willing to bite had there been any morsel fit food for his black hunger but as yet the multitude have not had a Mind to destroy us I hope are as Elijah said King 18. in heart turned about For the Inferiour Ministers of Law and Church-Power into whose hands by God's wise Sufferance we are fallen Zach. 11.6 It will not I hope offend any sure it ought not to plead our Innocency with Honorable Judges wise and Worshipful Benchers and Commissioners in Peace for some Mercy Lenity and Moderation since no Princes that would be Patres patriae Fathers to the People under them can believe it their Interest to undo crush or diminish the Subjects and dispell the Laborious into Prisons or Exiles voluntary or violent A People numerous and oppulent are Princes Glory but a poor People make poor Princes 1. Consider generous Gentlemen not only the Families and Names reserved to you since the Conquest some and the Honour of Knight-hood which some had of old in Obligation every time they heard the Gospel to stand up and lay hold on their Swords or to draw in defence thereof and shall it be a blot in your Schutcheon intaled on your Successors that you drew the Sword to the Offence of that Gospel by which you hope to be saved or to the Terrour of any that love its Liberty or abhor Popery Are you Commissioners for Peace and would you provoke and tempt as Nahash to War 1 Sam. 11.2 Think not that violent Courses serve God the King or your own Interest 2dly For the Letter of the Law you go by I only beg the Favour of such a Sence as conconsists with not only the Preamble of the Statute and the Reason of it with the End of all Law the Peoples Good but also with the Dignity of the Legislators and yours the Executors thereof For I shall very hardly impose a Sence far less would you that interferes either with the Veneration of a Parliament the Rights of an ancient Charter the Sence of the Commons in Parliament of late voted least of all that crosses the Prerogative of the Prince if he please to indulge as formerly and Interest leads For in that he either did well or ill If ill dare you say 't since what the King does still pleases the People 2 Sam. 3.36 If well what has been may be again The Breasts of a true Prince yield not Blood but Milk and contain more Acts of Grace than one Papers have not been wanting to give of those Penal Laws that touch Phanaticks a favourable Construction if you that sit in Judgment will admit If not our Patience postpones Hope that Times may roll and arduous Affairs will necessitate them to sit again and give their own Sence if Popish Counsels prevent not and then those that have invaded Right by pretence of Law may repent flee or dread Take ' im Topping Many old Laws in Force have been found inconvenient and why not these too If Vice be tolerate the Vertuous punish't Preaching and Praying breaks Law only so Sycophants that serve as Doegs for Spoil are the Executioners of Law To God only we appeal as he 2 Chron. 24.22 Lord see to 't and require it 3dly We beseech you for your Maker's sake let Divine Laws in the Word obtain more if not with you yet with us He that has magnify'd his Word above all his Name Psal 138.2 and will yet make it far more glorious Isa 42.21 will not allow it subject to the Placits of Men and those that desire to obey it to a tittle to be accused and destroy'd for reverence to it To command prohibited Things forbid what is commanded is both an Arrogancy equally insolent and derogatory to the Divine Honour to which we owe all our Homage There are two binding Commands on us that no Humane Law may relax or discharge from The first is the Law of the Sabbath the second is that of Assemblies or publick Gatherings to some one or other known Place for the visible Exercise of Devotion The one enjoined in the Law of the Sabbath or fourth Commandment Exod. 20. which is as binding on us as that of the Jewish Sabbath was on them and seal'd too not with an Humane Sanction only but witness'd by three Divine Paterns in the New Testament Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Apoc. 1.10 and since by visible Judgments exhibited in all Ages by God's own hand on all sorts of Violations and Prophaners Dr. Beard Mr. Clark The other is expresly enjoin'd by the Apostle to the believing Hebrews Heb. 10.25 Not forsaking your Assemblings or Synagogues as the manner of some is And that Sect of the Nicodemites held That a Man might retire from Observation of Persecutors very lawfully yet retain his Peligion God-wards But a Dispensation allow'd once against the Divine Law is to break God's Hedg gratify fleshly Force or Fear and to make the rest of God's Laws as did the Pharisees with the fifth Command by their Corban all of none effect Now for the first O ye Nobles Knights c. hear my Plea for God's Sabboth Had I the Spirit of a Nehemiah to contend with Rulers I would say as he Nehem. 13.15 17 19 21. What Evil is this ye do to prophane the Sabbath They did ill to tread Wine-Presses these worse that tread on the obedient Sanctifiers of that Day They ill in lading of Asses that ought to rest that Day you worse in loading Mens Estates with Fines Persons with Force and their Souls with Disturbances of armed Men on Women and Children feeding and resting on God's Promises They did ill in not defending the Sabbath from profaning by shutting the Gates we worse in opening the Flood-Gates of Force perverting that Weapon drawn first against Popery to the Service of it and its younger Sister viz. Slavery and Debauchery O London shall it be chronicled to thy Infamy in the Records of succeeding Ages that thou hast done thus Was it not a Glory to thee of old to own Religion to honour God on his Day and count it a delight and glorious so to do And went it not well with this City for the City of God's sake But now O now the Tide is turn'd and the Wind blows sharp and high North to the discouragement of such as pretend any trembling at the Word or Tenderness of Conscience Reverence to God's Day or witness against Roman or Pagan Feasts If a Man stand for Rites he 's Christian enough and good enough tho he drink and drab and walks out holy Time in Dr. Green's or Moorfields-Walks talk of What News or sit in Council and guide Secular Mattters instead of Piety If Princes are unconcern'd says T. Shepherd Theses Sabbat p. 311. part 4. p. 313. in the first Table and give liberty to profane the Sabbath why doth Jeremy call on them to the contrary with promise of preserving to them their Crowns and Successions to the last in so doing from Fire and Blood and threatning
to be both King and Judge To leave them I come to the third Instance of Injuries to Worship i. e. by Practices repugnant to the Purity or Liberty of all divine Worship internal or external and all the Seasons Times and Ordinances of it Those are 1. Political in the State 2. Hypocritical in the Church 3. Jesuitical in Cabals and Covents of each a little briefly 1st Political Religion and pure Worship was wont to be grand Crown-interest of the best Kingdoms and States and as it prospered so did they as Constantine said in that Preface to a grant of his to the African Churches Since said he the due observation of what pertains to true Religion and the Worship of God brings great Happiness to the State and Empire of Rome So on the contrary as it declines so do they When carnal Policy is more consulted than Christian Piety when Jeroboam-like men clip cut and shape a Religion to serve State-humour Grandeur and Interest subjecting it to low ends not all designs to it this Eclipses the Glory of Gods Service In short alas when Superiours are a Terror to good deeds and doers and a praise to the evil the Sword is born in vain or sadly perverted in and from the end it s given unto So when inferiour Judges and Ministers of Justice practise the Law partially to feed Rapine and malicious Harpies it discourages the Pious and sober minds Thus men are haled before the Seats of Judgment as Acts 8.3 only for Praying and others are draged to Prisons and only for Conscience of duty to God the Truth and the good of Souls The violent courses of this sort beggars the Vertuous and so gratifies Informers that live on Spoils but no way dignifies Rulers and may call for a late death Beds Repentance 2dly Hypocritical practices in the Church not a little hurts pure Religion such in the purest times of the Church unawares to the best have still crept in as some of the Maryan Bloody-Clergy with those after Reformers that had the better sort foreseen as Ezra did ch 4.2 3. the woful effects of a Mungril Religion would surely have declined to joyn with them The Reverend Fathers of the first Reformation were partly divided partly be-misted and so spied not the Satanical Crafts of Pagan Jewish or Papal Rite-Mungers that in more Zeal than Knowledge sought to promote Christianity by turning Sacraments into Sacrifices Pastors to Priests Tables to Altars and Prayers to Liturgies Saturnals to Christmass Realties to Rites c. Quod concilium specie prudens re anceps eventu Infoelix hodieque same lugendum nefas luendum Ecclesiae said Tilenus But among many other marks of Cruelty and Church-Violence this I observe therein Piety runs low in any Church when the best are cast out by Excommunicators that never truly were in for confessing Christ as that blind man John 9.34 Such cursed of the Balaams of our day that God doth bless and sold to Satan by Secular Mercinaries that say Blessed he God I am Rich Zach. 11.5 A bad sign of a dying Church-State when the diseased bad Humours expel the best Blood and Spirits Vital or Animal from all residing in the Body Ecclesiastick When the best Sheep are Pin-folded in Prison the Wolves are made Keepers Foxes and Jackals set the Lyons prey Pure Worshippers may long for another Act recissory of their Fury De Scismatico Excommunicando as that a late nulled de Hereticus comburendo and God's Worship then will flourish more As for Jesuitical Clans and Cabals though in all Ages since Popery obtained no Councils have been unessayed by them to exterpate pure Religion yet for all their frustrations the Plots and Practices of our later dayes have out-vied themselves for Craft and Cruelty against all Protestants Nor has the former bad success and high preferment on a Gibbet of his own that Haman attained and his Complices in Hester's days given them yet a noli prosequi neither their late various ill hap and happy defeats their shameless Sham-Plots and Countermines have found has made 'um hopeless for after above three Years practise and four Parliaments