A LIGHT FOR THE IGNORANT OR A Treatise shevving, that in the nevv Testament, is set forth three Kingly States or Governments, that is, the Civill State, the true Ecclesiasticall-State, and the false Ecclesiasticall State.
Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shalbe rooted vp.
Seene and allowed.
Printed in the Yeare, 1638.
The Epistle to the Reader,
VVell affectionated Reader. It is (as thou knowest) a divine precept, that we should giue Honour to whom honour is due: Jmplying therein, that no honour is due either to Persōs or things, but in a lawfull and right way. And hence it is that many of Gods deare Servants both haue and still doe, refuse to yeeld any Reuerence, Honoor, Service, &c. vnto Archbishops Bishops: and their dependent Offices; I say, as they are Ecclesiasticall persons & doe administer in their Spirituall Courts as they terme them: in regard they have assumed such a State as is to speake properly and truely of it, neither Iure Divino nor jure Humano, warrented by the word of God. But of this I shall not need to say any more, in regard thou shalt find what here I say cleared & proved sufficiently: viz. that their calling is not frō God, either in a divine or humane respect, but according to the scripturs after mentioned: altogether & every way from the Devill. And therfore look unto it whosoever thou art, that thou (like Mordecay) bow not the knee to any of these Amaliks, but on the contrarie Feare God and honour the King, and give reverence Only to such ordinances as God binds thy Conscience too, either in respect of nature or grace, and soe doeing thou shalt Give vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars, And give vnto God, those things that are Gods. And that thou mayst so doe, the Lord sanctsfie both this and all other good meanes and helps to thee.
[Page]A LIGHT FOR THE IGNORANT OR A Treatise shevving, that in the nevv Testament, is set forth three Kingly States or Governments, that is, the Civill State, the true Ecclesiasticall-State, and the false Ecclesiasticall State.
THere are in the new Testement of Christ Iesus three Kinglie States or Governments. The Civill State. The true Ecclesiasticall State. And the false Ecclesiasticall State. Two of them are of God, and the third is of the Divill. They all consist of these Seven particulars following.
In the First, place these three pollitique Regiments hath each of them a King or Head over them.
Secondly, They haue each of them authoritie power or state pollitique.
Thirdly, They haue books and Charters, wherein their statutes, Lawes, and Cannons are writen.
Fourthly, Each of these make themselves Citties Corporations or bodies politique.
Fiftly, They haue Officers and deputies who are their seuerall Ministers to and in there bodies or Corporations.
Sixtly, They have Lawes, ordinances, and administrations for these officers to administer to their subjects, according to there severall functions in the name and by the power of their proper King, and head; from whom they haue received their authority & in whose name they administer.
Sevenlie, and lastlie, they haue subjects or members governed [Page 4]by and in their seuerall pollitique States and powers vnder their severall [...]eads.
The First particular Handled. These haue each of them a King or Head over them.
The Civill State.
The First is the State of Magistracie or civill State, that wherein Cesar is to haue his due as King and head, these Kings & heads are to be prayed for of all Gods people, as their Heads and gouernours Rom. 13.1.2 1. Tim. 2.2.
The true Ecclesiasticall State:
This state is Christs the annointed Psa. 2.6. Acts. 2.26. whome God the Father hath set upon the Throne of David, Jsay, 9.6.7. and he is King of Saints Rev. 15,3. Yea the King of Kings & Lord of Lords. Rev. 17.14. & 19,16.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
The third is the helish state of the Beast, his Kingdome or state of Rome, which in the 13. Rev. v. 2. is said to haue his power from the Devill; also he is said to haue a Throne: therefore hee is a King 11. c. He is called the King of the Locusts which is there said to bee the Angell of the bottomlesse pit. v. 11.
Secondly, these haue each of thē a Kingly state or power pollitique
The Civill State.
This power or Civill state is of God, and is the Charracter of Gods soveraigntie over man; is displaid by his Communicating the same unto Kings & such as are in authority under them, for which cause hee hath said yee are Gods, and God must and is obeyed by stooping and submitting to this power and state, and he that resisteth this power resisteth the ordinance of God Rom. 13. c.
The true Ecclesiasticall State.
