SEing we haue receaued a most sure word of the Lord our 2 Pet. 1. 19. Deut. 4 6. Psal. 119. 105. GOD, It behoueth vs to geue heede thervnto, as vnto a light that shineth in darke places, whiles we trauell in the dangerous wildernes of this world. In which word, the whole wisdome and conncells of GOD for our direction and instruction in all thinges, are fully reuealed vnto vs. So that now we are not to say in Deut. 30. 11. &c. our heartes, who shall goe vp for vs to heauen, and bring yt vs? or who shall goe ouer the sea, & bring yt vs & cause vs to heare yt, that we may obey yt: For loe, yt is neere vs, euen in our mouth & in our heart, and set before our eies for to do yt; the sound of the Gospell hauing beene long since caried forth through al the Regions of the whole earth: So that no nation [...]halbe excused, which will not serue Isa. 60. 12. & obey vnto the Gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST; which being proclaimed with his owne blessed mouth, sealed with his owne heart blood, writtē with the pen of the holy Ghost, deliuered & incommended Hebr. 2. 3, 4. by his holy Apostles & Prophets vnto vs & all posterities, Heb. 12. 24. 25. as his last wil & Testament, wherunto nothing may be added, Gal. 3. 15. Deu. 4. 2 & 12. 32. Pro. 30, 6. Reuel. 22. 18. nothing diminished, a [...]tered, or changed, violate, or wilfully neglected, according to fleshly wisdome or vvorldly pollicie, without Deut. 5. 32. most heinous transgression, sacriledge, and impietie. For as all degrees of men, without respect or exception of any person, are Psa. 45. 6. heb. 1. 8 bound vnto the same, as vnto the Scepter of our soueraigne Lord, Ioh. 12. 48. 2 Cor. 5 10. Reu. 22. 18. 19. IESVS CHRIST, who is King ouer all, blessed for euer, Amen: so shall all men in particular be iudged by the same, of all things done in Gal. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 3, 15. Deut. 31▪ 26. this mortall life. Neither hath any Angel in heauen, any mortall man, no nor the whole Church, power or prerogatiue, to alter or neglect the least iote or title therof.
But GOD hath especially cōmitted these holy oracles to the caref [...]l custody of the Church, there to be inuiolably preserued, as in Deut. 17. 8. &c. the side of the Arke, purely taught, expounded & deliuered, without Mal. 2. 5. Exod. 23. 20, 21. Heb. 12. 28 corrupting, mixing, hiding, obscuring, peruerting, wresting, there to be precisely obserued with all reuerence and feare, without Deut. 29. Iosu. 24. Iud. 3. any willing or knowē transgression, or swaruing either to the right 1 Cor. 6. 15. & 10, 16, 17. & 12, 13. hand or to the left, of the whole Church or any member therof. And heervnto is the whole Church, and euerie particular member Eph. 1. 23. & 4. 12 therof, both iointly and seuerally bound; both because they haue Hebr. 3. 13. & 10, 24. P [...]il. 2. 4. all of them interest in the tree and riuer of life, all are bound to the maintenance of the faith which is giuen, & is cōmon to al Sainctes, and because they are all of them the members of CHRIST, and togeather his bodie, & each others mēbers in him. Therfore are they so often by the Apostles charged & stirred vp, to exhort, edifie, and [Page 2] admoni [...]h one an other, to stād vpō the watch-towre of their faith, Rom. 16. 17. 2 Io [...]. 10. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. to scowte, and obserue them diligently which cause diuisions & offences, cōtrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned, to trie the 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. spirites, to examine the doctrine whether any man teach otherwise, & cōsent not vnto the wholsome wordes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST & to the doctrine which is according to godlines. Math. 6. 22. Luk. 11. 34. 35. 1 Pet. 2. 2 Many waightie and graue reasons are added to induce them to be the more vigilant Io [...]. 6. Phil. 2. 16. & [...]; the doctrine being likened to the light of the eies, to the Math. 15. 13. & 16. 12. Gal. 5. 9. Reu [...]l 8. 11. & 9. 3. 5. 19. & 16. 13. 2 Cor. 11, 13. 1 Cor. 3. Mat. 23. food, yea to the life of the foule, as also, error & corruptiō resembled to da [...]knes, leauen, poison &c. Moreouer, such teachers, to false and deceitful workmē, blind & vnfaithful guides, to greeuous & rauening wolues, to thieues & murtherers &c. what counterfeit titles & 2. Tim. 3. 6. &c. [...]heepes clothing soeuer they take and get ynto them: yet the holy Math. 7. 15. Act. 20 29. Iob. 10. Ghost speakes euidently, & euerie where warneth, that these builders shal destroie the Temple of God, vvhose howse and work [...] vve 1. Cor. 3. 27. are &c. these guides shall seduce & mislead vs in the waies of death & destruction, these thieues and vvolues shal spoile & murther vs. Now by how much these goods are spiritual▪ this death of the soule, by so much are they more carefully to be auoided, shūned, eschewed. Therfore our sauiour CHRIST & his Apostles, as they were most vigilant & faithful ministers, & did both preuent and foresee diuers dangers & great euils to come, so gaue they verie earnest and often Mark. 13. Math. [...]. 4. [...]k. 21. warnings hereof vnto the disciples, vnto the Churches, cōmanding the porter, yea euerie seruant of the house to watch, to beware & to take heed, shewing them that manie false CHRISTES should arise & many false prophets, shewing great signes & wōders, wherby to deceaue (if yt were possible) the verie elect. He fore told them of Antichristes original, increase & exaltation, how he should be haue himself, vvhat hauock he should ke [...]p in the Church of God: as also of the general defection, & euen of the verie beginning therof. How [...]. 24. 29. immediatly after the tribulation of those daies, namely the destruction & desosatiō of the earthly & material [...], the Sunne shoud be darkned, the moone should not giue her light, the starrs should fal from heauen & the powers of heauen should be shaken, and th [...] beau [...]ie therof wrapped vp as a scroule, that the whole world should be drowned in sensualitie and securitie, as in the daies of NOAH, because iniquitie shalbe increased, & faith scarse found vpon the earth at his coming. So that if those daies should not be shortned, there shoud no flesh be saued. Y [...]t, that al these things must & should vndoubtedly come to pass, he shewed yt by the nearer thinges (namely the destructiō of Ierusalem the temple there &c.) as also confirmed yt by the truth & stedfastnes of his word, shewing how the heauen & earth should passe away, but his wordes should not passe away, neither should this generatiō passe, vntil al these thinges were fulfilled. Of these things the Prophets spake before, though more darkly, & as a far off, & by diuers types as Isa. 14. 13. 14. Na [...]um. 3. 4. 5, 6, 7. Da [...]. 9. 27 [...]lso Isa. 13. 10. & [...]4, 4. Ezek. 32. 7. Ioel 2. 31. & 3, 14. 15. But the Apostles [Page 3] gaue much more euident & plaine warning of these things, chiefly they that liued longest, and came nearest to these times. As the Apostle Paul to the Elders of Ephes' Act. 20. 29. 30. 31. & in al his Epistles ple [...]tifully; the Apostle Peter in his 2. Epistle 2. & 3. Chapt. The Apostle Iude, & Ihon in al his Epistles: but especially in that heauenly Book of the Reuelation; vvherin he most liuely describeth these thinges, euen from the original, in seueral visions, according to the Reuel. 4. & 5▪ chapters. seueral times y t should ensue. vvherin he sheweth the happy estate of the Church, whiles Gods glorious throne was in the midst of the elders, & whiles yt was inlightned with the burning lamps of Gods spirit, and that the Book was receaued and opened of the Lamb, & whiles CHRIST sate vpō the white horse, his owne holy word, & that they remained togeather in that heauenly order, vvher in CHRIST Ephes. 4. 11. had placed & bestowed euerie member, & the Apostles those excellent Col. 2. 5. workmē, had planted & left them, being fitly coupled & ioined togeather by euerie ioint, for the seruice & help of the whole, according to the effectual power that is in the measure of euerie part; vntil Satan I say, that auncient enimie of our happines, had that great sword giuē him, vvherwith he made, & stil shal make bloudye war, & raise vp greeuous persecutiō against the woman & her seed without: vvithin vvhiles they slept & were negligēt, sowing his darnel of errors, and tares of discord amongst them, raising vp sectes through 1 Cor. 3. 3. &c. the ambition and vainglory of some, drawing others into schisme Gal. 6. 12. &c. through pride and hypocrisie, others into heresies, through their Col. 2. headstrong & vnbridled asfectiōs: al into his snare, through the general default of al, who slacked their duties, & kept not their orderly watch one ouer an other, and iointly ouer the whole, as they were cōmanded & prescribed by the Apostles. But as the age that arose Iudg. 2. after Ioshua & those Elders of his time, vvas sone corrupted, and forgate the ordināces of their GOD, and the great thinges the Lord had done for their forefathers: so these sone fell frō the Apostolike order, and left their primitiue diligence & care. The people vpō a superstitious 2 Cor. 11. 20▪ reuerence & preposterous estimatiō vnto their teachers and elders, resigned vp al thinges, euen their du [...]ie, interest, libertie, prerogatiue into their handes: suffering them to alter & dispose of all thinges after their owne lustes, without inquirie or controlemēt. vvhervpon, the true patterne of CHRISTES Testamēt, so highly, and with so great charge incōmended by the Apostles vnto the fidelitie of the vvhole Church, was soone neglected and cast aside, especially by these euil work mē these gouernours, who some of thē affecting the preeminēce, sought to draw an absolute power into their owne 3 Io [...]. 9. hādes, peruerting those offices of more labour & care, into swelling titles of fle [...]hly pompe and vvorldly dignitie. Thus vvrought the 2 Thess. 2. 7. mysterie of iniquitie, yea so far were manie of them caried with a vaine opinion and ostentation of the excellencie of their giftes, as they vnder holy pretextes of doing good vnto others, sought al [...]o 2 Cor. 11. 3. vnder this cloke a iurisdiction and regencie ouer other congregat [...]ons [Page 4] also, which was easily obteyned, the people thr [...]ugh the iust iudgmētes of GOD being now so bewitched and blinded with their sweet tongues, that they easily condiscended. Then were these caled Bishops of such a Citie, and if they were cities of rule, to which any territories, townes, or hamletes in the countrie belonged, then were they called Bi [...]hops of such a Diocesse &c. & had vnder them inferiour or countrie Bishops, as also Deacons, subdeacons. Thus the whole Church growing remisse & negligēt, both people & officers, that heauenly patterne left by the Apostles was soone violate, and vpō new pretences, more & more innouate. For hereby was a wide gap opened to al licenciosnes & disorder, the people growing dissolute, the priestes (as they terme them) proude: so that religion, with was erwhile so irksoome to flesh and blood, so mightily persecuted by Sathan and all the princes of the world, grew now so plausible to all sortes of men, so pleasing to their affections & appetites, that the great Princes of the world, and all their realmes & countries flowed apace to the Church in this estate, the gates and entrie being as ill kept without, as the watch within. So that vpon this increase there were manie of these citie Bishops, wherby the pride of some could not heerwith be satisfied, vntil they had gottē them a new dignitie; namely to be Archbb s. ouer all the BB s. in a Prouince or countrie. Heer were also new Deacons, Archdeacons erected: Yet was not the ambitious thirst of some thus stanched, but they aspired yet to a more high degree & preeminēce; so that there must now be picked out fowre principal cities, vvhich must carrie 4. Patriarches. These had yet higher power thē the Archb s. and were erected to see to the gouernment & discipline (as they call yt) of al Churches, in respect, or rather in despite of those 4 beastes, vvhich had so many eies and vvings, and [...]tood day and night about the throne of GOD. but they vvere rather those 4 angels vvhich stood vpon the 4 corners of the earth, holding the 4 windes of the earth, that the windes should not blow vpon the earth neither on the sea, nor on any tree. [...] 7. 1.
But Sathan hauing yet a further reach, ceased not heere, but euen amongst those 4 he stil cōtended to set vp one chief, which variably fell out, somtimes to one, somtimes to another, vntil at length the lot rested vpō the Sea of Rome, vvhere the papacie being vpholdē [...] Thess. 2. by, & mixed with the Empire, and in the end swallowing yt vp, became Reuel 13. the very throne of An [...]ichrist, vvhere he sitteth in his exaltatiō, to vvhome the key of the bottomles pyt vvas giuen; vvhich being by him set vvide open, the smoke of his cannons, deuises, trumperies, Reu. 9. vers. 1 2 3 &c. and abhominations darkned the funne, poisoned the aire: the Locustes & Scorpiōs that came out of this pit, & out of this smoke, the multitudes and swarmes of monkes, fryers, cannons, vagrant & mendicant preachers, parish priestes &c. so pestered and prisoned euerie tree, so stung & enuenomed euerie conscience, as they could beare no fruite, neither brooke any wholsome doctrine.
[Page 5]Thus Antichrist being now established and fortified in the midst of his strengths, his councel of Cardinals, his Metropolitane & Archbishops Palatine & Lord BB s. in euerie countrie: he now receaued Reuel 13. 2. 5, 6▪ 7. the great charter of his prerogatiue infernal, euen the Dragon his power, throne, and auctoritie. He now boldly opened his mouth against God, blaspheming the tabernacle of CHRIST, & them that dwel therin: innouating and changing all thinges after his owne [...]ustes, the ministerie, gouernment, orders, worship; thus exalting vers. 15 16 17 himself against al that is called GOD, & sitting in the temple of GOD as GOD, shewing himself that he is GOD, causing all men to worship Reuel 17. his miage, to receaue his mark, to buy his ▪vvares &c. bringing [...]orth his harlot vpon the stage of the vvorld, stately mounted vpon his beastly power, pompously araied, and gorgiously decked, and adorned, the more to allure & intise: vvhose cup of fornicatiōs was Reuel 18. 3 caried far & neere, to many nations people and tongues, so that the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, the inhabitants of the earth vvere drunkē with the vvine of her fornications, which she conueied vnto them by the handes of her merchantmen, vvho are vvax [...]n ritch vvith the abundance of her pleasures.
Yet in al this defectiō, corruptiō, apostacie, hath GOD stil reserued Reuel. 7. 4. & [...]. a seed, a litle poore remnant, vvho haue beene marked vvith the Reuel 9. 4. mark of GOD on their foreheades, & haue been preserued from the Reuel 14. [...]ting of these scorpiōs, the plague of these locustes, which haue had Reuel 12. 7. [...]ight in the midst of these hellish fogs, vvhich haue not bought nor Reuel 15. Reuel 17. 14 sold vvith the marke of the beast, neither drunke of the vvhores [...]up, neither haue beene defiled vvith her fornications: but haue Reuel. 14. 4. [...]eene the lambes caled, chosen, & faithful souldiours, following the Ierem. 50. & 51. [...]amb in vvhite araye vvhersoeuer he goeth, and leadeth them from Isa. 13. faith to faith. These by the light of the word reade the harlots mysterie vvritten in her forehead, discouer her skirts, & all her ab [...]ominations, & by that same light make her knowē to be that spi [...]itual Babilon, where Christes seruantes are kept in seruitude from the free practise of his word, where the true temple his Church & [...]ll the vessels and instrumentes therof are vtterlie ruinate, defaced [...]rofaned, troddē vnder foot. These also doe shew by the same light, [...]uen from the ancient prophecies, her, & al her synagogs, to become [...]he verie habitation of deuils, the hold of all fowle & vvicked spi [...]ites, & a cage of euerie vncleane & hateful bird. ZIM & IIM & all [...]armful beastes shal lodge there, the Dragō & the serpent, the Har [...]ies, scritchowles & vultures shal there make their nest, & bring vp [...]heir yong ones. And therfore these shal call al the Lordes faithful [...]eruantes out frō amongst them, least they be partakers of her sinns, [...] receaue of her plagues; shewing them that her sinns are at the [...]ul, come vp into the sight of God into heauen, & that God now re [...]embreth her iniquities, and is ready to powre downe his plagues Gen. 6. [...]pon her, as in the daies of Noah & Sodome. Gen. 19.
[Page 6]He only now st [...]ieth but vntill his Arke be built, vntil Lot his houshold be come forth, and the number of his elect be fulfilled; which time we may euidently discerne approcheth apace: Our figtree hath almost budded al our fignes. Therfore yt is high time for the seruantes of GOD to looke vp, & to lift vp their heades, for their redemption draweth neere. We haue al seene this general defectiō, Luke 21. 28. euē in the maner as yt was foretold to be come to pass: we haue also see [...]e in the heauens the tabernacle of t [...]stimonie, euē that first & Reuel 15. 5. [...]. Apostolike patterne, though we haue not as yet beene able to enter into the same, vntill the vials of Gods w [...]ath be powred vpon the [...] 16. throne of the Beast, the whore, this Babilon &c. we see all the faithful witnesses and martyres of CHRIST in their seuerall ages to haue powred out their vials, some vpon the earth, some vpō the sea, some vpon the fountaines, others vpon the sunne, vpon the throne of the beast, vpon their Euphrates &c. we heare this voice round about vs sounding in our eares [...]o out of her my people &c. Saue thy self ô Syō that dwellest Reuel. 18. 4. 5. Isa. 52. 11. Za [...]b. 2. 7. with the daughter Babel: Flie out of the midst of Babel, deliuer euerie man his soule, be not destroied in her inquitie, For this is the time of the Lords vengeance, he will render I [...]rem. 51. 6. 45. v [...]o her a recompence: & againe [...]lee out of the [...]idst of Babell depart out of the land Ierem. 50. 8. of the Chaldeans & [...]e ye as the gotes before the flock.
And our sauiour CHRIST in that forerūning signe & type of Iudea Mat [...]. 24. [...]6. &c. and Ierusalem, warneth them that are in Iudea to flee to the mountaines, thē that are called on the house top, not to come downe into their house to fetch or saue any thing they haue lost there, they that are in the fieldes, not to returne back into the Citie to fetch their clothes, shewing the woes that are vpon them, which either are hindred & pressed downe with worldly affaires, as a woman great with child, or are deteined & held with the leaue either of their earthly frendes how neere so euer, or of their owne flesh, that they cannot flie and deliuer their soules, that cannot giue eare or obey vnto the cōmandement & voice of GOD whiles he calleth them, & so deferr & put off their cōming out, either vntil the winter of Gods wrathful iudgmentes circumvent & inclose them, or the saboth of his final Hebr. 3. and [...]. Cha [...]t. indignation fal & rest vpō them, & then there be no space granted them to flie, or grace to be preserued. Seing then we haue so manie prophecies, so many tipes, so many warnings, so manie callings, seing all our signes are accomplished, & that Gods final iudgmentes approch and steale vpon vs: let vs not despise his grace, nor harden our hearts whiles he yet speaketh, & yt is called to day: seing we are fallen into these last & pertilous times, wherein Satan vseth his last & vttermost sleightes, wherby the whole world shalbe deluded, yea the verie elect, if yt were po [...]sible, drawen away; let vs not suffer our selues to be any longer deceaued, with the subtil inchantmentes of the false prophets & preachers of the times, neither to be deceaued with the vaine titles & glorious shewes of Church, minis [...]rie, sacramētes▪ Gospel &c. wherof the false Church [...]ath alwaies [Page 7] boasted & arrogated vnto her self, as well as the true Church, wherwith, as with stales she hath allured, & as with snares detained h [...]r Gen. 4. 3. 4. & 17▪ 23. & 21. 4. guestes. Cayn (we read) as wel as Habel, offred sacrifice: Ismael and Isaac were both circumcised; Hagar and Sarah were two mothers; Gal. 4. 25. 26. the two mothers before Solomon pleaded both of them cōfidently 1 King. 3. 16. for the li [...]ing childe; the harlot as wel as wi [...]dome killed sacrifices, Prou. 7. 13. 14. &c & 9. Chap. 1 King▪ 12. 28. &c. [...]ent out her ministers, inuited guestes to her house; Israel in their schisme & defection erected a temple, an altar, a ministerie.
It behoueth vs therfore, whiles yet GOD vouchsafeth vs time, carefully Lam. 3. 40. &c. by the light of Godes word, to examine our waies, and to ponder Math. 7. 13. 14. our estate, vvhether vve be in that broad vvay that leadeth to Reuel 14. 1. & 1 [...] ▪ 15. destruction amongst those multitudes ouer vvhome the whore sitteth & raineth, or in the straight & narrow vvay vvhich leadeth vnto euerla [...]ting life, vvith CHRISTES litle fl [...]k and marked soldiours, vvhome the lamb leadeth & [...]uleth: vvhether vve be in that great defection, in that spiritual Babilon vnder An [...]christ & that Beast, or whether we be in the mount S [...]on, in the spirituall Ierusalem, where [...]he cōmandementes of GOD are k [...]pt, and the fai [...]h of IESVS.
This being knowen, al controuerfies shal forthwith cease: For thē shall vve either be guiltie of our owne destruction through our wilful obstinacie, or els [...]hal vve lay hold of eternal life, vvhiles yet yt is offred, by forsaking our euil vvaies, and yeilding obedience vnto Godes holy vvord. Neither need vve vnto this busines to goe fetch our light out of mens vvritinges (as sundrie of the chief builders of [...]his corrupt age do) or curiously to enquire or dispute about I wote not vvhat markes of the true Church, which vvhiles some inde [...]ored to set downe, endles cōtrouersies & vaine striefe about words hath arisen amongst them, without end or edifying. Therfore let vs, for the apeasing and assurance of our consciences, giue heed to the word of God, and by that golden reed measure our temple, our Reuel 11. [...]. [...] ▪ altar, & our worshippers: euen by these rules wherby the Apostles, [...]hose excellent perfect workmē, planted & built the first churches, comparing the synagogues of this lād vnto them in the people, the ministerie, administration, order, gouernment &c. This way cannot deceau [...] vs, for neit [...]er can the simplest erre therin, neither any pol [...]uted Isa. 35. [...] ▪ (how subtle and cunning soeuer) passe by yt vnespied, vnre [...]rooued: For as ther is but one truth, [...]o whatsoeuer is diuerse more or less th [...]n that truth, is faultie and to be repented.
FIRST THERFORE, because euerie building consisteth of stones, let vs examine of vvhat kinde of stones this Church of Eng [...]and (as they terme yt) consisteth, and is compact; vvhether of such elect precious liuing stones, vvhich are gathered vnto and 1. Pet. 2. 5. [...]uilt vpon CHRIST IESVS, and in him grow vnto an holy and spi [...]itual Ierem. 5▪1. 26, 1 C [...]ron. 29. 2. temple vnto GOD &c. or of common, Babilonish repro [...]ate 1 King. 5. 17. & 6. 7 stones, wherof the Lord hath sworne, that not one of them 2 Chron. 2. 8. [...]halbe taken for a corner, or for a foundation in his house. Ezra. 3. 7. [Page 8] The material temple (which was but a type of this) vve [...]eade to be built from the verie foundation, of choice, costly, perfect stones, the beames & rafters of choise Cedars, Algummin trees: No cōmon or Read Leuiticus f [...]om the 10 to the 23. Chap [...]er. vile thing vvas vsed towardes yt, neither might any profane & polluted enter into yt. But of the incomparable bewtie & vnvtterable excellencie of this spiritual Temple, vnder the holy ministerie and 1 Pet. 1, 10. 11, 12. happy perfect gouernment of CHRIST, all the prophetes haue with great delight spoken & fore told, and with extreme desire inquired, & longed to see the reuelatiō of these ioies & graces, which they in the spirit foresaw, & foreshewed vnto vs, to whome they should be performed. The prophet I saiah, speaking of the excellēcie therof, breaketh forth into these vvordes, Behold I vvill lay thy stones vvith the Isai 54. 11. &c. Carbuncle, & thy foundatiōs with saphirs, & I will make thy vvindowes of Esmeraldes, Ierem. 31. 34. &c. & thy gates of shining stones, and al thy borders of pretious stones, and thy children shalbe taught of the Lord, & much peace shalbe to thy children. And in an other place, speaking of the excellent glorie of this spirituall temple, he Isai 60. 17, 21. & 35, 8. 10. & 55, 13. vseth these wordes For brasse I vvill bring gold, for yron I vvil bring siluer, for vvood brasse, for stones yron. I vvill make also thy gouerment of peace, & thine exactors of righteous [...]es &c. thy people also shalbe all righteous, they shall possesse the land for eue [...]: the graffe of my planting shalbe the work of mine handes that I may be glorified. And againe; For thornes there shal grow firr trees, for nettles shal grow the myrrh tree, & yt shalbe to the Lord for a name, & for an euerlasting signe that shall not be taken away. Al the plantes of this orcha [...]d shalbe of the Lordes [...]mb. 2 4, 6. planting; they shal all be incense & Aloe trees, pomgranates and fir Cant. 4. 13. &c. trees, which shal cōtinually bring forth pleasant, newe, & fre [...]h fruit, Ezek. 47, 12. because they grow by the sides of the riuer of life, are watered with Reuel 22. 1. the dewe of heauen, and refreshed vvith the windes of godes spirit. [...]om. 11. 17. 24. They come not, nor grow not heere, vntil they be first cut off from 1 Cor. 6. 11. Titus 3. 3. 1 Pet. 4, 3. Rom. 6. 4. [...]. 3. 10. [...] 7. 19. Luk. 13. 6 their corrupt natural stock, vvhere they grewe before, & be ingrafted into [...]he true ol [...]ue tree, the true vine: yea & being planted and ingrafted, that plāt, that branch that bringeth not forth good fruit, shalbe hewen downe, shalbe cut off & cast out &c. Into this mountaine Math. 15. 13. Iob. 15. 6. I [...]r. 2. 21. entereth no venemous or harmfull creature, the cockatrice & aspe, the Lion & Leopard enter not and lodge not heere, vntill they haue left their poison, their fiercenes &c. so that the sucking child may pla [...] vpon the hole of the Aspe, the weaned child pu [...] his hand Isai. 11, 6. & [...]. [...]nd 65. 25. vpō the hole of the Cockatrice, the lambe and the wolfe dwel togither, the kid & the Leopard [...]at straw together, and a litle child shal lead them. Ther may none be admitted into the church of CHRIST, but such as enter by publike profession of the tru [...] faith: None remayne there, but such as bring forth the fruites of faith. The forerunner M [...]th. 3. & 10. 7. Ihon the baptist, first preached repentance to prepare the way, Luk. 10. & 13. 3. and make strait, the pa [...]hes of the Lord, before he baptised any. The like did our Sauiour Christ and his disciples: The Apostles also first Act. 2▪ 41. 42. And enerie vv [...]ere through the vvhol [...] historie of the act [...] of the Apostles. gathered a people (by preaching) vnto the faith: then receaued and [Page 9] ioyned them to the Church, and administred vnto them the holy pledges of the faith: baptisme as a seale of their ing [...]affing into CHRIST, the holy supper as a symbole of their communion with CHRIST and al his faithful seruantes.
Thus see we vvhat kinde of stones, vvhat manner of people the Lord will haue built & receaued into his Church. Now yt remaineth, tha [...] vve by these rules examine the stones and people of the Exod. 28. 15. 21. Church of England; whether they be such chosen pretious stones, Reuel 21. Z [...]ch. 9. 16. as we see here described, as the high priest caried in his broidered brestplate; vvhether they be such a chosen redeemed, faithful, free, holy people, as are called vnto, and walke in the faith of CHRIST IESVS: or they be rather of the reffuse, common pibble chalke stones, which cannot be vsed to any sownd and sure building, euen al the profane and wicked of the land, Atheistes, Papistes, Anabaptistes & heretikes of al sortes, gluttōs, riot [...]urs, blasphemers, periures, couetous, extortioners, thieues, whores, witches, coniurers &c. and who not, that dwelleth within this Iland, or is within the Queenes dominion.
All without exception or respect of person are receiued into, and nourished in the bosome of this Church, with the word and sacramentes: None are here refused, none kept out. This Church (as the Mal. 1. 10. Ezek. 44. 7. & 16. 25. & 23. 42. 44. prophet saith) openeth her knees to euerie passenger, furnisheth a table to the multitude, and drink offerings to the numbers; she keepeth open house to all commers, bread and wine and welcome: Prou. 9. 17. Neither is she more dainty of her stollen waters, then of her hid bread, of her adulterate baptisme, then of her Sheshak supper, not denying baptisme to the seed euen of whores and vvitches; she receaueth thē al into her couenāt (vvhich is not w t GOD, but with death and hell) giuing them her peace, selling them her wares &c. This is their communion of saintes, their holy fellowship: thus are they bound & enchained togither in opē sacriledge, idolatrie, impietie, euen al estates, Prince, priestes, and people, and (as the Prophet saith) euen vvreathed togither as in a strong cable of iniquitie, and folded one vvithin an other as thornes in an hedg, or rather vvrapped and plighted together, as thornes to the fire of Godes wrathfull iudgmentes.
For whither vve consider the vvhole estate or any particuler part Micah. 7. 3. Nah. 1. 10. therof, vve shall find yt wholy corrupte, & deeply s [...], as in the daies of GIBBEA; not one sownd part from the crowne of the head to the Isa. 1. 16. sole of the feet, but all ful of woundes, swellinges, old putrified sores Lamen. 2. 13. which cannot be bound vp or cured, iniquitie hauing brokē in and ouerflowed the vvhole land, and euerie place therof, euen as the raging sea which cannot be stopped. There is no faith, no mercie, Hose. 4. 1. 2. no knowledg or feare of God in the land: by swearing, lying, killing, stealing, whoring, they breake out, and blood toucheth blood: they [...]bhor iudgment, & peruert all equitie: they turne iustice into gall, Micah. 3. 9. Amo [...] 6. 12. Is [...]. [...]9. 14. [Page 10] and the fruit of righteousnes into wormwood: T [...]uth falleth in the streetes, & equitie cannot enter; the heades iudg for [...]ewardes; the Micah. [...]. 11. priestes teach for hire; the Prophets prophecie for money; the people Hose. 4. 4. are incorrigible, such as cannot brooke nor endure vvholsom 2 Tim. 4. 3. [...]ek. 33. 3 [...]. Amo [...] 5. 10 doctrine, but get vnto them after their owne lustes an heap of teachers, which may prophecie to them of vvine and strong drink &c. They al hate & persecute him that rebuketh in the gate, they abhor him that speaketh vprightly. They prosecute vvith mortal hatred 1 Pe [...]. 4. 4. 5. him that runneth not to the same excesse and sinne with them: and he that refraineth from euil, maketh himself a pray, and is spoiled Is [...]. 59. 15. R [...]uel 13. 17. of all men. All the lawes of GOD are heere broken and reiected, both of the first and second table, both of the ecclesiasticall and ciuile estate, and of euerie particular person in both, both in the worship of GOD, and in ciuile iustice and conuersation: all things being 2 Kings. 22. 11. 12. 13. innouate in both, according to the lustes and pleasures of men, the law and word of GOD being quite reiected and cast aside, as may appeare, if the estate either of the Church or common welth be examined or tried by the word of GOD. The particuler defaults wherof in their customes, lawes, trialls, pleadings, iurisdiction, orders, decrees &c. are well nigh infinite. And what then are the enormities that ensue therof to euerie estate, degree, and person. This need no other demonstration, then the general excesse, pride, Ezek. 16. 49. superfluitie, couetousnes, rapine, crueltie, deceit, malice, debate, inordinate affections, vnbridled lustes, dissolutnes, disobedienc [...] &c. which are found most rife, euē in all estates & degrees amongst them: Neither hath all kind of sinne and wickednes more vniuersally raigned in any nation at any time, then heere at this present in this land; where all are receaued into the Church, all made members of CHRIST.
All these sinnes, and many more abhomina [...]ions (which a Christian heart abhorreth but to think or speak of) are amongst them vvinked a [...], tollerated, excused, couered and cured with the Gospel preached, and their holy sacramentes. All this people, with all these manners, were in one daye, with the blast of Q. Elizabeths trumpet, of ignorant papistes and grosse idolaters, made faithfull Christianes, & true professors: vpon vvhome, these hungrie priestes, like rauening vvolues and greedy foxes flew to diuide the pray; some getting them the roomthes of Arch-bishops, others caught Bishoprickes, others caught Deanries, arch-Deaconries, fat parsonages, some more, some fewer, as their estimation and frendes were.
They being thus installed, and their mouthes stopped with these Isa. [...]6. 10. 11. fat morsels, the world by this time was well amended with them: There was no neede to gather a people to the faith by preaching of the Gospell, neither to set the holy gouernment of CHRIST ouer such as were called to the faith; All was now well enough, [Page 11] [...]er the people had receaued this ministerie, after their Portuise was translated from latine into english, the supremacie, from the Sea of Rome, to the Sea of Canterburie. And after these Pseudo martyres and runneaway professors had tasted the sweetnes of [...]his rost, and pleasantnes of these roomths, and were once warme [...]n their nestes; then forgate they all their former peregrination, [...]nd deuowred the vowes they then made, seking now to fortifie [...]nd establish their owne, and not CHRISTS kingdome. And to this [...]nd they inuented, obteined, and erected their blasphemous high Commission, in stead of the Spanish inquisition; where they gate [...]ower ouer all causes and persons ecclesiasticall, to make or abro [...]ate what lawes they list, and to impose them vpon the whole Church, which is the whole land, to molest, cite, fetch vp, examine, [...]mprison and fyne whome they list, as long as they list, as much as [...]hey list, w [...]hout controlement or any redresse, though their pro [...]eedings be expresly contrarie, preiudicial, and repugnant vnto the Crowne and prerogatiue royal, vnto the great charter and lawes of [...]he land, as were not hard to shew, if any eare might be giuen [...]herunto.
Thus being enthronized, they shew themselues playnly in their colours, both in establishing most of the Popes cannons, and in adding new as ill of their owne, still re [...]aine further power to make more at their pleasures: which, howsoeuer they cannot, nor dare [...]ot iustifie by the word, yet will they maintaine them by the sword; vvhich sword they now draw forth against CHRISTES most faith [...]ull seruantes that vvill no [...] bow downe nor vvorship their beastly [...]uthoritie, but stand for the maintenance of the faith, once giuen vnto the sai [...]tes, and for the free and sincere practise of CHRISTES holy Testament: vvhich faith, Testament, and people of GOD, these accursed Apostataes, with most deadlie hatred and hostilitie persecute, and seeke to suppresse by all exquisite tyrannie, closing and mving vp the bodies of them in the most noisome places of the most vile prisons, somtimes [...]ot wi [...]hout yrons and blowes, in stead of Argumentes and perswasions, railing, blaspheming and slandering both the holy truth, and the witnesses therof, vvith their poisoned heretical lying bookes, pamphlets, libells, vvhich the Dragon like a flood casteth out of the mouth of his false Prophets after the Church: yet dare they not once produce them to any triall or answere, knowing in their bad consciences, that [...]. 3. 20. their ill dealings may not endure the light: and therfore seeke Ephes. 5. 13. they by all subtill and forceible meanes to suppresse the same, limiting and prohibiting their priestes, not to meddle vvith the reproofe of anie thing by publike authoritye established &c. And such as vvill not be thus nurt [...]ed they inclose vp by their sole [...]ommandement in close and strait prisons, neuer [Page 12] letting them to escape out of their handes, vntill they be brought out vpon the beere: Thus fulfil they the measure of their predecessors, 1 Thess. 2. 15. 16. shed the blood of the righteous, make opē war against CHRIST Math. 23. 32. &c. and his G [...]spel, cast the Sonne and heire out of his house, and vvil Math. 21. 38. 39. not susfer him to reigne there by his owne officers and lawes, but take his inheritance vnto them, with his scepter and al his roial rites and prerogatiues into their handes, shewing themselues in the temple of GOD as GOD, erected newe lawes, newe ordin [...]ces, a newe ministerie, newe worship, newe orders & forme of gouernment, as shalbe shewed hereafter.
Now vnto this their apostatical & bloody throne & antichristian Reuel 13. 16. 17. power, and vnto al the abhominations proceeding from the same, standeth al the land both great and small, rich and poore, priest and people, in most seruile subiectiō: & therfore in this estate cannot be Gal▪ 4. 9. 10. held or numbred among Christes faithful seruantes, vvhich are fully Reuel. 14. 9. &c. redeemed by the price of his pretious blood, from al these bondages Ioh. 8. 37. Gal. 5. 1. & Col. [...]. 6. 7. 8. and intanglementes, vvhich they by a shew of volun [...]arie religion, and counterfeit holines, vvould impose vpon mens consciences. Neither may such be held the seruātes of CHRIST, vvhich stand subiect vnto his enimie Antichrist, beare his yoke, receaue his ministerie, vvares &c. or vvhich contend not for the maintenance Iude 3. Reuel 14. 12. of the true faith, & for the sincere practise of the Gospel with freedome, in al patiēt maner vnto the death: suffring rather anie thing, I [...]h. 15. 14. then themselues to be defiled with his abhominations. How then should this people, as they generally stand in the publique estate of this land, in this subiection to Antichrist, in this idolatry, sacriledg, al kind of excesse and sinne, euen in al degrees without repentance, faith, obedience, knowledg, be receaued, held, or esteemed the redeemed, called, faithful, free, obedient, louing subiects and people of the Lord? or how may CHRISTES true & faithful seruantes haue any spirituall communion or fellowship with them in thys estate, vvithout open sacriledg, most hainous impietie, and high profanation of the holy things of God. For if into the material temple, no profane or polluted person might enter and osfer, vntill he had imbraced the faith, and beene clensed from his filthines; how much more ought this profane, ignorant, vnholy, wicked, disobedient rowte, be kept out of the Church of CHRIST, & frō al intermedling with the holy things of GOD, which in this estate belong not vnto them.
But as these vngodly priestes of these times haue entred, and do administer vnto this profane people, for the lucre of their goodes tithes, wages, hire; so wāt not these Balaams sundrie diuelish shiftes and cauils for the maintenance of their doinges, least▪ by this doctrine their portion should be reprooued, their vantage for diuining cease, as also their sinne and shame be made manifest. Amongst an heape of their forged excuses, they set▪ this for doctrine in the fore [Page 13] [...]ront: THAT vvhere [...] Christian Prince is, vvhich mai [...]taineth the Gospel, and Caluin iustit. lib. 4. Sect. 9. [...]he whole land or estate not resisting this commandement, reue [...]enceth the word & sacramētes, there the whole multitude of such [...] land or state, are without doubt to be esteemed and iudged a true Church. This reason they confirme not with any proofes of the [...]cripture, but by M r. CALVINS authoritie, who giueth these reasons [...]herof: because (saith he) y [...] is certaine, the word and sacramentes [...]re not without fruit, and that by this meanes vnitie is preserued to [...]he vniuersall Church.
Touching the person of the Author alledged, I gladly acknowledg [...]im a painful and profitable instrument, in the thinges he saw, and [...]imes he serued in, yet not without his manie errors & ignorances, [...]specially touching the planting, gouernment, and ordering of the Church of CHRIST: And no meruaile, for being so newly escaped out of the smoky fornace of poperie, he could not so sodeinly see or attaine vnto the perfect beawtie of Sion. But seeing my hope is, GOD hath pardoned all his errors &c. my purpose is not (with these wicked men) to reuiue and broach them a fresh, or make them pre [...]identes, and by them take boldnes to commit the like or worse of [...]ences, nor yet to discouer NOAH his shame and nakednes. So also concerning matters of faith, would I be loth to build vpon, or be [...]ressed by the doctrines and examples of men, the best wherof we Prou. 19. 27. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Math. 7. 24. &c. [...]ee to be subiect to their errors and faults. For as faith only beleeueth, and resteth vpon the holy word of God: so are we by the same to examine al the doctrines and doinges of men, yea of the vvhole Church, and accordingly to approue or refuse the same.
Touching this doctrine then, that a Christian Prince which publisheth and maintaineth the Gospell, doth forthwith make all that realme (which with open force resisteth not his proceedinges) to be held a Church, to whome an holy ministerie and sacramentes belong, without further & more particular and personal trial, examination. confession &c. This doctrine we find by the word of God to be most false, corrupt, vncleane, dangerous & pernicious doctrine, contrarie to the whole course, practise, and lawes both of the old & newe Testament; breaking at once al Christian order, corrupting & poisoning al Christian communion & fellowship, & sacrilegiously profaning the holy thinges of God.
First we know that no Prince or mortal man cā make any a member 1 Tim. 2. 2. of the Church: they may by their godly gouernment greatly help & further the Church, greatly comfort the faithful, & aduance Rom. 9. 15. Exod. 33. 19. the gospel &c. But to chuse or refuse, to cal or hardē; that the eternal Rom. 8. 39. and almightie ruler of heauen and earth keepeth in his owne Iam. 1. 18. handes, and giueth not this power vnto any other. This also vve know, that whome the Lord hath before al worldes chosen, them 2 Tim. 2. 19. [...]e wil in his due time and meanes cal by his word, and whome he Heb. 3. 14. [...]alleth, them he sealeth with this seale, to depart from iniquitie, to Heb. 12. 25. [Page 14] beleeue and lay hold of CHRIST IESVS as their alone sauiour, to honour and ob [...]y him as their annointed King, Priest, & Prophet, to submit théselues vnto him in all thinges, to be reformed, corrected, gouerned, & directed by his most holy vvord, vowing their faithful obedience vnto the same, as yt shalbe reuealed vnto them. By this faith, confession & profession, euerie member of CHRIST from the greatest vnto the least, without respect of persons, entereth into, & standeth in the Church. In this faith, haue all the faithfull congregations in the world, and true members of the same bodie, fellowship & communion each with other; and out of this faith haue the true seruantes of GOD, no fellowship, no communion with any congregation or member, how florishing titles or faire shewes soeuer they make heere in the flesh.
None (as hath beene prooued) vncircumcised or polluted in flesh, Deut. 23. 3. might enter into the temple, or tast of the passouer or other sacrifices, Exod. 12. 48. how neere soeuer they were in consanguinitie, affinitie, or subiection. N [...]b. 9. 14. In King DAVIDS time the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, & Philistims were brought vnder obedience & subiection: yet were none of them admitted into the temple &c. but such as imbraced the faith. King HEZEKIAS and IOSIAH, two famous godly 2 Chron. 2. 9. & 30. & 35. Chap. Kings, after they had rightly reformed the corrupt estate, admitted none to the passouer, but such as purified & sanctified themselues, according to the law. The like we reade of the children of the captiuitie, after they had, finished the temple, set the priests in their Ezra. 6. 21. order, & th [...] Leuites in their courses &c. they ke [...]t the passouer together with all such as had seperated themselue [...] vnto them from the fiilthines of the heathen of the land, to seeke the Lord GOD of Israel. These were godly Kinges, which truly planted religion, and rightly reformed the state, & had euerie way as great priuiledg and prerogatiue, as any Kings before or since; yet had they not power, neither durst they presume to open the temple dores to the profane or pulluted, or to admit them vnto the passouer &c. for this had beene heinous sacriledg & impiety, for which sinnes the wrath of GOD would haue burnt against them. Neither is the like sinne lesse transgression now, either in the Prince that commandeth, the priestes that administer, or the people that receaue.
The Prince himself entreth by the same dore of faith [...], into the Iob. 10. 7. Church: & is bownd to the strait obseruation & obedience of Gods Deut. 17. 19. lawes in his calling, as well as any other; and is for any transgression Iosh. 1. 7. 8. therof, liable & subiect to the censures & iudgmentes of CHRIST in Psalm. 141. 5. his Church, which are without partialitie or respect of persons. 2 Sam. 12. 7. Which censures and iudgmentes if the Prince contemne, he contemneth 2 Chron. 16. 7. & 19. 2. 2 Kings. 20. 17. 2 Chron. [...]6. 16. &c. them against his owne soule; & is thervpon, by the same power of CHRIST, to be disfranchized out of the Church, & to be deliuered ouer vnto Satan, as well as any other osfendor. Now though by this sinne he loseth his right to be a christiā or member [Page 15] of the church: yet loseth he not his right to be a King or magistrate, Math. 22. 21. & is so to be held and obeid of all faithful Christians, which are his Prou. 8. 15. Eccles. 8. 2. Rom. 13. 1. subiectes.
And sure, they litle know what belongeth either to the entrance into, or cōtinuance in the Church of GOD, or what belongeth to the administration of the sacramentes, or to the holy cōmunion of the saintes, which reuiue or defend this doctrine: For is not the whole Mark. 13. 34. 37. Church, but especially the porter or pastor (who ought to know Ioh. 10. 3. those well that come in, to know his sheep by name) guiltie of great negligēce & sacriledg, that receaue such into their fellowship, & administer Ezek. 34. the holy thinges of God vnto thē, of whose faith they haue Math. 7. 6. no more [...]timonie & assurāce, yea or rather of whose infidelitie & Mal. 1. 10. profanenes t [...]ey [...]aue such apparant proofes? Can the word & sacramentes 1 Cor. 10. 17. & 12. 13. 1 Cor. [...]. 29. (which they say cannot be without fruit) either take away or excuse their sinne in deliuering vnto, or ioyning with the open vnworthy in the sacramentes? or excuse the vnworthy receauers frō eating or drinking their owne damnation? may the temple of the Lord be thus profaned? the table of the Lord thus cōtemned & defiled? or is not the Lord a God of iudgmēt? But yt is impossible that the word & sacramētes should be without fruit. This is true, yet the Isa. 55. 10. 11. fruit is of two sortes; for falling vpō good ground, yt bringeth herbs Micah. 5. 7. & fruit worthy of the dressor, & receaueth blessing of the Lord. On the other side, if yt fal vpō il ground, which [...]till bringeth thornes & briars, yt deliuereth yt not frō, but rather hastneth yt vnto the curse 1 Cor. 3. 6. & iudgments of God. Neither can any labour of man, though Paul Ierem. 2. 22. plant & Apollos water, any thing preuail [...], except God giue the increase. Amos 6. 12. That which is crooked can no man make straight. No washing, no sope, or nitre, can clense the Leopard frō her spots; horses cā not run vpon the rock; neither can any man plow ther with oxen.
The sownd of the Gospel is to some the sweete sauour of life vnto 2 Cor. 2. 16. life, vnto others, the sauor of death vnto death. The gospel preached doth not make al the land, or al that heare yt straight way mēbers of the Church without seene, faith, & obediēce. NOAH preached a 2 Pet. 2. 5. great while (whiles the Arke was in making) vnto the old world, but preuailed not. The Lord sent to Israel and Iudah in their defection 2 Chro. 36. 15. 16. many Prophets, rising early & sending; yet they gaue not eare, but mocked the messengers of God, despised his word, and misus [...] his Prophets. The law & the Prophetts were dayly read in the Synnagogues of the Iewes, at such time as CHRIST came: yet neither they nor their rulers knew or acknowledged him, but fulfilled them in condemning him: Yea CHRIST himself, that most liuelie, powerful, excellent teacher, preached the gospell among them with great vertue & mi [...]acles; yet beleeued they not on him, that the saying of Isa. 53. 1. the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled; Lord who hath beleeued our Isa. 6. 9. report; or to whome is the arme of the Lord reuealed: therfore they could not beleeue, because yt is said againe; he hath blinded their [Page 16] and hardened their heartes, that they should not see with their eies, nor vnderstand vvith their heartes, and should be conuerted and I should heale them: And againe in an other place; And I said I haue Isa. 49. 4. laboured in vaine, I haue spent my strength in vaine, & for nothing: but my iudgment is with the Lord, & my work with my God. Then neither this doctrine followeth: that where a Christiā Prince maintaineth the gospel, and the people by the same authoritie are compelled to heare the same; that the whole multitude, without further proofe of thei [...] Christian obedience, are herevpō to be receaued into the Church, and made partakers of the bread of the children, and the holy thinges of GOD: neither yet this strange opinion which is generally taught by the learned preachers of these times; that vvhere there is a preaching minister, there that parish is [...]ndoubtedly (how profane and wicked soeuer the people be) to be held and accounted [...] true Church of CHRIST: except these presumptuous shepheardes, these companions haue greater vertue & prerogatiue then CHRIST himself had, vvho could not bring this to passe in the places where he taught: Yea the follie of some, euen of the chief Rabbines amōgst them, hath yet proceeded further; namely, that VVHERE [...] is one parish that hath (as he termeth him) a burning lamp viz. a preaching priest amongst sixe or seuen other parishes hauing smoking lampes, viz. dumb priestes that cannot preach, there the light of this burning lamp (or star called vvormwood) shall enlighten the other candlestickes also, and giue them the estimation and dignitie of true Churches likwise. But my purpose is not heer to intreate of the excellencie of these preachers, & how powerfully and purely they preach the gospell: therof in due place. It now remaineth to see, whether the vertue of the sacramentes thus administred vnto the whole multitude of a land or state, can sanctifie and make holy, or be auaileable to this people or no.
It hath beene aboue shewed to be great sinne, shamful negligence, high contempt, vnsufferable profanation & sacriledg in the whole Church to admit, administer vnto, or cōmunicate with such: Neither can the holines of the sacramentes any way excuse, but rather 1 Cor. 11. 29. greatly augment their sinne & iudgment, which deliuer such holy 1 Cor. 5. 6. hag. 2. 14 things to such knowen vnworthy receauers which discerne not the 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 5. Lordes bodie, neither can the holines of the sacramentes sanctifie Rom. 4. 11. the receauers, especially the vnworthy receauers; vvhose filthines defileth the sacrament, euen as leuen the lump. The sacramentes confer not so much, as seale Gods grace vnto vs, they giue not faith to any so much, as confirme the faith of all the worthy receauers. But where they are thus prostituted & sacrilegiously profaned, they bring no such ioy, they seale no such comfort, but rather Gods assured wrath for the abuse of his ordinances, the people, sacramentes and all, being hereby vncleane & polluted in Godes sight. Neither preserue they vnto the Church hereby her vnitie and power, but [...]. 4▪ 4. 5. [Page 17] rather take away al communion, and so corrupt and poison yt, that Ioh. 1. 6▪ 7. 2 Cor. 13. 8. now their fellowship is not in the faith, but in sacriledg and sinne: And for the power of the Church, yt is not giuen them to receaue Deu [...]. 4. 6. & the vvhole booke. and admit, but to driue away and keep out the profane and open vnworthy, from the table of the Lord. Num. 5. 2. 3.
THE NEXT shiftes these Balaamites haue, for the administring CALVIN ius [...]. lib. 4. Cap. 1. 8 [...] ▪ 13. vnto, the communicating with, and retayning the prophane in the bozome of their Church: are certayne Argumentes, drawē by M r. CALVIN from the 13. and of Mathew, against the Anabaptistes, to prooue that the Church heer on earth shal neuer be without sinne, and is not to be left for sinne &c. comparing the Church to a corne Math. 13. 24▪ field, vvhich being sowen with good graine, ys by the enimi [...]s fraud scattered with tares: of which yt is not clensed, vntill the crop be brought into the barne-floore: and vnto a net, in which all Math. 13. 47. kind of the fi [...]hes are gathered together, & are not chosen out, vntil they be laid out vpon the shore &c. and vnto a floore, wherin the vvheate is so gathered, that yt lieth hiddē vnder the chaffe, vntil by Math. 3. 12. fanne and syue yt be at length layd vp in the grainer.
The doctrine which M r. CALVINE heer ind [...]uoreth to prooue, as yt may be vnderstood, is true: for no doubt while the Church consisteth of mortal men, so long is yt subiect to sinne & ignorance; els had we no need of CHRIST to be our mediator, ou [...] aduocate, our high priest, our Prophet, to make our peace, to intercede for vs, to Heh. 12. 24. offer vp our praiers, to instruct vs &c. Therfore such as shall for 1 Ioh. 2. 1. sinne leaue the communion of the Church, must seeke the societie Heb. 4. 15. 16. of Angels, and not of men: Much better should they doe, according Deut. 18. 15. to the Apostles councel, to admonish them that are out of order, to comfort the feeble minded, to beare with the weake, to be patient 1 Thess. 5. 14. towardes all men: yea if the sinne be publike and of the whole Heb. 10. 24. 25. Church, grauelie, in the name of the lord to reprehend & reprooue the same, & louingly to exhort them to repentance & amendment; rather then preposterously to leaue them, and rashly to forsake the fellowship, as the maner of some is. And doubtles, if yt be the true [...]xod. 23. 21. 22. spouse of CHRIST, yt wil giue eare to the voice of the bridegroome, Deut. 29. 9. Heb. [...] 2. 3. and not cōtinue obstinate in presumptuous sinne; for therfore were Rom. 6. 1. & 10▪ 31. & 12. 25. they not receaued to grace. Faith doth not abrogate the law, neither came CHRIST to take away the law, so much as the curse of the law Lam. 1. 25. from the Church: And heervnto serueth that great base and sea of Iames. 1. 23. 24. CHRISTES blood, which is placed in the Church to purge and wash 1 [...]g. 7. 23. away through faith and repentance those deformities and blots of sinne, which th [...] glāsse of the law [...]heweth: & not vpon the priuiledg of CHRISTES death to take bouldnes to s [...]e, or to continue in any knowē sinne, or to neglect or despise the word, or to thinke lightly of the l [...]ast sinne, or not with all possible speed to redresse yt rather, & remooue yt out of the Chu [...]ch; whervnto the true church neuer wanteth either wil or power: Neither ought any faithfull seruant of [Page 18] GOD [...]o cōmunicate with that assembly, which wāteth either wil or power to reforme & amend any default which is cōmitted amongst them, after yt is made knowē vnto them; as shal apear in the further handling of these & other their places, & Argumentes, which they haue corruptly sucked from M r. CALVIN in this discourse; vvho no doubt hath vnsuffe [...]ably peruerted and wrested these places and other places of scripture, & drawen verie foule & corrupt doctrine from them, touching the estate and order of a planted Church, and more dangerous & damnable conclusions from the same: as that yt is lawfull for the Church to receiue and reteine the ignorant prophane multitude, to admini [...]ter the sacramētes vnto, & cōmunicate in the same with them; that the sacrament is not defiled with such open vnworthy receauers, neither the faithful of the Church with this actiō, or their fellowship: also that we ought to abhor & withdraw frō the wicked in cōmon bread & conuersation, but not in the worship of God, & the sacramēts &c. that the people & our sauiou [...] CHRIST did cōmunicate with the polluted priestes, corrupted sacrifices & people &c. These & such other fearful & false doctrines & conclusions, contrarie to the whole course of scripture, his disciples haue drawen from him. And in deed his abuse of these and other plac [...]s; as the epistles to the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Asia &c. & his discourse therof, seeme to import: w ch that yt may more plainly apeare, let vs come to the more particular cōsideratiō of his places, & examine whether any s [...]ch doctrines, applications & conclusions may be drawen from them, and that breefly.
To HIS FIRST place, where he resembleth the planted Church to that sowen field, or rather confidently affirmeth that sowen field to be the planted Church &c. and from thence draweth, that seene & knowen tares shall grow and remaine in the planted Church, vntill GOD [...]oot them out; & thervpon cōcludeth, that none ought to refraine the cōmunion of the Church for such offendors, especially, where the word is purely taught, & the sacramentes rightly administred; which he maketh his two infallible markes of the Church, leauing out obedience vnto & practise of the word, which he & his disciples, vnder the name of Discipline, make an hangby: wherof in due place.
