First, therefore ye Worthies of our Israel, it lies you upon to search out, and enquire after this Babylonish company, and to repay them according to their demerits. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, burning for burning, ear for ear, liberty for liberty, and blood for blood. We find in the old Testament, that if there were a noise, and report of Idolatry in the land, the Magistrate was not barely to take information, but to make diligent search. Deut. 13. ver. 12. to 15. If thou shalt hear say in one of thy Cities which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there saying. ⟨p. 11⟩Certain men of the children of Belial are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their City, saying, Let us go and serve other gods which you have not known. Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently, &c. And in the verses before, you may see their punishment, ver. 6. 8, 9, 10. And who knows not that of the Psalmist Psa. 137. 8, 9. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed: happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us! Happy shall he be that taketh, and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. Though as little ones they call for pity, yet as Babylonish little ones they call for Justice, even to blood. You may think it cruel, but there is nothing cruel which God commands. Indeed father Latimer in his Sermon before King Edward the sixth, is exceeding earnest, that Popish Prelates might be made Quondams, as (saith he) Abiathar the high Priest was, because he laboured to keep King Solomon from his throne. And behold, a greater then Solomon, Christ Jesus in the government of his Church is here. And there is a notable Scripture for this. Ezek. 44. from ver. 10. to 15. And the Levites that are gone away far from me when Israel went astray from me after their Idols, they shall even bear their iniquity. ver. 13. They shall not come near unto me to do the office of a Priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things in the most holy place, &c. Whence it appears, that those which were unfaithful, superstitions, following Innovations when Israel went astray, and followed Idols, were to be thrust from their places, and to be made Quondams for ever. This now the Magistrate may see into, I prescribe ⟨p. 12⟩not, I leave with you this General.
First, therefore ye Worthies of our Israel, it lyes you upon to search out, and enquire after this Babylonish company, and to repay them according to their demerits. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, burning for burning, eare for eare, liberty for liberty, and blood for blood. Wee finde in the olde Testament, that if there were a noyse, and report of Idolatry in the land, the Magistrate was not barely to take information, but to make diligent search. Deut. 13. ver. 12. to 15. If thou shalt heare say in one of thy Cities which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there saying. ⟨p. 11⟩Certaine men of the children of Belial are gone out from among you, and have withdrawne the inhabitants of their Citie, saying, Let us goe and serve other gods which you have not knowne. Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently, &c. And in the verses before, you may see their punishment, ver. 6. 8, 9, 10. And who knowes not that of the Psalmist Psa. 137. 8, 9. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed: happie shall hee be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us! Happy shall he be that taketh, and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. Though as little ones they call for pitty, yet as Babylonish little ones they call for Justice, even to blood. You may think it cruell, but there is nothing cruell which God commands. Indeed father Latimer in his Sermon before King Edward the sixth, is exceeding earnest, that Popish Prelats might be made Quondams, as (saith he) Abiathar the high Priest was, because hee laboured to keepe King Solomon from his throne. And behold, a greater then Salomon, Christ Jesus in the government of his Church is here. And there is a notable Scripture for this. Ezek. 44. from ver. 10. to 15. And the Levites that are gone away farre from me when Israel went astray from me after their Idols, they shall even beare their iniquity. ver. 13. They shall not come neere unto mee to doe the office of a Priest unto mee, nor to come neere to any of my holy things in the most holy place, &c. Whence it appeares, that those which were unfaithfull, superstitions, following Innovations when Israel went astray, and followed Idols, were to be thrust from their places, and to bee made Quondams for ever. This now the Magistrate may see into, I prescribe ⟨p. 12⟩not, I leave with you this Generall.
