form; that as his Church and people were formerly confined
within the narrow pale of a particular Nation, so now
the pale should be broken down, and all Nations taken into
the Church. Not all Nations in a lump: nor any whole Nations,
or Nationall Bodies to be formed into Churches: For,
his Church or people now under the Gospel, are not to be a
body Politicall, but spirituall and mysticall: not a promiscuous
confusion of persons taken in at adventure, but an orderly
collection, a picking and chusing of such as are called
and sanctified &c. Not a company of men forced in by commands
and constitutions of worldly power and prudence, but
of such as are brought in by the power and efficacie of
Christs Word and Spirit. For, he himself hath said, My
Kingdom is not from hence; My Kingdom is not of this world,
&c. And therefore that hand which hitherto hath presumed
in most Nations to erect a power called Ecclesiastick in
equipage with the Civill, to bear sway, and bind mens consciences
to certain notions ordained for orthodox, upon civil
penalties, under colour of prudence, good order, discipline,
preventing of heresie, and advancing of Christs Kingdom;
and to this end hath twisted the spirituall power (as they call
it) with the worldly and secular Interest of State: this (I
say) hath been the very right hand of Antithrist, opposing
Christ in his way, whose kingdom being not of this
world, depends not upon the helps and devices of worldly
wisdom:
Upon this score and pretence the Infant-mystery of Iniquity
began to work in the very cradle of Christianity. Afterwards
it grew up by the indulgence of Constantine and other
Christian Emperours, whom, though God used in many
good things for the suppression of grosse Heathen Idolatry,
yet (by Cods permission) they were carried away, and
their eyes so far dazled, through the glorious pretences of
those Things called Bishops and Clergie, that they could not
see the old Serpent in a new form wrapt up in a Mystery;
For, Satan had a new game now to play, which he
managed thus: First, he led a great part of the world away