Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

Numb. VIII. 21 PP E N D 1X. a 19 Numb. VIII. The general defence of my Accufed Writings, called Seditious and Schifmatical. f. liAtter of Right cannot be determined without foreknowing the following ¡VI Matter of Fgt. L There is an Enmity and War, through all the Earth, between Chrift and Sa- tan : Chrift and his Soldiers ftrive for Light , Lore and Mercy or Beneficence. Satan fighteth for Darknefs againft Light, and for Hatred againft Love , and for Hurting and Deftroying againft Mercy and Good Works. All Chriftians in Bap- tifm are Vowed and Lilted in this Warfare toChrift againft Satan : All Minifters are vowed in their Ordination to be Leaders in Chrilt's Army, and to preach the Gofpel according to the Holy Scriptures. In all Ages and Nations Satan bath wofully prevailed againft this Light, Love and Mercy, by hindering Preachers, partly byPerfecution, and moltly by Corrupting them. Till Chrift came as the Light of the World, the Darknefs of Ignorance and Idolatry overlpread the Earth. Three hundred yearsall Princes were againft the Gofpel : when Canfiaorine owned it, the cell of the Empires of the World long refitted; and to this day, all that re-. ceive it are but a Seth part of the World. And in the Chriftian Empire and Churches, the erroneous and corrupt Princes and Bilhops took up Saran's Silence, ingWork : Conftantiur and Valens and the Arrian Bilhops alnaoft extinguilhed the Orthodox Light : The Gothes did the like. The Macedonians , Neftorìans; Eutychi- ans, and the Parties for and againft the Council of Ephe /ú , of Calcedon, the Tria Capitula, the Monotbelites, the Adoration and tile óf hnages, and the Councils for and againft Pbotises and Ignatius, &c. left but few Bilhops of Note in the Ealtern Empi e that were not by turns Condemned and Depofed by the contrary fidewhen it was uppermolt. ThePope himlelf was an hundredyears at once, renounced by a great part of Italy. II. But the corrupt fort of Popes outdid all others: They Silenced the Clad- films that reproved their Crimes, and murdered (fay Hillorians) above a Million, calling themHereticks. Hunnericus and theGotbifl, Arriares had before kill'd many, and cut the Tongues of fome that after fpake by miracle : but the Pope made more general Delòlation. In the Wars between many Emperours and Popes, Bi- lhops that were for the Emperours were damned as Flenriciae, Hereticks , and de- creed by Councils to be burnt' when dead. General Councils decreed to Excom- municate and Depofe all Temporal Lords that wouldnot Exterminateas Hereticks, all that were againft Tranfubitantiation,and filch lilçe.Divers Popes did fo notorioully do Satan's Work, that they inrerdi6ted the Preaching of the Gofpel , and all Pub- lick Worihip of God, to England, France, and other whole Nations, for a Quar- rel with the King. Robert Groftbead, the holy Bilhop of Lincoln, wrote to Innocent the Fourth, That the hindering of thepreaching of the Gofrl was next the Sin of Lucifer and Antichrift , the greateft in the World, and not to be obeyed by a- ny Chriftian, whoever commanded ir. As Reforming Light arofe, Papal Silence ing and Cruelty increafed, till Inquifitions, Flames, Maffacres, in Spain, Low - Countries, Bohemia, Germany, France, Ireland,' and England, had made thofe Mur- ders and Devaltations, which no true Chriftian dare own. IH. At this day , the Light of clear found Dodirine is obfcured, and filch Preaching filenced or ceafed in molt of the Chriftian Churches on Earth: Beides the bloody Perfecutions which met thole honeft Jefuits and Fryars that preached in Congo, japan, China, and other Heathen Lands : In elbafa, Egypt , Syria , AJ. ria, Armenia, there is very little Preaching at all ; yea , want of Printing keepeth them without the holy Scripture, which is rare and in few hands. Turk4h Op- prefiion bath fo debated the Greek Church, that found Preaching is rare among them. In all the Empire of Wavy Preaching is long ago put down, left Men fhould preach Sedition. Among molt Papille and Proteftants beyond Sea,it is turn- ed too much into lnvebtives againft one another. This is the Succefs of Satan's War. IV. Being

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