The causes of this Confession.

THE causes that both moued Pilate to examin him vpon this point, and Christ to make this answer, were the invectiue exclamations and accusatiōs of his obstinate enemies the Iewes, who saide, Wee found this fellow peruerting the nation, and forbidding to giue tribute to Cesar, saying, that he himselfe is Christ a King. They here accuse him of three things. 1. They say they found him per­uerting [Page 3]the nation. 2. Forbidding to giue tribute to Cesar. 3. Saying that himselfe is Christ a King. Or if you will, they accuse him of per­verting the nation, which they would seeme to proue by theese two, that he forbiddeth to giue tribute to Cesar, and that he saith that himselfe is Christ a King. That of the tribute was a most false accusation, and only a charging of him, with that which they would haue had him to say, not with that which he did say: for when they fauninglie applauded his integritie, and the truth of his doctrine, then they saide, Tell vs therfore what thinkest thou? Mat. 22 16.Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not? But he perceiuing theire wickednes, saide, Why tempt ye me ye hypocrits: Ye that pretend that ye thinke me true, and that I teach the way of God in truth; that in respect of it. I care not for any man, nor regard the person of man, so as for mans sake to bauke or wrest the truth of God: A thing in­deed as odious wicked and detestable as theire dissembling; who doe not now speake lies in hypocrisie, but truth in hypocrisie, for what they saide of Christ, was noe lie; he was true, taught the way fo God in truth, and in respect thereof cared not for any man, but was indeed Doctor resolutus, and therein a perfect patterne for all his Elect to imitate, as besides o [...]her times appeared now in his confession, first before the high Preist, and after before Pilate; where he would speake the t [...]uth, though he knew it would cost him his life: and yet as they speake these words, they are lies; yea they are also lies spoken in hypocrisie, because they doe not speake the truth that is in theire heart, they doe not thinke as they speake, but speake against their seared consciences, which will needes be perswaded (notwithstanding all good proefes of life, myracles and doctrine) that he is a deceiuer; or if some of them were thereby conuicted in their consciences, that he was true, &c. yet they enuie, and hate him for these things, there is noe loue, noe desire to learne or be informed, but rather to catch and ensnare, and soe noe truth, but trocherie in theese their speeches; and euen in that respect they are Hipocrits and Liars; conuicted for examples to vs, and that by Christ himselfe, who at the gene­rall day will thus iudge of all that speake well to an ill ende.

He asketh to see the tribute money; they shew him; he asketh whose Image and superscription it is, They say vnto him Cesars: M [...]t. 22.Then saith he vnto them, giue vnto Cesar the things that are Ce­sars [Page 4]Caesari num­mos, Deo vos­ipsos. Aug. in Ioan Tract. 40.; and vnto God the things that are Gods. This is not to forbid tribute to Cesar; they could proue noe such thinge out of theese words. Pilate h [...]mselfe that heard all they could suggest cleares him hereof, while after examination, he saith, I finde noe fault in this man. They therefore knowing they could not p [...]oue it di­rectly, goe about in th [...]s theire accusation to proue it indirectly, and by consequence, saying, Wee found this fellow peruerting the nation, and forbidding to giue tribute to Cesar, saying, that he himselfe is Christ a King; as if they saide, in this that he saith himselfe is Christ a King, in this he forbiddeth to giue tribute to Cesar: for if he be Christ a King, then he is King of the Iewes; and tribute from Iewes only begongeth to him. For they conceited that theire Messiah to come should be a temporall King, or if spiri­tuall, yet withall temporall & as externallie glorious, as Dauid, or Salomon, if not more magnificent; not himselfe subiect or tri­butarie to any on earth, nor yet suffering them to be subiect or tributarie to any, but himselfe; one f [...]eeing them from subiection to all other Princes, and rather making all Kings his tributaries: and therefore they infer that to make himselfe this Christ, this King is to forbid [...]ribu [...]et [...] C [...]sar, and to pervert the nation; as they say soone after, whosoeuer maketh himselfe a King speaketh against C [...]s [...]r And it seemes Pilate did soe vnderstand theire mea­ning [...] fo [...] therevpon he asketh, Art thou the King of the Iewes? All thē that they haue to accuse him of, whether iustly or vniustli is that he makes him selfe the Christ, for though they sought fal­se witnesse against him, and many false witnesses came, yet theire witnesse agreed not. Marc. 14.58. At last came two which saide, wee heard him say, I will destroy this Temple made with hands, and in three dayes I will make another without hands. But neither did theire wi [...]nesse agree together. How could it? Ioh. 2.19. For he s [...]ake not any such words, as with hands, or without hands: but only destroy this Temple, and in three dayes I will raise it vp. Some of them vnderstand, or at least w [...]ll needes seeme to vnderstand this of the Temple of Stone; But he spake of the Temple of his body. Mat. 27.63. And it seemes the cheife Preists and Pharises did so vnderstād him, though somtime dissemblingly they seeme to take it otherwise: For after his death, they come to Pilate, saying Sir wee remember that that deceiuer saide while he was yet aliue, After three dayes I will rise againe; commaund therefore that the Se­pulchre be made sure.

This then is all that they haue to say against him, Christs Confes­sion to the high Preist. that he made him selfe the Christ: therefore after the high Preist, his enemie, had willinglie heard all that his most malicious aduersaries could lay to his charge, and could finde nothing proued, soe ill theire witnesse agreed; Mat 16.63. to get this confession out of his owne mouth he saide vnto him, I adiure thee by the liueing God that thou tell vs, whether thou be the Christ the Sonne of God. Iesus, knowing theire vnbeleife and malice, was not forward to answer directly, Luk 22.67.69 70. but saide first, If I tell you ye will not beleeue. Hereafter shall the Sonne of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Mat 26.63. Mar 14.62.Then saide they all art thou the Sonne of God? And he saide vnto them, ye say that I am. And to the High Priest, thou hast saide. I am. Then the high Preist rent his clothes, and saith, What neede wee any further witnesses? Luk. 22.71.ye haue heard his blasphemie. Therefore after buffetings and many contu­melies heaped on him, they led him away to Pilate, with this accusation, and noe other; thence inferring, as I saide, Luk. 23.2. that ma­king himselfe the Christ, he peruerted the nation, and forbad tribute to Cesar. And therefore when Pilate had examined him and saide. I finde noe fault in this man: they were the more feirce, Vers. 3.4.saying, he stirreth vp the people, teaching thorowout all Iury, beginning from Galilee to this place As if they saide, he stirreth vp the pec­p [...]e by his teaching; viz. to beleeue that he is the Ch [...]st a Kinge of the Iewes. This then is all theire accusation they stick to, and this or the like all their proofe: Ioh. 19 6.7. therefore when Pilate haueing heard the accusers, and the accused, saide againe, I finde noe fault in him. The Iewes answered, wee haue a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himselfe the Sonne of God. As if they saide and consequently our King: where by the way the high Preist and they confes in effect, that the Messiah should be the Sonne of G [...]d: yet for this only thing must he suffer, as appeareth also by this that when Pilate to iustefie himselfe would write on his Crosse his accusation, this was all they, or he could proue, Mat. 27.37. M [...]r. 15.26. Ioh. 19.19. Vers [...]21. or find to write ouer his head. Iesus of Nazereth King of the Iewes. Therfore when the cheife Preists saw it, they saide to Pilate, write not, the King of the Iewes: but that he saide, I am King of the Iewes. and that (as ye saw) was by confessing to th [...] high Preist, that himselfe was the Christ the Sonne of God. The end [...] of C [...]ts prea­ching, [...]d [...].

True it is, [...]hat this was a main end of his teaching & mi [...]acles to make mē beleeue in him, & ob [...]y th [...] tru [...]h of God yea tru [...] it is that [Page 6]when before this, Ioh. 10.24.25. the Iewes vrged him to it, saying, How longe doest thou make vs to doubt? If thou be the Christ tel vs plainely. Iesus answered them, I told you and ye beleeue me not: the workes that I doe in my Fathers Name, they beare witnesse of me. And most true it is, that the greate workes which he did in his Fathers Name, and which indeed could not be donne, but in Gods Name as the giueing vnto blinde men theire sight, to lame men the vse of theire limbes, to deafe men hearing, clensing the lepers, raising vp the dead, and working by his doctrine regeneration, faith and obedience in men dead in sinnes & trespasses, were all infallible witnesses, that he was of God, that God was with him, that he was true, truly sent of God, and consequently the true Messiah, as he told them; Vers. 30.33 34.35. and that he did not blaspheme when he added, I and my Father are one. For when they answered him; for a good worke wee stone thee not, but for blasphemie, and that thou beeing a man makest thy selfe God: Psal. 82.6. Iesus p [...]oued it, while he answered them, It is written in your Law, I saide ye are Gods: If he called them Gods vnto whome the Word of God came, and the Scripture can not be bro­ken: Say ye of him whome the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest because I saide I am the Sonne of God? which argument, S. Augustin purposely expounding the place, doth ver­ry well vnderstand, Augustinus in Ioan. Tract. 48. and reinforce, saying, If the word of God came to men that they might be called Gods, wherefore is not the same word of God GOD which is with God? If by the word of God men are made Gods, if they be made Gods by pertaking of the word, is not that where of they pertake, God? If they that are heated by the fire, are made to be in some sort greeted Gods, how is not that God whereby they are made hot? If lights illuminated be Gods, is not that light which doth illuminate them God? thou commest to the light and art illuminated, and art reckened among the Sonnes of God, &c. If therefore the word of God make you Gods, how is not the word of God GOD? And indeed such must nee­des be the meaning of our Lord, that the same word of the Fa­ther was incarnate, and sent into the world, because his Disciple & Euangclist S. Ioh. 1. Iohn affirmeth him to be the word, yea the word, by which all things were made, Reu. 19.13. and saith plainly, His Name is called the word of God. Reu. 19.13. and that indeed, because when he him­selfe was asked by some Iewes, Ioh. 8.25. what art thou? he answered, From the beginning that (viz. that word of God) which I speake vnto you: [Page 7]therein, as also in diuers other places, affirming and proueing himselfe to be from eternitie the very wisdom and word of God, which he speake and declared vnto them, and the same to be the Sonne of God, and the promised Messiah: which point, though it be proued more at large by Scriptures and Fathers in another Character of a Christian pag 25. to pag. 88. treatise, yet may it not be wholly omitted here, because, ye see, it is the only thinge for which he is accused before Pilate, deliue­red to death and euer since rejected by the Iewes; and it is a sha­me for Christians to be ignorant in that principle, which distin­guisheth th [...]m from Iewes, and wherein Iewes are to be conuin­ [...]d.

The things then that wee haue to proue, at least breifely before wee come to the other part of his confession, are 1. That the pr [...] ­mised Messiah was to be the word of God, and that way the King and Gonvernour of his people, viz spiritually. 2. That Iesus Christ was this word incarnate, the true Messiah. Whence theese things will follow which are in his confession, that he is King of the Iewes, and indeed of the Gentiles also; that he had and hath a Kingdom; that his Kingdom is not of this world &c. as he confes­seth before Pilate.

For the first: It is said in the second Psalme, Christ was to be the Sonne, the Word. Psal. 2. I will declare of the Decree (Law or Word) the Lord saide vnto me, thou art my Sonne. Wherein it is spoken of the Decree or Word, thou art my Sonne. And so indeed el in the Hebrew is taken for of, Gen. 20.2. Abra­ham saide of Sarah his wife, she is my Sister. And twise in another Chapter Iob 42.7.8. also 2. King. 19.32. Others reade it more plainely, thus, I will preach the Law (Decree or Word) whereof the Lord hath saide vnto me thou art my Sonne. That is, of which Law, Decree or Word, the Lord hath saide vnto me thou art my Sonne. And thus it is read in the translation appointed to be read in the Churches of England. And indeed the very name Sonne is so [...]endred by some vers. 12. for that which is saide there, Kisse the Sonne, the Septuagint reades receiue instruction, and the Chalde, receiue doctrine; as if they both saide, receiue and embrace the word of God, which is the Sonne of God. Also Psal. 7. where it is saide, Iehovah shall iudge the people, the Chalde readeth, Psal. 7.9. the word of the Lord shall iudge the people. And indeed the Prophets Isaiah, Isa. 2.3.4. Mich. 4.2.3. and Micah doe plainly affirme as much, saying, The Law shall goe [Page 8]foorth of Zion, and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem. And he shall iudge amonge the nations. He, that is, he the word, who indeede is the Arme of the Lord, he shal iudge. According to which our Sa­uiour saith, Ioh. 5.22. first, The Father iudgeth noe man, but he [...]h committed all iugment to the Sonne (the Father only iudgeth by Christ Rom. 2 16.) and then sheweth who the Son [...]e is, Ioh. 12.48. saying, He that reicteth me, and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him, [...], the word which I haue spoken, [...], He shall iudge him in the last d [...]y. Amonge which words, there is an emphasis, and a verrie g [...]eate proofe in the pronoune relatiue [...], which pointing out a ver­rie person, and namely the person spoken of before, proueth the word which he spake to be a person, yea to be that person spoken of before, August in Ioh. Tract. 54. the one that should iudge. Saint Augustine on theese words comparing the places together shewes they must needes be vnderstood thus; and therefore concludes, he hath s [...]oken h [...]m­selfe, he hath shewen himselfe, &c.Idem Tract. 41.And he is the word of the Father which he spake to men. Wherein therefore Christ shewes that [...]er­rie word, which he spak to be the Sonne, and that verrie wo [...]d where of the Prophets prophesied, The law shall goe forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem. And he (viz. the same word) shall iudge amonge the nations; Act. 10 42. whereof Peter s [...]th, It is he which was ordained of God to be the iudge of q [...]ick & dead and where­of the Father himselfe saith, I haue set my Kinge vpon my hol [...]hil of Zion: Psal. 2.6. euen the word to whome in the next words he saith, [...]hou art my Sonne, Isa. [...]1.4.5. of whome also he saith, A law shall proceede from me, and I will make my iudgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousnes is neere: my saluation is gone forth, and mine Armes shall iudge the people: the Iles shall waite vpon me, and on mine Arme shall they trust. That is on my word, on the Sonne, as Psal. 2. Blessed are all they that trust in him. Therefore the Prophet speak [...] and praies to this person, euen vnto the word of the Lord, when he saith in the same Chapter, V [...]rs. 9. Awake, awake, put on str [...]ng O Arme of the Lord, awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old. Art not thou he that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon? Art not thou he which hath dried the Sea &c. to shew vs, that as God made all things, soe did all his great wonders by this person the Word, which brought lice and locusts on the Egyptians, Psal. [...]05.31.34. Which also was he that went before them into Canaan [Page 9]Exod. 23.20.21. chap. 33.2. as Captaine of the Lords host. Ioshuę 5.14. This Arme is the glorie of the Lord, which taking flesh should be reuealed. Isa. 40.5. and after p [...]t to death according to the flesh, as the Prophet saith, Who h [...]h beleeued our report,Isa. 53.1.2 3.and to whome hath the Arme of the Lord beene reuealed? that is beeing incarnate: for saith Isaiah, He shall grow vp befort him as a tender plant, &c. that is, he the Arme shall, Cyprian [...] ad­ve [...]. Iudaeos. li [...]. 2. cap 1. the same person as he [...]s n [...]ā sh [...]ll g [...]ow though he be wounded and suffer for vs, as it f [...]llowe h [...] there: We [...]l ther­fore doth Saint Cyprian vnderstand, that Christ the Son [...]e is the Arme mencioned here, and also chap. 52. Isa. 52.1 [...]. The Lord hath made bare his holy Arme (viz his holy word:) in the eyes of all nations and all the ends of the Earth shall see the saluation of our God.

And indeed Saint Iohn seemeth to vnde [...]sta [...]d Ch [...]ist to be this Arme while he saith of the vnbeleeuing Iewes They beleeu [...]d not on him, that the saying of Esaias might be fulfilled, wh [...]ch h [...] spake,I [...]. 12.3 [...] 38.Lord who hath beleeued ou [...] report, and to whome hath th [...] Arme of Lord beene reuealed? For saith Saint Augustin on this place, August in Ioan. T [...]a [...]t. 53. The So [...]ne is the Arme, because all th [...]g [...]w [...]re made by him: l [...]ke as that is called thy Arme by which thou workest; soe the Arme of God is h [...]s word beca [...]se by the word he made the world. And indeed the Word is the Arme, 1. Cor. 1.24. the power and wisdom whereby God ma [...]e the World and doth all things: and soe as the Apostle saith, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Isa. 40 10. Ioh. 12 48.49. And soe Isaiah saith of the Father, The Lord God will come with stronge hand, and his Arme shall rule for him That is, his word shall rule fo [...] him. Therefore Christ who is the Word saith, The word that I haue spoken, he shall iudge: for I haue [...] or spoken of my selfe, &c. therefo [...]e as in the fol­lowing words he proues the word he spake to be the Fathers, and the same to be Si ergo vita aeterna est ipse Filius, & vita aeterna est man­datum Panis: quid alind dictū est, quam ego sum mandatum Patris▪ Aug. in Ioan Tract. 54. Eternall life; so also in foregoeing verses he that is the Word sa [...]th there, vers 44. He that beleeueth on me, beleeueth not on me, but on him that sent me: that is, whose Word I am (as Augustine excellently vnderstandeth the like Quid est, audit verbum meum, nisi audit me credit autem ei qui misit me, quia cum illi credit, verbo e [...]us credit: cū autē verbo e [...]us credit, mihi cre­dit: quia verbū Patris ego sum. Aug. in Io [...]. 19 words Ioh. 5.24.) for wee beleeue him whose word wee beleeue; and wee vnde [...] ­stand and see him whose word wee vnderstand; h [...]t declares him: therefore Christ addeth vers. 45.46. And he that seeth me, seeth him that s [...]nt me. I am come a light into the world, that who­soeuer beleeueth on me should not abide in darkenesse, as Iohn saith of the word, That was the true light, which lighteth euery man that [Page 10]commeth into the world. And so indeed wee may heare God saying to the Messiah, Isa 42.6 7.17. I will giue thee for a couenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles: to open the blinde eyes, to bringe out the pris [...]o [...]s from the pr [...]son, and him that sitteth in darknesse out of the pr [...]son howse. Where ye may see that both here & also Isa 49.8.9. it is expresly sh [...]wed, that he is the Covenant, viz. the Word, and [...]herein the Light that reueales the Father touching the Saluation of sinners; and that the end of his comming should be to en [...]ighten those nations and people, Iewes and Gentiles, which lay bound and overwhelmed in the prison of sinne and ignorance; as it fol­loweth there, I will br [...]nge the blinde by a way that they haue not knowne, I will make darkenesse light before them, and crooked things straight. And chap. 25.7.8. He will destroy in th [...] mountaine the face of the couering cast ouer all people, and the vaile that is spread [...]uer all nations. To the like effect chap. 29.8.24 chap. [...]. chap. 11.9. All this should be, as he saith, chap. 40 5.10. When the glorie (viz. the Word) of the Lord should be reuealed, and all flesh should see it together: when his Arme should rule for him, and be made bare, chap. 52.10. for therefore is the Fa [...]her called the Father of glorie, Ephes. 1.17. and Ch [...]ist is saide to be raised from the dead by the glorie of the Father. Rom. 6. that is by the almightie Word of the Father, which is the Sonne, and the Fathers glorie, as our Wo [...]d or tounge is ca [...]l [...]d our glorie, because it Speculū enim mentis plerun­que in verbis refulget. Ber­nard. de ordine vitae. Psal. 66.7. express [...]th and [...]e [...]ea­leth vs (and somtimes ruleth for vs) Psal. 16 9. howsoeuer Gods Word ruleth for him: for as he made all things by hi [...] Word, which is his power, so saith the Psalmist, He rule [...]h by his power for euer. that is by his Word, which is the power of God Now if he rule by his power for euer, then the Messiah, who should rule for euer for him, must needes be his power: but he doth rule by his power for euer; therefore the Messiah should be his power.

And that the Messiah should be the word of God the auncient Iewe, The auncient Iewes proue him to be the Word. Isa. 45.17. Hos. 1.7. proue out of Isaiah, where it is saide, Israel shall be saued by the Lord with a [...] euerlasting saluation And also our of Hosea: I will saue them by the Lord th [...]re God. Both which sayings Ionathas translateth by the word of the Lord the [...]e God. And it is not to be doubted, but that by the saide word, they meant the Messiah. For in psa. 110. which as themselues affirme conteineth the my­steries of the Messiah, Psal. 110. where it is saide, The Lord saide vnto my [Page 11]Lord &c. Ionathas readeth, The Lord saide vnto his wo [...]rd sit thou on my right hand, til &c. And soe indeede howsoeuer the words be, The Lord saide vnto my Lord, sit thou &c. to shew that this person though he be Dauids S [...]nne i [...] Dauids Lord, yet seeing it followes there, Rule th [...]u in the midst of thine-enemies, it must needes be meant of the word of the Lord, because it is saide, His Arme shall rule for him, that is his word; Isa 40.10. chap. 2.3.4. chap 51.5. which he saith shall iudge amonge the nations; and whereof he saith, mine Armes [...]hall iudge the people, and on mine Arme shall they trust: the word b [...]eing the Sonne, and the Kinge mencioned Psa. 2. as was shewed be­fore. And Rabbi Isaack Arama vpon Genesis 47. expounding this text of Psa. 14 [...]. He s [...]ndeth out h [...]s word, saith expresly, that this Word is the Messiah, who should be Gods word. Iob 19.26. So likewise that of Iob, I shall see God in my flesh, &c. Rabbi S [...]me [...]n vp [...]n Genesis [...]o [...] ▪ gathereth therevpon that the Word of God shall [...]k fl [...]sh in a womans wombe. Philo that lea [...]ned Iew shall ende th [...] point, touching the nature and person of the Messiah, as himselfe writeth in h [...]s booke, De Exulibus: By trad [...]on wee haue [...] (sa [...]t [...]he) that wee must expect the death of a high Pre [...]st, who shall be the ver [...] Word of G [...]d, voide of all [...]nne, as well willing as vnwi [...]ing, whose Father s [...]ould be God, and this Word shall be the Fathers w [...]s [...]em by which all things [...]n this world were created.

Now that Christ Iesus was this Word incarnate, That Iesus was the word. the true Messiah, wh [...]ch (as Iohn saith) reuealeth the Father our Sa [...]our himselfe further proueth, while when he had shewed himsel [...]e to be the Word, and therein the Sonne of God, as aboue saide, to those Iewes that counted this blasphemie, he added, Ioh. 10.36.37.38. If I d [...]e not the workes of my Father, beleeue me not. But if I doe, though ye beleeue not me, beleeue the workes that ye may know and beleeue that the Father is in me, and I in him. As if he saide, the works proue it. The [...]efore in another place he saith, I haue a greater wi [...]nesse then that of Iohn:Ioh. 5.3 [...].for the works which the Father hath giuen me to fin [...]sh, the same works that I doe, beare witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me; and &c. Now therefore let vs take a short view of some few of those works or witnesses, to see how they proue it; and so proceede to the rest of the confession before Pilate. Luk. 11.13. When he had cast out a Deuil out of one that was dumbe: some of them saide, he casteth out Deuils through Beelzebub the cheife of the Deuils: to which he [Page 12]answered, But if I with the finger of God cast out Deuils, noe doub. but the Kingdom of God is come vpon you: that is no [...] doubt but the Word is now incarnate, which should come and rule for God: for the Word is the finger, Arms or power, by which he made and g [...]erned all things: Psa. 66. Luk. 4.33. He rule [...]h by his power for euer. The [...]efore the Messiah who was to be [...]h [...]s Power, [...]s come and worketh by [...]t, because [...] by that power cast out Deuils. Therefore [...]n the S [...]na­gouge the Deuil in one posessed cri [...]d out, what haue wee to doe wi [...]h thee thou Ies [...]s of Nazareth? [...]rt thou c [...]me to destroy vs? I know thee who thou [...]rt the holy one of God And Ies [...]s reb [...]ked him s [...]ying, Ho [...]d thy peace, and come out of him. And when the Deuil h [...]d hrowen him in the midst, he came out of him: And they were all amazed and spake amonge themselues saying, [...].What a Word is th [...]? Our Euangel [...]st will answer: All things were m [...]de by him. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The life of the Word was here manifested in the sight of many, while so greate a miracle was donne there­by, and the li [...]e was the light of men to thei [...]e convertion wh [...]le in amazement they say, What a Word is this? for with authority and power he commaundeth [...]he vncleane spirits and th [...]y come out. The Euang list will answer againe The w [...]rd was made flesh, and wee be­hold his glorie, the glorie as of the only bego t [...]n of the Father, full of gr [...]ce and truth. vers. 32. And so when he [...]au [...]ht, Th [...]y were aston [...]d at his d [...]ctrine, for his word was with power. There was life therein, acco [...] ­ding a [...] Ch [...]st sai [...]e The words th [...] I speake they are Spiri [...], and they are life; yea eternall life, Ioh 12 5 [...]. as Peter sai [...]h, Thou hast the words of et [...]rn [...]ll life, and wee beleeue (viz. and therefore wee b [...] ­le [...]ue) and are sure th [...] u [...]r [...] the Christ the Sonne of the liueing God. S [...]nt Mathew saith, Mat. 8.17. Th [...]y brought to him many that were posessed with Deuils, and he cast out the Spirits wi [...]h his Word, and healed all that were sieck, wi [...]h his Word; that is, with the power by which God the Father worketh. Io [...]. [...].5. At the poole of Bethesda there was a Man that had [...]en lame eight and thir [...]ie yeares. Iesus sai [...]h vnto him, Rise, take vp thy Bed and walke. And immediately the man was made whole and walked. This could be donne by noe other then the Word of God, whereof the Psalmist saith, when theire Fathers were in like distresse, psa. 107 20. He sent his Word and healed them. Vpon this myracle there was greate dispute betweene our Sauiour and the [Page 13]Iewes, Aug. in Ioan. Tract 19.20.21. &c. where [...]n he proued himselfe to be the Word of the Fa­ther, as Saint Avgustin sh [...]weth on that Gospel. See also the Character of a Christian. pag 63. &c. Ies [...]s with clay made of spi [...]te healed a man that was b [...]rne blinde: Ioh. 9.6. Ve [...]. 3 [...] 3 [...] Which man beeing brought befo [...]e the Phari [...]es reasoned thu [...]; Wee know that God heareth not sinners: but if a man be a worshipper of God and doe his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of the blinde. If this man were not of God, he could doe nothing. This vnlearned man could not giue such diuine proofes, but by Gods Spirit, that thus makes the Pharises his aduersaries more inexcusable. Lazarus had lien fower dayes in the graue. And when Iesus was come with Martha, Marie and diuers Iewes to the place where they had layed him, at last, Ioh. 11.30. He cried with a loude voice, Lazarus come forth: And he that was dead came forth. Vers. 43. What Word could d [...]e this, or any worke so greate, but the mightie Wo [...]d of God, which made the World? If then Ie [...]us did it by his Word it is plaine that in him the Word was made flesh, and they saw the gl [...]rie thereof in this myracle, the glorie as of the only begotten of God. But that he did it, is manifest: for some of the Iewes that saw it, went theire wayes to the Pharises, and told them: V [...]rs. 46.47. therevpon the Cheife Preists gathered a counsell, and saide, What doe wee? for this man doth many miracles If wee let him thus alone, Vers. 53.all men [...]ill beleeue on him, And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nations. From that day they tooke couns [...]ll to put him to death; and did it. But this polecie brought on them the iudgement, it went ab [...]ute to preuent: and so must all such po­lecies needes doe, which for worldl [...]e respects any way hinder Gods Kingdom. Now then seeing Iesus did so greate workes by his Word, it is plaine that he was the Word, and that Word the Sonne that should come in the flesh, and be the M [...]s­siah.