First heer against M r. CALVINS writinges & his disciples, I oppose the interpretation of our Sauiour himself, who opening this parable vpō his dis [...]iples requests vnto our good, saith, that he which sowed [...]. 13. 24. the good seed is the Sonne of man, & the field is the world, and the good seed are the childrē of the kingdom, & the tares are the childrē of that wicked one, & the enimie that soweth them is the deuil, & the haruest is the end of the world, & the reapers are the Angels &c. What interpretatiō can be more excellently consonant in euerie point vnto the parable, thē this? or what other interpretation can be [...]? is not euerie part of yt most liuely opened? did no [...] [Page 19] GOD at the fir [...]t make the world, & all things in the [...]me, good? was Gen. [...]. 3 [...]. Gen. 3. [...]t not corrupted through the fraude & mallice of the deuil? hath [...]ot GOD stil in yt his Church visible & vniuersal, here & there ga [...]hered & scattered in the world? hath not the deuil also, that prince [...]f this dark world, his childrē & seruantes, which as tares ouergrow & grieue the wheate, & couer the face of the whole f [...]ld? Is not this [...]he condition & estate of the world, & shalbe to the end? Now here [...]hough GODES children by the light of his word espie, and grieue at Luk. 9. 54. [...]hese wicked tares, so see this world, which is in deed y e Lordes field, & belōgeth to the good seed, & not vnto the euil, thus pestered and [...]uergrowne with the wicked: yet may they not by a rash & inordi [...]ate zeale be caried away, either peremptorily to iudge & cōdemne, [...]r vtterlie to extirpate these tares, as reprobates; both because the [...]ord hath reserued this final iudgment & execution vnto himself Rom. 9. 24. Ierem. 18. 6. Act. 5. 1. 7▪ ▪who knoweth to what he hath predestinate euerie vessel that he [...]ath made, whether vnto honour or to dishonour) & reserueth the Isa. 40. 13. 14. [...]easons & oportunities whē to cal or cut off in his owne handes; & Rom. 11. 33. 34. [...]ath neither cōmitted these things to mā, nor need to be coūcelled or aduised in thē by mā. But Christ in this parable rather teacheth [...]is disciples patience & sobrietie, to be patient towardes al men, as [...]heir heauenly Father is patiēt; rather suffring & instructing y e euil 2 Tim. 2. 25▪ with meeknes, prouing if God at any time will giue thē repētance [...]y they may acknowledg y • truth, & come to amēdment out of the [...]nare of the deuil, of whome they are takē prisoners to do his wil; 1 Tim. 2. 1. Rom. [...] 19. Rom. 14. 4. [...]ather piti [...]ng in their soules & praying for al mē, thē iudging & fi [...]ally condemning any, or calling for fire & vengeance vpon them Iam. 4. 12. &c. This were a preposterous zeale, & greatly against Godes glorie 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezek. 18 32. Ezek. 33. 11. ▪who willeth al men to be saued, calleth thē to his Sōnes mariagé [...]east, & therefore causeth the gospell to be preached & proclaimed for vs) after we are once entred to shut the dore of Godes grace against others. we were not for this cause receaued to mercy, but ra [...]her to prouoke others to tast of Gods goodnes also, & be examples [...] Tim. 1. 16. [...]o them that shal in time to come beleeue vnto eternal life. Yf Paul, Mary Magdalene & others, nay if we our selues (by whome of al others we know most euil) had beene plucked vp by the rootes, whiles we grewe amongst the rankest of the weedes & tares in the field of the world, had yt not beene much ruth? had not much good wheate beene spilt? but he y chose & called vs out of this dark world, vnto Ti [...]us 3. 3. the glorious inheritance of the Saintes in light, shal shew the like Coloss. 1. 13. mercie vnto them also, if they abide not in vnbeliefe. Our sauiour Christ whiles he was here emongst vs, came not into the world as Rom. 11. 23. thē to iudge or cōdēne the world, but that the world through him Iob. 3. 17. & [...]2. 4 [...] might be saued. Let not vs then take that vpon vs, w ch belongeth not vnto vs, neither iudge before the time; seing God hath not giuen to his church to censure or iudge them without, but to attend 1 Corin. 5. 13. Iude 14▪ [...]5. vpon, & iudg them which are within: God iudgeth them that are w [...]thout.
[Page 20]But now, how may this place of the sowen field (without vnsufferable vvrasting and falsifying) be vnderstood of, or applied vnto the planted Church of Christ? shall these stinking vveedes & noisome Math. 16. 19. & 18. 17. 18. Psa [...]. 14 9. Cant. 6. 9. tares grow there vnweeded out? or hath not GOD therfore giuē vnto his Church and euerie member therof, the vveeding hooke of his word, & the power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, vvherby to censure 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 10 4. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 15 & cut off euerie obstinate offendor, to cast downe euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledg of GOD, & to haue vengeance ready against all disobedience and euery transgression that ariseth amongst them. Is not the vvhole Church, & euerie member therof often & almost euerie where in the scriptures cōmanded and stirred vp to keep this vvatch diligently? and for the neglect & contempt therof reade we not of sundrie Churches sharply reprooued, yea vtterly cut off? and is yt then likely that our sauiour CHRIST would here vtterly forbid his Apostles & Disciples, to intermedle vvith the vveeding out of these tares out of the Church, his gardē? doth not this place, thus vnderstood of the planted Church, vtterly subuert and ouerthrow all ecclesiastical censures? and condemne the Apostles of presumption for stirring vp the Churches to excōmunicate and cast out their obstinate offenders, inordinate walkers, heretikes &c. from amongst them? yea for so sharply reproouing 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 12 20. 21. Reuel 2. & 3. whole Churches, and threatning to come against them vvith the iudgmentes of GOD for their defalts herein? vvhich vvay can all the learning these men haue, reconcile these places; but that 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. by this their interpretatiō there must needes be expresse cōtrarietie. But as they thus peruert this place, so the applicatiō of yt, and their collection from yt, is much more pernicious and vnsusferable, as shall afterward appeare.
THE NEXT place that is brought for the receauing and reteining their profane sinfull multitudes in their Church, is the Parable of the draw-net, vvherin fishes of all sorts are gathered, and not seuered vntill the Lordes finall iudgmētes. This is granted them to be vnderstood [...] Tim. 5. 24. of the planted Church, where, by the power of the word, all degrees and sorts of men are gathered, and amongst them diuerse false and wicked hypocrites, vvhich shall cōtinue & remaine in the Church, vntill the Lord pluck off their visors & pull thē out, whether by death or by his finall iudgment. This is no new thing, this Mat [...]. 22. 11. is not denied, this alwaies hath beene, & alwaies shalbe vnto the end Re [...]l 2. 17. of the vvorld. Many shall enter without the vvedding garment, vvithout that vvhite stone, that inward testimonie and assurance, vvhich no man knoweth saue he that receaueth yt, and GOD giueth vnto none, but vnto his chosē. Many glorious hypocrites shal there Ma [...]. 7. 21. be, vvhich make a faire shew in the flesh, which shal haue prophecied, 1 Io [...]. 2. 19. cast o [...]t deui's, & done great vvorkes by CHRIST name, which in that day shall call, and not be heard. But what of all this? may yt [...]om hence be concluded, that the profane multitude, without due [Page 21] [...]stimonie and proof of their faith by publike profession &c. may [...]e admitted into, or any open vvicked vvhich remaineth obstinate [...]d impenitent may be reteined in this Church of CHRIST? Surelie [...]is ground vvill beare no such doctrine, this place no such con [...]ruction.
THERE YET remaineth an other maine place to vphold their con [...]sed profane assemblies, drawē from the third chapter of Mathew 12 [...]rse; vvhere they liken the gathered and established Church of [...]HRIST vnto a barneflore, in vvhich the vvheate is so gathered to [...]eather, that yt lieth hidden vnder the chaffe, vntill being clensed [...]ith fanne & siue, yt be a [...] length layd vp in the grainer &c. yea M r. [...]ALVINE in an other peculiar treatise against the Anabaptists, vsing [...]is place of Mathew, saith, THAT the faithful shalbe in the planted [...]hurch of CHRIST hidden amongst the opē wicked & vngodly, as [...] few graines of wheate lie in a great heape of chaffe &c. Then [...]hich doctrine nothing can be deuised more vncleane & corrupt, [...]r more vnworthy the Church of CHRIST, as breaking all the or [...]inances and lawes of GOD at once, and vtterly subuerting & defi [...]ng all Christian communion &c. vvhich doctrine, as yt is directly [...]ontrarie vnto the whole course of scriptures, both for the entrance [...]to the Church, and for the order & conuersation in the Church; [...] can no place of scripture be applied to the vpholding and confir [...]ation therof, without vnsufferable falsifying and violent wrasting [...]e same.
As for this place Ma [...]hew 3. 12. yt no more prooueth this doc [...]ine, then the others out of Math. 13. for here Mathew rather recor [...]eth the conclusion of Ihon the Baptistes sermon & doctrine, then [...]ny way describeth the estate of the established Church of CHRIST, [...] the 11. and 12. verses shewing the incomparable excellencie of CHRISTES person and ministerie, in respect of his; & also in the same [...]ewing the diuers effectes of Christes cōming vnto such as looked [...]or him, vvho as they vvere of two sortes, so had they seuerall suc [...]esse. The one sort he baptised, the other he consumed with fire, Mal 3. 1. 2. 3 [...] Is [...]. 65. 5. Mal. 4. 1. 2. [...]he one sort he fanned, fifted, purged, fined, and preserued as wheat [...]nd siluer; the other with the same fanne and fornace he [...]scattered [...]nd burnt vp as chaffe & drosse. The humble poore of the flock, Zach. 11. [...]vhich gaue eare to the voice in the wildernes, which confessed & Mal. 4. 6. [...]epented their sinnes, and made strait his pathes, & receaued Ihons [...]aptisme; those he receaued, fed & kept &c. but those proud Pha [...]isies, Isa▪ 8. 14. 15. learned Scribes, and carnal Sa [...]uceis, which thought them [...]elues Luk. 2. 34. Luk. 7. 29. 30▪ in a perfect estate, and despised the councel of God against [...]hemselues, and would not be baptised of Ihon; those when the [...]ESSIAH also came, despised and contemned him, and therfore he Amos 5. 18. 19. 2 [...] ▪ [...]ut them off in one day, yea his day was vnto them darknes and not [...]ght &c.
But now which way should this fowle vncleane barn-floore, thus [Page 22] pestered & ouerspred with chaffe, be likened almost (without bla [...] phemie) vnto y e holy Church of Christ rightly planted, established & gouerned according to his holy will & testamēt? where (as hath Ioh. 15. 19. Ro. 1. 7. beene said) all the people that enter & are receaued there, are chosen, 1 [...]et 43. 1 Cor. 1. 2. redeemed, called out of the world from amongst the heathen, 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18. Saintes by calling, partakers of the same pretious faith & glorious 2 [...]et. [...]. [...]. hope, humble, obedient, louing sheepe. And therfore is y • church likened to a sheepfold, which is both watched and defended to Numb. 24. 6. keepe out the wild beastes, the wolfe and litle foxes; vnto a garden shut vp, & welspring inclosed; an orchyeard & vineyard walled, Cant. 4. 12. 13. 14. where al the plantes are natural sweet incense trees, pomgranate & al sweet fruit trees, Myrrhe, Aloes, cynnamon, with trees of chief Isa. 35. 8. Io [...]l 3. 17. spices. Heere entereth no Cananite, or profane person, but euerie Zach. 14. 20. 21. vessel shalbe cleane & holy, as bowles before the Altar &c Furthermore 2 Ch [...]on 4. 16. euē in the material temple there were ash-pannes & besoms, E [...]od. 38. 3. to sweep & carry out al dust & filth: And euen in euerie barn-flore the husbandman hath his flayle, his fanne, his syue, to tresh his wheat out of the eare, to purge yt from the chaffe, to seuer yt from darnel & tares &c. which labour if he should slack, he should haue no vse of his wheat, he should haue no cleane nor wholsome bread. And how much more shal our heauenlie husbandman purge his [...]. Cor. 10. 17. seed his wheat from such reprobate chaffe & giddy darnel, before he receaue them into one loafe, & set them at his heauenly table. They canot be a newe lump vnto him, except they be purged from [...] Cor. 5. 7. 8. the old leuen of maliciousnes & wickednes. The seruantes of God Ezra. 4. 3. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Nehem. 13. 23. 24. can neither build the Church, nor ioine in any spiritual actiō with the profane, nor with such counterfeit professors as the Samaritanes, nor with such bastardy false seede as that of MOAB & of ASHDOD Leuit. 19. 19. &c. There may be no misseline or seedes of diuers kinds sowē Exod. 19. 5. 6. in the Lordes [...]ield. The God of heauen and earth requireth vnto Mal. 2. 15. himself a holy seed, he will be sanctified of all that draw neere vnto He [...]. 12. 28. 29. him, for euen our God is a consuming fire. How then dare any admit Ezek. 4 4. 7. & [...]. those the Lord shutteth out of his Church? or how dare they [...]. 23. 28. mingle and ioyneth such reprobate knowen chaffe, cockle, tares & darnel with the Lordes wheate, wittingly and wittingly, which the Lord with fanne & syue purgeth, & seuereth, & casteth out of his barn-flore, much lesse receaueth not into his granarie.
But how far is their ignorant rash [...]es, or rather presumptuous boldnes proceeded? which not only receaue into & retaine in their Church & fellowship these heapes of the wicked & opē vnwor [...], euen all the profane multitude, & al sortes of people that are found within their territories and iurisdiction, without respect of person; but euen thrust them vpon Christ whether he will or no, and make [...] Cor. 6. him an high Priest & Prophet vnto them, administring vnto them and their seed the holy thinges of God; as baptisme, & the Lordes supper: Is not this to mingle heauen and earth, ligh & dark [...]? or [Page 23] [...]hat higher sacriledge can be committed? shal these places, thus 1 Pet. 2. 8. [...]rasted & falsified, hide & diminish their sinns? or rather not agra [...]ate 2 Pet. 3. 16. & make manifest their error & wickednes? By what sober con [...]truction, or almost cōmon sense, can this place Math. 3. be vnder [...]tood of the planted and rightly ordered Church of Christ? or how [...]ay such a Church be compared to a flore, where in a great heape [...]f chaffe, a few graines of wheate lie hid and buried? we read in the [...]criptures, that the righteous shall shine as starrs in the Church of God (yet I willingly acknowledge that there can in this life be no wheate so pure, which hath not both chaffe & branne &c.) but that [...]n an other sense; only I would know of these men that thus grossly [...]iken the Church of God, what difference we may put betwixt the [...]orld and their Church? In the world in deed the children of God [...]hal for a season be mingled & remayn amongst the profane & wicked, vntil the time of their visitation & calling; but after they haue once giuen obedience vnto the voice of Christ, then forget they & forsake their old conuersation & companie, & haue no longer fel [...]owship with the vnfruitful workes of darknes: but are renned in [...]ighteousnes & holines and true knowledg, after the image of him that called them out of darknes into his merueilous light &c.
But to couer & cure al this confusion & disorder, al this sacrilegious profanatiō & portsale of the holy thinges of God, & al other mischeifes & enormities amongst thē, as also to stop the mouthes, & to terrifie al such as find fault with, & reprooue these thinges or depart from amongst them, where the same are [...]ncurable & without redresse; these Balaamites, these crooked disciples of M r. CALVIN bring from him the examples of the Churches of Corinth, Galati [...] and A [...]ia, where were open wicked men; as the incestuous person, drunkardes, gluttons, extortioners wranglers, wrong-doers, prowd and ambitious persons, sectaries heretikes &c. as also sundrie abuses and corruptions in doctrine, and in the administration of the sacrament &c. yet they were by the iudgment of the holy Ghost notwithstanding al these sinners & sinnes, adiudged the holy churches of God, neither were the faithfull commanded to refraine their communion. Furthermore the Prophets and our sauiour CHRIST, at such time as the estate of the Iewes temple was wholy corrupted, forsooke not the Temple, but resorted and communicated with the wicked people, at their feastes and sacrifices; Yea when the pollution and contagion was generall and incurable, both in the people and priestes: bec [...]se (saith their Author) a godly conseience is not hurt by the vnworthines of any, either minister or people; nor yet their ministerie being the ordinance of GOD (as their ceremonies, sacrifices, and praier with them &c. the word and sacramentes with vs) defiled; but are pure & wholsome vnto the vpright and faithfull receauers, who may lift vp pure handes in a wicked [Page 24] assemblie, neither ought for the wickednes of mē to ref [...]se the holy ordinances of GOD; seing yt is only CHRISTES office to purge the ba [...]e-floore, & seuer the tares &c. and belōgeth to no priuate men to examine others, or the whole Church, so much as for euerie one 1 Cor. 11. 28. & [...] 1 Cor. 1 [...]. 29. to examine his owne self, & to see y t he be good wheat, least otherwi [...]e he eate vnto his owne iudgment. For the bread of the Lord, & the faithfull receauers therof, are not made worse with the sinnes of others: It is one thing in common bread and conuersation, to flee the companie of vvicked men; & an other thing for hatred of them, to forsake the fellowship of the Church.
These and such other poisoned blasphemous cauils they bring, to iustifie and vphold their confused babylonish synagogues and al the abhominations they cōmit in them. vvhich wind [...]haken figleaues, although I could in a word pluck frō them, & so lay their filthines naked; namly by shewing that there can be no comparison betwixt the Church of Christ, and their whorish idolatrous Church, which hath not one part of a true church, not one pinne, naile, nor hooke, according to the true patterne, or in due frame, and so could set this their Author (vpon whome they so much relie) most sharply against them; vvho in all these treatises is alwaies to be vnderstood of a Church rightly established and planted according to the Testamēt of Christ, with such ministers, such sacramentes, as there are apointed &c. thē which here amongst these his followers is nothing lesse, as shall not be hard to shew in due place. And therfore the Argumentes, drawē from the Churches of Corinth Galatia &c. euē by their Authors owne iudgment, nothing serue their turne, who are more like to DAN and BETHEL in the schismatical estate of the kingdome of Israel, remaining stil in that great defection of Antichrist fortold of &c. yet seing they haue taken the paines to fetch these Argumentes from ouer the sea, and so ernestly vrge them, let vs do them the fauour euen so far as we may with Christian patience, to giue them the hearing.
THEIR FIRST Argument seemeth to be this. THERE VVERE in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia &c. not only wicked persons, but also sundrie errors, abuses & corruptions in doctrine & administration: yet they were stil iudged [...]he Churches of God, and the faithful re [...]rained not their cōmunion, th [...]rfore we ought not to leaue these their assemblies, though the open wicked and many other enormities be there committed and suffered.
First (as hath beene noted) there is no comparison betweene these holy Churches of God, which were truly gathered, planted & ordered, and these their confused idolatrous assemblies. Then here must be obserued, that they in nothing can be compared vnto these C [...]urches, but in sinne & error; moreouer that the faultes of these Churches, which were but of ignorance and frailty, cannot be compared to the sinnes of these vnchristiā assemblies, which are in presumption [Page 25] & obstinacie disproued by others, confessed, & yet continued of themselues. Lastly here must be noted, how corruptly they vnderstand, & vnsufferably pervert those scriptures, where the apostle reprehendeth these sinnes in those churches &c. exhorteth the whole church to repentance, & to redresse the thinges amisse, & that with sundrie seuere and apostolike threats, vpon their [...]eglect or default therin.
But these mē take these places, where the sinnes of these churches are thus sharply reprehended & censured, and would iustifie therby, the receauing, reteining & nourishing al this profane rowt of people in the bosome of their churches: as [...]lso al the abhominatiō, idolatrie, opē & wilful breach of Gods lawes, setting vp their owne antichristian divises & pop [...]sh cannons in stead therof &c. & would from hence conclude yt, to be no more lawful for true Christians to remoue out of these assemblies in this estate, then yt was for the faithful in the churches of Corinth, Galatia &c. to forsake those churches, before their sinnes & errors were either reproved or cēsured. What more vnsufferable abuse of scriptnres can there be thē this, to take those examples which were written to terrifie, admodish, & stir vp all Churches & posterities to eschew, watch against, and r [...]dresse such sinnes & transgressions, to colour and cloke al sinne and iniquitie, yea to take away from al Christi [...]ns their libertie, & prower, either to reproue, censure, or refraine the same.
These churches (say they) were iudged & pronounced by the holy ghost, the churches of God, notwithstandi [...]g these hainous sinnes amongst them. Wel, what then? these and al other churches whiles they remaine in this life. shal commit sundrie & daily sinnes of ignorance, frailtie &c. therfore they may also commit presumtuous sinne, y [...]a remaine incorrigible & obstinate in their sinnes, and yet of vs be esteemed & reuerenced as the true churches of God: this they must proue, or els they say nothing: this, these examples of these churches prove not. For they cannot shew that euer t [...]ey de [...]pised the Apostles admonition, or refused to redresse the thinges they were blamed of: which if they should haue done, houw could they be esteemed the church of God, whiles they reiect the word, breake the law, despise correction, yea even Godes grace & mercie offred, by stopping their eares & hardening their heart, refusing to repent &c. What can the heathen doe more? nay wh [...]t doe they so much? for they sinne in their ignorance, these in the presumtion of their heart, & contempt. And now in this estate, what communion is to be held with them? what fellowship may the childrē of God haue with such reb [...]ls, apostataes. Can any glorious titles or name of a Church, hide or diminish these sinnes? or how rather can the name of a Church (without blasphemie vnto Christ) be giuen them in these sinnes? how can Christ be said to stand a King & Lord vnto them that breake & reiect his lawes, & set vp in stead therof their owne devises & invētions? or how can Christ [Page 26] said a sauiour vnto them that despise his grace and mercie offred, refuse to repent and turne from their euil waies. They then not being vnder Christes protection, nor in state of grace, while they continue obstinate in their sinne &c. I haue often wondered, how anye man of sound indgmēt, could giue them the name of a Church? or be so terrisied with this vaine & false title, that they durst not leaue the communion of those wicked assemblies & adulterous Churches, which haue broken the couenant, and forsaken the faith. God plighteth Exod. 19. 5. not his fauour and protection vnto vs, longer then we vowe our obedience, Leuit. 26. and keep our faith vnto him. At what time the most righteous Deut. 28. turneth from his righteonsnes and committeth iniquitie, and Ezek. 18. & 33. Ch [...]p. wil not be turned therefrom, all his former righteonsnes that he hath done shal not be mentioned, but in his transgression that he hath committed, in his sinne that he hath finned, in them he shal die. The same Iudge, by the same law, giueth the same sentence 2 Pe [...]. 2. 4. [...]. 6. for the same sinnes, against a whole Church, nation, world. Neither I [...]de 14. 15. is there cause why any of Gods seruantes should more doubt to censure, iudg, and auoid that Congregation, which reiecteth Godes word, presumptuously breaketh Godes lawes, despiseth his reproofe & mercie, as a wicked assembly, an adulterous Church; then to censure, iudge and auoid any particular member of the Church, fallen into the like degree and height of sinne, to be a withered vnfruitfull branch, to be cut off from the vine, to be throwen out of the vineyard.
But here they deceaue themselues and others, vvith certayne infallible markes of the Church, which they haue fantasied vnto themselues; namely that where the word of GOD is sincerely taught, and the sacramentes rightly administred, there vndoubtedly is still the true Church of CHRIST; although otherwise there be neuer so many mischeifes abounding, all the wicked receaued and reteined &c. no vse of the power of CHRIST among them, either to censure sinne, or cast out obstinate offendors. For this holy power to redresse faultes, they put aside by the name of DISCIPLINE. They call yt an accident, or hang-by, and make yt not a thing of necessitie: so that yt may be a Church without yt, though yt be to be desired &c. The vanitie and falshood of these doctrines partly apeareth, where I shewed that the preaching of the word maketh not a Church, except there be by the same a faithfull people gathered vnto CHRIST IESVS, ordered [...]nd gouerned by the rule of his word in all things, so far as shalbe reuealed vnto them &c: so that I need not here stand to refute the sam [...] ▪ only I would know of these great learned men, how yt is possible for the ministers of the Church, either to preach the word si [...]cerely, or administer the sacramentes rightly, where there is no regard had to the faithfull practise of the word, no care to redresse thinges amisse, no power to shut out or excommunicathe the vnworthy: Or how they can with all their learning, whiles they stand Pastors or teachers to [Page 27] such an vnbeleeuing profane people, or vnto such wick [...]d ones as hate Isa. 57. 2 [...]. to be rebuked and reformed of their sinnes, preach the word, exercise Ier [...]. 4. 4. praier, deliuer the sacramentes, blesse and dismisse the profane wicked Isa. 48. 22. people in the peace and fauour of God, without most high sacriledg Pro. 24. 24 & 17. 15. profanation of Godes name, casting the pretious bodie, and blood of CHRIST to hoggs & doggs, blessing Godes enimies &c. M [...]th. 7. 6.
But now i [...] yt be not possible to exercise any true ministerie, to haue any true vse of the vvord and sacramentes, to keep any holy Mar. 13. 34 35. 36. 37. communion or Christian order, without the diligent watch of euerie member, but cheefly of the rulers and Elders, to see the word of God 1 Thes. 5. 14 duly practised and obserued by all in their callings, to admonish all Ephes. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. offenders, to censure all errors and transgressions, to excommunicate the obstinate impenitent, by the power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which he hath giuen vnto his true Church vnto the worlds end, all which, these men couer and cast aside in the name of DISCIPLINE, without which watch and power, this practise cannot be had, without which power and practise, the word of God is made an idol, the 1 Cor. 4. 2 [...] sacramentes sacriledge vnto vs, and all thinges we do, odious and abhominable Titus 1. 6▪ vnto the Lord: with what common sense (to let passe their deep learning) can thes [...] great preachers say, that the Church of CHRIST may want this watch, care, power and practise; yea and that the word may be sincerely ta [...]ght, and the sacramentes duly administred, though there be open transgression, obstinate offendors still kept and held amongst them. Is yt not as much as if they said they knew n [...]ither what the Church, sacramentes, ministerie of the word, or Christian communion meant? For to what purpose is the word or the ministerie of the word, where true practise and obedience is denied? or which way [...]an the true minister of CHRIST administer the sacramentes [...]o a people in this estate? or the faithfull seruants of Christ, partake with such people in such sacramentes, without most heinous sacriledg and impietie.
WE MVST NOT (say they) forsake the Church, nor the ordinance of GOD, for the sinnes of any, either minister or people: for a godly conscience is not hurt with the sinnes of another, neither the ministerie or sacramentes therwith defiled. If they meane h [...]re by the Church, the assemblie and communion of God [...]s faithfull obedient seruantes, by Godes ordinance the vse of an holy ministerie of the sacramentes &c: I graunt t [...]at the Church, ministerie, and ordinances of CHRIST, are not to be left, or thought the worse of for the sinne of men, though all the world abuse them, though ANTICHRIST haue corrupted them neuer so much or long. But if they meane (as al th [...]ir reasoning importeth) by the Church & ordinanc [...]s of God, such wicked rebellious assemblies, as reiect the word of God, with an high hand breake his lawe, despise admonitiō, hate to be reformed, receaue & reteine the opē vnworthie, wicked, impenitent to their sacramentes, [Page 28] &c. I then denie these assemblies to be the true Churches of CHRIST; seing they haue broken the couenant, cast off CHRISTES yoke &c. As also I denie their sacramentes to be the ordinances of God, seing to them in this estate belong not the sacramētes & ministerie of Christ, but the curse and iudgmentes of God: And therfore they that leaue Heb. 10. 30 them for, & in their sinnes in this estate, do neither leaue the Church 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. of God, nor the ordinances of CHRIST, but rather fulful the cōmandement Re [...]el 18. 4 of God, & preserue the Church, in sauing their soules & bodies from such wicked & accursed assemblies, from such disobedient rebellious people, and from al the trumperies and deceites of the false Church &c.
But let vs a litle examine, what kind of doctrine these men draw from Mr. CALVINE, & spread abrode in their pulpites, & publike writinges. They hould that whatsoeuer Congregatiō keepeth an outward shew of the ministerie of the word & sacramentes, ceaseth not to be a Church, neither is to be left for any sinne in maners (as they call yt) whatsoeuer, though they willingly & presumptuously neglect & break the lawes of God, both in their worship and conuersation, and remaine incorrigible & obstinate in these transgressiōs: Now they teach, that neither for such sinnes God is so displeased with the congregatiō, that he herevpon withdraweth his fauor from them, or they [...]cease to be held & reuerenced of vs, as a Church: neither the publike actions of the said congregation, as their praiers, preaching, sacramentes &c. neither the cōmunicantes with this assemblie in these actions, are with & for these sinnes, defiled.
For (say they) a godly conscience is not defiled with the sinnes of an other.
What fleshly libertine hath or can breath forth more poisoned doctrines then these? more contrarie to the honour & whole word of God, from which yt at once taketh away al reuerence, obedience, & practise. What can be more popishly alledged for their Church, then to say, that yt can blesse these actions and persons, whome God in his word accurseth: or that the Church may cōmit such high sacriledge & presumptuous sinne, without the iudgment & punishment due to the same. Yf God haue made one & the same couenant from the beginning of the world with the whole Church, that he hath with euerie particular priuate mēber therof, & hath giuē no more libertie to the whole Church, then to any priuate man, to breake the least of his lawes: if God, for the transgression of his lawe, vnpartially iudgeth al, without respect of persons: if presumptuous sinne with obstinacie ioined thervnto, breaketh the couenant with God; insomuch as yt both breake [...]h Godes law, and despiseth Godes mercie & grace, & so depriueth them in that estate of any benefite of CHRISTES death: If they which in this maner breake Godes law & despise his grace, to be iudged of al men, as open wicked &c. If al the actiones of the wicked be accursed of God, & so much the more accursed and abhominable, by how much they take shew of holines, [Page 29] & profane Godes name & ordinances: Yf all they which partake in such actions, praiers, & sacrifices which are an abhomination vnto the Lord, be guilty of the altar, and vnder the same curse; how should those assemblies, which continue in presumptuous & obstinate sinne, be esteemed the true Churches of CHRIST; or any that administer vnto, or cōmunicate with them in this estate, in praiers, sacramentes &c. auoid the iudgment & curse of God, both for ioining vnto, & blessing the wicked, & for so high profanation of his name, & prostituting the holy mysteries of the [...]odie & blood of Christ, to such open vnworthy receiuers? Rightly then and directly to reason to the point. As many places of scripture as command Godes faithful seruantes, with al their forces & vttermostindeuor to obserue, practise, and obey vnto Godes holy word & euerie part therof, without any willing neglect or breach of the least cōmandement, to their knowledg: As many places as shew, that obstinate & presumptuous transgression breaketh the couenant: As many places as command vs to seek out and resort vnto the true Church of CHRIST, namely the cōmunion & fellowship of the saintes, Godes faithful obedient seruantes, there to present our soules and bodies, to be built & bestowed according to Gods wil, there together with thē to vvorship and serue our God &c: As many places as forbid vs all false Churches & assemblies, al spiritual fellowship & cōmunion with the wicked, or to repaire vnto, or ioine with thē in their praiers & worship &c. So many places forbid vs al spirituall fellowship & cōmunion vvith al assemblies in this estate, vvhat faire shewes soeuer they make vnto vs, or glorious titles they take vnto themselues: so many places euidently prooue, that if in this estate vve should communicate vvith them, vve should be guilty of their sinns, & partakers of their plagues. Which doctrines, because they are generally receaued of all, denied of none (though omitted and forgotten by many) and generally taught through the whole scriptures; I need not here stand to make any more particular proofe or demonstration of them. And so these being granted, all these doctrines of M r. CALVINE and his Disciples fall to the ground. Yet that the falshood of them may somwhat more appeare vnto all men; let vs draw a litle neerer vnto them, & consider of their maine proofes, and fundamental doctrines.
The publike actiones (say they) and ministerye of the Church, as praiers, sacramentes &c. neither the godly conscience of anye are defiled vvith the open sinnes of others, either of ministers or people &c. For vvhy, such publike actions are the ordinance of God, and cannot be defiled or made vnavaileable with the sinnes of men, neither are to be left for such sinnes: Therfore the holy Prophets and our Sauiour CHRIST himself, refrained not the Temple, at such times as the estate therof was vholy corrupted, but communicated with the wicked in their feastes and sacrifices, although the pollution and contagion was generall and incurable, both in the people and priestes: For the rest, euerie man is to eyamine himself and not othe [...]s, when he resorteth to [Page 30] the Church, or receiueth the communion of the bodie and blood of CHRIST: because he eateth to his owne damnation or saluation, & not to an other mans &c.
First, if the open sinne of the minister or people defile not the praiers & sacramentes by, & to them administred, why hath the Lord said, that [...]he sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination vnto him; that they might as well kil a man, as a bullock vnto him; that they might as wel [...]rou. 15. 8. offer a dog or swines blood, as sacrifice or burnt offering? why hath the Isa. 1. 13. & 66. 3. Lord said, that sacrifice without obedience, is not acceptable vnto him; that he will haue mercie & not sacrifice &c. Why hath the Lord beene Iere. 7. Hos. 6. 6. alwaies so ielous ouer his sanctuarie, and ouer them that come neere L [...]uit. 10. 3. vnto him? vvhy hath he made so many lawes for the place, Altar, sacrifice, Leuit. 21. & 22. Chap. priestes, people &c. that no priest with any apparant blemish, might offer the bread of the Lord, that no offring with any blemish might be accepted at the handes of any, that none vvith any pollution Leuit. 11. 12 13. 14. 15. Chap. Numb. 5. or vncleannes vpon him, might touch the tabernacle, that no heathen or profane person vvhich was not yet come vnto the faith, might tread in the courtes of the Lord, or any offring be accepted at their handes? vvhy hath the Lord said, that whatsoeuer the wick ed offer is vncleane, whatsoeuer the polluted touch is defiled? whether yt be the couch or seate they sit or lie vpon, or vessels they vse, whether yt be holy flesh, vvine or oile, yt is defiled &c. Now then, seing the Hagg. 2. 13. [...]4. vvhole scripture is so euident and plentifull in this point: That the open sinne of the Church, defileth all the actions of the Church, maketh them and their offrings abhominable vnto the Lord: seing no polluted person may either administer or offer vnto the Lord: seing no polluted person may either administer or offer vnto the Lord: seing vvhat [...]euer they touch, is also defiled and vncleane; how can this doctrine of M r. CALVINE and his wretched followers, stand? THAT THE OP [...] sinnes, either of the minister or people▪ defile not the publike actions, praiers sacramentes &c. of that Church, those ministers, people, sacrifices, they cannot deny to haue beene the ordinances of God also: Yet euen their holiest thinges were defiled and polluted, with the sinnes, and vncleannes of men.
Now to the other point: WHITHER a godly conscience can take no hurt, neither need make scruple to communicate with the open wicked priestes and people, in their praiers and sacramentes▪ because they are the ordinances of GOD, which are not to be left for the sinnes of men: I haue alreadie often denied their praier and sacramentes in this estate, to be the ordinance of God. My reasons are; the wicked haue nothing to doe to take the name of GOD in their mouthes, or to vse [...]. 50. 16. 17. that heauenly exercise and blessed benefit of the word and praier, because they make no conscience [...] breake Godes lawes, and remaine impenitent and hardned in their sinnes: then in this estate belong no sacramentes or ministerie vnto them, by the ordinance of GOD; vvho Math. 26. hath as well set downe what manner of minister and people shall deliuer Mar. 14. and receaue t [...]e sacramentes, as after what manner the sacramentes Luk. 22. [Page 31] shalbe deliuered. So that where such open wicked, impeni [...]t, and vnworthy ministers and people do administer or receaue the [...]ramentes, so contrarie vnto, and without regard of CHRISTES insti [...]ion, such sacramētes can no way be said the ordinances of CHRIT, [...]e blessed pledges of his bodie and blood &c: but rather, sure seales of 1 Cor. 11. 29 [...] wrath, euen to as many as so sacrilegiously profane his holy ordi [...]ce, 2 Cor. 13. and ioine together in that vngodly and accursed action, vntill [...]y repent. For, as in the holy symbole of the Lordes supper, the 1 Cor. 10. 17 [...]mmunicantes be made one bodie with CHRITS, and one anothers 1 Cor. 12. 13. [...]mbers in the same bodie; so are these bound together as a fagot, the same iudgmentes and wrath, in as much as they ioine together the same sinne, and sacriledg, and all become alike guilty, euen prin [...]als (as we speake in the law) in the action. Ho [...] then should any [...]re plead himself guiltles, when euē the action they commit & boast [...] is most heinous sacriledge. The matter will not in this case be shif [...]d off with saying, an other mans sinnes cannot preiudice or defile [...]em, seing they receiue with pure conscience &c. For though this [...]ctrine (as yt is here vsed) be most corrupt and false; yet here is now [...] need, that they should be charged with others sinnes, seing they in [...]is action are ioyned vnto, and become a like guilty with the worst, & [...]ust now beare the burden of their owne sinnes.
But is this doctrine so hard and strange to them? that one should be [...]lluted with the knowne and suffered sinnes of an other? Let them [...]ade in the lawe, whether he that touched but the garment of a pol [...]ed man or woman, much more of a leprous plaguy &c. was defiled [...]erby. If this were but by outward and bodily touching; how much [...]ore is that spirituall leprosie, that GANGREN [...], these running is [...]es and plaguy sores of sinne infectious and deadly contagious, espe [...]lly in so neere commixture, as that spiritual communion of the [...]ule? If the word of GOD will not preuaile, let common sense and ex [...]rience perswade this. Yea so spreading is this malady of sinne, as [...]ing discouered in any one part of the body, if yt be not with al speed [...]red or cut off, yt becommeth a like dangerous to the whole bodie; [...]ey all now, by this their negliglence and tolleration, becomming a [...]e guiltie &c. How many stories haue we in the scriptures to con [...]me his? not only in particular, as betwixt ELY and his sonnes (for [...]l vvhose vvickednes he vvas blamed, in that he did not represse [...]d chastice, but only reprooue their sinnes) but more generally. Iosh. 7. Numb. 25. [...]as not the vvhole Congregation smitten, for that ACHAN his sinne [...]y hidden and vnpunished amongst them? was not all the Congrega [...]on punished for the sinne of some in mount PEOR? was not the like [...]ared Iosh. 22. Doth not the Apostle say, that a litle leauen leaue [...]th the whole lumpe? and that their reioicing was not good whiles Exod. 12. [...]ey kept the wicked man amongest them? Doth he not proue yt by 1 Cor. 5. 6. 7. 8. [...]any reasons? that as by the lawe, the feast of the Passouer was to be [Page 32] kept with vnleavened bread, & that person that ate or reserved leavē, was to be cut off from the Congregation: so much more ought we to see, that there be no leavened or infectious person amongst vs; that Leutt. 20. 4 no root of bitternes spring vp, least many therby be defiled &c. Doth Deut. 29. 18. 19. 20. not the Apostle (to take away al controversie) shew by this similitude of leaven, that not only sinne, but even the sinner is to be removed, Heb. 12. 15. both out of the feast (which belongeth not vnto such, neither is to be Iude. 12. kept whith such) least Godes wrath for the breach of his law, in keeping the continual feast of our heav [...]nly passover Christ Iesus, burne forth against the whole house, that is, the whole Church; & also that such sinne & sinners be removed out of the Church, least the whole lump be leavened therby; which we see how sodainly yt is done: For (as the wise man saieth) One dead flie causeth the ointmentes of the Eccle. 10. 1. Apotecarie to stinke. Now then, how cā these mē say, that the sinnes, yea the many obstinate sinnes, either of ministers or people, do neither defile the publike actions of the church, neither the conscience of the godly receauers &c: where (as hath beene by many reasons proved) the verie action they so incommend, is no less [...] then most heinous & impious sacriledge. So then, vntil they can proue yt lawful, & no sacriledge, either for that obstinate and open wicked, to administer & receaue the sacramentes, & also for the godly to communicate in such sacramentes with them; vntil they ca proue these sacramētes, thus administred & receaved, to be blessed of God; vntil they can proue that two divers, yea contrary sortes of people, namly the open wicked, & the godly, such as despise, & such as feare God, may be admitted vnto, yea vnited in the sacramentes: these doctrinis of theirs cannot stand. But see into what straites & absurdities they fall, whith goe about to tollerate or plead for the least sinne: yea see how the fu [...]ther they wade & striue herein, the further they intangle and ensnare themselves, falsifijng & perverting the scriptures, to the vpholding of their erroneous & corrupt doctrines.
FOR THEIR next shift to couller & hide their sacrilegd, is to hood, wink, & draw a vaile ouer the eies of the receaver. A PRIVATE M [...]N (say they) HATH not to meddle whith the publike actiones & affaires of the Church: which (if they be amisse) he is patiently to bea [...]e, & to mourne & grone with loue, vntil God either amend or correct them, whese office it is to roote out the tares &c: but he is not for the sinne of others to forsake the fellowship of the Church, which God will haue kept, by al that shalbe partakers of his kingdom. It sufficeth that eve [...]ie priuate man looke to himself, examin himself, when he eateth of that bread, and drinketh of that cup; least he eate vnto his owne iudgmēt & damnation. Heere the Apostle (saith their Author) willeth them, not to enter into the examinatiō of other men, neither saith that they shalbe iudged for other mens faultes, or that the t [...]ble of the Lord is to be left for the wicked, yea, or that the wicked for some one or fewe sinnes are to be left. In this case Charity is to iudg [Page 33] the best, & to thinke, that in so great an heape of chaffe, there lye many good graines of wheate, yea to perswade himfelf, that euē of those wicked, many do inwardly repent of their sinnes, although they haue [...]ot power to amend their liues: The best man of vs al is subiect to many sinnes; the sinnes of others cannot take away the vertu [...] of the ministerie, and of the holy mysteries, which are not to be left for the sinne of anie; but such wicked rather to be shunned and auoided, in commom bread and conversation: but the Sacramentes are NOT BEcause of them, to be refused. &c.
This and such like detestable stuffe, hath M r CALVINE in his igno [...]ance, partly to suppresse and confute that damnable sect of the Ana [...]aptistes; which fantastically dreame vnto thēselues a Church in this [...]ife without spot, and for euerie transgression that ariseth, are ready to [...]eaue & forsake the fellowship of the Church, without due & order [...]y reproofe &c. partly also is this stuffe brought, to defend his owne [...]ash & disorderly proceedinges at GENEVA, whiles he at the first dash made no scruple to receaue al the whole state, euen al the profane ig [...]orant people into the bozome of the Church, to administer the sa [...]ramentes vnto them: which confuse rowt, could not fit with Christes [...]eauenly gouerment, neither could yt by any meanes agree vnto thē [...]n this estate; but that monstrous disorders, and heinous enormities daily insued therof: wherby this their Church became a iust reproch [...]o all men▪ euen to these wicked here [...]ikes &c. yea, that which is [...]orse, and more to be lamented, yt became a miserable president, [...]nd pernitious example, euen vnto all Europe, to fall into the like [...]ransgression: as the confused estate of all those regions (where the [...]ospel is t [...]us disorderly taught) declareth. In which sorowful spec [...]acle, we may liuely behold what the wisdome of the most learned [...]s, where they swerue neuer so litle from the heauenly wisdō of God, [...]nd what the most glorious and sure buildinges of man are, when [...]hey are not wholy layd vpon that firme rock and foundation of Godes word. We may heere also cleerly see, what yt is to receaue [...]ur Faith by tradition, to fetch the rules of our actiones from the [...]xamples and practise of men, and not from the pure word of [...]od: [...]or behold how these wretched disciples of CALVIN, three fold more corrupted and peruerted then he (who as yt is to be thought would neuer haue opened his mouth against so cleare truth, being [...]rought vnto him) oppose with mayne force and bitternes these his writinges, against the manifest truth of God; yea & contend more for [...] crooked practise of thē (as their suting to parliamentes for this re [...]ormation) declareth, [...] for that holy perfect patterne of Christes Testament; to the vpright practise wherof, they wil at no hand be [...]rought.
But let me returne againe to these doctrines of M r. CALVINE, [...]rom which (by reason of these circumstances) I was a litle digressed. [...] haue already often, and I hope▪ sufficiently shewed▪ how corruptly [Page 34] M •. CALVINE thought of the Church, or rather how ignorant he was therof, by these his odious simileas and comparisons. I haue shewed, that into the Church of CHRIST, al must enter by the dore, & open profession of the true faith, and by the same faith & obedience stand ther [...]: how no [...]rofane or wicked person may be receiued or reteined into that fellow [...]hip. I haue shewed that the ministerie and sacramentes of CHRIST belong not vnto this people or Cong [...]egation, and how such sacramentes and ministerie a [...]e sacrilegious and vngodly, yea pernitious and damnable to the whole Congregation and all the communicantes, vnlesse they repent and redresse these faultes. I haue shewed touching his markes of the Church, that whersoeuer the word is soundly taught, there is not by and by a Church; but only vvhere a faithful people are gathered by the same word vnto CHRIST; submitting themselues in all thinges to be ordered, ruled and gou [...]ned by his word, as yt shall from faith to faith be reuealed vnto them. Which people, thus gathered, and leading their liues [...]ogether, are to be esteemed an holy Church, and haue power both to receaue into, and cast out of their fellowship &c. although they haue as yet obteined to haue neither a ministerie nor sacramentes among them: alwaies pro [...]ided, that this be not by any default or negligence in them, they alwaies being ready (as GOD administreth men & meanes) to procced vnto that holy order, commanded in the word: wherby apeareth, that the Church vpon some occasions, may be without sacramentes; and that they are not a perpetual marke of the Church, [...]. 5. so of necessitie, that yt should be no Church, if vpon some occasions, yt be for a season without them. I haue also shewed, that without this holy power of CHRIST, to censure and red [...]esse faultes and offendors, there can be no Church, no ministerie, no communion; that the word without practise is an idol; praiers and sacramentes deliuered in obstinate sinne, are abhomination and sacriledge in Gods sight; and that yt is vnpossible to haue the word sincerely taught, and the sacramentes purely administred, where [...]ny open sinne or sinner is maintained, or reteined: vvhich must needes be, where the carefull watch against sinne, and power to reforme defaultes is neglected, or left. I haue shewed, that the whole Church hath no power to dispence with the breach of the least commandement, and that such obstinate sinne in the whole Church, breaketh the couenant with God, and maketh yt cease to be a Church, or to be in Gods fauor, vntill they repent. I haue shewed, that al their praiers in this estate are accursed of God, and also all such as participate with them in the same. I haue shewed, that the knowne and fuffered sinne of any one member, is contagious vnto all such as communicate with him in that estate, and maketh them all which communicate in praiers & sacramentes with such an obstinate offendor, as guiltie in Gods sight, as he himself is. I haue shewed, Exod. 23. 2. that no faithfull man ought, by any Congregation of men or Angels, [...]al. 1. 8. [...]e drawen into the least knowne transg [...]ession of Gods law &c. Which [Page 35] doctrines, although they suffice to [...]catter and disperse these smoky er [...]ors of M r. CALVINE and his disciples, yet seing they haue so roiled the [...]ountaine, & (as yt were) darkned the sunne with these my [...]es & foggs; [...]t shall not be [...]misse [...]o discusse these pointes (which remaine) a litle [...]urther; and see what power eue [...]ie particular member of the Church [...]ath in the Church, and in the publike actions of the Church; and also [...]o see wherin, & how long they are to keepe communion; & for what, & when to leaue the same.
It is manifest, that all the members of the Church haue a like in [...]erest in CHRIST, in his word, in the faith; that they altogether make 1 Cor. 12. one bodie vnto him; that all the affaires of the Church belong to that Rom. 12. 6. & [...]. bodie together. All the actions of the Church, as praiers, censures, sacramentes, faith &c. be the actions of them all iointly, and of euerie one of them seuerally; although the bodie, vnto diuerse actions, vse such members as yt knoweth most fit to the same: Al the members are iointly bound vnto edification, & vnto all other helpes or seruice they may do vnto the whole: All are charged to watch, exhort, admonish, stir vp, reproue &c. and herevnto haue the power of our Lord IESVS, Ps [...]. 149. 6. &c. the keies of the kingdom of heauen, euen the word of the most high; therby to bind their rulers in chaines, and their nobles in fetters; therby to cast downe euerie strong hold & high thing, that is exal [...]ed aga [...]nst God; therby to defend and maintaine the faith, and euerie iode of the Mat. 18. 20 vvord, to stand fast in their libertie, to trie the spirites, to auoid such as Ma [...]. 16. 19. teach contrary doctrine, and consent not to the vvholsome vvo [...]des of 1 Ihon. 4. [...]. our Lord IESVS, or denie the power and practise therof, to admonish Rom. 16. 17. the greatest, euen ARCHIPPVS, to looke to his ministerie, and (if n [...]ed 1 Tim. 6. 3. &c. be) to plead vvith their mother &c. yea no further to follow her or an Angell of light, then they walke with God, and haue the word for 2 Tim. 3. 5. their vvarrant. Our communion must be in the faith, and not in error Col ss. 4. 17 or transgression; we are not to follow a multitude to do euill, but Hos. 2. 1. in all thinges to follow faith to the conseruation of our soules, and to 1 Ioh. [...]. 6. 7. grow vp into him which is our h [...]ad, CHRIST IESVS: vvhom [...], Heb. 10. 3 [...] vvhiles vve hold fast, and vvhose vvord, vvhiles vve h [...]ue for the thinges vve do, or refuse to doe, vve need not f [...]are the [...] of anie vaine men; neither be amazed at any vaine titles of Church, sacramentes &c. For this vve know, that there is no Church can excuse vs for the breach of Gods law, before that great Iudge. Now then, seeing eueri [...] member hath interest in the publike ac [...]ions of the Chu [...]ch, and together shall beare blame for the defaltes of the same; and seeing all our communion must be in the truth, and that vve are not to be drawen by a [...]ie into anie willinge or knowen transgression of Gods law; vvho can denie, but euerie particular member hath povver, yea and ought to examine the manner of administring the sacramentes, as also the estate, disorder, or transgressions of the whole Church, yea, and not to [Page 36] ioine in any knowen transgression with them, but rather to call them all to repentance &c. & if he find them obstinate & hardened in their sinne, rather to leaue their fellow [...]hip, then to partake with them in wickednes.
Neither doth the place 1 Cor. 11. 28. 29. THAT EVERIE one ought to examine himself &c. hinder either their Christian libertie, or publike dutie; for these rules are generall, the wordes are general & alike giuen to euerie member, and vnto all the members of the Church, without respect or exception of any, either Pastor or others. So that by this reason▪ neither Pastor nor any, were to look vnto the life, conuersation, & estate of an other: neither can these rules or wordes any way be restrained to one, more then an other; much lesse may such corrupt doctrines; and false conclusions be drawen from them: THAT BECAVSE euerie mā is to examine himself, therfore no man is to looke to an other. Euerie man eateth either to his owne saluation or damnation; therfore the open sinnes of minister or people, do neither hurt the sacramentes there administred, nor the godly conscience of the receiuers. What sense or sequele is in these reasons? what can be deuised more false or foolish? because euerie one is to looke to his owne priuate estate, therfore no man may meddle with an other mans, [...] with the publike estate. Were he not as foolish that could be led or caried wi [...]h these reasons, as they that made them?
But being granted them, what kind of Church? what communion? what duty? what law or feare of God, would there remaine? If the second we [...]e granted; that the open, yea the obstinate sinnes of others, do hurt neither the sacrament, nor godly receiuers; what doth yt then skil who they be that administer, or rec [...]aue thē, or where they be administred, whether in the popish or turkish assemblies: A godly man (as they count him) may resort to what idolatrous or sacrilegious assemblies he will; so he in his heart go to worship God, yt skilleth not what outward sinn there be cōmitted, or he ioineth vnto, that hurteth him nothing. What blasphemous hellish doctrines are these? which take away at once the whole Testament of Christ, and word of God, or tollerate the open breach of them? which take away all Christian libertie, dutie, & communion. May we ioine to open sacriledge, & most heinous profanation of Godes ordinances, & that with the open wicked & impenite [...]t, and not be guiltie? Call they this to examine our selu [...]s? or to eate to our owne saluation? they make a faire interpretation of, and collection from these places.
But might yt not better be comprised within the examination of our selues, to examine & looke how we dischardge both our publike and priuate duties towardes God and our brethren &c. which, how can I thinke I any way discharge vnto them, that suffer my brethre [...], euen before my face wittingly & willingly, [...]o runne headlong into assured destruction, to eate their bane & damnation, yea & giue consent thervnto. O what a cruel and vnme [...]ciful part were this? Call they this to [Page 37] [...]eepe the vnitie of the Church? not to breake the fellowship &c. In [...]eed they say true; In thus doing in this cōmunion I should not break [...]e fellowship, but euen for companie goe to hell with them. For (as [...]e Apostle saith) we which are manie make one bodie & one bread, [...]ecause we are together partakers of one bread.
But ô how much better should we prouide both for them and our [...]lues, to examine wel, & declare vnto them what this action is, & how [...]ur sauiour CHRIST hath not only instituted after what maner yt is to [...]e deliuered & receiued, but also who should deliuer & receaue yt: & [...]o shew them, how in this estate they remaining impenitent and obsti [...]ate, there belong no sacramentes or blessing vnto them, but rather a [...]arful looking for of iudgment, seing they both breake GODES lawes, [...] despise GODES grace: & therfore the sacramentes seale vnto them, [...]nd vnto as many as either deliuer the same vnto them, or participate [...]ith them in the same, the assured wrath of God; both for that they [...]lesse & ioine vnto the wicked, & so become guiltie of all their sinnes [...]ogether with them: & also cōmit most heinous sacriledge, in breaking [...]he institution of CHRIST, in deliuering the sacramentes (as they preend) vnto the open vnworthy, & ioining together with them therin. I [...]ope they are not so grosly popish, to suppose that the sacrame [...]t can [...]nctifie the vnworthy receauers, & giuers: that in deed were no smal [...]iracle, that yt should do more then CHRIST doth (whome yt repre [...]nteth) especially where the institution is so wilfully & impiously bro [...]en, as with them; where yt is deliuered to the open vnworthy, who as the Prophet saith) defile that holy thi [...]g whatsoeuer they touch.
But say they, Charitie must thinke & iudge the best; yt must think, [...]at in this heape of chaffe are many graines of wheat. Well yt doth [...]ink so; what of this? can those graines either iustifie this sacriledge, [...] set a loafe of filthie chaffe vpō the Lordes holy table, or sanctifie the [...]icked, this heape of chaffe &c. Surely, well ought charitie to border [...] yt self within the compace of sobrietie, and not peremptorily to [...]dge or determine of any, who belong to Godes election, and who be [...]probates (which God hath kept secret to himself) vnlesse they see [...]ese damnable signes of the sinne against the holy Ghost, vpon them: 1 I [...]on. 5. 1 [...] et cannot charity iudge or pronounce any to be graines of wheate, [...]hiles they lie together hidden & vnseperated from this filthy chaffe, [...]ese apparant wicked & wickednes; for charitie must be directed and [...]dged by faith, & faith by the word of God.
But charitie ought to iudge (say they) that euen the worst, when the [...] [...]ome to that [...]able, are inwardly sory, & secretly repent. But doth cha [...]itie see this sorrow & repentance? if not, how should yt iudge, & per [...]wade yt self it is so? yea, and presume thervpon to communicate with hem, & receaue them vnto the table of the Lord? Charitie had need [...]aue a good ground in these high matters, & not walke by rote, least yt [...]estroy both thē & yt self: Charitie may not breake Godes law [...]s: their [...]innes are seene, known [...] & publike, their repentance must be answerable, [Page 38] secret repentance suffiseth not the church for open sinne; they must see and witnesse the repentance, or els they must proceed without delay to excommunication. Charitie for no respect, can either linger, lighten, or take away Gods iudgmentes. It alwaies, euen in all causes saith: RIGHT and true are thy i [...]dgmentes, King of Saintes. The iudgmentes of the Church & of al the faithful, are the iudgmentes of the Lord, which must be vprightly (without al ea [...]thly affection or inclination any way) executed, least Gods wrath burne likewise against them, as we haue plentiful examples in the scriptures. How then say these blind guides, that the faithful ought not to meddle with the iudging of the wicked in the church? It is only Gods office to root out the tares. Their final iudgment, we with al humblenes re [...]it vnto the Lord, the Iudge of al. Their temporal iudgmentes the Lord hath cō mitted Deu [...]. 29. 29. to his Church, & to euerie member of his Church, who are to pronounce vpon them the iudgmentes that are written, and euerie Deut. 17. 7. member of the Congregatiō throw vpon them the stone of his iudgment and consent. Therfore hath the Lord raised vp the thrones of DAVID in his Church; and set his Saintes vpon seates round about his Throne.
