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The Ax laid to the R$ot of the Tree ; 
 
 discourse 
 
 Wherein the 
 
 ANABAPTISTS 
 Mifjion and Minijiry 
 
 ARE 
 
 Examined and Disproved, 
 
 THEIR 
 
 Arguments for it Refuted at Urge, 
 
 THEIR 
 
 Grounds of Separation from the Church 
 of England demonftrated to be Slanders; 
 and the Matter o$ them moftjuftly retorted 
 upon themfelves, as altogether inconfiftent 
 with the Notion of a Chriftian Churchy and 
 fo creating a Conftant and Indelible Preju- 
 dice againtt Communion with them. 
 
 Wherein Hkewife 
 
 The Vnity of the Church, 
 
 and Evangelical Triejlhood are afTerted 
 againil them and all other Setlaries, 
 of whatioxver Denomination. 
 

 
Ill 
 
 — £2 
 
 6/., %/ 
 
 ^//^ 
 
 — . , 
 
 
 
 
 THE ' ******* 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 READER, 
 
 IHere prefent thee with part of my Vejign 
 againft the Analaptifts, one of the moll 
 prevailing Sefts that in lefts our Church here in 
 England, i? taken in its due Latitude, and in 
 all its Subdivi(ions ; one of thofe Tares than 
 Satan Cowed very early among the pure Wheat 
 of the Reformation from Popery, and moll fe- 
 duloufty cultivatedby the Jefuzts (no queftion) 
 to this very Day (elpecially in fome of its 
 Branches} as may in another place, by God's 
 Leave , be made maaifeft. This hath been 
 their Policy from the beginning, to Cow Divi- 
 sions, and make Rents and Separations amongfl 
 the Reformed, and what they find therafelves 
 unable to accomplifh by open Force, by puhlick 
 Oppofition, to effed: by Clandeftine and Under- 
 hand Dealings, by letting loole the little Foxes, 
 by ft ir ring up the Populace, the Illiterate and 
 Ignorant againft us, after having poyfoned their 
 Hearts with Envy y Malice and Hatred y and /»- 
 
 A i tox?~ 
 
iv The <P V^E F A C E. 
 
 toxkated and filled their Heads with all man- 
 ner of Hereftes, Falfe and Antkhriflian Notions, 
 and under the Rofe allur'd them to their Hands, 
 by gratifying their refpetlive Lufts ; by an In- 
 dulgence and Allowance of the very groffeft of 
 Immoralities, as they find them difposd and /»- 
 clind. This ought not to be wonder'd at in 
 the leaft by us Qhriflians, fince we are aflur'd 
 by the Apoftolical Writings, that all Divijtons, 
 all Herejjes and Schifms own their Birth to 
 Irregular Fajfions and Corrupt Affeclions : And 
 this is Satan's Mafler piece in thofe abominable 
 Inflruments of his, the Jefuits , the grandeft 
 Opprohry and Scandal that ever was put up- 
 on that Sacred Name, Jefus, Saviour, Healer, 
 (excepting one of the 5e& I'm at prefent en- 
 gaged with, was a greater ; tho' moll deferved- 
 ly and craftily Cafhier'd by them, 
 liTb'd °e at /*! * mean > Titui Oats ; ) whilft it is 
 viour of the apparent by their Doclrine and Pra- 
 
 Dtfemen tbe ^ ices * the y are the Poyfoners and 
 Murderers of the Souls of all Man- 
 kind they have to do with, (unlefs by the 
 efpecial Grace of God prevented.,) For the 
 furtherance and carrying on their Deftru&ive 
 Defigns the more fuccefsfully, they have mod 
 (tudioufly endeavour'd to corrupt the Gofpel 
 by Falfe Gloffes and Interpretations of its moll: 
 Pure, Holy, and Righteous Doctrines ,• that 
 Mankind being fet loofe from the Obligations 
 of Natural Light or Confcience , and finding 
 ftarting Holes to evade the Indifpenfahility of 
 Evangelical Striclnefs and Obedience, may there- 
 by 
 
The <P G^E F AC E. v 
 
 by be made fufceptive of any the moft Pltious 
 and Immoral Principles that may gratifie, cor- 
 rupt, and mi/guided Nature, any thing that may 
 promote a vifible and prefent Interefl, or col- 
 logue a Predominant Lufi or Paffion. 
 
 Hence they teach the Violation of the Deca- 
 logue itfelf, that Law of Charity, (that Epitome 
 or Summary of all Offices towards God and 
 Man,) which is therefore call'd the Fulfilling 
 of the Law, Rom. 13. 10. and the Bond of Per- 
 fection, Col. 3. 14. which comprehends the 
 Love of God and our Neighbours, and there- 
 fore the whole Law is refblv'd by Qhrift into 
 thefe two Precepts, Matt. xx. 37, 38, 39. •. 
 
 As to the Firft, Thefe Corrupters of Morals 
 tell us, that it is fufficient a Man love God at 
 any time before he dies, or at the Point of 
 Death, or on Holy-Days, once a 
 Year, or once in five Years : That ^yft. J efuit ' 
 
 r 1 11 Lett. 10. p. 
 
 we are not (0 much commanded 151,153. 
 to love God, as not to hate him. 
 They difingage Men from that irkfbme Obli- 
 gation of loving God actually,* and Print, with 
 Approbation, that a Man may be faved with- 
 out ever loving God in all his 
 Life. And againft the Second Com- L f- "\ t- 
 mandment , they aliert Idolatry , pyrot. Loyo- 
 Witchcrajt , and Abufe of God's Ian.; 38,39. 
 Worfhip. (Myfl. Jefuit. Lett. 5. %£ A ™' 
 p. 53, 54. cited by the Author 
 of Pyrot. Loyolan. p, 30. } And then, in refe- 
 rence to the Second Table, allow of UndutifuL 
 pefi and Difobedience to Parents, p. 41. .Mur- 
 
 A 3 tber % 
 
vi The f ^EF AC E. 
 
 tber, p. 4%, Uncleannefs, p. 43. Theft •, Cheat- 
 ing y p, ^.Eauivocations^Mental Refervations ^Vio- 
 lations of Oaths, p. 4^,46. Self-Love, Covetoufnefi, 
 Envy, Ambition, and all the exorbitant Motions 
 and firft Rifmgs of the Heart, to the Tranf- 
 greflion of God's Righteous Law, p. 46, 47. 
 where all thefe hideous Immoralities are prov'd 
 from authentick Tefiimonies, to be allow'd 
 and taught by them, without any Regard to 
 that of our BlefTed Lord, Matt. 5. 19. Add 
 but unto this, the Jefuitical Creed, for the moll 
 part a mofl exacl: and cowpleat Original of our 
 Quakers, in reference to their Opinion's of the 
 Oeconomy of our BlefTed Saviour, as you may 
 find it in the Author of the Pyrotechn. Loyolan. 
 or of the Fiery Jefuits Temper and Behaviour, p. 
 31. (very well worth the confuting) collected 
 by a Salamanca Doclor, and then tell me whe- 
 ther thefe 'Jefuits have not in the highefl proba- 
 bility been the Forgers and Contrivers, or Re. 
 vivers of ail the Herefies in thefe parts of the 
 World amongft the Reformed, fince their firft 
 Appearance, and moft particularly in thefe 
 Three Kingdoms of Qreat Britain, fince 1640, 
 to this very Day? Or at lead, what Falfe Do^ 
 brines or Unchriflian Practices may not be 
 maintained, profefl, and practiced confidently, 
 with their Principles ? Or whether any thing 
 c?.n be too Unchriflian, or Wicked for them to 
 embrace or comply with, to carry on their In- 
 fernal furfofes , and the Enlargement of the 
 Kingdom of Darknefs? Or whether this poor 
 ff.wd hath not been the Unfortunate Stage , 
 
 upon 
 
The PREFACE. vii 
 
 upon which all thefe Violations of God's Laws 
 have been acted in the highefi Degree for a ma- 
 ny Years together uninterruptedly, and above 
 forty Years fince more or left, thro' their reft- 
 lefs and mofl implacable Malice even to this 
 very Day, by their practicing upon and a- 
 raongft all our Se&s, who are nothing in the 
 Bottom, but their Paws and Engines, to pull 
 down our Church and Monarchy, and fo make 
 way, not barely for Popery (which may be 
 termed Tnnocent comparatively) but for Jefui- 
 tifm y becaufe thefe Jefuits have de faclo the 
 greateft Intereft, Power and Influence amongft 
 us, of any Order of the Church of Rome . 
 
 Now to prove this, that all our Setlaries 
 without exception, are the Jefuits Tools f and 
 do their Work in chief (tho' other Orders be 
 concern'd ) is a Bufinefs of no great Difficulty, 
 were I nearer to Books; however, I hope to 
 evince it very fatisfactorily (tho' not fo fully) 
 with fuch little helps, as I have at hand. But 
 to proceed orderly in this Bufinefs, I find a Ne- 
 cerfity to remove one Objection which I forefee 
 would be made, as it appears in Fair-ivarning^ 
 Part 2. Printed 1663, cited out of Mr. Baxters 
 Key for Cafh, p. 326, 3x7, &c, to 335. 
 
 ; And that we may fee what they have done 
 4 Qi. e. the Papifts) let us difcover what Parties 
 ' they infinuated themfelves into, (in Mr. Bax- 
 
 • ters own Words. ) As for the Old Englijh 
 1 Bi'.hops, and conformable Miniflers , who 
 ' were of the Faith and Doctrine publickly 
 
 • here profefs'dj I confefs 3 I find but little 
 
 A 4 * EvU 
 
via The <P ^ E F A C E. 
 
 * Evidence that ever the Papifls had much to 
 4 do with them : Mark that. Now ! 
 
 ' As for the Presbyterians, I do not fee any 
 ' reafon to think that ever the Papifts had any 
 ' Intereft in them of any Men, there being 
 
 * none they more hate, than thefe two forts, 
 ' the Old Sound Epifcopal Men, and the Pres- 
 
 * hyterians. 
 
 To this I anfwer firft in general, that as the 
 Jefuits ■'and Calvinijls, the Fathers of our Presly- 
 terians'y had their Rife much about the fame 
 time, fo their Principles qua Presbyterians, and 
 qu^ Antimonarchifls are much the fame. They 
 both, in the firft place, agree in that Point of 
 the Origin of Power from the People, This is Co 
 Self-evident, that there's no farther need to 
 infift upon it, and fo F refer you to the Authors 
 on both fides, and particularly £to make (hort 
 work on't) to the Evangelium Armatum, print- 
 ed in the Year 1663. 
 
 And then fecondiy, as to the Form of Go- 
 vernment, Monarchy, in the true and natural 
 Senfe of the Word ; for the Proof of which, 
 you may confult the aforefaid Book, where you 
 may fee Mr. Calamys, Mr. Baxters, and other 
 Presbyterians Concurrence with the Jejuits in 
 this Point. But after, for a fuller Deduction of 
 the particular Principles wherein thefe presby- 
 ter ians and Jefuits agree , I recommend the 
 perufal of Lyfimachus Nicanors Congratulatory 
 Epiftlc to the Covenanters in Scotland, wherein 
 you may fee the perfeft Harmony of the Presby- 
 feriatjs, with the fefitits iri very many Particu- 
 lars, I might 
 
Tl?e <P %E F A C E. lx 
 
 I might add many other Parallels, or Points 
 wherein they jump exa&ly, would the Compafs 
 of a Preface allow it ,• but I haften to what I 
 propofed to make good more efpecially, i. e. 
 to demonftrate, that the Presbyterian Faclion 
 have been pra&ifed upon by the Jefuits, &c. 
 as well as other Setts. And this will appear, 
 if you confult Mr. Prims Rome's Mafterpiece y 
 printed 1643, where you (hall find JT. 7. of the 
 Great Difcovery of the Plot and Treafon again ft the 
 Kingy Kingdom and P rot eft ant Religion, and to raife 
 the Scottifh Wars, communicated by Andreas ab 
 Habern field , to Sir William Bofwell , &c. 
 
 * That when Cuneus or Conne had underftood 
 
 * from the Lord Archbifhop's part [ viz. Laud,] 
 
 * that he had laboured in vain; his Malice, and 
 
 * the whole Society's waxed boyling hot: [and 
 
 * fo : ] foon after Ambufhes began to be pre- 
 ' par'd, wherewith the Lord Archbifhop, to- 
 
 * gether with the King, fhould be taken. With 
 whom did they confult and confederate to pre- 
 pare thefe Ambulhes, but with the Presbyte- 
 rian-Puritanical-Fa&ion, as will appear anon? 
 Then it follows, c Likewifea Sentence is paf- 
 ' fed againft the King ( for whofe fake all 
 I this Bufinefs is difpoied} becaufe nothing is 
 
 * hoped from him , which might feem to 
 
 * promote the Popifli Religion , &c. Then 
 jT. 8. c To perpetrate the Treafon undertaken, 
 ' the Criminal Execution at Weftminfter, caufed 
 c by fbme Writings of Puritans, gave Occafi- 
 ' on of the firfl Fire ; which thing was fo 
 [ sxafperated and exaggerated by the Paj>ifts to 
 
 the 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 the Puritans, that if it remained unrevenged, 
 it would be thought a Blemifh to their Reli- 
 gion : the Flames of which Fire, the fubfe- 
 quent Book of Prayers increaies, [ the Scot, 
 tifh Common-Prayer-Book,] §.9. 'In this 
 Heat, a certain Scottijh Earl, call'd Max- 
 field- was expedited to the Scots by the 
 
 Popifb Tarty, with whom two other Scottifb 
 Earls Fapifts held Correfpondency : he ought 
 to ftir up the People to Commotion, and 
 rub over the Injury afrelh, that he might en- 
 flame their Minds, precipitate them to Arms, 
 by which the hurtful Difturber of the Scottijh 
 Liberty might be (lain [i. e. Archbilhop Laud] 
 whofe Death we fee was originally plotted by 
 the Jefuits, and executed by the Presbyterians 
 their Executioners ; as was likewife the Death 
 of the King (tho' executed indeed by the In- 
 dependent-Millenarian- Party ) if he would not 
 be gain a over to their Party, JT. 10. ' There, 
 by one Labour, Snares are prepar'd for the 
 King : for this Purpofe the prefent Bufmefs 
 was Co order'd, that very many of the Eng- 
 lifb mould adhere to the Scots; that the King 
 mould remain inferiourin Arms, who (there- 
 upon) fhould be compell'd to crave Affiftance 
 from the Papifts, which yet he fhould not ob- 
 tain, unlefs he would defcend into Condi- 
 tions, by which he mould permit Univerfal 
 Liberty of the exercife of the Popifh Religion, 
 for fothe Affairs of the Papifts would fucceed 
 according to their Defire. To which Con- 
 tent, if he fhould fnew himielf more difficult, 
 
 4 there 
 
The <P^EF ACE. xi 
 
 there mould be a prefent Remedy at Hand : 
 for the King's Son growing very faft to his 
 YouthfulAge(who is educated from hisTender 
 Age, that he might accuftom himfelf to the 
 Popifh Party) the King is to be difpatched : 
 for an Indian Nut, Huffed with moft (harp 
 Poyfon, is kept in the Society (which C«- 
 neus at that time (hewed often to me in a 
 boafting manner) wherein a Poyfon was pre- 
 pared for the King, after the Example of his 
 Father. 
 
 To thefe PafTages may be added likewife, 
 the Concurrence of Cardinal Richlieu } JT. ix. 
 
 * Things Handing thus, there arrived at Lon- 
 
 * don from Cardinal Richlieu, Mailer Thomas 
 ' Chamberlain his Chaplain and Almoner, a Scot 
 1 by Nation, who ought to aflift the College 
 ' of the Confederated Society, and ferioufly to 
 
 * fet forward the Bufinefs, to leave nothing un- 
 ' attempted, whereby the flrft Heat 
 
 * might be exafperated : for which seeMr.pr'mn's 
 ' Service he was promifed the Re- \* JggMj 
 
 * ward of a Bifhoprick. Great Difc. the Reader. 
 in Prinns Rome's Mafterpiece. 
 
 Thus we have the Matter of Fa& prov'd even 
 to Demon ft ration, by Mr. Prinn an avow d Pres- 
 byterian, that the Papijls had actually a vaft In- 
 terefl in the Presbyterians, even to the enkindling 
 by their means the Scottijk War, the Fore-runner 
 of the Kings, Kingdoms, and Church of Eng- 
 land s actual Deftruclion for a time, according to 
 the Jefuits original Project; from whence the 
 Broaching, and, what was worfe, the toleration 
 
 of 
 
in The PREFACE. 
 
 of the mod horrid Setls that ever any particular 
 Cburch was infefted with, over- run, or can 
 be ; and fo much for a touch of Mr. Baxter's 
 Veracity j fo that it's apparent in the firft place, 
 that the Presbyterians were the Jefuits Tools, 
 and really did their Work to a Tittle, by break- 
 ing the Ice t and letting in upon us an Inunda- 
 tion of all manner of Blafphemous Antichriflian 
 Opinions, and Immoralities that over-flow'd the 
 Three Kingdoms ; fo that no doubt is to be 
 made from this Matter of Facl, but when the 
 Jefuits have any Work to be done by them, they 
 have ways and means to addrefs themfelvesunto, 
 and to infinuate themfelves into them, as well 
 as any of the lefs efieemed Seels, fince by woful 
 Experience we find they can, as occafson (hall 
 ferve, agree in eodem tertio, to contrive by all 
 manner of means, the Ruin of what they equal- 
 ly Envy and Malign, the Church of England, 
 From which I (hall infer, that the promoting 
 Animofities, MifunderftdndingSy caufelefs Separa. 
 tions amongftus, is to prepare and pave the Way 
 for Popery, and to do the Work of Pcpifh Emifi 
 faries and Jefuits, and that the farther from the 
 Church ot England^ the nearer to Rome; and 
 and that to Tolerate all manner of Seels, is the 
 giving them , who lurk behind the Curtain 
 and Rejoice at our Divifions, the greateft Op- 
 pommity of fettling, what we make fuch hi- 
 deous Outcries againft, and pretend the great- 
 eft Abhorrence of, Popery. This hath been their 
 grand Defign ever fince the Reformation, to 
 gain a legal Toleration pf all Seels whatever; 
 
 thereby 
 
The V^E F AC E. xiii 
 
 thereby to creep in amongft the Croud, or if 
 excepted, yet to have a fitter Opportunity to 
 influence them , and to inftil their pernici- 
 ous Principles, as to Politicks and Religion, and 
 to inftruct and manage them in the fureft Me- 
 thods of deftroying our Church. And which is 
 to be obferved, and never to be forgotten ; This 
 particularly was the Condition, [viz. a Tole- 
 ration ] upon which the Popijh Tarty offer'd 
 their utmoft Afliftance to King Charles I. to 
 compofe the Scotch Troubles [which themfelves 
 had blown up and, fomented , as hath been 
 prov'd, ] and to fettle him in his Throne in 
 Peace, to permit an Univerfal Liberty for the 
 Exercife of the Popifli Religion ; becaufe fo the 
 Papifts hoped their Affairs [/. e. the Extirpa- 
 tion of the Reformed Religion amongft us ] 
 would fucceed according to their Defire. Large 
 and panic. Difcov. in Mr. Trinris Rome's Majlerp. 
 §, 10. p. 1 8. 
 
 By this. I hope, it's plain, even to a Demon- 
 ftration, that the Presbyterians were the firft 
 Seel the Jefuits and other Popijh Prkfts addrefs'd 
 themfelves unto, in order to bring Church and 
 State into the utmoft Confufion amongft us; 
 to alter the Government by taking off the 
 King, then to ereel: a Common-wealth, or at 
 leaft to difcard the Royal Family, and fet up an 
 Elective Monarchy, and if pomble,by thefe Dia- 
 bolical Methods and moft Accurfed Experiments, 
 to try once more for Popery. 
 
 Now 
 
xiv The <P%ET ACE. 
 
 Here it will not he improper Now £ (hall proceed 
 
 to Tranfcnbe part of Pope Pius n , . r ,. wv *" a 
 
 V. bis Bull giving ample En- tO lheW HOW DUlie the 
 
 couragernent to fuch uncbriftian Court of Rome by means 
 
 m^f^ puk^ ohh e Jefui lS> &c. have 
 
 « tf»i authorize *6<? /^//e tf«4 been to introduce new 
 
 < La*™4 ofourEcclefiafiicks, Se fi s amongft US, in Or, 
 
 ' expert in Divine Service, to , ,9 ' . 
 
 « labour, endeavour and devife aer tO Unhinge US quite, 
 
 « <*// w4»»er of Devices to be as to the Matter of Re- 
 : i7l C %lf2fe t$l Hgion, to carry on their 
 
 1 repugnant to our Sacred Laws, OWI1 Plots With the 
 
 < that thereby tbefe Heretkks g rea ter SuCCCfs. 
 
 * might be either recall d to ° 
 
 * confefs their Errors , &c or 
 
 « that a total Infamy may be brought upon them and their Pojlerities, 
 
 * by a perpetual Difcord and Contention amongft themfelves, 
 
 * by which means they may either fpeedily Perifli by God's Wrath, 
 1 ov continue in Eternal Difference to the Reproach o/Jew, Turk, 
 ' Heathen, nay to the Devils themfelves. Given at Rome, 6. Id. 
 Maii. 
 
 Fox Firebrands. Primo Pontif. 
 
 pt. z. p. 4i. Pius Quintus, 
 
 To this purpofe I (hall here recite a Famous 
 PafTage out of Qampanella de Mon. Hifp. c. 2.5-. 
 which I mud fiipply too out of Anthony Egane t 
 in his Romanifls Deftgns detefted, p. 1 3. (not ha- 
 ving Campanella by me } for the promoting of 
 the Spanijb Interell in Queen Elizaheth's Days, 
 which indeed was the Plat-form of our Jefuits 
 Proceedings, in a great meafure, during the 
 late Civil Wars, (i.) e Above all, to breed 
 ' Difientions and Difcords among our felves 
 [which they have effectually done by letting 
 
 on the Old Seftarzes, and by in- 
 &}gns S ,p.7s. venting New HerefiesJ (2.) ' By 
 
 * reducing them from an Hereditary 
 
 into 
 
The <P ^E F AC E. xv 
 
 ' into an Elettive Kingdom, or into the Form 
 
 q{& Common-wealth. (3.) By ftir- 
 
 ring up the Irifh to a Rebellion or PrinnV Nsw 
 
 Revolt, Egane, p. 16. [ which hath ££?•£*£ 
 
 been actually done fince : ) and riet, p. 10. 
 
 whereas Mr. Frinn cites Campanella, 
 
 thus writing of Ireland, p. 207. * Qjtod in Regno 
 illofeu Infula Catbolicis masimeMonachi Qrdinis 
 Francifci fummopere deamentur , &c. com- 
 paring (faith he,) the late mon- . . 
 ftrous Increafe of Jefuits , but ofDalln.p^l 
 efpecially of thefe Fryars and 100, 101 to 
 Monks in Ireland, before the JJJ; 2o8 '• 
 Wars broke forth, in which they 
 were mod active, as I have elfewhere difco- 
 vered — — by undeniable Evidences , to 
 to which I refer the Readers, and then com- 
 pare them with the late extraordinary Growth 
 of Anabaptijls and Quakers throughout Ire- 
 land, who have over-fpread that Kingdom 
 fince the Wars there, by means of thofe Jefu- 
 its and Francifcan Capuchin Fryars, who turn'd 
 difguifed Anabaptijls and Quakers, to under- 
 mine our Church, Religion, Minifters, and 
 feduce the People under thofe Difguifes, with 
 more freedom,fafety,countenance, fuccefs than 
 ever they did formerly by any other Policies, 
 or the open profeffion of Popery, we may 
 doubtlefs conclude, that they are the Origi- 
 nal Ereclors, the Principal Ringleaders, Fo- 
 menters of thefe increafing Se&s. 
 
 To 
 
;*1 
 
 xvi The <P %EV ACE. 
 
 To this PaiTage I (hall a 
 
 prinnV Ne» j?//c another of his very Material, 
 
 jR^S which may give greater Light 
 
 *8./>. 10. into their P/0/j and Defigns, 
 
 in his Epiflle to the Reader, in 
 
 his Jus Patronatus, printed 1654. 
 
 * The chief Particulars whereof, in refped: of 
 ' Religion, are (faith he,) to put all Churches , 
 
 * Colleges, Lands, Reclories, Tithes, Revenues, 
 
 * intoteeoffees-Hands ; to allow only Arbitra- 
 4 ry Penfions out of them, to Miniflers and 
 
 * Scholars for their Maintenance, and convert 
 ' the reft to other Ufes : to eredt Itinerary Pre- 
 ' dicants fixed to no certain places, inflead of 
 
 * Parochial Minifters [ fee the fad and mofl 
 Scandalous Project reprefented to the Life, in 
 
 the Gemit. Ecclefia Cambrobri- 
 Z r Z)2 C * Mri ~ ******* and, a true and perfett 
 
 Relation of the whole Tranjaftion 
 concerning the Petition of the Six Counties of 
 South-Wales, &c. both printed in the Year 
 1654,] allowed and chofen only by a Seledfc 
 
 Committee, not prelented by 
 
 WalfonV ^uoiiib our Patrons. ' To broach old 
 
 *&&£>& 4 ' Herefies and new Opinions 
 
 Repi? to prions u- in Religion, by Jeiuitical 
 
 bei/f. 74, 75- c EmiiTaries and Seminaries in 
 
 Campan- de Mon. cut r l. o j 
 
 uifp.c. 18, 19, % h all places ; to low the Seeds 
 
 ay, 17. ' of Schiim and Divifions, not 
 
 ' only in Divinity, but Jike- 
 
 ' wife in Philofophy, and all other Arts and 
 
 * Sciences, to diftrad and divide us, to pro- 
 
 * mote and cry up the Study of Aftrology, to 
 
 ' alienate 
 
Tl>e<P$LEFJCE. xvii 
 
 alienate Mens Minds from Religion and 
 Piety ; to fet up new Orders, and Se&s, and 
 Religions; to procure a general Toleration of 
 all Religion; to revile and difgrace our antient 
 Miniftry, and Minifters ; queftion all antient 
 Truths, Principles of Religion, and Articles of 
 theCreed ; which Johannes Bapt.Poza, and fome 
 otherEngliJh and Spanijb Jefuits have done ; as 
 you may read at large in, Societatis Jefu nova 
 Fidel Symbola. Et in impia, fcelerata, & hor- 
 renda Anglicorum & Hifpanicorum Jefuitarum 
 Cenfura in SymbolumApoftolorum^ Printed 1^641. 
 at the End of Alphonfi de Vargas Toletani Re- 
 latio ad Reges & Priilcipes Chriftianos, de 
 Strategematis & Scphifmatis Societatis Jefu, ad 
 Monarchiam Orbis Terrarum fthi confckndam. 
 Out of which, all the.blafphemous, mon- 
 ftrous Opinions and Herefies, have been ori- 
 ginally extracted and vented by the Jefuits, 
 under other difguifes; as thofe who compare 
 them, may at firft difcover. Frinris firft Epi- 
 ftle to the Reader before his Jus Patronatus. 
 
 But to take a more general Survey of their 
 Grand Plot, in reference to the State, as well as 
 the Church and Religion, I fiiall preterit the 
 Pieader with another PafTage of Mr. Trtnn, who 
 made it a great part of his Bufmefs to trace 
 them in thofe moll wicked and horrid Times. 
 4 What their Defigns have been to change and 
 ' ruine our Monarchy, Kingdom, Government, 
 ' Laws, State, you may read at large in Cam- 
 e panella de Mon. Hifp. c. z$, 2,7. Wation'j Quod- 
 * libets efpecialiy, /. 309^0 334. Rome's Ma. 
 [a] fier-Piece, 
 
xviii The <P <t^E F A C E. 
 
 fier-Piece, Hidden Works of Darknefs hrought 
 to Publick Light , and my Speech in the Par- 
 liament. Take the Main of all in the politick 
 Infractions of the Arch-Machiavelian Cardinal 
 Richlieu, who after he had ( by the Jefuits 
 and Popes Nuncio's Afliftance) raifed the firfi 
 Wars between England and Scotland, promo- 
 ted, fomented the horrid Rebellion in Ireland, 
 and ratified an unnatural Divifion and War be- 
 tween our King and Parliament in his Life, re- 
 commended thele Inftru&ions to the French 
 King, and Mazarine his Succellbr, at his Death 
 1642, fince published by Conti de Galeazzo 
 Gualdo Priorato, in his Hifioria, Part 3. &c. 
 8 P a & e l 75, l 7&- That above all things 
 >J* l He, the French King, fiiould endeavour 
 c to keep the Government of Great Britain 
 DIVIDED and DISUNITED, by Upholding 
 the weakefl Patty, that the other might not 
 make it felf powerful ; Reducing the Three 
 Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 
 to be DIVIDED, either by NOMINATING 
 other KINGS, or by Reducing it to a Common- 
 wealth -, (o to order it, That it may not be 
 
 entirely One, but Divided, — 
 
 — -And then concludes in thefe Words, * How 
 fuccefsfully thefe Plots have'been purfu'd, we 
 we all vifibly behold and feel by fad Experi- 
 ence. 
 
 And may I not 2idd, That whereas he (aw 
 
 but one Particular of this Advice accompliihed, 
 w? that are now living have feen almofl the 
 Whole of the remainingPart fuccefiively put in 
 
 Pra. 
 
The <P \EF ACE. xix 
 
 Pra&ice : The Jefuits having the Honour of 
 the Project, and our Sectaries to be the Inftru- 
 ments, the Paws, the Forlorn s, the Executioners) 
 the Jack-Ketches to that crafty and accarfed Gene- 
 ration, ever fince Powder- Plot, in aJJ the public k 
 D/fhrbances, Seditions, Rebellions, and Chang- 
 es of Government; and in all the Alterations that 
 have been attempted upon our Church and Re- 
 ligion, in thefe three Kingdoms, to this very 
 Day. 
 
 To evidence and confirm this Obfervation, 
 many Inflances might be produced of the unwea- 
 ried Diligence and Activity of the Jefuits, and 
 other Orders of that Church, during the whole 
 Prog re fs of the late m oft barbarous Civil Wars, 
 As in particular, Q which muft not 
 be omitted in this Place) * There is **** f tory f 
 
 , , „ „ . J . ,., . , Kamley, the 
 
 a notable Story Printed, call d the Scotch ^/ M - 
 Falje Jew, wherein is exprefs'd his k***preteM* 
 Defign and his D/fcovery, how that 'primeTi^i 
 he was fent over from Rome by a 
 fpecial Order from the Jefuits, and with per- 
 fonal Unction from the Pope- and how, one 
 while, he was to have come over under Noti- 
 on of a Taylor^whh Direction to joyn with the 
 Anabaptijts, and to preach Notions, [Herefies, 
 &c ] but now he came over under the Pretext 
 of being a converted Jew, being an excellent 
 Hebriacan, and circumcised at Rome for that 
 purpofc ; — and in that Relation you (hall 
 find he join'd with the Anabaptifts at Wrexham 
 and was rebaptiz'd by them, where he preach- 
 ed Notions amonsfl: them : Amongft others 
 [ a 2. ] * this 
 
XX The <P<HE F AC E. 
 
 this was one, That that Place, Luke 17. 12. 
 where tis faid, rfo Kingdom of God is within 
 you, he gave this as the moft proper Senfe of 
 the Original, viz. The Kingdom of God is 
 To within you, in that it is not without you 
 in Forms and Ordinances. [Obferve by the 
 way, the Jefuit preaching up Quakery imme- 
 diately after he was dipt ,♦ juft converted to 
 Anabaptift, and inftantly Parting up a Quaker; 
 fo naturally does Anahaptifm tend or lead to 
 Quakery.] With which Interpretation [this 
 Devil of a Fellow] he faid, Lieutenant Hob- 
 fo» 9 a Teacher among the Anabaptifts, was 
 mightily taken. Another Defign 
 of this Deceiver was to bring the 
 Authority of our Translation of 
 the Scripture into Queftion, and 
 and prevailed fo far, that fome of 
 them entertain'd Scruples about 
 " it ; but now the Defign is new 
 moulded, and now not Tranflation only, but 
 all outward Scriptures mud be denied and reje- 
 1 jecled: And thefe Men ( viz. the Quakers ) 
 can from their infallible Spirit, make New 
 ' Ones. 
 
 It were too tedious an Undertaking to al- 
 lege here all the Jnftances of Jefuits Heading 
 and Dilating to our Anabaptifts, Quakers 
 and other Setts, (which may be farther enlarg- 
 
 ed upon in another 
 Place) and therefore 
 I (hall only reviveyour 
 Memories, by present- 
 ing 
 
 V. Farmer' j 
 gyeat Myjhry 
 of Godlinefs, 
 and Ungodli- 
 nsfs. P. 77 , 
 78. Printed, 
 
 Hortever, I jlmll here infert 
 fome few Injiances more, for the 
 further Confirmation of what 
 hdi h beeafdii already : As firft y 
 
The PREFACE. xxi 
 
 ing UntO yOU fame °f one Harper, who, about the 
 
 ~r^u r a1 • ~ n[sir 1584, preached after a Pari- 
 
 more Of theft -AftWM tannkaH*fer in the Town of 
 
 and Policies Of thefe Norwich. Fojcw <&- F/Ve&r. P^rt 
 
 HranH Arrhiferts nf I' P- * 8 ' r/;en ^.Thomas Ram- 
 
 Urand Arcnitecrs 01 f ey ^ aidtobeaUy ^ efuhatlulii 
 
 all iVIanner OI Villa- whofeveral times own'd bimjelf, 
 
 IlieS, With fome few That be haci P^aehed fomtimes in 
 
 ,. . r e. r« . an Independent shape, ct bet- times 
 
 Matters Of /fctf there- « an Anabaptift «rf Quaker's 
 
 Upon, and Co take my S^/*, aud had the Pope's Bull for 
 
 Ipavp nf flik mod (ea ? te * e ^' Id * P- *4- Owe Jacfc- 
 
 leave 01 tn s moit lea- lon? tf cler ^ man of tke church of 
 
 ionable, tho odiOUS Rome, for feveral Tears pafi, viz. 
 
 and mod horrid Sub- Ann - \ 66 h ,} 66 * > and , l67 ^ 
 
 . n preached within, and about the 
 
 )£&>' Country of Limerick, amongfi the 
 
 Nonconformifts of .tho fe Parts Id. 
 p. 107. But to fee how \ealous the Jefuits were to propagate Anabap- 
 tifm, ta\e this Specimen from a Letter that was entred in the Society 
 of Jefus at Paris, a Copy whereof was fent to Arcbbijhop Ufher, \6<>z. 
 L It is not rip; enough as yet to fet Anabaptifm a madding at this time, 
 1 but rather fet EnmHy and Variance between Sir]o\v<\ presbyter — 
 1 and the Independent. V/e have fent private Intelligence unto 
 
 i Patient [Fleetwoods Chaplain in Ireland, and a great Dipper of 
 ' the People, &c. 
 
 ' The Anabaptifts increafe a-main, and Peter Pain,w/;o was lately 
 1 difcovertd, bath fled from thofe Parts, and is gone into Yorkliiire, 
 ' where he goetb now under the Name of T. C. Looli into the Licence - 
 ' Book^TiJ you will know under what Names he was to go in cafe of 
 c Difcovery, Foxes and Firebr. Part. 3. p. 1. 
 
 c Ff*flcis T hrogmorton, being condemn d for High Treafon, 
 
 ' before his Execution,— ——confeffed, That there were in England 
 1 above a Do\en-,that he f^mw, who were permitted to preach by the 
 1 $■ e fiits Licences, purposely to breed a taction in thefe Dominions 
 Foxes and Firebr. Part 2. p. 61. 
 
 Add to thefe that; of Olivet's, in his Speech in the Painted Cham- 
 ber, Sept. 4. 16)4. (who knew as well as any Body) i That [there] 
 ' were Mlltituies of Romifh Emiffaries and Vermin, [then] refiding 
 ' and wandring up and down freely amongfi us, td feduce and divide 
 1 the Piople, by (etting up newSecfs, and feparate Congregations, in 
 c all places, and broaching new Notions and Opinions of ail forts, ov~ 
 1 old Herefies and Blafphemies, not faying Maffes, praying to Saints 
 1 and Images, or crying up the Vopes Supremacy^ &c. as heretofore, 
 Fojies Firebrand^ Part 2. page 144.- 
 
 U 3] 
 
 One 
 
xxii The <P (^ £ F A C E. 
 
 One Piece of Advice they have given, and 
 moil zealoufly, was (and is to this Day) to 
 root out Epifcopacy. Thus Contzen in his Poli- 
 ticks, ' The Doctors and Leading-Pallors muft 
 
 ' be put out when the Leaders are down, 
 
 c all will fubmit. How eafie is it in 
 
 * England to bring the Puritans into Order, if 
 
 * they be forc'd to approve of Bifhops , &c. 
 c Fair Warning, Fart z. />. 30. 
 
 The Jefuits crept into all Societies, and a&- 
 ed all Parts.— -They fet up Perfections and 
 Clamours againlt Bifhops, and the ableft Mini- 
 fies of the Land ; ( for it was the Papilts that 
 let up the Opposition againlt Bifhops, as ap- 
 pears by F. Sibthorps Letter to F. Medcalf, who 
 iaith, And now they are fulling down that Wall, 
 which at once adorn d and defended their Way, I 
 mean their Government; their Vineyard* (as 
 they ufe to preach ) is laid wafle, and the wild 
 Beafts of the For eft Qyou know whom they mean) 
 may enter in. Fair Warning, Tart %. p. \$. 
 
 Of this Matter of Faff, the truly Learned, 
 and mod defervedly Judicious, Btfhop Saunder- 
 fon was thoroughly convine'd : * Poflibly, fays 
 
 * he, it will not pkafe them, but 1 mult fpeak 
 
 4 it cu", both for the Truth's fake and theirs, 
 
 5 viz. That themfelves Qi.e. the Sectaries ) 
 
 6 are in Truth, tho' not purpolely and intenti- 
 ' onally, yet really and eventually the great 
 
 * Promoters of the Roman Intereft amongft us, 
 $ and that more Ways than one: Firft, by 
 £ putting to their Helping Hands to the pulling 
 I down Epifcopacy. Its very well known t 
 
The <P <^E F A C E. xxiii 
 
 many, what rejoicing that Vote brought to 
 the Romifh Party : How even in Rome it fcl£ 
 they fung their Io Paans upon the Tidings 
 thereof, and faid triumphantly, Now the Day 
 is ours, novo is the fatal Blow given to the Pro- 
 teftant Religion in England. They who, by 
 converting much with that Nation, \\ero 
 well acquainted with the fiery turbulent Spi- 
 rit of the Scottifh Presbyterians, know as well 
 howto make their Advantage thereof,and hand- 
 led the mafcerwith Co much cunning,byfornen- 
 ing their Difcontents under hand, till they had 
 fram'd them, and by their Means fome of the 
 fameParty here to become the firi'Hnftruments 
 for the carrying on of their great Defign. 
 And this I verily believe was the Ma(ler*piece 
 of the whole Plot : They could not but fore- 
 fee, — That if the old Government, a main 
 Pillar of the Building, was once duTolv'd, the 
 whole Fabrick would be fore &aken,if not pre- 
 fently (hatter'd and ruin'd. — And when the 
 Waters fhould be diffidently troubl'd and mud- 
 ded, then would be their Opportunity to cad 
 cad in their Nets for a Draughr. Bi(hop San* 
 derfon cited in Fair Warning, Tart 2. />. 24. 
 Second Advice ,• * You will do well to make 
 it appear under-hand, how near the Doctrine 
 and Difcipline of the Church of England comes 
 to us,how willingly their Articles would be in- 
 terpreted in aCatholick Senfe,at how little di- 
 ftance their Common Prayer is from ourMafs, 
 whereby you may perfuade the World, That 
 the Proteflant Religion is weary of it felf, and 
 
 [a d] the 
 
xxiv The <P Q^E F A C E. 
 
 c 
 
 e the wifeft and ablefl Men of that Way, are fo 
 
 \ moderate, That they would willingly com 
 
 over to us, or at leaft meet us half Way ; 
 
 ' hereby the more (laid 
 
 Utter from Seignior Bel- ' Men Will become odi- 
 
 larmine to Father Young, < ous anc J ot hers will 
 
 dated April \6. j6fz. mom t r n r» i- • 
 
 Fart of Fair-Warning, p. 61. ™tl OUt of all Rellgl- 
 
 To tlm purpofe, Heth, a l on for fear of Popery, 
 
 tfefuit, in the Eleventh of 
 Queen Elizabeth, averted, be- 
 fore the Bifiop of Rochzfter, That there were no [et Forms [of Prayer J 
 ovctid that he had labour d to refine the ProteftanJjS, and to tal\e off 
 all Smacks of Ceremonies, that in the leaft tend tt&e Romifh Faith. 
 This Keth, in particular, had receivd Orders from his Superiors to 
 propagate Anabaptifm here, in a Letter dated from Madrid, October 
 16. 156$. of which 1 jh.ill here infen an Abjiract. Brother, the 
 Ceuncilof cur Fraternity have thought fit to fend you David George, 
 Theodoras Sartor, and John Hutts, their Collections, which you 
 way iiftributt i\ herever you may Jee for your purpofe, according to 
 the peoples Inclinations: Thefe Mixtures, with your oxen, will not 
 only a. little pu\tle the UnJerjiandings of the Auditors, but make 
 
 your fulves famous. . Hallingham, Coleman, and Benibn, 
 
 have Jet a Faction among the German Heretic'is ; fo that jeveral who 
 have tu)nd from us, have now den/d their Baptijm, which we hope 
 will foon turn the Scale, and bring them bac\ to their old Princi- 
 ples, &c. NalibnV Collect. Vol. 1. Jntrociuft. p. 45-. 
 
 Searching his Lodgings, among othrr Things they found a Bull, 
 dated the firft of pius V. to pxeAch what Doctrine that Society pleas d 
 for the Dividing of Proteitarits, particularly naming the Englifli 
 Pfcoteftaats bj the home of Hereticks: In hit Trun\ were jeveral 
 Booh^sfor denying Baptijm to Infints, &c. p. 47. 
 
 So thai hence it is evident v ho were tkefirjl Propagators of Ana 
 baptiim in England, and for what End; why, to bring them back 
 to their oid Piinciples, to Vopery again ; And hence appears upon 
 what Forge the Dijfenters Objections, Arguments, cgainft our Epii- 
 copacy, Ceremonies Liturgy, were firjt hammered ; and withal it 
 ought to be noted. That they have fucceeded better againft us by this 
 Cov xti under -hand Dealing, in playing the Sectaries upon va, than by 
 all their Volumes of Arguments, by all their SuarezV, BecanusV, 
 Bellavmine's whatever. 
 
 And thus thefe fort of Men very earl)' licfi up the Slaver of the 
 jeUrits, and ether Millenaries of th Cburcli of Rome. For we 
 
 This 
 
The <P (II E F ACE. xxv 
 
 find that one Faithful Commin, a. Friar of the Order of St. Domi- 
 nick, mofi ^ealonfly preach' d up tbefe Objections and- Novelties about 
 the Nation, in the Tear 1*67, in the Ninth of Q Elizabeth, rail'da- 
 gainji the Pope, pretended to the immediate Dictates of the Spirit, 
 and infjied much upon Tendernefs of Confcience, reus famous for his 
 Gift of extempore Prayers, told his Auditors that Spiritual Prayer 
 was the chief Teftimony of a true Proteftant, and that the Set- 
 Form of Prayer in England was but the Mafs tranjlated. But that 
 which was very remarkable of this Commin, w<w, That after having 
 been carried before the Queen and Council, and his farther Exami- 
 nation being adjourn d to another Day, upon bis giving Bail, &c. the 
 faid Commin made his Escape, got over immediately to Rome, where 
 Pope Pius Quintus order d him to be clap'd up into Vrifon ; but that 
 Commin writing to the Pope, that he had fomething of Importance to 
 difcover, Sec. the Pope fent for him the next Day, and asfoon as he faw 
 him faid, Sir, I have beard, how you have fet vie forth, and my Prede- 
 ceffors, among the Heretickj in England, by reviling my Perfon, and. 
 railing at my Church: To whom Commin reply' d, I confefs my 
 Lipps have utter'd that which my Heart never thought, but your 
 Holinefs little things Ibave done you a considerable fervice notwithstand- 
 ing, &c. to which the Pope return d, How ? Sir, faid Commin, I 
 have preach' d againft Set- Forms of Prayer, and I call'd the Englifli 
 Prayers Englifh Mafs, and have per fuaded feveral people to pray fpiri- 
 tually, and extempore ; and this hath fo much tat^en with the people, 
 that the Church of England is become as odious to that fort of people 
 whom I inftrucied, as Mafs is to the Church of England ; and this 
 will be a Stumbling-Block to that Church, whilfi it is a Church : 
 Upon which the pope commended him, and gave him a Reward of 
 2000 Ducats for his good Service. Kalf. Col. Vol. 1. Introduce, 
 p. 4*>43« 
 
 This we all know hath been their grand Arti- 
 fice for many Years pad, and by which they did 
 infinite Mifchief to our poor Church : But by 
 the way obferve, This was a Slander and Lie 
 put into the Mouths of our Sectaries by the Je- 
 fuits and other Orders of the Church of Rome, 
 mecrly to create Prejudice, without any man- 
 ner oi Truth in it. None of our Enemies could 
 ever properly fix Fopery upon our Liturgy, Ar- 
 ticles, &c. Omne Simile non eft idem, every like 
 \s not the fame : They might with as much 
 
 Inge- 
 
xxvi TIjc <P (^E FA C E. 
 
 Ingenuity charge the Creed, and Lords Prayer, 
 and the Holy Scriptures themfelves, with Pope- 
 ry c It's true, in the Reformation we retain'd the 
 Catholicism, and rejetled the Popery ; the pure 
 Antiquity we pickM and culPd, and cafl away 
 the NAUSEOUS and fcULSOME NOVEL- 
 TIES; and this indeed, whether they will or 
 no, take it how they pleafe, we care not, we 
 do moft jufHy call Popery. I hope none are fo 
 ignorant as to aver, that Popery and Catholicifm 
 are convertible or equivocal Terms, any more 
 than Chajiity or Whoredom; or to fay, all the 
 Prayers, and all the Articles of Chriftianity, in 
 ufe, or profefl by the Church of Rome it felf, are 
 Popery. Thanks be to God, we are able to 
 maintain the Liturgy, Doctrine, and Difcipline 
 of the Church of England, againft all the Pa- 
 pifls and Setlaries (amongtt us at lead their 
 Brats and Forlorns, they tend out to picqueer 
 with us J of the whole World, and prove the 
 Antiquity and Univerfality of all our Doclrines 
 and Difcipline beyond the Times of Popery, cr 
 by the Teifimony of the Church Catholick, (be- 
 fore Antichrift, in the Panatick Senfe, had a 
 Being in the World, or was born.) But this 
 hath been the main Outcry of our Sectaries, and 
 as fdly and falfe as it is, ( by our Pulpit Bell- 
 Weathers, whether the Sectaries without, or our 
 Grave Low -Church -Men forfooth , of as little 
 Learning, as common Honeily, and true Piety) 
 hath been a main Ingredient in our Church's 
 Ruin, and without an extraordinary Repent- 
 ance, and Mercy of God, hath doubtlefs been 
 
 manag'd 
 
77;e V %EV ACE. xxvii 
 
 manag'd, to the eternal Lofs of Myriads of Souls 
 by thefe Selfinterreffed, Self-Lovers, empty Po- 
 pulafiers, and Belly -Gods. 
 
 A third Advice is this ; c ft were well if you 
 
 * took ail juft Occafion to make it plain to the 
 
 * People, That there is no Ordination or Succejft. 
 1 on of Bijhops, Paflors, and Miniflers in Eng- 
 4 land, and that they who are pretended Bifh- 
 1 ops and Miniflers, are either worldly and care- 
 ' lefs on the one hand, or fb factious on the o- 
 
 * ther hand, that it were well they were re- 
 ' moved; however it were well the People 
 
 * fhould be taken off from them, by a clear 
 
 * Difcovery of their Unworthinefs. Bellar- 
 ' mine's Letters cited in Fair Warning, Tart z. 
 f p. 64. 
 
 Ohf. I. Obferve (1) from whom all our 
 Sectaries have taken up this Argument againft 
 our Priefthood or Minifiry : Is it not as clear 
 as the Sun at Noon, how bu/ie thefe RomiJbEmlC- 
 fiaries have been amongft our Sedis ; nay, that 
 they are the very Soul that actuates and influ- 
 ences our grand Body of Ssclartes^ wholly and 
 in every Part ? 
 
 Ohf II. Obferve, ag^in, the foolifh and 
 malicious Zeal of thefe Politico 's, to defile their 
 own Neft merely to defile others ; that they 
 don't value their own Honour, nor care what 
 Odium they reflect upon themfelves, or how 
 they expofe themfelves, meerly for Mifchiefs 
 Sake to others. 
 
 Obf. III. Yet in the third Place, I defire it 
 may be remark'd, without particularly inciting 
 
 upon 
 
xxviii The <P <^E F A C E. 
 
 upcn a thoYQj^A Confutation of this Objection, 
 wfik * th been over and over bafrTd by Arch- 
 Btjbop Bramhal, Mafon y Bifliop Fern, and a ma- 
 ny others, that for this Reafon we can vindicate 
 our Ordinations better than they can theirs, 
 (which snuli be null, if ours be, infallibly} be- 
 caufe their innumerable Schifms by Antipopes, 
 &c. for many Years uninterruptedly, and very 
 often, yet never (as I can recoiled:, or have 
 obferved ) have affected our Orders in the times 
 of our Vaffalage to that See ; our Ordinations be- 
 ing always ( to the bed of my Memory) per- 
 form'd here at Home : fo that I am inclin d to 
 be of the Opinion, That there's not a particu- 
 lar Church in the World now in being, that 
 hath been lefs affected with Schifm than ours, 
 or lefs liable to any Objection from the Nullity 
 and Invalidity of Ordinations orConfecrations, 
 and None mors than Theirs ; as their own 
 Mr. Savage hath fufficiently prov'd in his Nul- 
 lity of the ROMISH PRIESTHOOD, which 
 I think, was never attempted to be anfwer'd 
 by any of the Zealots of that Communion. 
 
 (4.) Yet fourthly, granting their Charge 
 to be really true, it's the Eieighth of Impudence 
 for them, or our Sectaries, to make this Ob- 
 jection againfl us ; Tho' they may fay fomething 
 for theirs, I am furs our Sectaries have not a 
 Syllable to urge upon their Account ; as, I truft 
 in God, I have fatisfadorily prov'd in the fub- 
 fequent Difcourfe. 
 
 (4.) Now comes in a fourth Advice of the 
 
 afore- 
 
Vie PREFACE. xxix 
 
 afore- mentiond Contzen, to procure a toleration; 
 ' Some ( fays he ) muff be fuborn'd to beg im- 
 ' portunately of the Prince for Liberty to exer- 
 ' cife their Religion, and that with many and 
 ' gentle Words, that fo the People may think 
 * the Prince is not inclined to Novelty, but only 
 ' to Lenity; in Fair Warning, Fart z, p. 30. 
 
 Yes, yes, 'tis Toleration, that's the Trojan Horfe, 
 that's to let in all manner of Evils, and Hell it 
 felf loofe upon us. 'Tis this that our Sinons con- 
 tended for, even unto Blood, for many Years 
 before 41, and labour'd for tooth and nail,for near 
 30 Years fince the Reflaruution. 'Twas for the 
 Refufing this hellifh Liberty for Dijfenters for- 
 footh, as well as for the Papifls, that Charles I. 
 of moft blcfled Memory, loft his Three Crowns 
 and his Life : The Popish Party ftruggling fo 
 hard for it, argues the imminent Danger of it to 
 the EflablifFdReVgion, as wellasthefuperlative 
 Wickednefs of the thing it felf upon all Manner 
 of Accounts, and the unfpeakable Advantage 
 and Encouragment it gives to Popery, or it's im- 
 poffible they lhould ever be fo eager for it, or 
 their Spawn our Sectaries, as moft direful Expe- 
 rience hath fadly convinc'd us. 
 
 Now, What hath been the EfFecl: of this Li- 
 berty, but the Propagation of all manner of He- 
 refies and Immoralities, the flartiug up new Opi- 
 nions every Day, the Blafphermng of God, Con- 
 tempt of his Ordinances, and publick as well as 
 private Worlhip, and the Suhverfion of all Reli- 
 gion ? The giving thefe Jefuits all manner of 
 Opportunity of propagating Popery, multiplying 
 
 Herefies 
 
The <P%EF ACE. xxx 
 
 Herefies and Divifiom, with a thoufand times 
 greater Safety than in 1617, tho' then arriv'd 
 to fo high a Pitch of Confidence and Security, 
 as tickling themfelves with the Thoughts of our 
 Mifery, and Approach of our Ruin. ' I can- 
 ' not but laugh, (iaith an Atheiftical Jefuit 
 
 * in his Letter to the Father Rettor at Bruxef/s, 
 1 16x7, found in the Jefuit's College at Clerk. 
 ' enweL Egans Rom, Dejigns detethd, p. 4/) to 
 ' fee how Tome of our Coat have accoutred them- 
 ' felves, you would fcarce know them if you faw 
 
 * them; and 'tis admirable, how in Speech, in 
 c Geilure, they aft the Puritans. The Cambridge 
 1 Scholars, to their woful Experience, (hall fee 
 
 * we can afl thePuritans a little better than they 
 4 can do the Jefuits. They have abus'd our fa- 
 
 * cred Patron St. Ignatius in Jeft, but we'll make 
 c them flnart for it in Earneft. [*] 1 hope you'll 
 
 * excufe my merry Di- 
 
 [*] This jolly Fellow fure 'greffiOH, for I COO fcCs 
 
 had quite foviot the Story tf t ' . » . ^« '. 
 
 JomJfbU Fraternity, fdilft Uflt ° Y 0U > l am at tais 
 
 five Jefuits at Prague, were C time tranfported With 
 
 Plying lor acfingl the Devils, < j oy tQ fe e how ] la • 
 
 a fixth real Devil came from t , Ji . . T a ^ 
 
 Hell into their Company, and iy all InJtrumentS and 
 
 jo buggd one of them, that he « Means, as well great as 
 
 die. I within three days after. < t r 
 
 md. Luc. p. 17. proph.Hii- , ,efs > co-operate unto 
 
 cleg, fulfilled, p. 61. cited in ' OUT PurpoleS. 
 p , rotechnia Loyolan 3,p. 66. 
 
 Another remarkable Story of their Ailing, worth [suing down in this 
 Place, which was thus: We find Afr/V/jd defworth did depofe in 
 Writing, &z viva Voce, at the Lord's Bir, That one Henry, alias 
 c Francis Smith, alias Lloyd, alias, dsrc — before the Scottiih Wars, 
 
 ' did tell him in Norfolk That the Popifn Religion was not to 
 
 4 be brought in here by Difputing, or Books of Controverfie. but 
 * with an Arroyjand with Fire and Sword. And when, according to 
 
Tie PREFACE. xxxi 
 
 this mtnacingDetemination of F.Smith.tfo? Jefuits had}fomented nWtvt 
 betwixt England and Scotland, 1639. it feems, upon their Solid- 
 tations, the King of Spain bad provided a New Spanilh Armado 
 and Land-Ai my of old Soldiers, to invade the Weftern and South- 
 ern Parts of England, when the Forces and Ammunition were 
 drawn into the Northern Parts againfi the Scots, which Defign was 
 broken and detected by the Hollanders unexpected Encounter of their 
 Fleet on the Englifh Coafts, and the Pacification in Scotland ; which 
 appear d by the Confejfwn of an Englifh Pilot in that Navy on his 
 Deathbed, mortally wounded in thefirft Fight, to an Englifh Mini- 
 fter and others , to whom he reveal 'd it out of Conjcience; [Pj 10- 
 tech. Lyol. p. n8.] as alfo by forae Letters and other Evidences, 
 and by a Pamphlet made and printed by the Jefuits, 1640. in which, 
 among other Paffages enter' d in the Parliament journal, Nov. 14. 
 1640. there was a particular Prayer., for the holy Martyrs which 
 fuffer'd in the Fleet fent againft the Hereticksof England, 1639" 
 With this Net, the Papifts muft nih in troubl'd Waters.^ To 
 which purpofe, the Pope's Nuncio, with the fecret College of Jeiuits 
 in Queen-Street, fummond a Convention of jefuits, having got fe- 
 cretly into private Fay an Army of 7000 Papifts; upon which*, the 
 Fathers of the Society were lo confident of Succefs, that in the 
 Jubilee 1^40, — at Aquifgran, or Aken, in their publicfi Hall they 
 had an Interlude, which they invited People to by printed Tickets, 
 fignifying the Triumph of the Popifn Church of Rome, by Pageants 
 brought upon the Stage, lubduing all her Enemies till that Day by 
 their means • But in their Jollity, when two Armies came in, one 
 of Jefuits and Papifts, another of the Proteftants, ready to encounter, 
 a Jefuitical Actor, inthe Habit of a Mafs-Prieft, comes in divining 
 Succefs to the Popifh Army, praying jor it with <w affected Devo- 
 tion, and (olemn Invocation ( or rather Prophanation) efGodV 
 Name ; upon which the Popiih Army of Actors, as certain of the 
 inftant Victory, utter'd tbeje Words, {as their Parts directed them) 
 with aloud and reiterated Voice and Shout, Pereat, pereat, quif- 
 quis eft HoftisEcclefis; i. e. Let him perifh, let him periih, who- 
 ever is an Enemy to the Church ; At the Repeating of which 
 Words, a great part of the Stage on which they acted, together with 
 the whole Popiih Army, (not one Soldier or Captain excepted) 
 fell to the Ground immediately, ti bile their feigned Enemies (perfo- 
 nating the Proteftants ) were left ftanding on the other part of the 
 Stage which fell not at ail. With this fudden Fall many of the 
 Popijl) Army were bruifed in pieces, with the Beams of the Stage 
 falling upon them, who through Pain and Homr needed no Monitors 
 to filence their Outcries : Others, with broken Limbs, were car- 
 ried to the Chirurgeon's 5 and the reft, confounded with frame, 
 crept away jecretly under the Vail (p. no) to their Lodging, 
 So this Ignatian Play ended in a real unexpected Tragedy, and 
 a. real Rout of the whole pretended Victorious Popiih Army of 
 
 1 tbt 
 
xxxii The <P %UV AC B. 
 
 ' the Jefuits ; and the Scottifli Wars that Tear ( which they [o 
 much depended on ) through God's Mercy, concluded in a blejfed 
 *■ Yeace and Union betwixt both Nations. Pyrotech. Loyol. p. 120. 
 citing this whole Pajfage out of Mr. Prinn's Hid. Words' of Darty. 
 p. ioa, 144, 170 ,171. Cornp. Hifl. p. 443, 449, 450, <&c. 
 
 — — A merry Fellow indeed ! to make fpore 
 with Evil of their own devifing and procuring, 
 to rejoice at the Succeis of Iniquity y and at the 
 eternal Ruin of Souls ; for, by the way, he here 
 laughs at their Ailing and Propagating of Schifm, 
 Herefie, Rebellion, Hatred, Revenge, the turn- 
 ing Chrifiians from the true Faith to the Do- 
 ftrines of Devils, teaching Men to violate the 
 Commandments oiChrift, leading them into the 
 Broadway for Hell and eternal Perdition. If 
 this be the proper, catholick, genuine Way to re- 
 duce Men to the Church, as they pretend, then 
 the Way to Heaven mud be a By- Way of 
 Hell, and it's necefTary to become an Infidel, or 
 Heretick, or what is worfe, an errant Jefuit, to 
 be a probable Chriflian -. I might inflance in 
 many of their Advices, Rules, Policies, had I 
 Time or Room. 
 
 I (hall in the next place (hew by feme more 
 Matters of Fafl, what grand Influence thefe Je- 
 fuits, &c. have had upon the State, during the 
 late Civil Difturbances. 
 
 I f. ] The Murther of the King, from what 
 hath been (aid hitherto, appears to be their Aft, 
 according to that old Maxim, Quod facis per a- 
 lium, (frc- becaufe their Projetl, their Qounjel: 
 So that as rhe Author of the Pyrotech. Loyolana, 
 J Who ever were the Inftruments about the Cut- 
 
 5 ting 
 
The <P ^ £ F A C E. xxxiii 
 
 ting off King Charles I. the Jefuits have been 
 
 juftly counted to be the principal Agents. 
 
 — Therefore 'tis abfurd to impute that Acti- 
 on toProteflants as fitch; whoever were the Ex- 
 ecutioners, 'twas agreed \o in the Council of 
 Jefuits. So that it can be no Imputation tp 
 F rote (I ant Religion, [and all the Malice oi Hell 
 to be fure cannot fix it on the Church o\EHgland % 
 whereof (^properly fptaking) there was nrt one 
 flngle Member, truly principled according to 
 the Church of England, and keeping aclual Com- 
 munion with her, then in the Army or Parlia- 
 ment, that had any hand in it] which ('above 
 all the Reform'd Churches in Europe') abhors 
 the Jefuits Principles and Practices ,• as Dr. Du 
 Moulin hath (olidly vindicated, the Sincerity of 
 the Proteftant Religion [in general, and of the 
 Church of England in particular. J upon that Ac- 
 count, againft the fictitious Philanax 
 Anglus. Anfw. to Tap. Apol. p. 56, 57. |^p. 
 Behdes, therein he declares, amongfl 
 other Things, to this effect: ' The Rowan 
 ' Pried and Confeflbr is fcnbWri, who upon 
 < Cutting off the Kings Head, FLOURISHED 
 4 HIS SWORD, anu laid, NOW THE 
 c GREATEST ENEMY THAT WE P. 58* 
 ' HAD IN THE WORLD IS GON ~. 
 
 * And there were other Jefuits on horfe-back, 
 
 * did Co too, as is credibly reported. The Do- 
 ' cTor adds, from a Gentleman of good Credit* 
 
 * a notable Paflage at Roan, of jefuired Perfons 
 
 * rejoicing there upon the News of the King's 
 
 * Death, and faying, We have kept our Word 
 
 [b) 'to 
 
xxxiv The <P Q^E F A C E. 
 
 to him, fince he would not keep his to us, 
 p. 60. as if the King had made a promife to 
 them ; which the Doctor fays is moft falfe,of- 
 fering to make good, when Authority fhall 
 require it, That a feledt Number of Englifh 
 Jefuits were Cent from their whole Party here 
 in England firft. to Paris.to confult with the Fa- 
 culty of Sorbonne, then altogether jefuited, to 
 whom theyput this Queftion in Writing,That 
 feeing the State of England was in a likely Po- 
 fcure to change the Government, Whether it 
 was lawful for the Papifts to work the Change by 
 taking away the King ? Which was anfwered 
 affirmatively. Upon this, thirty Jefuits were 
 met betwixt Roan and Diep> going to England 
 with Endeavours to be Agitators (. they faid ) 
 in the Army. At Paris the Scarlet Jefnit, 
 who would have the Englijh Lady he had pro- 
 felyted, to rejoice at the King's Death, di- 
 ftajied her with the Popifh Religion upon that 
 Score,fo that gave herGracc to be no more of 
 it,&c.p. 61. It feems alfo there was great Joy 
 in the Englijh Seminaries abroad, and here at 
 Home, Mr. White and others were Applauders 
 of the fucceeding Government. F. Brett was for 
 the prevailingPower, (p. 6z y 64.) under which 
 they got from the Top of the Houfe of Lords 
 two of the Gunpowder Traitors Heads, which 
 we may here in time ufe as holy Reliques 
 ilirin'd up in Gold and working Miracles. 
 
 Pyrotechn. Loyol. or the Fiery Jefuits Temper 
 
 and Behaviour, p, 12.1, \ii. 
 
 £2.) Secondly , as to the Subverfion of the 
 
 Monarchy ^ 
 
The <P %EF AC E. xxxv 
 
 Monarchy, and turning it into a Commonwealth, 
 (that grand Plot and Device of the Jefuics} its 
 evident enough that that was done by the Sug- 
 geftions of the Jefuits, and the Influence they 
 had upon the Army. Hugh Peters himfelf, well 
 acquainted of late Years with the Jefuits Perfons, 
 Plots, Principles, P rati ices, in his Letter to a 
 
 great Army Officer,— — (tiles it, a Cheat of 
 
 the Jefuits, put upon the Army, and that with 
 much Regret in Heart and Spirit, as I find in 
 Mr. Prim's brief and neceffary Vindication of 
 the old and new feciuded Members, &c. p. 35-. 
 where he adds a pretty remarkable Story : 
 ' A grave Proteflant Gentleman of the Temple, 
 laft Trinity Term, riding up to London, meet- 
 ing with a Popifb Gentleman of his Acquaint- 
 ance on the VVay, they difcourfing of thofe 
 lad Revolutions and Changes of Government^ 
 the Protectant told him, that thefe Alterati- 
 ons were but the Plots and Productions of the 
 Jefuits, and thofe of his Religion, who did 
 but laugh at us in their sleeves, to fee whae 
 Fools they had made us ,♦ at which the Papift 
 growing fbrnewhat angry, he defired him to 
 be patient, fince they were antient Friends, 
 and what he fpake was not in jefl; or feoff, as 
 he took it, but in fober Sadneis, detlring him 
 — to enquire, &c. and to give him an Ac- 
 count thereof, which hepromis'd, fefr. About 
 five or fix Days after, this Papift told him. 
 That, according to his Reqmft, he had made 
 diligent Enquiry of the Truth of w hat he 
 (pake on the Way, and that he found A//, or 
 [ t> 2 J mofl 
 
xxxvi The (p (II E F ACE. 
 
 ' mo(t of the Jefuits were Knaves, they, and moft 
 1 of the jefuited Fapifts being again]} the King, 
 c and wholly for a Commonwealth, as being mofi 
 ' advantagioui for the King of Spam's Inter- 
 ' eft, &c. 
 
 And to (hew how much they fet forward the 
 Advice of fome of the Society , to promote 
 the Study of Aftrology, and for what Ends, the 
 aforefaid Author remarks, that Lilly, a zealous 
 Republican, in his Almanack for the Year 1651. 
 
 * Prognofiicated, That the Stars did then pro- 
 ' wife Ails of Grace and Favours to Popi/h Recu- 
 ' fants, who in their Zeal and Loyalty to the 
 c Mew Republick, exceeded moil Presbyterians ; 
 f an Argument it was a Creature of the Jefuits, 
 
 1 and their Projection, to procure 
 PrinnV Brief i them more Grace and Favour 
 
 ^Lklf^l ' than before > and promote their 
 Tage 34. e Defigns againft us. To this End 
 4 confuit Lilly s Colletlion of antient 
 ' and modern Prophecies in 1645, to prepare 
 6 the Minds of the People to acquiefce in a 
 c Common-wealth, predicling the utter Extir- 
 
 * pation of Monarchy in thele Kingdoms, as Jike- 
 1 wi^e of the Royal Family , and his Monarchy or 
 no Monarchy in England, to clinch the Matter 
 in 1 05 1 : And that which is obfervable bei'ides 
 is, as Mr. Trinn relates, p. \ 8. of his Brief 
 Vindication, That Nedham, the fcribbling Incen- 
 diary of thofe Times, makes u(e of tho Jejuit 
 Barclay s, and Mariana's Principles , to ere£t 
 his new-fangled Common-wealth upon. Mr. 
 Frinns Words are thefe, well worth noting, 
 
 '.He 
 
The <P %EE ACE. xxxvii 
 
 He Q i. e. Nedham) obje&s, the Jefuits Com- 
 mon-wealth admits no Toleration of Religi- 
 ons, never was againft Kingfhip and the Office 
 of it, as theirs is,nor hath any Similitude with 
 Jefuitifm. Allfalfe: The Jefuits 
 pleaded always for a *free Tole- ,//£$*; 
 ration of Religion in England, that MjloncaUni 
 
 themfelves might be tolerated.- L c egd yinJi ' 
 
 They are profeffed Enemies to the 
 Office, as well as Perfons of ail Protejlant, 
 yea, and moft Popifb Kings, and projected to 
 make up a Common- wealth in oppofition to 
 Kingfhip : ft hath Similitude with Jefuitifm 
 both in its Principles, Witnefs thofe of Barclay 
 and Mariana, cited by Nedham, wherein he 
 founds it; and m its Pratlices oi murdering 
 Kings, blowing up Parliaments, abfoiving 
 Subjects from their Oath and Allegiance, &c. 
 by which it was founded, f'upported, revived. 
 
 Prinns brief and neceffary Vindication^ p. 34.35-. 
 Again, ' Nedham makes ufe of Jefuit Barclay's 
 afore-cited jefuitical Principks/as the chief 
 Corner-Stone of our new Parliament's and 
 Republick's Structure, whereon they are both 
 built; and not only fo, but he ufeth the very 
 Arguments otCampanella, which he prefcrib'd 
 the King of Spain to fugged to the Englifh 
 Nobility, Proteilants, and Clergy, to hinder 
 and keep out King James from the Crown of 
 England, upon Queen Elizabeth's Death ; to 
 didiiade and draw them all off/ from King 
 Charles, and oppofe his Reilitutionnow. Pritt, 
 
 tf-P- 3 6, 37> §fc So conltantly do our Secta- 
 
 [ b 3 ] ries 
 
xxxviii The 4 <% E F A C E. 
 
 ries/>/(?u>with thePopi/b Heifers, purfuing their 
 written and oral Advices and Inftru&iors. But 
 to (new what an Intereil thefe Jefuits had in thofe 
 Times, how generally they prefided in all the 
 then Councils, and managed all Intrigues, infi- 
 nuated themfelves amongft all the Great Ones at 
 the Helm, and were the original Movers, or 
 Wheels, of all the Revolutions and Changes in 
 the Government in thofe Days, I ckfire the 
 Reader but to confider with me thefe following 
 Particulars. 
 
 CO Their conflant Prejence in the Army in 
 thofe Times; as, fir ft, in the Army of Sir. Tho- 
 mas Fairfax, General, 1 648 ; fo Mr. Prinn tell us, 
 when he was a Prifoner in 1648, under the Ar- 
 
 Tnthe Yen r^T, by Order "?? OfficerS,wllO forcibly. 
 
 from Rome, above an hundred le] 2 d him and fort) 7 Other 
 
 efihe^Qtrm clergy rcertfm Members of the Con> 
 
 The hundred Men that Wntover m0nS Houle ,-- Some 
 
 in ttorcar i< 4 <f, rvercpif.jicf t Friends of his being 
 
 them Soldiers in the ParLia. < t | 1fn C0PventPf 4 }-, e f rre 
 
 mm Army, and were djih to , , 1] ' ^"ventea cer^re 
 correfppnd-mth the Rotnanifts tne General Council of 
 
 in the late Ring's Amy..-. a t < Queers of the Army at 
 
 Oxford. Bp. Biwmh. Let. to c T *n i± tic r ■ 
 
 Archbific.p U(her, Ann. i€ H . i Whltehal , for faying 
 
 there were divers Friefts 
 ■ and Jefuits in the Army, the chief Contrivers 
 I of the Depgns and Changes then a&ed ; and 
 thefe judifying the fame, thereupon procur'd 
 c a Warrant from Sir Thomas Fairfax the Ge- 
 c neral, tofeizefuch J^i/j and Fr^//j? as they 
 4 ' found in the Army 5 Quarters, as wellSokfi- 
 j ers as others ,• whereby they prefently appre- 
 J bended two J^/^ and put them in ward 
 
 ! thaj 
 
The <P%EF A CE. xx x i x 
 
 that Night, who produc'd two Prote&ions 
 under the (elf fame Hand as granted this 
 Pafs, ( viz. Oliver Cromwel's 3 which they faw 
 and complain'd of, &c. However, thofe Jefu- 
 its got themfelves releas'd the next Day; 
 whereupon , they 
 
 thought it bootless * S! ' r I° hn Temple and Doctor 
 
 „„J 5-„~„..~ „ C ( Borlace, in their Bool;s touching 
 
 and dangerous for < tbe RtUtion of the £ ifll Kebe t 
 
 them tO feize any ' Hon began 1641, make mention 
 
 more of them, (ha- [ °f * f™ ** ™fi *?;& ***> 
 
 ..■» ' v caujed to be tied, jeveral Prate- 
 
 ViqgdllCOVer'd ma- < fiants Back to Bach K , and fo to 
 
 ny they knew to be ' be fl un i cver Porudown-Bridge 
 
 r u "\ A C *.U ' ' ™ Ireland. This Friar, about 
 
 lucn ) and lo tneir « the tim that y lver cromwei 
 
 Good Intentions ' came over into Ireland,w«tf <#/. 
 
 were fruftrated.-— * gf?J| ^ England^ at m 
 
 time he received one Ward s-Wtfe, 
 1 by whom be bad fever al Bajiards, 
 pretending Jhe mas his Wife, Cromwei coming back for Eng- 
 land, this Friar (by what means is net hjiown) became very gra- 
 cious and converfant with that Ufurper, and then went undev 
 the Hame of Captain Holland : Upon this Intimacy and Acquain- 
 tance, Oliver Cromwei made ufe of this Impoftor, and gave him 
 a large Allowance per Annum , to give him foreign and dome^ 
 ft id; Intelligence , for he would pay upon Poft-Vays above forty 
 Shillings for Letters, directed to him by the Hame of Captain 
 Holland, &c. It chancing when a Speech made by Oliver, 1^54, 
 to this Effect, That there was Hothing done in England, &c. 
 but that it was carried on by the tfefuits , &c. and fo bad his 
 Parliament look into this Affair ; fearch being made, and things 
 inquired into, fome of thefe Impoftors were dijeovered, and amongft 
 the reft this pretended Captain Holland, &c. yet Oliver Crom- 
 wei protected him, &c. Fox. Fireb. Part 2. p. 8<?, 90. 
 
 --The Pafport he mentions was for one Mau- 
 rice Conry, to pals from London to Ireland^ an 
 Irifh Franciscan Friar, and Mijfionary to the 
 Pope which Pafs was obtained for him by an 
 [rijb Footman of Olivers j and about this Conry 
 
 was 
 
k1 The PREFACE. 
 
 was found a Letter to another Irifh Footman of 
 his Sen Henry Cromivel, in Dublin in Ireland, 
 efpecialiy recommending this Conry to him as 
 his endeared Friend, to do him all the Favours, 
 &c. and therefore it may be juftly fufpe&ed, 
 that feme of them are become principal Foot- 
 men to the great eft Perfons ztWhitehal and Dub- 
 lin ; the procuring of this Fafport by fuch Irifb 
 Footmen, and thefe their Letters giving Sufpi- 
 cion that this Conry and they are of the fame 
 Fraternity, &c. Mr. Prinn'j New Difcov. o/Jome 
 Rom. Emiffaries, &c. p. 2,6. 27- 
 
 (2) A tecond Inftance of their immediate A- 
 gency in the Councils of thefe Times, and of the 
 Treachery of fome of our Roman Catholicks to 
 King Charles 11. then in Exile, was even the U- 
 furper Oliver'* employing them in his Service a- 
 broad (as well as no doubt but for a confidcra- 
 ble time at home, as his Cabinet Council, from 
 the fir ft Minute of his conceiving Hopes of graft- 
 ing the whole Power into his own Elands, by 
 undermining the Parliament and Army it felQ 
 ' and thus by Sir Ken elm Digbys,i jefuited Fa- 
 pijl, Agency, Cromwel entred into an intimate 
 
 ■ League with Cardinal Mazarine, concluded a 
 
 ■ Peace with France, Nov. 165-5, upon this 
 
 ■ Condition, That Charles Stuart, with all his 
 ' Brothers, Followers, and Adherents, fhould 
 1 be forthwith remov'd out of France and all the 
 1 French King's Dominions, and not permitted 
 ( to return or refide therein. Prinn'* Brief and 
 Mecejjary V indie, of. the old and new fee hided Mem- 
 hrs, p. 4t. 
 
 C3) J" 
 
The <P (11 E F AC E. %\i 
 
 (3) In the third Place, the Zeal of the Ta- 
 pifts and jefuited Tarty, and even of fbme of 
 their Secular Priefts, for Oliver and his Govern- 
 ment, is very obfervable : This may be noted 
 from Lilly the Aftrologer, above quoted, then 
 from Father White' j Grounds of bed. and Govern > 
 went, where he treats of 
 the Difpojfejfion of -a fu- 
 pream tormer Governour 
 of his Rights, and 
 moft villanoujly and trai- 
 teroufly, p.1^1. and even 
 here he refblves, that if 
 he be wrongfully difpofc 
 tefsd, yet for the publick 
 Good he ought to reft 
 fatisiied, and in Con- 
 science is bound to re- 
 nounce his Claim ; and as for his Subjefts, that 
 there is no Juflice, [i.e. they have no Right, 
 are under no Obligation] on their fide, to re- 
 ftore him. — — ' A N^igiflrate actually difpof- 
 1 fefs'd, hath no Right to be reflor'd ,• nor the 
 ' Subject any Obligation to feek to refiore, but 
 
 4 to oppofe him. ■ And Again, p. 147, upon 
 
 a Supposition,- That the common Good ought 
 to be the Mcgiflrate's Title, and the Subject's 
 
 Obedience. Out of which, faith he, it fol- 
 
 loweth, That whenever (confidcring all things) 
 the Common Good is clearly en the Fojfejjors 
 Side, then v he Dijpojfeffed hath no Claim. T his 
 is a Secular foifooth, and a profeft Enemy to 
 the 'jefaits ! U there be no greater Difference 
 
 between 
 
 A Notable Infiance of that 
 Party's Affection to him may be 
 cbferved in Peter Talbot, the 
 Titular Archbifhop of Dub- 
 lin, who rvM publicity takjn 
 notice cf by John King, Dean 
 of Tutm, and divers others, 
 to be in deep Mourning atCvom- 
 welV Funeral^ and to appear in 
 it for fome months after \n> aiding 
 in the Piazza in Covent-Gar- 
 den, and other of the Streets of 
 the City of London. Foxes 
 Firebr pari ii. p. xcvi. 
 
xlii 77;e <P <^E F A C E. 
 
 between them and Jefuits, thsn never a Barrel 
 better Herring; Rebels, Triirors, and Enemies 
 to Monarchy alike ; both equally dangerous to 
 the Peace, Quiet> and Eftabliihment of thefe 
 Kingdoms,- both too deem'd Brethren in Iniqui- 
 ty, and jointly, notwithflanding their Teeming 
 Qppofitions, carrying on the lame traiterous 
 Defjgns ; which argues but the greater Poli- 
 cy and Villariy, and ought to be expell'd all 
 reformed Kingdoms. 
 
 Let any one now compare White's Notions 
 with Baxters Thef. of Governm. 149. 'If 
 4 therefore the rightful Governour be fo long 
 ' diipoflefledjthaj: the Common-wealth can be no 
 
 * longer without, but to the apparent ^Hazard 
 
 * of its Ruine, we ( i. e. we the People, or we 
 
 * the Rebels that difpoffefs himj are to judge 
 f that Providence hath difpoffeffed the former, 
 
 * and preferitlv to confent to another, &k. And. 
 coiiiequently we find him owning Oliver and 
 FijcSardzsPQwers appointed by God s comparing- 
 Oliver, to Da *y\ Richard 10 Solomon, in his 
 fifth Qifpuiqtion 0] [ Churl h Government and Wor- 
 
 Dedicat. ated in Evangel. Armatum. 
 p. x'6. printed in the Year 1663. To fee how 
 gcniS Wits jump, 2nd whatableffed Harmony, 
 after all Noiie, &c. there was in thofe Days 
 between our S0arm, Jefuits, and other Fopijb 
 Friefis, nay tfre Seculars too. 
 
 (^4) live extraordinary 'particular Favours ex- 
 hibited to thbfe Jefuits, and other Vopifo Priefts ? 
 in 1650, during the Usurpation, To introduce 
 this Obfervatiori, I (hall venture the Reader's 
 
 Excufe 
 
The <P <^E F AC E. xliii 
 
 Excufib to tranfcribe the whole Paflage as it 
 lies in Mr. Prinn, though it be a Repetition in 
 part of what 1 have given before, * When the 
 King was executed before Whitehall Jan. 30. 
 1648. Mr, Henry Spittieworth riding cafually 
 that Way jufl: as his Head was cut off, efpied 
 the Queen's Confeffor there on Horfeback, 
 in the Habit of a Trooper, drawing his Sword, 
 and fiouriihing it over his Head in Triumph, 
 (as ethers tueredid) at this Spectacle. At 
 which being much amaz'd, and being famili- 
 arly acquainted with the Confeffor, he rode 
 up to him, and faid, O Father ! I little thought 
 to have found you here, or any of your Pro- 
 feffion, at fuch a fad Spettack. To which he 
 anfvve^d, there were at leait Forty , or more 
 Priefts and Jefuits there prefent on Horfe back, 
 befides himfelf ; and that one End of his and 
 their, coming thither was, That if the King 
 had died a Roman Catholick, he might not 
 want a Confe(Tor,had he defired one. This the 
 Gentleman and his Sider, within few -Days 
 alter, and at other Times, feriouOy related to 
 a Bencher olLincolns-Inn his familiar Acquain- 
 tance, ufing it as one chief Reafbn why 
 they refufed to turn Papifts ; and becaufe al- 
 fo they found the Jefuits and Popish Priejh, 
 both before and after the King's Death, 
 had divers Meetings about London, to al- 
 ter the Government, and difinherit the Kings 
 Pofierity. Which compared with their Re- 
 leases from Imprifonment, and free Liber- 
 ? ty they enjoy'd ever fince the King's Death 
 
 * till 
 
lie <P ^E F AC E. xliv 
 
 till now under the New Republick, with the 
 ' late Provifo in the Proclamation of July laft, 
 ' for Banifhing Jefuits, Priefls, and fuoh Cava- 
 
 * liers of the King's Party who had not com- 
 ' pounded by the firft of Auguft, under Pain of 
 ' High Treafon. Provided that if any of them 
 c [Jefuits or Popifh Priefts, @<\] mould fubmit 
 ' themfelves to the prefent Government, and 
 
 * give Security for their OBEDIENCE and 
 4 peaceable Deportment, that this PROCLAMA- 
 ' TION SHOULD NOT EXTEND TO 
 ' THEM, but that they might dill continue 
 ' amongd, &c. 
 
 (5) Obferve, that altbo* Oliver w'as mod 
 particularly acquainted with all their Defigns 
 to make Profeljtes-, and fettle their Religion in 
 England, yet he never took any the lead feem- 
 ingly elTe&ual Courfe to (top their Proceedings, 
 but under-hand encouraged them, admitted them 
 about his Perfbn, into his Familiarity, Cabals ; 
 eutrufleA them with the greatefl Affairs, prote- 
 /fed' them, granted them Pajports, releafed them, 
 when apprehended, fiopt all Proceedings againft 
 them, and retained them in his very Service, to 
 jecure their Perfons, and to confult and carry on 
 his fecret Defigns-. I fay, he mud needs know 
 all their Defigns, as well as they his ; was well 
 aflur'd of their Affetlions to his Per/on and Go- 
 vernment ; and as by their Counfels and Service 
 he arriv'd ac what he was, and knew himlelf to 
 be their Creature, and was well fatisfied with 
 what they had projected by all thefe Changes 
 lor themfelves, as being no way inconfiflcnt 
 
 with 
 
The <P <ll E F A C E. xlv 
 
 with his Power and Government for the prefent, 
 as well as in thofe who ftiould fucceed him, be- 
 ing agreeable to their profefled Principles as 
 Antimonarchifts, Co he left them to themfelves 
 to proceed, and drive the Nail as far as it would 
 go, and never gave them the lead Check, but 
 permitted all things, as to Religion, to run into 
 the utmoft Confu/ion ; and indeed 'twas Policy 
 for him to connive at them as he did ; he knew 
 that they who with fb much Dexterity made 
 him, could with one Turn of their Hand undo 
 him,being Mailers of all his Secrets,and fo hav- 
 ing it in their Power to unhowel him, unravel 
 his Secrets, and by applying themfelves £if pro- 
 voked} to all the feveral Factions, fet all about 
 his Ears, and mine him in a Trice. That he 
 was too well acquainted with him, appears iuf- 
 ficiently by a Speech of his Q which I fuppofe 
 the Necetfky of Affairs forced from him, with 
 their Confent efpecially, when the Contents 
 were too publick at that Time to be conceal'd) 
 part of which I (hall tranfcribe from the fecond 
 Beacon fir d. * We know very well that Emiffa- 
 4 ries of the Jefuits never came in tho(e Swarms, 
 
 * as they have done fince thefe Things were fet 
 
 * on foot ; and I tell you, that divers Gentle- 
 
 * men here can bear ^itnefs with me, how 
 
 * that they have had a Confiflory abroad, that 
 
 * rules all the Affairs of things in England, from 
 ' an Archhijhop with other Dependents upon 
 
 * him. And they had hYd in England, (of 
 ' which we are able to produce the particular 
 
 * Infiruments) in moll of the Limits ofCathV 
 
 s drals, 
 
xlvi WkV%EV ACE. 
 
 ' drals, an Epifcopal Power, with Archdea- 
 ' cons, &c. and had Perfons authorized to ex* 
 ' ercife and diftribute thofe things, who per- 
 * vert and deceive the People, &c. Second Bea- 
 con fir d y 1654. p.z. I fay, notwithflanding 
 all this his confefled thorough Acquaintance 
 with their Defigns, &c. it's evident by his Suf- 
 ferance of them, that it was with his Well-liking 
 and Approbation, and it was only feme noto- 
 rious Neceffity of State at that time, that fared 
 him to this particular Confeilion, only as a 
 fair Come-off for the prefent, and to skreen 
 himfelf from the fevere Reflections of the Milk- 
 ttarian difafFecled Party and Presbyterians; for 
 he found his Account in them, effected his De- 
 figns, by their fowing the Seeds of Diffention 
 and multiplying Sq3s, and thereby weakning 
 the publick Intereft : Confufion and the (et- 
 ting up different Interefts among the refpe&ive 
 Sects, kept them from uniting and combining 
 againfthim, did his Bufinefs the mod effectu- 
 ally of any thing, of which thefe Jefuits were 
 the Original Contrivers ; fo that as they were 
 Friends to him, he became upon point of Inte- 
 reft a Patron to them; and well he might, when 
 their Zeal and Indefatigablenefs was (o vehe- 
 ment as to venture tljeir very Bloods in that 
 Caufe, which gave him the Opportunity of 
 mounting into the Saddle of Government ; many 
 of the Rcmfh Friefts being found among the 
 .Dead in Battel on the REBELS Side , as 
 J remember in Dugdale's View of the late Trou. 
 lies. 
 
 Befides, 
 
T7;e <P ^E F AC E. ' xlvii 
 
 Befides, all this will feem the lefs wonderful 
 or furprifing, if we do but recoiled:, that even 
 fome of our late ^Egyptian Tackmailers died in 
 the Romijh Communion, after all their zealous 
 Pretences againfl that Church and Religion. 
 
 Now what can be more reafonable %6 infer 
 from the Serviceablenete of thele Rcmifk Incen- 
 diaries, to the ambitious Projects of Crtmvoel y 
 and the reft of that Crew of PROSPEROUS 
 REBELS in thofe Days? but that they were 
 conniv'd at in the carrying on their Defigns of 
 planting Popery here, and had full Liberty to 
 make Profelytes by what Methods they pleas'd; 
 fo long as the then Govcrnours were well aflu- 
 red they were [worn Enemies to the FAMILY 
 of the STUARTS ; that a Commonwealth, or 
 an Ekclive Kingdom, was confident: enough 
 with Popery, according to the Advices of Cam- 
 panula, Contzen, &c. and the then Proceedings 
 of the Romiih Emiflaries, and hereby became 
 mutual Supports to each other > And accord- 
 ingly we find they actually Ejlahlijbed each 
 other. 
 
 The Government, in fpight of all Remonftran- 
 ces, Petitions, and Proofs to the contrary, gave 
 thefe Miffwnaries their full Swinge, and granted 
 them, under-hand, Indigencies ; from whence 
 the Papifts were very bufie in propagating their 
 corrupt Principles, by fending forth their EmhTa- 
 ries dtfguis'd, under the Name of Army-Men ; 
 [and what were thofe but really Jefuits, &c. 
 fuch as thofe thirty who were met between 
 Roan and Deep, who were coming over to be 
 
 Agita 
 
xlviii The <P <^_ £ F A C E. 
 
 Agitators in the Army, as above- mention'd, 
 fuch as were apprehended in General Fairfax's 
 Army, fuch as tbe forty Jefuits, &c. prefent at 
 the Kings frhrder, flourifhing their Swords, &c.j 
 ' Church Members and dnabaptifts, as we are 
 ' able to demonitrate, faith the fecond Beacon 
 ' fired, p. i. by their publifhing in the Years 
 
 * 1650, 1 65 1, 1651, eighteen leveral Sorts of 
 
 * Popifh Books in the Bnglifh Tongue, an Im- 
 
 * predion of each in all (_ as we have caufe to 
 c judge) amounting to no kis than 30000, and 
 
 * all printed in London we are fure, of which 
 1 they fet down the Names. Qp. 2.) Then they 
 proceed to give an Account of the great Increafe 
 o{Sociniani[m^ Quaker //w,and other fundamental 
 Errors. (1) By the publick Meetings and Ex- 
 ercifts that Socinians have in London, and elfe- 
 where, every Week, blafphemoufly holding and 
 teaching their damnable Doctrines, fi) By 
 the like Meetings of Quakers in London, whofe 
 Opinions are blafphemous, paganifk, antifcriptu- 
 ral and antic hrifiian, even as the former. (3) 
 By the Printing and. Publishing many thoufands 
 of Books, containing blajphemous, heretical, and 
 antimagtjlratical Opinions, tending to unchriftian 
 and diforder the People of the Nation, and in- 
 troduce Paga»ijm, Popery, Socinianifm and Li- 
 bertinifm, of which they fet down a Specimen, 
 Page (. 
 
 Let now the Reader judge, by the vaft Num- 
 bers ofPopi/h Books, and other heretical Writings, 
 what an Increafe of Popery was in thofe times, 
 whether the then Toleration was not their Har„ 
 
 veft. 
 
The PREFACE. xlix 
 
 veft ; it's not probable in the Ieaft thefe Popijh 
 Books were printed for the Ufe of the old Pa- 
 pifts, being mofl of them, as appears by the 
 Catalogue, Inftitutions or Introductions to the 
 Romifh Religion, calculated for the Inftruclion 
 of Novices, and to pervert the unflable and igno- 
 rant of thofe Times; and let it be obferved 
 withal, That the multiplying of Seels was alto- 
 gether defign'd by running Men and # Women 
 into Scepticifm and Infidelity, to prejudice them 
 againft the Miniftry and Ordinances of each o- 
 ther, in order to fix them in Popery at laft, as 
 appears from the Advices and the Politicks of 
 the Jefuits already reprefented, efpecially if we 
 confider, that under the Notion of Jlartingznd 
 propagating of new Lights, they craftily infufe 
 into the different Seds,a great many Popijh Prin- 
 ciples, Doctrines, or Practices. 
 
 One eminent Inftance of this is to be feen 
 in Mr. Hen. Venn, a profs fl pablick Anabaptift^ 
 and mod probably, if not demonflratively, a 
 Popijh Millenary, yet an Apologift for Quaker- 
 ifm and Popery at the fame time. Thus, de Fa- 
 fto, it appears, that this H. Denns Quaker no 
 Papijl, which he offered at their old Meeting- 
 Houfe at the Bull and the Mouth near Alderf- 
 gate, for their Prefs, is indeed all in behalf of 
 fc Papijls, and contains not one Word, from the 
 1 fir ft to the la/l, to the Advantage oj any Seel un- 
 4 der Heaven, but only the RomiOi : That the 
 4 very fame ExpreiTions are usd now againft the 
 4 Church of England by the Anabaptijls and by 
 I tfye Pafift [ both in one, in the Perfon of H. 
 
 [ c ] ' Denn.'-* 
 
the 3> ' <£ E F A C E. 
 
 Demi, Nay, 1 may take notice alio 
 
 of fuch Words in this Quaker no Papift, as 
 caufe the Author thereof, whoever he be, 
 [H. D. or J. W. or W. J. for I take them all 
 to be one Man, ] to fmell of a foreign Coun- 
 try, &c. Some of his Do&rines printed in 
 this [Quaker no Papift] are thefe, (/i) That 
 Mr. H. D. does not know whether Purgatory 
 be reveal'd in Scripture or not, />. 12. penult, 
 Ql) That, in good earned, he thinks thole 
 who had their Ordination from the Church 
 of Rome,, and do not obey the Pope, are Rebels, 
 di[obedient, and Apoftates, if they defend the 
 the Neceflity of Ordination by Bilhops, p. 16. 
 
 Medio. — (3) That no Protejlant Minifter, 
 
 either in England, or beyond the Seas, hath 
 any better Ordination cr Commifion to preach, 
 than G. Whitehead the Quaker, p. 8,9, io.--- 
 
 and then ( Lalily ) That the prefent 
 
 Roman Church, and no ether, is the pure 
 
 Spoufe of Chrift, or eKe there hath been none 
 
 in all Ages. Gagg for the Quakers, with an 
 
 f Anfwer to Mr. Dcnris Quaker no Papift, jT. 59, 
 
 ' 60. Printed 1659. " 
 
 Then parag. 3 2. of the Anfwer to Denns 
 
 Qjtaker no Papift, I defire the Reader to oblerve 
 
 this Paflage; A few Lines after Quaker 
 
 no Papift, p. if. having told us that the Pref. 
 lyterians are eafily enough infected with fuch 
 Leaven, ( Prelatical Malice) he falls into thefe 
 Words ; * Nor do they, while they fall thus 
 c upon others, take any Notice of, or endea- 
 * your to anfwer thofe things which are {land- 
 ing 
 
The <? (11 E F AC E. \i 
 
 ing Objections ag^inft themfelves, viz. in Re- 
 lation to their Rebellion, Dijobedience and 
 Apoftacy from the Government of the Church 
 of Rome, which in good earned I think they 
 will never be able to anfwer upon their own 
 Principles. Obferve how this Man ( tho' he 
 call'd himfelf Anahaptift and Seftary but two 
 or three Lines before thefe Words) now foon 
 forgets what Perfon he had aflum'd, pulls of 
 his Vizard, and appears a bare-fae'd Romanift. 
 Obferve how he who profefles to teach Men 
 to be difobedient and rebellious to all Bifhops, 
 paflfionately and haftily takes part with Him, 
 who hath ufurp'd upon all Bifhops in the Chri- 
 ftian World, i\ 33. Anfwer to Denn'j Quaker 
 
 Papift. This is the Mr. Denn the Anahap- 
 tift, Captain and Apothecary, Farmer and Mini- 
 fter, and an Apologifl for the Society of Jefus, 
 §. x. to whom the Author of the Anftver to 
 Mr. Denns Quaker no Papift, fays in another 
 Place — ' I mall defer lending you a larger 
 c Catalogue, until you C°ryom" Friend Knott 
 
 * the Jefui£, who alfo hath writ againft Epifco- 
 
 * pacy) (hall have anfwered Dr. Hammonds 
 1 Differ tat ions againft Blundel, otherwife than 
 4 by your Sword and Sequestration, §. zz.] So 
 that it feems this Denn was got into a fequeftred 
 Living too. 
 
 Qi) But fecondiy, as another Inftancc of their 
 ufhering Popery along with their New Lights, this 
 is as clear as the Sun in its Meridian, in that 
 new Seel £of their Hatching ) the Quakers, which 
 
 1 take for granted to be the Spam of the Jefuits, 
 
 [c %] and 
 
Hi The <P q^EF AC E. 
 
 and fome other Orders of the Church of Rome ; and 
 to their Honour be it it fpoken, propigated at 
 their firft fetting out by down-right WITCH- 
 CRAFT; and this I (hall do out of a Parallel 
 ready to my hand, out o^Claphams full Difco- 
 very and Confutation of the Quakers, printed 1656. 
 The Papifts will not have the Scriptures a 
 Rule oj Faith and Life, a Judg ofControverfies ; 
 to the Quakers : The Papifts revile them, and 
 call them a Dead Letter,* Co the Quakers: 
 The Papifls equal other Things with the Scri- 
 ptures; fo the Quakers : — The Papifts 
 
 pretend Revelations, Vifions, Raptures, Tran- 
 ces ; fo the Quakers. Both Papifts and 
 
 Quakers pretend to Infallibility, to a Power 
 of Working Miracles ; both are alike in cenfu- 
 ring, condemning, and cutfing all that are 
 not of their Way ; both deny the Proteftant 
 
 Churches to be the Churches of Chrift. 
 
 „ The Papifls fought to keep the People 
 
 in Ignorance, without teaching and inftru- 
 cting them, and the Quakers leek to bring 
 People from all Teachings to the Light in 
 them, that fo they may have no other Teach- 
 ing than the Savage Indians have, &c, — i — - — 
 Doth not all this make it evident, That 
 
 ths Quakers are the Pope's Brats, tho' they be 
 fo unnatural they will not own their Father ? 
 We have Reafbn enough to believe there have 
 been more Popifh Prielfs in England befides Cop- 
 finger, to infill thofe Notions into the Quakers, 
 p. 64, 65. feeGagg {or Quak. and therein Anfw. 
 £0 Beans Quaker nofafift; J\ 50, 'Mr. Prinn's 
 
 Quakerifm 
 
The (P %E F ACE. liii 
 
 Quakerifm unmask 'd, Ed. ii. p. 3. * I could tel* 
 ' Mr. £)£»» a ftrange Story of his F. Whitehead 
 1 faying Mafs about London; and of another 
 c deputing for the Quakers, and prefentl v prov'd 
 1 a mask'd Papift at Woolverhampton, &c. id. 
 Ibid. 
 
 Before I difmifs this laft Point I have been 
 upon, I think it will not be altogether incon- 
 gruous to confider whether thefe Politicians of 
 Priefts have not, wherever they could, dipt 
 fomewhat into their New Lights amongfl: our 
 pretended Proteflants, equivalent to Popery, or 
 at lead equally mifchievous to Church and State, 
 of which we have feen the difmal Effects ; for 
 this I (hall refer my Reader to the very ingenious 
 Author of the Reprefentation of the State of Chri- 
 flianity in England, and of its Decay and Danger 
 from Seclaries, as well as Papifts, Printed 1674, 
 from whom I (hall tranfcribe fomewhat material 
 to our Purpofe in hand: ' Have not our Eng- 
 lifh Enthujiajls (confidering the Time of their 
 Growth and Reign) debauchd Chnlhanity, af- 
 fronted Government, deftroy'd Kings, depri- 
 ved Chriftians of the Oifices and Comforts of 
 Religion, and that only for afferting the juft 
 Rights, and performing the indifpen/ible Du- 
 ties to their God, and their Sovereign > Have 
 they not dene violence to all manner of Laws, 
 to uphold and ered: their own Factions > Have 
 they not taken away Mens Lives, Karnes, Li- 
 berties, Eftates, and exposed their Families to 
 Shame, Beggary, without Co much as Inquifi- 
 tion ? Have not Committee-Men^ Major-Ge- 
 [ c 3 ] ' nerals, 
 
liv The <P ^E F AC E. 
 
 nerals, and High-Courts of Juilice, been as 
 dreadful to Englifh Proteftanss, as any h<{iii- 
 fition in Spain cr Italy ? May not Idlenefs as 
 much incrcafe and grow upon us, by Lay- 
 Preachers, who are continually ieducing Men 
 from their Callings to hear their Canting, and 
 obferve Days or Humiliation, as by Abby- 
 Lubbers, begging Friars and Monks, who live 
 upon the Sweat and Labours of other People? 
 For Men to be only ufelefs in humane Socie- 
 ty, is not lb prejudicial to Government, as 
 that Temper of Spirit which renders them 
 impatient of Laws, and rebellious againft Au- 
 thority : For Zeal to do Mifchief is more 
 injurious to the publick Peace, than Supine- 
 nefs in doing nothing. And if Popery (hould 
 ever be admitted into England, the King would 
 receive in a Foreign or Civil War, as much Aid 
 
 ' from cleiiler'd Monks as from Setla- 
 £3p * ries, who generally believe all War 
 
 * unlawful,except that which they them- 
 felvcs carry on againft their own Prince and 
 Country, p. 24, x$. Neither have the Prin- 
 ciples of Seftaries a lefs malignant Afpecl: to- 
 wards Chriftian Holinefs, than thofe of Pa- 
 piils. The POPE of Rome challenges to him- 
 lelf the Privilege of being infallible ; What 
 elfe does the Setlary, when he fays that the 
 Holy Ghoft dictates to him Matter and Words 
 in the Performance of religious Duties, and 
 that he does perfonally dwell and make his 
 Abode in his Heart? 'Tis no hard thing to 
 prove, That a private Spirit, advane'd above, 
 
 'or 
 
The PREFACE. lv 
 
 or made parallel to the Holy Scriptures, is 
 more prejudicial to Chriftianity than Traditi- 
 on, or the largefl Power that was ever yet a£ 
 (aoi'd by the POPE. Alas ! for one imallible 
 old Gentleman at Rome, we have thoufards of 
 Hotfpurs in England, that pretend to more of 
 the Divine Perledtions than ever he did. For 
 if the Holy Ghoft does perf-nally in dwell in 
 Sectaries, then they are personally poflefled 
 with all the glorious Attributes of the God- 
 head ;- which is more prejudicial to Protefta- 
 nijm, to afhrm there u no Church of England, 
 or to fay that the Roman Church is the Catho* 
 lick Church ? p. 26. 
 
 4 The Papifts with-hold the Cup from the Laity 
 in the Blejfed Eucharift ; the Sectaries deny 
 the Whole of that Sacrament to all who cannot 
 give certain Signs of their Converfon, cVc. nay, 
 they make the Whole of both the Sacraments in- 
 valid to Salvation, by being adminiftrtd in a 
 State of Schifm, and by thole Reafons, that 
 have no more Authority or Right to a£- 
 fume that Power, than Uzziah had to lay hold 
 upon the Ark, or Nadab and Abihu to offer the 
 ftrange Fire. 
 
 4 The Papifts lead their People in Ignorance 
 and Darknefs, but Monks a'nd Friars are as 
 learned as Millers and tailors, end the Latin 
 Service as intelligible as myjtica'. Aonfence, and 
 the Prayers in an unknown Tongue as edifying 
 and lefs injurious to ChrifHanity, than bold 
 Blajphemy, and thofe Exp. efiions which are the 
 very Derifion of Devndoi. 
 
 • [c 4 ] !That 
 
Ivi The <P (^E F AC E. 
 
 1 The Doftrine of the RefurreBion will fboner 
 receive its Oftracifm by the Omifllon of the 
 Rites of Burial, than by. praying for the Dead ; 
 And the Belief of one Catholick Church, and Com- 
 munion of Saints, will (boner be deftroy'd by 
 Independency, than if they all truckled under 
 the ^ee of Rome : And to direct our Devoti- 
 ons to the bleffed Virgin and Saints departed, 
 is not fbdiipleafing untoGod,nor difhonoura- 
 ble and injurious to Religion, as to pray for 
 Bloodfhedand Revenge, for the Succefs of Rebels, 
 the Growth ofSchifm, and 'the Rootingup an Efta- 
 blifh'd Church: And the Idolatry of the Pa- 
 pifts will be as excu&ble at the Great Day 
 of Accounts, as the irreverent Rudenefs, and 
 fuperftitious Sowrenefs of the Sectaries. Sin is 
 more encouraged by making the Condition of 
 its Pardon to depend upon a ftrong Fancy and 
 Belief that it is pardoned, than by making it 
 abfolutely depend upon the Power of a Arieft. In 
 a Word, the grofs Ufurpation and hvafion of 
 the Prisfts Oiiice by Sectaries, to ere ft Church- 
 es, Ordain, Baptize, admmifter the Holy Emha- 
 r'ift, Preach, Excommunicate, 6kc. throws more 
 Dirt upon the Chriftian- Religion, than the grof- 
 jeft Errors in the Rcmnh Church, p. 1 8, 29. 
 Thus much I thought mxeflary to premife, 
 by way ot Caution, to all that defire and endea- 
 vour to be fincere Chriftians and Members of 
 Chrifts One Catholhk Church, to prevent their 
 being either carried away by fefuits or Setlaries % 
 which is much near the fame, and to demon- 
 flrate from whence all our Divifions, ail our 
 
 # Ccnfu- 
 
The <P %EV ACE. lvii 
 
 Confuftons and Over-turnings in Church and State 
 are originated : O^Y I beg leave to anfwer 
 one Objection, which I fore-fee will be made 
 in reference to fome Members of Romanijh Com- 
 munion ; it will I know be readily granted by 
 the tfon-Jefuited Members of that Communion, 
 what I have faid in refpedl of the Jefuits; but 
 then they'll tell us their old Priefts, the Secu- 
 lars, and thofe that adhere to them, are Perfons 
 of (tanch Loyalty and Fidelity to the Prince, 
 and ever, by Principle, faithful to the Crown, 
 and flrenuous Aflerters of its Rights and frero* 
 gatives. 
 
 To this I (hall reply in fhort : 
 
 It's true, the Seculars and Jefuits have been 
 at Daggers drawing, and have writ mod bitterly 
 againit one another, made ftrange Difcoveries, 
 and feem the mofl to hate one another (here 
 amongft us) of any two Parties whatever, yet 
 all nothing bu\:. Juggle and Amufement, meerly 
 for political Ends, that whilit the one are ever 
 odious and fufpe&ed, the other may carry on 
 the fame Defigns undifcerned. And although, 
 indeed, fome of the Seculars belonging here to 
 England, have been many Years under Excom- 
 munication, the higheft Difpleafure of the 
 Church of Rome, * For all this ( faith the Au- 
 ' thor of The Difference between the Church and 
 * the Court oj Rome, printed 1 674.) it may not 
 ' be fafe to truft them, without better AiTu- 
 f ranee. We rememember, from fad Experi- 
 
 1 ence. 
 
lviii The T (^ E F AC E. 
 
 ence, that no Perfans did Co boldly rail at the 
 Tyrant Cromwel, as thofe that were his Penfion- 
 ers, who merited by faying thofe very things 
 which others were to loofe their Lives or fi- 
 liates barely for hearing. Nay, we have not 
 forgot, that fame of thefe perfidious Wretch- 
 es lay under the common Calamity of honed 
 Men, Sequencings, Reftraints, and Decima- 
 tions, that they might continue unfufpe&ed 
 Villains : And we are not fure but his Holi- 
 ness mny be as dextrous in his Managery, as 
 that Tyrant was ; makirg a Shew of great 
 Difpiealure againft thofe Agents of his, which 
 are hired to pretend a Difagreement with the 
 Court of Rome, and Sufferings by it, thereby 
 to gain fecurely Profelytes to the Church, and 
 a Reward unto themfelves. 
 ' Nor will this be efteem'd an uncharitable 
 Surmife, when we confider what ufually is 
 done by this fort of Men upon like Pretenfi- 
 ons. I mall, to avoid giving trouble,— 
 bring one Inftance, yet it thai! be To clofe as 
 ' not to admit of any colourable 
 watf.<£W/. c Exception to it: 'lis that 
 mi. between « f father Watfon the Secular 
 and a La- Pneit, who having wrote at large 
 Gmiem. j a c in the Defence of Sovereign Prin- 
 trm Reution c j ft h Dilates of the Je- 
 
 of the Fattion , r • u u i c r 
 
 at wisbich. luits, u herein he openly conret- 
 4 (es, 1 hat all the Sufferings brought 
 
 * upon the Papifts here in England, was the due 
 ' Reward of their own Demerit : And withal, 
 
 * dete&ed the Frauds and Villanies of the Jefu- 
 
 4 itu 
 
The <P g^E F AC E. lix 
 
 fuitSy not only in reference to the State, but in 
 their Cheats of private Perfons, by means of 
 auricular Confefiion, and other 
 gainful Methods of Hypocrifie, &t- f^f^*' 
 ting down the Names of the Per- s/, *6i,&l 
 fons w rought upon, and theirs who z66 > & c - 
 praclifed upon their Eafinefs, with \ 7 Q \\ % c c \ 
 the particular Sums thus gain'd, 
 the Place, and Time, and Manner of Action; 
 Proofs, one v» ould think, of the greateft Sin- 
 cerity imaginable; efpecially fince he for this, 
 was with all pofhble Violence purfu'd and 
 rail'd at by his Adverfaries in the Church of 
 Rome, and feemingly perlccuted by his Holi- 
 nefs, and ArchFriejls commiflioned by him, 
 yet after all, we find this Man at lafl was dif- 
 cover'd to be engag'd in Treajon againft his 
 Sovereign, and plotting all thole Villanies he 
 had be tore Co iolemnly declaimed and wrote 
 againft, the Account whereof we have in all 
 all our Hiftories, Differ, betw. the Chur. and 
 Court 0/Rome, p. 12. 13. 
 
 I might carry on thefe Obfervationsa greater 
 Length, but having been very prolix already, 
 Qtho* I hope the impartial Reader will the eafi- 
 lier Pardon me, confidering the Importance of 
 what hath been hitherto reprffented} I ihall 
 haften to give in fliort fome Acount of my main 
 Subject. 
 
 In the firft place then,! cenceiv'd it absolutely 
 neceffary to begin with the Mijfton of the Ana- 
 baptifts, the Foundation upon which all their 
 Church-Proceedings mult reft; if that fails, all 
 
 their 
 
lx The V (^E F AC E. 
 
 their Minijlrations mud drop, be null and inva- 
 lid: Disprove their Million and Mimftry, then 
 they can be no Church, no Body politick, no Go- 
 vernours and Governed^no Shepherds^no Flock^nd 
 being once u^mask'd, will appear to be nothing 
 but a mcer Rabble, or at beft but a humane felf con- 
 ft it uted Church. This was the Method of the /ft/- 
 cients dealing with HERETICKS and Schifma- 
 ticks, by which they very fuccefsfully put an 
 end to Controverfies of this Nature ; of which 
 I have treated at iarge in the enfuing Difcourfe ; 
 and if infilled on, and countenanc'd by our Spi* 
 ritual and Civil Governours t by God's Blefling 
 might prove an effectual Means to reduce our 
 ivandring Stars to the Centre and Unity of the 
 Church: Once convince them of the Nullity 
 as well as Sacrilege of their Minijlrations, and 
 make the Generality of Chriftians (enfible that 
 it s nothing but Self -confidence, Self-Interefl, Pre- 
 emption, and Pride, without the l^aft Shadow 
 of Right, that dubbs them into Miniflers; that 
 they all are as much Miniflers themfelves, and 
 then as St. Auguftin faith, in the cafe of the 
 Donatijls Rebapuzation of all that came over 
 to their Party, Nature will not recoil againfi; 
 them, and they'll abhor being conducted by 
 them, who are no better, and but upon an e- 
 qual Foot with themfelves ,• befides the mofl 
 imminent Danger of making ihip-wreck of a 
 good Confcience, and their eternal Salvation. 
 Then it uill be demonllrable, by taking a little 
 Pains with them,that there is and can be butfine 
 Church, one Priejlhood, one Baptifm,* That all 
 
 that 
 
7he V%EV ACE. lxi 
 
 that feparate from the Bofom and Unity of the 
 Churchy by dividing from a particalar Part of 
 it, are a&ually Schijmaticks, i. e. cut ofT from 
 the common Means, the common Hope of Salvati- 
 on, being divided from the £/£<*</ ( of the Body y 
 or the Church) Chrifl bleffed for evermore, and 
 confequently that all Sectaries in the World, 
 under whatever Denomination, are all out of the 
 wi/i/niry eflablifhd Way of obtaining Heaven and 
 Happinefs; that is, all in the wrong; and that 
 <?// that gather not with Chrifl in his Way, his 
 Church, and according to his Meafures, dofcat- 
 ter ; i. e. feparate thofe whom they pretended- 
 ly gather from having any Intereft in, or Influ- 
 ence from Chrift : They will find there is no 
 Difference between the Sectaries, as to the chief 
 Point, the Verity of their refpe&ive Churches, 
 none upon a better Foundation than others; fo 
 that there's no Advantage of being of this Seel: 
 than another, confequently none by running 
 from one to another, if any Difference, only 
 accidental as to the Transfiguration, and Co rather 
 are the worfe than better by Changing, making 
 their Condition the more the hazardous by their 
 Wavering and Inji 'ability, and fo (^as is com> 
 monly known by frequent Obfervation and 
 Experience) concluding in Sceptic ifm and De- 
 fpair, the Spirit of God, which is conftant U- 
 niform and never changing, having no Inhah'u 
 tation, or Refidence, in fuch Perfons ; this lift- 
 ing from Seel: to Sed:, but ever avoiding the 
 Church of Chrift, the Communion of Saints, where 
 alone the Holy and SleiTsd Spirit of Love, and 
 
 tfc 
 
Ixii TheTV^E F AC E. 
 
 Unity ^ and Sanctity dwelleth, being an infallible 
 Mark of their being wholly poflefled and con- 
 ducted by the Spirit of Error, of their prefect 
 Vefertion by God's Grace, and of xh€\x final Per- 
 dition, if not timely prevented, by their Re- 
 union with God*s Church and Chofen. Their 
 Churches of meer Human Conjlitution, (et up in 
 oppofition to the Church of Chrifl, all of them 
 Deviations from the True Church, from the One, 
 thetfarrow^the flraitWay to the Broad^the common 
 and mofl frequented Way, £the Way of Heathens, 
 Jews, Turks, Schifmaticks and He re ticks, and ail 
 profligate and wicked Chriftians, being cad intoj> 
 that Number, by our B. Lord, who together with 
 them, make up that monjlrous innumeralle and 
 vile Herd of Impure Goats, in contradiflinclion 
 to that little Flock of Genuine and Sincere Chri- 
 ftians) that leads directly to Defirudtion : and 
 tho fome amongft thefe Sects (eeming'y have 
 fome pretence to Orthodoxy r 'tis only a Snare 
 and Temptation to them for their greater Infatua- 
 tion, hereby to make them the more confident, 
 and to render them the more fecure in the dan- 
 gerous Condition they are in, thereby to make 
 them more carelefs, and the lefs folicitous for 
 tho^e Advantages of the True Communion and 
 Union with Chrifl:, and his Body the Church here 
 upon Earth, (without which they cannot, and 
 and (hall never become Members of the Archety- 
 pal Church in Heaven,') and fb by the Artifices 
 and Wiles of Satan, working upon their weaker 
 Parts, and encouraging them in their Prefum- 
 ption and Averfion, to all the proper Means 
 
 con- 
 
The <P (II E F ACE. lxiii 
 
 conducing to their real Happinefs, becomes 
 even poyfon unto them, and zfign and forerunner 
 of their Reprobation, that feeing they may not fee. 
 "lis true, they all pretend Scripture for their 
 refpe&ive Conftitutions of Churches, they are 
 all Patterns from the Mount ; they all lay, and fb 
 they allege Scriptures for all t-heir Singularities 
 and Dijcriminations, however Abfurd, Falfe, 
 Blafphemous or Immoral: but then I defire it 
 may be confider'd, that nothing can be more de- 
 rogatory from the Honour and Ferity of thofe 
 mod divinely infpir d Writings, than to eftablilh 
 and confirm Contradictions, To that it's impofil- 
 ble both parts of a ContraAitiion Oiould be true; 
 that what is Heretical and Damnable in one Seel - , 
 fhould be Orthodox and Saving in another,- what 
 is Falfe in one Seel, fhould be True in another ; 
 that the fame thing ihould be Truth and Falf- 
 hood too, and if not, then aH thefe Se&s , 
 fuppofe them as numerous as you can, muft be all 
 in the wrong [for this mufl be granted, if they 
 all be, in the common Ufe of the Word, fepara- 
 ted or cut orf from the True Churchy which is but 
 one;] and confequently, all out of the Efta- 
 hlijh'dWay of Salvation. The Scriptures are all 
 confident with themfelves, and the Holy Spirit 
 breathing in them, eflabliOieth nothing but the 
 One Catholic k Truth; and therefore it's impoili- 
 ble, that all the Seels in the World, can ever 
 confirm their different Doctrines from the Church, 
 by the Scriptures ;» fo that notwithftanding their 
 Boafls and Clamours for the Scriptures, as the 
 Rule, of Faith and Manners § they are not able to 
 
 produce 
 
Ixiv The T^E F AC E. 
 
 produce one Test for their Refpeclive Doctrine and 
 Practices, whereby they dijcriminate themfelves 
 from the Churchy or from one another. And thus 
 we find them mod impudently declaimingzgai nit 
 Popery, whilft they entertain and profefi the very 
 word of Popery, and are influenced and managd 
 by the Spirit of Popery, and glory in the Scri- 
 ptures, whilft they projefs and act againft them. 
 Thus we may fee the horrid Effe&s of Sella. 
 ries undertaking to judge of the Senfe of the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures, by their private Spirits, and 
 making of them their Rule, according to their 
 own Interpretations ; and confequemly , the 
 great Inftrument of their own Damnation, by fet- 
 ting up what they pleafe for Religion, Faith, 
 the Church, the Way to Heaven, &5V. exclud- 
 ing all from the hopes of Salvation, that don't 
 precifely conform to their Phanatick Sentiments 
 and Models ; io making the Holy Scriptures un- 
 to themfelves, a Savour unto Death. This is not 
 the fad Misfortune of fomefew Sectaries, but of 
 all ; they all, without exception, pervert and 
 wreft the Scriptures to their particular Fancies, 
 to confirm their own peculiar Darling Opinions 
 and Herefies, and never rightly apprehend them ; 
 but when they concur with the general Senfe 
 of Orthodox Chriflians, and that is, where they 
 know not how to avoid it. A plain Demon- 
 flration by the by, that the Holy Scriptures are 
 the peculiar Depofituw committed folely to the 
 Charge and Cujlody of the Church, for her Ufe 
 and Behoof alone, and thofe who (liould in time 
 join themselves unto her 3 and become one Body 
 
 with. 
 
fht <P (11 E F A C E. Ixv 
 
 with her ; that they are her particular Treafure> 
 exclufive of all who are without her; her Dow- 
 ry, her Right, her Pcffejfton ; that (be alone hath 
 the Gift of Interpretation, to underjland them and 
 apply them, becaufe Jhe alone Jiatb the E-]oly 
 Spirit, to whom alone the Prom if e of the Spirit 
 was made, to lead her, by theUfe of them, into 
 all neceffary and faving Truth and Knowledge § 
 and on the contrary, that they are a Sealed Book 
 to all that are out of the Church, and efpecially 
 to thofe who go out of the Church, and creel: 
 Churches of their own, in oppofitibn to the 
 One Church of Ckrifi ; devifc new Ways, new Al- 
 tars, new Prieflhoods, and new Communions of 
 their own ; an i coniequently, are abandon d, re- 
 jected , call of! by God and ChriCt, as Apo- 
 flates, as Rebels, as Traitors *\zft to thertffelves * 
 being depriv'd of all means of Grace, and all the 
 Influences and Irradications of the Holy Spirit ; 
 call out among the Do^s, the Vile and Unclean, 
 to receive the common Fate and Fort ion with //y- 
 pocrites and Unbelievers ; as bearing no Relation^ 
 to drifts and having no /?;g/;f with rhe < kttdreti 
 of the Kingdom being call into outward Darknefs, 
 So that being difbwn'd by God and Chrijf and 
 left entirely to thernfelves, and the Influence of 
 the /it/// 0#i?, the Grand Deceiver a td Father of 
 Lies-, it's no wonder they n ( k fo perve 
 Ufe of thefe Sacred Oracles, f • the extracting 
 and forcing out or them, iuch varieties here 
 fies, and Models of Churches ,;>,' •- 
 
 for the countenancing of fuch monjlrous Imrimrti- 
 inks, as would fcandalize a civiiiz'd F /«ri »i 
 
 [d] Heat- 
 
Ixvi TJ?e <P (^E V A C E. 
 
 Heathen ; and fo make themfelves liable to all 
 thofe direful Curfes, to fuch Violations of God's 
 Word, and to the Forgers of Lies, Falfe Do- 
 ctrines, and then charging all their Forgeries, In- 
 terpolations, Hereftes, Blafphemies, Immoralities , 
 upon the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of 
 Truth and Purity, &c. of which more fully, in 
 the following Di/courfe. 
 
 So then, by what hath been faid, it evidently 
 appears, that in the fir ft place, our Sectaries 
 have no manner of Plea lor any of them in par- 
 ticular, being the Church ol Chrift ; becaufe 
 Scripture, upon which they would ground them- 
 felves , fails them all ; all have Pleas from 
 Scripture in their way, but none will hold Wa- 
 ter ,• every one condemns each other, and from 
 the Scriptures, pretend with equal force and 
 flrength to difprove each other, and with equal 
 Juflice condemn each other, fo that at beft they 
 remain pendulous and dubious ; all l/pflarts and 
 Innovations, by each others Charges againft each 
 other; and then comes in the church, which 
 hath all along flood her Ground like a Rock, 
 and with one breath, puffs out all their New 
 Lights, &c. 
 
 Secondly, Which is very material, from what 
 hath been already difcours'd, it's manifeft by 
 whom many of thefe New Lights and Churches 
 have been let up and erecled, even by the My- 
 ftical Bahylon, in their own Language, againfl; 
 whom our Sectaries are incefland} bellowing : 
 By their being influenced, and manag d and en- 
 couragd all along by them, it's plain, that they 
 
 are 
 
The f ^E F JCE. hvli 
 
 are doing the drudgery of that Church, which 
 they profefs To much to abominate : Then it's 
 more than demonltrable all our Sectaries are in 
 the wrongs whatever they propofe to themfelves, 
 and whatever ground they gain of the Church 
 here, 'tis for their Captains, Leaders, Manag- 
 ers, and not for themfelves ; we are not to fup- 
 pofe Satans Kingdom ever to be divided agaiufi 
 itfelf no ! by no means ! Then how can thefe 
 infatuated People conceit themfelves to be in 
 the right way, propagating the Kingdom of Righ- 
 teoufnefi, Holinefs, Peace and Truth , by fuch 
 abominable, unwarrantable, unfcriptural Me- 
 thods as thefe, their Mailers itifufe into their 
 Head ? Can this be for their Interest ? Is Truth, 
 Holmefs, Righteoufnefs, Mortification, Hea- 
 venly Mindednefs, Contempt of the World, for 
 the Intereft of the Kingdom of Darknef, } Cari 
 the Ferity of Chriftian Profeffion, Minijhy, and 
 Ordinances, and Uprightnefs, and Sincerity in 
 Practice, be for the real Service of Antichriil in 
 any kind ? And can Antichnfi and his Emifla- 
 ries be zealous for all this ? Nay, to luch a de- 
 gree, as to hazard* their very Bloods for this 
 End ? To fet up True Churches, Legitimate 
 AuthentickPriefts, and Pure Ordinances, Pure 
 and Undented Religion? Or can any thing be 
 more Diametrically oppofite to Antishrift, and 
 the Intereft of the Church q\ Rome, ifatn all 
 this ,* and yet thefe Jefuits to be iond of all 
 this , they ereel new Churches and true 
 Churches upon a found Bottom, and defgnedly 
 igainit themfelves ? Nay, and fuch as are real- 
 y the only Churches Chrijl hath,and owneth up- 
 
 [ d x ] on 
 
lxviii The V %EF ACE. 
 
 on the Face of the whole Earth ? True Churches 
 erected in Jeft, out of meer Policy and Trick, for 
 helltfh Ends, and actually carrying on hellifti 
 Defigns, by immoral, fcandalous, odious Me- 
 thods, Profligates, bloody and defperate Vil- 
 lains, and notorious Hypocrites; as is manifeft 
 to the Obfervant World, by innumerable In- 
 ftances ? And then by the fame Architects, as 
 focn as brought to the height, undermin'd and 
 kick'd down agiir. in an inftant, as the Anabap- 
 tifts and Millenarians w T ere, in and a little after 
 Oliver § tyranny ; as is remark'd in the following 
 Difcourfe, and might be exemplified in feveral 
 other Seels, in being in thofe days, who have 
 not left any Remembrance of themielves to this 
 day, but only in Books ? What Nonfenfe and 
 Hodgpodg is ali this ? That the Devil mould be- 
 come a Patron of Truth and Holinefs, and erect 
 a Kingdom co batter down ins own ? Or is it 
 probable on the otht-r fide, that God's Spirit 
 mould co-operate with fuch actual, murtherous, 
 bloody, impure, lying, hypocritical Miscreants, 
 that mould actually employ, their Carnality, 
 Covetoujnefs, Ambition, Pride, Malice, Revenge, 
 unnatural Affections, to the fetting up the King- 
 dom of Chnll here upon Earth; who, by eve- 
 ry ftep they make, mould give the palpable Lye 
 to all their Pretences, and make them ftink, 
 and to become an Abomination to all that fhould 
 hear them, and obferve them ? Did Chrift pro- 
 dagate the Gofpei by fuch unmortity'd, unhal* 
 low'd, and polluted Wretches as thefe ? Did 
 the Apoftles preach up the Deftru£tion of the 
 
 Jewijh 
 
The <p(^EF ACE. lxix 
 
 Jewifh or Gentile Religion, by Fire and Faggot, 
 and Sword, by railing, lying and throwing 
 Dirt in the Faces of the 'Jewifho'- GentileGover- 
 nours or Prie(ls ; the Demolition of their Temples, 
 Maintenance, Schools of Learning, and dating 
 their Children againft; the Stones ? Tn God's 
 Name, let any foberChriftiansco-npareC^r//?'.*', 
 the Apoftles, and Primitive Chriftians Methods, 
 Innoceniy of their hives, Humility, Patience, 
 Difintertffednefi^ as to the World , its Pleafure, 
 Eafe, Satis tactions in all kinds, and Charity, 
 and Benignity, and Meeknc.fs, and UnafFeited- 
 nefs, with Methods of our late Sectarian Go- 
 fpellers, and their Lives, Conduit and Behavi- 
 our, and judge whether it be or can be recon- 
 cileable to the Spirit of the Go r peI, its Defign 
 and Verity, to allow fuch Combinations of 
 Worldlings and Cheats to be the Churches of 
 Chnft, or to bear any affinity with him or his 
 Church ; which hath ever been from the begin- 
 ning of the World, through all Ages to this 
 day, never faild for one Minute, and cannot 
 no more than ejfential Truth can, and Co ihall 
 continue, when, in all probability, none of thefe 
 prefent Sects (hall be any more, as many o£ for- 
 mer Sects have for Ages been forgotten ,• as well 
 as ihe exified uninterruptedly for many Ages, be- 
 fore ever any of thefe Modern ones were hatch 'd, 
 or in theleaft degree thought of. 
 
 No! no! fuffer notyourfeivestobedeceiv'd, 
 fuflfer not Satan Co far to blind your Eyes,- all 
 the Jair Pretences your Mafters the Jefuits make 
 unto you, are but as fo many Travfpgurations, 
 
 [d \] meerly 
 
lxx The <P <^E FACE. 
 
 meerly to amufe : Where Reformation is carried 
 on, or new Sectaries fet up with downright /w- 
 -moralities, as by making Divifions, (etting up 
 new Churches, Rebellion, violating others Rights, 
 feizing their Pojfeffions,* Carnality or Impurity, 
 (eeking to make make up their fortunes, &c. it's 
 impoffible the Spirit of God ihould go along 
 with them,, God is not in thole blufiring Winds, 
 Earthquakes, and Combuftions of Civil Wars, 
 Murders, Sacrileges, and Violations of all Laws, 
 Rights, Liberties, Privileges, Sacred and Civil ; 
 thefe are none of God's Methods, and have no 
 right to his Approbation and Rleffing. And yet 
 its by nothing but Hypocrify and Prophanenefi, 
 that you have endeavour'd and propagate your 
 Refpective Sects Q Carnality, as the Spirit of 
 God in Holy Scriptures informs us, being an 
 infeparable Attendant, or an effential Qualifica- 
 tion of talfe Teachers, Falle Apoftles and Sedu- 
 cers) but the up/hot of all hath been the growth 
 of Popery, and to give it an opportunity to come 
 in at the back-door-, to divide the Intereft of the 
 Reform d Religion, and to make way for all man- 
 ner of Prophanenefs, Scepticifm, Atheifm, and 
 Lihertimfm, Never then dare to call your Sects 
 Churches ; it's too rnanifeft from the Agents 
 that fet you at work, the Methods you take, 
 and the end to which all your actings tend, what 
 you are, and whofe work you do ; the Church is 
 but one, the Head but one, to fupppfe more 
 Churches, I mean fuch as have no relation un- 
 fOj preierve no Communion with, and will by 
 no means own crre another^ but keep at fuch a 
 
 diftance* 
 
The <P %EF ACE. Jxxi 
 
 diftance, as if they utterly condemn 'd, difownd, 
 and abominated each other, as no Church at all, 
 is to fuppofe many and diftinct Heads, different 
 Faiths, different Hopes, many Lords, many God s 9 
 which is tantamount to fay there's no Churchy 
 no Head, no God, no Saviour, no Heaven, no 
 Hell. Confider the Rife of the antienteft prefent 
 Sects among you, within the compafs of how few 
 years, and then tell me where was the Church of 
 Chrift for many hundreds of years before ? or 
 whether Chrift had any vifible Body of a Church, 
 for many Ages before any of our prefent Sects 
 (larted up in the World ? To pafs by the Church 
 of Rome, what think ye of all the Oriental 
 Churches, of far greater extent than all the 
 Churches that ever were in Communion with the 
 Church of R ome ; that never own'd any Sub- 
 jection unto her, never took any Meafures from 
 her, ever entertain'd different Cuftoms from 
 her, and for feveral Ages, would keep no Com- 
 munion with her ? Few of any degree of Senfe 
 have been hitherto fo cenforious, as to charge 
 them with being the Whore of Babylon, or the 
 Seat of Antichrift. None but feme or you that 
 are and can be no Churches at all, nay not fo 
 muchjas Corrupt Churches 9 (\nce a Corrupt Church 
 may have the Ejfentials or Conflituents of a 
 Church, as well as an unhealthful Man may have 
 the Ejfentials of a Man ; But you can be none? 
 even by what 1 have argued already, and much 
 more by what you will find afterwards ; and 
 moreover, it's fufficiently prov d ad hominem,by 
 your being the Inftruments of Antichrift ; fome 
 C)f you being forged by his own hand, to carry on 
 
 [ d 4 ] actually 
 
Ixxii 77;* (P^EFJCE: 
 
 actually his Work, his Defigns ; nay, having ma? 
 ny of you your Call, your Mijfwn, Juch as it is) 
 from him, he being your Father, you his Chil- 
 dren, h is Apoftles, his Mejf tigers, as to iome par- 
 ticular Sects, or Particulars of Sec/* amongft you, 
 and confequently by being Co nearly related to 
 him; by your own Argument j,none ot Chriffs or 
 h s Apoftles Planting, fo none of the Members of 
 his Body or Church, And as to fome other Sects 
 amongtt you, that bid faired, having nothing to 
 urge in behalf of their Miffions, but what any o- 
 SECfS may equally challenge upon the 
 felt- fame Grounds to themfelves, have no better 
 Calling, Mini/try. than thofe who are immediate. 
 ly derived ;rom the Jejuits, the avow'd Mem- 
 bers of him whom you call An'ichrift; fo that, 
 in Truth, it's as eafie to find a Church ofChriftz- 
 mongll the unconverted Indians, as amongft you 
 Sectaries ;and to any underftanding Chrijtian no- 
 thingcan be more abfnrd and monftroiu,2.nd more 
 aticapalle of Faith, than to conceit any thing of 
 a Chnjt/anC hurch amongH you. 
 
