Antichrist from whom they are descended and succeeded both lineally and of great antiquity Mystically Wherefore I humbly beseech the King and Parliament that you will betimes listen unto the holy spirit in the mouth of the prophet which saith Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned or instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord in feare and rejoice in trembling kisse the Son of God lest hee be angry and ye perish in the way of persecution when his wrath shall suddenly burn Let not therefore the Kings of the earth band themselves with the Bishops and Ministers of Antichrist Psal 2. â— 3. 1 Ioh. 2.20 Rev. 17.14 nor Princes assemble themselves together against the Lord and against his amointed that is against Christ and his Church seeing both he and she break your bands and east your cords from them Rev. 12.11 Yea her seed overcommeth you by the bloud of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives unto death Beware then in time lest you offend any more of these little ones that beleeve in Christ seeing Christ saith it were better to have a milstone hanged about the neck Matth. 18.6.10 and drowned in the depth of the Sea then so to do He meaneth that it were better for you to lose your lives then any way to consent to the offence of such little ones that beleeve in Christ See then I pray that they be not despised burned banished hanged and imprisoned For their Angels alwaies behold the face of Christs Father in heaven and remember he saith Matth. 10.38 39. Matth. 11.35.36 the tree is known by his fruit but persecuting of Christians is an evill fruit And that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things but persecuting of christians is no good thing and that for every idle word men shall speake they shall give accounts at the last day of judgements How much more for every wicked and cruel deed of persecution as burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of those that confesse with the mouth Rom. 10.9 and beleeve with the heart the Lord Iesus and that God raised him from the dead whose laws and ordinances they are carefull to keepe and obey Christ saith that such shall be saved and yet you feare not to burn banish hang and imprison such But if you beleeve that God will avenge his elect Luk 18.9 beware of persecuting his servants that cal on his name specially such as witnesse his truth against the abominations of Antichrist Suffer not your Bishops to destroy those men and women that strive to serve God according to his will in his word Be not your Bishops executioners in burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of harmlesse and peaceable Christians but let them enjoy freedom of the gospel and liberty of conscience that so the apostolick Church which is scattered and driven into the wildernesse and desart of this world may be againe gathered together both of Jews and Gentiles into visible and stablished congregations 2 Thes â— 8 And that the Catholick and universall Church of Antichrist may bee consumed and abolished by his word and spirit as the holy Apostle hath foretold even the uttermost of his arrivall which is the Emperiall and triple Crowne I pray the Lord to give such grace the Sea of Rome may ebbe apate through the triple sea of Rome And again I humbly intreat the King and Parliament to vouchsafe to heare me with patience yet a little further If freedom of the Gospel and permission of conscience might be granted then would not Papists nor any others dissemble their religion to the dishonor of God the destruction of their souls and to the great danger both of King and State seeing they are forced to Church against their consciences may not Popish Priests and Jesuites unawares to the Bishops become the Bishops Ministers seeing the change of their Religion and religious habit differ so little and so by degrees infect the people with more Popish doctrine as occasion shall be Nota. From Popes submission there is great suspition And such men will readily embrace the Bishops Orders and so they shall readily have the Bishops favours by which means they may more easily and speedily have accesse unto the Court and presence of the King and Prince which indeed is very dangerous howsoever not regarded Therefore I doe according to my duty humbly advise his Majesty not to beutifie his Court and presence with any popish stones not with one though it be of Alablaster But permission of conscience and freedom and liberty of the Gospel will no way be dangerous to the King or State if such like rules as these be observed 1. That no people tainted with treason doe beare any office 2. That all sorts of people tainted with treason do at all times from home weare a black hat with two white signs the one before 1 Kin. 2.36 41 42. Rom. 13 1. to 5. the other behind in open sight 3. That no people tainted with treason approach within ten miles of the Court without licence 4. That no people tainted with treason do inhabit the City of London nor yet within ten miles thereof 5. That none tainted with treason do make any assembly or congregation 6. That no person or persons in whatsoever difference by reasoning or disputing do draw any weapon nor give any blow stroke or push in paine and penalty as his Majesty and Parliament thinke meet 7. That for the more peace and quietnes and for the satisfying