Which thinge the Father himselfe openly witnessed by voices from Heaven: first at his Baptisme when he came out of the water: Mat. [...]3.16.and loe a voice from Heauen saying, Ioh. 1.33.This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased. Iohn Baptist heard this, and th [...]n saw the Spi­rit of God descending on him like a doue: and therefore bare record that this is the Sonne of God.

Now noe man could except against Iohns testimonie, he was so generally beleeued to be holy, iust and a Prophe [...] Aga [...]ne when Iesus praied Father glori [...]ie thy Name;Ioh. 12.28.Then came here a voice from heauen saying, I ha [...]e glorifie bit, and will glorifie it again▪ He had glorified the word (which is also the Fathers Name, because it is his word) when so greate myracles were denne by it, and so many conue [...]ted thereby: and so it was glorified againe after his death by the mi [...]istrie of his Apostles and others to the healing of many, and the conuersion of millions of people. Lastly at his transfiguration on the mount: Mat. 17.5. behold [...] a voice out of the cloude, which saide, This is my beloued Sonne in whome I [...]m well plea­sed: heare ye him. As if he saide, for he is the promised wo [...]d.

To his Apostles which heard him & were witnesses of his re­surrection, he gaue commissiō to preach to all nations, and so his myracles, Heb. 2.3.4. life, doctrine, and resurrection were confirmed to [...]s by them that heard him: who also sealed the Truth of all with theire bloods, God also bearing them witnes, both with signes and wonders, and with diuers myracles and gifts of the holy Ghost. As the hea [...]ing of a man lame from his mothers wombe, and many others manifested to his and thei [...]e aduersaries. All which proued that Iesus was (as he taught) the word, and that word the Sonne, the Messiah which was to come, and that he did not blaspheme when he c [...] ­fest as much to the high Priest. Mat. 26.69. For this yet doe they p [...]esently spit in his f [...]ce, buffet h [...]m, smite, reuile him and leade him a [...]ay to Pilate, to be for this only thinge put to death, this beeing all they could proue or he finde, and that, not that he made himselfe a temporall Kinge, but spiritual; for when he v [...]ged him with theese words, Art thou the King of the Iewes? what hast thou donne? Iesus answered, my Kingdom is not of this world: if my Kingdom were of this world, &c. and when Pilate (gathering by theese words that he confest himselfe to be a King) therefore saide vnto him, Art thou a Kinge then? Iesus answered, thou s [...]iest that I am a Kinge. As if he saide, and I must not denie it, for to this ende was I borne, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should beare witnesse vnto the truth: euery one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

This then beeing his plaine answer concerning his Kingdom, and the true subjects thereof, wee may consider in this confes­sion theese things. 1. A Kingdō acknowledged, in theese words, [Page 15] my Kingdom: which are thrice repeated in the former of theese verses. 2. That this Kingdom is not of this world, as he saith, my Kingd [...] is not of this world. [...]. A proofe or reason thereof in theese words, for if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my subiects fight that I should not be deli [...]ered to the Iewes. 4 A conclusion fol­lowing from the premises, in theese words, but now is my Kingdom not from hence. In the first there is the Kingdom of the Messiah, and that claimed by out Sauiour who here calleth it his, as he saith my Kingdom. First then wee will endeauour to finde out of the old Testament, what the Kingdom of the Messiah was to be, whether spirituall or temporall, and where the seate thereof should be. And secondly whether this Kingdom properly be­longe to Iesus the Sonne of Marie, who claimes it while he con­fesseth himselfe to be the Christ and saith my Kingdom.

Where first ye know it is already manifested, The Kingdom of the Messiah. that the M [...]ssiah was to be the Word, and that therefore his Kingdom and go­uernment must needes be spirituall (ruling mens soules for God his Fathe [...]) as was proued from tho second Psalme; where in­deed the Father also calleth him his Kinge, that is one ruling for him, saying, I haue set my Kinge vpon my holy hill of Sion, psa. 2. Isa. 40.10. where also while he saith my holy hill of Sion, he sheweth it to be his Kingdom. So of the Father it is saide, His Arme (that is his word) shall rale for him. It is his Kingdom: for the Kingdom is the Lords, and he is the Gouerno or of his people. Therefore it is added, vers 11. He shall feede h [...]s flocke like a Shepheard: he shall gather the Lambes with his Arme: to shew that Christ succeedes Dauid as a Shepheard of the people feeding thē with the spirituall foode of the word; Fzech. 34.23. & chap. 37.21.24. and so ruleth in his throne spiritually. He shoul be theire Shep­heard: [...]zek. 34.23. and Chap. 2 [...].22.24. So Dauid saith, The Lord saide vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand, (that is, rule thou for me) vntil I make h [...] enemies thy footestoole. psa. 110.1. Thereby intima­ting that all enem [...]es of the word shall be either subiected to the word, or confounded thereby. Therefore it is added, vers. 2. The Lord shall se [...]de the R [...]d of thy strength (viz. the Word) out of Zion [...] to this word therefore he there speaketh saying, Rule thou in the mid­dest of thine e [...]em [...]es; Isa. 2. Mic. 4. a [...]cording to that of the Prophets Isaiah and Micah. Th [...] L [...] shall g [...]efoor [...]h of Sion, an [...] the word of the Lord out of Hier [...]s [...]em▪ A [...]d he shall iudge [...]monge the Nations: He, the word [Page 16]shall, as the Father saith, Mi [...]e Arme (tha [...] is my Word) shal iudge the people. From which places wee may see, that this Kingdom was to begin to be preached in Sion and Ierusalem, vnto it was the Kingdom and dominion first to com [...] Mica. 4.8. and thence to goe Foorth into all the World, ha [...]e [...]ng noe other certaine seate, then there wheresoeuer the Word should enlighten and rule the Soules of men: Isa. 42.6. therefore the Lord saith to him. I will giue thee for a couenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles: to vp [...]n the blinde eyes &c. Isa. 55.3.4. And in another place, I will make an euerlasting couenant with you, euen the su [...]e Mercies of Dauid, Behold I haue giuen hi [...] (viz. the Word or couenant) For a witnesse to the people, a leader, and a commaunder to the people. Viz. a spirituall leader, therefore he saith to him in the following words, vers. 5. Beho [...]d thou shalt call a na­tion that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall runne vnto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the holy one of Israel, for he hath glorified thee: this then is the glo [...]ie that he gi [...]es the Messiah, who is the Word that he should call nations to the knowledge and obedience of the Wo [...]d: therefore in this sense God saith to the Word in the second Psalme, Psa 2.8.9. Ask of me and I will giue thee the heathen. For th [...]ne inheritance; and the v [...]term [...]st parts of the earth for thy posession: the most remote nations shall come to the knowledge and obedience of thee; or else as it is added, Thou shalt b [...]eake them with a Rod of yron (that is with thy owne power, as he saith elsewhere with the Rod of thy strength Psa 110.) thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters ve [...]ll▪ that is, if they goe aboute to h [...]nder thy Kingdom, will not suffer the Word to rule in theire dominions but either hinder the preaching thereof, and soe the raigne of the Word, or doe not further it, but s [...]t vp or suffer another Word, new and contrarie doctrines; a thinge en­dangering the bruising and ruin of any Kingdom or nation, as it was of the cheife Preists and Iewes, and may be of others, as it followeth, vers. 10.11. Be wise now therefore, ô ye Kings: (be wise in this point) be instructed ye Iudges of the earth: (be conten [...]ed to be in­structed in the Word:) Serue the Lord wi [...]h feare: (viz in obeying and farthering his Word) and ve [...]yce with trembl [...]ng. Be glad his Kingdom may come into youres, embrace it, for it will honour and strengten youres, and noe way endanger it, vnles when ye neglect it: vers. 12. therefore he addeth, K [...]sse the Sonne lest he be angri [Page 17]and ye perish from the way &c. Where to Kisse the Sonne is nothing else them to receiue and embrace the Word of God, as ye saw proued aboue.

All this is confirmed vnto vs in the vision which Daniel saw, that is to say, that the Messiah was to be such, and such his King­dom for when Daniel had beheld the fower beasts, See willer on Dan. 7. which were fower Kingdoms, the last of them, beeing indeede that of the Se­lucians and P [...]olomies, signified also by the two legs: Dan 2.33.40.44. the Dominion whereof should vers. 12. vers 13.14. be taken away aboute the time that Christs Kingdom should come, [...]he addeth; I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Sonne of man came with the clouds of heauen, and came to the Ancient of day [...]s, and they brought him be­fore him. And there was giuen him Dominion and glorie, and a King­dom that all people, and na [...]ion; and languages should serue him: h [...] do­minion is an euerlasting dominion, which shall not passe aw [...]y, and his Kingdom that which shall not be d [...]stroied. Loe this Kingdom of the M [...]ssiah must endure for euer: but then it must need [...]s bespiri­tuall, and last after his death; for it is after shewed him, that the Messiah should soone be cut off, euen a litle before the destruction of the citie and sanctuary: chap 9.26 and the Prophet Isaiah saith plainely, Isa. 53. that he should die for our sinnes, Isa. 53.8.9. that he was cut off out of the land of the liue [...]ng, for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his graue with the wicked &c. But though he should suffer and die according to the flesh, yet he should rule still as he is the Word, and more after his death then before, as it followeth: He shall see his seede, vers. 11. men begotten againe by the Word: He shall see the trauaile of his Soule, vers. 12. the fruite of his death and sufferings: for when he had saide, He shall beare thei [...]e iniquities, the Lord addeth, therefore will I diuide him a pertion with the greate, and he shall diuide the Spoile with the stronge, because he powred out his Soule vnto death, he should haue the heathen to his inheritance, & the vtmost part of the earth to his posessiō. His Apostles and ministers should conquer Kingdoms, and bringe whole na­tions to be subiect to the Word. D [...]n. 7.18. vers. 27. Which thinge is soe expounded there vnto Daniel: But the Saints of the most high shal take the Kingdom and posesse it for euer: and againe. And the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatnes of the Kingdom vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the people of the Saints of the most high, whose King­dom [Page 18]is an buerlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serue and obey him. Loe the greatenes of the Kingdom vnder the whole hea [...]en is giuen to the Saints: for Christ theire Maister is out of this World, yet they shall subiect people to him, whose Kingd [...]m is euerlasti [...]g; therefore it is added, all dominion, shall serue and obey him: the Kingdom is giuen to them, yet the subiects thereof serue hi [...]; which could not be after his death, vnles he were the Word, and his Kingdom truly sp [...]rituall, Gods Kingdom. Which is an­swerable to that Prophesie or promise [...]z k. [...]4: Ezech. 34.23.24. I will se [...] vp one Shepheard ouer them and he shall feede them, euen my seruant Dauid, he shall feede them. Dauid the type of Christ was now dead, therefore this was meant of the Messiah, who was to be Dauids Sonne; soe it is added, And he shall be theire Shephe [...]rd. And I the Lord will be theire God, and my Seruant Dauid a Prince amonge them. One Chap. 37.22.24.25. &c. King shall be Kinge to them all they sha [...]l haue one Shep­heard, who should clense them, and make them walke in his iudgments and obserue h [...]s S [...]atutes; soe his Tabernacle should be with them a [...]d he would betheire God. There is but one cheife Shep­heard, the rest are his ministe [...]s, and they [...]ub [...]ect people to h [...]m: they are all gouerned and fed by the Word, as well after his as [...]ention as before. Thus the Angel saide to Marie: He shall be greate and shalbe called the Sonne of the highest, Luk. 1.32.and the Lord God shall giue vnto h [...]m the throne of his Father Dauid. And he shall raigne ouer the howse of Iacob for [...]uer. For that is, he the Word should raigne for euer as the one and only Spirituall Kinge and Shep­heard. And indeed at last when the Iewish nation that had re­fused him, and was therefore scattered, should be called and brought back into theire owne Land, Mic. 4.6. then as it is ad­ded, The Lord shall raigne ouer them in mount Zion from hence forth euen for euer. Where he that is called the Word that should rule and iudge amonge the nations, vers. 2.3. is now affirmed to be the Lord: to shew that he is God and Lord, and indeed that his Kingdom is the Kingdom of God his Father, and that it is so meant in those places of Ezechiel aboue mentioned, and in others that speake of the Messiah and his Kingdom.

Now wee haue already shewed that Iesus was the promised Messiah, Iesus Christ preached the same Kingdom. and consequently that he had and hath this Kingdom; but to proue that accordingly he preached the same; ye may [Page 19]finde that when he the Word was come in the flesh, and now ready to be baptised, and so to enter vpon his ministration and gouernment, by reuealing himselfe and thereby the Father; his p [...]ecursor Iohn Baptist came preaching in the Wildernes of Iudea: Mat. 3.1. Mark. 1.2. Mal. 3.1.And saying, Repent ye for the Kingdom of God is at hand. As it is wri­ten in the Prophets, Behold I sende my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: And the Lord whome ye seeke (viz the Messiah) shall suddenly come to his Temple. viz Ioh. 18.20. there to teach and rule spi­ritually, this Temple beeing indeed a figure of the Chu [...]ch where in he should rule: which came to passe not, when Antichr [...]st came to sit in the Temple of God as God whereof in the s [...]quel; but when Iesus Christ, who is the Word, came and decla [...]ed himselfe in the Temple, and thereby signified his owne gouern­ment in his Church; which is there where the Wo [...]d ruleth: this was accomplished suddenly after the preaching of his forrunner Iohn Baptist, Luk. 3.4. who came (ye see) as it is written in the booke of Esayas the Prophet, saying, The voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse, pre­pare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desart a high way for our God. Euery valley shall be exalted,Isa. 40.3 4 5.and euery Mountai [...]e and hill made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plaine: (the Scriptures should be so clearely expounded) And the glory (viz the Word) of the Lord shall be reuealed, and all flesh shall see it together. And a litle after, vers. 9. Say vnto the cities of Iudah behold youre God: Behold the Lord God will come with stronge hand: And his Arme (viz. the Word which is his Sonne) shall rule for him. For that wee might be sure that this Kingdom belonged to Iesus Christ, Iohn preached, I baptize with water, Ioh. 1.but there standeth one amonge you mightier then I, whose shooes lachet I am not worthy to vn­loose: this was Christ, who could not haue vnde [...]stood by Scrip­tures, what manner of King the Messiah should be, no [...] haue preached and wrought myracles so according to the Prophesies of him, if he had beene a deceiuer, and had not b [...]ene the Christ the Sonne of God: but he was approued to be the Ch [...]ist. For when Iesus was baptized of Iohn in Io [...]dan, M [...]k. 1.10. [...] and came out of the water: Iohn saw the Heauens opened and the Spirit like a doue descen­ding vpon him. And the [...]e came a voice from Heauen, saying,Ioh. 1.33.34.Thouart my welbeloued Sonne i [...] whome I am well pleased. Which comming to pa [...]e as God foretold Iohn, he saith, I saw and bare record th [...]t [Page 20]this is the S [...]nne of God, and consequently that his is the promised Kingdom of the M [...]ssiah.

Which was soone manifested: for after Iohn was put in prison by Herod, Mark. 1.14. Luk. 4.43. Iesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the King­dom of God. That is, the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God. A [...]d so he saith, I must preach the Kingdom of God to other cities also. Therefore he calleth his doctrine the Word of the Kingdom, saying, Mat. 13.19. When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and vnder­standeth it not. So he saith, Euery Scribe which is instructed vnto the Kingdom of God, is like vnto a man that is an howseholder, which brin­geth forth out of his treasure things new & old. New, that is the tre [...] ­sures of the Gospel; and Old, that is the testimonies of the Pro­phets, which foretold and prefigured this grace that comes to vs: Luk. 16 16. Luk 17.20. Since that time the Kingdom of God is preached and euery man pres­seth vnto it. And when he was demanded of the Pharises, when the Kingdom of God should come, he answered them & saide, The Kingdom of God commeth not with obseruation: Neither shall they say, loe here, or loe there: for behold the Kingdom of God is within you. That is, they shall not say it is in this nation or in that, in this citie or in that, haueing the seate thereof here or there: for the Word is within you, Rom. 10.8. in your mouth, and in your heart, illuminating & ruling some of your Soules, & therefore the Kingdom of God is within you. And indeed God who by voices from Heauen & by miracles ap­p [...]oued him, had promised & foretold, that so it should be: for Behold the dayes come, Ier. 31.31.saith the Lord, that I will make a new Co [...]enant with the ho [...]se of Israel, not according to the former, when I brought them out of [...]gypt, which my co [...]enant they brake: but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the howse of Israel, I will put my law in theire inward parts, [...]ndw [...]i [...]e it in theire hearts: And they shall all know me; for I will forgiue theire iniquitie, &c. and in another place: I will giue them a new heart▪ with many the like promises. Loe he would write the law in theire hearts, the word should rule there, and enlighten them with the Isa. 54.13. &c. 53.3. &c. promised knowledge of God, and his remission and saluation in the death and doctrine of Christ Isa. 53. and soe his Kingdom should be in theire hearts and soules, within them, Tit. 2.11.12. Ioh. 8.32. Character of a Christ. pag. 329. &c. as Christ saith; that is, when the grace of God bringing saluation was preached, and the same taught mē to denie vngodlinesse & worldly lusts: The Truth knowne maketh men free, from seruing sinne: euen as Ioseph was taught by the fauour of his maister to denie the vn­godlie [Page 21]lust of his mistris, and escape away; for soe men escape the p [...]llutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ; as did Zacheus: Luk. 19.8.10.11.12. to 28. soe he saith there, The Sonne of Man is come to s [...]eke and saue that wh [...]h is lost. And as they heard theese things, he added and spake a pa­rable, because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appeare. A certaine noble man went into a far countrie to receiue for himselfe a Kingdom. And he called vnto him his tenne seruants, and de­liuered vnto the tenne pounds, and saide vnto thē, Occupie till I come &c. This noble man was Christ, who before his ascention deliuerd the Word of truth vnto his seruants, and since giueth of the same Word to others by his Spirit, and so will till his second cōming: theese ten seruants are his ministers, and other his seruants: the pounds or talen [...]s, were seuerall portions of the Word of grace, of the mysteries of God d [...]uers Rom. 12.3. 1. Cor. 12.11. measures of the knowledge and faith of Christ, wherein they ought to increase, and to shew the fruite thereof in a holy life, also to vse theire skill to bringe others to the knowledge and obedience of Christ, which is to giue him his owne with vantage: for they are Stewards of the mysteries of God, 1. Cor 4 1.and it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull. Deliuering nothing for doctrine, but that which was Chap. 11.23. receiued of the Lord by his Apostles and Prophets; neither hiding his talent of doctrine, nor teaching for doctrines commaundements and opinions of men things not commaunded in the Word. For as when amonge the Romans there was difference aboute meates, the Apostle saide, The Kingdom of God is not meate and dr [...]ke; that is, Rom. 14 17. the Word of God doth not commaund and teach theese things, which are held abonte them, But righteousnesse and peace &c. Soe may it be saide for other traditions and preceps of men; the Kingdom of God is not the single life of Romish Preists, theire obserued fasts and feasts, inuocation of Saints, the Popes succession in Peters chai [...]e, as head of the Church, priuate masses, drawing Soules out of purgatorie, and the like; which as themselues confesse are not commaunded in the Word; but righteousnes, peace, and all such things as are taught in the Gospell. Ministers must be faithfull Stewards, and dispensers thereof by preaching; and others that haue the gift by perswading, exhorting, writing and the like: As euery man hath receiued the gift, 1. Pet. 4.10. euen so should he minister the same vnto another, as good steward of the manifold grace of God. He that had one talent dit not so, others did.

The Citizens in the parable that hated him, and saide, wee will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs, were such as opposed the Wo [...]d, or any part or portion thereof, deliuered in t [...]ents, h [...]ting the light manifested by them; which is to despise and re [...]ect him the Word, that commeth to rule theire hearts, to enlighten them and raigne there, of whome therefore he saith, Those mine e [...]e­mies that would not that I should raigne ouer them, bringe hi­ther &c.

All which proofes of Gods Kingdom duely considered doe manifest that the Pope and church of Rome doe grosely de­ceiue and are deceiued, The Pope can not be Christs Vicar, nor the Church of Ro­me his King­dom. who oppose the Word of grace re­uealed in teaching for doctrines those precepts & traditions of men aboue mentioued, and diuers other strange doctrines of free will, ignorance, force of theire traditions, merrits worshipping of Images, with many the like, not commaunded but forbidden and confuted in the Word; and yet bea [...]e the World in hand, that the Pope is Christs vica [...]generall, head of the church, that the church of Rome is the true church of Chr [...]st, and so that Rome is the seate of Christs Kingdom, that Gods Kingdom is there; when yet God by the Apostles saith, 2. Ioh 9. 1. Tim. 6.3. He that abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God, If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the wholesome words, euen to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse, he is proud, knowing nothing; the man of sinne and his ministers proud aboue all other hereticks; and ye see Gods Kingdom is there only, where though men so n [...]ime sinne of in­firmitie, yet (as is requi [...]ed) the Word of God is consented to, & receiued in all things, & not reiected in any thinge it teaches.

From all which wee may reason thus. Christ is the Word reuealed in Scriptures, and that Word alo [...]e must rule in all matters of faith, and saluation. Whosoeuer therefore shall not consent to that Word in all matters of faith and saluation, but shall of his owne pretended authoritie set vp for doctrines any that are not taught in the Word, or that are new or contrarie therevnto, he is rebellious and an vsurping Autichrist, and he that doth it in most points, and so as none other doth, he is the grand Antichrist. But the Pope doth n [...]t consent to that Word in all matters of faith and saluation, but of his owne pretended autho­rity [Page 23]sets vp for Doctrines many others, that are not taught in the Word, and that are new and contrarie therevnto; therefore he is rebellious, and an vsurping Antichrist, yea the grand Antichrist; because he doth it in more points then euer any did, and so as none euer did; as in those perticulars aboue mentioned, & di­uers others; which wee shall haue occasion to p [...]oue in the se­quell: here it needes not, because also many haue sufficiently donne it. Now from this proposition and conclusion followes another.

They that doe not consent to the Word in all matters of faith and saluation, but receiue for Doctrines those new and contrarie precepts of the Pope which he of his owne pretended authori [...]ie sets vp, they are conspiring rebels, and giue him the Kingdom, he power and the glory of commaunding, and beeing obeyed in such things. But the Papists doe not consent to the Word in all matters of faith and saluation, but receiue for Doctrines those new and contrarie precepts of the Pope, which he of his owne pretended authori [...]e sets vp: therefore they are conspiring Re­bels, and giue him the Kingdom the Power and the glo [...]e of commaund [...]ng, and beeing obeyed in such things.

Both theese are so manifestly true, that all that are of any rea­sonable vnderstanding must needes perceiue and confesse as much vnlesse, because they haue not receiued the Loue of the Truth, nor continued in the Word, they can not know the Truth, but are by God giuen ouer to belee [...]e lies; or because they teaching or rece [...]ing for doctrines precepts of men, the wisdom of theire w [...]se men i [...] hid, and they in Gods iust iudgment are giuen ouer [...]o such blindnes, that they can not see things see eui­dent; that is to say, Rom. 10.11. Psa. 66.7. that they are rebellious and conspiring vsurpers, a disobedient and gainesaying people: Psal. 33.6. Heb. 1.3. Rom 1.16. 1. Cor. 1.18. Heb. 1.3. 2. Pe [...]. 3.7. see Character of a Christian▪ pag. 47.For God ruleth by his power for euer; that is by the Word, which is his power, whereby he hath made, gouernned and vpheld all things; and Christ is that Word, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1. Cor. 1.24. therefore when he had saide, he ruleth by his power for euer, his eyes behold the nations, who obey it and who not; he ad­deth, let not the rebellions exalt themselues: viz. against it, or aboue it in any point, as psa. 107.11. they rebelled against the words of God, that is against the power by which he ruleth against [Page 24]Christ. But in the Pope of Romes Kingdom, the Word is not consented to [...]n all things as is requ [...]ed [...]. Tim. 6.3. But reiected and opposed; he Idē pag. 249. & 293. and they are rebellious and exalt themselues against the word in many greate ma [...]ters of saith and saluation, which it teacheth, and so aboue all that is called God, so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God as God, shewing himselfe that he is God, viz. most maister in theese things, one whose Word is the supreame law & must be beleeued and obeied: which the Turke doth not, he giues not foorth his words for lawes, binding the conscience in matters of faith and saluation; as the Pope doth, and soe taketh the Kingdom the power and glorie from God and his Word, to himselfe and his errours; therefore Gods Kingdom is not in the Romish church, the Pope is an vsurper: and Papists, that defend or follow his lawes and doctrines against the Word, are rebellious conspirators, giueing to the Pope Christs gouern­ment, the Kingdom, the power and the glorie, choosing rather to be ruled by him, then by the Word, and soe reiecting Christ, and his Kingdom, they breake his bands asunder, and cast his cords frō them. In further proofe whereof, Psa. 2.3. obserue; He, who is the Word, saith to his Disciples, Luk. 10.8.9. Into whatsoeuer citie ye enter, and they receiue you, say vnto them the Kingdom of God is come neere vnto you; that is because in theire preaching the Word is come to rule and enlighten them in all things needefull to saluation; the Arme that should rule for God is come, the Word of which is saide, He shall iudge amonge the nations; and to whome is saide, Rule thou in the midst of thine ene­mies: vers. 16. for he saide then to his Apostles, He that heareth you, heareth me: (viz. me the Word) and he that despiseth you despiseth me: and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me; viz. whose Word I am, vers. 11. and who should rule for him: therefore he saith there, And if they receiue you not, say vnto them, the verrie dust of youre citie, wee w [...]pe of against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the King­dom of God is come nigh vnto you. viz. in the Word there preached, though they will not receiue him to rule them, but Psal. 107.11. Dan. 9 5. Rom. 10.21. Mat. 21.43. Chap. 23.37. rebell against the Word, and conspire to expell him and his Kingdom out of theire citie.

