Kingdome And Luke 20.21 Christ thanks his Father that whilst he hid the secrets of the Gospel from the Scribes and Pharisees he revealed them to others Whitehead Luke 17.21 The Scriptures say the kingdome of God was in them Danson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you i. e. the preaching of the Gospel Hubberth John 1.9 Christ enlightneth every man Danson Every man that is enlightned or some of every nation kindred tongue and people Hubberth The Scripture saith every man Danson The phrase hath a restrained sense Heb. 2.9 Christ tasted death for every man when he died but for a certain number Vers 10. In bringing many sons to glory Hubberth Then thou denyest that Christ died for all Danson Yes Whitehead 2 Cor. 5.14 If one died for all Danson It is spoken of Converts whose sanctification was the end of Christs death and for whom Christ rose and who therefore did rise with him Qu. 2. §. 2. Whether in this life the Saints attain to a state of perfection and freedom from sin HVbberth 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin Danson It cannot be meant of freedom from sin but either 1. There is an Emphasis in sinne meaning some sort of sin 1 John 5.16 There is a sin unto death or 2. an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes to make a trade of sin thus the Saints sin not Again it must be meant of all Saints born again and then none such sin contrary to 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and this is spoken of such as vers 3. are said to have fellowship with the father and his son Fisher b 1. A Minister 2. an Anabaptist 3. now a Quaker hath been at Rome Read vers ult If we say that we have not sinned we make him a lyar The born of God should lie if they did deny themselves to have sinned before the new birth Danson Vers 8. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if the latter were to be understood of sins proceeding the former is de presenti Whitehead Phil. 3.15 As many as be perfect Danson 1. It is used in a comparative sense in reference to others lesse 2. Oft in Scripture perfect is put for upright 3. Phil. 3.12 the Apostle denies himself yet perfect Fisher Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way they also do no iniquity v. 2. Danson The phrases are hyperbolicall David otherwise excludes himself from blessednesse his wish vers 5. and other passages in the Psalm shews he was not free from sin Fisher Luke 1.6 And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless Danson 1. How doth it appear that righteous before God is meant of perfect inherent righteousnesse 2. That blameless is meant otherwise then comparatively Phil. 2.15 Blameless without rebuke in the same sense may Luke use the phrase Phil. 3.6 Touching the righteousness which is in the Law blameless When a Pharisee i. e. in respect of others as Luke 18.10 Not as other men are 3. Zacharias is at this time guilty of unbelief Luke 1.10 Because thou believest not my words Fisher No such thing of Elizabeth Danson Your argument is from the phrases and if applicable to him guilty then they will not argue her to be free Danson Eccles 7.10 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sins not Hubberth If meant as thou wouldst then Christ was not just Danson Christ was God as well as man the place excludes any meer man Fisher The just man spoken of is not on c Doctor Sublimis earth for he is redeemed from the earth and in the Revelation he is said to be a dweller in heaven Whereas the wrath of God is said to come on the inhabitants of the earth Danson Can you possibly thinke that the just mans being in heaven in respect of disposition and affection and in Christ excludes his locall abode on earth Hubberth Heb. 12.23 Spirits of just men made perfect spoken of them to whom the Apostle writes Danson The Apostle sayes we are one body with them in heaven the spirits c. Quest 3. §. 3. Wheher our good works are the meritorious cause of our justification FIsher Contraria contrariorum ratio our evill works are the cause of our condemnation therefore our good of justification d Surely he was now newly come from Rome Danson We deny the consequence because our evill works are perfectly evill our good but imperfectly so any one evill is a violating of the Law and deserves its penalty but any or more good works not the fulfilling it Again our evill and good works are not absolutely contrary the one being perfectly evill the other imperfectly good malum ex quolibet defectu bonum ex integris causis Esay 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Lastly our good works are due and so cannot merit our evil violate the Law Fisher I prove the consequence from Gal. 5.18 But if you be led by the spirit you are not under the law Whence if they who are led by the spirit are not under the Law then the leading of the spirit is the meritorious cause of their not being under the Law but they who are led by the spirit are not under the Law Dans This is no proof of the consequence you should have proved there is par ratio for the merit of evill and good works and the leading of the Spirit is an effect not a meritorious cause of not being under the Law that is obliged to its penalty Fisher 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but you are washed but you are sanctified but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Here the Corinthians are said to be justified by the spirit Danson I might say perhaps the clause should be referred to sanctification thus but ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God or else justified by the spirit may be meant of the spirits application Fisher Rom. 8.2 The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Now 't is the same law of the spirit of life that is in Christ and the Saints Danson The Apostle asserts the holinesse of mans nature as a work of the spirit conforming it to the Law to be the meritorious cause of our freedom from sin and death but not that which is in us but in Christ It is true the same spirit is in Christ and the Saints yet doth not the spirit conform us fully to the Law nor if it did were that conformity the merit of Justification Fisher Read Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but spirit This place says the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in the persons of the Saints Danson