of the weak and simple among so many persons differing in Religion it bee lawfull for every person or persons yea Jewes and Papists to write dispute confer and reason print and publish any matter touching Religion either for or against whomsoever always provided they alledge no Fathers for proof of any point of religion 2 Tim. 2.24 25 Iames 3.17 but only the holy Scriptures neither yet to reproach or slander one another nor any other person or persons but with all love gentleness and peaceableness informe one another to the glory of God honor of the King and State and to their own good and credit Note A true signe of false Bishops and Ministers by which means both few errors and few books wil be written and printed seeing all false Ministers and most people have little or nothing else besides the Fathers to build their religion and doctrine upon or if it be once stablished by law that none shall confirm their religion and doctrine by the Fathers and by prisons burning and banishing c. but by the holy Scriptures then error will not be written nor disputed except by obstinate persons feared consciences seeing the word of God will be no shelter for any error Yea I know by experience among the people called Brownists that a Man shal not draw them to write though they be desired
are found to do the same yea worse for it is greater tyranny for one Christian to force kil another then for Turks and Pagans to kil a christian for that is no such great wonder seeing it is a paganish part who have no better knowledge but Christians should have better knowledge and more mercy then to play the pagans against christians Note So also the Protestants when they complain of the Papists for their bloody and beastly persecution doe therein condemn themselves seeing they doe the same for which they blame others and so are rebuked of the Scripture which saith Therefore thou are inexcusable O thou man Rom 2.1.3 whosoever thou art that blamest another for in that thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest doest the same things and thinkest thou this O thou man that judgest them which do such things and thou doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgment of God Fifteenthly because his Majesty and Parliament would not willingly themselves be forc'd against their consciences by the persecution of the Bishop of Rome and his Princes so I beseech them according to the law Christ hath injoyned Christians not by persecution to force other mens consciences against their wills by the irritation of the Bishops of our land Luk. 6 31. Or provocation Sixteenthly because persecution do cause men and women to make shipwrack of faith and good consciences by forcing a Religion upon them even against their minds and consciences and also do send them quick to the devill in their errors if that be heresie for which they are hanged and burned which to do is a most unchristian unnaturall King Edward was an enemy to persecution Act. Mon. pag. 1484. The Christian answer of King Edward Rev. 16.14 cruell and tyrannous deed and I am sure you would not be content to be so dealt withall your selves but indeed the Popish and Idol-bishops are the authors hereof against the people as well as of other persecution against the Princes For antichristian Bishops do draw Kings and Princes hereto against their mind as may appear by Edward the sixt that godly King of famous memory who being urged by his bloody Bishops to subscribe to the burning of a woman called Joane Butcher hee answered will you have me to send her quick to the devill in her error But when his blood-thirsty Bishops would have no nay he said againe to Bishop Cranmer I lay all the charge thereof on you before God and Cranmer said he had never so much to do in all his life as to procure it whereby I doe perceive that godly Kings are drawn to Battail against the Saints by antichristian Bishops and false Prophets who otherwise would rule and reigne more agreeable to the mind of Christ Also hereby may all men perceive that the Councell and Bishops could not satisfie the Kings conscience by their perswasion if they could have shewed him the word of God for burning that Christian it would have prevailed with that godly King and he might then of faith have consented but his answer showeth that he was not of their mind for all that they had said and therfore now if it please you to require of your Bishops warrant from the word of God for the persecuting of Christians or for forcing Prince and people to Church you shall finde not one Bishop yea not all of them together though assisted with their Ministers will be able to shew warrant from Gods word whereby to perswade your consciences thereunto Rom. 14.23 and whatsoever is not of faith is sin and whatsoever is not from Gods word cannot be of faith Seventeenthly because persecution of Christians by Christians doe not onely justifie Papists and teach the Jewes and Pagans to persecute Christians but also do teach the Papists and others that know not the mind of Christ and once get the upperhand to persecute those that persecuted them By Digby Catesby c. Mat. 11.29 Luk. 14 27. yea it is a means as we have had lamentable experience to set such as are forced to Church against their consciences at deadly hatred against the King and State and urgeth all them to treason and rebellion