gentle and meek easie to be Jam. 3. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 25. entreated with meekness instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them the knowledge of the Truth It is Spiritual and the Weapons thereof are not Carnal but mighty through the Spirit But that 2 Cor. 10. 4. which stands in the Worship of man or of the Devil or of the Worship of the Devil or man is otherwise It is like that from whence it came which is Carnal and outward and fierce and implacable and destructive in the consequence to those that bow not thereunto which is a demonstration of that from whence it came as pertaking of its nature and being like thereunto This I write to give a little taste of the difference of either that as I go along all may see what things have ruled in the World and what hath been the ground of the troubles that have been therein concerning Religion and that they may know what that Religion is that ends in death and other sufferings and may be convinced how far it is from that which came not to bring death but to deliver from it which seeks the destruction of the spirit that leads aside from God not the man but to redeem and deliver him And here as in a Glass these things may be seen and discovered and with great perspicuity and plainness if men shut not their eyes on purpose and refuse to see though the day-light break in never so bright upon them whose eyes the god of this World hath blinded even the minds of them lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who 2 Cor. 4. 4. is the Image of God should shine unto them As the Apostle spake in his day of those to whom his Gospel was hid even to them that were lost it was so plain it was so perspicuous If our Gospel be hid it is to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded their minds c. as aforesaid 2 Cor. 4. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. So there I leave this matter and shall proceed to shew what hapned or came to pass after the time of which the Scriptures give testimony being the thing of which I have declared to treat though thus much was necessary to say to bring things down from the beginning to their due order and place and so I shall proceed Sufferings by the Heathen after the days of the Apostles The Roman Emperors were worshippers of Images of Godds their Jurisdictions were large and their Worships they made as large as their Jurisdictions nothing was more against that which was not God than the Name of that or of him which came to redeem from dumb Idols to the Service of the living God and this was Christ Jesus he gave a great start to the Godds made with hands the Inventions of men who had eyes and saw not ears and heard not neither did they understand The Psal 115. 5. Power in which he stood and the Miracles which he wrought were such that drew to him great admiration throughout the World The Romans had jurisdiction over Judea in those dayes and the Regions thereabouts they were an inquisitive and understanding People as men though ignorant of God their Lievtenants Prefects and Governors usually gave them account who had the chief rule of what considerably passed in their Provinces and was most remarkable the mighty things which Jesus did and how he was put to death and rose again went not without its observation and report Pilate under and by whom he suffered Pilates account at the instigation of the Jews being then Governor of Jerusalem who washed his hands and said He would have nothing to do in the death of that just Person though he afterwards delivered Jesus to their wills notwithstanding that he knew that through very envy Jesus was delivered to him having a sence upon him of what Jesus was and of the mighty things he had wrought signified the matter so unto Tiberius who was Anno. 18. to Tiberius Emperor of Jesus occasioned then Emperor that he had him in great Reverence and his Doctrine and declared to the Senate That it pleased him right-well and so would have had him put among the number of their Godds but they received it not because of the decree that was amongst them That no Godd should be consecrated by the Emperor unless it were first agreed upon by the Senate as Eusebius quotes Tertullians words who nevertheless viz. Tiberius Euseb lib. 2. cap. 2. gave not over but persevered in his Opinion of Jesus and his Doctrine â—hreatning them with death that would accuse the Christians The Seâ—ate the liberty of the profession of saith Eusebius of Tertullians words rejected it because they had not allowed the same but he persevered in his Opinion threatning them death that would accuse the Christians And this maketh for us saith Eusebius of Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians that the Deity is weighed amongst you after mans will and judgment unless God please man he is not made God so that saith Tertullian by the Decree man must be favourable Tertul in Apolog advers Gentes cap. 3. and gracious unto God This was the wisdom saith Eusebius of Tiberius his retaining of the sence of Christ and his Doctrine of the Divine Providence lightning his mind that the preaching of the Gospel should pass Christian Religion at the beginning throughout the World So I have given the ground or occasion as to men how the fame of Jesus had its liberty to go through the World which as Eusebius hath observed no doubt was through the Wisdom of God and his mighty Hand that the report of what