 But once more,fo ftiew the Abfurdity of ma- 
 ny of your Brethren Sectaries, being as they 
 bead themfelves the TRUE CHURCH and 
 ONLY of CHRIST, we can prove that fome 
 80s of them Were let up at their flrft Starting 
 by the Jejuits, &c. Is it reafonable to imagine 
 $hey made it their Bufmefs to furnifh them with 
 true VHntiplQ. of Faith in their Mouths, and 
 gave them a true Scheme of Church Government 
 %nd Dijcipline, u hereby in good earnefl, to op- 
 fujg ibewjelvess under the Notion of Antichrifl, 
 
 ffihors 
 
Tk T q^EF JC E. lxxiii 
 
 Whore of Babylon^nd Idolaters ; who affert them- 
 felves to be the one Church of Chrijt, and all 
 the reft o\ the Churches in the World,that refufe 
 Subjection to them, and are not in adtual Com- 
 munion with thtm, as none, or at belt corrupt 
 Churches ; and to lnfufe into you a moil flagrant 
 Zeal y that nothing will gratifie lefs than the De- 
 struction and utter Extirpation of them ? Where's 
 the Senfe of all this > And for what End ? No ! 
 they only put Weapons into their Hands to en- 
 counter their common Enemy with ,• under that 
 Notion to mu.tiply Divifions, and Factions, and 
 Animofities i by tearing in pieces the Church of 
 England, under the Character of Antickriftian, 
 and Bahylomjh; which if they could but fee 
 pull' J and (hatter d in Pieces, they might hope 
 in a little rime to re unite unto themfelves. 
 This Church ever was, and is the Butt of 
 all your Malice and Envy, as well as of all 
 other Seds here amongft us ; to her Ruine 
 you all agree and confpire, and join Hand 
 in Hand and, in fbme fenfe, I may (ay, all 
 the Churches in Europe ; an infallible Argu- 
 ment to me of her being, in her Articles, DiJ- 
 cipline, and Holy Offices, the mofl Primitive, 
 Apoftolick, Orthodoxy and Canonical, Particular 
 Church, in this Part of the World: An Ar- 
 gument of her Qatbolhi ftp , becaufe fo lire- 
 huoufiy oppugn'd on all fides, by the inde- 
 fatigable A&ivity of the Church of B$me t and 
 innumerable Sects, by the Treachery and La- 
 tit udinarianifm of her own Creeping - Low- 
 ^iirch-Men, that are 1 fed and pamper'd dai- 
 
kxiv 77;<? <P (II E F AC E. 
 
 \y with her Bread; and by the Neutrality of 
 others abroad , that look on unconcernedly, 
 and never pitied her, when thev faw her pro. 
 Urate on the Dud ; although I muft needs 
 fay, out of pure Charity, yet without any 
 great S f iew of Reafon, (he hath look'd upon 
 iome of the Neutral Reformed Churches abroad as 
 Sifters, and vigorously, when time was, afierted 
 their Caufe, as if her own, and hath been an hap- 
 py mftrument to them of their Peace and Tran- 
 quility when under a Cloud, to her vail: Expence, 
 and little Thanks ; fo that it may be a Queftion, 
 Whether it was not more her Fault than Glory or 
 Jntereft, to interpcsfe for fuch fine bare fo (lender 
 a Relation to> Or whether, in fome Senfe, (lie 
 hath not been juilly recompens'd by their Ingra- 
 titude and evil Returns, and by what (he hath 
 forely fufferd fmce for their Sakes, §&$. So that 
 it will luilowat length, that you are no Churches, 
 but unlawful Combinations and Factions, wearing 
 religious Badges for Difcrimination only ; the 
 Topes Journey men and Tools in Ma\querade ; and 
 to countenance you, is but to foiter Snakes in 
 our Bofoms to (ting us to Death, and to let in the 
 Trojan Horfe upon us when Opportunity (hall 
 ierve ; to allow your Conventicles is but to per- 
 mit fo many Nurferies of Rebels and Schifmaticks, 
 and to maintain a Succeffion o /worn Enemies,by 
 Principle and rnijzuided Confcience ,both to Church 
 and State, to multiply and increafe yearly our E- 
 vemies inT)jr own Bo veh, whiift we wade and 
 confume our Youth, vho are the beft inclin'd 
 p the Government, in our Wars abroad ; whilfl: 
 
 you 
 
Tl?e <P $LE F ACE. lxxv 
 
 you lie Brooding at home, and fleeping in your 
 whole Skins, pretending Conference againft ta- 
 king up Anns,or makmgWars upon Foreigners, 
 watching all Opportunities to fight the Lord's 
 Battels, as you blafphemoufly call them, in vour 
 native Country ; to feize the Crown and Church 
 Revenues; to fequejter your Fellow Subjects fi- 
 liates ; and, in ftiort, to play the old Game over 
 again to greater Perfection , i. e. with greater 
 Tyranny and Barbarity than hitherto. 
 
 As for the Argunents I urge againfl the Ana- 
 fiaptifts Miffion, &c. they are grounded upon the 
 common received Maxims 01 Christianity, never 
 brought into queftion till the Decadence oi Chri- 
 flianity,or towards the latter Agr s or the Church, 
 which tho' they may bawl again(l,yet I am apt 
 to think will find it very difficult to refute ; but 
 then 1 fancy I have this Advantage againft the m, 
 that whereas they give out themfelves to be the 
 true Church; a r d by fome Means or other, toge 
 ther with the Title oi the Church, have ufurp'd 
 fome of her Maxims relating to Unity , &c. and 
 fo feem to defend their Schijni, like the Donatifts 
 or old (whom in many Particulars they refem- 
 ble) with Truths wrongly apply d. I have made 
 it my Buflnefs to /trip them of their Armour, and 
 to turn their ftoln Artillery upon themfelves ; 
 and (hewn in divers Refpedshow unferviceable 
 Truth is for the fuppotthg of Error, and fo to 
 condemn them out of their own Mouths; which, 
 by the way, ought to be look'd upon as a fuffi- 
 cient Apology for feme feeming Harjh Ex- 
 prefpens , as fome of our fmooth-waxy-tewpo- 
 rizing LatiiudinarianSy not half a Degree differ- 
 ing 
 
Ixxvi The <? %EV ACE. 
 
 ring from Sectaries of all forts, if occafion (hould 
 ferve, are wont tocenfure for them} in the fol- 
 lowing Difcourfe which indeed contain in them 
 mod weighty Arguments, in Epitome, agiinil 
 them ,* exp jfing withal their mod wicked Con- 
 fidence, as well as Malice and Ignorance, and de- 
 monftrating how exactly thofe heavy Accufa- 
 tions, they bring againft the Church, agree with 
 ^ themlelves, and fall moil juftly up- 
 
 *.ibe$? i°'f. on tne ^ r own ^ ates » But then I ■ 
 i Timot. 3. 2. might here infill upon the Examples 
 
 pitbull of our B - Saviour and his ApoHles, 
 in their Treatment of fuch forts of 
 Perfbns; the latter being VQty copious indefcri- 
 bing Sectaries in general,- of the Holy Fathers of 
 the. Church, Councils, &c. and hence /hew,aga inft 
 thefe Double-minded Men Q fee St. Jam. and 
 Herm. Paftor)of ail Sects and Perfusions in Mi- 
 niature ; that to treat them otherwife, is toad: 
 fuperfic tally, and to perform the Duty of their 
 High Calling negligently* and difhoneftly, and 
 to perfuade the reft of their Fellow Chriftians to 
 entertain an undue Opinion of them,,snd to 
 conceive of them othervyile than they ought, 
 meerly as of Innocent, Godly, 'Zealous, but mij- 
 guidecl Chriftians; whic!i,confidering their fruits, 
 is hardly reconcileablc with Truth,- and fb, by 
 this means, encourage them and harden them in 
 their Erroneous Judgments and Practices^nd give 
 great Encouragement unto others to join with 
 them. 
 
 The fame Method that I have taken with the 
 Anahaptifis^mWmo 1 ^. exactly, for the main, ferve 
 
 againft 
 
The <P (^EF A C E. lxxvii 
 
 againft all the reft of our Sectaries ; none of their 
 refpe&iveMiniftries (landing upon a better Foot, 
 than that of the rrteaneft or rnoft defpicable Sect 
 that the reft Condemn, and that which looks like 
 Nullity itfelf; molt of the Sects, how different 
 from and contrary to one another, infilling 
 chiefly on the fame Texts for the Affertion of their 
 Miniftry,or when driven out of thofe their flrong- 
 eft Holds (as they fancy to themfelves} infilling 
 upon the fame Topichs, as Gifts, Divine lmpulfe 9 
 Extraordinary Vocation,? rophecy, Revelations, &c. 
 (b that answering the Arguments in/ifted upon by 
 the Anabapt?fts,zr\{~weYS the Pretenfions of all the 
 reft, both here and all the World over, that can- 
 not give a fatisfactory Reply to the Queries and 
 Demands made in the following Treatife^s to the 
 Point of Ordinary Succejfion in the Evangelical 
 Triefthood. So that confidering the novelty of 
 thefe Sects, the greateft/w£ of them pretending 
 their Communions to be the true and only 
 Church, exclulive of all other , there hath been 
 no Church of Chrift for about 1500 years,* nay 
 that for fo long time, there hath been no fuch 
 thing as true Chriftianity in the World. 
 
 This harh been one of thole choice Plants that 
 the Church of Rome hath fo long propagated, F and 
 with fuch extraordinary Care cultivated and 
 and cherifhed amongflus, to the Eternal Con- 
 trad i£ti on and Reproach, and Scandal of Catho- 
 licifm (and that Church which aflumes to her 
 (elf to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth; and 
 that Bi/hop, who, exclufive.of all other Bifhops, 
 would he the file Vicar of Chrift .) £ For where- 
 
 15 
 
 < *, 
 
lxxviii Tl?e <P ^E F A C E. 
 
 ' as True Chriftianity is a perfect Catholic/fm, 
 
 1 ['tis to be hop'd there'sTrueChriftianity out of 
 
 ' the Boundaries of Popery] and contrarily An- 
 
 tichriftiamfm, or fighting againft God, walks 
 
 * in Singularities, Partialities, Setts , Separa* 
 1 tions, and the like: it is too apparent, that 
 
 * the Ways wherein Men now pretend [as the 
 Jefuits and other Emijfaries of the Church of 
 Rome have intruded our Settaries] that the true 
 c Extrcife of Religion lyeth, do very much hold 
 
 the Biafs of Sectarian ; who fees it not in our 
 c extraordinary lunning after choice and atfe- 
 
 * cled Preacher > A Protejlants Account of his Or- 
 thodox Holding in Matters of Religion, Printed 
 1641.^.37. Now fmce it's fo apparent, by 
 what hath been hitherto (aid, that many of our 
 Sects are the very Invention of the Church of 
 Rome, and that all the reft are manag'd and in- 
 flutnc'd by them, to carry on the Detign of ru- 
 ining and extirpating our Church ,• what better 
 piece of Serv-ce can we do our H^ly Mother, 
 than by endeavouring to expofe thefe religious 
 Cleats, Impoftors, and Falfe Apoftles, and by 
 publishing to -ill Chriliians the fhallownefs, as . 
 well as mckednefs of ail their Pretentions ; and 
 at the fame time, by breaking the Meafures of 
 our Sworn und Inveterate Enemies. For by 
 oppofmg th- fe Sectaries effectually, the Damage 
 redounds to the Church of Rome ; as by Favour- 
 ing »he Sectaries, we Countenance the other. 
 So that whoever Preaches or Writes againft 
 them, does it i*iefte& againft Popery, they be- 
 ing the Fack-horjes to introduce it. And who- 
 ever 
 
The IP (II E F A CE. lxxix 
 
 °ver Countenances and Pleads for the Toleration 
 d( the(e Seels, conjlructively or virtually does 
 the fame for Popery, let his intention he what 
 it willotherwife : The Toleration of Diverfity of 
 Communions , naturally tending to the Dijjfolu- 
 tion of the Efiablijh d Church, efpecially -vhe n a 
 Liberty is allowed withal of withdrawing all they 
 can from the Ejiablifhd or National Church ; 
 which is not in the leait provided againfr by any 
 Claufe, impofing any Penalty upon the Seducers 
 or /educed; than which 'tis impoflible to con- 
 ceive a greater Inftance, either of In 'differ -ency, 
 oxUnconce rnednefi for tht-Glory ofGod,in reference 
 to his Truth, and the Salvation of thole vv ho 
 were folemnly dedicated unto him, by being en- 
 roled in the Matricula of his Church ; or that 
 Grand Truft repofed in Governours for promot- 
 ing Piety and Virtue, the greatefl mterefl of 
 Mankind, the very End of the inititution of Ma- 
 giftracy; which is luch a Lilerty or Connivance, 
 as our Dijfenters never had the Impudence to 
 ask ; and which the Law of God, and a true 
 Zeal for his Glory, and the Prefervation of the 
 Church, Love and Tendernefs for the Souls of 
 Mankind, the Peace and Eflablifhment of tne 
 Government and Nation, and true Incereft for 
 our Pofterity can never juftifle. So that none but 
 Rafa Tabulaz r Men indifferent, that can take up 
 any Form of Religion, Latitudinarians, Half- 
 Papifts, Atheifts and Ignoramus s y can ever be 
 zealous for Toleration ; and whoever are fb, are 
 certainly Promoters of Popery, and the Grand 
 Occafions of the Growth of Popery,and no other 
 
 in 
 
Ixxx the<P<HEF AC E. 
 
 in this Ijland; this being certain, /to the Tolera- 
 tion of Sectaries, is the Growth of Popery, to 
 which all ourDifafters,all our Miferies are owing. 
 
 But to return to our Subject once more, and 
 fo to a Conclufion : 
 
 Now let any fbber Chriftian, of a tolerable 
 Capacity, lay thefe few things together, and re- 
 flecl; ferioufly upon them, and he will find it de- 
 monftrably true, that thefe Sectaries bear no 
 Relation to the Church, according to Rules laid 
 down in Scripture, and hold not true Faith ; 
 and that their Way is and mud be infallibly (or- 
 dinarily (peaking) the Wrong, the Broad Way ; 
 and accordingly deftitute of the common Chriftian 
 Hope for Salvation, and confequently will dread 
 to venture his Soul amongft; them. But for a 
 fuller Satisfaction, I (hall refer the Reader to the 
 Treatife itfelf, which I recommend to the Blef- 
 fing of God ; that it may, however weakly 
 performed, be Inftfu mental to bring off fome, 
 and a Prefervative for others, agiinft this dan- 
 gerous and growing Sect, and all others; de- 
 firing all good Chriftians to join with me in this 
 Excellent Prayer of our Church : 
 
 O Merciful God, who hajl made all Men, and hate (I 
 nothing that thou haft made, nor wouldcft the Death of a 
 Sinner, hut rather that he jhould be Converted and live : 
 Have Mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels and Here- 
 ticks • and take from them all Ignorance, Hardnefs of 
 Heart, and Contempt of thy Word ; and fo fetch them 
 home, Blejfed Lord, to thy Flock, that they may be faved 
 among the Remnant of the true Ifraelites, and be made one \ 
 Void under one Shepherd, Jefus Chrifi our Lord • who* 
 liveth and reigneth with thee, and the Holy Spirit , One ] 
 God, World without End* Amen. The 
 
Ci ) 
 
 
 Ax laid to the Root oftW&ree: 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 rnv***"** 
 
 ANABAPTISTS 
 
 Mission or Ministry 
 Examind and Difprov'd, &c. 
 
 EFORE we enter upon the main fuhject 
 matters of Difpute between us (m, the Law* 
 fulnefs, or Validity of Infant- Baptifm, and o- 
 ther your ftngular Opinions) I apprehend it, 
 indifpenfably neceflary in the firft place, to enquire 
 whether you or we are the True Church of Chrift ; For, 
 if it appears, that either thofe of Tour or Our Commu- 
 nion be not, or are not Members of the True Catho- 
 lick and Apoftolick Church, it will be in vain to en- 
 gage in this Controverfie, becaufe the Validity of all 
 Minifterial Ads ordinarily depend upon their being 
 performed, or tranfa&ed by thofe who have Authority 
 (o to do from Chrift by the Mediation of the Church, to 
 which Chrift himfelf delegated this Authority, to be 
 continued fucceffively from one to another to the End 
 of the World. 
 
 This Point, I think, will be readily yielded by Ton, 
 That none can perform any Minifterial AcJs, out fuel 
 as are authorized fo to do, by Chrift and his Church : 
 That in particular, none can, in the Ordinary or £- 
 
 B (laVijh'A 
 
2, The Anahaptijls Minijlry 
 
 ftablifh'd Way, be admitted Members of Christ's Body 
 the Church, but by B apt ifm ; confequently, that none 
 can Baptize, but thofe who are actually Members of 
 this -Bs.'/y, and have efpecial Commijjion, or Delegation 
 fo to /& ,• and none have any reafon to pretend unto, 
 or to p&fctfe this Commijjion, but f^o/e who are called 
 thereunto, becaufe »c»<? can take upon himfelfthis 
 Authority, but he muft be called unto ic, andfolemn- 
 ly invefied with it by ChriB, or his Deputies, mediate- 
 l/ } or h - V- 
 
 lb fo, then it will be in vain for either ol Us to 
 difpute the Lawfuhiefs, or Validity of Infant, or .,4- 
 dult-Baptifm, if in the mean time we are in the 
 J**r£, and cannot ^n?t/e whether we are within, or 
 without the Church. The Church is but 0«e, in its 
 Nature indrolfble ; Unity, and Di'vifibility ztq incon- 
 Jijhnt, and incompatible Terms. There is but One 
 Ccnummion likewile, fo that Two Concir,:m':ons dia- 
 metrically oppofte, cant be one and the /i/tee 1 Church ; 
 and there is Owe Bapttfm, into the One Faith, of the 
 One Lord, or One Htad ol this One Church • and there- 
 fore if this One Baptlfm, whether of Infants, or A* 
 didts, be adminiftred, or performed without, or cut 
 oi' this One Church, in coniequencc it muft be null 
 (as 1 laid in refped of Infants, as well as of thofe of 
 full Age.) This is, as I conceive, a hecejfary and una- 
 voidable Confequena, becaufe there can't be Two Bap- 
 tifms no more than Two Churches, or Two Lords, or 
 Two Faiths, or Two Hopes, or Two Heavens, and Two 
 Hdls; became, by the fame way of arguing, there 
 may be Two thou/and Millions as well as Two, and lo 
 in infinitum. 
 
 Thefe Conferences you can't avoid, or deny ; be- | 
 c \dlQ, upon your own Supposition, that You are the ! 
 i>m, or only Church; and as fome of your Progenitors 
 
 . I find in §CBernard) have formerly afierted, the 
 Afoft-ofce*, or the only Genuine Succejfors of the Apo— 
 pies : You have all along Rebaptiz'd All that came 
 
 . o$ 
 
Examind and Difprcv\-I. -> 
 
 off from other Communions to .Yours, looking up- 
 on their former Baptifin 3 whether whilft Infants, or 
 Adult, as null and 'void , nay finful, becaufe perform 'd 
 by thole of afalfe Communion. 
 
 Therefore to clear the way, and to remove all Impe- 
 diments, its highly incumbent upon you, who confine 
 the whole Body, and Flock of Chriif to your own Par- 
 ty or Communion, with a pofttive Exchfion or all befides, 
 to prove that ycu are the one Church of 'Chrlfi ,and that 
 fince His Afcenfion, He has had no other Church but 
 yours,- and withahthat you all along for this Seventeen 
 Hundred Tears, without any Interruption of SuccejJicnfPra- 
 Slice, vifible and of en Prcfeffion, have been, and are the 
 only vifible Body, of that cm invifible Head Chrifl Je- 
 fits, bieiied lor ever. For, if you can't demonfirate 
 that, all your Dilute about Baptifm vanifhes into 
 Air, or Nothing,- and, befides,,! mutt tell you, 
 Without doing this lira, you have no Right to en- 
 ter upon this Controverfie, as being as foreign to you, 
 -as. to^Turks or Infidels, and even the Scriptures them- 
 ielves vvili ftand you in no ftead, as having no Right 
 to them : For, they were, and are one facred Depofi- 
 tum committed to the Cufiody of, and lor thefele Vfe 
 and Edification of the One Church', becaufe, the Na- 
 tural, or Animal Man as fuch, is not capable without 
 the Affifiance. of the One Spirit of GOD, by his infu- 
 /;j of Divine Faith, to apprehend, or underftand 
 the Myfler.ies of God, and all the Graces and Influen- 
 ces, and fir at ions oi this Divine Spirit o{ Truth, and 
 Hdiaefs, or Rigkecufhefi, are ordinarily- cenrin'd to 
 the One Church. Ail this I take for granted, and if 
 ycu have any Principles at all, ycu can't deny it ; it 
 you do, then I mult tell you, you have no Principles, 
 and then all manner of Difpute wkh you is cndlefe, 
 and to no purpofc. Therefore I proceed upon this 
 • Stippcfhion : 
 
 Eirft then, as to your profeffing your felves to be 
 the One Churchy or One Body of Chrift, I requeft of 
 
 B 2 you 
 
4 The Anahaptljls Minifiry 
 
 you to give a poftive categorical Anfwer to thefe fol- 
 lowing Sharks, 
 
 When did your pretended Church commence ? Shew 
 us in what Age after our Saviour, in what Centurp. 
 
 Whether in the Apofiolkal Age, or immediately 
 after, or how long fince ? 
 
 Who were thejfrtf Vapors, or Dators, or Authors? 
 How long they continued their SucceJJion uninterrup- 
 ted, and were in attual, vifihle Vojfeffion of the One 
 Church, and fo were a vifible Body known, and applied 
 to, and fo difiinguifliable from all other Setts and De- 
 mminations of Christians in the w£0/e £»flw» World? 
 
 By what Means the Catholick Church came to fail, 
 or to be fo far extincl, as to give way to the Ufurpa- 
 tion of Intruders, and confequently to be fo ^o//y 
 abforpt, as to leave no Remains, no Footfleps behind it 
 for many ^w ? 
 
 Where lay it tonceaVd for Fourteen Hundred Years, 
 till about Luther $ time ? 
 
 How did it lv £/W all that fpaceof time? And by 
 what means did She propagate her felf fucceffively all 
 that while, and in what Tarts of the World ? 
 
 If you alone were the True and Genuine Succejfors of 
 the Apofiles, it muft follow, that you were once in 
 Voffeffion of all the particular Churches that they planted, 
 that you were the One Catholick Church, out of which 
 no Grace, no Salvation, ordinarily to be had : The pe- 
 culiar VeopU of God, his Elett, mew us then what be- 
 came of this Church of Ckrift for fo many Ages toge- 
 ther, into what Wildernefi She was driven, whether 
 She fulfilled z\\ this while, or not- or whether it 
 can be iuppofed the Church can ceale to be, or to ex- 
 it!, in confequence of Chrms Promijh to be always 
 with Her, even for one Moment ? 
 
 If She hath fubfificd all along, as you would insinu- 
 ate perhaps (during thefe hinted Intervals) in a State 
 of Invifibitity, unknown to all the World befidcs ; 
 pray prove, and demonjtrate this unto us ,• if you can- 
 not 
 
 / 
 
 
Exctmlnd and Difprcvd. $ 
 
 not make oat all this, afluxe youi j, youd 
 
 find it a difficult Task to cenzrjnuC ., and to 
 
 fupfort thde your Yrztint'xms. 
 
 This poffibiy may far prize you, I conic G, and 
 fee»i fomewhat fkange unto yea, bat how you can 
 evade it, I know nor. 
 
 The Aftnifierial Office is f® fiicred, as in ks o 
 
 Nature implying the tr*n fading Things of the rticft 
 
 momentum Concern I co the Eternal Salvation 
 
 of Mankini. between GO £3 and Thcira, and. acihg 
 
 in Christ's ft i iff &#• Name, the Authority io 
 
 &i<vine s that it i . W>- ail ihe P«aw of 
 
 i-.mftTG-f$ and A;>/g5 of the Earth, jsit muit needs 
 
 exceeds that of tru* vevy Angels themfeiyes, 
 
 . C&r;i?hiraieif did not roucmaie co .fume'it 
 
 Ifeolu Eftf. ^ . 4. Th . c; Men to intrude thexh- 
 
 feb* . Office, without being kg*fy 3 or «c- 
 
 3ter#; : : that is, in the jt&utl and mv&- 
 
 rs Appointment, is the bighen 
 
 'aerikge that Mankind 
 
 can . . Antukrifiiampm it 
 
 '..'•: O the j fiitttiinti of ChriiT, 
 
 , . ixprsis RtbtMum, 
 like unto ... ^els: it's bidding H*. 
 
 to Beavei c to wre§mg the 
 
 Power out of the /f. m Sach Prf- 
 
 fomption as this can never fo fuppos'd to produce any 
 gy-aciopfs, any fa-vrvg £ffe<f£ 7 or to tUige God to : f»##s 
 iuch irregular and gmJaeiotts Adb, therefore, in its 
 own Nature, muft be *K#and to£J in all maim?* of 
 refpecls, except as to the yrwoking of the #5u/£ and 
 Vengeance of a jealous and incens'd GOD, as in the 
 Cafe of Datban and Abiram • tffetlnal only in the 
 damning,, but never in the fazrivg of Souls. For an 
 unlawful Authority can never produce any /cga/ v&f/, 
 efpecially in fuch Ci/er and Instances as fi&r/i?. If the 
 Authority be »«#, the v*#j of it inuft be fo Hkewijg , 
 and conteqaently, all your Religion ^3 ysu </<?, in 
 
 B 2 WiM 
 
6 The Anahaptifis Miniftry 
 
 vain ; becaufe, God Almighty is in no fenfe, hath 
 no ways by any exprcfs Covenant or Vromlfe, obliged 
 himfelf to ratiiie, or to co-operate with fiich Tranf- 
 aftions, as being done not only without his Licence and 
 Command, but in dire ft Opposition unto, and Rebellion 
 againft it. Therefore he never owns fuch Intruders 
 for his Mlnlftcrs or Delegates •' nay, he plainly dlf- 
 owns them, as bearing no manner of Relation unto 
 Him ,• I fent them not, neither have 1 comm ivded them, 
 f> either Jpake unto then.-;, Jer. 14. 14. I have not fent 
 thefe Prophets, yet they ran ; 1 have not fpoken to them, 
 and yet they frophtftid, Ch. 23. 21. See Chap. 27. 1 y. 
 We know bat frhe Church, and that hath been e- 
 ver vifiblej ail the Malice of Men and Devils hath 
 never been able to deftroy it, to render it even in- 
 visible, except in fome particular parts of it, let feme 
 Writers pretend what they will. 
 
 From our Saviour's Afcendon to this yrefent day, 
 the Church of Cbriff, His Univerfal Catholick Church 9 
 mention d in our Creed, and in the holy Scriptures, 
 hath been fupported, kept up, and vifibly too (tho* 
 as to fome Tarts or Members of it, under an Ecllpfe 
 for a time) according to His facred Promife, which 
 He hath mod literally fulfill'd, and which we are 
 obliged to believe as an Ariick of Faith, He will 
 preferve,and vlfibly,'ti\\ the Consummation of all Things. 
 But as for particular Sefts, or Churches of 'Human 
 hfiltutlon or Contrivance, Heretical and Schifinatical 
 Combinations, or Churches (to ufe the word Church, 
 in a lax, low, or fecondary fenfe) we have feen 
 the Conclufion of 'infinite Numbers of them of infinite 
 Denominations, and dwindled into their firft Non-en- 
 tity, becauie never watered with the Deib of Heaven, 
 never influenced by the Divine Spirit, never under 
 His Outdance and Protection, never ownd by Chrifi, 
 .never be :;":.; any Relation unto Him, never guar- 
 ded by his Vrom'tfes, but Mufhroom-like , fyrung up ancj 
 died, and withered, all at once. 
 
 whereas 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. y 
 
 Whereas on the contrary, the One and Genuine 
 Church of Chrift, infiituted by Himfelr^ planted and 
 propagated by His Apofiles, irrigated by the Blood of 
 Holy Martyrs, and carried on by their SuccejJors 3 hach 
 always even flourished tnofi, and enlarged it felf under 
 Per locutions, (a Char act eriflick Note of the True Church, 
 and a clear Evidence otChriJFs owning his Spoufe, an 
 infallible^rg/>7^»? zxi&Demonftration of His Protection, 
 and making good his Promife unto her, That the 
 Gates of Hellftould never prevail againft Her ; that is, 
 ruin Her, extinguifh Her) hath hitherto never 
 ceafed even to be vifible., and plainly and clearly to 
 diftinguifh her felf from Hereticks, Schifmaticks, yews, 
 Pagans and Infidels ,• But as for Setts, Schifmaticks, He- 
 reticks, falfe Vrophets, falfe Apofiles, falfe Chrifis, &c; 
 All the Hifiory of the Church, particularly and moft 
 evidently allure us, that even Profecution alone, as 
 well as Pcrfccutkn, has been able to eradicate, and ex- 
 tirpate them, and reduce them to nothing, even Ob- 
 livion it felf; fo that for Ages they have not been 
 able to eontintfe their hare Remembrance; or to fubfifi ill 
 Comers • nay- which is very obfervable and notori- 
 ous, for the moft part, notvvithftanding their Obfti- 
 nacy for a time, have ch.ofen rather to return into the 
 B-fom of the Church, they fo outragioufly enveigb'd a- 
 gainft, and condemn d for Diabolical, Antichrifiian, &c. 
 rather than endure even tolerable and minute Incon- 
 veniences. 
 
 Now if yon cannot make it appear, that Tour 
 Church (as you call it) hath all along from the Apo- 
 files days, till this very time, continued vfble, and 
 ajfirted her fell to be the Cathclick Church, which 
 hath been alwjfs vlfible , (for the very Term 
 Catholick fuppofeth Vifib'dity ,• ) for that which is 
 Cat hoik k or XJniverfal, is only fo by being vifible, 
 \nown\ and the Church is called Cath Ixk upon 
 tlu account of Her being vifible, orherwife She 
 CQy id not be hncwa, InToppoJition CO all Herejies, 
 
 Schtfwi 
 
8 The An ah apt If $ Miniflry 
 
 Schifms and Sects whatfosver , and continued 
 Her SucccJJion down to this very time, through 
 all Perfieatiwfs and Oppojiticns : Tho' you may pofii- 
 bly .inake it appear, and very eafie too, that feme 
 under the denomination of Christians, may have pro- 
 fefs'd your difiingmfoing DoBrmes , and at different 
 times alter wards, yet there having been fuch vafi 
 Chafes c r Intervals between their different appear- 
 ing in the World, if you cannot uninterruptedly de- 
 duce \ ,ur SucceJJion of Miniflers (without which 
 there can be no Church, no more than a Society 
 without Governors) your Caufe mull fink, and all 
 your Pretentions evaporate into nothing. 
 
 For, if this be your Cafe, it's plain, nay, infalli- 
 bly true , that your Church was never of Chrlfis plan- 
 ting • if it had. He would have fupported it, be- 
 ca :ie He is Truth it felf, and keepeth his Promife in- 
 violable, and no Power, either of Earth, or Hell ic 
 felt, couid ever have wrcfied you out ofhis ProtcBion, 
 &\\ the Powers of Hell or Earth, combin'd together 
 with the utr.ioft Malice, Resolution, Diligence and Un- 
 wearkdnefs imaginable, and Obftinacy, could never 
 have prevailed againff you. His moft fure word of 
 Tromife could never have fail'd you > fo evident is 
 that of Gamaliel, AcT:s f. 38, 39. If this. Comfel, or 
 this Work be of Men, it will come to nought * But if it be 
 cfGod, ye cannot overthrow it. So that it your Church 
 had been the CathMck Church planted by Chrift, it 
 could never have been overthrown, it would never 
 have vanijht like [moke, and been forgotten for Ages 
 together. Antlchritt could never have banijlid Her 
 out of the World, and have prevailed over Her longer 
 than all the Calculations of the Duration of Antichrist's 
 Jieign ever amounted to. 
 
 This is a peculiar, and difiinguijhing Property of the 
 Church, that She is never hurt, or injur'd by Perfec- 
 tion or Qppcfoion : Then She is beft underftood and 
 fenown. and manifefts her felf, then She is moft vi* 
 
 ft - '. * , . • , . - . . . •, . . r , 
 
Examirid and Vifprovd. g 
 
 Jfble to all ; when She is moft annoyed, affronted, dif- 
 pifed, winnowed, fifted, tempted, then She beft ap* 
 proves her felf to the World, as well as to God , 
 then She is moft radiant and charming, even to fuch 
 a degree as hath been very frequently obfervd in the 
 yery Eyes of her moft barbarous and inhumane Perfccu- 
 tors, and moft inveterate and malicious Enemies ; and 
 that which is moft furprizing and admirable, the 
 more deferted by Her temporizing and falfe Children, 
 the more augmented by the Acceffion of fincere and 
 faithful Converts ; and when moft abandon d and be- 
 tray d by Her Earthly Protetlors, the more fecure and 
 better Jupported and cherifhed by Her Saviour, by Her 
 God. 
 
 No ! it is G O D, it i> Jefus Christ, the King of 
 Kings, and Lord or Lords that is Her Rock, Her Re- 
 fuge, her Protector, Her Saviour, and Her Deliverer.* 
 Nothing is more puijfant than the Church, in all the 
 W^rj that ever were made upon Her, She hath al- 
 ways been Victorious and Triumphant. God u the 
 Church, faith the Great Chryfoftom, who ts fironger 
 than all : This is no Solecifm, for GOD is the Head 
 of the .Bfl^the Church • the Body is nothing but a lifelefi 
 j Trunk without the Head. God founded the Church, 
 then who dares pretend to pull Her 
 ■ down ? Tis God that makes the Earth confute pfalm. 
 tremble, 'tis He looks down upon the 
 Earth, and makes it tremble ,• He fpeaks but the 
 word, and it fettles it again whenever She is aflaul- 
 ted : Much more will He eftablifh and confirm his 
 Church, when She begins to totter : For the Church 
 is far fironger than the Earth ,• nay, than Heiven it 
 felf. Heaven and Earth jhall pafi away, but my Words 
 fliall not pafi away. What words ? UpOft this 
 Rock will I build my Church, and the Gates otHell 
 fliall not prevail againft it, Mat. 16. iS. 
 
 Prove now that you alone have a Title Co His Pro- 
 
 uttion . prove, that you are His Chmch, His Chofen, 
 
 ■ " ' Hit 
 
io The Anahaptifts Miniflry 
 
 His Spoufe : Prove, that the Myriads of Martyrs, Con- 
 fejjors and Saints, were yours ,• that you are the ge- 
 nuine and true Succeffors of the Martyrs ,• that all the 
 Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit muft be derived by 
 Chrift's own Appointment thro' ^c«r hands. Deduce 
 your Faith, and PraBics, and Difcifline thro' every 
 ^?££ of the Church till this day, and then you will 
 do fomething indeed • then in rcafon you may expect 
 that all will become your Converts ,• but becaufe you 
 have done fo little of this kind, therefore have you 
 made fo inconfiderabie a Progrefs. 
 
 This, my Friends, lies upon your hands to do, 
 it's demanded of you, and you are obliged, at the 
 Peril of your Souls, to give all poffible Satisfaction as 
 to this Point. Prove your [elves to be the Church, and 
 you will gain a vaft Pointy you may expect all the 
 reft will falrin, that all the World will run after you, 
 thai: the fulnefs cf the Gentiles, and the conversion of 
 the J'evjs, God's ancispt People, fcall in God's due 
 time, become an a to you : For if you can 
 
 clear this Fun al Point, none will doubt your 
 
 Performance as, to all the reft. 
 
 It's in vain to proceed farther, till your MiJJlon is 
 clear d, prov'd,3.nd eftablfnd : For,till you have removed 
 all thefe Objections,, anf-werd all thefc Queries, it's 
 raeer Ccurtefie, not Obligation, to proceed any farther 
 with ;w. The Validity of all your ABs, as to Bap- 
 tife, Admh::ftration or the Lords Supper, Pzaytrs, 
 Preaching, all manner o£ MZwftt s, will depend 
 
 upon the Authentick?ief of your A£$on. 
 
 What matter (as to your afting^ or ng) 
 
 whether it be lawful to baptise Iniants, or not, or 
 who are the pmf&r SukjeBs of Baptlfm, whether In- 
 faints, or Adults, ii your Baptifm, or Baptifm admini- 
 fiyed by you, be ipfofacio iitvalid : If you can't a'iierc 
 your Miffion, prod, ir Credentials, your Authority, 
 
 $v*en your Aduh-Baptifms wlii be in il; void, 
 
 null, and that in confequeace ofrpvw own 
 frinchles and Practice. Eee 
 
Examind! and Difprovck I i 
 
 Let us confider then in the firfi place, what Bap- 
 tlfin is in general. It's the Splendor or Light of the 
 Soul, a change of Life for the better, the Anfwer of a 
 good Conscience to God : It's the abje&ion, or throw- 
 ing off the .F/<?/fc., the putting off the OW Af*», and />*?- 
 ting on the N^ ,• The Prop, or Support of our In- 
 firmity ,• The Following of the Spirit ; the Participa- 
 tion of the JiPW [or of Chrift ,• ] the Refiauratim, or 
 Renovation of the Creature > the Communion of Light, 
 and the Depulfion of Darhnef. Baptifm is the Chariot 
 to Heaven, a Pilgrimage to ChriH, the Support of 
 F<*#i&j the Perfection of the M;?;i, the A>/ of the. 
 Kingdom of Heaven, and a Commutation for .Lzjfe, the 
 abolijhing of Slavery, the loofning of Bands, and the 
 reajjertion of our Liberty, Again, as Chrisi the -^«- 
 f/w of this Divine Gift, hath many Cooperations, io 
 this Bounty of his hath many Names, we call it a 
 Gi^ 3 Grace, Unclion, Illumination, the Garment of i/»- 
 mortality, the Laver of Regeneration, a SV^/, a GV/^ 
 becaufe it's confer'd on thofe who confer'd nothing 
 firft : Gr<r<re or Favour, becaufe it's beftow'd on the 
 Guilty; Unclion, becaufe it's fJc/j', and i?^/, for 
 thus Prophets and Kwg* were anointed ,• and therefore 
 St. Pefcr calls Chriftian9, that is, the baptised, a 
 a royal Priefthood : Illumination, becaufe it's Splendor, 
 and Brightnef • A Garment, becaufe it's the covering 
 of our 57« and Shame, and Nakcdncfi ; A Laver, be- 
 caufe it iv a foes and clean ft s ; A £>#/, becaufe it's a 
 C en ferv at ion, or keeping, and a. Signification of Property, 
 or Dominion : But to be flioit, we ought to look up- 
 on the Power or Efficacy of Baptifm, to be nothing 
 elfe than our Engagement and Covenanting with God 
 to lead a more ifc>/y, p*r#, and ^/-fer -Lzjfc, a fclemn 
 Confecration , and Dedication of our felves to his Ser- 
 vice, a lifting our felves under Chrift s Banner, the 
 fcaling of the F<7zY£, becaufe Bafftfin is a publick ^f/»- 
 prcbation and Teflification of the Faith, and in Bcftifm 
 we receive the 5W and Character, 01 Mark of Faith. 
 
 The 
 
ix The Anahaptijis Mhuftry 
 
 The Sponjion, Stipulation , Tr&mife, or Covenant of tuts 
 in Baptifm, is call'd likewife our Oath, by which we 
 fwear, as it were, fealty, or true Allegiance to God.; 
 the Violation whereof is the higheft, rankeft Perjury 
 and Disloyalty we can be guilty of. It's call'd our 
 Incorporation with Chrift, that Act by which we are 
 made Members of the Body of Chrift here upon Earth, 
 and Fellow-Citizens with— the Church Triumphant of 
 Heaven, Children of God, and Heirs of eternal Sal- 
 Tation. 
 
 But to be a little more particular ,♦ Baptifm h the 
 Abolition and Remijjion of ^// our farmer Sins, whether 
 original or actual, of all forts, all denominations $ s. re- 
 (taring us to the Favour, Friendship and Low of God, 
 whereby of Enemies we become F-, lands, of Aliens, 
 the Children of Adoption ; of Children of Wrath, the 
 Children of Grace, the blefled effects of our ?;ra> £ir*ii 
 and Regeneration, By this »«v Birth, or Regeneration ^ 
 Our Under (landings are illuminated by the Divine Spirit^ 
 collated in Biptifm ,• whi 'llumlnauon w/es us #e:u> 
 I<&^f of things quite different trom thofe, which a- 
 fore were the rvjW; of meer natural Reafon, o! the'* 
 Nature and Ejftnce of God, of our Obligations unto. 
 Him, of the Immortality of the Soul, of Virtue and 
 Fice, future Rewards and Vuwifomnts, of the Envptinefl, 
 Vanity, and Unfatisfachrinef of worldly Enjoyments, 
 "Pleasures and Comforts. By this .Ni?w> JS/rfA, the £««/<? 
 of Virtue and Holinef are implanted in our 6Wj, new 
 Habits, new Defires, new Inclinations, new Strength, 
 whereby to grapple with, and engage againft all God's 
 and our Enemies, which gradually exerting them- 
 felves, make us *//> unto the World, and //i>e unto 
 God, by mortifying all our corrupt and y»z/#/ Pajfions 
 and Afeciions, thofe earthly Members and Infiruments 
 of rf# 5i» and Wickednefi, by which means we 
 rfj^/Ve unto, and £*•*/??& after heavenly Things, defyife 
 the World, and are always upon our Guard againft a# 
 its AUmemmis, ajs knowing that if we /orw the World, 
 
 we 
 
Examine! and DifprovJ. ij 
 
 we cannot love God, that God and the World ar* 
 Irreconcileable Enemies. By this Divine Light com- 
 municated unto us in Baptifm , we underftand 
 the Infirmity of our Natures, the Deceitfulnef of our 
 Hearts, our Tropenfity to Vice, the Wiles of Satan, the 
 Dangers of worldly Frojfierity, the Ufefulnefi and Nt- 
 cejfity of Afflictions, the Dignity and Value of our Souls, 
 the wonderful Love of our blejj'ed Saviour towards us, 
 the Beauty and Charms of Pi'mw and HolineJS, the 
 Vilenefs of Sin, the inefiimable Treafures of God's Gr<*c« 
 and Mercy, by a due Attention to which, and the 
 Refuh of our Gratitude and vaft Obligations unto God 
 thereupon, we become, at length, victorious over 
 our [dves, the World, and the Devi/, and defire to be 
 dijjolved, to be difcharged of our Earthly Vehicle, and 
 to bs with Chrift. 
 
 Now after a due Consideration of thefe fiupendiotu 
 Privileges* and Graces of Baptifm, upon which the 
 Salvation of Mankind ordinarily depends ; without 
 whic'i, in the ordinary way of God's Mercy, we 
 cannot be faved ; to prefume to tranfacl all this with- 
 out any Authority, is it not to counterfeit God's Seals, 
 is it not dired Fvrgery in the higheft degree imagina- 
 ble, is it not to invade the facred Office of God's 
 Mi'nifier and Delegate ; nay, is it not to ufurp upon 
 God himfelf, for you to take upon you to reprefent his 
 Perfon, to <?# in his Name againft his declared Will 
 and Infiitution, and downright Treafon, and Rebellion a- 
 gainft j^/»j Chrift ? Is not this defiifmg his ^>/y /»/;"- 
 union, and trampling upon £ar Authority ? Js not this 
 Antichrifiian to the utmoft , and fuch Tranfaclors 
 literal Antichrifis, Oppofirs of Christ, who fet them- 
 felves up againft his Ordinance, Enemies to that Divine 
 UnBion, by which our blefied Lord was confecrated 
 to be our High-Trie si ? Is not this belying of the Ho/p 
 Ghoft, and ^i«^ defpite to the Spirit of Grace, and 
 mocking and affronting the facred Trinity, to pretend 
 to ## in *£«> jNJmw* without , nay, againfi their Au- 
 thority, 
 
-14 The Amlaptifls Miniftry 
 
 thority, and a moft horrid and dreadful deluding, 
 defrauding, if not damning thofe Souls, which you 
 pretend to. put into a ftate of Salvatiun ,• and fo, 
 -my Friends, it muft be, if you be not the Church of 
 •God, and his Ministers, in the way that himfelf hath 
 eftablifhed. 
 
 It's an avoir d "Principle and Maxim in Chriftianity , 
 'that Chrift's hftituiions are inviolable, unalterable: 
 ? No Authority under Heaven fufficient or capable 
 to infringe them, or to change the Matter or Ejjence 
 of them: It's true, fome Circumftances of them 
 may be mutable,but the Ejjence, or Matter 5 muft ever 
 remain the fame. What therefore has been ap- 
 : pointed once by- God as a ft anding Ordinance in his 
 Church, as in the cafe of this la(i, and Gofpd-Difyen- 
 fation, no manner of Neceffity can excufe the wilful 
 Vi'olater of it, where God him f If 'has not plainly and 
 exprcfty provided for it. All times, the whole volume of 
 'Aget are prefent unto him, and therefore the Pretence 
 ci Ihcejjitj can never indemnine the Breach of Divine 
 Inftitutions ,• Neceffity, indeed, may excule the 
 want of thefe Ordinances, but never the Afjumption 
 and Ufurpaticn of them ; as a learned Perfon hath 
 well urged. 
 
 Hence then it is evident, as in the Cafe of Bap- 
 
 ufm,\{ it be an Authoritative Acl, and by Chrift 
 
 hinifelf appropriated;, as to the Exercife or Adminiftra- 
 
 tion of it to the 'Evangelical Miniftry, a Minifterial 
 
 Att,\t cannot • be validly Adminiftred by any but 
 
 ' thofe vA-io.'&z extern Jly call'd to that facred Fun&i- 
 
 , and leaf* of all cut of the Church ; for, 'tis the 
 
 'greatest li-tp'oprUty -and Contradiction in the World, to 
 
 'fappofe that thole, Who are not themfelves of this 
 
 Sdd^ifety, liiOuld have a Posiiw or Authority to «</;»;> in- 
 
 ' to, Gr make^o'rhersj^ of this Society or Incorporation, 
 
 "b'y iifyfe, they are altogether at the prefent, mca-> 
 
 jiable bi Adminijfring, e. g. of remitting Sins, and colla- 
 
 -,. - the Gifts of the £fr// G^/, as in hptiftnal Rcgene-. 
 
 ration : 
 
Examind And Difprovd. 1$ 
 
 ratio?} : Thefe Three Ails being implied or contain d 
 in that One Acl of Baptizing, a part of the Apofiolical 
 Commljfion, which, with ail the remaining Autho- 
 rities, were to be convey 'd by the Apofiks to their 
 Succejjlrs , and fo on fucejfively to the end of the World ± 
 and to which, our Saviour had moft folemnly pro- 
 misd his Concurrence and Vrefrjice, even to the end of 
 the World j* Towers andjAuthorities to go along al- 
 ways with the Church, and to be inf parable from 
 Her ; and confequently, never to be prefumd to be 
 perform d out of Her, and leaft of all by the Laity, 
 thofe who never had Authority in the Church, ox from 
 the Church, to exerciie inch Acts ; nay, fuch whom 
 the Church her felf hath net power to Authorize as 
 fuch. 
 
 That a Succejficn of Mhufiers, deriving their Miffion 
 
 from the very Apofiks, were to continue always in the 
 
 irch, is j id evident from the Original Com- 
 
 miffion, Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptizing 
 
 tbvm in the Name of the Faihir, and of the Son, and of 
 
 the Holy Ghofi ; — and h, lam with you alway, even to 
 
 the end of the World, Mat. 28. ver. ulu As my Father 
 
 hath fent me, even fo fend I you, John 20. 21. The 
 
 fame Miffion Chrilt received from the Father, the 
 
 fame He tranfmitted to his Apofiks, and they to their 
 
 SucceJJ'jrs, which Chrift promifed to railfie and confirm 
 
 hirmeif. This Authority, was not by his conltant 
 
 Prefence with them, to cbntinue only for the time 
 
 the Apofiks mould live ; otherwiie, it mull have 
 
 ceas'd long fince, even at their Deaths : But the 
 
 Commiffion is extended to all that mould fucceed them, 
 
 from their Deceafe, to the end of the World. Lo, 
 
 I am with you alway, even to the end of the World. This 
 
 Promiie moil particularly relates to their Succejfors, 
 
 the Apofiks were not to continue till Chrift" s fecond 
 
 coming to judge the World, but their Succejfors were ; 
 
 and io it follows again by inevitable coniequence, 
 
 that as Chrift fent them., and invefted them with 
 
 his 
 
1 6 The Anahtptifts Miniftry 
 
 his own Authority, fo they were to keep up and con- 
 tinue this Authority, by fending, or ordaining others, 
 who were fucceflively to transmit it even to the 
 Confummation of all things : This SucceJJion of Pa- 
 ftors was to continue fo long as the Church mould 
 continue. And as the Gates of Bell, i. e. the Pow- 
 er of the Devil combin'd with the Power of Men, 
 fhould never be able to prevail againft, or overthrow 
 or diflfolve this Church of Chrifi, the Society of the 
 Faithful, fo ihould they never be able to interrupt 
 this SucceJJion of Pafiors in the Church Univer- 
 fah A SucceJJion of Tafiors is fo Ejfential to the 
 Church, That there can be no Church without it ; 
 where there are no Pafiors, there's no Church, be- 
 caufe Tafiors are the Principle of Unity to the Church; 
 a Church being nothing eife but a Flock gathered to- 
 gether and embodied or incorporated unto and with the 
 Pafior : There may be indeed in Jome Cafes, and in 
 fome 'Emergencies, a Body of Christians without Pafiors, 
 but this can be no more call'd a Church, than a mul- 
 titude of People without Governours to Head them, Di- 
 nt? and Order them, a Civil Society. I fay, there 
 may indeed be Chriftians and Faithful People on 
 fome Occafions without Pafiors, as in the Cafe of 
 the deceafeof Pafiors, or Perfection or the like, which 
 is not their Crime, but their Misfortune ; then I don't 
 queftion but the Good and Merciful God will be pre* 
 fent with them, zndfupply their Spiritual Wants by his 
 Extraordinary Grace, but then they cannot be call'd a 
 Church properly and (Iricily, for want of their Spiritual 
 Heads and Governours : But for thofe who make and 
 appoint Paftors for themfelves, by private lmpulfe and 
 their own Humours out of the Regular and Stated 
 Method of Chrift's Appointment, contrary to his 
 Jnfr'itution, who is the Head of the Church, and from 
 whom all Eccltjiafiical Authority or Church-Paver is de- 
 rived ', they are fo far from being a Churh, or Mem- 
 bers of Chrifi's Body, that they are attuaUj rent and 
 
Exammd and D/fprovJ. if 
 
 divided from the Church, nay are not Chriftians, as 
 deriving no Spiritual Nourifoment from the Head, no* 
 Spiritual Graces to fupport the Spiritual Life, no more 
 than a Bough cut off from the Tree can Grow, Bud 
 and Bloffom, and Z>W«g forth Fruit and Live. 2May, 
 I fay again, they are not Chrifiians, for if ever they 
 were fo, i. e. in the Church , by feparating and 
 cutting themfelves off from the Church, they ceafe to 
 be Chriftians, even according to the Se?itence and 
 Determination of Chrilt, of God himfelf, in refe- 
 rence to fuel! as refufe to hear the Church, let him 
 be as an Heathen or Publican, that is, look upon hint 
 as an Infidel, an Unbeliever, account him no longer a 
 Chriflian, a Member of my Church, as one whom I 
 Will own, or hath any Interefi in the Common Salva- 
 tion purchafed by my Blood, any more than one who 
 Wotjhips Idols, than the moft Profligate, Vile, De- 
 bauchd Wormiper of Drunken Bacchus, or Profiitutt 
 Venus. 
 
 But to returii ; wherever the Church is, there 
 hath always been, and jhall be (it's Matter of Faith ) 
 a SucceJJion of Pafiors, deriving their Authority from 
 ChriH and his Apoftles, notwithftanding all the Ma- 
 chinations of Devils , Persecutors , Hereticks , Schifma- 
 ticks, Turks and Infidels ,• nay, and vijible too, to that 
 End it might be known and applied unto for the Word 
 of Life, and the benefit of the Sacraments, and never 
 did, cannot, Jhall never fail, unlefs Chrifr. Himfelf 
 mould prove worfe than his Word and Promile 5 
 which no Chriftian dare to aver. 
 
 Whoever then pretend to be the Church, muFt, and 
 are cbligd to prove this SucceJJion ofPa/lors ,• and fince 
 you call your felves the SucceJJors of the Apofiles, and 
 the True Church of ChriH, it's required particularly, 
 fince by thus averting, you do implicitly at leaft^ 
 condemn all other Churches in the World as Nullities, 
 and dffunik to your felves all that is ejfential to con- 
 fiitntt a Church to the Total Exclufion of all beildes. 
 
 G You 
 
18 The Analaptifls Miniftry 
 
 You can't avoid this i becaufe if you be the One 
 Church of Chrift, you muft have the £&Vpiem, thofe 
 permanent Gifts which are inherent unto, and infepara- 
 ble from Her, amOngft thefe Gifts you will find a Suc- 
 cejjion or Paftors, God hath fet feme in the Church ,• fir ft 
 Apoflles,fecondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, i Cor. xii. 
 28. and in the Ephef. civ. 1/. 8. Govemours and P<z- 
 /wj of the Church are expre-fly call'd Gifts, where- 
 fore he faith, when he Q. e. Chrift) afcended up on 
 high, he led Captivity Captive, and gave Gifts unto Mem 
 And after zParenthefis of two Verfes, v. ir. And he 
 gave fome Apofiles, and fome Prophets, and fome Evan- 
 gelifts , and fome Teachers , for the Perfecting of the 
 Saints, for the Work of the Miniftry, for the Edifying of 
 the Body of Chrift, till we all are in the Unity of the 
 Faith, and of the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a 
 perfect Man, unto the me a fur e of the Stature of the f nine ft 
 of Chrift : That we henceforth he no more toJJ'ed to and fro, 
 and carried about with every Wind of Dotlrine by the 
 flight of Men , and cunning Craft'tneft, whereby they lay in 
 wait to deceive. Here you may fee then in the firft 
 place, that Paftors or Ministers are reckon'd among 
 the Gifts that are always ejfentially necefjary to the 
 Church, and that confequently where there are no 
 Paftors, there's no Church, no Flock of Chrift, i. e. or- 
 dinarily, no Sacraments, as you, your felves own : And 
 in the next place, the Great Ends, for which they are 
 given tor the perfecting of the Saints, for the Edifying or 
 Building up the Body of Chrift, to prefervs the Unity of 
 the Church, and to prevent Schifms and Hereftes, and 
 to keep the Faithful from being feduced and carried off 
 by the Subtilty of Crafty infinuating Hypocrites, and 
 being torn in pieces by Ravening Wolves drejs'd up 
 with S keeps Ckath'mg, pretending to be the True and 
 Genuine Shepherds * by Falfe Prophets , Falfe Apo- 
 ftks, &C. 
 
 If then it be of fo near Concern and Importance of 
 the Church, to be under che Government^ zndMiniftra- 
 
 tion 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. Xo 
 
 turn of Pafiors, flnce her Perfection, Unity, "Edification 
 and Safety defends upon Them, none but thofe who are 
 outwardly and Ag<?//y call'd unto this ife/y Funclion 3 
 ought to be receiv d or admitted as ./%$, none but 
 fuch as are really and truly Authorized or Impcwerd by 
 the SucccJJors of the Apofiles, thofe who derive their 
 Succeffion from the Apofiles themfelves, and fo from 
 ChriH by a ftraight interrupted Line. 
 
 Now 32^re God hath y^ [ or given ] thefe Gifts, 
 thefe Pafiors and Ministers, there we ought to &«r# 
 the Truth, even from thofe who fucceed the Apofiles. 
 'Tis they who are intrufied with our jK«Vj&, with the 
 #"W of God, whofe Lips are to preferve Knowledge i 
 Tis they who are to Preach the Word of Reconciliation!, 
 to Adminifier the Holy Sacraments unto US, and to 
 build w up in the One Faith, unto a Perfetl Man, &G. 
 
 Wherefore 'tis the Duty and highefi Interefi of all 
 the Faithful to fubmit themfelves, and to adhere. firm- 
 \y to thofe Pafiors, who are the Apofiles Succeffors, 
 who with their wdtrwr* or the Gift or "Pa- 
 floral Succejfion , receiv'd the undoubted Irenaus. 
 Gift of Faith, according to the Will, and 
 J unhand Good Pleafure of God : And ever to have a 
 Jealous Eye upon thofe who forfeck and leapd over 
 the P aft oral Succejfion, either as Heretich, ProfefTors 
 of CJniound and Monftrous Opinions contrary to the 
 One Faith, or as Proud, and Self-pleafers, Lovers and 
 Admirers of themfelves, and of the World, or as Hypo- 
 crites, doing all for the lake of their Worldly pieiene 
 Interefi-j and Vain Glory. 
 
 Then in the * Church alone, * Tanta igitttr Oftenfo- 
 are the Fountains of Spiritual riescumjv^bacnonopor- 
 T . r . . „ , . . r " tet aahuc qua) eve apui 
 Life; in the Church alone, the alios ventatem, quam fa- 
 Treafures of ths Holy Scriptures, cileefi ab Ecclefiafumere, 
 
 cum Apoftoli quafi in De- 
 pcjiterium dives-, pleniffme in eum centulevim omnia, qua fint veritatis, 
 uti omnis quicunqus velit y fumat ex ea potum vitx. Mac eft enim 
 viia htrohus, omr.es &utem relijui Fines funt <? Latrones, ©°c. 
 ijMfltf. 1. iii. cap. iv. 
 
 C % the 
 
io The Anahaptifis Miniftry 
 
 the Word of Life, the Divine Sacraments , the Vehicles 
 of Divine G ace, and the Food of Souls : In the Church 
 alone, the Difpenfers and Adminiftr.t rs of this Di- 
 «t>/#e? PFdrd itidSticramentSj of whom the Evangelical 
 Prophet faith, J will alfb make thy Officers Peace, and 
 thine Exaclors RighteoajhejS 5 or as I find it otherwife 
 render'd, I will conftitute thy Princes in Peace, 
 and thy Bijlwps in Righteoufnefs. Or whom our 
 Lord faid, Who then is a Faithful and Wife Servant, 
 whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houfoold, to give 
 them Meat in due Seafon? Bleffed is that Servant, 
 whom the Lord, when he cometh, fh.aU find fo do- 
 ing, Matth. xxiv. 45", 46. adminiftring to the Spiri- 
 tual Necejfities of his Charge. 
 
 But then again, if God hath fet fome in the Churchy 
 frfi Apo/lles, fecondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, and 
 divers other Gifts, are all Apoftles, are all Prophets, are. 
 all Teachers, &c ? No certainly ! To apply the ne- 
 ceffar^ and permanent Gifts to our prefent Cafe • none 
 are to pretend unto, or to afjume to themfelves thefe 
 Gifts ol Government and Teaching, and Praying, oi of- 
 fering up the Prayers of the Faithful, of Remitting 
 and Retaining Sins, ol Adminiftring the Sacraments, 
 but thofe whom he hath (ct appointed and call'd to this 
 Work, or Funclion. It is not for every one to take upon 
 him this High Office, only for thofe who are peculiarly 
 and by Divine Authority feparated, fet apart, and confe- 
 crated to this Holy Miniftry. No ! Are all called to be 
 Apoftles ? to be Pafiors and Minifiers, &c ? The Apofth 
 plainly determines the Matter., all are not called, but 
 fuch only who are regularly called according to the Im- 
 portance, and in confequence of the Original Inftitu- 
 tion oi'Chrifi ; and thofe Methods we find the Apo- 
 ftles to have fettled in all Churches wherever they 
 came, and thofe Rules they have left us, which no 
 difiance or alteration offline, no NeceJJhy whatever can 
 ever difpenfe with, beeauie Our Bieiied Lord, the 
 Head and the Spoufi of the Church, hi\th moft Tdfi- 
 
 t'rvt -j, 
 
 
Excimind and Difprovd. zi 
 
 lively, abfolutely, and irrefragably determin d the very 
 Cafe in Hand, that there (hall never be any fuppofed 
 necejfity, that no manner of necejjity (hall ever be able 
 to violate , interrupt, or fupcrfede this Succtjjion of True, 
 Lawful, and ( as I may fay ) Lineal Succtjjion of Pa- 
 fiors in this Church, even Jo r^ .EW of the World. No 
 Outward Force, no Contrivance or Endeavours of Pcrfe- 
 cuting Emperours, Kings, Princes or People ; no Here fie y 
 Schifms • no Idolatrous Worjhip, or Superfiitions ; no 
 uipofiacy, nor Antichrifiianifm ,• no poffible Contrivance 
 of iV'en, or the Powers oi Darknefi ; no Immoralities y 
 nor #«/ f£/»g imaginable cr contrivable, fhaii ever be 
 of f uch an Univerjal Influence.^ as to render this Church 
 of his (fo dearly parcha fed ^ and redeemed by him) and 
 his Faithful Members, defiitute of Faithful Vaftors regu- 
 larly call'd, who fhall feed his F/ocife, and p« them 
 .Fflo^in dueSeafon, as is fully and peremptorily infurd and 
 determin d in thole Words of his, than which Heaven 
 and £*?*& {hall /awm? p^ away, and lo ] 1 <s#z with you 
 always even to the End of the World • I am always, in- 
 ceffantly, ac~lut»lj prcfent with you • my Providence and 
 Protection fhall never «<*/« for <?«e _//#£/<■? Moment to #/>- 
 $0/</ and preferve you and ^0«r Succeffors, to continue 
 your Minifiry in w/ Church, to keep up a fianding Suc- 
 cejjion oiPaflors to Repre(e%t Me, and to ytf# in my 
 5YdW and Name, to <?// Spiritual Ends and Purpofes : 
 But as I am at this Moment, fo I am always pn-jent, 
 and ?^/&« , e I am prefent, f&ere can be no Defect, no- 
 thing wanting that is EJfential to awy Church which is, 
 £//i;V upon a Tioc^, and fhall continue unmoveable to the 
 End of the World. As it is fettled now, fo fhall it o?fc- 
 *i#»e ^ as yon fucceed Me, others fhall fucceed Tou in 
 that ordinary Efiablijtid Way I have appointed my Self, 
 and »yr F/w:£ mall never want fuch Lawful. Paftors by 
 ^n indefeafible/a^^ve Authority, *£«* the G«ter of 
 Hell (hall never be able to unlink or diffolve. 
 
 If this be the Genuine and Literal Senfe and Meaning 
 of Our Saviour's Words, and fure Word of Promije 
 
 G 3 con<=» 
 
3,2, The Anahapttfls Miniflry 
 
 contain'd in the Apofiolkal Ccmmijfion • then, as fure 
 as there was ;^» 5 hath been ever y?#ce thro' rf# the 
 fucceeding Ages, and JW/ be to the End of the IVorld, a 
 Church of Chrijt, the Owe Church ; fo rf# rf/owg from its 
 Exifence thro' all y^w to this very Ho*r, and to the 
 End of all things there jfc*// £<?, an uninterrupted Succef- 
 fion of Legitimate True Paflors • and whoever affert 
 themfeives to be this One Church, from the Grand- 
 Concern and Importance of the thing itfelf, it's required 
 of them to give Proof Add Demon f ration of their being 
 fuch: This is demanded, and ought to be of them,, and 
 is ofindifpenfible Obligation, the validity of all Mi- 
 ni ferial Ach performed by them, nay, and the Sal- 
 vation oJt their Souls ordinarily (to be fure) depending 
 on it. Not to be able to do this, is in effect, not to be 
 the Church. The Church of Chrifi undoubtedly is able 
 to do this, or all that concerns the Salvation of Man- 
 kind in the Ordinary Way, muft lie at Stake, and 
 Chrijtianity be the moft precariom, themoft uncertain 
 thing in the whole World : Otherwife, no Certain- 
 ty, no Security for Confcience, none for Salvation. I 
 lay, the Proof of this is requifte from the Nature of the 
 thing iff elf: Wherever the Church is, me is able to 
 prove her felf^o be what Jfce is. Undoubtedly in £<?r 
 Nature fhe is to be known, to be underfiood, and if fo, 
 to be proved : This cannot be denied, This follows 
 from her Competitions • fhe is called the Houfe of 
 God or Chrift, Heb. iii. 6. Hofy Ci?y ; , Ret/, xxi. 10. 
 an High Mountain, becaufe efrablifh'd in the Top of 
 the Mountains, above the Hills, to which all Na- 
 tions mall have recourfe. If a. ii. 2. An Highway s 
 If a. xxxv. 8. The Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. xiii. 
 24, &c Thefe and the like Epithets imply, that fhe? 
 is to be known, and confequently to be prov'd and 
 demonftrated that fhe is, and what me is. She is 
 not hid, becaufe fhe is not under a Bujliel, but fet up- 
 m a ■ Candlefiick, a City to give Light to all that are in 
 tfje Houfe' 'j and it's likewife faidof&F, a City that is 
 
 ; ; lee 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 23 
 
 fet on a Hill, cannot be hid, Mat. <;. 14, iy. Un- 
 doubtedly then this Church, this Succcffion of Paftors, 
 wherever they are, can prove themfelves to be what 
 they really are •- and if you be this One Church, and if 
 you be the true Shepherds and Paftors of Chrift, this 
 Duty is incumbent upon you, of proving and demon- 
 ftratingy our felves to be fo, by an uninterrupted Sue- 
 cejfion, and VcJfeJJion thro' <?# the ^gcr fucceeding the 
 Apoftles to this Day, or elfe thole hard Sentences of 
 yours againft all other Profejfors of Chrifiianity, muft 
 /v?// on your own Heads, otherwife you muft expedfc 
 to be caft hereafter into outer Darknefs amongft 
 fuch as Chrift will not know, or own to be his, a- 
 mongft the Hypocrites, Pagans, or Unbelievers. 
 
 Here can be no Medium, you muft either be the 
 true genuine Shepherds of Chrift, fent, and authorized 
 in the ordinary and regular way by Him ,• or, you 
 muft be Thieves, Robbers, and Wolves in Sheeps-cloath- 
 ing, falfe Prophets, falfe Teachers, Ufurpers, Invaders 
 of the Sacred Minifterial Office ; here's no mincing 
 of the matter, if your Party be not the Spoufe of 
 Chrift, then they are an Adult erefi • if you be not 
 the Pafiors of Chrift' s Flock, then you muft be Wolves, 
 and all the pretended Ministerial A&syou do, inftead 
 of feeding, nourishing, and edifying, tend only to impoy- 
 foning, Jtarving, ruine, deftrutlion. 
 
 This, in effed, is the Reverfe of your own Senti- 
 ments , and the Sentence you pafs on others dif- 
 fering from you, and a condemning you out of your own 
 mouths, unlefs you can make good what is demanded 
 of you, and what every individual Verfon ought to ew- 
 cjuire and be fatisfied in, before theyga over to your 
 Party, had they but due Apprehenfions of what they 
 go about, before they become yours. 
 
 But as to our Argument about the One Church, 
 and one of its ejfential conftituent Parts, the Priefi-hood, 
 to confider a little farther the Sacrednefs of both, 
 fhs Church is but One, One Body, One, becaufe. God 
 
 C 4 fe 
 
14 7he Atiahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 is but One, Christ One, the Spirit One, One Hope, One 
 Faith, therefore Baptifm bat One alfo. I may add, 
 One Gojfel, One Eucharist, One Oblation, One Evange- 
 lical Miniftry, and all thefe Ones in the One Church 
 cnly, and not without this One Church, or out of 
 Her: None, nothing of all this any where elfe, or 
 cat of the ordinary way oi Salvation, as certainly 
 known by us. 
 
 Thefe are all acknowledg'd to be jrrv? Wand affured 
 Truths, that ought in no wife to be contefted by any 
 one who is a Chrifiian , a true Member of the One 
 Catholick Church of Christ. 
 
 One Church in refpeil of Time, becaufe 'tis the, 
 fame Church which hath continued to this very 
 hour, from Adam, and righteous Abel, till Noah $ 
 from JSjoah, to Abraha?n ; from Abraham, to Mofes ^ 
 from Mofes, till ChriH ; from Jefus Chrift, thro' all 
 the Ages iince to us now. One as to Place • for, 'tis 
 the fame Church which hath extended it felf frorr^ 
 Eaft to Weft, even to tlje remoteft known Corners 
 of the Earth. One, wherever She is, likewife as to 
 the Faith, Sacraments, Miniftry, and in all Eftfential 
 Refpecls. One, becaufe One Society or Body, or In- 
 corporation, confiding of Minifters and People united 
 under One Head Christ Jefus. One, becaufe Indivi- 
 fible, all particular Churches being but Branches of 
 this One; or, all Particulars making, conflituting of 
 this One Univerfal Body • becaufe, a peculiar People x 
 a chofen Ektl, gather'd out of all Nations and Kin-^ 
 dreds on the Eaith, call' d cut of the World which ha- 
 teth Chrift, ChrilVs grand Enemy, the World for 
 whom he prayeth not, John 17. 9. I pray for them, I 
 pray not for the World, v. 6, 7. Thofe whom the 
 World hateth, becaufe they are not of the World, v„ 
 14. A chofen Generation, a royal Priefth&od, an holy Nati- 
 on, a peculiar People, that ye fliould fhew forth 
 thePraifes of him who hath called you out of Dark- 
 nefs (I e. out of the World) into His marvellous 
 
 Ugh€ 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 2£ 
 
 Light, which in time paft were not a People of 
 God, which had not obtained Mercy , but now 
 have obtain'd Mercy. ; Tis to this One, chcfcn, ho- 
 ly, feparate People, His peculiar Treafure, Exocl. 19. 
 5. that all the gracious Promifes of God are unfits d to 
 now, as formerly they were to the Jews in contradi- 
 fiiniiion to all the World befides j fee Dent. 7. & ch„ 
 10. Exod. 5". A People chojen, called, feparated, and 
 ordained to ferve God, to praife Him, blefi Him, and 
 fray unto Him all the days of their Lives, and to 
 glorifie Him by a (incere Observance of his Laws, and 
 an entire Obedience unto His Precepts.^ by a /6c/y J^/ 
 for his Honour, and a jffrw Tr#/? and Confidence in His 
 Goodnefi, and Mercy, and Providence - by thus doing, 
 God had oblig'd himfelf to £ee/> Covenant with them, 
 and to be ewr gracious unto them. 
 
 Again, the Church is One, becauie, .{he way to 
 Heaven, and that is One, the narrow Way, the j^rvwV 
 Gate • the /itwg wy, or the 3^<y to Life, this is but 
 0/;e,- the other, or all other ways, are rhe ways of 
 Death, or unto Deitru&ion : There is but <?»c way, 
 and that is Chrift ,♦ I am fi&e #%, and the Truth, and 
 the Life. The broad way is the way of Darknefs, 
 Error, and Death, and £/«»* both of Body and Souh 
 This one way to Salvation, and Glory, and Happinefi, 
 is in this One Church, difperft over the Face of the 
 whole Earth, according to all the ancient Prophecies, 
 profejjing every where one and the fame Faith, one and 
 the fame Father, Son, and Holy Ghcft, pradiimg 
 the fame Precepts, and expeding one and the fame 
 coming of Chrift again, and one and the fame Salva- 
 tion of Body and Soul. 
 
 Laftly, One in opposition to that f unum Corpus 
 •perditoruw, one Body of Reprobates and Cafi- 
 aways, that one Body, of wicked, ineorrigi- t Agob/tril. 
 IU\ profligate Sinners, of whom the De- 
 vil is the Head, or the Body of Antichrifi, viz. of 
 ScL;fxa!kks, Hercticks, the proper Limbs of that 
 
 horrid 
 
z6 the Anabaptifts Miniflry 
 
 horrid Body • and what Body can you range them 
 with, but that ofAntichrift, or of Reprobates ,• efpeci- 
 ally if we underftand Reprobate in reference to the 
 Faith or Ghriftian Do&rine • and thus Satan is the 
 Head invifible in particular of all thofe Mifcreants who 
 form themfelves into Bodies, or Societies, or Commu- 
 nions, under various Denominations by his Infiigation 
 or Impulfe, taking moft frequently, the Name of 
 their Seel, Scbifm, and Herefie, from their vijible 
 Head, Author, Founder, Antkhrifi, each Sedt having 
 an Antkhrifi at the head of it, being an Oppofer of, 
 or Rebel againft Chrifi (by fetting up Himfelf againft 
 Chrift) as might be litterally, and moft categorically 
 proved againft every Seel in the World that profefTes 
 Chrifiianity , (for there are many Antkhrifii) and all 
 of Envy, Malice and Hatred to His Church. 
 
 Now, to claim at the rate you do, if you be in 
 the right, as it is the highefi and nobleft Privilege and 
 Happinefi on this fide Heaven ; fo on the contrary, 
 if indeed you be in the ivrong, the grandeft Prefump- 
 tion, Infatuation, and an Inftance of the moft prodi- 
 gious degree of fyiritual Blindnef, and Obduration, 
 that it's poflible for a Party of Men to lie under, 
 and the faddeft abod'mg of future Punimments, and 
 Mafter- piece of Satanic al Dehtfion, and certain fign of 
 jfiritual Defertion : This is to be without God, to be 
 out of his Protection and Care, the Influences of his 
 Holy Spirit, to be delivered up to the Imaginations and 
 Delufions of your own Hearts, the Suggefiions and 
 Impulfes of the Enemy of your Souls, and all that's 
 Good, and Holy, and True, who never compaffeth 
 his wicked and definitive Ends more effectually, than 
 under the Mask and Pretence of Purity, Holinefi, 
 Religion. To be out of the Church, is to be out of God's 
 Protection, to be deprivd of the Means of Grace and Sal- 
 vation, to be feparated from the Love of Chrifi, to be 
 excluded from the Participation of his Merits, and the 
 Guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, to be without 
 
 Hope 3 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 17 
 
 Hope, to be ranked among Infidels and Unbelievers, 
 (and the worft fort of them too, who wilfully (hut 
 their Eyes againft the Offers of Spiritual Light) to 
 be expofed to the Wiles and Snares, and Infmuations of 
 the wicked One, and to be led Captive by him at his 
 Will into Dcftrutlicn of Body and Soul. 
 
 What then muft become of all the different Com- 
 munions and Schifms oftbofe who call them - "cs Chri- 
 ftians, who every one of them have hewen ox,i fever al 
 and dift'mB ways to themfe'ves, in oppohrion to the 
 one way of Salvation, the one Church or Chrift, who 
 are fo contradiftinguijlfd one from the other, that by 
 their feparate Principles theyplainly condemn each ocher^ 
 and never feemingly unite, but upon meer Worldly 
 and Carnal Principles of Policy and Human Wifdom a- 
 gainft the Truth ? Where there are fo many Divifi- 
 ons, and Subdivifions, it's impoffible all fljottld be in the 
 right, all fliould be in the fame one way. Is Chrift 
 divided? 1 Cor. 1. 13. And are not thefe Divijions, 
 this multiplying of Parties, and pretended Churches, the 
 Effects of Carnal- mindedmf, Works of the Flefli? For 
 ye are yet Carnal, [pretend what ye will,] for where- 
 as there is among you, Envying, Strife, and Divijt- 
 ons, are ye not carnal, and walk as Men [after your 
 own Lufts and Imaginations, and Humors ? ] For 
 while one faith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of A- 
 polios, are ye not carnal ? 7<?.r, ^c& *ar<? carnal. From 
 whence proceed all thefe feparate Bodies of thofe who 
 call themfelves Chriftians, but from the Spirit of the 
 World, 1 Cor. u. 12. the Spirit ofDivifton, oppofite 
 to the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Unity, the one 
 Spirit, Eph. 4. a, in which the Union of the Body 
 of Chrift, that one Body the Church conjifieth, as being 
 aBed by one and the fame Spirit communicated unto Her 
 by Chrift, the one Head of this one Body, by which all the 
 Members are made one Body. Hence we find, Strife, 
 * Seditions, Herefies reckon'd by the Apoftle, Gal. ^ . 
 30. amongft ths Works of the Flcfh, and oppofed to the 
 
 Fruits 
 
2^8 The Atiahaptijts Mini II ry 
 
 fruits of the Spirit, Love [Charity] Peace [ or U* 
 nity] ver. 22. Where then this Union is wanting, 
 there cannot be the Spirit of Chrift, but the Spirit of 
 Antichrift, the Spirit of Error, the Spirit of Difcord, 
 Envy, Malice, Divifion, Pride, Ambition, Self-love, 
 Self-interefl, Hatred, Revenge, &c. The Spirit of 
 Slumber, carnal Security, and Infenfibility , the £/>*>/> of 
 Vain-glory, Boa fling, Self- conceit cdnefi, Scornfulnefi, and 
 Contempt of others, the Spirit of Objuration, Obftinacy, 
 Jealoufie, and *// this, even upon the brink, and in 
 the midst of the molt horrid and imminent Dangers. 
 For, fince there's but one One Church of Chrift, One 
 Communion, all other ways, all Sed:s, Parties, Divi- 
 fions, and Communions, muft be falfe, the wrong 
 way, let them be never fo numerous, and various, 
 they muft all, excepting this one, be the broad -way, 
 the way of Darknefs, Delufion and Perdition : There 
 can be but one Body of Men, who can poflibly, by 
 all that hath been reveal' d unto us, have any Right, 
 any Claim in Chrift and his Merits for Salvation ; 
 and no Salvation cut of the Church, out of Chrift. 
 'Tis by the Churches Pangs, Labour, or bringing 
 forth that we are bom ; iC We are nourijhed by Her 
 " Breajis, we are animated, quickned, enlivened 
 cf by Her Spirit. The Spoufe of Chrift cannot be 
 <c adulterated, She knows but one Houfe, She pre- 
 iC ferves the Sanctity [or Purity] of owe Bed, with an 
 cc undefiled Chaftity, and Conftancy. It's She that 
 Cf keeps u> for God ,• 'tis She that [marks them out] 
 (C and configns to a Kingdom whom She hath gene- 
 ff rated. Whoever forfakes the Church, and joins 
 cc himfelf to an Adulterefs, [a Se&, a Party] is fe- 
 ?f p.uated and excluded from the Promifes made to 
 cf the Church, neither (hall he ever arrive at the Re- 
 cr wards of Chrift [Eternal Glory] who relinqui/hes 
 fC the Church. He is an Alien, Profane [an Infidel, 
 r * an Heathen] and an Enemy. He cannot have 
 c< God for his Father [be a Child of God^ a Mem- 
 
 '" ber 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. ip 
 
 " ber of Chrift, and an Heir of Salvation] who 
 <f hath not the Church for his Mother [/. e. who is 
 not baptiz'd, inroll'd, and marUd for a ChrifM an, and 
 lifted to fight under the Banner of Chrift , the 
 Victorious and Triumphant Captain of our 
 Salvation, in the One Church of Chrift.] Cyprian, d* 
 <( If any one could efcape [the Deluge] U ™- Ecd - c *- 
 tc who was out of Noah's Ark, then he 
 f( who is out of the Chruch, may efcape the ever- 
 <c lafting Burnings. Our Lord forewarns us, and 
 " faith, He that is not with me, is againft me ; and 
 cc he that gathsreth not with me, fcattereth abroad, 
 <c Mat. .12. 30. Who breaks the Peace of Ghrift and 
 " Concord, a£s againft Chrift, who gathers any 
 " where except in the Church, fcattereth the 
 " Church of Chrift [or divides it : ] Who is fo 
 " wicked and treacherous, who is ib transported 
 (l with the Rage of Difcord and Diffention, to be- 
 fC lieve it poflible, or to dare to divide the Unity of 
 " God ,• The Lord's Garment • The Church of 
 " Chrift ? He cautioneth, and teacheth in his Go£ 
 " pel, faying, And there mall be one Flock, and 
 <c one Shepherd : And can any one think or ima- 
 <c gine there can be many Paftors, and more Flocks in 
 €f one and the fame place ? Thefe are they who fee 
 " themfelves for Paftors among a parcel of Hair- 
 " brain'd, giddy Straglers got together, without 
 " any divine Appointment, and regular Call there- 
 " unto, without the Law of Ordination, calling 
 " themfelves Minifters, no one impowring them, 
 " or authorizing them : Againft: fuch, the Lord 
 ef cries out in the Prophet Jer. 23. 16. Thus faith 
 " the Lord of Hofts, Hearken not to the Words of 
 <c Prophets that prophecy unto you, they make 
 " you vain, they fpeak a Vifion or their own heart, 
 <c and not out of the mouth of the Lord. 
 
 Obferve, I pray you, hence the difmal Hazard 
 gill thofe deluded Yeopk run^ who forfake the Unity of 
 
30 The Anahaptifis Miniflry 
 
 the Church (let them be of what Tarty or Denomina- 
 tion fo ever) from the foregoing Principles, which are 
 either ownd by yea in direct pofitive Terms, or by 
 necejfary Conference and Implication : For, if they be 
 not in Communion with the One Church of Christ, they 
 can bear no Relation unto, or have any Intereft in 
 Him ,* becaufe, all Grace, all the Means of Salvation, 
 are to be rud only in the One Church ; nay, there can 
 be no Christians, that is, Members of Chrift out of 
 this One Church • confequently, no Right to Salvation, 
 becaufe God made that Covenant by which all that 
 2XQ faved muft be faved, with this One Church, exclu- 
 sive of all Mankind that are without, or out of it, there 
 being no Revelation to the contrary ; And to leave 
 the ordinary for the extraordinary Means, befides the 
 Uncertainty and Haz,ard , as leaving a Certainty, for a 
 meer Uncertainty, befides, the Contempt of God's 
 own Ordinance and Appointment , the Rebellion, and 
 D'jhonor, and downright Affront unto fo Sacred, fo 
 Great a Majefty, is not only the moft irrational, but 
 the moft audacious and contumacious A<ft in the whole 
 World. I faid, whoever are m# of the one Church, 
 cannot be a Chrifiian ; becaufe, to be a Chrifiian, is 
 to be in actual Covenant with God, but he who/e- 
 parates from the o«<? Church, cannot be in Covenant 
 with God ,♦ becaufe, by fo Separating himfelf from, 
 he cannot be, nay, ceafes to be a Member of the e»« 
 Church, and G^ hath not obliged himfelf to keep Cove- 
 nant with thofe who have for faken his Churchy Becaufe 
 all his Promifes are made only to the one Church, fo 
 that thofe who have forfaken his Church, have ipfo 
 facto, cut themfelves off from chiming any farther 
 Right in his Promifes, by ceafing to be Chrifiians, and 
 confequently to bear any Relation to God and Christ ; 
 for if they ceafe to be his People, He <r«tf/t '* to be their 
 God ,• it they tw/e to be his Children, He c*>/m to be 
 their Abba Father ; if they ceafe to be Members of 
 die e»e Church, Chrift cw/« to be their Bead, and to 
 
 actuate 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. 31 
 
 actuate them with his Spirit ; if they ccafe to commit-' 
 nicate with his Church, they muft die and wither, be- 
 caufe not enlivened and quickned by his Spirit, which 
 *s always prefent with his Church, to communicate Life 
 into all hsParts and Members, and confequently they 
 ceafe to be Christians, let them profef and pretend to 
 be bel'uve wiiat tiiey will. c For | fuch 
 an one profeffeth himfelf to be a * Ctf«v*». 
 CbriftiaH. juft after the fame rate as * eU f' Ec<L 
 the Devil pretends himfelf to be Chrifi, ' 
 
 as our Lord forewarned us, faying, Mark 13. 6, 
 For many jhall come in my Name, faying, I am Chris? 
 and deceive many. As he is not Chrift, tho' he de- 
 ceives in his Name ; fo he feemeth not to be a 
 Chriftian, who remaineth not in the Truth of his 
 Gofpel and his Faith. For even to Prophecy, and 
 work Miracles here below, is an extraordinary and 
 wonderful thing ,- yet, whoever is found to do all 
 this, /hall never get Heaven, unlefs he walketh in 
 the narrow way of Righteoufnefs. Our Lord fore* 
 warneth us, and faith, Many will fay uuto me in 
 that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in thy 
 Name ,• and in thy Name casl cut Devils ; and in thy 
 Name have done wonderful works ? And then 1 will 
 profefi unto them, I never knew you, depart from me 
 ye that work Iniquity, Mat. 7. 22. 23. No! There's 
 need of Righteoufnefs to procure the Favour and 
 Acceptance of God the juft Judge ,• We muft o- 
 bey His Precepts, if ever we expeft to be re- 
 warded by Him. When our Lord had in the 
 Gofpel, directed the Courfe of our Faith and Hope 
 in a very compendious manner, (The Lord thy God 
 ts one Lord, Thou (halt love the Lord thy God with all 
 thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy 
 Mind, and with all thy Strength; This is the fir ft 
 Commandment, and the fecond is like namely this, 
 Thoujhalt love thy Neighbour as thy felf ' >, On thefe two 
 Commandments, hang all the Law and the Prophets, 
 
 Mat. 
 
Ji the Anaiaptifts Miniflry 
 
 * 22. %% 38, 39, 40.) By this Inftru&ion, he taught 
 
 * and inculcated both Unity and Love [or Charity.'] 
 
 * He included all the Prophets and Law in two Pre- 
 c cepts. But what Unity doth he keep, what Lev's 
 
 * [or Charity] doth he obferveor think on, who in- 
 c toxicated with Rage and Fury, divides the Church, 
 c defiroys the Faith, difturbs the Peace, and Prop banes 
 e the Sacrament ? 
 
 This, I confefs, is a _/W Conference, but yet it 
 muft be /r«e and unavoidable, as far as we are able to 
 fee into this matter : To be feparated from the One 
 Church, is to be no Chrifiian, as hath been hitherto 
 proved • and Prcfeffion, if poffibly, of the true Faith it 
 felf, will not falvc the matter, as I think our Saviour 
 hath determind it, Mat. 7. 21, 22. I fhall only add 
 this by the way, That if thofe Parties who are actu- 
 ally feparated from the Church, and fet up Church a- 
 gainft Church, form new Churches of their own, do 
 not believe that there s One, and but One Catholick 
 Church, and the Communion of Saints then fo far as 
 neer Orthodoxy, as to the Faith denominates a Chrifiian $ 
 They are not Chrifiians, becaufe they cannot be faid to be- 
 lieve thefe Articles of the Chrifiian Faith, becaufe they 
 oppofe them, and becaufe they fet up Churches and 
 Communions of their own, in oppofition to the Catho- 
 lick Church Q&ChriH, and without any Correfpottdence 
 with, or Dependance on, or Notice of it. 
 
 c If it be faid, they own the fame Law, (*'. e. the 
 
 * New Law or Gofpel) profefs the fame Creed, ac- 
 c knowledg the fame God the Father, the fame Chrift' 
 c the Son, and the fame Holy Ghoft, ufs the fame 
 
 * Interrogations in Baptiim : Let him who obje&s 
 1 thus, underftand in the firft place, they do not 
 c ufe the fame Creed in ftrictnefs, nor the fame In- 
 r terrogations with us,« for when they fay, Doft 
 c thou believe the Forgivenefs of Sins, and Life e- 
 ( everlafting, by the Holy Church, they lie in this 
 f Interrelation, when they have not the Church [are 
 
Bxamind and DifprovtL 3 $ 
 
 not Members of this Church themfelves, and can's 
 admit into, or make Members of this Church, be- 
 caufe, not belonging unto, or bearing any Relati- 
 on to this Church, or having any Authority from 
 Her as Minifters or Paftors ; X ' And then, by their 
 ' own words they confer, that Forgivenefs of Sins 
 e cannot be given but by the Holy 
 c Church : which they having not, they Cyprun cp. 
 
 en ir' 1 & ■ 1 69- CLii Mign , 
 
 ihew that Sins cannot be remitted a- E ^.- t Oxo £ 
 c mongsi them • ] And hence their Bap- 
 tifm is null, invalid, inefficacious $ in filOl't, no Baf>~ 
 tifm, Chriflian Baptifm at all. 
 
 Having hitherto afierted the Unity, or Onenefi of 
 the Church, I think I may reaftiime the Unity of the 
 Evangelical Ministry ; If there be but cm Church, there 
 can be but one Miniftry, and this Miniftry no where 
 but in the Church, and fuccejjive to that of the Apo- 
 files, deriving its Authority from their CommiJJion, and 
 fo from ChriH the Head of the Church, proceeding, or 
 having its Authority from His Authority, which He 
 had from the Fathtr: As His own Authority, as High- 
 Prieft, extends no farther than the Church, and is 
 folely limited to the Church, fo it cannot be exerted 
 cut of the Churchy if then the Evangelical Miniftry 
 be a Branch of the Prieftly Authority ofChrift him- 
 felf, it will neceffarily follow, as its Object about 
 which it's converfant with refped: to Men, is the 
 Soul, the Principal and the mod Noble confti- 
 tuent part of Man ,• fo the Dignity and Office of this 
 Priejf-hood, is paramount to all other Authorities exer- 
 cit d by Men in this World; confequently, in its own 
 Nature fubjecl to none, and immediately derivable from 
 none but God him f elf, and as it is in its own Origin, 
 Nature and Defign, ordain d by God for the nobleft Ends 
 and Turpofes, and the procuring, or inftrumental Caufe 
 of the greateft Good unto Mankind, and as thofe who 
 are called by God, and appointed to this Holy Office, 
 are peculiarly feparatcd from the reft of Mankind, and 
 
 D erdained 
 
.34 The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 ordained for men in things pertaining to God, of an Hea- 
 venly Nature, fuperiour unto, and more excellent 
 than any thing of what kind foever. Ncx:, and un- 
 der God , I fay, as that of the Evangelical Minifiry , 
 is the highefi and mcft fncred Office of all that are ex- 
 eixis'd by created Beings upon Earth, nay, in Hea- 
 ven it felf, fo the lnvafion of it ii an Ac"k of the 
 greateft, moft Luciferian Pride and Ambrtion, as well 
 as Sacrilege and Prophanation, that can be frefumed by 
 Mortal Man. The Dignity of it is fuch, as neither 
 Cherubin^ nor Sera phin, Dominions, nor Powers, none 
 of the Heavenly Hierarchy it felt could ever pretend 
 unto: The Acls of it fuch, as even Angels them- 
 felves never effay/d to perform ,• of fuch Authority as 
 transcends theirs : For as Jefus thrift our High-Priefi 
 took not on him the Nature of Angels, but the Seed of 
 Abraham, Heb. 2. 16. for the Redemption of Man- 
 kind, fo unto Men, and not unto Angels, He com- 
 mitted the Confecration of the Body and Bleed of 
 Chrift, the Power of the Keys, ofremittijjg and re- 
 taining of Sins, For all the Angels are miniftrivg Spirits 
 fent forth for*to minifter for them who foallbe Heirs of Sal- 
 vation. What a Dignity is this which God hathcon- 
 fer'd upon Men ? How Great the Prerogative of this 
 Order of Men in the Church of ChriH ? God hath 
 exalted them not only above Kings and Emperors, 
 but even above all the Hofl of Heaven ,• How then J 
 dare Men not called, nor fent ; nay, which is much 
 wdrfe, by no manner of Solemnity, or by any outward 
 AH o! ['Man, fo much as feemingly invefhd , with this 
 Authority, not fo much as invited to it, or requefted 
 even by the Mob, endued with no manner of Qua- 
 lifications for fuch an Undertaking, or any tolerable 
 Senfe even for any thing elfe, unacquainted with the 
 common Principles oi Cbrijrianity, lefs, too frequently, 
 or oiten as little as the meaneft of their deluded Au- 
 ditors • take upon them ib Sacred, fo Divine, fo high 
 and ekvated a Calling and Station ? To pretend to 
 
 repreftnt 
 
Exarrtin'd and Difprov'd. %$ 
 
 reprefetit God and Chrift, to acl in CfuifVs Name and 
 ftead, to admit into, and to exclude from the King- 
 dom or Heaven, to Blefs in God's Name, to take up- 
 on them to be Kings and Pricfts unto God, Revel 10* 
 
 20. To be Angels or the Churches, Rev. 2. 6c 3. ,^^- 
 *r*& of the My fiery of God, 1 Cor. 4. 1. Co workers 
 •with Christ, 2 Cor. 6. 1. How dare they take the 
 Charge of Souls upon them, to be RefyonfibL- for 
 them, to challenge their Submiffiort and Obed'tehet ? 
 Heb. 15. 17. and Reverence and Eftecm, 1 The'*, y. 
 13. Phil. 11. 29. How dare they ciwrge thofe wr,o 
 difefteem them as affronting God himfeli ? 1 TbcJJ. 4. 
 2, 8. Lȣe 10. 16. 
 
 Under the Evangelical Dijbenfation, we read of art 
 Altar, Ifa. 60. 7. Of Sacrifices, Ifa. J" 6. 7. A Saticlu.iry, 
 Ifa. 60. 15. Ezek. 57. 26. Of aTabernacle, Ezek. 37* 
 27. 0/* Burnt Offerings, and Meat Offerings, Jer. 55* 
 18. Of a Temple more Glorious than the firfr. 
 
 We read like wife of a Holy People, and the Re- 
 deemed o£ the Lord, Ifa. 62. 12. and ks iaid ofthem^ 
 Thy People a I fo Jhall be all Right com, Ifa. 60. 2r. which 
 anfwers that of Dent. 7. 67. For fZwa art a Holy People 
 unto the Lord thy God $ the Lord thy God hath chofen 
 thee to be a Jpecial People unto him [elf above all People, 
 Sec. Not upon the account of their inherent Hoii^ 
 nefs, for this cannot be iuppos'd of every individual 
 by any means, but of the whole Body of the Peo- 
 ple, including even the moft ftubbjrn and ftiff- neck d • 
 nay, thp idlest and moft T pre>flirate among them, he- 
 caufe the Seed oi Abraham, becaufe in Covenant with 
 God, and feparated from the reft of Mankind 
 
 Again, we read of a Prieft-hood under this Difpen- 
 fation. Bat ye fliall be named the Priefts of 1 he Lord , 
 Men jhall call you the Mini ft ers of our God, Ita. 61 . 6. 
 And then again it is faid, Neither jhall the Priefts, the 
 Lcvites, want a Man bfore Men to offer Burnt Of- 
 ferings, and to kindle Meat Offerings, and to do a- 
 crifce continually, Jer. 33. itf. See alfb 3 Ifa. 66. 20, 
 
 21, G 2 From 
 
36 The Anabaptifts Miniftry 
 
 From all thefe Parages we may obferve that the 
 Jewifi and Chriftian, are but two different States of the 
 fame Church • that thz Chriftian is only the Jevjijl) exten- 
 ded or enlarged- that as the Jews were God's Peculiar 
 Teople under the Mcfakal Oeconcmy, fo Chriftian s are the 
 Teculiar, Chofcn and £/«;# now : That as the Church was 
 but 0»ethen,io there is but enc Church now ; as buto»e 
 Altar, one Vriefthood then, fo now j as there are 6'^- 
 crifices and Oblations then, and to be offer d up unto 
 God by the Vriefts only, fet tf/wrf, Jeparated, and 
 consecrated moft foiemnly ro that Office then, fo it is 
 »0M> j And that the Jewijli Church, with all its effen- 
 tial Privileges, was only a Shadow or Type of what 
 was to come under the Gcfipel-Dijpenfaticn, and was 
 thereby to be improved, perfected, and to receive 
 its utmoft Completion, as the more Noble, more 
 Excellent , becaufe more Spiritual Difpenfation : 
 So that whatever was Holy, Sacred, Appropriated, 
 limited under the legal Covenant, is much more fa- 
 cred and inviolable now. 
 
 The Inference that I fhall make at prefent from 
 the Tremiffes , is this ,• If the Vriefthood was fo 
 facred then, that it was Death for any one to invade 
 it, Numb. 18.7. 1 have given jour Vriefis Office unto 
 you as a Service of Gift, and' the ^JCrailgClT that cometh 
 nigh jhall be put to $D£&tfo. And again, neither mufi 
 the Children of lfrael henceforth come nigh the Tabernacle 
 of the Congregation, haft they bear Sin, and tilt, v. 22. 
 Nay, that it was Death even for fome of the Tribe 
 ot Levi it felf to come nigh the Veilels of the San- 
 ctuary and the Altar, ver. 3. How much more lia- 
 ble are thefe who now dare to intermeddle with things 
 appertaining to the Sacerdotal Office, under a nobler, 
 a more facred and excellent Difpenfation, being UK- 
 
 fent, uncaU'fc, iir.£oi?miinicmatc& ? If it was Capital 
 then, unqueftionably it's t?ainna!Dfc now ; [{liable to 
 Temporal Death then , to Eternal now. The more 
 facred the Office, the mo?C fatttIcg!GU£, g.wpieutf 
 and 3&?0p!)aise its Violation and Invaiion. What 
 
Examzrid and Difprovd. 37 
 
 What an impious and horrid Ac~t then ft is for any 
 of the People of their own Heads and private Impulfe, 
 to take upon them to be Vtiefis and Miniflers of 
 Chrift, and to fet thernfelves over the Lords People, 
 his Holy and Elect, as if they were holier than they, 
 and to affume Authority over them ? May not that be 
 moll juftly faid to them, which Corah and his Com- 
 plices moft unjuffly and irreverently faid unto Mofes 
 and Aaron , Te take too much upon you 3 feeing all the 
 Congregation are Holy every one of them , and the Lord is 
 among them, wherefore then lift you up your /elves above 
 the Congregation of the Lord? Numb, xvi. 5. Let fuch 
 read 3 obferve and confider well of the dreadful Punish- 
 ment of the Rebellion and Ufurpation of the Prieft- 
 hood, from v. 31. tox>. 56. and fear a more dreadful 
 Punifhment will overtake them at lealt in another 
 World : If the Punifhment were fo great under the 
 Law, what may they not dread to exped under the 
 Gojpel, according to that of St. Clement a Difciple of 
 the Apoftlcs upon the fame Occafion ,- ' Take heed 
 c my Brethren, leaft by how much our Acquain- 
 c tance with the Sacred Myfteries is advane'd, to fo 
 ' much the greater Dangers we are fubjeel:. 
 
 Let them likewife contfider and lay to heart the 
 Fate of Uzzah, for only putting out his hand to ftay 
 the Ark, as he thought a falling, provok'd the An- 
 ger of the Lord to finite him to death upon the 
 Spot, 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7. And of King Uz,z,iah, of 
 whom it is faid, but when he was ftrong, his heart was 
 lifted up to hrs Deduction, for he tranfgrejfed again ft the 
 Lord his God, and went into the Temple of the Lord, to 
 burn Incenfe upon the Altar of Incenfe : And Az,zriah the 
 Prieft went in after him,&c. and with him four fcore Vali- 
 ant Prieft s, and they withftood Uz,z,iah, and faid un- 
 to him, It appertained not unto thee, U&ziah, to burn In- 
 cenfe unto the Lord, but to the Prieft s the Sons of Aaron 
 that are Confecrated to burn Incenfe ; Go out of the San- 
 tfitary, fir thou, haft treftaffed, neither Jhall it be for thine 
 
 D 3 Honour 
 
3 8 The Attahaptifts Minsjlry 
 
 Honour from the Lord God 'and while he was wrath 
 
 with the Prieffs, the Leprofy even rofe in his Forehead - — 
 and thiy thruff him cut from thence — and was a Le- 
 per unto the day of his Death, and dwelt in a federate 
 Houfe being a Leper, fr he was cut off 'from the Hcufe of 
 the Lord, &c. 2 Chron. xxvi, 16. ad v. 22. 
 
 Thus you fee how feverely God Almighty pu- 
 nifVd Sacrilege and hvafion of- the Vrieftly Office under 
 the Law, an imperfect and meaner Diffenfation, how 
 jealous he was oi the Honour of his Priefis, as Perfons 
 be ins. a nnrer Relation to him than any other,- and 
 can you think it a leffer Crime under a more com- 
 plect, more Divine and Spiritual, and a more perma- 
 nent Diffenfatien? "one can imagine this, without 
 being even Infidels, \\ not worfe. Since even ncne 
 can affume this Honour unto himfelf under the Gcffel, 
 but he that is called, no not Chriff, for he did not Glorife 
 him f elf to he made an High-Prieff, but he that faid unto 
 him. Thou art my Son, &c. even God himfelf, Heb. v. 
 4, 5". Ocherwife he could not have been one, the 
 Triefihood being by God himfelf appropriated and con- 
 fin d to the Tribe of Levi, of which Our Saviour was 
 not, according to the Fhfi, Hcb. vii. 14. Heb. viii. 4. 
 No, God himfelf cinftitttud him an High-Prieft, of a 
 Nobler Order, a Prieft for ever [ whereas the Leviti- 
 cal was but for a time] after the Order of Melchifedec, 
 Heb. vii. 17. and was made fo not after the Law of a 
 Carnal Commandment, but after the Tower of an Endlefi 
 Life, v. 16. and thereby the Surety of a better Tefia- 
 ment, v. 22. a Mini ft er of the Sanctuary, and of the True 
 Tabernacle, which the Lord ptch'd, and not Man, Heb. 
 viii. 2. and therefore now hath he obtain d a more excellent 
 Mmifi'ry, by how much he is the Mediator of a better 
 Tefument, [than that of Mofes under the Law,] 
 eflabl/jh'd upon better Tromifes, v. 6. for the Law mada 
 nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better Hope did s 
 Heb. viii. v. 19. for if that fir fi Covenant had been fault- 
 ier, then fbould no Place have been fought for the fecond $ 
 
 Heb. 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 39 
 
 Heb. viii. V. 7. If then this Lift Difyenfation is more ex" 
 celient than all the former Dfflenfations, the Minifiry 
 more Noble > if it be Seal'd with an Oath to continue 
 forever, then it follows it's mor. facred, Inviolable, 
 and immutable than the o^er; especially fmce as 
 hath been faid already, Chrift himlelf hath promifed 
 to be prefent with it, to preferve it, uphold and rv??/jfo 
 it, in a confiant Succejjton, to /ec#r* it from all //wa:- 
 y£?;; or Usurpation uninterruptedly, even to the End of the 
 World. 
 
 Thus you fee, here's no Ejfential Alterations as to 
 the One Church under the ialt or Gofyel-Diffienfation, 
 tho' a vaft Improvement for ;he better, by a Real 
 Completion of wrlat w=is but//;- Lwed out under the 
 former: The one Alt at. , and </«<? V.iefthood; conti- 
 nued after that Grand Privilege of being God's Pecu- 
 liar People [or the StguQah~\ «yas Titillated from the 
 Jews, for their Unb-Ahf to the Gentiles- So that its 
 the greateft Contradiction in the World, nay impof- 
 fible to believe that t<u'fly OJ the di'fincl and innumera- 
 ble Seels Ifiouid be the SfgttUah, the Chofen and £/e# 
 Nation , the Royal Priejthood, tht People of God: Con- 
 sider but Sect in the common Notion of the Word 
 or Party, as fuch who fet up Altar againft Altar, or 
 dividing themfelves from theO^e Church, the Segullah, 
 and can they all be Segullatis, and can any thing be 
 a louder Contradiction, and yet all thefe Setts are di+ 
 vided, feparated from , and oppofe themfelves unto, 
 and let themfelves up for the Segullah, yet belong 
 not in the leaft to the Segullah, no more than the 
 Samaritans did, and yet the Samaritans had as bold 
 Pretences againft the Jews, and to as little purpofe, 
 as the Seels can frame unto themfelves in oppojttion 
 to the Church, and were condemn d for Schifmaticks, 
 by his Sentence who could not err, even by ChriB 
 himfelf. Confidence and Godly Talk will not do the 
 Bufmefs here, nor pious Pretences, nor feeming Aufte- 
 vitks, and demure Countenances, nor feign d Sighs and 
 
 D 4 Groans, 
 
40 The Anahaptijls Mhijlry 
 
 Groans j nor ajfecled Madefy or Temperance , or Ret ire J' 
 r.efi from the noife and buftle of the World, or a dijjem- 
 bled Contempt of the Pleasures and Vanities of it, nor 
 fleecing and avoiding its trivial Conver/ations, nor jfo~ 
 ^«e«? and /<W Prayers, tor it will j^Z/ou 1 neceffdrily, that 
 if Salvation itfelf cannot be had c«? of the Communion 
 of the Church, neither can the G//r.f nor Graces of 
 Gods He/y Spirit, the effmtial Ingredients of all C^ri- 
 _/?;«» Virtues ,♦ where God s Ho/y 5piw* is not, there 
 can be no fr»* F*rf#c being an eife6t of Grace, of the 
 Holy Spirit, and if there be no Salvation, there can 
 be no Grace, no art&awx of Salvation, i. e. out of the 
 Church of God : Let fuch make what Pretences to 
 Grace and Holinefs and Chriflian Virtues they pleafe, 
 the Pharifces did as much, and yet Our Saviour calls 
 them Hypocrites, and whtted Sepulchres, fair and beau- 
 tiful to outward Appearance, but r<tfte» at the Core * 
 Wicked in their Hearts, DijJ'cmblcrs with Go*/ and Mm. 
 And all this unavoidably, it can't be otherwife, be- 
 caufe by their ftparation from the One Church, they 
 render themielves dejlitute of the Means of Grace ; 
 being out of God's Covenant, have neither Mini- 
 fters nor Sacraments, the Channels thro' which God 
 according to his own Inflitution conveys his Grace, the 
 Blejfed Effecls of his Holy Spirit. Ev'ry Virtue hath 
 its Counterfeit, there are falfe as well as true Virtues $ 
 there is nothing that is Good or Holy but hath its Re^ 
 femblance, otherwife it were impoffible for the World 
 to be led into Error as it is. There's the Church of 
 Chrifi, and the Synagogue of Satan, Real and Counter- 
 feit Religion, True Dtvotion and Bigotry, a 7r#e and a 
 ivz//g Charity, and fo of all other Graces, &c. The 
 £/>/«> of God, and the SpV/Y of the World, and under 
 thefe Difguifes Satan transforms himfelf into, and paf- 
 feth for an Angel of Light amongft Men of corrupt 
 Minds and Principles ; nay, fo craftily doth he ma-* 
 page himfelf in this Point 3 that if it were poffible, 
 
 ha 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 41 
 
 he could enfnare and deceive the very Ele&, that 
 is, the truly San&ified and Regenerate Chriftians. 
 
 Now thofe, who are the Original and Principal 
 Subjetls of thefe his moft deceitful and pernicious Tranf- 
 fgurations, upon whom he moft immediately A&s, 
 are thofe Falfe Chrifts our Saviour cautions us againft, 
 Matth. xxiv. 5-. and 24. and Falfe Prophets, v. n. 
 ccming in Sheep Cloathin^, but inwardly are Ravening 
 Wolves, Matth. vii. 15". and foretold likewise by the 
 Apoftles. For I know this, that after my departing, Jhall 
 griclJOU^ 3$0iteC$> enter in among ft you, not faring the 
 Flock. Att. xx. v. ;o. fee v. 31. io, 2. Tim. iii. 1, &c. 
 This know alfo, that in the la ft days perillous Times Jhall 
 come ,• for Men frail be Lovers of their own felves, Cove- 
 tous, Boafters, Proud, &c. having a Form of Godlinefi, 
 v. j. Of this fort are they which creep into Houfes, 
 v. 6. Falfe Prophets, Falfe Teachers, 2 Pet. ii. 1. Such 
 as thro' Ccvetoufnef frail with feign d Words make Mer- 
 chandise, v. 3 . [ ot their Pr ofelyces ] under Pre- 
 tences of Godlinefs, purfue only their Secular and 
 Worldly Intereft : of mean and beggarly Circum- 
 stances to raife themfelves to be Men of Wealth and 
 Fortunes, and to Jportlvg themfelves [hugging and 
 making themfelves merry 3 with their own Deceivings 
 [ feeing how fuccefsfully their Plot and Juggling 
 takes with the Ignorantand Deluded People] while 
 they feaft with [them, like Cheats and Mountebanks 
 wheedle and cajole the People to feaft and make much 
 of them, and to fill their Purfes ] Thefe are Spots 
 [Scandals and Reproaches and Abominations] in 
 your Feaft s of Charity, when they feaft with you, feeding 
 without fear [gluttonizing and pampering themfelves 
 without either Reverence to the Pious Ends of thofe 
 Feafts, or regard to Temperance or Decency, without 
 regard unto God, Religion, or Good manners.,] z>. 13. 
 whilft creeping in privately that the World may not 
 take notice of them, they indulge themfelves in all 
 manner of Licemioufnefs, Impudently and Arro- 
 
 • » gantly, 
 
\% the Analaptijls Minifiry 
 
 gantly, cenfuring and condemning all that are not 
 of their own Party, Jude 12. Railing againft and 
 Reviling, and ffieaking Evil of Dignities, dejpifing Go- 
 vernment \j. e. of thofe whom Chrift hath confti- 
 tuted Governours, Paftors, and Minifters of his 
 Church, 2 Pet. ii. n.- Dejpife Dominion , and Jpeak 
 Evil of Dignities, Jud. viii. Ignorant, Illiterate, XJnedw- 
 cated, yet taking too much upon them, fetting up 
 for Oracles and Infallible Dictators, [peaking great [wel- 
 ling Words [pretending to the Spirit, extraordinary 
 Gifts,] 2 Vet. ii. 18. [peaking Evil of [ in an infolent, 
 haughty , contemptuous manner ; traducing , fcorning, 
 trampling upon] things that they underfiand not, v. 12. 
 or as St. Jude expreffeth it, [freak Evil of thofe things 
 they know not, v. 10. [things above their Capacity, 
 out of their reach, .that they have no Notion of : 
 Making thofe things the Subject of their Debates, 
 Differences, and Difcriminations from all other Profef- 
 /ions of Chriftianity, that they are utterly ignorant 
 of, and unacquainted with many times as much as 
 Pagans, with whom our Lord reckons them, and 
 compares them unto, as not being Chriftians, or be- 
 longing to him in any the leaft Degree. 
 
 Now thefe Falfe Chrift s, Falfe Prophets, Falfe Teach- 
 ers, muft of neceffity be underftood of thofe, who 
 fet themfelves againft Chrift himfelf, and the true Pa- 
 ftors of the Church, which is but One, whofe Priest- 
 hood but One, fo that all elfe muft be Falfe and Coun- 
 terfeit, Adulterate, fo all but One, let them be never 
 fo numerous, their Allegations what they will, even 
 by their own Confejfions, muft be in the wrong • have 
 J10 Interest in Cbritf, bear no Relation to him, receive 
 no gracious Influences from, or be under the conduct of 
 his Spirit, their Minifterial Acls void, null, of no 
 faving Effe&, not being ratified by him. In mort, 
 the Church of Hcreticks or Schifmaticks, may be well 
 compar'd to a Defert, or call'd Defblate in Allufion 
 to that of our Saviour to the Jews, after the Tranfia- 
 
 ticv 
 
Examhid and Difprovd. 43 
 
 t\on of the Segullah, from them to the Gentiles, 
 which was in an eminent manner effected at the 
 DefruBion of Jerufalem and their Temple, Behold your 
 Uoufe is left Defolate t or become a Defert, Matth. xxiii. 
 38. Not deflate or deferted by Men, for it may a- 
 bound with multitudes of Wicked and Abominable 
 Men. becaufe the number of fuch is always greater 
 than of the Good and Righteous, but dejlitute of holy 
 Men, destitute of Piety, dejlitute of Faith , Truth, 
 Grace, and of the Holy Sprit of God. For as that 
 Man who is not of God, is not in Covenant with 
 him, is faid to be dead, though he be alive : So eve- 
 ry Church, tho' never fo numerous in its Members, 
 that is not of Chrift's planting ; tho' it lives, hath an 
 Exigence in the World, it li'ueth not unto God, but 
 unto the Devil, if it be dejlitute of all thofe good 
 things we have mentioned, it's wholly defert, folita-* 
 rinefi and empt'wefi, becaufe it is not full of God, 
 but of the Devil. 
 
 This Confequence they can never get rid of, if 
 they will be determin'd by their own Principles ( who 
 aftert themfelves only to be the True Church, exclud- 
 ing all others whatever, as fome of our Sectaries 
 do : ) Or, if they will allow a Latitude, even there- 
 by they are Self-condemn'd again, if violating the 
 Unity of the Church, if Schifm be a Work of the Flejh, 
 a damning Sin : For fetting up difrindt Communions 
 without a caufe, and making unnecefjary Divifions and 
 Parties by this Argument muft be capital, deadly and 
 damnable with a Vengeance, can admit of no excufe, 
 becaufe without any jufi Caufe, Call, or Provocation. 
 It muft proceed meerly from a Spirit of Oppojition, 
 from a Carnal, a Worldly, nay a Diabolical Spirit, and 
 therefore the condemnation of fuch is moft juft and 
 equitable, becaufe even chefen by themfelves, affetled: 
 This muft be the Sin of Corah indeed, his Gainfaying, 
 Rebellion, by oppofing the Infiitution, the Dominions, 
 
 the 
 
44 ^ je Anahaptijls Mhitflry 
 
 the Dignities, the Vriefihood Cbrifi himfelf hath efta* 
 blijltd in hisChurch, for the Salvation of Mankind. 
 
 Here then are the Characters of Seducers , JT?//e 
 Teachers, lying and falfe Prophets applicable to all the 
 Setts and Divifions in the 3^^c/e Chrifiian World, that 
 is, f i&o/e who are e»f olF and fcparated from the Oe 
 Church as not being Chrifiians, but characJeriz,'d by 
 Publicans the lewdefi, filthiefi, and moft profligate and 
 /chw and [corn of all Mankind, and fo moft: abominable 
 by Heathens, that is, Unbelievers, Worshipers of a /*//e 
 Go*/, nay JVorjhipers or Devils, and by £>0g.r, likewiie 
 by our Bleffed Saviour, Matth. vii. 6. Matth. v. 26. 
 And by the Apoftles, 7^//;/>. ii. 3. R*z\ xxii. 15-. 
 wherein they are likewife alfcciated, or put in the 
 Lift with Sorcerers, Whore -mongers, Murderers, and 
 Idolaters ; as Schifm is reckon d a /%r& of?^ F/«/fe 
 with Adultery, Idolatry, Witchcraft the molt heinom, 
 odious and provoking Sins, G«?/. v. which is equivalent 
 to that Expreffion of our Saviour, theft without, Mark. 
 iv. 2. Matth. viii. 12. £«£. xiii. 28. and 25. £«£. viii. 
 
 10. or the World, which is oppofed to thofe who 
 were given to Chrifi out of the World, Joh. xvii. 6. 8. 
 
 11. chofen out of the World, Chap. xv. v. 19. The 
 World that hated ChriH and the Apoflles, v. 18. becaufe 
 the World lovcth none but who are cf the World, v. 19. 
 The World of which it's faid, the Love of the World, 
 is Enmity with God, Jam. iv. 4. The World of 
 
 which the Apoftle faith, Love not the World if 
 
 any Man love the World, the love of the Father is 
 not in him, 1 J oh. ii. ij. and that becaufe the 
 whole World lietlvin Wicksdncfs, 1 jch. v. 19. and 
 therefore whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the 
 World, v. 4. 
 
 After all this, fttpp r fag it never fo difficult to point 
 out the Trm Church, yet it's very cafie to meet with 
 a great many Seels, to whofe Teachers thefe Characters 
 fuit moll exa&.iy ,• d.iily experience fhews it to a 
 tiiiie, and the eaiier to be dif cover d by how much 
 
 thefe 
 
Exam in el and Difprovd. 45 
 
 thefe Seperatifis pretend to the higbeft degree of 
 Santtity : As they have trcd in Cain's (leys, fo arc 
 they ftigmatizld with Cain's Mark, that they might 
 be manifefted and di/linguijl/d from the reft of Man- 
 kind, and as they have all along from the Apofttes 
 to this very day, ran greedily after the Error or Bala- 
 am for Reward, railing againft, and cur Jin g the Church 
 of Chrift for their Gain and Intereft, to make their 
 Advantages, and to feather their Nefts of the Ruins 
 thereof (witnefs all the Hifiories of every particular 
 Sett when in Power, when opportunity hath offer'd 
 at felf for them to unmask, and mew themfelves in 
 their native Colours : ) So Covetoufnef, and a Worldly 
 Spirit, never ceafes to betrav them, and to expoie 
 them by turning their in/ides outward, to be viewed 
 by all Mankind, Jud. v. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 15. except to 
 their blind Followers, thofe unfiable, unsettled, unprinci- 
 pled, and untutord Souls, 2 Pet. 2. 14. [illy, ignorant, 
 halfwitted Women led away with divers Lufis, \Lufis ot 
 fevcral kinds, Slaves, to their Lufis, led meerly by 
 their Senjes like brute irrational Creatures, made up 
 of nothing but Luff and Carnality, and Senfe~\ ever 
 learning [always running from Sett to Sett, from one 
 new Whimfie to another, fteady to nothing but 
 their Inconftancy] and ever ignorant [knowing and 
 improving not one jot the more, as wife at laft as 
 at the firft, and at the firft as at the laft] never able 
 to come to the Knowledge of the Truth, becaufe 
 never deliring it, catching always at the Shadow, 
 and negle&ing the Subftance, taken only with the 
 Out fide, Appearance, Formality, being made up of no- 
 thing but tiypocrifie, affe&ing Novelty, and fo moil 
 juftly abandon d to Error, being devoid of Sincerity and 
 upright honeft Attentions, and by their unmortified 
 Lufis, Levity, and Hypocritical Tempers, unprepar'd, 
 and unfufceptible, incapable of the Truth, 2 Tim. 3. 
 fc j7 . 
 
 To 
 
46* The Analaptifls Miniflrj 
 
 To come to a more particular Description ofthefs 
 falfe Teachers ; falfi Miniflers are cattd by our BlefTed 
 Saviour, Wolves, who outwardly have the Appearance, 
 Refemblance oi Chriftians, profefi Chrifiianity, but in- 
 wardly, and at the bottom, are Infidels, Unbelie- 
 vers, no better than Heathens, notwithftanding the 
 Shetps-cloathing, their pretence or foew of Christianity • 
 No ! they are meer Hypocrites and Dijjcmblers, they 
 believe not even what themfelves profefi, they are 
 Politico's, Machiavellians, their bufinefs is only to 
 delude and impofe upon the e^, the ignorant, and «»- 
 fettled, that have no _/o»W Principles, but are carried 
 away with every puff' of #W, every ^ir of Novelty 
 like the Chaff : Ravening Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing, 
 under the likenef of Payors and Shepherds of the F/ocl 
 of Chriff, their Difcourfes and ordinary Conver fat ions, 
 adorned and in?/? up with Sentences of Scripture, de- 
 claiming againft J'/V*?, the Wickednefs, the Priie, the 
 Luxury of tho Age, the profligate and loofe Lives of 
 Chriftians, enveighing againft Idolatry, Superfiition, 
 Prophanenef, Formality, Will worflrip, Hypocrifie, the 
 Unfantlified, Unregenerate, and dangerous Condition 
 of all that are not of their Seel, their Party, always 
 turning up their Eyes to Heaven, deploring the Impiety 
 of the Times, and then blejfwg themfelves, that they 
 walk not as others do, but iive retir'd and rar/ar/f from 
 an ungodly, degenerate, debauch'd, unfan&ified, Ge- 
 neration of Men : In their Air and Gate, humble 
 and demure , in their Garbs, plain and fimple, even 
 to Ridiculoufnef, yet />ro«// and haughty, and arrogant 
 uponoccafion, fcorning, and abhorring, and trampling 
 upon thofe who J/^e»f from them, contradict otjoppofe 
 them as the meer //r& and /c«w of the World ,• and 
 when ever they gain the Advantage particularly, 
 when by a Revolution of State, they get to be upptr- 
 moft, or in any degree of Countenance or Favour, the 
 rnoft bloody, unmerciful Wolves and Tygers, the moft 
 infknt, b.irbjrous, imperious, tyranical, unrelenting 
 
 Savages 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 47 
 
 Savages on this fide Hell, as multitude of Experience 
 may convince us within our own Memories* In their 
 AjfteB, or Trim of their Countenances, and in their 
 Difcourf es 5 'mfnuating, and moft fiudioufly, elaborately, 
 and affeBedly fawning, mild, and feemingly difinte- 
 refifcd and innocent at their firfi fettivg out ; but when 
 once they begin to find they get ground, grow 
 numerous, and get good footing, they drive Jehu- 
 like, carry all by force, flop at no indireB, unjuft, 
 and viUanous Methods to carry on their Defigns, and 
 are the moft implacable and violent "Persecutors in the 
 whole World,- for the proving of which, beyond 
 all poffibility of Contradiction, I appeal to the 
 Hifiorics of thefe ftwlaft Centuries. And thus by their 
 Fruits, their Behaviour, their ABions, they eafily dis- 
 cover themfelves : By their Sacrilege, by their Re- 
 bellions, Murthers, AJJaJJinations , their intolerable Pride, 
 Covetoufnefi, their Opprejfwv and TJnmercifulnefi, and 
 too too often their abominable, unheard of^ diabolical 
 Impurities, Filtbinef and Carnalitji 
 
 Another Infance of their Sheep- cloathing, by which 
 they ftudy to conceal their IVolviJhnef, and by which 
 they have great Succefs, is their pretending to the 
 fame Faith and Sacraments, the fame Ordinances 
 with the Church • They Preach, they Pray, they Bap- 
 tize, they pretend to Adminifier the [awe Er,charift 9 
 (I don't fay all SeBaries, but many do : ) This Sheeps- 
 cloathing, thefe Pretences go a great way with the 
 Undifceming and Ignorant, who believe every Like 
 to be the fame, take the Shadow for the Subfiance, 
 and outward Refemblance for the Reality it felf. But 
 all this is not to the purpofe without a due, a legal 
 CommiJJion or Authority ; it's nothing but aping, no- 
 thing but aBing a Part upon a Stage, as by all the 
 foregoing Arguments is clearly evinc'd. Let them 
 pretend as long as they will to purer Ordinances, it 
 will not avail them any thing, till they can prove 
 themfelves to be the Minifters of drift, and to be 
 
 the 
 
48 The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 the Church of God. This is nothing but meer Di/guife, 
 and calling a Miff- or Veil over the Understandings 
 of the Ignorant. Neither their Preaching, Praying, 
 Sacraments, are Cbriffs Ordinances, notwithftanding 
 their appearance or Resemblance, if not perform'd in 
 that manner that Chrift hath inftituted, by an Autho- 
 rity deriv'd by Him, and in the Unity of his one and 
 only Church. And if not fo, they may be faid to aft 
 all in their own, and in the Name of Antichrist or 
 Satan, for this is nothing lefs than transforming, or 
 transfiguring themfelves into the Ministers of Chnfi, or 
 SuccejJ'ors of the Apofiles ; and this the Apoftle tells us 
 is no marvel, [it was common in his days, and mould 
 be fo alfo in after Ages] for Satan [their Matter, 
 the Head of their Falfe or Mock-Church] is tranf 
 formd into an Angel of Light, therefore it's no new 
 thing, nor great, it his Minifteis alfo (Tor all their 
 Sanctity, their boafted Gifts and Graces, &c) be 
 transformed as [or fhould in fome fence refemble, and 
 ad the parts of ] the Minifiers of Righteoufnef, whofe 
 end Jhould be according to the-ir works : bee 2 Cor. 11. v. 
 13,14, 15". And thus do thefe Wolves delude and 
 lead Captive the Ignorant, but (moft commonly) 
 wicked, hypocritical People from the Church, the only 
 proper Means of en lightning their Vnderfi an dings, difpel- 
 ling their Errors, and reforming of their wicked Lives, 
 and make them (by a juft Judgment of God for dif- 
 gracir.g their holy Proftjfion, and bringing a Scandal up- 
 on the moft holy Chriitian Religion, and refifting the 
 Means of their Converfion and Salvation, the Holy Spi- 
 rit of God in his Church) twofold more the Children of 
 HeU than themfelves, Mat. 23. 15". 
 
 But there's another fenfe of Shetps-cloatking, more 
 prevalent in leading away ignorant 
 
 cotmni't L adv Peo P Ie than the former, viz,. The 
 
 TTe-Gr r3n ,~ ' Dexterity of thefe Falfe or Mock-teachers, 
 
 in quoting, wrejhng and perverting the 
 
 holy Scriptures ; and indeed, their whole Strength and 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 49 
 
 Force feems to lie c^nceal'd under thefe (as they 
 manage the matter falfe Locks, Truth perverted de- 
 generating into the rnoft pernicious Errors. Falfe 
 Apuftks [or falfe Teachers] deceitful [crafty, foothing, 
 fly 3 workers, transforming themfelves into the Apo files 
 [or fetcing themfelves up for the true Paftors] of 
 Chnlr, 2 Cor. n. 15. What's the meaning oftranf 
 forming themfelves into the Apofiles ofChriB ? Or as 
 now a days, giving themfelves out to be their Suc- 
 ceffois? Why, the Apofties of Chriit quoted Paf- 
 fages cut of the Divine Law, fo did the falfe Apo- 
 ffies ; Authorities out of rhe PJalms, 10 did they,- the 
 Sentences out of the Prophets, fo did they : The true 
 Minifiers of Chritt cite the Evangelical, and Apofioli- 
 cal Writings, fo do thefe pretended Minifiers of the 
 Goffel (as they call themfelves now.) But when 
 they came to fix a different Senfe upon the fame Paf~ 
 fages, equally and a iike produced by each, then 
 the fincere and well-meaning, were difcriminatci 
 from the crafty, the felfdejigning, from the upright 
 and difintereffed, and lafiiy, the true Apofiles from the 
 falfe. And thus it will be as clear as the Sun at 
 Noon- day , that when thefe Creepers into Houfes (as 
 the Vharifees did, to cheat and defraud the poor Widows 
 under the pretence of making long Prayers, Mat. 23. 
 14.) Thefe Minifiers in Mafyuerade, quote Scripture 
 to countenance and vamijli over their Errors and Hete- 
 rodoxies, c do but put in practice the Wiles and De- 
 c vifes of their Mafier Satan * which he had never 
 
 * invented, but that he knew that there can be no 
 c more fuccefsful and ready Method to deceive , than 
 
 * to pretend the Authority of the facred and divinely 
 
 * infpired Scriptures, to ufher in his deceitful Er- 
 c rors. That himfelf accofied our Saviour with 
 Texts of Scripture : 'T;s written, faith he. e And 
 c thus he fpeaks thro' their Mouths at this day. For 
 ( as the j^cafc of the jDamn'fc, fpeak to the l^cati 
 I of the ftc&CCm'D, the ElecJ, fo his Members fpeak 
 
 E f now 
 
^o The Andhaptifls Mini ft fy 
 
 * now "to tile Members of ChrlB ; the Terfidious, the 
 
 * Treacherous, to the Faithful, the Sacrilegious to the 
 c 'Religious, Hereticks to the Orthodox, \_Schifmaticks 
 to the firmly United unto, and incorporated with 
 che Owe Churchy by the One Spirit of Chrift. f But 
 c doth He fay after all ; If thou be the Son of God, cafi 
 
 * thy felfddwn, Mat. 4. 6. That is, if thou wouldft 
 
 * 'be a Son of God, obtain the Inheritance of the 
 ' Kingdom of Heaven, Caft thy felf down ; that 
 "* is, from the Do&rine and Difcipline of that High 
 
 € Church, which is call'd the Temple of God. And 
 ( if any one fhould ask any of thefe Sham- 
 £ teachers, alluring and decoying Him, Whence 
 c proved thou that I ought to forfake and let go the 
 c Univerfal and Ancient Faith of the Catholick 
 
 * Church ? Oh! prefently he tells you, 'Tzs writ* 
 c ten, and forthwith he produces a Thoufand Tefti- 
 
 * monies, Examples, and Authorities, out of the 
 c Law, the Pfalrns, the Prophets, Evangelifts and 
 
 * Apoftles,* by the wrelttng and perverting of 
 
 * which, after a new and wicked manner, the 
 f wretched Soul is thrown headlong from the Pina- 
 
 * cle of the Church, into the noifom Jakes of Here- 
 c he and Schifm. This is a peculiar Property of 
 
 * thefe Falfe- teachers, to wrap themfelves as it 
 
 c were, all over with Sentences of 
 
 Vincent. Lir. s Scripture, as it were with Sheeps- 
 
 cap. xxxvi. c fleeces, that whilft any one feels, or 
 
 c perceives the Softnefs of the Wool, 
 
 c they may not fear or fufpeft the Sharpnefs of their 
 
 c Teeth. Thus they readily flie thro' 
 
 Vincent, tir. c all the Volumes of the Scripture from 
 
 gap. xxxv. c Genefis to the Revelations, whether pri- 
 
 € vateiy or publickly, in their C<mver- 
 
 fticns or Writings, at Feafis or in their Streets • they 
 
 c leidom bring out any thing even of their own, 
 
 * but they endeavour to exprefs it in Scripture Phra- 
 * ' fes. Read over Vauhs'Samofateflus's Works, Trif 
 
 ( tillians 
 
fixawtfd and Difprov'd. ^ 
 
 ciUians, Jovinianm's, of the Donatift's, Novatian's 
 &c. there you'd fee vaft Accumulations of Scri- 
 ptures, fcarce a Page not ftuft out with Paffages, 
 and furnifh'd with Sentences out of the Old and 
 New Teitament. But fo much the more are they 
 to be dreaded, and cautioufly read, by how much 
 they lie lurking and conceal'd under the Umbrage 
 of the Divine Law. They are fufficiently aware 
 that their noifom Scents would fcarce be accepta- 
 ble to any one, were they breath'd out fimple a " 
 and in their own nature ; therefore they befprin- 
 kle them over as it were, with the fpicery and 
 perfume of the Heavenly Word, that he who 
 would otherwife difcern, and deipife the 
 human Errors and Blunders, may not eafi- iH.ib. 
 ly deride and flight the Divine Oracles, 
 &c Thus Vmcentius Lirinenfis of the Hereticks and 
 Schifmaticks of old. To which, I Ifiall add that of 
 St. Peter y That thefe Falje-teachers, notwithstanding 
 their Familiarity with the injfired Writings, and ci- 
 ting Paffages out of them in abundance, yet like ig- 
 norant and illiterate Perfons as they are, they do it 
 awkardly, and impertinently for the molt part, and 
 yet craftily, by the Impuife of the evil One, whofe 
 Inftruraents they are ; they chiefly infift upon the 
 difficult eft, and moft obfeure and dilutable, wherein 
 they are not fo readily apt to be detecled or cmvicled, 
 by;\vhich they ftartk and amufe the Ignorant, and 
 fometimes i even put the Learned themfelves to a 
 ftand; in which faith the Apoftle [that is in S.Paul's 
 Writings] are fome things hard to be underftood, "which 
 they that are unlearn d and unftable, wreft [to their 
 own private erroneous or heretical Sentiments] as 
 they do aljo other Scriptures .unto their own DeftrucHon 
 [Damnation of themfelves, and others that are fe- 
 duced by them.] 2. Pet. 3. 16. Tae therefore, Beloved, 
 feeing ye know thefe things before, [are caution'd and 
 forewarn'd] .beware, leaft ye being alfo led away 
 
 E 2 with 
 
5^ The Anahaptifts Mini ft ry 
 
 with the Error of the Wicked [thefe Upftart Falfe- 
 teachers, thefe Wool ves] fall from your own fleadj ~aji- 
 nefi, ver. 17. 
 
