examples recorded in holy Scriptures bind our consciences in our worships and communion with God In particular The King of Nineveh his Proclaiming a Fast examined must there be a King and Nobles in London to Proclaim a Fast as we know there was in Nineveh must the Beasts also be kept from Food and Water as there must Man and Beast be covered with Sackcloth as there If one part of the Example bind us why not the other Or if we say that such practices were ceremonial and typical how will that be proved amongst the Ninevites st angers to the true God and his Servant Moses although probably they might light their Candle from the Example of that national Church of Israel which kept their National Fasts ordinary and extraordinary c. And if example be Rule for Gods Servants I ask Whether all Ship-masters or Magistrates in their respective stormes and tempests may exhort their Passengers and Sea-men and People to arise and call upon their several Gods and Deities as the Ship-master deales with Ionah in the first Chapter Secondly No Warrant in Christs Testament for a national muchlessm forced worship I ask Whether in the New Testament of Christ Jesus by which the National Church and the worship of that Church was abolished there be any Example or Rule for any such National worship of one sort or another for what cause sover And although it may be said Christ Jesus approves the Action yet I ask Whether he speakes one Tittle to the Decree of the King and his Nobles but onely to the Repentance of the People at the preaching of Ionah And upon the point Whether the scope of the Lord Iesus was not to upbraid the hardness of our hearts in not repenting at the threatnings of Gods judgements as the Ninevites did Thirdly I ask Whether this example of the King of Nineveh Many various Consciences and more will be in the Nations can be a proper and fit example for the imitation of all the Nations in the World whose Consciences like the various Meridians and Climates of Nations and places may wonderfully differ in one and the same Commonweal and Kingdom the Magistrates possibly may be of one Conscience and all or the greatest part of another And like as in a Ship where several Consciences of Seamen and Passengers happen how can there be an inforcing of all Consciences unto one worship without great Violence and Distraction and sometimes hazard of the whole in breach of Peace by mutinies c. Fourthly I ask Whether the holy Name of God hath not been mightily prophaned and the holy Eyes of his Jealousie mightily provoked in this Nation by the Fasts and Thanksgivings which the People of this Nation have been forced to observe even against their hearts and souls and consciences How did the Parliament at first inforce the People of this Nation to Fast and Pray for the defence of Religion King Parliament Lawes Liberties And how did the King at the same time command that party of the Nation under his command to Fast and Pray for his contrary Forces fighting upon the very same Grounds and Causes How did the Parliament command the People to give Thanks to God for those Victories for which the King commanded the People to give thanks for as his got over and against the Parliament How have thousands been forced to pray for the Parliament The wonderful prophaning of the name of God by the inforced Worshipe of Prayer and Thanksgiving in this Nation whose hearts and courses have rather joyned with the King against the Parliament and thousands commanded by the King to pray and fast for him whose hearts and causes have more adhered to the Parliaments cause and Interest Yea as to the Presbyterians whose cause of violence this was and therefore O that their Souls may see it as from God just upon them how have they been forced to such publike Actions of prayer and thanksgivings and especially in reference to the Scotch Nation and cause the which their Soules and Consciences have much abhorred O the infinite and unsearchable Treasure of the patience of God to such Worships such Violences c and therefore Lastly The duty of the Magistrates apprehending Gods Judgements I ask Whether the Governour of Ships artificial at Sea or mystical Commonweales on shore in their several stormes and tempests can do any more rightly and Christianly by the Testament of Christ Jesus then First Humble themselves in such waies of Worship and with such Societies and Communions wherein they have fellowship with God and one with another and to stand in the Gap by Humiliation by Righteousness and Mercy Daniel 4.27 c. Secondly Use all possible perswasions and exhortations to the several Passengers under their civil care and charge to turn to God to pray unto him Thus Peter exhorteth Simon Magus fearing Gods judgements to turne unto God by repentance and then to call upon him And thus Paul knowing the Terour of the Lord 2 Cor. 4. perswades men to be reconciled to God c. implying this to be the way for the prevention both of Temporal and Eternal Iudgements Thirdly The Duty of good Magistrates in publike