•AxiW^'^i #' ,, oi t\w ^hfotoiiiVrtf ^^_ PEINCETON, N. J. % Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. Ag?icui Coll. on Baptism, No, I \ Juft Publifh'd, llhop Vjher's Power of a Frince^ which may ferve for a full Anfwer to Mr. Benj. HouMfs new Book of Government^ and for a Defence of Dean Jtferburfs Latin Ser- mon. The Power communicated by God to the Prince^ and the Obedience required of the Subject^ breif- iy laid down and confirmed out of the Holy Scriptures ; the Teftimony of the Primitive Church, the Di6lates of Right Reafon, and the Opinion of the wifeft among Heathen "Writers : By the mofl Reverend Father in God, James^ late Lord Archbifhop ofJrmagh^ and Piimateof all /rf/.W. Faithfully pub- lifh'd out of the Original Copy (written with his own Hand) by the Right Reverend Father in God, Robert Saunderjon, late Lord Bifhop of Lincoln^ witli his Lordfhip^s Pre- face thereunto. A Friendly Debate between a ConformiH and Non-conformist ; containing a clear Re- folution of Material Points, in a Difference between the Ctjurcl) Of CllglaUD and ^iU fCtltCt*^, in order to a Reconciliation. By the late Right Reverend Father in God, Stmon^ Lord Bifliop of Ely. In two Parts. Sold by Samuel Kjhle^ at the T«r/:'s-Head in Fleet'Hreet]^ ahid Jonah Bowyer, at the Rofe in Ludgate-sireet^ 1710. T«^ Vi UNITY OF THE Church of England AND Evangelical Priefihood Afferted againft the ANABAPTISTS And all other SECTARIES of whatfoever Denomination, Wherein Their Arguments for it are Refuted at large , THEIR Grounds of Separation from the Church demonflrated to be Slanders; and the M^^^^r of them moft juftly retorted n^on themfelves, as altogether inconfiftent with the Notion of a Chriftian Churchy and fo creating a Conftant and Indelible Preju- dice againft Communion with them. By a Divine of the Church o'i England, O N O O N : Printed for Samuel feeble, at the lurl^j Head. in Fleet-Jireet, and Jonah Bovfj/er^ at the K^Je ir Ludgnteftreet, 1710. t THE PREFACE. READER, IHere prgfent thee with part of my Deftgn againft the Anahaptifls^ one of the moil prevaihng Se^s that iniefts our Church here iil Efiglan^^ if taken in its due Latitude^ and in all its Suhdivifions ; one of thole fares that Satan fovved very early among the pure Wheat of the Reformation froin Fopery, and moll fe- duloufly cultivate J by the Jefuits (no queflion) to this very Day (e(pecially in fome of its Branches} as may in another place, by God's Leave , be made manifeft. This hath been their Folicy from the beginning, to Cow Divz- JionSy and make Rents and Separations amongft the Reformed^ and what they find themfelves unable to accomplifli by open Force ^ by puhlick Oppofition^ to elTed: by Clandejiine and Under- hanJ Dealings, by letting loofe the little FoxeSy by flirring up the Populace^ the Illiterate and Ignorant 2gzin(i us, after having /'(Ty/c'^f^^ their Hearts with Envy, Malice and Hatred^ and i»- A a , /t'x/- iv rbe f (^E F AC E. toxicateJ and filled their Heads with all man- ner of [-JerefteSy Falfe and Antkhriftian Notions, and under the Rofe allur'd them to their Hands, by gratifying their refpe^ive Lujls ; by an /»- tlidgence and Allowance of the very grojfefl of Immoralities^ as they find them difpoid and in. clind. This ought not to be wonder'd at in the lead by us Chriflians, fince we are aflur'd by the Apoftolical Writings, that all Divijions^ ail Herefies and Schifms own their Birth to Irregular fajfions and Corrupt Affetli'ons : And this is Satan s Ma[lerpiece in thole abominable hflruments of his , the Jefuits , the grandeft: Opprohry and Scandal that ever was put up- on that Sacred Name^ J^f^^i Saviour, Healer^ (excepting one oftheSed: I'm at prefent en- gaged with, was a greater ; tho' moll dejerved- ly and craftily Caihier'd by them, Tkus Oats, f _ -r-x r\ ^ '\ \ \n • Mb'dthesa- I mean, Titus Oats-,) whilft it is of ihe apparent by their Doth in e and Pra^ viour m'inten. '^' ^'^^^^ ^^^^y ^^^ ^^^ Poyfoners and Murderers of the Souls of all Man- kind they have to do with, (^unlefs by the efpecial Grace of God prevented.^ For the furtherance and carrying on their Defirudive Defigns the more fuccefsfully, they have moft lludioufly endeavour'd to corrupt the Gofpel by Falfe Gloffes and Interpretations of its moft Ture^ Holy, and Righteous Doctrines ,• that vMankind being fet loofe from the Obligations of Natural Light or Confcience , and finding ftarting Holes to evade the Indifpenjahility of Evangelical Stri^nefs and Ohediencey may there- by The fp (I^E F AC E. v by be made fufceptive of any the mod Fitious and Immoral Principles that may gratifie, cor^ rupt, and mifguiJed Nature, any thing that may promote a vifihle and prefent Intereji^ or col- logue a Predominant Lufi or Fafion. Hence they teach the Violation of the Deca- logue itielf, that Law of Charity^ Qihzt Epitome or Summary of all Offices towards God and Man,) which is therefore call'd the Fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13. 10. and th2 Bond of Pcr- fed;ion, Col. 3. 14. which comprehends the Love of God and our Neighbours, and there- fore the whole Law is refblv'd by Chriil into thefe two Precepts, Matt. 1%. 37, 38, 39. As to the Firft^ Thefe Corrupters of Morals tell us, that it is fufficient a Man love God at any time before he dies, or at the Point of Death, or on Holy-Days, once a Year, or once in five Years : That ^J^^' J'^^"^^- we are not fo much commanded iji,in-' to love God, as not to hate him. They difingage Men from that irkfbme Obli- gation of loving God aciually; and Print-, with Approbation, that a Man may be faved with- out ever loving God in all his Life. And ssainft the 5fcW Ce?w- ^^"- ?^- f . *f ^ ^ . J \6o. cited tn mandme-rtt , they aliert Idolatry , pyror. Loyo, JVitchcr^ft y and Abufe of God's Ian.; 38,39. Worfliip. cm- Hxii- Lett. y. ^t'/.' *""'• p. 53, 54. cited by th'e Author of Pyrot. Loyolan. p. 30. ^ And then, in refe- rence to the Second Jahle^ allow of UndutijuU ^s^ and VJfo.kedience to Parents^ P''4i« ■^^^- A 3 ^^^^? vi rf}e is, Mental Refervations^Vio- lations ot Oaths^ p. 45,46. Self-Love, Covetoujnefiy Bnvy^ Ambition, and all the exorbitant Motions and firft Rifings of the Heart, to the Tranf- greflfion of God's R'ghteous Law, p. 46, 47. where all thefe hiJeous immoralities are proved from authentick Teftimonies, to be allow'd and taught by them, without any Regard to that of our Blefled Lord, Matt. 5. 19. Add bvit unto this, the Jefuitical Creed, for the mofl part a mofl exad and compkat Original of our Quakers, in reference to their Opinions of the Oecor.omy of our BleiTed Saviour, as ybu may find it in the Author of the Pyrotechn. Loyolan, or of the Fiery Jefiiits Temper and Behaviour, p, 1 1, fvery well worth the confulting) colleded by a Salamanca Dc^or, and then tell me whe- ther theje Jefiiits have not \n the highefl proba- bility been the Forgers and Contrivers, or Rs- njivers of all the Hercfies in thefe parts of the World amongft the Reformed, fmce their firft Appearance, and mod particularly in thefe Three Kingdoms of Great Britain, fmce 1640, to this very Day? Or at lead, what Falfe Do- f[S:riRes or Unchridian Practices may not be maintained, profefl, and pradiced confidently, with their Principles ? Or whether any thing can be too Unchridian, Or Wicked for them to embrace or comply with, to carry on their In- farnal Purpojcs , and the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Darkneis? Or wl^ether this poor Ijland hsth not been the Unfortunate Stage , upoa The , 1 8. By this I hope, it's plain, even to a Demon- fl ration, that the Presbyterians were the firft Seel the Jefuits and other Popi/h Priefts addrefs'd themfelves unto, in order to bring Church and State into the utmoft Confufion amongft us; to alter the Government by taking off the King, then to ered a Common-wealth, or at leaft to difcard the Roya[ Family, and fet up an Elective Monarchy, and if poftible^by thefe Dia- ^^//c^/ Methods a n-^ moft Accurfed Experiments, to try once more for Popery. Now xiv The

y^» Infiila Catholkis maxmeMonachi Ordtnis Francifci fummopere deamentur , &c. com- paring (faith he,3 the late mon- ftrous Increale of Jefuits , but Tvi'lff^' elpecially of thefe Fryars and 100 lOI to Monks in Ireland, before the ^'^- ^°^ *<* Wars broke forth, in which they ^^ * were moft adive, as I have elfewhere difco- vered ~ by undeniable Evidences , to CO which 1 refer the Readers, and then com- pare them with the Jate extraordinary Growth of Anahaptifts and Quakers throughout Ire. land, who have over-fpread that Kingdom fince the Wars there, by means of thofe Jefu^ its and Francifcan Capuchin Fryars, who turn'd difguifed Anahaptifts and Quakers, to under- mine our Church, Religion, Minifters, and feduce the People under thofe Difguifes, with more freedom,rafety, countenance, fuccefs than ever they did formerly by any other Policies, or the open profeflion of Popery, we may doubtlefs conclude, that they are the Origi- nal Eredors, the Principal Ringleaders. Fo- menters of thefe increafing Sedls. To xvi The

to put all Churches , CollegeSy Lands^ ReBorieSy Tithes, Revenues^ intoteeofTees-Handsj to allow only Arbitra- ry Penfions out of them, to Miniflers and Scholars for their Maintenance, and convert the reft to other Ufes : to ered: Itinerary ?re- dicants.hxtd to no certain places, inftead of Parochial Minifters [ fee the fad and moft Scandalous Projed reprefented to the Life, in tht Gemit. Ecclefia Camhrohri- un.Z\^':'"'^''^''' ^^''^'^^ and, a true and perfecl Relation of the whole Tranja^ion concerning the Petition of the Six Counties of South-Wales, &c. both printed in the Year , 1654,] allowed and chofen only by a Seled: ! Committee, not prefented by WalfonV ^jiodiib. our Patrons. ' To broach old 'v^ill."cffi;lJ; : Herefies and new Opinions Reply to Vivhns Li- m Religion, by Jefuitical let/f. 74, 7;. ' EmifTaries and Seminaries in Campan. de Mon. c ii i r l r^ i Hifp.c, 18, 19, z3, all places ,• to low the Seeds. »j,a7. ' of Schifm and Divificns, not ' only, in Divinity, but like- * wife in Philofophy, and all other Arts and * Sciences, to diftrad: and divide us, to pro- * mote and cry up the Study of Aftrology, to ' alienate Tl^e ^ %E F A C E. xvii alienate Mens Minds from Religion and Piety ; to fet up new Orders, and Sti^s^ and Religions ; to procure a general Toleration of all Religion,- to revile and difgrace our ancient Miniftry, and Minifters ; queftion all antient Truths, Principles of Religion, and Articles of theCrced ; which JohannesBapt.Poza^ and fome otherEngliJh and Spanijh Jefuits have done ; as you may read at large in, Societatis Jefu nova Fidei Symhola. Et in impia^ fcelerata^ ^ hor- renda Anglkorum & Hifpanicorum Jefuitarum Cenfura in SymlclumApoftolorum^ Printed 1641. at the End of Alphonji de Vargas Toletani Re- latio ad Reges & Principes Chriftianos, de Strategewatis ^ Sophifmatis Societatis Jefuy ad Monarchiam Orhis Terrarum fthi ccnjiciendam^ Out of which, all the blafphemous, mon- flrous Opinions and Herefies, have been ori- ginally extracted and vented by the Jefiiits, under other difguiies ; as thofe who compare them, may at firft difcover. Trintis firil: Epi- ^\\t to the Reader before his 'jus Tatronatus. But to take a more general Survey of their Grand P lot ^ in reference to the State, as well as the Church and Religion, I fhall prefent the Reader with another PaiTage of Mr. Prinn^ who made it a great part of his Bulineis to trace them in thofe moft wicked and horrid Times. What their Deiigns have been to change and ruine our Monarchy, Kingdom, Government, Laws, State, you may read at large in Carn^ panella de Mon. Hifp. c. 25, 27. Watlon'/ Qjiod- lihets efpecialiy, /. 309, to 334. Rome's Ma. [a] Per-Piece, xviii . The (P (^E F J C E. Jler-Piece, Hidden Works of Darknejs hrought to Fuhlick Lights and my Speech /» the Far. liament. Take the Main of all in the politick Inftruc^ions of the Arch-Machiavelian Cardinal Richlieu^ who after he had ( by the jcfuits and Popes Nuncio's Adiftance) raifed the firft Wars between England and Scotland, promo- ted, fomented the horrid Rebellion in Ireland^ and ratified an unnatural Divifion and War be- tween our King and Parliament in his Life, re- commended thefe Infiruiftions to the French King^ and Mazarine his Succeflbr, at his Death i64x, fmce publifiied by Ccnti de Galeazzo Giialdo Trior ato, in his Hifloria, Part 3. ^c. * page 175, 176. That above all things ►J^ ' He, the French King, fliould endeavour ' to keep tlie Government of Great Britain DIVIDED and DISUNITED, by Upholding the iveakefl Party, that the other might not make it ielf powerful ; Reducing the Three Kin(i^doms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to be DIVIDED, either by NOMINATING other KINGS, or by Reducing it to a Common^ wealth ; (o to order it. That it may not be entirely One, but Divided. — —And then concludes in thefe Words, * How fuccefsfully theie Plots have been purfu'd, we we all vifibly behold and feel by fad Experi- ence. And may I not add, That whereas he (aw but one Particular of this Advice accomplilhed, we that are now living have (een almoft the Whole ot the remainingPart fuccelfively put in Pra. The fp (llE F JCE. xix Pradice : The Jefuits having the Honour of the Projedt, and our Se^aries to be the Inpru- ments^ the Tavos^ the ForlornSy the Executioners^ the Jack-Ketches to that crafty and accurfed Gene^ ration, ever fince Powder-Plot, in all the pullick Difturhances, Seditions^ Relellicns, and Chang- es of Government, -and in all the Alteratiovs th^t have been attempted upon our Church and Re- ligion, in thefe three Kingdoms, to this very Day. To evidence and confirm this Obfervation, many Indances might beproduc'd ofthe unwea- ried Diligence and Adivity of the Jefutts, and other Orders of that Church, during the whole Progrefs of the hte mofl larlarons Civil Wars, As in particular, (^ which mud not be omitted in this Place) ' There is ^^^^y'^f^ a notable Story Printed, call'd the scotch ^efu- Falfe Jew, wherein is exprefs'd his i'/"Jf^"'^'^' Defign and his Difcovery, how that p/kJJIc^^ he was Tent over from Rome by a fpecial Order from the Jefuits, and with per- fonal Und:ion from the Pope,- and how, one while, he was to have come over under Noti- on of a r^y^/jWith Dire^ion to joyn with the Analaptijis, and to preach Notions, [ Herefies, ^c ] but now he came over under the Pretext of being a converted Jew, being an excellent Hebriacan, and circumcis'd at Rome for that purpofe ; "—and in that Relation you (hall find hejoin'd with i\\e Anahaptifis 2itWrexham and was rebaptiz'd by them, where he preach- ed Notions amonsft them : Amonglt others [ a 1 ] * this %s The T (IlE F AC E. this was one, That that Place, Luke ty, iz. where tis faid, the Kingdom of Cod is within yoii^ he gave this as the moft proper Senfe of the Original, viz. The Kingdom of God is fo within you, in that it is not without you in Forms and Ordinances. [Obferve by the way, the Jefuit preaching up Quakery imme- diately after he was dipt ,• juft converted to Anahaptifl^ and inflantly ftarting up a duaker; fo naturally does Anahaptijm tend or lead to Quakety.] With which I'-fterpretation [this Devil of a Fellow] he faid. Lieutenant Hol- fon^ a Teacher among the JnahaptiftSy was ' mightily taken. Another Defign V. Farmer'^ < of this Deceivcr was to bring the T'dlti ' Authority of our Tranflation of and ungodii- ' the Scripture into Queflion, and we/>. P. 77, « an(j prevaii'd fo far, that fbme of 78. Printed^ . , ^ • • 1 o 1 1 i6yj. them entertamd Scruples about * it ; but now the Defign is new * moulded, and now not Tranflation only, but * all outward Scriptures mud be denied '3lw6 reje- ' )ecied: And thefe Men '^uiz. ih^ Quakers ) ' can from their infallible Spirit, make New ' Ones., It were too tedious an Undertaking to al- lege here all the Inftances of Jefuits Heading and Didating to our Anahaptifts^ Quakers and other Sellsy (which may be farther enlarg- ed upon in another Hovoever, I fiuii here infevt Place} and therefore fomefetv Injiances r/iore, for the T n-inll ««Ur -«„•. further coUrmation of rch.t * "^^^^ ^nly rcvive your hath been jAid already: ^sfrjt, Memories, by prcfcnt- ing Tl?e

. 6i. ^Un OUt of all Rcllgl^ To this purpoje, Herh, a * On for feat of PopCry, ^efuit^ in the Eleventh cf •^wcn Elizabeth, afferted be- fore the Bijhop o/Rochefter, That t'ceve reeve no fet Forms [of Pr/i;, er,] ' orvxd that he had lahour'd to refine the Proteilants, and to taiie off , aU Snuchj (?/ Ceremonies, that in the leaji tend to the Komifh Faith. This Hctb, in particular^ had receivi Orders from his Superiors to \iTOp agate K\r\hdL\iU\\n he;e, in alettsr dated fom Madrid, O^ober z6. 1568. of which I jhall here infert an Abfiraci. Brother^ the Cciincilcf cur Fraternity have thought fit to fend )ou David George, 7hcodorus Siirtor, and John Hutts, their CoUeSlions^ rvhich you. may diflvibim n-herever pu may fee for your purpose., according to the peoples Inclinations: Tbtfe Mixtures, -(vith your oven, mill not only a little p'ui^le the UnJerllandings of the Auditors, but mal^e your Jthes fimcus Hailingham, Coleman, and Benton, hdve jft a Faction among the German hleretic'{s ; \o that (everal vho have turnd from Ui, have rtorp dinfd their Baptifm, which rce hope rvill JQon turn the Scale, and bring them bacli to their old Vrir.ci- pies, &c. NalfonV Colled. Vol. i. Intrcduft p. 4J. 'iearcbinz his Lodgings, amtng other Things they found a Bull, dated the firfl cf Pius V. to preach rvhat Docirine that Society pleas'd for the Dividing of PiOLciia 'ts, particularly vanning the Enplilh Protcftanrs ('>7 the Name of Hereticks: In hif jyunlirfee Jeveral BoolySfor denying Baptifrn to Infants, &c. p. 47. So tha: hence it is evident v. to v:>ere-thefirjl Propagators 0/ Ana ■ bapciiin in England, and forwhxt End; rvhy, to bring them hack to their old Principles, to Voptry again : And hence appears upon Kthat Forge the Diffenters Objecfions, Arguments, againjt our Fpil- copacy, Ceremonie5, Litwgy, uere firjl hamrr.eid ; and rvithal it cugkt to be noted. That thty have fucceeded better againft us by this Coven under-hand Dealivg, in playing the St&iv'ies upon ta, than by all their Volumes of Arguments, by all their Suarcz'.f, Becanus'x, Bdhrm'' i-)t'i tvhotever. And tbiif thefe fort ef Men] very early licli tip the Slaver of the Jc'iuits, and other Miriionaries of thi Church of Kome. For we V» The (p <^E FACE. xxv find, that one Faithful Commin, a. Friar cf the Order of St. Domi- nick, nioft lealoiifly preached up thefe Objections and Novelties about the kation-, in the Tear 15^7, in the Ninth of ^ Elizabeth, railed a- gainji the Vope, pretended to the immediate Dictates of the Spirit, and infijied much upon Tenderr.efs cf Conscience, rvas famous for his Gift of extempore Vriiyers, told his Auditors that Spiritual Prayer reas the chief Teflimony of a true Proteflant, and that the Set- Form of Prayer in England vcas but the Mafs tranjlated. But that which rvas very remarliable of this Commin, way, That after having been carried before the Qiiecn md Council, and his farther Exami- nation being adjourn d to anotktr Day, upon his giving Bail, &c. the Jaid Commin made his Efcape, got over immediately to Rome, vehere 'Pope Pius Qiiintus order d him to be clap'd up into Prifon ; but that Commin writing to the Pope, that he had [omething of Importance to difcover,Scc. the Vope fent for him the next Day, and as foon as he faw him [aid, Sir, I have heard how you have fet me forth, and my Vrede- ceffors, among the Hereticks in England, by reviling my Verfon, and railing at my Church: To whom Commin reply d, I confels my Lipps have utter'd that which my Heart never thought, but your Holinefs little thinl^s I have done you a conjiderable fervice notwithfiand- ing, 3cc. to v:hich the Pope return d. How ? Sir, faid Commin, f have preached againfi Set- Forms of Prayer, and I cali'd the Englifli Prayers Englilh Mafs, and have perfuaded feveral people to pray fpiri- tually, arid extempore ; and this hath fo much tal^en with the people, thatthe Church of England is become as odious to that fort of people whom I injtrucied, as Mafs is to t/ie Church of England 3 and this will fce^Stumbling-Blsck to thn Church, whiljl it is a Church : tlpon which the Pope commended him, and gave hifn a Reward of 2000 Ducats for his good Service. Kalf. Col. Vol. i. Introduit. This we all know hath been lYidr grand Art i^ fice for many Years paft, and by which they did infinite Mifchief to our poor Church : But by the way obferve, This was a Slander and Lie put into the Mouths of our Se^aries by the Je^ fiiits and other Orders of the Church o^ Royyie., meerly to create Prejudice, without any man- ner of Truth in ir. None of our Enemies could ever properly fix Fopery upon our Liturgy.^ Ar- ticles^ ^c. Omne Simile non eft idem^ every like is not the fame : They might wiih as much Inge^ xxvi The T (I^E F A C E. Ingenuity charge the CreeJ, and Lord's Prayer, and the Holy Scriptures themfelves, with Pope- ry^ It's true, in the Rejormation we retain'd the Catholkifm, and rejected the Popery ; the pure Antiquity we picked and culTd, and cad away the NAUSEOUS and FULSOME NOVEL- TIES; and this indeed, whether they will or no, take it how they pleale, we care not, we do mod juftly call Popery. I hope none are To ignorant as to aver^ that Popery and Catholicifm are convertible or equivocal TermSy any more than Chajlity or Whoredom-, or to fay, all the Prayers, and all the Articles of Chriflianity, in ufe, or profefl by the Church o^ Rome it felF, are Popery, Thanks be to God, we are able to maintain the Liturgy, Doilrine, ^nd Difcipline of the Church of England, againil: all the Pa- pifts and Se^arhs (amongft us at leaft their Brats and Forlorns, they tend out to picfueer with us 3 of the whole World, and prove the Antiquity and Univerfality of all our Do^rines and Difcipline beyond the 7imes of Popery, or by the Tciliaioriy of the Church Catholick, (be- fore Antichrijl, in the f ana tick Senfe, had a Being in the World, or was bornj But this hath been the main Outcry of our Se^aries, and ^sftlly and falje as ix is, ( by our Pulpit BelL Weathers, whetlier the Se^aries without, or our Grave Low-Church- Men forfooth , of as little Learning, as common Honefty, and true Piety) hath been a main Ingredient in our Church's fiuin, and witfiout an extraordinary Repent- ance, and Mercy of Godj hath doubtlefs been manag'd The f ^E F A C E, xxvii manag'd, to the eternal Lofs o{ Myriads of Souls by thefe S elf-inter reffed^ Self-Lovers^ empty Po- pulafters^ and Belly -Gods. A third PiAvlcQ is this ; ' It were well if you took ail jufl Occafion to make it plain to the People, That there is no Ordination or Succefji- on of Bifhops^ Paftors, and Minijiers in Eng- land, and that they who are pretended Bifh- ops and Minijiers^ are either worldly and care^ lefs on the one hand, or fb fa^ious on the o- ther hand, that it were well they were re^ moved; however it were well the People (hould be taken off from them, by a clear Difcovery of their Unworthin efs. Bellar- mines Letters cited in Fair Warnings Fart z. p. 64. Ohf. I. Obfcrvc (1) from whom all our Se^aries have taken up this Argument againft our Priefihood or Miniflry : Is it not as clear as the Sun at Noon, how bufie thefe RomiJhEm'iC- fiarics have been amonsft our Stds ; nay, that they are the very Soul that aduates and influ- ences our grand Body of Se^aries^ wholly and in every Part ? Olf II. Obferve, ag^in, the foolifh and malicious Zeal of thefe Politico's, to defile their own Mefl merely to defile others ; that they don't value their own Honour, nor care what Odium they refled upon themfelves, or how they expofe themfelves, meerly for Mifchiefs Sake to others. O^f. Ilf. Yet in the /)^ir^ Place, I deilre it may be remark'd, Vvithout particularly infifting upon xxvlii The T I^E F J C E. upon a thorough Confutation of this Objedtion, which hath been over and over bafH'd by Arch^ B/fhop Bramhal^ Mafon^ Bifiiop Fem^ and a ma- ny others that for this Reafon we can vindicate cv.r Ordinations better than they can theirs, (vvhich mull be null, if ours be, infallibly} be- cauie their innumerable Schifms by Antipopes, (^c, for many Years uninterruptedly, and very often, yet never (as I can recoiled:, or have obferved ) have aflecfted our Orders in the times of our Vaffalage to that See ; our Ordinations be- ing alvvaj-s (to the beft of my Memory) per- form'd here at Home : fo that I am inclined to be of the Opinion, That there's not a particu- lar Church m the World now in being, that hath been lefs aiiedied with Schifm than ours, or lefs liable to any Objecftion from the Nnllity and Invalidity of Ordinations orConfecrations, and None more than Theirs ; as their own Mr. Savage hath fufficiently provM in his Nul- lity of the ROMISH PRIESTHOOD, which I think, was never sttempted to be anfwer'd by any of th;: Zealots of that Commmion, (4.) \'et fourthly, granting their Charge to be really true, it's the Heighth oi Impudence for them, or our Sectaries, to make this Ob- jection againd us ; Tho' they may fay fomething for theirs, I am (ure our Se^aries have not a Syllable to urge upon their Account ; as, I truft in God, I have fatisfadorily prov'd in the fub- fequent Difcourle. (4.) Now comes in a fourth Advice of the afore- The (p (IlE F JC E. xxlx afore- mention'd Contzeriy to iprocme SiTnlcr at hn ; * Some ((kys h^) mult befuborn'd to beg ym^ * portunately of the Prince for Liberty to cxer- * cife their Religion, and that with many aad ' gentle Words, that fo the People may think * the Prince is not inclined to Novelty, but only * to Lenity; in Fair Warning, Tart z. /. ^o. Yes, yes, 'tis Toleration^ that's the Trojan Horfe^ that's to let in all manner of £i;//j, and Hell it felf loofe upon us- 'Tis this that our Sinons con- tended for, even unto Blood, for many Years before 41, and labour'd for tooth and nail,for near 30 Years fmce the Reftarirition. 'Twas for the Refuftng this hellidi Liberty for Dijfenters for- footh, as well as for the Papifis, that Charles I. of mofl blefled Memory, loit his 77?^^^ Crowns and his Life : The Popiih Party ftruggling (o hard for it, argues the imminent Danger of it to the EfiahHfFd Religion^ as wellasthefuperlative Wickednefs of the thing it (elf upon all Manner of Accounts, and the unfpcakable Advantage and Encouragment it gives to Popery^ or it's im- polTiblc they (liould ever be fo eager for it, or their Spavin our Sedaries, as mod direful Expe- rience hath fadly convinc'd us. Now, What hath been the EfTed of this Li- be rt)^ but the Propagation of all manner of He- refies and Immoralities, the ft ar ting up ne:i; Opi- nions every Day, the Blafphemtng of God, Con- tempt of his Ordinances, and puhlick as well as private Worlhip, and the Subverfion of all Reli- gion ? The giving ihefe Jefuits all manner of Opportunity of propagating Popery^ multiplying Herefus The T (I^E F JC E. XXX Henfies and Div'tfiom^ with a thoufand times greater Safety than in 16x7, tho' then arrived to (b high a Pitch of Confidence and Security, as tickUng themfelves wixh the Thoughts of our Mifery, and Approach of our Ruin. ' I can- not but laugh, (faith an Atheiftical Jefuit in his Letter to the Father Re^or at Bruxells^ i6z7, found in the Jefuit's College at Clerk, ettwel. Egaris Rom. Defigns eiete^ed, p. 4.) to fee how fome of our Coat have accoutred them- felves, you would fcarce know them if ycu faw them; and 'tis admirable, how in Speech, in Gefture, they aift the Fur'itans. TheCamlridge Scholars, to their wofu! Experience, (hall fee we can a^ thePuritans a little better than they can do the Jefnits. They have abus'd our fa- cred Patron St. Iqjiatim in Jell, but we'll make them fmart for it in Earned, f] f hops you'll. * excufe my merry Y>\- [*j This jolly Fellow {ure ' grcflTion, for I confefs hxi 9f ' f«^5;; ff^ s^^.;f * unto you, I am at this /owjoj /;« Fraternity. W]nl\i . J ^ i - - fivt Jefuits at L^rague, rters time tranlpOrted Wltil ?Uyirig [or amng\, i/je Devils, < jQy ^q fgg [jQ^y happi- er Qxtb real Devil came from <. \ m r a ^ j Hell into their Company, arid ly all Inflruments and (0 hitggd one oft htm, that he « Means, as Well great 3 s died within three days after. i , r on°rare nnrrt Lud.Luc.p. 17. proph.Hii- ^ ^^*s» co-opuratt unto deg. fuifiird, p. 6i. cited in our Purpoles. Pyrotechnia Loyolan3,p.(^ PUcSy vobich Teas thus : JVe find Mr. Wiiddei'worth did depofe in lyriting, & viva Voce, at the Lord's Btr, That one Henry, alias "• Francis Smith, alias Lloyd, alias, isjrc — before the Scottifli I'f^ars, ' did tell him in Norfolk, — Jbat the Popilh Religion was not to * be brought in here by Difpiiting, or Books of Controverfie, but ' Vk'ith an Army, and with Fire and Sword. i^r.i when^ according to The ^%EF AC E. xxxi this mtMcingVeteminxtion of ^.Smlt\\}he }dvi\tshiid'fomented aWnr betvptxt England , 450, (^c. A merry Fellow indeed ! to make fport with Evil of their own devififjg and procuring^ to rejoice at the Succefs oi Iniquity.^ and at the eternal Ruin of Souls ; for, by the way, he here laughs at their A^ing and Propagating of Schifm^ Herefie, Rehelliony Hatred, Revenge., the turn- ing Chriflians from the true Faith to the Do- brines of Devils, teaching Men to violate the Commandments of C/;////, leading them into the Broadway for Hell and eternal Perdition. If this be the proper., catholick, genuine Way to re- duce Men to the Church, as they pretend, then the Way to Heaven muO: be a By- Way of Hell, and it's neceflary to become an Infidel^ or Hereiick, or what is worfe, an errant Jefuit., to be a probable Chriftian : J might inllance in many of their Advices^ Rulesy Policies^ had I Time or Room. I (hall in the next place (hew by {Gmo. more Matters o{ Fa^, what grand Influence thefe Je^ fuitSy (^c, have had upon the State, during the late Civil Diflurhances, [I.] The Murther of the King, from what hath been (aid hitherto, appears to be their A^y according to that old Maxim, Quod facis per j- liur/i, &c. becaufe their Proje^, their Counjeh So that as the Author of the Pyrotech. Loyolana^ [ Who ever were the Inftruments about the Cut- .'^ting The (p (ilE F JC E. xxxlii ting off King Charles I. the Jefiiis have been juftly counted to be the principal Agents,-—- Therefore 'tis abfurd to impute that A(5i:i- on to Prote/lants 2isfich; whoever were the Ex- ecutioners, 'twas sgreed To in the Council of Jefuits. vSo that it can be no Imputatioii to the Proteliant Religion^ [and all the Malice o{ Hell to be fure cannot fix it on iliQ Church o{EnglanJ, whereof (^properly fpeaking} there was not one fingle Member, truly principled according to the Church of Eriglanfi^ and keeping adual Com- munion with her, then in the Army or Parlia- ment, that had any hand in it ] which (above all the Reformed Churches in Europe^ abhors the ^'jefuits Principles and Pradiccs ,• as Dr. D« MouUh hath folidly vindicated, the .Sincerity oF the Proteltant Religion [in general^ and of the Church o'i England in particular, ] upon that Ac- count, againit the fic9:itious Fhilanax Anglus. Anfw. to Tap. Apol. p. ^6, si- IfJrafs, Befidcs, therein he declares, amongft other Things, to this effed: ' The Roman ' Prieft and ConfeiTor is known, who upori * Cutting off the Kinq^s Head^ FLOURISHED ,' HIS SWORD, andftid,NOWTHE ' GREATEST ENEMY THAT WE F. 58, ' HAD IN THE WORLD IS GONE. ' And there were other 'jefuits on horfe-back, ,* did^o too^ as is credibly reported. 'The Dc= ' d:or adds, from a Gentleman of good Credit, * a notable Pafiage at Roan^ of jefuited Perfons * rejoicing there upon the News of the King's * Deadi, and faying, We have kept our Word [b] *to %%x\v The (p ^E F A C E. to him, fince he would not keep his to us, p, 60. as if the King had made a promife to them ; which the Dodtor fays is mofl fal{e,of- fering to make good, when Authority Ihall require it, That a feled: Number of Efigli/h Jefuits were fent from their whole Party here in Englan J fird to Paris,to confult with the Fa- culty o^ S or hnne, then altogether jefiiited, to whom theyput this Queflion in Writing,That feeing the State o^ England was in a likely Po- fture to change the Government, Whether it was lawful for the Papifls to work the Change ly taking away the King ? Which was anfwered affirmatively. Upon this, thirty Jefuits were met betwixt Roan and Diep^ going to England with Endeavours to be Agitators \ they (aid) in the Army. At Tarts the Scarlet Jefuit^ who would have the Englifh Lady he had pro- felyted, to rejoice at the King's Death, di~ flafied her with the Popips Religion upon that Score,fo that gave herGracc to be no more of iti&c.p. 61. It feems alfo there was great Joy in the Englijh Seminaries abroad, and here at Home, Mr. White and others were Applauders ol thQ fucceeding Government. F. Brett was for the prevailing? ower^ (p. 62, 64.) under which they got from the Top of the Houfe of Lords two of the Gunpowder Traitors Heads, which we may here in time ufe as holy Reliques (hrin'd up in Gold and working Miracles. Pyrotechn. Loyol. or the Fiery Jefuits Temper and Behaviour, p. izi, 1x2. ^2.) Secondly, as to the Suhverjion of the Monarchy , The (p ^E F JC E. xxxv Monarchy, and turning it into a Commomveahh^ fthat grand Plot and Device of the Jefuits} it's evident enough that that was done by the Sug- geflions of the Jefuits^ and the Influence they had upon the Army. Hugh Peters himfelf, well acquainted of late Years with the Jefuits Perjons^ Plots^ Principles^ P radices, in his Letter to a great Army Officer,- -ftiles it, a Cheat of the Jefuits^ put upon the Army, and that with much Regret in Hears and Spirit, as I find in Mr. Prims brief and ntcefTary Vindication of the old and new fecluded Members, ^c. p. 35-. where he adds a pretty remarkable Story : ' A grave Proteftant Gentleman oFthe Tempb^ * lad Trinity Term^ riding up to London^ meet- * ing with a Popift? Gentleman of his Acquaint- * ance on the Way, they difcourfing ot thofe * laft Revolutions and Changes of Government, * the Froteilant told him, that thefe Alterati- * ons were but the Plots and ProduiSlions of the * Jefuits, and thofe of his Religion, who did * but laugh at us in their sleeves, to fee 'what ' Fools they had made us ,* at which the Papifl: * growing fomewhat angry, he defired him to * be patient, fince they were ancient Friends^ * and what he fpake was not in jell or feoff, as * he took it, but in fober Sadneis, defiring him * — to enquire, ^c, and to give him an Ac- ' count thereof, which he promis'd, ©c. Abou£ * five or fix Days after, this Papift told him, * That, according to his Requeit, he had made * diligent Enquiry of the Truth ot what he * (pake on the Way, and that he found All^ or [ b 2 ] mofl xxxvi The T (^E F J C E, ' Mofi of the 'Jefuits were Knaves, they^ and moft ' of the jefuited Papifts hehg againft the King, '■ and wholly for a Commonwealth, as being mofl ' advantagious for the King of Spzin's Inter- ' eft, &c. And to (hew how much they fet forward the Advice oF feme of the Society j to promote the Study ot Aftrology, and for what Ends, the aforefaid Author remarks, that Lilly, a zealous Reptthlican, in his Almanack for the Year 1651. * PrcgnolUcnted, That the 5/<3;'j did then pro- ' mife A^s of Grace and Favours to Popi/h Recu- ' fants, who in their Zeal and Loyalty to the ' New Repuhlick, exceeded moil: Presbyterians ; ' an Argument it was a Creature of the Jefuits^ ' and their Projedtion, to procure Prinn'j Brief * thcm mote Gracc and Favour mlkaftli ' ^^^^ ^^^^°*"^' ^""^ promote their Fage i^. ' ' Defigns againft us. To this End ' confuit Lilly s Collet ion of antient * and modern Prophecies in 1645', to prepare * the Minds of the People to acquiefce in a * Common- wealth, predi^ing the utter Extir- * pation of Monarchy in thefe Kingdoms, 'as like- vviTe of the Royal Family , and his Monarchy or tto Monarchy in England, to clinch the Matter in 1 05 1 : And that which is obiervable befides is, as Mr. Prinn relates, p, ^ 8. of his Brief Vindication, That Ncdham^ the Icribbling Incen- diary of thofe Times, makes u(e of the Jejuit Barclay s, and Marianas Principles , to ered: his new-fangled Common-wealth upon. Mr. Prinns Words are thefe, well worth noting, *He The

uh- moll- a)ilLttou(l\ and trai- ^^"' "'''"' ^'^ pMkhjy tih^en moil vtuanoujLy ana irai- ^^^.^^ ^^ ^^ j^j^^^ j^.^,g^ ^^^^ teroujly, p.i^x. and even 0/ Tuum, /z»^ ^nerj- otiw, here he relblves, that if tobeindeep^^oumhgatcvom- , , - r tT J-/- /- welsFunera^and to appear in he be WrOngtully dilpOt- jtforfomemomhs after, vcalkirg (efs'd, yet for the publick in the piazza in Coven t-Gar- n^^A U^ «.,rr^t. «-^ *.«A- A^'i^T and Other of the Streets of Good he ought to reit ,/^^ ^-^^ ^^ Loidon. Foxe'i fatisfied, and in Con- Firebr.pan'n. p.rcsfi. fcience is bound to re- nounce his Claim; and as for his Suhje^s, that there is no Juftice, [i.e. they have no Right, are under no Obligation] on their fide, to re- (lore him.^ ' A Magiftrate adually difpof- ' fefs'd, hath no Right to be reflor'd ,• nor the ' Subjed: any Obligation to (eek to reftore, but ' to oppofe him. ~ And again, p. 147, upon a Suppoiition, That the common Good ought to be the Magiftrate's Title, and the Subjed's Obedience. Out of which, faith he, it fol- !ov/eth. That whenever (confidering all things) the Common Good is clearly on the PcJfeffGrs Side, then the jD///>/j^f/(?<^ hath no Claim. Ihis is a Secular forfooth, and a profeft Enemy to rhe Jefuits I If there be no greater Difference between xlii The

ic. fuch as thole thirty who were met between Roan and Deep^ who were coming over to be Agita xlviii V?e f ^E F A C E, Agitators in the Army, as above- mention^, fuch as were apprehended m Gfneral Fairfax's Army^ (uch as the forty Jefuits^ &c. prefent at the Kh!gs Murder^ flour i/hing their Swords^ &c.] * Church Memhers and Anahaptijls, as we are ' able to demonftrate, faith the fecond Beacon * fired, f>. I. by their publifhing in the Years * 1650, 1651, 1651, eighteen leveral Sorts of * PopiHi Books in the Englifh Tongue, an Im- * preliion of each in all ^ as we have caufe to * judge} amounting to no kis than 50000, and ' all printed in London we are hire, of which ' they fet down the Names. Qp. ^.3 Then they proceed to give an Account oi the great fncreafe o^Sochiafiifm, Qiiakerifnt^sind other fundamental Errors, (i) By the pubHck Meetings and Ex- ercifes that Sccinians have in London^ and elfe- where, every Week, blafphemouHy holding and teaching their damnable Dodrines. Q-l) By the like Meetings of ^/^z^^z-j in London^ whofe Opinions are Mafpher/tcus^ paganijh^ antifcriptu- rd and antkhriflian^ even as the lormer. Q) By the Printing and PubJi hing many thoufand? of Books, containing ^/i^j^/7^w:'^j, heretical^ and ant/rrtagij^ratkal Opinions, tending. to mchriftian and diforder the People of the Nation, and in- troduce Pagaffifm, Popery^ Sochiianifm and L't. hertinifm^ ot which tliey (et down a Specimen^ Page ^ Let now the Reader judge, by the vafl: Num- bers oiPopip) Books, and other heretical Writings^ what an Jnc reafe of Popery was in thofe times, whether the then Toleration was not their Har^ vefl. The (p (^EF ACE, xlix 'vefl ; it's not probable in the leafi thefe Popijh Books were printed for the Ufe of the old Fa- ' ptfls, being mofi of them, as appears by the Catalogue^ Inflitutions or Introduclioi^s to the Romifl} Religion^ calculated for the Infiruciion ofNovkeSy and to pervert the unfiahle and igno- rant of thofe Times ; and let it be obferved withal, That the multiplying oiSe^s was alto- gether dedgn'd by running Men and Women into Sceptkifm and Infidelity, to prejudice them againO: the Miniftry and Ordinances of each o- ther, in order to fix them in Popery at lall, as appears from the Advices and the Politicks of the Jefuits already reprefented, efpecially if we confider, that under the Notion oi fiarting and propagating oi new Lights, they craftily infufe into the different Sec^s^d. great many Popijh Prin- ciples, Dodrines, or Pradices. - One eminent Inftance of this is to be feen in Mr. Hen. Denn^ a profefi publick Anahaptiji^ and moil probably, if not demonftrativeiy, a Pcpiflj Miffionary^ yet an Apologill for Q^jaker- ifm and Popery at the fame time. Thus, de Fa^ Bo., it appears, that this //. Denn\ Qjdaker no Papifl^ which he offered at their old Meeting- Houfe at the Bull and the Mouth near Alder fr gate, for their Prefs, is indeed all in behalf of *• Pajiijis, and contains not one Word^ from the * firji to the lafl, to the Advantage oj any Se^ un~ * der Heaven., hut only the Romiih : That ths very fame Expreflions are us'd now againfl the Church of England by the Anahaptifts and by J J:he Papiji [both in cne, in the Perfbn o^ H [ c ] ' Denn-'^ 1 Tk (p %EF A C E, Venn,- Nay, 1 may take notice alfb of iuch Words in this Quaker no Papifi^ as caufe the Author thtreor, whoever he be, ' [ Fl D. or J, IV. or W. J. for I take them all to be oae Mart, ] to fiiiei! of a foie:gn Coun- . try, (0c, Some of his Dodrines printed in this [Quakerno Papijt] are thefe, (i) That Mr. H. D. does not know whether Purgatory be reveal'd in Scripture or not, p. i%. penult, Ql) That, in good earned, he thinks thofe who had their Ordination from the Church of Rome, and do not obey the Pops, are Rehels, difohedient^ and Apoilates, if they defend the the NecelFity of Ordination by BiOiops, p. i6. l^edio. • C3) That no Protejiant Mhifter, eit4ier ii England, or beyond the Seas, hath any better Ordination or Commifion to preach, than G. rr/^iff/^W the Quaker, p. 8,9, so.--- and then ( Laitly ) — That the prefent Roman Church, and no other, is the pure Spoufe ofChrift, or elfe there Iiath been none * in all Ages. Gagg for the Quakers^ with an * Anfwer to Mr. \}Qnns Quaker no Papift^ S- 59, * 60. Printed 1659. — -^ « Then p^irag. 3;. of the Anfwer to Denns Quaker no Papifiy 1 deiire the Reader to obferve this Paffage; A few Lines after Quaker no Papifiy p. 15. having told us that the Pref- hyterians are eanly enough infecSlred with fuch Leaven, (Prelatical Malice) he falls into thefe Words ; * Nor do they, while they fall thus ^ upon others, take afiV Notice of, or endea- ^ vour to anfvver thofe things \vhich are ftand- ' ins 71?e

//// and Senary but two or three Lines before thefe Words) now foon forgets what Perfon he had adum'd, pulis of his Vizard, and appears a bare-fac'd Romaoill. Obferve hov/ he who profefies to teach Men to be difobedient and rebellious to all Bifhops, paffionately and hadily takes part with Hinr?, who hath ufurp'd upon all Biihops in the Chri- ftian World, ^. 33. Anfiver to Denn'j Quaker no Papift. This is the Mr. Denn the Analap- tift. Captain and Apothecary, Farmer and MinL fter, and an Apologift for the Society of Jefus, §. X. to whom the Author of the Anfwer to Mr. Denns Quaker no Papift, fays in another Place — ^ I iliall defer lending you a larger ' Catalogue, until you Cor your Friend Knott ' thejefuit, who alfo hath writ againil Epifco- ' pacv) (hall have anfwered Dr. Hammonds ' Dijfertativns againfl; Blundel, otherwife than * by your Sword and Seqaeftration, ^. ^^.] So that it (eems this Denn was got into a fequeftred Living too. (x) But fecondly, as another Indance of their ufbering Popery along with their New Lights, this is as clear as the Sun in its Meridian, in that new SeB (of their Hatching ) the Quakers, which I take for granted to be the Spawn of the Jefuits, [c %] ^nd Ill The ^ (l^EF JC E. and fomc other Orders of thc^Church of Rente ^ and to their Honuur be it it fpokeii, propigated at their nrii fetting out by down-right WITCH- CRAFT; and this 1 Ihall do out of a Parallel ready to my hand, out o{ Claphams full Difco- 'Very a ^^d Confutation of the Quakers, printed i6'y6. ' Ihe Papifts will not have the Scriptures a ' Rule of Faith and Life^ a Judg ofControverfies ; * fo the Qj(,akers : The Papifts revile them, and * call them a Dead Letter; fo the Quakers: ' The Papifts equal other Things with the Scri- * ptures; {^0 Klvi Quakers : The Papifts ' pretend Revelations^ Fificns^ Raptures, Tran- ' ces ; lb the Quakers. • — Both Papifts and * Qtiakers pretend to Infallibility, to a Power * of Working Miracles; both arealike in cenfu- ■ ring, condemning, and curfirg all that are ' not of their Way ; both deny rhe Protcilant ^ Churches to be the Churches of Chrift. - — ' The Papills dughtto keep the People ^ in Ignorance, without teaching and inflru- * ding them, and the Quakers leek to bring ^ People irom all Tcaclnngs to the Light in * them, that lo they may have no other, T^jc/j- ^ ing than the Savage Indians have, ^c, . — Doth nor all this make it evident. That t\\Q Quakers are the Pope'^s Brats, tho'thcy be fo unnatural they will not own their Father t' We have Reafo.i enough to believe there have been more Popish Pricus in Engla^id bdidcs Cop- pyyger^ to -inflil thofe Notions mto the Quakers, p. 64, 65'- C^^(yagg \or (luak. and therein Anfw, 10 Demh Qiiaksr no Papift, §, 50. Mr. Prinn's Quaker/frr) The^ %E F AC n, " Jiii Quakerifm unmask' d^ Ed.'ii. />, 3. ^I could ter * Mr. Venn a iirange Story of his F. Whiteheac! * faying Mafs about London; and oF another ' difputingfor the Qiiakers, anJ prefentlv prov'd ' a mask'd Papiil ac Wooiv^rhampton, &c. / For Men to be only ufelefs in humane Socie- ty, is not (b prejudicial to Government, as that Temper of Spirit which renders them impatient of Laws, and rebellious againfl Au- thority: For Zeal to do Mifchief is more ir'jurious to the publick Peace, than Supine- nefs in doing nothing. And if Popery fiiould ever be admitted into EMgliifj^f^xhc King would receive in a Foreign or Civil War, as m.uch Aid ' from clciirer'd Monks as from Se^a- Cb^ ' ^'^^^i ^'^^^ generally believe all War ^ unlawful,except that which they them- felves carry on againfl their own Prince and Country, />. -4, 2.5". Neither have the Prin- ciples of .Sjf^^ri^j a lefs malignant Afped: to- wards Chriflian Holinefs, than thofe ot Pa- pifrs. The POPE of Rome challenges to him- ielf the Privilege of h^Wig infallible ; What elle does the Se^ary^ when he fays that the t]oly Ghoft dictates to him Matter and Words in the Performance of religious Duties, and that he does perfonally dwell and make his Abode in his Heart? Tis no hard thing to * prove, That a private Spirit, ad vanc'd above. *or The ^^EFJCE. Iv or made parallel to the Holy Scriptures, is more prejudicial to Cbriftianity than TraditL on^ or the larg^d Power that was ever y^r af^ ium'd by the POPE. Alas ! for one infallible old Gentleman at Rome^ v. e have thoufands of Hotfpurs in England^ that pretend to more of the Divine Periedtions than ever he did. Foif if the Holy Ghofl does perfonally in. dwell iri Seclaries, then they are perfonalJy poilelfed with all the glorious Attributes of the God- head ; which is more prejudicial to Protefta^ ffifr/Jy to ailirm there js m Church of England^ or to fay that the Roman Church is the Catho* lick Church > p. x6. ' The Vapifts with-hohl the Cup from the Laify in the Blejfed Eucharift ; the Setlaries deny the Whole oj that Sacrament to all who cannot give certain Signs of their Converfion, 6rc. nay, they make the Whole cj hoth the Sacraments in- valid to SalvaticH^ by being adminiftred in a State of Schifm, and by thole Reafons, that have no m^ore Authority or Right to af^ fume that Power, than l/zziah ht?d to Iny hold upon the Ark, or Nadah and Ahihu to ofier the llrange Fire. ' The Papifts lead their People in Ignorance and Darknefs, buc^ .Monks and Friars are as learned, as Millers zpc. Tailors, and the Latin Service as intelligible as tuyjticai Nonfence^ and the Prayers in an unknown Tongue as edifying and lefs injurious to Chr inanity, than bold Blajphemy, and thofe Exprefiions which are the VQry Dcrifion of Devotion. I c 4 ] ! Thas Ivi The T (I^EFAC E. * The Do^rhe of the Refurreciion will {boner receive its 0/?/\jci/w? by the Omiffion of the Rites ot Burial, than by pray ttig for the Dead: And the M'wioi one Catholick Church . and Com^ munion of Saints^ will fooner be deftroy'd by Independency^ than if they all truckled under the See of Rome : And to d'lreiSt our Devoti- ons to the blefTed Virgin and Saints departed, is not fodifpleafing unto God.nor diihonoura- ble and injurious to Religion, ?as to pray for Bloodjhed and Revenge^ for the Succefs oj Rebels^ the Growth cfSchifm^ and the Rootingup an Efta- hliflid Church: And the Idolatry of the Pa- pifts will be as excufable at the Great Day of Accounts, as the irreverent Rudcnefs, and fuperftitious Sowrenefs of the Sedtaries. Sin is more encouraged by making the Condition of its Pardon to depend upon a ilrong Fancy and\ Belief that it is pardoned, than by making it ahfolutely depend upon the Power oj a Arifjt, In a Word, the grofs l/prpa(;on and Invajion of the Priefts Olfice by Se^aries, to ere^ Church- es^ Ordain, Baptize, adminifter the Holy Ettcha^ rift^ Preach, Escommtinicate, 6cc. throws more ■ Dirt upon the Chriftian Religion, than thegrof- feft Errors in the Rcmifh Church, p. i8, 29. Thus much I thought neceflary to premtle, byway of Caution, to ail that defire and endea- vour to be fincere Chriftians and Members of Chrift's One CathoUck Churchy to prevent their being either c^.rried away by Jefuits cr Se^aries^ which is much near the fame, and to demon- flrate from whence ail our Divifions, all our ConfH^' The T (IlE F JC E. Ivii Confrfions and Over-turnings in Church and State are originated : Only I beg leave to anfwer one Objecftion, which I fore-fee will be made in reference to fome Members of Romanijh Com- munion ; it will I know be readily granted by the t^on-Jefuited Members of that Communion, what I have faid in refpedt of the Jefuits; but then they'll tell us their old Priefts, the Secu- lars, and thofe that adhere tc them, are Perfons of ftanch Loyalty and Fidelity to the TrincCy and ever, by Principle, faithful to the Crown, and ilf enuous Aflerters of its Rights and Trero- gatives. To this I (hall reply in iliort : It's true, the Seculars and Jefuits have been at Daggers drawings and have writ moft bitterly againit one another, made flrange Difcoveries, and feem the raofl to hate one another (^here amongO: us) of any two Parties whatever, yet ail nothing *bui- Juggle and Amufement^ meerly for political Ends, that whilil the one are ever odious and fufpeded, the other may carry on the fame Defigns undifccrned. And although, indeed, fome of the Seculars belonging here to ], England^ have been many ^ears under Excom- munication, the highert Difplcafure of the Church of Rome^ ' For ail this ( faith the Au- * thor of The Difference between the Church and * the Court o- Rome, printed 1 674.} it may not ' be fafc to truft them, v/ithout better AfTu- rance. We rememember, from fad Expert • ' ence, Iviii T7;e ^ (^E F A C E. ence, ' that no Perfbns did fo boldly rail at th Tyrant Cromvoel, as thofe that were his Penfion^ . ers, who merited by faying thofe very things which others were to loofe their Lives or E- (lates barely for hearing. Nay, we have not forgot, that fome of thefe perfidious Wretch- es lay under the common Calamity of honeft Men, Sequeftrings, Reftraints, and Decinia- tions, that they might continue unfufpeded Villains : And we are not fure but his Holt- nefs mny be as dextrous in his Managery, as thit Tyrant was ; making a Shew of great Difpieafur.e againit thofe Agents of his, which are hired to pretend a Difagreement with the Court of Rome, and Sufferings by it, thereby to gain fee u rely Projelytes to the Churchy and 2, Reward \xr\to themlclves. ' Nor will this be eflieem'd an uncharitable Surmife, when we connder what ufually is done by this fort of Men upon likePretenfi- ons. I iliall, to avoid giving trouble,- ■ bring one Inffance, yet it ihall fie fo clofe as ' not to admit of any colourabfe vjzt{.^odi. ' Exception to it: Tis that Dui'benresn « of father iVatfort the Secular :„7f ul" ' Priefl, who having wrote at iarge Giniiem. A * in the Dcfencc of Sovereign Prin- tyue Keution c ^^g aciinft the Didatcs of the Je- cf the Fathon c r • \ • i f c r At wisbich. iUits, wherem he openly contel- ' fes,That all the Sufferings brought * upon the Papills here in E:^gland^ was the due * Reward ol iheir own Dement : And withal, * deteded the Frauds and Villanks of the Tfeftu The 9 (^EF ACE. lix fuits, not only ia reference to the State, but in their Cheats of private Perfons, by means of aijricul^.r CcnfeiTion, and other gainful Methods of Hypocrifie, fet- ^'f^\l' ting down the Names of the Per- s^'a/j'c^'/. Tons wrought upon, and theirs who -^<^» ^'^• pradifed upon their Eafinefs, with ^^I^' %[\ the particular Sums thus gain'd, the Place, and Time, and Manner of Adfon ; Proofs, one would think, of the greateft Sin- cerity imaginable ; efpecially fince he for this, was with all poflible Violence purfu'd and rail'd at by his Adverfaries in the Church of Rome, and feemingly perfecuted by his HoU- nefs^ and Arch-Priejls commillioned by him, yet after all, we find this Man at laft was difl covered to be engag'd in Treajon againll his Sovereign^ and plotting all thofe Villanks he had before (b loiemnly declaim'd and wrote againfl, the Account whereof we have in all all our Hiflories. Differ, letiv. the Qhur, and Court of P'.omQ, />. 12. 13. I might carry on thefe Ohfervationsz. greater Length, but having been very prolix already, Qiho I hope the impartial Header wxW the eafi- lier Pardon me, confidering the Importance o^ what hath been hitherto reprtftnted^ I Uiall haften to give in ihort lojne Acount of my main Subjed:. In the firft place then,! conceiv'd it abfolutcly necellary to begin with the Mijfion of the Ana- haptijls^ the Foundation upon which all their ChHrch^Froceedings muit reft,* if that fails, all their !x 77;e

ts dealing with HERETICKS and Schifma- ticksy by which they very ruccefsluily put an - end to Con trover fies of this Nature; of which 1 have treated at large in the enfuing Dijcourfe ; and if infidcd on, and counteiianc'd by our SpL ritual and Civil Governours, by God's BlelTing Pxiight prove an efTedtual Means to reduce ou iv.indring Stars to the Centre and Unity of tli Church: Once convince them of the Nullit as well as Sacrilege of their Minift rations^ an. make the Generality of Chriflians ft-^nfible thai it's nothing but Self-conjiderKe.,Self-Intereft^ Pre- finiption^ and Pride^ without the leafl Shadow of Right, that ^^^^j them into Minifiers; that tliey all are as much Minillers themfelves, and then as St. Jugujlin (li\thf in the cafe of the Donatifts RebaptiZJtion of all tliac came over ] to their Party, Nature will not recoil againft. them, and they'll abhor being conducted by them, who are no better,., and but upon an e- qinl Foot with themfelves ; befides the moil inimincnt Danger of making iliip-wreck of a good Confcience, and their eternal Salvation. Ihen it will be demonlirahle^ by taking a little Pains with them,that there is,and'canbe but[0«i? Church, one Friefthood, one Baptifm,- That alL that 7hc

,Q(k than another, confequently none by runnini; from one to another, if any Diflerence, only accidental as to the Transfiguration^ and lb rather are the worfe than better by Changing^ making their Condition the more the hazardous by their Xfaveririg and Injlahiliiy^ and (b (^as is com- monly known by frequent Obfervation and Experience) concluding in Scepticifm and De- rpair, the Spirit of God, which isconflantU- niiorm and never changing, having no Inhahi. liation, or Refidsnce^ in fuch Perfons ,• this Ihift* ing irom Sed to Sed:, but ever avoiding the Church of Chrift, the Communion of Saints, where ^om ttiQ Holy and SkiTi'd Spirit of I.(?'i'^, and Ixii Tl}e f (^E F A C E, Unity ^ and Sanctity ilwelleth^ being an Infallible Mark of their being wholly poiltiTed and con- duced by the Spirit of Error y of their prefect Defertion by Goas Grace, and of th^'w final Per- dition^ if not timely prevented, by their Re- twion with God's Church and Chofen. Their C/7wrc/;^i of ineer Human Conjlitution^ (et up in, oppofjtion to the Church of Chriji, all of them Deviations Srom the True Churchy from the One^ thcMarrow^thG flraitj/f^ay to the Broaa^thecommott and mofl frequented Way^ (^the Way of Heathens^ Jews, Turks^ Schifmaticks and Hereticks^ and ail profligate and v/icked Chriftians, being cafi: into that Numher^ by our B. Lord, who together with them, make up that monflrous innumerable and vile Herd oi Impure Goats ^ in contradiilinition to t\\2LX.little Flock of Genuine and Sincere Chri-; ftians} that leads dired-ly to Deflrudiion : and tho fome amongfl: thefe Sects fcemingly have fome pretence to Orthodoxy ^ 'tis only a Snar$ and temptation to them for their greater Injatua* tiony hereby to make them the more coniident, and to render them the more (ecure in the dan* gerous Condition they are in, thereby to mako them more carelefs, and the Icfs (olicirous for thofe Advantages of the True Communion and Union with Chrift, and his Body the Church here i^pon Earthy (without which they cannot, and and dial! never become Members of the Archety. ■ pal Church in Heaven^") and Co by the Artifices and Wiles o{ Satan^ working upon their weaker Parts, and encouraging them in their Prefum- prion and Averfion, to all the proper Means con- The

^7j, in being in thof; days, who have not\t\t.\uy Remefyhrance ot themfeives to this d?.y, but only in books ? What No^JeKfe and Ilodgpodg is al! this ? That the Devil /hould be- coffve ^Patron oi Truth and Hohnefs, and eredt, a Kingdom to batter down his own ? Or is it pro; -'ble on the other fide, that God^s Spirit D ^ Chrift pro- dag;ue the Gofprl by fuch unmortify'd, unhal- low'd, and polluted Wretches as thcfe ? Did Che ApolUcs preach up the Dellrudiion of the Jewijh The ^%nF ACE, Ixix Jewifh or Gentile Religion^ by fire and Ftjggot, and Sword^ by railing, IviVgj anH i-hrowing „ DiTt i'! the Fices of rhe '^ew/fho^c Ge^iU/eGover- ftoufs or Priefls ; the Demolition of the. r Temples, Maintenance, Schools o Learni-g, and d.i'hing t;ieir Children agamil the Stones? \\^ Gods Nime, let any ibber Chriltianccomoire C/^/ ?/? j, the Apojilei^ and Primitive Chyiduns eth'ds, Iri'tioceAzy cf their LiveSj Humility^ Patience^ V Dijinterejfednefiy as to the vVorld , its Pl^afure, Eafe, Sati^i'aitiOTS In all kinds, and Charity, and Benigiitv, and M^eknefs, and UiaiT^'led- nefs, with Methods of our late Seciarian Go- fpellers, and their Lives, Conduct and (rfhavi- our, andjud^e whether it be or can be recon- ciieable to the Sp"*!*: of the Gofpel, it*; Oefiga and Verity, to allow fuch Comhinatians of Worldlings and Cheats to be the Churches of Chmt, or to bear any affinity with him or his Church ', which hath ever been irom the begin- ning of the World, through all Ages to this day, never faild for one Minute; and cannot no more than effential Truth can, and {"c hall continue, when, in all probability, none of rhefe prefenr'^'^f^iihall be any more, as many o\ for- mer Sects hive for \ges be^^n forgotten; as well as" file exifled uninterruptedly LC. it's impoliible the Spirit of God ftiould go along with them,, God is not in tho(Q lluflring vvinds, Earthquakes, and Combuftions ot Civil iVarSy Murders^ Sacrileges, and Violations o^ ^W Laws, Rights^ Liberties, Privileges, Sacred and Civil ; thelc are none of God's Methods, and have no right to his Approbation and Bleffing, And yet it's by nothing but Hyp1)crify and Proph.wenefi^ that you have en^fi^iVour'd and propagate your Refpective Sects ( Carnality, as the Spirit of God in Holy Scriptures informs us, being an hifeparahle Attendant, or an ejfential dualiji ca- tion ot Falfe Teachers, Falib Apoltles and Sedu- cers) but thett/>/^(?*rof all hath been th^ growth of Popery, ^nd to give it an opportunity to come in at ihthacLdoor; to divide the Interefl: of the Reform d Religion^ and to make way for all man- ner of Prophanenefs, Scepticifnt, Atheifnt, and Lihertinifm, Never th?n dare to call your Sects Churches ; it's too manifefl from the Agents that fet you at work, the Methods you rake, and tlie ^W to which all your actings tend, what you are, and whofe ivork you do ,- the Church is but ine, the Head bur one, to fuppole wore Churches, I mean ibch as have no relation un- to, prefcrve no Communion with, and will by no means own one another, but keep at fuch a dillance, The (p(^EF AC E, Ixxi diflance, as if they utterly ro¥jr- ticular >ects^ or Parriculars o\ Sects amongft you, and conlequf^ndy by b; ng fo nearly related to him;bv your ovv'n Argume^ts.noneofChr/ft's or h s Apoftles PhntiHg, lo none ot the Members of his BoJv or Church. And as to fome other Sects amor.glt you, that bid fairelt, having nothing to urge in behalf of xhtw Mijfions^ but \^ hat any o- tbtT^€C(S may cqu;Hly challen':e upon the fclf-jame Grouticls to themfelves, have no better Calling, Mhiftry than thofewho are immediate. ly otrived irom tlie Jefuits, the avow'd Mem_ ber*. of iiim whom you call An:khrift -, fo that in 'J ruth, it's as eafie to find a Church ofChriffl^ mongtt the, unconverted Indians, zs amongfl you Sectaries ; and to any underftanding Chrijtian no- thinvi,CAn be more ahfnrd and monjtrous^znd more uncapahle of Faith^ than to conceit any thing of a ChriJtiat?Church amorigR you. but once more,to fhevv the Abfurdity of ma- ny of your Brethren Se^aries ^ beirg as they boaft themfelves the TRUE CHURCH and ONLY of CHRIST, we can prove that fome .Sf^; of them were fetupat their Mi Starr ng by the Jejuits^ ^c. Is it rcafonable to imagine they made it their Bufinefs tofurnifh ihem with true Frh:iples of Faith in their Nlourhs, and gave i-::cm a true Scheme of Church GovermieKt and DiJcipUne^ w her by \n good eamejl. to - pugn themjelves, under the Notion of Amchrifl, Wkcrs The (p (I^E F JC E. Ixxiii iVhore of Bai>ylon,an6 iMaters j w ho afle rt thf m- felves to be the one Church ol Chnjt^ ard all the reft of the Churches m the World, that rttufe Subjection to them, and are not in actual C( m- munion with them, as nonCj or at belt corrupt Churches; and to infufe into you a V[\c{{ flagrant Zeal, that nothing will granfie lefs than ih' De- Jtruction and utter Extirpation of them ? U hf 'c's the Senfe of all this? And for u har End ? No ! they only put Weapons into their H^nds to en- counter their common Enemy with ,• under that Notion to multiply Divifions^ and Factions, and Animofities, by tearing in pieces th( Church of England, under the Character of Antichrijtian^ and Bahylonijh; which if they could bur fee pultd and fhatterd in Pieces, they m ghr h^^pe in a little Time to reunite unto thtmfelves. This Church ever was, and is the Butt of all your Malice and Envy, as well as (^ all other Stdis here amongic us; to her Rune you all agree and conipire, and join Hand in 'Hand and, in fome fenfe, I may fay, all the Churches in Europe j an intaluble A*-gu- ment to me of her bemg, in her Articles, DiJ- cipline, and Ho/y Offices the moft Frimitivey Apoftolick, Orthodox^ and Canonical, Particular Church, in this Part of the World : An Ar- gument of her Catholicifm ^ becaufe fo ifrc- nuo'jfly oppugn'd on all fides, by the inde- fatigable Adivity of the Church of Rome, and innumerable Sects, by the Treachery and i^- titudinarianifm of her own Creeping - Low- '^.hiirch-Meo, that are fed and pampcr'd dai- n\ Ixxiv ne

r;,vife th^m rhey ought, meerly a<; o\ Ir.mcent^ Godly, 'Zealous^ but mij- guirled ChriffiaMSjwWicUxonUdcnng tht[r Fruits is hardly r^ concileable with Truth,- and f'^, by this means,encourage them and harden them in their Erroneous Judgments and P radices, ^nc\ g ve great Encouragement unto others to join with ihciTi. iiiefam^ Method t\m I have taken with the Aaahptijh y^'iU moil cxadiy, for the majn, (ervc pgam.fl The