 But another Artifice they employ, with too much 
 Succefs for the enlarging the Kingdom of Darknefi, and 
 the Defiruclion of Souls, is, their big and wonderful 
 Promifes they make to their Followers and Admirers, 
 with which they mightily deceive and impofe upon 
 the Ignorant, and Unwary, and Unfiable. They have 
 the Confidence to promife unto them, and proftfi, 
 that in their Church, their Congregations (as they af- 
 fe<fl to phrafe it) the great, and Jfiecial, nay, plainly 
 perfonal Grace of God, infomuch, that without any 
 Labour, Study, or Endeavour, tho' they neither jfo&, 
 nor ask, nor &zoc£, that belong to their Congrega- 
 gation, yet {hall things be fo order'd 
 Vine. Lirin. and manag'd by the Divine Providence, 
 commonit. cap. that being up by the Hands of An- 
 xxxvn. g e j s ^ anc j p r eferv'd by their Protecti- 
 
 on, they (nail never dam their foot a- 
 gainft a ftone, never be fcandaliz'd [commit any 
 deadly, damnable Sin, or fall finally from Grace.] 
 This is a Promife, by which Multitudes have been 
 deceivd, a Principle that runs thro' infinite Numbers of 
 many and different Setts, that which draws off a great 
 many lewd and debauctid People to their Parties, as 
 may be evident to any nice and fugacious Obfervers, 
 in order to procure an eatePardon for all that's pail, 
 and to fin on with greater fecurity, if they can but 
 attain to that Ala (I er- piece of Sectarian Cunning, to 
 manage their Affairs covertly, and with Secrecy. 
 For there is fcarce any Vice but they may atone for 
 with eafe, provided it be tranfa&ed without the 
 Knowledge and Obfervance of the Wicked, (as they ge- 
 nerally account all, without diftin&ion, that are 
 not of their Clan or SeB) and it's rare to hear of any 
 Difciplins exercis'd among them, for any Crimes of 
 what nature fo ever, but fuch as are within the tub- 
 lick 
 
Examine? and Difprovd. 5-3 
 
 lick Cognizance of the Wicked, hereby expofing their 
 Tarty to the Cenfure of the World. To this purpofe 
 they have forged the Do&rines of the Abfolute and 
 Jrr effective Decrees oi Eletlion and Reprobation, the Im- 
 poffibility of falling away from j unifying Grace, and the 
 like, by which they fill their Followers up with 
 Preemption, Jfriritual Pride and Affection , and Ccncei- 
 tednefi, with Difdain, and the utmoft Contempt, and 
 Cenforioufnef of others differing from them, fearing 
 their Confciences, hardning them in their Sins, whilft 
 they footh and flatter themfelves into Security, cal- 
 ling, and believing themfelves to be Saints, the Elecl 
 of God, and moft audacioufly pronouncing the Sen- 
 tence cf Eternal Damnation againft all of contrary 
 Parties and Communions, as Reprobates, Cafiaways, 
 and Firebrands of Hell. This is their common Cant, 
 and the ufual Subjefts, or their Conventions, 
 Preachments, and Writings, efpecially when uppcrmoft, 
 or in times of Liberty , and when their Phttings are 
 near ripe, and when they are upon the brink of Ex- 
 pectation. This is too obvious amongft many Setts • 
 this is the Language, or rather Rowlings of the Rave- 
 nous Wolves, that the roaring Lion (tho transform 'd 
 indeed ; otherwife, none could be deluded by him) 
 infpire him withal. 
 
 Having in fome meafure d'fmantlcd, difroVd, or 
 ttncas'd thefe Wolves of their Sheep s-chathing, which 
 by the way difcovers, and detects their damnable 
 Hypocrifie and Dijfimulation, turns their Infide Outward, 
 and expofes them to the naked Vkvj of the World 
 {Hypocrifie being as eflential to a Falfe-tcacher, Sedu- 
 cer, as Light to the Sun, or as Ravenoufncfi to a Wolf.) 
 I (hall only in a few words explain why they are 
 call'd Ravenous Wolves. 
 
 Ravening, becaufe all Adls performed by them, 
 tend to the Ruine and Deftruttion of their Difciplcs and 
 Adherents, and not their Salvation. If their very 
 ^ci/ifm or Separation, their fetting up Church againft 
 
 E 3 Churchy 
 
54 The- Anabaptifis Mhrrfiry 
 
 Church, Altar againft Altar, Afmiftry againft Minijlry, 
 be a Work of the Flejh, as the Apoftle tells us, it's 
 impoflible from the Nature of the Thing, to fiippofe 
 their Minifirat'wm can produce any favingJpiritualEf- 
 fe<5ts. If all their Minifterhl Ads are nothing but 
 aping, imitation, counterfeiting, and a cling a Part, rhe 
 Effects' muft be a meer Frufiration and Defiruclicn. 
 How can it be fuppofed, that thefe who have for- 
 faken the One Church of Ghrift, and confequently by 
 that Ael have forfeited all Right to the Privileges of 
 the Church, to which alone the Promifes of ChriH are 
 made, wherein alone the Means of Salvation are to 
 be jW, wherein alone our Prayers can be heard r 
 3«&c/e J&& «&»« God Almighty has oblig'd himfelf to 
 ratifte ,* How, fay I, can it be conceiv'd, that fnch 
 can ever be capable of working any thing that's fpi- 
 ritual to the advantage of Men's Souls ? He that ga- 
 thcreth not with me, fcattereth, faith our Lord, and all 
 His Merits, all His Gifts, Promifes and Graces, are on- 
 ly ordinarily applied, exhibited, and to be obtain d in the 
 Communion of His One Church. From whence it muft 
 follow, that thefe Seclarian Teachers, being out of 
 this One Church, all their A&s muft in their own 
 Nature, tend to the DeflruBion or all thofe Souls un- 
 der their fad and horrid Conducl and Management, un- 
 der their Communion, for ought We can know, and 
 gather from the Word of God. Our Saviour then 
 calls them, Ravening JVolvcs, Deftroyers, 
 + Author, op. and Murtkerers of Mens Souls. ' Hear 
 
 ^r^Hm ' thel1 ^ ys an ***'**" * miter > Thou 
 j£ ? c who art inftru<5ted by Hercticks and 
 
 f Schifmaticks > and conceiteft thy felf 
 
 ? learned, and beine; bapciz'd by them, lookeft up- 
 
 s on thy felf to be [Regenerated] a Chriftian. See 
 
 e what thefe Heretical and Schifmatical Ttachers are 
 
 * call'd by Chrift, Ravening, devouring Wolves. If 
 
 f therefore thou art taught [inftm&ed] by them, 
 
 I thou art torn in pieces by them, not improved, 
 
 ( not 
 
Examined and Difprovd. $$ 
 
 c not [edified] inftrufted. If thou be'ft baptized 
 c by them, thou art devoured and worried by them, not 
 c laved. For it is the Property of Wolves to de- 
 vour [not to fave.] As for their Preaching, it's call-d 
 by the Apoftle, Handling the Word of God deceitfully. 
 [and with felf-Intereft, Oxf par.~\ z Cor. 4. 2. Speak- 
 ing Lies in Hypocrifie [under a pretext of Holinefs, 
 Oxf. par.~] and unfound, unedifying, corrupt, falfej 
 Doclrhce, becaufe fu eh as heap up ths&falfe Teachers 
 unto themfelves, have itching Ears after Novelties, 
 and fuch Do&rines as gratifie their Lufis, their hlu- 
 mors, jfiiritual Pride, Conceitednefi, and Cenforioufnefi 
 of others. For the time will come when they will 
 not endure found Dotlrine [which will difcover or hin- 
 der their wicked Defigns, Oxf. par.~\ as a thing mof£ 
 contrary, lothfom, naufeous and difagreeable to 
 their fqueamifh Palates] but after their own Lufis Jhall 
 they heap to themfelves 'teachers [who (hall flatter and 
 humour them, by telling them that they are the 
 Children of God, truly Righteous \_elebhd Saint s~\ have 
 great Knowledge, Oxf. Annot.~\ having itching Ears, 
 2 Tim. 4. 3. Of whom it is (aid in another place, 
 That becaufe they received not the Love of the Truth 
 that they might be faved, for that caufe, God (ball fend 
 them firong Delttfion that they fiould believe a Lie [fhould 
 be left entirely to themfelves, and the Impuifes of 
 the evil Spirit, to be a Prey to Seducers, Deceivers, 
 Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing, 2 ThelT. 2. 11, 12. or thofe 
 who feparate themfelves [for purer Ordinances, the 
 old Pretence, from the Unity of the Church, the 
 Flock olChrisf\[enfual, [led by their Lufts, the Love 
 of the World] not having the Spirit [of God, of 
 Chrilt, for all their high-flown boaftings of their E- 
 leclion, Sanctity, Regeneration, &c.] 2 Pet. 2. 19. 
 And where the Spirit of God is not, there all Mini- 
 fierial Abls muft be deftitute of the Concurrence and 
 Co-operation of the Holy Spirit, and confequently, fcn- 
 fsal, carnal, diabolical, and cannot avajl to any gra* 
 
 E 4 ciom 
 
56 The Anahaptijls Minijlry 
 
 ciotts or faving ejfeB ; , but only Perdition, Eternal De- 
 firuction, becauie done in a State of feparation from 
 the One Church, and fo from God, from Chrifi, from 
 the Holy Spirit, and in oppofition to the Divine 
 infiitution, Order and Appointment. 
 
 Again as to their Prayers, God being a Spirit of 
 Unity, Peace and Love, cannot be fuppofed to hear 
 the Prayers of Schifmaticks and Separatists from hisO»g 
 Church, the Prayers or Perfons devoid of all Charity, 
 and at Enmity with his Elect, his Ckofen, his Peculiar 
 People, his Treajure, as the Word SeguBab fignifies, 
 which we render Peculiar People, a People in Cove- 
 nant with him, to whom he hath promiied Protection 
 * and Preservation againft: all the Powers of Darknef, all 
 the Violence of the World, to whom alone he hath 
 engaged his Particular Favours, Choicer! Bleffings, 
 and Salvation itfeU. Without or out of the One Church, 
 there's no Mediator, no Interceffor to plead to intercede 
 for them, no Higb-Priefi to prefent their -Prayers, 
 and therefore, it's not to be conceiv'd that the 
 Prayers of fuch Rebels, fuch Antichrifis, fuch Cafi- 
 aw ays flia.11 be admitted or heard, or anfwer'd espe- 
 cially in the behalf of others, having no Commif- 
 iion, no Authority from God for that End, and 
 therefore fruit left and ipejjicacious, as finful and pre- 
 sumptuous. For feparation fo >m the One Church, eipe- 
 cially, and molt of all when its done in Malice, 
 Spifhtfuhcfi and Revenge ,in Hatred and Rancorous , Pride 
 and Haughtinefi, and out of a Spirit of Oppofition to the 
 Church, for Secular or Worldly Ends, for the gratify- 
 ing and indulging the Lufis of the Fleflj, as is demon" 
 firable from all the Char abler s of fuch Seducers we find 
 in the Apofiolical Writings, muff neceifarily exclude all 
 fuch Antichrifis and Falje-Teachers from being graciou- 
 fiy heard by G0J, becaufe his profef/d Enemies, and 
 inch who are in Aclual Rebellion againft him and his 
 moft Sacred Infiitutions, for fuch can't be faid to be 
 at Peace with God, or to Ltyve God, as the Apofile 
 
 plainly 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 57 
 
 plainly determined! : If a Man fay Hove God and bat- 
 etb his Brother [a Fellow Member of Chrift, one in 
 Communion with the Church , from whom this 
 Falfs Teacher ( who was once a Member of the 
 Church) now feparateth] he is a Liar ; for be that 
 loveth not his Brother whom he hathfeen, how can he love 
 God whom he hath not feen ? 1 Jo. iv. 20. And do we 
 think God hsareth the Prayers of fuch who love not 
 God , nor the Brethren, that is, the Faithful, the 
 Members of Chrift's Body, the One Church? No! 
 They who are deftitute of this Brotherly Love, are 
 dead, i. e. jpirittially dead in their Sins, and God will 
 not hear the Prayers of fuch. We know, faith this 
 Beloved Difciple, that we have faffed from Death unto 
 Life, becaufe we love the Brethren, i. e. thofe who are 
 in actual Communion with the One Church of Chrift • 
 He that loveth not his Brother, abideth in Death, 1 Joh. 
 5. 14. and doth God hear fuch, who are already dead 
 in their Sins, ar>d as long as they continue fo, cut 
 off from all hope of recovery ? For this love of the 
 Chnfilan Fraternity or Brotherhood , is the condition 
 of our Prayers being heard, as the fame Apoftle 
 writes, v. 22. And whatfoever we ask, we receive of 
 him, becaufe we keep his Commandments • and this is his 
 ComtHandment, that wejhmld believe on the Name of his 
 Son Jefus Chrifi, and love one another as he gave us Com- 
 mandment, v. 23. fo that we pray, we ask in vain, 
 fo long as we live at Enmity and Variance with the 
 Brethren, the Members of the One Church. This 
 Argument you may fee further profecuted by the 
 Apoftle, chap. 5*. To conclude this Topick, 'tis by 
 this Love or the Brotherhood that we know him, if we 
 keep his Commandments, \Joh. 2. 3. thnt he dweileth 
 in us, and we in him, 1 Job, 3. 24. and hereby we 
 know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he 
 hath given us, fee chap. 4. 13. becaufe Love is of God, 
 v. 7. and God is Love, v. 8. and Love is one of the 
 Fruits of the Spirit , Gal. f. 22. and this Love 
 
 of 
 
5 8 The- Avabaptifls Mwtjfrf 
 
 of the Brethren is the great Mark or Gharafterifthk 
 of Chrift's Difciples ,• By this Jhall all Men know that 
 ye arc my Difciples, if ye hr>ve Love one to another, Job. 
 i»2. 35". And he that loveth not the [fraternity, the Bro- 
 therhood, the Members of Chriffs Body, the Church, and 
 preferveth Unity with them, but feparateth from them, 
 for otherwise he loveth. not God] knoweth not God } 
 iy'oh. 4. 8. and- confequently, God knoweth not 
 him, that is, will not hear him. But to fum up all- 
 I- intend at prefent as to this Point, the Apoftle St. 
 Paul give* us, this fliort, yet full and comprehenfive 
 Defcription and- Qualifications of this Love I have 
 been treating ©f, as the discriminating Ghar after or 
 1 Mark of a- Difcipk of.Ghri/l, a True and \ Genuine Chri- 
 ftian and Member of his Body the Church : Now the 
 end- of the Commandment is Charity out of a mire Heart , 
 and a. good Confcience, and of Faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. r. 
 
 f. that is, for the End and Intention or 
 SteRom. 3. 31. B erf eft ion of the Commandment is Charity , 
 «tf- 10. 4. [j # e# i^g towards God and all Men, 
 
 (Otf, Ann. far.) but efpecially the Bro- 
 therhood, the Houfhold of Faith, as our Saviour hath 
 determin'd, Matth. 22. 0» £&e/e two Commandments 
 h'a-ng all the Law and the Prophets, v. 40.] Out of a pure 
 Heart fan honeft upright Intention] a good Confcience 
 [in Obedience unto, or guided by the Rule of the 
 Gofpel Precepts] and of Faith unfeigned, the Faith de- 
 livered unto the Saints, depofted with the Church of 
 Chvisl,. not forgd 'and contriv'd by Men for the carry- 
 ing on and propagating their own Defigns, and to 
 fer-ve their Worldly IntereB, as is the Faith of Her e- 
 tkks^nd fiich who feparate from, and fet themfelves 
 up in defiance of, and againft the Church, whole. 
 Faith is Faftion^ calculated and contriv'd to ferve 
 themfelves and their own Ambition andCarnalProj eft ions* 
 As for Bapifm collated by Schifmaticks and Sefta- 
 rians x I migjPit make the fame Inferences, to invali- 
 date and fhew the Nullity of it ; but having occa- 
 sionally 
 
Examind and Difprtw'd. 5^ 
 
 jlonally fpoken to that Point already, Ifliall only 
 add this, That when it's- perform'd in a Schifm, irr 
 oppofition to the One Church, it ceafes to be true 
 Chriftian Baptifnii to be done in the Name of, or 
 by the Authority ok'GhriB, and by the Apofile is plain- 
 ly fhewn and' prov'd to be Human Baptifm, or dona 
 in the Name of Man, or of the Head of that Sec~£ 
 from which the Sett is denominated, as if that Falfi 
 Teacher or Head of the Schifm was Crucified, made ail- 
 Atonement or Satisfaction for- the Sins of the World, 
 and fo became the Saviour of the World. Hear 
 what the Apoftle faith. New this I fay, that evry 
 one of you faith, I am of Paul, and I of A folio, and I of 
 Cephas, and I ofChrifl. Is Ghrift divided ? [ and fa 
 become a different Head to different Parties, where- 
 as he is but One Chrrft, and has but One Body, oc 
 One Church? 3 Was P aul Crucified for you ? or were ye 
 baptized in the Name of Paul ? I thank God I baptize J 
 none of you but Crifpm and Gaius, leafi any fliould fay> 
 that I had baptized in mine own Name, 1 Cor. 1. 12, 
 13, 14, 15. This PaiTage of the Apo£le is fufficient 
 to evince the Baptifm of Sectaries to be a meer Human 
 All, and that Chrift will not ratifie it as done in his 
 Name, as his Baptifm - y but altogether rejed it as 
 meer baptizing in and into the Name of a Schifm, a 
 Seel , as being done in oppofition to his Churchy 
 which alone hath the Right to admit and make 
 Members of Chrift's Body, and to tranfacl: in his 
 Name. For thofe who are bapized out of this One 
 Church , are not hereby conftituted Members of 
 Chrift, Children of the Spoufe, but the Jfiuriom Brood 
 of an Adulterefi, not the Heirs of Salvation, but of 
 Perdition. And thus it appears, that all Falfe Teachers 
 with their fair Pretences and Appearances are really 
 Wolves, Ravening Devouring Wolves, under the Maf* 
 qtterade of Sheep s- clothing, defraying and utterly ruining 
 the Souls of thofe ignorant unwary and fickje un- 
 fettled People, whom they deceive by their feigned 
 Words, their Fawning and Hypocrife, But 
 
60 The Anahaptijis Mhtiflry 
 
 But this is not all, there is a fecondary Stnk of their 
 ravenoufnef and murdering Temper ,- they are Cruel ' 
 Bloody , Barbarous without Human Affeclion , Pity 
 Mtrcifulnef and Commiferation, an infallible Mark by 
 by which they may be difcerned from True Cbrifii- 
 ans, as contrary to the Meek and Sweet Spirit ot 
 Christianity, as Christ is to Btlial, as Heaven to Hell, 
 as Light to Darknefs. Look over the Hifiory of all 
 ^ej of Chrifiianity to this day, the particular Hifro- 
 ries of all Chriftian Kingdoms and States, the Hifiory 
 of thefe Three Kingdoms in particular, and tell me 
 whether ever the Heathen Emperours, all the Ancient 
 Terfecutions of the Church by the word and moft bar- 
 barous Infidels in any part of the World ever exceed- 
 ed, or poflibly could exceed the Inhumanity and Cru- 
 elty of Hrreticks or Schifmaticks ; nay, I may rf?/er 
 without talking ot Paradoxes, that neither Heathen nor 
 Chrifiian Rome ever contrivd more exquifite and 
 horrid Punimments and Tortures, or even to be 
 faraflel d with thofe of Sectarians and Schifmaticks 
 wherever they have prevail'd : Neither did ever the 
 Devil exert his Malice to a greater height, or make 
 ftronger or more furious Afj'.iuks upon Ckriftianity, 
 than Ly the means of thefe Ravening Wolves in S beeps- 
 clothing, thefe Mock, thefe Sham-Chrifiians. I mall 
 no: defcend to Particulars at prefenr, bur. as occafion 
 may ferve, if God gives me leifure and opportunity, 
 I may enlarge upon this To pick afterwards. But I 
 defsre in the mean time it may be obierv'd as a mofl 
 demonftrabls Truth, that all the Setls and Schifma- 
 ticks that have been ever iince Chriftianity ,\\zvq. never 
 failed to make Difcoveries ot this Diabolical Anti- 
 chriftian Spirit as they have had opportunity, and 
 will never fail fo to do, when they have the Advan- 
 tage, as long as there is fuch a thing as Schifm in the 
 World. As I have often faid, fo I mail repeat it a- 
 gain j- There's but One Church of Chrifr, all to a tit- 
 tle 
 
Exammd and Difprov'et. 61 
 
 tie that iivtie and fepurate themfeives from this One 
 Church , are Falfe-Churches , Shaw-Churches, Sham- 
 Chrifrians, Synagogues of Antkhrift, confequently 
 Wolves, Seducers, Falfe Teachers (who as they were 
 moft d'.fperately Wicked in the Apo files time , and 
 Grand Pcrfecutors of the One Church then in its great- 
 eft Purity, and confequently Glory, (whatever No- 
 tions Carnal Worldly Perfons who have no true re- 
 ify of Christianity, may fancy to themfeives, the 
 Church never being more amiable and endear d unto 
 God, than when fhe is actually exprefling the height 
 and Jincerity of her Affeclions by her choice of Sufferings y 
 and when under the Croft) as might be plentifully 
 prov'd out of the Atls, and ether Apoftolical Writ- 
 ings,) fo it's foretold of them, that they mould grow 
 worfe and worfe, and fo perfecute the Church tverje 
 and wcrfe, and do more mifchief to Chriftianity y 
 (2 Tim. 7. 13.) as hath been wofully experienced 
 fince J>y the prodigious decay of all [olid Piety, the 
 Scandal and Stumbling- Blocks given and laid in the 
 way, and in bar to the Converfions of Jews, Hea- 
 thens and Turks • the growth of Atheifm^ Deifm, Seep- 
 ticifm , Irrehgion , hatiittdinarianifm , P r of an en eft , De- 
 bauchery and Hypocr.ifie to this very day, and the ge- 
 neral Ferfecuting Principles of them all, even of tbofe 
 amongft them, that have made the gieatSft Profcjfwn 
 and Boafts of Moderation, Meekneft, Peaceableneft, Pa- 
 tience, Forbearance and Humanity of them all, and ex- 
 claim'd molt vehemently, and condemn a the Fer- 
 fecuting Spirit, under the moft eafie and juft Profecutions 
 for the grande[i Villainies, and the ivorft of Crimes, 
 And thac which is moft obfervable of thefe Sectaries 
 is, however they may for Political ends, as the Dona- 
 tifis and Arrians did of old join and combine to pro- 
 cure a Comprehenfion or Toleration, yet at the fame 
 time their Principles being Diametrically oppofite to 
 each others, they hate each other mortally, anathema- 
 tize each other as Reprobates, Antichrijis and Infidels, 
 
 and 
 
6% the ifa&aptifts Mittzftiy 
 
 land Apoftates, Inftruments tif the Devil, &c. as may 
 ■btQ feen in all their Writings one againft the other, 
 may be obferv'd in their very Prayers and Preach- 
 tnentsy .and their unconverfiblenefs one with another 
 At all other times, as much as ever could be ob- 
 ierv'd in the averfations of the Jews from the Sama- 
 yipans, and the Accurfed Devoted Nations ,• and where 
 -any- one Seel gets the Afcendant, the Power into their 
 *own hands, perfecute each other unmercifully, and 
 then call Toleration the -Devil's Engine to batter. down 
 the- Church with, and declaim againft it as the. height 
 of Wkkednefi and breligion that can be ena&ed by 
 Man, and the Mafter-pieee of Satan himfelf. Judge 
 -now whether this Wolvijh Temper can be reconcifd 
 with the Do£rine of the Meek, the BleJJeJ, the Holy 
 Jefefs, the Spirit of the Chnfvan Religion, or -whe- 
 ther we ought to believe fuch to be Chrifiians , 
 -Members of Chrijfs Body : The Apofile tells us, The 
 -Fruits of the Spirit, ts Love, "Joy, Peace, Long* Offering, 
 -Gcntknefi, Gal. 5". 22. but that the Works of the Flejh 
 -[on the contrary] are manifest [eafily to be known, 
 "Self-evident, and net to be eafily conceal'd, or de- 
 -ny'd] -to all that have common -Underftandings and 
 
 Senfe, which are — Hatred, Variance, Enuda- 
 
 -tisns, Wrath, Strife, "Seditions, Herefes and the like, 
 -v. 19. 20. Wherever thefe are the Ingredients, and 
 "become the Principles of Parties, as amongft Seclari- 
 zwrthey are certain Charaticriftieh, not only of a 
 'Carnal, Worldly, but-even of a Diabolical Spirit, and 
 nvhen perfrfted in witheut ; Repentance the Infallible 
 ■Abodings of "Eternal DeftmBion. This Wohffi, Barba- 
 -rcz/s, 'Murderous and AjfaJJinat-ing Principle, can ne- 
 ver be a Samt-Uke Quality,- Our Saviour never an- 
 nexed any 'Bleffing to Inch (tho' thro' the Decekful- 
 Tiefs of Satan,, and his infernal Impulfe, thefe feared 
 1 Cov[c\cnce-s , thefe -bardr.sd Wretches call themfelves 
 Sai'rits and .Blsjfed, as familiarly, as ail-that aFe not 
 ^0 f their -Accused Clms, -Rtprvbatcs-and Qajhwwp ■' 
 
 But 
 
BiMmhtcl tinzl Difprovi!. £$ 
 
 Butour Saviour on the contrary, the Author of all 
 -Blepdnef, faith, -BhJJed are the Poor in Sprit, -Blefid 
 are' the *Mcek, 'Bletfed 'are the Merciful, Bkffed are the 
 Peace-makers, "Mat. if. Thefe are the Salifications of 
 the True Member s y of the One Church of C fori ft infiuenc-d 
 by the One Spirit- of 'Love, according to that of the 
 ApojHe to 'the Colojfims, c, .3. v. 12. Put on therefore & 
 the Elefl of God, holy and Beloved [as a Ghofen Ge- 
 neration, an 'Holy PriefThood, a Peculiar People, 
 theSegttilab, the One' CJmroh o( ^Chrift, therefore Be- 
 loved, becaiife in a moil: particular manner honoured. 
 above all other People by him, and marKd for his 
 own, his Treafure, his Jewels, his Inheritance'] Bowels 
 of Mercy, Kindnef, Humblenef of Mind, Meeknefi, Long" 
 fuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one ano- 
 ther, &c. "and above all thefe things put on Charity , 
 •which is the Bond of PerfeBnefi [that is, preferve the 
 Unity of the Church "Inviolable, make no Divijions, 
 no Schifms, ho Separations, with which Charity is as 
 inconfifient, as Love "with Hatred, Unity with Di- 
 fcordf] and let the Peace of God rule in your Hearts, to 
 the -which alfo ye are called in One Body, v. 15". i, e± 
 which is absolutely required in the Society of rke 
 Church, and without which it cannot well confift. 
 All things without it running into Diforder and 
 Conmfion, and for the want of which, Strifes, 
 Contentions, Animosities and Disturbances Tnuft arife, 
 and the Members be^fcattered and difpers-'d, and at 
 Wars and Variance with orie another, and the So- 
 ciety expos'd to diffolution. To the fame purpofe 
 lik ewif e the Apofik exhorteth the Epbefians, befeech- 
 ing them to walk-worthy of the Vocation wherswith they 
 mrer e called, with' all Lowlinef and Meeknsfi, Lmg-fuffer- 
 ing, forbearing one another h Love, ^tnd to endeavour to 
 keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, and that 
 they would not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and that 
 they Would put away all BitteYnefs, and Wrath, and 
 Anger, and Clamour, zn& Evil Jp&akh^ with all Malice, 
 Eph. 4. 1, 2, 3. 30, ;r, Ana 
 
64 The Anahaptifts MiwftrJ 
 
 And now I come to mew how it comes to pafe, 
 that thefe ravening Wolves, and their Adherents, thofe 
 who gives themfelves up entirely to their Conducl, 
 and tread in their Steps , and jufiifie their abominable 
 Aclions, as moft of their Followers do to a tittle, the 
 Evil Spirit feiz,ing them, and pojjejfmg of them as foon 
 as ever they are initiated in their profane Myfteries, 
 as hath been obferv'd of old in fome of 
 Long's wft. their Progenitors, The Gofpel, faith one, 
 Donatijts. p. f made the Lion as mild as a Lamb, but 
 l * 9 ' c among the notorious Schifmatkks J — 
 
 c not only Men, but Women, of Sheep, 
 * became Wolves ; of Faithful, Perfidious; of Patient, 
 ' Furious,* of Peaceable, Contentious,* and of 
 c Modeft, Impudent, &c.~\ are thus given up to a 
 reprobate Mind at prefent, and without Repentance, 
 confign'd to Eternal Mifery ; and that is, becaufe in 
 effe& [if not pofitively, and cxprefly] they have re- 
 nounced their Baptifmal Covenant, and deferted the One 
 Church, the Ground and Pillar of Truth, and the G^te 
 of Heaven and Salvation. 
 
 Of fuch, and their Followers, thus fpeaketh St: 
 Peter, 2 Pet. 2. 18, 19, 20. For when they fj^eak great 
 fwcllivg words of Vanity, they allure thro' much Wanton- 
 nefi • 'Thofe that were clean, efcaped fi^om them who live 
 in Error, who fromife them Liberty, they themfdves are 
 the Servants of Corruption, &C. For, if after they have 
 efcaped the Pollutions of the World, th) d the knowledge of 
 the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, they are again en- 
 tangled therein and overcome \i. e. by to; faking the 
 Church, and returning to the World.] The latter end 
 is worfe with them than the beginning. For it had been 
 better for them net to have known the way of Right eouf- 
 7ief, than after having known it, to turn from the holy 
 Commandment deliver d unto them * but it happened unto 
 them according to the true Proverb, The Dog is turned to 
 his Vomit 6<**in, and the Sow that was wcjhed, to her 
 wallowing in the Mire : Compared with Heb, 6. 4, 5", 
 
 6. 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 6$ 
 
 $. From this Paffage of St. Peter it's plain (i.) 
 That both thefe /J/* Teachers, and fome of their Ad- 
 herents at leaft, had been baptized, and were atlual 
 Members of the Church, it being faid of both, ver, 
 1 8, and 20. That they had efc aye d the Pollutions ofthe 
 World by Biptifm, as is imply'd, i>. 22. (2.) That 
 their Seperation, and dividing themfelves from the TJni<* 
 ty ofthe Church of Christ, is a returning to the World} 
 and to their L«/?j ; to forfake the Church., is to be 
 without, that is, to be *'» the World, and 0/ the World $ 
 as hath been already mewn ; it's in a great meafure 
 to Apofiatix^e from Christ, to ta£e ^rf with his Erte~ 
 mies : And of fuch Wolves and falfe Teachers it's faid., 
 1 Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit fpeaketh exprejly, That in 
 the latter times fome (hall depart from the Faith ; and we 
 read again of a falling away, 2 Thejf. 2. 3. Notwith- 
 ftanding this falling away from the Faith, and fepara* 
 ting from the Church, thefe wolves appear d in Sheeps* 
 cloathlng, profefs d themfelves to be Christians, and 
 under this Mask, this hypocritical Guife, deluded the 
 Unwary and Unstable. (3.) From hence appears noc 
 only the iinfulnefs, but the extream Danger that will 
 inevitably follow fuch Separations • For it had been 
 better, &c. ver. 21. Their Condition (for all their 
 Confidence and Boafing, and the vaft Conceit they 
 entertain'd of themfelves) had been better, if they 
 had never believed in, and made profjfion ofthe Truth 
 of Chrifi, and taken the Baptifmal Engagement upon 
 them : It had been better for them to have conti- 
 nued Pagans or Jews Mill, for as S. Peter faith of 
 them, Hereby they bring upon themfelves fwift Dtftrucli- 
 on, ver. 1. ofthe fame Chapcei. Whcfe Judgmety 
 lingreth not, and their Damnation fumbereth not ver, 3* 
 
 That they (hall be rejerved unto the Day of '"dgment 
 
 to be punijljd, ver. 9. Sh^ll utterly perijh in ti^eh ?wn 
 
 Corruption, ver. 12. Shall receive the Rwau. f 
 
 Unrightcoufnefs , ver. r. — For whom the Mijl of Ddrk~ 
 fief ts referved for ever, ver. 17. Of thefe Trees whoft 
 
 F Fruit 
 
66 The Anahaptifls Minijlry 
 
 Fruit withereth, "without Fruit 3 twice dead, pluck' d uf 
 hy the Roots ,• S. Jude faith, That, to them is refervd 
 the Uachnef of darknef for ever, ver. ig- Who were 
 before of old ordain d to this Condemnation, ver. 4. And 
 that they (hall periflj inthe Gain-faying of Corah, [being 
 guilty of the fame Sin, by fetting themfelves up a- 
 gainft the true Minifters of Chrift:] ver. 11. The 
 Apoftle admonifhes the Philippians, to beware of 
 thefe falfe Teachers, thefe Sectaries whom he calls 
 X>ogs, an Expreffion in ufe amongft the Jews for the 
 Gentiles, or thofe who were without, or out of the 
 Segullah, or the Covenant, the Church, and chofen of 
 God, Phil. 3. 2. JVhofe end is Deftrutlion, and mind 
 only earthly things, [their frefent Interefis, Pleafures, and 
 outward Eafe, being of the World, and influenced 
 only by a. Worldly, Carnal Spirit ,• ] ver. 19. Forfak- 
 ing [the Unity of the Church, the Communion of 
 Saints] having loved this prefent World [above Chrift, 
 Heaven and Happinefs, and the true Welfare of 
 their Souls,] 2 Tim. 4. 10. Therefore fuch fhall not 
 inherit the Kingdom of God, Gal. 5". v. 21. 
 
 Thus, in mort, you have the Characters of thofe 
 who made Seperations from the Church in theApo- 
 ftles times, and the terrible Sentence pafsd upon them 
 by the Spirit of God ,• But to prevent Mlfconfimcii- 
 ons and Mifiakes, I muft put in this Caution ; I 
 would not be eonftru&ed to alledge, that all in thefe 
 times feparate from the One Church of Chrift, are A- 
 poftates, of the fame level with thofe mention'd by 
 the Apoftles, or equally guilty of Apofiacy : No, I 
 would not be fo underftood, becaule there are De- 
 grees in Errors,fome greater, a.n& fome /e/7^r,according 
 to the Circumfiances or the Veffons, and the Degrees 
 of their Ignorance^ But however, all that feparate 
 from the Unity of the Church (efpecially as to the 
 Authors and Leaders of the Separation) are certainly 
 Apofiates, from Chriftian Charity to be fure, which 
 is the Life and Soul of our Christianity .• tho, perhaps, 
 
 fiOt 
 
Examined And Difprov'd. fo 
 
 not from the Orthodoxy, in the main of the Cb-ifiiua, 
 Faith , for it can never be allow'd, by thplhigfteft 
 ft retch of Charity, that Schifmaticks c?n be thoroivly 
 Orthodox, two Points of the Creeds muft virtual 6 
 difbwn'd by them ,• the One Church, and the Commu- 
 nion of Saints, in elTetf at leaft : Thus far ail Secta- 
 ries are ApoftaUs, by fbrfaking the One Churchy the 
 Communion of Saints, or the Members ot this One 
 Church, which are equivocal Terms ; and then by vi- 
 olating, or being deftitute of Chrijtian Charity (as 
 hath been faid, to go no farther) this muft be ac- 
 knowledge an horrid Apofiacy, and coniequently lia- 
 ble to dreadful Funifiment, tho' it be not io extream^ 
 nor arrives to the heighth of the Jewifli, or Gnofiick 
 Ayoftates, fo often mention'd in the Apofiolical Wri- 
 tings, (I mean, as to all the particular mode n Se- 
 Claries) yet it cannot be deny'd 3 if we deice/.d to 
 particulars, that lorne among them even exceed, if 
 podibly, thofe upon Record in thefe injpired and (a- 
 cred Writings. And if thefe Examples be recorded tor 
 cur Infiruclion , i. e. to avoid them, by giving us the 
 particular Characters, Defcripions and Marks oifalfe 
 Teachers, thereby moft evidently differencing them 
 from the true Suceeffors of the Apoftles, the Miniftry 
 inftituted and fetled by Chrift himfelf, it's almoifc 
 next to impoffible, for a true fmcere Chrifiian U ke 
 impos'd upon by them, or to be miftaken in making 
 Application ot thefe Marks to fuch Seducers. Other- 
 wife Chrifians would be left to the greater} Uncertain- 
 ty imaginable, could never have any moral AJJurance 
 of Safety as to Communion, be ever liable to Doubting*, 
 Difiraclions, and Defpair it felf, as by m^ny fad Ex- 
 periences we may be convinc'd amongft thefe Strag- 
 lers from the One Church, running from Seci to Seel, 
 very frequently, till they have tired and wearied 
 themfelves quite out, till they have either quite be- 
 wildred themfelves, and loft their Understandings, 
 and at laft dying, f eking and dejpairing, ever learning, 
 
 F 2. and 
 
68 The Analaptifts Mini ft ry 
 
 and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth s 
 2 Tim. 3.7. becaufe, out of the Way, out of the 
 Road of it. For Truth is only to be fought after in 
 the One Church, the ViUar, ahd the Ground of Truth, 
 1 Tim. ;. v. 1 j. The Church here, is compared 
 to a Pillar, becaufe it upholds, maintains, fupports, 
 or bears up as it were, the Truth of God's Worfhip, 
 or the true Worfnip of God, God being only wor- 
 shiped and ferved aright, according to his own Infii- 
 tution and Appointment in thhOneCburcb ; and by being 
 ccnjfticuom , dijcemible, or vifible as a Pillar, doth hereby 
 exhibit and propofe the Articles of Belief or Chrifiian 
 Faith, and the true Wormip of God, to be the Ob- 
 fervation and Notice of all the World befide : Or 
 fecond'y, as the Learned Gothofred obferves, becaufe 
 the Church is like a Pillar with an Infcription upon it, 
 holding forth the Oracles and Word of God, and his 
 Covenant with his People to all that pafs by, and 
 will ftand and read it : And then laftiy, the Holy 
 Scriptures in oppofition to all Errors, Herefies, 
 Schifms, &c. And fo in this fenfe, the One Church 
 js call'd the Pillar of Truth. The fame Author 
 calls it (uvbsvkQ- one Pillar in oppofition to the ma- 
 ny Pillars of the Heathen Temples , on which 
 their various Myfteries were written and expos'd to 
 publick view, becaufe they had many Temples, many 
 Deities, and various Rites and manners of V/orfinp * 
 whereas with the Chrifiians there's but one God, and 
 one Faith, one fiat ed and fix'd manner otWorfirip, the 
 fame Sacraments or Myfieries ; and as all the Members 
 ofChriff, however difiant and differs d over the Face 
 of the whole Earth, confiitute but one Body, Society or 
 Church ; fo all the Chrifiian Temples, tho' many in 
 Number, and can't be otherwiie, are in effect but 
 One Temple. 
 
 Hence then it follows, that Truth is to be fought 
 after, and found only in the One Church, the only 
 Depofuory of Truth ^ Chrift hath lodg'd it there a- 
 
 lone. 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 69 
 
 lone, She is the Confervatrix of it,- To the Church 
 he hath committed the Holy Scriptures, the Divine 
 Oracles, in which this Faith is contained , and from 
 thenoe it is to be learned, and its the One Church 
 that muft propofe, promulge and propagate this Truth; 
 But then it muft be confider'd again, that the Church 
 is faid to be the Pillar and Groud of Truth ; but in a 
 fecondary fenfe, that is only Minijter tally, or by her Va- 
 pors, not Originally or Primarily, for fo only Chrift, 
 the Truth, and the Gojbel are the Pillars of the Church 
 and of the Faith. Now in this lower or fecondary 
 Senfe, the * Church is the Prefer<vcr of the 7>»r^ by 
 her Legitimate or frae ge»#- 
 
 ine Minijlers, and »,0»c but * $i bite ita fe babent , ut 
 fuch are entrufled with the VERITAS NOBIS adjudicetur 9 
 
 WW of this Divine and £ M " MB f; « M ^"k ***■ 
 TT ' a 1 , rv 7 1 t- annus, quant Eccleha ab Apo- 
 
 Heavenly ?«**/ and 7><«- m> ; j^, . c ^ ^ 
 
 Jure, the Oracles of Gcd, /?«, i £ eo tradidh, conjiat ra- 
 and the Ho/y Writings they *« propofiti noftri, definientis 
 
 are only accredited with M 7 V*/* *hte*ndu Haretico* 
 
 , s\ s>i j jl <*" tneundam ae crtpturis provo- 
 
 the One Church, and the cmW) Jaw fine f Scri pturis 
 
 One Priefihocd i Or Miniffry* probamus ad fcripuras mn perti- 
 
 they */o#e can />/<;-ivi any we. Si enim Haretiei Junt 
 
 Rivht or Claim to them, Chriftiani effr non poflunt, 
 
 , «> , r 1 -r. /r rr • »0» a Chrtto habenao quo An 
 
 the^ lawful PovTeflion is fua elelUm 'J eSiati hara ) cmm 
 
 theirs alone, all Hereticks nomine admittum. Ita nonCbri- 
 and Schi/maticks, Seels and #fow\ nullum jus capiunt 
 
 Chriftianarum literarum , tfi 
 5z«ox merit dicendum eft, qui eftis ? Quando & unde veni- 
 ftis ? «^mz^ f« wt?o agitis non mei ? J$>uo denifc Marcion jure filvd.ni 
 meant cadis ? ^ua licentia Valentine fontes meos tranfvertis ? qua. 
 poteftate Apelles limites meos commoves} Mea eft pofleflio, quid hie 
 cater i ad voluntatem veftram feminatis & pafcitis? Mea eft poflef- 
 fio, olim pofiideo, prior pojfideo, habeo Origines frmas ab ipfis Aufto- 
 ribus quorum tuit res- Egofumha?res Apoftolorum: ficut cave- 
 runt teftamento f'uo, fum fiJei commiferunt, ficut adi#raverunt, hx 
 teneo. Vos certe exheredaverunt femper & abdicaverunt, ut extraneos, 
 ut inimicos.Unde a extranet & inimici Apofttlis hareticifiiji ex diver- 
 fitate VoUrina-, quam unufquifqj de fuo arbitrio adverfut Apojiolos dut 
 frttulit attt recepit. Ten. de. Prefer, cap. xxxvii. 
 
 F $ Parties, 
 
jo The Anahaptijls Miniflry 
 
 Parties, by forfaking the One Church, have forfeited 
 their Right, and left thefe ineftimable Treafures be- 
 hind them by their own Atf, they have loft all Right 
 and Giaim to her fpiritual Treafures and Privileges ,be- 
 caufe as loon as any one either forfakes a Society or 
 Corporation voluntarily, or is juftly expelfd it, he 
 is iffo fatfa ftript and divefted of all its Immunities, 
 Rights* "Privileges and Benefits, and bears no longer 
 any relation unto it, no more than if he had never 
 been admitted an actual Member of it. 
 
 c O ! Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy 
 c trufi, avoiding prophane and vain Bablings, and Oppo- 
 c fitions of Sciences faljly fo called, i Tim. 6. 30. O ! 
 c this O ! an Exclamation, refers both to Prefci- 
 e ence, or Foretelling^ and Charity. The Apoftlefore- 
 c faw thefe Errors and Novelties , which he be- 
 
 * wails in a true Zeal and Concern for the Truth 
 
 * and Church. Who is now this Timothy, but the 
 c Univerfal Church, or the whole Body or College of 
 c Paftors ? Who ought to poifefs the entire Know- 
 
 * ledge of the Worinip of God. and to infufe it into 
 J others ? What is. Keep the Depojituw, or that which 
 
 * is committed to thy Truft ? Keep it, faith he, 
 
 * preferve it, by reafon of Thieves, falfe Teachers, 
 c Enemies, leaft while Men fleep, they tow Tares a- 
 ' mong that good Seed of Wheat, which the Son of 
 c Man fow'd in his Field. Keep, faith he, that which 
 
 * was committed to thy tr.fi : What is this Depofitum 
 ( that was committed to thy Truft :Not what is thy 
 ** proper Invention ; Which thou didfi receive, not what 
 f thou haft devifed : What thou haft learn d or been 
 
 * taught, not the Contrivance and Invention of thy 
 € own Wit : Not for thy private life, but a thing 
 e publickly delivered, and for the Ufe of the whole 
 f Church ; Not what thou art the Author of, but only 
 
 * the Conferver and Keeper : Not thy Inftitution, 
 
 ' but of Which thou art a Follower. Keep, fays 
 
 t he, that which was committed to thy Truft; 
 
 c Keep 
 
Examtrid and Difpr&vd. 71 
 
 Keep the Talent of the Catholic Faith, inviolable 
 and untouched. That which is committed to 
 thee, let this be deliver'd up by thee [as thou re- 
 ceivedft it uncorrupted, pure, unblemiih'd, with- 
 out any Alloy.] Thou haft received Goid, re"- 
 ftore again Gold, don't return one thing for ano- 
 ther, I will not have thee impudently iubftitute, 
 lead or fraudulently to put off Brafi : I won't be 
 put off with the outward appearance of Gold, I 
 muft have real Gold again. O J Timothy. O ! 
 Prieft. O) Preacher, if the Divine Function 
 hath qualified thee, by Exereife, by Learning, 
 and fufficiency of Skill, be thou the Bezaleel, the 
 Builder of ihe Jpiritual Tabernacle , engrave the preciom 
 Stones of Divine Do^rine, exactly fquare and fit 
 them, polifh and trim them up wifely, and add 
 Luftre and Gracefulnefs, and Beauty to them, let 
 that which was before look'd upon as difficult and 
 obfcure, be rendred clear and intelligible whilft 
 thou expounds it. Let Pofterity be obliged to 
 thee for underftanding that clearly and diftinclly, 
 which in former times was only venerated for its 
 Myfticalnefi and Abftrufenefs ; however, take this 
 Caution along with thee, Do thou fo teach what 
 thou haft learnt , that when thou makeft new Dif- 
 coveries of what was unknown before, thou doft 
 not broach new fangled Do<5frines,but 
 old Truths in a new Method. So the c$mmonh. cq. 
 Famous Vincent. Lirinenfis. xxvii. 
 
 Again ; e O I Timothy, keep, &c. 
 Avoiding prophane and vain Bablings, (or ac- 
 cording to the vulgar Tranflation) prophane Novel- 
 ties of words, new fangled Words or Phrafes; Turn 
 afide from them, flee and avoid them as a Viper 
 or a Scorpion, or Bafilisk, leaft they ftrike thee 
 not only by their touch, but likewife by their 
 fight and difcourfe. What is meant by avoiding? 
 With fuch as thefe, no not to eat. What is. Do 
 F 4 Choa 
 
72, The Anahaptijls Miniftry 
 
 ' thou avoid ? If there come any unto you, and bring 
 ( not this Doctrine, [ 2 John 10. J What Doclrine , 
 f but the Catholic, Univerfal, continuing and re- 
 
 * mainirtg one and the fame fucceflively thro' every 
 
 * Age, and to all Eternity ? What then ? Receive 
 c him not into your Houfe, neither bid him God- 
 
 * fpeed : For he that biddeth him God fpeed, is 
 € partaker of his evil Deeds,, ver. 11. What is pro- 
 c phane ? Which have nothing of Sacrednef or Reli- 
 c gion in them, altogether foreign, and unknown 
 
 * to the Church, which is the Temple of God. Of 
 
 * Words, thac is, Novelties of Doctrines, Things 
 ' and Opinions which are contrary to Antiquity. 
 f Which if they be entertain'd, it's neceifary, that 
 ' the Faith of the bleffed Fathers muft wholly, or 
 
 f in a great meafpre be violated or 
 Commonit. cap. * corrupted. Vine. Lirinenfis. 
 xxjuii. Again, the fame Catholkk, Orthodox 
 
 and venerable Writer, lays down this 
 for a CharaSteriftic and di [criminating Property of Here- 
 ticks and Schifmaticks to delight in, and to fet up 
 Novelties., 6 Avoid (faith the Apoftie) Novelties 
 
 * of Words and Phrafes, to entertain or follow 
 f which was ever the Pra&ice of Hereticks, but ne- 
 
 * ver of Catholicks. And in good truth, what e- 
 
 * ver Herefie but ffirung up under fome certain Name, 
 
 * Thee or Time. Whoever fet up Herefies, but who 
 
 * firft departed from t,he Confent of Universality and 
 
 * Antiquity ? And fo he proceeds to enumerate a 
 
 great many of the molt notorious Herefiarchs. 
 
 r* — ■ ' By all which (faith he) it's clearly manifelt- 
 f ed to all, that it's the Property and Cuftom of all 
 f Herefies,to delight in Novelties, to naufeate Anti- 
 f cuity, and by Oppofitions of Science falfely fo 
 " call'd, to make Shipwrack of the faith. On the 
 
 Other hand, it s the Vroperty of the Catholicks, to keep 
 
 the Depofta, to hold fa ft to the Do&rines of the Fa- 
 
 ; tk$rs 3 and to condemn proyhans Novelties : AncJ as the 
 
 ■ Apoftie 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 73 
 
 c Apoftle hath faid again and again, If any one 
 c preach unto you any other Gofpel than that ye 
 * received, let him be accurfed , Gal. 1. 8. Now 
 what is given here in charge to Timothy, in refercncs 
 to the Sacred Depojitum, 1 Tim. 6. 20. Of keeping 
 the Faith inviolable, uncorrupt, untainted; by the Holy 
 Apoftle, is meant alfo of, and given in charge unto 
 all the Pafiors of the Church throughout all the A- 
 ges of it ,• And the things (faith hej that thou hajh 
 heard of me among, or before, many Witnejfes, the fame 
 commit thou to [other] faithful Men [2 Tim. 2. 2.] 
 who Jhall he able to teach others alfo ,• that is, the Form 
 of found Words [2 Tim. 1. 13.3 That good Thing which 
 •was by me committed to thee, ver. 13. Wholfom words , 
 the words of the Lord Jefus Chrifi. The Doclrine which 
 *r according to GodlinejS, 1 Tim. 6. 3. calfd, the Com- 
 mandment, ver. 14. Sound- Doclrine, 1 Tim. 1. 10. 
 2 Tim. 4. 3 . The Truth, ver. 4. My fiery of Godlinefi, 
 1 Tim. 3. 16. My fiery of Faith, 1 Tim. 3. 9. This 
 Charge is repeated fundry times in both thefe 
 Epiftles, i Tim. 4. 13. 1 Tim. 6: 14. 2 Tim. 3. 14. 
 and 1 Tim. 1. 3. -— Charge fome that they teach no other 
 Doclrine (than what they received from us, ) or any 
 other contrary to , or upon different Principles 
 from my Doctrine.] Oxf. Annot. in loc & Annot. in 
 Gal. cap. 1. v. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 3.- That the Truth, the 
 Faith, the Gofpel may be continued in an uninter- 
 rupted Succejfwn of fuch Vafiors, Minifiers to the 
 Worlds end, againft all prophane Innovations, and di- 
 verfity of Opinion, however boafted of, as Know- 
 ledge, Science, ejrc. See the Oxf. Annot. on 2 Tim. 
 2. 2. 1 Tim. 1. 14. 
 
 To this purpofe, and for this end, the Tafiors of 
 the Church are call'd Stewards of the Myfteries of 
 God [Difpenfers] fuch as are efpecially entrufied, 
 (ommijjionated and authorized fo to do, from whofe 
 Lips the People are to require the Communication 
 ©f this Sacred Knowledge, and by whom they are 
 
 to 
 
74 Tfo Aftahaptifis Minifiry 
 
 to be built up in the Holy Faith of Chrift Jefus, be- 
 ing an Order of Men, peculiarly fet apart to this great 
 work, to feed them with this living Bread, and Hea- 
 venly Manna, the Holy Word of God. Hence the 
 Apoftle exhorts Timothy, and in htm all ib.&Pafiors of 
 the Church, to give Attendance to Reading, to Exhor- 
 tation, to Dotlrine, and to take heed to his Dotlrine, 
 i. e. to Preach found Dotlrine, and the Truth only^ 
 ttnmixt, fine ere, uncorrup, unrebttkcable , as it is in 
 Chrifi Jefus, as it came and was received from him, 
 and chofe to Whom it was revealed by the Spirit, 
 i Tim. 4. 13, 14, tj, 16. To fight the good fight of 
 Faith ; 1 Tim. 6. 12* That is, to contend earne^ly 
 for the 'truth, and to maintain it againft all Gain- 
 payers and Oppofers that refifi the Truth, and adulterate 
 it, To keep this Commandment unrebukeable until the ap- 
 pearing of our Lord Jefus Chrifi, ver. 14. To do the 
 work of an Evangelifl or Preacher, or Tromulger of the 
 Truth, or Doclrines of the Gojfiel that he had learnt 
 from the Apoftle , 2 Tim. 4. 5. cow/>. 1 7/Vw. 4. 6. 
 2 Tim. 1. 13. 3. 14. 
 
 From what hath been faid then it appears by di- 
 re<ft Confequence, that as the Myfieries of Chriftia- 
 nity, the Form of found words, were committed to 
 the care and keeping of the traitors of the one Church, 
 that there's no ordinary way of receiving, or attain- 
 ing thefe Truths out of the one Church, becaufe there 
 are no Paflors, no Stewards, no Teachers, no Evan- 
 gelifis but in this one Church, therefore whoever 
 would come to the knowledge of the Truth, and feek a£- 
 ji:er the Truth, muft feek it in, and from the one Church, 
 From that particularOrder of Men whofe Bufinefs and 
 Employment, or Function it is to ihtruft Mankind in 
 the Myfteries of the Gofpel, and to apply them- 
 felves diligently, and to give attendance to Heading, 
 to Dotlrine, 1 Tim. 4. 1;. To the Study of, and Me- 
 ditation on the Holy Scriptures, in order to explain 
 them unto others. 
 
 And 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. j$ 
 
 And to convince us of what great Authority their 
 Joint Exfofitions of the Holy Scriptures, and prefe- 
 rable to any of private Interpretation, efpecially as to 
 what is of Common or Univerfal Concern, and of gene- 
 ral Obligation to all Chrifiians, either in reference to 
 the Faith, the Unity and EJfence of the One Church, 
 the Sacraments and Morals, or Pratlicals of Chrijliani- 
 ty, I think it not improper to tranfcribe here two or 
 three eminent PaiTages out of fome venerable and 
 famous Ecclefiafiical Writers, for the farther Explica- 
 tion and Confirmation of what I have been treating 
 about. 
 
 c And leaft any one mould rafhly, and inconfide- 
 c rately (Taith Vir.centins Lirinenfis) prefume to flight 
 c and contemn the Venerable and Catholick Con- 
 c fent of the Bleffed Fathers [the Paftors of the One 
 { Church'] the Apoftle tells us in the i Cor. 12.28. 
 ' And in the Church of God hath fet fome ; Firft, Apo- 
 c files [of which himfelf was one] Secondly, Pro- 
 
 * phets [fuch as Agebus, of whom we read in the 
 € Ads ,• ] Thirdly, Teachers, or Doctors, ver, 8. 
 (See Rom. 22. 7. I Cor. 1%. 2. Ephef. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 14. 
 6. See alfo 2 Cor. 11. 6. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 5-. 1 Cor. 8. 
 1. ExprelTed by Dothine and Teaching elfe where, 
 1 Tim. 5-. 1 $•. 1 Tim. 4. 13. Oxf. Annot. in v. 8. 
 1 Cor. 12.) c whom we call now Preachers, or Ex- 
 ' pofitors of the Holy Scriptures, whom the fame 
 c Apoftle calls fometimes Prophets, becaufe by them 
 
 * the Myfteries of the Prophets were open'd, or ex- 
 c plain'd unto the People. Whoever then mail de- 
 
 * fpife any of thefein a Divine manner fet and con- 
 c ftituted in the Church of God, being of one and 
 c the fame mind as to the fenfe and meaning, as to 
 f the Catholick Do&rine, he defpifeth not Man, 
 c but God, from whofe Orthodox, Unity, Confent 
 c or Agreement, leaft any one mould differ, the 
 f fameApoftle moil earneftly intreateth,faying,Now 
 ? I befesch you Brethren } bj the Name of our Lord Jefus 
 
 ' " ! Chrifi, 
 
7 6 The Attahapttjls Miniflry 
 
 c Chrifi, that ye all Jpcak the fame thing, and that there 
 c he no Divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly 
 c joined together in the fame Mind, and in the fame 
 ' Judgment. But if any Man mould diflent from 
 c their Communion or Unity of Judgment, let him 
 c hear that of the fame Apoftle, God [the Donor of 
 fuch Gilts] is not the Author of [Diffention and] Con- 
 fufion, but of Peace, as \_wt{tQ fuch things 
 Oxf. Par. were orderly done] in all [other] 
 in he . Churches of the Saints • (i Cor. 14. 33.) 
 
 that is, of the c Catholick or Orthodox, 
 c which are therefore calfd Saints or Holy, becaufe 
 f they perfift in the Communion of Faith, (or the 
 Commonly or Univerfally receiv'd Faith.) c And 
 e leaft any private Verfon overlooking [and arrogant- 
 c ly difdaining] all others fiiould fez up himfelf, or 
 ' give out that he alone ought to be heard, and be- 
 € Heved 1 A little after he addeth [and in thefe 
 things, I your Apoftle require your Obedience and 
 Conformity to other Churches] What ? came the 
 Word of God [or the Gofpel, firft] out from you ? 
 Or came it only unto you ? [that you iliould pra- 
 ctice in fuch tilings contrary to the Directions of 
 me your Apoftle , or the Example of ancienter 
 Churches in Chrift.] 1 Cor. 36. Paraph. Ox. And 
 to prevent this being flightingly or fcornfully re- 
 ceived, he adds, ver. 37. If any Man [amongft you 
 pretend, or] think himfelf to be a Prophet, or fpiri- 
 tual [or gitted] that is a Teacher, a Prcfcffor of 
 c lpiritual things, let him by all means be a Lover, 
 c and Admirer, and ftudious of Equality and Uni- 
 c ty [or Unanimity] not preferring his own private 
 c Judgments and Opinions before others, nor rece- 
 c ding from the ftated and agreed Senfe of all. But 
 * if any Man will be ignorant of the Command- 
 c rnents of the Lord [from Divine Infpiration,ver. 37. 
 c Paraph. O*.] That is, either wjll not be inform'd 
 f of what he knows not, or defpifeth when known, 
 
 Mec. 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd, 77 
 
 let him be ignorant [at his own peril, fince he is 
 Efficiently inform'd, ver. 30. Paraph. Ox/.] That 
 is, he ihall be accounted unworthy to be refpecl- 
 ed by God [or own'd by him] amongft thofe, 
 who are uniced in Faith, and equal in Humility, 
 than which Evil nothing can be even imagin'd 
 more fevere and fiiarp. Vincentius Lirinenjis Com- 
 monlt. Cap. 40. 
 
 From this, and the foregoing Paffages of this an- 
 cient Writer, we may obferve, as there is but one 
 Gojfel, becaufe but one Truth, one Rule of Faith, fo 
 the Senfe and Meaning but one, and that declared beft 
 and mofr lafely, by the Unanimous Confent of thofe 
 whom ChriH hath constituted to be our fpiritual 
 Guides, Teachers and Expofitors, the Paftors, the Mini- 
 fiers of the Church Catholick, their Catholick Interpreta- 
 tions, Expofitors, Commentaries the certainetf Means W9 
 have left us, to come to the true Knowledge, right 
 Under/landing and Meaning of Cbrifiian Dotlrine and 
 PrabJice, becaufe the Divine Oracles were delivered 
 into their Hands, committed to their Charge and 
 Keeping from the beginning of Chriftianity, and are 
 to be continued fo throughout all Ages to the End 
 of the World, for the Edification of the Church ', and 
 that that Senfe cr Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, 
 or thofe Doctrines have the greatefi Claim to Truth, 
 that have the concurrent Teflimony of the Paftors of the 
 Church in tht^emotefi and purefi Ages of 
 Chriftianity $ That Truth is ancienter and p Cr £ ui! ' ^ 8 
 exified befor£ Novelty, true Dotlrine before XI ix. 
 Herefie ; That that which was firfi delive- 
 red by Cbrifi or his Apofiles, or their immediate Succejjors, 
 hath the best Plea and Prefcriftion for Truth, and that at 
 for Error and Faljhood, that was trumpt 
 up afterwards, or in latter Ages [or at leaft Id. ca. xxii. 
 after the Delivery of Truth. ~\ 
 
 So then if we fearch after Truth, we muft fearch 
 for it where it may be found, where it is depofited, 
 
 viz,. 
 
78 The Anahaptifls Mimfiry 
 
 viz,; from the lawful genuine Truftees, and Stewards, 
 the Paftors of the one Church to whom Chrifi hath 
 committed it. Chrift is but ont , the Way but <>»<?, 
 the 7r«/A or i^/M but one, the Vriefthood but o»e, and 
 all thefe 0«w to be found only in the one Body, or 
 owe Church of Chrift : ' The * Dcclrine, the /»//>«- 
 
 c fiflw of Chrift but one , 
 
 * ^z« />«««■ hoc propono, c always the fame, inva- 
 
 urrnm utiq; 0* cmum aliquid. ( riable ,* which all Nati- 
 
 inftitutum ejfe a Cbrifto, quod « ons are oblig'd to be- 
 credeve omni modo debeant Ntti- < i* _„ „„j nm u„ /<A _j 
 
 •««, ?j**« j«*r Wl «K- c lieve, and embrace, and 
 
 fm cum invenerint credere, <&c: f O hold tall it they WOU'd 
 
 Tertull. ie Prefc. cap. ix. ( § be faved, and therefore 
 
 c to feek after it, and when 
 c they have found it, to believe it, to keep it invi- 
 ' olable, and then never to feek any farther, &c. 
 
 * The reafon, faith he again, of this Saying [of 
 ' our Saviours, Seek and ye mail find] confifts in 
 f thefe three Articles, in the Thing, the 7i>»*,and the 
 
 * Manner. In the Thing, what we are to feek. The 
 ; Time when, the Manner how. Therefore we 
 
 * muft enquire and feek after what Chrift hath infti- 
 ' tuted, io long as we do not find it, and fo long 
 
 * till we. find it. But thou haft found it, when thou 
 c haft believed, for thou hadft not believed ir thou 
 r hadft not found it ,• for as thou hadft not believed 
 
 * if thou hadft not found, fo thou hadft not fought 
 
 * it, but in order to find it. To this e*nd thou feek- 
 c eft, that thou mighteft find, and for this end thou 
 f (halt find that thou mayft believe. Thou haft 
 
 fix'd and defin'd the whole Time of feeking and 
 
 c finding, by believing. This is the Ne flits 
 
 s ultra that he hath determin'd and bounded thee 
 
 with, that would have thee believe nothing be- 
 
 fide what he hath in joined and inftituted, and 
 
 therefore not to feek any longer. But, if becaufe 
 
 c there are fo many other things inftituted by others, 
 
 S therefore we muft feek fo long as we may find, 
 
 ( we 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 79 
 
 we muft be always feeking, and never believe at 
 all. Where will there be an end of feeking, a 
 flop to our believing, and a Difcharge from find- 
 ing? With Marcion? But Vakntinus cries out, and 
 urges, Seek, and you {ball find ,• with Vakntinus ? 
 But Appettes, and Htbion 3 and Simeon, and all the 
 reft [of the Her sticks and Falfe-teacbers~\ teize me 
 with the fame Note, to draw me over to their 
 Party : Therefore I'll be of none of thefe Se#s, 
 iince I am attack'd on every fide, with afeek and 
 ye Jhall find [and never the nearer, and ftill to 
 feek.] And thus they would have me be of no 
 Party, as if it were impoffible ever to underftand 
 that which Chrift hathinftituted, which neverthe- 
 lefs muft be fought, and muft be believed. TertuU. 
 de Prefc. cap. x. 
 
 6 Again, no one feeks, but he who had not, or 
 hath loft. The Woman that loft the piece of Sil- 
 ver, fought it diligently • but when me had found 
 it, fhe left feeking, Luke 15-. The Man that had 
 no Bread, therefore knock'd up his Neighbour * 
 but after he arofe and gave him the Loaves, he 
 ceafed knocking, Luke n. The Widow that im- 
 portund the Auftere Judge, after he had aveng'd 
 her of her Adverfary, left off being any farther 
 troublefome unto him, Luke 18. So that here's 
 an end of feeking and knocking, and asking ; 
 For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that feeketh 
 findetb 3 and to him that knocketh it jhall be opened, 
 Luke 11. v. 10. Let him obferve and consider 
 well who always feeks, becaufe he doth not find; 
 He feeks there where it cannot be found. Let 
 him confider, who's always knocking, becaufe 
 it's not opened unto him : He knocks there where 
 no body is. Let him take notice, who's always 
 asking, becaufe he's never heard • for he asks of 
 him who doth not hear. Tertutt, de Trejc. adv. 
 Hanf. cap. xi. 
 
 ' Altho' 
 
80 The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 f Altho' hitherto we muft feek, and always, yet 
 c where muft we feek ? among Hereticks, where all 
 c things are ftrange and contrary to our Truth ? 
 ( To whom we are forbidden to go, [2 John 10. 
 
 11.] What Servant hopes to find Food from a 
 i Stranger, or at leaft from an Enemy of his Matter ? 
 c What Soldier takes a Donative , or Pay from 
 ' thofe who are not Confederates, much lefs from 
 ' Kings that are Enemies, unlefs he turns Renega- 
 ' do -or Deferter, or Rebel to his Mafter ? The 
 c Woman look'd for her loft piece of Silver within 
 f her Houfe. The Man that wanted Bread, knock'd 
 c at the Door of his Neighbour. And the Widow, 
 
 * tho' fhe was importunate and troublefom to the 
 
 * fcvere Judge, yet he was not an Enemy. No 
 c one can be edify'd or inftructed from whence he 
 4 muft expect DeftruAion ,• nor be illuminated by 
 c that [or him] which involves him in [greater] 
 c Darknefs and Oblcurity. Tertull. de Trefc. cap. 
 c xii. 
 
 f Therefore, faith the fume Writer, we put in 
 c this Exception againft Hereticks [and Innovators, 
 and lay down this as a certain Rule, Teft, or 
 Ku%e*otf to diftinguifli and diicriminate Do&rines by.] 
 
 * If Jefus Chfift tent his Apoftles to teach, that no 
 ; other Teachers are to be received than thofe 
 ' whom he hath appointed [or fent] None other 
 c knows the Father but the Son, and thofe to whom he 
 c hath revealed him ? neither doth it appear that the 
 c Son revealed him to any other than to the Apo- 
 c fries, when he fent to p/each what he had reveal'd 
 ' unto them. But what they Preacrfd, that is, 
 4 what Ghrift had Reveal'd unto them (here I put 
 
 * in my Exception) can no otherwife be prov'd, 
 ' but by thofe Churches which the Apo files Built, by 
 6 preaching unto them, as they fay, by word of 
 
 * Mouth, and afterwards by their Epiftles or Wri- 
 
 * tings. If it be fo, then it's manifeft, that all 
 
 * Doctrine 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 81 
 
 * Doctrine that doth agree with the Faith of thofe 
 
 e Mother and Original Apoftolical Churches, muft be 
 c look'd upon as true [ Orthodox and Genuine ] as 
 c holding that which the Churches received horn 
 c the Apoftles, the Apoftles from Chrift, and Chrift 
 f from God : But on the contrary, that all other 
 c Doctrine muft be adjudged [and rejected] as a 
 c Lie, which contradicts, or is oppofite to the 
 c truth of the Churches and the Apoftles, and 
 c Chrift, and of God. Tertull. d. Prefer, adv. Heref. 
 cap. xxi. 
 
 To this I (hall add one Prefcription more, or Ex- 
 ception that Tertullian puts in bar againft all the Her 
 reticks and Sectaries of the World, that ever were, 
 or ever ifiall be, becaufe they are all as contrary one 
 to the other, as they are to the truth itfelf ; becaufe 
 it is una, one indivilible, as Error is multiplex, ma- 
 nifold, big or pregnant, with many other : And as 
 Her ejus and Schijms have their discriminating Singula- 
 rities and Opinions, fo all contrary, oppofete to Apoftoli- 
 cal Doctrine and Truth, and deflrucl'vve of Chrifiian 
 Faith, and all this an infallible and fad Confequence 
 or going out of the One Church, the Pillar and the 
 Ground [or Stay] or Truth • Oxf. Annoi. c What 
 cannot they do, what will they ftop at after their 
 Blafphemy ? But tho' they forge [and coyn] new 
 Opinions, &c they ftiai] get nothing by it, for 
 their Doctrine itfelf compar'd and let in view 
 with that of the Apoiiles, by its diverfity and 
 contrariety {hall pafs Sentence, that it's none of 
 the Apoftles nor Apoftolical SuccefTors, becaufe 
 as the Apoftles taught not [preach'd no different 
 Doctrines amongft themfelves, fo the Apofiolici~\ 
 or the immediate SuccefTors of the Apoftles, did 
 not give out contrary Doctrines to what the Apo- 
 ftles preach'd, except thofe who feparated from 
 the Apoftles, and fo preach'd otherwife. Tertull. 
 d. Prefer ipt. c. xxxii. 
 
 G Having 
 
%z The Anahaptifts Mini ft ry 
 
 Having, I hope, fufficiently evincd by the pre- 
 ceeding Paragraph, that the Apofiles and their Suc- 
 ceffors were the 7rufie.es of the Oracle of God, the 
 Holy Scriptures, the Truth, the Faith, by which eve- 
 ry fincere Believer experts and hopes to be faved ; 
 that it is their Office to preach the Gofpel, as being 
 fent by Chrift, and Authorized and Commiffiorid there- 
 unto, and inverted with the fame Authority that 
 Chrift himfelf was, as I mall mew you by a mort 
 dedutlion from the Scriptures themfelves ; that there- 
 fore they Vreach the Goffel authoritatively, and all 
 that would be faved, muft hear them reverently and 
 obedientially , as peaching to them in Chrijfs ftead ; 
 and it will and muft follow, that no other but com- 
 miffiond as they were, none but lawful Paftors, their 
 Lineal Succeffors, deriving their Orders or Commiffions 
 by an uninterrupted SucceJJion from the Apoftles, and 
 fo from Chrift the Head of the One Church, can chal- 
 lenge this Audience, this SubmiJJion and Obedience, or 
 preach authoritatively , fo as to lay an Obligation up- 
 on Mankind, to receive them and hear them,* they 
 muft produce thefe their Authentic Credentials, before 
 they can prove themfelves Vaftors or Teachers, before 
 the Faithful can be obliged to receive them or reve- 
 rence them as the AmbafTadours of Chrift. 
 
 The Dedutlion I promis'd, is this -, St. Paul ex- 
 prefly teftifies, that no Man taketh this Honour [of 
 Priefthood] unto himfelf, but he that is called of God, 
 as was Aaron, (i.) Then as to Chrift himlelf, he 
 adds, that Chrift glorified not himfelf to be made an High- 
 Vriefi, but he \i. e. God] that Jaid unto him, thcu art 
 my Son, this day have I begotten thee ; as he faith alfo in 
 another place, thou art a Vriefi for ever, after the order of 
 Mekhifedec, Heb. v. 4, 5-, 6. And this is my beloved 
 Son in whom I am well pleafed, hear ye him, 
 Matt. 17. 5. Moreover Chrift declareth more than 
 once, that he did not ccme of himfelf, but that he 
 Violent ofhirathatis True, that is God. Job, 7.28. 
 
 Job. 
 
Examined and Difprov y d. 83 
 
 Joh. 3. 4.2. And then as to his DoBrine, he fays, I do 
 nothing of ltip fdf, but as myFather hath taught ?»?, 
 1 ffeak thefe things, Joh. 8. 28. Again, as the Father 
 gave me Commandments, even fo I do, j^* I2 » 3 1. 
 The Words that I fpeak unto you, I fpeak not of 
 my felf, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he 
 doth the Works, Joh. 14. jo. 
 
 Secondly, As to th;; Apoftks and their Succeffors, 
 all Power (faith our Bleffed Lord) is given unto me in 
 Heavtn And in Earth, go ye therefore and teach all Na- 
 tions, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, 
 and of the So?!, and of the Holy Ghofb ,• teaching them to 
 obferve all things wkatfoever I have, commanded you, 
 and lo I am -with you [and your Succeffors] to the end 
 of the World, Matt. 28. 18, 19, 20. As thou haft fent 
 fne into the World, even jo have I alfo fent them into the 
 World, Joh. 17. Then faidjefus to them again, Peace 
 be unto you, as my Fit her bath fent me, even fo fend I 
 you, Joh. 20. 21. Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for 
 them alfo which Jhall believe on me thro' tfylVt Word, Joh. 
 17. 20. Ye have not chofen me, but I have chofenyou, 
 and ordain'dyou[coniHtutedjj'o«to be my Paftors^ii- 
 xifters , Reprefenfatives , Subftitutes , Ambaffadours, to 
 a<ffc in my Name., and in my Mead ] that you jhould go 
 [being fent by me] and bring forth Fruit [convert the 
 World by preaching, promulgating, publiflung the glad 
 Tidings of the Gofpel, reconciling — Iff oh. ij. 16. He 
 that heareth you [that preach in my Name, and by 
 my Authority] heareth me, and he that defpifeth 
 you, dffifeth me, and he that deffifhh me, defpifeth him 
 that fent me, [even defpifeth God himfelf who Au- 
 thoriz'd me, and inverted me with Power from a- 
 bove for this great Work,] Luk. 10. 16. Nay, our 
 Bleffed Lord declares it with an Oath ,• by this 
 means demonftrating the Grandeur of the Apoftles 
 Authority, and that of their Succeffors in th*e exercife of 
 their Minifterial Function, particularly as to the A<Sfc 
 of Preaching , and the indijfenfabkneft of the Obliga- 
 
 G 2 tion 
 
84 The Anahaptifis Miniftty 
 
 tion to hear them, and receive their Meffage, ag- 
 gravating the Heinoufnefs of the Guiit of thofe who 
 rejed: them, and confequently Punifhment ,• Verily, 
 verily, be that recelveth whomsoever I fend, recelveth me • 
 and he that recelveth me, recelveth him that fent me, 
 John 13. 20. And he gave fome Apoflles, andfome Pro- 
 phets, and fome F.vangcli(is, andfome Pafiors and Teach- 
 ers, for the f erf effing of the Saints, for the work of the 
 Mini fry, for the edifying of the Body of Chrift y &C. 
 Eph.4. 1 1. 12. &c. That we henceforth be no more Chil- 
 dren tojfed to and fro, and carried about with every Wind 
 cfDoffrine [every new fangled Opinion] by the fight 
 [fuch flight r.s is ufed by Gamefters, to cheat and 
 over- reach others] of Men , and cunning craftinefs 
 whereby they lie in wait [as Thieves are wont by the 
 High- way, watching their Opportunity] to deceive 
 [to tr apan and feiz,e the Unliable and Unwary.] 
 (The Mifchief that thefe can do, are prevented by 
 the Gifts mention'd ver. 11.) ver. 14. See the Oxf. 
 Parr, and Annot. on the Place : See alio 1 Cor. 12. 
 28. where the Apoftle repeats the fame Order efta- 
 bliftYd by Chrift in the Church, and to obviate the 
 Invafiom and Ufurpations of Falfe- teachers , and Wolves 
 m Sheeps-cloathing : He adds in the next verfe, Are 
 all Apofles ? Are all Prophets, are all Teachers ? Is e- 
 very one a Preacher, or Minifter of the Gofpel pre- 
 fently, who audacioufly takes upon him this Sacred 
 and High Funffion ? Is every Holderforth or Babbler, 
 or Inventor ot new unheard of monfirotts Opinions and 
 DoShines, to be entertain'd, and heard, and obey'd 
 forthwith without any more to do, as an Apoftle, 
 an Oracle, and fent by Chrift, and deputed by him ? 
 One fent by himfeif, coming of himfeif, crea- 
 ted by himfeif, ©rdain'd by himfeif, call'd by none, 
 but by the Suggefiion and Impulfe of the Author of all 
 Diforder, an& Confajion, and Mifchief, by the lnfiigati- 
 on of his own Impudence, impell'd thereunto by his 
 own Spiritual Pride 3 Ambition, Malice, Revenge, 
 
 Worldly 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 85- 
 
 Worldly and Carnal Interest, or Necejfity, to be adord, 
 run after, to be the Head of a Tarty, Faclion, and to 
 promote Tome fecret ambitious Defign againft Church 
 and State, to make his Fortunes when his Trade or 
 Employment fails him, by defrauding fome, and rui- 
 ning of others ; or whilft he is an Ignoramus or Botch- 
 er in his own Calling, to fancy he mall be in this 
 Holy Function, a Workman that netdeth not be afuamed, 
 rightly dividing the Word of Truth? [2 Tim. 2. 1 y.] 
 Of fuch our Bleffed Saviour pronounceth with an 
 AfTeveration equivalent to an Oath ; Verily s verily - 9 
 I fay unto you, he that entreth not by the Door into the 
 Sheepfold, but climbeth up fome other way [by any of 
 the foregoing Motives] the fame is a Thief and a Rob- 
 ber : Bui he that entreth in by the Ddor £ according to 
 Chrift's own Inftitution, by lawful Ordination de- 
 rived by Lineal Succeffion~\ is the Shepherd of the Sheep, 
 John 10. 1, 2. And no other let their Pretences 
 rrom Corruptions in the Church, Negligence of Vaftors, 
 the mosl abfolute Necejfity that can be imagin'd, they 
 are and can be nothing lefs than Thieves and Rob- 
 bers, and none but wicked or ignorant People, can or 
 ever mall be deluded or circumvented by them : 
 For this is a certain Maxim, and comes from the O- 
 racle of Truth it felf, That the True and Genuine 
 Sheep of Chrift, the intelligent and fincere Believ- 
 ers, Chrift tans in reality, do not, will not follow 
 them, mail not be deluded by them $ they hear the 
 Voice of the True Shepherd, ver. 3. but know not 
 the Voice of Strangers, but as foon as they hear it, 
 flee and run away from them, perceiving by the 
 Odnefs, Novelty, and Contrariety of their Dcclrines to 
 that of the True Shepherds, that they are Wolves, 
 Thieves, Robbers, Falfe-prophets, and Seducers, v. 5*. 
 
 Judge now by this fhort Deduction, of the Sacred- 
 nefi and Inviolableneft, as well as abfolute Necejfity of 
 the Gofpel-Miniftry. 'Tis Chrifi himfelf that is the- 
 Fountain, and ftands at the Head of this Qoffel-Suc- 
 
 G 3 ceff 
 
86" The Anahaptifts Miniflry 
 
 ceffion of Minijters in his Church : The Inftitution 3 
 Ghrift's own proper AH ; 'Twas he that caWd and 
 chofs the Apoftles to be his Minifters ; 'twas he that 
 gave them the Power and Faculty or traducing or 
 propagating this Holy Fun&ion in a perpetual Conti- 
 nuation of a pirfonal SuccejJion 3 by a particularClaufe in 
 that very Commiffion by which tbemfelvts were 
 created V afters of the One Church : "Twas himfelf 
 that beftow'd upon them and their SucceiTbrs, this 
 procreative Power, (inftead of thy Fathers, thou 
 fhalt have Children, whom thou mayft make Prin- 
 ces in all Lands, Pfal. 14. 16. J to the end of the 
 World, without any Failure or Interruption. To this 
 purpofe, the Prophet Ifaias (that Evangelical Pro- 
 phet) My Spirie that ts upm thee, and my Words 'which 
 I have put in thy Mouthy pall not depart out of thy 
 Mouthy nor out of the Mouth cflhv Seed, nor out of the 
 Month of thy Seeds Seedfaith. the Lord, from henceforth 
 and for ever. Ifa. 5*9. 21. And I have fet Watchmen 
 upon thy Waifs* O J&rufalem 3 which mall never hold 
 their Peace clay nor Night ,• ye that make mention 
 or the Lord, keep not filence, Ifa. 62. None but 
 hwful Paftors crdain'd by fuch, who derive their 
 Succeffion Irom the Apoftles, arid fo from Qhrift him- 
 felf, and fmt by them, have Authority to Preach the 
 Gsjpel. That Preaching is a Pa-floral or Minifterial 
 Acl, appears from the Apoftolicd M/JJion or Commif- 
 fion, Go preach • and from divers Texts lately cited 
 in the Deduction, a Cwfeeptent or M'fjion or being fent 3 
 and fo limited or confin'4 to this MiJJion ; the ufur- 
 ping whereof is the Charatlenfick of' Wolves 3 Thieves^ 
 dec. of thofe who run of 'their own heads } of thofe 
 whofe Voice the Sheep know net, but flee them ' againft 
 whom the Faithful are fo often cautioned by Cnrift 
 and his Apoftles, as hath been fnewn already : More- 
 over an Acl of the highefi Rebellion againft Chrift, to 
 £ake upon them to Preach in his N.ime, and to Ad- 
 viraifter Sacraments without his Authority 3 nay, direct- 
 
 iy 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. %-j 
 
 ly and exprefly againft it, and in oppofition alfo to 
 it, a Guilt that terminates not only on themfelves, 
 but involves all that receives them, and adhere unto 
 them, as taking farts and fiding with Rebels and Ufur- 
 pers, befides the defrauding themfelves of the true 
 and real Means of Salvation which Chrift hath ap- 
 pointed and provided Tor them. All the Ads perform- 
 ed by fuch Ufurpers bing Invalid, and Nullities in 
 their own Nature, as largely proved before. 
 
 From this Deduction we may make likewife this 
 Observation, that our BleJJed Lord hath connected the 
 Means and the Administrators of them fo clofely, that 
 one cannot be divided or feparated (as to the ordina- 
 ry way of Salvation^ from the other, fo that the one 
 cannot be (ordinarily) had without the other : Preach- 
 ing and Preachers, Go teach all Nations, inftrudfcing 
 them in the Faith, in the way of Salvation, Difci- 
 ple them, Baptize them, Admit them, Enter them 
 into the Kingdom of Heaven. 7\> the fame pur- 
 pofe the Apoftle likewife connects Faith and Hearing, 
 with Preaching and Teaching, take the word how 
 you pleafe ; Rom. 10. 15, 14, 15. For [fo Joel'] 
 Whofoever Jhall cat upon the Name of the Lord, Jliall be 
 fr.ved. But how then jhall they call upon him, in whom 
 they have not believed ? And how Jhall they believe in 
 him, of whom they have not heard ? And how Jhall they 
 hear without a Preacher ? And how Jljall they preach ex- 
 cept they be fent ? From which words it is obvious 
 and plain, that the MiJJion of Preachers is as necef- 
 fary to lawful Preaching, as Faith is to call upon God 
 duly or rightfuly, or as Hearing is to the attaining of 
 Faith, or laftly, as Preaching is to effecl Hearing in us ; 
 as the Apoftle hath not lefs divinely than elegantly in- 
 ferted them in the fame Series and Contexture of 
 Speech. But Faith is altogether necelTary, in order 
 to call upon or invoke God, as is felf evident : In 
 like manner, Hearing in order to get Faith, for Faith 
 cometh by Hearing, as the Apoftle faith, vcr. 17. 
 
 G 4 and 
 
88 The Anahaptifis Minijlry 
 
 and then Preaching is no lefs neceffary to Hearing, be- 
 caufe Hearing, as the fame Apoftle faith, ccmeth by 
 the Word of: God, in the lame Verfe ,• and Miffion, 
 as neceffary to the preaching of this Word, as well 
 obferv'd by a Learn d Man. 
 
 Again, from the foregoing Deduction we may in- 
 fer this Conclufion • If the Son of God himfelf, 
 Jefus Chrifi, came not to Preach, but as he was fent 3 
 nor Taught any thing but what he had learn d and 
 heard from the Father, nor acted any thing but what 
 he had a Command for ; and, which is farther ob- 
 fcrvable, in a juncture of rime, wherein Reformation, 
 if ever, was highly neceffary, who, I pray, is he 
 (unlefs infpir'd and immediately inftigated thereunto 
 by the Spirit of Antic hrifi) that without being fent 
 or commifiioned in a regular way, mall dare to fee 
 up a New Priefthood, and confequently New Doct- 
 rines under the colour of Reformation, ok -purging out 
 Corruptions , fupplying Deficiencies, and enjoying purer 
 Ordinances ? &c. Is not this taking upon them more 
 than even Chrifi himfeH did, who neither ofiumed 
 fuch an Authority, nor preached any thing, but what 
 he heard and received from the Father ? If this be 
 not Antichriflian, then nothing is or can be fo : For 
 'tis abfolutely incumbent upon all thofe who fepa- 
 rate from any part of the One Church (which muft be 
 fuppcs'd to have a true and lawful Minifiry, or elfe it 
 cannot be a Church) or undertake to reform Abufes 
 in it, &ic:. to prove themfelves lawfully and rightfully 
 fent, and commiilionated for that Work, or they 
 muft be accounted Schifmaticks, the Authors of Con- 
 fufion, Innovators and hnpo(lors : Here's no mincing 
 the matter, becaufe once allow that private Per- 
 sons by their own Infiinct and Impulfe, a Power to 
 erect Churches , fet up Altar againft Altar, to Congregate 
 Members, Adminifter Sacraments, Preach up new Doct- 
 rines, Expound and Glofi upon the Scriptures at their 
 pleafare/twil! follow/hat every one that pleafes may 
 
 do 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. 89 
 
 do the fame, (and if this be Gofpel- Liberty, and the 
 Right of every Man, who can hinder them ? ) and 
 then farewel to the Peace and Order, and Unity of the 
 Church, Unity of the Faith, Ordinances, Minijlry, and 
 Chrifiianity it felf. For it's impoflible there ever 
 mould be wanting Pretences and Colours for Reforma- 
 tion, Separation, Dicifions, Difcords, and the like, fo 
 long as there are Men of corrupt Minds and Princi- 
 ples in the World, and fuch as will follow them, as 
 this Nation fufficiently experimented from 1641, to 
 the Year 1660. And as we have now fin ce this 
 Toleration, for the fpace of 18 or 19 years, and were 
 it not for the Over-ruling and Merciful Providence 
 of God, that retrains the Violence and wicked Dejigns 
 of unreasonable Men, 'tis more than probable that the 
 very Name of Chrifiianity had been near Extinction 
 among us e'er now. 
 
 But now to return to you of the Anabaptiftical 
 Perfwafion, to whom in particular I addrefs this 
 Difcourfe, If Chrift be the Fountain and Root of all 
 Jpiritual Authority, from whence do our Sectaries and 
 You, my Friends, derive yours ? If you would 
 make it appear that you derive it from Him, you 
 muft derive it from him mediately, or immediately, or 
 elfe you are Antichrifis, as may be proved from your 
 own Confejfions in your Writings. Mediately, I am 
 afraid you cannot.; mew how your fir ft Authors de- 
 rived theirs, who were their Ordainers, and fo con- 
 vey'd the Power of Ordination unto them, to be tranf- 
 mitted unto others. For inftance fake, prove your 
 vifible SucceJJion for thefe lafl Three Hundred Years, if 
 you can • we will be contented for the prefent with 
 fuch a Period, and will not drive you farther, nor 
 urge you to traduce your Million or Succcffion from 
 beyond the Seas,- or if you pleafe, you may if you 
 can ,• nay, take your Liberty to go as high as you 
 will, and to do your utmoft, but no Chafms, Breach- 
 M, or Interruptions, will or ought to be allow'd you, 
 
90 The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 as prove a plain, a total htercificn : For if fo, 'tis a 
 plain Cafe that the Church may fail in general, 
 which is contrary even toC.briftian Faith^ and Cbrift s 
 abfolute Promifes. Heavctt and Earth may fooner pafe 
 away than the leafl tittle of his Promife • we may as 
 foon fuppofe that Chrift {hsll ceafe to be Chrift, as 
 fuppofe the Failure or his C.burtb : If that can fail 
 then the Gates of Hell arc of greater Force and Preva- 
 lence than Heaven, than Chrift himfelf. Nay, mould 
 the Church Univerfal be deftitute of its Parlors but 
 for one Hour, it would be a Breach of Promife, and 
 a Reflection upon the Veracity of Chrift its Head, 
 which can never be imagin'd by any true and fin- 
 cere Chriftian, and cannot be even fuppos'd, orfur- 
 mis'd in the leaft but by fuch as are worfethan even 
 Pagans, nay, if pcflible, than Derils, it being the 
 very Heighth' and ^u'mtejfence of Blafphemy, and fub~ 
 verfive of all our Chriftian Hope, and fo undermi- 
 ning Salvation it felf. To fuppofe This is to overturn 
 our Chriftian Faith, and even to banilK the very 
 Notion of God, the Myfteries of 'the Incarnation and 
 Redemption, and Heaven and Future Happinefs, out 
 of the Minds of Men, and to transform them into 
 meer downright Atheifts, and fo take our Leaves of 
 Religion. Shew me but when the Church of Chrift 
 was ever deftitute of lawful Paftors, and I'll readily 
 then acknowledge you to be the One Church, and 
 even what you pleafe be fides, or that Chri/lianity it 
 felf is the raoft monftrom Cheat and Impoftttre that 
 ever was contriv'd or forg'd by the Wit of Man. But 
 then withal I muft tell you, if you can't produce 
 me the Inftance demanded, you muft cont'efs, or at 
 leaft all dijcernrng and impartial Men befides will, 
 That you are the mcft impudent Hypocrites that ever 
 liv'd in the World, Blafphemers, Antkhrifts, and ob- 
 noxious to all God's Judgments threatned, and due 
 pntofuch, 
 
 Sse 
 
Examind and Difprov'd. 91 
 
 See now into what dejfierate Dilemmas you betray 
 your (elves, by fetting up at this time of day, after a 
 Revolution of fo many Ages, after a Chafin or Interval of 
 fo many Hundreds of Years, from the Afojlks Times, 
 t\\\ your fir ft ft ar ting up into the World ("but here I ar- 
 gue from that time, let it commence when it will, 
 from whence you have continued your Succejfion, fuch 
 as it is, to this very day, and no other Time or Times, 
 for I look upon them as nothing material in the leaft 
 refpecY) for the true, genuine, only (exclufive of others 
 in prefent being) SucceJJors of the Apoftles and Minifters 
 of Chrift, implying hereby, that all that preceded 
 you for a Thoufand Years, and much more, were no 
 better than Pagans or Turks, cut of the GoJpeUCove- 
 nant and Promifes, and Privileges, bore no Relation un- 
 to, or had any Intereft in Chrift's Sacrifice, Satisfact- 
 ion, Propitiation, Redemption, Merits and Interceffion, 
 and coniequently Damn'd : That there was no 
 Church, no Communion of Saints, no Members oiChrift, 
 during all this fpace, confequently no Head of the 
 Church, (where there's no Body, there can be no 
 Head) no Mediator, [Ephef. 4. 4, 5.] no Intercejjor, 
 no Means of Salvation, no Grace, no Faith, no Hope, 
 no God, no Holy Spirit, no Heaven, no Hell. All 
 this muft follow, and fo the Gofpel a meer piece 
 of Forgery and Impofture, and your feives a parcel of 
 Atkeijls and Cheats, all your Godlinefi nothing but 
 Artifice, Policy and Tricky to Jhame and gaggle and be- 
 fool a parcel of credulous, ftupid and unthinking Sots, 
 and to drive on your particular Defigns, and Projecti- 
 ons, and Interefts to gain and enclofe the World, and 
 ail its prefent Advantages into your own Hands. 
 Thefe Confequents, I muft tell you again, follow 
 fo /tAand clofe from your Practices (the beft Inter- 
 pretations of your fecret Principles, whatever you 
 publifli to the World as a Cloke or Mask to cover you 
 from the Difcovery of others, for Mens Principles 
 are beft known by their Fruits') that you can never 
 
 difcharge 
 
92, The Aaahaptifis Minijlry 
 
 difcharge yourfelves or get rid of them, unlefs ye 
 can (in confequence of your being the True Church, 
 the Saints, and fo the only PoffefTors of Grace) prove 
 that fiale Principle of your Progenitors, that Dominion 
 or Right to this World's Goods is founded in Grace, 
 and that in Confequence of That, you have a Right 
 quocmque modo, its no matter how, or by what Means, 
 to recover the PoJJ'ejfion again : For, by the way, 
 this is one of your main Arcana Imperii, the Secret of 
 Sccrets,3is 'tis too fadiy known by manifeft and mani- 
 fold Experiences ,- and for the Recovery of your 
 pretended AntUnt Rights, no Measures, no Methods, 
 per fas ant nefas, are ftuck at by you, and all other 
 Sectaries leaven d with your Principles : You have 
 an antient Right, this Right you may profecute by 
 any probable Means, probable as to the Succefs, Fraud, 
 Perjury, Murther, Sacrilege, Rebellion, &c You are 
 the Saints, all Others Reprobates, Cafl-aivays, Firebrands 
 of Hell, Antichrifts, Brats of the great Whore of Baby- 
 lon, Idolaters, Apofiates, Enemies to God and Chrijt, 
 Ufurpers of the Rights of the Saints, to Out them, and 
 to deftroy them, the indifpenfable Duty of all that 
 have the Means and Opportunity, no matter how, 
 and fo all the Villany in the World fandiffd, Uw- 
 ful % pious, meerly by being put in practice by the 
 Saints. 
 
 To came a little clofer to the Point in hand then, 
 as I faid, you muft prove your Miffion, your Minifiry, 
 if you would be accounted to have any, either Me- 
 diately or Immediately. If Mediately, prove I fay 
 again, your Succejfion. Produce your Ordainers that 
 iranfmitted this Succcffion down unto you. Do your 
 ielves fo much Right as to give us their Names that 
 we may know who they were ; when and Witney 
 firft of all C onfi it uted any oi' yeur foregoing Minifiers, 
 or Pafiors, in this Ifland : Let us know whence 
 they Derived their Miffions, and Power to impofe Hands 
 for the Making of Aftnifters; or whether they wer© 
 
 not 
 
Examind and Difprov'J. 93 
 
 not Self- created, taking their Origin from Themfehes m 
 I will not pofuively condemn you ,• perhaps you have 
 more to lay for your felves than I, or many more 
 knowing, are aware of. The Inferences I have 
 made run upon Suppofition, that you cannot prove or 
 make good your MiJJion ; and poflibiy you keep ma- 
 ny things to your ielves upon Referve, till you are 
 fore'd to give 'em vent by being prefsd hard to it. 
 All I have to fay at prefent is only this, That by 
 what I can learn from the very little and late Conver- 
 futicn with a very feiv of your W- kings, I am per- 
 fuaded no Argument of em can bear water, cvfiand 
 the Teft • therefore I truft, without any Breach of 
 Charity, I may venture to fay, You can never get 0- 
 ver the Confequences you are fb liable and expos'd 
 unto. But to do you all the Juftice I can, and to 
 give you fair play, I fliall now addrefs my felf to ex- 
 amine a little thofe Arguments you infift upon, to 
 ajj'ert and vindicate your prefent Ministry by. 
 
 In the firft place then, I find in your Confeffion of 
 Faith, Printed in the Year 1699, Chap. 26 of the 
 Church, §. 9. you tell us, That " The WAY AP- 
 " POINTED by CHRIST for the Calling of any 
 <c perfen, Fitted and Gifted by the Holy Spirit unto 
 <c the Office of Bijhop or Elder in a Church, is, . 
 fC That he be chofen thereunto by the common 
 " Suffrage of the Church it felf; and quote Act. 14. 
 23. and refertas co the Original for the Proof of this 
 Way : In fiiort, by the Election of the Memberfhip of 
 the Particular Church. This you fay is the Way ap- 
 pointed by Chrift. 
 
 In Anfwer, fhould this appear not to be the Way 
 appointed by Chrift, pray tell me, What fort of Sin 
 are you guilty of then ? In the firft Place, Where 
 hath Chrift deliver'd any fuch Way as this in all the 
 New Testament ? There's not one Syllable or Tit- 
 tle of it in all the Gojfels, or any thing that looks 
 like it in the leaft imaginable Degree, neither Pre- 
 cept 
 
94 The Anahaptifls Miniflry 
 
 cept, nor Example. He chofe the Apo files hirnfelf, 
 he constituted the Seventy.- Here's no mention of 
 the People, in reference to the Matter in Hand ,• and 
 if we cannot find it in the Acts or Epifiles, then all 
 this Platform is caihier'd at once ,• then it will prove 
 to be a mere humane Invention and Figment at the 
 beft, an Ignis fatuus, a New Light ; that is, a meer 
 Innovation and Error, and Blafphemy into the Bar- 
 gain ,• becaufe, contrary to all Senfe as well as 
 Scripture, father'd upon our blejfed Saviour, and pro- 
 phanely calfd His Appointment. And fince there are 
 but three Texts urg'd to build this Phantafm upon, I 
 fhall in fliort examine them, and begin firft with 
 that Text referr'd to in the Margin, Acts 14. 23. and 
 confult the Original as dire&ed : yti&mnottv7it <A&'*u7»« 
 w£Z0$vri$K r&T htuxMnajf. &c. And when they had ordain d 
 them Elders in every City, &C. which, according to 
 your Senfe, ought to be render'd thus, And when 
 they (that is, the People ) had chofen them, or 
 to themfelves, Elders by common Suffrage in every 
 City, and had prayed with Fafting, they commend- 
 ed them to the Lord on whom they had beleiv- 
 ed. 
 
 In anfwer to the Inference you draw from this 
 Text for the Peoples Right in Election of Elders, I 
 /hall obferve, 
 
 ii?, That here is no exprefs mention in the Text 
 or Context, of the People or Church members in the 
 leaft, as to this Affair : Here's no Direction given 
 to them to loook out any Fit or Gifted Perfons for the 
 Mini(iry, or to choofe, &c. nor any Act mention'd in 
 all this PafTage, but of Paul and Barnabas confirming 
 the Souls of the Difciples, exhorting them, &c v. 22. 
 and of Paul and Barnabas Ordaining them Eiders, 
 nothing of the Peoples Electing to themfelves Ei- 
 ders. 
 
 2.dly, Granting #»#7wi<w7w to refer to the Peo- 
 ptej then there will follow ibme ftrange Abfurdicy 
 
 which 
 
Exammd and DifprovJ. 9$ 
 
 which will deftrcy the Senfe and Coherence of the 
 whole PafTar^e, which evidently, from v. 21 to the 
 End o* the Chapter, is fpoken or Paul and Barnabas; 
 And when THEY had preach' d the Goffel, &c. ver. 21. 
 THEY 'return 'd, &C. ver. 22. and when THEY had or- 
 daind &CC. THEY cemmethkd them to the Lord, ver. 22; 
 And after THEY hid p. ;.'../, ver, 24. and when THEY 
 h.:d preached , &;c. THEY went down, &c. wr. 25'. and 
 thence fail'd to Antioch, from whence they had been recom- 
 ?nendtd to the Grace of God for the Work which THEY 
 fulfilled, vtr. 26. and whenTHEY 'were come,&tc. THEY 
 rehears'd, &c. ver. 27. and there THEY abode , &C. All 
 thefe THEYS are fpoken of Paul and Barnabas, and 
 iffo, then not of ch- People. Then, 
 
 idly, It will foliow, That Paul and Barnabas Or- 
 dain'd thefe Elders, thefe Pajlors to prefide over thenr, 
 that is the Difciples or New Con-verts, to minifler to 
 them in fyiritual Things ; Co that the Word %ie?nvn- 
 auvTit, is appropriated to, or predicated of Paul and 
 Barnabas, excluiive of the People or Church-Mem- 
 bers being intereiTed in either their Eleblion or Ordi- 
 nation, or in the leaft concurring in this Acl: for any 
 thin? that appears from this Text, or any other in 
 this Chapter. 
 
 4?%, 2£wm(\<mvTt< therefore in this Place, if it be 
 rendred by giving Votes or Suffrages, muft fignifie on- 
 ly thefe two, Paul and Barnabas, going to Vote for 
 Elders, which is very abfurd, there being no man- 
 ner of Grounds for any fuch trifling Notion, and 
 therefore in Propriety it ought not to be conferuded 
 fo, but only their Appoinitng Elders or Paftors over 
 the Converts hereby, by Ordinatian or Impofition of 
 Hands, and is equivalent with KaSktZi,, Tit. 1. 5-. For 
 this caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou Jhouldjl fet in order 
 the things that are wanting, ^ i&Ta<ritK( , and ordain JE/- 
 ders in every City ) which is us'd for a compleat Con- 
 
 fHcution oi Office, as Ails 7. 10. And he made him 
 
 (that if, Jofeph) Govemour, v&fam t over zs£gypt, and 
 
 all 
 
96 The Analaptijis Miniflry 
 
 all his Houfe ; So Luke 12. 42. And the Lord [aid, 
 Who is that faithful Servant, and whom his LordJhaU 
 make Ruler , h %a\*<ritfH faH 7?$ ^ifenrtitti *wt» , over his 
 Houjhold ? 
 
 Or $thly, If y ou w i^ contend for this Senfe of 
 the word xi&whv, to fignifie to Elecl, by giving of 
 Suffrages, you ought to make it appear that this is 
 the conftant Senfe of the Word, or produce fome pa- 
 rallel Place or Places to enforce this Signification 
 of it here, which you, nor the Independents have ever 
 been able to do, that I know of,- tho' we find the 
 Word ufed in fome other Text importing the fame 
 fignification I have urg'd, viz,. Confiltutlng, Ordain- 
 ing, Appointing, exclufive of Ele&ion by Votes, "Ex- 
 tending or Stretching out of the Hands, as in ABs 10* 
 41. Not to aU the People, hut chofen before of God, 
 G&YAXjHyiwinAiiois or preordain'd ; I hope you will 
 not lay by Votes and Suffrages, and therefore this 
 cannot be urg'd as the neceifary meaning of the 
 Word, fince it may imply the AB ofChoofing, or 
 Choice in one as well as in a many. Befides, the 
 word hath been fo us'd, even in Roman and Greek 
 Authors, when predicated of Jingle Perfons ^ for 
 which I refer you to Dr. Hammond, in his Annot. 
 on the place. 
 
 6thly, Allowing, according to your Senfe, that 
 %"wm{\(m.vTit ttvrSis ^i^uii^t > fignifies EleBed them 
 Elders by lifting up of Hands, or by common Suf- 
 frage, in Grammatical Confcrudion, as I faid, it 
 mud be meant of the Apoltles Eledion,by lifting up 
 of, or ftretching out their Hands ; and thus the 
 People are cafnier'd from the Right of Eledion 
 (which I fuppofe j^«, with the Independents, make 
 the Effmce of Vocation, and likewife Ordination) by the 
 Text and Context fo far as can be Logically dedu- 
 ced from them ; and confequently you can never 
 make it appear from the Text, that Chrlfi ever ap- 
 pointed this way for the Calling of any fitted or gifted , 
 
Examined and Difprovd. gf 
 
 &c. unto the Office of Bijhop or Elder ——by the 
 common Suffrage ot the Church it felf^ that is^ by X^y- 
 Members from this Text, which doubtlefs, the Com- 
 pters of your Confeffion chiefly infifted on, and there- 
 on laid much Strefs, referring to no other place of 
 Scripture but only this fingle one, which is as far 
 from being a Precedent, as it is from being a Precept^ 
 as hath been fliewn $ and if you cannot better affert 
 it in your Senfe, I fee not how you can be excufed 
 from wre fling and perverting the Scriptures, and ad- 
 ding to them at pleafure ; and therefore by publijh- 
 iag your felves to be Falfe-teachers of Novelties, if 
 not guilty ot Blafphemy , in making Chrift the Author 
 of your Errors ; as well as Antichrifls, by thivartmp 
 and running Counter to his Jnftitutions, which you pre- 
 tend to be fuch literal Sticklers for, and by doing 
 your felves what you fo impetuoufly and boldly con- 
 demn in others, dv™ict,7ux.envt, are J 'elf- condemn d out of 
 your own Mouths and Writings, as may be prov'd 
 in another place. 
 
 As to that Text out of ABs 6. 3, ^ 6. from 
 whence you infer the Peoples Right and Power to 
 Eletl Deacons,, I have thefe things to reply : 
 
 FirB, It may mod: apparently be concluded from 
 the Context, that the Reafon why the Apofiles order'd 
 the Multitude of the Difcipks to lock out Seven fit or 
 qualify 'd Perfons to be made Deacons, principally to 
 attend upon the daily Miniflration or Difiribution of 
 Alms for the Suftenance of the Poor, was on Account 
 of their Murmurr'mgs and Difcontents that arofe among 
 them in reference to that Bufmef, that upon fuch 
 their Choice, the Apoftles might be eafed of that un- 
 eafy Charge and Burden, and to allay their prefent 
 Heats, and keep them quiet for the time to comej 
 and from this their own Ad: to take away, as far as 
 poffible, all Occafion of Complaints as to the mat- 
 ter in hand, the impartial Cafe of the Poor. It's 
 impoffible to infer any thing elfe from the whole 
 
 H paffaga 
 
d 
 
 9S The Anahaptifts Minijlry 
 
 pa'ffage but only this, That the Apoftles bid them,, 
 amongft Perfons fo and fo qualified, to nominate Se- 
 ven ; and this is the whole Bufinefs, and nothing 
 elfe as to the Difciples or Members, the whole of the 
 Apoftles Defign that they thought fit to impart or 
 communicate unto the People at that time. The 
 entire Paifage is thus,* And in thofe Days when the 
 Number of the Difciples was multiplied, there arofe a 
 Murmuring of the Grecians, becaufe their Widows 
 were neglected in the daily Miniftration. Then the 
 Twelve called the Multitude of the Difciples unto them, 
 and [aid, It is not reafon that wejljould leave the Word of 
 God, and ferve Tables. Wherefore, Brethren, look ye 
 out among you Seven Men of honeft Report, full of the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft and Wifdom, whom ye may appoint over this 
 "BufineJS. But we will give our f elves continually to Prayer, 
 and to the Miniftry of the Word. And the Saying fleas d 
 the whole Multitude, and they chofe, &C. whom they fet 
 before the Apoftles $ and when they had prayd, they laid 
 their Hands on them ': This is the whole matter. Now, 
 pray what would you infer from it ? That the A- 
 poftles here in purfuance of, and in obedience to 
 Chrift's hftitution, call'd upon the People to Chufs 
 and Ordain unto thernfelves Minifters. , 
 
 idly, Here's no fuch thing appears in the whole 
 Story ; The Church of J 'erufalem, by all theCircum- 
 ftances of it we meet with at this very Juncture, did 
 not feem to want Parlors to adminifter Spiritual Or- 
 dinances (at lead no fuch thing hinted here to the 
 Difciples) to Preach, Baptize, or to Adminifter the 
 Lord's Supper, to pafs Cenfures,- Suffcnd, Excommu- 
 nicate, or to Abfolve ,• Here was a truly Organized 
 Church already, the Apoftles at this time, the Paftors 
 of the Church there, declaring the Reafon why they 
 would' have thefe Deacons appointed, was not for 
 thefe ends and purpefes as to this Multitude of Dif- 
 ciples, but to take care of the daily Miniftration of 
 Relief and Sustenance to the Poor, to eafe them- 
 
 felvesj 
 
Examined and Difprotfd. 23 
 
 fclves, that they, the Apoftles, &c might be wholly 
 at leifure and liberty to attend upon Prayer, and the 
 Miniftry of the Word, the fpiritual Concerns of th<? 
 Church, whilft the Deacons, <v. 4. were employ 'd 
 and taken up with the temporal Relief and Support 
 of the Poor and Neceflitous, ferve Tables, vep. 2. 
 I fay this is the Subfance of the whole Story, in 
 Reference to thefe Difciples at Jerufakm, and all 
 that can, with any fair Reafoning or Ingenuity, be 
 inferr'd from it, or deduc'd by the Laws of Reafon- 
 ing. And if you prefume to urge the contrary, pray 
 fttew in what Chapter or Verfe of tho. four Gofpels Chip 
 ever inftkuted the Peoples or Church- Members Right you 
 contend for to chufe (or as you mean, call) Perfons 
 10 the Minifterial Funtlion ; if you can't do that, I 
 am of Opinion, you'll never be able to make this 
 Paffage a Precedent. 
 
 ^dly, It was but reafonable that the Difciples } 
 the New Converts, who had thrown all their Sub- 
 irance and Eftates into the Common Stock, and were 
 to live but upon their common Shares out of it,, 
 Ibould have the Nominations of the Perfons that 
 were to be intrufted with the Diftribution of it j 
 and in order to this, the Apoliles gave them Liberty 
 to name Men of Integrity, Honefty, and Impartiality, 
 for the Difcharge of this fo confsderable a Trufi ,• and 
 not only fo, but noted likewife, and eminent for 
 their Tupernatnral and extraordinary Gifts at thas 
 Time, as that of Languages, Prophecy, Working of Mi- 
 racks, &c, by which they obtain'd Refutation, Reve- 
 rence, and Efieem, amongft their Fellow Chriftians,, 
 and fo the more likely to give Satisfaction unto 
 them, and to flop their Complaints for the future t 
 Not that thefe Gifts, were elfentially or ablolutely 
 neceilary jro quality them for this TmH, unlefs you 
 will fuppofe That of the Gift of Tongues, and or Wif~ 
 dcm } i{ you will reckon it to be the Difcretio Spirituunt 
 in a lower Senie, the Difceming of the Sprits ; the 
 
 H 2 one 
 
ioo the Anaiaptifls Miniftry 
 
 one to enable them to converfe the more freely 
 with the Difciples in their own diftinff native Langua- 
 ges and Dialecls, the other to found their Integrity in 
 the Representations of their feveral Conditions and 
 Neceflities, which I will not difpute with you. 
 
 This is all I conceive can be urg'd as to the Jghta- 
 lification of thefe Deacons at that Time, with Re- 
 fpect to the prefent Occafion of thefe New-Officers in 
 the Church of Jerufalem ,• tho by the By, we may 
 obfervc, That the Apojlles had a farther Defign and 
 Profped in theDefignation of Perfons thus extraordi- 
 narily qualify'd and gifted, which as it appears from 
 the Story >they did not then communicate to the Difciples j 
 nor was there any neceffity for fuch a Difcovery.For 
 one may eafily be indued to think,That Men of honefi 
 Report, Integrity, and Impartiality, might be fuffici- 
 entiy qualify'd for the Undertaking and Difchc.rge of 
 that Office o{Taking Care for the Poor, without fuch 
 fupernatural and fpiritual Gifts : Therefore we may 
 fairly fuppofe^he Apofiles had a farther Drift in the 
 enjoining them to make choice of fuch Qualify'd 
 Men, very probably not in the leaft thought of by 
 the Multitude of the Difciples, when their Complaints 
 were made known to the Apo(lles,znd when the Apo- 
 files made the Motion to them to look out feven fuch ; 
 and that was to Ordain them unto, or invert them 
 with fome part of the Miniflerial Power, for the fur- 
 ther Occafions of the Church which they forefaw, and 
 as they mould think meet, to give them Authority 
 to preach the Gofpel 3 to baptise , &c. as you may fee, 
 ver. 10. and Chap. 8. j, 12. So that here plainly 
 feems a double Defignation of the fame Perfons ' they 
 were fought out by the People, at the Command of 
 the Apofiles, and prefented to them, to be by them 
 appointed, or fet over the Buiinefs of the daily Mini- 
 firation to the Poor, or for diftributing daily Allow- 
 ances to the Poor, and then the Apoftles prayd over 
 them., and- laid- Hands on- them, and ib ordain'd thera 
 
 to 
 
Exam in d and Difprov'J. 101 
 
 to be Minifiers of Jefus Chrisi : Or if you will, a 
 double Eletlion to two feveral or difiinB Offices ; the 
 People by the Apofiles Order lookt out and chofe them, 
 and fet them before the Apofiles, ver. y- to be made 
 Overfeers of the Poor, or to be appointed over that Bu-> 
 Jinefs by the Apofiles, r uer.7 ) . and over and above,/»co»- 
 fulta Plebe, without communicating it to the People, 
 or advifing with them, the Apo/lles by Prayer and 
 Laying on of Hands, invefted them with Authority to 
 Preach the Gcjfiel and Baptize : So that it appears, 
 
 tyhly, That the Multitude of Difciples, or Church- 
 Members, a&ed nothing, even in this Bufinefs, au- 
 thoritatively, but barely permiffively , or by way of 
 Condefcenfion from the Apofiles, as they in pru- 
 dence thought fit,on the prefent Jun&ure or Occasi- 
 on ,• nor doth it appear by this, or any other Paf- 
 fage I know of, in all the New Teftament, That 
 the People were ever, by Chriffs Appointment or 
 Infiitution inverted with any fuch Claim, Right, or 
 Privilege : Tis faid no where, That they have a 
 Power barely to choofe their Paslors, much lefs that 
 their Choice of fit and Gifted Perfons preiently gives 
 them, or endues them with Minifierial Authority • or 
 that thereby they are (let the Cafe or Emergency 
 be what it will ) ipfo Faclo, Priesjs, ChriH's Ambajfa- 
 dors, Stewards of the MyBeries 01 God, and have the 
 Power of the Keys • and least of all, have Authority to 
 lay on Hands, ordain, or confecrate, or were ever 
 intruded by ChriB or the ApoBles with Church-Power : 
 Thefe are all unfcriptural Novelties, and meerFlafti- 
 es of New Lights, the Whimfies of a difturb'd Ima- 
 gination, to ipeak the beft on't, the Inventions of 
 Theologo -Politico's, Impoitors, and Seducers ,• or, i£ 
 you pleafe, the Effeds of Infidelity in Men of No 
 Religion, that therefore make Sport and Game with 
 Religious and Sacred Things, becaufe they either look 
 upon Religion as meer Prie H '-Craft, and an Art to 
 delude the credulous and ignorant World, to carry 
 
 H 2 on 
 
io% The Analaptifis Mimflry 
 
 on their worldly Defigns, or laftiy One of Satan* 
 Stratagems to undermine all Religion and true Piety, 
 and banifh it out of the Minds o f Men. Bu then/ 
 
 $thly, Let this Choice of the People be what you 
 can poffibly upon the fquare make it, this Choice dioth 
 not amount to Appointing or Confiituting, -ver. 3. that 
 is, collate any Power or Authority 
 .JWrtsiU- upon' thefe feven Deacons: This 
 'wviicbomne Choice did not ordain them Minifters 
 ( not ye ) may o£Chrifi s 'twas the Apoftles did * appoint, 
 Appoint. > twas t j ie y t j iat p ra yj } an£ J fad tne j r 
 
 Hands on them : Therefore if Confii- 
 tuting, Appointing over, &c. be a Collating of Autho- 
 rity, it naturally fuppofes the Perfons fo collating, 
 to have the Authority veiled in them to authorize 
 others ; and To in this Palfage, it's evident the Dea- 
 cons receiv'd their Authority from the ApoBlcs, and 
 not from the People ; unlefs you'll dare to affert, 
 That the Difciples, or Church-Members, delegated 
 unto the Apoftles, or gave them the Tower of Ordain- 
 ing in their {leads y which you muff prove from ex- 
 prefs Scripture, or eife you do nothing. 
 
 6thlj, It is to be obferv'd, That that Part of the 
 Office of thefe Deacons, in which thefe Difciples 
 were immediately and properly concerned fo much 
 as they were, upon the Apoflks Miflion, of which 
 they are faid to be pleas'dj [ or pacify 'd, ] was but 
 for a Time, and then thefe Deacons were employ'd 
 in more Spiritual Matters, and of higher Concern, 
 as Propagating of the Gofpel * an Inlrance of which 
 we have in Philip's preaching with great Succefs in 
 Samaria, fee Chap. VIII. and going on preaching to 
 Cafarea. We do net here read, That the Difciples 
 prefented thefe feven Men to the Apoftles, to be 
 Ordain d by Tbem to This Work, for the Preaching or 
 Propagating of the Gofpelj here was no Original Call 
 from the Teofle * nay, 'tis probable, when the Apo- 
 jtles cattd the Multitude to them, >ver. 2. That they 
 
 did 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. 103 
 
 did not in the leaft furmife it was the Apeftles Defign 
 to quit their Hands of fo troublefome a Piece of IVor\ 
 as fervlng Tables, or waiting on the JW, and to put 
 it into other Hands, much left of the Apofiks Ordaining 
 thofe very Perfons, fo appointed over that very Bu- 
 finefs by them, to a more Jpiritual and higher Mini- 
 firy • fo little do the Dlfciples or People here contri- 
 bute to this Matter in hand, in either Refped. 
 The Apofiles call'd them to both, approvd, appointed, 
 ordain d them ,♦ the People did no more than only to 
 go on the Apoftles Errand, to fetch fuch and fuch 
 Men, and to prefent them ,• it fcarce amounts to a 
 Nomination, there was no Difficulty in the Matter ; 
 their Qualifications fo notorious and eminent," that 
 they could fcarce mifs of them or over-look them * 
 the whole Proje&ion and Defign was the Apofties, 
 from firft to laft. But then, 
 
 ythly, Let it be like wife obferv'd, That granting 
 that thefe Deacons were chofen by the Suffrage of the 
 Church, (as you call the People here conlider'd apart 
 from the Paitors, if you fpeak the Senfe of the In- 
 chpendants, and do not ufe the Word equivocally ) 
 for the End and Purpofe I have infilled upon, yec 
 it follows not that they have an Ejjentlal Right to 
 tUft co the Miniftry of the Word and Sacraments, or 
 to the Office of Blfliop or Elder, as you fay ,• 'tis not 
 always true arguing or reafoning from the Lefs to 
 the Greater, from an hferlour, to a Superiour Office * 
 -this Gonfequence will not be ailow'd you : Suppo- 
 fing they had a Tower to chufe a Deacon, will it fol- 
 low they had a Power to chufi a Bifiop or Elder $ 
 but you, I am afraid, will never be able to prove 
 this,- but will it follow, becaufe if they chofe them 
 as Overfecrs for the Poor, thar therefore they have a 
 Right to chufe a Bifiop or Elder ? You'll fcarce be 
 able to prove they had even full Right to chufe in 
 this latter lower Senfe. I fay, this is a Gonfe- 
 quence will not be allow'd you by any who confi- 
 
 II 4 
 
i'04 ^ oe ditabaftijls ■Minijlry 
 
 ders nicely, not to infift upon the Incapacities and 
 Vnfitnefs of Private and Illiterate Men tor pafling 
 Judgment in Things of this Nature, who will not 
 always be determin'd, or Feldom are, by wifcr than 
 themfelves, difcerning enough in what they do but 
 imagine, or are made believe to be their Right in 
 things of this Nature, tho' for the moft part very 
 ignorant in the Application of it, whence Multi- 
 tudes of unavoidable Dangers and Inconveniencies 
 which ufually follow, as our own Experience hath 
 often manifefted in Facts of this Kind. But having 
 enlarg'd fufficiently upon what you have dequc'd, 
 from this Paffage, I (hall proceed to confider a third 
 Text often quoted upon this Subjeft, tho' not infifted 
 upon by 'you in your ConfeJJion, which makes up the 
 Ternary of Texts, and all I have met with in yours, 
 or the Congregational Mens Writings ; and 
 
 That is rrorn Acls I. 25. From this Text is ufu- 
 ally argued by the Indtpendants (and you feem to be 
 of their Opinion in this Matter ) the Peoples Right 
 in Eleclion of Minifters, and thence they conclude 
 that Eleclion gives the Ejjentiah to an Officer or Mini- 
 fier. By way of Reply, tis to be obierv'd, 
 
 1 si, That it doth not appear that St. Peter expref- 
 ly dire&ed this his Speech to the Lay-Members, ex- 
 elufive of the eleven Apofiles and the feventy Difciples, 
 who are to be fuppos'd to make the major, or at leaft 
 £he more eminent Part of this Ajfembly, and com* 
 niiffion'd by our Saviour himfelf ,• and it is but re- 
 quifite the Speech' of St. Peter mould be exprefs unto 
 them, according to your Manner cf requiring expfejs 
 and poiitive Texts in Matters of fuch Importance as 
 this, otherwise it will not be conclufiye.' 
 
 2clly, As to the Qualifications requir'd by the Apo- 
 {He in him who was to fupply Judas's Place, none, 
 prefent could be fuppos'd fo capable of judging of 
 them as the Eleven } that were the Firfi and Original 
 
 Dif, 
 
nr 
 
 Examined and DzfproVd. 10? 
 
 fcipks of our Saviour : The Perfon to be chofen, 
 
 was to be one who had accompany d with the Apoftles 
 all the Time the Lord Jefus went in and out amongst them % 
 ver. 21. and therefore, 
 
 lilj, It's highly probable that St. Feter diie&cd his 
 Speech particulary to the Eleven, ver. 15-. 16. &c. 
 it being a Matter of grand Concern, and in Mode- 
 fry none of this Ajjembly fo fit to propofe the Per' 
 fons for this high Station in the Church , as the A po- 
 ttles themfelves ; and fo, 
 
 ^thly, They fet forth, orcaufed two to fiand forth, 
 or plac'd two before the Apojlles fo 
 qualify d ; upon which, in a folemn Steileten lutk 
 manner, the ApHks pray 'd, and refer- %g1i/lt 
 red the Choice to God himielr, who Dutch. 
 accordingly determined the Lot for Mat- 
 thias : So that plainly the Election was God's own 
 immediate A£l, and not the Peoples, as appears by 
 the Matter of Fact. Befides, 
 
 $tbly, The Occafion of the Apoftles referring this 
 Matter of Choice fo immediately to God Almighty, 
 may eafily be prefum'd to refult from their Fear of 
 and Diffidence in their own Judgments, upon the Ac- 
 count of Judas 's Infincerity^ and Heinous Tranfgreffion : 
 Who would have imagin'd one fo early converted 
 to Chrift, that had walkt with Chrifi all the time he 
 went in and out amongft the ApoBlcs, fo highly digni- 
 fy 'd by him, mould have prov'd fo bafe and infamom 
 a Traytor, to fo Gracious, fo Divine a Mafter ? There- 
 fore it highly behoov'd the ApoHles to diftruB their 
 own Judgmment in this Choice, and to ufe all their 
 Intereft with Heaven to interpofe in fo weighty an 
 Affair The Fear of another infmcere falfe Brother, 
 may eafily be conceiv'd to daunt them ,• the Scandal 
 it might have given to the Gojpel, the Hindrance of 
 its Propagation, as the difmal Confequences that 
 would have attended fo unhappy a Choice, and the 
 Heceffity of Filling up this Vacancy in the ApoHolical 
 
 Col- 
 
lo6 The Analaptzjls Miniftry 
 
 College, put them upon this extraordinary way of 
 Applying themfelves to God for a fuitable and happy 
 Supply. So that, 
 
 6thly, Can you fancy that it was in the Power, 
 and within the Kenn of the Common Members or Di- 
 fciples to help the Apoftles in fuch an Exigency and 
 fuch an Emergency as this ? Can it be fuppos'd that 
 they had more Sagacity^ Caution, or Under ft anding, 
 than the Apoftles themfelves ? This feems to be the 
 very Cafe from the Matter of their very Prayer, v. 24. 
 Tkou Lord, 'which know eft the Hearts of all Men, [all 
 their fecret Motions, the hidden Springs of all their 
 Actions, their Sincerity, their Duplicity, their moft 
 conceal'd AfFe<5tions and Intentions, and their meft 
 inward Thoughts 3 faw whether of thefe two thou haft 
 chofen • that he may take fart of that Miniftry and Apo- 
 ftleftup, from which Judas by Tranfereffion fU. The 
 Apofiles would not pretend to judge or the Sincerity 
 and Integrity of thefe two Mens Hearts, and were a- 
 faid of being miftaken, and committing an Overfight, 
 in fo momentous a Concern • and who dare pre- 
 fume, That they left this Choice of one into the 
 Apoftlefhip it felf, to the Common Members, the Fag- 
 End, and comparatively the vilest and moft ignorant 
 Part of this Ailembly, tho* never fo gracious, Jincere, 
 and well-meaning ? Hence then, 
 
 qthly, So far as Men were concern'd in this Mat- 
 ter, the Whole of it feems to be manag'd by the Ele- 
 ven alone, or in Conjunction with the Seventy, not 
 in any manner of Helped by the Lay-Members. 
 
 Bthly, By all thefe Circumftances, rhe Cafe ap- 
 pears to be extraordinary j* Matthias had his Vocation 
 or Miffim immediately from God, and therefore 
 neither from the People, nor even from the Apofik 
 themfelves. Here is not the leaft Shadow of a Prece- 
 -dent for the Peoples Election of Minifters, much lefs 
 for their Laying on of Hands, or Ordination ,• Matthias 
 lying no Imposition of Hands from the Apoftles, 
 
 much. 
 
Exawirid and Dzfprov'd. 107 
 
 much lefs from the People. Here were Lots given, 
 forth, ( no Chioce therefore on Man's Part ) and by 
 the Divine Determination the Lot fell upon Matthias « 
 that is, God himfelf chofe him to fucceed in the 
 Room or Bijhoprick of Judas. The Cafe muft then 
 be allow'd to be extraordinary in all its Circumftances, 
 and therefore no Precedent. What Inference can 
 Tou make from Extraordinary to Ordinary ? there- 
 fore this can be no ftanding Rule or Way, eftablijh'd 
 by Chrift for the future Ages of the Church. This 
 was meerly Occajional^nd the Apoftlefirip, in the ftrid 
 Notion of it, Temporary, but for a Time • and that 
 which was effcntial to the Apoftlefhip, was in the Pri- 
 mary Notion of it, to be immediately fent by Chrift 
 himfelf; as the Twelve were at firft, and Matthias 
 and Paul afterwards ,♦ to be call'd and fent by Chrift, 
 and not to receive their Authority from Men, accord- 
 ing to that of St. Paul, Paul an Apofile not of Mens 
 [Election] nor by Mans [Inftru&ion] but [appointed] 
 by Jcfus Chrift, Gal. i. i. and fo in other Epiftles. 
 c He received* no Authority or Calling from Man 
 e to Preach the GoJj>el, neither from the whole Col- 
 c lege of the Apoitles, — nor from fome of them_, 
 
 : or as Timothy and Titus did from him. If fo, 
 
 c then that Impoiition of Hands upon him, Acls 
 c 15. 3. was not an Ele&ion or Confecration of 
 f him to the Apoftlefhip, but only a praying for his 
 c good Succefs in, and recommending him to that 
 c Employment to which he was by the Holy Ghoft 
 f defigned, Acls 14. 26. Oxf. Paraph, and Annot.- 
 f on the Place. 
 
 That this was not an Eleclion or Confecration of 
 St. Paul, feems evident, becaufe he was converted 
 immediately by Chrift himfelf, becaufe God had chofen 
 him, Atls 22. 14. and Chrift in a Vifion, bid him to 
 depart oui ofjeruflem, and told him he would fend 
 him unto the Gentiles, ver. 21. See Acls 19. 15-. So 
 that his ConverfiM, Eleclion, and Miffion were all im- 
 
 wediatefo 
 
108 the Analaptzfis Mwiflry 
 
 mediately from Heaven without the Intervention of 
 Men. He was an Apofik in all refpecls before this 
 his prefum'd Reordination, whatever may be alleg'd 
 on the contrary ; and if it be a Reordination, it's the 
 only inftance we have, or can ever be expefted a- 
 gain, it was never known before, neither can, any 
 inftance I believe of this Nature, be produc'd for 
 Reordination to the fame Order or Degree in the Minifiry ♦ 
 the very Nature of the thing will not allow it: from 
 what Grounds can it be deduc'd that Ghrift mould 
 concur or co-operate with two difiinB Ordinations, as to 
 time to the fame degree, or the Minifiry of one and 
 the fame Verfon, and what Neceffity can be pretended 
 for it ? As for what Inftances I have feen for Reor- 
 dinations, either in the flrft place they are palpable 
 Miftakes, as of Deacons Ordain d Priefis, and of Priefis 
 Ordain d Bifiops • this is not Reordination, 'tis only the 
 Confecration ot a Perfon to a neiv and diftinA Order, 
 unlefs you will fuppofe a Deacon, Priefi and Bifhop all 
 the fame Order, which is a downright Contradiction ; 
 and where there are Examples of Deacons reordain'd 
 Deacons, or Priefs Priefts, this is not Reordination 
 in a ftricft Grammatical Senfe, but Ordination, upon 
 Suppofition that the former Ordinations were null and 
 valid, that is, no Ordinations at all, but meerly Phy- 
 ftcal A6ls,Sham-mock-Ordinations,77)^fr/W^ where- 
 as Reordination n in its proper Notion, is a Repetition of 
 the fame Order, being Ordain d again to the fame 
 Order ,• which Repetition was never allow'd of, but 
 condemn'd feverely by feveral Canons of Councils, 
 no more than R'evaptization it felf, to ufe the word in 
 a lax and improper fenfe. 
 
 Therefore this Impofition of Hands on St. Paul muft 
 import fomething elfe quite different from Ordina- 
 tion ; it cannot be fuppos'd to confer any Authority on 
 him which he had net before, 'twas an AB confe- 
 quent unto, not preceding his Miffion, for, immediately 
 after his Uaptifm he preach'd the Gojpel, A&s 9. ver. 
 
Examlrid and Difprov'd. I09 
 
 20. at Damafcus ; diluted againft the Grecians at Je- 
 rufalem, v. 29. afterwards at Tarfus, v. 30. then at 
 Antioch, Chap. 10. v. 26. All this he did as an Apo- 
 file, as having full Authority with all the refi 3 to go 
 and teach all Nations ; He needed no more a particu- 
 lar Authority to Preach than the Reft, his Commiffion 
 was as general as Theirs ,• and there's no reafon to 
 fuppofe He was de novo Ordain d by Men to this 
 Work, than St. Peter or the other Apoftles : AH 
 that can be meant of this Impofition of Hands, a- 
 mounts to no more than this. That as the Holy Ghofi 
 had Reveal 'd this Matter unto the Prophets, that the 
 Time was come for Propagating the Gofyel among the 
 Gentiles, and that Paul and Barnabas were to be fent 
 out for that purpofe ; by this folernn Aft they pub- 
 liflidSt. Paul to be the Apoftle of the Uncircumcifion y 
 or of the Gentiles in particular, or in an eminent 
 manner, oivnd and acknowledged him to be fuch, that 
 he was authorized and commijftoned for this Work from 
 above, caU'd thereunto by the Holy Ghoft, Atls 13. 
 2. and to be fent forth by the Holy Ghoft, v. 4. So 
 that his being faid to be feparated by thefe Prophets, 
 receiving Impofition of Hands from them, and fent by* 
 them, fignines no more than declaring Him to be 
 CaU'd, Ordain d and Sent by the Holy Ghoft, and in- 
 vefted by Him with Authority and Power 
 to Preach the Gojpel unto the Gentiles : Or deftinatitig 
 For, in the general Notion of an Apo- them to other 
 file, he was acknowledge fo before, 55*!gf> cr 
 only now he enters upon his particular ces Grand Re- 
 Province of Converting the Gentile World, conciler. Seft. 
 But this by the by, and fo return to the *• Edit. 1646. 
 matter in hand. This Cafe, I fay, was 
 extraordinary, Matthias chofen to the Apofiolate by Chrift, 
 and fo immediately Ordain d by Him; accordingly He 
 was presently Receivd by the Unanimous Submiffion of 
 the College to the Divine Decifion, oivnd, acknowledge 
 and accepted for an Apoftle, for the word avyx.<rr*'\W8* 
 
 can't 
 
HO The Anabaptifis Miniflry 
 
 can't here be taken in a JiriSi and proper Senfe, be- 
 caufe He was not chofen by humane Suffrage, there- 
 fore our Tranflation renders it numbred, which is 
 no proper Rendition of the word, and amounts to 
 no more than accounted, ownd, look'd upon, &c. 
 
 Here's not 6ne exprefs word of the Lay -members 
 fpoken in all this matter of Fabi, not one Jingle Cir cum- 
 fiance that feems to relate to them, as contended for 
 by the hdependants, no more than if none of them 
 were prefent, neither in the Motion by St. Peter, nor 
 in tho fitting of Matthias or Barfabas before the Apo~ 
 files, no manner oi colour, pretence, or jhadow tor 
 thefe popular Elections, to be drawn from this laft 
 7W. And if thefe be all the Texts producible (as I 
 am apt to think they are) by You or the Indepen- 
 dents, then I am afraid,you and they are wholly de- 
 flitute of fcriptural Grounds for this your Practice and 
 Miniflry too, and have as little to fay for an Evange- 
 lical Miniflry, as the Turks or Paynhiis themfelves. 
 
 9tbly, To make the Cafe as fair for you as poflible 
 (if you will pretend to argue from this Fail or Paf- 
 fage) fuppofing the Plebs Ecckfia or People had, as 
 'tis faid, appointed, or fet forth Two, neither They, 
 nor yet the Apoflhs, knew which mould be the Apo* 
 file « They were ail ignorant of the matter, then 
 how can you fay the People chofe Him ; none knew 
 upon whom the Lot would fall, therefore none of 
 all thefe chofe; 'twas only God himfelf, the Choice 
 Was His, they no more chofe him than you your 
 felves chofe him; They refer'd the Choice wholly -un- 
 to God by Lots, to be determin'd by Him, to chufe 
 one of thefe, or to order another, it he had thought 
 fit • they could not fo much as be ailur'd whether 
 either of thefe would have been accepted. fo far were 
 either the People or the Apofiles themfelves from 
 making the Choice : So that by wh.it hath been 
 urg'd, it appears, I think, clearly and fu[nciently, 
 that no Grounds can be pretended ircm thefe Texts for 
 
 the 
 
Examind and Difprovd. m 
 
 the Right of Lay- Members , or the People, 
 co Eletf 1 Minifters, neither have any, that I 
 have hitherto met with of your Writers, been able 
 to produce- any Precept or Injtitution of Chrift in this 
 Matter. Your Practice then is defiitute of all Divine 
 and Apoflolical Authority, and if your Foundation be 
 naught, your Superftrufture cannot be very good * 
 How can this then be Chrifi's Way I Do you not 
 herein impofe upon the People, and defraud them 
 of all the fpiritual Comforts of a lawful and Go/pel 
 Minifiry, by depriving them of all the faving Effects 
 thereof belides the fetting up your own Inventions, 
 and molt falfly and blafphemoufly charging them up- 
 on Chrift as the Author and Inftituter of them ? If this 
 be not Antichrijtian, and you Antkhrifis, then there 
 can be no fuch thing, it's a meer Chimera and Than- 
 torn. If this be not fetting up againft Chrift, and 
 impofing the Inventions of Men for the Commandments 
 of God, then nothing is, and io all Mankind are at 
 liberty, and iafe enongh to think what they pleafe, 
 and to do what feemetb good in their own Eyes • No 
 matter what they think or ail. And all this muft be 
 the natural Refuk and direct Conference, if you have 
 not more to fay for your felves than at the prefent 
 I am aware of. 
 
