insufficient Rule to guide us to God about the Oaths of the King's Supremacy and Allegiance to him and upon that occasion somewhat an ample Treatise about Swearing asserting That under the Gospel there is yet a lawfull use of swearing being now debarred of other Ministerial imployment I have conceived it a necessary work to shew the weakness of those suppositions upon which the Quinto-monarchians have been drawn to such an hideous practice as that accursed action forementioned was § 2. The words of Quinto-monarchians expressing their Opinions about seeking Christ's Kingdom in this Age are recited THere was a Book printed made in the year 1656. as is noted pag. 18. bearing this Title The Banner of Truth displayed or a Testimony for Christ and against Antichrist being the substance of several Consultations holden and kept by a certain number of Christians who are waiting for the visible appearance of Christs Kingdom in and over the World and residing in and about the City of London In the first page of the Epistle Dedicatory are these words And truly it evidently appeareth that Rome and the Nations of Europe commonly called the Protestant but are the Antichristian Countries which are the streets of the Great City and Rome-Babylon are the Akeldama or Field of bloud And some pages after mentioning powers since the rise of the Beast with ten horns and ten crowns and their success it is said Now for that we apprehend that the present Generation in which we live is that time in which this great work of Reformation rending and tearing the very foundations of the Beasts Civil power up by the roots the fall of the tenth part of Rome's Dominions a great slaughter amongst the great men and implacable Enemies of Christ and the final result the Kingdoms of the world becoming Christ's possession will begin and that time in which the first dispensation of our Lord's Kingdom shall take place and that it shall not pass before these things be fulfilled Therefore we are against these Governments as now constituted and growing upon the old root of wickednesse and bitternesse that time out of mind have brought forth and produced nothing but bloud-Monsters and to Rule by those Laws that Bastards Tyrants and Conquerors have made for their Lusts sake in opposition to the Law and the Testimony Isay 8. 20. We cannot contend for any Government whatsoever that is of Mans erecting building and planting where any thing of this old Foundation may remain and be left and which good men moral men civil men may exercise upon a meerly civil accompt for all men as they are men have lost their rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the first Adam but Saints have regained them in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven and by force and vertue of mens Laws though but the best of those Laws those called fundamental so they are where no more righteous is found for the Lord will pluck up and destroy root and branch and the Lord will not have a stone of Babels confused building for a corner nor a stone for a foundation We cannot therefore but as in duty by our Allegiance to this King bound proclaim That Jesus Christ is the only lawful and true begotten Heir and lawful King and Potentate of these three Nations and of all the Nations of the Earth and as he is the seed of Abraham shall possesse the Earth yea and the very Gates of his Enemies and that the sole Legislative power of the Nations is and doth of right appertain and belong to him and shall be exercised by him Dan. 7. 27. Jer. 10. 7. Isa. 9. 6 7. Gal. 3. 16. c. Hence then it necessarily follows That those beast-like powers now in being in the world and those if any which shall succeed upon that bottom that Rebel-like will not assign their said power Crowns and Scepters to this great Monarch are and shall be deemed and adjudged Traytors and proceeded against accordingly by vertue of this Kings Laws And truly we are soberly and humbly bold in the Lord Jehovah's strength to assert That the Saints of the most High be they who or where they will and faithfull remnant are a people distinct from the world and formal Professors and are but Pilgrims and strangers in this state of affairs men of another Kingdom and World and are by themselves a Common-wealth and Free-State and therefore 't is to be desired from good and sound grounds that they would exercise that Royal Authority which God has given unto them and invested them with as they are Saints by calling And upon this accompt we humbly conceive that 't is lawful for them to use all honest and just means to defend themselves and offend their enemies and to contend against those that do or shall oppose them in their work and business which is according to the pattern shewed unto them in the Mount and Law of Christ ordained and declared throughout the Scriptures It is observable that we are even already arrived the overturning daies we mean those times in which God will begin to smite the Governments and powers of the great Image which is a little after expressed thus the total annihilation and subversion of all the powers of this World of what quality soever ruling either in Antichrists earth or civil State or in his Heaven or Christ-state by the first dispensation of Christs visible Kingdom which we have spoken of or that of the stone Hence it is that we bear a constant and publick testimony against powers as the subject of Gods displeasure and that which must be plucked up We expect the Gentile Saints shall begin this great work In the Book it self having p. 1. said They were resolved to proceed in their way of Consultation for the clearing up these matters of their faith and principles of their hope they thus write That there is oppression in the earth in all Nations as also in England at this present time is undeniable for no man can say that there is no oppression unless we will also affirm that there is no Dragon in power no Antichrist Beast Babylon Whore nor false Prophet which how absurd a thing it is let all judge But the Man of Sin is still in the Seat of Authority the Governments of these Nations are Antichristian therefore oppression is not ceased Neither will there be any lasting Cessation of cruelty untill the fifth Kingdom be set up when the whole Earth shall be at rest and the fourth Kingdom which divides it self into two Iron legs ten toes and a little horn be wholy destroyed in all the Laws Constitutions Governments and Reliques thereof for the Spirit and life that is in that Beast or Kingdom is the Spirit of the old Dragon who is the Devil and Satan that old Serpent whose seed do continually war against the Woman which is Christs Mystical body there being great enmity between them two p. 4. That dispensation which Jehovah by his
providence hath cast us under is the overturning dispensation the time of War and beating of Plough-shares into Swords which Christ and the Scriptures speak of that day in which Christ will appear in his stone the stone of Israel against the powers of the world to the end he may be invested in his possessions which is the Kingdom and Dominions and their greatness under the whole Heavens and therefore we conclude that it is an unlawful thing and therefore men ought not to contribute to the upholding and maintaining of those powers which shall be broken by this dispensation left happily they be found fighters against God p. 6. The will of man having been corrupted ever since the fall of man the Lawes that proceed from that will must need be so p. 11. We say the oppressor which makes us to groan is Babylon in her several parts and powers in England Rulers Lawyers Priests and Soldiers for the present Government in England must of necessity be confessed to be either a part of the ten Horns of the ravenous fourth Beast or else that wicked little Horn Dan. 7. Because they are the last evil powers that shall be over the Nations of Europe and therefore we may safely conclude this to be an Assyrian else we must conclude him to be a part of that Kingdom set up by the God of Heaven but that cannot be because he rules by the Lawes of his Predecessors and shall Christ be beholding to Antichrist for Lawes No certainly he is of the fourth and therefore we need not run far to look this oppressor having already found him to be the present Government with its dependents and appurtenances being a piece of that monstrous Beast whom the Dragon i. e. the Devil Revel 20. 2. Assignes Power and Seat and great authority unto who branches himself into so many Monarchical Governments in the Nations of Europe and which men would perswade us to submit to as being lawful and of God but they execute the Laws of Antichrist and rule for him in Tyranny oppression and persecution by politick Laws which they make and for which the Priests and Lawyers plead and mercinary Soldiers and Officers execute p. 12. The persons oppressed we take it are the most spiritual enlightned Saints in these Nations whose spirits and affections are stirred up to follow Christ in the work of the Generation the good interest now contended for whom we call the Generation of publick spirited Saints The administration of Christs visible Kingdom and rule over the Nations is endeavoured to be suppressed in this juncture of time And not only the thing it self is opposed as dangerous and endeavoured by Matchiavil's principle argument and power as heretical as monstrous but the Doctrine and Gospel of that Kingdom and Office of Christ which shall be preached for a witness to all Nations is slighted and rejected by self-interested men and contemned by most p. 13. They have made a Law that those that shall speak against the powers must be Traytors which in effect is to make those Traytors that speak for this Kingdom The conversion of the Gentiles and poor ignorant sinners to the Faith of Christs visible Kingdom is opposed And p. 14 The establishment of Justice and righteousness in the world and therfore with us arise for the lot of our inheritance prepare therefore your victuals your purse and your scrip but especially your sword though you sell your coat for it p. 23. The Parliament as being built upon the old foundation was a part of the beast p. 24. It is clear that the dispensation of the Stone shall begin to smite the power of the Beast or Civil power and that quarrel is begun and taken up and continued chiefly against that power p. 25. Found to be from Hell and not from Heaven p. 27. The glass of the beasts powers being almost run out in these Nations what remains but that the Saints take into their own possession the Kingdom and power which is their birth-right as freemen of the Common-wealth of Israel and Heirs of the whole world with Christ Gal. 3. 29. which the Beast and his powers hath unjustly detained from them some hundreds of years p. 28. That the work of this Stone is a smiting work or a work wherein the Saints imployed shall visibly appear in a military posture for Christ which we call the great combat between Christ and the Kings and Rulers of the world For the Saints shall fall upon or smite that great Image the Feet and Toes thereof and the whole Roman Monarchy as now divided or all those powers whose derivation is from Rome others not excepted nor freed shall be thereby smitten we mean the Kingdoms of the Romish Iron-legs or the Roman Kingdom divided into the Eastern and western Monarchies wherein the whole Dominion Power and Monarchy of the Ottoman Family or that of the Turks is comprehended and the Beasts ten horns or Antichrists civil powers equivalent to the ten toes and also the little Horn together with all powers whatsoever that shall be found opposers of the Lords Kingdom whether they be of the golden Babylonish silver Persian brasen Grecian or Iron Roman Dan. 2. and ch 7. Revel 13. ch 17. So that we comprehend the whole Kingdom of Antichrist in the Civil Ecclesiastical parts thereof made up of Persons and things p. 29. The fifth Kingdom which is Christs with its holy just and righteous Lawes and Officers must arise with destruction to and stand up in place of the 4th Kingdom and the Lawes and Officers thereof p. 30. Because it is the purchase of the blood and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. p. 15. Now then we say that called the Ordinance of God proves the Ordinance of the Devil and though the powers of the great Image might be taken for the Ordinance of God so long as they kept their pure civil and unmixed state so saith Paul the powers that be i. e. the civil powers of old Rome tho a bloody persecutor and devourer of the creation and good heritage are ordained of God yet when the power of Rome adulterated from its pure civil state and becomes a mixt Antichristian state the Beast and a Whore then it is said of that Beastly Antichristian power that the Dragon or Satan gave him his power and Seat and great authority and what then is this save the Ordinance of Hell God hath revealed this by his Spirit from his word unto a little remnant who see the rottenness and hellish foundation of all the Civil powers of the Beast And how great an argument is this also to us that the rise and work of the Stone is near Which is principally against the Civil power p. 52. It is certain that it is a duty in Saints to hate Gods Enemies yea and more particularly to hate the Civil or Beast-like power because it is that which upholds the great Whore and is a fighter against Christs Kingly office even with a perfect
called ch 8. 10. The host of Heaven v. 24. The holy People or People of the holy ones ch 9. 15 16 19 24. Gods People and their City Jerusalem called by Gods name his Sanctuary the holy City ch 11. 28. 30. The holy Covenant ch 12. 7. the holy People Yea sundry of those that are much followed in this argument as Mr. Mede Comment on Revel 16. 12. do conceive that by the Kings of the East who shall have their way prepared for expedition against the Beast are meant the Jews And sundry Prophecies there are in the Old and New Testament which do seem to foretel the Kingdom to be restored to Israel according to the question Acts 1. 6. And therefore the more likely when they are converted to Christ if any Saints on Earth to be chief instruments of destroying Babylon which hath oppressed them Or that fourth Kingdom which hath been as strong as Iron and broken in pieces and subdued all 9. It is supposed that this smiting work is the work of this generation and to be begun by the pretended publick spirited Saints of this Nation Whereas Mr. Tillinghast himself Serm. 1. p. 25. saith the work of Christs Kingdom the glorious beginning of it it shall be about the time of the Jews coming in And indeed the coming in of the Jews shall be a very great advancement of this Kingdom I omit what Mr. Parker conceives of the Waldenses and others as long since beginning and carrying it on There is nothing yet appears but a violent heady presumptuous spirit in those persons who have thought themselves fit to begin the work nor in the times but the commotions that have been which gives colour to this supposition § 6. Quinto-Monarchians Hypotheses about the Civil Governments being from the Fourth Monarchy Rome and the Dragon are shewed to be groundless 10. IT is supposed That the Civil Powers that be are of old Rome or the Fourth Monarchy or as they speak growing upon the old Root of wickednesse and bitternesse or being a remnant of the old foundation which is their expressions in the Banner displayd p. 1. There will be no rest till the fourth Kingdom which divides it self into two iron legs ten toes and a little horn be wholly destroyed in all the laws constitutions Governments and reliques thereof p. 29. The fifth Kingdom which is Christs with its holy just and righteous Laws and Officers must arise with destruction to and stand up in the place of the fourth Kingdom and the Laws and Officers thereof shew to be the Laws Constitutions Governments and orders of the Roman Empire and they assert a Legislative Power to make Laws to govern the Nations only in Christ and his Laws and Officers only are to have place and in the Book entituled The Standard set up Printed 1657. p. 15. they say That the Scriptures being given by Inspiration of God with his Holy Spirit are the revealed will and Rule of this Legislator to be constantly owned and submitted unto in times of War and Peace as a constant standing Rule for the inward and outward man wherein are Laws Statues Precepts and Judgments for all cases conditions and actions of Civil Military and Spiritual concerns either in particular or more general terms For so they were to the Common-wealth of Israel the only type of the Lambs Government But these suppositions in a great part are notoriously false For the Government by King Lords and Commons as it is constituted in England is quite different from old Rome whether under the Caesars or Popes not derived from them but from the Saxons of Normans or some other of the ancient Rulers of this Island nor are the Laws of England by which it is governed in civil Affairs the Laws of the Emperors which are that which we call the Civil Law consisting of the Edicts and constitution of Roman emperors nor the Canon Law consisting of Popes Decrees and Decretals but the Common and Statute Laws of these Nations which he that reads the Chronicles of England the Writings of Sir Thomas Smith of the Common-wealth of England Mr. Cambdens Britannia Sir Edward Cookes Institutes the Preface of Sir John Davis to his Irish Reports the Book of Statutes may easily perceive to have another original and to be much different from them If there were no more but the daily practice of the Courts of Justice and the manner of choosing making Judges and Officers to refute this Calumny it were enough to shew the grosse falshood of this supposition And yet were the Laws and form of Government the same with old Rome they were not therefore Antichristian and we released from obedience to them For not only Christ and his Apostles required obedience to them but also S. Paul both made use of them and commended them Acts 16. 37. and 22. 25. and 25. 10 11 16. which if they had been Antichristian as they give out clamorously but ignorantly and to be opposed with greatest hatred doubtlesse they would not have done As for the other part of the supposition though we grant that our Lord Christ is the supreme Legislator and wherein he hath determined any thing his Laws are to stand in force above and against all constitutions and Laws of men yet we find not that Christ did or intended to make any particular Laws for thousands of things which pertain to Civil Government no nor for many things pertaining to Gods worship and church-Church-Government which yet require a determination by some Laws or Rules for good order to be kept thereabout When one of the company said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the inheritance with me he said unto him man who made me a Judge or divider over you Luk. 12. 13 14. Nor did the Apostles or the Governors after them or Christians as such intermeddle with making laws or judging civil Affairs any farther than they were intrusted either by the Roman Governors or according to Christs appointment Matth. 18. 15 16 17. or the Apostles directions about composing differences between Christians 1 Cor. 6. 1. c. or the exercise of Ecclesiastical censure or miraculous power did require Though it is not to be denied that in aftertimes too much of this work was either commited by Christian Emperors or assumed by the Rulers and Governors of Christian Churches especially by Popes of Rome to the great detriment of Christianity As for the holy Scriptures though we acknowledge their sufficiency for a rule in matters of Faith and holy life in order to the end wherefore they were inspired of God to wit the honouring and serving of God and our own salvation yet we do not find in them sufficient Laws in particular for the governing of all civill Commonwealths but that Judges and Officers notwithstanding what we find in the books of Mâ—ses and the Prophets and other holy writings would be to seek how to pass sentence and to administer Justice in thousands of cases that