pursuits they still like to their Master Belzebub the God of Flies as a Fly beat off Itterate their Impudence to Flesh-flye-blow all Religion and Vertue all Persons and Places Courts and Offices so have they not caught the Lyon's Whelp obtained in the highest Councils and Courts domestick and forreign divided the minds of regent Clergy-men some for Peace with Rome some for indulging Dissenters opened the way to Popery by disuse of Parliaments by placing Popish men in all Offices Civil Military some Ministerial also taught some pernicious Curs with Gander-Pens and Flying-Flams in their Mouthes to Fiddle to that Dance and buz no Murder no Plot brought the Plot into the City moved all the Rights Franchises and Liberties of it diverted the current of Justice turned the Laws point and whetted it with a new Edge against Protestants that was intended to Papists clapt Starl again in a Chair of Scorners run Parliament men off the Bench into Kings-Bench nulled the Rights of Elections to all offices nay Rights are Riots by Law men do stand on the Sword vex Widdows spoil without pity Excommunicate the most Pious Imprison without Mittimus or Mainprize seclude from the use of our hired Houses that Rome it self allowed Paul Act. 28.30 and make Constables and lower Officers that else incline to Peace to watch and walk to keep people out of those hired Houses so both disturbing the Peace and prophaning the Lord's Sabboth-day taking the Keys of the Kingdom not entering nor suffering them that would as Luke 11.52 and spoiling of the Proprietors and Renters in a time when all Cash is banked in a Bag with holes Lo these are part of the Effects of the late still resent Plot what is visible is open to every ones Senses Now what may be in the ishue any not indurate may soon fore-see what it shall be is reserved to the only wife God and both terrible to prospect So I pass the first Doctrine and on the next I only touch to be larger on the third 2d Doctrine was to assault worship in the Act is fearful and fatal Guilt The Philistims in the late captivating of Gods Ark were not a little guilty but though ignorant of God it was unprosperous wickedness and for it had he whipt their Posteriors or hinder parts as 't is Psal 78.66 to their endless shame and forced them to send it home with Kine and Peace-Offerings nor did it fare well with the Bethshemites for their irreverent temerity in gazing that knew better Now for them to dare it on a new assault abroad since it had beat them severely at home in each City to which it went the round till it forced its own rescue I say for them now in Gods Ground to invade 106 Miles was possibly strange And now that Samuel and so great a convention is met not to allow
sake just as our Lord predicts to and of the Apostles so are we cast out and yet never were in but coercively and yet worse for his Name that is his Worship that is for calling on it or refusing to pollute it as Paul compelled some to blaspheme Acts 26.11 Now if any desire more see Jer. Burr Zion's Joy Isai 66.10 pag. 28.29 on the place glossing on that Let the Lord be glorified q. d. God's Glory Religion Union Peace pretended that is sorest Persecution they deem it a Service that God loves that is cultum prestare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 16.2 So do the Papists and says he That Persecution by Trajan was the forest though he was a Pattern of good temper Thus blind are men as Oedipus killed Laius his Father for his Enemy but it dishonours God and disunites yea it shakes that Church which you say it settles 2. Do ye not symbolize with that Roman Church and is it not a brand of a Church Antichristian to persecute of the true Spouse to be persecuted It is a Cannon of the Thirdentine Faith to pursue the Evangelicks as Hereticks Scismaticks c. Sir Simon D'Eves pag. 1. out doing the Turks in that that says Conscience cannot be compelled and if it be it gains little the old Brittans Anno 466. wore out Pelagians by a mild Spirit and disputing for the Truth 3. Would ye so be dealt with your selves be expelled from Place and Use deprived of and proscribed from Kirk and Market suspended of Office and Profits exiled among Aliens and put as Musculus to weave dig or beg should Papists succeed and serve you as you have others which God forbid may you not say God is just to repay you in your Coyn Did not our Lord give more equal Rules to his Followers Mat. 7.12 and threatned a day unawares to him that smites his Fellow Servant and eats and drinks with the drunken ch 24.49 50 51. but if at a sacred Feast then 't is more criminal for with such though a Brother one may not eat 1 Cor. 5.11 4thly To ingross Trade is bad Bread is far worse but worst of all for any sort of men to confine the weighty significant Names of Church or chief Rulers Overseers universal Pastors to themselves c. and as such to authorate exauctorate suspend excommunicate and assume a Power Christ never gave exclusive of others his Servants Why should Church-state be appropriate to the Clergy alone or Synods take Denomination from the Ministers only and not the Fraternity too as that first and best did Acts 15.22 23. When People multiply in a Nation and Forreigners are freely admitted yea Lutherans Jews or Papists to the exercise of their Religion in their own way is it not hard it should be denyed Natives that God and the Law have naturalized Or why should Republicks abroad indulge all Dissenters more and fear them less than our Kingdom at home doth Monarchy being deem'd preferrable to all other sorts of Governments 5. As 't is impossible so 't is impracticable to make Convets by fear and force you may fright men in by civil Laws and uncivil Curses to a temporary complyance as one that gives a Thief the Purse to evite a greater Loss But will God reward your blind Zeal or theirs Will Christ thank them that for a sweet rational Luke 14.23 compelling in Guests use a belluine force You bring two bad Guests to the Feast the unworthy and the unwilling has the Church of England any comfort or her Sons Credit in putting in her hosome both Hypocrites Hereticks and Prophane you may so propagate Popery and fill Hell not the Church and make that a means of their Spiritual Death that Christ ordained for the food of eternal Life Some false Christians renouncing their Sacra told the Turk they had given their Name to Mahomet who aking their reason they said to escape Taxes and Oppressions on which the Grand Seignior rejected their forc't Conversion and continued the Taxes If Turks abhor such Votaries why should Christians hug them unless as Cheats and Pick-pockets do to filtch their Penny 6. What comes in by a cursed means is like to arrive at a cursed end Partus sequitur ventrem The Sons of Beor may hunt the Gain of Oppression Namb. 22.5 Deut. 23.5 Joshua 24.9 the Wages of Unrighteousness and overtake it by cursing the Israel of God but how ends it Nor could Baalam curse nor Israel be cursed without God's leave He that has said Bless and Curse not Rom. 12.14 knows how to avert the Curse causeless and to repell it to the Nest whence it took flight Prov. 26.2 And though some of Gods Flock may be driven from the Fields of their Pasture and pusht out nay Pinfolded shorn and shut in Prisons yet has not God promised the evil Beasts shall cease and that he will bless them that bless us and curse them that curse us Ezek. 34.25 Gen. 12.3 7. Suppose a Prince to make probation of his Subjects decree as once an Emperour did to try the constancy of Christians that all should for-go Command that would not quit Christianity and bow to Paganisme and many did so to keep their Places he quickly cashiered them alledging they were unworthy to serve a Prince that were unfaithfull to their God Kings hearts are deep and Interests vary and if a Nights unrest so contiguous an accident Esther 6.1 caused such a turn in the Persian Court and Law judged unalterable Who can tell what Providences lye in the Womb of a day Henry VII by Act helpt Dudly and Empson to do Violence on Peoples Rights and he as sadly repented it on his death And in Henry VIII time they were hanged for executing a Law against Property for the Ruine of the Poor for summum Jus may prove summa Injuria 8. The Plea of Dissenters has obtained in all places as the like has done of old abroad In what Court Church or Countrey has it not At Rome in Pagan-Nero's time Paul is though in Bonds permitted to dwell and preach in his own hired house and to receive all that came to him none forbidding him Acts 28.30 31. And were Pagan-Roman Officers civiller to a Prisoner that preacht down their Gods as false than Protestants are to them that own and invocate the same true God as they do In France it obtained even with Henry III. one of Kather. d' Medices Breed and teaching an utter foe to a hater and betray or of Protestants but a most impotent Prince and not to be convinct till James Clement a Monk had opened his Bowels by a fatal stab and then to his Commanders he gives charge to obey the King of Navar though a Protestant and know saith he that Religion instill'd into Souls by God cannot ' be enforc't by man It has also obtained in the Low Countries so that now 't is the Spaniards Interest to allow them and the Emperours too to preserve the Ballance of Europe