he was and did from Pilate should bear that weight with Tiberius as to allow a propagation thereof throughout his Dominions which extended very far by reason of which it so came to pass that multitudes were turned from their Idols and worshipped the God which made Heaven and Earth through his Son Jesus Christ Thus got the Name Christian footing in the World and spread it self Which spreading it self over under the whole Heaven as it were of the Roman Empire into Towns Cities Nations Provinces and the Lord was called upon who made Heaven and Earth the Sea and the dry Land of which John speaks and the Earth was replenished with the knowledge of the Lord But in The World occasioned or the Persecution because thereof this state it stood not long but the Enemy as soon as he could wrought off that sound which was of what Jesus was from all the Emperors that succeeded Tiberius and the sence of him and it and got the constitutions of the Roman Empire for the enforcing of the Worship of their Idol become General Godds to take place which gave occasion of infinite sufferings and unheard of Butcheries to be committed on the Christians from the dayes of Nero who succeeded
of any part of his Host and tryumphed that Summer on the parts that separate the Roman and Persian Dominion Chosroes being afflicted with this deep distress dismayed and Cap. 15. Chosroes with deep distress dies having made a Law That the Persians should never make War with the Romans The Roman inundation of Judgment stopt Little mentioned of Tiberius as to Religion The Reasons supposed and given discouraged pining away and languishing with sorrow died leaving a Law behind him That the King of Persia should never make War with the Romans as an everlasting memorial of his utter foyl and flight whom succeeded his Son Hormisda Thus the Affairs of the Romans had success and a stop was put on the inundation of Judgement which had like to have over-run the whole Roman Empire and put it in the dust There is little or no attempt that I hear of made by this Tiberius about Religion the History therein is silent It 's very like there was a good sence remained of what was the cause of the former Judgments which he was loath to draw further upon him by new matters for the Empire was like to have fallen by what had been already only Anatalius of Antioch being found to have sacrificed to Cap. 18. Anatalius of Antioch Sacrifices to Idols A great ado about him and with Gregory because of him Idols and he having got into great friendship with Gregory the Bishop a great ado there was and suspition was had of Gregory so that the Emperor was constrained to sift out the matter and by torment to put Anatalius to it whether Gregory was in such things as those Anatalius hearing what should befal him ere he was brought from Antioch is said to have run to the Picture of Is brought from Antioch An instance of their Superstition Mary called the Mother of God which hung by a Cord in the Prison setting his hands behind him and making supplication and praying unto it the Picture is said to have turned away from him detesting him as a wicked person and one that God abhorred Also that she appeared to many that are called faithful and set them against Anatalius saying He had reviled her Son Which things I quote to shew how Superstition was entred in those dayes and how the Historian seemed to be addicted thereunto The Sacrificers condemned to perpetual banishment The people put them into a Boat burns them quick In the end nothing could be found against the Bishop but the Sacrificers were condemned to perpetual banishment which the People would not suffer but putting them into a Boat burnt them quick Also against the Emperor and Eutychius they cryed out as Traytors to the Faith and both Eutychius and those who sat in Commission on Anatalius had been dispatched could they have been found whom they diligently sought for As for Natalius he was first thrown to the ravenous Beasts in compass of the Theatre Anatalius thrown to the ravenous Beasts Then hanged on a Gallows The wolves haled his Carkass to the Earth of them to be torn in pieces next hanged on a Gallows on which hanging the Wolves came and haled the Carkass to the Earth and with great ravening rent it in pieces which was never seen before Nor was the Empire free from other troubles but in the third Cap. 17. A great Earthquake at Daphne and Antioch Anno. 580. Other troubles at Constantinople Antioch year of the Reign of Tiberius about noon-day there arose such an Earthquake at Antioch and Daphne that Daphne with the force and violence thereof fell to the ground and many both private and publick buildings in Antioch were unjoynted and broken asunder Other calamities at Constantinople and Antioch followed which vexed the Cities out of measure with great Tumult and Sedition The Affairs of the Empire standing as aforesaid in reference Cap. 19. Justin dies Tiberius sole Emperor Sends Mauricius against the Persians His great success to Persia Justinus being dead and Tiberius being clad with the Imperial Robe saw cause to put Justinianus from his command his latter enterprises having not so good success against the Barbarians and to place Mauricius a wise and sober man very diligent and politick and moderate in his diet and otherwise in his room who waging War in Forreign Countries took both Cities and Castles which lay most commodious for the Persians and carried