Yet for al this, the beginning and end of their song is: THAT the Church and table of the Lord, is not to be forsaken and left, because of the wicked. True, for the wicked are to be chased and driuē from thence, where none may enter or stand, without his seene wedding Math. 22. 12. garment vpon him. But (as I haue beene often driuen to say) they that abandon these wicked peruerted assemblies, which will not be withdraw [...]n from their sinnes, but remayne hardned and obstinate, leaue not the Church or Table of God, but preserue the Church and Table of God. They make not the schisme which keep the faith, but [...]eb. 10. 39 they that forsake the faith: yea & the faithful, thus seperate, ought not for the sinnes of these or any, to neglect or intermit these holy exercises of the Church, but to inde [...]or to haue [...]hem in al holy and pure maner, according vnto Christes ordinance &c.
THE last shift & help they haue for receauing the prophane & wicked to the sacramentes is: that we ought to detest & abhor their conversation in common bread, because that is in their power & wil; but not for their sakes to refuse the sacramentes, because that is not in their wil. What can be more grosse & foolish? know these men what belongeth to the communion of Saintes? Is it in our power to refuse Heb. 10. 25 him in conuersatiō, to whome we ioine in the faith, & in communiō ▪ Or may I abhor & driue him frō my table, whome our Sauiour Christ receaueth & admitteth to his table? Am I or my table holier then he or his? What a pharisaical pride were this? euē the same they exercised vnto the publicanes: where is now this charitie they erwhile spake of? Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes & wantes; let not him that [...]. [...]et. 4. 8. is strōg despise them that are weake, but receaue them vnto him &c. R [...]m. 14. 1. instructing them with meeknes, bearing their burden &c. May they [Page 39] [...]en despise & abhor any that is held a brother, or auoid his companie [...]fore he be excommunicate, or haue forsaken the faith, & remaine [...]rdned or impeni [...]ent &c. what a preposterous dealing is this, to re [...]aue the wicked vnto the Lordes Table, & to driue them from their [...]ne table. This is cleane contrary to the Apostles doctrine, which 1 Cor. 5. 11. 12. 13. [...]ace M r. CALVINE thought to escape and put away with this botche. [...] there teacheth, that i [...] any which is called a brother, be a fornica [...], or cōuetous, or a railer &c. such one is both to be purged as leauen [...] of the lampe, and also e [...]chued in ciuil meates: But such prophane [...] wicked, which haue not yet imbraced the faith, such are to be kept [...] of the Church, and from the Table of the Lord, though otherwise [...] are not so to abhortheir ciuil conuersation, seeing we may haue so [...]any occasions thervnro, whiles we remayne in this world. Whether [...] [...]hall vve beleeue M r. CALVINE or the Apostle, they being so di [...]ctly co [...]trarie. For the other point of forsaking the Table of the [...]rd, I i [...]sist in that which is already said, still saying, they ought in [...]erie true Church to be kept from yt, especially vpon obstinacie, [...]ter admonition.
BVT YET M r. CALVINE thus giueth not ouer the matter, but indeuoreth to proue (that the godly may, & ought to cōmunicate with the open wicke [...], and yet shall not be defiled therby) by the examples of the Prophets, in the corrupt times before the captiuity; & of our sauiour CHRIST while he liued heere, who in the most corrupt times refrained not the sacrifices, prayers, or publike ministery of the Temple, for the wickednes either of priestes or people: but nauing regard to the vnitie of the Church, & vnto the ordinances of GOD, they held vp pure hands in a wicked assembly.
[...]irst I cannot perceaue that in all this M r. CALVINE hath proued [...]at the Prophets, or our Sauiour CHRIST, haue at any time ioined, [...]to, or with any vnlawfull or pulluted priestes or p [...]ople, such as by [...] law of God ought not to administer or offer in y • Temple: neither [...] to any vnlawful praiers or sacrifices, which ought not to be offered [...]ere. And so all these examples are to no purpose alledged, & make [...]thing for him. For we still, by the rules of CHRISTS Testament, hold [...] vtterly vnlawfull to receaue or reteine any profane or wicked per [...]n, to administer vnto, or cōmunicate with such in the sacramentes. [...] that all, & whosoeuer so doth, most heinously breake Gods law, & [...] all guiltie of high sacriledg &c. Into which manif [...]st wilfull trans [...]essions, neither the vaine titles of the Church, neither the false flag [...] the gospel & sacramentes, ought to draw or allure vs.
As for these times vnder th [...] law (wherof he speaketh) the worship [...] God then consisted in outward legall ceremonies concerning the [...]me, place, priestes, people, sacrifices, Altar &c. with prescript lawes [...] eu [...]rie thing: which outward ordinances, if they diligenrly kept [...] obserued, there was then no cause why such sacrifices should be left▪ [Page 40] insomuch as they were in that outward worshipp altogeather vnr [...] proueable. Other faultes of maners, except such as ou [...]wardly defiled the bodie, or were contrarie to the lawes of the Temple, as bastardy, whordome, idolatrie &c. the priestes or ecclesiastical estate then medled not with. They belonged to the ciuil magistrates, whose office yt was then, both to censure & punish such offendors accordi [...]g to the law. Whiles then the ecclesiasticall lawes which God in that estate apointed, were duly obserued, there was no cause why the Prophets or any should refraine that worship: yet were the Prophets (which were apointed of God to instru [...]t both the eccsesiastical & ciuil estate) to admonish and reproue the ciuil magistrates, and to cry out against them, & to denounce Gods iudgmentes against the one & the other, & to shew thē, that neither Temple nor sacrifice, neither fathers nor couenant could excuse or deliuer them frō the wrath & curse of God, whiles they continued in these sinnes, & deferred to repent.
But now vnder the gospel, where al things are become new & spiritual, Reuel. 21. 5. where CHRIST hath giuen vnto his Church, & vnto all his faithfull 2 Cor. 5. 17. seruantes his powe [...] & authoritie spiritually, to censure al manner of sinne & sinners; he hath giuen them his holy word, & made them all Kings & Priestes thervnto; he hath cōmanded them to watch, and Exod. 19. 6. diligently to take heed, that no profane or wicked impenitent person 1 Pet. 2. 5. be admitted vnto, or kept in his church: but diligently to watch both without & within, that the one sort be kept out, the other cast out of his Church. The legal pollutions, leprosies, vlcers running issues, infections, & vncleane diseases, for which then the people were seperated from the Temple & the Congregation; are now in this Church all maner knowen sinnes, obstinatly held & maintained, which are far more infectious & contagious vnto the soules of the whole Church, then those filthy diseases were vnto the bodie. Neither is the Lord Heb. 12. 15. our God lesse ielous, or will be lesse offended, for keeping such in his Church, & admitting them vnto his table now, then he was in those daies, when the leprous, plaguy, or polluted were kept in the Congregation, & admitted to the altar: especially seing he hath now giuen as great charge, as prescript lawes, both whome, when, and how to cast out, as he did then. So that, as abhominable should our worship and offring now be vnto the Lord, & all we in as great blame: (seing vnto all his seruantes this charge, this watch, this power, these lawes are giuen) as they in the former times, for the transgressions aforesaid.
But now peraduenture, these disciples of M r. CALVINE will from their maisters mouth affirme (for so in deed his wordes and writings apparantly import, els as we hauē shewed these examples are brought to no purpose) that the Prophetes & our sauiour Christ, in those most sinful times, where al estates & persons were throughly & wholy corrupt, al the lawes of God, both concerning the Church and common welth, the worship of God & ciual conuersation boldly broken by al, without any regard or cōscience: that yet in these times the Prophets [Page 41] and our Sauiour CHRIT cōmunicated with these priest [...]s & people in these sinnes, and were not defiled with their sinnes, but held vp pure handes amongst them. Before I shew the m [...]nifest vntruth, the pestilent errors & vnsufferable blasphemie of these doctrines, I demaund of them how they proue, that the Prophets and our Sauiour CHRIT communicated in these times with these priestes & people thus defiled and corrupted, thus openly breaking Gods lawes & ordinances, both concerning his worship in the Temple, & the gouernment of the commō welth. I see no proof alledged, except yt be this: they built not other Churches, they erected not other Altars where they might haue their seueral sacrifices. What of all this? They built not other Temples & Altars, therfore they cōmunicated with the abhominatiōs in the Temple; they had no priuate sacrifices, therfore they resorted vnto the pollu [...]ed and corrupt sacrifices, vsed at these times in the Temple: Are these [...]heir best reasons? that because they did not one sinne, therfore they did [...]n other: Can these men find no meane course? What if the Prophets in these times did neither of both? shall not the ignorance, falshood & boldnes of these men then apeare, which thus slander the Prophetes, [...]alsifie & peruert the scriptures, to maintaine these damnable errors, & wicked dealinge. The first they themselues confesse & alledge: the sec [...]nd (though they bring no one place of scripture to approue) I thus by euident testimonies, both of the stories & of the Prophetts them [...]elues, disproue. In the time of King ACHAS, when the Lords brazen 2 King. 16▪ Altar was remoued & set aside, a new Altar, after the forme of that at Ezek. 44. Damascus was brought in, and vsed in the place of the other. The priestes that serued thervnto, offred also vpon other Altars which were set vp by that wicked King to other Goddes &c. Likewise in the time of MANASSES & AMON, when Altars, groues, & high places were built [...] Chron. 3 [...] vnto Idols, the priestes attended them, & other Altars (which the Lord 2 Chron. [...]6 had forbidden) brought in & set vp in the courtes of the Lord. In the times of IEHOACHAS, IEHOIAKIM & ZEDEKYAH, when the Idoll of indignatiō was againe set vp in the vtter court of the people, in the next court of the Leuites were painted vpon the wall the s [...]ilitude of all creeping and abhominable things, as also all the Idols of the house of Israel, & the 70 antientes burning incense vnto thē: yea where the womē woue hangings for the Egiptiā Goddes, & mourned for TAMMVZ: yea yet neerer the presence of the Lord, in the court of the priests, euen at the verie dore of Temple of God, they turned their backes vpō God, & with their faces towardes the east worshipped the Sunne. I would here demand of the learned [...]t of these priestes, whether they thinke that in these times the Prophets communicated with these priestes? or how they can proue yt?
The contrarie is to be proued, both by the lawes of God, which forbad them to touch any polluted thing, especially to keep themselues vndefiled with the filthines of idols &c. & also in the stories of Hezekiah, and Iosiah; Hezekiah in the beginning of his raigne, finding all [Page 42] thinges thus defiled & corrupted, c [...]lled such godly Priests & Leuites, as h [...]d in his Fathers time refrained [...]he [...], & left off to administ [...]r, & exho [...]teth them to loke & address [...] thēselues vnto their charge which was cōmitted v [...]to them by the Lord, to sanctifie themselues, to purge the Temple, and cast out the abhominations his Father had brought in &c. which we reade by thē to be done, & the whole house & land purged by solemne sacrifice: And after that, the feastes which had before bene intermitted, were againe renued & orderly kept. Iofi [...]h also, af [...]er he had purged the Temple, cast out & defaced the idols, placed & restored th [...] priestes & Leuites in their due orders, strook & renued a couenant with the Lord, summoneth the Priestes, Leuites, & people againe to the due keeping o [...] the feastes cōmanded in the lawe. And 2. C [...]ron. 35. 3. (according to TREMELIVS his translation) he saith thus vnto them. But he saied vnto t [...]e Le [...]ites preparing the holy thinges of the Lord for all Israel, set, or put them before the holy Arke, in this house which SOLOMON the sonne of DAVID King of Israel hath built: It lieth no more vpon you a burden to be caried vpon your shoulder: now serue I [...]HOVAH your God & his people Israel. In which wordes he calleth the Priestes, Leuites, and people to the law and institution of God Deut. 12. 5. &c. [...]. 17. 3. &c. that now all their feastes and sacrifices ought to be brought and kept before the Lord in his Temple, orderly according to his law, & not as when the Ark might be remoued, to be kept in sundrie places, neither yet as in priuate houses, as in the time of the corruptios where the Lord bare with them, as if they had beene in Egipt in priuate houses.
Now for the third time of IOZIAH his successors, let the 9. Chapter of EZEKIEL be considered: where we findal iudg [...]d & damned to destruction, which were defiled with these abhominations; & only those m [...]rked by the Angel with the writers ynckhorne, & saued, which kept themselues pure from, & cried out against those abhominations: likewise his 16. & 23. Chapters, where the Lord pleadeth against them as against an harlot which had forsaken her husband, & left, yea murdered her children; and therfore that his faithful serua [...]tes should iudg them not as the Church of God (as the false Prophets then & now do) but as harlots & as murt herers &c. His whole Prophecie is plentifull in this Argument, [...]hewing all to be defiled and abhominable by these sinnes, & that the glory of the Lord vtterly abandoned both the Temple & the Citie. All the Prophets in all their writinges abundantly shew, th [...]t the faithfull refrained in these corrupt times, & infinite reafones might be drawen from thence, to prou [...] the same: but I hope, that [...]hich hath beene already alledged, sufficeth in this point. Now I would only know of these learned disputers, which bring these examples of the Prophets & our Sauiour Christ, [...]hinking therby fully to conclude the matter, and to driue the naile to the head: whether if they should haue cōmunicated with these wicked and defiled priestes and people, they should not also haue sinned, and beene polluted? If [Page 43] they deni [...] that yt had beene no sinne in them, and that they should not therby be defiled (as M r. CALVINE in his wriring [...]s doth) then I [...]ring the manifest lawes of GOD against them; where yt is written, that no polluted person might either administer, or offer in the [...]. This then being vnlawful for the priestes or people to doe, must [...]eeds also be vnlawfull in the Prophetts which w [...]re not ignorant of this law, to suffer or consent vnto &c. It is also written in their law, that whoso touched any vncleane thing or polluted person, was also defiled therby: yea what holy thing soeuer such polluted person touched, whether flesh or oile, was defiled and abhominable. How then can these men say, the Prophets willingly ioining to such open breach of the lawes and ordinances of the Temple, touching and mingling [...]hemselues with such vncle [...]ne and vnlawfull priestes, p [...]ople, [...]nd [...], were not both defiled herein, & transgressed Gods lawes?
If they say the Prophets communicated not in any vnlawful action, or with any polluted person, then to what end do they bring and vrge their examples, to draw vs to ioine with them in open and knowen [...]ransgression. Yf they say they communicated with the priestes that administred in the Temple in these corrupt times, then could yt not be, but both the priestes and they, must ne [...]des be defiled with the ido [...]atry and abhominations that there were set vp, as aboue is shewed. Now nothing can be a greater transgression, or mo [...]e filthy and con [...]agious defilement, then to ioyne to idolatry, or idolatours. Neither can any be a greater allowance of ioyning vnto th [...]m, then to make th [...]m our mouth or ministers vnto GOD, or together with such, to ioyne in any action concerning the worship of God. Thus then yt must needes be: that the Prophets (if they communicated or offred, by, or with such corrupt priestes and people) grieuously with them transgressed, and were together with them defiled, n [...]ither could they iudge or cry out against the sinnes of the time, when they th [...]mselues were alike guil [...]ie and partakers with them in these sinnes. With what conscience then or f [...]are of God, can they perswade vs to sinne, by the Prophetts examples? May they not as w [...]ll by the exam [...]les of the Patriarches DAVID &c. persw [...]de vs to inces [...], [...], murther? if yt we [...]e sinne in them, shal yt b [...] l [...]sse i [...] vs? ar [...] these [...] and examples well vsed or applied by them?
But how wil they now do [...], when euen that stone which they had set vs as a triumphant monument of their vic [...]orie, is rouled vpon their [...]ead, and shall g [...]ind them to dust, except th [...]y r [...]tire and repent. For whiles th [...]y affirme our Sauiour CHRIST to haue communicated with [...]he wicked polluted pri [...]stes & p [...]ople in feastes and their sacrifices, & [...]hat at such a time (saith their Author) as al estat [...]s were throughly cor [...]upt and desperatly incurable; how shal they in this case cleare him of grieuous sinne and pollution, or themselues rather of most accursed [...]nd vnsufferable blasphemy? Great corruption there was no doubt in [Page 44] the ciui [...] estate, by reason that the ciuil gouermēt was in the Gentile [...] ha [...]des, the prophane Romaines that knew not God; and therby also great slacknes & defaultes euen amongst the priestes & rulers of the Tēple, as apeared by the sectes & errors amongst them, by the many tr [...]ditions brought in, & y e great & more waighty things of the law, as mercy & iudgmēt, neglected. Great also was their blindnes, hardnes of heart & obstinacie, which not only did not acknowledg, but refused & murthered the Lord of life himself, that flourishing tree of all righteousnes, that innocent, in whome was found no sinne. Yet notwithstanding al this, I cānot find by the hystories of the Euāgelistes, but that the outward ordināces of the Temple were indifferetly well kept and obserued, especially about the time of Christes birth, when were found diuers godly priestes & holy, iust men & women, that administred & offred in the Temple.
To take all doubt & controuersie away, the holy Ghost recordeth, that all thinges about him, were done according to the law. We reade also that his parentes accustomably resorted vp to Ierusalem, at the [...]uke. 2. 39. feastes; which, they being godly, would not haue done, if they had not beene kept according to the law. So that heere was no apparant or lawful cause, to driue away the godly frō the Temple & sacrifices: neither any comparison betwixt the outward estate of the Temple, & the outward estate of those Congregations which receaue and admit the open wicked & vnworthy to the sacramētes, & wil not be admonished or redresse the same. But to come to our Sauiour Christes person: I reade not any where, that he communicated or offred with the priestes & p [...]ople in the Temple; neither bringeth M r. CALVINE, any proof therof, saue that he wēt vp vnto the feastes. But we reade not that he went vp to offer or communicate with them according to the law, but rather to teach & instruct them, & to call them to repentāce Ioh. 5. 16. 18. & amendment of life. We euerie where reade, how sharply he reproued both priestes & people; insomuch as they, euen at the beginning Ioh. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. chapte [...]s. of his ministerie, sought to kill him; which they would not haue done, if he had consented or communicated with thē. We reade not y t either he or his disciples, no nor Iohn the Baptist receaued or baptised any, but such as repēted & beleeued. We see, that neither he nor his disciples kept the traditions or customes of the Iewes, of washing, fasting &c. We see, that he receaued such as the Iewes had excommunicate, namely the blind man; & after their obstinacie was apparant, both seperated his disciples from them, & openly euerie where denounced against them. We reade againe, that they sought to kill him, because so many went from them after him. As for his going vp to their feastes, yt is apparant, that yt was not to offer and communicate with them, so much as to teach the people, there hauing the fittest oportunitie, and greatest concurse. He went not according to the order of the law, but sometime at the midfeast, somtime no [...] at all. We may see in that discoutse Ioh. 7. betwixt his kinsfolk & him, [Page 45] [...]oth by their speach, and his answere, that his custome was not to goe [...]o offer, so much as to teach. When he came there, he reproued and [...]eformed some things amisse, as the tables of the mony changers, and [...]hem that sold doues &c. In the great day of their feast of Taberna [...]les, he called them from their superstitious drawing water in their [...]ell of Siloam, vnto himself, that liuely spring of liuing waters &c. As for their feast of the Passouer, he kept yt not with them, but a part [...]y himself with his disciples, in a priuate place. To which reasous if we add the continual debate and hostilitie betwixt him, the priestes, [...]hariseis, & their proselites, and all sortes of ministers & rulers of the Tēple, with the maner of their reasoning, their spurning against him with enuie, he confuting their errors, & convincing their wickednes with power, yea iudging and condemning them for their wickednes, [...]bstinacie, crueltie, & cōtempt of God & his word, as in the 21. 22. & 23. chapters of Mathew apeare. By all which reasons & circumstāces, & many other that may be drawen out of the Euangelie, I thinke we may rather deeme, yea cōclude, that Christ did not cōmunicate with [...]hose wicked priestes and people at their feastes and sacrifices, rather [...]hen vpō M •. CALVINS bare report, to beleeue he did. But whether he did, or did not, yt were blasphemie to thinke or affirme, that he euer [...]oyned vnto them in any actiō, where they brake the least iode of his Fathers law: for then should he be with them guilty of transgressiō & sinne as is aboue proued; & then the mōstrous doctrines that would [...]nsue hereof, no christian eares can endure to heare. And sure their sinne is not much lesse, which goe about to draw such poisoned doc [...]rines & diuelish cōclusions frō him, to make him an author of sinn, [...]ea of most impious sacriledge and profanatiō of Gods name, and all maner headstrong wickednes & abhominatiō, which these w [...]etches would couller & tollerate, vnder his name & examples.
Thus hauing dispatched these foraine cauils, of these our English Romish priestes, not so much for their sakes (to whome by M r. CALVINS owne iudgmēt they apertaine not) as for the truthes sake, which [...]y such false & smoky reasons is grieuously obscured; yt is now high [...]me wee looke homeward vnto the present matter in hand: namly, by the rules of the word, to examine this their church of Englād. Which as we haue found to consist of al the prophane and wicked people of the land; all, without any choice or differēce, being alike receaued & nourished in the bozome of their Church &c. so if we by the rules of Christs Testamēt duly examine this their flanting ministerie, wherof their Church so boasteth; I doubt not but that we shal find them as counterfeit, prodigious, antichristian, and rightly fitting to this monstrous confuse bodie of the multitudes, this harlot, their Church sittet [...] on. Which ministerie to describe in their coullers, were a fitter Argument for a stage play, to bring forth these hypocrits out of their dennes, and to make them play their partes in the light; then for any sober & christiā discourse who abhor to raue in their vncleane cages [Page 46] & filthy kennels) yet that they may the sodainlyer apeare of what so [...] they are, & we the soner haue done with them: let vs first cōsider what maner of officers CHRIST hath apointed in the Church of God; then, how th [...]se ought to enter; then how to administer: and so briefly by these rules examine the ministerie of their Church of England.
The ministerie apointed vnto the gouernmēt & seruice of y e Church Philip. 1. 1. of CHRIST we find to be of two sortes, Elders & Dea [...]ons: the Elders, some 1 Tim. 3. of them, to giue attendance vnto the publike ministerie of the word & Ti [...]us 1. Rom. 12. 7 8. sacramētes, as the Pastor & Teacher: the other Elders together with them, Act. 6. 1. to giue attendance to the publike order & gouernmēt of the Church: Tim. 5. 17. the Deacons, to attend the gathering and distributing the goodes of the Act. 20. 28 Church. Now these Officers are first duly proued, examined, & compared 1 Thes. 5. 12. by, & to these rules set downe in the Testament of CHRIST, both 1 Cor. 12. 7. in apparant graces, by the manifestation of the spirit; as also in al vnreproueable 1 T [...]m. 3. conuersation, witnessed, & wel aproued vnto that flock, of Act. 6. Act. which they are chosen to serue & attend. This done with praier & fasting, they are chosen & ordenied in the same Congregatiō, by publike consent. They being thus chosen & ordeined by all, are now diligently 1 Cor. 4. 2. & faithsully to execute their office vnto all, not preiudicing the libertie 2 Cor. 10. 8. of any, [...]mbitiously assuming any inordinate authoritie, or abusing or Act. 20. neglecting their office, neither holding or executing yt, in regard or in 1 Pet. 5. 2. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 8. Ioh. 9. respect of person: but vprightly and indifferently performing yt vnto all men, as in the eies of God, whose word they purely and sin [...]erely teach, faithfully & precisely obserue, to their vttermost knowledg and [...] Cor. 11. [...]. power. If in any thing they transgresse or offend; they are, as well as Phil. 3. 17. any other members, liable to the censure of the Church: which is, to 1 Tim. 5. 21. &c. reproue, depose, or excommunicate them, according to the qualitie of the sinne, & estate of the offenders &c. 1 Tim. 5. 20 Col. 4. 17.
Now to come to the ministerie of the Church of England, which is 1 Thes. 5. 14 so manifold & diuers, as I know not how to begin to describe yt. But Rom. 16. 17. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. let yt first be diuided into these 3 sorts: 1. Reigning or Gouerning. 2 Seruing & 3 Collegiate. 1. Of the reigning & gouerning minifters, are Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops, Arch-Deacons, Chancellers, Commissaries, all of the 2 Tim. 3. 5. high Commission, as likewise such ciuil Doctors, Proctors, Registers, [...]itus 3. 10. Scribes, Pursuiuantes, Sumners as attend vpon their Court [...]s of faculties, prerogatiue, Archies, delegates &c. 2 Of the seruing sort, are Parsons, Vickars, Curates, hireling Lecturers, vagrant & mercenarie Preachers, house priestes, Chaplens, half-Priestes or catechisers, Churchwardens, sidemen, questmen, pa [...]ish Clarkes. 3 Of the ministerie col [...]egiate, are Lord Bishops, Deanes Sub-Deanes, Prebendaries, Canons, petie Chānons, Gospellers, Pistellers, Singing mē, Singing boies, Vergiers, Sextines. This diuisiō I suppose, wil wel neere suffice for their officers. But now, how to diuide or distinguish their offices, I know not; I am so vnlearned & ignorant of such great secrets, & high misteries. Neither yet haue I skil to [...]arshial thē in their degrees of honour, which (I haue heard say) they haue, both in the cōmon welth, & in their schooles; as [Page 47] [...]eir Primate, their Mettopolitane graces, their Palatine Lordbishops [...] their Baronny Lordships: al which I weene be Peeres of the realme, [...] estates of the Land. Now there are also certayne Doctors of diui [...]tie, & Bachelors of diuinitie, which haue many great priuileges & [...]ogatiues, of the cappe, the skatlet gowne, the hood, the habbite, the [...]pet &c. the ring, the chaire: the one of thē, being a Kinghts fellow, [...]e other an Esquires in any ground in England. Also how capable [...]ese are by statute of how many benefices, I cannot tell.
Neither haue I the cunning to deriue their genealogies and pede [...]ies, as they tooke beginning in the ages succeeding the Apostles, in [...]e first 4. or 500. yeres: only because I want that deep learning, I must [...]ntent my self to goe to that old book of Gods word. There in deed [...]emember Reuel. 9. that I read of a Sar that fell from heauen vnto the [...]rth, which had the key of the bottomles pyt giuen vnto him; who [...]hen he had opened that bottomles pyt, there arose the smoke of [...]e pyt, as the smoke of a great fornace, wherwith the Sunne and [...]e aire were darkned. Out of which smoke of the said pyt, I read, [...] at al these monstrous, armed, crowned, poisoned Locustes & Scor [...]ōns issued &c. Now as they tooke beginning with Antichris [...], vnder [...]eir king [...] Apolluon: so tooke they increase together with him. [...]or when Sathan had enthronized him, giuē him his high Cōmissiō, [...] made him his Lieftenāt general in earth &c. then these his Peeres [...] c [...]ptaines compassed about & guarded his throne, & did miracles [...]efore the Beast, deceauing with the effectual power of their errors, [...]l such as receaued the Beastes marke, or worshipped his image, and 2. Thess. 2. 9. &. [...]ried forth his image far an neere, and set yt vp in al places where his [...]rson could not be, & cōpelled al both smal & great, rich & poore, [...] receiue the Beastes mark & worship his image: this I read in the 13 [...]f the Reue. Now in the 16. Chapter of the said booke, after that y [...] vi [...]s of Gods wrathful iudgmētes had beene powred out vpō the earth, [...]ō the sea, vpō the riuers & fountaines ef waters, vpō the Sunne vpō [...]e Throne of the Beast, vpon their great riuer Euphrates; I read, that [...]ese vncleane spirites that came out of the mouth of that Dragon, [...]nd out of the mouth of that Beast, and out of the mouth of that false [...]rophet, [...]hich are y c spirites of Deuils, working miracles; should goe [...]rth vnto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather [...]em vnto the battel of that geat day of God almightie: yea and in [...]e 17. of the Reuelation, that they should cause these kings, those ten [...]ornes, to hate the whore, to make her desolate and naked, to burne [...]e whore with fire, euen that faire harlot, of whose cup they ha [...] [...]runke, and with whome they had cōmitted fo [...]ation so many [...]eares before? and to giue their kingdomes, power, and authoritie vn [...]o the Beast, vntil the wo [...]des of God be accōplished. In the 19. & 20. [...]hapters of this said booke, I read; that they, together with all the [...]ostes of these kings that thus make warre against y e Lāb, & beseege [...]e beloued Citie & the tētes of the Saintes round about, shalbe takē [Page 48] cast into a lake of fire & brymstone, & there to be tormented together with that Dragon, & that Beast, & that false Prophet, day and night for euermore. And loe, thus haue we brought these fellowes home againe, euen to the place where we found them. For out of the bottomles pyt they came, & into that fierie fornace they shal. Let them that list more curiously to search, inquire after them in their Cen [...]uaries and A [...]nalles: yt sufficeth me to know, that they came out of the bottomles pyt, that they belong not to CHRISTES kingdom, that they are strangers there, & haue there neither name, place, nor office. We find in the Church of CHRIST no mention of these rufflers, they are not members of his bodie, they are neither Pastors, Teachers, Elders nor Deacons: but eu [...] of late before our eies, these felf fame officers, Courtes, attendantes, euen from their Primate Arch-bishop to the parish priest, & so to the Sumner, administred vnto the whore of Rome, & had their originall frō the Apostatical seate of ANTICHRIST. How then should they thus sodenly become the members of CHRIST, yea rulers of his house whether he will or no? who not only thrust in their parsons by intrusion, but these monstrous offices, Courtes, & Cannons, neuer read of, neue [...] heard of in the Testament & Church of CHRIST.
For there we find no mention of any other Arch-bishop or Lor [...] Bishop, then that chief shepheard & Lord of life, CHRIST IESVS; vnto whome euerie knee ought to bowe, and euerie tongue confesse But these blasphemous Beastes, or rather heades of that Beast, are no [...] ashamed to arrogate vnto them CHRISTES names and titles, which a [...]e written vpon them as names of blasphemie, that the scripture migh [...] Reuel 13. be fulfilled: which titles & honors, they blasphemously would defend, Reuel. 17. 3. with this scripture, which is spoken of the office & person of the ciu [...] magistrate: I haue saied, ye a [...]e Goddes, & ye all are the children of the most high. Psa. 8 [...]. 6. although our Sauiour CHRIST hath expresly, with his owne mouth said to his Apostles (thē whome I am sure these are neither greater no [...] better). The Kinges of the Gentiles reigne ouer them, & they that beare rule ouer them a [...] Luk. 22. 24 called bountifull, but be ye not so: but let the greatest among you, be as the least, & [...] Io [...]. 13. 12. &c. chiefest, as he that serueth.
Now whē they cannot defend their pride & blasphemie by the word, (which glasse most liuely sheweth, euē to their owne eies & cōscience [...] the ouglines & heinousnes of their sinne) they then runne to their la [...] shote anker, to vphold their tottering states by the Princes donation. Which if yt were so, were but a weake defence for them, against the wrath & iudgment of God that condemneth them, & a mightie sinne (& yet no noueltie) for the Kings of the earth to giue their crownes vnto the Beast &c. But I would heere know of them, whether any Prince may lawfully giue that vnto thē, or they receaue that, which CHRIST hath denied them, yea & carefully auoided in his owne person, leauing them an example &c. & why by the donation of the Emperour CONSTANTINE, the Popes supremacie may not be as well iustified: then [...] would heere know, how they ca [...] auoide the crime of slandering the [Page 49] [...]rince, which lay this charge vpon her: which in deed is due to their [...]oly father the Pope, who whē he receiued of his father the diuel his [...]thoritie & great power, magnificently dealt these honorable titles [...] offices to these his natural sonnes proceeded frō his owne mouth [...] throne, many himdred yeres before Queene ELISABETH was born.
Now as we find their names & titles blasphemous, so if we looke [...]el into their offices, we shal find them no better. Of the ordinarie [...]tablished permanent offices, Pastour, Teacher, Elder, which are Act. 20. 2 [...] [...] ouersee, and administer vnto that flock, of which they are orderly 1 Pet. 5. 2. [...]osen &c. these are not; who some of them stādes a Primate or Pope Rom. 12. 7. [...] [...]to the whole land, some other a Metropolitane ouer half the land, [...]e least of these Anakims ouer many hundreth steeples, Churches [...]s they say) therfore they haue none of these ordinarie offices, which [...]nly now remaine. As for the extraordinarie offices of Apostles, Pro [...]etes, Ephe. 4. 11. Euangelistes, which God at the first vsed to the carijng forth [...]f his truth, the gathering together & setting in order of his Saintes [...] we find Ithem (Apostles I meane & Euāgelistes) altogether ceased, [...] now needles; insomuch as the foundatiō is already fully & soundly 1 Cor. 3. 10. 11. &c. [...]yde, as also al ordinances & orders which the Church is to receau [...], [...]pressly set downe & manifested in the Testamēt of Christ; to which 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. [...] Churches are now, for their directiō in al thinges, wholy r [...]ferred.
As for Prophets, their office was neither definite nor permanent, Act. 20. 32 [...]ut by peculier & extraordinarie reuelatiōs, according to some espe [...]al Act. 14. 23. occasions of the Church; wherof I suppose these men (who are so [...]notant of, & rebellious against the reuealed wil of God) haue fmal [...]ccasion to boast. But if their madnes should proceed so far, we leaue [...]eir discouerie & iudgment to the law of God, written Deut. 13. 1. &. Gal. 1. 1. [...]postles I suppose they are not; hauing neither any immediate cal [...]ng Act. 1. 24. from God vnto their Apostleship (vnles as they in their inscrip [...]on of their titles and stile doe write: IOHN by the permistion of God and [...]wer of the diuill Bishop of such a place) and so as the Apostle saith are 2 Cor. 11. 13. &c. [...]alse Apostles, laying not the true foundation, but a new [...], euen their holy father the Popes Cannons, and the deuilish in [...]unctions Gal. 2. 4. 5. & 6. Chap. of their blasphemous high Cōmission: whervpon & wher [...]y, their Church is built & ruled in all thinges. Now to their office 1 Cor. 4. 17. [...]f Euangelistes, they want their Apostolical sending, also their worke Phil. 2. 19. &c. 1 Thes. 3. 2. 1 Tim. 1 3. Titus 1. 5. [...]nd building declareth, that false Euangelistes & deceitful workmen [...]hey are, that keep not that true patterne, which the Apostles prac [...]ised & left to all the Churches; but according to their owne fancies [...]et vp & pluck downe, what & when yt pleaseth th [...]m, as all their ac [...]ions 1 T [...]m. 5. 21. declare, hauing no one pynne, naile, or hooke according to the 2 Tim. 1. 13. [...]rue patterne in CHRISTS Testament, or in right frame; which if I 2 Tim. 4. 5. [...] here indeuo [...]r in particular to declare, yt were to goe about to [...]mptie that foule sinke, euen the bottomles p [...]t, f [...]om whence they [...]ame: sufficeth vt heere to haue shewed their names, offic [...]s, authori [...]ie, not to be of God, neither to belong to CHRISTS Church. Therfore [Page 50] we need not be further inquisitiue, either of thei [...] callings or doings, seeing they belong not vnto vs, were yt not to cal them, or so many of them as belong to Gods election, vnto repentance, to leaue the [...] accursed trade and offices &c. as also to call such of the people, as belong to the kingdom of Christ, from their apostatical & antichristian throne.
What hath beene said of the names & offices of these magnificen [...] Prelates these great Lords; the same (for auoiding tedious repetition) is to be iudged of al the crue of their associates, assistantes, attendants inferior priestes & officers: of whose names or offices, we find no m [...] tiō in Ch [...]ists Testamēt, no vse or place in Christs church. yet because some of them make a fairer shew in the flesh, & vnder counterfai [...] shew of holines deceaue the simple, & leade▪, captiue many a stule; I wil leaue for a while these great peeres & mightie estates, with all their collegues & followers in their grosse wickednes, which is apparant and odious vnto all men, in whome is any sparck of light or grace; and wil now addresse my self to pul of the visardes of these disguised hypochrites, these rauening wolues which come to vs in sheepes clothing, vnder glorious and swelling titles of Pastors, Teachers, Preachers and Ministers of the gosp [...]l, men of great learning, of very holy life, and of great sinceri [...]ie, se [...]kers & [...]ighers fo [...] reformation, snch as abhor and cry out against the Bishops & thei [...] proceedinges, &c.
These Phariseis, these Sectaries are they, which mislead the people in [...]heir crooked and bye pathes os death, & wil neither lead the [...] nor suffer them to enter into the peaceable & strait waies of the Lord, bu [...] keep them alwaies learning, & neuer bring `them to the sight o [...] acknowledging of the truth &c. as when we come to examine thei [...] manner of theaching, shal appeare. In the meane while, let vs a litl [...] goe back againe (as yt were) that we may the more orderly proceed, and consider in a word or two, of these Rabbines persons, education, learning, training, wherby they are made fit to these great offices; then of the offices themselues, & of their calling & entrance therunto; last of al, of their administration, how they behaue themselues therin▪ And this, but by way of a summarie and most brief recital; ffor if [...] should stand to lay open their dealing at large, though yt were without either prouing or disprouing (for this in matters so mani [...]est need not) yt would make in yt self a most large discourse, and were a subiect too great for any m [...]ns capacitie to handle, to set downe the [...] monstrous transgre [...]siones & disorders in particular, much more in [...]heir heinousnes & indignity, which do euen fil the great flyng bok [...] of Gods cu [...]se, the Prophet speaketh of. But to giue you a blush of some of them, and to open you a way the better at your further leasure, by your further and more diligo [...]t [...]earch, to looke into thei [...] dealings; I wil (God so willing) of many, set you downe a few.
[Page 51]FIRST FOR their persons, we find them all generally the seed and [...]fspring of the vnbeleeuers, of men without the faith without the [...]hurch, of these confuse idolatrous multitudes aboue spoken of, & [...]s the vnchristian education of these ympes maketh manif [...]st; who, [...]uen from their cradles, a [...]e nourished in al maner of prophanenes, eathenisme, vaine & vngodly sciences & literature ostētation, pride, [...]ore then monkish (that I say not) Sodomitish idlenes, supersti [...]ō, idolatrie &c. This, their vngodly nurture in their cōmon scholes where they must learne the latine or greeke tongue from lasciuius Poets & heathenish philosophers) sheweth euidently. With this quor are their pitchers at the first seasoned: when they haue beene [...]ell nouseled in these, aud haue orderly passed to the highest forme; [...]en are they fit for one of the Vniuersities, where they being placed [...] some one Colledg (as they tearme them) or other, after they haue [...]eene solemnely Matriculate and sworne vpon the Proctors Booke to [...]eir mother the Vniuersatie, to cōceale and keepe close her secretes [...] mysteries, as also to be obedient to her statutes and orders; the [...] are they trained vp in Logick, Rhetorick, & Philosophy: which lear [...]ings they draw from Aristotle & Cice [...]o, and such like. There they [...]arne to reason and speake by art, by Sylogismes and Tropes; which [...]tes when they haue gottē (or at the least, spent some apointed time [...] the Vniuersites) then they commence Bachelors or Maisters of [...]. Now if they continue still with their mother, and giue their [...]inde to the studie of diuinitie (as they cal yt) which is as much to [...]y as the rearding of mens writinges, such as are best esteemed of in [...]ese times, with those feathers they flie, aud with those eies they see: [...]hich bookes being taken from them, they are as mute as fishes, as [...]ind as moles.
But when once they are growen skilful in this traditional diuini [...]e, that they dare vndertake vpō some moneths warning, to speake [...]n howre vpon some t [...]xt, and that they dare trust their memories [...] deliuer no worse stuffe then they haue read in the commentaries [...]nd common places of th [...]se Authors: then vpon a litle practise they row bould to set vp their bylles of chalenge vpon the schole dores, [...]at they purpose to dispute for their degree, and to maintaine [...]taine hard pointes of diuinitie, generally consented vnto, and reea [...]ed of all men: which questions as also the whole scriptures, [...]ust in these their schooles & disputations, be vnsufferably corrup [...]d, abused, wrested, peruerted, blasphemed according to the luste [...] [...]f these Philosophical & heathen disputers; which he [...]r must ha [...] le, diuide, vtter and discusse, according [...]o their vaine affected [...] Logick Rhetorick.
Wel when they haue thus performed their artes, either in Luce or [...], and that their solemne day of their commencement draw [...]h nee [...]e; there some worthy Chaplen or other, to winne the spurres, [...] a Deanry at the least when yt f [...]lleth, vndertaketh to d [...]fend Non▪ [Page 52] r [...]sidencie, or Pluralitie of be [...]efices; or some other, to confirme the faith of the Church of England, vndertaketh to defend, THAT the apostolicall discipline (as they tearme yt) or gouernmēt & order which is set downe in CHRISTES Test [...]ment for his Church vnto the worldes end, is no [...] perpetuall or of necessite; but may be altered according to the will of Princes, estates &c. & also that CHRIST descended into hell, during that time his body laye in the graue. These & such like damnable heresies and blasphemies, are confirmed in the eies of the whole land, who resort thi [...]her to see this stage play, where the fencers fight bootie, the persons that shall dispute being purposely apointed, the time set how long they shall dispute; the dogs being to be puld off, either by masse vicechancellor or M r. PROCTOR, as the arguments by any thing strong or the disputers distressed. Now here must also be considered, that al these prizes are plaied in latine, that the learning may the more, and their folly the lesse appeare, least euen the common people should hisse them of the stage, if they spake english. But why doe I thus reueale their mother OSYRIS secretes: some of them will say I am an vnnatural child, an ill bird &c. when I come there mine intertainement shalbe accordingly for this geare. Well I am content heere to cease, yt neither being my purpose, nor to the purpose heere, to set downe all their magical ceremonial rites, vsed & due vnto such seueral degree &c.
To returne therfore againe to these our commenced diuines, who when they haue once gotten this degree vpō them, there is now neue [...] a benefice in a shire, but if yt be ready for them, they are fit for yt▪ There is now no question to be made before any ordinarie in England of their learning. They need not now be posed by the doctors, by masse chancelor or masse Cōmissarie, how many s [...]nes Noah had, or whether they can reade distinctly the homilies, Iniunctions and seruice booke; all this they could do whiles they were bible clarkes & fellowes in the Colledge; euerie morning next their he [...]rtes they said ouer this geare: Neither shal they be inioined to conne certayne chapters of the Testament without booke, their hood and tippet shewe [...]h they haue learning inough; and together with their mother the vniuersities licence to preach, excuseth them of all this stirre, which other poore priestes do passe, but vnto them yt could not, without the dishonour of the vniuersitie & shame of their degree, be offred. They therfore now (if before this time they haue not had the ful order of priest-hood) easily ob [...]eine yt without any difficultie. Only they must now kneel [...] downe at their holy Father the Bishops fe [...]t, who solemnely sitting in a chaire, layeth his Simoniacal handes vpon him, deliuereth him the b [...] ble into his handes, breath [...]th vpō him, & gi [...]eth, or rather selleth him his vnholy ghost, as he shal know by the price of his boxe & writinges, ere he goe. I had like to haue forgotten the cheese matter of al (without which yt could haue beene no bargaine) namely, his so [...]mne and corporal othe vpon the couer of the bible or seruice booke, to be buxome and obedient to his ordinarie and his substitutes, & to vow his canonical [Page 53] obedience to all [...]ch ecclesiasticall orders, iniunctions and [...]egrees, as either are by publike authoritie established & set forth, or [...]ereafter shalbe by the said authotitie made & set forth: That he shal [...]ot preach any seditious or contentious doctrines, neither any thing [...]n reproofe of the proceedinges, orders & iniunctiones, by publike [...]uthoritie allowed; but shal exhort al men vnto the obedience of the [...]ame &c. These thinges being done, & his dimissaries paied for, he [...]iseth vp a ful priest in any ground of Englād, get him now a benefice [...]r a cure where he can.
He is now a priest sufficiently capable of any kind of office, in any Church or Churches whatsoeuer, whether to be a Deane or an Arch [...]eacon of many hundred Churches, whether to be a parson of one or moe parishes, whether to be an hired preacher comonly called a GE [...]EVA Doctor, for frō thence this new office is (vnwitting to his Grace of Canterburie) stollen into the Church of England, except peraduen [...]ure they stand before him but for mungrel curates still. Wel if they will haue a personage, they must either now become Chaplaines to [...]ome great BAAL or [...]her, that hath store in his gift, or els make [...]riendship, for loue or mony, to some inferior BAAI, that is such a Lord of some towne or towne [...], or els enter in chaffaire with some [...]ther priest, for his roomth. And somwhat here would be said of these [...] or Lord Patron [...], what kind of office they haue in the Church of England, least hereafter I forget, as I doe sundrie other thinges.
It is not needfull heere, to dispute of these Lord Patrons, when o [...] [...]ow they tooke beginning: whither at the beginning of the defection [...]hen the people first slacted & neglected their dutie, and gaue vp their [...]hristiā libertie, power, & interest in al the Church affaires, the choice, [...]ensuring, & depofing their officers &c. into the handes of their pres [...]itry, as is aboue declared: or at the flowing in of the deluge of the Gentiles, when the prouincial Bishops, Archbishops & metropolitanes [...]prang vp: or when the Pope was by the general consent of al Princes, made supreme head of the Church, & the great tributes out of al lands [...]aied vnto him &c. that then peraduenture, he, to gra [...]isie these Princes & Lordes, of his meere benignitie granted vnto them the nomination vnto bishoprickes & personages &c. But how or when they sprang vp [...]t [...]killeth not, we finding them as Antichristian as any of the other. No such office we euer read of, to belong to the Church of Christ, neither any such Lord there, to take away all the libertie & interest of the people in the choice of their pastor. CHRITS seruantes are now no longer wardes, neither are in this maner to be bought & sold, as open and sheep in a faire or market. But see, when the Lordes beau [...]ful staffe of his holy gouernment & order is broken, how he dissanulleth his couenant with those people, and deliuer [...]th them vp to the destroiers, to these greedy wolues & hungrie foxes, as a pray. For these Lordes Patrons, to whome these aduowsens belong, are to apoint & present their clarkes vnto these benefices: who being admitted & instituted by the [Page 54] Bishop &c. the people ha [...]e no more power in the negatiue, to refuse or depose him (be he neuer so vnable or vnworthy) then they had before in the affirmatiue, to chuse or elect their minister. But these Lord Patrons, may alien or sell their aduowsons by the law of the land, euen as any other part of their inheritance or possessions: yea be these Patrons neuer so infamously & notoriously wicked, gluttons, couetous, prophane Atheistes &c. Yea, if he haue 40 of these aduowsons, and those distant many hundred miles, euen to the vttermost boundes of the land: yet is he to all these townes to present their priestes, except he make Lapse, and then falleth yt into the Bishop of that Diocesse his handes. Thus must the greatest Doctor & clerke of them that wil haue a benefice enter, and be presented thervnto by some of these Baals or other, vnto the Ordinarie or Bishop of that Diocesse, by whose letters of institution he is inducted, ringeth his belles &c. payeth his first fruites (after the Iewish, or rather popish maner) h [...] p [...]oxes procurations &c.
Now the parsonage or vicarage to which they enter, is to be townepriest or Parson, or vickar of a certaine parish, to reade them their seruice, according to the times and maner apointed, to marrie, to burie, to christen, to deliuer their other sacrament of their communion, to visit and housel their sick with the said booke and sacrament, to receaue their tithes, offringes, mortuaries &c. Then (if he be so cunning, and as he can intend and afford yt) to preach them a sermon of an hower long: but that is in his libertie [...]ow seldome he wil, except his benefice be a certayne of poundes in the Queenes booke, and then in deed is he bound to bestow a sermon on his parish fower times in the yeare, either by himself, or by his learned substitute. By this we may also see these their parsonages and vicarages to be in name, offic [...], and function as Antichristian and popish, as any of the other: [...]o such office or officer mentioned in the Testament of CHRIST. For the men that possesse them, & those by common estimation euen the best, most holy, and learned of them; I haue breefly, but verie truly shewed, what maner persons they are; noseled euen from their mothers breastes in profanenes, heathenisme, vaine philosophy, vngodly artes; how they are trained vp in idolatrie, superstition, and most filthie abhominations, periurie, blasphemie, pride, vainglorie, ambition, Phil 3. 18. &c. studijng these vaine artes, and euen diuinitye (which they number among these artes) for filthy lucre, ostentation, and their bellies sake, making not only an art, but a stage play and an occupation of religion; with their tr [...]ditionall and philosophicall glosses, corrupting, [...] Tim. 1. 3. 4. obscuring, and peruerting the pure text with their logicall conclusions [...] Tim. 6. 3. 4. [...]. 20. 21 and [...]hetorical figures; giue libertie to their wittes in their learning to deface, striue, and dispute against the holy knowne truth of God, making and tossing yt as a tennise ball amongst them, both publikly in the schooles and priuatly in their Colledges at their problem [...]s. In [...]hich munkish dennes thev lurke and lead their liues, in all manner [Page 55] [...] idlenes and pride; not to speake of those secret sinnes & abhomi [...]tiōs, which are cōmonly cōmitted amongst these Sodomites, which [...]e in such fellowships and fraternities, where Gods pure religion & [...]oly ordinance of matrimonie are banished, as amongst them. The [...]rticular abuses of which societes and Colleges, yea euen of their vni [...]rsite in general, with all that more then heathemish disorder, popish [...]hominations, which are there without shame inioined and com [...]itted, wherwitth the youth, yea almost all estates, of the land are lea [...]ned & poisoned, would in yt self require a long & peculiar treatise, [...]t summarily to recken vp & bring to light.
I hope, by this litle which hath beene said, concerning the educa [...]n and training of these our great diuines, yt apear [...]h vnto all men [...]hat will iudg by the word of God and are endued with the spirit of [...]od) what kind of fellowships these vniuersitie Colleges are, what [...]nd of cages full of vncleane birdes, of foule and hateful spirites &c. [...]et these learned clarkes daube them with their vntempered morter, [...]hiles yet the time serueth them, yet is their iudgment of the Lord: [...]e word is gone out from his mouth, yt hasteneth apace, and cannot [...] called back: euen the same iudgment and end, which are in their [...]ght executed vpon their elder brethren and sisters the Templars, the [...]onkes, and knightes of their St. Ihon of Ierusalem, the Abbies Fri [...]ers Nunneries they had one and the self same popish orginal with [...]ese: they still retaine the same damnable and incurable abuses: ther [...]re the same, or greater iudgmentes remayne them. Let vs see if the [...]. of Peter-house be now able to ward this blow: sure I doubt ELY [...]inster wil not defend him from the haile of Gods wrath, in that day. [...]e hath hitherto taken but half his tale with him, therfore his recko [...]ing is behind. It is but an easie point of learning, both to frame and [...]nswere other mens, or rather his owne Argumentes: we in the coun [...]ie which are not acquainted with such figures, coūt such but to skir [...]ish with their owne shadow, & deeme them not the wisest men in a [...]ire. But this learned Doctor by the figure of Omission, in an euill con [...]ience, tooke no more of the Argument, then he was able to deale [...]ithall, namely thus much. THE VNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND [...]AMBRIDG haue a popish original: Therfore Queene ELISABETH [...]ught to abolish them. Let him now take the rest of the Argumēt▪ as [...]t was made in a marginal note, in the side of a blasphemous booke of [...]is, and put yt together thus. THE VNIVERSITIES of CAMBRIDG and [...]XFORD haue the same popish & idolatrous beginning y [...] the colleges [...]f monkes, Freers, Nunnes, & those vermine had, & stil retaine y c same [...]nsufferable & incurable abuses &c. therfore Queene Elisabeth hath, & [...]ught by as good right to abolish them, as her progenitor did the Ab [...]aies. Thus was yt made before vnto him: but of his doctorlie autho [...]itie, writi [...]g with priuilege, he tought he might take and leaue at his [...]leasure; especially, hauing to do with poore prisoners, which can haue [Page 56] no place giuen to defend their wrongs, nor to answere vnto his lies & slau [...]ders. But l [...]t him yet vpon better aduise, make a better answere to this one Argument; til then, we will not trouble him with more. I [...] vpon a better view, he shall scarse find them so like those [...]oorishing vines in the Lordes garden, as vnto the vine of [...], and the vi [...]es of Gomorrahij: their grapes are poisoned grapes, their clusters bitter clusters: their wine is the poison of Dragons, & the cruel gall of Aspes. Neither shall he find them so like to the scholes of the Prophets he speaketh of, which purely kept and taught the word of God amongst them, in those corrupt times; as vnto the Popes Seminaries, being as ready vpon the least change of the wheather now to serue him, as euer they were; being not vnlike the Turkes [...]eraglia in Constantinople, in which place his Iane [...]saries which are the guard of his person, are first trained & instituted in the discipline of his war, before they serue him either abroade, or in his Court. And sure these Vniuersitie kinghtes are the very guard of Antichristes throne, the strength of his battel, his instrumentes to carry forth his wares, to subdue the people vnto him & keep them in his obedience, as bitter enemies of the Church and serua [...]tes of God, & of all righteousnes, as these Turkish Ianeizaries vnto these christened regions, with whome they haue to doe.
But yt is time now to returne to these our vniuersitie diuines & their ministerie againe, being somwhat ouerlong staied by this friuolous Doctor in the way. I haue already shewed their education, learning, degrees, and also in what maner, and vpon what conditions the best of them come by and hold their priesthood: that is to say, how they first Deut. 6. 13. blaspheme Gods holy name, in swearing after that idolatrous maner: Amos 8. 14 how they solemnely and aduisedlie forswere & abiure the Lord IESVS Zepha. 1. 5. CHRIST, in swearing their canonical obedience to the Antichristian Math. 5. 34 Reuel 13. 16 & 14. 9. &c. throne of these Bishops, their courtes, & cannons: for two so contrarie maisters they cannot serue, as CHRIST & Antichrist, neither haue cō munion with both. And how they now remaine the marked soldiers Psa. 94. 20 of the Beast, euen in the forehead, hauing taken his licence and seales; 2 Cor. 6. 15. & how by this their othe & subscription to their romish trumperie & deuilish diuises, they haue resolutely forsworne Godes truth, made Gal. 2. 5. shipwrack of faith and a good conscience (if any they had before) and how by taking this licence with this limitation, they haue emancipate the whole word of God (as much as in them lieth) vnto these Bishops or rather the Popes Cannons. And yet (to make their sinne the more odious & inexcusable) these slaues to sinne, are not only sworne vnto such decrees as are already made (although nothing can almost be added to the wickednes and blasphemie of them) but euen haue bound themselues by othe to such decrees, as they hereafter shal make, being by publike authoritie of the land enioined &c. also how they hereby become the vowed seruantes & bondmen, the marked ministers & waged soldiours of Antichrist. I haue also shewed their ministerie to be Antichristian, adulterate and vagrant, wit [...]out place, people, chardge, [Page 57] office, gouernment: and how they must come by yt b [...] as vnlawful meanes, euē by symonical cōpactes, opē bribery & extortiō, as the ex cessiue price of their boxe & writinges vnto the Bishop & his clerke, [...]heir first fruites (not to speake of other secret bargaines how they come by the patrones good wil &c.) declare.
Moreouer I haue shewed, how their office of Parson or Vickar is [...]s popish, strange, antichristian: & how their entrance & induction is [...]s popish & iewish, as the rest: & how the function of, & their behauiour in this office is yet worst of all, most corrupt, blasphemous, & ab [...]ominable: which now but by as slight a running ouer their admini [...]tration, wil euen with detestation appeare vnto al mē. Whose infinite & odious sinnes heerin to set downe in particuler, according to [...]heir hainousnes, no tongue or pen of any martal man is able; for that were to momber the haires of the beast, or to diuide the droppes of a [...]unning riuer. If I therfore set downe some such principal & especial heades, fro [...] whence these mischeues & their particular transgressi [...]ns flowe, as I remember them (who know of many, but a few) leauing the further search of the r [...]st, & cōsideration of these, to the further labour & iudgment of the godly, by the scriptures: as also, the more particular remorse & repentance of them, to their con [...]ciences which haue cōmitted, & shal accōpt before the Lord for the same. I hope (I say) by that time, the delusionis of these Babilonish diuines & Egiptian Inchanters, wil apeare vnto al mē, saue vnto thē that perish; & their madnes be made so manifest, as both they & their Proselites shalbe left naked, without one excuse or figleafe to couer their shame
Now then as the education, training, learning, degrees, ministerie maner & cōditions of r [...]ceauing that office & maner of cōming by, & entrance into the same, haue beene partly described; so was the endes & function of their ministerie and office, a litle touched in a word or two: Namly, how they al are, by othe and office bound, to reade and obserue the iniunctiōs &c. to reade their seruice book at their apoin ted times, places and maner, according to the same to administer their Sacramentes, church women, visit the sick, burie the dead &c. and only for this ministerie they receaue the offringes, tithes, mortuaries & wages of the people. Also yt hath beene shewed, that preaching is no part of their office or ministerie, but only in certaine special cases (where y t benefice is at a certaine rate in the QVEENES book) required, and that not necessarily laid vpon the person of such a parson, but ōly quarterly inioined at 4. solemne feastes of the yeare, as at their Christmas, Easter: &c. and may be performed or supplied by their substitute.