though once they were under Spain and are yet though reduced poor Republicans It hath been pleaded with Fathers such as Augustine Ambrose that when Bishop Ithacius of a turbulent Spirit caused Priscillian the Heretick to be put to death with others he was condemned first by Theognistus and after by Ambrose who at Tryers met with some of the Bishops partakers in that blood and refused Communion with him and them By the way note They are not to be communicated with that are of Trasonical Spirits and Truculent Courses To come home the Plea of Dissenters has by the Providence of God in all times past obtained in Britain I only touch what is of late memory It once obtained a proclaimed Indulgence and if there be no probability for that again I say Why what has been may be again if the Interest be as pungent as was then Wisdom and Moderation may stir the heart soon to the same calm course if some say it was in pity to the Roman Cause that I do not know nor dare not say it is more Charity to say it was a favour to the Dissenters but who dare judge the ends of it or deny that the thing is good 't was then so and being so repeated many will be content and thankful It has obtained in Parliaments Votes that to prosecute the Law against us was unsafe to the King and Kingdom and a promoting the Plot though one has most impudently in Print opposed his Opinion to the Judgment of a House of Commons in that It has obtained in Charters and Municipal Fundamental Laws if that Maxim hold That any Law against Gods Word is ipso jure void and deemed null Of that more anon It has gained with great Nobles Pears and Counsellors that as they once advised to let Worshippers go free Exod. 10.7 so have many since It is said of Francis I. of France being about to persecute the Protestants of Merindol and Cabriers he is informed by Lord Langay Governour of that Province they were Harmless Men Just Laborious Loyal to their Prince to the Poor Charitable in Prayers frequent as Cardinal Sadolet was also convinc't So at present he forbore till Minerius a turbulent fellow informs the King that 15000 of them were up in Arms So they were cut off Among Papists this though for their own ends has got ground witness the candid and brave Thuranus that going in Paris Streets on that Massacre day it forc't tears from him to see the barbarous usage of Protestants there And others said the like of the Waldenses And for this City fince Sir Sa. St. Mayoralty when the contest was hottest with Dissenters how has God pleaded their Cause and increast their numbers vindicated their Innocency against all Sham-plots and protected them from Violence and Treachery till this late and present storm fell 9. This Zeal is more hot than wise good men may affect heats but 't is not well and the Scriptures call the Zealots for Persecution to advert Joshua crys out against Eldad and Medad prophesying in the Camp and not among the Seventy Elders with Moses Numb 11. v. 26. This at first sight seemed a sinful Separation from God's Tent what says Moses Meek Soul says he v. 29. Dost thou envy for my Sake Would God all the People were Prophets and God would put of his Spirit on them q. d. So far am I from forbidding that I do approve v. 30. And so he did in both his Plea for them and after presence with them in the Camp Here is a self-denying Spirit and call to mind again what I slipt before but close this and clasp both with that some of the Clergy as late Bishop Worth Crafts and two more of lower rank but no less note have in Naked Truth some Sermons for Moderation and in four parts of a Pleafor Nonconformists by a grave ingenious Conformist given us a taste of Moses his Spirit their Mildness a witness against Violence and do herein deserve my hearty thanks 2d Script is Mark 9.38.39 and it is in Luke too Luk. 9.49 Young John complains to Christ of one that did Christ's work Cast out Devils but followed not with them and so first gave Interdiction and after consults Christ a preposterons percipitancy Hysteron proteron our Interdictions are not by Christs Allowance and so I hope will be by him interdicted Who dares to prohibit that an other should not cast out Devils ease Souls since none pretend to Miracles and do our Countrey what good we can we are not against Christ and so he takes us on his part A third Script is that of the Tares Mat. 13.27 38. Where our Lord forbids the Servant zealously asking leave to pluck up the Tares No says the Lord let both grow together till the Harvest c. Note hence that if the Field be the World the Tares the Children of the Wicked One c. Then 't is not meet to pluck up all sorts of the wicked Ones in a Nation by bulk be they Hereticks Schismaticks Prophane or detected suspected Hypocrites they must and will grow in the World nor is it the Ministers work to preoccupate the Judgment and be plucking up by death that is partaining to the civill Judge nor is Church Power here forbid or Civil Law and Justice superceded to the Judgment but Christ's Will is that some wicked men are not to be rooted out of the World for two reasons 1. 'T is possible with the Tares the Wheat also may be pulled up and so the good fall with the bad Jethro an Ishmaelite and Ornan the Jebusite may turn Israelites Luther a Monk and Vergerius a Papist may turn and of Tares become Wheat 2. To kill cut off ruine by Fines and Curses is the way to undo and says one There is no good Example in all Antiquity Jac. Aug. Thuanus Proem in Hyst for the Sectaries of those first Ages being destroyed the Church was still tender and abhorred to shed blood in Matters that concerned Religion and Conscience The matchless wise though young Edward VI. prest to sign a Warrant de Herctico comburendo said What shall I send him quick to Hell The like may be said of Mulcts of a lower sort and what amends comes by the Penalty or is there any proportion in the pain to the Offence A man may not see with my eyes or has a Mote in his and to cure that shall I cut off his head or put out the other eye that I may lead him where I list A sad Cure Then a fourth Scrip gives the advice of a wise Counsellor or Doctor as Nicodemus said to the Jews Doth our Law Judge a man by Fines Incarcerations c. ere it hear him Joh. 7.50 51. That is called Abington Law or Stanery's that did hang in the Forenoon and try in the After Or else as that wise Gamaliel said Refrain from these Men and let them alone Acts 5.39.40 The same also gave the Lord's Brederode c.
free excercise of it in any Land As Legistative power exerted for it and for God in it is a favour of a benigne aspect and no common blessing to them that have it be they natives or captives so Ezra 7.23 25 27. and Kings were blest by it and God for it to so when humane Law thwarts with divine and instead of deriving from God deviates from all reason justice and divine Perscript it degenerates and declines to a Throne of iniquity and the Chair is no more Moses's but a Chair of pestilence a curse to all under it and worse to the sitter on at last and both to be deprecated of all Now of that first kind of injury to holy Worship are Princes States and Councels Legistative most guilty of the latter are they guilty that manage and execute Power by virulent and violent Caballs inferior Projectors Officers and Informers Of both these I touch a little First When unjust decrees obtain against Piety and any part of it or person at it So Pharaoh lets the Israelits from going free to serve God Exod. 5.1.2.17 calls it idleness to talke of Sacrifice Such Omri's Statutes and Ahabs precepts were Mica 6.16 thus unrighteous decrees are threatened Isa 10.1 with a woe for it it is a woful thing to prescribe Gravimina Greviances i.e. to inhibit what is Gods command or injoyn what is not and against conscience too Of this latter we read in Dan. 3. to 17. A golden Monster by decree is erected all must bow or burn musick is also consecrate vers 5. Idolatry is a merry liturgy now is work for greedy Informers verse 8. it was a decree verse 10. but three scruple to comply and the Accusers stretch worse then a ryot from it make it a disregard and contempt of the Royal Person nay a rebellion to his Placits Sicophants raise his fury and abuse his eares to ruin his best servants He frets and rages as if on purpose vers 14. the King is hot as hot as the Furnace the three Innocents as calme not anxious to answer in sacris non est consultandum they Ver. 16. like John Careles Martyers go into the Fire in a two-fold Glory First A bold Resolution not to Worship Civil duty they paid kept Conscience-Worship to God only O bold brave Souls A Second Glory is Faith Our God will deliver but if not that brought them off and out at length nought could greive them unless to be called out into the worse company now was not pure Worshipers forc't by Law yet it tended to convince a King and that is much if to convert it were more Hear what Coo the Martyr said on it in discourse with the Bishop of Norwich being askt if he would not obey the King's Laws Yes said Roger Coo as they agree with Gods Law Said the Bp. Agree with the Word or no we are bound to obey were the King an Infidel Said Coo Had the three Children done so Nebuchadnezzar had never confest the true God Said Bernard to the Pope I obey as a Child in disobeying Magis dijs obtempandum est Jeroboam for all his unction is called Usurper on Gods Law by Divines and Intruder Law against God quamvis ligat quoad paenam non obligat conscientiam God gave them Statutes not good Ezek. 20.25 Polluted them in their own Gifts yet is it a Sin to bring a corrupt gift To do the Law of God and the Kings conjunct is a happy Union and easie but to obey separate is impossible Either you must obey as Moses not fearing the Kings command Hebr. 11.23 27. or his wrath or else one must obey the King singly and so make him an Idol which exposes him to Gods just Jealousie our self also to Blasphemy to say God gives any power against himself by divine Sanction Nor was that decree in Dan. 6.9.12 less cruel for though it was irrational very surreptitiously got by clancular Malice and but limited to thirty dayes yet is holy Daniel ready to dye not consult how to give a Go-by does not abate the times elaps the thirty dayes shuts the Windows or abscond Personal Devotion but standing the brunt of the Penalty by that breaks the Neck of a wicked Decree Nor in declining times need Malice any more to make one a Prey then To depart from Evil Caijus S. was a good man but a Christian Isa 59.14 as of Old Caijus Seijus bonus vir sed Cristianus to Pray and look to that Phanatick Temple though dilapidate was Daniels Virtue yet by a Law a Vice So in after times how did Antiochus prohibit Sacrifices as Cambises also did The Roman Nero that dedicator of the first Christian Blood to Martyrdom ishued this Edict That if any confessed Christianity he should straight be slain as a Foe to mankind And he was by Senate so served voted an Enemy to mankind and to dye more majorum Ephesus decreed also That no sober man must live among'um Athens banisht the best by Ostracism Josepus says Afore Jerusalems full Piety was not a matter of Form only but of Scorn Bede of the Brittains ere the Saxons came said they cast Odium in Religionis Professores tanquam in Adversarios They cast Hatred on pious Professors as on Foes The Council of Constance decrees Apocrypha to be equal to very Cannon of Scripture so the vulgar Traditions Hence all things lawful save Piety especially at Court Omnia cum liceant nonlicet esse pium Exeat aulaqui velit esse pius But Henr. 3. of France prohibits to Pray with the Family Dola-Jesuits forbid to say of God good or bad To come home Hen. 7. Poles the People by Dudley and Empson And Hen. 8. by Proclamation prohibits English Books Popery is impatient of Light and Truth for which Latimer boldy deals with the King Nor has Gods Sabboth of Old or a late been better served or sanctified witness the Assaults on the Jews on that day upon hope they would not prophane it as the Enemy did by self-defence till after the Jews learned little better Wit acts of Necessity and Charity being as lawful then as Piety The Proclamation I have it by me and could have soon recited it were it needful for lawful Sports on that day may here be noted by whom and why is known but he that first read the K's pleasure and after read and expounded the fourth Commandment in his Pulpit I trow preached twice that day first of the Sin of man secondly on the Law of God c. Of this at present I only say If holy labour best fits sacred Rest to sanctifie the Sabboth how prophane are the Practisers of these dayes that will neither keep that day nor suffer others that both violate and vacate it That as the Priests set then a Watch Mat. 27.28.4 to keep the Sepulcher of Christ dead so well they minded the fourth Commandment So these guard all the day against any that would report of him that he is risen
