Power but of God the Powers that be are or lained of God This or that Form of Civill government is of God mediately i. e. by the means of man 1 Pet 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Wherefore yee must needs bee subject not only for weath but also for Conscience sake Rom 13.5 Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in matters of Religion See in the next chapter That Visible Politica-Charches Church-Officers and Church-Ordinances are Gospel-Institutions appointed by Christ to continue to the end of the world appeareth as followeth briefly That Commandement which Pâ—â—â— gave to Timothy is to be kept untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus 1 Tim 6.14 But Visible Political-Church estate is part of that CoÌ„mandment which Paul gave to Timothy 1 Tim 3.15 Therefore Visible political church-estate is to continue untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ i. e. to the end of the world The word Commandment relates generally to all conteined in this Epistle prescribed unto Timothy to be observed Whence Beza readeth it pâ—eception rather then Precept This is part of that Depositum that great thing deposited which the holy Apostle so frequently affectionately calleth upâ—n his dear Timothy to see unto Yea and sometime forbeareth not as with a severe and most vehement adjuration to charge bin with the custody of 1 Tim 5.13 14 20. I give thee charge in the sight of God O Timothie keep that which is committed to thy charge Either God since the institutioÌ„ of the Ceremonial worship Polity of Israel by Moses hath changed the Rule of Political Church-estate more then once or he hath left his people without any Rule as concerning Political church-estate or else the Political church-estate instituted in the Gospel is to continue to the end of the world But since the institution of the Ceremonial worship Polity of â—srael by Moses God hath changed the Rule of the Political estate of the Church but once Heb 12.26 27. And it is not a trueth to say that he hath left his people without any Rule as concerning the Political estate of the church Heb 3.5 6. 1 Tim 3.14 15. 1 Cor 14.33 Therefore the Political Church-estate instituted in the Gospel is to continue unto the end of the world Pastors Teachers are Church-Officers Pastors Teachers are to continue to the end of the world Therefore Church-Officers are to continue unto the end of the world The Apostle Ephe. 4.11 12. having instructed us concerning the institution use of Pastors Teachers proceeds verse 13. to inform us concerning their duration where unto that question how long are Pastors Teachers to continue He hath prepared an answer long since in those words till we all come in the Vnitie of Faith of the knowledge of the Sonn of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullnes of Christ. Wee have in the text presented before us the duration of these Officers described from two periodical and indubitable notes First the meeting of all the elect in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God Secondly the attaining of all believers unto a perfect man or he full stature of Christ. By the first understand the effectual calling together with the perfect agreement of all the Elect in the faith By the second the perfection of Christ mystical The head and members Christ all believers make one mystical person or one mystical-bodie The perfection whereof is heâ—e held forth by a metaphor taken from the full stature of the body natural after which there is no augmentation Now the perfection or full stature of the body mystical after which it receiveth no augmentation imports two things First that no member shall then be wanting secondly that every member shall be perfect From the premises it being manifest that these two periodical notes shall not be untill the end of the world therefore as manifest it is that Pastors and Teachers being to continue untill then they are to continue unto the end of the world Those three verses are as Aarons rod an argument were it alone sufficient quite to take away the murmurings of the people Yet for the further satisfaction of the Reader touching the Gospel-ministry two things may here not unseasonably be spoken to 1. Concerning the nature of extraordinary Gospel-ministers 2. Concerning immediate mission of persons in these dayes Touching the first Church-Officers are Extraordinary i. e. but for a time as Apostles Prophets Evangelists Ordinary i. e. such whose function continueth and is standing at all times To the constitution of an Apostle four extraordinary gifts concurred 1. A Call immediately by Christ Matthias substituted in the place of Judas is elected by Lot which was a divine vote Acts 1.26 Paul hath a vision of Christ and heareth a voice from heaven Acts 26.16 1 Cor. 15.8 2. Plenitude and amplitude of the power of the Keyes i. e. all Church-power in all Churches John 21.21 Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 3. Infallible assistance in their administration when called thereunto 2 Pet. 1.20 21. 4. Power to work Miracles 2 Cor 12.12 The Prophets were called immediately by the Spirit their work was to interp et dark Scriptures by a special gift without study Acts 13.1 15.32 1 Cor 14.24 Prediction of things to come Acts 11.27 28. 