their subjection Sure Paul when he reasoned with Felix Acts 24. 25. did nor go about to terrify him with threatning of any judgment he or the Saints on earth had but minded him of the judgment to come Nor did our Lord Christ himself either to Pilate or the High Priest use any menacing speeches but only told the High Priest Matth. 26. 64. Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of Heaven 2. This will nothing concern the King of these three Nations nor any other Kings or Rulers who do acknowledge they Rule under Christ and Rule for Christ and therefore cannot with any colour be adjudged as enemies to Christ by those who have no cognizance of the secrets of mens hearts nor any way or power of judicature in such things but must leave them to the trial of the Universal Judge 3. We grant that so far as Christ hath made any lawes pertaining to civil or Church Government Kings have no power to abrogate or alter them but are bound according to that Authority they have to see them executed and observed yea and to repress them that pretend themselves Saints as Traitors both to them and Christ from whom they have authority who appose their power and hinder their actings in that which is agreeable to Christs lawes For if they be not Officers under Christ as mediator which I assert not yet they are Rulers under Christ as the Son of God and will be owned and assisted by him in doing his work against any that pretends himself Christs Vicar or lurks under the Vizour of a Saint But as I said before Sect. 6. 1. The lawes of Christ are not sufficient without other lawes to settle and order thousands of particulars whether belonging to the Church or Common-wealth but that there is need of humane lawes to determin them 2. That the Jewish lawes are not fitted for the Government of Christian states and Churches of the Gentiles except in some few 3. That the Lord Christ and his Apostles did of purpose leave us at liberty concerning them lest the Gospel should be hindered by them and permitted all Nations to order their own lawes and civil Government according to general precepts of the word and the exigence of civil affairs 4. That to tie men to Mosaical civil precepts any further than the general equity of them requires would be to Judaize 5. That the most holy Saints that are on earth are and will be bound to observe humane lawes of their civil seperiors under pain of God wrath till Christ at his coming put down all rule and all authority and power 6. That it no whit detracts from Christs supreme dominion to have Kings to be Rulers under him and therefore we abhor that speech cited sect 2. Jesus Christ alone is Lord and King and all men are equals A fourth position deduced from the third is that the Saints of the most high are by themselves a Common-wealth and Free-state which is somewhat like the opinion of Papists who exempt men in holy orders from the secular power and it is not unlikely to have been instilled into the minds of Quinto-Monarchians by some of the popish party But is a false and foolish conceit refuted by all the arguments before produced requiring subjection to civil powers even such as are evil and proving even agreeably to the state of mankind corrupt that civil power and natural power of government belongs to Infidels over Saints and therefore Saints cannot without injury shake off the yoke of allegiance and obedience which is upon them by the imposition of civil and natural powers though unbelievers It is also foolish For 1. it supposeth Saints may be by themselves which is contrary to the express Doctrine of our Lord Matth. 13. 30. which tels us that the tares and the wheat are to grow together until the Harvest which he expounds after v. 40 41. that it shall be the end of the world afore the wicked and the children of the Kingdom shall be separated which he also teacheth by another parable v. 47 48 49 50. All those who are for gathered Churches though they would have none in Church communion but visible Saints yet are forced to acknowledge from these Scriptures that they must live together whether they will or no in the world and therefore this and indeed the whole project of the Quinto-Monarchians is but a fond dream and too like the Donatists and Circumcellions of old in Africa But were it granted that there may be or have been Plantations of godly persons unmixt yet experience hath shewed that even amongst them differences quickly arise by reason of different apprehensions and divisions and enmities and in a little time heats animosities factions oppositions and other corruptions follow Besides who can secure the generation following from corruption Moses and Joshuah settled the Common-wealth of Israel with order laws rites of Religion and all by immediate direction from God yet quickly did they corrupt themselves The like may be said of the times succeeding David and Solomon Our own times yield like instances that the posterity of the best and holiest Planters though free from many provocations which the people have from whom they remove yet in an age do degenerate from their predecessors holiness and in their manners and government become like other people And what we have seen in our daies of the giddiness shallowness instability selfishness of the choicest men for government and holiness whom men could find in a Nation should me thinks awaken men from continuing in that dream no better than the fancy of a golden mountain as if they might have a Common-wealth or Free-state or gathered Church by themselves on earth of pure Saints 2. But were this feasible that there were a Common-wealth or Free state of uncorrupt Saints by themselves on earth afore Christs appearing yet without such promise and provision made for them by Christ as we yet have no assurance of they would not subsist long but perhaps be as the Historians phrase is populus unius aetatis a people of one age by reason of the weakness they would have to resist their enemies which would be more in number than themselves perhaps a thousand fold and their enmity be encreased as Pharaoh's was to the children of Israel and either oppress them or destroy them If after the thousand years reign the Divel could go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them to battel their number being as the sand of the Sea and they go up on the breadth of the earth and compass about the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City Rev. 20. 8 9. It is much more likely while Satan is at liberty and millions of enemies infidel Pagans cruel Mahometans bloody Papists profane and vitious Protestants unquiet and unruly members in the gathered Churches loose Libertines and
If Saints have the rights and priviledges in respect of Government then those only have power to make Governors as Kings and their Officers who make Saints especially Preachers Ministers and Pastors of Churches But the Scripture makes this no part of a Ministers work he is not to intangle himself in affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. this is never intimated to have been done or that it should be done they are said to be of God his ministers not the Ministers of the Saints or Pastors of Churches nor did ever any pretend it to be the right of Church Officers to constitute Kings and civil Governors till the Popes of Rome usurped that power to create the Emperors whose Predecessor Gregory the great acknowledged the Emperor Mauricius to be his Lord and the like was done by other Popes to the Emperors of Rome until the time of Hildebrand named Gregory the seventh whom Becket in England followed taking upon him to annul the English Laws and asserting the Kings power to be from the Church 17. If the rights and priviledges in respect of Government be the Saints then they cease to be Governors when they cease to be Saints and so the opinion heretofore charged unjustly on Wickleff that a Prelate or Prince falling into mortal sin should be disavowed which is even by Romanists decried then might those that have power to excommunicate and to declare them Hereticks Apostates depose them yea then should Princes be at the mercy not only of Popes but also of every Ecclesiastical Consistory yea they themselves should be bound in such cases to lay down their Government and Ecclesiastical Rulers and godly persons to abandon them as being no Governors of right because no Saints which would make Governments which are the great supporters of human society to be the weakest and silliest invention among men not like the Ordinance of God by whom Kings reign and Princes decree justice Prov. 8. 15. but rather a device of Idiots bring the greatest confusions and mischiefs incident to human affairs deter infidel Princes to become Christians if they see they must possesse their Dominion at the will of Ecclesiasticks with many other great absurdities We find in Scripture Kings have deposed Priests as Solomon did Abiathar by Gods allowance but no where Priests to have deposed Kings with any approbation This hath been but of late a thing hatch'd at Rome and fetch'd from Hell 17. If the Saints have the rights and priviledges in respect of Government regained in Christ then is temporal dominion founded in grace But that is not true sith it is given out of common providence for the good of human society not out of special love to the Saints For it is one of the things that is for the benefit of the bad as well as the good as the shining of the Sun and the falling of the rain Matth. 5. 45. and therefore the benefit of it is sometimes denied to the good and granted to the bad so that in these things all are alike one event is to the righteous and the wicked Eccles. 9. 2. 18. If government of others were the Saints right God would not have made Saul King nor David acknowledged him King over Israel nor adjudged him to death that slew him nor would God have termed Cyrus his Shepheard Isa. 44. 28. his anointed Isa. 45. 1. nor Daniel have said to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2. 37. thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom power and strength and glory or to Darius O King live for ever Dan. 6. 21. 19. If the Saints have regained in Christ the rights and priviledges in respect of Government then all offices of government or some only if all then every Saint is of right a King and so a King by inheritance succession or election is no more a King than the meanest Saint yea than a child if a Saint and so no wo when the King is a child contrary to Eccles. 10. 16. then one person hath no more right to an office than another which would introduce anarchy and take away all government which is indeed the event to which Fifth-monarchy-mens principles and actings tend under shew of the Saints right to put power into the hands of the most violent Spirits whereby all orderly government will be demolished and tyranny of a few with the common robbery of all promoted If some only have rights to some offices and priviledges in respect of government who shall distinguish how shall the right of each be tried what Court shall there be to decide controversies of this kind Is there any that hath discerning of Spirits to find out each ones fitness Is there any Oracle of God any Priest by Urim and Thummim who can declare what is to be done Sure such devices are not of God but of Satan which tend to unsettle things placed in order and involve men in inextricable difficulties not to be avoided without a miracle Lastly If the Saints have regained rights and priviledges in respect of Government in Christ then are those unjustly debarred from them who are Saints But the Quinto-Monarchians in their Banner of truth displayed do not only declare the Saints are to separate from the Romish Universal national Prelatical Parochial Presbyterian Churches but also from the congregational Churches though they hope godly if they oppose them or concur not with them in their smiting work though they be brethren in the Churches yet they accompt him and that spirit which either in act or deed wilfully and obstinately as blessed be the Almighty they did both before by the Quinto-Monarchians own confession and in the year 1660 denies the smiting work of our Lords Kingdom as they pretend it to be though it be but their own work and for themselves moved by their own Phrenetick fury or intemperate blind zeal Antichristian terming them formally godly if they be not as violent as themselves and degrading them as if they had no sanctity who are not sâ—â—dementate as themselves which shews that they account them only for Saints that are of their spirit and mind and appropriate the rights and priviledges in respect of government to those of their party excluding those who join not with them though confessedly godly and brethren for whom they cannot deny Christ hath regained as much as for themselves which shews their injustice if not hypocrisy and overthrows their assertion that the Saints as Saints have regained in Christ the rights and priviledges in respect of government sith they will have no Saints but their own party to have regained them The sixth position to which all their consultation and doctrine tends and which is indeed the venom and poyson of all their tenents boyled up to the heigth is that the Kingdom and power in these Nations is the Saints birthright as freemen of the Common-wealth of Israel and heirs of the whole world with Christ Gal. 3. 29. whence 't is that
hatred as we see and find a Remnant do at this day p. 55. The Lord will use and engage his people to act in and perform such a destroying work upon the world as this work of the stone is namely the total commotion and dissolution of the old Heavens and old Earth and all the created powers ruling therein because it is the decree determination promise and appointment of the Father p. 56. The Lord by these figurative expressions holds forth the dissolution of all old things formal Antichristian Church-state Ordinances Worship Discipline and Doctrine all beast-like wordly Governments Institutions Laws politick Constitutions Powers c. In a word the Heavens and the Earth of all the Nations Isai. 5. 30. p. 57. So that Jesus Christ will admit of no competitors but will have the sole legislative power and exercise of the chief Magistracy and be Lord Paramount over the whole Earth and therefore God is engaged to appear with his smiting Stone to make way for this glorious Mountain of peace p. 59. That all the blood of Gods people is found in Babylon For they i. e. her Civil powers Revel 16. 6 7. have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets Revel 17. 6. ch 18. 24. 19. 1. Jer. 50. 14. now therefore God by way of recompence retaliation hath ordained that the Saints shall be his instruments by which he will execute his vengeance upon the powers of the World who are all of them Murtherers accordingly God commands his people 't is their duty to obey to reward Babylon double as she rewarded them Revel 18. 6. and they shall give her blood to drink p. 62. The call which the stone shall have to act in its smiting work is for the greatest part thereof now pertinent and fitly applicable to a faithful remnant now extant in England and fulfilled in and upon them and also seeing that the signes laid down in the word of God for the time of the end are in a grâ—at measure now fulfilled and accomplished in Englands Remnant therefore we conclude and assert that 't is lawful and warrantable and is a duty incumbent for captivated Sion and oppressed Saints to stand up in Gods name and fear and deliver themselves and that glorious Gospel of the Kingdom now by them declared to the world from persecution oppression and that long Captivity and Bondage which she hath remained in and to break the Yoak of the oppressor which is now upon her Neck according to the word commandment of the Lord. Zach. 2. 7. Isai. 52. 2. We are perswaded that the work of the Stone is the present work of this generation and our present work and do accordingly exhort the Saints to arise to fall upon the enemy p. 63. The Saints in order to this smiting work shall be converted from all the Civil power and Rule of Antichrist and the ten Horned Beast upon which the mystery harlot sitteth p. 65. That it is their duty to withdraw their Hands Hearts Affections Purses and prayers from the Civil power or power of the Beast that they shall quit all their interest and claim in and to the old Heavens and Earth and state of things shall forsake Father Mother c. And shall convert Houses Lands Possessions and Enjoyments commanded to be prudently beat into Swords and Spears into one common stock to be consecrated for the management of this great Affair p. 66. And in such a practise they shall be no loosers Christ will give them an hundred fold even the spoile of all their great and rich Enemies who are his opposers and in the end an eternal Crown The Saints are with Moses to refuse Court Honour and favor and preferment Egyptians wisdom Learning Revenues and great Riches with David to leave their common duties as matters of small value and little concernment in comparison of this noble and worthy imployment to fight against the Philistines so are the Civil powers or common Enemy to the Common-wealth of Israel p. 71 We do profess we cannot be content or satisfied until Christs Kingdom flourish but will in Gods name and strength press forward till we come to the mark which is the state of the true rest so we call that Kingdom and power where the Saints shall cease from all their labours in and with Christ. p. 69. Doth not the Lord call the Saints to arise also unto the prey p. 71. The work of God against Nations Provinces Universities Corporations Cities Townes Kings Rulers chief Captains mighty Men in Church and Common-wealth Enemies of Christ's Kingly Office shall be the lesson of faithful Saints the true way will be discovered and made plain all Rebels and Traitors open and prophane more close pretenders and formally Godly discovered hatred in and among his Saints against those several parts forms powers of Babylon doleful howling and mourning among the Merchants of Babylon who are the great and rich men whose hearts dwell on the Earth p. 75. The Saints must separate not only from the Romish Universal National Provincial and Diocesan Church-state of Babylon and Antichrist together with their Discipline Doctrine Worship and Ceremonies But also and more particularly which is most properly a work precedent to be done by the Saints in order to the smiting work of the Stone from the national and parochial Parish Church State and assemblies forms and classes of this and other Antichristian Nations which we call the Politick and no more than Civil Stratagem and cunning invention of Antichrist to divide unto himself the whole Land for gain whereby all men to the lowest ranck are compelled forcibly to contribute to the maintenance of his false Prophet and so wickedness is established by a Law Again further from those Churches that are select more pure as being seemingly refined which are the gathered in a pastoral way reducing things to primitive practise so far as they are corrupted and adulterated and found opposers of the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ in and over the whole world and more especial in the Administration of this part or dispensation of that Kingdom to wit that of the Stone or War against his Enemies for even in this generation there be a sort of people and those we hope godly that do acknowledge and wait in the expectation of the later yea and hold forth the personal appearance of our Lord as King yet nevertheless oppose and deny and quite leap over this Stone and its work thereby endeavouring to render the Saints useless and uncapable of destroying Babylon which must make â—way and without which we cannot attain to the peaceable and more glorious Administration of this Kingdom by removing those Mountains Hils and powers of darkness which do oppose and hinder it p. 76. And from those humane heathenish and Antichristian wayes means and helps for the attainment whereof men study which they practise in the Schools and Universities of these Nations as things necessary for the Fitting Preparing