First then wee see, that this beeing the fault of Ierusalem, of the cheife Preists, and other Iewes, who gainsaied his doctrine, put him to death and persecuted his seruants, Therefore (saith he) [Page 25] say I vnto you, The Kingdom of God shall be takē from you, and giuen to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Often would I haue gathe­red thy children together, as &c. and ye would not. Behold youre howse is left vnto you desolate, for I say vnto you, you shall not henceforth see me (viz. me the Word) till ye say, blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord. viz. with the Word, and Truth reuealed.

And secondly hereby also wee may see the greate wickednes of the Pope and Church of Rome, Vers. 13. who also shut vp the Kingdom of God against men, like the Scribes and Pharises, Luk. 11.52. neither entring in themselues, nor suffering others that would: for they also, take away the key of knowledge; they will not suffer the (Word manifested in) Scriptures in diuers points of faith and saluation to be prea­ched amonge thē, nor read in a knowne tounge, but fight against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, persecute the professors thereof, giue theire traditions Concil. Tri. Sess. 4. Mark. 7.13. equall authoritie and reuerence with the Word, obey them more; and indeede make the Word of God of none effect with theire traditions, and in all theese things conspire and rebell against the Word, and expell him and his King­dom out of all theire Cities, Vilages and Howses.

Which in some degree is also donne by such carnall and feig­ned Gospellers, as call themselues Protestants, and yet are ene­mies to preaching, hearing and writing; or what worse is set vp new and contrarie doctrines against the Word of Grace, such as those of Pelagius, Arminius and others: for false doctrines are by Christ called tares, Mat. 13.25. and he that soweth them is iudged an enemie of Christ and his Kingdom; and if that be true which our Sauiour saith of Neuters and lukewarme Ministers, Who doe not seeke the Kingdom of God, and the righteousnes thereof, but their owne gaine, ease or honour, He that is not with me is against me, Mar. 12.30.and he that ga­thereth not with me scattereth: How much more will they be found against the Word, who either oppose and scorne preaching, or set vp new and contrary doctrines, hindring his absolute raigne, and the peace of his Kingdom? this doe all Hereticks and Seducers, who bringe in another word to rule in matters of faith and salua­tion. Theire word eates at the Word and Kingdom of God, 2. Tim. 2.17. and so at the roote like a canker, or gangrene: and therfore they are sedi­tious Preachers in Gods Kingdom, moueing people to fall from Gods word & obedience, to theires; and what in them is, [...]. Thef. 2.16. Forbid­ding [Page 26]men to speake to people some things of the Gospell that they might be saued, to fill vp theire sinnes alway: for the wrath is come vpon them to the vttermost.

This Kingdom Christ had in some, Christ had and hath this King­dom. as in the Apostles & many other Disciples & beleeuers, who by the Word were regenerated & gouerned in all matters of faith and saluation: and to such, he, the Word, Mat. 19.2 [...]. saith, Ye which haue followed me in the regeneration, when the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye shall also sit &c. and inherit euerlasting life. Chap. 24.14.This Gospell of the Kingdom shall be prea­ched in all the world for a witnesse to all Nations. Walke worthy of God, 1. Thes. 2.12.who hath called you to his Kingdom and glorie. Who hath deli­uered vs frō the power of darknes,Col. 2.13.& hath translated vs into the King­dom of his deere Sōne. This Kingdom he cōmended to his Apostles & Ministers, saying, Seeke ye the Kingdō of God & the righteousnes thereof. All power is giuen to me in Heauen & in Earth. Goe ye ther­fore & teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you: and loe I (viz. the Word) am with you allwayes euen vnto the end of the World. As if he saide, because all power is giuen to me, therefore ye may goe into all Kingdoms of the world and teach the Gospel, noe man, noe King ought to forbid you: because if they doe not subiect to him, it is saide, Psal. 2. He shall bruise them with a rod of yron: and againe, Be wise now therefore, ô ye Kings: Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie &c. And when after his resurrection they asked of him, Act. 1.6.7. saying, Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdom to Israel? He saide vnto them, it is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father hath put in his owne power. But ye shall receiue power after that the Holy Ghost is come vpō you, and ye shall be witnesses vnto me, both in Ierusa­lem, and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and vnto the vttermost part of the Earth. Act. 26.17.I now send thee to the Gentiles to open theire eies, to turne them, Dan. 7.27.&c. Wherein that of Daniel was fulfilled, The greatnes of the Kingdō vnder the whole heauē shall be giuē to the people of the Saints of the most high, whose Kingdom is an euerlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serue & obey him. For theese brought whole Natiōs to the knowledge & obedience of Christ: so that Paul saith, From Ierusalem & round vnto Illyricum, Rom. 15.19.I haue fully preached the Gospell of Christ. He turned people from darknes to light, & from the power of Satan vnto God. The Pope and Papists turne men from light to darknes, and so from God to Satan. Peter did not so.

And with what weapons did they subiect men, The weapons of this King­dom. Heb. 4.12. saue with the sword of the spirit, the Word of God, which is the power of God to saluation? For the Word of God is quicke & powerfull, & sharper then any two edged sword, peircing &c. Therefore saint Paul saith, The weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mightie through God, to the pulling downe of stronge holds: casting downe imaginations, and euery high thinge that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. viz. to the obedience of the Word: for this sword, or spirit of his mouth, is the Rod of his strength, his owne diuine power and vir­tue, vnto whome is saide, Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. As in Kingdoms of this world, if any subiect hold but one castle or towne against the right and power of his lawfull Kinge, he is iudged a traitour, an enemy, and his pertakers Conspiratours; so is it if a man maintaine but one errour, one stronge hold against the knowledge of God; much more if he hold diuers as Pelagius did; or many with a high hand, as the Pope doth Moulin Buc­kler of the Faith. aboute free will, merrits, iustification, purgatorie, supremacie, the Church of Rome, Preists marriage, praying to Saints, worshipping Ima­ges &c. Who yet will be obeied and defended in theese and other his errours; and soe he is by all Papists; which proueth him the grand Antichrist, and them rebellious conspiratours, main­taining stronge holds of errour and sinne against the Word and Kingdom of God. Saint Paul saith of some that were with him, Theese only are my fellow workers vnto the Kingdom of God: Col. 4.11. that is in those regions, where with him they preached the Gospell, and stablished men in the obedience, knowledge & truth thereof; and as Apollos who mightely cōuinced the Aduersaries by the Scriptures. Act. 18.28.

And where as some doe not obey but resist the holy Ghost, as S. Steuen saide and are gainsayers, Hereticks, enemies, Act. 7.51. and neg­lectours of this free grace of God offered in the preaching and manifestation of the Word, whereby men are made true Sub­iects of this Kingdō; this cōmeth to passe as Christ saide to some proude and obstinate Iewes, ye beleeue not, because ye are not of my Sheepe. My Sheepe heare my voice, & I know thē, and they follow me: Ioh. 10.26. vers. 14. Therfore he who is the Word, and therein the light of the World said vnto thē, I am known of mine, see charac. of a Christian. pag. 303. not of others to whom it is not giuē: It is giuē to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdō of heauē: [Page 28]but to them it is not giuen. Mat. 13.11. Chap. 11.25. The Father hid them from the wise and learned and reu [...]aled them to babes; because it seemed good in his sight. Rom. 11.7. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; But the election haue obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Yet a litle while is the light with you: walke while ye haue the light, lest darknesse come vpon you: for he that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth. Ioh. 12.35. Which beeing also the case of diuers proud Papists and Pelagians, who doe not heare, receiue and reade the Word, much lesse with loue [...] of the Truth; noe maruaile if they know not whether they goe, that is, that they talke so much against the promised per­seuerance of the Saints, Luk. 19.47. and certainty of saluation. For such as doe not delight in the Word, but rather maintaine diuers strōge holds of errour against the same, can not haue a sense thereof, nor con­sequently that they are true Subiects of this Kingdom, but rather of the contrarie: for therefore Christ, who is the Word saith, Those mine enemies, which would not that I should raigne ouer them, bringe hither &c. and in another place, This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loued darknesse rather then light, because theire deedes were euill. For euery one that doth euill hateth the light, neither commeth to the light, lest his deedes should be reproued, or discouered, This shall all such know to theire cost, when the Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mightie Angels: 2. Thess. 1.7.In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ: and so that are not true Subiects of this Kingdom. Ioh. 3. But, saith Christ, he that doth truth commeth to the light, that his deedes may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. And so, that he is a loueing and an obe­dient subiect of this Kingdom; as diuers are, in diuers Cities and Kingdoms of this World; and as all should be. Thus then wee see that Christ had and hath the Kingdom, and what it was, and is.

Now wee are to see what it is not, Christs King­dom not of this World. which our Lord telleth vs, saying, My Kingdom is not of this world. This hath partly appea­red already, because as wee proued, this his Kingdom is the Spi­rituall raigne of the Word, and therefore not of this World, and consequently not any thinge preiudicial or deragotory to Ce­sars, as his accusers pretended. The malitious and subtill Iewes, that they might be sure to lay such things (whether true or false) to the charge of Christ as might certainly procure his death, thought noe accusation so like to preuaile with 'Pilate, [Page 29]Caesars Deputie, as to say that he moued sedition, and laboured to bringe the people from Caesers to his owne obedience, and soe to get the Kingdom from Caesar to himselfe. This they thought Pilate durst not but question, & striue to preuent, though it were with the death of Christ; and that whether he were found guiltie thereof, or noe: therefore they say, wee found this follow peruerting the nation, saying, that himselfe is Christ a Kinge: and after He that maketh himselfe a King, speaketh against Caesar. Luk. 23.2. Whereas that was not to moue sedition against Caesar: for on the contrarie he saide, Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Cesars, Ioh. 19.and to God the things that are Gods. Wherein though indeede, he seeke Gods Kingdom also, (viz. that men would be ruled by Gods Word in all things) and consequently his owne Kingdom, because he is the Word of God by which all men should be ruled; yet when he seekes this, he neither hindereth nor endangereth Caesars Kingdom, but rather helpeth and stablisheth it.

For if Gods Word enioine subiection to Princes, Christs King­dō stablisheth Caesars. then Gods Kingdom ratifieth and establisheth Cesars Kingdom, and Christ the Word, who ruleth for God, ruleth people in this point, and maketh them more obedient, then otherwise they would be: for there is noe greater tie of subiection in subiects to Princes, in children to Parents, in wiues to husbands, in servants to Maisters, then the bond of religion; because theese and all others that owe subiection to any, shall finde theire duties commanded in the Word, 1. Pet. 2.13.17.18. &c. Ephes. 6.1.5. Rom 13.1. as they are often: so that if either Princes, Parents or Mai­sters doe not finde them selues duly obeied, let them confes that it is, because they seeke not Gods Kingdom, they doe not care­fully cause theire subiects, children and seruants to heare and re­uerence the Word, which enioineth subiection in all theese, and namely in subiects to Princes, and Magistrates; while he who is the Word of God saith, Giue unto Cesar the things that are Cesars. Viz. tribute subiection, honour, &c. and after by his Apostle, Let euery Soule be subiect to the higher powers, &c. for this cause pay ye tribute also &c. & to the like effect in diuers others places, whereof more in the sequel: Therfore not only to Pilates questiō, but also against the accusations & suggestions of the Iewes & all others, he saith, Audite Iu­daei & Gen­tes, audi cir­cumcisio & praeputium, audite omniae regna terre­na; non im­pedio domi­nationem ve­stram in hoc mundo, regnū enim meum non est de hoe mundo. Aug. in Ioan. Tract. 115. Regnum se Christus ha­bere conce­dit, sed non qui alios ex­pellat. Tol. in 10.18. My Kingdom is not of this world; as if he saide, mine accusers pre­tend loue and true allegiance to Cesar, in haueing greate care of [Page 30]his right, that I should not vsurpe nor disturbe his Kingdō, nor any part of his gouerment, nor did I euer: for my Kingdō is not of this world. The Kingdoms of this world often endamage & endanger one another by worldly polecies, secret practises, & opē hostilities, whereby the greatnes of one Kingdom oftē rises out of the ruins of another; and imbred rebels somtime accheiue theire Soue­raignes throne by clandestine practises, and crafty insinuations; but there were noe such deuices vsed by Christ; he did not as Absolon, 1. Sam. 15.2.3 who rose early, and stood by the way of the gate, and when he saw any man that had a controuersie to come before the Kinge for iudgment, he called him, and with insinuating speeches inueighed against the gouernment, and wished himselfe a Iudge to helpe them, but on the contrarie, when one came to Christ, saying, Maister cause my Brother to diuide the inheritance; he answered, Who made me a Iudge or a diuider? so far was he from seeking any worldly gouernment. Luk. 22.24. Neither did his doctrine allow, but ex­presly forbid it in his Disciples. For when there was a strife among them, which of them should be gratest, He saide, the Kings of the Gen­tiles excercise Lordship ouer them, and they that exercise authority ouer them are called Benefactors; But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is cheife, as he that doth serue. 1. Pet. 5.3. Where whatsoeuer the Papists say to the contrarie, he would haue among them noe supremacie or dominion as Lords one ouer another, like as in the Kingdoms of this World; but he that was greatest among them by reason of his age, or beeing first called, which is all the greatnes or Prioritie Christ would here acknowledge, he should be as the younger, that did serue in some kinde. Rightly therefore doth he say against the sugge­stions of his Accusers, my Kingdom is not of this world: thereby shewing that his Kingdom hath noe worldly or pompeous do­minion, & so doth nothing hinder nor hurt Caesars; as euen Pilate himselfe foūd & testified, whē after examinatiō had of the matter, He went out vnto the Iewes, Io [...]. 18.38.and saith vnto thē, I finde in him noe fault at all. Chap. 19.12. Which thinge he affirmed twise or thrise; yet for all this his aduersaries enuying, & hating his doctrine and fame. Cry out, saying; If thou let this man goe, thou art not Cesars freind: whosoeuer maketh himselfe a King speaketh against Caesar. As if they saide Cesar is King here: In this land, wee haue noe Kinge but Caesar. He there­fore that makes himselfe a Kinge here, speakes against the [Page 31]right and prerogatiue of Cesar, whose Kingdom can not be in safety while this man is suffered to preach: his doctrine draweth them to the obedience of another King, and it standeth not with the safety, and polecie of a Kingdom to suffer it: for when Pilate saide, he found not that fault in him; Luk. 23.5. this is all the proose they bringe of peruerting the Nation, saying, He stirreth vp the people, teaching thorowout all Iury. His teaching is that which they will needes account dangerous.

This is that which they and other obstinate enemies of the Truth did euer pretend, that the Kingdom of God, Iewes account Christs prea­ching dange­rous to the Nation. viz. the prea­ching of the Word disturbeth and hindreth the peace of King­doms and endangereth theire beeing, at least theire well beeing.

First because they wilfully perswade themselues that the Neighbouring Kingdoms, which are of contrarie religions will the sooner inuade and spoile them.

Secondly because they also will needes be perswaded that the daily preaching of the Word makes the hearers stout & stuborne against theire Kings and Gouernours.

For the first, They say that it would cause an inuation. this was the wilfull opinion of the cheise Preists and Pharises, that if Christs doctrine were suffered to be preached and followed, the heathen who were otherwise affected would inuade and ruin them: therefore vpon report of that greate my­racle of raising Lazarus, they say, What doe we? for this man doth many miracles. If wee let him thus alone, all men will beleeue on him, Ioh. 11.42.and the Romans shall come, and take away both our place and nation: therefore die he must. What doe we? as if they saide, what sluggish Gouernours are wee? how dull, how sleepie? how negligent in our offices? how careles of our countries safety? how improuident in preuenting foraigne inuasion, that wee suffer this doctrine to carrie so many away after it, to incense the Romans that worship other Gods, and that are so zealous of theire honour, that they brooke not to see any more honoured then theire owne idols, and that if a few follow him, it must needes vexe them, but if wee let him thus alone, thus to worke myracles for confirmation of his Doctrine, all men will beleeue in him, it can not be auoided; and then the greate and iuuincible nation, the most puislant Ro­mans, must of necessitie be much more ptouoked to Ielousie, en­uie and wrath, and consequently to take away both our place and nation: Our place, that is where our God is somwhat worship­ped [Page 32]in sacrifices &c. This is somwhat, and better this then none at all; if wee goe any further, to suffer a deale of preaching of a new law and Kingdom; that is further from the heathen reli­gion, and soe wee may anger them more and loose all; seeing in policie to please them, wee should rather come neerer them, at least in things indifferent.

Therefore also when Paul preached at Thessalonica, Act. 17.5.The Iewes which beleeued not moued with enuie gathered a Company, and set all the citie on an vprore, and drew out Iason and certaine brethren vnto the rulers of the citie, crying, Theese that haue turned the World vpside downe are come hither also: and theese all doe contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another King one Iesus. Whence wee may see that though they knew, that Iesus had longe before left this life, yet they wilfully infer that his followers contest to haue him to be another Kinge besides or against Caesar, Iewes say that preaching di­sturbeth Cae­sars Kingdom. and that this King­dom, in the preaching of the Word, turned the World vpside downe, and soe disturbed, dishonoured and endangered Caesars King­dom. And this the high Preist and Elders say of saint Paul, We haue found this man a pestilent fellow, Act. 24.5. And mo [...]eth sedition.and a mouer of sedition amonge all the Iewes throughout the World, and a ringleader &c. That is by preaching Iesus Christ, and obedience due to him; as if they saide, this doctrine maketh them stuborne and seditious against C [...]sar, and his ministers. This or the like hath beene and euer was the wilfull assertion of all enemies of the truth, whether Infidels or Papists and other hereticks, and prophane scoffers of preaching and hearing: but against this out Sauiour saith, my Kingdom is not of this World, and consequently hurteth not the tranquilitie of temporall Kingdoms, but rather makes them floorish and excell in Iustice and honour, as the experience of all ages hath openly shewen in the sight of all traducers of the Word preached.

And first that the same doth not make nations of a contrarie religion the more ready to inuade them: Preaching of the Gospel doth not cause inua [...]ions. or if it doe, the more the true preaching of Gods Word is maintained by a Prince in any Kingdom, the more doth God defend that Kinge and King­dom from inuasion and ruin, and to the honour thereof turne the destruction vpon his and theire inuaders and enemies. Dauid was a greate louer and maintainer of the teaching of Gods Word, also of prayer, reading, & holy conference: for theese haue theire due [Page 33]and how exceedingly did his Kingdom florish, and he prosper, and preuaile against the enemies thereof? 2. Chro. 1 [...]2. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord, He tooke away the Altars of the strange Gods, and the high places, and brake downe the Images. And cōmanded Iudah to seeke the Lord, & to doe the law, & the com­mandemēt. And the Kingdō was quiet before him. Marke here quiet, & free frō sedition: And whē Zerah the Ethiopian came out against him with a thousand thousand and three hundred charets. Asa cried vnto the Lord, and he smote the Ethiopians before Asa and Iudah. So that the Prophet saide to them, Chap. 15.2. Chap. 16.2.7. The Lord is with you while you be with him. But if ye forsake him he will forsake you; as this Asa found, when after leauing to trust in God, he sought to the Kinge of Syria and relied on him, Chap. 17.3.4.6.7.8.The Lord was with Iehoshaphat because he walked in the first waies of his Father Dauid, & sought not to Balaam, but to the Lord, and Walked in his comandements and tooke away the high places, and sent diuers preists and others; who tooke the booke of the law of the Lord with them, Vers. 5.10.and went aboute throughout all the cities of Iudah and taught the people. Therefore the Lord stablished the Kingdom in his band, and all Iudah brought to Iehoshaphat presents, & he had riches and honour in abundance. And the feare of the Lord fell vpon all the Kingdoms of the lands that were round about Iudah, so that they made no war against Iehoshaphat: but some of the Philis­tines and Arabians brought him presents, and he waxed exceeding greate: behold here ye traducers the fruite of due preaching and teaching. Hezekiah also did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, Chap. 31.20: 21. Chap. 32. Chap. 34. wrought greate reformation amonge the Preists and peo­ple, to seeke God; wherefore he prospered, and God deliuered him and his from the greate Host of Senacherib. Iosiah also pur­ged Iudah and Ierusalem from the high places, renued the couenant betweene God and the people, and caused the booke of the Law to be read and obserued; Wherefore it was saide to him, thou shalt be ga­thered to thy graue in peace, and that euill should not come vpon the citie in his dayes. The Emperour Constantine, notwithstan­ding that in a manner all his Predecessors were Pagans, most of them persecutors, Maxentius and Licinius sharers with him in the Empire, heathen Tirants, persecutors, and his enemies: and though (besides an infinitie companie of heathen people) almost the whole Senate of Rome were of the heathen faction, and so [Page 34]continued after him; yet did he embrace the Christian Religion, fight for it, seeke to propogate it, called a generall Councell to repres the Arrian heresie, afther the councell caused the bookes of the Arrians to be burned, and greatly loued and furthered the preaching of the Gospell, and all the truest Professors thereof; and how exceedingly did God defend him from his mightiest ene­mies, and bringe them into his subiection? In so much that some haue thought, that that which is spoken in the Reuelation of a man child, Reu. 12. which the Church should bringe foorth, that should rule all Nations with a rod of yron, was fulfilled in him. But to come neerer our owne times. Popish errour and superstition had great­ly corrupted the Christian Religion and doctrine in many parts thereof, whē God raised vp in France, Waldo a meane mā, who yet studdying the Scriptures, discouered many of theire errours and abuses, and had many followers; who were mightely & miraca­lously preserued for a longe time; and though in the ende they were vanquished by the Beast, that for a time should warre with the Saints & ouercome them: Reu. 13.7. yet because the Scriptures shew, that the Beasts Kingdom must also goe to wrack; God at last rai­sed vp against it Luther, a Meane Monke, a priuate Doctor, who notwithstanding that he & his Protectour the Duke of Saxonie, were exceedingly opposed and persecuted by the Pope, the Em­perour, and other mightie aduersaries; yet were they deliuered and wonderfully prospered and preuailed. The like might be shewed of diuers other Princes of Germanie, who in mans sight were but weake in respect of theire aduersaries, and yet maintai­ning the preaching of the Gospel, and the expulsion of Poperie were maruelously defended, and prospered. King Edward the Sixth expelled Poperie out of his Kingdom, maintained & fur­thered the preaching of the Gospel, and though he were but a child, how yet did God blesse and defend him from his mightiest enemies? Queene Marie leauing the Kingdom Popish; Queene Elizabeth againe excluded Poperie, See the thank­full Remem­brance. commanded the preaching of the Gospel & punishment of Popish Preists for theire seditious intrusion; and yet though she were but a Woman, and found the Kingdom in weake estate, and had at her entrance greate aduer­saries, as the Pope, Spanie, France, yea & Scotland also; besides dis­contented Popelings and Rebels in her owne Kingdoms of Eng­land [Page 35]and Ireland; yet she cleauing to Gods cause, and maintai­ning it with all her heart, was not only miracalously defended from al forraigne enemies and homebred Conspirators, but also acheiued many glorious Victories, and grew a terrour to her mightiest aduersaries; so truly doth God seeke theire Kingdom, that sincerely seeke his, as Dauid did.

And here let noe man obiect the late losses that protestant Princes, Kingdoms & prouinces haue sustained. An obiection of late losses with the Rea­son of them. For if the Word of God had in theese later times beene countenaneed, preached, and furthered with that sinceritie, and zeale of aduancing Christs Kingdom, and receiued with that affection, ioy, reuerence and obedience, and that the Princes of the reformed Churches had all stucke to Gods cause, and to one another, as zealously now, as in those former times, theese damages could not haue befallen them. It is saide of Hezechia that in euery worke, 2. Chro. 31.21that he began in the seruice of the howse of God, and in the law, and in the comman­dements to seeke his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. If then Princes in doeing the things they did, haue not donne them with all theire heart, but coldy, slowly, sparingly, not timely, nor without greate importunitie, and that to stop mens mouthes; If in policie or for wordly ends, they haue conniued at poperie, suffered supplies and materials of warre to goe to theire aduersaries in religion, thought they might soe far permit helpe to both sides; 2 Chro. 26.2.7. or with Asa haue sought and made lauges with the aduersaries of religion, and relied on them; noe maiuaile if theire defensiue wars at home, and theire vndertakings abroade haue not succeeded well, which otherwise must needes haue prospered. For if Princes that are men be somtime true, and firme to those theire confederates of the same religion, that mutually seeke the good of each others Kingdom; how much more, must God needes be alwaies sure to those that sincerely seeke his Kingdom? seeing he is Iustice it selfe, and Truth it selfe, yea al­mightie & therefore of power to doe more for such as cleaue to his cause, then Kings can for those that adhere to them. Vor [...]. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Eareh, toshew himselfe stronge in the behalfe of them, whose heart is perfit towards him. Thus then the due preaching of the Word, doth not make the enemies thereof inuade the Nation that hath the same in [Page 36]esteeme, or if it doe, God turnes the shame & losse vpon the In­uadors thereof, to the greater honour of such as stick to his cause sincerely, and with true zeale, as in England in the yeare 1588.

