Evangelium armatum, A specimen, or short collection of several doctrines and positions destructive to our government, both civil and ecclesiastical preached and vented by the known leaders and abetters of the pretended reformation such as Mr. Calamy, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Case, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Caryll, Mr. Marshall, and others, &c.

Out of Mr. Case his Book of the Covenant, deli∣vered in three sermons. A. D. 1643.

IS Prelacy indeed the way of Gospel-government, &c? What is it then that hath destroy'd all Gospel Orde•…•…, and Government, and VVorship in these Kingdoms, as in other places of the Christian world, even down to the ground, hath it not been Prelacy? Pag. 45.

Object. But there be that will tell us these have been the faults of the Persons and not of the Calling. Pag. 46. Answ. 5. Was not that Calling as bad as the Men? You may as well say so of the Papacy in Rome, for surely the Prelacy of England which we swore to extir ate, was the very same Fabrick, and Model of •…•…cclesiastical Regiment, that is in the Anti∣christian world; Yea, such an evil it is, that some Divines, Venerable for their g•…•…eat Learning, as well as for their eminent holmess, did conceive sole Episcopal Jurisdiction to be the very seat of the Beast, upon which the fifth Angel is now pouring out his Vial, which is the reason that the Men of that Kingdom gnaw their •…•…ongues for pain, and blaspheme the God of heaven. Pag. 47.

His Majesty is bound by his Coronation Oath to confirm these Laws, Quas vulgus elegerit, which the Commons shall agree upon,* 1.1 and present unto his Majesty. Pag. 49.

So hath Prelacy flatter'd it self, finding such a party to stand up on it's side among the * rotten Lords and Commons, the debauched* 1.2 Gentry, and abused people of the Kingdom.—As thy sword Prelacy hath made many women childless, many a faithful Minister peop'e∣less, (&c.) So thy Mother Papacy shall be made childless among harlots, •…•… your Diocess Bishop'ess, and your Sees Lordless, and your Places shall know you no more. Come my Brethren, I say▪ and fear not to take this * Agag (Prelacy I mean, not the Prelates) and * hew it in* 1.3 pieces before the Lord. Pag. 51.

None can withdraw from, much less oppose this Service, but such as bear evil will to Sion, and would be unwilling to see th•…•… ruine and down∣fall of Anti-christ, which this blessed Covenant doth so evidently threaten. Pag. 63.

A fift Motive to quicken us to this Duty, may be even the Practice of the Anti-christian State and Kingdom; Popery hath been dextrous to propagate and spred it self by this means—And Prelacy (that * whelp)* 1.4

hath learned this Policy of it's mother Papacy that Lioness, to corrobate and raise it self to that height we have seen and suffered, by these Artifice•…•…—it being an inconfiderable number either of Ministers, or People, (the Lord be merciful to us in this thing) that have had eyes to discover the Mystery of Iniquity which these men have driven. Pag. 64. *

He that hath been a Malignant or Neutral let him be so no more, for I protest against every man that after his striking of this so Solemn and Sa∣cred a Covenant with the most high God, shall dare knowingly, to persist in any of these mentioned abominations (that is, adheering to the King, &c.) he is an enemy to Jesus Christ, a Traytor to the King∣doms, a State Murderer, and a destroyer of himself and his Posterity, and at his hands if they miscarry God will require the blood of all these. Pag. 101.

* It brings Letters of Testimonial with it, &c. The waters of this Co∣venant hath been a notable purgation to the Rebels there, (in Scotland) it hath been a Shibboleth to discover them, and a Sword in the hand of the Angel of the Covenant to chase or slay them.

The walls of Jericho have fallen flat before it. The Dagon of the Bi∣shops Service-Book brake it's neck before this Ark of the Covenant. Prelacy and * Prerogative have bowed down, and given up the Ghost* 1.5 at it's feet; And what changes hath it wrought in the Church and State! what a Reformation hath follow'd at the heels of this glorious Ordinance? Pag. 65, 66.

Epist. Dedicat.

Thousands of your Nation are preparing their Brotherly addresses to pay the same debt to the whole Kingdom, now almost in as great an exigence as ever the Gibeonites were when their five Kings with all their united fo•…•…ces were within few days march, to take a bloody and unnatural Revenge for their entring into Covenant with Joshua onely; we beseech you account it not our distrust or jealousie, if sometimes you hear us complaining with the mother of Sisera, Why are their chariots so long in com•…•…ng, why stay the wheels of their chariots? That is, why come not in the Scotish A•…•…my against the King?

Notes

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• * 1.5

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