A Proteflants Account of his Or- thodoy: Holding in Mutters of Religion^ Printed 1642.. p. -i^j. Now fince it's fb apparent, by whut h;uh been hitherto (aid, that many of our Sects are the very Invention of the Church of Ronie^ and that all the reft are manag'd and in- fluenc'd by them, t) carry on the Deiign of ru- ining and extirpating our Church j what better piece of i>crvice caa we do our Holy Mother, than by endeavouring to expofe thefe religious Cheats^ Impoflors, and Falje Apo files ^ and by pubHfliing to all Chnllians the /hallownefs^ as well as wickeclnefs of all their Pn' ten fions ,• and at the fame time, by breaking the Meafures of our Sworn und {nveterzre Enf^mies. For by oppofing thefe Sectaries tite6tually,the Damage redoonds to the Church of Rome ; as by Favour- ing ihe Sectaries^ we Countenance the other. So that whoever Preaches or Writes againfl them, does it iaeffedagainft Popery, they be- ing the Fack-horfes to introduce it. And who- ever 7he (p (S^EF A C E. Ixxix ever Countenances and Pleads for the Toleration of thele Ht&.s, conflruciively or virtually does the fame ior Popery^ let his intention be whai: it willotherwile : The Toleration ot Diverjjty of Communions, narurijly rend-ig to the D/(folu- tion of the Eftahlijh d Churchy efpecially v i - n a Liberty is allowed v^ithal c^withdiawing^tW they can from the Efiahlifhd or Nirional Church ; which is not in the Icait provided oga.nit by any Claufe, impofmg any Pendty upon the Seducers or /educed; than uhich tis impoffil le ro con- ceive a greater Inflance, either of hdifferency^ oiUnconcernednep \qv theG/^r)' ofGod,in reference to his Truth^ and the Salvation of thofe who were folemnly dedicated unto him, by being en- roll'd in the Matricula of his Church ; or that Grand Truft repf)(ed in Governours for promot- ing Piety and Virtue, the greated Jntereft of Mankind, the very End of the Inftitution of Ma- gillracy; which isfuch a Liberty ox Connivance y as our Dijfenters never had the Impudence to ask ; and which the Law of God, and a true Zeal for his Glory, and the Prefervation of the Church, Love and Tendernefs for the Souls of Mankind, the Peace and Eflablilhment of the Government and Nation, and true Interefl: for our Pofterity can never juftifie. So that none but Raft£ Tahulie, Men indifferent, that can take up any Form of Religion^ LatitudinarianSt Half^ Fapijts^ Atheifts and Ignoramus' s^ can ever be zealous for Toleration ; and whoever are fb, are certainly Promoters of Popery, and the Grand Occafions of the Growth of Popery, and no other in kxx V?e ^ %E F A C E. in this I^f'd , rhis being certain,//;.?^ the Tolera- tion of -nta^ies^ is the Growth ot Popery, to wh ch ih ourL)ifa(lers,a!l our Miferies are owing. i^ur t^ '•^uri to our Subject once more, and f o : o 1 Cmclu'ion :^ N^v Irt anv (ober Chriftian, of a tolerable O^n^cirv, hy thefe few things togeth-^r, and re- flc '1 rfrionflv upon rhf^m, and he will find it de- rr, Killrably true, that thefe Sectaries bear no Rtlat'on torhe Church,according to Rules laid down m Scriprure, and hold noz true Faith ^ and :hat their Wav is and muft be injallihly (or- d!n,a»'ily rpe^k ng^ the H^rong^ the Broad Way ; an :< according'y eleftitke ot the common Chriftian Hope tor >alvarion, and confequently will elread to venture his Soul amongil: them. But for a fuller Sac station, I (hall refer the Reader to the Treanf irfelf, which I recommend to the Blef- fing oi God ; that it may, however weakly pLTform'H be Indrumental to bring off fome, and a Prefervative for others, againit this dan- g rous an1g/)vving Sect^ and ^// others,- de- fi'i igall good Chrill;ans to join with me in this Exccllen*- Pnyer oFour Church : O j\f rriful God. ivho haji m.ide all Men, and hate/r Uvt mg that thou hsifi wade, nor woukhft- the Death of a S-.mr^ hut rather that he [hould be Con'verted and live : H>~ fulnefs, or Validity of Infant- Baftlfm, and O- ther your fingular Opinions) I apprehend it, indifpenfably neceffary in the firft place, to enquire whether j>'o« or we are the True Church of Chrlfi • For, if it appears, that either thofe of Your or Our ComntU" ' nlon be not, or are not Members of the True Catho- llck and Apoflollck Church, it will be in vain to en- gage in this Controverfie, becaufe the Validity of all Minifierial Ads ordinarily depend upon their being performed, or tranfaded by thofe who have Authority io to do from Chrifi by the Mediation of the Church, to which Chrlft himfelf delegated this Authority, to be cojttlnued fuccefflvcly from one to another to the End of the World. This Tolnt, I think, will be readily yielded hy You, That none can perlorm any Minlfterlal ABs, hut fucb as are authorized fo to do, bv ChrlB and his Church : That in particular, none can, in the Ordinary or E~ ^\ £ ^aklljh'd 2 the Anahaptljls Minijlry fiabliffd JVajy be admit led Members o^ChriH's Body th.Q Church J hut by B apt} fm ; confcquently, th^t none can Baptix,ej but thoje who are atttially Members of this Bodjy and have efpecial Com?mjj!onj or Delegation ih to do ; and none have any reafon to pretend unto, or to extrcifi this CemmiJJijn, but ?/^t^/^ who are called thereunto_, becaufe none can take upon himfelf this Authority, but he muft be called unto it, andfolemn^ ly In'vsfred with it by Christy or his Deputies j mediate- Ij, or immed'i.itdy. If fOj then it will be in vaixi for (ither of U/ tp difpute the La'wfulncfs ^ or Validity of Infant ^ or ^- duh-B^ptifmy if in the mean time we are in the J.3/-/:, and cannot prove whether we are within^ or without the Church. The Church h but Owf, in its Nature indivljible ^ Unity ^ and Diijl/ibility are i»i:w;- fifient, and incompatible Terms. There is but One Communion likewife, fb that Two Communions dia- metrically oppo/ite, can't be o«g and the /.'■me Church • and there is One Baptlfm, into the O/^e Faith, oi the One Lurdy or 0»g Hijd of this O/;^ Church ; and there- fore if this One Baptif?ny whether of InfimtSy or A- diilts, be adminiftred, or performed wlthouty or out of this One Church, in conl'equence it muft be null (as 1 tnid io refjped: o'ihfdnts, as well as of tbofe of full ^i^e-) This \Sy as I conceive^ a necejjary and ««^- 'Vi,ld,ible Coufquiwce, becaule there can't be Tii-'o Ejp- tlyois no more than Two Churches, or Two Lcrds, or '/ii/:?' Faiths, or Tt/^c) Hopes, or Tiz/o Heavcfis, and 77i/o //c'/7i,' becaule, by the fame way ofaip^uing^ there ^ii^y be Two thoufa?id Millions as well as Tii>Oy and lo i^ i-ififiiturn. Thefe Confequences you can't avoid, or deny ^ be- c.iufe, upon your own Suppofition, that You are the i.m, O'C only Church; and as fome of your Frogtniton (45 I find in St. Bernard) have formerly ail'erted, the .ripojlolici, or the only Genuine SucceJJ'ors of the Jpo^ jyhj- : You have all along RebaptizJd All that came off Examine! and Difprov'^. 4 off from other Communions to Yours, looking up- on iheir former Bapifpi, whether vvhilll: Infants^ or Adult ^ as nuU and ijoid, nay fmful^ becaufe perform'd by thofe oi Sifalfe Ccmnmnion. Therefbie to ckar the vjay^ and. to remove all Impe- diments j its highly iiuumbent upon you, who confine the "ivhole Body J and Flock of Chrift to your ew7t Tar- ty or Communion^ with a pcfaive Excln/ion of all befides, to prove that you are the cfie Church of Chriff, and that fince His Ajcenfiorij He has had no other Church but yours,* and withai;,thatp« all along for this Seventeen Hundred Tears jWkhout Any Interruption of SucceJ/icn^Pra" a ice J vifible and open Vrofejjion^ have, heefiy and c^re ths o?ily vijible Body^ ci that cne invifible Head ChriH Je~ fusj blelfed for ever. For, if you can t demcnfirate that, all your Difpute about Baptifm vaniihes into Air, or Nothing ,- and, befides, J. mufl: tell you. Without doing this firfi-, you have no Bight to en- ter upon this Controverjie, as being as foreign to you_, as to Turks or Infidels^ and even the Scriptures them- felves will ftand you in no ftead, as having no Bright to them : For, tiiey were, and are ove facred Depofi- ium committed to the Cuficdy of, and lor tliQ file Ufi and Edification of the One Church; becaufe, the JNa' twaly or Aninial Man as fuch, is not capable without the Ajfifiance of the One Spirit of GOD, by his infu- jing oi Divine Faith^ to apprehend, or underftand the Myfieries of God, and all the Graces and hfuen^ tes, and Operations oi this Divine Spirit of Truth, and Holinefsj or Righteoufnef, are ordinarily confin'd to the One Church. AH this I take for granted, and if ■j^tfw have any Principles at ail, ^yoo can't derty it,- if you do, then I mull tell yoj. you have no Principles, and then all manner of iSi/pA'fc with you is endlefs, and to ho pwpofe. Theretore I proceed upon this Suppojitlon : - f irft then, as to your profeffing your felves to be the One Church, or One Body of Chrift, I requeft of B 2 you 4 The Afiahaptifls Mhiftry you to give a fofitive categoric.il Anfvver to thefe fol- lowing .^iaics. Wlien liid your pretejtfle^ Church commetiCQ? Shew Hi in what Jge after our Sazriour, in vjh^t Century. Whether in the A^ofidkal Jge^ or immediately after, or how long fince ? Who were the frs} Vajlors, or Dators^ or Authors'^ . How long they continued their Succejjion uninterruf- teJ, and were in acfual, 'u'lfible Vojjejjion of the Qne Church, and fo were a 'vijihle Body knu-wn, and applied to, and fo difiingtiijliable from all other SeBs and De- nominations of Cbrijiians in the "whole hiown World'i By what Means the Catholick Church came to fail y or to be (o far extincfj as to give way to the Ufurpa- tion of Intruders J and cofjfequently to be fo wholly ahfoipt, as to leave no Remains^ no Footfieps behind it for many Ages ? Where lay it conceal'd for Fourteen Hundred Years, til! about Luther s time ? How did it ly hid all that fpaceof time? And by what means did She propagate her felf fuccejfively all that while, and in what Varts of the World ? I[ you alone were the True and Genuine SucceJJors of the ApojHes, it muft follow, that you were once in VojJeJJlon of all the particular Churches that they planted, that you were the One Catholick. Church, out of which 7)0 GracCj no Salvation^ ordinarily to be had : The pe- culiar Veopk oi Godj his EleB, mew us then what ben came ot this Church of Chris} for fo w^w^ ^^^j toge^ ther, into what IVildcrneJJ She was driven, whether She fubfljhd a\\ this while, or not,* or whether it can be fuppofe4 the Church can ceafe to h, or to ex- ift, in confequence of ChriH's Promifjs to be alway: with Her, even for one Mometit ? If She hath fiibjijh'd all along, as you would infinu- ate perhaps (during thefe hinted Intervals) in a Stat of Lnvljibility , unknown to all the World befides pi ay prove, and demonjhate this unto US ; if you can no Examind and Difprovd. 5- not make out all this, aflfure your felves, you'd find it a r.ifflcuk Task to convince Gainfajers, and to fupporr thefe your Vretentions. This poflibly may furprize you^ I confefs, and feem fomewhat ftrange unto you^ but how you can evade it^ I know not. The Minifieridl Ojjice is fo [acred ^ as in its own Nature injplying the tranfading Things of the moft momentous Concern reuring to the Eternal Sfilvation o[ Mankind, between GOD and Them^ and aBing in Chrift's ftead, and in his Name, the Authority fo Divine^ that it infinitely tranfcends all the Paver of the Emperors and Kings of the Earth, as it muft needs do_, lilt exceeds that of the very Angels themfelves, that even ChriH himfelf did not vouchfafe to ajfnme it to Himfelf, Hub, <;. 4. That for Men to intrude them- ' The Anahaptijls Mhiijlry vain 'y becaufc, God Almighty is in no fenfe, liath no ways by any exprefs Co^caaKt or Vromlfej obligeci himfclf to ratilic, or to co-operace with fuch Tranf- acHof;Sj as bein^ done not only v^ithout his Licence and Cow;;w»are Re^nembrance, or X.0 fuhfifi in Coymrs ; nsy, which is very obfervabie and notori- ous, for the mofc parr^ notwithftanding their ObHi- nacy for a time, have chcfen rather to return into the Boforfi of the Churchy they fo cutragioufly errveigUd a- gainft, and condemn d for Diabolical, Antichrijlian^ 6CC. rather ih^n endure even tolerable and minute I;icc7i' veniences. Now if you cannot make it appear, that Tctir Church (as you CfeU it) hath all along from the Apo- files days, vA\ this very lims, continued v'fible, and fijjerted her kit' to- be tlis Catholick Church, which hath been ahyiys vlfiyle , ( for the very Term Catholick fuppcfcth Kfibility ; ) for that which is Catij^Aick or Un-hverfu.1, is only fo by being vlfihh, and known ^ and the Church is called CathJick. upon the account of Her being v'ifible, orherwife She could not be hrnvn , in cppofi.tion to all Herejies, B 4- Scbiffm 8 The AHdhapt'tfls M'tn'tjlry Scbif?ns and Sccis whatfoever , and continued Her SttcceJJion down to this very time , through all Perfecutmis and Oppojitions : Tho' you may pofli- bly make it appear, and very eafie too, that fome under the (denomination of Chriftians, may have fro- fefsd your dfjiingni^ji'iig DoBrincs^ and at dijferevt times afterwards, yet there having been fuch vaft Cheifms or Intervals between their different appear- in(Ts in the World, if you cannot tminterrupteMy de- duce your SiicceJJion ot Minifters (without which there can be no Church, no more than a Society without Gcvemors) your Caufe maft fink, and all your Pretentions evaporate into nothing. For, if this be your C\?/e, it's plain, nay, infalli- bly truCj that your C^«rtZ> was never o^ Chr'.fi's plan- ti^ng ; if ic had. He would have fupported it, be- caufe He is Truth it felf, and kecpeth his Projn-fe in- -vioLwle^ and no Vo^vcr, either ot Earth, or HeU ic feU, could ever have ivrcfied you out of his TroteBion. All the Powers of Hell or Earthy combind together with the utmoft Malice^ Refolution, Diligence and Un- v^eariednefs imaginable, and Objlinacy, could never have prevailed againft you. His moft fure -ivord of Promife could never have faitd you ,♦ lb evident is that of Gamaliel, Ads f. 58, 39. If this Cotwfcl, or this Work be of Men, it -jvill come to nought ^ But if it he of God, ye cannot overthrciu it. So that if your Church had been the CathoUck Church planted by Chrif^, it could never have been overthrown, it would never have vajujht like fmoke, and been forgotten for Ages together* AntichriB could never have banijlid Her out of the World, and have prevail' do-^cv Her longer than all the Calculations of the Duration ofAntichriJl^s B-eign ever amounted to. This is a peculiar, and dijlingu'ijlnng Property of the Church, that She is never hurt, or injur'd by Perfecu- tin or Oppnjition : Then She is beft under ftood and known, and manifefts her fcif, then She is moft vi^ Epcamind and Difprovd, 9 fible to all ; when She is moft annoyed^ ajfronted, dif- fifed, winnowed, (ifted, tempted, then She belt ap* proves her lelf to the Worlds as well as to God , then She is moft radiant and charming, even to i'uch a degree as hath been very frequently obfer'vd in the very Eyes of her moft barbarous and inhumane Perfecu- tors, and moft inveterate and malicious Enemies ,• and that which is moft furprizing and admirable, the more deferted by Her temporizing and falfe Children, the more augmented hy the AcceJJlon offincere and faithful Converts ^ and when moft abandon d and be- tray d by Her Earthly TroteBors, the more fecure and better fu^ported and cherifhed by Her Saviour, by Her God. No ! it is G O D, it is Jefus Christ, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords that is Her Rock, Her Re- fiige, her Vrotecior, Her Saviour, and Her Deliverer. Nothing is more puijfa7it than the Church, in all the Wars that ever were made upon Her, She hath al- ways been ViBorious and Triumphant. God is the Church, faith the Great Chryfo/lom, who ss fircnger than all : This is no Solecifm, for GOD is the He^id of the i5o^,the Church • the Body is nothing but a lifcLjS Trunk without the Head. God founded the Churchy then who dares pretend to full Her down ? 'Tis God that makes the Earth Ccnfuk Pialm. tremble, 'tis He looks down upon the Earth, and makes it tremble ,• He fpeaks but the word, and it fettles it again whenever She is alTaul- ted : Much more will He eftablifh and confirm his Church, when She begins to totter : For the Church is far jlronger than the Earth ; nay, than Heaven it felf. Heaven and Earth Jljall paj^ away, but my Words Jhall not paj^ away. What words ? Upon this Rock will I build my Church, and the Gates oiHell ihall not prevail againft it. Mat. 16. 18. Prove now that you alone have a Title to His Pro- feBion ^ piove, that you are H;s Church, His Chofen, His io the Anahaptijls Min/ftry His Spoufe : Prove^ that the Myriads oi Martyrs^ Con- fejfors and Saints^ were yours ,• that you are the ge- fjuiTte and trt^e Succejfurs of the Martyrs ,• that all the Gifts and Graces ol'the Holy Spirit muft be deri'ved by Cbri/fs own Appointment thro' your hands. Deduce your pM-h, and Vraclkt, and Difciplhte thro' every ^ge of the Church till this day, and then you will do fowcthing indeed ' then in reafon you may exped: that ali will become your Cojrverts ; but becaufe you have done fo Htde of this kind^ therefore have you made fo inconfiderable a Progress. This^ my Friends, lies upon your hands to do, it's demanded of you^ and you are obliged, at the Ferllofyouv Souls, to give all poflible Satisfadion as to this Point. Prove your fches to l^e the Church, and you will gain a vafl Point, you may expcd all the refi will fall in, that all the World will run after you, that the fuhcfs of the Ceritiks, and the converftm of the Jnvs, God's ar^cicvt People, fhali in God's due rime, become an addition to you : For if you can clear this Fundamental Point, none will doubt your Performance as to all the reft. It's in vara to proceed farther, till your Mijfion is tleard, pfovd,:SLnA cfiablijlyd : For,till you have removed all tiiefe Ohjedii07is, ^nfiverd all thefe ^teries, it's meer Ccurtefie, not Obligation, to proceed any farther v/irli you. The Validity of all your ABs^ as to Bap>- tifm, Adrxhtrpration of the Lords Supper, Prayers, Preaching, all vnannQv 0^ Minifierial Ac^s, will depend upon the Authcnticknef of your MiJJion. What matter (as to your a^ir,g, or tranfaBing) whether it be Inuful to hptizje Inlvints, or not, or who are the proper Subjetls of Baptifm^ whether /»- fantSy or AdttltSy if your Baptifm, or Baptlfm admimr Jl'red \>y y^'U-, be ipfofacio invah'd : If you can't affcrt y om- Ai'JJlcn, p-.'c^lu.c your Credevitlah, your Authority, even your Adult-Baptifms will be inefFedual; void, null, and that in confequencs cf year own patfefs'd Pri::c:t)Us and Pr^clicc. Lec ExaminJ and Difprovd, i f Let us confider then in the frfi place, what Bap^ tjfm is in general. It's the Splendor or Light ot the Souly a change of Life for the better, the Anfwer of a good Confcience to God : it's the ahjeBion, or throw- ing off the Flefljj the putting off the 0/i Afj/>', p^rrr, and /'f/'^er L/j^, a fokmn Confecration, and Dedication of our fslves to his ^e^- wc^, a lifting our felves under Chrifi's Bamter^ the fealing of the Faith, becaufe Eapiifm is a publick .r^ji?- frcbation and Tefiification of the K?i/)6, and in baptifm we ?vv«f/6, even from thofe who fucceed the Apofiks. 'Tis they who are intrufied with our K.';V^, with the Word of Gfl ot Pa- fioral SuccejJion , receiv'd the undoubted Innxus. Gift oi Faith, according to the Will, and Juftjuud Good Pleafure of God : And ever to have a Jealous Eye upon thofe who forfock and h^ imaginable or contri'vahle, fhall ever be of fuch an Unizferjal Injiuence, as to render this Church of his (fo dearly purcha fed, and rcdeemedhy him) and his Faithful Members, dtjiitute of Faithful Pajlors regu- larly call d, who fhall feed his F/oc^, and ^ii/d- them FocJin dueSeafon, as is fully and peremptorily infur'd and determined in thofe Words of his, than which Heaven and E^r/^ fhall focner paf away, and lo ! i ^;?? with you always even to the End of the IVorld^ I am always, in- cejfantly, aBually prcfcnt with you ^ my Providence and ProteBion fhall never ce^/e for one fingle ^Moment to r/^- ^«e J* as you fucceed Me, others fhall fucceed Tou in that ordinary EJlabliJljd Way I have appohitcd my Self and my. Flock fhall never want fuch Lawful Paliors by an indefeafibley«ccfj^x;e Authority, !^/j*^f the Gt^te^f of Hell iTiall never be able to unlink or dijj'olve. If this be the Genuine and Literal Senje and Meaning pf Our Saviour s Words, and fure Word or Framijc C 3 con-* %% The Analaptifls Mmflry contalri'd in the Jpojlolical CcPtmi-JJion ; then, as fure as there was theij.^ hath been ever fijue thro' all the fmceeding ^^gcs, and Jljall he to the End of the World, a Church oiChrift, the One Church • {o all dong from its Exifience thro' ail Ages to this very Hour, and to the End of all things there fiiall he, .in uninterrupted Succef- Jion of Legitimate "True Paft'ors ; and jvhce'ver alTert themfelves to be this One Church, from the Grand- Concern and Importance ot the thing itfelf, it's required of them to give PfcofoinA Demoji/lration oF their heing fuch: This is demanded, and ought to be oFthem. and is of indiFpenfible Obligation, the 'validity o^ all Mi- pi ferial MI s pQ{' for m^d by them, nay, and the Sal- vation oF their Souls ordinarily (to be fare) dependlrg on it. Not to be able to do this, is in ci\t6k, not to be the Church. The Church of- Chrifi undoubtedly is able to do thi-s, or all that concerns the Salvation of Man- Kind in the Ordinary Way, muft He st Stake, and Chrifiianity ht the moi\ prcc.-rious, theniou uncertain thing in the whole World : Otherwife, no Certain- tj, no Security for Confcicnce, none for Sahjation. I fay, the Pr^r/foFthis is requifite From the Nature of the thing iifcif: Wherever the Church is, {he is able to fro've her {c\i to be what j/je is. Undoubtedly in her Nature llie is to be knoipn, to be underjlcod, and if fo^ to he proved : This cannot be denied, This follows from her Conjpellations ; llie is called the Houfe of God or Chrif}-, Heb. iii. G. Holy City, Rev. xxi. lo. an High Mountain, becaufc eftablilli'd in the Top of the Mountains, above the Hills, to which nil Na- fions fliall have recourfe^ Ifa. ii. 2. An Hlgh-'way^ Jfa, XXXV. 8. The Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. xili, 24, ^c. Thefe and the like Efithets imply, that {he is to be know?}, and confequently to be prov'd and dernonllrated that (lie is, and what ihe is. She is ■fiot hid, becaufe {he is not under a Bujhel, hut fet up- fv a Candkj}ic'k, a City to give Light to all that are in the Houfi • and it's likev/ife faJd of ^?f, a City that is Examind and Difprovd. 13 fet on a Hill, cannot be hid. Mat. 5-. 14, 15-. Un- doubtedly then this Churchy this Succcfjion of Vnflorsy wherever they are, cdn prove theiufelves to he what they really are ,• and it you be this 0«e Church, and if you be the true Shepherds and Valors ofChriB, this Duty is incumbent upon you, oi frcv'wg and demon- firathg your feives to be (o, by an uninterrupted -Sac- cejjion, and Vojfejfion thro' (?// the Ages fucceeding the Apoftles to this Day, or elfe thole hard Sentences of yours againft all other ProfeJJors of Chrlfiianity , muft /^i? on your own Heads, otherwife you muft expec!-^ to be caft hereafter into outer Darknefs amongft fuch as Chrift will not knew, or own to be his, a- mongft the Hypocrites, Tagans, or Unbelievers. Here can be no Medium, you muft either be the true genuine Shepherds of Chrift, fent, and authoriz,ed in the ordinary and regular way by Him ,• or, you muft be Thie'ues, Robbers, and fVohes in Sheeps-cloath- ing, falfe Prophets, falfe Teachers, Ufurpers, Iwaders of the Sacred Miniflerial Office ; here's no mincing of the matter, if your Party be not the Spoufe of Chrift, then they are an AduUereJI ^ if you be not the Pafiors oiChrifi's Flock, then you muft be Wolves^ and all the pretended Minifierial Adsyou do, inftead of feedings nourishing, and edifying, tend only tO impoy- foning, Jiarvingy ruine, diiJlruBion. This, in effed, is the Reverfe of your own Senti^ ments , and the Sentence you pafs on others dif- fering froni you, and a condemning you out of your own mouths, unlefs you can make good what is demanded of yoit, and what every indiwdual Terfon ought to en- quire and be fatisfied in, before they^^o over to your Party, had they but due Apprehenfions of v/hat they go about, before they become yours. But as to our Argument about the One Church, and one of its cjfential conflituent Parts, the Priejl- hood, to co.nfider a little farther the Sacrednefs of both. The Church is but One, One Body, One, becaufe God C 4 '^ 2 4 ^^^ AHahapt'ifls Minijlry \%hut One y ChriH Ongy the Spirit One, One Hope ^ One Falthj thcierore Baptifm but Ojje alfo. I may add, Oiie Gojpcl, One Eucharisiy One Oblation^ One E'vange- I'lcal ALiUjlry^ and all thefe Ones in the One Church only, and not without this One Church, or out of Her : NonCy nothing of all this any where eWe, or out of the ordinary W4y of Salvathnj as certainly known by us. Tiiei'e are allacknowledg'dtobe^nw^/and alTured Jruthsy that our;ht in no wife to be contefied by any one who is a Chr'rfi'um , a true Member ot the One C-3t'j?IUk Church of Chrift. O.ie Church in refped: of Time, becaufe 'tis the f.mie Church which hath continued to this very hour, irom Adanty and righteous Abely till Noah; from Noahy to Abraham; from Abraham y to Mofes ; from Mr{iSy till Chrifl: ,• from Jefis Chrift, thro' all the Ages Hnce to us now. One as to Thice ,• for, 'tis the fame Church which hath extended it felffrom Eiift to JVefiy even to the remcteft known Corner? oFthe Earth. One, wherever She is, iikewife as to the Fatlhy Sr.craiventSy Mlnifiryy and in all EJJential Refpccl^, One, becaufe One Society or Body, cr In- corporationy conlifting of Ai'mifters and People united lindcr O/ve.IIead Christ J't^fm. One, becaufe Indi'vi- fihlcy all particular Churches being but Branches of this On^i or, all Particulars making, conftituting of this One U^-jix'^r/^/ Body ; becp.ufe, n peculiar People^ a chofen Ele^l, gather'd out of all Nations and Kin- dreds on the Earth, call' d out of the World which ha- icth. Chrift^ Chrift's grand Enem.y, the IVorld for ■whom he prayeth not, John 17. 9, I pray for them, I pray not for the WorU, v. 6, 7. Thole whom the World hateth, becaufe they are not of the World, y. 1 4. A chofen Gsperationy a royal Priefheody an holy Nati- on," a peculiar People, that ye fiiould fnew forth ihc Praifes of him who hath called you out of Dark- nef^ (i'. f. but of the \ycrld) intc His marvelloas Lights Examind and Difprovd, a,^ Light, which in time paft were not a People of God, which had not obtained Mercy, but now have obtain'd Mercy. 'Tis to this One, chofen, ho^ Ijj feparate People, His peculiar Treafure, Exod. 19. 5. that all the gracious Vromifes of God are confind to ■noiv, as formerly they were to the Je-ws in contradi^ fiivclion to all the World befides j fee Deut. 7. & ch. 10. Exod. 5". A People chojen, called^ feparatedj and ordained to ferve God, to fraife Him, hleJS Him, and fray unto Him all the days of their Lives, and to glorifie Him by a fincere Ohfer-uavce of his Laivs^ and an entire Obedience unto His Precepts, by a holy Zeal for his Honour J and a firm Truft and Confidence in His GoodneJ^j and Mercy ^ and Providence ,* by thus doing, God had oblig'd himfelf to -^fe/> Covenant with them, and to be ever graciom unto them. Again, the Church is One^ becaufe, the way to Heaven, and that is Oney the narrow Wajj the y?r^/V Giritml BlindnejS, and Obduration, that it's poffible for a Party of Men to lie under, and the faddeft abodijtg of future Punifhments, and Mafter-piece ofSatanicalDeluJion, and certain y^» of J^iritual Defertion : This is to be without God, to be out of his Protedton and Care, the Influences of his Holy Spirit, tO be delivered up to the Imaginations and PeiuJ!ons of your own Hearts, the Suvgejtions and hnpulfes ot the Enemy of your Sculs, and all that's Good, and Ho/y, and True, who never compaiTeth his wicked and defiruBi^e Ends more ejfeclually, than pnder the Mask and Pretence of Vurity, HolineJ^, Religion. To be out ofthe Church, is to be out of God's TrctdBio'ri, to be deprivdofthc Means ofGracz and Sal' fHuvicns and Schifms of thofe who call themfelves Cv6r/- filans, who every one of them have he7um ontfeveral and dift'mtl ways to themfelves, in oppofition to the one "ivay of Salvation, the one Church of Chrijiy who are fo contradifiinguljhd one from the other, that by their feparate Vr'mcifles they plainly condemn esiChothQYy and never feemingly unite, but upon meer Worldly and Carnal Principles of "Policy and Human TVifdom a- gainft the Tmf/j ? Where there are fo many Divifi- ons, and Subdiviftons, it's impoflible all fimdd be in the right, all ftiould be in the fame one ivay. Is Chrifi divided'^ I Cor. i. 13. And are not thefe Divifwnsy this multiplying of Parties, and pretended Churches, the EffeBs of Carnal- mindednej^, Works of the Fleflj ? For ye are yet Carnal, [pretend what ye will,] for ivhert^ as there is among you, Envying, Strife, and Diviji-^ 0ns, are ye not carnal, and walk as Men [after your own Lulls and Imaginations, and Humors ? ] For vj-hile one faith, I am of Paul, and another, lam of A" polios, are ye Jiot carnal ? J'es, you are carnal. From whence proceed all thsf^ feparate Bodies of thofe who call themfelves Chrifiians, but from the Spirit of the World, I Cor. 11. 12. the Spirit ofDi-vifion, oppofice to the Sprit of God, the Spirit of Unity, the om Spirit, Eph. 4. 4, in which the Union of the Body pt Chrift, that one Body the Church canfifieth, as being aBed by one and th.Q fame Spirit communicated unto Her hy Chrif-, the one Head of this one Body, by v^hich aU the ■Members are made one Body. Hence v/e find. Strife^ Seditions, Herefies reckon'd by the Apoftle, Gal. 5". %o, anicngft the Works of the Fhfi, and oppofed to the ^ ■ ~ ' •' Fruits 2,8 The Anahaptijls Miniflry Fruits of the Spirit^ Love [Charity] Peace [ or U- nity] -vr. 22. Where then this Vtiio7i is wanting, there cannot be the Sprit of Chrifi^ but the Spirit of Ahtichrifi, the Spirit of Error ^ the Sfirit of Difcord, 'Envy, Malice J Divijion, Fridej Aryihition, Self-io've, Self-intertjl-, Hatred , Revenge, &;c. The Spirit of Slumber, carnal Security, and Inftnfjbility , the v^/»/>i/ ot Vainglory, Bor.fling, Self- conceit edne(^, Scornfulncj^, and Contcr/fpt of Others, the Spirit of Obdumtion, Objlinac;/, yealoafie, and ^// this, even upon the brink, and in the midsl of the moft horrid and imminent Dangers. For, fince there's bur one One Church of Chrift, One Communion, all other ways, all Sed:s, Parties, Divi- fions, and Communions, muft be falfe, the wrong way, let them be never fo numerous, and various, they muft all, excepting this one, be the broad way, the way of Darknefs, Delujion and Perdition : There can be but one Body of Men, who can pcllibly, by all that hath been re'veal'd unto us, have any Right, any Claim in Chrift: arid his Merits for Salvation ; and no Salvation out of the Church, out of Chiifti 'Tis by the Churches Tangs, Labour, or bringing forth that we are bom ; " We are nourished by Her ^^ Breafis, we are animated, quickned, enlivened " by Her Spirit. The Spoufe of Chrift cannot be ** adulterated. She knows buc one Houfe, She pre- " ferves the San5Hty [or Purity] of one Bed, with an " undefiled Chafticy, and Conftancy. It's She that *•' heps u> for God,- 'tis She that [marks them out] " andconHgnsto a Kingdom whom She harh gene- " rated. Whoever fbrfakes the Church, and joins '^ himfelf to an Adulterefs, [a Sed, a Party] is fe- '^ parated and excluded from the Fromlfes made tq *^ the Church, neither fhall he ever arrive at the Re- *^ wards of Chrift [Eternal Glory] who relinquHhes " x.\\Q Church. He is an Alien, Profane [an Infidel, '* an Heathen] and an Enemy. He cannot have f God for his Father [be a Child of God, a Mem- • " ber Esamlnd and Difprovd, 2^ " ber of Chrift, and an Heir of Salvation] who '*^ hath not the Church for his Mother [i. e. who is not baftizJd, inroUd^ and marked for a ChrilHan, and lified to fight under the Banner of Chrift , the l/'ittorlous and Triuwpha?it Captain of our Sal-vation, in the One Church of Chrift.] ,^ Cypyhn.ii ' ' If any one coujd efcape [the Deluge] «''^^-^^^^- "'' *'* wiio was out of Noah's Ark, then he " who is cut of the Chruch, may efcape the ever- '^^ lafting Burnings. Our Lord forewarns us, and " faithj He that is not with me, isagainftme; and ^' he that gathsreth not with me, fcattereth abroad, " Mat. 12. 30. Who breaks the Peace of €hrift and '^ Concord, ads againft Chrift, wiio gathers any " where except in the Church, fcattereth the " Church of Chrift [or divides it : ] Who is fo '' wicked and treacherous, who is lo tranfported " with the Rage of Difcord and DilTention, to be- " lieve it poffible, or to dare to divide the Unity of " God ,• The Lord's Garment ; The Church of " Chrift ? Re cautioneth, and teacheth in his Gof- "^ pel, faying. And there IKall be one Flock, and ** one Shepherd : And can any one think or ima- *' gine there can be many Pajrors^ and njcre Flocks in *^ one and the fame place ? Thefe are they who fee *' themfelvcs for Paftors among a parcel of Hair- " brain'd, giddy Straglers got together, without " any divine iVppointment, and regular Call there- " unto, without the Law ol Ordination, calling " themfeives Minifters, no one impowring them, '' or authorizing them : Againft fuch, the Lord ." cries out in the Prophet Jer. 23. 16. Thus faith " the Lord of Hofts, Hearken not to the Words of '' Prophets that prophecy unto you, they make '^ you vain, they fpeak a Vifion of- their own heaj^t, **^ and not out of the mouth of the Lord. Obfcrve, I pray you, hence the difmal Haz^r.rd all thofe deluded Peopk run, who forf^h the Unity of the 30 The Anahaptijls Minijiry the Church (let them be of what Tarty or Demmim^ tion fo ever) from the foregoing Principles, which are either ownd by you in Mre^ po/ttivc Terms , or by necefjary Cunfequence and Implication : For, if they be not in Communion with the One Church of ChriB, they can bear no Relation unto, or have any Intereft in Him ^ becaufe, all Grace, all the Means of Salvation^ are to be had only in the One Church • nay, there can be no Chrifiians, that is. Members of Chrift out of this One Church ; confequently, no Right to Salvation, becaufe God made that Co'venant by which all that are [aved muft be faved, with this One Church, exclu- five o^ all Mankind that are mithout, or out ok it, there being no Revelation to the contrary j And to leave the ordinary for the extraordinary Means, bcfides the Uncertainty and Hazard , as halving a Certainty, for a meer Uncertainty, befides, the Contempt of God's own Ordina^ice and Appointfmnt, the Rebellion, and Dijlionor, and downright Ajfront unto fo Sacred, fo Gr^ecial People unto himfelf above all People, &c. Not upon the account of their inherent Holi- nefs, for this cannot be fuppos'd of every individual by any means, but of the whole Body of the Peo- ple, including even the moH Jlubbom and ftiff-neckd ; nay, the vileJf and moft profligate among them, be- caufe the Seed of Abraham, becauie in Covenant with God, and feparated from the reft of Mankind, Again^ we read of a Prie/l-hood under this Difpen- fation. But ye jhall be named the Priefis of the Lord , Men jh all call you the Aiinifiers of our God, Ifa. 61.6. And then again it is faid. Neither JhaH the Priefis, the Levites, 7i^ant a Man before Men to offer Burnt Of- ferings, and to kindle Meat Offerings, and to do Sa~ orifice continually, Jer. 33* 18. See alfo, Ifa. 66. 20, 21. G 2 From %6 The Anahaptijls M'mjlry From all thefe PalTages we may obferve that the yewijh and Chrifiian, are but two different States of the fame Church • that thQ Chrifiian is only the Jewijh exten- ded or e?ilarged- that as the Jews were God's Peculiar People undcT the Mofaical Oecommy^ fo ChriftiaTts are the Peculiar, ChofenAud Eleit now : That as ih^Church was but one then, fo there is but one Church now • as but one Altar y one Priefihood then, fo now ^ as there are 6'^- crifices and Oblations then, and to be offer d up unto God by the Priefis only, fet apart, Jeparated, and confecrated moft folcmnly to that Office then, fo it is Tiow ^ And that the Jewifli Church, with all its effen- tial Privileges, was only a Shadow or Tjpe of what ovas to come under the Gojpel-Dijpenfation, and was thereby to be iipproved, perfected, and to receive its utmoft Completion, as the more Noble, more Excellent , becaufe more Spiritual Difpenfation : So that whatever was Holj, Sacred, Appropriated, limited under the legal Covenant, is much more fa- cred and inviolable now. The Inference that I fiiall make at prefent from the Premiffes , is this ; If the Priefihood was fo facred then, that it Was Death for any one to invade it. Numb. 18.7. 1 have given jour Priefis Office unto you as a Service of Gift, and the M>tXi\\\QtX that comet b tjighjhall be Jtllt tO IDcatfj. And again, neither mu[i the Children of Ifrael henceforth come nigh the Tabernacle cf the Congregation, leaH they bear Sin, and tiic, v. 22. Nay, that it was Death even tor fome of the Tribe o^ Levi it felf to come nigh the Veffels of the San- duary and the Altar, ver. ;. How much more lia- ble are thefe who new dare to intermeddle with things appertaining to the Sacerdotal Office, under a nobler, a more facred and excellent Difpenfition, being UK- fcnt, uiicaU'tJ, unci^mmJlTionafcli ? Ir it was Capital then, unqueltionably it's tiamnaiJlf now ^ if liable to TemDoral Death then , to Eternal now. The more facred the Office, the lUO^C fflCnlcjJlOU^, %\X\^m\X^ and p20p5i'*JJC its Violation and Invafion. What Examtnd and Difprovd, 37 What an tmftous and horrlci Ati then it is for any of the ?eofle of their own Heads and private Impulfe^ to take upon them to be Triefis and M'miflers of Chrifi, and to fet themfelves over the Lords People, his Holj and EleSf, as if thej were holier than they, and to ajjume Authority over them ? May not that be moft juftiy faid to them^ which Corah and his Com- plices moft unjuftly and irreverently faid unto Mofes and Aaron, Te take too much upon you, feeif}g all the Congregation are Holy every one of them^ and the Lord is among them, wherefore then lift you up your pelves above the Congregation of the Lord'^ Numb. xvi. 5. Let fuch read, obferve and confider well of the dreadful Tunijh* ment of the Rebellion and Ufurpation of the Prieft- hood, from 1/. 51. to ■l'. 36. and fear a more dreadful PanilTiment will overtake rhem at leaft in another World : If the Punifhment were fo great under the Law, what may they not dread to exped: under the Gojpelj according to that of St. Clement a Difciple of the Apoftles upon the fame Occafion ,• ' Take heed ' ray Brethren, leaft by how much our Acquain- ^ tance with the Sacred Myfteries is advanc'dj to fo * much the greater Dangers we are fubje(5t. Let them iikewife confider and lay to heart the Fate o^Uz>z.ah, for only putting out iiis hand to ftay the Ark, as he thought a falling, provok'd the An- ger of the Lord to fraite him to death upon the Spot, 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7. And of King Uzz,iah, of whom it is faid, but when he was firong, his heart was lifted up to his DejlruBion, for he tranfgrejfed againji the Lord his God, and went into the Temple of the Lord, to hum Incenfe upon the Altar of Incenfe : And Az.enfation is more ex" cellent than all the former Dijpenjations, the M'miftry more Nobk ; if it be Seal'd with an Oath to continue for ez>er, then it follows it's more [acred, inviolable, and immutable than the other; efpecially fince as hath been faid already, ChriB himielf hath promifcd to be prefejjt with it, to preferve it, uphold and ratifie it, in a conftant Succefflonj to /ecwrf it from all Inva- fion or Ufurpation tminterniptedly^ even to the End of the World. Thus you fee, here's no Ejfential Alterations as to the One Church under the laft or Go^eUDiJ^enfation, tho' a vaft Improvement for the better, by a Real Completion of what was hut jliadowed out under the former : The one Altar, and one Vrlefthood ,• conti- nued after that Grand Privilege of being God's Vecu^ liar People for the SeguUah'\ was Tranflated from the Jeivs, for their Unbelief to the Gentiles. So that it's the greateft Contradidion in the World, nay impot- fible to believe that evrj of the diJlinB and innumera^ hie Seels {hould be the SeguUah, the Chofen and Ele^ Nation, the Royal Priejlhood, tliQ People of God : Con- /ider but SeB in the common Notion of the Word or Party, as fuch who fet up Altar againft Altar, or dividing themfelves from theO»g Church, the Segullah, and can they all be Segullah's, and can any thing be a louder Contradidion, and yet all thefe Sects are di* vided, feparated from , and oppofe themfelves unto, and (Qt themfelves up for the Segullah, yet belong not in the ieaft to the Segullah, no more than the Samaritans did, and yet the Samaritans had as bol4 Pretences againft the Jews, and to as little purpofe^ as the Se^s can frame unto themfelves in oppo/ition to the Church, and were condemn d for Schifmaticks, by his Sentence who could not err, even by ChriB himfeif. Confidence and Godly Talk will not do the Bufinefs here, nor pious Pretences, nov feeming Aujle^ fUieSj and de^iure Countenances, nor feign d Sighs and D 4 Groans^ 40 The Analapjjls Minijlry Groans^ nor afeBed Modefiy or Temperancej or Retired- veJJ from the voife and hujfk of the fVcrld, or a dljjem- hled Contcjiipt of the VUdftires and Vanities of it^ nor fleecing and a-voiding its trivial Converfations, nor j^e- ^//f«f and/o«J Prajers, for it \v'\\\ follow nscejjarily , that if Salvation itfelf cannot be had o«f of the Communion of the Churchy neither can the Gi/lj nor Graces of God's Ho/;' Spirit J l\\Q ejjhitial Ingredients of 2l\\ Chrl- ftian Virtues ; where God's Holjf Spirit is not, there can be no true Virtue being an enecSt of Grace j of the Holy Spirit, and if there be no Salvation^ there can be no Grace, no means of Salvation, i. e. cut of the Church of God : Let fuch make what Vretences to Grace and Holinefs and Chri^ian Virtues they pleafe, the Fharifccs did as much, and yet Our Saviour calls them Hypocrites, and whited Sepulchres, fair and beau- tiful to outward appearance, but r<9/?m at the Core ; Wicked in their Hearts, DiJJemhlers with Gt/J and A/e/z. And all this unavoidably, it can't be otherwife^ be- cnufe by their feparation from the One Church, they .render themfelves defiitute of the Means of Grace ; . being out or God's Covenant, have neither Mini- fiers nor Sacraments, the Channels thro' which God according to his own Infiitution conveys his Grace, the Blejfed EffeBs of his Koly Spirit. Ev'ry Virtue hath its Counterfeit, there are falfe as well as true Virtues • there is nothing that is Good or Holy but hath its Re~ femhlance, otherwife it were impoflible for the World to be led into Error as it is. There's the Church of Chrifi, and the Synagogue of Satan, Real and Counter- feit Religion, True Devotion and Bigotry, a True and a Falfe Charity, and fo of all other Graces, &c. The Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the World, and undet thefe Dijguifes Satan transforms himfelf into, and paf- leth for an Jngel of Light amongft Men of corrupt Minds and Principles ; nay, fo craftily doth he ma- nage himfsl fin this Point, that if it were poflible, ' ■ ha Examined and Difprovd. 41 he could enfnare and deceive the very Eledi, that iSj the truly Sandified and Regenerate Chriftians. Now thofe, who are the Original and Principal StihjeBs of thefe his mofi: deceitful and pernicious Tranf- fto-urationsj Upon whom he moft immediately Acls, are thofe FalfeChrijfs our Saviour cautions usagainft, Matth. xxiv. 5'. and 24. and Falfe Prophets, v. 11. coming in Sheep Cloathing, but ir.ivardly are Ravening Wolves, Matth. vii. 15-. and foretold likewife by the Afofiles. For I kno'iv this, that after my departing, JhaU gricllOlU^ ^BalbC^ enter in among fi you, net £;aringtbe Flock, AB, XX. v. ,30, fee 'u. 31. io, 2. Tim. lii. i, d^c. This know alfo, that in the lafi days ferillous Times Jhall come ; for Men pj a II he Lovers of their own felves. Cove- tons, Boafiers, Freud, &c. having a Form of GodlineJSy V. J. Of this fort are they which creep into Houfes, V. 6. Falfc Prophets, Falfe Teachers, 2 Pet. ii. i. Sucb as thro Covetcttfnef ^all with feign d Words make Mer- chandize, t^- ; . [ of their Profelytes ] uiider Pre- tences of Godlinefs, purfue only their Secular and Worldly Intereft : of mean and beggarly Circum- fiances to raife themfelves to be Men of Wealth and Fortunes, and to Jf>orting themfelves {[hugging and making themfelves merry ] with their own Deceivings [ feeing how fuccefsfuUy their Plot and Juggling takes with the Ignorant and Deluded People ] while they feafi with [ them, like Cheats and Mountebanks wheedle and cajole the People to feaft and make much of them, and to fill their Purfes ] Thefe are Spots [ Scandals and Reproaches and Abominations] in your Feaft s of Charity, when they feafi with you, feeding without fear [gluttonizing and pampering themfelves without either Reverence to the Pious Ends of thofe Feafts, or regard to Temperance or Decency, without regard unto God, Religion, or Good manners,] v. 13. whilft creeping in privately that the World may not take notice of them, they indulge themfelves in all fanner of Licentioufnefs^ Impudently and Arro- '■■ ' gantly. 4^ The Analaptifls Mittijlry gantly, cenfuring and condemning all tliat are not of their own Party, Jude 12. Railing againft and Reviling, 3.ndjptakmg E'vil of Dignities, dejpifing Go- *vernment \j. e. of thofe whom Chrift hach confti- tuced Governours, Paftors, and Minifters of his Church, 2 P^r. ii. n. Dejpife Dominionj and J^eak K'vll of Dig:jiiies , yud.MvX. Ignorant ^ Illiterate, Umdu^ cated, yer caking too much upon them, fetting up for OracI.cs and Infallible Dictators, peaking great fwel^ ling IVords [pretending to the Spiritj extraordinary Girts,] 2 ?et. ii. 18. fpeakmg Evil of [ in an infolent, haughty ^ coatempuom manner ; traducing , fcorning, irawpling upon] tb'ngs that they underfiand not ^ ij. 12. or as St. Jude exprclTech it, ^cak E-vil of thofe things they know not, 1;. i o. [things above their Capacity, out of their reach, that they have no Notion of : Making thofe things the Subjed of their Debates, Differences^ and Difcriminations koni all other Vrofef- fions of Chriftianity, that they are utterly ignorant of, and unacquainted with many times as much as Tagansy with whom our Lord reckons them, and compares them unto, as mt being Chrifiians^ or be- longing to him in any the leaft Degree. J^ow thefe Falfe Chrifisj Falfe Prophets, Falfe Teach- ers, muft of neceffity be underftood of thofe, who fet themfelves againft Chri^^ himfelf, and the true Pa^ fiors of the Church, which is but One, whofe Priefi- hood but One^ (0 that aU elfe muft be Falfe and Coun" terfeit. Adulterate, {o all but O^e, let them be never fo numerous.^ their Allegations what they will, even by their o-wn Corftffions, muft be in the wrong ,* have no IntereB in Cbrifi, bear no Relation to him, receiz>2 no graciof4s Influences from, or be under the condu^ of Ik Spirit, their Minifierial ABs void, null, of no faving EfFed, not being ratified by him. In iliort, the Church of Hereticks or Schifmaticks, may be well compar'd to a Defert, or calf d Defolate in Allufion to that of our Savionr to the Jews^ afrer the Xranfa- tion Examind and D if proved. '^^ tlon of the Segullah, from them to the Gentiles ^ which was in an eminent manner efFeded at the DeflruBion of Jerufakm and their Temple, Behold jt^ur Bcufe is left Deflate J or become a Defert, Matth. xxiii.' 58. Not defolate or Jeferted by Men^ for it may a- bound with multitudes of Wicked and Abominable Men, becaufe the number of fuch is always greater th^LU 0^t\iQ Good 2in^ Righteom, but defiitute oi holy Men, defiitute of Tkty^ defiitute of Faith , Trutb^ Grace, and of the Holy Sprit of God. For as that Man who is not of God, is not in Co'venant with him, is faid to be dead, though he be alive : So eve-. rv Church, tho' never fo numerous in its Members, that js not of Chrift's planting ,- tho' it lives, hath an Exifience in the World, it liveth vet unto God, but unto the Derail, if it be defiitute of all thofe good things we have mentioned, it's wholly defert, folita^ rinefi and emptinef, becaufe it is not full of God, but oi- the Devil. This Confequence they can never get rid of, if they will be determin'd by their oivn T'rincipks ( who affert themfdves only to be the True Church, exclud- ing all others whatever, as lome of our SeBaries do : ) Or, if they will allow a Latitude, even there- by they are Sslf-condemn'd again, \^ violating th^ Unity of the Church, \{ Schijm be a Work ot the Fkpt^ a damning Sin : For fetting up diftind: Communion^ without a caufe, and making unnecejjary Divifions and Tarties by this Argument rauft be capital, deadly and damnable with a Vengeance, can admit of no excufe, becaufe without any jufi Caufe, Call, or Provocation. It muft proceed meerly from a Spirit of Oppoftion^ from a Carnal, a Worldly, nay a Diabolical Spirit, and therefore the condemnation of fuch is moft juil and etjuitable, becaufe even chofn by themfelves, affeBed: This muft be the Sin oi" Corah indeed, his Gain/ay ing, ^e^dl'm, by oppofing the Infiitution^ the Dominions, '^4 ^f^^ Amhaptijis Minzflry the Dignities, the Triefihcod Chrifl hiral'elf hath ejla-r hliflj dm h'lsChtirchj for the Salvation o^ Mankind. Here then are ihc. Characters of Seducers , Falfe Teachers, lyh'g slwA jJfi Vrofbets applicable to all the SeBs and D.'vifions in tiie oi^hole Chrifiian World, that is, thofe who are cut ofF and feparated from the One Church as not being Chriftians, bat char<.icieriz.d by Tubliccns the lewdeft^ fihhiefi., and moft profligate and /c.v7/; And fcorn ot all Mankind, and lo moft aaominable by Heathens, that is, Unbelie'vers, Worshipers oi a /^/^ Go/^, nny Worfliipers of De'vils, and by i)c^j, likewife by our Bleiied Saviour, Matth. vii. 6. Matth. v. 26. And by the Apofties, ?/?;/)>. ii. ^. i?^x?. xxii. ly. wherein they are likewife alfociated;, or put in the Lift with Sorcerers^ Wkvre- mongers. Murderers, and Idolaters ; as Schifm is reckon d a Work cf the Flejh with Adultery, Idolatry, Witchcraft the moft heinom, odicm and provoking Sins, Gal. v. which is equivalent to that Expreflion of our Saviour, thoffivithcut, Mark. iv. 2. Mrt?//j. viii. 12. Z//^. xiii. 28. and 25. !-«;?;. viii. 10. or the World, which is oppofed to thofe who , were given to Chrifi out oixhtWorld, Joh. xvii, 6. 8. ii. chofen oiit of the World, Chap. xv. v. 19. The World that hated ChriH and the Apofiles, v. 18. becaufe the IVorld loveth none but who are cf the World, v. 19, The World of which it's faid, the Love of the World, is Enmity with God, Jam. iv. 4. The World of which the Apoftie faith. Love not the World if any Man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him, i Joh. ii. ij. and that becaufe the whole World liech in Wickednefs, i Joh. v. 19. and therefore ivhatfoever is horn of God, overcometh the World, V. 4. After all this, JHp^cfrjg it never fo difficult to point out the True Church, yet it's very ealie to meet with a great many Se5is, to whofe Teachers thcfe CharaBers fuit moft exadily ,• daily expjjrience Oiews it to a tittie^ and the eafier to be difcoverd by how much ;hefe Examind and Difprovd. ^^ tliefe Seftratifis pretend to the highefl: degree of SanBity : As they have trod in Cain's (tefs.^ fo are they ftigmatlzJd with Cains Mark, that they mi^^ht be manifefted and difiinguijh'd from the reft of //Ian- kind, and as they have ail along from the Apofties to this very day, ran greedily after the Error ot Bala- am for Rev^ardj ratling againft, and curfing the Church of Chrift for their Qain and Intereft, to make their Advantages, and to feather their 'Nejis of the Ruins thereof (witnefs all the Hijlories e»f every particular SeB when in Power, when opportunity hath ofFer'd it felf for them to unmask, and Hiew themfelves in. their native Colours : ) So CozfetoufneJ^, and a Worldly ■Spirit J never ceafes to betray them, and to expole them by turning their infides outward, to be viewed by all Mankind, Jud. v. io, 2 Fet. 2. 15. except to their hlind Followers, thofe unfiahle, unfettled, unprinci- pled, znd untutored Souls, 2 Pet. 2. 14. /illy, ignorant, halfwitted Women led away with divers Lufis, \_Lufts of feveral kinds, Slaves to their Lufts, led meerly by their Senfes like brute irrational Creatures, made up of nothing but 'LuH and Carnality, and Senfe~] ever learning [always running from Seti to SeB, from one new Whimfie to another, fteady to nothing but their Inconftancy] and ever ignorant [knowing and improving not one jot the more, as vvife at laft as at the firft, and at the firft as at the laft] never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth, becaufe never defiring it, catching always at the Shadow, and negleding the Subftance, taken only with the Outjlde, Appearance, Formality, being made up of no- thing but Eypocrlfie, affeding Novelty, and fo mcft juftly abandon d to Error, being devoid oi Sincerity and upright honeft Attentions, and by their unmortlfied Lufis, Levity, and Hypocritical Tempers, unprepar'd^ and unfufceptiblCj incapable of the Truth, 2 Tim. 5. To 4(5 The Anal apt ifls Mtnifirj To come to a more particular Defcriplon ofthefc falft Teachers ,• falfs Minifiers are calld by our BlelTed Saviour, IVolves, who outwardly have the Appearance, Refemblance of ChrifiianSj pyofejS Chrifiianity^ but in- wardly, and at the bottom^ are Infidels, Unbelie- vers, no better than Heathens^ notwichftanding the Sheips-cloathing, their pretence or Jhew of ChrilHanitj * No ! they are meer Hypocrites and DlJJemblers^ they believe not even what themfelves profej^, they are Tolitico^Sy Machiavellians, their bufineis is only to delude and iwpofe upon the eafte, the ignorant, and «»- fettled, that have no /o««i Principles, but are carried away with every /^MjJ" of TVind, every y^ir of Novelty like the Chaff : Ravening Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing, under the likenefi of Pa/lors and Shepherds of the H(?c^ of Chrisf, their Difcourfes and ordinary Converfations, adorned and ^ri?/? up with Sentences of Scripture, de~ claimifjg againft f^ce, the VVickednefs, the Pride, the Luxury of the ..^^c, the profligate and loofe Lives of Chriftians, enveighing againft Idolatry, Superflition, ProphanenejS, Formality, Will worjhip, Hypocrifie, the XJnJan6iified, Unregenerate, and dangerous Condition of all that are not of their Se^, their Party, always turning up their Eyes to Heaven, deploring the Impiety of the Times, and then blejjing themfelves, that they walk not as others do, but live retird and reclufe from an ungodly, degenerate, debauch'd, unlanAified^ Ge- neration of Men : In their Air and Gate, humble and demure y in their Garbs, plain and Jimple, even to RidiculoufneJS, yet proud and haughty, and arrogant uponoccafion, fcorning^ and abhorring, and trampling upon thofe who ir »'// t Herfef. ap 37. Dexterity OX theie Fidje o: Alck-teachcrs, in quctirg, wrefiing and pervert ivg the io/y Scriptures ♦ and indeed, their u-hoie Strength and Esamind and Difprovd, ^(j Force feems to lie conceal'd under thefe (as they manage the matter falfe Locksj Truth perverted de- generating into the moft pernicious Errors. Falfe Apofiles [or falfe Teachers] deceitful [crafty, foothJiig, fly 3 workers, transforming themfelves into the Afoflles [or fetting themfelves up for the true Paftors] of Chrift, 2 Cor. 1 1. 15. What's the meaning of tmnf- formtng themfelves into the Affiles ofChrifi} Or as now a days, giving themfelves out to be their Suc- celfors? Why, the Apoftles ot Chrift quoted Paf- fages out of the Divine Law, fo did the iaife Apo- llles ; Authorities out of the Vfalms, fo did they,* the Sentences out of the Prophets, lb did they : The Cru6 Alinifiers of ChriH cite the Eziangelical. and Apofioli- eal Writings, fo do thefe pretended Minifiers of the Gojpel (as they call themfelves nov;^.) But when they came to fix a different Senfe upon the fame Vaf- f^ges, equally and a like produced by each, then the fincere and well-meaning, were difcrlminated from the criifty^ the felfdefgning, from the upright and difintereffedy and laftly, the true Afofiles from the falfe. And thus it will be as clear as the Sun at Noon-day J that when thefe Creepers into Houfes (as the Vharifees did, to cheat and defraud the poor IVidows under the pretence oi making lo?ig Prayers^ Mat, 23, 14.) Thefe Minivers m Maf^uerade, quote Scripture to countenance and 'varnijli over their Errors and Heti' fodoxies, ' do but put in pradlice the Wiles and Ds" ^ vifes of their Mafiey Satan ,♦ which he had never * invented, but that he knew that there can be no ' more fuccefsful and ready Method to decei've, than * to pretend the Authority of the facred and divinely ' infpired Scriptures, to ufher in his deceitful Er- ' rors. That himfelf accofied our Saviour with Texts of Scripture : 'Tts -written, faith he. * And * thus he fpeaks thro' their Mouths at this day. For * as the i^cati of the IPamn'ti, fpeak to the i^catJ ,* of the i^letlCCm'?^, the Ekci, fo his Members ipeak E * now 50 the Anahaptifls Mini ft ry * now to the Members of ChyiH ; the TerfidioOs, thC * Treacherous, to the Faithfulj the Sacrilegious to the * Rclj^iouSy Hereticks to the Orthodox, [Schiftnaticks to the firmly united unto, and incorporated with the One Church, by the One Spirit of Chrilh ' But * doth he lay after all ,• If thou be the Son of God, cafi ' thy [elf down. Mat. 4. 6. That is, if thou wouldit * be a Son of God, obtain the Inheritance of the * Kingdom of Heaven, Caft thy feh" down ,• that ' is, horn the Dodrine and Difcipline of that High * Church, which is calfd the Temple of God. And * if any one ftiould ask any of thefe Sham- * teachers, alluring and decoying Him, Whence ^ proved thou that I ought to forfake and let go the * Univerfai and Ancient: Faich of the Catholick * Church ? Oh I prefently he tells you, 'Tis vmt- * ten, and forthwith he produces a Thoufand Tefti- * monies. Examples, and Authorities, out of the * Law, the Pfalras, the Prophets, Evangelifls and * Apottles; by the wrefting and perverting of * which, after a new and wicked manner, the, * wretched Soul is thrown headlong from the Pina- * cle of the Church, into the noifom Jakes ofHere- ' fie and Schifm. This is a peculiar Property of ^ thefe Falfe- teachers, to wrap themfclves as it ' were, all over witl\ Sentences of p'lncm. Lir. ' Scripture, as it wer^ with Shecps- ea^. xxxvi. ^ fleeces, that whilft any one feels, of ' perceives the Softnefs of the Woo!, * they may not fear or fufped the Sharpnefs of their ^ Teeth. Thus they readily flie thro' Vincertt. Lir. ' all the Volumes ol the Scripture from fap. XXXV. * Genejis to the i^c^W/tfiew/^, whether pri- ^ vately or pubiickly, in their Conver- fations or Wriiifigs, at Feafis or in their Streets^', they ' feldom bring cut any thing even of their own, * but they endeavour to exprefs it in Scripture Pbra- * ies. Rea4 ovsr fdnlm Sawcfitam'i Works, Frij- * cilliaf/i Examh'cl and Difprov'd. ^j ciRlans, Jovinlanm'Si of the Donatifi'Sj NGVatlan's &LQ. there you'd Tee vaft Accumulations of Scri- ptures, fcarce a Page not ftuft out with Paffages, and furnifh'd with Sentences out of the Old and New Teftament. Btit fo much the more are they to be dreaded, and cautioully read, by how nuicfl they lie lurking and conceard under the Umbrage of the Divine Law. They are fufficiently aware that their noifom Scents would fcarce be accepta- ble to any one, were they breath'd out fmipfej, and in their own naiure ,• therefore they befprin- fele them over as it were, with the Ipicery and perfume of the Heavenly Word, that he who ^ would otherwife difcern, and defpiie the * human Errors and Blunders, may not eafi^ ii- H- * ly deride and flight the Divine Oracles, ' C^c, Thus Vincentltis Lirinenfis of the Hereticks and Schifmaticks of old. To which, I fliall add that of Sr. Teter, That thefe Fal/e-teacbers, notwithftanding their Familiarity with the in^ired IVriiings^ and ci- ting Pailages cut of them in abundance, yet like ig- norant and illiterate Perfons as they are, they do ic awkardiy, and ifnpert'mentlj for the mofr part, and yet craft ify, by the ImpuUe of the evil 0;;?, whofg Inftruments they are ,♦ they chiefly infifl upon the tllfficultefi^ and moft ohfatre and difputabk^ wherein they are not fo readily apt to be deteShd or cenvi^ed, by which they fiartle and ar^ufe the Ignorant, and fomeiimes even put the Learned themfelves to a ft and I m which faith the Apoflle [that is in S. P.W's Writings^ ^r^ fome things hard to be underftoodj which tLcy that are unlearn d a?^d unfiahle, wreft [to their ov/n private erroneous or heretical Sentiments] as tley do alfo ether Scriptmes unto their own Defiraclku [Damnation of themfelves, and others that are fe- duced by them.] 2 Pet. 3. 16. 2]^e therefore, Bdcved, feej;^ ye know thefe things hefre^ [ate cauticn'd and foj[^W5»;fia'd] beware, leaft ye being alfo led away E 2 with 5i The Anahaptifts Miniflry *, with the Error of the Wicked [thefe Upftart Falfe- teachers, thefe Wool ves] fall from y cur own Jieadfafi' nefi, ver. 17. But another Artifice they employ, with too much Succels for the n/Lirging t\\Q Kbtgdom of DarhieJI, and the Deftrticilon Oi Souls ^ is, their i*/^ and wonderful. Tromtfts they make to their Followers and Admirers, with which they mightily deceh>e and impofe upon the Ignoraitt, and Unwary ^ and Unfiablc. They have the Confidence to promife unto them, and profejS', that in tlviir Church, their Congregations (as they af- fed: to phrafs it) the^r^^zf, and Jpccial, nay, plainly ferfonal Grace of God, inibmuch, that without any Labour, Study, or Endeavour, tho' they neither Jeek, nor ask, nor knock, that belong to their Congrega- gation, yet fhall things be fo order'd Fine. iJrin. and manag'd by the Divine Vrovidence^ eommonit. cap. that being up by the Hands of An- xxxvii. ggjg^ ^j^j preferv'd by their Protedi- on_, they mall never dafa their foot a- gainft a ftone, never be fcandaliz'd [commit any deadly, damnable Sin, or fall finally from Grace.] This is' a Tromije, by which Multitudes have been Aeceivd, a Principle that runs thro' infinite Numhers of many and dijftrent Sects, that which draws off a great many lewd and debauched People to their Parties, as may be evident to any nice and fagacicm Obfervers, in order to procure an Q^CiQPardon tor all that's paft, and to fift on with greater fecurity., if they can but attain to that Map:er-pece of Sectarian Cunnings to manage their Affairs covertly, and with Secrecy. For there is fcarce any Vice but they may atone for with eafe, provided it be tranladcd without the Knowledge and Obfervance of the Wicked^ (as they ge- nerally account all, without diftindion, that are not or their Clan or Sctl) and it's rare to hear ot any- Difcipliue exercis'd among them, for any Crimes ofcj what nature fo ever, but fuch as are within the pub- lid E>camind and Difprovd. 5"^ I'lch Cognizance of the Wicked^ hereby expofing their Varty to the Cenfure of the World. To thjs purpofe they hive forged the Do(5lrines of the Abfolute and Irrcfpetirje Decrees of Eletiion and Reprobationj the 7?w- foffihUity o{ falling away from pfttffmg Grace^, and the like, by which they fill their Followers up with Trefumpion, j^lntud Pride and Ajfeclicn^ and Ccncei- tednejsj with Difdain, and the utmoft Contcmft^ and Cenforioufnef of others differing from them^ fearing their Confciences, hardning them in their Sirji^ whiift they footh and flatter themfeives into Secuiity^ caU ling, and helk'ving themfeives to be Saints, the Ek^ of Godj and moft audacioully pronouncing the Sen- tence of Eternal Damnation againft all ot contrary Parties and Communions y as Reprohates, CafiaivaySy and Firebrands of Hell. This is their common Cant, and the ufual Subjects, or their Converfations, "Preachments , and Writings y efpecially when upper mofi^ or in times of Liberty , and when their Vlottings are near ripey and when they are upon the brink of Ex- fetation. This is too obvious amongft many Se8ls * this is the Language y or rather Howlings of the Ra've- nous Wolvesy that the roaring Lion (tho' transform'd indeed j otherwife, none could be deluded by him) infpire him withal. Having in fome meafure dfmantled, difroVd, or uncas'd thefe Wolves of their Sheeps-cloatbing, which by the way difcovers, and deteds their damnable Hypocrijie and D/ffimulation, turns their In/ide Outward, and expofes them to the naked View of the World (Hypocrife being as efTential to a Falfe-teachery Sedu- cer, as Light to the 'Sun, or as Ravenoufnef to a Wolf.) I fhall only in a [qw words explain why they are eali'd Ra'venom Wolves, Ra'veningy becaufe all A(5ts performed by them, tend to the Ruine and DefiruBion of their Difciples and Adherents, and not their Salvation. If their very Sichfm or Separation, their fetting up Church againft E 5 Churchy 54 T^^^ Attahaptljls Miniflry Church, Altar againft AUaVy Mbufiry againfi: Minijfty, ' be a Ifvrk of the FitJI), as the ApoOle ttijs us, it's itupoffible fiom the Ntiture of the 77^iw^, to (uppofe their Mill': Jlratiom CKU produce any fcving jJnritHol'E.t- feih. If all tlieir Minifierial Ads are nothing but afing^ imltatim^ count erf citino;^^ aot 'they jhpuld believe a Lie [rtiould be left eolirely to themi'elves, and the Inipulfes of the evil Spirit, to be a Prey to Seducers, Deceivers, Wohes in Sheeps-cloathing, 2 Theff. 2. 11, 12. or thofe who feparate themfelves [for purer Ordinances, the old Pretence, from the Unity of the Church, the Flock o{ ChriH] fenfual, [led by their Lufts, the Love of the World] 7iot having the Spirit [of God, of Chriit, for all their high-tiown boaftings of their £- JeElion, SanBity, Regeneration, &c.] 2 Pet, 2. 19, And where the Spirit of God is not, there all Mini^ fisri.zl ABs nuift be deftitute of the Concwrrence and Co-operation of the Holy Spirit, and confequently, /e«- fiijl, carnal, diabolical, and cannot avail to any gra-' E 4 ciom §6 The Anahaftijls Mittijlry cioui or faving ejfeSi^ but only Perdition^ Eternal De- firuBion, becauli done in a State oi feparation from llie Orje Church, and fo from God, from Cbrifi, from the Holy Spirit, and in oppofition to the Divinq Infiitut'ionf Order and Afpointweiit. Again as to their Prayers, God being a Spirit of Unitj, Peace and Love, cannot be fuppofed to hear the Prayers of Schifmaticks and Separatifis from hisO»e Church, the Prayers of Perfons devoid of all Charity , and at Enmity with his Elecl, his Chofen, his Peculiar People, his Treajure, as the Word SeguUab fignifies,, which we render Peculiar People, a People in Cove- nant with him, to v.'hom he hath promifed Proteclion and Prefer-vation againft all the Powers of DarlneJS, all the Violence oi the World, to wliom alone he hath engaged his Particular Favours, Choicefl Bleflings, and Salvation itfelf. Without or out of the One Church,^ there's no Mediator, no Intcrccjjor CO plead to intercede for them, no Hlgh-Priefi to prefent their Prayers, and therefore, it's not to be conceiv'd that the Prayers of fuch Rebels, fuch Antichrifis, fuch Cafi- (iiivays fliall be admitted or heard, or anfwer'd efpe- cially in the behalf or others, having no Commif- fion, no Authority from God ior that End, and therefore fruit lef 2.n6 inefficacious, as Jinful and pre- fimptuom. For feparation tr* m the Or.e Church, elpe-» cially, and moft of all when its done in Malice^ Spightfulnef^ and Revenge, m Hatred and Rancorous, Pride ancl Haughtinef, and out of a Spirit of Opprfticn to the Church, Tor Secular or Worldly Ends, for the gratify- ing and indulging the Lufis of the Hr/Z?, as is demon^ Jlrable from ail the CharaU^crs of iudh Seducers we find in the Ap^fioUcal Writings^ muft necelfirily exclude all fuch Antichrifis and Falje-Tcachcrs from being gracioU- fly hsard by God, becaufe his prffsd Enemies, and fuch who are in v^^/«ing them, and poJJ'eJJing o[ them as foon as ever they are initiated in their profane Myfteries^ as hath been obferv'd of old in fome ot tonz^i Hijf. their Progenitors^ The Gofpel, faith one, Donatifis. p. ' made the Lion as wild as a Lamb^ but ^^^' ^ among the notorious Schifmaticks--" ' not only Men, but Women, of Sheep, * heCArUQ Wolves ; of Faithful , Perfidious^ of Patient, * Furious,* of Peaceable, Contentious^ and of * Modeft, Impudent, &c.^ are thus given up to a reprobate Mind at prefent, and without Repentance^ confign'd to Eternal Miftry ; and that is, becaufe in efFe6t [if not pofitively, and exprefly] they have re- nouncd their Baptifmal Covenant, and deferted the One Churchy the Ground 2iV\A Pillar of Truth, and the Gate ot Heaven and Salvation. Of fuchy and their FoUovjers, thus fpeaketh St.' Peter, 2 Pet. 2. 18, 19, 20. For "when they Jpeak great fwcUitjg words of Vanity y they allure thro* much Wanton- nejl ; Thofe that were clean, efcaped from them who live in Error, who fromife them Liberty, they thetnfelves are the Servants of Corruption^ &C. For, if after they have ffcaped the Pollutions of the World, thro' ths knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefrss Chrilt, they are again e«- tangled therein and overcome \_i. e, by forfaking the Church, and returning to the World.] The latter end ts worfe with them than the beginning. Fur it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteouf ftef, than after having known it, to turn from the holy Cowmandment deliver d unto them ^ but it happened unto them according to the true Proverb, The Dog u turned to his Vomit again, and the Sow that was w.ijhed, to her w.ilkwivg in the Mire : Gompar'd with Hik, 6. 4, j", 6, Examined and Vifprovd 6^ 6. From this PalTage of St. Ferer it's plain (i.) That both thdcfalfe Teachers, and fome of their Ad- herents at leaft, had been haptiz,'^, and were fi^ual Members of the Church, it being faid ot both^ 'ver, i8, and 20. That they had e feared the Pollutions ofthc World by Baptifr,;, as is imply'd, f. 22. (2.) That their Seperation, and dividing themfelves from the Um-^ ty of the Church ofChriif, is a returning to the TVorld^ and to their Lufis ; to forfake the Church, is to be without, that is, to be in the Worlds and o/the World ^ as hath been already {hewn ,• it's in a great meafure to Apofiatiz.e from Chrift, to r<^^e p^rf with his Ene^ mies t And of fuch JVolves and f^l/e Teachers it's faid^ I Tim. 4. I. A^02i^ f;6f ^^/Wr fpeaketh exprejly^ That in the latter times fome ^jall depart from the Faith ; and we read again of a falii^-jg away, 2 TheJJ'. 2. 5. Notvvith- jftanding this falling away from the Faith, dndjepara^ ting irom the Church, thefe wolves appear d in ShecpS' cloathlng, profefs'd themfelves to be Chrijlians, and under this Mask, tliis hypocritical Gulfe, deluded the JJnwary and Unftahlc. (3.) From hence appears not only the finfulnefs, but the extream Davger that will inevitably loUow fiich Separations ,♦ For it had hem better, &;c. ver. 21. Their Condition (for all their" Cofjfidence and Boating, and the vaft Conceit they entertain'd of themleives) had been better, if they had never believed w, and made proffion of the Truth o^Chrifi, and taken the Baptifmal Engagement upon them : It had been better for them to have conti- nued Pagans or Jews fUlI, for as S. Feter faith of them. Hereby they bring upon themfelvesfwift DeftruBi^ en, ver. i. of the fame Chapter. Whofe Judgment Ungreth not, and their Damnation Jlumbereth not, ver. 3* That they jhall be referved unto the Day of Judgment to be punijh'dy ver. 9. Shall utterly perijlj in their own Corruption, ver. 12. Shall receive the Reward of XJnrightcoufnefs , ver. i. — For whom the Mift oj Dark-- nej^ iS referved for ever y ver. 17. Of thefe Trees whofi F Fruit 66 The Aaahaptifls Minijlry Fruit jvitherethj "without Fruit, twice deady fluck'd up hy the Roots ,• S. Jude faith. That, to them is refevvd the blackneJS of darknefl for ever, ver. 13. Who ivere before of old ordain d to this Condemnationy ver. 4. And that they fiiall ^eri^ inthe Gain-faying of Corah, [being guilty of the fame Sin, by fetting. themfelves up a- gainft the true Minifters of Chrift:] ver. 11. The Apoftle admonifhes the Thilippians, to beware of thefe falfe Teachers, thefe Setiaries whom he calls Vogs^ an Expreffion in ufe amongft t\iQje'ws for the Gcntiks, or thofe who were without, or out of the SeguUah, or the Covenant, the Church, and chofen ot God, Vhil. 5. 2. Whofe end is Defiru5iion, and mind only earthly things, [their prefefft Interefis, Pleafures, and outward Eafe, being of the World, and influenced only by a. Worldly, Carnal S^hit j"] ver. 19. Forfak- ing [the Unity of the Church, the Communion of Slints] having loved this prefmt World [above Chrift, Heaven vind Happinefs, and the true WeUare of their Souls,] 2. Tim. 4. 10. Therefore y«c/& fhall »o^ inherit the Kingdooj cfGod^ Gal. 5". v. 21. Thus, in Hiort, you have the Cbaraacrs of thofe who made Seperations from the Church in theApo- ftles times, and the terrible Sentence ■pafid upon them by the Spirit of God ,♦ But to prevent Mifconfiructi- ons and Aiifiakes, I muft put in this Caution ,• I would not be conftrudted to alkdge, that all in thefe times fcp.rrate from the One Church of Chrift, are A- poftatcs, of the fame level with thofe mention'd by the Apoftles, or equally guilty of Jpofiacy : No, I would not be fo underftood, becauie there are />€- ^62! in ErrorSjfome gr2at€r,2Ln6. fome /£j(7^>*,according to the Circumfiances of the Perfons, and the Degrees of their Ignorance; But however, all thut Jeparate from the Unity of the Church (efpecially as to the Authors and Leaders of the Separation^ are certainly A^ofiates, from Chriftian Charity to be fure, which is the Life and 5 'ver. 11. What is pro- ' phane ? Which have nothing of 5<7f re Jw^/ or A^/i- ^ gion in them, altogether foreign, and unknown ^ CO the Churchj which is the Temple of God. Of ^ Wordsy that is. Novelties of Dodrines, Things ^ and Opinions which are contrary to Antiquity. ^ Which if they be entertain'd, it's cecelTary, that ^ the Faith of the blelTed Fathers muft wholly, or *^ in a great meafure be violated or Commonit. cap. ^ corrupted. Vine. Lirincnjjs. 3cxxiii; Again, the fame Catl)olick, Orthodox and 'Venerable Writer, lays down this for a CharaBerlfiic and difcrhninating Troperty of Here- t'lcks and Schlfmaticks to delight in, and to fet up Novelties. * Avoid (faith the Apoftle) Novelties ^ of Words and Phrafes, to entertain or follov/ ■ which was ever the Pradice ofHereticks, but ne- ^ ver of Catholicks. And in good truth, what e- ^ ver Herefie huijj^rtmg up under fome certain Name, ^ Tlace or Titne. Whoever fet up Herefies, but who firfi d^pr.rted from the Confmt o[ Uniz'erfalitj and ' Antiquity ? And fo he proceeds to enumerate a great many of the moft notorious Herefiarchs. — : ' By all which (faith he) it's clearly manifeft- ^ ed to all, that it's the Property and Cuftom of all ^ Herefiesjto delight in Novelties, to naufeate Anti- ^ quity, and by Oppofitions of Science falfely fo ^ qall'd, to make Shipwrack of the Faith. On the ^ other hand, it's the Property of the Catholicks, to keep the Depofta, to hold fafi to the DoBrines of the Fa^ I thsrsj and to condemn prophage Nuvdtics ^ And as thd "[ Apoftle Escamin'd and Difprov^d, ^j * Apoftle hath faid again and again, If any one * preach unto you any other Gofpel than that ye * received, let him be accurfed , Gal. i. 8. Now what is given here in charge to Timothy^ in reference to the Sacred Depojitum, i Tim. 6. 20. Of keeping the Faith inviolable^ uncorruptj untainted^ by the Holy Apoftle, is meant alfo of, and given in charge unto all thQPaprs of the Church throughout all the A- ges of it ,• And the things (faith hej that thou hafi heard of me among, or betore, many WitneJJes^ the fame commit thou to [other] faithful Men [2 Tim. 2. 