that have not truly learned Christ who himself was persecuted to death whose harmles crosse all true Christians must take up and whose gentle and humble steps they must follow and walk in or else they cannot be his disciples nor sheep of his pasture And neither can the Papists be perswaded that persecution is a sin so long as they and other Christians are also persecuted by the protestants seeing the Papists do build their persecution on the same ground with the protestants but both sorts of Bishops doe erre grosly as shall be shewed God willing when they make their defence except herewith their consciences bee convinced to yeeld as I wish they may for the salvation of their owne souls the peace both of Prince and people and the safety of the King and State In the mean while it is to be observed that those Bishops and Ministers which perswade the King and Parliament to burn banish hang and imprison for difference of Religion are blood-suckers and manslayers and such it cannot be denyed caused Kings Magistrates to be their executioners and tormentors in burning the Martyrs in former times even in the days of King Henry the eight and Qu. Mary as the books of Acts and Monuments will witnesse if they bee not burned and I ask the Bishops and their Ministers Act 4.19 if the martyrs should have obeyed the King and Queen rather then have suffered death And now I must humbly and with all reverence do beseech his Majesty and Parliament advisedly to consider among themselves whether the Prince or Princesse differing with the Church now in matter of conscience and religion The Bps. as the High priests force men to obey man rather then God Note well stablished by law in our land as the right noble Princesse Elizabeth did in Qu. Maries dayes do not incur the danger and cruelty of the law now as that worthy Princesse did then seeing that popish and cruell law standeth still in force in most points of Religion and who dare trust the Bishops and their adherents in such a case the matter lying in their hands Let it be supposed that the Princes heart should be moved by the Lord to embrace the Apostolick faith and discipline shall he be forced to beleeve as the Bishops do against his conscience shall he be constrained to submit to their government and discipline against his conscience shall hee live in vexation and persecution and in danger of his life by the Bishops and law stablished as the Princesse Elizabeth did yea it must be thus with our right noble Prince except there be partiality yea it wil be thus with his princely person except those popish and cruell laws be repealed and extinguished Wherfore I meekly intreat seeing death
his Bishops and Ministers to perswade Prince and people to heare and beleeve the Gospel by his word and spirit and as Ambassadors for him to beseech both Prince and people to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 6.20 and not as Tyrants to force and constraine them by persecution At â—y thousand Ambassadors Martyrs of Christ hath Bishops caused to bee slaine since Christ ascended Mark 13.9 Persecution destroys Christians but not errors Thirdly because through persecution it will come to passe that the Ambassadors of the onely spirituall Lord and King Iesus may he persecuted and imprisoned burned hanged or banished for delivering the message of their gracious Lord sincerely and often both to Prince and people which to doe is a more hainous fact then to persecute the Ambassadors of the greatest King and Prince in the world for in stead of hereticks they shall as they have already burn banish and hang the Ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ who doth choose out whom he pleaseth to beare his name before Kings and Rulers for a testimoniall to them Fourthly because then we cannot say we have the liberty of the Gospel in our Land seeing where that is there is no persecution for any difference in Religion nor forcing of the conscience to beleeve the Gospel except by the word and spirit of God onely the which do wound and kill the errors of men and not their persons 2 Cor. 10.4 1 Tim. 1.13 15. Luke 9.53.55 Persecutors rebuked of Christ Fifthly because Christ came into the world to save sinners and not to destroy them though they be blasphemers seeing the Lord may convert them as he did Saul after called Paul and though they have difference in Religion or will not heare nor beleeve in Christ that they may be converted yet ought you not to persecute them seeing Christ rebuketh such his Father sent him not into the world to condemn the world but to save it be ye followers therefore of Christ and not of Antichrist in gathering people to the faith 1 Cor. 10 32. Col. 4.5 Sixthly because then you shall not walke wisely towards them that are without as the Scripture teacheth but shall offend also the Iewes and all other strangers who account it tyranny to have their consciences forced to religion by persecution Seventhly because if persecution bee not laid downe and liberty of conscience set up then cannot the Jews nor any strangers nor others contrary minded be ever converted in our Land for so long as they know aforehand that they shall be forced to beleeve against their consciences they will never seek to inhabit there by which means you keep them from the Apostolique faith if the apostolique faith be only taught where