The VVolf ſtript of his Sheeps clothing: OR, The Antichriſtian Clergy-man turnd right-ſide outwards.
IT hath ever been the ſad condition of the Church of God in all ages to ſuffer and receive moſt injuries and unkindneſſes from thoſe who have pretended greateſt love, and have ſeemed to have neereſt relation to them: eſpecially, when any ſuch have had opportunity to gain place or power over them. This we find began in Cain againſt Abel, and went on in Iſhmael againſt Iſaak; ſo in Eſau againſt Jacob, the ten Brethren againſt Joſeph: and after the Church of God came to be a corporated people, and had a Temple with Ordinances and Officers, then it was peſtered with falſe Prophets, wicked and idolatrous Prieſts: thus ye find Iſaiah complaining, Iſa. 28.7.2 ſo Jeremiah, Chap. 2.8, 26. & 5.31. & 26.7. to 11. ſo chap. 16.13. & 9.10. & 23.11, 21, 22. & 25.26. ſo the Church in the Lamentations, chap. 4.13. Hoſ. 6.9 ſo Ezek. 22.26. and 34. the beginning: and in divers other places ye finde the ſad complaints of the Church and people of God againſt the wickedneſſe of their falſe prophets and wicked prieſts.
And as it is the practice of our falſe Prophets and wicked prieſts, not only to deceive and delude the multitude, and lead them into ſuperſtitious idolatrous practices and worſhips, and take them all in to be their diſciples; but likewiſe to ſet up themſelves, and uſe all the intereſt they have in the people in oppoſition to the true Church of Jeſus Chriſt, to perſecute and deſtroy them: So was it of old. Thus ye finde the 400 falſe prophets all againſt Micaiah, and Zedekiah that falſe prophet ſmiting him on the cheek for ſpeaking the truth to the King, 1 King. 22.24. This was the condition of the Church of God in Elijah's time, 1 King 18.19 to 23. when there were 850. prophets in Iſrael; and yet ſaith Elijah to the people, ver. 22. I, even I only remain a prophet to the Lord: ſo 1 King. 19.10.
Thus if you pleaſe to obſerve in Scripture, where-ever ye finde the Chu•ch of God before Chriſts incarnation in apoſtacie, or declining from the true worſhip of God to Idolatry and ſuperſtition, the originall cauſe of it aroſe from the lying ſpirit in the mouthes of their falſe prophets which led them.
And ſo ye finde, when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf came in fleſh to bring the word of Reconciliation to us, to make them that were afar off nigh by his own blood, and to break down the partition wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles; to aboliſh or take away the enmity, even the law of commandements contained in ordinances, Epheſ. 2.13, 14. who were then his greateſt oppoſers? were they not thoſe whom he might have expected to have been moſt welcom to? namely, the Jewes, who were then a people who had been in covenant with God for many ages; a nation whom God had choſen to himſelf out of all the nations in the world to be his peculiar people, Deut. 14.2. yet3 theſe were the people which were the moſt cruell perſecuters of Chriſt in the fleſh. The firſt news that ever they heard of him put them all into an uproar, Herod and all Jeruſalem was troubled, Matth. 2.3. and the Lord Chriſt, the Saviour of the world was forc'd to fly into Egypt, to a people that were aliens to the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers to the covenants of promiſe, to ſave himſelf from his own people: which makes the Evangeliſt ſadly complain, Hee was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not; he came to his own, and his own received him not, Joh. 1. ver. 10, 11. So Chriſt himſelf ſadly complains, I have nouriſhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me: the ox knoweth his owner, and the aſſe his Maſters crib, but Iſrael doth not know me, my people doth not conſider, Iſa. 1.23.