thence so great a prey that he filled Isles Towns and Countries that had lain a long time desolate and not inhabited with the Captives manured the untilled Land and made it arable and filled his Armies who valiantly fought with him against other Nations and stored Families with Captives of which there were both good cheap and store With the Head and chief of all Persia he also made War to Cap. 20. The overthrow of the greatest Captains of Persia wit Tamo Chosroes and Adaarmanes who led great Armies in the field the former was overthrown in the front of his Host not saith the History with the fortitude of the Roman Army but the only piety of the Captain and his Faith in God Adaarmanes by plain force was put to flight and that not onely when Alamundarus Captain of the Barbarians called Scenetae betrayed him in that he would not come over the River Euphrates and aid him but also when Theodorichus Captain of the Scythians durst not tarry within the reach of the Enemy but shewed them immediately a fair pair of heels together with the men whom he led Tiberius being now ready to give up the Ghost he caused Mauricius Cap. 22. Anno. 585. He dies having caused Mauricius to be proclaimed Emperor and given him his Daughter full of Glory to be proclaimed Emperor and to him gave in marriage his Daughter Augusta giving him the Empire in Dowry and his own title of Tiberius and Augusta the name of Constantia So he ended his dayes leaving behind a name of glory and praise to future Generations Justinus reigned alone twelve years ten months and odd dayes with Tiberius three years and eleven months Tiberius was Emperor by himself four years During the Reign of Mauricius there is nothing mentioned Mauricius is not mentioned Evagr. lib. 6. per totum as medling with Religion So the History of his Wars is not made mention of in this Tract which hath relation only to Religion and as the medling therewith was a consequent because of which Wars Fire Earthquakes other Judgments are mentioned as a Looking-glass for and an admonition to England in the History of matters of Religion imposed or sought to be so by him at all only variable conditions of the Empire as good and bad men had to doing in the under management thereof Therefore I need not be particular in those things which related to the Wars which no otherwise stand me in stead or serving my purpose then as I can produce them as consequences of having to do with Religion and the imposing
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
against the Christians was wholly quenched What wayes are here brought about in the Wisdom of God to bring to pass and what Judgements brings he over men ere they will cease their hands from persecuting those whom they should let free as to their Conscience to God Furthermore that it may appear that by other wayes then one More Judgments following Valeus the Hand of the Lord was stretched out against Valens for his cruelty to his Brethren And so to give yet more evidence of the revealed Judgements of God and his Vengeance Who ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors and so to shew how he makes that an opportunity of Reconciliation the running in division against which is a cause of punishment I shall produce one instance of reputation and weight even answerable to this case whilst yet Valens is to be discoursed of as not having breathed out his last When the Emperor had left Antioch the Saracens who before Cap. 29. The Saracens war with the Romans under Mavia their Queen as a scourge And had like to over-ran them were fellow-Friends and in league with the Romans took up Arms against them under the Government of Mavia whose Husband a little before had departed this life and had like to over-ran all the Provinces of the Romans that lay towards the East had not the same hand stopt them who raised them up as a scourge unto Valens through such an opportunity as this of the Saracens There was one Moses who led in the Desart a Monastical The making of Moses a retired man amongst them a Bishop is her Proposition of Peace or retired kind of life and is said for his zeal to Religion his constant Faith and working of strange Miracles to be famous amongst them Mavia demanded this Moses to be her Bishop and so she would lay down Arms and be in league with them The Roman Captains accept thereof He is sent from the Wilderness to Alexandria to be so made He refuses to be made by the Bishop Lucius His Speech The Roman Captains accept hereof and laying aside all delayes command it to be done Moses hereupon is taken from the Wilderness and sent to Alexandria to be made Bishop and being come to be made Bishop he refuseth to receive Orders from him and after this sort reasons with him I think my self unworthy of the Priestly Order yet if it be for the profit of the Common-Wealth that I be called unto the Function truly thou Lucius shalt never lay hand upon my head for thy right hand is imbrued with slaughter and bloodshed When Lucius said again That it became The Bishop reproves him not him so contumeliously to revile him but rather to learn of him the Precepts of Christian Religion Moses answered I am not come to He replies and gives the reason of his refusal because of his Persecution And shews what the true Principles are of Christian Religion reason of matters of Religion but sure I am of this That thy horrible practises against the Brethren prove thee to be utterly void of