and qualifying a man how carnal soever to be a Preacher of the Gospel as they say And this together with the Offer of some large stipend or yearly salary and fat benefice is their call to Preach therefore we disown and abominate their qualifications and their call as an accursed thing Yet mistake us not we are not against humane learning and the knowledge of the languages but do repute it honourable good and commendable yet when it is abused and the plea of necessity put upon it in that habit we utterly declaim against it as a derogation to the holy spirit and its Office who gave out the Scripture and imprints them in the hearts of the godly for all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and cannot be convincingly and profitably expounded by mans Art and Learning p. 77. Separation is to be from the parochial Church and Hireling Ministry of England their Ordination and Institution After they have for some time been trained up in the Arts and Sciences of Egypt in the Universities they take their several degrees and commencements Masters of Art Batchelors of Divinity or godliness and in case they sit long under the skirts of the great Whore she makes them Doctors in Divinity Men skilful and perfect in Heavenly Mysteries These are those that during the defection and apostacy are the Rabbies which look more after the Fleece than the Sheep Lording it over Gods heritage We therefore are against those degrees Offices Places and their vain which are indeed Blasphemous Titles which they arrogate from God and Jesus Christ the great Prophet and Teacher of his People Gal. 1. 1. Matth. 23. 8. Joh. 3 9 10. Rev. 1. 9. p 79. The enlightened Saints or the more pure and holy part of those called the gathered and which are corrupted Churches in these Nations or elsewhere ought to separate and withdraw from the more grosse dark defiled and corrupted part of the said Churches because there are no Churches or at leastwise very few of the pastoral way in these Nations or elsewhere but have something of Antichrist in them having forsaken apostatized from the primative and first love and have and do in many principles practise strike hands with the interest of Antichrist and mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2 3 4. p. 83. Our position we give thus that in this ending time of the mystical numbers wherein the Stone shall arise the Saints must disown and in the strength of God separate from and according to that power which God shall give unto them by his Spirit engage against all and all manner of Civil power of what quality soever now lift up over the whole Earth or any part Kingdom Nation or Corner thereof together with all its dependents Upholders Lawes and Appurtenances whatsoever whose derivation has been from Satan ruling in all the several Parts Powers and Forms of the devouring fourth Beast And which are of and belonging to that Beast though descended into the very lowest last and most refined and pretended Christian-like power of that Beast As having their root and foundation upon Satan the great Dragon p. 81 82. We accompt it a duty for the Saints to separate from all the forms practises Doctrines and spirit of the Antichrist in the world in their Bretheren in the Churches c. And to be plain we accompt him and that spirit which either in act or deed wilfully and obstinately denies the smiting work of our Lords Kingdom Antichristian inasmuch as that such would alwaies have Christ his Saints his cause in and on the earth a sufferer But the Scripture clearly manifests the contrary Agreeably to these positions or rather exceeding them are the speeches of some whether Levellers or Quinto-Monarchians in the first and second part of Pamphlets printed 1648 1649. p. 1. The creature man was priviledged with being Lord over other inferior creatures but not over his own kind for all men being alike Priviledged by birth so all men were to enjoy the creatures alike without propriety one more than another p. 3. The Beast hath its power from the Dragon Revel 13. 4. And the Dragon Revel 20. 2. is the Devil so that it is plain that Kings are of the Beast and the Beast is of the Devil and it is as plain they that worship the King worship the Beast and they that worship the Beast worship the Devil Revel 13. 4. Now let us a little behold our English powers all that which is called Magistracy is from the Kings Patent and his is from the Devil for the Kings Predecessors the outlandish Bastard William came to be King by conquest and murther now murtherers are saith Jesus the Devils Children for saith he the Devil was a murtherer from the beginning and he abode not in the truth Now Kings are utterly against the truth and persecutors of the Saints for saith Jesus they shall bring you before Kings so that Kings are enemies unto the Kingdom of Christ taking licenses and grants patents and Charters from the King is taking the Beasts mark p. 8. We take this power of William the Conqueror to be that little horn in Dan. 7. 24. p. 13. Kings Lords and Commons the little Horn. Part. 2. p. 5. Titles of honour are termed vain titles forbidden by our Saviour as heathenish although some good men were Kings yet it was not in regard to their Office but persons for in that they were Kings they were Tyrants p. 6. It was wickedness in the Israelites in advancing a man one of their own kind in the place of a God and so to Idolize their own flesh above God p. 7. Kings are the worst of men p. 8. Lawyers being worse than the Devil who scorns to take a penny Fees to torment any but will do it freely p. 9. Pharaoh-like they have their Juglers who can play the Hocus Pocus and invent a thing they call Religion like Jereboams Calves who the first invented state worship p. 10. All those oppressors before named do live altogether out of Gods way and in Rebellion to his Lawes first because they live without a calling and so are idle being Vagabonds and wasters of the creatures by drunkenness pride gluttony and so but vermin in a Commonwealth and by their own Law ought to be put into a house of Correction and to be made work Jesus Christ alone is Lord and King over man and all men are equals p. 11. All men are to enjoy alike freedoms and none more than another so that they are equal and none have to do to command another no more than another him but in a joynt union and agreement that any be set up it is but a trusted humane power and they but servants to the whole and may be removed at pleasure p. 13. There are Vice-Kings viz. Those that are Deputies as Mayors in Cities and Towns Corporate that are Kings of patents which patents are meer monopolies and serve to inhance Trading and Commodities in a
few mens hands to beggar the whole these take towls and customs of their brethren p. 14. Why may not the Soldiers pull the Judges out of Westminster Hall and take all their rusty Records Laws c. And make a fire on them That so we may have honest godly Laws according to the Scriptures and reason In the preface to the 8 last Sermons of Mr. Tillinghast who was much for the Fifth-Monarchy are these words Let none take offence at this language for I cannot forbear vilifying the Kingdoms of the fourth Beast when my thoughts are upon the magnifying of the Kingdom power and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. And if the Virgin daughter of Sion without any disparagement to her holy modesty might of old be allowed by God himself to dispise the great King of Assyria and to laugh him to scorn I know no reason to the contrary but one of the Lambs followers may without breach of rule in an holy triumph of faith express contempt of the Kings of the Earth who are all of them the lovers of the Mother of Harlots and Abomination of the Earth In the first Sermon p. 2. Of the third edition 1659. Mr. Tillinghast saith Davids Kingdom was a type of Christs Kingdom and indeed whereas this Kingdom here Jerem. 33. 20 21. Promised is shadowed forth by that of David it doth hold thus much that the Kingdom is not only a spiritual Kingdom but an outward visible Kingdom for such a throne and Kingdom Davids was p. 14. Yet the woman hath not had her day upon the Serpent but there is a time wherein the woman must have a day upon the Serpent to break his head therefore there is such a Kingdom wherein the Saints of Jesus Christ shall crush all the enemies of Jesus Christ in the world p. 39. The Devil plays his game thus in the new Testament times he made men to look for an outward Kingdom only when Christ was about to set up a spiritual Kingdom now that Christ would set up an outward Kingdom saith the Devil look only to the spiritual Kingdom p. 41. Gods Peoples faith is not grounded on fancies but they see and know that God is doing some glorious thing in the world he is overturning Kingdoms and setting up the Kingdom of his Son Serm. 3. p. 57. He conceives The work of Christs visible Kingdom over the world the work of the present time one great article of our faith the work that God doth call his Children to at this day and he calls upon them from Heaven to attend to that they are to expect it before Christ come forth bring his Kingdom with him p. 60 61. He distinguisheth in Christs visible Kingdom between the Kingdom of the Stone and of the Mountain this he calls the Kingdom of glory wherein the Saints shall not work but receive that the working Kingdom of the Saints wherein Saints are by the Lord imployed to do some notable service against his coming which is the breaking down the great Image the bringing down all his enemies that when he comes he may find them his footstool for he is to fit at the Fathers right hand until all his enemies be made his footstool it 's a Kingdom wherein Plow-shaers are to be beaten into Swords there shall be wonderful use of Swords Weapons of War out of Daniel 12. 12 13. He gathers the beginning of each of these p. 62. Truly I look upon it as being a main and principal part of that faith once delivered to the Saints as touching the fifth Kingdom p. 63. Though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical Christ in his members and the cutting out of this Stone cannot be meant as some would have it of Christs first coming p. 65. Now if it can be made appear that that with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin the work of the great Image the over-turning the Thrones of the Kings is to be performed by the Saints as chief instruments in the management of it then it follows of necessity there must be such a thing as the Civil and Military power to be in the hands of the Saints and that before the day of Christs appearance they must have this power in their hands for the performance of that work and if so then it 's not evil for the Saints and People of God to seek for it to pray for it to plead for it for it 's to come into their hands for the doing of their work before the day of Christs appearance And then endeavours to prove that this work with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin is a work to be performed by Saints as the chief and principal instruments in the doing of it p. 74. There 's the coming forth of Christ when his enemies by his Saints are made his footstool p. 79. He gives some figues that this work is near at hand and p. 82. He makes this to be a general sign that never was there a principle that did run so much among the Churches of Christ as this hath done within these twelve months I have set down the words of those persons that I shall oppose in their positions that I may not be thought to impose upon them Out of them it is manifest that they assert that all the powers not only Ecclesiastical but also Civil and Military of the Nations even the Protestant as well as the Turkish and Romish Kingdoms are Antichristian and all their Laws Officers Schools Corporations Titles Priviledges Degrees and ranks of men in their politick and military as well as Ecclesiastical state Babylonish from the fourth Monarchy that those that they call publick spirited Saints of this age distinct from Notional professors and formally Godly are to hate separate from them deny any assistance to them rise up against them to destroy them utterly to smite them in order to the setting up a fifth Monarchy of Christ's visible Kingdom on earth that the Saints may be a free Common-wealth of themselves subject to no Laws but Christ's and free from all oppressions of men § 3. The Doctrine of smiting Powers is proved from Scripture Precepts to be Wicked THis Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian as is proved by these Arguments following whereof the first is taken from those Precepts of the New Testament and the Old which forbid such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers over us Dignities Officers but command Honour Obedience Assistance Fear to Powers Dignities and their Laws and may be thus formed That Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian which commendeth and urgeth Practises and Actions contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures This Proposition is of it self manifest unlesse that be not acknowledged damnable which is condemned by so holy persons nor Antichristian in a large sense which is flatly opposite to Christ's and his holy
occur about Lands Wills Trades and other Actions which concern human affairs and society yea they that have perused the Talmuds and writings of the Jewish Doctors do find that notwithstanding the body of Laws given by God himself yet by reason of the varying of cases many resolutions there are added by their Judges or Lawyers which they receive as Laws And this was thought so necessary that God erected a Senate among them with strict injunction to the Jews to do according to the sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall choose should shew them and to observe to do according to all that they informed them Deut. 17. 10. which was in effect all one as to impower them to make Laws for them Sure notwithstanding the written Laws of Moses Solomon had been at a stand how to give sentence in the case of the two Harlots had not God given him an extraordinary Spirit of wisdom to do Judgment 1 Kings 3. 28. Nor can the Mosaical or Jewish Laws fit the government of this Nation unless there were the same distribution of Lands the same State of People and neighbour Nations the same manner of Trade and living as they had And it is to be considered whether this asserting of the Laws of the Jews as a constant standing rule to us Gentiles be not indeed the same error of Judaism which was condemned by the Synod at Jerusalem Acts 15. and the writings of the Apostles and counted as an Heresy which did evacuate the benefit of our Christian liberty which Christ hath purchased by losing of which we may forfeit our interest in Christ and their Lawes be so far from being the only Lawes fit for the Government of Christs Kingdom that they may in many things be most unfit and contention for them to be imposed on gentile belivers more justly to be counted Antichristian than the Civil Lawes of the Nations which they so much oppose as Antiehristian nor can those Lawes be fitted for the Kingdom of Christ which they look for For that Kingdom will be when all Christs enemies shall be made his Footstool Christ shall personally raign as they conceive on earth it shall be a Kingdom which shall have a sâ—at sâ—nless sorrowless deathless superiorless having no humane Ruling Majesty no Church censures no superiority of persons no fears no wants no desertions no painful labour no decay no procreation of Children as Dr. Homes reckons them in his Resurrection revealed lib. 5. c. 4. And therefore this supposition and the inference that is made thereupon is false and insufficient and it would be not only a sin against God but also a most extream degree of wickedness to destroy our Lawes Records Government upon this pretence and all men are truly bound in conscience to defend them and to oppose those as Antichristian and Enemies to Christs Kingdom who would disanul them As for the Common-wealth of Israel its being the only type of the Lambs Government Gal. 6. 16. it is so in respect of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ in which believers are an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ a Royal Preisthood to shew forth Gods praises 1 Pet. 2. 5. 