It is needleſſe to give you a relation of their carriage towards Chriſt in the fleſh, the four Evangeliſts being but a brief hiſtory of it; of their perſecuting him from one City to another, of their cruell mockings and ſcourgings; of their haling of him before Magiſtrates, and at laſt crucifying of him: and all this he ſuffered from them as an evill doer, as a ſower of ſedition, a deſtroyer of their Temple and Law, as a blaſphemer &c. And among theſe poor blinde z•alous Jewes, who were the chief ringleaders of them, and ſtirrers of them up againſt Chriſt and his Apoſtles but the prieſts? or, according to our Popiſh diſtinction, the Clergy, the Learned, the Univerſity-men, thoſe which were beſt read, and moſt knowing in the law; namely, the high-prieſts, Scribes and Phariſes: theſe ye ſhall find at all times, and in all places indeavouring to render odious to the world the precious Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, calling the word of Reconciliation ſedition, the very truth of God himſelf hereſie and blaſphemy: following of Chriſt from place to place, to ſtir up the people againſt him to deſtroy him; this ye finde Matth. 26.3. & 16.5, 21. & 15.1. & 20.18, 21. ſo Mark 8.11, 31. & 14.1, 43. ſo Luk. 5.21. & 6.7. & 9.22. & 20.1. & 22.2, 66. & 23.10. And ſince the time of Chriſts finiſhing his work in the world, which he did upon the croſſe, John 19.30. ſince the Captain of our ſalvation hath5 been made perfect through ſufferings, Heb. 2.10. Whereby he hath given all that are his, ſufficient teſtimony, that if they will follow their Lord Chriſt, they muſt take up his croſſe, Luk. 19 23. and All that will live godly in Jeſus Chriſt ſhall ſuffer perſecution, 2 Tim. 3.12. that In the world they ſhall have tribulation, but in him they ſhall have peace. For (ſaith Chriſt) the diſciple is not above his Master, nor the ſervant above his Lord; it is enough for the diſciple to be as his Maſter, and the ſervant as his Lord. If they have called the Maſter of the houſe Beelzebub, how much more ſhall they call them of his houſhold? Matth. 10.24, 25. I ſay, ſince this chaſte ſpouſe of Jeſus Chriſt the ſpirituall Church of God hath been left in the world, as the Ark of God was among the Philiſtims, as Daniel in the lions den, or as Jonas in the whales belly, void of all hope and help in the world, as far as ſenſe and reaſon, or any thing below faith was able to apprehend, the fleſh, the world, and the Divel hath ever ſince proclaimed open war againſt Chriſt in his people, though the gates of hell could never yet, nor ever ſhall prevail againſt them, Matth. 16.18. For no ſooner had they done crucifying Chriſt, but preſently they began to perſecute the Apoſtles and Saints at Jeruſalem: And they were all ſcattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apoſtles, Acts 8.1. and they which were ſcattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word: and the Apoſtles did not go about to ſtir up Jeruſalem to petition the Magiſtrate againſt them then: but what was then the duty and practice of the Saints, is now puniſhable by our learned Presbyters for Schiſm and Hereſie; and becauſe they have neither precept nor practice, neither Scripture nor good reaſon to convince their differing Brethren, therefore are they procuring lawes. and ordinances, that then they may cry out to the Magiſtrate as the Jewes did to Pilate, Wee have a law, and by our law hee ought to die.
Thoſe who are the drivers of this deſigne, let us pray that the Lord would not lay this ſin to their charge; but that hee would open their eyes, and let them ſee the evill of their doings, that they may put it far from them; and take this into4 their conſideration, that England hath too much innocent blood upon its ſcore already, which hath coſt it very deer lately. God hath given our Nation blood to drink in great meaſure, as if he would tell us every drop of the blood of his ſaints which this Kingdome for many yeers hath been deſtroying and baniſhing, ſhould coſt us a fountain; and hath ſo diſperſt and ſcattered all our former perſecutors, as if hee were minded to let them ſee how good perſecution and baniſhment were; or to make them as forward to fetch thoſe home again whom they have formerly baniſht and forc'd out of the Kingdom, as he did the Egyptians, to thruſt the Iſraelites out, whom they did formerly force to ſtay in their Kingdom. I ſhall here onely uſe Davids words in the very ſame caſe, In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my ſoul. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowſhip with thee, which frameth miſchief by a law? They gather themſelves together againſt the ſoul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the Lord is my defence, and my God is the rock of my refuge: And he ſhall bring upon them their own iniquity, and ſhall cut them off in their own wickedneſſe; yea, the Lord our God ſhall cut them off, Pſal: 94.19, 20, &c.
It hath been the ſad condition of the Church of God for above a thouſand yeers laſt paſt, ever ſince the falling away ſpoken of 2 Theſſ. 2.3. to ſuffer by her enemies as an evill doer; truth hath ever ſince been perſecuted for errour, light for darkneſſe, Christ for Belial: and therefore this laſt hath been the moſt cunning and cruelleſt way of perſecuting that ever the adverſary attained to; therefore ſaith Chriſt, propheſying of this laſt and greateſt adverſary to the Church, Beware of falſe prophets which come to you in ſheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. So, Behold, I ſend you forth as ſheep among wolves; be ye therefore wiſe as ſerpents, and harmleſſe as doves. As much as if he ſhould ſay, ye have a ſubtle and cruell adverſary to deal withall, therefore arm your ſelves with wiſdom and innocency. Or thus, Ye have been formerly perſecuted by open enemies, ſuch as have not been aſhamed to appear againſt you in, their own likeneſſe; but now your6 enemy ſhall be your pretented friend, ſuch as ſhall be in your own likeneſſe: they will be wolves ſtill, but they will be in ſheeps clothing, Matth 7.15. They will ſtill kill you, but they will pretend to do God good ſervice by it, John 16.2. Chriſt further propheſieth of the Saints ſufferings under the Goſpel by this wicked cruel devouring adverſary, Mark 13.19. For in thoſe dayes ſhall be afflictions, ſuch as were not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither ſhall be: And then if any man ſhall ſay, Lo here is Chriſt, or lo there is Chriſt, beleeve him not: for falſe