Likewise this state is of God, for it is the Kingdome of his deare Sonne, & is not the Civill state but the Ecclesiastical state of Christ his Church, or power which he received of his Father Mat 28.18, after that he rose again from the dead, by which power he authorised his Apostles & sent thē on his errand or message to al the world, Mat. 28. which power the Apostles vsed in planting Churchs [Page 5]and Church Officers, which power Christ gives to all the Churches of the Saints to the end of the world, it is the power given to them to bind and loose too, and from the Devill, and to right each others wrongs Mat. 18. it is the same power and state the Churches had cōmitted to them by the Apostles who reproved the Churches for not using it to suppresse sinne and sinne rs 1 Cor. 5. with the seuen Churches in Asia. Rev. 2.3. c. these and many more are the severall vses the Lord hath made of this true Ecclesiasticall or Church state, and Goverment.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
This Angell of the Bottemlesse pit Rev. 9.11. the King of the Locusts hath a state, throne, power, and great authority. Rev. 13.2. & in the same Chapter it is said, he hath power to continue 42 moneths, v. 5. that is 126. dayes as c. 12.6. counting each day for a yeare (as the Lord doth in numbers, 14.34. and Ezec. 4.6,) it is 1260. yeares that is the length or time of his Raigne, that one and the same time which Christs Kingdome vnder the name of the holie City shalbe trod under foot Rev. 11.2. Likewise that is that power or state that the woman or great whore sits or rids uppon: whereby shee is able to Raigne Rev. 13.16. &c. 17. as a Queene over the Kings of the earth. And Lastly, this state is soe great that it Captiuates all Kings Princes & Emperours, yea all the world of vngodly men Rev. 13.7.8. wonders, followes, and worships this state, or beast, and if they will not he hath such power and authority that hee will compell high and low, rich and poore, bond and free, to submit unto him, & to kill all those that are found refractory to his state and power. Rev. 13.15.16.17. This is the False Ecclesiasticall state and power.
Thirdly, these haue each of them bookes and Chartors to declare their minds to their Subjects.
The Civill State.
Thirdly, all Kings & governours haue Bookes, statutes, and Records, wherein are recorded their Lawes Articles, Acts of Parliament, likewise to Citties and townes Corporated they give Chartors whereby they haue power and preuilidge from their King, & head, in his name and power to instate themselves into divers previledges [Page 6]for their mutuall good.
The true Ecclesiasticall State.
Even soe in the next place Ghrist Jesus hath given his lawes vnto Iacob & his statutes to Israell, his statute Books are the Holie Scripture of the Old and New Testament, he is faithfull in all his house as was Moses Heb. 3.2.6. the acts of his last Parliament which hee called for the establishing of his Kingdome, when hee was 40. daies with his Disciples giving them lawes through the Holy Ghost, even till hee was taken vp into Heaven in their sight, as wee may see in Acts. 1. chapt. Those bookes called the Acts of the Apostles, withall the Epistles and the Revelation, in these the Cities and Charters of the new Jerusalem is to be found with the previledges thereunto belonging.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
This smoaky pollitique State of the Crowned Locusts or Roman Clergie Rev. 9.3.7. hath distinct bookes from the other two states that are of God, for this State or power hath Bookes of Cannons, Counsels, bookes of Articles, bookes of Ordination of Priests and Deacons, with the booke of Homilies, and the Booke of Common-prayer, and the power and state of this Beast, doth more narrowly looke that all be agreeable to these bookes then the other two states doth (as is manifest by that strict eye that is had ouer all in every parish) not onelie in forraigne Lands, but eveu in this our Kingdome of England, for they of this Kingdome of Darkenesse are wiser & more diligent in their generatiō thē the children of light.
Fourthly, by vertue of these Charters, these three states make Citties and Corporations, according to their proper & distinct state & power pollitique.
The Civill State.
Jn the next place the loyall Subjects of this Regiment vnder their King & Head, by vertue of these Charters, become famous Citties, & other inferior corporatiōs agreeable to the tenour of their severall Charters that they received from their Head, & whē they received their Charters then & by that means they received the State & power to become a Citty or Corperation vnder that Head, & when they haue vnited or incorporated themselvs into a Bodie they are a Citty constituted, [Page 7]and this state & power they are entered into, is their forme and being, and nothing else doth distinguish them from their former state and condition but that power and state, that is, their state wherein they live moue and haue their being pollitiquely.
The true Ecclesiasticall State.