The Senate of Mulhus needed not many perswasions for they liked not that new ghest But Muncer was too quick for them for he so wrought upon the people in a short time that they put down the Magistrates and set others in their place of their own faction Not long after they drave the Fryars away and seized on their houses of which the best was given to Muncer who bore himself no more as a meer Preacher but as a Senator for he judged of all things out of the Bible and (f) Verbum scriptum non scriptum Thus far Papists Divine revelations and whatsoever he determined was received as an Oracle especially when he preached that all goods must be common (g) Levellers and all men free and of equal dignity An acceptable doctrine in those parts where the Nobility and Gentry used their Tenants and Vassals like slaves and opprest them with multitude of impositions and services No wonder if that new Gospel won the meanest sort who presently left working and what they wanted they took by open force from them that had it (h) Prevention of bloudshed a wonder in England At the same time in Suevia and Franconia 40000 Boors and Tradesmen rose up in arms killed and ransâ—cked great part of the Nobles took pillaged and burnt many Forts and Castles overthrowing all in their way like a sudden inundation for when the banks of Authority are once beaten down nothing can stop the popular fury till they lose themselves in their own confusion (i) Probatum sed non approbatum Muncer then thought it was time for him to do the like he layeth up abundance of Ammunition maketh his Magazine in the Covent of Franciscans casteth artillery raiseth a numerous multitude of men the mean People leaving their loom and their plough to turn venturers in this holy war His chief associate was Phifer one that gave much credence to dreams and night visions and among other Visions would say that he had seen in his dream a great company of Rats in a Stable and had driven them all away Which he interpreted as a command from God to take arms and dispossess all the Nobility and Gentry This Phifer was the stouter of the two for although Muncer was vehement in his Sermons to the people yet he would not try the hazard of a battel till all the neighbouring Countries were joyned with him To which end he sent divers Letters to the diggers of Mines of which the County of Mansfield is full exhorting them seriously to fall upon their Princes and cut them off that so his Partie in Franconia which looked but for his call might have a free passage into Thuringia But Phifer impatient of delayes rusheth into the Country of Isfield pillageth Castles and Churches destroyeth many of the Nobles brings some of them bound and returneth with a great booty which success raised the minds of the Boors and caused another defection in the County of Mansfield So Muncer hoping that the Rebellion was universal taketh his journey from Mulhus and is presently supplied with a company of Frankhusians But before this Snow-ball could grow by rolling the Count Mansfield stopt its course for having raised in haste some Companies of Horse he falls upon Muncer and killeth two hundred of his men at which the rude unexperienced Boors were so terrified that they all fled away to Frankhus there to expect a greater supply though they were men enough but as it seems Souldiers few or none This only skirmish broke the edge of their fury and gave time to John Elector of Saxonie newly come to that dignity by the death of his brother Frederick and his Uncle George of Saxonie Philip Lâ—ntgrave of Hesse and Henry Duke of Brunswick to raise fifteen hundred Horse and a few Companies of Infantry The Boors were pitched upon a hill by Frankhus pretty well intrenched within their own Carts but very ill â—rmed and worse disciplined The Princes though slenderly attended contemned and pitied together that rude troop and sent to offer them impunitie and a general pardon if they would but yeild the authors of the sedition and return home But Muncer understood not that Gospel that one man should die for the Nation He falls to preaching and expounds that sollicitation of the Princes as an argument of their weakness and fearfulness Tels the Boors that he was sent from God to command and lead them in this action That their part was to obey like Abraham who being commanded to kill his son went about it though he was uncertain of the event That they should certainly overthrow both these and all other enemies of God it being Gods promise that the righteous shall wash his foot in the bloud of the wicked and that the meek shall inherit the earth (k) Governours oppressions first or last the cause of many mischiefs That these Princes were but Tyrants and Theeves sucking the bloud of the people to live at ease and maintain their pride and wantonness