9. and if this reason be of validity to tie us to their Lawes it will tie us to the Lawes about the Jewish Temple Priesthood Sacrifices and the rest of the Ceremonial Lawes which were to reduce us from Christ to Moses and compleat Judaism As then it was a pretious benefit which the Gospel brought that the Gentiles were not tied to those particular Lawes of Religious service which were required of the Jews that the Yoke was not put upon the Neck of the Disciples which neither the Fathers nor the Apostles were able to bear Acts 15. 10. but that many things even in Gods worship were to be determined by prudence of Rulers according as might best fit the service of God with respect to the condition of several people so much more in Civil affairs it was the great goodness of God and a great advantage to the furthering of Christs Kingdom among the Gentiles that the Gospel did not impose on the Nations either the Mosaical or any other particular Lawes or Civil Government but left them to their own Lawes and Government in such things and required Christians to submit to them without which there is no likelihood Christianity had been embraced as it was nor Christians to have subsisted and been multiplied among infidels as they were And therefore whereas the Quinto-Monarchians have made such great stirs as they have done not only for a reformation in Ecclesiastical discipline and worship but also to bring the Government and Lawes Civil to the Jewish platform in the holy scriptures which is their Diana they have therein followed their own fancy not the holy scriptures but to the great wrong of the Church of God and injury to his name and truth caused many to follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of so that of them may be verified which we read Rom. 3. 14 15 10 17. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known 11. It is granted by them that the powers of the great Image might be taken for the Ordinance of God so long as they kept their pure Civil and unmixed estate so saith Paul the powers that be i. e. the Civil powers of old Rome tho a bloody persecutor and devourer of the creation and Gods heritage are ordained of God In which passage they intimate 1. that the Civil powers of old Rome were a bloody persecutor and devourer of the creation and Gods heritage 2. That then they kept their pure Civil and unmixed estate 3. That so long though they were the powers of the great Image yet they might be taken for the Ordinance of God according to St. Paul Rom. 13. 1. 4. That therefore so long they were to be obeyed and not resisted For discovery of the fallacy that is in these speeches it is needful that it should be inquired into what they mean by the Civil powers of old Rome keeping their pure Civil and unmixed estate The opposite estate is thus expressed When the power of Rome adulterated from it's pure Civil state became a mixt Antichristian state the Beast and a Whore the power of Rome was in the Apostle Pauls time the power of the Emperors whether Caius Caligula Claudius Nero and the Senate and Consuls of Rome the Praetors Kings Presidents such as Herod Agrippa Pilate Felix Festus and others under them The unmixed estate seems to be their not taking upon them that which after the Emperors or Popes did when they became Antichristian Now sure what ever it were that after the Civil powers of Rome assumed or did it is certain that they were as it is
abhor any thing sometimes that which is otherwise right which they conceive to come from Rome or the Pope being terrified with the threatnings Revel 14. 9. 10 11. against those who worship the Beast and his Image and recieve his mark in their forehead or in their hand and warned by the voice from Heaven Revel 18. 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Which having been found by experience to be a very taking way especially with the vulgar and common sort of Schollars who are little versed in antiquity and know not the true state of the Roman Church in former ages nor by what degrees the corruptions thereof came to that height they are now attained to it is now a very common course with them who endeavour to render their opposites their Doctrine or practise odious and so to uphold their faction to fasten on them by clamour or calumnies or any other way they can the name of Antichristian Babylon the mark of the Beast and to perswade men that what they dislike is from Rome as being sufficient without any other proof to make them abominable and to be destroyed Thus in our daies with us some have cried down prelacy their Liturgy Ceremonies Ordination National Church it 's Government Ministry Titles and whatever belongs thereto as Antichristian others have done the like to the Presbyterial Classical Parochial Churches their Ministery Directory Government Maintenence others have done the same to the Congregational and in General Seekers and Quakers have in a Clamorous way like Scolds bespattered all that 's opposit to them with this reproach of Antichristian and at last these Fifth-Monarchy men have furiously battered Civil powers all that belongs to them with the engine of this odious brand of Antichristian and Babylonish whereby much irreconcileable hatred enmity and opposition is raised among Christians to the great dammage of Christian Protestant Churches and states and without the great power and goodness of God making way for some accommodation of these differences likely so to weaken and wast us by intestine broiles that we shall at last become a prey to the common adversary For my part it was still opposed by me long since when Saltmarsh wrote that I had proved Infant-Baptism Antichristian I made him alter it and when a meeting was for union between dissenters I urged thâ—s as one thing necessary that the term Antichristian should be forborn and when Richard Hubberthorn entituled his book against my serious consideration of the Oath of the Kings Supremacy Antichristianism reproved in my Epistle to the Reader before my Supplement I not only shewed the falsehood of his calumny but also endeavoured briefly to shew the evil of that course of defaming opposites and their tenents by that title I deny not but that there is sufficient cause given to Protestant Divines to charge the present Romanists with Antichristianism in the arrogant title given to the Pope of Universal Bishop in the assertion of his supremacy over all Churches his infallibility in their worship of Saints Angels Images in their doctrines of invocation of Saints humane merits and satisfactions for sin nor shall I deny but that there may be found some practises or doctrines among others which may in a qualified sense be termed Antichristian But to make the Protestant Churches or their Government Antichristian in State and to be separated from and to be destroyed when they hold the Faith of Christ aright because of some corruptions in points of Doctrine or Worship or Discipline which overthrow not the foundation of Christian Religion is intollerable much more to make civil powers who reject the Roman Popes supremacy and their doctrine and idolatrous worship to be Antichristian from Rome Babylon from an imagined mixture that is not or perhaps justifiable shews either phrensie or a meer proud arrogant factious and quarrelsome humor in them not to be born the title of Antichrist being as may appear by St. Johns words to be applyed to seducing Teachers not to civil powers though persecutors as the Roman Emperors then were yet by St. Paul termed the Ordinance of God 5. It is supposed That then when the Power of Rome adulterated from its pure Civil state became a mixt Antichristian state the Beast a Whore a Beastly Antichristian Power that the Dragon or Satan gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority It is true that it is said that St. John saw a Beast arise out of the Sea having seven Heads and ten Horns and upon his Horns ten Crowns and upon his Heads the name of Blasphemy and that the Beast which he saw was like unto a Leopard and his feet were as the feet of a Bear his mouth as the mouth of a Lion And the Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority Which description being like that whereby the Babylonian Persian and Greek Monarchies are characterized gives occasion to judge that the Beast mentioned Revel 13. 1. 2. was to be some future Civil Empire like to them and the having seven Heads and ten Horns and upon his Horns ten Crowns because of the descriptions Daniel 7. 23 24 25. and Revel 17. 3. 9. 12. Argnes that it was to be the Roman Empire divided into ten Kingdoms nor is it to be denied that Satan gave to this Beast his Power that is his forces and his Seat that is Rome and the Dominions belonging to it great Authority that is Power to command whereby the Idolatry termed Blasphemy which the Christian Emperors had cast down was revived and the persecution that for a time ceased was renewed But that this Power and Seat and great Authority was not given before by the Dragon to the Civil Powers of old Rome tho a bloody persecuter and devourer of the creation and Gods Heritage is to be denied For by comparing Revel 13. 1 2. with Rev. 12. 3 4. 7. It may be rather gathered that Satan had given the same Power Seat and great Authority to the Roman Emperors before as he did to the Kings after though it were exercised in another manner and upon other pretences The Power and Seat and Authority given by the Dragon is not to be meant of Civil Power to make Laws and to execute them for the well-ordering of Common-wealths and Civil states but the Power Force or Authority which was usurped by Nebuchadnezzar when he set up a golden Image to be worshipped and cast the three Jews into the fiery furnance and this may be gathered from v. 4 5. And they worshipped the Dragon which gave Power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make Warr with him And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and Blasphemies and Power was given unto him to continue or to make War forty and two months Whereby may be perceived that the
Kings one hour with the Beast c have one mind give their power and strength unto the Beast which could not be understood of the Roman Pagan Emperors who received not power and strength from Kings but gave power to them so as that they ruled under them by their power and therefore is to be interpreted of later times which the event shews to be most probable to have been the times wherein the Kings of Europe having divided the Roman Empire into ten Kingdoms did yet all of them sooner or later adhere to and support the Papal Dominion which brought in errors heresies idolatries and superstitions which have and yet do corrupt the western Churches and for maintenance of which a sea of blood hath been shed by the instigations of Friers Jesuites and other Emissaries of Rome Upon these especially Brightman Mede and some others conceived the third vial to be poured out But all are so far from making the Rivers which shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets to whom blood was given to drink to be the Civil powers that Brightman makes the pouring out of this vial to have been begun by Q. Elizabeth and the Parliament 1581. making the reconciling of the English Subjects to Rome a capital offence and makes the then Lord Treasurer William Cecil the Angel of the Rivers by reason of the book put forth by him termed the English Justice wherein the putting to death of Romish Emissaries is defended Which is also the opinion of Mede though he add also the memorable overthrow of the Spaniard in 1588. the English and the Dutch whom Robert Parker conceives resembled by the Angel of the waters as seated in a watery Country by sea and land abundantly pouring out the Cup of the mighty hand of God But be the civil powers the shedders of the blood Rev. 16. 6. and 17. 6. and 18. 24. and 19. 2. yet it can with no colour be charged on those civil powers that have not in obedience to the Pope acted this tragedy but have opposed it and avenged the blood of the Saints by execution of just laws made against the Instigators and actors in the shedding of the blood of Protestants I cannot take upon me to absolve the civil powers from the guilt of shedding the blood of Saints and Prophets as being ignorant how far any have been actors therein or connived thereat nor do I know what Gods way may be of imputing the blood-shedding of Saints and Martyrs though by Ancestors hundreds of years ago upon the posterity succeeding Christs sentence against Jerusalem Matth. 23. 34 35. 37. makes me astonished and to say as David Ps. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments and with Daniel ch 9. 8 to say O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because we sinned against thee Yet hoping that the Princes and people of these Nations have been humbled and are before God at this day for the evils committed by their forefathers under the Papacy I trust I may add with Daniel v. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Sure I am it is a bold presumption which the Quinto-Monarchians have no warrant for to charge the blood of Martyrs shed long before their times on the civil powers of this Generation unless they were privy to some overt act whereby they have shewed their approbation of it and their readiness to tread in the same steps 4. It is said that therefore God by way of recompence and retaliation hath ordained that the Saints shall be his instrument by which he will execute his vengeance upon the powers of teh world who are all of them Murtherers Accordingly God commands his people and t is their duty to obey to reward Babylon double as she rewarded them yea and double unto her with all those plagues deaths and stripes that she hath inflicted on you Revel 18. 6. And they shall give her blood to drink and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord that judgeth her To which I reply 1. that all this runs upon a palpable mistake that the powers of the world or the civil powers are the Babylon which is to be rewarded double Rev. 18. 6. whereas it is manifest that the Babylon to be rewarded double is that great mighty city v. 10. out of which Gods people are to come v. 4. which is to be utterly burnt with fire though the inhabitants are also included whose sins reached up to Heaven v. 5. Glorified her self v. 7. yet the civil powers of the world cannot be meant there sith it is said v. 9. And the Kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoke of her burning standing a far off for the fear of her torments 2. It is another mistake as if God had ordained that the Saints or Gods people without any other circumscription should be his instrument by which he will execute his vengeance upon Babylon For though it be spoken to the people of God Revel 18. 5. To reward Babylon as she rewarded them in the cup she hath filled fill her double yet it be said Revel 17. 16. And the ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled Whence it appears that it is so far from truth that the civil powers of the world are Babylon and are to be destroyed in order to Babylons downfall that they are distinct from Babylon so as to stand a far off and lament her some of them and others are to be instruments of burning her with fire And therefore although the people of God which are to come out of Babylon those who are with the Lambe called faithful and chosen Rev. 17. 14 may be with the Kings that burn her and being escaped out of Babylon may be instrumental to its destruction being joyned with the Kings yet it doth not appear that God hath ordained the Saints who are only private men and no Kings shall do it by themselves by their own power but in conjunction with them or subordination to them and therefore in the executing of vengeance on Babylon there will be execution by the civil powers of the world not upon them and Saints are bound in order to this smiting work to maintain civil powers not to smite them or separate from them 3. Though the words Revel 18. 6. be in the Imperative mood yet it doth not thence necessarily follow that it is Gods command to his people which it is their duty to obey or else they sin