the true Principles of Christian Religion for the true Christian striketh no man revileth no man fighteth with no man for the Servant of God should be no fighter but thy deeds in exiling of some throwing others to wild Beasts burning of some others do cry out against thee yet are we surer of the things we see with our eyes then of those we hear with our ears He having uttered these and such like words his He is brought to a Mountain and made Priest by the Exiled The Wars cease Friends brought him to a certain Mountain where he was made Priest of such as were exiled So the War with the Romans ended and Mavia married her Daughter to Captain Victor And Antioch being left by Valens the persecuted found comfort and Cap. 30. Peter bringing Letters from the Bishop of Rome the people thâ—ust out Lucius and place Peter in his Rome He dies in a shoâ—t time Timothy succeeds Peter being come from Rome with Letters from Damasus confirming both the Religion of Moses and the Creation or making of Peter Bishop of Alexandria The people thrust out Lucius who got him to Constantinople Peter being in his place after a little time died whom his Brother Timothy succeeded Valens being come to Constantinople found the people in great Cap. 31. Valens coming to Constantinople finds the people in heaviness because of the Goths They reflect upon and reprove him heaviness the Goths who had overrun Thracia having set upon the Suburbs of that City and there was no power prepared to repel them such a plague came upon the Empire for the persecution the Barbarians for so the Romans called the other Nations being come nigh the Walls the people of Constantinople were wonderfully sorry they lament their case and steping to the Emperor charged him with entertaining in his own Dominion such as now were ready to cut his own throat they blamed him for withstanding them no sooner they condemned him for proclaiming open War no sooner as they ran at tilt and were exercised in such Warlike Pastime they all with one consent ran unto the Emperor and cryed out against him that he had set such exercises at naught and said Give us Armour and we our selves will deal with them Thus was this persecuting Emperor He boils in anger and is plagued Leaves the City with threats what he would do when he returned plagued and boyling in anger at their exclamations left the City not without threatnings That if he returned again safe he would plague the City partly because they reviled him partly for the Treason of Procopius and lay it even with the ground and turn it into Arable Land for the Plough to pass through the Bowels thereof But he never returned for though his marching forth made the He returns not The Goths retreat to Adrianople He joyns Battel and is slain The manner how diversly reported Anno. 381. Goths to retreat as far as Adrianople a City of Thracia lying on the confines of Macedonia yet there as he joyned Battel he was slain in the fiftieth year of his Age after he had reigned thirteen years with his Brother and three years after his decrease Some say he was burned to Ashes in a certain Village whitherto he fled which the Goths set on fire others that the Horse having yeelded without any great fighting he threw off his Imperial Robe and thrusting himself among the throng of Footmen was there slain and his body lay there unknown And this was The end of the Persecutor and the vengeance that overtook him who pretended to Christ yet tore the Christians the end of this wicked Persecutor whom vengeance met with at last though he seemed to prosper a long time in his persecuting of the Christians to whose Master he as well as they pretended whom yet he tore in pieces and destroyed which now came to be
and destruction in the World men avenge themselves on persons and destroy them they know not that or are not guided by it which conquers the risings of evil in their own minds and that which rises in another The strong man Armed that keepeth the House they know not to be bound by the stronger than he which spoileth him of his defence and taketh his goods to overcome themselves which is greater prowess than to overcome strong Cities Every one ought said the Poet of old to tame or make subject his own heart This is the thing that keeps all things in order that leads captivity captive that cannot be overcome which overcomes ill will strifes variance mischiefs hatreds envies emulations whisperings backbitings risings blood which kills things in the root the Devil and his nature and spirit that leads into those things the works of the Devil the which to destroy the Son of God was manifest who saith He came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Here is the Safeguard the Rock the Buckler the place of Defence the Pavilion the hiding-place under the shadow of the Wing of the Almighty the Defence from the strife of Tongues the Secret of the Almighty the Mountain full of Horsemen and Chariots of Fire the more with us than against us where the Sword is beaten into a Plowshare and the Spear into a Pruning-hook and War is learnt no more as the Prophets Isaiah and Micah prophesied should be in that day That the Mountain of the Lords House is established on the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people say they shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the House of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Paths For out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge many Nations and shall rebuke many People and they shall beat their Swords into Plough-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not rise up against Nation nor shall they learn War any more O House of Israel come ye and let us walk in the Light of the Lord Isa 2. 