 I might here eafily difprove the' Peoples Right in 
 this matter, from the pure ft and moft Primitive Times, 
 fince the Apofiles days, and (to run it thro' many 
 .. Centuries, were it neceffary) the beft Expofitors of 
 Apoftolical Practice, when the People had the fulleft 
 Liberty that could juftly be allow'd them, or before 
 their Rights could be in danger to be invaded or 
 over-rul'd. I will own, if you will be contented 
 with it, c That the People had Power after the A- 
 ' poftolical Times in this Particular, as Heirs ; but 
 f their Power lay in thefe two Things, viz, That 
 c if Choice were made, a worthy Man muft be chefen, 
 6 and an unworthy muft not be chofen , but to make 
 
 <a 
 
I ix The Anahaptijls Miniftry^ 
 
 a Choice they had no Power. Their Power ovef 
 the Worthinef or Univorthinef of the EleHion, lay in 
 this, That they were beft able to give feftimony 
 of the Life and Manners of him that was to be cho- 
 fen, according to the Teftimony, EleBion was to 
 be made by the Clergy, of a worthy and fit Man. This 
 Teftimony therefore fwaying the Ekblion , it's 
 rightly faid, that Populus maxime habult pot eft at em, 
 vel eligendi dignos, vel recufandi indignos. In the 
 mean time the Chafers were the Bifhops, Epifcopi 
 ejufdem Provincia proximi conveniant, &c. Cypr. L. 
 i. Cap. 4. fok 31. princip. That the People had 
 not Power of choojing by Divine Right, appears un- 
 deniably in this, That the People hath been left 
 out in many Choices warrantably made. But if 
 the People had divine Right to be prefent, and 
 Judges, and Choofers, who durft have omitted 
 them ? S. Hierom, whom thefe Men (Smectym- 
 nuns) have alleged for a great Help to their Difc 
 cipline, in his 8$- Ep. ad Evagr. faith. That at 
 Alexandria, even from thofe warrantable Times of 
 Hercalas and Dionyfius, Bifnops of the fame See, 
 the Presbyters always kept the Choice within the 
 compafs of the Presbyters, making One of them- 
 felves, and none other to be above the reft, and 
 call'd him their Bifiiop. If therefore St. Hierom 
 be of Authority, the Choice of the People, or 
 Judgment, or Confent, is not in the People by Di- 
 vine Authority. For it cannot be fuppofed that 
 the immediate Succeffors of St. Mark himfelf^ 
 mould in Elections forget divine Rights. Further, 
 St. Cyprian, who faith Plebs maxime habst pot eft at em 
 de Divina Autoritate, as alleged here ,• the fame 
 St. Cyprian, upon juft Occafion, as he thinks, 
 without any Advice, Confent or 'Teftimony of the , 
 People, he, I fay, with his Collegues of the Cler- 
 gy, chofe, ordain d, and confecrated Aurclin,, Lib, 
 2. Cap. 5. verfits fimm. 
 
 SmeSty* 
 
Examined and fiifpfovd. 113 
 
 e SmeBymn. p. 3?. Ele&ion of Bifhops long in the 
 Peoples Power : ] It may be too long. How dan- 
 gerous the Headinefs of the People is, in Cafe of 
 Choice, appeareth by the Tumult at Milan, where 
 the People * could not otherwife be appeas'd, but 
 by the Choice of a Man not yet Baptize J. St. Ambrofe 
 was their Lay-Governour, and as yet net Baptized, 
 till the Bifhops were compell'd by the Emperour, 
 for the Quieting of the People, to Baptize him, 
 that they might fit him to be chofen. 'Tis true, 
 St. Ambrofe proved a Noble Inftrument of God , k 
 but well it was, and by Divine Providence and 
 Miracle (Socrat.) that there was fuch a Man, in 
 whom they might be accorded : for if they had 
 pitch'd on any worfe Man, they would have had 
 him. They were at firfr divided, and in their 
 Divifion they were ready for an Uproar : Some 
 cry'd this Man, and fome that, and they had fal- 
 len together by the Ears, if St. Ambrofe s Autho- 
 rity and Prefence had not bridled *ao>k< «re *&%}*$ 
 l?(jut(y the Violence of the People, which was gone 
 beyond all Reafon : Miracle and Providence pitch'd 
 them on S. Ambrofe, and not the Diffiofition of People. 
 [Socrat. L.a.c.k. p. 140. It might be long]andyet might 
 change ; and we mighc have good reafon not to 
 bind our felves 3 in cafe of Elections, to all things 
 done in the Primitive Church, Nay, the very Apo- 
 ftles themfelves have not followed one Form, but 
 have fuited it to the Edification and Jguiet of the 
 Church, yet have ftill kept it within the Ordering 
 of the Clergy, or above with God. So St. Peter, 
 by a grand Afifembly of Laich, as well as Clergy, 
 AcJs 1. 15-, 2;. and they prefented not him alone, 
 but another with him, leaving the Choice to an 
 higher Power, neither did St. Peter or the Apo'lles 
 choofe One out of the Two, but committed r.he 
 Choice to God by Lot, a thing not done in any o- 
 ther Eleclion. 
 
 I < The 
 
H4 "f^e Anahaptifis Minifiry 
 
 i The Order of Deacons being a new Order never 
 in the Church before, is inftituted by the Affiles 
 without the Advice of the People, Acls 6, 2. And 
 for the Men who were to be cholen into this Or- 
 der, the Apoftles gave the Power thus far into the 
 Hands of the Difciples ("being a mix'd number ofZar- 
 kks and Clergy)to fpy out fuch as were fit ,• which the 
 People and Difciples did, and then prefented them 
 to the Apoftles,and thefe chofe them by Laying on of 
 Hands, being firft prefented by the • Multitude, 
 Acls 6. 23, 24, 25*, 26. On the other fide, ApoUos 
 was prefented to the Church of Corinth y not by the 
 People oi Corinth, but by Letters directed to thofe of 
 Corinth to do nothing but this, viz,, to receive Him, 
 whom they had fent,and fo they did } Acls 18.24,27. 
 c And in the Primitive Church, the Changes of 
 Circumftances in Elections have been fo many, that 
 'tis impoflible for us or any Church, to obferve 
 all Circumftances that have been obfefv'd in the 
 Primitive Church, fome or other, at fome time or 
 other. It mall fuffice that the Subfiance of Election 
 being the fame, we make Choice of thofe Cir- 
 cumftances which fhall beft fit our Church. So 
 did the Apoftles, fo did the Primitive Church, fo 
 may we. 
 
 e But for the Circumftances of the Peoples Presence, 
 and Plurality of Voices, further than to give Teftimo- 
 ny of good or bad Life, it's none of the Circum- 
 ftances that can be fit for any Church that aims at 
 Continuance. 
 
 f The mcfi part of the People being the worft part, 
 becaufe the Good are always fewer than the Bad • 
 who can hope that the fittest Man mould be fet 
 over the Office and Paftorfnip of the Church ? If 
 the People have once got the worft Men into Offi- 
 ces of Government, and P aft oral Charges, then 
 the worst Men having got the noMeft and moft 
 principal Parts in the Church, how fti-all not the 
 
 ' whole 
 
Examlnd and Difprov'd. ir? 
 
 s whole Body of it be corrupted or diftolved ? Further, 
 c if a Minifter is to be chofen to a Living or a Leclure, 
 c &c and your Judgment muft be given of the 
 e Doctrine, Sufficiency and Dexterity in Teaching re- 
 f quired in a Minifter, how unfuitable were it to 
 € commit the Judgment of thefe to the moft Voices 
 c of the People, who in the moft Places are not One 
 e to Ten, to Twenty, that can read and write, &c. 
 f who are alfo engaged and dependent on others, that 
 f he mall be the beft and fit eft Divine that has great- 
 c eft Parents or Friends among the People of the Parifc, 
 c or that have Pomw with the People of the Parijh, 
 ' &c. Thus far the Reverend and very Learned 
 Mr. Nettles, in fome Marginal Animadverjions upon 
 Smeflymnuus, lent me by a learned Divine now living, 
 which I thought fit to add here, being very pertinent 
 to my Purpofe, and a juft Confutation of the fore- 
 cited Paragraph of that fawcy Book, as void of [olid 
 Learning, as of Truth, good Manners and Honefty. 
 
 To this I mall add a confiderablePaffage of an/«» 
 dependant Writer's (as I conjedure) thus declaiming 
 againft the Presbyterians in a Difcourfe Intituled, The 
 Pulpit Incendiary ; Printed in the Year 1648. p. 5-0. 
 e Shall we dictate to you the common Obfer- 
 vations of feeing Men, viz,, that you take not a 
 right Method for pure Reformation ,• For is noe 
 this your Cuftom ? You call in all your Parifh (if 
 Houfe- keepers) to choofe your Elders ; Your Elders 
 they admit of Members to the Sacrament, and fo 
 your Reformation is made up ? Is it not too no- 
 torious, that the moft of Men are not the beft cf 
 Men, nay, have net you often told us, that the 
 moft of Men are often the worft of Men ? And 
 can the worft of Men make choice of the beft of 
 Rulers, except it be thro' the wonderful Providence 
 and Interpolition of the Hand of God ? Do not 
 we plainly fee that the moft of Men have not 
 Principle^ leading towards a ftridt, pure, fpiritual 
 I i ' Refor- 
 
1 6 The Anahaptifls Miniflty 
 
 Reformation ? Do not Men generally know Men 
 after the Flejh , and efteem them accordingly ? 
 Whence is it that we fee the Great Man, tho' the 
 ignorant Man, the rich Man, tho' the prophane Man, 
 the Deputy, the Common-council Man, the Jufike of 
 of the Peace, the chief Man in the Pariih, he muftbe 
 the Elder, tho' an ordinary Swearer, an ignorant, 
 loofe,or a covetous Perfon ? - — Will not /wearing, 
 ignorant, covetous, unclean and unworthy Elders, ad- 
 mit of the like Communicants and Members ? &c. 
 Apply now this to the Cafe in hand, and are not 
 things too frequently carried on much after this 
 manner, in the popular Votes or Suffrages for Minifiers 
 amongft you and the Independents ? And are not the 
 beft qualified very frequently fet afide with Difgrace 
 and Difcouragement, and pitiful, contemptuous ,noifie, raw, 
 and ignorant Perfons pitch'd upon and prefer'd ? 
 Is not this the moft ufual Effecl: of popular Elections in 
 almoft all Cafes, as well in refped of Civil, as in 
 relation to Spiritual Affairs ? Doth not Intereft 
 for the moft part carry it, and not real Worth ? 
 And doth it not too often appear, that the moft Suf- 
 frages are in the wrong ? Has it not been general- 
 ly fo in times paft ,• and is it not fo now, and what 
 likelihood that it will ever be otherwife for the fu- 
 ture, fo long as the moft are always, and will ever 
 be the worft ? No wonder then that our Bleffed 
 Lord, who is Wifdom it felf, never Ordain'd the 
 Choice of his Minifiers, his Stewards, his Ambafja- 
 dours, his Reprefentatives, by the Multitude, by the 
 moft fickle, moft ignorant, moft byajt, felf-interefied % 
 the moft ungodly y prophane, dtbaucb'd, carnal- minded, 
 and Dregs of Mankind, by the greater Number, 
 the Majority of Votes of the moft injudicious, uncapable, 
 who if they do hit upon the right, 'tis but as to 
 them meer Lottery and Chance, by Accident, or to 
 fpeak the beft, by an Otttr-rulmg Providence ? And 
 as our Saviour never entrufted the People with this 
 
 Tower 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. nj 
 
 Tower, of {uch great Concern to the Church ; fo, as it 
 hath been fliewn , the Church, when She was at the 
 fullefi Liberty, and in Pojfcfjion of her entire Rights in 
 the moft Primitive and Pious Times, never pratlifed 
 in Confequence of fuch an imaginary Power : No, 
 this Mujhroom-power was referved for thefe latter An- 
 tichriftian Ages of the World, for the Locufts, the 
 Spawn and Scum of the bottomlejS Tit, the Munfiers, 
 the Kttipperdolings, the Smetlymnuans, and the reft 
 of that Infernal lilack- guard of abominable SecJaries % tha.E 
 are Scandals of Christianity and their jpurious Offspring. 
 'Twas they that firit broke the Ice, that fet up Altar 
 againft Altar, feparated themfelves from the Church, 
 Ufurpt the Power of the Keys, broke down the true 
 Afoslolick Difcipline of the Church, Invaded the 
 Priefl-hood, and took upon them to confer and propagate 
 that Authority they never had received, that ol Ordina- 
 tion ; and when once they began to do fo, all that 
 had any Senfe of this Violation, did moft juftly con- 
 clude they had as much Power to do the fame as 
 they, and tho' they were driven to vindicate their 
 Orders they had received from a Church and Commu- 
 nion they had moft unjuftly revolted from, as true 
 and genuine ,• yet Men of equal Senfe with them- 
 felves could eafily difcern that in their Ordinations 
 they received no Authority to propagate their Order, 
 and that any that would, had as much Power to 
 Ordain as they ,- and this gave Rife to all the other 
 Sects we have amongft us at this day. Hence fprung 
 their Rivals the Independants, and fo all the other 
 Seels they fo much declainfd againft in their Gangre- 
 va, Diffwafive, their Teflimony to the Truth of Jefus 
 Christ, their Vindication of the Presbyterial Government, 
 and diverfe other their Treatifes. Hence the Charge 
 of Antichriftianifm upon them by the Independants, 
 Antinomians, Anabaptifts, Millenarians, and Quakers, 
 &c and their Recriminations and Rejoinders upon 
 jhem ; and, to fpeak the Truth, they charg'd one 
 
 I 3 another 
 
n8 The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 another juftly, even on both fides ; they were all 
 Sectarians, all Antichrifiian or Antichrifts, all Enemies 
 and Rebels, and in opposition to Chrifi's Infiitutions, 
 unlefsjw/ can extricate your [elves by fuch Arguments 
 as you never produc'd yet. This I muft tell you a- 
 gain, if there be but one right way, if there be but 
 one Church, if there were Ten thoufand Millions of 
 SeBs profeffing ChriHianity, they are all in the wrong, 
 becaufe divided from this one Church. And fo thefe 
 SmeBymnuans muft came in amongft the reft, and 
 are really what themfelves call SiBarians, and fo 
 freely beftow'd when time was upon all that differed 
 from them. This, all the SeBs were aware of well 
 enough, andfo was the Long-Parliament, and would 
 never Settle ,Eftablijh their Presbytery, notwithftanding 
 their loud Clamours, Petitions, Kemonfirances ; nay, and 
 plainly ra-zld out the Difiplinary part of their new 
 Artichs of Religion, being loath to Eftabliih fuch 
 a Novelty, and force a general Submiffion of all SeBs 
 unto it, who appear'd to them to have as much Di- 
 vine Right on their fides at leaft as thefe. They 
 were fenfible it was impoffible all the then conten- 
 ded for ways could be the one Way, Chrift's way, the 
 Apofiles way, tho' all pretended to Scripture. The 
 tieiv Lights that fprung up every day, djfcover'd new 
 ways, and fo may to the End of the World ; and 
 therefore in fuch an Amufiment, thought it moft 
 prudent and fa- e to fix upon none. Yet all equally 
 confident, every one pleading Scripture, all upon 
 the fime Foot, all Saints, all gifted, injpired, illumi- 
 nated, calling one another Antichrifts, Impofiors, Falfe* 
 teachers, I > elves in Shzcp>clcathing, Seducers- and in 
 their Recriminations, I muft needs fay, they were 
 all in the right, never a Barrel better Herring, except- 
 ing you, '/you can purge y cur [elves • becaule I con- 
 fers ingenuouily, I have been the leaft converfant 
 with your Perfons or Writings of any of the fore- 
 pjeriiion'd Parties, having not ever read above four 
 
 or 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 119 
 
 or five of your Books of any Note amongft you as 
 yet, and therefore will" not pofitively conclude any 
 thing concerning you, unlefs upon this Suppofition, 
 That you cannot allege any better f Arguments 
 than I have confuted, and what I may meet with 
 before I finiih this Difcourle. 
 
 This I thought fit, by way of Reply, to what 
 you allege out of the Scriptures, in Justification of 
 your External Call to the Mini fry, in your Conf effort; 
 but becaufe I have fome Reafon to think, by what 
 I have met with elfewhere, That, upon Occafion, 
 you may infift upon other Topics, viz,, an extraordinary 
 or an immediate Call, I think it will not be improper 
 to confider it likewife before I difmifs this Subject. 
 
 In a Book of yours, Intitul'd Perfecution for Religion 
 judg d and condemn d, Printed in theTears 161 5", & 1620, 
 and Reprinted 1661 } I find that Author thus ajjerting 
 your Minifiry, by fetting afide wholly the external 
 or outward Call * which, in your forfeited Confeffion, 
 you feem to infift upon, not urging the internal, ( as 
 Mr. Stennet would have it at prefent underftood ) 
 
 Nor do they (faith he) think it enough for a Man to 
 
 have fuch Gifts and Accomplishments as 
 * are requifite for that Work, unlefs StennetV An- 
 
 he have a Regular Call to it • that is, R u ffe n> *. „[ 
 
 c External] 'As it was (faith this 
 
 c Author) in the fecond Building of the fpiritual 
 
 c Temple, after the Captivity of Babylon in Chaldea * 
 
 e fo according to the True Proportion, it is to be in 
 
 c the fecond Building of the fpiritual Babylon. Now- 
 
 c this is to be obferv'd in the former, That every 
 
 ' Ifraelitc, with whom the Lord was, 
 
 c and whofe Spirit the Lord firred up, r P ^ f J LI 'r 
 c . j i 1 1 m i ■* 1 Ep-a, Chap. I. 
 
 was commanded to go and build, and ver> I c . 
 
 the Lord will profper them in Rifing 
 
 up and Building, tho' fome be more excellent ir*. 
 
 \ 4 the- 
 
no The Analaptifts M'wftry 
 
 the Bufinefs than others ; the Beginning of which* 
 fpiritual Building is, firft, To beget 
 
 Rdnvt n JdZ Men anew h y the imraortal s eed of 
 ed, &c. fc+z. God's Word, fo making them living 
 Stones, and thereupon to couple them 
 together a fpiritual Houfe unto God, i Pet. 2. upon 
 the Confeflion of their Faith by Baptifm, as the 
 Scriptures of the New Teftament every where 
 teach, &c 
 
 I anfwer, Grant that it was fo as you fay, as to 
 the Building of the material Temple of Jerufalem 
 after the Captivity ,• that God touch'd the Heart of 
 Cyrus, whom he had rais'd up for that purpofe, to 
 lay the Foundations of it, &c Ifa. 44. ver. ult. and 
 ftirred up the Chief of the Fathers of Judah and 
 Benjamin, and the Priefts and Levites, and many 
 others, Neh. I. 5^. and animated themto go on with 
 this Work by the Prophets Haggai and 
 
 S^lll' IV b ' Zechariah > and t0 f ear no Oppofition, 
 hotwithftanding their prefent Captivi- 
 ty, Subjection to. a Foreign Tower , and low Eft-ate; not- 
 withstanding all the Sorrows, Hardjlnps, Afflictions, 
 and Difcouragments ,they had undergone for feventy 
 Years pait } notwithftanding the Improbabilities of 
 Succefi, Impediments, and Difficulties, they might meet 
 with from thejr Enemies ,• not to be difheartened, but 
 to contribute freely of their Subflance and Pains, 
 alluring them all iliould end well at the lait. Their 
 tedious Bondage under Heathen Princes, their hard 
 Treatment, and the Meannefs of their prefent Cir- 
 cumftances, had puU'd down their Spirits, and driv'n 
 them even to defpair of ever enjoying their Liber- 
 ties, or the free Exercife of their Religion in their 
 Native Country any more : Arguments rneerly drawn 
 from Prudence or Humane Reafon were too weak to 
 comfort them, or to pcrfuade them to this Under- 
 taking ,• nay, joyn'd with the EdiBs of a Gracious 
 Trhce who favoar'd them. Something extraordinary 
 
 was 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 121 
 
 was requifite to infufe Courage into them, and to 
 raife their Hopes, therefore God Almighty thought 
 fit, to this End, to raife up Prophets to affaire them 
 of his Favour and Bleffing : For I, faith the Lord, will 
 be unto her a Wall of Fire round about, and will be the 
 
 Glory in the mid ft of her. He that toucheth you, touch- 
 
 eth the Apple of wine Eye. For, behold, I will jhake 
 mine Hand upon them, and they jljall be a ffoil to their 
 Servants, &c. Zech. II. ?, 8, 9. Well ! we grant 
 all this ,• but how will you make good your Infe- 
 rence from it, That becaufe God raifed up extraor- 
 dinary Perfons (Prophets) to ftir up the Hearts of his 
 People the Jews, to go and rebuild his Temple at 
 Jerufalem, who only encourag'd them to do that, 
 which was otherwife their indifpenfable Duty, in 
 jheir feveral Stations, and in an orderly and regular 
 Way ; therefore doth it follow, That God /hall raife 
 up Prophets in an extraordinary Manner under the 
 Gofpel, for the fecond Building ( as you call it ) 
 of the fpiritual Temple, after the Captivity of fpi- 
 ritual Babylon? What Scripture, what Prophecy or 
 Tromife for this in the New Teftament ? And 
 where do you read of the Demolishing, Subverfion, 
 or Interfcijion of the fpiritual Temple, the Chriltian 
 Church ? And where of its being rebuilt by Un- 
 baptizjd Perfons ? as this Author faith, p. 42. Might 
 not this Author as well have faid, He would raife 
 Up the Spirits of Unconverted Jews or Heathens as 
 well ? Here, in this Paffage cited, God raifed up 
 Prophets to encourage the Rulers, the Priefis, and the 
 Levites, and other Members of the Segullah, only 
 to do what was their Duty, and a Work they were 
 every way qualify 'd for in their feveral Stations and 
 Degrees, and fo they addreft themfelves to the Work, 
 Built the Temple, and erecled the Altar, confe- 
 crated them, and kept the Feaft of Dedication of 
 this Houfe, &c. in a moft folemn Manner, Ezra VI. 
 and did every thing as order'd and written in the 
 
 Law 
 
12.x The Aftalapttfis Minifiry 
 
 Law of Mofes, Ezra III. 2. But how doth this agree 
 with the Author's Cafe ? Here all things are done 
 regularly by God's own People, Rulers, Friefis, Le~ 
 vites in the ordinary Way, ftated by God himfelf^ 
 tho' in their prefent Circumftances extraordinarily 
 call'd unto, and aflifted by Divine Providence in 
 this Work. All this was but a Reftauration of the 
 Divine Worftiip, and a Reinveftingthem with their 
 fufpended Liberties, as to the regular and publick 
 Exercife of their Religion in the Place of God's own 
 Appointment. But this Author's Cafe is diametri- 
 cally oppofite : A new Publication of the Gofpel, 
 and a new Converfion of the World. He fuppofes 
 a General Apoftacy from the Chrifiian Religion, a Fail- 
 ing of the Evangelical Priefihood and Sacraments, and 
 
 the ftirring up an Unbap- 
 tiz'd Perfon or Perfons to 
 Preach and Baptize, to con* 
 vert an idolatrous unbe- 
 lieving World. For in 
 divers Paflages of his 
 Book he avers, That who- 
 ever are not of his own 
 Se<3: have no Minifiry, no 
 Sacraments ; particularly , 
 thofe of the Church of 
 England: Speaking of her 
 Minifters, 'Even fo, faith 
 c he, have you and I 
 * ( God pardon us ) 
 c thought, That we were 
 c in a good Eftate, having 
 ' fuch zealous Teachers a 
 f that teach fo many excellent 
 Truths under the Title of Chrises Minivers, till ive 
 came to examine them, as the Church of Ephefus did y 
 Rev. 2. then vjc found them to have no other Minifiry, 
 _ than that they receivd from the Beaft and his Image, 
 
 which. 
 
 Ind. Whdt other Example have 
 you in the Scriptures, tbxt an 
 unbapti^ed Perfon way baptise? 
 Chr. Jj there reeve no other than 
 that afore-mentioned, it mere 
 fufficient : An Iifael circum- 
 cifed in Flefi, God (lining up 
 his Heart , teas to build the Tem- 
 ple made -with Hands, from the 
 firSi Stone to the latt; fo an 
 Ifraelite circumcifed in Heart, 
 God (lining him up, it to build 
 the Temple mx?,e -without Hand's, 
 from the fir Si Stone to the laSi, 
 'beginning with, Gs Preach and 
 Baptise, &c. But farther, roe 
 have the particular Example of 
 John Baptift 5 who, being un- 
 hapti\ed, preached, converted, 
 and baptiied. Perfecut. judg. 
 &c. Page XLII. 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 113 
 
 which the Dragon gave. Rev. 1 3. Yerfccut. jttdg.p 34. 
 Again, the firft Beginning of the Church of Eng- 
 land, was made of the Members of the Church 
 
 of Rome.- The Baptifm now practice! in the 
 
 Church of England, is no better, no otherwife than 
 
 that of Rome. The Church of Rome baptizeth 
 
 all the Infants of the moft Wicked, — and fo the 
 
 Church of England, p. 38. And as they are 
 
 in their firft Building, fo they are in moft of their 
 Laws, Lords, Law-makers, Courts, and thoufands 
 
 of other Abominations. — The Latter is the 
 
 very Image of the Firft, unto which whofoever 
 fubmitteth, or obeyeth, or maintaineth their 
 Baptifm, or any other of their humane Trafli, he 
 {hall be tormented in Fire andBrimftone for ever- 
 more, and mall never have Reft Day nor Night, 
 Rev. 14. And therefore, in God's Fear, caft away 
 that curfed Action of Waflring, where was neither 
 Chriffs Difciple adminiftr'mg, nor his Difciple upon 
 whom it was adminiflred, nor ChrisTs Body or Church 
 baptized into, p. 39. In Page 40, he calls the Mi- 
 
 nifters of the Church of England, Falfe Prophets, 
 
 ts£gyptians, Babylonians ' and Page 41, Minifiers of 
 Antichrift. He denies them to have God's Ordinances 
 cr Sacraments. — » ■■ They have only Imitations of 
 
 God's Ordinances, as Water, Bread, and Wine, p. 32. 
 And to that Objection, c We are God's People, for 
 we have the Word and Sacraments, he thus anfwers, — - 
 * The Philiftines might better have reafoned, 
 c 1 Sam. y. who had the true Ark of God among 
 c them, ( thefe have but a Shew ) We are God's 
 ' People, for we have the Ark and Holy Oracles 
 
 e amongft us, ibid. He tells us again, that 
 
 none of the Church of England's Minifters would 
 be allow'd to preach if they receiv'd not their Pow- 
 
 c er- -from thofe the Dragon fends, and there- 
 
 f fore none can receive Truths from them, but they 
 I receive the Devil by whofe Vower they teach • for, as 
 
 ' our 
 
ii4 Tfo Anahaptijls Miniftry 
 
 e our Saviour faith, Mat. 10. 40. He that receiveth 
 
 * you, receiveth me ^ and receiveth him that fent 
 
 * me : So he that receiveth thofe the Beaft fends 
 ( receiveth the Beaft ; and he that receiveth the 
 
 * Beaft, receiveth him that fent him, that is, the 
 
 * Devi). Persecution judgd and condemn d, Page 32. 
 But td conclude this ihort Collection, he quotes 
 Mr. de Glufe Adv. />. 9. thus, '- yet hath ( ac- 
 cording to Truth) confefs'd in Writing, 'That 
 f there is nothing to be expected from Chrift by 
 
 * any Member of the Church of England, but a 
 
 * pouring out of his eternal Wrath upon them, ^.36, 
 fee p\ 35. See now the Opinion of this Author of 
 your Communion, of Jbcfe from whom he differs, 
 and particularly and efpecially thofe of the Church 
 of England and Rome no better than Reprobates, and 
 poiitiyely denies Salvation to be had in either Com- 
 munion ; and however Mr. Stennet, and fome others, 
 may glofi and varnijh over the Bufinefs, this, I am 
 credibly inform'd k is a prevailing Opinion of many of 
 jcur Communion, and frequently averr'd by fome of 
 y out Preachers, and one of your Gifted Brethren has 
 acknowledg'd as much even to me, and I can, and 
 ihall produce (as Occafion fhall require it) more 
 Paffages of the like Nature out of your e-wn Books: 
 And thus you damn all the Churches in the World, 
 and aiTert only your own Party alone., to be the 
 One Holy Catholic and Apofiolic Church, exclusive of all 
 other Denominations ot Chriftians, 
 
 And now let me propound unto you a few Que- 
 ftions again, which indeed you may take (if you 
 pleafe ) as Anfwers to him and you: Do not you 
 let up here an unfcriptural Notion, even againft 
 Chrift' s own Promife, in fuppofing the Failure of the 
 whole Church of Chrift, and his Minijlry he had fetled 
 in it, of his Confervstion and Protection of it, and con- 
 fequently of his Ceafing to be the Head of the Church 
 too ? exprefly contrary to that of our Blefled Lord, 
 
 Mat* 
 
Eaamlnd and Dlfprovd. n^ 
 
 Mat. 16. Upon this Rock "will I build my Church, and 
 the Gates of Hell foall not prevail againfi it • and that of 
 Matthew the laft Chapter, ver. 20. And Lo I am with 
 you ahuays, even unto the End of the World. Can you 
 produce any Texts, out of the Gojfrcl or Revelations, 
 to contradid this ? Can you allege any exprefi Texts, 
 or by Logical Reafoning infer from them, That all 
 
 * the Churches in the World, that are not of your 
 Communion , to be the 
 
 Myftical Babylon mentioned * $u modo erg0 ifii J/flwf; 
 
 in the Revelations, the lpi- jam effe cornpletum quod Domi- 
 
 ritual Sodomites, and t^- nus aitjradicari in Nomine ejus 
 
 Zyptians. and Antichriftian Penitent iam <? Remi/ftonem 
 
 • ^u c r »u <* ~>1*^ Peccatorum in omnes Gentes, 
 
 in the Senfe there menti- incipimibus ab Hieru[alm \ 
 
 oned ? Can you prove (Luc. xx.xxiv.) fedpoften cce~ 
 
 yourfelves, or your Pre- teris deficientibus, folam Cbri- 
 
 decejfors, to be the very ft* Africa remanfiffe, cum ad- 
 
 rrr. rr • >j „u " uc implendum In, nondtim im* 
 
 Witneffes mention d there, pletum . cum & irap i etumfuerhy 
 
 veniet Finis : Sic enimDominus 
 tit, Mat. xxiv. xiv. ^uomodo ergo cum adimplera effet Fides omnium 
 Gentium, tunc perditio Gentium, excepta Africa, conjecuta eft ? Jl>uan~ 
 doquidem ipfa Fides omnium Gentium nondum impleta eft. Nifi forte hoc 
 rejid! Hominum Injania, ut dicant non ex illis Ecclefm, qua fundata 
 funt per Apoftolorum Ubores, adimpleri pradicationem Evangelii in 
 omnibus Gentibus^ fed illis peremtibus earum Reparationem ex A- 
 phrica futuram per partem donati. & refiduarum Gentium ac- 
 quifitionem. Putoquodipfi rideant cum hoc audiunt, & t amen nifi 
 hoc dicant, quod erubejeunt ft dicant, non habent omnino quod dicant. 
 Sed quid ad nos ? Nemini invidemus, legant nobis hoc de Scripturis 
 fj.niT.is, & credimus. Hoc inquam, vobis ex Canone divinorum li- 
 brorum legant, tot Civitates, qua ufque ad hodiernum diem Baptif- 
 mum per Apoftolos fibi confignatum tenuerunt, propter Aphrorum fibi 
 incognita, Crimina periiffe a. Fide Chrifti, & denuo Baptizandos effe 
 H parte donati, at que inde cceteris Gentibus, qu* nondum audierunt, 
 pradicandum Evangelium. Hoc nobis legant. ^uid morantur ? 
 £luid tergiverjantur ? *%uid impediunt Salutem Gentium ? Le- 
 gant hoc, & cum ipfa Leclione novos Apoftolos mittant ad tot 
 Gerjtes Rebaptizandas. Aug. de Unit. Eccl. Cap. xvii. I wifh 
 thofe of the Anabaptifls that are able, would confider well 
 this l! > airage, and- apply it to themfelves, who boaft themfelves 
 to be the "tote Church, and Succeffors of the Apoftles. 
 
 and 
 
t%6 The Anahaptifts Mimflry 
 
 and the Follow:* of the Lamb, by any ettfnfi Texts 
 or Genuine Deductions ? This is but jufi, according 
 to your own way of arguing, and your foftive Di- 
 lates and AJJertions, without any manner of Proof, 
 or even foadow of Reafon, and of as great Impor- 
 tance as the Cafe of Infant- Baptifm, and therefore 
 {hall not court you to it, but demand it of you, and 
 you are in honour and confeience oblig'd to anfwer it,* 
 and it importeth you as much as your Salvation it- 
 felf, or you are in danger of having the Tables turn'd 
 upon you : Prove then, if you can, that this Age 
 we live in, and that immediately preceding, comes 
 within limited time for the Apofiolical Reign of the 
 Bk&ft, the Dragon, the Whore, Antichrist, and This 
 Church in particular, under which you have, and 
 at prefent live, to be a Branch ol Antichrists, and the 
 Beaft's Kingdom. Prove her Doftrines and Workup, An- 
 ticbrifiian and Idolatrous, and her Martyrs, obftinate, 
 deluded Fools, and juftiy ptmijh'd for being Rebels, if 
 you can, and to have died in a wrong Caufe. Prove 
 chefe things firfr, and then draw your Conferences, 
 for fear you publifh your felves to be falfe Prophets, 
 Deceivers, Hypocrites and Liars [Forgers of Herefies 
 and damnable Doctrines] as well as Slanderers, fuch 
 as Hiall be for ever {hut out of the New Jerufakm, 
 becaufe never Regifter'd in the Lamb's Book of Life, 
 Rex/. 21. ult. 
 
 But fttppofng the Cafe even fuch as you, as vainly, 
 weakly, as wickedly and malicioufly, and even blajfihe-* 
 moujly, would make ic, which yet is impoflible as to 
 the whole Church ; what have you to do uncoil d, un- 
 fent, unbaptizld (as the Author ftates the Cafe, fup- 
 ponng a general Dtfcclkn and Apofiacy, and Bap- 
 rifm Adminiftred by Sodomites, Egyptians, &C. inva- 
 lid) to take upon you to Teach, Co7tvert, Baptize? 
 Can you Jhew any Warrant out of the New Tefia- 
 ment tor this your Undertaking ? May not that be 
 retorted upon you, which this your Author replies 
 
 to 
 
E x cumin d and Difprovd. izj 
 
 to thofe Minlfiers of the Church of England, who de- 
 rived their Orders from iuch as were formerly in 
 Communion with the Church of Rome ? ' What have 
 f Antichriffi s Minifiers to do to take God's Word in their 
 f Mouths, or to declare his Ordinances, feeing they hate 
 c to be reformed, and have cafi. God's Word behind their 
 ' Backs, Pfal. yo. 16. If you cannot prove your 
 felves to be ftirred up by the Spirit of God, then 
 pray by what Spirit ? Then what have you to do 
 in this matter Ay, but you find your felves 
 ftrongly movd and pujh'd on by the Spirit of God to 
 preclaim War, and bear Teftimony againft this fpiritual 
 Sodom, Babylon, Egypt, Antichrift, the great Whore, 
 the Dragon, the BeaH, Idolaters^ Unbaptiz/d, Uncir- 
 cumcisd Philifiines. The Spirit within you com- 
 mands you to go Teach all Nations, to Convert, to 
 Baptize, &c. Your Heart waxes hot within you, 
 the Fire is kindled, and now behold your Zeal for 
 the Spiritual Temple of the Lord, Come out of Baby- 
 lon my People, that ye be not Partakers of her Sins, and 
 that ye receive not of her Plagues, Rev. 18. 4. 
 
 But ftay a little, my Friends, not too hafty ! you 
 find a ftrong Impulfe upon your Spirits, your Zeal 
 is up ,• you find your felves extraordinarily mo/d, 
 and to work you mult go, or wo unto you if you 
 don't Preach the Gofpel, and Rebuild the Spiritual 
 Temple, &c. But what Texts do you find to au- 
 thorize this Undertaking of yours ? Of you, who 
 have no ordinary or outward Calling to Preach, &c. 
 Is it faid any where in all the New Teftament, that 
 the Spirit of God would put this work into the 
 Hands of private Perfons, Unbaptiz'd not aUual Mem- 
 bers of Chrifi by Baptifm, that are not Chriftians ? 
 Pray prove this if you can. But you are extraordi- 
 narily call'd by God and not by Men, (now we come 
 clofe to the Point) tho' Vnbaptizld, and have no 
 outward Call. [Unbaptiz'd, I mean with refpedl 
 to your firft ftarting up.] But how do you prove 
 
 this 
 
n8 The Analaptifls Mhifity 
 
 this your Miffion, by what outward Evidences, Signs] 
 or Tokens of extraordinary immediate Vocation ? How 
 do you make this appear to others ? This is abfo- 
 lutely neceflary that others mould have Grounds to 
 believe this your Vocation or Miffion ,• or in the firtt 
 place, they are under no Obligation to receive or 
 hear you ; nor fecondly, do they fin by rejecting, op- 
 fofing you, /topping your jWfl«^j,becaufe without mani- 
 fest Proof, and vifible, fenftble Demonfiration, they 
 cannot diftinguifii you from Cheats, Impofiors, Falfe- 
 teachers, as coming in your own Name, and not in 
 God's, nor with his Authority and Commiffion. 
 Befides thirdly, there are no Grounds from Scripture, 
 nor no Occafion that we can meet with for any 
 iuch extraordinary Vocation as is pretended, becaufe 
 no pojfihttty of a general Failure of the ordinary Voca- 
 tion as is prefum'd, it being Eftablim'd upon the 
 Tromife and Veracity, and Omnipotency of Chrift him- 
 felf, that no Powers of Men, or of Hell it felf, mall 
 ever be able totally to annul it or abolifli it. Such 
 a Failure as this, would unhinge Chrifiianity it felf^ 
 and reflect eternal Dishonour upon God, and prove 
 all the Prcmifes of the Gofpel to be a meer human In- 
 vention, and an Impojiure, and banim the very Notion 
 of a God and Religion out of the World, and fo fub- 
 vert and undermine our common Hope. Then 
 fourthly, there are no fuch PaJJages to be found in 
 the Revelation, that imply fuch a general or total De- 
 fection from Chrifiianity as you fuppofe, and hath 
 been hinted already ,• In what Chapter, in what verfe 
 do you find it, as to give any Ground for fuch an 
 extraordinary Vocation of Unbaptizld private Perfons to 
 the work of Preaching, Converting or Baptizing, but 
 the direA contrary : The very Paflage fo much in 
 the Mouths of you, and many others of the Secta- 
 ries and EnthufaHs, Come out of her, my People, that ye 
 he not partakers of her Sins, and that ye receive not of 
 her VLigties ; feems to contradift your molt Jpecious and 
 
 women- 
 
Mxamin'J and DifprovJ.. %g 
 
 momentous Pretences. My People, this fupDofes a 
 People of God already in being, fa People \ y Ap" 
 propriations, a People in actual Covenant with God* 
 God being their God by Appropriation, a Chofex and 
 Elect People, a Segullab, a Royal PrieBhood, Kings and 
 PrieBs, Rev. i. 6. a Holy Nation, Exod. 19, 6* 
 i Pet. 2. 9. See Rom. 5*. 10. Even a Church, a Spi- 
 ritual Temple) before their being called out, even 
 in this Myfiical Babylon you fo loudly enveigh a- 
 gainft : If fo, then it follows, if a People of God, 
 that is, Members of Chrift, it muft be by Compaq 
 or Covenant, for none can ftri<5tly be termed God's 
 People, but fuch as are in aclual Covenant with him > 
 and if in Covenant, then it follows by fome outward 
 Sign, (for we read of no Covenant between God and 
 his People -without) then under this laft and Gojpel- 
 Dijpenfition, by what Sign but that of Baptifm, we 
 read of no other under the Gofpel ; and if by Bap- 
 tifm, then by fuch as had Power to Baptize * y but 
 we read of none but fuch as were calfd to the Mini- 
 ftry, that have this Power under the Gofpel * 
 then if by Minifters externally caU'd 3 (for we know of 
 no others fince the Apoflolical Age ,•) and if fo, then 
 it's evident here's a Minifiry, and a lawful one too, 
 even in the worft Times of Antichriftianifm, fuch a 
 Minifiry as is own'd even by ChriB himfelf, when 
 the Sons of Babylon were at the Very heigth. when 
 the Cup of her Abominations were brim-full, and 
 when Babylon was ripe for Judgment, even juft be- 
 fore her Downfal. If this Deduclicn will hold good, 
 as I fear not but it will, even this will follow too, 
 for all you can fay to the contrary, that even Infant 
 Baptifm muft be lawful, and according to the Will 
 and Infiitution of ChriB himfelf. Suppofe the Uni- 
 ver&\Prevalency of Antichrifllanifm in your JMoii n at 
 what Period you pleafe to fix for it ,• by your own 
 Confeflion and Acknowledgement, this Vedobapttfm 
 was patch'd by AntichriB, and that for many Ages., 
 and under Antkhrifi's Reign generally pradis'd , 
 
 K and 
 
130 The Anataptifts Miniflry 
 
 and yet here were God's People and Saints who were 
 Baptized in their Infancy, and thefe call'd out of Baby 
 Ion, and refcu d from her Judgments. Fifthly, Then 
 here's no Colour, not the leaft tittle and fhadow of 
 a Pretence for your immediate or extraordinary Voca- 
 tion ; God in his Providence is not wont to exert 
 himfelf in an extraordinary manner, or make ufe of 
 extraordinary Means, but when the Ordinary fail, or 
 are inefficient to his Purpofes and Defigns ,• efpecial- 
 ly if we confider and remember, that notwithftand* 
 ing all the Efforts of Antichrist, and Perfecutions a- 
 gainft, and Prevalency over the Church ,• yet after 
 all, in the Revelations it plainly appears that God 
 freferved the Church ftill, and the Deftru&ion of 
 Babylon was to be for the Refcue and Deliverance of 
 Chrifi's Church and Chofen. What occafion then for 
 this your extraordinary Vocation, fince here's 3 Church, 
 and Minifters, and Saints, and Ordinances ? Is it not 
 nlore natural and feafiUe to conceive that Christ would 
 rather ftir up the Spirits of Perfons by their Vocation 
 and Function, adapted for the great Work of Convert- 
 ting the Jews and the Unbelieving World, and for the 
 Propagating the Gojpel, than employ Perfons extraordi- 
 narily call'd) efpecially fince there's no Promife or 
 Prophecy to encourage or countenance fuch a Notion ? 
 But, fixthly, fince you have fet up for extraordinary 
 Minifters in this latter Age of the World, and thereby 
 would be receiv das the only true Minifters of Christ 
 
 now in the World ; 'tis but 
 * Cuph ojtendant mibi ex reafonable you fhould exhi- 
 qui amhoritate prodierunt. Si bit and produce * your Cre- 
 alium Deum pradicant, quomo- 
 
 do ejus Dei rebus Isf Uteris & nominibus utantur , adveyfus 
 quem. predicant ? Si eundem, quomodo aliter alter ? Prcbent fe novos 
 Apoftolos ejfe 3 dicant Chriftum iterum defcendife, iterum ipfum decu. 
 ijfe ? iterum Crucifixum, iterum mortuum, iterum refufcitatwn : fie 
 enirti Apojiolos ftletfAcere, dire illii praterett virtutem eadem figna e- 
 eiendiy qua & ipfe. Velo igitur & virtutes eorum proferre, nifi quod 
 agnofco maximum virtutem eorum, qua Apofiolot in perverfum amulan- 
 tur. Illi enim de mortuis vivts fatfebant, ifii de vivis mortuos factum 
 Tertull. de Prxfer, Caf. xxx. 
 
 dentials : 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. t$t 
 
 dentials : Extraordinary Minifter s mould give extraor- 
 dinary Evidences of their Commiffion and Authority* 
 Chrift hftituted an ordinary (landing Miniftry , or 
 Trie ft-hood in his Churchy and hath promifed to Sup- 
 port it till his fecond Coming. You fay it hath fail'd 
 long fmce, and none but your felves are the Mini- 
 fters of Ghrift, and have put the Church and GoJfeU 
 Miniftry upon a new Foot. Pray, prove unto us, 
 either that we ought to take your bare word for it 3 or 
 Jbew us your CommiJJion. Under the Law, every 
 Prophet (for a Prophet in the ftrift Notion, was al- 
 ways look'd upon as a Minifter of God, extraordinari- 
 ly } or immediately called, and fent) was oblig'd by 
 fome Sign, to give Tefiimony of his Miffion, or to be 
 look'd upon as a wicked Impoftor, give fome extraor- 
 dinary Sign , or work fome Miracle, or he was to be 
 put to death i So Deut. 18. 20. But the Prophet which 
 fljall pre fame to (peak a word in my Name, which I have 
 not commanded him to [peak 3 » or that jballfpeak in the 
 Name of other Gods, even that Prophet Jhall die : And if 
 thou Jhalt fay in thy heart, How jjjall we know the word 
 which the Lord hath not jfioken ? When a Prophet fpeak- 
 etb in the Name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor 
 come to pafs, that is the thing which the Lord hath not 
 jpoken, hut the Prophet hath fpoken it prefumptuoufly 3 
 Thou jhalt not he afraid of him. So that from this Paf- 
 fage, we may obferve two Notes to know the falfe 
 Prophets by. fi.) If they teach new Dothines con- 
 trary to the Faith already deliver d or eftablijh'd by 
 God, or new Objecls oilVotJhip. Or (2.) Forct el fuch 
 Things as never are acccmplijl/d, or come to paft, ac- 
 cording to that of Jeremiah ,• The Prophet, which pro- 
 phecieth of Peace, when the word of the Prophet Jhall come 
 to pafs, then Jltall the Prophet be known that the Lord hath 
 truly fent him, Chap. 28. 9. But more particularly. 
 There are divers other Texts in the H. Scripture, 
 from whence we may make good our Affertion, 
 That extraordinary Minifter s or Prophets, were oblig'd 
 
 K. 2 to 
 
1 3 1 The Analaptijli Miniflry 
 
 to give Proof of their MlJJion by fome Signs or other? 
 either by working Miracles, Perdition of things to 
 come,, or by revealing fome fecret thing out of the- 
 ovay of human Knowledge. Thus for initance, Mofes 
 was afraid to deliver the Meffage of God (altho' he 
 appear'd unto him in an extraordinary manner , Exod. 
 3. 4. &c.) unto Pharaoh, Behold they will not believe 
 me, nor hearken unto my Voice, for they will fay, the 
 Lord hath not appear d unto thee, Exod. 4. 1. And ac- 
 cordingly God gave him the Power to work Miracles, 
 Exod. 4. Soprefently after, Joshua his Succejfor, had 
 receiv'd his Charge from God, he magnified him in the 
 fight of all Ifrael, that they might know that God was 
 with him, as he was with Mofes ; and this was ma- 
 nifested by the miraculous dividing, or farting of the 
 Waters of Jordan • as afterwards, by the falling down 
 of the Walls ofjerkbo, Jofh. Chap. 6. By the Sun 
 and Moon fianding ftill at the Word of Jomua, Chap. 
 
 10. 12. So we find Samuels Vocation to be a Prophet, 
 confirm d by his foretelling the DefiruHion of Elie's Houfe, 
 1 Sam. 3. 18. And in the i$tb, it's faid, That 
 Samuel g r ew, and the Lord was with him, and did let 
 mne of his words fall unto the ground • and that £by this] 
 all Ifrael, from Dan, even to Beerjheba, knew that Sa- 
 muel was eftabliflid to be a Prophet of the Lord, ver. 19, 
 20. Again, Samuel prayed, and offered Sacrifice unto 
 the Lord • upon which, the Ifraelites obtained afignal 
 Vitlory over the Philtflines, Chap. 7. See other In- 
 fiances likewife in Elijah and Elijha, Ifaiah, &C. but 
 thefe are enough to prove that the Prophets always 
 gave Ttfiimony of their Miffion from God, by fome 
 extraordinary, nay, fenfible Signs ,• and accordingly 
 we rind, the Jews demanded Signs of our Saviour to 
 atteft his Miffion, Matth. 12. 38. 16. 1. Mark 8. 
 
 11. John 16. 30. See 1 Cor. 1. 22. And our Saviour 
 himfelf appealeth to the Works he did, as the indi- 
 fptttaUe Signs of Divine Miffion, viz. His Miracles. 
 Now this Demand of the Pharifees to our Saviour, 
 
 fhews 
 
Bxamirid and Dijprov'd. 133 
 
 Aews beyond even contraditlion, that the Jews were 
 wont to require fomewhat extraordinary from the Pro- 
 fhets, to prove and attesl their Million, before they 
 receiv'd or acknowledged them as fuch. But zlfo Mi- 
 racles were the ufual Teft, yet not the only > there 
 were other Marks to judg them by. As an unufual 
 Piety and Aufierity of Life, joyn'd with AgreeableneJ? 
 in Dotlrine with the preceding Prophets, and Conform- 
 ablenefi like wife with their Predictions, and not 
 thwarting and contradicting them. Whereas, the con- 
 trary to all thefe, were the indubitable Marks of Im- 
 pofiors and Hypocrites. I might proceed, and produce 
 the fame Credentials for the Apoftolical Miffion, how 
 that Chrifl^ when he fent them out to Preach, gave 
 them the Power to work Miracles, were it necelfary ,• 
 but it being fo obvious, I mail not infift upon it ac 
 prefent : All the Inference I fhall make from what 
 1 have juft now laid down, is only this, That fines 
 you have not fufficiently evincd your ordinary Mif- 
 jfton,a.nd upon thofe Topicks laid down in your Con* 
 fejjion of Faith, (as I think) cannot > and that fince 
 iome of your Fraternity being fenfible of the Unlike- 
 lihood or fucceeding that way, have betaken them- 
 felves to this, of an immediate and extraordinary Vocati- 
 fin, if you cannot demonfirate it by Miracles, it muft 
 follow, that you have no Vocation, no MiJJion, no 
 Minifiry at all. 
 
 But to return after this mort Digreffion, from 
 what I urg'd as to the Prophets out of the Old Tene- 
 ment ; Thence it appears, that the Jews had a Rule 
 and Signs whereby to diftinguifli /**//<? from true Pro r 
 phets ; otherwjfe they could never be fecure from 
 being imposed upon and mifled. Miracles were then 
 the ordinarily Rule to the Jews, to judge of extraordi- 
 nary Minifiers or Prophets by ,• and this Rule, you fee, 
 was eftablifh'd and given by God himfelf ,• and ac- 
 cordingly the Jews examin'd their Prophets by this 
 Ri>.k, and hereby could not be imposd upon, but by 
 
 & 3 tbsi? 
 
134 The Anahaptifls Mimflry 
 
 their own Neglect and Default, and at their own 
 Peril. But perhaps you may object, we read of di- 
 vers Prophets among the Jews, who were true Pro- 
 phets, and receiv'd as fuch, without working any 
 Miracles. I anfwer, we do, and no mention of a- 
 ny Miracles wrought by them ,• but doth it hence 
 follow, that they wrought none f Tho' the working 
 of Miracles was the grand and ejlablifid Kttlfatov, or 
 Tefi of their MiJJlon, and no Queftion was general- 
 ly requir'd and comply'd with, yet it was not the 
 only one : I have mew'n you fome others already, 
 and Jhould now add another of St. John Baptifi, but 
 that I referve it to its proper place afterwards. 
 Again, befides, 'tis highly reafonable it fliould be fo ; 
 yiay, this is the leaft that can be expe&ed in the 
 Cafe before us, to demand fuch an Exertion of mi- 
 raculous Works, or to give Proof of fuch extraordinary 
 Gifts as the Affiles did ,• I fay at leaft, becaufe o- 
 therwife we fliould be at a great lofs, and not able 
 €0 diftinguifli true Minifiers of Chrift from falfe 
 ones , efpschWy , fuppofing an Agreement in all Funda- 
 mentals and EJfentials in Religion otherwife ; but, at 
 this time of Day, to fet up new Articles of Faith, new 
 Doctrines, it's to (hew that this laft Difjenfation by Je- 
 fits Christ, is imperfect, and fo to be dene away, to 
 make way for a more perfect, a new one, and a better $ 
 fo that whoever (as 'tis fuppos'd to be your Cafe) 
 pretends to a new Dijjenfation, by introducing new 
 Doctfines, new Fundamentals, a new Minifiry, they 
 are obliged to exhibit, or bring new Credentials to af- 
 Jert their Mijfion, and to vouch their Doctrine • nay, 
 and as the Miracles of our Saviour, bringing in a 
 more gracious and a nobler D 'Sen fat ion, far furpaf- 
 fed thofe of Mofes (as might be made out by many 
 Difcriminations , and which you will not dijjute, and 
 therefore unneceffary to be infilled on here) fo by 
 arity of Re a fen, they are oblig'd not only to do fuch 
 rYorks as never Man d\d, nay, greater than ever were 
 
 done 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 11$ 
 
 done by our BlefTed Saviour himfelf^ otherwife they 
 deferve no Credit, and ought to be rejected as Im- 
 fofiors, and the new Doftrincs they Preach as Lies, and 
 fo liable to Eternal Vengeance, as undoubtedly all 
 falfe Prophets are under the Gofpel,as hath been/hewn 
 already in this Difcourfe. But once more, tho* 
 Miracles under the former Diftenfations were neceffary^ 
 and under the latter, but for a time (efpecially ac 
 the beginning) till the Faith mould be fufficiently 
 confirmed by them, (and the Mijfion of its Promulgers 
 thereby ascertained) and afford ail reafonable and «»- 
 derfiand'mg Men, fuftjcient occafion to embrace it, 
 and yield up themfelves unto it upon that account, 
 by giving them all poflible Satisfaction as to thofe 
 matters of Fail, which could leave no place for In- 
 credulity : But now I muft tell you, tho 1 you ha(£ 
 the Power even of working Miracles, we are moft 
 preffingly cautioned againft you. Your teaching 
 new Doctrines, and Pretences to an extraordinary Vocati- 
 on with truly difcerning and ferious Perfons, would 
 render you but the more fufpicious ,« If a Prophet flail 
 give you a Sign, or Wonder, and it come to pafs, if it be 
 to tempt, to follow firange Gods,we are not to hearken 
 to fuch, Deut. 13. 1, 2. Our Saviour forewarns us^ 
 That in the laft Days falfe Prophets [hall arife that 
 [hall pew great Signs and Wonders, infomuch, that if i( 
 were pojfible, they fiould deceive even the very ElebJ^ 
 Matth. 24. 24. And the Apofile faith, That the com* 
 ing of the Man of Sin, Jhoitld be after the working of Sa- 
 tan with' all Power and Signs, and lying Wonders, 2ThefT 
 2. 9. So that from thefe Scriptures, all the Faithful 
 are plainly and exprefly fore-warn d and caution d a- 
 gainft all the Pretenders to an extraordinary Gall und 
 Mifjion, the very Drift and Importance of them is for 
 this very end, to fecure all the Faithful from the Delu- 
 fions of fuch Deceivers • implying, that the end of 
 thefe Signs and lying Wonders, by the wily Contrivance* 
 pf Satan, are to give Countenance to their pretended 
 
 K. 4 
 
 u 
 
136 The Anahaptijls Mimftry 
 
 Mifjtofn and falfe Dotlrines, and both at once, thera 
 I r.o other Reafons aflignable for them. Thu 
 
 very fetting up an extraordinary Mijfion after the Apo- 
 (lles time, let it be in what Age it will, proves k 
 felf to be a Sat ante al Delufion, there being no Inftan- 
 ces producible of this kind after the Canon 0$ Scrip ur$ 
 was fix'd. They took care in their own Times, in 
 all places where they planted the Gojpel for an Qrdina-, 
 ry Miniftry and Succeffion, and fo lett it to the Blef- 
 fing and Protection olChriff, there being no farther 
 XJfe for the Extraordinary. And hence the Apoftle 
 fliarply reproves the Galatians for forfaking the true 
 Gojfrel, and embracing a new one, preach'd unto 
 them by Deceivers, who gave out they had an extra- 
 ordinary Call or Miffion, and boafted of their immedi- 
 ate Gifts, and affumed unto themfelves a greater 
 Authority than St. Paul s. To this purpofe, we read 
 thefe falfe Apoftles and Seducers, to iucceed the more 
 effectually with thefe Galatians, oppofed unto him 
 the PraBice ol fome other Apoftles, in conniving at 
 the ufe of legal Ceremonies, Chap. 2. 6. in order to 
 reduce them to legal Obfcrvances, fee Chap. 4. 17. 
 Chap. 6. 13. with the Oxf Paraph- But amongft 
 thefe, there's one particularly ainrd at by the Apo- 
 ftle, Chap. y. 10.- — ( But he that troubleth you fli'all 
 hear his Judgment, who ever he he. ( It feems to have 
 
 * been one Perfon chiefly that endeavour d to feduce them, 
 6 who, as fome fay, was Cerinthus, who Uv din the A- 
 f poftles times — *-v- and taught very many Herefes like the 
 € Gnofticks, but particularly, that Chrift was meer Aiar A , 
 6 that Circumcifum was of force, that the Refurrettiop 
 ? was to he in the World, and to begin at Jerufalem — - 
 f where the Saints were to live 1000 years inallVo- 
 f luptuoufnef and Senfuality, after which manner him felf 
 f was alfo noted to have lived, which might give occmfion 
 
 * to this Apoftle here to write fo jharplj againft thofe Sins, 
 ? &c. Chap. 6. 15. to take notice, that even thefe falfe 
 I £)c#ors did uqt even live 'Rtligioufty according to the 
 
 • " * Law 
 
Examined and Difprevd. 137 
 
 f Law it felf, Oxf. Annot. What is faid here of 
 Cerinthus, might, I queftion not) with as equal Pro- 
 bability, be apply'd to that Primogenitus Satame ; 
 Firft-born of Satan, Simon Magus , if we compare 
 this 17th verfe with Chap. 1. ver. 6, 7. I marvel that 
 ye are fo foon removed from him that called you into the 
 prace of Chrift unto another Gofpel. But there are fomt 
 that trouble you, and would pervert the Gofpel of Chrift. 
 And that which feems to confirm it, is, that this 
 Simon Magus did not only endeavour to introduce a 
 new Golpel, but to £ive 
 
 himfelf OUt to be the *o^<> Ego fumSermo Dei, tgofim 
 the Word of God, and i'o Spedofus, ego Paradetus, ego 
 
 nretended to an extraordi- 0mm P oms ^ E &° m ™ a Deus . * 
 pretenaea to anexrraorai- Himm> comment, ad cap xxiv 
 
 nary Miffion, luch as Chrift Mat. apud Grab, fpidleg. Ptti 
 
 himfelf moft truly averr'd , Sec i. p. 307. 
 nay, and wrote Books un- 
 der the Name of CbriB and his Difciples, which is e«- 
 
 quivalent to the Publishing a new Gojpel, becaufe in 
 thefe, He and his Partner Cleobias wrote contrary 
 
 and in direct Oppofition to ChriB's and his Apo- 
 ftks Doclrines; and befides, 
 
 we read in the Apoftolical Oie/k^on w*ei 2/jaSV* $ 
 
 Conftitufuns. that he wrote «£ i H% W* w^"™* £'£- 
 
 pretended Confutations of liMdnaSv j^ ^ww U 
 
 the Creation , Prophets , A- i-nd-nv vftSy, iSv 7wptHnvfi- 
 
 poftles, &C. as we are told w XecssV x$ «</«< re a*™ 
 
 by the lame Learned Mr. f**f 9?fi if - A ^- <•**•*. 
 
 * ., .11 A Grab, \picile?. Patr. &c. Sec 
 
 Grabe; And that our Apo- ,. p# g u ^ 6y 3o7< 
 
 file, in all likelihood, might 
 
 here intend, or mean, Simon Magus, and have re- 
 fpeft to his Doctrines in this Epiftle, may be fairly 
 conje«5tur'd from Chap. r. ver. $, But tho we [Pe- 
 ter, James, any offthe other Apoftles, or my felf~] or 
 [even] an Angel from Heaven, [a real Angel, or the 
 Devil transfigured into an Angel of Ught in his Members, 
 as in Simon Magus calling himfelf the Power of God, the 
 IVard of God'] mould preach any other Gofpel [con- 
 trary 
 
138 The Analaptifts Mintfiry 
 
 trary to, er upon different Principles from my Doclrine, "] 
 unto you, than that [already] preach'd unto you, 
 let him be accurs'd. 
 
 As this Simon Magus and his Followers preached 
 new Doctrines, a new Goffel contrary and in Oppofition 
 to Chrifi and the Apofiles, fo its plain they formed, 
 Schifms againtf them, fet up for extraordinary Minifters, 
 fpake evil of Dignities, viz,; the Apofiolical Office, 
 pretended to work Miracles too inConfirmation of their 
 DoBrines and Authority. As for their forming of 
 Schifms, and drawing of the Galatians from the Apo- 
 ftle's Communion, viz. St* Pauls, its evident from 
 this Epiftle 1 and to promote a Separation from the 
 Apofiles Doclrine and Communion, they us'd all pofli- 
 ble Endeavours to leffen and run down his Authority : 
 [I.] By infinuating that he a&ed contrary to the other 
 Apofiles Pra&ice ; upon which Suggeftion he apolo- 
 gizsth for himfelf, by urging, That he learn d not 
 the Goffiel, or received it from Man, but God, Ghap. 1. 
 ver. 11. 12. To this he anfwers, (1.) That after 
 this Revelation made unto him, and his Miffion to 
 freach the Goffel, receiv'd immediately from Chris! 
 himfelf, He did wtf confer with Fleflt and Blood, take 
 the Advice of any Man, no not of the Apofiles them- 
 felves, but proceeded as the Holy Spirit conducted and 
 directed him, ver. 16. And then, (2.) in reference 
 to the Bufinefs of Circumciflon, allow'd and conniv'd 
 at by the other Apofiles, and wherein St. Paul dif- 
 fer'd from them, by Teaching, That it was fo far 
 from being obligatory, that it was a Sin to put it 
 in pra&ice ; nay, pofitively, that it was a Subverfion 
 ofChrifiian Liberty, Chap. 5-. ver. 1. and exprefiy tells 
 the Galatians, If ye be circumcisd, ChriH foall profit ye 
 nothing, ver. 2. and therefore cRarg'd Peter to his 
 Face with Diffimulat'xm, and fome others of the Apo- 
 files, for their too forward Compliance with the Jews, 
 as to this and fome other legal Qbfervances, as not 
 Walking uprightly, and according to the Truth [and 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. 139 
 
 Sincerity ] of the Gofyel, Ghap. 2. ver. 14. but here- 
 by giving Countenance and Encouragement to the Ju~ 
 Jaifing Chrifiians and Seducers, and laying a Stumbling- 
 Block in the Way of the Gentiles: Then (3.) that 
 whatever thefe Seducers might urge from the other 
 Affiles Examples and Practice, he anfwers, That in- 
 deed when he did acquaint even the other Apofiles 
 with the Gojpel he preach' d, [ viz. Of the Ceajing of 
 Mofess Law, which he [ ufually ~\ preacht among the 
 Gentiles, Chap. 2. ver. 2.] that he had no Oppofition 
 from them, no one offer'd to contradict him, or for- 
 bid him to do fo for the future, ver. 3. confult the 
 Oxf Paraph. & Annotat. on the Place. But [ II.] 
 Thefe Seducers to vilifie and render St. Paul's Autho- 
 rity contemptible here among the Galatians, by urg- 
 ing that his Authority was inferiour to That of the reft 
 of the Apofiles, that he had been a Perfecutor of that 
 Religion he now profeft, and was not one of thofe who 
 had company d with them all the Time that the Lord Jefm 
 went in and out amongft them, Acts 1. ver. 21. had 
 never feen Jefus in the Flelfi, nor heard him before 
 his Afcenfion, but receiv'd the Gojpel, and his Com- 
 miffion to preach it, from Them, and therefore fubjecl 
 to them ; and that what he a&ed contrary to their 
 Practice was only his own private Fancy and Judg- 
 ment, and upon that Account not to be regarded or 
 heeded. To this St. Vaul anfweis at large moft con- 
 vincingly, That as he had not receivd the Goffcl from 
 Mans bifiruclion, but by immediate Revelation, Chap.i„ 
 ver. 11. 12. fo likewile his Commiffion for the Apoftle- 
 fljip was not of Mens Eleclion, but by Jefus Chrifl, 
 ver. 1. and 16. and fo in confequence of this, no 
 ways fubjecl unto the other Apofiles, or inferiour to 
 them, having as immediate a Call as any of them, 
 equal to any of them, not a whit behind even the very 
 chief fi of the Apofiles, 2 Cor. 11. $. And to convince 
 thefe Galatians andfalfe Teachers, that he was no way 
 fubjeft to the reft of the Apofile j,or oHigd'm all things 
 
 to 
 
140 The Anahaptijls Mlnijlry 
 
 to take measures from them,he adoVThat after he was 
 calTd to the Apoftkjljip by Chri& himfeif, receiv'd his 
 Miffion and Baptifm, lie did not presently go di- 
 re&ly to the Affiles to Jerufalem, but went into 
 Arabia, Vre-.ching the Gofpel, and doing the Office of 
 a,n Apoftk, Gal. Chap r. wr. 17. and did not go up to 
 ujalem, where the Apoftks were chiefly Refident, 
 fa se Tears after his Converjton, ver. 18. to fee and 
 be acquainted with Pefer, and then was fourteen Tears 
 before he went to Jerusalem again ,♦ but the Apoftles, 
 altho' the falfe Brethren and Seducers had made a great 
 Noife about him for preaching down the Obfervance of 
 Z^ga/ Ceremonies, had nothing to e£/># againft him, 
 nor aw/df find any fault with his Doctrine or Practice, 
 Chap. 2. But when they fully underftood that the 
 Apoftkjhip of the Gentile! was alloted to him, they 
 own d him immediately, Andganje him the Right-Hand 
 of Fellowjhip, ver. 7, 8, 9. And as a farther Demon- 
 jhaiion that he was no way fuhjeel or inferiour to 
 diem. He tells the GaLaians, That he reprehended 
 Teter nimfe\f publickly at Antioch • and befides he was 
 fo far from being inftrucled by the Apoftks, even the 
 Chief o£ then; } whofe Authority the fa Ife Teachers infi- 
 nuated to be cwr /&«« to the Galatians, that he tells 
 them again, 22#; of thofe [that is, Apoftks'] who 
 leem'd to be [ an d really were ] fomewhat [more than 
 ordinary Mlnijters of Christ ,] whatfoever they were 
 £ ^j to external Advantages, Apoftks before me, having 
 conversed with the Lord, heard the Gcffitl from his Lips, 
 fecn his Miracles, &c. ] it maketh no matter to me 
 [ that I (hctild alter my Doctrine or Practice;] God ac- 
 cepted! no Man's Perlbn, nor [be/toweth greater 
 Grace for the external Prerogatives upon them, nor lefs 
 upon me that want them « ] for they who feem'd to be 
 iomewhat in [that] Conference, [concerning that Con- 
 iroverfie, ] addeth nothing to me [more than I knew 
 before, either by their Infiruction, Authority, or Oppofition, 
 to make yw change, my Qp'micn,} Qxf Paiap.h. pij th^ 
 
 Place 2 
 
ExUmind and Difprovd. 141 
 
 Place, but contrariwife acknowlegeth him for the Apo- 
 ftle of the Uncircumcifion > &c. Thus much I thought 
 neceffary to reprefcnt the Artifice of thefe damnable 
 Seducers, to run down this Apoftle by way of Confront- 
 ing him with the contrary Traclice and Authority of the 
 other Apofles ; tho' 'tis not to be doubted, but Simon 
 Magus, and other falfe Apoftles, endeavour'd every 
 where what they could to oppofe and beat down 
 the Apoftlejhip it ielf, tho' an extraordinary Authority, 
 and immediately from Chrift himfelf, even by ajfummg 
 to themfelves a more cxraordinary one y by pretending 
 to a new Gojpel, and new Miracles, new Signs and 
 Wonders to atteH it, corroborate and eftablifi it. To 
 this purpofe Simon Magus is recorded by Ecclefiaftical 
 Writers of great Antiquity and Veracity, to impofe ex- 
 ceedingly upon the People by many firange Feats he 
 did, or Miracles, with divers of his Followers, and 
 particularly one Marcus, as we find in Iraneus, info- 
 much that Monuments were erected to Simon Magus 
 by the Heathen Romans themfelves, as unto a God, 
 and Multitudes drawn from the .F<hY£ by them. To 
 the fame Purpofe, and with refpect undoubtedly to 
 Him, or fome of his Followers, or fuch like, the Apo- 
 ftle refers, Gal. 5. 3. O foolijh Galatians, who hath be- 
 witched you, [by Sorcery, Enchantment, lying Won- 
 ders, and ftupendious Feats cafr a mift beiore your 
 Eyes, bereft you of your Understandings, formerly 
 Illuminated by Faith, the Operation of the Holy Spirit, 
 and confirm d and eftablifh'd by real Miracles wrought 
 by the trm Preachers of the Gojfiel, for this Word 
 'ECJtTK&vi. feems to be oppos'd to AtW/u«j, ver. 5-.- 
 Miracles, powerful, mighty Works, which were the 
 outward Evidence of the Divinity of their Doclrine, 
 the Hcly Faith, and their Mijfion, as B*<r^r/'«/, the 
 Effafcination, Sorceries, Traftigia, or juglivg Tricks of 
 Simon Magus, and fuch like, to gull and delude igno- 
 rant and ftupid People^ fuch as thefe foclift, Jottijh Ga- 
 latians were reputed to be, were for the Countenan- 
 cing 
 
1 42, The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 ting of their Novelties, and Hellijb Dotlrine, and Dia~ 
 bolical Mijfion, to draw them off from the Faith and 
 Communion of the . Apoftles : Of thefe the fame ApoftU 
 feems to fpeak again, 2 Tim. 3.8. Now as Jannes 
 and Jambres [ the Egyptian Magicians withftood and 
 contefted for Preeminency with Mofes] [fio do thefe De- 
 ceivers, Simon Magus and himfielf, his Followers j alfo 
 refill the Truth ^preached by us the Apoftles, and our 
 CommiJJion and Authority too by pretending to a higher and 
 more Divine ] Men of Corrupt Minds, [ or depravd 
 Judgments, prejudiced thro Pride, Ambition, Envy, 
 Emulation , Covetoufnefs , Self- Intereft , of carnal 
 worldly Spirits, [Reprobate concerning the Faith, \_by 
 rejecling it, or apofiatizjng fi'om it,"] having lovd this 
 prefent World, by chufing finning, and to preferve their 
 Eftates, and to procure their Eafe, and purfue their out- 
 ward Advantages and Pleafures, rather than fuffer for 
 Righteoufncfs Sake, and the keeping of a Good Confidence 
 towards God. So in the Revelations, Chap. 13. We 
 read of another Beaft ( to follow your own Inter- 
 pretations, and of fome other Sectaries, to under- 
 hand it ofAntichrift, or Hereticks) coming up out of 
 
 the Earth that did great Wonders, fo that he made 
 
 Firs come down from Heaven on the Earth in the 
 Sight of Men, and that he deceived them that dwelt 
 on the Earth, by the means of thofe Miracles, which 
 he had Power to do, &c. ver. 13; 14. and of the 
 three unclean Spirits that came out of the Mouth of the 
 
 Dragon, and out of the Mouth of the Beaft and 
 
 out of the Mouth ofithefialfe Prophet ; its faid they were 
 Spirits of Devil's working Miracles, Rev. 16. 13, 14. 
 So Chap. 9. we read of iome that repented them not 
 of their Sorceries, *cwakh»v, ver 21. o'tfialfe Prophets, 
 who, no doubt, if they could, pretended to work 
 Miracles to prove their Mijjion, fuch as it was, in 
 order to bewitch or deceive the Ignorant, and there- 
 lore are laid to follow the Do&rine of Balaam, 
 Rev. 2. ver. 14, md ofjefiifal, who gave her felf 
 
 out 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 143 
 
 out to be a Prophetefi to feduce the People, ver. 20. 
 But to clofe up this Obfervation, and to mew, 
 in all probability, this word 'EjStayrf was us'd in the 
 Senfe I have urg'd in, in the Catalogue of the 
 horrid Immoralities and Vices of thefe Ravenous Wolves 3 
 thefe ftiritual Affaffins, the Apofile reckons that too 
 common Practice of them, Witchcraft , *«y^«tjui<c, Cha. 
 ?. 20. The doing firange Feats by the Afliftance of 
 Infernal Spirits, to give Reputation to their new and 
 monftrous Dottrine , and to <&/«</e the Peo/>/e into an 
 Opinion of the Divinity of their Miffion. To this 
 purpofe it will not be amifs to fubjoin that Objervati- 
 on of Tertullian, concerning the molt antient Here- 
 ticks ; f The Commerce, faith he, of Hereticks, with 
 
 * Magicians, Jugglers, Afirologers, and Phihfophers 9 
 ' {Men addicted t» curious Arts, fuch ms Alchimy, &C.3 
 € is nothing. All their NOTE every where > is, Seek and 
 c ye fiaU find ; So that by their Comrades and Converfa- 
 
 * tion, you may take an Efiimate] of their Faith : Their 
 
 * Life and Pra<5Hce is a true Index of their Doctrine, 
 De Prafcr. adv. Haret. 42. Befides the Afofile, Chap. 
 y. 7, 19, 20, 21. Enumerating the Works of the 
 Flefli, feems to give fome fort of Defcription of Si- 
 mon Magus, and the reft of his Followers ,• He was 
 as noted for his FilthincJS and Uncleannefi, as for his 
 Witchcraft [or Sorcery] and juggling Arts, and one 
 part of his Do&rine was to teach the licentious Ufe 
 of Women, and he carried about with him an impu- 
 dent Profiitute, call'd Selene, the Companion of all his 
 Abominations, whom he would have reputed for a 
 Divinity or Goddefi. To overtop the very Apofiles 
 themfelves,he gave out that he deliver'd the Law on 
 Mount Sinai to Mofes, in the Perfon of God the Father; 
 That in Tiberius's Reign, he appear'd feemingly in the 
 "Perfon of the Son, and afterward, that he defcended 
 on the Apofiles in fiery Tongues as the Holy Ghosl. Me- 
 nander his Difciple was a noted Magician, Aug. H<erefi 
 1. and over and above Baptized in his own Name, to 
 
 inew 
 
j 44 The Anahj>tifts Mimflhy 
 
 fliew that he affumd an Authority above that of the 
 Apoftles, whom he pretended to have had theirs 
 from him. The whole Drift and Aim of thefe He- 
 reticks, Seducers, was to divide the Church, and to 
 <;<?«/* a Separation from the Apoftles Doclrine and Cow- 
 munion ,• This was Satan's Mafterpiece, and did more 
 Mifchief always to the Church of God, than all the 
 outward Force or Perfection of the moft malicious and 
 barbarous Tyrants ; 'Twas this Defign that gave 2?//* 
 to the Sham- extraordinary Call then , in opofition 
 to the real extraordinary Vocation of the Apoftles 
 themfelves ; to the fliam-Impulfes, Initiations or Gi/h, 
 in oppofition to the genuine x*e«><*7tf, or Gifts of 
 the Holy Spirit, fo eminent in them and the Con- 
 verts of that Age ; to the juggling Tricks ofimpofto- 
 rous Hereticks, in oppofition to their true Miracles, 
 to their Tvacnt, &c. and all to u-ndermine the Faith, 
 and to obftrud the Propagation of the Gojfrel, for the 
 Enlargement of Satan s Kingdom. — Hence the fre- 
 quent Exhortations of the Apoftles to all their Con- 
 verts in their Epiftles, to adhere firmly to the Faith, 
 and to beware of Seducers, falfe Teachers, who were 
 every where as diligent to Pervert, as the .Apoftles to 
 Convert them : Thus Phil. 3. 2. Beware of {avoid, 
 look to~\ Dogs \_Hereticks, falfe Teachers, Prophane, Un- 
 clean, out of the Church, out of the Covenant of Grace, 
 however pretending to an extraordinary Miffim, and 
 calling themfelves the Minifiers ofChrift ; ] Beware of 
 the Confcifion [that is thofe who would oblige you to 
 Circumcifion, which tho' formerly the Sacrament of Faith, 
 and of Inftitution into the Covenant with God, is, as prac7- 
 ifed now by thtm, no more than a meer cutting of the Flejh, 
 „ or Confcifion, as it's a tearing asunder, as Dogs, the 
 h Church of ChriH ; See Qxf. Annot. on the place : 
 Then Colojf. 2. 18. Let no Man beguile you of your 
 Reward by a voluntary Humility, and worfhipping 
 of Angels, intruding [himfelf~\ into [the knowledg of} 
 thofe Things [concerning God and Angels ] which he 
 
 hath 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 14^ 
 
 hath not feen, [not revealed or taught by GodJ &c. 
 And not holding the Head [Chrift] &c. Head, that 
 is, both of Men and Angels, Chap. 1. 18. There- 
 . fore neither any one Angel, nor the whole Nature 
 of Angels could be our Head. ' By our P 'aft 'or s we 
 are united to the Apojlles • by the Apojlles, to our Lord $ 
 and by him, to the Father, Ephef. 2. 20. The De- 
 ceivers [thefe pretended extraordinary Minifl er s] feem 
 not to have had any Confideration of the Unity of the 
 Church , or of one Head but attributed, one Function to 
 one Angel, another to another] or rather induftrioufly 
 and defignedly to fet up a New Head to their New 
 Church, juftly call'd by St. John, The Synagogue of 
 Satan, Rev. 2. 9. 3.9. In oppojition to the Church of 
 Christ. The Beloved Difciple St. John, calls thefe 
 very Hereticks we fpeak of, Antkhrisl, 1 John 2. 18.' 
 and tells us, They went out from us [i. e. the Com- 
 munion and Unity of the Church of the Apoftles,] but 
 were not of us, [that is, were Unjlable, Hypocrites, 
 not fincere Chrifrians] for if they had been of us [well 
 grounded in the Faith, and fincere in their Heaits and 
 AfFedions ; or if their Hearts had been right in the 
 fight of God, Acls 8. 2. And the Love of the World left 
 prevalent in them than the Love cf God, and the Love of 
 the Brotherhood, thi Chriftian Fraternity] they would, 
 no doubt, have continued with us ,• but they went 
 out that they might be made manifeft {known and 
 publifi'd to all] that they were not of us, [that is, no 
 Chrifiians at all, but egregious Di/femblers, and corrupt Hy- 
 pocrites.] Hence, upon their Flotation of the Churches 
 Unity, all thofe Strifes, Variance, Emulations, Malice, 
 Envyings, Gal. 5". 20, 21. Biting and Devouring, ver* 
 1 5". Hatred of the Brethren (fo often mentioned by 
 St. John particularly, 1 Joh. Chap. 4. ver. 20.) the 
 everlafting, never failing, individual Marks of Se- 
 ducers, SeBaries, the indelible, infeparable Characler of 
 thofe who lay Claim to extraordinary Vocation to the 
 Minljlry, nothing be more notorious and palpable 
 
 L than 
 
i^6 The Anahaptifls Minijlry 
 
 than their Rage and Rancour againft thofe of the trui 
 Communion, that they forfake, as the Holy Scriptures 
 themfelves moft amply teftifie, and all the Hijlories 
 of Hereticks, their Books, Preachments, Prayers, Con- 
 ventions, Airs, Gefiures, Looks, &c. to this very 
 Day. Hence they are described by the Apoftle St. 
 Paul, 2 Tim. 3.3. Difobedient to Parents, [I fuppofe he 
 ejpecially means, if their Parents happen to be Members 
 of the true Church] unthankful {ungrateful, afcribing all 
 Kindnejfes done unto them as their Due, and an Honour 
 to them that do it] without natural Affeclion, [cruel, 
 without bowels, unmerciful to all not of their Clan, and 
 Kidney] Truce-breakers [Violaters of their Baptifmat 
 Vow and Covenant, if Baptized in the one Church, to 
 Chrijl their Head, of their Duty to the fpiritual Superiors, 
 of that Love and Charity they ow'd unto their Brethren, 
 their once Fellow -Members , ] falfe Accufers [by their 
 incejfant Railings and Inveftives againft the Mimflers of 
 Chrifi, and the true Members of the One Church " ■« 
 
 having a Form of Godlinefs [an outward Shew or Pro- 
 feffion, for no other end than to be feen and obfervd of 
 Men, for their carrying on their temporal Defigns, for 
 meer Gain and Advantage otherwife, utterly] denying 
 the Power thereof [when they dare appear above-board, 
 and have the Reins in their own Hands, free from Re- 
 fir aint, as the Hifiories of all Ages of the Church, to this 
 very Hour, more than fujficicntly demonfirate. But 
 then, (9.) once more to fhew the tranfcendent lm- 
 fiety, Villany, as well as Blajphemy, of all thofe who- 
 ever that pretend to this extraordinary Vocation, Mif- 
 fion, or Miniftry, at this time of day, let it be cb- 
 ferv'd, that by all the Inftances we meet with in 
 the Holy Scriptures, it appears, that immediate Teach- 
 ing or Injpiration, goes along with immediate Vocation 
 or Mijfion j there's no immediate Miffion without im- 
 mediate Communication of the Mejjage ; as in the Cafe 
 of all the Prophets of the Old, and ofChrisJ and his 
 Afoftks in the New Tcftammt* This is fo (elf- evident, 
 
 that 
 
Exathin'd and Difprov'd. t^f 
 
 that it would be to hold a Torch to the Sun, to at- 
 tempt the Explication or lllujtration of it. So that i* 
 fou can prove your immediate Mijfwn, I will make no 
 Scruple but you are likewife immediately taught, nay, 
 and more than that, That whatever you Teach, is 
 of equal Authority with, and ought to be held as 
 Canonical as the Scriptures themfelves, or what the 
 Prophets, Evangelifis or Apoftles wrote. Then I'll, 
 without any more to do, own you as the Apoftles 
 Succeffors indeed, as fome of your Progenitors did, 
 and fome of your Fraternity of late, as Tho t Grantham 
 would infinuate, by a Title to a Book of his, (which 
 I have not f§en) call'd, The Succeffors of the Apoftles $ 
 then I will readily acknowledg, you may fay with 
 the Apoflle St. Paul, That you are Minifters, not of 
 Men, neither by Man, but by Jefxs ChriB, Gal. i* i» 
 and that what you Teach, you neither recent d it of 
 Man, neither were you taught it, but by the [immediate] 
 Revelation of Jefus ChriB, ver. 12. Nay, I'll efteem 
 you as equal with the Apoftles, as to Authority and 
 Infallibility, and look upon you as Oracles and the 
 Organs of the Holy GhoB ; And do the greateft Ho- 
 nour I can to your immediate Vocation and Miffion $ 
 I'll moreover confefs, That all elfe, befides your 
 (elves and Difciples, are without ,' that is, no better 
 than Heathens, and that whoever gathereth not with 
 you, fcattereth * that is, that all out of your Fellow- 
 ship or Communion, are excluded from the common 
 Salvation without Hope, Reprobates $ Withal, I will 
 own likewife, That you are the Salt of the Earth, 
 the Light of the World, That you are Oecumenical Bi~ 
 Jhops, the whole World your Diocefe, and the Conver- 
 fion of the World your Province, that you have the 
 whole and fole Power of the Keys of Heaven $ in a 
 word, all the Glorious Privileges and Prerogatives you 
 can fancy to your felves, provided you can prove 
 your Miffion as infallibly as the Afofilcs did, and give 
 as pofitive and exprefs Evidence for the Truth of 
 
 L 2 your 
 
1 48 the Anahaptifts Mhiflry 
 
 your DcBrines as they : For, if you will pretend 
 to the first, you can't evade the latter j they go 
 hand in hand : Immediate Mijfion, and immediate 
 Teaching or Infipiration, and as before averted, the 
 Gift or Power of working Miracles : All thefe were 
 confpicuous at the fame time in the Prophets and the 
 Apoftles, befides Holinefs and Purity of Life and 
 Do&rine, Difinterejfednefi as to the World, and con- 
 tempt of Worldly Grandeur, Riches, and Pleafiures, 
 and Fame ; all thefe Qualifications are infeparable 
 from fuch extraordinary Minifiers, as we have been 
 difcourfing of,- and where any of thefe are wanting, 
 the Mijfion will be rendred very fufpicious or quefti- 
 onable, you'll eafily grant me,- nay, I may fay, an 
 extraordinary Impofture, and ferve only as an infal- 
 lible Token and Demonftration of a meer Cheat, 
 Trick, and Juggle : But over and above, I muft add 
 one more Qualification of an extraordinary Miniftry 
 (fuch as many of you have pretended unto) and that 
 is the Gift of Prophecy, never any extraordinary Mini- 
 fies without this, that we read of in the Old or New 
 Tejlament; and this hath been always look'd upon (0 
 efTential, that few Sects but have pretended unto 
 it ,- and where it hath failed, hath by all knowing 
 Perfons, been look'd upon as a certain Mark of abo- 
 minable Impofture. I'm fenfible, you would be glad, 
 if you could tell how to get clear of, and avoid the 
 one and the other Pretention ; I'm fenfible nothing but 
 Nccejfity at this time of Day, can drive you to them 
 as your Refuge, (if the Ordinary fails you, you muft 
 run to the Extraordinary > and if the Extraordinary, 
 then to the Ordinary ; and if neither, Obfiinacy muft 
 keep you up, or your Caufe muft drop, or farewel 
 Ordinances, and fo as it hath been your wont, turn 
 Quakers ; ) but as you have been forc'd at fometimes 
 to appeal to the former, fo you have not been alto- 
 gether afimmd, or afraid at other times to venture at 
 rhe latter. And fo now I ftull give the World a 
 
 Sped- 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. j^q 
 
 Specimen of fome of your Talents that way, and that 
 in the twofold Notion of the -word Prophecy, as a fa- 
 culty of interpreting or expounding Scripture, or of pre- 
 dicting or foretelling future Events. Firft then, as 
 Prophecy imports the Gift oxFaculty of expounding Scrip- 
 ture, I mall prefent you with a Tafie of your illumina- 
 ted Brother John Canne, in his Voice from the Temple- 
 to the Higher Powers ; Printed in the Year 16^3. 
 f This Tear, faith he, (to wit, the Year 1648) do 
 I affirm with much aflurance, was the Time when 
 the Thrones were fet, and the Antient did fit • as is ex- 
 preffed in Dan. 7. 9, 10. Here began the Lord 
 God Almighty, to call Kings and Kingdoms to an 
 Account, to caft down the Mighty from their 
 Seats, to cut off the Spirit of Princes, and to be 
 terrible unto the Kings of the Earth. And this 
 Work poes forward ftill, and {hall prevail and 
 profper to the utter breaking and deftroying of 
 the Fourth Monarchy or Roman Empire; that is, 
 the Antichriftian State, and Kingdom likewife. 
 I know it will be expected, that I give fome Rea- 
 fons for what is here afferted, efpecially, it being 
 deliver'd with fo much Confidence ; This I mail 
 willingly do, (1.) Howfoever our Chronicles 
 give the Roman Empire fome kind of Intereft and 
 Title to the Britains, till the Year 440, yet it was 
 rather in Name than in Thing : For after the 
 Year 388, the Romans never exercifed that Pow- 
 er here which they did before, only now and 
 
 then -they fent hither fome Relief againft the 
 
 Scots and Picls ; and having done (p. 13.) their 
 work, immediately return'd back again, leaving 
 the Britains to themfelves. Thus their Hiftorie§ 
 feem to give fome Light unto Daniel's Vifions con- 
 cerning the Times. Howfoever their Thoughts 
 were not at all carried out on fuch a Thing. 
 (z) Whoever was the laft, certain it is, that Eng- 
 hmdf was the firft of the Ten Horns , and therefore 
 
 L \ * V* 
 
IfO Tlie Anahaptifts Mhifiry 
 
 here firft were the Thrones fet up, and Judgment 
 given upon the King and Kingdom • 7r«e aW fl*g£- 
 ^c«/ rfre his Judgments, Rev. 19. 2. (2.) The 
 H*g£ Cow* c/ Jvftice, which was Ere&ed in the 
 c Year 1648, before which the laH of our Kings 
 had his Tryal and Sentence, was no other than the 
 Throne of God mention'd in Dan, 7, 9, 10. I dp 
 not confine the Thrones in Daniel, and the fitting 
 of the Antient of Days, unto England ,• For I know 
 the Lord will have his Thrones fpeedily fet up in 
 other Kingdoms, as France, Spaip, Denmark, &c. 
 as he proceeded here, fo he will do there, Judica- 
 tory againft Kings and Kingdoms. But to the 
 Point in hand, what was done by the Parliament; 
 and High Court ofjufiice, in taking away the King, 
 and changing fin part) the Form of Government, 
 was no other than a fulfilling of that Prophecy m 
 Daniel. Not that our States-men thought fo, or 
 fo intended, but pod did put it in their Hearts to 
 fulfil his Will, that it fhoufd be fo. And whereas 
 this thing, not being before heard of, poflibly will 
 be flighted ,• therefore for Prevention, I ftiall let 
 the Reader know my Reafons for it. (1.) It was 
 
 * given* by the Angel unto Daniel, that the Conti*> 
 ' nuance of the Ten Horns or Kingdoms, after their 
 
 * Rife and Appearing, Diould be only 1260 Years, 
 until the Thrones "were fet. In the Year 1648, that 
 
 * Term expired, for againft tho Englijh Horn, the 
 e Antient of Days game, and gave Judgment : So that 
 c it muft neceiTarily follow, in the Year 588, the 
 & Bntains became one of the Horns, &c. (2.) Fron} 
 c accommodating the Years, let us confider the 
 £ Work and Thrones : For the Work, firft, it is true, 
 c in all Ages before this, Kings have been De- 
 f pos'd, Imprifon'4, put to Death, ftfi 14J but k 
 s was rather Man's fitting on the Throne^ than the 
 
 4 Antient of Days, for what they did, was only cut- 
 
 5 ting of pt\Q Horn or Tyrant, and letting another 
 
 • t ■• ( up 1 
 
Examind an J Difprovd, 15T 
 
 ' up ; whereas, Root and Branch were here takea 
 away : And this is the proper Work of Thrones , to 
 change the Times and Seafons, dilTolve Founda- 
 tions, and remove former Pillars ,• I fay, abfo- 
 lutely, and utterly to break in pieces and confume 
 the Ten Horns or Kingdoms, their places muft 
 not be found any more upon Earth, but a New 
 Form of Government is to be conftituted and fet 
 up. (3 .) The Antient of Days hath (tt up his Throne 
 in England, I am farther confirm'd, by the Happy 
 Diffolution of the late Parliament ; Rea'W, I have 
 wonder'd that the Lord mould fuffer iuch Men 
 fo long to prophane his Throne ; 
 Juftice and judgment are the Habit a- Pfal. 89. 14. 
 tion of thy Throne ; Thou fittest in the Pfal. 9> 4« 
 Throne doing right, faith David. I know 
 many are in Darknefi concerning this great Change^ 
 and not able to :u:prehend the true Ground and 
 Caufe thereof, they run, fome into Miftakes, 
 fome into Difcontents, fome into Rage and Fu- 
 ry. For the fatisfying therefore of fuch People, 
 who define to eye God, and his Hand which is lifted 
 up, I mall mew what is the true Caufe that the 
 Parliament was DilTolved. The Antient of Days , 
 having fet up his Throne amongft us (from which 
 He will fpeak to, and plead with the Nations 
 roun4 about,) was pleafed to honour thofe Men 
 formerly in place, as to admit them to fit upon 
 his Throne ,• And, becaufe (like Jehu) they did 
 well in executing that which was Right in the 
 Eyes of the Lord, and did unto the Houfe of 
 CHARLES STUART, All that was in his Heart, 
 the Lord fuffer'd them many years to fit on the 
 Throne of England ; but taking no heed to walk in 
 the Law of the Lord God of Ifrael, but flying upoit 
 the Spoil, and giving Countenance and Encou- 
 ragement to the Sins of 'Jeroboam j God at lafl 
 rejected them, as he did Saul : and for this Caufe^ 
 
 L 4 I R#ifi4 
 
l^z The Avahaptijls Mtniflry 
 
 \ Raifed up the General [OLIVER CROMWEL] I 
 
 c fay, for the Throne's Jake, that they might be no 
 c longer polluted and prophandhy fuch a Generation 
 e of corrupt Men. And had not the General done 
 t what he did, to have the Thrones purged from 
 c that Drofs arid Filth, which cleaved thereto, I 
 c know not how he could have anfwerd God for that 
 f Power and TruB which he hath put into his Hands. 
 c (p. i$.) And here (by the wayj let me fpeak a 
 c word unto fuch as mall fit next upon his Throne • 
 ( I would have Men confider well before-hand what 
 ( they do: It's God's own • Throne • and to fpeak 
 comparatively, It is the only Civil Throne he hath 
 now in the World ,• by it, He will do mighty and 
 terrible Things : And therefore fuch as are not 
 for Chrift, He will lay them afide, one after ano- 
 ther, and fet up fuch as [hall pour out the laft Vi- 
 als quickly upon Monarch, and the Antichriftian 
 Kingdom. One thing more I mall add, in Rev. 
 1 6. io. it is faid, And the Fifth Angel poured his Vi- 
 al upon the Throne of the Beajl, (the Greek hath it 
 
 • Throne, not Seat) and his Kingdom was full of Dlark- 
 c nejs. By the Throne, ofr the BeaB, I underirand the 
 
 Ten Horns, that is, the States and Kingdoms of 
 £ the World, which gave Authority and Power to 
 f the BeaB. By Darknefi, I do not underftand fat 
 c leaft not chiefly) that which is fpiritual, as in re- 
 ' ference to their Errors, SuperftuionSj Idolatries, 
 c &c for fo that Kingdom was full of Parknefs be- 
 c fore ; but it is meant of Amazement and Diftra- 
 ? ction, not knowing what to do, nor feeing any 
 f way how to come out. For Application to the 
 
 * thing in hand, atter the Death of the late King, 
 € his Throne and Kingdom perilling under the 
 £ Fifth Vial, how were the People then generally at 
 £ their Wit^ end ? In fuch Darknefy, as they fell 
 ' one upon another. So upon the DiiTolving of 
 f this Parliament (which w$$ fo degenerate as it 
 
 c lopk'd 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 155 
 
 look'd more like the Throne of the Beaft, than God's 
 Throne) what a thick Darknef is now gone over 
 Men , as if an Angel had fmicten them with 
 Blindnefs, as were the Sodomites. And this you 
 muft expeft ftill along, that as Thrones, States, 
 Powers are broken to pieces, fo Confufion, Diftra- 
 ttion, and Darknef will ever follow, efpecially a- 
 mong Hypocrites, Timefervers, and the Antichrifii- 
 ans. None of the Wicked pall underhand, but the 
 Wife jhall underfiand, Dan. 10. 12. And therefore 
 for the General, and fuch with him, whom the 
 Lord ufed as feafonable and good Inftruments to 
 Dijfolve the late Parliament, here may they fee a 
 Divine Stamp and Charabler upon their Work, even 
 God's curfing both it and them, namely, by this 
 Darknefs, which is fallen upon the Children of 
 this World. Had the Antichrifiians approv'd it, 
 had thofe (p. 16.) which have enrich'd themfelves 
 (Minifters, and others,) under the late Parlia- 
 ment, appear'd in it, and for it,- had our Judg- 
 es and Lawyers cry'd it up, Law, Law ,• Had the 
 Clergy given Thanks for it : In a word, had the 
 People thorow the whole Nation, fent in their 
 Approbation and Content to it,a Man might very 
 well have queftion'd the Work, whether it were 
 of God or no. But, confidering upon the Break- 
 ing of this Throne, what Darknefs followed in 
 P/ietf, in People; it is moft evident and clear, that 
 it was not God s Throne, but Man's rather ,• and 
 for this end thrown down, that the Antient of 
 Days may have his Throne fet up, and he fit a- 
 gain moft glorioufly amongft us. Canne's Voice 
 from the Tcmfle to the higher Powers, p. 1 7. For the 
 Affinity of this Subject in a great Meafure, I {hall 
 dd here, another of your Rabbies Notion, as to 
 Oliver Cromwel, as well grounded as the preceding, 
 and which (hews his admirable Talent at Prophecy 
 and Interpretation^ I mean John Spitthhcufe, in his 
 
 Vr'arning- 
 
I £4 The Anahaptifls Mini ft ry 
 
 Warning- flece Difcharg d, or Certain Intelligence commu- 
 nicated the Lord General Cromwel, p. 7. He 
 
 ' takes upon him to make good, That our prefent Ge- 
 c neral ought to be efteemed the fame to Us, as Mofes to 
 € the Ifraelites, as he was their Deliverer, Judge and 
 ' General. Which he endeavours to do, by a long 
 Parallel for a great many Pages, from 7, to 2j, an- 
 swering (in his way,) divers Objections ; and parti- 
 cularly to that, p. 12. c Haft thou not put thy felf 
 r in PoiTefFion by thy Strong Arm and Long Sword ? 
 
 * What then is this thou haft thus taken upon thee, 
 c except thou intendeft to make thy felf altogether 
 e a Prince or King over us, Numb. 16. ij. Refp. 
 e Hearken and confider, O ye ftupid and ungrateful 
 c People ! Are not thefe your prefent Thoughts a- 
 c gainft the General ? And if fo, hath he deferved 
 c them at your Hands ? Have you been like- 
 c minded heretofore ? Have your Hearts been 
 
 * formerly poiferl with fuch Prejudices towards him, 
 e whilft ye were under the Egyptian Pharaoh, whilft 
 c ye were Suffering in the aforefaid Iron Furnace, 
 c or labouring in the aforefaid Brick-kilns, whilft 
 c he was chiefly inftrumental in working all the 
 c Miracles upon Pharaoh, and all his Servants and 
 c Hofts, whilft he turned their Babylonim Sun of 
 c Monarchy into Darknefs, and their Moon of 
 f Church - Government into Blood ; whilft he 
 ' pluck'd their Stars of Honour from their Orbs, and 
 6 their Planets from their Spheres, whilft he was 
 
 * the Inftrument of God to ftrike thorow Kings in 
 
 * the Day of his Wrath ,• whilft he was a Judge a- 
 c mong the Heathen * whilft he fill'd the places 
 ' where he came with dead bodies ,• whilft he 
 
 * wounded the Heads over many Countries ,• whilft 
 
 * he trod the young Lion and Dragon under his 
 c Feet, viz,. Charles I. and Prelacy 3 and Charles II, 
 c and Presbytery; whilft he brought you thorow the 
 , aforefaid Red Sea of Blood ; whilft he went tho- 
 
 l fQV7. 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. i 55 
 
 * row the many Straits and Hardfhips in England, 
 
 * Ireland, and Scotland, whilft he was put to make 
 c his feveral Addrefles unto God by Prayer and 
 c Supplication in his many great Straits and Hard- 
 ' mips, p. 13. 
 
 Then, in his Army 'vindicated ( j>. 7.) where he 
 would have Members of Churches quatenus Members 
 of Churches, to have nothing at all to do in any thing 
 that appertained to Civil Judicature, and that herein 
 they will have much Advantage : f For, firft, un- 
 s der God, they will, by fuch Means, be put inco 
 
 * the greateft Condition of Safety and Liberty, that 
 c ever the Church enjoy'd under the Gofpel. (2.) 
 ' By fo doing, they will be, as it were, wholly fet 
 ' apart to propagate the Gojpel in all Tlaces, where 
 i their Brethren of the Army either hath, or by 
 c Providence may yet conquer, and fo by Gradati- 
 { on, until the Kingdom, and Dominion, and Great- 
 c nefs of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens, 
 c mall be given to the People of the 
 
 c Saints of the moft High, whofe King- Van. VII. 
 ' dom is an-everlafting Kingdom, whom 
 all Dominions fhall ferve and obey, The Time being 
 Now prefent that the Ancient of Days is come, and Judg- 
 ment is given to the Saints of the mott High, fo that they 
 jhall take the Kingdoms of the World into their ToJJ'tlfions, 
 and that for ever, even for ever and ever • even fo be it, 
 Lord Jefm, Amen, Amen. And then, by way of 
 Toftfcript to his Warning-Viece difchargd, he adds, 
 moft exultingly, as if all the World was in the Saints 
 TojJ'eJfion, that of Luke 2. 15, 14. And fuddtnly there 
 was with the Angel, a Multitude of the heavenly Hofi 
 praijwg God, and faying, Glory to God in the highest, on 
 Earth Peace, Goodwil towards Men • and of Rev. 19, 
 1, &c. to verfe nth, and concludes. He that hath 
 Ears to hear, let him hear • I add, he that hath Eyes 3 
 let him read,wonder , and be a(toni(b'd at the villainous, 
 nonfenfical 3 blajphemous Wrejting and Perverting of the 
 ■- ■ ! ' • '<"? ' Holy 
 
156 The Anahaptifis Miniflry 
 
 Holy Scriptures, by thefe two abominable, blind, infa- 
 tuated, ignorant Enthufiajts, and ac cur fed Rebels, lying-, 
 falfe Prophets, and moft juftly liable to the Plagues 
 that are written in the Book of Revelations, to which 
 they have moft audacioufly added, as I fhallfhew 
 by and by, Rev. 22* 18, 19. 
 
 This for a Jafte of theie extraordinary Spark's Gifts 
 of Prophecy, by way of expounding or interpreting of 
 Scripture. Now for Prophecy, as it fignifies properly 
 Prediction of future Events : Prophet Canne, fpeak- 
 ing of the little Horn, he would have two things 
 obferv'd, (1.) e The little Horn is to be confider'd 
 as the Kingdom of the Beafi, and as the Members 
 or Wormippers of the Beak ; by the Kingdom of 
 the Beaft, I underftand him as changing Times 
 and Laws ; by the Members, as making War a- 
 gainft the Saints. (2.) When I fpeak of the little 
 Horn, or Antichrifi, I do not mean the Perfon of 
 the Pope, or any Succeflion that way, but I mean 
 a State or Kingdom. It is true, the Pope is a 
 Member of that Body, but he is not the Body. 
 Again, I do not here intend alone, the Church, 
 Mtniftry, Worfhip, or Government of Rcme $ 
 but I include all falfe Churches, . Minifiries, forms, 
 Ordinances, Inftitutions, brought in by Men, what- 
 soever in the Worlhip of God is befides, or con- 
 trary to the Gofpel of Jelus Chrift : All this, 
 whether in England, Scotland, make up this Anti- 
 chriftian Kingdom, as that in Rcme. Canne'x 
 Voice fi-om the Temple to the higher Powers, p. 19. 
 But 'tis worthy Obfervation here by the Way, that 
 this infallible Prophet condemns all Churches in the 
 World as Antichrlftian, except that of the Anabaptifts, 
 as appears in his Epiltle to Colonel Overton, Gover- 
 nour of Hull ; the whole Paragraph being extraordi- 
 nary, its pity to conceal it, efpecially the Book be- 
 ing now become rare, and (peaking poflibly the 
 §<znfe of that $e$ in genera^ aud what may reafon^ 
 
 ablv 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. 157 
 
 ably be expected from them, if ever by the fusl 
 Judgment of God they fhould come into Power ; 
 I hope ( faith he ) there will be fhortly fome ef- 
 fectual means us'd to remove from the People the 
 heaviefi Burthen, and foreft Plague 
 that lies upon them ; which is a Ge- * That is, v ben 
 neration of Vriefis, that fatten the tb ^"pJ^f 
 People for the Day of * Slaughter. ^"etdUtl 
 For my part, what Intereft I have, upon Babylon, 
 either with God or Men, I mail you,*famde- 
 endeavour to improve to the utmoft, p f, n ^ tS r * n f 
 That the Foxes, both the eld, and the Millenaries. 
 the young Cubs, which fpoil the Vines 
 and the tender Grapes, may be taken. I know 
 People generally, tho' they complain of other 
 Opprefltons and Burdens, and would willingly 
 be eas'd of them,, yet here they have no Feeling, 
 and therefore they are the more to be pitied, and 
 the fooner helped, in not apprehending what 
 is the greateit Mifery they lie under. Thofe who 
 have lately fhewn fo much good Affection to have 
 the Gofpel advanc'd in New-England, I hope they 
 will be far more enlarged in their Bowels for the 
 Con^erfon of poor Heathens (fuch they call all but 
 their own Se&) in our own Land, that the People 
 which fit here in Darknefs may fee a great Light, 
 and to them which fit in the Region and Shadow 
 of Death, Light may fpring up. But to return to 
 our injpired Author, and to come to the Bufinefs, and 
 to draw nearer this wonderful Light : c Now, faith 
 he, for the Rife or Beginning of this Antichrifiian 
 Kingdom : Firft, as it was obfcure and dark, fo 
 it had its Beginning in the Year of our Lord 400, 
 to this add 1260, and it goes to the Year 1660 ; 
 and here is the Time of the End, concerning the 
 whole Antichrifiian Kingdom ; for further, and be- 
 yond this Time, I believe it ivitl not extend. I do 
 not fay. That the AnPichrifiUns, or Members of 
 
 'the 
 
 / 
 
,58 The Analapt'tfls Mintflry 
 
 * the Beafi, {hall perifli now or before, for I hold 
 € the contrary, That after their Kingdom is de- 
 f ftroy'd, many of them fhall remain, and attempt 
 
 * moft horrible and cruel Anions, but for the State 
 ( it feif, That Jhall be fottnd no more at all after the 
 
 9 Year 1660. This the Angel calls 
 
 Rev. «S i" ' the 7 tt k mmt °f the Gr "t m ore. Why 
 f Judgment ? Becaufe Thrones Jhall be 
 9 fet, and the Ancient of Days (hall fit; and look, as 
 c by a Law, Kings, and Kingly Power, jhall be ca& 
 c out from the Nations j fo will the Lord raife up 
 c Men,, zealous of his Glory, who fhall publickly 
 f give Judgment againlt Babylon, that it remains for 
 ' ever in the Duft. Before I come to fhew my 
 c Reafons for the Time I have aflerted, I fhall com- 
 c mend thefe three things to the Reader ^ (1.) How 
 ' I underftand that Place, Rev. 10. 2. where the 
 c mighty Angel fets his right foot upon the Sea, and 
 
 * his left foot upon the Earth. As by the Angel Chrift 
 
 * is meant, fo as he ftands, it is upon the two perfe- 
 
 * cuting Powers in the World, the Spiritual and 
 
 f the Temporal. His right Foot is 
 [*] Hote bm they c %u f *-j Sea , Y OU know the 
 
 all it the Sen of , J . . ~ d, 1 
 
 Rome, the Bijbofs Spiritual Power went ever be- 
 Sea. it feems this c fore the Temporal ; hence they 
 
 mt l r %l tWm 3 t ^ ' us ' d to &y> che Lords Spiritual, 
 a Prophet and in- f 1 . T / -1- 1 a j ; • 
 
 fpired, under flood mt and the Lords Temporal. And hit 
 the Difference be- C left Foot on the Eartb ; that is, on 
 tween Sedes, and c the Kings and Kingdoms of the 
 Mare , his Spirit c ^^ Sq then QDinion is, 
 
 xois not Acquainted f _.. . r > x ^, .£ 
 
 with the Language That thefe two Powers Chrift 
 c/tfoBeaft. e will crufh under his Feet toge* 
 
 c ther, and at one Time. There 
 c was a Truth in that Saying, No Bijhop no King$ 
 
 * the Event made it true, and well fare a good Token. 
 ' So now, as the Reliques of Monarchy which re- 
 J main- yet with us fhall be remov'd, fo will the Re- 
 
 mainers 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 1^9 
 
 mainers of the Antichriftian Kingdom be removed 
 with them, &c. (p. 20.) (2.) Thou art to take 
 notice,— —That as the Thrones were firft fet 
 up in England to arraign Monarchy, and pluck up 
 by the Root that tyrannical Power which flood 
 in oppofition to Jefus Chrift, and to avenge the 
 Blood of his Saints upon it, even fo (asfuitable 
 to it) here with us will begin his great Work ( by 
 the Thrones) againft the Kingdom of Antic hrift, 
 for the total Extirpation thereof. For howfoever 
 I faid before, That the Antichriftian State ( as 
 Church, Miniftry, Worfhip, Government) fhall 
 be deftroy'd before the Year 1660, yet I am of 
 opinion, in refpecl; of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 
 before one half of that Time is expir'd, the fu- 
 pream Authority of this Nation will effectually ft- 
 
 nifh that Work. What Progefs in 
 
 this Work they will make, who {hall come next 
 in place, I cannot tell ,• but this I muft tell them, 
 The great Bujinefs which the Lord hath for the Higher 
 Towers of this Commonwealth now to do, is in order to 
 the fulfilling thofe Prophecies, which relate to the pre- 
 
 fent Time, (p. 21.) (3.) As 
 
 Chrift will crulh both Towers at once, and thus by 
 the Thrones, fo there will be a [pedal Opening of 
 his Mind unto fome, whereby to know both their 
 Work and Time. As Men formerly have obfervd 
 Trovulence, fo in the latter Age they {hall under ft and 
 Trophecies, and aft in order to them, and to the Ac- 
 complishment of them. Declare ye among 
 the Nations, and publiflj, and fet up a Stand- $er. 1. xx 
 ard, publifh and conceal net, fay, Babylon is 
 taken. The Knowledge of the Time of the End, 
 will be fo clear and certain to SOME Men now 
 SHORTLY IN POWER AND PLACE, as they 
 will publickly declare upon what Account they aft • name- 
 ly, as being CHOSEN AND CALL'D OF GOD, 
 * to execute the Vengeance of the Lord upon Baby- 
 
 lon 3 
 
160 The Analaptifls Miniftry 
 
 Ion, [that is all without any diftin&ion, pray mark 
 
 it, that *are not Anabaptiftical Millenaries.] (p. 22.) 
 
 c The firft War (I find) made againft 
 MlelfeareHea- < the p , , Qg b h 
 
 tbens and Antir c r -a.- J • \ -xr I 
 
 cbriftians, and by cbnfiians, was in the Year 406. 
 
 tkefc saints, vmims c About that time, we read of a 
 devoted to Slaugb- c People call'd Donatifts, (Hell could 
 terby theft fanBifi- ' mver haqje a ff or ded a m0 re 'wicked 
 ea Cut-throats, and c 1 n 1 £ r * * n 
 
 {pirhud butchers, f md blood y Generation of Monfters, 
 to parallel thefe Anabapifts with, 
 ' than thefe : I befeech the Reader 3 who has not read St. 
 Auguftin, Optatus, &c. to read over Mr. Long's 
 Hi (lory of the Donatifts, fince this ignorant and faamelefi 
 Fellow is fo willing to derive the Vedegree of his Sect from 
 them) ( who by the Antichriftian Clergy, and others, 
 c were held Schifmaticks, Hereticks, Blafphemers, 
 f &c. and no otherwife proceeded againft, and per- 
 c fecuted, than if they had been indeed molt wick- 
 
 ' ed People, &c. (p. 23 J -Againft thefe good 
 
 c Men (in whom began the Witnefles that mould 
 ' Prophefie a Thoufand two Hundred and Three- 
 fcore Days, cioathed in Sackcloath) 
 Rev. 11. 3. [now we have dlfccverd who the Two 
 Witneffes are, The Anabapifts forfooth, 
 Oh rare Jack of Ley den 3 and Knipper doling, and the 
 reft oi that blcfj'ed Crtte of the Apoflles Succeffors ! J 
 ' warred the little Horn (in his WorfhippersJ by Ga- 
 * nons, Councils, Imperial Edicts, &c. totheihed- 
 ' ding of much innocent and precious Blood : And 
 ( this was (as I faid beiore) in the Year 406 ; to 
 c which 1260 Years being added, it comes to the 
 c Year 1666, and to the Number of the 
 tgc3^ c Beaft 666. So then, in brief, my Opi- 
 c nion is this, As the Antichriftian State 
 r mall be deftroyed before, or by the Year 1660, 
 ' and all That fulfilled which is fet down, Rev. 18. 
 c So, not beyond the Year 1666, (hall the And- 
 ' chriftians themielves, and Wormippers of the 
 
 ' Beaft, 
 
Examined and bifprovd. i6i 
 
 * Beaft, efcape the Vengeance of the Lord y (p. 24.) ana 
 
 * of his Temple : But either by Repentance from 
 c dead Works [and being Rebaptized by thefe Anabaptifti- 
 e cal Saints'] come in, and put themfelves under 
 c the Glorious Scepter of Jefus Chrift [put into the 
 Hands of Oliver Cromwel, or fome fuch a Saint] c or 
 ' caft into the Wine-prefs of the Wrath of God,and 
 c fo that fulfilled, Rev. 19. And here the Lord 
 
 * will put an end to all the Troubles of the Gentile 
 
 * Churches, not to go beyond, or farther than the 
 c Year 1666. After that time, they mall be call'd 
 s to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and fmg Alle- 
 
 * lujahy Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, and 
 f Power unto the Lord God ,♦ Allelujah, for the 
 c Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. (p. 25.) 
 
 c Again, as to the Je™*, our Prophet hath this 
 
 ( memorable PaiTage, he tells us This total De- 
 
 € folation of the Temple, under the Reign of Julian 
 ' fin which the Jewifli Sacrifices were wholly ta- 
 
 * ken away) fell out in the Year 365" • to which 
 ' 1290, being added, do make up 165- 5-, the time 
 c defigned for the Rifing and Beginning of the Jews 
 
 f after their long Difperfiom (p. 26.) — I do 
 
 c not underftand — any general Converfion of the 
 
 f Jews at this time, unto the Faith but only a 
 
 c Rifing amongft them upon a civil Account, to 
 c Recover their own Country, (p. 27 J — . 
 
 * About this time (namely the Year 16 5- 5-, if not 
 
 r before, my Opinion is (and grounded, I conceive, 
 
 r on the Holy Word) that the Turk, with great 
 
 r Forces, will come into Italy* at the time of the 
 
 : end, (hall the King of the South pufh at him, Dan. 
 
 11. 40- that is come out againft the Pope, yet fo 
 
 r as he mall efFe# little or nothing^ but fuddenly 
 
 ■ depart ; For Tidings out of the TLasf, and out of the 
 
 North, fljall trouble him ; that is, News mall be 
 
 brought unto him. ok an Infune&ion of the jews 
 
 through all the parts of his Empire, making head, 
 
 * M ' form- 
 
i6z The Anafaptifts Miniflry 
 
 forming themfelves into a Body, and entring into 
 the Land ofjudea : The fir ft fhall fay to Sion, Behold. 
 behold them, and I will give to Jerufalem One that 
 bringeth good Tidings. (Iia. 41. 27.) It feems to 
 hold forth the Melfengers of the Jews, which fhall 
 pafs from place to place, with Tidings of their 
 Defigns, and fo bring others in for the fooner and 
 better effecling of it. (p. 27.) 
 
 Then he adds ' ' Here by the way 
 
 take notice, That the Turk having brought his 
 
 Forces out of Afia and Africa into Italy, again ft 
 
 the Chrifiians, or rather Antichrifiians : This I 
 
 take to be the Drying up the River Eu- 
 
 Rev. if. ii. c phrates, and ! the Waters thereof, that 
 
 & 51*19 11. C f ^e w a y °f the Kings of the EaB might 
 
 e be prepared. The meaning feems to 
 
 c be thus, The Power and Strength of the Turks be- 
 
 c ing in Chriftendom, the Jews (improving the 
 
 { Advantage and Opportunity of the time) will 
 
 { rife and repair to their own Land, and by a ftrong 
 
 c Hand, re-enter and take the Poi- 
 
 ( * ) uence it is e feflion of it. (*) And this fhall 
 
 faid, Tbeyfluii take they do, only upon a civil Ac- 
 
 P '\fjr\ D ^' count, taking Example from other 
 
 7.18. and after the XT . 3 e _° n . r rr 1 v 1 
 kingdom Jhali be Nations, To ihake ott the- Yoke 
 
 given tbem t vtT. 27. c of Tyrants, and to be a free Peo- 
 
 c pie. (2.) The Jews being en- 
 
 tred into their own Country : The Turk fliallgo 
 
 forth with great Fury to defiroy, and utterly to make a- 
 
 way many. And here begins the time of Trouble, fuch 
 
 as never was fince there was a Nation, even to that 
 
 fame time. Moft cruel and bloody V/ars between the 
 
 c Jews and Turks. This Conflia fhall 
 * Dan. 1 1.4, k e (f or t h e mo £ p 3rt ) j n J u J ea . * ^ n 4 
 
 Dan hi 4/. be fhall plant the Tabernacles of his Talace 
 between the Seat in the Glorious Holy Moun- 
 tains ; that is, the Borders, or Continent, betwixt 
 Euphrates and th&Mediterranean. Of this War and place 
 
 • fp cak- 
 
Examined and Difprotfd. 163 
 
 fpeaketh * Ezekicl : In the latter Days thou ftia.lt 
 come into the Land, &c So \ Zecha- 
 riah, I will gather all Nations a- %^xxxviii. 
 gainft Jerufahm, and the City f]iall J ■g^g* 
 be taken, &c Moreover, as this 
 War is exprefs'd in Holy Scripcure, and the 
 Place, fo the Continuance of it, how long ic 
 mall be $ BlefTed is he that waitech, 
 and cometh to the thoufand three Dan. xii. xii, 
 hundred and five and thirty Days. 
 This latter Number is more than the former, by 
 forty five Years; and fo long ft all this War con- 
 tinue between the Jews and chs 
 Turks , namely, from the Year 16 5- 5-, Page xxviii. 
 to 1700, &c. (3.) Thefe Years 
 being expir'd, about the Year 1700, Michael, the 
 great Prince, will ftand up for his People, Dan* 
 12, 7. Rev. 1.7. Pfal. 102. 13. 
 Joel 3. 2. The Turk now totally and Page xxix. 
 
 finally (hall be deftroy'd, &c. , 
 
 But to return to the Year 165:5- : It is 
 
 the Opinion of many, ( and I am of the fame 
 Mind ) that fix thoufand Years from the Creati- 
 on do meet with the Ending of this Year 165-5-, 
 which is near at hand, and great Revolutions are 
 look'd for at that Time (1.) The Turk, his 
 coming againft Italy with fuch Multitudes, will 
 fill all Europe with Terror and Amazement, &c. 
 (2.) In this Year will the Lord moft eminently 
 appear, {baking the Earth, and over- 
 throwing the Thrones of Kingdoms Q- Hagg. ii. xxii. 
 very where in Europe: By this time Page xxix. 
 I verily think ) the Thrones will be fet 3 
 
 and the Antient of Days fitting thereon, S<C. ■ 
 
 (3.) At this Time great Changes and Revoluti- 
 ons will be, in RefpecT: both of Peribns and 
 Things ,• for howfoever I am affurd, thac every 
 Change amongft us frail be for Good unto the 
 M 2 e Nation, 
 
f 64 The Anahaptifls Minifiry 
 
 c Nation, as this prefent Government, and whafc 
 c follows, a great deal better than the former, yet 
 * I queftion whether the Lord wiU throughly purge his 
 c Floor, in fweeping out all corrupt and felfifh Men 
 
 e until that Time : Nevcrthelefi, this I 
 
 c would have the Reader obferve, That about the 
 c Year i6j ?, the Righteous alone mail flourim and be 
 
 c exalted. A two-edg'd Sword is in 
 pfd. cxlix. vi, c their Hand, to execute Vengeance 
 vii. Page x%x. ' among the Heathen, &c. And this 
 
 f fupream Power fhall abide with them 
 c four or five Years without Interruption, until 
 c they have broken in pieces the Fourth Monar- 
 
 ' ch y- 
 
 I might enlarge very much on this Subject, were 
 k neceflary ; but I think this fufficient as a Specimen 
 to mew the Impudence, as well as unparallel'd Villany, 
 of fuch audacious Pretenders to Trophecy in either 
 Senfe, and the extream Danger and Hazard thofe 
 miferable People expofe themfelves unto, who run 
 after, and herd with fuch woohifi Seducers. I mall 
 only beg the Readers Patience to let me make a few 
 Animadverfions on thefe abominable PafTages of thefe 
 two diabolical Writers. 
 
 (r.) Jn the firft place I might challenge all the 
 well-read Men in the World to produce a Blacker or 
 more infernal Piece of Villany ( except that of the 
 Jews in Reference to our Bleffed Saviour's Cruci- 
 fixion ) than this of this Munfterian Caitiff's Justifica- 
 tion of the Murder of King Charles the I. of ever 
 bleffed and immortal Memory, by the moft accurfcd, 
 bloody, hypocritical, atheiftical Varlet that ever trode 
 upon the Earth ,♦ Ravillac, Clement, Guido Faux, and 
 all that Tribe were even Saints, nay Angels in Com- 
 panion of him: Nay, I defie all the Reading of 
 Mankind to fhew any FaB, or Fails, of all the topes 
 of Rome, Jefuits, and Turks, more inhumane, horrid^ 
 and wicked, than what was acted by our Sectaries, 
 
 from 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. i6$ 
 
 from 41 till 60, all which Rebellion, Treafons, Mur- 
 ders, Sacrileges, Robberies, Plunderings, Perjuries, 
 Blafphemies, and Apofiacies, have been canon'vxld, af- 
 ferted, juflified, vindicated, even by wrefiing and 
 perverting the Holy Scriptures themfelves in their Pul- 
 pits, ( as far as could be done, to the very Face of 
 God Almighty Himfelf J applauded, magnified, as the 
 Pneludiums and Forerunners of the fo much boafied and 
 expected Millenium, or Chrift's Perfonal Reign upon 
 Earth for a Tboufand Years, and moft blajphemoufly, 
 as by thefe two Judas' s, charg'd even upon God 
 himfelf as the Author, Approver, and Abetter of them, 
 moft impioufly fuppofing the Gracious Approving, Blef- 
 (ing, Concurrence of God, who is of purer and holier 
 Eyes than to behold Wickednefs with any the leaft 
 Degree of Complacency, with Acls diametrically 
 oppofite and contrary unto his own revealed Laws and 
 Precepts, the Violation of which he hath threatned 
 with eternal Damnation to the Impenitent. 
 
 (2.) It is to be obferv'd by the Event, [the fureft 
 Interpreter of Prophecies] That what this lying Prophet, 
 Canne, fo confidently predicted, is all meer Chimara, 
 Nonjenfe, and Ridiculous ,• not one Tittle of what he 
 foretold in reference to the Years 1655,1660, 1666, 
 1700, verified in the leaft, but all downright Lye and 
 lmpofture, a plain and infallible Demonfiration if he 
 was impell'd by any Spirit, it was not the Spirit of 
 God, the Spirit of Truth and Holinef, but rather of 
 Legion, the Spirit of Error, Lying, Sedutlion ,• the Spi- 
 rit, of Rebellion, Cruelty, Inhumanity, and Revenge ; the 
 Spirit of Anamination, Covetoufhefs, and the World $ 
 the Spirit of Ambition, Pride, and Sacrilege °, the Spi- 
 rit of Apollyon, Abaddon, Antichrist, and Hell ; the 
 Spirit of Cain, Balaam, and Judas. 
 
 (3.) From the foregoing PaJJages its very remark- 
 able, and from the Fruftration of their Predictions, that 
 fc6f/e ftf//e Prophets, and their ignorant, mifled Follow- 
 ers, who fo greedily (wallow down, and gave Credit 
 
 M 3 to 
 
1 66 The Anahaptijls Minlfiry 
 
 to their Lies and Forgeries, were io far from being 
 God's Chofen People and Saints, as they arrogantly 
 fHl'd themfelves in thofe Days of Dclufion upon all 
 Occafions ,* that they were judicially, and in Wrath, 
 forfaken by Him and his Holy Sprit, given up to be~ 
 lieve the grojfeft Lies, the moft palpable and damna- 
 ble Errors and Delufions, which is an infallible Sig- 
 nature of fpiritual Dcfertion and Dereliction (at leaft 
 for a feafon) as might be fhewn from innumerable 
 Scriptures. Of Spiritual Infatuation (a fore Judg- 
 ment of God, and fore-runner (for the moft part) 
 of eternal, irrevokable Perdition. ) The Signs or 
 Symptoms of it being notorious in all the Seels, thofe 
 Locufis of the bottomkf Pit, in thole horrid Times of 
 Impiety and Confufion. 
 
 Let's, in fhort, run over the uncontefted Sym- 
 ptoms of fpiritual Infatuation, and we mall prefently 
 have a View of the defperate Condition 
 Vr. Stamp j- Q c t h fe devoted execrated Sectarians, 
 tmtivn. ' The m ** Symptom is a ready Belief of, 
 and an objlinate pertinacious Adherence 
 unto apparent Lies and Delufions-, they have not 
 known nor undei (food, for he hath [ judicially, for 
 their Sins and Impenitence'] (hut their Eyes that they 
 cannot fee, and their Hearts, that they cannot un- 
 der ftand \_Jhce their wilful and deliberate Apoftacy from- 
 the Truth, for carnal and worldly ends, Ha. 18. 19, 20, 
 And doth not the Spirit fpeak exprefly, That in the lat- 
 ter times, feme Jliail depart from the Faith, giving heed 
 to (educh } 9 Spirits, and Doctrines of Devils., fpen.king 
 Lies in Hypocrife, [teaching that lor Truth and Goi- 
 pel, which they in their own Ccnfciences know to 
 be falfe] having their Confciences feared -with a hot Iron 
 [having no Senfe of the Fear ot God, or his future 
 Judgments before their Eyes, for fuch their wilful 
 Infidelity, Hypocrifie and moft horrid Diffimula- 
 tfon, 1 Tim. 4. 12. . And for this Caule [tor their 
 receiving meft ferioufly the Love of the Truth, that 
 
 they. 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 1 67 
 
 they might be faved, for their Levity in forfahng 
 the Church of Christ, for their too eafily indulging 
 and gratifying their itching Ears, affediing Novel- 
 ties, confulting therein, and thereby, their cufward 
 Interefts and Pleafures, &c God JhaU fend them 
 firong Delufions , that they ihould believe a [_ Lying 
 Religion that [wuld [nit and jump with their corrupt Hu- 
 mours and Inclinations^ that they All might be Dam- 
 ned who believed not the Truth, but had Pleafure 
 in \_ found their Satisfaction in the Doctrines of] Un- 
 righteoufnefs [countenancing, encouraging and Joothing 
 them up in their evil ways and pracJifes, by the contrivance 
 and flattering of crafty feli-defigning Deceivers , 
 2 Theff.z. 10, 11, 12. (2.) The next Symptom of Spi- 
 ritual Infatuation, remark'd by the Loy- 
 al and Orthodox Dr. Stamp, is a daring Dr. Stamp of 
 kind of Impudence Mn finning, when spintu. infat, 
 ( Men care neither what they do, nor 
 c before whom ,• when there is not only a want of 
 c fight in the Underftanding to look upon their 
 
 f Sin, a want of Sorrow in the Heart to grieve 
 
 c for it, but a want of Shame in the Face to Blum 
 
 c for it. So we find both charg'd upon the Houfe 
 
 of Ifrael, by the Prophet Ezek. 3.7. All the Hcu[e of 
 Ifrael are Impudent and Hard hearted ,• So Jer. 6. iy. 
 Were they ajbam'd when they had, committed Abomina- 
 tion ? Nay, they were not at all ajham'd, neither could 
 they blufi. And in the next Chapter, They ftole, they 
 robtid, they murdered, they committed Adultery, they [ware 
 falfly, they burnd Incence to Baal, they walked after other 
 Gods whom they knew not. [Apply this to thofe late 
 moft wicked Times they itole, robb'd the King or. 
 all his Publick Revenues, feiz'd his Forts, Garrifons, 
 Palaces, robb'd and plunder'd the Church of # her Pa- 
 trimony, murtherd the King, the Archbijhop, befides a 
 great many of the Nobility, Gentry, Commonalty, [e~ 
 yueftred and decimated their Eftates, turn'd their Fa- 
 milies, with a vaft many of the Clergy, to Beggary, 
 yi 4 Swarp 
 
1 68 The Axafaptifls Minijlry 
 
 Swarefaljly, perjur'd themfelves by divers and con- 
 tradictory Oaths, as the Covenant, the Protejlation, 
 Engagement , &c. impofing of them molt feverely up- 
 on all Degrees and Orders of Men, burnt Incenfe 
 unto Baal, their own Devices, Religions of their own 
 devifing, Independency, Miilenaiianifm, and in- 
 numerable Hereiies, walked after other Gods whom 
 they knew not, ftrange Seds and Opinions never 
 thought of or known before in the World, [as Qua- 
 kerifm, &c~] and yet notwithstanding all this 3 
 they came and flood before God in his Houfe which 
 was call'd by his Name, Ay, and faid too, that they 
 were delivered to do all thefe Abominations ,♦ Jer. 
 7r 9> I0 « [NevertheleJZ, they all profeffed the fame good 
 old Caufe • this was their confiant Nate, the Pure, the 
 Jincere Protefiant Religion : All pretended to oppofe Ba- 
 bylon, all to fet up the Kingdom of Christ Jefus, tho in 
 different ways ,* and all pretended a Divine Commiffion 
 for it, and to juftifie all their Practices by the Scriptures, 
 and by the Spirit, and that they were Order d and Ap- 
 pointed by God to do all they did.~\ But fee the Doom 
 of this infatuated People, c They had finn'd themfelves 
 c fo far out of God's Favour, that the Prophet is in- 
 c hibited fo much as to Pray [or interceed] for 
 c them i Therefore pray not thou ror this People, neither 
 lift up a Cry nor Prayer for them, neither make Interces- 
 sion to me, for I will net hear thee, Jer.j.if. 
 Cg.) A Third Symptom of Spiritual Infatuation the 
 Doclor obferves, is, ( When the Mind of Man is Tin- 
 
 * counfcllable, when a Man is wilfully and incorrigi- 
 6 bly refolv'd to walk contrary unto God, not only 
 £ when a Man is not Reform'd, but when he hates 
 
 'to be Reform'd. It is faid of Ahab, 
 lev ig, 2, 3 c Tfa af h e f ld himfdfto work wickedncf? ip 
 ii.'zo.' ° tn ' the fight of the Lord: That is, his 
 
 ' Heart was fo fet upon it, that he 
 
 * takes Elijah for his Enemy, for no other Reafon, 
 I but becqufc he would reprove him. 3 « and hates 
 
 ' MUaiah^ 
 
Examirid And Difprovd. 169 
 
 c Micaiahy for no other Reafon, but becaufe he 
 
 * knew he would fpeak truth ; As is the Sin, 
 
 c fo is the Punifliment ,• The Sin wilful, and the 
 ' Punifhment inevitable : See Trov.1.24. Luke 19. 41. 
 1 Sam. 2. 25". 2 Chron. 25. r6, &c. (4.) c This in- 
 c curable Evil of Incorrigiblenefs is ever attended 
 c with another Evil as defperate and pernicious to 
 
 c # the Soul ,* and that is Senfelefnefi and Security y 
 
 c efpecially in the time of the greateft Danger,* 
 See Ecclef. 9, 3, & 12. Luke 21. 34, 35-. Matth. 24. 
 37, ;8, 39, 48. &e. Job 12. 9. I need not trouble 
 you with the Application of thefe Symptoms, the 
 very naming of them alone will dired you to do it. 
 I might add divers other Symptoms of Spiritual Infatu- 
 ation peculiar to thofe Times, an inceilant Itching 
 after Novelties in Workup and Opinions, running from 
 Seel to Seel, and at length, dropping into Scepticifm, 
 or Atheifm, or that which is equivalent, and not one 
 jot better ^uakerifm, that Common-fJiore of all the 
 monfirous and moft infamous Herefies that ever fprang 
 up in the World, the very ghiintejjence and Mafier- 
 piece of Satanical Hatred to Souls, and Delufion. 
 This running from Sett to Seel, was the Epidemical 
 Difeafe of thofe Times, when Satan was broke 
 loofe, and the bottomlcfi Tit uncover d $ to which may 
 be added, fpiritual Pride, and Conceitedneft, an Af- 
 feclation of extraordinary Sanclity, and a ftrong Opi- 
 nion of Holinefs in Conjunction with the worft of 
 Immoralities, and the moft odious and obvious, even 
 'Beafiiality and Uncleannefi : Every Villain that ran 
 With the Times, was a Saint, Godly • and they call'd 
 all Saints of their own Party or Faction • their Ar- 
 mies of Cut-throats and Plunderers, Saints,* Enthufi- 
 afiical Preaching and Praying Saints ,* their Books of 
 all forts, from the Hi^h Presbyterian, to the moft 
 groveling and contemptible Seel, are full of thefe Com- 
 ptllations, even to Naufeoufnef, and a full Difcovery 
 pf their noted Hyfccrifie, and Eftrangednef from all 
 • : ' • * that 
 
17® The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 that is really and fnbftantially good, as a Stigma or 
 Brand of Infamy upon their refpetiive Seels. The Hu- 
 mility, and real Piety ot the molt Holy Ages of the 
 Church, made them very faring of thefe Titles ,• and 
 for fuch Men as I have been defcribing to afTume 
 to themfelves fo familiarly fuch glorious Compilations, 
 Men guilty of the moft enormous Sins, of Rebellion, 
 Sacrilege, Murther, Perjury, Robbing and Plundering, 
 Unmercifulnefs , Implacablenefi, Revenge, Pride and Am- 
 bition, and Covetoufnefi, Schifm, Hcrefie, Blajphemy, 
 and yet to call themfelves Saints, difcovers infallibly 
 how prevalent Satan was, and is with fuch Men, and 
 what Sprit they are atled by, the utmoH of his Tranf- 
 figurations, the firongeft of his Delufions, whofe Slaves 
 they are marked for, and whither (without extraor- 
 dinary Mercy) they are agoing. 
 