Calamities Intreat the Prayers and Supplications of such whom they believe to be the People of God whose Prayers he professeth to be his Delight and hath promised to hear them while the Prayer of the wicked is an Abomination and therefore more provokes him Thus some good Emperours have used to desire the Intercessions of Gods People in times of danger and distress Yea and Paul himself so high in favour with God and so full of the Grace and Spirit of God yea and so ful of the Spirit of prayer as next to the Lord Iesus we read of no man more in the the New Testament yet no man do we read of that so frequently and earnestly begs the prayers of Gods people The eighth Question Whether any of the Prophets or Apostles Quest 6 yea our Saviour himself did ever except against the Magistrates Authority for questioning them in matters of Religion First I ask Answ Whether the Prophets and Christ Iesus and his Apostles are here so fitly joyned in this Witness The dispensation of the Prophets before Christ since the Prophets before Christs coming were under the dispensation of shadowes and figures in that National and typical Church of Israel and onely prophesied of that great High-Priest and King and Prophet to come Christ Iesus The Law and the Prophets were until Iohn saith Christ Iesus and their actions as relating to a National Church cannot be brought as witnesses with Iohn or Iesus Secondly I ask Did not all the Prophets foretel of this most absolute and independent King and Law-giver to his People the King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whom onely God hath spoken in these last times Christ Jesus the onely King of Israel and that spiritually Heb. 1. Did not the Angel
thus Christs interest is mine And in some sense I verily believe they all say true plainly thus As no Religion in the world can justly chalenge the drawing of the sword for its defence so least of all desires it that which is of all the best and onely true the Christian I know each Sect is apt to plead Mine interest being Christs the Purse and Sword of the State is not onely mine but 't is Christs due But I also maintain that 't is not true Civility Christs Interest in any Nation is soul-freedom not true Christianity that draws the Sword for one or other Christs Interest in this Commonweal or any is the freedom of the souls of the People I confess that all Nations all Peoples Kings Princes Iudges c. ought to kiss the Son to be nursing fathers and mothers to Christ Iesus and his followers But what a dreadful mistake is this that no people must live but Christians That the many millions of millions in our own and other Nations of the world must either at the shaking of a sword fall down before Christ or with the edge of it be cut off for Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers or evil speakers against Christ and his Religion Hath not the God of heaven the Father of lights written it with the beams of the noon-day-sun that notwithstanding pretences the truth is That the Parliament of England and the Religion of England The Parliament and the Religion of England have ever followed the Sword of England hath ever followed the Sword of England Was not the Parliament and the Religion of England all Popish in Henry the seventh's days But in his son's Henry the eighth the Parliament and Religion divided and turned half Popish half Protestant In Henry the eighth his three children's days what turns what wonders Was not the Parliament and the Religion all Protestant in that most hopeful Edward's spring c. and as altogether Popish when the Sword-fell into the hands of that bloody Mary And when Gods providence and vengeance wrung the Sword from the paw of that Lioness and reacht it to the hands of that tender Lamb Elizabeth how hath the Parliament and the Religion of England since her time carried the face and hung out the flag of all Protestants c. In these late Earthquakes and Combustions which the late King begun by imposing upon the consciences of the Scotch Presbyters in favour of his Prelates how dreadfully hath a naked Arm from heaven snatcht away the Sword from both and fixt it in a hand more merciful I hope to the souls of all men Iews and Gentiles Who sees not this to be the designe and the decree of Heaven Gods present designe in England To bring into the light and to break to pieces the more-then-iron Yokes and Chains upon the souls and consciences of men Who sees not with holy fear and wonder that this his Decree hath begun to break the arms and necks of all both Popish and Protestant persecutore What eye so weak but may observe how little and how seldom it pleased the God of heaven to go out with our Armies The Goings of God in the late Wars until this interest of the Son of God soul-freedom begun to be seen and served by our Armies and that they fought not for one sect or conscience but as to Religion against tyranny and persecution of any conscience Till then the Balance turned not and our Armies could hardly be said to prosper And