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<DATE>2014-06-16</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B18337">
<STC T="W">B5985</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]12047166</BIBNO>
<VID>199695</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1">
<P>Antichri&s;t's Government Ju&s;tly Detected Of <HI>&V;nrighteou&s;ne&s;s, Inju&s;tice, &V;nrea&s;ona|blene&s;s, Oppre&s;sion,</HI> and <HI>Cruelty;</HI> Throughout the KINGDOMES OF THIS WORLD; Wherein <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> hath had his <HI>Seat</HI> and great <HI>Authority</HI> for many Generations, in the Apo|&s;tacy from the Spirit and life of true Chri&s;tianity.</P>
<P><HI>Shewed and declared,</HI> Fir&s;t, In the Ca&s;e of <HI>Impo&s;ing</HI> upon <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> in matters Religious, by <HI>force</HI> of outward <HI>Violence,</HI> or <HI>Pains</HI> and <HI>Penalties</HI> on the <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> and <HI>E&s;tates</HI> of men, which is proved unrighteous and dangerous, and of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>Secondly, In the Ca&s;e of <HI>Here&s;ie;</HI> &s;hewing what it is in it &s;elf, who a <HI>Heretick</HI> is, who are the true <HI>Judges</HI> of it, and what <HI>Puni&s;hment</HI> pertains to &s;uch as are truly convicted thereof; and, That to <HI>Kill, Burn, Bani&s;h,</HI> or to puni&s;h <HI>Hereticks</HI> (as &s;uch) <HI>Cor|porally,</HI> is of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>By <HI>EDWARD BURROUGHS.</HI></P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Robert Wil&s;on,</HI> 1661.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>THE EPISTLE DEDICATED To all the Rulers (of what de|gree &s;oever) in the (&s;o called) <HI>Chri&s;tian VVorld.</HI></HEAD>
<P>O Friends! <HI>In the perfect Love of God Almighty towards your Souls and Bodies, and towards all Mankind; which Love is as a</HI> Fountain <HI>opened in my heart, &amp; kindly i&s;&s;ueth forth in</HI> Soul-breathing-de&s;ires <HI>of</HI> good, <HI>unto the</HI> whole Creation. <HI>In this</HI> Love (<HI>joined with an</HI> humble, meek <HI>and</HI> lowly <HI>temper of</HI> &s;pirit) <HI>do I pre&s;ent this little quantity of</HI> &s;ub&s;tance <HI>unto you; not &s;o much for your</HI> approof <HI>of my</HI> Work, <HI>as if I craved your</HI> Licen&s;e <HI>and</HI> Approbation <HI>for this</HI> &s;mall Piece <HI>to pa&s;s under your</HI> ju&s;tificati|on, (<HI>as is u&s;ually the manner of &s;uch</HI> Epi&s;tles <HI>thus directed;) but much more, for your</HI> &s;erious <HI>and</HI> weighty <HI>con&s;iderations of the</HI> Ca&s;es (<HI>though</HI> briefly, <HI>yet</HI> truly) <HI>unfolded, which are things of very great moment to you; and wherein</HI> All <HI>of you, from the</HI> lea&s;t <HI>to the</HI> greate&s;t, <HI>are</HI> le&s;s <HI>or</HI> more <HI>concerned: And I do pre&s;ent this</HI> Work <HI>unto you as</HI> whole&s;ome Advice, <HI>and</HI> good Coun&s;el <HI>for you, (which ye ought ve|rily to</HI> read <HI>and</HI> receive <HI>as &s;uch) rather then to flatter you by begging a</HI> Pa&s;&s;e-port <HI>from you, that this may be</HI> read <HI>and</HI> received <HI>where it &s;hall come; for the</HI> truth <HI>and</HI> verity <HI>of it, the</HI> weight <HI>of the matter contained, and the</HI> &s;oundne&s;s <HI>of</HI> &s;ub&s;tance <HI>demon&s;trated, &s;hall plead its own</HI> worth <HI>for acceptation in the</HI> Hearts <HI>and</HI> Con&s;ciences <HI>of all</HI> &s;incere men. <HI>The</HI> Truth <HI>and</HI> Verity, Weight <HI>and</HI> Sub&s;tance <HI>of</HI>
<PB REF="3"> Matter: <HI>I &s;ay, The&s;e</HI> Terms <HI>I may ju&s;tly pre&s;ent this</HI> &s;mall Piece <HI>under the denomination of, unto</HI> you, <HI>and all the</HI> world. <HI>True it is, I do not &s;tudy</HI> plea&s;ing Stile, <HI>nor have I endeavoured to</HI> clothe <HI>and</HI> trim <HI>the</HI> Matter <HI>with</HI> flattery, curious tearms, words of man's wi&s;dom, <HI>or &s;ome</HI> rare Method, <HI>that it might appear more in</HI> &s;hew, <HI>than in</HI> real &s;ub&s;tance, (<HI>as the way of too many</HI> Writers <HI>hath been in &s;uch ca&s;es;) nor do I promi&s;e to plea&s;e the</HI> Worldly Wi&s;dom <HI>in men, by a</HI> delightful &s;ound, <HI>&s;o much as to an&s;wer the</HI> &s;incere Con&s;cien|ces <HI>of men by</HI> &s;ound Truths, <HI>declared more in</HI> homely, broken tearms of &s;peech, <HI>than in the</HI> rarity <HI>of</HI> Phra&s;e, <HI>or</HI> well-compact|ed Rhetorick; <HI>For I have always de&s;ired to be known and approved of</HI> God, <HI>and</HI> tho&s;e <HI>that fear him, in</HI> &s;incerity, humility, <HI>and</HI> down|right truth; <HI>and for this I</HI> &s;tudy <HI>daily, and</HI> labour <HI>always, even to have</HI> prai&s;e, peace <HI>and</HI> comfort <HI>of</HI> God, <HI>rather than</HI> men, <HI>in what I</HI> am, <HI>and in what I</HI> do; <HI>and therefore 'tis my de&s;ire that ye would look beyond the</HI> Method containing, <HI>to the</HI> Matter contained, <HI>and that your eye may be onely fixed on the</HI> Sub&s;tance <HI>intended, which is verily, and in truth, That ye may be informed the way of your</HI> peace <HI>and</HI> happine&s;s <HI>in</HI> this <HI>world, and in</HI> that <HI>which is to come; and may never hereafter</HI> impo&s;e <HI>by</HI> force <HI>and</HI> violence <HI>in the matters of</HI> Faith, <HI>and the</HI> Wor|&s;hip of God, <HI>upon the</HI> Con&s;ciences <HI>of any, through</HI> penalties <HI>and</HI> puni&s;hments <HI>upon mens</HI> Per&s;ons <HI>and</HI> E&s;tates, <HI>but that ye may</HI> allow <HI>and</HI> tollerate <HI>freely,</HI> Liberty of Con&s;cience <HI>in all</HI> Religious Mat|ters, <HI>and may not by</HI> cruelty <HI>de&s;troy men in their</HI> Per&s;ons <HI>or</HI> E&s;tates, <HI>upon the account of their being &s;uppo&s;ed to be, or if really</HI> Hereticks, <HI>and becau&s;e of difference in</HI> Judgement <HI>and</HI> Practice, <HI>in</HI> Spiritual Matters.</P>
<P><HI>The&s;e are the</HI> particulars (<HI>for</HI> &s;ub&s;tance) <HI>held forth unto you, and all the world; and I have judged it mo&s;t proper to direct the&s;e</HI> Ca|&s;es <HI>to your</HI> view <HI>and</HI> con&s;ideration, <HI>as being the per&s;ons</HI> mo&s;t chief|ly (<HI>though</HI> not wholly) <HI>concerned: therefore</HI> blame me not, <HI>but ra|ther</HI> receive <HI>my</HI> Love, <HI>though but</HI> little <HI>in</HI> quantity, <HI>yet</HI> real <HI>in</HI> quality, <HI>and that ye will find one day, when ye have</HI> truly tried <HI>the</HI> effects <HI>of the</HI> two Ca&s;es <HI>plainly laid before you, which are,</HI> Impo&s;iti|on upon Con&s;cience, <HI>and,</HI> Free Liberty of Con&s;cience; <HI>The&s;e are the</HI> two Cau&s;es <HI>which will have their</HI> contrary <HI>and</HI> different effects <HI>upon all the</HI> Rulers <HI>in the world;</HI> Peace, Ble&s;&s;ings, Pro&s;peri|ty <HI>and</HI> Happine&s;s, <HI>are the</HI> effects <HI>of the</HI> one Cau&s;e; <HI>and</HI> Wars, Tribu|lations,
<PB REF="3"> Contentions, Mi&s;ery, Sorrow <HI>and the</HI> Cur&s;e, <HI>are the</HI> ef|fects <HI>which have, and will unavoidably follow the</HI> other Cau&s;e; <HI>and this ye will all find in the</HI> experience <HI>of</HI> Time <HI>and</HI> Tran&s;actions, <HI>com|ing to pa&s;s in the world: And therefore I cannot but (in</HI> homely, plain words, <HI>as my manner is) a&s;&s;ert the</HI> Cau&s;es, <HI>and the</HI> effects <HI>of the</HI> Cau&s;es, <HI>unto you, again and again, for the very</HI> end, <HI>to</HI> inform <HI>you,</HI> advi&s;e <HI>you, and</HI> warn <HI>you to follow the</HI> Good, <HI>and to for&s;ake the</HI> Evil, <HI>to do the</HI> right, <HI>and hate the</HI> wrong, <HI>that the</HI> effects <HI>of</HI> Righ|teou&s;ne&s;s, <HI>and</HI> Liberty of Con&s;cience, <HI>even</HI> Peace, Love, Mercy <HI>and</HI> Pro&s;perity, <HI>may ever be with you; and the</HI> effects <HI>of</HI> Cruelty <HI>and</HI> Oppre&s;&s;ion, <HI>and</HI> Impo&s;ition upon Con&s;cience, <HI>which will be your</HI> mi&s;ery, downfall <HI>and</HI> de&s;truction (<HI>if ye continue in the</HI> Cau&s;e <HI>which works this</HI> Effect) <HI>may be turned away, and ye delivered.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Wherefore O ye men, be</HI> advi&s;ed, <HI>be</HI> warned; <HI>this is the</HI> day <HI>of the</HI> Lords dawnings; <HI>We have &s;een his</HI> Power <HI>and</HI> Glory; <HI>he hath</HI> wounded <HI>Us, and</HI> healed <HI>Us, he hath</HI> killed <HI>and made</HI> alive; <HI>he hath proclaimed</HI> Liberty <HI>in Our</HI> Souls <HI>and</HI> Con&s;ciences, <HI>from</HI> Death <HI>and Darkne&s;s, from the</HI> Grave <HI>and</HI> Hell; <HI>and he hath &s;et his People</HI> free <HI>from</HI> bondage, <HI>to &s;erve him with a</HI> pure <HI>and</HI> perfect heart; <HI>and if ye</HI> (mortal men, <HI>made of the du&s;t of the ground, who&s;e little mea&s;ure of breath is in your No&s;trils) will not</HI> approve of, <HI>and</HI> join with <HI>this</HI> ble&s;&s;ed Work <HI>of the</HI> Lord, <HI>but &s;hall gain-&s;ay his</HI> doings, <HI>and &s;et</HI> your Power <HI>again&s;t</HI> his Power, <HI>and will not let the People go</HI> free <HI>in the exerci&s;e of their</HI> Con&s;ciences <HI>on</HI> holy performances, <HI>who&s;e</HI> Con|&s;ciences <HI>God hath made</HI> free; <HI>then &s;hall the</HI> Mo&s;t High <HI>reward your</HI> op|po&s;ition <HI>with his Cup of</HI> Vengeance, <HI>and he will make you know he is the</HI> Lord <HI>again&s;t whom ye thus rai&s;e</HI> contention; <HI>and he will di&s;&s;olve</HI> your &s;ub&s;tance, <HI>and bring down</HI> your glory, <HI>and &s;ubdue</HI> your pow|er, <HI>if that (I &s;ay) ye</HI> oppo&s;e his Work, <HI>and will &s;eek to</HI> bind <HI>and</HI> li|mit his Spirit <HI>in</HI> his people, <HI>and wil yet</HI> force <HI>and</HI> impo&s;e <HI>upon</HI> Con|&s;cience <HI>by</HI> outward violence, <HI>and</HI> kill, <HI>and</HI> per&s;ecute <HI>unto</HI> death, <HI>and</HI> bani&s;hment <HI>for matter of</HI> Con&s;cience, <HI>and becau&s;e of difference in</HI> Judgement <HI>in</HI> &s;piritual things; <HI>then thus it &s;hall be done unto you, Ye &s;hall</HI> fall, <HI>and</HI> peri&s;h, <HI>and be</HI> troubled, <HI>and</HI> ble&s;&s;ings <HI>and</HI> pro&s;pe|rity <HI>&s;hall not be unto you. If it be not thus, the</HI> Lord <HI>hath not &s;poken by me.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Well</HI> Friends, <HI>even all ye that have</HI> Authority <HI>and</HI> Power <HI>in the</HI> Government <HI>of this</HI> World, <HI>are nearly concern'd to take</HI> &s;pecial no|tice <HI>of</HI> the&s;e things <HI>pre&s;ented unto you, &s;eeing the</HI> Effects <HI>of the&s;e</HI> two Cau&s;es <HI>are both very</HI> weighty, <HI>and</HI> infallibly certain, <HI>even to</HI> you-
<PB REF="4"> wards <HI>particularly:</HI> Very weighty, <HI>becau&s;e</HI> Peace, Pro&s;perity <HI>and</HI> Happine&s;s, <HI>or</HI> Mi&s;ery, Di&s;tractions <HI>and</HI> Downfall <HI>to you is depend|ing upon the</HI> Effects <HI>of the</HI> Cau&s;es; Infallibly certain, <HI>becau&s;e the</HI> Ju&s;tice <HI>of</HI> God Almighty <HI>is &s;uch, that he mu&s;t bring</HI> reward <HI>upon all according to</HI> their deeds, <HI>and his</HI> Ju&s;tice <HI>cannot be diverted: But if ye permit</HI> free Liberty of Con&s;cience <HI>in the</HI> exerci&s;e <HI>of</HI> godli|ne&s;&s;e <HI>in</HI> Faith <HI>and</HI> Wor&s;hip, <HI>unto</HI> all people <HI>under your</HI> Power, <HI>then &s;hall</HI> Peace <HI>and</HI> Pro&s;perity <HI>be unto you, according to the</HI> purpo&s;e <HI>of</HI> God: <HI>But if ye</HI> impo&s;e upon Con&s;cience <HI>in any wi&s;e, by</HI> force <HI>in</HI> Religious matters, <HI>&amp; will not be</HI> in&s;tructed <HI>and</HI> advi&s;ed <HI>to the con|trary, then &s;hall</HI> mi&s;ery <HI>and</HI> de&s;truction <HI>certainly be unto you, accor|ding to the</HI> Ju&s;tice <HI>of God's</HI> Vengeance. <HI>The&s;e things are</HI> &s;o, <HI>as a</HI> Ser|vant <HI>of</HI> God <HI>I pre&s;ent them to you, and not upon</HI> fiction <HI>or</HI> fancy, <HI>but as I have received them from the</HI> Lord God, <HI>by his</HI> Spirit, <HI>which &s;ig|nifies the</HI> verity <HI>and</HI> certainty <HI>of the&s;e things in my &s;oul.</HI></P>
<P>Friends, <HI>Doubt not of the&s;e things; for verily the time is at hand, and it mu&s;t</HI> &s;urely <HI>come to pa&s;s, my</HI> Spirit <HI>&s;hall &s;ee it, and rejoice therein, if in</HI> this body <HI>I may not behold it, That</HI> impo&s;ing <HI>and</HI> forcing <HI>of</HI> Con|&s;cience <HI>by</HI> Laws <HI>and</HI> Ordinances <HI>of Men, upon</HI> penalties <HI>on mens</HI> Per&s;ons <HI>and</HI> E&s;tates, <HI>in</HI> Religious matters, <HI>&s;hall be</HI> expunged, &s;ub|dued <HI>and</HI> abandoned <HI>in</HI> the&s;e Nations <HI>&amp;</HI> Kingdoms <HI>of the world, and it &s;hall be no more: But</HI> Liberty, Liberty <HI>&s;hall be</HI> re-planted, embraced <HI>and</HI> renowned <HI>among&s;t men, and</HI> Truth <HI>and</HI> Righteou&s;|ne&s;s, Mercy <HI>and</HI> Peace, True Liberty <HI>and</HI> Freedom, Ju&s;tice <HI>and</HI> true Judgement, <HI>with all the</HI> Cau&s;es <HI>and</HI> Effects <HI>thereof &s;hall</HI> flou|ri&s;h, <HI>and</HI> grow, <HI>and</HI> pro&s;per <HI>on the Earth, and the</HI> contrary <HI>&s;hall fall, and</HI> ri&s;e no more. <HI>This</HI> Day <HI>is drawing nigh, it's at the door, ble&s;&s;ed are they that are prepared for it: Wherefore let all fle&s;h</HI> hear <HI>and</HI> fear, bow <HI>and</HI> tremble; <HI>and let the</HI> hearts <HI>of the Righteous</HI> re|joice <HI>and be</HI> exceeding glad; <HI>let all the</HI> upright in heart <HI>put on the</HI> garment of Prai&s;es <HI>and</HI> Deliverance; <HI>for the</HI> Day <HI>is at hand, that</HI> Antichri&s;t (<HI>with all his</HI> Strength <HI>and</HI> Power, Force <HI>and</HI> Policy) <HI>&s;hall be a</HI> hi&s;&s;ing, <HI>and</HI> reproach, <HI>and</HI> &s;hame, <HI>and</HI> contempt <HI>unto the</HI> Saints <HI>of the</HI> Mo&s;t High, <HI>and among&s;t whom the</HI> Lord God Omni|potent <HI>doth, and mu&s;t</HI> Reign <HI>and</HI> Rule <HI>in</HI> Dominion, <HI>and</HI> Glory, <HI>and</HI> Power, <HI>over All, for</HI> ever, <HI>and</HI> evermore.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>London <DATE><HI>this</HI> 12th. <HI>Month,</HI> 1661.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>E. B.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="1" REF="4">
<HEAD><HI>CHAP. I.</HI> Concerning <HI>impo&s;ing Religion;</HI> the Ca&s;e &s;tated, and the unrighteou&s;ne&s;s thereof &s;hewed, with the danger thereof al&s;o made appear by manife&s;t proofs. <HI>Pre&s;ented to the RULERS and PEOPLE of our pre&s;ent Age, throughout the World.</HI></HEAD>
<P>TO <HI>impo&s;e</HI> any <HI>kind</HI> of <HI>Religion,</HI> any <HI>way</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> or <HI>form</HI> of <HI>Faith,</HI> and <HI>outward conformity,</HI> in any <HI>practices</HI> of <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God-wards,</HI> by an <HI>External Authority</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> through <HI>force</HI> of <HI>Laws</HI> com|manding and requiring <HI>&s;uch conformity</HI> in <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> upon <HI>pains, penalties</HI> and <HI>forfeitures</HI> on mens <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> and <HI>E&s;tates,</HI> as hath been practi&s;ed in the <HI>world</HI> &s;ince the <HI>days</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> among the <HI>Nations</HI> profe&s;&s;ing <HI>Chri|&s;tianity; This thing</HI> is not of the <HI>Lord,</HI> nor according to <HI>Com|mands</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>Examples</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> and <HI>Primitive Chri|&s;tians,</HI> declared of in the <HI>Scriptures;</HI> but is of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>un|righteous, unequal</HI> and <HI>dangerous,</HI> to the de&s;truction of the <HI>Souls</HI> and <HI>Bodies</HI> of both the <HI>Impo&s;ers,</HI> and the <HI>Impo&s;ed.</HI> For,</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Such</HI> kind of <HI>forcing,</HI> &amp; <HI>compelling</HI> by <HI>force</HI> of <HI>outward Laws,</HI> into <HI>&s;uch outward conformity</HI> of <HI>Religion, Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip, Church-Government</HI> and <HI>Mini&s;try,</HI> was <HI>never</HI> in <HI>being</HI> nor <HI>ever practi&s;ed</HI> in the <HI>true Chri&s;tian Churches,</HI> among&s;t the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> in their <HI>days;</HI> nor ever was &s;uch a thing known among the <HI>Primitive Chri&s;tians;</HI> There was no &s;uch kind of <HI>Laws made</HI> nor <HI>executed</HI> among&s;t
<PB N="2" REF="5"> them, nor &s;uch <HI>force exerci&s;ed</HI> on men's <HI>per&s;ons</HI> and <HI>e&s;tates</HI> in <HI>&s;uch ca&s;es;</HI> there was no <HI>outward violence</HI> u&s;ed in the <HI>primitive times,</HI> to <HI>compell</HI> any to <HI>conformity</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith, Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tian Religion;</HI> none of the <HI>fir&s;t Chri&s;tians</HI> were made <HI>truly Religious,</HI> and <HI>converted</HI> from the <HI>way of Error,</HI> to the <HI>way of true Chri&s;tianity</HI> by &s;uch means of <HI>outward force</HI> and <HI>com|mandments</HI> of men put upon them; They were not (I &s;ay) <HI>con|verted</HI> them&s;elves to the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> nor made <HI>conformable wor&s;hippers</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in his <HI>Spirit</HI> by <HI>that way</HI> and <HI>means,</HI> nor did they &s;eek to convert others into <HI>conformity</HI> to <HI>Church-Government</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;tian Wor&s;hip</HI> by <HI>force</HI> of <HI>outward Laws,</HI> upon <HI>pains</HI> and <HI>forfeitures; The&s;e things</HI> were not in the <HI>true Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t in</HI> the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> days among&s;t the <HI>Primitive Chri&s;tians.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. But the <HI>true way of Conver&s;ion</HI> among them, to the <HI>Chri&s;ti|an Faith,</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>true Church-Government,</HI> whereby peo|ple were made rightly <HI>conformable</HI> to the <HI>true Chri&s;tian Religion,</HI> as it was among&s;t the <HI>Apo&s;tles;</HI> was by and through the <HI>Doctrine</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> preached among&s;t them in the <HI>power</HI> and <HI>demon&s;tration</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> of &s;uch as were <HI>truly called</HI> and <HI>&s;ent</HI> of him, which did turn people to the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and that <HI>Mini&s;tery</HI> wrought in them to receive it, by which their <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> were <HI>convinced,</HI> and their <HI>hearts per&s;waded</HI> in the <HI>love</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> to <HI>believe</HI> in him, and <HI>receive</HI> him, and <HI>follow</HI> him; and thus were they <HI>drawn,</HI> and <HI>begotten,</HI> and <HI>converted</HI> into the <HI>Faith,</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>Practice</HI> of the <HI>true Chri&s;tian Religion,</HI> and made <HI>conformable</HI> to the <HI>Government</HI> and <HI>Order</HI> of the <HI>true Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> in all things, by this <HI>means;</HI> and <HI>were</HI> only, and not at all by any <HI>outward force</HI> and <HI>compul&s;ion</HI> exerci&s;ed upon them, <HI>converted</HI> to the <HI>true Chri&s;tian Religion,</HI> and to the <HI>true Wor&s;hip</HI> of <HI>God;</HI> and by the &s;ame way did they <HI>convert</HI> and <HI>turn</HI> others to the <HI>&s;ame;</HI> and this onely is the perfect way of <HI>Chri&s;ti|an Conformity</HI> to the <HI>true Chri&s;tian-Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Church-Government;</HI> it ever was &s;ince the beginning of <HI>Chri&s;tianity</HI> in the world, and is unto this day, even to <HI>per&s;wade</HI> the <HI>heart,</HI> and to <HI>convince</HI> the <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> inwardly by the <HI>&s;ound Doctrine</HI> of the <HI>Gospel,</HI> through the operation of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and by <HI>love,</HI> and <HI>meekne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>patience,</HI> and all the <HI>fruits</HI> of <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> held forth in <HI>Do|ctrine</HI> and <HI>Conver&s;ation,</HI> which may an&s;wer the <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> of <HI>God</HI>
<PB N="3" REF="5"> in all mens <HI>Con&s;ciences:</HI> Hereby, and in this way is <HI>true Conver|&s;ion</HI> wrought in the <HI>heart,</HI> to the turning men from all <HI>Error</HI> un|to the <HI>Truth,</HI> and from all <HI>fal&s;e Wor&s;hips,</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ies,</HI> and <HI>evil wayes,</HI> unto the <HI>true Chri&s;tian Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>conformity</HI> to <HI>holy Church</HI> and <HI>Religion:</HI> This (I &s;ay) was the way among the <HI>primitive Chri&s;tians</HI> and <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> of <HI>old,</HI> and is the &s;ame among the <HI>true Chri&s;tians</HI> in <HI>this age;</HI> and they that would <HI>conform</HI> others, and are <HI>conformed</HI> them&s;elves otherwi&s;e in this <HI>Ca&s;e</HI> of <HI>Religion</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> to <HI>God-wards,</HI> are not in the <HI>Example</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Saints,</HI> but out of the <HI>Life,</HI> and contrary to the <HI>fir&s;t Chri&s;tians,</HI> and <HI>pre&s;ident</HI> of the <HI>holy Scriptures,</HI> as hereafter is manife&s;ted.</P>
<P N="3">3. The <HI>way</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing Religion,</HI> and <HI>Conformity</HI> in <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Church-Government,</HI> by <HI>Force,</HI> (as afore&s;aid) is &s;o far from being <HI>according</HI> to the <HI>Practice</HI> and <HI>Example</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> and the <HI>primitive Churches</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> that they are even <HI>con|trary</HI> to the <HI>Commands</HI> and <HI>Exhortations</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo|&s;tles,</HI> and <HI>Example</HI> of the <HI>Scriptures:</HI> 1. As in the <HI>Parable</HI> of the <HI>Wheat</HI> and the <HI>Tares, Matt.</HI> 13. when it was de&s;ired of the &s;er|vants, that they might go and gather out the <HI>Tares</HI> that the <HI>Ene|my</HI> had &s;own, from among the <HI>Wheat;</HI> it was commanded to the contrary by the <HI>Husbandman,</HI> even that they &s;hould &s;uffer the <HI>Tares</HI> to grow among the <HI>Wheat</HI> till the <HI>Harve&s;t,</HI> and not pluck them up, le&s;t they &s;hould hurt the <HI>Wheat</HI> thereby. Now though there be an <HI>invi&s;ible My&s;terie</HI> of the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>Heaven</HI> &s;ecret|ly &s;ignified in this <HI>Parable,</HI> more then may here be &s;aid; yet 'tis al&s;o clearly &s;ignified, that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> would have no <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> nor <HI>violence</HI> u&s;ed upon the <HI>Tares,</HI> nor that they &s;hould pluck them up by force, but that the <HI>good Corn</HI> and the <HI>bad</HI> &s;hould grow to|gether in one <HI>Field</HI> till the <HI>Harve&s;t.</HI> And thus much this <HI>Para|ble</HI> bears the proof of: Suppo&s;e there be <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> and <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and <HI>prophane per&s;ons</HI> that are not in the <HI>truth,</HI> but in <HI>errors,</HI> who are <HI>bad Corn,</HI> even as the <HI>Tares</HI> to the <HI>Wheat;</HI> in that <HI>Kingdom, City</HI> or <HI>Family</HI> where there is al&s;o <HI>converted Saints,</HI> and <HI>holy per|&s;ons,</HI> and <HI>true Members</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> who are as the <HI>Wheat</HI> to the <HI>Tares;</HI> yet &s;uch <HI>Hereticks</HI> and <HI>prophane per&s;ons</HI> that are in <HI>Error,</HI> ought not to be plucked up violently, to wit, <HI>Impri&s;oned, bani&s;h|ed,</HI> and put to <HI>death, burned</HI> and <HI>de&s;troyed</HI> from among&s;t the <HI>righ|teous,</HI> though they grow among&s;t them, even in the &s;ame <HI>Field;</HI>