 (4.) I mall mew you from the Non-accomplifiment 
 of this Canns Predictions, that by his own Confef- 
 fion, he was as great an Impofior, and a&ed by the 
 Spirit of Error and Faljhood, as much as Jack ot Ley- 
 den, or Knipperdoling : c I could, fays he, fliew in fe- 
 
 * veral Particulars, how contrary the Carriages and 
 
 c Practices of the Munfier Impoficrs ( firfi and la(t) were 
 
 c to what is either faid or done by the 
 
 fi-om'^heTein ' G ° dlj °f **" A F> Wh ° "" °f Wy . °^ mi " 
 pj e " - ( on. It's worth the obferving how 
 
 e fubtilly Satan hath carried on his Dejign 
 
 * to keep Men in Ignorance, Superfiition and Bondage, 
 c and to hinder them from embracing the things belonging 
 c to their Peace, &c. Thus he raifed up faiie Chrifts, 
 e and why ? That the True might not be received 
 ' when he came. So for the Munfier bufinefi. The 
 c Devil knew in the latter Days, TYRANTS and 
 c OPPRESSORS would be thrown down, the Antichri- 
 c fiian Kingdom defiroyed , good Men and good 
 
 * Things advanced. AW mark the Craft of this wick- 
 c ed One : When the Appointed time jhould come, in 
 f which thefe things were to be fulfilled, to the end that 
 
 ( Men 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 171 
 
 ' Meft might not then believe, he (lined up beforehand, a 
 Company of Seducers to beguile the ignorant and fimple 
 People, meerly {I fay) upon the account, that when the 
 time fiould come that Tyranny and Opprc.Jfion flwuld be 
 c fupprefl, Babylon caft down, Righteoujneft exalted, 
 that this Work might not find Acceptation among the 
 People $ he then {as I faid) poifoned before-hand the 
 Minds of the People, by fuggefiing Munfier, and the 
 Effects of that Bufinefi : So then in fiwrt, the Sum is 
 this • The Devil in caufing that Work in Munfier, in- 
 tended that it fuould be a Snare to the People of this 
 c Age. Now to turn the Tables upon this 
 bloody Munfterian Canne • Is it not plain by p. 6. 
 his own Confeffion, fince he was fo con- 
 fident of thefe Events, as afore-recited, (and par- 
 ticularly in his Epifile Dedicatory to Oliver Cromwel, 
 wherein he exhorts him to fearch the Prophecies of 
 the latter Times, to find out what was his Work, and 
 as then proper for him, and tells him., That he purpofely 
 tublifiid this Book to anfwer the great ^ueflion. What 
 is next ? That is after the Diffolutium of the Varlid- 
 ment 165" 3. f That His Excellenry, and others, might fee 
 what his Opinion is, and how grounded upon the Word, 
 concerning the Lord's Work, and working at that 
 time, and wherein He , i. e. Oliver, and others, 
 are to move and follow the Lamb. And then a little 
 after, tells Oliver, f Methinks I iliould findyou in 
 ( that Voice from Heaven, laying, Come cut of her 
 c my People • and to be one of the Angels pouring the 
 
 f Fifth Vial.' And a little after ,• i This Voice from 
 
 c Heaven, and the Fifth Angel is already come. — 
 
 * And if the Lord fhall be pleafed to perfect by you., 
 
 * the good Work which he hath made you initru- 
 c mental in -, that is, to be his and our General fill, 
 
 * for the executing of the lasl Vtpgeance upon the 
 e Two perfecting Powers of the World, viz,. KING- 
 c ZTand Antichnfiian, it will be fuch an Honour as 
 ( few of the Sons of Men ever had.) I fay, is it not 
 
 ' mani- 
 
I yz The Anahaptijls Minlflry 
 
 manifeft that thofe Munfierian Prophets and Came] 
 were actuated by the fame Spirit ; that is, as him- 
 felf fays, the Devil, and for the very fame ends, 
 by his own Confeflion, to be a Snare to the People 
 of that Age or Time. Did not Canne, by his Epiftle 
 Dedicatory to Oliver Cromwel, and the Parliament, in 
 -his Firfi and Second Voice from the Temple, inftigate 
 them, and encourage them towards the fetting up 
 a Fifth Monarchy, or the Kingdom of Jefus Chrifl, to 
 the Expulfion of all the fettled Miniftry then in being, 
 fitch at it was, tho' God knows, little better than 
 theirs, if any thing at all, by their Degeneracy, Re- 
 bellion, and molt horrid Perjury, the taking away of 
 Tythes, and all fettled Maintenance ', pay, to throw them 
 down,tha.t they might he never at attend to revenge the 
 Blood of all the Saints, Reward her even as jlte hath 
 rewarded you, and deal unto her double, according to 
 her Works • in the Cup which Jhe hath filled, fill her dou- 
 ble : As if, faith this fcarlet Saint, whereas this bloody 
 Kingdom, moft fal(ly judged you in the Saints which were 
 before [that is, St. Muvcer, St. Jack of Leyden, St, 
 Knipper doling, &c.~\ to be Hereticks , Blafphemers , 
 Schifmaticks [and fo they were, and fo was Canne, as 
 now we fee] ' and perfecuted you by Imprifon- 
 c ment, Contifcation of Goods, yea, Death it felf^ 
 c and would not fufferyou to walk in the Faith and 
 c Order of the Gofpel, Reward her, even as fiie n> 
 * warded you ; that is, as God hath put the Power 
 f of Nations into your Hand, and the Day of Judg- 
 ? ment of Babylon being now come. Wherefoever 
 c the Lord carries you forth, execute the Vengeance of 
 c the Lord, and of his femple upon the Antichri- 
 e ftian Kingdom. Here J (peak (I ill of Things, and 
 not of Perfons : First Voice from the Temple, p. 38. 
 O good, moderate,tender-hearted, merciful Prophet 
 Cann ! But fuppofe the Spirit fhould bid them cut 
 'Throats, and daflt out the Childrens Brains againft the 
 Stones ? Should not they do it ? How would your 
 
 Prophecy 
 
Examind an J Difprovd. 173 
 
 Prophecy [be fulfill'd without ? How fliould thefe 
 Scriptures you inculcate be fulfilled, Rev. 11. if, 
 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. ^r. yi. 10, 35. j^er. yo. 4 y. 
 that you let down at large as Memento's in the laft 
 Pages of your fecond Voice ? How mall a literal Pa- 
 rallel Vengeancej?e executed and retaliated without 
 it be Perfonal, and affe£ their Lives and Livelihoods. 
 
 This Tendernef of the meek Mr. Canne, is much 
 beneath the Fortitude and Resolution of a Prophet, 
 efpecially in the Delivery of his Mejfage • and truly, 
 for this very Reafon, confidering the neceffary Qua- 
 lifications of a Prophet, I am forc'd to difown and re- 
 jecl him, as a /*//£ Prophet , not executing his A&p 
 /*ge faithfully and couragioujly. But in the next 
 Lines he makes fome amends, I find the Man pre- 
 fently come to himfelf again ; it was only a little 
 Recoyling of the Old Man, the Flejl), a Pajjion foon off 
 
 foon on,* therefore he tell us as very gravely, 
 
 That the Glory of God, in fulfilling his Word, is 
 to be preferr'd before all worldly Profperity -, that 
 a Heathen could fay, Let Juftice be done, and 
 the World perifh ,♦ fhall Saints then hold back 
 their Hands from executing the righteous Judg- 
 ment of the Lord, only thro 1 a bafe Fear of 
 worldly Inconveniencies. And whereas this ly- 
 ng Prophet had the Confidence to fay, by way of 
 Apology for the Anabaptifts and himfelf, 165-3, 'Let 
 ' Sleidan, or any other who hath written the Hijlory 
 of Munfier, be perus'd by any impartial Reader, 
 and he mail not have any ground to frame a Pa- 
 rallel, neither in reference to Matter, Manner, or 
 Men. FirH Voice from the Temple, page y. Doth it 
 not appear, as to the Matter, that Canne and thofe 
 falfe Prophets, Matthias, John of Leyden, and Knip- 
 perdoling, agreed in the Matter ,♦ the Matter was the 
 fetting up a Fifth Monarchy, letting op King Jefus on 
 his Throne. i Thus John of Leyden was led by his 
 * Prophetical Spirit upon the City Walls, where he 
 
 ( put 
 
174 The Jnahaptijis Miniftry 
 
 ( put off his Cloatrvj, and ran naked through the 
 
 * (City, crying, The King of Zion is come, the King 
 ( or' 'Zion is come. Short Hiftory of the Anab. p. 23. 
 pubiifh'd Ann. 1642. And John Tufcorefer, a Gold- 
 iinith, as much a Prophet as Canne, and upon as 
 good Grouuds, having call'd the Qongregation to- 
 gether, declard, t That it was the Will of the Hea- 
 
 * venly Father, that John of Ley den (hould be King 
 c of the Univei ie, and that with mighty Armies he 
 c mould kill ah Kings and Princes, and deftroy all the 
 c Ungodly, and lave the People that love Righteouf- 
 c nefs, and that he muft poffefs trie Kingdom of his 
 c Father David, till the Time come that he muft 
 
 * deliver the Kingdom to his Father, and that all 
 c the Ungodly being kill'd, the Godly fhall reign in 
 
 J the World. ~» And again, Thus faith the 
 
 * Lord, as I fet Saul to be King in Ifrael, and after 
 e him David taken from the Sheepfold, fo have I 
 c fee y^ a Bec ^ my Prophet to be King in Ziow, 
 P<?££ 26. [If this be not Antichrifiianifm in as high 
 a Strain as can be exprefs'd, and confequently this 
 Becold AntichriH, and his Followers Ant'uhrifis, as 
 likewife the 7i>hole Tribe or Millenaries, or ^hiinto- 
 Monarchians, who are for fetting up the fuppos'd 
 vifible Kingdom of Chrisl J 'efus, there is no fuch Sin, 
 never was, nor never will be. 
 
 So then here's a plain Agreement in Matter, the 
 fetting up a Fifth Anabaptifical Monarchy, a vijible 
 temporal Kingdom of J efus Chrifi upon the Earth. 
 As to the Manner, here's no Disagreement neither ; 
 by Force of Arms, by dtfiroying all the £wjg* and 
 Princes or the World, by cutting off the Ungodly; 
 that is, WZ, without any Exception, that do not 
 become Anabaptifis, and conform to their Princi- 
 ples. Then as for the Men, if he means they were 
 ALch^nicks, or illiterate, that will make no great 
 KLiccer at this time a day amongft the moft refined 
 ones. They call'd chemfelves fr of bets, and as it ap- 
 pears 
 
Examine! and Difprovd, 175- 
 
 pears had as good a Pretenfion to Prophecy as Canne 
 himfelf, and here's no Difference neither ; if he 
 meant they were lewd, and the like, why they had 
 Revelation for it, and as good Authority as Canne 
 had for any thing he contends for in his two Voices, 
 when therefore John of Leyden, after he had fall'n 
 into a Prophetical Sleep, and dreamt three Days and 
 Nights together, awak'd, made figns, and call'd 
 for a Table-Book like Zechariah, and wrote down, 
 That a Man is not ty'd or confin'd to one Wife, 
 but that he may marry as many as he pleafethj and 
 accordingly put in practice his new Doctrine, and 
 marry'd till he had 1 ? Wives , page 23.24, 
 and the reft of his Followers imirated s ^ a *&- 
 his Example , and without any Senfe ■nlLni^s. 
 of Modefty,till there was not a Woman 
 in the City of Munfier, of fourteen Years of Age, 
 that efcap'd being vitiated. Why ? They all 
 had as good Grounds for their abominable Uncleannefi as 
 Canne for his Predictions, Murders, Sacrilege, Robbing, 
 and Plundering. Doth Scripture any where make 
 Fornication or Adultery a greater Sin than Murdering 
 ot Kings, or Sacrilege than Ufurping the Ministry, de- 
 molijhing Places of Divine Worfhip, and taking away 
 Tithes dedicated in the mod" folemn Manner unto God, 
 ( as Teftimonies of their Love, Gratitude, and Honour, 
 they ow'd unto him ) for the comfortable and ne- 
 ceflary Support and Subfiftence of his Minifters, 
 than blafpheming of God and his Chrift, wrefting 
 and perverting the holy Scriptures ? Are Fornica- 
 tion, Adultery, and Intemperance, the only damn- 
 ing Sins ? Is not Apofiacy, or Schifm, or Herejie, or 
 Rebellion, adding or taking away from the Words of the 
 Book of this Prophecy [of the Revelation, ] which 
 Canne is fo notorioufly guilty of, ( as hath been 
 prov'd ) and making Lies, [deviling, forging falfe 
 Prophecies, and aicribing them to the Spirit of 
 God, Doctrines of Devils, making Chrift the Lamb, 
 
 his 
 
iy6 The Anabaptijls Minifiry 
 
 *or his Inoffenfivenefs and Purity, the Authdr of 
 Murders, AJfaffinations, Rebellions, Treafons, and all 
 the OppreJJions, Robberies, Injujiice, and Barbarities of 
 the World, ( according to the damnable bloody Do- 
 Urines of thefe Anabaptiftical Millenaries, that are al- 
 moft a Scandal to the Devil himfelf ) Up Sins than 
 Fornication or Uncleannef; let fuch Antichrifts, even 
 worfe than they themfelves decypher the Pope to 
 be,with all*their Rancour and infernal Malice, prove 
 this if they can, or blufl) if they can ? Nay, as 
 dreadful and deadly Sins as fuch Filthinefi and Impurity 
 are, yet no Man of common Senfe dare aver them 
 to be greater than what this Impudent Anahaptifi-Cir- 
 cumcellian-Donatifi encourages Oliver and his Fellow 
 Rebels unto. If what he contends for be agreeable 
 to the Spirit of Christianity, what can be contrary ? 
 If what he writes for be lawful, none but a ftark- 
 born Fool will boggle at what he would [feemingly J 
 condemn. It what he applauds be innocent, and a Duty, 
 the other is a Virtue and commendable, and by fuch 
 ?i>/7^ Dogmatizers as he, ought to be accounted an 
 Expreffion of common Charity and Civility. Alas! 
 what he feems to condemn and defie the World to />*- 
 rallel, from the Practices of himfelf and his Party, 
 in 1 6 £3, is but a j^-tf, comparatively to what him- 
 felf and his Followers allow'd, even then, and fince, 
 and its more than probable to fuppofe, the only 
 Reafon why he dared call them Impofiors, and to re- 
 fled fo hardly upon the Munfterians, was only be- 
 caufe they were unfuccefsful, and could not main- 
 tain their Ground : And becaufe the very Name 
 of Anabaptifis was grown fo jultly odious, for all 
 their former diabolical Pranks, their Cruelty, Filtqinef, 
 Blajhhemy, Tyranny, and Arbitrarincf, fo well known 
 and detejted by all fober and feriom Christians, it was 
 but neceflary that the fame Spirit which a&ed and 
 infpired Jack of Ley den and Caxne, mould put him 
 upon thefe Reflections upon the former, only to 
 
 call 
 
Examined and Difprovd. jjj 
 
 caft a Mift before the Eyes of the heedlefs and igno- 
 rant, becaufe their Circumftances were not fuch as 
 bid fair for an Attempt, their Parties not ready 
 form'd and powerful enough, nor their Projects 
 ripe for Execution. And truly we ought not to 
 look upon fome of this Party's difavoiving the Quinto- 
 Monarchian Principles, and the plaulible Profeffi- 
 on the Modern Anabaptifis make in reference to 
 Magiftracy, Chap. 24, of their ConfeJJim, 1689, and 
 in fome Apologies they have publim'd to that pur- 
 pofe, any otherwife than to lull a carelefs World in 
 Security, and to impofe upon the eafie and well- 
 meaning People, till they have a fit Opportunity 
 to unmask : This hath been the old Artifice of Here- 
 ticks and Schifmatkh upon Oceafion, and when at 
 a Dead -Lift , witnefs the Arrians, and their 
 Forefathers, thofe admird Primitive Dona- ift.ftrftf 
 tifis, Canned Affiles ; vvhofe Sticcejfors, as f*g« 13. 
 to "Principles and Villany, I'll readily al- 
 low fuch as himfelf to be; For if they can fwal- 
 low fuch unfcriptural Doctrines and Practices as they 
 do, in reference to the One Church of Chrift, the 
 One Evangelical Priefthood or Miniftry, and pofirively 
 deny the Lawfulnefi of Admitting Infants into the 
 Covenant ofGrace by Baptifm, &c. I'll make no fcru- 
 pie but the fameConfciences can eafily digeft,when 
 time mail ferve, the very Dreggs of all other Anabcp- 
 tifiical Q pinions. They feem indeed to refine a little 
 upon their Progenitors Opinions, and to difown fome 
 ot their grojly fcandalom unchrifkian PraiJices j but this 
 is only owing to the Serpent, that Craft y and Cun- 
 ning, and Juggling, for which ail Seilaries have been 
 ever notorious * for he that can cut Throats without 
 the leaft Remorfe, will make no Confcience of 
 breaking a Head • he that can violate all the Laws of 
 God. and Man, to make way for his infatiable Cove- 
 toufnef and Ambition, with Mahomet, will venture a 
 little farther to gratifie his Lufis too, efpecially there 
 
 N being 
 
178 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 being no outward Force or Authority to controul him ; 
 the fame Spirit that prompts to the one, ( by ali the 
 former Experiences the World hath had of this 
 Se A ) never fail'd to incite to the other. None but 
 yery ignorant, or very indifferent, regardleS People, 
 will ever ( 'tis to be hop'd ) be impos'd upon by 
 you ; none but thofe Men of Latitude that care not 
 what becomes of our common Chrifiianity, or have 
 no Zeal for the Truth or Glory of God, or value not 
 what fide they be of, provided Compliance may pro- 
 cure their Eafe and Safety, can ever entertain any 
 other Opinion of this prefent Generation of that SecTt, 
 but that they are the fame in Affeblion, Interest; and 
 Principle, with their Predeceffors. It's Credulity, and 
 the greateft Nonfenfe, to fancy them otherwife, but 
 only in Policy, and by Nece/Jity, or to think a few 
 Tears could ever produce fuch a Change of Principles 
 jn them. Let any one perufe their Writings beiore 
 the Reftauration of King Charles II. their malicious 
 Reflexions and Invectives againft Monarchical Govern- 
 ment in general, the Church ot England as eftablifh'd 
 by Law, as in Cannes Voices, Persecution for Religion 
 judg'd, &c. and by them Reprinted in 1662, their 
 Narrative of the lars Parliament, publifh'd in the 
 Year 16^7, and particularly their fecond Narrative 
 publiih'd 1658, Printed in the fifth Tear of England'* 
 Slavery under its new Monarchy, (their own Words) 
 and you'll find their Principles are the fame, and 
 he's mad that believes them not to be fo ftill. It's 
 their greateft Inter e Ft and Policy to feem to difown 
 what they know is Odious, and that all fober Peopli 
 are the moft averfe to and abhor ,• it's highly expedi- 
 ent to ufe Transfiguration fometimes to deceive the 
 World, and 'tis not to be doubted, but, like the 
 Quakers ( their commonly laft Refuge ) they have 
 two Sets of Opinions, one tor the Publick Ferufal, and 
 another for their own Party j one to throw into the 
 World, to dicoy and amufe with, and to allay publick 
 
 Jealoujits 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. \y^ 
 
 Jealoufes and Surmifes, the other to communicate to 
 their Faft- Friends and Confidents. No ! thefe Arcana , 
 thefe Grand Secrets, are in fome meafure referv'd till 
 their proper Seafon, the World cannot bear them as 
 yet; when once the Kingdom comes to be fhaken, 
 unfettled, the Government unhinging, give them but 
 an Opportunity for Anarchy, Confufion s &c. and then 
 they'll pull off their Vigors, and appear bare-facdt 
 Whatever fome particular Writers may fay amongft 
 them, as to the common Notion of the Millenium, as 
 Mr. Tombes, who particularly condemns it as damna- 
 ble and Antichriftian, yet it's certain divers of them 
 entertain'd a better Opinion of it, even in the grofs 
 Notion of it already mention'd in Olivers Time and 
 after wards, that is, in the common Anabaptifiical Senfe* 
 of it, as at Munfter, and other Parts beyond the Seas* 
 And as the Jhort Hifiory of the Anabaptifis informs us, 
 page 5-2. c The Grounds of the many forcible Attempts 
 f they made by Arms, was a Dream they had of a 
 c temporal Kingdom of Chrift, with whom all the 
 c Godly mould reign on Earth, without any Infir- 
 c mity of Body or Soul, all Gods Enemies being 
 
 * deftroy'd firft ; for all Anabaptifts were and are 
 
 * ftill Chiliafis, expounding literally that Kingdom 
 f of a thoufand Years of Rev. 20. 6. to be a tempo- 
 c ral Kingdom. As to the Apologies Mr. Tombes 
 mentions, which were publiflid after the Milknarian 
 Attempt, made in January 1660, the World is o- 
 blig'd to look upon them only as acquitting fome 
 Particulars; there's no doubt, but according toCanne's 
 Prophecies, there were prodigious Expectations a- 
 mongft 'em. We are fenfible what deep Impreflions 
 thefe pretended Prophecies are Wont to leave upon 
 vulgar Underfiandings , fuch as moft of your Peoples are • 
 efpecially after they had been fo often inculcated to 
 them from the Pulpits and the Prefi, as Canne tells us 
 in his Epiflle to Colonel Overton, and other Chriftian 
 Friends in and about Hull, FirB Voice from the Tern- 
 
 N 2 pk- 
 
180 The Anahaptifls Miniftry 
 
 pl e _ f it hath been the defire offome of yen 
 
 that I would publifh to the World my Notes upon 
 
 Daniel, [after he had}— preachc 
 
 them ' and then a little after , Sirs I cannot 
 
 without much Thankfulnefs to God, and Comfort 
 to my felf, but remember you, especially your 
 moft earneft and conftant Seeking of God, to have 
 the Book opened, and the Seals loofed , that you 
 might fee your Work, [ what Work but the Setting 
 ChriB upon his Throne ? ] and to know how to 
 acl -for ChriB in your Generation. I make no Que- 
 ftion of this, that your Zeal may provoke others, 
 and ftir them up to ask Wifdom of God, and for 
 Zions Sake not to hold their peace, and for Jeru- 
 falem\ Sake not to give him ReB, till he eftablijh and 
 make Jerufalem a Praife in the Earth. For my 
 part, I can fpeak it, to God's Glory, and I have 
 found all along in the Opening the Prophecies of 
 Daniel and the Revelations to you, the Anfwer of 
 your Prayers, and the Fruit of your Faith, abundantly 
 
 upon my Sonl.-. Sirs, it is your Prayers that 
 
 I ftill defire with me, and for me, I know no 
 6 People under Heaeen that have more Encouragement 
 to go boldly to the Throne of Grace, considering what 
 
 ' real and full * Anfwers 
 
 * This canfe of Christ was ' you have had of for- 
 
 mxgnified by Go4, in anfaer- c merly feeking the Lord, 
 
 in£ the Dunbzv appeal againH _.__From thefe Paffages 
 
 the Y^ing of Scots. The Enehfh r c u 
 
 Army appealing to God, accord- We ma Y fee many _ of the 
 trig to the AH tf Parliament Anabaptifis were in full 
 1648, declaring it High Trea- Hopes oftakin? poflefli- 
 fon to fet i0 Charles Stuart, or on Q f all the Worl( | znc \ 
 any ether Perfon, chief Maei- 1 c ai • 1 
 
 ftratei* England or Ireland, ma y be Efficiently Con- 
 or any of the Dominions thereun- 
 to belonging. And as our Appeal was for No King but Jefus, (by 
 which were the greatest Victories obtained that we had) the Scots 
 Appeal, on the other Side, was for a t\ing, or perfonal Interest of 
 Man, Sec. God's Anjwer was fo full and wonderful on the No 
 
 Yinc'd 
 
Examzrid and Difprov'd. 181 
 
 King's Side but Jefus, and according to the Act tf Parliament, ( up- 
 on which the Army marched againUthe King of Scots) that all Scot- 
 land was given in in fete Momhs,and their Armies dejlroyed ; and to 
 ufe the very Words of the Act of Parliament, Die Martis 17. Sep- 
 tembris, 1650. "This Anfwer was enriched with fo many remark- 
 able Circumftantes, as is to be admird by fucceeding Generations, 
 evidencing fiuh a Divine Prefence as the Commonwealth can never 
 be thankful enough for ; and that it was given in at a Seal or Con- 
 firmation /rc»z Heaven, of the Juftneis of this Caule, after folemn 
 Appeals made on both fides to God Himjelf, the Righteous Judge, 
 inthis War between England and Scotland; and that God did jo 
 decide the Controverfie Himfelf, wm of fitch Value and high Confe- 
 quence,8cc. Declaration of feveral Churches, &?g. concerning the 
 I&ngly Inter eft of Cbiitt. 1654. p. 10. 
 
 vinc'd of the Wickednefs of their Defigns, by the 
 Fruftration of their impudent and hypocritical Pray- 
 ers, and Seekings, and lying Prophecies, that God in 
 Mercy to Mankind will not always hear fuch Sinners, 
 fuch blood-thirfiy and audacious Profligates. Mr. Tombes 
 does by no Means deny that this Sett was tinctur'd 
 with this Munfierian Doclrine, tho' he mews himfelf 
 willing and ready enough to apologize for them, 
 by faying, c That fome Years before thofe Princi- 
 c pies, by which [ thofe Zealots in 1660] a&ed, 
 c were to his Knowlege oppos'd in fome of the 
 c Congregations to which fome of the Affertors had 
 f joyn'd themfelves, and they thence folemnly e- 
 c je<5ted, &c. And why ? Because as we find in 
 the afore-cited Declaration of the Millenarians, and 
 lome of them Anabaptifts, as appears by the Subfcrip- 
 tion, ( if I be not miftaken ) becaufe all of thtfe 
 Principles were now in Disfavour with Oliver, and 
 c that the lasi Parliament was diffolv'd for that they 
 c ivould rule as Saints, (or Part of the Fifth Monarchy 
 c for Chrift ) and for doing that the former Parlia- 
 c ment neglected, Declarat. p. 4. So that it was 
 Policy, to put a Stop to the Progrefs of fuch Princi- 
 ples, which made them obnoxious to the Jealoufie 
 of fuch a watchful and revengeful Eye. He knew 
 them too well, and trufted them fo long as. it was 
 
 N 3 kfe s 
 
1 8 1, The Anabaptifts Miniflry 
 
 *afe, and till they had ferv'd his Defigns ,• but as 
 "Toon as he had got the Supream Voiver into his own 
 Hands, he Difcarded them immediately, Turgd his 
 own Regiment in particular. At firft, indeed, after 
 he came to be Generaliffimo over all the Forces of the 
 Three Nations, he planted in the Army, Anahaptijls, 
 to poiz, with the Independents and Presbyterians, who 
 were the Friends of the Parliament. Second Nar- 
 rative, p. 51. But finding them oppofing and ob- 
 ftructing his main Defign, and upon the very Point 
 of engaging agginft him [I fuppofe, by 
 See the Se> f ett j n a up the Fifth Monarchy'] * he turns 
 Pare 8. them out s or all Commiihons in the Ar- 
 
 my and State, Imprifons divers of the 
 moft eminent of them, as may be feen in their De- 
 claration, p. 13. So contrary is it even to Nature 
 itfelf, for one Rebel or Knave to confide in another, 
 but at a pinch. So, as I laid, this was but Policy, 
 and an Effe£ of worldly carnal Wifdcm, for the Ana- 
 hapifts to purge fome of the fort, efpecially the furi- 
 ous and unmanageable, and perhaps, moft fufpe&ed 
 ones out of their Congregations. A fmall Provocation 
 would have made Oliver cut all their Throats, or fold 
 'em for Slaves • he knew them mtm & in cute, and 
 All their Projech as well as they did themfelves; he 
 was one of them, as high a King-J 'efus-man , as the 
 mod: thorow-pac'd amongft them j he was as much 
 a Seeker of God, as Canne, or Feak, or any of them 
 all ; as Pious, as Devout, and as much a Saint, and 
 held numberlefs Confutations with them about the 
 Enthroning of King Jefus, and as they were Hypocrites 
 and DiJJ'emblers witn God and Him, fo was he with 
 £hem, only to ferve his own prefentjntereft. 
 • Now, laying all thefe Circumftances together, 'tis 
 jio wonder that Milhnarianifm began to pull in its 
 Ears, and to grow timerous and cautious ,* thefe 
 Gentlemen were catcUd in their own Nets, and all 
 fheir Babel tumbled down at once. So that as he 
 
 found • 
 
Examirid and Dzfprov'd. 183 
 
 found it for his Intereft to diflemble with them, 
 they find it their beft Security to be quiet and dij- 
 femble too. This is but juft putting up the Sword 
 into its Scabbard till a fitter Opportunity : And 
 we have no reafon to think it otherwife, for as loon 
 as He was dead,thcy were at it again ,• as may be fccn 
 
 in their Second and Third Narratives, 16 y8. 
 
 I have not the Opportunity to confult, whether a- 
 ny that made that horrid Attempt, 1660, were Ana- 
 baptifiical Millenarians or no ,• but it's certain, that 
 John James, who was executed for "Preaching Sediti- 
 on, and fiirring up his Hearers to Rebellion, in Bullfiake- 
 Aty in White-Chappel, Oblob. l£Vi66i. own'd himfelf 
 to be a Baptized Believer, and profefs'd f himfelf to 
 
 * own the Kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrifb, to wit, 
 c The vifible Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST here on 
 c Earth. Narrative of the Apprehending and Ar- 
 raignment, &c. of John James, p. 40. And in the 
 fame Narrative, it's faid, c That feveral Friends 
 being with him [in Prifon] he de fired to leave with 
 them fome of his Scripture Grounds, for that his 
 Perfwafion, \_fcil. concerning the Fifth Monarchy] he 
 judging that the great efi Caufe of the Sentence and Con- 
 demnation pafs'd upon him,which are inferted in this 
 Narrative, from p. 31. to p. 5 j. where, when he 
 comes to treat, how Jefus ChrisJ muft come by this 
 Kingdom ; he tells them, ' That he mall ufe his 
 
 * People in his Hand as his Battel-ax, and Weapon 
 % of War, for the bringing in the Kingdoms of this 
 
 * World into Subjection to him. A few Scriptures 
 
 c as to this,- Ifaiah 12. 14. but efpecially the 
 
 c 15- and 16 Verfes ; Behold I will make thee a 
 c new iharp threibing Inftrument, &c The next 
 Scripture is in Jer. 57. 20,21. 'Thou art my Battel- 
 f Ax,ffpeaking to his own People) and Weapon of 
 ' War, for with thee I will break in pieces the Na- 
 ? tions, and with thee will I deftroy Kingdoms, 
 [ &c, I might produce many more, that God will 
 
 N 4 c mak$ 
 
184 ^ e Anal apt ft s Mintftry 
 
 € make ufe of his People in doing of this great 
 "' Work ; Rev. 17. 14. Theft Jball make War -with the 
 € Lamb , and the Latnbjhall overcome them, for he ts the 
 ' Lord of Lords, and King of Kings , and they that are 
 
 * with him, are calld, and chofen, and Faithful. 
 { In the great Work of Jefus Chrift againft the 
 € Horns, he hath a Remnant, called, and faithful, 
 c and chofen, (landing by him in this Work, which 
 9 doth mightily correfpond with thefe two Prophe- 
 
 * cies. Therefore, feeing that the Lord will make 
 c ufe of his People, as his Battel-ax and Weapon of 
 c War, and that they are a Faithful and Chofen 
 < Remnant, I only V&ve this one word, by way of 
 
 * Exhortation to tl^Lord's People that have Faith 
 f in thefe Prophecies, to be looking to the Qualifi- 
 c cations of his chofen Remnant, and that they have 
 in Rev. 14. 3, 4, ^, &c. p. 34. Hence it appears 
 plainly, that the old Leaven of Milknarianifm was 
 not clean purged cut of the Anabaftiftical Congrega- 
 tions, in 1661 ; that thofe Principles were held forth 
 in their Meetings ; then fometimes at leaft, when 
 they thought themfelves fecure, nay, immediately 
 after fo villanous and barbarous an Attempt, in 1660, 
 and fome Execttt ior.s pak'd for the fame ; Nay, which 
 is more in the g/ofi Senfe, by Force of Arms ; and 
 more than thar, to demonftrate in what Senfe, as 
 to the Adminifrration of it, thefe baptiz'd Believers 
 underftood it ,• this dying baptized Believer urges it to 
 his Brethren (whom he endeavour'd to confirm in 
 this Belief o£ the Millenium, and to encourage them 
 in the Profecution of the Defign of Erecting a Fifth 
 Mjnarchy) by Fire and Swcrd, by a general Deftrudi- 
 oh of Men and Women, Tom/o- and Old, all Orders and 
 Degrees of Men from the highefl to the loweft, as 
 you will find in hie forecited Chapters out of the 
 Prophets. The Refori unto him in Prifon, of his 
 Friends and Brethren, was connderabie, and by his 
 frying a preacher among them, no queftion of feme 
 
 Ac- 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. \%$ 
 
 Recount with them, and by his laft Legacy and Seal- 
 ing this Doclrine with his Blood, manilefrs the great 
 Concern he had upon him to fortifie that Party, and 
 encourage them to perfevere in that Belief, which all 
 along had been one of the prime Articles of the Ana- 
 baptiftical Creed , and ought to be look'd upon as 
 fuch at this day, and undoubtedly is,- by which at 
 one time or other , they hope to rival it with 
 Mahomet himfelf, and in the bottom, no doubt, a 
 Tranfcript from that hellijh Original, varninVd over 
 with a little religious Cant, to make it pafs the more 
 readily arnongft the Mob, the Ignorant and the wor- 
 ker fort, who are always the moft Numerous, fond of 
 Liberty, only for the fake of nt&ntioufnefi; for whom 
 the whole Scheme of Anabaptifm is calculated, as 
 may be fhewn afterwards in another Treatife. But 
 by what hath been faid, I think it is fufficiently e- 
 vine'd, that little heed ought to be taken to our 
 fiiodern Anabaptifical Apologies, whereby they would 
 fain perfwade us of the <vafi difference between them 
 and the German Anabaftifls. We find them agreed in 
 thofe Points that have rendred them juflly abomina- 
 ble to all that have any Acquaintance with their 
 Principles, and we had fome Experience of them 
 what they would have been at in that Parliament 
 (^whereof a very confiderable part were Fifth Monar- 
 chies) that was DiJJolvd, Decemb. 12. 165-3. As to 
 their then Behaviour in the Houfe, it was obferv'd, 
 and then publifti'd to^he World, by fome of the 
 Members, that they had nothing in their Eye, but 
 to Erect this Fifth Monarchy, and en/lave all the Na- 
 tion befides, by throwing all into Confufion, and for 
 that end, neghcled all thofe weighty Concerns for 
 which they were cenverid, and had no manner of 
 reffecl to the National Intereft. Thus they thwarted 
 and crofi'd, and ft ajide every thing that was rmrvd 
 by the eppofte Party, that did not fuit with their 
 Whirnfies, and dawridxt immediately as Antichriftian, 
 
 and 
 
1 26 The Anabaptifts Minifiry 
 
 and voted, or retrefented all uncapable of Place or TruB t 
 who were not godly, or for the fetting up the King- 
 dom of Christ J ejus in their Senfe, owning themielves 
 c^iy to have a Right of Governing the Nation as 
 Saints, having an extraordinary Call thereunto from 
 Chi'ifi, which was never to ceafe till it brake in pieces 
 all Powers, by making War with them. Anfiver to 
 the true "Narrative of the Caufe and manner of the Dijjolu- 
 tion of the late Parliament, Dec. 12. : 5-3. p. 2. f Here- 
 upon they write Letters to their Party all the Na- 
 tion over, to blaft that part of the Houfe that a- 
 greed not with them, and at a fet Meeting at a 
 Member's Houfe^pf divers Members, Confuta- 
 tion was had to leave the Houfe, and Remon- 
 ftrace againft them, as Hinderers of Reformation ,• 
 
 and things indeed amongft them were grown 
 
 to that heighth., that it was evident, in a ftiort time, 
 fcarce any mould have been judg'd meet to Publim 
 the Goipel, or receive the Magistrate's Counte- 
 nance, that had not been Baptiz d into their Spi- 
 rit and Principle. And this I cannot but mention, 
 that when the laft Debate was about Ejecting 
 e fcandahus Miniflers, ic was confidently 
 P. 3. f averr'd, None mould be countenanc'd 
 c by the Magiftrate, but fuch as difclaimd 
 their Ordination. Now the great Myftery of this 
 Difclaiming their Ordination, was a Hellifh piece of 
 MUlenarian and Anabaf'tlftical Policy, to make them 
 Felo's de fe, thereby to renounce all Claim or Right 
 to legally fettled Maintenance, particularly by Tythes 
 and Glebes, exactly according to lying knavish Cann's 
 Notion of the then Minifiry in Pojftffion, and to 
 be incapacitated to demand or fue for the fame, 
 for thus this Munfterian-Circumcellian writes in his Se- 
 cond Voice from the Temple ,• c Howfoever, faith 
 he, I do obferve that the Independents, and Presby- 
 terians do appear moft for Tythes ,• yet the Truth 
 ! is, neither of them, by the Law of the Land, have 
 
BxaminJ and DifprovJ. 187 
 
 any Title to it : , For they are not fuch Incumbents 
 or EccUjiafikal Perfons, as the Law allows in cafe 
 ofTythes. For whofoever hath not beenOrdain'd 
 Prietf or Deacon by a Bifliop, that is, whofe Mini- 
 stry is not eflentially from the Sea of Rom e, to ufe 
 Mafons words : Or, as the Nonconforming ex- 
 prefs it, he whofe Entrance into the Miniftry is 
 not by a Popifli and Unlawful Vocation, ftrange 
 from the Scriptures, and never heard of in the 
 Primitive Church, cannot (as a Minifter) by Ads 
 of Parliament , claim any Propriety of Tythes. 
 Again, for fuck as have renounced their Ordination by 
 Bifliops, and take Themselves to, be Minificrs by E- 
 leclion and Ordination SOME OTHER WAY ; Thefe 
 the Law of the Land counts Setlaries and Schifmaticks, 
 Men that have forfeited their Livings and 
 Places, and fo to be fujpended. Thus you P. n. 
 fee how exa<5tly thefe Millenarians and 
 Anabaptifis jump. But to come clofe to the Bufinefs, 
 the main Point ,• to prepare the way for the Fifth 
 Monarchy, thefe [Saints'] in the fir ft place, were for 
 f Stopping the Soldiers Pay, by hindring the pafling 
 f of the Bill of Afleffments, which was a meer De- 
 6 fign to Difunite the Army, break them in pieces, to 
 f make them odious to the People by Free Quarter, 
 c which appears by their Endeavours and Difcourfes 
 ' of changing Commanders in the Army, or to fay more 
 r properly, Advancing Men of their own Principles 
 f [to pum on their own Defigns.] Confufion Con- 
 - founded, p. 10. Or as the Anfwer to the true Nar- 
 rative of the Manner, &c. and Diffblution of the late 
 Parliament. f There appear'd an evident Defign to 
 • c alter the Government of the Army, and have put 
 f it in fuch hands as would perfectly have corre- 
 ? fponded with their Principles, and given them a 
 ( fafe Opportunity to have impofed whatever they 
 
 s had pleafed, upon the Nation.— -This wss 
 
 f certainly given in Direction to divers Members 
 
 s met 
 
1 83 The Attabaptijls Mini/fry 
 
 ' met together, to pull down feme in the Army, and 
 * fee up others, either with or before them, as 
 ' is moil notorioufly known, &c Now 
 P. 4. to point out the very Men they would 
 have fet up, as it's very probable, I'll fet 
 down two Queries out of the fecond Narrative (fet 
 put by thefe Anabaftiftical Millenarians , in the Year 
 65-8. ) of the late Parliament fo call'd. 'Ninthly, 
 whether the Vrotettor be fo wife and underftanding, 
 fo tender and careful of the Common Intereft (as 
 is pretended) above all others whatfoever; Yea, 
 above and beyond the Four Parliaments he hath 
 Diffoived ? And may it not be enquir'd, how he 
 carrje to this height of Knowledg and abfolute 
 Underftanding; feeing there are very many wor- 
 thy Patriots, fometimes his Equals v at leaft) of as 
 high a Defcent, of as good Breeding, of as great 
 Parts, of as fair an Intereft, as alfo, as well vers'd 
 in Government as himfelf? Whether it may not 
 be wonder'd at, that he mould be fo exceeding 
 wife, and tender above all, even above Parlia- 
 ments themfelves ? Tenthly, Whether Sr. Henry 
 Vane, Major General Harrifon, the late Prefident 
 Bradjh.iw, and Sir Arthur Hajlerig , Lieutenant 
 General Ludlow, with hundreds more of worthy 
 Patriots, that have ventur'd far in their Country's 
 Caufe, for Juftice and Freedom, may not ratio- 
 nally be thought to be as careful and tender of the 
 6 Good of their Country as the Prote- 
 P. 11. e dor? The SECOND thing attempted, 
 was the Removal of the Chancery, and total 
 Alteration of the Law, &c. Now what they meant 
 by that, will appear (fo far this Party of Men have 
 thought fit to publish their Intentions and Meaning) 
 from John Sfittlehoufe, an Anabaptifi Millenarian , in 
 his fir ft' AddreJJ'es to Oliver Cremwel, Printed 165-^. 
 f Bat, faith he, to the end that Simeon may fuffer as 
 ' well as Levi, being Brethren in Evil (viz,, the 
 
 f Law 
 
Examine? an J Difprov'd. 189 
 
 Lawyer sot this Nation,as well as the PrieftsJ I mall, 
 in the next place, fet before you the Dragonical 3 
 Heatbenijl), or Kingly Power of Nations over the 
 People of God, which, whilft you likewife in- 
 tend to continue in Being, you do alfo clearly de- 
 clare your [elves Antagonifts to the Kingly Govern- 
 ment ofjefrs Cbrisl ; for what are National Laws 
 of Kings other than the Decrees of Tyrants, and 
 corrupt Men, whofe Foundation and Inftitution 
 had their Being from the corrupt Reafon of the 
 Heathen, whofe Proceedings, Laws, and Punish- 
 ments, do infinitely differ from the Laws and Pu- 
 
 nifhments impofed by God ? &c. Confider 
 
 therefore — what a fhame it will be unto you, if 
 you henceforth countenance fuch Laws and Law- 
 yers in the leaft, feeing they are the very Brood or 
 Off-fpring of the Heatbenijh DRAGON, mention'd 
 
 Rev. 12. In as much as they are fo 
 
 diametrically oppojite to the aforefaid Divine Laws 9 
 inftituted by the Everlafting God himfelf, whofe Ser- 
 vants you profefs your felves to be in point of O- 
 bedience to the fame. As alfo in as much as the 
 Apoftle James affirmeth, that there is but one 
 Lawgiver to the People of God, Jam. 4. 12. 
 which the Prophet Ifaiah rendere-th to be the 
 Lord Jehovah ,♦ where, fpeaking of the Exaltation 
 of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and the Spoiling 
 and Ruinating of the Adverfaries thereof, he 
 faith (Ifaiah 33. 1.) Wo unto thee that [poileB, and 
 thou waft not [polled, and dealeft treacheroujly, and they 
 dealt not treacheroujly with thee ; when thou (halt ceafe 
 to fpoil, thou Jlialt he [polled • and when thou [lialt make 
 an end to deal treacheroujly, they [hall deal treacheroujly 
 with thee, ( viz,. When the limited time ap- 
 pointed for their fo doing, mall be accomplifli'd, 
 not that they would otherwife willingly ceafe, 
 either to fpoil or deal treacheroufly with theSaints 
 of the moft High God ,♦ ) a Chapter worthy your 
 
 ' moft 
 
190 The Analaptijls Miniflrj 
 
 * moft ferious reading and meditation, (as alfo the" 
 
 * precedent and following) where in ver. 22. the 
 ' Prophet declareth, that at the Accomplifliment of 
 c the aforefaid Judgments, that then the Lord him- 
 ' [elf will become Judg unto his Veople, as alfo their 1 
 
 c Law-giver, and their King, and their Sa- 
 
 Pi 17. ' viour. Again, forafmuch as the 
 
 f faid Judicial Law is not in the leaft fo- 
 c pealed, why ought it not to be in the like Repute 
 
 * with you, as it was to the Antient People of 
 c God, unto whom it was firft delivered, (viz,, the 
 c the Jews) feeing that it cannot be denied, that 
 € believing Gentiles are as well the Seed of Abraham, 
 c — — Gal. %. 9, 23. and fo confequently, Jews as 
 c well as they ,• yea, and that in a far more tran- 
 ' fcendent Relation, by how much the Unbelieving 
 
 f Jews are efteemed no Jews, &c. 
 P. 18. ' Again, whereas it is alleged that 
 
 c neither Jefus Christ, or his Difciples, or 
 c Succeflbrs did ever yet affume the Power to put 
 c the aforefaid Laws in Execution : I anfwer, 
 c that the aforefaid Perfons have ever been under Re- 
 c firaint, as Captives and Sojourners, and therefore 
 
 * were always under the Laws of them that were 
 c Lords ove A them, (viz,.) Heathenifti Magiftrates, 
 c and therefore were in no wife permitted to 
 
 c make ufe of the aforefaid Laws of God. 
 
 P. 22. c As in the time of Jefus Chrift, his A- 
 
 c bode upon Earth, &c. And — where- 
 
 1 as it is alleged that Jefus Chrift bimfelf did not 
 
 c pra&ice according to the faid Laws, &c I re- 
 
 * ply, That it was becaufe as a Man, he was under 
 c Reftrainr, as the reft of the Nation of the Jews, 
 c and therefore, had no more Power than they, 
 
 to null or make void the prefent Laws otCafar. 
 
 (2.) In that his Kingdom was not of that yrefent 
 c World, he being at that time, in a furTering Con- 
 c dition, his then being in the Flefli, being only as 
 
 an 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. 191 
 
 an Example of Patience to all his Difciples— — 
 But this Reftraint was to continue but its appoint- 
 ed Seafon, viz,, until fuch Times as Je(us Chilli's 
 World mould be made apparent, in which he mould 
 reign as King ever the Face of the whole Earth, ac- 
 cording to theafore-mention'd Prophecies: Which 
 Kingdom, I judge, took place, as foon as the fatal Blow 
 ■was given to the late King ; which being done, im- 
 mediately the late Parliament did utterly renounce 
 the Government of this Nation by Kings, as Ty- 
 rants • as appears in the Old Exchange, where over 
 the Place where the late King's Pourtrai&ure was 
 fixed , was engraven Exit Tyr annus ; Which doth 
 clearly import a Change of the Government from 
 fuch Kings as the Ifraelites defir'd to be govern'd 
 by, in 1 Sam. 7. 5-. unto that Government which 
 they were formerly govern'd by, as by Judges, &c* 
 and fo confequently of the Laws, according to 
 to the Saying, New Lords, new Laws ; which did 
 alfo clearly appear by the late Atl of Adultery, 
 where they made the Sin puniinable by Death ; 
 which doth clearly manifeft, That the late Parlia- 
 ment was carried on, tho' in Darknefi, to put in Ex- 
 ecution the afore-faid Laws of God ,• inftance alfo 
 the late Adt of the Lord General (if as reported) 
 in not permitting fimple Theft to be punim'd by 
 Death ,• which are two evident Teftimonies that 
 the Lord is ftedfaftly purpofed to promote his own 
 Laws, inftead of the prelent Laws of the Nation .* 
 And therefore if you will fet your felves with all 
 your Might to profecute the fame, you will there- 
 by be made famous to all Pofterity • for thereby 
 you will not only be made Conquerours ever the 
 whole Earth, as in the afore-faid Prophecies, but 
 will alfo be inftrumental to the Converfi- 
 on or the antient People of God, viz. the P. 24. 
 Jews. Thus much as to their Defign to 
 deftroy the whole Conftitutioa of our Laws, and to 
 
 deftroy 
 
192, The Analaptiffls Miniftry 
 
 deftroy all PROPERTY, and Titles, and Rights, that the 
 Saints might come in with their Scripture Pleas, and 
 feiz,e all for their own Ufe, in the Kame of King Jefa, 
 and fo turn all the Ungodly out ofPojfejfion. 
 
 Their third Defign was to take away the Jus Pa- 
 tronatus, the Right of Prefentation to Church-Liv- 
 ings, from the Nobility and Gentry, and the TytheS 
 and Glebes, ejrc. and to appoint Commijjioners to ride 
 thro' the Nation iny7* Circuits, and joyning with o- 
 ther Commijjioners in the federal Counties, mould eject 
 all prophane, fcandalous, or inefficient Minifters, and 
 place able and fit Men in their Rooms. [See the 
 True Narrative of the Caufe and Manner of the Dijfolution 
 of the late Parliament, Dec. 12. 16 5" 3. by one of the [ fifth 
 Monarchy^] Members, page ^.~] not only a grand In- 
 trenchment upon Propriety, but a down- right Rooting 
 out, or Extirpation of the Miniftry it felf, as the mo ft 
 effe&ual and fure Method of Setting up our Saviours 
 Kingdom. And now, as a Commentary upon, and 
 an Elucidation of this infpired Text, let's confuk 
 Prophet Canne, and your illuminated Spittlehoufe, who 
 fpeak the Senfe of all the Anabaptiftical Millenarian 
 Party, for our fuller Inftruclion. Now faith Canne, 
 What Way or Courfe can be taken more effe&ual 
 and certain to ftarve and famifn Antishriftian Idols, 
 (as the falfe Church, Miniftry, Worjlnp, Government ) 
 than the Magiftrate to take away the Food and 
 Maintenance whereby hitherto, and at this prefent 
 they are nourifn'd, fed, and kept alive. Second 
 Voice, p. 2. Again, if the Civil Magiftrate be at 
 all concern'd in taking Vengeance on Babylon, as 
 to fet himfelf in array againft her, bend his Bow, 
 fan her, and empty her ,• if the pouring out of 
 the latter Vials do any way belong unto him, this 
 then is moft proper to him, (as ading within his 
 own Sphere) to null all Statutes and Laws which 
 Idolatrous Princes have made, (when they gave 
 their Power to the Beaft ) whereby the Antichri- 
 
 ( ftian 
 
Examlnd and Difprovd. 193 
 
 * flan Kingdom ever fince hath ftood and been_fup- 
 ' ported, ibid, and fo on. 
 
 So your accurfed Spittlehoufe : c That then, faith 
 c he, which the Lord Chrift expe&s from you, at 
 c this your Convention, is, (1) That you would 
 c make his Foes his Footftool ,• which, certain I 
 
 * am, can be no otherwife effected, than by pluck- 
 c ing up All thofe Plants which the Heavenly Fa- 
 e ther hath not planted ; (and that as well Root as 
 c Branch ) [ that is, All, without any Difcrimina- 
 ' tion, that are not Anabapifis, and true Munfte- 
 f rianifm, as much as Satan is the Devil; ] which I 
 
 * do affirm to be the Priefis and Lawyers of this Na- 
 c tion, or otherwife the devouring Locufts aud Ca- 
 c terpillars of this Nation, viz,, all fuch Priefis 
 c ( under what Name or Title foever dignify'd of 
 c diftinguim'd ) as fhall be found in Babylon, viz.. 
 c ALL SUCH AS HAVE NOT DISCLAIMED 
 € THEIR RANTTSM AND ORDINATION, 
 
 * which they tuve receiv'd from the Popes of Rome 
 
 * and their Succeflbrs, in as much as they are of the 
 c fame Lineage andOffspring with the Grand Harlot 
 c of Rome, mention'd Rev. 17. 5-. where me is nam'd 
 c the Mother of Harlots. Spittlehoufe' s firs! 
 
 * Addrejfes to Oliver Cromwel. and P. 6* 
 
 f therefore I (hall prove, that the Presbyterian 
 
 ' Priefts of this Nation,arefo guilty as aforefaid^and 
 c confequently muft bejudg'd accordingly ,- which 
 ' that they are, is prov'd (1) in that all Men know 
 c it is their daily Pra&ice to Rantiz,e Infants to all 
 ' Ends and Purpofes, as did the Prelates. (2) In 
 ' that their Ordination is alfo unavoidably deriv'd 
 c from the Biihops, who received it from the Popes 
 
 * of Rome. (3) In that Tythes are of the fame 
 
 ' Lineage with Monkeries, Abbies, &c. And P. 7. 
 now foran Inftance of thefe diabolical Saints 
 MeekneJS, MercifulneJ?, Tendcr-heartednefi, in compan- 
 ion to whom the Turks and Jefuits are Incarnate An- 
 
 O gels, 
 
1^4 The Anabaptifis Mini/try 
 
 gels, let's fee how this Scandal to all Sanctity an- 
 swers an Objection made againft this Ancichriftian 
 Barbarity. Object. ' 1 know thefe will be accounted 
 
 * hard Sayings, &c. I know alfo, ycur Reply will be, 
 ( that they are Men of a godly Life, it would be 
 
 a cruel thing to deal fo hardly by them, and many of 
 
 them have great Families, ejrc. 
 
 Refi. I agree with you in all thefe, as to zfeeming 
 
 c hard Meafure : But ! inafmuch as the People of 
 
 God are in Babylon, Rev. 18.4. and inafmuch as 
 
 r they have been fo earneftly folidted by the MES- 
 
 ' SENGERS OF GOD to depart or come out there- 
 
 * of, but will not, it is not the Will Of 4B0D, 
 
 P. 8. f tljat tfjcp ffjouo 6e fpareo fo? tfjeir 
 
 c Godly Life and Converfation, or for that they 
 
 ' fjabe great families, ano no otfjer toap of 
 s Eitoelifjooo, but tjjat in cafe tfytp ffjaii re* 
 f fufe to come fcrtjcn caH'o, tftat tftcn tgep $all 
 c hz pumuYD etocn as 23a&plonian£ ; as in the 
 c fame Verfe. Again : What Refpeft hath been 
 ' made to the Prelates and their Brood ? 
 
 ' ObjcB. Many Cavalier Priefts are yet continud 
 
 * albeic they have formerly been in actual Arms a- 
 
 * gainft the Parliament. 
 
 ' Rejf. That was either a manifeft Mifcarriage of 
 c the Parliament, or otherwife becaufe they made 
 e Friends, or that Chameleon-like, by changing them- 
 i J elves into every Judgment that retain eth Tythes. 
 
 * And hence it is that many Papifh have formerly 
 r pretended themfelves to be Prtlaticans, many Pre- 
 e lathans to become pretended Presbyterians , and 
 '" many Presbyterians pretended Independents, ejre. that 
 f yet juftifle the Antichrifiian EfTential of BAPTI- 
 c ZING INFANTS, when they feem to condemn 
 c National Churches by their gathered Congregations. 
 
 * Can any rational Man then imagine, that fuch 
 K Perfons are either Papifts, Prelaticans y or Presbyteri- 
 l rf»/ ; or that they do it rneerly to creep into the 
 
 ' Favour 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. jge 
 
 t Favour of the Magiftrate, by cloftng with his O- 
 c pinion, to the end they might be maincain'd by 
 ' iuch Romifh Provifions? Witnefs many Indepen- 
 
 * dents in and about London, who to keep up Tythesj 
 c will lecture it to them they account the World; and to 
 
 * keep in with the Magiftrate, will alfo have a pri- 
 
 * vate Congregation, halting downright betwixt Chrifi 
 ( and Antichrist, in a mamelefs manner. 
 
 Object. But you will fay, Some Mercy would be 
 extended, in refpeft of Wives and Children. 
 
 ' Rejp. In as much as there is a general Mercy to 
 
 * be extended to ail, you may in Charity give 
 
 * fomething, according as your TVifdoms flail think 
 meet ; but not in the leaft, as the aforeiaid Priefts 
 are either Jewifli or Topijli Harpers, or Prelatical 
 Muftcians, or Scotch Bagpipes, or the aforefaid Inde- 
 pendent Trumpeters, Rev. 18. 22. neither as they 
 a*e Say lor s, Crafts- men, Factors, or Mer- 
 chants of Romim Wares ,• as in the faid P. xtit 
 Chapter. Thefe were the defign'd glori- 
 ous Acheivements of our Millenarian, Gifted, hjj>i~ 
 red,anc\ Extraordinarily-Call d-Parliament-Men in 16 53, 
 And what was very remarkable in this Parliament 
 or Saints, to give the better Colour to their ungodly^ 
 barbarous, and Antichrifjtian Defign, they of the Mil- 
 lenarian Perfuafion, fet apart divers Days to feck the 
 Lord by Fafiing and Praying : Under this Pretence^ 
 cOnfulting with the reit of their Brethren (Canne, 
 Freak, Spittlehoufe, &c) how they mould manage 
 the great Bufinefs of jetting Christ upon his Throne, 
 and then at lair, like a Parcel of Fnthufiafis, come 
 into the Houfe with their Bibles in their Hands, thun- 
 dring out Texts of Scripture, and impofing fuch 
 Senfes upon them, as one of the Members on the 
 other Side faith, ( As all gracious Hearts would 
 ' have been griev'd at ,• but then he adds afterward* 
 this fevere Reflection upon them, f It is never a 
 
 * ivorfe Time, than when good Means are tamper d with 
 
 O 2 'to 
 
19 6 The Anabaprifts Miniftry 
 
 ( to bad Ends ; when Ahab proclaims a Fa ft to accufe 
 
 1 Naboth.- -And that thefe Days 
 
 let apart from the Houie, were only us'd to en- 
 gage the Minds of well-meaning Men, and the 
 better to carry on Things before re- 
 Anfxver to the folv'd and determin'd. And thus we 
 Harm. p. 9- fee thefe abominable Hypocrites pre- 
 tending fo much Zeal againft Popery., 
 to Holinefs and the Spirit, and fetting up Chrift's 
 Kingdom, and to purge the World of all the Un- 
 godly, by the Inftigation of the Devil, or the real 
 Sprit of Antichrist, did in the firft place damn all 
 Form of Minifiry as Antichrifiian ' and then, upon 
 thefe Grounds, refolv'd to dijjohe the Minifiry, and 
 to leave it to any that mould think fit to take that 
 Office and Work upon him, in this exactly fymboli- 
 zing with the Turks, whom they refemble in a 
 great many Particulars, who have no ftated Minifiry 
 amongft them, no SOLEMN CONSECRATION 
 to that Office ; in that Particular, different from all 
 Mankind. So that by this we may divine what 
 fort of a Minifiry would have been planted all over 
 the Nation, if our Anabaptifiical Millenaries bad car- 
 ried the Day. And here I muft call in the Help of 
 the two Millenarian Anabaptiftical Vrofhets, the two 
 Witneffies, to give in their Tefiimony. 
 
 To this purpofe Jeroboam Canne tell us, Ordina- 
 tion is ufelefs, a Trifle, Antichrifiian, and Satanical; 
 ( That none ihould preach unlefs ordain'd, this 
 s (as the National Miniftry and Tythes) came like- 
 * wife from the Sea of Rome : For Gregory IX. in 
 f the Year 1227, made a Decree, That no Lay- 
 J Man mould preach. Here began the Abominati- 
 ' on that maketh defolate. Now the Occafion 
 6 was to fupprefs the Truth, which at that Time 
 e began moll glorioufly to break forth by the WaU 
 ( denfes, fo that no higher can they bring this Pra- 
 f dice than to the Year 1227. Neither have 
 
 they 
 
Ex&mirid and Difprovd. 197 
 
 * they any other Author, to father and faften 
 r k on than Satan and Antichrift. For howfoever, 
 c before this Time many foul Abufes and Corrup- 
 c tions were crept into the Church, yet it was Co 
 c many Years after Chrift before this Decree of the 
 
 * Pope came forth, that no Layman 
 
 c jhould preach. Then after- second Voice 
 
 c wards, p. 26. Should (fays he) there Page 24. 
 c be no Preaching till there are Mini- 
 c fters y then neceffarily after the General Apoftacy 
 e of Antichrifi there could never be rais'd up either 
 c Churches or Officers. For it is fo abfurd and 
 ' ridiculous to imagine Officers before Churches , and there- 
 c fore we well know, by the Preaching of Men 
 - out of Office, People were rirft called eut of Ba- 
 ' bylon, as being feparated from the World, they 
 c covenanted together to walk in the Faith and 
 e Order of the Gofpel, and they became the true 
 c Churches of Chrift, Ele&ing and Or- 
 c daining afterward their own Mini- P. 26, 
 
 * fters, according to the Apoftolicai In- 
 
 ( ftitution. — : — * — ■■ 
 
 — And to mew the Preeminence and Ex- 
 
 cellency of fucha Minifiry as thefe Wolves would re- 
 commend to all Cbriftendom, and impofe upon them, 
 let's hear what he faith Page 27. c I do affirm and 
 c will abide by it, fince it pleafed the Lord to 
 f draw out the Hearts of fame Soldiers, and others, 
 c publickly to preach, ( which is not above ten or 
 c twelve Years) the People of this Common- wealth 
 c have had more true Light, and glorious Difcover- 
 c ries of Chrift and hisKingdom>than all the Nations 
 ( Miniftersever before made known unto them, fince 
 f firft they took their Calling from the Sea of Rome 
 c to this Day. O rare Prophet Canne ! Now I have 
 found you out, and mall eafily make the Difcove- 
 ry of the true Lights you brag of, and prove them 
 to be Ignesfatuos, or more grofs and palpable than 
 
 O 3 zs£gyptiar* 
 
198 The Anahaptifts Miniflrj 
 
 Egyptian Darknef, and that the Spirit of Ignoravce, 
 JLrror and Darknef, the Spirit of Lying and jham Vi- 
 fions, and Revelations, had poiTeffed thefe Gifted Sol- 
 diers as well as your feif. It's true, the Soldiers 
 mounted the Pulpits in thofe Days, and turn'd Preach- 
 ers amongft the reft of the Rabble that ufurp'd that 
 Sacred Office, where, and when they pleafed, and 
 every- where exclaim'd againft the Minifters as c Po- 
 
 * piflj, that it was unlawful to hear them hop'd 
 
 c to fee them ail pack'd to Ro?ne, and their fuperfti- 
 c tious Steeple-houfes pull'd down to the Ground ; 
 
 I Some affirm'd, that they had Vifions and Re- 
 
 e velations : Second part of Gangrena, p. 5". The Mil- 
 lenary conceit the cor/wpon Sub^eU of their Sermons, and a 
 Church en Earth, without fo much as an Hypocrite. 
 One of thefe Booted Apples, a Lieutenant, affirm'd 
 and maintain'd violently, that (God [revealed Sins] 
 immediately by himfeH without Scripture, without 
 
 * Ordinances, Ministers, or by any other means de- 
 
 * ny'd the Trinity ofPerfons, affirming them to be Three 
 c Offices, and made it a Queftion, whether there 
 c was a Refurre&ion or not : Second part of the 
 Gangrena, p, 7. Amongft this Rabble of Self- feu f 
 preachers, in thofe horrid Times, was one Boggis, 
 a young Fellow, who ftrol'd about with Oats, one 
 pf your famous Apofties, whom Oats cry'd up for a 
 Man much fuperiour in Parts to himfelf, who com- 
 ing to a Perfon's Houfe of Great Tarmouth, in Nor- 
 folk, and being requc-fted to ftay at Dinner, was 
 "defired to give Thanks j he ask'd, i To whom he 
 
 c fhou'd give Thanh, iithet&er to the Butcher, or to 
 ( the Bull, or to the Cow, there being then a 
 £ Shoulder of Veal upon the Table,- And the Infor- 
 mer's Wife frying, That Thanks fhould be given to 
 1 God, th,; faid Boggis replyd, and faid, Where is 
 * your God j in Heaven, or 0:1 the Earth, aloft, or below, 
 ' doth he fit upon the Clouds, 6r where doth he fit, with 
 I his ? «— — -And the Infprmer's Wife, difcourfing 
 
Examind and Difprotfd. 199 
 
 with him about the Church, and concerning the 
 Bible : the faid Boggis wiftied he had not known fo 
 much of the Bible, which he faid was only Paper : 
 Second part of the Gangrena, p. 63. This Samuel 
 Oats the Anabaptifi, no lefs Blafphemous than this 
 Boggis, after he had Baptiz'd a Woman, bid her 
 gape, and me gap'd ,• and he did c blow three times 
 € into her Mouth, faying words to this purpofe, 
 k Either receive the Holy Ghoft , or, now thou haft re~ 
 c ceived the Holy Ghoft: Gangrena, fart 2. p. 147. 
 Herein agreeing with, or imitating Knipperdoling 
 at Munfier, who f on ce fell flat to the Ground, and creep- 
 ( ing upon his Hands and Feet, he went to fever al Perfons 
 of the Afilmbly, and blowing them in the Mouth, faid, 
 The Father hath Sanctified thee, receive the Holy Ghofi ; 
 Short Ilift. of the Anabapt. p. 28. And doubtlefs, 
 mould they ever get any Head, we mould have all 
 the Munfterian and German Pranks play'd over to a 
 tittle, with valt Additions and Improvements. 
 
 But to return to Injpird Canne (for it would be 
 endlefs to purfue this Subject any farther) who fo 
 earneftly contends for a new and extraordinary Mini- 
 fry, nay, the abfolute Nccejfity of Mens preaching 
 out Or Office, after the general Apofiacy of Antichrist, 
 &c. Behold here a Scheme of Independent! 'fm, and as 
 many Falfities as Lines, a clutter of Impossibilities ! Be- 
 hold here the Serpent cafiing Water out of his Mouth as 
 a Flood, after the Woman, [the Church of Chriftj 
 that he might caufe her to be carried away of the 
 Flood, Rev. 12. v. 15-. Or, the Devil, that Anti- 
 chrifi, kaT g£okjw, fpeaking Blafphemy againft God and 
 his Christ, bringing railing Accufations againft his one 
 Church, accuflng the Brethren out of the Mouth of 
 this lying Prophet Canne. Where is it faid any where 
 in the Holy Scriptures , that there mould be a General 
 [that is, an Univerfaf\ Apofiacy from Chrifiianity ; for, 
 this muft be fuppos'd to evince fuch a total Failure of 
 a true Evangelical Miniftry, as he implies? Wha;: 
 
 O 4 Text 
 
aoo The Atiabaptifls Miniftry 
 
 Text of Holy Writ predicts fuch a total Failure of 
 the ordinary Handing Minifiry, eftablifh'd by Chrift 
 and his Apoftles in the Church, as to be forc'd in any 
 fucceeding Age, to have a Recourfe to an extraordi- 
 nary Supply ? To fuppofe a general Apoftacy, is to 
 (uppofe an Intercifion, or Annihilation, or CeJJation of 
 the Church, contrary to Chrift' s Promife, That the 
 Gates of Hell Jhould not prevail again ft it, Matth. 17. 
 and confequently, that it was not built upon a Rock, 
 the Rock of Ages, but upon the Sand : And to fup- 
 pofe a Failure of true Minifters contrary to Chrift s 
 Promife, that he would always maintain a ft anding 
 Miniftry in this his Church, one of the greateft Ex- 
 ertions and Minifeftations of his Kingly Power ; 
 Matth. Chap. hit. ver. ult. ho I am with you always * 
 that muft mean the Apoftles Succeflbrs , there 
 fhall never be wanting a Succeffion of Minifters in 
 my Church, to Preach the Gofpel, and Convert 
 the World, to fulfil your Miniftry, to feed my 
 FlocK, no, not for one Moment, even to the end of 
 the World, His vary Hypothecs is Blafphemy, his Infe- 
 rences Antichriftian, and the End and Defign of them 
 Di'ibolical, becaufe 'tis to fet up a Miniftry in Optofi- 
 tion or Rebellion againft Chiift's own Ivftitution, fuch 
 an one as or necejfuy muft Adniinifter nothing but 
 Curfes, becaufe deftitute of Chrift s Blejfmg ; their 
 Miniftrations only of Death and Perdition, not of Life 
 and Salvation, and confequently, the actual En- 
 larging of the l\ingdo?n of Darkwfi. Then again, 
 What places of Scripture ior this Covenanting, for an, 
 exprefi explicit Covenant between Paftors and fylembers, 
 in his Senfe, the Independent Senfe ? And can a- 
 ny of his Clann pretend to (hew one Text for their 
 Mobb's Electing and Ordaining Paftors ? It's evident 
 by tlie foregoing Difcourfe, they cannot, have not one 
 Jingle Text, and therefoie there's no more Truth in his 
 faying, it's according to the Apoftolical, Inftitution^ 
 %hm in his lying (U a ^9li c Al Prophecies. 
 
 As 
 
Epcamirid and Difprovd. 201 
 
 As to what follows of his Red-coat Preaching, and 
 Propagating the Light and glorious Difco-veries of Chrifi 
 and Ins Kingdom, by which he means the Fifth Monar- 
 chical Principles ftollen from the Alcoran, and no 
 more agreeable with the true Notion of Chrift 's 
 Kingdom, than the Gojpel with the Alcoran, or Jefus 
 Chrifi with Mahomet ; I mall fay fomething to it 
 afterwards : But as to our main Defign, with Refe- 
 rence to our new upfiart Minifiry, our new Apoftles, 
 let's fee what fort Spittlehoufe, another Oracle of 
 our Anabaptifis would recommend unto Cromwel and 
 his Comrades ; c Have not, faith he, the People of 
 ' God in this Nation, the fame immediate Teachings 
 ' of the Spirit, as had the "Prophets and Apoftles of Je- 
 ' fus Chrift ? Are the Scriptures of the Old Tefia- 
 f any other than the Dictates of the Spirit of God ? 
 ■ 2 Pet, 1. 19, 20,^1. Are they not the fame in 
 s Print, as they were in the Apoftles Writings ; and 
 c the fame in their Writings as they were in their 
 f Words ,• and the fame in their Words, as they 
 * were in their Thoughts ,• and the fame in their 
 e Thoughts, as they were in their Conceptions ; 
 c and the fame in thefr Conceptions, as in the In- 
 c fufion ,• and the fame in the Infufion, as they 
 f were in their Infufer, viz. the Holy Ghdtf } &c„ 
 Spittlehoufe, Firff Addrejjes, p. n. 
 
 c And if fo, what need ofUnivet fities to breed 
 
 ' Divines, fince the Holy Scripture alone is fufficient 
 ' to compleat a Prabiitioner in that Profeflion, as afore* 
 ' faid ; as alfo, in as much as he, whofocver of the 
 c People of God, that is able to fpeak to Edification, 
 1 Exhortation, and Comfort of their Brethren, are 
 1 compleat Prophets of God, what need have we of fuch 
 c devouring Wolves as aforefaid ? &c, p. 13, 14. 
 
 To anfwer thefe laft Paragraphs of Spittlehoufe • 
 ^re we not come to a fine pafs at this rate of Argu- 
 ing, and in a direct Path for ®uakerifm, and to 
 ;hrow off all the Ordinances of the Gofpel, with the 
 
 Scripture 
 
%oz The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 Scripture it felfat laft ? This is a large ftep to- 
 wards it, and borders very near upon Boggifin, and 
 Munfterianifm: No Wonder that Anabaptifm hath 
 been all this while the Decoy, the Stalking- horfe for 
 Quakerifhtij as daily Experience confirms it, but one 
 Re je, one little ftride from it. In the firft place, 
 I deny that the People of God, as he calls them, 
 hay«S now ..jays, the immediate Teachings of the 
 Holy Spirit, as (that is, in the fame degree, or he 
 talks at random) the Apoftles, the 'Prophets had. They 
 had immediate Infufitms , that is , without Means, 
 without Scriptures ,♦ but the Scriptures are Means, 
 or the Mediums, by which the Spirit of God teach- 
 eth us, inltruch us, edifies us,* nay, the ordinary 
 Means God hath appointed for our Edification, by 
 the Miniftry, by him inftituted for this end ,• How 
 JJiaU they hear without aTeacher ? And how fhall they 
 Preach, except they be fent? Rom, 10. 14, 15-. 
 Here are plainly two Obligations upon the People 
 of God, to hear the Gofiel, or the Word preactid, and 
 to hear none but iuch who are fent in the regular and 
 crdrnory way that Chritt hjmfelf hath fettled in his 
 Church, none but fuch as are Authorized, have Chrifits 
 Commijjlon to V reach ; and the People of God [that is, 
 in Covenant with him, Members of the Church, for 
 none elie ordinarily are fuch] are bound in Duty to 
 hear no other, or to accept them, or own them as 
 Treacher s ofChrift, becaufe no other are fent by Chrift, 
 appointed by thrift, to take this Function or Office 
 upon them in the Church of God, and none others 
 take upon them this Office, but fuch who are actu- 
 ally cut of the Church, fcparated from the Church, and 
 by their own Act, cut off from the Communion of 
 the Church, and Union with Chrisf, which cannot be 
 had out of the Church, and consequently, to have 
 any Communion with fuch in any Mini ft crial Acts, is 
 to communicate with them in their Sins, and to b® 
 tfaioxious to their Pumflwtents, by partaking in their 
 
 Guilt. 
 
Exmirid and Difprovd. 3,05 
 
 Guilt. The Reafon of this is very obvious, becaufe 
 the People oiGod are exprefly and ftrictly forbidden 
 to have any Communion with fuch in any Publick 
 [pretendedly Religious] Adminijlrations. If there 
 came any amongyou, and bring not this Doclrine, [or by 
 parity of Reafon, teacheth any Dodrine contrary 
 to the Truth of Chriftianity] receive him not [even] 
 into your houfe, [entertain him not, reject him, turn 
 your Backs upon him, have no Correfpondence, 
 Communication with him, much lefs hear him, of 
 countenance him with your Prefence, or give him 
 any reverential Refped, whereby you may be con- 
 ftru&ed to own him, or acknowledg him to be 
 a Teacher, authorized and commiffion'd by Chrift] 
 neither bid him God-JJ>eed, [wifli him any Succefs in his 
 Undertaking ^ ] for he that biddeth him God-Jpeed , 
 [gives him Encouragement to profecute his Defigns 
 dire&ly or indire&ly] ts partaker in his evil Deeds 
 [muft expect to provoke God's Anger againft him- 
 self, and bring his Judgments on his own head 
 thereby, as an Abetter and Encourager of the Ene- 
 mies of Chrift.] 2 John 2. 12. But on the contra- 
 ry, Jhun [their] prophane and vain Bablings [the wick- 
 ed Cantings, and impertinent, yet pernicious, ve- 
 nemous Preachments] for they will increafe [ftill] un- 
 to more [and more] UngodlinefS [as they never tended 
 to any thing elfe, or unto the Subverfion of more 
 Souls. For the Endeavour of all Sectaries, is to gain 
 more to their Party, as they get more footing, and 
 find Succels to vent more and more Herefies and 
 wicked Opinions ,• ] and for this, I appeal to all 
 Experience, and therefore by the way, 'tis to be 
 obferv'd, no heed ought to be taken to their Con- 
 fefTions of Faith, they are only Calculated to ferve 
 a Turn, an Exigence, and are meerly occafwnal : One 
 thing whilft they are under the Hatches, and when 
 apprehenfive of Danger, quite another when they 
 think themfelves fafe, and are at Liberty, and have 
 ' " " ■ ' their 
 
ao4 The Anahaptifis Miniflry 
 
 their full Swinge. And their -word [their falfe Do- 
 <ftrine,contrary to Godlineis and found Faith,if once 
 received into the Soul, will go on and fpread, and] 
 eat as doth a Canker [or Gangreen] till the whole be 
 corrupted. Secondly, who denies that the Scriptures 
 were the immediate Dictates of the Spirit of God to 
 the Prophets and Apoftles ,• but then it's nonfe,nfe, to 
 fay they are as immediate Dictates to us now, as 
 they were to them, they received them at the firtt 
 har 1 we, bat at the fccond ; we have them by the 
 Mediation of, or by the Apoltles, as the Mediums or 
 Means by which they are convey d down, or tranfmit- 
 ted unto us. They were immediately di&ated by 
 the Holy Spirit to the Affiles, and they had withaJ, 
 the immediate Illumination of the Spirit, the word 
 of Wifd m and Eloquence, to exhort and convince, 
 powerful an;i eloquent Exporters, Rom. 12. 8. Eph, 
 4. 11, - — -<ti t-\ This word or Wifdom feems to 
 be expreffed by Utterance, 1 Cor. $\ 1, y. 1 Cor. 8. 1. 
 2 Cor. 8. 7. By Speech, 2 G?r. .8. 11. 6. By Word, 
 1 Tim 4. 15. By 'Exhortation, Ro?n. 12. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 
 15. The Word [ of ] deep Knoivledg [and Learning, 
 to teach and expound] by the fame Spirit [_werQ pro- 
 found and folid Doctors and Teachers, 1 Cor. 12.8. 
 See Rom. 12. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 2. Eph. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 8. 1. 
 Exprefs'd by Docirine and Teaching elfe-where, 
 1 Tim. y. 17. 1 Tim. 4. 13. The G I FT of Prophecy 
 [Revelation of fupernacural Myfteries, of Things 
 future or abfent, of the fecrtt Thoughts, &c~\ the 
 Gift of Difcem'wg <?/[the Quality of the right ufe of 
 feveral] Spirits. The Gift or fpeaking of divers kinds 
 o i [Orange] Tongues. TheUnderftanding and Inter- 
 pretation of [thefe Tongues] r Cor. 12. 8, 10. But 
 in wrut Chapter or Verfe is it faid, That thefe Gifts, 
 which were* extraordinary, mould always continue 
 in the Church, or Jhould be reviv'd again, or that 
 the People of God lliould have thefe Gifts always 
 immediately infus'd into them by the Holy Spirit > 
 
 Or, 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 2.05* 
 
 Or^ mould have the immediate Teachings of the 
 Spirit 1 which Notion , fome Enthufiafis, and of 
 your own Se&, have carried fo far, as to flight and 
 defpife the Holy Scriptures, as much as the Qua- 
 kers, the common Receptacle ot your Unliable ones? 
 Or, that the Senfe, Meaning, "Under ft and'tng, Explica- 
 tion, Interpretation ol them, inould be extraordinarily, 
 or immediately inlpired into the People, of God, as 
 he would have it ? Tlnrdly, I do own, if it c uld 
 be proved, that the People have the lame immediate 
 Teachings of the Spirit, that the Prophets and /ipoftles 
 had, that is, without Means, that then their Teach- 
 ings, Expofitions, &c. ought to be receiy'4 with as 
 much Reverence, and would be of the lame Authority, 
 and as much fubmitted unto by us, as the H. Scriptures 
 themfelves, would be as infallible, and as certain a 
 Rule of Faith and Manners, and the refufing of them, 
 moft highly dangerous and damnable : But then 
 this Gentleman, and thofe of his Perfivafion, muft, to 
 allure us of thefe Gifts, thefe immediate Teachings, 
 have one Gift more, that of working of Miracles, to 
 give credit unto, and vouch for all the reft ,• and 
 what is more,in a far more tranfeendent manner than 
 Chri$ and the Apoflleshac], or, we muft be fore'd to 
 rejeft him, and all fuch Pretenders, as Cheats, Impo- 
 fiors, as Deceivers , Seducers, as Dragonical and Anti- 
 chrijlian, and Introducers of but a little more refined 
 Se&, than that of their grand Examplar and Model, 
 Believer- Mahomet $ for as I remember, the Turks 
 as emphatically call themfelves Believers, as our Ana- 
 baptifts. But we find your Miffion, your Prophecying, 
 your Miracles, your immediate Teachings, your Fifth 
 Monarchy, and all your Pretences, fo far as they are 
 peculiar and fingular, all Cheat, all Nonfenfe, Anti- 
 chrifiian, Dragonical, Cancerous, and Effectual in no- 
 thing but in their hfeclion, Contagion, Perdition. But, 
 Fourthly , Suppofing thefe immediate Teachings, in the 
 true, proper, literal Notion of them, then I muft 
 
 rejoin 
 
zo6 The Anahaptifis Minifiry 
 
 jejoin , all this Babbling of Spittlehoufe about the 
 Scriptures y is gratis ditlum, Nonfenfe and Contradiction • 
 where there are immediate Teachings and Injfiirations , 
 there can be no farther ufe of the Holy Scriptures^ 
 they are only an infignificant,fuperfluous dead Letter, 
 as the greatest Pretenders to immediate Teaching, the 
 Quakers affert, the utmoft Perfection and Progrefs A- 
 nabaptifm can pretend to make, the ultima Thule, 
 the ne plus ultra of thefe infernal Dogmatics. And it 
 was in confequence of this Notion, that your great 
 Man Boggis, in Oats's Account, fcoff'd at the Scrip- 
 tures, and when prefs'd by Authorities or Arguments 
 from them, as may be rationally fuppos'd, his Re- 
 ply was, I have the Spirit, 1 thank God, I have 
 
 enough of the Spirit * Gangrena, pt. 2. p. 162. For if 
 God Almighty ever defigned in this Gojpel, and lajt 
 Difpenfation, to have Taught all Men, or his pe<rliar 
 and chofen People immediately, he would never have 
 infixed Holy Men to have conjignd his Word to Writing, 
 nor have endu'd them with the Gifts of -working Mi- 
 racles, and Prophecy to have attcfted them, that the 
 Church, without any farther fcrupling, fliould receive 
 and embrace them as the Word of God, the Rule of 
 cheir Faith and Practice. Nay, more than this, 
 Chris! would never have inftituted a Minifiry to con- 
 tiitm to the End of the World, one cheif part of whofe 
 Bufinefs (hould be to /';;/?;•/># his Church in thofe Truths 
 out of the Scriptures, chat are fo indifpenfably nece£ 
 i'ary to Eternal Salvation. And fo far the Quakers 
 are in the right one, to fet afide, as they do, the 
 Scriptures and Minifiry, as of no ufe upon this Anti- 
 chrifiian and Diabolical Supposition. But we find 
 God hath appointed thefe two Mediums, or Means of 
 Salvation, the Holy Scriptures, and a /landing, perpe- 
 tual fuccejftve Minifiry ,' and where they are not to 
 be had, viz,, among the Heathen, they know no- 
 thing of Christ ; and why? Becaufe they have not 
 the ordinary Means whereby to know him j and there- 
 fore 
 
Examined and Difprovd. ioj 
 
 fore it's plain, where he hath appointed ordinary 
 Means, in the Courfe of his Providence, he doth not 
 employ, or to be Hire, very rarely, extraordinary 
 Means. Where, therefore he hath giver > criptures 
 and the Miniflry, he doth not ordinarily reach with- 
 out them : Men may as well expect God IhouM 
 ordinarily preferve Life , and Strength , without 
 Bread ,• Scandrets Antidote againft the Quakers , 
 p. 58, 59. But, Fifthly , what Neceflity of this im- 
 mediate Teaching ; either it is to manifeff to us fome- 
 thing not already reveal 'd, or the fame things already 
 difcover'd unto us in the Holy Soriptures ; but I fup- 
 pofe, none in their Wits will pretend the latter, be- 
 caufe this is abfurd, frivolous, and unneceffary : 
 But, if fome things are either directly contrary to the 
 Holy Scriptures, or New ,• then whoever pretend 
 to fuch immediate Teachings, do as good as intro- 
 duce, or fet up a New Goftel, pervert the Gofpel 
 of Chrift, and fo render themfelves obnoxious to St. 
 Paul's Anathema, Let him be accurfed, Gal. 1. 8. "who da 
 vlfeth, or maketh a Lie, and confequently, friall ne- 
 ver enter into the New Jerufakm, and lhall be 
 reckon'd as without ; that is, with or among thofe 
 who mall be for ever excluded with Dogs, Sorcerers, 
 Whoremongers, Murderers and Idolaters, Rev. 21. 27. 
 comp. Rev. 22. 15. Sixthly, It may either be obfer- 
 ved from the Novel Opinions and Practices ofSpit- 
 tlehoufe, and thofe of his Sentiments, as generally 
 are the Anabaptifls, that there's a Neceflity they 
 fhould run to immediate Teachings, Impulfes, and In- 
 spirations, as to their Afyhtm and Refuge, becaufe they 
 have not expreJS Scriptures on their fides, or to 
 maintain their Novelties by ; but by violent Diftorti* 
 ons and Wrejiings, and notwithstanding their plaufi- 
 ble Zeal for the Holy Scriptures, afferting them to be 
 the Rule of Chrift'uan Faith and Obedience, to amufe 
 and catch the Ignorant and Simple ,* yet, when 
 pinch'd_, and put to a Nonplus^ they prefemly take 
 
 San- 
 
2,o8 The Anabaptifts Minijlry 
 
 San&uary in a private Spirit, and immediate Teach- 
 ings, Mahomet's Pigeon, extraordinary Million, be- 
 caufe they find themfelves difiappointed, forfiaken, and 
 destitute, as to the ordinary Means Chrift hath depofi- 
 ted with his Churchy they are very confcious to them- 
 felves of all this, and therefore, and for no other 
 Reafcns, have Recourfe to extraordinary Mijjion, imme- 
 diate Teachings , without any , even imaginary 
 Grounds, in the Judgment of judicious, and fiber 
 intelligent Perfons, and herein are inexcufiable before 
 God and Man, and fitlf- condemn d, need no other 
 Sentence but their own , when that Day fiiall 
 come, wherein the Secrets of all Hearts mall be 
 difclos'd, and when there can be no Plea for wilful 
 Error, Hypocrifie and Dijjimulation. To what hath 
 been faid, I (hall add, that as by thefe their Pretexts 
 of an extraordinary Call, immediate Teachings by the 
 Holy Spirit. They prefume to Teach and Practice 
 Doctrines and Immoralities dire&ly contrary to the 
 Truths and Morals reveal d and enjoin d by the Gojpel; 
 and even dcftruBive to the Eternal Inter eft of Man* 
 kind, and undermining of, and blowing up the Gojfiel 
 of Chrift, and Subverjive of our common Hope ,• fo it 
 demonftrably follows, and evidently proves it to be 
 a falfe, moft pernicious and Diabolical Principle, in that 
 the Confidence of it is infinite, and no Bounds can be 
 fet to it ,• and countenances all the Immoralities in the 
 World, admits of no pojjiblc Rejlraint, and therefore 
 never to be check'd, 'Tis but pretending to an im- 
 mediate Impulfi of the Spirit, to ac~t all the ViUanies ill 
 the W orld j 'tis but faying, I am injpir'd, I am im- 
 mediately taught by the Spirit, and under this Noti- 
 on I may vent ail the Herefies conceivable, there's 
 no Rule left to try the Spirit by, and to oppefe me, is 
 to fiffht againft God ,• to reftrain me, is to quench the 
 Sp;>.;, and to be a Reprobate. Or, if I think fit to 
 fo?.e an erroneous Heterodox Meaning upon the 
 written fVord of God, and publickly Preach'd it as 
 
 the 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 109 
 
 the Word of God, if you will not receive it, em- 
 brace it as fuch, why then you rejecl the Word of 
 God, you refufe the Gofpel, you dejpife Jefus Chrift) 
 you do defpite to the Holy Spirit ,• Nay, farther, to 
 mew the fad and horrid Confluences of this wild No- 
 tion, it makes and prepares the Way for all the Im- 
 moralities, all the Villanies that the corrupt Heart of 
 Man can conceive, and the Devil fuggeff, as might 
 be manifefted by the innumerable Inftances we have 
 of abominable Practices (fearce fit to be nam'd a- 
 mong the Profejfors of the raoft Holy, moft Innocent^ 
 and pure Religion of the Blefjed Jefus, that immaculate 
 Lamb of God) of all the SeBs or Separatifts from the 
 Church, from the Apoftolical Age, to this very day 3 
 even by every Seel that ever got footing in the 
 World, not one exempt, nay, and juflified by them : 
 This is as demonfirable as that they were, and are 
 Men. There never was any Seel yet, I fay, but 
 hath been infamous for fome allow'd Immoralities^ 
 which even they have mantain'd by Principles, fuch 
 as they were or are, fo impofiible is it for Satan fo 
 far to transform or transfigure himfelf into an Angel of 
 Light, but he muft inevitably, by the great and in- 
 finite Mercy of our God, betray himfelf by hisCloven- 
 foot, or fome way or other difcover himfelf ,• there 
 are none of thefe damnable Seels, but are difcoverable 
 by the Brand or Mark of the Beaft, their Father the 
 Devil, whofe Bond-Jlaves they are, having fold them- 
 felves to work Wickednef, mark'd out for everlafting 
 Defiruclion, without the [wgular, and even extraordi- 
 nary Mercy of God, and a timely and fincere, and 
 moft particular Repentance, and returning to the Truth^ 
 and into the Bofom of the Church, out of which 
 there's no Grounds for Hope, that we are acquainted 
 with. Seventhly, As I faid, granting this immediate 
 Teaching by the Spirit, How mall the Spirits be 
 tr/d ? Every one may for himfelf urge thefe immedi- 
 ate Teachings 3 all have equal right to do it, and none 
 
 P have 
 
2io The Anahaptifts Minijlry 
 
 have Authority or Grounds to contradict them. The 
 Spirit teaches you one thing, me another, and a 
 third contrary to both, and fo in infinitum : It teach- 
 ech one that he may commit Murder,* another, that 
 he may Rob ? a third, that he may have as manyWives 
 as he pleafeth; a. fourth, that he may lie with all 
 Women indifferently, without any regard to Confan- 
 guinity or Affinity, or Propriety ,• and thus many 
 Sectaries have held forth, and pra<5Hfed accordingly, 
 from the Beginning to this Day : and thus they did in 
 the purefi Ages oT the Church, even in the Apoflles 
 times, and who mall controul fuch allowing this moft 
 blaffhemous and ungodly hellijJj Principle of our Saints ? 
 Nay, to the eternal Shame of you and your Bre- 
 thren in Iniquity, the Independents few of them much 
 differing from you) for all their Renunciation and De- 
 claration againji the late horrid Infurreclion and Rebellion, 
 aded in London ('by the MiRenarians) 1661. no more 
 to be credited by any that know them, than the Je- 
 fuifis Apologies after the Murther of Henry IV. of 
 France) to which I'll oppofe the Speeches and Difcourfes, 
 and Prayers of Colonel John Barkftead, Col. John 
 Okef, Mr. Miles Corbet, all profeft Congregatmml 
 Men, jujlifying their Rebellion, and the Murther of 
 Charles the Martyr, of ever BiefTed and truly Glro- 
 rious Memory, moft feditioufly and malicioufly 
 Publ/ftid by that Party, 1662 ; which will be an 
 everlafi'mg Monument or the Spiritual Infatuation, Hypo- 
 crifie, Obduration, and final Impenitence of thofe Men 
 in particular, and that Generation of Saints in gene- 
 ral. You, for many years, moft impudently con- 
 tended for a Toleration, even by Ac~t of Parliament, 
 for all manner of Hen fits whatibever, without any 
 manner of Limitation or Df crimination, as appears by 
 many of your Writings (in thofe times of Licentiouf- 
 , ) foriname then, if you have any Tin#ure of 
 that Grace in you, as to blufh for your Impieties, 
 never pretend to diflinguijh yourfelvesfromthe Ultra- 
 mar ins 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. in 
 
 marine Anabaptifls, as far as you have had opportuni- 
 ty, you have a&ed as ill as they at leaft ; nay, Til 
 tell you, worfe, becaufe you had a hand in all that 
 horrid Tragedy, a&ed from 4r, till 1660, even in the 
 raoft odious and unchriflian parts of it, as might eafily 
 be prov'd, and may, if God gives me fit Opportui- 
 ty for it. Eighthly, It ought to be remarked, that 
 whereas I am lenfible you will appeal to your Confef- 
 fion of Faith, as I find upon all Occafions you do, 
 that this will not ferve your turn ; all Men of Read- 
 ing) Judgment, and Obfervation, know too well, that 
 this is nothing but Artifice, Trick, and meer Evaflon, 
 the conftatit Practice ot all Sectaries ; Inftance, tha 
 Joltmn League and Covenant, for the adhereing to 
 which, many amonft the Presbyterians and Indepen- 
 dents, in their Senfe, dy'd Martyrs in their own Ac- 
 counts, and of thofe of their own Parties; yet, all 
 the World knew, they did more Jefuitically (if pof- 
 fibly) equivocate in their Senfes of it, and Practices 
 upon it. The Presbyterians interpreted it one way, 
 the Independents another : Had different Intentions, pro- 
 fecuted by different Means, and yet jhelterd them- 
 felves under the fokmn League and Covenant : And 
 thus, you yourfelves, play fafi and loofe with your Con- 
 fejjion, have diverfities of Opinions and Practices, yet 
 when you are put to it 3 fly immediately to your 
 ConfeJJion : That's a Nofe of Wax to be wrung, fajhi- 
 oncd, and to be twirl'd about which way you pleafe, 
 and to (land to any Point ot the Compafi that may 
 ferve your prefent Defign and Interefi. The Publica- 
 tion of your Confeffion 
 
 was never defign d fo much TI * ^n old fiale Juggle of 
 as a Standard or Rule for To thi ' purpofe l ftall -^ 
 your felves, as to * impcfe fert a Noble Paffage out of 
 
 Irenaus: Adverts eos qui fru- 
 ftrantur Paidum Apoflolum. Neque enim contendere pcjjunt Paulum non 
 ejfe Jpojiolum, quando in hoc fit eleBus- — fottajjis enim & propter 
 hoc operatiis ejl Deus flurima. Evar.gelia ojiendi per Lucum, quibus 
 
 P 2 upon, 
 
21 1 The Anahafltifts Miniftry 
 
 tece(fe baberent (fort, h&verent) onities, uti [equenti teflijicdthni t\vtt s 
 qua.ni babet de Aclibus & VoftriniiApoftolorum, omnes fequentes O" 
 Regulam veritatis inadulteratam habentes, Jalvari pojfint, igitur 
 xeftificatio, ejus vera & Doftrina Apojiolorum manifejia <& fir ma, iff 
 nihil fubtrabens, neq; alia quidem in ablcondito, alia vero in 
 manifello docentium. Hoc enim fictorum (tf prave feducentium, 
 & Hypocrharum efl molimen, quemadmodum faciunt hi, qui I Va- 
 lentino junt. Hi enim ad. multitudinem propter eos, qui iunt ab 
 ecclefia, quos communes Ecclefiafticos ipfi dicunt, infemnt [ermones, 
 per quos capiunt fimpliciores, & in delicik eos fin.ulantes ncftrum 
 traftatum ut fepius audi ant, qui & queramur de nobis, quod cum fi. 
 milia nobifcum [entiant, fine cauja abjiineamus nos a communications 
 eorum, & cum eadem dicant t£f eundem habent doHrinam, vocemus 
 illos bareticos, & cum dejecerint aliquos a fide, per quejiiones qua 
 fiunt ab eis, necnon contradicentes auditores juos facerim, his fepara- 
 tim inenarrabile plenitudinis fuse enarrant Myfterium. DecipL 
 untur autem omnes, quia, quod eft in verbis verifimile fe putant pofft 
 difcere averitate', Suaiorius enim & vsrifimilis e[i, exquirens fuces 
 
 error, fine fuco autem eji veritas, & prtpter hoc pueris credit a efi - 
 
 xtcus, lib. iii. cap. xv. 
 
 upon, and decoy, and cully others that differ'd from 
 you, and therefore we rejetl all your Appeals to 
 that 3 as meer Cheat and Juggle. For inftance, you 
 feem to fpeak therein Honourably and Reverently of the 
 Holy Scriptures • but, as hath been prov'd, you opine 
 and acl contrary to the Scriptures themfelves, and fee 
 up your own private Opinions and Dictates, new Lights 
 and Revelations contrary unto them. You feem to 
 own and profejl your Obligations and Obedience to Ma- 
 gijlrates, but then you mean under the Roje, only 
 inch as are of your own Stamp, and in your Mitle- 
 narian Senfe, not a Syllable therein to Recognise our 
 Kings and Queens, who differ from you, to be, un- 
 der God } the lawful Magiflrates of thefe Realms, to 
 whom all Degrees and DiiHnclions of Subjects, owe 
 Fidelity and Allegiance j or, to own Monarchical Go- 
 vernment to be from God ,• only Magijlrates, in a 
 large or general Senfe ,• Magifirates defaclo, in a re- 
 ferv'd and equivueal Senfe of your own, and then 
 laugh in your Jluvss, and grln 3 to fee how you inge- 
 nioufly, foifuoth, palm your little Waggeries upon 
 
 ■ a. 
 
Examind and D'ifprov'd, 215 
 
 a ftupid, heedlej? World. So this infpired Spittlehoufe, 
 prefently after he had bolted out his immediate Teach- 
 ings of the Spirit, &c. runs on a main to cry up the 
 Scriptures, as the Rule of Faith, &c. but his Mean- 
 ing and Dejign, was, all this while, to undermine 
 them, by declaiming againft all Books and Writings 
 belides, meerly to refohe them into private Interpre- 
 tations, and to leave it to the Choice of all his Bre- 
 thren and Fellow-Saints , whether they would be 
 determin'd by them or no, by ftripping them of the 
 Teftimony of the Church, thro' all Ages,by which we 
 have the moft rational and convincing AlTurance at 
 this time of Day, that they are the Genuine Writings 
 of the Prophets and Apofiles, and confequently, the 
 Word of God. f What, faith this Spawn of Maho- 
 c met, are the Authors which their Libraries are 
 e (ruffed withal, other than Heathenijl) and Antichri- 
 c (lian ? Again, Is there any Promife annex'd to 
 f the Practice of reading them ? Yea, doth not 
 
 * Experience teach, that moft, if not all fuch 
 c Commentaries, Expojitions, &c. which have been 
 c compofed by fuch Heathens and Antiohriftians, are 
 € found to be light as Vanity ? Inftance, the volu- 
 t minous Volumes of the Antient Philofophers, 
 c and Antient Fathers (as they call them) yea, fo 
 ( light, that they are of no Efteem at all amongft 
 
 * the People of God that are come out 
 
 ( of Babylon ; [of no Efieem with his Addrejfesp. 15. 
 Rag- men , Fortune-tellers , Cohlers , who 
 are become now able Minijlers ot the Gojpel, and 
 the only Judges of Learning, Gifts, &c] Now, 
 by rejecting particularly, all the Writings oi the Fa- 
 thers, thofe Glorious Lights ol the Church of God, 
 one of whom, by the way, as St. Barnabas was an 
 Apofile, a Fellow-labourer with St. Paul • Clemens, not. 
 only a Companion of the Apofiles, but by them 0>- 
 daind a Paftor ot the Church at Rome ; St. Ignatius 
 at Antioch ; St. Volycarp at Smyrna ; Hermas, a Difciple 
 
 P 3 an4 
 
2i4 The Analaptifts Mlniftry 
 
 and Companion of the Apofiles, &c. Many of 
 whom dy'd Martyrs for the Tefiimony ofjefus, feald 
 our Holy Faith with their Blood, and by the good 
 Providence of God, handed down the Divine Oracles 
 themfelves unto us, which otherwife had been ut- 
 terly loft, had not they been, under God, the Glo- 
 rious Injlruments of their Frefervation, under Dioclefiait, 
 Julian, and other peifecuting Emperors • and kept, 
 and transmitted the Faith, pure and undefiled, thro' all 
 the Ages of the Church : and by branding all the 
 Expofiticns and Commentaries upon the Holy Scrip- 
 tures with Antichrijlianifm, is it not as radiant, and 
 evident as a Sun-beam, that hereby is laid a Train 
 to blow up the Scriptures themfelves, to make way 
 for Enthafiafm at leaft, and Mahometanifm, with 
 which Spirit, he, and many Anabaptist- MiUenari- 
 ans, were, and are infallibly a&ed, or, if poflibly, 
 fomething ivorfe ; for, the Mahometans are the fworn 
 Enemies of all human Learning : Hence, thofe 
 damnable Herejies of Familifm, Antinomianifm , Socini- 
 anifm, JQuakerifm , Anabaptifm, Mittenarianifm, Mug? 
 gletonianifm y and a Multitude more ,• nay, all the He- 
 rejies that are extant, for rejecting the Authority of 
 the Antient Fathers, DoBors, Martyrs, and Confejfors 
 of the Church, and trampling upon Antiquity. Hence, 
 thofe Reproaches caft upon the Holy Scriptures, by 
 John Goodwin, that Arch-Independent, with which 
 Seel: the Anabaptifis fymboiize more than with any 
 other; s That it is no Foundation ofChriftian 
 c Religion, to believe that the Englifh Scriptures, 
 
 * or that Book, or rather Volumes of Books, call'd 
 
 * the Bible, tranflated out of the Original Hebrew 
 e and Greek Copies, into the Englifh Tongue, are 
 ( Word of God. That, queftionlefs, no Writing 
 
 * whatfoever, whether Tranflated, or 
 
 Then law- < Originals , are the Foundation of 
 rence Clarion. ( ^. . a . n ,. . -r, , c . 
 
 Chriftian Religion ; That the Scrip- 
 
 e ture, whether true Manufcript or no, whether 
 
 { Hebrew, 
 
Examirid and DifprovW. 115 
 
 * Hebrew, Greek, or Englifli, it is Human, fo not 
 ' able to difcover a Divine God. Then, where is 
 c your Command to make that your Rule or Dif- 
 
 * cipline, that cannot reveal you God, nor give 
 
 * you Power to walk with God. Both quoted by 
 the London Minifters, in their Teftimony to the Truth of 
 Jcfus Chrift ; Printed, 1648. p. y. c That no Opi- 
 nion is Damnable ,* or, that a Man may be faved in 
 any Religion. Difcourfe touching the Peace of the 
 Church } Ghap. 5-. That Men cloathed with the 
 Name of God and Religion, are generally the 
 moft dangerous and deceitful Men in the World. 
 For inftance, Aaron, the Kings, the Piiefts and 
 Prophets, in both Old and New Teftaments ; 
 nor can it be otherwife, whilft Kings and Priefts 
 claim a Right from God, to be above other Men : 
 Norwood's Additional Difcourfe. That Man is a right 
 Rule, yea, the Rule of all Things, ibid. That 
 thofe Minifters that ling David's Pfalms, Baptize 
 
 Infants- fay Men are not perfed in this 
 
 World, or that fay, the Letter of the 
 
 Scripture, or the written Word of God, is the 
 
 Light and Word of God, and call the Four 
 
 Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John the Got- 
 pel, are Seducers, not Minifters of the Word, 
 and {hew the Spirit of Error : Eafier Reckoning, 
 That he who is not infallible in his Judgment, 
 when he gives Counfeland Advice, is no Minifter 
 of Chrift : Farnworth's, To the Law and to the Tefti- 
 mony, quoted in the fecond Beacon fired, Anno 1650. 
 
 To thefe I {hall add fome of the horrid Doctrines of 
 Canns Red-Coat Preachers he fo much bragg'd of a- 
 bove, c A Surgeon belonging to the Army, m 
 c his Preachment in the Weft, on Colojf. 2. out of 
 c verfe the i4?£. The Hand- writing of Ordinances* 
 c The Ten Precepts or Commandments——— altogether 
 c taken away; Gangrena, Part. 2. p. 12?. This 
 c Surgeon aiTerted, He knew no othsr Word but 
 
 P 4. * that 
 
% 1 6 The Anafaptifls Mwftry 
 
 that Job. i, i, *. e. difown'd the Old and New 
 € Teftament, p. 155. Lieutenant J. concerning 
 c Prayer, affirm'd, That we naufi net pray Morning 
 ( and Evening, but when the Sprit puts Ejaculations 
 c into us, for that were to make Prayer an Idol; 
 c p. 154. The aforefaid Surgeon deny 'd the Ordi^. 
 e nances of Baptifm, the Lord's Supper, and faid, 
 c he knew no other Seal but the Spirit, and cali'ci 
 c the Miniftry it felf an empty Shadow, p. 192. 
 The fame Lieutenant deny a the Neceflity of Re- 
 pentance under the Covenant of Grace, p. 15-3. 
 But to draw towards a Conclusion of this Matter in 
 hand, Mr. Edwards fells us, £ That in thef'e times, 
 c our Sectaries deny d the Scriptures , 'trinity, Juflifi- 
 c cation by Chriff, the Gofpel, the Law, Holy Du- 
 f ties, Church - Miniftry, Sacraments, all Ordi- 
 e nances j They held, there were no Devils, no 
 s Sin, no Hell, no Heaven, no Refurredion, no 
 f Immortality of the Soul, [a Book upon which 
 Subject, John Canne Printed in Holland] ejre. Ed. Gangr. 
 part 2. p. 177. To thefe,I might add an infinite Num- 
 bermore of Herelies vented in thefe Times, when the 
 Church and Monarchy lay wafte, under the Names of 
 •new Lights, and new Truths ,all the Effects of Connivance 
 and Lkeniioufnefs, whilft a Toleration by Law was en- 
 aeavour'd for by the Independents and Anabaptifis, 
 &c. for 20 Years together ,• which Connivance 
 however, gave fuch Encouragement, ' That fun- 
 ' dry Sectaries from other Parts [then] reforted hi- 
 c ther, and with [fuch] a welcom'd Boldnefs, fun- 
 ? dry odious Hereticks ("which in other places had 
 
 * been bamih'dj and branded with Infamy »» 
 
 * vented their poifonous Opinions, amongft us, as 
 ■ if they intended to make England a common Re- 
 c ceptacle of all the finful Dregs of Foreign Coun- 
 c tries, as well as of former Ages : London Minifters 
 e Declaration, &c. p. 2. And in the Clofe of 
 this Declaration, they tajte the Boldnefs to repre* 
 
 Tent, 
 
Examined and Difprovd. xiy 
 
 fent, ' That a Publick and General Toleration 
 
 * will prove an hideous and complexive Evil, of 
 ' moft dangerous and mifchievous Confequence, if 
 c ever (fay they) which God forbid, it mall be 
 ' confented to by Authority, for hereby the Glory 
 " of the moft High God will be laid in the very 
 ' Duft ; the Truth of Chrift, yea, all the Funda- 
 
 * mentals of Faith will be razed to the Ground : 
 
 * All Chrift's Ordinances, Officers, Wor/hip, Re- 
 6 ligion, and the Power of Godlinefs, will be ut- 
 8 terly overthrown, Thoufands, and ten Thou- 
 sands of poor Souls, which Chrift hath ranfom'd 
 c with his own Blood, /hall hereby be betray 'd, fe- 
 c duc'd, and endanger'd to be undone to all Eterni- 
 c ty ,• Magiftracy and Miniftry, and with them, all 
 c religious and comely Order in Church and Common- 
 
 * wealth, will be pluck'd up by the Roots, &c, 
 p. 32. And what thefe Presbyterians (fo accutely 
 difcerning the Motes in others Eyes, and not discerning 
 the Beams in their own, by making the Way plain, 
 eafie and fmooth for all manner of other Innovations 
 as well grounded as their own, by tearing up the 
 Foundations of Church and State) fore-fa w, and feem- 
 ingly dreaded, only becaule it Jpoil'd their Game } a&u- 
 ally came to pafs., and by their Means, giving the 
 fad Occafion and Opportunity for it j their playing fall 
 and looie, chopping and changing, and timeservings 
 and lifting, and inviting all forts of Sectaries into their 
 Service ,2ind giving them the Loo fe } encour aging and abet- 
 ting them in all their ViUanies a<5led againft the Ma* 
 lignants, forfooth ,• their Hypocrifie and DiJJimulation^ 
 &c prefently fet them upon aLeWwiththemfelves, 
 and in a mort time to fet up for themfelves in good 
 fearneft too, it being ever as lawful for one Man 
 to be a Knave as another ,* and the Sectarians per- 
 ceiving that all their End and Aim of raifing Rebellion , 
 eenterd in dijbojjejjing others, to make room for them- 
 felves, they thought it as reafonable to ferve them 
 
 the 
 
1 1 8 The Analaptlfls Miniflry 
 
 the fame fauce, having as fpecious Pretenfions as they, 
 and (o far they was in the right cn't,* and thus they 
 very fucceffively undertake the Matter, and out-did 
 ti "n in their own Craft : They could cry out 
 Pop^y, Antichrisl, Perfection, Tyranny ; they could 
 enveigh againft fet Forms, fiinting the Spirit ; they 
 COuM petition for Liberty of Confcience, plead Provi- 
 dence, frit* id to immediate Teachings of the Spirit, to* 
 herty of t -ophioing^ E:. riences,Vi(ions, Dreams s Tran- 
 ces y Revelations^ fudden Impulfes of the Spirit, Returns 
 of their 'Prayers, S&ekings, and a great deal more. 
 But then, my M fters, to return to our Matters a- 
 gain, I mitft tell you, not to defraud you of the 
 Honour of your Noble, and never to be forgotten 
 At ievmettis ; 'twas you that firft (ftrttng this Game, 
 and fet up for thefe new Lights and Difcoveries, 
 which have ever been promoted againft the Holy 
 and infpird Scriptures themfelves, becaufe the Anti- 
 entesl Seel, next to Tresbytery, fince the Reformation, 
 tho' I have not opportunity at this time, being ve- 
 ry difrant from Books, to run it higher than your 
 Prophetical King John of Ley den : T was you that 
 more or lefs have convey'd this Poifcn, this Contagion 
 amongft all the Seels ; For, I find in the port Hifto- 
 y, c That another main piece of Anabaptifm, is, 
 That over-confidence that many have, that are rul'd by 
 the Spirit , which maketh them defpife all ordinary Cal- 
 ling to the Mini fry, all written Prayers, all Helps of 
 Study , all Reafon and good Counfel $ Why ? All 
 tBej bind the Spirit, who bloweth where he lifteth $ 
 and ftim$ bcgi?i to make Confcience to hear and fing 
 Pfah:<?s, becaufe they are written Prayers, which bind 
 the Spirit, chufing rjther to condemn the Word of God, 
 than their cwn Inventions ; as he that would not be- 
 lieve the Sun, becaufe it agreed not with his Watch. 
 Iexpecl that fome will fay, with John o/Leyden, 
 that if the Word of God were hft, they might foon [apply 
 it with another, (p. <"?.) [Yes, 'tis not to be 
 
 queinon d, 
 
< 
 
 Examirid and Difprovd. 419 
 
 queftion'd, if they had fucceeded in their Enter- 
 prize, and got ground, but we had had a new Al- 
 coran long ago, to countenance their Polygamy, and 
 injpired Milton's new Lights^ as to the Doctrine of 
 Arbitrary Divorces!] The hellifh impure Liberty that 
 fome in our late Licentious Times, difputed for, 
 to take and put away Wives at pleafure ,• nay more, 
 they had the 1 Impudence to cut-vy the very Turks, 
 and all civilized Heathens, in their Befiialities, to 
 plead for the Liberty of inceftuous Marriages ,• c That 
 ' that Marriage is moft juft, which is made without 
 c any ambitious End ,• and if this Liking and mu- 
 ' tual Correfpondency, happen between the near- 
 f eft of Kindred ,• then it is alfo the moft Natural,the 
 € moft Lawful, tnd according to the Primitive Purity 
 c and Practice: Little None- fuch, Lond. 1646. p. 1 3. 
 cited by the Lond. Min. Decl. p. 19. It wculd be 
 an endlefs Task to ranfack this Augean Stable, to 
 enumerate all the Antichrifiian Dodtrines of tbofe 
 Times, in which, if ever Satan was let loofe, if ever 
 a People were abandon d by God, and deliver d up to 
 the Devil's Difyofal, Seductions, Dehfions, if ever the 
 good Genius or Angel was retird, the Angelas Ecclefla, 
 as Chryfoflom fpeaks fome-where, 'twas moft infal- 
 libly, indubitably then. 'Twould make ones Hair 
 ft and an end, andflrike a Man with the utmoft de- 
 gree of Horror and Aftonifoment, to confider the de- 
 plorable Wickednefs, Spiritual Infatuation, (the WOrft of 
 God's Temporal Judgments, and a Preludium or 
 Preface to Eternal Deftru&ion) the fulfcme, naufe- 
 ous y odious, provoking Hypocrifie, with which the Ge- 
 nerality of People at that time, were Over-crufted, 
 as with the moft loathfom Leprofie, yet all Godly, all 
 Saints, the modifb Compeliation then of that Age 
 of Brafi and Impudence, a Generation of Men, that 
 without the unconceivable Mercy of God, are now 
 a Scandal to Hell it felf, and make the Devilblulh to 
 £md himfelf fo tranfcendently out- dene by them. But 
 
 that 
 
i.zo The Analaptifts Mini/lry 
 
 that which doth lome-what abate my Wonder, 
 what I have often reflected upon, is, That Characle- 
 riftick or Diagnofilck that ourBieifed Lord hath given 
 of falfe Prophets , Seducers, Hypocrites ,• Ye mail know 
 them by ft&«> Frwifj [by their -On/?, their ^'«w, their 
 Ends', by the Means they employ to compafs their 
 Ends by.] A Good Tree cannot [it is not in the 
 Nature or it, it's impoffible, a Conrradi&ion to all 
 Reafon, Obfervation and Experience] bring forth 
 evil Fruit ; neither can a corrupt Tree, bring forth 
 
 good Fruit. .Wherefore, by their Fruits [by 
 
 their A&ions, by their Ends, by their Means they 
 ufe to obtain their Ends] you Jhall know them ; and 
 by carefully applying this Rule to them, or exami- 
 ning tfvem by it, you cannot err, %r be miftaken in 
 ypur Judgment of them. Matth. 7. 18, 20. Evil, 
 corrupt Principles will, nay, muft bring forth corrupt, 
 abominabl . Airions ,• and it's impoffible any Man 
 jfcould indulge himfelt in wicked, immoral AHins, un-r 
 leis he hath corrupt Principles. And where we find 
 Men proceeding in a virtuous Courfe or Life, fin- 
 ning habitually, where we obierve Parties of Men 
 under fehe Notion oi Religion, a<fting contrary to the 
 Precepts and Spirit of Chri(licnity, and avowing, aver- 
 ting, ju(lifyi?ig inch Unchrijiian immoral Proceedings, 
 contrary to • Reafon, natural Light and Conscience , we 
 may, without any Violence unto, or Breach oi Chri- 
 fnan Charity, conclude, that thefe Men have in re- 
 fervB (tho' not profeffedly, a Set of Principles that are 
 really Anthbriftian, iriftls'd into them by the Devil, 
 and are by no means influencd by the Spirit or God, 
 the Spirit of Chrffi, and the Gojpel- Spirit, notwith- 
 standing all their Pretentions thereunto, and BoaB- 
 i»gs of the Spirit, (for ir we may give Credit to in- 
 numerable Relations, actual Magicians, Sorcerers, IViz- 
 z,ards, and Witches, have made the fame, and have 
 been Famous, and noted for their Gifts or Prayer, 
 yjiteranccj and the like, even in fome pf thefe Secta- 
 ries. 
 
Etfamirid and Dtfprovd. 2,11 
 
 fits Meetings, Congregations and Affen Wjcj, an d 'x>kVJ 
 upon as moft Holy, Spiritual, Gracidus Perlon.. and 
 even make ufe of the Names of Goo 1 , Ch iH ai 
 Holy Sprit, feemingly devout "Prayers, Ejacul&t 
 Scripture Phrafes in their Infernal, Magical Optra 
 Charms, and the like, and have their Trance Rap- 
 tures, Extafies, Vijjons, immediate Infpirations, Dictates, 
 Groanings, gracious Looks, Airs, Cantings, V/himngs^ 
 Sobs, Tears, Genuflexions, Profirations, and all the lit- 
 tle affected, Artificial, Mimical Trinckets of our Secta- 
 rian Saints, fo that its very difficult to Difcriminate 
 them (and as to the moft) unqueftionably from the 
 fame ferpentine Spirit of Seduction and Delujion, I fay, 
 fuch Perfons, as I have been defcribing, ading fo 
 wickedly, as generally they do 3 by raifing Rebellion a- 
 gainft lawful Gcvernours, both in Church and State, 
 purfuing their Difigns by all the Arts of Violence, and 
 intemperate Zeal fet on fire by Hell, with Blocdfjed, 
 Affajjinat' ms, Robbery, Perjury, Lying, Slandering, 
 falfe Accufaticns, Malice, Revenge, Sacrilege, Propham- 
 neft, Unmercifulnef, Barbaronjnefi, attributing all their 
 Ungodly, Unchrifiian, Antichriftian , Diabolical Pro- 
 ceedings, to the Impulfe and Movements of the Holy 
 Spirit of God, the Spirit or Unity, Peace, Charity, 
 Meeknefi, Humility, Patience, Gentlenef, Love, &c. 
 to the pofitive, exprefi, immediate Commands of God (as 
 in the Cafe of the Munflerian, and other German 
 Anabaptifis) can never be fuppos'd to do all thefe 
 horrid Things, and carry on their ungodly Projects 
 and Contrivances, but by Principles ,• and thefe being 
 contrary to all Gofpcl Rules, are reafolvable by nothing 
 but Spiritual Infatuation, or Infidelity. Thus we read, 
 Muncer tells the German Boors, or Rabble, ( That he 
 ( was fent trom God to Command and Lead them [in 
 s their Rebellion.] Short Hift. Anabap. p. 9. And 
 afTur'd, f That God himfelf, that cannot Lie, had 
 * promis'd him ViHory, and commandtd him to De- 
 s firoy all Ttmes and Magifirates, p. zo. To this I 
 
 might 
 
xx% The Anabaptifts Miniflry 
 
 might add a many Inftances, but I mall fpare my 
 felf and the Reader the Trouble, becaufe not necef- 
 fary ,• and here I mall rather chufe to obviate an Ob- 
 jection fome of them make, That we are not to 
 judg of them by the Principles or Vrattices of the 
 Foreign and German Anabaptifis, and therefore mall 
 proceed in jliort, to mew how exactly they agree in 
 many of thofe grofi Principles, which they would 
 feem fometimes to detesl and abhor. I mail pafs that 
 of the Fifth Monarchy, wherein, Canne, Spittlehoufe s 
 and many more of our Englijh Anabaptifis, exactly 
 jump with Nicholas Stock, or Stork ; Short Hilt. p. 6.* 
 Mdchior Hodman, p. 14. Muncer judg'd all things 
 out of the Bible, and by Divine Revelation, p. 7. 
 
 And Anno 15- 27, the Anabaptifls of Germany » 
 
 would not allow ' Chriftians to Recover their own 
 c by Law, but decided all Differences, and 
 
 ' judg'd all Cafes by Scriptures, p. 13. With them, 
 Spittlehoufe, and other Englijl) Anabaptifis agree. 'Tis 
 faid likewife of thefe laft German Anabaptifls, that 
 they RebaptizJd themfelves ,• fo the Author of Perfe- 
 cution Judg'd and Condemn'd : Reprinted, and 
 Publiih'd by our Anabaptifls, 1662. Again, thefe 
 German Anabaptists, when prefs'd by Arguments drawn 
 from the Scriptures, their Anfwer was, That the Spi- 
 rit taught them otherwife, &c Much to the 
 fame purpofe Spittlehoufe, with his immediate Teach- 
 ings. So the Author of Perfecution Judgd, &c. Re- 
 printed, &c. p. 5-4. That the Interpreter of this 
 Rule of the Scriptures ( p. f 2. ) is the Spirit of 
 God whomfoever, and the Scriptures themfelves ; 
 but if we confult other Writings, and Expreffions 
 of the Anabaptifts, they lay downright the Spirit 
 in whomfoever. In rejecting all Human Learning, 
 Spittlehoufe, and the Prophet Matthias at Munfter, are 
 of the fame Opinion, who there commanded, c All 
 c Rooks trrat could be found, excepting the Bible, 
 % to be burnt ; Short Hill. p. 22. With Jack of 
 
 Leydins 
 
Esamind and Difprov'd. 123 
 
 Leyderis Apoftles, the Author of Pei fecution Judg'd, 
 &c. And the generality of our Anbapifis agree, 
 (as I am well inform d from their Preachments, and 
 fince , from feveral Paffages in Tho. Grantham's 
 Works, one of the moft fober of them) that them- 
 felves only are of the True Religion, exciufive of all 
 befides. But thefe Men add, That from the Apo- 
 ftles Time to this Age, the Word of God had ne- 
 ver been truly Preach'd, nor Righteou i ,.eis Pra- 
 ctis'd,* which, upon Enquiry, I ah. inclin'd to 
 think, will be found the Sentiment of moft of our 
 MoAems : That the Diftinction of Pariflies is An- 
 tichrifiian 3 which only an Anabapift Treacher alferted 
 in his Deputation with Dr. Bryan, and fo no Church- 
 es : To thefe may be added, The Abcli(hing Tythes, 
 Demolijhing of Churches ,• fo John Canne. And here I 
 cannot flip a very pretty Notion of his ; e I fee, 
 faith he, there is at this time, much ado about 
 Tythesy and great Thoughts of Heart feme have 
 for the Maintenance of Minifies : I could wiili 
 that fomething were confider'd, and effectually 
 done lor the Encouragement and Enabling of fuch 
 as are willing to give thernfelves freely to thelVork 
 ol the Lord, to fpend, and to be fpent j And for 
 their Livelihoods , to live by Faith in the Promifes of 
 
 the Gofpel,— Then a little after But now 
 
 feeing we have better Men [than thofe of the laft 
 
 Parliament, DifTolv'd 165-3.] f° we ma y ex ~ 
 
 pect better things • namely, that thefe Publick 
 Places {which are the States) may be otherwife, and 
 better difpofed. It is not the Place we affed, for 
 if they were razed to the Ground, it would be 
 well: Second Voice, p. 28. 29. Another of thefe 
 German Anabapifis Opinions, was, which is that 
 likewife of fome of our English ones, viz* That 
 Men Rebaptiz'd cannot fin ,• [that is not Mortally 
 or Damnable] which Notion is got into the Heads 
 of our Antinomians and Quakers ; I do not fay, all of 
 
 them 
 
%%^ The Anabaptifts Mini ft ty 
 
 them hold fo, but it's certain many do, and under thd 
 Rofe it ought to be one of their main Articles, becaufej 
 by this Means they are much embolden'd and en- 
 courag'd to go through fiitch, to {tick at no Means, 
 how indirect or unlawful foever, to gain their Point • 
 for 'tis as much their Practice, and of all other Seels 
 too, as of the Jefuits i to compafs their Ends per fas 
 aut nefas, by hook or crook, no matter how ,• and 'tis 
 certain, they muft either go by this Principle, or 
 fome that is equivalent, to fatisfie, or rather to ftifle 
 their Confidences. But after all, I am muchtempted^ 
 when I refletf upon the Manners, Ends, Interefis 3 
 Conduct, ProfieJJions, Pratliccs, Hypocrifie , Duplicity, 
 Treachery, Malice, Revenge, Hatred, Cruelty, Pride, 
 Infolency and Ambition of thefe Sectaries ; to think it's 
 moft natural and fcafible to fiolve all thefe things by 
 the Spirit of Infidelity. ~— It's morrally impoflible to 
 conceive otherwife, nay, Uncharitablenefi to think, 
 notwithstanding all their Whining and Cant, that 
 they really (I mean chiefly, the defigning, projecting 
 part of them) and in their Hearts and Confciences 
 believe the Gojftel, a Future Judgment, Eternal Tor- 
 ments, &.C. and act as they do ; it's impofjible all thefe 
 things mould be reconciieable to a fincere and true 
 Belief of the Articles of Christian Faith ; or at leaff, 
 they muft have fome damnable Principles, to make 
 Perfievcrance in the grandest, deliberated and. premedi- 
 tated Immoralities, and final hnpenitency in them recon- 
 ciieable ,and confifient with the Terms and State of Sal- 
 vation, which is tantamount to Infidelity ; 'tis impofli- 
 ble flich can ever be Chriftians in God's account, or 
 acknowledg'd for the Difciples of the Holy, Meek, and 
 Peaceable, Loving Jejus, fo far as 'tis poflibe to Judg 
 by Gojfel-Rules. Then what can be expefted in 
 fuch a horrid ftate of Religion, as this Nation of ours 
 is in at prefent, fo over-run with the horrid murthe- 
 rous Sects ,• mould we run into the fame Confujion a- 
 gain (which God Almighty forbid, and nothing 
 
 but- 
 
Examined and Difprotfd. 225- 
 
 but a Miracle of Mercy can prevent) which al- 
 moft baniflid Chrifiianity out of this JJland for near 
 20 Years together, from 41, to 60 ? Thefe Seels 
 increafe and multiply daily, there being nothing left 
 to check their Growth. Their Jffeclions, Principles, 
 Aims, Defigns, Ends, the fame as ever, they are as 
 Treacherous, and as much Enemies to Church and State s 
 nay, to all Government not precifely of their own 
 Mold and Fajhion, and exactly of their refpe&ive 
 Perfwajions and Interefis, as ever : Their Malice, Ran- 
 cour, Revenge, [without Hyperbolizing) undoubted- 
 ly, infallibly greater than ever, and daily increafing 3 
 they only want Opportunity, and lie gaping and -watch- 
 ing for it inceflfantly j they are as reftlefi, indefatiga- 
 ble as ever • their Policy, by fo many Years perpe- 
 tually plodding, contriving, confidering, confulting deep' 
 er, the Plots and Defigns more cunningly and advifedlj 
 laid, they only want for a nicking time ,• and altho' 
 every Seel hath its difiinel IntcreH, altho' they hate 
 each other, yet will never fail for all that, to unite 
 againft the Church, the common Enemy, as they will 
 have it ; (where it may be noted by the way, that 
 by the Divine Providence it is fo order'd, that none 
 but the -wilfully Blind can be ignorant , which is the 
 True Church here amongft us, notwithstanding all 
 thofe almoft numberlefl and grand Seels in this JJland i 
 which obfufcate it • the united and concurrent Op- 
 pofition and Malice of them all againft her, point 
 her out, and make her vifible, as upon the top of a Hill, 
 and fhewing her Head above them all.) Thus the 
 Arians, and all other Hereticks united againft the Or- 
 thodox of old ,• Thus the Presbyterians, and all forts 
 of other profligate Ragamuffin Seels , United againft 
 Church and Monarchy in 41 ; and thus have they U- 
 nitedQver fince, tho' in reality moft mortally hating 
 each other, in divers Plots, and thus are they United 
 now. Thefe are common Principles, in reference to 
 Church and State^ they are all agreed in ; they are al- 
 
 Q. way s 
 
zi6 The Anahaptifis Minijlry 
 
 ways prepare!, and in a readinefs, they only waii 
 the Call, and they're all up in an inltant. As I 
 faid, they all make no Scruple of employing the molt 
 Unrighteous, Scandalous, Ungodly Means that Hell it 
 felf, and corrupt human Under ft anding can fuggeH or 
 invent, one whereof is to be the Refuge and Recepta- 
 cle of all the Debauch' d, Athei(lical Varlets of the 
 Worlds the Reproaches and Scandals, and Mongers of 
 Mankind, provided they have but that Grace to be 
 Anrimonarchical too ; this with them fhall fanclifie 
 and palliate all the Wickedneis otherwife they can 
 be guilty of,- they mall be dubb'd Saints, and Men 
 of the greatefl Probity into the bargain, whether they 
 will or no, godly, and all the precious things in the 
 World ,• and if they chance to run their Necks into 
 a Halter, cakndard for Martyrs. All are Godly that 
 will join with them, tho' profefed, open and branded 
 Jtbzijh, if, tho' but folitickly and feemingly they 
 efpoufe their Interefts. What then, without the In- 
 tcrpofal of extraordinary Mercy and Divine Providence, 
 may not be dreaded from fuch an infernal Combina- 
 tion ? Even the moft horrid, the molt wicked Effects 
 that can come within the compafs of Human Imagi- 
 nation, The utter Ruin of all the deareft Inter efis we 
 have, that can be within their Power, the Deft ru- 
 ction of all that's Sacred • the fetting the Empire of 
 Satan, Antkhrifts indeed, under the Pretence of 
 Chrift s Kingdom. What lefs can be expected from 
 the Children of the Devil, Hypocrites void of all Grace 
 and Goodnef, Saints only in Mafqucrade, abandon d, 
 catt off by God, and left entirely to their own Lufts, 
 and to follow their Inventions, and conjignd to Satan, 
 and everlasting Darknef, and Perdition, as all are who 
 wilfully, deliberately, or malicioufly feparate themfelves 
 from the Church of Chrisl, in order to purfue their 
 own Lufts, and JVordly Projects, and Interefts, which 
 are the main Motives to Herefie, Schifm, and Jpo- 
 ftacy, otherwife their Sins would not have been 
 
 reckon 'd 
 
Exam in d and Difprovd. ziy 
 
 reckon d by the Spirit of God amongft the Works of 
 the FleJJj, and the Effects oiConcupifcence, orofour de- 
 generate State and Nature, as contrary and oppofite to the 
 Fruits ofthcHoly Spirit,and the Effe&s of Grace ,' for the 
 FleJJj lufteth [to work or ad] agair.fi the Spirit, [the 
 Holy Spirit] and the Spirit pnejteth us] againfi theFleJh $ 
 and thefe are contrary [in their Dehres, Affections, 
 Motions, or A<5lings] the one to the other [and there- 
 by, are to any fincere, truly religious and heedful Chri- 
 ftian, difiinguijiiable, and to be difcern'd one from 
 another, as the Tree is by the Fruit ; ] Gal. 5-. 17. 
 And are not Hatred, Variance, Emulations, [flowing 
 from Pride, Ambition, Avaricioufnefs] Wraths , 
 Strifes, Seditions, Envyings, [the Characterifticks of 
 Sectaries and Separates, eafie to be diiKnguifn'd from 
 Love, Peace, Long fufftring, Gentlenef and Meeknef, 
 the Characters of Genuine Chriitians, the True 
 Members of Chrift, ver. 21, 22. When Perfons of 
 fuch Characters, by the juft Judgment of God, fhall 
 come to be let loofe upon' us, what, I fay, can we 
 expect: from in the firft place, but all the direful Ef- 
 fects of an Implacable Malice, Hatred, and Revenge, 
 Avaricioufnefs ? It's not unknown how often the 
 Sects in general have threatned a thorough Extirpation 
 of all they call Idolatrous } BabyloniJJ), Dr -agonic al , 
 Beaftly, Antichrifiian * that is, the Church of Ghrift a- 
 mongfr us in particular, as well as Presbyterians and 
 Independents, thofe two topping and molt prevailing 
 Sells, till now of late (tho' the latter their greatest 
 Friends, Favourers and Encouragers • ) Then how will 
 they, the AnabamH-Millenarians, ferve thofe they 
 account their Enemies, againft whom they have 
 expreffed the greateft Rancour, by way bf Menacing 
 in many of their printed Books ; io have they former- 
 ly in their Holdings -forth : witnefs, their Martyr 
 John James, Ocivb. 19. 1661 ; for which he was 
 Indicted, Arraign d, and Condemn d, and Executed. 
 The Subftace of the Indictment was this ; c He 
 * flood Indicted by the Name of John James ,• (1.) 
 