against God to reward Babylon but it may be understood as a prediction of what should be not as a command of what ought to be done by them as their duty as the like expressions Jerem. 50. 2. 14 15. 21. 26 27 28 29. which are imitated Rev. 18. 4. 6. Revel 19. 17. Isai. 56. 9. are to be expounded or as a permission allowing a person to do it as when St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. 27. Whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake which doth not injoyn them to eat whatsoever was set before them so as that if they did not eat it would be their sin for then they should be required to be gluttons but is an indulgence to them allowing them liberty to eat as a thing not unlawful but indifferent which unless further admonished they might eat without scruple of conscience 4. That it is not a command to the people who did come out of Babylon nor their act to reward double to Babylon and fill to her double but a prediction of what shall be done by others may be gathered in that the reward to them is to be construed to have been the slaughter of them and the cup which Babylon filled was the cup of blood which she was to drink of Revel 16. 6. now then those persons who were rewarded to whom this cup was filled by Babylon are such as had been put to death by Babylon and therefore could not reward her double or fill her double in the cup which she hath filled unless they were raised from the dead and consequently could not be the same individuals who are invited to come out of Babylon Revel 18. 4. 5. Upon this consideration it is also probable that the rewarding and filling Revel 18. 6. is ascribed to the Martyrs killed because God did it by reason of the cry of their blood which is intimated by the words v. 20. Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her and other words Revel 11. 18. do intimate the same Which if true is nothing to the smiting work of the Quinto-Monarchians by military power turning their Plow-shares into swords but only intimates the efficacy of the blood of Martys to bring divine vengeance on Babylon 6. But were it granted that the people of God invited to come out of Babylon Revel 18. 4. were the same numerical persons who are commanded to reward Babylon double and to fill her double in the cup which she hath filled and they are to do this by smiting with the sword yet this is nothing to the Fifth-Monarchy-Men in England unless they should be in Babylon at that time when Gods people should come out of her and did so come out of her And therefore there is no command Revel 18. 6. for them to smite till then but they are to put up their sword into the sheath and to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty under their Governors else they will be guilty of resisting and self-revenging condemned by Christ and his Apostles which was to be proved § 10. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine tends to murder and ruine of humane society HEnce also a seventh argument is deduced that the smiting work to which the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians incites is wilful murder yea the most horrible murder that ever was except his who was a murderer from the beginning John 8. 44. or theirs who crucified the Lord of glory For it incites to a professed smiting and spoyling of all the civil powers on earth even those to whom they are bound to be subject by all Lawes of Religion nature country and reason and to act these things with all extremity out of imagined zeal for Christ which if it be not according to knowledge is a fire of Hell which will hardly be ever quenched and in prosecution thereof to smite those who resist them which must of necessity be all those who adhere to civil powers who will be doubtless the most conscientious Saints on earth and the greatest part of mankind which must needs be wilful Murder and Robbery if they have no warrant to do it But they have none neither Revel 18. 6. nor any other scripture or Revelation of God that we or they do know nor Lawes of nature or men do in the least warrant or permit it but all condemn it And therefore if they should be permitted to act their design which God forbid there would be more destruction and wasting than ever yet was made by men since the world began and more truly they might be termed Babylon in whom the blood of the Saints is found than any civil powers yet extant now murder-makes persons the Children of the Divil there being no sin more resembling him John 8. 44. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and ye know saith St. John 1 Epist. ch 3. 15. That no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him therefore such are no Saints but Antichristian and the Doctrine moving to it is damnable and Antichristan To which I shall add an eighth argument taken from the direful effects to which the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of overturning and smiting civil powers and Lawes tends which are all the miseries which anarchy and confusion brings on the world even to the destruction of the Church of Christ on earth or rather according to the project they propound humane society if not the extirpation of mankind For by taking away civil powers safety of persons and all comforts of life are either taken away or much endangered When the Prophet Isaiah threatned calamity to the people of the Jewes Isai. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. He tels them the Lord the Lord of hosts doth take away the mighty man and the man of War the Judge and the Prophet and the prudent and the ancient the Captain of fifty and the honourable man and the Counsellor and the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator and I will give Children to be their Princes and Babes shall rule over them and the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable Whereby it may be perceived that God took it to be a curse next after the taking away the stay and the staff the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water to take from the Jewes their Rulers Teachers Nobles Scholars and therefore there cannot be a greater calamity to a people after the destruction of the fruits of the earth whereby famine comes than to smite time their civil powers and eminent persons who have been the Protectors and Guides of the people For then people become Murderers and Robbers one of another and all places are filled with fears dangers cries and miseries of all sorts The evils we have felt in our own civil Wars shew what misery it is to have Soldiers rule and not Princes and
Apostles expresse Doctrine But the Doctrine which commendeth and urgeth such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers as the words of the fore-cited Authors called usually Fifth-Monarchy-men do is contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures Therefore that Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian The minor is proved from those Precepts which expresly command Subjection Fear Honour Assistence to them Whereof the first is that of our Saviour Matth. 22. 21. Mark 12. 18. Luke 20. 27. Where our Lord Christ being by the Disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians posed with this Captious question tending to intangle him in his talk Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not After the shewing of tribute money and the acknowledgment that it had Caesars Image and inscription our Lord Christ thence inferring that it was due to him whose Image and inscription it bare resolves them that they were to render to Caesar the things that were Caesars to wit Tribute Honour and that Subjection which was then given to him as Emperor Now it is known that the Emperor or Caesar then reigning was Tiberius Caesar Luke 3. 1. Who came to the Empire by wicked practises and not only led a most vitious and wicked life in uncleanness and Irreligion but also was a bloody oppressor of the Senate and people of Rome as may be seen in Tacitus his Annals Suetonius in the relation of his life and other Historians Therefore the Doctrine that teacheth disobedience denying of Tribute Honours Subjection to Kings and Princes as being Oppressors Enemies to Christ that urgeth hatred smiting of them is contrary to Christs precept which requires Tribute Honours and Subjection to be given them though by wicked waies obtaining Empire and most wickedly ruling and putting Christ himself to death The next text is that full and plain precept of the Apostle Paul Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Where St. Paul requires of every Soul therefore of the most inlightned Saints to be subject to the Higher or Supreme Powers who are termed v. 3. Rulers or Princes such as bear the Sword v. 4. Therefore Civil Magistrates who had power of punishing even with death who were revengers unto wrath upon him that doth evil and might praise them that did well therefore they were the Persons who had rule who are meant by powers for such actions are only of Persons it is not said the powers that should be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers that are in being though by evil means attaining it and be that beareth the Sword not he only that ought to bear the Sword but he that hath it in Possession though perhaps not rightly acquired nor is it said every soul is to be Subject to the powers that are such as they should be but which are nor to be good Rulers only but Rulers nor he that useth or beareth it aright but he that beareth the Sword unto these the Apostle requireth Subjection of necessity v. 5. And that necessity he explaineth to be not only because they can inflict wrath or punishment as is expressed v. 4. But also for conscience sake that is as St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 2. 19. For conscience towards God out of regard to Gods Ordinance v. 1 2. Who by his Providence for mans good sets up and disposeth of those powers and also commandeth them to be owned as by his appointment for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies precept as well as Providence like as compound Nouns of the same theme do 1 Cor. 9. 14 Heb. 11. 23. c. And to these Powers or Rulers the Apostle supposeth the paying of Tribute as the constant use of Christians that then were and that of right for they were Gods Ministers or servants attending continually unto this self same thing that is their Good v. 4. And therefore due to them as wages for their service to them and wages that God assignes them as being his servants in keeping Peace Order righteousness among men instead of God who claims this to be his Office and Substitutes Civil Rulers to do it for him and to receive their Tributes and Customs as his receivers And therefore the Apostle requires v. 7. Christians to render to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome or toll to whom Custome is due Fear to whom Fear belongeth Honour to whom Honour appertains whom the series of the context plainly shewes to be the Higher Powers Rulers that bear the Sword which can be meant of no other than Civil Magistrates and Governours such as Emperors Kings Senates and Officers which either make or execuse Lawes belonging to the Civil state Now sure if Subjection Tribute or Poll-mony Custome or Toll for Commodities Imported or Exported Fear or Reverence of their Persons and Authority and Honour in respect of their preeminence and dignity be to be given to them then it is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine to teach disobedience contempt withdrawing assistence from them The reasons which the Apostle gives of Subjection to Powers are also of much importance for the Confirmation of the Obligation that lies on Christians to yield them Obedience Tribute Fear of offending them and Honour of their Persons and place 1. because they are Powers now if there be no Subjection they are not powers 2. They are Higher Supreme or Excelling power therefore those over whom they are are to be Subject to them or Ordered under them or else they Usurp anothers place 3. They are of God and what is of God should be owned not opposed 4. They are Ordained or Ordered of God both by his wise Providence disposing of such imparity that there may be good order in humane society if all were equals nothing sooner bringing confusion and hindering common good as is apparent in Armies from whence that word we translate Ordained seems to be taken all right order requiring first and last highest and lowest without which no useful frame either artificial or natural can be erected or made and also by his holy and just command which requires superiors in place and power to be Honoured Feared Assisted and served by inferiors 5. Hence the Apostle infers that resistence of them is resisting of Gods Ordinance therefore it must needs be a great sin not only to destroy them smite them but also to withstand their power or by contempt or subtraction of due aid or subsidie to weaken them or to provoke them to anger because it is contending against God 6. The Apostle upon the same reason denounceth Damnation or Judgment from God on them that do resist For as it is the Ordinance of God that is resisted so is it the Judgment or Damnation of God which is threatned to be inflicted in which respect as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Jugment is used Rom. 3. 8. without mentioning God so it is expressed Rom. 2. 2 3. with mentioning of him 7. Subjection is further urged
lib. 1. c. 6. I rest on that on which after Chrysostom Cajetan Isidor Clarius Aretius Mountagu Gataker and Heinsius Exercit Sacr lib. 5. c. 13. pitch that by reason of the confusion that then was in the Government the High Priests then not succeeding according to the Law of God in the Family of Aaron nor continuing during life but by bribes and evil arts being promoted and removed by the Kings and Governors at pleasure insomuch that as Heinsius speaks it is manifest there was then such Anarchy that dâ—ily as it were they were and were not High Priests Besides Paul's long absence from Jerusalem his unacquaintance with affairs there especially in the government of the Temple and Council of the Jews the place manner of sitting habit not distinguishing him from the rest it may well be conceived that he did not then distinctly know Ananias to be the High Priest nor perhaps one of the Council regularly constituted though it be said v. 1. He earnestly beheld the Council And it to me seems the more likely that he did not perceive him to be High Priest because he directs his speech to them with the same compellations as he did Acts 22. 1. under the titles of Men and Brethren without distinguishing him from the rest or any respective speech to them as a regular Court of justice but as a company gathered together by the chief Captain to accuse and examine him not to judge him Which is the more likely by reason of what he did v. 6. in bespeaking them under the title of Men Brethren and perceiving them to be of different parties he used art to set them at variance and to break up the Assembly in a confused manner which he would not have done had it been a Court legally set However we determin of St. Pauls knowledge of Ananias it is clear that he doth not impute his speech v. 3. to Prophetick liberty as Grotius imagines when he saith in his Annot. on Acts 23. 3. utitur jure Prophetae nor justify it but corrects it and imputes it to his ignorance and adds the command of the Law Exod. 22. 28. For it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people following therein the Greek version the whole verse being Thou shalt not revile the Gods that is as is conceived Judges or God nor curse the Ruler of thy People Which being alledged by St. Paul as in force and applyed to himself as thereby condemning his speech of opprobrious and threatning language if it were not excused by his ignorance doth plainly prove that a Ruler of the People though an Ecclesiastick and climbing to the place by indirect means unrighteously judging opposing the truth the Kingdom and Apostle of Christ yet should not be reviled or with menaces terrified or cursed but being in the possession of a Rulers place be regarded in words and actions as a Ruler To which I shall add some more passages of the old Testament St. Pauls allegation of this shewing that they are moral and still binding Christians Eccl. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought or conscience and curse not the rich in thy Bed-chamber for a bird of the ayr shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Eccles. 8. 2. I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God Out of all which I conclude that the minor of my argument is sufficiently proved that the Doctrine which commendeth and urgeth such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers whether Civil or Ecclesiastical or military as thâ— words cited by me do is contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures and consequently damnable and Antichristian § 4. The Exceptions of Fifth-monarchy-men and others against the first Argument are refelled AGainst this Argument which overthrows also the Doctrines of Jesuited Pontificians and other opposers deposers and smiters of Kings and other Rulers there are sundry exceptions taken One exception is that those Precepts were for that time when the Christians were unable to resist But this is prevented by the Apostles words Rom. 13. 5. Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Another that these Precepts tie us to submit to these Rulers and not to resist them till they cease to be Rulers which they do when excommunicate deprived by the Pope But if the Pope be comprehended under every soul as Chrysostom conceived even the Apostles were then the Pope himself is to be subject to Rulers and consequently cannot depose them nor hath the Scripture given this power to the Pope or Man to depose them it being God's prerogative as is said Psal. 75. 7. God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Another evasion is that subjection is required to Rulers while they are a terror to evil works not to good but not when they oppresse are enemies to Gods People Christ's Kingdom then they cease to be Rulers but this is prevented by the Apostle who saith the Powers that be are ordained of God and therefore to them as they are subjection is to be given and resistence is forbidden by S. Paul But the chief exception is that which p. 51 of the Banner displayd is in these words Now then we say that called the Ordinance of God proves the Ordinance of the Devil and though the Powers of the great Image might be taken for the Ordinance of God so long as they kept their pure civil and unmixed state so saith Paul the Powers that be i. e. the Civil Powers of old Rome tho a bloudy Persecutor and devourer of the Creation and God's Heritage are ordained of God yet when the Power of Rome adulterated from its pure civil state and becomes a mixt Antichristian state the Beast and a Whore then it is said of that beastly Antichristian Power that the Dragon or Satan gave him his power and his seat and great Authority and what then is this save the Ordinance of Hell To which I reply If I understand them aright this is their meaning that the powers of the great Image that is the Kings Emperors and Rulers of the world then ceased to be Gods Ordinance and became the Ordinance of Hell when that was fulfilled which we read Revel 13. 2. which they take for granted was when the Empire of Rome or the ten Kings that arose out of the division of it did give their power and strength as it is Revel 17. 13. unto the beast mentioned v. 11. which it 's without doubt with them to be the Bishop of Romes pretended supremacy dominion Oecumenieal Vicarship by which Christian Religion was corrupted mixed with Paganish and Jewish rites and the ten Kings and their Kingdoms made dependent on the Pope And consequently subjection and assistance is not due to the Civil or Ecclesiastical or Military powers or Laws that now