<PB N="4" REF="6"> the <HI>converted Saints</HI> ought not (I &s;ay) to de&s;troy by <HI>bani&s;hment</HI> or <HI>death,</HI> the <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and <HI>unconverted,</HI> and <HI>unconformable</HI> per|&s;ons from among&s;t them, but they are to let them <HI>live,</HI> even <HI>grow</HI> among&s;t them in the <HI>&s;ame Field,</HI> in the <HI>&s;ame Kingdom, City</HI> or <HI>Family,</HI> till <HI>Harvest.</HI> And thus much the <HI>Parable</HI> may truly &s;ignifie, even a <HI>liberty</HI> to live for the <HI>Tares,</HI> the <HI>bad Corn,</HI> the <HI>evil per&s;ons,</HI> among the <HI>Wheat,</HI> the <HI>righteous per&s;ons,</HI> without being <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> upon by cruel <HI>force</HI> and outward <HI>violence,</HI> to <HI>compel</HI> into <HI>conformity.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. As in the ca&s;e among the <HI>Saints</HI> and <HI>true believers,</HI> where &s;ome believed they might eat <HI>all things,</HI> others did eat <HI>Herbs;</HI> and &s;ome <HI>e&s;teemed one day above another,</HI> and others <HI>e&s;teemed every day alike,</HI> Rom. 14. Here was &s;ome <HI>difference</HI> in <HI>Judgement</HI> and <HI>Practice</HI> among the <HI>Believers,</HI> about <HI>Meats</HI> and <HI>Dayes</HI> (about which things there hath been much <HI>Impo&s;ition</HI> and <HI>Force</HI> u&s;ed in the World &s;ince the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> dayes:) Well, but what doth the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> do, and advi&s;e in this ca&s;e? Doth he threaten <HI>violence</HI> towards any of them, or &s;ignifie any forcible <HI>commands</HI> or <HI>impo&s;itions</HI> to be u&s;ed to bring them into <HI>conformity</HI> and <HI>unity</HI> in the things and matters about which they were divided? No, no; but this is his <HI>advice</HI> to the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> (of which he was a <HI>true</HI> and <HI>able Mini&s;ter</HI>) Judge not one another about <HI>&s;uch things,</HI> nor do not <HI>impo&s;e</HI> any <HI>practice</HI> upon thy <HI>Brother;</HI> for to <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> his <HI>Ma&s;ter,</HI> every <HI>Believer &s;tands</HI> or <HI>falls.</HI> And &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Let every man be fully per&s;waded in his own mind,</HI> ver. 5 And hereby 'tis manife&s;tly proved, that in the <HI>Churches</HI> of <HI>Pri|mitive Chri&s;tians,</HI> the <HI>Saints</HI> and <HI>true Chri&s;tians</HI> were not <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> upon by <HI>commandments</HI> of men, or outward Laws, in the mat|ters of their <HI>Religion,</HI> and practice of <HI>Con&s;cience;</HI> there was no &s;ignification of <HI>Force</HI> to be u&s;ed for <HI>Conformity;</HI> but wholly con|trary, even every <HI>believer</HI> had the liberty of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and as he was by that per&s;waded in his own mind, to <HI>do,</HI> or leave <HI>undone</HI> in &s;uch ca&s;es, and every one was to mind the <HI>teach|ings</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in him&s;elf, for to <HI>that</HI> he was to <HI>&s;tand</HI> or <HI>fall,</HI> and not to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon another, no not &s;o much as to <HI>judge</HI> his <HI>Brother</HI> in any ca&s;e of difference in <HI>judgement</HI> or <HI>practi&s;e,</HI> but they were to leave one another to the per&s;wa&s;ions of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in their own minds.</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="5" REF="6">3. As in the <HI>Ca&s;e</HI> where the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> exhorted the Saints to be <HI>like-minded,</HI> Phil. 3. But &s;aith he, <HI>If any be otherwi&s;e minded, God &s;hall reveal even this unto you;</HI> by which &s;aying it is manife&s;t, that the <HI>Unity</HI> and <HI>Conformity</HI> of <HI>Saints</HI> in <HI>mind</HI> and <HI>practice,</HI> was not by <HI>Impo&s;ition,</HI> or any <HI>outward force threatned</HI> or exerci&s;ed upon their <HI>Per|&s;ons</HI> or <HI>E&s;tates;</HI> but contrariwi&s;e, if there was any <HI>difference</HI> in <HI>mind</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> among&s;t them, <HI>that</HI> was to be <HI>amended,</HI> and <HI>Unity</HI> made up, when <HI>God</HI> revealed the <HI>&s;ame truth</HI> in <HI>all,</HI> as he had done in <HI>&s;ome;</HI> if <HI>any</HI> were not <HI>&s;o minded</HI> in any thing as <HI>others</HI> were; they were not to be <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> upon, but let <HI>God</HI> reveal the <HI>&s;ame,</HI> and bring into <HI>conformity;</HI> this was the <HI>Apo&s;tle's Coun&s;el:</HI> And ver. 16 <HI>Neverthe|le&s;s, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the &s;ame Rule;</HI> that is to &s;ay, &s;o far as the <HI>Rule</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is <HI>made mani|fe&s;t,</HI> or in what <HI>mea&s;ure</HI> the <HI>perfection</HI> thereof is <HI>attained unto,</HI> let <HI>every one walk</HI> in the <HI>&s;ame mea&s;ure,</HI> and by the <HI>&s;ame Rule;</HI> and if any have not the <HI>&s;elf-&s;ame mea&s;ure</HI> of the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and knows the <HI>&s;elf &s;ame things,</HI> let &s;uch alone, without <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> upon them, leave them to walk in the <HI>mea&s;ure</HI> of <HI>Light</HI> and <HI>Knowledge</HI> that they have re|ceived, though it be not the <HI>&s;elf-&s;ame mea&s;ure</HI> that <HI>others</HI> have re|ceived; and if they want any <HI>knowledge,</HI> or be in any thing <HI>other|wi&s;e minded, God</HI> &s;hall <HI>reveal</HI> the <HI>&s;ame</HI> unto them, even the <HI>&s;ame thing,</HI> as they grow in the <HI>&s;ame mea&s;ure</HI> of <HI>Grace</HI> and <HI>Know|ledge:</HI> And here is the <HI>perfect way</HI> of <HI>Unity</HI> and <HI>Conformity,</HI> as the <HI>Primitive Chri&s;tians</HI> were exerci&s;ed in the <HI>true Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>true Chri&s;tian Religion</HI> in <HI>their days:</HI> And &s;o to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> by <HI>Force</HI> up|on <HI>pains</HI> and <HI>forfeitures</HI> in <HI>Religious matters,</HI> is <HI>clearly contrary</HI> to <HI>all</HI> the&s;e <HI>Scriptures,</HI> and to many more in the <HI>New-Te&s;tament.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. In that ca&s;e 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 5.2, 3. where the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> exhorts the <HI>Elders</HI> to take the <HI>over&s;ight</HI> of <HI>Gods Flock, not by con&s;traint or force, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage:</HI> Which clearly &s;ignifies again&s;t <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> upon the <HI>Flock</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> or <HI>forcing</HI> in <HI>Religious Matters;</HI> for ye &s;ee the <HI>El|ders</HI> might not be <HI>con&s;trained</HI> or <HI>forced</HI> to take the <HI>over&s;ight</HI> of the <HI>Flock;</HI> neither (having the <HI>over&s;ight</HI> of <HI>it</HI>) might they be as <HI>Lords</HI> over <HI>it,</HI> nor <HI>exerci&s;e Lord&s;hip</HI> over the <HI>Heritage</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> to wit, not <HI>command</HI> the <HI>Faith</HI> of <HI>any,</HI> nor <HI>impo&s;e</HI> by any <HI>force,</HI> in <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>Faith</HI> or <HI>Duty,</HI> nor <HI>oppre&s;s</HI> the <HI>pure Con&s;cience</HI> of <HI>any,</HI> nor be as <HI>Lords</HI> (in <HI>any ca&s;e</HI>) over the <HI>Heritage,</HI> nor u&s;e any <HI>Lordline&s;s,</HI> or <HI>Master|&s;hip,</HI>
<PB N="6" REF="7"> or <HI>Dominion,</HI> or <HI>Commandment</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> or <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> upon the <HI>Flock;</HI> this is <HI>clearly forbidden</HI> by the <HI>Apo&s;tle,</HI> and the <HI>contrary</HI> com|mended; <HI>But be en&s;amples to the Flock,</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>feed them, win them, teach them,</HI> or <HI>over&s;ee them,</HI> by <HI>good example,</HI> by <HI>love,</HI> as <HI>good Elders</HI> or <HI>Stewards</HI> over them, not as <HI>Lords,</HI> exerci&s;ing any <HI>force</HI> up|on them in <HI>rigor</HI> or <HI>bitterne&s;s;</HI> and this is the <HI>perfect way</HI> of <HI>Bi&s;hops, Elders</HI> and <HI>Mini&s;ters, over&s;eeing</HI> the <HI>Flock</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> even to <HI>rule over,</HI> and <HI>over&s;ee God's Heritage,</HI> walking before them as <HI>good Examples</HI> of <HI>humility, &s;elf-denial,</HI> and in <HI>all</HI> the <HI>vertues</HI> and <HI>fruits</HI> of the <HI>Spi|rit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>feeding</HI> them hereby with the <HI>Word</HI> of <HI>Life,</HI> and that <HI>freely,</HI> not for <HI>filthy lucre, hire</HI> or <HI>rewards;</HI> and not <HI>ruling over them</HI> as <HI>Lords, impo&s;ing</HI> upon them, or <HI>exerci&s;ing Lord&s;hip,</HI> by <HI>forcing</HI> and <HI>commanding</HI> &s;uch <HI>Faith, Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Duty,</HI> and <HI>impri&s;oning</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecuting</HI> for <HI>di&s;obedience</HI> of &s;uch <HI>forcing, violent commands,</HI> as hath been <HI>practi&s;ed</HI> in the <HI>World</HI> for <HI>many Ages,</HI> even <HI>Lordline&s;s</HI> exerci&s;ed over the <HI>Heritage</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and the <HI>Mini&s;ters, Pa&s;tors</HI> and <HI>Elders</HI> have been as <HI>Lords</HI> over the <HI>Flock,</HI> and ruled by <HI>force</HI> and <HI>impo&s;ition,</HI> contrary to the <HI>example</HI> of <HI>Scriptures,</HI> and the <HI>Commands</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles;</HI> and <HI>Love, Meekne&s;s, Gentlene&s;s,</HI> and <HI>good Example,</HI> have been neglected, contrary to the <HI>Apo&s;tle Peter</HI>'s In&s;tructions.</P>
<P>Thus it is clearly manife&s;t throughout the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> by many <HI>proofs,</HI> that the way of <HI>impo&s;ing Religion,</HI> and <HI>forcing</HI> into the <HI>con|formity</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Church-Government,</HI> in the <HI>dispen&s;ation</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> as afore&s;aid, is contrary to the <HI>commands</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and the <HI>example</HI> of <HI>Scriptures,</HI> and is not of <HI>God,</HI> nor according unto him. And now I &s;hall &s;hew in the <HI>fourth place,</HI> of <HI>whom</HI> it is, and by <HI>who&s;e Example</HI> this <HI>violence</HI> u&s;ed, and <HI>per&s;ecution,</HI> unto <HI>Impri&s;onment</HI> and <HI>Death</HI> for, and becau&s;e of <HI>Religion,</HI> and al&s;o the <HI>beginning</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> by force among&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tians.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>All</HI> this <HI>Per&s;ecution</HI> practi&s;ed about <HI>Religion,</HI> that hath been in the <HI>world,</HI> as <HI>Impri&s;onments, Bani&s;hments, VVhippings, cruel Tortures</HI> unto <HI>death,</HI> and <HI>grievous Affliction,</HI> hath been of the <HI>wicked one,</HI> through the <HI>Malice</HI> and <HI>Envy</HI> of the <HI>Devil,</HI> again&s;t <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>People</HI> in all <HI>Generations,</HI> even all that <HI>Per&s;ecution</HI> exerci&s;ed towards the <HI>Prophets</HI> of old, before the <HI>coming</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in the <HI>Fle&s;h,</HI> it would be too large to relate the <HI>particulars</HI> of it, as it is &s;ignified partly in the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> and chiefly in the <HI>Records</HI> of <HI>Tran&s;actions</HI> in <HI>their dayes;</HI> and I perceive it will ea&s;ily be acknowledged by <HI>all,</HI> that
<PB N="7" REF="7"> &s;uch <HI>cruel Per&s;ecutions</HI> were of the <HI>Devil.</HI> And again, in the days of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> how <HI>great</HI> was that <HI>force</HI> and <HI>impo|&s;ition</HI> by <HI>Per&s;ecution,</HI> practi&s;ed upon the <HI>true primitive Chri&s;tians,</HI> by the <HI>Jews</HI> and <HI>Heathens,</HI> even that <HI>Per&s;ecution</HI> which was <HI>inflicted</HI> upon <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and the <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> was <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> and <HI>force</HI> exerci&s;ed about <HI>Religion,</HI> though not &s;o much for <HI>compelling</HI> them to any thing, as from that way of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Truth</HI> in which they <HI>walked;</HI> they were <HI>commanded to preach no more in the Name of Je&s;us,</HI> and were <HI>impri&s;oned, bani&s;hed,</HI> and <HI>greatly afflicted</HI> by the <HI>Jews</HI> (that <HI>great profe&s;&s;ing people</HI>) for, and becau&s;e of their <HI>Religion;</HI> and this for the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> and <HI>&s;econd Ages:</HI> I need not mention the <HI>particu|lar proofs</HI> for <HI>this thing,</HI> 'tis &s;o clear throughout the <HI>Acts</HI> of the <HI>A|po&s;tles,</HI> and <HI>el&s;e-where,</HI> how the <HI>Primitive Chri&s;tians</HI> were <HI>forced</HI> and <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> upon by <HI>cruel Laws,</HI> and <HI>violent per&s;ecutions</HI> for their <HI>Chri|&s;tian Religion</HI> &s;ake; all which <HI>force</HI> and <HI>impo&s;ed per&s;ecutions,</HI> were of the <HI>Devil,</HI> out of his <HI>envy</HI> and <HI>malice rai&s;ed</HI> up, and <HI>begotten</HI> in the <HI>hearts</HI> of <HI>wicked men,</HI> again&s;t <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>elected People;</HI> and this will be acknowledged by <HI>all.</HI> But</P>
<P N="5">5. This <HI>way</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> upon <HI>people</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> and <HI>compelling</HI> them to <HI>conformity</HI> in <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> and <HI>all</HI> this <HI>per&s;ecution</HI> about the <HI>&s;ame,</HI> was never known in the <HI>world</HI> among&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> nor <HI>practi&s;ed</HI> by any called <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> till the <HI>Apo&s;ta&s;ie,</HI> and <HI>falling away</HI> from the <HI>true Faith,</HI> which &s;ome did in the <HI>dayes</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and many more <HI>afterwards;</HI> for even in the <HI>Apo&s;tles dayes</HI> &s;ome were <HI>gone out from them</HI> into the way of <HI>Cain</HI> that <HI>killed</HI> his <HI>Brother,</HI> and into the way of <HI>Balaam,</HI> that went for <HI>gifts</HI> and <HI>rewards;</HI> and the&s;e were <HI>Apo&s;tates</HI> from the <HI>true Church,</HI> and they were <HI>heady, high-minded men, proud, covetous, fal&s;e accu|&s;ers,</HI> and &s;uch like, as <HI>Paul</HI> to <HI>Timothy</HI> expre&s;&s;eth; &s;uch as the&s;e were already &s;prung up in the <HI>fir&s;t Age,</HI> and they <HI>grew</HI> more abun|dantly in the <HI>&s;econd Age;</HI> and the&s;e were the <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> which <HI>John</HI> &s;aw were <HI>gone out from the true Church,</HI> into the <HI>world,</HI> in <HI>his time;</HI> and the&s;e <HI>deceived</HI> the <HI>world</HI> by the <HI>form</HI> of <HI>godli|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>likene&s;s</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tianity,</HI> without the <HI>Power</HI> and <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> and the <HI>Apo&s;tates</HI> from the <HI>true Faith</HI> which were <HI>over|&s;pread</HI> in <HI>many Nations,</HI> and <HI>grown numerous,</HI> were the <HI>Sea</HI> and the <HI>Earth,</HI> out of which the <HI>Bea&s;ts</HI> aro&s;e, <HI>Rev.</HI> 13. <HI>And it was given to the Bea&s;t to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them, and they
<PB N="8" REF="8"> that dwell upon the Earth &s;hould wor&s;hip him; and he &s;hould</HI> CAUSE <HI>the Earth, and them that dwell therein, to wor&s;hip; and he &s;hould</HI> CAUSE <HI>as many as would not wor&s;hip the Bea&s;t and his Image, &s;hould be killed; and he &s;hould</HI> CAUSE <HI>all, both &s;mall and great, rich and poor, bond and free, to receive his Mark, &amp;c.</HI> And <HI>this Bea&s;t</HI> was the <HI>Autho|rity</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> that aro&s;e among the <HI>Apo&s;tates</HI> and the <HI>fal&s;e Pro|phets,</HI> that thus <HI>CAUSED</HI> and <HI>compelled</HI> all to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> the <HI>Bea&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Image;</HI> Mark how often the word <HI>CAUSED</HI> is u&s;ed in that <HI>Chapter,</HI> which is <HI>compelled</HI> or <HI>forced,</HI> and it was the <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> the <HI>Bea&s;t</HI> that did <HI>it,</HI> the <HI>Authority</HI> that aro&s;e among the <HI>Apo&s;tate Chri&s;tians</HI> that were gone from the <HI>true Church;</HI> and this was the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> that we read of any <HI>forcing</HI> or <HI>compelling</HI> to <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> or <HI>per&s;ecu|ting</HI> about <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> about the &s;ame, &s;ince the <HI>dayes</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> through <HI>Ages,</HI> among&s;t them called <HI>Chri&s;tians;</HI> and here was the <HI>beginning</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> and <HI>violent Laws,</HI> in the <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> among&s;t the <HI>People</HI> called <HI>Chri&s;ti|ans,</HI> and one <HI>Sect</HI> and <HI>&s;ort</HI> according to its <HI>Authority, impo&s;ed</HI> by <HI>Laws</HI> and <HI>force</HI> upon another, <HI>cau&s;ing,</HI> and <HI>compelling</HI> one another to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>believe</HI> according to <HI>his Form</HI> and <HI>Image;</HI> and as any <HI>Sect</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> hath gained <HI>outward Authority</HI> over others, <HI>that &s;ame</HI> hath <HI>cau&s;ed</HI> and <HI>forced</HI> all others by <HI>outward violence</HI> into <HI>con|formity</HI> to <HI>its</HI> own <HI>way</HI> and <HI>wor&s;hip;</HI> and this hath been among&s;t the <HI>People</HI> called <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> in the <HI>Apo&s;ta&s;ie,</HI> ever &s;ince <HI>Antichrist</HI> and <HI>his Power</HI> ro&s;e up among&s;t them; and <HI>thus,</HI> and at <HI>this time</HI> began <HI>fir&s;t</HI> the <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecuting</HI> about the <HI>&s;ame</HI> among&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tians:</HI> And thus 'tis manife&s;t to be of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and of the <HI>wicked one,</HI> and not of the <HI>Lord.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. By what is &s;aid, it is plain, That all in this <HI>pre&s;ent Age</HI> who <HI>impo&s;e</HI> by <HI>force</HI> of <HI>Laws,</HI> and <HI>compell</HI> to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecute</HI> about the <HI>&s;ame,</HI> are not in the <HI>example</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> or his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> or any the <HI>good Primitive Chri&s;tians,</HI> but in &s;o doing are in the <HI>example</HI> of the <HI>Per&s;ecutors</HI> of the <HI>Holy Prophets,</HI> and in the <HI>example</HI> of the <HI>cruel Jews</HI> that <HI>killed Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecuted</HI> the <HI>Saints;</HI> and in the <HI>example</HI> of the <HI>cruel Heathens,</HI> that <HI>violently per&s;ecuted</HI> the <HI>Chri|&s;tians</HI> in <HI>divers Ages</HI> and <HI>Countreys,</HI> and are indeed of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and of the <HI>Bea&s;t,</HI> that aro&s;e up again&s;t the <HI>Saints,</HI> and made <HI>war</HI> again&s;t <HI>them;</HI> and <HI>&s;uch</HI> are <HI>all</HI> they that do <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon the <HI>Per&s;ons, E&s;tates</HI> and <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> of <HI>men</HI> at <HI>this day,</HI> upon the account afore|&s;aid; and this is <HI>worthy</HI> of <HI>all</HI> mens <HI>&s;erious con&s;ideration.</HI> And now
<PB N="9" REF="8"> in the <HI>next place</HI> I &s;hall proceed to &s;hew how <HI>unrighteous</HI> and <HI>unrea|&s;onable</HI> it is for any called <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon the <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> of <HI>others,</HI> and to <HI>force</HI> them by <HI>Laws</HI> and <HI>Commandments</HI> in the <HI>matters of Wor&s;hip,</HI> and to <HI>per&s;ecute</HI> about the <HI>&s;ame.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. It is <HI>unrighteous,</HI> becau&s;e it is an <HI>intruding</HI> upon the <HI>Prerogative</HI> and <HI>Priviledge</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and &s;eems to be a <HI>derogating</HI> from <HI>His Honor Power</HI> and <HI>Dominion,</HI> which properly is in <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> and pertains to <HI>him alone,</HI> and not unto <HI>mortal man,</HI> which is to give <HI>Laws</HI> to <HI>Con|&s;cience,</HI> and to exerci&s;e it in all ca&s;es of <HI>Religion</HI> re&s;pecting <HI>his Wor|&s;hip, Duty</HI> and <HI>Service,</HI> and to <HI>per&s;wade</HI> mens <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> by his <HI>Spi|rit,</HI> to follow him, and ob&s;erve <HI>all things</HI> which he requires in <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip:</HI> This <HI>Power</HI> is onely proper to <HI>God</HI> alone, and to him pertaineth, and to no other: And therefore for any <HI>man,</HI> or <HI>earth|ly Powers</HI> of <HI>man,</HI> to give <HI>Laws</HI> and <HI>Rules</HI> to <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> and to <HI>im|po&s;e</HI> upon <HI>men</HI> in the <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>God's VVor&s;hip,</HI> forcing <HI>conformity</HI> in <HI>&s;piritual exerci&s;es,</HI> by <HI>violent commands,</HI> upon <HI>forfeitures</HI> and <HI>pun|i&s;hments,</HI> &s;eems to be, and <HI>really</HI> is, an <HI>a&s;&s;uming</HI> and <HI>pre&s;uming</HI> upon <HI>God</HI>'s <HI>Authority,</HI> which belongs onely to him, and tends to rob him of the &s;ame, and is an entrenching upon his <HI>Soveraignty,</HI> and and is wholly <HI>unrighteous,</HI> and ina&s;much as it is a &s;itting in the <HI>Seat</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and forcing the <HI>Exerci&s;e</HI> of <HI>VVor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>intruding</HI> upon his <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Priviledge,</HI> and a <HI>pre&s;uming</HI> into his <HI>Authority,</HI> which he commits to no <HI>man,</HI> a robbing him of his <HI>Honor</HI> and <HI>Spiritual Do|minion:</HI> Therefore to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> in <HI>matters Religious,</HI> is <HI>unrighteous</HI> on their parts that do practice it. And</P>
<P N="2">2. It is <HI>unrighteous</HI> becau&s;e it is <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>Command</HI> of <HI>God, Do ye to others as ye would be done unto;</HI> but this <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> in <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> is a <HI>practi&s;e</HI> done by <HI>others,</HI> which <HI>others</HI> would not be <HI>done unto by any,</HI> and therefore 'tis <HI>unrighteous;</HI> for no one <HI>Sect</HI> or <HI>&s;ort</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> would be <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> upon in that <HI>ca&s;e</HI> by any <HI>others,</HI> not <HI>forced</HI> and <HI>compelled</HI> by <HI>outward violence,</HI> again&s;t their <HI>judge|ments</HI> and <HI>Con&s;ciences,</HI> unto &s;uch a <HI>Conformity</HI> of <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> to do thus is not to <HI>love a man's neighbour as him&s;elf,</HI> nor <HI>to do to all men, as men would be done unto;</HI> for if at any time and place the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> (&s;o called) <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon the <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> (&s;o called) in this ca&s;e, of <HI>forcing</HI> them unto <HI>Conformity</HI> or <HI>per&s;ecuting</HI> them about <HI>Religion,</HI> 'tis cried out again&s;t by &s;uch as are &s;o <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> upon, to be <HI>tyranny, oppre&s;&s;ion,</HI> and <HI>exacting unrighteou&s;ly;</HI> and thus every Sect