Heere also must [...]e obserued, that a person or Vickar, is not by law nor office inioined to be resident & giue attēdance in person vnto his charge & flock, but may be absent at his wil, & where he will, so he find the parish a iornay man to reade their seruice, administer their Sacramentes &c. yea and as he cōmeth vnto them without the [Page 58] people [...] priuitie, wil, or consent, so may he stand [...] parson or ( [...]s these▪ learned preachers would haue him ter [...]ed) a Pastor vnto thē, though he neuer see his f [...]ock, nor his flock him. So may he also by law (as the best of them vsually do) vpon their owne liking or disliking (but especially vpon the offer of a better liuing) depart from them, chang [...] or sell his office, without the peoples knowledge or priuitie. For as their ministery is not tied to any office, so is not their office tied to any charge. Are not these miserable Pastors trow we? or are not the 2. Cor. 11. 20. people more miserable, that haue such sh [...]pheardes and guides se [...] ouer them, whome they must (wil they nil they) nourish with their goodes &c. to the gathering vp wherof, these priestes wil looke wel enough, without regard or respect of persons, whether they be rich or poore, old or young, widowe or fatherles, that is al one to them▪ they wil not spare their due: They take vp al with the angle, th [...]y catch yt in their net, and gather yt in their yarne. It skilleth not to 1. Sam. 2. 12 &c. them whose yt be, whether the goodes of the infidel or of the beleeuer. Ez [...]. 34. 2. &c. It skilleth not them whome they spoile, whether the poore▪ the widow, or the fatherles, if they fall within the boundes, and precinctes Mic. 3. 2. &c. of their parish: they regard not by what right, or after what maner they haue yt, whither by Iewish tithes and offringes, or popish Pro. 30. 20 chrismatories and mortuaries. They regard not, so the Princes and [...]. 11. 5. their lord Bishops lawes allowe them, though Gods lawes expressly forbid. That day of accompt they put far [...]ff, and think to do wel inough then: yea they in the meane while blesse themselues in the name of the Lord, though they cōmit all this wickednes. Of al that groweth or increaseth within the compasse of their parish, whithe [...] corne, wood, grasse or ca [...]tel, the priest wil haue his part; yea for whō soeuer is borne or dieth in his parish, he wil haue a fee; and for thi [...] geare he standeth a priest to the whole parish and al the inhabitantes therof indifferently. If the d [...]iul of hel would [...]ome and dwel in his parish, he were a priest for him, and would for his goodes administer the Sacramentes &c. vnto him also. But heere, before I begin to deal [...] with their maner of administratiō, yt were not amisse, in few wordes, to shew the dānable filthines of their maintenāce for their ministeri [...]. Christ hauing abrogate the Leuiticall priesthood and law, instituted for the gospel an other ministerie, & for the ministerie an other maintenāce. He ordeined in his Testament, that the minister of the gospel 1. C [...]r. 9. 7 &c. should liue of the gospel, the shepheard of the flock he [...]eedeth the husbādmā of the vineyard he d [...]esseth & keepeth. Now this flock [...]ō sisted not of gotes, swine, doggs, wolues &c. neither is this shepheard limited, or sheepe constrained to a tenth, or any stinted part or portiō; but according to the present wāt of the one, & estate of the other, this matter is otherwise prouided; they together releeving him according to his present need; he together wi [...]h them, bearing the burthen of their present and common pouertie, [...]uerie one that is taught-in the 2. Cor. 8. 13 [Page 59] [...]ord, [...]reely contributing and imp [...]rting, euen of al their goodes, to Gal▪ 6. [...]. & 4. 15. [...]he competent main [...]enance of such as instruct them in the word, [...]nd haue the ouersight of them, not vnto riot and excesse, but vnto 1. Th [...]s. 5. 1 [...] 13. 2. [...]fficiencie. Which contribution, as yt is a dutie of the Saintes, so is Thes. 3. 9. [...]t also, in the maner of yt, a free offring of their beneuolence, and an Exo. 25. 2. [...]oly almes vnto the Lord: by which almes and contribution, our Sa [...]iour 2. Cor. 9. 4. Christ himself, his Apostles, and al the ministers or officers of Phil. 4. 18. [...]he church of Christ, which liue or receaue any thing of the church, Heb. 13. 16 [...]ere, and are to be maintained. Within the boundes of which sober Luke. 8. 3. [...]ediocritie and christian modestie, whiles these prowd Prelates and Ioh. 12. 6. [...]reedy priestes wil not be held, the one sort breaketh out into al ex [...]esse 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. and riot, the other into miserable rapine and extortion, thrus [...]ng their flesh hook into euerie poore bodies kettle, and (as yt were) [...]lucking the bread from them and their childrens mouthes, [...] they should be sustained; besides the heinous vnlawfulnes of [...]he very action yt self, & high sacriledge they commit therin: which, [...]hiles a certaine Doctor of theirs hath of late la [...]ored to approue; the [...]icked man hath term [...]d this blessed almes, and holy contribution [...]f the Saintes (in contempt therof and of them which are or haue [...]eene sustained therby) the [...]lmes [...]: yea, to disgrace the truth, and [...]o hide the superfluitie, excesse pride, and vnsatiate couetise of the [...]nglish Clergie; he maketh yt a common custome in his slanderous [...]āphlet, to leaue out, or take inn at his pleasure, or mistake, where & [...]hat seemeth good vnto him: As heere he hath done the 9. Chapt. [...]f the [...], Corin [...]h, for the 9. Chapter of the 1. Corinth: and so still fighteth [...]ith himself, and confuteth his owne idle fantacies. The one place [...]eaketh of the general charitie we ought to carrie towardes al [...]aintes, euen [...]o them of other Congregations and Countries: the [...]ther, of the peculier maintenance of the Minister of Christ, how he [...]ught to be maintained by that flock, to which he administreth, and [...]ot by infidels or wicked persons, to whome his ministerie belongeth [...]ot. Likewise that place Gallat. 6. vers. 6. where they that are taught in [...]he word, are commanded to impart of al their goodes vnto them that [...]nstruct them in the word: which place euidently sheweth, what kind [...]f maintenance belongeth to the ministers of the gospell, who ought [...]o contribute, in what maner, and how far. Namely al such faithful [...]o whome this ministerie belongeth, and they not by any rated pro [...]ortions, as tenthes, or thyrdes, &c. but euen in loue, to make him [...]artaker of that litle or much the Lord sendeth, according to his pre [...]ent wantes and necessary vses, who if he haue to food and [...]ayment, 1. Tim, 6. [...]. [...]ught to be therwith content. This place, this Chem [...]rim would put [...]way, with a maruailing at our folly in quoting yt in the side of [...]is former booke, against the stinted tithes and accursed goodes & [...]ffringes of the prophane & wicked, wherof he and his fellow priestes [...]re maintained.
[Page 60]Wherby yt is euident, that these priestes, which thus are maintained, Num [...]. 18. either by these Iewish tithes & offringes, as at the baptisme o [...] Le [...]i. 22. 25 children, and purification of women, or by the goodes and wages of Ezec. 44. 7. the profane and wicked, are not the ministers of Christ. For (faith the holy Ghost) If there be a change of the priesthood, then of necessitie Heb. 7. 12. must there be a chāge of the law. But these men, both prieste [...] and people, which either pay or receaue these tithes and offringe [...] &c. still keepe these leuitical lawes for the maintenance of the ministerie: therfore they not hauing made a change of those lawes, Act. 15. belong not to the ministerie and kingdom of Christ. For (as I haue Gal. 4. 9. & 5. 2. 3. 4 shewed) these are not the lawes which Christ hath instituted for th [...] maintenance of the ministerie of the Gospel: neither can these lawe [...] Col. 2. 20. now be ioined vnto, or made to accord with the gosp [...]ll. For in reteining the gospel, we ab [...]ogate the ceremonial law, in re [...]uing the ceremonial law, or any part therof, we reuiue the Leuitical ministerie, and therby abolish the gospel and ministerie of Christ: yea in retaining and cleauing vnto the shadow, we loose the substance, and so are left and shut vp vnder the law, and are abolished [...]rom Christ, whome we denie to be either come, dead, risen againe or ascended, whiles we stil retaine the ceremonie and shadow. Now it is apparan [...], that tithes and offringes were meerly ceremonial, and instituted for the maintenāce of the leuitical ministerie, and belong not to the ministerie of Christ, neither haue any reseruation in the Testament of N [...]m. 18. 31 28. Christ, but sundrie expresse places there are against them: & in place therof, we haue (as hath been said) the free contribution of al the faithful, not limited or stinted, but extending to the communication of al the goodes they haue. But these priestes & people stil retain [...] the leuitical decimations in the same forme, to the same ende [...] &c. therfore must they needes be vnder that dangerous estate obou [...] declared: Neither wil their Doctors popish distinction help the matter. Saieth he: the Church of Englād reteineth, not tithes, as any pa [...] of the ceremonial law, but as a stipēd for the ministers. Why I besech, him, how did the Iewes reteine & vse thē? was yt not as a stipēd likewis [...] for their ministers? & may this law, this stipend now, fit the ministerie of Christ? why hath Christ then made new? or how is the old law changed with the old ministerie, if the law of tithes be stil kep [...] Might not this Doctor as wel bring in the cities and subvrbs which were giuē to the Leuites & priestes, for them & their families to dwe [...] in, or any other Leuitical ceremonie, by the same excuse? & I doub [...] not but they would do so also, were yt not y • they haue already much more āple allowance in the stead therof in euerie Citie & towne of the lād: where the parsō, (yea some where, both parsō & vickar) is indowed with houses & gleab landes besides their tythes, not to speak [...] of the whole lordships & townes, that the Collegiate priesthood po [...] sesse: & yet these cormorātes are neuer satisfied, these horsleaches stil suck, though blood in abunda [...]ce runne out of their wide mouthes.
[Page 61]And heere also by the way [...], the vnlawfulnes of their gleebes would [...]e noted; both in that they haue no warrant in [...]he Testament of CHRIS [...], being so fixed and certaine, he hauing there set downe an [...]ther kind of maintenance, not fixed, nor certaine, but according to [...]he present wantes and occasiones &c: as also that that tying of land [...]n a parish to the ministerie there, doth presuppose and necessarily pre [...]ume of a Church alwaies in that pari [...]h; where as the Prophet saith; [...]hey that were my people yesterday, are risen vp on the other side, as [...]gainst an enemie &c. How many famous Churches see we remo [...]ed and fallen? how m [...]ny godly Fathers haue had wicked children? [...]odly ages, wicked successors? Many other reasons might be brought [...]gainst these gleabes, for which these belly priestes so crie out: As con [...]erning their idolatrous originall and abuse, being giuen to the main [...]enance of a popish ministerie, and therfore ought rather to be put to [...]iuill vses, and not to the maintenance of the ministerie of CHRIST.
But to returne to th [...]ir tythes againe: wherin as yet I could neuer [...]ee any difference betwixt the Iewes and them, saue that these swine [...]eardes tythe piggs, geese &c. and al such vncleane beastes and fowles [...]or gaine, which were an abhomination vnto the Iewes. But some of [...]hem would hide this, by the Princes commandement. We haue in many places shewed, that the Prince hath no power to breake Gode [...] [...]awes, or innouate or al [...]er CHRISTS Testament. Heere I would know of them, whither the due paiment of tithes &c. was not often commanded by the godly Kinges of [...]da also: Let them reade the stories of EZECHIAH, IOZIAH, NEHEMIAH &c. let them reade the prophecies of IOEL, HAGGAI, ZACHARIE, MALACHIE. Why then▪ we see the commandement of the Prince makes no difference betweene them and the [...]ewes herein: the commandement of the Prince cannot alter the pro [...]ertie of Gods lawes: the cōmandement of the Prince can be no war [...]ant or [...]xcuse, for the altering of CHRISTS Testament. But what excuse can they now forge for their offringes at the baptisme of children, at [...]heir purifying of women? Is not this also manifest Iudaisme? I wil not Leuit. 12. 6. heere speake of the superstition of the action, but of the oblation only: what difference is there betwixt them and the Iewes herein? They will say the Iewes offred Pigeons &c. not money. But they must vnderstand, Leui [...]. 27. the Iewes had a law also of redeeming their sacrifices for mony, & so offr [...]d mony also when the sacrifice could not be had, & in sundry other cases: This then wilbe no sufficient difference. I doubt therfore they must be driuen to Doctor ROBERT SOME his catholike & vniuersal distruction abouenamed: They retaine them not as any part of the ceremo [...]l law, but as the ministers stipend. Wel, let this distinction be authenticall, because yt goes with priuiledge: yet let a poore Christian aske them this question; where they find in the new Testament, that Christians may make such offringes, or the minister of CHRIST liue of s [...]ch offrings? I suppose they will take day to answer [...]: and I (because I will not too far ouerchardge them at once) wil forbeare here to [Page 62] call them to [...]ccompt for their mortuaries, or portion which they take of the goodes of the dead, for their oblations at their Easter Sacrament, at the marijng, and at the burijng of any in their parish. This I think would proue a combersome peece of work for them to approue and iustifie by CHRISTES Testament, to belong to the maintenance or office of his ministerie. And sure, I take no great pleasure to raue more thē needes I must, in this their doung; which is so grosse, as euen with the reciting yt is refu [...]ed. So that I hope, by this litle which hath beene said, concerning their Leuiticall tythinges, their Iewish oblations, their heathenish and popish customes &c: yt euidently may apeare to all men (in whome is any light) that neither this their ministerie, or these their ministers, which are thus maintained, are of CHRIST, or belong to his Church. Yf this yet be not plaine inough, let such as doubt, giue eare to their Administration, which now followeth to be examined.
WHICH ADMINISTRATION of theirs, because it is so ample (for the help of my memorie, & that the matter may be the better vnderstood) I will for this time diuide yt into necessarie and voluntarie. By necessarie, I meane that publike administration, whervnto by law, office, and othe they are bound: by voluntarie, I meane their extraordinarie paines taking in preaching, reading lectures on the weeke daies, catechising families &c. And first (as order requireth) I wil deale with the more general, with that of necessity, which law requireth of all priestes: whervnto, both they, their Church-wardens and Side-men are bound by othe, the one to obserue, the other to see yt obserued, & to present the defaltes. And this (because yt is so infi [...]ite, & extendeth so largely, almost to the practise & execution of all the Iniunctions and orders of thei [...] Church &c.) I will only (or chiefly at the least) here meddle with their publike administration in their Church, in their worship of God &c. and that but with some few (I will not say chief) thinges: for yet the Subiect is too large for my capacitie.
Vnto this ministration, for their better instruction and direction in all thinges, as also that there might be found one vniforme orde [...] amongst them in all places, they haue one SERVICE BOOK, commonly called THE BOOK of common praier: vnto this are all the priestes of the land sworne, to vse yt in maner and forme prescribed. Now in this Book is included the whole forme and substance of their ministrie. Heere are their praiers made to their hand, and prescribed what praiers to say in the morning, and likewise what at Euensong: as also what Psalmes, Chapters, pistles & Gospels to read in their due seasons, what in the winter what in the Sommer, what in the Le [...]t, what in the Aduent. Heere are set downe their praiers, chapters &c. for their fastes, their solemne feastes and Saintes daies, yea and for euerie other day of the yeare.
[Page 63] [...]or the Sonday is a gouerning day, and is written in their Calender [...]ith red letters, and ruleth all the daies of the week, saue certaine vn [...]uly daies and their Ea [...]es, which will not be gouerned by yt▪ but cha [...]enge to themselues a peculiar worship also: they hauing their daies [...] the same Calender writtē with great letters too, & that which mo [...]e [...], their Eaues written with red letters. And because they are but stran [...]ers and come but once in the yeare, they looke for the more solemne [...]tertainment, that the priest should diligently watch, and the people [...]ait for their cōming, & make preparation accordingly: if they come [...]n a cluster, or at some solemne and double feast, th [...]n to in [...]ertaine [...]ē with new clothes, cleane houses, garnished with greene bowghes, [...] holly and Iuye, with good cheare & much pastime, al work on these [...] idol daies, laid aside. Yea though they come but one alone, and [...] on the week day, [...]et that week is not S •. Sonday, Lord of the As [...]ndent, yt is a part of his seruice to giue vvarning vnto the people of [...]e others comming, that they keep his or her Eaue with fasting and [...]aier; that vpon their day they keep an holy feast, abstaine from la [...]our &c. Moreouer, by this Book are the priestes to administer their [...]cramentes, by this Book to Church their women, by this Book to [...]arry, by this Book to visit & housle the sick, by this Book to burie the [...]ead, by this Book to ke [...]p their Rogation, to [...]ay certaine Psalmes and [...]raiers ouer the corne and grasse, certayne gospels at cro [...]sewaies &c. [...]his Booke is good at al assaies; yt is the only Book of the world. He [...] can but orderly & distinctly reade this Booke, may get a liuing by [...]: It is no maruaile though they be sworne to and by this Booke. [...]any great thinges might be said of this Book, how yt was made by [...]ertayne learned Bishops, afterward godly Martyres, and how some [...]f the Martyres vsed part of yt (as the Letany) the night before [...] suffered &c. Well, vvho translated yt vve vvill not contend. For [...]e thing yt self, yt is euident to be abstracted out of the Popes blas [...]hemous MASSE-BOOK, and how consonant yt is vnto the word of [...]od, remaineth to be examined; and shall, through Gods grace, by the [...]iscussing of some particular pointes, though not of euerie singular er [...]or (for that were an endles labour) apeare: & so shall neither the mar [...]yres vse cōmend, nor our dislike condemne, but Gods word be Iudge [...]f all.
To let passe therfore what in times past this Book hath beene, and [...]ow yt hath beene vsed, either by the Pope or those Bishops: vve find [...]t now to be the very ground worcke of their faith, Church and mi [...]isterie, in place to them of the vvord of God, as from whence they [...]etch all their direction for all thinges; yea herein aboue the word of [...]od, in that from hence they fetch not only their rules wherby to doe [...]hinges, but euē the verie things themselues that they do▪ as their Lei [...]ourgies &c. So far is this Book frō being subiect to the word of God, as [...]t in al things ouerrul [...]th the word of God, dismēbreth, rendeth, cor [...]upteth, peruerteth, abuseth yt to their stinted M [...]ttēs & Euensong, to thei [...] [Page 64] dayes, fastes, feastes &c. yea the word of God m [...]y not be taught, bu [...] where this book hath first beene read, and hath had the preeminence. This booke in their Churches must haue the soueraintie, yt may not be gainsa [...]ed or controld, or if yt be, the word of God must giue pla [...]e, that priest called cor [...]m nobis, lessoned, and scholed; if he wil not be conformable, depriued of his priestdome: if he be found stout or con [...] macious, thē is he cast into prison to coole him, vn [...]il his stomake com [...] downe, that he make sute vnto his Grace or some other L. Bishop hi [...] Ordinarie, and enter bonde to be conformable, or silent.
Moreouer this booke, in that yt standeth a publike prescript continued Leiturgy (not as yet to come to the particulars or meddle with the blasphemous contentes therof but to speake generally of yt) as if [...] were the best that euer was deuised by mortal man: yet in this place & vse, being brought into the Church, yea or into any pri [...]ate house, [...] becometh a detestable idol, standing for that yt is not in the Church o [...] God & consciences of men: namely, fo [...] holy, spirituall, and faithfu [...] prayer, yt being nothing lesse, but rather abhominable and loth som [...] sacrifice in the sight of God, euen as a dead dogg. Now vnd [...]r the law, Leu. 1. 2. 3. 4 Chap [...]. might neither any corrupt or any vnlawful sacrifice, with any seene blemish, be offred at the Altar, nether any part of any beast ( [...]hough whil [...] yt liued neuer so sufficient) being slayne before yt be brought vnto [...] Altar, yt was abhomination vnto the Lord. Euerie sacrifice must be brought quick & new vnto the Altar, & there be s [...]ayne everie morning and euening: how much more in this spiritual Temple of God, whe [...] 1 Cor. 6. 19. the offringes are spiritual, and God hath made al his seruantes Kings, & 1 Pet. 2. 5. priestes, to offer vp acceptable sacrifices vnto him, through [...] Reuel. 21. 10 CHRIT, who hath thervnto giuē them his holy spirit into their hearts, Rom. 12. 1. to helpe their infirmit [...]es, and [...]each them to crie ABBA Father. Ho [...] Rom. 8. 26. much more hath he which ascended, giuē graces to tho [...]e his seruan [...] 15. Ephe. 4. 7. 8. &c. (whome he vseth in such high seruices) to the repairing of the Sain [...], the worke of the ministerie, and the edification of the Church? vnto whome God vseth thē, as his mouth: the Church againe on the oth [...] side, vseth them as their mouth vnto the Lord. Shall we think th [...] God hath any time left these his seruantes so singly furnished & destitute Isa, 2 [...]. 9. &c. of his grace, that they cannot find words according to their necessities & faith, to expresse their wantes and desires, but need thus to be Heb. 5. 13. taught line vnto line, as children new weaned from the brestes, what & when to say, how much to say, and when to make an end; to say th [...] collect at at the beginning, that at the end that before, the tother afte [...], this in the morning, that at after noone &c. How like children, or ra [...]her like mas king fooles are these great clarkes dressed? shew they n [...] hereby, that either they haue no faith, or el [...] are such infantes, as [...] 1 Cor. 3. 2. haue more need to be fed, thē to diuide the portiō vnto others? Kno [...] they trow we, what pra [...]er or the spirit of God meaneth? Praier I take [...] Heb. 4. 16. be a confident demanding which faith ma [...]eth tho [...]ow the holy [...] ▪ [...]. Ephe. [...]. 1 [...] [Page 65] [...]ccording to the wil o [...] God, for their present wantes, estate &c. How 1. Io [...]. 2 1. now? can any read, prescript, stinted Leitou [...]gie, which was penned many Ep [...]. 6. 1 [...]. yeares or daies before, be said a powring forth of the heart vnto the P [...]il. 4. 6. Lord? or those faithful requestes wh [...]ch are stirred vp in them by the The whol [...] book of Psalmes holy Ghost, according to their present wātes & estate of their heartes, or church? vnlesse they can say, that their heartes & church stand in Lament. [...]. 40. 41. [...]he same estate now, & so still to their liues end shal continue, without [...]ither further increase or decrease, change or alteration, as they did Ioel. 2. 14. [...]hen: yea, that their childers children shal also so continue, to whome Hose. 14. [...] [...]hey leaue and incommend this Leitourgie, vnto the worldes end. What Pro. 4. 18. 19. [...] strange estate is this, that alwaies thus standeth at a stay? The way of [...]he righteous (Solomon saith) shineth as, the light, that shineth more Luk. 11. 23. [...]nd more vnto the perfect day: as on the contrarie, the way of the [...]icked is as the darknes, they know not wherin they shall fall. Our Sauiour Christ saith, that if we gather not, we scatter. The Apostle 1. Pet. 2. [...]. [...] willeth the new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the Ep [...]. 4. 1 [...]. [...]ord, that they may grow therby; vntil they come to the measure of [...]he age of the fulnes of Christ saith the Apostle Paul. Now then if [...]hey & their church increase not in the measure of knowledg, grace, [...]olines, &c. yt is an infallible signe that they haue not the Spirit of God. If th [...]y do increase, why then is not God serued with his owne [...]est gif [...]s? Is not the iudgment of the Prophet then vpō them; which Mal. 1. 14. [...]aith Cursed be the deceiuer, which hath in his flock a male, yet voweth and [...]acrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing,
Is this old rotten Leit [...]urgis their new songs they sing vnto the Lord with and for his graces? May fuch old written rotten stuffe be called [...]ier, the odours of the Saintes, burnt with that heauenly fire of the [...]ltar, the liuely graces of the spirit &c. may reading be said praying? [...]ay such apocrypha trumperie be brought into the church os God, & there be read, reuerenced & receaued, as the sacred word of God? [...]hrust vpon mens consciences, yea vpon God himself whether he wil o [...] no? Is not this presumptuously to vndertake to teach the Spirit of Rom. 8. 26. 27. God? & to take away his office, which (as hath beene said) instructeth [...]l the children of God to pray, enē with inward sighes & grones [...], 1. I [...]. 2. 27. & giueth both wordes & vtterāce, yea & (as the Apostle [...] [...]th) we need no other teacher to these thinges, then that annoin [...]ing which we haue receaued, and dw [...]lleth in vs. Is not this (if [...]hey wil haue their written stuffe to be held & vsed as praier) to bind [...]he holy Ghost to the froth & leauē of their lips, as yt were to the holy [...]ord of God? Is it not vtterly to quench & extinguish the Spirit of God, both in the ministerie & people, whiles they tye both thē & God [...]o [...]heir stinted numbred praiers?
Is this the [...] & vnisormitie that ought to be in al Churches? & [...]s amongst al Christes seruantes, to make them agree in a stinking [...] diuis [...]d apocrypha Leitu [...]gie, good for nothing but for cush [...] & pillowes for the idle priestes, & profane carnal Atheistes to [Page 66] rock them a sleepe and keep them in securitie [...], wherby the cōscience is no way either touched, edified, or bettered? Truly I am ashamed to think, much more to write of so grosse & filthie abhominacion, so generally receaued, euen of al estates, of these partes of the world, who haue by a popish custom & tradition receaued yt one of, & from an other, without any warrant from the word. For the Apostles▪ (I am sure) these maister builders, haue left no such president in, or cōmandement vnto the churches, neither giuē thē any such power to bring in or set vp any such apocrypha Lyturgie in the church of God. They [...]. Tim. 2. 1. alwaies vsed spiritual praiers according to their present wantes & occasions, Heb. 13. 15. & so taught all churches to pray, alwaies, with all maner of Eph. 6. 18. praier & supplication in the spirit, & therby to make knowen thei [...] Phil. 4. 6. wantes, & shew their requestes in al thinges vnto God their heauenly 1. C [...]r. 14. 15. father: Our Sauiour Christ also, he taught his disciples, that God is a Spirit, & wil be worshipped in spirit & truth. He hath likewise set Ioh. 4. 24. downe most excellent rules, & a most absolute forme for al praiers in that part of scripture Math. 6. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. commonly (but falsly) called the Lords praier: wherin he hath most notably instructed, directed, and restrained our ignorant & inordinate desires, to those excellent heades. In which, whatsoeuer is needful for vs to desire, or lawful fo [...] vs to pray, is in some one or other of those branches included: eueri [...] one of them being a base & foundatiō, whervpō & wherby to frame many millions of seueral p [...]ticions, according to the seueral wantes & occasions, at such seueral times as the Saintes haue cause to pray. They are all of them, so many euerrunning fountaines, from which Godes seruantes by the holy Ghost, deriue & draw continually fresh & new graces; & are al together▪ such an abisme & vnmeasured sea of wisdome, from which al Christes seruantes thorough the world, haue alwaies fetched all their knowledg, graces, cōfort, & assurance of and in their praiers (according to the capatitie of the vessel of their faith) some more, some lesse, al some▪ yet haue not al of thē together, much lesse any one of them is able in the litle dish of his shallow vnderstanding, to comprise the vnmeasurable depth & greatnes of this Oceā of al wisdome & grace. Wherby yt is euident, as also by the circumstāces & maner of deliuering the same by our Sauiour CHRIST; by his Apostles, Disciples & Churches spiritual vse of praier according to their present estate & wantes, that these prescript wordes were not giuen o [...] inioyned as a prescript prai [...]r, so to be vsed by any, euen the wise [...]t, much lesse the simpler, vnbroken vp, vnexpounded, &c. so much as a cōpēdious summarie of all necessarie knowledg, & rules for al praier, gathered (by the Author of all wisdome) into a brief, for the directiō & instruction of our weaknes & ignorance.
Of which endes & vses, whiles some are ignorant, or rather (a [...] their grosse idolatrie, carnal dulnes, & superstitious presumption sheweth) are ignorant either what faithful praier, or the spirit of God is: whiles they both popishly abuse this scripture as a principal collect [Page 67] in their publike leitourgi [...], with their often & idle repetition therof, fiue times in their morrow masse &c. & also through this abuse they grow further bold to mould a new calfe, a n [...]w Lei [...]ourgie of their owne, & set that vp also in the church of God, as they count yt.
Yfyt were granted thē, that this scripture, & sundry psalmes, and other scriptures they alledg out of the prophetts, were cōmanded & [...]nioyned to be read & vsed, as, & for the very praiers of the church & [...]f the Saintes (then which nothing cā be more false or grosly fond to [...]onceaue) yet which way (if this were granted thē) can they hereby [...]roue yt lawful for them to bring in their owne apocrypha diuises, & [...]et them yp in the church, as & with the holy canonical word of God? May their s [...]inking filth be compared or placed with the heauenly li [...]ely word of God, without vnsufferable blasphemie? may the froth of [...]heir lips, & follie of their heartes be thrust vpon mens consciences, [...]ea euen vpon the Spirit of God himself in this man [...]r? In the church [...]f God may nothing come, or be heard, but the canonical scriptures [...] liuely graces of Godes Spirit, according to the same. But these their [...]pocrypha Leitourgies, can neither be said the word of God, neither [...]e liuely graces o [...] Gods Spirit according to the same word, s [...]ing [...]ey were made & cōceiued lōg before, & are wholy thus vsed, with [...]ut wa [...]ant, example or cōmandement in the word of God; yea are [...]ontrary t [...]l the rules of & sor praier, to the exercise & vse of Gods [...]pirit, & directly set against al the lawes of the first Table, by worship [...]ng God in vaine, after their owne traditions, preceptes, & diuises, Math. 15. 9. [...] not according to his holy Wil, & commandement.
Can these men think, that because God commandeth his liuely [...]ord to be read or sung in the church, & promiseth a blessing ther [...]nto, Ezech. 47. whiles yt is vsed according to his ordinance, yt neuer being so Reuel. 22. 12 [...]pened, touched or heard without great fruit, yt being the verie tree [...] riuer of life, with the abundāt fruites & flowing graces wherof, the [...]hole church is nourished & watered; that therfore the like commā [...]nt or blessing is of their leau [...]ned Leitourgies? or because God, [...] the infancie of his church, prescrib [...]d certaine scriptur [...]s and psal [...]es to be read & sung vpon their sabath day, solemne feastes &c. yea [...] at other times of their great affliction, oppression & calamitie, cau [...]d certaine cōfortable [...] to be read in the ass [...]mblie, sor the [...]rengthning of the faithful; both that they should not be dismaied at [...] greatnes & cōtinuance of these troubles, or think thē strāge, or els [...]ppose that God were either off [...]nded with, or vnmindful of thē, or [...] [...]is mercies &c. that therfore now they may vpō such feastes, sabo [...]s, daies, times, troubles, enioyne (that I no more mētiō their owne [...]auened leitourgies) these or any other scriptures by stint & measure, [...] iniunctiō & law vpō th [...] church of God now? Is the church of God [...] in wardship & such infācie? shut vp as vnder a garrisō? that yt must [...]ue such Tutors & rudimentes? Is not Christ now dead, risen, and Gal. 3. 25. [...]ended? and hath freed his church from such tutelship? he himself [Page 68] now becomming their lawgiuer and minister in person, and hath now giuen them his holy word & Spirit, to administer wisdome vnto them, in al freedome to vse the same his word, according to his wil & their owne occasions, vnto his glorie and their comfortes? And what can now be a greater bondage to the church, iniurie vnto Christ and vnto the Spirit of God, then thus to limit, to stint & circumscribe the church of God, the ministerie of Christ & the spirit of God, by apportioning, rating, & enioyning by way of subiection & commandemēt this scripture in this number & quantitie for this day, feast, fast, calamitie, &c. where haue they any rule for this in the Testamēt of Christ? They wil say, yt sufficeth that they haue warrāt for yt in the old Testament, where these perscript & limited scriptures at such daies, feastes, times, occasions, were commanded & inioined in the church &c. But I hope they cā put differēce, betwixt the estate & lawes of the church vnder Moses, & now vnder Christ: & that they wil not now reserue, [...]eviue, and apply those lawes belonging to the Tēple & the ministerie therof, now to the church & ministerie of Christ. But they take not these to be ceremonial lawes, but [...]ather morall, which commandeth scriptures to be read, & praiers to be made in the church of God; these scriptures which they inioyne, are such: therfore may so be vsed. True yt is, the moral law both commanded the name of God to b [...] called vpon, and the word of God to be read &c. and this to al ti [...]s, estates, persons indifferently, as wel to that ministery vnder the law, as to this vnder the gospel; leauing the particular maner & order ther [...]f, to the wisdō, directiō, & reuelation of the holy Ghost from time to time, as seemed good vnto him. Now, yt pleased God to giue those rudimentes of the vse of certaine scriptures, psalmes &c. to the ministerie of that church, commanding such scriptures to be there read vpon 1. Chron. 25. such daies, occasiones &c. such psalmes to be sung by such Leuites of such an order, of ASAPH HEMAN or IEDVTHVN, to be sung in such a time, with such musickes, such instrumentes &c. Al which I am sure they cannot deny to be inseperably ioyned & vsed to those scriptures, in that Temple and ministerie, and were meerly ceremonial, now vtterly abrogate, with that Temple and ministerie, and no way belong to the ministerie or Church of Christ. Those stinted lawes and customes I say I would not be vnderstood of the precious word of God, wherof euerie iode and title abideth for euer, and is of vse and fruite in the church of God which scriptures and figures are not without their especial profite in their spiritual sense and vnderstanding: al and ech of which scriptures, are now freely to be vsed withou [...] stint or limitation in the Church of Christ, as his spirit giueth wisdom, grace, and vtterance, and not to be restreined and aportionate by way of prescription and commandement, without the losse of Christian libertie, of the truth of the Gospel, & the abusing the word of God vnto idolatrie, & making yt an Idol.
But heere they wil say, that the reading of the scriptures and [Page 69] [...]inging of Psalmes, is also cōmanded in the Church of CHRIST. This [...]ath beene long since granted, yet no such stinted and limited reading [...] singing thus & thus much this day, at that time &c. as they inioine. [...]ell yet, seing they are still cōmanded, though at our libertie what & [...]hē to reade or sing them, many of them being godly praiers; we may [...]et pray by the booke and by written praiers. As this word (prayer) by [...] general constructiō may be vnderstood, I graunt they may be called [...]raiers, in that they conteine fit matter, rules & instructions for praier, [...]nd were to that end by the holy Ghost written: yet can they not be [...]ied our praiers, or my particula [...] praier, because they neither expresse [...]ur present wantes, according to the present estate of our heartes, nei [...]her can be said the liuely graces & worke of Gods spirit in vs, so much [...]s the power of Gods word and Spirit vnto vs. My meaning is; they [...]re not d [...]awen or powred out of our heartes, as out of a fountaine, bu [...] [...]ather drawen out of the fountaine of Gods word, & powred into our [...]eartes as a vessel: therfore can not be said our praier, which must pro [...]eed from the present estate of our heart. They are not our wordes by [...]s offred vnto God, but Godes word by him offred vnto vs, therfore [...]annot be said our praiers.
But ô how hard a thing is yt for carnal men to discerne spiritual 1 Cor. 2. 14. [...]hinges? They can by no meanes be made to put difference betwixt the 1 Cor. 12. 4. & 14. 15. [...]ord of God, and their Apocryph [...] Leitourgies (which they falsly vaunt to [...]e according to the word of God) betwixt reading, singing, & praying: [...] the present liuely graces of Gods Spirit in vs, and their old [...]enned dead writinges: betwixt Gods word to vs, instructing vs accor [...]ing to our infirmities by way of petition, and our wordes vnto God by [...]aithfull praier. And this vale being layd ouer their eies and heartes, [...]hese blind guides [...]ot only affirme, but condemne thinges they know [...]ot? the one in setting vp their owne rotten Leitourgies, abusing the [...]ord of God to, & in the same &c. the other in crying out with open [...]outh against such as repro [...]e them, and will not partake with them [...]n their idolatrie. Insomuch as Doctor ROBERT SOME confesseth very [...]illingly and freely, that he was amased, when he heard vs affirme, that [...]art of holy scripture (comonly by them called the Lordes praier & so [...]ighly abused) ought not by Christians to be inioyned or vsed for, or as [...] praier, either publiquely or priuatly. Our reasons are; yt vvas not to [...]hat end instituted by our Sauiour CHRIT, so much as to instruct vs to [...]ray, and direct and assure vs in praier &c. It was neuer so vsed by our [...]auiour, his Apostles & Churches, who euer prayed according to their [...]resent wantes, as the Spirit gaue vtterance. The like rules (beside [...]heir examples and practise) they haue giuen vnto the Churches, no where mentioning nor enioining this or any other scripture, to be vsed [...]or their praier. We cannot arriue nor comprehend the riches and depth of that praier, without more particular explication and application. That prayer expresseth not our particular wantes, or estate of our heartes, neither do we vnderstand those generall doctrines, by the [Page 70] bare saying or reading yt ouer. This scripture is not the grace of Gods spirit in vs; It is not drawen out of the fountaine of our heartes. It is not our wordes to God, but his vnto vs: &c. It edifieth not the whole Congregation so that they may al mind one thing, or say Amen. The [...] fore, and for all these reasons, yt ought not and cannot be vsed of any christian, either publiquely or priuatly, as their praier: as by many other reasons shall further apeare in the breef answere to this said Doctors Argumentes.
HIs first Argumēt is thus from CHRISTS owne mouth. CHRIST COMMAVNDETH CHRISTIANS to pray thus Our Father &c. Therfore yt is lawful for Christians to pray so.
Wel said: be it so a litle while, be yt a commandement in these worde [...] Luk. 11. when ye pray say &c. It then being a commandement is of necess [...]tie to be wholy said as yt is there s [...]t downe, and cannot be in our choice and will, whether we wil say yt or no; for the commandement is tied to al Math. 5. 19. the wordes, & no commandement is in our libertie to do, or leaue vndone: I [...]m. 2. 10. but they that leaue yt vndone, break that cōmandement which cōmandeth yt to be done. Moreouer, these wordes when ye pray are general, & extend to al times of our praier, that whensoeuer we pray we must say those words there prescribed, & whensoeuer we faile [...]o to do, we break this cōmandemēt. And thus by this Doctor his reason, haue the Apostles & Churches, yea our Sauiour CHRIST faulted & broken this cōmandement, so oft as he hath failed to vse these wordes in praier: which wordes, we can neuer find that either he or they haue vsed at any time in their praiers: but that with other wordes they haue praied, vve find euerie vvhere. By this time you haue spunne a faire thred, you haue made a goodly reason. But yt is peraduenture my ignorance and want of learning, that thus wrest that I vnderstand not: for your Argument wil beare no such conclusion. Your wordes I am sure I misaledg not. CHRIST (say you) commandeth Christians to pray thus Our Father &c. Therfore they may pray so. This cōmandement I trow extendeth to the ve [...]e wordes Our Father &c. els your Argument maketh nothing for you, or against vs. And if yt be a cōmandement, & haue a relation to the wordes, then I am sure the other conclusions wil follow as wel as this. Therfore yt were better for your safety (though not for your fl [...]shly credit) to loose this Argumēt then gaine this blasphemy; & that we consent together in this, that the commandement heere stretcheth not to the wordes, but rather to the doctrine & sense. For if yt should at all be vnderstood of those prescript wordes, that the reading or saying of them might be our praier; then must yt n [...]edes be granted, that this of al other were the most perfect praier; both in that there is included in yt al other prayers, euen whatsoeuer may lawfully of vs be asked, o [...] can of God be granted; and also auoided al battologie, vaine repetitions &c. Wherfore, yt being a praier to be vsed, and the best of all praiers, fitting all times, occasions &c. yt must needes follow of [Page 71] [...]ecessitie to be alwaies vsed, because God is alwaies to be serued with [...] best. Yea yt must needes follow, to be solely and only vsed, & none [...]ut that, because all other praier should be but vaine babling, yea open [...]mbition in putting our owne vnsufficient stuffe, in the place of this [...]lsufficient praier. For the best of our praiers & actions are vnsuffici [...]nt, vnperfect, & as a stained cloth. But this (if yt be a praier) cannot be [...]enied, to be sufficient, perfect, and without staine,
THis Doctors second Argument is this. EVERIE BRANCH OF THE Lords praier is a petition; Therfore euerie branche is a praier. For euerie meane [...]coller knoweth, that the Argument followeth a specie ad genus affirmatiuè. And if euerie branch be a praier, then must the whole (because they concerne the glorie of God & our benefite) needs be an excellent praier. Virtus coniuncta fortior.
I haue before shewed how sundrie Psalmes, this & many other scrip [...]ures may be in some sense called praier or praiers: because the Lord [...] them by petitiō maner instructeth our weake faith how to pray vn [...]o him, how to frame our requestes, our wordes, how to lay hold of, & [...]se his promises &c. Yet I haue further shewed, why these scriptures, [...]hus barely read or said, cannot be said our praiers, without further ex [...]lication, application &c. vnto our present needes and estates. So that [...] r. Doctors learned reason followeth not: for except he can proue yt [...]ur praier, he saith nothing. Now in that I graunt yt him, by some cō [...]ruction to be called a praier, yt is to auoide contention about wordes: [...]or els they would neuer leaue vrging the synonimie, betwixt a petitiō [...]nd a praier: vvhich in all tongues signifie one thing. Now then Mr. [...]octors reason in his owne sense, is but thus much. Euery branche [...]f the Lordes prayer is a prayer; Therfore eueriē branch of the Lords [...]rayer is a prayer. Need he to haue shewed his deep learning and hard [...]ogicall rules a specie ad genus affirmatiuè for this stout reason. I would haue [...]hought he might haue learned to haue made as good a reason as this [...]t home, and neuer haue trauailed to Cambridg for yt. For if this rea [...]on hould, he may proue himself a learned, a wise, or an honest man, [...]r the falsest and absurdest thing of the world. It is so, therfore yt is so. vvould here know of his Docterhood, vvhither praier or Petition [...]e the Genus, and vvhich is the Species, in this his logicall reason? or if he [...]et yt alone and trouble not himself now any further with the matter seing he hath fethered his nest, and hath got that he al this while wai [...]ed for) I am content: for I am not greatly desirous to learne away this [...]is cunning.
To the matter in controuersie: I denie that scripture which he calleth [...]he Lords praier, or any one particular branch of yt, properly to be said [...] praier, that is, such an exercise or offring, as the Saintes (by the [...]orke of the Spirit in them) offer vnto God through IESVS CHRIST. [...]either followeth y t, because euerie branch conteineth either a reques [...] [Page 72] request of some benefite, or the deliuerance from some euil, that therfore yt is a praier. For this yt is as yt is written in the booke, though yt be neuer read; therfore I may by M •. Some his reason & Logick conclude, that the booke also praieth, because all these branches are in the booke, and all these branches are such praiers. Neither yet doth the reading of these scriptures make yt a praier any more, then the reading of the scripture maketh a sermon: there is required a litle more worke of the Spirit in both. In the on [...] to the explication & application of the scripture read; in the other to the powring out & expressing the desire [...] and estate of the heart in faith. For yt sufficeth not, that al our wantes, or whatsoeuer we can aske or stand in need of, are there expressed: what booteth that me? I can aske or receaue no more, then mine owne faith extendeth vnto: An enwrapped faith will not serue or saue me▪ this were to conclude, because i [...] the bible is all wisdome and Docto [...] Some hath the bible: therfore he hath al wisdome. In this scripture i [...] all praier: therfore whē I haue said or read this scripture, I haue praied all maner of praier. What pitifull, blind, yea popish & pernicious re [...] sons are these? For (saith this Doctor) he is vnlearned that knoweth not, that all petitions are contayned within the compasse of, & may be deduced from the Lordes praier. Therfore when we reade or say the Lordes praier, we pray for the Queene, for the Nauie &c. and all other petitio [...]s that we need inclusiuely, & that vntill I can proue that all petitions are not therin concluded, I gaine nothing by this reason, in tha [...] I alledge, that neither our particular nor present wantes are therin expressed; and therfore yt cannot be said our praier. Doth this Docto [...] know what either faith or praier meaneth? Can any thing be deuised more popish or idolatrous then this? popish, in that he maketh praie [...] without faith, vnderstanding, or knowledg of the thing we say? yea giueth meed to the verie saijng ouer these wordes: Idolatrous, in that h [...] putteth holines and vertue in the wordes vnderstood. For let me aske of him, which way that can be said a priuate praier where my word [...] expresse not my heart? were yt not rather an idle superstitious or fond futilitie? & a taking of the Lordes name in vaine? I would also vnderstand of him, whether any such publike praier may be vsed in the congregation, which is not vnderstood of all? and whither to the simple [...] [...] Cor. 14. sort he might not almost pray in an vnknowen tongue as well? or ho [...] Act. 8. 31. should they vnderstand this, without some particuler explicatiō or application? Therfore by these vnfallible reasons we may conclude, th [...] this scripture neither any other can be vsed either priuatly or publikly as our praier, without some further worke of the Spirit in vs.
But he hath for this an euasiō, namely that our knowledg is here bu [...] in part, and therfore we may vnderstand in measure, and so haue vse o [...] this as a praier. If he meane priuate praier, though I in some measu [...] may by such a speedy reading vnderstand somwhat, yet this vnderstanding nothing expresseth, so much as instructeth my present hea [...] therfore yt cannot be said or vsed as my praier▪ For euerie knowledg [Page 73] [...]r vnderstanding maketh not praier: neither doe we heere reason of [...]ecret or inward praier, but of pronounced praier. Yf he meane pub [...]ike Math. 24. 45, 46. praier, yt is manifest that whole Ioaues vnbroken vp or vndeui [...]ed, may not be set before children; especially in their praiers, which [...] a publike actiō of the whole church, & must be vnderstood of the [...]hole church. But be yt grāted him to be vnderstod of al the church: [...]et euerie brāch being so infinite, frō whence spring & are deriued so [...]any infinite petitiōs; how now in this case shal they al w th one heart, Rom. 15. 5. [...]e mind and one mouth be said to praise God, when their mindes [...] thus discracted, their thoughtes dispersed, one about one thing Act. 1. 14. & 2. 46. [...] other about an other, euen so many seueral, as there are diuersitie [...]f thinges in the world, of conceites, and armies of thoughts in men: [...]me shal aske priuate thinges whiles others aske publike. How [...]ould this be auoided, though al the church were as learned as this 1. Cor. 14. [...] ▪ 6. [...]octor mistaketh himself to be. And this we know, that publike prai [...]rs must so be made, as they may be with ane accord, that all may be [...]nderstood, that all may say Amen.
But (saith this Doctor) I then take away the vse of this Scripture: [...]o; but the abuse rather. For how should yt▪ now be vsed as a praier, [...]ithout these popish errors, grosse absurdities, and heinous idolatrie? [...]herin this popish Doctor & al the priestes of the lād fal, whiles they [...]se yt: some of them saying yt for all their wantes at once, that they [...]ight soone haue done, others fiue times in a morning next their [...]eart for al the weeke after, or vntil wednesday or friday, that they [...]aue seruice againe. Other more smooth hypocrites (yet as grosse dolaters) vse yt as a close or supplie (forsooth) to their lōg & prolixe [...]raiers cōceaued before, with this preāble. FOR THESE & al other gra [...]es necessarie, let vs say the Lords praier. What can be more grosse, [...]opish, idolatrous, supersticious thē this? doe they not heerby put ho [...]nes in the wordes? why should they els vse thē after they haue praie [...] [...]s God hath giuen thē vtterance by his Spirit? doe they not fall into [...]he same errors, abuses, inconueniences aboue shewed & confuted.
Heere I had like to haue forgottē one of our Doctors maine rea [...]ons, which he bringeth to shut vp the point, & that is this; yt hath [...]men added in the end; therfore yt is a praier. Had yt not beene pittie [...]o haue lost this reason? why your A. b. c. before the catechisme of the [...]hurch of England hath both the signe of the crosse & [...]ittle, title est Amen▪ [...]et I neuer heard yt taken for a praier. Christ himself is called Amen, [...]hal I therfore say that he, or the whole written word of God which is [...]alled Amen also is a praier? Moreouer, I find yt after Luke without Amē, [...]ea & without For thine is the kingdome, the power: &c. now would I know of [...]ou after which Euangelist I must say yt. And thus being wearied [...]ith your friuolous reasōs, & nothing refreshed with your vnsauorie [...]arren notes, wherwith whiles you would haue opened, you haue roi [...]ed & shut vp those heauenly pu [...]e fountaines; neither yet resting in [...]our interpretation of, much lesse in your collection from this word [Page 74] Amen, I betake you (when you shal haue recouered your senses frō the amazement wherinto you were smitten with this strange Doctrine touchnig praier) to a further consideration of the matter; to see if you can bring any better reasons, or repaire these in your third booke, against the poore persecuted seruantes of Christ whome you vntruly accuse, blaspheme & publish for Anabaptists & what not in these you [...] priuiledged poisoned writings.
I haue sufficiently (as I hope) shewed the vnlawfulnes of bringing into, or reading in the church these stinted numbred praiers, and set seruice in their written diuised Leitourgies: both because they wan [...] warrant in the Testament of Christ & practise of the Apostles, and are contrarie to the same, being Apochrypha, & not the liuely graces of Gods Spirit; being contrary to al the rules of praier, yea to the Spirit yt sel [...] & christian libertie: not being drawen from the Spirit of God in vs according to the necessities & present estate of the church, or of our heartes as the Spirit giueth vtterance; but rather teaching the Spirit wordes, & vsurping the office therof in the consciences of mē: yea setting stintes & lawes vpon the Spirit & church, prescribing this, & thus much to be said this day in the morning, at afternone, thus many collectes or Pater nosters, heer a Creed, a T [...] deum. &c. I haue shewed the supertition idolatrie & abhominacion of the best of thē, how they are bu [...] as a dead stinking carion, & not a liuely acceptable sacrifice vnto the Lord, & so abhominacion; wil worship, not required at our handes, & so superstitiō; brought into & standing in the church of God for that they are not, namly as rules & lawes of the church, as holy praiers and incense of the Saintes, as the liuely graces & present worke of the Spirit, & so idolatrie. I haue shewed that those scriptures vsed in them, do no way iustifie thē, no more then they doe the masse-booke, or a Coniures magical incantatiōs, which haue also holy psalmes & scriptures, & as vnreprooueable prai [...]rs: but rather that they make thē the more heinous, in that they so rende, mangle, & peruert the scriptures to such blasphemous abuses. I haue shewed that such written stinted stuffe, cannot be said the prai [...]rs o [...] the Saintes, neither do any good, either instruct or help the weak [...] cōsciences of any: but are rather the very leauen & poison of their heartes & soules, the very cradles and cushions of these graceles Priestes & Atheistes, to rock them asleep [...] in their sinnes & securitie, neuer touching the heart or consciēce, but teaching them to prate ouer vpon the booke or by rote their certayne nūber of wordes to the Lord, as though the booke were their heart, vtterly quenching the Spirit of God, and al the light that is in them▪ They make thē b [...]leeue that this prescript praier is good at this time, that at an other time; this when they rise or at dinner, the tother when they goe to supper or to sleepe; this when they are sick, that is special good to be read or saied at the point and hower of death. Thus abuse they & misleade men, keep them wholy from the exercise of the Spi [...]it of God in them, from the searching and powring out theyr heartes [Page 75] [...]efore the Lord, from the due confession, sorrow & repentance for [...]heyr sinnes, frō the true knowledg or any vse or benefite of that bles [...]ed benefite, & holy exercise of praier, and wholy from receauing any [...]crease, blessing, or grace frō God; as the presēt estate of their church [...]heir faith & soules sheweth euidētly, being by their stinted Lei [...]ourgie [...]cōsidered at the best that they can imagine or speake for thēselues) [...]ept at a stay, alwaies in one estate, hauing neither more nor lesse of [...]ods grace, but euē the self same stil. Thus are they neuer led forth [...]ne step towardes perfection, vntil a new Leitourgie be made, where [...]hey haue al thinges prescribed, both what to doe & how to doe, what [...] say, how much to say, whē to say & whē to make an end. Thus iug [...]le they & mock with God, & behold how the Lord deludeth & de [...] them, withholdeth the early & latter rayne of his blessinges frō [...]ē, & the cōtinual spring & haruest of his fruitful grac [...]s, they being [...]holy emptie & destitute therof, depriued of light, tru [...] knowledg, [...]ea cōmon sense & feeling: their consciences being seared as with an [...]ote yron, their heartes paued & hardned in their sinnes, which they [...]ōmit [...]uē with g [...]eedines, hauing left thē no sight, iudgmēt or power [...] thēselues, to discerne betwixt good & euil, nether to looke or know [...]hat [...] wil of God is, for any thing they doe or leaue vndone. Neither [...]aue they power to practise yt, but depend wholy vppon others for al [...] things: to thē they goe to inquire; as they say, so yt is without any [...]oubt: so yt must be done without any cōtraditiō. Thus is their faith, [...]at inwrapped faith of the papist [...]s, to bel [...]ue as the church [...], without knowing what y • church bel [...]eueth, to beleeue & doe, [...]s such a preacher, such a Rabbine beleeueth & doeth. Ó he is a lear [...]ed, an holy mā, he would not do [...] otherwise thē wel for al the world: [...]uch a Martyre made this, & such a mā that, yt cānot be but good, say [...]od what he wil. They see with other mēs eies, speak with other mens [...]outhes, pray & beleeue with other mēs heartes. Thus doe they al by [...]rescript custome & traditiō, without regard to y e rules of Gods word: [...]hus build they their house & faith vpon th [...] sandes: thus are they by [...]heir blind guides deluded & led out of y e way: thus are they cast into [...]tter d [...]knes, & held in y e chaines of sinne vnto iudgmēt, their hādes [...]ies, heartes & al their senses & powers being fast boūd by thes [...] Egip [...]iā in chāt [...]rs & their delusions. And now that we haue thus largely set [...]ut the v [...]lawfulnes & inconueniēces of al prescript Lei [...]ourgies, that all [...] & pr [...]tences may be remooued out of the way: me thinkes yt [...]s now time to returne to this Lei [...]ourgie of [...]he church of ENGLAND, and [...]o consider somwhat more particularly of yt: wherby we shal discerne [...]hat kind of faith they haue, professe, & exercise.
