Lawless Liberty Set Forth, Title page – Dedication
ΨΕΥΔΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ. OR, Lawleſſe Liberty. SET FORTH IN A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Right Honourable the Lord Major of London, &c. in PAULS, Aug. 16. 1646.
By EDVVARD TERRY, Miniſter of the Word, and Paſtor of the Church at Great-Greenford in the County of Middleſex.
The Law was not made for the righteous man, but for the lawleſſe and diſobedient, for ungodly, and for ſinners.
1. Tim. 1. 9.
Ye ſhall keepe my ſtatutes and doe them, I am the Lord.
Levit. 20. 8.
Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, whether it be to the King as ſupreame, or unto Governours, as unto them that are ſent by him for the puniſhment of evill doers, and for the praiſe of them that doe well.
1. Pet. 2. 13. 14.
Some mocked: and others ſayd, We will heare thee againe of this matter.
Act. 17. 32.
Imprimatur.
Sept. 11. 1646. John Downame.
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper, and are to be ſold by Charles Greene, at his ſhop in Ivie Lane, at the ſigne of the Gun. 1646.
To the deſervedly Honoured, Sir GILBERT GERARD, Baronet, and Sir JOHN FRANKLIN, Knight Knights for the County of Middleſex, in this preſent Parliament.
Right Worſhipfull,
THere is no condition whatſoever, can priviledge a folded Arme: For if Idleneſſe had beene better then Labour, our firſt Parents had never beene put into the Garden to dreſſe it: but they muſt labour then in their innocent eſtate, becauſe they were happy: and ſo much more muſt every one of us in his ſinfull condition; get up and be doing, that he may be ſo. The Church of God is a Garden encloſed, ſo Cant. 4. 12. otherwiſe called, the vineyard of the Lord of Hoſts, Iſaiah 5. 7. Now, Laberandum in vinea, Labourers are for this vineyard, where they ſhall ever finde, never want worke: they therefore which dare be idle and loyter heere, are worthy to be caſt out. The Apoſtle compares the Church of God to a building, Ep. 2. 20. the beauty whereof hath ever beene ſuch a great eye-ſore to all ungodly men, that their mouthes of wickedneſſe have ſtill extended themſelves wide againſt it, crying of it, as they of Jeruſalem, Pſa. 137. 7. Raſe it, raſe it; and their hands of violence lifted up, to downe with it, downe with it, even to the foundation thereof. The caſe being thus, he is not worthy to be eſteemed a member of the Church of God, who labours not with the very utmoſt of his endevours, one way or other, to uphold, defend, maintaine, enlarge this building, to keepe this vineyard from waſte, this Fabricke from ruine, which could not poſſibly continue, were it in the power of men or divels to deſtroy it.
And if ever Diſtractions, Diſſentions, Diviſions, threatned the wel-being of a Church and State (as they alwayes doe) the Church of God in this Kingdome, at this time, is in very much danger; wherein a generall liberty is taken, in matters which concerne Religion, by people (of what ſpirit I know not) to doe what they pleaſe, not what they ſhould. Our malady we ſee, and cannot chuſe but complaine of; and if there be not a ſpeedy cure thought on to apply unto our hurt, the whole Kingdome may ſhortly take up that ſaying, and make particular application of it, prudens, ſciens, vivus, videnſ que pereo.
For my ſelfe being lately called to that publicke place where this Sermon was delivered, I thought it my duty to fall upon ſome ſubject that might have relation to our preſent times and diſtempers. In which you may pleaſe cleerely to behold the neceſſity of Government, as well in Church as State, Then, how generally it is diſaffected, and by whom: eſteemed the heavieſt of all burthens: who therefore doe what they can to throw it off: which meditations, as they then paſſed through the eares (as I feare) of many who then heard them: (for this I am ſure of, that abundance of this ſpirituall ſeed every where miſcarries) ſo they now moſt humbly deſire leave to take the boldnes, that through Yours, they may paſſe into the hands of others, that may conſider them at leyſure and upon better advantage.