ever since they never did but prosper and I verily believe still shall and the Commonwealth of England and the Parliament thereof still flourish till that fatal hour when they shall cease to break the yokes soul-yokes especially and to let the oppressed go free One of the greatest Knots this day in England concerns the rising of this Parliament and the sitting of the next I confess Alexander's sword will cut all Gordian knots but none but the finger of Christ's interest will untie them There was none in heaven nor earth nor under the earth that could open the seals but the Lamb did The same blessed Lamb of God and the interest of soul-freedom to all men can One of the greatest knots this day in England untied and can onely maintain this Commonweal in the freedom and glory of it for Who but soul-oppressors can be unwilling that mens Consciences be free to see with their own eyes and themselves be judges of the path they chuse in which they hope to finde eternal life and Blessedness Who but Tyrants and Oppressors can be grieved that the souls of men should chuse whom to hear what and with whom to pray whom and how to pay and maintain according to their Abilities and Consciences Who but such as buy and sell Christ Jesus and make a trade and living of Heaven and Hell can cry out Great is Diana for hours and yeers together Will not all the people of the Nation stand obliged The onely woy according to God of obliging the people of this Nation to the present Government and Governours as one man to live and die with such Saviours and Deliverers and to elect and chuse such Vindicators of their spiritual Freedoms How will all men be enforced either from the freedom of their consciences or from the freedom of their purses which is their due I say be obliged and enforced to send such Representatives as have stood for and may maintain the Common Freedoms and Liberties especially the soul-freedoms of the Commonweal of England Against many Objections I briefly oppose my Answer to these two and twenty Questions onely to one Objection thus Object That I answer with Quections Answ First it was frequent with our Founder Christ Jesus Secondly in justice this Re-examiner cannot refuse his own coyn I confess my Principle of Soul-freedom commands me to applaud and honour this searching and proposing from the holy Scripture yet since the Sun of righteousness is risen so high as to soul-freedom and darts the beams of his Light upon the very eyes of all that love his Name especially I plead for a more gentle censure if in any line or letter I speak too loud to such a most unseasonable sleeper The sum of the first Question Whether the Civil Magistrate Quest 1 who knows the Doctrine of Salvation c. be not bound as a nursing father to provide saving food for the people and to provide that poyson be kept from them Answ I answer The prophecie of Kings and Queens nursing fathers and mothers and ask first Whether this Prophecie of Kings and Queens being nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Saints be not as many wise and godly take it a peculiar prophecie and promise to that peculiar and distinct Nation and People of God the Jews And whether these words vers 22 of that 49 of Isaiah I will lift up mine band to the Gentiles c. be not a character fixing this Prophecie unto
world I ask Whether their Regeneration and New-birth hath made any addition to their Civil Magistracie and Authority and more especially as Popish and Protestant Rabbins have taught us that now the Christian Magistrate he must judge in spiritual matters more then all the Magistrates in the world beside who though say they they have equal Authority and Duty yet they ought to suspend acting in Spirituals saith M. Cotton until they be rightly informed that is upon the point until they be of his Church and Conscience And if so A Magistrate is not more or less a Magistrate by being a Christian or Antichristian that by this professing Christianity they receive this addition of Magisterial power in Spirituals I ask if it do not clearly follow that according to that most dangerous and seditious doctrine of some Papists and Protestants such Magistrates who change their judgements and way of Worship must lose their Headship in Spirituals and consequently be found unfit at last to govern in Civils also And will not this doctrine extend to all other Civil Officers both at Land and Sea yea even to all Fathers Husbands Masters and so at last confound all Relations and tear up by the roots all Civility and all Order and the world out of the world Ninthly As to the matter of fact do not all Histories and all experience demonstrate that most of all those Kings and Queens and Princes and Magistrates Popish and Protestant that have pretended to this power of judging of saving food and poyson All Magisttrates pretending power in spirimals have ever forced down poyson in ssead of food have grosly mistaken the poyson of Satans invertions Superstitions Will-worships c. for that wholesome and heavenly