AND HERE IN to deal [...] with euery particular error therof, or to med [...]le with the patcheries & innumerable trumpe [...]ies therin, or al their [...]rosse sollies, & more then childish, euen apish triflinges, or their fri [...]olous constitutions & customes wherūto they bind & lesson the pa [...]ish priest to say his mattēs & euēsong in order, to begin with this confession [Page 76] throughout the yeare, nay throughout their life. Thē cometh the priestes general pardon, thorough the power that his lord Bishop hath comitted vnto him, & so he proceedeth to his stinted psalmes & Lessons, with his certaine of Paternosters euer & among, & of CREEDES, their forged patcherie cōmōly calcd the Apostles Creed or SYM [...]OLE, ATHANASIVS CREED, the NICENE CREED sometimes sayde in prose sometimes songe in meter on their festiuals: their Epistles, their Gospels, the one to be read with the priestes face toward the weast, the other with his face toward the east; with their versicles, one to be said by the priest, the other by the parish clarke or people; with their time [...] when to kneele, when to sit, when to stand, when to cursy at the name of IESVS, when to glorie their Lord at the beginning of their Gospel, or at the end of their psalmes with their Collectes & Anthemes, this in their ordinary iournal, that in their festiuals, this at morne, that a [...] euen, &c. With these grosseries & follies yt is not my purpose to meddle: the worke is to great for me; if I should begin I should not know when to make an end. Only Here by way of question, I wold know of them, where they learned thus to limit and apportion scripture; this Chapter to be read on this day, that vpon their next sunday, this for the first lesson, that for the second, these on the morning, that at euē song. I would moreouer know of thē, where they learned to hew out & dismember the scriptures in this maner; to pluck them from the context with such violence, without al [...]ense, order, or cause; & to make that their Gospel of the day more then any other Scripture of the new Testament, or then a whole Chapter of one of the Euangelistes, cōmonly read for their second lesson at their mattens; & to giue more honor to this shred, al the people being bound to stand vp vpon their feet, & alowd to glorie God, where they take their ease & sit stil at the other, & say neuer a word vnto yt. I would also know of them, how their peeces of the prophecies became Epistles? & where they learned to make thus many Pistles & Gospels? I would also know of them, where they learned to cannonize & reade the APOCRYPHA writinges (which swarme with vnsufferable forgeries, lies and errors) in the church, if not of the MASSE-BOOK? wherof in deed this their Portuise is a right graffe. In the new Testamēt I am sure they find none of these customes, they haue no presidēt there thus to distort, abuse, prophane dismember & rend the holy Scriptures, or to thrust them by stint & limitation to daies & times in this childish maner, vpon the church: neither to reade nor bring in the erroneous deuises of men into the church, and set yt vp as the word of God. Yet are these patches and shreddes euē y • very bad best partes of their seruice or worship, & euē the vnsufferable best vse they make of the Scriptures: which they not only thus rend, dismēber, apportion, stint & limite, this & thus much on this day in the morning, in this or that place of their morow masse. &c. But yet see how they abuse yt to more accursed idolatry and abhominaciō, as to their idol feastes both Iewish and popish, their fastes [Page 77] [...]f all sortes, their holy daies. All which, because they celebrate & so [...]mnize in their Church, yt shall not be amisse a litle by the light of the [...]ord to examine what kind of stuffe they are.
First therfore I will begin with the Iewi [...]h feastes they stil retaine, as [...]heir Easter & Pentecost. Of these solemnities & feastes we reade Exod. [...]2. Leu. 23. Numb. 28. Deut. 26. that they belonged & were inioined to the [...]ewes vnder the law, were meerly ceremonial & ritual, figuring Christs [...]erson & belonging to the Leuitical ministerie, such as appertaine not [...]nto, neither are to be reteined in the church or ministerie of CHRIST, [...]ithout the vtter losse of CHRIST, and vtter denial of him to be as yet [...]ome in the flesh &c. But heer peraduenture they will vse their Doc [...]ors foresaid Catholike distinction viz. that they keep not these feasts & daies after the Leuitical maner, neither vnto those endes, but rather [...]n the one to celebrate the resurrection of our Sauiour CHRIST, in the [...]ther the glorious miracle of y e giuing the holy Ghost vnto the Apost [...]es: &c. and this, their seruice vpon these daies sheweth playnly. Of [...]hese endes, vses, & seruice at and of these feastes & daies (which are a [...]reat deale more abhominable then those of the Iewes) hereafter: for [...]ith al these floorishes cannot I be satisfied concerning the very feastes & daies of Easter and whitsontide, which still reteine the same names [...]ascha and Pentecostes, the same times solemnities, cessations, the same so [...]emne Sabothes or Sundaies y t the Iewes did, keeping their Passouer [...]n the first month of the Iewes, the first day more solemne then the rest, [...]umbring seuē weekes iust after the same vnto their Pētecost, whose first [...]day they keep in like maner. Al these ceremonies the lawes & places a [...]boue alledged, shew euidētly to be deriued from thē Iewes. We find no [...]uch customes, no such cōmandemēts in the new Testamēt. We there Gal. 4. 9. 10▪ [...]eade, that if we obserue or be brought in bondage of such feastes, daies Gal. 5. 1. &c▪ &c. we turne from Christ, he profiteth vs nothing. But they obserue Col. 2. 20▪ [...]hese feastes of E [...]ster & Pētecost as our Sauiour Christ & his Apostles did & so haue warrant sufficient inough for that they do; Is yt so? Then [...]hey obserue their Easter wholly after the Iewish maner for so did our Sauiour CHRIST being made vnder the law. But our Sauiour CHRIST [...]here instituted this feast to be kept, & that after an other maner, as the [...]institution of the Supper declared, how yt ought to be kept in the ministerie of the gospel: I neuer found any such thing in the text. Neither did the Apostles (who deliuered as they had receaued) euer giue any such cōmandment, or tied the celebrating the Supper to y t feast that 1. Cor. 11. 21▪ &c▪ day as y • Church of England doth: but left the day & time to the libertie of the Church. If yt be to be kept in y t maner, thē is yt to be kept in y e night after supper. If the feast & day stil remaine, then doth the Pasouer still remaine: for both were alike by our Sauiour obserued at that Mat. 26. 26 time: but if the Passouer be abrogate, & Christ our Passouer be offred 1 Cor. 5. 7. 8▪ for vs, then is that feast & day also abrogate, and we to keep the feast euen al the daies of our life in sinceritie & truth: other obseruation of the day I neuer found, in all the practise of the Apostles or Churches.
[Page 78]For the other feast of their Penticost, they haue litle help from the second of the Acts: for the Disciples assembling in that priuate maner, could not be to keep that publike feast of their first fruites, where they were to make publike & [...]olemne offringes, according to the law: &c. so much as according to the commandement of our Sauiour CHRIT, Act. 1. 4. to wait for the promise of the Father &c. which not being as yet performed, they could not keep that day as in cōmemoratiō of the great wonders the Lord thē shewed, & grace he shed vpon them. Now then, if they kept not that day as any feast, either after the Iewish or this popish maner, how should these mē from thence fetch warrant for their feast; for after the Iewish maner they will at no hand be said to keep yt, & after their maner yt is cleare the Apostles then could not keep yt, because the miracle was not as thē done, neither had they as yet those giftes of tongues neither knew they at their assembling, in what maner, or what the Lord would worke that day. For though yt pleased the Lord vpon that day to shew these wonderous workes: yet did not he it, that either we should keep a superstitious celebration of that day more thē of others after this idola [...]s maner, or still reteine the Iewish feast: &c. so much as vpon that day, in that great and solemne concurse of people, to giue publike witnesse to the Gospel of our Lord [...] SVS CHRIST, & furnish vp his witnesses according to his promises. &c.
For I am sure they cannot shew either cōmandement or example in the new Testament, that this or any such feastes haue beene kept or are to be kept in the Churches of Christ. It maketh nothing to their purpose that Paul Act▪ 18. departed from Ephesus to keep the feast ensuing in Ierusalem: for what he did (no doubt) he did by reuelation of 1 Cor. 9. 20 the Spirit, vnto the more easie winning of the Iewes, to whome he (for Act▪ 16. 3. the time) became and behaued himself as a Iew, & this both by the speciall Heb. 8. 13. reuelation of the Spirit, and warrant of the word. For vnto the Iewes a time was giuen of shaking and remouing these ceremonies, from which they could not be so sodainly or easily remoued, because Act. 15. they were giuen and deliuered vnto them by God himself, vpon the mount Sinai &c. yet seing they neuer were giuen nor belonged to the Gentiles, the Apostles at no hand would haue them intangled vvith these ceremonies. Neither did Paul here inioine the Church at Ephesu [...] to keep this feast, but how sharply he hath dealt vvith those Iewes or other false teachers that sought to trouble the Churches with them, appeare [...]h in all his Epistles; and how roundly, but for a litle halting herein, he dealt with the Apostle Peter, appeareth Galat. 2. 14. And if the Gal. [...]. 4. 5. Apostle then at the first planting of the Churches, when many [...]wes were mingled amongst the Gentiles, would not receaue the least ordinance vvith the ministerie of the Gospell, by vvay of subiection not for an howre, that the truth of the Gospell might continue amongst th [...]m; what would he now say to these false Apostles and counterfait wretches, which not being Iewes but Gentiles by nature, and hauing [Page 79] [...] these examples and documentes before them; yet dare without [...]y warrant thrust their Iewish and heathenish traditions vpon the [...]hurches with a strong hand; which thus mingle the Iewish ceremo [...]es with the Gospell: which way should the truth of the Gospell re [...]aine with them, when the Apostle saith, that but a litle of such leauē Gal. 5. 9. [...]oth leauen the whole lump?
But see, these Phariseis not only reteine the day & the feast, but ioine [...] the celebration of the one day a principal article of our faith, the re [...]rection of Christ from the dead: vvhere haue they learned (trow [...]e) to make such a set and especial memorial of Christes resurrection [...]e day aboue all the daies in the yeare? But here their answere is rea [...], because forfooth CHRIST rose as that day of the yeare. Did he so? [...]ow shall vve know that? their holy Father the Pope hauing in a so [...]mne generall councell corrected his Calender saith, he rise ten daies [...]efore, and keepeth his feast accordingly. Is yt not doubtful they come [...] the post, and then all their deuotions are lost. But be yt of their [...]de. Be it that Christ rose iu [...]t as that day; yet would I faine know the [...]ysterie of the matter, vvhy we should more specially remember [...]d celebrate Christes resurrection that Lordes day, then the next [...]ordes day, yea or then any day of the yeare? or why they should keep [...]ch a solemne double feast tha [...] Lordes day more then any other: vn [...]sse peraduenture yt be, because the sunne daunceth that day vvhen [...] riseth. I could neuer as yet find in Christs Testament any such bet [...]rnes Rom. 14. 5. 6. of one day then an other, neither that Christs resurrection was [...] be celebrate with such a stagelike fle [...]hly pompe, in superstion and [...]olatrie, in flesly [...]ustes, riote and gluttony; that day making holy two [...]ther daies after yt, and drawing the whole land both yonge and old, [...] these daies, to intermit their lawful callings, vvherin they are placed [...]f God (vpon vvhat necessitie or occasion soeuer) to giue attēdance to [...]eir propery and Idolatrie, so spend the time in idlenes, folliè, & vani [...]e. Is this to celebrate the resurrection of CHRIST from dead workes? Colos. 3. 10. Rom. 6. 4. [...] to be renewed in knowledg & holines, after the image of him that [...]reated them? or is yt not amongst their holy Fathers superogatorie [...]orkes, which God neuer required or cōmanded? For I vvould [...]aine [...]earne of them, where they can likewise shew any commandement or [...]varrant for their solemne WHITE SONDAY, and their feast of PENTE [...]OST, other thē the Iewes double Sabaths & feasts &c. But I haue now [...]one with this feast: I would therfore know vvhere in the new Testa [...]ent they find any president or commandemēt, to solemnise the verie [...]ay of the Apostles receauing those wonderful gifts of the holy Ghost. [...]hat the Apostles did not then keep that day as a feast or gratulation [...]f this matter, is alreadie shewed; because they had not as thē receiued [...]hese giftes, neither knew in vvhat maner God vvould work: that euer [...]fter they kept or commanded to be kept any such set solemne memorial therof vpon any one day more then an other, I suppos [...] [...]annot [...]e shewed in the new Testament. Paul they may alledg Act. 20. 16. made [Page 80] haste out of Asia, to be (if yt were possible) at Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost: yet this proueth nothing y t the Apostles or Christians kept the feast & commemoration of the wonderfull apparition of the holy Ghost &c. which vntil they can shew, they must be guiltie as forgers & coiners of a new religion, & so of adding vnto, yea abrogating of the Testament of CHRIST. We doubt not but the Iewes a long time kept that & many other feastes, but they may be no example for vs in this matter: nor yet these with their auncient traditions wherin the papistes and they prescribe, from which forgeries they deriue these and many other trumperies, without some better warrant from the word of God, then as yet they can shew. Neither is yt my purpose heere to stand to recite their heathenish maner of keeping those feastes with idlenes, riot & gluttony, with their maygames, morrice dance, & sommer Lords &c. I now make hast to their popish feastes.
WHICH BECAVSE they are so many, we will keep their owne diuision of them in Double and Single Feastes. Of their double feastes are their Christmasse day, with the day of his circumsion and Epiphanie, the Annunciation, & Puritication of their Ladie, called Candlemasse day; their day of all the Saintes together, called Hallowmasse; their Michaelmass [...] & all Angels, besides their Easter & whitsontide wherof we haue spokē, also their Assentiō day, & Trinitie sonday. Now their single feastes and common Holidaies are the Saintes daies in order as they come in their beadrolle, & their cōmon sundaies. Of which sundaies, though they haue cōmandement both in the law by the fourth cōmandemét, & in the new Testament by the cōmandement & practise of the Apostles, to keep in the Church the first day of the weeke, an holy conuocation vnto the Lord, spending that day in praiers, hearing the word, and other holy exercises; yet seing they so miserablie profane yt to idolatrie, both after the maner of the heathen & Papistes, yt becommeth an idol feast no lesse accursed then the others. After the maner of the heathen they abuse yt, in dedicating yt vnto, and naming yt after the chief idol of the Pagans, the Sonne, a creature, and in feasting that day after their maner in pride, gluttony, riot, idlenes, sport, play &c. After the maner of y e papistes they abuse yt, in their stinted, superstitious, idolatrous seruice, their abuse of scriptures of praier at their meeting, which is not to any edifi [...]ng or leading forward in the waies of God, their course & direction being set downe both to priestes and people before hand, what they shall doe, say, pray, how much in the forenoone at Mattens, how litle at afternoone at Euensong &c. Further, in that they dedicate one special Sunday aboue all the rest vnto the Holy Trinitye; & yet giue lesse honour vnto this Sunday & feast, then to their white sunday going next befor [...]. Their other solemne holy feastes, seing they want warrant in the word of God, & haue nothing for their foundatiō & groundworke, are therby cast vtterly out of the Church of CHRIST, which is not to be edified vpon the sandes of mens fansies, neither to worship God after the deuises of their owne heartes, but according to [Page 81] [...] prescript rules of his holy word: & therfore I need spend no time [...] the refutation of them: the bare recital of these their trifling follies [...] vanities, is inough to scatter them into the wind: for what warrant, [...]ommandement, or proofe haue these stage players in the word of [...]od, in this maner to solemnize the birth, circumcision, epiphanie, [...]surrection & assention of Christ vpon their seueral daies, with their [...] fastes, worship, & feastes? why do not they celebrate as well his bap [...]sme, temptation and victorie ouer Sathan in the wildernes, the cal [...]ng of the woman of Samaria, the receauing the Syrophoenitian, his fa [...]ous miracles, casting out deuils, raising the dead, walking vpon the [...], transfiguration vpon the mountaine, giuing the holy Ghost vnto [...]is Apostles, with his commission and message &c. These are written [...] the new Testament, & were done of him as wel as the other; for our [...]arning and comfort as wel as the other. Why then should not they [...] wel haue their peculiar daies, fastes, worship, feastes, as the other. [...]ut where haue they thus learned Christ? to worship him by startes [...]nd stintes, by daies and eaues, by such idol fastes and feastes? Is not Col. 2. 20. [...]his to draw the worship of God (which is perpetual and spiritual) Mat. 15. 9. [...]nto carnal commandementes, worldly ordinances and customes Act. 17. 22. [...]gaine, and that after so superstitious and profane a maner? Supersti [...]ious, in that it is without cōmandement or president in the Testamēt [...]f Christ, wil worship not required or accepted at their handes: pro [...]hane, in that they celebrate these feastes in al maner gluttonie, ex [...]esse, ryot, prodigalitie, pride, luxurie, vanitie, idle games, & heathen [...]cortes. Thus they celebrate the natiuitie, circumcision, epiphanie & [...]esurrection of Christ, with gay clothes, cleane houses, good cheare, [...]he viole in the feast to stir vp lust in stead of deuotiō, eating & drink [...]ng & rising vp to play and daunce, after the maner of Bacchus in his [...]eastes, with their Lords of misrule, commonly called Christmas lordes, [...]ames, enterludes, nummeries, Sodomitish maskes, wassal cuppes, [...]ith thowsandes of abhominations, which chast & Christian heartes & eares abhor to heare or thinke of. This is the fruite of their idola [...]rie & idlenes: this they learned of their forefathers in the wildernes. Whiles Moses was on the mount Ex [...]d. 32. their priest cast them a calfe of gold, made of their chiefe iewels that yt might be of the more estimation. To this Calfe they made an Altar, the priest deuoutly proclaimed a fast to al the▪ people on the eaue, a solemne feast and holy day vnto the Lord, yea of the Lord IEHOVA as he said. On the day where the people offred burnt offringes, and brought peace offringes on the morning; after sate downe to eate & drink and rose vp to play. This is the very mould and patterne of these their idol feastes, fastes, worship &c. In Christes Testament they neuer learned to diuide Christes actions & life into such a stageplay; making one day a Pageant of his birth, an other of his circumcision, an other of his epi [...]hanie resurrection &c. though these were distinct things, and done [...]t seueral times: yet neuer read I that they ought (in this maner) vpon [Page 82] peculiar daies to be celebrate in the church, more then at any other time or day of the yeare; or that they ought to haue a set worship with select Psalmes, Lessons, Pistles, Gospels, Collects, Anthemes; or such a deuout fast on their eaues, or feast on their daies, with such revels as they keepe.
But that their deuotions may yet more appeare, they worship him euen in his mothers belly, or rather before she was conceaued with him, they adore the wordes of salutation, euē in the Angel Gabrie [...] his mouth, & giue a solemne fast, worship, and feast day therunto, which they cal the Annunciatiō of their Lady. And least she might be offended, they solemnize also with double feast her purification, cōmonly called Candlemasse. And heer in this feast I would know of these deep diuines, what yt is they worship & solemnize; whether this action she did, or the person of their Lady: for needes yt must be the one or both o [...] thē, heere being nothing either in or ioyned with this action besides, worthie of such special veneratiō & high solēnitie. Yf then y [...] b [...] the action of her Purific [...]ion; that was but a legal ceremonie, and not now to be brought into the Church of Christ. Yf her person (as yt i [...] also like) how thē wil they escape the breach of the first cōmādemē [...]; vnlesse peraduenture they hope through her mediatiō to be dispēsed withal, & y t she wil speak a good word vnto her Sōne for thē; & therfore they powre out vnto her their drinke offringes, and burne incense [...]. 44. to the Queene of heauen.
And that they might not faile at time of need, see, they make all the S [...]intes, & Innocētes in heauen their friēdes & on their side, celebrating to the Innocentes one day of their solēne Christmas: vnto all Saintes (because none should be forgottē, & they are many in nūber) they keep an especial & principal feast day, with a deuout fast vpō the eaue &c. yet least some of the chief Santes, as [...]hon the Baptist, and the twelue Apostles might be displeased in that they are numbred & passed ouer with other common Saintes, they severally remember them againe in their tourne with their peculiar eaues, daies, fastes, fe [...]stes, & worship. Heere is yet also an other Saint, whome I had like to haue ou [...]rskipped, the Captaine of thē al, S t. GEORGE, their Borrowgh, the patrone of the lād, a worthy warriour, our Ladies knight I wene. This Saint hath heere no smal intertainemēt, with his solēne processiō (& that by no smal states, but euē the greatest of the lād) with his cornets trumpets, harpe, shackbutes, psalte [...]ies, dulcimer & al instrumentes of Musick &c. This Saint (besides his noble order of knighthood) hath also his famous peculiar Chaplain Palatine of the order, who is to weare a goldring on his thomb: & what a fam [...]us feast they keep vnto this Saint, there is none in Court or Countrie cā be ignorant. Because I [...]m no good Heralt, I wil not vndertake to blazon his armes, the red Crosse in white field that he beareth in banner displaied, nor yet his wo [...]hy [...]: For all those [...] refer you to his L [...]gend. A [...]d heere me thinkes before we goe any further, we had need enquire [Page 83] [...]ome learned Doctors opinion of this geare, lea [...]t we that be silly and [...]ooke no further then the word of God giueth vs to see, take yt for [...]ost grosse idolatrie & abhominatiō, because in al the booke of God [...] the beginning to the ending, we find no such presidēt or cōman [...]emēt; & therfore (if yt please you) because DO. ROBERT SOME hath [...]ndertakē the matter, we wil heare his learned iudgmēt of this stuffe.
This learned Doctor (who hath this wit for the most part with him, [...]o take no more of a matter then he is able to deale with) frameth an [...]rgument in the name of an other, thus. The church of England maketh mē [...]iō of Saintes deceased, viz. Apost. Martyres &c. in some of their pub [...]ike praiers: therfore the church of England doth worship Saintes [...]eceased. His answere is, they are mentioned to stir vs vp, not to wor [...]hip thē, but to tread in the steps of their vertue & religion; & so con [...]ludeth the Argumēt very weake & sylly. But how if this Argument [...]roue his owne, what opinion shal we then hold of his Doctorhood? [...]ot to speak of his euil cōsciēce, who (to coullor that the cannot ius [...]ifie, & to passe by that he cānot gainesay or disproue) is not ashamed [...]sually throughout his writinges, to father the forgeries of his owne [...]dle head vpō others, thinking (by deprauing the poore professors of [...]he truth) to suppresse yt, or (at the least) to get credite and promotion [...]nto himself. But I would know of his euil conscience (wich shal ere [...]ong be araigned for all these thinges, before him that is greater then [...]is cōscience) whether he neuer heard other reasons frō some of thē, [...]o proue this their celebratiō & cōmemoration of Angels & deceas [...]d [...]aintes to be idolatrous, blaspheamous & abhominable, euen to the [...]hief Authors of this stuffe, & that in the presence of some verie ho [...]orable: namely because they dedicate to these Angels & dead Saints [...] peculiar Eaue & Day, caling thē after their names, therby impropri [...]ting & giuing that to the creature, which is only due & reserued in [...]he hand & possessiō of the Creator. 2 because vpon their Eaues they [...]nioyne & bid in their church (vpon their sunday) a publike fast and [...] in th [...]se Angels and Saintes names. 3 b [...]cause vpon their day (which they cal an holy day) they proclaime a solēne feast to be kept, [...]ith general cessatiō frō their labours in their trades, as vpō y e Lords day by the 4 commandement. 4 & this by a publike law (not to men [...]ion al the fleshly and lewd behauiour, idlenes, pride, vanitie, excesse) [...]pely seene & suffered vpon these their feastiuals & holy daies. 5 be [...]ause vpon these daies they haue a peculiar prescript deuised worship [...]o each seueral Saint, that they thus celebrate: not heere to mention [...]heir vnsufferable shredding, dismemb [...]ing, rending & peruerting of [...]criptures, to clowte vp this idolatrie. These reasons if either those two [...]reat BBs to whome they were propounded, or this Doctor which thē [...]eard them had soundly confuted, & iustified this their maner of ce [...]ebrating & worshipping dead Saintes & Angels in their church: then [...]ad the Antichristian tyranny of the one, the rep [...]ochful blasphemie [...] the other, some colour; which now are odious vnto God & man.
[Page 84]But now seing these Argumentes still remaine with them vnanswered, and that they are so loth to meddle with them; I would now only learne of this Doctor, where▪ he (in al the scripture) hath found this idolatrous custome of theirs, to celebrate the memorial of any one deceased Saint, & that vpon one set day yearly, in this maner: we reade not that the Fathers before the flood vsed yt, neither yet after y e flood, b [...]fore the law: yet were they verie godly men, of great vertue, such as instructed their children in the true worship & waies of God: such as their children honoured & reuerenced whilest they liued, & did all filial duties vnto them; being dead, decently buried them: but neuer after kept any ānual or set day in their remembrance. The like vnder the law we reade of Moses, Samuel, Dauid &c. men verie famous & renowmed for their vertue & godlines, greatly honored of all whiles they liued, no such matter done to thē after they were dead, yet were they presidentes by their vertue, euen vnto all ages vnto the worldes end. The Apostles also whome they so especialy aboue al other Saintes prefer & celebrate being dead, yea taken away as famous martyres, neuer in this maner vpon one special set day celebrated their constā cie in the faith & vertue, as we may see by the Apostle Iames and the Martyre [...]. Likewise the Apostles Paul & Peter being ready to suffer for the Gospel, left no such commandemētes vnto the churches, that any such praiers & festiuals should be kept to them or their remembrance, being dead: but rather stirred vp & admonished the churches whiles they liued, & disired the churches prayers for thē whiles they liued. So that we seing no ground for this stuffe in the word of God, see not otherwise, but to hold them for detestable idolatries forgeries & abhominations, for the reasons aboue recited.
And now, because I haue beene somwhat longer euen in the bare recital of these trumperies, then I thought; I wil passe ouer the rest of their grosse trash (as their christing their Synagogues and Belles into the names of sundrie Saintes both men and women Saintes, euen all in the Popes Calender: their solemne visiting their speciall Saintes tōbes & monumētes, as their S t. Edwine his tombe in S t. Paul his church in London by the Maior verie solemnely vpon Candlemasse night kneeling downe thereat, & saying a Pater noster. Likewise the yerely cō memoration of the Founders & benefactors of Colledges in the vniversities, with their solemne praiers purposely, as also their other idol feastes vnto S t. Michael & al Angels which they adore and celebrate in like maner, with their eaue, their fast, their holy day, worship, feast. What wil this learned Doctor say to this? is this also to immtate their religion & vertue? where learned he this immtaciō, this religiō, if not in the massebooke where they fetch the rest? this is deepe diuinitye in deed, & far passing all humane capacitie. No maruaile though he (to whome such misteries be reuealed) chaleng to himself to be a Doctor of diuinitie, aduancing himself in the thinges he neuer sawe, being rashly puffed vp with his fleshly mind. Col. 2. [...]8.
[Page 85]And now hauing taken a view of their solemne & idol fea [...]es, yt remaineth that in a word or two we consider of their hypocritish & pharisaicall [...], which are in diuers sortes: as their Saintes and festiuall eaues, their embers or Quatuor tempora, their lent fast, and their ordinarie fridaies. Of all which curiously to inquire, by whome and vpon what occasiōs their fastes were first instituted or inuented, & how they grew into this abuse, would but minister matter to iangle, and were nothing to the purpose: yt is ynough that we find them vaine, ful of hipocrisie, superstition, idolatrie, without ground, and from the [...]ules of the scriptures. Hauing shewed the feastes to which these e [...]ue fastes leade & are a preparatiō to be heathenish, popish, idolatrous; yt sufficeth to proue these fa [...]tes which haue the same beginning, vse, & end, and are of the same conspiracie, to be alike guiltie. yet I must say, they haue more colour & shew of probatilitie, then any of the other: insomuch as in outward pretence they might seeme to humble and prepare the peoples heartes to the hearing of Gods word, & to withdraw them frō worldly encombrances, by attending both to publike & priuate earnest p [...]aier &c. But (as is shewed) the very feast & vvorship to vvhich they lead being so blasphemous & idolatrous, as also kept and spent in al maner [...]ewdnes, ryote, excesse voluptuousnes idlenes and sinne: this fast must needes be alike superstitious, abusiue, & abhominable. For their Em [...]ers, they are so grosly popish, as there can nothing be said for thē; vn [...]es yt be Doctor Roberts popeholy excuse, w ch he maketh for the lent [...]ast, & al the fasting daies & eaues that are kept in England at once.
This great clearke saith, they are inioined, not for religion, but for [...]ollicie, vz. y [...] maintenance of the nauigatiō, & so referreth vnto a Sta [...]ute, made in that behalf. I perceaue now the greatest clarkes are not alwaies the vvisest men. I vvil be iudged euen by any that neuer commenced Doctor, vvhether this be a sufficient reason or not. The Prince [...]y act commandeth al these popish fasting daies to be kept, therfore al [...]hese fasting daies, [...]ent & all, are ciuil actions. The Prince cōmandeth [...]ll the Bishops ceremonies, gouernment, iniunctions, seruicebook &c [...]o be obserued, therfore they are all ciuill actions, and not to be kept or [...]efused as in conscience towardes God, but as in regard of the outward court, by M r. SOME his reasons. Yf he vvere not better seene in [...]he Statute of nonresidencie then in the Statute of Nauigation, vvel might he [...]e his GRACELES Chaplē; but neuer shal he be a true Pastor, whilest he [...]akes this course. It should seeme this popish Doctor either cannot [...]ut difference betwixt the first and second Table: or els suppo [...]eth that no lay men (as he termeth them) may medle with the first Table; els vvould he neuer be so grosse as to conclude, because the Prince commandeth yt, therfore yt is a ciuil action: yea and an other more blas [...]heamous conclusion thervpon; The prince commandeth yt, therfore yt is no matter of con [...]cience, but ought without scruple to be done, for (saith this Doctor) he is a simple Diui [...]e, that cannot distinguish [...]etwixt the external Court and the Court of conscience. Might he not [Page 86] th [...]s bring in [...]l maner idolatrie & humane traditiōs, being cōmanded by the Prince [...] and no man ought to refuse the same, and stand for the maintenance of the faith, because now the action concerneth not the conscience, but the outward obedience to the magistrate. But of that point hereafter.
First let me shew, that publike fasting is an action belonging to the Church, to be vsed vpon [...]pecial occasions, as in time of some publike calamitie, great transgression &c. with great reuerence, preparation of the heart & soule, praier, and other holy exercises. That publike fastes [...]aue alwaies belōged to the Church & beene exercised therin, plentifully apeareth in the old & new Testament as Leuit. 16. 29. & 23. 7. Numb. 29 7. 1 Sam. 7. 6. Ester 4. 16. 17. Ne [...]em. 9. Ezra. 8. 21. Mat. 9. 15. Act. 13. 2. 3. & 14. 23. Besides these examples, vve haue many doctrines & rules set vs downe in the word, how to vse, & what thinges to eschew, both in publike and priuate fastes. Isa. 58. Ioel 1. & 2 Chap. Zach. 7. D [...]n. 9. Math. 6. 16. L [...]k. 5. 35. Math. 17. 21. 1 Cor. 7. 5. So that he is a very young Christian, & (in my iudgmēt) not worthy to be a teacher in the Church of God, that taketh the publike fastes of the Church to be ciuil actions, & not to concerne the cō science. But let me yet come neerer vnto this Doctor & vse more familiar reasons vnto him, wherwith he is better acquainted then with the vvord of God. Are not al his fasting daies & fasting eaues, as they arise in their Calender, solemnely biddē in their Church by the Priest after his second lesson, on the sonday? are not the people commanded there, to fast vpon such holy tydes, to resort to Church? to pray & heare their diuine ser [...]ice? what thinkes he? are these ciuil actions?
Well, and now to his lent fast, which he would put away with abstinence from flesh, and that not for religion, but for maintenance of the Nauie &c. I would first know of Mr. Doctor, whither he findeth in his bookes, that the Lent vvas hrst found out for the maintenance▪ of nauigation, and whither yt was brought & receaued in England for that purpose. He vvill say, that although yt hath beene popi [...]hly & superstitiously vsed heretofore in the Church of England, yet now yt is vsed for the mainten [...]nce of nauigation: this is a thing not denied. So was yt also in the most popish and blind time of all, and that much more then yt is now; vvhen scarse one in a land dur [...]t eate flesh without the Popes especiall dispensation. Men could then no more then now [...]ate fi [...]h, except some went to sea to take yt. But shall I therfo [...]e say that the fast inioyned by, & vsed in the Church, is a ciuill action? how cōmeth yt to passe then, that yt is so solemnly obserued in holy Church vpon the first day therof, commonly called Ashwednesday? in stead of the popish shrift, displing, and asshes, they vse an especiall communion; vvherin the people are inuited to do their repentance. Bitter curses and execratiōs be read and pronounced against certaine sinnes, vvherof neuer a one in the Church is free, or euer yet repented of them; and there made to acknowledg and confirme their owne dam [...]ation▪ by ratifying the curse with their owne mouth, saying Amen vnto [Page 87] [...]hem. And this as they most grosly beare themselues and the people [...]n hand, that in the primitiue Church was vsed a godly discipline; that [...]t the beginning of Lent, such persons as were notorious sinners were [...]ut to open pennance, and punished in this world &c. that their [...]oules might be saued in the day of the Lord &c. This stuffe by the [...]riest must be read in the pulpet vpon their Ashwednesday. Where find [...]hey this in all the new Testament, in the practise of the primitiue [...]hurches there? Know they what either the primitiue Churches or [...]he gouernment of CHRIST meaneth? that thus popishly dreame of [...] discipline vpon that day especially, of such a corporall pennance of a [...]ent &c. vvhere find they this trumperie in CHRISTS Testament? But [...]is wretch that in his conscience knew the idolatrie, and these grosse [...]oleries wel inough: thought to hide that he could not defend, by [...]ying, the Lent was but abstinence from flesh at the Princes comman [...]ement; Let him reade the last Collect of their commination vpon [...]shwednesday, and see there if they desire not God to be fauorable to his [...]eople which turne to him in weeping fasting and praying. Is this [...]ut to abstaine from flesh. Let him looke their Epistle and Gospell [...]pon the same day, the one taken out of the Prophet Io [...]l Chap. 2. vers. [...]. Turne you vnto me vvith all your heartes with fasting weeping & mour [...]ing & [...]. the other out of Math. 6. 16. VVhen ye fast be n [...]t s [...]d &c. Let [...]im yet further pervse his portuise vpon the first sunday in Lent: he [...]all find their Collect of the day (as they cal yt) to begin thus [...] Lord [...]vhich for our sakes didst fast 40. da [...]es and 40. nights: giue vs grace to [...]se such abstinence, that our flesh being subdued &c. their, Gospell [...]f the same day taken out of Math 4. sheweth the hystorie of CHRIST [...]ast and temptation &c. Let him yet turne his port [...]se, and see if [...]e find not there an especiall communion for euerie day in their [...] weeke, and vpon their good friday a trental of Collectes. [...]re all these but ciuill actions? but abstinence from flesh, for the [...]aintenance of NAVIGATION? Doth the statute by him alledged cō [...]and these things? or is yt the priestes office to meddle with that sta [...]te? yf all this were, yet could they not help or hide this grosse pope [...] and heinous idolatrie, which they in these their blasphemous [...]ent fast & [...]. wherof, because this Doctor was either ashamed or [...]feard to meddle which (being such abhominable stuffe as can find [...]o defence or excuse) I also will not meddle with the further disco [...]erie or refutacion therof, as taking no pleasure to raue in their filthy [...]hannels.
YET remaine two pointes of his deep and pestilent diuinitie to b [...] [...]xamined; the one, whether Princes may set any permanent possitiue [...]wes, set daies & times, when, what time of the yeare, & how long to [...]ast? the other whither the Princes lawfull constitutions concerning [...]utward things, bind the conscience. The first ROBERT SOME affir [...]eth, and therby ratifieth his Lent fast, embers, eaue fasts, and friday [...]astes. The other he saith toucheth no [...] the couscience, making a [Page 88] subtil distinction betweene the EXTERNAL COVRT and the COVRT of CONSCIENCE. To follow him so far as the error & vvickednes of these two positions would leade, would make of yt self too wide a gap in the worke we haue in hand. I will therfore handle the first point so far as yt maketh to this present matter; and the second very briefly, by way of digression.
Before I come to his diuinitie, I would know of this learned Doctor, whither if the Prince ratifie & command the Popes blasphemous decrees & abhominations; vvhither this doth either alter the propertie or qualitie of them: or such cōmandement bindeth not the cōscience▪ I need not here stand to shew these his popeholy fastes of the Church of England to be idolatrous in the first inuent [...]on, & now more abhominable in the present vse, such stuffe as he will not file his hands with the defence of them; & now whether these be bettered in that they are commanded by act of parliament &c.
But to come to the matter in hand, whither the Prince or vvhole Church may make permanēt lawes for y e yearly, m [...]ncthly, or weekly fastes to be still obserued vpon this or that day. I haue aboue shewed, that fastes are vpon especial and present occasions, actions, calamities, &c. to be exercised, to the humbling & preparing the bodie and soule vnto true repentance, praier & other holy exercises. This all the practise of the Iewes in their Temple sheweth: vvho vpon especial occasiōs as vvar, plague &c. vsed fasting. That these set fastes vvere not perdurable any longer then vpon these present occasions, vve also find. For the fastes that EZRA & NE [...]EMIAH in [...]tituted were not cōtinued from yere to yere vnto the posteritie. This very question also the Lord by his Prophet Zachary fully resolueth, in the 7. & 8. Chapters of his prophecie: where the Iewes sending vnto the Temple to know whither y • fast instituted in the fift moneth, for the destruction of their Temple, were still to be obserued, the Temple being againe built after their returne out of Babilon; to vvhome the Prophet (after he had reproued their former sinne obstinacie, & sup [...]rstitious abuse both of [...]asting & al the worship of God, which were vnauaileable and did but aggrauate their iudgmentes, so long as they continued in their sinnes) shewed them that yt was not their fasting frō meat, or eating, that made them more or lesse acceptable to God, but their faithful obedience vnto his vvord, & that his kingdome consist [...]th not in meates and drinkes &c. as also instructing them of the true vse & endes of fasting & praier; in the end concludeth chap. 8. 19. &c. that all their former fastes of the 4. 5. 7. and 10. moneth were now to cease, promising vnto them in stead therof, a continuall feast, with his abundant blessinges, so long as they walked faithfully with the Lord, comparing in that Chapter his former plagues, to their former sinnes &c. So then we see how [...]sting is vpon especial & present occasions to be vsed, & those or such like occasions [...]asing, not to be continued without end or vse: for that were not only to make positiue lawes, to bind that which God hath left▪ at libertie: [Page 89] but also to put holines in the verie action of fasting, without right end or true vse.
Further the practise & vse of fasting in the church of Christ vnder the Gospel, sheweth, that there can be no permanent lawes of the time & day made therof. For they (not only vpō such present & publike occasions of calamitie) are to vse yt; but also in some especial & Act. 3. 2. waightie actions, wherof dependeth the good or euil estate of that church or congregation: as vpon the choice of the Officers & Elders Act. 14. 23. of the Church. That peculiar Congregation in such actions, at such [...]imes, is to humble themselues with fasting & praier: and yet this fast [...]either to be enioined to others which haue not that occasiō of such [...]ike action: neither to be annually, monethly &c. cōtinued of thē after that action performed. Therfore we may conclude, that neither the magistrate, nor the whole church may set positiue lawes of publike [...]astes, to be holdē vpō such a day or such a moneth frō yeare to yeare▪ 1. Cor. 7. 5. [...]eing they are vpō present vrgent & especial occasions to be vsed. And as for priuate fastes, seing they are wholy put in euerie Christians li [...]ertie and the occasions neither concerning others, nor publikely knowne of them; there can much lesse be any positiue lawes made to [...]ast this or that day of necessitie: what gaineth then this learned Doc [...]or, by this euasion. THAT THE PRINCE commandeth these yearly, monethly, and weekly fastes; vnles yt be to lay that blame & blasphemie, which before was due vnto the Pope their Founder, now vpō the Prince. Do not these priestes an high piece of seruice vnto her Maiesty [...]eerin? But this profound Diuine, hath yet one trick in his budget, to [...]alue al this matter; & that is, the Prince doth not cōmand thē to fast, [...]ut only vpon such daies to abstaime from flesh. How false this is by [...]heir especial deuotio [...]s vpon such daies, the priestes solemne bidding [...]hē in open church &c. hath beene sully already cōuinced. Moreouer, [...] would know of him (if he can tel me) if the action should be meerly [...]iuil as he would haue yt, what the church hath to doe with yt to pu [...]lish them, to assemble & pray &c. on those daies: Also, why the very [...]aues & daies in time & nomber as the Pope vsed & left them, are stil [...]y them so reteined & vsed? were not this to offend the consciences of [...]he faithful? to nourish others in their foreconceiued superstition and [...]dolatrie? Is not this the verie cause that maketh so manie papistes? in [...]hat so manie popish relikes stil remaine?
And now further I would know of Mr. Doctor, how he can prooue by the law of God, that the Prince may forbid his subiectes to eate [...]lesh vpon such daies & such times &c. I demaund not now any polli [...]ike reasons, for then he would smite me downe with these two; for [...]he sparing the yong increase of beastes, & for the maintenance of the Nauie: but my conscience cānot rest vpon thē: I had rather haue one [...]ule or example out of the word of God, where I can find no such pre [...]ident, vnles yt be king Saule [...]: who ind [...]ed by solemne curse forbad the [...]sraelites to tast food but for one day, & that vpō as v [...]gent occasion as 1. Sam. 14. [Page 90] I suppose possibly cā be alledged, namly during the battel & prusui [...]e of the Philistines: but he was reproued for yt both by the holy Ghost in the mouth of I [...]athan when he said. My Father hath troubled the land, [...]. 29. see now how mine eies are made eleere by tasting a title of this hony: & also by L [...]t from God himself, the matter comming to be tried be [...]wixt him and his sonne, who had made the default, when the Lord answered not by Vrim as he had couenanted and accustomed: the hypocrite Saule desired the Lord to giue the per [...] or vpright: & so [...] was [...]. 41. taken, denounced by Gods owne iudgment innocēt & not guiltie: & the wretch left as the author and cheefe in the trespasse, by making that vngodly law. So then, if yt were not lawful for him vpon such a waightie occasion, by way of law, to restreine the vse of Gods creatures for one day; I cannot see how vpon any pollitike cause, such r [...] straintes may be made throughout, & from yea [...]e to yeare.
My reasons are, first God hath created these creatures & not man, & giuen to man soueraignty ouer thē, to vse them to food freely; therfore [...]. 9. 2. 3. they which by law restraine the sober and free vse of them. 1 both calback the Lords liberal g [...]āt. 2 & depriue the Creator of honour & praise, in & for the vse of them, & 3 make a law of that the Lord hath left in libertie. 4 then the Apostle calleth such lawes as in this maner 1. Tiu [...], 4. 3. 4. 5. command to abstaine from meates, the doctrines of diuels. [...] to conclude the Apostle often chargeth vs to stand fast in our libertie, & not to be brought in bōdage of any thing, which is by God put in our 4. Co [...]. 6. 12. powre. But by such lawes, our free vse of such creatures is for these times takē away &c. For which reasons, I am (as yet) in consciēce perswaded, y • the ciuil magistrate ought not to make permanēt lawes of y t the Lord hath left in our libertie, neither by way of law to restrain [...] thē one day, for any ciuil or pollitike causes whatsoeuer. I would not now be vnderstood of ecclesiastical & religious fastes; we haue both lawes & plētiful examples in the scriptures, that the Prince & church may proclaine such general fastes, vpon occasions &c. Neither would I heere be suspected to goe about to diminish or pluck away y • high sacred power & authoritie the Lord hath giuē to the ciuil magistrate, as to his Lief [...]enāt, ouer both body, life, & goodes: [...]o much as to she [...] [...]. 3. 1. that the Princes or Magistrates power is yet by God himself limited Rom. 13. [...]ccles. 8. 2. & circum [...]cribed; for the transgression wherof, they shal (as any other men) accompt vnto the Lord; in whome they are to command, as we also readily in the same Lord to obey.
The excesse or abuse of these creatures the Magestrate may & ought to punish & represse because that is sinne; and therfore is the law and [...]. 71. sword of God committed vnto him: but by a law of his owne (wherof is no warrant in the word of God) to restraine them for these or these times, I thinke there he exceedeth his commission, though vpon never so great colour of pollicie, and that the action were purged of all this romish superstition and idolatrie, wherwith nowe yt is refersed. The Prince is to gouerne, ouersee & prouide for the common welth, [Page 91] administring & dispensing, gathering & [...] the cre [...]tu [...]es and welth therof, as a Father and a Steward: yet stil with this I [...]terim, as the Psa. 82. 6. 7 Steward & seruāt of God according to their Maisters will, as they that Mat. 25. 19. [...]ball accompt.
But heere yt may be said, that the Magistrate & not we shall answere for this sinne, if yt be any; that yt is our dutie to obey in these outward [...]hings without inquirie or questioning, because y • reason, charge, nor accompt of the Magistrates office is not cōmitted vnto vs: neither may we thus enquire into the same, being priuate mē w t out apparant pre [...]mptiō & secret rebellion. God forbid y • any of his seruats [...]hould be [...]tained with either of these faults: we honour, reuerence & obey y office & person of y e Magistrate (I say not now worship & adore) as God himself. In that we seek to know the Magistrates dutie &c. we do not [...]herby either intermedle or intrude into his office: vnlesse vve knew Rom. 14. [...] 23. [...]ow to obey and how far, how should we obey? what is not of faith is [...]inne: & where should we know either his or our owne duty, but in y Hos. 5. 11. Book of God? wherby both he for cōmanding & making vngodly de [...]rees, Mic [...]. 6. 1 [...]. & we for obeijng them, shal be iudged. Obedience must alwaies [...]e in the Lord. If the Prince demād or cōmand my body or goodes in [...]is seruice, I am to yeild them both readily w▪out further questioning Rom. 13. 6. [...]f his ententes, endes, or purposes, those belong not vnto me: only I M [...]t. 17. 27. [...]m to looke to y • outward thing which I do, y t yt be lawful & [...] by the word: as y • Prince cómandeth me to make ready my wea [...]ons to serue in the war, I may not refuse: but if this war be apparantly [...]nlawful, as against Gods seruantes &c. I may not obey. The Prince 1 Pe [...]. 2. 13▪ [...]aketh me an officer or vnder Magistrate; I am in this place to serue 1 Sam. 22. 17. [...]im, but not to execute any of his vnlawfull decrees &c. The Prince [...]emandeth my goodes; I am readily & willingly to depart with them [...]l vnto him, without inquirie: but if the Prince command me to giue [...]y goodes to such an idol, or after such a wicked maner, as by way of [...]ithes to a minister, or by way of pension to an antichristian minister, I [...]ay not obey, but rather suffer his indignatiō, yea death, because now Dan. 3. 18. [...] make my self a tr [...]passer, in doing that which God forbidd [...]th, at y e [...]rinces cōmandemēt. So in like maner, if the Prince should cōmand [...]ll the goodes, victuals or cattell I haue, I most willingly would obey; [...]nowing y • for this he, & not I should accompt. For I am cōmāded to [...]ay tribute, & not set the portion how much or when, my self. But if [...]he Prince make a law, that no mā shal eate flesh during the Lent, but [...]uch as haue special licēce from him; I say this law is vniust, contrarie [...]o the bountiful liberalitie of God, who hath giuē al men at al times a [...]ree vse of these creatures to food. It is cont [...]arie to the order of Gods [...]reation, who hath therfore created & ordeined them. It is cōtrarie to Gods honour, who wil haue prais [...] & thankes for the holy & pure vs [...] [...]f them. It is contrarie to Gods wisdome, who hath seene no such law [...]f restraint expedient. It is contrarie to the libertie & freedome God [...]ath giuen vs in CHRIST: God hauing at al times put al his creatures [Page 92] for our sustenance in our choice & power, euē as the greene herbe of the field. Therfore I see not why the seruātes of God should any more by this cōmandemēt be restrained or forbeare, then Daniel did for the decree of the King of Persia for the thirty daies inhibitiō, to make sute or petition to any, saue the King only. We need not feare the indignation of man, when God approueth the thinges we doe. Pollicie must Gen. 1. 28. take, & not giue lawes vnto religion. The Lord hath by his word giuē Leuit. [...]6. a blessing to all the creatures, that they should increase & multiplie Deut. 28. by vertue therof to the vse & sustenance of mankind, euen of euerie liuing soule that he bringeth into y e world. Yea before he made man, he prouided food for him. This goodnes he stil extendeth to y e good Isa. 28. 18 & bad generally to all. So that to make such pollitike lawes for y e restraint [...]oel. [...]. 55. of this the Lordes bountie, is not only to distrust y e Lordes p [...]ouidence, & not to depend therof for the future time, vsing the bread of the day with thanckfulnes in sobrietie; but to asc [...]ibe to our owne pollicie & councel y t, which is due to the Lord of life, the gyuer of increase. Famine and scarcitie are not kept away with humane pollicie: they are y • messēgers & punishmēts of God for sinne. Yet speak I not heer against godly prouidēce, christiā parcimonie, or sober & modest vse of God his creatures: al this may be done without either breach of Gods lawes, or restraining [...]hat by law, which God hath left at libertie.
Nov cōmeth to be cōsidered that learned probleme of Do. SOME, wherin he thinketh himself as safe, as if he had got a castle on his back, trusting more to the fame & toomb of his M •. CALVINE for the defence therof, then vnto his owne learning or the truth of the matter: namly, THAT THE conscience of man is not bound by this law, but the outward action: & he is a simple diuine that cānot distinguish betweene the external court & the court of consciece. For the Author of this Doctrine, though I ca [...]not assent vnto him in this very point, for such reasons as I shall by & by shew: yet is he no Patrone or Maister for such schollers as this popish Doctor, yea and other diuines of these our miserable daies, who doe but seek out shiftes and euasions out of his writinges, to couer & defend their shameful transgressions, which they without conscience or feare of God commit. For by this subtil distinctiō (being vnderstood in the best sense) hath D.R.S. both animated & cōfirmed Princes in their wicked decr [...]es, by enioyning obedience vnto such lawes, & taken away al feare of Godes wrath & iudgments from such as obey these lawes; making them beleeue, that the conscience is not heerby bound, burdened or charged, but only the outward action &c. & therfore they need to make no scruple of conscience to obey such hestes.
Wel, that I may at once pluck frō him Aiax S [...]ield (this is his owne profane phrase) and set this his Author most sharply against him, who hath especially excepted all lawes, which either bind that God hath left in our libertie, & al traditions whatsoeuer, that are brought into the church: h [...] inueigheth most grauely and worthely against
[Page 93] [...] such lawes and traditions, and exempteth all Christians from the obedience or receauing of such lawes or traditions. How will Doctor SOME do now for his lent? [...]vve haue shewed yt (in the best construction) to be an humane law, [...]estraining and inhibiting the sober and [...]oly vse of those creatures which God hath put in our libertie. But [...]s the truth in deed is, and as their present practise without all con [...]radiction declareth: yt is (as yt is vsed with them) a burdenous idola [...]rous tradition, a papisticall and romish custome, being vsed after that [...]uperstitious abhominable manner that I haue abou [...] declared, a spe [...]iall and solemne part of their worship, a great and principall action of their Church; as the solemne bidding and keeping of that, shew [...]th. How can this doctor then say, yt concerneth not the conscience? [...]o not the publike actions of the Church, the worship and seruice of God, praier & fasting concerne the conscience? or may such trumperie [...]raditions be brought into the Church? or laid vpon the conscience? [...]e learneth n [...] such doctrine of M r. CALVINE: who alloweth no humane diuises, no Apocrypha traditions to be brought into the Church of God, how holy, pregnant or necessarie soeuer they may seeme to be.
Yet in handling this point, he hath vnhappily stumbled at I vvote [...]ot vvhat old prescriptions and auncient erronious customes, of kee [...]ing a solemne memoriall of the birth, death, and resurrection of CHRIST vpon their peculiar daies yerely; as also the feast of Pentecost, when the Apostles receiued the holy Ghost &c. He also alloweth of Ap [...]crypha Leitourgies, viz. [...]set & stinted forme of numbred publike prai [...]rs to be brought into and vsed in the Church, and this as yt should [...]eeme, because he would not be thought a Nouatian, or an Author of [...]ew Religion &c. But see, how he hath therby both insnared himself, & opened a gap for other like trumperie to be brought into y e church, [...]vhich may easily carrie both as great shew of antiquitie and of godines, as these. He hath therby also giuen a verie pernitious president [...]nto other ages, as apeareth in the miserable estate of our common [...]velth; who are a great deale more ready to follow him in his errors & [...]ransgressions, then to imitate him in his godly vertues, laborious and [...]oly life. Me thinkes also, that M r. CALVINE in the other part of this [...]oint (concerning such lawes as pluck away any part of our Christian [...]ibertie, or inhibite & restraine that which God hath put in our power) [...]ath greatly departed from himself therin. For hauing very truly set downe, that yt is heinous presumption in any mortall man to restraine or make lawes of such things as the Lord hath left in libertie; he straightway (least he should offend, or keepe back ciuil magistrates frō [...]eceauing the Gospel) inuenteth a pollitike distinction, betwixt y e outward or ciul Court, & the Court of consciēce; saying that this outward Court respecteth men only, & bindeth not the conscience of the doer, but the outward actions only: the other concerneth matters belonging vnto God, & therfore bindeth the conscience. Thus hath he both lost & intangled himself, & vtterly ouerthrowen all his former doctrine.
[Page 94]CONSCIENCE HE defineth from the second of the [...]. [...] to be a certaine feeling or remorse within our selues▪ according to the knowledg of Gods wil, which doth continually present vs, & accuse or acquit vs before the iudgment seat of God. Although this definition be somwhat of the scantest, as making the conscience of man extend no further then his present knowledg, which yet we read in the scriptures Reu. 20. 12. stretcheth much further, namly to the vvhole li [...]e of man (wherin Math. 16. 27 God as in a book writeth aly▪ thinges done in this mortal life) which Rom. 2. 3. 4. 5. &c. booke he often openeth not vntil the final iudgmēt, but suffereth men Ectles. 8. 11. 12. 13. to run on, & die in their sinne without feeling, vntill then he plucking away all vailes & lets, set al their sinnes that euer they haue committed Is [...]. 57. 11. in thought, word or deed in order, according to their indignitie before them: vvhervpon, in horror of conscience, the scripture setteth out and describeth their fearfull desperate estate vnto our capacitie, shewing▪ that in that day, they shall euen desire the rockes to fall vpon them & [...]. 6. 16. the seas to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. &c. If our consciences were only charged but with the sinnes which we cōmit against our knowledg, thē ignorance of Gods lawe excuseth the breach therof, Rom. 2. 12. then were the ignorant in far most best estate, and had the cleerest [...] Thes. 1. 8 conscience, then needed we not to pray for pardon for our ignorant Leuit. 5. 17. 18. sinnes &c. But because our conscience in this life cannot be touched vvith, or accuse vs here of more then we know to be sinne (for as the Apostle saith, without the law we liued, but when the commandement came sinne reuiued, but we died) therfore to a [...]oide further controuersie, I rest in this his description, which me thinkes also maketh vene fully against himself: for we see how the knowledg of the law reuiueth [...]om. 7. sinne, & maketh yt out of measure sinful.
But to come to the point: M r. CALVINE saith that by the ciuil lawes the consciēce is not bound, but the outward action only. Yf he meane thus, that the conscience is not subiect to the ciuil Magistrate, but the bodie only, he saith true. If he meane that the ciuill Magistrate can but looke vpon the outward action in the keeping or breach of his law, he saith true. For man, no not the whole Church can enter into Gods seat, to search and iudge the conscience, the inward affections [...]. 17. 9. of the heart &c. Man can but behould and iudge the outward 1. Cor. 3. 11. actions, according to the law of God; for if they could, then should no hipocrites creepe into, or remaine in the Church. The heart and conscience (vntill by outward actions yt be reuealed) is not only liable vnto, but searched by, and iudged of God. And this we see as well in the lawes of the first Table as in the lawes of the second. Whiles I resort and vvalket together vvith the Church, and vvorship God to all outward seeming vnreprouablie: though I be inwardly neuer so great an hypocrite: vntill my sinne apparantly breake out, the Church can no more censure me, then the ciuill Magistrate can punish me before I haue broken the law. So then we see the secret conscience is as far out of the reach, censure & iudgment of the Church, as yt is out of the [Page 95] Magistrates hand, vntill some fault or offence be made.