2 3 4 5. Micah 4. 1 2 3. And he adds But they shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Figtree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it vers 4. And saith Joel Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles prepare Wars wake up the mighty men let all the men of War draw near let them come up Beat your Plough-shares into Swords and your Pruning-hooks into Spears let the weak say I am strong Assemble your selves come all ye Heathen and gather your selves together round about thither cause the mighty ones to come down O Lord Let the Heathen be awakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Nations round about Put ye in the Sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get ye down for the Press is full the Fat 's overflow for the wickedness is great Multitudes multitudes in the Valley of decision for the day of the Lord is great in the Valley of decision Joel 3. 9 to 14. So there 's their judgment And here is that which preserves and keeps the Arm of the Lord and his Dominion which is greater than all which keeps the heart in peace in perfect peace which trusteth in him which he that is of this World is not so great which gives to overcome the evil of this World all provocations enmities malice mischiefs all that would stir up a man that is of this World and overcome him which beareth all things and suffereth all things which thinks no evil that hopeth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7 8. which never faileth which suffereth long and is kind which envyeth not which vaunteth not it self which is not puffed up which doth not behave it self unseemly which seeketh not its own is not easily provoked rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth the Love which man being an enemy seeks to reconcile him to God the Power of God which preserves and keeps The Jews were required thrice in the year all their men Children to Exod. 34. 23 24. appear before the Lord the God of Israel and whereas they might object and say The Enemy then that lives round about us may come and invade our Land and possess our Habitations when there are no men to keep it but they are all in one place far distant from the Borders The Lord answers them For I will cast out the Nations and enlarge thy Borders Neither shall any man desire thy Land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in a year This was when War was lawful to them and yet being thus required the Lord in the time of Wars when all was against them round about when the Nations were cut off and they had possessed their Land none invaded them till there was an end of them He passed through them whom the Jews sought oftentimes to kill whose Kingdom was not of this World who had no outward Arm to preserve and keep him his Apostles and Disciples who had no Arm of flesh and whose Doctrine had no tutelage or defence by the Sword of man whom the powers of the Earth were against carried through their Doctrine throughout notwithstanding all opposition and though they were esteemed as perverters changing the Laws and Customs and turning the World upside down Acts 17. 6 7. doing contrary to the Decrees of Caesar saying There is another King one Jesus and had the whole World in opposition who were contrary to the World and not of it therefore the World hated them yet their Doctrine stood it throughout the whole World and though multitudes of the Christians were suffered to be cut off during the Heathen Persecution as a proof of the power of God in them which carried them through on whom also the Apostacy had entered yet the thing was the same which carried them through all the torments imaginable and cruelties of deaths so that they were not overcome but by death overcame him that had the power of death viz. the Devil and left a good savour of the vertue of the power of him who is everlasting who made them more than Conquerors as what hath been repeated out of History gives abundantly to understand So that the Testimony is abundant to this thing of which I have declared even the whole Series of that which hath born through and suffered for the Truth from the beginning and that the Truth yet is from the beginning notwithstanding all that in this World hath made head against it which hath seemed alwayes in comparison to be little in the World and which the men of