21.11 Joel 2.28 Aâ—ts 2.9 Luke 2.36 Acts 21.9 Evangelists were extraordinary Ministers called by the Apostles as ordinary Ministers are by the Church Such were Timothy Titus Quest Touching the querie whether we have any Scripture warrant to expect persons immediately sent of God in these dayes Answ We have no promise of any such ministry in our times The last dayes Acts 2.17 are by some senced as relating to the last dayes of the Jewes immediately preceding the dreadfull famous destruction of that Nation According to them called the great terrible day of the Lord. Thus James chapt 5.3 speaking of the wealthy Jewes saith that they have treasured up their wealth as fire against the last dayes i. e. against those times of destruction when their wealth should but do them a mischief marking them out as prizes preyes for the enemy But this interpretation is left to free disquisition The Apostles seem not so to have expected any succession of Apostles Hence in their life time they appointed Elders in every Church Acts 14.23 And left behind them a prescribed form as a directory of the Churches concerning persons to be called by man into the Ministry successively in the ages to come 1 Tim 3 Titus 1. But though we have no promise of any such ministry yet in the Scripture we have frequent prediction caution of pretenders to immediate mission of deceivers false Apostles false Prophets false Teachers Speakers of lyes in the name of the Lord with Command and directions to try them not by their own profession for that is no
considered as the Rule of life Swenckfield saith they make an idol of the word Mr Rutherford Surv when the Authors by him Cited in the Margeâ—t part â—â—ch p. 3. who esteem it as the Power of God through faith unto salvation i. e. who esteem it as the meanes whereby the spirit worketh grace in the heart of the hearer he goeth through Sweden Normberg Vlms Tubingia in private houses accusing the pastors that no man was the better for their preaching extolling the spirit that doth all understand without the word as the meanes The Libertines denyed all preaching by Officers Sacraments Church-assemblies singing of Psalmes they accounted the scripture as a dead letter neglected it pretending to follow the spirit yet they used it in speaking and writing because through the peoples good opinion thereof they found it a fit meanes to insinuate themselves with their diabolicall opinions into their heart they rejected the scripture and pretended the spirit for their rule Concerning the Magistrates Muncer defameth detracts from the ministers of the Gospel afterwards falls with like violonce upon the Magistrate hoping by making void these two orders they should prevaile upon the flock he teacheth parity rejection of dignities Those in Germany held that none with good conscience could exercise the power of a magistrate that is none but such who were of their mind witness both their doctrine practice in Munster and else where they held also that it was lawfull for the people to depose their Magistrates being unbelievers and they counted all unbelievers who were not of their mind They pretended an immediate mission to act from the spirit and by vertue of an immediate command above the triall of the scripture Muncer said that by his divine revelations he must Judge of the Bible They carryed it in the beginning very faire before all men for they had alwayes in their mouths the faith and fear of God the mortification of the flesh mention of the cross They affected a grave countenance posture wore plain apparell used few words cryed in the streets repent repent they were reserved as to the discouery of their mysteryes untill they were hopefully assured of their follower they studyes to speak equivocally so as their words might carry divers sences they lifted up themselves above others gloryed to be called spirituales men of the spirit The fourth order of the Libertines for they had many orders was of the holy and sinlesse ones The tenets of the Quakers concerning the same heads of Religion Concerning the Trinity they acknowledg that there is one God and three viz the Father Son and Holy-Ghost but they deny that these three are distinct Persons Concerning Christ they deny Christ to be God man in one Person they deny Christ to be a distinct Person from the Person of the Father The tenents here mentioned appear from published papers with the names of the Authors affixed or by word of mouth they deny Christ to be a distinct Person from any of his members they acknowledge such a Christ as unchrists Christ when they say Christ manifest in the flesh they meane not according to the sense of the scripture but fallaciously Concerning the Scripture considered as the Rule of life They deny the scripture or written word to be the Rule of life make the light within them the spirit without the scripture to be their guide They account Church-instituted-worship waiting upon God for the efficacious presence and co-operation of the Spirit of grace in the ministery of the word and Sacraments for conversion edification to be idolatry And the political Order of Church-Officers and members they affirme to be an Image Concerning the Magistrate they own none as lawfull Magistrates who are not of their way Their non-acknowledgement of the Magistrate as now established in all christian states is more then manifest They pretend unto an Immediate call to act from the spirit and an infallible light within them above the triall of the scripture they will not acknowledge that they sin but profess perfection of degrees in this life and publish smart sarcasticall invectives against ministers who teach the Contrary How farre the deportment of the Quakers answereth to the outward guise and gest of the sectaryes in Germany the low-countreyes prementioned he