Christs and falſe prophets ſhall ariſe, and ſhall ſhew ſignes and wonders, to deceive, if it were poſſible, even the very elect. And if ye will beleeve the Scripture, thoſe falſe Chriſts and great deceivers ſpoken of ſo much, are not ſuch kinde of creatures as wee are, crying out againſt poor illiterate mechanick fellows, as we call them; for ſuch were Chriſt and the Apoſtles eſteemed of by the world; Is not this the Carpenters ſon? Matt. 13.55. Mar. 6.5. So in Acts 4. when the Apoſtles Peter and John were brought before the high prieſt and his kindred to be examined: When they ſaw the boldneſſe of Peter and John, and perceived they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jeſus. Theſe prieſts had more goodneſſe in them then many of our prieſts; for they will not take notice of any whom they call unlearned and ignorant men, to have been with Jeſus, if they have any Chriſtian boldneſſe in them; but call it audaciouſneſſe, and out facing Authority, meaning their own Antichriſtian power: as if there were no coming to Jeſus but by Rome, the ſame way by which themſelves come. But thoſe falſe Chriſts and falſe Apoſtles ſpoken of in Scripture are not unlearned mechanick fellowes; but ſuch as have in them all the humane learning and wiſdome the world can afford: not ſuch men as are forc'd to run up and down the Country, ſculking here and there in private places to broach their opinions to ſome poor deſpiſed people; for there is no poſſibility that theſe men, if deceivers, ſhould be perſecuters too. But theſe deceivers have in their hands all the power the earth can afford,7 to ſtir up Nation againſt Nation, and Kingdom againſt Kingdome, to bring before and deliver up to Counſels, to beat you in their Synagogues, to hale you before Kings and Rulers, Matth. 10.17, 18. Mark 13.8, 9. Theſe deceivers are of that man of ſin, that ſon of perdition ſpoken of 2 Theſſ. 2.3. Who oppoſeth and exalteth himſelf above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped; ſo that he as God ſitteth in the temple of God, ſhewing himſelf that he is God, ver. 4. Theſe deceivers are they whoſe coming is like the working of Satan, with all power, and ſignes, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe.
Now thoſe deceivers which the Church of God hath been troubled withall for theſe many ages are ſuch kinde of deceivers as theſe are, men of great places and high eſteem in the world, having had all the power of the world to back them, which never were able to carry on their buſineſſe with any ſtrength of argument, the Scripture hath been ſo point-blank againſt them, and therefore they have made uſe of the power and ſtrength of Emperors and Kings; and where the Magiſteriall power hath faild them, they have made uſe of the Military, and have ſtirred up Emperors and Kings to war one with another, and by this means theſe bloody deceivers have been the cauſe of thouſands of millions of Chriſtians lives to be loſt, and their blood to be ſpilt to maintain their Antichriſtian power and domination over the whole Chriſtian world. And all this hath been done under the pious pretences of Reformation, Church order, puniſhing of Hereticks, &c. pretending zeale to Gods glory and the Churches good in the moſt bloody enterpriſes that ever they undertook.
They have alwayes pretended to reform the Church of its Hereſie and Schiſme, &c. and on the contrary, have deformed it into formality, ſuperſtition, and idolatry: And when their wicked practices and falſe worſhips have begun to appear ſo viſible to the eye of the world, that the very light of nature hath been aſhamed of their abominations; then for fear that the myſtery of iniquity ſhould fully diſcover it ſelf to their utter ruine, they have again transformed themſelves8 into ſome other likeneſs or ſhape, thereby to deceive the world, and make them beleeve they were a reforming themſelves and the Church, out of their zeal to Gods glory, when they alwayes ſtaid in their old Idols Temple, while it were ready to fall on their heads, and then built themſelves another of the ſame materials, onely painted over with ſome other colours: And this ye ſhall finde to be the center of all Synodical Reformations to this very day; never countenancing nor ſuffering more of the power of godlineſs in any, where they could ſuppreſs it, then what would ſerve them for a ſtalking horſe, to deſtroy their diſſenting Brethren by. And as they have ſought the exaltation of their own glory, the eſtabliſhment of their own power, and the manifeſtation of their own humane wiſdom and learning in all their undertakings, and have deſpiſed, the wiſdom, power, and glory of God in his people, becauſe God hath hid that treaſure in earthen veſſels, 2 Cor. 4.7. becauſe it is the good pleaſure of the Father to hide thoſe things from the wiſe, and prudent, and reveal them unto babes, Matth. 11.25. becauſe not many wiſe, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe, 1 Cor. 1.27. Therefore hath God likewiſe refuſed them, and hath given them up to the pride, and deceit of their own heart: Therefore hath God pronounced a wo againſt them, Iſaiah 30.1. Wo to the rebellious children, that take counſel, but not of me, that cover with a covering, but not of my ſpirit: So in the 29. of Iſaiah 13. Wherefore the Lord ſaid, Foraſmuch as this people draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: the wiſdom of their wiſe men ſhall periſh, and the underſtanding of their prudent men ſhall be hid. Is not the ſin and puniſhment of the Prince of Tyre met in our days? Ezekiel 28. Is it not viſibly diſcovered to us, that our learned Wiſe men, ſuch as have endeavoured to confine all the true knowledge of God, and the myſteries of his Kingdom to9 their learned capacities have ever been our deceivers, and ſeducers: Such as have been our leaders into all manner of Superſtition and Idolatry; may we not well ſay with the Apoſtle, Where is the wiſe, where is the ſcribe, where is the diſputer of this world? hath not God made fooliſh the wiſdom of this world? 1 Cor. 1.20. Doth it not appear, That Chriſt is made by God alone unto us wiſdom? 1 Cor. 1.30 Have not thoſe which have called themſelves the Reverend Clergy, the Learned Tribe of Levi, the Biſhops, Paſtors, and Miniſters of Chriſts Church, been for above a thouſand yeers, to the begining of this Parliament, the great deceivers, the grand Sectaries, the chief ſowers of Sedition, the very Throne and Body of Antichriſt, and the proudeſt enemies to the Church of God?