and persisted in 't to many Ages as in all the Scripture Chronicles to Isa 34. and after to the Persians times yea to Daniel and Maccabees days may easily be seen in the Story of the Old-Testament And of that Stock is Herod the first said to be in Mat. 2. who wrote his Enmity in red Letters to the death say some of 14000 Infants all Martyrs for Christ's sake in Bethlehem which makes that Reverend Dr. Tho. Taylor to make them Types of our Romans Dr. T. Taylor his Romish Edomite Nor does that bloody Religion want a Duke in any Age to draw the same red and bloody Lines to latter days witness D'Alva D. Guise and Savoy c. Now when Popery is up and all-a-mode and protesting or earnest open witnessing pleases not hence rises a Controversy call'd Zions whose Laws must obtain God's or Baal's Christ's or Antichrist's Bethel's or Belial's this is the lis dependens still and after Truths are cleared pretty-well as in late days that of Justification was yet the Laws and Canons of pure Worship are still sub Judice and tho sometimes the Throne the Field the Bench have attested and the Pulpit oftner obtested in its behalf yet it has mostly been held at the Bar and Staves end and which is observable it has thence or thereby won I mean by Sufferings all the ground and hold it has and more then by all Help or Power humane Now when the Wisdom of God suffers the Will of Man to obtain against pure Worship and to keep or call to the Bar or Prison any Professors or bold Confessors thereof that by preaching writing separating do declare against the Fibres of Superstition or for Reformation and own the Authority of God in 's Word Christ in the Law of the Gospel and dare not being forbid it to conform Rom. 12.2 to this World in Wickedness in Words or Worship being redeem'd from it Gal. 1.4 and it 's vain Conversation receiv'd by Tradition 1 Pet. 1.19 These are the exposed ones either to Calumnies in Name as Hereticks Schismaticks or worse Seditious Rebels nay to Confiscation Fines Spoils in States and often to Deaths for God's sake or what is worse in a sort to be proscribed silenced and banished and rendered useless to Christ and Souls Hence God the Judg of all comes also to the Bar as witness or pleader for the Prisoner his Client and runs in as that word Intercessor signifies wondering that none would espouse a forlorn Cause that sues to Men in formâ pauperis for Law and Right for God's sake due to the vilest tho denied or delayed the best This is discerned by the manner of his Plea i. e. sometimes more mildly and if needful more strangely or severely As now 1. When Mildness will do God by some Division or hot Debate mixes after a time a perverse Spirit in Abimeleck's Courtiers Judg. 9.23 and by that weakens all Resolves of Fury for its just Fire should be cast in their Councels that kindle a Fire in Zion's Palace Or 2. By perplexing and involving Debates or Resolves while some of Pharaoh's Archers the Magicians Jannes and Jambres withstood Isa 19.14 2 Tim. 3.8 Moses and Israel's Freedom no doubt the sober sort plead Exod. 10.7 and say let them go Sacrifice if Pharaoh's Disease the Stone in the Heart had not preponderated it 3. Possibly the matter is swayed by Profit or Loss Interest steers for or against Piety too much Haman deserved his Preferment at home for abusing the King's Ears Est 3.7 8. Chap. 7. 4. 8. 5. and got it at last when the King was better inform'd 4. Perhaps a providential Contingency tho as casual as a Night's sleep Est 6.1 3. or the opening of a Book of Records and the Recognition of some true Discovery made of a treasonable Plot serves to awake Ingenuity to gratitude and so veres matters about for the best 5. So may natural Conscience prickt by regret touch'd with a love to a wise Courtier and old Servant or trusty Counsellour disturb one that is candid and break the Sleep and Brain too having been over-drove by precipitant ends or clancular Advice so sending the King to the Den with an Outcry to relieve Daniel Dan. 6.7 20 23 24. 6. Nor is Satan able to stifle Experience of Mens undoubted Fidelity and long abearance Laban found by Experience as Gen. 30.27 or as the Hebrew by Serpentine Divination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Nachash a Serpent God had blest him for Jacob's sake and so hurt him not Diabolical Augures must sometimes own Truth Ex suo commodo argumentatur he arfrom his own Profit Pareus 7. By a Dream Sometimes God pleads by some Terrour or a Fright thundering in the Conscience as with Abimelech Gen. 20.6 for the Prophet Abraham and caused him send him away and Sarah too in Peace and Wealth so did some of the Emperours as Dioclesian lay down the Robe and Scepter for a Retirement being terrified with Thunder and not able to rule longer Now all these and many more ways God has to plead mildly with the Minds of Men in whom Religion sways not to abate the Rigour of Persecutions against Piety and pure Worship but he has if need be some sharper and more severe judicial ways As to instance how did the Terrour of God sting Cain for Murther of Abel in the cause of Worship that he cries out his Punishment was greater than he could bear Gen. 4.13 Despair and an ill Conscience stain'd with Blood are two swift Blood-hounds Alphonsus Diazius that slew his Brother John and Ward 's Instance of that Jesuit in Lancashire that leap'd over a Hedg into a Pit and was drown'd to flee one that followed with his own Glove dropt But says one Cambdens Eliz. 165. R. 3. and Queen Ma had the shortest Reigns of any since the Conquest and for that urges a threat Psal 55.23 bloody and deceitful Men half not their days For of Rich. 3d. says Pol. Virg. Dan. Chron. p. 249. After the Murder of his two Innocent Nephews fearful Dreams and Visions dog'd him that he would catch up his Sword and hunt about his Room also before Bosworth field he had a Dream that all the Devils were hauling him in ugly Shapes and what Friends they were to Religion let the Chronicle of their Times show The Jews fancy Cain's Head was horn'd and if all Persecutors Heads were so how many Men as Devils should we meet on every Bench and Street but it is enough if God hornett their Conscience Belshazzar had a Mene Tekel set on 's Wall for carousing idolatrously in the holy Vessels Oh what will become of those that quaff up their Damme's in the Tears of the oppressed if not in their Blood and lie on the Pledges of every Altar panting after the Prey of the poor and meek Amos 2.7 8. In a word how was Pharaoh whipt with a lash of ten Twists i.e. Judgments upon the Land Fruits Waters Corn Cattel
Acts on so slippery a Precipice and no sins like Sanctuary Abuses are so bulky to fill up no Vengeance heavier than that of the Temple Jer. 50.28 But seeing I have objected 3 or 4 Instances I 'll touch them in particular before I proceed 1. For that of Eli's Time I yield it the Ark was took no outward Symbole of a Presence gives security from Violence if any Male Administration in Worship doth perturb the holy Gods abode among us all Titles Offices Church-Priviledges do make our guilt heavier rather than exempt us from Punishment and make our doom more heavy and hot to sink us as one drowned or burn in Armour which is the more terrible the Sin of Eli was both as a Judge and Father great to let the young Lads play the Tyrants and that for God's sake over the Men defile the Women at God's Doors 1 Sam. 2.22 23 27 29. ch 3.13 feed Luxury with the fat of the Lords Offerings insult with their three forked hook and by their Servants too i. e. Lust Ambition and Tyranny over the People kick at the Lords Offerings and despise Admonition too so causing the Lords People to transgress for they abhorred his Offerings and to be by the Old Man so gently chid with Nay my Sons and not frowned on v. 13. it was guilt with God unexpiable and by the punishment now threatned appears and some hundreds of years after by Solomon fulfilled So that when Rulers neglect their Duty are indulgent to near Sinners and Priests pervert sacred things to feed private Rapine and Lust No wonder if God abandons that Shiloh abhor the Altar and visit that Tent no more Psal 78.60 2. For that first Captivity in 2 Chron. 36. that Place it self pleads the Justice of that Punishment for the sinful Provocations of the People and Obstinacy against the Lords Forewarnings by his Prophets the reason of which is given 2 Chron. 