the World and the Prince of it hath sought to pull down but hath not been able Naked Truth which is greater than all by its own force and virtue which is spiritual hath overcome and given all to do the same who have been led and guided by it that which subdues the spirits of men that which chains that binds the strong man armed and makes the Devils subject can certainly prevail to keep all that are guided by it in whom it lives and by whom they are preserved and kept The Lord the everlasting God neither fainteth nor is weary there is no searching out of his understanding The Power of God Christ Jesus by whom all things were made and preserved without which said he to Pilate nothing could be done unto him without doubt is able and will as he sees its most advantage to his Truth and the glory of his Name keep those in whom it lives who know the Rock that is higher than they the strong Tower the Name of the Lord to which the Righteous fly and are saved This may suffice to answer the Objection which happily may arise in some in point of safety should that be insisted on which looks to outward Arms the Truth had never been at this day had not the virtue and power thereof preserved and kept it self and all who have kept to it Wars and the Sword were not in the beginning in the beginning it was not so man was made in that or by it which made the Creation there was no variance Adam gave names to all the Creation the Creatures came to Noah by an instinct not humane to be preserved in the Ark. The first use of Arms was found in Cain who killed his Brother because of Religion the enmity entered with transgression the strange Nature which knew not that in which all things were made which sought the destruction of that which was made that which is come to redeem from transgression redeems from the consequence or that which followed by reason of transgression as well as transgression removes the enmity casts it out which having entered into the Creation seeks to destroy it which is the Devil and brings where man was in the beginning where one Spirit that by which all things were made which is tender to that it hath made which is the Harmony or Union where no Jar is lives and rules and hitherto things must all come again And as that in and by which all things were made comes to live as it comes to live works to this out of the contrary and that which will be in the end must be in the beginning and a beginning it must have and some must begin it and who should or can do this but those in whom this is so come to live that in the particular hath so far overcome that this it can do which is to be an example or a leader to the rest till iniquity being overcome and that which destroyes the Creation being cast out the Earth enjoy her Sabbaths again and the oppressor ceaseth out of the Land Happy is that people who are in such a case saith the Psalmist Psal 144. 15. in a thing of another nature Yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. He gave his back to the smiter and his cheeks to them that plucketh off the hair and hid not his face from shame and spitting Isa 50. 6. The same is now where and as he is witnessed and his Dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdom that which shall not pass away All that were led by his Spirit in all Generations pertook of his mind in this and thereby overcame the Lord sustained them so that they fainted not That which fights with the Sword must subdue the Spirit or it cannot overcome the body in which the Spirit is if the Spirit be overcome without the Sword bound or chained up is it not the same yea is it not better and there is a way to this and the man sees and hath proved it so who knows the Wisdom and the Power of God So let all men be satisfied in this thing the Doctrine that I preach is not new it was in the beginning and is in measure in some again and will be in the end The Prophets have prophesied so the Lord of Life in his humiliation witnessed it to be so so did the Prophets and Apostles so have all his Witnesses to this day and so now it is witnessed and will be till all hath an end and till time is no more The Witnesses of Jesus though men of War otherwise laid down to this The Roman Captains and Souldiers when it came to this laid down their Sword-Girdles as aforesaid and imbraced death as Christians I am a Christian and so suffered so have the Christians in succeeding Ages Why should I fill the World with reports of what Histories have said of this matter any further The ground hath been shewn wherein War stands and the reason and ground of the alteration and wherein that stands which gives it I hope no considerate man by this time will look strange upon this Position but having duly weighed things will see the rise of the one and of the other Arms and that which subdues them and so will be more gentled at least to the contrary Principle if not convinced of it which they may be in due season for which cause this is written at least that the ground on which we stand as to these things may be understood or that we may give a reason thereof to this and Generations to come and not appear as Monsters which the opposites to us would make in this thing who are no otherwise therein then on the ground aforesaid which he that thinks he can overthrow let him manifest himself therein So far at this time is it with me to write of this thing and so I shall proceed THE Fourth General Head Concerning the Changeable Priesthood The fourth and last Head is the Changeable Priesthood the Rise and Original of that and of the contrary to which I shall speak and then I shall end as to these Heads or Particulars THE Changeable Pristhood had its Date with the Nation of the Jews it was Figurative and ended in him who changed the Priesthood who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck without beginning of dayes or end of life whom the Changeable Priesthood signified For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the True but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer up himself often as the high Priest entred into the holy Place every year with blood of others for then must be often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed for men once to die but