food pretended and with bloody hands have forced this poyson down the throat of thousands and millions or else forced and fired them out of the world with barbarous persecutions if any have been enlightned by Christ Iesus to discern this poyson and to refuse it Hath not Christ Jesus in these last times declared it that neither Constantine nor the good Emperors before the Popes rose nor Protestant Kings Queens and Magistrates departing from the Pope unto this day but have been still mistaken most grosly either in Doctrine or Discipline and that in great quantities sometimes of dangerous poyson for saving and wholesome food What man From Constantine to the last Presbyterian Magistrate but may furnish himself with instances even down to the very Presbyterian Magistracy And whoever shall next pretend to judge between this poyson and food and put forth a restraining or a Constraining Sword accordingly How is it possible but they must alsO dash upon those Rocks whereon the very Tyde of such a practice doth necessarily inforce so many gallant Sbips miscarriage Therefore lastly since that typical land of Canaan is abolished the Partition-wall broken down and in every nation not Whole nations he that feareth God and worketh rirghteousness is accepted with him Acts 10. since Magistracy is a meerly Civil Ordinance and the forms and sword thereof derived from the People and all Magistrates in the world so derived are lawful and none can receive any addition to the power of Magistracie by his spirituality or Christianity I ask Whether this doctrine of Kings and Queens judging of soul-food and poyson for all their subjects The doctrine of Kings queent being nursing fathers the Firebrand of the world c. hath not been e pecially in Popish and Protestant Nations the Fire-brand that hath kindled so many devouring flames of War c. Yea was not this the very Doctrine that cost the late King Charles his Crown and life who being flattered and bewitched into this dream of a Nursing father The Ax that cut off the last King's head and a judge of wholesome food and poyson for his people he forced poyson for food upon the Scotch nation and upon that occasion was perswaded to maintain his stewards and cooks the Bishops by commencing and prosecuting those fatal Wars which by a naked hand from heaven justly pluckt up root and branch both Ceremonles Bishops and King together The sum of the second Question Whether the magistrate be not bound to advance the doctrine of Grace Quest 2. and 3. which doth advance the peace and prosperity of a Nation Of which nature is the third Question viz. Whether a Magistrate be not bound to advance that Godliness which giveth all good and happiness to a nation I answer and ask as before Whether Answ since Civil Magistracie is meerly civil and the power thereof derived from the People the fountain of it it will not appear that the Magistrate can no more judge authoritatively what is the doctrine of Grace what is the doctrine of Godliness no more I say then the people of each Nation in its national and natural capacity can be the primitive and original Iudges thereof and may therefore rightly delegate such a Spiritual power unto their Officers or Magistrates Secondly I ask Whether the proposer of these Questions intendeth not by the Magistrates advancing the doctrine of Grace and the doctrine of Godliness these two things 1. A National profession of the doctrine of Grace and the doctrine of Godliness 2. The advancing of such doctrines by the power of the civil Sword And if so as the scope of all the Questions seem to imply then Thirdly Whether there be any such thing to be found in the last Will and Testament of Christ Iesus as a National Church that is whether as the Land of Canaan was a Land holy unto God so any Nation as a Nation may lawfully pretend to be the Spouse and Wife and Body of Christ Jesus according to his own holy Order and Appointment Or rather Fourthly The world and Eng and in a national respect lies in wickedness Whether since the world lieth in wickedness dead in sins and trespasses c. since every Nation in the world is a part of it since such as fear God in a nation are distinguished from the Nation Act. 10 I ask Whether this Nation as a part of the World lieth not in the same estate of wickedness also more or less and the body of the people estranged from the life of grace and godliness notwithstanding that this body be sometimes clothed with the name of Christianity under sometimes a Popish and sometimes a Protestant fashion as it pleaseth God to permit the Sword to pretend to and advance its way of doctrine of grace and godliness And whether beside the common nature of mankind Four greatchanges of the Religion of this nation in abous 12 yeers space in Hen. 8. Edw. 6. Qu Mary and Qu. Elizabeth the wonderfull changes of Religion in other Nations and in none more then in this and that in the same individual persons in a few yeers do not make this undeniably evident and demonstrate For illustration I ask shether the Kings and Queens Parliaments and