But if M r. CALVINE meane (as his wordes and whole scope int [...]nd) that the conscience is not charged with the law of the outward Court, but vvith the outward action only, then surely he greatly erred. For this doctrine is most dangerous and false, as discharging the conscience frō the whole second Table, vnto vvhich yt is as much bound, as vnto the first. Neither can vve keep or please God in the first, that vvalke not vvith a good conscience towardes all men in the second. Our praiers are abhominable that are offred with handes ful of blood, Isa. 1. & 7 [...]. Chap. Prou. 15. [...]. & 21. 27. [...]r vvith our heartes abounding vvith lu [...]tes, or set vpon the vvorld. We are not to offer our offring vpon the Altar, vntill vve haue sati [...] fied our iniuried or offended Brother, and made agreement with our conscience, vvhile vve are in the vvay: vve cannot loue God whome Math. 5. 23. &c. we haue not seene, if vve loue not our Brother &c. Thus we see how God himself hath ioined the Tables together, and inioined them vpon 1 I [...]. 4. 20 the consciences of all men; as wherby they shalbe iudged before him. [...] speake not now concerning the heauie waight of Gods law, vvhich [...]one of our Fathers were able to beare ▪ or the strait exaction of the [...]erimplishment therof; the best of vs not bei [...]g able to answere him one of a thowsand, from both which the death of IESVS CHRIST hath set vs free. Yet hath not our Lord IESVS CHRIST abrogate one title of his Fathers law, neither exempt the consciences of men from the second Table, and bound them with, and vnto the first Table only. If the transgression of the least of Gods lawes be death, and this death extend both vnto the bodie and soule; who can deliuer & exempt our consciences from a carefull and most strict obseruation of all Gods lawes, euen with all our strength and the vtmost power God hath giuen vs, daily examining our consciences euen to euery idle word or [...]aine thought, powring out & vnfolding our hearts before the Lord, [...]ndighting, arraigning and iudging our owne heartes before him the knower & searcher of them, that so we may haue our debt-book cancelled, and all our sinnes blotted out through the blood and mediation 1 Cor. 11. 31. of that immaculate Lamb that taketh away the sinnes of the world.
Moreouer, there is no consequent, because the ciuill Court or outward Rom. 13. 5. action concerneth men only, & is done vnto them, that therfore 1 Pet. 2. 13. those lawes and actions bind not the conscience. For both we are bidden Act. 24. 14▪ 15. 16. to obey the Magistrate for conscience sake, & from the heart; & to behaue our selues towardes al men, that we may haue the testimonie of [...] cleere consciēce. It sufficeth not to do the thing we are commanded, C [...]l. 3. 22. 23. 24. but we must doe yt cheerfully & with a good heart: vve must not only doe that which is good, but doe yt wel & as we ought to doe. The ciuil Eph. 6. 5. [...]. Magistrate in puni [...]hing an offendor, may yet do yt with such affections, as he may before God murther him: vve also in all duties of [...]haritie, must do them vvith a single heart and eie, for els yt auaileth [...]s not. If vve doe them grudgingly, as of constreint, or to be seene or [Page 96] praised of men, or of custome with others, & not of c [...]oscience towards God & our neighbour, they profit vs nothing. And this holdeth a [...] wel in the first, as in the second Table. Our religion is vaine (though yt be outwardly neuer so vnreproueable) if our heart stand not sound & vpright.
A strange doctrine yt is, to seuer the conscience, & the law; the conscience, & the outward action: they may aswel heere whiles we liue seuer the bodie & the soule, which though they are distinct thinges, [...] can they not be heere seperate. The bodie shall rue the thoughtes of the soule; the soule shal rue the sinnes of the bodie: the bodie & soule together make a man, & the man both body & soule, are liable vnto al Gods lawes, and shalbe iudged for the breach of the least. Hath God commanded yt? vve must obey & do his commandement with all our soule, & that with such circumstances & affections as the Lord requireth, be the actiō neuer so sleight & bodily in our seeming, yet yt must be done in singlenes of heart as in the eies & name of God; yea (saith Collos. 3. 17. the Apostle) as vnto God himself, to whome we shall accompt for all thinges done in this mortall flesh. Knowing then this terror of the Lord, yt behooueth vs to take heed what we put vpon the file of that record against that day, to examine our owne heartes & conscience [...] 2 Cor. 5. 10 daily, least they be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinn; to iudge our selues heere how we doe the wil of God in al thinges, & not to put off through securitie, vntil we be iudged of God. And sure if this doctrine were sincerely & soundly taught, yt would stay the rage of sinne, which now breaketh out (as the bakers ouen whiles yt is not tended) [...]. 7. 4. 6. both in Magistrates & people. The Magistrate would be wel aduised what lawes he maketh, the people how they obey; knowing, that both shal answere vnto the great Iudge: wheras now by this deepe learning of Doctor SOME, the conscience not being bound by the Princes law, but the outward & temporal action only; the Prince may make what lawes he lust for ciuill pollicie: the people ought without all scruple to obey, seing their lawes bind not the eonscience &c. But if [...]e Princes lawes be contrary or diuers to the lawes of God, then is not our conscience or body bound by or vnto them, then are we not to obey such lawes, but stand for our Christian libertie and the maintenance of the faith in all patient maner, rather induring the wrath of man, then procuring the wrath of God. The vaine pretence of ciuil pollicie, wil n [...]ither excuse them nor vs before God the Iudge of al, with whome w [...] haue to doe: He will haue his lawes statutes & iudgmentes kept & not altered, innouate or neglected, according to humane wisdome, the state & pollicies of times & humors of men, which varie & turne with the wind, making lawes to day and abrogating them to morrow, one Prince after one manner, an other quite contrarie. But the statutes & Deut. 4. 8. & 7. 11. & [...]. 1. & 26. [...]6. iudgmentes of God, which are deliuered & expounded vn [...]o vs by his holy Prophetts, endure for euer the pure wisdome, the vpright i [...]stice, the true exposition & faithful execution of his moral law: which lawes [Page 97] were not made for the Iewes state only (as M r CALVINE hath taught) but for all mākind, especially for al y • Israel of God: frō which lawes, Psal. 119. [...]. 106. 106. yt is not lawful in iudgment to varie or decline either to the one hād, or to the other. For what doe we therby, but controle the wisdome & Mal. 4. 4. equitie of Gods waies, prefer & think our owne more wise and equal, Deu. 4. 6. [...]brogate his, & set vp our owne instead therof; frame God to y e common Ez [...]. 18. 25. welth, & not the common welth to the wil of God. Thus by the neglect of Gods Lawes, do [...]h the whole world oue [...]flow with al maner sinne, plunged deeply & vnrecouerably into Gods wrath, & eu [...]n hastneth him vnto final iudgmentes & vengeance. These are the best fruites that are reaped by this Doctors deep diuinitie, whiles he seue [...]eth the conscience frō the law, making the law to bind the outward action, but not the conscience.
BVT SEE NOW through this Doctors Cauils I haue beene drawen [...]rom the present purpose: which was, to consider what kind of fastes [...]re vsed in this their Church of England, which as we haue hitherto [...]hewed to be wholly deriued from their mother Church of Rome, [...]n the same idolatrous maner, times & seasons: so there now remai [...]eth an other new kind of fast, invented and brought in by the lear [...]ed ministry of the land, such as sue and seeke for the reform [...]tion of [...]he Church: & this without the licence or allowance of their LL. the BB [...]. This fast I know not from whence yt was brought, whither from GENEVA or els where, in despight (yt should seeme) of the fastes vsed by the Iewes & in the primitiue Churches. Here the learned priestes & preachers lay their heades togither, choose out 3 or 4 [...]rō amongst [...]hem to preach: One of them must play Sinne, an other the Iudgments of God, the third Repentance, the fourth the Gospel. The people are solemnely [...]idden from al quarters to this Stageplay who (at the first invention of [...]t) flocked in thick and threefold to behold this noueltie. There [...]e that plaieth sinne, frameth himself cunningly to his auditory, that [...]e offend none of his great Cananites nor rich gluttons, but especial [...]y hauing regard vnto his first othe at the taking of his antichristian ministerie, when he forsware Christ and the faith, vnto his Lord the [...]. & bound himself not to speake against anie thing by publike authoritie established &c. he hath great regard, not to medle with any of these matters, least he awake the sleepy dogg, & know not how to [...]pease him againe, or recouer his credit and estimation with him. Wherfore I warrant you, there is no sinne against the fir [...]t Table in the land, except yt be among such as stil remayne Papistes, recusantes &c. and such as will customably blaspheme the name of God, and also such as doe not diligently inough countenan [...]e the preaching [...]riestes (I should say as frequent not their sermons) &c. but otherwise [...]or the state of the Church, there is nothing amisse, but flourisheth maruailously, abounding with such lear [...]ed Prie [...]tes, as no Church in [...]he world hath the like: yet I must say as I haue heard, let the auditorie [Page 98] be such as vvill back them, and they wil haue a fling at the BB s ▪ i [...] some eloquent DELPHICK darke speaches, such as may be retracted, or haue a double construction (as shal more apeare vvhen vve come to their maner of preaching) If they were remoued, & they had the discipline of the Apostles in their parishes, then all were wel, there is nothing els vvanting amongst them. And for this all that mourne in the chine, and sigh in secret for yt, (though neither Priest nor people know vvhat yt meaneth) yet they must now fast, and then they haue done their duties to y e ful; the fault is not in them, but in God almighty that they haue yt not. Such a priest as this is a blazing star, a parragon of a Countrie, one of the new found MARTINES SAINCTS. And such people are Puritans or Martinistes praecisians: though both priest and people for all this glosing and hypocrisie vvith God & the world, stand still vnder the BBs. antichristian yoke, the one administring, the other receauing all their detestable vvares & markes. But to returne againe to this their fast; if you come now to the second Table of the law; ô they are seuere men, they vvill make a conscience to tremble; Yf there be euer an vsurer, or a Drunkard, or an vvhoremaister, they vvill so bebayt him, as he vvill not loue a sermon againe a goodwhile. Yet for all this vvhen they meet a brode they are good frendes, especially vvhen they meet at the Sacramentes: then they forgiue one another from the bottome of their heartes. Now here must be noted by the way, that these kind of persons are not indeed the most beneficiall to these fasti [...]g pharisaicall Preachers, & lightly will not goe further then by law he must needes; vvhich is, to pay him his tithes and offringes &c. But in their companie they delight not, neither wil bid them home to their houses or magnifie them: and therfore these men must beare vvith them, if in the pulpit (when they are rauished with zeale of the Lord) they haue now & the [...] a gird at them to ease their stomackes, especially now for fashion sake. As for al the rest of their auditorie, there is no such sinne amongst them, and therfore they shalbe exhorted to confesse all their sinnes, in thought, word, or deed vnto the Lord, to acknowledg their euill waies, and powre out their heartes before the Lord, to sorrow and mourne, and if they haue any voluntarie teares, to help the Priest to weep for that present, though neither their euil waies be shewed them, but (as hath beene said) most cunningly hid and couered from their eies, least they should see and auoid them. Neither in their priuate conuersation, offices, houses, are their sinnes by the light and power of the word discouered vnto them, or they called to the practise of their duties, least they indeed should thē espie the deceit of these miserable guides, that haue made them beleeue they stood in Gods fauour all this time, and detesting their perfidy and hypocrisie, should returne vnto the Lord. And thus being exhorted to [...]ament and repent their sinnes they know not, and to returne to the Lord; the priest that plaieth the last part, will heale them all with the Gospell, dismisse them with the peace and blessing [Page 99] of God, be they neuer so many, least they should wound weak consciences &c. Thus is this solemne fast ended. When the PP. haue said their certaine, the people dismissed (where I trow for that night is no talke either by the way as they goe home, or at their supper, but how excellētly such a man & such a man did) The priestes themselues that tooke this paines are bestowed at some of their hostes, or good dames houses; where at night they recompence their fasting & mourning, with good cheare and ease. As for the next day (by that time they haue slept of the matter) al is quite forgotten, euerie man vpon hi [...] ould biace againe euen as they were wont to be, they are no changelings: priest & people in the same idolatry, profannes &c. that before. Thus doe these prophetes, not only not discouer the sinne of the lād▪ vnto the people by their preachmentes and long pharisaical praiers, but soder them therin, and strengthen their handes th [...]rwith, that no man cān depart from iniquitie? but dissemble also with God himself, and wearie him with these their abhominable praiers, & hypocritish fastes, counterfaiting a great sorrow & heauines for their sinnes, aflicting Isa. 5 [...]. their soules for a peece of a day, bowing downe the head as a Zach. 7. bulrush &c. not loosing the bandes of wickednes, nor taking off the heauie burthens and letting the oppressed goe free, or breaking the heauie yokes, nor executing iudgment, or releeuing the widowe and fatherles; but refusing to hearken, pulling away the shoulder, stopping their eares, making their heartes as an adamant stone, least they should heare the [...]aw & the wordes which the Lord of hostes sendeth [...]n his spirit by the ministrie of his seruantes, resisting the holy Ghost a [...] their forefathers haue done, persecuting at all handes and smiting with the fist of wickednes such as speake vnto them in the name of God, for the redresse and amendment of their liues.
THVS HAVING seene these solemne fastes, what kind of stuffe they are, let vs now a litle while turne our eies to the publike Sacramentes of this famous Church of England. Which that they may the sooner appeare, let vs see in a word or two, what the ordinance of Christ is cōcerning the outward administratiō therof. Wee find in his Testament vnto euerie true Sacrament required. 1. a lawful minister of the Gospel to deliuer them. 2. a faithful people or their seed to receaue them. 3. the outward elemētes & forme of wordes which our Sauiour Christ hath ordeined therunto: As in baptisme to baptise them Mat. 28. [...] vvith cleane vvater in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of Mat. 26. 26 the holy Ghost: Vnto the supper of the Lord are required the elemēts Ma [...]. 14. 22 of bread and wine: which bread (after thankes giuing) is to be broken Luke. 22. 19 and to be deliuered with such vvordes of exhortatiō as are thervnto 1. Cor. 11. 24 prescribed, and the cup to be deliuered in like manner. Now where any of these vvanteth; either a lawful minister of the Gospel to deliuer thē, a faithful people & holy congregatiō ioyned together in [Page 100] the faith and order of Christ, to receaue them, or any other forme of administration either in the elementes or order, be vsed, then our Sauiour Christ in his Testament hath inioined to be vsed; we may boldly affirme, that such are adulterate & false Sacramentes.
And now let vs but euen as briefly compare these Sacramentes of the Church of Englād, to these rules. They there haue (to begin with) an antichristian Romish ministerie, such as the Pope left them, as is abouesaid; a profane cōfuse people & their seed, to receaue them. For who with them (that is able to pay for the Chrisme) is not baptised? the seed of heretikes, witches, coniurers &c. who with them is not admitred to their communion of the supper, that wil pay his offertorie? And to come to their forme of administration, what a sort of fond trifling ceremonies are added to their Sacramentes? as to their publike baptisme: yt must be done in their coniured hallowed Font, with a special Gospel taken o [...]t of the 10 Chapter after Mark, the water being wel coniured & hallowed to the mystical washing away of sinne &c. special Gossipes called and chosen which are godfathers & godmothers, which must publikely there vndertake for y t child, that he shall forsake the deuil & al his workes, & cōstantly beleeue Gods holy word, & obediently keep his commandementes. Where, after this prety dialogue, betwixt the parish priest, the parish clarke, these godfathers & godmothers which answere for the infant: the priest baptiseth yt in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghost, and of the holy Crosse, & chargeth these godfathers &c. to teach the infant the Creed, Lords praier, tenne commandementes.
All which when he can say, & haue learned also some of that worthy Catachisme which is set out for that purpose; then must he be brought to the Bishop to receaue his second Baptisme, which they cal Bishoping, or confirmation: wherunto also he must haue a new Godfather &c. Then after [...]e hath beene posed by the Bishop, wh [...]ther he cā say his geare aboue prescribed, the childe kneeling downe, this reuerēd B [...]. layeth his holy hands vpō his head, & saith a certayne Collect ouer him, cōfirmeth his former baptisme, & giuing him his blessing, dismisseth him.
Yet is there a third and fourth kind of baptisme in the Church of England; namely the hasty baptisme done by the midwife: who if she see the childe in peril and like to dye, before yt can be brought to the Church; then is she to bestir her, & giue the child the christendome, least yt neuer come in heauen: and this baptisme is warranted by their seruice-Boke to be lawful and sufficient baptisme: and the Priest finding yt orderly done by the cunning midwife, is to publish yt in the Church to be verie good & allowable, and to commend them that so orderly did yt, at that time of necessitie.
But if the Priest vpon the examination of the matter, find that the midwife was not cunning in this trade; but for haste or feare forgot or left out some of her accomplementes: then must he (according [Page 101] to the [...]orme prescribed in their publike baptisme, proceed with the Godfathers & Godmothers &c. saue that whē he cōmeth to dip yt, he must say, N. If thou be not baptised already, I baptise thee &c. And this may be termed baptisme by supposition.
Their other sacrament of the supper also is not free of the like found trifling & superstitious additions: and is by their SERVICE-BOOK diuided into 2 sortes: publike, of al together in their Synagogue; & priuate in their houses, called the communion of the sick. In their publike communiō, the Priest (araied in his ministerial vesture) is placed at the north end of the Table, and there is to read his certayne. He is there nurtured, vvhen to turne to the Table, when to the people, when to stand, when to kneele; vvhat, and vvhen to say. The people (after they haue offred to the priest) are in their place to kneele downe to say and answere the Priest at his turnes & times, as is prescribed in their Massebook: vvhere (after Sr. priest hath taken a say, and begun to the people) he deliuereth vnto them (as they kneele) their maker after the old popish manner, altering the wordes and forme of institution deliuered by our Sauiour and his Apostles, saying. THE BODY of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, which was giuen for thee &c. It were long to set downe their preambles and seuerall Collectes at this their communion, as at their Christ-masse day, their Easter day, Assention day, vvhite-sunday Trinitie sunday, and how the whole queir, priest & people glorie God, with Angels & Archangelles and all the companie of heauen &c. and after they haue receiued the priestes blessing, they are all dismissed with peace.
But now their priuate communion or housling of the sick, is after a more cursorie & briefe maner; with a short litle pistle & gospel, and nothing so manie Pater nosters, Creedes, Collectes, Anthemes, nor such solemne exhortations, because the sick desires to haue yt with him out of the vvorld. He must prouide the implementes and some of his frendes (if he may be so much beholding vnto them) to take part with him. But if his disease be such, or fauor not such, as that he cannot get them vnto him, th [...] yet may he & the Priest dispatch the matter together; and yt shalbe neuer the lesse wholsome to the sicke man. These are the holy sacramentes, the Church of England boasteth of: which, how vvelly they agree to the institutiō of CHRIST, I hope by this sleight repetition of some of their popish trumperies and corruptions, apeareth. So that yt were but a wearines, either to rip vp the rest of their blasphemous Leiturgie, in discussing y • manifold errors which aboūd in their collectes & exhortations, & abuse of scriptures vnto the same: or to shew forth their v [...]reasonable profanation and high sacriledg in these thinges which are already shewed. Which be so repugnantly con [...]rarie to the institutiō of CHRIST, & euerie way so popishly grosse, as no pretext or excuse can be forged for them, except yt be the prerogatiue of the Apostatical Sea of Rome, which by the high Cōmission of Sathan hath power to forge a new ministerie, new sacramentes, new [Page 102] lawes and cannons, where in deed this ministerie of theirs, these sacr [...] mentes, worship, orders &c. were minted & stamped.
And so may they draw an argument from thence for them al, thus. They that were baptised in the Church of Rome, when afterward they came vnto the true faith, were not to be rebaptised. Therefore though this baptisme in the church of Rome, were done by a worse ministery, & in worse maner then theirs, yet is yt of al men esteemed for a true, and auaileable sacrament: and so if this baptisme be allowable, much more the baptisme of the Church of England, which is done in much purer maner then theirs. Well, seing comparisons be odious, and I might be thought partiall to speake what I think, and know of the matter: I remit the ful deciding of this controuersie vnto the 23. Chapter of Ezechiels prophecie, where you shall see whither Aholah, or Aholibah were the honester woman. Only, before I come to this stout reason, let me a litle turne yt vpon themselues. All that were baptised in the Church of Rome, when they come vnto the true faith are not to be rebaptised, Oenes. 17. but haue reaceaued a true Sacrament: therfore the Church of Rome Exo. 19. 5. 6 & 20. 6. is the true Church of CHRIST: for the seales of the couenant only belongeth to that Church or people, to whome the couenant belongeth: De [...]t. 4. 7. 8 but the couenant only belongeth to the true Church, & to them Deut. 29. & 30. Chap. that are in the true faith: therfore now by this reason, are they all in schisme, by diuiding themselues from this their holy mother Church Is [...]. 8. 16. of Rome. Song. 4. 12.
Doctor ROBERT SOME in his first infamous booke against the Anabaptisticall R [...]m. 9. 4. & Ephes. 2. [...]2. recusantes (as he of his charitie calleth them) proueth the sacramentes deliuered by the dumb english priestes, to be true sacramentes, because the baptisme in the Church of Rome is true baptisme, for that they baptise, in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. But in certayne marginal notes added to this great clarkes booke, was this inconuenience among many other, moued vnto his further cōsideration, how he would then ward the blow of flat schisme: but he of his discretion tooke further time in his next booke (which in deed, I suppose was written but in some splene) peraduenture in the meane time vpon further aduise, the wind may blow in such a quarter, as he will be ready, (together with his Lordes Grace) to goe back againe, and so auoide this danger of schisme well inough.
Yet I must say, this D. was frendly aduised when yt was (though he of his collerick nature took yt not so, but called him ignorant bould Anabaptisticall wrangler for his good will) to spare this deep diuinitie deriued from M r. CALVINE and other writers of these times, least in deed he opened such a gap to the papistes, as neither the Church of England, nor of GENEVA, nor any that hold this opinion shall euer be able to shut. For see, if this baptisme thus deliuered in the Church of Rome be a true and an auaileable sacrament, then may yt be a true sa [...]rament without a lawfull minister to▪ deliuer yt, vnles they allow also [Page 103] popi [...]h prie [...]tes to be true ministers; then may the seale of the couenant be giuen to open idolaters, vnles they will also make the papistes true and faithfull Christians: then doth Gods couenant of peace and loue belong vnto this Apostaticall Babilonish harlot, vnles they will make the Church of Rome the spowse of CHRIST. Then hath CHRIST many bodies, many spowses, or els cannot three so diuerse Churches, as the Church of Rome, the Church of England, the Church of Geneua, all or any two (I wil not say any one) of them be true Churches, or els also must CHRIST be deuided, and stand an head, an husband to all these Churches, & so be one in one place, & an other in an other place: yea then may CHRIST be an husband where his wiues rule, and set vp and pluck downe, bring in & cast out, what & whome they wil without his leaue or will. Infinite other absurdities and blasphemies would then insue, euen all maner corruptions & abhominations would then proue lawfull. And let me add yet this vnto the rest: Yf the baptisme of the Church of Rome be a true sacrament, then haue they one true sacrament, & an other false. For I am sure (or atleast I thinke) they are not so grosse and shameles in the Church of England, to hold that breaden God, that magicall coniuration vpon their Altar, to be a true Sacrament.
Good in substance, bad in forme will not salue this sore, for then I may cōclude, that by this sophistry, a lawful minister to deliuer, a faithful people to receaue, the simple & pure element and forme of administration which CHRIST hath instituted were not necessarily required to a true sacrament or seale of the couenant, or (as they in their logick terme yt) of the substance of a sacrament, & so may (nay is) al CHRITS Testament vtterly abrogate at once; & then haue mortal men power, both to reiect the ministery and lawes of CHRIST, and to erect new in stead therof in the Church. Neither yet will this cauil (good to the faithful receauer, or vnto the receauer after he hath faith) help y e ma [...] ter: for first we heere reason not of the persons receauing, but of [...]the thing receaued; not of the time to come, but of the time present: namly, whither this baptisme, thus deliuered in that place, be a true sacrament, when and as yt is deliuered, or no. And sure if then yt be not good in that maner, yt cannot afterward be made good by any future faith; neither yet can in the present time be receaued of faith: for faith neither alloweth nor iustifieth sinne: If the actiō be euil, a faithful man may neither doe yt nor ioine in the action with, & to them that do yt. Rom. 12. 9. How then should these false sacraments be sayde good to the faithfull receiuer when the actiō is euil, & the faithful are vtterly forbiddē to receaue yt; neither cā they receaue yt, without most heinous sacriledge. Ag [...]ine how should faith reioice in, or iustifie a wicked & vngodly actiō? & thē how should this sacrilegious sacram [...]t be auaileable, or seale the blessing of God to faith to come? when God only blesseth his owne ordinance, & curseth al transgression therof: therfore faith is rather to purge yt by bitter teares & repentance, then to ioy in yt & iustifie yt.
[Page 104]But here then wil dangerous conc [...]usions be drawen against vs, if p [...] pish baptisme be no true sacrament. THEN IS THE Prince and all the ancient peeres of the lād vnbaptised, yea they wil conclude against our selues, that we also are vnbaptised; seing we (for the reasons aboue said) hold not the sacramentes administred in the Church of England at this present, to be true seales of the couenant and fauor of God: & then ought all vpon paine of neglect of the holy ordinance of God, to seeke the seale of the couenāt: but this now cannot be had, because we haue now in all Europe no ministery to deliuer yt [...], [...]all the ministerie both of this land, and al these knowen partes of the world, being sprung from and ordained by the Church of Rome. For all the protestantes when they forsooke the Sea of Rome, yet left not that ministerie they then had, but exercised by vertue of that ministerie, without any new ordination &c. But if we denie the Church of Rome to be a Church, then how should the ministerie made by yt, be a true ministerie? and so is all the ministerie of this lād throwne to the [...]arth, both LL. BB s. & parish priestes, curates, preachers & all: Neither (saith D. S.) can this euer be recouered. For if the baptisme in the Church of Rome be not a true sacrament, then are all the people vnbaptised: If the people be vnbaptised, then can they not chuse a minister; because (saith he) they are not as yet by baptisme ingraffed into the visible Church, neither may they (vntil they be baptised) be admitted to the communion &c.
These reasons (no doubt) are strong and sure, if we find not a better solution then the CLERK of OXENFORD hath as yet made in the behalf of M r. PENRY. For if the church of Rome be no true Church, [...] the ministers made therin are no true ministers: for by his owne (a [...]d that a true) position; WHERE THERE IS no Church, there is no calling: but all the ministers of the Church of England were made either in the Church of Rome, or by vertue of that ministerie fetched from the Church of Rome, & that within the memorie, yea within half the age of a man; therfore we may by his owne reason conclude all this ministerie, both BB s. & PP s. to be Romish, antichristian & false: & so the sacramentes by them deliuered are no true sacramentes. Let him, by all the vvit, craft, and sophistrie in his budget auoid this reason.
Againe, if the baptisme of the Church of Rome were not true baptisme, then were all the people vpon the change of that Religion vnbaptised; for ther was no other baptisme then deliuered, but that: & being vnbaptised, they haue neither right nor power to chuse or execute any ministerie, deliuer or receaue the other Sacrament, vntil they haue baptisme. For none vncircumcised in flesh might eate the Passouer, [...]. 12. 48 or offer any maner of gift in the Temple. And thus we see, Le [...]. [...]2▪ 25. neither haue these ministers of the Church of England, power to deliuer Sacramentes (they themselues being both vnbaptised and also no true ministers, as aboue is manifestly conuinced) neither haue the people vnbaptised, any power to receaue the Sacraments, or meanes to redresse Mat. 28. 19. [...] [...]. these mischiefes, vntil either a third Eliah or second Ihon Baptist [Page 105] come downe from heauen to restore this defection. YfM • ▪ Penrie prouide not better stuffe for his owne defence, then his frend of Oxenford hath as yet brought; I can tell him this, that both he & his cōpanions must become Brownistes (as they to the dishonour of Christ terme vs) or els this popish Doctor wil preuaile against thē: for that most odious and vnchristian flatterie of her Maiestie, wil neither couer nor cure this sore.
It wil not suffise to say, that her maiestie is perswaded in conscience that she is baptised, therfore she need no other baptisme, though she (as yet) haue receaued none. Neither wil yt help the matter to say, the Bishop or priest which administreth the communion vnto her, knoweth not so much; therfore shee may still run on in this course vnbaptised. Neither will al the colourable and deceitful Argumētes drawen for the assurance of her saluation, help this case; or doe her any good: if she remayne and be found in open and wilful, yea presumptuons transgression & contempt or neglect of Gods ordinance. There is but one common saluation for all men of all degrees, both Prince and people: the law of God remaineth sure foreuer, & can for no estate or person be changed. None can be a member of a planted Church, but such as are baptised. This we see by circūcisiō y e commō seale to al that were within the couenāt, to the Church & their seed. This was the practise of Christ & his Apostles, they that were baptised Ast. 2. 3 [...]. 41. were added & nūbred to the Church, & not vntil thē receaued into y e fellowship: how frendly and wel affected soeuer they were vnto the Act. 8. 12. Church. Now then, the state standing thus; that the bapti [...]me d [...]livered A [...]t. 9. 18. & 10. 48. in the Church of Rome is no baptisme, the ministerie there giuē, no ministerie &c: & this so apparantly prooued after his syllogistical Act. 5. 13▪ manner by this Scholler of Oxenford; how can her Maiestie any longer be ignorant, or that Congregation to which she ioineth (if ther were any such) that she & they all are vnbaptised? Seing the matter is published in print, & spread abroad through al partes of the land, & the glooue cast downe with open challenge to maintaine the same against al opponentes: wel, & this being knowen, with what conscience can either that minister deliue [...], or she & that people receaue the Lordes supper in this estate [...] seing none vnbaptised may receaue yt, but is subiect to the same cu [...]se that the vncircumcised were, which were admitted to the Passouer? how cā they (now that they see thsn estate) commit further sinne & sacriledge, and violate the whole order & Testament of Christ, by plunging themselues into further transgression, and seking no remedie to auoide this? Baptisme he saith is not the cause, but the seale of saluation; & they may be saued which were neuer baptised. I graunt all this, where yt can by no meanes to had: but I hope they wil not so say, that yt can not be had with them, and that the matter is not come to that passe from the most floorishing estate of a Church in Europe, and that so sodainly with opening but one gap. Then haue Mr. Pe [...]rie and D. S. spunne a faire thred: let them take heed, for a▪ [Page 106] few of these Argumētes wil make as many as haue sight, grace or c [...] science Brownictes, as this sch [...]ller blasphemeth them.
But what remedie for this mischeif? seing al now are vnbaptised, where shal we come by baptisme? and that must be had, before either entrāce or proceeding to any ministe [...]ie or Church. It sufficeth not heere to say, that we may be saued without yt, & that we neither neglect or despise yt: for one ynch can we not stirre in this building and busines of the Church, vntil we be baptised.
Most pestilēt & pernicious is that councel giuē vnto her maiestie: y t where she hath receaued comfort to her soule, thither she may stil resort for fur [...]her cōfort. Is this the [...]est councel & helpe you cā afford her? then (as I [...]b saith) miserable comforters are you al. Is this sound 2 Thes. 2. 12. doctrine to say, that where she hath receaued or rather supposed cō fort, thither she may stil resort for more? Is this to measure the action Isa 66. 3. and the comfort by the rules of Gods word? what if the action be vnlawful, [...]om. 6. 1. & she take comfort in vnrighteousnes, may she still continue in sinne? may she not thus iustifie any wickednes? for what superstitious papist wil not say, that he hath taken comfort before his shrines & roodes? yea how many teares in that cōceited superstition wil they shed before them, for very ioy imagined? shal they for this cause not depart from their idolatrie, when yr is reproued by the word; because they haue receaued comfort?
But me thinkes I see the schollers solution of this, his meaning and word [...]s both were, of such a sound inward comfort in Christ her Saviour built vpō his promises & word, as doth throughly appease her conscience, & acquiet her soule. Wel then, we are agreed of the point, that there is no [...]rue cōfort, but that which is g [...]ounded vpō the promises of God; no cōfort or blessing promised to any actiō, but where yt is done [...]ccording to the ordinance & wil of God in his word; Go [...] only blessing his owne ordinance. Now thē I hope he can ap [...]oue this proceeding without baptisme vnto the supper of the Lord, to be warrantable & lawful by the word of God: & that where the want of this baptisme is, not only in the receauers but in the ministers, yea where he is no minister of the Gospel that administreth this Sacrament also; or el [...] there is no comfort to her maiestie in this action, which is so [...] Thess. 1. 8 openly repugnāt to al the rules of Christes Testament, which is heere most wittingly & presumptuously broken: & so nothing from thence to be expected, but a fearful looking for of iudgment. I wil not heere vrge either the general vnlawfulnes of the whole ministerie of E [...]glād, either the strāgenes or vnlawfulnes of the office vnto which they are called, or of the vnlawfulnes of their ordination and entrance, nor of the most abhominable administration of their offices. Neither wil I here vrge this want of baptisme both in people & minister: nor yet the open breach of Christs institution, both in the maner & wordes therof in the deliuerance of yt: Only I wil come to this Scholler in a playne point that he and I shall agree of, least he escape me through his learning▪ [Page 107] & wind him self away by his sophi [...]trie: for he that so pregnātly defendeth is frend, I suppose wil do more for himself, when need shal so require.
The point then wherin I would be satisfied at his hand is, whether he take the Lord Archb. of Canterb: his g [...]ce, or the LL. BB. his brethrē to be true ministers of the Gospel & Church of Christ, or no? if he be M r PENRIE [...] is friend, he wil say no, & surely I wil say Amen vnto yt: Phil. 2. 11. for in the Testament of Christ did I neuer read of any Lord Bishop but 1. Pe [...]. 5. 4. Christ, which is Lord ouer al, neither of any Archb. but the ArB. of our soules Christ Iesus; to let passe the vnlawfulnes of their office, function &c. Now then I would know whether this L. Archb. may deliuer the Sacramētes? & whither he would aduise our Soueraigne Prince, to receaue them at his hand or no? Sure if she may frequent or take cōfort in this Sacrament, then (to let passe al the other heape of faults, which to lay opē would fill a volume) is the Lord Archb: a true minister, this a true and holy Sacrament, or els he through flatterie perswadeth his Prince to sacriledge and transgression, in encouraging her both stil to receaue this sacrilegious Sacrament in this manner defiled by these Romish BB▪. & Priestes, & also to continue & remaine vnbaptised: although that she now know & be persuaded through this mans strōge prooues; that she as yet hath receiued no baptisme.
Either he is to prooue that an vnbaptised people (euē such a people, where not one of them is baptised, neither can baptisme be administred or held amongst them) may ioine together, erect a ministerie, administer & receaue the other Sacrament &c. or els, y t her Maiestie. & this Church of England hath some special immunitie & priuilege to proceed without baptisme. Sure, euen the two grosse Doctors whome he so derideth, wil think this strange stuffe: there was neuer any such Church or proceedings read or heard of, in the Testament of Christ. And see how the skornful (by the iust iudgm [...]t of God) are takē & insnared in their owne delusions. For what cou [...] D. Ihō Bridges, or D. R. S. haue deuised more corruptly or vnfaith [...]ully, either towardes God or their Prince & the whole lād, for iustifijng their op [...] & wilful breach of Christs Testament; al their poperie & abhominations, then this? Your Maie [...]tie [...]aith he (though the playne euidence of Godes word be brought into your eares to the contrarie) yet is perswaded in cōsciece, that you in the popish Church receaued the true Sacrament of baptisme: Therfore vpō this perswasion your maiestie need not seeke the outward signe, especially seing (God be thanked) your Maiestie hath receaued the inward grace & assured testimonie of your saluation in your soule: therfore your Maiestie now hath no need of the outward Act. 9. 18. signe; for that were a going back againe: yea a putting necessitie of saluation in the outward element, which is nothing without the inward grace; y t he is able to make so manie sillogismes for your Maiesties saluation as you need not to be bound to the straight keeping of Christs Testament, neither feare any danger that may insue.
[Page 108]For you haue done inough alreadie for the assurance of your saluation, in putting downe the latine masse, and thrusting the Pope out of the land, though we haue an english masse and english Popes in stead therof: you haue done inough in publishing & professing the gospel, 1 Cor. 4. 20 though al free & sincere practise therof be vtterly debarred out of the land; & could neuer by any sute be obteined, yt CHRIST might reigne in his owne Church by his owne ministerie & lawes: you haue done Is [...]y. 60. 12. inough in nourishing so many strangers & preseruing their liues vnder your protection; though here within the land your owne natural & true hearted subiectes, & CHRISTS most faithful seruantes, be daily famished & made away in your prisons by these murthering BB [...]. only because they dare not allow or ioine vnto such abhominatiōs as they thrust vpō the whole land: though they daily cry in the eares of your Maiestie & your honourable Councellors for some equal trial, either according to y e lawes of y e lād (which is grāted thieues & murtherers) or by the word of God: y t if they hau [...] made any crime, or hould any error contrarie to the truth of the Gospel, they might be censured accordingly, or els deliuered from y e antichristian tyrannie of these BB [...]. malitions slanders of these PP. yea though euen these strangers also, whose bodies are heere preserued haue lo [...]t the freedoome of their soules, & are partly by the wretched example of these vnfaithfull tollerating subscribing priestes brought into the bondage of these BB [...]. as sundry of them which haue any conscience complayne.
What can these men say? stand not▪ these thinges thus? els let their owne complaintes & supplications to the Parliamētes, their protestations & new deuised scoffing libells be examined: wherin they complaine of these enormities and their wrongs by the BBs. supposing to themselues that they are those seruantes of CHRIST, that are thus oppressed. And how will this geare sort to the assurance of the Princes saluation? not only to keep out CHRIST, & not to suffer him to reigne Luk. 19. 27. ouer her, but to set vp Antichrist his enemie, & to giue her power vnto Ioh. 3. 37. the Beast, not only to keep out the right & free practise of the Gospell, Reuel. 17. 13. [...]4. but to set vp in stead therof all this heap and dounghil of romish trumperies, & to ratifie the Popes Cannons & Courtes, not only to exalt CHRISTS enemies, but to persecute Christs seruantes, and to arme with her sword these wolues against them. What [...]ood or figure will make this geare stand before the face of Christ, when he shall come to iudgmēt with his mightie Angels in flaming fire, to render vengeance vnto them which do not know God▪ & which obey not vnto y e gospel of our Lord IESVS CHRIST. How can they which submit to these abhominations 2 The. 1. 8. 9 which they see & cōdemne, be held faithful Christians? [...]ude 14. 15. how can they that thus flatter & dissemble with their Prince, & that in [...]ek. 33. 6. such waightie and high matters which concerne her so neere, be held true harted & faithful subiectes? how can one mouth blow forth such contra [...]ieties? how can one fountaine send forth at one place such bit [...]er and sweet waters? How can the Prince vnto vs, & in our eies, stand [Page 109] [...] Principall vpholder of Antichrist, and such a principall member of CHRIST at one and the same time? I doubt al the Logick this scholler hath, or al the learning these renowmed priestes his abettors (whome he so magnifieth & extolleth) haue, can not reconcile this geare, or couer their perfidous flatterie & dissimulation with God & man: which to all men shal euen by themselues appeare, if their Theses or M [...]ior propositions, which they vse against the Church of Rome, & against these their LL. BB [...]. be duly examined and indifferently applied to this their owne ministerie, administration & practise. And sure yt were a work [...] worthy the labout, to gather and summe their Maxims together, and briefly to draw their owne Arguments against themselues, that so they may be haltered and iudged of their owne mouth: and both their hipocrisie and sinne appeare vnto all men. The Lord of his mercie deliuer & preserue here Maiestie from such blind guides as the Bishopp [...] are, from such vnfaithful guides as these counterfaites, these false Prophets are.
But what wil D. BRIDGES, and D. SOME say now to this geare? when their greatest enemies (after all this conflicting and skirmishing with them) haue yeilded them the whole cause in opē field, & made a more strong and vnanswerable Argument against themselues, for the maintenance of the Archbishop his Grace, and all his graceles proceedings, then they all this while haue done, with al their studie & lampe-light. How say they by this? her Maiestie is here councelled, comforted and assured euen by these men themselues, to resort still to that place for the sacrament, where she hath found comfort in receauing yt. But she hath found comfort in receauing yt at the L. Arch-bishop graces handes, with his rich cope on his shoulders, beraied with al his po [...]tifisalibus, the english Masse-book in his handes, yea by your leaue with the round wa [...]er. I will not heere speake of attiring the Chappel & high Altar that day, and other Court ceremonies, or whether any receaue the said sacrament togither with her Maiestie or no; or whither these thinges be left. But sure thus hath her Maiestie receaued yt, & either found comfort therin, or els yt was not done of faith: but if she found comfort in yt, ô how wil the Arch-bishop thē reioice? for thē by these mens full consent & councell, she is still to resort thither &c. and then need they not be redressed in her daies, and that is the thing he all this while feared, least by the powerfull denouncing of Gods iudgmentes against these sinnes, Gods grace might worke in her Maiesties heart, to cast downe all this idolatrie. It is as much as he desireth, that he may remaine in his pallace at Lambeth stil: be his calling, office, ministerie, as repugnant to the word of God, or odious in Gods eies as they will, that is no matter.
And see what a subiect is heere offred vnto his learned Doctors to worke vpon: for their extrauagant learning will not be satisfied with so litle; as his Lordes grace will. But they will r [...]plie and come vpon you for all olde reckoninges, and not suffer you to depart vntill you haue [Page 110] fully [...]atisfied. They will thus reason against you: If yt be a true sac [...] ment which her Maiestie hath all this while receaued at the handes of these Bishops in this maner &c. where she hath found comfort; then must the L. Archbish. and these L. BB •. needes be true ministers of the Gospel; for by your owne reason where there is a true sacrament there must needes be a true minister: but here you confesse to be the true sacrament of the [...]upper (for her Maiestie can take no true comfort in a false sacramēt) therfore this Archbishop these BB s that alwaies heere administer yt, are true ministers of the Gospel of CHRIST. And if they be true ministers of the Gospell and Church of CHRIST, then ought they not, and cannot be put away without open violence to the bodie of CHRIST, for none of his true members may be either cut off or cast out whiles they abide in his body, without i [...]urie to his body, yea such iniurie as he wil suffer at no mortall mans handes: neither in deed can or will the true Church or t [...]ue Christians commit such outrage against him. So then how high is their sinne against CHRIST, Prince & Church, which sue & seeke to the Prince and Parliament, to haue these true natural members of Christs bodie, these reuerēd Lord Bishops cut off and cast away? I speake heere concerning their offices, ministery, iurisdiction and so forth; which these men sue vnto the Court & parliamēt to haue vtterly remoued: yf they be of Christ, then (without the abrogation of his Testament) how should they be taken away? If he haue in his Testament set downe, that he wil haue in and ouer his Church L. Archbishops Lord Bishops thus attendend & waited on, to rule & reigne in his absence, to make lawes, to make ministers &c. then what Prince in the world ca [...] pluck away these L. Archbb s. & Lord Bi [...]hops from the Church, without they likewise cast CHRIST out of dores: For CHRIST wil not be diuided nor halfed in this sort. If we will haue him, we must take him with all his members: we cannot take one part of him, & refuse an other: he will not abide with th [...]m that thus dismember him. What kind of councel then do these men giue vnto the Prince, which thus draw her into battell against God & his Christ? in aduising her to cast out of the land the true ministerie of Christ? how can the Church of Christ misse these precious members or stand without them? how can she suffer them to be rent from her? how can they rather offer this violence to their naturall mother, so to wound & dismember her? yea vnto the body of Christ and vnto their owne members, if they likewise belong to that bodie? what outrage? what vnnaturalnes? what furie? what madnes we [...]e this? what high impietie against God & heauen.
Wil not heere be matter ynough for al the pulpets in the land & stationers shoppes in London? how will they now do with these vnmerciful DD. who (now they haue them thus bound & fettered) wil lay on loade vpon them. They wil now haue the popish baptisme and all ere they let them goe, and that thus. Those Archbish. & L. BBs. and all the rable of Priestes & ministers which flow from their seate, haue no [Page 111] [...]ther foundatiō or warrant for their offices & ordinatiō, then y • which they had in the Church of Rome: but these Archb: L. BB. and PP. in these offices with that calling & ordination they had in the Church of Rome administer true sacramentes heere, & so are by them approued for true ministers; therfore there vvas a true ministery in the Church of Rome. This cannot be denied, for that Church which hath not a tru [...], but altogether a false ministery in yt, cannot in deliuering their owne ministerie, deliuer a true ministerie: but the Church of Rome in deliuering their owne ministerie as Archbishops, L. Bishops, parish priestes and hireling preachers or curates, Church wardens, side men, parish Clarkes &c. [...]eliuered a true ministerie; els could neither these offices remayne in the Church of Christ or these mē administer in these offices by vertue of that calling: therfore yt may be conclud [...]d, there vvas a true ministerie in the Church of Rome. To alledg that these men were called to the true faith, will [...]ot help this; for vve reason not heere of the men nor of their faith, but of their offices and ordination, [...]oth which they found in, & fetched from the Church of Rome: and now they administer in the same offices and by vertue of the same ordination; therfore if this ministerie of the Church of ENGLAND, be [...]rue, there must needes haue beene & be a true ministery in y • Church of Rome, seeing yt is the self fame in respect of the offices and ordination; neither can any false minister ordeine a true minister. Well then, hauing obteined and conuinced a true ministerie to be in the Church of Rom [...] (for els neither can these Bishops or their creatures be true ministers, or the sacramentes by them or any of them administred to the Queene and the land, be true sacramentes) now let D. BRIDGES or D. ROBERT alone with you for all the rest, for th [...]y will haue both the Church & sacramentes of Rome on foot agayne. The true Church onlie can ordeine true ministers; but y • Church of Rome ordeined true ministers, as our L. Bishops and al their priestes and ministerie of this land: therfore the Church of Rome is a true Church. How shal these learned Doctors be answered? Againe: such sacrament [...] as are administred in the true Church are alwaies true sacraments, sealing the fauor and blessing of God vnto them: therfore the sacramentes, but especially the baptisme there deliuered (for to that aboue the other, these Doctors haue an especiall liking) is a true sacrament. What a quandare haue you now brought your selues vnto? you must either denie all the ministerie of the Church of England, vvhich are not only ordeined by these Bishops, but alike vvith them deriued from the Church of Rome: or els you must affirme these L. Bishops to be the true mi [...]isters of the Gosp [...]ll; I speake in respect of their office, which then cannot be taken away: and then are all they seditious persons, disturbers of the peace of the Church, and quiet of the common welth, that seeke to disturbe or remoue these offices, which Christ hath placed and planted in his Church. For if thc parson of or any other learned minister, that you [Page 112] think best of, whither Doctor or other, be to be held true ministers, then haue they a lawful calling & ordination to a lawful office &c. If their calling & ordination▪ be approued, then are the Bishops iustified: for no false or vnlawfull minister can ordeine a true Minister, as hath beene proued.
So then if the BB s. be allowed for true ministers, needes must the Church of Rome, the ministerie and sacramentes therof be ratified by necessarie consequence Vt supra.
No middle course (as you affirme) may heere be taken; we must either make y e tree good or euill, these ministers of the Church of England, true, or false: yf false then deliuer they no true sacramentes, then is all their administration, sacramentes, sermons accursed, how holy soeuer, or neere the truth in outward shew: then are they the ministers of Sathan of Antichrist, sent of God in his wrath to deceaue & destroie such as are ordeined to death, then ought al Christs true sheepe to flee and auoide them: then ought not the Prince either to punish such as flee & auoide them for that doing, neither her self to repaire to their sermons or sacramentes for comfort: then is all the comfort she there taketh but delusion, euen the deceit of Sathan, to the destructiō of all such as take comfort in vnrighteousnes, and that which displeaseth the Lord: Then are all they seducers which egge & perswade the Pro. 9. 14. &c. Queene through their hipocrisie and flatterie, vnto them: as wherby Math. 7. 15. they draw her into the wrath of God, & eminent danger, & ineuitable Mat. 24. 24 destruction, except she forsake them: and this is the sound councell Ioh. 10. 5. they giue her, to betray her soule to these wolues these deceauers. 2 Thes. 2. 12
So long as she is baptised with the inward baptisme of the Spirit, Deu. 28. 36 though she want the outward & neuer seek yt, it skilleth not. Wil not the two learned Doctors iudge this to be flat Anabaptistrie, to seperate from and oppose the inward Spirit against the reuealed word of God? as though they that had that inward grace and earnest of their adoption, need not the outward signe, & ought not to seek yt: yea that which yet is more deeply set, will they not and may they not iustly say, that you hould and teach the verie maine groundes of all Anabaptistri [...] namly, that (so they be moued by the inward spirit) they may go to any vnlawful action, & (so their owne heart cōdemne them not) they need not feare though the action be euil, & other men condemne them, for they stand or fall to their owne maister: els would you neuer haue giuen the Prince councell (being in your iudgment vnbaptised) because [...]he hath receaued inward grace (as you say) therfore not to seeke the outward seale, which euerie member of the established Church must receaue. Because she hath this inward grace, therfore she may without doubting present her self to the Lordes Table to receaue the holy supper; though she haue not beene ingraffed or receaued into the Church by outward baptisme, especially that she will still perswade her self that she in the popish Church receaued yt, for t [...]is is in her no sinful ignorance, that seing she hath receaued great comfort often [Page 113] times, in the communion in that manner by these ministers aboue said, administred vnto her in this estate? she may stil vpon the scholler of Oxford his warrant aduenture to fetch more there, be the action neuer so sacrilegious, execrable, and repugnant to Gods word. Shal not these grosse blind Doctors (who are in deed y e verie sepulchre of all rottennes) yet explode and detest these Anabaptistical phant [...]sies? shal Pro [...], 25. 24. not the glorious [...] of Christ, which you would seeme to affect and Iere. 1. 17. plead (though I [...] heard of such scoffing diuines to help vp Christs Gal. 1. 10. kingdome) through this your hatefull flattery, hypocrisie & dissembling, 2. Tim. 4. 3▪ suffer great blame and reproch? because in deed you feare the Ier. 23. 17. faces of men more then you feare God; & dare more bouldly preach Eze [...]. 13. 18 19. these and manie other apparant lies, then the truth; which are better accepted of all men in these miserable and corrupt times. To their Philip. 3. 18 appetites and humors you transforme and apply Christ, making him a Galat. 6. 12. Sauiour to euery rich glutton (liue as profanely and wickedly as he Zach. 4. 6. 7. list) for your bellies sake. You seek to bring Christ in by the arme of flesh, and not by the power of his word and vertue of his Spirit, into Ier. 17. 5. the heartes and co [...]sciences of men: because in deed you dare not publish that truth you know, & practise yt in a good conscience, enduring cheerfully with patience what soeuer may be inflicted vpon you for the same by this euil and sinful generation: wheras now you dare neither belieue nor affirme any more of Gods truth, then either is already publikely receaued, or els confirmed by some of your authentike Authors M • CALVINE, M r BEZA, D. FVLKE; thus holding & dissembling the faith of Christ in respect of persons, times, and I wote not what pollicies. As though the truth of God were not alwaies in season, alwaies necessarie, alwaies authentike. And therfore God hath taken you in your owne pollicies and subtelties, deliuered you into the handes of your [...]nemies whome you so skoffed and skorned: and certainly vnles you repent and turne vnto him, he wil make you euen a reproch vnto al men, as vnsauorie salt, that can neither season, nor be seasoned with any thing.
And in deed, we poore persecuted Christiās, whome you so despise and blasphemie, baptising vs into the name of Browne, as though we had either deriued or hold our faith of him, or any mortal man; or el [...] were detected and convinced of some notorious heresies, thus adding afflictions vnto our bandes, whereas your selues dare not affirme nor abide by, that Christ is the Sonne of God, if any persecution should arise therfore: we poore persecuted Christians (I say) are so far from reioicing to see you thus ensnared and foiled, that we euen grieue and blush for shame, that so glorious a cause should be so euil handled of you. Why, could not the sacred scriptures haue giuē light to the deciding this doubt and vndoing this knot; but that the one side must runne to M r. CALVINE, a [...]d he must be i [...]star mille: the other to D. FVLKE, [...]d he must be put in the other ballance as a counterpoise, and these being directly contrarie the one to the other: the one [Page 114] holding the Church of Rome to be a Church though corrupted, defaced (with other such ignorant rotten tearmes that belong not to a true Church) the baptisme there deliuered to be a true sacrament, though there were neither lawful minister, faithful people, nor the institution of Christ kept in the elementes and manner of deliuering In which opinion, though yt be altogether without grownd of the word, or common sense; yet the one he wil rest, because yt best fitteth his popish turne and fleshly appetite, to couer al the abhominations which are deriued from the Church of Rome, and stil as holy relike [...] kept, reserued, and worshipped in this Church of England. The other side erecteth D. FVLKE as their patrone and giueth him a garland in his graue, because he hath vtterlie denied the Church of Rome in any sort to be held a true Church: & brought in that famous monument of that pontifical prelate the dowghtie S. Ihon of Beuerlay, that depriued the ignorant doggbolt priest (as he termeth him) disanulled the Baptisme that he had deliuered, and rebaptised the yongman. Now though no one iote of this priest of Beuerlay his doing be allowable by Godes word (for there it is not found, that either one man may make or depriue a minister in the Church of God, or that the outward signe of Baptisme thus giuen ought to be repeated) yet because this verie wel fitteth their humors, to disgrace the dumb priestes and magnifie the preaching priestes, and for some other private respectes, therfore forsooth this side wil as peremptorily & with as litle truth rest in M▪ EVLK his iudgment: and he shal want no figures nor flowres, y t Cābridg or Oxford cā afford to deck his hearse [...]. Cor. 3. 34. withal. And when think you (if both sides thus confidently betake them to their captaines) shall they be accorded, and meet in the truth when they are both so wilful and thus far from yt? or how shal the poore people which are led by these miserable guides, euer come Heb. 13. 8. to the sight of the truth. Vndoubtedly Christ is not thus deuided, neither is the spirit of God thus diuers and contrary; or the word of God yea and nay. There is but one truth, one way, which neither Eph. 4. 4. of these aduerse guides haue as yet found, and (as yt should seeme) 2. Cor [...]. 18. though yt were shewed them, they would in this presumptiō of their heartes rather run on headlong vnto death in this their headstrong course, then by repentāce turne into the waies of life that they might be saued. For besides the manifold errors of ech of these factions, which haue beene shewed in part:mark (I besech you) into what present mischief and ineuitable dāgers, ech course leadeth all (that hold the, same) vnto.
The one side that holdeth with Docter ROBERT SOME: THAT the baptisme deliuered in the Church of Rome was a true Sacrament, not only therby inclose themselues in schisme, by such violent deuiding in [...]uch hostile maner from the true Church, yea and euen therby conclude against the Church of England, that yt is not a true Church, [Page 115] because there is but one true Church through the world as ther is but one God, one Spirit, one CHRIST. CHRIST cannot stand an head to two so diuers and contrarie bodies, as these two Churches would seeme to be. Now they confessing the Church of Rome to be a true Church, do hereby acknowledg themselues, both in schisme & a false Church. Besides that, they vtterlie subuert the whole Testament of CHRIST, by bringing a new ministrie and new manner of administration into the Church &c. The other side, that denijng the Church of Rome, or any couenant or seales to belong vnto her, doe also deny that any outward baptisme is there deliuered, and doe therby affirme, al the people that now are in our knowen parts of the world to be vnbaptised, which receaued none other then that baptisme: and then seing there is no lawfull minister to baptise this people (for none vnbaptised may be a minister or baptise, neither haue an vnbaptised p [...]ople power to elect, or ordeine a ministerie amongst them: Of this can no rule, president or example be shewed in the scriptures, but all to the expresse cōtrarie, especially since al extraordinarie offices haue ceased) and so must all the building of CHRISTS Church and the worke of the ministerie cease, vntill some second Ihon Baptist or new Apostles be sent vs downe from heauen except peraduenture they after their long trauel bring vs forth some new Euangelist: and sure if they make a new ministery they must also make a new Gospell and confirme yt with new miracles. Well thus we see the error & danger of both these waies: neither of which lead vnto life; therfore neither to be followed. We may not followe the first sort of guides, least they lead vs back againe to EGIPT SODOME BABILON from vvhence R [...]uel. 18. 4. we were escaped, or rather wherin we are by them still detayned. zach. 2. 7. We may not commit our selues to the other guides least we be not Heb. 1. 6. led forward toward persection: but deluded with their doublings 2 Tim. 3. 5. 6. 7. and windinges as in a maze: alwaies going, alwaies learning, yet neuer the further on our way or neerer our iournaies end, neuer taught or brought to the acknowlegment and right practise of the truth.