In like manner the Subjects of this heavenlie regiment or Kingdome of Christ, by power from him their Head, doe become visible Churches and bodies incorporated together in his name & power Mat. 18. therefore the Church hee left behind him of 120. were of one accord Acts 1. and to them were vnited or joyned 3000. in the next chapt. so the saints at Antioch, became a body or Church whose constitution or incorporation wee may see to bee a joyning themselves to the Lord Acts. 11.2.23. soe all the Churches of the Saints became bodies pollitique, and therefore Gods visible Churches are called Citties or the City of God Psal. 46.4. Psal. 48.1.2.8. & Psal. 87.2.3. Therefore the Saints are called Cittizens Ephes. 2.19. Inhabitants of the Living God Heb. 12.22. This holy Cittie is troden under foote 42. Moneths Re. 11.2. the time of the Raigne of the Beast ( Re. 13.5.) whose Raigne is just so long & this Holy Citty is the new Jerusalem that comes downe from heaven in great glory Rev. 21. the forme or beeing of his divine Citty or spirituall Bodie is the state and power pollitique instituted by Christ and given to his Saints Jude, 3. v. Psal. 133. and thus under Christ as their King they live, moue and haue their being pollitiquelie.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
So the power of Satan the Devil by hath the wisdome of the second Beast, or false Prophet, not only made to himselfe a great Citty whose power killed Christ Rev. 11.8. Thereby pointing vs to the Roman power that still kills his Saints, for this Citty is soe pow [...]efull that she Raigns over the Kings of the earth, & maks them to drinke of the cup of her fornications, till they be so drunke thereby that they become her servants Rev. 17.2.18. & 18.2. And by this false Ecclesiasticall power & state, there are made lesse Citties called the Citties of the nations o [...] (nation Churches) & are of the same nature Re. 16.9. as Daughters to the whore & Mother of fornication of the earth, this false great Catholique Church is distributed into [Page 8]nations, provinces, and into every diocesse and parrish, as liuely and apparent as the Civill state, is in every parrish and in every House therein, soe that they live moue and haue their beeing as Royallie from this Beastlike power as the Saints doe by Christ, or subjects under their King, this is plaine by the daily troubles the poore saints suffer in every parrish if they worship not as this power commands.
Fiftly These haue each of them proper and distinct officers belonging to each pollitique State.
The Civill State.
In the first place these Cities by vertue of their Chartors, injoy their owne officers, Mayors, Shirrifes, Aldermen, and other inferiour Officers as their Lord and King hath allotted them, and also inferiour corporations according as is granted to them in their Chartor, and they that obey these doe well and please God in keeping the first Commandement.
The true Ecclesiasticall State?
Likewise the Citty of God by vertue of their chartor haue right to enjoy their owne Bishops, ouerseeres or Elders Acts, 14.23. and chap, 20. Titus, 1.5,7. Which are not many, yet Wisdome that hath built her house hath found them to be sufficient: which are these, Pastors, Teachers. Elders, Deacons, Widdowes, Rom. 12.7.8. Ephe. 4.11.12. Phi. 1.1. 1 Tim. and they that obey these and these onely serve Christ and obey God in keeping the 2. and 3. Commandements, these only being the officers which God by his Holy Apostles hath set up, instituted and placed in his Church to the end of the world: therefore, in Hearing, and obeying these we heare & obey Christ that sent them Luke. 10.16. Math. 10.40
The false Ecclesiasticall State?
In like manner hath this whorish City, or Citties, the False Prophet, or Body of false prophets attending upon their forged divises, & humane administrations, which are almost innumirable to reckon frō the Pope to the parish clark or Paritor whosoever obyes these or any of these breaks the three. first Cōmandements, for in hearing & obeying these they hear & obey the Dragon, Beast, & whore, that sent them and gaue them their authority and Office, that as Realie as [Page 9]wee Heare and obey the King by stooping and submitting to a Constable: who sees not this.
These haue each of them proper and severall lawes, statutes, ordinances, and administrations for their severall officers to attend vpon.
The Civill State
Sixtly, In this state or in these Citties are the lawes and ordinances of men, that the saints must obey in the Lord, for though in the time of Christ and his Apostels there were no Christian Kings, yet the Churches of the Saints were commanded to obey their Lawes, Religious Lawes they could not bee, Because the Magistrates were all infidells, therefore the Apostle Peter distingusheth them from the Divine, by calling them the Ordinances of men, due vnto Caesar, as divine obedience is unto God,
The true Ecclesiastcall State.
Even so this Cittie of God with [...] officers are to obserue whatsoever Christ hath commanded them Math. 28.20. the Church of Corinth kept them 1 Cor. 11.2. and Paulls Charge to Timothy is to teach the Church to obserue all without prefering one before another, as he would answer it before Christ Iesus and his Elect Angells. These divine things are due to Christ Iesus, and to him & to him onely, belongs this visible worship Ioh. 4 21.22.23.
The false Ecclesiasticall State.
The Lawes & administrations of this whorish Church, are partly their owne Inventions, contained in the Bookes formerly named, with some divine truthes which vsurped they injoy, which truthes they vse as a help to set a glose vpon their inventions: that they may passe with a better acceptation, but both Divine and devised are consecrated & dedicated by the Beast, and are administred by his Officers and power.