That they maintained the Mass and therefore deserved to be extermined Then he exhorted them to be valiant in the Lord and kill every mothers son of their enemies for an acceptable sacrifice unto God assuring them that God himself that cannot lye had promised him victory and commanded him to destroy Princes and Magistrates endowing him with such strength that he was able to turn all their bullets back with his coat Hereupon perceiving a Rain-bow in the (l) The Devil is Prince of the air Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Skie and turning his eyes towards his Colours where a Rain-bow was painted Look up said he to Heaven here is for you a joyful sign of Gods favour that Rain-bow the very emblem of our Colours and be sure that God promiseth us that he will be our Standard-bearer and fight for us himself Come then let 's fight valiantly under Gods Standard That new piece of imposture made a strong impression in some Yet the Princes drawing near with a warlick march made a stronger impression of fear in these rude Souldiers than Muncers revelations and signs for the Princes were incensed by a late cruel treachery of Muncer who had put to death against the Law of Arms and Nations a hopefull young Gentleman sent to him to treat of agreement The Princes began to play with their Ordnance I cannot say to (m) Men of disorder cannot keep order break the ranks of the Boors for they keep neither Rank nor File and scarce keep their understanding for they neither advanced nor fled nor put themselves in defence but fell a singing Come Holy Ghost expecting that God should fight for them from Heaven according to Muncer's promise But when their intrenchments of Carts was broken and the Princes army came to handy blows away fled all the boors some one way some another but the most part to Frankhus 5000 of them were slain Frankhus taken the same day and 300 men taken
and there prophesied that he should die and rise again and that then the eys of the blind should be open But the King comming shewed him that the spirits of the Prophets must be subject unto the Prophets for he pulled him down and committed him to the Jail for three days This jolly Taylor having thus stitched up a kingdom in haste turned his serious care to go thorow stitch with it For that there was need of supply to to remove the Bishop that hindered his work And because all should be done in a Prophetical way Tuiscocurer his chief agent came to him as it seems by his appointment one day as he was sitting in his Throne with more than ordinary Majesty and told him King John the Gospel must be renewed by thee Thus saith the Lord God Go and say to the King of Sion that he prepare my holy Supper in the Church-yard of the great Church and that he chuse Teachers of my word to send into the four Cuarters of the World to teach all men the ways of righteousness and bring them by the spirit of their mouth into my Sheepfold so a publick Communion was celebrated but they made it a full meal A great feast r it was both for the persons and the meat for they were above four thousand men and had three courses But between these courses there was a soul entercourse for the King accused a man of Treason and cut off his head with his own hand and returned merry to supper Then with his bloody hand he took upon him to administer the body and blood of Christ Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assisted with the Queen sometime John Matthias his wife who then did the office of the Minister or Deacon and administred the Communion t Quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis the like did the principal officers of the State saying Take this and announce the Lords death After supper the King asked the whole Congregation whether they were all heartily disposed to do Gods Will and to suffer and die for the faith to which the people answered with one voice that they were all in that mind then Tuiscocurer arose and said Thus saith the Lord chuse men among my people to send into the 4 quarters of the world u Where will they stop to do great wonders among the nations publish my wonderous things among the strange people then he read a note of the names of those whom God had chosen for that legation w Our Quakers have men every where of whom himself was one they were 26. Sleydan saith two more 7 were sent to Osnburge 6 to Cecsweld 5 to Warendorp 8 to Suzat To them the King gave certain pieces of Gold with this inscription on the one side Vnless one be born by water and by the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven On the other side The Word was made flesh one God one Faith one Baptism They were to present that coin to every Town where their doctrine was not received and leave x The Apostles dust more dreadful then their 〈◊〉 it there for a Testimony against them These new Apostles went into the Cities where they were sent crying in the streets that the people should repent and join with them else they should shortly perish With that noise having raised a tumult they were apprehended brought to the Magistrates before whom they spread a cloak upon the ground and threw their coin upon it saying that they were sent by the Father to offer them peace which if they refused they would leave that coin amongst them as a pledge of Gods wrath against their ungratefulness and hardness of heart That the time was come foretold by the prophets that the whole world should follow righteousness which God would work by their King and when he had made righteousness to raign over all the world that then he should give