persecution is Eighthly because if freedom of conscience be not set up and persecution laid down then all the Kings subjects and all strangers inhabiting the Land that shall beleeve the Apostolique faith must depart the land to some free country or else abide the danger of burning banishing Persecution does make many strangers hanging and imprisoning the first will be a great impoverishing and weakning of our land besides a losse of the faith fullest subjects and friends The second will provoke the Lord to wrath by spilling the blood of his faithfull servants ambassadors and witnesses and also open the mouths of all strangers to speake yet more lamentably of the cruel and bloody persecution of our Land Ninthly because if persecution continue then the King and State shall have against their wils many dissemblers in authority and office both in Court City and Country yea no man of any degree shall know whether they are all faithfull and true Christians that are about him and with whom he hath to doe seeing most men will conforme themselves for feare of persecution although in their hearts they hate and detest the Religion whereto they are forced by law the which is very dangerous and hurtfull both to King and State in time of temptation from beyond the seas and in rebellion at home for they that are not faithfull to God in their Religion will never be faithfull to the King and State in their allegiance specially being tryed by a great reward or by a mighty rebell but wil to encrease their honors revenues conform themselves and some to save their honors land goods and lives will yeeld and submit though against their wils even as they have done in case of Religion for through forcing men to Church by persecution the true hearted subjects are forced out of the Land and out of the world some banished others burn'd hang'd and imprisoned to death Tenthly because then Persecution causes many religions in the Church if there be many religions in the land as it is well known there are it will come to passe through the continuance of persecution that many religions will be continued in the Church seeing all are forced to Church who bring their Religions with them as well as their bodies whereby all their devotion is against their consciences and all the Church is a confused Babel Rev. 18.2.4 full of every uncleane and hatefull bird even a bold of foule Spirits as the Scripture speaketh out of which the people of God are commanded to flee lest as of their sins they be also partakers of their plague And the Bishops the authors of persecution are very ignorant to think that when they have gotten people to their Church by persecution that then they have gotten them to their faith and Religion Better were it to have many religions in the land then in the Church the which is nothing so for most people though contrary minded to save life and goods will dissemble their Religion as for example the Jews in Spain and Portugal and the Papists Reformists and others in England but when they come hither or to some other free City or Counrry where praised be God is liberty of the Gospel then they shew that before they dissembled to avoid the cruell persecution of our Land Moreover the Bishops bewray great ignorance when they perswade the King and Parliament to force Prince and people to Church by persecution for if that be the means to come to the Church of Christ then Christ hath taught us to flee the means of salvation seeing hee hath taught us to flee persecution Mat. 10.23 Christ teacheth to flee persecution ergo it cannot possible be good Mat 7. 13. Note see 2 Tim. 3.3 4. the which the Bishops and their Ministers perswade to be a great means to bring men to the Church Indeed I confesse it is the onely meanes to bring Prince and people to the false church and therfore Christ teacheth us to flee that means least through persecution which is a great temptation we be constrained to goe the broad way which is the false Church that leadeth to destruction and many go in thereat and no marvail for there men may bee any thing except
pomp and state and of our great and princelike houses housholds and revenues that so we may be made equall and conformable to the ministers of Christ and then we shal have both hope and comfort of the world to come although but little in this except your Majesty and Parliament do grant free liberty of conscience the which wee now doe also with the poor distressed christians most humbly intreat and desire and that for these foure reasons First because thereby the gospel of Christ will be set free and at liberty whereby all people both Iews and Gentiles wil be gathered to the apostolick faith church and discipline Secondly because many of your Majesties subjects both men and women who now are forced to dissemble their Religion for fear of our persecution will be released and set free from their spirituall bondage and slavery wherein we now doe hold them against their consciences and so they will become more faitfull Christians to God and more loyall subjects to your Majesty then ever they were before to the salvation of their soules and the safety of the Crown and State Thirdly because the poore distressed Christians how banished and dispersed out of their Fatherland over the face of the earth will bee redeemed from great misery and bondage wherein now no