36.15 and in that lies the Emphasis and force of all for he had compassion on his People and Dwelling Place that Place on which they had no pity but fill'd and defil'd it with Strangers and Babylonians came into the Bed of Love with them being all lovely and gay as Ezekiel says Ezek. 23.14 15. to 17. Nay they polluted it with the blood of the best Prophets Isaiah is sawn in sunder Zachariah stoned Jeremiah imprisoned c. Jer. 37.15 the Kings and High Priests consenting and so drove God out of his own House by setting up their Posts by his Ezek. 43.7 8 9. so they were drove all as Eli's Sons before from the Altar it cast off the House and City dismantled and and burnt up So Wrath without healing comes by the Caldees in three or four gradual Captivities to fulfil Jeremiah's Word that so the Land might enjoy her Sabbaths Liv. 26.34 which while they lived in it they never did Jer. 25.9.29.10 11. They gave God no rest nor his Prophets so the Land should rest without them who were a Curse and Burthen to it and to God a Provocation and why should he defend them or it being offended by them and the name of a Bethel only put on a Bethaven for that titular Sanctimony without real Sanctity is odious to God looses its end is simulata Sanctitas that is duplex Iniquitas 3. For that distress that befell them by that Little Horn of Antiochus and his Armies often toucht in the Prophesies of Daniel Dan. 7.19.25 ch 9.27 ch 8.9 10 12 23 24 25. so ch 11.31 four or five times at least I only say though the Prophesies are dark yet by the Characters decyphered in them this may be answered God for a few years 6 years three monthes 18 days gave him power for wise and holy ends newly hinted to forrage Judaea and scatter the holy People to prophane the Temple of Zerubbabel and prohibit the Sacrifices tread the Truth to the ground and prosper a while till Gods Decrees were fulfilled the Punishment of Iniquities mentioned in the latter three Prophets especially Malachi was fill'd up and his own time of Tyranny expired and then as the Histories Josephus Dr. Willet Dr. Mayer and Huit of those times tell us the Lord raised the Asmonians to give him many defeats in Fight and at last smote him by a Fall of his Chariot in the Persian Wars returning with torturing pains for which no help could be got so he came to his end Dan. 11. ult And if any incline to the parralleling of that with other Antichristian Tyrants I no way dislike that for a Quatenus ad omne valet consequentia since Dr. Mayer resembles that vile Person to others as Dan. 11.21 in 12 or 13 Heads at least and then concludes of him Mayor on Dan. 11. ult p. 582. That if Kings do as the Pope contrary to their Office and change Gods Laws prophane his Temple abuse their Power to Rapine and Cruelty against the Servants and House of God let them take themselves with Antiochus threatned with the same miserable end 4. I yield the like of the Roman Papal force This and all the Violences of Antiochus and ten more such will nor reach the measures of Rage and Fury though they are types that for 1200 years the Papal Tyrannies have long exercised on Christians and their Assemblies for how many in all Ages since he sat in that Chair of Pestilence has he murdered at it were for God's sake in Italy Bohemia Spain France Piedmont in Ireland Low-Countries and England too by Inquisitions Interims Impositions Laws Cannons c. It is both impossible and incredible to recount and what wrongs his armed Butchers have done to Assemblies and Places of holy Worship Histories report and tender eyes weep to read Lactantius 1300 years ago has a sad Prophesy of this cruelty says he Lactant. li. ult ch 11. p. 753. An Enemy to God and all Mankind Is justos Deo deditos 42 mensibus persequetur se coli jubebit qui non adoraverit exquisitis cruciatibus morietur Tunc Christus descender in Judicium condet sanctam Civitatem erit justrorum regnum 1000 Annis Rex Impius surget sct ultimis diebus Dec generi hominum Inimicus c. An impious King will arise and all that adore him not he 'l cruciate with exquisite torments to death two parts he will cut off a 3d. fled into Deserts he will pursue with an Host and beset the Mount fled to so they shall auxilium implorare Dei i. e. implore divine help and he will hear them and sent them a Saviour c. In Calabria an Assembly being of the thousands met an Army being sent beset the Place set Fire to it and slew all that sought to escape others were fetcht out as Sheep by the Butchers with the muffler and knife all gore in the Teeth and made to kneel down to cut their Throats so left weltring c. By which taste we see the cruelty of that Mother-Church
in their Apology that the States of the Lower Germany publisht 1566 for themselves in separating from Popery But that no just Objection may lye in barr of the designed Apology for our late Persecuted Dissenters I will modestly discourse and disperse the six Objections following 1. The Worship and Worshippers pleaded for are an Offence and Violation to the Laws of the Land and may we look God will be our Defender in that that Law calls us offenders To that I say four things 1. The Case is true not new So it was of old when Saints were under and Enemies over them that Laws still were the Lashes if evil and those of their God a scandal or bridge in the Trap to take them withal In Aegypt the Laws of Worship so vastly differed in Object Matter and Mode that what Israel offered was an abomination to them Exod. 8.26 In Babilon the Songs of Zion were mockt Psal 137.7 And the Golden Head made an Image that all must adore or hurn Dan. 3.7 And did all but three Youths In Persia was a Law against any Prayer save to Darius for thirty days And Haman indites to serve his Plot all the Jews at once That their Laws varyed from all and they did not obey the Kings Laws Esther 3.8 And have not all Nations used that Lash till blood come 2. Though I plead not ignorance of Law yet my study is the Law of the Gospel I know not a Statute that I have read out in the last twenty years and let it be counted a charitable Ignorance I am loth to yield that any Parliament of wise and good men could ever conceive an Act against Religion or Prayer and Preaching as such or so qualified simply no it must be as Seditious unless men will make Vertue and Religion criminal and if the Preface of a Law show the reason of it and the body quadrate no hurt can be unless men execute out of Envy If I mistake let my Charity plead excuse 3. Law is to be extinguisht some may be fundamental as our Charters against which none is valid that truly contradict the same some superstructive that are variable as Times Persons Places and Circumstances vary and fall obsolete useless and burthensome as that in Henry VII Reign was which Dudly and Empson executed by oppressive extortion let Laws but stand equipollent to Reason equivalent to Justice and subjected to Scripture none can hurt Religion 4. Some Laws invade Gods Legislation that are or have been made to restrain the Good and punish the Virtuous to disobey them is the Praise of our Obedience to God Heb. 11.23.27 As the Instances of Moses and his Parents of Daniel and the three Children of Esther Esth 4.16 of which Courage and her Exciter Mordecai one says Trap. Mira profecto ac omnibus linguis saeculis locisqne comendabilis fides wonderful and laudable Faith and that in all Linguos Ages and Places too As Achillis was Styge armatus so she and all true Worshippers should be Deo Fide Christi armati The Tryal of the Loyalty to the King and love to the Liturgy was in his Exile and the proof of a Christians Obedience to Gods Laws is best and shines most when opposed by Law standing in Diameter Object The Worship pleaded for is an Offence to Authority and can he defend that which offends his Ordinance Answ It may be so more is the Pity that Gods Ordinances for Worship should offend his Ordinance for Government that the Man of God should not please them that rule for God the Gospel of Salvation should interfere with the Laws of a Nation that should subserve it This is and must be for a Lamentation 2. The Worship pleaded for if it please God why should it offend any that personate God Is it our Duty to sanctifie God and to pray in order to it to know and to his Will Mat. 6.10 and when we have consulted it shall we prophane that Name by doing what we are convinct is contrary to his Will This Offence is took not given and to be so is part of our Misery not our Sin 3. Though Polity and Maxims of State are not part of my Study there being Dissention and Heresyes in that as well as in Divinity not soon reconciled yet by two or three Scriptures my Judgment best arrives at a consistency which steir my Course in Worship and Manners 1. Is that of Davids dying words after much Experience in Rule and Wars He that rules among Men must be just ruling in the Fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And the Word is a sure Rule of Justice and Worship 2. That Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority that in Paul's sense is denominated the Ordinance of God Rom. 13.2 3 4. is by him thus qualified and so ought to be A Minister of God for good See Mr. Gee in Locum a terrour to Evil-doers and so bears not the Sword in vain to it Obedience is due he is a Praise to Well-doers and him to resist is damnation Hence may the Line be drawn 3. That Obedience due to man that is called for from all to supreme or subordinate Rulers is not absolute and universal 2 Pet. 2.13 14 16. that is God's due only but limited and respective i. e. in the Lord. So any humane * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creation is for the Lords sake and due as from the Servants of God I apply all in the words of Eleutherius to our King Lucius Ye have the two parts of Scripture out of it by Gods Grace with the Councel of your Realm * Fuller 's Eccl. Hist Mr. Fox J. Speed's Chron. Take ye a Law and Rule Britain by it and say I accurst be he that obeys it not he says not out of our Decretals or your Cannons far less did the Romanists then arrogate a Law above Gods or his Word or to impose or depose as now If the Laws of Men oblige us unto them far more should Gods Laws oblige men to him Hence God bid Kings to have a Copy of the Law that their days might be prolonged Deut. 17 18 20. For the neglect of Gods Law shortens Life If the Persian King DARIVS that owned not the Jews Religion himself would prohibit Tatnai from meddling to hinder the House of God orders the Vessels to be given them for it makes a Decree to promote it at his own Cost calls for Sacrifices and Prayers for the Life of the King and his Sons threatens all that did but altar that word and curses all Kings and People that put a hand to altar or destroy and after that releast the People with Ezra the Priest according to the Law of God to that House to worship at it after the Will of God Ezra 6.6 7 8 10 11 12. Ch. 7.13 Thus did Artaxerxes to avoid Gods Wrath and ordered also both Rulers and Teachers to instruct them v. 23.25 Why may not Princes do the like now for the