are being built or erected upon the old foundation of the fourth Monarchy in this supposed mixt estate but they are warranted and bound as being the Stone expressed Dan. 2. 34 44 45. to smite destroy utterly dissolve the powers of the fourth Monarchy which they conceive to be all the present in their persons Offices Laws Titles priviledges and whole constitution and to take to themselves all the power and dominion in the earth in order to the erecting of the Fifth-Monarchy which they call Christs visible Kingdom upon earth Now surely such a monstrous giant-like claim as this exceeding any of the proud claims of Nebuchadnezzar or any of the Persian Roman Turkish Monarchs had need of very good cards for it some unquestionable Charter or grant of Heaven especially when it so flatly opposeth such plain precepts as I have alledged to the contrary which unless they be proved to be relaxed or repealed by a Divine sentence testified by some infallible evidence of miracles or otherwise such as Christ and his Apostles had do prove that this claim and the Doctrine that teacheth such practises as they incite men to is from the Devil himself who is the great Abaddon or destroyer of the World Sure Christ when he bid his Disciples teach men to observe all that he had commanded promising to be with them all daies unto the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And S. Paul when he thus wroâ—â— to Timothy 1 Epist. ch 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnâ—ssed the good confession that thou keep this Commandment whereof Prayer and thanksgiving for Kings and all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Obedience to Masters 1 Tim. 6. 1. are a part without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ did conceive their commands to be binding until Christs second coming And sith he only hath power to repeal release dispense with a Law who hath a power either legislative or declarative of Law superiour or equal to his who gave or at first Authoritatively declared it it can be no less than Pope-like or Dictator-like arrogance in some persons upon pretence of a peculiar Revelation to them no way demonstrated but in an obscure claucular meeting for consultation imagined to be communicated to them determin that which St. Paul said was the ordinance of God to be the ordinance of Hell because they say it and to exceed the Pharisees in arrogance whom our Saviour chargeth with hypecrisie for making the commandment of God of none effect by their tradition though it were the tradition of their Elders or chief Rabbins or Doctors Matth. 15. 6 7. This bidding defiance to all the Powers of the Earth and this taking on them to make void so plain Precepts of Christ and his Apostles without any other proof than they bring is in my apprehension one of the greatest pieces of pride and arrogancy that I have met with and as great a delusion as I think this age hath afforded § 5. Suppositions implyed in the Quinto-Monarchians exceptions are shewed to be uncertain as those about the Stone it's smiting Dan. 2. 34. 44. NEvertheless let us examine what they say of which some things are supposed some things are inferred The things supposed and inferred are these 1. That the fourth Kingdom mentioned Dan. 2. and 7. Is the Roman Empire which I will not deny though there be not a few very learned men that take the fourth Monarchy to be the Empire of the successors of Alexander the great and that upon such reasons as might make sober men not too peremptory in the contrary opinion much less to make the future smiting of it an article of faith and the visible Kingdom of Christ to succeed it 2. That the Kingdom mentioned to be set up Dan. 2. 44. shall be an external visible Kingdom on earth which is yet more doubtful being more controverted among godly learned men and that upon such weighty considerations on both sides as may make considerate men if not to suspend their judgement yet not too resolutely to assert it nor obtrude it with such zeal as the Quinto-Monarchians do as an article of faith and build such mighty attempts commotions in the world and hopes on so uncertain a foundation 3. That In the daies of these Kings must be meant at the end of the fourth Monarchy when all the materials of the Image shall be broken in pieces and scattered so as no place was found for them Whereas it is far more probable that it was set up when Christ began to Preach the Gospel as John Baptist and our Lord intimated when he invited men to repent and believe the Gospel for the Kingdom Heaven was at hand very likely alluding to those places in Daniel ch 2. 44. In their daies the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven to distinguish it from the Kingdoms of men set up by them not by the God of Heaven whereto the like is Dan. 7. 14. And seems to be referred to the spiritual Kingdom of Christ which the Saints of the most High do take as the Author to the Hebrews ch 12. 28. saith Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken let us have or hold fast grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear which no man doubts to be meant of the receiving the Kingdom of Christ by faith in him upon the Preaching of the Gospel 4. There is a distinction made between the Kingdom of the Stone and the Kingdom of the Mountain as if they were either several Kingdoms or at least of several conditions and qualifications whereas the text doth distinguish them no otherwise than in their extent not one spiritual the other visible external the one the working Kingdom the other the Kingdom of glory 5. That the Stone which must do the smiting and breaking work is not Christ personal only but also Christ mystical with his members or to use the words of Mr. Tillinghast Though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical Christ in his Members But sure in this they are mistaken this work being made in scripture Christs own peculiar work Matth. 21. 42 43 44. Jesus saith unto them did ye never read in the scriptures the Stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the Corner This is the Lords doing and it is Marvellous in our eyes Therefore I say unto you the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder or dash him to pieces In which passage it is apparent that by the
Power and Authority given by Satan was to speak great things and Blasphemies and to make War with the Saints And again of the two Horned Beast v. 12. It is said that he exerciseth all the Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the first Beast before him and causeth the earth and them that dwel therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed which cannot be understood of legal Power such as we are required to be subject to but such wicked and unrighteous Power as is used in requiring adoration of Idols and urging it either by meer force without any Law or by devellish Acts to entice men thereto Which was in the Roman Heathen Emperors from Satan who is said to cast the Christians into Prison Revel 2. 10. by stirring up the Pagan Emperors and their subordinate Rulers to do it and yet their Civil Power as is confessed was the Ordinance of God 6. It is supposed that then when the Powers of the great Image or old Rome became a mixt Antichristian estate and not before they became the Ordinance of Hell to which there is no Subjection due But they do not tell us when this was nor can tell And is it not then blind fury that hurries men to such frantick determinations as to date the relaxation of so plain a precept as that Rom. 13. 1. is from such a time as they know not when it begins and to infer thence a warrant for some supposing themselves Saints upon no better evidence than their conceit of Gods Revelation of this by his Spirit from his word to attempt the smiting of all the Powers of the great Image Civil and Ecclesiastical whose derivation is from Rome others not excepted nor freed the Kingdoms of the Romish Iron Legs or the Roman Kingdom divided into the Eastern and Western Monarchies wherein the whole Dominion Power and Monarchy of the Ottoman Family or that of the Turkes is comprehended and the Beasts ten Horns or Antichrists Civil Powers equivalent to the ten Toes and also the little Horn together with all powers whatsoever that shall be found opposers of the Lords Kingdom whether they be of the golden Babylonish Silver Persian Brasen Grecian or Iron Roman Dan. 2. and ch 7. Revel 13. Comprehending the whole Kingdom of Antichrist in the Civil and Ecclesiastical parts thereof made up of persons and things though they grant that some of these were the Ordinance of God to whom every soul was to be subject and those only to cease to be to whom the Dragon gives his Power Revel 13. 2. which who they are and when this Power was given by the Dragon they are not able to give any assurance of 7. It is supposed that the Civil Powers now even in this Nation are a mixt Antichristian state and that their Power is from the Dragon since this mixture though not before But with what colour can they make those powers Antichristian who do maintain the faith of Christ To have their Power from Rome who have denied obedience to the Bishop of Rome To be a mixt Antichristian state who cause their subjects to abjure the Popes Supremacy To have their power from the Dragon who do by their Lawes the Execution of them pull down the worship of Idols and punish with death Diabolical Arts Quarrels perhaps are against the Kings Supremacy over Ecclesiastical persons and in Ecclesiastical causes as if it made a mixt Antichristian state so as that what is denied to the Pope is given to the King But this objection was so fully answered by Dr. John Rainold in his conference with Hart the Jesuite in the Tower ch 10. that Hart himself was satisfied that it was not so Perhaps some others imagin that in the making of Bishops there is an adulterating of the pure Civil power and an Antichristian mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical power but this also is but a mistake that which is meerly Ecclesiastical therein being left to Ecclesiastiques to do Yet were it granted there were some mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical power that this should make the Civil powers Antichristian is without all reason affirmed Were the Fathers of the Family or the first-born sons both Rulers Oeconomical and Priests to offer sacrifice Melchizedec a King and a Priest David a King and a Prophet therefore Antichristian will they count all preachers who are masters and parents and husbands by reason of this conjunction of these different functions in their persons therefore Antichrian Are not or have not there been many of them who perhaps have been of the fraternity of the Quinto-Monarchians themselves who have had commands in the Army and yet have been Preachers yea taken upon them to be Elders in the Churches and to have had ordination by laying on of hands who yet have not been judged by reason of this mixture Antichristian Are not then these men very partial who condemn that in one which they do not in another conniving at if not approving that in such as favour their party which they do count inveigh against as a most heinous crime deserving extermination in them that side not with them Much more abominable is it that they should impute that power by which peace is kept justice is done humane society is preserved to the Dragon and not see it to be from the Devil that they stir up hatred in the world and practise murthering of innocent men yea of those who are by God made Rulers over them whom they should obey assist and defend 8. It is supposed that the mixture of Civil powers by them imagined makes them who otherwise had been the Ordinance of God to be the Ordinance of Hell and their power from the Dragon though promoting Idolatry and persecuting Christianity by the Roman Ethnick Emperors did not make void their being the Ordinance of God nor the duty of Christians Subjection to them As if the shedding of the blood of the Saints and setting up Idols were not more from Satan and more inconsistent with Civil powers than an usurpation of an Ecclesiastick office or Uzziahs presumption to burn incense God would not have David build him a Temple because he had shed blood not because he was as it is likely Author of fetching the Ark to him in a Cart he and all Israel attended the carrying of it playing before the Lord on all manner of instruments Sure this Doctrine smells rank of Pharisaism to break the Commandments of God for mens traditions to disanul the duty of Subjects to their Civil Parents because of some supposed inordinate mixture Yea is not this the very venom of Antichristian Papal listing up of themselves above all that is called God not only to excommunicate and depose Emperors for simony as the Popes termed it because they gave Bishops investiture into their Bishopricks or for Heresy or favouring hereticks in not destroying them but also to proclaim War against them and attempt to kill them by reason of mixture or
like manner though preachers called to that Office may in a fit way shew Princes their sins and declare their danger Yet in no sort are they to vilify their Authority or contemn their persons Nor may men pretend the imitation of the holy Prophets boldness unless they can shew their commission and are endowed with their Spirit and power Nor may men who are but private persons take upon them to do as Christ did when he drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Which will be more fully proved by a fifth argument taken from some resolutions or determinations of our Lord Christ which condemn such attempts practises as the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine animates to upon pretence of zeal for Christ and his Kingdom Luke 9. 54 55 56. When Christ was to go to Jerusalem he sent messengers before his face and they went and entered into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him And they did not receive him because his face was asthough he would go to Jerusalem and when his Desciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did But he turned and rebuked them and said ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of For the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them In which resolution our Saviour condemns the motion of James and John to have fire come down from Heaven to destroy the Samaritans for their not entertaining of Christ in imitation of Elias out of zeal for Christ because it was not out of the same Spirit that Elijah had nor agreeable to the end of Christs coming and his Gospel which were not to destroy mens lives but save them Now then the Doctine of Quinto-Monarchians which urgeth their smiting work which tends to the destroying of mens lives and not the saving of them out of a zeal as they conceive for Christ and his Kingdom though there be no other then a private or rather an haughty factious Spirit in them is contrary to Christs resolution and therefore indeed damnable and Antichristian Nor hath it indeed in Christ or his Apostles Doctrine or example any warrant but is an imitation of that pernicious use of the later Jewes which was taken up in a perverse imitation of Phinehas his act Numb 25. of Elias 1 Kings 18. 40. 2 Kings 1. 10. and some others out of zeal for their Law without Authority to destroy those things and persons which they judged contrary thereto as in the stoning of Stephen Act. 7. St. Paul Acts 14. 19. c. In which they were carried furiously and violently without any legal judicial proceeding hearing and sentence by Authorized Judges which caused so many seditions and such outrages as at last provoked the Romans to make a most horrid destruction of that people and ruin of that state To which the Quinto-Monarchians opinon and practise hath been too like and if not stayed would bring the like effect on Church and State with us The other determination is that of our Saviour in the case of Peters drawing his sword to rescue Christ in the garden from the Soldiers which came to take him and striking a servant of the High Priests and smiting off his ear which our Saviour disallowed bidding him to put up his sword again into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Matth. 26. 52. where our Lord who had bid them buy swords Luke 22. 36. a little before yet forbids the drawing of it and smiting off the ear of a servant of the High Priest though it were out of zeal for him it being against an Officer by a person without Authority declaring the evil consequence which would follow on such usage of it Now the Quinto-Monarchians smiting civil powers out of pretended zeal for Christs Kingdom without any authority in a furious heart of spirit is much more apparently contrary to Christs resolution in Peters case and therefore is censured justly to be damnable and Antichristian § 9. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of smiting civil powers urgeth to resisting of evil and self-revenging forbidden by Christ and his Apostles and to most horrid Murthers and great confusions A Sixth argument against the Doctrine of smiting civil powers in order to the setting up of the Fifth-Monarchy is taken from those texts of scripture which forbid resisting of evil and avenging our selves Our Lord Christ. Matth. 5. 38 39. reciting out of the Law of Moses words interpreted as allowing retaliation of wrongs with the like as those who threaten to others that they will give them as good as they bring he on the contrary tels his Disciples But I say unto you resist not evil But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely as if that turning the cheek were to be done alwayes in the act it self But in a comparative sense rather than make a brawl or fight take further injury signified by the proverbial phrase of turning the check now if Christians be forbidden to fight when they are injured to recompense evil for evil then much more are they forbidden being private persons to whom the sword is not commited of their own accord to begin a War even with superiors and to proclaim it in order to procuring of good as the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine moves Saints to Likewise St. Paul Rom. 12. 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil v. 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it written vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord v. 21. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 1 Peter 3. 9. Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing But contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing When David had cut off Sauls skirt his heart smote him and he said unto his men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords annointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 24. 5 6. The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee As saith the Proverb of the Ancients Wickedness proceeedeth from the wicked but mine hand shall not be upon thee v. 12. 13. And David said to Abigail blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. Which shew that herein both in the old and new Testament holy persons agree that a King is not to be smitten though in hostility without cause by any of his Subjects though he were anointed to be King after him that revenge of