 Q 2 ? For 
 
2,1 8 The Anabapijls Min'tflry 
 
 ( For comparing and imagining the Death of the 
 King, (2.) For endeavouring to Levy War a- 
 gainft the King. (3.) For endeavouring a Change 
 of the Government, and in his com pafling, ima- 
 gining and contriving the King's Death, &c 
 
 declar'd the words : (1.) That the King was a 
 bloody Tyrant, a Blood-fucker, and Blood-thirfty 
 Man, and his Nobles the fame. (2.) That the 
 King and his Nobles had fried the Blood of the 
 Saints, at Charing-Crof ; and the Blood of the 
 Covenanters, in Scotland. (3.) That the King 
 was brought into this end, to fill up the Meafure 
 of his Iniquity ,• and that the King's Cup of Ini- 
 quity ,had fiU'd more within this laft Year, than in 
 many Years before. (4.) That he did bemoan, 
 that he had not improvd their Opportunity, when 
 they had Power in their Hands ; and that he did 
 fay, it would not be long before they had Power 
 again, and then they would improve it better ; 
 and that he did bewail the Jpofiacy of the People 
 of God, and fay, They had not fought the Lord's 
 Battels throughly ,• but when theLord jhould give Power 
 to them again, and give his Work into their Hands, 
 they would do it better, (j.) That the Death and 
 Dejlruffion of the King, drew very near. Narrative 
 of the Apprehending, &c. of John James, p. 12. 
 And thus this Man dy'd a Martyr % as the PubliJIiers, 
 his Partifans, intimate to all the World, in the a- 
 forefaid Narrative * and like a true Trojan to his 
 Principles, he bequeathed this his laft Advice to his 
 Brethren ; e To all his Friends that came to vifit 
 him, he gave good Encouragement to Per fever ance 
 and Conftancy, in the Matters oiWorpip and Tefti- 
 many, and that they mould not fear Mans Power, 
 nor be afraid , alfuring them, that Sufferings 
 from Man, for Right eoufnef fake, [i. e. for Plotting 
 and raifing Rebellion againft their Lawful King, cutting 
 innocent Mens Throats, and feizing their Eftates, 
 turning their Wives and Children to Beggary, it not 
 
 Rairijhjnjfc 
 
Examined and Difprovd. %2$ 
 
 Raviflring the one, and dating out the Brains of the 
 Brains ot the other again ft the Stones, by way of Reta- 
 liation, or (in the Language of the Saints) doublingi 
 or millioning for one, cutting Thufands of Throats , or 
 facrificing Thoufands by way of Expiation, for the 
 Imprifonment or PMoring of one Saint, and feizing 
 Thoufands of Pounds for one Shilling Forfeiture 
 for not coming to the Parifli- Church on Sundays, 
 &c. Pray confider the Saints Doubling and Reward* 
 ing Babylon [ it's a Notion of very grand, and the 
 laft Importance'] were not fo bad as they feem'd to be. 
 [ Then O ! the Diabolical Revenge of thefe Cannibal 
 Saints, to return fo much Evil, for what tended to 
 fo much Good and Advantage, and Honour, and Glo- 
 ry, and Reward to them, to think cutting of Throats, 
 and fending Men head-long to Hell before their times, 
 and to Ruine innocent Wives and Children, to be only 
 an Adequate, and just Reward for fending them to 
 Heaven ; Thefe are Days of Light with a witnefs, 
 the poor Marty s under the Ten Perfections, were 
 blind, ignorant Bats ; had they been vouchfafed thefe 
 Mens Illuminations, they might have prevented the 
 Effufions of Oceans ot innocent Blood : See p. 36, 
 Narrat. of John James. But here I rnuft beg leave 
 to add, that this John James had like to have prov'd 
 a much truer Prophet than his Brother Canne or Spit- 
 tkhoufe, he was within an ace of it ; for whereas he 
 told believing Brethren, that it would not be long be- 
 fore they had Power again ; I muft needs fay, they 
 bid fair for it, in Oclob. 1663. The main Body of the 
 Sectaries, were over head and ears in a Plot, (which 
 was managed by. a Council of Forty, and a Council of 
 Six, which were the Reprefentatives of fix Seels) to 
 Cut off the Royal Family, and all the Nobility and 
 Gentry • for which Defign, Four were Executed, 
 George Phillips, Tho. Tonge, Nathaniel Gibbs, Francis 
 Stubbe : Gibbs own'd himfelf to be an Anabaptist in 
 \ii$ Dying-Speech. Brief Narrative of that Jlupendiou; 
 
 Q 9 Trap- 
 
2,30 The Anabaptifts Miniflry 
 
 Tragedy, intended to be aBed by the Satanical Saints of 
 thele reforming Times : Printe'd, 1663. 
 
 I have not room to purfue the reftlefl and indefati- 
 gable Diligence of thefe Sectaries any farther, my De- 
 sign being only to give a Tafle or Specimen of their 
 Principles and Practices, by way of Caution, that the 
 honeit peaceable Members of the True Church ofChrifi 
 amongft us, may ft and upon their Guards, and ne- 
 ver think themfelves fecure from their Hellijl) Machi- 
 nations, and to prevent their being feducd by them. 
 They are everlaftingly in a Plot, and all their Reli- 
 gious Cart, affeBed Sanctity and Precifenefi, Tendernefl 
 ofConfcicnce, is only a meer Stalking- horfe, and in or- 
 der to their Carnal, Worldly Deflgns, to get all into 
 their own Hands, (for no lefs will fatisfie any fingU 
 Seel amongft themj by the Deftruetion and utter 
 Extirpation of all that are truly and fincerely Religion, 
 Loyal, and as one who was once a Ringleader^ 
 and a topping Teacher amongft them, defcribes them, 
 they are nothing but a Pack of Knaves, as St. James 
 faith, Double-minded, make great profeflicns of Ho- 
 linefs, whilft their Hands are full of Blood, Oppreffion 
 and Violence, and their Hearts ov^r flowing with 
 Malice, Strife, and Envy • and where Envying and 
 Strife is [as it is always inseparable from Seclaries 
 (tor they could not be inch without thefe) there #• 
 Confufion, and every evil Work.~] All Good, becaufe 
 to be feparated from the Body o{ Chriff his Church, is 
 to be deflitute of Grace ,• all Chrift's Promifes or his 
 Holy Spirit, of his own Frefence, and moft Gracious 
 Superintendence and ProtcBicn, being made to it alone, 
 fo that ordinarily, to be fure, Grace is not to be had 
 with any comfortable AiTurance out of this One 
 Church of ChrifL But then fecondly, What may we 
 expsd in reference to Religion, that unum necefj'arium, 
 the greateft Concern of all, mould (which God in 
 his Mercy forbid J thefe Mifcreants once more pre- 
 vail, and £er all Powtr here b^low, irj?o their Hands ; 
 
 they 
 
Examined and Difprorud. .231 
 
 they have threatned hard to go through flitch ; that is, 
 
 to dcftroy all Magifiracy and Mhuftry ; and we may, 
 
 by reviewing the State of Religion, bstween 41 and 
 
 60, fee to what a horrid pafi ic was brought then, 
 
 nothing fettled, every one profiling what he pleas'd ; 
 
 nay, come to that (as the London M'mifters tell us in 
 
 their Seafonabk Exhortation, Printed 1660.) ' That 
 
 c fome were grown (as are credibly inform'd, (fay 
 
 c they) to that height of Wickednefs, as to Workup 
 
 c the Devil himfelf, p. 10. * If it was fo then, 
 
 as thefe very Men tell us, 
 
 and fadly complain (to be * Which Pajfyge, 1 jinin 
 
 fure) more out of Jpprehen- be . u J? n x m °t t-?*/" fQr 
 
 ~ V , . ' r } the Quakers, Publirn d 165 9. 
 
 fion for their own pergonal Ani thefe very W 6 r (hippecs 0/ 
 
 IntereH, being become the Devils, to be Anabaptifts, 
 
 and what they are generally 
 refolved into at latt, as their utnwU Progrefs, Quakers. The Pa f- 
 fage is this, in fooit: ' In Septemb. latt, 1659. there was a jirange 
 Difcovery made of divers Witches, inland near the Town o/Sberhnrn,i« 
 Dorief-fhire,f/;ere being near 200 of them at one Meet ing,mott of them 
 ^uahyjer sand An ab aptijis. .Three Men and two Women, formerlyQua^ers, 
 committed to Dorchefter Goal, ivhere they novo are Prisoners, have 
 
 confefs'd upon their Examination, and fince their Commitment,* 
 
 (1 / That when the Devil firft appeared to, and tempted them to be- 
 come Witches , he firtt of all perfiuded them to Renounce their Bap- 
 tifm ; becauje, in it they Renounced the Devil and all his Works, 
 with all the finful Luftsof the Fiefh: Which they did actually 
 Renounce, before they made a Contrail with him. (2.) That the 
 Devil did often vijibly appear to them in fundry Forms {and perfuaded 
 them, as he, Mat. 4. 8, 9, 10 Luke 4. j, 6, 7, 8. tempted cur 
 Saviou--) to fall down ar.d WorfJ?ip him ; which they did. (3.) That 
 
 he instigated them to torment, bewitch, and dejiroy Mr? Lyford, 
 
 late Minifter e/Sherbum — being tormented with a painful 
 
 anSJharf Difeafe, of which he died : And Mr. Bamrield,— — « ■ - — 
 whom they fore'd to defert the Tonn, his Succeffor. ("4.] 71? e two 
 Women confeji to all, That the Devil hath oft-times had actual Co- 
 pulation with them in fundry Shapes, but commonly in that cf 
 
 Mr. Lyford, and Mr. Bamhelav whom they mojt hated, and 
 
 endeavoured to de/lroy. (j.) The Devil, fince their Imprifonment^ 
 
 hath frequently appeared to them all, and actually ftlfcffed them, 
 
 bruiiing, tearing, life the Unclean Spirit, Mark 9. 18, &c y 
 
 tofiing them frequently up and down the Prison in a jirange manner, 
 
 t tormenting them with Jirange Fits, — r ^ual^ings, — Sw eliings in 
 
 \ their whole bodies, that their Skins are ieady to break, which. 
 
 ' makjs them cry out, and rc.tr with great Horror, &c. very 
 
%l% The Atiabaptifts Miniftry 
 
 very Scorn of the other Seels, and their Caafe every 
 day more and more declining, than for the Glory 
 of God, the Love of the Truth, or the real Bene- 
 fit of Souls • for we do not read of the real Peni- 
 tence of* any one Man among them, for all their 
 Rebellion and Hypocrifie ,* that all the Symptoms of 
 God's Difpleafure, were upon this Nation, and 
 the Candle fikk in danger of being removed j we can 
 morally exped: nothing lefs, upon fuch Mens pre- 
 vailing, as this prefent Generation appear to be by 
 their Threats | which puts me in mind of a Notable 
 Paffage I have met with, to the purpofe in hand, 
 which is very fuitable to be inferted here, written 
 i65"9. ( You know (faith my Author) who has 
 c faid it, He tumeth a fruitful Land into a Wildernefi, 
 c for the Iniquity of them that inhabit therein. And 
 c truly, he that mall ferioufly confider the fad Ca- 
 f taftrophe of the Eaftern Empire, fo flourishing in 
 f Piety, Policy and Knowledg, Literature, and all 
 € the Excellencies of a Happy and Bleffed People, 
 
 5 would almott think it impoffible, that in fo few 
 c Years, and amidft fo Glorious a Light, Learning, 
 
 * .and Religion, fo fudden and palpable a Darknefi, 
 c fo Orange and horrid a Barbarity mould over- 
 ? fpread them, as now we behold in all that goodly 
 f Trad of the Turkifh Dominions ,• .And what was 
 
 * the Caufe of all this, but the Giddinefs of a wan- 
 
 * ton People, the Schifms, and the Herejies in the 
 f Church , and the projpercus Succefi of a Rebellious 
 i Impofter* whofe Steps we have porfued in fo many 
 
 6 pregnant Inftances, giving Coutenance to thofe 
 f unheard of Impieties and Delufons, as, if God be 
 
 * not infinitely Merciful, muft needs involve us 
 f under the fame Dififlers ? For while there is no 
 s Order in the Churchy no Body of Religion agreed 
 c upon, no Government EftablifiVd, and that eve- 
 l iy Man is abandend to his own deceitful Heart, 
 
 c wbilft 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. 133 
 
 6 whilft Learning is decry 'd, and Honefty difcoun- 
 s tenanc'd ,• Rapine defended, and Virtue finds no 
 
 * Advocate ; what can we in reafon expert, but the 
 
 * molt direful Expreflions of the Wrath of God, 
 c an Univerfal Defolation, when by the Induftry 
 f of Satan and his crafty Emiffaries, fome defperate 
 
 * Enthufiafm, compounded (like that of Mahomet) 
 ( of Arian, Socinian, Jew, Anabaptifi, and the 
 f impure Gnofiick ; fomething, I fay, made up of 
 6 all thefe Herefies, mall diffiife it felf over the Na- 
 c tion in a Univerfal Contagion, and nothing lefs 
 c appear than the Chrifiian, which we have in- 
 c gratefully renounc'd. An Apology for the Royal 
 Party, 1^9. p. 9. 
 
 Thefe are the dreadful Expectations, and nothing 
 lefs, that all who differ from them, or oppfe them, 
 mall be expos'd unto, ihouid they ever be 10 unhap- 
 py and miferable, as to lie at their cruel Mercy once 
 more, not only to be robb'd and plunder'd of all the 
 Comforts and Supports of this Life, but to fee the 
 Abomination of Denotation fet up in the Holy place, to fee 
 our moft Holy Religion banifli'd out of this JJland, 
 and fomething equivalent to Mahomet anifm, itt up 
 in its ftead, the ordinary (landing Mini/try, Chrifis own 
 Ordinance ,camier'd all its legal Maintenance,Support, 
 and Encouragement taken away ,• nay, more than 
 probably, all the Publick Places of Divine Worihip 
 Demolifh d, the Univerfities, Colleges, Libraries, and 
 all Human Learning, diffolv'd, piuck'd down, and 
 burnt. And that the Reader may have an exad: 
 Idea of what thefe Fifth- Monarchist- Anabaptifis de- 
 fign'd in the late Civil Wars, I mall prefent him with 
 a Model, in as few words as I can, that William Sedg- 
 wick offer'd to the Army, the then Supream Tower 
 in Act or Tojfefjicn of this Nation, in 1649. (in his 
 Second View of the Army Remonfirance, or J^ftice done 
 ti> the Army, wherein their Principles are new model' J, 
 
 &C, 
 
2-34 ^ je dnalaptifls Minijlry 
 
 &c. By which, the Army, and the whole Kingdom are 
 under the Condutl of the Spirit of God, led out of the Wil- 
 nef to the view of a Canaan. Dedicated to the General 
 [Tc. Fairfax] and the Council of War ; by which he 
 may judg what near Approaches this abominable 
 Generation made to that execrablelmpoflor. 
 P. 5. ( Now, faith he, it is exactly to be 
 c obferv'd how [ecretly God pajjes out of 
 one Form into another, as from King to Parlia- 
 ment, and from -Parliament to the Army, and not 
 fo fecretly, but his Footfteps are feen viiibly upon, 
 and in the Adions of Men, and he rides his Jour- 
 ney upon their Backs. This very much concerns 
 
 the clearing up the Armies Cafe, ■ and there- 
 
 c fore I (hall unfold it in thefe five 
 
 P. 6. c particulars : (1.) That there is a tranf- 
 c mitting, or tranflathg of Power from 
 c the Parliament to the People or Army. (2.) That 
 c this Change ot Power from Parliament to Peo- 
 c pie, is according to Human and Divine Reafon. 
 c (3.) That this Power of the People fo rais'd by 
 c the Parliament, is a fuperiour and ftronger Power 
 c than that of the Parliament. (4.) That this Ar- 
 c my is truly the People of the Kingdom, already 
 c form d into a Body of an Army, (f.) That this 
 r Eorm of an Army, is the mofc excellent, agree- 
 c able to God, and fitted for the prefent Work, and 
 c the Mother of other Powers. Firft, The Parlii- 
 ment having all Power, by the Prefence of God 
 with them, and the Majefiy or a King dying into them, 
 they do, by the Will of God, convey all they had to 
 the People gather d together in Arms for their own 
 Security ; and this he proves thus, (r.) By their 
 ceafing and expiring ,- their End cea/ing : They be- 
 ing unfit, unable to go through the work for which 
 they were call'd, rhey ipfo facto ceafe. (2.) By 
 their railing another Power (i. e. an Army) fupe- 
 gicur to themfelves, and inconfiftent with them. 
 
Esamlnd and Difprov'd. 135 
 
 (3.) Becaufe an Army being rais'd of the People, 
 who are the Subftance, the Parliament who are but 
 Reprefentatives or Shadows, vanishes in courfe. 
 (4.) Becaufe the Raifing of Army is an Ad of God 
 Himfelf, and for the carrying on his own 
 Defigns, to fhew forth his Glory, &c To P. 7. 
 prove the fecond Particular, he argues 
 thus, That this Defcent of Power is moft natural 
 
 and agreeable to the Will of God^ Humane 
 
 and Divine Reafon : Becaufe, Power did original- 
 ly arife from Jimple, poor Man, had its Original from 
 
 the Duft of the Earth, Common People, 
 
 and thence rifes into the Glory of Kingdoms, Lord- 
 {hips, Monarchy, &c and in Extremities, Con- 
 vulfions of Government, Tyranny, &c naturally 
 ' returns to its Center, &c p. 8. The third Parti- 
 vular he proves thus : (1.) Becaufe the Parliament, 
 in their Declarations, appeal'd to the People, and 
 by that their Act, fubjected themfelves unto them. 
 (2.) Becaufe they are Higher, being appeal'd unto, 
 and have more Strength and Ability to do Juftice, 
 and to defend themfelves, than any other Power 
 in being , &c The foruth Particular , 
 viz,. That the then Army were truly P. 9, 10. 
 the People of England, and had the Na- 
 ture and Power of the whole in them, he prov'd 
 thus : (1.) Becaufe they were of a popular Stature, 
 Men of the common and ordinary Rank of People, 
 &c (2.) Becaufe they were the Heart and Life of the 
 People, Men of ftrong and lively AfFe&ions for the 
 Publick Good, who had endur'dand hazarded much 
 in their Perfons for the Nation , &c> 
 (3.) Becaufe they did accept of the Ap- P. 11. 
 peal of the Parliament, &c. They are 
 the People in Virtue, Spirit and Power, gather'd up 
 
 into Heart and Union, in a fdetled, choice way ; 
 
 the People in gmjj, being a Monlier, agrofi Heap, 
 univeildy, nule Bulk, q{ no ufe, &c. f. 12. The 
 
Z3<5 The Anabaptifls Miniflry 
 
 Fifth Particular thus ; c That the Army are the Peo 
 c pie gathered and united into a moft Excellent and 
 ( Divine Form : Or, any Army is a lingular Ordinance 
 e of God appointed for ipeciai Purpofes, and at this 
 
 * time, rats' d by God as moft fit for thofe noble, ho- 
 
 ' nourable, and difficult Works he hath 
 P. 13. c now in hand. For the clearing of this, 
 ( I woud have confider'd, That an Ar- 
 my is a peculiar Ordinance of God, wherein he hath 
 a fpecial Delight, and appropriates it to himfelf, 
 as a Power that hath more near Relation to him, 
 e and more immediate Dependance upon him, and 
 in which he will moft vifibly mew himfelf, and 
 c therefore chufes fo often to be call'd the Lord of 
 c Hafts, &c. Now, to illuftrate this Notion, he 
 tells us, (r.) When God brought forth the firft 
 Creation, he caft them into this Mold, an Army, 
 and fo laid the Foundation of ail his Works in the 
 Camp ; Gen. 2. y. When he had fimf»'d the Heaven and 
 the Earth, and all the Hofi of them. In this pofture 
 he hath put all things, not only the Stars, who fight i?i 
 their Order, inarch in their Courfe, but the very 
 Locufts go forth by Bands, &c. (2.) When God ex- 
 preffes his Prefence with his People in the World, 
 he manifefts himfelf to be in a Military State, I will 
 encamp c about my Houfe : Pitch his Tents about them, 
 f Sec. (%.) When he comes in his laft and great 
 c Glory,' he brings his Hofts with him, and comes 
 c as a General and Lord of Ho/Is, Thoufanis of Thou- 
 e fands attending upon him, all his Saints and An- 
 
 * £els, &c. In the Providence of God in the 
 ' World, God hath made great ufe of Armies : 
 c (1.) They have been the Parents of all the Empires 
 e and Kingdoms of the World : All the prefent 
 
 c Common-wealths upon the Earth, muff. - 
 P. 14. c own the Sword to be their Original, &c. 
 c (2.) As all Kingdoms came out of an 
 e Army, fo are much cherifti'd and upheld by the 
 
 f fame a . 
 
Examirid and 1 DJffrovd. - - z$y 
 
 fame • moft Kingdoms flourishing, while their 
 Military Virtues are kept bright and clear by ufe, 
 and quickly languish when the Sword is wholly 
 laid alide, &c. f 3.) As Kingdoms are begotten 
 and nouriih'd by Armies, fo do they again refohe 
 into them, as into thck firfi Principles ; And, when 
 by Strength of VVickednefs, civil Societies are 
 difturb'd, they naturaliy retire \o a Military, as 
 unto their own Father, for Safety, &c. 
 Now as to the Work of this Divine Ordinance, this 
 Heavenly Hoft : c The Work that God, faith he, 
 hath now in hand,is not anEarthly, fixd tking y hu.t he 
 is upon Mot ion, marching us out ot Egyptian Dark- 
 nefs and Bondage, into a Canaan of Reft and Hap- 
 pinefs, and therefore 'tis proper for him to gird 
 up himfelf, to contract himlelf from a vaft Body 
 of aKingdom,into a narrower Compafs, 
 into a few Spirits, into an adive Body , P. 15". 
 fuch as an Army is, loofe and free 
 from the Clog of old Forms and Cufioms, to a<5fc 
 lively his Pleafure, and to follow him into thoie 
 new Ways and Paths of Truth and Liber- 
 ty, that he fhall lead them. P. 16. 
 
 * Here follows the Character of this Army. 
 
 c Know therefore that the Lord, the moft high 
 God is in the midff of you, is in you, and with you, 
 in a glorious Pre fence, as you have profefd : The 
 Glorious God, or the Glory of God dwells with you, 
 or God in his higheH Glory refis upon you ; fo that 
 you are not only the People of England, but the 
 People of God, fantlified by the Holy, Mighty, Wife 
 Spirit of God, and endow'd by the Divine Wifdom, 
 Strength and Juftice • And you are as an Army, fo 
 the Lord's Hoft; Or, THE LORD HIMSELF 
 in his greateff Madefy, appearing amongft Men ill 
 I an Ho ft, the whole Hoft of Heavenly and BleiTed 
 
 f Men 
 
2, 3 8 The Aflthaptijts Minifiry 
 
 Men and Angels, with all their various and innu- 
 merable Excellencies and Perfections gather'd to- 
 gether, and embodied upon the Earth in you : Ari 
 Earthly Army in Union with the Heavenly Hoft, 
 or the Lord of Hofts in Mount Sion 3 among his 
 People ^glorioujly ; This is your Righteoufnefs, the 
 Lord Jehovah is your Covering, and your Garment 
 of Salvation, and only this can juftifie you • Honeft 
 Intentions, and good Meanings, are rotten Rags } 
 and too narrow to cover your Nakednefs. 
 
 How the Lord of Hofts was prefent with this Army. 
 
 c Firft, The Lord is with you in the higheft and 
 greateft Majefty : There i$ no ^pc&er, no <01o- 
 ^ Of $300, but 'ti$ in pan, and with yew, nor 
 nor no go&cr nor <0lo?n greater than tljat 
 
 which dwells in you ,• none bejides, \W\\Z allO^r, 
 none Bcponti it. The Lord is here, the mod 
 High God, and with him, all Power in Heaven 
 and Earth ; there is no Wifdom or Strength that yoti 
 have not, and all Imaginations of a Power a&fcnt 
 from you, either in Heaven or Earth, is an Injury, 
 or Accufation to God and You , is Theft and 
 Robbery, ftealing away the Riches of God from 
 you, and from himfelfin you ,• if you look upon 
 tfte feingDom of <03ti, the $ctts Creation, |Mn 
 Weakens?, and $cla €artfi, as anfent oj to 
 eome, you oenn tlje i^olp 4Dne ioitfj pou, who 
 is prefent- in Deed and Power, tho' under your 
 Weaknefs. 
 
 Their Unim and Communion with God explain'd. 
 
 c Secondly, The Lord is with you in perfect V- 
 nion and Communion • You are what he is ; He is 
 what you are: Whatever is in him, 'tis commu- 
 nicated to you ; and whatever-is in you, is com- 
 
 ( municated 
 
Examhid and Djfprovd. 239 
 
 municated to him : Is there Power or Glory in 
 God ? 'Tis in you alio : Or is there TVeakmfi'm 
 you ? It lies upon him : Or is there Rightecuf- 
 nefs in God ? 'Tis in you as it is in him 3 to live in 
 it, a& in it, and by it, to employ and bring it 
 forth : And is there ^nfftnuti) in you ? 'Tis in 
 him as 'tis in you, a Clog, a Burden, ar Enemy, ha- 
 ted, feparatedj taken away, &c. Nothing now is 
 fyoken of God, but may be Jficken of you $ you being 
 in Union with him : or nothing fpoken, or done to 
 you, but 'tis done to God with you, you being one : 
 
 And 'tis 2&af$$Cittp of l)t\\ ano IDctril, to fe- 
 par ate <£5dd from poti. 02 pou from 45ofc. Will 
 
 Men fay, you are $£&£)$, 22cfi ropei*£ ? They 
 fay it of tfec %ftp. Or, will you, or Satan in 
 you, fay, You are IBcak, and $®tn, and can't 
 do futl) lji0§ t$iltg$ ? They are too great for us, 
 You and They will know you fpeafc tijC fame 
 of <Soo, and fo jueg him tBeafc atttB UUaMc to 
 00 them. For in nothing you muft be divided ; 
 or if you think that is God's, but this is your 
 Work, you wrong God aiad your felves ; you 
 muft (peak the Words, and do the Works of God : 
 God is now God in Earth, and you an Army in 
 Heaven. (Thirdly) The Lord is with in Spirit 
 and Truth, Eternally, Inf par ably, in a Kingdom that 
 never fiall be defiroyed, in an Everlafiing Covenant 
 that cannot be broken. The Kingdom is fo with 
 you, the Lord's People, as it [hall never be taken 
 from you, but mall enoiirc fo? t\itt>, and all op- 
 preffing Fears, or dark Doubts, they are of the 
 malicious One, your Enemy, &c and all At- 
 tempts of Satan, or his Inftruments, will be as 
 Waves againft a Rock dafh'd in pieces, and you 
 mall grow from a little Stone, to a great Mountain ; 
 from a little Branch, to a great Tree, that mall fpread 
 it felf, and fill the Earth with Fruit, &c. 
 
 c As 
 
240 The Ana&ciptifls Miniflry 
 
 As to this Army's Work in particular, in refe- 
 rence to themfelves ,• f Seeing the Lord hath patted 
 c from other Powers to you, and exalted or let up 
 you as the prefent fianding Tower of the Kingdom, 
 and hath given himfelf to you, and taken you up 
 * into his glorious Prefence, then muft you exalt the 
 Lord, publish, declare the Name of the Lord, 
 P. 18. ' confefs him to be in the midfi of you, 
 c found him forth evidently, boldly y aloud ; 
 fay, the Lord lives with you, that he u come to 
 Reign amongst you glorioufly. Bring him forth in 
 Brightnef and Power ; Let this Opprejfed One go free ; 
 Tell it to all the Nations, The Saviour of Ifrael 13 
 come to Redeem his People from all their Enemies. 
 You do mutter it, and fpeak it foftly, and by- 
 halves, but declare it fully, that we may hear the 
 Shout of a King in the Camp; that God himfelf is in 
 you of a truth : Let us hear the Sound of that 
 Trumpet in the Camp, which the Seventh, laft 
 and Blejfed Angel founds ; And thofe great Voices 
 in Heaven, faying, The Kingdoms of this World are 
 become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Chrifi, 
 £3p an ^ b e Jhall Reign for ever and ever. Do you, 
 not in Words, but in Power and Truth, 
 cafi: down your Crowns down to the Earth, fall 
 with your Faces to the Earth, your Crown of SucceJJes, 
 Victories, lay them down in the Dirt, being but 
 Earthly : And your Faces, your Excellency of 
 Honefiy, Valour, Wifdom, Honour, lay it down 
 to the Earth, for it is but DuH ,• and as you wor- 
 ship God, love God, confefi God, exalt God, &c. 
 give up your felves from, human, weak, or rlefhly 
 State, as Thanks, or free-will Offering, to the 
 Glory and Majefty of God, to act, and live the 
 Life of the Almighty, put on the Almightinef of God, 
 
 be cloathed with God Almighty, &c. He hath 
 
 taken his great Power, and hath Reigned, he hath 
 already began, hath taken his laf? and great Pow- 
 er, 
 
r er, and is in the Exercife of it. Therefore, Arife 
 ' and Jhine forth , for thy Light is come, and the Glory ef 
 the Lord is rifen upon thee : For s behold the DarknejS 
 frail cover the Earth, and grof! DarknejS the People , but 
 the Lord frail rife upon thee, and his Glory frail be feen 
 upon thee, and the Gentiles frail come to thy Light 
 and Kings to the brightnef of thy Rifing. 
 
 You being the People of Eng- P. 19. 
 
 land, and all Power and Dominion de- 
 fending, and coming down into you, you are 
 the Mother of the Nation, the Earth, Bafis, and 
 Foundation upon which all lie j and being thus, 
 in the Light and Strength of God, y«u are Jeru- 
 falem which is above, the Mother of us all, and there- 
 fore muft ,- 
 The Army's Work in reference to this Nation 
 
 in particular. 
 * (r.) Spread your Arms to receive the whole 
 Nation; open your Bofoms to us, and let us fee 
 you carry in you all the Happinefs and Welfare of 
 the Kingdom, manifeft the Largenefs and Com- 
 prehenfion of your Spirits, that you have in you 
 the King, and "his Royalty ,• the Parliament, and 
 their Wifdom and Majefty, thefe two in Treaty j 
 nay, in perfecl Union, that Religion, Trade, Juftice, 
 Order, Covenant, Settlement, Reformation, Riches t 
 ■Honours, 'Propriety, lies treafur'd up in your Breafts ; 
 What you have not, Gather unto you, all the Offices^ 
 Treafure, Authorities, Seals, Judicatures, 
 all the Prerogatives , Privileges of the P. 20, 
 Nation, let nothing lie out of you and 
 be loft, but be you the Center of all, and call in 
 all into you. (2 J Let it appear that they are 
 in you, as in the Lord • in the Lord, in you, die. 
 (3.) Receive, and retain them all in Judgment ; 
 make a thoroghDigeftion of the Good and Evil of 
 them all ; keep them, as in a Fire, by the Sword 
 of Divine Juftice, with the Exactnefs of God ; 
 
 K - * Cut 
 
%^i the Aftafiaptifts Miniftry 
 
 Cut ts{£ aH cfcif €jjing^ anti $ctfons?, fepa- 
 
 rate the Precious from the Vile.- — Know, the Lord 
 is upon the his Throne amongft you, and every 
 one, every thing that is not his, muft be rejected $ 
 every Vlant that he hath not planted, ?nuft be plucked 
 up, there muft be no SJUDgC but tfjC %0& ; and 
 nodule of accepting and refilling., but the IDioinc 
 Law of the £>pirii of God. What God will 
 own, and fay is mine, {hall live ,♦ and what he 
 will ulfclUll , muft die ; and the poor narrow 
 Minds and Fancies of Men, muft not be Enthrorid, 
 c nor have leave to judg amongft you, 
 P. 21. c &c. 
 
 Now for the Work in good earneft. 
 € Laftly, Let me prefent you, and bring you 
 forth as the Lord's Holt in the great Majefty of 
 an Army ; in this moft excellent Form, in whom 
 the Lord is as a mighty Man of War, cloathed with 
 Zeal, as with a Garment, and making bare his 
 Arm in the moft terrible and mafculine Conflitu- 
 tion of an Army ; Glorious in his Apparel, travelling 
 in the Creatnejs of his Strength ,• red in his Apparel, and 
 his Garments like him that treadeth the Wine-fat ; for 
 the Day of Vengeance is in my Heart, and the Tear of 
 my Redeemed is come. A D AT of Vengeance ; this 
 e Work mufi be cutftjort in Right eoufnefi, quick 
 V. z6. c and^e^,and that too,in perteft Union 
 c with Salvation and Redemption, which 
 muft be lorn, uTear, it muft laft for ever ,• The Year of 
 my Redeemed is come, (r.) In this refpe£, you 
 : muft appear moft Abfolute in your Commands, Migh- 
 ' ty and bidifputablc in your Authority ,• and, 'tis pro- 
 ' per in the Work you are in : Dan. 4. %<$. And he 
 : doth according to his Will, in the Army in Heaven, and 
 : among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can ft ay 
 f his Hand, or fay unto him, What do ft thou? An Army 
 * in Heaven, that's your place, ftanding in God, and 
 ( inj]>ind by the Spirit of God ^ One with the Heaven- 
 
Examirid anihfpifprov'ct. 243 
 
 ly Hoft ; Majefty and Abfolutenefs is but due here, 
 and that without Danger, when the Wife God 
 guides your Refolves, &c (2.) You mutt ap- 
 pear in greater Terror to evil Doers , than any Power 
 before you, with your Sword whetted, furbiJJid, 
 bath'd in Heaven, made bright and glittering with thz 
 Spirit of God ; that it may awe and ftartle the Eyes 
 of the Nation into a fear of Tranfgreflmg. For- 
 mer Swords have been too dull to cut up Iniquity-—— 
 
 -therefore you muft appear in greater 
 
 Severity, every Ad and Word of Juftice «=^3 
 piercing to the Heart, feraching between 
 the Soul and Spirit, between the Bone and Mar- 
 row, to kill Wickednefs in the Root of it : • 
 
 Not only ftrikeat Human Mifcaniages, but 
 
 at Diabolical Wickednefs, — which 
 
 you are able to do, having a Sword battid in Hea- 
 ven, and executing Divine Juftice,- and by doing 
 this, you mall fecurc the things you do, and for e- 
 ver difable Satan to bring forth any mere 
 
 Mifchiefs upon us This is that P. 27. 
 
 you have harped at, the fulfilling of that 
 Promife, Tfal. 149, 6. &c the Praife of God in 
 
 their Mouth, -and a Two-edgd Sword in their 
 
 Hand ,• one of Flejh, another of the Spirit ; to cut 
 up Sinners with the one, and Sin itfelr with the o- 
 ther. The firft is common to every Heathen ,• the 
 
 iecond, the peculiar Honour of CM/?. ~ — > 
 
 To deftroy, or cut off evil Men only, is Heathe- 
 niih ,' to deftroy wicked Works only, and not Men, 
 is Chriftian ,- to cut off both together, is the laft, 
 and great, and perfect Judgment of the World: 
 By this you mall do that which hath been fore- 
 told in Dan. 9. 24. to finifli Tranfgreffion, and to 
 make an end of Sins, and to bring in everlafting 
 
 Righteoufhefs ,• * to deftroy the Wickedneis 
 
 out of the Earth, Root and Branch, that there may 
 
 no more come out of their Loins ; that Sin may 
 
 R z { be 
 
X44 Tb* An&baftijls Minifiry 
 
 ' be Barren and Childlefs : This is the fecure Cori- 
 c dition you aim at, and that which is promifed, and 
 
 * will be made good to you : To fet up fuch true 
 ' and bright Laws, fo Holy and Incorruptible, in fuch 
 ' Power and Efficacy, as no Ungodlinefs {hall be 
 c able to pafs through them, or ftand in the light 
 c of them : — — — Sin jball not abide in Mens 
 
 ' Actions, no, nor Hearts ; nay, not in the 
 S3* * frfi Father of it, Satan, but in all it jhall 
 
 ' be utterly de fir of d : ~- So fet up 
 
 6 the New Jerufalem in fuch Brightnefs and ever- 
 
 c lafting Purity, as no unclean thing mall come in- 
 
 c to it, nothing defile it. As you /hall come forth 
 
 c in flames of Fire againft all the Work- 
 
 P. 28. ( ers of Iniquity, fo (hall not one efcape, 
 
 c &c. This is your true State, and the 
 
 e firft and leaft of it ,• and lefs than this is not your 
 
 c Righteoufnefs : I can't fpeak or think lefs of you; 
 
 c and he that thinks or fpeaks lefs than 
 
 d» c this, or contrary to this, be it Satan in 
 
 f you or others, blafphemes the Tarbernacle of 
 
 c God, and them that dwell in Heaven : This is 
 
 f your own Life, and all below it, are Fancies, 
 
 ( Dreams and Lies, Babylon and Confufion, 
 
 P. 29. f keeping and holding Zion from her Glo- 
 
 ( ry. 
 
 An Objection anfwer'd. 
 
 c I (hall, I know, meet with this Objection 
 
 * from your felves and others, that this will be 
 c true, but not yet, &c. 
 
 ' To this I anfwer, That this Truth is Eternal, and 
 
 e there is no moment wherein you can fay 'tis not; 
 
 ' 'tis He that was, and is-, and is to come ; 
 
 I3» c That therefore is Darknefs that denies 
 
 e it ; or that's a deep Pit that fays it is 
 
 * not here. Do not abide in iuch Darknefs of Hell, 
 
 ( where 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 24? 
 
 where Eternal Truth will not be admitted. 
 
 If you can yet fay, thefe things are brought forth in 
 you, but not in us, &c No ! 'tis yours as well 
 mine ; and not mine as diftinft from you, but mine 
 in you, and with you ; for we have but one 
 Life, one Spirit; and if it break forth firft in me, 
 'tis for your fakes. 'Tis not a Perfonal or 
 Private Spirit, but the Spirit of God, and *£9 
 of all bis Saints, 'tis the Life and Soul of 
 the Army, and therefore you cannot be Strangers 
 to it : Sure, fo foon as you fee it, you 
 will fay, This is our Portion, our Rock, P. 50. 
 our Strength. 
 
 Another Obje&ion. 
 
 f If now you object "your being in the Flejh, 
 
 your Weaknefi, Inability to manage thefe high and 
 great ways, &c. 
 
 : Obferve this, - Know your Sins lie up- 
 on the Lord, they are his, he bears them 
 all ,• there is none now under Iniquity, but *t3 
 ChriB : Tou are Righteous, the Lord is 
 yourRighteoufnefs, &c The Confuta- 
 tion of your Unworthinefs, Unfitnefs, may be to 
 you fad and troublefome ,• it is to me, Glorious : 
 It being the great Defign of God,co vifit 
 his People in a low Condition, in Pri- P. 31. 
 fon, in Babylon ; and to Glorifie Him- 
 felf, and the Riches of his Power and Mercy, to 
 love freely, to cover and take away Iniquity ; 
 God hath now taken your filthy Garments from 
 you, and cloathed you with beautiful Garments, 
 and put a Qroivn upon your Heads ; He gives 
 
 you Beauty for Ajhes - I P. 32. 
 
 have no more to fay , or rather I will 
 
 ever fay ; Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed 
 
 unto the End of the World : Say you to the 
 
 Daughter of Zion, Behold thy Salvation cometh ; 
 
 R 3 ' And 
 
z^6 The Ana$aptifts Miniflry 
 
 f And thou malt be called, fought out, a City not 
 ' forfaken -, 'tis your Salvation that is come, you Jhall 
 c fee Evil no were, let all the World know, let the 
 * News of it fill the dark and troubled Earth, pro- 
 c claim it openly ,• He gives you a Reward for all 
 c your Pains and Sufferings, He brings all Good 
 
 c with him, and his Work zs before him ; 
 
 ( Tis now clear what he will do, Reign over the 
 c Nations in Righteoufnefs, fet up an Everlafting 
 
 c Kingdom for the Saints, that mall ne- 
 P. 33. c ver be deftroy'd, and all muft own and 
 
 c conlefs you to be the Holy People ,• Ho- 
 c linefs, that hath been the World's Scorn, will now 
 c be their Saviour ,• That which they have derided, 
 c (hall they now truH in, your HCtghteoufmfi and 
 c Faithfulmf. You are Holy with the Holinefs of 
 c God, or Holy as your Heavenly Father is Holy, to 
 rain down BleJJitigs upon the Jusi and Un- 
 
 P. 54. f jgft, &c. 
 
 Behold now here a Specimen of an hor- 
 rid and far worfe (tho' in many particular Circum- 
 stances parallel) Defign, than ever came in the Head 
 of Mahomet (for we do not read that he ever defin- 
 ed to cut off Root and Branch of all thofe who were 
 q\ a different Perfwaficn, or to root out Chriftianity % 
 ( as thefe Doctrines, and the infinuated Practices 
 thereupon, in their own natural tendency, will and 
 muft) repeated with the mofr aceurfed Blajphemies 
 that ever Satan infpir'd into the Heads and Hearts 
 of any Man, or Generation of Men, fince Chrifti- 
 anity appear'd in the World ,- a Defign, without an 
 Hyperbole, which is Satan s Maftr-picce of Cunning as 
 well as Malice, by Millions of Degrees exceeding all 
 the Projeils he put into the Heads of Heathen Empe- 
 rours, Popes or Mahometans, and referv'd as his laft 
 Pufh for the latter Ages of the World, to be put in 
 Execution by the pretended, fworn, and declar'd 
 Enemies of Antichrist; by Men who call themfelves 
 
 the 
 
Examined and ^Difprov'd. tqy 
 
 the SucceJJors of the Apofiles ; nay, immediately too, 
 denying, as fome of them do, that there hath been 
 any True Church of God for almoft ijoo Years ; 
 that call themfelves Saints, and the only true Prote- 
 Jlants now in being in the World, the only true Be- 
 lievers and Members of Christ. Here we have an 
 Army of Rebels, the Scum of all the Seels, with all 
 the Signs of Reprobation upon them too, (as will fol- 
 low from this Blajphemers own Pen, as you mall 
 fee) whofe Hands were full of Innocent, Loyal, Chri- 
 fiian Blood ; guilty of the moft horrid Barbarity, Ra- 
 pine, Sacrilege, Perjury over and over, Treachery, Hy- 
 pocrite, Apoftacy ; call'd the Ordinance of God, in- 
 verted with all his Attributes, Perfection, Holinef, Pu- 
 rity, Ju[tkc, Righteoufnef * taken into the molt inti- 
 mate Union and Communion with God, in as ftridr. a 
 Senfe as he could exprefs. Here you have the 
 Lees, the Dregs of the World, the Tail of it (Sedgw. 
 Jufiice done upon the Army, p. 5-0.) whom he call'd 
 before Enejnies to the Spirit, and to the Croft of Christ, 
 p. 13. and told them, They had not the Spirit of God, 
 walk'd not in the Wifdom and Strength of God, nor in the 
 Love of God, had not Communion with God, and mificok 
 Earthly and common Bleflings for Heavenly and in- 
 ward, crying, Lord 5 Lord, whilft they did th» 
 Works of the Devil, &c Men living and perffing 
 in atlual, literal Rebellion againft God and their law- 
 ful King, Perfecuting the Church of Christ, Opprejjing 
 all honefi and good Men, and Rioting with the Ruins of 
 hundreds' Qi Families, Invented with the Glory, Power, 
 Majefry, Strength, and Jufiice of the Great GOD of 
 Heaven and Earth ,* All his Perfections communica- 
 ted to them, and all their Infirmities p. e. in the 
 Language of the Saints, all their Capital prefumptums 
 deadly Sins, fuch as Rebellion, Murder, Injufiice, Ra- 
 pine, Debauchery, Whoring, &c 1 all their Immorali- 
 ties and Villanies chargd upon him ; by which,at leaft 
 |n, this Blajfhcmers Senfe, habitual Sins of any kind, are 
 
 R 4 f«i* 
 
Z4% The Anqhuptifts Miniftry 
 
 confident with a State of Grace and Juf if cation, or the 
 Saints [provided they hate the Church and the 
 King] are impeccable, cannot fin, fo as to hurt them, 
 or forfeit God's Favour ,♦ this feems clearly to be his 
 Opinion, when he faith, that in his Millenium, or 
 or Reign of Ckrift upon the Earth, which was not 
 a&ually begun, when he wrote, in 1649, 
 <§d=s» ' Sin ihould not abide any longer in Mens 
 Actions, no, nor Hearts ; nay, not in Sa- 
 * tan himfelfjj amonirruousOpinion,which can im- 
 ply no lefs than that Satan mould revert to his 'Pri- 
 mitive Station, become again an Angel of Light , and 
 Turity, and Blip', and then why not all the Wicked 
 that ever were upon Earth, to their Original Innocen- 
 cy, and at length, inherit Eternal Glory too. Let 
 the Reader ferioufly confider and reflect upon what 
 this blafpkemom Wretch hath faid, and then jitdg whe- 
 ther he hat|i not refnd upon Mahomet, or rather 
 quite out-done him ,• whether here be not a Gap open'd 
 for all the Licentioufnefs that it's poflible for wicked 
 and degenerate Human Nature to wijl) and defire • and 
 whether thefe fort of Men did not (and thofe now 
 jn being, who efpoufe the fame Opinions) do not 
 drive at a fecond Mahometan Empire, or more wick- 
 ed, ALntichrtftian, Diabolical. Conceive it but pofli- 
 ble or probable tor fuch Mifcreants, as the then Ar- 
 my confined of, an Hotchpotch of all Seels and Perr 
 fwafions contrary to the one Gofpel • I mean, of the 
 Scum and Refuge of the Seels, Men living in Habi- 
 tual, Unrepented Sin, to be, notwithstanding, in 
 a&ual Communion and Union with God, even with 
 refpedt to all his Attributes and Perfections, Glory and 
 Majefiy, Holinefs and Right eoufnefs (we may add Eter- 
 nity too ,• ) conceive but all this, I fay, and then 
 what can refrain fuch Men from running into the 
 (rreatef Excefs of Riot, Luxury, Impurity, and what 
 not that's vicious, "immoral and abominable, and odi- 
 ous ? * It's but fancying themlelves to be Elect, it's 
 
 ^ but 
 
Examind and Difprov'd. 149 
 
 v but knowing himfelfby the Sprit to be in a State of 
 c Grace, tho be be drunk, [in the Act of Adultery and 
 ' Fornication, d^.] commit Murder, God fees no 
 ? Sin in him. Avert d by Mr. Simfon ,• See Gatak. 
 God's Eye on Ifrael : Ep. to the Reader, p. 18. Let 
 me fpeak freely to you, faith Dr. Crifp, and in fo doing, 
 tell you, fc That the Lord hath no more to lay to the Charge 
 
 * of an EleB Y erf on yet in the height of Iniquity, and in 
 
 * the Excefs of Riot, and committing all the Abominations 
 c that can be committed ,• I fay even then, when an Eleti 
 < Perfon runs fuch a Courfe, the Lord hath no more to lay 
 c to that Perfon s Charge, than God hath to lay to the 
 f Charge of a Believer ,♦ nay, God hath no more to lay to 
 c the Charge cf fuch a Perfon, than he hath to lay to the 
 
 * Charge of a Saint Triumphant in Glory : Crifp' s Sermon, 
 Intituled, Our Sins are already laid on Chrift, p. 
 274,275". Cited in the Teftimony to the Truth of J e fas 
 Chrift, by the London Minifiers, p. 16. Printed 1648. 
 Could Mahomet himfelf, or all the Impofiors in the 
 World, fay more to encourage Vicioujnefs, Licenticuf- 
 nefs, and to harden Men in their Sins ? Could all 
 the Popes and Antichrifis that ever were, pretend to 
 give a greater ,• nay, did they ever allow fo eafie 
 an Indulgence in all manner of Sin ? The Devil hath 
 made his Work now very eafie, it's only to imprefs 
 upon the Minds of wicked Men, a ftrcng Imagina- 
 tion or Conceit of their being Elecled, and all runs 
 fmooth and eafie ; and how much this Antinomian Opi- 
 nion prevail'd in thofe lamentable Times, appears fu£- 
 ficiently from their Writings and Praclices • a view of 
 which may be taken from Edwards's Gangrena : and 
 Dr. John Edwards mentions this Antinomian Opinion 
 to be very prevalent at this very Day. As to this 
 Communion and Union of Sedgwick's Army wich God, 
 whom he impudently calls the New Jerufalem, it's 
 £he moft damnable Herefie that ever Satan invented; 
 With as much Truth it may be affirm'd of all that 
 [^aye but fo much of Chriftianity in Profffim, as may 
 
 qualirie 
 
%$o The Anahapttfls Miniflry 
 
 qualifie them to be Hypocrites, for even himfelf be- 
 llows all thefe Elogies and high Privileges upon the 
 fame Men, whom, in his Jttftice done upon the Army, 
 he had charg'd with all Sins and Vices imaginable, and 
 in the fame Year too, as with Apojiacy, p. jo. 
 with being led by an Unclean Spirit, a falfe Spirit, 
 an erring and [educing Spirit, [that is, by the Devil] 
 with being given up to ftrong Dclufions, to believe a Lie • 
 ——Doclrines of Devils, of Wrath , Malice, Accufa- 
 
 tions, Diforders, Confufmis, DeJh'uclions y fpeak- 
 
 ing Lies in Hypocrifie : He tells them, 
 
 Their Jufiice, Publick lnicrefi, Common Right, are 
 all Lies.— — - — -And that they fpoke them in 
 Hypocrifie, cunningly to deceive and feek themfelves 
 and thsir own Interef, having their Confciences feard 
 with an hot Iron, that God had fet fome Brands and 
 Marks of Favour upon them, giving then) fome Vitlories 
 and SuCcefs, to enfnare Hearts^ to puff up the Flefh 
 for its Deftru&ion ,• Sedgwick's Jujlice done upon the 
 Army, 1649. Now, I fay, if fuch vile and profligate 
 Perfons as thefe, without any Repentance, Amendment, 
 or Alteration of Principles or Praclites, in aclual Rebel- 
 lion againft God, as Apoftates, Hypocrites, Men of 
 feard Confciences, may yet be faid to be in Communion 
 and Union with God,- why not all the Adulterers, 
 Swearers, Drunkards, Extortioners, Sorcerers, prophane 
 Perfons, che raoft DebauclSd of ail Mankind, that 
 make any the lead: Profeffion of Faith in Jefus Chrifi ? 
 It a Rebel, a Traitor, a Murdtrer, a Plunderer • why 
 not a Whoremonger, a Common- fro ear er , Sabbath-break- 
 er, a Polygmtft ? One is as well qualified for this 
 Communion and Union with God, as the other. What 
 Fellowship hath Light with Darknef, Purity with 
 Fdth'mef, Chrifi with Belial ? If wilful, deliberate, 
 pr cfimptuoiH jmrepented Sin keeps us in its own Nature, 
 at a diftance from God, what Communion or Union 
 can be fuppos'd with God at the fame time ? Two 
 contradictory repugnant:. Wills, can never be tpilted at 
 
Examind and Difprovd. z$z 
 
 one and the Jame time ? They who have found out 
 the Art of Reconciling Contrarieties, or Contradictions, 
 I confefs, may do things paft Human Comprehen- 
 fion. And this I findte the grand Arcanum, or: Secret of 
 our MiUcnarian Saints, and (b I (hall never henceforth 
 be furpriz'd at the moft irregular or extraordinary 
 Things that they can AB. I'll not wonder at all at 
 the Liberty Jack of Leyden, and his Comrades took, 
 as to Multiplicity of Wives, and lying with as many 
 Women as they pleas'd, and indulging themfelves in 
 all manner of Criminal Excefs,- and then they and 
 the Familifis, and Ranters, upon thefe Principles, 
 can never do amifs. This is an extraordinary Doflrine 
 indeed, and requires an extraordinary MiJJion to pro- 
 midge and attefi it. The Holy Scripture no ways 
 countenances any fuch Notion, or Pra&ice upon it. 
 The afTur'd way to arrive at the Myfiical Union and 
 Communion with God, is, in the firs! place, to have 
 our Wills in Unity or Conformity with his Reveal' d Will 
 in the Holy Scriptures ; Thy Will be done, in Earth as it 
 is in Heaven • to walk, to live, to converfe as the B. 
 Jefus did, (as far as He is immitable by us) by an en- 
 tire and jincere Obedience to the Will of God, to obferve 
 the Gojpel-precepts, to make them the Rule and Mea- 
 sure of all our Aclions, Intentions, Thoughts, Dejires, 
 Affections, to live foberly, righteoujly and godly in this 
 prefent World, to have Consciences void of Offence both to- 
 wards God and Man, to mortifie all our corrupt Affetti- 
 ons, and to re/iff the very Appearances of Evil, to avoid 
 the Occafions of Sin, to firuggle again fi the very firfi Mo- 
 tions and Temptations to Sin, to deny all Ungodlinefs and 
 worldly Luffs, and to exercife an Universal Charity to- 
 wards all Men • to take up our Crofs daily, to chufe 
 Suffering before Sinning, to Renounce and Dejftife the 
 Tomps , the Riches , the Luxury , the finful Pleafures 
 and Delights of the World ; to be Meek, Humble, Poor 
 in Spirit 3 * to be contented in all, even in the loweft and 
 tnsancfi Circumftances of Life, as confidering that 
 
 this 
 
15" * The Anahaptijls Mini ft ry 
 
 this Life is a time of Probation and Penitence, that we 
 are every hour liable to Temptations, and too fre- 
 quently apt to make falfe Steps, as to our Duties and 
 
 Obligations unto God,' furrounded only with infinite 
 Temptations frcm the World, the F/e/fc and the Devil, 
 and therefore ought to bemoan our Frailties and In- 
 firmities, and frequent Lapfes into Sin, and to make 
 it ourBufinefs to acquire, by the Afuftanceof God, 
 his Pardon, Favour, Reconciliation, and Peace of Con- 
 fcience ; which if we do fincerely, and as it highly 
 imports us, and ftand upon our Guard againft all our 
 Spiritual Enemies, will afford us little time to carefs 
 our felves, and to indulge our felves in the Enjoyments 
 of outward, tranjitory and "worldly Pleasures ' to hunger 
 and thirfi after Right eoufnefs, to lay up our Treafures in 
 Heaven, above all things to fecure the Interefts of 
 our immortal Souls, the one thing necefjary, the great- 
 eft Stake, which alone can bring or procure Peace at 
 the laft, and give us the trueft and only [olid Satisfa- 
 ction ; To be merciful, companionate, tender- hearted, 
 long-juffer'mg, of forgiving Tempers, to render Good 
 for Evil, BkJJing for Cur fin g, Benefits for Injuries, and 
 to love our very Enemies, and to do good for them 
 that hate us, defpitefully ufe us, lay in wait tor, 
 and hunt after our Lives for perfecuteus ,• ] To have 
 pure Hearts, holy Intentions, and Defigns regulated by 
 the Word cf God^ conduced by the Spirit of Chrifiiani- •' 
 ty, conformable to the Will and Commandments oi God 
 in all things, referring all to his Glory, or intending (o 
 even in the minutefts ABions of our Lives ; doing all 
 to the Glory of God, or fo that God and our Holy 
 Trofejfion, the Gofpcl, may be Glorified thereby, and 
 not Difgracd and Expos d to the Scorn, and Derifion, 
 and Mockings of our Enemies, or Infidels, or nota&ing 
 any thing inconfiftent with our Holy Profejfton, contra- 
 dicting its Purity and Simplicity, hereby atting nothing 
 unworthy oi God, refteffing Dijlionour upon him and 
 our Cbriftian Prcfejjion, but walking in all Upright- 
 
 nef$ . 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 253 
 
 nefs and Sincerity, as becometh the Gofpel • To re- 
 jojce in Sufferings, Poverty, Difgraces , Terfecutions, 
 Afflictions, for the Truth and RightecufneS fake, and to 
 «/e no unlawful, dijhoneft, indirect Means to avoid 
 hem. c Let us, faith Chryfojlom, not only fimply 
 adhere to Chrift, but let us be glu'd and faftned 
 [infeparably] unto him : For it we in any wife 
 depart from him, we mall perifli ; therefore let us 
 be conglutinated unto him by Works [of Righte- 
 oufnefs, Charity, Holinefs:] For he faith, He 
 that keepeth my Commandments^ abideth in me. 
 And truly, by many Inftances, he joins us toge- 
 ther. Obferve, I pray you, He is the Head, We 
 the Body • can there be any middle, empty Space 
 between the Head and the Body ? He is the 
 Foundation, We the Super fir ub~lure or Building, ; He 
 the Vine, We the Branches • He the Bridegroom, 
 We the Bride, the Spoufe ; He the Shepherd, We 
 the Sheep ; He the Way, We the Travellers ; We 
 the Temple, He the In livelier, or Inhabitant,* He the 
 FirJl-born,We the Brethren; He the Heir, We the Co- 
 heirs ; He the Li/^,We the Living ; He the Refurre- 
 fiion,WQ that areRifen • He the Light, Wq the Illumi- 
 nated. All thefe demonftrace,or hold forth Union,Con- 
 glutination, and leave no Vacuity in the midft, not in 
 the leaft retpecl^ for he whorecedes,tho'but as lit- 
 tle [as is conceivable] if he but moves, will be at a 
 farther Diftance : For the Body, if at never fo lit- 
 tle diftance from the Sword, prefently corrupts and 
 putrines : A Building, if it cleaves a little, is 
 ibon tumbled down : If a Branch be never fo 
 little divided from the Root,it grows ufelefs.There- 
 fore fuch a little is not little, but muft be look'd 
 upon as all the whole, or altogether ,• and thus let's 
 not defpife little Things • to be never fo little off, 
 or feparated from Chrift [is to run the Rifque of 
 an Eternal Difunion from Chrift : ] Chryf. Horn, 
 8. in Cap. 3. 1 Ep. ad Cor. in Metali. So that we 
 
2, 5" 4 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 fee the fir ft Step towards the Myftical Union or Com- 
 munion with Chrift, is by the Conformity of our 
 Wills to his Will, which is manifefted by an Univer- 
 fal Obedience to his Precepts, laid down in the Gofpel^ 
 as the true ft and vifible Tefts of our Love and fincers 
 Affetfion unto, and Faith in him ,• and without which, 
 we can never arrive at the Myftical, Invifible Union 
 and Communion with God and Chrift. All this 0£f- 
 dience muft be the Effect of .H?;r£ and Low, wrought 
 in our Souls by the Spirit of God, the Root of all thefe. 
 By thefe we are prepared and qualified for Memberfjip 
 in Chrift ? s Body, for the Myftical Communion in the 
 Blood and Merits of our Blefled Lord ,* and by actual 
 Communion with his Body the One Church vifible here 
 on Earth, we become Members or the Heavenly, In- 
 vifible, Archetypal Chatholick Church Triumphant, the 
 Society oi BleJJed Angels, the Patriarchs, the Prophets, 
 the Stf»fr and Martyrs, and United after an ineffable 
 manner with the ever Glorious Trinity it felf. As the 
 Principles and Means of this Union and Communion 5 
 are only to be hsd in the Church Vifible and Militant 
 here on Earth, and as the ordinary Miniflers of Chrift 3 
 continued thro' all Ages, from the Apoftles Days 
 to this very Moment,and fo on by an uninterrupted 
 Succejfion, 'till the Confummation of all Things, are 
 and muft be the vijible Principles, and the Ordinances, 
 Sacraments and Miniftrations, by them the outward, 
 vifible, fenfible Means of this Invifible, Spiritual Uni- 
 on and Communion with God and C£ri/? the Head, Cor- 
 ner-ftone, or Foundation of the Invifible, Archetypal 
 Church : So thofe who wilfully feparate themfelves 
 from the Church vifible, and refuie Communion with 
 the true Miniflers of Chrift, are zp/0 /rf#0, depriv'd, 
 deftitute of all the Means oi; attaining unto, or claiming 
 any Right to this invifible Union or Communion j and 
 by being out of the vifible, have no TvigAf, no Intereft 
 in, and thereby are uneatable of, unqualified for any 
 Communion with the Church inv'fible, the Jerufalem a- 
 
 bove y 
 
Esamind and Qifprovd. 255 
 
 bove, the Mother of us all. This being a generally re- 
 ceiv'd Maxim, even amongft moft Seels, and all 
 real Chrifiians befides, That thofe who are feparated 
 from the one <vifible Church, are ipfo fablo excluded 
 from the invifible Church, the ever Blefled Society of 
 Saints and Angels. To apply this, confider thofe 
 Principles that have been hitherto infifted on through- 
 out this Difcourfe, and was there ever fuch Blafphe- 
 my, Inconftjtency utter'd by the Mouth of Man, as 
 what Sedgwick hath affirm'd with fuch Impudence and 
 Affurance ? To tell thefe Rebels, Murderers, Traitors, 
 Perfidious, Sacrilegious, Schifmaticks, a Hotch-potch of 
 all Seels or Perfwafions, Enthufiafis, Seekers, Antino- 
 mians, Independents, Presbyteria?is, Anabaptifts, Antitri- 
 nitarians, and all Separatifts from the one Church, to a 
 Man, living and perfifting in the open Violation of 
 all the Laws of God, as well as the Laws of the Land $ 
 That thefe Scum and Dregs, and Riffraff of the Peo- 
 ple, Reproaches to Humanity it felf, and all that's gpod y 
 Supprefj'ors or the Liberties of their Native Country, pro- 
 feft Persecutors of all the Loyal Party, all honefi Men^ 
 c Men, whofe PraBice, as Sedgwick telli them, is 
 c Deftru&ion • Deftru&ion is your Pradice,'tis your 
 c Work, *cis your End, you cannot fee beyond it, 
 
 * and you are halting to it, 'tis the Center to which 
 
 c you tend, >whofe God is their Belly ,• your 
 
 f Faith, Underftanding and God, is funk into your 
 c Bellies ,• and your Rule, your Strength,yourConfi- 
 
 c dence is only in fenfual and brutim Things, ■ 
 
 f whofe Glory is in their Shame : You are full of 
 c Glory in your great Things that you have done ,• 
 c wonderful Things, a mighty Prefence of God : But in 
 f fum, what is it ? You have torn a poor finfut 
 
 * Kingdom in pieces ,• you have executed Wrath 
 c upon your Brethren, Friends and Countrymen,* 
 f you have laid Defolate your Father the King, the 
 c Parliament your Mother, your own Country ; 
 c This is your Glory, to be Executioners, Affyria the 
 
 • " ' Rod 
 
%$6 The Anahaptifts Minijlry 
 
 c Rod of mine Anger : What a Crown is this ? 
 c Have you reftored, bleffed, healed, comforted, 
 ' or faved any ? No, you have but plung'd the 
 c Kingdom and your felves into a Pit of Darknefs 
 c and Confufion ,• when the Things of God arepro- 
 e pos'd to you, to fufFer for others, to love Ene- 
 c mies, to do good to all, to blefs all ,• you glory in 
 € your Shame, and fay, You ferve the Lord in this, 
 c and there be lower as well as higher Difpenfations • 
 € You are indeed, Servants of God, fo was Nebu- 
 
 * chadnezzar, fo is the Devil ; and you do the Work 
 f of God, but 'tis bafe Drudgery, 'tis his ftrange 
 c Work, to be Inftruments of his Vengeance ; and 
 
 * 'tis a lower Difpenfation indeed, to difpenfe Curfes, 
 e not BleJJings,- to be below in Hell, exercifed in 
 ' the Wrath of God, not above in Heaven, in the 
 c Glory and Love of God ,• — your Proceedings 
 
 c are againft the Lord, you a£ againft 
 
 € God, and God againft you, your Souls loath 
 
 * him , and his Soul loaths you : Ep. Ded. to 
 Scdgw. Juftice done upon the Army ,• ) and all the 
 Members of the True Church of Chrljl ; I fay, to tell 
 fuch Profligates as thefe,that they were Saints in Union 
 and Communion with God ,• nay, the only People 
 upon the Earth, with their Adherents, in Communion 
 with Gcd, his EkB, his Chofen, his Treafure, and the 
 like ? Could Hell it felf ever invent a more palpa- 
 ble Lie, or a more outragious Blafphemy ? At 
 this rate, and as he argues too, the Devils them- 
 felves, may one Day arrive at this Union and Com- 
 mimlon, and Damnation it felf muft be but a Temporal 
 Punlfiment ; fo that in effed:, 'tis no matter what 
 Men believe or aft, all will be well one Day, if Sin, 
 as he faith, fliall be defiroyed, even in the Firfl Father of 
 it, Satan himfelf,* then fo in all others confequent- 
 ly, all faved at the long run : Second View of the 
 Army Remonflrance , p. 28. I fiiail not infift far- 
 ther upon the Confutation of this Army-Saint, one 
 
 • of 
 
Examined and Difprovd. %$y 
 
 of Canris Red-coat Apofiles, the Event (bleffed be 
 God) hath better confuted him, than all the learned 
 Pens in the World ,♦ nay, the Angels themfelves 
 could ever have done otherwife. I am not afliir'd 
 whether the Man were an Anabaptift or no, but he 
 writes like them,- I'm fure he was aflifted and 
 prompted to it by the fame Spirit, and I am much 
 inclin'd to think he was one of their Gang. He 
 hath nothing in him but what was extraordinary and 
 immediate Teaching, fuch as it is, from the Anabapti- 
 fiical- Millenarian - Munjlerian Spirit, and gave his 
 Brethren fuch a. Model, as he calls ir, of Principles, 
 that would cany all that ihould imbibe them, tho- 
 rough fricch, through all the VilLnies in the World, 
 and indemnify them in all the WickednefTes they 
 could concei-ve or imagip. But the Event demonjlrates 
 the Original ol this Delufion to be from Satan, fo 
 that the higher this Enthufiaftkal Writer elevated 
 them towards Heaven, §he lower and more dangerous 
 their Fall, and fhews the Fondncf of his and their 
 Conceitednefi ,• In his Jujlice done upon the Army, he 
 tells" them, c They are the Dregs and Lees of the 
 ' World, the Tail of it : You think, fa>s he, you 
 are the befl, but you are the worft, for the World 
 grows worfe and worfe - } and the deeper you go 
 into it, the further you are from God, and the 
 nearer to Hell, to ConfuHon : - - — I is a fond 
 Conceit ariling from the grolTeft Ignoian'ce and 
 Self-love, to think that you are better than others, 
 all your ways being more abfurd, violent, irratio- 
 nal, than the worft that have gone before you. 
 You may read your Defcription, excellently 
 penn'd long ago, i Jim. 4. 1, &c. The Spirit 
 fpeaketh exprefly, &c He fpeaks Truth, there- 
 fore doth your Glory fade away, becaufe the Spi- 
 rit of the Lord hath biow'd upen it, and he fpeaks 
 exprefly, &c. Jujlice done upon the Army, p. jo. 
 
 in the latter Times, that time where- 
 
 S < in 
 
258 The Anahaptifts Minifiry 
 
 in we are looking for the greateft Good, then ap- 
 pears the greateft Evil ; And that in Apoftates, 
 iome (hall depart from the Faith ,• the Spirit fays 
 now exprefly, You are thefe lome, you have 
 departed from the Faith : Firft, from the Do- 
 ctrine of Faith, exprefs'd in the laft verfe of the 
 former Chapter; and in ver. 6. of this Chapter, 
 In the words of Faith and good Doctrine. The 
 moft forward of you in Religion, do depart from 
 the chief and main Doctrines of Chiiff, and nei- 
 ther do, nor can hold forth thofe Myfteries God 
 manifested in the Flejh, ejrc. And from all Rule 
 of Faith you depart by Trofeffion and PratJice ; to 
 fpeak to you concerning thole Commands of Sub- 
 jection to Kings, Superiours, &c. is Literal, Le- 
 gal-, you have a Spirit above thofe Commands, and 
 thofe concerning the Worfhip of God ,• you are 
 above Ordinances, &c. p. ^r. So that from 
 Sedgwick's own Pen, this A#my not proceeding to 
 act according to his Model, from Saints and Ekct, 
 are- relafs d into Villains and Reprobates • and falling 
 from Union and Communion with God, are become 
 one Mafs of Wickednefs with the Devil and the 
 Damn'd. Thefe are the Glorious Lights and Difccve- 
 ries of Chrifi and his Kingdom, made by the Buff- 
 Apofiles Canne brags of, and the delicate Fruits of 
 Spittlehoufe % Immediate Teachings of the Spirit. Here 
 you have White and Black, Light and Darkmfi, Chris? 
 and Belial it God and Mammon, the Eletl and Repro- 
 bate, Truth and Error, by a new fort of Legerdemain, 
 Hocus-pocus , united, and the famein an infrant ,• and 
 Hell it felf converted into Heaven , and Heaven into 
 Hell ; in a word, the GofyelTranfpros'd and Inverted, 
 the Gofpel Alcoranizld, and Satan Transform d into an 
 Angel of Light, Heaven it felf turn'd topfy-turvy. But 
 we need not run fo far as Munfier, and other Parts 
 of Germany, for thefe New Lights, England hath been 
 too productive of thefe Mtmflers of Impiety : As they 
 
 have 
 
Examind and ,Difprovd. 259 
 
 have forg'd a New Gofpel, fo our Anabaptifis have 
 found out a New Saviour. No Difappointments can 
 discourage or tf£#J& them ,• if one VrojeEt fails, presently 
 the Spirit of Impudence and Delujion is pregnant with, 
 and i»riwgj forth another : and thus, alter the fhame- 
 ful Foiling of Sedgwick, Canne, Spittlehoufe, and I 
 fajngy, fonie more that I have miis'd of ,• Up ftarts 
 William Franklin, a Rope- maker, to compleat the Bu- 
 fmefs, who whilft he profeis'd himfelf to be of any 
 particular Seel, was a zealous Anabaptift ,• and whiiir. 
 he continu'd fo to bejel! into many -ftrange'Temp- 
 * tions, i'aith my Author, and utter'd many Blaf- 
 f phemous Paffages and Expreffions, faying, That 
 c he was God, that he was Chrift : Tfcudochriflm , 
 TubliJIid by Humphrey Ellis, Ann. 16 )0, p.n. For 
 which he was admonilh'd by the particular Congre- 
 gation (I fuppofe, of Anabaptifts) Recanted, and 
 feemingly return'd to a fober Mind. c But however, 
 not long after, he fell again into, and was more 
 deeply than before, plung'd in fuch Spiritual De- 
 lufions ,* for now he pretended to have receiv'd 
 
 fome Revelations and Vifions, to Prophecy and 
 
 Reveal Things to come : He got acquaintance 
 ( a farther Step) amonglt fome of thole that deny 
 
 Ordinances, Scriptures, ChriH, &C— : He then 
 
 pretended, c That he could fpeak with New Tongues, 
 ) and would babble out words, which neither him- 
 
 c felfor others were able to underftand. By thefe 
 
 ' Spiritual Deceits he fo fell into, was he alfo led 
 c into, much Impiety, as to beat and abufe his Wife ; 
 c to deny her to be his Wife ; to keep Company 
 c with other Women: For all which Evils, he 
 
 c was at length excluded the Congregati- 
 
 c on to which he belong'd, p. 7. In fiiort, this E»- 
 thufiaft and Impofior Franklin , becomes acquainted 
 with one Mary Gadbury, a marry d Woman, p. 9. Who 
 after many ftrange Tremblings, Convulsions, Vifions, 
 Revelations ; in fome of which, me faid, That it 
 
 S 2 was 
 
i6o The Ana'haptifts Miniflry 
 
 was Reveal'd unto her, that this Franklin was Chrifl j 
 and one time efpecially, Franklin coming to her 
 Houfe, being loon after that time that the Voice faid 
 unto her. c That the Lord would J end his Son to Reign 
 ' in the T erf on of a Man $ She demanded of him thus, 
 < Hath God reveal d to you, that this Son fit all Reign in 
 ' the Vcrfcn of a Man ; To which he reply d, I AM 
 c THE MAN. Whereupon me (as laughing at his 
 c Words) faid, That /he look'd for the fame Body to 
 ( come, as was laid down in the Sepulchre at Jerufalem. 
 c To which he anfwer'd, That was an Old Body, 
 c but that which he hath now, is a New Body. She then 
 1 tvld him of his Relations , that he was a marry d Man, 
 e and had Wife and Children, which Jhe was fiartled at. 
 c To which he anfwer'd, That the Body and Nature of 
 6 Franklin, Bom at Overton, conceived in Sin, and 
 ( brought forth in Iniquity, the Lord had deftroyd • tho' 
 ( the Defiruclion thereof were not as of the Body laid in 
 ' DuH, r ui(ible to the Creature to be feen by it : And as 
 * for the Woman his Wife, he own d her to be his Wife, 
 c while he carry d about that Body, in which he was fo 
 ' join 7/ to her } and he then alfo ownd his Children to be 
 s the Children of that Body , but now they were no more 
 c to him than any other Woman and Children • and that he 
 c had a Command from God to feparate from her, and 
 c that Company he had before with her ^ and that he had 
 ' not Bedded with her as formerly, for three Tears before, 
 ( p. ii. Here I defire the Reader to conlider, that 
 the grand Defign of Satan in thefe his Emifjaries, 
 was, to let up the Millenarian Vrojeft in the Vulgar, 
 Anabaptijlical grots Notion of it, or a Fifth Monarchy, 
 much like that ol Mahomet ; which indeed, is the 
 exadt Model of this, to be propagated by the Sword y 
 and encourag'd by Licentioufnefs , and the Ruin and 
 tfttal Extirpation Ot all forts ot Superiors. Emperors, 
 Kings, Princes, Nobility and Gentry • the moft proba- 
 ble Bait to catch the Mob, who naturally hate and 
 envy all that are above thesis and live in better 
 
 Faftiion 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 16 1 
 
 Faftiion than tbemfelves ,• and all this, under the I We- 
 text offetting Chrifi upon his Throne. Thus, in one of 
 this Mary Gadburfs Fits, a Voice fpake in her, and 
 faid, i It is the Lord, it is the Lord; and again, Baby- 
 lon is fall'n, is fall 'n • There fiall be no King, but the 
 
 King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Ic laid al(b, 
 
 The Saints Jhall Judg the Earth, and the World fiall 
 
 confefs, and f*iy, This is the City of the Ford. The 
 
 lame Voice {peak again to her, I have fent many a 
 Love-token to thee, but now thou fialt fee me face to 
 face. It faid alfo, I will fepid my Son in Perfon of a 
 Man, who fiall Rule over the Nations, and they Jhall 
 
 fee him Face to Face, Eye to Eye. There 
 
 were alfo Trumpets founding, as it were, within her, 
 and they had Names given them, as of Seven Angels 
 pouring down at every Sound, Vials of Wrath ; and at 
 lafi it was faid. Now the Seventh Angel Soundeth. 
 Shedeclar'rl, That fit did net believe to fee a Perfonal 
 Reign of Christ, bat only Spiritual in the Soul, 'till jhe 
 had heard the Voice /peak, as is before-mention'd, p. 10. 
 To make this Strumpet amends tor her fo favourable 
 Revelations, William Franklin tells her likewife, ' It 
 c was Reveal d unto him, that ihe was the Woman 
 ' which was fet apart for him ,• as her feif alfo de- 
 clar'd afore, p. 12. And accordingly they lie toge- 
 ther, and go for Man and Wife, p. 15. And the 
 Voice fpake in her, and faid concerning it, i This is 
 the Bride, the Lambs Wife, p. 14, And, thus now 
 is Franklin in the room of Chrift to her , he taking to 
 himfelf what is proper to Chrifi ; and fie putting her felf 
 in the Room of the Church, Chrifi' s Myfiical Body, to 
 be the Spoufe of Chrift, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, 
 p. 16. Now they come down to Hant- 
 Jhire ; here he Preaches in an Inn, People reforting 
 to him ; prefently he takes occafion to go to Lon- 
 don : In his Abfence, like Mahomet's Wife, * Mary 
 c Gadbury [his Whore] gives out amongft the Gcffips, 
 l That her pretended Husband is a Prophet, p. 17. 
 
 S 2 and 
 
i6i The Analaptifts Mwijlry 
 
 and fpreads it abroad, That Jfo had [ten Chritt in the 
 Tcrfon of a Man, and fp prepares the Minds of the 
 People, gradually to believe their Delufions, p. 18. 
 defcribes his Vcrfon, his Cloaths, &c. that all Circurn- 
 ftances mutt jump with the Appearance of her Spark. 
 The End of this Appearing of Christ, me gives out to 
 be, to Erect and fet up his Kingdom here upon Earth, 
 [and her felt confequentiy, «©_«*<?» and Emprefs of 
 the World ,• Ay ! to be fure.] p. 19. When places 
 from Scriprure were urg'd againft her Blafphemies, 
 &c. (he flighted them , and f alleg'd her own 
 c Dreams, Vijions, and Voices againft them. And alt 
 c the time of his Abfence, hath Vifions, Revelations, 
 c &c. And in her Fits and Pains, the Voice cries 
 c out, Shall I bring to the Birth, and not give 
 £ Strength to bring forth, p. 20. and fo pretends to 
 be in Spiritual Travail, and applies accordingly that 
 c Saying of the Lord by hisProphet,ccncerningSion ,Sion 
 ' his Church, and concerning the Birth ofChrifl the Man- 
 c Child, and of all his People rais'd and born together, 
 c virtually with and in him, in his Refurreclion, Ifai. 66. 
 
 f 7> 2, 9. -and was ufually wont [likewife] 
 
 f as wickedly to apply to her felf, in thefe her falfly 
 f; pretended Travails, that Speech of the Apoftle, Gal. 
 £ 4. 19. Sayifg in general, That Jhe did travail in 
 £ Birth _, 'till Chris} were forr/id in them, to thofe with 
 c whom Jhe conferrd, p. 21. The firft Seduc'd by 
 her, was Edward Spradbury ; this Spradbury riding to- 
 wards Crooxeafon, call'd in at Mr. Woodward's, Mi- 
 nifter of the lame Town, and there c told his Wife 
 [Spradbury and me Were both zealous Anabaptifis, 
 c by the way] What he had heard this Woman to 
 c fay, viz,, of her having feen Chrift in the Perfon 
 s of a Man : But then Mrs. Woodward, not endu- 
 c ring to hear it, laid, I do think it is a Devil ,• 
 c But: that a f&w days afterwards, Mrs. Woodward 
 
 ' _ .h 3t { j t j n a Vifion reveafd to her, That fhis 
 
 Mrs. Gadbury was the Woman in the Revelation, 
 
 cloathd. 
 
Examined and Bifprov y d. 263 
 
 cloath'd with the Sun and thsMoon under her Feet,and 
 there travail iing in pain, p. 22. In fhort, their Blaf- 
 phemy was this ; William Franklin afferted himfelf to 
 be the Chrift, and MeJJias, and Saviour of the World, 
 Crucified for the Sins of the * People, that his Body 
 had been wounded, broken, and often offer'd up 
 for Sin ; and that it was but Three Years and an 
 ha'f fince that he affum'd this fle/hly Body of his, 
 an<J that he was not to differ anymore in his mor- 
 tal Body. It being told him, That he could not 
 be Chrifr. Chrift bein^ in Heaven at the Right 
 Hand of the Father, as the Scripture teftifieth ; 
 but he being here bodily, malt be a Deceiver: 
 He anfwer'ci, Thole things of the Scripture were 
 gone and were nothing to him, but Types and 
 Shadows,/?. 41, 5-;. Mary Gadhury,^ blafphemoufly 
 call'd. and calling her fell, The Spoufe of Chrift, 
 the B idc, the Lamb's Wife, the Lady, the Queen, 
 the Mothei of Chrift that bears him, the Woman 
 cloathed with the bun, who travails in Birth for 
 the bringing iorth ot thofe Spiritually, that were 
 feduc'd by them, p. j;. Here then we fee plain- 
 ly another Jefm, another Gofpel preach'd by our Englifj 
 Anabaptifts • the Effects of their immediate Teachings, 
 and immediate Calling they fo much boaft of* and in- 
 fixing upon it fo much with the accurfed Donatifis of 
 old, whom they exic"tly imitate in all their -villa- 
 nous and abominable Pracfices and Dollrines, whole 
 Succeffors , as Canne profelfeth, they glory them- 
 felves to be, as to condemn the whole Church of God. 
 And what is very remarkable, as Mr. Humphrey Ellas 
 tells us, is, i That (cutcc any appear'd to hearken 
 to thefe Deceivers, to countenance them, and in- 
 c cline to their Deceits, but fuch who had been this 
 c way [i. e. of the Anabapti(f\ engagd, p. 60. How 
 far thefe Seducers might have proceeded, had not 
 they been ftopt in their Career, by being taken up, 
 and call'd to an Account for thefe their Blasphemies, 
 
 S 4 by 
 
Z64. Tlje Anahptifts Mhriftry 
 
 by the then Government, God only knows. They 
 enterpriz'd this Bufinefs but in Nov, 1649. Carry 'd 
 beiore the Magistrates , January following ' and in 
 March, Try'd by the Judges at the Affiles, as maybe 
 fcen in the atoiefaid Relation of this Builnefs. They 
 had made divers Pro/elytes, many reforted to them 
 during their Confinement in Prifon, and plentifully fup- 
 ported them with ail NecefTaries. The Noife of 
 it fpread/rfr and tfe<?r,and greatEndeavours were us'd 
 to keep up the Hearts ol ['their Party, and what Lies 
 and Romances they forg'd, to ftrengthen and promote 
 this Delufion, appears from part of a Letter of a 
 Villain (who, in a fnort time, run thro' divers Seels 
 and Opinions, forfook his Wife, and betook himfelf 
 to a Strumpet) to his Spiritual Concubine, or Holy 
 Sifter ,• excellently well qualify 'd, no doubt, for 
 fome Grand PoH under King Ji "dliam Franklin, and 
 Queen Mary Gadbury (for the Devil hath his Hierar- 
 chy) and accordingly, the Firs?- Fruits of this Falfe 
 Christ, were difhibuted into Offices ; ' Goody Water- 
 * man, the King's Daughter,, all Glorious within ; Mrs. 
 c Woodward, the Elect Lady ,• John Noyce, John the 
 ' Baptifi, whofe Office was to Declare the Coming of this 
 ( Counterfeit Chrifi into the World: EdwardSpradbury, 
 f one of the Two Witneffes, and an Healing Angel • 
 ' Henry Dixen, one <f the Defiroying Angels [ or 
 6 Muggletons Curfmg Angel j whofe Office was to 
 f Curie and Defboy the Earth [I'll warrant you, 
 to Cut off Emperors, Kings, Princes, Nobility, Gentry, 
 and all Men of lar^e Eitates, &c. the old Munfie- 
 rian Project. ] f William Holmes, Junior, another De- 
 c jhoji'rg Angel, &C. Pfudochrifi. p. 5 3.) being one 
 of Cannes Buff-Preachers , an Army-Saint, perhaps 
 might have been promoted to have beenGeneraliffimo 
 of his Cutthroat Mi'jionaries. This Rafcal, I fay, 
 wrote thus to his Mifi ; Well ! ' I am hll'd with the 
 f Jguickning Spirit, .and with the Holy Ghoft • and I 
 f hope, ere long, to enjoy that Light I told you of: 
 
 * For 
 
Examined and D'ifprovd. 265 
 
 For here is Elias flying in his Fiery Chariot. Al- 
 ready, ftrange Things are done abouc Andover 
 and IVinchefier ; many Mens Hearts fail them for 
 fear : For, there is one who laith he ts Chrift ; and 
 with him, the Lady Mary, who declares grange 
 Things ; They never mifs to make Trumpets Sound 
 in the very Bellies of their Converts, and great Ship 
 appear to the view of all People. If they defire to 
 fpeak with any one whom they never before faw * if 
 they fpeak to any one to go for them, they mufi, and 
 cannot refrain, when that they fend for them ; 
 and Meffengers and all come, tho' they go Five 
 or Six Miles, they come again in half an Flour ; 
 Lights appear upon the Breafts of many ,• Let them 
 ditcourfe with whom they will, Triefis or others, 
 they all are converted, leave all, and follow them : 
 For the moft part, it is thought they have Con- 
 verted to them five or fix Hundred, and now they 
 are in Winchefler Vrifon ; and fince that,he hath been 
 feen amongft his Members, many of them : I fay, 
 he hath been feen amongft them in Appearance, 
 and yet his Body all the while in the Prifon ; 
 with a Hundred more of the like nature, which 
 here I cannot declare ,• Vjeudochrifim, &c. p. 47. 
 I m agin now, what a Noife all thefe things made a- 
 bout the Country, and conlider withal, the gene- 
 ral Infatuation the whole Nation lay under at this time 
 of day ; all Things un fettled, as to Religion, every one 
 following his own Imagination,* moft particular 
 Familes confifling of divers Religions, fuch as they 
 were,- a\\ Sectaries pretending to the Spirit^ Truth 
 difcountenane'd, and a general Averfion to it every 
 where ;Satan let loofe,and taking his full Swinge ;M.en 
 changing their Opinions as oiten as their Garments, 
 or rather oftner • the People prepar'd to entertain 
 every Impofture that ofier'd it felt ,• all having itching 
 "Ears, gaping lor new Lights every day ; Difputing and 
 Bandying Religion in every Corner > like a Foot-ball; in 
 
 con- 
 
1 66 the Anahaptifts Miniflry 
 
 conftant Expe&ation of Changes and Revolutions. 
 Confider withal, the general Overjpreading of the 
 M'dlenarian Opinion, the Second Perfonal Coming of 
 Chrift. This Notion got deep Rooting amonglt e- 
 ven all the Seels, the frequent Pretences to Revelati- 
 ons, Vifions, Dreams, Prophecies, Immediate Teachings 
 of the Spirit, and nothing to rejhain Men from 
 running into, and profeffing the fiioft Scandalous, 
 Blasphemous, and Heretical, and abfurd Opinions , 
 except touching that tender Part, the Civil Gtvernment j 
 and then you will not wonder, if what was fo Uni- 
 verfally expe&ed, was fo readily, greedily iwal- 
 low'd down and entertain'd. Add to this, the jug- 
 gling Tricks, and even Sorceries, that were employ d 
 by forne of our Sefiaries, to promote their Dejigns, 
 and augment the Numbers of their Difciples ; as of old 
 amongft fome of the earlieft Hereticks, as hath been 
 above obferv'd from Irenem, Tertullian, Epiphanius. 
 As for the .Quakers, 'tis too notorious how much 
 that damnable Antichriflian Sec5t was beholding to the 
 Black-art, Witchcraft, tor its Propagation in this Na- 
 tion ,• for which Gonfult, particularly a Treatife 
 call'd, The Quakers- Shaken ; and therein, the Relation 
 of John Gilpin, Printed 165- 5". and Underhih Hiftory 
 of the ^takers, Ann. 1660. p. 32, 33. and the Snake 
 in the Grafs. To thefe Diabolical Arts of downright 
 Sorcery, or at ieair, to the Co-operation of the Devil 
 with thefe Seducers, Franklin and Gadbury, upon 
 the Fancy and Imaginations of fome of the Perfons 
 fidue'd by them, may be afcrib'd the Revelation of 
 Mrs. Woodvjard ,« Pfcudochrijf. p. 22. and Joan Gar- 
 ment at an Hundred Miles diftant, p. 23. As like- 
 wife, the Brightnefs like a Multitude of Stars, which 
 Mr. Woodward the Minifter, beheld about this Mary 
 Gadbury ■ by which he was, as he fays, Converted, or 
 Deluded ; p. 27, 28. And the Voice fpeaking to the 
 feme Mr. Woodward in his Barn, p. 29. And the/or- 
 cible Submiffion of Gac^y Waterman to this Impo(lure, 
 
 p. 28, 29.. 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 7.67 
 
 p. 28, 29. tho' moft averfe unto it. I fay, laying 
 all thefe things together, and it's not ftrange in the 
 leaft, to fuppofe, if the Mercy of God had not in- 
 terpos'd, but this Deiufion might have over-run the 
 whole Nation in a very ftiort time, to the very Extin- 
 ction of the Gofi el-light amongft us. And no doubt, 
 had it made but fome farther Vrogrefs, all the Ana- 
 ■ baptijls, and Independents, and Ranters, and Seekers, 
 and Antinomians, and the reft of that Hellijh Rabble, 
 had join'd them, One and All. Mentioning this 
 Mary Gadbury, it calls to mind a PalTage of John 
 Gadbury an Afirologer, who in his Doomf-day not fo near 
 as dreaded ,p, 21. tells us much to our prefent purpofe, 
 which demonftrates how eafie the People were to re- 
 ceive fuch kind of ItnpreJJions, by the modiJJj Preach- 
 ments of thole Times : ? It is ftill frem in my Me- 
 mory, faith he, that in our late Times of Confu- 
 lion here in London, [and confequently all over 
 the Nation] many Minifters of the Gofpel, as 
 Saltmarjl) , Sedgwick, &c, and from their Exam- 
 ples, many illiterate Men and Women were con- 
 ftantly, from the Years 1647, to 165-6. canting, 
 That the End of the World was come, and -that 
 
 the Day of the Lord was at hand. Enthu- 
 
 Jiafiick, and dired Madnefs did fo extreamly rage, 
 and reign in thofe Years (and a fpice thereof we 
 have in thefe ) and the End of the World was fup- 
 pos'd and talk'd of to be fo near, that many Peo- 
 ple (upon my Knowledg I fpeak it) fold their fi- 
 liates, and threw Money about the Streets (ex- 
 pecting themfelves to find the fame Quarter as 
 Solomons Lilly) but afterwards turn'd Beggars, 
 and were glad to live on the Alms of others. 
 Some there were again, that they might be the 
 more voted for their Meffage and Embaffy, and to 
 demonftrate themfelves the more eminent Con- 
 verts unto this great Delufion, would wear Sack- 
 cloafbj and ff)£v e their Crorvns, that thereby they 
 
 \ might 
 
268 The Analaptifis Minifiry 
 
 * might the more aptly ape and imitate the True Pro- 
 ' phets, formerly fent of God. Others would wear 
 ' Papers in different Shapes and Figures, upon their 
 c Breafis and Backs, with idle Injcriptions thereon, 
 c pretending to come before, as aGuard for the King 
 
 of Heaven , who they [aid -was coming. 
 
 * And others there were that ran Naked, not only 
 about the Streets, but into Churches, denouncing 
 
 e Definition to the Preachers, &c. Which mov'd 
 Dr. Boreman, in his Nnntius Propheticw, to fay, 
 ' That there fprang up more Herefies and ftrangeO- 
 c pinions in England, in one Year, than in an Age 
 c in any other part of the World there did before, 
 € f- l°3 3 1 * Nor were the Graver or more Sober 
 fort of Sectaries, the Presbyterians, behind the reft, 
 in thofe Days, in Supporting and Keeping up the Spi- 
 rits of their Party, with Prophecies, and lying Predi- 
 ctions, Revelations, &c. as might be prov'd, had I 
 room to enlarge upon this Subject. I mall only 
 give a little Specimen at prefent, and fo refer the in- 
 quifitive Reader to his own Obfervation from other 
 Writers. The Zealous Mr. Edwards, in his Gangrene, 
 Part 2. Predicts the Deftru&ion and utter Extirpa- 
 tion of Independency in particular, and of the reft of 
 the Seels, from p. 179, to p. 193. and from Mr. 
 Brightman, the Exaltation of Presbytery, but more 
 efpecially that of the Sects , from p. 193, 195. This 
 Book was Prsnted in the Year 46. But we find ex- 
 perimentally, that he was quite out, in England, e- 
 ver fince, Independency prevail'd, and does at this 
 Day ,• and tho' Presbytery hath held up her Head for 
 fome time in Scotland, She hath quite loft her Hold 
 in France, and Piedmont, and lofes ground , I be- 
 lieve, in England every day, by the Prevalency of 
 all other Se&s. So we know, the Expectation of 
 the Presbyterians was much rais'd, and they waited 
 the Accomplishment of that noted Difiich, in 62, 
 and 66. 
 
 MDLLLVVIL 
 
Ex am in d and Difprovd. 16} 
 
 MDLLLVVII. 1662. 
 BarthoLoMaVs fLct quia Deslt Presbyter AngLVs, 
 
 MDLCVVVI. 1666. 
 
 ADVentV Lata eft SanCta Maria tVo. 
 
 c During the Operation of this Prophecy , they 
 c remain'd pretty lilent , 'till the time elaps'd ; and 
 * nothing effected , they faw it neceffary to 
 c fpread a falfe Report all the Country over, of a 
 s Toleration prepared for them, fays my Author ; 
 Anarchy Reviving • or. The Good old Caufe on the Anvil, 
 Printed, 1668. p. 12. 
 
 But we find all this Expectation vanifh'd into Air, 
 neither feems there any probability of Presbytery e- 
 ver getting uppermoft here again, being juftly odi- 
 ous and abominable in the Eyes of all Parties, with- 
 out diftin&ion. 
 
 Thus we find the generality of our Sectaries in 
 thofe Times, were leaven'd with Anabaptijlical Prin- 
 ciples, and thereby fit Subjects, ready and prepar'd to 
 entertain the grofleft Deluiions and Blafphemies ; 
 and that which is very obfervable of thefe two Impi- 
 ous Deluders, is, That whatever they deliver'd from 
 their Vifions, Revelations , Voices , was gilded over 
 with Scripture-Phrajes, as the moft effectual way to im- 
 pofe upon the People, tho' directly contrary to the 
 Scriptures themfelves,* and plainly, and in pofitive 
 Terms, Undermining and Subverting them. And 'tis 
 from this Anabaptiftical Spirit, that from the very 
 Beignning , oppos d, vilify d, and neglected the Scrip- 
 tures, that divers of our modern Sectaries have look a 
 upon them as below them, and themfelves above 
 them;and none more than thcAnabaptifts rhemtelves, 
 Witnefs, Sleidan and other Authors, and their Off- 
 spring 
 
270 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 fpring the Quakers. The Reafon of this Contempt 
 of the Scriptures, is obvious, plain and char as a Sun- 
 beam ; the DoBrines and Precepts of the Holy Scri- 
 ptures, are dire&ly oppofite unto them, and their 
 Dtfigns, and condemns them, and make them mani- 
 feft, and difcovers what Spirit they are of:. The 
 Scriptures are Enemies to them, and therefore they 
 are again ft the Scriptures. They ufe the Scripture 
 only as a Tool and Inftrument, and employ it in their 
 Drudgery • They own it not as a Rule and a Judg, 
 but make themfelves Superiour unto it ; as do the J2W- 
 kers, who, after all, are nothing but a S/k«Vj of -4»«- 
 baptifis • and mould but thefe Unmask, and Dec/are 
 themfelves, and let up their Defign, the Great My- 
 ftery of their Kingdom, and get Footing, thefe very 
 .Quakers would foon appear to be *# ewe ( however 
 they behave themfelves for the prefentj and unite 
 moft cordially, there being as little Difference be- 
 teween them in the bottom, as between a Mahome- 
 tan and a Turk, Satan and Beelzebub. And that which 
 is obfervable farther, is, they never run to their 
 Revelations, Voices, Vifions, and Immediate Teachings, 
 but when they are at a lofs, and dare not abide by 
 the Toucbftone of the Holy Scriptures, becaufe notori- 
 oufly oppofite to them. To be fure, 'tis to give Coun- 
 tenance to fome Uncouth, Uncommon peice oiVillany, 
 when they fhelter themfelves under thefe Pretexts, 
 as appears from thofe Revelations of Jack of Ley den, 
 Matthias, Knipper doling, Franklin and his Strumpet. 
 Or when, by the juit Judgment of God, they are 
 irrigated by the Devil, to hurry themfelves into 
 present Ruin and Depuclion. * Thus Theodoret a Tay- 
 * lor, who bore himfelf a Prophet at Amfterdam, fell 
 f flat to the Ground, and pray'd with fuch vehe- 
 ' mency, that he fcar'd all the Affiftants out of their 
 c Wits : Then rifing, as it were, out of an Extalie, 
 c I have feen, faid he, God in his Majefty, and 
 c have fpoken with him ; I was rap'd up to Heaven ,• 
 
 c then 
 
Examind and Difprov'd. zyi 
 
 then I defcended into Hell, and there fearch'd e- 
 very Corner; the Great Day of Judgment is 
 coming, &c After four Hours fpent in 
 
 Praying and Teaching, the Prophet being Arm'd 
 
 Cap-a-pe, ftrft he put off his Head-piece, 
 
 then his Corllet, then his Sword, then his Gar- 
 ments, and his very Shirt, and threw all into 
 : the Fire : Then he commanded the Company, 
 r in the Authority of a Prophet, to do the like ; and 
 
 r fo they did, Women and all, &c. Then the 
 
 c Prophet commanded them all to follow him, and do 
 : as he would do ,• and fo ruftYd into the Street 
 
 : fta'k-naked, running and crying horribly 
 
 f thro' the Town, Wo, Wo, Wo, the Divine Vengeance, 
 i the Divine Vengeance • whereby they put the whole 
 
 c Town in an Uproar : ~ and being taken, 
 
 \ no Perfwafions nor Threatnings could prevail 
 c with them to put on their Cloaths, faying, They 
 ' muft have no Covering, for they were the Naked 
 c Truth ; and fo after a while were Executed : Short 
 Hifi. of the Anabap. p. 42, 4;. Add to this, the 
 Revelation of one of their Women, that God would 
 keep her alive without Meat • and (hefafted to Death. 
 Nor will it be impertinent in this place, to ob- 
 serve what dreadful Mi/interpretations of the Holy Scrip* 
 ture, the Devil puts into their Heads, to encourage 
 them unto, and to harden them in the moft odious 
 Immoralities, under the Notion 0$ Indifpenfable Duties ; 
 and by this, imagine to what all their Profeflion 
 tends, however tinfell'd over with Religious Cant, and 
 the Formality of Sanctity and glittering Out-fide. It 
 was their conftant c Dodrine, faith this fiort Hifto- 
 ry, every- where, [ viz,, in Germany , Switzerland, 
 &c.~\ that Women muft be Common. Three Rea- 
 fons they had, well worthy to be Regifter'd to 
 Pofterity, to perfwade Honeft Women to Profti- 
 cute their Bodies, if they would be Savd: The 
 Fhft was, That Chrifiians mult Renounce thofe 
 
 ' things 
 
^7^ The Attach apt ifts Minijlry 
 
 ' things which they love beft,* and therefore Women 
 ' muft Renounce their belov'd Honefty. The Se- 
 c cond, That for Chrift's Sake, we muft undergo 
 
 * any kind of Infamy. The Third Reafon, was, 
 
 * That the Publicans and Harlots mall go before 
 
 * the Pharifees into the Kingdom of Heaven. Ly- 
 
 * ing with other Women than their Wives, they 
 c call'd Spiritual Marriages • and under that Title, 
 c they would lie with Neices and Sifters. With that 
 ' Do&rine they had feduc'd two Sifters, Maidens, 
 
 * at St. Gall, by Zurkk ; as foon as they were Re- 
 f baptiz'd, they being a Bed, Two Spiritual Husbands 
 ' came to them, and lay with them, but with fuch 
 c fervent Spirit, that they brake the bottom of the 
 ' Bedftead out ,• the Noife whereof a wak'd the People 
 e of the Houfe, who coming up in hafte, found 
 c Two Spiritual Weddwgs in One broken Bed, p. 5-4. 
 O the horrid Blafphemj, Impiety, Beafilinefs, and Im- 
 pudence of this Hell- born Sett I Let not Stennet, or 
 any of our Modem Anabaptifts, pretend to excufe 
 themfelves, or to (ham off the World with their Hy- 
 pocritical Mock-abhorrences. If thefe were the 
 Do&rines and Pradices of their Forefathers, the Pri- 
 mitive Anabiptijfs, it their Immediate PredeceJJ'ors, e- 
 ven here in England, have, as hath been fliewn, 
 maintain d, ajjerted and contended for Doctrines and Pra- 
 ctices, equally as wicked at leaft ,• why mould we 
 not have a ftrid Eye of Jealoufie over the whole 
 Seel, and be for ever fufpicious of them ? Or what 
 Security can they give,as that they will notTeach and 
 ad over the fame Abominations and Villanies again ? 
 It's only 'or want of Power and Opportunity, that they 
 do not run into all the fore-mention'd 'villanous Ex- 
 cefs, and can be nothing elfe. What hath been 
 pra&is'd by this Sed, in confequence ol their Prin- 
 ciples, will be ever prsftis'd by thofe of the fame 
 Principles, when they once dare. The Devil is the 
 fame Devil frill, let him put on what Shape or Fi- 
 gure 
 
Examind and 'Difprovd. i 7 3 
 
 gure he will, Transfiguration doth not alter his Na- 
 ture. Let them Publiih a Thoufand Confeffions, they 
 are ftill Anabapti(ls, a&ed by the fame Spirit, drive 
 at the fame Ends, the varying of Methods or Meajures y 
 is only a Circumfiantial of Convenience, nothing but a 
 meer Transfiguration, meerly to catch Dottrels, to im- 
 pofe upon, and delude the Unwzry and Ignorant^ 
 and in compliance with the Nectffity of the prefent 
 Juncture. The fame Artifice will not always take > 
 and therefore Pofiures rauft be altered. And it ought 
 to be an everlafting Prejudice or Prefcription again ft a 
 Seel, when it lets out at firft with fuch Infernal Prin- 
 ciples and Practices ; nay, 'tis Demonfiraticn it felf^ 
 . that it took its Origins from the Devil, and was f 'erg d 
 in Hell. And Ih ill we be (ofiupid as to be put off with 
 a Sham Confcjfion at every turn, and be fobb'd off 
 with a They are nothing to m, we do not Teach or 
 Practice fo, what are the Foreign, the German Anabap- 
 iijls to us ? No, this Confejjion of theirs was patch'd 
 up out of the Independents, meerly to fupport and 
 vamp up a. finking Caufe, and to Rally once more, to 
 try whether they can go thorough flitch with their 
 Fifth Monarchy ; that is, in plain Englifn, to fet up 
 Antichrist and the Devil, in the Room oiChriJl, to 
 cut the Throats of cur Princes, Nobility, Gentry, and all 
 that are Wealthy, and to fet up the Alcoran, or fome- 
 what worfe , if poflibly, and Libert'mifm. The 
 World ought to abhor and dread the Growth of them 
 equally with Popery ,• nay, did ever all the Plots and 
 Defigns of Rome, come up to that height of Extremi- 
 nation of all that (hould lie in its way, and hinder its 
 Progrefs • fo earneftly prefs'd upon the Government 
 then in being, by Canne, Spitthhoufe and Sedgwick I 
 Gan any thing parallel the Impiety, Propbtnenejs, Hy- 
 pocrifie, Blood- thirftinefs of the Donatifls of Old, but 
 themfelves, from whom they have copied out all the 
 ViUanies they teach and *# (tho' by the way, they 
 can't pretend to be their SuccefTon by any cont'wud 
 
 T Line 
 
2*74 Tb e Arrahaptifis Miniflry 
 
 Line of Sue cejjton, hut by an Interruption of above a thou- 
 sand Tears ftanding fince their utter Extirpation, an in- 
 fallible Sign they were no more the Church of Ghrift, 
 or the One Church then, than thefe are now ,■ (and 
 they no more than the Turks or Hotmantots ; ) and is 
 there any fVickedncfs the Devil can fuggesl, and Man 
 attempt, that may not be done fafcly by fuch Princi- 
 ples as the generality of Anabaptijls have a6tualiy pro- 
 fefid ? And fo we may fee that the Spirit of Ana- 
 baptifm is always the fame, as it finds Opportunity, 
 the whole Drift and Defign of it, centers in nothing 
 but the World i a Spirit of Carnality is the very Soul 
 that animates it j the Pojftjfions and Pleafures of the 
 World, and to live at Random, free from all Reftraint, 
 is #// it defires, and /licks at no Means, no matter 
 how Impiottt, by which it may compafshs End : No 
 lefs will fatisfie them, than to be Lords of the Uni- 
 *verfe • and let them not think it a fufricient Vindica- 
 tion and Apology for themfelves, to lift up their Eyes 
 and Hands, and protest, and abhor, and difown thefe 
 Impofiures, Blasphemies, and gfc/} Deceits of Franklin, 
 &c Nothing can be criminal in him, in their Senfe, 
 but only his XJnfuccefsfulnefs j Is it, I pray, lefs Impi- 
 ety to devife a Temporal, a Worldly, a Carnal Monar- 
 chy, founded in Blood-ped, Opprejfon, and the grandest 
 InjufHce • Unrighteoufnef far exceeding that of Nim- 
 rod, or the Founders of the Four Monarchies • a Monar- 
 chy to confift of none but Rogues and Whores, Traitors 
 and Rebels,. Murderers and Robbers, the prop bane Scum, 
 Dregs, Lees, Excrements of the Creation, Hypocrites 9 
 Drunkards • and after all, Atheijls, Devils in human 
 Shape : I fay, is it a lei's Crime to Project fuch a 
 Kingdom, to Enthrone J;fus Chrift on ,• or, which is 
 the /iter*/ 7V#f/j and Defign, in the AW*<? of jfyW 
 Chrift, or lefs Difhonour to him, than to fet up for 
 a F<*//e, a Sham-Christ ; and under that Difguife, to 
 ad all thefe Villanies ? And yet, forfooth, the 
 Subjects of this Fifth Monarchy, projected by them^ 
 
 ft, 
 
iZxawh'J and Vifprovd. 275- 
 
 tauft,nay cannot, confift ofany but fuch Hell-hounds, 
 and muff invincibly, infallibly fuppofe a Diffolution o£ 
 the True Church of Chrift, and an Abolition or Di(* 
 anulling of the Gofpel ; Heaven and He//, Light and 
 Darknefs, are as confident as an Anabaptiftical Milleni* 
 urn or .£//>£ Monarchy with it, or Chrift. By all the 
 Experience the World hath had of this u^y, it's evi~ 
 dent this fort of People never had any true Zeal for 
 the Glory of G^, the Propagation of Truth, Purity of 
 Religion, the Eternal Welfare of their own or others 
 Souls. Witnefs all their TranfaBions in the Higher or 
 Lower Germany, and herein E?tgland, during all our 
 C/W Wars $ all center a in, and favour d of the World, 
 the F/f/fo and the Devil, and in all their Endeavours 
 againft Babylon and Antichrist, they only aim'd at 
 fetting up Antichrift in gW e*rw*/? ,• to periwade Men 
 to Apo/tacy, by Renouncing their True Baptifm for a 
 J&<f«; one ; that is in effect, to obliterate the Badg of 
 their Chrijlianity j to er^/e their Names out of the 
 Matricida Ecclefia ; to be branded with the A&«6 of 
 the Beaft ; to Lift themfelves under Satan and ^»?i- 
 chrift, in Order to fet up a new Empire in Oppolition 
 to Chrift, and to extirpate the Gofpel it ielf. This is 
 fo plain from all the Efforts that Pmrify made in the 
 Germanics, that cur Englijh Anabaptifis are even com- 
 peli'd to own it, and is fo evident from the De(igns y 
 that Cannc, Spittkhoufe, and Franklin, fet on foot, and 
 Sedgwick fwhom I have great reafon to fufpect, from 
 the Air of his Writings, to have been one of their 
 Gang, however a MiHenarian that's certain, and fo 
 at leaft next of Kin) that I dene them to difprove it* 
 That they actually endeavour to fet up a New Dif- 
 fenfation in the World, is fo clear, that it's Nonfenfe, 
 nay Madnefi to deny it. Children, Infants, included 
 in all the former, they pofitively, exprefly exclude in 
 theirs, without any more Concern, than for their 
 Dogs and Cats ; fo that in efFecl, thty have fet up a 
 "New Object of Worjlnp, a New Chrift, having coin'd 
 
 T 2 2, 
 
xy6 The Anhhaptijls Miniftry 
 
 a new Gofpel for him,a new Kingdom, as they would 
 have it in their Turkfli Millenarian fenfe^to be propa- 
 gatecL, and for him to be enthron'd or infralled in, 
 by ways and means contrary to the Gofpel Rules and 
 Precepts, as mail be mewn afterwards ,• new Subjects 
 too, to confift only of Men and Women • and new 
 Saints to reign with him without one grain of Holinefs y 
 or any thing that Borders upon Vertue or common 
 Probity in them. So that from this their Blafpbemous 
 Diabolical Scheme, it will follow that our Anabaptift 
 Millenarian Kingjefus, according to their new Difpen- 
 fation, comes to Crujh the Saints, all Men of Holy and 
 vertuoris Principles into pieces, to Reprobate them, and 
 to elect none But the moft profligate and r uillanous part 
 of Mankind to be Infeffors with him in his Kingdom ; 
 and if it be fo ! I coniefs indeed all ought to be ex- 
 traordinary and new, a new God, a new Saviour, a new 
 Gofpel, new Subjects, new Apoftles, new every thing. 
 They fet up a mw Church of their own Invention, 
 taking its Origine only from their own Chimera's, tra- 
 duced by no manner of vifible Succeffion, having no 
 exijlance for above a thoufand Years. I need not 
 name any more. From which it follows, that Christ 
 had not a Church in the World for fo many Ages, in 
 their account • (b that this is a new Difpenfation of theirs 
 and the Devil's forging,his ceafng and being annull'd or 
 annihilated • they pretend to prove themfelves to be 
 the Church by lying diabolical Vifions, Dreams, Extafes, 
 Voices 3 Revelations, Infpirations, Miracles, and hereby 
 have proved themfelves as notorious Iwpofiors as Alaho- 
 ««fhimfelf$ and what is more, hitherto through 
 the wonderful Mercy of God, all their Defigns and At- 
 tempts have been fruftated, blafled, and manifeftly 
 curfed by God in the Germanies and in this our Nation 
 of England, during the reign of the Millenarian Parlia- 
 me?jt 3 d\ffo\v'c\ by Oliver yinto whole Hands they refigrid 
 their Powers 165%. 
 
 They 
 
Examirid and t>ifprov'd. zyy 
 
 They Plied hard to carry on their Projecl of a Fifth 
 Monarchy, but were bafely Defeated, as I have (hewn 
 above • and fo, BlefJ'ed be God, have been hitherto 
 notwithftanding their Prophecies and divers Attempts 
 and Plots fince, to this very Day, fo very remarkably, 
 tho* they have left no Stone unturned, employd the 
 vvorft of Means and the moft defperate Profligates as 
 Instruments, watch'd all opportunities, call d in the 
 ajjifiance of all Seels whatioever ; fee Hell broke locfe, 
 or an Anfwer to a bloody and rebellious Declaration, enti- 
 tuled a Door of Hope pubhfiit 1661, &c. that as Mr. 
 Humfrey Ellis in his P feu doc hr if us, p. jp. c Of all the 
 c feveral Ways and Seels in the proieflion of Religi- 
 c on, which Men feparating from the Reformed 
 ' Churches have fal'n into,fmce the time of the Re- 
 c formation began, I know none fo eminently blaft- 
 c ed cf God, that, either for the Congregations of 
 c them,or particular Perfons,have been given up un- 
 c to, and been guilty offuch Errors and finful Pra- 
 * dices as thofe I now fpeak of-; not to inftance in 
 c times paft, and the Pra&ices of thofe of this Pro- 
 c feffion in Germany. See not we their Gongrega- 
 c tions even in ail Places matter'd, and broken to 
 c Pieces, and that not by the Hand of Man, by the 
 ' Perfecution of any Enemies, but by the immediate 
 c Hand of God, and by the Divisions which have 
 c rifen up amongft and within themfelves .- That it 
 f is now a rare thing to find a Congregation of that 
 e Profeflion : Some of them there may be yet hold- 
 c ing together in London, but in all the Countries 
 c hereabouts, where Churches of them have been 
 c in feveral Places ere6ted,and where, but few Years 
 f fince, there hath been much and zealous difputing 
 c for that Way, there is not now, that I know of, 
 c a Church of them to be feen ,♦ but the Members li- 
 c ving in as fcattered a divided Way one from ano- 
 c ther, as may be, yea refufing to own that very 
 : Way for which they before fo zealoufly contefted, 
 f as the only Way of God 1 even Ajham'd of it, as if 
 
 T 3 'but 
 
9,78 Tlie Anabaptifts Mhujlry 
 
 * but a Carnal Adminiflrtaicn. Have not their 
 6 Churches been the Nurferies and Seminaries of all 
 f thefe many Errors, which have overfpread the 
 
 * Face of our Nation, that from them have moftly 
 € proceeded and been fent forth • all thefe falfe Teach- 
 
 * ers 3 the Inftruments of divulging them, Antitrinita- 
 
 * rianifmy Arminianiftn, Soc'mianijm, &c. with many 
 e other grofs Herefies ,♦ how have they been profef- 
 f fed in them ? Where have the Scriptures been fo 
 ' much flighted ? and Revelations, how much have 
 € they pretended to them, efpecially when their de- 
 ' ceitful pretence of fh.k'wg Fits was fo 5 much in fa- 
 
 * fhion amongft them ? And fo trom flighting the 
 e Word of God, havefai'n inro a'l manner of Errors 
 c whatfoever. Vfeudochrifius, &c. by Hunfrty Ellis 
 c 1650. p. $"9.-» again I deny not (iaith the 
 
 * fame Author ) but fome there a^e of this Way 
 [viz,, well-meaning ignorant Perfons, who follow 
 it in the fimplicky of their Hearts, as feme of the 
 People did Abfokm in his Rebellion] of which God 
 only can be the proper Judge, and therefore to be 
 left to his Judgment ] who hold faft to the Scrip- 
 tures, &c. i but have they not caufe in all thefe 
 s things to take notice of the Hand of God's Juflice 
 e fo profecuting that Way of theirs, and to be very 
 c jealous whether that Way be of God which hath 
 £ been thus eminently., in all times and all along., fo 
 c blafted by God ,- yea and farther to confider, w'he- 
 e ther there be not juft Ground to Judge that their 
 e feparating from ail the Churches of Chrift, which 
 € are not of their Opinion, and declaiming all Fel- 
 ? lovvlnip with them as Antichrifiian, which hath ge- 
 c nerally been the Pradice of thofe of their Way j 
 ' their cafting aifo of Children out of their Churches, 
 ? by denying Baptiftn to them 5/ leaving all the Ge- 
 
 * neradon of Mankind in Infancy in the World,, the 
 f Kingdom of the Devil, not owning them to be- 
 
 * long to the kingdom of Heaven the Church, &c 
 
 c V/he, 
 
Examined and fiifprov'd. z 79 
 
 e Whether, If^y, thefe be not the Sins, which God hath 
 c thus vifited upon them, in his thus blafting their 
 e Way, and giving up the moft eminent ProftJJors 
 
 e of it to thefe Ways of Delufion ? &c p. 60 
 
 c How could it be that any Perfons mould be fo 
 c grofly deceived, for any one fo to renounce 
 ' Chrift, as to fet up himfelf in his ftead ? Or for 
 c any others to harken to fuch manifeft Deceits, 
 c and to give up themfelves and their Faith to fuch 
 * a Deceiver ? were there not the juft Judgment of 
 c God, giving them up in Judgment thereunto, and 
 € fome great, tho' pojfibly fecret evil the Caufe of it, 
 id. pag. 5J. See Rom. 1. 21, 24, 28, 29. 2 Thejf.2, 
 11, 12. I think we need not be fo very fcrupulous 
 and timerous in enquiring why God fo remarkably 
 Matted the Vrogrefs of this Set! at that time of Day ? 
 the Event feems evidently to indicate the Reafons, 
 praifed be God there were fome Abrahams, Lots and 
 Mofcs's, and Daniels that flood in the Gap, who by the 
 Innocency and Righteoufnefs of their Caufe, (the 
 true Religion, the Glory of God, the Liberty of the Na- 
 tion, the Publick Good and Welfare, ) their Prayers and 
 Tears, their constancy in their Sufferings chofien by them 
 rather than finning, their Abhorrence and Dread of thefe 
 grofs Impieties and Dtlufions^wre filed, interceded and pre- 
 vailed with GsJ to command the dcttorying Angel to 
 jk<tf/& his Sword. 'Twas for the fake or his Church, 
 not only that Remnant of it, thofe few Virgins, that 
 Handful of his E/e# and Faithful here, that had never 
 bended the Knee to Baal, againft them. All the then 
 Setts of this Nation in Combination, with All the 
 Legions of £f<?// was Banded, I fay 'twas for the fake 
 of that found an l true part ol the Church and the Church 
 Universal it f elf , that Almighty God made &#re ^ij ^r»? 
 and confounded the Anabaptiflical Millenarian Defigns, 
 which were levelled by the Malice and Infiigation of 
 the Dei;;/ againft the whole vifible Church of Chrifi, 
 againft the Gofpel s Chrifiianity it felf, to make good 
 
 T4 our 
 
*3o The Anabaptijls Miniftry 
 
 our bleffed Saviours Promife, that thefe Gates of Hell, 
 and all the Machinations of Hereticks and Atheifts- 
 ihould never prevail againft Her. Let the Reader 
 coniult thefe Canting, Atheifiical Millenarian Scriblers, 
 and he will find their Defign, under the Colour and 
 pretence of fetting up the Fifth Monarchy, was really 
 to extirpate our common Chriftianity the Church Univer- 
 fal, and all to grarifie only and fblely their own 
 Luffs, and to be Lords and Mifters of the (Jniverfe, 
 to Monopolize all its beloved Wealth, Grandeur, Plea- 
 fures, Delights to themfelves $ and by defiroying d\\Laws, 
 and taking away all Refiraint, to crown themfelves 
 with Rofes, and to turn the World into a Seraglio, 
 and to fwim in their Lufis and Debaucheries , as I [hall 
 demon fir ate after-wards. The Event, I fay, demon- 
 firates that the Grace of God had forfaken this accur- 
 fed Generation of Hypocrites, abandon'd them to 
 themfelve,stheir Lufts, and judicially confign'd them 
 to the Devil to be infatuated and ledCaptive by him at 
 his Will ; that they might Difcover their lnfides to the 
 foberer and more ferious part of Ckrifians, and be- 
 come the Objects of their Fear and Detefiation, and be 
 thereby aware of them, and ftudioufly avoid them, as 
 Handing Monurmnts ol the divine Difpleafure and De- 
 reliction. And as Mr. Baxter faith very well, ' tho* 
 
 * God's mind be moft plainly reveal'd to us in his 
 f written Word, yet are his Providences alfo Teach- 
 € ing, and 'tis the Duty of his Servants to read and 
 
 * Itudy them sfpecially the Penal, withdrawing or 
 c with holding his Grace, and giving Men up to be- 
 f lieve Lies, and to vile Affections, to a reprobate Senfe, 
 c and to an abominable Con ver fat ion : Thefe are fuch 
 ? Difcoveries of the fore Difpleafure of the moft High, 
 
 * as mould make even the Beholders to fear, and all 
 f that ftand but near this heavy Judgment, to^ 
 
 - away from it, as the Ifraelites did at the Cries of 
 f the rebellious Followers of Corah, Numb. 16. left 
 
 e the Earth fhouk} hare fwallowed them up alfo. 
 
 ( The 
 
Examine! and D'ifprovd. x8i 
 
 The Hand of God is apparently gone out aeainft 
 your Ways of Separation and Anabaptifm ; it is your 
 Duty to obferve it : You may fee you do but pre- 
 pare too many for a further Progrefs, Seekers, Ran- 
 ters, Familifis, and now Quakers, and too many 
 prof eQed Infidels, do fpringup from among yon, as if this 
 •were your Journey s End, and the Perie&ion of your 
 Revolt. And it is your Churches, and thofe that 
 lean towards you, that prefently receive the Dottrines 
 of the Deceiver, and are the Stream in which 
 fome others with them are carried away. You 
 may fee you cannot hold your Followers when 
 you have them : your Work is blafted, you Lbour 
 in vain, nay worfe than in vain , you do but 
 prepare them for flat Herefie or ApoH^cy. I have 
 heard yet from the feveral Parts of the Land but 
 of very few that have drank in the Venom of the 
 Ranters or Quakers but fuch as have firft been of 
 
 your Opinions, and gone out at that Door.' Is 
 
 it your Miniftry or ours that they bend their Forces 
 
 againft ? Is it not part of their prefent bufinefs to 
 
 Do your Work, and cry down Infant Haptifm ? One 
 
 of the Queries, which they have put to me is, 
 
 c what exprefs Scripture I have for Infant Baptifm ? 
 
 * I muft lliew without Conference, or elfe confefs 
 
 ( my felf a Falfe Prophet. ] Another tendeth to 
 
 ' prove us no Churches. The Quakers then are 
 
 c Separates and Anti-Vadobaptifis, tho' more • 
 
 f have you not well confider d into what your Socie- 
 
 c ties were refolved in Germany and other Parts ? 
 
 € Is it like to be God's Way, which fo ordinarily 
 c leadethto,and endeth in fuch defperate Evils? — 
 c Nor would I thus Argue from the Apofiacy of a 
 ( few, or upon fome unufual Accidents ,• but when 
 c fuch hath been the Fate of the Stream of your 
 ' Party, from the very firft rifing of them in the 
 - World to this Day, I think it not inconfiderable. 
 [ Nor would I thus argue from any temporal Judg- 
 
 [ mens 
 
z2% The Anahaptijls Miniftry 
 
 me.r.t or OppieflTion by a perfecuting Enemy, for 
 I know that is no fuch ngn of God's Difp'eafure ; 
 J iu r p.'6t whether thofe Perfons are in a way 
 pleafing to G d,whom I fee him foufually deliver up 
 to Satan. I h pe I may be excufed. Certainly God's 
 Churches are the Places of his Bit fling ana his Del.ght } and 
 certainly fucfi jpiritualtlaguts as « ur 1 jes new be- 
 hold, aie as evident Notes ol God's heavy diipleafure, 
 as Me,n expeel to ice on Earth. Baxt. £htak. 
 Catech. in his Epifiie to the Separates and Anabap- 
 tiffs, printed Ar.no 165$. And then again ' We 
 have, faith he, the more Reafon yet to be fufpici- 
 ous, that this is God's difowning of your Way, and 
 Teftimony from Heaven againft it, in that he fol- 
 lowed the firft H'ereticks the Simcnians and their 
 Followers with the fame kind of Judgments, and 
 by fuch fearful Defertibns, did then witnefs his 
 Deteflati n of thofe that withdraw from the Uni- 
 ty of his Church, id. ibid. To return to the De- 
 fign of thefe Murthercus Saints, I told you it did not 
 Center in the utter Extirpation of this' particular 
 Chunh of England, butevenofthe univerfal vijible 
 Church of Lhrifi in all Parts of the World ,• and thus 
 the j\ they might be Anabaptifls 
 
 too for ought J know, their Defign exactly the fame 
 at leaft, no matter ior any diftin&ion as to fome 
 particular Opinions,fo long as they agree and unite in 
 the main defign and end) in their Door of Hope panted 
 
 Anno 166 £ p. 7. • " And for this Works lake we 
 
 defire not to love our Lives unto the Death, nei- 
 ther will we ever (if we may fpeak fo great a 
 Word with reverence in the tear ot God ) Ibeath 
 our Swords again, until Mount Zion become the joy 
 of the ivh'ih Earth a Mountain of Hoii; eL, and 
 an Habitation ot JulH'ce : Until Rcme be in Ajhes 
 and Babylon become r. nd a curfe, the border of 
 
 wickednefs, and the Pet pit againft ivh m the Lord hath 
 indignation for ever, there being left unto her neither 
 
 e Name 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 28; 
 
 Name nor Remnant, Son nor Nephew. For that we 
 are not purpofed, when the Lord mail have driven 
 forth our Enemies here in thefe Nations, and when 
 we mall in a holy Triumph have led our Captivity 
 Captive X.0 fit down under our Vines and Fig-Trees, 
 but to go on to FRANCE, SPAIN, GERMA- 
 NY and ROME, and DESTROY THE BEAST 
 AND THE WHORE, to hum her Flejh with Fire, 
 to throw her down with Violence, as a Milffone 
 into the Sea, and that me may be found no more 
 at all, Rev. 18.21. Jer. fi. 55". to bring not on- 
 ly thele but all the Nations to the SubjecJion ofChrift 
 that the Kingdom may be the Lords, and to per- 
 fect the Deliverance of all the Saints, &c. And 
 this is much more than a National Quarrel, that 
 which is the Teft now being the Interelt of Chrift, 
 the Blood of the Saint5, the Interefl of the good Pec- 
 pie, the Liberties of all Men, and the undoing of alt 
 the finful cpprejjions and Yoaks of the whole Creation. 
 The Controverfie now therefore lies between 2<u 
 on and Babylon, and therefore we ajfert, that it is 
 lawful for the true fpiritual Seed, [yes indeed of 
 Whores and Rogues, Beggars and Vagabonds, Mm tie- 
 rers and Thieves, and canting wh'mifg Hypocrites, Cob- 
 lers and Tinkers, Sweep- Kennels and Geld- finders, Ped- 
 lars and Gypfies, Pick-pockets and Bankrupts, oh the 
 fanctified Race ! ) c the Eegitimjg^ Heirs of the 
 6 Promifes or the World [becauf^Rggar'd by their 
 Drunkennefs and Debauchery, and fo wanting and 
 in great need of the Eftates of Princes, Nobility, and 
 Gentry, to carry on their Spiritual Work of Seraglio- 
 nifmj] Rom. 4. 1 3. f to rife up againff the Carnal, Ser- 
 ( pentine Seed, who are the deftroyersof the Earth, 
 f Rev. 11. 18. to poffefs the Gate of their Enemies 
 e to bind their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles 
 c in Fetters of Iron [to take peffeflion of their 
 Wealth, and to ravijh their Queens, Princes, La- 
 4'ies , their Wives and Daughters 3 and to make 
 
 Princes, 
 
184 The Anabaptifts Minijlry 
 
 Trinces and Lords hold the Stirrups for Saint-Tay- 
 lors and Coblers, and to be their Lacquey, Grooms, 
 
 and Turn-Spits. ] f. 8. Then again afterward, 
 
 Now therefore to come to the matter of our De- 
 claration We declare, (r«) That we will not 
 have one Stone of Babylon for a Corner, or for a 
 Foundation, Jer. yi. 26. c We will not have any 
 thing to do with the Antuhrifiian Magistracy , 
 Miniftry, Tithes, &c which are none of our Lords 
 Appointment, &x. We will not make any League, 
 nor joyn any affinity with them, O .' by all means 
 take Care that the righteous Seed be not polluted and mon- 
 grell d. 3 — c And we cannot but look upon the 
 f National Miniftry, even in its greateft 
 P. 16. c Reformation and Purity. [Woe be to all 
 the reformed Churches,even Holland it felf~ 
 though formerly a Gcjloen for many of cur perfe- 
 CUted Saint [cape-Gallows, &c."] in the time of the 
 late O. C. [Spictlehoufe's Mo[es\ and his iriers, as 
 Antichriftian, [all the Churches you fee in the 
 World as well as Rome, the Proteftant Churches of 
 France, Germany, Switzerland , Sweden, Denmark, 
 Scotland, all Antichrifiian, without any limitation or 
 exception, till they have paft an Anubaftifiical Mil- 
 lenarian Purgatory ] i and that which ought to be dil- 
 owned and feparated by all the true Churches of 
 Jefus Chrift in^ieir Foundation, Call, itanding in 
 the Parifli Af^pblies and Maintenance,^. And 
 as Babylon will be deftroy'd, and the falfc Antichri- 
 fiian Church will be no more, io the true Church 
 and Spoufe of Chrift will be brought out of the 
 Wildernefs, from all her Difperfion, Darknefs, 
 and Confufions, and vyill be purged and purified 
 from all her Corruptions,bcth in matter and form ; 
 and from the rife of the WitnelTes, the preaching 
 of the everlafting Gofpel, the beginning of the 
 downfal of Antichrift, and the fetting up the 
 Kingdom of Chrift, the Churches of Chrift, and 
 fincerc Profeflbrs of the Gofpel, with the Additi- 
 
 4 oh 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 285- 
 
 c on of new Converts, will begin to 
 
 « appear with the Lamb on Mount Zion, . Do0 J '/ "f 
 c • v .1 1 t* • • • ^1 j r. • tn Hill broke 
 
 c in all the Primitive Glory and Purity loo ^ P ,£ 
 
 c of the New-Teftament Churches, for 
 * Matter Dofirinc, and Order. [ O glorious times ! 
 now for the fpiritual Marriages, as foon as the dip- 
 ping is over , Munfierian Salamanca - Weddings ! 
 as coarfe as it looks, yet Riot and Lkentioufnefs, Fil- 
 thinefs and Impurity is the burthen of the Song,- after 
 all this religious Cant, all this is nothing but a Satani- 
 cal Tranfiguration,&s will appear afterwards, in fpight 
 of all they can pretend, or dare to urge to the con- 
 trary. In a word, the profperous Succefs of thefe 
 Millenarian Saints for a time, in their Wars at home 
 and abroad, did adually, I confefs, ftrike a Dread 
 and Terror inco all the Vrinces of Europe • their defign 
 being notorious, to carry their Arms into the Conti- 
 nent, and fo to rival the Turks, either to enter into 
 a Coalition with them (which from their Principles 
 may be conceiv'd feafible enough ) or to erect their 
 Trophies over them alfo : infomuch that the States 
 General of the united Provinces thought it abfolutely 
 neceffary,after feveral prodigious LoiTes fuftained at 
 Sea from the victorious Arms of cur Enthufiafiical 
 Millenarian Government, to Court Oliver and that 
 Millenarian Council of State and Parliament at any rate 
 for a fettled Peace, being upon the very brink of Ruin; 
 and after fome very disagreeable and uneafie Com- 
 pliances, as engaging to Oliver for ever to Difcard 
 the Family of Najfau from the Stadthclderfoip, &c. 
 they effectually engag'd him to difTolve that Enthu- 
 faftick Parliament,and to remove that Generation of 
 Men,whom they lookt upon as their moft bitter and 
 implacable Enemies and Rivals, from all his Coun- 
 cils,and all places of Truft, alluring him,at the fame 
 time,thatif he would atiume the Government c into 
 his own Hands, they would be ready to accord with 
 him upon more moderate Terms [ than they had hi- 
 
 ' therto 
 
a 8 6 The Anahaptifts Minlftry 
 
 ther to infilled upon] and enter into fuch a defend 
 Jive Alliance, as fhould fecure him againft Foreign 
 and Domeftick Enemies : Subb s further Juftificati- 
 on of the prefent War againft the United Netherlands, 
 I ^73- p. no. f Hereby they gaind Oliver , to 
 contrive a Period tor the pretended Parliament, 
 with a Refignation of their Power into his Hands, 
 Decemb. 12. 16^3. All this it very much behov'd 
 them to do, and much more, if it been requir d of 
 them, iince they very well knew, ' That the Con- 
 vention, fays Stubbs , Summon'd by the Council, 
 and vulgarly call'd Praife-G.od Bartbo?tesPM\iamem s 
 were as aveii'e from the Dutch as any Men ,• they 
 looked upon them as Carnal and Worldly Politicians, 
 r Enemies to the Kingdom ol Chrift, and fuch as 
 would, upon all Occafions, retard the Progrefs of 
 the Saints and People of God, in overturning the 
 c Powers of this World ,• that Antkhriji, that Man 
 of Sin could never be deftroy'd in Italy, whilft 
 the Dutch retained any confiderable Strength in the 
 United Provinces : Stubb's Further Vindication, &c. 
 p. 91. And in the Margin he tells us, ( That, as 
 Black-friers Meeting, they pronounc d all the Re- 
 * form'd Churches (but efpecialiy the Dutch) to be as 
 the Oat-works to Babylon, and that they muft be 
 taken down, before there couldbe any coming at 
 the main Fort. They did devote them to De- 
 ftruftion, and prefag'd their Deduction out of 
 feveral Texts of Scripture accommodated there- 
 unto, Id. ibid. 
 