Vox audita perit, litera ſcripta manet. That which we only hear may eaſily ſlip from us; when as that we read, & may read againe, in probability may ſtick by us. And the Lord in mercy make this thus ſucceſſeful.
For ſurely there were never any people under heaven that enjoyed and wanted more inſtruction then we doe: when we ſeriouſly conſider how that Almighty God hath laid wide open before us the Books of his revealed will, of his mercies, of his judgements: yet though we have been taught abundantly by precepts, we have not learned: been preſt upon by mercies, we have not regarded: and chaſtned too by the keeneſt, the ſharpeſt of all temporall judgements, we have not been taught▪ Doubtleſſe, the body of this Kingdome was exceedingly corrupted, when it could not live, unleſſe it bled, as it hath abundantly done, and yet the cure is not perfect, nor ever ſhalbe, till Reformation make up that breach, which ungodlineſſe hath troden downe. Now there is no Reformation to be hoped for, without Religion: and no life, no power of Religion, without Government, to order it, guard it, encourage it. Which Church-Government, that Great Councell (of whom your very worthy Selves are a part) have reſolved ſpeedily to eſtabliſh. The City of London are ready to taſte, and like, and entertaine it. We in the Country do exceedingly want it, and the preſent want of that moſt deſired iſſue of your great labours, is ready to fill us with as much impatiency, as poore Rachel expreſſed for want of children, Gen. 30. 1.
Now the Lord ſend it, and ſettle it throughout the whole Kingdome, and make all thoſe that ſhalbe called, to act in this great work, like Joſhua, who when he was appointed to be a Leader and a Governour of the people, Deut. 34. 9. was full of the ſpirit of wiſedome: And fill them full of the spirit of zeale too, for the houſe of God, that Gods glory in the increaſe of his Church, may be ever before their eies, ever in their aime. And the Lord make us who are Miniſters of the Word, in a ſpeciall maner to apply our ſelves unto all thoſe, with whom wee ſhall have to deale in all love, and meekeneſſe, and tenderneſſe, and prudence, that ſo good and ſo great a worke, be not quite mar'd by an ungodly, indiſcreet or careleſſe handling. And the Lord give us arguments to perſwade thoſe that have long continued in blindneſſe, and conſequently have beene ignorant of the neceſſary truths of God, now to encline their eares unto wiſdome, and to apply their hearts unto underſtanding, Pr. 2. 2. that they may be while they are in a capacity of helpe, entreated to ſuffer God through Jeſus Chriſt, to ſave their ſoules: and let God ariſe and have mercy in building up his Sion amongſt us, that after our Eclipſe, he may appeare unto us in glory.
There was never yet any good and great worke carried on without much oppoſition. From which, if that worke of Church-Government, ſo ſeriouſly and long debated by You, had beene exempted, I ſhould have joyned with thoſe that had moſt queſtioned it. But now a great and effectuall dore is opened unto you; God having ſo bleſſed the way you have reſolved to goe, that he hath given it a free entrance into the hearts of many of his people; And you have many adverſaries; and it cannot be otherwiſe, ſo long as there are ſuch a number amongſt us, who are like bad Wares, which are for Darke ſhops, or like unto Bleare-eyes, that cannot endure the Light.
Moſt worthy Sirs, I dare not flatter you, and I ſhall not, if I tell you that it hath been ever my thoughts, as the thoughts of very many more, who have beſt meanes to know you, that you have done your parts in this great worke. The advantage of whoſe prayers, you ſhall never want to carry you on, in it, through it: and then whatſoever the ſucceſſe be, you may waſh your Hands. The Lord who only can, moſt graciouſly aſſiſt, and abundantly recompence the unwearied paines of you All. I have this only to adde, in relation to your particular Selves, that if my deare and tender reſpects unto you, cannot, your pardon may excuſe him for this boldneſſe, who is,
Your Worſhips, in all Chriſtian obſervance Edward Terry.