Seauentlhy, All these three haue their subjects or people which their pollitique Bodies consist of.
The Civill State
Lastly, this State hath Subjects, which are the Kings alleiged people, and are bound to him their Head, by the Oath of alleigence, & as any of them do purchase a Charter from him to become [Page 10]a Cittie or Corporation, they are bound by vertue of their Charters to walke submissiuely to him their pollitique head, and in that relation are by duty bound to keepe the Lawes of their Charters in his name & power, which is their pollitique obedience.
This Ciuill State is Gods Ordinance, and is here borrowed to Jllustrate, manifest, and set forth the other two in the former perticuler, and soe we leaue it.
The true Ecclesiasticall State,
Soe in the last place, the Subjects of this State are only Saints & noe other, that is such as by the Rule of the word are to be Judged one of another to be in Christ, otherwise they haue no right to this Kingdome 1 Cor. 4.20. Chapt. 5.13. But are intruders Iud. 4. verse and soe not of the Kingdome, though in the Kingdome, 1 Iohn 2.19 and the Saints are out of their places till they come within this Holy Citty.
To this State all Gods people are Called, both out of this world and all false Churches, especially from this Regiment of darkenesse there discribed 2. Cor. 6.17. & Rev. 18.4.
The False Ecclesiasticall State
Lastly, the Subjects of this Kingdome of darkenes are all the Inhabitans of the Earth, Kings & subjects Rev. 13.16. & Chap. 18.3. Yea it, hath a commanding power, bond and free, to receive a mark of subjection and servitude, there is none soe bad but will serve his turne, if any proue too good bee casts them out, kills and destroys Rev. 11.7.
This is the State and Kingdome of darkenes: with which the Devill hath deluded all nations from which all Gods people & Servants are bound in duty to seperate, that soe they may bee free from that wrath of God which shall fall upon the Kingdome of the beast to the Ruine & ouerthrow thereof Rev. 18.4.5. & 19.20. & 14.9.10,11.
Leaving the premises let every one note these ensuing differences or disproportions, that are betwene the [...] Ecclesiasticall States, for thir different natures.
The true Ecclesiasticall State
The First disproportion betweene the true and False State is, [Page 11]in the Originall from whence they arise. The true State came from Heaven and is the house of wisdomes building Pro. 9.1. wherin the sonne of God, the wisedome of his Father, Heb. 1.3. hath beene as faithfull as was Moses in the former Heb. 3.2.6. & is that Heaven discribed Rev. 12.1. and that Citty said to come downe from Heaven Rev. 21, and is an habitation for God to dwell in, and for all his people to come into: to dwell with God their Saviour, for the name of the Citty is, the Lord is there Ezec. last Chap. and last ver.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
Likewise it is no hard Mistery to know the Originall of this False Ecclesiastical State, for the Clargie, (as Goodwins Catologue of Bishops Fox his Booke of martyrs, & Rev. 9. & 13 ch.) & by their Preaching & writing hath taught vs plainly that Antichrist the man of linne, the sonne of perdition is seated in Rome, & the same Clergy doth also teach us: that their Ministery & Goverments of Bishops & Arch Bb. successiuely proceedes from thence, & for our confirmation herein we read that Gregory the first of that name, Pope of Rome about 1000 yeares since, sent Austin the Monke into England & consecrated him first Arch B. of Canterbury, and he consecrated the rest of the Bb. and established the Ecclesiastical state, which state & platforme remaines vn-altered to this day, notwithstanding the Head thereof be changed. This state then being the man of sinne, it is said to arise out of the Bottomles pitt Rev. 9.1. & is called the King of the Locusts Rev. 9.11. & is said to come by the effectuall working of Sathan 2 Thess. 2.9. and as he is the sonne of perdition v. 3. and the Mistery of Iniquity v. 7. so shall he come to confusion by the mouth of the Lord v. 8. & go to perdition Rev. 17.8. as the sonne & heire thereof, & he shall haue the company of his Fatther the great Dragon the Devill and Satan, with the yonger Brother the False Prophet, that deceiued them that worshipped him, these three shall dwell in the tormenting lake of Gods wrath forever and evermore Rev. 19.20. & 20 10. And thus wee see Originally from whence hee came and whither he must goe.