<PB N="10" REF="9"> of Chri&s;tians cries out again&s;t others, that do <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon them by <HI>force,</HI> in things <HI>religious, contrary</HI> to their <HI>judgments</HI> and <HI>con&s;ci|ences,</HI> each &s;ort when they &s;uffer &s;aith of others, they are <HI>unrighte|ous</HI> in &s;uch <HI>impo&s;itions,</HI> though many cannot &s;ee it to be <HI>unrighte|ous</HI> in them&s;elves, when they have the <HI>opportunity</HI> to do it, and doth <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon others; but this is where <HI>&s;elf-advantage</HI> kills and choaks the <HI>witne&s;s of God,</HI> though however in it &s;elf <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> as a|fore&s;aid in <HI>religious matters,</HI> is <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>holy Law</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and a <HI>doing to others</HI> as men would not be <HI>done unto by others,</HI> and there|fore 'tis <HI>unrighteous,</HI> both before <HI>God</HI> and all <HI>ju&s;t men.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is <HI>unrighteous</HI> to <HI>impo&s;e wor&s;hip</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> becau&s;e it is an <HI>ex|erci&s;ing dominion</HI> over men's <HI>faith,</HI> by <HI>force</HI> of <HI>outward power,</HI> which the <HI>Apo&s;tle renounces,</HI> and &s;eems to <HI>forbid,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>They had not do|minion over mens Faith;</HI> and if the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> them&s;elves had not <HI>power</HI> or <HI>dominion</HI> over men's <HI>Faith,</HI> that is to &s;ay, to <HI>command mens faith</HI> to <HI>believe,</HI> or <HI>do this,</HI> or the <HI>other,</HI> but as the holy Spirit of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> per&s;waded their <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> inwardly; then no <HI>outward power</HI> of <HI>Kings</HI> or <HI>Rulers</HI> what&s;oever, can ju&s;tly or righteou&s;ly cha|lenge &s;uch priviledge as to have <HI>dominion</HI> over <HI>mens faith,</HI> by <HI>im|po&s;ing</HI> upon them through <HI>force,</HI> which is to take <HI>dominion</HI> over <HI>men's faith,</HI> which is <HI>unrighteous,</HI> becau&s;e it is <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>Scrip|ture,</HI> and to the <HI>example</HI> of the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul,</HI> ina&s;much as it is <HI>exer|ci&s;ing dominion</HI> and <HI>lord&s;hip</HI> over the <HI>flock</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and not <HI>leaving</HI> them to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> the true <HI>Shepherd,</HI> who onely ought to <HI>teach</HI> his <HI>peo|ple</HI> by his <HI>Spirit</HI> into <HI>all truth</HI> both of <HI>Doctrine, Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip;</HI> and hath not given <HI>power</HI> or <HI>authority</HI> to any <HI>Rulers</HI> of this <HI>world,</HI> to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> by <HI>force</HI> upon the <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> of his <HI>tender flock,</HI> nor to <HI>rule</HI> them in lordly <HI>dominion,</HI> exerci&s;ing <HI>outward force</HI> upon them; but who&s;oever doth <HI>this,</HI> it is <HI>unrighteous.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. It is <HI>unrighteous,</HI> in re&s;pect of the <HI>fruits</HI> and <HI>effects</HI> which al|ways <HI>have,</HI> and ever will <HI>be produced</HI> by &s;uch <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> upon <HI>con&s;ci|ence</HI> in <HI>religious matters</HI> as afore&s;aid, (to wit) <HI>per&s;ecution</HI> and <HI>cruelty</HI> of men <HI>exerci&s;ed</HI> in that <HI>ca&s;e,</HI> which ever <HI>hath been,</HI> and <HI>will be</HI> brought forth in <HI>Nations</HI> and <HI>Kingdoms</HI> where &s;uch <HI>impo&s;itions</HI> are; for if we look into Ages pa&s;t, what <HI>&s;trife</HI> and <HI>contention,</HI> what <HI>en|mity</HI> and <HI>bitterne&s;s,</HI> what <HI>warrs</HI> and <HI>blood&s;heds,</HI> what <HI>dangers</HI> and <HI>mi&s;|chiefs,</HI> what <HI>per&s;ecutions</HI> and <HI>cruelties</HI> have been brought forth a|mong men between <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Kingdom,</HI> between <HI>City</HI> and <HI>City,</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="9"> yea between <HI>Kings</HI> and their <HI>Subjects,</HI> between <HI>neighbour</HI> and <HI>neigh|bour,</HI> between <HI>brother</HI> and <HI>brother,</HI> upon this very <HI>unrighteous occa|&s;ion</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> upon <HI>con&s;cience</HI> by <HI>force</HI> in re&s;pect of <HI>Wor&s;hip;</HI> and every <HI>Nation</HI> and <HI>City</HI> at this <HI>day,</HI> is in the &s;ame <HI>danger</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>mi&s;chiefs,</HI> where &s;uch <HI>impo&s;itions</HI> are in <HI>force;</HI> and therefore needs mu&s;t the <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> of the&s;e &s;o <HI>unju&s;t</HI> and <HI>unrighteous effects,</HI> which doth admini&s;ter the <HI>rea&s;on</HI> of &s;uch <HI>contentions, warrs, per&s;ecutions</HI> and <HI>cru|elties,</HI> be <HI>unrighteous,</HI> and &s;uch is <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> in <HI>matters religious</HI> as a|fore&s;aid: and this is partly <HI>manife&s;t,</HI> and will be more and more through the world, That that <HI>Kingdom, City</HI> and <HI>Country,</HI> will not be <HI>free</HI> from the&s;e <HI>dangers</HI> and <HI>mi&s;chiefs,</HI> but will always be <HI>liable</HI> unto them, while this kind of <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> by <HI>force</HI> on the <HI>con&s;cience</HI> is <HI>unremoved;</HI> and that which is the occa&s;ion of &s;uch continual <HI>pre|&s;ent dangers,</HI> to de&s;troy <HI>Kingdoms, Cities</HI> and <HI>People,</HI> is <HI>unrighteous;</HI> and &s;uch is <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> in the <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Religion.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. It is <HI>unrighteous</HI> in any <HI>King, Prince,</HI> or <HI>Authority</HI> of this world to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> as afore&s;aid, becau&s;e it diverts, confounds and de|&s;troys the end of <HI>ju&s;t rule</HI> and <HI>government</HI> among&s;t men one over another, which is onely to <HI>rule well</HI> in <HI>outward affairs,</HI> and over the <HI>outward man,</HI> to keep that in <HI>peace</HI> and <HI>good order,</HI> and to be a <HI>prai&s;e</HI> to them that <HI>do well,</HI> and a <HI>terror</HI> to all that <HI>do evil</HI> in their <HI>outward man,</HI> this is the onely <HI>end</HI> of <HI>Government</HI> and <HI>rule</HI> among men in this world, to <HI>rule well</HI> over the <HI>outward man</HI> in things between man and man; but not to <HI>rule over mens con&s;ciences,</HI> and to <HI>exer|ci&s;e lord&s;hip</HI> over men in the <HI>&s;piritual matters</HI> of <HI>Christs Kingdom,</HI> this pertains not to the <HI>outward worldly government</HI> of men; and therefore who&s;oever do take it upon them, and thereby do <HI>oppre&s;s</HI> the <HI>con&s;cience</HI> of any, by <HI>forcing</HI> in <HI>&s;piritual matters,</HI> doth <HI>un|righteou&s;ly,</HI> ina&s;much as they do <HI>divert</HI> the end of their <HI>Authority,</HI> and u&s;e their <HI>power</HI> to another <HI>end</HI> then <HI>God</HI> hath appointed them; and while they &s;hould onely <HI>pre&s;erve</HI> and <HI>defend</HI> the <HI>outward man</HI> by good and whole&s;om Laws made for that purpo&s;e, they <HI>vex</HI> and <HI>oppre&s;s</HI> the <HI>inward man,</HI> even the <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> by <HI>forcing</HI> upon it, and <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> through <HI>violence</HI> in the <HI>matters religious,</HI> which is contrary to the <HI>end</HI> of <HI>just rule</HI> and <HI>government</HI> in the world, and therefore is wholly <HI>unrighteous.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. It is <HI>unrighteous,</HI> becau&s;e it <HI>effects</HI> no <HI>good end,</HI> nor <HI>begets-people</HI> into the true <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> of <HI>God;</HI> but on the contrary makes
<PB N="12" REF="10"> many <HI>Hypocrites,</HI> even through <HI>fear</HI> and <HI>terror;</HI> &s;uch <HI>Laws</HI> forcing <HI>Conformity,</HI> do make many <HI>hypocritically conform</HI> to &s;uch or &s;uch way of <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> which the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> doth not per&s;wade their <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> of the <HI>truth</HI> of; nay it may be <HI>again&s;t</HI> their <HI>Con&s;cience;</HI> and that (<HI>Impo&s;ition</HI> as afore&s;aid) which is the <HI>cau&s;e</HI> of this, is &s;ure|ly <HI>Unrighteous; unrighteous,</HI> becau&s;e the <HI>End</HI> propounded by the <HI>Impo&s;ers</HI> (which is, <HI>to make people true Wor&s;hippers of God</HI>) is utterly <HI>fru&s;trate</HI> and <HI>void;</HI> and none are made <HI>true Wor&s;hippers</HI> of <HI>God</HI> by &s;uch <HI>Impo&s;ition</HI> and <HI>Force,</HI> but many are made <HI>Hypocrites</HI> thereby, and <HI>&s;inners</HI> again&s;t <HI>God;</HI> for what any performs to <HI>God-wards</HI> by <HI>Force,</HI> and not of <HI>Faith</HI> (given into the <HI>heart</HI> by <HI>God</HI>) it is <HI>&s;in; For what&s;oever is not of Faith, is &s;in,</HI> as &s;aith the Scripture; and that which is the occa&s;ion of <HI>hypocri&s;ie</HI> and <HI>&s;in,</HI> is <HI>unrighteous,</HI> and <HI>temptation;</HI> but &s;uch is <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> on <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> by <HI>force</HI> in <HI>matters religious.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. It is <HI>unrighteous</HI> and <HI>unrea&s;onable</HI> to <HI>impo&s;e</HI> by <HI>force</HI> upon <HI>Con|&s;cience,</HI> becau&s;e it is the occa&s;ion of ab&s;olute extremity put upon many that are <HI>dear</HI> and <HI>precious</HI> to the <HI>Lord,</HI> even &s;uch an <HI>extremity</HI> as may <HI>force</HI> (unavoidably) the <HI>ruine</HI> of either <HI>Soul</HI> or <HI>Body</HI> (or both) in <HI>this world</HI> and hereafter. For, &s;uppo&s;e &s;uch <HI>Laws</HI> be made for the <HI>forcing</HI> of <HI>conformity</HI> to <HI>command</HI> men to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> upon the <HI>forfeiture</HI> of <HI>whole E&s;tate, Bani&s;hment</HI> or <HI>Death,</HI> which is <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>good Con&s;cience:</HI> And if &s;uch <HI>Laws</HI> be not obeyed, and &s;uch <HI>Conformity</HI> made, but the <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> kept clear to <HI>God,</HI> then the <HI>outward man</HI> in his <HI>Per&s;on, E&s;tate</HI> and <HI>Family,</HI> is ruined in <HI>this world;</HI> and if &s;uch <HI>Laws</HI> be obeyed, and &s;uch <HI>Confor|mity</HI> yeilded, contrary to <HI>good Con&s;cience;</HI> then the <HI>inward man</HI> is ruined, and the <HI>Soul</HI> and <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> wounded and grieved, becau&s;e <HI>God</HI> is <HI>offended,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is <HI>denied,</HI> and the <HI>Law</HI> of men obeyed, rather then the <HI>Law</HI> of <HI>God;</HI> and this is by an <HI>Extremity,</HI> occa&s;ion|ed through <HI>impo&s;ed force</HI> in the <HI>ca&s;es</HI> of <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> by <HI>Authority</HI> and <HI>Laws</HI> of <HI>men:</HI> And that which is the occa&s;ion of &s;uch <HI>ruine</HI> and <HI>de|&s;truction</HI> to the <HI>Souls</HI> and <HI>Bodies</HI> of &s;uch as <HI>fear</HI> the <HI>Lord,</HI> is an <HI>unrigh|teous thing,</HI> which admini&s;ters that <HI>woful extremity,</HI> To <HI>deny God,</HI> and &s;o to be liable to his <HI>Wrath</HI> and <HI>Judgements;</HI> or to deny the <HI>Au|thority</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> and &s;o to be liable to <HI>de&s;truction</HI> of <HI>Per&s;on</HI> and <HI>E&s;tate</HI> in <HI>this world;</HI> and &s;uch is <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. It is <HI>unrighteous</HI> and <HI>unrea&s;onable,</HI> becau&s;e it may <HI>de&s;troy</HI> the <HI>faith</HI> of &s;ome, even of <HI>&s;uch</HI> upon whom <HI>Impo&s;ition</HI> is laid, again&s;t
<PB N="13" REF="10"> their pure <HI>Con&s;ciences:</HI> For &s;uppo&s;e a <HI>Per&s;on</HI> (or <HI>People</HI>) being <HI>truly</HI> per&s;waded by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in the true way of <HI>Religion</HI> &amp; <HI>Wor|&s;hip</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> having therein true Peace with <HI>God</HI> in a <HI>clean con&s;cience,</HI> and by <HI>force</HI> of <HI>Law,</HI> and through <HI>cruel impo&s;ition,</HI> &s;hould be <HI>forced</HI> from that way of <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> which they have had peace with <HI>God</HI> in, and which the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> per&s;waded them of the truth of, un|to &s;uch a way of <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> which they could not have peace with <HI>God</HI> in, nor the <HI>comfort</HI> of his <HI>Pre&s;ence</HI> in &s;uch <HI>conformity</HI> forced upon them; this were certainly <HI>unrighteous</HI> and <HI>unrea&s;onable,</HI> that a peo|ple (or a per&s;on) &s;hould be forced by <HI>laws</HI> from that way wherein they have <HI>Peace</HI> and <HI>Ble&s;&s;ings</HI> with <HI>God,</HI> to that way wherein their <HI>&s;ouls</HI> are fami&s;hed for want of the <HI>Pre&s;ence</HI> of the <HI>Lord:</HI> Like as if a per&s;on of &s;uch a <HI>Calling,</HI> following the &s;ame in a certain <HI>City</HI> or <HI>Town,</HI> whereby he <HI>maintained</HI> him&s;elf in <HI>all</HI> good things, and want|ed <HI>nothing;</HI> and yet the chief <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> of the &s;aid <HI>City</HI> or <HI>Town,</HI> &s;hould <HI>forcibly compel</HI> (by <HI>violence</HI>) the &s;aid per&s;on of &s;o good a <HI>Calling,</HI> from that his <HI>Calling,</HI> (whereby he &s;o well maintained him|&s;elf in the World) and &s;hould <HI>force</HI> upon him to follow another <HI>calling,</HI> of which he could not <HI>live</HI> in the World, but by it he might <HI>peri&s;h</HI> and <HI>&s;tarve;</HI> Would not all <HI>rea&s;onable men</HI> conclude, the &s;ame <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> of the &s;aid <HI>Magi&s;tratee</HI> upon the &s;aid <HI>poor man,</HI> were <HI>Op|pre&s;&s;ion, Cruelty, Unrighteous</HI> and <HI>Unrea&s;onable:</HI> And the ca&s;e of <HI>im|po&s;ing Religion,</HI> as afore&s;aid, is the greater <HI>oppre&s;&s;ion</HI> and <HI>cruelty,</HI> in|a&s;much as it re&s;pects the <HI>immortal Soul,</HI> which is more worth then the <HI>Body;</HI> and the other re&s;pects but the <HI>Body,</HI> which is of le&s;s worth (with all that concerns it) then is the <HI>Soul,</HI> which is <HI>immortal.</HI></P>
<P>La&s;tly, 'Tis <HI>unrighteous</HI> ina&s;much as it is <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>Scriptures</HI> (of the <HI>New-Te&s;tament</HI> in the <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation</HI> of the <HI>Gospel</HI>) which are before-cited, and <HI>contrary</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> Example in the <HI>Primitive Churches of Chri&s;tians;</HI> and thus it is manife&s;t, That <HI>impo|&s;ing</HI> by <HI>force</HI> upon <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> in <HI>Religious Matters,</HI> is <HI>unrighteous</HI> and <HI>unrea&s;onable,</HI> and is not of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> but of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> as by <HI>plain Rea&s;ons</HI> is demon&s;trated. And now I &s;hall in a <HI>few words</HI> &s;hew the <HI>danger</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing VVor&s;hip</HI> as afore&s;aid; and how <HI>dangerous</HI> it is to any <HI>King, Prince,</HI> or <HI>outward Authority,</HI> that are or may be the <HI>im|po&s;ers</HI> on the <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> of men by <HI>force</HI> in the <HI>ca&s;e</HI> of <HI>VVor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Religion.</HI></P>
<P N="1"><PB N="14" REF="11">1. It is <HI>dangerous</HI> to <HI>cau&s;e</HI> the <HI>People</HI> to <HI>&s;in,</HI> to <HI>cau&s;e</HI> them to <HI>conform</HI> in <HI>appearance,</HI> when the <HI>heart</HI> is not <HI>devout</HI> to <HI>God;</HI> and <HI>this</HI> makes them <HI>Hypocrites: Dangerous</HI> to <HI>cau&s;e</HI> people to <HI>perform Duty</HI> to <HI>God wards,</HI> without <HI>Faith</HI> in <HI>God;</HI> and this <HI>makes</HI> them <HI>&s;inners</HI> again&s;t him, <HI>for what&s;oever is not of Faith, is &s;in: Dangerous</HI> to <HI>cau&s;e</HI> &s;ome to deny <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> before <HI>men</HI> for the <HI>fear</HI> of <HI>this world,</HI> and the <HI>terrors</HI> of <HI>violent men,</HI> and to <HI>for&s;ake</HI> that <HI>way</HI> which they know is of the <HI>Lord,</HI> and to <HI>follow</HI> that <HI>way</HI> which they <HI>know</HI> is not of him; and <HI>this</HI> is <HI>denying the Lord of Life,</HI> and a great <HI>abomination</HI> again&s;t him; and the <HI>cau&s;e</HI> of <HI>all</HI> this is, <HI>Impo&s;ing</HI> by <HI>force</HI> upon <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> in <HI>matters Religious;</HI> and the <HI>rea&s;on</HI> of that <HI>cau&s;e</HI> is the <HI>Impo&s;ers,</HI> &s;uch as <HI>make</HI> and <HI>execute</HI> &s;uch <HI>force;</HI> and this <HI>danger</HI> all &s;uch are <HI>involved in,</HI> even the <HI>danger</HI> of <HI>cau&s;ing</HI> people to <HI>&s;in</HI> again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> of <HI>denying Christ,</HI> of <HI>making Hypocrites,</HI> and &s;o even in the <HI>danger</HI> of <HI>destroying &s;ouls,</HI> which is a <HI>desperate danger:</HI> Oh that all the <HI>Impo&s;ers</HI> of <HI>Religion</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> would <HI>con&s;ider it,</HI> and look upon the <HI>danger</HI> which they are deeply <HI>fallen</HI> into, and involved in, by rea&s;on of <HI>&s;uch</HI> their <HI>impo|&s;ing</HI> upon <HI>Con&s;cience;</HI> alas, they are in the <HI>danger</HI> of <HI>destroying &s;ouls,</HI> of <HI>cau&s;ing</HI> a <HI>Nation</HI> and a <HI>People</HI> to <HI>&s;in</HI> again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and to <HI>deny the Lord of Life:</HI> And how <HI>great</HI> is <HI>&s;uch</HI> a <HI>danger</HI> even to be avoided of <HI>all,</HI> if they love their <HI>own &s;ouls,</HI> and not to be the <HI>occa&s;ions</HI> and <HI>cau&s;e</HI> of de&s;troying <HI>&s;ouls</HI> by <HI>cau&s;ing</HI> people to <HI>&s;in;</HI> and this danger <HI>all</HI> the <HI>Impo&s;ers</HI> upon <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> are captivated in. And</P>
<P N="2">2. It is <HI>dangerous</HI> to be a <HI>means</HI> to <HI>de&s;troy</HI> that <HI>Kingdom, City</HI> or <HI>Countrey,</HI> and the <HI>Rulers</HI> therof, by <HI>begetting</HI> and <HI>nouri&s;hing Di&s;con|tents, Heart-burnings</HI> and <HI>Envying</HI> among the <HI>People</HI> one again&s;t another, and again&s;t their <HI>Rulers,</HI> becau&s;e of &s;uch <HI>unrighteous Force</HI> and <HI>Violence</HI> exerci&s;ed by <HI>impo&s;ition</HI> upon their <HI>Con&s;ciences: Dangerous</HI> I &s;ay, to rai&s;e into <HI>Contentions, Strifes, Broyles</HI> and <HI>Blood|&s;hed</HI> it &s;elf, in a <HI>Kingdom</HI> among&s;t <HI>People.</HI> And this is a <HI>danger</HI> vio|lently impending upon &s;uch <HI>Rulers</HI> as do <HI>impo&s;e</HI> as afore&s;aid; even a <HI>danger</HI> to <HI>ruine</HI> their own <HI>Power</HI> and <HI>Authority,</HI> and to <HI>ruine</HI> the People under their <HI>Dominion,</HI> by rai&s;ing the People into <HI>di&s;|contents</HI> and <HI>broiles,</HI> through the <HI>cruelty</HI> of the <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>impo|&s;ing Religion,</HI> and the <HI>Example</HI> hereof may be read in <HI>Nations</HI> and <HI>Countreys</HI> at <HI>this day:</HI> What <HI>di&s;contents</HI> and <HI>contentions</HI> have ari&s;en <HI>dangerou&s;ly</HI> among People one towards another, and to|wards their <HI>Rulers,</HI> upon <HI>this Cau&s;e</HI> and <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing Reli|gion</HI>
<PB N="15" REF="11"> by <HI>force unrighteou&s;ly;</HI> and 'tis a <HI>danger</HI> this day, that all the <HI>Rulers</HI> of the <HI>World</HI> are <HI>expo&s;ed</HI> unto, and deeply <HI>involved</HI> in, where this <HI>Cau&s;e</HI> of <HI>impo&s;ing Religion</HI> is extant in <HI>force.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is <HI>dangerous</HI> to <HI>impo&s;e Religion</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> becau&s;e it mu&s;t needs produce <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ion, Per&s;ecution, Violence</HI> and <HI>Hatred,</HI> in the pro&s;ecution thereof; and this is <HI>dangerous</HI> to any <HI>Kings, Rulers,</HI> or <HI>Governors,</HI> to be reputed <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ors, Per&s;ecutors,</HI> and <HI>violent men;</HI> this is <HI>infamous,</HI> and of <HI>bad report</HI> among&s;t men, and <HI>abomination</HI> and <HI>wickedne&s;&s;e</HI> in the <HI>&s;ight</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> for any <HI>Rulers</HI> upon-<HI>Earth</HI> to be <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ors, Per&s;ecutors</HI> and <HI>cruel men;</HI> and &s;uch con&s;equently mu&s;t they be that are <HI>impo&s;ers</HI> upon mens <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> in <HI>Matters Religious:</HI> And this <HI>danger</HI> all the <HI>Rulers</HI> of the <HI>World</HI> are in, that do <HI>impo&s;e Religion</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> even to render them&s;elves <HI>infamous</HI> by <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ion,</HI> in the <HI>&s;ight</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> and to render them&s;elves <HI>&s;in|ners</HI> again&s;t <HI>God;</HI> and this <HI>danger</HI> falls upon the <HI>Impo&s;ers</HI> of <HI>Reli|gion,</HI> becau&s;e of &s;uch their <HI>Impo&s;itions</HI> by <HI>Force</HI> upon the <HI>Con&s;cien|ces</HI> of men.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, 'Tis <HI>dangerous</HI> becau&s;e 'tis of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and not of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> as before proved; and all that do <HI>impo&s;e</HI> by <HI>violence</HI> on the the <HI>Con&s;ceences</HI> of <HI>men</HI> in <HI>Religious Ca&s;es,</HI> are of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in &s;o doing, and becau&s;e thereof, liable to <HI>God's indignation</HI> and <HI>heavy wrath</HI> in <HI>this world,</HI> and <HI>hereafter;</HI> and 'tis <HI>dangerous</HI> to bring the <HI>Wrath</HI> and <HI>Judgements</HI> of <HI>God</HI> upon men that are guilty thereof for <HI>God</HI> will be <HI>avenged</HI> upon &s;uch his <HI>Enemies</HI> that exerci&s;e <HI>Vio|lence</HI> and <HI>Per&s;ecution</HI> upon men for their <HI>Con&s;cience-&s;ake:</HI> And <HI>This</HI> is a <HI>danger</HI> unavoidable, which all that <HI>impo&s;e Religion</HI> are liable unto, even to be <HI>cut off</HI> in the <HI>wrath</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> and to undergo his <HI>Indignation</HI> for all the <HI>rea&s;ons</HI> before-&s;hewed.</P>
<P><HI>The&s;e,</HI> with many other <HI>dangers</HI> are they involved in, that are <HI>impo&s;ers</HI> in <HI>religious matters:</HI> Therefore, Oh that the <HI>Rulers</HI> of <HI>this world</HI> would be <HI>wi&s;e</HI> now in their <HI>la&s;t day,</HI> and would <HI>con&s;ider</HI> the <HI>unju&s;tne&s;s</HI> and <HI>unrea&s;onablene&s;s</HI> of their <HI>impo&s;ing Religion,</HI> and the <HI>many dangers</HI> that attends the &s;ame. Oh that they would learn <HI>God's Coun&s;el,</HI> and <HI>rule</HI> only for him in <HI>Ju&s;tice, Mercy, Truth, Equity</HI> and true <HI>Judgement,</HI> exerci&s;ing the &s;ame in the <HI>meek</HI> and <HI>lowly &s;pirit</HI> of <HI>Je&s;us,</HI> among men, and over whom they are &s;et to <HI>rule</HI> in <HI>this world,</HI> and would give to <HI>God Almighty</HI> his <HI>Due,</HI> and <HI>Right,</HI> and <HI>Priviledge,</HI> in exerci&s;ing the <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> of <HI>men</HI> by his