injury oppression or persecution though it extended to the slaying the Lords Priests to an endeavour to slay the annointed Captain of the Lords Host is not to be attempted by a private person or subject but to be referred to the Lord. Therefore the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians urging subjects and private persons to smite their superior civil powers and to avenge the supposed injuries and persecutions of Saints by their own hands is contrary to Christ's his Apostles and Davids determinations in the holy Scriptures and consequently damnable and Antichristian That which I find alledged for their practise is in these words The Banner of truth displayed p. 59. All the blood of Gods people is found in Babylon For they i. e. her civil powers Revel 16. 6 6. have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets Rev. 17. 6. ch 18. 24. and 19. 1. Jer. 50. 14. now therefore God by way of recompence and retalliation hath ordained that the Saints shall be his instruments by which he will execute his vengeance upon the powers of the world who are all of them murtherers accordingly God commands his people and 't is their duty to obey to reward Babylon double as she rewarded them yea and double unto her all those plagues deaths and stripes that she hath inflicted on you Revel 18. 6. and they shall give her blood to drink and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord that judgeth her Wherein many things are taken as granted which are false and the whole if it were granted would be insufficient to acquit them from guilt of opposing Christs precepts in that way of recompence and retaliation which they incite to 1. That all the powers of the world are murtherers Which proposition contains such a crimination as God only is fit to charge them with if it were true sith he only knows all the powers of the world and is privy to all their thoughts designs and actions 2. That the civil powers of the world are Babylon or her civil powers Now Babylon is termed the great which shall become the habitation of Divels Rev. 18. 2. and I think it is undoubted with all sorts of Writers and intelligent persons that Babylon the great there meant is the same with the woman Rev. 17. 4. termed v. 1. The great whore upon whose forehead was a name written Mystery Babylon the great the mother of Hariots and abominations of the earth v. 5. which is interpreted v. 18. And the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Which commonly those who are acquainted with the Histories of the times in which St. John received his Revelation even Papists themselves do take to be Rome known to be the only City which sate on seven mountains as v. 9. is expressed and reigned then over the Kings of the earth But how all the powers of the world now in being or the Nations of Europe even the Protestant should be Babylon or her civil powers or as elsewhere they say the streets of that great City and Rome-Babylon is unintelligible to me Rome it self and that which is called the Patrimony of St. Peter and the territories in Italy now subject to the Pope may be termed Babylon and the Civil powers therein may be termed her Civil powers and perhaps all the territories subject to the Pope in Ecclefiastical affairs may be meant by the streets of the great City mentioned Revel 11. 8. because they yield subjection to the Roman Pope in spirituals But how the States which do reject the Pope's power in Temporals as the King of France or the Duke and Senate of Venice who stood out against Pope Paul the fifth when he interdicted them because they would not repeal their Laws or release their prisoners though Ecclesiasticks should be termed the civil powers of Rome-Babylon is not easie to be understood much less how the Kings of England Denmark Sweden and such other Protestant States Nations and Princes as have rejected the Popes jurisdiction and authority both in civil and Church matters and impose oaths of disclaiming the Popes supremacy in Spirituals and their authority in Temporals through their Dominions on their Subjects should be nevertheless the civil powers of Babylon and their Countries the streets of the great City Rome-Babylon is it conceiveable by me If the Predecessors of these did subject themselves to the Pope in former ages yet they are not therefore termed Babylon but Kings of the earth who commit fornication with her and give their power to her but neither of these can be said of those Princes though Successors to them who have abandoned the Popes errors and corruptions in Religion and his jurisdiction wholly 3. It is suggested that all the blood of Gods people is found in Babylon For they i. e. her civil powers Rev. 16. 6 7. have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets Rev. 17. 6. ch 18. 24. and 19. 1. Jer. 50. 14. And it is true that Jer. 50. 14. it is said put your selves in array against Babylon round about all ye that bend the bow shoot at her spare no arrows for she hath sinned against the Lord. But this is not meant of Rome-Babylon nor of her civil powers but of Babylon in Chaldaea many thousand miles distant from Rome and long before these daies or St. Johns wasted And yet it is not said of that Babylon that it shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets though I deny not she is charged with the blood of the Inhabitants of Zion Jerusalem-Israel Jer. 51. 35. 49. It is rather charged on Jerusalem by Christ that she killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto her that upon her might come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias Son of Barachias whom ye saith Christ slew between the Temple and the Altar Matth. 23. 34 35. 37. It is said Rev. 16. 4 5 6. And the third Angel poured out his vial upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters and they became blood And I heard the Angel of the waters say thou art righteous O Lord which wast art and shalt be because thou hast judged thus For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy And it is most probable though there be that conceive the Rivers and Fountains of water to have been the Cities and Provinces of the Roman Empire under the Pagan Emperors and that to them is ascribed the sheding of the blood here mentioned that this is meant of the Papal Empire sith it is the same which is charged on the woman Revel 17. 6. and Babylon Rev. 18. 24. who must be different from Rome Pagan by reason of the things said Rev. 17. 10 11 12. concerning the ten Kings which had then received no Kingdom when St. John received this Revelation but should receive power as
Judges And yet the evils we have seen are small in comparison of what the Jewes felt by the factions there when Jerusalem was besieged by Titus But the evils which would come on the world by the insurrection of the Quinto-Monarchians if their project did take place would far exceed them their design being an universal destruction of them that oppose them in all the world and when the conscience is perverted there being no stay to mens furious zeal If any say that they would only smite oppressors of the Saints I reply by their own rules they are bound to separate from those Churches which are select and more pure as being seemingly refined which are the gathered in pastoral way reducing things to primitive practise so far as they are corrupted and adulterated and found opposers of the Kingly office of Jesus Christ in and over the whole world and more especial in the administration of this part or dispensation of that Kingdom to wit that of the Stone or War against his enimies for even in this generation there be a sort of people and those we hope godly that do acknowledge wait in the expectation of the later yea and hold forth the personal appearance of our Lord as King yet nevertheless oppose and deny and quite leap over this Stone and its work thereby endeavouring to render the Saints useless and uncapable of destroying Babylon which must make way and without which we cannot attain to the peaceable and more glorious administration of this Kingdom by removing those Mountains Hills and powers of darkness which do oppose and hinder it Banner displayed p. 75. There are no Churches or at leastwise very few of the pastoral way in these Nations or elsewhere but have something of Antichrist in them having forsaken and apostatized from the primitive and first love and have and do in many principle and practises strike hands with the interest of Antichrist and mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2. 3 4. p. 79. We accompt it a duty for the Saints to separate from all the forms practises doctrines and spirit of the Antichrist in the world in their brethren in the Churches c. And to be plain we accompt him and that spirit which either in act or deed wilfully and obstinately denies the smiting work of our Lords Kingdom Antichristian inasmuch as that such would alwaies have Christ his Saints his cause in and on the earth a sufferer but the scripture clearly manifests the contrary p. 81 82. now then if men be they never so holy as they hope a sort of people be who oppose deny and quite leap over the Stone and its smiting as they confess there are no Churches or very few of the pastoral way in these Nations and elsewhere but have opposed them yet are Antichristian they by their principles are to smite them and so must oppress Saints as well as others And if any Saints be civil powers Ecclesiastical Rulers Governors in Corporations Graduates in Universities Pastors in Churches as no doubt thousands are who love the Lord Jesus and wait for his appearing and Kingdom yet these must be smitten too And who can secure in such confusions as would arise upon the Quinto-Monarchians smiting work any man yea of their own party from violence and slaughter when there is nothing but rage in private persons whose proceedings are in heat of mad zeal without any distinction by legal trial and just judgment or certain Rule Sure no Tyrants have ever done more mischief than this way of the Fifth-Monarchy-Men would do if it were prosecuted nor is any doctrine more hellish Antichristian and damnable than this that tends to overthrow all the civil powers Lawes Doctrines Forms Degrees Offices in Church and State which these term the spirit of Antichrist in the world And if it were supposed that these furious zelots should accomplish their design after the mixture of hypocrites and the rabble of the worst most foolish men who could hope there would be any peace good order or justice in the world or any remainder of sober men The world would be an Acheldama or field of blood which they impute to the Nations of Europe even the Protestant and the prevailing persons to use their own phrase Blood-Monsters and instead of a visible Kingdom of Christ in the earth a solitude Chaos tohu vebohu as was afore the first creation and the Kingdom of Antichrist or the Devil would be set up under pretence of making Christs enemies his footstool What Lawes Order or Rule tending to further Religion or Righteousness can any expect from men of such cauterized consciences as not to discern the mischievousness of such doctrine and practises as these have vented especially after they have inured themselves to shedding of blood and rapine with extremity § 11. The 9th and 10th arguments against the smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians from the meekness peaceableness and patience of Saints TO these arguments which have been confirmed I shall add a ninth taken from the opposition of spirit and practise which their doctrine begets to the precepts of meekness and peaceablness which the Gospel requires of Christians and to which it assigns blessedness Our Lord Christ in his sermon on the Mount Matth. 5. 5. saith Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth v. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God v. 22. He forbids rash anger contemptuous speech and opprobrious language v. 23 24 25. requires speedy endeavours of reconciliation with adversaries nor is it any thing against this precept of Christ that he tels us Luke 12. 49. 51. I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth I tell you nay but rather division For these expressions do not shew his approbation of division but his foresight of it not as a thing which he affected or as a thing desirable of it self or which he studied to promote but as a thing which he knew was unavoidable in the event that while he endeavoured to promote the truth of the Gospel by accident divisions would follow not from his doctrine which was the Gospel of peace but through the perversness of mens spirits who would oppose it But that it was the will of Christ that all Christian Saints should be meek and peaceable appears from the many precepts injoyning them in the Apostles writings Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Rom. 14. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost v. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace Gal. 5. 19 20. The workes of the flesh are hatred enmities variance wrath strise seditions divisions or factions v. 22. 23. The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace meekness Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with
hope wherein those whom they believe to be godly oppose them and their violence of spirit beyond all sobriety in moving persons so earnestly to that smiting work in this age upon no better grounds than their own conjecture though they foresaw it would bring common calamity and the bodies and lives of godly persons perish by reason of their opposition to this Stone which shewes they were resolved to smite all that stood in their way though godly as it fell out in the year 1660. Mr. Tillinghast in his first Sermon p. 26. saith the work of Christs Kingdom the glorious beginning of it shall be about the time of the Jewes coming in and p. 39. saith the Lord make us wait on him for his own time and yet Serm. 3. gives signes of its being near even in this generation which he makes it the duty of Saints to observe though not one of the signes is from any Revelation of God but from things which may happen and have without such signification as he would put upon them I omit what Mr. Mede in his letter to Arch-Bishâ—p Usher and in other writings and many others write of the mystical numbers in Daniel and in the Revelation which I would not have slighted so as to give no heed to them it being not in vain that the Holy Ghost hath delivered them to us only this I conceive it very dangerous and unsafe to make them the warrant or motive to such an attempt as the smiting of civil powers or the beginning of any War against the known Rules of scripture and Lawes of civil Government it being in it self wicked shewing bitter furious zeal without the wisedome from above and likely hereafter as it hath done formerly to others to bring destruction of soul and body on the agents and much misery on others whether opponents or neuters § 14. Many things are groundless and false which the Quinto-Monarchians suppose and take as articles of their faith concerning the Fifth-Monarchy and its setting up TO the uncertainties and falsities about the smiting work of the Stone whereby the evil of their attempt is demonstrated I shall next add the uncertainties or falsities of those things which thâ—y make as articles of their faith about the Stones becoming a Mountain and filling the whole earth Where 1. they shew their inadvertency in making Gentile Saints who are but subjects the Stone meant Dan. 3. 34 35. Excluding the Jewes from being the Stone in the beginning whereas the Stone is expresly termed the Kingdom which shall stand for ever v. 44 45. which cannot be understood of the Saints who are subject they are not the Kingdom nor do they stand for ever though they receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken Heb. 12. 28. But the Stone is Christ the King and his Dominion which must fill the whole earth with Subjects Lawes and Administrations of Rule and Justice which cannot be said of the Saints Gentile or Jewish Which inadvertency causeth them to speak confusedly p. 19 20. and throughout their Book termed the Baaner of truth displayed sometimes terming the Stone Christ sometimes his Kingdom sometime the Gentile Saints sometimes the Jewes joyned to the Gentiles Now the same Stone which smites the great Image becomes a great Mountain and fils the whole earth but this is not true of the Gentile Saints or Jew and Gentile joyned together they become not a great Mountain nor fill the whole earth therefore they smite not the Image 2. That the Stone or fifth Kingdom is an outward visible Kingdom not the spiritual Kingdom which was begun by Christ in the days of his flesh is much insisted on as the chief ground of their faith and hope in this matter But in the Banner of truth displayed p. 20. in answer to the question what this Stone is They say this Stone is called in Scripture the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdom of Christ this stone Dan. 2. 44 45. Matth. 21. 43 44. which they say hath a twofold dispensation i. e. 1. An internal dispensation or the inward Kingdom which is the Kingdom of Christ in the hearts of his Saints and in and over his Church 2. An external dispensation 1. Of war in subduing and conquering his stubborn enemies and opposers in the world whereby they shall be compelled to yield and shall become subjects though Kings and Princes 2. Of peace upon the earth in and over the whole world which is the new creation and restitution of all things where will be perfection no sin among the Saints immortality no mortal nor corruptible thing where death shall have no sting nor grave victory but all shall be swallowed up in Christs fulness which is victory And for this they cite many scriptures in the margin Now 1. I grant that the stone Dan. 2. 44 45. is the Kingdom of Christ or of God Mat. 21. 43 44. 2. The distinction of the internal external Kingdom is not denied 3. Nor do I oppose the double dispensation of this Kingdom 4. Nor do I deny the description of either dispensation But 1. hence I infer that the stone Dan. 2. 44 45. notes the internal Kingdom or the dominion Christ had by the preaching of the Gospel termed the Gospel of the Kingdom Matth. 24. 14. meant Matth. 21. 43 44. For 1. that Kingdom is meant there and no other which was to be taken from the Jews but that could be no other than the internal Kingdom for no other Kingdom was then among them but it therefore no other is there meant 2. That Kingdom was there meant which was to be given to another Nation meaning the Gentiles but that was no other but the internal 3. That Kingdom is there meant whose fruits were to be brought forth by the Nation to whom it was to be given now the fruits of the Kingdom are expressed to be righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. which belong to the internal Kingdom and therefore no other there meant Which thing is also confirmed by other passages of Scripture as namely that of our Saviour Luk. 17. 20. When he was demanded when the Kingdom of God should come he answered them and said The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation or with outward shew therefore the Kingdom of God meant in the Gospel is not the outward visible Kingdom which the Quinto-Monarchians expect which is also proved from v. 21. where it is added Neither shall they say Lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you or among you which could be no other than the Kingdom set up by the preaching of the Gospel To which is to be added Christs good confession before Pontius Pilate John 18. 36. Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Wherein our Lord Christ declares his Kingdom foretold by