that seeth the one heareth of the other may easily Judge The premises show the Quakers to be rather imitators of the Enthusiasts Libertines then Innovators That the persons thus opinionated are called Quakers is not from their tenets but from the gesture where with they are acted at or about the time of the reception of their revelations or when else in reference to credit their doctrines This very gesture as circumstanced renders their way in no small degree suspitious it being the ancient and known manner of Satan when he inspired his Enthusiasts to afflict the bodyes of his instruments with paines those often in their bowells and to agitate them with Antick and uncouth motions in particular with this of quaking trembling thereby to amuse ignorant spectators with a superstitious astonishment and so to dispose them to the expectation of some strange discovery preter-humane in pretence divine but indeed diabolicall Seneca presenteth the Sybil i. e. Satans prophetess at the act of receiving her Oracles from the revelation of the Devil pale-faced with eyes wrung in an unwonted and fearfull manner Seneca in Agâ—mem as also quaking trembling Silet repente Phoebus pallor genas Creberque totum possidet Corpus tremor Horat. lib. 1. Ode 16. Noâ— adytis quatit c At Pythia a place in Phocis Apollo that is the Devil is reported by the Poet to cause his Priest to quake Gregory of Nice speaking of this subiect beside the hair hanging down about their eares loose eyes averse maketh mention of foaming at the mouth and much like hereunto is what we read in Chrysostome of a woman inspired understand by Satan panting and having her head Contort that is wryed in so strange a manner as was affrighting to behold Many instances of this nature might be produced but I shall only further mind the Reader of the custome of the Powa's or Indian Wizards in this wilderness whose bodies at the time of their diabolicall practises are at this day vexed and agitated in a strange unwonted dreadfull manner This verifieth that old proverb that Satan is Gods ape yet the examples of Isaiah going naked barefoot i. e. in a bare habit like a poore slave or bond man that is carryed into captivity Chap 20.2 Of Ezekiel smiting his hand and stamping with his foot Ezek. 6.11 Of Daniel's great quaking which fell upon him at the sight of that vision Dan 10.7 with the like do not justifie this gesture Their causes were divine circumstanced to edification and extraordinary not customary to the Prophets themselves Concerning three distinct Persons in the divine
saith the LORD which is in effect the same with Isay 54 13 Iohn 6.45 And they shall be all taught of GOD i.e. They shall not be onely taught of man as others in externall covenant onely are These words They shall be all taught of GOD are not to be interpreted exclusively so as to exclude the teaching of man but extensively so as to include the teaching also of God witness the cloud of Scripture-instances of all those under the Gospel-dispensation who were taught of God but how by not without the teaching of man Further the promise undertakes for such a writing of the Law in their hearts such a teaching of God as that they shall not finally apostate from the Covenant Jer 32.40 But I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me The Subject spoken of are such persons which are actually the people of God such in whose hearts the Law is written The knowledg of God is taken either for that knowledg of him which is essential to effectual vocation or for the knowledg of edification Taking knowledg in the former notion of writing the Law in the heart indelebly this being a property of the Covenant of grace the sense naturally flowes viz that after conversion once wrought there shall be no need to speak unto such to know the Lord namely with a knowledg essential to vocation as if they were ignorant thereof for this were in effect to deny a characteristical priviledg of the Covenant and to affirm falling from grace Regeneration is not iterable they who are once converted need not to be converted from the state of nature to the state of grace a second time This seemeth to be the genuine sense of the place If we take knowledg in the latter notion viz for the knowledg of edification then the interpretation proceeds comparatively thus comparing the Gospel-Israel having the law written in their hearts being also under a clearer dispensation under the promise of an efficacious copious influence of the Spirit with the National-Israel finally impenitent under the Law the teachers of the one as to a great part of the labour of their ministry in respect of the consolatory success thereof especially in the glorious times shall not look upon it as labour compared with the fruitless labours of the other so as the forementioned Gospel-hearers in respect of the premises might seem rather comparatively to have been taught by some immediate irradiation then by meanes of ordinary instruction 1 John 2.27 But the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is no ly Hence it is inferred that believers have no need of being taught by man Answ The Objector mistakes the question The Apostle speakes of heterodox doctrine taught by man The objection proceeeds concerning teaching by man The sense of the words alledged is you believers who through grace are an̄ointed with the in dwelling saving operatiōs efficatious influence of the Spirit which is the only Teacher have so learned Christ i.e. the Lords Christ that you need not be troubled with nor ought you to harken