Indeede true it is, Maintenance or sufferance of Heresies causeth sedi­tions and in­uasions. that whē Rulers hinder God in his ordinan­ces, by suffering the preaching and maintenance of errours, as that is plainly repugnant to Christs Kingdom, to the raigne of the Word reuealed; so hath it much infested and disturbed the peace of all such Kingdoms as haue permitted it. I might instance in the Iewes, Ioh. 11.48. who beeing in polecie hinderers of the Word, and suffering and maintaining the opposers of Christs doctrine, came the sooner to destruction. Howsoeuer this did the Arrian Heresie in the times of the Emperours Constantius, Constans and Valens; A short time sufficeth not to recount the troubles, seditions, wars, losses and bloodshed that followed therevpon, mentioned by Vincentius Lerinensis Nee enim tantū affini­tates, cogna­tiones, amici­tiae, domus, verum etiam vrbes, populi, prouinciae, na­tiones, vni­uersum pos­tremò Roma­num Imperiū funditus con­cussum & emotum est. Vin. cont. Haer. cap. 6.1. King. 4.24. &c. Chap. 11.4.9.14. Chap. 12.15., as an example of Gods iudgments fol­lowing the Suffererers and Supporters of errour. And that not only intestine amonge themselues: but indeed the Emperours and Rulers permitting such errours, and the ambitious rising of the Popish Primacie, together with the intrusion of his authori­ty and heathenish superstition, who now began to make the Word of God of none effect, with his pretended power & traditions, God in iustice suffered and sent the Gothes & Vandals, and other heathen Nations to inuade and spoile the Empire and Churches of Christendom: according to that which he did to the howse of Salomon, who while he walked in the wayes of Dauid his father had peace, prospered and grew rich and mightie, but when his Wiues turned away his heart after other Gods, the Lord was angrie with him, and stirred vp Aduersaries vnto Salomō, Hadad the Edomite & Rezon, who did him & his Kingdō much harme; also Ieroboam the Sonne of Nebat; and finally rent tenne Tribes from Rehoboam his Sonne: who hearkened not vnto the people: for the cause was from the Lord: who vsed this his austere answere as a meanes to pu­nish his and his fathers idollatrie. Euen as also in the time of the Iudges, Iud. 3.7.8. when the children of Israell did euill in the sight of the Lord; forgate the Lord theire God, and serued Baalim, and other Idols, it is saide, Vers. 12. Chap. 4.2. Therefore the Lord sold them into the hands of theire ene­mies: The Lord strengthened Eglon the King of Moab against Israel. The Lord sold them into the hand of Iabin.Chap. 6.1.The Lord deliuered them [Page 37]into the hand of Midian. Againe, Chap. 10.7. Againe, He sold them into the hands of the Philistines, &c. Errours are in effect idols. Heb. 13.8.

And let noe man say here, that the maintenance or sufferance of Heresie is a lesse sinne in Princes, then the maintenance or suf­ferance of Idols. For Christ is the eternall and vnchangeable Word of God: Iesus Christ yesterday and to day, the same also for euer. Whosoeuer therefore setteth vp any new, or contrarie word against the Word of his grace, he setteth vp an idoll to be of men beleeued and reuerenced: The errours of Hereticks are strange Gods, as Qui sunt D [...]j alteni, nisier­rores extra­nei, quos ig­norabas, id est noui & in­auditi? Vine. Lerien. aduer. haeres. cap. 15 Photinus cre­ditā sibi ple­bem Dei per­suadere coepit, vt sequeretur Deos alienos, id est, errores extraneos, grauiter dis­putaret ac scriberet. Idem cap. 16. Vincentius Lirenenses sheweth. And therefore when Saint Iohn, who affirmeth Christ to be the Word, had saide of the Father, 1. Ioh. 5. Wee are in him that is true in his Sonne Iesus Christ (that is true in his Word.) This (viz. this Word, this Sonne) is very God and eternall life; he addeth, Babes keepe youre selues from Idols. Viz. from all idols, as well errours as others. For while he saith of the Word, which was in the beginning, this is verry God; it followeth that whosoeuer sets vp a new and contrarie word, sets vp an Idoll or false God, and is therein an Antichrist: for therefore he saith of Cerinthus, Ebion and other Hereticks, and Deceiuers that brought in a new and contrarie word, (Chap. 2.) euen now are many Antichrists: such as would not haue the reuealed Word of God to rule in some matters of faith and saluation, but therein giue the Kingdom to the idols of theire owne braine, as all Hereticks doe.

And here because Iuxta Apo­stolicam com­minationem [...]elagiano illi prouenisse cer­nimusluliano. Idem cap. 40. Iulian was a Pelagian, take an example in the Pelagians; who affirmed, that Ex Aug. de nupt. Homo nō na [...]tur cum originali pec­cato: peccatū originis nō est peccatū: quiae non est volun tarium. Originall sinne is nothing, and doth not make men guiltie of death. Contrarie to that Rom. 5.12. By one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne, and so death passed vpon all men, for that all haue sinned. And vers. 16. The iudgement was by one to condemnation. Vers. 19. By one mans disobe­dience many were made sinners.

Also for the free Will of an vnregenerate man to conuersion: They affirmed Epi. Hila. ad Aug. Arb [...]riū ad hoc liberū asserūt, vt ve­lit, vel nolit admittere medecinam Eph. 1.19. [...]. the will to be so free, that it can of it owne accord admit or refuse cure: and so that those that haue sinned may by the power of nature repens without inward grace from the Spirit. Contrarie to that Ephes. 2. Ye were dead in trespasses and sinnes. Ioh. 5.25. The dead shall beare the voice of the Sonne of God, Nō quia v. [...] vunt audiunt, sed audiendo reuiscunt. Aug. in 10. t. 19and they that heare shall liue. Beeing borne againe not of corruptible seede, but of incorruptible, by the [Page 38]Word: not of blood &c. Which places shew that an vnregenerate man hath noe more power actiuely and of it owne accord to ad­mit or refuse the regenerating power of Gods Word and Spirit, then a dead body hath to raise it selfe: Ioh. 1.9.13. which might be shewed in the conuersiō of Paul; Indeede there is a passiue power in the elect, who by God are made as fit to receiue illumination & regenera­tion by the Word, as a kandle vnlighted is to receiue light by ano­ther; which power is not in blocks and stones: but the kandle that is neere the light, doth not light it selfe; noe more is man lighted, but by the Word, the true light that lighteth euery man that commeth into the world. Which are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Therefore the Apostle saith, Eph. 2.3. to 10. Ier. 31.33. Ioh. 15.6. Rom. 5.5. Philip. 2. that the exceeding greatnes of his power to vs-ward who beleeue, is according to the greatnes of his power, which he wrought in Christ, when he rai­sed him from the dead: that it is of his grace and gift. God saith. I will put my Law in theire inward parts &c. I will giue you a new heart, and a new spirit. Christ saith, Without me ye can doe nothing. The loue of God is shed abroade in our hearts by the holy Ghost. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure.

Also touching the signification of the word grace, They affir­med, Ex Aug. Epi. 105. gratiam illam, quam volebat I'ela­gius sine vllis praecedentibus meritis dari, esse humanā naturā in qu [...] conditi su­mus &c. By grace is meant nature indued with reason and will; con­trarie to that Ephes. 2. By grace ye are saued through faith, and that not of youre selues, it is the gift of God. Also touching the cause of the increase of grace, They affirmed Ex concilio Diospolitano, Gratiam Dei secundum ho­minū meritae dari. & Aug. de bono per­seuer. Cap. 2. that by the workes of nature man promeriteth (or gaineth) the aide of grace. Contrarie to that Ro. 9.16. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercie. And 1. Cor. 1.7. Who maketh thee to differ frō another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receiue? And thus also they made foreseene faith and good workes to be the Ex Hilar. Epist. Praede­stinationem ad id valere contēdunt, vt eos Praedesti­nauerit, vel praesciuerit vel eligere proposuerit, qui fuerant Credituri. Ex Prosperi Epis. ad Aug. Eos Praedestinasse in Regnum suum, quos gratis vocatos diguos futu­ros electione, & de hac vitae bono fine ex­cessours esse praeuiderat. causes of praedestinatiō. Contrarie to the Scriptures, which shew faith and good works to be fruits of election, and of his free grace in elec­ting vs to be ingrafted into Christ the true vine, in whome wee beare fruite. Ioh. 15. Eph. 4.5.6. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world (not that wee were, but) that wee should be holy and vnblamable before him in loue, &c. 2. Tim. 1.9. He hath saued vs & called vs with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace, which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world began. Rom. 9.11. to 20. The children [Page 39]beeing not yet borne, neither haueing donne any good or euill, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth &c.

Thus then they presumpteoufly held (against Gods Word which should rule, against Ephes. 156. the good pleasure of his will, and against the praise of the glorie of his grace) that a man is without originall sinne, at least that it makes him not guiltie of death; that such a man in the state of nature may of his owne free will, either resist Gods conuerting power, or repent and be regenerated, and that without the helpe of Gods grace and Spirit; or if by grace, or at least by helpe thereof, yet by grace in meant nature indued with reason and will; or if it be by aide of Gods grace, yet by the works of nature man promeriteth that aide of grace: and what more is, the works of nature, viz. the well vsing of free will and na­turall power is the cause of Predestination; and soe in effect of redemption, of vocation, iustification, glorification & all: which theire grosse errours (beeing also followed and mantained by the Arminians of our times, as the Pelagius re­diuiuus: Pa­rallelismus. With the se­cond Parallel. Parallel proueth) doe take the Kingdom, honour and power from the Word of God, from grace which should raigne, Rom. 5.21. and giue it to nature and the foreseene works thereof, yea all the honour and power of election, conuersion and saluation from God, and his free grace and Power in Christ, and giue it to nature and the works thereof.

Thus while they presume to make to God a minde & word out of theire owne, noe maruaile if they, to theese errours, adde others as presumptuous against the perseuerance of the Saints, and cer­tainty of saluation. For how should they beleeue perseuerance, that giue so much, and euen perseuerance it selfe, where it is, to fraile nature? Men that are called into the grace of Christ, Gal. 1.6. Men that stand by grace (Rom. 5.2.) and that are Rom. 6.14. Gal. 5.4. Reu. 9.1. Isai. 14.13.14not vnder the Law, but vn­der grace, will easely beleeue, that they that thus highly exalt nature are fallen from grace: Euen as the Starre is saide to fall from heauen, who would exalt his throne aboue the Starres, and be like the most high; that would be vniuersall Bishop, vsurpe Christs place, and take the Kingdom, the power and the glorie from the Father and his Word, and giue it to himselfe and his traditions and er­rours of free will, merrits, satisfactions &c. And how then should they but fall away and doubt of the certainty of saluation, who [Page 40]build vpon such rotten foundations of theire owne? the Saints may be more certaine: for theire perseuerance and assurance is built vpon a surer Word: and not on such Pelagian and Popish dreames & nouelties, which indeed are doctrines of this World and Antichristian, not the Word of that Kingdom, which is not of this World; Ioh. 8.44. but errours comming from the Father of lies, doctrines of deuils, and so meere Idols: cleane contrarie, ye see, and opposit to the whole purpose and scoape of Gods truth and new couenant of grace reuealed in the Gospel, as might be shewed more at large, if many others had not alreadie donne it.

The Pelagians therefore and Demipelagians, Papists, Armi­nians and others of that stampe, who thus bringe doctrines con­trarie to the Word of grace, Act. 13.8.10. as with Elimas the sorcerer they turne away Princes and Magistrates from the faith, and are therein chil­dren of the deuill, and enemies of all righteousnes, peruerting the right waies of God; soe doe they not lesse then set vp Idols, other words to rule mens soules, and to be reuerenced, beleeued & followed, and consequently draw the iudgments of God on that Kingdom or nation whereinto they intrude thē, and are therein noe better then seditious preachers in Christs Kingdom, mouers of rebellion and apostacie against Christ, if not traitors to those Princes also, whome they perswade to receiue them, to the extreme danger and hazard of theire Kingdoms: (as Bishop Carlton also proueth pag. 214. against the Appealer) because God almightie, that is euer iust, must needes doe to them, if they doe not repent and amend, as he did to those Emperours and Kings, that suffered theese and the like errours in Saint Augustines dayes, when the Gothes and Vandals ouerran all: and as before that he had donne to Salomon and others in like case: 1. King. 12.27.28. and namely to Ieroboam, who when he and his councell in polecie to preserue his owne King­dom brought in some new doctrine and worship, set vp Idols, stretched out his hand against the prophet, Chap. 13.33.34. Chap. 16.2.3.made preists of the lowest of the people, and ordained high places, the text saith, This thinge be­came sinne vnto the howse of Ieroboam, euen to cut it off, and to destroy it from of the face of the earth. Soe was it with Baasha and others. And seing the Apostle saith, let noe mā deceiue you with vaine words; for because of theese things commeth the wrath of God; Ephes. 5.6. so must it needes be in the Christian Church with them that maintaine or [Page 41]suffer errou [...]s: for therfore Christs saith to the Church of Thya­tira, which suffered the woman Iezabel to teach and to seduce his ser­nants: Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultry with her into greate tribulation, except they repent of theire deedes. And I will kill her children with death, &c. Thus therefore must it needes fall out with those Churches and states that suffer the Bomish su­perstition and lawes or other heresies to be taught in theire do­minions, much more if they maintaine them, and soe cōmit for­nication with that whore, or any other hereticall teachers. And this as I saide haue those Emperors, Kings and Princes found, that haue either receiued (whether in polecie or otherwise) the er­rours of Heriticks, or the Antichristian doctrine of Rome; as for suffering of heresies was instanced in some Emperours, and might be in many others. Now for poperie, it would be to longe to re­cite the examples of Gods iudgments that fell vpon those Em­perours, Kings and Princes, or on theire issue and Kingdoms in Germanie, England, France, Spaine and other parts, who subiected themselues o [...] theire people and Kingdoms to the Popes Supre­macie, and to his superstitions lawes, rites and errours, or tempo­rised with him in some of them: therefore omitting the most, obserue only theese few.

The Easterne Emperours, Iudgments that fell on tempo­risors in reli­gion. Iustinian and after him Phocas in po­lecie the better, to recouer and keepe Italie, did the Popes much honour, and greatly furthered theire supremacie, who soone af­ter (by Gods iust iudgment) in requitall setting themselues against the Emperours theire successors in the cause of Images made the greatest part of Italie reuolt from the Emperours obe­dience. After this the Emperour Constantine 7. and his mother Irene to get the Popes fouour, and thereby to recouer some parts of the western Empire, or keepe those they had from reuolting, summon a second councell at Nice; and there with stronge hand, they get the worshipping of Images established: which tempo­rising God soe cursed, that within twelue yeares after, God suf­fered the more full reu [...]lt and the Pope to crowne Charles the greate Emperour of the W [...]st.

The Emperours of Greece had longe held warre with the Turkes: at last leauing to trust in God, and relying on humane polecie, to get the Popes fauour, and by his meanes the aide of [Page 42]Christian Princes, the Emperour Iohn Paleologus brings the Ea­sterne Bishops to reconcile in all differences the Greeke Church to the Lat [...]: Concil. Flo [...]. anno 1439. and there in the councell of Florence, he gets them (besides other articles) to agree that the soules of the faithfull that haue not yet satisfied for their sinnes goe to purgatorie: that the Pope of Rome is head of the vniuersall Church &c. The fruite of this earthly wisdom was this, God suffered not the Pope to stirre vp Princes to rescue him, but the Emperour to be wholly left, and Constantinople yea the Empire to be lost within 14 yeares after that councell.

The french King Henrie 4. a professed Protestant, prosecuted by the leaguers, that he might posesse life and Kingdom in peace went to masse, and let in the Ies [...]ts: the issue was, God lest him, and suffered him to die by a Iesuited Vilaine; soe dangerous is temporising and newtralie in matters of religion. And thus Bar­neueile & others letting in Arminiaisme in the low countries, the States suffering it a while, seditions arose, whereby they had like to haue lost those prouinces, and so had, if by wisdom and valour that traitour & his complices had not beene sodainly subiected, a Synod assemb [...]ed, and some of the Arminians banished: since when they haue had some better successe; which might be a war­ning to England now infested with that pernicious Sect.

Thus then it is not the preaching of Gods Truth, but the main­tenance or sufferance of errours that hurteth and endangereth temporall Kingdoms. If Princes will not suffer the Lord to come into theire Kingdome and fight against such hereticks with the Spirit of his mouth: that is, if they suffer not his Ministers and Ser­uants with the Weapens of theire warfare, 2. Cor. 10.to cast downe theese stronge holds, and high things exalted against the knowledge of God▪ but for­bid or hinder then, then they may feare the iudgments written; because this is to breake his bands asunder, and cast his cords from them, Heb. 10. and indeede to tread vnder foote the Sonne of God (who is the Word) and doe despite vnto the Spirit of grace. And how then can God vphold theire Kingdom, that doe not indeauour to vphold his? or which doe not suffer those that would, but rather hinder them? Psa. 2. Be wise now therefore, saith he, ô ye Kings &c. serue the Lord with feare and trembling: Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie: and they had neede so to doe: Hos 13.1. for when Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted [Page 43]himselfe in Israel, but, when he offended in Baal, he died: God turned his blessings into punishments, his victories into losses, his glorie into shame.

Now then as to the second inference which the Iewes make here before Pilate, Preaching of Gods Worde doth not mak [...] hearers stub­borne and se­ditious. and Heriticks and prophane persons haue made at all times, and in all Kingdoms where the Gospell hath beene freely preached: viz. that the daily preaching of the Wo [...]d reuealed in the New Testament, and the maintenance of the Truth there manifested, maketh the hea [...]ers stout, and stub­borne, if not contentious, hereticall and sed [...]tious against theire Kings and Gouernours: I answer, that as it was in the Iewes, so is it in all others a meere slander, a wilfull cauill and calumnie, a Mache [...]illian trick of those who loue not the Light of Gods Word, and whose deedes and practises, discouered thereby, Ioh. 3. will not stand with it. When the Kingdom of God so comes into any Kingdom of this World, that the preaching of the Wo [...]d is cour­tenanced, and in all points receiued, it makes the same so happy both to Prince and people, that the one will not oppresse, nor the other rebell, though they be oppressed. Here let them not tell vs of the Waldenses and others in France or Bohemia; who, rather then they would be compelled to idollatrie, or butchered and murthered, tooke vp defensiue armes for theire liues, like the Iewes vnder An ioch [...] Epiphanes, of whoms is saide, Dan. 11.32. The people that doe know theire God shall be stronge and doe exploicts. For noe Nation or commonwealth so peaceable & obedient to Princes, as that wherein the Word is duly preached and raigneth: God giueth this blessing to the preaching of his Word, that in the Kingdoms where it is receiued and contenanced, the same is a bridle holding the heart, a rod awing the conscience, making men suffer much rather then be rebellious: witnes this Kingdom of England, how free hath it beene from theese euills for theese 70. yeares, wherein the Gospell hath beene preached and main­tained?

Whereas before in the time of Poperie, Where errours are maintained, there rebellions haue followed. how many dangerous rebellions? what resisting of the higher powers? what killing of Officers and Magistrates? The people ioyne in rebellion with the Sonnes of Henry II. against theire owne Father: diuers also tooke part with the Traitour Becket; a Bishop stouter in the Popes [Page 44]quarrell, then euer any since the falling of poperie hath beene in Christs. The subiects of King Iohn rebell, and many, stand out against him after he was reconciled to the Pope. The Ba [...]on [...] and people for a few taxes and court fauories rebell against Henrie 3. in a longe and bloodie warre. Also vnder Edward [...]. the barons and people rose against his fauorit Ga [...]eston, cut of his head, and held longe warres with the King for fauouring the Spencers; at last Mortimer and the Queene are aided to depose him. For a subsidie granted in Parliament to Richard 2. Iohn Or B [...]l.wall a Preist easely caused that greate and dangerous rebellion of wat Tiler and his companions, whome mulitudes of ignorant people follo­wed; after diuers armies are leauied by subiects against the King and his fauorits; at last the people revolt and he is deposed and murdered. Owen Glender and others rebell against Henrie 4. Iacke Cade and others raised diuers stout rebellions against Henrie 6. The Yorkshire men and diuers others for small causes rebell against Edward 4. After his Brother Richard practiseth, murdereth and vsurpeth, but not without helpe. Lord Louell and others raise rebellion in the North against Henrie 7. Lambert causeth another rebellion. A taxe imposed by Parliament causeth another rebel­lion in the worth. After another small Parliamentarie taxe causeth the Cornish men rebell, and come with power as far as Kent. After others ioine with Perkin Warbeck. Vnder Henrie 8. besides euill may day, the lincoln shire men rebell, and after them the northern men more then once.

And yet you may finde it to haue beene formerly, and in this later age also, much worse in other countries where poperie hath raigned, or doth still raigne. Soe also was it lately amonge the Turkes, who for small greiuances haue deposed theire Em­perours Killed Osmond and his cheife officers; soe vnbridled and vnstable are all forts of people that are not guided by the Word of God. And that also appeared by the most famous common wealths that euer were in the world, as the auncient Lacedemo­nians, Romans, Carthaginians and others, who wanting this bridle, all the wisdom; power and lawes of all theire greatest Princes, Senators and Philosophers, sufficed not to keepe the people in obedience, but vpon euery light occasion they haue rebelled, reuiled, and killed theire Gouernours, and filled theire cheife cities with harliburlies, mutinies, rapins, murders & alterations. The Popes of Rome themselues after they began to keepe the [Page 45]people in ignorance, and to make the Word of God of none effect with theire traditions, Anastatius in Vigilio. haue no [...] beene free from theire outrages and insolercies, as wee may see in the liues of V [...]g [...]lius, Leo the third, Zonar. to 3. pag 79. Iohn the fourtenth▪ Gregory the fift, & many others: and indeede, seeing they would not let them know the things, [...]hat belonged to theire peace, how could it be otherwise.

Whereas here in England vnder the Gospell, Gods Word makes the hea­ters luffer and be peaceable. notwithstanding all those greiuances, whereof the commons haue of late yeares complained soe much in Parliaments, and now this last summer in theire remonstrance of diuers leuies, and other things against theire priueleidges, the lawes, liberties and religion established; of the increase of poperie, the freinds that Papist. & Arminians haue had in court, and the carriage of many things at home and abroade by the late Duke and his faction, to the greate los [...]e and dishonour of this Kingdom and aduantage of the aduersaries: yet blessed be God, and to the honour of his Word preached, it may be spoken, noe man euer saw a sword drawen to remedie theese things; but the commons and diuers of the Lords, haue still sought redresse by humble petition, and not as in time of po­perie, or as the Iesuits hoped and practised, who loue to fish in troubled streames. The Duke and others of his partie, that for the most part defeated & preuented the howse with whisperings, and were soe greate freinds to Arminiaisme and poperie, knew that the Gospell awed Protestants, and kept them from armes & reuenge; and that they could not haue escaped with soe many in­iuries donne to any other religion whatsoeuer: soe vnkinde in the meane while were theese detractours to that religion, by which cheifely vnder God they haue held theire liues & honours, without the least violence offered by such as groaned vnder thē.

And whereas of late there hath beene some vnrulines in Sal­lours and Souldiers; If men consider that the remonstrance de­clareth the increase of poperie and Arminiaisme, the fauour that those of theese religions haue found of courtiers, as wel of Bishops as others; that Schollars finde the latter the way to preferment; that orthodoxe preachers (though conformable in rites formerly commaunded) are not preferred, but rather molested & opposed; lectures & bookes against theese aduersaries prohibited, or hin­dred thē they will cōfesse, that this vnrulines of Saylours & others comes rather from hence, that the preaching of Gods Truth, [Page 46]which restraineth all sorts of people, is not so much countenan­ced now, as formerlie, but insteade thereof contrarie doctrines finde the fauour. The true knowledge and worship of God, beeing failed in the dayes of Salomon & Rehoboam, then the people began to waxe stoute, to mutinie and reuolt.

The preaching, manifestation and knowledge of Gods Word are the Psal. 2.3. cords and bands of Christ, which hould & restraine men; so that theese things, when they are countenanced, preuent such mutinies, and sau [...] Magistrates much labour in gouernment. The knowledge of Christ who is our wisdom, maketh Soli qui ejus doctrina imbu­ti sunt pruden­tes dicendi sunt Bern. de ordi. vit. Psal. 18. Psal. 66.7. Psal. 76.10.12. men wise. They are easely ruled by a few, whome God ruleth: It is God that subdueth the people vnder me, saith Dauid: and it is hard to gouerne them by many and wise whom the Lord doth not gouerne & restraine, who ruleth by his power for euer, euen the rebellious; who restraineth wrath, stilleth the raging of the Sea, and the madnes of the people. Psal. 127.1.Except the Lord build the howse, they labour in vaine that are builders of it. Except the Lord keepe the Citie the watch­man waketh but in vaine. For if they heare not Moses and the Pro­phets, nor Christ and his Apostles, neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead. Heb. 4.For the Word of God is mightie in ope­ration &c.2. Co. 10.5. Rom. 1.Bringing into captinitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ: and consequently to the higher powers, to whom he hath commaunded euery Soule to be subiect, as to the powers ordained of God. And that in euery ordinance that doth not resist [...]he Word, or the manifestation thereof: Act. 4.19. but if they doe, then whether it be right to hearken vnto you more then vnto God, iudge ye.

If any say, that preaching and writing aboute Predestination, Free will, perseuerance and the like, cause discord and trouble: I answer there may be a time, when men may be to buisie and cu­rious in disputing and writing on such points, that is, when in them the Church is at rest in the Truth But if Pelagians haue per­uerted the truth in those points, and infected people with the poisen of theire doctrines, then it is noe time to forbid prea­ching, or writing against them. 1. Because Pelagian & Arminian Prelates may presse such decrees with all power to suppresse Or­thodoxe labours in that kinde, and sparing theire owne mens works at pleasure, may preuaile thereby; and this were not to worke a right peace and vnion. 2. Because the Truth of God [Page 47]must be vindicated, least as a worthy Bishop inferred, Bishop Carlton Examinat. of the appeale. pag. 126. the infection should spread further, the greah mysteries of our salvation should be shakē, & by giueing libertie to theese beginings, a more generall apos­tacie should follow, & that as much in other points, as in theese. 3. Luk. 19.41. And principally because Christ with teares sayde to Ierusalem of the mysteries he taught, that they were the things that belonged to her peace, wishes that she had therefore knowne, and receiued thē, because he knew they would worke peace, and that when they were hid from her eyes, sedition and ruin must needes follow; and soe they did, as ye may see in the Acts, Iosephus and others. Act. 21.29.30. Besides as the faithfull Bishop proueth, they are the Appealers doctrines, B. Carlton in Exam. p. 214. if not confuted that endanger the State, though he say they are not ap [...]ae natae to breede dangers: like a desperate man that sets a howse on fire, and sayes there is noe danger. ‘The ignorance of Gods Word, and Truth therein contained, soe deepely concer uing Gods glory, is able not only to breede danger, but to cause destructions of Curches and States. The Prophet complaineth that the people of the Iewes were destroud, and led into Captiuity for want of knowledge. Then the want of knowledge of God, and of the holy doctrines of Gods Word, is a thinge aptanata to throuw States and Kingdoms into destruction.’ And the true knowledge thereof is a thinge apta nata to keepe States and people from de­struction. To preuent such ruins and the cause of them, apostacie from God, he saith, I desired the knowledge of God: But they like men haue transgressed the couenāt: there they haue dealt trecherously against me. Hos. 6.6. hindring knowledge & peruerting his truth which beeing knowne maketh men free from feruing sinne. Ioh. 8.32. Character of a Christian. pag. 329. &c.