 The Nicety of the Flag they did not much in- 
 * fift upon, nor alfert the Dominion of the Seas j 
 c but tney did hold it neceifary in order to the 
 f Coming of Chrift, and the Perfonal Reign,- that 
 r the Seas mould be fecur'd, and be preferv'd as 
 c peaceable as the Land ,• and that all Powers, whe- 
 ' ther by Sea or Land, ought jointly to fubmit unto 
 : the Scepter of K. Jefus ; whofe Ways, they, and 
 
 net 
 
Examirid and Vtfprovd. 187 
 
 not the Holland^rs^ were to prepare. As for the 
 Procedure of the Dutch, by way of Petition, they 
 thought it might be cortinu'd, fince the Tower of 
 the Council cf State, Was all one with that of the 
 Saints, and theLs deriv'd from him, to whom all 
 Power is gvm. And upon that account, the 
 Dutch ought to continue their AddrefTes of Mef- 
 felgneurs, and Tres-illuflres Seigneur s, moft Honoura- 
 ble Lords unto the faid Council ; not in that Senfe 
 wherein it is forbid by the Gofpel, but in that 
 whereby our Lord Chrift aftumes fuch Titles, and 
 likewife confers them on the Saints,* that the Sig- 
 nification, not the Sound of Words was to be at- 
 tended unto, &c The Saints therefore might to- 
 lerate them without Scruple, and the Dutch ought 
 not to refufe them, left it fliould be deem'd a Re- 
 jection of the Kingdom of Cbrift y which was now 
 approaching ,• that the Dutch ought to kifi the Son, 
 left he be angry, and they perijlj ; and fhould have a 
 care how they contemn'd his Holy Ones, left they 
 Were chaftls d with the Rod of Iron. In fine, fo lit* 
 tie did they value thefe empty Titles in reference 
 to the World, that if the Deputies would falute 
 every Ma ft iff 'Dog or barking Cur, in; England, with 
 the Complement of Monfelgneur, they would not 
 refent it as an Indignity. The Ambaffadors were 
 now more perplex'd than before ,• it was difficult 
 to treat with, and impoffible to prevail upon thefe 
 Men,- They were now in danger to be abfolutely 
 ruin'd as 'Enemies ofChrlB, rather than of England % 
 and a Coalition with England would not fatishe, 
 except they likewife annex'd their Provinces unto 
 the Fifth Monarchy ; Stubbs, f. 92, 93. What now 
 can be plainer than the Extirpation of the whole 
 "jlfibU Church, projected by thefe Saints, as well as 
 the Conqueft of the whole World. So that what 
 we find rail'd againft by the Sectaries, in the Pope, 
 Mahometans and French, by only turning the Tables, 
 
 is 
 
2.88 The Analaptijts Miniflry 
 
 is what themfelves would fain be at -, to have all the 
 World of their own Sentiments, and their own Sub- 
 jeBs and 'Vaffals. And let any impartial Perfons 
 judg, by this little Specimen of their Spirits in their 
 Manager y of the Dutch, and what I have hinted out 
 of Spittlehoufe, Sedgwick, and their Door of Hope, whe- 
 ther any Generations of Men in the World, can be 
 more Arbitrary, and Tyrannical, and Infolent, and 
 Haughty, than themfelves ? And yet this is the 
 Righteous Caufe of Freedom, Juftice and Right eoufnefi 
 that they profefs : Second Narrative of the late Parlia- 
 ment fo call'd, p. 12. Or, as they explain themfelves^ 
 
 in their Door of Hope c by the Kingdom of 
 
 c Chrift, or that * part of it under the Kingdom of the 
 c Sion, which refpeds the Government of a well- 
 c order'd Common-wealth ; we mean, That we 
 c mould have the beft of Men, of found Principles, 
 c of known Integrity, haters of Bribes and Cove- 
 if toufnefs, lovers of Mercy and Juftice, for our 
 c Magiftrates and Governours, that we might have 
 c the Word of God for our Rule, &c Hell broke 
 c loofe, p. 10. Thefe would be Heavenly Times 
 indeed, to fee fuch Saints, fuch Men of Integrity, 
 Mercy, Juftice, and the like, (fart immediately out of 
 Rebels, Traitors, Murderers, Robbers, Plunderers, Opprefi- 
 fors. For all thefe, thefe very Men muft of neceflity 
 be,and the moft contrariant A&ors in the Univerfe ; 
 and Defpifers, Contemners, Violaters of this very 
 Word of God, which they profefs mould be their Rule. 
 Impudent Varlets, to dare to vent fuch ft uff as this, 
 to Men of Senfe, and to publim it to the World! 
 To think to gull Mankind into fuch afottiJI) Belief of 
 the Saintjhip and Juftice, of a parcel of Rabble, that 
 muft unavoidably be Scandals to the Banditti them- 
 felves, and the moft execrable Villains in the World, 
 and a Reproach to Humanity it felf, in its greateft De- 
 generacy conceivable • devoid of all Grace and Common 
 Morality, and no more ac"ted or influenc'd by the 
 J Spirit 
 
Examlrid and Dzfprov'J. % go. 
 
 Spirit of God,, than the New-England Pawaws, or 
 even the Damn d in Hell, in order to be qualify d for 
 fuch a Diabolical Enterprize ,• by fo much the more 
 abominable and odious, by how much they endea- 
 vour to Mask and Gild it over with fuch Jpecious and 
 godly Pretences. 
 
 Having now, I think, pretty well reconcil'd 
 our EngliJJj Anabaptifiy, with their Primitive Fathers, 
 Jack of Leyden, and the reft of that Foreign Crew, I 
 fliall once more (and then take my leave) addrefs 
 my felf to our old Friend Prophet Canne, and turn 
 his own Artillery upon him once more. The next 
 thing then that I (hall infer upon him, and animad- 
 vert upon, is, the Abhorrence our Englifr) Anabaptifis 
 have for the Civil Government of the World in general, 
 and then particularly Monarchical, as well as the 
 Government of the Church, by an ordinary, fi an ding, 
 fucce'Jive Min'pflry, in the rejpeclive Nations of the 
 World that profels Qbrifiianity. Monarchical Govern' 
 ment they utcerly difown, or Government in a Nati- 
 on by a (ingle Perfon, as inconliftent with Chrijtianity 3 
 'and entrenching upon the Sovereignty of Chrifi • and 
 own no Throne but God's Throne, and therefore call 
 Monarchy, Antichriflian, and Dragonical, and Beafllyi 
 To this purpofe, in oppefition to our Legal Monar- 
 chy, Canne calls the High Court of Jufiice, that mur- 
 der'd K. Charles I. of BleJJ'ed Memory, God 's Throni 
 (Voice from the Temple, p, 14.) for the time being- 
 After thofe Powers were cha frier d, and diffolvd, 
 then he tells us, That God rais'd up Oliver (p. 15. ) 
 for the Throne's fake, that they might not he any longer 
 polluted by fuch a Generation of corrupt Men aS fat irt 
 God's Throne before, p. 15". And here by the way , 
 pith he, c Let me fpeak a word unto fuch as jhall fit next 
 c upon the Throne ; I would have Men confider well 
 * before hand what they do s It's God own Throne, 
 c and to fpeak comparatively, it's the only Civil 
 <j Throne he hath now in the World j by it he will 
 
 %j 1 m 
 
apo The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 do mighty and terrible Things, and therefore 
 fuch as are not for Chrift, and for the carrying on 
 of his Defign in the World, He will lay them a fide 
 one after another, and/t? up fuch as fhall pour out 
 the last Vials quickly upon Monarch s and the Anti- 
 chriftian Kingdom, p. 16. Accordingly he tells 
 
 us, Kings, and Kingly Power fhall be call: out 
 
 from the Nations,* and — —as Monarchy 
 
 falls, fo falls Antic hrijiianijm ; when no Footfteps 
 
 of Monarchy remain, nothing then will {land of 
 
 the Antichrifiian Kingdom, which came in with it, 
 
 and hath ever fmce been upheld and fupported 
 
 by it, p. 20. So in the Narrative, our Millenari- 
 
 ans call'd Oliver, who took the Government upon 
 
 himfelf as a fingle Perfon, the Golden Calf, Babylonifij 
 
 and Antichrifiian Brat, (Second Narrative of the 
 
 late Parliament fo call'd , Printed, 1658. p. 9.) 
 
 and from a Mofes, as Anabaptifi-Millenarian Spittle- 
 
 houfe call'd him, this fame Millenarian Author, and 
 
 I fuppofe Anabaptist too, degrades him to a Judas 
 
 and Jeroboam (p. 38.) for Difiblving the Barebone 
 
 Parliament of Millenarian Enthuftafis,, and afiuming 
 
 the Government himfelf, out of an Inveteracy and 
 
 Antipathy to any thing that refembl'd Monarchy, 
 
 And in their Door of Hope, Printed 1661, thele 
 
 fame Sparks exprefs themfelves thus : f Neverthe- 
 
 c lefs God hath now taken away all our Banks, and 
 
 f permitted this old Enemy to come upon us as a 
 
 * Flood, If a. J9. 29. And now Charles Stuart is 
 c Proclaim'd King of England ; In whom is conti- 
 
 * nu'd from Nimrod, their Firfi Head and Original, 
 s the Succejfion of the fame curfed Seed and Serpen- 
 c tine Off-fpring, which by a continued Series runs 
 6 through the Veins of the Ajjjrian, Per/tan, Grecian, 
 c and Roman Monarchies. So that now this com- 
 
 * mon Enemy (the Seed of Ham) is rifen up in the 
 e Spirit of tha t Murtherer, Cain ; in the Spirit of 
 : Efatt, Pharaoh, Amalek , Nebuchadnezzar , Human, 
 c in the Spirit of Herod \ — of the old Heathen Per ft* 
 
 ' tutor's. 
 
Examind an J Dlfprov'J. iqi 
 
 cuton, fuch as Dioclejian, in the Spirit of the Mon- 
 
 ftruous, Cruel, unparallel'd Beaft, Rev. 15.- » 
 
 in the Spirit of that Scarlet, filthy Whore, Rev, 
 
 17. ~ We fay, they are now rifen up 
 
 in this Spirit againft the Lord, againft his Chrift, 
 and People ,• This is* the Spirit that put to death 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift, and that Murther'd all 
 f the Martyrs : Door of Hope $ Publifh'ii entire in 
 Hell broke loofe, 1 66 1 . p. 3 . 
 
 Firfi i Then as to our Anabaptifis and Millenariam 
 Abhorrence of Monarchy or Kingly Government, as Anti- 
 christian or Diabolical ; whence all this Hatred, Anti- 
 pathy and Aver/ion, but from a private or fecret Spite 
 againft Chrifiianity it feif in the bottom, from that an- 
 tient Enmity between the Serpent s and the Woman s 
 Seed ? If Kingly, I mean Civil, Worldly, Monarchical 
 Government proves to be even God's own Ordinance^ 
 which none but even Atheijls can deny, none but 
 Enemies of the Holy Scriptures themfelves. 1\, I iay, 
 this can be prov'd, and withal, that all Kings in the 
 World that come by their Power and Authority in a 
 lawful way, in dire<5i and full Confequence of the 
 Laws of their refpecllve Monarchies, are really and 
 literally Chrifi's Vicegerents, and derive their Authori- 
 ty^ and can have it only (exciufively of all the 
 World) from him, as ths;Fount ain., of a\\ Tower in 
 Heaven and Earth, and confeqnemly, only Depen- 
 dent on him, Reprefent him, AEl for and under him as 
 Minifiers of his Mediatorial Kingdom, and ot his Provi- 
 dential Government of the World ; then it mud un- 
 avoidably follow, that thefe Anabaptifis, Millenary 
 ans, and all thole who agree with them, are ipfo 
 faBo 3 Antichrifis, or Antichrifiians, Oppagners of, Re- 
 bels, Enemies to Unblicn, to the Authority of Chrife 
 himfelf in his Minifiers, and Reprefentatives 3 - and fo 
 without Repentance, they muft infallibly [if wilful- 
 ly ignorant] perifh everlaftingly • if we may argue 
 from the Word of God, Rom. 15. if the Word of 
 
 U 2 God 
 
xpi The Anahaptifts Miniflry 
 
 God be true, infallible, and the Punishments and 
 Threatnings therein contain'd, not meer Scare- crows 
 and Amufemmts. 
 
 In order to a thorough and folid Confutation of 
 their Antichriftian Principles , I fhall do thefe 
 things : 
 
 Fir Ft, I fhall prove that Monarchy is God's own 
 Efiablfoment and Ordinance. 
 
 Secondly, That it now,, fince his Afcenfion under 
 the GofpelDifpcnfaticn, derives it felt' immediately 
 from Chrift, as ew^e®**©-, God-man. 
 
 Thirdly, That whoever deny it^ or oppofe it, are 
 A'.irichrifis, or Antichriftian. 
 
 Fir ft then, I affirm as an undoubted Chrifiian Truth, 
 that Monarchy, or Kingfoip, is God's own Eftablifoment 
 and Ordinance by Chnfr, and is as plain and evident 
 as any other Verity in the Sacred Oracles, even as any 
 Article of cur Faith. To begin with the Authorities 
 of the Old Testament, Deut. 17. 14, 15-. It's thus faid 
 by Mofes, the Prophet of the Lord, unto the Jews, 
 God's Peculiar, Beloved, Elect People, his Church, 
 when then art come into the Land which the herd thy God 
 giveth thee, and foalt pofftfi it, and foalt dwell therein, 
 and jlialt fay , I will fet a King over me like as the Nati- 
 ons that are about me. Thou foalt in any wife SET HIM 
 KING OVEP. thee, WHOM the Lord thy God (ball 
 chufe, &c Here we have the exprefs Inftitution 
 of Monarchy or Kingly Power over the People of God. 
 His Church, to be govern 'd by them with as Supream, 
 Uncontrottlable, Irrefiftible, Abfolute Authority, as other 
 Neighbouring Nations were Govern'd ,• here's not 
 only Inftitution barely, but Approbation too, it's pro- 
 pounded unto the Ifraelites as an Honour, and a Fa- 
 vour, and a Rkjfing, as predicted before- hand by the 
 Fa triarch Jacob, when he folemnly call'd his Sens about 
 him before his Death, and as a Prophet Bhfs'd them. 
 Judah, thou art he whom the Brethren foall praife, thy 
 Hand foall be in the Ned of thine Enemies, thy Fa- 
 ther s 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 291 
 
 thers Children foall bow down before thee ; Judah is a Li- 
 ons Whelp, from the Prey j my Son, thou art gons up ; 
 he fioopeth down, he couch' d as a Lion, and as an Old 
 Lion , whofoall roufe him him up ? The Sceptre jhall not 
 depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between 
 his Feet, until Shiloh come, &c. Gen. 5-9. v. 8, 9, 
 10. But then they were not to have a King of 
 their own Choke, God himfeif referv'd this Prero- 
 gative to choofe for them firfT, and then they were 
 to choofe ; and that was only to acyukfce in, and 
 fubmit unto, without the leaft Shadow of Oppofiri- 
 on or Contradiction to his Choice, and fo to make it 
 their own AB by an obediential Concurrence or Accepta- 
 tion 1 which they dar'd not to refufe, having fmarted 
 feverely for their Rebellions before-hand,' as in the 
 Cafe oi Corah, Numb. 16. Miriam and Aaron, Numb. 
 12* &c When the time mould come, when J«- 
 col>'s Blejfmg ofjudah mould take place, and Monar- 
 chy be fettled amongft them, God was to make choice 
 of the Perfon who mould firiT mount his Throne ; 
 'twas Gcd who mould give them a King, and invert 
 him with the Regalia, the Uncontroulable and Para- 
 mount Authority, Confccrate him, and Anoint him to 
 that high Office, and not the People. Thus we find 
 the Ifadites, in their Application to Samuel, defir'd 
 him to make them a King, ifs reafonable to fuppofe 
 that they would have him as a Prophet, to inter- 
 cede with Gcd to Choofe or Appoint a King over 
 them ,• which was granted by God, tho' their Re- 
 queft difpleas'd him, in that they were not conten- 
 ted to wait His appointed Time and Vleafure* and he, 
 in his Anger, Gave them, or Chofe them a King, 
 1 Sam. 10. comp. with Hof 13. 11. Acts 15. 21. (to 
 fee the Unhappinefs of the Peoples inter pofrng in 
 thefe Matters, fuch an one as they deferv'd, unfortu- 
 nate to Himfeif, and unfortunate to his People, con-* 
 fult his Story) and took him away in his Difp<ea- 
 fare ; Rejected Saul from being King, ancj Translated, 
 
 U 3 ' ths 
 
194 The Analaftifls Minifiry 
 
 the Kingdom from the Houfe of Saul, to David of 
 the Tribe of Judah. And that which is very #e- 
 marhable, is, as the Ifraelites Requeued a King, after 
 the manner of the Neighbouring Nations, unfeafona- 
 ble, out of time * fo the Divine Providence thought fit 
 to give them a Prince of the Tribe of Benjamin, and 
 not out of the Royal Tribe of Judah, to whom the 
 Royalty was Appropriated by the Divine Decree, and 
 to which afterwards it was exprefly affix d, and to 
 which all Chriftian Mow arch s mould fucceed, in pur- 
 fuance or confequence of God's own Covenant, as I 
 mall mew in its due place. But to purfue our pre- 
 sent Defign • to the fame purpofe it is faid by the 
 Spirit of God, that Monarchy, in a general Senfe, 
 is from God, as its efficient Caufe, Prov. 8. 15", 16. 
 By me Kings reign f and not by Men^ and Princes de- 
 cree Juftice. By me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all 
 the Judges of the Earth. To this, that of Rom. 1 3. 
 1,2. may be parallel j There's no Power but of God, the 
 Powers that be, are ordain d of [by or fromj God as 
 their Efficient and Original Caufe ; and the Powers 
 here ipoken of, were Kingly or Monarchical ,• and 
 what is more, Legal, Lawful Powers, iuch as Chrifti- 
 an s were bound in Conscience to obej, ver. 5-. Whom 
 to dijl'vey, was Sin ; and to refisf, Damnation, and 
 juft too, ver. ;. which the common Light and 
 Dictates of Nature will inform us, cannot be affirm'd 
 with any Shadow of Truth, of imjuft Powers, ufurp- 
 ipg Powers, which are Tyrannical, having no Title, 
 no Claim to our Obedience, either from themfelves 
 cr others, and cannot deduce their Title from God, no 
 more than Sin it felf ,* ^nd have no more Right to 
 Govern, than Ajjajjins have to cut our Throats, or 
 'Thieves to break open our Houfe s, or impure Perfons to 
 commit Adultery, or Sons of Belial to Swear an ho- 
 neft or innocent Perfon out of his Eft ate or Life ,• And 
 therefore, 'tis the erandeff. Ahfurdity in the World , 
 20 interpret thefe 7V*& of tfk Apoftles, of any Vow* 
 
 ers % 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 295" 
 
 ers, right or wrcng, that are in VcffiJJlon ; this is to 
 alter the Nature of Things, and in efre£, to fay 
 there's no right or wrong, or to make them Reciprocal 
 Terms, and to Legitimate all the Ufurpations and In- 
 jujlices in the World, and to make way for, and to 
 encourage every profligate Defperado, that will but 
 venture a Hanging, or Knocking on the Head, to 
 feize the Throne, and expofe all Kingdoms to per- 
 petual Revolutions, and to deftroy all the Order that 
 God hath moft mercifully Eftablim'd for the Vcr.ce 
 and Tublick Good and Comfort of Mankind. I might, 
 were it neceffary, deduce this Divine Infiitution or 
 Eflablifiment of Monarchy from the very Creation 
 it feif, from Adam, thro' all the Patriarchical Ages, 
 before and after the Flood ; and mew, that the Pa- 
 triarchs, Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, all belov'd and 
 highly favour'd ot God, were Kings, and exercifecl 
 Kingly Authority in all the Branches of it, and were 
 lookd upon as fuch, call'd and treated (o by other 
 Kings. I might inftance, that even under the Theo- 
 cracy it (df ('whilft God deliver'd his regal Mandates, 
 by c Urim and Thummim, Vificns, Oracles, Prophecies, 
 c &c.) that yet He appointed One Supream Vicegerent 
 f over the Jews, and not many ; for, as for the 
 ' Sanbedrin, chey were but as Mofes's or the High 
 c Pricfi s Pi ivy Council, or as delegated Judges, be- 
 c caufe of the multiplicity of Bulinefs : One, I fay, 
 c and not many ; witnefs, Mofes's Forty Years be- 
 ' twixt Egypt and Canaan : Jcfnuah near Sixty Years 
 c fettling them in Ca nan • aiter-them, Judah • af- 
 c ter him, Othniel ; then Ehud; then Shamgar • 
 then Deborah • then Gideon ; then Tolah ; then 
 Jair ; then Jeptheh ; then Sampfon : but never a- 
 c bove one at a time : Neccffity of Chriftian Subje- 
 ction -, Printed, 1643. p. 5-. It were the eaheft 
 thing in the World, to prove Monarchy or Govern- 
 ment by a faigle Perfon, to be the only Scriptural 
 Government, it we had to do with Peifcns that had 
 
 U 4 any 
 
%g6 The Anahaptifts Mhijlry 
 
 any real and inward Veneration for them, that fincere- 
 ]y own'd them for a Rule, as they profefs ,• but only 
 
 indeed, pretendedly, diffemblingly , hnavijldy , to delude 
 and fl)am the Ignorant, and hairbraind, and /c«t/& , 
 unthinking, infinccre, hypocritical, and naturally w/- 
 /^»oiw part of Mankind difpos'd of themfelves ,• and 
 by the Sleights and crafty Management, and Infi- 
 nuations of the Devil, to receive any Impreflions, 
 Do&rines, Practices that encourage and promote 
 their Temporal and Carnal Endsj I fay, mighj: 
 eafily prove Monarchy to be the only Government, 
 even as to Form, that ever had the Divine approba- 
 tion, as well as Stamp or Ordinances, had I to do 
 with fuch who would be determin'd by Scripture, 
 Ordinances and Trejidents • but Experience demon- 
 strates the Adversaries to Monarchy (let them be of 
 what Seel or Denomination whatever) the leaft apt 
 to be held to that Rule or Judg, not only as to Go- 
 vemment,but any thing elfe ,• and make no other ufe 
 of it, but as their grand Patron and Mafier doth, to 
 deceive,and to countenance Antifcriptural zndDamna- 
 nablc, TJnchriflian, and Antichrijhian Defigns. 'Tis 
 cbfervable and probable enough, that thefe Antimonar- 
 chical, Antichrifiian Seels, majte no Other ufe of the 
 the Scriptures, than Hobbs, Spinofa, Vaninm, and 
 that Creiv, and to every whit as ill Turpofes ,• or as 
 Witches, Wizards, Sorcerers, and Necromancers do in 
 their Sorceries, and Magical Operations • that is, in 
 fhort, only employ, and manage, and right with it, 
 againft it felf, in order to fubvert, undermine, and e- 
 yaporate it into Air, meerly to deftroy it. Other- 
 wife, how eafily might it be fhown 2 beyond all pof- 
 fible Reply or Contradi&ion, that Abraham, Jfaac, 
 Jacob, were a&ual Kings as well as Priefis, and by 
 Office too. This is fo plain, chat nothing can be 
 more. c The Patriarchs Govern'd , not only in 
 Oeconomy, but in Polity , even fo far as in higheft 
 " jrSj ^k, of Life and Deatk, in Peace and 
 ■i c Wari 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 297 
 
 War : They built Altars, and offer'd Sacrifice. 
 God calls Abraham a Prophet, Gen. 20. 7. And the 
 Children otHeth, call him a mighty Prince or King, 
 Gen. 2;. 6. And as they call'd the Patriarch a King, 
 (o St. Peter calls a iCiwg a Patriarch, Atts 2. 29. io 
 little difference he underftcod between them. 
 Neither was it other for Subftance than one Go- 
 vernment of God, that began in the Patriarchs, 
 went thorough the Judges, and ended or retted in 
 Kings; they being all equally of one Type, Depu- 
 tation, Prefentaticn, Vicegerency : See the Revin- 
 dication c/Pfal. ioy. iy. Printed, Ann. 1645. To 
 any but Hobbifis, Republicans, and Anabaptifts, it 
 might appear as clear as a Sun- beam, that thefe Pa- 
 trzarchs were de faBo Monarchs^ and Unfit Domini, 
 the Anointed of the Lord ,• as appears as clearly in 
 the Context ofPfal. ioy. as, that God Created the 
 Heavens and the Earth, in the \H verfe of Gen. 1. 
 tho' they were not externally Anointed, tho' it 
 were not in ufe then. c St. Augufiin (as the Author 
 of the Revindication fays, p. 11.) moves this 
 Queftion ,• How the Patriarchs could be cali'd A- 
 nointed, antequam ejfet XJnttio , before the regal A- 
 npiming, as yet was. It is very plain, he fpeaks 
 of the Regal Anointing ; for he adds immediately, 
 ix qua hoc Nomen impnfitum eH Reg: bus : by which 
 Anointing, the Name Anointed, is attributed to 
 Kings. So that, the Sum of the Father's Quere, is 
 only this ,• Why this Name Anointed (ufual and 
 proper to Kings) /hould be fpoken of the Patri- 
 archs, while as yet, no Un&ion was in ufe ? And 
 it is to be fupply'd in Anfwer, That the Regal 
 UnBim, as yet, was not, in the Ritual iv ay of it, 
 but in the Virtual way, it was. And if the Man 
 thinks to fnatch Advantage, becaufe the Father 
 fpeaks at large, idco Chrifti, quia etiamfi latenter, 
 jam tamen Chriffiani. That the Patriarchs might 
 therefore not aniifs be call'd Anointed, becaufe 
 
 I they 
 
298 The Anahaptifts Mintflry 
 
 they were even then Chriftian*, tho' veifd. Let 
 him look before that, and he (hall find him ex- 
 pounding it in a frraiter Senfe, Unde ergo Mi jam 
 tunc Chrifii appellabantur ? Nam Vrophctas ittos fuifje 
 Ugimtts. Why were the Patriarchs then call'd 
 Anointed ? Becaufe (as we read J they were 
 Frrphets. And before that (as the firft Senfe) 
 fpeaking of the fpecial Ano':ntwg,hG makes the fame 
 to begin, and reft only in Kings ; J2hwd a Sauk 
 cepit, cui David fuccejfit in Regno , atq$ inde cat-eri ejy 
 Regcs j$*da 3 & Reges lfrael, continuation* Sacrata, 
 c ictiulinis mgchantur. Which Name Anointed \ 
 began in Sattl, whom David fucceeded in the 
 Kingdom ,• and thence was the Sacred Rite con- 
 tinu'd to the feveral Kings of Ifrael and Judah. 
 
 — : St. Jerome vindicates this place of the 
 
 Pfalm juftJy, againft certain Jewifh Doclors, who, 
 in hatred to Jefus Ghrift our Lord, the true Mef- 
 fiah, perverfly feem'd to argue hence, That none 
 were to be call'd Chrifii Anointed, that were not 
 Anointed with the Regal Unguent. Whereupon he 
 infers, Ecce ante Legem Patriarchs non uticli Regali 
 Unguento Chrifii dieuntur. Behold, before the Law, 
 the Patriarchs are call'd Anointed, which were 
 not Anointed with the Regal Unction. And that 
 he means materially, and even that intimates 
 that Kings, which (fince the Law) are not A- 
 nointed fo materially, and fo ritually, are, never- 
 thelefs , virtually , and divinely God's Anointed. 
 Further, leaft any mould imagine, that he mould 
 exempt Kings from being fpecially underftood in 
 this place, he eife- where applies it to them alone. 
 As commenting upon Ifai. ij.i. where God calls 
 King Cyrus his Anointed ; and that according to 
 the manner bf the Hebrews, whofe Regal En- 
 fign was Anointing : Unde & Saul Chriftus Domi- 
 ni dicitur, & in Tfalmis iegimm, nolite t anger e Chri~ 
 fc$ mcos : Whereu;pon (fays the Father; Saul is 
 
 c call'd 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 199 
 
 e call'd the Lord's Anointed ,• and HkewMe, we 
 e read in the Pfalms, Touch not mine Anointed : Re- 
 c vindication ofP(a\. 105-. w. 15-. p. 11, 12. How 
 evident would, I fay, the Divine Origine of Mo- 
 narchy or Kingflrip appear, and how readily would 
 it be fubfcrif? d unto, and embrac'd, had we to 
 do with Chrifiians, who allow the Scriptures to be 
 the Oracles of God ; but alas, we have in this Point y 
 a Conteft with Republican Atheifts, under the Mafi- 
 querade of Saints and Chrifiians • who, under the Rofe, 
 make a Mock at the Bible, and give more Credit to 
 Ariflotle's Politicks', and have a greater Veneration 
 for him than for Mofes, and for Hobtis Leviathan than 
 for St. PWs Epifiles ; and therefore, fetting afide 
 the Hiftory of the Creation, and the Propagation of 
 Mankind, they write as if they were ignorant of the 
 Original of the World, as it Mankind firft fprung out 
 or the AW and Slime of the Earth, and write like 
 meer Pagans or Infidels, looking upon the Divine 
 Oracles, the AntienteH Hittory or Bock in the World, 
 by many -4^-S as an °^ Almanack, out of D^e, 
 and altogether ufelefs and improper for their great 
 Work of new modelling and debauching the World. 
 And thus, in downright Ofpofition and Contradittion 
 to the History of the Creation, as if they never heard 
 or at leaft did not give the leaft Credit to it, no 
 more than to the Hiftory of the feven Champions, or 
 Guy of Warwick, would make the World believe that 
 Anarchy w^s beiore a regulated Government, ey-c. But 
 to proceed to allege tome other Scriptures : The 
 Holy Scriptures then teach us in general, That all 
 rightful Kings whatever, or wherever, in or out of the 
 Church, are fet up by, and derive their Authority 
 from God, Pagans, or Jews, or Chrifiians. We read 
 of Pharoah King of <ty£gypt, that of him God faid, 
 Exod. 9. 7. 1 have raifed thee up. Elifoa from God dc~ 
 fign d, anointed, and covfiituted H^.^2// King of Syria, 
 2 King 8. 13. Here you fee that the Kings ofe^ - - 
 
300 The Analaptifls Minijlry 
 
 gypt and Syria, are no Ids of God's making than 
 the Kings of Ifrael. Are not Pharoah, Abimelech, 
 Hiram, Hazal, Hadad, no lefs honoured with the 
 Compilation of Kings, than David, Saul, or E- 
 zekiah ? Be what they will, God's Creatures they 
 are, and of his making only. Jer.29. 9. God doth 
 honour Nebuchadnezzar, by naming him his Ser- 
 vant, his Servant, conceive it r&Tl^oyJtt by way 
 of excellency, the fame Compeitation it is, which 
 God giveth to David, a King according to his own 
 Heart. Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my Ser- 
 vant. If what we have faid cannot fuhace, let them 
 turn over to Jfa. 45-. 1, 2. Thus faith the Lord to 
 his anointed, to Cyrus, &c. a Proof able enough to 
 flop the Devils Mouth [who perhaps, without an 
 Hyperbole, may be fuppos'd modeller than a Canne, 
 Spittkhoufe, or a Milton, who made not the leaft 
 word of a Reply to any of the three Texts our Sa- 
 viour alleged againft him. ] 
 ' Again, we are toid in the Booh cfGod } that there 
 is no Kingdom but of his giving, no Kings but of 
 his making, no King unking'd but by his doing. 
 [If this doth not prove Monarchy to be of divine 
 Original, and not from Man, and that this Form of 
 Government is moft pleafing unto him, andbecaufe 
 we read of no other Form of Government in all the 
 Scriptures, ordained or approv'd by God, that it 
 biddeth fair for the only Form of Government agree- 
 able to his Will, becaufe moft conformable to the di- 
 vine Government it feif over Heaven and Earth,then 
 I think there's no fuch thing as Proof 'and Demonfirati- 
 en in the World. ] See Efdr. 12. 2 Chron. 36. 22, 
 25. Comp. with Ifa. 44.28. 47. 15. confult particu- 
 larly, Dan. 2. 19, '20, 21. and Daniel will teach 
 * them, in the Judgment of God, that to give 
 c and remove Kings and Kingdoms is the fole and 
 c proper peculiar VVcrk of God. [And for Man to 
 buisempt any thing of this Nature againft their law- 
 ful 
 
Exambfd and Difprovd. 301 
 
 ful Prince, is to wrejl God's work out of his own 
 Hands, literally to rebel againft or to Afofiatize from 
 God, to invade and ufury his Prerogative, and for a^y 
 who profefs Christianity to do fo , is to be formal 
 Antlcbrlfis, as mall be fhewn afterwards. ] c When 
 God had revealed to Daniel Nebuchadnezzar's Dream 
 with the Interpretation of it, he thanketh God 
 and faith, v. 20. Bleffed be the name of God for ever 
 and ever 3 for Wifdom and Might are his, ver. 21. 
 And he changeth the Times and the Seafcns, he 
 removeth Kings, and fettetb up Kings, Again, v. 37. 
 He faith, thou, O King, art King of Kings, for the 
 God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom, 
 Power, Strength and Glory, v. 20, 2r. He afcri- 
 beth the fertinfi up and removing of Kings no lefs 
 to God, than Wifdom infinite and Omnipotency 
 
 which are divine Attributes incommunicable. 
 
 View the fourth Chapter of Daniel's Prophecy and 
 there you will find it in four fquar'd Letters ,♦ Ne- 
 buchadnezzar for a time is unkingd, now I pray 
 you ? by the Watcher, by the holy one, one fent by him 
 from Heaven, commanded by him to hew down the 
 Tree, to cut off his Branches Jhake off his Leaves, fcatter 
 his fruit, v. 13, 14. And to what purpofe is this 
 And to what purpofe is this ? That Nebuchadnez- 
 zar and all living may know, that the moH high 
 ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to ivhom- 
 foever he will, and fetteth up over it the bafefl of Men, 
 v. 17. &c. confulc the whole Chapter. The fame 
 Truth is delivered us again, Dan. 5". 5. &c. parti- 
 cularly, v. 18. O thou King the mo Ft high God 
 gave Nebuchadnezzar thy Father a Kingdom, and Ma- 
 jefy, and Glory, and Honour. What more can 
 any conceive in a King than is here exprefled ? 
 And for the Majefty he gave him, &c. v. 19. 
 mark it well, it is not faid that the People [ any 
 Mortals uuder Heaven ] gave it, &c< 
 
 •j f 
 
|b* The Anabaptijls Mlnifiry 
 
 e If any will be pleafed to confider ferioufly Daniel's 
 * Prophecies, what are they but Predictions that all Eni- 
 ' fires, Kingdoms, Majefiy, Royalty and Sovereignty 
 c are of God s immediate Donation. They are not dii- 
 pofed of by the compofed Contra£i of Men but by 
 the immediate hand and Work of God fee that Ad- 
 mirable learned Book cail'd Sacrefantla regum Ma- 
 j'jlas, printed at Oxford 1644. Chap. 4. By what 
 hath been hitherto laid, it's apparent that Monarchy 
 derives its Original folely from God, that there are 
 no Footfteps of any other Forms of Government ap- 
 pointed by him over Men, that in Fatt he fet up 
 Monarchs or Kings not only over his own peculiar 
 People and Church, but even over the Gentiles them- 
 felves ,• to what has been faid as to my firfi point ; I 
 {hall now take leave to add, that God himfelf pro- 
 mifed unto Abraham, the Head or Founder of the Ifrae- 
 litijh Nation in particular, and the Father of the Faith- 
 ful, both in the Jewijh and Christian Church, as a 
 grand and fpecial Blejfwg and Honour, that Kings fhould 
 come out of his Loyns, and / will make thee exceed- 
 ing fruitful, and I will make Nations of thee, and Kings 
 
 Jhafl come out of thee, Gen. 17. 6. as for Sarah 
 
 thy Wife, &C. / will blefs her- fiie Jball be a Mo- 
 ther of Nations, Kings of People fliall be of her. And 
 this Promife was literally and fpeedily in a confidera- 
 ble meafure made good in the next Generation by E- 
 fau, as we may read, by a numerous Pofierity, whereof 
 a great many were Dukes and Kings, enumerated.^/?. 
 43. and afterwards in the Pofterity of Jacob, as we 
 have feen already, particularly whenthey werenYd 
 in the promifed Land of C<m**»,where God himfelf, 
 at the untimely and importunate Requeft of the ' If- 
 raelites, .chofe for them their firft King W,and after 
 his rejection tranpted the Diadem to the Tribe of Ju- 
 dah, in purfuance and for the Completion of the Pro- 
 phetical Benediction of Jacob. But as a farther Illu- 
 ftration and proof I fhali produce fome more Scrip- 
 
 ture /, 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 303 
 
 tures, particularly fuch as afcribe allAtls ef- 
 
 fencially conftitutive of Kings immediate- sacrof Reg. 
 
 ly to God. Iii one full word, the ma- M*j- G 4. 
 
 king of a ( King is given to God. 1 K. 
 
 3. 7. And thou, O Lord my God, haft made thy Ser- 
 vant King inftead vf Da'i-i] my Father. The provi- 
 ding of a King is given to God, 1 Sam. 16. 1. I 
 have provided me a King. The King, in a proper 
 and peculiar way, is called God's King, PJai, 18. 
 $0. Great deliverance giveth he to his King. God ex- 
 alteth them, Pfal. 89. 19. I have exalted one chofen 
 out of the People. Not the People but God findetb 
 Kings out. ibid. v. 20. / have found David my Ser- 
 vant. Neither Prielt, nor Prophet, nor People 
 really anoint Kings, but God anointeth them, ibid. 
 v. 10. "with my holy Oyl have 1 anointed him. That 
 we may not conceive them to have their Preroga- 
 tive from Pope or People, Prieft or Prophet, 
 not they but God adopt eth them, ibid. v. 27. 1 will 
 make him my fr ft -born, that he may cry unto him, thou 
 art my Father, my God, v. 26. To iliew cheir nearer 
 and ft raiter Alliance, they are taken in Societatem 
 nominis, numinis, & poleftatis, into a Communion 
 of his Majefty, his Name, and Power ; it is faid, 
 Pfal. 28. 6. I have faid ')e are Gods. To fliew their 
 Generation, their Procreation, their Derivation, 
 there is a Dixi to this too, I have faid ye are all of 
 you the Children of the moft High, not terra filii, 
 Cadmus OfF-fpring,fprang out ot the Earth. Kings 
 then are not made, provided, chofen, found, ex- 
 alted, anointed, adopted, by Saints, by People^ by 
 Presbyters, by any diffufive, collective, reprefenta- 
 tive, virtual Body of the Community, but by and 
 of God alone : for their Power, their Soveraignty, 
 they are Dii Elohim ; the manner of Propagation, 
 Derivation, Communication, is by Filiation or 
 Adoption, they are//// excelfi, the Sons of the moft 
 High, and for eminency above all, they are the 
 
 Firft- 
 
104 The Anahaptip Miniflry 
 
 * First bom ; this is the Language of Canaan : it is 
 
 * the Language of AJhdod to fay, that the King is 
 
 * Minor Univerfis, Singulis major, &c. Another Ar- 
 gument I mall infert from the faid Learned Writer 
 (never, that I can hear of, fo much as attempted to 
 be anfwer'd in thofe HeMJh days, nor never I arri 
 perfwaded can, by All the Antimonarchifts in the 
 World, whether Vapifis, Presbyterians, Anabaptifls or 
 Atheifts, as long as the World Hands) to prove, That 
 
 * Sovereignty in a King is immediately from God, 
 ' and not from the Diffufive, ColleBive, Reprefentative 
 
 or Virtual Body of the Community, is, that All Royal 
 Enfgns and Acts of Kings are ascribed to God. If 
 Kings were the Derivatives of the People and 
 Community, in whom is that fancied Underived Ma- 
 jerry ? how comes it to pafs, that the Holy Spirit 
 hath not in any place or fyllable of Scripture in- 
 timated it $ And how cometh it to pafs, that in 
 fuch a particular way and enumeration all are 
 given to God ? (i) Their Crown is of God, by put- 
 ting it on their Head, If. 61. 3. the Royal Dia- 
 dem ts in the hand of the Lord, Pf. 21. 3. Thou put- 
 test a Crown of pure Gold upon his Head. -— 
 (2) Their Sword is Gods; and he girdeth them 
 with it. David profeiteth fo much, FJal. 18. 29. 
 For thou bail girded me with firength unto the battel. 
 See Judg. 7. 17. ft) their Sce P re * { he J c TZ e / 
 God Exod.4. 20. and 17.9.—- (4) Their Judg" 
 mentis the Judgment of the Lord, 2 Chron. 19. 6. 
 c ({) Their Throne is the Throne of God, 
 Sacrof. Reg. c 1 Qhron. 1 9. 21. A parallel place to 
 m i- f; 4 ' which is that of the Queen of Sheba to 
 King Solomon, Blejfed be the Lord thy God, which de- 
 Ihhteth in thee, to fet thee on his Throne to be King for 
 the Lord thy God; becaufe thy God loved Jfrael, to ejta- 
 blijh Them for ever, therefore made He thee King over 
 them, to do Judgment and Jufiice, 2 Chr. 9. 9. A molt 
 Pious as well as True Expreffion of this Magnificent 
 
 Queen 
 
Examine! and Dzfprov'd. 3 o'£ 
 
 Queen ( in all probability a Jewifh Profelyte ) a* 
 full of Divine Sentences as Words, praifing God the 
 Original of all Power and Authority (which our Pro- 
 phane Atheijts and Diabolical Sectaries have been Ra- 
 king into the Bottom of Hill for, and pafs by the Di- 
 vine Oracles as mere Dreams and Figments, or at 
 beft the Dunghils of the filthy Rabble) for making 
 choice of fo accomplice a Perfon, to reprefent his 
 Divine Majefty upon His own Vtfible Throne, avert- 
 ing the Thrones or the World to be God's Thrones, and 
 Kings to be the Vijibh Reprefenratives and Shechinas 
 of the Invifible God, and to aci for God and in his 
 ftead I and this becaufe God loved Ifrael, his Peer.- 
 hum, his Church, the Type of the Chriflian Church, 
 which fhall endure to the end of the World, and 
 mail never, in confequence of his Covenant with 
 Abraham, renewed to David, want a Race of Kings 
 to fit upon the Throne of David, God's own Throne, 
 i'o long as the Sun and Moon endureth, as He pro- 
 mifed to David His Anointed, whofe S'ucceffors Al! 
 Chrifiian Kings are ,* of which more afterwards. 
 
 I might,irom the fame Reverend and Learned Wri- 
 ter, infert a great many more Texts, and ftrenuous 
 D.duciions from them ready done to my Hand, which 
 to adventure to new model hom fuch a Hand, would 
 be Immodejly in any Perfon that hath perufed that 
 Author ; tho' the Collection of the Texts themfelves is a 
 bufinefs of no great labour, to any that would give 
 himfelf a little pains. Therefore to avoid prolixity, 
 I refer my Reader,who is not fatisfled with this Tafte± 
 to a more Plentiful Banquet from the Book it felf. I 
 mall only beg the Liberty to make an Inference or 
 two from the fore- cited Texts, and fo pafs on to fome 
 other Topicks. My Fir ft is this, That Temporal or 
 Worldly Monarchy is a Form of Government fo far from 
 being Dejlruciive, or Odious, or Evil in it felf, or Dif* 
 agreeable unto God, or even Nature, that God Al- 
 mighty, in his Infinite W'fdom hath made Choice of it 
 
 X * €XcIh- 
 
^ C 6 The Analaptifts Minijlry 
 
 * Whereas it was objected * exclufive of All Other Forms, 
 in the late Oliverian ttfwpa- as the Infirument or Medium 
 tion by thofe who defended the f hJ j> rov idential Govern- 
 Uwf nines of fxCof cubing to l . 
 
 the then Engagement : ' [R * w«f* of the World. 
 € aw *Jbe Title or Form of Go- 
 4 vernment, to the Place, t/;<? Power or Authority of Governing, 
 
 * wh'vh is God's Ordinance, tftfJ lam fubject to: Tboje are of Mjn, 
 4 This is of Divine Inftitution] I find this Anfwer return d by the 
 Chefhire and Lancaflme Minifisrs. l Ton cannot dijhnguijk or take 
 « in [under thefe, the Title, Form and Power, or Authority c/Go- 
 
 * vernment: if this beinbeing, it mutt have * Form: // ft fe 
 « God's Ordinance, the Form of it is fo: if it 6/ Gods mUitution, 
 « ft to& a Title or Right /roai God. If I be fubjeSt to the Power, 
 « J am fuhjeH to the Form ; for this, Dat effe & operari ; If I 
 ' obey of Duty to it, I obey upon the ground of its Title or Right to 
 Rule- for a Duty to a Perfon, and a Right to that Duty, infallibly do 
 infer 'each other. That Command which is without Title or Authority, 
 is an Acl of mere Will and Force, and cannot be Authoritative at all, 
 or an efflux of a Divine Lift itut ion. An Ordinary or firange Mans 
 
 word, ivho is not a Husband or a Mafter, is of no Marital or Ma- 
 
 Ziiierul Authority to a Wife or Servant. As an Image carved and jet 
 out with a, Divine Title, is indeed no God, but a Nullity : fo a Per- 
 ton ftirnim with Strength, and fending out Edicts without a Calling 
 or Title to Rule, is a mere Idol, and nothing as unto MagtjUacy ■ Toer e 
 are falfe Earthly Gods as well as Heavenly: Thefe are forbidden by 
 the Fifth, as Thei'e are by the Firft Commandment,^ 'e. Appendix to 
 the Plea for Non-fcribers, p. 56. 
 
 And as He vouchfafes to make ufe of Means for 
 this Great End, the Eftabliflung of Order, and the Pro- 
 curing the Tublick Good of Mankind, by encouraging 
 Vertue, and difcountenancing Vice ,• fo He hath all 
 along in all the Ages of the World, made choice of 
 Smtde Perfons for His Representatives and Vicegerents, 
 not of the Multitude, the Rabble, in the Diftintl Na- 
 tions and Kingdoms of the Earth. All other Forms be- 
 ing mere Excrescences, Human or rather Diabolical In- 
 ventions, Anomalous, Heterogeneous, Deviations from, Con- 
 trary and Oppofite unto the Model Himfelf hath Or- 
 dained, Infiituted and given unto us ,• No Foot fief s of 
 them in Scripture or Nature, therefore Antifcrifural, 
 Unnatural, not bearing any Analogy with God's Go- 
 vernment in Heaven and Earth. He is in/n# Stnfc 
 
 and 
 
Exdmirid and Difprov'd. J07 
 
 and Propriety the Sole Monarch of Heaven and Earthy 
 both as the Archetype, according to which the Vifibh 
 External Government of the World ought to be Mo- 
 delled. He is the Fountain or Source,the Original Effi- 
 cient Caufe of all Lawful l } ower and Authority, by which 
 this LovKr World ought to be Governed, and to 
 which clone He hath promsfed and engaged His Bhlfing i 
 and Gracious Concurrence. 
 
 The Seccnd Inference I (hall make from the Fore- 
 going Texts is this, That as God in his good Pleafure, 
 and out of his abundant Favour in particular to 
 Abraham, did Covenant with him that he mould bd 
 a Fathtr of many Nations, and (as the Glory hereof) 
 Kings jhould come of him (and as the Top of all is, the 
 Perpetuity of this Covenant) Moreover I -will efiablifll 
 this my Covenant betvjeen me and thee, and thy Seed af- 
 ter thee in their Generations for an evsrlafiing Covenant 3 
 Gen. xvii. that is, that the Kings of the Gentiles^ 
 as his Adopted Seed, mould adminifter the Power of 
 his Throne fo long as the Sun mould endure, (Wel- 
 don's Original of Dominion, Ch. vi.) which we have 
 fecn verified in his Natural Pofterity in the Jewifh 
 Church, and for many Ages in the Chrifiian Churchy 
 till this very day ,• fo All that call themfelves Chri- 
 fiians are under the StricJeB Literal Obligations to> 
 believe Monarchy is God's own lnfiitution, fo the molt 
 Beneficial as well as the moft Perfetl and Ccmpleat Form 
 of Government ,• moft worthy of its Author, and 
 peculiarly Adapted by his Infinite Wifdom to his Provi- 
 dential Government , and Adminiftfation or the World* 
 The moft Beneficial, becaufe contriv'd for the Uni- 
 verfal Good of the World, and an Emanation from 
 his Goodnefs and Bounty, as well as a Ray ot his EJfen- 
 tial Majefty; and becaufe whatever BLjfings, Benefits^ 
 Advantages , Privileges can beconceiv'd to flow from 
 Order or Government in this World, God himfelf 
 hath Annext and Appropriated to this His own i#- 
 ftitution. To this purpofe, obferve what God faith 
 
 % z by 
 
308 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 by the Prophet Ezech. 16. 13. unto Jerufalem, Thus 
 was thou decked with Gold and Silver, and thy Raiment 
 was of fine L'men 3 and Silk and br older ed work, thou didst 
 tat fine Flower, and Honey, and Oyl, and thou watt ex- 
 ceeding beautiful, and thou didtt projper into a Kingdom : 
 as the higheft Dignity and Elevation, the molt hap- 
 py State a People could arrive at of Outward Profpe- 
 rity in this World. So in Jeremy, Ch. 17. 24, 25. 
 God promifeth the Jews, as a Reward of their Obe- 
 dience, If ye diligently hearken unto me, &c. Then flail 
 thefe enter into thy Gates. Kings and Princes fitting ufon 
 the Throne of David, riding in Chariots and o?t Horfes, &c. 
 As much as to fay, You fhall be a happy and a Pro- 
 fperous People,* all things {hall go well with you, 
 Peace, and Plenty, and Juftice,&c, fhall flourifh among 
 you. Again we may obferve, that Kings are call'd 
 the Lights of their Ifiael, 2 Sam. 21. 17. The Breath 
 of their Peoples Noftrils, and the Suns of their King- 
 doms, under whofe Shadow the People fourifl, live 
 comfortably anclfafely, Lam. 4. 20. 
 
 If then Kings, by the lnftitutionofGod, were de- 
 figned as Blejfings to Mankind, for the Comfort, Sup- 
 fort, Honour and Eftablijhment of Nations ; then the 
 Want of Them is a Judgment, Mifery, Curfe and In- 
 felicity, and mull be the caufe oi Confufion, Dcftru- 
 Bion and Ruine to a Nation or Kingdom, as the Holy 
 Scriptures inform us. As it is faid Judges 17. 6. In 
 thofe days there was no King in Ifrael, but evry man did 
 that which was right in his own eyes } where, by the 
 way, we may obferve, that the Judges exercifed Re- 
 gal Authority, and are here ftiled Kings ; and that 
 amongft the Ifraelites the People of God, He never 
 eftablifh'd any Government but Monarchical , or by 
 Single Perfons. See Judg. 18.1. and 19. 1. and 21. 25. 
 Now what were thofe Evils that were then com- 
 by the People, that the Author of this Book anim- 
 adverts upon, when he faith, Ev'ry man did that 
 which was right in his own eyes. Why there were 
 
 Bur- 
 
ExaminJ and Difprovd. 309 
 
 Burglary, Felony, Sacrilege, Riots, Rates, ^ 
 Adultery, Murder, Civil-war, a great deal c £ 2Q d zl \ 
 of Bloodied, Firing Cities, &c. Spiriting of 
 Women, enfbrc'd and Unlawful Marriages, Idolatry, 
 Ch. 2. v. 17, 18. all thefe things conftantly hapned 
 in the Interregnums, or Interv&ls between the Deceafe 
 of one Judge, and God's Raifing up another, in an 
 Extraordinary Manner ; where wemuft note likewife, 
 that in Second Chapter, we have mention of Two forts 
 of Judges, Ordinary and Extraordinary. That the Or- 
 dinary are intimated in Ver. 17. of whom it is ex- 
 prelly faid, The People did not hearken unto them, but 
 the}' went a whoring after other Gods ; Thefe were the 
 Sanhedrin, the Princes of the Twelve Tribes, the Fa- 
 thers or Heads of Families. But the Judges mention'd 
 Ver. 1 8, 19. were the Judges Extraordinary raifed up 
 by God, Othniel, Ehud, &c of whom 'tis faid, And 
 when the Lord raifed them up Judges, then 
 the Lord was with the Judge, and deliver d ^ff r0 ^ Re &' 
 them out of the hand of their enemies all the 
 uays of the Judges, &c. But I have not taken no^- 
 tice of All the Evils pra&ifed in thefe days of Dif- 
 crder and Confufion, in the Want oi a King, among ft 
 the Ifraelites the Peofle of God, there was another 
 Evil, and that no lefs than any of the foremention'd, 
 knd that was a Schifmatical Separation from the Pub- 
 lick Workup Oi God, from the True Church, fetting up 
 .^/taragainft Altar, Pritfls — againft Priefts. For 'tis 
 faid, The Man Micah had an Houfe of gods, and mads 
 an Ephod and Teraphim, and confecrated one of his Sons y 
 
 who became a Prieft and if we will but take in 
 
 what was faid of him in the preceding Verfe, That 
 he had before this, 'A Graven and a prBiflvYter* 
 ' Molten Image by him for the faid Houfe m ' m on judges 
 c (which according to Grotius was an 17. 6. fbemng 
 e Altar, with other the Utenfils there- the mifcbiefs of 
 * unto belonging) we have then all the Anmbh v ' 6 ' 
 ^ Prime and Chief Furniture of the Tabernach, that 
 
 X 3 \v/& 
 
jio The Anahaptifls Minijlry 
 
 e was by GodHimfelf appointed for the Service thereof. 
 Now all thefe Circumftances of Epbod, Teraphim, 
 Altar, and at length getting a Levite to be his VrieB, 
 make it probable that this Mlcah was no Idolater, 
 but a WorJJupper of the God, tho' in a way of Sepa- 
 ration from the Vublick Minifiry, and Place of Worship. 
 In fhort (faith that Reverend, Learned and Worthy 
 Author) c tyill-worfhip, t3<\p9f wra^a, a Selfpleafing 
 f Devotion, a Separate Houfe, a Separate Prieft (how- 
 ' beit of the fame God) from the Regular National 
 c Eftablifhment. A thing very pleafmg to Man ! 
 
 * and fo pleafing, that if left unto himfelf, becaufe 
 
 * there is no King to restrain him, every Man will 
 ' think hitnfeU as good as Mlcah, and therefore do 
 c whatfoever fhall feem right in his own eyes. Thus 
 6 it's faid of Gideon, Ch.8.27. of Judges, He made him 
 € an Epbod, and put it in bis City (even in Ophra) and 
 
 c All Ilrael went thither a whoring after it. 
 
 To 9. ' Now the Epbod — was one of the Gar- 
 
 f ments that God had appointed for his 
 
 * own Priefts, and his making an Epbod, denotes 
 € that He was refolv'd to turn his Back upon the Ta- 
 € bernacle, and to have a Prieft and an Houfe of 
 € his own j which was no fooner effected, but (as 
 ' if they were as naturally given to Faction as to 
 ? Luft) all the lafcivious Satyrs, both He's and She's 
 
 * of the City and the Country round about, went 
 
 * a whoring to it ,• but this (as it there follows) be- 
 f came a fnare (an evil) to Gideon and to his Houfe, 
 f and was as iome conceive, the Provoking Caufe 
 c why Go4 fuffered the Sons of the faid Gideon to be 
 f flajn in the fame Cicy, wliere his Ephod had its en- 
 
 f terrainment. To thefe Texts may be ad- 
 P, 23. ded that of Hofea 3. v. 4. For the Children of 
 
 Ifrael jball abide many days without a King, 
 and without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice, andwith- 
 put an Image, and without an Epbod, and without a Te- 
 'raphim. As much to fay, Ifrael fhall' ceafe to be_God's 
 
 h 
 
Examirid and Dlfprovd, 311 
 
 People, and God to be their God: Ch. I. v. 9. that is, 
 mould have no Vifible Reprefentatives of God's Pre- 
 fence among them, or Symbols of his Providence over 
 them, either as a Nation, Kingdom, or Church, nei- 
 ther King nor Priesl, implying one to be inconfiftent 
 without the other : No Government, no Religion, no 
 Kingdom on Earth, no Kingdom in Heaven. All mould 
 run into the utmoft Confufion and Diforder ,• they 
 mould be utterly forfaken by God, and left to their 
 own Unbridled Lufts and Imaginations: and was it not 
 fo amongft us for many years during the Long Rebellion, 
 from Forty one till Sixty ; We had neither King nor 
 Priest, we had only the Bafeit of the People fet over 
 us, at beft Rebels, Traytors, and Time-ferving Schifma- 
 tkks, and all the old Herefies reviv'd amongft us, 
 with a Super fetation. Gonfult Jer. 22. v. 3. to V. 1%, 
 Hof. 13. 11. Mich. 4. 9. Amos l. 13, 14, 1 5". %ech. 9. 
 y. If then the having Kings be a Bleffing, and the 
 •want of them, or taking them away a Curfe and argu- 
 ment of the Divine Difpleafure, nay, if the Promife of 
 Kings under the Gofpel Diffenfation be a Bleffing, as 
 mall be prov'd, is it not an infallible Sign of Spiri- 
 tual Infatuation, and a Diabolical Impulfe to call 
 the Kingly Office or Monarchy a Plague, and a Judg- 
 ment ; and Blajpbemy to afcribe it to Satan, the Dra- 
 gon, the BeaH, AntkhrlH, as the Author or Inven- 
 tor of it : Nay, what is it to afcribe the Works of 
 God to the Devil ? This I leave to the Confcience 
 of any Sober and Sincere Ghriftian that fears God, 
 and honours his Holy written Word to confider. 
 But fince we are confidering the Benefits and Blef- 
 fings of Having Kings, we ought not to forget This 
 amongft the reft : 
 
 That Kings, even under the Jewijh Oeconomy,werQ 
 the glorious and bleffied Reformers and Promoters ot God's 
 Worjhip and Religion, and the Supprcffiors of Idolatry, 
 as the Books of Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Efiher, Nehe- 
 psiah, Daniel, the PJhlms, Proverbs, tejlify, nay we 
 
 X 4 may 
 
li% The Analaptifls Mhijlry 
 
 may obferve from the Covenant God made with 
 David, 2 Satn. 7. v. 16. wherein he promis'd him, 
 that his Houfe and Kingdom flould be cftablifled for ever, 
 and his Throne mould be eftabUflied for ever • Comp. 
 with Pfalm 89. that the Ground for, and the End of 
 this Covenant was for the fake of the Church, that- 
 Kings might be her nurfmg Fathers, and Queens her 
 ;;urfng Mothers even fo long as the Sun and Moon en- 
 dureth, even to the end of the World, till time mail 
 be no more, and hence it follows that Kings are 
 prophefed of, and foretold, to be the chief Patrons, 
 FoBer-Fathers, Promoters , Propagators, Propugners, 
 and Reformers of Religion, the true Faith, God's 
 Church and Worfhip under the Gofpel. See Pf. 72'. 
 jo. 11. The Kings of Tarflifl and of the Ijles flail bring 
 Prefents, the Kings of Skeba and Scba flail offer Gifts. 
 Yea all Kings flail fall down before him : All Nations 
 flail ferve him, Pfal. 1 58. 45". All the Kings of the Earth 
 flail praife thee, Lord, when they hear the -words of thy 
 Mouth. Tea they flail fr,g in the ivays of the Lord, for 
 great is the Glory of the Lord. Pfal. 148. 11. Praife ye 
 the Lord, &c. Kings of the Earth and all People, Prin- 
 ces and all Judges of the Earth. 'Twas for the fake of 
 his Church and chofen that God raifed up Cyrus, Thus 
 faith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus, whofe right hand 
 I have holden, &C I will go before thee, &c. and I will 
 give thee the Treafures of Darknefs, &c For Jacob my 
 
 .Servant's fake, and Ifrael fpifie Eletl -I have even 
 
 called thee by thy name, &.C. I girded thee, though thon 
 haft not known me. Jfa. 4 J".. I. to the 5". He is my Shep- 
 herd (faith God) and flail perform all my plea Jure, even 
 faying to Jerufalem thou flialt be built, and to the Temple ) 
 thy Foundation flail be laid, Chap. 44. V. 28. thenCh. 
 49. 7. Kings flail fee and arife, Princes alfo flail worflip 
 and v, 23. Kings flail be thy nurjing Fathers, and their 
 Qcccns thy nurjing- Mothers, they flail bow down to thee 
 with their Face towards the Earth, and lick up the Duji of 
 thy Feet. And Chap, c 2. v, 15. So flail he fprinkls 
 ■ • ' '" ■ '• ' /many 
 
Examm^d and Difprov'd. 31 V" 
 
 many Nations, the Kings jhall [hut their Mouths at him, 
 for that which had not been told them JJjall they fee, and 
 that which they had not heard fliall they conjider. So Ch. 
 60. V. 3. And the Gentiles jhall come to thy Light , and 
 Kings to the Brightnefs of thy Rifing. v. 10. and the Sons 
 of Strangers fiall build up thy Walls, and their Kings Jliall 
 minifter unto thee, &C. Chap. 61. And the Gentiles Jlj all 
 fee thy Right eoufnefs, and all Kings thy Glory. And if we 
 confult the New-TesJament, we mall find the Apoflle 
 St. Paul, exhorting the Primitive Chriftians in an 
 efpecial manner, and as their bounden Duty, 1 Tim, 
 1. and a good and acceptable Service unto God our Savi- 
 our, [Jefus Chriil, God-man, now the immediate 
 fountain of all rightful Authority, v. 3. ] that Sup- 
 plications, Prayers, Inter cefjions and givim thanks— . 
 
 be made for Kings. [His Vicegerents, who receive 
 their authority from him, tho Infidels at that time and 
 Perfecutors] that they might lead a quiet and peaceable 
 Life [in performing with Liberty] all Anions of 
 Godlinefs, and honefiy towards Men, [becaufe v. 2 % 
 by difcharging iiich a Duty towards them, and ex- 
 erting fo much Chanty, fo contrary to Flefh and 
 Blood, corrupt Nature, it might pleafe God, in 
 whofe Hands are the Hearts of Kings, and who 
 turneth them, and difpofeth them, as it feemeth beft 
 to his Godly Wifdom, fo to difpofe and govern their 
 tlearts,that, of Perfecutors, they may become Friends 
 and Patrons of Chriftians, and of Infidels, Believers 
 becaufe our blelfed Lord would have all men to befa- 
 Wv.4. [as appears by his publishing and expoling to 
 all Mankind, all Nations and Languages, the means 
 
 of Salvation, by commanding his Stew- 
 Oxf. Annotit. ards and Minifters to endeavour the 
 «■ the Place. Converfion of all [even of Kings them- 
 
 {elves'] and to pray for them amongft 
 themfelves] and come to the knowledge of the Truth 
 [the Gofpel.] So Tit. z . 1. See 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit 
 ycur ft lyes to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's fake, 
 
 [who 
 
314 The Anahaptifts Minifiry 
 
 [who commands your Obedience] -whether it be to 
 the King as fupream, &c. Fear God, Honour the King, 
 [whi h Fear is very well expieft by honouring the 
 King as God's Deputy, and deriving his Authority 
 and Majefty from God by Chrift, whether a good 
 or a bad King, an Infidel or Chriftian, yet ading 
 for Chrift and ferving the ends of his Providence, 
 liotwithftanding in his Mediatorial Kingdom. The 
 ready Obedience, and fincere Submiffion, and fide- 
 lity of Chriftians, to their rightful Princes, being the 
 propereft means to prevail upon their Affections and 
 Underftandings, both in order to their Converfion. 
 Again Revelat. 1 i.i y. It's laid the feventh Angel found- 
 ed and there were great voices in Heaven, faying the 
 Kingdoms of this World, [and the Kings thereof, im- 
 p'li ;d in the Word Kingdom] are become the King- 
 doms of our Lord and of his Chrift, that is, by recei- 
 vi ie the Goipel by being Converts to Chriftianity, 
 as we find in the foregoing Chapter, v. 24. And 
 the Nations of them which are faved Jhall walk in the 
 Light of it-, and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Ho- 
 nour and Glory to it. [ His anointed King ot Kings and 
 Lord of Lords] and he {hall reign for ever and ever, 
 [ over Kings and People in this World, till the Day 
 of Judgment,- and over and with Saints and Angels, 
 in the World to come to all Eternity, for the Saints 
 themfelves fhall be Kings too in the next World, 
 they mall have their Crowns too, and Reign for 
 ever and ever, Rev. 22. j. 
 
 But to return, and to give a full Account or the 
 divine Original of Civil Monarchy ( the Envy of the 
 Devil, the Objed of his Malice chiefly as flowing 
 from God man, the Antipathy unto and irreconcileable 
 Averfion for which, the true mark and Characleriftick 
 of all His,) as far as my prefent Deilgn will permit. 
 Out of the Holy Scriptures, in the former Collecti- 
 on, I made choice of fuch which are the leaft con- 
 teftable, moft pofitive and literal, and chiefly relating 
 
 to 
 
Esamind and Difprovd. 3 15- 
 
 to Faflsi but now I mall produce fome others, 
 which tho' to unprejudiced and difintereiied Perfons 
 may appear fufficiently clear and manifefi, as not at 
 the firft view, yet in Deduction, I hope, may flop 
 the Mouths of even the moft malicious and [elf- de- 
 figning, if not ab/olute and point-blank AtheiHs. And 
 here I muft run back even to the Creation, and take 
 my beginning thence, and fo fetch the Original oi Mo- 
 narchy rrom the Original of Dominion it fell, (the Ho* 
 Jy Scriptures affording us no other Form of Dominion 
 but Monarchical.) 
 
 The Firft Text then is from Gen. r. 26. And God 
 {[Eiohim^ faid, Let us make Man in our Image, after 
 our Likenejs, and let them have Dominion, &c Now 
 Elohim is one of the Ten Names of God, and ufed 
 above Thirty times in the Hiftory of the Creation in 
 this Chapter, His Judiciary Name of managing and 
 preferring by Jufiice and Judgment , that 
 World which under that Name he crea- midons Orig. 
 ted, and as his Creature hath Right to ofDom.c. 1. 
 Govern. It's deriv'd from El or Eloah, 
 which fignifies firong or Powerful ; and fo God ha- 
 ving created Man in his own Image, to Refemble and 
 Reprefcnts the Sabfiance and Original, and made him 
 as it were an Epitome of the Divine Nature or Being, 
 and Attributes • and to Render this Image or Repre- 
 fentation the more vifible, notorious and Obvious to all 
 Creatures whether Rational or Irrational, and to Ap- 
 pear as a God upon Earth, as foon as he had created 
 Man, He fiampt upon him the Imprefs of that moft 
 illu(lrious Attribute, his Tower, Sovereignty or 
 Dominion, Vejerdu, and let them have Domini- Ibid, 
 on, from Rada, which with Dominari to 
 bear Rule, fignifies alfo accipere idque ab alto, to receive, 
 and to receive from above; intimating that in Man, 
 there's fo fuch thing as felf- originated Power, unlefs 
 we will fuppofe him to have his Origine from him- 
 fe!f alone, and not from a Superiour and Vre-exifient 
 
 Caufe, 
 
316* The Anahaptifts Minijiry 
 
 Caufe, and fo to be Really and literally God, and that 
 he can have no rightful Power, but by the free and 
 exprefs Donation of him who created and formed him, 
 from Elohim, whom he Reprefents ; No Right or Power 
 over any thing, Birds, Beafis, Fijlics, no not to Food 
 or Raiment, but only by his Bounty. Here then we 
 have the Origination of all earthly Dominion • it's only 
 from God, and not from the People, as fome ignorant 
 Pagans, groping in the Dark, have afferted, and from 
 them our infpird and Illuminated-Demagogue-SeBaries, 
 and whether they or Mofes, or the Spirit of God by 
 him, be moft to be credited in this Matter ? ( for the 
 whole Controverfie, lies between God and the P^/^ 
 forfooth ) let any that's Religious and fears God, and 
 honours the infpird Oracles judge. Hence likewife we 
 fee that the Image or Refemblance of God's Sovereignty 
 Dominion, and moft glorious Prerogative was vetted in 
 One, as the fuprcam Creator and Lord of all things and 
 beings, both in Heaven and Earth, One : So the /- 
 ?#tfg<? reprefenrative, or refemblance but Owe, the 2&- 
 f&T, the jRtfof of all Mankind but 0«<?, and if Adam 
 had no£ forleited his integrity, his innocency in Para- 
 Jife,b\it perfever'd in that SV/tfe he was created in, in 
 all probability he had continued the fole Monarch 
 and fupream earthly Lord of all his Posterity. But One 
 God, but one King. And as he was a pub lick Per fan, 
 and reprefentative of all Mankind, fo to every Man 
 was imparted a refpe&ive Portion of the Image of 
 God, of Dominion, of Sovereignty fuitable to his State 
 or Station and Quality, in the Order of Providence ; 
 and fo we find the Throne of God's Image is in the 
 rulf g part, whether it is placed, and fo fever -al Degrees 
 
 of it or Portions. — c In private Perfons it is feat- 
 
 f ed in the Regal Faculty of the Will : in the Family 
 f ( confining of divers incorporated into one Body ) it is 
 l in the Matter thereof : in the Kingdom ( compo- 
 c fed of many Families into One Houfhold ) it is in 
 f the King,the Heprefeater. of Elohim, By this P*» 
 
 tent 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 317 
 
 ttnt whereby God or Elohim inverted 
 Adam with the Dominion or Sovereignty Weldons Orig. 
 of all the World : He took him into Dm - c - '•§• 8 . 
 the Participation of his own Prerogative, 
 fo much of it as was communicable unto, or was confi- 
 ftentwith fuch a Being as was to live upon Earth, and 
 fo doing to -wear his own Title too of Elohim ; this 
 will follow, to partake of the Paver will imply a 
 Communication of Name, and 7z>/e too, or elfe the 
 Image would be fo far from being an Image, that it 
 would be indifferently any thing elfe rather than what 
 it fhould be, and why not Adam Elohim as well or 
 rather than Mofes, of Mofes God exprefly faith, thou 
 malt be to him [viz,. Aaron] Elohim or God, Exod. 
 4. 16. If then ^<?w was the Image of Elohim, and 
 more than that Likenefs too, then it will follow as 
 God is call'd Elohim, from his Royal Prerogative of 
 Strength, Power, Authority, and fo King and Mo- 
 narch becaufe above all, confequently Adam as Elo- 
 hims Image, Likenefs, Reprefentative, King and Mo- 
 narch too, and above all Mankind that mould grow 
 out of him as their Root : and fo we fee Earthly Mo- 
 narchy is the vifible Image and Reprefentative of the in- 
 vifible Monarchy of Elohim, God bleffed for ever, and 
 derives folely and immediately from him. 
 
 Heie then we have found the Original Infirument y 
 or Patent for Monarchy or Kingly Government ; 
 the Divine Charter, by which Kings hold their 
 Sovereign Prerogative ,• and from Adam, we fhall fee 
 it traducd to his £/</<?# Son ,• fo far was he from 
 lofing this his Regal Prerogative, that God was 
 pleas'd moft gracioufly to enlarge it, by fubjetling 
 the Woman unto him, who was his Co-partner 
 with him before, in the Empire of the World. 
 Gen. 5. 16. It's faid, He begat Children in his own 
 Likenefs, after his Image, as he was made himfelf in 
 the Image, and after the Likenefs of God ,• as he was 
 Inverted with Royal Prerogative by God, fo by the 
 
 fame 
 
318 The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 fame Patent it was entail'd; upon his Demife, defcert- 
 ded to his Eldetf Son upon his Death, who was the 
 Heir Apparent during his Life. This we find in 
 Gen. 4. 7. ackcowledg'd by God himfelf, even after 
 God had manifefted his Dillike of Cains Offering 
 . (as 'tis fuppcs'd in a vifible manner.) And unto thee 
 fljall be his Dejire, and thou malt Rule over him, i. e. 
 He Hull be fubjed unto thee in a double Capacity , as 
 to Civil and Religious Concerns, as thou malt be his 
 King and his PrieB (in Right of thy Primogeniture) 
 upon the Demife of thy Father, the double Portion 
 of God's Likenefi. That the Regal and Sarcedotal 
 Powers, were the Jura Primogeniture , the Inheritance 
 of the Firfi-born, and United in his Perfon, feems 
 plainly to be acknowledg'd by Cain himfelf; ver. 
 14. Behold thou hafi driven me this day from the Pace 
 of the Earth [or Sovereignty] and from thy Face flail I 
 be hid [feparated, or excommunicated.] 
 midonsOng. Th Wor(i j Efathar, a word of God's 
 of Dom.Ca. 4. ,, . o .' 1 • 1 r 
 
 Sett. 6. Prerogative or Sovereignty, which hgni- 
 
 fieth ajufi and total Deprivation of him 
 (as with relation to the Sacred Power of Kingfup, 
 fo) of both Priefihood and Sanctuary, he being now 
 reducd to the State of a private Perfon, and there- 
 fore fear'd, that whofoever ftwuld meet him, (liould kill 
 him. But I meet with another Text, Chap. y. which 
 very much confirms this double Notion of God's 
 Ir>?rge i Regal and Sarcedotal Power being the Rights 
 of Primogeniture in the firft Ages of the World, and 
 fo going by Inheritance or Succejfion ; and by the 
 way, proving the Divine and Eternal Right and Pre- 
 heminency of Monarchy to all other Forms, by the 
 brighteft Law of Nature, deriving it felf from the 
 Eternal ko)&\ the Word, the Wifdom, the Son of 
 God ; (of which, more afterwards) and that is, 
 ver. 3. And Adam lived an Hundred Tears , and be- 
 gat a Son in his own Likenefs, after his Image, and call'd 
 bis Name Seth, Pofitus, Conftitutus, as appointed or 
 
 fet 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. 319 
 
 fet in the Room of Cain, dijtnherited and deprhtd of 
 the Right of Yrimcgeniture or SucceJJion to the Crown 
 and Afc>#, to fucceed upon the Demife of Adam, 
 there being no other rational Account to be given 
 why the Spirit of God mould fo emphatically fet 
 down thofc Expreflions of Begotten in the LikeneJS 
 and Image of Adam, but what I have infixed upon. 
 By the fame Argument, it may be affirm'd likewife, 
 that from 'Seth this Image and Likencf were convey 'd 
 or traduc'd in a Lineal Succeffion to Noah, 'till the 
 Flood. When God Almighty, in a moft dreadful and 
 amazing manner, to take Vengeance on a defperately 
 wicked Generation of Men, who had Apofiatiz'd 
 from his Likenefs and Image, and abandon'd them- 
 felves to Idolatry and their own abominable Lufts, by 
 deftroying them with an Inundation of Waters. This 
 is no Chimera, or meer Fancy • that Cain forfeited the 
 Regal and Sacerdotal Power, is evident by his for- 
 feiting the Primogeniture, that he was driven out, or 
 excommunicated the Society of the Faithful, is matter of 
 Fall; and thence took upon him the Likenefs and 
 Image of Satan, God's fworn Enemy and Antagonifi, 
 by letting up a falfe Wcrihip, Satan's Kingdom and 
 Synagogue, in cppofition to God's Kingdom, and 
 the One, the True Church, and fo firft form'd the w- 
 fible Corpus Perditorum, the vifible Society of Reprobates^ 
 againft the Society of the Elecl, the Body of Chrifi ; 
 and fo things ftood till Seth begot IiTue, and began 
 to multiply Mankind , and then the Church began 
 to fioarifh again ,• for it's faid, Then be- 
 gan Men to call upon the Name of the Gen. 4. 26. 
 Lord ; then the True Religion began to 
 get ground, and the Church to lift up its Head, and 
 to become more vifible. Notwithftanding this, the 
 Number of Idolaters were far the greater ; as Weeds 
 grow and multiply fafteft, and the Number of the E- 
 lecl, or of Prof effors of the True Religion, was, and 
 will be always, feweji. Cains more numerous Troge- 
 
jio The Anahaptijls Miniftry 
 
 ny, by their conftant and frequent Commerce with 
 the Defendants or Setb } poifon'd them by degrees, 
 and injinuated their falfe and impious Notions into 
 them, and allur'd them by their Licentioufnefs , to 
 follow^ their wicked Examples ,• and particularly, 
 by their inter- Marriages ; and in time, drew them off 
 from the True Faith and Worjhip, to participate with 
 them in ail their Crimes and Punishments too « fo that 
 at length, the True Worffup of God, his Likenefs and 
 Image, remain'd Inviolable, only in Noah's Family: 
 and God, after his infinite Patience and Forbear- 
 ance, was provok'd to cut off all the Race of Man- 
 kind, excepting Eight Perfons. So that now the 
 Sovereign Power and the Prieflhood, becomes veiled in 
 one only Man again, as in the Creation, and the Power 
 of Life and Death ; particularly, by an unalterable 
 Law, pofitively and exprefly given to him, and 
 thofe who mould afterwards for ever fucceed him, 
 whofo meddeth Man's Blood by Man [ i. e. by the 
 Reprefentative of Elohim, by the Supream Magi- 
 ftrate mall his Blood be med] none but God and his 
 Deputy, who ads by his Authority, and for him, 
 hath any Right over the Life of Man ; Gen. 9. 6. 
 Such an Authority, that no meer Man ever had over 
 his own Life, even by the Senfe of the moft civilizd 
 and learn d amongft the Heathens ; and fuch an Au- 
 thority therefore, that all Mankind put together, No- 
 ble or Ignoble, never could convey to a jingle Perfon ; 
 an unanfwerable Argument againft the Origination 
 of Civil Go<vernme?it, or Monarchy from the People * 
 and the Reafon is given : for, in the Image of Elo* 
 him made he Man, i. e. s That all Men whatfoever, 
 ' ('accidentally good or bad) are fubftantially and e- 
 
 c qually enobl'd with the Image of God. And, 
 
 * according to the Communication of that Image, 
 € they have the particular Dominions, which by 
 s God , are difpens'd in the feveral Proportions 
 ' thereof, by its different Communication. AH 
 
 ' Men 
 
Examine! and Difprovd. 3 u 
 
 c Men have Portions in it [according to their feveral 
 States , and Conditions } and Circumfiances God hath placd 
 them in • ] c therefore is the Life of all Men Sacred, 
 * not to be taken away, but by Him whofe Image 
 ( he is ; all have it not equally, for fome have Do- 
 minion by it, to take away the Life of 
 fome who alfo have it, [but in a private Wlihris Ortg, 
 and inferkur degree."] So then by a De- °J x T' 7 C ' see 
 dudion from Adam to the Flood, we aifo§.$.' 
 fhall find Ten Patriarchs exercifing Mo- 
 mrchical Power, and whatever ftir fome Atheists and 
 Republican-Sectaries (in that refped not one jot bet- 
 ter than profeflAtheifts, that is, no more Christians or 
 Reverers of God's Word ) make about Pairiarchical 
 Power, they can never get offit, but they were 
 Monarches as well as Patriarchs (unlefs we can fup- 
 pofe two Fathers of the fame Progeny, or two. Fa- 
 thers in one Family, or more as you pleafe. If Mat- 
 ters of FaB related by the Spirit of God, may be 
 thus bandied, and conttfted, and difputed, and que Jt ion d, 
 then we muft inevitably run into Scepticifm, and turn 
 Seekers in good earneft. But allowing Fanaticks this 
 Privilege, thofe Infatiable Self-Seekers, thofe ffigma- 
 tiz'd Monopolizers and Lovers of themfelves, that is^ 
 Haters of all Mankind befides their own Dear [elves • 
 yet Men offebriety, modefty and jenfe willeaiily be 
 convine'd, that even Families were originally the 
 Seminaries of what we call Empire, Monarchy, and 
 that the Patriarchs^ who lived to fuch vaft Ages as 
 365, y^y, 969 Years, might fairly be fuppoied to 
 beget fuch numerous Off-fprings, as might fufficiently 
 entitle them Monarchs. None ever were fo mad 
 yet as to pretend to define how many No fes go to 
 the denominating a King. He that hath but four or 
 five Hundred Subjeds, more or lefs, is as true a King., 
 as to all the EJJeniials to Sovereignty, as he that can 
 command a Million ; the Extent of Territories, and, 
 Nu; ?;bers of Subjects, may render him more Powerful 
 
 Y 
 
311 The Anahaptijis Minijlry 
 
 or Formidable to his Neighbours, but a leffer Prince, in 
 thefe refpe&s, rnay exercife a Pcwj* as uncontroulably 
 and effectually over his Subjects, as the greater amongft 
 his. Therefore it's not incongruous to call the Pa- 
 triarchs Kings and Monarchs, nay nonfenfe to affert 
 otherwife j becaufe neceffarily the Reafon and circum- 
 ftances or Things requiring and demanding they 
 mould be fo ; becaufe by all the Lights we have in 
 this matter, and the FaBs related by the Spirit of 
 God, it could not be otherwife. He that believes 
 the Mcfaical account of the Creation, muft fuppofe 
 that Families were exiftent before Nations, as much 
 as one Man before twenty. Therefore I fhall fpend 
 no more time or words about this particular, Fami- 
 lies in the beginning were the Seminaries of Kingdoms 
 or Empires, or Empires and Kingdoms in Epitome or in 
 little. Imperium a Deo hominibus eft conceffum non ali- 
 quot dies, nedum mult a post fecula Condito Orbe. Statim 
 cum homincm formaret Deus, indidit femina & Potent iam 
 productricem Imperii, producendi actualiter, cum primum 
 materies fufficiens, i. e. Numerm &■ copia kominum ido- 
 neafuerit exiftens. Hanc materiam Imperii in hominibus, 
 qui negare vult, fenfuum teftimonio non argumentorum vi 
 convincendus eft, Epftein. in Annot. ad Horn, de Civitate, 
 L. 2. C. i. §. 9. ver. j6. And accordingly we find 
 it fo upon the increafe of Mankind after the Deluge ; 
 The federal Families of Noah's Pofterity were by a 
 Miracle of Providence feparated, upon the Multiplica- 
 tion of Languages, and by divine Appointment became 
 distinct Nations and Monarchies, fee Gen. c. 11. Nay 
 this Difperjion was fo great, that we read that not on- 
 ly the 'Continent, but the very IJlcs were polTeft by 
 the Pofterity ofjaphet, in particular Chap. 10. <;. 
 By thefe were the Ijles of the Gentiles divided in their 
 Lands, every one after his Tongue, after their Families 
 in their Nations ; and as there were different Nations 
 and Languages, what mould hinder but that thefe 
 Nations became Diftinct Independent Monarchies, For, 
 
 by 
 
Examlrid and Difprovd. 32,3 
 
 by the way, we read of no other Forms of Govern- 
 ment than by Kings, Single Perfons. Chap. 12. we 
 have mention ofPharoah King of Egypt. Chap. 12. 
 of t,he Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha, and divers other 
 Kims. Chap. 14. of Melchifedek King of Salem, the 
 famous Type of the Kingjhip and PrieHhood of the 
 ®«<*V9j«t©-, Immanuel, God- man. Chap. 20. of Abime- 
 lech King of Gerar, a religious and 'virtuous Prince, and 
 Worfhipper of the true God. Chap. 22. The Patri- 
 arch Abraham is call'd Lord, and recogniz'd as a 
 Mighty Prince by the Children of Heth, which im- 
 ports nothing lefs than Kingflrip, fince Kings or Mq- 
 narchs were fo frequent in that Age. Then Chap. 
 24. amongft the Poftcrhy of Efau we find a great ma- 
 ny Kings and Dukes. So we read of Amelek, Sihon 
 King or the Amorites, of the -KVwg of Moab, Og the 
 King of Bafljan, Numb. 22. Balak the King ot Mo^ 
 Ch. 23. Jofljua Chap. 6. of the King of Ai, and of 
 thirty and owe more, which Jofliu'a and the Children of 
 Jfrael fmote on this fide Jordan, in their taking pol- 
 ieflion of the promifed Land, Jcf). 12. It would be 
 endlefs to reckon up all the Kings we read of in the 
 eld Testament * that which I mall infer, is only this, 
 that it's evident from the old Teftament, the ancienteft 
 Book by far now extant in the World, that Monarchy 
 was the Primitive Government efiablifht by God him- 
 felf, and pleads Prefcription againft all other Forms ; 
 that Patriarchal Government, or Fathers of Families 
 were the firft Governours and Monarchs • that Monar~ 
 chy was convey 'd all along from Father to Son till 
 the Univerfal Deluge ; that after the Flood Colonies, by 
 the Divine Difpofal,were fent forth all over the World 
 with the Patriarchs or Chiefs of Families at the H^^ 
 of them : and thence, as they grew numerous, by the 
 fame Providence and Appointment too, no queftion, 
 became Independent Nations and Monarchies $ all thofe 
 of the fame Language uniting under the fame refpe- 
 ftive Head. This undoubtedly was the Work and Con- 
 
 Y 2 trivance 
 
314 The Anabaptifls Miniflry 
 
 trivance of Providence ; the very Ground and Reafon of 
 the difference of Languages, to divide and feparate them 
 into diftintl Nations, Countries and Kingdoms • «»i- 
 verfal Monarchy being the moft unfeajible, impracticable 
 thing that can be imagin'd in the corrupt and degene- 
 rate State of Mankind ,• and we find by Hiftory that 
 whenever or by whomfoever it hath been attempted, 
 the Projetl hath always mifcarrteddX length,and fo long 
 as it hath lafted in the greateft Effays that have made, 
 it hath tumbled down by its own weight. 
 
 But as to Monarchy it felf, we have the whole. 
 World; nay, I may fay, the Voice of Nature attefting 
 it from all the Ages of the World, from all the Difco- 
 verics that have been made in the Eaft and Weft In- 
 dies ; we read of Kings every where, but of no o- 
 ther Forms of Government, that I remember, ex- 
 cept among the Grecians and Romans ,• and in thefe 
 latter Ages, in fome particular parts of Europe, which 
 fcarce deferve our Notice, no otherwife than other 
 monftrous preternatural Productions. And to conclude 
 this Paragraph, I mall only add, That as at the firft, 
 God inftituted Monarchy in one Man, and fo the Royal- 
 ty defcended from father to Son, by the Law of 
 Primogeniture , fo after Mankind were multiplied, as 
 far as the Divine Providence thought fit, by a vaft 
 Miracle, he multiplied likewife Languages amongft 
 them, and feverally led them out for the Peopl'mg of 
 the World, according fo their dift'mc! Diahbls, into 
 diftincl Colonies, with their King, their Leader at the 
 Head of them ; as the Son of Sirach faith, Ecckf. 17. 
 17. For in the Divlfion of the Nations of the whole Earth, 
 HE SET a RULER over EVERY PEOPLE; 
 which plainly alludes to Mofes's Song, Deut. 32. 7,8. 
 Remember the Days of Old ; confidcr the Tears of many 
 Generations ; ask thy Father, and fce will foew thee ,• 
 thy Elders, and they will thee, when the MOST HIGH 
 DIVIDED to the Nations their Inheritance, when He fe- 
 parated the Sons of Adam, He fet the Bounds of the 
 
 People 
 
Examlnd and Difprovd. $1$ 
 
 People, ACCORDING to the NUMBER of the 
 CHILDREN of Ifrael ; Corap. Gen. 10. and Gen. 49. 
 In the former, you will find the Names of the Sons 
 of SVw, Haw and Japhet, were Seventy ; anfwering 
 to the Number of Ifraeh Sons that went down into 
 *s£g)>pt : an^many Learn'd Authors are of Opini- 
 on, that the Number of Languages, at the Confujion 
 of Tongues, were Seventy, and the World divided in- 
 to fo many Parts, into which Mankind, from the 
 Building of Babel, were difpers'd. 
 
 The next Text I produce lhall be from Job, who 
 lived, it's thought, in the Patriarchal Age j who by 
 many circumftances feems to have been a Patriarch 
 King, as Job Ch. 29. 7, &C When I went out to the 
 GATE thro the City, when I prepared my SEAT in 
 JUDGMENT, the young Men that faw me hid 
 themfelves, and the AGED AROSE, and STOOD 
 up. The PRINCES refrained talking, and laid 
 their hand on their mouth. The NOBLES held their 
 -peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their month, 
 
 &c. 1 futon RIGHTEOUSNESS, and it clothed 
 
 me, my JUDGMENT was as a Robe and a Dia- 
 dem. I was Eyes to the Blind, and Feet I was to the 
 Lame ; I was a FATHER to the Poor, and the 
 CAUSE which I knew not, I fearched out. And I 
 BRAKE the Jaws of the wicked, and PLUCKT the 
 
 SPOIL out of his Teeth, &c. Unto me Men GAVE 
 
 EAR, and waited, and my Speech dropped upon 
 
 them. 1 chofe out their way, and fat CHIEF, 
 
 and dwelt as a KING in the ARMY, &e. And 
 Ch. 19. v. 9. He hath ft ript me of my GLORY, and 
 taken the GROWN from my Head. By all thefe 
 He feems to be no lefs than a KING : And in Job 
 26. v. 7. c We read (faith the Learned Author of 
 ( Sacrofantl. Reg. Majefi. ch. 2. p. 29.) with St. Je- 
 e rome, (and that without wronging the Original in 
 the Senfe , Reges collocat in S'olio in perpetwim , He 
 I places Kings in the Throne for ever ; and again, 
 
 Y 5 f Cho 
 
326 The Analaptifls Miniftry 
 
 * Ch. 12. l8. He loofeth the Bonds of Kings, andgirdeth 
 c their Loyns with a girdle. The Refult of all is this : 
 
 He Maketh, Continueth, Unkingeth, &C. 
 
 id. ibid. Monarchy or Kingly Government is God's 
 own Infiitution, Ordinance, and not a Humane Inven- 
 tion (Humane Invention in this Nature properly and 
 ftrictly implying an Aberration from the Divine Law, 
 Ordinance or Appointment, or Nature's Law • Nature 
 confider'd in its Purity, and as an Imperefi or Stamp 
 made by God on the Hearts and Conferences of 
 Men, being molt confonant and agreeable to the 
 fJJbxui, the Good-will and Approbation of God.) 
 And this will appear from that famous Expreffion of 
 Wifdom in Prov. 8. ij. By me Kings Reign, utter'd by 
 that Glorious Type of Chrifiian Kings, the wifeft of all 
 mere Mortals - y 'tis fpoken indefinitely of Ali Kings, 
 in the Perfon of Wifdom it felf, the a5>o«, the Eter- 
 nal Word,thc Second Perfon of the Ineffable, Adorable 
 Trinity. See J oh. J. I. Heb. r. 2. All Rightful Kings 
 receive their Authority immediately from the Wif- 
 dom and Eternal Word oi God, from the Principle of 
 XJnBion, God's Chrift. By Him, and None elfe, nei- 
 ther People, nor Pope, nor Presbyter- By me, the 
 Fountain of Mercy, not by me in Anger and enraged 
 as once againft the Jfmelites, and fo gave them Saul 
 in my wrath, to Plague and Scourge them for their Le- 
 vity, their Stiff-neckednefs, and Difobedience, and 
 Unfatisfiednefs with their prefent Condition ; By me 
 the Fir B born of God : By me, 13, in me as well as 
 by me: Kings firft in Him, and fo come forth from 
 him, as they that are in him. Chrift in them, as His 
 Deputies, Acting in his Name, and by his Authority, 
 and for Him. They in Chrift, as their Author and 
 Authorifer ; He by their Perfons, They by His Power. 
 Sacrof Reg. May. c. ;. p. 27. Again, The Prefix 3 
 fjgnifies cum, as well as in and per, with as well as in 
 and by; and if we take it in this latter Senfe, no In- 
 jury will be done to the Original neither^ it will be 
 
 no 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. jz^ 
 
 no Impropriety, Force or Wrefting, if we render 
 the words thus, With me Kings Reign, as the Mini* 
 fiers of my Providential Government of the World ; fo 
 that hence it clearly follows, that all Rightful Mo- 
 narch; or Kings, deriv'd their Power from God by 
 Chrisl, as the Medium defer ens, .before his Incarnation, 
 which to Deny is to Rob Christ of his Prerogative 
 and Sovereignty, and becomes the Mouth or Pen of a 
 Jew, a Mujfulman, a Pagan, an Hobbs, Spinofa, bet- 
 ter than of One who profefteth himfelf to be a Chri- 
 fiian, a Worfhipper of the Holy Jefw 3 and an Ho- 
 nourer of the Divine Scriptures. 
 
 Having hitherto infifted upon the Authorities of 
 the Old Teftament, to prove the Original of Dominion, 
 and Monarchy in particular, to be Divine and God's 
 own Eftablifiment • I fhall now proceed to confirm 
 what has been afferted, by Authorities from the New 
 Teftament it felf,* and therein Jkoi>,that the Gofpel and 
 Apoftolical Writings differ not in the leaft from what 
 hath been demonftrated from the Old, fo far from 
 yibolijlung, that they corroborate and eftablijl) them. 
 
 The First fhall be that of Our BlefTed Lord him- 
 felf, who acknowledg'd Pilate to be a Lawful Gover- 
 nor, and confequently that Monfter of Mankind, 
 whofe Deputy he was, the Emperour Tiberius. Then 
 faith Pilate unto him, Speakesl thou not unto me ? KnoweH 
 thou not that I have power {s&oitut) [lawful power] to 
 Crucifie thee, and have power to Releafe thee ? Jefus an- 
 f wer'd, Thou couldeft have no power W^ciaji] at all a- 
 gainH me, except it were given thee from above, 
 Job. 19. i o, 1 1. Here Our Saviour,in exprefs Terms, 
 owns Lawful Power to have its Origine only from God, 
 it could not be i%tfl* t were it not from above, did it 
 not proceed from HIM who is Being it felf : Tibe- 
 rius and Pilate could not have it otherwife, or from 
 any but God alone ; and then implicitly Monarchy it 
 felf is approved by Christ, ancf ackowledg'd to be 
 
 T 4 from 
 
3x8 The Anahapttfts Miniftry 
 
 from God, and invefed with i&tU, Authority or Law-* 
 fat Power by God. 
 
 Befides, when Pilate Ch. 18. v. 37. faid unto him, 
 Art thou a King ? Jefus anfwered. Thou fayeft that I 
 am a King. He own'd it Literally, and was really fo, 
 which I think none of our Sectaries have the Impu- 
 dence to deny : And in the foregoing Verfe told Pi- 
 late, that He had a Kingdom, My Kingdom is not of 
 this World • If my Kingdom were of this World, &c. but 
 now is my Kingdom not from hence. Whatever 
 fome may have alleged as to this Text, 'tis evident 
 that it cannot be conceived againft all the Antient 
 Prophecies of our Saviour, and the Analogy of Scrip- 
 tures, 7 that Chrift had no Kingdom in this World, be- 
 caufe in the following Verfe he faid himfelf, That 
 for this end that He might be a King, even in this 
 World, He came into the World. Then the words can- 
 not be fo underftood as if they implied, c That 
 c there are in this World Kingdoms Originally of this 
 * World : This is manifeft from firft Text cited on 
 c this occafion, where 'tis obfervable that in this 
 e World there's no Juft and Legal Power of Domi- 
 c nion over others, the Name whereof in the New 
 c Tefjrarnent, is s&ot'cj, (which One ivor d rightly un- 
 c derftood would put an end to this Controverfy, 
 c inafmuch as the very Name tells us it's derived 
 c from him who is • '#?, viz. Jehovah, who- is not 
 ' the People) but this Power mtift be Originally and 
 c Alone in the Deity, &c. Thirdly, The Words 
 e themfelves cannct bear out this Con- 
 Weld. Or/^. of c ft ru tf- lon That any Juft Power mould 
 Pom. c. z. c be 0figinaily f this Wor]d . My 
 
 Kingdom is not of this World, Ik. kUimu ™W See 
 Job. 15. 19. 1 Cor. 1 5. 47. for the like Expreflion. 
 No, it was from above, from the faid Origine that 
 the Emperor's Power was, So then we have {een 
 that Chrisi himfelf own'd himfelf to be a King, and 
 to have even a Temporal Kingdom, the Kingdom of 
 
 Juda?a 
 
Examined and Difprov'J. 329 
 
 Judaa ; and that by Inheritance, He was born a 
 King, coming out of David's Loyns ; and that his Au- 
 thority was from above, and that Temporal Rightful 
 Monarchy have their Authority thence likewife, 
 and confequently but One Fountain, one Root of: 
 Lawful Authority, and that is God, Being it Jelf, I 
 am, the Author of All Beings, and All Rightful Bower. 
 
 The Second Text is that of Rom. 1 ;. 1. Let every 
 Soul be fubjecl unto the Higher Powers, i%v<ri<us "Zafyix*™-'** 
 [Supream Powers] for there is no Power , ££«««*, but 
 of God. The Powers that he are ordained of [from or 
 by] God. One would think there were no diffiulty 
 to determine, here of what Sort or Form thefe Powers 
 here mention'd were, when 'tis manifeft that at the 
 time St. Paul wrote, the Government, the Romans m 
 Particular, and the Chriflians then in General liv'd un- 
 der, was Monarchical, adminiftred by a Single Perfon • 
 and fince we read of no other Form of God's In- 
 fiitution , that They relate principally 
 to that Form, exclusively of all other, J'^ *'£• 
 unleJS by Analogy and Accommodation • ei- 
 pecialiy fince the Apoftie tells us, thefe Higher Pow- 
 ers are Ordain d of God, who never expre/ly ordain'd 
 any other Form, that we can met with in our Bibles 
 (which, by the way, ffiould make any True Chrifiian 
 dread to be concern'd in the fetting up New Forms of 
 "Human Invention, as indeed Teaching Go^and Chrisl 
 a better way of Governing the World, than Infinite 
 Wifdom and Mercy and Love to Mankind, hath 
 hitherto pitch'd upon.) But why may we not take 
 St. Peter in, as a fufficient and fit Expofitor of St. 
 Paul, and fo to (fiecify what fome would have the 
 Apoftie affeit only in the Ahflracl (tho' I think St. 
 Paul hath done it fufflciently to fatisfy any thing but 
 Impudence and PcrtinacioufnefsJ (|I mean thofe that 
 Gape for the Govrnment themfelves, as all our Anta- 
 gonists in this Point do) v. 5,4. For Rulers, &c. St. 
 Peters @<x.<nK£i jSdjfypiu, i Pet. 2. 1 3, v. 3. He is a Mi- 
 
 nifter- 
 
33 o The Anahaptifts Minijlry 
 
 niper of God, Sec. v. 4. Nay, to thee, for [thy] good, 
 if thou doft thy Duty. (No Government fo bad or 
 unjuft, but for the moft part encourage Virtue, and 
 difcourage Vice: No Prince fo Evil as that more fuffer 
 Injury than receive Juftice under them: and the worft 
 of Governments better than Anarchy and Confufion, 
 Oxf. Annot. in loc.) If thou be'ft not devoid of all 
 Grace, paft all hopes of growing better : if thou 
 haft any folid Virtue, any Grace to exercife, even 
 under the moft Tyrannical and Brutim, thou haft a 
 fair Opportunity for it ,• whether it be Patience un- 
 der AfflioHons, the preferving thy Confcience in- 
 violable, the manifefting thy Love to thy Saviour, 
 Conflancy to the Truth, Confidence in God, here is a 
 glorious Opportunity for to win an immortal Crown, 
 and to allure thy felf of Eternal Life and Glory : 
 And yet this Minifier was Nero, yet even He was 
 ordained of God, becaufe \%w\& •Cgfr*x* m * an High 
 Supreme Power. And fo we have the Divine Ori- 
 ginal of Monarchy here afferted, for the cu At ««u 
 ft^KCTau, the Towers that be refer to the ll%*f'i<ui xs^^x^fy 
 preceding the Higher Powers, for there is no Power 
 but of God ,• and then theConclufion muft be,There 
 is no Supream Rightful Power but from God alone : and 
 it you demand who this particular Ruler, Minifier 
 was, it was Nero; and if you will have the Apofile's 
 Exhortation to be General to all Chriftians, then the 
 Senfe will be, Let every Soul be fubjeft to all Right- 
 ful Lawful Kings, for they Have or Receive their Au- 
 thority from God ,• the Lawful Powers that are in 
 being, throughout all Ages of the Church, are Or- 
 dain d of [from, or by] God; u ^ &ri 0«s, but from 
 God, from no one elie, h ph being an Exclufive as 
 in other places of Scripture. Again, Thefe Higher 
 Towers are call d v. 2. J)*Uyv ™ ©**> the Or- 
 Ver. 2. dinance of God, now fta.Ta.yn (faith the Author 
 of Sacrof Reg. Maj. c.2. p. 27.) is a very preg- 
 nant e Word, and fignifieth an Ordinance by High Au- 
 
 c 'thority ? 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 3ji 
 
 c thorlty not Revokable not Repeahble, for which he 
 c quoteth Claflical Authors, and among them Flat. 
 in Marcello , who ufeth Ji*\ciyixtL7U ivy il^vjuv. for 
 Eftablifhed Decrees of Sovereignty. The Word 
 from which it is deriv'd fo ufed Acls 28. And Ste- 
 fhanusy on Rom. 13. 2. agreeth that it fignifieth fo 
 much. 'E^ffjit, Poteftas, Power, a Roman Didion, faith 
 he, by which it was ordinary for them by Powers, in 
 the Abftracl, to exprefs the Perfons Authoriz'd with 
 this Power : As he obferves likewife from Barclaius 
 de Regno, who cites Claflical and good Authors for 
 it, as Pliny lib. 29. C.4. Juvenal. Sueton. in Claud, c. 21. 
 Modefi. lib. 27. de Pignorib. Ulpian. lib. 17. §. penult, de 
 <s£dil. EdiB. Tertull. contr. Gent. Sacrof. &c, y €r 
 C.2. p. 3 1. He is the Minifler of God, v. 4. and 
 therefore hath his Authority from God, and Acts 
 for God. 
 
 The fame Apofile y in 1 Tim. c. 2. v. 1. exhorts that 
 Supplications, Prayers, &c. and giving of Thanks be made 
 for all Men ; for Kings, and all in Authority, that we 
 may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all go dime fs and ho- 
 nefiy. Hence we may obferve, againft our Sectaries, 
 that the greateft Bleflings of this Life, may by our 
 Prayers, Patience, and Perfeverance in well-doing, 
 and Interceffions with God, be enjoy 'd under Infi- 
 del, Idolatrous Kings themfelves, and Pcrfecutors too ,• 
 and that God, when he fees fit, can turn Pm; x 
 their Hearts, fo that even fuch may prove 
 BUffmgs unto us : So that Kingcup is not in its own 
 Nature a Curfe (but as we by our Sins compel, as it 
 were,God to turn his Blefling into Curfes upon us, 
 and his Sceptre into Scorpions) or Abominable to God, 
 or inconfiflent with Christ s Kingdom, by all we have 
 feen hitherto out of the Old and New Tefiament, 
 And therefore, 
 
 The Apoftle in his Ep. to Titus, c. 3. 1. Put them in 
 mind to be fubjeB to Principalities^ M/&1, that is, ettx ea1i 
 Rulers _, [Princes] Rom. 13. 3, Kings, 1 Tim. 2. 1. The 
 
 King 
 
g$x The Anahaptijls Miniftry 
 
 King as Supream. I Pet. 2. 13. Powers, i^voicus, [juftly 
 deriv'dPowers,lawful Magiftrates] fuch being God's 
 Minifters, Rom. 13. 4. for the Pubiick good, He (o 
 difpofing their Hearts, that let them be in themfelves 
 good or bad, gentle or froward, whatever They do, 
 fhall turn to the Benefit and Advantage of all real 
 and fmcere Chrijlians ; all Circnmftances of LUe be- 
 ing the determined Effe&s of his All-wife, Jutt, and 
 Gracious Providence (without which nothing can 
 happen unto them) even Miferies, Afflictions of all 
 kinds, Lofs of Eftate, and Life it fe\f; all thefe fhall 
 turn to their Good, they fhall work for them an ex- 
 ceeding weight of true, folid and immarcefcible 
 Glory. So that to a true Chriftian indeed, that re- 
 fers all Events' to Providence , and is in his Mind re- 
 folvd to be conducted by it, and the Will of God re- 
 veal din his Holy TVord } pms his whole Truft and Con- 
 fidence in God, by applying himfelf only to lawful 
 Means and Meafures, and Cafts all his Care upon him 3 
 leaves All to his entire DiJpofal y layeth up his Treafures 
 in Heaven, looks for no Abiding City here, but looks 
 for one to come ,• who takes no care for the Mor- 
 row, and always thinks his prefent Condition moft 
 fuitable unto, and best for him,* who ftudies to mor- 
 tify and keep under his Corrupt Affections, and fetteth 
 his Affections, his Heart, upon the things above ,• pra- 
 Bifeth Self-denial ; dies daily to the World, that he may 
 live unto God ,• feeks to glorify God in all he do's, or 
 to do all to the Honour and Glory of God • and in all Cir- 
 cumftances whatever, values a Good Confcience beyond 
 Earthly Treafures and Comforts • Rejoyceth in Tribulati- 
 ons, and is always difpofed even to take up his Crofs, 
 and to tread in the Steps of ihis Blejfed Lord,a.nd is will- 
 ing, that what remains behind and unfinifh'd of the 
 Sufferings of Christ in his Members, may (as far as 
 poflible) be accompliJJid and fulfill' d in his own Perfon; 
 and counts it the greateft Honour, when call'd to 
 it, to fuffer for Right eoufnefs fake, and a moft Glorious 
 
 and 
 
Examind and Dzfprovd. 3^3 
 
 and Biffed Opportunity to approve and Signalize his 
 Jffeftion and .Love to his Loving Lord : I fay, A true 
 Chrijiian indeed (and none other than what I have 
 been defcribing, with fuch like difpofitions of Mind, 
 deferve that compellation) can never bethink him- 
 felf of Refifting or Rebelling againft Rightful Powers, 
 of Returning evil for evil, or Doing evil that good may 
 come of it; or chufing to violate God's Laws, to pre- 
 ferve his Skin whole, or his Efiate untouch d. Here's 
 no Room for fuch Damnable Thoughts, and Diaboli* 
 cal Practices, and none but the Scandals and Reproach- 
 es of Chriftianity, and all that's good, Carnal-minded 
 Men, Men ofAntichriftian, Worldly Spirits, can enter- 
 tain fuch Notions as thefe are. None but Proteus' s, 
 'Jesuits, Hereticks, Profligates, and Reprobates, Phari- 
 fees, Hypocrites, Gnofiieks, Time-fervers, &C. Thofe 
 who walk after the Flefi in the Luft of Unclean- 
 nefs, and dejfiife Government [the Ordinance of God 
 hirafelf in Church and State ] Prefumptuous , 
 [Proud and Haughty, that look upon it as a Diminu- 
 tion of their bloated Sandity, and too great a Conde* 
 fceniion for them, to ftoop or fubmit to the Autho- 
 rity of any thing, forfooth, that's call'd Man! ] and 
 therefore are not afraid [but audacioufly and arrogant* 
 ly3 ffeak evil of Dignities [flander, bely, and rail a- 
 gainft their Betters and Superiours"] 2 Pet. 2. 10. None 
 but fuch fligmatixld, cauterized Apofiates, as have gone 
 in the way of Cain, [embru'd their Hands in the 
 Blood of Princes and Priefis, of their better principled 
 and innocent fellow Subjeds] and run greedily after 
 the Errour of Balaam for Reward, p'ead Ship-Wreck 
 of a good Confcience, preach'd up Rebellion, War 
 and Biood-ihed, curs'd the Foot-fteps of God's A- 
 nointed, and vomited out all manner of Imprecations 
 upon the Church, the Ifrael, the Pecullum of God ,• 
 for no other end but to feize her Patrimony, to en- 
 rich themfelves with the Ecclefiaftical Revenues, and 
 10 gorge themfelves with the Wealth and Abundance 
 
 of 
 
334 The Anahaptifls Miniflry 
 
 of the Loyal Nobility and Gentry, and to Mount the 
 HigheB Stations in Church and State; and fo by the 
 juft Judgment of God, will, in due time, perijh in 
 the Gain-faying of Corah 3 in their Rebellion and Schifm. 
 
 I mall add but one 7«tf more unto this Collecti- 
 on ,• and that is, i Pet. 2. 13. (the latter part of 
 which I have touchd upon already) Submit your 
 felves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's fake % 
 &c. Now whereas fome have very boldly inferr'd 
 from this Text, that, that Civil Government is a Hu- 
 man Creature, according to the literal Tranflation of 
 the words, nvo*t *j>8p«5w», or an Ordinance fet up by 
 Man : I anlwer 
 
 Firfp, That, properly fpeaking, there's no fuch 
 thing in Rerum Natura, or in Nature, as an Human 
 Creature ,• unlefs we will call Sin, Obliquity, Vice, 
 the Violation of God's Commands, an Human Creature, 
 (becaufe no Produtlion of God's) Villany or Wicked- 
 nejs ; and dare any one be fo Blafpbemcus, as to 
 aver, that the Holy Spirit, by the Mouth of the 
 Apo[lle St. Peter, mould command our Obedience 
 and Submiffion to fuch an Human Creature, to the 
 Production of Man's wicked Heart ^ the Imaginations 
 and Thoughts whereof (is they are,ina ftriift Senfe and 
 Propriety of Speech, Man's') are wicked [and con- 
 trary to God and Goodnefs] continually, Gen. 6. 5-. 
 and ever conftantly prone to do amifs, and too 
 prompt to Actions contradictory to the Will of God ? 
 
 Secondly, Is it not moft unreafonable to fuppofe 
 this fingle Text, taken literally, or as it lies, mould 
 be a Glofs or Comment, to explain all the other Texts 
 in the Holy Scriptures by, which feemingly contradict 
 it, and hold forth a quite different Senle ? Or ra- 
 ther, is it not highly nafonable that it mould be ex- 
 amined by the other, which are more clear and 
 fnjitive , and lefs liable to Exception or Doubtful- 
 nefs, and receive its Interpretation from them ? 
 Ail the other places hichertp cited, or producible, 
 
 make 
 
Exantin'd and Difprov'd. 33^ 
 
 make Civil Government a Divine Ordinance, and af- 
 firm God to be its fole Author j and this feems, on 
 the contrary, to make it a meer Human Creature ,and 
 the People its Original. Contradictions cannot be e- 
 equally true , and therefore the Sectarian popular 
 Senfe of it muft befalfe. Here then we meet with 
 a feemlng Contradiction $ here's one Text feems to 
 clajh with a great many : God's word cannot hold 
 forth Contradictions , therefore we mult endeavour to 
 reconcile thefe Texts, that there may be no Ground 
 for Error in the Infallible Oracles oiTruth ,• and we 
 thereby expos'd to Uncertainty, in a matter of fuch 
 vaft Importance to the Peace, Order, and Well-being 
 of Mankind, and wherein Conscience is fo highly con- 
 cern'd and engag'd. 
 
 Thirdly, Then 'tis to obferv'd, with the Accurate 
 Mr. Weldon, ( and that according to the Original, 
 (for Adjedives in linos'] do not connotate Efficien- 
 cy in the Subject, but its Paflivity) that it is not 
 meant of any Ordinance created by Man, but efta- 
 blijh'd in or amongft Men, viz,, (in this particu- 
 lar) by the Conftitution of God. And this is the 
 conftant Dodtrine of the Scriptures, anfwerable to 
 that of St. Paul, Rom. i 3. i. For there is nothing 
 that is ^ta'tf, or juft Power, but it proceedeth 
 from God (who is not the People) and all that is 
 'JZ*<ri*> or juft Power, is fet in order by God, and 
 no other : St. Peters words are <jm-dys\7% &r j»V$ 
 &vd$«*miv* y?\cn eO* 75? xvevv, Be Subordinate unto 
 every Confiitution among Men, for, or according to the 
 Lord ; for fo the Prepofition J)& t (with an Accufa- 
 tive Cafe) fignifies in Scripture, viz. the Lord's 
 orderly Difpofition of Superiour , or Inferiour , 
 tin IWa« af ■v^'i^ei'77, whether it be to the King, as 
 to the Supreme, viz,, in this Subftitution £t7inyt(M- 
 <w ti( JV ewK mpmutvoH, &c, or to thofe by -whom his 
 Mind is declard, as unto Men that have his, viz,. 
 the King's Commiilion ; which cannot be un- 
 
 f derftood 
 
336 The Anahaptzfls Miniflry 
 
 c derftood of their immediate MiJJion from God ,• for 
 
 * then the God of Order, muft be the 
 
 ^oa'sOng c Author q{ Con rr nece fT arily at . 
 
 Pom. c. 2 $. c .. j- J r 1 ■ 1 ( 
 
 2 4 ,j # tending many Jupremcs ad idem, for 
 
 c the fame Ad : For whofoever is fent 
 ' by the moft: High, is, quoad hoc, Supreme, in rela- 
 < tion to that Commiffion, wherewith he is fent. 
 So that after all the Pother made by Sectaries, Re- 
 publicans, Hobbifis, and Theologo politico's, we fee the 
 feeming Contradi&ion reconcil'd very eafily and 
 naturally ,• and indeed, 'tis the Infincericy, by and 
 felfijh ends of defigning, deceitful, wicked Men, that is 
 by the Management, and fubtle Contrivances of that 
 malign Spirit, who wholly Governs them ,♦ that raifes 
 all thefe Fogs and Mifis - that obfcure the Truth, to 
 make way for Error and Confufion, the moft power- 
 ful Means of enlarging the Empire of Darknefs. It's 
 the hteresJ of thefe Monfiers of Mankind, it mould 
 be fo, only and for no other ends but to ferve their 
 Lufis, to accompli]!) their Projects ,• and they tug 
 hard, Tooth and Nail, it mould be fo ; and thofe 
 horrid Times of Confufion and Anarchy, in this King- 
 ~dom, I have fo often mention'd, when Satan was 
 loos d, may convince all good Chiriftians of the 
 Truth of what I have faid, by their Practice then, 
 befides their reftlefs Endeavours ever fmce. They 
 matter not who is Author or Original of Dominion, 
 whether God or the Devil ; the latter will ferve their 
 turn, and are well contented it mould be fo, if 
 they may but be his Journy-men or Deputies. 
 
 And now I come to the Second Point I propos'd ; 
 and that is, That Dominion, and in particular, that 
 Form of it which we call Monarchy, doth noiv, under 
 the Gofpel, derive it felt immediately from Chrift. 
 This, insufficiently evinc'd, will demonftrate Mo- 
 narchy to be fo far from being odious and Antichri- 
 Itian, and contrary to the Will of God reveal 'd in 
 Holy Scripture, that it muft be own d the only Scrip- 
 tural 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 337 
 
 tural Form of Civil Government, the only lawful or 
 rightful Government, according to the Pattern of the 
 Mount, as bearing a Refemblance to the Archetypal 
 Government of God himfelf and Chrisl. 
 
 The firft Text I (hail cite to this purpofe, fhall be 
 that of Heb. 1. ver. 2, 3. as molt pregnant and ap- 
 
 polite to the matter in hand. Whom he hath 
 
 anointed, HEIR of all Things ; by whom alfo he 
 made the Worlds : Who being the Brightnefi of his Glory, 
 unci the exprifi Image of his Perfon, and upholding all 
 Things by the Word cf his Tower, when He had by bim~ 
 felf purg'd cur Sins, fat down on the Right- Hand of his 
 Majefiy on High. Here then it is obfervable, that 
 it's a moft Diabolical Prefumption, for any created Be- 
 ings to afiume to themlclves any pait of God's Pre- 
 rogative, which is to be the Original and Fountain of 
 all rightfully conftitated Power ( this is more than ever 
 the Popes of Rome, or Turks, or the Devil himfelf did, 
 and for thofe who place the Original of Dominion or 
 Sovereignty in thzPeople, they bid very fair to make 
 the ci 710M01, the Mob to be Antichrist) and that none 
 can pretend to any Right unto it, othet wife than by 
 divine Donation, his etcprefi Patent recorded in his rcveaVtl 
 Will. ' The Exemplification is the Aftof him who 
 
 * is Elohim from evsriaOing, the Divine and Ori- 
 f ginal, the fupream and invifibk Administrator of 
 
 * all Power Spiritual and Temporal, proceeding ie- 
 c cundarily to earthly Elohim, his deputed, his im- 
 ( mediate and vifible Affigns for the Ad miniff ration 
 c ofthefe his Powers, for the Prefervation of what 
 ( under that Name he created. For thefe ends 
 c Chrift isiurnifhed with femblable Power, for Do- 
 c minion in both kinds, and hath his two Names 
 c of J e fits and Chrift , anfwerabie both to the 
 1 Image and Likenefs which he came to reftore : 
 c for the which he hath eight Titles, all enumerated 
 in the preceeding Texts ; which I mail run over in 
 fhort, from the Judicious and Accurate Mr. Weldon, 
 
 Z for 
 
3 $8 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 for the eternal Conviction of the Ga'mfayers. f In the 
 Text, faith he, the Apoitle being to clear in be- 
 half of the Church, and againft the Jews and ju- 
 daizing Chriftians, and vindicate both the King- 
 cup and Priefihood of Chrift, fets forth his Titles to 
 them both promifcuoufly together. The Firfb (in 
 honour of his defpifed Humility) is his Fathers Do- 
 natio?! , He arrogated them not to himfelf, Heb. 
 /v. 4. No Man (alas ! 'tis othervvife in thefe Days) 
 taketh this Honour to himfelf, but he that is called 
 (externally) of God, as was Aaron. So likewife (in 
 the next Verfe ) Chrifi (who externally call'd 
 Aaron) glorified not himfelf to be made an High -V vie ft, 
 ( or a Coniecrator of inferior Priefts ) but he (did 
 it ) that faid unto him, thou art my Son, this day have 
 I begotten thee Heir of all things, this is his fee on d Title, 
 and just Heir, for he (by whom, and whom are 
 all things) is, not only of the chief of Things, 
 ( regal and facerdotal Power ) but alfo of all 
 other things whatfoever even unto Sheep and Oxen, 
 &c. Confult likewife Coloff. 1. 18. Ephef. 1. 20. 
 fhilip. 2. 9, 10, 11. Job. 3. 3 5", 1 6, i^.] f In the 
 
 third Place, is fet down the third of his Titles ~ 
 
 [by whom he made the Worlds] thus Job. 1. 1. 
 Of all Titles to all things, he muft needs have the 
 beft, who made them all. Next is exprelfed the 
 particular Ci.ufa Caufata, or immediate Caufe of 
 Vriefily Power, U *V a.muytff(M <? c#£n?, &c. who 
 being the bright eafterly Beams of God's glo- 
 rious Perfection, &c. viz,, that which is indeed 
 
 the likenefs of Elohim — which likeneis was 
 
 deflroyed in the firft Adam, confifting in the Rays 
 of enlightned underftanding, &c. Fifthly, is fee 
 forth the particular Caufa Caufata, or fecondary 
 Caufe of his earthly Dominion ,in that he was a^x-l"? 
 «? \ssvdnai aim, the exprefs and fubftantial term 
 of his perfo al Effence : and this is God's own Para- 
 phrafe of his firft Word Tfekm, ( in that of Ger. ) 
 
 '.as 
 
Examine! and Dzfprovd. 3 jp 
 
 as alfo that this Image of God is the Fountain and 
 Foundation of Man's Dominion here, confifting 
 
 in private Men, in the Sovereignty of the 
 
 reafonable Appetite, or Will, over the rude and 
 unruly Multitude of Lufrs and Paffions ; and in 
 their due Subje<5fcion unto thofe, who either in 
 the Family or Kingdom, are more pubiick Re- 
 prefentations of FJokim, according to their di- 
 ftincT: Degree of Comma: d, but all under (Thrift, 
 &c. His fixth Title, is, his fupporting all things 
 by the Word of his Power] it being an Ad no lefs 
 noble,norof lefs might to iiiftain the World, than 
 to create it. Elohim'u had for its Alaker,anc\ requires 
 no lefs than Elohim for its Preferver. — And therefore 
 whom he takes in unto himfelf for t\\Q management of 
 earthly Dominion, he invefts with his mod honoura- 
 ble StiSe of hisMajefty, vi&. Elohim, &c aKoCbrift 
 hath alfo taken them into the Fellowship of that, 
 his Name of Chrift , MeJJiah or Anointed, &c. His/e- 
 vsnth Title is of purchafe, viz. of that which was 
 
 fufriciently his own be'ore Having by him* 
 
 fe!f purged our Sins'] he hath booght our whole Souls 
 and Bodies, and that too, if we have any thing of 
 our own, which we may juftly call ours, &c. 
 An eighth Title is of prefent fojfejjion, and is fitten 
 as Bijliop for ever, and at the Right hand of Ma jt fry as 
 Kinz ■ both a Kinq- and Friesf. to reim and intercede, 
 till time (hall be no more. Where «f« dvnv /Wi- 
 ;<iW, of neceffity he muft be King until he hath 
 put all Enemies under his Feet, 1 Cor. 1 5-. 25-. ey-c. 
 Thefe are Chrifts eight Tales to Univerfal Sove- 
 reignty, alTerted by the Holy Scriptures, if the 
 People have more., it is more than yet appears* 
 better they cannot have, than his Right of Primo- 
 geniture, they are roo young tor that ,• than his 
 Right of Efficiency, they can marr,not make Worlds; 
 than his Right of Similitude, their Light is too new, 
 a late exhaled Meteor } which leads Men, not to 
 
 Z 2 * Per- 
 
34° . ?fo Anabaftilts Miniftry 
 Perfe&ion, but into the Pit ^ than his Right of 
 Image , they have rebellious Lufts; than his 
 Right by verbal Suftentation, the Words of their 
 Tongues can fet the whole courfe of Nature on 
 Fire,- than his Right of Pur chafe, they fpend their 
 Blood too wantonly ; than his Right by Poffejfion, 
 they are at a wrong Door, and go out ot God's 
 Houfe to take poffeffion of it. They firft feek 
 the Kingdom ot Earth, and fo begin their Work 
 at the wrong end, and lofe both. So then it ap- 
 pears that the Original of all Sovereignty ( whe- 
 ther Spiritual or Temporal) is in the Deity 
 
 and that the grand Charter thereof is unto Immanuel, 
 the (econd Perfon of the Trinity, now moft me- 
 ritorioufly, and more eminently conferr'd upon 
 his Perfon (both God and Man) fince his Incar- 
 nation, Paflion, and Afcenfion which is avowed 
 by the Prophets,— and attefted by the ho- 
 ly Afoftks of the New Teftament. Thus Rev.i.j. 
 He is ©efl&7wt©- U tZi vik$*v £ «?£»r r $&<nKiuv # yn s i 
 The firft begotten of the Dead, and the chief 
 Prince or King of the Kings of the Earth. So 
 Rev. 19. 16. And he hath on hisVefture, and on his 
 Thigh a Name written King of Kings, and Lord of 
 Lords. Thus alfo St. Paul 1 Tim. 4. 1 $. He is the 
 bleffed and only Potentate, the Kings of Kings 
 and Lord of Lords. The meaning of which Texts 
 *s plainly this , That all Earthly Kings proceed 
 from, or derive their rightful Power from him ; ad: 
 under him and for him, as his Servants, his Mini- 
 fters fubfervient to his Providence ; he alone the 
 true Potentate, they but his Vice Roys or Reprefenta- 
 tives. He only the Vifitor of Kings, and the Proprietor 
 of their Kingdoms, fo far from annulling the Office 
 of earthly Kings, that he clearly gives them a Title, 
 which Kings had not before • whereas before they 
 claimed only from God, now they claim from Im- 
 manml God and Man both ; which by the Way makes 
 
 their 
 
Examind and Difprov'd. 341 
 
 their Title more eafie to be comprehended, more 
 obvious to humane Underftanding and Apprehenfi- 
 on. For this Comp. Pfal. 2. with Aft. 
 4. V. 1. Mat. 22. 44. f Now the Af- Wdims Orig. 
 fumption of the Precedent Argu- P<WI - c - *• 
 ment, in the former Chapter being 
 aliened, and the whole Stock of Elohims Power 
 eftablifhed on the Man Chrift Jefus, by fuch Ti- 
 tles as none can have the like ; it remains to be 
 (hewed, which of thefe had the right of Primoge- 
 niture over the reft. And evident it is that it was 
 the Firfi, viz. the Donation of God the Father, 
 which our Saviour wholly apprifed and infifted 
 upon, accounting the reft but as Aptitudes to Do- 
 minion ,• wherefore Mat, 28. 18. laying afide all 
 the Glories of the other, he triumpheth only in his 
 Fathers Gift. Chap. 2. §. 19. All power is given me 
 in Heaven and in Earth. c All Power, inclufively, 
 the Power of Dominion. It is given, conch fively t 
 not Originally in his Perfon, not affumed. It is 
 given to me, exclujively of thee who art to be go- 
 verned by this Power : and this in termi- 
 nis terminantibus, butted and bounded, in Cap. 21 
 Heaven and in Earth as well as that. 
 Thus it's clearly evinc'd by this excellent Author 
 ( who may ferve inftead of a vafi many, none ha- 
 ving, tho' well, treated of this Subjeclof theOrigine 
 of Dominion better ) that Chrifi is now particularly, 
 under the Gofpel Difpenfation, the Origine of all earth- 
 ly lawful Power ; and that all Kings of the Earth are 
 his Deputies by way of neceflary Confequence : and 
 my Pains might be fpared and the Readers Trouble, 
 in collecting more Texts upon this Point, it being 
 fufficiently demonstrated from this paffage of the Epi- 
 file to the Hebrews : but becaufe I have to do with 
 unreasonable Men,who would pretend to melter them- 
 felves in all their Heterodoxies, under the Covert of the 
 Holy Scriptures, and boafi and glory themfelves to be, 
 
 Z 3 pf 
 
342- The Analaptijls Miniflry 
 
 of all that call themfelves Chriftians, thefirmeft Ad- 
 herers to them ( tho' I muft ferioufly aver that I 
 can't find in all our Se&aries Writings, that bona fide 
 they have one Tingle Text truly and literally, or by 
 juft confequence, for anyone of their Heterodoxies 
 or Singularities, by which they difcriminate themfelves 
 from that profeflion of Chriftianity, that all the 
 Churches o\ Cbri/lendom were united in, before the 
 Reformation for many Ages ) I mall proceed to al- 
 lege fome other Texts, if not to convince them, yet 
 at leaft to flop their Mouths, and for the greater 
 Confirmation and Eftabiifhment of thofe in the 
 Truth, who are fincere Chriftians, or in real Difpofiti- 
 ons to be fo • and to embrace the Truth when fairly 
 propounded unto them, and to prevent, by God's 
 iMeiTjng, their being feduced and milled by the 
 craft)' and fubtle Insinuations and Tr an figurations oi 
 thefe Mipifters (or Slaves) 6f Satan that Grand Anti- 
 christ. To this end I fiizll reproduce that of 2 Sam, 
 7. 16. wherein we have recorded that glorious Cove- 
 nant God made with David, And thine Houfe and thy 
 Kingdom Jhall be eftablifoed for ever before thee. This Cove- 
 nant the Regal Prophet repeats more particularly Pfal. 
 89. 2. I have made a Covenant with my chofen, I have 
 fiivorn unto David my Servewp, and V. /[..Thy Seed will I 
 eftablilh for ever , and build up thy Throne to all Generations. 
 Here then we may obferve .in Eft abli foment of King- 
 ly Government for ever and th.it by Covenant^ by the 
 mcfi folemn Oath fworn by Elohim to David, a Succef- 
 fion of Kings for ever to fit upon the Throne of Da- 
 vid, To long as the Sun and Moon endureth. For 
 the better underftanding of this matter it will be ne- 
 ceifary to confider the Grounds of Gods making this 
 Covenant in particular with David. The Re a f on in 
 general Terms was, For that David was a Man af- 
 ter God's own Heart. Particulars are exprefs'd in the 
 j^iPfalm. As firft his Pious Intention to build an 
 Roufe, a Temple to God. V, 1, 2, 3, 4, J. Then his 
 
 Relig&iff 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 343 
 
 Religious "Petition that God would vouchfafe to arife 
 and cake pofTeflion ot this Houfe (already in his 
 Defignation, fet apart for his Honour and Service, 
 expreft in v. 8,9. 10. And then again, in behalf of 
 thofe menial Servants of God the Priefis ,♦ firft that 
 they might be liberally and honourably provided 
 for, as to their external Port, Let thy Priefis be 
 cloathed, externally fet off with Honour, as becoming 
 the AmbaJJ'adors of fo high a Majefty. Secondly, as 
 to their inward contentive Support, let them be 
 cloathed wkhTfedek,i. e. let their juft Portion (from 
 their Lord and Maffer) fupply them with 
 this Honourable Port. Tfedek not only ilgni- Ver. 9. 
 fying internal Righteoufnefs, but Gods£/<?- 
 emofinary allowance, for means of comfortable Subji- 
 Jiency. Then thirdly for external and internal perfor- 
 mance of Gods Service, in the name of the People, 
 properly and truly calf d God's Liturgy, that they 
 might perform this Service without any interrupti- 
 ons or impediments, let thy [acred and fecret ones 
 ling thy publick Service with Joy, let them trium- 
 phantly fhout or found them forth from an Heart 
 polfeiTed with internal Exaltation. Then Fourth- 
 ly, v. 10. David petitions God c For thy Ser- 
 
 ' vant David's religious follcitude for thy Houfe and 
 c Houfe-keepers, let no Face that is anointed by 
 c thee (Regal or Sacerdotal) be afhamed. The mean- 
 ing is, for the fufferings fake o{both the Davids (the 
 heavenly and the earthly , the Type and Antitype) let 
 not the great King or Prlefi, that Chrif, whenfoever 
 he cometh into the World, be afhamed of thofe 
 who are entrufted with his Offices, nor let them be 
 afiiamed (before him) of their Demeanor in thofe 
 his Offices. Now the laft part of this Pfalm, is Gods 
 Anfwer to David's Petition : David had firft vowed 
 and fworn to Jehovah, here Jehovah fwears to Da- 
 vid, v. 10. The fubftance of his Oath is, Firff, 
 
 Of the Fruit of thy Body iwll I fet upon thy Throne, and if 
 
 Z 4 thy 
 
344 The Analaptijis Miniftry 
 
 thy Children will keep my Covenant, & c. And for the 
 fecond fart of David Vs Petition, he alfo anfwers that 
 with overflowing Bounty, and doubles his Blefling-- 
 
 / will abundantly blefs her Provision, I will fa- 
 Ver. 15". tisfie her poor with Bread, the poorefi Levitt 
 
 Jhall have his fill of Bread and v . 16. 
 
 for her ( Sion's the Churches) Priefis, I will adorn 
 them with more than Tfedek, it is JtflMng, Salvation 
 or Jefu-flnp, they {hall put on the Lord Jefus, both 
 upon themielves and others, &c See v. This was 
 God's Oath in anfwer to David's, for a perpetual 
 Triefihood, and a perpetual Kingjlrip, which if they 
 fail'd in Judaifm, we are tofeek for in Chriftianity • 
 for God's Oath cannot fail, but in the typefied (it not 
 in the Type ) it hath been, and mall faithfully be 
 performed, unto the end of the World, (Weld. Orig- 
 Dom. c. 8. §. 2.) But then for a Conclufion of the 
 Petition God anfwereth accordingly, that out of 
 the material Temple lliall come the Bleffing of the 
 pious King, which by him mall defcend upon all 
 his Subjeds, according to the Multitudes of plain 
 Texts, as Ff. 22. 2. Pf. 5-3. 6. and 68. 16. and 87. 
 
 2,7. and Pf. 76. 3. So here v. 17. There (in 
 
 that very place which Davids Piety had vowed for 
 me, &c. ) will I, faith God, make the Horn of David 
 
 to bud. And further I have prepared, ordered, 
 
 and trimmed a perpetual Lamp, viz. the Prieft with 
 Urim and Thummin : Light for the Service of mine 
 anointed, to be unto him and his for ever, as Aaron 
 was to Mofes, Eleaz,er to Jofeua, Jojhua to Zerubbabel a 
 to enquire of God by. and to offer up his Devoti- 
 ons. The Tenure of God's Obligation is precifely 
 this ; thou, O David, intenderr to build me an 
 Houfe ( of eternal Cedar) therefore will I eftablifli 
 thy Seed Gned, gnolum for Eternities, wamthi and I 
 will build thy Throne in Generation and Generati- 
 on, Firft Legal, then Evangelical. Weld. ibid. 
 