<PB N="16" REF="12"> <HI>Spirit,</HI> in all <HI>ca&s;es</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t's Kingdom;</HI> for it <HI>onely</HI> belongs to Him to be <HI>Ruler</HI> in the <HI>inward man.</HI> Oh that the <HI>Rulers</HI> of <HI>this world</HI> would give this <HI>Power</HI> and <HI>Dominion</HI> unto <HI>God,</HI> and would from henceforth never more exerci&s;e. <HI>Lord&s;hip</HI> over <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> by <HI>im|po&s;ing Religion</HI> through <HI>force,</HI> but would onely <HI>rule well</HI> over the <HI>outward man</HI> in the things pertaining to man, and would leave to <HI>God</HI> the <HI>rule</HI> and exerci&s;e of <HI>Con&s;cience;</HI> Oh! then would it go well with them, and <HI>happy</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;ed</HI> &s;hould they be in &s;uch their <HI>Authority,</HI> and <HI>peace</HI> &s;hould be unto them, if that they onely took the <HI>Government,</HI> (as appointed of <HI>God</HI>) over the <HI>out|ward man,</HI> and did not <HI>impo&s;e</HI> upon the <HI>inward man</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> in <HI>re|ligious matters,</HI> but committed that <HI>Authority</HI> to <HI>God:</HI> Then I &s;ay, &s;hould <HI>peace</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;ings</HI> be unto them: But while it is other|wi&s;e, even while they exerci&s;e <HI>Dominion</HI> and <HI>Lord&s;hip</HI> over <HI>Con|&s;cience,</HI> as afore&s;aid, they do <HI>unju&s;tly</HI> and <HI>unrea&s;onably,</HI> and brings upon them&s;elves <HI>many dangers,</HI> and are liable to <HI>contentions, op|po&s;itions, wars</HI> and <HI>many mi&s;chiefs</HI> in <HI>this world,</HI> and to the <HI>anger</HI> and <HI>wrath of God</HI> in the <HI>world</HI> that is to come.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD><HI>CHAP. II.</HI> Concerning <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> the Ca&s;e &s;tated. What it is in it &s;elf, and who a <HI>Heretick</HI> is, and who are the ab&s;olute true Judges of it, and what puni&s;hment pertains to &s;uch as are truly convicted of <HI>Here&s;ie.</HI></HEAD>
<P N="1">1. THere is &s;uch a thing as <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> in it &s;elf, even <HI>many Here&s;ies</HI> &amp; <HI>Errors</HI> abounding among the &s;ons of men in the world at this day; and there was <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> in the dayes of the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and among&s;t them, brought in by &s;uch as erred from the <HI>truth,</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="12"> after they had once known the <HI>Truth,</HI> and received it; as ye may read, the <HI>Jews</HI> they cried out of <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> in their time, which cau&s;ed the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> to &s;ay to them, Acts 24.14. <HI>After that way which ye call Here&s;ie, do we wor&s;hip the true God of our Fathers.</HI> And the Apo&s;tle &s;aid (1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11.) to the Church, <HI>There mu&s;t be al&s;o Here&s;ies among&s;t you, that they that are approved of God, may be made manife&s;t.</HI> And (2 Pet. 2.1.) it is &s;poken of &s;ome who &s;hould <HI>privi|ly bring in damnable Here&s;ies</HI> into the Church: By all which it is manife&s;t, there was in the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> dayes <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ies,</HI> as there is at this day, even many <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> and <HI>Errors</HI> in the world, held, profe&s;&s;ed, and maintained by the <HI>Apo&s;tate Chri&s;tians</HI> that are gone into the <HI>form of godline&s;s,</HI> without the <HI>power,</HI> and are turned from the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and the &s;oundne&s;s of his <HI>Do|ctrine,</HI> into the formal profe&s;&s;ion of <HI>Religion,</HI> and of the words of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and among &s;uch are the <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> and <HI>Errors.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> is &s;omewhat believed and profe&s;&s;ed in practice of Wor&s;hip, and in point of <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>Doctrine,</HI> that is either <HI>con|trary</HI> to, or <HI>different</HI> from the perfect <HI>Truth</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> &s;omething (I &s;ay) held and practi&s;ed in point of <HI>Wor|&s;hip, Faith</HI> and <HI>Doctrine,</HI> which is not ju&s;tly according to the <HI>pure Truth</HI> of <HI>Je&s;us,</HI> but either in <HI>whole,</HI> or in <HI>part, different</HI> from, and <HI>contrary</HI> thereunto; and what&s;oever practice of <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> or point of <HI>Doctrine,</HI> as is &s;o held, profe&s;&s;ed, believed or practi&s;ed, is <HI>He|re&s;ie</HI> and <HI>Error,</HI> becau&s;e it is <HI>different</HI> from, and <HI>contrary</HI> to (in <HI>whole</HI> or in <HI>part</HI>) the perfect <HI>Truth</HI> of the <HI>Gospel</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> and becau&s;e thereof it is <HI>Here&s;ie;</HI> and &s;uch is <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> in it &s;elf, <HI>different</HI> from, and contrary unto the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> of the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> though as for the particular parts and points of <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> in <HI>Wor&s;hip, Doctrine</HI> and <HI>Practice,</HI> which are at this day held, pro|fe&s;&s;ed and believed among <HI>Apo&s;tate Chri&s;tians,</HI> are &s;o very many, that they would be too large here to ennumerate; but my pre|&s;ent intention is onely this, To &s;hew at large what <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> is in it &s;elf, and who is a <HI>Heretick.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. A <HI>Heretick</HI> (one that is properly &s;o) is &s;uch a per&s;on as hath &s;ometime believed in the <HI>Truth,</HI> and made profe&s;&s;ion and acknowledgement of the way of <HI>true Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and hath re|ceived and held the <HI>true Faith</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and been
<PB N="18" REF="13"> in &s;ome mea&s;ure united to <HI>Christ,</HI> and a <HI>Member</HI> of his <HI>Church,</HI> but is <HI>fallen</HI> and <HI>degenerated</HI> in <HI>whole,</HI> or in <HI>part,</HI> from the &s;aid <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>acknowledgement</HI> of <HI>Christ Je&s;us,</HI> and the way of <HI>Christiani|ty,</HI> and hath erred from the truth of the <HI>Gospel</HI> once believed and received, and &s;o is divided (in <HI>whole</HI> or in <HI>part</HI>) from the true Church of <HI>Je&s;us Christ,</HI> and from being a <HI>Member</HI> of the &s;ame; and not onely &s;o, but hath received al&s;o, and doth hold &s;ome fal&s;e <HI>Principles, Opinions</HI> and <HI>Practi&s;es,</HI> either <HI>different</HI> from, or <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>truth</HI> of the <HI>Gospel</HI> before <HI>believed</HI> in, <HI>known</HI> and <HI>profe&s;&s;ed;</HI> &s;uch a man is a <HI>Heretick,</HI> (though <HI>generally,</HI> yet) <HI>truly</HI> de&s;cribed: Not &s;uch as are <HI>Heathens</HI> unconverted, who never believed yet in the <HI>Gospel,</HI> &s;uch who have alwayes re&s;i&s;ted the <HI>Truth,</HI> and never yet were convinced of the way of the <HI>Lord,</HI> nor ever ta&s;ted of his <HI>Word</HI> and <HI>Power,</HI> but have always been &s;trangers to the <HI>I&s;rael</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and Enemies to the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Christ;</HI> &s;uch are not properly cal|led <HI>Hereticks,</HI> though they do err in <HI>mind, heart</HI> and <HI>practice;</HI> but &s;uch onely as have believed in <HI>Christ,</HI> and profe&s;&s;ed his <HI>Truth,</HI> and been of the <HI>Church,</HI> and yet are fallen away from the <HI>perfect truth,</HI> into &s;ome fal&s;e <HI>principles</HI> and <HI>practices,</HI> and are become <HI>un&s;ound</HI> in <HI>Judgement,</HI> and <HI>erroneous</HI> in their <HI>Understandings,</HI> and have for&s;aken the way of <HI>Truth</HI> (in whole, or in part) and are corrupted, and lo&s;t their <HI>Love</HI> to <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>wayes,</HI> and are ob&s;tinate, and har|dened again&s;t the <HI>Truth</HI> (which once they believed) and with <HI>fal&s;e Doctrines, Principles</HI> and <HI>Practices,</HI> do gain-&s;ay and oppo&s;e the <HI>Truth,</HI> and them that are &s;teadfa&s;t in it: The&s;e are <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and truly &s;o called; Men that have erred from the <HI>Faith,</HI> that have made &s;hip-wrack of it, and of a <HI>good con&s;cience,</HI> that are turned again&s;t the <HI>Lord</HI> and his People, and gain-&s;ay the <HI>Truth</HI> that once them&s;elves have believed &amp; profe&s;&s;ed: The&s;e are <HI>erroneous men,</HI> and <HI>Hereticks,</HI> &amp; &s;uch <HI>Hereticks</HI> there were in the <HI>Church,</HI> &amp; among the <HI>Corinthians;</HI> and there were &s;uch who did <HI>creep</HI> into the Church, and privily brought in <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> among&s;t them, as before is proved; And the&s;e <HI>Hereticks</HI> were &s;uch as had once been among&s;t the <HI>true mem|bers</HI> of the <HI>true Church,</HI> and been convinced of the true <HI>Je&s;us,</HI> and had &s;ometimes walked with them, but were departed from them, and had for&s;aken the <HI>Truth,</HI> and received fal&s;e Principles and Opi|nions, and therefore they were truly nominated <HI>Hereticks;</HI> and all &s;uch at this day are truly &s;o called: And this is the De&s;cription in general, of a <HI>Heretick.</HI></P>
<P N="4"><PB N="19" REF="13">4. Now I come to declare who are the <HI>true Judges</HI> of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> and <HI>Hereticks:</HI> Not every man can judge in this ca&s;e in his own <HI>thoughts, imaginations</HI> and <HI>&s;uppo&s;itions,</HI> who are <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and who are guilty of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> though it hath been the practice for many generations among&s;t the <HI>Apo&s;tate Chri&s;tians</HI> to reproach, traduce and accu&s;e one another to be <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and each &s;ort and &s;ect of <HI>fal&s;e Chri&s;tians,</HI> to judge, cen&s;ure and condemn others that are not of their <HI>Judgement</HI> and <HI>Opinion,</HI> but <HI>different</HI> from them, to be <HI>He|reticks</HI> and <HI>Erroneous;</HI> and this hath been u&s;ual among many; but this is not the <HI>true Judgement,</HI> nor the way to try and judge truly who <HI>Hereticks</HI> are, by one <HI>&s;ect</HI> and <HI>&s;ort</HI> &s;landering and and accu&s;ing others to be &s;uch, becau&s;e they have not <HI>conformed</HI> to their Way and Principles, but been different from them; <HI>true Judgement</HI> hath not been brought forth in <HI>this ca&s;e,</HI> on <HI>this wi&s;e,</HI> but rather <HI>Envy</HI> and <HI>Enmity</HI> hath judged, and <HI>men's thoughts, imaginations</HI> and <HI>jea|lou&s;ies</HI> hath <HI>fal&s;ly judged</HI> in <HI>this matter,</HI> and no <HI>&s;ound judgement</HI> de|termined who have been <HI>Hereticks;</HI> for men have judged of one another by their <HI>private jealou&s;ies</HI> and <HI>evil conceivings,</HI> and cen&s;u|&s;ured one another to be <HI>Hereticks,</HI> without the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>&s;ound di&s;|cerning,</HI> and <HI>ju&s;t Judgement;</HI> and all that <HI>Judgement</HI> brought forth in that <HI>ca&s;e,</HI> without the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> which is onely <HI>true Di&s;cerner</HI> and <HI>Judge</HI> in the matter, hath been <HI>fal&s;e Judge|ment,</HI> and men hath judged one another <HI>fal&s;ly</HI> upon <HI>envy</HI> and <HI>evil &s;uppo&s;itions,</HI> and without the <HI>Spirit</HI> of the <HI>Lord;</HI> and it hath often happened by rea&s;on hereof, That &s;uch <HI>&s;o judged</HI> for <HI>Hereticks</HI> have been more righteous, and more in the truth, then they that have <HI>&s;o judged</HI> them; and the <HI>Judges</HI> have been more out of the truth, and more <HI>Hereticks</HI> them&s;elves, then they whom they have <HI>fal&s;ly judged:</HI> And this might be made appear through &s;everal <HI>Times</HI> and <HI>Ages</HI> &s;ince the Apo&s;tles dayes, among the <HI>fal&s;e Chri&s;tians.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. None are able to di&s;cern of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> nor to <HI>try</HI> and <HI>judge ju&s;tly</HI> who are <HI>Hereticks,</HI> none but they (I &s;ay) that have the <HI>infal|lible Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in them, to guide them, and have <HI>infallibility</HI> and <HI>perfect certainty</HI> of <HI>Judgement</HI> and <HI>Knowledge</HI> in that ca&s;e of <HI>Here|&s;ie;</HI> none el&s;e are rightly able to judge who are <HI>Hereticks,</HI> but &s;uch (I &s;ay) as have the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and are <HI>infallible</HI> and <HI>certain</HI> in their <HI>Judgements; The&s;e onely,</HI> and none <HI>el&s;e,</HI> are able to <HI>judge,</HI> they onely are <HI>competent Judges</HI> in <HI>this ca&s;e</HI> of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> and
<PB N="20" REF="14"> who are <HI>Hereticks;</HI> and if any judge in that Ca&s;e, it is but out of <HI>Envy</HI> and <HI>Enmity,</HI> and in the <HI>evil Suppo&s;itions</HI> and <HI>Conceivings,</HI> as afore&s;aid, and mu&s;t needs be <HI>fal&s;e</HI> and <HI>unju&s;t Judgement,</HI> if they have not the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>Judgement</HI> to di&s;cern by, and determine with in that Ca&s;e; for no man nor men, may, or can ju&s;tly judge another in the matter of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> as a <HI>Heretick,</HI> by their own <HI>thoughts</HI> or <HI>&s;uppo&s;itions,</HI> out of their <HI>en|mity,</HI> and for their <HI>&s;elf-Intere&s;ts;</HI> but the <HI>Judgement</HI> in that matter mu&s;t be <HI>ju&s;t, equal, holy</HI> and <HI>true,</HI> and onely by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Christ Je&s;us</HI> which is <HI>infallible,</HI> and gives <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>judgement</HI> and <HI>di&s;|cerning</HI> into all ca&s;es and things; for it was <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> and his <HI>A|po&s;tles,</HI> and the <HI>Saints</HI> that had the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>in|fallibility</HI> of <HI>judgement,</HI> that could onely <HI>judge ju&s;tly</HI> of &s;uch things, who were <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and who were not; and it was not the <HI>Jews</HI> nor <HI>Phari&s;ees</HI> that could <HI>ju&s;tly di&s;cern</HI> or <HI>judge</HI> in <HI>God's Spiritual mat|ters;</HI> but they alwayes judged of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and of the things pertaining to the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>God, fal&s;ly</HI> and <HI>unju&s;tly</HI> in their <HI>evil &s;uppo&s;itions</HI> and <HI>envy;</HI> and this was becau&s;e they had not the <HI>in|fallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>Judgement,</HI> nor the <HI>certain, infallible knowledge</HI> and <HI>di&s;cerning</HI> of <HI>different things</HI> in <HI>&s;piritual Ca&s;es;</HI> and &s;o it is now at this day among&s;t them called <HI>Chri&s;tians;</HI> there is none can <HI>di&s;cern truly,</HI> nor <HI>judge ju&s;tly</HI> what <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> is, nor who is a <HI>Heretick,</HI> but &s;uch as are guided by the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and have <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>Judgement;</HI> nor none can make Laws whereby ju&s;tly to judge of <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> and <HI>Hereticks,</HI> but them who have the &s;ame <HI>infallible &s;pirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> guiding them, and have received <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>Judgement:</HI> So both the Law-makers, and the <HI>Judges</HI> of the Law, mu&s;t be <HI>in|fallible</HI> in <HI>knowledge</HI> and <HI>judgement</HI> in this ca&s;e of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> otherwi&s;e the <HI>Law</HI> made for that purpo&s;e, and the <HI>Judgement</HI> given by that <HI>Law,</HI> are both <HI>fal&s;e</HI> and <HI>unju&s;t,</HI> and not according to <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>Spirit,</HI> but are to be <HI>ju&s;tly judged</HI> and <HI>condemned</HI> of the <HI>Lord God,</HI> in his <HI>day</HI> and <HI>&s;ea&s;on.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Now it remains to be enquired into, whether there is any puni&s;hment pertaining to <HI>Hereticks</HI> as &s;uch, for &s;uch <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> held by them: Being fir&s;t convicted truly thereof, as afore&s;aid, by the <HI>true Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> in whom there is <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>judgement, knowledge</HI> and <HI>di&s;cerning</HI> in that ca&s;e; for in the <HI>true Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> doth <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>true Judgement</HI> and <HI>Knowledge</HI> dwell, and
<PB N="21" REF="14"> every <HI>true Member</HI> of the <HI>true Church,</HI> hath its particular mea&s;ure of the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> whereby he is certainly per&s;wa|ded of the way of Truth in which he walks, and knows and be|lieves the <HI>infallibility</HI> of the <HI>Truth</HI> he profe&s;&s;eth, and is certain and &s;ecure of the way of his peace and a&s;&s;urance in <HI>God,</HI> which he hath received and believed; and al&s;o hath <HI>certainty</HI> and <HI>infallibility</HI> of <HI>judgement,</HI> and <HI>di&s;cerning</HI> who are out of the <HI>Truth,</HI> and in the way of <HI>Error,</HI> and are <HI>Hereticks;</HI> &s;uch are infallibly known and di&s;cer|ned by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in the <HI>true Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and by every <HI>Member</HI> of the &s;ame, according to his mea&s;ure of the &s;ame <HI>Spirit</HI> and <HI>Gift</HI> of <HI>Knowledge</HI> and <HI>Di&s;cerning</HI> by it: And to &s;uch as are <HI>&s;o</HI> convicted by the <HI>infallible Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> for <HI>&s;uch</HI> their <HI>Here&s;ies,</HI> there is a Puni&s;hment pertaining; for <HI>Hereticks</HI> were to be puni&s;h|ed in the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> dayes, according to <HI>Paul's</HI> In&s;tructions, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.5 which was, <HI>That &s;uch a one as had erred from the Truth which once he knew, &s;hould be delivered up unto Satan for the de&s;truction of his Fle&s;h, that the Spirit might be &s;aved in the day of the Lord:</HI> Here vvas a puni&s;hment de&s;cribed by the Apo&s;tle for this <HI>Heretick</HI> that had er|red and gone from the <HI>Truth,</HI> and acted again&s;t it, though once he believed in it, and knevv it. And again <HI>Tit.</HI> 3.10. he exhorts and advi&s;es, That a man that is a <HI>Heretick,</HI> after the fir&s;t and &s;econd admonition &s;hould be vvholly rejected, and turned avvay from, and judged vvith the Holy Spirit of God.</P>
<P>And thus it is clear, there is &s;uch a thing as dealing vvith men that are <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and puni&s;hing them for &s;uch their <HI>Here&s;ies,</HI> ac|cording to the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI>'s <HI>Doctrines</HI> and <HI>In&s;tructions:</HI> And vvithout all controver&s;ie, &s;uch as do err from the <HI>Faith</HI> vvhich once they have received, and turn from the <HI>Truth</HI> in <HI>Principle</HI> or <HI>Practice,</HI> mu&s;t not e&s;cape unpuni&s;hed, but mu&s;t receive the &s;entence of <HI>ju&s;t Judgement</HI> from <HI>God,</HI> and from his <HI>Saints</HI> that continue faithful.</P>
<P N="7">7. But what kind or nature this puni&s;hment is of, in what way and manner &s;uch as are <HI>Hereticks,</HI> may be, and ought to be puni&s;hed, is doubtful to many, and is a ca&s;e at this time to be enquired into; for that <HI>way</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>puni&s;hing</HI> &s;uch as have been &s;uppo&s;ed to be <HI>Hereticks,</HI> as among the <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> (&s;o called) for many generations; (to wit) the way and practice of <HI>burning, bani&s;hing, killing, impri&s;oning</HI> and <HI>afflicting corporally</HI> the <HI>per&s;ons</HI> of them that have been called <HI>Hereticks</HI> for their <HI>he|re&s;ies,</HI>
<PB N="22" REF="15"> and laying <HI>forfeitures</HI> and <HI>penalties</HI> on their <HI>bodies</HI> and <HI>e|&s;tates,</HI> as hath been the <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> towards one another &s;ince the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> days, this <HI>way</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> hath not been of <HI>God,</HI> nor by any <HI>example</HI> or <HI>precept</HI> of the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> or fir&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tian Churches</HI> e&s;tabli&s;hed in their days; they did not <HI>practi&s;e</HI> or <HI>pre&s;cribe</HI> &s;uch <HI>dealing</HI> towards them that were truly <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and were <HI>erred</HI> from the <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>truth</HI> of <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> not <HI>killing, burning, bani&s;hing</HI> and <HI>pro&s;ecuting</HI> the <HI>per&s;ons</HI> of <HI>Here|ticks,</HI> this was not the <HI>way</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> among the <HI>primi|tive Chri&s;tians,</HI> they <HI>did</HI> it not, nor gave <HI>in&s;titution</HI> for the <HI>doing</HI> of it at any time; but this <HI>way</HI> of <HI>dealing</HI> towards <HI>Hereticks,</HI> in &s;uch <HI>cruel proceedings</HI> as hath been in <HI>practice</HI> for <HI>many ages,</HI> is of <HI>Satan</HI> and <HI>Antichrist,</HI> and is <HI>downright murder, robbery,</HI> and <HI>wic|kedne&s;s</HI> in the eye of the <HI>ju&s;t God;</HI> while one <HI>&s;ect</HI> or <HI>&s;ort</HI> of <HI>Chri|&s;tians</HI> (&s;o called) have <HI>puni&s;hed</HI> and enviou&s;ly <HI>per&s;ecuted another &s;ort</HI> different from them as <HI>hereticks,</HI> with grievous afflictions in <HI>body</HI> and <HI>e&s;tate,</HI> even unto <HI>death</HI> and <HI>bani&s;hment,</HI> this hath not been of <HI>God,</HI> nor true Chri&s;tian-like, but of the wicked one, and cruelties and murders before the Lord; neither is the &s;ame proceedings at this day, in any part of the world, where they are extant, any ju&s;t, legal, righteous, Chri&s;tian-like way of proceedings according to Apo&s;tolical example; but is of <HI>Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> and of the <HI>wicked one,</HI> as I have &s;aid; And this <HI>way</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>proceeding</HI> towards <HI>hereticks,</HI> hath been &s;o far from <HI>ef|fecting</HI> the <HI>return</HI> of any to the <HI>way</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> that have been <HI>erred</HI> from it, (as the <HI>end</HI> of <HI>proceeding</HI> towards <HI>hereticks</HI> &s;hould <HI>ef|fect</HI>) that the <HI>way</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>killing, bani&s;hment</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecu|ting</HI> by violence, <HI>hereticks</HI> (&s;o called) hath hardned men in their <HI>evil way,</HI> and made &s;uch as have been <HI>hereticks</HI> more bold, confident and ob&s;tinate in their <HI>way, here&s;ie</HI> and <HI>errors,</HI> and ma|ny that have been more righteous, and clearer from <HI>here&s;ie</HI> then &s;uch as have &s;o judged them, have been de&s;troied by cruel dealing, and many others have been de&s;troyed in their <HI>iniqui|ties</HI> and <HI>errors,</HI> by being <HI>&s;o proceeded</HI> again&s;t; and thus true <HI>judg|ment</HI> and <HI>ju&s;tice</HI> in this ca&s;e have been perverted and turned backwards, and becau&s;e of <HI>ignorance</HI> and <HI>cruelty,</HI> the <HI>righteous</HI> have &s;uffered <HI>unju&s;tly</HI> as the <HI>wicked,</HI> and the <HI>wicked</HI> have &s;uffered by <HI>unju&s;t proceedings,</HI> and thus the <HI>way</HI> of <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> hath not
<PB N="23" REF="15"> been <HI>known</HI> in the <HI>Earth,</HI> but <HI>error</HI> upon <HI>error,</HI> one evil upon a|nother hath come to, one &s;in added to another among&s;t the &s;ons of men in the Apo&s;tacy among&s;t the fal&s;e Chri|&s;tians.</P>