to the doctrine of Cerinthius Ebton or the Gnosticks who though they pretend themselves to be teachers of Christ are indeed Antichrists 1 John 2.18 So teaching Christ as that they un-Christ Christ nor have you need of any other doctrine whatsoever from any other man not agreeable unto the doctrine of the true Christ which you who are annointed have received 2 Pet 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesy where unto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starr arise in your hearts Hence is inferred that after the reception of the Spirit or believing there is no more need to attend unto the Scripture Answ This interpretation presupposeth three things any where of failing it cannot stand 1. That we are to understand by a sure word of Prophecie the whole Scripture 2. By the day dawning and the day-starr arising the Spirit of grace in Regeneration 3. By the particle Vntill the limited instant of regeneration Before which though we either do or may yet after which we are not to attend unto the Scripture Peter himself expounds the word of prophecie verse 19 of the Scripture of the old Testament verse 20 21. Which Scripture-testimony compared with the verbal testimony of the Apostles concerning the voyce heard in the holy mount in relation to the doctrine of Christ he preferreth not as the most true but as the most sure ground for Faith of the two and upon this account because the verbal testimony of the Apostles though Apostolical was as yet but verbal and not scriptural So that should this text upon a false supposition be looked at as speaking of a believers non-attention unto Scripture yet it proceeds not concerning the Scripture in general but concerning the Scripture of the old testament only not of the Canon of the new Testament The day dawning and the day-starr appearing denotes either the saying light of the Spirit making our attention unto the Scripture from time to time effectual during the season of our dependance hereupon throughout this life or that day-light of the vision of glory both which senses in conclusion issue in one But it cannot be understood of the regenerating-light of the Spirit because the Apostle speakes to those who are believers still to attend upon the Scripture The particle untill any other acception not pertinent to the matter under consideration omitted either noteth a certain time before which such a thing is to be which was not before or after which such a thing is not to be which was before The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come Gen 49.10 But here it denoteth not any certain time in this life after which we are not to attend upon the word written For then that certain time notified by the day dawning and the day-starr appearing must either relate to Christs comming in the flesh or to the beginning of the Gospel-dispensation or to the effectual revelation of Christ in vocation or to some other terme that may rationally and scripturally be instanced in but it cannot relate unto the first because it is not an appearance in the flesh but an appearance in the heart that is here expresly spoken of and the day-starr arise in your HEARTS Neither indeed can it relate either unto the first or any other of the termes or limits mentioned because Peter writes unto such still to attend upon the word of Prophecie who were regenerate who were believers haveing obteined like precious faith with himself Cap 1.1 Yea such who cannot be looked at otherwise then of considerable standing proficiency in the faith and lived after his incarnation and Gospel-dispensation whence were this
The exemplary justification of Abraham by faith is written in the old Testament for our sakes Rom 4.23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in him that raysed up Jesus our Lord from the dead The examples of the old Testament are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor 10.11 Not now to labour further in the proof hereof by an induction of particulars the usefulness of the old Testament to those that live under the New we haue asserted once for all and that concerning all that part of Sacred writt Rom 15.4 For whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope John 5.39 The Jewes in the time of Christ are Commanded to search the Scripture which necessarily proceeds of the Scriptures of the old Testament the new as then not being extant After the time of Christ we hear the Testimony of the new Testament concernning the profitableness of the Old 2 Tim 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes Understand this as spoken of the holy Scriptures known by Timothy of a child which must necessarily be the Old Testament CHAP. 2. Of the Signal Nature of the Quakers and other false Teachers arising and prevailing among the people of God AS the Soveraigne Lord and onely wise God is both the disposer and interpreter So hath he given unto his servants to be discerners of the times The Scriptures held forth many occurrents of providence Significative of the state of religion of the respective condition of the profession thereof as also of Gods more remarkable administration unto his people whether with relation unto his Predictions permissive or comminatory or both Hence we read of signes of the times Mat 16.3 Of good times in the place cited Of evill times Mat 24.33 This trueth the Psalmist mentions as of acknowledg'd notable moment in Israel Psal 74.9 We see not our signes The not discerning herof as it is a matter of blame but how is it ye discern not this time Luke 12.56 So in the discerning thereof is a matter of praise And the Children of Issachar which were men which had understanding of the time to know what Jsrael ought to do The heads of them were two hundred and all their brethren were at their Commandement 1. Chron. 