If therefore any that frequent sermons haue beene seditious, contentious, hereticall or wicked, let noe man say that the prea­ching of the Gospell is any more the cause of it, then Christs preaching was of Iudas his treason; or the preaching and conuin­cing proofes of the Apostles, of the Simonie of Simon Magus, the diuisions of the Corinthians, the heresies of Himeneus, Philetus, Cer­nithus and Ebion, the worldlines of Demas and insolencie of Dio­trephes: when indeede the due preaching of the Word, and con­uincing of Hereticks by it, are (as ye see by our Sauiours words to Ierusalem,) the best meanes to restraine and amend such dis­orders, and to worke peace.

As therefore it was of old a meere trick and cauill of the Iewes to infer that preaching of the Gospell maketh hearers se­ditious or disobedient and fleeting; soe is it in theese dayes in such as are the fauourers, or flaterers of poperie or Arminiaisme, and theire supporters: Who though they know that Arminianis­me is a meere stirrop to helpe men into the saddle of poperie, that to suffer theese is to prouide the Romish Aduersaries freinds in Court and countrie, to make diuisions in counsaile and action, and soe to make some swaied by conscience giue them intelli­gence and aduantage in all treaties and warres; that theese sects must needes fructifie and increase, if by preaching, writing, dispu­ting, countenance & authoritie they be not the sooner silenced: yet they striue by deuises and calumnies to make Princes dis­countenance the preaching of the Word, and confutation of He­reticks by it, and rather in polecie to temporise with Popish Princes in some points of doctrine, which they are pleased to stile indifferent and reconcileable, or at least disputable, arbitrarie, and fit to procure peace and vnion with the more moderate Pa­pists, if not theire conuersion. Neuer considering, or at least not regarding, 1. Cor 1.30. Vbinam q [...]o vera prudentia nisi in Christi doctrina? Ber­nar. vbi supra. Reu. 2.14. that Papists doe not the like by vs, that it rather makes them more obstinate and proud; that Christ the Truth is wisdom vnto vs; that therefore Christians must not in polecie admit communion with the least errour in faith, much lesse with theese Pelagian Blasphemes; that to call for some yealding and vnion in theese things is Balaams doctrine, to cast a stumbling blocke before people, to make them fall to spirituall fornication: for this is to make way for mens falling to Arminianisme, & soe to poperie; for the increase of theese Sects and theire partie and freinds; and finally that all this is the direct way to prouoke the Lord, who is a iealous God, to visit theese sinnes, wheresoeuer they be; as he hath in all ages donne the like, Ephes. 5.6. to the greate punishment of some Kingdoms, and ruin of others; as was instanced in sundrie exam­ples; and in a Word that such worldly pollecies, can not be of God, nor make for his Kingdom and seruice, who against all theese and the like faith, my Kingdom is not of this World:

If my Kingdom were of this world, Christs proofe.then would my Seruants fight, that I should not be deliuered to he Iewes This is Christs proofe or reason; as if he saide, If my Kingdom were of this world, and as [Page 49]the Iewes pretend, deragatorie or praeiudiall to Caesars by the power thereof; which power in Kingdoms of this World doth commonly consist of strength in subiects: then would mine fight for theire King, in hope of offices or honours, at least of Wordly protection vnder him: but behold they doe not fight for me, as not expecting for theire seruice any such things, but rather Ioh. 16.33. afflic­tion, as I haue taught them: therefore they haue all forsaken me, and are fled from me, the Shepheard is smitten, and the sheepe are scattered; there is not one man stands to me to defend me from the Iewes by sword or Word, that I should not be deliuered to them.

This is somwhat a passionate speech proceeding from the greate discomfort of his Soule, that not one stuck to him: for though it be true that when one that was with him drew his sword, and stroke a seruant of the high Preist, and cut of his eare, he healed him, and checked the smiter: yet the same as well as the rest for­sooke him, and fled or denied him; and that could not choose but greiue him: yea that they did not so much as stay with him to witnesse, speake and contest for his innocencie, and so fight the good fight of faith for him with the sword of the Spirit, 1. Tim. 6.12. 2. Tim. 2.1.3 like good Souldiers of Christ, at least by confessing him in that day of his sorrow and bitter Passion, when he was so extremely reuiled and slandered: but on the contrary one denies him, all forsake him: this was a greate greife: though he had donne noe violence, Isa. 53.9.10.neither was any deceite in his mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to greife: & namely to this greife of beeing forsaken of all them to whome he had beene so loueing and gracious; and for whom he was now ready to lay downe his life, to free them from the bondage of sinne and Satan, from the wrath of God and hell fire; and to purchase, heauen and euerlasting glory for them: yet not one to fight for him, nec gladi [...]s, nec argumentis.Lament. 1.12.O consider this all ye that passe by, if there were euer sorrow like this sorrow!

And can it choose but greiue him now thinke wee, that of them that may, so few Princes fight for him with theire swords & lawes? so few Schollars with the sword of the Spirit? nay, that some who professe themselues his Ministers, fight for Pellagian errours against him? Others to proue the Church of Rome to be a true Church of Christ, which yet they confesse to be Babylon & fallen?

Her Bishop taking on him to be vniuersell Bishop, is saide to be a starre fallen from Heauen: The Church of Rome can not be a true Church of Christ. Reu. 9. that must needes be from the true Church, and so therefore must the membres of that Church that approue or follow him therein, & in other his errours: for though he be saide to sit in the Temple of God, this proues not the Church of Rome to be a true Church of Christ, but the contrarie. For in a vision the Church of Christ is set out to Saint Iohn by the old Temple of the Iewes: Reu. 11.1.2. Character of a Christian. pag. 212. But in the measuring of it, The court without, which of old was the greater & more vissible part of the Temple, that into which the people came to pray, which was called the Temple, and which seemeth so to be in the vision, must not be measured; but Saint Iohn is commaunded to leaue or cast it out; that is, not to reckon it the Church of Christ, as not continuing in the Word, and so not in Christ, but fighting against those that doe: Which things are so apparant in the Church of Rome, that therefore her head the Pope, and her true members are in Gods account as Gentiles or heathen: many of See the Ori­ginall of Idol­latries printed an. 1624. whose idollatries and superstitious rites and ceremonies they haue taken vp, and vsed with verrie litle alteration: therefore that part of the Temple signifying this Church, is reckoned heathenish, not to be other­wise measured: and they that are of it as heathen Gentiles: for it is giuen to the Gentiles: And not in the other part, but in this Anti­christ sits, and so is saide to sit in the Temple of God; in that part to which God hath right as well as to the rest, though it be po­fessed & vsurped by one that sits as it were for Christ, but com­maunding things contrarie to the Word, and so shewing himselfe that he is God; that is most maister in those things, and one whose lawes binde in matters of faith, and must be obeied: though this Church hold some of Christs doctrine, (as other hereticall churches haue donne) yet by other doctrines and traditions con­trarie to the Word, she makes the Word of God of none effect, and indeede warreth against the true Church and the members there­of, and they against her: Seauen Angells come out of the true Church, and powre out theire vials vpon her and other enemies; and her members blaspheme his Name, that is his Word: therefore God will not haue her reckoned to be his; he will only haue the inward roomes measured for his Temple, with them that worship­ped therein, Reu. 14.9. the holy place place, the Altar, with the most holy place. [Page 51]which was the Arke of the Testament; which John saw there when it was opened: there was noe other Word therein, none in Christs true Church but Gods Testament; noe other Word receiued in matters of faith and saluation; the Papists, in receiuing Anti­christs, are not of this Church, but Character of a Christian pag. 214. and 288. are saide to haue see pag. 292. the marke of the Beast, to worship him and to fight for him against Christ, especially since the Councell of Trent, for which hell fire is assured to them. Now it is not possible that they that are so marked, soe fight, & shalbe soe tormented should be a true Church of Christ, or of it. Her oft pronounced fall, her scarlet die in the blood of the saints, her fighting against them, and against Christ that sits on the white horse, and whose Name is called the Word of God; her cup, Reu 19. and names of blasphemie, with diuers other things doe all proue the contrarie; but to leaue her: wee heare what Christ saith before Pilate, If my Kingdom were of this world then would my seruants fight that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes.

Yet surely as for fighting with swords to keepe him, Why Christs seruants did not then fight for him. Mat. 26.53. at that time, from beeing surprised, taken and deliuered to the Iewes, he saith to him that smote the high Preists seruant, Thinkest thou not that I can not non pray to my Father, and he shall presently giue me more then twelue legions of Angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, which shew, That thus it must be? and after his resurrec­tion he saide, Thus it is written, and thus it behooued Christ to suffer: euen thus, that of his seruants not one should then fight for him to rescue him: thus it behooued then: not that they were bound to forsake him; but that though they should haue followed, and de­fended him by all lawfull meanes; yet thus it behooued him to suffer, thus forsaken of all, that the Scriptures might be fulfil­led.

But doth it behooue him now he is risen and entred into his glorie, That there is not the same reason now. that thus he should suffer forsakē in his cause in his mem­bers? that men should not now fight for him? Surely noe: For he sheweth that his seruants should stick to him, and follow him better after his resurrection; then they must confesse him, and con­test for him before Kings & Princes, and euen Emperours Kings and Princes should fight for him and his cause when they should embrace the Christian faith; greate rewards are propounded to him th [...]t ouerommeth, Reu. 2. which though it be principally meant with [Page 52] the sword of the Spirit: yet in Princes that may draw theire swords to desend the faith, it may also be taken that way. When Iohn saw them that had gotten the victorie ouer the Beast, Reu. 15.2.and ouer his Image, and ouer the number of his Name, questionles there were amonge theese some Princes, Captaines, Souldiers, States men, and Ma­gistrates, that did it, or helped to doe it by theire swords & lawes, as well as others that did it by preaching, disputing and writing: for wee know the Beast and whore are both to be ouercome by fire and sword; Reu. 14. cap. 18. & cap. 19. and not only by the sword of the spirit. Christ is the Prince of the Kings of the earth: Reu. 1.5. therefore they ought all to de­fend the faith of Christs, to defend the Word, and his cause both by theire lawes and swords: and also to suffer any of theire sub­iects to maintaine it against all Heriticks and seducers by the sword of the spirit, and noe man to forbid them.

For the first, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, & the­refore they ought to follow him, & be led by him to fight against Antichrist and his supporters and against his other enemies, yea not to fight for him and his Kingdom now may proue a curse to them, as of old to Meroz and the Inhabitants thereof that came not to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie. For though it be true that the Reuelatiō saith of the Kings, which are the hornes of the Beast. Theese haue one minde, Reu. 17.13.and shall giue theire power and strength vnto the Beast: Yet this doth but shew the sinne theese Kings would fall into, committings Fornication with the whore, by enforcing the Beasts, and her lawes on theire owne subiects, or suffering An­tichrist and his ministers to seduce them: which is accounted a wicked warre against Christ, though he at the last ouercome them: therefore it is added, vers. 14. Theese shall make warre with the lambe, and the lambe shall ouercome them: (viz. with the spirit of his mouth, the power of the Word preached, and written:) For he is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and they that are with him (viz. that fight against theese Kings with the sword of the spirit to con­uince them by preaching or writing) are called and chosen and faithfull. Ioh. 3.8. Called of God, whose Spirit bloweth where it listeth; 1. Cor. 12.11 psa. 8. mat. 21. Luk. 19.40. Reu. 1.6. Di­uiding to euerie man seuerally as he will: and who out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings ordaineth strength, and who would make the Stones to speake if theese should hold theire peace. And let noe man obiect theire basenes: for he hath made them Kings and [Page 53]preists vnto God his Father; and soe much the fitter for this worke. They are also Chosen by him. For ye see youre calling brethren, 1. Cor. 26.27 28.29. saith Paul to the Corinthians, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not manie mightie not many noble are called, But God hath Chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, the weake things of the world to confound the mightie &c. That noe flesh should glorie in his presence. They are also faithfull; they doe not bauke the cause of God, and for the richers or honours that theese Kings, or theire fauorits, or the Beast, or seducers ofter them, they doe not call euill good and good euill, put darkenesse for light nor light for darknesse, that is errour for truth and truth for errour; Isa. 5.20. nor doe they iustifie the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousnes of the righ­teous man from him: but with the psalmist they speake the truth that is in theire heart; Reu. 14.5.In theire mouth was found noe guile. And with Paul they set themselues against seducers, as he against Elimas, Act. 13. that sought to turne away the deputie from the faith, and to peruert the right way of God.

And when some of theese Kings and States are conuerted. From poperie to Christ, that is when a tenth part of the citie seated on many waters fell from the Church of Rome to the Gospell, Reu. 11.13.15. or soone after, it is saide, The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall raigne for euer and euer. Because, not the Beast but the Word doth now gouerne Soules in them. They therefore that are protestant Princes, and foe haue giuen theire names to Christ against Antichrist, should draw theire swords and not suffer any of theese Kingdoms, pro­uinces or cities to be wōne againe by the sword or seducers from Christ, to poperie; but rather indeauour to winne from the Beast and his vpholders; and as soone as may be to execute vpon the whore the iudgment written, seeing such honour haue all his saints; Psa. 149.9 Reu. 17. and it is saide, they shall make her desolate and naked and burne her with fire: and herein they are saide to follow Christ: the warre the­refore is not bloodie and vniust: for it is saide there, chap. 19.14. vers. 11.13. In righteous­nes doth he iudge and make warre, and his name is called the Word of God, and that the armies followed him vpon white horses clothed in fine li [...]en white and cleane: and consequently the blood of theese his enemies doth not defile them: for they follow the Word of God, and fight for his Kingdom, who is the Word, against these [Page 54]that oppose the Word, and make him and his Kingdom of none effect with theire traditions and errours. Therefore though peace can neuer be sufficiently commended; yet it can not be good to haue peace with her, nor with those Kings that fight her battailes to support and propagate her Kingdom, espetially when they are in those warres, as in theese dayes, striueing to bringe all to her obedience. Reu. 19.6. When Rome which is the greate whore is burned, a greate voice is heard, Saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Whereas before, not the Word, but she gouerned the Soules of thousands in matters of faith and saluation.

And will they then be slack in giueing theire weapous, mo­neies, labours and counsailes to this worke? the Papists and theire Princes are not so in theire warres against vs to bringe vs to the Popes obedience. Wee are to remember what Christ saith, He that is not with me is against me. Epis. Winton. Tortura Tor­ti. in Epist. And therefore as a greate Prelate saide in a like case, This cause is of that kinde where when a man gathereth not with Christ, he scattereth with Christs aduersarie, where vnlesse one deliuer the faith, neither shall he deliuer his soule. Also when the common cause is brought into danger, let no man be a specta­tour, but euery one an actour: and when the cause of all men is handled, there with all power and labour, with all studie and indeauour to skir­mish stoutly for it. And herein in what low state soeuer a man be, yet let him be a Christian. Aug. de pee­cat. merit. 18. And as Augustine saith, Neither is there any midle place for any man, that he can be with any other then the deuil, who is not with Christ. That also is true of Princes in this case of warre, They that are with him, are called, and chosen and faithfull. They are not like the children of Ephraim, who beeing armed and carrying bowes turned back in the day of battaile: Reu. 17.14. Psal. 78.8.9. See Character of a Christian Pag. 217. they doe not on euery flight occasion desist and start aside like a broken bow. Or which is all one, they doe not trust the managing of theese wars, and the counsailes thereto belonging, to such as are newters, lukewarme or temporising Arminians; much lesse to any that are apparantly Popish, and so will sooner betray forces, and coun­sailes, or bringe them to nothing, then rightly vse them against the Beast or his supporters; but they are like good Souldiers of Christ, watchfull and carefull to doe this worke, or see it donne with all zeale and diligence; and like the Aduersaries, they trust none to be commaunders or councellours herein, but such as they [Page 55]finde by experience to be truly zealous in the cause of Religion: whatsoeuer they doe this way, in the worke of the Lord, 2. Chron. 31.21. with He­zechiah, they doe it with all theire heart; and like those first con­uerts in the Acts, who did things with gladnes and singlenes of heart. Act. 2:46: Thus faithfull are they that are with Christ in his warres against the Beast, and his adherents. But to leaue the further prosecution of this point to a Treatise of Romes Ruin.

Notwithstanding all theese things and diuers others that might be alleadged to this purpose, the Papists without any greate resi­stance of auxiliarie forces, haue acheiued many notable victories, and greatly triumph in the Prouinces and Cities they haue redu­ced to the Romish obedience. In diuers Kingdoms, Prouinces and Cities, where the Gospell of the Kingdom hath beene freely preached, where the Word hath raigned, they haue in a manner excluded him and his Kingdom, and subiected the people to Po­pish superstition, errour and seruitude: so that though Christ be now in his glorie, wee may as it were here him againe, & againe complaining, and resounding theese words against those Poten­tates and States, that are cold in defending and maintaining his cause, My Kingdom is not of this world, for if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my Seruants fight that I should not be deliuered in Garmanie, Bohemia, Silesia, the Palatinate, Denmarke, Rochel, and other parts, to the Emperour, the Duke of Bauaria, the French King, the King of Spaine and other Champions of the Romish religion; who subiect all they can to the Romish Beast and his re­ligion: If my Kingdom were of this world that men might get Earldoms, Dukedoms and other places of proffit or honour by fighting for me, as the Duke of Bauaria, Spinola, Tillie and some others haue gotten by fighting on the contrarie part, then would my Seruants truly fight for me, that I should not be deliuered in my Gospel, my Kingdom, my Body, my Church and members to the Pope, and theese Popish Princes, that fight feircely to subiect people to him; as if I were euer to suffer, and as if Princes had beene perswaded, that they doe God seruice, who doe not fight so earnestly and seriously for me; but suffer me to be deliue­red to mine aduersaries, Antichrist and his Adherents. If there haue beene any such perswaders in Princes Courts, who to get money or preferment of some Popishly affected, haue hindred [Page 56]timely supplies, by casting in flattering scruples, exclaiming against theese defensiue and aiding wars, extolling peace or the like, while the aduersaries haue proceded and preuailed, they haue cause to feare, that the iust Iudge of all the world will finde this litle better then plaine treacherie; that howseuer it may also be saide to them by Christ, my Kingdom is not of this world: for if my Kingdom were of this world then would theese be my Seruants, and fight for me; at least by theire perswasions, councels and purses, that I should not be deliuered to Antichrist or his champions. For wee may be sure, Act. 9.4. that he that saide, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? is sensible of all the miseries that his Church and euery member thereof, haue of late suffered by trecherie, officious flat­terie, want of supplies or the like; and that he is yesterday, and to day, and the same also for euer, in whose Word this is written, Curse ye Meroz, Iud. 5.23.saide the Angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof: because they came not to the helpe of the Lord, to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie.

Secondly that Princes ought themselues to maintaime the truth of the Gospel, and to suffer any of theire subiects to maintaine it against all Heriticks and seducers, this is plaine by many places of Scripture; by this that they are enioined to be nursing Fathers and nursing mothers; Isa. 49.23. Chap. 60.16: by this, that Dauid, Ieboshaphat, Hezechia and Iosias did maintaine the truth of Gods Word, putting downe false prophets and Idollators, and commaunding others to instruct people in the true knowledge of Gods Word; that those that put downe idollatrie, and false Prophets are commended; those that suffered them, or but the high places are condemned: by this that the Angels of the seauen Churches are blamed, Reu. 2.14. one for suffering there some that taught the doctrine of Balaam, [...]ors. 20. others to hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, another for suffering the woman Iezabel to seduce. For if theese things were found faults in the Angels, which were Pastors or Bishops; how much more may Christ lay them, or the like faults to Princes and States, who are armed with more power to represse, punish and helpe such things? and who beeing [...]ursing Fathers should striue to saue the Church and members thereof from Antichrist and all Herticks and seducers, as parents and nurses doe theire children from beasts and wicked people, that would bite, deuoure and misleade them.

Neither ought they to hinder any of his Seruants from figh­ting for him with the sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6.17. which Sainct Paul com­maunded the Ephesians to take: saying also to the Philipians, Philip. 1.7.In the defence and confirmation of the Gospell, ye all are pertakers of my grace. Therefore he willeth them to stand fast in one spirit, with one minde, striueing together for the faith of the Gospell. Vers. 27.And in nothing terrified by theire aduersaries. Not to multiplie many proefes in a point so cleare, Saint Iude in his generall Epistle saith vnto all, It was needefull for me to write vnto you, Iude 3.and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith that was once deliuered to the Saints: that is against all new and contrarie doctrines. Yet neither by theese nor by any other places doe I vnderstand with any Sepera­tists or other Sectaries, that lay men may preach, but that they, or rather such only of them, as God hath enabled, may contest and write in defense of the faith against all aduersaries. Those foolish & weake things of the world, 1. Cor. 1.27.28. Ioh. 3.8. haue of God a calling as they are Chri­stians, to confound the wise and mightie: for the Corinthians had it: The winde bloweth where it listeth: so doth the Spirit, 1. Cor. 12.11. 1. Pet. 4.10. diuiding to euery man seuerally as he will. And thus Saint Peter saith in his ge­nerall Epistle to all, As euery man hath receiued the gift, euen soe minister the same to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speake, let him speake as the oracles of God. At our Baptisme wee all, when wee are receiued into the congregation of Christs flocke, are obliged not to be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight vnder his banner against sinne, the world and the Deuil, & to continue Christs faithfull Souldiers and Seruants to our liues ende.

And if lay men, espetially those to whome God hath giuen gifts fitting, be thus obliged; how much more are all Bishops, Pastors and Ministers of the Church? they are Souldiers so bound to it, that they should not intangle themselues with the affaires of this life, as the Apostle saith to Timothie, 2. Tim. 2.3.4.Noe man that warreth in­tangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life. They are blamed, if they suffer any errour in doctrine, as ye may see in the Epistles to the seauen Churches of Asia, where perticular Pastors, or Bishops are taxed of negligence herein: Act. 20.17.28.29.30. and in the charge Paul giues to the Elders, to take heede to the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers, or Bishops, to feede the flocke, and to keepe [Page 58]them from Wolues, and speakers of pernerse things. Also to Timothie and Titus, 1. Tim. 1.18 chap 2.3.25. Tit. 1.9. 2. Cor. 10. that they should warre a good warfare, as good Souldiers of Iesus Christ; instructing those that oppose themselues, and conuincing the gainsayers, such as Himeneus, Philetus and others. That to this ende the weapons of Ideo fortes esse dicuntur quia Praelati Sancti Ecclesiae perfecti sunt in obseruatio­ne mandarorū Domini: om­nes tenentes gladios, id est spirituale ver­bum quia pre­dicando vitia Subditorum debent repri­mere. Ber­nard. de obe­dien. Serm. 19.theire warfare are mightie to cast downe the stronge holds and high things of Hereticks, which exalt themselues against the knowledge of Christ. Indeede if Princes will not suffer theese of the Clergie, or others to cast downe theese Holds of Hereticks with the sword of the spirit, but like the Arrian Empe­rours, and others, will kicke against the pricks, and with Saul breath out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord, such as are subiects of this Kingdom, or labour to bringe others to the true knowledge and obedience of the Word, if they will aduen­ture to prouoke God by such persecutions, to the danger of theire owne Kingdoms, who shall hinder them? theire subiects may speake in Gods cause, but if that will not serue, they must suffer & not resist by the sword, not run into rebellion. Yet ought they to confesse Christs name, who is the Word before Kings and Rulers, and euen to fight against the mightiest of them with the sword of the spirit: Reu. 17.14. & chap. 19.21. Because, so the Lambe ouercomes them, who is the King of Kings.

Wee all ought to beare witnesse vnto the Truth, though it cost vs our liues; Bishops and Ministers more espetially, who are Isa. 62.6. and Heb. 13.17. Mat. 28.18.19.20. watchman set which should neuer hold there peace, not keepe silence, as they that must giue account. For he is the Lord of Lords, who saith, All power is giuen to him in Heauen and in Earth, and who therefore bids his Disciples goe into all the world, and reach all Na­tions to obserue all things that he commaunded them; who after his Ascention carried themselues accordingly. For when the Rulers examined them, Act. 4.11.12. they contended stoutly to proue Christ, a stone of them reiected, ver. 18.19. to be the Head of the corner. And after when they and the high Preists called them, and commaunded them not to speake at all, nor teach in his Name; they answered, Whether it be right in the sight of God to bearken vnto you more then vnto God, iudge ye: for wee can not but speake the things which wee haue seene and beard. Act. 5.28. And after when for teaching in the Temple they were questioned by the High Preist, saying, Did wee not straightly commaund you, that you should not teach in his Name? [Page 59]And behold ye haue filled Ierusalem with youre doctrine; Peter and the other Apostles answered and saide, wee ought to obey God ra­ther then men. The God of our Fathers raised vp Iesus. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince. viz. to rule in all matters of faith and salnation. Behold now againe & againe, they contest and fight with the sword of the Spirit for him & his King­dom against his greatest opposers, and were therein examples to all ministers and Seruants of Christ to the worlds ende. This did the man borne blinde before Christs death, & that by good proofes.

Steuen, Act. 7. chap. 18.26.28.Apollos and many others did as much after his resur­rection against opposers and Hereticks. The Apostles Paul, Peter, Iohn & Iude wrote and contended against Hereticks, and peruer­ters of the Scriptures, and commaunded others to doe soe, but more espetially Bishops to hold fast the faithfull Word taught them; Tit. 1.7.9.10. chap. 3.10.to looke to deceiuers; whose mouthes must be stopped, who subuert whole howses; teaching things which they ought not for filthie lucres sake; Act. 20.to reiect Hereticks, as beeing Wolues, Theeues and Speakers of peruerse things.