which I answer distinctly Asa's Case and Josia's are much alike and so Deut. 13.6 Those two Texts show how carefull both Asa and Josiah were to promote and by Covenant to bind all the People to God and true Worship that in Deuteronomy shows what Zeal also God looks his People should show against false Worship and though the Kings of David's Line did type out what Royal and Absolute Authority Carist the King of God's House and Legislator for Worship should have yet I dare not say all coercive Power is now to us forbid for the Text referrs to Gospel Times against the False-Prophets Zach. 13.3 and the Rulers Sword is also mentioned by Paul That it is not born in vain Rom. 13.4 Now that the Kings succeeding David had a compulsive Power to true Religion I grant that all others have the like I yield not that their power was both off and for God is true that all under the Gospel have the like from God to use against himself is denyed for he gives none against his Law Prov. 21.30 That some have exercised a Power against God's holy Worship as Jeroboam did is plain but that it has God's allowance in so doing is denyed for it was reproved Hos 5.11 That death was by Gods Law awarded to Blasphemers and Idolaters c. is undoubted that it is equally due to any now branded for Hereticks Schismaticks c. is denyed that some Heresy is a fruit of the flesh is plain to cut them off un-convict is hard that Rulers may tie to God's Law by Oath or Covenant is legible that God's Worship and a holy Covenant may de jure be deposed rescinded and vacate is questioned that Tares are to be in Gods time and way irradicate is certain by Christs own words but that rigour and rash Zeal is to be used to the hurt of the Wheat is utterly forbid Now see what Pareus says in it Pareus in Mat. 13. p. 736. Cavendus ergo nimius rigor ne noceatur bonis sensura malorum Too much rigour is to be avoided least the good suffer by censuring the evil that he calls nimia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too much severity or extremity that more hurts than helps the Church Christ forbids not Censures on the Wicked in Church or State but calls for a Moderation that all called Hereticks be not by Antichrist instantly committed to fire who also answers Maldonat in this and cites Jerome that says we are not to cut off the erring Brother for that he qui hodie noxius est cras resipscat and so pleads for Liberty of Conscience That the Persian Kings favoured God's true Religion some of them unto paenal and capital Judgments and subjoyning their own to Gods Law Ezra 7.26 placing God's first was a great mercy but that Cambyses did well in letting the House of God from building as for some years he did is denyed for that hinderance it is like shortned his life and though Nsbuchadnezar past that decree That whoso spake amiss of the three Childrens God should dye Dan. 3 29. yet the forcing of them by so hot a tryal was an errour in Government and their non-complyance helpt him to see it and for not bearing the Sword in the vain it is plain by the context He that doth well is not to fear the Sword but the Evil-doer Rom. 13.4 And if it be preverted either way to he contrary end now it is born in vain and abused There is an extream on both hands in the sense of that Let them both grow till the Harvest Mat. 13.30 Some driving at a general Persecution of all that dissent as the Papists and some that ways bending others arguing hence a total toleration if Wisdom find out a Medium to check the ambitious Phaetons that aspire to drive the Chariot of the Sun so to set all on fire I say to the Ruler as he Ovid Medio tutissimus ibis Our Moderation shall be our Glory And for that Compell them to come in Luk. 14.23 our Lord means not that the Will is forc't by Grace but changed by holy Allurements not that Faith is promoted by Man's Sword but God's Word nor is that a Call to the Sacramental Feast but to Christ and so to the Blessings that in him are offered Follow your own Rule O ye Priests that says The Cannon-Law Pastores estis non Persecutores nova est inaudita Predicatio quae verberibus fidem exigit plus agit Serenitas quam severitas plus cohortatio quam comminatio charitas quam potestas alias tendit ad noxam In English at large thus Ye are Pastors not Smiters 't is a new sort of Preaching to inforce Faith by strokes Pride may effect one thing good Discipline another Serenity doth more than Serverity Advice more than Threats Love than Law Hence it is easie to see who seek their own things more than Christs and Domination not Councel them Honour pleases Pride puffs up and what is designed to concord tends to hurt And so I conclude the Answer to the fourth Objection 5. It is urged against us the cause of our Nonconformity is more in Will and Humour than Wit more in Fancy than Faith more Rebellious than Reasonable since we make of Moats Mountains and scruple Rites legitimate by the Sanction of Rulers in Church and State Answ The Champion of the Camp the Goliah stands here a few of David's smooth stones pickt out of the Brook of Scripture and put in the Shepherd of Israel's bag may suffice to send him going let two or three suffice to touch and then judge if it be humour or Conscience that sways 1. We are too standfast in that Liberty that Christ hath at so dear a Price called us to Gal. 5.1 his Purchase is to be valued far above Naboths Vineyard which was above his Life but this is above that and Christs Blood yet more 1 Pet. 1.18 What then is a Tradition that makes the very Conversation vain and the Worship vainer loose hold but in a latchet a loop c. you give away the Price of Christ's Blood and hazard your own Liberty no Man nor Apostle has Dominion over it or us 2 Cor. 1. ult 2. Would not any be exact that eyes the Purity of the Law-giver the strictness of the Law and the severity of the Penalties both exprest and executed all that the jealous God bids us do must be done no adding no detracting to be with him to look is to lust the thought is sin to hate is to kill and Racha Hell appearance of evil is to be hated 1 Thes 5.23 Danial purposes not only to avoid the Idol and Worship but even the Bread and Wine of the King Dan. 1.8 A Mordecai bows not to an exalted Haman Esth 3.5 No little spot is to be admitted on that Vest that all do eye Jud. 13. We are to be far from an ill Matter not touch or taste or be night the Door of
the King's Honour but in the Want of People is the Destruction of the Prince Prov. 14.28 Dr. Jermin in loc p. 296. reads the first Clause Berab gnam as inclusive of both Numbers and Plenty of Estate Many in Misery makes the Misery greater and the Honour of the King less but when People are not preserv'd in their being or well-being it begins with the Peoples Loss ends with the Princes Ruine They are the King's Trophy and Treasure Messis nostra cunctorum quies Our Harvest is the Quiet of all said a Goth King Plato says Never King perish'd for want of money but of Friends When all left Nero now began his Misery says Tacitus Now on them two things hangs the Being nay the Well-being of People as the Jews say of First-fruits and Tenths the whole Revenue of God's Honour our Peace and Comfort rests on these two Pillars Jachin and Boaz scatter the Assemblies and the Sabbaths are forgot Law 2.6 and so God's Law is made void and of none effect Mat. 15.6 nad so 't is time for God to work now Psal 119.126 4thly I crave of these petty Kings in cold Blood to consider what all the Rigor both of Justices and Doctors has attain'd for the Attempt is one thing the Attainment is another 'T is true old Laws and new of this Nature Civil Canon Common are all sharp enough and made keener by the Spirit in which and Occasion by which they 're executed Is severe Rigour Brow-beating on the Bench Thrasonical Boasts insolent Insultings at Doctors-Commons stretching the Law to all the Heights that Wit and Malice can reach Engines now fit to effect the Business of uniform Conformity that never yet was nor will be attain'd upon thinking People Generous Minds receive no Impression by Coertions nay if it comes that way the Religion is the more abhorr'd for force as that of the Spaniards is of the Indians that being by Droves compell'd to the Water-Baptism come out Christians thus dipt and anointed that the poor Indians say If a Spaniard goes to Heaven they 'll never come there such is their Cruelty O the deep prejudice that such scandalous harsh Severities of Christians on each other lay in the way of the Conversion of Souls I confess you may obtain on degenerate low cowardly Souls that have animam prosale that profess fidem venalem ephemeram whose Soul and Faith is saleable to any Lord that will buy whose Obedience is little better than that of brute Beasts that follow the Drove But as Scripture is the highest Reason so Obedience must be call'd the Obedience of Faith or it 's not current with God Rom. 16.26 Fines and Civil Mulcts may empty the Purse waste the Substance beggar the Family vex the Widow long ere they open their Eyes or change the Heart These dead Weights may force the Wheels a little about but let them be took off and presently all return in statu quo You convert the Purse to your use not the Person to you far less the Heart to God or if a Proselite he 's seven times more the Child of the Devil than before Mat. 23.15 Consider further as to the Assemblies you now disturb or scatter you may easily win the Ground they are upon but you drive them only to another Spot they will not ruffle with you you are armed they naked The Officers you bring are either rough or smooth and civill Men that will never destroy Neighbours in the Service of God tho you fine consine and hang them too They would rather come and partake of our Swets than disturb us or destory our peaceable Meetings They are Officers of Peace not given to War and such as answer the Promise Isa 60.17 I will make thine Officers Peace and thine Exactors Righteousness And God has made them so by his Providence your Rigor and the Long-suffering of your Immoralities But if you find Men out harsh and rough here or there perhaps you may some that are of your kidney busy Men rough-handed as Esau hard of Face worse in Heart loose in Life looser in Conscience and Principles of debauch't Courses low forlorn Fortunes and next to no Religion save that is upmost These you may whet and sharpen as Tools fit for Bonner by hopes of the Gain of Extortion and carousing others as they have spent their own Estates idlely till some by them wrong'd and robb'd clap an Arrest on them or a Stone Doublet as hard as their Heart and so mar their Hope and how many have that way been undone Vivitur ex rapto to live on catching is a Motto fittest for such Men in common with Crows and Kites Have you no fitter Officers of Law than such Harpies and Wrens Is' t an Honour to Protestant Prelates Justices to ride on such Scabs as the Hebrew calls them Isa 5 7. and that over the Corn of hungry and Vineyards of the thirsty Souls No surely These may prosper a while but as he said 2 Sam. 2.26 will it not be bitter in the latter End See what Beard writes Theatre p. 302. chap. 40. of one Barnabe a Viscount of Milan who oppressing his Tenants forced eath of them to keep a Dog which if lean or not well the Keeper was fin'd or beaten but the Fox was taken at last by Jo. Galeacius and after seven Months Imprisonment died of Poison And alas how many Doegs are poor People gald to feed in City and Country with Sums of Moneys often repeated to evite the long Fangs and Tushes with which they else would tug and tear away their All. At Constantinople upon a great Plague they expell'd all Dogs to an Island Turkish Hist If God for these things shortly visit us as surely he will some way or other we may then say O that all Dogs Doegs and ravenous Creatures had long since been expell'd the City and Land II. May I say somewhat to the Clergy and that sort of Men by what Dignities soever distinguish'd from the Pope to the lowest Dignitary Apparitor or Informer You I bespeak O Stars of the first Magnitude and Princes of the English Sanctuary Are you learned and will you take the Key of Knowledg and of Christ's Kingdom from us Are you Prophets and yet unfriendly to the Sons of the Prophets Doctors and yet refuse us that saving Doctrine that may edify us to the Kingdom of God Is no Door to Heaven open for us but through your Pin-fold Did Christ ever allow the Pastors of his Church to be called Fathers or Mat. 23.