vnder the King that they will not suffer them selves to be missed in judgment in condemning vs as movers of Sedition and our bookes for seditions bookes because wee differ from the recieved profession of Religion in the land but that they will according to that great gravity and wisedome that is vpon them wey what Sedition is and they will easly find that to professe and teach a differing judgment in Religion to the State cannot be proved Sedition for then had our Saviour Christ and all his Disciples bene found seditious persons which neuer could be proved against
off the Mone shal be as the light off the Sunne the light off the Sunn shal be seaven fold like the light of seaven days in the day that the lord wil bind vp the breach of his people heale the strooke of their wound And Esa 32.19 thou shalt not see a feirce people a people of dark speach that thou canst not perceive of a straing tongue that thou canst not vnderstand Al this teacheth the people of God to looke for plaine pathes to walke in which do shine with brightnes as also that the witnesses of the lord shal be a people that shal speake plainly to the vnderstanding of the simple therefore the Lords people must not walke in blind and secret wayes nor desert pathes which are not light and plaine nor be seduced by false Prophets and deceitful people that speake in their feirce heate dark and obscure thinges who are ful of deceitfull distinctions blind consequences and al turning of devices to deceive the simple saying loe here is Christ loe there is Christ of such our Saviour forewarnes his people that they beleeve them not although they shal shewe great signes and wonders but that they shal set their harts aÌ„d turne their eies vnto the cleare light of truth which is the everlasting gospel that the Angell flieing through the midst of heaven preached vnto them that dwel on the earth to every nation kindred tongue people Revel 14.6 This is the spirit off the Lords mouth wherewith he wil consume the man of sinne and abolish him by the brightnes of his comeing 2. Thes 2. By the ministery of the seaventh angel who when he hath poured out his viall their shall bee sounds lightnings thunders a great earthquake such as nevers was the great Citie shal be rent in three parts the Cities of the Nations shal fal that great Babilon shal come in remembrance before God hee shal give vnto hir the Cup of the wine of the feirenes of his wrath Rev. 16. Thus by the glorious light off the Gospell shall the misterye off iniquity be abolished And whereas our Saviour Christ saith that this his comeing shal bee as the lightning cometh out off the East and is seene into the west this makes it manifest vnto vs that the glorious overspreading off the gospel againe shal be as at the first General over all and that men shal seeke after and resort vnto the light of the truth of God as Eagles do to their pray according to the prophesie of Esa 60.4 Lift vp thyne eies round about and behold all these are gathered come to thee thy sonnes shal come from farr Esa 66.18 The Lord saith it will come that I shal gather all Nations and Tongues and they shal come and see my glory And the Lord by the Prophet Amos. 9.11 12. saith In that day wil I raise vp the Tabernacle of David that is fallen downe and close vp the breaches thereof will raise vp his ruins and I wil build it as in the dais of old and Esa 11.11.12 In the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people and he shal assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scatered of Iudah froÌ„ the fower corners of the world And herevnto agreeth the Prophesie Revel 19.17 Where the Angel that stands in the sunne cries with a lowd voice to al the foules that flye through the midst of heaven come gather your selves together to the supper of the great God and Revel 21. The Holy Spirit speaking of the glorious exaltation of the Holy Citie after the destruction off Babilon saith The Kings of Earth shall bring their glory and honor vnto it the glory and honor of the Gentils shal bee brought vnto it And this yet â—s the hope comfort of the Saincts of God that it shal come to passe that they which now come against Ierusalem shal go vp from yere to yere to worship the King the Lord of hoasts and to kepe the Feast of Tabernacles Zach. 14.16 Therefore saith the voice out of the Throne praise our God all yee his servants and ye that feare him both smale and great for the Lord that almightie God doth now raigne let vs bee glade and reioyce and give glory to him for the marriage off the lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hirself Revel 19.5.6.7 These words are faithful aÌ„d true which must shortly bee fulfilled blessed is hee that observeth the Words of the prophesie off the booke Revel 22.6.7 But woe woe woe then bee vnto all that doe not marke and observe them and faithfully and carefully keepe the Words off the Prophesie off this Booke But wee demaund in all these daies of tribulation which are such as never were nor ever shal be where shal the ignorant appeare iff in the daies of so great danger when there shal bee as there now is so manie false Prophets shewing such signes and wonders so as if it were possible they should deceive the very elect if in these daies the ignorant bee seduced through their ignorance shal they drinck of the Cup of the wine of Gods wrath The word of the Lord is perfect and plaine they shal al perish that are ignorant and are deceived because they receive not the love of the truth therefore God shal send them stronge delusions that they should beleeve lyes and bee damned 2. Thes 2. And it is iust with the Lord their ignorance being declared to be for want of the love of the truth Thus then is this ground off truth most evident aÌ„d plaine they that through grace in Christ receive the love off the truth they are the Elect of God and shal not bee deceived but shal bee saved But they that through the effectuall working of Sathan withal his signes and lying wonders receive not the love of truth they shal bee deceived and beleeve lyes and bee damned Moreover our Saviour Christ saith if the ignorant lead the ignorant they shal both fall into the pit Mat. 15.14 let al therefore take heed and learne to knowe the truth of God and to love it and to vnderstand his word themselves seeing the Lord hath comaunded them not to followe such as say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but to looke vnto the shyning light of truth whereof if they bee not able to iudg and deserne of themselves by the direction of Gods spirit they can never have faith nor assurance in the way they walke so shal they runne blindfold to destruction not knoweing whether they are sedd False prophets or true Prophets are al alike to them they being ignorant of the scriptures whereby they should examine them and find them out and try their doctrine such must needs bee carried away with every blast off vaine doctrine wheÌ„ they are not able to try the spirits whether they be of God these