<P N="8">8. But the <HI>perfect way</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> in <HI>proceeding</HI> towards &s;uch as are <HI>truly Hereticks,</HI> &s;o <HI>di&s;cerned</HI> and infallibly <HI>judged</HI> to be by the true <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> is this; Let &s;uch fir&s;t be <HI>admoni&s;hed, advi|&s;ed, in&s;tructed</HI> and <HI>warned</HI> again and again; to <HI>beware, return</HI> from, and <HI>renounce</HI> &s;uch fal&s;e <HI>principles, doctrines</HI> and <HI>practices</HI> held by them, and this in the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> in perfect <HI>love,</HI> and in <HI>meekne&s;s,</HI> and in the <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> of the <HI>Lord God;</HI> &s;uch, I &s;ay, as are <HI>erred</HI> from the <HI>way</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> and from the <HI>faith</HI> of <HI>Christ</HI> once received, into <HI>error,</HI> ought thus in the fir&s;t place to be dealt withal, by the <HI>way</HI> of <HI>admoni&s;hing, in&s;tructing, warning</HI> and <HI>reprov|ing,</HI> that there may be a <HI>returning</HI> and <HI>repentance</HI> towards the <HI>Lord</HI> and his <HI>truth</HI> again from whence they have erred; And if &s;uch &s;hall not receive the <HI>in&s;tructions, reproofs</HI> and <HI>admonitions</HI> of the <HI>true Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> then &s;uch <HI>hereticks</HI> &s;hal be rejected and ca&s;t out, according to <HI>Titus</HI> the 3.10, 11. &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>A man that is an Heretick, after the fir&s;t and &s;econd admonition, reject, knowing that he that is &s;uch, is &s;ubverted and &s;inneth, being condemned of him&s;elf;</HI> here is the de&s;cription of the <HI>puni&s;hing</HI> of an <HI>heretick:</HI> If he will not receive admonition after being given him again and again, but doth harden his heart again&s;t the <HI>Church,</HI> and again&s;t the <HI>truth</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and will not <HI>repent,</HI> but <HI>per&s;ists</HI> in his <HI>errors</HI> and <HI>here&s;ies,</HI> and that after <HI>reproof</HI> and <HI>admonition,</HI> then he is to be <HI>rejected; rejected,</HI> what is that, but a <HI>ca&s;ting out</HI> from the <HI>unity</HI> of <HI>Saints,</HI> a <HI>departing</HI> and <HI>ab&s;enting</HI> from &s;uch an one, and a <HI>depriving</HI> of him of the <HI>peace</HI> and <HI>comfort, joy</HI> and <HI>felicity</HI> of the <HI>A&s;&s;embly</HI> of <HI>God's people</HI> and <HI>&s;ervants;</HI> a turning from &s;uch in Conver&s;e and Fellow&s;hip, and a &s;eparating from them, and judging them by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> and this is <HI>rejectiag</HI> an <HI>Heretick,</HI> and delivering him to Satan, according to 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5 4, 5, 6. <HI>When the Church</HI> (the Saints) <HI>were met together, with the Spirit of God, and the power of the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, &s;uch an one as had erred from the truth, and &s;inned again&s;t it, and was truly an Here|tick, &s;hould be delivered unto Satan for the de&s;truction of the fle&s;h, that the Spirit might be &s;aved; Delivering unto Satan,</HI> what is that? but
<PB N="24" REF="16"> to let him be ca&s;t out into the wicked world, reputing him as &s;uch an one, and that he partake not of the &s;weet and ble&s;&s;ed union and fellow&s;hip of Saints in their A&s;&s;emblies and con|ver&s;e with the God of heaven, in his Spirit and Life; not to be numbred among the righteous, nor a partaker with them in the holy Union of the Elect; to pa&s;s judgment upon him e|ternally, in the e&s;tate he is now in, having both <HI>erred</HI> from the <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>rejected</HI> and <HI>de&s;pi&s;ed</HI> the <HI>reproofs</HI> and <HI>admonitions</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and as &s;uch to give him up to Satan, to give him up to that Spirit that hath led him a&s;ide from the <HI>Truth,</HI> and hardned his heart again&s;t it; to deliver him up to it, &s;eeing he refu&s;eth to be reclaimed from it, and hath cho&s;en to follow it rather then the <HI>Truth,</HI> let him be left unto, delivered up unto <HI>that Spirit,</HI> even unto <HI>Satan</HI> in the wicked world, let him be ca&s;t out thither among the unclean, and not reckoned among the record and line of the faithful people; and &s;eparated from, and ca&s;t out &s;o, as he expre&s;&s;eth it, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 11. <HI>If any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator, or covetous, a rayler, a drunkard, &amp;c. with &s;uch an one not to accompany, no not to eat:</HI> and this is to deli|ver a Heretick to Satan, for the de&s;truction of the fle&s;h, and is the proper puni&s;hment of <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> and <HI>Hereticks,</HI> according to the Apo&s;tles advice and precept; but not to <HI>kill</HI> or <HI>puni&s;h</HI> the <HI>per&s;ons</HI> of men by <HI>corporal afflictions</HI> and <HI>penalties,</HI> on <HI>bodies</HI> and <HI>e|&s;tates,</HI> for their <HI>errors</HI> &s;ake, this the Apo&s;tle gives no Commi&s;&s;ion for, but that &s;uch as <HI>erred</HI> from the <HI>Truth,</HI> and walked contra|ry in <HI>principle</HI> or <HI>practice,</HI> &s;hould be <HI>rejected</HI> and <HI>delivered</HI> up unto <HI>Satan,</HI> in the way and manner as before declared.</P>
<P>Again, in <HI>Matth</HI> 18.16, 17, 18 it is &s;ignified by <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> to the &s;elf-&s;ame purpo&s;e, in the&s;e words, <HI>If thy Brother tre&s;pa&s;s, go and tell him alone; if he repent, forgive him; if not, take one or two or more with thee, and tell him again: If he &s;till neglect to hear, tell it to the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let &s;uch a one be unto thee</HI> (as hath offended and rejected reproof and admonition again and again) <HI>as an Heathen man and Publican:</HI> In which words of Chri&s;t is truly &s;ignified the right and proper way of proceeding towards <HI>Hereticks</HI> and <HI>Offendor,</HI> even that they be fir&s;t again and again ad|moni&s;hed and reproved; and if they re&s;i&s;t the &s;ame then to be ca&s;t out, &s;eparated from, and not enjoy the union and comfort of the
<PB N="25" REF="16"> Saints among&s;t them, but as an heathen man and publican; but here is never a word &s;ignified of laying <HI>corporal puni&s;hments,</HI> and <HI>burning</HI> or <HI>bani&s;hing</HI> of per&s;ons for their <HI>Errors</HI> &s;ake; and though they may offend, no proceedings of this kind are authorized by <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> or his <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> in their day, but in another way and manner, as I have &s;hewed, is the proper way ordained of God to deal with <HI>Hereticks,</HI> according to the Te&s;timony of holy <HI>Scrip|tures,</HI> &s;ignified by <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> in the <HI>Primitive Chur|ches.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9. This is puni&s;hment according to the nature of the offence; for as the offence is <HI>&s;piritual,</HI> erring in the mind from the <HI>Truth,</HI> and a going a&s;tray from the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in a man's own parti|cular; &s;o the puni&s;hment is an&s;werable thereunto, even to be &s;epa|rated from the <HI>Truth,</HI> and not to enjoy the <HI>virtue, peace</HI> and <HI>com|fort</HI> of it, nor to be partakers thereof among&s;t the faithful peo|ple: And this is truly according to the <HI>Ju&s;tice</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> who&s;e ways are <HI>ju&s;t</HI> and <HI>equal</HI> altogether, and hath appointed <HI>ju&s;t rewards</HI> for <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors,</HI> according to the nature and merit of the <HI>fact</HI> and <HI>deed</HI> that is evil; and 'tis <HI>righteous</HI> and <HI>ju&s;t</HI> that men that &s;in again&s;t their own &s;ouls, &s;hould be deprived of the <HI>peace</HI> and <HI>comfort</HI> there|of; that all that do depart from the <HI>Truth</HI> once known, and &s;in again&s;t the knowledge thereof, &s;hould be no more a partaker of the <HI>virtue</HI> and <HI>felicity</HI> of the &s;ame; and that they who offend the <HI>Lords</HI> people, and <HI>revolt</HI> from the <HI>union</HI> thereof, &s;hould be ca&s;t out from them, rejected of them, and not enjoy the <HI>ble&s;&s;ings</HI> and <HI>peace</HI> with them; even that all they that will not hear the <HI>reproofs</HI> of the <HI>Spi|rit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> nor be drawn with the gentle <HI>movings</HI> thereof, &s;hould be <HI>judged</HI> and <HI>condemned</HI> with the &s;ame, and not inherit the <HI>a&s;&s;u|rance</HI> of the <HI>Saints:</HI> And this is <HI>God's Ju&s;tice,</HI> That all that love <HI>Evill,</HI> and walk in <HI>Iniquity,</HI> and de&s;pi&s;e the <HI>Lord,</HI> &s;hould be ca&s;t out into the <HI>&s;inful world,</HI> to have their <HI>portion</HI> with the <HI>ungodly,</HI> and all the <HI>workers</HI> of <HI>Iniquity;</HI> and this is <HI>ju&s;t puni&s;hment</HI> according to the nature of the <HI>Offence</HI> of <HI>Error</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie:</HI> for in my <HI>Judge|ment,</HI> (and I have the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>ju&s;t Judgement</HI> in this Ca&s;e) It is <HI>great pui&s;hment,</HI> and &s;ufficient for a man that hath once <HI>ta&s;ted</HI> of the <HI>virtue</HI> of <HI>Gods Pre&s;ence</HI> among&s;t his People, to be ca&s;t out from the <HI>feeling</HI> and <HI>enjoyment</HI> of that <HI>life, virtue</HI> and <HI>A&s;&s;embly</HI> where it is enjoyed; this is <HI>puni&s;hment,</HI> and a <HI>wound</HI> to the <HI>Soul</HI> and <HI>Con&s;ci|ence,</HI>
<PB N="26" REF="17"> for a per&s;on that hath been turned from <HI>Iniquity,</HI> and witne&s;|&s;ed the <HI>peace</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in the <HI>Church,</HI> to be left in <HI>iniquity&punc;</HI> and to witne&s;s the <HI>wrath</HI> and <HI>anger</HI> of <HI>God</HI> daily &s;miting him in his <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> and upon his <HI>heart;</HI> this is indeed <HI>great puni&s;hments:</HI> And to have the <HI>holy Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in his people (now) to <HI>judge</HI> and <HI>condemn</HI> him, whom &s;ometime it hath <HI>comforted</HI> and <HI>refre&s;hed;</HI> and to be <HI>di&s;|united</HI> and <HI>&s;eparated</HI> from <HI>that Spirit</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> among&s;t the <HI>Saints,</HI> which once gave <HI>life</HI> and <HI>joy</HI> among&s;t them. This man <HI>thus judged</HI> and <HI>condemned</HI> by, and <HI>thus &s;eparated</HI> and <HI>di&s;-united</HI> from the <HI>Spirit</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>People,</HI> is puni&s;hed and afflicted &s;uffici|ently for his <HI>Error</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie;</HI> even in his <HI>Con&s;cience, Soul</HI> and <HI>Spirit,</HI> he is wounded, grieved, pierced, vexed and puni&s;hed, though yet his <HI>outward man,</HI> and his <HI>per&s;on</HI> be not <HI>corporally</HI> afflicted by <HI>puni&s;hments;</HI> but he is afflicted <HI>within,</HI> he is dealt withall by the <HI>an|ger</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in his <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> he is <HI>&s;eparated</HI> into <HI>darkne&s;s,</HI> and from the <HI>light</HI> and <HI>glory</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in the <HI>A&s;&s;emblies</HI> of his People; he is at a di&s;tance from the <HI>Lord God,</HI> and the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> which &s;hould <HI>comfort</HI> him, doth daily <HI>vex</HI> and <HI>judge</HI> him; and the people among&s;t whom he &s;hould be &s;aved, is he &s;eparated from, and ca&s;t out to <HI>Satan;</HI> is now among&s;t the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>Belial,</HI> the children of <HI>wickedne&s;s</HI> and <HI>ignorance</HI> that mu&s;t be <HI>condemned:</HI> And this man is now <HI>rejected</HI> of the <HI>Saints,</HI> that once was <HI>embraced</HI> of them, and thus he is puni&s;hed; for it is the greate&s;t <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> and <HI>vexation</HI> for a man that hath once ta&s;t|ed of <HI>God's love, mercy, peace</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;ings,</HI> among&s;t <HI>God's people,</HI> and to be for&s;aken of <HI>God,</HI> and without his <HI>love,</HI> in his <HI>anger,</HI> in his <HI>judgement,</HI> and in the <HI>cur&s;e,</HI> among&s;t the <HI>wicked,</HI> without <HI>peace</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;ings</HI> among&s;t the <HI>Saints,</HI> this is <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> indeed, from which the <HI>Lord</HI> deliver all his <HI>people</HI> that <HI>fear him.</HI></P>
<P>Yet notwith&s;tanding this kind and manner of <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> per|tains to <HI>Hereticks</HI> as &s;uch, mo&s;t properly, and not to be de&s;troyed in <HI>per&s;on</HI> or <HI>e&s;tate</HI> by <HI>outward penalties;</HI> this I only mean and intend, Where the <HI>Error</HI> of a <HI>man,</HI> and his <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> in his <HI>mind</HI> and <HI>judge|ment</HI> doth onely extend to the hurt of his own <HI>&s;oul,</HI> and again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and not to the <HI>harm</HI> of his <HI>neighbours per&s;on</HI> or <HI>e&s;tate,</HI> in that ca&s;e he ought onely to &s;uffer as before-mentioned, <HI>To be delivered up to Satan, and to be rejected, &amp;c.</HI> But if his <HI>Error</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> do extend further than onely again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and his own <HI>&s;oul,</HI> even to the <HI>wronging, in uring</HI> and <HI>defrauding</HI> of his <HI>neighbours per&s;on</HI> and
<PB N="27" REF="17"> <HI>e&s;tate,</HI> and <HI>outward wrongs,</HI> or <HI>evils,</HI> or <HI>violence,</HI> or <HI>vi&s;ible mi&s;chiefs</HI> be committed, as <HI>Murders,</HI> or other the like <HI>vi&s;ible crimes</HI> again&s;t men, to the injuring of others, then I forbid not <HI>outward external puni&s;hments</HI> to be <HI>corporally</HI> afflicted upon the <HI>per&s;on</HI> and <HI>e&s;tate</HI> of &s;uch a man; but it ought to be done, and that by <HI>Laws</HI> of men pro|vided for the &s;ame end; even &s;uch a mans <HI>Error</HI> in &s;uch his <HI>wrong dealing,</HI> may ju&s;tly and lawfully be puni&s;hed with <HI>death bani&s;hment,</HI> or <HI>penalties,</HI> according to the de&s;erts of the <HI>crime,</HI> if his <HI>&s;in</HI> and <HI>er|ror</HI> be again&s;t men, let men deal with him, and puni&s;h him accor|dingly: If his <HI>offence</HI> and <HI>error</HI> be onely again&s;t <HI>God</HI> and his own <HI>&s;oul,</HI> let <HI>God</HI> deal with him, and puni&s;h him by his <HI>wrath</HI> in his <HI>con|&s;cience,</HI> which one day will be executed upon all that err from the <HI>Truth,</HI> and <HI>tribulation</HI> and <HI>angui&s;h</HI> &s;hall be upon his <HI>&s;oul</HI> that doth evil, as it is written: But it is utterly unlawful, and &s;in again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> for men to <HI>kill, burn,</HI> or <HI>bani&s;h</HI> men for the <HI>error</HI> of their <HI>minds</HI> and <HI>judgements</HI> in <HI>&s;piritual matters,</HI> while they do walk <HI>justly</HI> and <HI>truly</HI> (as men) in the things pertaining to men, and are not inju|rious to the <HI>per&s;ons</HI> or <HI>estates</HI> of any, by rea&s;on of &s;uch their <HI>Er|ror,</HI> but they onely <HI>&s;in</HI> and <HI>err</HI> again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and their own <HI>&s;ouls,</HI> to the hurt thereof, and not man, by any <HI>outward puni&s;hments</HI> or <HI>vio|lence</HI> executed upon their <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> but <HI>God</HI> and his people in the way and manner of the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> as afore declared, ought for &s;uch their <HI>Errors</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> to deal with them, and proceed to|wards them in re&s;pect of puni&s;hment for the &s;ame.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, The&s;e things are but &s;aid in general concerning <HI>Error</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> how they are to be judged and puni&s;hed, and by whom, and to manife&s;t that there is <HI>Error</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie, Hereticks</HI> end <HI>erroneous per&s;ons</HI> in the world; for (as I have &s;aid before) it was not now my work to ennumerate the particular parts of <HI>Errors</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ies,</HI> that are held in <HI>Principle, Doctrine</HI> and <HI>Practice,</HI> in the world at this day, they are &s;o many and large; but yet more parti|cularly, thus I would in brief define <HI>Hereticks</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie.</HI> That man (what&s;oever he be) is in <HI>Error</HI> in all parts of his <HI>Principles</HI> and <HI>Pra|cti&s;es,</HI> held and maintained by him in point of <HI>Religion</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> e&s;pecially that is not per&s;waded of the <HI>truth</HI> and <HI>verity</HI> of his way by the <HI>holy &s;pirit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and led, guided, and taught in the performance and practice thereof, by the &s;ame <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Je&s;us;</HI> if the <HI>holy spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> dwell not in him, and doth not per&s;wade the
<PB N="32" REF="18"> heart in the belief of the <HI>Truth,</HI> and teach, and lead the man in the practice of it, &s;uch a man, even that man errs, and is in <HI>Er|ror</HI> in all what he is, and what he doth, in point of <HI>Religion</HI> and <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God-wards,</HI> and that becau&s;e the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Truth</HI> and <HI>Righ|teou&s;ne&s;s</HI> is not the onely <HI>Leader</HI> and <HI>Teacher</HI> in the things profe&s;|&s;ed and practi&s;ed, but either <HI>tradition, example</HI> of others, or <HI>cu&s;tom</HI> of <HI>places</HI> and <HI>times,</HI> or &s;omething el&s;e be&s;ides the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> which onely per&s;wades into the belief of <HI>truth,</HI> and teacheth into the <HI>performance</HI> of the &s;ame, and thus is <HI>di&s;tingui&s;hed</HI> and <HI>known:</HI> A man in <HI>error,</HI> that is <HI>erronious</HI> in his <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>Practice,</HI> if not <HI>taught</HI> and <HI>per&s;waded</HI> by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in what he <HI>is,</HI> and in what he <HI>doth,</HI> he is in <HI>error,</HI> and in a degree of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> erring in <HI>mind</HI> and <HI>judge|ment</HI> and <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> in <HI>principle</HI> and <HI>practice,</HI> and &s;ubject to <HI>err</HI> in <HI>all things:</HI> Now as for the <HI>ca&s;e</HI> of <HI>Error</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> as the matter hath &s;tood (in <HI>di&s;tingui&s;hing</HI> of <HI>Hereticks</HI> and <HI>Here&s;ies,</HI> in judging of the &s;ame, and in proceeding with <HI>Hereticks</HI> in the manner afore|&s;aid) for many <HI>generations</HI> in the <HI>Apo&s;ta&s;ie</HI> &s;ince the <HI>Apo&s;tles days,</HI> all this hath been <HI>wrong,</HI> and not in the <HI>Spirit</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je|&s;us,</HI> but <HI>men, ca&s;es</HI> and <HI>proceedings,</HI> all have been perverted from <HI>truth</HI> in <HI>that matter,</HI> becau&s;e the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>darkne&s;s</HI> and <HI>ignorance</HI> hath <HI>ruled</HI> (and not the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI>) in the hearts of men; and the <HI>Spirit</HI> that is not of the <HI>Father</HI> (which <HI>Spirit</HI> of the <HI>Father</HI> is onely <HI>pure, perfect</HI> and <HI>infallible,</HI> becau&s;e it is of <HI>God,</HI> and can truly <HI>judge</HI> and <HI>determine</HI> in the&s;e <HI>ca&s;es</HI>) hath been <HI>Lord</HI> and <HI>Judge</HI> in this <HI>mat|ter,</HI> and men out of their <HI>envy</HI> and <HI>hatred</HI> one towards another, have judged one another to be <HI>erroneous</HI> and <HI>Hereticks,</HI> &amp; proceeded again&s;t them thereupon; and &s;uch as have differed in <HI>Judgement</HI> or <HI>Opinion</HI> one <HI>&s;ect</HI> and <HI>&s;ort</HI> from another, and would not conform to one another in their <HI>ways, practi&s;es</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> it hath been com|mon for all different &s;orts of men to cry out one upon another, and again&s;t each other, <HI>Here&s;ie, Here&s;ie, Hereticks, Erroneous per&s;ons,</HI> and the like, and proceeded again&s;t one another, <HI>men</HI> again&s;t <HI>men</HI> differing from them, and <HI>&s;ect</HI> again&s;t <HI>&s;ect</HI> contrary to it &s;elf, and e&s;pecially that <HI>&s;ect</HI> or <HI>&s;ort</HI> of people that hath had the <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Nations</HI> and <HI>Countreys</HI> in their power, could, and hath ea&s;ily proceeded again&s;t all others di&s;&s;enting, upon the recount of <HI>Er|ror,</HI> to the de&s;troying of many, ab&s;olutely through <HI>envy, hatered</HI> and <HI>prejudice,</HI> and not upon the <HI>truth, &s;oundne&s;s</HI> and <HI>verity</HI> of <HI>Judg|ment</HI>
<PB N="34" REF="18"> in that matter; and this hath been common for many Ages; Sometimes (according to the occa&s;ion proffered) <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> have de|&s;troyed <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> and &s;ometimes <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> have de&s;troyed the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> on this account of <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> and <HI>Error:</HI> All which proceed|ings have been in the <HI>Enmity</HI> and <HI>Ignorance,</HI> and not in the <HI>Power</HI> and <HI>Life</HI> of <HI>Je&s;us;</HI> whereby it hath come to pa&s;s, that many men have been de&s;troyed for the <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> of which they have been more <HI>innocent</HI> than they that have de&s;troyed them: And thus by <HI>fal&s;e Judgement</HI> and <HI>cruel proceedings</HI> in the matter of <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> and <HI>Error,</HI> many have been de&s;troyed unju&s;tly, and the world filled with <HI>En|mity</HI> about difference in <HI>Religious matters,</HI> and with <HI>Murders</HI> and <HI>Cruelties,</HI> upon the <HI>fal&s;e Judgements</HI> of men about <HI>here&s;ie;</HI> and this is weighty, to be truly con&s;idered, a <HI>ca&s;e</HI> to be lamented and grie|ved for, by the <HI>righteous:</HI> Oh what &s;trife (in the <HI>Chri&s;tian World</HI>) hath been for <HI>Ages</HI> on this occa&s;ion, each &s;ort of People <HI>exclaim|ing</HI> again&s;t, and <HI>per&s;ecuting</HI> others as <HI>Hereticks</HI> and <HI>&s;editious per&s;ons,</HI> onely for difference in <HI>Judgement</HI> in <HI>spiritual ca&s;es,</HI> and each parti|cular per&s;on (almo&s;t) raging with fury, and intending his <HI>Neigh|bours</HI> de&s;truction, and onely for being <HI>contrary-minded</HI> in point of <HI>Doctrine</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip.</HI> Oh! the view of the&s;e things, and <HI>woful effects</HI> produced in the world for ages in the&s;e occa&s;ions, makes my heart <HI>grieve,</HI> becau&s;e of the <HI>de&s;tructions</HI> of men, yea of the <HI>de&s;truction</HI> of many upon <HI>wrongful judgements</HI> and <HI>proceedings</HI> on the&s;e occa&s;ions: I am troubled, I am troubled; and ever &s;ince I have known the <HI>right hand</HI> from the <HI>left</HI> (in <HI>God</HI>'s <HI>matters</HI>) my <HI>&s;oul</HI> often in the <HI>deep &s;earch</HI> of the&s;e things, hath cryed out, How woful are they! And when &s;hall it once be, that <HI>the&s;e things</HI> &s;hall be no more in the world, but that every man may &s;it at <HI>re&s;t</HI> and <HI>quiet</HI> with his <HI>God</HI> in the <HI>way, faith</HI> and <HI>practi&s;es</HI> of <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> as his heart is per&s;wa|ded of, and not be to&s;&s;ed with <HI>fal&s;e Judgements, cruel afflictions,</HI> and <HI>hard dealing,</HI> becau&s;e of his <HI>Judgement</HI> and <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> in the <HI>belief</HI> and <HI>knowledge</HI> of <HI>heavenly matters:</HI> Thus hath my <HI>spirit</HI> been fra|med with <HI>zeal</HI> again&s;t the&s;e things; this <HI>impo&s;ing</HI> of <HI>Religion</HI> by <HI>force,</HI> the&s;e <HI>proceedings</HI> of <HI>killing</HI> and <HI>de&s;troying</HI> men upon the account of <HI>Here&s;ie;</HI> the&s;e things my <HI>&s;oul</HI> hath loathed, and I am <HI>weary</HI> of them, and my <HI>zeal</HI> is kindled again&s;t them: Oh! when will the <HI>Rulers</HI> of this world learn <HI>wi&s;dom,</HI> and for&s;ake <HI>fal&s;e Judgement</HI> and <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ion!</HI> And when will it be that they will onely <HI>rule</HI> and <HI>judge</HI> for the