2.] who fhzU be able to teach others alfo ,• that is, the Form of found Words [2 Tim. i. 15.] That good Thing -which -was by me committed to thee, ver. ig. Wholfom -words y the words of the Lord Jefus Chrift, "The DcSlrine which is according to Godlinepy 1 Tim. 6. 3. call'd, the Com- Tnandment, ver. 14. Sound Do^rine, 1 Tim. i. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 3 . The Truth, ver. 4. My fiery of GodlinefS, I Tim. 5. 16. My fiery of Faith, 1 Tim. 5. 9. This Charge^ repeated fundry times in both thefe Epiftles^ I Tim. 4. 13. i Tim. 6: 14. 2 Tim, 3. 14. and I Tim. i. ;. — Charge fome that they teach no other DoBrine (than what they received from us,) or any other contrary to , or upon different Principles from my Dodrine.] Oxf. Annot* in loc & Annot. in Gal. cap. I. t'. 8. I Tim. i. ;. That the Truth, the Faith, the Gofpel may be continued in an uninter- rupted Succeffion of fuch Pafiors, Minifiers to the Worlds end, againft all prophane Innovations, and di- verfity of Opinion, however boafted of, as Know- ledge, Science, &c. See the Oxf. Annot. on 2 Tim, 2. 2. I Tim. I. 14. To this purpofe, and for this end, the Taftors of jhe Church are call'd Stewards of the Myfteries of God [Difpenfers] fuch as are efpecially entrufied, commijfionated and authorized fo to do, from whofe JLips the People are to require the Communication of this Sacrsd Knowledge, and by whom they arc to 74 ^^^ Analaptifts Mhifiry to be built up in the Holy Faith of Chrift Jefus, be- ing an Order of Men, peculiarly /^^ <«/»<»r/ to t\\\s great workj to feed them with this living Bread, and Hea- *venly Manna, the Holy Word of God. Hence the Apoftle exhorts Timothy , and in him all thcPaJ^ors of the Church, to give Attendance to Reading, to Exhor* tation, to Dodirine, and to take heed to his Do6irin€, i. e. to Preach found DoHrine, and the Truth only, unmixt, Jincere, uncorrupt, unrebukeable, as it is in Chrifi Jefusj as it came and was received from hijti^ and thofe to whom it was revealed by the Spirit, 1 Tim, 4. 15, 14, 15-^ 16. To fight the good fight of Faith; I Tim. 6. 12. That is, to contend earneftly for the Truth, and to maintain it againft all Gain- fayers and Oppofers that re/ijl the Truth, and adulterate it. To keep this Commandment unrebukeable until the af- fearing of our Lordjefus Chrifi, ver. 14. To do the work of an Evangeli(l or Treacher, or Vromulger of the Truth, or Do6irines of the Gojpel that he had learnt from the Apoftle , 2 Tiw. 4. 5. comp. i 7/w. 4. 6. 2. Tim. I. 15. 3. 14. From what hath been faid then it appears by di- rect Confequence, that as the Myfteries of Chriftia- nity, the Form of found ji^ords, were committed to the care and keeping of the Paftorsof the one Church, that there's no ordinary way of receiving, or attain- ing thefe Truths out of the one Church, becaufe there are no Tafiors, no Stewards, fio Teachers, no Evan- gelifts but in this one Church, therefore whoever would come to the knowledge of the Truth, and feek af- ter the Truth, tnn^ feek it in, and )?•(»« the one Church, from that particularOrder of Men whofe Bufinefs and Employment, or FunBion it is to intrufi: Mankind in the Myfteries 6f the Gofpel, and to apply them- felves diligently, and to give attendance to Reading, to DoElrinc, i Tim. 4. 1 :?. To the Study of, and Me- ditation on the Holy Scriptures, in order to explain them unto others. And Esamind and Difprofv'd, y^ And to convince us of what great Authority their Joint Expojitiom of the Holy Scriptures, and prefe- rable to affj oi^ private Interpretatioriy efpecially as to what is of Cofnmon or Univerfal Concern, and oi gene- ral Obligation to all Chrifiiansy either in reference to the Faith, the Unitj and Effence of the One Ghurch, the Sacraments and Morals, or VraBicals ofChrifiiani^ tjfy I think it not improper to tranfcribe here two or three eminent Paffages out of forae venerable and famous Ecclefiafiical Writers, for the farther Explica- tion and Confirmation o£ what I have been treating about. ' And leaft any one fliould rafhly, and inconfide- ^ rately (^faith Vincentius Lirinenfts) prefume to flight ^ and contemn the Venerable and Catholick Con- ^ fent of the Bleffed Fathers [the Paftors of the One ^ Church'] the Apoftle tells us in the i Cor. 12.28. * And in the Church of God hath fet feme ^ Firft, AfO" ^ files [of which himfelf was one] Secondly, Pro- * phets [fuch as Agahus, of whom we read in the * Ads ,* ] Thirdly, Teachers, or Dodors, ver. 8. (See Rom. 12. 7. I Cor. i ;. 2. Ephef. 4. ii* i Cor. 14* 6. See alfo 2 Cor. 11. 6. 8. 7. i Cor. i. 5-. i Cor. 8, I. ExprelTed by DoBrine and Teaching elfewhere, I Tiw, f, 15", I Tim. 4. 15. Oxf. Annot. in v. 8. jiCor. 12.) ^ whom we call now Preachers, crEx- ' pofitors of the Holy Scriptures, whom the fame ^ Apoftle calls fometimes Prophets, becaufe by them * the Myfteries of the Prophets were open'd, or ex- ^ plain'd unto the People. Whoever then jliall de- ' fpife any of thefe in a Divine manner fet and con- * ftituted in the Church of God, being of one and * the fame mind as to the fenfe and meaning, as to * the Catholick Dod:rine, he defpifeth not Man, * but God, from vvhofe Orthodox, Unity, Confent * or Agreement, leaft any one fhould differ, the * fameApoftle moft earneftly intreateth,faying,Novy ^ I befeech yoti Brethren, h ths Name of our Lord yefus ' [ Chrifij y6 The Anahaptip Mhtjlry ^ Chrifl, that ye all j^cak the fame thing, and that there ^ he no Divi'icns ^mong you, but that ye be perfe^ly ^ joined eg' t her in the fame Mind, and in the fame \ Judg:rjer.t. But if any Man fliould diflent from rhsir Cc nmunion or Unity oFjudgment, let him * hear that of the fame Apoftle, Cod [the Donor of fuch Gilts] *r r,ct the Author of [DiiTention and] Con- fufion, hut cf Peace, as [wefeefnch things Oxf.Par. were orderly done] in ^.U [other] inloc. Churches of the Saints ^' (i Cow 14. 22.^ that is^ of the ' Catholick or Orthodox, ' which are therefore call'd Saints or Holy, becauis ' they perfifr in the Ccmmwiion of Faith, (or the Commonly or Udverfally receiv'd Faith.) '^And ' leaO: any priy-^te Ferfin overlooking [and arrogant- ^ ly difdaiuing] all others fhould fee up himfelf^ or ^ giv-e our chat he alone ought to be heard, and be- * lieved ,• A liccle after he addeth [and in thefe thinL's, J your Apoftle require your Obedience and Conroimity toother Churches] What? came the W'>rd of God [or the Gofjpel, firft] out frcm you? Or c.-me it only unto you ? [that you Hiould pra- d'^ii ill fj Ji things contrary to the Diiedions of me your Apoftle^ or the Example of ancienter Churcnes ih Ch-iftJ r Cor. 56. Paraph. Ox, And to prevei.t taib b^ing flii;htingly or fcornfully re- ceived, he ?.di^'^., vtr. I'j, If any Man [amongft you pretend, 01] thi ik himivii to be a Prophet, or fpiri- tual [or gifted] d.at is a Teacher, a PrcfclTor of * fpiritual things, let him by ail means be a Lover, * and Admirer, and rti]dioi:s of Equality and Uni- * ty [or Unanimity] not preferring iiis own private ' Judgments and Opinions before others, nor rece- * ding from the ftated and agreed Senfe of ail. But * if any Man will be ignorant of the Command- ^ ments of the Lord [from Divine Li[pir.^tion,ver. gy. ' Paraph. Ox.'] That is, either \viil not be inform'd I of what he knows not, or dcfpifeth when known. Examind an A Difprov'J, yj * let him bo ignorant [at his own peril, (ince he is ' fufficiently inform'd, el, becaufe but c»g Truth j one 1^«/^ of Faith, fo the Senfe and Merr^ung but one, and that declared bcft and moft lalely, by the Uriammom Confent of thofe whom ChriB hath conftituted to be our fpiritual Guides, Teachers and Expof.tors, the Papers, the Mini-- (lers ot the Church Catholick, their Catholick Interpreta- t'tcns, Expojitors, Commentaries the certaineH Means Vt^e have lelt us, to come to the true Knowledge, right TJnderJiar.ding and Meaning of Chrifiian Dcttrine and Vra^ice, becaufe the Dl'vive Oracles were delivered into their Hands, committed to their Charge and Keeping 'Cvom the beginning of Chriftianity, and are to be continued fo throughout all ^ges to the End of the World, for the Edification of the Church ; and that that Senfe or Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures^ or thoje Do5lrines have the greateft Claim to Truth, that have the concurrent Tefiimony of thePaftors of the Church in the remotefi- and purefi Ages of Chriftianity ,• That Truth is andenter and J^^f"^'" ^^ exifted before Ncvclty, true DoBrine before ^xix.' Herejie ; That that which was firfi delive" red by Cbrifi or his Apcjiles, or their immediate Succejjors, hath the be ft Plea and Prescription for Truth, and that ai for Error and Fallh^od, that was trumpt tip afterwards, or in latter Ages \j)rat leafi Id, ca.xxxL after the Delivery of Truth. ~\ So then if we fearch after 7r«;j5, we muft fearch for it where it may be found, where it is depoJtteJ, vixi. 7 8 The Anahaptijls Miniftry *oiz. from the kwful genuine Trujiees, and Stewardsy the Paftors of the o»e Church to whom Chrifi hath committed it. Chrisi is but one , the li^ay but o«e, the 7V«r/S or Faith but owg, the Vriefihood but c«?, and all thefe Ones to be found only in the o«g i?^?^, or me Church of Chrift : ' The * Doclrine, the 7»//^«- ^io» of Chrift but one , * i'eJ in primis hoc propono, mum utiq^; is' certum aliquid. injiitmum ejfe i Chrifto, quod credere omni modo debeant Nati- ves gravating the Heinoufnefs of the Guilt of thofe who reje(5l them, and confequently Puniftiment • Verily, 'verily^ he that recei'veth whomfocver I fend, recei'veth me ; and he that receiveth me, recei'veth him that fent me, John 15. 20. And he gave fome Affiles, andfome Pro- phets, and fome Evangelifis, andfome Pafiors and Teach- ers, for the ferfeBing of the Saints, for the work of the Minifiry, for the edifying of the Body of Chrifi, &c. Eph.4. II.I2. &'c. That Tve henceforth be no more Chil' dren tc/fed to and fro, and carried about with every Wind ofDo^rine [every new fangled Opinion] by the flight [fuch flight as is ufed by Gamefters, to cheat and over-reach others] of Men , and cunning craftinefs whereby they lie in wait [as Thieves are wont by the High-way, watching their Opportunity] to deceive [to trapan and feiz^e the Unftable and Unwary.] (The Mifchief that thefe can do, are prevented by the Gifts mention'd i;fr. 11.) ver. 14. See the Ox/Z Parr, and Annot. on the Place : See alfo i Cor. 12. 28. where the Apoftle repeats the fame Order efta- blifh'd by Chrifi in the Church, and to obviate the hivafions and Ufurpations of Falfe-teachers^ and JVolves in Sheeps-cloathing : He adds in the next verfe, Are all Apoftles ? Are all Prophets, are all Teachers ? Is e- very one a Preacher, or Minifter of the Gofpel pre- fently, who audacioufly takes upon him this Sacred and High Funtiion ? Is every Holderforth or Babbler, or Inventor of new unheard of mcnfrcus Opinions and DoBrines, to be entertain'd, and heard, and obey'd forthwith without any more to do, as an Apoftle, an Oracle, and fent by Chrift, and deputed by him ? One fent by himfelf, coming of himfelf, crea- ted by himfelf, ©rdain'd by himfelf, call'd by none, but by the Suggefiion and Impulfe of the Author of aU Diforder, and Confufion, and Mifchief, by the Inftigati^ en of his own Impudence, impelfd thereunto by his own Spiritual Prides Ambicion, Malice, Revenge, Worldly Examiiid and Dtfprovd, 85 Worldly and Carnal hiterefi, or NeceJJityj to be adord^ run after, to be the Head oi ^ ^^'^^y, FaBion, and to fromote fome fecret ambitious Defign againft Church and State J to make his Fortunes when his Trade or Employment fails him, by defrauding fome, and rui- ning of others ,* or whilft he is an Ignoramus or Bctch- er in his own Calling, to fancy he fhall be in this Holy FunBion^ a Workman that needeth not be afiamedy rightly dividing the Word of Truth ? [2 Tim. 2. ly.] Of luch our BlelTed Saviour pronounceth with an AlTeveration equivalent to an Oath ,• Ferilj, 'verify^ I fay unto yoUy he that entreth not hy the Door into the Sheepfoldj hut climheth up fome other ivay [by any of the, foregoing Motives] the fame ts a Thief and a Rob- ber : But he that entreth in by the Deor [according to Chrift's own Inftitution, by lawful Ordination de- rived by Lineal SucceJJion~\ is the Shepherd of the Sheeny John 10. I, 2. And no other let their Pretences from Corruptions in the Church, Negligence ofPafiors^ the moH abfolute Necejfity that can be imagin'd, they are and can be nothing lefs than Thie'ves and Rob- bersy and none but wicked or ignorant People, can or ever fhall be deluded or circumvented by them .• For this is a certain Maxim, and comes from the O- racle of Truth it felf. That the True and Genuine Sheep of Chrift, the intelligent and fmcere Belies- ers, Chrifiians in reality , do not, will not follow them, Hiall not be deluded by them ,• they hear the Voice of the True Shepherd^ 'ver. 3. but know not the Voice of Strangers, but as foon as they hear it_, flee and run away from them_, perceiving by the Odnefs, Novelty ^ and Contrariety of their Dc^rines to that of the True Shepherds, that they are Wolves, Thieves, Robbers, Falfe-prophets, and Seducers, V. y. Judge now by this mort DeduBion, of the Sacred- nejS and Inviolablenef, as well as abfolute Necejfity of the Gofpel-Miniftry. Tis ChriH himfelf that is the Fount ain^ and ftands at the He«/^ of this GoJ^el-Suc- G 3 cejfio^ 86 the Analaptijis Mhiftry ceffion of Miuifiers in his Church : The Infiimlon^ Chrift's own fro^er Act ; 'Twas he that caWd and chofe the Jpofiks to be his Miniders y 'twas he that gave them the Tower and Faculty ot traducing or fropagatwg this Holy Fundion in a perpetual Conti- nuation oi' a fsrfonal Sticcejjhnj by A farticidarClaufe in that very Conimifiion b3^ which thcmfelves were created Faficrs of the One Church : 'Twas himfelf that beftow'd upon them and their SuccelTorS;, this procreative Power, (inftead of thy Fathers, thoti fhalt have Children, whom thou mayft make Prin- ces in all Lands, Pf^l. 14. 16.^1 to the end of the World, without any Failure or Interrupion. To this purpofe, the Prophet Ifalas (that Evangelical Pro- phet} Mj Spirie that is up&n thee^ and my Hoards which I ha've pit in thy Mouth, fiall not depart out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed, noroutoftht Mouth of thy Seeds Seed,{aidi the L.ocdyfro?n henceforth and for ever. ITa. 5*9. 21. J.nd I have fet JVatchmen upon thy fValls, O Jerufakm, which ihail never hold their Peace day nor Night • ye that niake mention of the Lord, keep not filence, Jfa. 62. None but lawful Vafiors ordain'd by fuch, who derixfe their Succejfion {vom tht^ Jpofiles, and fa from C^ri/f him- felf, zndfcnt by them, have Authority ro Vreach the GoJpeL That Treachinar is a Fafioral or Minifierial jUfj appears from the 'ApoftcUcal Mlffion or Commif^ fion, Go preach ; and from divers Texts lately cited in the DeduUicn, a Confeqmnt of MiJJion or being fent, and fo limited or confin d to this Miffion ,• the ufur" p'mg whereof is the CharaBerifiick ot JVol'ves, Thieves^ &LC. of thofe who run of their oTvn heads ^ of thofe whofe Voice the Sheep know not, but flee the?n ^ againft whom the Faithful are fo often cautioned by Chrift and his Apojlles, as hath been /hewn already : More- over an Ad: of the higheB Rebellion againft Chrij^, tQ take upon them to Vreach in his Nam?, and to Ad^ piaijter Sacraments without h^ Authority, nay^ dired:- ly Examined and Difprovd. %y ly and expreQy againft it^ and in oppofition alfo to it, a Guilt that terminates not only on themfelves, but involves aU that recei'ves them, and adhere unto them^ as taking farts and /idmg with Rekis and Ufur- pers, befides the defrauding themfelves of the true and real Means of Salvation which Chrift hath ap- pointed and provided for them. AU the Acts peirform- ed by fuch Ufurpers bing Invalid ^ and Nuliities in their ewn Nature, as largely proved berore. From this DeduBion we may make likewie this Ohfervation, that our Blej^ed Lord hath conneatd the Means and the Adminifirators of them fo clofely, that one cannot be divided or feparared (as to the ordina- ry way of Salvation j;^c?« f-6? abcr, fo thac the one cannot be (ordinarily) had without the o?i>(?r; Vreach- ing and Vreacbers, Go teach all Nations^ inllrucfling cheni in the Faith, inrbs way of Sa* 'arion, Difci- ple them. Baptize thqn, Admit them. Enter them into the Kingdom ot Heaven. To the lame pur- pofe the Apollle like^vife conneBs Faith and Hearings with Preaching and Teaching, take the word how you pleafe ; Rom. lo, 13, 14, i^. For [fo yoef] Whofoever ^mU cai upon the N^-.me of the Lord, JliaU be faved. But hoii^ then lh.dl they call upon him, in vjhoin they have not believed ? And how Jhall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how fnall they hear without a Preacher ? And how Jljall they preach eX" cept they be fent ? From which words it is obvious and plain, that the MiJJion of Preachers is as necef- fary to lawful Preaching, as Faith is to call upon God duly or rightfuly, or as Hearing is to the attaining of Faith, or laftly, as Preaching is to effeB Hearing in us; as the Apofile hath not lefs divinely than elegantly in- ferted them in the fame Series and Contexture of Speech. But Faith is altogether necelTary, in order to call upon or invoke God, as is felf evident : In like manner. Bearing in order to get Faith, for Faith Cometh by Hearing^ as the Apoftle faith, ver. 17- G 4 ^nl 88 the Annhptrfis Mhifiry and then Vreach'mg is no lefs neceffary to Hearhtgj be* caufe Hearing, as the fame Apoftle faith, cometh by the Word of God, in the fame Verfe ,• and Mijfioft, as neceffary to the preaching of this Word, as well obferv'd by a Learn d Man., Again, from the foregoing Dedi^clion we may in- fer this Conclufion ^ If the Son of God himfelf, yefiis Chriji, came not to Freafh, but as he wa.sfent, nor Taught any thing but what he had learn d and heard from the Father, nor achd any thing but what he had a Command for ,• and, which is farther ob- fervable, in a j',m5iure of time, wherein Reformation, if ever, was highly neceffary, who, I pray, is he (unlefs infpir'd and immediately infligated thereunto by the Spirit oi Antic hrifi) that without being y^«f or commiflioned in a regular way, fliall bo they were ,• when and where they firft of all C on fl it uted Any of your foregoing Minifters, or Vafiors, in this Iflaiid : Let u^ know whence they Derived thoiv MiJJions, and Vowfer to impofe Hands for the Making of Aiini(iers; or vy;hethsr chey were not MxarMh'J and Difprov'J, pj hot Self-created, taking their Origin from Themfehes, I will not fcfitively condemn you ; perhaps you have more to lay for your felves than I, or many more knowing, are aware of. The Inferences I have made run upon Suppo/itionj that you cannot prcve or make good your MiJ/ion ; and poflibly you keep ma- ny things to your lelves upon Referve, till you are forc'd to give 'em vent by being frcfsd hard to it. All I have to fay at prefent is only this^ That by what I can learn from the very little and late Ccnver- faticn with a 'very few of your Writings, I am per- fuaded no Argument of em can bear water, ov ftand the TeH ; therefore I truft, without any Breach of Charity, I may venture to fay. You can never get o- 'uer the Confequences you are fb liable arrd expos'd unto. But to do you all the Juflice I can, aad to give you fair play, I ftiall now addrefs my felf to ex- amine a little thofe Arguments you infift upon^ to ajjert and 'vindicate your prefent MiniHry by. In the firft place then, I find in your Confeffion of Faith, Printed in the Year i<^99. Chap. 26 of the Church, §. 9. you tell us. That '' The WAY AP- " POINTED by CHRIST for the Calling of any " perfon, Fitted and Gifted by the Holy Spirit unto " the Office of Bijhop or Elder in a Church, is, *' That he be chofen thereunto by the common " Suffrage of the Church it felf,- and quote A^. 14. 25. and refer us to the Original for the Proof of this Way : In {hort, by the EkBion of the Memberfhip of the V articular Church. This you fay is the Way ap- pointed by Chrift. In Anfwer, Ihould this appear not to be the Way appointed by Christ, pray tell me. What fort of 5/» are you guilty of then ? In the firB Place, Where hath Chrif} deliver'd any fuch Way as this in all the Nev^ TeHament ? There's not one Syllable or Tit- tle of it in all the Gcjpels, or any thing that looks like it in the leaft imaginable Degree, neither Pre- cept 94 ^^^ Anahaptijls Mintflry cept, nor Example. He chofe the Apo files himfelf^ he conHituted the Seventy.- Here's no mention of tlie People J in reference to the Matter in Hand ^ and if we cannot find it in the h^s or Epifiles, then all this Platform is cailiier'd at once ,• then it will prove to be a mere humane Invention and Figment at the beft, an Ignis fatuus, a New Light ; that is, a meer Innovation and Error, and Blajphemy into the Bar- gain ; bftcaufe, contrary to all Senfe as well as Scripture, ^axhti^ w^onoxxi: blejfed Saviour, and^ro- phattely calfd Hks Appointmejit. And fince there are but three Texts urg'd to build this Thcinfafm upon, I fhall in /Kort examine them, and begin firft with that Text referr'd to in the Margin, ABs 14. 25. and confult the Original as directed : ot^iefiT^vuattvm J^'Av-mt irfS^iSyTifw Y^' oKK^moM. d^c. And 7vhen they had ordain d them Elders in every City., &c. which, according to your Senfe, ought to be render'd thus. And when they ( that is, the People ) had cholen them, or to themfelves. Elders by common Suffrage in every City, and had prayed with Fafting, they commend- ed them to the Lord on whom they had beleiv- ed. In anfwer to the Inference you draw from this Text for the Veoples Right in EleBion of Elders, I Ihall objerve, I/?, That here is no exprefs mention in the Text or Context, of the Veople or Church Members in the leaft, as to this Affair : Here's no Diredion given to them to hook out any Fit or Gifted Perfons for the Mini(irj, or to choofe, &c. nor any A5i mention'd in all this Paffage, but of Faul and Barnabas confirming the Souls of the Difciples, exhorting them, &c. v. 22. and of Paul and Barnabas Ordaining them Elders, nothing of the Peoples Electing to themfelves El- ders. idly, Granting :ifi{e?-nvnau.yn{ to refer to the Peo- plCj then there will follow fomg: ftran§« Abfurdity which ExAmind And Difprovd, ' 9^ which will deftroy the Senfe and Coherence of the whole PafTage, which evidently, from 1/. 21 to the End of the Chapter, is fpoken of Vaui and Barnabas i And when THET had preach' d the Gojpel, ?^Q. 'ver. 21. THET returti'd, 6:LC. 'ver. 22. and 7vhen THET had or-- daindj &c. THET commended them to the Lord^ 'ver. 2^', And after THET had pajjedj ver, 24. and -when THET had preached, &c. THET went down, &c. ver. 25. and thence fail'd to Antioch, from whence they had been recom- mended to the Grace of God for the Work which THET fulfilled, ver. 26. and whenTHET were come,SLC. THET r/hears'd, &c. ver. 27. and there THET abode, &C. All thefe THETS are fpoken of Paul and Barnabas, and if fo, then not of the People. Then, ■;dljf, It will follow. That Paul and Barnabas Or- dain d thefe Elders, thefe Pafiors to prefide over them^ that is the Difciples or New Converts, to minifier to them in Jpiritual Things ; fo that the Word ^le^mn- oavTii, is appropriated to, or predicated of Paul aad Barnabas, exclufive of the People or Chnrch- Mem- bers being interelTed in either their EleBion or Ordi- nation, or in the leaft concurring in this Adl for any thing that appears from this Text, or any other in this Chapter. ^thly, 'j^t^m\\K.ix.7aKefnt, avQ Jelf- condemn d out of your own Mouths and Writings, as may be prov'd in another place. As to that Text out of JBs 6. 3, 5-, 6. from whence you infer the Peoples Right and Fo7i>er t6 EleB Deacons, I have thefe things to repiy ; Firfl, It may moil: apparently be concluded from the Context, that the Reafm why the Apofiles order'd the Multitude of the Difcifles to look out Seven fit or qualify 'd Perfons to be made Deacons, principally to attend upon the daily Miniflration or Difirihution of Alms for the Suftenance of the Poor^ was on Account of their Murmurrings and Difconte72ts thzz arofe among them in reference to that Bufinef, that upon fuch their Choice, the Apoftles might be eafed of that un- eafy Charge and Burden, and to allay their prefent Heats, and keep them quiet for the time to come j and from this their own Ad to take away, as far as poffiblej all Occafion of Complaints as to the mat- ter in hand, the impartial Cafe of the Poor. It's impoflible to infer any thing elfe from the whole H paffage 9$ the Anahaptjfts Mmfiry palTage but only this. That the A^oftles bid thtm] amongfl: Pedbns fo and To qualified^ to ncnimatt Se- 'uen j and this is .the whole Bufinefs, and nothing elfe as to the Difciplcs or Members, the 7vhole of the Apoftles DeHgn that they thought fit to impart or communicate unto the People at that time. The entire Pail'age is thus,* And in thofe Days when the Isumher of the Difcipies ivas multiplied^ there arofe a Aim-muring of the Grecians, becaufe their Widows \vere negledted in the dailj Minifiration. Then the T-iVelve called the Multitude of the Di/ciples unto theWy and faid, It is not reafon that ope Jhould leave the Word of God, and ferve Tables. Wherefore, Brethren, look ye cut among you Seven Men of honefi Report, full of the Ho' Ij Ghojr and JVifdom, v/hom ye may appoint over this Bufinef. But ive 7vill give our f elves continually to Vrayer, and to the Miniftry of the Word. And the Saying pleas' d the ivhoU Multitude, and they chofe, 6c C. 'iv horn they fet hfore the Apofiles ; and when they had prayd, they laid, their Hands on them : This is the whole matter. Now, pray what would you infer from it ? That the A- poftles here in purfuance of, and in obedience to Chrifi's In/litution, call'd upon the People to Chufc and Ordain unto themfelves Minifters, 2.dly, Here's no fuch thing appears in the whole Story ,• The Church o^yerufalem, by all the Circum- iianccs of it we meet with at this very Jundure, did not feem to want Pafcors to adminifter Spiritual Or- dinances (at lead no fuch thing hinted here to the Difcipies) to Vreach, Baptizes, or to Adminifter the Lord's Sapper, to pafs Cenfures, Suf^end^ Excommu- nicate, or to Ahfolve • Here was a truly Organized Church already, the Apoftles at this time, the Faflors of the Church there, declaring the Reafon why they would have thcfe Deacons appointed, vi^as not for thefe ends and purpcfes as to this Multitude of Dif- cipies, but to take care of the daily Miniftration of Relief and Suftenance to the Poor, to eafe them- f«lyss^ Examined and D'tfproii'd. g^ felves, that they, the Apoftles, &c. might be wholly at leifuie and liberty to attend upon Prayer, and the Miniftry of the Word, the fpiritual Concerns of the Church, whilft the Deacons^ v. 4. were employ 'd and taken up with the temporal Relief and Support of the Poor and Neceffitous, ferve Tables, 'ver-. 2, I fay this is the Spihjlance of the whole StOry, in Reference to thefe Difciples at JemfaUmy and all that can, with any fsir Reafoning or Ingenuity, be iaferr'd from it, or deduc'd by the Laws of Reafon- ing. And if you prefume to urge the contrary, pray Hiew in what Chapter or I^erfe oT the four Go/jels Chrifi ever infiituted the Peoples or Church-Members Right yoil contend for to chufe (or as you mean, call) Perfons to the Minifierial Fun^ion j if you can't do that, I km of Opinion, you'll never be able to make this Paffage a Precedent, ^dlj^ It was but reafonable that the Difciples^ the Nevj Couverts, who had thrown ail their Sub- ftance and Eftates into the Common Stocky and were CO live bat upon their common Shares out of ir^ fhould have the Nominations of the Perfons that were to be intruded with the Diftribution of it ; and in order to this, the ApoHles gave them Liberty to name Men of Integrity ^ Honefiy^ and Impartiality^ lor the Difcharge ol this fo confiderable a Trufi ^ and not only fo, but noted likewife, and eminent for their fupernarnral and extraordinary Gifts at thac Time, as that of Languages ^ Prophecy , Working of Mi^ racksy &;c, by which they obtain'd Refutation, Rex/e- rencCj and Efieem, amongft their FeUow Chriltians™, and fo the more likely to give Satisfadion unto them, and to flop their Complaints lor the future i Not that thefe Gifts were eifentially or abfolutely necelTary to quality them for this TruB, unlefs you will fuppofe That of the Gift of Tongues , and of Wif- dom^iiyou will reckon it to be the Difcretio Spirituum in a ioVYer Senfe^ the Difcernmg of the Sprits ; the H 2. ons lOO The Anahaptlfis Miniflry one to enable them to converfe the more freely with the DlfcipUs in their own difiinB nati've Langua- ges and DlakHsy the other to found their Integrity in rhe Reprefentations of their feveral Conditions and Neceffities, which I will not difpute with you. This is all I conceive can be urg'd as to the Sa- lification of thefe Deacons at that Time, with Re- fyzSt to the prefent Occafion of thefe Neii^-Officers in the Church of Jerufalcm • tho by the By, we may obferve. That the Jpofiles had a farther Defign and Profped in theDefignation of- Perfons thus extraordi- narily qualify'd and gifted, which as it appears from the Story ythey did not then communicate to the Difciples • nor was there any neceflity for fuch a Difco very. For one may eafily be induc'd to think, That Men of honeB Report, Integrity, and Impartiality, might be fuffici- entiy qualify'd for the Undertaking and Difcharge of that Office oi Taking Care for the Poor, without fuch ftipernatural and fpiritual Gifts ; , Therefore we may fairly fuppofe the Apofiles had a fiirther Drift in the enjoining them to make choice of fuch ®Malifyd Men, very probably not in the leaft thought of by the Maltittfh of the Difciples, when their Complaints were made known to the jipo/lles^and when the Apo- files made the Motion to them to look out feven fuch ; and that was to Ordain them unto, or invert them with fome part of the Minifierial Fewer, for the fur- ther Occafions of the Church which they forefaw, and as they fhould think meet, to give them Authority to preach the Gofpel, to baptiz^e, &c. as you may fee, 'ver. lo. and Chap. 8. 5", 12. So that here plainly feems a double Defignation of the fame Perfons • they WQrc fought out hy the People, at the Command of the Apofilesy and prefented to them, to be by them appointed, or fet over the Bufmefs of the daily Mini- iiration to the Poor, or for dilbibuting daily Allow- ances to the Poor, and then the Apoffles pray'd over them, and laid Hands on them^ and fo ordain'd them to Examtnd and Difprovd. loi to be Minifiers of Jefus ChriH : Or if you wil], a dotihle EkBion to two feveral or difiinB Offices ; the Veovle by the Apafiies Order lookt out and chofe them, and fet them before the A])ofiles, 'ver. ^- to be made Overfecrs of the Poor^ or to be appointed over that Bu^ Jinefs by the Apojlksy ver.'^. and over and a.hove,incon~ fulta Flebe, without communicating it to the People, or advifing with them, the Apoftles by Fraycr and Laying on of Hands , inverted them with Authority to Preach the Gc^el and Baptize : So that it appears, ^thly, That the Multitude of Difciples, or Church^ Ademhersj aded nothing, even in this Bufmefs, au^ thoritati^jely, but barely permiffi'vely , or by way of Condefcenfion from the Apofiks^ as they in pru- dence thought fit,on the prefent Jundqre or Occasi- on ,• nor doth it appear by this, or any other Paf^ fage I know of, in all the New Teftament, That the People v/ere ever, by ChriH's Appointment or hfiitution inverted with any fuch Claim, Right, or Vri'vilege : 'Tis faid no where, That they have a Tower barely to choofe their PaBors, much lefs that their Choice of fit and Gifted Pcrfons prcfently gives them, or endues them with Minificrial Authority ,♦ or that thereby they are (let the Cafe or Emergency be what it will) ipfo Fa^o, PrieHs^ Chrili's Ambaffia" dors. Stewards oFthe Myfteries of God, and have the Power of the Keys ; and leasT; of all, have Authority to lay on Hands, ordain, or confecrate, or were ever intrufted by ChriB or the ApoBles with Church-Power .? Thefe are all unfcriptural Novelties, and meerFlalli- es of New Lights, the Whimfies of a difturb'd Ima- gination, to jjpeak the bert on't, the Inventions pf Theologo-Politico's, Impoftors, and Seducers j or, if you pleafe, the "E^Q^^ o£ Infidelity in Men of No Religion, that therefore make Sport and Game with Religioiis arid Sacred Things, becaufe they either look upon Religion as meer PrieH-Craft, and an Art to delude ths credulous and igi]ioranc World, to carry H 5 on lOi The Analaptijls Mhtjlry on their worldly Defigns, cr laftly One of Satan s Stratagems to undermme all Religic?} and true Piety, and baniih it out of the Minds of Men. Bu then, '^thly. Let this Choice of the People be what you can poffibly upon the fquare make ir3 this C^o/«doth not amount to Appointing or Confiituting, "vcr. :;. that- isj collate any Power or Authority ^i Kdi-ra^m- ""Jpon thefe feven Deacons : This i^.v.whomne Choice did not ovdain them Minifters ( not ye ) may o^Chrifi, 'twas the Jpofiles did '^'appoint, Appoint. \wsis they that prayd, and laid their Hands on them : Therefore i[ Confii- futing. Appointing o'ver, &c. be a Collating of Autho- rity, it naturally fuppofes the Perfons fo collating, to have the Authority veiled in them to authorize others ; and fo in this PalTage, it's evident the Dea- cons receiv'd their Authority from the Apoftles, and not from the Pe<3/)/f ,• urilefs you'll dare to alTert, That theDifciples, "or Church-Members, delegated unto the Apoples, or gave them the Fo7ver of Ordain- ing in their Heads ; which you muft prove from ex- prefs Scripture, or elfe you do nothing. 6tbljj It is to be obferv'd. That that Part of the Office of thefe Deacons^ in which thefe Bifciples vvere immediately and properly concern'd fo much as they were, upon the Apojlles MiPjon, of which they are faid to be pleas'd, [ or pacify 'd, ] was but for a Time, and then thefe Deacons were employ'd in more Spiritual Matters, and of higher Concern, 51S Propagating of the Gofpel j* an Inllance of which we have in Fbilips preaching with great Succefs in Samaria^ fee Cb/ip. VIIL and going on preaching -to Cafarea. We do not here read, That the Difciples preiented thefe {tvQn Men to the Apoftles, to be Ordain d by The7n to This TFork, for the Fre/rching or Trofagativg of the Gofpel,- here was no Original Call from the Veopk ; nay, 'tis probable, when the Apo- files call'd the Multitude to them, vcr. 2. That they dia Examind and Difprovd. 103 4id not in the leafl furmife it was the Afoftks Befign to ^u'lt their Hands of fo troMefume a Piece oHVork, AS Jerv'ing Tables, or ivait'mg on the Tocr, and to put it into other Hands, much iefs of the JpcjHesOrdainhg thofe very Perfons^ fo appointed over that very Bu- finefs by thejn^ to a more ^'mtual and higher Mlnl- firy ', fo little do the D'lfcipies or People here contri- bute to this Matter in hand, in either Refpcct. The Apofiles caird them to both, approvd^ appointed, ordain d them ^ the Veople did no more than only to go on the Apoftles Errand^ to fetch fuch and fuch Men, and to prefenc them ; it fcarce amounts to a Nomination, there was no Difficulty in the Adatter ; , their Qualifications fo notorious and eminent, thac they could fcarce mifs of them or over-look them ; the whole Projedion and Defign^/as the Apoflies_, from firft to laft. But then, 'jthly. Let it be like wife obferv'd. That granting chat thefe Deacons were chofen by the Suffrage of the Church, (as you call the People licre conliderd apart from the Paftors, if you fpeak the Senfe of the In- ^ dependants, and do not ufe the Word equivocally ) ior the End and Purpofe I have infifted upon, yec it follows not that they have an Ejfential Right to ekB to the Miniftry of the P^ord and Sacraments, or to the Office o^ Bifoop or Elder, as you fiy ,• 'tis not always true arguing or reafoning from the Lefs to the Greater, from an Infer iour, to a Supericur Office ; this Confequence will not be allow'd you : Suppo- fmg they had a Tower to chufe a Deacon, will it fol- low they had a Power to chufe a Bifliopi or Elder ^ but you, I am afraid, will never be able to prove this,' but will it follow, becaufe if they chofe them as Overfeers for the Poor, thar therefore they have a Right to chufe a EiJI^op or Elder ? You'll fcarce be S-ble to prove they had even full Right to chufe in fhis latter .lower Senfe. I fay, this is a Confe- £juence wJi^ not be allow'd you by any who confi- H 4 ' ders 104 "^^^ Anahaptijls Miniftry ders nicely, not to infift upon the Incapacities and Unfitmfs of Trhmtc and Illiterate Men lor pafling Judgment in Things of this Nature, who will not always be determined, or feldom are, by ivifcr than themfelves, difcerning enough in what they do buc imagine, or are made believe to be their Right in things of this Nature, tho' for the moft part very ignorant in the Application of it, whence Multi- tudes of unavoidable Dangers and Inconveniencies which ufually follow, as our own Experience hath often maniiefted in FaSis of this Kind. But having enlarg'd fufficiently upon what you have deduc'd, from this Pallage, I (hall proceed to confider a third Text often quoted upon this Subjed, tho' not infifted upon by you in your Confcjjion, which makes up the Ttrnary of Texts, aftd all I have met with in yours, or the Congregational Mem Writings ,• and That is trom A8is I. 2%. From this Text is ufu- ally argued by the Indtfendants ( and you feem to be of their Opinion in this Matter) the Teopks Right: in EleBion oi Minifiers, and thence they conclude that Eletiion gives the Efftntials to an Officer or Adim- jhr. By way of Reply, tis to be oblerv'd, ■ i/?. That it doth not appear that St. Veter expref- ly dired-ed this his Speech to the Lay-Members, ex- elufive of the eleven Afoftks and the ffventy Difciples, who are to be fuppos'd to make the major, or at ieaft the more eminent Part of this Jffiemlly, and com- miffion'd by our Saviour himfelf,* and it is but re- quifite the Speech of St. Teter fhould be exprefs unto them, according to your Manner cf requiring exprefs and poikive Texts in Matters of fuch Importance as fhis, otherwife it will not be concluHve.' ■* 2dlj, As to the Salifications requir'd by the Apo- ftle in him who was to fupply Judas' s Place, none prefenc could be fuppos'd fo capable of judging of them as the Eleven^ that v/ere the FirH and Original Vifi Examm'd and Difprov'd, lo^ fchhs of our Saviour : The Perfon to be chofen, was to be one who had accompavy d vj'ith the Afcfiles aU the Time the Lord Jefus "went in and out amongH thew, 'ver. 21. and therefore^ ylly. It's highly probable that St. P^f^r direded his Speech particulary to the Eleven, ver. 15-. 16. &c. it being a Matter of grand Concern, and in Mode- fly none of this Ajjemhly fo fit to propofe the Per- fons for this high Station in the Church, as the Apo- ftles themfelves ,• and fo, ^fhlj. They fet forth, or caufed two to fiand forth, or plac'd two before the Afofiks fo qualify 'd ,• upon which, in a folemn ^telhten Lutb. manner, the Jpc files prayjj, ana refer- ]Zili/lt red the Choice to God himlelr, who D^tch. accordingly determined the Lot for Adat- thias : So that plainly thQ Election was God's own immediate AB^ and not the Peoples, as appears by the Matter o[ Fa^. Befides, ' s^%} The Occafion of the Apoftles referring this Matter of C/jo/ce fo immediately to God Almighty, fiiay eafily be prefum'd to refult from their Fear of and Diffidence in their own Judgments, upon the Ac- count of Judas's Injincerity^ and Heinous Tranfgreffmi : Who would have iroagin'd one fo early converted to Chrift, that had "ivalkt with Chrifi all the time he "iveni in and out amojjgB the Afofilcs, fo highly digni- fy'd by him, fliould have prov'd fo hafe and infamous a Traytor^ to fo Gracious, fo Divine a Mafter ? There- fore it highly behoov'd the ApoHles to di(lruB their own Judgmment in this Choice, and to ufe all their Intereft with Heaven to interpofe in fo weighty aa Affair '■ The Fear of another injincere falfe Brother, may eafily be conceiv'd to daunt t\\Qm ; the Scandal it might have given to the Gojpel^ the Hindrance of its Propagatio:}, as the difmal Confequences that would have attended fo unhappy a Choice, and the NeceJJity of Filling up this Vacancy in the AfoHoUcal 10^ The Analapttfis Mhijiry College, put them upon this extraordinary way of Af flying themfelves to God for a fui table and happy Supply. So that, 6thly, Can you fancy that it was in the Power, and within the Kenn of the Common Members or Di~ fclples to help the Jpofiles in fuch an Exigency and fuch an Emergency as this r Can it be fuppos'd that they had more Sagacity, Caution, or Underftanding^ than the Apofiks themfelves ? This feems to be the very Cafe from the Matter of their very Truyer, v, 24. Thou Lord, iphich knoweH the Hearts of all Men, [ all their fecret Aiotions^ the hidden Springs ofall their AAionSj their Sincerity, their Duplicity, their moft conceal'd Affedions and Intentions, and their moft inward Thoughts] jhc-w whether of thefe t-wo thou haH chofen • that he may take part of that M'mifiry and Apd- filcjldip, from Tvhlch Judas by Tranf£reffion fell. The Apofiles would not pretend to judge of the Sincerity and htegrity of thefe two Men s Hearts, and were a- f^aid of being mjjiaken, and committing an Oijerfght^ in fo momentous a Concern -, and who dare pre- fume. That they left this Choice of one into the Apoftlefiiip it fel.^ to the Common Members, the Fag- Euul, and comparatively the 'vileB and moft ignorant Part of this Aliembly, tho' never io graciom, fmcere, and ivell-meaning ? Hence then_, 'jthly, So far as Men were concern'd in this Mat- ter, the IVhole of it feems to be manag'd by the Ek- Tjen alone, or in Conjundion with the Seventy, not in any manner of Rcfpe^l by the Lay-Members. Sthly, By all thefe Circumftances, rhe Cafe ap- pears to be extraordinary j Matthias had his Vocation or Miffion immediately from God, and therefore neither from the People, nor eveji from the Afojlle themselves. Here is not the leaft Shadow of a Frece-- dent for the Peoples Eledion of Minifiers, much lefs for tlveir Laying on ofHarids, or Ordination • Matthias - feceiving no Jmporicion of Hands from the Jpoftles, mucn Esamind and Difprcv'd. 107 much lefs from the Teofe. Here were Lots given fbrthj (no Ci&/We<«y/?) a Choice they had no Power. Their Power over the Worthine]^ or Umvorth'meJ^ of the Ele^lien, lay in this. That they were beft able to give T'eftimony of the Life and Manners of him that was to be cho^ fen, according to the Teftimony, EleBion was to he made hy the Clergy, of a worthy arid fit Man. This Teflimony therefore fwaying the, EktUon , it's rightly faid, that Vopulus maxime hahuit potefiatemy z>el eligendi dignos, ^ei recufandi indignos. In the mean time the Chafers were the BimopSj Efifcofi ejufdem Prcuincia p'oxlmi con'ueniant, d^c. Cypr. L. 1. Cap. ^. foL ;r. princip. That the People had not Power of choofng by Divine Right, appears un- deniably in this. That the People hath been left out in many Choices warrantably made. But if the People had divine Right to be prefent, and Judges^ and Choofers, who durft have omitted them ? S. Hierom, whom thefe Aien (Smeciym- nuns) have alleged for a great Help to their Dif^ cipline, in his 85- Ep. ad Evagr. faith. That at Alexandria, even from thofe warrantable Times of Hercalas and Dionyfim, Bifhops of the fame See, the Presbyters always kept the Choice within the compafs of the Presbyters, making One of them- felVes, and none other to be above the reft, and call'd him their Bilhop. If therefore St. Hierom be of Authority, the Choice of the People, or Judgment, or Confent, is not in the People by Di- vine Authority. For it cannot be fuppofed that the immediate Succeffors of St. Mark himfeli^ fliould in Eledions forget divine Rights. Further^ St. Cyprian, who faith Piebs waxime habet potefiatem de Divina Autoritate, as alleged here ; the fame St. Cyprian, upon juft Occafion, as he thinks, without any Advice, Confetn or Teflimony of the People, he, I fay, with his CoUegues of the Cler- gy, chofe, ordaind, and confecrated Aurclin, Lib, 2. Cap. 5". verfus finenj. SmeUy' ExanuH^d and Difprovd. n^ * Smeclymn. p. %s- Elecflion of Bifliops long in the ^ Peoples Power : ] It may be too long. How dan- ' geroiis the Headinefs of the People is, in Cafs of ■ Choice, appeareth by the Tumult at Mlhn, where ' the People -could not otherwife be appeas g_, but ' by the Choke of a Mhn not yet Baptized. St. A^brofs was their Lay-Govemour, and as yet not Baptized^ till the Bifiiops were compell'd by the Emperour^, for the Quieting of the People, to Baptsz,e him, that they might fit him to be chofeft. 'Tis true, St. Awhrofe proved a Noble Inftrument of God ^ ' but well it was, and by Divine Providence and Miracle (Socrat.) that there was fuch a kl:^^^ irt whom they might be accorded : for if they had pitch'd on any worfe Man, they would have had him. They were at firft divided, and in their Divifion they were ready for an Uproar : Some cry'd this Man, and feme that, and they had fal- len together by the Ears, if St. Amhrojes Au?.l-o- rity and Prefence had not bridled Ahoyvi ik 'rhAlni i^iJMi, the Violence of the People, which was gene beyond all Reafon : Miracle and Vrovidence pitch'd them on 'b.Ambrofe^ and not the Dijpofition of People. \_Socrat.t:A.c.\.p.zi,o. It might be long]andyet might change ; and we might have good reafon not to bind our felves, in cafe of Eledions, to afl things done in the Trimitl^je Church. Nay, the very Apo- ftles themfelves have not followed one Form, but have Jiiited it to the Edificatio?t anS ^uiet of the Church, yet have ftill kept it withiu the Ordering of the Clergy, ox ahove with God. So St. Tcter^ by a grand AfTembly of Laicks, as well as Clergy^ A^s I. 15-, 2;. and they prefenced net him alone, but another with him, leaving the Choice to Sin higher Vo-wer, neither did St. Teter or the Apofiles chnnfe One out of the Two, but comm.itted the Choice to God by Lor, a thing not done in any o- ther Ekciicn. The 114 TK^^ Anahaptifts Mtmjlry *^ The Order of Deacons being a new Order never * in the Church beforej is inftituted by the A^ofiks * without the Advice oi the People^ ABs 6. 2. And ' for the Men who were to be cholen into this Or- * der, the Jpofiles gave the Power thus far into the * Hands of the Difciples fbeing a mix'd number of L^-* * icks and Clcrgy)to fpy out fuch as were fit ,• which the * People and Difciples did, and then prefented them * to the Apoftles^and thefe chofe them by Laying on of * Hands, being firft prefented by the Multitude^ ' AHs 6. 2;, 24, 25-, 26. On the other fide, A^oUos * was prefented to the Church of C^w/r/;, not by the * People o^ Corinth J but by Letters direded to thofe of ^ Corinth to do nothing but this, %)iz,. to receive Him, ' whom they had fent, and fo they didj-^^j 1 8.24,27. ' And in the Frimiti've Church, the Changes of ^ Circumftances in Elections have been fo many, that ' 'tis impoffible for us or any Church, to obferve * all Circumftances that have been obferv'd in the ' Primitive Church, fome or other, at fome time or ' other. It ihall fuffice that the Subfiame of Election ' being the fame, we make Choice of thofe Cir- ^ cumftances which fhall beft fit our Church. So ' did the A^ojiks^ fo did the Trimiti've Church, -fo * may we, ' But for the Circumftances of the Teoples Trefence, * and Tluralitj o^ Voices, further than to give Teftimo' * fiy of good or had Life, it's none of the Circum- * Itances that can be fit for any Church that aims at ^ Continuance. ^ The woj} part of the People being the worft part, * becaufe the Good are always fewer than the Bad ; ^ who can hope that the JitteB Man fliould be fet * over the Office and Paftorfhip of the Church ? If * the Feople have once got the iiforfi Men into Offi- ^ ces of Government, and Vafioral Charges, then * the worB Men having got the nobieft and moft * principal Parts in the Church, how fliall not the * whols Bxamind and Difprov'd. % j ^ * whole Body of it be corrupted or dijjolved ? Further, * ifa Minifter is to be cholen to a Living or a Le^are, * &c. and your Judgment muft be given of the ' Dodrine, Sufficiency and Dexterity in Teaching re- * quired in a Minifter, how unfuitable were it to ' commit the Judgment of thefe to the moft Voices ' of the People, who in the moil Places are not Ons ' to Ten, to Twenty, that can read and 2i^Wf^, d^c. ^ who are alfo engaged and dependent on Others, that ' he {hall be the Z'^/ and futefi Divi?te that has gfeat- * f/ Parents or Friends among the Peop/t of the Farijh^ *^ or that have Power with the P^o/'/e of the Parijh, * d-c. Thus far the Reverend and very Learned Mr. Nettles, in forne Marginal Animadverjions upon SmeBymnuus, lent me by a learned Divine now living, which I thought fit to add here, being very pertinent to my Purpole, and a juft Confutation of the fore- cited Paragraph of that fawcy Book, as void offolid Learning, as ot Truth, good Manners and Honefiy, To this I fhali adda confiderablePalTage of an/»- dependant Writer's (as I conjedure) thus declaiming againft the Presbyterians in a Difcourfe Intituled, The Pulpit Incendiary ; Printed in the Year 1648. p. 5-0. ' Shall we didate to you the common Obfer- * vations of feeing Men, %'iz. that you take not a * right Method for pure Reformation ; For is not * this your Cuftom ? You call in all your Parifh (if * Floufe-keepers) to choofe your Elders ; Your Elders ' they admit of Metnbers to the Sacrament, and fo your Reformation is made up ? Is it not too no- * torious, that the mofi of Men are not the he/ of Men, nay, have not you often told as, that the moj} of Men are often the worfi ofM^n ? And can the worft of Men make choice of the befi of Rulers, except it be thro' the wonderful Providence * and Interpolition of the Hand ot God ? Do not * we plainly fee that the moft of Men have not I Principles leading towards a ftrid, pure, fpiritual I 2, ' Refor- II 6 The Anahapttjls Miniflry Reformation ? Do not Men generally know Men after the Flcjh , and efteem them accordingly ? * Whence is it that we fee the Great Man, tho' the * ignorant Man, the rich Man, tho' the prophane Man, ' the Deputy y the Common-council Man, the Jufiice of ^ oftheVeace, the chief Man in the PariHi, he muftbe * the Elder y tho' an ordinary Sweater, an ignorant, ' loofe,or a covetous Perfon ? — Will not fwsaring, * ignorant J covetous^ unclean and unworthy Elders^ ad- ^ mit of the like Communicants and Members ? &ct. Apply now this to the Cafe in hand, and are not things too frequently carried on much after this manner, in the popular Vote: or Sujfrages for Minifiers amongft you and the Independei^ts ? And are not the beft cjualified very frequently fet afide with Difgrace and Difcouragement^ and pitiful, ccntemptuezis ynoifiej raw^ and ignorant Perfons pitch'd upon and prefer'd ? Is not this the moft ufual Effed: oi popular Eleciions in almoft all Cafes, as well in refped of Civil, as in, relation to Spiritual Affairs ? Doth not Intereft for the moft part carry it, and net real Worth ? And doth it not too often appear, that thomofi Suf- frages are in the wrong ? Has it not been general- ly fo in times paft j and is it not fo now, and what likelihood that it vv?ill «ver be otherwife for the fu- ture, fo long as the mofi are always, and will ever be the worft ? No wonder then that our BlelTed Lord, who is Wifdom it lelf, never Ordain'd the Choice of his Minijiers^ his Stewards, his Amhajfft- dours, his ReprefentativeSy by the Multitude, by the moft fickky moft ignorant, moft hyafi, felf-interejhd^ the moft ungodly, prophage , debauch' d, car?}al-minded^ and Dregs of Mankind, by the greater Number, the Majority of Votes of the moik injudicious, uncapable, who if they do hit upon the right, 'tis but as to them meer Lottery and Chance, by Accident, or to fpeak the beft, by an O'ver-ruUng frovidencc ? And as our Saviour never entruftcd the People with this Fowtr Examind and Difprov'd. ny Tower, O^Mch great Concern to the Church ,• fo, as it hath been /lievvn , the Church, when She was at the frUefi Liberty, and in PoJJcfJion of her entire Rights in the moft Priwiti've and Pious Times^ never praBifed in Gonfequence of fuch an imaginary Power : No, this Mujhrocm-pojver was referved for thefe latter Jn~ tichrijiian Ages of the World^ for the Locufts, the Spawn and Scum of the bottomlef^ Pit, the Munfiers, the Kmfferdolings, the Sme6lym7juans, and the reft of that hfernalBlack'guard o( nhomincLh\e SeBaries ^that are Scandals oi Chrijiiartity and thziv fpurious Ojf spring, 'Twas thsy that firlt broke the Ice^ that fet up Altar againft Altar, feparated themfelves from the Church, Ufurpt the to7ver of the Keys, broke down the true ApoHolich i ifcipline of the Churchy Invaded the Prieft'hood, and took upon them to confer and propagate that Authority they never had received, that oi Ordina- tion ; and when once they began to do fo^ all that had any Senfe of this Violation, did moft juftly con- clude they fiad as much Poiver to do the fame as they, and tho' they were driven to vindicate their Orders they had received from a Church and Commu- nion they had moft unjuftly revolted from, as true and gemdne ; yet Men of equal Senfe with them- felves could eafiiy difcern that in their Ordinations they received no Authority to propagate their Order„ and that any that would, had as much Power to Ordain as they ; and this gave Rife to all the other SeBs we have amongft us at this day. Hence fprung their Rivals the Independants, and fo all the other Se&s they fo much declaimed againft in their Gangre- na, DilJwaftve, their Teflimony to the "Truth of Jefus Chrift, their Vindication of the Presbyterial Government, and diverfe other their Treatifes. Hence the Charge of Antichrijlianifm upon them by the Independants, Antinomians, Anabaptifis, Millenarians, and fakers, d^c. and their Recriminations and Rejoinders upor^ them j and, to fpeak the Truth, they charg'd one I 3 anoth?^ iiB The Anahaptijls Minifiry another juftly, even on both (ides ^ they were all Seel avians y sX\ Antlchrifiian or Antichrifis^ all Enemies and ReSels, and in oppofition to Chrifi's Infiitutions, un\Q(s j/oit can extricate your fd-ves by luch Arguments as you never produc'd yet. This I muft tell you a- gain, if there be but one right ^vay^ if there be but one Churchy if there were Tm thcHfand Millions of SeBs profeffing Chriflianityj they are all in the ivrong, becaufe divided from this one Church. And fo thefe SrM^ymnuans muft come in amongft the reft, and are really wh;]t themfelves call Seclariar.s, and {o freely beftow'd when time was upon all that differed from them. This, all the Se5is v/ere aware of well enough, aiidfo was the Loi^g-Varliament^ and would never Settle, Efiablijli their Pr(rj^jiffc?7, notwithftanding their loud Clamoarsy Vetltions^ Remonjlrances • nay, and plainly raz^d out the Difciflinary part of their new Articles of Religionj being loath to Eftablifli fuch a Novelty y and force a-general Submiflion of all SeSts unto it, who appear'd to them to have as much D/- ^ins Right on their fides at leaft as thefe. They were fenfible it was impoffible aU the then conten- ded for ways could be the one Way, Chrifi's Vv'ay, the Afofiks way, tho' all pretended to Scripture. The new Lights that fprung up every day, diicover'd new ways, and fo may to the End of the World ,• and therefore in fuch an Amufement, thought it moft prudent and fafe to fix upon mne. Yet all equally confident, every one fleading Scripture, all upon the fame Foot, s\\ Saints, all gifted, in^ired, illy.mi- 9jated, calling one another Ajitichrifis, Ir/ifofiors, Falfe- teachers, Wclves in Sheeps-cloathitJg, Seducers; and in their Recriminations, I muft needs fay, they were all in the right, ne^vcv a Barrel better HerriKg, except- ing you, {f you can ^urge your [elves ; becaufe I con-» fefs ingenuoufly, I have been the leaft converfant with your Pcrfons or Writings of any of the fore- mention'd Parties,, having not ever read above fottr or Examined and Difprovd. 119 or five of your Books of any Note amongft you as yet, and therefore will not pofitively conclude any thing concerning you, unlefs upon this Suppofition, That you cannot allege any better | Arguments than I have confuted, and what I may meet with before I finiili this Difcourle. This I thought fit, by way of Reply, to what you allege out of the Scriptures, in Juftification of your External Call to the M'mifiry, in your Confeffion^ but becaufe I have fome Reafon to think, by what I have met with elfewhere. That, upon Occajion, you may infift upon other Topics^ viz. an extraordinary or an immediate Call, I think it will not be improper to confider it likewife before I difmifs this Subjed. In a Book of yours, Intitul'd Perfecution for Religion judg d and condemn dy Printed in the Years 1615", €^1620, and Reprinted 1662, I find that Author thus ajjerting your Minifiry^ by fetting afide wholly the external or outvjard Call ,• which, in your forfeited Confefjton, you feem to infift upon, not urging the internal, ( as Mr. Stennet would have it at prefent underftood ) Nor do they ( faith he ) think it enough for a Man to have fuch Gifts and Accomplijhments as ' are requiHte for that Work, unlefs Stennet'^ An. c 1 1 T> I y~, 71 ■ u • jwf** to Mr. he nave a Regular Call to tt ; that is, Ruflen. p; ^3, ^ External ] ' As it was ( iaith this ^ Author) in the fecond Building of the fpiritual '^ Temple, after the Captivity of Babylon in Chaldea ^ ^ fo according to the True Proportion, it is to be in *" the fecond jBuilding of the fpiritual Babylon. Now ^ this is to be obferv'd in the former. That every; ^ Ifraelite, v/ith whom the Lord was, ' and whofe Spirit the Lord fiirred up, r.'^'^'^rf ^^'t ^ was commanded to go and build, and yg^^^j. c!^^' the Lord v/iil profper them in Rifing pp and Building, the' fome be more excellent in J 4 the lao The A^mhaftifls Minijlry the Bufinefs than others ,• the Beginning of which fpiritual Building is, firft-^ To beget ■Perecuuon for y^^^^ ^^^^ ^ the immortal Seed of Religion }udg- r- ]' \\t j r i- l ,. . edfikc.p.^z. ^ods Word, lo making them hvmg Stones, and thereupon to couple them togei-her a fpiritual Houfe unto God, i Fet. 2. upon the Confeflion of their Faith by Baptifm, as the Scriptures of the New Teflament every where j:each, 0^c. I anfvver, Grant that it was fo as you fay, as to the Building of the material Temple of JerufaUm after the Captivity ; that God touch'd the Heart of Cyrm, whom he had rais'd up for that purpofe, to lay the Foundations of it, &c. Ifa. 44. 'ver, ult. and ftined up the Chief of the Fathers o^Jiuhh and ^enjamm, and the Vriefis and LevlteSj and many oth^rSj Neh. I. 5-. and animated therato go on with this Work by the Prophets Haggai and if ni' lY^' ^^'^^^>'^^^^} ^^^'^ fo fear no Oppofition, "' "" ' ' notwithftanding their prefent Captivi- ty, SuhjeBion to a Foreign Tower ^ and low EJI^ate '^ not- withftanding all the Sorrows, Hardjinps^ Ajfiiclions^ and DifcouragemeNts , they had undergone for feventy Years paft ,• notwithftanding ihe Improbabilities of Sticccj^, IrAtedhpenti, and Difficulties, they might meet with from their Enemies ,• not to be d/fljeartened, but to contribute freely of their Subftance and Pains, aifaring them all lliould end well at the laft. Their tedious Bondage under Heathen Princes, their hard Treatment, and the Meannefs ol their prefent Cir- cumftances, had puU'd down their Spirits, and driv'n fjiem even ro defpair of ever enjoying their Liber- ties, or the free Exercife of their Religion in their Native Cotmiry any niore : Arguments meerly drawn from Tnidence or Hutn^me Rcnfm were too weak to comfort them, or to perfuadc them to this Under- taking ,• nay, joyn'd with the Edi^i of a Gracious fri-^oe who favour'd theqi. Something extraordinary was Esamin'd and Difprovd. ixi was requifite to infufe Courage into them, and to raife their Hopes, therefore God Ahnighty thought fit to this End, to raife up Prophets to affure them of his Favour and Bleffing : For I, faith the Lord, ivill he unto her a WaU of Fire round about, and •will be the Glory in the midH of her. He that toucheth you, touch- eth the Apfle of mine Eye. For, behold, I will jhake mine Hand upon them, and they jioall be a J^oil to their Servants, 5ic. Zech. II. f, 8, 9. Well i we grant 5II this ,• but how will you make good your Infe- rence from it. That becaufe God raifed up extraor- dinary Perfons (Prophets) to ftir up the Hearts of his People the Jews, to go and rebuild his Temple at Jerufalem, who only encourag'd them to do that, v/hich was otherwife their indifpenfable Duty, in their feveral Stations, and in an orderly and regular Way • therefore doth it follow. That God fliall raife up Prophets in an extraordinary Manner under the Gofpel, for the fecond Building ( as you call it ) pf the Spiritual Temple, after the Captivity of fpi- rjtual Babylon ? What Scripure, what Prophecy or Promife for this in the New Teftament ? And where do you read ol the DemoliJhing, Subverjion^ or Interfcijion of the Jpiritual Temple, the Chriltian Church ? And where of its being rebuilt by XJn- haptizjd Perfons ? as this Author faith, p. 42. Might not this Author as well have faid. He would raife up the Sprits of Unconverted Jews or Heathens as well ? Here, in this PalTage cited, God raifed up Prophets to encourage the Rulers, the Priefis, and the Levites, and other Members of the SeguUah, only to do what was their Duty, and a Work they were every way qualify 'd for in their feveral Stations and Degrees, ?Ln^ fo the}' addreft themfelves to the Work, j^uiit the Temple, and erected the Altar, confe- crated them, and kept the Feaft o^ Dedication of this Houfe, d: Speaking of her Minifters, ' Even ib, faith he, have you and I ( God pardon us ) thought, That we were in a good Eftate, having fuch zealous Teachers , that teach fo many excellent Truths under the Title of ChriB's Minivers, till we r.nme to examine them, as the Church of Ephefus did^ i\cv. 2." then ive found than to have no ether Mini^ry^ than that they reccivd from the Beaft and his Image ^ ' which Esamtnd and Difprovd, li^ ^ 'which the Dragon gave , Rev. 13. Verfecut. judg.p 'n^^ * Again, the firft Beginning of the Church of Eng- * land, was made of the Members of the Church ' o^ Rome.' The Baptifm now praclic'd in the ^ Church oi England, is no better, no otherwife than ^ that of Rome.^ 'The Church oiRome baptizeth ^ all the Infants of the moft Wicked, — and fo the ' Church of England, f. 38. And as they are. ^ in their firft Building, fo they are in moft of their Laws, Lords, Law-makers, Courts, and thoufands * of other Abominations.^ The Latter is the ^ very Image of the Firft, unto which whofocver ' fubmitteth , or obeyeth , or maintaineth their ^ Baptifm, or any other of their humane Trafii^ he ^ (hall be tormented in Fire andBrimftone for cver- ^ more, and fliall never have Reft Day nor Night, ^ Rev. 14. And therefore, in God's Fear, caft away * that curfed Action of Wa^:mg, where was neither ^ ChrlH's Difciple admini(ir'mg, nor his Difciple upon * whom it was adminiflred, nor ChriB's Body or Church ' baptizd into, p. 39, In Page 40, he calls the Mi- nifters of the CHlirch oi England, Falfe Prophets^ > . 32. And to that Objedion, ^ We are God's People, for we have the Word and Sacraments, he thus anfwers, — * The Philiftines might better have reafoned, ^ I Sam. 5. who had the true Ark of God among ' them, ( thefe have but a Shew ) We are God's ' People, for we have the Ark and Holy Oracles ^ amongft us, ibid. —- He tells us again, that none of the Church of E^iglanis Minifters would be allow'd to preach if they receiv'd not their Pow- < er- —-from thofa the Dragon fsnds, and there- ^ fore none can receive Truths from them, but they I receive the Devil by whofe Tower they teach ; for, as * our 114 The Attahaptijls Mini/lry our Saviour faith^ Mat. lo. 40. He that recehetb yott, receiveth me ^ and receivetb him that fent me : So he that receiveth thofe the Beaft fends receiveth the Beaft ,♦ and he that receiveth the Beaft, receiveth him that fent him, that is, the Devil. Verfecution juJgd end condemn dj Fage 22. But to conclude this fhort Colledion, he quotes Mr. de Clufe Adv. f. 9. thus, ^ yet hath ( ac- cording to Truth) confefs'd in Writing, That * there is nothing to be expeded from Chrift by * any Member of the Church of England, but a * pouring out of his eternal Wrath upon them^ p. 76. fee f. 35'. See now the Opinion o\ this Author^of your Communion, of Thofe from whom he difiers, and particularly and efpe^ially thofe of the Church o^ England ^n^ Rome no hziiQ'[ th^n Reprobates, and pofitively denies Salvation to be had in either Com- munion', and however Mr. Stennet, and fome others, may glo^ and 'vamiJJj over the Bufinefs, this, I am credibly infftfm'd, is a prevailing Opinion of many of your Coinmunioit, and frequently averr'd by fome of your freachers, and one of your (lifted Brethren has acknowledg'd as much even to me, and I can, and {hall produce (as Occallon iliall require it) more Paifages of the like Nature out of your own Books'- And thus you damn all the Churches in the World and alTert only your own Party alone, to be the One Holy Catholic and ApoftoUc Church, excluHve of all other Denominations of Chriftians, And now lee me propound unto you a few Que- jftions again, which indeed you may take (if you pleafe ) as Anfwcrs to him and you: Do not you fet up here an unfcriptural Notion, even againft Chrifl's own Promifi, in fuppofing the Failure of the ovhole Church oi: Chrijl, and his Minijlry he had fctled in it, of his Confervation and Vrotcclion of it, and con- fequently of his Ceafing to be the Head of the Church too ? expredy contrary to that of pur Bleiled Lord, Mat, Esamind and Difprovd. iz^ Mat. 1 6. Upon this Rock will I hulld my Churchy and the Gates of Hell jhaJl not pre'uail againfi it ; and that of Mattbe-w the laft Chapter, 'ver. 20. And Lo I am v^itb you always J even unto the End of the World. Can you produce any Texts, out of the Gol])cl or Revelations, to contradid this ? Can you allege any exprej^ Texts, or by Logical Reafoning infer from them. That all * the Churches in the World, that are not of your Communion , to be the Mjjiical Babylon mention'd * ^^.^^^^ ^^^^ .^. ^.^^^^^ in the Rc'velationSy the ipi- jam e[je completum quod Dofni- ritual Sodomites, and e^- nus ait,pra:dicariin Nomine ejus Zyptians. and Antichriftian Po^nitentiam (s' Remiffionent in the Senfe there mentl- jricipientibus ab Hierufalem, oned ? Can you prove (Luc.y.x.xyiiv.) fed pofleacce- yourfelves, or your Pre- teris deficiemibus, (ohm Chri^ deceffors, to be the very fio Africa^nrem^nMe, cirm ai^ Trr. m ' >j ^u hue imtlsndim jit^ nondum jm- Witnejfes mention d there, pUtum -, cum (^ impUtum fuerit, veniet Finis : Sic enimVominus Att^ Mut. xxiv. xlv. f^ioraodo ergo cum adimpleia ejfet Fides omnium Gentium^ tunc perditio Gentium^ excepta Africa^ confscuta eft ? ^lan- de^uidem ipfx Fides omnium Gentium nondurn irnpUta. efi. Mifi forte hoe rejiai Hominum Jnjania, ut dicant non ex illis EcclefiU, quce fnndita funt per Apoflolorum Ubores, adimpleri pradicationem Evangelii in tmnibus Gentibus.^ fed illis pereu^tibus earum Reparationem ex A- phrica futuram per partem donati, Sc refiduarum Gentium ac- quifitionem. Puto qiiod ipfl rideant cum hoc audiunt, & txmen nifi hoc dicant, quod erubefcimt ft dicant-, non habent mnnino quod dicanr. Sed quid ai nos ? Hemini inz'idemus, legant nobis hoc de Scripturis finSiis, <3' creJimus. lUc inquum, vobis ex Canone divinorum li- brorum legant^ tot Civitates, qua ufque ad kodiernum dism Baptif- mum per Apojiolos fibi confignatum tenuerunt., propter Aphrorum fibi incognita Crimiha periiffe a. Fide Chrifti, & denuo Baptizandos effe a, parte donati, stque inJe cceteris Gentibus, quit nondura audierunty pradicandum Evangelium. Hoc nobis legant. ^dd morantur ^ t^id tergiverfantur ? ^id impediunt Salutem Gentium ? Le- gant hoc-y (3" cum ip[a Ledione novos Apoftolos mittant ad toe Gentes Rebaptizandas. Aug. de Unit, Eccl. Cap. xvii. I wifii thole ol- the Anabaptifls that are able, would confider well this PafTage, and apply it to themfelves, who boaft themfelves to be the fole Chiirch, and Succe(fors of the Apoflles. and t%6 The Anahaptifls Miniftry and the FoUo-ivers of the Latnh, by any expreJS Texts or Genuine Dedudlions ? This is but y«/?, according to your own way o{ arguing^ and your pojitive Di^ Bates and Ajfertrnts, without any manner of Froof^ or even jhadov^ of Reafon, and of as great Impor- tance as the Cafe of Infant- Baptifm, and therefore fhall not court you to it^ but demand it of you, and you are in honour and confcience oblig'd to anfwer it; and it importeth you as much as your Salvation it- felF, or you are in danger of having the Tahks turnd upon you : -Prove then, if you can, that this Ags we live in, and that immediately preceding^ comes within limited time for the Apojlolical Reign of the BeaFt, the Dragon, the IVhore, AntichriB, and This C^«rc:i6 in particular, under which you have, and at prefent live, to be a Branch o[ Antichrist's, and the Beafi's Kingdom. Prove her Dodhines and Worjlnp, An- tichrifiian and Idolatrous, and her Martyrs, obftinate, deluded Fools, and juftly pmijh'd for being Rebels, if you can, and to have died in a wroitg Caufe. Prove thele things firft, and t\\Qn draiv your Confequences^ for fear you puMiJh your felves to be falfe Prophets^ Deceivers, Hypocrites and Liars [Forgers of Herefies and damnable Doctrines] as well as Slanderers, fuch as faall be for ever lliuc out of the New Jerufiilem, becaufe never Regifter'd in the Lamb's Book ofLife^ RSV, 21. ult. But jitppojing the Cafe even fuch as you, as vaiftly, weakly, as Tvickedly and maliciouJJy, and even hlajphe" 7nQiiJly, v/ould make it, which yet is impoflible as to the vjhok Church • Vi'hat have you to do uncalld, un- fent, unhapiiz/d (as the Author ftates the Cafe, fup- pofing a general Defc^ion and Apofiacy, and Bap- tifm Adminiftred by Sodo?»ites, Egyptians, die. inva- lid) to take upon you to Teach, Convert, Baptiz,et Can you Hievv any Warrant out of the Neiv Tefia^ ■ment tor this your Undertaking ? May not that be retorted upon you, which this your Author replies to Esamind and Difprevd, 127 to thofe Minifiers of the Church oi England, who de- rived their Orders iiom luch as were formerly in . Communion with the Church of Rome I ^ What ha've * Antichriji's Minifiers to do to take God's Word in their ' Mouths, or to declare his Ordinances, feeing they hate ' to be reformed, and ha-ve cafi God's Word behind their * Backs, Pfal. yo. 16. If you cannot prove your felves to be ftirred up by the Spirit of God, then pray hy what Spirit^ Then what have you to do in this matter Ay, but you find your felves ftrongly wov'd and pujh'd on by the Spirit of God to proclaim War, and bear Tefiimony againft this fpiritual Sodom, Babylon, Egypt, Antichrifl, the great Whore, the Dragon^ the BeaH, Idolaters, Unbaptizd, Uncir- cumcisd Fhilijlines. The Spirit within you com- mands you to go Teach all Nations, to Convert, to Baptiz,e, &c. Your Heart waxes hot within you, the Fire is kindled, and now behold your Zeal for the Spiritual Temple of the Lord, Come out of Baby- lon my People, that ye he not Partakers of her Sins, and that ye receive not of her Plagues, Rev. 18. 