up the Kingdom unto his Father Being questioned by the Magistrates first with fair words and after by tortures about their faith their conversation and the state of the City of Munster they answered that none in the world but they y The trick of all Seducâ—rs had the true Doctrine which they were ready to seal with their blood z Causa non poena facit Martyrem that since the Apostles time the word of God had not been purely preached and no justice was in the earth That there was four great Prophets two good David of Delft and John of Leyden and two bad the Pope and Luther but Luther the worst of the two a True Religion more hated then fals by Seducers Being asked by what Scripture they could justifie their unjust dispossessing of so many good men from their houses and goods and making bold with their wives They answered that the time was come foretold by Christ that the meek b Meek with a witness shall inherit in the earth That in the same manner God had given the goods of the Egyptians to the Israelites and among the goods c Mad men reckon madly they reckoned the wives That they might lawfully take many wives upon condition they should lye with them all till they were with childe and when one was with child they might take a new one in her stead That they held women at 12 yearr of age to be fit for husbands That they put away barren women or past child-bearing and committed them to curators as being good for nothing d Poor encouragement for women â—o follow their precious ways As for the provision of the Town they said that S. James Church was all full of Malt. That they had barly for two years and many thousand quarters of meal and great store of Bacon A false relation for soon after they fell to eating of dogâ— and leather in Munster They constantly affirmed that their King expected a great army out of Holland and Frize which as soon as it was come he would begin his expedition to subdue the world and kill all Kings for their perverse administration of justice and that they knew by revelation that their King of Sion would shortly be King of the whole earth They persisted in denying all Magistrates but their own King e They can down with their own for which they were put to death as enemies of all laws and order and brands of sedition and there was an end of that Apostleship that should have preached a Gospel of rebellion over all the world This legation was in October 1534. at which time Munster began to be short of victuals this occasioned a plot of some of the Town to take the King and send him bound to the Bishop The plot was discovered to the King who thought it not safe to make the Authors known only he committed the Town and himself to twelve trusty Captains to whom he divided a government in the air of several Provinces sparing no Prince but the
Vers 3. tells that the Law was weak through the flesh i. e. unable to justifie us in regard of our inability through corruption to fulfill it which were untrue if we were able It follows God sent his owne son to give what we could not attain by our own obedience to the Law And as for vers 4. it imports the end of Christs coming that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us not in our own persons but in Christs righteousnesse imputed to us as if inherent Danson asked Mr. Fisher whether Infants be in a justified state or no He answered there are but two states Justification and Condemnation Danson Before you maintained that our Justification was by a personall fulfilling of the Law and now you grant some persons to be justified who never did fulfill it personally here is a contradiction April 13. §. 4. DAnson undertook to prove our good works are not the meritorious cause of our justification from Rom. 11.6 And if by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more worke If justification be of works then grace is excluded for it cannot be of gift and debt in respect of us but grace is not excluded we are justified by grace therefore Again Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their owne have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth The Apostle makes a distinction between our owne righteousnesse and Gods finds fault with them who neglecting Gods went to stablish their own and he makes our righteousness a personall conformity to the Law and Gods righteousness to be Christs made ours by faith you therefore are guilty who make your owne righteousness your justification Whitehead We do not make our own righteousness our justification but the righteousnesse of God made manifest in us Danson Yesturday you did assert our good works are the meritorious cause of our justification Whitehead We witnesse to the righteousness of God according to Phil. 3.9 Not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Danson The righteousness which is of Christ and of God by faith is called Christ ver 8. That I may win Christ and how he our righteousness As Christ was made sin for us by imputation So that the Apostle by his own righteousness understands his personall conformity to the law and by Christs that in Christ made the Apostles by faith Whitehead You make two whereas the righteousness of Christ is but one Danson The righteousnesse which the Apostle calls his owne was it not Christs and yet that was never in Christ as the subject and Christ had an inherent righteousness of his own Here are two righteousnesses the one for our justification the other for our sanctification Whiteh Are we not justified by Christ within us Danson By Christ without us Whiteh Then by another Christ and so two