<PB N="30" REF="19"> <HI>Lord</HI> in their <HI>&s;tate</HI> and <HI>compa&s;s</HI> of <HI>worldly affairs</HI> between man and man, in the <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>outward wrongs</HI> and <HI>injuries!</HI> And when wil they leave it to the <HI>Lord</HI> to be <HI>Judge, King</HI> and <HI>Ruler</HI> onely, in <HI>all</HI> the <HI>ca&s;es</HI> of his <HI>&s;piritual Kingdom.</HI> Then &s;hould it be <HI>happy</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;ed</HI> unto men, unto <HI>Kings</HI> and their <HI>&s;ubjects,</HI> to <HI>Rulers</HI> and their <HI>People,</HI> and to all &s;orts of per&s;ons, if <HI>Judgement</HI> were onely a&s;cri|bed unto <HI>God,</HI> that he onely might <HI>judge</HI> and <HI>determine</HI> of the&s;e <HI>ca&s;es,</HI> and puni&s;h men according to the <HI>de&s;ert</HI> of their <HI>offences</HI> of <HI>error;</HI> then &s;hould it be well with them: But in the mean time, whil&s;t men are <HI>judged</HI> and <HI>&s;uppo&s;ed</HI> to be <HI>Hereticks,</HI> and thereup|on &s;entenced to <HI>death, bani&s;hment,</HI> or <HI>corporal puni&s;hment</HI> for their (&s;uppo&s;ed) <HI>errors</HI> &s;ake in <HI>matters</HI> of <HI>Judgement</HI> and <HI>Con&s;cience: Tribulation, mi&s;ery, di&s;tractions,</HI> and <HI>woful con&s;equences</HI> will follow upon that <HI>work,</HI> to <HI>Kings, Rulers</HI> and <HI>People,</HI> in every <HI>Nation</HI> and <HI>Countrey,</HI> and no <HI>peace, true comfort</HI> nor <HI>happine&s;s,</HI> &s;hall be in the mid&s;t of men. And this is the <HI>Judgement</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in him who hath obtained favour from <HI>God,</HI> to receive <HI>knowledge</HI> and <HI>under&s;tanding</HI> in the&s;e matters. He that can receive this, let him.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD><HI>CHAP. III.</HI> Concerning <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> and his My&s;terie of Deceivablene&s;s; What he is in him|&s;elf, and how he appears in the World; what his works are, and what his Govern|ment is, and where it is, and who are the Subjects of his Kingdom.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. THe&s;e things are great <HI>My&s;teries;</HI> and though in the <HI>world</HI> they are very much abounding, and extant through|out
<PB N="31" REF="19"> <HI>all Nations,</HI> yet for the mo&s;t part unknown unto the <HI>world,</HI> and not di&s;covered among the &s;ons of men, but <HI>&s;ecretly hidden,</HI> and <HI>veiled</HI> under <HI>fal&s;e covers,</HI> and in much <HI>deceivablene&s;s</HI> dwelling and working upon <HI>earth,</HI> in the <HI>deep My&s;teries</HI> of <HI>Iniquity,</HI> to the <HI>deceiving</HI> of multitudes of People, who are indeed of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> among whom he <HI>dwells, appears, rules, reigns,</HI> and hath his <HI>Autho|rity</HI> and <HI>Government,</HI> and yet they know it not, nor do they di&s;|cern him in his <HI>ways</HI> and <HI>works,</HI> though they are under his <HI>Power,</HI> and <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of his <HI>Kingdom,</HI> &s;uch indeed is the <HI>My&s;teries</HI> of <HI>Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> his <HI>hidden, fal&s;e covered pathes,</HI> in which he <HI>works</HI> and <HI>walks</HI> among&s;t the &s;ons of men in the world, that he ea&s;ily <HI>beguiles</HI> and <HI>betrays</HI> men, and <HI>deceiveth</HI> them unto <HI>perdition,</HI> while yet they know not that they are <HI>beguiled</HI> and <HI>deceived,</HI> but think they are altogether <HI>well,</HI> and do <HI>well,</HI> and are in the <HI>way</HI> of <HI>&s;alvation,</HI> be|ing led of that <HI>wicked one,</HI> and <HI>blinded</HI> by him, and are <HI>bewitched</HI> into the <HI>fal&s;e faith,</HI> and <HI>deceivable pretence</HI> of <HI>goodne&s;s righteou&s;ne&s;s, holine&s;s</HI> and <HI>&s;anctity,</HI> as if they were indeed <HI>members</HI> of the <HI>true Church,</HI> and <HI>Saints</HI> of the <HI>Mo&s;t High,</HI> and had a <HI>right</HI> to <HI>eternal life,</HI> and were the very <HI>&s;ons</HI> and <HI>&s;ervants</HI> of the <HI>Almighty,</HI> when <HI>indeed</HI> and <HI>in truth</HI> they are yet in the e&s;tate of <HI>enmity</HI> again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> in the <HI>degeneration</HI> and <HI>bondage</HI> of <HI>corruption, unconverted</HI> and <HI>un&s;anctified,</HI> and <HI>&s;inners</HI> and <HI>ungodly,</HI> the very <HI>Children</HI> of the <HI>De|vil,</HI> and <HI>&s;ervants</HI> of <HI>unrighteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> and have no <HI>a&s;&s;urance</HI> nor <HI>right</HI> unto the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> to re&s;t in his <HI>peace</HI> and <HI>glory;</HI> &s;uch (I &s;ay) is the working of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> that he appears to be in the world contrary to what he truly is in his <HI>own being</HI> and <HI>nature,</HI> and deceives men and people into the <HI>apprehen&s;ions</HI> and <HI>conceits</HI> of what they are not, even contrary to what they are in their <HI>pre&s;ent &s;tate</HI> and <HI>&s;tanding;</HI> even &s;o <HI>deep</HI> and <HI>my&s;terious</HI> is <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in him&s;elf, and in his <HI>workings</HI> among the <HI>Children</HI> of <HI>men.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. That there is &s;uch a <HI>man,</HI> or <HI>&s;pirit</HI> in the world as <HI>Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> this is not doubtful, but confe&s;&s;ed by all, and proved by the Scriptures; for the Apo&s;tle wrot to the Church, <HI>They had heard that Antichri&s;t &s;hould come, and even now &s;aith he are there many Antichri&s;ts come into the world,</HI> 1 Joh. 2.18. and al&s;o 2 Joh. 7. ver&s;. &s;aith he, <HI>For many deceivers are entered into the world, and this is a deceiver, and an Antichri&s;t,</HI> &amp;c. and 2 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 2. the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks <HI>of the man of &s;in, and of the &s;on of perdition, that &s;hould be revealed in
<PB N="28" REF="20"> the world, and &s;hould exalt him&s;elf above all that is called God;</HI> The&s;e, with many other Scriptures, do prove that there is &s;uch a thing in the world, already come into the world, and now dwelling and walking in the world as <HI>Antichri&s;t, Man</HI> of <HI>&s;in,</HI> and <HI>Son</HI> of <HI>perdition;</HI> and as I &s;aid, 'tis con&s;e&s;&s;ed by all that there is an <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> &s;uch a <HI>Man,</HI> or <HI>Spirit</HI> now extant in the world; though there are great <HI>debates</HI> and <HI>contentions</HI> among&s;t many cal|led <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> what this <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is, and who he is, &s;ome hold|ing one thing, and &s;ome another about <HI>Him,</HI> and there is much difference among&s;t men concerning this matter, and 'tis the general way of people one &s;ort to accu&s;e another that are <HI>dif|ferent</HI> from them in <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> That <HI>ye and ye are of Antichri&s;t;</HI> but this hath been for the mo&s;t part in <HI>enmity,</HI> and in the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>wrath</HI> and <HI>contention,</HI> and is not from <HI>true judgment</HI> and <HI>knowledge;</HI> now therefore it remains to be made manife&s;t according to the gift of <HI>grace, knowledge</HI> and <HI>under&s;tanding,</HI> what <HI>Antichrist</HI> is in him&s;elf, and how he appears in the world, &s;ee|ing we have proved that there is &s;uch a thing as <HI>Antichrist</HI> now <HI>ruling</HI> and <HI>reigning</HI> &s;ome where <HI>amongst men,</HI> throughout the Na|tions of the Earth.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Antichrist</HI> is not (as &s;ome &s;uppo&s;e) a <HI>particular vi&s;ible per|&s;on</HI> upon earth, <HI>di&s;tinct</HI> and <HI>divided</HI> from all other <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> as if none be&s;ides &s;uch an one were <HI>Antichrist;</HI> but <HI>Antichrist</HI> is ra|ther an <HI>invi&s;ible Spirit;</HI> a <HI>Spirit</HI> I &s;ay, dwelling in per&s;ons, even in many per&s;ons throughout the world, which makes them all of <HI>Antichrist,</HI> or to be many <HI>Antichri&s;ts,</HI> according to 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 2.18. <HI>There are many Antichri&s;ts,</HI> &s;aith <HI>John,</HI> whereby we know it is the la&s;t time; &s;o that 'tis plain there are in the world many <HI>Antichrists,</HI> many <HI>men</HI> of <HI>&s;in,</HI> or many <HI>&s;inful men,</HI> many <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>perdition</HI> and <HI>ungodline&s;s;</HI> not onely one man that is &s;uch, but many men in the world, even all &s;uch in whom the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>An|tichri&s;t,</HI> or <HI>Antichrist</HI> that <HI>&s;pirit</HI> dwels and walks, they are all An|tichri&s;ts, or of Antichri&s;t, becau&s;e of that &s;pirit of Antichri&s;t which doth po&s;&s;e&s;s them, and rule them in the ways of &s;in and death, in Idolatry and fal&s;e ways, and in oppo&s;ition to, and a|gain&s;t <HI>Christ Je&s;us</HI> the Lord of Life, even all the deceivers in the world, all that are erred from the <HI>Spirit</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> and are not of the true Church, gathered into his <HI>Name</HI> and
<PB N="29" REF="20"> <HI>Power,</HI> but brings another <HI>Doctrine</HI> than that of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Saints,</HI> and truly confe&s;&s;es not in <HI>word</HI> and <HI>practi&s;e,</HI> unto <HI>Je&s;us</HI> come in the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> all &s;uch are <HI>Antichri&s;ts,</HI> and of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> accor|ding to 2 <HI>John</HI> 7. even all the <HI>Apo&s;tates</HI> who profe&s;s <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and <HI>his Truth,</HI> and <HI>his Church,</HI> and are not in the <HI>Spirit</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> but in the <HI>form</HI> of <HI>godline&s;s,</HI> without the <HI>power,</HI> profe&s;&s;ing <HI>God</HI> in <HI>words,</HI> but in <HI>works</HI> denying him, all &s;uch are <HI>Antichri&s;ts,</HI> by rea&s;on of that <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> which dwells in them, and into which <HI>Spirit</HI> they are leavened and moulded, and are <HI>one</HI> with it, and brings forth the <HI>fruits</HI> of it in the <HI>world;</HI> and therefore they are <HI>Antichri&s;ts,</HI> more than one, even many <HI>Antichrists,</HI> as I have &s;aid.</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in him&s;elf is the man of &s;in, the Son of Perditi|on, which is indeed and in truth the very <HI>Devil</HI> in his <HI>nature</HI> and <HI>kind,</HI> and in his <HI>power</HI> and <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> and of him, and yet not <HI>divided</HI> nor <HI>di&s;tinct</HI> from him, but is him (to wit, the <HI>Devil</HI>) as he is in him&s;elf; and he is again&s;t <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and wholly contrary to <HI>Christ,</HI> and brings forth <HI>fruits</HI> and <HI>works</HI> to the di&s;honor of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and op|po&s;eth <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and is in <HI>all things</HI> of a <HI>contrary nature</HI> and <HI>quality</HI> to <HI>Je&s;us Christ;</HI> and he is called <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> to wit, <HI>before,</HI> or <HI>again&s;t,</HI> and <HI>contrary</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> And this is <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in him&s;elf, an <HI>Adver|&s;ary</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> an <HI>Enemy</HI> to <HI>all righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> a <HI>perverter</HI> of the <HI>ways</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> a <HI>hater</HI> of <HI>all good,</HI> a <HI>despi&s;er</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecutor</HI> of <HI>God's people,</HI> and indeed a certain <HI>spirit</HI> and <HI>power</HI> di&s;tinct, divided and &s;eperated from the <HI>living God,</HI> and his <HI>Son Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> and contrary in <HI>nature</HI> and <HI>quality,</HI> in <HI>fruits</HI> and <HI>effects;</HI> and there is no <HI>fellow&s;hip</HI> in <HI>any thing</HI> between <HI>Christ</HI> and <HI>Antichrist,</HI> but they are <HI>divided</HI> and <HI>&s;epa|rated</HI> one from the other, <HI>contrary</HI> and <HI>oppo&s;ite</HI> one to the other in all their <HI>ways</HI> and <HI>works,</HI> and in their <HI>kinds</HI> and <HI>natures;</HI> for (as I have &s;aid) <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> in his <HI>nature</HI> and <HI>kind,</HI> is the <HI>Devil,</HI> and no other; he is the <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>&s;in,</HI> the <HI>&s;inful man,</HI> that conceiveth and worketh <HI>all evil,</HI> the <HI>&s;on</HI> of <HI>perdition,</HI> the <HI>&s;on</HI> that is lo&s;t from <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>reprobate</HI> for ever; he that is fallen, diverted, and ca&s;t out from the <HI>Pre&s;ence, Glory</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of the <HI>Creator;</HI> he that is <HI>&s;eal|ed</HI> unto <HI>vengeance</HI> in the <HI>wrath</HI> and <HI>enmity</HI> again&s;t <HI>God</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> as being <HI>contrary, irreconcilably</HI> to the <HI>nature</HI> and <HI>works</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<PB N="34" REF="21">
<P>This is &s;aid of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> as what he is in him&s;elf, as that parti|cular <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> and not of the <HI>many Antichri&s;ts,</HI> which are onely <HI>Ve&s;|&s;el,</HI> retaining this <HI>one &s;pirit,</HI> and <HI>members</HI> of him through his <HI>Power</HI> dwelling in them, and by which they are <HI>one</HI> with <HI>this Spirit,</HI> and <HI>one</HI> in <HI>action,</HI> and brings forth the <HI>works</HI> and <HI>fruits</HI> of it; for 'tis po&s;|&s;ible, &s;ome that are &s;uch in their <HI>pre&s;ent &s;tanding,</HI> even under the <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> may be <HI>converted</HI> and <HI>turned</HI> from him, and <HI>changed</HI> into another <HI>nature,</HI> and &s;o <HI>&s;aved;</HI> but as for the <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in him&s;elf, as &s;uch, he is the <HI>Devil,</HI> and &s;ealed up in the <HI>anger</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> never to be <HI>redeemed,</HI> nor <HI>&s;aved,</HI> nor <HI>changed</HI> into another <HI>nature.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Though <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in him&s;elf be the <HI>Devil,</HI> yet his <HI>appearances</HI> in the <HI>world</HI> are <HI>divers</HI> and <HI>many;</HI> and he appears in <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>vi|&s;ible actions</HI> among&s;t men diver&s;ly; &s;ometimes he <HI>appears</HI> in the <HI>way</HI> and <HI>form</HI> of <HI>open prophanene&s;s,</HI> by the <HI>works</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> in all manner of <HI>unrighteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>iniquity;</HI> for <HI>all &s;in</HI> of what kind &s;oever, in <HI>every appearance</HI> of it, is of the <HI>Devil</HI> and <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> even all <HI>pro|phane wayes</HI> and <HI>work</HI> of <HI>evil men,</HI> loving <HI>drunkenne&s;s, whoredom, dou|ble-dealing, envy, malice,</HI> and <HI>every evil work</HI> and <HI>word</HI> brought forth by the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>Adam</HI> in the <HI>fall,</HI> are all of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> and the <HI>Devil,</HI> and is his <HI>vi&s;ible appearance</HI> in the <HI>world,</HI> though &s;ometime his <HI>appea|rance</HI> is in another <HI>way</HI> and <HI>manner,</HI> even in a way of <HI>&s;eeming righ|teou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>holine&s;s,</HI> and in the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and pretence of <HI>Faith</HI> towards <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and cry|ing up <HI>Church</HI> and <HI>Fellow&s;hip</HI> in the &s;ame, and <HI>forms</HI> of <HI>Godline&s;s;</HI> as if <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> were a <HI>Saint</HI> and <HI>Servant</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> thus, and after this manner doth <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> appear in the <HI>world</HI> among&s;t men now in the&s;e <HI>latter dayes,</HI> &s;ince the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> time, in the <HI>Apo&s;tacy</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;ti|anity: Antichri&s;t</HI> (I &s;ay) though the <HI>Devil</HI> in him&s;elf, yet hath he often appeared as a <HI>Saint</HI> upon <HI>Earth</HI> in the <HI>pretence</HI> of <HI>holine&s;s, righteou&s;ne&s;s, wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>religion;</HI> &s;uch hath been his <HI>policy</HI> and <HI>de|ceivablene&s;s,</HI> that he hath put on the appearance of <HI>Go&s;pel, Doctrine, Mini&s;try</HI> and <HI>Ordinances,</HI> and covered him&s;elf thereby, that he might the better <HI>beguile, entangle</HI> and <HI>deceive</HI> mankind in the <HI>form</HI> and <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of a <HI>Saint,</HI> and <HI>Member</HI> of the <HI>true Church,</HI> he hath put on the <HI>&s;heeps cloathing,</HI> hath made u&s;e of the <HI>Saints words</HI> and <HI>practices,</HI> and hath <HI>exalted him&s;elf</HI> in the <HI>Temple</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> as if he were <HI>God;</HI> &s;hewing him&s;elf to be <HI>God,</HI> and hath been lifted up <HI>above
<PB N="35" REF="21"> all that is called God,</HI> according to 2 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 2.4. and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> him&s;elf &s;aid to his Di&s;ciples, <HI>That there &s;hould ari&s;e fal&s;e Chri&s;ts, and fal&s;e Prophets, and &s;hould &s;hew &s;igns and wonders, if it were po&s;&s;ible to deceive the very Elect,</HI> Matth. 24 24. which doth &s;ignifie, that the <HI>An|tichri&s;ts</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> &s;hould come into the world after his prophecie, which are already come &s;ince that time; they &s;hould <HI>pretend</HI> to be <HI>Chri&s;ts,</HI> and &s;hould <HI>&s;hew &s;igns,</HI> and &s;hould <HI>deceive ma|ny</HI> with the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>&s;igns</HI> of <HI>Godline&s;s;</HI> and they &s;hould have upon them, and be covered with <HI>&s;heeps-cloathing;</HI> that is, with the <HI>Saints words</HI> and <HI>practices</HI> in <HI>outward appearance;</HI> but <HI>inwardly,</HI> that is, in their own proper <HI>nature, fruits</HI> and <HI>works</HI> &s;hould be <HI>ravening Wolves;</HI> that is, <HI>de&s;troyers</HI> of the <HI>flock, Matth.</HI> 7.15. and the <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> which <HI>John</HI> &s;peaks, 1 <HI>Joh</HI> 2 19. they were &s;uch as went from the Saints that were in the <HI>power</HI> of <HI>god|line&s;s,</HI> they went out of the <HI>true Church,</HI> and carried with them the <HI>form</HI> of <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>truth,</HI> and the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tiani|ty,</HI> but without the <HI>power,</HI> and had lo&s;t it, and were departed from the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and the <HI>spirit</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> had po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed them, and now led them, and ruled them, and they were <HI>An|tichri&s;ts</HI> (to wit) again&s;t him, and contrary to him; and the&s;e were the <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> and <HI>Deceivers,</HI> that went out into the world and <HI>deceived</HI> it, and led many a&s;ide into <HI>error,</HI> and many followed their pernicious and hurtful ways, as <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 2, 3. and <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of &s;uch, <HI>as had a form of godline&s;s, but denied the power,</HI> and in <HI>words profe&s;&s;ed God,</HI> but in <HI>works denied him;</HI> &s;uch were the <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Deceivers</HI> in the Apo&s;tles days, and &s;uch they are at this time in the world; whereby it is mani|fe&s;t, that <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> often appears in the world as a <HI>Saint,</HI> as a <HI>righteous one,</HI> and the many <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> they have gotten the <HI>form</HI> &amp; <HI>appearance</HI> of <HI>Church, Mini&s;try, Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>Ordinances;</HI> and thus they appear <HI>deceiving</HI> the world &amp; them that dwel there|in, with the <HI>appearance</HI> and <HI>vain-&s;hew</HI> of <HI>Faith, Wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Reli|gion,</HI> without the <HI>Power of Godline&s;s;</HI> for unto that <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is an <HI>enemy,</HI> even a <HI>de&s;troyer,</HI> a <HI>per&s;ecutor</HI> and <HI>gain&s;ayer</HI> of <HI>Christ</HI> and his <HI>works,</HI> and the <HI>power</HI> of <HI>godline&s;s</HI> and true <HI>Faith</HI> brought forth by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> though to deceive the world he can tran&s;|form him&s;elf into, and appear as an <HI>Angel of Light.</HI></P>
<P N="6"><PB N="36" REF="22">6. Again, &s;o <HI>deceeivable</HI> and <HI>mysterious</HI> is, and hath the <HI>appea|rance</HI> and <HI>working</HI> of <HI>Antichrist</HI> been in the <HI>world,</HI> that he hath not alwayes dwelt in <HI>one kind</HI> of <HI>form</HI> and <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Religion</HI> and <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> but he hath dwelt in many <HI>appearances,</HI> and removed out of <HI>one fal&s;e form,</HI> into <HI>another,</HI> according to his <HI>opportunity</HI> and <HI>advantage,</HI> whereby he could <HI>deceive;</HI> and &s;ometime dwelling in <HI>one form,</HI> with pretence of <HI>zeal,</HI> and <HI>performance</HI> of <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> he hath <HI>envied, per&s;ecuted,</HI> and <HI>destroyed</HI> many others in other <HI>ways</HI> of <HI>profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> more <HI>zealous, upright</HI> and <HI>&s;incere</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> than them|&s;elves have been in the other <HI>form;</HI> and by the <HI>colour</HI> of <HI>zeal,</HI> and <HI>performance</HI> of <HI>duty,</HI> hath <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> cloathed him&s;elf in his <HI>envies, per&s;ecutions</HI> and <HI>murders</HI> of <HI>others,</HI> as if he did not <HI>per&s;ecute</HI> nor <HI>im|po&s;e</HI> upon the <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> of any, nor <HI>exerci&s;e</HI> that <HI>rigor</HI> (or <HI>justice,</HI> as he hath named his <HI>proceedings,</HI> though never &s;o <HI>cruel</HI> and <HI>unju&s;t</HI>) towards any, upon any <HI>tearms</HI> or <HI>account</HI> of <HI>wrath, bitterne&s;s, envy</HI> or <HI>cruelty,</HI> but <HI>zeal, duty</HI> and <HI>love</HI> to <HI>Religion,</HI> and to <HI>extingui&s;h He|re&s;ie,</HI> &amp;c. This hath been the <HI>pretence</HI> and <HI>cloak</HI> of <HI>Antichrist</HI> in his <HI>cruel</HI> and <HI>hard dealing</HI> with many men that have <HI>differed</HI> in <HI>principle</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of <HI>Religion;</HI> he hath often &s;hewed him&s;elf in his pre|&s;ent <HI>form</HI> of <HI>godline&s;s,</HI> &s;o <HI>zealous</HI> and <HI>dutiful</HI> for the <HI>truth</HI> of his <HI>way,</HI> (though never &s;o <HI>Idolatrous</HI>) again&s;t all that have <HI>oppo&s;ed</HI> it, &amp; gain|&s;ayed his <HI>form</HI> and <HI>vain &s;hew,</HI> that he hath <HI>killed, &s;lain,</HI> and <HI>exerci&s;ed cruelty</HI> towards all that have been <HI>contrary</HI> or <HI>different-minded;</HI> and though this hath been brought forth by <HI>Antichrist,</HI> as he is the <HI>Devil</HI> in him&s;elf, and in <HI>down-right envy, malice, per&s;ecution,</HI> and <HI>wickedne&s;s;</HI> yet it hath been <HI>acted</HI> and <HI>effected</HI> under the <HI>Cloak</HI> of <HI>Zeal, Duty</HI> and <HI>Sincerity,</HI> and out of <HI>pretence</HI> of <HI>love</HI> to <HI>Christ</HI> and his <HI>Church,</HI> and out of <HI>pretence</HI> of <HI>hatred</HI> again&s;t the <HI>contrary.</HI> Thus hath <HI>Antichrist</HI> (though the <HI>Devil,</HI> that wicked one, as he is in him&s;elf, in his <HI>own nature, kind,</HI> and <HI>proper sphear</HI>) appeared in the <HI>world</HI> as a <HI>zealous Church-Member,</HI> as a <HI>Saint,</HI> as a <HI>promoter</HI> of <HI>Righ|teou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> and a <HI>de&s;troyer</HI> of the <HI>contrary:</HI> With the&s;e <HI>fal&s;e covers</HI> hath <HI>Antichrist</HI> been <HI>cloaked</HI> and <HI>hidden</HI> from men, and appeared to be in his <HI>works</HI> and <HI>tran&s;actions,</HI> as a <HI>good man,</HI> as a <HI>lover</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>hater</HI> of <HI>iniquity,</HI> while in the mean time he hath been <HI>deceiving men,</HI> and <HI>destroying</HI> the <HI>innocent,</HI> and leading the <HI>world</HI> to perpetual <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> and <HI>de&s;truction.</HI></P>