4. But ftay a little, my Friends, not too hafty I you find a ftrong Impulfe upon your Spirits, your Zeal is up ,• you find your felves extraordinarily mov'd, and to work you muft go, or "wo unto you if yoU don't Preach the Gofpel, and Rebuild the Spiritual Temple, &c. But what Texts do you find to au- thorize this Undertaking of yours ? Of you, who have no ordinary or outward Calling to Preach, &c. Is it faid any where in all the New Teftament, that the Spirit of God would put this work into the Hands q{ private Perfcns, Unbaptiz!d not atlual Mem- hers of Chrifi by Baptifm, that are not Chrijlians ? Pray prove this if you can. But you are extraordi- . narily called by God and not by Men, Cnow we come clofe to the Point) tho' Unbaptizd, and have no outward Cull. [Unbaptiz'd, I mean with refpeit to your fiift .ftarting up.] But how do.j^ou prove this ii8 The Anahaptijls Minifity this your Mlfjionj by what outward Evidences^ ^tgns] or Tokens of extraordinary immediate Vocation ? How do you make this appear to others ? This is abfo- lutcly neceffary that others fliould have Grounds to believe this your Vocation or Miffion ; or in the firH place, they are under no Obligation to receive or hear you ; nor fecondly, do they fin by reje^ing^ op- fofing yoUj (topping your Mouths ^dZCSLuio, v;ithout mani' feH Proof, and viftbk, fenfthle Demonflration, they cannot diftinguifh you from Cheats, Impojiors, Falfe- teachers, as coming in your oivn Name, and not in God's, nor with his Authority and Commiffion* Befides thirdly, there are no Grounds from Scripture, nor no Occafion that we can meet v/ith for any fuch extraordinary Vocation as is pretended, becaufe no pojjibility of a general Failure of the crdltiary Voca- tion as is prefum'd, it being Eftablifii'd upon the Promife and Veracity, and Omnifotency of Chrift him- feif, that no Powers oi' Men, or of Hell it felf, iliall ever be able totally to annul it or aboliili it. Such a Failure as this, would unhlfige Chrifiianity it felf^ and reflect eternal D:jf]onour upon God, and prove ail the Fromifes of the Gofpel to be a meer human In- "oention, and an Impo/lure, and banifli the very Notion oi a. God and Religion out of the World, and fo fub- vert and undermine our common Hope. Then fourthly, there are no fuch Pajfages to be found in the Revelation, that imply fuch ngejicral or total De- feBion from Chrifiianity as you fuppofe, and hath h^zn hinted already ; In what Chapter, in what vcrfs do you find it, as to give any Ground for fuch an extraordivi7ry Vocation of Unhaptizld private Perfons tO the work of Preaching, Con'verting or Baptiz^ing, but the direct contrary : The very PalTage fo much in the Mouths of you, and many others of the 6"^^^- ries and EnthafiaHs^ Ccme out of her, my People y that ye he not partakers of her Sins, and that ye recei've net of ktr Plagues j feems to cojitradi^ your mo^ Jj>ecious and wcmm" Esamtnd and Difprovd, i^p Inomentous Pretences. My People, this fuppofes ^ People of God already in being, fa People by Ap" propriationsj a People in aBml Covenant with God* God being their God by Afprofriatlon, a Cbofen and Ele5i People, a Segullah, a Royal Prieffboodj Kings and VrieHsj Rev; i. 6i a Holy Nation, Exod. 19. 6. I Pet: 2.^. See Rom, 5-. 10. Even a Church, a Spi- ritual Temple) before their being called out, even in this Mjfiical Babylcn you fo loudly enveigh a- gainft .• If fo, then it follows, if a People of God, that is. Members of Chrift, it muft be by Compact: or Covenant, for none can ftri(aiy be termed God's People, but fuch as are in a^ual Covenajtt with him ; and if in Covenant j then it follows by fome oufward Sign, (for we read of no Covenant between God and his People jvithout) then under this laft and GojfeU DiJ^enfztionj by what Sign but that of Baptifm, we read of no other under the Gofpel i and it by Bap- tifin, then by fuch as had Power to Baptiz,e ; but We read of none but fuch as were calfd to the Afiwi- /7, that have this Power under the Gofpel - then if by Mimfters externally call'dj (for we know of no others fince the Apojlolical Age ,') and if fo, then it's evident here's a Minijlry, ^nd a. lawful one too, even in the worft Times ol: AnticJsriftianifm, fuch a Minifiry as is own'd even by ChriH himfelf, when the Sons of Babylon were at the very heigth, when the Cup of her Abominations were brim-full, and when Babylon was ripe for Judgment, even juft be- fore her Downfal. If this Dedu^ion will hold good, as I fear not but it will, even this will follow too, for all yau can fay to the contrary, that cs'cnhfant Baptifm muft be lawful, and according to the Will and Inftitution of Cbrift himfelf Suppofe the Uni- sedsiXPrevakncy oi Antichrifiianifm in your Notion ac what Period you pleafe to fix for it ,• by your own Confelfion and Acknowledgement, this Pedolf^tijm was patch'd by AntichriB^ and that for many Ages, aad under Antichrijfs Reign generally pra<5tis"d, K and i^o The Anahaptifts Mimflry find yet here were God^s Teofk and Saitits whp were Bapiz,ed in their Infancy, and thefe caUd out of Bahy- Ion, and refcu'd from her Judgments. Fifthly, Then here's no Colour, not the leaft tittle and fliadow of A Pretence for your immediate or extraordinary Voca- tion ', God in his Providence is not wont to exert himfelf in an extraordinary manner, or make ufe of extraordinary Means, but when the Ordinary fail, or are infufficient to his Purpofes and Defigns ,• efpecial- iy if we confider and remember, that notwithftand* ing all the Efforts of AntichriH, and Perfecutions a- gainff, and Vrevalency over the Church ,• yet after all, in the Revelations it plainly appears that God freferved the Church ftill, and the Deftrudion of Babylon was to be for the Refcue and Deliverance of Chrifi's Church and Chofen. What occafion then for this your extraordinary Vocation, fmce here's a Churchy and Minifiers, and Saints, and Ordinances ? Is it not more natural andfeafb^e to conceive that Chriff would rather /?ir up the Sprits of Perfons by their Vocation and FunSlioM, adapted for the great Work of Convert- ting the Jews and the Unbelieving JVorld, and for the Fr:p. gating the Gojpel, than employ Perfons extraordi- narily call'd) efpecially fmce there's no Promife or Prophecy to encourage or countef^ance fuch a Notion ? But, fixthly, (ince you have fet up for extraordinary Miniiiers in this latter Age of the JVorld, and thereby v^^o\AAhQreceivd&i\.\\Qo\\\y true Minifters o[ Chrilf now in the World ,• 'tis but ' * Cupio oftendant rnihi ex reafonable you fhould exhi- qua aiithoritate prcdiermt. Si bit and produce * your Cre- alhiru Veiim predicant, quomo- do ejus Dei rebm iST Uteris (^ nominibus utantiir , aJverfus qimi prczdlcmt i' Si eunhin, quomoda aliter alier ? Fnbent fe novos ' ^poflolos £jfe ; dicar.t Chrrftwm jterum dejcendilJ}, itenm ipjum docu^\ ifl'ey itemm Cnicifixum^ iterum tnonuum^ itevum rejufcitatum : fie eni'/H, Apojlolos [det facevey dare illis pvaiterea, virtutem eadera figna e- edendi^ ciux (IT ipfe. F'olo igitur i^ viytutes eorum proferre, nlfi quod agncfco maximum viytutsm eorum, qua Apoftoloi in perverfum amiilan- jur. llli enim de rnonuis vivos faciebantj ijfi de vivis mortuos faciunt TmuU. de Fi-x{cK Cap. xxx. dentials : Examined and Dlfprcv^d. ijj flentiats : Extraordinary Minifiers (Kould give cxtraor^ dinar y Evidence i of their Ccm:mJJion and Aut/jority, Chriff infiituted an ordinary (landing Miniftry ^ or PrieB'bood in his Church, and hath promifed to Sup- port it till his fecond Co?.ving. You lay it hath faitd long fince, and none hut your felves are the Mini- fters ofChrift, ?.^id have put the Church tind GcJ^el- Minijiry upon a new Foot. Pray, prove unto usj either that we ought to take your bare word for it, or ^levj us your CcimmjJiQn. Under the Law, every Prophet (for a Prophet in the firi^ Notion, was al- ways look'd upon as a Minifier of God, extraordinari-- ly, or ijnmediately call d, and fent) was cblig'd h^ fome Sign, to give Tefiimcny ci his MiJJion, or to be look'd upon as a wicked Jwpofior, give fome extraor- dinary S'gn , or Q*'(?ry^ fome AUracle, or he was to be ^«f ftf death ; So De«f. i8. 20. But the Frophet which Jliall pre fame to (peak a 7vord in my Name, "ivhich I have not commanded him to [peak ; or that JJjallfpeak in the Name of other Gcds, even that Frophet JliaU die : And if thou Jhalt fay in thy heart, Hnv fiall ive knew the ivord 'which the Lord hath not Jfoken ? When a Frophet fpeak" eth in the Name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pafs, that is the thing -which the Lord hath not J^oken, hut the Frophet hath fpoken it frefumptuoujly^ Thou jlialt not he afraid of him. So that from this Paf- fage, we may obferve two Notes to know the falfe Frophet s by. (1.) If they te^ch new DoBrines con^ trary to the Faith already deliver d or ejiahlijlid by God, or new Ohjetls of fVorJlnp. Or (2.) Forctel fuch Things as never are accomplip/d, or come to paj^, ac- cording to that oi Jeremiah i The Frophet, ^hich fro- phccieth of Peace, when the word of the Frophet jlnill come to pafs, then JIhill the Frophet he hno'Wn that the Lard ha*h truly ftnt him, Chap. 28. 9. But more particularly. There are divers other Texts in the H. Scripture^ from whence we may make good our Affertion, That extraordinary Mbiifiers or Prophets, WQrQ oblig'd K 2 to i^i The Anahaptifts Miniftry to give Prcc/ of their Mijjion by fome Signs or other, either by ivorhing Miracles, Perdition of things to comej or by reveallvg fome fecret thirg out of the -way o^ human Knotvledge. Thus for inltance, Mofes was afraid to deliver the Mejjage of God (alcho' he appear'd unto him in an extraordinary manner, Exod. g. 4. O'c.) unto Pharaoh, Behold they will not believe tne, nor hearken unto my Voice, for they "will fay, the Lord hath not appear'd unto thee, Exod. 4. i. And ac- cordingly God gave him the Poiver to work Miracles, Exod. 4. So prefently after, Jofljua his Succejjor, had receiv'd his Charge from God, he magnified him in the fight of all Ifrael, that they might know that God was with him, as he was with Mofes ; and this was ma- nifefted by the miraculous dividing^ or parting of the - Waters o\^ Jordan ; as afterwards, by the falling down of the If'^alls of Jerircho, Jofli. Chap. 6. By the Sun Andi Moon fianding fiill at the TVord of JoihmL, Chap. 10. 12. So we find Samuel's Vocation to be a Prophet, confirm' d by his foretelling the Defiru^ion of £/ie's Hcufe, I Sam. 3. 18. And in the i<^th, it's faid. That Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall m2to the ground- and that [by this] all Ifrael, from Dan, even to Beerjheha, knew that 6"^- muel was efiahlijh'd to be a Prophet of the Lord, ver. 19, 20. Again, Samuel prayed, and offered Sacrifice unto the Lord ; upon which, the Ifraelites obtained a fignal Vidiory over the Philift^ines, Chap. 7. See other /«- (lances likewife in Elijah and Elipia, Ifaiah, ScC. but thefe are enough to prove that the Prophets always gave Teflimony of their Mijfion from God, by fome extraordinary, nay, fenfible Signs ,• and accordingly we find, the Jews demanded Signs oi our Saviour to atteft his Mijfion, Matth. 12. 38. 16. i. Mark 8. 11. John 16. 30. See i Cor. i. 22. And our Saviour himfelf appealeth to the Works he did, as the /Wi- (put able Signs i'^ Divine Mijfion, viz,. His Miracles. Now this Demand of ihs Pharifees to our Saviour, ihews Examind and Difprov'J. 12 2 (hews beyond even contradiBion, that th€ Je-ws were wonc to require fomewbat extraordinary from the TrO' fhets^ to frove and 'iji.'tv\atlon, by Introducing jxeii/ DoH'flnes, new Fandamentcls, a new Mlnlftry, the}'' are obliged to exhibit, or bring new Credentkls to af- Jert thciv Allljlon, and ro "jouch ihdiv DoBrlnc i nay, "and as tao Mlrack:^ or our Saviour, bringing in ^ more gmclons and a r^chJcr D'j^eiifatlon, far furpaf- fed thofe o^^ Mofes (as might be made out by many Plfcrlrolnatlons, and winch you will not difpute^ and therefore unnecefiary to be inflfted on here) \o by parity oi~ Reafon, ihey are oblig'd not only to do fuch Workc as never f\Lin did. nay, greater than ev?r were donii Exawiffd and D if prove!. i^^ done by oiir Bleffed Saviour himfelf, otherwife they defer'^c no Credit^ and ought to be rcjcHed as Jm~ fofiors, and the new DoBrlnes they Treacb as Lies^ and ib liable to Eternal Vengeance^ as undoubtedly all falfe Prophets are under the Gofpel^as hath been /hewn already in this Difcourfe. But once more, tho' Miracles under the former Dijpenfations were necejfary, and under the latter^ but for a time (efpecially at the beginning) till the Faith (hould be fufficiently confirmed by them, (and the M'ljfion of its Vromulgers thereby afcertainedj and afford all reafonahle and un^- derfianding Men, fufficient occafion to embrace it, and yield up themfelves unto it upon that account^ by giving them all poflible Satisfadion as to thofe matters of FaB, which could leave no place for /«- credulity : But HOW I muft tell you, tho' you had the Power even of working Miratks, we are moft preffingly cautioned againft you. Your teaching new DoBrines, and Pretences to an extraordinary Vocati- on with truly diicerning and ferious Perfons, would render you but the mors fufpicious ^ If a Prophet jimll give you a Sign, or Wonder, and it come to fafs, if it be to tempt, to follow firange Gods,wQ are not to hearken to fuch, Deut, 15. 1,2. Our Saviour forewarns us. That in the laft Days falfe Prophets PiaJl arife that jlialljhcvj great Signs and Wonders, infowuch, that if it were fojjible, they JJwuld deceive even the very EkBy Matth. 24. 24. And the Jlpoflk {^lith. That the com- ing of the Man of Sin, Jhould be "after the ii^orking of Sa- tan 7vith' all Power and Signs, and lying Wonders, zTheff, 2. 9. So that from thefe Scriptures, all the Faithful are plainly and exprefly fore-warnd and caution d a- ga^infl: all the Vretenders to an extraordinary Gall and MiJJion, the very J^rift and Importance of them is for this very end, to fecme all the Faithful from the Delu- fions of fuch Deceivers ; implying, that the end of thefe Signs and lying Wonders, by the wily Contrivances of Satan J ?ire £0 give Countenance to their pretended; 1^6 The Analapt'tjls Mitiijlry M'tfjions and falfc DoBrlnes, and both at once, there being no other Reafons aflignable for them. Ths very fetting up an cxtraonlirarj Mijjion after the Jfo- files timBj let it be in what Age it will^ proves if felf to be a Satankal Delufion, there being no Inftan- ces producible of this kind after the Canon o^ Scrip ure was fix'd. They took care in their own Times, in all places where they planted the Gojpel for an Ordina- ry Mini(try and Succeffion, and fo left it to the Blef- fing and Protediion o^ChriH, there being no farther Ufe for the Extraordinary. And hence the Apoftle fiiarply reproves the GaUtians for forfaking the true Go^el, and embracing a new one, preach'd unto them by Deceivers^ who gave out they had an extra- ordinary Call or Miffton, and boafted of their immedi- ate Gifi^, and afiumed unto themfelves a greater At^hority than St. Raul's. To this purpofe, we read thefe falfe Apojlks and Seducers, to lucceed the more effedually with thefe GaUtians, oppofed unto him the Traifice of fome other Apfiks, in conniving ac the ufe of legal Ceremonies^ Chap. 2, 6, in order to reduce them to legal Ohfcr'vances, feq Chap, 4. 17,- Chap. 6. i^. v^ith the Oxf. Paraph- But amongft thefe, there's one particularly aim'd at by the Apo- ftle, Chap. J. IQ. ' But be that trcuhkth you fiall kear his Judgment, who ever he be. It flcms to have ' been one Verfort cLiefly that endeavour d to [educe them^ * V'ho, as feme fay, was Cerinthus, who liv'd in the A- ' pofiles times- and taught very many Her ejies like the ^ Gnojiicks, but particularly ^ that Chrift was meer Man^ ^ that Circumcijitn was of force, that the RefurreHion ^ was to be in the f For Id, and to brgin at ycrufalem • ^ where the Saints 71'cre to live 1000 years in all f^o- * luptuoufntj^ and Senfuality, af^er which ptanner himfclf ^ was alfo noted to have lived ^ which might give occafion '^ to t^is Apo/lle here to ivrite fo Jharply againfi thofe Sins, ^ &C. Chap. 60 15. to take notice, that even thefe falfe I Dehors ^id not even live Rellgicufly according to thr Examtn'd and Difprov'd. 137 * Law it felfj Oxf. Annot. What is faid here of Cerinthus, might, I queftion not) with as equal Pro- bability, be apply'd to that Trimogenitus Satana ; Hrft-born of Satan, Simon Magus, if we compare this 17th verfe with Chap. i. ver. 6, 7. I marvel that ye are fo foon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Chrifi unto another Gofpel. But there are fome that trouble you, and would pervert the Gojpel of Chrifi. And that which feems to confirm it, is, that this Simon Magus did not only endeavour to introduce a new Golpd, but to give himfelf out to be the Ko'^k-, Ego fum Sermo Vei, ego fim the TVord of God, and fo Spemfus, ego Paraclftus, ego nretended to an extraordi- ^"'"'Po^''''^ ^^^ '""/"^ ^^«f > pretenaea to anexiraorat- j^-^..^^^ comment, ad cap. xxiv nary Mijfion, luch as Chrtfi Mat. apud Grab, fpicileg. Ptetr'^ himfelfmofttrulyaverr'd, i^ec i. p. 307. nay, and wrote Books un- der the Name of ChriH and his Difcipks^ which is e- quivalent to the Publijlmg a new Gojpel, becaufe in thefe. He and his Partner Cleobias wrote contrary and in dired Oppofition to Chriffs and his Apo- files DoBrlnes; and befides, we read in the ApofioUcal 0/ A^ 077 Tne). 'S.ifxSvct )g Conp-itutions, that he wrote ^^^''^^y^\i^{^ awri^arni /3/£- pretended Confutations of ^^^^ ^ me^^ifHSv I/, the Creation, Prophets, A- ttitd-niv vfjtZvt 'r^v '^(ptMiM- foftks, &c. as we are told -^p Xex'^v )d, «(a£{ he 6xf. Paraph. & Annotat. on the Place. But [II.] Thefe Seducers to wlife and render St. VauVs Autho- rity contemptible here among the Galatians, by urg- ing that his Authority was inferiour to That of the reft of the Apofiles, that he had been a Ferfecutor of that Religion he nov^ profeft, and was not one of thofe who had company d with them all the Time that the Lord Jefus went in and out amongft them, AU:s i. ver. 21. had never feen Jefus in the FleHi, nor heard him before his Afcen/ion, but receiv'd the Gojpely and his Cow- mifion to preach it, from Themj and therefore fubjeSi to them ; and that what he atfled contrary to their Pradlice was only his own prl'vate Fancy and Judg-' Tnent, and upon that Account not to be regarded or heeded. To this St. Vaul anfwers at large moft con- vincingly, That as he had not recei'vd the Gojpel from Mans hfiru^ion, but by immediate Revelation, Chap.i. ver. II. 12. fo iikewife his Cemmijfion for thQApofik- pup^ was not of Mens Election, but by Jefus Chrijf, ver. I. and 16. and fo in confequence of this, no ways fuhjcB v.n:o the other Apcfiks, or inferiour to them, having as immediate a Call as any of them, ef^jUal to any of them, not a whit behind even the very chiefeB of the Apofiles, 2 Gor. 11, 5". And to convince thefe Galatians and falfe Teachers, that he was no way* fakje^ CO the reft otthcApofihjOV obligdin all things CO 140 The Anal apt tfis Miniflry to take measures from them^be adds^That after he was €aU\l to the Jpofilejhip by Christ himfblf, receiv'd his Mijfion and Bapijm, He did not prefently go di- rectly to the Afoftles to Jerufalew, but went into Arabia, Tr caching the Gojpel, and doing the Office of an Afofile, Gal. Chap i. 'vcr. 17. and did not^o uf to Jerujalem, where the Afoftles were chiefly Refidenty till three Tears after his Converfioriy ver. 18. to fee and be ac(\uainted with Pef^r, and then was fourteen Tears before he went to Jerufakm again ; but the Apofiles, altho' t\iQ falfe Brethren and Seducers had made a great Noife about him for preaching down the Obfervance of Lfff^?/ Ceremonies J had nothing to o/'je^ againft him, nor fw//^ find any fault with his Dothine or PraS}ice, Chap. 2. But when they fully underftcod that the Apofilejlnp of the Gentiles was alloted to him, they €VJn dWim immediately, unAgave him the Right-Hand cf Fellowjhipj ver. 7, 8, 9. And as a farther Demon' Juration that he was no way fubjecl or inferiour to them, He tells the GaLtians, ihat he reprehended Teter h\m(Q\f public kly at Antioch ,• arui befides he was ib far from being infiruBed by the Apofiles^ even the Chief oithem, whofe Authority t\\Q falfe Teachers infi- nuated to be onjer him to the Galatians, that he tells ther.i again. But of thofe \_thatjs, Apofiks'] who jeem'd to be \^ and really 'ivere~\ fomewhat [more than ordinary Mlnijiers of ChriH,'] whatfoever they were I] as to external Advantages, Apofiks before me, hailing convers'd ivith the Lord, heard the Gofpel from his Lips, feen his Miracles, Slc.^ it maketh no matter to me [^that I jhould alter my DoBrine or PraSlice ;'] God ac- cepterh no Man's Perfon^ nor [befioweth greater Grace for the e^tternal Prerogatives upon them, nor left upon me that want them ^ ] for they who feem'd to be iomewhat in [that] Conference, [concerning that Con-- troverjic, ] addech nothing tp me. [more than I kneiv hefore, either by their Infiru^lion^ Authority, or Oppcfition, to make mt change my Opmio-nf]^ Qxf Varaph. on thej ' Place, Esamtnd an J Difprovd. 141 Place, but contrariwife acknowkgeth him for the Apo- file of the Uncircumcifton, &c. Thus much I thought neceffary to reprefcnt the Artifice of thefe darnnablt Seducers J to rm do-wn this Apofile by way of Confront- ing him with the contrary Vraiiice and Authority of the other Apofiles ; tho' 'tis not to be doubted, but Simon Magus, and other falfe Apofiles, endeavour'd every where what they could to oppofe and beat down the Apofilejhip it felf, tho* an extraordinary Authority, and immediately from Chrip hintfelf, even by ajjuming to themfelves a more exraordinary one, by pretending to a new GoJ^el^ and new Miracles, new Signs and Wonders to atteft it, corroborate and efiablijli it. To this purpofe Simon Magus is recorded by Ecclejiafiical Writers of great Anti<^uity and Veracity, to impofe ex- ceedingly upon the Veo^k by many firiinge Feats he did, or Miracles, with divers of his Fottoivers, and particularly one Marcus, as we find in Iraneus, info- much that Monuments were ereBed to Simon Magus by the Heathen Romans themfelves, as unto a God, and Multitudes drau^n from the F/6 by them. To the fame Purpofe, and with refped undoubtedly to Him, or fome of his Follcrwers, or fuch like, the Apo- file refers, Gal. 5. 3. O foolijJ} Galatians, who hath be- witched you^ [by Sorcery, Enchantment, lying Won- ders, and ftupendious Feats caft a mift before your Eyes, bereft you of your Underflandings, formerly Illuminated by Faith, the Operation of the Holy Spirit, and confirmed and eiiablijh'd by real Miracles wrought by the trut Preachers of the Gojpel, for this Word 'ECei, and Judgment given upon the King and Kingdom ^ True and Righ' teous are his yudgments. Rev. 19. 2. (^.) The High Court of Jufiice^ which was Ereded in the Year 1648, before which the laH of our Kings had his Tryal and Sentence, was no other than the Throne of God mention'd in Dan. 7. 9, 10. I do nof confine the Thrones in Daniel, and the fitting of the Antient of Days, unto England • For I know the Lord will have his Thrones fpeedily {tt up in other Kingdoms, as France^ Spain, Denmark, &c. as he proceeded here, (o he will do there, Judica- tory againft Kings ^nd Kingdoms. But to the Point in hand, what was done by the Parliament and High Court o^Jufiice, in taking away the King, and changing (\n part) the Form of Government, was no other than a. fulfilling of thut Prophecy in, Daniel. Not that our States-men thought fo, or fo intended, but God did put it in their Hearts to fulfil his Will, that ;c fiiould be fo. And whereas this thing, not being before heard of, pofiibly will be flighted ^ therefore for Prevention, I lliall let the Reader know my Reafons for it. (i.) It was given by the Angel unto Daniel, that the Conti- nuance of the Ten Horns or Kingdoms, after their Rife and Appearing, fhould be only 1260 Years, until the Thrones -i^ ere fet. In the Year 1648, that Term expired, for againft the EngUflj Horn, the Antient of Days came, and gave Judgment ; So that it muft neceffarily follow, in the Year ; 8 8, the JSjrJtains became one of the Herns, &c. (2.) From accommodating the Years, let us confider the Wor^ and Thrones : For the Work, firft, it is true, in all Ages before this. Kings have been De- pos'd, Imprifon'd, put to Death, ('p. 14J but it was rather Man's fitting on the Throne, than the Antient of Dnys, for what they did, was only cut- ting of one Horn or Tyrant, and fetting another ' "PI Examtnd and Difprovd, i^i ' up ; whereaSj Root and Branch was here taken ^ away : And this is the poper Work of Thrones ^ to ^ change the Times and Sealbns, diffolve Founda- ^ tions, and remove former Pillars ,* I fay, abfo- ^ lutely, and utterly to break in pieces and confume " the Ten Horns or Kingdoms, their places muft ' not be found any more upon Earth, but sl New Form of Government is to be conftituted ifld fet up. (5 J The Antient of Days hath fet up his Throne in England, I am farther confirm'd, by the Happy Dijfohtion of the late Varliament ; Really, 1 have wonder d that the Lord ftiould fufFer fuch Men fo long to prophane his Throne^ yufiice and Judgment are the Habit a- Pfal. 89. 14. tion of thy Throne ; Thou JitteH in the plal. 9- 4» Throne doing right , faith David. I know many are in DarkneJS concerning this great Change, and not able to apprehend the tr^te Ground and Caufe thereof, they run, fome into Miftakes, fome into Difcontents, fome into Rage and Fu- ry. For the fatisfying therefore of fuch People, who defire to eye God, and his Hand which is lifted up, I ftiall fhew what is the true Caufe that the Parliament was Diffolved. The Antient of Days, having fet up his Throne amongft us (from which He will fpeak to, and plead with the Nations round about^ was pleafed to honour thofe Men formerly in place, as to admit them to fit upon his Throne ; And, becaufe (like Jehu) they dicj well in executing that which was Right in the Eyes of the Lord, and did unto the Houfe of CHARLES STEWART, All that was in his Heart, the Lord fufFer'd them many years to fit on the Throne of England ; but taking no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Ifrael, but flying upoti the Spoil, and giving Countenance and Encou- ragement to the Sins of Jeroboam ; God at lal^ reje I would have Men confider well before-hand what they do : It's God's own Throne ; and to fpeak comparatively, It is the only Ci'vil Throne he hath novj m the World • by it, He will do mighty and terrft)le Things : And therefore fuch as are not for Chrift, He will lay them afide, one after ano- ther, and fet up fuch as iliall pour out the laft Vi- als quickly upon Monarchs, and the Antichriftian Kingdom. One thing more I fhall add, in Ren;, i6. 10. it is faid. And the Fifth A'igel poured his Vi- al upon the Throne of the Beafi, (the Greek hath it Thro7?ej not Seat) and his Kingdom was full of Dark- nejs. , By the Throne of the BeaB, I underftand the Ten Hornsy that is, the States and Kingdoms of the World, which gave Authority and Power to the BeaH. By DarkneJ?, I do not uuderftand fat lead not chiefly) that which is fpiritual, as in re- ference to their Errors, Superftitions, Idolatries, &c. for fo that Kingdom was full of Darknefs be- fore • but it is meant of Amazement and Diftra- dion, not knowing what to do, nor feeing any vvay how to come out. For Application to the thing in hand, after the Death ot the late King, his Throne and Kingdom perifliing under the Fifth Vial, how were the People then generally at their Wits end? In fuch DarknefS, as they fell one upon another. So upon the Diffolving of this Parliameni (which was fo degenerate as it • look'd Esamin'd and Difprovd. 1^5 look'd more like the Throne of the BeaJf, than God's Throne) what a thick Darkmf is now gone over Men as if an Angel had fmicten them with Blindnefs, as were the Sodomites, And this you muft expetSt ftill along, that as Thrones, States^ To-ivers are broken to pieces, fo Confufion, Di(tra- Bion, and I>^r/^«e/f will ever follow, efpecially a- mong Hypocrites, Ttmefervers , and the Antichrifti'- ans. None of the Wicked jhall underfiand, but the Wife Jhall underfiand, Dan. lo. 12. And therefore for the General, and fuch with him, whom the Lord ufed as feafonable and good Inftruments to DiJJolve the late Parliament, here may they fee a ■ Divine Stamp and CharaBer upon their Work, even ■ God's curfing both it and tkcm, namely, by this ' Darknefs, which is fallen upon the Children of this World. Had the Antichrifiians approv'd it, ^ had thofe (p. 16.) which have enrich'd themfelves ^ (Minifters, and othersj under the late Parlia- ^ ment, appear'd in it, and for it ; had our Judg- ' es and Lawyers cry'd it up, La'w, La-w ; Had the ^ Clergy given Thanks for it: In a word, had the * People thorow the whole Nation, fent in their * Approbation and Confent to it,a Man might very ■^ well have queftion'd the Work, whether it were * of God or no. Bur, confidering upon the Break- * ing of this Throne, what Dai^efs followed in ' PrieB, in People; it is moft evident and clear, that * it was not God's Throne, but Man's rather • and * for this end thrown down, that the Antient of * Days may have his Throne fet up, and he fit a- ^ gain moft glorioufly amongft us. Canne's Voice ' from the Temple to the higher Powers, p. 17. For the Affinity of this Subjed in a great Meafure, I fhall add here, another of your Rabbies Notion, as to Oli'vsr Cromwel, as well grounded as the preceding, ^nd which rtiews his admirable Talent at Prophecy and Interpretation, I mean John Spittkhoufe, in his V- . • • \ Warnins:- 1^4 ^'^^ Analaptifl$ Miniflry Warning- flee e Difchargd, cr Certain Intelligence commu* nicated the Lord General Cromivel, p. 7. He * takes upon him to make good. That our prefent Gns, brought in by Men, what- foever in the Worfliip of God is befides, or con- trary to the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift : All this, whether in England, Scotland, make up this Anti- chriftian Kingdom, as that in Rome. Canne'x Voice from the Temple to the higher Powers, p. 19. But 'tis worthy Obfervation here by the Way, that this infallible Prophet condemns all Churches in the World as Jntichrifiian, except that of the Anabaptifis, as appears in his Epiitle to Colonel Overton, Gover- nour of Hull • the v/holc Paragraph being extraordi- nary, its pity to conceal it, efpecially the Book be- ing now become rare, and (peaking poilibly the Sefife of that Se<5t in ^eneralj an4 what may reaforj- ably Exammd attd Difprovd, i^y ably be expeaed from them, if ever by the juf} Judgment of God they ftiould come into Power ; ' I hope ( faith he ) there will be fhortly fome ef- * fedtual means us'd to remove from the People the * hea'vlefi Burthen^ and foreft Plague * that lies upon them j which is a Ge- *thxtis,iRhtn. < neration of Triefis, that falten the f^lf^^^^^f ' People for the Day of * Slaughter. ^„^ ,,,^^^-^,; ^ For my part, what Intereft I have, upon Babylon, * either with God or Men, I fhall you,t/;finde- ^ endeavour to improve to the utmoft, P^"^^g^V' '^^^^ ' That the Foxes, both the old, and the jy^iHenaries. ' * the young Cubs, which fpoil the Vines * and tke tender Grapes, may be taken. I knovsr ^ People generally, tho' they complain of other ' Oppreffions and Burdens, and would willingly * be eas'd of them, yet here they have no Feeling, ' and therefore they are the more to be pitied, and * the fooner helped, in not apprehending what * is the greateft Mifery they lie under. Thofe who * have lately ibewn fo much good AfFedlion to have * the Gofpel advanc'd in New-England, I hope they * will be far more enlarged in their Bowels for the. ^ Converjton of poor Heathens (fuch they call all but * their own Sck) in our own Land, that the People ^ which fit here in Darknefs may fee a great Light, ' and to them which fit in the Region and Shadow * of Death, Light may fpring up. But to return to our injpired Author, and to come to the Bufinefs, and to draw nearer this -wonderful Light : * Now, faith * he, for the Rife or Beginning of this Antkhrifiian * Kingdom : Firft, as it was obfcure and dark, fo * it had its Beginning in the Year of our Lord 400, * to this add 1260, and it goes to the Year 1660 ; * and here is the Time of the End, concerning the * whole Antichrifiian Kingdom ; for further, and be- * yond th\s Time, I believe it will not extend. I do * not fay. That the Antichrifiian s^ or Members of 'the l58 The Anahaptijls Miniftry the Beafi, fhall perilh now or before, for I hold the contrary. That after their Kingdom is de- * ftroy'd, many of them fliaU remain, and attempt * moil horrible and cruel Anions, but for the State * it felf. That jhall be found no more at all after the * Year 1660. This the Angel calls Kel\ xvit 1- ' ^^^ Judgment of the Great Whore, Why * Judgment ? Becaufe Thrones Jhall be * fety and the Ancient of Days (hall fit; and look, as ^ by a LmWj Kings, and Kingly Power , jljall be cafi * out from the Nations ; fo will the Lord raife up * Men, zealous of his Glory, who {hall publickly * give Judgment againlt Babylon, that it remains for * ever in the Duft. Before I come to fiiew my * Reafons for the Time I have afferted, I fhall com- * mend thefe three things to the Reader ,♦ (i;) How * I underftand that Place, Rev. 10. 2. where the * mighty Angel fets his right foot upon the Sea, and ' his left foot upon the Earth. As by the Angel Ghrift * is meant, fo as he ftands, it is upon the two perfe- ' curing Powers in the World, the Spiritual and ' the Temporal. His right Foot is [*] Mote how they f „.,„ ,^g p] Sea. You know the tall It the Sea of t / - • , n l Rome, the Bijhofs Spiritual Power went ever be- Sea. It feems this ' fore the Temporal ; hence they mtemeFellowrtho € ^^-j ^^ ^ ^^^ j^^^j^ Spiritual, a Prophet and in- t j l r j t- ; a j / • (pi,ed, undeyfteodmt ^nd the Lords Temporal. And hfs the Difference be- ' lift Foot on the Eartb ; that is, OH fmen Sedes, and ' the Kings and Kingdoms of the ivrare j his Sprit c ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Opinion is, Tvas not dcmatntei ( „, , ^ ^ ^ /^u '/f with the Unguage That thele two Powers Chrift ©/f&f Beaft. " * will crufli under his Feet toge- ' thsr, and at one Time. There ^ v/asaTruth in that Saying, No Bijhop no King; * the Event made it true, and well fare si, good Token. * So now, as the Reliques of Monarchy which re- * main yet with us fhall be remov d, fo will the Re- mainers Examine! and Difprovd. i^^ mainers of the Antkhrijilan Kingdom be removed with them, &c. (f. 20.) (2.) Thou art to take notice, That as the Thrones were firft fet up in England to arraign Monarchy y and pluck up by the Root that tyrannical Power which flood in oppofition to Jefus Chrift, and to avenge the Blood of his 5aints upon it, even fo (asfuitable to it) here with us will Begin his great Work ( by the Thrones ) againft the Kingdom of Antichrifi^ for the total Extirpation thereof. For howfoever I faid before, That the Antichriftian State ( as Church, Miniftry, Worfliip, Government) (hall be deftroy'd before the Year 1660, yet I am of opinion, in refped: of England, Scotland, and Ireland, before one half of that Time is expir'd, the fu- pream Authority of this Nation will efFcdually fi- nifii that Work. What Progefs in this Work they will make, who fliall come next in place, I cannot tell ,• biit this I muft tell them. The great Bufinefs "which the Lord hath for the Higher Vo-wers of this Commonwealth now to do, is in order to the fulfilling thofe Prophecies, which relate to the pre- fent Time, (p. 21.) (3.) As Chrift will crufli hoth Powers at once, and thus by the Thrones, fo there will be a [fecial Opening of his Mind unto fome, whereby to know both their Work and Time. As Men formerly have ohjervd Providence, fo in the latter Age they (hall underfiand Prpohecies, and aB in order to them, and to the Ac- complifhment of them. Declare jie among the Nations, and puhlijh, snd fet up a Stand- ^er. J. xx ard, publijh and conceal not, fay, Babylon is taken. The Knowlege of the Time of the End, will be fo clear and certain to SOME Men now SHORTLY IN POWER AND PLAGE, as they will piibUckly declare upon what Account they aB ; na/ife" ly, as being CHOSEN AND CALL'D OF GOD, * CO exQCHte the Vengeance of the Lord upon Baby- hn. i6o The Anahaptijls Miniflry lon^ [that is all without any diftindion, pray mark it, that *are not Anabaptiftical Millenaries.] (p. 22.) ^The firft War (I find) made againft ^^'tr^i : 'fj^^^^^ ^f ^.^^ by the Ann. €hnflians, and by cbrtfiians. Was in the Year 406. the fes Hints, vi^ims About that time, we read of a devoted tc SUugb- * People Caird Donati/^s, {Hell could terby theje fmaifi- c ^^^^^ y^^ ^/,r^^^ a more ivicked ed Cut-throats, and f j 11 1 Ji • r a* n fpiritud butchers, ^^^ *^^°°^y Generation of Monjlerx, ' to parallel tbefe Anahapifis v^ith, ' than tbefe : Ibefeech the Reader y ivho has not read St, Augirftin, Optatus, ^c to read over Mr. Long's Hijiory of the Donatifis^ Jince this ignorant and (hameleJS Fellow is fo wilUng to derive the Pedcgree of his Seel from them) ' who by the Antichriftian Clergy, and others, ' were held Schifmaticks, Hereticks, Blafphemers, ^ &c. and no otherwife proceeded againft, and per- ^ Tecutedj than if they had been indeed moft wick- ' ed People,, &c. (p, 23 J .Againft thefe good ' Men (in whom began the WitnelFes that iliould ' Prophefie a Thoufand two Hundred and Three- fcore Days, cloathed in Sackcloath) Rev. 11.3. [nov.' "we have difcoverd who thtT-wo Witnejfes are. The Anabapti/ls forfooth. Oh rare yack of Leyden^ and KnipperdoliKgj and the^ - reft of that bltj/ed Crue of the Apojlks Succeffors ! J ' warred the little Horn (in his Worihippersj by Ga- ^ nons, Councils^ Imperial Edicts, &c. tothefhed- ' ding o[ much innocent and precious Blood : And ' this was (as I faid before) in the Year 406 ,• to ' which 1260 Years being added, it comes to the ' Year 1666, and to the Number of the tgds. ' Beaft 666. So then, in brief, my Opi- ^ nion is this, As the Antichriftian, State ^ fhall be deftroyed before, or by the Year 1660, '^ and all That fulfilled which is fet down. Rev. 18. ' So, not beyond the Year 1666, fhall the Anti- * chriftians themfelves, and Worfhippers of the ' Beaft, Examin'd and DifprovJ, i5i * Beaftj efcape the Vengeance o^the Lordj (p. 24.) and * of his Temple : Buc either by Repentance from * dead Works [and being Rtbaptiz-edhj thcfe Anabaftifii- ' cal Saints'] come in, and put themfelves under * the Glorious Scepter of Jefus Chrift [fut into the Hands of Oliver Cromwelj or fome fuch a Saint'] ' or ^ c.ift into the Wine-prefs ot the Wrarh of God, and ' fo that fulfilled^ F.ev. 19. And here the Lord * will put an end to all the Troubles or the Gentile * Churches, not to go beyond, or farther %h.xn the ' Year 1666. After that time, they (hall be caii'd * to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and i\ng Alle- ^ lujah, Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, and ' Power unto the Lord God ; Allelujah, for chef * Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. (p. zy.) ' Again, as to the Jevjs, our Prophet hath this * memorable Paflage, he tells us This total De- ^ folation of the Temple, under the Reign o[ Julian ^ Cin which the JewijK Sacrifices were wholly ta- ^ ken away) fell out in the Year 565' ,• to which ' 1290, being added, do make up 16) 5, the time ' defigned for the Riling and Beginningof the Jews after their long Difperfion. (p. 26.) I do not underliand — any general Converfion of the Jews at this time, unto the Faith but only a Rifmg amongfi: them upon a civil Account, to Recover their own Country, (p. 27 J -. ' About this time (namely the Year 165-5', if not ' before, my Opinion is (and grounded, I conceive, * on the Holy Word) that the Tmk, with great ' Forces, will come into Italj ^ at the time of the c endy [hall the King of the South pufh at him, Dan. c II. 40. that is come out againft the Pope, yet fo e as he fhall efFed little or nothing, but fuddenly c depart ; For Tidings out of the EaH, and out of the ( North y fliall trouble him ; that is. News ihall be { brought unto him, of an Infurredlion of the Ji-n's < through all the parts of his Empire^ making head, M ^ form- i6z The Analaptifls Minijlry forming themfelves into a Body, and entring into the Land ofjudea : The firH jhall fay to Sion, Behold.^ behold them, and I -will give to Jtrttfalem One that br'mgeth good Tidings. (lia. 41. 27.) It feems to hold forth the Melfengers of the Jews, which fhall pafs from place to place, with Tidings of their Defigns, and fo bring others in for the fooner and better effeding of it. (p. 27.) Then he adds ' Here by the way take notice. That the Turk having brought his Forces out of AJia and Africa into Italy ^ againft the Chrifiiam^ or rather Antichrifiians : This I take to be the Drying up the River Eu- Rev. 15-. I i. 6 phrates, and' the Waters thereof that SrVi.i'o II ' ^'^^ 7i^ay of the Kings vf the Eaff might ' be prepared. The meaning feems to * be thus. The Power and Strength of the Turks be- ^ ing in Chriftendom, the Jews (improving the * Advantage and Opportunity of the time) will * rife and repair to their own Land, and by a ftrong ' Hand, re-enter and take the Pof- (*) Hence it U ' feffion of it. (*) And this fliall fail They pall tah^e they do, only upon a civil Ac- the Kingdom Dan. ^^^^- Example from other 7. li. and after the -^t- cnr/Liiru -v^i Kingdom Jhaii be Nations, To jhake off the Yoke given them^vtx.zj. ^ o^ Tyrants, and to be a free Peo- ' pie. (2.) The Jeii/s being en- * tred into their own Country : The Turk jhailgo ' forth with great Fury to defiroy, and utterly to make a^ ' Way many. And here begins the time of Trouble, fuch * as never was fence there was a Nation, even to that * fame time. Moft cruel and bloody Wars between the ' Jews and Turks. This Conflia fhall * Dan. II. 4, |jg (^foj. tj^g j^Qfj. p2j.(.^ \j^ Judea ,• ^ And Dan \i 4/. ^^ ^all plant the Tabernacles of his Palace between the Seat in the Glorious HolyMoun- tains • that is, the Borders, or Continent, betwixt Euphrates and th^Mediterranean. Of this War and place fp eak- Examifid and Difprov'd, j^l fpeaketh '* Ez,ekicl : In the latter Days thou fhale come into the Land, d^c So t Zecha- riah, I will gather all Nations a- ^^-'c ^xxviii. gainft Jerufakm, and the City fhall ]'2lc'h\^l'^t be taken, &c. Moreover, as this War is exprefs'd in Holy Scripture, and the Place, fo the Continuance of it, how long it iliall be j BlelTed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thoufand three Van. xii. xii. hundred and five and thirty Days. This latter Number is more than the former, hy forty five Years; and fo long jliall this War con^ tinue between the Jews and th^ Turks ^ namely, from the Year if^sSs ^^^^ xxviii, to 1700, &c. (5.) Thefe Years being expir'd, about the Year 1700, Michael , the great Prince, will ftand up for his People, Dan. 11.^ 7. -Rc-v. 1.7. Tfal. 102. 1^. Joel 3. 2. The Turk now totally and Page xxix. finally iball be deftroy'd, &c. _ But to return to the Year ^6^^: It is the Opinion of many, ( and I am of the iame Mind ) that fix thoufand Years from the Creati- on do meet with the Ending of this Year 16$^, which is near at hand, and great Revolutions are look'd for at that Time (i.) The Turk^ his coming ag.-iinft Italy with fueh Multitudes, will fill all EuropQ with Terror and Amazement, d^c, (2,) In this Year will the Lord moft eminently appear, ftaking the Earth, and c-ver- throwing the Thrones of Khgdoms e- Hagg. ii. xxii; very where jn Europe: By this time P^ge xxix. I verily think ) the Thrones vnU be fetj and the Antknt of Days fitting thereon^ Bcd' (5.) At this Time great Changes and Revoluti^ ons vAW be, in Refped both of Perfons and Things ,• for howfoever I am affurd, that e'very Change amongft us Ihall be for Good unto ths M 2 ^ Nation, 164 the Atjahaptifls M'tntjlty ' Nation, as this prefent Government, and what * follows, a great deal better than the foimer, yec ' I queftion whether the Lor J will throughly purge hts * Floor, in fweeping out all corrupt and ielfifli Men * until that Time : NevcrthelcJ?, this 1 ' would have the Reader obferve. That about the * Year 16^), the Righteous alone (hall flourifK and be ' exalted. A two-edg'd Sword is in pfaL cxlix.'vi, ' their Hand, to execute Vengeance vii. Pu^exxx. ' among the Heathen^ &c. And this * fupream Power iliall abide with them * four or fi^e Years without Interruption, until * they have broken in pieces the Fourth Monar- ' chy. I might enlarge very much on this Subje(51:, were It neceiTary ,* but I think this fufficient as a Specimen to Hiew the Iwfudence, as well as unparalUld Villany, 0\ fuch audacious Vretevders to Prophecy in either Senle, and the extream Danger and Hazard thofe milerable People expcfe themfelves unto, who run after, and herd with luch ivoohijlj Seducers. I lliall only beg the Readers Patience to let me make a few A7ilmad'verfm}s on thefe abominable PalTages of thefe two diabolical Writers. (i.) Jn the fifft place I might challe-ige all the oi'ell-read Men in the World to produce a Blacker or more infernal Piece of Villany ( except that of the jews in Reference to our Blefled Saviour's Ciuci- Jixion) than this of this Mu7jfierian Caitiff's Jujiifica- tion of the Murder oi King Charles the I. of ever blelTed and innmrtal Memory, by the moft accurfcd, hloody, hypocritical, atheijhcal Varlej, that ever trode upon the Earth ,• Ravillac, Cknjent, Guido Faux, ^nd all that Trihe were even Saints, nay Angels in Com- paiifbn ot him: Nay, I defie all the Pleading of Mankind to ibew any FaB, or Fatls, of all the Vopcs of Rome, yej'ults, and Turks, more inhumane, horrid, and n-ieked, than what was aded by our Sectaries, from Examind and Difprovd. i^^ from 41 till 60j all which Rebellion^ TreafoTis, Mur- ders, Sacrileges, Robberies, Plunderings, Verjurles^ BUjphemies J and Apflacies, have been camnizld, af~ ferted, jit[lified, vindicated, even by wrefting and perverting the Holy Serif tures themfelves in their Vul- fitSj ( as far as could be done, to the very Face of God Almighty Himfelf) applauded, 'ntagnified, as the Traludiim/s ^nd Forerunners of the fo much hoaj^ed and expeded Millenium, or Chrift's Verjonal Reign upon Earth for a Thoufand Tears, and moft hlaj^hcmoufly ^ as by thefe two Judas" s, charg'd even upon God himfelf as the Author, Approver, and Abetter of them, moft imfioufly fuppohng the Gracious Ap^rovivg^ Blef- (Ing, Concurrence of God, who is of furer and holier Eyes than to behold Wickednefs with any the leaft Degree of Complacency, with Acts diametrically cppofite and contrary unto his own revealed Laws and Precepts, the Violation of which he hath threatned with eternal Damnation to the Impenitent. (2.) It is to be obferv'd by the Event, [the fureft Interpreter of Propheciei^ That what this lying Prophet, Canne, fo confidently predicted, is all meer Chimara, Nbnjenfe, and Ridiculous ^ not one Tittle of what he foretold in reference to the Years 16^5-, 1660, 1666, 1700, verifidd m the leaft", but all downright Lye and Impofiure, a plain and infallible Dejnonjlration if he was impelfd by any Spirit, it was not the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth and HolineJ^, but rather of Legion, the Spirit of Error, Lying, SeduBion ,* the Spi- rit of Rebellion, Cruelty, Inhumanity , and Revenge ; the Spirit of Adirjjlnation, Cov^tonfnefs, and the World j the Spirit ol Aml^ition, Pride, and Sacrilege ; the 5"^;- rit of Apollyon, Ahaddon, A7itichrifl, and Hell • thc Spirit of Cain, Balaam, and Judas. (3.) From the foregoing Pajfages its very remark- able, and from the Fntfiration of their PrediUions, that thefe falfe Prophets, and their ignorant, mif led VoWow- erSa who fo greedily [wallow down, and gave Credit M 3 to 1 66 The Anahaptijls Miniflry to their Lies and Forgeries, were lo far from being God's Chcfen Feople and Saints^ as they arrogantly ftil'd themfelves in thofe Days of Dclufion upon all Occafions ,• that they were judicially, and in Wrath, forfaken by Him and his Holjr Spirit, given up to be- lieve the grojfefi Lies, the moft palpable and damna- ble Errors and DelufionS;, which is an infallible Sig- nature of fpiritual Defertion and DereliBion (at leaft for a feafon) as might be flievvn from innumerable Scriptures. O^ Spiritual Infatuation (a fore Judg- ment of God, and fore-runner (for the moft part) of eternal, irrevekable Perdition. ) The Signs or Symptoms of it being notorious in ^// the Seels, thofe Locufis of the bottcrfikj^ Fit, in thofe horrid Times of Impiety and Confu/ton. Let's, in fiiort, run over the unccntefted Syw' ftoms oi fphitual Infatuation, and we fhall prefently have a View of the defperate Condition I)r. Stamp'x ^^ thofe devoted execrated Seclarians. nation. ^^"^^ ^'^'^ Sywptom is a ready Belief of, and an objiinatc pertinacious Adherence unto apparent Lits and Dchfions ^ they have not known nor underfiood, for he hath \^ judicially, for their Sins and Impenitejue'] (hut their Eyes that they cannot fee, and their Hearts, that they cannot un- derffand \_fnce their 7i>ilfnl and deliberate ylpo^acyfrom the Truth, for carnal and ivorldly ends, Ifa. i8. 19, 20. And doth not the Spirit fpenk exprejly, That in the lat- ter times, fotne fliall depart fro7n the Faith, gi'vlng heed to feducirjr Spirits, and Doctrines of Devils, fpeuking Lies in Hypocrife, [teaching that for Truth and Gol- pel, which they in their own Confciences know to be falfej having their Confciences feared 'Ufith a hot Iron [having no Senfe ot the Fear ot God, or his future Judgments before their Eyes, for fuch their wilful Infidelity, Hypocrifie and mod: horrid Diffimula- tion, 1 Tim. 4. 12. And for this Caufe [tor their receiving moft feiioufiy the Love of the Truth, that • they Examifid and Difprovd. i6y they might be faved, for their Levity in forfaking the Church of Christ, for their too eafily indulging and gratifying their itching Ears, afFeding Novel- ties, confulting therein, and thereby, their outward Interefts and Pleafures, &c. God jlmll fend them JiroTjg Delujions , that tkey fliould believe a [ Lying Religion that jliould fuit and jump with their corrupt Hu- mours and Inclinations'] that they All might be Dam- ned who believed not the Truth, but had Pleafure in [ found their Satisfaiiion in the DoBrines of J Un- righteoulnefs \_countenancing^ encouraging and foothing them up in their evil Tvays and praBifes, by the contrivance and flattering of crafty felf-defigning Deceivers , 2 Theff.z. lo, II, 12. (2.) The next Symptom oi Spi- ritual hfatuation, reraark'd by the Loy- al and Orthodox Dr. Stamp, is a daring Dr. Stamp of kind of Impudence Sn finning, when spiritu. infat, * Men care neither what they do, nor ' before whom ,• Vv'hen there is not only a want of ^ fight in the Underftanding to look upon their ' Sin, a want of Sorrow in the Heart to grieve for it, but a want of Shame in the Face to Bluili for it. So we find both charg'd upon the Houfe oF Ifrael, by the Prophet Ez.ek. 3.7. All the Houfe of Ifrael are Impudent and Hard-hearted ^ So Jer. 6. if. Were they afloam^d when they had committed Abomina- tion ? Nay J they were not at all ajham'd, neither could they blujl). And in the next Chapter, They /^ole, they rohb'dj they murdered, they committed Adultery^ they fware falfly, they burrid Incence to Baal, they walked after other Qods whom they knew not. f Apply this to thofe late moft wicked Times they ftole, robb'd the King of all his Fublick Revenues, feiz'd his Forts, GarrifonSj Palaces, robb'd and plunder'd the Church of her Pa- trimony, murther'd the King^ the Archbijhop, befides a great many of the Nobility, Ge7ttry, Commonalty, fe- quefired and decimated their Elfates, turn'd their Fa- milies, with a vail many of the Clergy, to Beggary, M 4 Swars 1 65 The Aaahapifls Minijlry S-iuare falfy, perjur'd themfelves by clivers and con- tradi^lory Oaths, ^s the Covenant, the FroteJ^ation, Evgagewenty &.C. f'w/).;y?«^ of them niofl" feverely up- on all Degrees and Orders of Men, burnt Incenfe unto Baal, their own De-vices, Religions of their own devifing, Independency, Millenarianifm, and in- numerable Heiefies, walked after other Gods whom they knew not^ ftrange' Seds and Opinions never thought of or known before in the World, [as Qua- kerii'mj &c.'] and yet notwithftanding all this, they came and ftood before God in his Houfe which was call'd by his Name, Ay^ and faid too, that they were delivered to do all tliefe Abominations ,♦ yer. 7. 9, 10. [^Nevertheh-jS, they all frofejjed the fame good eld Caufe J* this ivas their covjlant Note, the Pure, the Jtncere Vroteflant Religion :. All fret ended to cppofe Ba- bylon, all to [et up the Kingdom of ChriFi Jefm, tho in different -ivays j and , all pretended a Divine Comtnifjion for it, and to juf^ifie all their Vraaices by the Scriptures, and by the Spirit, and that they ovcre Order d and Ap- pointed hy God to do all they did.~\ But fee the Doom of this infatuated People, ' They had finn'd themfelves ' (o far out of God's Favour, that the Prophet is in- ' hibited fo much as to Pray [or interceedj for ^ them • Therefore pray not thou for this People, neither lift up a Cry nor Prayer for them, neither make Intercef'* ilon to me, (or I Vvill not hear thee, yer,y.j<^. (z.) A T/^irJ Symptom of Spiritual Infatuation ths ^O^i^or obferves, is, *" When the Mind of Man is Un- ^ cmnfcllihle , vvhen a Man is wilfully and incorrigi- ^ bly refoW'd to walk contrary unto God, not only '^ when a Man is not P».e-orm'd, but when he hates •/to be Reform'd. It v^ hxA o^ Ahab, lev zf. 1, 3 c j;{,^f he fold himflfto work vfickcdnefS in i.i.zo.' ^ *^ ;he fight of the Lord: That is, his * Heart was fo fet upon it, that he ■' tikes Elijah for his Enemy, for no other Reafon, ^ t>i2t bec^i|(^ he would reprovs h^ji) j and hates • . ■ ■ . ^ Mjcaiah. Examitid and Difprovd, \6g ^ Micaiah, for no other Reafon, but becaufe he ' knew he would fpeak truth ,• ~ As is the Sin, * fo is the Punifhment ; The Sin wilful, and the ' Punilliment inevitable : See Frov. 1.2^. Luke 19. 41. I Sam. 2. 25". 2 Chron. 25:. 16. &c. (/\..) ' This in- ' curable Evil of Incorrigiblenefs is ever attended ' with another Evil as defperate and pernicious to * the Soul,' and that is Senfelefnef and Security ^ ' efpecially in the time of the greateft Danger ; See Ecclef. 9. 3, & 12. Luke 21. 34, 35-. Matth. 24.' 37, 38, 39, 48. &c. Job 12. 9. I need not trouble you with the Application of thefe Symptoms^ the very naming of them alone will ^xvttt you to do it. I might add divers other Symftcms of Spiritual Infitu- fltion peculiar to thofe Times, an inceifant Itching atcer Novelties in ff''orlhip and Opinions^ running from SeB to SeBj and at length, dropping into Sccpticifm^ or Atheifm, or that which is equivalent, and not one jOt better ^akerifmy that Common-fliore of all the monjirous and moft infamous Herejies that ever fprang up in the World, the very ^iintejjence and Mafier- piece of Satanical Hatred to Souls, and Delufion. This running from Seci to SeB^ was the Epidemical Difeafe of thofe Times, when Satan was broke looie, and the bottomlej^ Pit uncover d j to which may be added, jpiritual Pride, and Conceitedncj^, an Af- feBation of extraordinary Santiity, and a ftrong Opi- nion of Holinefs in Conjundion with the worft of Immoralities, and the moft odious and obvious, even Beafiiality and UncleanneJ^ : Every Villain that ran with the Times, was a Saint^ Godly • and they calfd all Saints of their own Party or Failion ,• their Ar- mies of C«.'-r^;o<2'fj and Plunderers, Saints,* Enthufi^ afiical Preaching and Praying Saints ^ their Books of all forts, from the High Presbytcriaij, to the moft" groveling and contemptible SeB, are full of thefe Com- pilations, even to Naufeoufnef, and a full Difcovery of their nored PhpocriJIe^ and Efrangedncf fiom all ■ • ■ ' ." ' ' ■ that lyo ^ The Jyial-aptifls Minijlry that is really vind fub (t ant i ally good, as z Stigma or Brand of Inf.imy upon their rejpettive SeBs. The Hu- mility and real Piety oi rhe moft Holy Jges of the Church, mnde them wciy Jparing of thele 7/7 /f/ ,• and for fuch Men as I have been defci ibing to affume to the.n 'elves fo familiarly inch glorious CowpeUations^ Men guilty of the moil enormous Sins^ of Rebellion^ Sacrilege, Murther, Perjury, Robbi7ig and Plundering^ U^merciftilnefs , ImplacablerjtjS, Revenge^ Pride and Am- bition, and CovetoufnefS, Schifm, Hcrefte^ Blafphemy^ andyec to call themfelves 6'«/«f^, difcovers infallibly how prevalent Satan was, and is with fuch Men, and ivhac Sfirit they are aBed by, the utmoB of his Tranf- ft'Turatlons , thc (tronzeH of his Delujions. whofe Slaves cliey are m.rrked for, and whither (without extraor- dinp-y Mercy) they are agoing. (4O I llial! ihew you from the Non^accomplljliment of this Qanns Predidlions, thit by his own Confef- iion, he was as great an Jmfofior, and aded by the Sftrlt of Error and FrJjhocd, as much as Jack of Ley- devy or Knipperdoling : / 7 could^ fays he, jheii; in fe- * Vera I Particulars, hoTV contrary the Carriages ajid ^ Practices of the Munfier IfTjpo/hrs ( firfi and laji) lutre *■ to v^hat is either [aid or done by the Canns Voice c q.,^/ ^r ^fy^^ j ^^/^^ ^^^ ^r Qpi^i. l„ , on. It svjartb the ohjeriKn^ how ' fubtilly Satan hath carried on his Dejjgn ' to keep Men in Ignorance, Superjtition and Bonda^e^ f and to hinder them from embracing the things belonging ' to thiir Peace, &c. Thus he railed up faile Chrifts, * and why ? That the True might not be received *" when he came. So for the Munjlcr bufmtf. The ' Devil knew in the latter Days, TYRANTS and ' OPPRESSORS would be thrown dva^n, the Antichri- ^ (lian Kingdom defiroyed ,, good Men and good * Things advanced. !!>Jo'iV mark the Craft of this wick" * ed One : PVben the Appointed ti'me pould come^ ijji * which thcfe things were to be fulflledy to the end that ' Men Esamind and Difprovd. 171 ^ Men might not then believe, he fiirred «p beforehand, a ' Company ef Seducers to beguile the ignorant and fmple ^ People, meerly {Ifiy) ^pon the account, that "when the ' time fliould come that Tyranny and OpprcJJion (Iwuld he ' fuppreH, Babylon cafi down, RighteouJneJS exalted, ' that this Work might not find Acceptation among the ' People ; he then {as J faid) poifoned before-hand the ^ Minds of the People, by fugge fling Munfier, and the ' EffeBs of that BufnejS : So then in jljort, the Sum is ' this ; The Devil in caujing that Work in Munfter, in- ^ tended that it Jljould be a Snare to the People of this ^ Age. No7v to turn the Tables upon this bloody Munfterian Canne ; Is it not plain by p. 6. his own Confeflion, fince he was fo con- fident of thefe Events, as afore-recited, (and par- ticularly in his Epifile Dedicatory to Oliver Cromwel, wherein he exhorts him to fearch the Prophecies of the latter Times, to find out "what -was his Work, and as then proper for him, and tells him. That hepurpofely publiJJj'd this Book to an fiver the great ^iefiion. What is next ? That is after the Diffclution of the Parlla^ ment 165" 3. ' That His Excellency, and others, might fee ovhat his Opinion is, and how grounded upon the Word, concerning the Lord's Work, and working at thac time, ' and wherein He , /". e. Oliver, and others, are to move and follow the Lamb. And then a little after, tells Oliver, ' Methinks I fhould findyou in ' that Voice from Heaven, faying. Come cut of her ^ my People • and to be one of the Angels pouring the ^ Fifth Vial.' And a little after ; ^ This Koicefrcm ^ Heaven, and the Ffth Angel is already come.- * And if the Lord fliall be pleafed to perfed by you, ^ the good Work which he hath made you inltru- * mental in -, that is, to be his and our General fiill, ' for the executing of the lafi Vengeance upon the ^ T'^O per fecuting Powers o'ithQV^ox'id, viz.. KING- ^ Lrand Antichriflian, it will be fuch an Honour as ^ few of the Sons of Men ever had,.) I fay, is it not ^ mani- I 72, The Anahapttjls Miniflry manifefl: that thofe Munfterlan Tro^hets and Canne, were aftuatetl by the fame Spirit; that is, as hini- felF fays, ihe Detnl^ and for the very fame ends, by his own Confeffion, to be a Snare to the People of that Age or Time. Did not Canne^ by his Epiftle Dedicatory tO Oliver Cromn^d^ and the Parliament^ in his Firjl and Seco?td l/'oice from the Temple^ inftigate them, and encourage them towards the fetting up a Ff^h Monarchy, or the Kingdom of [fefus Chrii}^ to the Expulfion of all the fettled Miniflry then in being, fuch as it wasy tho' God knows, little better than theirs, if any thing at all, by their Degeneracy, Re- bellion, and moll horrid Perjury, t\\Q taking aivay of Tythes, and all fettled Maintenance^ ^'^y 3 CO throve them Jo-wn^tXiAt they might be never at all,?.nd to revenge the Blood of all the Saints, Rewxrdher even as jlu hath rewarded yoUy and deal unto her doubla^ according to her Works ,* in the Cup which flie.. hath filled^ fill her dou- ble : As if, faith this /c^r/e/- i?^e faithfully and conragloujly. But in the next IJnes he makes fome amends, I find the Man pre- fently come to himfelf again ,• it was only a little Recoyling of the Old Man, the Fkp)^ a TaJJion foon off foon on,' therefore he tell us as very gravely. That the Glory of God, in fulfilling his Word, is to be preferr'd before all worldly Profperity ,• that a Heathen could fay, Let Juftice be done, and the World perifli ,• Jhall Saints then hold back their Hands from executing the righteous Judg- ment of the Lord, only thro' a bafe Fear oi worldly Inconveniencies. And whereas this ly- ng Prophet had the Confidence to lay, by way of ifology for xXiQ Avahaftlfls 3.nd\mw{Q\\j ^(^S^fj * Let Slelcian, or any other who hath written the Hlficry of Munfier, be perus'd by any impartial Reader, and he fhall not have any ground to frame a Pa- rallel, rieith;2rin reference to Matter^ Maimer, or Men. Flrsi Voice from the Temple, page 5'. Doth it not appear, as to the Matter, that Canne and thole falfe Vrofbets, Matthias^ John of Lejden, and Knlp^ perdollng, agreed in the Matter • the Matter was the fetting up a Fifth Monarchy, letting up King Jefus on his Throne. ' Thus John of Leyden was led by his * Prophetical Spirit upon the City Walls, where he * put 174 ^^^ Attahaptijls Minijlry * put off his ClOciths, and ran naked through the * City, crying. The King of Zion is come, the King * oiZion is come. Short Hiftory of the Anab. p. 2g. publilh'd Ann. 1642. And John Tufcorefer, a Gold- fmith, as much a Prophet as Canne, and upon as good Grouuds, having call'd the Congregation to- gether, declar dj ' That it was the Will of the Hea**- *" venly Father, that John oi' Lejden fiiould be King ' of the Univerfe, and that with mighty Armies he ' {liould kill all Kings and Princes, and defiroy all the * Ungodly, and fave the People that love Righteouf- ^ neis, and that he muft poffefs the Kingdom of his * Father David, till the Time come that he muft * deliver the Kingdom to his Father, and that all *" the Ungodly being kiU'd, the Godly ihall reign in ^ the World. And again. Thus faith the * Lord, as I {ct Saul to be King in Ifrael, and after ^ him David taken from the Sheepfoid, fo have I ^ fet John Becold my Prophet to be King in Zion, Page 26. [I[ this be not Antic hri(Ha?nfm in as high a Strain as can be exprefs'd, and conlequently this Becold Antichrift, and his Followers Antichrijis, as likevvile the "H^hole Tribe of Millenaries,- or ^into- Mofi.-'rchians, who are for fetting up the fuppcs'd vijible Kingdom of Chrift Jefus, there is no fuch Sin, never was, nor never will be. So then here's a plain Agreement in Matter, the fetting up a Fifth Anabaptijlical Monarchy, a vijible tcTnporal Kingdom of Jefus Chrifi upon the Earth. As to the Manner, here's no Difagreemejit neither ^ by Force of Arms, by defiroying ail the Kings and Princes ol the World, by cuttiftg off the Ungodly^ i\-\2t is, all, without any Exception, that do not become Anabaptifts, and conform to their Princi- ples. Then as for the Men, if he means they were Mtchanicks, or ilii:t;rate, that will make no great Matter ac this time a day amcngil: the moft rehned ones. They call'd themfelves Prophets, and as it ap- pears Esamind and Difprovd. 175- pears had as good a Pretenfion to Fropbecy as Canne himielf, and here's no Difference neither,* if he meant they were lewJj and the like, why they had Re'velatlon for it, and as good Authority as Canne had for any thing he contends lor in his two Voices, when therefore John of Leyden^ after he had faifn nto a Prophetical Sleep^ and dreamt three Days and Nights together, awak'd, made figns, and call'd for a Table-Bcok like Zechariah, and wrote down. That a Man is not ty'd or conftn'd to one Wife, but that he may marry as many as he pleafcth; and accordingly put in prad:ice his new Dodrine, and raarry'd till he had i ^ Wives, page 25.24. and the reft of his Followers imitated ^■'^ ' ^^- his Example , and without any Senfe n^i^Hufs of Modefty, till there was not a Woman in the City ot Munfier^ of fourteen Years of Age, that efcap'd being vitiated. Why ? They all had as good Grounds for their abominable Uncleannejs as Canne for his TrediBions, Murders, Sacrilege, Robbing, and Plundering. Doth Scripture any where make Fornication or Adultery a greater Sin than Alurdering oi Kings, or Sacrilege than Ufurping the Minifiry, de- rftoli^nng Places oi Divine Worjlnp, and taking away Tithes dedicated in the moi^ fulcmn Manner unto God, ( as Teliimonies oi their Lozfe, Gratitude, and Honour, they ow'd unto him) for the comfortable and ne- ceifary Support and Subfiflence of his Minifters, than blafpheming of God and his ChriB, wrefting and perverting the holy Scriptures ? Are Fornica- tion, Adultery, and Intemperance, the only damn- ing Sins i Is not Apofiacy, or Schifyn, or Hcrejie, cr Rebellion, addi?ig or taking away from the IVords of the Book of this Prophecy [of the Revelation, ] which Canne is fo notorioully guilty of, ( as hath been prov'd) and making Lies, [devifing, forging falfe Prophecies, and alcribing them to the Spirit of God, Dodrines of Devils, making Chrift the Lamb, his iy6 The Analaptijls Mhiftry ^or his InofFenfivenefs and Parity, the Author of Murders, AJfaJJinationSy RebeU'miSj Treafons, and all the OppreJ/lonSj Robberies, Ijijujlice, and Barbarities oi the World, (according to X.\-\q damnable bloody Do- Brines of thefe Anabapifiical Millenaries, that are al- moft a Scandal to the Devil himfelf ) leJS Sins than Fornication or UncleanneJ^- let fuch Antichrifis, even worfe than they themfelves decypher the Pope to be,'with all their Rancour and infernal Malice, prove this if they can, or M///; if they c^n ? Nay, as dreadful and deadly Sins as fuch Fikhinef and Impurity are, yet no Man of common Senfe dare aver them to be greater than what this Impudent Anahaptifi-Cir- cumcellian-Donatifi encourages Oliver and his Fellov/ Rebels unto. Ii what he contends for be agreeable to the Spirit of Chrijlianity^ what can be contrary ? It what he writes for be lavjful, none but a fiark^ boTjj Fool will boggle at what he would [feemingly J condemn. Ii: what he applaudshc innocent, and a Duty, the other is a Virtue and ccmmendable, and by iuch vjild Dogmatizers as he, ought to be accounted an Expreffion oi common Charity and Civility. AlasJ what he feems to condemn and dejie the World to fa- rallel, from the Pra6lices of liimfcU and hhVarty, in 165;, is but a Jesl, comparatively to what hini- felf and his Followers allow'd, even then, and fince, and its more than probable to fuppofe, the cnly Reafon why he dared call them Impofiors, and to re- lied fo hardly upon xhcMnnfierians, was only be- caufe they were unfucceisiul, and could not main- tain their Ground : And becaufe the very Name Oi Anabaptifis was f^rown fo juftly odious, for all their former diabolial Pranks, their Cruelty, FiltCfivcJSy Blafphemy, Tyranny, a.nd Arbitrarimf, fo well known and detefled by all Jl/t'cr and ferions Chrijlians, ic was but neceffary that the fame Spirit which aded and infpired Jack of Liydcn and Canne, IKould put him upon thefe Pvcflcc^tions upon the former, only to caft Examtnd and D'tfprovd. i^^ eaft a Mift before the Eyes ofthe heedlefs and igno- rant, becaufe their Circumftances were not fuch as bid fair for an Attempt, their Parties not ready form'd and powerful enough, nor their Projedrs rips for Txecution. And truly we ought not to look upon fome of this Party's dipi'uowlng the Quinto- Monarchian Principles, and the plaulibls Profefli- on the Modern Anaha^tlfis make in reference to Magiftracy, Cb.g the Dunhn- jppcal ag^ina ....prom thcfe PalTages fh Kty>g of Scots. The Enghfh r r°. , Ainiy appealing to Gol accord- ^^ ^J^^V ^^^ "^^"y ^^ )P^ \ i'!g to the ACi if Parlument Anabapijis were in full > idTaS, ikc!ari?9g i: jjigh Trea- Hopes of takinfT polTeffi- ^ >. CO (et /.'