Christs Danson Christ within us is not his person but his operations the cause for the effect and therefore it follows not that we make two Christs So that when I deny Justification by Christ within us we deny it by that righteousnesse in us whereof Christ is the Author Whiteh I prove our sanctification gives us a title to the inheritance Acts 20.32 To the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance Danson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot refer to grace or if it did grace intends not sanctification but o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Fisher Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace it is the same with washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost vers 5. Danson Grace there is meant of the favour of God manifest in the giving of his son imputation of righteousnesse and acceptance in him Whitehead Rom. 4.3 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Here faith is the cause of our Justification Danson Formerly it was we are justified by a personall conformity to the whole Law and now you will prove that a conformity to a part will suffice Again the Apostle doth oppose faith and workes Now if faith be considered as a worke there is no opposition and does not that opposition exclude faith as a work And is boasting excluded in justification by faith as a work Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of workes nay but by the law of faith And Chap. 4.5 to him that worketh not but believeth For the Text the act is put for the object as if it had been Christ whom his faith layd hold on was imputed for righteousnesse but that faith is imputed instead of personal righteousness or as the meritorious cause I utterly deny § 5. April 19. Q. Whether the Scriptures are the word of God Mr. Fisher IF you mean by the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing we deny it Danson We meane the matter contained whether that be our rule of faith and life Fisher There are severall books which are as much a rule as those in your Bibles 1 Cor. 5.9 I wrote to you in an Epistle Here you have an Epistle of Paul before what you call the first Danson You should have proved that mentioned was intended as much for our rule as those in our books Fisher If written to the same end then it was intended as much but it was therefore Danson I deny the consequence Sermons private religious discourses have the same common end yet Scripture our only standing rule the other as they agree therewith Fisher What character have you of this Epistles being a rule that the other wants Danson Do you know it is extant Fisher No. Danson There is a distinction God hath reserved these for our use the other not Fisher Col. 4.16 And that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea a book you have not but we have Danson All that was written by holy men and preserved for our use is not therefore our standing rule then the discourses of holy Ministers left in print but what is the title of that Epistle Fisher The Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans Danson The place you bring sayes not an Epistle to Laodicea but from But to the quest Whether the books commonly called the Old new Page 28 Testament were appointed by God for a standing rule of faith and life Fisher There is another therefore the Scripture is not it Gal. 5.16 This I say then walke in the spirit in and by the spirit there is our rule Danson That phrase notes the Principle not the rule Fisher You suppose the Letter antecedent to the Spirit whereas the Spirit is antecedent and none can walke in the Letter till in
Vidi testor 8. For refusing to tell the people though oft urged thereto at your meeting house in Palace yard last May whether you were a Romanist or not your companion thereupon winking at you and causing you to be silent and let another stand up and exercise in your stead 9. Because the Papists talk passionately and write books in your behalf and you do as much for them against us Protestants 10. Because when you are not among Scholars as at Lynn and other places you pretend to learning of all sorts divine and humane skill in the originall Languages but when in Cambridge you appear unverst in all manner of learning 11. For joyning your selfe to such as have Licenses from the Pope to seduce men in England with this express clause non obstante concilio Tridentino the original instrument of one of these your brethren Fryars with this punctual expression being now with the Town-Clarke of Bristol The writing of this minds me of what two other Quakers said at a discourse with them in Southwarke one of them being told that he was a Jesuite he presently replyed he was of the order of Jesus and the other Quaker though at some distance and arguing with another at the very moment could take so much notice as to add yea we are all the Disciples of Jesus A Gentleman of good credit assured me that he met with an English Jesuite in London the first Lords day in June last 1659. one who was bred in Cambridge and had been formerly of his acquaintance who after some shiness to be known at length confessed that he came over to propagate the Roman faith and told him there was a good honest people called Quakers whom we jeered at that did their work at the second hand and he boasted much of the numbers that turned Catholicks immediately or mediately by becoming Quakers Danson in his Quakers follie Edit 2. Narrat p. 2. There may be two faces under one hood The waterman looks one way rows another To cry thief first the way to escape Page 