Let us leave England a little, and obſerve the greateſt part of the World, called Chriſtendom, as Italy, Spain, France, Germany, &c. and do they not at this very day, generally live in the very darkneſs of Popery, making it their very Religion to maintain the Popes ſupremacy, the authority of the Church, and a few idolatrous Superſtitions Ceremonies; and are other-wayes altogether as ignorant of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, as the very Heathens? And who are the Leaders of theſe people in their ignorant ſuperſtition, and idolatry? Is it not the Clergy, the Learned, the Univerſity men? Is it not they which are their Popes, Cardinals, Jeſuites, Fryers, Monks, & c? Is it not they which hath broacht, and impoſed all thoſe damnable Hereſies, and Errors, now in the Church of Rome? And have they not to fill up the meaſure of their iniquities, cauſed to be preſented, and put to death many thouſands of Chriſtians, for not beleeving, and receiving their damnable Superſtitious Errors? Nay further, hath it not been they which throughout all Chriſtendom for theſe many ages, have been the chief and onely contrivers, and ploters of all the bloody barbarous plots, wicked inſurrections, and traiterous rebellions, againſt Kings and Kingdoms? Hath it not been their conſtant practiſe to ſtir up Nation againſt Nation, and Kingdom againſt Kingdom, under pretence10 of Holy War, to the deſtroying and ruinating many thouſands of good Chriſtians: the whole Hiſtories of Chriſtendom being but a brief ſtory of the bloody wicked barbarous practiſes of theſe blood-thirſty Clergy-men; there would be no end if I ſhould come to particulars, whole Volumns not containing them. But thou mayeſt object and ſay, We know the Romiſh-Clergy are bloody deceivers, cruel perſecuters of good Chriſtians: We have heard often of the Spaniſh Inquiſition, and the bloody maſſacre in France, &c. But what is this to us? we have had a Learned, Pious Clergy in England for many yeers. Let me intreat thee to conſider a little, what pious men they have been; where ſhall we begin? in Henry the eights time, or in Queen Maries dayes? For till thoſe dayes they were all as Romiſh as the other are now. Let me intreat thee to peruſe well the Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Maſter Fox his Books of the Acts and Monuments of the Church, his Hiſtory of Martyrs; and when thou haſt done, then tell me, whether the Clergy of England hath not been more wicked, bloody, and cruel, then all the Clergy of Chriſtendom beſides: How many thouſands of precious Chriſtians have had their blood ſpilt, and been put to cruel torments, ſuch as ye hardly read of in any other ſtory by our cruel bloody Engliſh Clergy-men? And this is chiefly obſervable in them, wherein they have exceeded all others, That they have not onely been as Popiſh, ſuperſtitious, and cruel, as others in other Kingdoms, when the ſtream hath run that way; but that they were never true to their own principles, wherein they have been alwayes a ſhame to their cloth; for as their Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry, hath declared them to be not Chriſtians, but Antichriſtians: ſo their turning like the weather-cock, with all windes, hath declared them unworthy cowardly people, as they are meet natural men. Thus ye ſhall finde them in Henry the eights dayes, when the Kingdom was under the height of Popery, they were all cruel Papiſts; when the King denied the Popes ſupremacy, and went about to demoliſh the Abbeys, and Monaſteries, which they all knew was not out of any pious11 zeal he had for Reformation, but out of wrath, pride, and coveteouſneſs; yet how did they all fide with him, except the Cardinal, and the poor Fryers, and Monks, that were all undone, and beggered by it? Then in the dayes of Edward the ſixt, by reaſon of the Kings pious diſpoſi•ion, though young, they feared a turn, and preſently a great part of them fell a Preaching againſt ſome particular points of Popery; and ſuch as defended them, did as if they had not greatly cared what Religion they were on: but in the mean time, the Lord Protector, with ſeveral others, were reſolved to reform the Church; and preſently aboliſhed the Maſs with moſt of the Popiſh Service, and cauſed the Common-Prayer Book to be read in Engliſh to the people; and preſently all the Clergy were zealous Proteſtants, great Common-Prayer Book men, except ſome four or five of their chief Biſhops, as Gardiner, Bonner, Touſtal, and Day; and about three or four yeers after, at the moſt, when Queen Mary was made Queen of England, they preſently all turned about again, except ſuch another number, as Cranmer, Rogers, Hooper, Ferrer, Ridley, and Latimer, and grew more cruel throughout the whole Kingdom againſt the poor Saints then ever they were; Bonner being then Biſhop of London, did drive the very ſame trade Maſter Edwards is about now; for if ye obſerve it, the firſt officer Antichriſt entertains when he is begining a new deſigne, is a good Scout-maſter General, to keep a correſpondency with all the reſt of the wicked Clergy ſpred abroad over the Kingdom, as ye may ſee by thoſe many wicked Letters, and accuſations, which daily he received from all parts of the Kingdom, againſt one poor man or other; ſo that friends durſt not talk together for fear ſome words ſhould ſlip, and Bonner ſhould come to hear of it, which was the bloodieſt minded man that is upon record, for perſecuting the poor Saints, and inventing puniſhment for them, or I hope we ever ſhall hear of, if God keep but Maſter