The true Ecclesiasticall State,
A Second disproportion is, betweene the true power and the false. The true power which Christ our King hath received of his [Page 12]Father Math. 28.18. and hath comunicated to his Saints 1 Cor. 5.4,12. and Psal. 119. and to them onely; This is that Dominion that the Antient of dayes hath giuen to his Saints Dan. 7..14. compared with ver 22 27 and with Revel. 5.10. & being lost hee will recover it againe vnto them as Daniell speakes, & in the New Testament is giuen to every Particuler visible Church or Assembly of Saints Math. 18.17.19.20. and 1 Cor. 5.12. In which point of Power, we are to note two things. First the Subject or place where it doth recide, that is in the Body or Assembly of the Saints, as the former scriptures largely declare. Secondly, that they were not forced nor compelled to submitt to theis power, but as the loue of God shed abroade in their hearts, & the Doctrine of the Apostles by the power of the spirit caused them freely and willingly to submit themselves unto it Acts 2.41. for Christ and his Apostles never used any means to bring his saints into his K [...]ngdome.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
Soe in Like manner the Dragon that Old Serpent Rev. 12. [...]. gave to his son of perdition the Beast, his power & throne & great authority Rev. 13.2. And this man of sinne hath conveyed to all his Cergie his power; by vertue wherof, they are all rulers & men of authority in all nations where he hath established them, as is declared Rev. 9 Chapter & 10 First Verse:s wher it is said, hey haue Crownes upon their heads like gold, that is counterfit power and authoritie, & by vertue of this power pollitique; are made one intire body pollitique, under one head & King soe called vers. 11. and are distinct from the Layety, living in & by the practise of this power, with reference to that Head, though they bee never soe farre disperced or remote from him; this beeing observed, the disproportion will appeare in these two particulers.
First, the subject place where this power doth recide, it beeing in the body of the Clergy, the Layety being excluded though never so high or great in place, as Iudges, Iustices, Lords & Knights &c, they refusing it as a matter not belonging to them, but to the Clergy.
Secondly, this power compells all in all nations, will they nill they to come under this Government, and to obey his power and authority Rev. 13,8.16. where it is said, he made all great and small, rich [Page 13]and poore, free and bond, to submit to him, else they should not buy nor sell nor live ver. 17. and ch 11 7.
The true Ecclesiasticall State.
A Third disproportion shall app [...]a [...]e in this, Every Kingdome or pollitique state whether Civill or Ecclesiasticall, hath their severall bookes and Charters: wherein is contayned the Platforme of there severall governments, soe every Church is knowne by its owne articles, Cannons, and Constitutions, so that they that will know what Church, Ministery and worship Christ and his Apostles hath planted in the new Test [...]ment after the C [...]remoniall was abolished, they must read the Acts of the Apostles with the Epistles Acts, 16.4. 1. Cor. 14.37. Revel. 22 18.19. Yea the whole new Testemen [...], and there they shall finde Jesus Christ our Lord and King, his Bookes of Cannons, Articles and Ordination, to guide and direct the Churches of the saints in his Kingd [...]me vnto the end of the world.
The False Ecclesiasticall State
Also in the False State, they that would know what goverment, Church, Ministery, and worship, the man of sinne hath established, he must viewe his Platforme contayned in his Booke of Cannons, Articles, and Ordintion [...]f the Priests & Deacons, his Bookes of homilies and Common Prayers, for in them is contayned those institutions, Lawes and ordinances that he hath established, but how contrary to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testement; they that are Spirituall in part doe know, and how obedience to them is inforced and divine Lawes omitted and laid aside, the poore saints doe finde, and f [...]e to there smart.
The true Ecclesiasticall State
A Fourth Disproportion. This State makes not Nationall nor Provinciall pollitique Bodies, but only particuler Congregations or assemblies of Saints, as in Judea one Nation; yet divers Churches Gal. 1.22. Soe Galalia one nation yet many Churches ver. 3. likewise Asia hath seaven seuerall Churches ver 1.11. and where there was but one the Holi ghost speakes in the singuler number, as the Church at Rome, another at Corinth, another at Collossia, another at Thessaloniea, and the like.
Secondly, the Congregations of our Lord Christ come freely and [Page 14]willingly as so many living stones 1 Pet. 2.4.5. volluntarily [...]iting themselues together, whereby they become A Spirituall house and a Royall Priesthood ver. 9. and are hereby capable of performing the publique worship of the New Testament, wherein they are to offer as Living sacrifices their Soules and Bodies Rom. 12.1. and by faith to haue Communion with their Mediator Heb. 12.24. as he hath promised to all such assemblies gathered in his name and power Rev. 21.3. Math. 18 19.20. which is the forme and beeing of this their visible and pollitique vnion & communion Ephe. 2.20.21.22. Coll. 2.19. Thirdly, the visible Churches of Christ are independent Bodies, there is Equallity or apparity amongst them: that is, they are all alike in Iurisdiction & authority, they are all Golden Candlestickes Rev. 1.20. they are every one of them a Ierusalem compact together within it selfe Psal. 122.3. compared with Heb. 12.22. hauing each of them whole Christ for their mediatour, that is, Priest, Prophet, and King, and thereby enjoy all his power and all his promises, and all his Lawes and ordinances, with all his liberties and previledges.