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masters of our way that 's Christ's own Tittle or to arrogate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Primacy and Supremacy that in all things is his Right Col. 1.18 Or to contend for Grandure and Priority He forbad to lord it o're God's Flock Of you and such have the Ancients in all Ages complained For your Ambition your Avarice and Tyranny the painful Ministry is turn'd to a busy Lordship Demas and
Race of cruel Haters to Israel And so Amalek bears up the Name witness his dogging the feeble among them in the Rear Exod. 17. ult And of that Stock was Agag how high his Kingly Throne was let Balaam say Numb 24.7 Doeg comes in next a Masquerade Worshipper he was before the Lord indeed but detain'd hid incluserat se in Tabernaculo not of good-will to Devotion but as you come to our Meetings to serve a Job for the Devil nor yet for Saul so much as Self and being his Herdsman if you will Butcher learn'd to be bloody Nob a whole City Women Infants with 85 Priests of the Lord he kill'd and ruin'd 1 Sam. 22.18 19. Josephus says he razed and burnt it and killed 385 Persons And which was sad tho Saul was anointed of God yet being annoy'd with that evil Spirit he by commanding it owns the Guilt tho his Footmen declin'd Obedience to that Command but this Dog obeyed quickly which they or he were better Subjects let Sense judg Rabbins say after he was that Armour-bearer that being too near Saul's Person found a Season to kill him after the Battel Others call him a Pastor to Saul's Flocks and some also a Judg Dr. Mayor but commission'd now for this Job as a chief of Saul's Servants 1 Sam. 23.9 His Successor is Haman the Agagite that struck in Esther at all the Race of Israel Esth 3.8 And the Line runs to Herod who slew 14000 Infants for Christ Nay to Judas of whom Mayor says Vol. 2. p. 316. Doeg was a Type so all are that intend Envy under the Mask of Piety To end this of the Rise of them I remind my Reader that some eight Years since Anno 1675. there came a stitcht Book to hand stil'd A Rebuke to our Informers in which the sober Author after the Perface first convicts them of their Sin secondly answers Objections thirdly makes some Inferences in all handles the Matter so gravely truly and strenuously that I judg that Piece of 84 Pages not only meet for a vicious Informer but any rigid Priest or Person that loves sober Truth But to follow my purpose I say it is no shame to us to suffer what Christ our Lord did nor any credit to our Accusers to do what Judas did the Top of all whose Kin is the Devil Secondly For the Course you run 't is pernicious and vile and that 1. To the King It is so far from serving his Interest that it loosens the Bands of Union and tempts the People to a Jealousy as if he meant to resign the Rule and Reins of a Prince to such petty Tyrants You diminish the Number and discourage the Trade of the Sedulous and so can never countervail the King's Damage Esth 7.4 as Haman pretends Esther denies If Solomon reason right Prov. 20.38 By Mercy and Truth is the King preserv'd his Throne is upheld by Mercy Mercy shew'd the Poor Dan. 4.27 Truth preach'd to the Erring so his Person or Power is upheld Then Cruelty Exactions and Falshood in Oaths weaken both You hurt him by his own Weapon in pretending Law 2. You injure Protestants in weakning them by Fines deterring them from their Religious Duties and the Exercise of their Gifts and Graces for others Good You propagate the Plot and serve the Papists in turning the Force of Laws in the harshest Sence to the disquiet of the Peaceable in the Land Psal 55.20 And so Protestants are set to vex each other Papists in the Interim divide all Divide Impera to serve your Rapine 3. You accuse Men that are innocent falsly as if Rebels to the King for obeying God's Command of Hereticks in the Church for adhering to Truth or seditious and factious to the State while you by Slanders are the Seeds-men of those Tares Schismaticks for dividing from Babel when our Bishop's Plea was No Peace with Rome Bishop Hall Nor know you Zealots well that so pursue our Conventicles what to define them If Minshew's Word may pass in the ill Sence a Conventicle is Conventus seditiosorum sceleratorum a Meeting of seditious and wicked Men. If Bishop Bridgman's be right reported to me 't is a little Meeting of Men out of several Precincts to consult on State-Affairs and the Doors shut for Secrecy Ours are not such 4. How many Towns Cities Families are endanger'd by you Some imprison'd or begger'd some forc'd out pious Ministers exposed to flee from their Families to escape your Raven for 100 l. Fine and sober Gentlemen hector'd by you that would not vex their honest Neighbours Tenants and Friends and Officers of Peace and whole Towns fermented divided and perturbed 5. Lo what Guilt you incur by afflicting the Just offending Christ's little Ones that believe in him prohibiting the publication of the Word of Life profaning the Sabbath your selves by hindring others coveting to take the Spoil and Goods of the Poor taking Oaths and telling Lies and Tales for Gain smiting Fellow-servants Mat. 24.49 and Subjects by the Tongue serving the Devil in casting Men in Prison Rev. 2.10 6. This has been the Sin and has brought Misery on the Heads of others Marshal and Stroud in London of late you took no warning Obstinacy and Obduration is now aggerated on your Guilt you approach the Sin unto Death 1 John 5.16 that is not to be forgiven You dread not the Marks of Cain Doeg Judas Beware you feel not the Horror of a despairing Conscience like Spira Latomus Eccebolus that said Calcate me salem insipidum Porphyry c. That 's a Worm immortal 7. The Course you run is not like to obtain the Means answer not the End you attempt Impossibilities Can you stop the Tide hedg in the Birds imprison the Wind stay the Sun or bind Arcturus and loosen the Bands of Orion Nor can you damme or restrain the strong Stream of the Spirit extinguish Sun-Light or bind up the Gales of that Wind of the Word John 3.8 but in spite and sight of you and all your Persecutions the Gospel shall prosper and that by your very Opposition Quo magis furunt eò amplius procedo The more they rage the more I go on said Luther Thirdly Look to the End of your Course What is it but Hatred of God and Man Perhaps they that employ you may desert you to the Justice of the Vulgar and give you a Reprimand like that the Council and Priests gave Judas Mat. 27.34 What 's that to us see thou to that So will the Wages of Unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 melt in your Consciences and make Hell-Fire sparkle and flash in your Eyes and be too hot to hold You have rid like Balaam and the Asses you bestride shall crush your Foot and cut your Consciences with the Rebukes that he had And the Gain you hunt shall fail you your Neighbours shall dread and decline you as Pests to Society you shall be driven from Light to Darkness and chased out of the World Job 18.18 As
linger in Babylon even at or upon her Fall approaching Lot's hovering in Sodom Gen. 19.12 15 16 17. was a Type of this Two Angels bid him and his go out tell him the Place was to be destroy'd call on him to hasten and at last must pull him out by the hand and bid him flee for 's Life and all but enough to save him We have had two Angels so calling us The first Episcopal Bishop Hall's No Peace with Rome p. 631. § 22. I know not says he how the House can ever be repaired it must be quite pull'd down The second Angel took up the Cry where they left off and by the ablest Pens and Pulpits made it loud and audible in which I could cite many of the most learned and pious Yet instead of obeying lo the Cry is Let us make us a Captain to return to Egypt Numb 14.4 And how far this may obtain God knows and the seeing Eye may affect the Heart And some say plainly As only the Oil of Scorpions cures the Scorpion's Bite so Popery must cure our Catholick Eyes that will not see 't till it comes H. Burton of the two last Trumpets cites Mr. Throckmorton's Prophecy p. 84. 