erroneous Revolters from pure worship true doctrine and true Christian conversation in duties of love and righteousness walk on every side that a small number of Saints in profession should have more enemies against them if they did live by themselves on earth as an entire and independent Common-wealth If in Christs retinue there were a Judas can any company of Saints secure themselves from hypocritical members and their treachery Sure the little flock of Christ is more beholding to Kings and Rulers and Laws and Government though with some rigour and persecution than they are sensible of or thankful for as they should be We have seen how unsuccessful endeavours have been to reform Churches to rectify Governments as we desire how like Tinkers work alterations in them have been that while one hole is stopped two are made how many various forms of Government have been devised whereof one hath opposed the other that while they have been hammering on a new frame all hath fallen to pieces every one likely agreeing about what they would not have few about what they would have And therefore it would be more agreeable to the mind of God for Christians now though under many grievances and pressures to subject themselves peaceably even to hard Rulers and as God admonished the Jews in Babylon to pray for their peace for in their peace they should have peace and to seek the peace of them Jer. 29. 7. till God call them out of Babylon by his providence and not either by flying from them as enemies desert their station wherein by their abiding they might perhaps through their good conversation amend them or by their patience pacify them or by reviling provoke them or by conspiracies or tumults incense them against them much less after the Quinto-Monarchians furious manner take up arms to make themselves a Free-state and Lords of the world The fifth position is that Saints regained the rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven which position is deduced out of the former but is false and pernicious For 1. it supposeth that the rights and priviledges in respect of Government were lost in the first Adam which is before proved false 2. That the second Adam or Lord from Heaven hath regained them whereas there is no Text of Scripture that doth mention that this was the end of his coming into the world to get for himself or for his Disciples the actual regiment or government of the Natitions of the world in an outward manner by making and executing Laws about civil affairs nor was this ever claimed by Christ or his Apostles but when he perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a mountain himself alone John 6. 15. and when one of the company said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the inheritance with me he said unto him man who made me a Judge or Divider over you Luke 12. 13. 14. which plainly shews Christs refusal of medling with civil affairs though it were but by speaking for one brother to another yea and his disclaiming any civil office or judicature as not belonging unto him And his whole estate of life and deportment in the daies of his flesh was altogether incongruous to a civil government or rule nor did he ever disturb Herod Pilate the high Priests or Elders of the Jews about their government but only he once drave the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple by special instinct and rode on an Asse into Jerusalem to shew his right as the Son of David and freely reproved the wickedness of the Jewish Rulers and Pharisees yet still requiring those that were healed of leprosy to go to the Priests and shew themselves to them for a testimony to them that he was not against the observance due by the Law to them It is indeed said Rom. 14. 9. That to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living But this cannot be meant in respect of civil government on earth and the rights and priviledges thereof but the spiritual rule he hath over them now and the great dominion he shall have at the universal Judgment when at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 10. 11. yea this thing was the very stumbling block of the Pharisees by reason of which they denied his Kingdom and his being the Messiah because he did not take upon him civil rule nor by human forces subdue the Romans as David the Philistines but by invisible power cast out Divels healed diseases rebuked storms and multiplyed loaves and did such other acts and gave such laws as were altogether unsutable to the King and Kingdom which they fancied and expected So that this conceit of Christs regaining the rights and priviledges in respect of Government which was lost in the first Adam meaning the outward visible government of the world in respect of civil affairs is but a Jewish opinion altogether disagreeing with Christian Doctrine It is true that the Apostles minds did oftentimes hanker after it contending sundry times who should be chiefest among them and the two brethren James and John by their Mother asking the two nearest places to Christ in his Kingdom but they were checked by Christ expresly telling them that to sit at his right hand or his left was not his to give but for whom it was prepared of his Father Matth. 20. 23. shewing thereby that in his present state he had no such Kingdom or Throne as they dreamed of nor was to have nor the disposal of such places as they ambitiously sought but told them of their suffering afflictions and to all his Apostles said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you v. 25 26. yea when they would know who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven he called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and said verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. 1 2 3 4. declaring plainly that all affecting government and superiority in this world was contrary to his Kingdom and therefore the monstrous ambition of Quinto-Monarchians of getting into their hands the Kingdoms of this world is as contrary to Christianity as bitter to sweet darkness to light or rather indeed Antichristian or Babylonish being under another disguise the same with the Popes claim of Universal Monarchy as Vicar of Christ of having both
of them who delivered themselves from exile by voluntary embracing of the allowance of Cyrus and other Persian Kings Their claim also of the Kingdom and power in these Nations as the Saints birthright as freemen of the Common-wealth of Israel and heirs of the whole world with Christ Gal. 3. 29. is alike ridiculous For they are no otherwise freemen of the Common-wealth of Israel than in a Metaphor taking the Church of God for the Israel of God and Church members freemen of the Common-wealth But this belongs to every Christian at least who is really such in the whole world and then if freedom should infer soveraignty they should be Kings because freemen which is a meer non sequitur Gal. 3. 29. speaks not of the inheritance of the whole world but of the promise which is of the spirit v. 14. not of the dominion of the whole world The rest of their arguings are like these as will appear in that which follows § 16. The Reasons and Arguments of Fifth-Monarchy Men for their separation and smiting civil powers are shewed to be vain IT remains now that I consider what I meet with in the writings I have seen for the Quinto-Monarchians separation from and smiting civil powers and acting in the behalf of the Fifth-Monarchy or visible Kingdom of Christ on earth as they term it and the Saints taking it into their possession The reasons of their separation and engaging against all civil powers are in the Banner of truth displayed p. 84 85 86 87 88. Whereof the first is this Because the Fifth Kingdom which is Jesus Christ's and the Saints together with the Lawes and Ordinances thereof is to take place of the Roman Kingdom which is the Kingdom of the Beast and Antichrist with destruction thereto together with all the Lawes and Ordinances thereof Dan. 2. 44. ch 7. 18. 26 27. Isa. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 2. Heb. 12. 28. Answ This is granted and it is in part fulfilled by the setting up of Christs Kingdom by preaching the Gospel and is yet to be fulfilled at Christs appearing of the former of which Dan. 2. 44. Isai. 2. 3. Heb. 12. 28. are meant of the later Daniel 7. 18. 26 27. 1 Cor. 6. 2. None of the texts term civil powers in England the Kingdom of the Beast and Antichrist or the Roman Kingdom nor prove the Fifth Kingdom is to be set up by separation from civil powers or engaging against them which were to be proved and therefore if that which is said to be an undeniable truth among the Saints yet sith those Saints are not infallible and other Saints perhaps doubt of it as judicious as themselves it should have been proved and also their inference thence cleared unless they had been resolved to deceive or remain deceived 2. Because the civil power is that which doth oppose the righteous Kingdom of Jesus Christ not only deteining his right interest title and birthright of inheritance from him as much as in them lies which is as great an evil as if they should effectually accomplish their wicked design but also do make War against the Lamb Christ Jesus and the Saints his followers Rev. 17. 14. Psal. 2. 1 2 3. Are we the friends and subjects of Jesus Christ Why then are we found the friends and subjects of men How can this be Can we serve Christ and Belial Let Saints therefore be convinced of this namely that the civil powers are Christs enemies it is they that labour to prevent the rise and breaking forth of that Kingdom and neer unto the time of its firm establishment their combination will be very high great I saw the Beast which all grant to be the civil or at leastwise the civil and Ecclesiastcal power and the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make War against him that Sate on the Horse and against his Army Rev. 19. 19. If so then it consequently follows that 't is the Saints great duty to withdraw from this Beast the Kings of the earth their Armies strength and power neither are they upon pain of his highness great displeasure to maintain or help and abet or assist any such Armies or powers who are raised or continued to make War against him lest they be found Traitors secretly assisting his enemies and so fighters against his glory power Crown and Scepter Answer This is a very deep charge but so confused and in Generals that it serves the more fitly to hide the deceit of the accusers it being true Dolus versatur in generalibus their 's guile in accusations which are only in Generals tending to make any suspected or accused against whom they have a prejudice and the more defficult for the accused to defend himself If it be meant of the Popish Prelates and Princes or Mahometan or Pagan it is not denied if it be meant of the Protestant civil and Ecclesiastical powers it should be shewed which of them and in what facts they do those things here charged on them Perhaps they that are accused are not guilty or if they be guilty yet not of such facts as amount to what is here imputed to them Sure every injurious act to a Saint makes not the power an enemie to Christ nor every unrighteous Law or Act which may hinder the progress of Christs Kingdom doth so oppose the righteous Kingdom of Christ as to be construed not only the deteining of his right interest title and birth-right of inheritance from him but also making War against the Lamb Christ Jesus and the Saints his followers much less to be taken for an opposition to Christs Kingdom as much as in them lies and as great an evil as if they should accomplish their wicked design Possibly this opposition which they accuse powers of is nothing else but an opposition to the wild and frantick actings of Fifth-Monarchy Men which if so they rather are to be said to further the righteous Kingdom of Christ than oppose it and the Fifth-Monarchy Men be more truly chargeable with the making War against the Lamb Christ Jesus and the Saints his followers Possibly the Quinto-Monarchians do charge powers with these things only out of uncertain rumors and reports yea perhaps only out of prejudice which is too too frequent though it be but a Divelish practice in many that are reputed Saints Surely these consulters in a secret conventicle where the powers cannot be heard speak for themselves are not competent accusers to arraign and Judges too to condemn their superiors if I may not be allowed to call them their betters This is indeed an intolerable and damnable presumption both to God and Man Nor is there any thing in the texts that is for their purpose the former Revel 17. 14. being meant only of those Kings who received power as Kings one hour with the Beast and give their power and strength to the Beast which sure cannot be meant of the Protestant Princes or Prelates or Powers it being
expresly declared by the Apostles Acts 4. 25 26 27. to have been fulfilled in the conspiracy of Herod and Pontius Pilate the Gentiles and Princes of Israel putting Christ to death The other text Revel 19. 19. is confessedly meant of Christs enemies that shall be near the time of the rise of the Kingdom of Christ and therefore is madly applied to a duty of Non-assisting or ressisting present powers It 's against all Rules but those of frayes when Tinkers and Pedlers and the rabble Rout fall to fighting to strike Richard for Robert to oppose the present powers in this Generation the civil and Ecclesiastical because the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their Armies shall be gathered together to make War against him that sate on the Horse and his Army No marvel men that thus argue should hate Lawyers and Universities which would hisse out such Law and Logick no marvel godly Brethren desert them when they vent such things as befit Devils rather than Saints and better agree with the doctrine of Hell than of the Church of Christ to whom that may be applied which Christ saith Revel 2. 9. I know the Blasphemy of them which say they are Jewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan As for us who have not known the depths of Satan as they speak we judge we may be friends and subjects of men even such as do oppose the righteous Kingdom of Jesus Christ if we do not concur with them nor love nor favour nor yeild obedience to them in that opposition we may be subject to them in the things of men though we oppose them according to our duty as did the three Children Dan. 3. 16 17 18. in the things of God when they act contrary thereto Nor need we fear to be charged with serving Christ and Belial or being found secret or open Traitors to Christ while we assist them in matters of civil Government and good order of Churches though they be adversaries to some truths we hold or some practises which we conceive and perhaps are our duty The power is not Belial alwaies when those that have the power be men of Belial A believing servant may serve with a good conscience an unbelieving Master enough hath been said of this before I am ashamed that any that hath the name of a Protestant or Saint should thus argue and it is altogether inexcusable in these men who acknowledge in this their writing that the persecuting powers in the Apostles dayes were the Ordinance of God to which Christians should be subject Rom. 13. 1. 3. Say they because the very life well-being rest and happiness of the Saints both in the external and internal sence consisteth and is laid and wrapt up in the Kingdom of Christ which is granted they add and not in this Kingdom of Antichrist and Babylonish state which is a filthy and polluted thing Heb. 11. 26 27. 2 Pet. 3. 13. But how doth it appear that the present civil powers are the Kingdom of Antichrist and Babylonish state or that owning or assisting them is resting in such a Kingdom or state Sure Heb. 11. 26 27. 2 Pet. 3. 13. there 's not a word to prove that which they take for granted yea we may perhaps better retort this reason and say it is the happiness of Saints to separate from these Fifth-Monarchy-men who instead of the Kingdom of Christ would bring us into the Kingdom of Antichrist and Babylonish state by inciting us to separate from and smite civil powers and charge them as denying the power and authority of Christ who would have to Caesar the things of Caesar given even from this their own speech of forbidding us to be under the power of men which is Gods Ordinance Rom. 13. 1. And though the followers of Christ ought to travel and cry and be restless until the man-child be brought forth to rule the Nations and until Zions righteousness go forth as brightness and her salvation as a Lamp that burneth Mic. 4. 10. Isa. 62. 1. c. yet are they not to give their goods or to use their endeavours to further the Quinto-Monarchians project Nor do the words Micah 2. 10. warrant them to relinquish powers which be over them but we may justly exhort all holy persons in the words of Moses Numb 16. 24 26. Get you up from about the Tabernacle of the Quinto-Monarchians who are seditious against their Governors as Corah Dathan and Abiram were depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men though pretended Saints and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins 4. Say they Because 't is prophesied of the Saints that they shall take the Kingdom power and dominion from the Beast Dan. 7. 18. 26. we therefore conclude that 't is a duty incumbent upon the Saints of the later daies to endeavour the translation of the Kingdom and power from the Beast to Jesus Christ else how shall they fulfil the Word of God which is a sure word of prophecy now how can Saints be instrumental in this great work except they first perform this act of separation which being done renders them in a great measure ready for that which follows Answ It is prophesied of the Saints of the most High that they shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever But it is not said that the Kingdom they shall take shall be the visible Kingdom on earth after or towards the time of the end of the fourth or Roman Monarchy or that the Saints are the Gentile Saints or the Gentile Saints of this Age or this Island or of the City of London or that they shall take it from the Beast or that the Beast is the civil power of England or that they shall take it by their separation or smiting work or that the Saints shall take away the Dominion of the Horn to consume and to destroy it unto the end by some fighting Act of theirs or any such as the Quinto-Monarchians design But in the reading and meaning of those words there is so much difficulty and uncertainty that no sober person would ever have made such an inference as these men make from it For first it is not very certain whether the fourth Beast be the Kingdom of the Seleucidae or the Roman Kingdom though I incline to the later 2. It is uncertain whether the little Horn be Antiochus Epiphanes or the Roman Papacy though I incline to the later 3. Nor is it certain that it is to be read the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom which I follow with our interpreters the same persons being to take the Kingdom who are to possess it for ever and not as some read they shall take the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High meaning the four Beasts shall take the Kingdom of the Jewes 4. Nor is it certain that v. 26. when it is said they shall take away his