/-Chr-rle^ Stuart, or on of all the World, and rti'.v cthsr Per on, chier Maei- i r rr • i fJrate /Tz E,.r knd or Ireland, "^^y ^^ fufficiently COn- Of Jny of the J)o:ninions thereun- io bdovgirig. And as our Appeal vjhj for No King butjefus, {by nhich vcsie the grcnesl iW.ories obtained that rve had) the Scots Appdl. on the cfer Side, vpos for a i(irig, or perfonal Intereli of Mt\&n:. G«J's Ar.frper xtis fo full and wonthrful -on the No vinc'd Examlnd and Difprov'd, igj King s Side but Jefus, mi according to the A€l e/ Parliament, {up- on which the Army marched againUthe King of bcoti) that all Scoc- Jand was given in in few Months.and their Annies dejiroyed ■■, arnito ufe the very IVords of the AiS of Parliament, Die Martis 17. Sep- tembris, i<^yo. "7"/;// Anfwer rvas enriched rvith fo many remr,-\- abls C ire umji antes, as is to be admird by lUcceeding Generations, evidencing /«r/; a Divine Prefence ^ the Commonwealth can never be thankful enough for ; and that it wa^ given in o/s a Seal or Con- tirmation/row Heaven, o/r/'t'Juftnels of this CauTe, after fojemn Appeals made on both fides to Go^ Himfelf, the Righteous Judge, in this ff-^ar between ¥j\g\'im\ and Scotland; and that God did (0 decide the Controverlie Himfelf, rva^ of fiich Value and high Conje. quence^Szc. Declaration of leveral Churches, 0"'(;. concerning the liljiical MilUnarwts^ in the Year 16 -yo.) of the late Parliament Jo call'd. 'Ninthly, vyhether the ProieBor be fo wife and underftanding, fo tender and careful of the Common Intereft (as i: pretended) above al) others whatfoevei,- Yea, above and beyond the Four Parliaments he hath DifToived ? And may it not be eni^uir'd, how he came to this height ol Knowledg and abfoluie Underiiandin^T," feeing there are very many wor- thy Patriots, fometimes his Equals at leaft) of as high a Defcent, of as i^ood Breeding, of as great Parts, of as fair an Intereft, as aifo, as well vers'd in Gov .-rnment as himfelf ? Whether it may not be wonder'd at, that he fhould be fo exceeding wife, and tender above all, even above Parlia- ments themfelves ? Tenthly, Whether Sr. Heury Va?/e, Major General H.irrifon, the late Prefident BradjJj;ni^j ^nd Sir Arthur Hajlerig^ Lieutenant, Gcueral Ludlo^u, with hundreds more of worthy Patriots, that have ventur'd far in their Country's Caufe, for Juftice and Freedom, may not ratio- nally be thought to be as careful and render of the * Good of their Country as the Prote- P. II. 'dor? The SECOND thing attempted, was the Removal of the Chancery^ and total Alteration of the Law, &c. Now what they meant by that, will appear (fo far this Party of Men have thought fit to pubiilh their Intentions and Meaning) from yohn Splttlehoufe, an Anabaptif AfilUnariany in hss firsi Addrcj]es to Oliver Cromrj el. Printed 165';. * Cut, ^'aith he, to the end that Simeon may fufFer as ^ well as Levi, being Brethren in Evil {viz.. the * Law- Examhtd and Difprovd. 189 Lawyersoi i\\\s Nation,as well as the PrieflsJ Iinall, in the next place, let before you the Dr^g-r'-al^ Heathenljl}, or Kingly Power of Nations ovsr the People of God, which, whilft you iikewife in- tend to pontinue in Being, you do alio clearly de- clare your fehes Ariagonif^s to the Kindly Go'vern- ment o^Jefm Christ ; for what are National Laws of Kings other than the Decrees of Tyrants, and corrupt Men, whofe Foundation and Iniricution had their Being from the corrupt Reafon of the Heathejt, whofe Proceedings, Laws, and Puniili- ments, do infinitely differ irom the Laws and Pu- niOiments impofed by God ? &c. ^Ccnilder therefore — what a (liameit will be unto you, if you henceforth countenance fuch La'ivs and Law* yers in the leaft, feeing they are the very Brood or Off fpring of the Heatbenijlf DRAGON, mentioned Re'u. iz.'^ In as much -as they are fo diametrically oppofite to the aforefaid Divine Laws, infiituted by the Everlafiing God himfslf, whofe Ser- vants you profeis your lelves to be in point of O- bedience to the fame. As alfo in as much as the Apoftle James affirmeth, that there is but one Lawgiver to the People of God, Jam. 4. 12. which the Prophet Ifaiah rendereth to be the Lord Jehovah ; where, fpeaking of the Exaltation of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and the Spoiling and Ruinating of the Adverfaries thereof, he faith (Ifaiah 55. i.) Wo unto thee that fpoikft, and thoH ivafi not [polled J a7id dealefl treacheroujly, and they dealt not treacheronjly ivith thee ,♦ when thou [halt ceafe to fpoilj thou jl}alt he [piled ,• and when thou jhalt make an end to deal treacheroujlj, they Jhall deal treacheroujly with thee, ( viz.. When the limited time ap- pointed for their fo doing, (hall be accompli/h'd, not that they would otherwife willingly ceafe, either tofpoil or deal treacheroufly with theSaints * of the raoft High God ,• ) a Chapter worthy your ' moft 190 The Anahaptijls Miniftry * moft ferious reading and meditation, Cas alfo thd * precedent and following) where in ver. 22. the * Prophet declareth, that at the Accomplifhment of * the aforefaid Judgments, that then the Lord him- ' felf 'will become Judg unto his Veople, as alfo tbeif ' Law-giver y and their King, and their Sa- P. 17. * viour. Again, forafmuch as the ' faid Judicial Law is not in the lea ft Re- ^ pealed, why ought it not to be in the like Repute ^ with you, as it was to the Antient People of ' God, unto whom it was firft delivered. Quiz,, the ^ the Jews) feeing that it cannot be denied, that ' believing Gentiles are as well the Seed o^Abraham^ ^ Gal. 3. 9, 23. and fo confequently, Jews as ' well as they ,» yea, and that in a far more tran- * fcendent Relation, by how much the Unbelieving ^ Jews are efteemed no Jews, &c. P. 18. ' Again, whereas it is alleged that ^ neither Jefus ChriB, or his Difciples, or ^ SuccelTors did ever yet affume the Power to put the aforefaid Laws in Execution : I anfwer, ^ that the aforefaid Terfons have ever been under Re- ftraint, as Captives and Sojourners, and therefore ^ were always under the Laws of them that were Lords over them, (viz..) Hcathenifh Magiftrates, and therefore were in no wife permitted to- ^ make ufe of the aforefaid Laws of God. P. 22. ^ As in the time oF Jefus Chrift, his A- ^ bode upon Earth, &c. And — where- as it is alleged that Jefus Chrift himfelf did not pradice according to the faid Laws, &c. I re- ply. That ic was becaule as a Man, he was under Re ft rain t, as the reft cf the Nation of the Jews, and therefore, had no more Power than they, to null or make void the prefent Laws oiCafar, (2.) In that his Kingdom was not of that prefent World, ha being at that time, in a fuffering Con- dition, hii then being in the Fleih, being only as an Examind and Difprovd, ipi an Example of Patience to all hisDifciples- — . But this Reftraint was to continue but its nppoint- ed Seafon, 'viz,, until fuch Times as jfe/«j ChrifFs World ^oxAdi be made apparent , in which he ihould reign as King ever the Face of the 'whole Earth, ac- cording to theatore-mentiona Prophecies: Which Kingdom, I judge^ took place, as foon as the fatal Bloiv 'was gi'ven to the late King ; which being done^ im- mediately the late Parliament did utterly renounce the Government of this Nation by Kings, as Ty- rants • as appears in the Old Exchange, where over the Place where the late King's Pourtraiclure was fixed, was engraven Exit Tyranmis ; Which doth clearly import a Change of the Government from fuch Kings as the Ifraelites defir'd to be govern'd by, in i Sam. 7. ^. unto that Government which they were formerly govern'd hy,as h\][id2es,&c, and fo confequently of the Laws, according to to the Saying, New Lords, new Laws ; which did alfo clearly appear by the late AH of Adultery, where they made the Sin punifhable by Death ; which doth clearly manifeft. That the late Parlia- ment was carried on, tho' in Darknef^ to put in Ex- ecution the afore-faid Laws of God ,• inftance alfo the late Ac^ of the Lord General (if as reported) in not permitting fimple Theft to be punifh'd by Death ', which are two evident Teftimonies that the Lord is ftedfaftly purpofed to promote his own Laws, inftead of the prefent Laws of the Nation : And therefore if you will fet your felves with all your Might to profecute the fame, you will there- by be made famous to all Pofterity ,• for thereby you will not only be made Ccnquerours &ver the whole Earth, as in the afore-faid Prophecies, but will alfo be inftrumental to the Converfi- on ol the antient People of God, 'viz,. the P. 24. Jews. Thus much as to their Defign to deftroy the whole Conftituti^jn of our La-ws^ and /o de^roy ipt The Anahapt'tjls Minifiry defiroy all PROPERTT, and titles, and Rights, that the Saints might come in with their Scripture Fkas^ and feize all for their ovm Ufe, in the Name of King Jefm^ and fo turn all the Ungodly out ofToJfeJJion. Their third Delign was to tiike away the jus Fa- tronatus, the Right of Prefentation to Church- Liv- ings, from the Nobility and Gentry^ and the Tythes and Glebes, d^c. and to appoint Co7>im!jJioners to ride thro" the Nation \njix Circuits, and joyning with o- ther Comm'iJJioners in the feyeral Counties ^ fliould ejeB all prophane, fcandalous, or infufficient Minifters, and \>\^QQ able and fit Men in their Rooms. [See the True Narrative of the Caiife and Alanner of the DifJ'oluticn cfthe lateFarliawenty Dec. 12. 16 ^'1^. by one of the ii fifth. Monarchy'] Members, page ^.^ not only a grand In- trenchment upon Propriety, but a down-right Rooting outj or Extirpation of the Aliniflry it (dM, as the mo(t effectual and fure Method 01 Setting up our Sa^vioufg Kingdom. And now, as a Commentary upon^ and an Elucidation of this infpired Text, let's confult Prophet Canne, and your iiluminated Splttlehoufc, who fpeak the Senfe of all riie An^-ik-^fijiical Millenarian Tarty, for our fuller Inftrudion. Now faith Canne, ' What Way or Courfe can be taken more eiFedual * and certain to fiarvc and famtdi Antishriflian Idols, ' (as thQ falfe Church, Minifiry, Worflvp, Government J ' than the Magiftrate to take away the Food and ' Maintenance whereby hitherto, and at this prefent * they are nouriOVd, fed, and kept alive. Second ' Voice, p. 2. Again, if the Civil Magiftrate be at ' all coiicern'd in taking Vengeance on Babylon, as * to fet himfelf in array againft hcr^ bend his Bow^ ' fan her, and empty her ,• if the pouring out of ' the latter ViaU do any w^iy belong unto him, this * then is moft proper to him, ( as acting within his * own Sphe'/e ) to null all St^itntes and Lavjs which . * Idolatrous princes have made, ( vi^hen they gave * their Power to the Bead ) whereby the Antichri* ' flian Exam'tttd and Difprovd. ip-* ^ filan Kingdom ever fince hach flood and been fup- ' ported, ibid, and fo on. So your accurfed Spittlehoufe : ' That then, faith ^ he, which the Lord Chrift experts horn you, at ^ this your Convention, is, (i) That you would ^ make his Foes his Footftool ,• which, certain I * am, can be no otherwife eifeded, than by pluck- ^ ing up AH thofe Plants which the Heavenly Fa- ' ther hath not planted ,• (and that as well Root as •^ Branch ) [ that is, All, without any Difcrimina- ^ tion, that are not Anabapifis^ and true Munfte- ^ rianifm, as much as Satan is the Pti/i/,-] which I * do affirm to be the Vriefis and Lawyers of this Na- *^ tion, or otherwife the devouring Locufts aud Ca- ^ terpillars of this Nation, viz.. all fuch Priefts ^ (under what Name or Title foever dignify'd or *■ diftinguilh'd ) as iball be found in Babylon., viz. ' ALL SUCH AS HAVE NOT DISCLAIMED ' THEIR RANTISM AND ORDINATION, * which they hive receiv'd from the Popes of Rome * and their Succeflbrs, in as much as they are of the ^ fame Lineage andOffspring with the Grand Harlot *" of Rome, mention'd Rev, ly. 5-. where flie is nam'd ' the Mother of Harlots. SpttUkoufes fir ft ^ Addrejfes to Oliver Cromwel. and P. 6: _f therefore I lliall prove, that the Vreshyterian f Priefts of this Nation,arefo guilty as aforefald^and ' confequently muft bejudg'd accordingly ^ which *" that they are, is prov'd (i) in that all Men know ' it is their daily Pradice to Rantize Infants to all * Ends and Parpofes, as did the Prelates. (2) In ^ that their Ordination is alfo unavoidably deriv'd ' from the Bifhops, who received it from the Popes ' of Rome. (5) In that TythesSLVQ or the fame ' Lineage with Monkeries.^ Ahbies, &c. And P. 7. now foran Inftance of thefe diabolical Saints Meeknc^j Merclfulnej^ , Tender- heartednef}, in compari- fon to whom the furks and Jefuits are Incarnate An- O gels, 194 ^^ Anahaptifts Miniflry gelsj let's fee how this Scandal to all San(5iity an- fwers an Objedion made againft this Antichriftian Barbarity. Objed:. ' 1 know thefe ivill be accounted ' hard Sayings , d^c. I know alfo, jour Reply -will be, * that they are Men of a godly Life^ it -would be * a cruel thing to deal fo hardly by themj and many of ' them ha'ue great Families , (d^c. Rejp. I agree with you in all thefe, as to ^feeming ' hard Meafure : But ! inafmuch as the People of ^ God are in Babylon, Bev. 18.4. and inafmuch as ^ they have been fo earneftly folicited by the MES- * SENGERS OF GOD to depart or come out there- * of, but will not, it PS not the HBlW Of t<30lr, P. 8. ' tljat tl|0p (fiou'D fie fparcii fo? tljeit ' Godly Life and Converfation, or for that they ^ !|abc irreat familiejgf, mtx no otgcr tuap of * aiibelitjooD, But t1^at in cafe t^ep (Jail re* ^ fufe to come iulien rail't!, tftat tljen tijep ^ail fie pmuf!)'^ fben as ^^afiplonian^ ,• as in the fame Verfe. x\gain : What Refped hath been made to the Prelates and their Brood ? '^ ObjcB. Many Cavalier Priefls arc yet continu'd albeit they have formerly been in actual Arms a- gainft the Parliament. ' Rejp. That was either a manifeft Mifcarriage of the Parliament, or otherwile becaufe they made Friends, or that Chameleon- like, by changing tbtm^ felves into every Judgment that retaineth Tyches.- And hence it is that many Papifts have formerly pretended themfelves to oe Vnlaticans, many Tre- laticans to become pretended Presbyterians y and many Presbyterians pretended Independents^ d^c, that yet juftifie thsi^jitichriftian Effential of BAPTI- ZING INFANTS, when they feera to condemif National Churches by their gathered Congregations. Can any rational Man then imagine, that fuch Perfons are either Papifis, Prelatican^, or Presbyteri- ans • or that they do it meerly to creep into the ' Favour Examined and Difprov*d. lar ' \Favour of the MagiftratCj by clofing with his O- *^ pinion, to the cikI they might be maintained by ^ fuch Romifh Provifions? Witnefs many Indefen- ' dents in and about London, who to keep up Tythes^ ' will ledlure it to them they account the Worlds and to ' keep in with the Magiftrate, will alfo have a fri^ *" vatc Congregation, halting downright betwixt Chrifi ^ and Antichrift, in a fhamelefs manner. ObjeB. But you will fay. Some Mercy would be extended, in refped o^ Wives and Children. ' Rejf>, In as much as there is a general Mercy to be extended to all, you may in Charity give fomething, according as your fVifdcws flail think meet ,• but not in the leaft, as the aforefaid Priefls are either Jeoi^ijlj or Topijh Harpers, or Frelatical Muficians, or Scotch Bagpipes, or the aforefaid hide- pendent Trumpeters, Rev. i8. 22. neither as they afe Saylors, Crafts-men, FaBors, or Mer- chants of Romilh Wares ,• as in the faid P. 10, Chapter. Thefe were the defign'd glori- ous Acheivements of our M;7/g»^m?;, Gifted, In/pi-^ yed, and Extraordinarily- Call d-Parliamsnt- Men in 1 6 y j. And what was very remarkable in this Parliamen?: of Saints, to give the better Colour to their ungodly, harharom, and Antichriftian Defign, they of the Mil- lenarian Perfuafion, lee apart di-vers Days to feek the Lord by Fafiing and Fraying : Under this PretencSj confulting with the reit of their Brethren ( Canne, Freak, SpittUhoufe, &c. ) how they fliould manage the great Bufmefs of jetting ChriB upon his Throne, and then at laft, like a Parcel of Enthuftafis, come into the Houfe with their Bibles in their Hands, thun- dring out Texts of Scripture, and impofing fuch Senfes upon them, as one of the Members on the other Side faith, * As all gracious Plearts would * have been griev'd at > but then he adds afterwards this fevere Refle(5lion upon them, * It is ne^uer a ' worfe Ttme^ than when good Means are tamper d with O a ' /» 196 the Anaha^tijls Miniftry ' to had Ends ; when Ahab p-^claiws a FaB to accttfe ' Naboth. And that thefe Days fet aparc from the Houle, were only us'd to en- gage the Minds of well-meaning Men, and the better to carry on Things before re- An[Ker to the folv'd and detcrmin'd. And thus we Nan-at. p. 9' fee thefe abominable Hypocrites pre- tending fo much Zeal againft Popery, to Holinefs and the Spirit, and fetting up Chrift's Kingdom, and to purge the World of all the Un- godly, by the Inftigation of the Devil, or the real Spirit of AntichriB, did in the firft place damn all Form of Minifiry as Anthhrifiian ^ and then, upon thefe Grounds, refolv'd to dijjohe the Minifiry ^ and to leave it to any that fbould think fit to take that Office and PFerk upon him, in this exacSlly fymboli- zing with the Turks, whom they refemble in a great uiany Particulars, who have no ft ate d Minifiry amongft them, no SOLEMN CONSECRATION to that Office ^ in that Particular, different from all Mankind. So that by this we may divine what fort of a Minifiry would have been planted all over the Nation^ i^ our Anabaptifiical Millenaries had car- ried the Day. And here I muft call in the Help of the two Millenarian Anabapcifiical ProphetSj the tu>0 Witneffiesj to give in their lefivmny. To this purpofe yeroboam Canne tell us. Ordina- tion is ufelefs^ a Trifle, Anticbrifiian, and Satanical; * That none Ihould preach unlefs ordain'd, this * (as the National Miniftry and Tythes) came like- ' wife from the Sea of Rome: For Gregory IX. in * the Year 1227, made a Decree, That no Lay- ' Man fliould preach. Here began the Abominati- * on that maketh defolate. Now the Occafion ' was CO fupprefs the Truth, which at that Time * began moft glorioufly to break forth by the IVaU ' dcnfes, fo that no higher can they bring this Pra-[ * (5tice than to the Year 1227. Neither have they Examind and Difprovd. 197 they any other Author, to father and fallen it on than Satan and Antkhrtfi, For howfoever, before this Time many foul Abufes and Corrup- tions were crept into the Church, yet it was fo many Years after Chrift before this Decree of the Pope came forth, that no Layman Jhould f reach. Then after- second Foice wards, p. 26. Should (fays he) there Page z^. be no Preaching till there are Mmi- fiers, then necelTarily after the General Afofiacy o{ Amkhrift there could never be rais'd up either Churches or Officers. For it is fo abfurd and ridictdom to imagine Officers before Churches, and there- fore we well know, by the Preaching of Men out of Office, People were firft called eut of Ba- bylortj as being feparated from the World, they covenanted together to walk in the Faith and Order of the Gofpel, and they became the true Churches of Chrill, Eleding and Or- daining afterward their own Mini- P. 26. Hers, according to the Apoftolical In- ftitution. — =» And to lliew the Preeminence and Ex- cellency of fucha Minifiry as thefe fVohes would re- commend to all Chrifiendomj and impofe upon them, let's hear what he faith Page 27. ^ I do affirm and ' will abide by it, fmce it pleafed the Lord to ' draw out the Hearts of fame Soldiers^ and others, ^ publickly to preach, ( which is not above ten or ^ twelve Years) the People of this Common-wealth * have had more true Light, and glorious Difcove- * ries of Chrift and hisIvingdom,than all the Nations ^ Miniftersever before made known unto them^fince * hrft they took their Calling from the Sea of Rome * to this Day. O rare Prophet Canne ! Now I have found you out, and ftiall eafily make the Difcove- ry of the true Lights you brag of, and prove them 50 be Ignesfatuosj or more grois and palpable than O 5 (-Egyptian ipS The Anahapttfts Miniflry » not [even J into your houfe, [entertain him not, rejed him, turn your Backs upon him, have no Correfpondence, Communication with him, much lefs hear him, or countenance him with your Prefence, or give him any reverential Refped, whereby you may be con- ftru^led to own him, or acknowledg him to be a Teacher, authoriz'd and commiflion d by Chrift] neither bid him God-Jpeed^ [wifh him any Succefs in his Undertaking ,• ] for he that biddcth him God-Jpeed , [gives him Encouragement to profecute his Defigns diredly or indirei5lly] /j partaker in his evil Deeds [muft expecfl to provoke God's Anger againft him- lelf, and bring his Judgments on his own head thereby, as an Abetter and Encourager of the Ene- mies of Chrift.] 2 John 2. 12. But on the contra- ry, ^im [their] prophajie and vain Bablings [the wick- ed Cantings, and impertinent, yet pernicious, ve- nemous Preachments] for they will increafe [ftiU] un- to more [and more] Ungodlinef [as they never tended to any thing elfe, or unto the Subverfion of more Souls. For the Endeavour of all Se^aries, is to gairi more to their Party, as they get more footing, and find Succefs to vent more and more Herefies and wicked Opinions 3* ] and for this, I appeal to all Experience, and therefore by the way, 'tis to be obferv'd, no heed ought to be taken to their Con- feflions of Faith, they are only Calculated to ferve a Turn, an Exigence, and are raeerly occajional : One thing whilfi: they are under the Hatches, and when apprehenfive ot Danger, quite another when they fhink thenifelves fafe^ and are at Liberty, and have their a04 "f^^ Anahaptijls Miniflry their full Swinge. Ami their -ivord [their falfe Do- <5lrine, contrary to Godlinefs and found Faith^if once received into the Soul, will go on and fpread, and] eat as doth a Canker [or Gangreen] till the whole be corrupted. Secondly ^ who denies that the Scriptures were the immediate DlBates ot the Sfirlt of God to the Trophets and Afofiies ; but then it's nonfenfe, to fay they are as immediate Dilates to us now, as they were to them, they received them at the firB hand, we, but at the fecond • we have them by the Mediation of, or by the Apoliles, as the Mediums or Means by which they are convey d down, or tranfmit- ted unto us. They were immediately didated by the Holy Sftrit to the Apo/lles, and they had withaJ, the immediate Illumination ot the Spirit^ the word of lVifdo?n and Eloquence, to exhort and convince, powerful and eloquent Exhorters, Rom. 12. 8. Eph, 4. ir, 1. 17. This word of Wifdom feems to be expreffed by Utterance ^ i Cor. 5". i, 5". i Cor. 8. i. 2 Cor. 8. 7. By Speech, z Cor. 8. 11. 6. By IVord, I Tim 4. 15. By Exhortation, Row. 12. 8. i Tim. 4, T^. The fVord [ of] deep Knowledg [and Learning, to teach and expound] by the fame Spirit [yvQxt pro- found and folid Dodiors and Teachers, i Cor. 12.8. See Rom. 12. 7. i Cor. 15. 2. Eph. 4. 11. i Cor. 8. i, Exprefs'd by Dotirine and Teaching elfe-where, 1 Tim. 5". 17. I Tim. 4. 15. T\\Q G IFT of Frophecy [Revelation of fupernatural Myfteries, of Things future or abfent, of the fecrtt Thoughts, &c.'\ the Gift of Difcerning o/fthe Quality of the right ufe of feveral] Spirits. The Gift of fpeaking of divers kinds o^ [ftrange] Tongues. TiieUnderftanding and Inter' jyrctation of [thefe Tongues] i Cor. 12. 8, 10. But in what Chapter or f^crfe is it faid. That theie Gifts, which were extraordinary, iliould always continue in the Church, or ihould be reviv'd again, or that the People of God (liould have thefe Gifts always immediately infus'd ixito them by the Holy Spirit ? Or, Examind and Difprovd. 20^ Or, fhould have the immediate Teachings of the Spirit ,♦ which Notion, feme Enthufiafis, and of your own Sed, have carried fo far, as to flight and defpife the Holy Scriptures, as much as the Qua- kers, the common Receptacle of your Unftable ones ? Or, that the Senfe^ Meanings Underfiand'mg, Explica^ tion, Interpretation of them, ihould be extraordinarily, or immediately infpired into the People of God, as he would have it ? Thirdly , I do own, if it could be proved, that the People have the fame immediate Teachings of the Spirit, that the Trophets and Apofiles had, that is, without Means, that then their Teach- ings, Expojitions, &c. ought to be receivd with as much Reverence, and would be of the fame Authority, and as much ftdmitted unto by us, as the H, Scriptures themfelvcs, would be as infallible, and as certain a Rule of Faith and Manners, and the refufing of them, moft highly dangerous and damnable : But then t\\\s Gentleman, and t\\o{Q oi\ns>Ver[iv a fion, muft, to alTure us of thefe Gifts, thefe immediate Teachings, have one Gift more, that of "working of Miracles, to give credit unto, and vouch for all the reft ; and what is more,in a far more tranfcendent manner than Christ and the Apofiles had, or, we muft be forc'd to rejeB him, and all fuch Pretenders, as Cheats, Impo^ fiors, as Deceivers , Seducers, as Dragonical and Anti- chrifiian, and Introducers of but a little more refined Se(3:, than that of their grand Examplar and Model, Believer 'Mahomet • for as I remember, the Turks as efKphatically call themfelves Believers, as our Ana- haptifls. But we find your Miffion, your Frophecying, your Miracles^ your immediate Teachings, your Fifth Monarchy, and all your Pretences, fo far as they are peculiar and fingular, all Cheat, all Nonfenfe, Anti- cbriflian, Dragonical, Cancerous, and EjfeBual in no- thing but in their hfefiion, Contagion, Perdition. But, Fourthly,^ Suppofing thefe immediate Teachings, in the true, proper, literal Notion of them, then I rnuft rejoin io6 The Anahaptijls M'tnifiry tejoin , all this BahbVmg of Spttkhoufe about the Scriptures J is gratis diBum, Nonfenfe and Contradi6iion ; where there are immediate Teachings and Inspirations, there can be no farther ufe of the Hofy Scriptures, they are only an infignificant,fuperfluous dead Letter, as the greatefi Vretenders to immediate Teaching, the ^iakers affert, the utmoft Verfe5iion and Frogrefs A- nabaptifni can pretend to make, the ultimo Thule, the ne plus ultra of thefe infernal Dogmatifis. And it was in confequence of this Notion, that your great Man Boggis, in Oatss Account, fcofFd at the Scrip- tures, and when prefs'd by Authorities or Arguments from them, as may be rationally fuppos'd, his Re- ply was, I have the Spirit, — — I thank God, I ha've^ enough of the Spirit ; Gangrena, pt. 2. p. 162; For it: God Almighty ever defigned in this Go^el, and lafi Di/penfation, to ha.v Q Taught all Men, ov his peculiar and chofen People immediately, he would never have infpired Holy Men to havQ conjignd his M'^ord to Writing, nor have endu'd them with the Gifts of working Mi- racles, and Vrophecy to have attefled them, that the Church, without any [3.vthQr fcrupUng, {i\o\i\d receive and embrace them as the Word of God, the Rule of their Faith and Praclice. Nay, more than this, Chrifl would never have inftitutcd a Minlfiry to con- tinue to the End o^ the World, or\Q chelf ^AVt ofwhofe Bufinefs Ihould be to inflruB his Church in thofe Truths cut o{ the Scriptm-es, that are fo indifpenfably necef- iary to Eternal Sahution. And fo far the fakers are in the right on'r, to fet a fide, as they do, the Scriptures and Minlfiry, as of no ufe upon this Anti- chrifiian and Diabolical Suppofition. But we find God hath appointed thcfe two Mediums, or Means of Salvation, the Holy Scriptures, and a fiandlng, perpe- tual fuccejjive Minijlry ; and where they are not to be had, vlr^. among the Heathen, they know no- thing oi Chrlii ; and why? Becaufe they have not the ordinary Mems whereby CO know him ,■ and there- fore Examind and Difprovd, 2,07 fore it's plain, where he hath appointed ordinary Means, in the Courfe of his Pro'vidence, he doth not employ, or to be fure, very rarely, extraordinary Means. Where, therefore he hath given Scriptures and the Minijiry, he doth not ordinarily teach with- out them : Men may as well exped: God ihould ordinarily preferve Life , and Strength , without Bread ,• Scandret's Antidote againft the Quakers , ;>. 5-8, 5'9. But, Fifthly J what Neceflity of this iw- mediate Teaching ; either it is to mai^ifeft to us fome- tbing not already reveal' d, or the famc things already difcover'd unto us in the Holy Serif tures ; but I fup- pofe, none in their Wits will pretend the latter, be- caufe this is abfurd, frivolous, and unneceflary : But, if fome things are either diredly contrary to the Holy Scriptures, or New ,• then whoever pretend to fuch immediate Teachings, do as good as intro* duce, or fet up a Neiv Gojpel, pervert the Gofpel of Chrift, and fo render themfelves obnoxious to Sr; Paul's Anathema y Let him be accurfed. Gal. i. 8. Tvho de ^ifeth, or maketh a Lie, and confequently, fball ne- ver enter into the Neiv yerufakm, and ihall be reckon'd as -^mthout ,• that is, with or among thofe who ftiall be for ever excluded with Dogs, Sorcerers^ TVhoremongerSy Murderers and Idolaters , Rev. 21= 27. cor;9f. Rev. 22. 15-. Sixthly, It may either be obfer- ved from the Novel Opinions and Practices of Spit- tlehoufe, and thofe of his Sentiments, as generally are the Anabapifls, that there's a Neceflity they {hould run to immediate Ttaehings, Impulfes, and In^ Jpirations, as to their Afyltim and Refuge, becaufe they have not exprefi Scriptures on their fides, or to maintain their No'velties by ,• but by violent Difiorti" CVS and Wrefiings, and notwithfbanding their plaufi- ble Zeal for the Holy Scriptures, afferting them to be the Rule of Chri(liiin Faith and Obedience, to amufe and catch the Ignorant and Simple ,• yet, when pinch'd, and put to a Non^lm^ they preiently take San- 2-o8 The Aftalaptijls Miniftry San<5luary in a private Spirit^ and immediate Teach- ings, Mahomet's Pigeon, extraordinary Miffion, be- caufe they find themfelves difappointed, firfaken, and Jefiitute, as to the ordifiary Means ChriH hath depojl- ted with his Church; they are very confcious to them- felves of all this, and therefore, and for no other Reafnns^ have Recourfe to extraordinary Mijfion, imme^ diate Teachings , without any , even imaginary Grounds, in the Judgment of judicious, and fobcr intelligent Perfons, and herein are inexcufabk before God and Man, and felf- condemn d^ need no other Sentence but their own , when that Day fhall come, wherein the Secrets of all Hearts fhali be difclos'd, and when there can be no Plea for wilful Error, Hypocrijie and DiJJimulation. To what hath been faid, I fliall add, that as by thefe their Pretixts of an extraordinary Call, immediate Teachings by the Holy Spirit. They prefume to Teach and Practice DoArines and Imworalities diredly contrary to the Truths and Morals reveal d and enjoin d by the GoJ^cly and Qvcn defruBive to ih& Eternal Interefl ofA/<^«- klnd, and undermining of, and blowing up the Gojpel o{ Chrifi, and Subverjive of our ccmmon Plrpe ^ fo ic demonilrabiy follows, and evidently pnves it to be a falfe, mcft" pernicious and Diabolical Principle, in that the Conjlqitence of it is injinlte, and no Bounds can be let to ic ,• and countcnancfs all the Immoralities in the World, admits of no pcjjiblc Rejlr a int, and therefore never to be checked. 'Tis but pretending to an im- mediate Impulfe of the Spirit, to acl all the ViUanies in the World ,• 'tis but faying, I am irijpir'd, I am im- mediately taught by ihe Spirit, and under this Noti- on I may vent all the Reref.es conceivable, there's no Rule left to try the Spirit by, and to cppofe me, is tofght againff God ; to reftrain me, is to ^jucnch the Spirit, and to be a Reprobate. Or, if I think fit to force an erroneous Heterodox Aleanlng upon the written ffi'rd oi God^ and publickly Preach'd it as the Examind and Dtfprovd. xoo the Word of God, if you will not receive it, em-» brace it as fuch, why then you reje^ the Word of God, you refufe the Golpel, you dej}ife Jefus Chrifi^ you do defpite to the Holy Spirit ,• Nay, farther, to ihew the fad and horrid Confequences of this 'wild No- tion, it makes and prepares the Way for all the Im- moralities, all the Villanks that the corrupt Heart of Man can conceive, and the Devil fuggeHy as might be manifefted by the innumerable Inffances we have of abominable Pradices (fcarce fit to be nam'd a- mong the VrofeJJors of the moft Holy, mofl: Innocent j, and fttre Religion of the Bleffcd Jefus, that immaculate Lamb of God) of all the Setts or Separ at i/ls from the Churchy from the Apfiolical Age, to this very day^ even by every Se6i that ever got footing in the World, not one exempt, nay, and juftified by them : This is as demonfirabk as that they were, and are Men. There never was any Se6!: yet, I fay, but hath been infamous for fome allow"d Immoralities^ which even they have mantain'd by Vrlncifles, fuch as they were or are, fo impoflible is it for Satan fo far to transform or transfigure himfeU into Siti Angel of Light, but he muft inevitably, by the great and in- finite Mercy of our God, betray himfelf by hisCloven^ foot, or fome way or other difcover himfelf; there are none of thefe damnable Se5ls, but are difcoverahh by the Brand or Mark of the EeaB, their Father the Devil, whofe Bond-Jlaves they are, having jo/^/ them- felves to work IVickedncf, marked out for everlafting Defirucllon, without the (ifigular, and even extraordi^ vary Mercy of God, and a timely and fincere, and moft f articular Repentance, and returning to the Truthy and into the Bofom of the Church, out of which there's no Grownds for Hope, that we are acquainted with. Seventhly, As I faid, granting this immediate Teaching by the Spirit, How iliall the Sprits be tryd ? Every one may for himfelf urge thefe Immedi- ate Teachings, all have equal right to do it, and none P have aio The Analaptifts Miniflry have Authority or Grounds to contradiB them. The Spirit teaches you one thing, me another, an4 a third contrary to both, and fo in infinitum : It teach- eth one that he may commit Murder ^ another, that he may Rob? a thlrd^ that he may have as manjJVives as he pleafeth; ^fourth, that hs may lie with all Women indifferently, without any regard toConfan- guinity or Jffinitj, or Tvoprietj ,• and thus many SeUaries have held forth, and pradifed accordingly, from the Beginning to this Day : and thus they did in the purefi Ages of the Churchy even in the Apofiks times, and who iliall controul fuch allowing this moft blajphemous and ungodly hcllijh Principle of our Saints ? Nay, to the eternal Shame of you and your Bre- thren in Iniquity, the Independents few ot them much differing from you) for all their Renunciation and De- claration againfi the late horrid InfurrcBion and Rebellion^ a(3:ed in London fby the MlUenarlans) 1661. no more to be credited by any that know them, than the Je- fuifis Apologies after the Murther oi Henry IV. of France) to which I'll oppofe tlie Speeches and Difcourfes, and Trayers of Colonel John Barhflead, Col. John Okey\ Mr. Miles Corbety -sXl proiefb Congregational Men, jufiifying their Rebellion, and the Murther of Charles the Martyr, of ever BleiTed and truly Glro- rious Memory, moll feditioudy and malicioufly Fublifl/d by that Party, 1662 ; which will be an everlafiing Monunient ot the Spiritual Infatuation, Hypo- crijte, Obduration^ and final Impenitence of thofe Men in particular, and that Generation or Saints in gene- ral. You, for many years, moft impudently con- tended for a Toleration, even by Atl of Parliament y for all manner of Herefies whatioever, v/ithout any manner q{ Limitation or Dfcriminat ion, as appears by many oiyour Writings (in thofe times of Licentiouf- nefs, ) for lliame then, if you have any Tincture of that Grace in you, as to blufh for your Impieties ^ never pretend to dlfringuijh ycurfeivcstlorathe Ultra- mar ins Examined and Difprov'd. n j marine Anabapifisy as far as you have had opportuni- ty^ ycu have aded as ill as they at leaft ^ nay^ I'll tell you, worfe, becaufe you had a hand in all that horrid Tragedy J aded from 41^ till 166O3 even in the njoft odious and unchrijiia7i parts of it^ as might eafiiy be prov'dj and may, if God gives me fit Opportui- ty for it. Eighthly^ It ought to be remark d^ that whereas I am ienfible you will appeal to your Covfef- fion of 'Faith, as J find upon all Occafions you do, that this will not ferve your turni «'^^ M-^Vi of Read- i7ig^ Judgment^ and Ohfervatioji, knovy too well, that this is nothing but Artifice, Trick, and meer Evafion, the (onfiant VraBice ot: all Sectaries ; Inftance^ the joUmn League and Covenant, ior the adhereing to which, many amonft the Vrssbjterians and Indepen- tlents, in their Serife, dy'd Martyrs in their own Ac- counts, and of thofe of their own P^ri'/Vj; yet, all the World knew, they did more jf^^/«/V/V^/// (if pof- fibly) equivocate in thsir Senfes of it, and Practices upon it. The Treshyterians interpreted it one way, the Independents another ; Had different Intentions, pro- fecuted by different Means, and yet jliekerd thera- felves under the folemn League and Covenant : And thus, you yourfches, play /^y/- and loofe with your Con^ fejjion, have divcrfities of Opinions and TraHices, ytt when you are put to it, fly immediately to your Confeffion : That's a Nofe cflVax to be o^rung, fajln- oncd, and to be twirl' d about v/hich v/ay you pleafe, and to (land to any Toint or the CowpajS that may ferve your prelent Defign and Interefi, The Vuhlica- tion of your Conieilion was never defigndfo much j^jg^.^^f^y^'^ "^^^^^ ^''^^'^ ""^ as a Standard or Rule for '^^-'J^^'^?' ^^^,^^^^ ^ ^^,. ..^_ four [elves, as to '^ impofe lerc a Nobk Paffage on': of Irsnaus : Jdverfus eos qui frn- firantur ?Mlum Apofiolum. Neque enim contendere pof[mt Paulum non ejfs Apojfolujn, qiiando in hoc ]h elecius-— fortajfis emr,i (^ propter hoc operatiis eft Deus fluriniA EvangoliA cftendi per Lucum, quibus V 2, upon. XI % The Anahaftifls Miniftry tece(fe haberent (fort, haierent) orknes^ ini fe^uenti tejliificationi ejur^ quam habet Je ^£iibus .ulantes nejirum- tre^atum ut [epitts audiant.^ qui (j qiierantur de Yiobis-, quod cum fi. miliii nobifcum jentiant, fine catija abjUneamus nos l communicatione eorum^ is" cum eailem dicant i^ eunJem habent docirinam, vocemus illos hareticos., O^ cu?n dejecerint aliqucs I fide, per queftiones quit funt ab eisy necnon cont.adicentes auditores fuos facerint, his fepara- tim inenarrabiie plenitudiiiis luae enarrant M>'iieriuni. Decipi. iintur autsm omnes, quia quod eft in verbis verifimile /e put ant po(fe difcere aveniate; Sualorius enim (^ verifimilis eft, exquirens fucos errcvy fine fuco autem eft Veritas, is' propter hoc pueris credita eft - naus, lib. iii. cap. xv. uporjj and ^^ecoj, and cully others that diifer'd from you, and therefore we rejeB all your Appeals to thats as meer Cheat and Juggle. For inftance, you fcem to fpeak therein Honourably and Rc'uermtly ot the Holy Scriptures ,• but, as hath been prov'd, you opine and aH contrary to the Scriptures themfelves, and fet up your own private Opinions and Dictates, 7ie7i^ Lights and Rc'velations contrar}' unto them. You feem to ewn and profejs your Ohligations and Ohedience to Ma- gijhates, but then you mean under the Rofe, only luch as are of your own Stamp, and in your A:!i!Ie^ narian Senfe, not a Syllable therein to Recrgnize our Kings and ^teens, who differ from you, to be, «»- der Godj tie lav-fid Aljgifirates of the^o Realms, to whom all Degrees and Diftindions of Subjeds, owe ' Fidelity and Allegiance ,• or, to own Monarchical GO' vernment to be from God ; only Magijhates, in a large or gtneral ^Qniz ; Magijlrates de facloj in a re-\ fervd and equivocal Senfe ot your <;wn, and thenf, laugh in your Jlcevts, and^n«, to fee how you inge- niouOyj foiflSothj palm your Utile Waggeries upo Examirid and Difprov'd %i-^ a /^ufiJ, heeMef TVorld. So this in^ired Splttlehoufe, prelentiy after he had bolted out his immedu.te Teach- ings of the Spirit, &CC. runs on a maiji to cry up the Scriptures, as the Rule of Faith, d^c. but his Mean- ing and Dejign, was, all this while, to undermine them, by declaiming againft all Books and Writings befides, meerly to refohe them into pri'vate Interpre- tations ^ and to leave it to the Choice of aU his Bre- thren and FelloW'Saints , whether they would be determin'd by them or no, by (tripping them of the Teftimony ofthe Church, thro* all Ages,by which we have the moft rational and convincing Almrance at this time of Day, that they are the Genuine Writings of the Trcf bets and Jpofiles, and coufequently, the TVord of God. * What, faith this Spawn o\ Maho^ met, are the Authors which their Libraries are fluffed withal, other than Heatbenijlj and Antichri- (iian ? Again, Is there any Promife annex'd to the Practice of reading them ? Yea, doth not Experience teach, that moft, if not all fuch Commentaries, Expcjitions, &c. which have been compofed by fuch Heathens and Antichrifiians, are found to be light as Vanity ? Inftance, the volu- minous Volumes of the Ancient Philofophers, and Antient Fathers (as they call them) yea, fo light, that they are of no Efteem at all amongft the People of God that are come out of Babylon ', [of no Efteem with his Mdrejfes p. i^. Rag-men , Fortune-tellers , Coblers , who are become now able Miniftcrs of the Gojpel, and the only Judges of Learning, Gifts, &C.] Now, by rejecting particularly, all the Writings of the Fa- thers, thofe Glorious Lights of the Church of God, one of whom, by the way, as St. Barnabas was an Apoflle, a Fellow-labourer with St. Vaul ; Clemens, not only a Companion of the Apofles, but by them O?- daind a Paftor of the Church at Rome ; St. Ignatiuf ^f Antioch ; St. folycarp at Smyrna ^ Herruasy a p.ifciple P 2 and 214 l^ke Anahaptifts Mimftry and Companion of the Afcfiles^ ^c. Many of whom dy'd Martyrs for the Teftlmony ofJefttSj feald our Ho!j Faith with their Blood, and ♦by the good Frcvidence oi God^ havded down the Di'u/ne Oracles themfelyes unto us^ which othcrwile had been ut- terly lolt, had not they b^en, under God, the do- yioHs hjiruments of their Prefervraion, under Dioclefian^ Jtiliafi, and other pet fecuting Emperors ; and kept, and tranfm'itted the Fdith, ptre and undtfiled, thro' all the Jges of the Church : and by branding all the Ex^ofaions afid Commcfitaries upon the Holy Scrip- tures with Antic hrifiiamfrn, is it not as radiant, and evident as a Sun-beam, that hereby is laid a Train to bloiu up the Scriptures themfelves, to make way for EntktJjiafm at leafi", and Alahometatiifw, with which Spirit, he^ and many AnabaptiH-MdUnari' ans, were, and are infallibly adled, or, if pofltbiy-, fomething worfe ; iov, the Mchoymtans arc the fworn Enemies of all human Learning : Hence, thofe dainncMe Herejies of F^milifm^ Antinomianifm, Socini-' (mifm, ^iakcriffn, Antibaptijhi, Mdknarianifmj Mug- gletonianijhi^ and a MuUltude more j nay, all the He- rejies that are extant, for rejeciing the Aiithority of the Ar}tient Fathers, Dolors, Martyrs, and ConfeJJ'ors of the Church, and tvaTf^pVmg upon Antiquity. Hence, thofe Reproaches caft upon the Holy Scriptures, by jch7i Goodyvin, that Arch-h dependent, with which Setft the Anab^ptifis iymbolize more than with any other ,• ^ That it is no Foundaiion of Chriiiian *" Religion, to believe that the Englifh Scriptures, ^ or that Book, or rather Volumes of Books, cail'd ^ the Bible, tranflated out of the Original Hebrew * and Greek Copies, into the Englifri Tongue, are * Word of God. That, gueftionlefs, no Writing * whatibever, wheihsr Tranflated, or Then Urv- c Q.^^i^^i^ ^ ^re the Foundation of renceC.0r>tlon. c ^^^-^^^^^ ^^y^^-^^ , That the Scrip- '^ ture_, vvh;2the^ true Manufcript or no, whether ' Hebrew, Examitid and Dtfprov'd. ii^ Hebrew, Greek, or Engli/h, it is Human, fo not able to dii'cover a Divine God. Then, where is your Command to make that your Rule or DiC- cipline, that cannot reveal you God, nor give you Power to walk with God. Both quoted by the Lon/lon Minifters, in their Tefimony to the Truth of Jcfus Christ 'y Printed, 1648. p. 5-. ^ That wo O/)/- ' TJion is Damnable • or, that a Man may be favedin any Religion. Difcourfe touching the Peace of the * Churchy Ghap. 5-. That Men cioathed with the ^ Name of God and Rewgion, are generally the ^ moft dangerous and deceitful Men in the World, * For inftance, Aaron, the Kings, the Priefis and ' Prophets, in both Old and New Teftaments ; ^ nor can it be otherwife, whilft Kings and Priefts ^ claim a Right from God, to be above other Men : *" Norrvood's Additional Difcourfe. That Man is a right * Rule, yea, the Rule of all Things, ibid. That ^ thofe Minifters that (ing Da'vids Pfalms, Baptize ^ Infants- fay Men are not perfed in this ' World, or that fay, the Letter of the ^ Scripture, or the "written Word of God, is the ' Light and Word of God, and call the Four * Books of Matthew J Mark, Luke and John the Gol- ^ pel, are Seducers, not Minifters of the Word, *. and fhew the Spirit of Error : Eafier Reckoning: * That he who is not infallible in his Judgment, * when he gives Counfeland Advice, is no Minifter * of Chrift : Famworth's, To the Law and to the Tefii' * mony, (\uotQd in the fecond Beacon f red, Anno 16 5-0. To thefe I Iball add fome of the horrid Dodrines of Canns Red-Coat Freachers he fo much bragg'd of a- bove, ' A Surgeon belonging to the Army, in ' his Preachment in the Wefl, on Colojf. 2. out of * verfe the i/^th. The Hand- writing of Ordinances | ' The Ten Precepts or Commandments altogether * taken away; Gangrena , Part. 2. p. 125'. This * Surgeon alTerted, He knew no other Word but P 4 I that XI 6 The AfialapUfls Mmftry that Joh. I. I, z. e. difown'd the Old and New Tefiament, p. ly;. Lieutenant J. concerning Prayer, affirm'd. That ive mufl not fray Morning and Evening, but "when the Sprit puts Ejaculations into uSj for that were to make Prayer an Idol i ! p. 154. The aforefaid Surgeon deny'd the Ordi- nances of Baptifm, the Lord's Supper, and faid, he knew no other Seal but the Spiiit, and call'd ^ the Miniftry it felf an empty Shadow, p. 192. The fame Lieutenant deny'd the Neceffity of Re- pentance under the CdJ^enant of Grace, p. lyj.- But to draw towards a Conclufion of this Matter in hand, Mr. Edwards tells us, * That in thefe times, ' our Sectaries deny'd the Scriptures , Trinity, J'^fiifi' ' cation by Chriil^, the Gofpel, the Law, Holy Du- * ties. Church - Miniftry, Sacraments, all Ordi- * nances ,• They held, there were no Devils, no * Sin, no Hell;, no Heaven, no Refurredion, no ' Immortality of the Soul, [a Book upon which Subje^lj John CanneVnntQdin Holland^ d^c. Ed.Gangr. part 2. p. 177. To thefe,I might add an infinite Num- ber more of Herefies vented in thefe Times, when the Church and Monarchy lay wafte, under the Names of miv Lights , and 7te')i^ Truths ,a]\ the ^^t^soi Connivance and Licentioufnefs, whilft a Toleration by Law. was en- deavour'd for by the Independents and Anahaptifisy &c. for 20 Years together^ v»/hich Connivance however, gave fuch Encouragement, ' That fun- * dry SeBaries from other Parts [then] reforted hi- ' ther, and with [fuch] a welcom'd Boldnefs, fun- ^ dry odious Hereticks (^which in other places had ' been baniili'dj and branded with Infamy — ^ vented cheir poifonous Opinions amongft us, as \ if they intended to make E?;^/^?;*^ a common Re- ' ceptacle of all the fmful Dregs of Foreign Coun- ' tries, as well as cf former Ages : London Minifters * Declaration, &c, p. 2. And in the Clofe of ?:his Dec|ara:ion, they take the Boldnefs to repre- ' fent, EicamtrCd and Vifprovd, 217 fent, * That a Publick and General Toleration will prove an hideous and coniplexive Evil, of moft dangerous and mifchievous Confequence, if ever (fay they) which God forbid, it ILall be confented to by Authority, for hereby the Giory of the moft High God will be laid in the very Duft ; the Truth of Chrift, yea, all the Funda- mentals of Faith will be razed to the Ground : All Chrift's Ordinances, Officers, Wo-fnip, Re- ligion, and the Power of Godlinefs, will be ut- terly overthrown, Thoufands, and ten Thou- fands of poor Souls, which Chrifl: hath ranfoni'd with his own Blood, fhall hereby be betr^y'd, fe- ^ duc'd, and endanger'd to be undone to ail Eterni- * ty ,• Magiftracy and Miniilry, and with them, all ' religious and comely Order in Church and Common^ ' -wealthy will be pluck'd up by the Roots, &c, p. 32. And what thefe Vreshjterlans (fo accutely difcerning the Motes in others Eyes, aud not difcerjiing the Beams in their own, by making the Way plain, eafie and fmooth for all manner of other Imovatiom as well grounded as their own, by tearing up the Foundations o^ Church and State) fore- fa w, and leem- ingly dreaded, onl/ becaufe it j^o/7W their Game^ ad:u- ally came to pafs, and by their Means, giving the fad Occajion and Opportunity for it; their playing iaft and loole, chopping and changing, and time-ftrving^ and lifting, and inviting all fo; cs or Sectaries mto their iS'ert/ic^,and giving them the Loofe.encouraginga.nd abet- ting them in ail their Villanies a^fted againit the Aia" UgnantSy forfooth i their Hjpocrijie and DiJJimulation^^ &c. prefently fee them upon aLex'e/withthemfelves, and in a Ibort time to fet up for rhemfelves in good barneft too, it being ever as lavviLil for one Man to be a Knave as another ,* and the SeBnrians per- ceiving that all their End knd Airn of r/ytfins: Rebellion ^ center d in dijpojjejjing others, to make room for them- f^lveSj they thought it as reafonable to ferve them the 2. 1 8 The Aftahaptifls Minijlry the fame fauce, having as fpeclous Vretenjioni as they^ and fo far they was in the right on't; and thus they very fucceffively undertake the Matter, and out-did them in their own Craft : They could cry out Topery, AntichriH, Tcrfecution, Tyranny ^ they could envei^h againft [et Forms, filnt'mg the Spirit ,• they could petition for Liberty of Confcience, plead Pro-vi' dencCj pretend to immediate Teachings o^ the Spirit , Li" berty of Prophecyltig, Experlertces, Vifions, Dreams, Tran- ces, Re'velations , fudden Impulfjs of the Spirit ^ Returns of their Prayers, Seeklngs, and a great deal more. But then, my Mafiersj to return to our Matters a- gain^ I muft tell you, not to defraud you of the Ho7toHr of your Noble, and never to be forgotten Achie'umints ; 'tvs^as you that firft fprmg this Game, and fet up for thefe noif Lights and Difcove'^ies, which have ever bsen promoted againft the Holy and injplrd Scriptures themfelves, becaufe the Ami- enteft SeH, next to Presbytery, fince the Reformation, tho' I have not opportunity at: this time, being ve- ry diftant from Books, to run it higher than your Prophetical Kwg John c/Leyden : 'Tw^as you that more or lefs have convey 'd this Polfon, this Contagion amongft all the ScSls ; For, I find in the fhort Hifio- ry, ' That another main piece of Anabaptifm, is. That over-cdnfdence that many ha've, that are rul'd by the Spirit^ vAikh maheth them defpife all ordinary CaU liTfg to the Minlflry, all ivritten Prayers, all Helps of Study , all Reafon and good Counfel ^ Why ? All thefe bind the Spirit, who blowcth where he llfleth ^ and fame begin to make Confcience to hear and fing Pfalms, becaufe they are written Prayers, which bind the Spirit, chujlng rather to condemn the Word of God, than their own In'ventions ', as he that would not be- lieve the Sun, becaufe it agreed not with his Watch, I expert that fome will fay, with John c/'Leyden, that if the Word of God were loft^ they might foon fupply it with another, fp. yy,) [Yes, 'tis not to be queftion'd. Esamttid and Difprovd, n^ queftion'd, if they had fucceeded in their Enter* prize, and got ground, but we had had a new Al- coran long ago, to countenance their Vclygcmy, and inj}>ired Milton's new Lights, as to the Dodrine of Arbitrary Divorces J^ The hellilli impure Liberty that fome in our late Licentious Times, difputed for, to take and put away Wives at pleafure ,• nay more, they had the ■ Impudence to ont-'vj the very Turks, and all civilized Heathens^ in their Bejlialities, to plead for the Liberty of ince/i-uous Marriages ; ' That *^ that Marriage is moft juft, which is made without ' any ambitious End ,• and if this Liking and mu- * tiial Correfpondency, happen between the near- * eft of Kindred ,• then it is alfo the wolf NaUiral^thc * moft LaTvfiily and according to the Vrimitive Turity * and Pra6lice : Little Nojie-fmh, Lond. 1646. p. i^. cited by the Lond. Min. Decl. p. 19. It would be an endlefs Task to ranfack this Augean Stable, to enumerate all the Antichifiian Dodrines cftbofe Times, in which, if ever Satan was let loofe, if ever a Vecfle were abandon d by God, and deliver d up to the Devils DtJ^ofal, Sedu^ions, Dehfons, if ever the good Genius or Angel was retird, the Ar,gelus Lcclefia, as Chryfo(lom fpeaks fome-where, 'twas moft infal- libly, indubitably then. 'Twould make ones Hair fland an end, andjlrike a Man with the iitmoft de- gree of i/i?>Tor and Afionijhment, to confider the ^?- flcrabU Wickednefs, Spiritual Infatuation, (the vvorft of God's Temporal Judgments, and a Preludium or Pretace to Eternal Deftrudion) the fidfcr/ie, naufe- ous, odious, provoking Hjfocrife, with which the Ge- nerality of People at that time, were over-crufted, as with the moft loathfcm Lefrojie, yet all Godly, all Saints, the modilii Compellation then of that Age or Bra f ^,nA Impudence, a Generation of Men, that without the unconceivable Mercy of God, :^vtno■w Scandal to HeU it felf, and make the Devilhlu^ to find him felffo tranfcendently out- done hy them. But that 110 The Anahaptijls Mim/iry that which doth fome-what abate my Wonder, what I have often refleBed upon, is, That Charade- ^ rifiickov Diagnofi kk t\\At ourBlelfed Lord hath given of falfe Prophets^ Seducers, Hypocrites ^ Ye fhall know them by their Fruits [by then' Drift , their Aims^ their Ends^ by the Means they employ to compafs their Ends by.] A good Tree cannot [it is not in the Nature ot it, it's impoflible, a Contradidion to all Reafon, Obfervation and Experience] bring forth evil Fruit ; neither can a corrupt Tree, bring forth good Fruit. -Wherefore, by their Fruits [by their Anions, by their Ends, by their Means they ufe to obtain their Ends] you jhall know them ; and by carefully applying this Rule to them, or exami-^ ning them by it, you cannot err, or be miftaken in your Judgment of them. Matth. 7. 18, 20. EW, corrupt Principles will, nay, muft bring forth corrupt, abominable Adions ,• and it's impoflible any Man {hould indulge himfelt in wicked, immoral A^ins, un- lefs he hath corrupt Principles. And where we find Men proceeding in ^ virtuous Courfe of Life, fin- ning habitually^ where we pbferye Parties of Men under the Notion o( Religion, acting contrary to the Precepts and Spirit oi^ Cbri^ianitj, and avowing, ajfer" ting, juflifying^ luch Unchrijtian immoral Proceedings ^ contrary to Reafon, natural Light and Confcience, we may, without any Violence unto, or Breach of Chri- j^ian Charity, conclude, that thefe Men have in re- fertfe (tho' not profefledly, a Set o^Principks that arc really Antichrifiian, infui'd into them by the Devil, r.nd are by no means influencd by the Spirit o{ God^ the Spirit ofChrtB, and the Go^el-Spirit, notwith- ftanding all their Pretentions thereunto, and BoaB' ings of the Spirit, (for if we may give Credit to i»- numerahle Relations, actual Magicians, Sorcerers, JViz," Tj'xrds, and Witches, have made the fame, and have been Famous, and noted for their Gifts of Prapr^ Utterance, and the like, even in fome of thefe Se^a- ries. Esamtnd and DifprovJ. %ii fks Meetings, Congregations and Affemhlies, and look'd upon as moft Holyj SfirituaL, Gracious PerfonSj and even make ufe of the Names o^Gody Chrift, and the Holy Spirit, feemingly devout Frayers, Ejaculations^ Scripture Thrafes in their Infernal, Magical Operations, Charms, and the like, and have their Trances, Rap- tures, Extaftes, VijJ'ons, immediate Infpirations, DiBates, Groanings, gracious Looks, Airs, Cantings, Whinings^ Sobs, Tears, Genuflexions, Trofirations, and all the lit- tle affeHed, Artificial, Mimical Trinckets of our SeBa^ rian Saints, fo that it's very difficult to Difcriminate them (and as to the moft) unqueftionably from the {a.mQ ferpentine Spirit of Sedu^lion and Delujion, I fay, fuch Perfons, as I have been defcribing, acting fo "wickedly, as generally they do, by raifing Rebellion a- gain ft lawful Gcvernours, both in Church and State, purfuing their Dejigns by all the Arts of Violence, and intemperate Zeal fet on fire by Hell, with BlocdJJjed, Ajfaffmations, Robbery , Perjury , Lying , Slandering, falfe Aceufations, Malice, Revenge, Sacrilege, ProphanS' ne(^, Unmercifulnefi, Barbaroufnefi^ attributing all their Ungodly, Unchrifiian, Antichriftian , Diabolical Pro- ceedivgs, to the Impulfe and Movements of the Holy Spirit of Cod, the Spirit of Unity^ Peace, Charity, Meeknej^, Humility, Patience, GentlenejS, Love, &:c. to the pcfitive, exprejS, immediate Commands of God (as in the Cafe of the Munfterian, and other German Anabaptifis) can never be fuppcs'd to do all thefe horrid Things, and carry on their ungodly PrcjcBs and Contrivances, but by Pri?jciples ; and thefe being cntrary to all Gofpel- Rules, are reatolvable by nothing hut Spiritual Infatuation, OT Infidelity. Thus we read, Muncer tells the German Boors, or Rabble, ' That he ' was fent from God to Command and Lead them [in * their Rebellion.] Short Hift, Anabap. p. 9. And alTur'd, ^ That God himfelf, that cannot Lie, had ^ promis'd him Viclory, and commanded him to De- ' firoy all Princes and Magifirates, p. 10, To this I mi^hc ±1% The Anahaptijls Minijlry might add a many hifiancesj, but I fhall fpare my felf and the Reader the Troubhj becaule not necef- fary • and here I Ihall rather chufe to obviate an Oh- jetlion fome of them make. That we are not to judg of them by the Principles or Tra^kes of the Foreign and German Anabaptifisy and therefore ftiall proceed in fiortj to (hew how exactly they agree in many of thofe groj^ VrlncifUs^ which they would feem fometimes to deteft and abhor. I fhall pafs that of the Fifth Monarchy, wherein,- C<«»«e, Spittlehoufe, and many more of our Englijl) Anabapifis, exactly jump with Nicholas Stcck, or Stork- Short Hift. p. 6, Mdchior Hofman, p. 14. Muncer judg'd all things out of the Bible, and by Di'vine Revelation, p. 7, And Anno IS"!'/, tliQ Ana b apt i/rs o[ Germany -——^-^^ would not allow ' Chriftians to Recover their own ' by Law,—- ~.but decided all Differences, and * judg'd all Cafes by Scriptures, p. i;. With them, Spittlehoufe, and other English Anabaptifis agree. 'Tis fdid Hkewife ot thefe lail German Anabaptifis, that they Rebaptiz'd thcmfelves ,• fo the Author of Perfe- cution Judg'd and Condemn d : Reprinted, and Publifli'd by our Anabaptifts, 1661. Again^ thefe German Anabaptlsls, when prels'd by Arguments drawn fl-om the Scriptures, their Anfivcr was. That the Spi- rit taught them otherwife, &c. Much to the lame purpofe Spitdehouje, with his immediate Teacb^ ings. So the Author of Perfecution Judgd, &c. Re- printed, &v. p. 5-4. That the Interpreter of this Rule of the Scriptures ( p. ^2, ) is the Spirit of God whomfoevcr, and the Scriptures themfelves,* but if we confult other Writings, and Expreffions of the Anabaptifts, they fay downright the Spirit in whcn-ifoever. In rejecting all Human Learning, Spittlehouje, and the Prophet Matthias at Munfier, are of the fame Opinion, who there commanded, '^ All * Books that could be found, excepting the Bible, ' to be burnt ^ Short Hilf. p. 22. With Jack of Ley dens Examined and Difprovd. iii Leyden s K^o^lQSy the Author of Perfecution Judg'd, &c. And the generality of our Anabapifis agree, (as I am well inform'd from their Preachments^ and fince , from feveral Paffages in Tho, Grantham's Works, one of the moft fober of them) that them- felves only are of the True Religion, exclufive of all befides. But thefe Men add. That from the Apo- ftles Time to this Age, the Word of God had ne- ver been truly Pieach'd, nor Righteoufnefs Pra- dis'd,* which, upon Enquiry, I am inclin'd to think, will be found the Sentiment of moft of our Moderns : That the Diftindion of Pariflies is An- tlcbriflian, which only an Anabapiff Treacher afferted in his DiJj>utation with Dr. Bryan^ and fo no Church- ►es : To thefe may be added. The AboUfhing Tytbes, DemoliJJnng of Churches ; {oJohnCanne. And here I cannot flip a very pretty Notion of his ,• ' I fee, fiith he, there is at this time, much ado about Ty$hes, and great Thoughts of Heart fome have for the Maintenance of Minifters : I could wifh that fomething were confider'd, and efFedually done for the Encouragement and Enabling of fuch as are willing to give themfelves freely to i\\QWcrk of the Lord; to fpend, and to be fpent ^ And /or their Livelihoods, to live by Faith in the Promifes of the Gofpelj -Then a little alter But now feeing we have better Men [than thofe ot the laft Parliament, Diffolv'd 165-3.] ^^ ^^ "^^y ^^" ped better things ,• namely, that thefe Publick Places {ivhich are the States) may be otherwife, and better difpofed. It is not the Place we affect, for it they were razed to the Ground, it would be well: Second Voice, p. 28. 29. Another of thefe German Anabaptifis Opinions, was, which is that likewife of fome of cur E?:gl:f,) ones, viz. That Men Rebaptiz'd cannot fin,- [that is not Mortally or Damnable] which Notion is got into the Heads^ of our Antlnomiavs and fakers ,• I do not fay, all of them ii4 The Anahaptijls Miniflry them hold fo, but it's certain many do, and unJer cha Rofe it ougJot to be one of their main Articles, becaufe^ by this iVleans they are much embolden'd and en- COuragM to go through fiitch^ to (iick at no Means, how indlre5i or rmlawful foevei, to gain their Feint ^ for 'tis as much their Pra5ilce, and ot all other Se5is too, as oi: th'S Jefuits, to compafs their Ends per fas aut nefas, by hook or crook, no matter how ^ and 'tis certain, they muft either go by this Principle, or fome that is equivalent, to fatisfie, or rather to ft iflc their Confciences. But after all, I am muchtemptedy when I refietf: upon tiie Manners, Ends, Interefts^ ConduB, VrcfeJJions, Vradices, Hypocrijie , Duplicity, Treachery, Malice, Rcve^ige, Hatred, Cruelty, Pride, Infolency and Ambition cf thefe SeBaries ; to think it's* moft natural and feafihk to folve ail thefe things by the Spirit o[ Infidelity. — It's morrally impoflible to conceive otherwiO^, nay, UncharitableneJ^ to think, notwithftanding all their Whining and Cant^ffhut they really (I mean chiefly, the dejigning, projeBing part o{ them) and in their Hearts and Confciences believe the Gojpel, a Future Judgment, Eternal Tor- msnts, &c. and aB as tkcy do ; it's imfojfible all thefe things iliould be reconciieabie to a fmcere and true Belief of the Articles of Chriftian Faith ; or at leaft, they muft have fome damnable Principles, to makd Perfevtrance in the grandef}^ deliberated and premedi- tated Immoralities, and final Impenitency in them recon" cileable,ind conflftcnt with the Terms and State oi Sal- vation, which is taptamou?it to hfldJity ; 'tis impofli- ble fuch CAW ever be Chrijiians in God's accomit, or acknowledg'd for the Difciples ot the Holy, Meek, a«d Peaceable, Loving Jeftis, fo far as 'tis poilibe to Jttdg by Gojpcl-Rulcs. Then what can be expelled in fuch a horrid (late o{ Religion, as this Nation oi curs is in at prefent, fo over-run with the horrid murthe- roHs Sdh J fhould we run into the fame Confuflon a- gain (which God Aimi(^hry forbid, and nothing but Examined and DifpYov'd. 2, 2, 5* but a Miracle of Mercy can prevent) which al- moft bauijUd Chrifiianity out of this JJUnd for neaf 20 Years together, from 41, to 60 ? Thefe Se6ls increafe and multiply daily, there being nothing left to check their Growth. Their AffeBicns^ Principles, Aims, Dejigns, Ends^ the fame as ever, they are as Treacherous J and as much Enemies to Church and State ^ nay, to all Go'Ver-yiment not precifely of their own Mold and Fajhioftj and exadiy of their refpe(5live Terjwajions and Interefls^ as ever : Their Malice, Ran- cour, Bevenge, [without Hyperbolizing) undoubted- ly, infallibly greater than e'ver, and daily incrcafmg * they only want Opportunity, and lie gaping and jvatch- ing for it inceffaiuiy,- they are as rcjtlep, indefatiga- ble as ever j their folicy, by fo many Years perpe- tually plodding, contriving, ccnjidering, confulting deep' er, the Plots and Defigns more cunningly and ad'vifedly laid, they only want for a nicking time ,• and altho' every Se^ hath its difiinB Interest, akho' they /j;V [inciteth us] againji theFlep^ and thefe are contrary [ in their Defires^ Affections, Motions, or AAings] the one to the other [and there- by, are to any ilncere, truly religious and heedful Chri- fiian^ difiinguijhabkj and to be difcern'd one from another, as the Tree is by the Fruit ^ ] Gal. y. 17. And are not Hatred, Variance, Emulations, [flowing from Pride, Ambition, Avaricioufnefs] IVraths , Strifes, Seditions, Envyings, [the Chnradierifticks of Sectaries and Separatifis, eafie to be diflinguifh'd from Lo've, Peace, Loj^g-fufering, Gentlenef and MeeknefS^ the Charadisrs of Genuine Chriitians, the True Members of Chrift, ver. 21, 22. When Perfons of iMQ\\ Characters, by the juft Judgment of God, fhall come to be let loofe upon us, what, I fay, can we expert from in t\\Q fir fi place, but all the direful Ef- fed:s of an ImpUcable Malice, Hatred, and Revenge ^ Avaricioufnefs ? It's not unknown how often the Seels in general have threatned a thorough Extirpation, oi^ all they call Idolatrous, Babylonijlj, Dr agonic al^ Beafily, Antichrifiian ; that is, the Church of Chriil a- mongfi us in particular, as well as Presbyterians and Independents, thofe two topping and moit prevailing Se5ls, till now of late (tho' the latter their greateB Friends, Favourers and Encouragers ^ ) Then how will they, the AnahaptiH-Millenarians, ferve thofe they account their Enemies, againft whom they have expreffed the greateft Rancour, by way of Menacing, in many of their prijjted Books ; fo have they former- ly in their Holdings-firth : witnefs, their Martyr yohn James, Oclob. 19. 1661 ; for which he was Indited, Arraign d, and Condemn d, and Executed. The Subftace of the Indidment was this; ^ He * ftood Indided by the Name oijahn James ; (r.) Q 2 \ For XI 8 The Anahaftijls Mimjlry *. For compaffing and imagining the Death of the King, (2.) For endeavouring to Levy War a- gain'il the King. (5.) For endeavouring a Change of the Goycrnmenr, and in his compailing, ima- gining and contriving the King's Death, &c.. deciar'd the words : (i.) That the King was a bloody Tyrant, a Blood-fucker, and Blood-thirfty Man, and his Nobles the fame. (2.) That the King and his Nobles had ihed the Blood of the SaivtSj at Charhig-Crofi } and the Blood of the Covenanters, in Scotland. (3.) That the King was brought into this end, to fill up the Meafure of his Iniquity j and that the King's Cup of Ini- quity,had fill d more within this laft Year, than in many Years before. (4.) That he did bemoan, that he had not improvd their Opportunity^ when they had Foiifer in their Hands j and that he did fay, it would not be long before they had Power again, and then they would improve it better ,* and that he did bewail the Afoftacy of the People of God, and fiy. They had not fought the Lord's Battels throughly ,• but when thsLord jhould give Vomer to them a.^ain, and give his Work into their Hands, thsy would do it better. (5.) That i\iQ Death ^nk * DejiruHion oi the King^ drew very near. Narrative of the Apprehending, c>'c. oijohnjamesj p. 12. And thus this Mandy'd a Martyr ^ as the Puhlijhers, his Vartifansy intimate to all the World, in the a- forefaid Narrative • and like a true Trojan to his ~ Tri/icipL'Sj he bequeathed this his laft Advice to his Brethren ; ' To all his Friends that came to vific him, he gave good Encouragement to Ver fever ance and Confiancyj in the Matters o^PVorJhip and TeJ^i- mony, and that they iliould not fear Mans ?ower, nor be afraid , alTuring them, that Sufferings from Man, for Right ecufnef fake ^ {i. e. for Plotting and rai/ing Rebellion againft their Laivful King, cutting innocent Mens Throats, and feizing their Eftates, turning their fVivfs and Children to Beggary, if not Ravi^nng E>camlt^d and Difprovd. 