doubt they live and abide because they will not bee in bondage to any other spirituall Lord or bead then the Lord Iesus Messiah alone whose faith and discipline they desire onely to learne and obey Fourthly because thereby great benefit and commodity will redound both to your Majesty and to all your subjects within your Highness dominions by the great commerce in trade and trafick both of Iewes and all people which now for want of liberty of conscience are forced and driven elswhere and also from the revenues and livings which we and our Clergy doe possesse and from the Courts and offices we hold and keep greats profit and commodity will redound both to your Highnesse and to all your kingdoms we say more profit and commodity then we or any man is able to expresse And therefore we also desire all his Majesties subjects hath great and small in all love and feare of God not to be offended or any way moved or grieved Too great is the ods to use the sword against Gods Word when they shall see such aâ—d formation of us as that famous King Henry the eight did make of our lordly brethren the Abbots and their Clergy For indeed such a reformation ought to come among us and our Clergy seeing we are no way agreeable to the new Testament of the onely spirituall Lord Iesus Messiah but are limbs and fellow members of that Antichristian and Romish church which in the scriptures is Prophecyed to be abolished and destroyed Now therefore we pray you all let not King David say the sons of Zerviah are too strong for him for that will be unprofitable for you all And for conclusion we entreat his Majesty and Parliament to enact that as our adversaries come against us onely with the word of God so we go against them onely with the word of God and nor as we have done by civill authority for so our selves may be forced to dissemble Thus it may be the Lord will perswade and work in the hearts of some of the Bishops who will willingly resign their Antichristian titles and Popish pomp and state with their princelike houses and livings into the hands of the King without any compulsion or constraint But if they do not yet if it please God to open the Kings heart to see their Antichristian and Idol estate the danger and damage they cause both to the King Prince people they will be compelled thereto even as their lordly brethren the Abbots in King Henry's days were The Bps. greater Idols then the Abbots images or golden calf And howsoever it be not regarded or perhaps not discerned yet in the sight of God and his people they are greater Idols then their lordly brethren the Abbots yea greater Idols then the images of wood and stone which that famous and godly King Edward did pul down and destroy for they did not imprison nor burn nor hang nor yet cause to bee banished any of the Kings subjects thus would not worship them as these Idol-bishops do and out of doubt these Bishops are greater Idols then the golden Calfe Airon made and offered unto for the Calf did not persecute nor vex such as did not acknowledge it for their Lord as the Bishops doe neither did the Calf reign and rule by force over the consciences of the people as these Idol-bishops doe Besides the Calf was set up in stead of Moses who brought the people out of Egypt Ex. 32.1 7. What greater idolatry then to obey other spirituall Lords then the Lord Iesus and shewed them the will of God but these Bishops are set up in stead of Christ who have brought us out of the bondage of hel and who sheweth us his Fathers will in his new Testament the which these Idol-bishops will not suffer us to obey but in stead thereof will force us to fal down worship and obey their father Antichrists wil and old testament which stinks in the nostrills of all reformed strangers that hear thereof as well as in ours that have taken our flight from it Therefore these spirituall lords and Idol-bishops ought to be pulled down and suppressed 2 Kings 23 17.20 like the Abbots their lordly brethren though not sacrificed unto the Lord in Smithfield as the godly King Josias sacrificed the Idol-priests of the high places on the Altars thereof And I do verily beleeve that if free liberty of conscience be granted that the spiritual kingdom of these Idol-bishops will in time fall to the ground of it self 1 Sam. 5.3 as the Idol Dagon fell before the Ark for through the knowledge of Gods word will all godly people withdraw themselves in all peaceable and godly wife from the spirituall obedience of these spirituall Lords and Idol-bishops and quietly betake themselves unto the obedience of the only spiritual Lord Iesus Messiah But howsoever it be I shall be contented therewith and so I wish aâ—l others for we all ought to be content if we obtain liberty of conscience and therefore to give God praise continually that hath wrought so blessed a work in the hearts of the King and Parliament for whom as the Scripture teacheth wee ought to make supplications 1 Tit. 2.1.2 prayers and intercessions that they may come to the knowledge of the truth and that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty And unto whom we ought to give by the law of God all earthly honour Ro. 13.1.7 fear and reverence and willingly to pay tribute and custome tax and toll so much and so often as it shall please his Majesty and Parliament to appoint and gather by any officer or officers