command of God to his people in Babel Ier. 29. That so the Saints injoying civil peace and also if it may be the holy pleasure of God injoying rest from persecution Act. 9. might multiply walking in the fear of God and Christian Edification whatever the Religions fo the States or the magistrates there should be though Babylonian Roman c. fourthy I ask Whether the blessed Spirit of Life and Regeneration which is in all Gods people be not abundantly sufficient to preserve them in Godliness and true Christianity to preserve them from falling and to reform and restore them from all their Backslidings and declensions I add to preserve them 1 Iohn 3. Rom 6. â— Iohn 5. that sin have no dominion over them that they sin not and watch against the touching of Satan to preserve them in the use of the Word and prayer and all such paths and meanes which in Faith they are perswaded of to be the commands of Christ iesus The most holy and most powerful and eternal indwelling of Gods most holy Spirit in all Gods Children All this and more the holy Spirit of God works in Gods Children although there should not be a Magistrate in the World yea although all the World and the whole World oppose them yea although there were no Heaven nor Hell no Resurrection no Iudgement nor World to come wherein they should be rewarded or punished glorifyed or tormented yea although they should want all Spiritual helps and Teachers which respectively are necessary for they have received an Anointing which teacheth them and abident with them and will abide with them for ever Fifthly I ask Whether in the present state and juncture of affaires in England The divisions of the Clergie now like that of the Friers in Chaucers tiem wherein as Chaucer observes of the four great differing Orders of Friers in his time every Sect every Order and conscience pleads the integrity and purity of their way and the People of God themselves are so divided and differently perswaded as of late in the Scotch wars to blood and dreadfull slaughters I say I ask Whether we may pray without prophaning of the holy Name of God and the guilt of the breach of the civil Peace of the Nation that God would send such Magistrates who should authoritatively judge whose Conscience whose Worship whose Godliness is true What prayers ought to be put up for Magistrates and accordingly maintain that Godliness defend that Faith advance the Worship and service of God c. As also prohibite by his carnal Sword all other Consciences Worships and Godliness as Schismatical heretical Seditious Blasphemous c. How much rather ought we to pray that it may pleasethe most holy and only wise Goe to vouchsafe such a Spirit of Godliness and Wisdomie to the Rulers of this Commonweal that the civil Rights may be preserved and Civilities may flourish in Righteousness and Mercy even in the midst of so much spiritual Division and Opposition which are and must be greater and greater in all Nations of the World when once the Chains and Yoaks of implicite Faith Soul Yoaks believe as the Church believes Decrees and Precepts of Men Tradition of Elders Customes Antiquity c. re torn off and broke from the souls and necks of the People and Inhabitants hereof The sum of the sixth Question Whether Abraban and Jacob Quest 6 and others before the law were not Magistrates in their Families and commanded and reformed their Families in matters of Religion or were meetly fello-Servants with their Servants as the Examiner saith First I ask Whether the Questionist hath dealt fairly with the Examiner Answ in bringing him in s0 odiously to say that Abrahams and Jacobs Housholds might command them as well as Abraham and Jacob might command their Houshoulds And Whether or no did the Examiner once mention Abraham and Iacob It is true he maintaineth and with express words and clear light of holy Scripture well may that in Religious matters the Magistrate and Subject are fellow-Servants but gave he any colour or appearance of Countenance to Servants to be inobsequious to their Masters Children to their Parents Wives to their Husbands people to Magistrates in all their civil spheres and respects I ask further The dispensations of the Fathers and magistrates of Cods Israel figurative and typical Is the consequence fairly gathered that because Abraham I saack and Iacob and those Fathers of Families and Elder Brothers those Saviours Judges Governours and Kings of the Israel and people of God in those sigurative times and typical administrations commanded and punished even with a material and carnal sword in spiritual matters therefore every Master of a Family Husband Father Elder brother Judge governour King Magistrate hath the same Authority in spiritual matters now And that therefore according to Numb 30. an Husbands or Father may now disannul and over-rule the meerly Religious Vowes and Devotions of their Wives and Daughters Or rather since the Lord Jesus the substance of those shadowes is come Whether ti be not one express