Iudge yet whe ther many such haue not crept in, who came not with the Spirit of Truth, but with the Spirit of errour, as the Appea­ler, Cosens, and others; who entred not by the Word, that is by Christ the doore of the sheepe, but rather by errour and the Father thereof, who abode not in the Truth; and whether Bishops, that would be counted Christs Watchmen and Seruants, haue not slept while enemies haue sowed tares. The Remonstrance of the Parliament, in summerlast, manifested that many Arminians, and Popish teachers haue risen in theese our dayes, with theire cousening tenets and deuotions, and yet haue not the Bishops theire superiours and ouerseers, that should watch ouer mens soules, Heb. 13.17.as they that must giue account, reproued and conuinced, nor suffered others to publish bookes to confute them, but rather preferred the Seducers, and hindred the preferment of theire opposers: so far hath hopes of preferment from some courtiers, and other gifts blinded theese men, as of old it did some Pharises, and after them the Bishops and Clarks of Italie, to iustify the wicked or theire doctrines and prac­tises for a reward. Indeede the Archbishop of Canterburie shewed his dislike of theese Seducers, and theire bookes. Bishop Carlton writ against the Appealer, and proued him a dangerous peruer­ter [Page 60]of the Scriptures, and of the Articles; and it may be there are two or three Bishops more, that haue shewed some litle distastof theire tenets and practises: but by meanes of the late Duke, and other Courtiers, the greater number haue gonne the cleane con­trarie way. Doctor White, that for the Dukes fauour, approued the Appealers booke, was in recompence of that 1. Tim. 1.19. Shipwracke he sustained, elected Bishop of Carlile, made Amner, and since trans­lated to Norwich. Other freinds of theese Pelagian and Popish teachers & tenets, haue also had theire reward. M^r. Cosens his Mai­ster, Doctor Neale was remoued to Winchester Doc. Laude to Lon­don, Doctor Feild to S. Dauids, Doctor Buckridge to Elie, Doctor Mountaine to Yorke; after his death Doctor Harsnet was translated to Yorke; Doctor Howson to Durham; Doctor Maw Chosen Bish. of Bath and Wels; Doctor Corbet B. of Oxford; and Doctour Curle late Prolocutor in the conuocation howse, for his fauourable car­riage in that place towards theese new Maisters, was promoted to the See of Rochester. Doctor Lindsey and others haue acheiued Denaries, or other preferments. On the other side, theese and some others, soe wrought that the Archbishop of Cant: was put be­sides the execution of his place, and the Appealer himselfe was set vp in his verrie seate that writ against him; and that presently after that the Parliament, that co [...]ned of him and them, was prorogued: which Schollars in th [...] iuersities and other parts perceiuing, according to the deui [...] [...] the pioiectors, bent theire studdies toward the mount, or ra [...] [...] molehill, of preferment. When the Parliament approched, the [...] laboured to haue it put off; or if not, that the howse might no [...] [...]estion such men, nor others preach, dispute, or write against theire tenets and peruerting fa­culties; but that themselues might be the only Iudges in theire owne cause: yet for feare of the worst, they at last get the Appealers booke called in, but soe fauourabl [...], as the like was neuer seene: men must bringe them to the Bishops of [...]uerie Diocesse, or to theire Chauncellors, or to the Chancelors or Vicechancelors of the vniuersities; which they knew few o [...]none would doe: for who would bringe any to the Appealer himselfe, or to B. White, and such others, to burne them, as we [...] both Iudges and parties in the cause? which made men say, it [...] longe eare this came, and then this was not to suppresse a booke.

Whereas when any booke hath but neuer so litle touched theire owne glorie or ceremonies, what exceeding dilligence hath beene vsed for suppressing it? as that of the originall of Idollatries; wherein if it were grauted, that it was vniustly fathered on Cau­sabon, that there was somwhat in it that seemed to make against some of the constitutions, rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, that the same rites are all tollerable; yet how litle is there in that booke that maketh against any of them? nauertheles what greate zeale and care was vsed in suppressing of it? a most dilli­gent search was made through the whole companie of the Statio­ners for them; the printer was examined what number were prin­ted, he for whome they were printed was examined to what Sta­tioners he deliuered of them; how many each man had, and they were examined to whome they were sold, that soe they might be fetched from the buiers: all with such exact care and dilligence, that if it had beene the most blasphemous, hereticall & dangerous booke that euer was published, more could hardly haue beene donne to suppresse it. Wherein yet if any thinge did touch any rite or ceremonie, that was but against things, which themselues confesse to be indifferent, not matters of faith & saluation; yet ô the zeale! but all this was for theire owne Hierarchie & constitutions: they fight not soe eagerly against Pelagian and Popish errours which are against the Scriptures in matters of faith and saluation; and indeede exceedingly against Gods Kingdom, and the Word of his grace: the Appealers bookes were not searched for at all, when they were called in, but euen in the Parliament time to be sold in euery booke sellers shop that would; and soe were other Popish & Aamin [...]an bookes, as the Stationers proued in Parliament, and that they licenced and let passe theese, but would not license such as in defence of the Truth were written against them, that in others they put out whole pages, w [...]ittē to shew the vtillity and necessity of preaching and hearing, as in Doctor Maiers booke. All which things are soe apparent, that both in Parliament & elswhere men haue cried out there is trecherie vsed in Religion and towards the Kingdom of God.

As also because the tenets of theese Seducers haue beene soe weake, and stubble like, 1. Cor. 3.12.13. Ier. 23.29. vnable to endure the fierie triall of Gods Word, that when the Parliament hath approched, then they haue [Page 62]laboured, by all the pretexts that could be inuented, to get it dis­solured or adiourned; if not, then they seeke protection and par­don: and when the [...]owse haue complained of them; then they hide theire heads and labour to haue theire tenets and practises past ouer in silence, at least by caring or helping with others that the howse may haue worke enough fesides to defend theire pri­ueleidges, and throw out the bones cast in to breede diuision, and beget some pretexts of accusing them to theire Prince of maleuo­lence and sedition, and of vrging the necessity of dissoluing that assemblie; all which they neither neded, nor would seeke, if theire doctrines were Christs, and according to the Scriptures: for then they would boldly and with Zelus cum in bono acci­pitur, est quidē fernor animi, quo mens re­licto humano timore pro de­fensione veri­tatis accendi­tur. Alcuinus. & Aquin. in Ioan. Zeale maintaine them against Par­liament and all the world. But while they then willingly admit noe dispute, nor appeare publikely to maintaine thē by the Scrip­tures, & (fearing that the verrie Articles should proue them Apos­tates) appeale to Bishops and others brought by the late Duke & his to fauour the same opinions, or conniue at them; and labour, by pretences of auoiding curious disputes, and other deuises and shifts, that theire tenets may not be then examined, iudged and tried, vnlesse by men made for theire partie, according to the pol­lecie of the Trent Fathers; it euidently shewes the badnes of theire cause, that they doe not (as they are willed Pro. 23.23.) Buy the Truth, but sell it for a litle preferment, for a buble of honour; and that they blinde the eyes of the wise, that such buiers and sellers are not conuinced, punished & cast out of the Church: Mystice quo­tidie Deus spi­ritualiter suam ecclesiam in­trat, & qualiter vbi vnusquis­que conuerse­tur attendit. caueamus er­go ne in eccle­fia Dei fabulis, vel rifibus, vel od [...]is, vel cupi­ditatibus vace­mus, ne impro­uisos veniens nos flagellat, & de ecclesia sua eij [...]iat. Idem Ibid. God seeth this, and that they doe not like his Seruants, with the weapons of theire warefare cast downe theese stronge holds of Hereticks, exalted against the knowledge of God, and Kingdom of Christ. Soe that he may now againe complaine and say: My Kingdom is not of this world: for if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my Seruants fight, some with the sword of the Spirit, others with theire Lawes and authorities, that I should not be deliuered in my person, as I am the Truth, nor in my members, as they are of it, to Pelagians, or Demi­pelagians and Popelings, and so by degrees to the grand Antichrist of Rome; neither would theese be made such slight matters, as they are in theese dayes; as if it were enough that men are per­mitted to preach charitie, patience, temperance, humiliation, pe­nitence, mercie, and against carnall filthines, adultrie, pride, mur­ther, [Page 63]coueteousnes, and the like, allowed euen in theese dayes, to be preached in Rome, and so were of old among the Ar­rians and other Hereticks; and as if, for theese Pelagian and Po­pish opinions and tenets of free will, predestination, certainty of saluation, perseuerance, and the like, it mattered not to confute them, noe nor other points of Poperie, but were better to forbid them, as curious and vnnecessary disputes, and commaund peace and vnion in theese points: (whereby the buisie practising Papists and Arminians are sure to get ground and strength:) whereas if theese reasons were sound, as much might be saide for those Po­pish points of iustification by works, the reall presence, the church can not erre, and such others, beeing all pits that should be disco­uered, least men fall into them, and amonge Papists matters of faith and saluation: but the others are so indeede, and highly concerne Gods Kingdom, and the glorie of his grace; therefore preaching of them, or writing to keepe men form errours, con­trarie to them, and stablish men in the Truth, may not be forbid­den; espetially when Pelagian & Popish errours are set vp against them, and driuen in like the sharpe point of a wedge to make the thicker ende, that is, the whole thicknes and breadth of Po­perie to follow. If a Towne or Castle be beleaguered, & a breach made; doe not men run to it and maintaine that place of all others? shall any man be blamed for so doeing? and if any, whe­ther Gouernour, Captaine or Citizen shall forbid them, and vnder some pretext commaund them to laie downe armes, and quit the place, is he not counted trecherours to the Towne and King thereof? So is it in Gods Church and Kingdom beseiged by He­reticks, who shoote at the faith, and make greate breaches, Tit. 1.11. 2. Tim. 2.17. sub­uerting whole howses: for theire word doth eate as a gangrene. But for the maintenance of the Truth, and the keeping of Gods fauour to the people that hold it fast; the Lord saith, Ho [...] 6.6.7. I desired the knowledge of God: which of old some hindring, Luk. 19.41. There (saith he) haue they dealt trecherously with me. Christ shewes that to manifest the mysteries, he taught is to make men know the things that belonge to theire peace, that when they are hid from theire eyes, sedition and ruin follow; taking away the key of knowledge causeth trouble, and that the Iesuits know to well.

Besides the Apealer drawes the sword of errour, sets vp vn­sound tenets of free will, praedestination, falling away, and the like, imprudently See Bishop Carlton. Exam. of the Appeal. pag. 62.137.149.225.231.233 peruerts the Articles for his tenets; and then he and his faction, get it held fit that theese things should not be disputed and written against, as curious, desperate, &c. that so he and they may preuaile & carry his and such like doctrines away vndiscouered, vnuanquished by the Word. Whereby intime, as Bishop Carlton obserued, Idem pag. 126. in place of Communio Sanctorum, may creepe in Apostasia, and all our religion might in like sort be lost and sunke into Poperie. The late Duke theire honoured Lord, while he liued to such ends (as it seemes) fauoured theise theire opinions and deuotions, though perhaps he did not well vnder­stand them, and willingly suffered none to be preferred, but such as would maintaine them or conuiue at them: Which could not but be pleasing to the Countesse his Mother and her Preists: and hence it came, that he beeing greate in this World, and able to aduance men to honour, offices, and wealth, wanted not Schollars and Courtiers to fight by disputes & reasons for theese errours. Who can thinke, but that he would strengthen himselfe in Court and Vniuersities with such men? and theese beeing by his meanes engaged in the cause while he liued, to saue theire owne stakes and reputations, vphold it (what they can) now he is dead, though it be against the honour of God, against Christ the Word and his Kingdom; yea and against the truest honour of theire Royal Maister (whose honour they pretend to seeke, and whome they would seeme to loue) and against the peace and strength of his Kingdoms, by them thus dangerously diuided and weakened in themselues.

Here yet let vs not to much wonder, that so many wise and learned men of our time should be so far ouercome by theese pre­ferments and hopes, as to consent to theese doctrines or conniue at them. For hopes of preferment and gifts blinde the eyes of the wise. Men are apt, Ioh. 10. Phil. 2.21. Sunt quidam Ecclefia pro­pofiti, de qui­bus Paulus Apostolus di­cit, sua quae­rentes, nō quae Iesu Christi: quid est [...]ua quae­rentes? non Christū gratis diligentes, non Deum propter Deum quae­rentes, tempo­ralia commo­da sectantes, [...]ucr [...]s inhian­tes, honores ab hominibus ap­petentes. quis­quis est talis inercenarius est. August. in Ioan. Tra. 45. like Hirelings, to seeke theire owne, not the things which are Christs; who saith Ioh. 5.44. How can ye beleeue which receiue honour one of another, and seeke not the honour that commeth from God only? they seeke theire owne, not the Kingdom that is not of this world. But if it were of this World, then they would seeke it. Our Sauiours owne Disciples left him for a short time, [Page 65]and made him say, If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my Seruants fight, that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes, who accuse him and his doctrine of peruerting the Nation. His Ser­uants did not then fight for him by arguments, or otherwise, to cleare him in this: therefore he concludes;

But now my Kingdom is not from hence. As if he saide; that all my Seruants leaue me, and neither fight for me by sword or word, it is manifest that is not of this World, nor praeiudiciall to Caesars: this argues it is not from hence, that they looke not for any thinge by it here in this World. He had told them, that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion and authoritie ouer them. But it shall not be so amonge you: but that they should be deliuered vp, Mat. 20.25. Mat. 25.9.killed, hated and betraied for his names sake. Therefore now they leaue him, and fight not for him any way to rescue him. Which proued that his Kingdom was not from hence; who hereby infer­reth, that in the Kingdoms of this World Seruants and Subiects will fight, in hope of the riches and honours, they afford to theire defenders.

And here let not Papists brag to much of theire late acheiu­ments by sword or practises, whereby they daily subiect many to the Pope. For if our religion haue beene weakely, theires tho­rowly, maintained, it argues that ours is of Christs Kingdom, not from hence, theires of this World and of Antichrist; and that therefore Princes and Preists fight for them and not for Christ; because they haue riches, honours and such worldly rewards to giue them for theire Seruices, as one proueth at Relation of the Religion vsed in the West. large. (Nei­ther is it any such strange thinge that the Iesuits and other of theire Clergie and Church, who effect theese things, should goe in the way of Kain, perish in the gainsaying of Core, and be cast away by the deceitfulnes of Balaams wages.) Here therefore not to speake of the many greate Countries, Prouinces, Kingdoms, titles, dignities, and other rewards that the Church of Rome hath conferred on such Princes, Captains and Souldiers, as haue de­fended them and theire cause with the Sword; such as were Pe­pin, Charles his Sonne, and diuers other her Champions; wherein yet she hath still cut large thonges out of other mens hides: I will passe by that part of theire auarice, pride and arrogancie, who not content to get to themselues and theire Monasteries, & [Page 66]Orders by fables and flatterie, the greatest part of the riches and Lands in the Kingdoms of this World, haue taken on them to take the verrie Kingdoms themselues, with theire titles and proffits, from the right owners, and giue them to theire Cham­pions; and come to that, which now they seeme to haue of theire owne.

How many greate dignities and officies haue they in theire Church, endowed with proportionable meanes for theite greate estates? What a greate number of Cardinals are there, who from a meane place, See the Apo­logie for the oath of alle­giance, also Tortura Torti. pag. 2. office and begining are come to be held in dig­nitie equall to Kings? besides a number of Arch-Bishopwricks & Bishopwricks, verrie rich and potent in this world, as Cullen, Ments, Treuiere and others: with an number of other places of proffit and honour in Cathedrall Churches, Colledges Monasteries and orders of religious howses. The hope of rising to some of theese makes a greate number of Preists, Iesuits, friars and others contest, practise and striue to intrude, propogate and increase in all contries the Popes Kingdom, and prower, with all the labour and might they can inuent or procure; often venturing theire liues, (I might say theire Soules) to worke his ends, and bringe people to his obedience; because they see, he and his cheife pre­lates haue wherewithall to reward theire greatest seruices. Noe Friar soe meane, but he may hope for his deligence and seruice to be Prior of his Couent; the Prior to be prouincial; the prouincial to become General of that order. And soe Preists and Iesuits may in like manner hope to come by degrees to be Bishops and Cardi­nals, and some to clime to the verrie papall throne. What will not fraile men doe for such rewards. Which made many that were noe true Pastors, but Ioh. 10.12. Sunt enim nonnulli qui dum plus ter­ranneam sub­stantiam quam oues diligunt, meritò nomen Pastor is per­dunt, non enim Pastor, sed mer cenarius voca­tur, qui nō pro amore intimo oues domini­cas, sed ad tem porales mer­cedes pascit, mercenarius quippe est qui Pastor is locu tenet: sed lu­crum animarū non quaerit, terrenis com­midis inhiat honore praela­tionis gaudet. Gregori. hom. 14. & Aquin: in Ioa. 10. hirelings contest, daube, excuse, practise & by hooke or crooke, maintaine points in the councell of Trent, who were after rewarded according to theire seruice, and some before hand, as the historie sheweth: For they followed the way of Balaam, who loued the wages of vnrighteousnes. 2. Pet. 2.15. And thus both before and since in theire diucrs cases & causes. Which hath made many venture far. Wee haue seene also, that those follewers of the Trent practises, the Arminians haue had theire re­wards for straining theire wits and consciences.

And true it is, that both the one & the other, may rise in iudg­ment with many, who professe themselues theire aduersaries, and Christs Seruants against Antichrist and all opposers, and yet doe not striue soe much, nor with such true zeale to winne Princes & people by all honest and lawfull meanes, from Poperie and Armi­niaisme, to the obedience of the Word, nor indeede to strengthen keepe and confirme such as doe yet embrace the Truth, and not oppose it in those points, nor in others; but rather by theire slack­nes and coldnes suffer them to preuaile daily, and proceede fur­ther and further in conquests and practises; which the Aduer­saries doe prosecute with feruent zeale to aduance and propo­gate theire religion; for theire Kingdom is of this world, Luk. 16.8. it is from hence: And as our Lord saith, The children of this world are wiser in theire generation then the children of light; more vigilant, more zealous, more circumspect, and constant in the prosecution of theire ends, and in perseuerance therein, because thereby they attaine and keepe a little momentarie bubble of wealth and ho­nour, then Christs Seruants are for the seeking of that Kingdom, and the righteousnes thereof, which makes truly rich and honou­rable here, and rewards those with euerlasting life and happines hereafter, who fight the good fight of faith for Christ and his Kingdom: for so inseperable are the worke and the reward, that Saint Paul saith to Timothie, Fight the good fight of faith, 1. Tim. 6.12.lay hold on eternall life: To shew that to fight this good fight, is to lay hold of eternall life, to make our calling and election sure: and therefore he saith, I haue fought a good fight, I haue finished my course, 2. Tim. 4.7.I haue kept the faith. Hence forth there is laide vp for me a crowne of righ­teousnes, which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day: and not to me only, but vnto them also that loue his appearing. And so liue as those that loue it, and looke for it.

But the children of this World that fight for other Kingdoms, that giue them somwhat in present, they will haue somwhat in hand; they will haue wealth and honour heere. And so they that will be honourable and haue commaund, as they that will be rich, 1. Tim. 6.9.fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts, which drowne men in destruction and perdition: this also doth the loue of a money, the roote of all euill, which some coueting haue erred from the faith. Amonge other lusts, they fall into this of fighting [Page 68]for Antichrist or Hereticks, for the present honeur or proffit they hope to haue by it, the loue of theese makes Iesuits, and others venture to disturbe Kingdoms and States, to further the Popes Kingdom, that rewards them. And this is a maine reason, that moues some Kings, Ren. 17.14.free Princes & States to hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked and burne her with fire. That is, to take all from her, and fire her, that she may not haue to giue rewards to them that disturbe theire Kingdoms, and hinder the Kingdom of God, and his blessings from theire Kingdoms, which they should be sure to enioy in all peace and plentie, if in matters of faith and saluotion they were only gouerned by him: who the more to ani­mate them to those warrs hath giuen them all the riches that are hers, and indeede her champions also: for therefore they are also called to the Supper of the greate God: Reu. 19.to eate the flesh of Kings, and the flesh or Captaines &c. That is, to take theire wealth, ri­ches and honours, and posesse them: which besides the heauenly reward, is a feast of fat things, that God will then make them. But in the meane while, Christ, while he is to suffer, giueth noe such things, and therefore saith, But now my Kingdom is not from hence.

Pilate therefore saide vnto him, Art thou a King then? Pilate ther­fore asked this question, because Christ in saying, and thrice re­peating theese words my Kingdom, had confessed that he had a Kingdom and consequently that himselfe was a Kinge: and yet not out of any ostentation, or desire that he had to speake thereof here before Pilate, where he was sure it would cost him his life; but beeing vrged by theire examinations to tell them, Isa. 53.9. he would neither lie nor aequiuocate; he knew noe sinne, neither was any de­ceite in his mouth; and in this case keepe silence he might not; he must needes confesse the truth, because that was for the honour of God his Father, for whome he ruled; and therefore not to haue acknowledged this Kingdom, was to haue denied his Fathers Kingdom and right to rule all men; therefore he addeth that he was borne to beare witnesse vnto the Truth. Yet that he might not in the least measure be guiltie of his owne death, he thrice affirmed that his Kingdom was not of this world; and consequently not prae­iudiciall to Caesars, nor to the right he chalenged in the temporall [Page 69]Kingdom, and that Pilate well vnderstood, when in that sense he saide, Art thou then a Kinge? for when in that sense,

Iesus answered thou saiest that I am a Kinge; as Pila [...]um cre­disse Christum Regem esse, non tamē ejus regnum aduer­sarium esse regno Caesaris, sed pertinere ad quandam singularem Iu­daeorum reli­gionē id pro­bat, quod per­seueranter eū Regem appel­lauit. Ecce Rex vester, Regem vestrum cru­cifigam? Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorū. Tolet. in 10.18 Ioh. 19.4. vers. 6. Vers. 7.12. one that talked more of it then Christ did, Pilate went out againe, and saith to the Iewes, I finde in him noe fault at all: and Luk. 23.14. Ye haue brought this man vnto me, as one that peruerteth the people, and behold I haueing examined him, haue found noe fault in him, touching those things whereof ye accuse him: Noe nor yet Herod; for I sent you to him, and loe nothing worthy of death. And after when they cried, not him but Barabas, he when he had scourged him went foorth againe, saying I bringe him foorth to you, that ye may know that I finde noe fault in him. Why then did he against law and conscience scourge him? and when they seeing him cried, crucifie him, he saide againe, Take ye him and crucifie him: for I find noe fault in him. And after when they saide, by our law he ought to die, because he made himselfe the Sonne of God; Pilate was the more afraide, and sought to release him. But the Iewes cried out, if thou let this man goe, thou art not Caesars freind: whosoeuer maketh himselfe a Kinge speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate heard that; his desire of freeing Iesus begā to stagger, though he beleeued, that if he had any Kingdom, it was not of this world; yet as thinking that if he should not proceede, it might worke him Caesars displeasure; therefore bringing him foorth, he saith not now, as before, behold the man, but behold youre Kinge; and after shall I crucifie youre Kinge? The cheife Preists answered, Vers. 14. wee haue noe Kinge but Caesar. Yet he washed his hands, and then with this inducement, Mat. 27.24. Luk. 23.23. he willing to content the people deliuered him to be crucified: For the voices of them and of the cheife Preists pre­uailed.

Whence wee may behold the miserie that oft followes greatnes, The miserie of greatnes. appearing both in the cheife Preists and Pilate, the one carried a way with such extreme enuie & implacable hatred, that the iudg­ment of innocencie often pronounced by a Iudge would not sa­tisfie them; the other with importunitie and respects of conten­ting, appeasing, gratifying others, and preuenting complaints to Caesar, of suffering another Kinge, to an act of iniustice soe much aginst his owne conscience, and often reiterated sentence of aquitment.

A poore fruite, to often following the greate and vncessant la­bours of ambitious climing; when for feare or fauour, to gratifie or content, they are oft faine to punish innocents, and acquit men guiltie and wicked, and somtime in matters of Christs cause and Religion. Yet am I not of theire opinion, who thinke a States man can not be an honest man. For vnder Godly Kings walking in the right path of Religion, as faithfull to theire maker, such as Dauid, Iehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Iosias and others, they may carrie themselues iustly, and doe God greate seruice: such Kings moue them not to any act of iniustice, nor to maintaine Idols or Here­sies, much lesse to punish or molest true beleeuers and innocents. But if the Prince they serue be an Idolater, an Heretick or Wic­ked, they can hardly hold theire places and keepe a good con­science. 1. King. 21.8. &c. For when Ahab raignes, Iezabel writes her letters to the Elders and Nobles to subborne false witnesses, and to stone inno­cent Naboth, and it is donne. Iehu writes to the Elders to kill all Ahabs children, and it is donne. Diuers Kings were displeased with Prophets, and the Nobles wronge them, as they did Ieremie and others. Ioh. 12.42. Amonge the Cheife Rulers many beleeued on Christ, but because of the Pharises, they did not confesse him, lest they should be put out of the Sinagonge. For they loued the praise of men, more then the praise of God. Act. 24.27.Felix willing to shew the Iewes a pleasure left Paul bound. When Iustine the Emperour had depriued the Ar­rians of those Churches they held in Greece, Theodorick King of Italie, Liber. Pontif. in Iohan. I. sent Iohn Bishop of Rome assisted with Senators, to intreate him to restore them, if not to tell him, he would serue the Catho­licks with the like sauce. The Pontificall booke saith, they intrea­ted the Emperour with teares, and preuailed; that is, to haue wolues restored to the Sheepe. Belisarius, by the commaund of the Empresse Theodora an Eutichean, thrust out Siluerius, & pla­ced Vigilius in the Popedom, that he might according to promise condemne the Councell of Chalcedon, and write Letters in confir­mation of the Eutichean faith: Baron. Vol. 7. ann. 538. art. 20. wherevpon Baronius calls Vigilius, a Theefe, a Wolfe, an Antichrist. Ye haue seene that the Easterne Emperours made theire Bishops consent to the Pope, in worship­ping of Images, and at last in Purgatorie, Superemacie and other articles, and what followed.