2. My second Note is That God's Call is very cogent out of Babel-Rome yea he will have us out or he 'll pull till the Arm and Shoulders crack for 't and if yet we will stay see the Evils it will tend to In Two Motives A Participation 1. In her Sin A Participation 2. In her Plagues 1. To evite her Sin we are all call'd and warn'd out to avoid her Guilt Some Sins she has in common with others some are peculiar to her above others as Idolatry Superstition Heresy and Persecution for Religion and Conscience These are bred with her and fed up among all her Daughters who learn of the old Harlot to be and do like her Ezek 23.13 Now all that retain or return in to her are Partakers in those Sins and that does God forbid especially to Ministers 1 Tim. 5.23 and next to all others Are we not bid to come out and depart 2 Cor. 6.17 and have we not Sins personal sufficient to sink us or to act all the Repentance we can attain but we must contract Guilt by participation with others O how will you answer your Judg at the last Day to pull on your own Souls the Guilt of all the Blood of holy Martyrs spilt by the Papal Hierarchy in the Marian Days and their Successors in the same Spirit When alas it rather calls on you and us all to set Days apart to atone it which yet never was done Wherefore it makes me fear a Relapse to Popery that all may be discounted at once for And any that consult Jo. Squire of Shoreditch on 2 Thess 2. p. 626. or Dr. T. Taylor 's Christ's Victory over the Dragon p. 741 cum sequent may see cause to increase that Jealousy The first in these Words as Augustine to Africa so he to England Multis vapulet we know his Will and do it not and shall be beat with many Stripes and the Pope shall gather the Rod. It may verify Campian's Exprobration The English love Preaching not the Preachers Or that of Pererius to England Veniet tandem iniquitatis complementum that is England's Sin at last comes to a fulness The latter grave Doctor has this fatal Simily As the Moon suffers no Eclipse but at Full when farthest distant from the Sun so the Church in the Fulness of Prosperity has now the greatest Eclipse being farthest off the Sun O Church of England see to 't now in thy fulness of Establishment thy Distance from Christ cause not thy Eclipse by Popery Now Ministers make way for Antichrist as being opibus potentiâ major virtutibus verò pietate minor Tho you be greater in Wealth and Power yet less in Piety and Vertue Jerome in Vita Mal. p. 740. 2. All that dare share in her Sin look assuredly to partake of her Plagues Death is in the Pot taste not the Broth or the Flesh Mourning follows that Knox refused to take a Bishoprick ' cause it had aliquid commune cum Antichristo somewhat of Antichrist Can a severer Threat be read If any do worship the Beast or his Image or take his Mark in the Forehead or Right-hand he shall be tormented with Fire and Sulphur before the Lord and the Lamb. Rev. 14.10 That Fire they gave us shall return hotter No Papist can go beyond a Reprobate says Perkins This Text adds one Word sharper without mixture i.e. of Lenity or Mercy yet it 's fully mix'd with all that Guilt or Wrath can inflict I conclude this Dissuasive from a slavish deserting pure Worship for Antichristian Apostacy as Edw. Bagshaw does his Book with part of that pious learned Bishop Vsher's Catechism p. 441. where Antichrist is so defin'd as one that under a colour of being for Christ as his Vicegerent opposes himself to Christ in all his Offices and bearing Authority in Church and Commonwealth a Mother of Fornications to Kings and People one that causes many to sin by Laws that are advisedly made that allows incestuous Marriages and to break Faith and Leagues c. and for use of it says All that partake of Rome's Sin are under her Curse and so all ought to hate her So infers that no Reconcillation can be had with Rome nor can we communicate with them unless we share in their Destruction for Popery destroys the Vitals of Religion So he concludes ibid. p. 442. those that are off it should free themselves of the Remnants of Popery lest God in Judgment bring the whole on them again So is the third Caution Now one more I will add Fourthly and lastly Beware of provoking your Shield of Defence to call off his glorious Covert and leave you as Aaron made the People Exod. 32.25 naked and open to every Lash of the Tongue or Pen or to all the Feet of Beasts to tear and tread and to every Storm of God's Fury and Vengeance that may fall for if you provoke your Defence where will you flie to hide Ahab did so and in Battel tho well arm'd an Arrow drawn at a venture pierc'd him betwixt the Joints of the Harness 1 Kings 22.34 and so verifies through his Wilfulness the Prophet's Word he hated he justly died in War that hated Micaiah a Son of Peace If the Lord be provoked to grub up the Hedge of Providence and Restraint and dig down the Wall of Protection about his Vineyard Isa 5.6 the Entrance of the Boar and Fox is easy And then the Lord being gone he and the Enemy answer both roughly The one says God has forsaken him Psal 71.11 persecute and take him or them now and if we cry to God he says Go to your Gods I 'll deliver you no more Judg. 10.13 What provokes to such a Withdraw I answer briefly 1. Unfruitfulness does it The Lord served that first
rest till the white Horses post after the black to bring Joy Peace and Rest to the opprest in the North which will soon follow the former Distresses One observes on Hosea of that King that on a morning was cut off Hos 10. ult It was Hoshea and that in him the whole Line and Reign of the ten Tribes surccast and were extinct 2 Kings 17.4 For he being false to his word the Assyrian deposes and imprisons him subverts Samaria and his Kingdom and Captives the ten Tribes And why all this For the Sin of Bethel what they thought would confirm and settle did subvert the Kingdom Anaxagoras for writing a Book of the Moon 's Ecclipses after they in Athens had received her for a God was imprisoned and but for Pericles had died Had they so foolish a Jealousie for a fictitious mutable God and shall not the true God that changes not be as Jealous for his Glory Truth Ways and Worship Surely with Nahum I may say Oh Judah keep thy Solemn Feasts for the Belial is utterly cut off Nahum 1.15 3. As Providence is active in punishing some so is also in preserving others that is the darker this is the brighter side of it there God's Horses are black here all white Such as Jesus rode on in conquering the first Emperial Dragon Apoc. 6.2 19.11 And keeps still for the last Papal Victory That Victoria Halelujatica when all the Armies in Heaven are so mounted not on white Horses in the Letter but on a Series of glorious Successes purely on the Lambs and his Followers account and also on Seats of Rule and Dignity of which that Colour was a Sign or Badge of old Judg. 5.10 Now in nothing more doth Providence weave the curious Webbs of Salvation than in this So was Lot pulled out of Sodom Jacob preserved from Esau and Laban also Joseph saved from his Brethren and by their Envy advanc't over them all so all the Family was fed in Aegypt so Moses is hid drawn out Nursed by his own Mother Exod. 2.7 8. adopted educated advanc't in the Court nay at last as a God over it as when but an Infant was predicted of him Burr on Heb. 11 25. Thus is Israel brought out with an High Hand and Wonders wrought at Sea and Land for it Thus David in the Cave Jeremiah and Baruch also were hid So Esther wheels the King about and turns the Plot on Haman So the three Children in the Furnace and Daniel in the Den of Lions are rescued Dan. 6.23 So Jesus with Joseph and Mary are sent to Aegypt for Safety and about two years after call'd back and the Infants blood avenged on Herod but Jesus is saved Mat. 2. For further Instances of Gods wondrous and secret Providence in saving his at their Duty many are worthy of Recognition In Psalms God is called a Sun and a Shield Psal 84.11 i.e. the one to direct the other to protect also the Preservation of the Woman's Birth is attended with an Acclamation Rev. 12.9 10. Now is Salvation the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ And why that Cry of Salvation now Why first because of this bewildred state it is more a wonder to be then sav'd in a Desert than all the Blessings of the Land of Canaan 2. For the Circumstance of time now in her Travel v. 4.5 when she and her Man-Child had no visible means of Protection but were open to the Envy of a furious Dragon 3. For the means of her Safety three fold 1. By the Sufferings of the Faithful v. 11. And 2. By the Wings of the Eagle v. 14. i.e. says Dr. T. Taylor the providence of God protecting the Oracles of God directing to a slight Or as Mede the Roman Empire spread and divided as the two Eagles Wings of the divided Empires the East and the West that helpt the Woman to this escape And 3dly By Earthly Men Means and Ends as that Doctor gives Examples of divers kinds Dr. Taylor in Apoc. 12. p. 816. c. David bids us Go about Zion tell her Towers and mark well her Bulwarks Psal 48.13 Two sorts of Defence about Zion are to be remark't to all Successions The one is the Out-works or Mud-walls made all of Earth about his People The other is the In-works of Gods Attributes and Angels Of these I did touch Only let 's view that regular Line of strong Fortification drawn about Zion by the Bull-warks of Earth cast about her Sometimes pernitious Designs do turn to advance our Interest and Preservation as Aug. observes ad Sixtum Quod in perniciem Inimici machinantur Deus convertit in adjutorium What the Enemy devise to our hurt God converts to our help So Josephs Slavery by Brethrens Envy is well over-rul'd though it was ill meant Sometimes Men for Earthly Ends or by fear of Ruine plead the Cause of God's Worshippers as did Pharaoh's Courtiers the Land being almost destroyed Exodus 10.7 Sometimes Fits or Pangs of Conviction perswade to some Urbanity as King James of Scotland long ere he came for England put on that Moderation and Vrbanity to that People that a Coyn of Crown Pieces was made with a Sword and on the Point of it a Crown the Motto Pro me si merer in me The Sword is for me if I deserve against it He bravely own'd that he ow'd his Kingdoms to Christ deriv'd from him in the following Sonet to his Son I wish also it may extend to Grand-Sons Basilicon Doron God gives not Kings the stile of Gods in vain For on his Throne they do his Scepter Sway And as their Subjects ought them to obey So Kings should fear and serve their God again If then you would enjoy a happy Reign Observe the Statutes of your Heavenly King And from his Law make all your Laws to Spring Since his Lieutenant here you should remain Reward the Just be stedfast true and plain Repress the Proud maintaining aye the Right Walk always so as ever in his Sight Who guards the Godly plaguing the Prophane And so you shall in Princely Vertues shine Resembling right your mighty King divine These I find rescribed at the end of one Mr. W. Symond's Pisgah Evang. pag. ult A. D. 1606. upon the Revela And would all Princes take out that Copy and follow it the Lord would both lengthen their Days and reward their Love to the Godly here with a Crown of Glory Eternal Now the Verses of a King having given this royal pleasant and not impertinent digression I return to our Matter The providential Preservations of God's Courtiers is a Theam worthy of the wit reading and Pen of Angels not only to observe the Shield of Defence held cut for the Safety of the Pious personally in all Times of danger but in a more special way over the whole Body of the Elect in the most perillous Times that have or can come He that views the People of God in Ages by-past when the Church