2,19 Ravlflnug the one, and dajlnng out the Brains of the Brains of the other /7g<«/»/? the Stones, by way ol Reta- liation, or (in the Language of the Saints) dcuhUng, or millioning for on e, cutting Thufands of Throats, or facrificing Thoufands by way of Expiation, for the Imfrifonwent or ViUoring of one Saint, and feizing Thoufands of Pounds for one Shilling Forfeiture for not coming to the Parifli-Church on Sundays, &c. Pray confider the Saints Doubling a?id Reward^ ing Babylon [ it's a Notion of very grand, and the laft Imprtance] were not fo bad as thej feemd to be, (] Then O ! the Diabolical Revenge of thefe Cannibal Saints, to return fo much Evil, for what tended to fo much Good and Advantage, and tJonoitr, and Glo- ry, and Rcivard to them, to think cutting of Throats, and fending Men head-long to Hell before their times, and to Rulne innocent Wives and Children, to be only an Adequate, and jufi Reward for fending them to Heaven ; Thefe are Dajs of Light with a witnefs, the poor Martys under the Ten Perfecutlons, were blind, ignorant Bats : had they been vouchfafed thefe Mens Illuminations, they might have prevented the EfFuHons of Oceans ot i}jnoce7it Blood : See p. 56. Narrat. of John James. But here I muft beg leave to add, that this John James had like to have prov'd a much truer Prophet than his Brother Canne or Splt- tlehoufe, he was within an ace of it ,• for whereas he told believing Brethren, that it would not be long be- fore they had Tower again ,• I muft needs fay, they bid fair for it, in OM. 1663. The main Body of the Se6laries, were over head and ears in a Tlot, (which was managed hy sl Council o^ Forty, and a. Council of Six, which were ths Reprefentatives q[ fx SeBs) to Cut off the Royal Family, and all the Nobility and Gentry; for which Defign, Four were Executed, George Phillips, Tho. Tonge, Nathaniel Gibbs, Francis Stubbe : Gibbs own* d himfelf to be an AnabaptlB in his Djlng'Speech» Brief Narrative of that fiupendlous 2,30 Tl^tf Anahaptifts Minijlry "Tragedy J intended to he aBed by the Satanical Saints of ^hele reforming Times : Printed, 1^65. I have not room to furfue the refilef and indefati-- gahle Diligence ot thefe SeHaries any farther, my De- Tign being only to give a Tajle or Specimen of their frincifles and Vr^Bicesj by way of Caution, that the honelt peaceable Members of the True Church ofChrifi amongft us, may Jland upon their Guards^ and ne- ver think themfelves fecure from their HeJlifij Machi- nations, and to prevent their being feducd by them. They are everlaftingly in a ?/at they are generally refolved into at laU^ as theiriitmoH Progrefs, Quakers. The Paf- fage is this, in Jhoit: ' In Septemb. laQ, i6^f. there roas a (irangc Difcoveyy made of divers JVitcbes, inland near the Town o/Sherburn,/« Dorlet-fhire,r<7ei'e being near zoo of them at ontMteting/no^ of them ^ualiers andAnabaptijls.Three Men ,and two IVomen^formerly^taliers, committed to Dorchefler Geal-, rvbere they novo are Prifonersy have confefs'd upon their Examination, and fmte their Commitment, '—— (1.) That rvhen the Devil firfi appeared to, and tempted them to be- come JVitebes , he firU of all perjuaded them to Renounce their Bap- tifm ; becauje, in it they Renounc'd the Devil and all his Works, with all the finfui Luftsof the Flefli: JFhich they didaciually Renounce, before they made a ContraH vpith him. (2.) That the Devil did often vifibly appear to them in fundry Forres (and psrfuaded them, as he, Mat. 4. 8, 9, 10 Luke 4. 1^, ^, 7, 8. tempted our Saviour) to fall down and U^orfhip him ; which they did. (3.) Thar he infiigated them to torrnent, bewitch, and deftroy ■ Afr, LyforJ, late Minifter ef Sherburn — being tormented n-ith a painful anSJharp Difeaje, of which he died : And Mr Bamfield, *— ■ whom they forc'd to defert the Town, his Succejfor. (^.) Tf)e two Women confejt to all, That the Devil hath oft-times had aiiual Co- pulation with them in lundry Shapes, but commonly in that of Mr. Lyford, and Mr. Bamfield,.. whofn they moji hated, and endeavoured to de/iroy. (j.) The Devil, fmce tbtir Imprifonment„ hath frequently appeared to them all, and a^ually poffeffed theniy bruifing, tearing, lih^e the Unclean Spirit, Mark 9. iS, (irV, tolling them frequently up and down the Prifon in a jirange mannevy tormenting them with firange Fits, ^n^ings, — Swellings /« their VQhole Bodies, that their Sk'm^ are ready to break, which t mies them crjf oiity md. yqhv xeith great Ho/ror- 6^c. very %^% The Anahaptifts Minifiry very Scorn of the other SeBs, and their Catife every day more and more declining, than for the Glory of God, the Love of the Truth, or the real Bene- fit of Souls • for we do not read of the real Peni- tence of any one Man among them, for all their Rebellion and Hjpocrijie ♦ that all the Symptoms of God's Difpleafure, were upon this Nation, and the Candleftkk in danger of being removed ^ we can morally exped nothing lefs, upon fuch Mens pre- vailing, as this prefent Generation appear to be by their Threats ; which puts me in mind of a Notable PalTage I have met with, to the purpofe in hand, which is very fuitable to be inferted here, writren 165-9. * You know (faith my Author) who has ^ faid it, He iurnetb a fruitful Land into a WildernejS^ ' for the hiiquity of them that inhabit therein. And * truly, he that fhall ferioufly confider the fad Ca- ^ taftrophe of the Eaftern Empire, fo flourilliing in ^ Piety, Policy and Knowledg, Literature, and all ^ the Excellencies of a Happy and BlelTed People, * would alrnoft think it impoflible, that in fo few ^ Years, and amidft fo Glorious a Lightj Learning, ^ and Religion, fo fudden and palpable a DarkmJ^^ * fo ftrange and horrid a Barbarity Hiould ovcr- ^ fpread them, le gather dto^tth^v in Arms for their own Security ,• and this he proves thus, (i.) By their ceafing and expiring ,• their End ceajl/ig : They be- ing unfit, unable to go through the work for which they were cail'd, fhey ipfo facio ceafe. (2.) By their raifing another Power {t e. an Army) fupe- riour to themfelves, and inconfiftent with them, (5-.) Examined and Difprovd. %-ie (3.) Becaufe an Army being rais'd of the People, who are the Subftance, the Pariiaxoent who are but Reprefentatives or Shadows, vanifhes in courfe. (4.) Becaufe the Raifing of Army is an Ad of God Himfelf, and for the carrying on his own Defigns, to ftiew forth his Glory, &c. To P. 7. prove the fecond Particular, he argues thus. That this Defcent of Power is nioft natural and agreeable to the Will of God, Humane and Divine Rcafon : Becaufe, Power did original- ly arife from Jimpk, poor Man, had its Original from the Duft of the Earth, Common People,- — and thence rifes into the Glory of Kingdoms, Lord- fhips. Monarchy, &c. and in Extremities, Con- vulfions of Government, Tyranny, &c. naturally returns to its Center, &c. f. 8. The third Parti- vular he proves thus: (i.) Becaufe the Parliament, in their Declarations, appeal'd to the People, and by that their A6t, fubjeded themfelves unco them. (2.) Becaufe they are Higher, being appeal'd unto, and have more Strength and Ability to do Juftice, and to defend themfelves, than any other Power in being , &c. The foruth Particular , mzj. That the then Army were truly P. 9, 10. the People o^ England, and had the Na- ture and Power of the yvhok in them, he prov'd thus : (i.) Becaufe they were of a popular Stature, Men of the common and ordinary Rank of People, &c. (2.) Becaufe they were the Heart and Life of the People, Men of ftrong and lively Affedions for the Publick Good, who hadendur'dand hazarded much in their Perfons for the Nation , &c, (5.) Becaufe they did accept of the Ap- P. ir, peal of the Parliament, &c. They are the People in Virtue, Spirit and To-wer, gather'd up into Heart and Union, in a feleBed, choice way ,• the People ingrojS, being a Monfler, agroj^ Heap, mweildy, rude Bulk, of no life, &c. p. 12, The '"' ' . Fifth %}6 The AnalAptifts Miniflry Fifth Particular thus ,• ' That the Army are the Pco- * pie gathered and united into a moft Excellent and * Divine Form : Or, any Army is a fingular Ordinance * cf God appointed for (pecial PurpofeSj and at this * time, rais'd by God as moft fit for thofe noble, ho- ' nourable, and difficult Works he hath P. I ;. ' now in hand. For the clearing of this, ^ I wou'd have confider'd. That an Ar- ^ my is a peculiar Ordinance ofGod^ wherein he hath ' a ipecial Delight, and appropriates it to himfelf, ' as a Power that hath more near Relation to him, * and more immediate Dependance upon him, and * in which he will moft vifibly fKew himfelf, and * therefore chufes fo often to be call'd the Lord of ^ Hofis, &c. Now, to illuftrate this Notion, he tells U5, (i.) When God brought forth the firft Creation, he caft them into this Mold, an Army, and fo laid the Foundation of all his Works in the Camp ; Gen. 2. 5*. When he had fntjh'd the Heaven and the Earth, and all theHofioftkem. In this pofture he hath put all things, not only the St ars^ivho fight in their Order, march in their Gourfe, but the very Locufis go forth by Bands, &C. (2.) When God ex- preiies his Prefence with his People in the World, he maniFefts himfelf to be in a Military State, I will encamp ^ abcitt my Houfe : Pitch his Tents about them, ^ See. (^5.) When he comes in his laft and great * Glory, he brings his Hofts^'with him, and comes * as a General and Lord of Hofis, Thotifanis of ThoU" ' fands attending upon him, all his Saints and An- * gels, &c. In the Providence of God in the ^ World, God hath made great ufe of Armies : * (i.) They have been the Parents of all the Empires ^ and Kingdoms of the VVorld .• All the prefent ' Commcn-'ivealths upon the Earth, muft P. 14. *^ own the Sword to be their On>i«rt/, &c, ' (2.) As all Kingdoms came out of an I Army^ fo are much cherilh'd and upheld by the Examirid and Difprovd, ^.ly ' fame ,• moft Kingdoms flourirningj while their ' Military Virtues are kept bright and clesr by ^fg ' and quickly languifti when the Sword is wi.oUy ' laid alide, &c. (^.) As Kingdoms are begotten * and nouriHi'd by Armies^ io do they again refohe ' i»fo them, as into their /rj-^Pr/wci/j/e^,- And, when ' by Strength of Wickednefs, civil Societies are * difturb'd, they naturally retire to a Military, as * unto their own Father, for Safety, &c. Now as to the Work of this Divine Ordinance, this Heavenly Hoft : ' The Work that God, faith he, hath now in hand,is not anEarthfy, fix 4 thing,hut he is upon Motion, marcJjing us out ot Egyptian Dark- nefs and Bondage, into a Canaan of Reft and Hap- pinefs, and therefore 'tis proper for him to gird up himfelf, to contradl himfelf from a vaft ]Body ot aKingdom,into a narrower Compafs, into a few Spirits, into an adive Body , P. if. fuch as an Army is, loofe and free from the Clog of old Forms and Cufioms, to 3.Sb lively his Plealiire, and to follow him into thof« ne-w TVays and Vaths of Truth and Liber- ty, that he Hull lead them. P. 16, ■¥■ Here follows the Chara(5i:er of this Army. f* ' Know therefore that the Lord^ the moft high God is in the mid ft of you, is in you, and with yoUy in a glorious Prefence, as you have frofefd : The Glorious God, or the Glory oi God dwells withyou, or God in his higheH Glory refis upon you ; fo that you are not only the People of England, but the People of God, fantiified by the Holy, Mighty, Wife Spirit of God, and endow'd by the Divine Wifdom, Strength and Jufiice ; And you are as an Army, fo the Lord's HoH; Or, THE LORD HIMSELF in hisgreateH Majejiy, appearing amongft Men in an H9B3 the whole Hoft of Heavenly and Bleffed * Men 238 The Aftahaptifls Minijlry ' Men and Angels, with all their various and innu- * merable Excellencies and Perfedions gather'd to- ' gether, and embodied upon the Earth in you : An * Earthly Army in Union with the Heavenly Hoft, ' or the Lord of Hofts in Mount Sion, among his ' People glorioujly ; This is your Righteoufnefs, the * Lord Jehovah is your Co-vering, and your Garment * of Salvation^ and only this can jufiifie you ,• Honeft * Intentions, and good Meanings, are rotten Rags, * and too narrow to cover your Nakednefs. How the Lord of Hofis was ^refent with this Army» * Firft, The Lord is with you in thehigheft and greatefl Majefty : There i^ no ^^OtDCU, no (6I0- ?p of <©0l>, but'ttlJ inpOU, 2iVi^ with you ', nor nor no 5^otDcr nor <25!o2p greater than tljat which dwells in you ,• none hejides, none a£tO)}e^ none ftcpontJ it. The Lord is here, the moft High God, and with him, all Power in Heaven and Earth ; there is no Wifdom or Strength that you ba've noty and all Imaginations of a Power aftfent from you, either in Heaven or Earth, is an Injury, or Accufation to God and You , is Theft and Rchberyi fealbig away the Riches of God from you, and fr^ himfelf in you ,• if you look upon tlje totgDonrof /nV and Truth, Eternally, Inf far ably, in a Kingdom that ne'ver fijall he defiroyed, in an Everlafiing Covenant that cannot he hroken. The Kingdom is fo with you, the Lord's People, as it ^lall never he taken from you, but ftiall flltSUre foj t\itt; and all op- prefling Fears, or dark Doubts, they are of the malicious One, your Enemy, &c. and all At- tempts of Satan, or his Inftruments, will be as Waves againft a Rock dafii'd in pieces, and you jball grow from a little Stone, to a great Mountain ; from a little Branch, to a great Tree, that /ball fpiead it felf, and fill the Earth with Fruit, &c. 'As ^40 The Anahaptifii Mini/lry As to this Army's Work in particular, in refe- rence to themfelves ,• ^ Seeing the Lord hath palTed * from other Powers to you, and exalted or fet up * you as the frefent fi an ding Voiver oF the Kingdom , ' and hath given himfelf to you, and taken you up into his glorious Prefence, then muft jou exalt the ^ Lord^ publijhj declare the Name of the Lord, P. 1 8. ' confefs him to be in the midji of you, ' found him forth evidently^ boldly, aloud ; fay, the Lord lives with you, that he ts come to Reign amongfi you glorioujly. Bring him forth in Brightnefi and Tower ^ Let this OppreJJed One go free ; Tell it to all the Nations, The Saviour of I/rael is come to Redeem his People from all their Enemies. You do mutter ic, and fpeak it foftly, and by halves, but declare it fully, that we may hear the__ Shout of a King in the Camp ; that God himfelf zs in you of a truth : Let us hear the Sound oi: that Trumpet in the Camp, which the Seventh, laft and Blejfed Angel founds; And thoie great Voices in Heaven, fiying. The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Chrifi^ |3=» ^'^^ ^^ J/w// Rsigit for ever and ever. Do you, ^ not in Words, but in Power and Truth, caft down your Crowns doivn to the Earth, fall ■with jour Faces to the Earth, your Crown of SuccejJeSy Vitiories, lay thein down in the Dirt, being bur Earthly : And your Faces, your Excellency of Honefiy^ Valour, Wifdom, Honour, lay it down to the Earth, for it is but DuH ; and as you wor- IKip God, love God, confef God, exalt God, dfc, give up your felves from human, weak, or fiefhly State, as Thanks, or free-will Offering, to the Glory and Majefty of God, to aB, And live the Life of the Almighty, put on tbeAlmightinefofGod, be cloathed with God Almighty, &c. — - He hath taken his great Power, and hath Reigned, he hath already begun, hath taken his Usi Sind great Pow- er. Bxamin'd and Dlfprov'd 241 ■ er, and is in the Exercife ofic. Therefore, Arlfe a7td jljinc forth, for thy Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee : For^ behold the DarkneS fliall cover the Earth, and grcf DarkneJ^ the People, but the Lord Jhall rife upon thee, and his Glory Jhall be feen upon thee, and the Gentiles jlndl come to thy Liffht and Kings to the hrightntf of thy K'lfwg. ' — You being the People of Eng- P. jc^. land, and all Power and Dominion de- fcending, and coming down into you, you are the Mother oi the Nation, the Earth, Balls, and Foundation upon which all lie • and being thus in the Light and Strength of God, you are Jeru- falem which is above ^ the Mother of ris all^ and there- fore niuft ,• .The iVrmy's Work in reference to this Nation in particular. ^ (i.) Spread your Arms to receive the whole • Nation J- open your Bofoms to us, and let us fee you carry in you all the Happinefs and Welfare of the Kingdom, manifefl: the Largenefs and Com- prehenfion of your Spirits, that you have in you the King, and his Royalty ,• tiie Parliament, and their Wifdom and Majefty, thefe tvv'o in Treaty ^ nay, in perfeB Union, that Religion, Trade, Juflice^ Order, Covenant, Settlement, Ktfcrmation, Riches^ HoTfourSjPrcprictj, lies treafur'd up in your Breads ,• What you have not, Gather unto you^ all the O^^ces, Treafure, Authorities, Seals, Judicatures, all the Prerogatives , Privileges of the P. 20. Nation, let nothing lie out of you and be loft, but be you the Center of ^//, and call in all into you. (2 J Let it appear that they are in you, as in the Lord ,• in the Lord, in you, &c. (3.) Receive, and retain them all in Judgment ; make a thorogh Digeftion of the Good and Evil of them all ; keep them, as in a Fire, by the Sword or' Divine Juftice, with the Exaeedy, and that too,in perfect Union * with Salvation and Redemption, which ■ muft he long, a Tear, it muft laft tor ever ,• The Tear of ' my Redeemed is come, (i.) In this refped, you ^ muft appear moft Ahfolute in your Commands, High- ^ ty and hdifputahle in your Authority ^ and, 'tis pro- ' per in the Work you are in : Dan. 4. ;5'. And he ^ doth according to his Will, in the Army in Heaven, and ' among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can ft ay ' hfs Hand, or fay unto him, What dofi thou? An Army * in Heaven, that's your place, ftanding in God, and ' inffiredby the Spirit of God ^ One with the Heaven- Examtnd and Difprov'd. 2,42 ly Hoft ; Majefiy and Ahfolutemfs is but due here and that without Danger, when the Wife God guides your Refolves, &c. (2.) You muFi ap- pear in greater Terror to evil Doers, than any Power before you, with your Sword whetted, farhijh'd, hath'd in Heaven, made bright and glittering ivith the Spirit of God ; that it may awe and ftartle the Eyes ot the Nation into a fear of Tranfgrefling. For- mer Sword'3 have been too dull to cut tip Iniquity • therefore you muft appear in greater Severity, every Ad and Word ofjuftice *13 piercing to the Heart, feraching between the Soul and Spirit, between the Bone and Mar- row, to kill Wickednefs in the Root of it '.'^ * Not only ftrikeac Human Mifcarriages, — — but at Diabolical Wickednefs, ———which you are able to do, having a Sword hath'd in Hea- ven, and executing Divine Juftice ,• and by doing this, you lliall fecure the things ycu do, and for e-> ver difable Satan to bring forth any wore Mifchiefs upon us - -This is that P. 27. you have harped at, the fulfilling of that Promife, Tfal, 149. 6. &c. the Praife of God in their Mouth, » and a Tivo-edgd Sword in their Hand ; one of FleJJj, another of the Spirit ,• to cut up Sinners with the one, and Sin itfelf with the o- ther. The firll is common to every Heathen j the fecond, the peculiar Honour o{ChriH, To dellroy, or cut off evil Men only, is Heathe- niiK I to defray wicked Works only, and not Men, is Chriffian ,• to cut off both together, is the laft, and great, and perfed Judgment of the World: By this you fnall do that which hath been fore- told in Dan. 9. 24. to finiili Tranfgreflion, and to make an end of Sins, and to bring in everlafling Righteoufnefs ; to_deilroy the Wickedneis out of the Earth, Root and Branch, that there may no more come out of their Loins ; that Sin may R 2 ' be 244 ^^^ Anahaptifts M'tnijlry ' be Barren and Cliildlefs : This is the fecure Cofi- ^ dition you aim at, and that which is promifed, arid ' will be made good to you ; To fed up fuch true * and bright Laws, fo Holy and Incorruptible, in fuch * Power and Efficacy, as no Ungodlinels fliall be ' able to pafs through them, or ftand in the fight ^ of them : ■■ ■■ Sin flhill not abide in Mens ' Actions, no, nor Hearts^ nay, not in the l^a* ^ /^^ Father of it, Satan, but in all it jliall ' be utterly deflrofd : So fet up * the New Jerufalem in fuch Brightnefs and ever- ' Lifting Purity, as no unclean thing {ball come in- ' to it, nothing defile it. As you ftiall come forth ' in flames of Fire againft all the Work- ?. 28. ^ ers of Iniquity, fo {hall not one efcape, ' &c. This is your true State, and the ' firft and leaft of it ,♦ and lefs than this is not your ' Righteoufnefs .• I can't fpeak or think lefs of you; ^ and he that thinks or fpeaks lefs • than £3^ *" this, or contrary to this, be it Satan in ^ yoii or ethers, blafphe?nes the Tarbernacle of ^ God, and them that dwell in Heaven : This is / your own Life, and all below it, are Fancies y ' Dreams and Lies, 5/2moral and abominable, and odlm cm ? * It's but fancying thernfelves to be EleS^, it's Examind and Difprov'd. 2,49 * hut knowing himfelf by the Sprit to be in a State of ' Grace, tho he be drunk, [in the AA o( Adultery and ' Fornication, &c.^ commit Murder, God fees no * Sin in him. Averrd by Mr. Simfcn; See Gatak, God's Eye on Ifrael : Ep. to the Reader, p. 18. Let me fpeak freely to you, faith Dr. Crifp, and in [0 doings tell you, ' That the Lord hath no more to lay to the Charge of an Lie ft Verfon yet in the height of Iniquity, and in the Excefs of Riot, and committing all the Abominatons that can be committed ,• I fay even then, when an Ele5i Perfon runs fuch a Courfe, the Lord hath no more to lay to that Pcrjon's Charge, than God hath to lay to the Charge of a Believer ; nay, God hath no more to lay to the Charge of fuch a Perfon, than he hath to lay to the Charge of a Saint Triumphant in Glory : Crifp's Sermon, Intituled, Our Sins are already laid on Chrift, p. 274,275'. Cited in the Tefiimony to the Truth of yefiff Chrift, by the London Minifters, p. 16. Printed 1648, Could Mahomet himfelf, or all the Impoftors in the World, fay more to encourage Vicioujnefs, Licentiouf nefs, and to harden Men in their Sins ? Could all the Popes and Antichrifis that ever were, pretend to give a greater ,• nay, did they ever allow fo eafie an Indulgence in all manner of Sin ? The Devil ha.th made his Work now very eafie, it's only to imprefs upon the Minds of wicked Men, a Ibong Imagina- tion or Conceit of their being EleBed, and all runs fmooth and eafe ^ and how much this Antinomian Opi- nion prevail'd in thofe lamentable Times, appears fuf- ficiently from their Writings and PraBices ^ a view of which may be taken from Edwards^ Gangrena : and Dr. yohn Edwards mentions this Antincmian Opinion to be very prevalent at this very Day. As to this Communion and Union of Sedgwick's Army with God, whom he impudently calls the New Jerufalem, it's the moif damnable Herefe that ever Satan invented • with as much Truth it may be affirm 'd of ^// that have but fo much of Qhrifiianity in Prcfejfion, as may qualiftc ^^6 7%'e Afiahdptifis Mirtiftry qualifie them to be Hypocrites, for even himfelf be- ftows all thefe Elogies and high Pri'vileges upon the feme" Men, Whom, in his Jufike done tifon the Arntyy he had charg'd with all Sim and Vices imagtnahkj and n the fame Year too, as with Apoflacyy p. yo. ii>ith being led by an Unclean Spirit, a falfc Spirit^ an' erring arid [educing Spirit, [that is, by the Devil]] v^ith being gi'veH up to firong Dclufions ^ to believe a Lie ^ DoBrines of Devils, o'i Wrath , Malice, jiccufa^ tions, Diforders, Confujions, DefiruBions, 7 fpeak- ing Lies in Hypocrifie : He tells them. Their yufiice, Publick. Intercfi, Ccnimon Right, are all Lies. 'And that they fpoke them in Hypocrifie, cunningly to deceive and feck themfelves and their oni)n Intereft, having their Confciences fear'd with a?t hot Iron, that God had fet feme Brands and Marks of Favour upon them, giving thent feme FiBories and Succefs, to enfnare Heatts, to puff up the Flefh for its Deftru^lion ,• Sedgwick's Jufiice done upon the Army, 1649. Now, I fay, if fuch vile and profligate Perfons as thefe, without any Repentance, Amendment, or Alteration of Principles or VraBites, in aSlual Rebel- lion again ft God, as Apofiates, Hypocrites, Men of fear'd Confciences, may yet be faid to be in Communion and Union vvith God; why not all the Adulterers, Swearers, Drunkards, Extortioners, Sorcerers, prophane Berfons, the moi\' Debauch' d of all Mankind, that make any the leaft Profeffion of Faith in Jefus Chrift ? \[ 3i Rebel, a Traitor, o. Murderer, Si Plunderer * why n'Ot a Whoremonger, a Common- fwearer. Sabbath-break' er, a Polygmift ? One is as well qualified for this Communion and Union with God, as the other. What Fellowfhip hath Light with DarkneJJ, Purity with Ftlthinefs, Chrift with Belial ? If wilful, deliberate, jfrefumptuouf^unrepented Sin keeps us in its own Nature, at a diftance from God, what Comnnmionov Union can be fiippos'd with God at the fame time ? Two cmradiftory repugnant Wills , can never ho united at,' cne Examined and Difprovd, ici 6ne and the jame time ? They who have found out the Art of Reconciling Contrarieties, or ContradiBions I confefs, may do things paft Human Comprehen- fion. And this I find is t\\Q grand Arcanum, ot Secret of our MiUcnarian Saints, and io I fhall never henceforth be furpriz'd at the moft irregular or extraordinary Things that they can AB. Ill not wonder at all at the Liberty yack of Leyden, and his Comrades took, as to Multiplicity of Wives, and lying with as many Women as they pleas*d_, and indulging themfelves in all manner of Criminal Excefsj and then they and the Familifis, and Ranters, upon thefe Principles, can never do amifs. This is an extraordinary DoHrine indeed, and requires an extraordinary Mijjion to pro- mulgt and attefi it. The Holy Scripture no ways countenances any fuch Notion, or Pradice upon it. The alTur'd way to arri've at the Myfiical Union and Communion with God, is, in the faH place, to have our Wills in Unity or Conformity with his Reveal' d Will in the Holy Scriptures • Thy Will be done, in Earth as it is in Heaven ^ to ivalk, to live, to converfe as the B. Jefus did, (as far as He is immitable by us) by an eit' tire and Jtncere Obedience to the Will oi God, to obferve the Gojpel-precepts, to make them the Rule and Mea- Cure of all our Atiions, Intentions, Thoughts^ De/ires, Affeclions, to live foberly, righteoujly and godly in this prefent World, to have Confciences void of Offence both tO' wards God and Man, to mortifie all our corrupt AffeBi- ons, and to rejifi the very Appearances of Evil, to avoid the Occajions of Sin, to firuggle againfl the very frfi Mo" tions and Temptations to Sin, to deny all Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufis, and to exercife an Univerfal Charity to- wards all Men ,• to take up our Crofs daily, to chufe Sujjeriftg before Sinning, to Renounce and Dejpife the Tomps , the Riches , the Luxury , the finful Pleafures and Delights of the World i to be Meek, Humble, Poor in Spirit ; to be contented in all, even in the lowefi and pjcanefi Circumftances of Life, as conftdering that this 2 5'^ The Anahaptifts Min'iflry this Life is a time o{ Probation and Penitence, that we^ are every hour liable, to Temptations, and too fre- ^ quently apt to make falfe Steps, as to our Duties and Obligations unto God j furrounded only with infinite Temptations from the IVorld, the Flejh and the Devil, and therefore ought to bemoan our Frailties and In- firmities, and frequent L^pfes into Sin, and to make it ourBufinefs to acquire, by the AflirtanceofGod, his Pardon, Favour, Reconciliation, and Peace of Con- fcience ; which if we do fincerely, and as it highly imports us, and ftand upon our Guard ae^Ain^ all our Spiritual Enemies, will afford us little time to carefs our felves, and to indulge our felves in X.\\q Enjoyments of outward^ tranfilory and luorldly Pleafures ,• to hunger and thirji after Rigbteoufnefs , to lay up our Treafures in Heaven, above all things to lecure the Interefts of our immortal Souls, the one thing necejj'ary, the great- efi Stake, which alone can bring or procure Peace at the laft, and give us the truefi and only [olid Satisfa- tiion • To be merciful, compafjionate, tender-hearted, long'Juffering, of forgiving Tempers, to render Good'^ for Evil, BkJJlng for Curfing, Benefits for Injuries, and to love our very Enemies, and to do good for them that hate ns, defpitefully ufe us, lay in wait for, and hunt after our Lives [or perfecuteus i ] To have pure HearA(, holy Intentions, and Defgns regulated by the T4'ord ofG^J, conduced by the Spirit o{ Chri(liani~ ty, conformable to the Will and Commandments of God in all things, referring all to his Glory, or intending fo even in the minutejh ABions of our Lives ,• doing all to the Glory of God, or fo that God and our Holy Trofefion, the Gofvcl, may be Glorified thereby, and not Dijgracd and Expos d to the Scorn, and Derifion, and Mockings of our Enemies, or Infidels, or notadting any thing inconfifi-ent with our Holy Profejfion^ contra- dieting its Purity and Simplicity, hereby acting nothing iinivorthy of God, refidting Dijlionour upon him and our Chrijlian Profejpoh, but walking in all Upright- nefi Examlnd and D'tfprovd. 2,^5 nefs and Sincerity, as becorneth the Gofpel • To rc- }ojce in Sufferings J Po'vertj, Difgraces , Verfecutionsy AffiiBionSj for the Truth and RighteoufneS fake^ and to w/(? no unlawful, dijlionefi, indirect Means to avoid them. ^ Let us^ faith Chryfojtom, not only fimply adhere to Chrift, but let us be glu'd and faftned finfeparably] unto him : For if we in any wife depart from him, we {Kail pcrifh ,• therefore let us be conglutinated unto him by Works [of Righte- oufnefs. Charity, Holinefs : ] For he faith. He that keepeth my Commandments^ abideth in me. And truly, by many Inftances, he joins us toge- ther. Obferve, I pray you. He is the Head^ We the Body ; can there be any middle, empty Space between the Head and the Body ? He is the Foundation J We the Super ^ru^iurc or Buildings ; Fie the Vine J We the Branches ; He the Bridegrootn, We the Bride, the Spoufe ; Fie the Shepherd, We the Sheep J- Fie the Way, We the Travellers ; We the Temple, Fie the In- dweller, or Inhabitant; He the FirJl-horn,WQ the Brethren • He the Heir,We the Co- heirs ,• He the Llfe,\Ye the Living ; Fie the Refurre- Slion,We that areRifen • Fie the Light,\VQ the Illumi- nated. K\\ thefe demonftrate,or hold forth Unio»,Con- glutination, and leave no Vacuity in the midft, not in the lealt refped,- for he whorecedes^tho'but as lit- tle [as iscDnceivable] if he but moves, will be at a farther Diftance r For the Body, if at never fo lit- tle diftancefrom the Sword, prefently corrupts and putrifies : A Building, il it cleaves a little, is ibon tumbled down : If a Branch be never fo little divided from the Root,it grows ufelefs.There- fore fuch a little is not little, but muft be iook'd upon as all the whole^ or altogether ^ and thus let's not defplfe little Things ,- to be never fo little ofF,^ or feparated from Chrift [is to run the Rifque of an Eternal Difunion from Chrift : ] Chryf. How. •8. in Caj>. 3. i Ep. ad Cor. in Mctali. So that we . .- fee If 4 ^^^ AHalaptifls MiniJIry fee the prf Step towards the Myftical Uniofi or Com- munion with Chrifiy is by the Conformity of oui Wills to his Willj which is manifefted by an Unh/er- fal Obedience to his Precepts, laid down in the Gofpel. as the trueff and vi/ible Tefts of our Love SLtidJincert uijfc^Hon unto, and Fmith in him,- and without which^ we can never arrive at the Myftical^ Invifible Union and Communion with God and ChriB. All this Obe- dience niuft be the Effed of F^/V/& and Love, wrought in our Souls by the Sprit of God, the Root of all thefe. By thefe we are prepared and qualified for Mentberjhip in Chrifi's Body, for the Myfiical Communion in the Blood and Merits of our Blelled Lord ; and by adual Communion with his Body the One Church vifible here on Earthj we become Members ol the Heavenly, In- ifijihle, Archetypal Cbathclick Church Triumphant, the Society oi Blejj'ed Angels, the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Saints and Martyrs, and United after an inelfable manner with the ever Glorious Trinity it felf. As the J'finciples and Means of this Union and Communion^ are only to be had in the Church Vifibh and Militant here on Earth, and as the ordinary Mini(lers ol Chrifi, continued thro' all Ages, from the Apoftles Days to this very Moment,and fo on by an uninterrupted Succsjjlcny 'till the Confummation of all Things, are and muft be the vijibk Principles, and the Ordinances, SacrcmcrAs and MiniJir.Jtions, by them the oufward, vifible, fenfible Means ol this Invijibk, Spiritual Uni- ofiates, ' fome ^2\\ depart from the Faith ,• the Spirit fays * now exprefly. You are thefe fome, you have * departed from the Faith : Firft, from the Do- * (ftrine of Faith, exprefs'd in the laft verfe oftho * former Chapter; and in ver. 6. of this Chapter, * In the words of Faith and good Doftrine. The ' nioft forward of you in Religion, do depart from ' the chief and main Do(5trines of Chrift, and nei* * ther do, nor can hold forth thofe Myfteries God * maniftfied in the FleJJj, &c. And from all Rule * of Faith you depart by Vrofejjion andPra^ice; to * fpeak to you concerning thofe Commands of Sub- ' jedtion to Kings, Superiours, &c. is Literal, Le- ' g-al ' you have a Spirit above thofe Commands, and ' thole concerning the Worfhip of God ,• you are * above Ordinances, &c. p. ji. So that^ from Sedgwick's own Ten, this Army not proceeding to ad according to his Model, from Saints and EleB, are relays d into Villains and Reprobates ; and falling from Union and Communion with God, are become one Mafs of Wickednefs with the Dtvil and th^ Damnd. Thefe are the Glorious Lights and Difcove-i ries of ChriB and his Kingdom, made by the Buff-j Avoftks Canne brags of, and the delicate Fruits ol Spittlehoufe's Immediate Teachings of the Spirit. Herd you have IVhite and Black, Light and Darkfii^fS, Chri}} and Belial, God and Mammon, the EleB and Reproi bate. Truth and Error, by a new fort of Legerdemain Hocus-pocus, united, and the f'.me in an inltant ,• anc HeU it felf converted into Heaven , and Heaven int( Hell ; in a word, the Go{^Q\Tranfproi d and Inverted the Gofpcl Alcoraniz^d, and Satan TransforrrM into ay Angel of Light, Heaven it felf turn'd topfy- turvy, Bu we need not run fo far as Munfier, and other Part oi Germany, for thefe Ne'}L> Lights, England h^xh beei 'too proddiive of thefe Monjters of Impiety : As thei havi Examined and Difprovd, 2,^0 have forg'd a New Gofpcl, fo our Ajiabaplfis have found out a New Saviour. No Difaf^olntments can difcourage or aba^ t\\Q.m ,• \i onQFrojeti tdWs^ prefenth the 5'/>;r/V of Impudence and Delujion is pregnant with and ^i»^j forth another : and thus, a;ter the fliame- ful Foiling of Sedgwick, Canne^ Spittkhoufe, and I fancy, fome more that I have mils'd of j Up ftarts William Franklin, a Rope- maker, to com pleat the Bu- fmefs, who whilft he profefs'd iiimfelf to be of any particular ScB, vs^as a z.ealous Anabaptl(l: j and whilft he continu'd fo to be,feli into many ftrange '^ Temp- ' tions, faith my Author, and utter'd many Blaf- ' phemous PalTages and Expreflions, faying, That * he was God, that he was Chrill : Tfeudochrifim, Fubl/Jh'd by Humphrey Ellis, Ann. i6jo, p. 7. For which he was admonifh'd by the particular Congre- gation ( I fuppole, of Anabaptiils ) Recanted, and feemingly return'd to a fober Mind. ' But however, * not long after, he fell again into, and was more ^ deeply than before, plung'd in fuch Spiritual De-> * lufions j for now he pretended to have receiv'd ' foma Revelations and Vijlons, -to Vrofhecy and ^ Reveal Things to come : He got acquaintance ( a farther Step) amongft fome of thofe that deny Ordinances, Scriptures, Chrift, Src He then pretended, ^ That he could (peak with New Tongue s^ ' and would babble out words, which neither him- * feUor others were able to underftand.—- ^-By thefe ^ Spiritual Deceits he fo fell into, was he alfo led ^ into much Impiety, as to beat and abufe his Wife j *" to deny her to be his Wife ,• to keep Company ' with other Women: For all which Evils, he ' was at length- -excluded the Congregati- * on to which he belong'd, p. 7. In fliort, this En- thufiafi and Impofior Franklin, becomes acquainted with one Mary Gadhury, a marry d Woman, p. 9. Who after many ftrange Tremblings, Co?ivulfons, Vifans, Revelations ; in fome of which. The faid. That it S 2 was ^6a The Anahaptljls Miniflry was Reveal' d unto her^ that this Franklin was ChrlFf ^ and one time efpecialiyj Franklin coming to her Houfc, being foon after that time that the Voice faid itnto her. ' That the Lord would Jend his Son to Reign ' in the Tcrfon of a Man; She demanded of him thus, * Hath God reveal' d to you'j that this Son JJ}all Reign in * the Verfon of a Man ; To which he rcflfd, I A M ' THE MAN. Whereupon flie (as laughing at his ' Words) faidj That /he look'd for the fame Body ttt * CGtne, as was laid down in the Sepulchre at Jerufalem. * To which he anfwer'd. That was an Old Body ^ ' hat that 7i>hich he hath noiv, is a New Body. She then ' told him of his Relations j that he was a ?narry'd Man, * and had Wife and Children, which jlie was fiartled at» * 71? tvhich he anfiverd, That the Body and Nature of ' Franklin, Born at Overton, concei'v'd in Sin, and ' brought forth in Iniquity, the Lord had defiroy'd j tho^ ' the DsjlruHion thereof were not af of the Body laid in ' Dufl, 'vlfihle to the Creature to be feen by it : And as. ' for the Woman his Wife, he own d her to be his Wife, ' while he carry d about that Body, in which he was fo * joind to her ; and he then alfo cwiid his Children to be * the Children of that Body , but now they were no more ' to him thiin any ether Woman and Children j and that he ' had a Command from God to fcparate from her, and ^ that Company he had before with her ; and that he had ' not Bedded with her as formerly, for three Tears before, ' p, II. H(^re I defire the Reader to confider, that the grand Defgn o\ Satan in thefe his EmiJJarieSy was, to fet up the Millenarian VrojeB in the Vulgar, Anabaptiflical grofs Notion oi it, or a Fifth Monarchy^ much like chat of Mahomet ', which indeed, is the exad Mulelo^ this, to be propagated by the Sword, and encourag'd by Licentioufmfs , and the Ruin and total Extirpation of all forts of Superiors, Emperors, Kings ^ Princes, Nobility and Gentry ; the moft proba- ble Bait to catch the Mob, who uaturally hate and eiwy all that are above chem^ and live in better Faihion Examined and Difprov'd. 261 Fafhion than tbemfelves ,• and ail this, under the Fre- text of fetting Chrifi upon bis Throne. Thus, in one of this Mary GaSur/s Fics, a Foice fpake in her, and faid, ' It is the Lord, it m the Lord; and again, Bahj- lon is fallen, is fall' n ; There jliall be no King, bat the Kingof Kiugs, and Lord of Lords.- ■ .It Jaid alfo. The Saints Jl)all Judg the Earthy and the World Jhall confefs, and jay, This is the City of the Lord. -- — The * fame Voice fpcak again to her, I have fent many a * Love-token to thee, but now thou jhalt fee me face to ' face. It faid alfo, I will fend my Son in Terfon of a ' Man, who jlmll Rule over the Nations, and they jhall ^ fee him Face to Face, Eye to Eye. There * were alfo Trumpets founding, as it were, within her, * and they had Names given them, as of Seven Ar.gels ' pouriftg down at every Sound, Vials of fVrath ; a7'id at ^ lafi it was faid. Now the Seventh Aftgel Soundetb. * Shedeclar'd, That ^e did not believe to Jee a Verfonal * Reign of ChriB, but only Spiritual in the Soul, 'till Jl]e ^ had heard the Voice fpeak, as is before-mention'd, p. 10. To make this Strumpet amends for her (b favourable Revelations, JVilliam Franklin tells her likewife, ' It ^ was Jieveatd unto him, that flie was the Woman ' which was fet apart for him ,• as her feif alfo de- clar'd afore, p. 12. And accordingly they lie toge- ther, and go for Man and Wife_, p. 12. And the Voice fpake in her, and faid concerning it, ' This is ' the Bride,, the Lamb's Wife, p. 14. And, thm novj * IS Franklin in the room of ChriH to her , he taking to ^ himfelf what is proper to Chrifi ; and jlie putting her felf ' in the Room of the Church, Chrifi' s Myfiical Body, to * be the Spoufe of ChriH, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, * p. 16. Now they come down to Hant- Jhire ; here he Preaches in an Inn, People reforcing to him ; prefently he takes occafion to go to Lon- don : In his Abfence, like Mahomet's Wife, ' Mary ? Gadbury [his Whore] gives out amongft the Gofiips^ ^ That her pretsnded Husband js a Prophet, p. 17. S3 an^ 2.6x The Anahaftijls Minijlry and fpreads it abroad, That]J;e had feen ChriH in the Terfon of a Alan, and (o prepares the Minds of the People, graduAlly to believe their Delufions^ p. 18. defcribes his Vcrfon, his Cloaths, &c. that all Circum- ftances muvi jump with the Appearance o^ hQi Spark. The End of this Jppearwg of ChriHj Hie gives out to be, to EreB and fet up his K'mgdor,i here upon Earth, [and her felt confequently, ^een and Emprefs of the World ^ Ay I to be fure.] p. 19. When places from Scripture w^ere urg'd againft her Blafphemies, &c. ilie flighted them , and ' alleg'd her own ^ Dreams, Vijions, and Voices againft them. And all ^ the time o( his Abfence, hath Vifions, Revelations, ' &c. And in her Fits and Pains, the Voice cries ■ out, Shall I bring to the Birth, and not give * Strength to bring forth, p. 20. and fo pretends to be in Spiritual Travail, and applies accordingly that ^ Saying cfthe Lord by hfsFrophet,cofJcerm7jgSion, S'lon * bis Church, and concerning the Birth ofChrift the Man" * Child, and of all his People rais'd and born together, ^ virtually v/ith and iij him, in his RefurreBion^ Ifai. 66, ^ li '^i 9- ^"^ w^s ufually wont [likewifc] * as wickedly to apply to her felf, in thefe her falfly ^ pretended Tra'vails, that Speech of the ylpo(lle. Gal. * 4. 19. Saying in general. That jhe did travail in * Birth, 'till Chrifi: were formd in them, to thofe "with whom fie confrrd, p. 21. The firft Scduc'd by her, was Edward Spradbury ; this Spradbury riding to- wards Crff9:>cf^yo«, call'd in at Mr. IVoodward's, Mi- nider of the lame Town, and there ' told his Wife ^ \_Spradbury and file were both zealous Anabaptifis, ' by the way] what he had hcvird this Woman to * fa7, vizj. of her having feen Chrift in the Perfon ' of a Man s But then Mrs. Woodward, not endu- . ^ ring to hear it, faid, I do think it is a Devil ,• * But that a few days afterwards, Mrs. Woodward ^ ' had it in a Vifton reveafd to her, That thisj Mrs. Gadbury was the Woman in the Revelation, cloathd Examirid and Difprov'd. 263 cloath'd withthe Sun and nh^Moon under her Feet,and there travailling in pain^ />. 22. In fhorCj their BUf- fhemy was this ,• William Franklin afferted himfelt to be the ChriH, and MeJJias, znA Saviour of the World, Crucified for the Sins of the 'People, that his Body ' had been -wounded^ broken, and often ciFer'd up ' for Sin ^ and that it was but Three Years and an * half fince that he alTunVd this fleilily Body of his, ' and that he was not to fufFer any more in his mor- * tal Body. It being told him. That he cou'd not ' be Chrift, Chrift being in Heaven at the Right * Hand of the Father, as the Scripture teftifieth ; ' but he being here bodily, muft be a Deceiver: *' He anfwer'd, Thofe things of the Scripture were ' gone and were nothing to him, but Types and ' Shadows,/?. 41, j;. Mary G^/^k7,as blafphemoufly ' call'd, and calling her felf. The Spoufe oi Chrift, * the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, the Lady, the Queen, * the Mother of Chrift that bears him, the Woman * cloathed with the Sun, who travails in Birth for ' the bringing forth of thofe Spiritually, that were ' feduc'd by them, p. n- ^^^'^ ^^'^^^ ^^ ^^^ P'^^"" ly another jefus, another Gofpel preach'd by our Englifli Anabapifts; the EfFeds of their immediate Teachings, and imrmdiate Calling they fo much boaft of,- and iw- filUna- upon it fo much with the accurfed Donatifi} Oi. Gld,^whomthey exaaiy imitate in all their W/^- mm and abominable VraBices and DoHrines, whoie Succeflbrs , as Canne profeffeth, they glory tnem- felves to be, as to condemn the "whole Church of God, And what is very remarkable, as Mr. Humphrey Ellts tells us, is, ' That fcarce any appear'd to hearken * to thefe Deceivers, to countenance thern, and in- ' cline to their Deceits, but fuch who had been this ' way [;. e. of the Jnabapti/}'] engag'd, p. 60 How far thefe Seducers might have proceeded, had nor they been ftopt in their Career, by homg taken up, and call'd to an Account for thefs their Blafphemtesy s 4 '^y c 2.64 The Amlaptijls Minifiry by the then Government, God only knows. They emerpiiz'd this Baiiath but in l-Joxn, i64<^. Carry *d before the Magiftrates^ January following ,• and in Marchj Try'd by the Judges at the Jffiz^es, as may be fcen in the aforefaid delation of this Bufinefs. They had made divers Profeljtes, many refbrted to them during their Confmement in F r if on ^und plentifully fup- ported them with ail NeceiTaries. The Noife of it (prcAd far a.nd near j^nd greatEndeavours were us'd ' to keep up the Hearts o^ their Party , a.nd what Lies and Romances they forg'd, to ftrengthen and promote this Delufion, appears from part of a Letter of a' Villain (who, in a /hort time, runcthro' divers SeBs and Opinions J forrook his Wife, and betook himfelf to a Strumpet) to his Sfiritucd Concubine, or Holy Sifler,' excellently well qualify 'd, no doubt, for iovc\Q Grand VoH- under YJin^Willwrn Fravklin, and Queen Mary GaSury (for the Devil hath his Hisrar^ chy) and accordingly, t\\Q Fir B- Fruit s o^ this Falfs Chrisij were diflributed into Offices; ' Goody Water- ^ man, the Kings Daughter ^ all Glorious within ,♦ Mrs. *^ Woodvv'ard, the EleB Lady ; John Noyce, John the ^ Baptifi, 7vhofe Office was to Declare the Coming of this ^ Counterfeit Chrifi into the V/orld : Edward Spradbury, ^ one of the Tvjo IVitnefj'cs^ and an Healing Angel ; * Henry Dixen, one of the Deftnying Angels [ or * Muggletons Ciirfing Angel] whofe Office was to * Curie and Delii oy the Earth [ I'll warrant you, to Cut off Emperors^ Kinoes, Frinces^ Nobility^ Gentry^ and all Men oi" large Eihites, &c. the old Munfte^ '}'ia7t Projetl. ] ^ William Holmes'^ Junior, another Dc~ ^ flroyivg Angtl, &c. Ffeudochrifi.. p. 5^3.) being ons of Cannes Buff-Preachers , an Army-Saint^ perhaps might have been promoted to have beenGeneraliffinio cf his Cutthroat Mi'Jionaries. This Rafcal, I fay, wrote thus to his MifS ; Well ! * I am fiU'd with the '^ ^tickning Spirit, and- with the Holy Gho^ ; and I ^ i)op?, ere long, to enjoy that Light I told you of ; ' ' ' For Bxamind and Difprovd, %6^ ^ For here is Elias flying in his Fiery Chariot. Al- * ready, ftrange Things are done about Andover * and IV'mchefier ; many Mens Hearts fail them for / fear : For, there is one who faith foe ts Chrift ^ and f-. with him, the Lady Mary, who declares grange * Things ; They never mils to make Trumpets Sound ^ in the very Bellies of their Converts, ^nd great Ships ' appear to the view of all People. If they defire to ' fpeak with any one whom they never before faw ; if ^ they fpeak to any one to go for them, they mufi, and ' cannot refrain, when that they fend for them ; ^ and MelTengers and all come, tho' they go Five " or Six Miles, they come again in half an Hour ; ^ Lights appear upon the Breafis o^ many ^ Let them * ditcourfe with whom they will, Vriefts or others, ^ they all are converted, leave all, and follovj them : ' For the moft part, it is thought they have Con- ^ verted to them five or fix Hundred, and now they * are in Winchefier Prifcn ; and fince that,he hath been ' feen amongft his Members, many of them : I fay, ' he hath been feen amongft them in Appearance, ' and yet his Body all the Vi/hile in the Prifon ; ' with a Hundred more of the like nature, which ' here I cannot declare ,• Tjeudochrifius, &c. p. 47. Imagin now, what a Noife all thefe things made a- bout the Country, and confider withal, the gene- ral Infatuation the -whole Nation lay under at this time of day,' all Things unfet tied, 2iS to Religion, everyone following his own Imagination; moft particular Familes confifling of divers Religions, fuch as they were ,• all ScBaries pretending to the Spirit ,• Truth difcountenanc'd, and a general Averfion to it every where ',Satan let /oo/^,and taking his full Simnge ',M.Qn changing their Opinions as often as their Garments, or raiher oftner ,♦ the People prepar'd to entertain every Impofrure that offer'd it felf ,• all having itching Ears, gating for new Lights every day ,* Difputing and bandying Religion in every Corner j lik^a Foot-^all^ in con-" z66 The Anahaptijls Minifiry conftant Expectation of Changes and Revolutions. Confider withal, the general Over-Jpreadivg of the Millenarian Opinion, the Second Perfonal Coming of Chrijl. This Notion got deep Rooting amonglt e- ven all the Se5}s, the frequent Pretences to Re'velati- onSy Vijions, Dreams ^ Frophecies, Immedi' ate Teachings of the Spirit, and nothing to refirain Men from running into, and profeffing the moft Scandalous, Blafphemous, and Heretical^ and ahfurd Opinions , except touching that tender Fart^ the Civil Government j and then you will not wonder, if what was fo Uni- verfally expeded, was fo readily, greedily fwal- low'd down and entertain'd. Add to this, the y«^- gUng Tricks J and even Sorceries, that were employed by feme of our SeBaries^ to frcmote their Defigns, and augment the Numbers of their Difciples ; as of old amongft fome of the earlieft Hereticksj as hath been above obferv'd from Irenem^ TertuUian, Epiphanius. As for the fakers, 'tis top notorious how much that damnable Antichrijlian Se<5b was beholding to the Black-art^ Witchcraft, for its Propagation in this Na- tion ,• for which Confult, particularly a Treatife call'd, The fakers Shaken ,♦ and therein, the Relation ^ John Gilpin, Printed 165" 5'. znA Underhih Hiflory cf the ^takers, Ann. 1660. p. 32, 35. SlXiA ihQ Snake in the Grafs. To thefe Diabolical Arts of downright Sorcery, or at leail, to the Co-^ operation of the Devil with thefe Seducers, Franklin and Gadbury, upon the Fancy and Imaginations of fome of the Perfons feducd by them, may be afcrib'd the Revelation of Mrs. Woodward j Pfcudochriff. p. 21. and yoan Gar- tfient at an Hundred Miles diftant, p. 25. As like- wife, the Bright nefs WkQ a. MJtltude o^ Stars, which Mr. Woodward the Minifter, beheld about this Mary Gadbury ,• by which he was, as he fays. Converted, or Deluded ^ p. 27, 28. And the Voice fpeaking to the fame Mr. Woodward m his Barn, p. 29. And the/or- ciblg SuhniJJlon of Goody Waterman to this Jmpo(lure, p. 28, 29. Examined and Difprov'd, 2.67 p. 28, 29. tho' moft averfe untb it. I fay, laying ail thefe things together, and it's not ftrange in the leaft, to fuppofe, if the Mercy of God had not in- terposed, but this Delufion might have o. ^o, 31. Nor were the Graver or more Sol;er fort of SeBaries, the Presbyterians, behind the reft, in thofe Days, in Supporting and Keeping up the Spi- rits of their Partji, with Prophecies, and lying Predi- Bions, Revelations, &c. as might be prov'd, had I room to enlarge upon this Subject. I Hiall only give a little Specimen at prefent, and fo refer the in- quifitive Reader to his own Obfervation from other Writers. The Zealous Mr. Edwards, in his Gangrena, Part 2. Predicts the Deftrudion and utter Extirpa- tion of Independency in particular, and of the reft of the SeBs, from p. 179, to p. 195. and from Mr. Brlghtman, the Exaltation ot Presbytery, but more efpecially that ot t\\Q Scots , from p. 193, 195-. This Book was Prsnted in the Year 46. But we find ex- perimentally, that he was quite out, in England, e- ver fmce, Independency prevail'd, and does at this Day ^ and tho' Presbytery hath held up her Head for feme time in Scotland, She hath quite loft her Hold in France, and Piedmont, and lofes ground , I be- lieve, in England every day, by the Prevalency of all other Seds. So we know, the Expectation of the Presbyterians was much rais'd, and they waited the Accompliihment of that noted Difiich, in 62, and 66, MDLLLVVir. Esammd and Difprot/d. ^^a MDLLLVVII. 1662. BarthoLoMieVs fLet quia Desh Tresbper AngLVs^ MDLCVVVI. 1666, ADVentV Lata eft SanCta Maria tFo. During the Operation of this Prophecy, they ' remain'd pretty filent , till the time elaps'd ,• and nothing efFeded , they faw it necelTary to fpread a falfe Report all the Country over, of a Toleration prepar'd for them^ fays my Author ; Anarchy Re'vlving : or. The Good old Caufe on the Anvil, Printed, 1668. p. 12. But we find all thisExped:ation vanifii'd into Air, neither feems there any probability of Presbytery c- ver getting uppermoft here again, being juftly odi- ous and abominable in the Eyes of all Parties, with- out diftindion. Thus we fmd the generality of our SeBaries in thofe Times, were leaven'd with Anabapifiical Prin- ciples, and thereby fit SubjcSIs, ready and prepard to entertain the grolfeft Delufions and Biafphemies; and that which is very obfervable of thefe two Impi" om Deludersy is. That whatever they deliver'd from their Vijions, Revelations , Voices , was gilded over with Scripture-PhraJeSy as the moft cjfeBual way to im- fofe upon the People, tho' direcliy contrary to the Scriptures themfelves,- and plainly, and in pofitive Terms, Underlining and Subverting them. And tis from this Anabaptifiical Spirit, that from the very Beignning , opposd, vilify d, and negkcied the Scrip- tures, that divers of our modern Sectaries have look a upon them as below them, and themfelves above them; and none more than thsAnabaptifis themfelves, Witnefsj Sleidan and other Authors j and their O^- fprin^ 270 ^^^ Anaiaptijls Minijlry ffring the fakers. The Reafon of this Contempt of the Scriptures, is obvious, flain and clear as a Sun- beam ; the Dotirines and Vrecepts of the Holy Scri* ptures, are dire(5lly oppofite unto them, and their Dejigns, and condemns them, and make them mani- feft, and difcovers what Spirit they are of; The Scriptures are Enemies to them, and therefore they are againft the Scriptures. They ufc the Scripture ow^ as a Too/ and Injlru/ncnt^ and employ it in their Drudgery • They om/w it not as a Rule and a Judg^ but make themfelves Superiour unto it ^ as do the ^a- hers J who, after all, are nothing but a Species o'l Ana^ baptifis • and Hiould but thefe Unmaskj ai'd Declare themfelves, and fet up their Defign^ the Great My- fiery of their Kingdom, and get Footing, thefe very ' fakers would foon appear to be all me ( however they behave themfelves for the prefentj and unite moft cordially, there being as little Difference be- teween them in the bottom, as between a Mahome- tan and a "Turk, Satan and Beclzehb. And that which is obfervable farther, is, they never run to their Revelations, Voices, Vifions, and Immediate Teachings, but when they are at a lo[s, and dare not abide by the Touchfione of the Holy Scriptures, bscaufe notori- oufly oppofite to them. To be fure, 'tis to give Coun- tenance to fome Uncouth, Uncommon peice oiVillanj, when they fhelter themfelves under thefe Pretexts, as appears from thofe Revelations o^ Jack o^ Ley den, Matthias, Knipperdoling, Franklin and his Strumpet. Or when, by the juft Judgment of God, they are inftigated by the Devil, to hurry themfelves into frefent Ruin and DeJhuBion. * Thus Theodoret a Tay- * lor, who bore himfelf a Vrophet at Amfterdam, fel * flat to the Ground, and pray VI with fuch vehe- * mency, that he fcar'd all the Afliftants out of theii * Wits : Then rifing, as it were, out of an Extafie * I have feen, faid he, God in his Majefty, anc * have fpoken with him ; I was rap'd up to Heaven . ' ther Exammd and Difprov'd. 271 then I defcended into Hell, and there fearch'd e- very Corner j the Great Day of Judgment is coming, &c. After four Hours fperic in Praying and Teaching, the Propkt being Arm'd Cap-a-pe^— firft he put off his Headpiece, then his Corflet, then his Sword, then his Gar- ments, and his very Shirt , and threw all into the Fire : Then he commanded the Company, in the Authority of a Prophet^ to do the like • and fo they did, Women and all, &c. Then the Prophet commanded them all to follow him, and do as he would do ,• and fo rufti'd into the Street ftark-naked, running and crying horribly thro' the Town', TVo, IVo^ Wo, the Divine Vengeance , the Divine Vevgeance • whereby they put the whole Town in an Uproar : and being taken, no Perfwafions nor Threatnings could prevail with them to put on their Cloaths, faying, They muff have no Covering, for they were the Naked Truth I and fo after a while were Executed : Short Hifi. of the Anabap. p. 42, 4;.- Add to this, the Revelation of one of their Women, that God would keep her alive without Meat ,• and (hsfafted to Death. Nor will it be impertinent in this place, to ob- ferve what dreadful Mifinterprctations of the Holy Scrip" ture, the Devil puts into their Heads, to encourage them unto, and to harden them in the moft odious Immoralities, under the Notion o^ Indifpenfahle Duties ; and by this, imagine to what all their Profeflion tends, however tinfell'd over with Religious Cant, and the Formality of Sandity and glittering Out-fde. It was their confiant ' Dodrine, faith ^isjlwrt Hijto- ' ry, every-where, [ viz,, in Germany , Switzerland, ' d^c.~\ that Women muft be Common. Three Rea- ' fons they had, well worthy to be Regiller'd to ' Pofterity, to perfwade Honeft Women to Profti- * tute their Bodies, if they would he Savd: The * Firft was. That Chrifiians mult Renounce thofc ' things 1^% The Anahaptijls Minijlry * things which they love beft,* and therefore Women * muft Renounce their belov'd Honefly. The Se- ' cond^ That for Chrift's Sake, v/e muft undergo ^ any kind of Infamy. The Third Reafon, was, * Th.^t the Publicans and Harlots fhall go before * the Pharifees into the Kingdom of Heaven. Ly- * ing with other Women than their Wives, they ^ caU'd Spiritual Marriages ; and under that Title, ' they would lie with Ncices and Sifiers. With that ' Dodrine they had feduc'd two Sifters, Maidens, * at St. Gallj by Zurich ; as foon as they were Re- ' baptiz'd^ they being a Bed, Two Spiritual Husbands * came to them, and lay with them, but with fuch ' fervent Spirit, that they brake the bottom of the * Bedjlead out ; the Noife whereof awak'd the People * of the Houfe, who coming up in hafte, found * Two SpiriPual Weddings in One broken Bed, p. 5-4. O the horrid Elafpbewy^ Impiety ^ BeafiUnefs, and Im- pudence of this Hell-born Setl I Let not Stennet, or any of our Modem Anabaptijh, pretend to excufe themfelves, of to (l^am off the World with their Hy- pocritical Mock-abhorrences. If thefe were the Do(5lrines and Prai5ticcs of their Forefathers^ the Vri-*- miti've Anabaptifis, it their Immediate Vredecejfurs^ C- ven here in England^ have, as hath been ftiewn, maintain d J ajferted and contended for Do^rines and Pra- Bicesy equally us vyicked at leaft ; why fhould we not have a ftric'l Eye of Jealoufie over the whole Se(5t, and be for evQv fujpicious of them ? Or what Security can they give,as that they will notTeach and ad over the fame Abor/jiytations and Villanies again ? It's only for want of Power and Opportunity^ that they do not run into all the fore-men tion'd 'uillanous Ex- cef/j and can be nothing elfe. What hath been praAis'd by this Se(5t, in confequence of their Prin- ciples, will be ever prai5lis*d by thofe of the fame PrincipUsj when they once dare. The Devil is the fame Devil ftill, let him put on what Shape or Fi- giire Examind and D/fprovJ. 271 gure he will, Transfiguration doth not alter his Na- ture. Let them Publilh ^Thoufand ConfeJJions^ ^liey are ftill Anabaptifisj ac^ed by the ll}me Spirit^ drive at the fame Ends, the varyhig oi Methods or Meajures is only a Clrciimfiant'uil of Qonvmlency^ nothing but a meer Transfiguration^ meerly to catch Dottnls, to im- pofe upon, and delude the Vnwiry and i-^fH=»rarit, and irr compliance with the Neceffity of the preftnt JanBure. The fime Artifice will not always take, and therefore Pojlures mull be altered. And it c.ughc to be an everlafiing Prejudice or Prefcripricn again ft a ^ Seilj when it iets out ac firft with luch Infernal Frin-- clples and Praciices ; nay, 'tis Demonflration it felf^ that it took its Origi?:e from the De'vil^ and w^sfcro-'d ■ in Hell. And ihill we be (ofiitpld as to be put off M.-irh a Sham Corfejfion at every turn, and be fobb'd off with a They are nothing to us, we do not Teach or PraHice fo, 7uhat are the Foreign, the German Anabap- tifls to US ? No, this ConfeJJion oi theirs was patch'd up out of the Independents, meerly to fupport and *vamp up 3. finking Caufe, and to Rally once more, to try whether they can go thorough ftitch.wjth theif Fifth Monarchy ,• that is, in plain Englidi, to fet up Antichrift and the Devil, in the Room oi- Chrif^, to cut the Throats oi OUr Princes, Nobility, Gentry ^ and all that are iVeahhy^ and to fet up the Alcoran, or fome- what worie , ir pcflibly, and Libertinifr/i. The World ought to abhor and dread the Groji^th o) them equally wich Popery ♦ nay, did ever all the Pkts and Defigns of Rome, come up to that height of Extremi- nation of all that fhould lie in its way, And hindtr its Progrefs : fo earneftly prefs'd upon the Give-'htntnt then in b:iinw^, by Canne, Splttlthoufe a.nd Sedgufick? Gan any thin;^ parallel the Impiety, Prophsnenejs, Hy- pocrifie. Blood thirfliriejs of the Donati/h of Old, but themfelves, h'om whom they have copied out aW the VilLmics they teach and ^fV (tho' by the way, 'they can't prerend to be their SucceiTori by any continud "X Urn 174 ^^^ Anahaptijls Miniflry Line cf Succef/ion^hut by an Interruption of above zTboti- famPTears fiandlng fince their Utter Extirpation J an in- fallible Sign they were no more the Church of Chrift, or the One Church then, than thefe are now ^ (and they no more than the Turks or Hotm^jntots ; ) and is there any Wickednefs the De'vil c^nfuggef}, and Man attempt, that may not be done fafely by fuch Princi- ples as the generality o{ Anabaptifis have actually jiro- fef^'d ? And fo we may fee that the Sfirit ot Ana- baptifm is always the fame, as it finds Opporttvtitj^ the whole Drift and De/tgn of it, centers in nothing but the IForld • a Spirit of Carjtalitj is the very Soul that .animates it ; the Tojjefjions and Pleafures of the iVorld^ and to live at Random, free from all Refiraint, is ^//it defires, and flicks at no Means, no matter how Impious, by which it may cor/ipafs its End : No lefs will fatisne them, than to be Lords of the Uni- 'verfe ; and let them not think it a fufficient Vindica- tion and Apology for themfelves, to lift up their Eyes and Hands, and proteff, and ahhor, and difoiun thefe Impoftures, Bl-t'fphemies, and ^'"^/i Deceits oi Franklin, O'c. Nothing can be criminal in him, in their Senfe, but only his Unfuccefsfulncfs j Is it, I pray, lefs Impi- ety to de'uife a Temporal, a IVorldly, a Carnal Monar- chy, founded in Blood-jimd, OpprcJJion, and the grandeft Injuftice ,• UnrighteouJneJI far exceeding that of Nim- rod, or the Founders oi the Four Adonarchies • a Monar- chy to confift of none but Rogues and Whores, Traitors and Rebels, Murderers and Robbers, the prophane Scum, Drecrj, Lees, Excrements of the Creation, Hypocrites y Drunkards ; and after all, Atheifs, Devils in human Shape,: I fay, is it a lels Crime to Prc/'e^/ fuch a Kingdom, to £'2f^;^.o;?e Jefas Chrift on ,• or, which is che literal Truth and Defgn, in the ]<^ame of 'Jefus Chrifi, or lefs Dillionour to him, than to fet up for a Fa If e, s. Sham Chrift ; and under that Difguife, to zSt all thefe Villanies? And yet, forfooth, the SubjcBs of this Fifth Monarchy^ proje^cd by them, muf>. Exam'in'd and Difprovd. 27- muft,nay cannot, co^fift ofany but fuch Hell-hoHnds and mni\ hrj'mcibly, infJlibly fuppole a Dilfolution of the True Chnnh oi ChriB, and an Aboliticn or Dif- anuHing of the Gofpel j Heaven and H^//, £/^Z'/ and Darknefs, are as confi[f;ent as an Anahaptfikal MiUenU mn or -f//^*^ Monarchy with it, or Chrift. By all the Expr'ience the World hath had of this way, it's evi- dent this j^rf of People mvcr had any true Zeal for the Glory oi God, the propagation of Truth, Purity of Religion, the Eternal IVelffire of their own or others Souls. Wicnefs all their Tranfaftjons m the Higher or Liovjer Germany, and here in England, during all our Civil Wars ; all center d in, and favour d of the World^ the FAy/j and the Dcvil^ and in all their Endeavours againit Babylon and Antichrist, they only ainfd at iettjng up 4ntichri(l in ^es ' and by dcfiroying all Z-^jm^jt,. and taking away all Refiraint, to crown themfelve.s- with Rofes, and to turn the World into a Seraglio, and to (jinm in their Lufis and Debaucheries, as I Ihall demonflrate afterwards. The E-vent^ I fay^ demon- firates that the Grace of God had (orfaken this accur- fed Generation of Hypocrites, abandoned them to themfeivejStheir Lulls, and judicially confign'd them to the De-vil to be infatuated and led Captive by him at his Will ^ that they might Difco'ver their hfides to the foberer and more ferious part of Chrifiians, and be- come the Objetls of their Fear and Detefiation, and be thereby aware of them, and ftudioufly avoid them, as Handing Monuments of the divine Difpleafure and De~ rcliBion. And as Mr. /^^•'-^^f«'^ iaith very well, ' tho' ^ God's mind be nioft plainly reyeal'd to us in his ^ written Word, yet are [\\s Providences alio Teach- ^ ing, and 'tis the Duty of his Servants to read and ' ftddy them efpecially the Venal, withdrawing or ^ 7vith holdmg-^ his Grace, and giving Men up to be- ^ lieve Lies, and to vile Jff'cSlions, to a reprobate Se7ifej * and to an abominable Converfnion : Thefe are fuch * Difcoveries of the fore Difpleafure of the moft High, * as ihould make even the Beholdtrs to fear, and all ^ that fland but near this heavy Judgment, to^ ^ away from it, as the Ifaelites did at the Cries of ^ the rebellious Followers of Corah, Numb. i6. lell ' fhe Earth ihculd h.cve fwallowed diem ud alfo.— =— ' Th0 Esamiri d and D'tfprovd. 281 The Hand of God is apparently gone out againft your Ways of Separation and Anahaftifm ,• it' is jour Duty to obl'erve it : You may fee you do but pre- pare too many for a further Progrefs, Seekers, Ran- ters^ Familijh^ and now ^inkers, and too mnny fr oft fjed Infidels, do fprhg up fro?n among jou^ as if this vere your Journey s End, and the Peitediion o{ your Revolt. And it is your Churches^ and thofe that lean towards you^ th^t prefentlj nce'rue the DocMrjes of the Deceiver, and are the Stream in which fome others with them are carried away. Yoii may fee you cannot hold your Followers when you have them : your Work is blafted, you labour in vain, nay worfe than in vain , you do but prepare them for flat Herejie or Apofhcy. I have heard yet from the feveral Parts of the Land but oi VQvy few that have drank in the Venom of the Ranters or fakers but fuch as have firft been of your Opinions, and gone out at that Door.- ~ Is it your Miniftry or ours that they bend their Forces againft ? Is it not part of their prefent bufinefs to Do your IVork, and cry down Infant Raftifm ? One of the Queries, which they have put to me is, what cxnrefs Scripture I have for Infant Baptifm ? I muil: fhew without Confequence, or elle confefs my felf a Falfe Prophet. ] Another tendeth to prove us no Churches. The fakers then are Separatifts and Anti-Padohaptifis, tho' more • have you not well confider d into what your Socie- ties were rcfolved in Germany and other Parts ^ Is it like to be God's Way, which fo ordinarily leadeth to, and Ciideth in fuch defperate Evils? — Nor would I thus Argue from the Apofiacy of a {q\^ , or upon fome unijfual Accidents ,• but when fuch hath been the Fate of the Stream of your Party, from the very firil riHng of them in the World to this Day, I think it not inconfiderable. Nor would I thus grgue from any teniporal Judg- 2.8x The Anahaptifls Mimjiry ment or Oppreflion by a perfecuting Enemy, for I know than is no fuch fign of God's Difpleafure ,♦ but \\ I fufped: whether thofe Perfons are in a way pleafing to God, whom I fee him foufualiy deli'verup to SatiZTtj I hope I may be excufed. Certainly God's Churches arc the Places of his BLjJing and his Delight ^anA certainly Inch jfnitualFhgues as cur Eyes now be- hold,are as e'vident Notes of God's heavy difpleafure, as Men exped: to fee on Earth. Baxt. J^uak. Catcch. iii his Epiftle to thQSeparatiJls and Anabap- tiHs, piinted Anno i6<^<^. And then again '^ We have, faith he, the more Reafon yet to be fufpici- ous, that this is God's difowning of your Way, and Teftimony from ETeaven againft it, in that he fbl- iovved the firlt Hereticks the Simcnians znd their Followers with the farr.'i kind of Judgments, and by fuch fearful Defeitions,, did then wirneis his Detellation of thofe that withdraw from the Uni- ty of his Church, id. ibid. To return to the De- fjgn of thefe AlHrtherous Saints, I told you it did not Ceiiter in the utter Extirpation of this particuhr Church or Er gland ^ but even of the univerjal 'vifihle Church ofChrifim all Parts of the World ,• and thus the MiUenarians teii you (they might be Avabaptlfts too for ouglit I know, their Defign exaiiiy the lame at leaft , no matter for any diflindion as to fome particular OpinicnSjfo long as they agree and unite in the main dtjijn and end) in their Door of Hope printed Anno 1661 p. 7. ■ " And for this VVorKs fake we defire not to love our Lives unto the Death, nei- ther will we ever (if we may fpeak fo great a Word with reverence in the fear of God ) flieath our Swords again, until Mount Zion become the joy of the whole Earth, a Mountain of Holinefs, and an Habitation of Jufiice : Until Rome be in Ajlies and Biibjlon become a hlfing and a ciirje, the border of "wickedndfs, and the I'ecple agaijjfi ivhom the Lord hath indignation fat' ever^ thers being Itft unto her neither ^ Nams ' Examined and Difprovd, 282 ^ Nanti nor Remnant , Son nor Nephew. For that we ' are not purpofed, when the Lord fhall have dri'ven ' forth our Enemies here in thefe Nations, and when ' we (hall in a holy Triumph have led cur Capti'vity ' Cvipti've to ft down under our Vir^es c,nd Fig-Trees^ ' but to go on to FRANCE, SPAIN, GERMA- ' NY and ROME, and DESTROY THE BEAST ' AND THE WHORE, to b.m hr Fkfi with Fire, ^ to throw her down with Violence, as a Milftone ' into the Sea, and that flie may be found no more ' at all, Re'v. 18. 