Fourthly and Lastly; in the vse of their liberty which they enjoy from and vnder Christ their Head, and dwels in the whole body, in the vse whereof they are inabled to exclude sinne and sinners and ought that offends God or them, 1. Cor. 5.13. 2 Thes 3.14 Acts 3 and to establish among them such Officers, Ordinances, and Admistrations as their Lord & King hath given them for their comfort and profit, by this power they can examine and try False teachers Rev. 2.2. they can reproue and admonish proud ones and exhort the negligent Coll, 4.17, thus their power and liberty from Christ their head, becomes a great benefit and a great good to the whole body, in these and divers others perticulers of great weight.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
But this False State brings ten Kingdomes into one pollitique body Rev. 17.12.13.15. & hath set heads over nations to bring them into pollitique bodies Ecclesiasticall, as for example, England is one pollitique body Ecclesiasticall, (as well as Civil) vnder one Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and Pope of Lambeth, and by the sinewes and bonds of his Ecclesiasticall power the whole hand as one body is [Page 15]knitt and bound to that Ecclesiasticall Head, by vertue of that Romish authority that hee successively doth exercise, and hath received from Austin the Monke, who consecrated, authorized & sent into this Land to establish this power according to Pope Gregorius his will wisdome and power.
Farther, this False State hath left noe liberty nor power to any person good or bad Rev. 13.7.8. but compels and forces all in the name and power of Antichrists successours, will they nill they, haue they faith or no, conscience or no conscience, this beast will be served and obeyed of all states degrees and conditions, of all people in the world ver. 15.16.17. soe that there is noe Ecclesiasticall body of his making whether it be the great Catholique Babylon, Reuel. 16.19. or Nationall, or Provinciall; or Perrochiall bodies, but this Beast first made or framed them, and still by the force of the same authority doth compell them to assemble and worship in his name and power, which power is the tome and being of their visible & pollitique vnion and Communion.
Againe the visible Churches which are in the Kingdome of the Beast, are neither independent nor free bodies, therefore the great Citty is called by the Holy ghost; Sodome & Egypt: for her filthynes & bondage Rev. 11.8. so that there hath not in Europe one parrish beene found free from spirituall Egyptian bondage inflicted upon them by some taske Master of the Clergy, as the Person and Church-Wardens, who force and drive (by spirituall tyranny ouer the consciences of men) to their falsely so called spirituall Courts, to whom they are in bondage, and vpon whom they do essencially depend, & so are not independent, neither haue they any power, or liberty to procure truth or abandon Errour in their publicke worship.
And Lastly, these poore Captiuated slavish assemblies haue noe liberty or power of Christ among them, but a great power ouer them that keepes them in a spirituall bondage, and there assemblies consists of sinners of all sorts, for they haue noe power of reproving or excluding sinne or sinners, they must take such officers as the Bishops sends them be they never soe bad; and they haue noe power to exclude or refuse them, and if they proue good they haue no power to keepe them neyther, canne they keepe themselves there, except they submit to, and practise such ordinances, Lawes & administrations, [Page 16]as are the inventions of men and will worship, a [...] so breake the second commandement, so that they haue no power to do them selves any spirituall good, or to exclude from themselves any spirituall evill or hurt, but being injoyned by there spirituall taske-masters to assemble to Church, they goe, and when they present them to their Courts, they runne, & being commanded to do this or that in there publick worship, they doe it, though it bee contrary to God and there own consciences In these and divers other particulers this power, that is ouer them is to their exceding great hurt & damage.
The true Ecclesiasticall State.
The Fift Disproportionly s in their Officers or ministers, which we are to observe thus.
First in there number, Christ Iesus our Lord and King hath instituted and ordayned onely fiue; which are specified Rom. 12.7.8. Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 5. for though our Lord hath ordained in his Church for the Foundation thereof; himselfe being the Cheife corner stone, Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, yet not successivelie continued; but these Five onelie are to continue to the End of the world.