<P N="7"><PB N="37" REF="22">7. Again, &s;o <HI>deceivable</HI> hath the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> been in the <HI>World,</HI> that he hath always put the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and the <HI>Name</HI> of his <HI>Church,</HI> and the pretence of <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> and the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Go&s;pel, Doctrine, Ordinances, Mini&s;try</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> upon what&s;oever <HI>fal&s;e way, feigned Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>deceitful profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> that he hath gone about to <HI>&s;et up</HI> and <HI>promote</HI> in the <HI>world</HI> among men: I &s;ay, upon the <HI>wor&s;t</HI> and mo&s;t <HI>Idolatrous wayes</HI> of <HI>&s;uper&s;tition,</HI> and the mo&s;t <HI>fal&s;e, feigned, formal Wor&s;hip</HI> that ever hath been in the <HI>world, Antichri&s;t</HI> hath put the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> his <HI>Church</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> upon them, and <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> and <HI>forced</HI> the <HI>belief</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of much <HI>fal&s;e Wor|&s;hip, fal&s;e Doctrine,</HI> and <HI>formal wayes,</HI> under the <HI>name</HI> and <HI>title</HI> of the <HI>true Chri&s;t,</HI> his <HI>Doctrine</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> and upon <HI>pains</HI> and <HI>penalties</HI> hath <HI>enjoined</HI> and <HI>commanded</HI> the <HI>belief</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of &s;uch things, not as if they were of <HI>Antichri&s;t, &s;uper&s;titious, evil, fal&s;e</HI> or <HI>feign|ed;</HI> but as if they were of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> altogether, and mu&s;t be <HI>believed</HI> and <HI>practi&s;ed,</HI> as by his <HI>Name,</HI> and under his <HI>Authority:</HI> Thus hath been the <HI>working</HI> of the <HI>Mysterie</HI> of <HI>Iniquity</HI> of that <HI>man</HI> of <HI>&s;in,</HI> the <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> all the <HI>evil wayes</HI> he hath conceived and brought forth in the <HI>world;</HI> all the <HI>idolatrous Wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Faith</HI> and <HI>Doctrine,</HI> and all the <HI>Cruelties, Murders,</HI> and <HI>unju&s;t dealing,</HI> to the very <HI>de&s;troying</HI> of the <HI>Saints;</HI> and all the <HI>unrighteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>deceive|ablene&s;s</HI> exerci&s;ed by <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in the <HI>world,</HI> hath put all this on the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and pretended <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> for it, as if it were <HI>indeed</HI> and in <HI>truth</HI> of him, and from him, when <HI>indeed</HI> and <HI>in truth</HI> it hath been <HI>contrary</HI> to the <HI>true Christ,</HI> and tended to <HI>kill</HI> and <HI>de&s;troy</HI> him: Thus hath <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> the <HI>Devil</HI> been cloaked with <HI>fal&s;e covers</HI> and <HI>deceitful pretences</HI> in his working among men; that <HI>wicked spirit</HI> hath fal&s;ly called the greate&s;t of <HI>pride</HI> and <HI>ambition, decency</HI> and <HI>true ho|nour; covetou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>deceitful dealing,</HI> hath he &s;tiled <HI>good Husban|dry,</HI> and <HI>prudent walking;</HI> and the mo&s;t <HI>cruel</HI> and <HI>unjust Judgement,</HI> the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>poor,</HI> and the <HI>grinding</HI> of the <HI>face</HI> of the <HI>inno|cent,</HI> hath that <HI>Spirit</HI> fal&s;ly titled <HI>equal proceedings, justice,</HI> and <HI>according to Law,</HI> and the like: Yea, and the <HI>Per&s;ecutions</HI> and <HI>Mur|ders</HI> that ever hath been acted again&s;t the <HI>Saints</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in all <HI>Gene|ration,</HI> though <HI>cruel</HI> and <HI>unrighteous,</HI> and of the <HI>Devil;</HI> yet all this hath <HI>Antichrist</HI> titled to be in <HI>honor</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and for the <HI>destroying Hereticks,</HI> and out of <HI>Justice</HI> and <HI>Zeal</HI> for <HI>God,</HI> and &s;uch like; yea and the mo&s;t <HI>gro&s;&s;e Idolatries,</HI> and mo&s;t <HI>deceitful ways</HI> of <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> that
<PB N="38" REF="23"> ever have been &s;et up in the <HI>world,</HI> have been named after <HI>Christ,</HI> and pretended to be done in <HI>honor</HI> to him; and for his <HI>glory,</HI> and &s;o forth, &s;o <HI>deceivable</HI> hath <HI>Antichrist</HI> been in the <HI>world,</HI> and <HI>walked</HI> and <HI>wrought</HI> among the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> in <HI>deceiving</HI> of them, that he hath u&s;ed, and taken upon him the very <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Christ;</HI> and all his <HI>evil works</HI> of <HI>iniquity</HI> of <HI>all kinds,</HI> hath he put the <HI>Name</HI> and <HI>Honour</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> upon them, and &s;o <HI>deceived</HI> the <HI>World</HI> by his <HI>fal&s;e wayes, wor&s;hips, doctrines</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecutions,</HI> through <HI>covering</HI> the&s;e things with the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> and pretending his <HI>honor</HI> and <HI>ex|altation,</HI> when as his own <HI>true property</HI> and <HI>nature</HI> is to <HI>kill Christ,</HI> and <HI>gain-&s;ay</HI> him. And <HI>this</HI> indeed is <HI>Antichrist,</HI> who under <HI>colour</HI> and <HI>pretence</HI> of <HI>wor&s;hipping</HI> and <HI>honoring Christ,</HI> doth &s;eek to &s;lay him. This is that <HI>Fox, crafty</HI> and <HI>deceitful,</HI> that <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>Sin</HI> that hath been <HI>exalted;</HI> that <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> the <HI>wicked one,</HI> that hath decei|ved the <HI>world</HI> for <HI>many Ages;</HI> but the <HI>Lord</HI> is now <HI>di&s;covering</HI> him, and <HI>destroying</HI> him by the <HI>breath</HI> of his <HI>mouth,</HI> and by the <HI>brightne&s;s</HI> of his <HI>coming,</HI> according to the <HI>faithful promi&s;e</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in his <HI>Ser|vants,</HI> and <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> &s;hall be <HI>di&s;covered</HI> and <HI>de&s;troyed:</HI> The Day of the <HI>Lord</HI> is at hand upon him.</P>
<P N="8">8. Again, it hath been the <HI>way</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> that he might the better <HI>deceive</HI> the world, to transform him&s;elf into the like|ne&s;s of the <HI>be&s;t way</HI> and <HI>&s;tricte&s;t profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Religion,</HI> and &s;o to re|move from one <HI>way</HI> and <HI>form</HI> unto <HI>another,</HI> as I &s;aid before, that he might the better <HI>deceive men;</HI> according as <HI>Paul</HI> writ, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 13, 14. for &s;uch are fal&s;e Apo&s;tles, deceitful workers, transforming them&s;elves into the <HI>Apo&s;tles of Chri&s;t;</HI> and no marvel, for <HI>Satan</HI> him&s;elf is <HI>transformed</HI> into an <HI>Angel</HI> of <HI>Light;</HI> by which it is plain, that <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> did <HI>change</HI> and <HI>transform</HI> him|&s;elf, and <HI>remove</HI> from one <HI>way</HI> to <HI>another,</HI> even till he <HI>appeared</HI> as an <HI>angel</HI> of <HI>Light,</HI> and in the very <HI>way</HI> and <HI>form</HI> of the <HI>Mini|&s;try</HI> of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s;</HI> thus did <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> work and <HI>transform</HI> him|&s;elf in the days of the Apo&s;tles, and ever &s;ince unto this day in all times and ages; for it hath been his manner and way, when he could no longer <HI>cover him&s;elf,</HI> nor be <HI>hid</HI> in &s;uch a <HI>way</HI> of <HI>Wor|&s;hip</HI> and <HI>Religion</HI> in which he hath &s;ometimes <HI>dwelt</HI> and <HI>walked;</HI> but that his <HI>wickedne&s;s, cruelties, per&s;ecutions</HI> and <HI>deceits</HI> mu&s;t needs be <HI>&s;een</HI> and made <HI>appear</HI> unto men by the <HI>Light</HI> of the <HI>Lord &s;hi|ning</HI> among&s;t them; then he hath <HI>transformed</HI> into another <HI>like|ne&s;s,</HI>
<PB N="39" REF="23"> and removed his <HI>cruelties</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecutions</HI> into another <HI>form</HI> and <HI>appearance;</HI> it may be into the <HI>very way</HI> (in the <HI>outward profe&s;&s;i|on</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of it) in which &s;ometime the <HI>Lord</HI> hath <HI>dwelt</HI> and <HI>walked,</HI> and there hath he <HI>dwelt</HI> deceiving the <HI>world</HI> by his <HI>new form</HI> and <HI>appearance,</HI> and <HI>exerci&s;ed</HI> his <HI>wickedne&s;s, cruelties</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecuti|ons,</HI> in &s;ome <HI>new way,</HI> having quitted the <HI>la&s;t form</HI> in which he <HI>dwelt,</HI> becau&s;e he was there too <HI>publikely</HI> &s;een and di&s;covered: And now in his <HI>new likene&s;s</HI> into which he is <HI>transformed,</HI> he can plead the <HI>ex|ample</HI> of <HI>Saints;</HI> they did &s;uch things, and held &s;uch <HI>Doctrines,</HI> and performed &s;uch <HI>practi&s;es</HI> as now he is found in; and this did the <HI>De|vil</HI> &s;ometime to <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> he pleaded <HI>Scripture</HI> again&s;t him: And thus <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> can change him&s;elf into <HI>divers appearances,</HI> that he may <HI>deceive</HI> men: Well, but and if he be again <HI>di&s;covered,</HI> and his <HI>cru|elties</HI> and <HI>wickedne&s;s</HI> made appear in his <HI>la&s;t</HI> and <HI>newe&s;t form,</HI> he can <HI>transform</HI> again into a <HI>more &s;trict way,</HI> and <HI>zealous performance,</HI> even into an <HI>Angel</HI> of <HI>Light,</HI> as if he were indeed the <HI>true Chri&s;t,</HI> and were in the <HI>Truth</HI> altogether, and no man needed to doubt of the <HI>truth</HI> of his <HI>way;</HI> and then under that <HI>form</HI> being <HI>covered</HI> with <HI>more zeal</HI> then ever, with <HI>more pretence</HI> of <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God</HI> then before, he <HI>blinds</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> and <HI>deceives</HI> them, and leads men to <HI>perdition;</HI> and though <HI>changeable</HI> in his <HI>appearance,</HI> yet is he in him&s;elf <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> &s;till, in his own <HI>proper nature</HI> a <HI>Murderer, De&s;troyer,</HI> and a <HI>Fountain</HI> of <HI>Mi&s;chief</HI> and <HI>Evil.</HI> The <HI>truth</HI> of this is <HI>plain,</HI> if it be con&s;ider|ed throughout the cour&s;e of <HI>Scriptures</HI> in <HI>Generations</HI> pa&s;t, and <HI>tran&s;actions</HI> of <HI>time;</HI> as in the <HI>Prophets</HI> dayes of old, this <HI>Spirit</HI> (which is no other but the <HI>Devil</HI>) &s;ometimes <HI>oppo&s;ed, gain-&s;ayed,</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecuted</HI> the <HI>Prophets, reproached</HI> them, and <HI>with&s;tood</HI> them, and <HI>impri&s;oned</HI> them, and <HI>killed</HI> them: And &s;ometimes we find the <HI>&s;ame &s;pirit</HI> transformed it &s;elf into the <HI>way</HI> of the <HI>Prophets,</HI> and acted by &s;ome <HI>deceivers</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> in the &s;ame <HI>words</HI> and <HI>practices,</HI> which the <HI>true Prophets</HI> had &s;aid and done; and as the <HI>true Prophets</HI> u&s;ed their <HI>tongues,</HI> and &s;aid, <HI>The Lord &s;aith it;</HI> &s;o the <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> (in whom the <HI>Devil</HI> was <HI>transformed</HI>) they u&s;ed their <HI>tongues,</HI> and &s;aid, <HI>The Lord &s;aith it</HI> (al&s;o,) when <HI>God</HI> had not <HI>&s;poken</HI> to them: So here was this <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t changing</HI> and <HI>trans|forming</HI> him&s;elf, that he might the better deceive. Al&s;o, in the dayes of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> the <HI>Devil</HI> and <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> ap|peared
<PB N="40" REF="24"> again&s;t them, and <HI>per&s;ecuted</HI> them, and <HI>killed</HI> them and u&s;ed <HI>cruelty</HI> and <HI>inju&s;tice</HI> towards them; and (as before I &s;aid) this was done to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> by the <HI>wicked Jews,</HI> under <HI>colour</HI> and <HI>pretence</HI> of <HI>love</HI> to their <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>zeal</HI> for their <HI>Law,</HI> and for the <HI>honor</HI> of their <HI>Ordinances</HI> and <HI>Prie&s;thood,</HI> which they &s;uppo|&s;ed <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> made void. Which &s;hews, that the <HI>Devil</HI> and <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> appears in the <HI>world</HI> as a <HI>good man,</HI> as a <HI>lover</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and his <HI>Laws,</HI> and the like. Well, but though the <HI>envious men,</HI> and <HI>wicked per&s;ons,</HI> (through the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of the <HI>Devil</HI>) did for &s;ome time <HI>oppo&s;e, gain&s;ay,</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecute Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> yet the &s;ame <HI>Spirit</HI> (po&s;&s;ibly &s;ome of the <HI>&s;ame per&s;ons</HI>) tran&s;|formed into the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and into the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>words</HI> and <HI>works</HI> of <HI>Him</HI> and his <HI>Apostles:</HI> For we find <HI>envious men,</HI> and <HI>wicked men,</HI> &s;uch as had <HI>per&s;ecuted Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>kil|led</HI> him, were gotten to preach him in <HI>words,</HI> and had got|ten and taken upon them the <HI>Form</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t's Doctrine,</HI> and preached him out of <HI>Envy,</HI> and for <HI>&s;elf-ends,</HI> and the like: So that 'tis plain, The &s;ame <HI>Spirit</HI> that &s;ometime <HI>oppo&s;ed</HI> and <HI>per&s;e|cuted</HI> the <HI>Prophets, Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> other times was tran&s;|formed into the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>Prophets, Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Apo|&s;tles</HI> words: And this is the way of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> to deceive men upon <HI>Earth,</HI> and to lead them to <HI>perdition:</HI> For when the <HI>Devil</HI> and <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> perceives that his <HI>Envy, Malice</HI> and <HI>Cruelty</HI> can|not prevail to &s;ubdue and keep under the <HI>Way</HI> and <HI>Truth</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> as it appears in the <HI>world,</HI> then he transforms into the <HI>likene&s;s</HI> and <HI>formal appearance</HI> of the way of the <HI>Lord,</HI> and his <HI>Truth;</HI> and when the <HI>Devil</HI> cannot <HI>kill Chri&s;t</HI> &s;o, but that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> will <HI>ri&s;e again, appear,</HI> and <HI>live</HI> for <HI>ever,</HI> contrary to <HI>all</HI> the <HI>malice</HI> and <HI>enmity</HI> of the <HI>Devil;</HI> then (rather than he will &s;ubmit to be no more) he will transform him&s;elf, and take upon him the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> of his <HI>Honour</HI> and <HI>Glory,</HI> and profe&s;s him in <HI>words,</HI> and &s;eem a <HI>Friend</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>King|dom:</HI> And this he doth, that he may live &s;till in the <HI>world,</HI> and by <HI>deceiveablene&s;s</HI> beguile the &s;ons of men into perpetual de&s;tru|ction.</P>
<P N="9"><PB N="41" REF="24">9. And the very work of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> this day in the world, is to <HI>deceive, beguile, &s;educe</HI> and <HI>betray</HI> the <HI>world</HI> and all <HI>mankind;</HI> 'tis his onely <HI>work</HI> and <HI>calling,</HI> as I may &s;ay, to <HI>deceive,</HI> 'tis his <HI>nature</HI> and <HI>property</HI> to <HI>work deceitfully;</HI> and thus it ever was with him, it hath been his <HI>property</HI> and his <HI>work</HI> in <HI>all ages,</HI> and in <HI>every age</HI> &s;ince the <HI>beginning</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> to <HI>deceive</HI> and <HI>beguile,</HI> to <HI>lead</HI> men from <HI>God,</HI> and to <HI>lead</HI> them into <HI>perdition;</HI> this I &s;ay hath ever been his work in the world, and by the means afore&s;aid, (to wit) by <HI>transforming</HI> and <HI>changing</HI> him&s;elf into the likene&s;s of <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>verity,</HI> and putting the <HI>pretence</HI> of <HI>goodne&s;s, virtue</HI> and <HI>holine&s;s</HI> upon his <HI>actions</HI> and <HI>doings,</HI> though never &s;o <HI>evil</HI> and <HI>unrighteous,</HI> he hath always, I &s;ay, by this <HI>means,</HI> and in this <HI>way deceived</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> by appearing as a <HI>Saint,</HI> as a <HI>well-doer,</HI> as an <HI>angel</HI> of <HI>Light,</HI> pretending <HI>wi&s;dom, righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>virtue,</HI> and coloring his deeds thereby, as is proved in the <HI>ca&s;e</HI> of the fir&s;t <HI>deceiving</HI> of <HI>Eve;</HI> What &s;aid <HI>Satan</HI> to the <HI>Woman?</HI> Not that <HI>I am &s;uch a one, and do intend to deceive thee with fal&s;ity;</HI> but, <HI>Thou &s;halt be as God; Thou &s;halt be wi&s;e of thy &s;elf, and know, and be, and do as God:</HI> Here was a <HI>fair pretence,</HI> by which he <HI>deceived</HI> the <HI>Woman.</HI> And the <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Apo&s;tles</HI> in the days of old, did not <HI>deceive</HI> the <HI>world</HI> into an <HI>ab&s;olute denial</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>Truth,</HI> but did <HI>deceive</HI> them into the <HI>fal&s;e Profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of the &s;ame, holding out the <HI>form</HI> of <HI>godline&s;s</HI> without the <HI>power;</HI> and by <HI>feigned words,</HI> and <HI>good &s;peeches,</HI> did <HI>deceive</HI> the <HI>hearts</HI> of the <HI>&s;imple;</HI> and by <HI>fal&s;e Do|ctrine,</HI> and <HI>Ordinances,</HI> and <HI>Form</HI> of <HI>Religion,</HI> did the <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> deceive the <HI>World</HI> in dayes pa&s;t, as he doth at <HI>this day:</HI> For if he did appear to be as he is in his in his <HI>own nature</HI> and <HI>property,</HI> a <HI>Devil, Deceiver,</HI> and <HI>wicked one,</HI> a <HI>Leader</HI> to <HI>Perdi|tion</HI> and <HI>De&s;truction,</HI> and &s;hould vindicate him&s;elf as &s;uch, and <HI>entice</HI> and <HI>tempt</HI> people as &s;uch; then none would <HI>be|lieve</HI> him, nor <HI>follow</HI> his <HI>wayes,</HI> for none would <HI>willingly</HI> be <HI>de&s;troyed.</HI> But he appears not as &s;uch in the <HI>world,</HI> but al|wayes <HI>transforms</HI> him&s;elf into the <HI>likene&s;s</HI> of <HI>God</HI> and <HI>Goodne&s;s,</HI> &s;till pretending the &s;ame: And by this <HI>means</HI> is he more <HI>capa|ble</HI> to <HI>deceive mankind;</HI> for he cannot &s;o readily <HI>deceive</HI> and <HI>lead</HI> men to <HI>perdition</HI> in his <HI>own proper Nature,</HI> if he appear
<PB N="42" REF="25"> as he is &s;uch: But therefore he appears <HI>contrary</HI> to what his own <HI>nature</HI> is, and <HI>transforms</HI> him&s;elf. And thus doth <HI>Antichrist</HI> de|ceive the <HI>Christian World</HI> (&s;o called) at this day, even by his <HI>fal&s;e wayes</HI> of <HI>Religion, fal&s;e Wor&s;hip, fal&s;e Doctrine, fal&s;e Humi|lity, fal&s;e Faith,</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Church,</HI> pretending <HI>zeal</HI> and <HI>&s;anctity,</HI> and &s;uch like: Herein and hereby (generally) doth <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> that <HI>Man of Sin,</HI> deceive and beguile the <HI>World</HI> unto <HI>perdition</HI> and <HI>de|&s;truction.</HI> Oh! how many thou&s;ands of <HI>Peoples,</HI> of <HI>Nations</HI> and <HI>Countreys,</HI> are at this day <HI>deceived</HI> on this wi&s;e, thinking they are in the <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>true way of Religion, Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip, pro|fe&s;&s;ing</HI> and <HI>performing</HI> the&s;e things with much zeal, as if they were indeed the <HI>wayes</HI> and <HI>Ordinances</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> when as they are but <HI>fal&s;e, feigned, formal,</HI> and of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>deceivable</HI> to the <HI>&s;ouls</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> even <HI>&s;hews</HI> without <HI>&s;ub&s;tance; forms</HI> without <HI>life</HI> and <HI>power;</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and not of the <HI>true Chri&s;t.</HI> And thus, and after this manner, with the very <HI>likene&s;s</HI> of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>appearance</HI> of <HI>Godline&s;s,</HI> and <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> hath <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> deceived the <HI>world,</HI> and doth at this day <HI>de|lude Nations,</HI> to the <HI>perdition</HI> of <HI>thou&s;ands:</HI> And <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> doth not generally deceive men in his <HI>works</HI> and <HI>appearance</HI> as he is in his own proper <HI>Nature;</HI> but in his appearance and works tran&s;|formed and changed into another <HI>likene&s;s,</HI> even into the <HI>likene&s;s</HI> of <HI>truth</HI> and <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s:</HI> By this means and way <HI>Satan, Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> and that <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>Sin,</HI> doth <HI>delude</HI> and <HI>deceive</HI> the <HI>Nations</HI> of the <HI>world.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. What the <HI>Works</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> are, by what is &s;aid, doth partly appear: His <HI>Works</HI> are all <HI>deceivablene&s;s,</HI> to <HI>deceive</HI> and <HI>delude</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> to lead <HI>mankind</HI> captive in the wayes of <HI>&s;in</HI> and <HI>death,</HI> unto the <HI>de&s;truction</HI> of their <HI>&s;ouls,</HI> and to be <HI>cruel</HI> and <HI>hard-hearted, envious, malicious</HI> and <HI>perver&s;e,</HI> a <HI>hater</HI> and <HI>per|&s;ecutor</HI> of <HI>goodne&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>good men,</HI> and to <HI>murder</HI> and <HI>work wick|edne&s;s,</HI> to do <HI>all evil,</HI> and to oppo&s;e, gain-&s;ay and deny <HI>all good:</HI> This in <HI>general</HI> is the <HI>work</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t;</HI> though as to particu|lars I now intend not to mention, &s;aving as I have before &s;hew|ed, to impo&s;e upon <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> in <HI>Religious matters,</HI> by <HI>outward force</HI> and <HI>violence,</HI> is a main principal work of <HI>Antichri&s;t;</HI> and to <HI>kill</HI> and <HI>de&s;troy</HI> per&s;ons on the account of <HI>Here&s;ie</HI> and <HI>Error,</HI> and to u&s;e <HI>vio|lence</HI>