21. Jer, ^i. 35-. to bring net on- ' \y thefe but all the Nations to the Subjeciicn ofChri(i ' that the Kingdom may be the Lords, and to per- ' fe6t the Deliverance of all the Saints, &c. And * this is much more than a National parrel, that ' which is theTeft now being thelntereit of Chrifl, ' the Blood of the Saint?, the Intcrellof the coodVec- * ple^ the Liberties of all Mm, and the undoing of all * the fnful opprejfons and Toaks of the whole Creation. ' The Controverfie now therefore lies between Zi' ' vn and Babylon^ and therefore we ajfert, that it is * lawful for the true fpiritual Seed^ [yes indeed of Whores and Rogrtes, Beggars and Vagabonds^ Murtke- rers and Tljieves, and ca77ting 7vhinirg Hypocrites ^ Cob- lers and Tinkers^ S^veep- Kennels and Gild-finders^ Ted- lars and GypfeSy Pick-pockets and Bankrupts^ oh the fandified Race I ) ' the Legitimate, Heirs of the ' Promifes of the World [becaufe beggar'd by their Drunkennefs and Debauchery, and fo w.anting and in great need of the Ef^ates of Vrinces, Nobility, and Gentry, to carry on their Spiritual IVork of Seraglio- Kifm.'\ Rom. 4. i 3. ^ to rife up agamft the Carnal, Ser- ' pentine Seed, who are the deftroyers of the Earth, ' Rev. 11.18. to poiTefs the Gate of their En-emies ^ to bind their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles ' in Fetters of Iron [ to take pcffcflion of their Wealth, and to ra'v'i^ their ^ans, Princes, La- dies J their IViVcs and Daughters , and to make Princes a84 ^^^ Anahaptijls Minijlry Tr'mces and Lords hold the Stirrups fox Saint-Taj^ lors and Cohlers^ and to be their Lacc^ucy^ Grooms^ and Turn-Sfits. ] />. 8. Then again altervvardj Now therefore to come to the matter of our De- claration We declare, (i.) That we will not have one Stone of Babylon for a Corner, or for a Foundation, Jer. j-i. 26. * We will not have any thing to do with the Antichrifiian AhgiHracj , Miniftry, Tithes^ &c. which are none of our Lords Appointment^ &c. We will not make any League, nor joyn any affinity with them, O .' by all means take Care that the rightecus Seed be not polluted end mon- grdld. ] — ^ And we cannot but look upon the ^ National Miniftry, even in its greateft P. 16. '^ Refurmaion and Purity. [Woe be to all the reformed CAwx^chQi^Qytn Holland it felf^ though formerly a Gofien for many ot our perfe- cuted Saint fc a fe-G allows, &c. ] in the time of the late O. C. [i^pittlehoufe's Mofes] and his 1 tiers, as Antichriftian, [all the Churches you fee in the World as well as Rome, the Proteftant Churches of France, Germany, Switz^erland, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, all Antichrifiian, without any limitation or exception, till they have pafr an Anr.baftifilcal Aiil- Unarian Vurgatcry ] ' and that which Ought to be dif- owned and fep^rated by all the true Churches of Jefus ChriPf in their Foundation, Call, itanding in the PariiTi Aflcmblies and Maintenance, d^c And as Babylon will be dedroy'd, and the falfc Antichri- fiian Church will be no more, \o the true Church and Spoufe of Chrift will be brought out of the Wildernefs, from all her Difperfion, Darknefs, and Confufions, and will be purged and purified from all her Corraptions,bcth in matter and form ; and from the rife of the WitneiTes, the preaching of the everlafting Gofpel, the beginning of the downfal of Antichrili, and the letting up the Kingdom of Chrift, the Churches ot Chrift, and fmcere Profeffors of the Gofpel, with the Additi- ' on Esamind and Difprovd. 285" * on of new Converts, will begin to ' appear with tiieLambon Mount Zion, I^oor of iiofe c'!ii -n ' • • r^\ jn''« He// broke ^ in all the Primitive Glory and Purity /^^y^ p ^^) ' of the New-Teftament Churches, for ' Matter Doclrinc, and Order. [ O glorious times ! .now for the fpiritual Marriages, as Toon as the dip- ping is over , A'luvfierlan Salamanca - Weddings I as coarfe as it looks, yet R^'ofand Lkentioufiiefs , Fil- thinefs and Imturity is the burthen of the Song ,• after all this religicus Cant, all this is nothing but a Satani- cat Trufifiguratmi^as will appear afterwards, in fpight of all they can pretend^ or dare to urge to the con- trary. In a word, the profperous Succefs of thefe Millenarian Saints for a time, in their Wars at heme and abroad^ did actually, I confefs, ftrike a Dread and Terror into all the Princes of Europe ; their dejigrt being notorious, to carry their Arms into the Conti- nent ^ and fo to rival the Turks, either to enter into a Coalition with them (which from their Principles may be conceiv'd feafible enough ) or to erecft their Trophies over them alfo : infomuch that the States General of the united Pro'vinces thought it abfolutelv ' necelTary, after feveral prodigious Loffesfuftained at Sea from the vidorious Arms of our Enthufiafiical Millenarian Government, to Court Oliver and that Millenarian Council of State and Parliament at any rate for a. fettldd Peace, being upon the very hrink of Ruin; and aiter fome very nifagreeable and uneafie Com- pliances, as engaging to Oliver for ever to Difcard the Family of NajJ'au from the Stadtholderfiip, &c. they effedually enga.^'d him to dilTolve that Enthu-^ Jiaftick Parliament,and to remove that Generation ol: N4en,whom they lookt upon as their moft bitter and implacable Enemies and Rivals, from all his Coun- cils,and all places of Truft-, alTuring him,at the fame timejthatif- he would alTume the Government * into ' his own Hands, they -would be ready to accord "^^'^[^ * him upon more moderate Terms [ than they had ^^' .^ therco 286 The Amhaptijls Mimflry therto infifted upon] and enter into fuch a defen- five Alliance, as ihould (ecure him againft Foreign ^ and Domeftick Enemies : Subb\ further Jujilficati" en of the prefent War aga'mfi the l/«/>e<^ Netherlands, 1675. P' lio- ' Heieby they gain'd Oliver ^ to contrive a Period for the pretended Parliament, with a Refignation of their Power into his Hands, Decemh. 12. 16^3. All this it very much behov'd them to do, and much more, if it been required of them, [ince they very well knew, ' that the Coti' ve^itioHj fays Stuhbs , Summon'd by the Conmil^ and vulgarly call'd Praife-God Barehones Parliament, were as aveifc from the Dutch as any Men ,• they look'd upon them as Carnal and Worldly Politkians, Ene?nks to the Kingdom of Chrifl, and fuch a$ would, upon all Occafions, retard the Progrefs of the Saincs and People of God, in overturning the * Powers of this World ,• that Antkhrifij that Maa of Sin could never be deliroy'd in Italy,, whilft the Dutch retain'd any confideiabie Strength in the United PrGvijnces : Stubb\ Further Vindicationj &c. p. 91. And in the Margin he tells us, 'That, at Blackfrm-s Meeting, they pronounc d all the Re- formed Churches (bur eipecially the Dutch, to be as the Out-works to Eahylonj and that they muli: be taken down, before there could be any coming ac *^ the main Fort. They did devote them to De- ftrudion, and prefagd their Deltrudion out of feveral Texts of Scripture accommodated there- unto, Id. ibid. The Nicety of the Flag they did not much in- fili upon, nor afiert the Dominion of the Seas ; ' but they did j-old ic necellary in order to the ^ Coming of Chnft, and the Pcrfonal Rei^^n ,• that the Seas fliould be fecur'd, and be prelerv'd as [ peaceable as the Land ,♦ and that all Powers, whe- ther by Sea or Land, ought jointly to fubmit unto • the Scepter of K. J ejus ; wiiofe Ways, they^ and ' ncc Examind and Difprovd. ^87 not the Hollanders, were to prepare. As for the Procedure of the Dutch, by way of Petition, they thought it might be continu d, fince the Pov.-er of the Council cf State, was all one "with that of the ^ Saints, and theirs deriv'd from him, to whom all ^ Tower is gi'ven. And upon that account, the ^ D«frA ought to continue their AddrefTes of ikf^/1 feigneurs^ and Tres-illujlres Seigneurs, moft Honour a- ^ hie Lords unto the faid Council ; not in that Senfe ^ wherein it is forbid by the Gofpel, but in that ^ whereby our Lord Chriit affuraes fuch Titles, and ^ likewife confers them on the Saints,* that the Sig- ^ niiication, not tlie Sound of Words was to be at- ^ tended unto, &c. The Saints therefore might to- lerate them 71'ithoiit Scruple, and the Dutch ought not to refufe them, left it Ihould be deem'd a Re^ jeBion of the Kingdom of ChriB, which was now approaching ,• that the Dutch ought to kij^ the Son, lefi he be angry, and they fer'tjh ; and fhould have a care how they contemn'd his Holy Ones, left they wtvQ chafiis'd Tvith the Rod of Iron. In fine, fo lit- tle did they value thefe empty Titles in reference to the World, that if the Deputies would falute tVQvy M.r.fiiff Dog or barking Cur, inj England, with the Complement of M?«/eig«e«r, they would not '* refent it as an Indij^nity. The Amhajfadors were '^ now more perplex'd than before ,• it v/as difficult ' to treat with, and impoffible to prevail upon thefs ^ Men ; They were now in danger to be abfolutely ' ruin'd as Enemies cfChrisf, rather than o^ England ; ' and a Coalition with England would not fatisfie, ' except they likewife annex'd their Prozfinces unto ' the fifth Monarchy ; Stubbs, p. 92, 92. What now can be plainer than the Extirpation of the whole ^'ifible Church, projec?ced by thefe Saints, as well as the Conqueft of the whole World. So that what we find rail'd a^ainft by the SeBaries, in the Tofe, : Mahometans znA' French, hy only t liming th^ Tables^, 18 a88 The Anahaptip Miniflry is what themfelves would fain be at ; to have all the World of their own Sentiments, and their own Suh^ , jeBs and VajjaU. And let any impartial Perfons judg, by this little Specimen of their Spirits in their Managety of the Dutch^ and what 1 have hinted out . o{' Sfittkhoiife, Sedgwick, and their Door of Hope, whe-; ther any Generations of Men in the World, can be more Arhhrarj, and Tyrannical^ and Infolent^ and Haughty^ than themfelves ? And yet this is the Righteous Caufe of Freedom, Juftice and Righteoufnefs that they profefs : Second Narrative of the lute Parlia- ment fo call'd, p. 12. Or, as they explain themfelves,_ in their Door of Hope ' by the Kingdom ot ' Chuift, or that * part of it under the Kingdom of the * Sion, which refpedts the Government of a well- ' order'd Common-wealth ; we mean, That we ' ftiould have the beft of Men, of found Principles, ^ of known Integrity, haters of Bribes and Cove- ' toufnefs, lovers of Mercy and Juftice, for our ' Magiftrates and Governours, that we might have ' the Word of God for our Rule, &c. Hell broke " loofe, p. 10. Thefe would be Heavenly Times Indeed, to fee fuch Saints, fuch Men of I^fe^rif/, Mercy, Ju/lice, and the like, fVart immediately out of Rehls, Traitors, Murderers, Robbers, Tlmderers, Oppref fors. For all thefe, thefe very Men muft of necefTicy be,and the moft contrariant AAors in the Univerfe ; and Defpifers, Contemners, Violaters of this very Word of God, which they profefs fhould be their Rule. Impudent Varlets, to dare to vent fuch fluff as this, to Men of Senfe, and to publiili it to the World! To think to gull Mankind into fuch a/o?r/j7j Belief of the Saintflj'ip and Juftice, of a parcel of Rabble, that muft unavoidably be Scandals to the Banditti them- felves, and the moft execrable Villains in the World, and ^Reproach to Humanitj it felf, in its greatcft De- generacy conceivable ,• devoid of all Grace and Common Morality, and no more aded or influenc'd by the E^amhid and Difprov^d, 2 8 « iplr'tt of Godj than the New-England Pa'ivaws or even the Damnd in Hell, m order to be (qualify d for lltch a Diabolical Enterprize 3- by fo much the more abominable and odious, by how much they endea- vour to Mask and Gild it over with luch JfecioHs and godly Pretences. Having now, I think^ pretty well reco/icil'd our Englijli Anabaftifis, with their Primitive Fathers^ Jack of Lcyde-fi, »nnd the reft of that Foreign Creiv, I mall once more (and then take my leave) addref^ my felf tb our old Friend Prophet Catme, and turn his own Artillery upon him once mor»C The nexc thing then that I ihall infer upon hiin, and animad-^ ^ert upon, is, the Abhorrence our Engli^j Anabaptijls have for the Ci^il Gfrucrn-meitt of the World in general^ and then particularly Monarchical, as well as the Government of the Church, by an ordinary^ jlanding, fucce'Jiue Adinhfiry, in the refpc^live Nations of the World that profefs Chrifiianity. Monarchical Govern-^ >»ent they utterly difown, or Government in a Nati- on by a fingh Perfon, as inconfillent with Chrlfriamty, and entrenching upon the Sovereignty of Chrlfi ^ and own no Throne but God's Throne, and therefore call Monarchy, Afitichrifiian, and Dragonical, and Beafily, To this purpofe, in oppofition to our l.egd Monar-- chy. Came calls the High Court o'i Jufiice, that mur- der'd K. Charles I. of BleJJ'ed Memory, God's Throng (Voice from the Temple, p, 14.) for the time beings After thofe Powers were chajliler'd, and dijjoh'dy then he tells us. That God rais'd up Oliver (p. i ^J for the Throne's fake, that they might not be any longer polluted by fuch a Generation of corrupt Men as fat in God's Tijrone before, p. J5". And here by the way , faith he, ^ Let me jpeak a word mtto fuch as f^allff nexi ( upon the Throne ; I would have Men coniidt r well f before hand what they do; It's God own Throne, t and to fpeak comparatively, it's the only Civil « Throne he hath now in the World ; by it he will ■ V [ do- 29 o The Anahaptijls Mimftry ' do mighty and terrible Things, and therefors ^ fuch as are not for Chrift, and for the carrying on ' of his Defign in the World, He 7vill lay them afuk ' one after another, and/^f up fuch as lliail pour out ^ the la ft Vials quickly upon Monarchs and the Anti- ' chrlfiiajt Kingdom^ p. iG. Accordingly he tells c us, Kings J and Kijjglj Vower fliall be caft out ' from the Nations ; and as Monarchy ^ falls, {o falls Antic hriflianijm ; when no Foot-fteps * of Monarchy remain, nothing then will ftand of * the Antichrifiian Kingdom^ ivhich came in ivith /V, ' and hath ever fmce been upheld and fupported ^ by it, />. 20. So in the Narrati^ue, our Milknari- ans caird Oliver, who took the Government upon himfelf as a fingle Perfon, the Golden Calf Babylonijh and Antichrifiian Brat, (Second Narrative of the late Parliament fo call'd , Printed, 1658. p. 9.) and from a Mofes, as Anahaptifi-Millenarian Spittle- koufe call'd him, this fame MilUnarian Author, and I fuppofe Anabaftifi too, degrades him to a Judas and Jeroboam (p. 58.) for Diflblving the Barebone Parliament of MilUnarian Enthufiafis,, and afluming the Government himfelf, out of an hroeteracy and Antipathy to any thing that refembl'd Monarchy. And in their Door of Hope, Printed 1661, thefc fame Sparks exprefs themfelves thus : ' Neverthe- lefs God hath now taken away all our Banks, and permitted this old Enemy to come upon us as a Flood, Ifa. 5'9. 29. And now Charles Stuart is Proclaim'd King of England ; In whom is conti- nu'd from Nimrod, their Firji Head and Original, the Succeffion of the lame curfed Seed and Serpen- tine OiF-lpring, which by a continued Series runs through the Veins of the Aj]}rian, Verfian, Grecian, and Roman Monarchies. So that now this com- mon Enemy (the Seed of Ham) is rifen up in the Spirit of tha t Murtherer, Cain ; in the Spirit of Efuu, Pharaoh, A/uakk , Nebuchadnezz.ar, Haman, in the Spirit q^ Htrod^ — of the old Heathen Perfe^ * enters^ Examind dud Difprov'd, 2©! ^ eutorsy fuch as Dioclejian^ in the Spirit of the Mon- * ftruouSj Cruel^ unparallel'JBeaf}, Rev. i'^, * in the Spirit of that Scarlet, filthy Whore, Ke%^, 17. • We fay, they are now rifen up * in this Spirit againft the Lord, againft his Chrift, and People ,• This is the Spirit that put to death *■ our Lord Jefus Chrifi-, and that Murther'd all ^ the Martyrs: Door of Hope -^ PubliHi'd entire in Hell broke loo fe J 1661. p. :5. Firfi, Then as to our Anabaplfis and Mllknarlani Abhorrence of Monarchy or K'mglj Government ^ as Anti- chri^ian or Diabolical j whence all this Hatred^ Ann- pathj and Aver/ton, but from a private or fecret Spits againft Chrifiianity it felf in the bottom, from that an- tient Enmity between the Serpent's and the Woman's Seed? It Kingly, I mean OVi/, Worldly, Monarchical Government proves to be even God's oivn Ordinance, which none but even Atheijls ciin deny, none but Enemies of ths Holy Scriptures tliQmfQlvQS. If, I fay, this can be prov'd, and withal, that all Kings in the World that come by their Po7ver and Authority in a lawful -way, in dire^fl and full Confequence of the hnws of their refpecllve Monarchies , are really and literally Chrifi's Ficegerents, and derive their Authori- ty, and can have it only (exclufively of all the World) from him, as the Fountain oi all Power in Heaven and Earth, and confequentiy, only Depen- dent on him, Reprefent him, AB for and under him as Minifiers of his Mediatorial Kingdom, and of his Provi- dential Government of the World ,• then it niuft un- avoidably follow, that thefe Anabaptifts, Millenari" ans, and all thofe who agree with them, are ipfo faBo, Antichrifis, or Antichrijlians, Oppugners of. Re- bels. Enemies to Un^ion, to the Authority of Chrifi himfelfin his Minijiers, and Reprefentatives • and fo without Repentance, they niuft infallibly [if wilful- ly ignorant] perifh everlaftingly ,• if vye may argue from the Word of God, Rom. 15. if the Word of U 2 God Igz The Attahaptifts Mintflry God be true, infallible, and the PuniHiments and Threatnings therein contain'd, not meer Scar^-croii-s and Amufements. In order to a thorough and folid Confutation of theii: Antichrijlian Principles , I iliall ,do thefe things: FirH, I (liall prove that Monarchy is God's own EJlablijljment and OrdinaJtce. Secondly^ That it novv^ fince his Afcenfion under the Gofpel-Difpenfation, derives it felf immediately from Chrift, as 0€stv9eft"ar©-, God-man. Thirdly^ That whoever deny it^ or oppofe it, are Avtichr'ifisy or Avt'ichrifiian. FirH then, I affirm as an undoubted Chrijrian Truth, that Monarchy, or Kingflnp, is God's own EJlabliJljment' and Ordinance by Chritt, and is as plain and evident as any other Ferity in the Sacred Oracles, even as any Article of our Faith. To begin with the Authorities of the OldTefla?nent, Deut. 17. 14, 15-. It's thus faid. by Mofes, the Prophet of the Lord, unto the Jews, God's Peculiar, Beloved, FleB People, his Church, "iphen thou art come into the Land ivhich the Lord thy God giveth thee, and Jloalt foffejl it, andjlmlt dwell thereiny and flialt jay, I will Jet a King ever me like as the Nati' ens that are about me. Thou Jhalt i-n any wife SET HIAi KING OVER thee, WHOM the Lord thy God (hail chufe, &c. Here we have the expreifs Infiituticn of Monarchy or Kingly Power over the People of God, His Church, to be govern'd by them with as Supream, Uncontrculable, Irrejiftible, Abfolute Authority, as other Neighbouring Nations were Govern'd ,• here's not only, Injiitution barely, but Approbation too, it's pro- pounded unto the Ifraelites as an Honour, and a Fa- ^our, and a Bleffmg, as predided before- hand by the Patriarch j^coh, when he folemnly call'd his Sons about him before his Death, and as a Prophet Bkfs'd them. Judah, thou art he ivhom the Brethren fiiall praife, thy Hand fjall be in the Neck of thine Enemies, thy Fa- ther s Examtnd and Difprovd, ^o i thers Children fiall how clown before thee • Judah is a Li- ons fVhelpj from the Trey ^ tny Son, thou art gone up - he fioopeth down, he couch' d as a Lion, and as an Old Lion , whojhall roufe him him up ? The Sceptre jljall not depart fi-om Judah, nor a Law- giver from between his Feet, until Shiloh come, &c. Gen. 5-9. 'v. 8, 9, 10. But then they were not to have a King of their own Choice, God himfelf refei-v'd this Prero- gative to choofe for them firft, and then they were to choofe ; and that was only to acqulcfce in, and fubmit unto, without the leaft Shadow of Oppofiti- on or Contradi(5i:ion to his Choice, and fo to inake it their own Act by an obediential Concurrence or Accepta^ tion ,• which they dar'd not to refufe, having fmarted feverely for their Rebellions before-hand,* as in the Cafe ol Corah, Numb. 16. Miriam and Aaron, Numb, iz,-&c. When the time fhould come, when 7.^- cob's Ble/JJng o^ Judah fhould take place, and Monar- chy be (ettl«d amongft them, God was to make choice of the Perlbn who fliould ^i:{{ mount his Throne ; 'twas God who Ciiould gi^ue them a King, and inveff him with the Regalia, the Uncontroulabk and Para^ mount Authority, Co?ifccrate him, and Artolnt him to that hi(rh Ojfce, and not the People. Thus we find the Ifraelites, in their Application to Samuel, defir'd him to make them a King, it's reafonable to fuppofe that they would have him as a Prophet, to inter- cede with Gcd to Choofe or Appoint a King over them ; which v/as granted by God, tho' their Re- queft difpleas'd him, in that they were not conten- ted to wait His appointed Time and Vleafure^ and he, in his Anger, Gave them, or Chofe them a King, I Sam. 10. comp. with Hof. 13. 11. Acts 15. 21. (to fee the Unhappinefs of the Peoples interpofmg in thefe Matters, 'fuch an one as they deferv'd, unfortU'^ nate to HuTifelf, and unfortunate to his People, con- fult his Story) and took him away inhis Difplea- fare : Rejeiftcd Saul from being King^ and TraTiflatcd "'■ • ' U^ the 194 ^^^ Amha^tijls Miniftry the Kingdom from the Honfe of Saul^ to David of the Tri/'^ of Judah. And that which is very jRe- markabkj is, as the Ifraelites Requei^ed a King, after the manner of the NeighbourinG; Nations, unfeafona- hky out o'ltime j fo the Divine Providence thought fit to give them a Vr'mce of the Tribe of Benjamin, and not out of the Rojal Tribe of Judab, to whom the Royalty was appropriated by the Divine Decree, and to which afterwards it was exprefly affix d, and to v/hich all Chriflian Monarchs fhould fucceed, in pur- fuance or confequence of God's own Covenant, as I Ihall (hew in its due place. But to purfue our pre- fent Defign ,• to the fame purpofe it is faid by the Spirit of God, that Monarchy, in a general Senfe, is from God, as hs efficient Caufe^ Prov. 8. ij, i6. By nie Kings reign [and not by Men] and Princes de- cree Jufiice. By me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all the Judges of the Earth. To this, that of Rom. i%, I, 2. may be parallel -, There's no Power bur of God, the Towers that be, are ordain' d of [by or from j God as their Efficient and Original Caufe -, and the Powers here fpoken o^, were Kingly or Monarchical ^ and what is more, Legal, Laivful Powers, fuch as Chrifii' ans were bound in Confdence to obey, ver. 5. Whom to difobey, was oi» • and to refifi, Damnation, and juf; too, ver. 5. which the common Light and Dictates of Nature will inform us, cannot be affirm'd with any Shadow of Truth, of unjufi Powers, ufurp- ing Powers, which are Tyrannical, having no Title, no Claim to our Obedience, either from themfelves or others, and cannot deduce their Title from God, no more than Sin it felf ^ and have no more Right to- Govern^ than Jffiaffins have to aa cur Throats, or Thieves to breaL open oar Houfes, or impure Perfons to commit Adultery, or Sons of Belial to Swear an ho- Tiefi or innocent Perfon out of his Eft ate or Life ,• And therefore, 'tis the grandest Abfurdity in the World ^ to interpret X.\i^{Q Tiwc;^ of the Apoftles, ofanjTow- srs. Exawind and Difprov'd. 265 ersy right or •wrcngy that are in TcjpJJion ^ this is to alter the Nature of Things, and in efFeft, to fay there's no right or "ivrofigy or to make them Reciprocal Terms J and to Legitimate all the Ufurpations and In- jujtices in the World, and to make way for, and to encourage every profligate De^eradoy that will but venture a Hanging, or Knocking on the Head, to feize the Throne, and expofe all Kingdoms to per- petual Re^uolutions, and to deftroy all the Order that God hath moft mercifully Eftablifii'd for the Teace and Publick Good and Comfort of Mankind. I might, were it necellary, deduce this Di'vine Infiitntion or Efiablijhment of Monarchy from the very Creation it felf, from Adam, thro' all the Vatriarchical Ages, before and after the Flood ; and fhew, that the Pa- triarchs j Abraham y Ifaac and Jacob, all belov'd and highly favour'd of God, were Kings, and exercifed Kingly Authority in all the Branches of it, and were look'd upon as fuch, caUd and treated fo by other Kings. I might inftance, that even under the Jheo^ cracy it felf f vvhilft God deliver'd his regal Mandates, by ' Urim and Thummim, Viflons, Oracles, Prophecies, ^ &-C.) that yet He appointed One Supream Vicegerent ' over the Jews, and not many ; for, as for the ^ Sanhedrin, they were but as Mofes's or the High * Priefi's Piivy Council, or as delegated Judges, be- ' caufe of the multiplicity of Bufinefs : One, I fay, ' and not many ,• witnefs, Mofes's Forty Years be- ^ twixt Egypt and Canaan : JoJJjuah near Sixty Years *" fettling them in C^»«» ,• alter them, Judah ^ af- ^ ter him, Othniel ; then Ehud; then Shamgar ; ' then Deborah ; then Gideon ,• then Tolah ; then ^ Jair • then Jeptheh ; then Sampfon : but never a- ' bove one at a time : NeceJJity of Chrifvian Suhje- eiion; Printed, 1643. p. 5. It were the eafieft thing in the World, to prove Monarchy or Govern- ment by a fiKgle Perfon, to be the only Scriptural Government, if we had to do with Per fens that had U 4 a«y %^6 The Analaptifts Mimfiry any real and in-ward Veneration for them, that finqere-? \y own'd them for a Rule., as they profefs ,• but only indeed, fretendedl/y dijfemhlingly ^ knavi^ly , to delude and ]/?^'irds, Sorcerers, and Necromancers do in their Sorceries, and Magical Operations ; that is^ in iliort, only eniploy, and manage, and fight with it, agaipft it ielf, in order to fubvert, undermine, and e- vaporate it into Air, meerly to deftroy it. Other- wife, hovvT eafily might it be fiiown, beyond all pcfi fiblc Reply or Contradidion, that Abraham, Jfaac, Jacob, were actual Kings as well ns Prlcfis, and by Office too. This is fo plain, that nothing can bq more. ■' The Patriarchs Govern'd, not only in ^ Oeconomy^ but in Polity , even fo far as in higheit f AfF4ir5^ vlz> ef Life and Deatb^ in Peace an^ Examitt'd and Difprov'd. 197 ' War : They huih Altars, and ofFer'd Sacrifice* * God calls Abraham a Prophet , Gen. 20. 7. And the ^ Children o'l Heth, call him a Tnigbty Prince or -i^/«g-, * Gew. 2;. 6. And as they call'd the Patriarch a -K^/'^Tg-, ^ fo St. Pff^r calls a King a Patriarch, A£is 2, 29. lo ' little difference he underftood between them. ^ Neither was it other for Subftance than one Go- ' vernment ol God, that began in the Patriarchs, ^ went thorough the Judges^ and ended or refted in ' Kings; they being ^//equally o^oncTjp', Defif- ^ tation, Prefentaticn, Vicegerency : See the Revjji-r dication c/Pfal. 105-. 15-. Printed, Ann. 164;. To any but Hobhifls, Republicans, and Anahaptifis, ic plight appear as clear as a Sun- beam, that thefe Pa- triarchs were de faBo Monarcbs^ and Uncii Domini, the Anointed of the Lord ; as appears as clearly in the Context pfPfal. 105-. as, that God Created the Heavens and the Earth, in the 1/? verfe of Gr;?. i. tho' they were not externally Anointed, tho' it were not in ufe then. ^ St. Augufiin (as the Author of the Revindication fays, p. 11.) moves this Queliion ,• How the Patriarchs could be call'd A- nolnted, atitequam ejfct Un^io , before the regal A- nointing, as yet was. It is very plain, he fpeaks of the Regal Anointing ,• for he adds immediately, ;f a Conteft with Republican Atheifts, under the Maf" querade of Saints znA Chrijlians ; who, under the Rofe, make a Mock at the Bible^ and give more Credit to Arifiotle's Politicks J and have a greater Veneration for him than for Mofes, and fovHobh's Leviathan than for St. Faul's Epiflles ; and therefore, fetting afide the Hiftory of the Creation, and the Propagation of Mankind, they write as it they were ignorant of the Original of the World, as if Mankind firft iprung out oi the Mud and Slime of the Earth, and write like meer Pagans or Infidels, looking upon the Divine Oracles, the Antientefl HiHory or Book in the World^ hy many Ages^ as an old Almanack, out of Date, and altogether ufele^ and improper for their great Work of new modelling and debauching the World. And thus, in downright Oppofition and Contradi5lion to the Hisiory of the Creation, as if they never heard or at lead: did not give the ieaft Credit to it, no more than to the Hiftory of the [even Champions, or Guy of Warwick, would make the World believe that Anarchy was before a regulated Government, d>'c. But to proceed to allege lome other Scriptures : The Holy Scriptures then teach us in general. That aU rightful Kings 7i^hatever, or wherever, in or out of the Church, are fet up by, and derive their Authority from God, Pagans, or 'Jews, or Chriftians. We read of PharoabYJingof z.'^Egypt, that of him God faid, Exod. 9. 7. / have raifed thee up. Elipa from God dc- fignd, anointed, ^nd ccfjfiituted Haz^nelKing of Syria, 2 Kinor 8. 1 3. Here you fee that the Kings of e^- 300 The Anahaptijls Miniflry gjpt and Sjria, are no lefs of God's making than tho Kings of Ifrael. Are not Vharoah, Abimelech, Hlr/^m, Haz,nl^ Hadad, no lefs honoured with the Compelhticn of Kings, than David, Saul, or E- z,ekial ? Be what they wiil, God's Creatures they are, and (/fhis making only. Jer.2^. 9. God doth honour Nehftchadnezzar, by naming him iiis Ser- vant, his Servant, conceive it ko-T l^oxiir by way of excellency, the fame Compellation it is, which Qod giveth to David, a Kifjg according to his own Heart. NebuchadjiezZjar the King of Babylon my Ser- Vii?:t. If what we have faid cannot fuffice, let them turn over to Ifa. 45-. i, 2. Thus faith the Lord to his anointed^ to Cyrus, &:c. a Proof able enough to flop the Devils Mouth [who perhaps, without an Hyperbole^ may be fuppos'd modefier than a Canne, Spttkhoufey or a Milton, who made not the leaft word of a Reply to any of the three Texts our Sa- ^ viour alleged againft him. ] ' Again, we are told in the Book ofGod,that there ' is no Kingdom but of his giving, no Kings but of ' his making, no King unkin|j'd but by his doing. [If this doth not prove Monarchy to be of divine Original, and not from Man, and that this Form of Government is moft plealing unto him, andbecaufe? we read of no other Form of Government in all the Scriptures, ordained or approv'd by God, that it biddeth fair for the only Form of Government: agree- able to his Will, becaufe molt conformable to the di- vine Government it felf over Heaven and Earth,then 1 think there's nofuch thing as Froo/and Defrtonfirati^ tn in the World. ] See Ejdr. 12. ^ Cbron. 36. 22^ 2;. Comp. with Ija. 44.28. 4f. 15. confult particu- larly, Dan. 2. 19, 20, 21, and Daniel will teach ' them, in the Judgment of God, that to give ' and remove Kings and Kingdoms is the fole and * proper peculiar Work of God. [And for Man to ittempt any thing cf this Nature againft their law-, ■fui Examht^ and Difprovd, ^oi ful Prince, is to Tvreft God's -work out of his own Hands y literally to rebel againft or to Jpofiatize from God, to invade and ufur^ his Vrerogative, and lor any who profefs Chriftianity to do fo _, is to be formal -Anticbriji-s, as ihal! be (hewn afterwards. ] ' When ^ God had revealed to Daniel Nel-i'chadnezzars Dream * with the Interpretation of it, he thnnketh God * and faith, f. 20. Blejfed be the name of God for ever ' and ever^ for Wifdom ar.d Might are his, ver, 21. * And he changeth the Times and tl.e Seafons, he * removeth Kings y and fettctb up Kings, Again, f. 57. ' He faith, thotiy O King^ art King of Kings, for the ^ God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom^ ' Power, Stre7jgth and Glory, v. 20, 21. He afcri- ' beth the fetting up and removing of Kings no lefs ^ to God, than Wifdom infinite and Omnipotency * which are divine Attributes incommunicable.- — * View the fourth Chapter of Df the Texts themfelves is a bufinefs of no great labour, to any that would give himfelf a little pains. Therefore ic avoid prolixity, I refer my Reader,\v\\o is not fatisned with this Trjfe^ to a more Vlentiful Bitnquet from the Book it lelf. I {ball only beg the Libeity to make an Inference or two from the fore- cited T.xts, and fo oafs en to fome ■(il\\Q.rToficks. My FirH is this, i iut Temporal or Worldly Monarchy is a Form c': Government fo tar from being Deftrucirve, or Odiom, Ci ^vi- in it fejf or Dif- t; gr e eahlc unio Go^, or even iV^/?«rf, that God Ai* [mi^hty^ in his Infinite Wlfdom hath made Choice ct it X ^ cxcIh' 3o6 The Anahaptijls Mtnijlry * lVhere3fi it tsi/s obje^ed * cxclufive o'i All Ot\\ZT Forms y in the /iie Oliytnan ujuypa- ^^ ^j^g Infimwent or Medium t:on by thofe who defended the ,» ,• „ •/ i ^ Uv>fulnejs of fuhfcribing to ^^ "IS Fro'vidential Govern- the then Engagement : 'lltii ment of the World. * not the Title or Form of Go- ' vernment, fc;« t/;e Place, ik Power or Authority of Governing, ' rehv:h ii God's Ordinance, and Lam fubjeB to: Thoje are of Mati, * This is of Divine Jnftitution'] I find this Anjrver return d by the Cliefhire and Lancafhi/e Ministers. ' Tou cannot Jijiinguijf) or tahyC ' in [under thefe^ The Title, Form and Power, or Authority of Go- * vernment : // this be in being, it muU have a Form : if it be * God's Ordinance, the Form of it is fo: if it beGoA's Inftitution, * it hath a Title or Right fora God. If I be fubjiH to the Power, ' I am fuhjeci to the Form ; for this, Dat effe & operari ; // I * obey of Duty to it, I obey upon the ground of its Title or Right to Rule : fur a Duty to a Perfon, and a Right to that Duty, infallibly do infer each other. That Command nhich is nithout Title or Authority, is an ASi of mere Will and Force, and cannot be Authoritative at all, cr an efflux of a Divine Inflitution. An Ordinary or firange Man's rvord, i^ho is not a Husband or a Mafler, — is of no Marital or Ma' gijlerial Authority to a IVife or Servant. As an Image carved and fet cut reith a Divine Title, is indeed no God, but a Nullity : fo a Fer- fon furnifl}ei rvith Strength, and fending out EdiCls without a Calling 0f Title to Rule, is a mere Idol, and nothing a^ unto Magijhacy. There are t'alfs Earthly Gods at well o/s Heavenly: Tbofe are forbidden by the Fifth, aa Thei'e are by the Firft Commandment, O'c. Appendix to the Plea for Non-fcribers, p. 56. And as He vouchfafes to make ufe of Means for this Great Ejtd, the Efiahlijhing of Order j and the Pro- curing the Publick Good of Mankind, by encouraging Vertue, and difcomtznancing Vice ,• fo He hath all alcng in all the Ages ot the World, made choice of Single Ferjons for His Reprefentati'ves and Vicegerents, not of the Multititde, the Rabble, in the Diftlntl Na- tions and Kingdoms of the Earth. All other Forms be- ing mere Excrefcences, Human or rather Diabolical In- 'ventions. Anomalous , Heterogeneous , Deviations from. Cow- trary and Oppojite unto the Model Himfelf hath Or- dained, Infiiiuted and given unto us ,• No Footfieps of them in Scripture or Nature, therefore Antifcriptural, Unnatural, not bearing any Analogy with God's Go- vernment in Heaven and Earth. He is in JiriS Senfe and ExamiiiJ and Difprov'J, jor and Propriety the Sole Monarch of Heaven and Earth both as the Archetyfe, according to which the Vlfibk External Government of tlie World ought to be Mo- delled. He is the Fcuntain or Scurce^iiiQ Original Effi- cient Caufe of all Lawful Fon/er and Authority, by which this Lo7i^er World ought to be Governed, and to which alone He hath prcwifed and engaged His Bl^ffing^ and Gracious Concurrence, The Second Inference I fball make from the Fore- going Texts IS thiSy That as God in his^W Pleafure, and out oi his abundant Favour in particular to Abraham, did Covenant with him that he fhould be a Father of 7nany Nations, and (as the Glory hereof) Kings jhould come of him (and as the Top of all is, the Perpetuity of this Covenant) Moreover I ivill efiablijlj this my Covenant hetiveen me and thee, and thy Seed af^ ter thee in their Generations for an everlafiing Covenant^ Gen. xvii. that is, that the Kings of the Gentiles, as his Adopted Seed, fiiould adminifter the Power of his Throne fo long as the Sun fhould endure, (Wei- dons Original of Dominion, Ch. vi.) which we have feen verified in his Natural Pofierity in tlic yeivijli Church, and for many Ages in the Chrifiian Church, till this very day ,• fo All that call themfelves Chri- fiians are under the StricleB Literal Obligations to believe Monarchy is God's own Infiitution, lo the moft Beneficial as well as the moft Perfeci and Ccmpleat Form of Government -, moft worthy of its Author, and peculiarly Adapted by his Infinite Wifdom to his Provi- dential Govern/Kent, and Adminiftration of the Worlds The moft Beneficial, becaufe contriv'd for the Uni- verfal Good of the World, and an Emanation from his Coodnefs and Bounty, as wel I as a Ray ot his Effen- tial Majefiy ; and becaufe whatever £/f/?/;?^j, Benefits, Advantages , Privileges can beconceiv'd to flow irom Order or Government in this World , God himielf hath Annext and Appropriated to this His own In- ftitution. To this purpofe, obferve what God faith X 2 by \ 3o8 The Anahaptifls Mhijlry by the Prophet Ezech. 16. ig. unto Jerufakm, 7hm was thou decked with Gold and Silver, and thy Raiment was of fine Linen ^and Silk and broidered workythou didsi eat fine Flower, and Honey, and Oyl, and then waft ex- ceeding beautiful, ajid thcu didB frojpcr into a Kingdom: as the higheft Dignity and Elevation, the moft hap- py State a People could arrive at of Outward Profpe- rity in this World. So in Jeremy^ Ch. 17. 24, 25. . God promifeth the Jews, as a Reward of their Obe- dience, If ye diligently hearken unto me, ^C. Then jliall thefe enter into thy Gates. Rings and Trinces fitting upon the Throne <9^ David, riding in Chariots and on Horfes, &,c. As much as to fay. You fhall be a happy and a Pro- fperous People 5* all things fhall go well with you, Teace, and Plenty, titid Jufiice,&c. {ha41 flourirti among you. Again we may obferve, that Kings are call'd the Lights of their Jfrael, 2 Sam. 21. 17. The Breath ' of their Peoples Nufirils^ and the Stms of their Ki7Jg- doms, under whofe Shadow the People fiourip, live comfortably a.ndfafely. Lam. 4. 20. It then Ki?tgs, by the hfiitinicn of God, were de- figned as Blcjfmgs to Mankind, for the Comfort, Sup- tort, Honcur and Efiablifjwent of Nations^ then the fVant ot Them is a Judgment, Mifery, Curfe and In- felicity, and muft be the caufe ot Confufion, Dcfiru- Stion and Ruine to a Nation or Kif7gdom,,a.s the Holy Scriptures inform US. As it is i]\'id Judges 17. 6. In thnfe days there was no King in Ifrael, but en/ry man did that which was right in his own eyes ^ where, by the way, we may cbferve, that the Judges exe;;.ifed Re- gal Authority, and are here fliled Kings -, and that amon;Tft the Ifraelites the People of God, He never eftabiifh'd any Go'vcmment but Aiojiarchlcal ^ or by Singk Perfons. Seejudg. 1 8. 1, and 19. i. and 21. 2 y. Now what were thofe E'vils that were fi)en com- by the People, that the Author of this Book anim-^ adverts upon, when he faith, E'v'ry man did that v^hich was right in his own eyes. Why there were Ejiamind and Dtfprovd. 209 Burglary J Felony ^ Sacrilege, Riots, RapcSj ,f „ , Adultery, Murder, Civil-war, a great deal (^jj^^^ ch^^' of Bloodjhed, Firing Cities, &C. Spiriting of Women, enforcd and Unlawful Marriages, Idolatry, Ch. 2. V. 17, 18. all thefe things conftantly hapned in the Interregnums, or Intervals between the Deceafe of one Judge, and God's Ralfing up another, in an Extraordinary Manner I where we muft note likewiie, that in Second Chapter, we have mention oi Tom forts of Judges, Ordinary and Extraordinary. That the Or- dinary are intimated in Ver. 17. of whom it is ex- prefly faid, The People did not hearken unto them, but they "went a jvhoring after other Gods • Thefe were the Sanhedrin, the Princes of the Tivel-ve Tribes, the Fa- thers or Heads of Families. But the Judges mention'd Ver. 18, 19. were the Judges Extraordinary raifed up by God, Othniel, Ehud, &c. of whom 'tis faid, And v>hen the Lord raided them up Judges, then the Lord ivas with the Judge, and deliver d ^•^"i- ^^J^- them out of the hand of their enemies all the ' ' , days of the Judges, &LC. But I have not taken no- tice of All the Evils pradifed in thefe days of Dif- order and Confufion, in the Want of a King,^mong^ the Ifraelites the People of God, there was another Evil, and that no lefs than a?iy of the foremention'd, and tliat was a Schifmatical Separation from the Pub" lick Worjlnp of God, from the True Church, fetting up '^/f<^zragainfi: Altar, Priefis — againft Priefts. For 'tis faid. The Man Micab had an Houfe of gods, and made an Ephod and Teraphim, and confecrated one of his SonSy who became a Prieft - — and if we will but take in what was faid of him in the preceding Verfe, That he had before this, ' A Graven and a py^BiflyVs'er-. * Molten Image by him for the faid Houfe mm on Judges * (which according to Grotius was an ij.^.Jherping '' ^ Altar, with other the Utenfils there- ^'^J^^f""*-^'/ J ' unto belonging) we have then all the ^^^'^ ^' ^' • j ^ Prime and Chief Furniture of the Tabernacle, that \ X 3 ' '^'^ 3IO The Amlaftijls Minijlry * was by God Himfe If appointed for the Service thereof. Now all thefe Circumftances of Efhod^ Terafhim, Altar ^ and at length getting a Levlte to be his PrieB, make it probable that this Micah was no Idolater, but a JVorJhipper of the God, tho' in a way of Sepa- ration from the Vuhlkk Mlnifiry, and Vlace of iVorJhip, In fhort (faith that Reverend, Learned and Worthy Author) *^ WiIl--worlhip, tSt^oOgMm/*, a Self-fleajtng * De'votioftj a Separate Houfe^ a Separate Prieft (how- * beit of the fame God) from the Regular National * Eftablidiment. A thing very pleafjng to Man ! * and fo pleafing, that if left unto himfelf/ becaufe * there is no King to reftrain him_, every Man will * think himfelf as good as Micah, and therefore do ^ whatfoever (hall feem right in his own eyes. Thus * it's faid of Gideon, Ch.8.27. of Judges, He madehim ' an Epbodj and put it in his City (even in Ophra) and ^ All Ilrael "went thither a ■whoring after it, P, 9, ' Now the Ephod was one ot the Gar- ' ments that God had appointed for his * own Priefts, and his making an Ephod, denotes ' that He was refolv'd to turn his Back upon the Ta- * bernacle, and to have a Prieft and an Houfe of ' his own j which was no fooner efFeded, but (as ' if they were as naturally given to Fadion as to ' Luft) all the lafcivious Satyrs, both He's and She's * of the City and the Country round about, went ^ a whoring to it ; but this (as it there follows) be- ' came a fnare (an evil) to Gideon and to his Houfq, * and was as feme conceive, the Provoking Caufe ^ why God fuffered the Sons of the faid Gideon to be * flain in the fame City, where his Ephod had its en- * terrainment. To thefe Texts may be ad- P. 23, ded that o't Hofea 5. v. 4. For the Children of Ifrael jhall abide many days "without a King, and without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice, andwith- mt an Image, and without an Ephod, and without a Te~ raphim. As much to fay, Ifrael ihall ceafe to be God's Teoplf, Examtrid and D}fprov\L 311 People, and God to be their God : Ch. i. V. 9. that is, fKould have no Vi^hle Refrefentat'roes of God's Vre- fence among them^ or Symbols of his Providence over them, either as a Nation^ Kingdom, or Church, nei- ther King nor PrieB, implying one to be inconfiftent without the other : No Go7jernment, no Religion, no Kingdom on Earth, no Kingdom in Heaven, All fiiould run into the utmoft Confufion and Diforder ,• they Hiould be utterly forfaken by God, and left to their own Unbridled Lusts and Imaginations: andv/asitnot fo amongft us for many years during the Long Rebellion, from Forty one till Sixty • We had neither Kirg nor Priefi-, we had only the BafeH of the People fet over us, at beft Rebels, Traytors, and Time- fer'ving Schi[ma~ ticks, and all the old Herefies reviv d amongft us, with a Superfetation. Gonfult Jer. 22. v. 3. to v. 1 3, Hof. 13. II. Mich. 4. 9. Amos i. 15, 14, i J. Zff/^. 9* 5". If then the having Kings be a Bleflingj and the a/^rffwf of them, or taking them aivay a Cutfe and argu- ment of the Divine Difpleafure, nay, if the Promife of Kings under the Gofpel Dijpenfation be a BleJJjng, as fball be prov'd, is it not an infallible Sign of Spiri- tual Infatuation, and a Diabolical Impulfe to call the Kingly Office or Monarchy a Plague, and a Judg- ment ; and Blcijj)hemy to afcribe it to Satan, the Dr^a- ^ow, the £?^i?, AntichriH, as the Author or Inven- tor of it ; Nay, what is it to afcribe the Works of God to the Devil ? This I leave to the Confcience of any Sober and Sincere Ghriftian that fears God, and honours his Holy written Word to confider. But fmce we are confidering the Benefits and Blef- fings of Having Kings, we ought not to forget This amongft the reft : That Kings, even under the Jewifj Oeconomy,werQ thQ glorious and blejfed Reformers and Promoters ot God's Worflnp and Religion, and the Suppreffors of Idolatry, as the Books of Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Efiher, Nehe- miah, Daniel, the Pfalms, Proverbs, tefiify, nay we X 4 may 11% The Analaptijls Mimjlry may obferve from the Covenant God made with Da'vld, 2 Sam. 7. v. 16. wherein he promised him, that his Houfc attd Kingdom fljculd he esfablijhedfor cv^Vy and his Throne fhould be cfiabliJJied for ever ; Ccmp. with VJalm 89. that the Ground for, and the End of this Covenant was for the fake of the Church, that Kings might be her nurfing Fathers^ and Queens hef vurfing Mothers even fo long as the Sun and Moon en- dureth, even to the end of the World , till time fliall be no more, and hence it follows that Rings are frofhefed of, and foretold, to be the chief Patrons, Fo If er- Fathers, Promoters , Propagators, Propugners, and Reformers of Religion, the true Faith, God's Church and Worfliip under the Gofpel. See Pf] 72. JO. II. The Kings of Tarflnjl) and of the IJles JJoall hrinp- Prefents^ the Kings of Sheba and Scha fjall offer Gifts, Yea all Kings fljall fill dawn before him : All Nations Jltallfer've him, Pfal. 158. 45". All the Kings of the Earth jjjall praife thee^ O Lord, when they hear the words of thy Mouth. Tea they JJiall fng in the ways of the Lord, fur great is the Glory of the Lord. Pfal. 148. 11. Praife ye the Lord, f^C. K^ings of the Earth and all People, Prin- ces and all Judges of the Earth. 'Twas for the fake of his Church and chofen that God raifed up Cyrus, Thus faith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus, whofe right hand I haz^e holde??-, 5ic. I will go kfore thee, £zc. and I will give thee the Treafures of Darhicfs, 8cc. For Jacob my Servant's fake, and Iirael mine EleB-——~-I have even called thee by thy name, &c. / girded thee, though thou ha/l not known me. Ifa. 47, i. to the y. He is my Shep- herd (faith God) and fludl perform all my pleafure, even faying to Jerufalem thou jhalt be built, and to the Temple ^ thy Foundatio7i fiiall he laid, Chap. 44. V. 28. thenCM. 49, 7. Kings [Ijallfee and arife. Princes alfojliall worjhip ^nd V, 2"^. Kings fliaU be thy nurfivg Fathers, and their ^eens thy nurfing- Mothers, they fljall bo7v down to thee with their F'ace towards the Earth, and lick up the Dujl of thy Feet, hn^ Chap, f^i.^u. 1 j. So fliall he fprinkle manji Examined and Difprov'd. ^i^ fnany Nations, the Kings jhall [Jout their Mouths at him, for that which had not been told them Jliall they fee^ and that which they had not heard Jhall they confider. So Ch. 60. V. 5. And the Gentiles Jhall come to thy Light, and Kings to the Brightnefs of thy Rifmg. V. 10. and the Sons of Strangers jhall build up thy Wallsj and their Kings jlmR minlfter unto thee, &c. Chap. 62. And the Gentiles JJjall fee thy Right eoufnefs, and all Kings thy Glory. And ifvve confult the New-Tesfamcnt, we /hall find the Apoflle St. Taul, exh(DrtIng the Vrlmiti've Chrijiians in an efpecial manner, and as their bounden Duty, i Tim. I » a7!d a good and acceptable Service unto God our Savi- cur, [ Jelus Chrill, God-man, now the immediate fountain of all rightful Authority, v. 3. ] that Sup- plications ^ TrayerSy InterccJJlons and giving thanks- . be made for Kings. {[His Vicegerents, who receive their authority from him, tho hfidels at that time and Perfecutors] that they might lead a cjuict and peaceable Life [in performing with Liberty] all Adiions of Godlmcfs, and honcfiy towards Men^ [becauie v. 2, g, by difcharging fuch a Duty towards them, and ex- erting fo much Charity, fo contrary to JFlefh and Blood, corrupt Nature, it might pleafe God, in whofe Hands are the Hearts of Kings, and who turneth them, nnddifpofeth them, as it feemeth beft to his Godly Wifdom, fo to difpofc and govern their riearts.that, of Perfecutors, they may become Friends 3nd Patrons of Chriflians, and of hfidels. Believers becaufe our bleffed Lord would have all men to be fa- vsdv.^.\jis appears by his publiihing and expofing to all Mankind, all Nations and Languages, the means of Salvation, by commanding his Stew- ards and Minifters to endeavour the oxf.Annotat. Converfion of all [even of Kings them- on the Place. fJves~\ and to pray for them amongfl themfelves] and come to the krfoiiledge of the Truth [the Goipel.] So Tit. 3. i. See i Vet. 2. i^. Submit ycuY felves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's fake ^ [who 314 ^^^ Anahaptifts Minijlry \ [who commands your Obedience] -whether it he to the King as fupream, &c. Fear God^ Honour the Kingy [which Fear is very well expieft" by honouring the King as God's Deputy, and deriving his Authority and Majefty from God by Chrift, whether a good or a bad King, an Infidel or Chriftian, yet ading for Chrift and ferving the ends oi his Providence, notwithftanding in his Mediatorial Kingdom. The ready Obedience, and fmcere Submiffion^ and fide- lity of Chriftians, to their rightful Princes, being the propereft means to prevail upon their AfFedions and Underftandings, both in order to their Converfion. Again Re-velat. 1 1. 1 5-. It's faid the feuenth Angel found- ed and there ivere great voices in Heaven^ faying the Kingdoms of this World, [and the Kings thereof, im- plied in the Word Kingdom] are become the King- doms of our Lord and of his Chrift, that is, by recei- ving the Gofpel by being Converts to Chriftianity, as we find in the foregoing Chapter, v. 24. And the Nations of them which are favcd pall walk in the Light of it, and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Ho- vour and Glory to it. [ His anointed King of Kings and Lord of Lords] and he fliall reign for ever and ever, [ over Kings and People in this World, till the Day of Judgment j and over and with Saints and Angels, in the World to come to all Eternity, for the Saints themfelves ftiall be Kings too in the next World, they fKall have their Crowns too, and Reign for ever and ever. Rev. 22. 5-. But to return, and to give 2i full Account of the divine Original of Civil Monarchy ( the Envy of the Devil, the Objed of his Malice chiefly as flowing from God-man, the Antipathy unto and irreconcileable Averfion for which, the true mark and CharaBeriHick of all His,) as far a^my prefent Defign will permit. Out of the Holy Scriptures, in the former Colledi- on, I made choice of fuch which are the leaft con- feflahle, moft pofitive and literal, and chiefly relating %9> Esamifid and Difprovd, 3XC to FaBs : but now I fliall produce fome others which tho' to unprejudiced and difintereffed Perfons may appear fufficiently clear and manlfefiy as not at the firft view, yet in DeduBioHj I hope, may ftop the Mouths of even the moiit walicious Andfelf-de- fgningj if not abjolute and point' blank AtheiBs. And here 1 muft run back even to the Creatiorj, and take my beginning thence, and fo fetch the Original o{ Mo- narchy trom the Original oi Dominion it feh, (the Ho- ?y Scriptures affording us no other Form of Dominion but Monarchical.^ The Firft Text thtn is from Gen. i. 26. And God [Elohim] [aid, Let m make Man in cur Image^ after our Likene/sj and let them have Dominion, &C. Now Elohim is one of the Ten Names of God, and ufed above Thirty times in the Hifiory of the Creation in this Chapter, His Judiciary Name of managing and preferring by Juflice and Judgment , that World which under that Name he crea- WeUons Orig. ted, and as his Creature hath Right to of Vm.c. i. Govern. It's deriv'd from El or Eloah, which fignifies Jlrong or Po-werful • and fo God ha- ving created Man in his own Image, to Refemble and Reprefcnts the Subfiance and Original, and made him as it were an Epitome of the Divine Nature o^ Being, and Attributes ^ and to Render this Image or Reprs- ^ntaticn the more vifible, notorious and Obvious to all Creatures whether Rational or Irrational, and to Ap- pear as a God upon Earth, as foon « he had created Man, He fiampt upon him the Imprefs of that moft iiluflrious Attribute, his Power, Sovereignty or Dominion, Vejerdu, and let them have Domini" Ibid, on, from Rada, which with Dominari to bear Rule, fignifies alfo accipere idque ab alto, to receive, and to receive from above ; intimating that in Man, there's fo fuch thing as felf originated Power, unlefs we will fuppofe him to have his Origine from him- I'qI^ alone, and not from a Superiour and Tre-exiftent Caufe, 3i6 The Jnahaptijls Minijlry Caufe, and fo to be Really and literally <}od, and that he can have no rightful Power, but by the free and exprefs Donation of him who created and formed him, irom Elohimy whom he Reprefents ; No Right or Voiver over any thing, Birds^ Beajls, Fipes^ no not to Food or Raiment, but only by his Bounty. Here then v/e have the Origination of all earthly Dominion ; it's only from God, and not from the People, as fome ignorant Vagansj groping in the Dark, have aiterted, and from them our i'afpir'd and lllmninated-Demagogue- Sectaries , and whether they or Mofes, or the 5';)im of God by him, be moft to be credited in this Matter ? ( for the whole Contr over fie ^ lies between God and the Veople iorfooth ) kt any that's Religiom and fears God, and ho?iCHrs the infpird Oracles jud^e. Htnce likewife we iee that the Image or Refemhlance of God's Sovereignty Dominion, and moft zlorivus Vrerozative was vefted in Oz?^, as i\\Q. fuprcam Creator and Lord of all things and beings, both in Heaven and Earth, One : So the /- w^^^ reprefentative, or rcfe?Khlance but 0»f, the F^t- f^fr, the .R(?o? of all Alankind but 0«e, and iiAdam had not forfeited his integrity, his innoctncy in Para- dife,h[xt perfever'd in that 5f^ff he was created in, in all probability he had continu'd the fole Monarch and fupream earthly Lord cf all his Polterity. But One God, but one King. And as he was a public k Perfon, and reprefentative of all .Mmkind, fo to every Maa was imparted a refpe6tive Portion of the hnage of God, of Dowiniim, of Sovereignty fuitable to his State or Station and Quality, in "the Order of Providence ; and fo we find the Throne of God's Image is in the ruli gp^'iyt, whether it is placed, and io ftveral Degrees of it or Portions. ^ In private Perfons it is ieat- ' ed in the Regal Faculty of the Will : in the Family * ( co??fi}lif.ig of divers incorporated into one Body J it is ' in the Mafter thereof : in the Kingdom ( compo- ' fed of many Families into One Houfbold ) it is in ' th^ Kingjthe Reprelenter oi Elohim* V>y this P^t tent; Examine! and Difprovd, ji? tent whereby God or Eloblm invefted Adam with the Dominion or Sovereignty Welio-ns Ovig^ of all the World : He took him into ^<>^- c- 1.§- s! the Participation of his own Frerogatiz)e, fo much ot it as was communicable unto, or was confi- ftentwith lach a Being as was to live upon Earthy and fo doing to -u^ear his own Title too of Elohim ; this will follow, to partake of the Power will imply a Communication o^ Najne, and Title too, or elfe the Image would be fo far from being an Image, that it would be indifferently any thing elfe rather than -what it fhould be, and why not Adam Elohim as well or rather than Mofes, oi^ Mofes God exprefly faith, thou {halt be to him [yiz. Aaron] Elohim or God, Exod. 4. 16. If then Adam was the Image of Elohim, and more than that Likenefs too, then it will follow as God is call'd Elohim, from his Royal Prerogative of Strength, Poiver, Authority, and fo King and Mo- narch becaufe above all, confequently Adam as Elo- him\ Image, Likenefs, Reprefentative, King and Mo" narch too, and above all Mankind that fhould grow oat of him as their Root : and fo we fee Earthly Mo- narchy is the Vifible Image and Reprefentative of the in- vifible Monarchy of Elohim, God blelfed for ever, aiid dcnvQS folely and immediately from him. Here then we have foun^ the Original Injlrument^ or Patent for Monarchy or Kingly Government ; the Divine Charter, by which Kings hold their Sovereign Prerogative ,• and from Adam, we iUall fee it traduc'd to his EldeB Son ; fo far was he from lofing this his Regal Prerogative, that God was pieas'd moft gracioufly to enlarge it, by fubjeBing the Woman unto him, who was his Co-partner with him before, in the Empire of the World. Gen. 3.16. It's faid, He beeat Cnildren in his oy^-n Likenefs, after his Image, as he was made ^himfeli: in the Image, and after the Likenefs ot God ,* as he was Invefted with Royal Prercgativs by Goa, fo by the fame 3i8 The Anahaptifts Miniftry fame Vatent it was entaild; upon his Det»ife, defccn- ded to his EUeH Son upon his Death, who was the Heir Apparent during his Life. This we find in Gen. 4. 7. ackcovvledg'd by God himfelf, even after God had manifefted his Diflike of Cains Offering (as 'tis luppos'd in a vifible manner.) And unto thee fljall he his Dejire, and thou fhalt Rule over him^ i. e. He fhall be lubje9-, the Word, the kVifdom, the Son of God ; (ot which, more afterwards) and that is, ver. ij. And Adam lived an Hundred Tears, and be- gat a Son in his own Likenefs, after his Image, and calld his Niime Seth, Pofitus, Coaflitutus, as appointed or fet Examind and Difprov'd. ^lo fet in the Room o^Cain, dlfinherited and deprivd of the Right of Vrimogeniturs or Succejjion to the Crown and Mitre, to fucceed upon the Demife oi^ Adam, there being no other rational Account to be given why the Spirit oi God fliould fo emphatically fet down thofe Expreffions of Begotten in the LikeneJS and Image o£ Adam, but what I have infifted upon. By the fame Argument, it may be affirm'd likewife, that from Setb this Ima^e and LikeneJS were convey'd or traduc'd in a Lineal Succeffion to Noah, 'till th» Flood. When God Almighty, in a moft dreadful and amazing manner, to take Vengeance on a defperatel/ wicked Generation of Men, who had Apofiatiz'd from his Lihncfs and hnage, and abandon d them- felves to Idolatry and their own ahominahle Lufis, by deftroying them with an Inundation o[ Waters. This is no Chimera, or meer Fancy • that Cain forfeited the Regal and Sacerdotal Power, is evident by his for- feiting the Vrimogeniture, that he was driven out, or excommunicated the Society of the Faithful, is matter of FaB ', and thence took upon him the Lihnefs and Image oi Satan, God's fworn Enemy and Antagonifi^ by letting up a falfe Worfhip, Satan's Kingdom and Synagogue, in oppofition to God's Kingdom, and the One, the True Church, and fo firft form'd the 'vi-* fihle Corpus Perditorum, the vijible Society of Reprobates^ againft the Society of the EleSl, the Body of Chrifi ; and fo things ftood till Seth begot Iffue, and began to multiply Mankind , and then the Church began to fiourilh again ^ for it's faid, Then be- gan Men to call upon the Name of the Gen. 4, 26. Lord ; then the True Religion began to get ground, and the Church to lift up its Head, and to become more viJible. Notwithftanding this, the Number of Idolaters were far the greater ; as JVeeds grow and multiply fafteft, and the Number of the £- lecl, or of Prof elTors of the True Religion, was, and will be always, fewefi, Cain'i more numerous Vroge^ ny. 3io The Anahaptijis Miniflry ny, by their conftant and frequent Commerce with the Defcendants o\. Seth, poifon'd them by degrees, and injinuated their falfe and impious Notions into them, and allur'd tHem by their Licentioufnefsj to follow their v^icked Examples; and particularly, by their inter- Marriages i and in time, dreiv them off from the True Faith and Worjhip^ to participate with them in all their Crimes and Pumjhments coo ,• fo that at length, the True Worflnp of God, his Likenefs and Image, remain'd Inviolable, cnly in No ah\ Family: and God, after his infinite Patience and Forbear- ance, was provok'd to c«f off all the Race o^ Man- kind^ excepting Eight Perfons. So that now the Sovereign Foiver and the Vrieflhood^ becomes veiled in one only Man again, as in the Creation^ and the Power of Life and Death ; particularly, by an unalterable Law, pofitively and exprelly given to him, and thofe who ihould afterwards for ever fucceed him, whofo (lieddeth Man's Blood by Man [ i. e. by the Reprefencative of Elohim^ by the Supream Magi- Ihate fhall his Blood be ihed] none but God and his Deputy, who ads by his Authority, and for him, hach any Right over the Life of Man ; Gen. 9. 6. Such an Authority, that no meer Man ever had over his own Life, even by the Sevfe of the moft civilized and learn'd amongft the Heathens ,• and fuch an Au- thority therefore, that all Mankind put together. No- ble or Ignoble, never could convey to a fingle Verfon ^ an unanfwerable Argument againll the Origination oi Civil Government, or Mojiarchy from the People - and the Reafon is given : for, in the Image of £/o* him made he Man, /. e. ' That all Men whatfoever, ('accidentally good or bad) are lubftantially and e- qually enobrd" — with tlie Image of God, And, according to the Communication of that Image, they have the particular Dominions, which by God , are difpens'd in the feveral Proportions thereof, by its different Communication. All ' Men Exam'ind and Dif^tovJ, q 2. t ' Men have Portions in it \_according to their feveral States , and Conditions ^ and Circumfiances God hath plac'd them in ,• ] * therefore is the Life of all Men Sacred * not to be taken away, but by Him whofe Image ' he is I all have it not equally, for fome i^ave Do- minion by it, to take away the Life of fome who alfo have it, [but in a friuate ^^'^^ '"kV Orig. and ivferiottr degree.] So then by a De- f ^t'n^' sti dudion ^xom Adam to the Flood, we 4//o§. s' fball find Ten Patriarchs exercifing Mo- narchical Poiver^ and whatever flir fome ^theifh and Refuhlica7t-Se^aries (in that refpect not one jot bet- ter than profejlAtheifis, that is, no more Chrijtians or Rcverers of God's Wordj make about Patriarchicai Power, they can never get off it, but they were Monarch^ as well as Patriarchs (unlefs we can fup- pofe two Fathers of the fame Progeny^ or two Fa- thers in one Fa??iily, or more as you pleafe. 1^ Mat- ters of Fati related by the Sfirit of God, may be thus bandied J and conteficdj and difputed, and^«f/;W<^, then we mult inevitably run in:o Scepticifwj and turn Seekers in good earneli. But allowing Fanaticks this Privilege, thofe Infatiahle Self -Seekers, thofe fligma- tiz'd AIoKCpoliz^ers and Lovers of themfelves, that is^ Haters of all Mankind befides their own Dear f elves $ yet Men o^fobriety, modafty and jenfe will ealily be convinc'd, that even Families were originally the Seminaries of what we call Empire, Monarchy, and that the Patriarchs, who lived to fuch vaft Ages as 56J, 5-95-, 969 Years, might fairly be fuppofed to beget fuch 7nmerous Ojf-fprings, as might fufficiently entitle them Monarchs. None ever were io mad yet as to pretend to define how many Nofes go to the denominating a King. He that hath bur four or fi^e Hundred Subjeds, more or lefs, is as true a King, as to all the Ejfentials to Sovereignty, as he that can command a Million ; the Extent of Territories, and Numbers oFSubje^s, may render him moxQ Pomrfut y ot 311 The Analaptifts Miniflry or Formidable to his Neighbours j but a lejfer Vrin€e,\Ti thefe refpedSj may excrcife a Po3//er as uncontroulably and ejfe^ually over his Subjects ^ as the ^r^^ffy amongft his. Therefore it's not incongruous to call the Va- triarcbs Kings and Monarchs, nay nonfenfe to ' affert otherwife ,• becaufe necejjarilj the Reajon and circum- ftances of Things retjuiritjg and demanding they fhould be fo j becaufe by all the Lights we have in this matter, and the Fatts related by the Spirit of Godj it could not be otherwife. He that believes the Mofaical account oi the Creation^ muft fuppofe that Families were exiftent before Nations, as much as one Man before twenty. Therefore I fhall fpend no more time or words about this particular, Fami- lies in the beginning were the Seminaries o{ Kingdoms or Empires^ or Empires and Kingdoms in Epitome or in little. Imperium ^ Deo hominibus ejl concejjum non ali- quot dies, nedum mttlta foH fecula Condito Orbe. Statim cum hominem formaret Deus, indidit femina ^ Potentiam produBricem Imperii, producendi aBualiter, cum primiim materies fiijjiciens, i. e. Numerm df copia hominum ido~ nea fuerit cxifiens. Hanc materiam Imperii in hominibus, qui negare 'vult, fenfuum tefiimonio non argumentorum 'ui convincendus efi, Epfiein. in Annot. ad Horn, de Civitate, L. 2. C. I. §. 9. ver. 56. And accordingly we find it fo upon the increafe of Mankind after the Deluge ^ The feveral Families of Noah's Pofterity were by a Miracle o^ Providence feparated, upon the Multiplica- tion of Languages, and by di-vine Appointment became all thofs o^ thQ {^LYUQ Language uniting under the fame refpe- ilive Head. This undoubtedly was the fVork and Co»- Y 2 trivanti 3i4 ^^-^^ Anahaptifts Miniflry trivance of Vro'vulcnce • the very Ground and Reafon of the difference of Languages, to divide and [e far ate them into diftinB Nations, Countries and Kingdoms ; uni- •verfal Monarchy being the moft unfeafiblcj tmpr amicable thing that can be imagin'd in the corrupt and degene- rate State of Mankind ,• and we find by Hifiory that whenever or by whomfoever it hath been attempted, the ProjeH hath al-ways mifcarried at length^and fo long as it hath lafted in the greateft Ej^^^x that have made_, it hath tumbled down by its own -weight. But as to Monarchy it felf, we have the whole Worlds nay, I may fay, the Voice of Nature attefting it from all the Jges ot the IVorld, from all the Difco' 'uerics that have been made in the Eafi and Wefi In- dies ; we read of Kings every where, but of no o- ther Forms of Government, that I remember, ex- cept among the Grecians and Romans ^ and in thefe latter Ages^ in fome particular parts of Europe, which fcarce deferve our Notice, no otherwife than other monflrous preternatural Freduclions. And to conclude this Paragraph, I ihall only add. That as at the firft, God infiituted Monarchy in one Man, and fo the Royal- ty defcended from Father to Son, by the Law of Primogeniture , fo after Mankind were multiplied, as far as the Divine Providence thought fit, by a vaft Miracle, he multiplied likewife Languages amongft them, and fevcrally led them out for the Peopling of the World, according to their difiinB Dialers, into dlfiinH Colonies, with their King, their Leader at the Head of them ; as the Son of Sirach faith, Ecclef. 17. 17. For in the Divifton of the Nations of the whole Earth, HE SET a RULER over EVERY PEOPLE ,• which plainly alludes to Mofes's Song, Deut. 32. 7,8. Remember the Days of Old ', con jidcr the Tears of many Generations ; ask thy Father, and he will Jheiv thee ; thy Elders, and they will thee, when the MOST HIGH DIVIDED to the Nations their Inheritance, when He fe- fetrate^ the Sons of Adam, He fet the Bounds of the Vco^k Examtnd and Difprovd, i^r- People, 4CC0RDING to the NUMBER of ths CHILDREN of Ifrael J Comp. Gen. lo. and Gen. 49! In the former, you will find the Names of the Sons of Sem, Ham 2LndJapbet, werQ Seventy ; anfwering to the Number of Ifrael's Sons that went down into hen I prepared my SEAT in JUDGMENT, the young Men that faw me hid themfelves, and the AGED AROSE, and STOOD up. The PRINCES refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. The NOBLES held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their month, &c. l^uton RIGHTEOUSNESS, and it clothed me, my JUDGMENT was as a Robe and a Dia- dem. I was Eyes to the Blind, and Feet Iv^as to the Lame ; I ivas a FATHER to the Poor, and the CAUSE which I knew not, I fearched out. And I BRAKE the Jaws of the wicked, and PLUCKT the SPOIL out of his Teeth, &c. Unto me Men GAVE EAR, and waited, and my Speech dropped upon them. I chofe out their way, and fat CHIEF, and dwelt as a KING in the ARMY, &e. And Ch. 19. V. 9. HQhathfiriptmeofmy GLORY, and taken the GROWN from my Head. By all thefe He feems to be no lefs than a KING : And in Job 36. V. 7. ' We read (faith the Learned Author of * SacrofanB. Reg. Majejl, ch. 2. p. 29.) with St. Je- ' rome, (and that without wronging the Original in ^ the Senfe , Reges collocat in S-olio in ferpstuum , He ^ places Kings in the Throne for ever j and again, ' ■ Y I rch. ^2.6 The Analaptijls Miniftry ^ Ch. 12. i8. He loofeth the Bonds of Kings j and girdetii ^ their Loyns with a girdle. The Refult ot all is this ; ¥ 'He Maketh, Continueth, Unkingech, Sec. id. ibid. Monarchy or Kingly Government is God's own Inftttutiony Ordinance^ and not a Humane In'ven- tion (Humane Invention in this Nature properly and ftri(5tly implying an Aberration from the Divine Lavj^ Ordinance or Appointment, or Nature's Law ,• Nature ConfiderM in its Purity, and as an Imperef or Stamp made by God on the Hearts and Confciences of Men, being moft confonant and agreeable to the i^JhMA, the Good-will and Approbation of God.) And this will appear from that famous Expreffion of Wifdom inVrov. 