What then is to be done in this distresse? surely euen this; when men are at their wits endes, to flee vnto God for councel and direction: Isa. 42. 16. whose word if we el [...]uate as our lodestar, we shall no doubt by the light therof (Gods gracious Spirit blowing vpon the sailes of our faith) safely saile through all these difficulties, euen with a straight course to the free and sincere practise of the Gospel; neither striking against the rockes of poperie, nor falling vp on the shelues & quicksandes of Anabaptistrie. For he that is ascended vpon high, hath not left 1 Cor. 2. 16. his house destitute of councel and direction [...]or all affaires and occasions in all times and estates whatsoeuer: but hath in his word left most perfect rules and absolute lawes for all things▪. So that though he for the iudgmēt of the world, the trial of his seruants & the manifestatiō of his owne power, bring his seruants into Babilon; yet knoweth 1 Cor. 12. 3. [Page 116] he how to preserue and deliuer his seruantes, without either iustifijng [...]eu. 18. 22. 23. of Babilon with D.R.S. & his disciples, or re [...]ming of Babilō with these learned priestes of the time and their followers: and hauing brought Ier. 25. 10. them forth, to lead them forth to Sion, and to reare vp the decaied tabernacles Amos 9. 11. of Dauid that were fallen downe, without vsing one stone of Ier. 51. 26. Babel in the worke, for a corner or for a foundation. So then we now being fallen into, & found in that general defectiō & apostacie, wherof we were warned by our Sauiour Christ, his Prophets, & Apostles: yt remaineth that vve search the scriptures vvhether we can there find any presidentes of any such times, and see whether we can there fetch any better direction, then these learned men abouesaid haue giuen vs in this case.
We reade in the time of Ezechiah, that the kingdome of Israe [...] had a [...] Chron. 30 1 [...]. 18. long time remained in schisme & apostacie, hauing forsaken that true Temple and erected vnto themselues new Temples, new Altars, n [...]w ministerie &c. neither could by any warnings, threats or corrections 2 Chron. 35. [...]7. be r [...]claimed. Yet such of them as left their false vvorship and returned Ezra 6. 21. 22. to the true Temple to vvorship God there, were receaued and admitted to the passouer, without either gathering, correcting, or repeating the circumcisiō they had receaued in y • time of this their schisme and apostacie. The like we reade to be done in the times of Iosiah, of Ezra, & of N [...]hemiah, whē they had yet longer cōtinued in their schisme and idolatrie, vpon their returne (out of their dispersion & captiuitie) vnto the Lorde: And yet no doubt to those men, in these times, and in this estate, could the circūcision they there receaued (shal I speake according to the times & say be no true sacrament, or rather leaue that traditional word which engendreth strife rather then godly edifying & say) be no true seale of the couenant of Gods fauour vnto them, being added to their false worship, idolatrie, schisme, apostacie, obstinacie, contempt. This I think wil be easily graunted of all handes: For Rom. 2. 25. Gods couenant is no longer made or continued with any Church or people, then they remaine in his faith and obedience: yet you sce this circumcision thus receaued, not to be reiterate when they came vnto the true faith. Wherby we are euidently taught, both that such baptisme as is deliuered in the false Church is no true seale of Gods couenant (cōmonly called a true sacrament) & yet also, that such outward washing or baptisme, deliuered after their supe [...]stitious maner in that idolatrous place, ought not vnto such to be repeted as afterward forsake the false Church, and ioine vnto the Church of God. Thus me thinkes this hard difficult knot is (euen with a trise) vn done; when we take the true light & right way vnto yt. Which whiles these learned Doctors & diep diuines (as they in their stile and banner write themselues) haue labored by the light of their owne pregnāt wittes to vnlose, they haue the further encombred themselues, & intangled their miserable followers. For what cause hath D.R. SOME now to contend, that the baptisme deliuered in the false Church, should be a true seale [Page 117] of the couenant? or what occasion hath Mr. PENRIES Proctor to denie, that such as there receaued that baptisme, are not (touching the outward action) baptised? they must heere shew some sufficient discrepance betwixt these examples alledged out of the scriptures, & the estate of the present question; or els with reuerence rest in the practise of the holy Ghost, though neither they nor I be able to arriue to the wisdome therof.
As for D. SOME, I see not what he can say: vnles he either affirme, y • circumcisiō in that apostacie of Israel, to be a true seale of the couenant: which if he doe, then I oppose vnto him, not only the through corruption of their estate, but also the publike repudiation & bil of diuorce, Hose. 2 & 4 Chap. which the Lord sent them by his Prophets: or els he must in deed shew himself a worthy champion & prefer his mother Church of Rome, to the defected estate of Israel; which if he doe, then must we send to E [...]dor to call vp Amasiah the priest of Bethel to debate the matter with him. Amos 7. 10. And vntil they meet, I leaue vpō him the 17 Chapter of the Reuelation; where the holy Ghost (as liuely describing y t Citie & Church of Rome in their scituation and collers as if he had named them) calleth the one the Beast, the other the Harlo [...] or great whore in that vision. Now if she Reuel. 17. be an whore (as I must beleeue God rather then D.S.) then can she not be the spouse of CHRIST, the true Church. Then for the rest let Bethel & Rome striue in hell for the preemin [...]ce: I haue nought to do to iudg them that are without.
But now M r. PENRIES aduocate D. SOME his aduersarie (who hath chosen the much more reasonable extreme) peraduenture wil not be so soone satisfied. It is an hard matter to perswade sense where faith is wanting. But I for this matter must hold him still hard to the places of scripture alledged: so that he must shew me some sufficient difference b [...]twixt these cases, or els yeild vnto, or reproue the holy Ghost. If he put difference, yt must be either in the estate of the place, of the people, or of the thinges deliuered and compared. For the place, though Israel were part of the promised land, yet that could no way sanctifie the Israelites or better their state, or defend them from the wrath of God due to their sinnes. It was also accursed of God, together with and for them deliuered into y • handes of the heathē, as we reade: Neither was yt euer more holy then Rome, or any place where the Church of God was or is, seing Gods blessing is eu [...]r with his Church; therfore y e place can put no difference. For the people: as they were somtimes Gods chosen peculiar people, so were somtimes the people of the Church of Rome also: both of them apostatate, both in transgression, though (yt may be) not in like depth, yet both of them out of the fauour, & in the wrath of God. It were in vaine to plead which of them were worse; the Ren. 22. [...]. best place out of the Church of God they shal [...] find ill inough. Though I easilie yeild Rome or the fairest of her Daughters (though yt be the Church of England) to be w tout all comparison worse. For the thing [...] deliuered & compared, both circumcision & baptisme, were seales annexed [Page 118] to the Lords couenant, both signes and markes, which all that Gen. [...]7 were receaued into the communion of Gods seruantes ought to haue: Math. 3. both signifijng, a putting away the shame of Egip [...], a cutting & washing away our original & natural corruption▪, our ingraffing into CHRISTS Iosh. 5. 9. death & resurrection both through & with him, of our dijng vnto sin, Rom. 6. 5. & liuing vnto righteousnes: as also a verie putting on of CHRIST, with Collos. 2. 11. the ful benefite of his merits & passiō, to the perfect redemptiō of our soules & bodies, & ful appeasing of our consciences from the wrath of God, the rigour of the law, for all the sinnes that euer we haue cōmitted, as fully & assuredly as we our selues had fulfilled the law, & satisfied the wrath & iustice of God &c. what then should be the impediment, why the outward baptisme, deliuered in the false and apostaticall Church (which I only properly count y • false Church) as the outward circumcision deliuered in the false & apostaticall Church should now more be denied, this more then that?
Peraduenture yt will heere be alledged; that the circumcision there, was much more lawfully done, & better then this baptisme. I will not stand vpon y t; yt being nothing to our purpose: I wil not stand vpon tearmes of better & more lawful, in cōparing thē one with an other: It sufficeth me, y t in comparing them vnto, & iudging them by the law of God, neither of them are found either good or lawful. For vnlawful yt was to administer circumcision vnto opē idolaters, or apostataes, or vnto their seed, vntil they were renewed by faith & repentance. So is y [...] stil in baptisme; the lawfulnes of circumcisiō, or the holines of y e word of God, doth not iustifie the action or the people, where the one or the other are abused. As in the false Church circumcision is good, & the [...]os. 4. 15. 17. word of God is most holy: but to receaue circumcision or to heare the word of God in y e false Church, is to apostatate from CHRITS to ioine Amos 4. 4. & 5. 5. to Gods enemies, & to forsake the true church. He cānot haue fellowship 1 Cor. 10. [...]. 0. with both at one time: at what time he ioineth to the one he forsaketh the other. Nothing done in y e false Church (be it neuer so holy in shew) is iustified, either by them or to them; but euē the calling vpō y • name of God, the reading scriptures, the administring baptisme &c. is turned into sinne, presumptiō, & profanatiō of Gods name & ordinance vnto them, whiles they remaine in their inquitie. There was nothing Isa. 1. & 66 Chap [...]. in the false Church, either in their maner of doing yt, that made this circumcisiō receaued, allowable, or not to be repeted, neither did the faith subsequent iustifie the action past of circumcision done to, & in the false Church. It was the meere mercie of God, y t pardoned and purged the sinne to the faithful & penitent: It was the wisdom of God, (the sin & abuse of the action thus done & receaued in y e false church being thus purged) to reserue his owne ordinance, & not to reiterate y e action of circumcision. They that giue a natural cause therof, as of the impossibility of reiterating circumcision, & so put difference betweene circumcision & baptisme: the one being impossible to be done againe, the other not so, greatly erre in iudgment, & misse the point. For both [Page 119] [...]he Apostle in expresse words sheweth, & experience in Chirurgeric confirmeth 1 Cor. 7. 18. the same; that circumcision may be gath [...]red, & so might be terate or defaced also as baptisme, if that had beene found needful in the wisdome of the holy Ghost.
What say I then, doe I any way iustisie this outward actiō of circum [...]ision as yt is done in the false Church? nothing lesse, but cōdemne yt [...]ltogether, as an hamous profanatiō of Gods holy ordinance; yet when [...]t is purged by sincere repentance of al y e error therin, & abuse therof; [...]t pleased God in pardoning the faults to reserue & not to repeate the outward actiō: which because yt was wrongly done, yet cānot therfore [...]e said not done at al. For we may, and must put difference betwixt a [...]hing not rightly done & a thing to be done, or not done at al. For the [...]rrors & faults of the baptisme being purged by repentance, & done away through the mercie of God; the Lord now beholdeth the rest of [...]he action, & the thing which in pretence before they seemed to do, as [...]is ordinance & cōmandemēt: not from hencforth imputing y e faults [...]n doing yt being now repented, pardoned & done away, either vnto y • action or them: so that [...]rom henceforth they looke more carefully to [...]he doing [...] holy actiōs, according to the prescript wil of God, making no willing transgression therin hereafter, neither presenting or willingly suffering their child [...]en to be presented in the false Church vnto their baptisme, sor then they cānot be said to haue truly repented yt. That were to go back againe & wallow them in their former apo [...]tasie 2 Pet. 2. 20. Ezek. 18. 26 & sinne, & to bring their old sinnes vpon their head.
But now seeing we iustifie not the action of B [...]ptisme, as yt is done in th [...] false Church by an vnlawful minister after an vnlawful maner, & yet the error & euill doing therof being repented & purged away doe not [...] the outward action because yt cannot be said no action &c. Peraduenture herevpon may be collected that such baptisme as is deliuered by an infid [...]l, which neuer had knowl [...]dg o [...] God in CHRIST, being afterward repented of and sorrowed, that their body hath beene guiltie of such profanatiō &c. the outward baptisme may in like maner remaine, & not be repeted when they ioine vnto the true Church. This may at no hand be brought to passe, neither in deed doth yt herehence follow: for easy yt is to put difference betwixt an infidel, which neuer knew God in CHRIST; and an Apostata which hath had knowledg of, and still outwardly (though corruptly) pro [...]esseth God and CHRIST. The one sort know not what the Church, worship, and sacramentes meane: the other (though corrupted in their knowledg) yet carrie a shew of Church, worship, sac [...]amentes, ministerie; yea & hath them, though corrupt & adulterate: so there is neither sequele nor cō parison betwixt them. For that which the heathen & infidel should so prophan [...] & deliuer, can no way be said any kind of sacrament, either [...]ue or false; because (as is said) they haue no kind of [...]hew of Church, ministerie or sacramentes &c. but the false Church hath al these to shew, & seeming true though in deed false.
[Page 120]So is yt easie to put a difference betwixt false & adulterate baptisme, and true baptisme; which D.R.S. with all his diuinitie hath not as yet learned to do: and also betwixt false & adulterate baptisme, & no baptisme, which these other learned priestes cannot as yet spie out. For els would they neuer so grosly both denie the baptisme in the Church of Rome to be any baptisme, concluding all the people that receaued yt altogether without outward baptisme: yet being vnbaptised make yt a matter of no necessity to seeke outward baptisme, because they (notwithstanding al their writings) still suppose yt to be true baptisme they there receaued, & so yt is needles that they should seek or receaue the outward baptisme; and hauing the inward baptisme of Gods Spirit in their heartes, they need not seeke the outward seale, but proceed without yt vnto the other sacrament. Also they hauing found comfort in that, then they are safe inough though mē & Angels, yea though God himself in his word say yt is vnlawful & vnsufferable, yea damnable sacriledg, both to them and the whole Church that administreth or ioineth vnto them in this action: Yet if they haue found comfo [...]t they may notwithstanding al this, boldly resort thither againe where they haue beene thus banque [...]ted; yea the parties finding this comfort in their soules at the receauing the supper, though (as is said) expresly against Gods word, which warranteth no such cōfort vnto them in that actiō, but condemneth yt flatly, yea & their estate & sinne being shewed them in the word, wherby their conscience is conuinced; yet may they by this great Clerke of OXFORD his opinion, hang vp the law of baptisme as an old cancelled record, yea as popish traditiōs that make nothing to saluation, wherof they wil assure themselues, though they wittingly breake Gods lawes & remaine in the same transgression.
For (say they) men at the supper are not bidden to examine themselues what was done to them being infantes, or what they did 90. o [...] 50. yeres agoe &c. Is this a strong reason to disproue the commandement of God touching the receauing outward baptisme, or to come vnto the Table and supper of the Lord being vnbaptised? yea to count these commandementes as ould worthles concealed recordes, popish traditions? &c. or is yt not most high and vnsufferable blasphemie rather, against CHRIST & his ordinance? Is this the accompt they make of the law of God, or the comfort he taketh & cōtinual vse he maketh euen of that outward baptisme as an excellent instruction stay & assurance of his faith? not that I make baptisme the cause of saluation, o [...] think that none can be saued without yt. But God hath made yt a most comfortable pledg & seale of his loue & help to our faith, all the time that we liue in this mortal life; euen to him most, that hath receaued the greater measure of inward grace. So far is yt from being at any time to any man a cancelled record, that yt remaineth for euer a sacred & iuuiolable law, of special vse to them that haue receaued yt, of necessity to al such as wil enter into the established church of CHRIST: without which they canot be permitted to enter, much lesse admitted [Page 121] to the Table of the Lord. It is no imaginarie comfort of ours cā take away, or alter the irrefragable law of God: though we be not biddē to examine what was done to vs being infantes, or to particulate euerie thing we haue done in our life: yet are we to consider our estate before God shewed vs this mercie, both of our natural corruptiō in general, and our particular miserie being the seed of infidels, idolaters, such as were without the couenant, such as presented & offered vs to Sathan in the false Church, & we there in that adulterate baptisme, receaued the pledg of God his assured wrath, & so euerie way y e children of death & hel &c. These thinges ought not to be forgotten, or as the budget at our back to be cast behind vs: but both with griefe to be remembred, y t we vile wretches should so highly haue profaned Gods name, with them of the false Church: & also with ioy that God hath shewed this mercie vnto vs, to redeeme & deliuer vs out of these snares of Sathā; but especially to cōsider whē we come to y e supper of 1. Cor. 11. 29. the Lord, both what y e thing is we do receiue, & how, with whome, & in what manner we ought to receaue yt. Now if we be ignorant of the doctrines of baptisme, but much more, if we haue not receaued baptisme, how should we be held worthy receiuers of those high misteries, of y e body & blood of our Lord Iesus Christ? The watch & rules of the word are ill kept in that Church, which admitteth any, much more many into their cōmuniō, w t out ful assurāce of their baptisme.
But what kind of Church is that, which consisteth wholy of a people vnbaptised? for so (by his argument) are al they that were baptised in the popish churches? And then al the land being such at the first receiuing of the G [...]spel (as they imagine to themselues) how should an vnbaptised people chuse from amōg themselues able ministers to baptise? Is yt not likely that this famous scholler knew ful litle, what belonged either to the Church, ministerie, or sacramentes of Christ, that wrote this learned discourse? hath not the Church of Englād gottē a worthy champiō, that thus learnedly defendeth her, & her proceedings? & with one word of his mouth pronounceth al such, Brownists, as denie this their C [...]rch of England, euen the eldest daughter of the Ezek. 16. 44. Church of Rome together with her mother, to be the true spouse of Christ; and therfore both reprooue by the word of God, & refraine according to the same word al their abhominations, suffring in al patiēt maner whatsoeuer may be done or said against vs for the same by the handes of these Cainites, & mouthes of these Balaamites, rather thē defiling our soules with their abhominations. Which, as yt were a wearines for any man but to recite, and bring to light these hellish mistes and fogs, these secret mysteries of their ministerie and worship which they exercise in their Temples: so is yt an impossibilitie for this learned clerke with al his cunning, or the greatest priest of them, to defēd the same, when the light of the word is but once brought vnto them: so sodainly are they therby discouered, of what sort they are. Let thē therfore that thus contend for their whorish Church, approue and [Page 122] iustifie hereby the word of God: and thē surely I wil yeild them to deserue the garland of a bishoprick, or els let them assure themselues, y • yt is neither their tyrānie, railing or sophistrie, can either couer or excuse their shame from his fierie eies, with whome they haue to do, or lay that blame & reproch vpon others, which they indeuour.
To returne therfore againe to that, from which we haue beene somwhat with drawen by these occurrentes: yt remaineth that we proceed in the examination of the publike ministration of this famous Church of England. Of their sacramētes we haue heard; but they haue besides these certayne half sacramētes or high misteries vnto which belong set & prescript communions; which to performe & execute, are no small part of the priestes office. Not to speake of their orders or iniunctions which are fower times in the yeare to be solemnely read, not to repeat their sacrament of Peonance, with their bitter curses and comminations going before their Lent fast. They haue yet the holy sacrament of marriage, solemnly kept in the holy church (for the most part) vpō the Lordes day: & an especial Leito [...]rgie or cōmuniō framed to the same. This action is to be done by the priest &c. who instructing the parties to be ioined in wedlock wha [...] to say, & when to pray &c. teacheth the man to wed his wife with a ring In the name of the Fa [...]her, the Sonne, and of [...] [...]oly Ghost; which ring must before by the man be layd vpon the seruice▪ booke, together with his offring vnto the priest & Clarke. The booke serueth in stead of holy water to hallow the ring. The ring thus hallowed, serueth in stead of an element to this sacrament, being ioined to these wordes In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghost; especialy, when al the collectes, special psalme & blessinges are said by the priest the maried couple deuoutly kneeling in the meane while at the communiō table &c. But here wil be answered, that the reformed & better sort of priestes, wil not marry with the ring: here must then be noted, that they breake their other of their Cannonical obedience, which they tooke before the Bishop when they receiued their priesthood. Moreouer, y • for their default herein, they are to be censured and reproued by their Church: namly, their Cōmissarie his Court, before whome such defaultes are to be presented by the Churchwardens & questmen, vnles they also will be forsworne for company. Moreouer these reformed & well conscienced priestes, though they reiect this ring as an idolatrous relique, yet dare they not by the word pronoūce the vnlawfulnes therof, that others also might leaue & detest the same. That would cost blowes, the Bishop would not suff [...]r that: therfore they for the peace of their Church, ioine to them in the cōmunion &c. that vse this execrable idolatrie. But well, let me not discourage them in well doing, least vve take them not oftē in that fault: leaft if the Bishop once heare of yt, yt then become but a matter indifferent, & thē they for the peace of the Church, & the sauing their benefice, & their skinnes whole, vse yt againe for companie.
But heere in the meane time I would know of y e learnedest of them, [Page 123] where they find in the old or new Testament, that marriage is an ecclesiastical action, belonging to the worship of God in his Church, to be done by the minister as part of his office & function, & that in the Church, but especially vpō the Lordes day with such a set Leitourgie of Collectes, exhortations; psalmes, anthemes & blessings framed to the purpose. I hope they found not this in the 4 Chapter of the booke of Ruth: yet I doubt not, but both Booz and Ruth were godly persons, and very lawfully & famously maried. They vsed no priest in this busines, nor yet made yt a matter belonging to the tabernacle or worship of God. I haue alwaies found yt the parentes office to prouide mariages for their children, whiles they remaine in their charge & gouernmēt: and that the parties themselues affianced & betrothed ech other in the feare of God, & the p [...]esence of such witnesses as were present, and that in their parentes or other priuate houses, without running to Church to the priest after this manner. I euer tooke marriage for an ordinance & action of the second Table, and see not why they might Mat [...]. 21. 12 13. not as well set vp the tables of the money changers, or bring in any other ciuil busines or chaffaire as this into their church. But see what these Balaamites wil not doe for gaine; both make God a new diuised worship, setting vp and bringing in their owne diuises, and Burning incense therunto, and holding the people in such blindnes and superstition, as they beleeue not themselues to be rightly married, except yt be done by a priest, after the prescribed manner, and the in the due seasons also: namely, in the forenoone at morning praier, whē mattēs is done, next before the communion (as they call yt) & this not vpon any forbidden tydes, as in the holy time of lent &c. when men ought to fast, without an especial licence from the sea of Can [...]erburie, which Popedome hath power both to restraine meates and marriage, and 1 Tim. 4. 2. 3 ag [...]ine to permit them vpon graue & waighty considerations, to such as wil pay roundly for the same.
THE PRIEST hath also in this their portuise, a prescript forme of visiting the sicke, with perfect instructions what to say at the first step into the sick man his house, what when he commeth into the sick mans presence, how vvithout any questioning of his estate, whether he be asleepe or awake, aliue or dead, vvithout any wordes vnto the sick person: the priest must doune vpō his mary bones, desire God to forgiue the sick man his sinnes, and also to forgiue the sinnes of his forefathers, vvith his due number of Lord haue mercie vpon vs, Christ haue [...]ercie vpon vs, his Pater noster vvith his versicles and response or aides to this masse for the quick and the dead. Which being ended, he procedeth to his prescript exhortation; vvhich, because yt is almost a leafe long, the priest, to make short vvorke, if the partie be passing away &c. may cut off two partes of yt, and say a creede: then exhort him to temember his debtes, and to make his wil, and to giue to the poore: which being done, then by that special authoritie cōmitted to [Page 124] him by his lord Bishop, to absolue the sick person of al his sinnes; and so with a special psalme and his certaine of collectes, to conclude the matter. This is the ordinarie Visitatiō ouer & besides that especial housell or Communion of the sick aboue spoken of.
And heere, before we proceed further, me thinkes there would be somthing said concerning this power of binding and loosing sinnes, which the priestes of the Church of England, and also of the Church of Rome challenge vnto themselues as incidēt to their office, by vertue of some especial graunt and prerogatiue made vnto them aboue other Christians. Which vnlesse they together with their holy Father the Pope, should fetch frō the keies giuē to Pe [...]er, Math. 16. 19. or frō Iob. 20. 23 I neuer could heare of any euidēce they had to shew. For y e first place I think they wil not say, that the promise was made to Peter only; for then yt should be contrarie to the second: where the same power is giuen to more. Besides that, yt is an vsual doctrine in their pulpets, to confute the Popes false vnderstāding of that place: And for the place of Ihon, I trow they cannot prooue this power there giuen only to the Apostles, there being many disciples both men & womē in the place. I hope also that they. are not so grosse to suppose this power giuen to the persons of men (for then yt must haue died and ceased with the Apostles, seing we reade not in al the Testament of any speciel or personal bequest made by them to any degree of men one more thē another, and so they challenge yt by an old worthles title) so much, as to the truth and power of the word of God; which word being beleeued and apprehended by faith, looseth vs from al our sinnes through that blood of Christ our Lord: which word also being reiected or transgressed, bindeth our sinnes vnto the iudgment seate of Christ, without repentance: which word is bound & sealed vp amongst Christs disciples. Neither is yt giuen or committed vnto the ministe [...]s of the Church only, for then none could haue faith but ministers, none ought to professe, publish or stand for the maintenance of the faith, but ministers. But we see this power, the word, the faith committed to the whole Church and euerie member therof, all being commanded to watch, to publish, defend and practise the Gospell to the vttermost of their power, to admonish reprooue one another &c. Now how should this be done, but by the power of the word? Moreouer our Sauiour Christ in sending forth the 70. gaue y e self same power vnto their word, Mat. 15. 15. that he did vnto the 12. to such as receaued the Gospel, peace with remissiō Luk. 17. 3. of sinnes; to such as receaued yt not, the shaking off the dust of Leuit. 19. 17. the feet against them. But yt wil peradventure be said, that in as much as the ministerie of the word is chiefly committed vnto them, Psa. 149. therfore the power of binding & loosing also. To this I answere, that 1. Tim. 3. 15 I haue not learned in the word, so to tye the power to the person of the man. This power is not of man but of God. The least in the Church hath as much power by this word of God to bind the sinne [...]om. 16. 17 of the Pastor, and vpon his repentance to pronounce cōfort & peace Coloss. 4. 17 [Page 125] vnto him; as he hath to remit or bind the sinne of the least. So that monstrous is their presumption, that assume vnto themselues not only the power giuen vnto the whole Church (as shall be shewed hereafter) but vsurpe I wote not what peculiar power oboue all other, to bind or remit sinnes: yea to remit for wage the sinnes of euerie prophane glutton and wicked Atheist, which will send for the priest at the howre of death to reade his Masse-booke ouer him &c.
LIKEVVISE ALSO, as these Priests visit and houfel their sick by this booke; so doe they in like maner burie their dead by the same booke. The priest meeting the corps at the Church stile in white aray (his ministring vesture) with a solemne song, or els reading alowde certayne of their fragmentes of scripture, & so carrie the corps either to the graue, made in their holy cemitery & hallowed Churchyard, or els (if he be a rich man) carry his bodie into the Church: Ech where his dirige & trental is read ouer him after they haue takē off the holy couering cloth, & the linnen crosses wherwith the corps is dressed, vntill yt come vnto the Churchyard or Church into that holy ground (least sprights in the meane time should carrie yt away) the priest there pronounceth, that almightie God hath taken the soule of that their brother or sister vnto him, be he heretike, witch, coniurer, and desiring to meete him with ioy in the resurrectiō &c. who after he hath cast on th [...] first shouel full of earth in his due time with his due wordes, committing earth to earth, ashes to ashes &c. then may they bouldly proceed to couer him, whiles the priest also proceedeth to reade ouer his holy geare, & say his Pater noster (which fi [...]teth al assaies) & his other praiers ouer the Corps. That being done, there is for that time no more, but to pay the priest & clarke their hyre. As for the mortuarie, the priest wil come home to the house of the dead for that wel inough.
But now if he be a man of welth, that he make his graue with the rich in the Church, he shall then pay accordingly: for that ground is much more precious & holy then the Churchyard, hauing beene consecrate & al to be sprinkled with holy water; there he shal be sure to lie drie, his graue being cut east and west and he so layed, that he may rise with his face into the east. Likewise if he haue beene any hearer of sermons in his life time, & haue loued them well; he will be at cost to get some learned priest or other to preach ouer him at his bu [...]al: and that shalbe much more wholsome for him then a paltrie masse.
But if he be of any great degree, or but stept into the gentrie; then he hath accordingly his mourners, yea his heraldes peraduenture, carijng his cote amour & streamers before him with solemne adoe and pitching them ouer his tombe, as if Duke Hector, or Aiax, or S r. Launcelot were buried. Then is the corps brought in, with singing & many solemne Ezek. 32. 2 [...] circumstances that I know not of, & then is masse preacher su [...]e of a mourning gowne & a good reward for his paines.
Besides all the superstition & idolatrie in their Leitourgie, the popish [Page 126] ceremonies and heathenish pompe and customes, I would here faine know of our learned priestes, where in all the Bible, they learned to say praiers or preach ouer (I wil not though I truly might say) for y e dead. As I take yt, they haue neither president nor cōmandement for yt in the word of God. yet there we read of sundrie christian burials: as of our Sauiour CHRIST, STEPHEN & others; where we reade neither of Ioh. 19. 38. &c. dirgies nor sermons ouer them, though there were Apostles & sundrie other able men to haue done yt. And I think yt cannot be denied, if Act. 8. 2. any had deserued such cōmemoration, these did. But as they deriued this stuffe frō the heathens, whether Persiās, Athenians, or Romaines (I will not contend) which vsed these pulpit orations for the dead: so to the heathens I leaue them.
The next question is; where I may find in the booke of God, that yt belonged to the ministers office to burie the dead. It was a pollution [...]. 21. to the Leuiticall priesthood to touch a carcase, or any thing about yt. I neuer read in all the practise or epistles of the Apostles, that yt belonged to any minister of the Church, as by office, to burie the dead.
The next question is, why (of all other places) men must be buried in the Church or Churchyard? els they haue not Christen mens burial; but if they be not buried there and that by the priest, with his booke, then are they buried like doggs, say the common people. Me thinkes those of all other should not be the conuenientest places: It was a thing neuer vsed vntill popery began; yt is neither comly, conuenient, nor wholsome.
Well, now the last question is concerning these solemne mourners araid in black, many of them with hoodes, caps, crosses and other knackes: where they learned thus to bemourne & lament their dead, by I know not how many moneths? They will tell me tis lawfull to mourne & sorrow for the dead; God beareth so far with our infirmities. True, but yet with this Interim, as Christians, not as heathens with Deu. 14. 1. 2 a black attire outwardly, by set and stinted seasons, vntill so many 1 Thes. 4. 13 &c. moneths be past: Christians vse not to make such outward shew of mourning, and to haue yt so far from the heart, as for the most part the chief mourners, the wife and the heire haue. Neither do Christians vse to mourne after such a superstitious and prophane maner, or to haue their mourning only in their garmentes, as numbers of seruing men, re [...]einers, mourning boies, and poore men put in mourning weedes, which neuer got so much by the glutton in all his life time, which are so far from mourning, as they are glad with al their heartes. Againe how mourne Sr. Priests; either the parish priest that hath his mortuarie and his fee for burijng him, or the preacher that hath his mourning liuerie and his hire also? Could they not (let them speake of their conscience) find in their heartes to be so set a worke euerie da [...] in the weeke. Besides, who be more curious and nicely picked to haue their mourneries fitted at an haire breadth, then these mourning women? you shall not haue them more choice of any garment [Page 127] [...]hat euer they ware, then (for the most part) they are of this: these are [...]ignes of a verie sorrowfull heart. To conclude, after al their praiers, preachment, vvhere (I trow) the priest bestoweth some figures in his commendations (though he be with the glutton in the gulfe of hell) to make him by his thetorick a better Christian in his graue then he was euer in his life, or els he yerneth his money ill. After al is done in Church, then are they all gathered together to a costly & sumptuous banquet. Is not this iolly Christiā mourning? who would not mourne thus euerie day in the yeare.
I wil not here cumber our priestes with ouer many questions, least they answere me none of these. As how they can proue yt now lawful to disbowel and embalme euerie rich glutton where his burijng place is hard by, and there is no cause either to keep or remoue him, especially seing all figures are long since in CHRIST performed and now ceased.
Neither wil I trouble them to shew warrant by the word, for the exquisite sculpture & garnishing of their toombes, with ingrauing their armes and Atehea [...]ements, moulding their images & pictures, and to set these vp as monumentes in their Church: vvhich Church must also (vpon the day of such burials) be solemnely arrayed and hanged with blacke, that euen the verie stones may mourne also for companie. Is not this Christian mourning thinke you? els report me to the Church of England.
All this while we haue said nothing of the excellent vertues of the partie deceased, for the priest (I trow) hath said inough for him in the pulpet: though he were the veriest prophane atheist, profuse glutton, greedy extortor, co [...]tous scraper in all the parish where he dwelt, though he neuer had any knowledg, loue or feare of God in his life, but liued & died like a wrethched worldling: yet if he be rich inough, & his frendes wil be at the cost with him, he [...]hal want none of this funeral furniture to help him to heauē. He shal for his money want neither priest to pray for him, to preach ouer him, to praise him, to tell the people that his soule is assuredly with God, because in deed ere while vpon shrift he forgaue him al his sinnes in the name of the Father, the sonne, & of the holy Ghost, & peradu [...]ture housled him also with the Sacrament. Al this, with mourners enough, both men womē & boies shal he not want for his money in Church of England to be his beades men, & to say a paternoster for his soule, & desire God to haue mercie vpon yt, for their liueries & doles which is had at their death: though in his life time the poore might goe naked or starue, for anie help and releife they found of him. He would not then giue, least he might need himself ere he died: yea at his death he shall want no ringers, that vvill for money ring a soule-peale on all the hallowed belles for his soule, & drink a carrowse for yt also. But this you must note▪ neither rich nor poore, neither young nor old can get burial vvithout money in the church of England: no peny no paternoster there: but please y e priest, & [Page 128] then he will burie his brother & pray for, and ouer him whatsoeuer he be, so far as his booke wil goe. There are all thinges vaenal & venial for money. The priest will for money pardon al his offences, by the authoritie committed vnto him: he will for money marrye and burie, both which are become solemne actions of this Church, & especial partes of the worship of God; as you may perceaue by their seueral Leitourgies & solemnities apointed to the same.
YET REMAINETH also an especial part of the priestes trade & againe; namely:, the Purification or (as they call yt) the Churching of women▪ who, after they haue beene safely deliuered of childbirth, & haue lie [...] in, & beene shut vp their moneth of daies accomplet: then are they to repaire to Church, & to kneele downe in some place [...]igh the Communiō Table (not to speake how she cōmeth wympeled & muffeled, accompanied with her wiues, & dare not look vpon the sunne nor skie, vntil the priest haue put her in possessiō againe of them) vnto whome (thus [...]it. 12. placed in the Church) commeth Sr. Priest, straight waies standeth by her, & readeth ouer her a certayne Psalme viz. 121. & assureth her that the sunne shal not burne her by day, nor the moone by night, saieth his Pater [...]oster with the prescribed versicles and response, with his Collect. And thē she hauing offred her accustomed offringes vnto him for his labour God speed her wel, she is a woman on foot againe, as holy as euer she was; she may now put off her vailing kerchife, & looke her husband & neighbours in the face againe.
Is not this excellent stuffe to be brought into and practised in the Church? What can be a more apish imitation, or rather a more ful reuiuing of the Iewish purification then this? both in respect of the occasion, as Childbirth; the time of her keeping in and seperation from the congregation, namly a ful moneth; the occasion & maner of her comming abroade, vailed, accompanied with her womē neighbours, repairing to the Church, kneeling downe to the priest vntil he haue said his certaine ouer her, & then her oblation vnto the priest for the same. Is not all this absolutely Iewish? though in deed the priestes part sauor more of poperie. Seing therfore they will not haue yt a Iewish purificatiō, let yt be a mixt actiō of Iudaisme & poperie. This trumperie is so grosse, as yt deserueth no refutation, but a doung forke to c [...]st yt out.
Yf they be ashamed of the action, why doe they vse yt? if she be not defiled by childbirth, why doe they seperate her? why doe they clense her? why may she not returne vnto the Church (hauing recouered strength) before her moneth be expired? why may she not come a [...]ter [...]er accustomed maner, and giue God thankes for all his benefites & mercies, together with others? why is she inioined to come, & y e priest to receaue her in this prescript manner? why are the women held in a superstitious opinion, that this action is necessarie? why is yt a statute & ordinance of their Church? an especial part of their worship? which who so neglect, either priest or people, are for their such defaults punished [Page 129] by the Commissarie or Ordinarie. To conclude, why should such solemne, yea publike thankes (to take yt at the fairest they can make it) be giuen openly in the Church, more for the safe deliuerance of these women, being (though a singuler benefite of God) y [...]t a thing natural, ordinarie, and common, more then for sundrie other strange and marueilous deliuerances from sicknes, manie dangers of death, and perilles both by sea and land, shewed by the mighty hand of God towardes men and women daily, if there lay not some high misterie and diepe point of diuinitie in the matter? why should euerie priuate and ordinarie benefite be made a publike action and dutie of the Church? or why should womē haue this prerogatiue? if yt be but bare thancksgiuing (as they whē they are called to account for this would beare vs in hand) why should (if that be so) the women be more churched vpon that occasion, then when they haue escaped some great danger of drowning, burning, sword, enemies, or when they are recouered of some extreme sicknes and disease? yea why should this solemne publike peculiar thankes be more giuen for the escaping of euil, then for the receauing many singuler great benefites at Gods hand; which they are content (be they as manie as he wil) to swallow vp in obliuion, and neuer to trouble him nor themselues with the matter. Thus whiles they seeke to eschew the golph of Iudaisme and superstitiō, they runne themselues vpō y [...] shelues of the Massaliā heresie.
THVS HAVING summarily runne ouer the publike worship of the Church of England prescribed in their seruice booke, rather by way of discouerie then of discourse: I wil now (passing ouer their superstitious customes in their seueral churches, some vpō this day some vpon that Eaue, according as they stand affected and deuote to this peculiar Sainct or that Angel, for some special wonders & great miracles shewed in these seueral places, as largly appeareth in their legēd) addresse my self to speake a litle of these their holy Synagogues or places of assemblie, commonly called their parish Church, wherunto al this rabble of worshippers resort at their apointed seasons to heare this diuine booke, together with their learned priestes sermons &c.
And in the first beginning I feare me we shal fal into such a cōtroversie, as cannot easily be decided; namely, whether the Pagans or papistes where the first founders of them? Some of thē vvhich for their fame deserued to be chronicled, are recorded to haue beene deuote vnto the Godds of the heathens, like as the daies of their wecke stil are, not only into y e names of Sainctes & Angells, but into y e names of these heathen Godds vvhich they still retaine, hauing vtterly lost the name and order of their Creator, as the First, second, third day of the Gene. 1. vveeke, of the first, second, third, or such a moneth &c. and are novv quite giuē away, one day to the sunne Soli, another to the Moone, another to Merckrie, another to Mar [...], another to Iupiter▪ another to Venus▪ [Page 130] and the last to Saturne, which they haue now so long held by prescription in quiet possession, as yt is bonbtfull when the right owner shall challenge them, his plea wil not be heard in westminster hall. In like maner I haue heard, that these their temples haue been dedicate vnto these Gods, who haue had their Flamins & archflamins therin; but vpon the conversion of Engl [...]nd to the faith of Rome, they were al then new baptised into the names of holy saint [...]s.
I know heere againe that our learned Antiq [...]ries will hardly consent to this: but then I must d [...]sire them to shew me, when these their auncient Cathedral churches were christened into y e saintes names they now beare. I suppose they shall find some of them to haue caried the names they at this day do, a great while. We shal also haue much adoe with thē concerning the first faith which Engla [...]d receaued, which they wil cōfirme by the notable estate of the church y e first 500 yeres after the Apostles. And here shal be brought vpon me a whole cartlode of writers, Councels, Doctors: vnto al which I oppose that litle booke of Christs Testament: from which they immediatly after the destruction Math. 24. 29. of Ierusalem, & the decease of the Apostles fel away; changing and innovating all thinges daily more and more, vntil they had Act. 20. 29 2. Thess. 2. brought yt to this estate: fashioning religion to the fansies and lustes 1. Io [...]. 2. 18. of men, as yt might best allure, retayne and please the Princes & multitudes of the world, as is aboue in the beginning of this treatise more particularlie shewed, and may by these ancient monumentes of their idolatrie which stil remayne, as by so many argumentes be euidently convinced.
These Synagogues are built altogether to the forme of the old Téple Exod. 27. 9 &c. of the Iewes, in a long square East and west, with their holy Court 1. King. 6. walled round about, cōmonly called the Churchyeard, which is holy ground, and serueth for Christen burial, being altogether exempt for ciuil vse: yet is yt lawful for the yong men & maides to play there together vpon their sundaies and holy daies. But who so smiteth any in that holy ground, by statute is to haue his hand cut off thersore. These Synagogu [...]s haue also their battlementes, and their porch adioining to the [...] Church, not heer to speake of the solemne laying the foundation; where the first stone must be laid by the handes of the Bishop or his suffragane, with certaine magical praiers, & holy water, and many other idolatrous rites. They haue vnto yt their foulding d [...]res and an especial leuite, the parish clerke to keep the key. They haue at the west end their hallowed belles, which are also baptised, sprinkled &c. They haue their isles, and their bodie of the Church: they haue also their selles to the sides of the walles, their vestery to keep the priestes ministerial garmentes, where they are to attyre and 1. Chron. 26 dresse themselues before they goe to their seruice: they haue their Ezek. 42. treasurie. Al the cathedral o [...] mother churches also haue their cloysters for their Deane, prebendaries, cannōs, petty cannons, singing mē and singing boies &c. within their precinct and walles to abide and [Page 131] dwell, that they may keepe the watch of the temple, and their howers of Orizons. Againe they haue in the bodie of their Church their hallowed 1. Kings, 7. 23. fonte, to keepe the holy water wherwith they baptise, al other vessels and waters to the vse of baptisme being by expresse law forbidden. They haue also their holiest of al, or chauncel, which peculiarly belongeth to the priest and quire, which help the priest to say & sing his seruice. They haue their roodloft as a partition betweene their holie and holiest of all. The priest also hath a peculiar dore into his chancel, through which none might passe but himself. Now Numb. 19. this Church thus reared vp, is also throughly hallowed vvith their sprinkling water, & dedicate & baptised into the name of some especial Saint or Angel, as to the patrone and defendor therof, against al Ezek. 41. 17. 18. enemies, spirites, stormes, tempestes &c. Yet hath yt within also al the holy armie of saintes & Angels in their windowes and walles, to keep yt. Thus I think can be no doubt made, but that the verie erections of these synagogues (whether they were by the heathens or papistes) were idolatrous.
But heere I look to haue obiected these two reasons against me: the one for the defence of the original, the other for the present estate of them: namly, that many of these superstitions I speake of, were invē ted long after England receaued the faith, and therfore the original of these churches could not be so euil: the other, that now (thankes be to God) they are quite purged of all these idols in the walles and windowes, & vsed to the pure worship of God; therfore I doe not wel so to write of them in this estate.
To the first reason (but that I loue not to raue in the apocrypha writings as they do with the papistes, & therfore neuer bring their cōtroversies to end) I could shew most of these idolatrous shapes and customes, to haue been very ancient, & in deed by al likelihood, euē frō y e first building of these synagogues, & therfore yt skilleth not to inquire whether all these idolatries were invented at the first bringing of their faith into England; seing yt is manifest that most of these churches were built many yeres after. For (as hath beene said) they at the first contented themselues with such temples as they ere while worshipped their idols in: so that they that wil obiect vnto me some few of their temples built in a round forme, must both be sure that they were not built by heathens, and that al these romish relikes of the Churchyard, porch, hallowed belles, font, images in the walles and windowes &c. were added since the building therof: And this I suppose wil be hard for them t [...] doe. The papistes can prescribe a long time for their images and manie other thinges: yet all this if they could doe, vvhat vvere these few vnto all the other so manie thowsandes as vve see to carrie these idolatrous shapes euen from the verie foundation, vvhich vve know, and vvith our eies haue seene thus defiled vvith idols and odolatrie? so that yt shalbe needles for them to trouble themselues vvith things farther off, vvhen these things stil remaine [Page 132] in this shape before our eies.
And this also may answere their second allegation, where they alledg them now to be quite purged of all the former Idols & idolatrie wherwith they were defiled. How then doe they still stand in their old idolatrous shapes, with their auncient appurtinances, with their Courts, cells, isles, chancel, belles &c. Can these remaine, & al idolatrous shapes and relickes be purged from them? which are so inseperably inherent vnto the whole building, as yt can neuer be clensed of this fretting leprosie, vntil yt be desolate, layd on heapes, as their yonger sisters [...], the Abbaies & Monasteries are.
We see how sodainly euen in few daies they may be replenished and garnished with all their idols againe. We had a late proofe therof in Q. Maries time, which is not yet taken out of the common peoples mindes; who in doubt of the like hereafter, partly vpō superstition, but generally because they would not be at the like charge to buye new, haue reserued the old relikes still: some of them standing vp in their Church windowes, others kept in their chestes & vesteries; yea sundry of them are still in vse: as their belles, font, organes, copes, surplices, the couering cloth of the altar &c. vvhich way can these be purged, so lōg as thy remaine in this shape. Their whole Church also, is yt not still a fit shrine to receaue all the rest? vvhat letteth that they might [...]ot be set vp againe (if the Idols were in readines) in one hower? seing their very roomths still remayne as they left them, and want but a litle sweeping: so that euerie Sainct may know & take his old place againe. And as yt standeth with the whole frame of their Church walles, windowes, and implementes: so standeth yt in like maner with the whole ministerie of this Church, from the highest bishop to the lo [...]est priest, curate, preacher, or half priest. They may all together within the space of one howre, with a litle changing of their copye, serue againe in their ould roomths which they held in the church of Rome, to which this ministerie of theirs a great deale better fitteth then vnto the Church of CHRIST, which can beare no such adulterate & antichristiā ministerie.
Well then you see what good reformation they haue made, & how throughly they haue purged their Churches of poperie & idolatrie, & that not only spiritual idolatry (as in their worship & administration aboue hath beene shewed) but euē this gro [...]e material idolatrie, which [...]leaueth to the whole frame and euerie part of those their Churches both within and without, from the verie foundation to the couering stone therof. So that now they must be driuen either absolutely to iustifie these their cathedral & parish Churches in this forme, with these appurtenances, furniture & vse, by the word of God; or els we may resolutly by the same word detest them as abhominable Idols; such as by the law of God are deuote to vtter destruction, both the altars Exod. 34. 13. the very places Deu [...]. 12. 2. and the gold of them Deut. 7. 25. In such detestatiō ought idolatrie to be amongst all Gods seruantes, as their eie ought not to spare or couet that which the Lord reiecteth and detesteth. [Page 133] Thus the godly kings of Iuda, Asa, Iehoshaphat, Ezekiah, Ioshiah, 2 Chrō. 17 6 destroied all the high places, altars, groues, which were erected in Iuda 2 Chron. 29 & Israel [...] to the law of God. 2 Chron. 3.
But here yt will be said peraduenture, that these iudicial lawes were only made but for the Iewes cōmon welth, and we now vnder CHRIST are not bound vnto them. Let such men know, that with as litle sinne & as great reason they may say, y • moral lawes of God (as we cal them) were likewise gi [...]en only to the Iewes, and that we now vnder CHRIST are not bound to them. For he that sayd thou shalt haue [...]o other Gods before my face, & thou shalt not make vnto they self any grauen image hath likewise said: Thou shalt vtterlie deface and destroie all these synagogues & places where such idols haue beene set vp & worshipped. Who seeth not that this law hath relation vnto, and dependeth vpon the other? and is that temporal iudgment vvhich God hath set downe, & will haue man execute for the breach of the other. And sure he that will alter or abrogate the one, may by as good warrant alter or abrogate the other. To my seeming, none could better set downe the penalty for transgressing of his law, then he that gaue his law: vnlesse now in this learned age some proue vviser then God, & set downe more iust iudgmentes then he. In the rest I hope no man wil take these cōmandementes concerning idolatrie to be ceremonial or temporal, or that CHRIST then hath abrogate or taken these away from any, either Iew or Gentile.
But now (vvith one consent) they vvil all plead yt lawful, to co [...]uert these idoll places & furniture to the seruice of God: and this they will confirme vvith the authoritie of AVGVSTINE, CALVINE & many other vvriters; as also by the practise of CONSTANTINVS the Bishop of Alexandria, & al the Churches of EVROPA at this day: how they from time to time, still haue vsed those Temples & places to the true vvorship of God; vvhich the heathen, the heretickes, and papistes haue before prophaned & abused to their idoll & false vvorship.
To these I answere, that they are all but men, but if they were [...]o many Though this Booke coul [...]ot by the Author be cor [...]ected or reuised, yet h [...] sig nified his minde doubtful, nor changed in this [...] Namely, that though thes Synagogs being dedicate to [...]dolatry & defiled vvit Idols, ought therfore to b plucked dovvne, yet n [...] vvith such detestation to b vtterly destroyed, as these I dols vvhich had vvorsh [...] gyuen vnto them, but th [...] the idolatrous shapes bein vtterly abolished, the stu [...] of these Synagogs, as th stone, tymber, leade, [...] &c may be converted to ciui [...] and honest vses, as the goo creature of God, as mea [...] offred to Idols &c. Angels they could not counteruaile the authoritie of one of these lawes of God & places of scripture alledged: which shew euidently, y t God hath such idol places & al their furniture in such detestation, that he hath commanded the magistrate vtterly to race & deface them. So far is yt that God will be vvorshipped in them, that he vvill not haue them so much as reserued, least they defile the land & draw vs to idolatrie: as by experience they lately haue seene in Q. MARIES time, and vve now vvith griefe behould amongst themselues. And [...]nerly let them make vnto their selues what pretences they can best deuise of this & that holines or end, God seeth their heartes, how they loue the creature more then the Creator; how with the hipocrite SAVL they spare the fat vvare of AMALEK, the execrable thing, to sacrifice, to worship God withall. God abhorreth these thinges, he vvill not be worshipped vvith them: and therfore they in reseruing them, not only cō demne God of iniustice & follie (that belike considered not, that these [Page 134] things might be sanctifiedly vsed to his vvorship) but thru [...]t vpon God such abhominatiōs as he detesteth, & with them they wil worship him whether he will or no. But they shal one day know the price of transgression; and that obedience is better then sacrifice, & that rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and transgression as wickednes & idolatri [...].
But now D. R. to fortifie and back these authors, bringeth also thi [...] reason out of M r. CALVINE: THAT THE vse of many things is pure whose original is impure. As for example; yt is law [...]ul to sweare, though the beginning & occasion of othes was by reason of mans sinne, who is apt to lie, to deceaue, or not to credit ech others simple word &c. To th [...]s example, this in a word: [...] see not why I should be of M r. CALVINS mind touching the original of othes. For the like he might say of praier, of the writtē word of God, yea of CHRIST himself, the sacraments, & al holy exercises of this life. If man were not i [...] sinne he need not pray, if he were not wrapped in ignorance▪ he need not the word &c. But shal I conclude herevpon, that the originall of these holy things is impure; sure [...]hat were vncleane doctrine. These things no doubt are before all beginnings most holy: layd vp with God in the bozome of CHRIST from whēce they spring vnto vs, & are deriued by vs through the holy Ghost to help our infirmities, to instruct our ignorance, & to Exod. 22. 11. confirme & assure our heartes. Yea euē amongst our selues an othe for Num. 5. 19. confirmation is an end of strife, giuen to our infirmiti [...]s that cannot see Heb. 6. 16. things absent or secret thinges, as God doth. And therfore is his holy name which seeth all things, reuerently taken for confirmation, & not as yt is publikly vsed in the Church of England. So then an othe hath not the original from man, but from God himself who is the author of [...]en. 12. 2. & 15. 18. & 17. 4. & 22. 16. 17. othes. Neither is an othe giuen to the sinne of any (for so should the name of God be highly prophaned and abused) but yt [...]s giuen to the infirmities of all; that of things vncertaine, vnknowne and doubtful vnto vs, vve might rest in that truth which is confirmed vnto vs in the name of the most high God &c. vve may very well put difference betwixt our infirmities and our sinnes: CHRIST took our infirmities yet without sinne;
And now not any longer insisting vpō the doctrine of SOME his antecedent, I denie his Argument at once: That because the vse of many thinges whose original is impure, may be pure: therfore these idol places and temples may be vsed to the worship of God. He seeth the lawes of God flat to the contrarie, which alloweth them no vse at al either ciuil or ecclesiasticall of such idolatrous places.
But he proueth yt thus. The [...] were grosse idolaters; but the Israel [...]tes hauing vanquished them, offred of their [...]poiles vnto the Lord &c. Numb. 31. therfor these idol Temples & places & idolatrous trumperie, may be reserued & vsed in the worship of God.
I must still denie his Argument. First he hath not heere proued, that this gold of the Midianites was either in any idolatrous formes, or had bee [...]e dedicate to Idols; & therfore from this place can conclude nothing▪ [Page 135] It is easie to put difference betwixt the substance of Idolaters, as gold, siluer, oxen, sheep, cattell: & their Idols, & idol places. The one the captaynes of this host of the Israelites offred vnto the Lord, for the sinne they had cōmitted in this war in sparing the Midianitish women, euē Num. 31. 49 & [...]. the iewels of gold, bracelets, chaines, rings, eare rings, ornaments of legges (as the text recordeth) & the Lord accepted them. But these I trow he cannot call idols or idolatrous iewels, though they were the iewels of idolaters. The difference is great & easily put betwixt these. The landes, goodes, cattel, of idolaters, we may purchase, inherite, vse & inioy: their idols, euen of the most pretious mettals, we are to detest & destroie. Yet euen here in this example, they were commanded to purge all that might goe through the fire, by the fire & with the water vers. 23. of purification; & all other their vtilences which they got in that war, to be purged with water vers. 21. &c.
But now that second bullock which GEDEON offred, is thought and Iudg. 6. 25. &c. alledged to haue belonged to BAAL, & brought for an instāce to proue that things deuote to idols may be vsed to the worship of God. To this if yt were admitted that this bullok had belōged to BAAL (which notwithstanding I see not how vt may be proued by the text) I answere, y t one particular example doth not take away a general law: Againe, that GIDEON did nothing but by the expresse cōmandement of God. So y t they which will inforce this example against these lawes, may as wel vse yt against the law of the altar, of the Place vvhere to sacrifice, of the Priests vvhich ought to offer them: all vvhich vvere by GIDEON much more apparantly to our seeming broken, then this law, vvhich in deed I cannot see that he brake yt at all. Further by his example priuate mē might intrude into the magistrates office to destroie idolatrous places &c. vvhich is vnlawful.
Yet M r. SOME thinking to make the matter more sure bringeth Corah his censors for proof: because of thē vvere made plates for a couering for the altar. But see how the further he goeth, the more he stil mistaketh y e matter. For these censors of Cora [...]h & his companie, vvere neuer offred to any idols, or vsed to any idolatrie; but are by the testimonie of the holy Ghost pronounced holy Numb. 16. 37. and therfore nothing fit his turne.
Many other diuine reasons he hath to proue this matter, y t y e churches which idolaters bui [...]t, the landes which they gaue vnto y • maintenanc [...] of their popish ministerie, as arch-BB s. L. BB. parish priestes, parsons, vickars &c. and also to the collegiate priestes, as Deaues, Prebends, Cannons, singing men &c. ought now to be conuerted to the maintenance of these persons & collegiate priestes their successors: and (as I heare) he hath gotten himself into one of these colledges, & hath for his good seruice vnto BAAL and against CHRIST, obteined IVDAS his roomth (I meane not concerning his Apostles but his deacons office) to carry the bag, & rob the poore.
Wel howsoeuer that matter standeth with him, I am sure this his reason [Page 136] of [...]loraes legacie vnto the theatre of Rome to maintaine stage plaies, where wicked & filthy persons might meete, deserueth no such recopence. Flora (saith he) was an harlot in Rome & verie welthy: she gaue very much for the erection and continuance of a yearly spectacle in Rome. By reason of grosse inconueniences, that absurd shew was abolished. But [...]loraes legacie was conuerted to the vse & benefite of that common welth.