12.32 Consortative unto the good awing unto the bad was that seasonable word of an Ancient who when terror had surprised the hearts of thousands by reason of that fearfull earth-quake which in Julians time threw up the very foundation of the temple then about to be reedified by the Apostate-Emperour told them that this amazing strange accident to them was but the accomplishment of that prophecie Verily I say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Full of presence of Spirit in a time of Calamity was that speech where with Lupus a Bâ—shop is reported to have greeted the enemy Attilas then depopulating laying wast his countrey I rejoyce saith he that you are come safe whom I judge to be the scourge of the Lord of my God sent to chastise his people The good man howsoever others hearts might faile under their fears both of present â—â—â—e of everlasting burnings looking at the King of the Hunnes not as a weapon of destruction according to his own desire but as a rod of correction in the hand of God and choosing affliction rather then iniquity gathers meat out of the eater False Teachers and false Prophets are signal i. e they are signes that the time is come when God will inflict vindicative spiritual-justice upon the non-receivers of the Trueth in the love of it They are executioners of spiritual justice punishing the non-reception of the trueth with deception by their lyes They are instrumental executioners of Justice to punish the non-reception of the trueth dispensed by the Ministers of Christ with deception by and reception of a ly disseminated by the ministers of Satan This solemn and by reason to the iniquity of the times both awfull and seasonable trueth the Reader is desired the rather to attend the proof of Aâ—aâ— besides other sinners laden with the guilt of the escape of a blasphemous Syrian rejects the trueth in the mouth of Micaiah the Lords Prophet diswading him from going against Ramoth-Gilead This God visited by giving him up to believe a ly in the mouth of the false Prophets commissioned to perswade him to go to Ramoth-Gilead unto his destruction 1 Kings 22.19 -23. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive John 5.43 The awfull trueth contained in this text will be the better seen by resolving it into four propositions 1. Christ came unto sinners i. e. tendered himself to them according to the Covenant of grace and that according to the appointment of the Father an external unparallelled mercy But last of all he sent unto them his Son saying surely they will reverence my Son 2. They received not the Son though sent unto them in the Fathers name As the Gospell is the great command so the rejection of the Gospel is the great sin If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinn but now they have no cloak for their sin John 15.22 3. Upon the rejecting of the Doctrine of the great Teacher there are teachers supposed to come in their own name A famine of the word of trueth is a sore judgment Amos 8.11 But these teachers are worse then no teachers Accursed ominous 4. That those who received not Christ comming in his Fathers name will receive teachers comming in their own name No better Teacher no such teacher no other teacher then he was whom they refused Scarce any if any worse teachers then those whom they received T is not so ready to say whether their unbelief or belief was more dreadfull Wofull is their condition when the teacher is accursed Gal. 1.9 and the hearer bewitched Gal. 3.1 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a ly that they all might be damned who believed not the trueth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.11 12. See here the non receivers of the trueth in the love of it punished both with a penal and effectual mission of deceivers That this tremendous dispensation may have the deeper impression upon our hearts we find the Vindictive hand of God upon the contempt of the Gospel mentioned thrice in one chapter and that also sometime as a forerunner of the
under EzRA saith that it shall be untill the end of that Age. In natis ex Eusâ—bio Evang DemoÌ„stra t l. 7. Chapt. 14.5 And the Septuagint calleth Christ the Father of the age to come Esay 9 6. And conformably hereunto what wee read the ends of the world they read the Consummation of ages Heb 9.26 1 Cor 10.11 The Greek bearing either version conceiving that the Consummation of ages are therefore said to be come upon them that live under the Gospel because they who live under the Gospel have out-lived the legal dispensation the Cessation whereof was the consummation of the age before the Messiah and live under that dispensation the cessation whereof shall be the Consummation of the age after the Messiah i. e. the Gospel dispensation which shall be the shutting up of all ages consequently end with the end of the world The sum of this interpretations commeth to this I will be with you to the end of the age meaning thereby the age of the Messiah beginning at the Ascension of Christ and continuing unto the end of the world It is the same in effect with the translation though differing in expression Touching the Spirit they are acted from their dictates are represented by them both as infallible and divine Because of the pretence of their infallibility they must not be