8. 15'. By me Kings Reign, utter'd by that Gloriom Type of Chrtfiian Kings, the wifeft of all mere Mortals • 'tis fpoken indefinitely of All Kings, in* the perfon of Wifdom it kW, the hoyoi, the Eter- nal JVord,t\\Q Second Verfon of the Ineffable, Adorable Trinity. See J oh. i. 1. Heh. i. 2. All Rightful Kings receive their Authority immediately from the JVif- dom and Eternal TVord of God, from the Principle of TJnclion, God's Chrifl. By Him, and None elfe, nei- ther People, nor Pope, nov Presbyter ^ By me, the Fountain of Mercy, riot by me in Anger and enraged 2S once againft the Jfraclites^ and fo gave them Saul in my wrath," to Plague and Scourge them for their Le- vity, their StifF-neckednefs, and Difobedience, and Unfatisftednef§ with their prefent Condition ^ By m^ the Fir^ born of God : By me, i3, in me as well as by ms : Kings firft in Him, and fo come forth from jbim, as they that are in him. ChriB in them, as His peputi€s, Acling in his Name, and by his Authority, jmd for Hirn. They in Chrifl, 2ls thziv Author and Authorifer ; He by their Perfon s^ They by His Powei% Sacrof.Reg.'AIaj.c. ;. p. 27. Again, The Prefix 3 fignifies curn, c-s well as in and per, with as well as /V^ and by, and if we take it in this latter Senfe, no Jn^ iury will be don? to the Qrigiml neither j- it wili-be Examind and Difprov'd. j^y n« Impropriety, Force or Wrefting, if we render the words thus, Pf^ith me Kings Relg7i, as the Aiim- fiers ot my Vrovidential Government of the World • fo that hence it clearly follows, that all Rightful Mo- narchs or Kings, deriv'd their To7ver from God by Christy as the Medium deferens, \)q{oiq his Incarnacion which to Deny is to Rob Chrift of his Prerogative and Sovereignty, and becomes the Mouth or Pen o^ a Jew, a Muffulman, a Pagan, a.n Hobbs, Svinofa, bet- ter than of One who profeffeth himfelf to be a Chri- fiian, a Worfhipper of the Holy Jefm, and an Ho- noiirer of the Divine Scriptures. Having hitherto infifted upon the Authorities of the Old Tejiament, to prove the Original of Dominion, and Monarchy in particular, to be Divine and God's own Efiabltjhment ', I fliall now proceed to confirm what has been afferted, by Authorities from the Ne-uf 'Tefiament it felf ,♦ and therein j^^eai'^that the Gofpeland Apoflolical JVriti?igs differ not in the leaft from what hath been demonftrated from the Old, fo far from Abol/Jhing, that they corroborate and eftMijli them. The Firsf fliall be that of Our Bleffed Lord him- felf, who acknowledg'd Pilate to be a Lawful Gover- mur, and confequently that Monfter ofMankind, whofe Deputy he was, the Emperour Tiberius. Then faith Pilate unto him, Speakesi thou jjot unto me ? KnoiveH thou not that I have power [i^muM] [lawful power] to Crucifie thee, and have power to Releafe thee} Jefus an- fwer'd, Thou couldeft have no power {t^^vxtui] at all a^ gainst me, except it were given thee from above, Joh. 19. lo, II. Here Our Saviour,in exprefs Terms, owns Lawful Power to have its Origine on'y from God, it could not be e?»47w>» (faith the Author of Sacrof. Reg. Maj. c.2. p. 27.) is a very preg- sant ' JVordy and fignijietb an Ordinance hy High Au- - ; ■ ' ^bority^ Examind and Difprovd. ^-^i * thorlty not Revokable not Refealable, for which he ^ quoteth Claffical Authors^ and among them Vlat. in Marcello , who ufeth ofed even to take up his Crofs, and to tread m the Steps of bis Blejfed Lord yUnd is will- ing, that what remains behind and unfinifh'd of the Sufferings of ChriB in his Members, may (as far as poflible) be accompUJlid a.nd fulfill' d in his own Perfon; and counts it the greateft Honour , when call'd to it, to fuffer for Right eoufnefs fake, and a mofl: Glorious and Examlnd and D'tfprovd, ^j^ and Blefjed Opportunity to Approve and Signalize his AffeBion and Love to his Loving Lord : I fay, A true Chrifiian indeed (and none other than what I have been defcribingj with fuch like difpofitions of Mind, defeive that compelhtion) can never bethink him- felf of Refining or Rebelling againft Rightful PowerSj of Returning evil for evil, or Doing evil that good may come of it I or chufing to violate God's Laws, to pre- ferve his Skin whole, or his Eftate untouched. Here's no Room for fuch Damnable Thoughts, and Diaboli- cal FraBices, and none but the Scandals and Reproach^ ts of Chriftianity, and all that's good, Carnal-minded Meny Men ofAntichriflian, JVorldly Spirits, can enter- tain fuch Notions as thefe are. None but Protem's, yejuits, Hcreticks, Profligates, and Reprobates, Phari- fees, Hypocrites, Gnoflieks, Time-fervers, &c. Thole who walk after the Flejh in the Luft of Unclean- nefs, and de/^ife Government [the Ordinance of God himfelf in Church and State ] Prefumptuous , [Proud and Haughty, that look upon it as a Diminu- tion of their bloated Sandity, and too great a Conde-- fcenfion for them, to ftoop or fubmit to the Autho- rity of any thing, forfooth, that's call'd Man I ] and therefore are not afraid [but audacioufly and arrogant* \y2 JJ^eak evil of Dignities [{lander, bely, and rail a- gainft their Betters and Superiours'] 2 Pet. 2. 10. None but fuch fiigmatizd, cauterizd Apofiates, as have gone in the way of Cain, [embru'd their Hands in the Blood o^ Princes and Priefis, of their better principl'd and innocent fellow SubjecSls] ajtd run greedily after the Errour of Balaam for Reward, plead Ship-wreck of a good Confcience, preach'd up Rebellion, War and Blood-fhed, curs'd the Foot-fteps of God's A- nointed, and 'vomited out all manner oi Imprecations upon the Church, the Ifrael, the PecuUum of God ; for no other end but to feize her Patrimony, to en- rich themfelves with the Ecclefiafiical Revenues, and to zorcre themfelves with the Wealth and Abundance ^ -^ of 334 ^^^ Afiahaptijls Mmflry of the Loyal Nobility and Gentry ^ and to Mount the HigheH Stations in Church and State ^ and fo by the jaft Judgment of God, will, in due time, ferijlj in the Gain-faying o{ Corah J in their jRf^e///o» and Schifwi I fliall add but one Text more unto this Colledi- on ,• and that is, r Per. 2. 15* (the latter part of which I have touchd upon already) Submit your Jelves to every Ordinance of Man ^ for the Lord s Jake^ &c. Now whereas fome have very boldly inferr'd from this Text, that, that Civil Government is a Hu~ man CreaturCj according to the literal Tranjlation oi the words, x-nm Av^famva, Of an Ordinance fet up by Man : I anfwer ivV/?, That, properly fpeaking, there's no fuch thing in Rerum Natura, or in Nature^ as an Human Creature ,• unlefs we will call Sin, Obliquity, Vice, the Violation of Qod's Commands , an Human CreaturCy (becaufe no ProdiMion of God's) Villany or Wicked- nefs ; and dare any one be fo BlafpbemouSj as to cver^ that the Holy Spirit, by the Mouth of the Afofile St. Veter, fhouid command our Obedience and Submiflion to fuch an Human Creature, to the Produdion of Man's wicked Heart ^ the Imaginations and Thoughts whereof (as they are,in a ftri(ft Senfe and Propriety of Speech, Man's) are wicked [and con- trary to God and GoodnefsJ continually, Gen. 6. 5". and ever conftantly prone to do amifs, and too prompt to Acflions contradiB.ory to the Will of God ? Secondly, Is it not moft unreafonable to fuppofe this fingle Text, taken literally, or as it lies, mould be a Glofs or Comment, to explain all the other Texts in the Holy Scriptures by, which feemingly contradiB it, and hold forth a quite different Senle ? Or ra- ther, is it not highly nafonable that it ftiould be ex- amin'd by the other, which are more clear and pofitive , and lefs liable to Exception or Doukful- nefs, and receive its Interpretation from them ? All the other places hitherto cited, or producible, make Examind and Difprov'd. i^^ make Civil Go'vernment a Divine Ordinsnce, and af- firm God to be its fole Author i and this feems on the contrary, to make it a meer Hitman Creature ^zn6. the Veo^le its Original. Contradi^lions cannot be e~ quall^ true , and therefore the Sectarian popular Senie of ;> muft h&falfe. Here then we meet with a Jeewing Contradi^ion ,• here's one Text feems to clajli With a grsat many : God's -word cannot hold forth Contraditlions, thereiore we mult endeavour to reconcile thefe Texts, that there may be no Ground for Error in the Infallible Oracles o^ Truth ; and we thereby expos'd to tJncertainty, in a matter of fuch vaft Importance to the Veace, Ordi^, and Well-being o{^ Mankind^ and wherein Conjcience is fo highly con- cern'd and eni^ag'd. Thirdly., Then 'tis to obferv d, with the Accurate Mr. TVeldon, ^ and that according to the Original^ (for Adjedivesin[I«oj] donot connotate Efficien- cy in the Subjed:, but its Paflivity) that it is not meant of any Ordinance created by Man, but efla- blijh'd in or amongH Men, viz,, (in this particu- lar) by the Conftitution ot God. And this is the conftant Dodrine of the Scriptures, anfwerable to that of St. Taulj Rom. 1 3. r. For there is nothing that is 'di^oiiy or juft Power, but it proceedeth from God (who is not the People) and all that is 'J^tcix, or juft Power, is fet in order by God^ and no other : St. Vetera words are \ximuyn7% cy Wo-j^ dv^a-Tfivn iO.\* liv Meji-V} ^^ fubordinate unto every Conflitution among Men, for, or according to the Lord ; for fo the Prepofition J)*, (with an Accufa- tive Cafe) fignifies in Scripture, viz,, the Lord's orderly Difpoiltion of Superiour , or Inferiour , nn Bctff7A« u< xs^ix^v^' whether it be to the King, as to the Supreme, viz,, in this Subftitution «7t »>t^- ffiv eii J)t ctjun •m^iiiuivoii, &€. or to thofe by whom his Mind is declard, as unto Men that have his, viz, the King's Commiffion j which cannot be un- *■ derftood 35^ The Analapttfis Miniflry ' derftood of their immediate Mijfion from God ,♦ for ^ then the God of Ordevy muft be the midorCsOng. c ^^^^^^ ^f Confufton, necelTarily at- ,j^ tending many ju^remes ad idem, tor * the fame Ad : For whofoever is fent * by the moft High^ is, quoad hoc. Supreme, in rela- * tion to that Commiffion, wherewith he is fent. So that after all the Pother made by SeBaries, Re- publicans, Hobbifis, and Theohgo politico s, we fee the feeming Contradi(5lion reconcil'd very eafily and naturally , and indeed, 'tis the Infincericy, by and felfi^j ends of de/igning, deceitful, wicked Men, that is by the Management, and fubtle Contrivances of that malign Spirit, who wholly Governs them ,• that raifes all thefe Fogs an4, Mifis • that obfcure the Truth, to make way tor Error and Confufion, the moft power- ful Means Oi enlarging the Empire o[ Darknefs. It's the IntereB of thefe Mojiflers of Mankind, it fhould be fo, only and for no other ends but to [erve their Lufis, to accompliJJi their FrojeSis ; and they tug hard. Tooth and Nail, it fhould be fo ; and thofe horrid Times of Confujion and Anarchy, in this King- dom, I have fo olten mention'd, when Satan was loosd, may convince all good Chriftians of the Truth of what I have faid, by their Practice then, befides their reftlefs Endeavours ever fmce. They matter not who is Author or Original of Dominion, whether God or the Devil ; the latter will ferve their turn, and are well contented it fhould be fo, if they may but be his Joumy-men or Deputies. And now I come to the Second Point I propos'd ^ and that is. That Dominion, and in particular, that Form of it which we call Monarchy, doth nov^, under the Gofpel, derive it felf immediately from Cbrifi. This, iF f utficiently evinc'd, will demonftrate Mo- narchy to be fo far from being odious and Antichri- ftian, and contrary to the Will of God reveal' d in Holy Scripture, that it muft be own d the only Scrip- tural Examind and Difprovd. 557 ttiral Form of Civil Gcvernment, the only lawful or rightful Government J according to the Pattern of the Mount, as bearing a Refemblance to the Archetypal Government of Gc^ himfelf and ChriH. The firft Text I fnall cite to this purpofe, ftiall b-s that o^ Heb. i.ver. 2, g. as m oft pregnant and ap- pofite to the matter in hand. Whom he bath appointed HEIR cf all Things ; by whom alfo he made the JVorUs : Who being the Brighine^ of his Glory ^ and the expref Image cf his Perfon, and upholding- all Things by the Word cf his Pov^er, when He had by Vim^ fclfpurgdcur Sins /fat down on the Right- Hand of his Majefty on High. Here then it is obfcrvable, that it's a mod Diabolical Preemption, for any created Be- ings to alfume to them (elves any part of God's Pre- rflgafive, v»'hich is to be the Original and Fountain of aii rightfully confiituted Power ( this is more than ever the Popes of Rome, or Turks, or the Devil himfelf did, and for thofe who place the Original o[ Dominion or Sovereignty in thcPeople, they bid very fair to make the 0/ 7n)^oh the Mob to be A^nichrift) and that none can pretend to any Right unto it, otherwifechan by divine Donation, his cxpref Patent recorded in his reveal' d Viil. ' The Exemplification is the Adtof him who is Elohim from everlalring, the Divine and Ori- ginal, the fupream and invifibk Adminiftrator of all Power Spiritual and Temporal, proceeding fe- cundarily to earthly Elohim, his deputed, his im- mediate and vifible Affigns for the Adminiftration ofthefe his Powers, for the Prefervation of what under that Name he created. For thefe ends Chrift is fur niibed with femblable Power, for Do- minion in both kinds, and hath his two Names of Jefus and Chrifi , anfwerable both to the Image and Likenefs which he came to reftore : for the which he hath eight Titles, all enumerated n the preceeding Texts ; which I iKall run over in fhort, from the Judicious and Accurate Mr« Weldon, Z for 3}8 The Anahaptifts Minijlry lOr the eternal Cori'vi^lkn of the Gainfayers. ^ In the Textj faith he, the Apoftle being to clear in be- half ot the Church, and againft the Je-ws and ju- daizing Chriftians, and vindicate both the King- Jhip and Triefihood of Chrift, fets forth his Titles to them both promifcuoufly together. The Fir[t (in honour of his defpifed Humility) is his Fathers Do- nation , He arrogated them not to himfelf, Hek 'V. 4. JVo Man (alas ! 'tis otherwife in thefe Days) taketh this Honour to himfelf, hut he that is called (externally) of God j as was Aaron. So likewife (in the next Verfe ) Chrifi (who externally call'd Aaron) glorified not himfelfto be made an High-Vriefi^ ( or a Confecrator of inferior Prielf s ) but he (did it ) that [aid unto him, thou art my Son^ this day ha've I begotten thee Heir of all things, this is his fe con d Title, and jufl Heir, for he (by whom, and whom are all things) is, not only of the chief of Things, ( regal and facerdotal Power ) but alfo of all other things ivhatfocvcr even unto Shetf and Oxen, &c, Confuit likewife Colofj\ i. 18. Ephef i. 20. 'Philip. 2. 9, 10, n. Joh. 3. 35-, 16, I).] ' In the third Place, is fet down the third of his Titles [by whom h^ made the Worlds] thus 'joh. i. i. Of all Titles to all things, he muft needs have the beft, who made them all. Next is expreffed the particular Caufa Caufata, or immediate Caufe of Vriefily Power, o< ay dmuytLff^M -f c/i'fwf, d^c. who being the bright eafterly Beams of God's glo- rious Perfection, &c. wz,. that which is indeed the likenefs o{' Elohim —which likenefs was deflroyed in the firft Adam, confifting in the Rays of enlightned underflanding, &c. Fifthly, islet torch the particular Cat-ifi Caufata, or fecondary Caufe of his earthly Domitiion^m that he was ^es^-Ah >} x'm^tl^nai 2x7«, the .exprefs and fubftantial Form o^ his ferfo al Ejfence: and this is God's own Para- phrafe of his firft Word Tfelem, ( in that o^Ge*', ) ' as Exam'tnd and Difprovd 359 as alfo that this Image of God is the Fountain and Foundation of Man's Dominion here, confifting in private Men, in the Sovereignty of the reafonable Appetite, or Will, over the rude and unruly Multitude of LuOs and Paffions ,• and in their due Subjedlion unco thofe, who either in the Family or K.ingdom, are more publick Re- prefentations of Elohim^ according to their di- ftincft Degree of Commai d, but all under Chrifi-, C^c. His fixth Title, is, his fupporting all things by the Word of his Pouter] it being an Ad: no lefs noble,norof lefs might to fuftain the World, than to create it. Etohimii had for its Maker ^3.nA requires no lefs than Elobim for its Preferver. — And therefore whom he takes in unto himfeU for the management of earthly Dominion^ he invefls with his moft honoura- ble Stile of hisMajefty, 'viz.. Elohhn, &c. ^KoChrifi hath alfo taken them into the Fellowfhip of that, his Name oi Chrifi , MeJJiah or Anointed^ &c. His/e- venth Title is o[ purchafe, viz. of that which was fufficiently his own be- ore Having by hm" feJff urged our Sins'] he hath bought our whole Souls and Bodies, and that too, if- we have any thing of our own, which we may juftly call ours, &c. An eighth Title is of prefent fojj'ejjion, and is fitten as Bifliopfor ever^ and at the Right-hand cf Majefty as King : both a King and Trie ft ^ to reign and intercede, till time (hall be no more. Where c. defign'd as inftrumental for your Good.'] And then it Follows, ver. 25. And ye ^re [only] Chrijfi [who hath provided them for you] and Chrifi IS Gods, I Cor. II. ;. 15'. 28. [the Father's from whom he receiv'd them, who gave all things to him^ and who now communicateth all things to all Man^ A 2 kind;, 354 ^^^ Analapijls Miniflry kind, and in an efpecial manner, to hh Members^ to all true Chrifilans j fo that all lawful Power , and An- ihoritjj and all, and every Blejfmg, cometh now thorough his Hands, as the true Lord and Proprietor of ^11 things, Head of the Church, and Supreme Go'ver- nour of the Univerfe, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who fuhdueth the People under them, and under them unto himfelf. To deny our Saviour then to be the Fountain and Original of all CiTJil, Legal Au- thority, is in efFe<5l, to deny him to be God-man, and, in that refped, to be the Object of our Faith, our Hope, and our Adoration ,• becaufe this King-fhip of his, we have been alTerting, is a necelTarv Confe- quent of his Divinity ,• and to affert a Creature, a Finite Being to be the Origine of Dominion, is Blafphe- my, and the higheft Outrage can be done unto God ; and to affirm the Peof-le to be fo, is to make them Antichrifls, Rivals, and Cojnpetitors with God, with Chrifly God man • the mofi: ahfurd ^n^ Diabolical "Ho- tion that ever Hdl infus'd into Mankind^ and iiit.Af- fertO'-s, many of them, profels'd Athcifis, and the k'// of them, the greatefl Pretenders, (to fpcak moft candidly) Hereticks and K'^aves ; Men (as it's too riotorioufly known) who on]y fought , and y^e)& their own private Advantages, upon the Ruine of others. It can be nothing but Self-interefi^ and a Spirit of Ddufion, can fo i7jfatuat c zn^hWnA thefe Men : this Afjcrtion of Chrlfi being the Original of all Earthly ToWer, is as exprefly prov'd from the Scriptures, as any Article ofChriftian Faith relating unto him, whe- ther to the €)£o^o>/rtr or, amvoydM rk X£jrif7 into Queftion, and zo BUff>henie him, and Revi-le him as properly, and accnfe bis Gcvern- A a 2 fnent ^ 356 The Analaptifts Minijlry ment • as to Curfe him to his Face, upon the ac- count of Thundrings ^ LightningSy Storms, Pejlilence^ FaminiSy Murrains, Earth-Quakes , Ship-wrecks , or what we call Lojjes, Affli^ions, or Misfortunes ,• and doth not the Injuries done to Envoies, Heralds, Am- hajfadors, in common Conftrudlion, refie<5t upon the Vrinces they reprefent ? and why not the Contempt and Hatred of Rightful Kings, his undoubted Minivers, terminate, and center upon ChriH himfelt ? And are not fuch A^s (of ProfefTors of Chriftianity, e- fpecially) froperlj, and literally Antichriftian i and are not thofe whp deny the Divine Ordinances o^ Kingly and Sacerdotal Authority, Antichrifts, altho* they call themfelves Vrotefiants, and o[ the Reformed Religion, as much as thofe of the Romijh Church, againft whom they perpetually declaim ? What kind of Paradox can it be, to fay. That fonie, pretendedly, of the Reformed Religion, are as truly Antichrifis, as of the Papal Communion, if they may be as really Idolaters (and then, in common Senfe, they come up to the full Meafure of Antichriftianifm, in its Maturity and full Growth) as any of them? And yet_, a truly Famous Divine, and Proteftant too, huh ex- prefly faid as much of fome of our Reformed, the Learn'd Dr. Jackfon upon the Creed. ' The * Romanifi (faith he) transforms, or changes the ^ Nature of the Incorruptible God^ and ofChrift * himfelf, into the Similitude of Earthly Kings and ' Monarchs, yet not of cruel and prodigious Ty- ' rants. But thefe Writers, whom I mean, (as the ' Romanifts objecft, and the Lutherans prove) tranf- * form the Majefty and Glory of the Immortal * God, into the Similitude of Cruel Tyrants, yea, * of fuch bafe and fordid Pedants (as the meaneft a- * mongft you would difdain, iliould have any Au- * thority over your Children ,• ) that is, fuch as de- * light more in punifhing and correding them, than * to dir€(^ or amend them in Learning or Man-i nets- Esamind and Difprovd, •* ey ners, t'or fo fome late Writers have exprefly taught, That the Almighty Creator of all Things, doth as immediately, as primarily and direaiy Ordain fome xMen to Damnation, as he doth others unto Life ,• that he delights as much in the Exercife of Punitive Juftice, as he doth in the exercife of Goodnefs, Mercy, Love and Bounty. That as by his determinate Decree he created fdme to be eled VelTels of Honour for the Manifeftation of his Goodnefs, fo by the fame irrefiftable Decree, he ordains others to be Veffels of Dishonour for the Manifeftation of his Juftice. * This opinion of P^eprobation, how harlh foever, yet, whilft Cahinj BraJ'wardine, or perhaps Saint Augujlnn did handle itj was and error only or falfe Imagination : They who now would make it a Fundnmenual point of Faith, or infert it in their Catechifms, make it an Herejie^ or worfe than an HerefiBy an Idolatrous or Blafohemous imagination. But admit all of us are free from Transformation o^ the Divine Nature, all of us Orthodoxal, and in matter of opinion concerning the Attributes of God or of Chrift ,• yet all this would would not free us from another branch o{ Idolatry, as ri'-e and luxuriant a- mongft other Chriftians, whether of the Romlfh or of the Reformed Churches, as it is amongft the Heathens, or is at this day amongft the Infidels : For we may rob God of his Honour, no lefs than the Heathens and Infidels do, without any Idol or Image, with- out misforming or mifpiduring him in his Attri- butes. And our Apoftle, at the 22. verfe of this Chapter, ( Rom. 11. 22. ) hath made the Robbing or Difpoiling God of his Honour equivalent to that branch of Idolatry which confifts in the Adoration of idols, &c. The word in the Originial extends to both to all the breaches of Idolatry, &c. Now if any who is called a Chriftian, give the fame In- dulgence to his own corrupt Defires, as theHeathens ' • A a 3 ' did. 558 The Anahaptijls Mhijlry ^ didj h,e robbs God of his Honour no lefs than ' they. — If Merchants or Tradefmen be as greer * dily fet upon their Gain as the Heathen GWj were, ' which offered Sacrifice to Alercarj, they are no * lefs Idolaters than they were. If this corrupt af- * feAionbe as immoderate in.ChriftiaJis as it was in ^ HeathenSj it will be of like force to withdraw ' their Hearts, as it was to withdraw the Hearts of the ^ Heathen from the only true God ; of like force to * fway them to as grievous Tranfgreflion of the firft * chiefeft commandment, as the Heathens could com- * mit any againft it. For impoflible it is they (hould * love God with all their heart, with any greater ^ part of their heart than the Heathen did, if their * heart be as ftrongly fet upon Riches, and worldly ' Commodities, as the Heathens were. Jackfon on the Creed, L. 11. C. 40. It fo be then that it's pof- fible jsfor even fome of the Reformed themielves to be Idolaters ; and as fuch to hQ judgd^ fentenced and condemnd by God ,• that they may likewife be Anti- chrifis can be no ^ue^ion, though the rafi] and incovfi- derate Zeal and Obftinacy of fuch may wholly afpro- friate this odious Title unto, and fix it upon the Church O^ Rome and Church of England, and All in general they differ from ,• and with great affurahce or impu- dence difcharge and clear themfelves from any lUch- like Imputation. Let us but ferioufly confider the fignification of Xf'^'S ^^d literally or grammatically it's rendred UnEius anointed, ar;d therefore our Savi- our God-man is called Chrifty in refped: of his double XJii5lion to a double Office of King and PnVy? both : Chrift then in propriety of fpeech, is a Name of Authority peculiarly and Jlrittlj connoting and refpe^ing the ©e^fflfffl^of God- man J the Immannelj God with us,' Gcd ixcarnate, and united to our Humanity, and as fuch inTjefved by the Father with the Supreamefi King- 1/ and Priefilj Powers both the G'fts and Do7jation of the Father, See M/hat fuperlative fondnefs do they exprefs to their own Produclions, their own Creatures indeed ever when moft Monfirom, Deformed, WcrthUfs, Wick- edj Bloody^ Mercilefs, Tyrants, Debaucht, Treachercm, A a 4 Impious^ ^6o The Anahaptifts Mhijlry ^mfious, Sacrilepom, AtheiBs^ Hypocrites^ Enemies to all Mankind, Falfifiers of all their Oathsj Tromifes, Trotefiations, Infiruments of Government , PaBa Conventa, odious to God, Angels and all good Mm, Sec. in com- parifon of what they do even to the hefi of Princes, Men of Gods own Choice, and after his ov/n Heart, moft Religioujly devoted to his Service^ and Promo- ters of his Hmottr and Glory, and tendring the Puh- lick Good and Profpcrity of their Subjeds, as if their Natural Born Children. This is 'verifiable from the Sacred Scriptures themfelves, from all Hifiory and dai^ ly experience. So naturally is Carnal Legion averfe to all that's Righteous and Good, that indeed one would be tempted to think that Spiritual Infernal Legion were become Incarnate or Transformed into Men, whofoever its fure they Injj>ire their Rancour, Malice and Envy in- to thefe Dregs and Scam o^ HumanRa.ce, againft Chifi ; by the Copy we may guefs at the Original. All this is only a Tranfcript from the Sin of the Apofiate Angels, which (faith an old Royalfi of t\\Q Church of England, and a Noble fufferer for Chrifi and his King ) we ' fuppofe * to have been a Sin immediately againft f^'^^ftr^*' * the5owofGod, accompanied, or rather ai -'' ^ compleated with the Sin againft the Ho- * ly Ghoft, in an i-reconcileable hatred, ^ and enmity againft the Truth, of which they were- ^ in Confcience fo fully convinced : Upon Satan's ^ pride and en'vy at Chrifis Perfon, Ifa. 14. 12, 15, 14, * i^. did follow his Malice and Hatred of Chriji\ ' Truth, Joh. 8. 44. even the Eternal Gofpel of * his Incarnation, Joh. 14. 6. Rev. 14. 6. as ordain'd * of God in Humane Nature to be the Head of the * Angels, Eph. i. 22, 25. United to the Body of the ' Church, £p/j. i. 10. which Malice and Hatred of * Chrifi and his Tr«f^ ,• Satan hath ever fmce profe- ^ cuted by Bloody Perfecutions raifed againft "the ^ Church by Horrid Bh^hemies and Herefies [ or SecSs ] f vented againft his i''^r/273 in his Divinity, his Hu- ' manity. Examltfd and Difprov'A, i6i ' manity, and the Offices of his Mediation, [ Re- gal and Sacerdotal ] Moffems Scions Trojpe^^ Ch. 9. §. 23. Thus is he perpetually endeavouring to Undermine the Go^ely and to deftroy Chrifs Intereft on Earthy by propatlng his Malice^ and En'V)' againft Chrifs Mediatorial Goverwent in the IVorld by /»»«- werable SeBs or Herefas^ his various Transfigurations ^ by an Outward Appearance of promoting them. Againft his One Government of the World, that is One Form, his One Churchy He ereAs Divers, when 0«/y 0«f is the True in refped of Both, and Genuine, and ^4// the reft are utterly i^^//e and Spurious ; and as far as we have any Rule to judge by, will for ever be RejeBed, Re- probated by Him. But one ChriB, many Antichrifis, and Many that follow the Antichrift, and Few Chrift. Having now ftated the Signification or Importance of the Word CHRIST, We {hall be thereby the better enabled to difcover who thofe AntichriHs be, mention'd in i John 2. 22. and whether there be any fuch in thefe latter times of the Gofpel or not, and properly come under that CharaEler ; the Cha- rade r of AntichriB we have in this Verfe ,• Who is tt lyar, but he that denieth that Jefus is the ChriB, He is AntichriB that denieth the Father and the Son. I con- fefs this Text is ufually urg'd againft thofe who de- ny the DoBrJne of the Trinity^ or deny the Divinity of the Son and ot' the Holy GhoB; but StriBly fpeak- ing or Grammatically, He is not in this place cali'd AntichriB who is an Oppofer of the Trinity, for here is no mention of the Holy GhoB the Third Perfon, ( but as Mr. Weldon obferves ) He who ^ . ^^^^ denieth the Father or the Son, or that ^_ g ^ ^\ denieth Je[m to be ChriB, the Anoint- % 7, 8. ed, wiz^KingSy and High-prieB over the King of Hctijlwld of God. So that they who deny the Reo-al or Sacerdotal?owQvs,vjh\Q\\ are.the Donation in terminis o^ GOD the Father unto GOD the Son^ do ciooad hoc deny the Father and the 5<3»jthe Donor and 3^1 The Anal apt ijis Minifiry Pojfeffor ; and they who deny Delegation of thefe Towers by the Son, or as an Emanation from Him to thofe whom he hath invefted with them as a Terpe- tual and Standing Ordinance , in the Adminifiratlon of his Mediatorial Ys.\ri^Acm in the World, to bs conti- nued, tranlmitted by a Rightful, Le2;al, uninvadable PoiVcflion, denies Jefm to be the Chrifi, the Foun- tain of this Twofold Untiion • and confequently de- nieth the Father and the 5w, and is a L>.-^rj becaule he maketh God^in-his Faithful Oath of Donation unto his faithhilSonjaLyai* ^ and he that denieth Rightful Kings and Vriefis to derive ihzn Authority from ChriB, in confequence of thofe Lav^^s of Primogeniture in the State, and Cojfccration by Vcrjons Succejjiuely Aut'io- rized thereunto in the Church, grounded upon Gods Word, and Unalterable by Man, without incurring the higheft Difpieafure ot God, by involving him- felf in the moft heinous guilt ; thereby invading the Vrerogative ofChriH, and, as far as in him lieth, Dethroning him from his Regality, and Degrading him of his Friefthood, is both a Liar and an AntichriH, and fets himfelf above all thv^t is called Gdd, 2 TheJJ\ 2. 4. above the Trinity it felf, and in particular De- nieth the Father and the Son. i hat this is the true Senfe of the Apoftle, [ think needeth not to be pro- ved by any farther Arguments or Mediums, That there were thofe who denied Jef^s to be Chriii ; in the Senfe urged, might eafily bs proved if re- quired by the Judaizing Hercticks, and is fufficiently intiinated by the Apofles St. Peter and St. If I ^'0^'^' J ^'^^3 ot Thofe who drJJ)ifed Government y and fpake evil ot Dignities. — who denied the cdy Lord God, and our Lord Jcftfs Chrifi, de- [fifed Dominion, and fpake evil of Dignities. And all this Apofiacy, Oppojition to Chrifi, Antichri^ianifm, meerly to profecute their own JVorldly Carnal In- terefisj to gain the Govermnent of the Tf^orld into their own hands^ that they might wallaw in their Lufis, without Esamind and Dtfprovd. ^^^ without any Rejiraint or ControuL But bleffed b« the Mercy and good Providence oi our God^ thefe ^«- tichrijisy thefe Deceivers ^ as craftj and /«^fi^ as they are in their ConduB and Transfigurations y yet they arc difcoverable to Perfons of Refiedion and Confidera- tion^ their Marks are Indelible, they can't conceal themfelves fo clofely, but Sober and ^iwcer^ Under- fianding Chrifiians may by G^^s Grace prefently fee thro' them, and difcern them ; they are all Carnal^ JVurldlj all over, their very "wifdom is earthlj, fenfual, devilifh. Jam. ;. i^. Their love of the World , [their indefatigable Diligence to gain Wealth and E(iates, by 3\\ fordid^vHcked, ungodly Means and Methods'\ ijoh. 2. 1 5". Their Lafcivioufnefs and Luxury y the Z.»i? of the Ey^j their intolerable and boundlefs Pride^ account- ing all, but their Own Party, Reprobates, and as the Scum and Vermin of the Earth, infallibly demonfirate them to be what they are,* and None of thefe Pr/«- ci^les, without fome of thofeiW^jfr/^/ of the Beaft up- on them, even of thofe reputed to be the very BeH a- mongft them : So infallibly do their Principles and Practices prove each other ^ the Owe htingCalculatedioi the Of^er, each the Caufc or fjfe^ of the Other. I might have added a great many more y^;^«- ments, to clear up the Truth of what I have juft: nov/ advanced and ajjtrted, and to Demonfirate the Unfcrip- turalnefi of the("e our SeBaries Ar.tichrifiian Principles ; but having, I hope;, moft defervedly and fatisfado- rily already /xf that upon them, with which they have moft U7ijuflly, and malicioufy, and fianderoufiy bUckned the Church of God, to the Perverfion and /J«/»ff of Multitudes of ^cw/j, and hereby difcovered and manifiefied them to be the 5eefl/?or/, ICkceivers, and the Emijjaries of Satan, and Under" miners of that Goff>i'l, they would have others to be- lieve they fo zealoufly promote ; ApoUyons and Abad- donsj Defrayers and Murtherers ot Mens Souls^ and hereby propagating and enlarging the Kingdom of DarknefSy of their Father the Devil, that Lyar and Murderer from the Beginning, that Archetype o^ Rebel- Uon, and Primitive Ufurper, and by fo much the mora ' P«rni- Exatnind and Difprovd, j^r pernicious to the Church and Kingdom of Chrifi than Jews, Turks and Heathens, and confequently more wicked, whofe Endeavours the DfWfeemeth to lay afide, as ufelefs and unfuccefslui, finding no Method lo profperous for him as his transfiuringh\m{t\i in the Perfons o^ thefe Memkrs of his Sbam-chrifiians, Mi- nifters of the Gofpel and Minifters of ChriB in dif- guife, whofe di(Tembled Zeal proceeds no farther than their own Native Soil, to pervert true ChriH, noc to propagate their Ne-w lights and Gojpel amongtt the Heathens and Infidels^ or as they bellow cut continually amongft thofe who groan under the Toke of Anti- cbrisi, properly fo call'd in their Senfe; nor with the leaft thought that way, till forfooth they can get the Maftery and Empire firfi" at Home, and be in poflef- fion o[ Magaz^ines, Fleets, Trains of Artillery, and Le- gions ot Armed men; and contrary to Chriji's and the Apofiles Method oi Converting the World, drive the Gojpel into Mens Heads with Battle-axes and Hammers , Turk-like and Antichrifiian-like j againft which Method , from their Firfi Rijings up, they have fo Zjealoufly cnveigh'd, (a moft convincing and infallible Argument of their impudent Hypocrify, and of their Mijjion Irom the Devil and not from God, of their being ABed by the Spirit o^ Error, and not the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Veace, and Love, and the Spirit of the ever Bleffed, Merciful, Meek and Benign JESUS. Having, I fay, from the Jd'^ord of God, znd facile Natural genuine DeduBions ft om thenCQ Shewn the Nullity of thefe Sectarian Mijjions and Mi- nifirations, particularly of the Anabaptijls (who of late, I mufl: and do confefs, make the neareft and moft plaufible Advances or Tretences to the Primitive Form of a Church, of any of our Dijfenters whatever, and are the Mafter-picce at prefent of Satanical Tranf- figuration amongft them, and moft likely to be a Tem- ptation and Stumbling- block to many weak and waver- ing Coriflims ■ but tor all that no more a True Church not ^66 The Anahaptijls Minijlry nor genulm Ordinances y nor the True way^ than Satan Transfigured «r an Angd of Light) Prozf'd thofe, I have had to do with at leaft, to be AnticJjrifts, refell'd their Arguments from Extraordinary Vocation^ pre- tence of Immediate Gifts and Teachings^ Enemies to Chrift's Regal and Sacerdotal Offices, and in general to his whole Oeconomy, or the Chrifiian D'ljpenfation ; let them pretend what they will in their Apologies j Confeffions of Faithj let fome Particular Verfons among them Write, Profefij Trotefi what they pleafe, Recant^ Porfwear, d^c. I am refoh'd to give no Credit to them, fo long as they maintain and perfift in their Separa- tion upon the Grounds they commonly urge, no more than I will believe a Jefuit^ or the Devil himfelf j III look upon all their Refinements, Alterations, Ne-w- modellingSj Retractations , only as Gihlings, Varnijhes, and Sweetnings and Mollifjings, as the Fainting of a Kottcn-poH, S'c. meer Transfigurations, Artifice and Trick : And for this my Condutl, Meafures and Judg- ment upon them, I have the Holy Scriptures, Chrifi, the A^ofiles, my Reverend Forefathers in the Faith, Church Hi/lory, and daily Experience, and even Con- 'verfation with themfelves, and their own Pradice. I am fenfible what fome of their moft Celebrated Writers have faid, (but chiefly in truth I believe in their own Perfonal Behalf) which becaufe they are crafty, in common Prudence I am bound to have a jealous Eye upon them , to firetch Charity to the utmoft as tar as confifts with Prudence, and I ought not to go further,' and I find it only the effedt of Craftinefi and Subtilty, chiefly if not ivholly to Amufe, and thereby the moiQ fuccefifnlly to Deceive. All (in refped: of the whole Body or Parry) nothing but Transfiguration. We have many Adonuments of their Condutl and monftrous Opinions Abroad and at Home (here I mean our Apoflolical SucceJJors, the Anahaptifts more particularly). They feem to Alter, RetratJ, &c. but it's nothing but Vamping^ Refining, Transfiguring ^ becaufe Bpcamin'd and DifprovJ, ^67 becaufsi they fincl the World more difcemlng^ and le(s eafy to be Impos'd upon, therefore they think it highly imports them to grow mere Cunnings and to Jprtad their Nets more dextroifjly. I am aware how fome of them have New-moulded fome of their Do- Brineij and Dlfcifline too, a? to the Millemum, as may be feen in Thorr^as Grantham '^ as to Dominion being founded in Grace^ihty have given that a New Touch ; as to Immediate TeachiTig, and the Promifes and Gifts ol the Holjf Spirit • as to Unordained Mens Treachivgs ; and to render their ^^^'^more acceptable to the Mem- bers of the Ejfabli^ied Church of this Nation, and to run down the Presbyterians , Independents, and other SeBsj and to get the Start of them, they begin to wave their former Arguments from Extraordinary Fo- cation, Frivate Imfulfts, and urge External or Outward Vocation, and boldly call themfelves the SucceJJors of the Afofilcs, and fet up for Epifcopacj, only for Mo- defty fake they call their Bijhops McJJcn^ers (without any Conjuring we may eafily fee what they aim at, give them but a Lucky Hit, a proper JunBure, an^ you fhall fee them feize our Cathedrals, and the Ep/- fcopal Dignities with all their Revenues, for all their prefent exclaiming againft Tithes and Pluralities, as fome others once did before them)as may be feen in Tbo. Grantham. But all this Sham and Transfiguration flill, a High-kick calculated for their Long-long groaned- for- Dear-'Jubilee- AliUeniujn, How long,&c. for no Other end but to Defiroy the Church of Eagland, and that only to feize the envied Sweet-morfel, and to caref^ greaf and pamper themfelves upon Her Revenues, the greaceft Eye-fore to our Longing, Gaping Saints. I confefs and readily acknowledge their Model of Go- vernment, in fome refpeds,is more plaufible and more conformable to Scripture and Antiquity, than that of Geneva, or New England, and if not obviated in time by the Mercy of God, the moft dangerous Aflault againft the Church oj England, that ever Satan hatcht amongft 3(^8 The Anahaptifts Miniflry amongft us yet ,• efpecially confidering how eafily the People have been impos'd upon by fuch like Re- femblances^ Verifimilitudes and Transfigurations in former Jges of the Church J as in the Reigns of the Novatians, Arians and Donatifis, who chiefly gull'd the Veofk, by retaining all the external Refemblances of Epifcopa- cjy Liturgy^ and other Ordinances and Rites ; But be- CAufe all thefe Transfigurations^ and Grantham\ Sham- Miracksy may be refuted by what is already faid in the fore-going part of this Z>i/co»r/«, I think it not material, to enlarge any farther upon them at pre- fent, but Hiall haften towards a Conclufion, by dropping a few Animadverfions upon their Munfler- Millenium^ or Fifth- Monarchy, to (hew how incon- gruous this grofs and carnal Notion of our High-r fiown and growing Sehemous, to lay that Civil Magi(lracy or Mmarchy, is inconfiftent with Chrifi's Kingly Office, is dire^ly contrary to the Tenoar of Scripture, to God's Covenant made with A^ braham, renew'd with David, and then in particii- 1^ with Cbrift, the Second, the Spiritual, the Hea^ ruenly David, as hath been prov'd ; and thence, to be contlnud (as Sworn by God himfeif) together with the Vricjihoodj or Evar.gelical Miniflry, to the Con- Examind and Difprovd, 169 Confummation of all Things; to our very CVe^i wherein weproFefs, according to the fame 5o7;f«re/ that we believe that Chrtfi fitteth at the Right Hand of God. as King and Vriefty Weld. Orr^. dijpenfing both the Vowers to his Deputies , '^'^' ^' ' ^' for the Regiment of the World. Now no- thing can be more contrary to this Oath and Ccve- nant of God, for the perpetual Eftablilhment of Kingly Government in the World in gtneral, and in the Church J or under the Gojpel'm particular^ than the Abolition of Kingly Go'vernment ; nay, even to the KingjJjip oi Chrifi iiimfelf, the Glory whereof, was to be 'vifihly manifefted, chiefly in his being the Sup-ems Head J or King of Kings • the Exercife or Adminifir(i' tion of which Power, for certain, he hath not ex- ec${ted on Earth (fo far as we are able to know) but by his Deputies^ and thofe Kijjgs^ or none ,• fo that to Aholijlj Kin^ip upon Earthy is in effed, to make God perjurdj and to Dethrone Chrifi^ or render his Regality infignificantj and an empty Title, or infinitely lels Honourabkj by the Abolition of it, than by its Continuance , and perpetual Efiablijhment and Ex^ ifience, Befides, upon the ^tinto-Monarcbian^ or Common Milknarian Suppofition of Worldly King- jbip, as exercis'd by Men, in its own Nature^ being inconfiftent Vv^ith that of Chiift ,• and in its own Nature evil ,• Chrifi's, and his Apofiles Precepts of, and exhortations unto Submiffion and Obedience fo them, as Gois Ordinance (as hath been provM) would be unneccj/ary, and an intolerable Take and Hard(lnp, efpecially, when in time, the Chriflians, with the ordinary Concurrence of' Providence, could fo eafily have ajjh-ted their Liberty , and freed themfelves from luch horrid Slavery and Mifcarriage, as their Pafflve Obedience expos'd ihem unto. Our Bleffed Lord commands us to render unto Cefar, the things that are Cefar's ; a plain and Qwident Jcknov^ledgment of fomething due unto Kin^s, which could not be B b but 370 The Anahaptijls M'miflry but by the Laii^ of God : If you fay Nature, it turns to the fame ,• for nothing can be due unto Kings, quatenus Kings ^ but by the Law of God • nor could there be any fuch Order amonzfi Men, but by his Appointment ; and where any thing is due from us, to another^ Confcience , that is, the Lanf of God ivritten in our Hearts^ dilates and commands us to fajr it.' So that it's demonftrable, from thefe Words of our Saviour, that He came not with any De/ign to Abolijh Kingfhip, or to free the World from Subje- <5tion, to Civil Magifiracy ^ nay, on the contrary, to Efiablijb it. Enlarge it, and to enforce our Obedi- ence and Subwiffion unto it, with a move fevere San- ^ion than ever ; and as his Precepts were not calculated for a limited time, but to be ot perpetual Obligation to the End of the World ^ fo that in particular, of rendring unto Cefar, the things that are Cefar's ; that is, of o- beying our Rightful Princes , good or bad^ Chrifiians or Idolaters^ was to be of perpetual Obligation too, fb long as Kingftiip ftiould continue in the World • and that is, as God iware unt^ Christy the Second David, fo long as the Sun and Moon fliould endure, or con- tinue to bear iVitneJS to that Oath of God, by his Ho- linejs, and that moft folemn Covenant, that there Should never be wanting a Race or Succejfiono^ Earth- ly Kings, ' to fit upon the Throne o{ David ; which ' Name o^ David, is fecondarily conferr'd upon all * Chriftian Kings ; as all Rightful Kings, without the * Confideration of their Religion, were, and are * taken into the Name of Elohim ; were, and are * (ever fince Chrift's Afcenfion) hfcfjors upon his ^ Throne, under the Notion of Elohim , tho' the * Title of David be incommunicable jVelL ong. < ^j^^q them. Otherwife ( faith this om. ^'^v- ^^^ excellent Author, in words to this ef- fed) this Donation of the Father, had been a meer Sham and Nullity, meer Mockery and Uufton ; and he whp had all PoTver in Heaven, and in Earth, ExaminJ and Difprov'd. ^j ^ Earth, given unto him^ had had no Throne, in any manner of Senfe, upon Earth, tho' by Oath con- firm'd unto him ,• and he had been on'y a i/^m O- flentator of his Fathers Gft, when he told his Apo- ftles, that all Legal Pcwer^ i^mZ, -u/as gi-ven hmi in Heaven and Earth ; and if all Power, then Kingly Power, then Poii/er over all Kings, then Kincr of Kings; not King of Non-entities, hnz Kin a of, or o- ver all Earthly Kings, Kings in Exijlence, Kino-s in. being, a^ual Kings, King oK a Succejfion of Kinas, to continue evenfo long as the World ^nd Mankind fiiould continue, fo long as ChriH himfelf fliould continue X/«^, even till Chrifl ' fhould, (after Death, being * vaniJli'd, and the Refurredlion accompliili'd, and ' the Work of our Salvation hniih'd) ' havedeliver'd up theKin^dom (which i^''!'-'r.i4 ' he, ^s his Father's Subftitute, new ^^^- ^^'' '"^ ' adminiflrethjto Gcd and the Father) ' and fo, firft put down all Adverfe Riile, Antl^ ' chrifilan, and all oppofite Authority and Power. Otherwife, I fay once more, the very Jpofiles themfslves had been falfe WitneJJ'es of God, con- cerning his Title of King o{' Kings • and there had not been Compenfition made JVeUon, ibid. him for the cutting off the Line of his Anccjlors (according to the Fiefh) from the Throne and Scepter, which by jaft Defcent, was adually his (and fo acknowledg'd by himfelf, as hath been faid ; ) fo that, inftead of his Fathers, he fnould have [Adopted] Children, whom he fhould make Princes [by which word, Pricfis are taken in as well as Kings] in all the Earth, Pfal. ^5-. j6, confult the whole Plalm. Hence theje Children (the Seed of the Second David, Chrifl) Kings, in particular, fhall en- dure for Ever, and fit upon his Th~ro7ie, which fhall be as the Sun before God, Pfil. 89. ver. 56. and we find this, or their Thrones, call'd the Throne of Z)^- vid, Jer. 50. But they fljJl ferve the Lord their God, 372, The Anahaptifts Minifiry and Da'v'ul their King, "ivhom I will raife up unto them Tho' David had been dead Sox many Years, yet God promifeth here to raife up a David unto them, and this, with relation to Chrifi and the Gofpel-times, and in confequence oi' his former Oath, and Covenant with ChriB. So, with reference to this Kingdom of Chrift, we find God fpeaking thus by his Prophet Ez>ekiclj and I will fet up one Shepherd over them, and he Jhall feed them, even my Servant David, hejhallfeed them, and he jhall be their Shepherd. Jnd I the Lord will be their God, and my Servant David, a Prince mands his People^ ( and 'tis their Duty to obey ) to reward Babylon double, as ihe rewarded them • yea, and double unto Her all thofe Plagues' Deaths, and Stripes, that ihe hath inflided on you, Re'v. 1 8. 6. and they /hall give Her Blood to Drink, and flie fhall be burnt with Fire, for ' ftrong is the Lord that judgeth Her. As to the particular difcuffion of this paffage, as full of grofs Miftakes as Sentences, I refer the Reader to Mr. Tombes^ as above-cited, and only Addrefs my felf to the bufinefs in hand, for which I produc'd them. Therefore I defire thefe Saint Hangmen to Re- concile thefe their Murderor^s DoBrines and PraSlices with that Order, XJ-prightnefs and Contentednefs in our feve- ral Circumfiances and Stations of Human Life, which Tromdence h2Lth placed us in, and which the Righte- oiifnefs of Chrifiian Morality exacSs and demands of us, of Doing as ive would be done by^ of Living peaceably with all Men, o[ Giving every Man his due, of De^ frauding, OfpreJJjng no Man^ of Loving our Neighbour afourjelves, of giving Fear to whom Fear, and Ho- fiour to whom Honour is due, d^c. ' But this fmiting-vjork, to which this Dodlrine ' incites, is Wilful-murder, fays Mr. Tombes ,♦ yea, the ^ raoft horrible Murder that ever was, except his, ' who was a Murderer from beginning, John 8. 44. ' or theirs, who crucified the Lord of Glory • For it in- * cites to a profefs'd fmiting and fpoiling of all the ^ civil Powers on Earth, even thofe to whom they * are bound to be fubjed by all the Lav/s of Religi- ^ on. Nature, Country and Reafon j and to .a(5t ' thefe things with all extremity, out of imagin' d ' Zeal for Chrift ,• which, if it be not according to ' Knowledg, is a Fire of Hell, which will hardly ' be ever quench a : and in Profecution thereof, co '^ fmite thofe who refift them ,• which muft of ne- ' ceflity, bs all thofe who adhere to Civil Powers, ' who will be, doubtlefs, the moft confcientious •^ Saints 384 The Anahaptijls Mtniflry Saints on the Earth, and the greateft part of Man- kind, which muft needs be Wilful-murder and Robbery, if they have no Warrant to do it. But they have none, neither Rfv. 18. 6. nor any o- ther Scripture, or Revelation of God, that we or they do know ^ nor Laws of Nature or Men, do in the leaft warrant or permit it, but all coudemn it. And therefore if they fiiould be permitted to a(i1 their Defign, (which God forbid) there would be more Deftrudion and Wafting than ever yet was made by Men fince the World began • and more truly they might be termed Babylon^ in whom the Blood of the Saints is found, than any Civil Powers yet extant ; Now Murder makes Perfons the Children of the Devil, there being no Sin more refembling him ; John 8. 44. Wbofo- ever hattth his Brother, is a Murderer '^ and ye know, faith St,Joh?jj I Eph. Chap. 3. 15". That no Mur- derer hath Eternal Life abiding in him ; therefore fuch are no Saints, but Antkhrifiian^ and the Do- (Srine moving to it, are damnable and AntlchriJH" an ; TombeV Saints no Smiters, p. 60. As to the lireful Effecfis of this Smiting, he adds, ' That it tends to produce all the Miferies which Anarchy and Confufion bring on the World, even to the Deftruciion of the Church of Chrift on Earth ; or rather, according to the Prcjed they propound. Human Society, if not the Extirpation of Man- kind. For by taking away Civil Powers, Safety of Perfons and all the Comforts of Life are either taken away or much endangered. W^hen the Prophet IJ^iiah threatned Calamity to the Peo- ple of the Jews, Ifa. ^. i, 2, 3, 4, 5-. He tells them, The Lord, the Lord of HoHs doth take away the mighty Man, and the Man of War^ the Jtidge^ and the Prophet, and the Vrudent, and the Ancient, the Captain of Fifty, and the Honourable Man, and the Counfe^QtiVj and the cunning Artificer, and the Eloquent 'Orator, Epcammd and Difprov^d, 3 8 £• Orator, and I will give Children to he their Princes and Babes jhall Rule over them, and the People jhalt he Opprejfed, every one by another, and every one by bis Neighbour , the Child (haU behave bimfelf proudly againfi the Ancient, and the Safe againfi the Honour- able. Whereby it may be perceived^, that God took it to be a Curfe, next after the taking away the Stay and the Staff, the -whole Stay of Bread, and thi whole Stay of Water, to take from the Jews their Rulers, Teachers, 'Nobles, Scholars : and therefore there cannot be a greater Calamityjto a People, after the Deflrudion of the Fruits cff the Earth, whereby Famine comes, than to frtiite the Civil Powers, and Eminent Perfons, who have been the Protedors, and Guides of the People. For then People become Murderers, and kobbers one of another, and all Places are fiU'd with Fears, Dangers, Cries, and Miferies of all forts. The E^ vils we have felt in our own Civil Wars, (hevv what Mifery it is to have Soldiers Rule, and not Princes and Judges. And yet the Evils we have feen are fmall in comparifon of what the Jev/s felt by the Fa<5lions there, when Jerufakm was Befieg'd by Titm : But the Evils which was come on the World by the Infurredion of the ^into- M>«^rc/&i^wj,if their ProjeA had taken place, would far exceed them, their Defign being an pniverfa! Deftrudion of them that Oppofe them in all the World,' and when the Confcience is perverted^ there being no ftay to Mens furious Zeal. ^- p. — 60. — • Sure no Tyrants have eve.r done more niifchief than this way of the Ffth- Monarchy- Men would do, if it , were profecuted, nor is any Dodrine more fieUlfj, Antichrifiian and Damnabis than this,^ that tends to overthrow all the Civil Powers, Laws, Doctrines, Fdrms, tJ'egrePS, Of- fices in Church and State, which thefe term the f-tn.rt of Antkhri(i- in the World. And if it were ! ftippofed:^ a86 T}je An^haptifts M'mjlry fuppofed, that thefc furious Zealots fliould accotfi- plilri their Defign, after the mixture of Hypocrites, and the Rabble of the worft and moft foolifh Men, who could hope there Would be any Peace, good Order or Juftice in the Wotld, or any remainder of fober Men? The World would h^Sin Aceldama, or Field of Blood — and the prevailing Perfons » - ^ '•• ■•'•' Blood- Mon ft ers, and inftead of a vifible Kingdom-of Chrift on the Earth, a Solitude, Chaos, as it was before the firft Creation, and the Kingdom of Antich'rifi, or the Devil would be fet ujr, under pretence of making Chrift's Enemies his FootftooL What Laws, Order, ot Rule tending to further Religion, or Righteoufnefs, can any exped from Men of fuch cauteriz'd Confciences, as not to dif- cern the mifchievoufnefs of fuch Dodrine and * Pradices as thefe have vented, efpecially after * they have inured themfelvesto fliedding of Blood ^ and Rapine, with extremity ? Thus Mr. Tombes, &c. p. 62. —' And now after fuch a i?(j«'i;^r/f;?7e«^ ofttie Main Do^rines and Principles, and Morals of Chriftianity, I beg leave of thefe Mock-ChriHians -^ and Saints, to Propofe one Queftion too after Mr, Tombes. Let them then tell me ingenuoufly what doth all thisw^- tttrallj tend to ? Where doth all this Noife, this hard (truggling, to fet up this pretended Perfonal vifible Reign ©f Chr':^ center ? What will it end in ? Here's all Rejfraifit ^rom Magiftracy and Imparity taken away, here are all Human Laws Cajinerdj all the Land- Marks and Diftin^ions of Property remcved ; all left to t-he IVill and Pleafure, Luft of our Conquering Saints, and '//hat .•.'ght we exps^i thty would do tiQxtJ In' fuch 2 State of things, as we muft now fuppofe, we mufi mak^one fuppofition yet, that thefe Conquerors and Subduers of the World would be utterly forfaken of God and his Spirit of Grace ; they could never be what they are fuppofed ^ without this fuppofitiony. Examnd and Difprcv'i. ^^'^ we mult look upon them as left entirely to them- foives, to Do Tvhat feemeth good m their own Eyes : turn over the Scriptures then, wherein all the Hifto- ricalpart is Recorded for our Inftrudion^ and confi- cl Di^enfaticn^ without Producing fuch Evidence for it, as they will never be able to do ; and over and above have, from plain Scriptures and lavjfid DednBions from them, Expos'd fome other of their Extraordinary Opinions aod PraSiices upon them, to the juft Dread^ Horror, and Refentments of all fin^ cere Chrifiians, which have been too much Imbib'd or Embrac'd by other Secis, ( which are generally Lea- verid by their Ferment, and thereby in a preparation or readinefs to Joyn or Unite with them, Oiould they ever prevail or get the day, ( which God for- bid ) and fo by Dijproving Theirs, have ihewn tlie Nullity oF all the reft, and confequently of ^/^ their fuppofed Minifierial ABs, for want of Due Authority from him, in whofe Name they pretend to Do them, and fo without Benefit to the rejpeclive SuhjeBs or Sufcipients of them. Hence they are na Church, no ChriBians, becaufe at iDcrt but Nominally, dr which is altogether unknown unto us as Extraordinarily, which is Tantamount to not at all, becaufe we can affirm ( to be fure) nothing of whcit doth not by any manner of way appear^ unto us, nor, as h«|h been faid, by any Colour of Necefity can induOT us to Form even a Judgment of Charity (as we commonly exprefs it ) unlefs in a Cafe of Invincible Ignorance, which I am afraid, will fall to the JJjare of a very few indeed. But that which makes the Cafe of 0«r SeBarieso£ all Denomijta^mis look the more Dejperate and Deplo- rable, is, becaufe Separation is a IVork of the Pleffj, grounded upon and rooted upon Carnality, grafted upon a Worldly Spirit^ and centred there ,• Every Seel or Schifm hath its Dalilah, and as to that SeB that hath been particularly treated on in this Difcourfe.wQ have difcovercd Dominion and the Worldly Entfire to b^ its -■ ' Gc 3 ^im 3$o the Anafapttfls Mlniflry Aim ahd End, and the Rooting out Chrifitanity, the only EffeBual Means and Meafures it aims at under all the Zeal it pretends for its Tromotion : It hath been ihewn likewife that it bicjs fair, by its Bold and daring Transfigurations, to impofe upon the heedleJS and «»- V^ary, and lefs Intelligent ChrijVians ^ but if 'weighed in the Balance of the San^uary, the Ho/y and Unerring Word of Cod, the 7r«e CathoUck Principles of Frimitive fbrifiianity, it will prove as %i&/ as r^w//;; it felf, and to have nothing but a Name, and an emfty Title ar- rogantly afliimed, without the leaft Right imaginahle^ or any Ground of a Comfortable Vro^eB in the end for jthofe who are engagd in it. And hence by the way it will appear, to any one who foherly weighs thofe Commonly Receivd Maxims oi Chrifiianity in the Church for above a Thoufand Tears, upon which the Foregoing Difcourfe \i founded, what little Reafon our Men oi La_ tltuJe have for their Loofe Opinions, as to their Indiffe^ rency for any Forms or Vrofeffions of Chrifiianity (as vul_. garly termed ) and matter not what frevails or is up_ permoft, fo ChriH be ProfeJJed - and pretend an equa Charity and Good- opinion for all SeSls, provided theyj kbhor Popery^ forfooth ; and believe them All to havjb' an equal Right to Heaven with the Members of the True Church f or would have the Ove Church confift of All thefe Schifms and SeBs : If tMt Men really be- lieved the Scriptures, and fludied' the Nature of the 7rue Church, and the Obligations All, that hope to be faved by Jefus ChriH, to adhere to her Communion^ and the True Notion and Danger of Schifm or Separa- tion froni the (?«e Church, and that all the ordinary 'Means of Salvation are to be found in Her Alone, or in a Word were Chriftians : It's impofSble they fiiould be intangled in fo formidable and Fatal an Error. ' But I have net Room here to infif^ upon this point, but fhall only add^ that in any but thefe latter A^es of the Church, Men of this Indiffercncy would Examined and Difprov'd, 5o| would not have paft for Cbrifiians, and though they may go in a Croud for Vrotefiants with fome, I cartf fuppofe them one degree above Infidels ; nor can 1 find any ground for fo much Charity as to think they will be cwnd by Chrlft to bear any Relation, unto him at the Day of Judgment^ any more thah Turks or Jews, or thofe who are adually out of the Church. To be Indifferent to any Form or SeB of Chrifiian? ( in the lax fenfe of the Word ) is to be of none at all, and to have no right in Chrift at all ; and how this can be Reconcileable to the Word of God, I leave to the Judgment of all trne Chriftians, and even of moft of the Stearics themfelves. But to put a Pe- riod to this my undertaking, however meanly per- form'd ,• I truft in God I have defigned well, to alTert the Caufe of my Lord and Saviour his Church and his Truth, by endeavouring to clear up fome Points of grand Confequence to all who frofefs Chrifiy and refuting Error ; to which important ends if it may in any meafure contribute, I fhall think my Pains well beftow'd : In the mean time I hum- bly commend it to the .Bkjfmg arid Acceptance of my moft Gracious Saviour , and the furious con- (ideration of all thofg whom it may particularly Concerni F I M I S^ THE CONTENTS THE Introduction, wherein the Importance of that Queftion, Whether the Anabaptifts or ive be- theTvMQ CMnxch, is propounded . Pag. i. That no Minifterial A^is can be perform d out of the One Church, yielded on both fides^ ibid. Nor by any but thofe who ha^e Commiflion fo to do, ibid. The Unity and Indlvifibility of the Church. ibid. But One Gorhmunion, and fo but* One Baptifm.- pag. 2. This Confequence allow'd by our Adverfaries. ibid, Herice the Anabaptifts obligd to prove the Church of Chrifi to be confin'd to their Communion or Party, exclujive ofaXX other Profeflions ofChrifiians. pag. g. Se'veral Queries of abfolute Neceffity^ to be by them an~ fvjerd upon this Point. ibid. & pag. 4, The Importance of a true Miniftry ,• its Dignity. pag. S- The high Guilt of Ufurping it. ibid. An External Call Necejfary. ibid. Invaders of the Miniftry difown'd by God andChriff. pag. 6. The One Church always w'ldhlc ; always to continue, ibid. Palfe Churches fubjeB to Failing. ibid. Catholick, when Jpoken of the Church Militant, fup- fofeth Vifiblility, ^:q, P^g- 7- Bsr Succeffion of Vaftors indefeafble, pag. 8. ». Per-^ The Contents. Perfecutions cant injure the Church, much lef ex- tinguilli her, ibid. Nothing more puifTant than the Churchy ftronger than Heaven and Earth, becanfe Ghrift, God-wan^ is her Head. pag. 9, 10. A further Demand to the Anabaptifts, grounded upon this laji Conjideration, pag. lo. All Minifterial A<3:s depend upon the Authenticknefs of the Miffion or Miniftry. pag. ir. h^^tKm defcrih'd in general. pag. ii, 12; More particularly. pag. .i 5 , Baptifmal Illumination defcrih'd, ibid. Baptifm offuch importanct as not to he attempted 'ivith- out a regular Miffion: pag. 14. The Sacrilege, as to the Miniftration ofityhy an Ufur- ping Minijier^ and the Outrage thereby done to Chrift. pag. 14. ^And to the Holy Trinity. ^ ibid. ChriH's Inftitutions inviolable, and uninvadaBle. pag. 15-, The vain Pretence of Nccefllty. ibid. Baptifm or Dotes Ecclefi^. pag. 19. Where no Regular Succeffion of Paftors, no Church. ibid* Hence none hut fuch as are externally, regularly call'd, are to he reputed the True Minifters of Chrift, and Succeffours of the Apoftles. pag. 20. The Truth only to be learn d front them ; fuch only to be accepted and adher'd unto, who have the True and Lawful Succeffion. pag. 21. Mence in the Church alone, the Scriptures and Sacra- ments tc he had^ the Genuine Food of the SouL pag. 21, 22. The Contents. This Succeffion prov'd further, from the pojitive Prp- mife ofdur Lord, and the Indefc(ftibiUty of it j and hereby all Pleas upon any fojjikle Pretences cut off and nuird. pag. 22, 23. Hence no Plea for an extraordinary Miniftry upn a Stippcjition of a Failure of the Ordinary, hecaufe the. ordinary Miniftry h founded upon a Rock, that isy the never failing Promife (?/Chrift. pag. 23, 24. Vpm this y a farther Demand to the Anabaptifts. pag. 24. The Confequence of not anfwering this Demand, a NulTity of all Minifierial A£ts perform d by them. ibid. The Churches Vifibility/^ir^^er afferted. pag. 25-. Anabaptifts urgd again by this Dilemma, either they are the true Shepherds of Chrilf , er Robbers and Wolves, &c. No Medium to evade it. pag. 25", The Unity of the Church explain d at large^ and the Unity of the Priefthood: pag. 26, &c, Unum Corpus perditorum. pag. 28. The fad EffeB o^/A^ Anabaptifts claiming as they do, if they be not the One Church. pag. 29. The deplorable Condition of Ssdaries, becaufe all out of the Church. pag. ;o. Carnality the Ground of all Schifm. ibid, &c. JW^;4/»^. ibid. ,, Their Irreconcible Malice to all that differ fi-om them, particularly the Eftabliih'd Church. p. 227, 228. ♦ —Cruelty and Threatnings-. p.- 229^. —Ever The Contents. lover in a Vlot. P 2;o<, Danger of being cut of the Gommunion of the One Church. ibU. WorHiipping af Devils, ^raEtisd jj foine of our Apo- ftates, during the late CinnlWars. p. 2:^1. The Danger of the Candleftick hdng then remo'ved, fetting wj? the Alcoran, cr fomething as impoftorous or worfe. p. 232. 23 g. The Defign of the Anabap. Fifth- Monarchies at Urge Jet forth, &C. p. 234,235", &c. —With their Unheard cjT Blafphemies. -——Reflexions upon it. /i worfe Defign than ever entred into the Meads of the Pagan Perfecutors, or Turks. p.246,247,d^c. Extirpation of Chriftianity, the Defgn of many ofths Anabap. ajtd other Millenarians, d^c ibid. &'c. 284. Union and Communion jvith God, explain d. p. 25-1, &c. The Damnable Fruits of Immediate Teachings. p. 25:6, 2^7,2 5?o A /;Ver^/-Anabaptift-Falfe-Chrift, William Franklin^ &c. ^ . HisHlfiory, &c. V'^S9' 1 An Ejfay to fet up the Millenarian Perfinal Reign. p. 264, &c.. — Revelations. -' '-Glorious Brightnefj d>CC. p. 266, 2(^7. Herein agreeing with the Foreign Anabapvifts. p. 269. Our Modern Anaptifts Abhorrency ofthefe Traclices, conftdefd, &c. p. 272, &c. Two Prejudices or Prefcriptions rather, againfi our Anabap. in particular, and other Se ^c. ChrilVs Eight Titles to ^he Dominion of the World. ibid. &c^ Prov'd particularly fiom that Covenant God made with David, the Type of Chrift as King, 2 Sam. 7. Hi6. p. H~' For Particulars, fee Pfal. 152. ibid. Thif Covenant and Qath did not terminate in Pavid'y Perfon, &c. but was Twofold, and Re- peated {as there was a Natural and a Spiritual Da« vid) in the Second David, Chrift. p. ;4s-. — Particularly, this Second Covenant, mem ion' d in Pfal. 89. ' ibid. &c. Dd s An The Contents. 'M Everlafting Kingfhip, Covenanted /or uf7der Gof- pel-times. p. ^/^j, • •■ Of which Chrift was to he the Head. p. 247 ^c. Chrtfi, King of Kings, hecaufe all Kings jjow proceed from Him, and are his Seed or Sons, ^uatmus Kings. p.^jj, Chrift Born aBually a King. jbj^j. To ajfign any of Aer Original 0^ Dominion ^ and particu- larly 0/ Monarchical, is to deny an Article of Chri- ftian Faith, fo Antichriftian, and to deny the Creed. p, ^^2. -= — And the Theanthropy o/" Ghrift. p. 2 «• 2. And fo Antichriftian. ibid. All Power upon Earth, Regal or Sacerdotal, Infiitu- ted with Relation unto , and for the fake of the Church. ibid. • To aflign any other Original of Civil, Legal Authority , is virtually to deny Chrift to be God- Man, and Blafphemy. p. 25-4. to refifi Regal Authoiity, is to reffi Chrift, and fo Antichriftian. P«35'5'. proteftanrs may be Idolaters , confefientfy Anti- chrifts. ^ P-gy^, &c, "Pco^Iq alT^ays implies Snh']Q6is. p. 2^9. . r- Therefore no Original 0/ Civil Authority, ibid. — May be Antichrifts. ibid, *" — Ever gropenfe to he on the Wrong fide. "' Their Produdions ever Anom3!o|.is , Mon- ftrous. ibid. %6o. —- Imitators p/ Satan. ibid. - — Who labours to undermine the vjhole Mediotorial Kingdom 0/ Chrift in this World. ibid. They then who arc His Infiruments hereinj are Anti- chrifts. p. 361, Antichrifts who properly JpeahiTf^, p. 162. 2 Theft'. 2. 4. lllujlrated. " . ibid. r John 2. 18. Explain d. p. 56^^ 264. The Millenarian SeSlaries, notorious Antichrifts. p. ; ^4, ibid. — «. Ths \ The Contents. — 7he fnoji imhitterd Enemies Chrift hath in the World. ^ ibid, &c, 'And of all true Chriftians ^ aEiually fetting up the Kingdom c/Darknels, oy Empire e/' Satan, ««, der r/&g Damnable Transfiguration o/Ghrift's Xi«_g- dont. p. 565'. Anabaptilh Refinings, Alterations, mw Modellings, &;c. not to he trufted. p. '}^66. — -< ^//Transfiguration, Legerdemain, Craftinefs, &c. ibid. Anabaptiftical-Millenarian, fubverfive o/Chriftiani- ty, direSily oppojtte unto it, therefore a damnable Do- iftrine, literally Antichriftian ; frovd at large Sic. p. ;68. To he confuted by the preceding Difcourfe, and -what folloivs from, &c. ibid. The DoBrine of Refinance of the lawfully Supreme Pov/' ers: as Rightful Emperors and Kings, contrary to the Spirit of Chriftianity in general, amply and mofi particularly provd, and "ivholly Antichriftian, and fucb Refifters or Rebels, umvorthy of the Glo- rious Title of Chriftians. 376377. The Conch fion. - ^^^, FINIS. S 0 0 i^^S Trinttd for, and Sold by G. Sawbridge in Litcle-Bricain. EUfehius Tamfbilim\ Teft Books of Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, faithfully Tranflated and Abridp'd from the Original, by Samuel Parker, Gent. To which is prefix'd, a DifTsrtation concerning the Ufe and A.uthority of Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, by the Au- thor of the Snake in the Grafi. Wherein the Notions of Coward, Afgil, &c. (pretended Novelties) are plainly (hewn in Eufebius, to be Old Exploded He- refjes • in a Letter to the Abridger ; with the Life of Eufebius abftraded from the beft Authors. Alfo an Account of his Works, and a large Index of the Memorable Perfons, &c. mentioned in the Abridg- ment. Tullj's Two Effays of Old Age and Friendftiip, Tranflated into EngliGi, by Samuel Parktr^ Gent. The New Aliociation of thofe called, Moderate- Church-Men, with the Modern Whigs and Fana- ticks, to Undermine and Blow-up the prefent Church and Government ,• occafion'd by a late Pamphlet, Entituled, The Datiger cflYiefi -Crafty &c: with a Supplement, on occafion of the New Scotch Presbyterian Covenant, befides rhat mention'd in the former Parts ,- and the Proceedings of that Par- ty nnce. An Anfwer to fome Obje(5tions in the pretended D. Defos Explication, in the Refiecftions upon the ShorteH-Way . with Remarks upon both. Alio an Account of feveral other Pamphlets, which carry on, and plainly difcover the Defign to Under- mine and Blow-up the prefent Church and Go- vernment j particularly, the Difcovery of a certain Secret Hiftory, not yet puMifh'd : with a fliort Ac- count of the Original of Government, compar'd with the Schemes of the Republicans and Whigs. * _,^-.?ir»^,.