Edwards and his ungrateful bloody faction out of authority: And in this rage did thoſe wolves continue devouring the poor ſheep of Chriſt all the dayes of Queen Mary; and how many thouſands of good Chriſtians were deſtroyed and baniſhed by them, would make12 a Jews heart bleed to conſider off; and all thoſe ſuffered by them as evil doers, as Heretikes and Schiſmatikes; and themſelves then, as they do now, aſſumed the name of Chriſts Miniſters, and Ambaſſadors: Then after Queen Mary was dead, and Queen Elizabeth ſwayed the Scepter, in ſix moneths the whole tribe of them, except ſome few of their Biſhops which had gotten money enough to live upon any where, and ſo did not care much for their trade, turned quite about again, and all turned Proteſtants: in which ſhape, and under which viſage, they have continued to the beginning of this Parliament; who then preſently diſcovered to the whole Kingdom, that they had been as deceitful, and as cruel in this ſhape, as ever they had been in the former; that they had onely got on ſheeps clothing, but were all inwardly ravening wolves: they had got a trick to call all their Antichriſtian practiſes, and Popiſh ceremonies, the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England; and all their Antichriſtian proud Prelates, with the reſt of their ſuperſtitious dumb Prieſts, muſt be called the Biſhops Stewards, and Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt; and all the true worſhippers of God in the Kingdom, they were all ſcattered abroad, ſilenced, and perſecuted under the name of Heretikes, and Schiſmatikes, &c. Every day growing worſe then other, bringing in ſome new invented Popiſh ceremony or other, to the end they might have further advantage againſt ſuch as could not ſubmit to them: ſure it will be needleſs for me to give you any particulars of their inſolent proud wicked carriage in our times; it muſt needs be freſh in your memory; their incroachments upon the Civil power; their oppreſſions by their wicked Courts in all parts of this Kingdom; their ſuperſtition and idolatry, which they were every day inventing and bringing into the Church; their inſolency and pride in ſetting themſelves up with, if not above the Nobility of the Kingdom; their wicked and damnable plots, tending to the ruine of both Church and State; doth not all the blood, both of England, and Ireland ſtand upon the ſtone of theſe bloody men? have not they been the great fomenters of this bloody war13 amongſt us, by ſtirring up the ſpirits of wicked cruel men, againſt the poor Saints of God, in the three Kingdoms; and was there ever any wicked plot diſcovered, either againſt Church or State, but theſe men have had a great hand in it, if not the chief contrivers of it? If a Deputy of Ireland be in fault, ye may be ſure of an Archbiſhop of Canterbury: How did they flock to the Kings party at the beginning of this war, that in ſome Garriſons, as Oxford, Newark, York, and ſeveral others, there were whole Troops and Companies of black-coats? and where ever the greateſt flocks of theſe learned Deceivers were reſident, there were the people moſt diſaffected to the Parliament; as witneſs the Univerſities and Cathedrals, which appeared to be the very neſts and cages of unclean birds: If the Parliament ſhould have forborne to have given them the tenth of the Kingdom, till ſuch time as the tenth of the Clergy had been of their ſides, the Ordinance for Tithes might yet have been unpaſt. If I ſhould go on to particulars, of their Malignant ſpeeches and actions, which they have ſpoken, and done againſt the Parliament, and their proceedings ſince this war begun, you would not have the patience to read them; of their villifying the Parliament and all that adhered to them, under the names of Rebels and Traytors; frequently charging them of ſacriledge and robbing the Church of her ancient Rites and Ceremonies; extolling the Book of Common-prayer, calling it the Divine Service of God, thereby to render the Parliament odious for taking away ſuch holy things; with abundance more of this nature; ſo that all theſe things well conſidered and laid together, I wonder who will appear the great Sectaries, the grand Heretikes, the factious Fellows, the ſowers of Sedition, and deſtroyers of Religion in the Kingdom? whether the Laity or the Clergy? and who we have now moſt cauſe to ſtand in fear of? whether thoſe which are now diſcovering the ſuperſtitious blindneſs, and wicked practiſes of the Clergy, or the Clergy themſelves? which are driving on their old deſignes in a new ſhape, that are building a new Babel out of the old rubbiſh, that are giving that great skarlet whore, a14 new dreſs, thereby to make the world once more wonder after her, that they may once more hear that voice, Great is Diana of the Epheſians; but let me perſwade thee not to fear them, neither it is enough for their ſervants, their vaſſals, ſuch as ſtand and fall with them, to live in fear of them: But if thou beſt one of thoſe which follow the Lamb, whereſoever he goeth, Rev. 14 4. that art willing to carry the croſs of Chriſt, as well as wear his Crown, that art willing to ſuff•r with him, as well as raign in the day of their great calamity, When they ſhall drink the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his Indignation, and ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone, in the preſence of the holy angels, and of the Lamb, Revel. 