47. But they have writ much against Popery and cry out of it By this light from within it doth appear what darkness they would lead us into and leave us in thus dangerous are they to the true reformed Church of Christ but not onely to that but even to very civil society the civil Magistrate is little beholding to them nay is in danger by them as appears not only by their rude carriage in the very face of the highest Authority and their sawcy language but by some passages of theirs in print to all the world therefore t is not without ground spoken by those that writ A faithful discovery of a treacherous design But be assured if the Magistrates had not a materiall Sword as the Ministers have not their language would light as heavy on their heads and more then so To give a taste of some 2. Dangerous passages against Magistrates 1. GOtherson in his Allarm p. 66. Now that Magistrate whose heart is not touched with the true fear of the Lord that seed of true faith that is as small as a grain of mustard-seed hath got the preheminence and is chief in his soul and Christ Jesus is set up in his soule in him on the Throne that he hath the whole heart and the whole man is in his dominion that can truly say by bearing testimony to the witness of God in him That to him to live is Christ and to dye is gain unlesse the Magistrate be such he is not Christs Magistrate For those that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And no drunkard whoremaster swearer proud ambitious self-seeker lover of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof no such can be said to be of God so are not to have that double honour which is due to Magistrates that do truly rule in this fear And this discovers plainly how short those Judges and Justices come of being godly Magistrates that suffer and consent to the imprisoning of just and righteous ones whom the Lord esteemeth as the apple of his eye and those that touch them to their hurt will one day find it that the Lord esteems them as his jewels and yet how is the Goals filled with them through the Nation And some have perished to death because they cannot consent for conscience sake to pay Tythes seeing them to be a great and abominable oppression 1. Dat bonae verba sed laetet anguis in herba Here are many good words wrested and misapplyed but verba sapienti sat non sunt though they may deceive the simple they will not those that understand 2. It were indeed very desirable that all who ruled the Lord did rule them and that they who reigned by God God did reign in them Oh! that the Lords on earth were the Lords of heaven such whose hearts were touched with the true fear of the Lord and that Christs Throne was in their hearts that were in the Thrones that our Kings were nursing fathers and our Queens nursing mothers and that they made their glory serve to the new Jerusalem very good will the times be when great men are greatly good But 3. Dominium non fundatur in gratia And it is false and dangerous to say unlesse the Magistrate be such he is not Christs Magistrate and that they that have onely a forme of godlinesse no such can be said to be of God and so are not to have that double honour which is due to Magistrates that do truly rule in his fear If they be great and good they are to be honoured the more for that But if God hath thought good to make them great we must not think much to give them honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God hath commanded it in the first Commandment with promise Honour thy father and mother 4. Good men in some particulars may suffer as Malefactors when they notoriously offend the Judge may righteously punish yea should offend if their goodness should be immunity for what evil soever they commit but what persons he reckons on he presently declares how is the Gaols filled with them through the Nation and some have perished to death If he in Colchester Gaole it was through his own default famished himselfe through a wilfull abstinency and the curse lies on him that transgresses not on the Judge executing Law the business of Tythe need not so stumble but there are that conceive if that were with-held it would strike heavy at the publique Ministry and that is the eye-sore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 8. 2. The same Gotherson seems to speak evill of dignities in that passage p 81. of his Allarm None ought to have the title of Worthy but those that truly set their face toward Zion It is not much worthy of many words but surely though the righteous is more excellent then his
Being come 2 miles from Taunton on the way to Bridgewater the Officer falling to the ground was able to go no further whereupon they returned as they say to the Justice of Taunton to know what they would enjoyn them in and he quietly dismissed them Hereupon they passed to Bristol having staid there and thereabout some time they passed to Plymouth 16. of May 1635. On May 21. the Constable came with a Warrant from Mr. John Page Mayor being brought before him they were committed to prison at the Guildhall The next day they were brought before the Mayor Magistrates Councel and the Ministers of the Town and severally examined about the space of 3. hours and returned to prison the Mayor being asked why they were committed answered for denying the Trinity and that there had been oaths taken to that purpose And being again asked he said for refusing to takâ— the Oath of Abjuration upon suspition that they were Jesuits Having been kept prisoners for the space of a week May 28. they were sent to the Common Gaol in