end of his coming Great diviscons in matters of Conscience necessary c. to set a man at variance which his Father Mat. 10. in a family of five persons to set two against three and three against two that is in the matter of Religion and Canscience And I ask Whether the wife notwithstanding in civil converse she submit with all wife-like submission and affection yet as to Religion ought she not to judge of her Husbands Beliefe or Unbelief in God and may she not joyn with him or separate from him labouring to be a Saviour to him How knowest thou O Wife but that thou mayest save thy Husband c. And so consequently the servant to his Master the Child to his Parent the subject and souldier to the highest Magistrate and Commander For Gal. 3. there is neither Iew nor Greek there is neibond nor free there is neither male nor female for yea are all one in Christ Iesus Secondly I ask Whether it be not the designe of God for the manifestation of his owne most glorious Brightness to cary on the Mystery and Glory of Christianity in the meanest and lowest of Earthen Vessels according to that of Iames 2. Hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith Gods designe of chusing men of low deeree not many wise noble nor mighty and Heires of the Kingdom Hence in a most stupendious condescension God manifesteth himself in Flesh and that Flesh must be taken from a poor Carpenters wife and she delivered of her blessed fruit in a stable amongst Beasts And however he command thousand thousands of those most blessed Invisible Spirots the Angels yet for his visible attendants and Embassadours to the World were they not ordinarily of a low Ranck and condition even those two Pillars whose names have so sounded in all parts especially at Rome and London Peter the Fishcrman
and holding fast to the Death what he believes he hath received from the Father of Lights And yet better sit still then still rise and fall Have all the Spirit the Calling the Gifts the Life and the presence of God with them as those first Messengers the Apostles whose Successours Men yet pretend to be Were it not better for us to acknowledge The danger of our own Inventions in heavenly matters how poor how naked how blind how miserable we are and to listen to the holy Counsel of Christ Jesus c. to buy of him that blessed Gold and Eye-salve that white Rayment and fine Linnen that we may truely see and be truely rich and be truely glorious and beautiful then boasting of our Knowledge and Abundance and want of nothing we prove so grievous to the stomach of Christ Jesus that he vomit us with loathing out of his mouth Lastly I ask In case we had for unquestionable Fundamentals a Creed composed by the twelve Apostles of the Lamb That a Synod of heavenly Angels assembled and concluded of Fundamentals of Forms of Worship External force in Spirituals can onely pierce the outside Ordinations Ministeries Maintenance c. and all without the reach of a Curse for another Gospel Gal. 1. Yet I ask what rule can be produced from the Testament of Christ Iesus that these Forms these Prescripts must be imposed and beaten into not the Braines and Hearts of men which is impossible but into the outsides and knees of men with Swords and Staves that as Christ Jesus said of the Samaritans they might worship they know not what What reason of Christianity or Civility that the Talmud of the Iewes the Alcaron of the Turks and the Canons of all sorts of Popes must not be questioned What Scripture or Reason shall force a man to be a Scholar to a Teacher and force him to pay for his Teaching To trust his Ship with a Pilot and to pay him for his Piloting to trust himself with a Guide and to pay him for his Conduct when he believes that Teacher that Pilot are dangerously ignorant that Guide is blind c. The mystery and and tyranny of persecuting Teachers Yea further from whom he must receive all upon Trust and not dare in the very place and time of Teaching to propose his Doubt his Question his Objection or desire Explanation And I add What Christianity is that which commands that no Churches be gathered no Ministers chosen no Doctrine preached but what the civil Sword shall say is true and Orthodox Nay no Magistrate himself chosen nor any Civil Officer except he be of our Church our Way and Conscience as some say is the Mystery and Tyranny of New-Englands practice The two and twentieth Question If God was to be blessed for putting it into the Heart of a Heathen Magistrate to make Lawes for Religion Isa 7.27 Whether he comes not neer to a curse Quest 22 that would take out of the heart of a Christian Magistrate the advancement of true Religion and perswade him to give a Toleraration to the chiese Enemies of Religion Idolatry and Heresie Sure the Proposer highly esteems this Example of Erra 7. for Answ not content to mention it in the seventh Question he attempts to win it by Force and Storming indeed in a very stormy Language in this last Question To many Branches of the same hath been spoken As to the nature of