Secondly, these Officers and Ministers of Iesus Christ, haue not onely there authority from the particuler congregation, but do originally and naturally arise out of the same Acts, 1.23,26, and 6.3; & 14.23. Note that in the new Translation the word Election is left out of the 23. verse. For before there be any Officers in the Church the e is instituted by the Holy Ghost divine [...]ffices; functions or odministrations; as voyd and empty roomes. Psa. 122.5. Rev. 4.4, & cha. 20.4. for the saints which dwell in that Citty of God to supply with fit & able persons, to performe those severall administrations, which God hath ordayned and commanded them, and for the authorising of their Officers, they haue Christ walking a mongst them as in one of his golden Candlesticks, holding them in the right hand of his Kingly authority, Rev. 1.16. by these divine deputies he rules them as a King, teacheth them as a Prophet, and feedes them as a Priest with his most sacred body and bloud.
The false Ecclesiasticall State.
But the officers of this false state are the whole body of the Clergy [Page 17]almost innumerable if we should reckon their severall orders & [...]distinction of degres, as Pope, Cardinals, Patriarchs, Primates, Me [...]trapolitans, Arch-bishops, Lord-bishops, Deanes, Chancellars, Ʋicar-Generals, Praebends, Arch-deacons, Subdeacons, Doctors, of the Civill Law, Doctors of Divinity, Proctors, Registers, Cannons, Petty-Cannons, Chanters, Preists, Iesuits, Parish-Preists, Parsons, Vicars, Curats, Deacons, Vestremen, Church Wardens, Swornemen, Sidemen, Pa [...]ish-Clarkes, Sextons, Purs [...]uants, Summinours, Apparitors, with amultitude more which would tire a man to reckon them al up their being well nie sixscore in all of this rabble, and as Iesus Christ & his Apostles never knew them nor approvedly spoke of them, but rather gave warning to the Saints that they should take heede of such, for such were to come 2 Pet. 2.1. Mat. 24.24. and the Saints haue wofull experience that they are come: for they haue been plagued with them this thousand yeares & more, Yet the time approcheth and is neere when they shall bee consumed with the Breath of his mouth and brightnesse of his comming 2 Thess. 2.8, that rides vpon the white Horse Rev. 19.11,12,15, for their Kingdome is momentary, and his is Everlasting.
Likewise these offices rise not out of the particuler assemblies, neither haue the assemblies any offices or functions, properly in them nor any power or authority to produce or raise officers out of them selves, for the Clergy are a perticuler body distinct from the Layety hauing their consecrations, Offices and authority from and amongst themselves, and soe sent by their Ecclesiasticall Heads, and bring their Office and authority with them, as matters not belonging to the assemblyes, and so by vertue of that Ecclesiasticall power rule ouer them as Lords and teacheth them as that power allowes, and commands them, vsurpedly administreth spirituall foode vnto them, and soe by Imitation beguileth the simple and affronts the Administration of the mediatourship of Christ Iesus.
The true Ecclesiasticall State.
A Sixt Disproportion is the difference betweene there Lawes and Administrations, as euery Citty and Corporation haue there Lawes amongst themselues by vertue of their Charters from their King, Even soe hath every visi [...]le Church from Christ there King, [Page 18]by vertue of their Charter, which is the New Testament, in possession amongst themselves all Lawes & ordinances as Christ by his Apostles Mat. 28.20. hath committed to them, Charging them vnder acurse to keep from adding or diminishing to or from these divine Lawes Act. 1.2.2. 1 Cor. 11.3. 2 Thes. 2.15 Rev. 22.18.19.
Secondly, as the difference is great in the number of there Officers, the true being few & the False being innumerable, so of necesity must the difference be in the lawes and administrations agreeable to the number of Officers; which particulers I must omitt as a matter to large for this place, yet note this by the way: that one of the first laws in Christs Church is the ordinance of Prophecie 1 Cor. 14.1. to the end of the chap. that is, that it is not only the liberty, but the duty of every man in the Church that is able to teach & preach to the edifying of the body, so to do (provided he keep the propo [...]tion of fayth; that is the boundes of his owne knowledge Rom. 12.6.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
But as hath beene formerly said; the false Church hath no power nor Charter nor office, for all these things are locked up within the body of the Clergie, soe is it as true that they are distitute of all lawes or administrations, amongst themselves, so that all they haue at any time is brought to them by these Crowned Stinging messengers of that authority, as Common sence and reason proveth: [...]hat the Clergie being a pollitique and distinct body of themselves from the Layety; hauing all power and authority Ecclesiasticall in themselues, must of necessity haue all lawes ordinances and administrations in themselves, whether they bee divine, (which they haue by vsurpatō) or humane, by their own Inventiō, they only posesse them and haue power to vse them not fearing adding, or detracting, the Lay congregations being altogether passive herein til their Jnju [...] tion make them active.