house or bought with his monie which were not of his seed were al to bee circumcised because it was the Covenant that God comaunded Abraham to kepe to circumcise al his males and not because they were al vnder the Covenant of circumcision by Abrahams faith this is but a vaine invention of the man of sinne and a mistery of iniquity to deceive them that have pleasure in vnrighteousnes haveing no shewe nor warrant of scripture to say they were circumcised because they were vnder the Covenant by Abrahams faith al evidence of Scripture is against it in that the lord doth plainly declare in his word that they were to be circumcised that were noâ— vnder the Covenant even all Abrahams houshold whereoff there was no one vnder the Covenant but himselff when the commaundement was given Now theÌ„ you haveing no cullor shew nor warrant from the scriptures for the baptizing of infants but a deceitful consequence from the example off circumcision we beseech al that hope for salvatioÌ„ by Iesus Christ to see the deceit of your consequeÌ„ce thus you say and this is all your hold that as the seed off the faithful were circumcised so the seed of the faithfull must be baptized proofe for this your ground you have none but your strong perswasions and long custome wherein no one of you have faith but to shew yet againe the deceit of your consequence First it is not drawne by due proportion which is a most deceitful way to deceive the simple for thus ougt your consequence to be drawne as Abraham beleving was circumcised aÌ„d al the males of his houshold both meÌ„ and childreÌ„ of eight daies old bond aÌ„d free so now anie man beleving must be baptized withal his houshold both men and childreÌ„ of eight daies old bond aÌ„d free Secondly the deceit of your consequence is because it is not a necessary consequence for you must prove nothinge by consequence but that which must off necessity followe but this doth not off necessity followe neiâ—her can it followe that because infants were circumcised with circumcision in the Flesh vnder the Law therefore infants must of necessity bee baptized with the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes vnder the Gospel with which baptisme they cannot be baptized as all of anie vnderstanding must needs confesse aÌ„d there is but one baptisme and therefore most blindly ignorantly and deceitfully is this consequence drawne being neither draweÌ„ by due proportion neither can the rule possibly follow by true consequence neither shal you be able to tel what to say when you shal bee required to prove it a necessary consequence If therefore you will not wilfully go on in the waies of everlasting destruction forsake this roote off error which overthrowes the Covenant of the Gospel of Iesus Christ in the first foundation thereof bringing in the seed off the flesh off the faithful by carnal generation for the seed of the promisse in steed of the seed of the faith of Abraham by spiritual regeneration making the infants that are begotten of the faithful after the flesh members of the body of Christ and heires of the Covenant of the new TestameÌ„t which is the Covenant of faith and repentance through the faith of their parents and by this meanes you have and do daylie bring all the wicked and vngodlie in these parts of the World to bee members off Christs bodie and heires off the Covenant by natural birth which our Saviour Christ saith Ioh. 3. Can no way be but by new birth that is by being borne againe of water and the Spirit which is by beleeving and being Baptized Thus do you vtterlie destroy and overthrowe the holie Covenant of the Lord the holy baptisme and the body off Christ makeing them Comon to all yong and old wicked and prophane blasphemers persecutors murtherers adulterers and witches and al their ChildreÌ„ but let all knowe this such as the members are such is the body and such is the baptisme aÌ„d such is their Covenant the Covenant of death and condemnation vnto al that are vnder it and not the Covenant of life and salvation which is onely made with them that beleeve and are baptized and the Lord perswade every honest hart to ground their faith vpoÌ„ this rock that as vnder the Law none were circumcised but those that were expresly commaunded by rule or exaÌ„ple so vnder the Gospel none may bee baptized but those that are expresly commaunded by rule or example and keeping to this true ground no simple soule shal bee deceived and so wee leave this point with Godly care to be considered of beseeching the Lord to give you vnderstanding harts Thus have we with our most willing though most feeble endeavors manifested vnto you these two salse professions of Christ and the false Prophets that mainteyne them amongst you with divers perticuler errors and strong delusions whereby they deceive you transforming themselves as though they were the Prophets off God but they are all deepe deceivers and Prophesie lyes as wee have proved wherein they shal never bee able to iustifie themselves neither before God nor his people and wee much rather disire their repentance then that they should go about to approve themselves in their evil whereby they shal heape sinne vpon their owne heads and bring shame to their owne faces seeing the time is come that the lord wil reprove the foolishnes of such false Prophets who make shewe off Godlines but denie the power thereoff who lead captive simple wemen which are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg off the truth These are they that Thappostle foretold of 2. Tim. 3. Who like Iannes Iambres resist the truth who are proud boasters in exalting themselves and challenging to themselves speciall power to knowe and vnderstand the counsels of God when they are meÌ„ of corrupt knowledg aÌ„d mynds and to be reproved concerning the faith but saith Thappostle they shall prevaile no longer for their madnes shall bee evident vnto al men aÌ„d we exhort you with the words of thapostle turne away therefore from such It followeth that we speake some few words of the second prophesie which is of the days of the Sonne of maÌ„ in the brightnes of his comeing for the consuming of the man of sinne spoken of 2. thes 2. the which days our saviour saith shal be as the lightning that cometh out of the East is sene into the west mat 24. wherein is set furth vnto vs that the Lord shal make his truth to appeare with vnspeakeable evidence of light so as his people shal plainly see the way and light thereoff according as the Lord by the Prophet Esa speaketh 42.16 I wil bring the blind by a way they knew not lead them by pathes they have not knowne I wil make darknes light before them crooked thinges straight and the lord wil not speake in secret neither in a place of darknes in the earth and Esa 30.26 the light