14.10. Then ſhalt thou ſtand with the Lamb upon mount Sion, verſe the firſt. Then ſhalt thou ſing a new ſong before the throne, Verſe 7. Then ſhall you ſing A•leluia, ſalvation, honor, and power, unto the Lord our God; for true and righteous are his judgements, for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his ſervants at her hand, Revel. 19.1, 2. Therefore be not now at all troubled, when thou ſeeſt the day begin to grow dark; it is but a cloud that is ariſing, it will be no more night with the Church; if they have a dark hour, the ſun will ſhine through the cloud; For lo, the winter is paſt, the rain is over-gone, the flowers begin to appear on the earth, Cant. 2.11. It is now ſpring-time with the Church, and though there may be many a cold blaſt, and ſtormy ſhowre, yet they are rather to be deſired then feared. They will cauſe the fig-tree to put forth her green-figs, and the vine with the tender grape to give a good ſmell, Cant. 2.13. What though Truth be yet called Error, and Light darkneſs, the Saints and faithful ſervants of God, Schiſmatikes, and Heretikes? &c. let not this trouble thee; it is no new thing that hath befaln thee, they never were called by other names yet by this generation of men, called Clergy; and Paul was not aſhamed to confeſs to Felix, that after the way they call Hereſie, he worſhiped the God of his Fathers; and if thou beſt aſhamed to confeſs that now, thou mayeſt come to be aſhamed of Chriſt,15 and Truth, and ſo deny both; Therefore do not thou minde ſo much what men cry up for truth, and tread down for error; for all is not error that is voted ſo: It hath been the lot of truth in moſt counſels, if not in all, to have the feweſt voices; and thou mayeſt be ſure, they themſelves that put truth upon vote, are not themſelves ſatisfied what truth is, till they have done voting: But if they were the ſons of truth, or had any love to, or high eſteem of truth; if they had ever taſted of that word of truth and righteouſneſs; if they had ever received the truth in the love of it, it would be more precious to them, then to be ventured at one ſtake:
But this doth fully declare to us they hold the truth in unrighteouſneſs, Romans 1.18. Theſe are ſuch as Iſaiah ſpeaketh off, Iſaiah 48.1. Which are called by the name of Iſrael, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which ſwear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Iſrael, but not in truth nor in righteouſneſs. Theſe men never followed Chriſt for the love of Truth; it is the loaves more then the miracles that they minde. Theſe Simon Magus's which have purchaſed their Apoſtleſhips by their money, love their wages better then they do their work: The firſt thing they minde, is how to get a Goſpel-maintenance, and then they never fear a Goſpel Miniſtery; they know by experience, the former begets the latter. Theſe are not of the race of that true Shepherd, for his work was to ſave mens lives, Luke 9.56. But the buſineſs of theſe hath been to deſtroy mens lives: He came to lay down his life for the ſheep, John 10.15. Theſe come to take away the lives of the ſheep, John 10.10. His work was to feed the flock, John 10.9. Theſe take the fleece, and ſtarve the flock, Ezekiel 34.2. His diſpoſition and expreſſion to the flock, are full of love and tender bowels, He ſhall feed his flock like a ſhepherd, he ſhall gather the Lambs in his arms, and carry them in his boſom, and ſhall gently lead thoſe that are with young, Iſaiah 40.11. But theſe like thoſe wicked cruel ſhepherds, are on the contrary nature. The diſeaſed have you not ſtrengthned, neither have you healed that which was ſick, neither have you bound up that which was16 broken, neither have you brought again that which was driven away, neither have you ſought that which was loſt, but with force and with cruelty have you ruled them, Ezek. 34.4. Theſe are of thoſe theeves Chriſt ſpeaks off, John 10.10. that come not but for to ſteal, to kill and deſtroy: but I am come that ye might have life, ſaith Chriſt, and that you might have it more abundantly. Theſe are not onely of thoſe hirelings, whoſe own the ſheep are not, which onely flee when the wolf comes, and leaves the ſheep to the wolf, John 10.12. but theſe are rather thoſe wolves which Chriſt forewarned the Church of, Matth. 7.15. Theſe are of that ſort Paul propheſieth of, Acts 20.29. For I know that after my departure, ſhall grievous wolves enter in among you, not ſparing the flock: Theſe may be fitly compared to Jeruſalems falſe prophets and wicked prieſts, Ezek. 22.25, 26. There is a conſpiracy of her Prophets in the midſt thereof like a roaring lion, ravening the prey: they have devoured ſouls; they have taken the treaſure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midſt thereof: Her Prieſts have violated my law, and have prophaned my holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and prophane, neither have they ſhewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am prophaned among them. Her Princes in the mideſt thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to ſhed blood, and deſtroy ſouls, to get diſhoneſt gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, ſeeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord, when the Lord hath not ſpoken. If there were but ſuch a noble ſpirit in thee, as thoſe Beareans had, Acts 17.11. to ſearch the Scriptures daily, whether thoſe things be true or no that men hold forth to thee, how ſoon would the vanity and ſimpleneſs of theſe learned deceivers be diſcovered to thee? If thou wouldeſt but take the Apoſtles for an example, not to have regard to the words which mans wiſdom teacheth, but which the holy Ghoſt