Soe the lawes and ordinances of this state being innumerable (as their officers are) J must omit for to name them, as their severall false holy things: Kneeling in the & of receiuing, Signeing with, the Crosse in Baptisme, Churching of women, Reading Prayers, with the Consecrating of Dayes, Times, Places, Persons, Garments, with their Anoynting of the Sicke, and vnholy Orders of [Page 19]consecration, with other innumerable inventions, not worthy aplace in Christians thoughts, onely note the opposition of their law against the law of Christ, in vehement prohibiting and strongly barring all (Lay men as they call them) from preaching, that let Christ giue never soe great abillities or guifts to lay men: they are never suffered to make any publique vse of them, but it is horrible prophanesse and sacrelegious presumption soe to doe, and this prohibition of the Clergie is and hath been so vniuersall: that it reacheth to the foure Corners of the earth, and with holdeth this spirituall winde of Christ Jesus in the mouth of his Saints that it shall not blow upon them that are in the earth Revel. 7.
The true Ecclesiasticall State
A Sevevth Disproportiō is betwixt their subjects or members, the subjects or members of Christs Kingdome [...] Church must, be beleeving Disciples, they must bee Saints by Calling & sanctified in Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 1.2. they must be liuing stones to build his house withall 1 Pet [...]. 2.5. such as these and these onely are enjoyned to observes whatsoever he commands them, to these only is his Kingdome and dominiō given, these be they that are crowned as Kings, anoynted as Priests, the mediatour himselfe being theirs, & he hath committed the administr [...]ion of his mediatorship in his Church to them. But to the Wicked saith God, what hast thou to do with these things. Psa. 50.16. Thou hast not a wedding garment therefore binde him hand & foote & cast him out as leaven dangerous to hurt the body 1 Cor. 5.7. For without shall be & dogges inchanters and those that loue & make lyes Rev. 22.15. But within there shall be noe vncleane thing. Revel. 21.27.
The False Ecclesiasticall State.
But the Subjects of this foule body are all vncleane and hatefull birds, Revel. 18.2. the Cage that holds them being the Ecclesiasticall state of Rome, is become the habitatiōs of Devils & the hold of every foul spirit, so that the vnfit [...]ests members which they can least indure or suffer amongst them, are the conscious saints, they are the soonest turned out, cut of and killed by them Revel. 13.15, but yet if the saints; or Christ himselfe can by temptations or compul [...]ion bee drawn to worship the Devill, he will haue it of them Mat. 4.9. for he will haue all the world to worship him, if high and low, rich and [Page 20]Poore, bond and free, be all the world, he will compell them to bee subjects or members in his black Regiment Revel. 13.16.17.
For these dwell and rule make & change lawes and times in this their habition which is the bottemlesse pit, as the Father Sonne & holy Ghost do in their habitation, which is the New Jerusalem.
The true definition of a true visible Church of Iesus Christ.
1. THat every true visible Church of Christ, are a company of people called and seperated out of the world, (a) By the word of God, Ioyned (b) together in the fellowship of the Gospell by volentary (c) profession of fayth and obedience of Christ (a) Levit. 20.26. Nehe. 10,18. Ezeche. 44; 7.9. 1 Pet. 2.9.10. Act, 2.40. Act, 19.9. 1 Cor. 1.1. 2 Cor. 6.17. Revel. 18.4. (b) Act. 11.21.23. Ier. 50.4,5. (c) Act. 2.41.
2 That every true visible Church of Christ, is an independent body of it selfe Revel. 1.3. chapt. & hath power from Christ her head Coll. 1.18.24. to bind & loose; to receive in & cast out by the Keys of the Kingdome Mat. 18.17.18. Psa. 149.8.9. 1 Cor. 5.4.5.12. 2 Cor. 2.7.8.
3 That Jesus Christ hath by his Last wil and Testament given vnto and sett in his Church, sufficient rodinary Officers: with their quallifications Callings and worke, for the Administration of his holy things, and for the sufficient ordinary Instruction, Guidance and service of his Church to the end of the world. Rom. 12.6.7.8. Ephe. 4.11.12.13. Heb. 3.2.6. 1 Tim. 3.2.8. & Chapt. 5.9.10. Act. 6.3. And that all the Officers in the Church are but onely five and noe more namely Pastor, Teacher, Elder, Deacons, Widdows. Rom. 12.7.8. Ephe. 4.11. Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.1. & Ch. 5. Tit. 1.5.7.