Of Toleration

Hen: Scobell Cler: Parl. Dom. Com.

To the Right Honourable the Commons of England, Assembled in Parliament.

Sirs,

IT hath always suited the wisedome of God, to do great things in difficult seasons. He sets up wals in troublous times. Dan. 9. 25. His builders must hold Swords and Spears, as well as Instruments of labour, Neh. 4. 16. Yea while sin continueth in its course here (which began in Heaven, and having contemporized with the Earth, shall live for ever in Hell.) Great works for God, will cause great troubles amongst men. The holy, harmlesse Reconciler of heaven and earth, bids us expect the Sword, to attend his undertakings for, and way of making peace, Mat. 10. 34. All the waves in the world, arise to their height and roaring▪ from the confronting of the breath of Gods spirit, and the vapours of mens corruptions. Hence seasons receive their degrees of difficulty, according to the greatnesse and weight of the workes which in them God will accomplish. to their worth and excellency is mans opposition proportioned. This, the instruments of his glory in this generation, shall continually find true to their present trouble, and future comfort.

As the days approach for the delivery of the decree, [Heb. 12. 26, 27] to the shaking of Heaven and Earth, [Dan. 7. 27.] and all the powers of the World, [Ego nisi tumultus istos viderem, verbum Dei in mundo non esse dicerem: Luth. de s. A.] to make way for the establishment of that kingdom which shall not be given to another people (the great expectation of the Saints of the most high before the consummation of all) so tumults, troubles, vexations and disquietnes, must certainly grow and increase among the sons of men.

A dead woman (says the Proverb) will not be carryed out of her house under four men. Much lesse will living men, of wisedome and power, be easily & quietly dispossessed of that share and Interest in the things of Christ, which long continued usurpation, hath deluded them into an imagination of being their owne Inheritance. This then being shortly to be effected, and the scale being ready to turn against the man of sin, notwithstanding his ballancing it in opposition to the witnesse of Jesus, with the weight and poyse of earthly power, no wonder if heaven, earth, sea, [Isa. 34. 4, 5.] and dry land, be shaken in their giving place to the things that cannot be moved. [Revel. 16. 16.] God Almighty having called you forth (Right honourable) at his entrance to the rolling up of the Nations heavens like a Scroll, to serve him in your Generation in the high places of Armageddon, you shall be sure not to want experience of that Opposition which is raised against the great work of tbe Lord, which generally swels most, against the visible instruments therof.

And would to God, you had only the deuoted sons of Babel to contend withall, that the men of this shaking earth were your only Antagonists: that the Malignity of the Dragons tayle, [Revel. 12. 4.] had had no influence on the Stars of heaven, to prevaile with them to fight in their courses against you. But jacta est alea, the providence of God must be served, according to the discovery made of his owne unchangeable will, and not the mutable interests and passions of the sons of men. For verily the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to pollute the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the Earth, Isa. 23. 9.

The contradictions of sinners against all that walk in the paths of righteousnesse and peace, with the supportment which their spirits may receive (as being promised) who pursue those wayes, notwithstanding those contradictions, are in part discovered in the ensuing Sermon; the foundation of that whole Transaction of things, which is therin held out, in reference to the present dispensations of providence (being nothing but an entrance into the unravelling of the whole Web of Iniquity, interwoven of Civill and Ecclesiasticall Tyranny, in opposition to the kingdome of the Lord Jesus) I chose not to mention. Neither shall I at present add any thing thereabout, but onely my desire that it may be eyed as the granted Basis of the following discourse. Only by your very favourable acceptation of the making out those thoughts, which were the hasty conception, and like Jonah's Gourd, the child of a night or two (which with prayer for a rooting in the hearts of them to whom they were delivered, had certainly withered, in their owne Leaves, had they not received warmth and moysture from your commands in general, and the particular desires of many of you, to give them a life of a few dayes longer) I am encouraged to the annexing of a few lines, as a free-will offering to attend the following Product of obedience.

Now this shall not be to the Opposition which you doe and shall yet further meet withall, but as to the Causes, real, or pretended, which are held forth as the bottom of that contradiction wherwith on every side you are encompassed.

The things in reference whereunto, your proceedence is laden with such criminations, as these sad dayes of recompence, have found to be Comets portending no lesse then blood, are first Civill, then Religious.

For the First, as their being beyond the bounds of my Calling, gives them Sanctuary from being called forth to my consideration, so neither have I the least thoughts with Absolom of a more orderly carrying of of Affaires, might my desires have any influence into their disposall. Waiting at the throne of Grace, that those whom God hath intrusted with, and enabled for the Transaction of these things, may be directed and supported in their employment, is the utmost of my undertaking herein.

For the other, or Religious things, the generall interest I have in them as a Christian, being improved by the super-added Title of a Minister of the Gospel (though unworthy the one Name, and the other) gives me not onely such boldnesse as accreweth from enjoyed Favour, but also such a Right as will support mee to plead concerning them, before the most Impartiall Judicature.