It would be to longe to relate how the Iudges, nobles and pre­lates vnder Emperours and Kings, haue made Preists abandon theire wiues, and people receiue his other lawes & errours, when theire Princes in feare or flaterie temporised with the Pope. For Prelates, nobles and people are naturally prone to fashion themsel­ues into the religion of theire Princes and patrons: and that hath made Iesuited Spirits practise to make reformed Princes luke­warme, Popish or Arminians. 2. King. 16.10. For when Kinge Ahaz seeing a strange Altar at Damascus sent the Patterne of it to Vrijah the Preist to make such a one, and offer on it, he not minding that theese things ought not to haue differed from Exod. 25.4 [...]. Act. 7.44. the patterne gi­uen to Moses, that noe other things wer to be intruded into the Temple of the Lord, refuseth not, but doth it, be it neuer soe bad, Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis. A wonder therefore it is, that men be soe ambitious of these places, wherein theire soules are in such danger; seeing that if Princes be Hereticall and persecute the godly, theire Ministers must follow them and afflict and punish them, or loose theire places: for when those that cleaue to Gods Word, and contend for it, are examined; they must con­fesse the truth, though it cost them theire liues, as our Sauiour here did; for when Pilate saide, Art thou then a Kinge? Iesus answered thou saiest that I am a Kinge; af if he saide, and I can not, I must not d [...]nie it; For

To this ende was I borne, and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the truth. That is, in­deede to confirme the Truth and euery clause of it, whereof this of his Kingdom and office is one, with his blood; to witnes and seale the truth of it with his blood: for though he knew that to confesse this would cost him his life; yet he considers that to this ende he was borne, and for this cause he came in the world, that he should beare witnesse to it with his blood, 1. Tim. 6.13. and therefore Saint Paul saith, that he witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate. Sealed as ye see with his blood, Tolet. in Ioan. VXIII. Vt ve­ritatem Dei oftenderet, & regnum Dei manifestarer, ac tyrannidem Diaboli, & do­los ejus dete­geret. to make his witnesse the more effectuall: Seeing indeede he came into the world as Tolet saith, that he might shew the truth of God, and manifest the Kingdom of God, and discouer the tiranie of the deuil and his deceits, whereby he deceiueth men, whether by his owne suggestions, or by his Mini­sters, the teachers and maintainers of idollatrie & errours. For to [Page 72]this purpose the Sonne (viz. the Word, the Truth) of God was ma­nifested that he might destroy the workes of the deuill. He came to confound all theese in this, that he came to beare witnesse vnto Gods Kingdom, vnto Gods Truth, whereby all theese are con­founded; and those also, that liue as if they were borne to noe other ende, and for noe other cause came into the world, then to flatter, daube, and temporise with sinnes and errours, or, which is as bad, frowardly to contest against the truth with sophisticated arguments & praeuaricating shifts; for that they might all be sure of it, and repenting, receiue and confesse the Truth in all things, he heere inforceth the certaintie of it with a kinde of ingemina­tion, or reinforcing of his asseueration to the Soules of men; as if they could neuer enough marke & remember this point, saying; to this ende was I borne, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should beare witnesse vnto the Truth. O thou eternall and almigh­tie Sonne of God, Heb. 1.2. by whome he made the worlds, thou heyre of all things, the brightnes of thy Fathers glorie, and the expresse Image of his person, thou that thoughtest it noe roberie to be held equall with God; surely it was for some greate ende that thou wast borne of a Woman, for some greate cause that thou camest in the World; Lord let vs know it, let vs heare it, ô thou Kinge of Saints, that wee neither despise nor slight and neglect it: thou tellest vs with a witnesse, and a deere witnesse it was to thee; for thou sealest it with thy most pretious blood, shed in the greatest paines, the greatest sufferings that euer any felt in this world, to see if yet wee will receiue the truth and the loue thereof, 2. Thess. 2.10.11: that wee may be sa­ued, and not be giuen ouer to beleeue a lye: for this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the World, that I should beare witnesse vnto the Truth.

Some man will say, If it were to this ende that he came, and thus sealed the truth, what Christian is there that will not receiue the loue of the Truth, that will not in all matters of faith and sal­uation heare his voice, obey it and so receiue his testimonie? I answer, thou hearest him affirme it and reinforce it, what then needes further witnes? Luk. 19.10: for if thou say, The Sonne of man came to seeke & to saue that which was lost: That is, by shewing them Gods Truth and bearing witnesse to it, and so loosing the prisnors bound [Page 73]and lost in the prison of sinne, errour Sedebas o homo in tene­brosis & vmbra mortis per ig­norantiam ve­ritatis, sedebas vinctus catenis delictorum. Bernar. de or­dine vitae. Nos de Adam caeci nati sumus, & illo illuminate opus habemus. Aug. in Ioan. trac. 34. Act. 26.18. Mar. 10.46. Gal. 4.4. and ignorance. Ioh. 12.48. He came a light into the world, that whosoeuer beleeueth on him should not abide in darkenesse, but should haue the light of life, to make them children of the light. God sent him for a light of the Gentiles, Isa. 42. but that was to open theire eyes, and to turne them from dark­nesse to light, and from the power of Satan vnto God, that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes, and inheritance amonge them, which are sanctified through faith that is in him. Not otherwise. The Sonne of man came to minister and giue his life a ransom for many: but that was to minister the Word, and to witnesse that his death was a ransom for many, to seale that truth, in his blood. God sent his Sonne made of a Woman, to redeeme them that were vnder the Law, and thereby Seruants obnoxious to sinne & death, that they might receiue the adoption of sonnes: but that is by receiuing the Word, the Truth, who to as many as receiue him, Ioh. 1.12.giueth power to become the Sonnes of God, euen to them that beleene on his Name, viz. on the Word: by letting them Chap. 8.32.34.36. Cha­racter of a Christian. pag. 325. &c.know the Truth, that the truth might make them free, and free indeede, from sinne, Satan, errours, snaring scru­ples &c. There is noe true freedom, but what the Truth giueth; and it must needes be true if the Truth giue it. As he there saith, If the Sonne therefore shall make you free, Ye shall be free indeede. Thereby shewing himselfe to be the Truth as Augustine pro­ueth on Ioh. 17.17. Sanctifie them in thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. August. in 10. trac. 108. To this Truth he bare witnesse; and this Truth freeth, beeing beleeued, knowne and receiued with loue. So was it with the Corinthians, who beeing inriched in all knowledge, Paul saith the testimonie of Christ was confirmed in them. 1. Cor. 1.6. which that wee might so receiue and obey in all that it teacheth, and euery part of it, he bare witnesse to it with his blood. Which therefore indeede is called the blood of the Testament, sealed, confirmed and dedicated in blood; Heb. 9.18.19 Wherevpon neither was the first Testament de­dicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken euery precept, he tooke the blood of Calues and sprinckled both the booke, and the people, saying, this is the blood of the Testament which God hath enioyned vnto you. That was a type of this Testament sealed, and dedicated to all mākinde in Christs blood, which sprinckleth both the Testa­ment as a witnesse and seale of it, and the people as redeemed and sealed vnto: therefore this blood of the euerlasting couenant is [Page 74]called a witnessing, Heb. 12.24. a speaking blood, The blood of sprinckling, which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel: It witnes­seth the Truth of all things declared in the new Testament, and so speaketh reconcilliation, grace, peace & life to the consciences of all them that receiue the same Testament, and the loue of the Truth, therein manifested, in all things necessary to saluation: See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. vers. 25.For if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not wee, if wee turne away from him that speaketh from Heauen: viz. by this blood, and the representatiue signes thereof in his Sacraments, therefore Saint Iohn saith, 1. Ioh. 5.8. There are three that beare witnesse in Earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood, and theese three agree in one. They all witnesse and seale the same thinge, they agree in witnesse of one Truth one Testament. Ioh. 14.26. chap. 16.13. The Spirit, that is the holy Ghost that brought all things to the mindes of the Apostles that Christ had told them, and that witnesseth the same Word, and noe other vnto vs: for he guided them into all Truth, he was not to speake of himselfe, but to take of Christs and shew vnto them: nothing but that which Christ had Ioh. 15.15. made knowne vnto them; saue only that he should shew them things to come: viz. touching, the comming of the man of sinne; his lying wonders; him that letted; Seducing Spirits, that should forbid marriage, and some meates; the seauen seales; the 7. Triumpets; the 7. Ʋials; the Dragon with ten­ne hornes; the Beast; his marke; them that receiue it; Babylons Ruin, and the like. Whereof our Lord speaketh when he saith, I haue yet many things to say vnto you, Ioh. 16.12.but ye can not beare them now. theese can not be, as the greate whore and her members, most impu­dently affirme, the traditions of the Church of Rome, as inuoca­tion of saints, single life of Preists, distinction of meates, theire ob­serued fasts and feasts, the Popes succession in Peters chaire as head of the Church, priuate masses, drawing Soules out of pur­gatorie, &c. For this is a bold diuination for thire owne proffit; any other Hereticks may say as much for theire herefies, if that would serue; and to disproue them all our Sauiour speaking of things absolutely necessary to saluation saith, All things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne vnto you. Ioh. 15.15. theese the Spirit brought to theire mindes, and in theire writings [Page 75] Act. 20.27. 1. Ioh. 1.3. chap. 2.27. Charac. of a Christian. p. 86.96.106.110. they manifested them to vs; and to theese the Spirit beareth witnesse on earth: And the water. viz. in Baptisme; it is a seale of that Couenant, and Truth; it exhibiteth and witnesseth the same things vissiblie, and to the Soule in a sealing signe that the Testa­ment doth: And the blood; this did Christs bloods shed on the Crosse, and this doth the cup in the Sacrament: for therefore Christ giueth to the signe the name and sealing virtue of the thinge signified, saying, This is my blood of the new Testament; viz. that witnesseth and confirmeth the truth of it, and of all that it offereth and teacheth to youre Soules: This cup is the new Testa­ment in my blood; the Testament witnessed, sealed, confirmed and dedicated to you in my blood, as the first Testament was in the blood of Calues, of Goates &c. and therefore Saint Iohn there addeth, If wee receiue the witnesse of men, 1. Ioh. 5.9.the witnesse of God is grea­ter: for this is the witnesse of God, which he testifieth of his Sonne; that is, which he testifieth of the Word, of the Truth, which is his Sonne, and which God witnessed and sealed vnto vs, not only by voices from Heauen and myracles, but also by the blood of his Sonne, and now by his Spirit, by the water of Baptisme, and by the cup in the Lords Supper; therefore it is saide, Him hath God the Father sealed. Ioh. 6.27. and therefore John Baptist saith of Christ (Ioh. 3.33.) He that receiued his testimonie, hath set to his seale that God is true; that is, true in his Word, and true in the sea­ling that he giues to it; he iustifieth him in his sayings Rom. 3.4. He that beleeueth him not in euery thinge he hath saide, but re­iecteth the Testament, the Truth in any point of faith and salua­tion, he beleeueth not God, but hath made him a liar, vers. 10.because he belee­ueth not the record that God gaue of his Sonne. He beleeueth not the witnesse of the Spirit, of the water, of the cup; not the witnes which Christ bare vnto the Truth in his blood; he refuseth him that speaketh by theese; yea he reiecteth Christ the faithfull and true witnesse, and the Seale or marke of God, Reu. 1.5. euen the testimonie of Iesus chap. 19.10 see Character of a Christian. pag. 228., receiued by all them that are in a right and saueing manner of the true Church: Wherein there is noe other Word receiued in matters of faith and saluation, but Gods Testament. Noe vaine brags of the spirit; but by the Scriptures the 1. Ioh. 4.1.6 Act. 17.11. 1. Thes. 5.21. Isa. 8.20.Spirits are tried. To the Law and to the testimonie: if they speake not accor­ding to this word, it is because there is noe light in them. And conse­quently [Page 76]noe spirit of prophesie in them. If a man be well skilled or mightie in the proofes & power of the new Testament, as Apollos was saide to be mightie in the Scriptures, Act. 18.24. then he hath the spirit of prophesie, otherwise not: for that true member of the true church, endued with such excellent knowledge, that Iohn would haue worshipped him, Reu. 12.9. chap. 19.10. saith, I am of thy Brethren the Prophets, & of them that keepe the sayings of this booke. Which expoundeth that, I am of thy Brethren that haue the testimonie of Jesus: he had nothing else but his Testament; he came out from the Arke of his Testament, out of that Temple, wherein was noe other Word, he was power­full in that; nor would he allow any doctrine, which was not agreeable thereto, to be of the Spirit: therefore he saith, for the testimonie of Iesus is the Spirit of prophesie: noe other. If therefore men bringe not that testimonie, they vainly talke of the Spirit of prophesie, as Papists for theire traditions, Anabaptists for theire dreames, and others for theire Heresies; wherein they reiect the testimonie of Iesus, & doe despite to the Spirit of grace. Where­fore the Apostle saith, Heb. 10.26. If wee sinne willingly after wee haue receiued the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth noe more sacrifice for sinnes, but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgment and fierie indig­nation, &c. If wee fall away and reiect the truth in any point of faith & saluation, wee haue noe benefit of that one Sacrifice: for as it was a price of redemption, so ye see it was and is a seale and witnesse of the Testament that conueis the benefit of it, to them that receiue that Truth, not to them that despise it; for it rather sealeth to them the damnation assured Mark. 16.16. Ioh. 3.18.20. He that despised Moses Law, vers. 28.died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses; (though he despised but one or two commaundements thereof, for that made him guiltie of all.) Of how much sorer puish­ment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden vnder foote the Sonne of God (viz. the Word, the ^* new Testament, not the letter, but the spirit. For the Lord is that spirit. 2. Cor. 3.6.17.) and hath counted the blood of Couenant wherewith he was sanctified (that is, sealed & dedicated) an vnholy thinge. He that reiects his testi­monie in any point and takes other, he departs from the faith, as those doe who take theires that forbid marriage & meates, and so he doth this verrie thinge, he maketh the blood that speaketh an insufficient witnesse, and so an vnholy thinge, and doth despite vnto [Page 77]the Spirit of grace, (that also witnesseth the same) like as all Here­ticks and hinderers, and slanderers of the Word doe:) though Christ came with his blood and bitter passion to beare witnesle to the Truth, and to make him receiue the loue of it; yet he receiueth it not. Marke this ye Papists, Pelagians and other Hereticks; and neuer tell men of youre meditations of Christs wounds, & hopes in his blood and sufferings, and in your receiuing it in the cup, nor of your prayers to be clensed by that blood, if in any thinge you obstinately reiect his testimonie, and receiue not the Truth to which he bare witnesse with his blood; because this is not to receiue, but to tread vnder foote the Sonne of God, & count the blood of the Couenant wherewith he was sanctified, sealed and confirmed to vs an vnholy thinge. How thē would they haue benefit by it? God hath chosen men to saluation (and so to haue benefit by the blood & by the Sacrament) through sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the Truth. Such as receiue the loue of the Truth haue it, 2. Thes. 2. not others that will not. The like may be saide of theire Baptisme, I meane not generally; because at least some of theire children, dying be­fore they come of age to receiue, or reiect the loue of the Truth, may yet haue benefit of theire Baptisme to life euerlasting: but they themselues that oppose the Truth in any thinge, or will not heare the voice of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisely; and presist therein without repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth, what benefit can they haue by theire Baptisme? It is not that, but theire beeing Charat. of a Christian. pag. 81. &c. and continuing in the Word, that makes them such true Christians as shall be saued. For Baptisme also is a seale of the Co­uenant, by it God beareth witnesse to his Couenant; and it is of greate force and virtue to him that receiues the loue true of the Truth sealed; as the seale is to a couenant of this world, and to him that receiues it, and whatsoeuer it conueieth. But if in any point men reiect and oppose the Truth, and so tread vnder foote the Sonne of God, they make the Water and the Blood thereby signified an insufficent witnesse, and so an vnholy thinge; they re­fuse him that by it speaketh and beareth witnesse to his Truth; and what benefit then can they haue by it, without receiuing his Truth to which it is a seale?

He that receiues the broade seale of a Kinge, if either in part or in whole he reiect, oppose or disclaime the deede to which it is annexed, or the things therein conueied, or will not hold them so as the writing bindeth, whether it be in capite or other tenute, but as he list himselfe, or if he cut of a peece of the writing, or tread it vnder foote, what good doth the Seale doe him? surely none: he forsakes the substance and foundation of his assurance. But so doe the Papists and other Hereticks by Gods Truth and couenant as in theese examples.

The Couenant of God witnesseth that, He hath chesen vs in him before the world, (not that wee were, but) that wee should be holy. He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling, Ephes. 1.4.5.6. 2. Tim. 1.9. Rom. 11.15. chap. 9.11.12 16.not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace, giuen vs in Christ before the world. There is a remnant acording to the elec­tion of grace: and if by grace, then it is no more of workes; otherwise Grace is noe more grace &c. Noe man can haue theese but he must thus hold them in Capite of God, and that his eternall Truth and purpose: but both Papists and Pelagians oppose this, some more, some lesse, and will haue and hold this election calling and salua­tion from and according to foreseene faith and workes, and so of and by them. And is not this then to fall from God & his eternall purpose and grace to themselues and theire owne workes? From the fundamentall Truth and true foundation to a false one of theire owne? The Couenant of God witnesseth of the elect that they are borne againe not of the will of man, Ioh. 1.but of God; of and by the Word: Phil. 2. that God worketh in vs both to will and to doe: The Pelagians and Papists will not hold this Sonneship and power to doe good soe wholly of God, but of free will, which at least must share with God in that power and honour: Is not this to disclaime God in the foundation, and the things it giueth? Indeede they haue free will, but it is to contend against the Word, Iud. 11. and by gainsaying with Core, to shew they are not of the Truth, and soe to proue that they haue not this free will to good which they talke of. Gods couenāt giues the cup to all, Mat. 26.27. 1. Cor. 11.26.27.28. saying, drinke ye all of it; and soe did the Co­rimhians e [...]ce this bread & drinke this cup. The Papists yet take the cup from the laietie; and so, as it were, what in them is both cut of a peece of the Coueant, 1. Tim. 2.5. and breake of a part of the Seale, yea forbid and denie it to Gods people. Gods Couenant and Truth [Page 79]will haue them come vnto him, and by Christ the Heb. 1.4. & one & only Mediatour; Papists will yet pray vnto Saints and make them Me­diatours: Gods Couenant alloweth 1. Tim. 3.2.12. Marriage to all; they for­bid it to Preists. A man would thinke this were not to depart from the faith, to forsake the foundation: But though sinnes of infirmitie against the new Couenant, are not a departing from it; yet as for teaching or receiuing any new, or contrarie doctrine, and not 1. Tim. 6.3. consenting to Christs in all things, in this case it is with the new Couenant, as it was with the Law, Gal. 3.10. Deut. 27. Iam. 2.10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things, which are written in it: and whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all: and must haue forer punishment, Reu. 22.16.18. as one that tradeth vnderfoote the Sonne of God &c. vt supra. For the Angell and Christ by him assureth eternall plauges to him that shall adde to his Word, or take away from the words of his booke; & Saint Paul saith of theese that giue beede to such as forbid marriage and some meats, that they depart from the faith: Much more if they doe it in other points also, as the Papists doe; who in many greate points of faith and saluation doe not continue in the Word, but 1. Tim. 6.3. teach other wise & consent not to the wholsom words of our Lord Jesus Christ; but are gainsayers with Core, Iude 11.

Gods Covenant witnesseth that he doth freely iustifie his by the blood of Christ, and his free grace therein, Rom. 5.9. Rom. 3.24.28. Gal. 2.16. and on our part by faith only, without the workes of the Law: for Saint Iames speakes of our iustification before men, shew me thy faith by the workes; Iam. 2.18. make it appeare to vs by thy workes, that it is not a dead faith, Rom. 4.2. but true liueing and saueing; If Abraham were iustified by workes, he hath wherein to reioyce, but not afore God. Yet they will haue a man to be iustified afore God, not by his free grace, and only by faith therein, but by the workes of the Law. Which is against the maine scoape of the Gospell and Truth of God touching salua­tion, and so against the foundation, as also in other points. Heb. 7.27. chap. 9.26.28 chap. 10.12.14. The Couenant of God witnesseth, that Christ was once offered; after he had offered one Sacrifice for simes for euer, he sate downe at the right hand of God. By one offering he perfected for euer them that are sancti­fied. The Papists will yet daily offer him by the hands of the Preist, a propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the quick and dead, to get remission by an idoll, or false Christ of theire owne [Page 80]making, Ioh. 8.32. see Charac. of a Christian. pag. 329. &c. ad finem. and so by a new price of redemption. The Couenant of God witnesseth that the Truth maketh men free, and free indeede, from the seruitude and imputation of sinne, that men can not otherwise haue true freedom; but as if it did not, the Papists will haue freedom by pardons, merrits, satisfactions, masses &c. Surely this is to forsake the true foundation of assurance for a false one of theire owne. Yet some vnaduisedly say, they hold the foun­dation; which can not be maintained. For Christ is the eternall Word and Truth reuealed, and that Word is in himselfe most simple and indiuisible, one foundation, not to be diuided, though wee can not come in any measure to know the same, but as it is reuealed for our weake and finite vnderstanding, as it were by parts and principles: yet it is true in them all and in euery part, he was and is eternally that Truth of God; and other foundation can noe man laie thē that is laied which is Iesus Christ. Now therefore whoseuer in points of faith and saluation forsake and oppose that foundation in any one principle, and insteade thereof intrudeth another for men to build vpon, he forsaketh and opposeth Christ the eternall foundation, and thrusts in another for men to build vpon; and they that in matters of faith and saluation receiue and build vpon the intruded foundation, they forsake Christ the eter­nall foundation & build vpon the other intruded: but the Popish clergie in points of faith and saluation forsake and oppose that foundation in diuers principles, and insteade thereof intrude others for men to build on: therefore they forsake and oppose Christ the eternall foundation and thrust in another for men to build vpon; and the Papists that in matters of faith and saluation receiue and build vpon the intruded foundation, they also forsake Christ the eternall foundation and build vpon the intruded.

If an Executour, or one that hath diuers legacies giuen him, re­iect a dead mans Testament in any one thinge, to get the same by some other right and title, or adde one thinge to it, wee say he forsakes, breakes and dissanuls the will or Testament, and so the verrie foundation of all he hath by it; much more if he doe it in many, as the Papists doe by Christ, who reiect his Testament in diuers maine points of faith and saluation, to hold the legacies thereof by other doctrines and titles; and adde to it theire owne traditions, which they will haue receiued, pari pietatis affectu ac [Page 81]reuerentia. For faith S. Paul, If it be a mans Testament, yet if it be confirmed, noe man dissanulleth or addeth vnto it. Gal. 3.15. Much lesse to Gods Testament, which is the Truth Christ spake and confirmed in his blood; seeing indeede Christ himselfe is the Truth, which he spake, as Aug. in 10. trac. 41. B [...]da Feria. 5 po [...]t [...]uocau [...]t Aug. in Ioan. tr [...]c. 115. cum Chrutus &c. Ioh. 8. Angustine and Beda shew on the words, I speake that which I haue seene with my Father: and as the same Augustine on theese words doth well vnderstand, when Christ beareth witnesse to the Truth, truly he beareth witnesse to himselfe; for surely it is his owne voice. I am the Truth. And he also saith in another place, I am one that beareth witnesse of my selfe. Which needeth noe further proofe here; because in sundrie places aboue, he is manifested to be the Word, and that Word the Truth. Now seeing he bare witnesse to that Truth, to the Testament with his blood, and this Testa­ment beeing the doctrine taught by him and his Apostles and Euangelists, and by them left in writing, is called ^* the testimonie of Iesus, receiued by all that are his, as of one that, is therefore called the faithfull and true witnesse (Reuel. 1.5.) one that should be beleeued and obeied in all matters of faith and saluation; ther­fore against all opposers and Hereticks, who refuse his testimonie in any point, he addeth;

Euerie one that is of the truth heareth my voice. That is, euerie one that is of me, and so is a true Christian in beeing of the Truth. Those are not such, who for a while receiue the Word with ioy, as the stonie ground doth the seede, Mat. 13. but when persecution ariseth because of the Word, by & by they are offended. Some with the verrie manifestation of the Word, that the poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them; the Truth manifested to them: chap. 11.5.6. he therefore who is the Word, who is the Truth, saith, Blessed is he whosoeuer shall not be offended in me. And in another place, If ye continue in my Word, Ioh. 31.then are ye my Disciples indeede: that is, Christians of me, Character of a Christian. pag. 199. &c. that am Christ the Truth: for so he addeth, And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. Act. 11.26.In Antioch the Disciples were first called Christians. As a Disciple of Plato is called a Platonist, of Arrius an Arrian, and as the Disciples of Nicolas, all that held his doctrine were by the holy Ghost called Nicolaitans; Reu. 2.6.15. so the Disci­ples of Christ, that in all things consent to his Word and continue therein, are of him the Truth, & so called Christians. One is youre Maister euen Christ. Wee must not be of Paul, nor [Page 82]of Apollos, nor of Cephas, which is Peter; much lesse of his suppo­sed Successour (or any other Heretick) as those that will be cal­led Latine or Romane Catholicks, that is vniuersalls, in theire re­lation to theire holding of him and his See, after whome all the world wondreth, and who is called the vniuersall Latine, or Romane Bishop, and so haue the name of the Beast; and are more truly cal­led Papists then Christians: because they heare & obey him more then Christ, and against Christ.

Wee must not in matters of faith and saluation heare any mans voice, Ephes. 2.20. further then he commeth with the Truth of God, to which Christ bare witnesse with his blood, the Truth which is the foun­dation laide in the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and Pro­phets; and in building, or seeming to build therevpon, the same must not be wrested; 1. Cor. 3.10.11. but euery man must take heede how he buildeth therevpon: for other foundation can noe man lay then that is layde, which is Iesus Christ. Noe other word. Saint Paul will haue vs to be of none but of God; chap. 1.30. Of him are ye in Christ, who of God is made vnto vs wisdom: It is wisdom in a man to be of this wisdom, of the Word, of the Truth, and so of God; for it is Gods Truth: Ye are Christs, chap. 3.23.and Christ is Gods. Therefore he saith here, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice. He therefore that will not in all matters of faith and saluation be truly a Disciple of Truth, but teaches new or contrarie doctrine, he becomes a Maister of er­rour; and they that receiue it and abide in it, are his, not Christs, His Seruants ye are to whome ye obey; Rom. 6.16. whether Christ or Antichrist, the true Shepbeard or a Seducer, though it be but in one or two points; as the followers of Nicolas, though they held all the rest sound, they presently loose the name of Christians, and are called Nicolaitans: for one stronge hold, held against such a Kinge, is enough to make the Captaine that holds it, and all his followers to loose the name of Subiects, and to be rightly called Traitours: men can not serue two Maisters, not God and Mammon; much lesse Christ and Antichrist, the Truth and errour: if he cleaue to er­rour, he despiseth and hateth the Truth; which is not the fault of one sort of Hereticks and euill doers, Ioh. 3.20. but of all: Euery one that euill doth hateth the light, neither commeth to the light.