Civil Magistracie essentially Civil all the world over As to the power of the Magistrates or Officers designed unto them by the people as but their Deputies either Legislative or Executive As to the perfection of Civil Magistracie in its self and in its kind not capable of Diminution or Addition by the Magistrates change of Religion to or from Christianity or any other Religion in the world As to Artaxerxes his fact Artaxerxes his favour to the Iewes not being moved out of any heart to the true Religion for neither did he or his people forsake their owne but out of a Conquering Terrour of God he shews just mercy to his captives and people he feares wrath to himself and his Sons from that God whose love and acquaintance he cared not for But I shall add with Christs help these few Queries First Whether this Supposition of making Laws to advance Religion and especially in a National way doth not overthrow and Evacuate one great end of the comming of the Lord Jesus which was to fulfil all those former shadowes of Temple Altar Priests Sacrifice c. to tear the veil to break downe the partition Wall and with the two edged Sword of his Spirit his Word to conquer poor sinners in a way of love National holiness and shadows c. abolished by Christ Iesus the body and substance For if Ezra's pattern of carrying Lawes and Authority from this King to force men to keep the Law of God in this Iewish Religion Iewish Nation be a president for all Nations where is the abolishing of the holy Nation holy Cities holy Temples Altars Priests c. Or ought we not if Christ Iesus be not come to have the Officers commanded by the King to be Tole free verse 24. the Priests the Levites the Singers the Porters the Nethinims or Ministers of the house of God If it be said The Morality of such a Law remaineth I ask Whether according to Heb. 7. there being a necessity of the change of the Priesthood there is not a necessity of the change of the Law also of that Law of Shadows the holy Land holy Temples holy Priests holy Swords c. I further ask If that people of God the figure of Gods Israel in after-Ages to arise in all Nations of the world if they had not been Captivated but had been in their owne Land and not restrained by force whether they ought not to have builded the Altar and Temple without the Kings command yea and against it Yea it is expresly said chap. 4. Gods people in Spirituals know no Caesar but himself and dear Son they were made to cease the building by power and Force yet they went on chap. 5. to build again at the instigation of Haggai and Zachary notwithstanding the prohibition of the King yet lying in force against them And lastly I ask If these things were not Examples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. or Types figuring out the freedomes of Gods people who if not hindred by actual Force and Power ought onely to regard in Spirituals the Scepter and Sword and Crown of the Lord Iesus Christ Secondly I ask What Lawes this Artaxerxes made for the advancement of Religion Is not the first of absolute Freedome and Toleration to these poor captive Iewes Was there any Babylonian or Persian command to go up to Ierusalem any commanded to pay or to offer a peny toward this Expedition Yea were not the Iewes themselves absolutely free whether to go up to Ierusalem or stay in Babel
whether to offer to this work one peny or not as appeares both by the Decrees of Cyrus in the first Chapter of Darius in the sixth and of Artaxerxes in the seventh Secondly he decreed bountitiful Assistance out of his owne Treasury toward the building of the Temple the Sacrifices c. Thirdly a Decree against any that should oppose or hinder the building of this House and therefore accordingly whosoever would not do the Law of God and of the King judgement must be executed speedily c. And chap. 6.11 whosoever should alter Darius his decree Timber should be pull'd downe from his house and being set up he must be hanged thereon and his house made a dunghil If any shall say The command of God and the King here mentioned was a command and Law in Spirituals c. I ask What Law was the Law of Artaxerxes the King The Law of Artaxerxes was an absolute Law of Toleration of the Iews Conscience vastly differing from and opposite to his was it of commanding the Iewes to his Worship and Conscience in an Uniformity of Worship to the Nation wherein they were captive Yea was it a commanding of the Iewes to their owne Religion or onely on his part a Law of Toleration and Freedome to practise their owne Religion Conscience and Worship and that with favourable Incouragement from himself For as before if the force were removed although Artaxerxes should have given them no Countenance nor Incouragement Yet I ask whether as Iewes Gods people and subjects they ought not of themselves to have departed from Babylor and from all parts of the World and to have ascended to Ierusalem as the Iews literally dream to their holy City and there have built the Temple and presented their Sacrifices