teacheth, comparing ſpiritual things with ſpiritual, 1 Cor. 2.13. If thou wouldeſt not beleeve every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whether they be of God or no, becauſe many falſe prophets are gone out into17 the world, 1 John 4.1. How would light break forth to thee, and darkneſs flee away? but we have been more fearful to ſcruple or queſtion the teſtimony of men, and their ſubtile intricate interpretations of the Scripture, then we have been to queſtion the teſtimony of God himſelf, and the plain ſayings of the ſpirit in the Scripture; and the Laws and Ordinances which theſe men have procured, and cauſed to be eſtabliſhed againſt Hereſie and falſe Doctrine, did never run in the defence of the Scripture, as it ſtands pen'd by the Spirit of God, but as it were interpreted by them (not thus) If any man ſhall declare or hold forth any doctrine or opinion contrary to the Scripture, or contrary to the form of ſound words delivered by Chriſt and his Apoſtles: (but thus) by the Papiſts, If any man ſhall hold forth any doctrine or opinion contrary to the holy Catholike Church, or ſhall deny the ſupremacy or infallibility of our holy Father the Pope, &c. And among the Proteſtants thus, If any man ſhall hold forth any doctrine or opinion contrary to the preſent government eſtabliſhed, or contrary to the doctrine or articles of Faith, received by the Church, &c. he ſhall be proceeded againſt as an Heretike, &c. and accordingly, If any have been accuſed of Hereſie or Schiſm, &c. why they have been proved Heretikes, & c. ? by thoſe Laws and Ordinances, and not by the Scripture, nor by Chriſts precepts and practice, as they ſtand upon record from his mouth; neither will it avail the accuſed to plead in his defence any teſtimony from Scripture, to maintain the lawfulneſs of his practice; but his adverſaries will cry out, we have a law, & by our law he ought to die; and thus hath theſe men, like thoſe wicked Phariſees Chriſt proves, Matth. 15.6. made the Scripture, and Law of God of none effect by their own traditions; they have been alwayes ſtriving, and contending with Kings and Parliaments for Laws and Ordinances, pretending them againſt Hereſie and Schiſm, and hath ever turned the edge of them againſt the very power of godlineſs: this being their very way and18 means, whereby they have deſtroyed ſo many good Chriſtians, as you ſee they have done in all ages; ſo that they have not been ſatisfied to perſecute and deſtroy good people themſelves, but have hereby imbrued the hands of Emperors, Kings, and Parliaments, in the blood of many millions of Gods people, to the ruinating of themſelves and their Kingdoms; beſides the loud cry of blood to God for vengeance againſt them, which he will ſurely require at their hands; and when he had opened the fifth ſeal, I ſaw under the altar, the ſouls of them that were ſlain for the word of God, and for the teſtimony which they held; and they cryed with a loud voice, ſaying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, doſt thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Revel. 9.10. And I heard the angel of the waters, ſay, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and waſt, and ſhall be, becauſe thou haſt judged us; for they have ſhed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou haſt given them blood to drink; for they are worthy, Revel. 16.5, 6. When the Lord ſhall once come to make inquiſition for blood, it is not a pretence of building up Sion, and eſtabliſhing the peace of Jeruſalem that ſhall ſatisfie his juſtice; no, he will avenge it on all hands. Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the houſe of Jacob, and princes of the houſe of Iſrael, that abhor judgement and pervert all equity. They build up Sion with blood, and Jeruſalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money; yet will they lean upon the Lord, and ſay, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore ſhall Sion for your ſake be plowed as a field, and Jeruſalem ſhall become heaps, and the mountain of the houſe, as the high places of the foreſt, Micah 3.10, 11, 12. And do but compare the practice of theſe men, to the practice of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and ſee what little agreement there is betwixt them, and then chuſe whether thou wilt ſerve God or Mammon; for no man can ſerve both, Matth. 6.24. Ye ſhall finde Chriſt himſelf, which was not onely the great, Prophet and Teacher of his Church,19 Acts 3.23, 24. but likewiſe their great King and Law-giver, Iſaiah 33.22. one that hath all the power of heaven and earth committed to him, and yet did he never uſe any arbitrary power over, or in the Church; but ſaith he, All things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you, John 15.15. It was his Fathers buſineſs, not his own, that he came to do, Luke 2.49. John 4 37. & 17.4. His Fathers will, not his own, that he came to fulfil, John 5.30. Mark 14.36. And in his Fathers name, not his own, did he do all that he did, John 5.43. & 17.6, 26. And ſo the Apoſtles which were choſen and ordained by Chriſt himſelf, to the work of the Miniſtery, which had in them an infalliable ſpirit to guide them, and yet you never finde them ſpeaking or doing any thing in their own name, or in the name, or authority of any other, but Chriſt himſelf, producing his precepts and practices for all their words and actions, That which we have ſeen and heard, declare we unto you, 1 John 1.3. ſo Acts 4.20. For we cannot but ſpeak the things which we have ſeen and heard (they