Theese things me thinks should fill the Papists, and our new Maisters the Arminians with horrour. For though Christ say, As [Page 83]Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse,vers. 14. see Charac. of a Christian. pag. 205. Ioh. 5.24.so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp, That WHOSOEVER beleeueth on him should not pe­rish, but haue eternall life; and of a beleeuer in the present tense, He that beareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent me, HATH euerlasting life, and shall NOT come into condemnation, but IS pas­sed from death to life; And by his Apostles, Rom. 8.30. Whome he did predesti­nate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also iustified: and whom he iustified, them he also glorified. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Whosoeuer is borne of God,chap. 11.29. 1. Ioh. 3.9.sinneth not (viz. the sinne vnto death) for his seede remaineth in him, and he can not sinne, because he is borne of God. To shew that a true beleeuer, called and iustified, may be certaine of his saluation, and can not fall away totally and finally: Yet our Arminian Pelagians, and the Papists feare not to maintaine that persons truly iustified can not be certaine of theire saluation, and that they may neuertheles fall away totally and finally; wherein many follow them, and therein follow new Maisters, and like rebels maintaine stronge holds of errour against the knowledge of God, and obedience of Christ the Truth.

But they say, that to preach theese doctrines of certainty of sal­uation, & perseuerance, as also of election & conuersion of grace, and not of workes, not of free will; if they were true doctrines, which they will not graunt, yet they who teach thē to the people, teach desperate doctrines, and open a gap to all licentiousnes, care­lesnes, prophanenes, & neglect of holy life; and shew a greate wāt of wisdom and discretion, or to the like effect. Here I might tell them, that theire owne broaching and maintaining of errours, in theese points, haue caused more preaching & writing to defende the Truth, and to keepe people from theire errours and apostacie, then otherwise had beene requisite: But I answer they see not, or will not see, that this is in effect to charge Christ with want of wisdom and discretion; who, in the infancie of the Church, did himselfe and by his Apostles, teach all theese things by preaching and writing vnto the people; that whatsoeuer his Word be, it still ministreth grace to those hearers that are his Sheepe, Tit. 2.11.12 teaching them to denie vngodlines and worldly lusts, it softeneth & molefieth theire hearts as the Sunne softeneth waxe; that 2. pet. 2.20 they escape the pollu­tions of the world through the knowledge of Christ; that those [Page 84]that are not Christs, are as well hardened by other points, as by theese, euen as the sunne hardeneth clay: and so it doth theese new Maisters and theire followers: for the more the Truth is mani­fested, the more they hate that light and Truth, and would hin­der the setting of it forth in Sermons and Bookes; the more they despise Christ, who is the Truth and rebell against him. Is this theire wisdom and discretion? I confesse they haue some, such as it is. For first, for gaine or preferment, they will obscure, betray & sell Christ the Truth, yea fight against him with errours and ar­guments, wrest the Word to theire eronious tenets, that is in ef­fect to proue him errour and his father a liar; like mercenarie Souldiers that will fight of that side which giues them most pay: and then they haue wisdom to get greate ones of theire side; to hinder others from confuting them, and to keepe the people from knowledge, that so they also may fall the sooner to theire partie; and by theese things to deale trecherously with God; as also by peruerting the Articles, to make, if they could, theire mother an adultresse, and the present Church of England as adulterous in Religion as themselues; to extenuate the heinousnes of Poperie, to draw our Religion neerer to it, and thereby to get the Romish Aduersaries freinds in Court and Vniuersities; by seditious whis­perings to alienate the heart of the Prince from his most Reli­gious and Truth seeking Subiects, to get Parliaments dissolued, and so ouerthrow a cheife remedie vnder God, to deuide a King­dom at vnitie in it selfe, to fire all, soe they may, but get theire Princes fauour to rule for theire owne times; and by all theese things to throw Churches, Kingdoms and States into destruc­tion; to prouoke God to powre out his plauges vpon vs: If this be theire wisdom and discretion, surely it is not sapere adsobrieta­tem, Iam. 3.15.17. it comes not from aboue, it is not pure & peaceable, but earthly, sensuall and deuilish. But they haue one point of wisdom more, to shew, if not by all theese, yet at least by stopping theire owne eares (and other mens also, what they can) against the voice of the char­mer, by disputing and fighting against the Truth, that they are not of the Truth, nor of his Kingdom, but of a contrarie; that they ranne gredily after the errour of Balaam, for reward, and will perish in the gainsaying of Core, vnlesse they repent: Iude 11. For Christ saith, Tole [...]. in Ioan. 18. Euery one that is of the Truth heareth my voice. Tolet. There­fore the Iewes beleeue not me, not because I speake not true things, but [Page 85]because they are not of the Truth. It is a like saying, Joh. 3. he that doth truth commeth to the light. Rom. 2. 2. Thes. 1.7.8. But to them that are conten­tious, and doe not obey the Truth, but obey vnrighteousnesse indignation and wrath. Which indeede they will finde when Christ commeth, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell, who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction &c. Reu. 14.9.10.11. vers. 12. As is saide to those his enemies that would not that he should raigne ouer them, and to them that receiue the marke of the Beast, and worship him and his Image in receiuing, and obeying for doctrines theire commandements and traditions; as they would haue all doe, or suffer for refusing thē; a greate triall: therefore it is there added, Here is the patience of the Saints: Character of a Chr [...]stian. pag. 282. & 292.Here are they that keepe the cōman­demēts of God, & the faith of Iesus. They that are theires, heare thē; * but they that are Christs will in matters of faith & saluatiō only heare him, as he saith, Euery one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Augustine, Aug. in Ioan. trac. 115. gra­tiam commen­dauit &c.He hath commended the grace whereby he calleth ac­cording to his purpose: of the which purpose the Apostle speaketh; All thing [...]s worke together for good to them who are called according to his purpose, to wit, according to the purpose of the caller, not of the called. He hath called vs with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace: without doubt noe merrits goeing before, least grace should, not be grace. For if he bad saide, Euerie one which heareth my voice is of the truth, he should haue beene thought to haue beene named of the Truth, because he obeieth the Truth. He saith not this, but thus, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice. And hereby he is not therefore of the Truth, because he heareth his voice, but he therefore heareth because he is of the Truth, that is because the Truth conferreth this gift on him: which what other thinge is it, then Christ giueing him the gift, he beleeueth in Christ? This he manifests against the proud and pestilent errour of the Pelagians, which taketh from God the glorie of his free grace & power in election, calling, conuersion &c. And giues theese things to theire owne free will, and Foreseene faith and works; and by such disputes against the Truth proue that which they denie, viz. that they them­selues can not heare, beleene, & obey the truth, because it is not giuen them of God, because they are not Christs; as he saith, Ioh. 10.26.27. Ye be­leeue not, because ye are not of my Sheepe. My Sheepe heare my voice, that is because they are of me, chosen in me: Ioh. 8.47. He that is of God hea­reth Gods words: ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God. [Page 86]That is indeede, because ye are not of Gods elect, and so of the Truth, 1. Ioh. 2.19. and called according to his purpose. They went out from vs, because they were not of vs: Act. 13.48. Act. 2.42. vers. 47.for if they had beene of vs, they would haue continued with vs, &c. As many as were ordained to eternall life be­leeued. Such continue stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine, as is expres­sed there; Such as should be saued. Others, that are not so of the Truth, doe not; only the elect and called, as he saith, Euery one that is of the Truth heareth my voice. Tolet in Ioan. 18. vide ó Pi­late quos audis contra me, qui ex veritute nō sunt. Tolet. Behold, ô Pilate, whome thou hearest against me, those that are not of the Truth. So indeede of Papists, Pelagians and other Hereticks, Christ may complaine and say, Behold, ô ye Princes and people, whome ye heare against me, 2. Tim. 2.19. Ioh. 10. those that are not of the Truth. The LORD knoweth them that are his: Christ saith, I know my sheepe, that is, who are giuen me, who shall heare my voice, and who not. Act. 18.10.

Yet true it is that mē commonly iudge of the tree by the fruite, and so that those are not of God, who heare not Gods words; like­wise of others, because they doe heare his voice, they are of the Truth: 1. Ioh. 4.6. and this is good, and if not opposed to the former, noe way amisse. He that knoweth God heareth vs, he that is not of God heareth not vs, hereby know wee the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of errour. For Christ is knowne Ioh. 10.14.27. Character of a Christian. pag. 329. of his, and when they know the Truth, the Truth maketh them free: free from presumpteous sinning; they heare his voice; they may not, nor will not soe neglect hearing & holy life as presuming vpon praedestination to say desperately, Si Saluabor Saluabor, there is noe danger of that, because they not knowing the secret counsaile of God, who are elected in Christ to be called, iustified, sanctified and glorified, and who not, looke to the meanes, heare his Word, pray and giue all dilligence to follow it in holines of life; that soe themselues (and others also) may know the tree by the fruite; which is to make theire calling and election sure to themselues: but howsoeuer both the one, and the other shew that they only are of Christ, be they here or elswhere, that heare his voice, as he saith, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice. As wee haue many liueing in our Church, and pertaking with it in some outward ceremonies and seruices, who for diuers respects would haue some men thinke thē Protestants, yet are in heart and faith Papists, abborring those doctrines of our Church which dissent from Poperie; soe may Christ haue some of [Page 87]his elect in the Church of Rome, that by that litle light they get of the Scriptures perceiue the errours of that Church and abhorre them; and there may be some such in the citie of Rome it selfe, when it is ready to be destroied, to whome he crieth come out of her my people; but where euer they be, you heare he saith, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice. Which may serue to answer them that would proue the Church of Rome to be a true Church of Christ, because he hath people in her, when indeede the Inqui­sitors, when they finde them, proue them to be rather of our faith and soe of our Church and religion.

Yet doe I not excuse them, that holding our faith and religion in theire hearts, outwardly professe poperie; Christ would haue it otherwise, and therefore calls to them to come out of Babel, to liue where they may with more safety confesse him the Truth; which indeede is to haue Gods Charac. of a Christian. pag. 245. & 282. Rom. 10.10. Mat. 10.32.33. marke in the forhead. For with the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse, and with the mouth confes­sion is made vnto saluation. Whosoeuer therefore shall confesse me be­fore men, him will I confesse before my Father. But whosoeuer shall denie me before men, him will I also denie before my Father.

Which things should methinks fill all our Church Papists with horrour, espe [...]ially some greate ones, who would seeme to be true Protestants, and for fashion sake come somtimes to Church, and say ouer the prayers, which some Papists thinke are not repugnant to theire Religion, yea & heare some mens sermons; but it is that they may the better hold places and offices, get the more trust in greate imploiments and counsels; that soe pretending many mat­ters for the good of our Religion, they may the better vnder such colourable pretences practise and secretly carrie them to the fur­therance of the Popish cause. Theese are such as seeme to admire the outward rites, and all the most gaudie vestments & ceremo­nies; because indeede they loue litle else in the Church, would haue more of them, and more neere to poperie, euen such gay shewes as in M^r. Cosens set vp in the North. Yet some of the Clergie are soe fond, as to crie out for litle or nothing else but the seruice, the ceremonies, outward habbits, and Musick; pretending that by pressing the vse of such things, they shall the sooner draw Papists to come to Church; (but not to be there conuinced; for points controuerted must not be preached to discouer errours;) [Page 88]they might adde, that they shall thereby get some doubtfull freinds, if not secret enemies, and gaine as much by it, as of old the Church of Rome did before the yeare 420. by imitating and vsing some rites of the heathen, the sooner to winne them to em­brace Christianily; the issue whereof was this, that God soe abhor­red theire temporising, that he suffered them in few yeares to be ouer flowen by a flood of Gothes, Vandals: and Alanes, &c. The Lord God deliuer vs from such an inundation of Papists. I reade of some that were to be ouercome and conuerted by the sword that comes out of Christs mouth, Reu. 19.21. But of none by shewes, musick and ceremonies: Yet I will not say that other re­formed Churches that haue fewer Ceremonies gaine more con­uerts; but this I may say, that they get such as are more sincere, constant and faithfull to Church and State: and further to all such Church Papists (who it seeme for an aduantage, get dispensations to be present at some of our Churches and Sermons) that they are not Protestants, vnlesse theire hearts hold the Protestant faith; that if they thinke Poperie to be the true Religion, why doe they not openly professe it? (espetially seeing they are not troubled in England for theire Religion, but haue indeede to much libertie, & vse of it) or if they doe not; how can they hope in the day of iudg­ment to looke Christ in the face with comfort? for he that is the Truth saith, Mark. 8.38. Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinfull generation, of him shall the Sonne of Man be ashamed, when he commeth in the glorie of his Father. If theese men were of the Truth, they would not only be present at the preaching of it, but also heare and obey it, soe as truly to seeke the Kingdom of God, yea and therewith all the promised and com­maunded Ruin of Rome, Antichrist and theire supporters, which hinder Christs raigne, and not the things which are contrarie: For he saith, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice.

Thus then though there be many Religions in the world, op­posing one another, some in one thinge, some in another; yet there is but one of them of the Truth, namely that alone which in all matters of faith and saluation heareth his voice, who is the Truth. Lately in my hearing one iestingly asked a Popish newes-monger, how it went with the Catholicke Cause? He in some anger & more pride answered, ye haue many Religions, but I hope that now ye [Page 87] [...] [Page 88] [...] [Page 89]shall haue but one: It was asked him if he would be of that one; he replied, I that I will. It was asked him what Religion that was? he answered, The booke of common praier and the Articles. One an­swered him, wee hold with the booke of common prayer & with the Articles, but not after the sense of the Arminians, proued to be peruerted, wrested and absurd, by Doctor Carlton late Bishop of Chichester in a booke, abouemencioned, dedicated to the Kings Maiestie. And indeede whether all things be in them in that per­fection that should be, or noe, both the one and the other send vs to the Truth of God reuealed in scripture, & oblige vs to be of it. The booke of common praier saith, that wee assemble and meeke to­gether to heare his most holy Word; and to aske thoose things &c. In the Lords praier, diuers times there vsed, wee pray, Hallowed be thy Name, they Kingdom come, they will be donne; and soe that his Word may be had in honour, and his Kingdom come amonge vs in the due preaching thereof, and into our Soules to rule vs in all things necessarie to saluation: For his is the Kingdom, the power and glorie. The Psalme read saith, to day if ye will heare his voice, hearden not &c. The praier for peace; In knowledge of whome standeth our eternall life: another Granting vs in this world know­ledge of they truth: the letanie, That is would please him to illuminate all Bishops, Pastors and Ministers of the Church with true knowledge and vnderstanding of his Word, and (what, to treasure and monopo­lize it vp in themselues? noe, but) that by theire preaching & liueiug they may set it forth and shew it accordingly: as in a prayer at the communion, That they may, both by theire life and doctrine, set foorth they true and liuely Word: In another for all the congration; 2. Sund. in Aduent, Blessed Lord which hast caused, all holy Scrip­ture to be written for our learning, grant that wee may in such wise heare them, reade &c. To passe by that on 5. Sund, after Epiph. which Against Pelagian pride saith, That they which doe leane only on the hope of they heauenly grace, may euermore &c. On good Friday is begd of him, That he would take from Iewes, Turkes, In­fidels and Hereticks, ignorance, heardnesse of heart and contempt of his Word; but not in desire to retaine it in our selues. The booke of Articles saith Art. 2. The Sonne is the Word of the Father, begotten &c. Art. 6. Holy Scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation: soe that whatsoeuer is not read therein, nor may be proued thereby, is not [Page 90]required of any man, that it should be beleeued as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessarie to saluation. Soe also the Articles of Ireland. Art. 1. The ground of our Religion, and the Rule of faith, and all saueing truth is the Word of God, contained in holy Scripture. In both theese bookes, by the name of holy Scripture the Compilers vnderstand all the canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament, in them recited. Now that which thus bindeth vs to another Rule and warrant, doth not make it selfe the Rule and warrant, nor permit any Rule and warrant in matters of faith and saluation, be­sides that to which it bindeth vs: but the booke of the Articles doth thus binde to another Rule and warrant: ergo. For further proofe whereof obserue Art. 22. The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, &c. is a fonde thinge. Now this Article is not the Rule and warrant why that doctrine must not be receiued, but the Word; for soe it followeth, as beeing vainely inuented, and grounded vpon noe warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God. Art. 8. saith, The three creedes, ought throughly to be receiued and beleeued: but why? the article sends to the warrant and rule, saying, For they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scrip­ture. Wherevpon Ministers, Catechising men in that called the Apostles creede, doe accordingly proue the matter by the Scrip­tures. Art. 18. counteth them accursed, that presume to say that euery man shall be saned by the law or sect which he professeth: where the Article is not the Rule or warrant, but plainely telleth you of ano­ther, saying; For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs only the Name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued.

This man then that hoped that wee should haue noe other Re­ligion then the booke of Articles and the common praier, hoped it seemes, that wee should not haue them as they were at first in­tended, nor in that which they require and binde men to. viz. in matter of faith and saluation to build only on the Scripture, which ye see is plainely and euidently intended by the compilers of the Articles. By this man one may gather the hopes of the Papists; for it was M^r. Burgen theire known Newes-monger, one that is frequent amonge them, and heares theire mindes; that preaching to aedifie some and confute others by Scripture; and writing to conuince some and establish others, which haue soe weakened & discoured them, would now be out of countenance and fashion: that though [Page 91]wee pray for theese things, yet there should be nothing lesse min­ded and practised; that soe they and the Arminians might preuaile vnconfuted, vnreproued; (because theese bookes, though agreable to Scripture, are not, as ye see, warrants & Rules of faith; they doe not quote places of Scripture to proue or confute, and so consume Antichrist and Hereticks by the Spirit of Christs mouth, nor in­deede recite all theire errours) that yet theese bookes would come to be the Rule of faith (and soe ouerthrow that which the 6. Article saies of the Scripture) that wee should not soe much as vrge them in theire true & grammaticall sense; that by this meanes Arminian prelates might hold them to theire sense; that if according to Trent practises, some more Arminians and Popelings could be intruded into Bishops Sees and conuocations, then any thinge that they vnder the Name of the Church of England, should teach or or­daine, might also in time become rules and Articels of faith, and at last not the Scripture, but theire iniunctions should be alleadged to proue points of faith, after the Manner of the Church of Rome, and the Scriptures pinned to them, and in some points noe further admitted or taught then agreable to them: that insteade of the authoritey of Scripture, the authoritie, sense and iniunctions of the Church might be interposed, & he iudged an Heretick that should not receiue them, what euer they be, without further dispute, and soe that wee should shortly loose our Religion, and all be brought by degrees and deuises, as the Churches of Italie and others were of old, to the Popes tenets. Whereas on the contrarie the booke of Articles saith, Art. 19. The vissible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men, in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance. Art. 20. The Church heath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authoritie in controuersies of faith: And yet it is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thinge that is contrarie to Gods Word written, neither may it soe expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore although the Church be a witnes and a keeper of holy writ: Yet as it ought not to decree any thinge against the same, so besides the same, ought it not to enforce any thinge to be beleeued for necessity of saluation. Art. 21. Generall councells may erre, and somtime haue erred. Much more particular.

Thus then the booke of common prayer & the Articles binde Men to be of Gods Truth: neither doth any man rightly hold them, vnlesse as they require, he in matters of faith and saluation keepe to the Scripture, and so be of the Truth. Those men there­fore that slight or neglect the due preaching of Gods Word, and the conuincing of Hereticks by it; and insteade thereof so pro­pose and extoll the booke of common praier, and the Articles and constitutions of the Church of England, that they seeme to haue litle or noe Religion besides; A new sort of Scismaticks. they are a new sort of Scismaticks, some of which will yet be counted Pastors and Pillars, far more against the booke of common praier and the Articles then any other: for as much as others are against the ceremonies, theese against the substance of Religion, which they require; others are against that forme of praier, theese against the things principally praied for and enioined; Psal. 2. & so against the Truth sealed in Christs blood: which they also tread vnder foote, & count vnholy, yea breake his bands and cast his cords from them, by the geering scoffes they vse against preaching, and conuincing Hereticks by Scriptures, either in preaching or writing; by hindring them, and the slight esteeme they haue of them. Yet like Hypocrits, as if they would haue all as the cōpilers of the commō praier booke intended, and as it should be, 3. Sund. after East. on Saint Iohns day. in one Prayer they say, God which shewest to all men that be in errour the light of thy Truth, &c. in another, Wee beseech thee to cast thy bright beames of light vpon thy Church, that it beeing lightened by the doctrine of thy holy Apostle & Euangelist Iohn may attaine to thy euerlasting gifts: on the day of Saint Paul, That wee may follow & fulfill thy holy doctrine which he hath taught: of Saint Mathias, Graunt that thy Church beeing alwaies preserued from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithfull & true Pastors: of Simon and Iude, Graunt vs to be ioined in vnitie of spirit by theire doctrine: of S. Andrew, Graunt vnto vs all, that wee beeing called by thy Holy Word, may forthwith &c. Also in an exhortation before the Communion, they say, If any of you be a blasphemer, a hindrer and slanderer of his word &c. come not to this holy table: to the sure­ties of Children baptized, to call vpon them to heare Sermons &c. the Bishop at theire confirmation prayeth, Let thy Holy Spirit be euer with them, & so leade them in the knowledge of thy Holie Word, that in the ende &c. Theese Prayers and sayings will rise in iudg­ment [Page 93]against many who extoll them, vse them, prefer them, and yet minde nothing lesse them the things prayed for, and desired in them; but are rather against them, and so against Christs King­dom, against his raigne who is the Word; and who saith, Luk. 19.27. Those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne ouer them, bringe hi­ther &c. They therefore that scoffe & geere at diligent preachers and hearers, call them Puritans and despise them, let them know, Christs Disciples are commaunded to teach all Nations, Mat. 28.to obserue all things whatsoeuer he commaunded them; Ephes. 4.14. that wee are not to be tossed to & fro, and carried aboute with euery winde of doctrine, by the sleight of me, but following the Truth in loue to grow vp into him in all things who is the Head: that the Scriptures make wise vnto saluation &c. that, He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law, Pro. 28.9.euen his praier shall be abhomination; If he will not heare, nor be willing that others should heare, God in all matters of faith & saluation, God will not heare him; that Christ saith against such reuiling and selfe conceited Pharises, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice; and by consequence that such as they, who make noe more account of it, can not well be saide to be of the Truth.

Theese two last clauses of Christs bearing witnesse to the Truth, and this conclusion, of hearing his voice, which he maketh there­vpon, are a large feild, which for breuitie, I haue runne ouer, only pointing at some of the good seede, and some of the tares, Mar. 4.26. Mat. 13.24. which ene­mies haue sowed while men stept; that so, those that haue authority may see what is amisse at home, and seeke reformation. Which God knowes I haue not attempted out of any forwardnes to be medling in matters of this kinde, but only vpon sight and sense of the wronge donne to my Sauiour and his Kingdom, to my Soue­raigne Lord the Kinge, and to the Church and Countrie wherein I was bred, by the Doctrines and palliated practises of close wal­king Popelings, Arminians and theire Supporters, many of them beeing disguised vnder the name of conformable Protestants and Welwillers of the Church and State. Which droue me in silent sorrow to meditate on theese passages of holy Scripture.

Then finding that of our Lord to be true, Ioh. 15.5. 1. Cor. 12 3. without me ye can doe nothing. Noe man can say that Iesus is the Lord (much lesse proue it) but by the Holie Ghost: and so, that I could neuer haue drawne so much hony out of theese flowers, vules God hath beene with [Page 94]me; I thought I must carrie it to the hiue; though I knew that in this case, I was like to finde that true, Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit, yet I might not aduenture, the euerlasting punish­ment of an vnproffitable seruant, Mat. 25.24.30. by burying this one talent in a napkin; seeing it appeared to be Christs; whose Confession and Complaint is here exhibited, with proofes and consequences so following from the same, that there needes noe further witnesse, noe inquirie of the vnworthy and instrumentall Exhibiter: for the conuincing proofes are Christs, the conuinced and Delinquents well knowne by other Complaints, that haue beene oft made against them, if not to the Kinge, yet at least to the High Court of Parliament; wherein greate things haue beene offered to be pro­ued: and if a free speaking and hearing be not there permitted; then if any should vnder colour of seruing his Kinge and Coun­trie, be as false to both (and withall to Religion, at least for some secret loue to Rome) as euer that greate fauorite Duke Edrick was, Edrick Duke of Mercia, See Speedes Chron. who sold both to the Danes; yet men that could discouer them, fearing that they should not be thorowly heard, but rather imprisoned and crushed, would perhaps hold theire peace, till it were to late to helpe. Which hath made men say, the Kinges eares are so guarded by whisperers, by preuenting and praeuaricating expositors of complaints, that truth may despaire of an effectuall hearing. God Almightie giue vnto the Kings Maiestie a heart to heare, see, and reforme what is most amisse, wheresoeuer, and in whomesoeuer the fault be.

To conclude to be of Truth is to continue in the Word, and in all matters of faith and saluation to cleaue to it, professing and main­taining it in the whole and in euery part of it; which is to haue Gods marke in the forehead; as on the contrarie to receiue and maintaine the Popish lawes and doctrine, is to haue the marke of the Beast: for thus a Christian is not only distinguished from a Iew, but also from a marked slaue of Antichrist, as ye may see pro­ued in that litle booke, called The Character of a Christian pag. 206.282.296. Saint Paul saith well, Brethren marke them which cause diuisions and offences, Rom. 16.17.18.contrary to the doctrine which ye haue learned, and auoide them. For they that are such serue not the Lord Iesus Christ, but theire owne belly, & by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple. 2. Tim. 2.17.18. For theire word will eate as doth a [Page 95]gangrene, who concerning the Truth haue erred. And therefore when Arminians, or other Hereticks and prophane persons commaund and teach one thinge, and Christ another; the Pope one thinge, & Christ another, the Church of Rome calleth for all mens obe­dience to her, and Christ to all to come out of Babell; Reu. 18. Iesuits and Popish Preistes call to Princes and States to serue her; and Christ to serue her as she hath serued them, to fill her double: Some follow Seducers; but ye heare what the Sauiour of the World saith, Euerie one that is of the Truth heareth my voice.