c. Further The literal and Spiritual Iew. I ask As Artaxerxes made not one Law either how or when the Iewes should pray or fast c. but left them free to their owne Conscience to go up or not to go up to Ierusalem so when these Kings did makes Lawes in Spirituals as concerning prayer whether Daniel did not well in refusing to cease praying or by shutting of his window to give appearance of obedience though to the extream ruine of life c. And consequently Whether as the Iewes refused to be subject to any Judicature but Gods alone revealed by Moses So whether Christian Israel and Iews ought to acknowledge any Tribunal but Gods Thirdly I ask Whether the plain English of not tolerating the Idolater and Heretick hath not been in all Ages since Christ Iesus the not tolerating indeed of Christ Iesus God manifested in flesh and both in his owne Person and in his Followers the hunting or persecuting of him out of the world Was there ever any of the Prophets esteemed so great an Heretick from the Iewish Religion Christ Iesus accounted and hanged as the greatest Blasphemer and Heretick that was as Christ Iesus was was there ever such a Blasphemer of God as the High Priest esteemed him as the blessed Son of God God himself Christ Iesus And doth not the many Books of Martyrs in our owne and other Languages set forth that under this Hood and Vizard the Devil hath cast the Saints into Prison Rev. 2. He hath watched to devour the Man-child Rev. 12. and hunted the Woman the Spouse of Christ Jesus and her seed And the great Whore pretending that she drinks the blood of Hereticks c. hath been drunk with the blood of the Saints and Witnesses of Iesus Rev. 17. Hence will not Reason suspect a Murtherous snare in the Law pretended against Thieves Robbers True grounds of suspition in Spirituals Whores c. and yet most commonly falling upon none but honest and faithful chast and modest Persons Are not these Engines worthily to be questioned which pretending to take none but Birds of prey and Wolves c. and yet ordinarily catch nothing but harmeless Doves the Sheep and Lambs c. If it be said Idolatry Heresie c. are the chiefest Enemies in Religion c. I ask First If those very famous Religions which have pretended themselves the truest in the World have not been found the greatest Idols c. Secondly Christ Iesus his Spiritual provision against Spiritual Adversaries Grant them to be the greatest Enemies yet since Enemies are of two sorts Spiritual and Corporal I ask Whether as Corporal weapon are proper against Corporal so whether Spiritual weapons are not only proper against meerly Spiritual Adversaries Thirdly Could Christ Iesus so forget himselfe as not to take sufficient order for Spiritual weapons against all his Spiritual enemies In a Battel or Fight by Sea or Land how apt are men to charge Generals and Commanders if Ammunition be wanting c. Yea in that case how justly may men complain as in 88 that Powder was said to be wanting in our own Ships at our owne doores And shall iâ— be imagined that the Last Will and Testament of the Son of God his whole Life his 40 daies after his Resurrection and those Gifts which upon his Triumph in Heaven he sent upon men should leave his Army his Family his Kingdome his Wife unprovided c. so that in the very day of the Battel they must be forced to the Forge of the Philistims to borrow Swords Halberts Guns Pikes Prisons Halters against Idolaters Hereticks c. Fourthly I may end and ask in the Proposers owne words whether he be not neer a Curse that would change the two-edged Sword of Gods Spirit the word of God for a Sword of steel in the hand of Civil Officers and the Arme of the eternal Spirit of God for an arme of Flesh c. And if blessed are Christs peace-makers Christs Cursings and Blessings and Christs persecuted Matth. 5. how neer to a curse doth he come that brings not Buckets to quench but Bellowes to kindle the Fire of Gods Jealousie against State Inventions the Fires of persecutions and hunting of Christs Saints the Fires of devouring Wars amongst the Nations for their respective Religions and Consciences How neer to a curse doth he come who under a Cloak of Christian Magistrate True Religion Zeal against Idolaters Hereticks c. shall conceal a Dagger which yet I hope this Proposer knowingly doth not stabbing at the heart of God his Christ his Spirit his Saints his pure Worship yea and at the Heart of all Civil peace and Civil Magistracie and Civility it self throughout the whole World And therefore lastly I ask Whether these two Examining Worthies shall not be wrapt up in the everlasting Armes of Blessedness it self while they improve their Talents uprightly and impartially in the further Examination of this Fire of Zeal in question Yea and whether not onely these two honourable Senatours but the most renowned Senate of the world the Parliament it self shall not be truly crowned with the Lawrells of true Nobility as the Bereans were while they Candidly and Impartially Examine whether these things are so or no FINIS