questioned By reason of the pretence of their divinity they must be obeyed What can be superadded to the destructive tendency of satanicall motions armed with the perswasion of the indispensable necessity of Gods own CoÌ„mand Their tumultuous motions are by grave Authors frequently styled Furies from the fiercenes of their Spirit in the propagation of their Errors Their agitation is like that of the ocean when one would think the deep to be hoarie raging waves of the sea foaming out their owne shame Jude v. 13. Erroneous zeal heightened with intoxicating fanatick animosities is so much wilde-fire But diabolical zeal is so much hell-fire A Spiritual frenzy Being exceedingly mad against them Acts. 26.11 Wicked persecutors who acknowledg not the faith are unreasonable men pray that wee may be delivered from unreasonable wicked men 2. Thess 3.2 wicked persecutors who pretend to the faith are mad men The very light of nature teacheth all nations that mad men acting according to their frantick passions are to be restrained with chaines when they can not be restrained otherwise It goeth ill with the Saints when they who kill them think they do God service whilest they rage according to their lusts Woe to them who call upon the name of Christ when he that verily thinks with himself that he ought to do many things unto the utmost contrary to Jesus of Nazareth not only breaths out slaughter but is also CoÌ„missionated with letters from Damascus Their Doctrine carryeth meat for its followers in the mouth of it so that its contagious influence in a short time upon the tumultuous nature of the discontented and irregenerate multitude needs not so much to be discovered as to be antidoted That these persons canonize themselves as the Saints of the most High is a strong delusion And if they also by vertue of a forged Saintship be heard intitling themselves unto the Kingdom and thereby unto the dignities estates of all who are not of their mind it will not be found more irrational then Satanical not more strange then pernicious It may well be looked at as a Serpentine and inebriating stratageme to make the power honours possessions of the godly and others also who are not of their way to become lawfull prize and plunder to the ravening lusts of their proselytes For what then remaineth but that a sufficient number accepting of their doctrine agree together to possess themselves of all that falleth within the compass of their rapine 'T is true the Devills tempting of Christ with all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them All these things will I give thee could take no effect with Him But upon the tryall thereof with men of John of Leyden's spirit the subtill tempter hath found better success About February 1534 Rotman Cniperdolling send unto the neighbouring townes of Munster thereby giving notice to them of their sect to leave all their goods to repaire unto them encouraging them that they should not fail to receive more then they left behind them Hereupon great multitudes both of men women hearkening unto those magnificent promises came in accordingly and upon hopes of preferment repair to Munster chiefly the poorer sort who knew not how to subsist Some oâ— those 28 Teachers of the world sent out from Munster upon the CoÌ„mandement of the Father pretended to be given to John Twiscoscur a goldsmith being demanded why they expelled the honest people from the city of Munster against their faith promise detained their goods and by what text of Scripture they could warrant that unrighteousnes They answered that the time was now come wherein the word of Christ should be fullfilled that the meek should possess the earth and that GOD in this manner gave the goods of the Egyptians to the Israelits About the latter end of June Twiscoscur calleth the multitude together into the market place telleth them that he had a command from the heavenly father that John of Leyden should have the Command of the whole earth Osiand cent 16. lib. 2. cap 33. Guide bresse Cap 4. that he should go forth with a mighty army kill all the Princes promiscuously sparing only the multitude viz those who loved Righteousness That the time was now come when the ungodly should be oppressed and the godly should reign in this life The King afterwards promiseth to his 12 select Captains that they should be Princes assigning unto each of them their Province by name as also Forts Lands which he would give them How potent a temptation the opening of an opportunity to the irregenerate hungry multitude of changing places with their Superiours and possessing themselves with their power honour estates is When this temptation is managed in a way of duty and that duty also insinuated from the highest nature principle end viz Saintship of the highest form inspiration divine infallible a super-scriptural reformation guilded ouer with specious pretences of the exaltation of Christ and extirpation of Babylon I say how threatning this temptation is English men may not unprofitably collect by recalling that perillous rebellion in the dayes of Richard the second raised from the doctrine of one man by a temptation of this nature though then managed in a way of lawfulness only not of duty The summ whereof take thus One John Woll a man of a factious spirit perceiving the discontent of those times by two arguments one taken from the equality of all men as descended from Adam the other from the injustice of the Laws upholding great inequality amongst men viz some Lords and in large estates whilest others continued