 Having 
 
Examlrid and Difprovd. 345 
 
 Having now given fome account, from this beft 
 Author I ever met with on this Subject, or the Cove- 
 nant God made with David, for an everlafiing Succef- 
 fton of Kings to fit upon his Throne, to the end of the 
 World. I iliall now proceed to mew you, from the 
 fame Author, That this Oath of God, this Covenant 
 was not to terminate folely in David, but that mere 
 is a Myftical and Sublimer Senfe of this Oath, refpedr- 
 ing Christ, the Typefied or Antitype, the Second David 
 and His Seed • fo that this Covenant is productive of 
 Another, as will plainly appear even from David him- 
 felf, and is the fubjed matter of the 89. Pfal. where 
 he particularly praifeth God on this very account, 
 and whereby it will appear like wife that Christ' is 
 the Primary Object of God's Oath unto, and Covenant 
 with David, Cbriftian Kings the Secondary. 
 
 FirB then we are to obferve, That the Covenant 
 with David the Type, and David the Typefied or Ante- 
 tjpe,wzs twofold (as.for Example,the Covenant with 
 Abraham was; it had a Double meaning, a Temporal, 
 and a Spiritual, Myftical or Eternal : His Seed like- 
 wife to whom the Covenant made with him was to 
 extend, was after the Flefh, and after the Spirit, a 
 Natural and a Spiritual Seed, G&n.iy. 6. comp.) The 
 Firft Oath and Covenant we find mention'd TfaL 
 89.3,4. The Fourteen next Verfes is the Inter- 
 locutory Context between the Two Covenants with 
 the Two Davids. In the next Nineteen Verfes (con- 
 cluded with a Selah) is the Second Covenant with the 
 Second David or Christ, manifestly in fundry Circum- 
 ftances diftinguiih'd from the former ,- f Yet fo as the 
 c former may be refembled to the BlofTom now 
 c fallen, the Second to the Fruit which fucceeded 
 c to this Flower. This appeareth from the firft Syl- 
 lable of the Second Covenant, Pfal. 89. v. 19. that out 
 of the Root ofjejje mould fpring* Regal Stock, which 
 for a time mould bear Royal Fruit, and afterwards 
 fhould have an Adopted or Engrafcd Cion inferted in- 
 to 
 
346* The Analaptiffls Miniftry 
 
 to it (as Dan. 14. 14.) which mould afford Fruit and 
 Shelter for all the Nations under the Heaven, which 
 would embrace the Faith of Abraham. f Not only 
 
 * Christ ,but every Chrifiian King,be'mg taken into the 
 c Name of David here, found out in this Verfe to be a 
 
 * Helpful Inftrument of God/or the Adminiftration 
 c of his Earthly Dominion, and Anointed in the Oyl of 
 c Inviolable Holinefs. For there is not one particular 
 c in the Perfonation of David, but as it appertained 
 ' Primarily to Christ, fo does it \_ad menfurani] Secon- 
 c darily to every Chrifiian King, &c. But that the 
 plain difference between thefe Two Covenants may 
 appear, the Exception or Conditional Claufe men- 
 Comp.verf. tion'd with the Earthly David in reference 
 30. voitb to his Natural Fofierity, is here exprefly cut 
 35- off v. 3 f. 5". Once have I [worn by my Holinef, 
 that I will not lie unto David, [that is, the Heavenly 
 David, Immanuel, Christ. And all this upon the First 
 David s Refolution to build me a Temple, and to pro- 
 vide for my Prieffs.] that His Seed Jka 11 continue 
 
 for ever, and his Throne (which certainly was a Tem- 
 poral Throne on Earth) v. 56. pall be as the Sun be- 
 fore me: and V. 57. It pall be efiablifhed fur ever [gno- 
 lam J as the Moon, and as the faithful IVitnef in Heaven. 
 So that it's clear, First, that thefe Two Covenants were 
 one and the fame, fave only that the Graces of the 
 Second,kor the Stability of Chrifiian Monarchy, are en- 
 larged or more exteniive. Secondly, Whereas it is 
 the R. Prophet's Scope in this Vfalm to celebrate both 
 the Infinity of Gods Mercy, and the Immutability of 
 his Oath, for the Continuance of the Throne and 
 Kingfhip of his Anointed, for the for ever of the Law 
 and of the Gojpel, for the Generation and Generation ; 
 and whereas throughout the Fourteen laft Verfes he 
 paffionately bewaileth or deprecateth, viz. in the 
 
 four last of all, tha&Cutting off David's Line, which 
 Dereliction of God hath now lafted about two thou- 
 fand Years, &c. It is hence evident, that the If 
 
 raelitiflt 
 
Examined and Difprmfd. 347 
 
 raelitijl) Throne and Kingflup was but the fidential and 
 fignificant, not the formal and ultimate Object of God's 
 Merciful 3 Faithful, and Eternal Oath unto David ; and 
 therefore that the Covenants were two, &c. Third- 
 ly, that this Branch of the Grand Univerfal Cove- 
 nant of God, concerning the Temporal Dominion of the 
 World by Kings, the Sons of Gnelion, the Adopted Seed 
 of David, was the Ultimate Objefl of the Sacred one Oath 
 of God ; therefore to look for a New Form of Go- 
 vernment (befides the making God perjured) is in 
 
 effed to look for a New Saviour- and plain it 
 
 is withal, in terminis, that the Security of Chriftian 
 Kings was here, that which was provided for in the 
 21,22,23. Verfes; upon whofe Prerogative whofo- 
 ever groweth or exadeth, are declared Enemies of 
 God : whofoever anguftiateth or cfflicleth them, are 
 Children of Iniquity : whofoever are their Enemies 
 in the Open Field, mail be broken in pieces, and who- 
 foever are Secret Haters or defirous of Change of 
 their Government, or Caufers of Intefiine Divifion by 
 Civil JVars (however they may as Abfalom profper 
 for a time) Jhall be [mitten with Plagues; inafmuch 
 as in them defpight is done unto him, into whofe 
 Throne and Primogeniture (by the Oath of God from 
 Eternity into Perpetuity, They are Adopted. But 
 as a farther Confirmation of what hath been affert- 
 ed, we find this very Covenant, in the Senfe laftly 
 contended for, repeated Jerem. 31. ;y. Thus faith 
 the Lord, who giveth the Sun for a Light by day, and 
 the' Ordinances of the Moon and Stars lor a Light by 
 night, &c. If theft Ordinances mall depart, &c. And 
 that the Drift hereof may be underftood, fee the 
 3$.C& v. 20. Thus faith the Lord, If you can break 
 my Covenant of the Day, and my Covenant of the 
 Night, fo that there mould not be Day and Night 
 in their Seafons, then may my Covenant be broken 
 with David my Servant, [that he mould not have a 
 Son to reign upon his Throne, and with the Livitcs 
 
 the 
 
348 The Anahaptifts Minifiry 
 
 the Priefts my Minifters.] And before this i Ver. 17. 
 Thus faith the Lord, David fliall never -want a Man to 
 Jit upon the Throne of the Hjufe of Iirae!, neither fo all the 
 Priefts, the Sons of Levi, wdm a Man before me to offer 
 Burnt-offerings, and to kindle Meat-offerings, and to do 
 Sacrifice continually. 
 
 Now that which is Obfervable is, that what the 
 Prophet {pza.k$ of in thefe PaiTages,re!ates particularly 
 to the Gojpel- times, that an Everlafting Kingjhip and 
 Tricfthcod were to be continued under the Gofpel, as 
 the Greatest Blefjings underHeaven ; and therefore to 
 endeavour to take them away, is to attempt the Re- 
 ver\ment and Annulling of thofe Ordinances, the per- 
 petual Duration or" which God himielf hath efta- 
 bliffoed, and confirmed by his moft folemn Cove- 
 nant and Oath, ,• and confequently to deftroy both 
 Church and State, and to turn the World upfide 
 down into Chaos, Wildemcf or Hell- the Infolenteft 
 and moft Sacrilegious Impious Defign, that can be 
 A&ed by Men or Devils. Again, hence 'tis like- 
 wife to be obferv'd, That God promis'd them both at 
 the fame time, as the mutual Supports of each other, 
 or as implying that they can't fubfift One without 
 the Other ; that Injury done to the One weakens 
 the other ,• that Religion andLoyahy go hand in hand ; 
 that the one can't be without the other • that Saints 
 and Rebels are incompatible inconiiftent Terms,that it's 
 the higheft Contradiction and Irnpojfibility that' the One 
 ihould be the Other: hence we may fee that it was a 
 divine Sentence, that fell from the Pen or that King, 
 no Bifliop no King, and grounded upon thofe fayings 
 oi our Saviour, give unto Cafar the. things that are C<e- 
 fars, and unto G>:d things that are Gods, and or his A- 
 poftle St. Peter, fear -God and Honour the King. 
 Hence likewife we may obferve the Folly and Non- 
 fence, as well as Prophanenefs of thofe who make a 
 Scoff at Loyalty and Sovereignty, and at the Evangeli- 
 cal Priesthood 3 - and find a. fad occafion to lament their 
 
 Apoftacy 
 
Examind and Dif proved. 349 
 
 Apoftacy from Christianity it felf, who hereby do the 
 gieateft Outrage or Injury to our blefled Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jelus Chrift, the King of Kings and Lord of 
 Lords, our H/g/6 PrieJ? and Mediator and the Originc, 
 the Fountain o( Regality &n(\ Priesthood - 3 all the Di/^ 
 honour done to which, he refents as offered to his own 
 raoft Divine and Sacred Perfon, and will infallibly 
 avenge himielf of all his profefs'd Enemies, and crufh 
 them in peices like a Potters Vefj'el, and for ever repro- 
 bate them as ufelefs Potjherds. 
 
 But to return to our Subject, and incomparably 
 Learn d and Loyal ConfeJJor and Author ; ' If (faith 
 c he) need here be of Recollecting a Brief of the 
 c Evidence for Chrift, who as David's Son hath 
 4 here the whole Dominion of the World laid upon 
 
 ' his Shoulders, it mall in fhort, be perform'd : 
 
 This being hence moft evident, that it is he that 
 was in the firft place, defign'd (under the Perfon of 
 David) for the Temporal Dominion, and vifible Thrones 
 cf the Univerfe, over the People, who never had 
 Commiflion with, from, or under him. c To him, 
 upon the meritorious fulfilling of the Ends of his 
 Incarnation, it was that Elohim, put in Subjection 
 all things whatfoever, by him and for him (who 
 is his perfect Image and Likenefs) he had made ; 
 who is able (being the Word that made it) to fu- 
 ftain it ,• who bought it, and as King and Priest, in 
 poneftion of it; who had given him a Name a- 
 bove all Names, upon whole Thigh was written 
 his Stile of King cf Kings, in token of his Propriety 
 in them, and their Allegiance unto him, who faid 
 ir£<m \&ri&, all the Juft, Legal Power over the 
 Creature ,• for the Regulating whereof, itiSnuoi, is 
 by his Donation (without which none can have 
 Power) transferr'd unto me, which is, or can be in 
 Heaven or Earth, for the Management of either, 
 or both. Of which, for Earth, Kingfhip is a 
 parr, where his Dominion cannot but be either 
 
 c None, 
 
35*o The Anabaptijls Mlniflry 
 
 * None, or Monarchical. The Apoftle faith <t& «Wr 
 c &a.<Ttx&m. He muft be King; yea, the only Poten- 
 ' tate for Earth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 
 
 * as St. Paul and St. John alfo have attefted. And 
 
 * St. Peter, in his Firft Epiftle, 3. 22.-—- Angels, 
 c and Authorities, and Powers being made fubjedt 
 
 unto him. I might produce innumerable Texts 
 on this Subject ; as for inftance, thofe which aflert 
 the Name of Melech, or King, to be primarily 
 God's and Chrifi's ; as Pfal. j. 2. 9. 4. 10. 18. 20. 9. 
 22. 28. 29. 9. 44. 5. 45-. 6. 47. 2. 68. 24. 74. 
 12. 92. 1. 96. 10. 97. 1. 98. 7. 91. 1. 103. 19. 
 130. 4. 146. 10. But as a Conclufion of this 
 Argument, with Mr. Weldon, I mall ' only Recapi- 
 tulate that the Throne, often mention'd, and par- 
 ticularly, Pfal. 89. 29, 36. cannot be underftood 
 of the Jewifh Kings, the Lineal Succeffours of 
 the former David, in the former Covenant : For 
 they, as they were Typical, fo were they Conditi- 
 onal, and upon breach of Articles, have nowfaiTd 
 above two Thoufand Years, while the Sun and 
 Moon(tiiQ Admeafurers of the Perpetuity fworn by 
 God) have lafted, and yet do continue. So that 
 (if the Oath of God have any Truth in it) of ne- 
 ceffity, it muft be meant of them who were fpeci- 
 fy'd in the Covenant with Abraham, when he was 
 defign'd for the Father of^all the Nations of the 
 World that Pnould be bleifed, Gen. 17. 6. which 
 muft be uuderftood of his more impojfible Seed, than 
 his Generation of Ifraelites, when he was an 
 Hundred Years Old. For it had been altogether 
 impoflible, that he mould have been the Father 
 of (us) Gentiles, if his Natural, and not his Adop- 
 ted Seed had been meant, &c Weld. Orig. of 
 Dom. cap. 8. Seel. j*. 
 Now after fuch manifold and exprefs Authorities from 
 the Old and New Teftament, after the po/itive Covenant 
 of God himfelf, made firft to Abraham the Father of 
 
 the 
 
Exawirid and Difprovd. 351 
 
 the Faithful, particularly and in its full extenjion of 
 the believing Gentiles • renew d to David, and to Chrift 
 as the Seed of Abraham, and of him/elf, according to 
 the Flelh ,• repeated, and mention'd afterwards in the 
 Prophet Jeremiah ; fulfill d, accomplijh'd, and made good 
 in the literal Senfe of it, in the Perfon of Chrift, who 
 was actually a King; to whom the Wife-men did Ho- 
 mage, while even in his Swaddling Cloaths ,• who 
 entred Jerufalem in Royal Pomp and Magnificence • 
 whom his Difciples honour'd by the Name of King; 
 who own'd himfelf to be fuch, before 
 the Jews and Pontius Pilate ; whofe Sacr.Reg.Maj. 
 Title, by a fpecial Direction of Provi- cap. xi. 
 dence, was written upon the Crofs ; 
 whofe Grave was fealed as Kings Tombs us'd to be ; 
 from the Cradle, to his Crofs ,• from his Mother's 
 Womb, till he is buried • in all the times of his Life, 
 his Royalty and Kingdom was manifefted. i After, I 
 fay, to take all Cavils away, the Scripture hath 
 given us this Truth in plain exprefs Terms, Rev. 
 
 1. 5". Jefus Chrift, the Faithful Witnefs, the firft 
 Begotten of the Dead, is, The Prince of the 
 Kings of the Earth ; and hath affirm'd again, Ch. 
 
 2. 27. He ruleth them with a Rod of Iron. That this 
 is meant, appliable at leaft to Kings, fee and read 
 it, Pfal. 2. 9. Rev. 19. 12. f On his Head you have 
 
 many Crowns, an Emblem of his Sovereignty over 
 all Kings, and that all are his Deputies, his Subfti- 
 tutes, &c. See 1 Tim. 6.15". Rev. 17. 14. Rev. 19. 
 16. comp. And He hath on his Vefture, and on 
 his Thigh, a Name written, King of Rings, Lord of 
 Lords. Obferve the Words attentively, how cha- 
 ra&eriftically this Power is given to the Lamb, to 
 Jefus, to the faithful Witnefs : That it is written 
 on his Thigh, on his Vefture ; which qualifie this 
 Power, is his due, as be is the Head and Saviour of 
 hi^ Church. It is worth your Notice taking, that 
 this Name is written upon his Thigh, that we may 
 
 ' learn 
 
3 $2, the Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 e learn two things : The one is, That this Power 
 c is fix'd in Christ-man : the other is, That all Kings 
 
 4 are de fentore Cbrifti, from him by Generation ,• or, 
 as exprefs'd in the Second Covenant, with the Second 
 David, Pfal. 89. bis Seed ; and not as our blafphe- 
 mous Seclaries fay, the Seed of the Dragon, Antichrifi 
 and the Beaft ; and as our propbane Politico's and A- 
 theifis fay, the Seed of the Mob, their filthy Rabble ; 
 to call in queftion either his, or the Title of 
 his lawful and rightful Deputies, and to aflign 
 any other Original' of Dominion , and particular- 
 ly, Regal, Monarchical Authority, it's as daring every 
 whit, and as outragious an Ad:, as to queftion any 
 Article oSChriftian Faith ; nay, in a great meafure, to 
 deny the Hypofiatical Union, His Incarnation, His 
 Mediatorjhip, His Kingly and Priejlly Office both, His 
 Divinity, His Supreme Power and Sovereignty, both in 
 Heaven and Earth, are imply 'd and comprehended 
 under that Title of Lord, cur Lord ,• and I believe in 
 Jcfus Chriji his only Son, our Lord. How our Lord, 
 but as God- man, King of Kings , and Lord of 
 Lords, the only Potentate, to whom all Power, 
 both in Heaven and in Earth, was given by God 
 the Father, and confequently, from whom, as 
 God- man, all Sovereignty and ^«<ria, rightful Au- 
 thority from that very Moment of the Donation, 
 is folely deriv'd . ; So that in the 
 
 Third place, to deny this, is to deny the Creed, the 
 Common Faith of Chrifiians ,• 'tis, in effect, to deny 
 Cbrifianity it felf, to deny the Gojpel-Difpenfation, to 
 deny Cbrift to be the Govemour or the World, to de- 
 ny Providence it felf ,• to be an Apofiate, and a literal 
 Rebel againft God and his Chrisl -, to deny our Common 
 Salvation ; to deny one Article of Faith, is virtually 
 to deny the whole, by the fame parity of Reaion, 
 as to ptxfift in the confiant Breach oi one Commandment, 
 is to be guilty of the Violation of all. No Muful- 
 man, no Jew, no Pagan, can be more properly 
 
 and 
 
Examine? and Difprovd. 3^3 
 
 and in ftri&Senfe, Oppugntrs or Enemies of Chrifliani- 
 ty, than fuch Profejfors ok Chrifiianity , as thefe are, the 
 Pope, Mahomet, my the Devil hirnielf, more ftr.&ly 
 and literally Antkhrifts ,• if thefe be not Antic I 'rifts 
 then there's no fuch thing as Antkhrifi, Antkhrifi k 
 a meer Bug-bear, and non entity. What is it to be 
 Antkhrifi, if not to be again ft Chrifi, to gain-fay, cp~ 
 pofe, deny Chrifi, refisl Christ, to divest him of his 
 Regality, his Authority, his High and Paramount Prero- 
 gative, to of pofe, to let up Counter- Authorities agaiilft 
 his Authority, as King, and as Priest, from whom, as 
 from the Original Spring, all true Rightful } Regal, and 
 Sacerdotal Authority, do now, and Jha'l, and mi/fi, in. 
 fpight of Hell and the Rage of the People, uninter* 
 ruptedly flow ; becaufe they lhall never ceafe for one 
 Moment, no more than he mall ceafe to be God 3 fo 
 long as the Sun and Moon endureth. And all this for 
 the fake of his Church, for its Support, mil-being, 
 Continuance to the very end of the World : God Al- 
 mighty in all his Infiitutions, Difpenfations , Ordinances, 
 and rnoft remarkable Providences, and Government of 
 and in the World , betides' the general End, his own 
 Glory, having in particular, an Eye unto his Church, 
 his Chofen, according to that of the Apoftle, i Cor. 
 ;. 21, 22. All things are yours, ivhether Paul, or A- 
 polios, or Cephas, [ nay, Angels themfelves,' much 
 more Men, Heb. i. 14.] or the World, or Life, or 
 Death, or things prefent, or things to come : Ail are 
 yours, the Governments themfelves, which God hath 
 inftituted here below, in Church or 
 State, whether Spiritual or Temporal, o x f. par. 
 -ferving in common for your ufe, and in ioe, 
 defign'd as inftrumental for your Goodf\ 
 And then it follows, ver. 23. And ye are [only] 
 Chrijfs [who hath provided them for you] and Chrifi 
 v God's, 1 Cor. n. 3. iy. 28. [the Fatnefs from 
 whom he receiv'd them, who gave all things to hitt^ 
 and who now communicateth all things to all Man- 
 A a kindj 
 
354 Th e Anabaftifls Mimflry 
 
 kind, and in an efpecial manner, to bis Members, to 
 all trite Chriflians ; fo that all lawful Power, and Au- 
 thority > and all, and every Blejfmg, cometh now 
 thorough his Hands, as the true Lord and Proprietor 
 of all things , Head of the Churcb, and Supreme Gover- 
 nour of the Univerfe, King of Kings, and Lor*/ of 
 Lords, who fubdueth the People under them, and under 
 them unto himfelf. To deny our Saviour then to 
 be the Fountain and Original of all Ciw7, Leg**/ Au- 
 thority, is in effect, to deny him to be God-man, and, 
 in that refpedt, to be the Object of our Faith, our 
 Hope, and our Adoration ; becaufe this King- /hip of 
 his, we have been alferting, is a necefTary Confe- 
 quent of his Divinity ; and to affert a Creature, a 
 Finite Being to be the Origine of Dominion, is Blafphe- 
 my, and the higheft Outrage can be done unto God ; 
 and to affirm the People to be fo, is to make them 
 Antichrifts, Rivals, and Competitors with God, with 
 Chrifi, God man • the moft ahfurd and Diabolical ^ No- 
 tion that ever He// infus'd into Mankind-, and the vtfj^. 
 fertors, many of them, profefs'd Atheifis, and the 
 £*-/? of them/ the greateft Pretenders , (to fpeak moft 
 candidly) Hereticks and Knaves • Men (as it's too 
 notorioufly known) who only fought, andfeek their 
 own private Advantages, upon the Ruine of others. 
 It can be nothing but Self-intercfi, and a SpinV of 
 Detufion, can fo infatuate and blind thefe Men : this 
 yifiTtion of Ci>n/? being the Original of all Earthly 
 Power y is as exprefly prov'd from the Scriptures, as 
 any Article cfChriflian Faith relating unto him, whe- 
 ther to the ©eoAeyW , or, ciKoyofMa* n Xe<r», his D/- 
 vinlty, or Oeconomy. If He be Go*/, then he Go- 
 verns the World by his Providence, by his Minifttrs, 
 vifible, and inviftble ; and we know, or r^^ of no o* 
 ther vifible, civil Ministers of his in the World, but 
 Kings ; and why is He call'd King of Kings, but to 
 intimate, they are his Deputies, his Minifiers, his 
 Vkc~roys ? And why is he faid to have the Hearts of 
 
 Kings 
 
Examine! an J Difprovcl. 3^5 
 
 Kings in his Hands ,• and as our Liturgy excellently 
 well paraphrafes upon it, to difpofe and turn them, 
 as it feemeth befl to his Godly Wifdom, but plainly to 
 teach us, as was divinely faid by an Antient Father 
 of the Church, Secundum merit a psptili dijhonuntur corda 
 Reclorum ; that He Governs the World, and makes 
 ufe of their fevefal Dijpofitions, Tempers, Affeclions, 
 Virtues and Vices , oi Kings, his Subititutes, 
 for the Execution of the Ends and Purpofes 
 of his Providence, as feemeth moft meet and 
 neceiTary • as the Inhabitants, the People (the Po- 
 litico's and Sectaries Idol, that they fleer and jeer at 
 in their Sleeves, at the fame time they cry them up, 
 and ufe them only as the Monkey did the Cat's Paws) 
 of the Earth demean themfelves , and deferve. 
 Hence likewife, it evidently follows, if God-man^ 
 if Chrifl Governs the World , if Rightful Kings be 
 his Qfiablifoment , his Ordinance, the Means, the In- 
 ftruments of his Providence, (for by the way, none 
 that unlawfully, or by unjufi Means, arrive at the 
 Supreme Power, or contrary to the Antient, Legal 
 Cgnftiturions of their Countries, can be affirm'd his 
 Delegates, or SubfHtutes, or reprefent him, or be 
 faid to be fet up by him, be inverted with his Au- 
 thority, fo long as any Legal Claim lies againft them | 
 no more rhan forcible Profejjhn againft Law, can con- 
 vey Right againft the Opprejfid ; no more than God 
 Can be the Fountain, or Caufe oi Sin, ejuatenus Sin) 
 and that he turns their Hearts as he pleafes, and as 
 really fcts up wicked, as well as good and gracious 
 Princes, if they be Rightful ,• and all to ferve the 
 Ends ot the Mediatorial, Providential Government of 
 the World * that to Revile them, Reproach them, Ex- 
 pofe them, Hate them, Refifl them by open Violence, 
 Dethrone them, is to fight againft Chrift, Rebel a- 
 gainft his Providence, to call his Wifdom, his Jujlice T 
 his Authority into Queftion, and to Blafrbeme him, 
 and Revile him as properly, and nccufe his Govem- 
 
 A a 2 ment i 
 
3^6 The Anahaptifts Mini fl ry 
 
 ment ; as to Curfe him to his Face, upon the ac- 
 count of Thundrings , Lightnings, Storms, Vefiilence, 
 Famines , Murrains , Earthquakes , Ship-wrecks, or 
 what we call Lojfes, Afflictions, or Misfortunes ; and 
 dor h not the Injuries done to Envoies, Heralds, Am- 
 baffadors, in common Conftrucftion, reflect upon 
 the Princes they reprefent ? and why not the Contempt 
 and Hatred of Rightful Kings, his undoubted Minifters, 
 terminate, and center upon ChriB himfeli ? And 
 are not fiich Alls (of ProfelTors of Chriftianity, e- 
 fpecially) properly, and literally Antichrifiian ? and are 
 not thofe who deny the Divine Ordinances of Khgly 
 and Sacerdotal Authority, Antichrifts, altho' they call 
 themfelves Protectants, and of the Reform' d Religion, 
 as much as thofe of the Romijh Church, againft whom 
 they perpetually declaim ? What kind of Paradox 
 can it be, to fay, That fome, pretendedly, of the 
 Reform d Religion, are as truly Antichrifts, as of the 
 'Papa! Communion, if they may be as realiy Idolaters 
 (and then, in common Senfe, they come up to the 
 full Meafure of Antichriftianifm, in its Maturity 
 and full Growth) as any of them? And yet, a 
 truly Famous Divine, and Protefbnt too, huh ex- 
 prefly faid as much of fome of our Reform d y 
 the Learn'd Dr. Jackfin upon the Creed. ' The 
 * Romanifi (faith he) tjanstorms, or changes the 
 s Nature of the Incorruptible God, and of Chrift 
 c himfelf, into the Similitude of Earthly Kings and 
 ' Monarch's, yet not of cruel and prodigious Ty- 
 ' rami. But thefe Writers, whom I mean, (as the 
 ' Romanifts objsr>, and the Lutherans prove) tranf- 
 c form the Majeity and Glory of the Immortal 
 ' God, into this. Similitude of Cruel Tyrants, yea, 
 ' of fuch bafe and fordid Pedants (as the meaneft a- 
 * mongft you would difdain, ihould have any Au- 
 f thoiity over your Children ,• ) that is, fuch as de- 
 ' light more in punifhing and correcting them, than 
 \ to direct or amend them in Learning or Man- 
 ners, 
 
Examind and Difprovd. $ $? 
 
 ners. For fo fome late Writers have exprefly 
 
 taught, That fhe Almighty Creator of ail 
 
 Things., doth as immediately, as primarily and 
 due&jy Ordain fome Men to Damnation, as he 
 doth others unto Li!e • that he delights as much 
 in the Exercife of Punitive Juft ice, as he doth in 
 the exercife of Goodncfs Mercy, Love and 
 Bounty. That as by his determinate Decree he 
 created fome to be eled: Velfels of Honour for 
 the Mjnifeftation of his Goodnefs, fo by the fame 
 irrefiftable Decree, he ordains others to be Veffels 
 of Diihonour for the Manifeftation of his Juftice. 
 ( This opinion of Reprobation, how harfh foever, 
 yet, whilft Calvin, Bradwardine, or perhaps Saint 
 Augujhin did handle it, was and error* only or falfe 
 Imagination : They who now would make it a 
 Fundtintemtal point of Faith, or infert it in their 
 Catechifms, make it an Herejie, or worfe than an 
 Herefie, an Idolatrous or Blafohemow imagination. But 
 admit all ot us are free from Transformation of the 
 Divine Nature, all of us Orthodoxal, and in matter 
 of opinion concerning the Attributes of God or of 
 Chrift ,• yet all this would would not free us from 
 another branch of Idolatry, as ri c e and luxuriant Hr 
 mongft other Ghriftians, whether of the Romifl or of 
 the Rtformed Churches, as it is amongft the Heathens, 
 or is at this day amongft the Infidels : For we may 
 rob God of his Honour, no lefs than the Heathens 
 and Infidels do, without any Idol or Image, with- 
 out misforming or mifpi&uring him in his Attri- 
 butes. And our Apoftle, at the 22. verk of this 
 Chapter, ( Rom. 11. 22. ) hath made the Robbing 
 or Difpoiling God of his Honour equivalent to that 
 branch of Idolatry which confifts in the Adoration of 
 Idols, &c. The word in the Originial extends to 
 both to all the breaches of Idolatry, &c. Now 
 * if any who is called a Chriftian, give the fame In- 
 ' dulgence to his own corrupt Defires, as theHeathens 
 Aa 3 c did^ 
 
3 $8 The Analaptifts Miniftry 
 
 c did, be robbs God of his Honour no lefs than 
 
 * they. If Merchants or Tradefmen be as gree- 
 
 c dily fet upon their Gain as the Heathen Gauls were, 
 
 * which offered Sacrifice to Mercury, they are no 
 ' lefs Idolaters than they were. If this corrupt af- 
 
 * fe&ionbe as immoderate in Chriftians as it was in 
 c Heathens, it will be of like force to withdraw 
 
 * their Hearts, as it was to withdraw the Hearts of the 
 c Heathen from the only true God ; of like force to 
 c fway them to as grievous Tranfgreffion of the firft 
 ' chiefeft commandment, as the Heathens could com- 
 
 * mit any againft it. Fop impoflible it is they mould 
 
 * love God with all their heart, with any greater 
 c part of their heart than the Heathen did, if their 
 € heart be as ftrongly fet upon Riches, and worldly 
 ' Commodities, as the Heathens were. Jackfon on 
 the Creed, L. n. C. 40. If fo be then that it's pof- 
 flble «for even fome of the Reformed themfelves to 
 be Idolaters ; and as fuch to bejudgd, fentenced and 
 condemn d by "God ; that they may likewife be Anti- 
 christs can be no yuejtion, though the rajh and inconfi- 
 derate Zeal and Obfiinacy of fuch may wholly appro- 
 priate this odious Title unto, and fix it upon the Church 
 oiRome and Church of England, and All in general 
 they differ from ,• and with great alfurance or impu- 
 dence difcharge and clear themfelves from any fuch- 
 like Imputation. Let us but feriouily confider the 
 fignification of x? l & ( > ar >d literally or grammatically 
 it's rendred Untlus anointed, and therefore our Savi- 
 our God- man is called Chrift, in refped: of his double 
 UncJion to a double Office of King and Trie (I both : 
 Chrift then in propriety of fpeech, is a Name of 
 Authority peculiarly and Jlritlly connoting and refpetling 
 the QidvQtoirQt God-man, the Immanuel, God with us, 
 God incarnate, and united to our Humanity, and as 
 fuch invefhd by the Father with the Svpreameft King- 
 ly and Prieftly Power, both the Gifts and Donation of 
 the Father, See Matth. 23. iS. Heb. 5. 5. as the 
 
 Mtffiah 
 
Examind and Difprovd. 359 
 
 Meffiah or Chrift, according to the Prophefies and the 
 received opinion among the Jews, was to be God and 
 the King of Ifrael, and the Prophet or Prieft, all im- 
 plied in that of Nathaniel, Rabbi, [ a cornpellation 
 given to Prophets and Inftru&ers of the People ] 
 thott'art the Son of God, tbcu art the King of Ifrael, 
 Job. 1.49. So the Oppojers of Kingly and Prieftly Au- 
 thority, the Ajj'umers of it to themfelves, or the De- 
 rivers of it from the People ( which in common 
 conftru<5Hon among all Mankind in general, as the 
 refult of natural Reafon, the voice of Nature, ever figni- 
 fi.es Subjects or the part Governed) are Antichrifts as 
 literally as thofe who would fet up themfelves for 
 Chrifts, or thsfalfe Chrifts, Enemies to God's Chrift, 
 to the twofold VnBion, Regal and Sacerdotal. Nay, 
 which makes more for our purpofe, fuch I fay a- 
 mongft our transfigured Reformed, are in a confider- 
 abie meafure more properly Antichrifts than thofe of 
 the Church of Rome, they are fo imbittered againft ,- 
 becaufe pretending greater Zeal for the Go/pel, to 
 more enlightned and fpiritual Underftandings, grea- 
 ter purity in Ordinances, to the Scripture and Tri- 
 mitivenefs for their fole Rule and Pattern, and to 
 caft off all humane irruptions in Doftrinejb'ifclpYwQ 
 and Wormip : The Romanifts, by far more modeft, 
 they derive all ( as they fay ) from the Donation of 
 Chrift, whatever is alleg'd to be the Popes Preroga- 
 tive or Right ; but thefe run to their Rabble as the 
 Source of all Civil and Sacred Authority ,• and for one 
 Antichrist the Papifts fet up, thefe fet up Legion all 
 at once : and to Demonftrate the natural averfenefs 
 of the Mob to all that's Divine, Holy, and juft, and 
 that it's only and folely the Work of Providence, when 
 by chance, and that very rarely, they clofe with the 
 Right fide, what fuperlative fondnefs do they exprefs 
 to their own Productions, their own Creatures indeed 
 ever when moft Monfirous , Deformed, Worthlefs, Wick- 
 ed } Bloody, Mercilefs, Tyrants, Dehaucht, Treacherous, 
 A a 4 • Impious^ 
 
360 The Anal apt ifls Minijiry 
 
 *mpious } Sacrilegious , Atheifts, Hypocrites, Enemies to 
 a.11 Mankind, Falfifiers of all their Oaths, Promifes, 
 Protefiations, Infiruments of Government, Pacla Conventa, 
 odious to God, Angels and all good Men, &c. in com- 
 panion of what they do even to the befi of Princes, 
 Men of Gods own Choice, and ^/r^r &# own Heart, 
 moft Religioufly devoted to his Service, and Promo- 
 ters of his Honour and Glory, and tendring the P«£- 
 tick Good and Profpcrity of their Subjects, as if their 
 Natural Born Children. This is 'verifiable from the 
 Sacred Scriptures themfelves, from all Hifiory and dai- 
 ly experience. So naturally is Carnal Legion averfe to 
 all that's Righteous and Good, that indeed one would 
 be tempted to think that Spiritual Infernal Legion were 
 become Incarnate or Transform d into Men, whofoever 
 its fure they 7«$>ire their Rancour, Malice and Envy in- 
 to thefe Dreg* and Scam of HumanRa.cc, againft C£ri/? ,• 
 by the Copy we may guefs at the Original. All this is 
 only a Tranfiript from the Sin of the Apofiate Angels, 
 which ( faith an old Royalfi of the Church of England, 
 and a Noble fufferer for Chrifi and his King ) we c fuppofe 
 
 ' to have been a Sin immediately againft 
 
 Mutt.iz. c t j ie Son o£ God, accompanied, or rather 
 
 ** st ' f compleated with the Sin againft the Ho- 
 
 c ly Ghoft, in an irreconcileable hatred, 
 ( and enmity againft the Truth, of which they were 
 c in Conicience fo fully convinced : Upon Satan's 
 
 * pride and envy at Chrifis Perfcn, If a. 14. 12, 13, 14, 
 c 1 5-. did follow his Malice and Hatred ofChriJTs 
 ' Truth, Joh. 8. 44. even the Eternal Gofpel of 
 c his Incarnation, Joh. 14. 6. \Rei/. 14. 6. as ordain'd 
 ' of God in Humane Nature to be the Head of the 
 
 * Angels, Eph. 1. 22, 23. United to the Body of the 
 c Church, Eph. 1. 10. which Malice and Hatred of 
 ' Chrifi and his Truth ; Satan hath ever fince profe- 
 f cuted by Bloody Perfections raifed againft the 
 
 * Church by Horrid Blafphemies and Herejies [ or Seels J 
 
 * vented againft his Perfin in his Divinity, his Hu- 
 
 ' manity, 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 361 
 
 f inanity, and the Offices of his Mediation, [ Re- 
 gal and Sacerdotal ] Moffcms Scions ProJfiecJ, Ch. 
 9. §. 23. Thus is he perpetually endeavouring to 
 Undermine the Go/pel, and to deftroy Chrijfs Intereft 
 on Earth, by propating his Malice, and Envy againft 
 Chrijfs Mediatorial Goverment in the World by Innu- 
 merable Seels or Hcrefies, his various Transfigurations, by 
 an Out-ward Appearance of promoting them. Againft 
 his One Government of the World, that is One Form, his 
 One Church, He erects Divers, when Only One is the 
 True in refpeft of I?<tf£, and Genuine, and y4// the reft 
 are utterly Falfe and Spurious ; and as far as we have 
 any Rule to judge by, will for ever be Rejected, Re- 
 probated by Him. But one ChriB, many Antichrifis^ 
 and Many that follow the Antichrift, and Few Chrift. 
 Having now ftated the Signification or Importance 
 of the Word CHRIST, We {hall be thereby the 
 better enabled to difcover who thofe AntkhriBs be, 
 mention'd in 1 John 2. 22. and whether there be 
 any fuch in theie latter times of the Gofpel or not, 
 and properly come under that Character ; the Cha- 
 racter of AntichriB we have in this Verfe ,• Who is <t 
 lyar, but he that denieth that Jefus is the ChriB, He is 
 AntichriB that denieth the Father and the Son. I con- 
 fefs this Text is ufually urg'd againft thofe who de- 
 ny the DoBrine of the Trinity, or deny the Divinity 
 of the Son and of the Holy GhoB; but Strictly fpeak- 
 ing or Grammatically, He is not in this place call'd 
 AntichriB who is an Oppofer of the Trinity, for her6 
 is no mention of the Holy GhoB the Third Perfon, 
 ( but as Mr. Weldon obferves) He who . 
 denieth the Father or the Son, or that ° r f $ m ' 
 denieth Jefus to be Chrift, the Anoint- §'. 7 ,'8.' 
 cri, viz.'" Kings, and High-prieB over the 
 King ot Houfiold of God. So that they who deny 
 the Regal or Sacerdotal Powers, which are^the Donation 
 in termints of GOD the Father unto GOD the Son 
 do quoad hoc deny the Father and the Son,t\iQ Donor and 
 
 Foffeffor; 
 
362, The Anahaptifts Miniftry 
 
 Tojfejjor ; and they who deny Delegation of thefe 
 Towers by the Son, or as an Emanation from Him to 
 thofe whom he hath inverted with them as a Perpe- 
 tual and Standing Ordinance, in the Administration of 
 his Mediatorial Kingdom in the World, to be conti- 
 nued, tranlmitted by a Rightful, Legal, uninvadable 
 PofTeflion, denies Jefus to be the Christ, the Foun- 
 tain of this Twofold Untlion ; and confequently de- 
 nieth the Father and the Son, and is a Lyar, becaufe 
 he maketh God,in his Faithful Oath of Donation unto 
 his faithful Son, a Lyar ,• and he that denieth Rightful 
 Kings and Priefts to derive their Authority from Christ, 
 in confequence of thofe Laws ol Primogeniture in the 
 State, and Confederation by Perfons SucceJJlvely Autho- 
 rized thereunto in the Church, grounded upon Gods 
 Word, and Unalterable by Man, without incurring 
 the higheft Difpleafure of God, by involving him- 
 felf in the molt heinous guilt • thereby invading 
 the' Prerogative of Christ, and, as far as in him lieth, 
 Dethroning him from his Regality, and Degrading him 
 of his Priefihood, is both a Liar and an Antichrist, 
 and fets himfelf above all that is called God, 2 TheJJ] 
 2. 4. above the Trinity it felf^ and in particular De- 
 nieth the Father and the Son. 1 hat this is the true 
 Senfe of the Apoftle, [ think needeth not to be pro- 
 ved by any farther Arguments or Mediums, That 
 there were thofe who denied Jefus to be Chrift ; 
 in the Senfe urged, might eafiiy be proved if re- 
 quired by the Judaiz,ing Hereticks, and is fufficiently 
 intimated by the Apoftles St. Peter and St. 
 2 Pet. i. 10. tyjg f Thofe who defbi fed Government. 
 — -and Ipake evil or Dignities. — who 
 denied the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Christ, de- 
 fpifed Dominion, and fp a ke evil of Dignities. And all 
 this Apoftacy, Opposition to Christ, Antichriftianifm, 
 meerly to profecute their own Worldly Carnal In- 
 terefis, to gain the Government of the World into their 
 own hands, that they might wallow in their Lufts, 
 
 without 
 
Examirid and DifpSovd. 363 
 
 without any Rejiraint or Controul. But bleffed be 
 the Mercy and good Providence of our God, thefe An- 
 tichrifls, thefe Deceivers, as tr^/r; and /«/*/<? as they 
 are in their Conduct and Transfigurations, yet they are 
 difcoverable to Perfons of Reflection and Confedera- 
 tion; their MzrA* are Indelible, they can't conceal 
 themfelves fo clofely, but So^er and Sincere Under- 
 standing Chrifiians may by God's Grace presently fee 
 thro' them, and difcern them ,• they are all Carnal, 
 Worldly all over, their very wijdom is earthly, fenfual t 
 devilifli. Jam. j«,i y. 7^/r love of the World, [their 
 indefatigable Diligence to gain Wealth and Eftates, 
 by &\\ for did, wicked, ungodly Means and Methods'] 1 Joh. 
 2. 1 f . Their Lafcivioufnefs and Luxury, the £#.# of 
 the Eyf, their intolerable and boundlefs Pride, account- 
 ing all, but their Ot/>» P^rty, Reprobates, and as the 
 Scww and Vermin of the Earth, infallibly demonflrate 
 them to be what they are; and .Niwe of thefe Pr/»- 
 W^, without fome ofthofeM«vb of the JSe^i? up- 
 on them, even of thofe reputed to be the very 2fc# a- 
 mongft them : So infallibly do their Principles and 
 Practices prove each other; the Owe being Calculated for 
 the 0^<?y, each the Caufe or Ejfe# °^ tne OfAer. 
 
 I might have added a great* many more ^>g«- 
 ments, to clear up the Truth of what I have juft now 
 advanced and afjertcd, and to Dimonftrate the Unfcrip- 
 turalnef of thefe our Sectaries Avtichrijlian Principles ; 
 but having, I hope^ moft defervedlv and fatisfa&o- 
 rily already fixt that upon them, with which they 
 have moft unjufily, and malic ioufy, and flanderoufly 
 hlachned the Church of God, to the Perverfion and Ruine 
 of Multitudes of .SW.f, and hereby difcovered and 
 manifefied them to be the .SW of Sdf*», that Falfe 
 and Lying Accufer; and literally Antichriftian; in par- 
 t5cular in this laft Paragraph, in Reference to Chrijfs 
 Offices of Pr«y? and King, and in divers other Re- 
 fpe&s in the preceding Difcourfe, (For there are many 
 /Lntkhrifi, j John 2. 18. that in many and various 
 
 ivay% 
 
364 The Analaptifls Miniflry 
 
 ways oppofe Chrift, as all the Seels and Herefies do; 
 fbme his Perfon], fome his Offices, fome his Ordinancs, 
 fome his Precepts ; yet all Antichrifl s , really and fr«/y 
 fuch. They his Enemies, he theirs, direcYiy oppofite 
 each to other • as they oppofe and fet themfelves a- 
 gainft Him ; fo the time fhall come that He will con- 
 fume them with the Spirit of his Mouth, and Jhall dejlroy 
 them with the Brightnefs of his Coming, (2 Theff. 2. 8.) 
 that is, (hall pafs the Sentence of eternal Damnation on 
 them) and Invaders of them, and confequently un- 
 der the moft Grofs and Spiritual Infatuation that ever 
 any Sectaries have been fince ChrijUamty, under the 
 Ma.sk, Pretence and Transfiguration of a moft Ardent 
 Zeal for Chrift, for Purity of Ordinances and Holinefi, 
 and yet all this while his moft embitter d Enemies ; 
 and what demonfirates the DiaboliealneJS of their Delu- 
 fton, and the juft and manifeft Judgment or Hand of 
 God upon them, for their tranfcendingly provoking 
 Wickednefi, and damnable Hypocrify, their Obftinacy, 
 Infenjibility, Spiritual Pride and Glorying, Selffecurity, 
 without any plain Scripture on their fide ,• but fhel- 
 tring themfelves under the moft Obfcure Prophetical 
 Texts and Parages altogether out of the reach of their 
 Capacities, which by their ftudied Wreflings and Dif- 
 tortions, thty fir etch and withdraw to their own Cor- 
 rupt Senfe and Carnal Dejigns, contrary to innume- 
 rable Plain and Obvious Texts • which to Godly, Sober, 
 Spiritually -difcerning Sanctified Spirits^ fliould and ought 
 to be the Comments and llluftrations of the few and in*- 
 tricate ; hereby proving themfelves to be Impofiors, 
 Deceivers, and the Emiffaries of Satan, and Under- 
 miners of that Gcfpel, they would have others to be- 
 lieve they fo zeaioufly promote ; Apollyons and Abad- 
 dons, Deftroyers and Murtherers of Mens Souls, and 
 hereby propagating and enlarging the Kingdom of 
 Darknefi, of their Father the Devil, that Lyar and 
 Murderer from the Beginning, that Archetype of Rebel- 
 lim, and Primitive Vfurper } and by fo much the more 
 
 perm- 
 
Exawirid and Difprovd. 36 $ 
 
 pernicious to the Church and Kingdom of Chrift y than 
 Jews, Turks and Heathens, and confequently more 
 wicked, whofe Endeavours the Devil feemeth to lay 
 afide, as ufelefs and unfuccefsful, finding no Method 
 fo profperous for him as his transfiuring himfelf in the 
 Perfons of theie Members of his S ham- chrift tans, Mi- 
 nifters of the Gofpel and Minifters of Chrift in di£- 
 guife, whofe diffembled Zeal proceeds no farther 
 than their own Native Soil, to pervert true Chrift, not 
 to propagate their New lights and Gofyel amongft the 
 Heathens and Infidels j or as they bellow out continually 
 amongft thofe who groan under the Toke of Anti- 
 christ, properly fo call'd in their Senfe ; nor with the 
 leaft thought that way, till forfooth they can get the 
 Maftery and Empire firft at Home, and be in poiTef- 
 fion or Magazines, Fleets, Trains of Artillery, and Le- 
 gions of Armed men; and contrary to Chrifi's and the 
 Apofiles Method of Converting the World, drive 
 the Grjpel into Mens Heads with Battle-axes and 
 Hammers , Turk-like and Antichriftian-like j againft 
 which Method , from their Firft Rijings up, they 
 have fo z,ealoufly enveigh'd, (a moft convincing and 
 infallible Argument of their impudent Hypocrify, 
 and of their Miffion from the Devil and not from 
 God, of their being Acted by the Spirit of Error, and 
 not the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Veace, and Love, 
 and the Spirit of the ever Bleffed, Merciful, Meek and 
 Benign JESUS. Having, I fay, from the Wcrdofc 
 God, and facile Natural genuine Deductions from thence 
 Shewn the Nullity of thefe Sectarian MOJions and Ml- 
 nifirations, particularly of the Anabaptifis (who of 
 late, I muff and do confefs, make the neareft and 
 moft plaufible Advances or Pretences to the Primitive 
 Form of a Church, of any of our DiJJ'enters whatever, 
 and are the Majter-piece at prefent of Satanical Tranf- 
 figuration amongft them, and moft likely to be a Tem- 
 ptation and Stumbling-block to many weak and waver- 
 ing Chrifiians ; but tor all that no more a True Church 
 
 nor 
 
$66 The Anabaptijls Mintflry 
 
 nor genuine Ordinances, nor the True way, than Satan 
 Transfigured ar an Angel of Light) Travel thofe, I have 
 had to do with at leaft, to be Antichrifts, refell'd 
 their Arguments from Extraordinary Vocation, pre- 
 tence of Immediate Gifts and Teachings, Enemies to 
 Chrift's Regal and Sacerdotal Offices, and in general 
 to his whole Oeconomy, or the Chriftian Dijpenfation ; 
 let them pretend what they will in their Apologies, 
 Confeffwns of Faith, let fome Tarticular Terfons among 
 them Write, Trofefi, Troteft what they pleafe, Recant, 
 Forfwear, &c. I am refolv'd to give no Credit to them, 
 fo long as they maintain and perfift in their Separa- 
 tion upon the Grounds they commonly urge, no more 
 than I will believe a Jefuit*, or the Devil himfelf; I'll 
 look upon all their Refinements, Alterations, Nciu- 
 modellings, Retractations, only as Gildings, Famines, 
 and Sweetnings and Mollifyings, as the Tainting of a 
 Rotten-poH, &c. meer Transfigurations , Artifice and 
 Trick: And for this my Conduct, Measures and Judg- 
 ment upon them, I have the Holy Scriptures, Chrifi, 
 the Apoflles, my Reverend Forefathers in the Faith, 
 Church Hifrory, and daily Experience, and even Con- 
 verfation with themfelves, and their own Practice. 
 1 am fenlible What fome of their moft Celebrated 
 Writers have faid, (but chiefly in truth I believe in 
 their own Terfonal Behalf ) which becaufe they are 
 trcfty, in common Prudence I am bound to have a 
 jealous Eye upon them , to firetch Charity to the 
 ucmoft as far as ccnfifts with Prudence, and I ought 
 not to go further; and I find it only the effed of 
 Craftinefi and Subtilty, chiefly if not wholly to Amufe, 
 and thereby the more fuccefifnlly to Deceive. All (in 
 refped: of the whole Body or Party) nothing but 
 Transfiguration. We have many Monuments of their 
 Conduct and monftrous Opinions Abroad and at Horns 
 (here I mean our Apoftolical SucceJJors, the Anabaptijls 
 more particularly). They [eem to Alter, Retracl, &c. 
 but it's nothing but Va?npwg, Refining, Transfiguring , 
 
 becaufe 
 
Examin'J and Difprov'J. 367 
 
 becaufe they find the World more difceming, and lefs 
 eafy to be impos'd upon, therefore they think it 
 highly imports them to grow more Cunning, and to 
 Jpread their Net* more dextroufly. I . am aware how 
 fome of them have New-moulded fome of their Do- 
 Brines, and Discipline too, as to the Millenium, as may 
 be feen in Thomas Grantham; as to Dominion being 
 founded in Gracejhey have given that a New Touch ; 
 as to Immediate Teaching, and the Promifes and Gifts 
 of the Holy Sprit ; as to Unordained Mens Preachings * 
 and to render their S>#more acceptable to the Mem- 
 bers of the Eftablifhed Church of this Nation, and to 
 run down the Presbyterians, Independents, and Other 
 Seels, and to get the Start of them, they begin to 
 wave their former Arguments from Extraordinary Vo- 
 cation, Private Impulfes, and urge External or Outward 
 Vocation, and boldly call themfelves the Succejfors of 
 the Apoftles, and fet up for Epifcopacy, only for Mo- 
 defty fake they call their Bijhops Mejfengers (without 
 any Conjuring we may eafily fee what they aim at, 
 give them but a Lucky Hit, a proper JunBure, and 
 vou ft all fee them feize our Cathedrals, and the Epi- 
 jcop.jl Dignities with all their Revenues, for all their 
 prefent exclaiming againft Tithes and Pluralities, as 
 fome otheisonce did before them)as may be feen in 
 Tho. Grantham. But all this Sham and Transfiguration 
 ftill,a High-kick calculated for their Long-long groaned- 
 for- Dear- Jubilee- Millenium, How long,&c. for no other 
 end but to Defiroy the Church of Eagland, and that 
 only to feize the envied Sweet-morfel, and to carefi, 
 greafe and pamper themfelves upon Her Revenues, the 
 greateft Eye-fore to our Longing, Gaping Saints. I 
 confefs and readily acknowledge their Model of Go- 
 vernment, in fome refpects,is more plaufible and more 
 conformable to Scripture and Antiquity,, than that of 
 Geneva or New- England, and if not obviated in time 
 by the Mercy of God, the moft dangerous Aflault 
 againft the Church of England, that ever Satan hatcht 
 
 arnongft 
 
368 The Anabaptifis Miniflry 
 
 amongft us yet ,• efpecially confldering how eafily 
 the People have been impos'd upon by fuch like Re- 
 femblances, Verijimilitudes and Transfigurations in former 
 Ages of the Churchy as in the Reigns of the Novatians, 
 Arians and Donatifts, who chiefly gull'd the People, 
 by retaining all the external Refemblances of Epifcopa- 
 cy, Liturgy, and other Ordinances and Rites ; But be- 
 caufe all thefe Transfigurations, and Grantham's Shaw- 
 Miracles, may be refuted by what is already faid in 
 the fore-going part of this Difcourfe, I think it not 
 material, to enlarge any farther upon them at pre- 
 fect, but mall haften towards a Conclufion, by 
 dropping a few Animadverjions upon their Munfter- 
 MiUtnium, or Fifth- Monarchy, to mew how incon- 
 gruous this grots and carnal Notion of our High- 
 flown and growing Seel;, is to the whole Spirit of 
 Chriftianity , and juftiy odious, and to be abhorr'd by 
 all true Chriftians^ and ought to be baninYd out of 
 Cbrijhndom, and fent home again over the HelU- 
 $ont. 
 
 As to this Fifth Monarchy, or the Perfonal Reign of 
 Chi ft upon Earth, I think it may be fufficiently 
 confuted, by what hath been already fpoken, as to 
 the Original of Dominion, and in Vindication of Kingly 
 Govcrntnenment , or Monarchy, as immediately de- 
 riv'd from ChriH, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 
 That Chrifl is really King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 
 this is readily granted : But that all Civil Power, 
 particularly Monarchical, is Originated from the Beaft, 
 from the Dragon, or the Devil, is Blajphcmaus , to lay 
 that Giw/ Mjgifiracy or Mmarchy, is inconfiftent 
 with Chrift's Kingly Office, is dire&ly contrary to the 
 Ttnour of Scripture, to God's Covenant made with ^4- 
 brabam, renew'd with David, and then in particu- 
 lar widi Cbrisr, the Second, the Spiritual, the Hw- 
 i>e«/y David, as hath been prov'd ; and thence, to 
 be continud (as Sworn by God himfelf) together 
 with the Priefthood 3 or Evangelical Miniftry, to the 
 
 Con- 
 
Examind and Dijprovd. y6$ 
 
 Confummation of all Things ; to our very Creed,, 
 wherein weprofefs, according to the fame Scriptures^ 
 that we believe that Chrift fitteth at the 
 Right Hand of God > as King and PrieH, ^f d ;^l* 
 dijpenfing both the Powers to his Deputies , . tf'p j'a/ 
 for the Regiment of the World. Now no- 
 thing can be more contrary to this Oath and Cove- 
 nant of God, for the perpetual Eftabliihment of 
 Kingly Government in the World in general, and iri 
 the Church, or under the G off elm particular, than the 
 Abolition of Kingly Government ,• nay, even to the 
 Kingjlup o$ Chrift himfelf, the Glory whereof was to 
 be •vifibly manifefted, chiefly in his being the Supreme 
 Head, or King of Kings ; the Exercife or Adminif ra- 
 tion of which Power, for certain, he hath not ex- 
 ecuted on Earth (fo far as we are able to know) but 
 by his Deputies, and thofe Kings $ or none ; fo that 
 to Abolijli Kingfhip upon Earth, is in effect, to make 
 God perjurd, and to Dethrone Chriff, or render his 
 Regality infignificant, and an empty Title, or infinitely 
 lefs Honourable, by the Abolition of it, than by its 
 Continuance , and perpetual Eftabliftmtent and Ex~ 
 iftence. Befides, upon the Shinto- Monarcbian, or 
 Common Millenarian Supposition of Worldly King- 
 fhip, a:; exercis'd by Men, in its own Nature, being 
 inconfiftent with that of Chrift ; and in its own 
 Nature evil ; Chrifl's, and his Apofiles Precepts of, 
 and exhortations unto Submiffon and Obedience to 
 them, as God's Ordinance (as hath been prov 3 d) would 
 be unneccjfary, and an intolerable Toke and Hard(ljip i 
 efpecially, when in time, the Chriftians, with the 
 ordinary Concurrence ot Providence, could fo eafily 
 have ajferted their Liberty , and freed themfelves 
 from fuch horrid Slavery and Mifcaniage, as their 
 Pajfive Obedience expos'd them unto. Our BleiTed 
 Lord commands us to render unto Cefar, the things 
 that are Cefar s ,» a plain and evident Acknowledgment 
 offomething due unto Kings, which could not be 
 
 B b but 
 
370 The Anabaptifts Minifiry 
 
 but by the Law of God : If you fay Nature, it turf%s 
 to the fame ; for nothing can be due unto Kings, 
 ejuatenus Kings, but by the Law of God ^ nor could 
 there be any fuch Order amongfi Men, but by his 
 Appointment • and where any thing is due from us, 
 to another, Conscience , that is, the Law of God 
 written in our Hearts, dictates and commands us to 
 pay it; So that it's demonftrable, from thefe Words 
 of our Saviour, that He came not with any Dcfign to 
 Abolijh Kingjhip, or to free the World from Subje- 
 ction, to Civil Magifiracy ; nay, on the contrary, 
 to EfabliJI) it, Enlarge it, and to enforce our Obedi- 
 ence and Submiflion unto it, with a more fevere San- 
 ation than ever ; and as his Precepts were not calculated 
 for a limited time, but to be of perpetual Obligation to 
 the End of the World ; io that in particular, of rendring 
 unto Cefar, the things that are Cefar's ; that is, of o- 
 beying our Rightful Princes, good or bad, Chrifiians or 
 Idolaters, was to be of perpetual Obligation too, fo 
 long as Kinglhip mould continue in the World ; and 
 that is, as God fware unto Chrilf, the Second David, 
 fo long as the Sun and Moon mould endure, or con- 
 tinue to bear Witnefi to that Oath of God, by his Ho- 
 linefi, and that moft folemn Covenant, that there 
 fhould never be wanting a Race or Succejfion of Earth- 
 ly Kings, c to fit upon the Throne of David • which 
 ' Name of David, is fecondarily conferr'd upon all 
 c Chriftian Kings ; as all Rightful Kings, without the 
 c Confideration of their Religion, were, and are 
 c taken into the Name of Elohim ; were, and are 
 c (ever fince Chrift's Aicenfion) Infejjors upon his 
 c Throne, under the Notion or Elohim , tho' the 
 ' Title of David be incommunicable 
 
 vim™* ' Unt ° them * ° thsrwife ( & ith this 
 §.T/p 16. excellent Author, in words to this ef- 
 fect) this Donation of the Father, had 
 been a meer Sham and Nullity, meer Mockery and 
 lllufion ; and he whp had all Power in Heaven, and in 
 
 Earth, 
 
Examind and Difproy'd. j 7 $ 
 
 Earth, given unto him, had had no Throne, in any 
 manner of Senfe, upon Earth, tho' by Oath con- 
 firm'd unto him ,• and he had been only a vain O- 
 fient at or of his Father s Gft, when he told his Apo- 
 ftles, that all Legal Tower I^hoia, was given him in 
 Heaven and Earth ,• and if all Power, then Kingly 
 Power, then Power over all Kings, then King of 
 Kings; not King ot Non- entities, but King of, or o- 
 ver all Earthly Kings, Kings in Exigence, Kings in 
 being, aHual Kings, King or a SucceJJion of Kings, to 
 continue even fb long as the World and Mankind Jhould 
 continue, fo long as ChriB himfelf mould continue. 
 King, even till Qhrifi ( mould, (after Death, being 
 ' vaniih'd, and the Refurre&ion accompiim'd, and 
 ' the Work of our Salvation finifli'd) 
 € havedeliver'd up the Kingdom (which J ) ? r ' Tf,,i ^; 
 ' he, as his Father's Subftitute, now lo x c {' ? ar ' m 
 c adminiftreth,to Gca and the Father) 
 * and fo, firft put down al! Adverfe Rule, AntU 
 ' chrifiian, and all oppofite Authority and Power* 
 Otherwife, I fay once more, the very Affiles 
 themfelves had been falfe Witness of God, con- 
 cerning his Title of King of Kings • and 
 there had not been Compenfation made iVeldon, ibid. 
 him for the cutting off the Line of his 
 Anceftors (according to the Flelh) from the Throns 
 and Scepter, which by juft Dcfcent, was actually his 
 (and fo acknowledg'd by himfelf, as hath been 
 faid ,• ) fo that, inftead of his Fathers, he mould 
 have [Adopted] Children, whom he mould make 
 Princes £by which word, Priefis are taken in as well 
 as Kings] in all the Earth, Pfal. 5- 5-. 16. confult the 
 whole Plalm. Hence thefe Children (the Seed of the 
 Second David, Chrift) Kings, in particular, mall en- 
 dure for Ever, and fit upon his Throne, which mail 
 be as the Sun before God, Pfal. 89. ver. 36. and we 
 find this, or their Thrones, call'd the Throne of Da- 
 vid, Jer. 50. But they fl) -dl ferve the Lord their God, 
 
 B b z j 
 
 an<Z 
 
372, The Anabaptifts Miniflry 
 
 and David their King, "whom I will raife up unto them 
 Tho' David had been dead for many Years, yet God 
 promifeth here to raife up a David unto them, and 
 this, with relation to Chrift and the Gofpel-tlmes, and 
 in conference of his former Oath, and Covenant with 
 ChrlH. So, with reference to this Kingdom of 
 Chrift, we find God fpeaking thus by his Prophet 
 Ezekiel, and J will fet up one Shepherd over them, and 
 he jljall feed them, even my Servant David, hejhallfeed 
 them, and he Jhall be their Shepherd. And I the Lord 
 will be their God, and my Servant David, a Prince a- 
 mong them, I the Lord have fpoken it, Ezek. 34. 23, 
 24. Which is repeated again, Chap. 37. 24, & 25. 
 And my Servant David fhall be their Prince for ever. 
 So in Hofea, it is faid, Afterward jliall the Children of 
 Jfrael return, and feek the Lord their God, and David 
 their King, &c. So that, in particular, we find 
 Chrl(ilan Kings Adopted into the Name and Power of 
 ChrlH, by whom alone (where Ghriftianity is pro- 
 1 efs'd) he admlnl^reth his Temporal, Earthly Dominion^ 
 and from thefe lafi Texts, we ought to make this In- 
 ference, that the Sincerity of Religion, and of the 
 Fear of God, is infeparably enjoin'd with Loyalty 
 and due Submiffion unto David, the vlfible and Tem- 
 poral, Earthly Reprefentatlve of ChrlH ' No fincere Fear 
 of God, without Honouring the King • a certain Mark 
 and Criterion of Religion, pure and undefil'd, and free 
 from Carnal, Worldly, Antlchrlfilan Mixtures and Al- 
 loy ', where there's no Honour of the King, there's 
 no Fear of God, all is nothing but whining and hypo- 
 critical Cant, Impofiure, lllufion, and downright Anti- 
 chrijilanifm, or Rebellion and Oppofition to ChrlH. Be- 
 fides, according to thefe Anabaptiftlcal- Mlllenarian- 
 Fifth- Monarchy-Principles , Suppofitions, that Kingflilp, 
 as exercis'd by Men upon Earth, is Antlchrlfilan, op- 
 pofite to ChrlfFs Temporal Klngflilp, it will follow, 
 that ChrlH hath been, for thefe Seventeen Hundred 
 Tears, without a Throne, and hath exerted no vijible 
 
 Ath 
 
Examine! and Dzfprovd. 373 
 
 ABs of his Kingjhip, all this while, contrary to the 
 avow'd Experience of all true Chrifiians , which is 
 moft utterly falfe, and hath no Children -whom be bath 
 made Princes in allLands, which can never confift with 
 his Providence ; the Adminiftration of which, by the 
 Donation of the Father, is wholly and folely com- 
 mitted into his Hands, (which is moft errant down- 
 right Blafphemy and Atheifm) and fuppofes him, to 
 leave the People to their own Governance, (Let the 
 Lord, the God of the Spirits of all Flejb, fet a Man over 
 the Congregation, which may go out before them, and 
 "which may go in before them, and which may lead them 
 out, and which may bring them in, and the Congregation 
 cfthe Lord, be not as Sheep without a Shepherd, Numb. 
 27. 16, 1.) without a Shepherd ,• or, as the carelefs, 
 foolijh Ofrricb lays her Eggs, Job 39. 14. Now the via- 
 ble Adminiftrator of this Providence (for the People) 
 is declar'd to be the King, and the Wifdom and Good- 
 nefi of it, i« celebrated, and admir'd by Angels and 
 Saints, in Heaven and Earth, Pfal. 89. 5". So that 
 the fame Scriptures that prove the Temporal Kingjhip 
 of Christ, the fame Covenant with Abraham, renew'd 
 with Jacob, and David, and ChriH, in particular, 
 informs us, That King/hip, adminiftred by Men, is 
 of Divine Original, appro v'd, and exprefly Covenanted 
 for by God ,• and that, by an everlafting Cove- 
 nant, nay, even the Gojpel- Covenant, as a grand In- 
 ftance of Divine Favour and Blefling ,• ^nd that to 
 deny it, is Blafphemy and Antichrifiian ,• to oppofe 
 it, refisl, endeavour to extirpate it, Antichrifiian, and* 
 damnable too. if the Apofile fpeaks truth, for to mol- 
 lifie the word Kei'xt, Rom. 1%. 2. and to force , and 
 wresi it, to fignifie a lefs Punifiment than Eternal 
 Damation, is, to bely the Spirit of God ; and cadem 
 facere Scripturarum, as Tertullian fomewhere expreffes 
 it, to murder the Scriptures, and to encourage Afjajfi- 
 nates and Villains, to Out-brave Hell, and to defie 
 God to his Face, and to leffen the Heinoujnefs of that 
 Bb 3 Guilt 
 
 
74 Tfo Anahaptifts Minlflry 
 
 Guilt which terminates upon the very Verfon of 
 ChriH, the King of Kings, as if all the Danger, and 
 the worB of it, was but a Haltar or an Ax, which 
 Multitudes of Rebels frequently efcape, and fd do 
 not receive this Damnation $ which Sentence of the 
 Apoftle, by this means, would hefalfer oftner than 
 true. No! Let not thefe Hammers and Battel- axes 
 flatter themfelves, (tho' blejfed be God's Providence, 
 they frequently meet with their juft Dements in this 
 Lire, for the Terrour of others, as divers of thefe 
 Mifcreants have done, they mall receive infallibly, 
 in the great Day or" Judgment (unlefs averted by Re- 
 pentance) Eternal Damnation, as certainly for their 
 Rebellion, as for any other Crime of what Nature 
 foever. 
 
 They may efcape Men, but can never efcap: the 
 Vengeance of God, unlefs by a fincere Repentance, a 
 particular Repentance for their Refinance of Regal Au- 
 thority, as certainly as for Final Apoftacy, or ior Rip- 
 ping up of the Bowels of their Mother that bare them, 
 or lor TVorfhiping the Devil, or calling Jefm Accurfed, 
 ( except Repentance thro' the Merits of Chrifi can 
 favethem) and that nioft jufily too, according to 
 that of our Bleffed Lord unto Peter upon his cut- 
 ting off the High-Priefi's Servants Ear ; all they that 
 take the Sword, that is to fmite or refift Lawful Au- 
 thority, jliall peri ft with the Sword, {hall fuffer Eternal 
 Damnation's Sentenc'd unto it by God, as refifting 
 his own Ordinance, ( Matth. 26. v. 52. ) that is, 
 Thofe very Perfons whom Chrifi trims, q Koy©r faid 
 they are Elcbim Gods, who made them, who created 
 
 them in his own Image by giving them 
 WH Orig, Dominion, the juft- Right of Elohim s 
 P°'i5 2. * * Communicable only by Ehhim. See 
 
 J oh. 10. 54. from whence our Blefled 
 Lord proves his own Deity or Divinity^ for if 'They, 
 jhat is, Kings, who are his Creatures, made by him, 
 ^ie Gods, much more true it is that H$ that created 
 
 them 
 
 t\ 
 
Examirid and Di/prev'ef. 375* 
 
 them in his own Image is Elohim ; i~o that if to re- 
 fill: them who are Elohim Gods/ is to refill him who 
 made them fuch, that is to Fight againft God, and 
 if this be not a Banfitable Sin, then we are to feek 
 and to know what is. A Demonftrative argument 
 by the way that Kings receive not, or derive their 
 Power from the People, becaufe the People cannot 
 impart or annex Divinity to their Perfons ,• and 
 withal that Earthly Kingflup can't be a Derogation 
 from the Kingfoip of Christ, becaule derivd from 
 him immediately from the very beginning of the 
 World at the Worlds Creation before his Incarnati- 
 on, and what could not derogate from him as God, 
 cannot as God-man, and the great Mediatour be- 
 tween God and Man, efpecially fince no Texts of 
 Scripture can be produc'd to prove that Kingjhip as 
 execrifcd by Men was null'd or abolifh'd upon his en- 
 tring upon this Office,* and fince it's apparent, He 
 that when actually upon Earth before his Paflion 
 andRefurredion,commanded Subjection unto Earth- 
 ly Powers and Authorities, as likewife his Apoftles af- 
 terwards, which (hew that Kingihip was not to be 
 abolifhed, or Subje&ion unto them to be denied or 
 withdrawn upon any pretence whatfoever, and that 
 it was no part of His coming into the World to 
 DuTolve the then Rightful Governments in the 
 World by Kings : So far from this that He acknow- 
 ledges their JVuthority, even whilft he was conver- 
 fant in Human Nature to be from God, that is from 
 himfel£ as Matth. 22.21. Their Jura Maj eft at is Rights 
 and Prerogatives he infers from their Coin which 
 bear their Super fcription, and particularly the then 
 Roman Emperours, and Commands that Taxes and 
 Tributes mould be paid unto Cefar, Render unto Cefar 
 the things that are Cefars, and by fo do- 
 ing, you Rendtr unto God the things that are ^^ 0ri £' 
 Gods, whofe Image Cefar bears, as the Tri- «,-$*<. 
 bate- Money bears Cefars : So that curSavi- 
 
 Bb 4 o&x 
 
ij6 The Anahaptifts Miniflry 
 
 our affirms herej That Cefar requires it not in his own, 
 but in the Right of God, [ as his Deputy, his Image and 
 Reprefentative, and having Gods Authority to de- 
 mand it. ] Nay more than this, He owns the Right 
 of Cefar to be from God by his own Aft of paying 
 Tribute when demanded of him, when he needed 
 not to have done it, as we may fee, Matth. 17. 25-. 
 Of -whom, faith he, do the Kings of the Earth take Tri-r 
 hut el of their own Children, or of Stranger si St. Peter 
 replies, of Strangers ? Jems anfwereth, Then are the 
 Children free. Concluding from thence, that him- 
 felf was under no obligation to pay it, as being the 
 Son of him in whofe right the Tribute was 
 Weld. ib. due, not as being Tiberius Cefar 's Son, but 
 of God, to whom by Cefar, the Tribute 
 was due debt. And all this Submlffion and Obedience 
 of Chrifi walking by his own Rules, was to leave 
 us an example for our imitation : This is Chriftian 
 DoBrine, and an inftance of Pajfwe Obedience in the 
 higheft degree, paid by him who could have Com- 
 manded Legions of Angels for his Afliftance, could 
 have diffolved all the Powers in the Earth with one 
 breath of his Mouth, even when mofc 
 jf;ffi? T juftly provok'd, whilft Herod, Poniirn Pi- 
 late, the High-Prieft and the People of 
 the Jews were gathered and confederated againft 
 him, yet he refufed it ; He quitted his Life to pre- 
 serve his Obedience, to preferve his own Ordinance^ 
 and the Honour of his Religion inviolable. So that 
 hence it follows infallibly, that to refill lawful Au- 
 thority, *vi & armis, is Antichrifiian^damnable^nd Dia-~ 
 bolical, and that thofe who do fo, cannot be ChriftU 
 ans, and that Teach Men to do fo, cannot be the Mi- 
 nifters of Chrift, but the Emiffarks of the Devil. 
 
 And this will appear to any chat have the Ieaft 
 grain of Senfe or Honcfiy from the conitant Tenor of 
 Qhriftlan Doctrine, or Chrifiianity, as being directly 
 eppofite to all fuch Inhuman barbarous Proceedings. 
 
 Let 
 
Examrid and Difprovd. 377 
 
 Let any one Reconcile this Do&rine of Rejtfiance 
 with that of the Beatitudes in the Fifth of St. Mat- 
 thew, if he can, and then I'll yield that he may re- 
 concile ChriH and Belial, the Gofyel and the Alcoran, 
 Let any one produce me a Saint of this Character, a 
 Saint and a Rebel at the fame time, and I'll engage 
 to {hew him a £W»?, one oi Gods Eletl, and efpe- 
 cial Favourites in Hell Torments it felf,and for ever 
 Sentenc'd to the Eternal Flames. Reconcile if they 
 can, this Refinance upon any pretence whatsoever, 
 to procure the greatejf Good, and to avert or avoid the 
 gre&tefi of Temporal Evils imaginable, with that precept 
 of our Blefled Lord : But I fay unto you, that ye 
 Refisi not evil, but whosoever jhall fmite thee on thy 
 right Cheek, turn to him the other alfo, Matth. 5". 39. 
 and with that of the Apofile, of not doing Evil, that 
 Good might come of it ,• or, with the Obligations 
 of Suffering, when caU'd unto it, for Righteoufnef fake, 
 ver. 10. or for Chrift's fake ; and with that of the 
 Apoftle, Rem. 12. 17. Recompence to no Man Evil 
 for Evil [much lefs to the created Elohim, ChriB's A- 
 nointed, as all Rightful, iho' Perfecting, tho' Idola- 
 trous Kings: ] and to that of ver. 19. Dearly Belo- 
 ved, avenge not your Jelves, but rather give place unto 
 Wrath } for it is written, Vengeance is mine [and be- 
 longs to thofe only who are deputed by God, and 
 Chrift, for that very end, amongft others, and not 
 to private Perfons, not to Vijlains, calling them- 
 felves Saints : ] and fo that of ver. 21. Be not over- 
 come of Evil, but over- come Evil with Good: and 
 that of 1 Vet. 5.9. Not rendring Evil for Evil, or RaiU 
 ingfor Railing -, [doth not fuch "Behaviour better a- 
 gree with Saints, and the Spirit of Chrifiian, than 
 Murder , Fire and Sword, and all the horrid Effects 
 of an Unmerciful, brutifh War ? ] knowing that 
 thereunto ye are caU'd [by Chrift, that by mani- 
 fefting your Love and Allegiance to him, by fuffe- 
 ring cheerfully for his fake] j'e (hould inherit a BleJJing, 
 
 ths 
 
3*/ 8 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 the Reward, the Glorious Crown of Martyrdom. Re- 
 concile this Hell- born Doclrine of Refifiing and Dethro- 
 ning of Kings : I fay again, upon any poffibly con- 
 R ceited Pretence whatfoever,with the Patience 
 
 13. 10. of the Saints, with that inoffen five Peaceable 
 Temper and Behaviour which is enjoyn'd 
 all Chrifiians ; fee Row. 12. 18. 14. 17, 19. Gtf/. 5-.- 
 19, 20. and ?fc 22,23. H<?£. 12. 14. jf<w». 5. 17. 1 Pet. 
 5. 10, 11. Reconcile it, I fay, with Chrifiian Meeknefi, 
 Matth. j. And to cut off all Colours and Pretexts for 
 Rebellion, and forcible Refinance againft Rightful Kings, 
 and Magiftrates, obferve needfully that of our Lord, 
 Luke 12. 49, 5-1. and fee what portion he hath allot- 
 ted for his Children ; I am come, faith he, to fend 
 Fire on the Earth, and what will I, if it be already 
 kindled ? Suppofe ye that I am come to give Peace 
 on Earth? I tell you nay, but rather Divifion, Af- 
 flictions, Tribulations , Crojjes, Perfections, were to be 
 the frequent Exercife of all thofe who fincerely pro- 
 feft the Gofpel of Chrifr, and what Chrifiians mould 
 be in conftant Expectation of, and prepared to receive 
 with Patience, and therefore obliged to take up their 
 Crop, to run all hazards of Life, and Loffes^c. 
 when they took upon them this Profeflion,* fo that 
 to avoid them by Refinance, and re felling Force by 
 Force, is in effect to turn Renegade, and Apoflate from 
 Chrifiianitj. 
 
 Reconcile if you can this your Battle-axing with that 
 of the Apoiile to the Hebrews, Ch. 12. Take therefor z 
 in good fart the chafiifement of the Lord, for whom the 
 Lord lovcth he chafteneth, and fecurgeth every Son whom 
 he receiveth. if you endure chafiening, God dealeth with 
 you as with Sons ; for what Son ts he, whom the Father 
 chafietieth not ? But if ye be without chafiifement, whereof 
 All are partakers, then are ye Bajlards, and not Sons. 
 I fay, reconcile your Rebellious Practices with thefe 
 Texts, or elfe own your felves Bafiards, or what is 
 equivalent the Children cf Akaddon and Antichrists, 
 
 Recon- 
 
Examined and Difprov'd. 379 
 
 Reconcile Your Smiting-work, with that Trufl, Confi- 
 dence, Dependence on, and Refignation unto God's 
 moft Gracious Providence, and All-wife Difyofal, that 
 Chriftians ought to put in practice under all Fiery 
 Trials Tribulations and Perfections; the Lord knows 
 how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations 
 [Trials and Diftrefles] 2 Pet. 2. 9. and to referve the 
 Unjuft [_?erfecutors and Tyrants, Opprejfors of Good- 
 men] unto the day of Judgment to be puniflied [not be- 
 fore the day of Judgment to be call'd to an account, 
 murdered or depofed by Butcherly-Saints, or Bov- firing- 
 Saints. Reconcile this Refifiance again if you can, with 
 the PraBice of the Saints in the Old Te/lament, particu- 
 larly with the Glorious Example of David, even God's 
 Anointed King, in his behaviour towards Saul a dif~ 
 obedient Prince to the exprefs Commands of his God, 
 by his Prophet Samuel, rejetled by God, that mur- 
 dered the Priefts of God, that fought to take away 
 the Life of God's Anointed, Captain of his Hofts ; 
 who had all the fpecious Arguments that could be 
 from the Law of Self-prefervation, from Saul's being 
 a wicked, profligate, and moft unjufi Perfecting Prince, 
 and rejected by God,* yet pronounct it a Guilt that de- 
 ferved death to flay Him, becaufe the Once Anointed 
 of God, 1 Sam. 24. Reconcile it with the Behaviour of 
 our Blcjfed Lord Himfelf if you can, who upon all 
 occafions, as Mr. Tombes fays, voluntarily, tho' not 
 ( necellitated, refolved to have regard . 
 
 < to Rulers ofevery fort, that he might Sffi"**** 
 ( therein be an Example to us of Sub- 
 f je&io.n. Which is more fully proved by his An- 
 ■ fwer to the Wgh-Priell, adjuring him Matth. 26.63. 
 c by his Confeffion before Pontius Pilate, 2 Tim. 6. 
 * 13. mention'd as imitable by Timothy v. 12. And 
 c moft of all by His Sufferings even unto Death, 
 f in which the Apoftle Peter 1 Ep. 2. 21. tells us, that 
 f Cbrift alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an Example, 
 e <£x?$ffi$itty3 a Copy or Ifritten Defcription, cr Imprdf 
 
 fion. 
 
380 The Anabaptifts Miniflry 
 
 e fion, that ye Jhould follow his fteps ; and this is applied 
 
 * as an Argument why they mould fubmit them- 
 c felves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's 
 
 * fake, not meerly out of fear of Puniihnient, but 
 in [Confcientious] Obedience, proceeding from Con- 
 ference, or a fenfe of Duty impreffed by the Spirit 
 of Gcd upon the Hearts of all fincere Chriftians, the 
 acting contrary whereunto would be a conviction 
 of Guilt, and a fentencing our felves thereupon to 
 eternal Torments, and over and above, a wilful Vio- 
 lation of, and c Repugnance unto Chrifi's [pofitive ex- 
 prefs] Commands, or Conformity to his pattern, 
 Tombes and thefe humane Ordinances are na- 
 Saints no fmi- m ed t0 De Kings, Governours fent by 
 ters, p. 47. them. Reconcile now Rebellion and for- 
 cible Refinance to the Doclrine or Example of our Blef- 
 fedLoid, if you can, or let all the Church of Chrift 
 judge whether this Practice be not damnable and An- 
 tichrifiian. If this be not the Reverfe ofChriftianity^ 
 or Antipodes unto it, Apofiacy from it, Defpifing and 
 Trampling upon the Precepts and Doctrines of 
 Chrift God-man, the ObjeB of Chrifiian Faith, the 
 Grand Model of Chrifiian PraBice of Conformity, the 
 grcateft Dejpight that can be done to Chrift's 
 Mediatorial Kingdom, and a meer Burle fating and Ri- 
 diculing of the Gcjpel, the greatefi Affront to the Saints 
 and Martyrs, then nothing can be fo. Is not this 
 Confecrating of Daggers, Protefiant- Flails and Scythes, 
 making Murders, Ajjfjjinations , Rebellions, Depredations 
 Meritorious with a Vengeance ,• is not this to recom- 
 mend Roguery, Villany, Theft, Violence, and all manner 
 of Wickednefs, as the Grand Marks, Characters, Tefis 
 of Saintjhip, and Perjury, Treachery, infatiable Avarice, 
 or Coveting our Brethren's or Neighbour s Goods, the 
 immoderate love of the World, Grandeurs, Vanities, 
 Pomps, &c. as Signatures of Grace, and Loyalty, Zeal 
 and Affection to King Jef/a ? Let them reconcile if 
 they can the Works of the Flefo, Hatred, Enmities, Va- 
 
 r\anci x 
 
Examined and Difprovd. 381 
 
 fiance , Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Schifms, Divifio s, or 
 Factions, Murders, and the like, Gal. 5-. 20, 21. with 
 the fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-fuffering, 
 Gentlenefs, Meeknefs, v. 22, 25. with that of the 
 Apoftle James 3. 17. wherein he tells us, that the 
 Wifdom that is -from above, is fir ft pure, then peaceable, 
 gentle, eafily to be intreated, full of Mercy and good fruits, 
 ■without partiality, without Hypocrify : and then the next 
 Verfe, that the fruit of Righteoufnefs is fown in 
 peace of them that make peace : with that of the 
 Apoftle to the Hebrews, 12. 14. Follow peace [if it 
 be poflible as much as lieth in you, live peaceably 
 with all Men, Rem. 12. 18.] with all Men,* and that 
 of St. Peter, i Vet. 3. 10,11. He that will love life [the 
 prefent, or that which is to come] and would fee good 
 days [live comfortably in this life, and enjoy the 
 bleffing of a good Confcience, and keep a conftant 
 calm, and ferenity in his Breaft, without which all 
 the comforts of this Life are ill-grounded ] let him 
 feek peace [ by all lawful, honeft, Chriftian Meafures 
 and Methods] and enfue it : By having [and fnewing] 
 eompaffion, by being pitiful [putting on bowels of 
 Mercy, by being meek, and poor in Spirit, and being 
 
 a Peace-maker], by not rendring evil for evil 
 
 but contrariwife good for evil, bleffing for curfing, 
 exercifing Patience, that he may inherit [at length] 
 a Bleffing, [and receive an ample reward for his 
 CHriftian, meek, humble and patient Behaviour from 
 God,] v. 8, 9. Let thefe Scandals to all Saint flip 
 purge themfelves from a worfe Imputation than 
 they have affixed upon the Topes of Rome, if they 
 can. We who differ from the Church of Rome, and 
 thefe Black and Bloody Saints, have and do account 
 the Popes of Rome for thefe many Ages to have the 
 Forehead of an impudent Whore, (faith Mr. TombesJ 
 ' When they claim in St. Peters Right, the p 8 
 ' Univerfal Monarchy of the whole Church, 
 * and Superiority abave Emperors and Kings,- and 
 
 ' dire- 
 
382, The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 e cire<5Hy or indire&ly in order to Spirituals, power 
 ' to difpofe of Civil Governments, to tranflate the 
 € Emipre, depofe Princes, give away Kingdoms, 
 c Gommand Emperors to make an Expedition to the 
 
 * Holy Land, and many more things, as if they 
 f were his Right, as Succeffor to St. Peter, to whom 
 c Chrifl: promifed the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, 
 6 not of Earth. If this claim be juit, as it is judg'd 
 c to be an Antkhriftian, Babylonifli Ufurpaticn, it is by 
 c Parity of Reafon more Antkhrifiian and Babjlonijh 
 ' for the ®>u\nto-monarchiar,s , to challenge the Rights 
 c and Privileges,in refped of Governments ,to be gain-^ 
 
 * ed to them under the Name of Saints, when they 
 c can mew no iuch Donation from ChriB, or any A<5fc 
 c of Acquisition, whereby He obtained it ior them, 
 
 * or any Conveyance of it to them, or any Saints 
 ' till Chris? s Appearing ; fee Lake 22. 30. I Cor. 6. 2, 
 
 3. 1 Pet. 5-. 6. Jam. 4. 10. Let thefe Smiters 
 P. 90. once more reconcile their Doclrine and Pra- 
 ctice of Refiftance' with the very Exifence ot 
 Human Society, with the common Comforts of Social 
 Life, the Prefervation of Mankind, the Orderly Go- 
 vernment of the World, with Property, Publichgood, 
 the Independency of one Nation or People upon ano- 
 ther, eftabliih'd by God at his (tupendions Divifion of 
 the People and Naticns or Countries of the Habitable 
 World. To this purpofe, befides what I have alle- 
 ged already out of Cavne, Spittlehoufe 3 znd the Door of 
 *Hope, &c. I mail add one Paffage out of the Banner 
 of Truth dijplayd, p. 59. as alledg'd by Mr. Tombes in 
 his Saints nofimters, p. 3. ' All the Blood of God's 
 ( People is found in Babylon: For they (i. e. her Ci- 
 c vil Powers, Rev. 16. 6. have ihed the Blood of the 
 , c Saints and Prophets, Rev. 17. 6. Chap. 18. 24. and^ 
 c 19. i.Jer. fo. 14. now therefore God by way of : 
 ' Retaliation hath ordain'd, that Saints fhall be his j 
 ' Inftruments by which he will execute his Ven- J 
 c geance upon the Powers of the World, who are J 
 f All of them Murtberers; accordingly God com- j 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. 383 
 
 ' mands his People, ( and 'tis their Duty to obey ) 
 
 * to reward Babylon double, as me rewarded them ; 
 1 yea, and double unto Her all thofe Plagues, 
 
 * Deaths, and Stripes, that me hath infli&ed on 
 c you, Rev. 18. 6. and they fhall give Her Blood 
 f to Drink, and me fliall be burnt with Fire, for- 
 
 * ftrong is the Lord that judgeth Her. As to 
 the particular difcufiion of this paffage, as full of 
 grofs Miftakes as Sentences, I refer the Reader to 
 Mr. Tombes, as above-cited, and only Addrefs my 
 lelf to the bufinefs in hand, for which I produc'd 
 them. Therefore I defire thefe Saint Hangmen to Re- 
 concile thefe their Murderous DoBrines and Practices with 
 that Order, Uprightnefs and Contentednefs in our feve- 
 ral Circumfiances and Stations of Human Life, which 
 Providence hath placed us in, and which the Righte- 
 oufnefs of Chrifiian Morality exa&S and demands of us, 
 of Doing as we -would be done by, of Living peaceably 
 with all Men , of Giving every Man his due, of de- 
 frauding, Opprejjjng no Man, of Loving our Neighbour 
 as our fdves, of giving Fear to whom Fear, and Ho- 
 nour to whom Honour is due, &c. 
 
 e But this fmiting-work. to which this Doctrine 
 c incites, is Wilful- murder, fays Mr. Tombes 3 « yea, the 
 c molt horrible Murder that ever was, except his, 
 c who was a Murderer from beginning, John 8. 44. 
 c or theirs, who crucified the Lord of Glory.; For it in- 
 c cites to a profefs'd linking and fpoiling of all the 
 
 * civil Powers on Earth, even thofe to whom they 
 
 * are bound to be fubjeft by all the Laws of Religi- 
 c on, Nature, Country and Reafon ; and to a<5l 
 c thefe things with all extremity, out of imagin'd 
 c Zeal for Chrift ,• which, if it be not according to 
 c Knowledg, is a Fire of Hell, which will hardly 
 c be ever quench'd : and in Profecution thereof, to 
 6 fmite thofe who refift them • which muft of ne- 
 c cefficy, be all thofe who adhere to Civil Powers, 
 [ who will be, doubtlefs, the moft confeientious 
 
 s Saints 
 
384 The Anabaptifls Miniflry 
 
 * Saints on the Earth, and the greateft part of Man- 
 " kind, which muft needs be Wilful-murder and 
 c Robbery, if they have no Warrant to doit. But 
 
 * they have none, neither Rev. 18. 6. nor any o 
 
 * ther Scripture, or Revelation of God, that we or 
 c they do know ; nor Laws of Nature or Men, do 
 f in the leaft warrant or permit it, but all coudemn 
 c it. And therefore if they fhould be permitted to 
 c acl their Defign, (which God forbid) there would 
 c be more Deftru&ion and Wafting than ever yet 
 
 * was made by Men fince the World began ,• and 
 
 * more truly they might be termed Babylon, in 
 € whom the Blood of the Saints is found, than, any 
 r Civil Powers yet extant : Now Murder makes 
 f Perfons the Children of the Devil, there being 
 ' no Sin more refembling him ,• John 8. 44. Whofo- 
 c ever hateth his Brother , is a Murderer ,• and ye know, 
 c faith St. John, 1 Eph. Chap. 3. 15-. That no Mur- 
 1 derer hath Eternal Life abiding in him ,• therefore 
 ' fuch are no Saints, but Antichrifiian, and the Do* 
 f clrine moving to it, are damnable and Antichrifii* 
 c an : TombeV Saints no Smiters, p. 60. As to the 
 direful Effects of this Smiting, he adds, € That it 
 
 * tends to produce all the Miferies which Anarchy 
 e and Confufion bring on the World, even to the 
 f Deftru&ion of the Church of Chrift on Earth ,• or 
 
 * rather, according to the Project they propound, 
 ' Human Society, if not the Extirpation of Man- 
 l kind. For by taking away Civil Powers, Safety 
 ' of Perfons and all the Comforts of Life are 
 r either taken away or much endangered. When 
 ' the Prophet Ifaiah threatned Calamity to the Peo- 
 
 * pie of the Jews, Ifi. 3.% z t §, 4, p He tells 
 them, The Lord, the Lord of HosJs doth take away 
 
 ( the Mighty Man, and the Man of War > the Judge, and 
 
 ' the Prcphet, and the Vrudent, and the Ancient, the 
 
 ( Captain of 'Fifty, and the Honourable Man, and the 
 
 Counfelloifr, and the cunning Artificer, and the Eloquent 
 
 l Orator 9 
 
Examind and Dzfprov'tf. 385* 
 
 Orator, and I 'will give Children to he their Princes, 
 and Babes Jhall Rule over them, and the People jhaU 
 be Oppreffed, every one by another, and every one by his 
 Neighbour , the Child (hall hehave himfelf proudly 
 againfi the Ancient, and the Bafe againfi the Honour- 
 able. Whereby it may be perceived, that God 
 took it to be a Curfe, next after the taking away 
 the Stay and the Staff, the whole Stay of Bread j and the 
 whole Stay of Water, to take from the Jews their 
 Rulers, Teachers, Nobles, Scholars : and therefore 
 there cannot be a greater Calamityfto a People, 
 after the Deftrudiion of the Fruits of the Earth, 
 whereby Famine comes, than to fmite the Civil 
 Powers, and Eminent Perfons, who have been 
 the Prote<5tors, and Guides of the People. For 
 then People become Murderers, and Robbers one 
 of another, and all Places, are fill d with Fears, 
 Dangers, Cries, and Miferies of all forts. The E- 
 vils we have felt in our own Civil Wars, mew 
 what Mifery it is to have Soldiers Rule, and not 
 Princes and Judges. And yet the Evils we have 
 feQn are fmall in comparifon of what the Jews 
 felt by the Factions there, when Jerufalem was 
 Befieg'd by Titus : But the Evils which was come 
 on the World by the Infurre£Hon of the Quinto- 
 Momrcbians,\{ their Projeci had taken place, would 
 far exceed them, their Delign being an Univerfal 
 Deftruclion of them that Oppofe them in all the 
 World ,• and when the Confcience is perverted, 
 there being no flay to Mens furious Zeal. — p. 
 — 60. — Sure no Tyrants have ever done more 
 mifchiefthan this way of the Fifth- Monarchy- Men 
 would do, if it were profecuted, nor is any 
 Dodrine more Hellish, Anthhriftian and Damnable 
 than this, that tends to overthrow all the Civil 
 Powers, Laws, Doctrines, Forms, Degrees, Of- 
 fices in Church and State, which thefe term the 
 Spirit of Antichrijl in the World. And if it were 
 
 C c ' fuppofed,- 
 
386 The Anabaptifts Mini ft ry 
 
 fuppofed, that thefe furious Zealots ftiould accom- 
 plim their Defign, after the mixture of Hypocrites, 
 and the Rabble of the worft and moft foolim Men, 
 who could hope there would be any Peace, good 
 Order or Juftice in the World, or any remainder 
 of fober Men ? The World would be an Aceldama, 
 
 or Field of Blood and the prevailing 
 
 Perfons ■ Blood- Monfters, and inftead of a 
 
 vifible Kingdom of Chrift on the Earth, a Solitude, 
 Chaos, as it was before the firft Creation, and 
 the Kingdom of Antichrist , or the Devil -would befet up, 
 under fret ence of making Chrifi's Enemies his Footfiool. 
 What Laws, Order, or Rule tending to further 
 Religion, or Righteoufnefs, can any expeft from 
 Men of fuch cauteriz'd Confciences, as not to dis- 
 cern the mifchievoufnefs of fuch Doctrine and 
 Practices as thefe have vented, efpecially after 
 they have inured themfelves to medding of Blood 
 and Rapine, with extremity ? Thus Mr. Tombes, 
 
 &c. p. 62. — 
 
 And now after fuch a Renverfement of the Main 
 Doblrines and Principles, and Morals of Chriftianity, 
 I beg leave of thefe Mock-Chriftians — and Saints, 
 to Propofe one Queftion too after Mr. Tomfas. Let 
 them then tell me ingenuoufiy what doth all thisfu- 
 turally tend to ? Where doth all this Noife, this hard 
 ftruggling, to fet up this pretended Perfonal vifible Reign 
 of Chriji center ? What will it end in ? Here's all 
 Reftraint from Magifiracy and Imparity taken away, 
 here are all Human Laws Cajluer'd, all the Land- 
 Marks and Diflinttions of Property removed ; all left to 
 the Will and Pleafure, Luft of our Conquering Saints, 
 and what might we expel! they would do next? In 
 fuch a State of things, as we muft now fuppofe, we 
 muft make one fuppofition yet, that thefe Conquerors 
 and Subducrs of the World would be utterly forfaken 
 of God and his Spirit of Grace ; they could never be 
 what they ire fuppofed; without this fuppofition, 
 
 we 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 387 
 
 we muft look upon them as left entirely to them- 
 felves, to Do "what feetneth good in their own Eyes : 
 turn over the Scriptures then, wherein all the Hifto- 
 ricalpart is Recorded for our Inftrucftion, and confi- 
 der what the Ifraelites did in the Interregnums of their 
 Judges, and behold, all thofe Impieties Afted over 
 again with the greateft improvement, every Man 
 Acling according to his own Lulls, according to the 
 wicked defires of his own Heart, which, defiitute of Di- 
 vine Grace and Rejlraint, imagmeth Evil continually. 
 What can you conceive but an Inundation of all that 
 Licentioufnefs , Impurity and Debauchery, and all man- 
 ner of Monftrotss Wickednefs, with the XJniverfality of 
 it, that preceded the Deluge of Waters that carried off 
 all that Wicked and molt Impious Generation, by many 
 degrees worfe than Mahometanifm it felf. You fee 
 the Vrojetl of thefe Men is fuch as is impoflible ever 
 to have been infufed into their Under ft andings or Af- 
 fettions by the Holy and Pure Spirit of God, as con- 
 trary to the Spirit of the Gojpel, as Belial is to Chrift, 
 or Light unto Darknef, overturning the whole Scope, 
 Scheme, Dtftgn, Spirit, Meaning, End of Religion pure 
 and undefiled, centring wholly, folely, ultimately, ftudi- 
 edly, defignedly, in and for the World, and to pro- 
 cure all manner of Liberty ^ breaking all Bars of Re-* 
 ftraint t that Men may be left entirely loofe to take 
 their \v\\Swinge, andCareer in their Abominable Lufts. 
 Here you have the whole Soul of all this Cant, 
 Noife and Pother out ; Imagine now Hell let loofe, and 
 the Damnd embodied again, and A<5ting over what 
 was wanting to the former Accomplifljment of their 
 Defues ,• and behold a World full ol Saints, fuch as 
 our Fifth-monarchifti would approve themfelves to be. 
 Imagine a Generation of Men utterly forfaken by 
 God, without any Senfe of God, of a future Judg- 
 ment, Heaven or Hell, any fear of worldly Punijhment 3 
 from Gibbets, Halters, Jayls, Bridewells, Axes, &c. 
 and wholly abandon'd to their own Lufts, and the 
 
 C C 2 incejjant 
 
388 The Analaptifts Miniflry 
 
 incejfiant Irrigations of Satan ; having all Opportunities 
 to gratifie thern, arid Refiolving fo to do, abounding 
 in all manner of Plenty, of the Good things of this 
 World, and commanding them from all Parts of it_, 
 and you mail find the Foolilh Stupid Turks, or the 
 moll Licentious People now upon Earth, Ajfies to our 
 Saints ; nay, all the Damnd in Hell it felf, Out- 
 bravd and Out-done by them. And all this the Effetls, 
 the Unavoidable Fruits of extraordinary MiJJion, Vocati- 
 on, of Immediate Teaching, by the Spirit forfoot h, of In- 
 spiration, Revelation, of Liftning unto and following 
 their Private Spirits, Opinions and Judgments, of Se-r 
 parating from the Vifible Church o{ Chrift, of fitting up 
 Altar againft Altar, Bijloops againft Bijhops, Churches 
 againft the One Church of Chrift , and Forging, 
 Contriving a New Kingdom for Chrifl, and or literally 
 fating up Antichrifi againft Chrift in Earneft and 
 Indeed. This is the Effecl of fetting up Extraordinary 
 again ft Ordinary, that is Oppoftng and Refifiing the 
 (Wer Eftablifh'd by Go<-/and C^r//? in Church and Sta/*, 
 the Standing InftruBions in both, of WreHing and Per- 
 verting the Ordinary and Obvious Senfe or Scripture, 
 of Flying over the Reverend Heads of Antiquity, our 
 Tore- fathers in the Faith, the Glorious Martyrs, and 
 Witneftes to Christianity, and defpifing the Church of 
 ChriH, and of following cunningly Dev/fied Fables, of 
 forfaking Antiquity to run after Novelties, and My; 
 L'gbts, by whi^h means we w<7&£ Ship-ivrack of our 
 K^if^ and a gW Confidence, and fo become Renegades 
 and Apojlates from Chrift, and rail off from the Co/»- 
 w?fl?; H^e and Salvation, of which I have already 
 producd fome, nay, many Dreadful Inftances a- 
 rnongft you of the Anabaptiftical Verfiwafion, to whom 
 this Dificourfie is particularly Addrejfied. 
 
 I have Confidered, and I hope Confuted the heft 
 Arguments for their MiJJion or Miniftry, and proved 
 them Infiufficient to evince it by, and fhewn the jwe/^ 
 y/>v they are under, to Shelter themfelves under an 
 
 Extra or- 
 
Examirid and Difprovd. 389 
 
 Extraordinary Vocation or Call, which I have Examined 
 at large, and Demon/Crated the little or no Service it will 
 do them, there being no Room for any fuch Plea, under 
 this laft or Gcjftel Difyenfation , without Producing fuch 
 Evidence for it, as they will never be able to do ; 
 and over and above have, from plain Scriptures and 
 lawful Deductions from them^ Expos'd fome other of 
 their Extraordinary Opinions and Practices upon them, 
 to the juft Dread, Horror, and Refentments of all fin- 
 cere Chrijlians, which have been too much Imbib'd or 
 Embrac'd by other Setts, ( which are generally Lea- 
 vend by their Ferment, and thereby in a preparation 
 or readinefs to Joyn or Unite with them, mould 
 they ever prevail or get the day, ( which God for- 
 bid ) and fo by Difiroving Theirs, have /hewn the 
 Nullity of all the reft, and confequently of All their 
 fuppofed Minifterial ABs, for want of Due Authority 
 from him, in whofe Name they pretend to Do them, 
 and fo without Benefit to the rejpec7in/e Subjects or 
 Sufciplents of them. 
 
 Hence they are no Church, no ChriHians, becaufe at 
 beft but Nominally, or which is altogether unknown ■ 
 unto us as Extraordinarily, which is Tantamount to 
 not at all, becaufe we can affirm ( to be fure) nothing 
 of whit doth not by any manner of way appear 
 unto us, nor, as hath been faid, by any Colour of 
 NeceJJity can induce us to Form even a Judgment of 
 Charity (aswe commonly exprefs it ) unlefs in a 
 Cafe of Invincible Ignorance, which lam afraid, will 
 fall to the Jliare of a very few indeed. 
 
 But that which makes the Cafe of Our Sectaries of 
 ail Denominations look the more Dejperate and Deplo- 
 rable, is, becaufe Separation is a Work of the Plejh, 
 grounded upon and rooted upon Carnality, grafted upon 
 a Worldly Spirit, and centred there ; Every Sect or 
 Schifm hath its Dalilah, and as to that Sett that hath 
 been particularly Treated on in this Difc ourfe,we have 
 qUfcovered Dominion and the Worldly Empire to be its 
 
 Gc 3 Aim 
 
390 The Anahaptijls Miniftry / 
 
 Aim and End, and the Rooting out Chriftianity , the 
 only Effectual Means and Meafures it aims at under all 
 the Zeal it pretends for its Promotion : It hath been 
 fhewn likewife that it bids fair, by its Bold and daring 
 Transfigurations, to impofe upon the heedleft ,and un- 
 wary, and lefs Intelligent Chriftians ; but if weighed in 
 the Balance of the SanBuary, the Holy and Unerring 
 Word of God, the 7r«<? Catbolick Principles of Primitive 
 Chriftianity, it will prove as /igfo as Vanity it felf, and 
 to have nothing but a .N^we, and an empty Title ar- 
 rogantly affumed, without the leaft Right imaginable, 
 or any Ground of a Comfortable ProffieB in the end for 
 thofe who ate engagd in it. And hence by the way 
 it will appear, to any one who foberly weighs thofe 
 Commonly Received Maxims 0$ Chriftianity in the Church 
 for above a Thoufand Tears, upon which the Foregoing 
 Difcourfe is founded, what little Reafon our Men of ' La m 
 titude have for their Loofe Opinions, as to their Indiffe_ 
 rency for any Forms or Profefficns of Chriftianity (as vul 
 garly termed ) and matter not what prevails or is up" 
 j permoft, fo Christ be ProfeJJed ; and pretend an equa" 
 Charity and Good- opinion for all SeBs, provided theyj 
 abhor Popery, forfooth • and believe them All to have 
 an equal Right to Heaven with the Members of the 
 True Church , or would have the One Church confift of 
 All thefe S<i//5»j and Seels : If thefe Men really be- 
 lieved the Scriptures, and ftudied the Nature of the 
 True Church, and the Obligations All,, that hope to be 
 f j.ved by jfe/zw ChriH, to adhere to her Communion, 
 and the True Nofww and Danger of Schifm or Separa- 
 tion from the one Church, and that all the ordinary 
 Merfwj of Salvation are to be /0W in Her Alone, 
 or in a Word were Chriftians : It's impoflible they 
 fhould be intangled in fo formidable and Fatal an 
 Error. 
 
 But I have not Room here to infift upon this 
 Point, but /hall only add, that in any but thefe 
 latter Ages of the Church, Men of this hidifferency 
 
 would 
 
Examirid and Difprov'd. 391 
 
 would not have paft for Chrifiians, and though they 
 may go in a Croud for Vrotefiants with fome, I can't 
 fuppofe them one degree above Infidels • nor can I 
 find any ground for fo much Charity as to think they 
 will be own d by Chrifi to bear any Relation unto him 
 at the Day of Judgment, any more than Turks or 
 Jews, orthofewho are aftually out of the Church. 
 To be Indifferent to any Form or Seel of Chrifiians 
 ( in the lax fenfe of the Word ) is to be of none at all, 
 and to have no right in Chrift at all ,• and how this 
 can be Reconcileable to the Word of God, I leave to 
 the Judgment of all true Chriftians, and even of 
 moft of the Sectaries themfelves. But to put a Pe- 
 riod to this my undertaking, however meanly per- 
 form^ ,• I truft in God I have defigned well, to 
 afiert the Caufe of my Lord and Saviour his Church 
 and his Truth, by endeavouring to clear up fome 
 Points of grand Confequence to all who frofefs 
 Chrifi,' and refuting Error ; to which important ends 
 if it may in any meafure contribute, I mall think 
 my Pains well beftow'd : In the mean time I hum- 
 bly commend it to the Ble/fing and Acceptance of 
 my moft Gracious Saviour , and the ferious con- 
 fideration of all thofe whom it may particularly 
 Concern. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 THE Introdu&ion, wherein the Importance of that 
 Queftion, Whether the Anabaptifts or we be 
 the True Churchy is propounded. 
 That no Minifterial Ails can be prformd out of the 
 
 One Church, yielded on both fides. 
 Nor by any but thofc who have Commiffion fo to do. 
 The Unity and Indivisibility of the Church. 
 But One Communion, and fo but One Baptifm. 
 This Conference allow 'd by our Adverfaries. 
 Hence the Anabaptifts obligd to prove the Church of 
 
 Chrifi to be confin'd to their Communion or Party, 
 
 exclufive ofz\\ other Profeffions of Chrifiians. 
 Several Queries of abfolute Necejfity, to be by them an- 
 
 fwerd upon this Point. 
 7he Importance of a true Miniftry ,• its Dignity: 
 The high Guilt of Ufurping it. 
 An External Call Neceffary. 
 
 Invaders of the Miniftry difown'd by God and Christ. 
 The One Church always vifible ,• always to continue. 
 Falfe Churches fubjecl to Failing. 
 Catholick, when jpoken of the Church Militant, fup- 
 
 fofeth Vifiblility, &c. 
 Her Succeffion of Tafiors indefeafble. 
 Perfecutions cant injure the Church, much lejS ex- 
 
 tinguim her. 
 Nothing more puifiant than the Church, ftronger than 
 
 Heaven an d Earth, becaufe Ghrift, God-man i is her 
 
 Head. 
 
 A 
 
The Contents. 
 
 A further Demand to the Anabaptifts, grounded upon 
 this lafi Confederation. 
 
 All Minifterial Ads depend upon J he Authenticknefs 
 of the Million or Miniftry. 
 
 Baptifm defcrib'd in general. 
 
 More particularly. 
 
 Baptifmal Illumination defcriUd. 
 
 Baptifm of fuch importance as not to he attempted with- 
 out a regular Miffion. 
 
 The Sacrilege, as to the Minift ration ofit 3 by an Ufur- 
 ping Mmifter, and the Outrage thereby done to 
 Chrift. 
 
 And to the Holy Trinity. 
 
 ChrisTs Inftitutions inviolable, and uninvadable. 
 
 The vain Pretence of ISJeceffity. 
 
 Baptifm an Authoritative A3. 
 
 An uninterrupted Succeffion of Gofpel-Minifters, 
 provd. 
 
 Islo Church where this Succeffion is wanted. 
 
 This Succeffion reckon d among the ipeieuai*, or Dotes 
 Ecclefiae. 
 
 Where no Regular Succeffion of Paftors, no Church. 
 
 Hence none but fuch as are externally, regularly 
 call'd, are to be reputed the True Minifters of 
 Chrift, and Succeffours of the Apoftles. 
 
 The Truth only to be learn d from them ; fuch only to be 
 accepted and adherd unto, who have the True and 
 Lawful Succeffion. 
 
 Hence in the Church alone, the Scriptures and Sacra- 
 ments to be bad, the Genuine Food of the Soul, 
 
 This Succeffion prov'd further, from the pojitive Pro- 
 mife of our Lord, and the Indefedibility of it ; and 
 hereby all Picas upon any po'jible Pretences cut off and 
 nulfd. 
 
 Hence no Plea for an extraordinary Miniftry upon a 
 Suppofition of a Failure of the Ordinary becaufe the 
 ordinary Miniftry is founded upon a Rock, that ts 3 
 the never failing Promife o/Chrift. 
 
 Upon 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Upon this , a farther Demand to the Anabaptifts. 
 
 The Confequence of not anfwering this Demand, a 
 Nullity of all Minijlerial Ads perform d by them. 
 
 The Churches Y\floi\ViX.y farther ajferted. 
 
 Anabaptifts urg'd again by this Dilemma, either they are 
 the true Shepherds of Christ , er Robbers and 
 Wolves, &c. No Medium to evade it. 
 
 The Unity of the Church explain d at large y and the 
 Unity of the Priefthood. 
 
 Unum Corpus perditorum. 
 
 The fad Effect of the Anabaptifts claiming as they do , if 
 they be not the One Church. 
 
 The deplorable Condition of Se&aries, becaufe all out 
 oft &e Church. 
 
 Carnality the Ground of all Schifm. 
 
 No Salvation out of the Church, &c 
 
 No Intereft in ChriH , becaufe Out of the Covenant 
 of Grace. 
 
 Therefore no Chriftians. 
 
 Becaufe no true Chriftian Faith out of the Church, no 
 Orthodoxy,* by their feparating from the oneChurch, 
 they implicitely deny the One Catholick Church, and 
 the Communion of Saints, and fo cannot be fo much 
 as Orthodox, as to the common Faith of Chrifti- 
 ans, &c. 
 
 The Unity of the Evangelical Priefthood farther in- 
 fifted on. 
 
 Dignity of it. 
 
 The Audacioufnefs' and Impiety of ufurping it, &c. 
 
 Chriftian Altar, Sacrifices, Tabernacle, Burnt- 
 Offerings and Meat-Offerings, Temple, &c 
 
 Holy People, Segullah, Priefthood, Levites, &c* 
 
 Pre-eminence of the Chriftian Priefthood. 
 
 Damnation under the Gofpel 3 to Invade the Prieft- 
 hood. 
 
 Uninvadable. 
 
 The Gojpel Priefthood a nobler Difpenfation than the 
 
 LegaL 
 
 lm- 
 
The Contents. 
 
 lmfoffible the Setts jbould be the Segullah. 
 Chriftian aud J zwifti Church* how one and the fame. 
 No Chriftian Virtue out of the Church. 
 Transfiguration of Satan in his Members, Sectaries 
 
 and Schifmaticks. 
 Sectaries how chara&eriz'd by the Spirit of God. 
 As¥a\feChriJls, Falfe Prophets, Wolves. 
 Therefore all Minifterial Ads done by them, Null 'and 
 
 Invalid. 
 Church of Sectaries a Defart. 
 Sectaries no Chriftians. 
 Therefore characterize d Heathens, Publicans. 
 Are without. 
 Or the World. 
 Therefore eafily dift'wgvijliable from Chriftians and the 
 
 Church. 
 Stigmatiz'd with Cain's Mark. 
 Hypocrites. 
 
 General Characters or Marks. 
 Mor£ particular as to their very Countenances, Mien, 
 
 iVir, &c. 
 Sheeps-cloathing. 
 Transfiguration. 
 A£t all in their own Name. 
 Another Injlance of their Transfiguration, in their abu- 
 
 fing, wrefting the Holy Scriptures, and jcewing to 
 
 make them the Rule cf all they fay and do. 
 Another grand Artifice of theirs y by which they deceive 
 
 Multitudes ,* the Promife of great and fpecial Graces 
 
 in their Communion, &c. 
 Why Sectaries call'd Ravenous Wolves, &c 
 All their Ads tend to jyeftru&ion, altogether ineffica- 
 cious to any faving Purpose, particularly Their 
 (i.) Prayers, &c for want of Charity, the Love 
 
 of the Brethren. 
 (z.) Their Baptifm Invalid, Null. 
 They Baptiz,e into their own Name. 
 The Spirit o/Chriftianity compard with that ofSe&a- 
 rianifm. The 
 
The Contents. 
 
 TIjc Danger ©/Separation/row the Church, 
 Se&aries, Schifmaticks cannot' be [aid to be Orthodox, 
 
 or to have the Chriftian Faith. 
 The Church only the Pillar of Truth. 
 Truth only to be fought, and found in the Church. 
 The great Depoiitum committed' to the keeping of the 
 
 Church. 
 "That is y her Vaftors. 
 This great Depoiitum meant of the Truth, the Holy 
 
 Scriptures, and Sacred Ordinances, &c. 
 They that forfake the Church, have forfeited their 
 
 Right or Plea to thefe Divine Treafures. 
 Novelties peculiar to Sectaries, and make up their Dis- 
 crimination /row the Orthodox and Catholicks. 
 Paftors of the Church hoiv Stewards, and none elfe.- 
 Authority of the Antient Fathers and Doctors, af- 
 
 ferted. 
 One Gofpel, One Rule of Faith committed to the 
 keeping of the true Priefts or Minifters of the One 
 Church. 
 Therefore the Truth, the true Faith to be fought only in 
 
 the Church. 
 Nine Preach Authoritatively, but the Succeffors of the 
 
 Apoftles. 
 A Deduction of the Evangelical Miniftry. 
 None other to be receiv'd or heard. 
 The NecefTity of an Ordinary Standing Miniftry, by 
 
 Lineal Succefiion in the Church. 
 None but fuch as rightfully Succeed the Apoftles, true 
 
 Minifters. 
 Without fuch * Miniftry, no Means of Salvation ordi- 
 narily to be had. 
 None to Preach but thofe who are regularly fent, &c. 
 No Neceffity pleadable againsi the ordinary Mif- 
 
 fion. 
 Hereupon the Demand repeated to our Anabaptifts, to 
 deduce and prove their Miflton. 
 
 There 
 
The Contents." 
 
 7 here cannot pojjibly be a Failure of true Paftors in the 
 Church, in the ordinary Eflablifkment of tbem i i. e. 
 of a Succejjion of true Paftors. 
 The Anabaptifts Arguments examirid. 
 That particularly from Acts 14. 2 3. dijprovd. The Text 
 clear d and iUufirated t and provd to be exprejly againft 
 them. 
 That from A&s 6. 3, j, 6. examind y and provd to make 
 
 nothing for them. 
 As alfo that from A&s 1.23. 
 From this Text y the Peoples Right to Elcft Minifiers, dif- 
 
 provd y overthrown. 
 St. Paul not Re-ordain'd. 
 And therefore no Grounds for Re-ordination, no fuch 
 
 thing as Re- ordination in a proper Senfe. 
 From thefe three foregoing Texts, being all injified on by 
 the Anabaptifts, to prove the Validity oft^ir Qrdina- 
 tions y their Miniftry is overthrown, and provd to be 
 Antichriftian and Null, being altogether Unfcriptu- 
 ral. 
 The Peoples Right fe Elect Minifters, further and more 
 particularly difprov'd by Mr. Nettles, in a Mfs. Ani- 
 madverfion of his upon Sme&ymnuus. 
 The Presbyterians the Antientefi Schifmaticks fince the 
 Reformation, the fir ft that fet up Altar againjl Al- 
 tar ,• the firfi Invaders of the Evangelical Prieft- 
 hood or Miniftry, and gave Occafion to all the reft 
 of the fucceeding Se&aries, to do the like, &c. 
 And fi chargeable with all the following Irregularities, 
 
 by giving jo wicked a Precedent. 
 Other Topicks which fome Anabaptiftical Writers 
 
 urge for their pretended Mifficn y examind. 
 (1.) From an internal Impulfe. 
 
 Some farther Queries propounded to the Anabaptifts, in 
 reference to their Miniftry, upon their fuppos'd, yet 
 groundlels Failure of the ordinary Miniftry fettled 
 by Chrift in the .one Church. 
 (2.) No Grounds for an extraordinary Vocation or Mi- 
 niftry. If 
 
The Contents. 
 
 If the Anabaptifts will contend fcr an extraordinary or 
 new Miniftry, then they are challenged to give fuf- 
 ficient Evidences and Testimonies /or it, or prove 
 themf elves Impoftors. 
 
 L By Miracles and Signs. 
 
 Pretending to an extraordinary Miffion, now proves it 
 felftobeaS>atar\ica\ Delufion. 
 
 Suppojeth a New Gofpel. 
 
 Extraordinary Miffion fit up by theFalfi Apoftles, in 
 the Apcftolical Agtit felf. 
 
 Miracles ever reputed necejj'ary to atteft a new extra- 
 ordinary Miffion. 
 
 Defcription of thefe pretended, extraordinary Falfe 
 Apoftles, and their Succeflbrs. 
 
 Immediate Infpiration abjolutely neceffary , to prove im- 
 mediate, or extraordinary Miffion. 
 
 What is particularly required of our Anabaptifts, to prove 
 their Miffion. 
 
 m — Immediate Infpiration. 
 
 • — *- Infallibility. 
 
 m~ — The working of Miracles, becaufe they have no o- 
 ther Arguments to fupport themfelves by, being defti- 
 tute ^/Scriptural Authority, if they do not do this, 
 they are Meffengers and Minifters <f Satan, &c. 
 
 And Prophecy too. 
 
 Their Pretence unto it, proved by matter ofFaft. 
 
 The Unparallel'd Rebellious Principles o/fome of cur 
 Anabaptifts, reflected on. 
 
 The Hellilli Praeludia, or Harbingers to our Anabaptift 
 Millenium. 
 
 Their Diabolical, lying Prophecies, difprov'd and 
 expos'd. 
 
 And confidently , their Prophets provd to be atled 
 
 by the Devil, and they and their Party to belong to the 
 Synagogue of Satan, and to be really influenc'd by no 
 other Spirit. 
 
 And to be Spiritually Infatuated, and Forfaken by 
 
 God and his HoTv Spirit. 
 
 The 
 
The Contents. 
 
 The Symptoms of Spiritual Infatuation. 
 Canne an egregious Impoftor. 
 
 ■ ■ ,' — ~Hw Flattery of O. Cromwel.- 
 
 ■ — A lying, falfe Prophet. 
 
 — More Inftances of Anabaptifts, falfe Pro- 
 phets. 
 
 Anabaptifts fome particularly Antichrifts, Falfe Chriflis 
 literally. 
 
 The Impudence and Contradiction of Canned Refle- 
 ctions upon John of Ley den, &c. 
 
 Their eafie Reconciliation to the fame villainous Trinci- 
 ples i whatever fome Modern, Englifh Anabaptifts 
 fay to the contrary , even to the fouleft and moH 
 odious. - 
 
 Our Anabap. feeming Deteftation of the abominable 
 Practices of the foreign Anabaptifts, nothing but 
 Cant and Transfiguration. 
 
 . 'Not to be heeded or credited. 
 
 MoH of our Anabaptifts Millenarians, 
 
 Some of their Attempts hinted at. 
 
 Their Apologies not to be regarded. 
 
 Our Anabaptifts and Millenarians, utter Enemies to the 
 Evangelical Priefthood. 
 
 Anabaptifts and Millenarians Defigns thefame 3 tofet up 
 a. Fifth- Monarchy. 
 
 — To Deftroy the Piieft hood. 
 
 The Law. 
 
 — . Property, Titles, Tithes. 
 
 Anabaptift-MiflenaYians Agreement with Turks. 
 
 Canne cries up the Gifted Soldiers in the late Civil 
 Wars, above all the Clergy of the Church, or of I 
 ivhat Denomination foiver. 
 
 Some Account of thefe Booted Apoftles. 
 
 The BlrfpUwy cfBoggis, an Anabap. Oats reflected 
 upon. 
 
 The Churcu of Chrift, and the Ordinary Gofpel- 
 Miniftry can never fail . 
 
 Thl 
 
 is 
 
The Contents. 
 
 This Suppojttion of the Failure of the Church and Gofpel- 
 Miniftry, the Fundamental Mifiake of all our Se- 
 &aries, fince the Reformation. 
 
 (3.) Anabaptifts Pretence to Immediate Teachings, 
 Refuted. 
 
 Tend to Subvert the Certainty and Authority 
 of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Some of the Anabaptifts Blafphemies producd } as to this 
 Point. 
 
 The horrid Conferences of an extraordinary Call , and 
 to immediate Impulfes and Infpirations, Revela- 
 tions, at this time of day y after the Deceafe of the Apo- 
 files, &c. 
 
 The 'very Pretence to all this now, an infallible Argu- 
 ment of a Villain, or an Enthufiaftick Dotard. 
 
 Every Se<5t Infamous/or countenancing fome Immorali- 
 ty or other, even by Principle. 
 
 Immorality a never-failing Concomitant of every 
 Sed, Herefie or Schifm. 
 
 No Transfiguration can fo entirely conceal Satan in bis 
 Members, hut he is difcoverable in them. 
 
 Anabap. Confeffion, a meer Palliation and Subter- 
 fuge, an Afylum, or Retreat at a Pinch, and fo 
 their Apologies. 
 
 5e<5taries in general as guilty of Equivocation, and 
 mental Relervations as Jefuifts. 
 
 Sectaries Contempt of the Scriptures. 
 
 A farther Account of Canned Red-coat Preachers, 
 most of them to be fupposd, while in the Army, Ana- 
 baptifts, Millenarians. Their Blafphemies. 
 
 The Evils ^Toleration. 
 
 The Ends and Defigns of the Grand Rebellion in For- 
 ty One. 
 
 Presbyterians gave Birth to all the Se&s thai then 
 fprang up. 
 
 D d Anabap- 
 
The Contents, 
 
 Anabaptifts very jealous Promoters of 'theft Civil 
 
 Dijfentions. 
 
 . Firft fprung the New Lights ficce the Refor- 
 mation, a Specimen of them. 
 
 Falfe Teachers known by their Fruits. 
 
 Aptly compar'd to Sorcerers, Magicians. 
 
 Some of their Fruits enumerated. 
 
 ——As particularly then purfuing their fretendedh 
 Godly defigns, by Ungodly Diabolical and immoral 
 means. 
 
 At the Bottom the Infidelity of Sectaries to be fu- 
 fpe&ed. 
 
 The Agreement of our EngliJI, with the Forievn Ana- 
 baptifts. * 
 
 The imminent Danger the Eftabli&M Church is in 
 
 from the Setts. 
 
 -—-All, tho mutually jealous of, and hating each o- 
 ther, yet Unite againft Her. 
 
 r~ Unite even with Atheifts, and the Scandals of 
 
 all Mankind. J 
 
 . Their Irreconcible Malice to all that differ from 
 
 them, particularly the Eftablifli'd Church* 
 — — • —Cruelty and Threatnings. 
 
 ■ —Ever in a Plot. 
 
 Panger of being out of the Communion of the One 
 
 Church. 
 Worshipping f Devils, praxis d by fime of our Apo- 
 
 ftates, during the late Civil Wars. 
 Tfoe Danger if the CandlefHck being then removed, 
 
 fetting up the AIcoran 5 or fomething as impoftprous 
 
 or worfe. 
 
 the f)Qfign of the Anabap. Fifth- Monarchies*? lam 
 fet forth, &c. 9 
 
 - — --With their Unheard of Blafphemies. 
 
 - Reflections upon it. 
 
 - A worfe Defign than ever entred into the Heads 
 
 of the Pagan Perfecutors 5 or Turks. 
 
 Extir- 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Extirpation of Chriftianity, the Deftvn of many of the 
 
 Anabap. and other Millenarians, S'c. 
 -Union and Communion with God, explain d. 
 The Damnable Fruits ^Immediate Teachings* 
 A /;Y<?n*AAnabaptift Falfe-Chrift, William Franklin^ 
 
 &c. 
 
 His Hiftory, &C. 
 
 An Ejjay to Jet tip the Millenarian [Perfonal 
 
 Reign, 
 
 ■ Revelations. 
 
 ———'-Glorious Bri^htnef, &c. 
 
 Herein agreeing with the Foreign Anabaptifts. 
 
 Our Modern Anaptifts Abhorrency ofthefe Tract ices± 
 
 confiderd, &C 
 Two Prejudices or Prefcriptions rather, againfi our 
 
 Anabap. in particular, and other Se£te in general. 
 The Spirit of Anabaptifm ought always to be looftd on as 
 
 the Tame, tho wider different Afpe<fts or Difguifes. 
 Carnality, the World, the wry Soul and Eiience of 
 
 Anabaptifm. 
 A Description of the Subjects of the Anabaptifts Fifth- 
 Monarchy. 
 
 ■ " Of what fort of Cattle it muH confft. 
 The true Ground of Anabaptifts Rebaptizing. 
 Theirs ^ New Difpenfmon different from Chrift's, of 
 
 the Gofpel- Difpenfation. 
 Anabaptifm almoft at its laft Gafp , in the Teat 
 
 i6co. 
 
 J 
 
 Anabaptifm centers generally after all, in Quakerifm. 
 
 Our Millenarians Defigns to Root out the Church of 
 Chrift. 
 
 ■ ■ ■ Once (irook a Terror into all the States o/ r Europe > 
 particularly the Dutch; 
 
 »■ ■ 'Their Treatment of the Dutch, and their Be- 
 haviour thereupon, very comical 
 
 D d 2 Anabap- 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Anabaptifts, Enemies to Monarchy in general at leaf. 
 
 Canned Flattery of that Mock-Court of Juftice, that 
 Murder d Charles I. 
 
 Monarchy Vindicated in particular. 
 
 Prov'd to be God's own Inftitution under the Law $ 
 &c. 
 
 « — — — Patriarchs Kings. 
 
 Kingly Government a Blcjfing. 
 
 Origin of Dominion. 
 
 • The Form of Monarchical. 
 
 The Image of God, the Reprefentation of the Domi- 
 nion of God. 
 
 - Dominion on Earth, founded in Paternal 
 
 Power. 
 
 The Natural Right of Primogeniture to the Patriar- 
 chal and Sacerdotal Power. 
 
 ~ The Patriarchal, Monarchical. 
 
 • 'Hence a Scriptural Deduction of this Monarchi- 
 cal Power, thro' all the Genealogies we meet with, 
 till the Flood. 
 
 Cain'j Forfeiture of both thefe Powers. 
 
 Seth Succeeds into both. 
 
 So Conveys both till Noah. 
 
 Cain by his Forfeiture of thefe two Prerogatives of the 
 Regal and Sacerdotal, as Adam'j Heir, by his 
 actual Excommunication and Apoftacy, becomes 
 the Head of the Vifible Corpus Perditorum upon 
 Earth. 
 
 From Noah a Deduction of Kings, till the time of]o- 
 fhuah. 
 
 So we (hall find Monarchy EfiabliJUd every where, af- 
 ter the Divifion of Languages. 
 
 And fo we find it in the Hislory of Job, 
 
 <- Job himfelfa King. 
 
 Prov. 8. 1 5*. explained. 
 
 Proof for Kingly Government out of the Ntw Tc/lament.- 
 
 John 
 
The Contents^ 
 
 John 19. ro, 11, 18: 37. t 
 
 Rom. 13. 1. 
 
 1 Pet. 2. 10. 
 
 1 Tim. 2. 1. Tit. 3. 1. 
 
 1 Pet. 2. 1 5. further explain 'd and vindicated from the 
 corrupt Glojfes of Rebels, &c. 
 
 Dominion now, Jlnce our Saviour's Afcenfion, imme- 
 diately derives from Chrift, confequently Monar- 
 chy. 
 
 This prov'd at large , from Heb. I. 2, 5. 
 
 Chrift's Eight Titles to the Dominion of the World; 
 
 Prov'd particularly from that Covenant God made, with 
 David, the Type of Chrift as King, 2 Sam. 7, 
 16. 
 
 -?- — For Particulars, fee Pfal. 132. 
 
 This Covenant and Oath did not terminate m 
 
 David'* Perfon, &c. but was Twofold, and Re- 
 peated {as there was a Natural and a Spiritual Da- 
 vid) in the Second David, Chrift. 
 
 — Particularly, this Second Covenant, mention d in 
 Pfal. 89. 
 
 An Everlafting Kingfhip, Covenanted for under Gof- 
 pel- times. 
 
 Of which Chrift was to be tbe Head. 
 
 Chrift, King of Kings, becaufe all Kings now proceed 
 from Him, and are his Seed or Sons, quatenus 
 Kings. 
 
 Chrift Born actually a King. 
 
 To affign any other Original of Dominion, and particu- 
 larly of Monarchical, is to deny an Article of Chri- 
 ftian Faith, fo Antichriftian, and to deny the 
 Creed. 
 
 — — And the Theanthropy of Chrift. 
 
 And fo Antichriftian. 
 
 All Power upon Earth, Regal or Sacerdotal, Inftitu- 
 ted with Relation unto , and for the fake of the 
 Church.- 
 
 Dd 2 . — To 
 
The Contents. 
 
 g~- To aflign any other Original of Civil, Legal 
 Authority, is virtually to deny Chrift to be 
 God-Man, and Blafphemy. 
 
 To rejifi Regal Authority, is to refift Chrift, andfo 
 Antichriftian. 
 
 Proteftants may be Idolaters , confejuently Anti- 
 chrifts. 
 
 People always implies Subje&s* 
 
 Therefore no Original of Civil Authority. 
 
 . — May be Antichrifts. 
 
 • -—■ . Ever propenfe to be on the wrong fide. 
 
 — — Their Productions ever Anomalous , Mon- 
 ftrous. 
 
 — Imitators of Satan. 
 
 — — Who labours to undermine the "whole Mediotorial 
 Kingdom of Chrift in this World. 
 
 They then -who are His Infiruments herein, are Anti- 
 chrifts. 
 
 Antichrifts who properly peaking. 
 
 Z ThelT. 2. 4. Illufirated. 
 
 I John 2. 18. Explain d. 
 
 The Millenarian Sectaries, notorious Antichrifts. 
 
 The moft imbitterd Enemies Chrift hath in the 
 
 World. 
 
 " And of all true Chriftians j actually fitting up 
 
 the Kingdom of Darknefs, or Empire <?/Satan, un- 
 der the Damnable Transfiguration o/Chrift's King- 
 dom. 
 
 Anabaptiits Refinings, Alterations, new Modellings, 
 &C. not to be trufied. 
 
 ~— - All Transfiguration, Legerdemain, Craftinefs, 
 &c. 
 
 Anabaptiftical- Millenarian, fubverfive o/Chriftiani- 
 ty, direclly oppo/ite unto it, therefore a damnable Do- 
 <arine, literally Antichriftian ,• provd at large 
 &c. 
 
 ■ iii « T& 
 
The Contents. 
 
 - To be confuted by the preceding Difcourfe, and 
 
 iv 'hat follows from , &c. 
 
 The Doclrine of Refinance of the lawfully Supreme Pow- 
 ers: as Rightful Emperors and Kings, contrary to 
 */&e "Spirit of Chriitianity in general t amply _ and mofi 
 particularly provd, and wholly Antichriftian, and 
 fuch Refifters or Rebels, unworthy of the Glo- 
 rious Title of Chriftians, 
 
 The Conclusion. • 
 
 ^»»— mt^mmmmmmm 
 
 FINIS.