the Castle of Exeter as disturbers of the peace and for divers other misdemeanors against a late Proclamation prohibiting the disturbing of Ministers and against an Ordinance of the Protectors lately made against Duels and Challenges and all provocations thereunto and for refusing to give sufficient sureties for their appearing at next Sessions and in the mean while to be of good behaviour Being brought to Exeter they lay till the general Sessions the 10. of July On the 12. they were brought before the Sessions to whom the Clerk read a Bill of Indictment upon the Ordinance for preventing of Duels That they did the 20. of May 1655. at Plymouth in the hearing of divers use divers disgracefull provoking words and passages to Geo. Brook Clerk in the Nightingale Frigot he being then opening and declaring to â—he same persons a Scripture wherein he spake of the Trinity viz. Thou lyest in saying there were three persons in the Trinity we deny it there is no such thing but thou art a deluding spirit come to draw away the hear s of the people from God And they did speak to the people not to hearken to Geo. Brook for that he was a Thief and was câ—me with a lye in his mouth and said it was a lye that he had brought and other harms to the said George Brooks against the publique peace To the Indictment they pleaded not guilty the Gaoler was commanded to take them away and about an hour after called in and the Oath of Abjuration tendred them which they refusing were returned to prison The next day they were brought to the Bench again and refusing to confess they had wronged Mr. Brooks they were fined 5 l. a piece and sent to the House of Correction till payment and to find sureties for their behaviour and so were they returned to prison 10. In Bristol SOme neer Kendale in Westmerland came to Bristol on July 12. 1654. and went to Plym on the 14. and from thence to London but one of them Iohn Audland returned to Bristol about Septemb. with one Iohn Camm where they prevailed on many the places of meeting were in the fields though winter to two 3. yea sometime near 4000. On the 30 of Octob. the Magistrates being assembled in the Council-Chamber sent an officer to Francis Howgil and Edw. Burrough to come before them which done they were commanded to depart the City Liberties thereof at their peril To which they made answ That they came not in the will of man nor stood in the will of man but when they moved them to depart who moved them thither they should obey but their wills they could not obey for their will was not law Thereupon a while after Representations were made at Whitehall and Westminst that they were disaffected to the Government suspected to be carrying on some designe and that there are thousands at their meetings even in the Fort that the Garrison was in danger thereby and that the Officers of the Garrison were friends to them On Decemb. 10. in the morning Eliz. Marshall went to Nicholas Church where Mr. Ralph Farmer preached sitting over against him after the last prayer she cryed out This is the word of the Lord to thee Farmer wo wo wo from the Lord to them who take the word of the Lord in their mouths and the Lord never sent them was proceeding but hindred by the people tumulting about her to them she said This is the mighty day of the Lord the Lord is coming to pull the people out of the mouths of all dumb Shepheards The Mayor Mr. John Gunning the next day sent for her several days that week but she was not at home In the afternoon the same day Mr Grimes preached at Philips Henry Gunning reproved him he having said that he committed sin in all he did Whereupon John Warring said to him If thou went a Minister of Jesus Christ the law of the spirit of life would make thee free from the law of sin and death That week the Magistrates sent for Joh. Warring and upon the disturbance committed him to Newgate On the 17. of this moneth Eliz Marshall went to the Colledge Church to speak to Mr. Knowls After the blessing she said This is the word of the Lord to thee Knowls I warn thee to repent and to mind the light of Christ in thy conscience and was very full to have spoken more but Alderman William Cann commanded to lay hands on her To them she cryed with a loud voyce often The mighty day of the Lord is at hand wherein he will strike terrour on the wicked By a Constable she was carried before the Mayor who for disturbance was sent by him to Newgate The 18. she was sent for to the Council-house where Mayor Aldermen sitting the Mayor charged her with disturbing the peace and called for the depositions against her as to what said to M. Farmer he not having said the Blessing The depositions were read and she being demanded concerning the words answered I have said whereupon she was returned to prison At length in this moneth it grew so high that the whole City was put into a great tumult and most imminent danger On Janua 1. Henry Warren went to Thomas Church where one Mr. Longman preached and when he had done told him The prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord thereupon he was carried before the Mayor who demanded of him why he kept on his hat in the time of Prayer he replyed the Lord saith my son give me thy heart for the fashions and customs of the world are an abomination to the Lord. After further examinatioÌ„ he was committed to prison Janu. 16. 1654. a general Sessions for County and City was held where was called H. Warren to whom the Town-Clerk said he stood there for disturbing the peace and nothing in charge being returned he told him he might go about his