do not ſay the things which we have conſidered and and agreed upon.) So ye read in the firſt of the Acts and verſe the ſecond, That Christ by the holy Ghoſt had given commandment to the Apoſtles, whom he had choſen; and in obedience to thoſe commands of Chriſt, did they act, and do all which they did. This was the doctrine Peter preached, Acts 10.42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to teſtifie, that it was he which was ordained of God, to be judge of quick and dead; and when Peter and John were commanded to preach no more in this name, Acts 4.19. Peter and John anſwered, and ſaid unto them, Whether it be right in the ſight of God, to hearken unto you, more then unto God, judge ye. And as they did not decline the preaching in the name never the more for being commanded to the contrary; ſo would they not have preached it ever the leſs or more, for being commanded to do it by any but Chriſt, who had alone power to inable them to obey his commands; therefore ſaith David, I will run the way of20 thy commandments, when thou ſhalt inlarge my heart, Pſal. 119.32. If men could inlarge hearts, as well as give commands, there might be ſome hopes of their forcing to beleeve in Chriſt, and to walk in the way of his commandments. But in vain do ye worſhip me, ſaith Christ, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, Matth. 15.9. Though the commandments which thoſe Phariſees take for doctrine, were commandments of men, to worſhip the true God, and that after the moſt ſtricteſt manner, according to the Law of Moſes, as they judged, Acts 26.5. and yet this was then vain worſhip, how comes it now to be orthodox? and ſo you finde Paul, that great Apoſtle, called and choſen to the Miniſtry by Chriſt himſelf, Acts 9.5, 6. and to that end was filled with the holy Ghoſt, Verſe 7. of a contrary ſpirit to the Apoſtles and Miniſters of our times: when there was ſeveral diviſions and opinions in the Church of Corinth, he did not ſide with one or two of them, to ſee if he could ſuppreſs the other; he did not countenance thoſe that cryed up Paul, no more then thoſe that cryed up Apollo, nor thoſe that were for Cephas, leſs then thoſe that were for Chriſt; but his deſigne was to have Chriſt advanced above Paul, Apollo, and Cephas two; he included them altogether, and writ to them all as Brethren, 1 Cor. 1.10, 11. and the thing which he propounded to them was not, whether any of the rulers, or of the phariſees beleeved on him, as they did, John 7.48. but, Is Chriſt divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized into the name of Paul? Verſe 13. threw himſelf down that Chriſt might be ſet up: He doth not direct his Epiſtle to them under the names of their ſeveral opinions, as they ſtood divided, neither doth he call them Sectaries nor Schiſmatikes, though they were as really ſuch, as moſt that are ſo accounted of among us; but to the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are ſanctified in Chriſt Jeſus, called to be Saints, &c. Verſe 2. Neither doth he charge the cauſe of their diviſions, upon their illiterate, mechanick Teachers, though ſuch they21 had, Verſe 26, 27. for if he had, they might have ſaid to him, Paul thou art but a Tent-maker; but all that Paul preſt at, was to tread down, and that with deteſtation, all humane wiſdom and learning; and let them know, it had no ſhare, neither in him, nor in Chriſt, as you may ſee in the three firſt Chapters of this Epiſtle, which would have been uſeleſs at that time, if that had not been the cauſe of their miſtake; they did not know that God would deſtroy the wiſdom of the wiſe, and bring to nothing the underſtanding of the prudent, V. 19. That the fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer then men, and the weakneſs of God ſtronger then men: For ye ſee your calling Brethren, how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe; and God hath choſen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty, and baſe things of the world, and things which are despiſed, hath God choſen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are. They did not conſider, that God would have no fleſh glory in his preſence; that Chriſt was made alone by God, wiſdom, and righteouſneſs, to his people, Yerſe 29, 30. But ſo far have theſe ſelf-exalting, vain-glorious Clergy-men been, from uſing any of theſe Arguments, or Scriptures, againſt diviſions and opinions, that it is little leſs then Hereſie with them, for any to read or make mention of theſe Scriptures to them, if it croſs their deſignes: that if Paul were now alive amongſt us, and ſhould preach ſuch doctrine as this〈◊〉were enough to fill two or three Gangrena's: but though they have hitherto, and ſtill may deceive, and delude the world with their humane inventions, and vain imaginations, ſo ſhall they not do the Church; For the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reſerve the unjuſt unto the day of judgement to be puniſhed, 1 Peter 2.9. And though the Wolves and Goats may follow them, becauſe they are all of one nature and ſpirit, yet the ſheep of Chriſt will follow him; For they know his voice, and a ſtranger will they not follow,22 but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of ſtrangers, John 10.4, 5. Neither ſhall the time of their deceiving laſt alwayes, Onely he who now letteth, will let, till he be taken out of the way; And then ſhall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord ſhall conſume with the ſpirit of his mouth, and deſtroy with the brightneſs of his coming, 2 Theſſ. 2.7, 8.