<PB N="43" REF="25"> and <HI>cruel impo&s;itions</HI> in <HI>spiritual Ca&s;es,</HI> contrary to the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us.</HI> The&s;e are <HI>works</HI> and <HI>ways</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> which lie brings forth in the <HI>World,</HI> as al&s;o the promoting of all the <HI>fal&s;e</HI> and <HI>Idolatrous Wor&s;hips,</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e Church-Governments</HI> in the World; and in &s;hort, every <HI>evil work</HI> and <HI>word</HI> brought forth among&s;t the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> are the <HI>Works</HI> of the <HI>Devil</HI> and <HI>Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> which he &s;educeth the <HI>World</HI> into the working and do|ing of; and to con&s;ider the &s;tate of the <HI>World</HI> as it is at this day, and how it is deceived into many grievous and abomi|nable wayes of <HI>Error, Super&s;titions, Idolatries</HI> and <HI>Wickedne&s;s,</HI> it makes the hearts of the Righteous &s;ad and mournful, be|cau&s;e of the deceivablene&s;s of the working of the <HI>My&s;terie</HI> of <HI>Iniquity,</HI> of <HI>Antichrist,</HI> that <HI>Man of Sin</HI> in the World, who deceiveth <HI>Mankind</HI> with the appearance and &s;hew of <HI>godline&s;s,</HI> and leads the <HI>Children</HI> of <HI>Men</HI> in the ways of <HI>Ignorance, Death, B lindne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Error,</HI> yet holds them under a <HI>fal&s;e per&s;wa&s;ion</HI> of <HI>&s;afety</HI> and <HI>&s;ecurity,</HI> as if they were in the <HI>right way,</HI> and walked in the pathes of <HI>Happine&s;s,</HI> when indeed and in truth they are <HI>beguiled</HI> and <HI>deceived,</HI> and nigh unto the pathes of <HI>Perdition.</HI> Oh! how hath <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> prevailed in the&s;e latter dayes, &s;ince the dayes of the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> and <HI>deceived</HI> the <HI>world</HI> with the very <HI>formal profe&s;&s;ion</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of &s;uch <HI>Doctrines</HI> and <HI>Things</HI> as the <HI>Apostles</HI> held and practi&s;ed in the <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in their dayes: But now <HI>Antichrist</HI> he holds the <HI>form</HI> in his <HI>fal&s;e Spirit,</HI> and hath the appearance and likene&s;&s;e of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, Truth, Faith</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> without the <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> even the likene&s;&s;e of the things that the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> and <HI>Saints</HI> held in the <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>God:</HI> And hereby is the World deceived, though <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> hath taught them to plead <HI>Scriptures,</HI> and prove by <HI>Scriptures,</HI> that the Apo&s;tles did the &s;ame things, and held the &s;ame Profe&s;&s;ion; yet being now held and profe&s;&s;ed our of the <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and not in the &s;ame <HI>Spirit</HI> that the Apo&s;tles were in, 'tis but of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and deceiveable, and leads <HI>captive</HI> the <HI>&s;ouls</HI> of <HI>men</HI> into <HI>de|&s;truction.</HI> Oh therefore that the <HI>World,</HI> and all that dwel there|in, would con&s;ider the danger of that <HI>deceivable Spirit</HI> of <HI>Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> and how he <HI>deceiveth mankind,</HI> and would turn from
<PB N="44" REF="26"> him, and for&s;ake the <HI>wayes</HI> and <HI>works</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> that they may be <HI>&s;aved,</HI> and not <HI>de&s;troyed.</HI> Oh! all ye called <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> 'tis time to con&s;ider what <HI>&s;pirit</HI> ye are of, and what <HI>&s;pirit</HI> leads you, and how ye may e&s;cape his <HI>delu&s;ions;</HI> for the <HI>Day</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> is come, and he is gathering <HI>People</HI> out of the <HI>wayes</HI> of <HI>An|tichri&s;t,</HI> and &s;etting them <HI>free</HI> from his <HI>cruel Bonds,</HI> to &s;erve the <HI>Lord</HI> in <HI>Liberty</HI> and <HI>Freedom</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us;</HI> and ble&s;&s;ed are all they that <HI>witne&s;s</HI> this, where <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> reigns, and <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is &s;ubdued with his <HI>works</HI> and <HI>fruits,</HI> and di&s;covered and de&s;troyed by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> and the <HI>brightne&s;s</HI> of his <HI>Coming,</HI> who comes to judge the <HI>World</HI> in <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>Truth.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11. The&s;e things are &s;aid in general of <HI>Antichri&s;t;</HI> Now it re|mains to be &s;hewed, <HI>What the Government of</HI> Antichri&s;t <HI>is in it &s;elf,</HI> and <HI>where it is in being,</HI> and <HI>who the Subjects of his Kingdom are.</HI></P>
<P>That <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> the <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>Sin</HI> hath a <HI>Government,</HI> a <HI>Kingdom,</HI> a <HI>Power,</HI> an <HI>Authority,</HI> a <HI>Rule</HI> and a <HI>Dominion</HI> (which is indeed his <HI>Go|vernment</HI>) this is not <HI>doubtful</HI> to <HI>any,</HI> but <HI>acknowledged</HI> by <HI>all;</HI> but what this <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> is, many are ignorant. Now the <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is not the <HI>Government</HI> and <HI>Authority</HI> of &s;ome <HI>particular man,</HI> in &s;ome <HI>particular Coun|trey</HI> and <HI>Nation</HI> upon Earth, di&s;tinct from all other <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> and <HI>Nations,</HI> as if &s;uch a particular <HI>vi&s;ible Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Authority,</HI> were <HI>Antichri&s;t's Government,</HI> and none be&s;ides: But the <HI>Authori|ty, Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is more <HI>invi&s;ible,</HI> more <HI>hidden,</HI> as it were more <HI>&s;piritual</HI> and <HI>undi&s;cernable</HI> unto the &s;ons of men, than any <HI>vi&s;ible, outward Kingdom</HI> is: And indeed, the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>Antichrist</HI> is the <HI>Authority</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of <HI>Spiritual Wickedne&s;s,</HI> of <HI>&s;piritual, invi&s;ible Iniquity,</HI> or the <HI>Rule</HI> and <HI>Do|minion</HI> of the <HI>Son</HI> of <HI>Perdition,</HI> of the <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>Sin,</HI> exerci&s;ed in the hearts and &s;pirits of all <HI>ungodly men:</HI> This is the <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> an <HI>authority</HI> of <HI>&s;piritual wicked|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> a <HI>Power</HI> of the <HI>My&s;terie</HI> of <HI>Iniquity,</HI> and of <HI>invi&s;ible pre|vailing</HI> of the <HI>Son</HI> of <HI>Perdition</HI> in, and over the hearts of the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>men;</HI> not onely of <HI>one per&s;on,</HI> or in <HI>one Nation</HI> or <HI>King|dom</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> but in <HI>all &s;inful per&s;ons,</HI> and over <HI>all Nations</HI> of the Earth; <HI>Antichri&s;t's Government</HI> is &s;uch throughout <HI>King|doms</HI>
<PB N="45" REF="26"> of this world, even a <HI>Spiritual Power</HI> of <HI>Wickedne&s;s,</HI> a <HI>domi|nion</HI> and <HI>authority</HI> of the <HI>My&s;terie</HI> of <HI>Iniquity,</HI> ruling and reign|ing in the <HI>hearts</HI> of many men, even of <HI>all &s;inful men,</HI> of <HI>all un|ju&s;t men,</HI> of <HI>all unconverted men</HI> through <HI>all Nations</HI> in the World: So that it may not be truly &s;aid, that <HI>Antichri&s;t's Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Go|vernment</HI> is onely the <HI>particular authority</HI> of any <HI>particular man,</HI> in a <HI>particular Nation</HI> of the <HI>Earth,</HI> and all others (<HI>Men</HI> and <HI>Nations</HI>) are free; but it is (as I have &s;aid) the <HI>Authority, Power</HI> and <HI>Rule</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Wickedne&s;s,</HI> of the <HI>My&s;terie</HI> of <HI>Iniquity,</HI> in the hearts of <HI>all evil men,</HI> in <HI>all Nations</HI> through the World. And this is tru|ly the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> in it &s;elf.</P>
<P N="12">12. This <HI>Government</HI> is placed and &s;et up, and chiefly the place and being of it, is (not onely in <HI>all Nations</HI> at large, but) in the <HI>hearts,</HI> even in particular <HI>hearts</HI> of the &s;ons of men, in the <HI>heart</HI> and <HI>inward parts</HI> of man, is the place where <HI>Antichri&s;t's Govern|ment</HI> is; his <HI>authority, power</HI> and <HI>dominion,</HI> is in the <HI>hearts</HI> of the <HI>un|godly,</HI> in the <HI>inward parts</HI> of <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors;</HI> in the heart <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> (that <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>Sin</HI>) dwells and works, according as it is written, 2 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 2.9, 10 &s;peaking of that man of &s;in who&s;e <HI>coming is after the working of Satan with all lying wonders, and with all deceivablene&s;s of unrighteou&s;ne&s;s in them that peri&s;h;</HI> His dwelling and working is <HI>in them that peri&s;h,</HI> in the <HI>ungodly,</HI> in the <HI>hypocrites,</HI> in all <HI>idolaters,</HI> in all <HI>fal&s;e Wor&s;hippers:</HI> Thus it is manife&s;t, that the <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is <HI>in the heart,</HI> not onely of <HI>one man</HI> in <HI>&s;ome Nations,</HI> but <HI>in the hearts</HI> of <HI>all</HI> &s;uch men men mentioned, in <HI>all</HI> the Kingdoms of the World, even the <HI>my&s;terie</HI> of <HI>iniquity,</HI> the <HI>&s;piritual wickedne&s;s,</HI> the <HI>authority</HI> and <HI>power</HI> of that Spirit that is again&s;t <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and con|trary to him (which is the <HI>Rule, Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Anti|chri&s;t</HI>) dwells and works in the hearts of the &s;ons of men, even like as <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> dwells and walks <HI>in his Saints,</HI> as it is written, &s;o accordingly doth <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> dwell and walk in all that are the <HI>Sub|jects</HI> of his <HI>Kingdom:</HI> Yet notwith&s;tanding, the <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>An|tichri&s;t</HI> is <HI>in the hearts</HI> of men, originally there, as having got <HI>domi|nion</HI> and <HI>power</HI> over the <HI>&s;eed</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and placed it &s;elf <HI>in the heart,</HI> which is its &s;eat, and where <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> &s;hould reign; yet the <HI>Government</HI> of <HI>Antichrist</HI> is not &s;o <HI>&s;piritual,</HI> &s;o <HI>hidden</HI> and <HI>invi&s;ible in the heart,</HI> but that it appears <HI>outwardly</HI> and <HI>vi&s;ibly</HI> in the <HI>actions</HI> and <HI>fruits</HI> of
<PB N="46" REF="27"> men; &s;o that the <HI>outward actions</HI> and <HI>works</HI> of men are <HI>leavened</HI> and <HI>&s;ia&s;ted</HI> with the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and his <HI>Government</HI> appears <HI>vi|tble</HI> in <HI>Antichri&s;tian wayes</HI> and <HI>works</HI> brought forth by men; the <HI>&s;in|fulne&s;s</HI> of men, the <HI>hypocri&s;ies</HI> of men, the <HI>idolatries</HI> of men, and the <HI>fal&s;e principles</HI> and <HI>doctrines</HI> of men, which appear vi&s;ibly, are the <HI>works</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and his <HI>Government</HI> &s;tands in the&s;e things; in the&s;e <HI>works</HI> he governs men, and to the doing of them he leads and rules men by his Authority and Power, which is <HI>in</HI> the hearts of men. And thus <HI>Antichri&s;t's Government</HI> appears vi&s;ible and out|ward, and is in the <HI>outward actions</HI> and <HI>works</HI> of men to be &s;een in the world, as well as the working of his <HI>Power</HI> and <HI>Authority</HI> is in the <HI>heart, inwardly.</HI></P>
<P>And al&s;o <HI>Antichri&s;t's Government</HI> is extended not onely, as fir&s;t, dwelling and working in the <HI>hearts</HI> of the <HI>ungodly;</HI> nor &s;econdly, as over the <HI>works</HI> of men particularly; but over the <HI>Governments</HI> of <HI>many Nations</HI> and <HI>Countreys</HI> in general, is <HI>Antichri&s;ts Power</HI> and <HI>Rule</HI> extended; &s;o that the <HI>Governments</HI> of the world are <HI>levened</HI> and <HI>ta&s;ted</HI> with <HI>Antichri&s;tian Power</HI> and <HI>Authority</HI> in many <HI>Nations,</HI> even the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Antichrist</HI> hath po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed many <HI>hearts,</HI> many <HI>works,</HI> and not onely &s;o, but many <HI>Governments</HI> among&s;t men; and this hath appeared and broken forth vi&s;ible in all the <HI>works</HI> of <HI>unrigh|teou&s;ne&s;s, injustice, oppre&s;&s;ions</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecutions,</HI> brought forth in <HI>worldly Governments;</HI> for &s;o much as hath been brought forth in any <HI>Government,</HI> in any <HI>Nation,</HI> at any time, of <HI>unrighteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, injustice, oppre&s;&s;ion, idolatry, fal&s;e wor&s;hip</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecutions,</HI> and of any other evils, even &s;o much of <HI>Antichri&s;t's Kingdom, Government</HI> and <HI>Power,</HI> hath been in that <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government;</HI> and that <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> where&s;oever, in what <HI>Nation</HI> and <HI>Coun|trey</HI> &s;oever, hath been <HI>Antichri&s;tian,</HI> even in &s;o much, and by &s;o much as <HI>Inju&s;tice, Wickedne&s;s, Cruelty, Per&s;ecution,</HI> or any acts of <HI>&s;in</HI> and <HI>wickedne&s;s</HI> have been, or are brought forth into action in that <HI>Government.</HI> And thus it is manife&s;t what, and where <HI>Anti|chri&s;t</HI>'s <HI>Government</HI> is: Now I &s;hall briefly &s;hew who the <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of his <HI>Kingdom</HI> are.</P>
<P N="1">1. All the <HI>ungodly, unrighteous,</HI> and <HI>unconverted</HI> per&s;ons in gene|ral throughout the world, are the <HI>Subjects</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;ts Kingdom,</HI> all the &s;ons of fallen <HI>Adam,</HI> in tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, all that are in the <HI>fir&s;t
<PB N="47" REF="27"> birth,</HI> in <HI>degeneration,</HI> in the <HI>alienation</HI> and <HI>&s;eparation</HI> from <HI>God;</HI> even all that are <HI>wicked,</HI> and do <HI>wickedly,</HI> that are in the <HI>Enmity</HI> again&s;t <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>unholy, un&s;anctified,</HI> and <HI>unregenerate,</HI> the&s;e are all of <HI>An|tichri&s;ts Kingdom, &s;ubjects</HI> of it, and <HI>&s;ervants</HI> to it, and it rules <HI>in</HI> them, and <HI>over</HI> them, and <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is their <HI>Ruler</HI> in all the&s;e their <HI>wicked wayes,</HI> and in this their pre&s;ent &s;tate and condition.</P>
<P N="2">2. All <HI>Hypocrites,</HI> that profe&s;s God in <HI>words,</HI> and in <HI>works</HI> deny him, that make a &s;hew of <HI>Religion</HI> and <HI>Wor&s;hip,</HI> when their <HI>hearts</HI> are far from the <HI>Lord;</HI> that with their mouths profe&s;s much <HI>love</HI> to God, and with their lips <HI>honor</HI> him, but are departed from his <HI>fear,</HI> and &s;tand not in his <HI>Coun&s;el,</HI> all &s;uch are <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of the <HI>goverment</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> even all <HI>fal&s;e-hearted, di&s;&s;embling Hypocrites,</HI> that pro|fe&s;s more of God, then they know of him by the <HI>operation</HI> of his <HI>Spirit;</HI> that have an <HI>outward conformity</HI> in appearance, of <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> and <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>God-wards,</HI> and their <HI>hearts</HI> are not conformed to the <HI>Power</HI> of God, by his <HI>Spirit;</HI> all &s;uch are of the Government of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> and his <HI>Kingdom</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> dwells in them, and they are under the Dominion thereof.</P>
<P N="3">3. All <HI>Idolaters, fal&s;e-wor&s;hippers, Hereticks</HI> and <HI>erroneous per|&s;ons;</HI> &s;uch as <HI>cry up Church</HI> and <HI>Mini&s;try,</HI> and <HI>profe&s;s Faith</HI> and <HI>Godline&s;s,</HI> and yet are not <HI>guided</HI> by the <HI>Spirit of Chri&s;t,</HI> nor <HI>led</HI> of <HI>it</HI> into all <HI>Truth,</HI> the&s;e are <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of the afore&s;aid <HI>Govern|ment</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t;</HI> even all they that are <HI>&s;en&s;ually minded,</HI> and have not the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Christ</HI> guiding them in the <HI>way</HI> of <HI>righte|ou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>truth,</HI> who are not <HI>converted</HI> and <HI>born again,</HI> and <HI>renew|ed</HI> into the <HI>image</HI> and <HI>likene&s;s</HI> of <HI>Christ Je&s;us;</HI> and yet practices <HI>holine&s;s,</HI> and <HI>duty</HI> to <HI>Godwards</HI> in <HI>outward appearance,</HI> and are in the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>words</HI> of <HI>Christ</HI> and his <HI>Prophets</HI> and <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> but have not the <HI>&s;ame &s;pirit</HI> and <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> as the <HI>Prophets</HI> and <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> had, the&s;e are covered with <HI>&s;heeps-cloathing,</HI> and <HI>profe&s;&s;es Christ,</HI> and <HI>his words,</HI> but are again&s;t <HI>Christ,</HI> and con|trary to <HI>Him</HI> in <HI>kind</HI> and <HI>nature;</HI> and all &s;uch are of the <HI>Govern|ment</HI> of <HI>Antichrist,</HI> and hee <HI>governs</HI> them, and <HI>rules</HI> over them.</P>
<P N="4">4. All <HI>Back-&s;liders,</HI> and them that have for&s;aken the <HI>right way</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> all that are <HI>turned</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Truth</HI> of <HI>God</HI> which once they <HI>knew</HI> and <HI>believed,</HI> and were <HI>convinced</HI> of, and &s;ome|times
<PB N="48" REF="28"> <HI>profe&s;&s;ed,</HI> the&s;e are all <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t's raign</HI> and <HI>au|thority,</HI> even all the <HI>unfaithful</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e-hearted,</HI> who are <HI>treache|rous</HI> to <HI>God</HI> and <HI>men,</HI> and <HI>uncon&s;tant</HI> and <HI>changeable, time-&s;ervers</HI> and <HI>hypocrits,</HI> who have denied <HI>Christ</HI> before <HI>men,</HI> and turned again&s;t him, and again&s;t his Saints, &s;uch are under <HI>Satans</HI> power, and he works in their hearts, and <HI>Antichrist</HI> deceivs them, and they are under his <HI>power</HI> and <HI>dominion,</HI> and are <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of his <HI>Go|vernment.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. All <HI>per&s;ecutors</HI> of the <HI>Saints,</HI> all <HI>violent</HI> and <HI>cruel</HI> men, all that <HI>per&s;ecutes</HI> &s;uch as are <HI>contrary-minded</HI> to them&s;elves, are of <HI>Antichrist,</HI> and <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of his <HI>kingdom;</HI> even all that <HI>kill,</HI> and <HI>burn,</HI> and <HI>de&s;troy</HI> for difference of <HI>Faith</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> who them|&s;elves profe&s;s love to God, and his <HI>Way,</HI> and yet will <HI>per&s;ecute</HI> others, and <HI>de&s;troy</HI> them by <HI>cruel dealing;</HI> and that would not &s;uffer any to live but them&s;elves, and will not <HI>do to others as they would be done unto,</HI> but hates the <HI>Neighbour,</HI> and per&s;ecutes <HI>Bro|ther,</HI> and <HI>impo&s;es</HI> upon his <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> in things again&s;t <HI>good Con&s;ci|ence,</HI> and are violent doers; all &s;uch men are <HI>Subjects</HI> of <HI>Anti|christ's Kingdom,</HI> in <HI>all Nations</HI> throughout the world. There|fore let all con&s;ider, this is the <HI>Day</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> God will di&s;co|ver and de&s;troy <HI>Antichrist</HI> and his <HI>Kingdom:</HI> Let the <HI>wicked</HI> and <HI>ungodly</HI> turn from his <HI>evil way,</HI> le&s;t God de&s;troy him with perpe|tual de&s;truction.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, 'tis the property of &s;uch who are <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;ts Kingdom,</HI> to <HI>profe&s;s</HI> and <HI>cry up</HI> much of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in <HI>words,</HI> of what he <HI>&s;aid</HI> and <HI>did,</HI> of his <HI>life,</HI> of his <HI>death,</HI> of what he <HI>hath been,</HI> and what he <HI>&s;hall be,</HI> and yet to deny the <HI>pre&s;ent enjoyment</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> to that <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> is an enemy; he can well away with it to <HI>&s;peak</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> at a <HI>di&s;tance,</HI> but he cannot bear it if any hold forth a <HI>pre&s;ent enjoyment</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> that <HI>Christ</HI> takes away <HI>&s;in,</HI> and <HI>for|gives it,</HI> and that his <HI>blood</HI> clean&s;eth from it, and that he is the <HI>Ju&s;tifier,</HI> and the <HI>Redeemer</HI> and <HI>Saviour;</HI> the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of all this in <HI>words</HI> from the <HI>letter</HI> without, and that they are things true in them&s;elves, <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> can bear and make a &s;hew of in <HI>profe&s;|&s;ion,</HI> but if any of the <HI>Saints</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> do <HI>witne&s;s</HI> the&s;e things, and &s;hall te&s;tifie in the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> the <HI>enjoyment</HI> of the&s;e things, and that they are at pre&s;ent in this life po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed (to wit) <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> now <HI>lives</HI> in us, and is <HI>come,</HI> and his <HI>blood</HI> hath <HI>clean&s;ed</HI> from <HI>&s;in,</HI>
<PB N="49" REF="28"> and he hath <HI>forgiven</HI> it, and he hath <HI>ju&s;tified, redeemed</HI> and <HI>&s;aved;</HI> I &s;ay if any do <HI>witne&s;s</HI> the&s;e things in <HI>pre&s;ent enjoyment,</HI> and that they are now in this pre&s;ent time <HI>witne&s;&s;ed</HI> in the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and not onely <HI>profe&s;&s;ed</HI> from the <HI>Letter</HI> without, but <HI>experienced</HI> by the <HI>work</HI> of <HI>God</HI> within; <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> oppo&s;eth this, and gain|&s;aies <HI>pre&s;ent enjoyment,</HI> and &s;uch indeed are <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;ts Kingdom,</HI> who have the <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in <HI>words,</HI> but no <HI>pre&s;ent enjoyment</HI> of him, but wants <HI>his nature,</HI> and are in the <HI>nature con|trary</HI> to him, and feeds upon reports of things done by him without, and upon the expectations of what he &s;hall do here|after, and in their <HI>pre&s;ent &s;tate</HI> are <HI>without Chri&s;t,</HI> and are <HI>&s;inners</HI> and <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors</HI> again&s;t the <HI>life of righteou&s;ne&s;s, unconverted</HI> and <HI>unregenerated</HI> by <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> all &s;uch as the&s;e are the <HI>&s;ubjects</HI> of <HI>Anti|chri&s;t</HI> his <HI>Kingdom.</HI></P>
<P>And as concerning the <HI>Ri&s;e</HI> and <HI>Fall</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> the <HI>begin|ning</HI> and <HI>ending</HI> of his <HI>Kingdom,</HI> the&s;e things in &s;ea&s;on may be declared, if God permit.</P>
<TRAILER>THE END.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>ERRATA.</HEAD>
<P>Page 2. line 27. for <HI>were</HI> read <HI>way:</HI> and line 28. between <HI>exerci&s;ed upon them</HI> and <HI>converted,</HI> read <HI>they were.</HI> p. 27. l. 32. for <HI>end</HI> read <HI>and.</HI> p. 34. l. 18. for <HI>loving</HI> read <HI>lying;</HI> and what el&s;e is ami&s;s, rather correct then blame.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