And what of all this M •. SOME? Therfore may such thinges as haue beene dedicate by idolatours, vnto their idol seruice and the maintenance of their idol ministery, be now cōuerted to the worship of God, & to the maintenāce of the ministery of CHRIST? It is already shewed that God will not be vvorshipped vvith such idolatrous stuffe: and aboue in the handling the tithes & gl [...]abes of the church of England, that CHRIST hath in his Testament set downe an other kind of maintenance for the ministerie of the Gospell then such popish legacies. But vvhat sequele is in this? Fl [...]raes legacie vvas conuerted to a better vse, therfore thinges offred by idolaters to idolatrie may now be conuerted to the vvorship of God &c. you see there is a barre in the way; the expresse lawes of God to the contrarie. Sure yt is doubtfull these profane fables and friuolous reasons would cost you a laughing at, if you lighted into some of these new pleasant Diuines handling: saue that in deed this subiect is as a red whote yron, that would burne their fingers; and therfore they wil either let yt alone, or with you help to quench yt.
But now let me come to that doctorly distinction of yours, wherwith you most learnedly decide, & iudicially cōclude y e whole point. These founders (say you) these idolaters erred not i [...] ge [...]ere but in specie. Not in the general, in that they gaue lands to Colledges for Gods seruice; but in the particuler they erred, in that they gaue yt to the celebration of the masse, which they tooke to be Gods seruice.
How shall poore simple Christians that know not this diepe learning, arriue to this high diuinitie, to make one & the self same action good & euil by logick. We know not through this diuiuitie of yours, whether we should approue or condemne this actiō of giuing landes to these colledges, to se [...]ue God after the popish maner. For if we cō dempne yt as a maintenance of idolatrie, then straight he telleth vs that yt was giuē to the seruice of God i [...] genere. wherby what he should meane I cannot coniecture, except he meane either in name and outward pretence, or els peraduenture in inward intent, that they gaue of a good mind to aduance Gods worship, though the present worship to which they gaue yt was idolatrous & vngodly.
To the first sense; I find that al idolators haue alwaies made profession of the worship of God. So AARON when he had made the Calfe, proclaimed saying: to morrowe shal be the holy day of the Lord: so the harlot said she had peace ossrings: the false Church maketh [...] to worship CHRIST, to preach the Gospell &c. therfore the prete [...]ce [Page 137] of cul [...]us Dei cannot iustifie their action either in Ge [...]ere or in Specie. We are taught by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 20. that whatsoeuer y e idolaters offer, they offer vnto deuils & not vnto God. This doctrine Moses taught before him Leuit. 17. 7. where hauing restrained all offringes, to be brought to the dore of the tabernacle of the congregatiō, vnto the priest &c. cōcludeth on this māner And they shal no more offer their offrings vnto deuils, after whome they haue gone a whoring. &c. shewing there, that all sacrifices offred els where, then in the place apointed of God, by any other thē by Godes lawful ministers, were an abhominatiō to the Lord, not offred to God but to deuils. This also apeareth Deu [...]. 32. 15. 16. 17. &c. 2. Chron. 11. 15. wherupon we may conclude, that no outward pretence can iustifie an euil action, or make yt good in Geuere: as for inward intentes, they can no way iustifie outward transgression▪ for then who should be found or iudged culpable?
But in the particuler he granteth they erred; in that they tooke the popish masse for Gods seruice, & gaue their lādes for the maintenāce & the celebratiō therof. It is wel yet y t this is found an error (though yt be a verie faint tearme for such high sacriledge) Let vs then see in a word what kind of error yt is, that the actiō may therby be discerned & iudged. Is not this masse a most blasphemous & execrable Idol, in that yt is affirmed to be the verie body & flesh of Christ, & so is adored? Is yt not an opē and vtter denijng of both the natures of Christ? his humanitie, in that they make that his body to be in many thowsād places at one instant, in that they make yt now patible, māducable, to be digested & cast out &c. his deity, in that they pluck him frō the right hand of maiestie, & now cast him into most filthy places by degestiō, in that they offer him vp againe, coniure & sacrifice him againe, & seperate his deity frō his humanitie, both frō his glorie: and is this with D Some but an error, and that in Sp [...]cie? I can tel him, a litle of this leauē, will make sowre the whole lump. And if he himself were not sōwhat tainted with this, he would neuer for shame of the world cal this cultus Dei, or say that they which gaue their landes to this purpose, gaue them to the worship of God, & erred not in Genere.
But yet a word or two for the further explanation of this doctors deep diuinitie. Be yt they gaue their landes ad missae celebrationem to the celebration of the masse, and to these colledges to that end were they Reuel. 9. 3. giuen: which necessarily presupposeth (if we had no other proof) that Ezek. 8. 16. they were such sacrificing priestes as vsed to say masse, a colledg of these Sodomites, those Locustes. Now then they erred in somwhat more, then in giuing to that false worship, in that they gaue to the maintenance of these idle bellies, these caterpillers, such an vngodly societe & fraternitie. And now, seing the same colleges & dennes remaine & consist of the same wicked idle priestes & their associates, in the same manner that they thē did, only the latine masse remoued (& that in what manner, apeareth by that which hath beene aboue said concerning their seruice booke) how now can these colledges be said [Page 138] reformed, or these grauntes lawful? when the parties to whome such grauntes are made, are by all lawes, both Gods & mans, vncapable of them, yea not to liue or be suffred in a Christian cōmō welth. And the Prince hath as good right to abolish these, as her auncestor hath their brethren the Monkes & Freeres, and to assume their landes into her handes, & employ them vnto the benefite of the common welth: but vtterly in like maner to dissolue these idle colleges and to desolate these idol synagogues, that (as yt is said by the prophet) the rauens & owles may make their nestes there, as they doe in the other. [...]ay. 34.
But heere peraduēture yt wilbe interiected, that these synagogues may be purged, or (as our learned priests say) reformed, & so stil vsed to the worship of God; seing al thinges are now made cleane vnto vs through the word of God & prai [...]r.
Vnto this I say: that idols canot be clensed with the blood of Christ, Act. 15. 20. neither by his word which vtterly condemneth thē, as oft hath beene Leuit. 14. &c. said. Againe the idolatrous shape so cleaueth to euerie stone, as yt by no meanes cā be seuered frō them whiles there is a stone left stāding vpō a stone. So that neither they can be vsed to the worship of God, nor we haue any ciuil vse of thē, seing they are execiable & deuote to destruction: so that they that vse such execrable & vncleane thinges, cānot be cleane, but must needs be defiled with the filthines of these idols. And heerin either the ignorāce or wretchednes of these priestes appeareth, which thus plead for Baal & his Temples, vnder colour of reformation: which you see appeareth to be no other thing, then to seeke to repaire & da [...]be that muddy wall (which the Lord so often commandeth to be vtterly destroied) for their belly, that their portiō may be made fat therby.
But yt may be heere obiected, y t an Idol is nothing, and y t the worship of God is now spiritual & free in al places. Though the Idol in respect of the inventors be said to be nothing, because of the vanitie of the invention of man; yet in respect of the thinges offred & abused to the same, the Apostle teacheth that such thinges are offr [...]d to deuils, 1. Cor. 10. 19. 20. & that they which haue any fellowship in these actiōs, haue fellowship with deuils. Now further, the spiritual worship of God doth not take away the cōmādements against grosse idolatrie▪ neither the freedome which Christ hath giuē to worship him in al places, doth giue leaue to reserue these execrable idols, or to worship him in such places: For by that reason, we might as well goe to the false Church to y e popish synagogues, or turkish assēblies: but y t we know in a Christiā to be an vtter apostacce from God: God vvill not be vvorshipped in such places. Wel yet though they may not be vsed to y e worship of God, yet vvhy may they not be convert [...]d to ciuil vses, as wel as the land and dwelling houses of these priestes; seing yt is lawful for vs to buy, or to eate flesh offred to idols.
It vvere reason ynough for me to alledg & rest in the vvord & wisdome of God, vvhich hath cōmāded these idol synagagues & places [Page 139] which haue beene erected & vsed to idolatrie and false worship, to be vtterly rased & destroied. Yet reserued he the goodes & landes of the idolators to ciuil vses &c. So me thinks there may be great reason rendred, & difference put betwixt such creatures as are giuen to idolators to ciuill vses (I say not here ciuil endes) for albeit the end of the giuer be to the maintenance of idolatrie, yet the Donees cannot so vse them, but only to ciuil vses; as houses to dwell in, landes to til &c. And those creatures which are wholy seperate from all ciuil vse and consecrate to idolatrie, as these idol synagogues & al their implements & furniture. The one we see though they haue beene defiled with idolatrie as in respect of the end & owners; yet those abuses taken away, the things remaine cleane & of free vse; the other are both accursed by Gods owne mouth, deuote to destruction &c. and therfore can neither be clensed nor rese [...]ued. The Lord will not haue any part of the damned thing Deut. 13. 17. cleaue vnto our hand, neither to reserue the gold & siluer therof, least Deut. 7. 25. 26▪ we be insnared therwith; for yt is an abhomination before the Lord, neither may we bring abhomination vnto our house, lest we be accursed like vnto yt: but we are commanded vtterly to abhor yt, and count yt most abhominable, for yt is accursed. Now then, if the most pretious mettals be forbidden; the baser, as yron, lead, stone much more, and that with such vehemencie both with threates and promises; how great is their danger and sinne both priestes and people, which spare that which God commandeth to be destroied, which couet that which God accurseth? what then in the end shall this Doctor get by his Dean [...]ie? the [...]e BBs. and priestes by their promotions and fat liuing? Yf God be true of his word, there is a fearful reckoning remaineth Psal. 11. 6. them; a [...]d not only them, but the whole land which is defiled with, & susfreth such abhominations.
But here pollicie mak [...]th an other pollitike doubt: how these collegiate priestes and parsons should doe for liuinges, and the people for places to assemble in, if these landes should be taken away, if the idolatrous temples should be puld downe. As to the first part such vnchristian colledges as these dennes of thieues & idle bellies are, ought to be dissolued; they deposed from their priesthood, & turned to some more honest trade of liuing in the cōmon welth: and so is this doubt soone at an end; when their antichristian ministerie ceaseth and vngodly frater [...]ities are dissolued, then there need not any longer lan [...]es for the maintenance of such abbay lubbers, and of such locustes.
As for the true ministrie of CHRIST, they look for no such lordly & setled prouision, they depend vpon the prouidence & blessing of God, vpon that flock vnto which they administer. They are content in the greatest plentie with sufficiencie to necessarie food & raimēt for them & their families, as wiues, & children. And of this also they are neither their owne caruers nor iudges, but yt is administred vnto them from time to time by the Church to which they serue & attend, as need requireth, [Page 140] and their present abilitie affordeth; vvhich most vvillingly make their ministers partakers with them euen of all their goodes, according to their need, & the others power.
Now for places to assemble in: they haue litle loue to the Gospell vvhich build themselues such stately seeled houses, & allow not to the people of God a house to assemble & worship God in. There were synagogues built in Iudea & Israel after the high places were destroied. Great were our blame, if we should suffer the idolaters so far to exceed & condemne vs, which haue built such magnificēt & sumptuous aedifices to their idols; and vve not afford a poore simple house to the Lord IESVS CHRIST, vvho now requireth not such sumptuous Temples, his true Temple being the soules & bodies of his chosen. But I doubt, this worldly pollicie vvhich hath so long borne the sway & ruled religiō, vvil neuer in this world yeild her self prostrate as an hūble handmaid, to take lawes at God, & suffer him to order & gouerne all things by his word: I doubt in this last age of the world, there are too many false Prophets abrode, which are gone forth vnto the Kinges of R [...]uel 16. 13. [...]4. the earth, rather to draw thē into battel against CHRIST & his Saintes, thē to bring CHRIST so generally & absolutely into their kingdomes.
Yet now if I be asked vvho ought to abolish this idolatrie, to destroy these synagogues, to dissolue these fraternities, & to depose these antichristian priestes: To that I answere, the Prince, or state; and that yt belongeth not to any priuate men: For we see they were s [...]t vp & remained in Israel & Iuda, vntill God raised vp godly Princes to pluck them downe & destroy them: yea yt were an intrusiō into the magistrats office & seate, for any priuate man so far to intermeddle.
But hence then yt will peraduenture be collected; that seing the Prince suffreth them, & yt is not in any priuat mans power to redresse these mischeifes, therfore priuate men ought likewise to frequent the same idol places & priestes (though with grief of heart) vntill God incline the Prince to remoue these abuses.
I am loth in this place to meddle with y e priestes allegatiōs, for their perfidy & idolatrie; which vse this reason vvith some more colours & faces among many other thervnto. Mine answere here is, that this Argument followeth not: It is one thing to abolish publike euils, and an other to abstaine from publike euils: only the Magistrate may pull downe the publike monuments of idolatrie; yet euerie priuate Christian [...]xod. 20. 3. both may, and vpon paine of damnation ought to refaine from [...]zek. 9. 4. publike idolatry, or from any thing which is euil in Gods [...]ies, though Hos. 4. 15. yt be allowed & cōmanded by all the Princes of the world. The godly 1 Ioh. 5. 21. Iewes & Israelites, though they could not pull downe the idolatrous [...]euel. 14. 4. places, yet refrayned them; as is aboue d [...]clared▪
So that King ASA his example, which is brought by the Priestes to couler and tollerate their idolatrie, will not help this matter, or serue their turne. King ASA (say they) though he plucked downe al the Altars built vnto strange Gods &c. yet suffred y • high places which were [Page 141] built to the God of heauen, to stand; and was commended of the holy Ghost to haue had his heart vpright &c. Therfore the Prince may suffer these synagogues which were likewise-built to y e true God (though otherwise abused to idolatrie) & the people frequent them, the idolatrie being remoued.
I hope they will not say, that king ASA either did well or was commended for leauing those high places standing, which were expresly forbidden by the law in many places, and afterward pulled downe by his some IEHOSAPHAT. Neither yet can they proue that either ASA, or 2 Chron. 17. 6. any godly Iew repaired vnto them, or offred there sacrifices there, for that had beene expresly against the law of God. So that yt nothing maketh Deut. 16. 21. 22. either for the suffring of these idoll synagogues, much lesse for y e wor [...]hipping in the same; which can no way be purged of idolatrie & superstition wherwith they are now [...]raught and highly placed in the Read. Isa. 27. 9. peoples mindes, vntill they be plucked downe & defaced before their Isa. 30. 22. eies. yet euen in these abhominable sties are not the best sort and the most learned of the preachers ashamed to execute their ministerie, and to call the people vnto them to the open breach of Gods lawes, the feeding & nouri [...]hing the prophane & ignorant people in their old▪ foreconceaued superstitious opinion they hold of them; thinking neither the sermons nor sacraments any where els so holy, as they are in thes [...] hallowed dedicate Churches & Chappels: and to the no smal offence, & wounding the heartes of al that haue any knowledge of God amōgst them, which can no where els come by their sermons & ministery, but in these forbidden idolatrous accursed places.
AND NOVV THE publike worship of the Church of England Pro [...] ▪ 7. 16▪ being thus far discouered; me thinkes yt due time, & most fit Reuel 2. 22. to examine the publike preaching of the Gospell in the said Church: seing y • therwith, as with a goodly embroidered couerlet & fine sheets of Egipt they couer Iesabels bed, & hide al their fornications: seing therwith, Hoze. 9. 8▪ as with a sweet whistle they allure, as with a charme they retayne Habak. 1. 1 [...] ▪ 16. their auditory: seingtherwith, as with an angle they take vp al, & catch yt in their net, and gather yt in their yarne, wherof they reioice and are glad; therfore they sacrifice vnto their nets & burne incense vnto their yarne, because by them their portion is made fat, and their meare plenteous. But these counterfait ornaments being brought to the trial of Gods word, they will straight apeare but whorish skarfes to co [...]er her shame & filthines; & not those goodly broidred couerings, wherwith Isa. 47. 3. the true tabernacle is adorned. These stales being disclosed, I hope they Ezek. 16. 3 [...] ▪ shall in vaine baite their hookes & spread their nets for the birdes that N [...]b. 3. 5. 6. are on wing, & through the mercie of God espie their grinnes: so that from henceforth these Babilonish marchantmē shalbe dri [...]en to waile Reuel: [...]. [...]. and lament, because no man buyeth their ware any more. And Iere. 2 [...] ▪ sure, if the Prophet Ieremie in his time were so vehemently affected with▪ [Page 142] griefe, that his bowels within him swelled, his bones shooke, and his heart for sorrow & feare euē brake, to behold the sinnes of y e Prophets which drew al the land into transgression, & held them in the wrath of God &c. What would he, or what ought we in these our daies to do? who find not only all the markes of false Prophets which are recorded in the scriptures vpon them, but euen Satans vttermost deceites & effectual 2 Cor. 11. 13. 14. [...]5. delusions amongst them, suborning & transforming them, as Mark. 13. 22 if they were ministers of righteousnes, taking vnto them the names & 2 Thess. 2. 9. 10. 2 Pet. 2. titles of CHRISTS ministers, preachers of the Gospel, seekers of reformation &c. wherby he deceaueth the world, draweth them into most 2▪ Pet. 3. heinous sinnes & high profanation of Gods name, which can no other way be reformed or purged, but by the vtter dissolution of the whole [...]rame, whē this whole world shall be cōsumed with fire, vnto y e which day yt hastneth & is reserued. And sure euen hereby we may assuredly know, that we are fallen into the last times, inasmuch as in this cleare light of the Gospell (wherby the whore of Babilon is not only descried, but cōsumed & burnt as yt were by fire) yet these deceitful workmen not only build their owne timber and stubble deuises, but most highly profane that heauenly frame & gracious gouernement of CHRIST, in seeking to bring yt in, & to plant yt ouer & amongst their cōfuse prophane multitudes, in these their Babilonish parish assemblies. Yet no doubt, y t God that reuealed & shewed in the heauen openly, the Temple of the tabernacle of testimonie, wil gather in, build, & preserue his elect in the same, euē as he did Noah & his family in the Arke in the day of the flood.
BVT TO REturne to our present purpose, which is to shew after what maner these ministers of the Church of England preach the Gospel. Here must be remembred after what order they stand priestes, how they entred, what they vowed by othe at their entrāce, what kind of office they are entred vnto; likewise vnto what maner of people, and how they execute these their offices; not heere to speake of their maner of cōming by them. Yt hath beene aboue declared, how al the ministerie of the Church of England is deriued from & held of these antichristian BBs. by the tenure of homage & fealtie at the least, if not of Villenage. So y t such of them as acknowledg the BBs. to be antichristian, do together with the same sword & blow cut off al y e ministery springing & proceeding frō their apostatical chaire, there is no fence or ward to saue them. It hath beene declared likewise, how at the receauing this ministerie, they solemnly vpon their knees (by othe) vowed their canonicall obedience to these BBs & their substitutes their orders and decrees; and this not only to the obseruation of the thinges that are or shalbe by these their Lordes & Superintendent [...] cōmanded them, but likewise by the same to be disciplined, censured & chasticed for anie thing offensiue vnto them, which in their ministerie they shal do or say, whither by Mulct, Suspension, deposition, or prison. Furthermore, from them they [Page 143] fetch their licence to preach, with their lawes of stint, limitation, and praescription, when to preach, what to preach, where and how long to preach; but especially by publike doctrine not to speake against any thing by publike authoritie inioined, or by the same authoritie hereafter to be inioyned; as also, to exhort their parishioners vnto the due obedience & obseruation of such iniunctions.
And that this be faithfully performed, their Lords the BBs. haue not only the othes of the priestes, to obserue &c. and of the Churchwardens and sidemen, to present the defaltes therof; but their seuerall deputies & officers, as Archdeacons, Chancelors, Commissaries, to keep their courts & scenes to see these things obserued & punish y e offending; to which substitutes & courts they are al attendant & accomptable.
Their ordinarie offices which they execute are parsons or vickars, not heere to speake of the collegiate priest [...]s, who may & do exercise al the offices of their Church in their owne person: for one man may be a person or pastor a Doctor & a Deane or Deacon; take D.R.S. for example.
As for such as terme themselues ministers or preachers, they are but mercenarie men to helpe an other in his office, as the no [...] residents, plurified parsons, or dumb ministers: they haue a rouing ministerie, without either certaine office or place. As for their name of teacher, which they coūterfait & vsurpe vnto themselues to hide their wretchednes, and to purchase estimatiō with the people: yt is knowne their Church of England, nor yet her mother of ROME hath no such office, other then their popish vniuersitie Doctors, who haue yt as an addition of honour, & not of office; which name you see they hold together with & far aboue their office of a Parson. But euen these rouing ministers & mercenarie preachers, fetch their ministerie and licence to preach from the chaire of their Lord Bishop, vpon the same conditions and couenant that the other, yea and execute their charges when they are hired, after y e same maner, both in saing their [...]eruice inioyned thē &c. & in making their apparāce & accōpt at y • scenes & courts abo [...]e said.
Yf some of them heere take exceptiō vnto this, & alledg particular instances to the contrarie, who neither read the seruice booke nor yet come at the BBs. courtes; let these men be more neerly obserued, and you shall find these but meere delusions and iugglings to bleare the eies of the simple. For mark these men, and I warrant you this booke must go before or after their sermon▪ and be read either by some reading priest, or els by the roring bulles of their cathedral Church: for there is no Church or publike Chappell in England, but is bound vnto this booke, and these well conscienced how learned soeuer, make no scruple to second this booke with their sermons by 30▪ yeres together (if they haue beene priestes so long) & stand ministers to this people in this idolatrie, idolatrous places, sodomitish & monkish colledges &c. Is not this all one as if themselues vsed or read the booke & sung withthem for companie, seing they both ioine with them in [Page 144] praier, stand a minister vnto them in these places & estate: yea and (by their leaues) the wisest of them doe both administer & receaue the sacramētes after the order of this booke, together with these people &c.
And in that they make not continual apparance vnto their Scenes & courts; yt is by some peculiar priuiledge grāted by the a [...]ch-Bish. vnto some great man or other, or els by some especial prerogatiue from the Prince: both with this intendement alwaies, that they do nothing cō trarie or preiudi [...]iall vnto the publike course and proceedinges of the land; for if they doe, there is no priuiledge or prerogatiue can defend them from their arch L. Bishop: his letters missi [...]e & messengers will soone be with them, they must answere y e matter before his Highnes, and that with due homage & submission, or els they know the price of yt &c. And is not this all one in effect as if they made their monethly Reuel 13. 17 apparance vnto their ordinaries substitutes, when we see they haue the Re [...]el 14. 9. opē marke of the Beast in their licence, priuiledg &c. and must preach after the same prescriptiō that other priestes do &c. And when we see they do their homage in open court vnto the archbeast vpon his summons? Reuel 13. 13. 14. & 16. 13. may I not then iustly conclude, that all the Priestes of England haue a false & antichristian ministerie vpon them, exerc [...]se yt in idolatrie Re [...]el 19. 20 & vnto idolators, haue the markes of, and stand in subiectiō vnto the beast, preach by his licence & limitatiō &c. and so ioine as the false Prophet [...]nto his throne: And who now can say, that these mē preach the Gospell truly & sincerely, whiles they remaine in this antichristian ministerie, idolatrie, confusion, subiection?
But that this their preaching may more manifestly appeare vnto all men, let the indifferent readers but consider with themselues of the truth of these matters, whiles I but by way of a briefe repetition discouer some of their deceites, shiftes, and errors. First therfore I must desire them duly to consider of these former circumstances, as of their ministerie & maner of receauing the same; of their office & maner of cōming by yt, and of their administring in the same: and vnto these to ioyne that which should haue beene first remembred, their academicall education & schoole learning wherof they so boast, & wherby they are made fit for the high worke of the ministerie and gouernement of the Church; yea that most high office of Gods Dispensor or Steward. These being duly considered, and compared vnto the rules in CHRISTS Testament, concerning the ministerie & ministers of the Gospel: see if they find them not perēptory lets, why in this estate they cānot preach the Gospell of CHRIST sincerely, which they haue not as yet truly Math. 6. 24 knowne or embraced. Yea let them examine them neerly by this light, Rom. [...]0. [...]4. [...]oh. 8. 42. 43. 44. & see if they find them not those noi [...]ome egiptiā ▪ botches & grieuous plague sores, which by the iust iudgment of God are fallen vpon the Reuel 16. 2. men that haue the mark of the Beast, and vpon them which worship his image, and are neuer found vpon any of the children of God, much lesse vpon the ministers of CHRIST.
Next let them consider, whether these learned & best reformed preachers [Page 145] (for vnto them stil as the most pernitious deceauers I bend my speach, y • other being so grosse as of thēselues they fal to the ground) whether these learned preachers (I say) doe not make marchandise 2 Pe [...]. 2. 1 [...]. [...]ude. 11. of the word, and open portsale of the Gospell, offring their cu nning, and selling their tongues like the orators and lawyers of the co mmō 1 Thess. 2. [...] welth, setting a price of the Gospell and compounding for their bellies Phil. [...]. 18. 19. before hand with the gluttons & profane people to whome they Micah. 3. 5. 11. administer: alwaies readie vpon the hearing of a better bargaine to remoue, as we haue aboue said of their parsonages, deanries, bishopricks, Ezek. 13. 19 and al▪ other ecclesiastical liuings of their Church of England, vntil they arriue vnto the archbishoprick of Canterburie, to be Primate and Metropolitane of all England. That only office is as their pole-star, fixed, and vnmooueable, vnto and by which they direct all their course: And now I leaue to your iudgment whether any such Bal [...]ites and Sinioniaks can truly and sincerely preach the Gospel.
But all this they wil hide and salue with these two allegations: that the workman is worthy of his hire: and that if they should not thus cōpound, the people are so vircharitable and couetous, as they should want maintenance for food, raiment, & bookes.
To the former yt hath already in a peculiar discourse beene shewed, that the ministers of the Gospell should neither be maintained with Iewish tithes, nor Balaams wages, much lesse bargaine and bartre in this manner, & be their owne caruers.
To the other, if the people want that charitie as not to administer C [...]l. 6. [...]. vnto such of their earthly things which trea [...] out y e corne, yea grind, 1 Cor. 9. 9. 11. prepare, and diuide vnto them their food & portion, and administer vnto them spirituall and heauenly things, then are they vtterly vnworthy Rom. 15. 2 [...] Luk. 3. 10. 11. of the Gospell, then belongeth not the Gospell vnto them. Then why doe they administer the Gospell and stand heardes to these 1. Ioh. 3. 17. gadarenes? why cast they their pearles before such swine? why doe Mat. 7. 6. they sel the Gospell & stand ministers, yea prostitute y e body & blood of Christ for wage, to such open vnworthy as haue neither faith nor charitie?
As for their apparel, yt is either too nice & curious, or els too affec [...]ed Zach. 13. 4. and framed as the rough garment to deceaue. Math. 23. 5
For their diet, they are so far from suffring these necessities and di [...] tresses, 1 Cor. 4. 1. that famine, hunger, cold & nakednes, that labour and painfulnes 2 Cor. 6. 4 &c. which the Apostle susteined; as they are rather of those I [...]d. 12. feasters the Apostle Iude speaketh of, which feed themselues without all feare▪
Yea these [...]ycophants, these trencher priestes will most cunningly Mica. 2. 11. insinuate into some great or noble mās house, where they are sure to be wel fed, and safe from all stormes: euen the meanest of them will neuer be without their good hosts & dames where they may lay their knife aboard, & fil their belly of the best. Infinite are [...]heir ar [...]es both I [...]dg. 17. & 18. chap to get & retayne such friēds; neuer were there in any [...]ge such priests [Page 146] for the welthie sort; but as for the poore, these pharise is will haue no Ezek. 34. medling with them further, then whiles they bring their offringes or Mica. 3. pay their tithes. Sure they will be to haue Christ a cooke vnto them: as for hauing him to be their King, y e shall be but by way of inscription in a peece of paper, or in the pulpit some time: yet euen there meddle they as litle with▪ Christs offices as may be.
Now for their bookes (where in deed lieth all their learning and cunning, without which they are as blind as moles, as mute as fishes) yt is no maruaile though they cal for them, for therin consiseth [...]all their glorie: he that can most learnedly fetch out his sermon [...]frō [...]thē, and preach their notes in manner of discourse, he is the only man, he hitteth the point aright, though the text be neuer touched or broken vp. Neither is yt a smal matter that wil [...]urnish one of these learned preachers of bookes: they wil not stick to bestow more welth in their studie, then many a godly christian and good house keeper hath to maintaine his familie, & to relieue his neighbours with.
But they edifie and build vp the Church heerby, which is much more pretious then earthly sustenance. I beleeue yt wel: for vpon such sandy foundations is both their owne faith and their whole [...]th. 7. 26 Church built, and not vpon the sure rock of Christs Testament: vvhat good and sound stuffe they pick from thence, partly may appeare by the discussing of sundrie errors, which euē the chief & verie best of a [...] their writers haue held; partly shall more appeare, when we come to Prou. 8. 8. the examination of their pulpe [...] doctrines. Only in this place I set Eze [...]. 47. 12 downe my simple iudgment, that yt were much better for the whole [...]eu. 22. 2. Church and themselues also; that for prophecie & doctrine they la [...]d aside all authors, and betake them wholy of all handes to the booke of God. So should that booke be more soundly vnderstood and opened, euerie word and leafe of the tree of life haue his due vertue: so should they see with their owne eies and not with other mens, [...]. 8. 8. speake with their owne tongues: &c. so should they and their whole Eze. 47. 12▪ auditorie haue greater assurance for the things they doe or leaue vndone, Reuel 22. 2. so should there be many fewer of these blind guides, these traditional preachers. [...]ct. 4. [...]9. 20.
Furthermore heer is to be obserued, how these priests or preachers, Act. 5. 19. not only take their licence to preach at their lordes these antichristia Reu. 13. 12. 13. 14. Bishops handes, & againe at their pleasure are deposed & scilenced & submit their doctrine to their censure, the Gospell to th [...]ir limitation Reu. 17. 4. & prescrip [...]iō, preaching nothing that may breed either y e BB s dislike or their owne vnquiet &c: but with their sermons deck vp & adorne ezek. [...]3. 10. [...]1. the whore, heale the wound of the beast, curse, reproach and slander Christs most faithful seruātes, blesse Christs enemies euē al the prophane [...]er. 6. 14. 20. of the land: Finally they therwith dawbe vp al the sinne of the land, & ioine the Gospell to all the abhomination of the time? Hos. 5. 10. 11.
The former part of these hath beene often shewed, & need neither proofe nor repetition; their b [...]e with their paper licence, their o [...]he Mi [...]. 6. 26. [Page 147] o [...] canonical obedience, their publike iniunctions &c. declare.
The other part, their present administration & the lamentable estate Ier. 6. 28. 29. 30. of the whole land, being through their deceit so deeply set and strongly held in apostacie, transgression and ignorance, manifesteth Hos. 4. 1. 2. without further proofe. Let the grosse idolatrie, miserable seruitude Hos. 7. 4. 10. to the antichristian yoke of these Bishops, the more then Babilonish Ezek. 16. 49. confusiō, the Sodomitish pride & excesse, the opē pe [...]uerting of iudgment & iustice, the through corruption of all estates, the deluge and Hos. 9. 9. height of sinne neuer heard nor read of the like in any nation or time Amos. 6. going before, shewe what Kind of Gospell they preach, or rather how they preach the Gospell. There is no man so sinful and wretched that will come and heare their cunning in the pulpit, whome they sēd not away with the peace & blessing of God. There is no people within Ezek. 14. 4. 7. 10. the compace of the whole land that will fee and feed them well, to whome they wil not at the first sight administer, deliuer them the sacraments Ezek. 22. 25. 26. &c: yea, be he neuer so notoriously wicked, impenitent, vnworthy, vnto & with whome they wil not communicate. Yea let Ezek. 13. 1 [...] him be welthie, and one that wil entertaine & countenance the preacher, Micah. 3. 11. receaue him vnto house, & resort to his sermons, what life may Ier. 23. 17. not this man lead, euen before M r. Preacher his face. What gluttony, Ier. 8. 11. 12. &c. riot excesse, idlenes, profannes, pride, what crueltie, oppression, wrōg, couetousnes, pleasure, vanitie, delight, euē al y e apples & ripe authūne fruites their soules can lust after or desire, may they not gather vvith Reuel. 18. 14. full hand by M r. Preachers permissiō: yea so they be riche & of authoritie Hos. 4. 8. 9. 10. or noble, then wil he help to reach him downe the boughes, and prepare them to his appetite, which way soeuer his humor stand.
For they are cunning physicians, & wil verie soone espie the cōstitution & inclinatiō of their patientes; which being found, then physick, diet & al shalbe prepared accordingly, which way soeuer his appetite chiefly tendeth, that shal not be crossed I warrāt you, but finely fed & nourished. If he be ambitious, discontented with his present estate, still aspiring, and climing to fu [...]ther honour, that is imputed to his vertuous & honorable mind, which no meane thing can content or suffice; what soeuer office or many offices he thus attaineth, they a [...] al in him the redward of vertue, y e especial fauour & blessing of God towardes him, wherwith God doth most highly honour, esteeme and aduance him before al other men. Let him execute these offices as Isa. 59. 14. negligently, nay as vniustly & corruptly, with as great extortiō, wrōg, Mic [...]h. 3. 3. 12. violence as apparantly as may be, peruerting yea selling iustice, so that iudgment is turned into gall, and the fruite of righteousnes into Am [...]s. 5. 7▪ wormwood; all this geare belongeth not to M r. Preacher to intermedle Hos. 10. 4. with matters too high for them. Yf they should reprooue these thinges, yt were the next way to bring him in dislike with the Gospell & to bring in poperie againe; & so should the preachers want countenance: so far are they from reprouing him by name, or their Church from calling these great states to accompt for these or any [Page 148] other particular sinne, that so they might either be turned from their Leuit. 19. 17 euil waies by r [...]pentance, or els receaue that publike reproofe and Leuit. 5. 1. ecclesiastical censure that belongeth to the same, according to the cō mandement Ier. 1. 17. 18 and power of our Lord Iesus Christ for the humbling of his Ezek. 3. flesh. Ezek. 33. 3.
But sure I weene this case is a Demurrur in the Church of England, ye [...] vtterlie denied to be lawful or sufferable, that the magistrate should be excōmunicate: they therfore in stead hereof, receaue them in this estate to their sermons, praiers, & sacramentes, in hope of secret repē tance, as they say: for what though they haue vsed yt al their life and giue no outward figne of amendement, yet repentance may come in the twinkling of an eie.
Well now if these noble or rich men be giuen to riote & gluttonie, [...]zek. 13. 18. with all manner of delicate fare, pampering vp the slesh &c. that in 1. Thess. 2. 1. [...]. 3. 4. 5. 6. them is but good houskeeping: if they & their retinew exceed in mō strous and vaine apparell, yt is but raiment fit to their degree, age, or Is [...] 3. sexe: If they keep & nourish troupes of idle seruingmen & followers, this still belongeth to their degree: if they and their whole houshold spend al their life time in fleshly & vaine sportes and gaming, so that numbers of men haue no other trade, and be wholy employed to the keeping of hawkes & doggs to serue the lust of these mē: al this is couered Math. 12. 34. 35. 36. 37. vnder christian recreation & pastime, and is tollerable inough so he wil heare a sermon, and cal his familie to a lecture; yea the priest will not then stick to stay & looke on, vntil the games at tables or set [...]ph. 5. 3. 4. 5. 6. at cardes be done; yea or at some odd time, to make their exercise gi [...]e place to an enterlude. As for their common table talke, they Col. 3. 5. 6. may there be as prophane as Esau, and vse there what merrimentes, Eph. 4. 29. scoffes, iesting & vaine speach they list; al is in the way of mirth, good Isa. 5. 8. fellowship, wrapt vp in the cloth, and sanctified with M r. Preachers Ier. 6. 13. short grace. As for most insatiable and greedy couetousnes in 1. Cor. 6. 10 purchasing and ioining not field vnto field, but towne vnto towne, Col. 3. 5. vntil they be Lords of a whole countrie, that is but good hu [...]bandrie, wise foresight, and allowable prouidence for them & their posteritie.
Be the sinne neuer so odious and apparant, if yt be in a man of au [...]horitie, these prophets these preachers dare not reprooue yt, for that were both to transgresse their commission, & forfait their letters pattentes. If these sinnes be found vpon any of their patrons proselites or hearers, then for loue they must winke at them, and not find faul [...] ▪ especially if they be any of these inherent or inbred sinnes which Heb. 12. [...] cleaue close to the soule, & cannot without great strift & dislike vnto 1. Pet. 4. 2. the flesh, be left. With these sinnes these Predicantes wil not meddle▪ Ro [...]. 12. 2 as if they be giuen to pride, to exhort them to lowlines & humblenes, to cast away these ornaments which nourish that sinne & vvherin Cal. 5. 19. the flesh delighteth, and to get vnto them the iewels of godly knowledg [...] [...]. 1. 4. [...] [...]. & Christian vertues to deck & garnish their soules therwith: if [Page 149] they be giuē to ryot, fleshly lustes▪ & vanities, spending their time therin, to councel them to redeeme the time whiles yt is called to day, to subdue the flesh & bring yt into obedience & mortifie the lustes therof, shewing them▪ the end of such pleasures & delights to be bitternes & death &c. Yf they be giuen to couetous hoording vp treasures, purchasing landes, building sumptuous houses and garnishing them &c. Prou. 1 [...]. 4. to shew them that the couetous shall not enter into the kingdome of Luk. 12. 17. God, that these vncertaine riches can neither help them, nor establish 1 Tim. 6. 17. 18. 19. their posteritie, no not in this world, God hauing so many meanes to take their welth from them and them from their welth in the twinkling Luke. 16. 9. 10. of an eie, much lesse make them the more acceptable vnto God: shewing them that they are but the Lords stewards and bayliues of Ia [...]es. 5. 1. them, and shall accompt vnto him for the vse of euerie farthing: and Mat. 25. 14▪ &c. therfore yt behoueth them to be careful that they bestow them according to their M r. his wil, otherwise the mispēce or miskeeping of them shal fret their soule, & rise vp in iudgment against them: yea euē in this life they shal be but snares to them & their posteritie, to bring and hale them to more sure damnation &c. Fie these were too sowre & vnpleasant Luk. 22. 34 35. doctrines, especially when they come to be put in practise in all Psal. 69. [...] these duties of the second Table; I doubt me much, that if they should but once sincerely & faithfully deale w t any one text, the saying would be so hard as they should loose numbers of their disciples, if not the whole multitude of their hearers: and I doubt me, not be halfe so welcome to their gl [...]ttons houses as they are at this day.
But now for such sinnes as either these chief of their auditorie are not apparantly infected with, or els cā [...]ndure to be weaned of (for this you must alwaies note, to their appetite must the whole feast be prepared) for such sinnes let their preachers alone, they wil rowze & handle them to the quicke. As if they whome they seeke to please be rath [...]r giuen to prodigalitie, profusion, inordinate wasting in excesse, pride, vanitie: ô so they will then be bait the couetous scraping drudges out of the Church: And so of the contrarie, where the chief of their auditory are more parcimonious & couetous; thē wil they as much c [...]y out of wast, excesse, riot in apparel, diet &c. thē may not a great ruffe looke into the Church, least they wil do pennance that were yt.
Generally els, where they light on gentle & tractable soules, which in deed beare a loue to the truth & vnto such as most sincerely teach yt: here wil they first by their vtmost art seek to bring themselues into credit & estimatiō: for heere wil they take bouldnes to speake (though colourably and but in faint & doubtful tearmes) against many corruptions in their Church, as the dumb mini [...]trye, Crosse in baptis [...]e, versing & canting their psalmes & anthems from one to an other as ten [...]isballs, against the organs, cappe, tippet, surplesse and such like: They wil also put on such an outside of grauitie and a good conscience, they wil rebuke swearing, and before such as these dislike of vaine apparel▪ peraduenture also of idle gaming, exhort to diligent hearing of the [Page 150] word preached, making the poore soules beleeue that euen by this outward hearing they are in a straight course and ready way to saluation, though they neither practise that litle truth they heare, neither vnderstand the word, or be able to know therby when they do well or 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7 euil: yet into such a superstitious feare are they brought, and such a [...]al. 6. 4. Hub. 5. 12. conceit & opinion of these mens sinceritie, great knowledg and good conscience, that they euen depend on their mouthes, beleeue all true that they say, without questiō or trial therof by the word of God, neither dare they beleeue the expresse scriptures when they are brought to reproue their doings: In such reuerence and estimation haue they these good men. Whose counterfet and corrupt dealing as you haue somwhat heard yt in the second Table; so if you now but turne your eie a litle to the first Table, you shall see they deale much worse in the worship & seruice of God.
For stand not they ministers to al this abhominable stuffe that hath beene aboue recited? It is the verie proper ministration belonging & inioined to their ministerie, vnto which by office and othe they stand bound, and not vnto preaching of the word of God; for that is a thing voluntarie, supererogatorie: but this is a thing of necessitie, by law, by othe, by presentment, by visitation inioined & seene to be obserued, yt must alwaies goe before, and take the preeminence of the word of God. And if the word of God happen to follow yt (by your leaue) yt may not be so bould as controwle yt, for if yt doe, I know who goeth out of dores. And marke the precisest▪ & best of your preachers well, you shall see they will meddle with yt as litle as may be: Or if they doe at any time, yt shalbe but rather to prune or lop some water boughes that are superfluous, of a tender care to preserue & pollish yt, & not to lay the axe to the roote & bulke off the tree. For I tell you if yt fall, downe goes ministerie, sacraments, Church & altogether: and ò what a fall would that be. It standes them vpon therfore to take heed how they deale with this geare, least they open such a gap as they be neuer able to shut with all the learning they wante. No maruaile therfore, 2 Cor. 2. 17. & 4. 1. 2. 3. though they deale daintily in ambiguous and doubtful termes with such counterfait stuffe; for if they should bring yt either to the touchstone Ephes. 5. 13. or to the light, yt would at the first blush bewray yt self. In the meane time what good preaching is this of theirs, that haue had the Gospel thus long amongst them daily taught and preached, and haue not in 32 yeres space as yet discouered this abhominable odious idolatrie, most grosse & stinking poperie. Must you not needes now condemne these your preachers, either of ignorance or perfidy? of ignorance Mat. 5. 13. 14. if they know or see not these abhominations: yet you see they dare aduenture both to practise & administer this stuffe vnto others, Rom. 2. [...]7. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. yea to reproch, slander, and reuile all such as of cōscience vnto God refuse to partake with them, and receaue at their handes this trumperie.
Now then if they be thus blind as they cannot discerne these things [Page 151] how dare you any longer follow or vse thē for guides? If the blind lead Math. 15. 14 the blind shal not both fall into the ditch? but if they say they see, how heinous then is their sinne, how great their perfidy and treachery vnto 2 Cor. 6. 14 God & man? vnto God, both in that they thus presumptuously of set 15. Ioh. 8. 12 purpose with most high contempt, violate his lawes and tread vnder 1 Ioh. 1. 5. 6. foot his Testament, and also abuse his most sacred word in ioyning yt Izek. 13. 11. to such abhominatiōs; yea not only not discouer & cast out these idolatries & filthie doung therwith, but in stead therof daube & soder vp Iere. 23. 9. all the ryftes & leakes therwith. It is most certayne that the word of 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. 6. God in the mouthes of all his true ministers & seruantes, is as fire & an hammer: as fire, to consume all stubble & trash; as an hāmer, to breake in sunder whatsoeuer opposeth yt self against the truth of Gods word. It is manifest therfore, that they preach their owne deuises, & not the word of God sincerely: for the Arke of God & DAGON cannot stand vp together, such light & such darknes cannot be mixed. Againe, if they had stood in the councell of the Lord and had declared his word vnto his people, they should haue turned them from their euil waies, and from the wickednes of their inuentions. But they haue fortified and sodered the people therwith in all these sinnes and abhominations, giuing them their peace, and blessing, and pardon euerie day they come to Church, so that none can depart from iniquitie: Therfore the greater is their treason to God & man, in drawing thē into the high transgression of Gods lawes, and in keeping them in the wrath of God.
Now who is so desperate, as knowing the perfidy and treacherie of these miserable guides both towardes God and man, that would hazard and commit his soule and body to the conduct of such blind and deceitful guydes, as either cannot or will not leade them right? who [...]. 33▪ would commit the Citie to such blind watch mē, as either cannot discerne 1 Cor. 14. 8 [...]. the enemie; or vnto such trecherous watchmen, as wil not blow the trumpet and giue warning vnto all men to be in a readines; but on the cōtrarie are in compact with the enemie, hane betraied the whole Church into their handes, yeilded vnto them absolute authoritie, takē their lawes, their peace, their marke, and stand now the sworne waged ma [...]ked sould [...]ors of Antichrist, guarding his verie throne & person, setting vp & burning ince [...]se to his image, gylding the harlot the Reuel. 13. 13▪ 14. Reu. 17. 4. & 18. [...]2▪ 13. Ezek. 16. 16. 17. 18. 19. Prau. [...]. 14. 15. false Church, and araying her with all the titles & ornaments, euē the gold, siluer, precious stones, pearles, fine linnen, purple, scarlet &c. that belong to the true tabernacle: In her doe they offer the meat, flowre, wine, oile, honie that God hath giuen: In her burne they their frankincense and sweetest perfumes: In her they prepare a feast & furnish a Table to the multitudes.
These are her chamberlaines her tapsters, that stand at the doore of her house, of euerie high place in the land, and inuite & toule in their guests, which flow in vn [...]o them at the sownd of their bell. These cal & allure such as passe by their way & go right on their way, to take a bay [...]e [Page 152] at their i [...]ne, promising their peace offrings, wisdome & great cheare, and verie great and good companie of the noble, the rich, the learned; who will all be readie vpon the first blush of faire weather, as soone as euer yt holdeth vp ouer head & these stormes and clowdes are blowen Eccle. 11. 4. away, to go with them on that iournay whether they are trauailing, for Prou. 15. 19 & 22. 5. thither also are they bent; and as soone as euer God shall incline the Princes heart, then they wil al forsake Antichrist & goe vnto CHRIST. Prou. 23. 13. In the meane time they haue all with one consent determined▪ not to guide forward one step.
Also these that go before them in the way, and will not stay for this good companie; [...]uch they say marre all their course, and hinder the Amos 5. 10 discipline they seeke. And therfore they assay by all meanes to turne Isa. 59. 15. them out of their way: which if yt wil not be, then they denounce & Exod. 14. 5. proclaime them as most bitter enemies Brownestes, Schismatikes, prowd and ignorant persons, disobedient to Magistrates; whome they in their pulpets stir vp, to send out their horsemen & chariors after them, to bring them by force back againe into EGIPT, and to hold their bodies in moist noisome, vile and streight prisons, except they will come to these fowlers, vnto their high places.
For these good men would not haue CHRIST brought in in y • base Math. 2. 2. 3. &c. maner by faith & repentance, leauing all such thinges as are contrari [...] to his will, and seeking to doe the thinges that he hath commanded Math. 18. 3. whosoeuer say nay to yt, and whatsoeuer yt cost, whether imprisonment, Mat. 10. 37. 38. 39. confiscation or death, bearing his crosse in all patient, meek and humble maner, with cheerfulnes and ioy. Fie, this is al too base, they Luke 17. 20 would bring him in with sownd of trumpet by an armie and strength, Isa. 42. 2. by act of parliament, by consent of all estates of the realme, Prince, Nobles, Zacb. 9. 9. Priestes & people, and that into these famous synagogues & high Math. 21. 9. [...]5. places, gorgeously decked for his maiestie; and not in this abiect maner to runne to him into vpper chambers, hooles in woodes, prisons &c. and that a few poore d [...]spised vnlearned wretches, and that not with the Magistrates leaue & good will &c.
Thus see you how far these guides are from leading you forward in [...]eb. 611. the straight waies of the Lord, that with this their preaching they keep you & bring you backward: you see how far these watchmen are from [...]sa. 56. 10. 11. ringing the alarme, and sounding the trumpet against the enemie, against any sinne in any person, against Antichrist. As you see, they promise peace & blessing to the most wicked, & dare not giue warning of or denounce against any si [...]n either in the state (I meane cōmon welth) or Church or any great person in the same, be the sinne neu [...]r so heinous against the first or second Table; but rather dawbe vp all these abhominations and all the land in their sinne, keeping and houlding them [...]herin bownd as in chaines and fetters, vnto the Lords fearful iudgment: yea by these their sermons, keeping all the people in ignorance, vnfurnished of their christian armour and weapons: Neither in deed need they any; for you see in the happy realme of England, there [Page 153] are no enemies, ex [...]ept Sathan draw mē to the [...]t, or murther, or treason. Yf they can keepe thēselues frō these faults, or keep them secret, why then al is well, there are no other faultes or enemies, Sathan hath no instruments & dare not stir in this estate vnder a Christian Prince, where there is such preaching of the Gospell &c. you see how these your learned preachers your good men, haue not with al their sermons & preaching withdrawne one soule all this while from the false Chu [...]ch, or the abhominable idolatries therin? but on the contrarie, administer in the false Church, dawbing her vp & retaining al their auditorie in her, hindering & drawing back by their vttermost artes and indeuors, al that seeke to walke in the straight & peaceable waies of the Lord. These, with the infinite enormities that ensue heerof, were inough to dis [...]ouer vnto you what manner of ministers these are, and ministery they exercise, & how they prcach the Gospel.
But yet I must ad this vnto y e rest; how with all this their preaching, 1. Pe [...]. 2. 2. they haue not all this while giuē any increase to y e bodie, not leading Heb. 6. 1. their hearers one step towardes perf [...]ction: but as they stood 30 yeres Is [...]. 48. 17. agoe, in the self same estate are they still, in the same confusion, idolatrie, disorder in their synagogues, as appeareth by their present estate. And as for other knowledg of God or his word they haue none touching the secōd table, as y e innumerable multitudes of their sutes, wrongs, complaintes, in al their courtes of plea declare, which neuer were so fraught, not euen vnder the most grosse poperie, as they are vnder this light of their Gospell, all these being members of their Church. Neither is it possible that such idolaters as both priestes and people are, should haue anie sound knowledg or iudgment of Gods word and truth: for they that know not God aright, how should they know his word aright. Now the Apostle teacheth vs, & our common Isa. 41. 18. 19. 20. sense confirmeth, that yt is vnsound milke that giueth no increase to the bodie in 30 yeres space, we haue to suspect such milke to be vnholsome I trow: nei [...]her would any of vs (in whome is any wit or loue) put out our children to such nourses, much lesse their soules.
But they vse to stop the mouthes of their auditorie that should so say or enter into such discourse with them, that if they haue not gottē knowledg and profited in sanctification by their preaching, then are they all without faith, & so in a woeful case, in no estate of saluation, bidding them prooue and examine themselues, if Christ be not in them then are they reprobates. &c.
This argument so terrifieth the poore soules consciences that neither 2. Cor. 13. 5. haue knowledg to examine their waies by Godes word whether they lead vnto life or vnto death, neither haue euer seene or beene taught any better course then that they are in; to which if you add that general verbal knowledg of Christ, and some f [...]w other doctrin [...]s touching faith and manners, somwhat more pure then the doctrine of the papistes, vvherin they haue found comfort, yea and finding their consciences pricked and convinced of some sinnes they haue [Page 154] [...] in their sermons, haue indeuored through the grace of God to leaue th [...]m, & at▪length gortē victorie ouer them &c. This knowledg, comfor [...], remorse, so worketh with these poore soules, that they hold the ministers of these things in such veneration, as they are ready with the people of Lystra to sacrifice vnto them: not knowing in deed the effectual working of Sathans delusions, with what shew of 2. Thess. 2. 9. 10. light and truth, with what power, signes, & lying vvonders he shal deceaue such as haue not receaued [...]he loue of the truth. They know not that the false Church shal haue her religion & vvorship also, her ministers & preachers of the Gospel of Christ &c. & y t these ministers shall transforme themselues as though they were ministers of righteousnes, Mark. 13. 5. 6. 21. 22. 23 & shall deceaue many vvith their false Christes and Gospels that they preach in these latter daies, vvherof our Sauiour Christ & his Apostles haue warned vs, vvhy the false Church could not haue these thinges vvithout some general knowledg, vvhich general knowledg shall reprooue such thinges as are contrarie to the same: and yt being spiritual, yt shal also haue spiritual effectes, as to moue ioy or sorowe. This the preaching in the popish Church also effecteth, vvho hath taught your preachers this argument, and hath as good right to vse yt towardes them, as they vnto you or vnto vs. But can this knowledg which you get by them, iustifie your vvaies, your Church, ministerie, vvorship? &c. if not, seing they are so directly against y e word of God, what booteth this knowledg to eternal life: Balaam vvith all the false prophets had, and the deuils haue this faith & knowledg in as great [...]ames. 2. 19 measure as the learnedst of these ministers; yet the one is damned, the others tremble.
As for the comfort receaued by their preaching, yt hauing no promise of blessing in the word of God (your Church & whole ministerie being accursed) is rather a feareful signe of the effectual working of their delusions, thē any reason wherby you may assure your s [...]lues, or iustifie thē in their vngodly proceedings, whome the word of God in al their workes cōdemneth. Looke not to gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles, or any good fruites of such euil trees as are not of our heauenly fathers planting, & therfore shalbe plucked vp by the rootes. You see they haue stood teaching you day vnto day, line vpon line line vpon line, heere a litle & there a litle, yet haue neuer brought Isa. 28. 13. you to a cleere sight & acknowledging of the truth. You see they lead Prou. 2. 15. &c. you in the crooked pathes of death, they teach and stand ministers in the false Church, of whose ministerie in this estate is no comfort but assured destructiō to be looked for, they being sent of God in his wrath to deceaue the children of death, the reprobate. You see they are like those inchanters that resisted Moses, who doe all their miracles both in Egipt and Babilon &c. to deteine the people in Egip [...] and Babilon. They haue all gone out of the way, they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable, there is none that doth good no not one, their throte is an open sepulchre, they haue vsed their tongues to deceit, the poison [Page 156] of aspes is vnder their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing & bitternes their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and calamitye is in their waies, & the way of peace they haue not knowen, the feare of God is not before their eies. How then should they profite this people or guide them right, when they themselues know not the right way.
But heere they wil straight be vpon me with this question: where I had my faith & vnderstanding of the right course, if not from them & their preaching? there being no other meanes left in the land to beget faith, then their ordinarie preaching in this ministery, this church which we now forsake. The vanitie of this argument I haue euen now shewed, and howe therby much rather the Church and ministerie of Rome with all the abhominations therin might be iustified, seing they were much more catholike & vniuersal then these. But to their question I answere; that God neuer leaueth himself without faithfull & true witnesses, which abhor iniquitie, teach & practise the truth so far as yt is reuealed vnto them; which no doubt instruct manie Dan. 12. 3 [...] and turne them from their euill waies. Further we haue the holy Reu. 5. 6. 7 [...] word of God, and the Lambe hath obteined to open the seales therof, Ioh. 14. 26. who hath giuen vs his Spirit to guide vs into all truth, and bring all things to our remembrance that he hath taught vs. God is not tied to Math. 11. [...] the lippes of these phariseis: yea his glorie is to hide these things from Ioh [...]. 3. 8 [...] the prowd and prudent, and to reueale them to babes and sucklings. The wind bloweth where yt listeth &c. Faith is the only gift of God, who neuer wanteth meanes to publish his truth, and to saue his elect. These popish priestes that stand ministers after a false and counterfait order, euen after the order of Antichrist not of CHRIST and the order of his Testament, that stand ministers of idolatrie vnto idolaters, that hate to be reformed or reproued, haue nought to doe to take God holy word in their mouthes: But if they were as true & famous ministers Gal. 1. 8. as euer spake vpon the earth, yet, if they should exercise such a 2 Io [...]. 10. ministerie as they do in those places, after that idolatrous and corrupt Phil. 3. 17. maner, to al the prophane and wicked: Yf they had all the giftes of al 1 Cor. 11. 3 [...] Exod. 23. 2. men and Angels; yet were they to be holden accursed, to be left, and Heb. 10. 3 [...] not to be receaued to house &c. we are to follow the Apostles no further then they walke with CHRIST, no nor the whole church any further, then they obserue the rules of the word: vve are not to erre or be drawen into transgression with a multitude or by the mightie. They breake the communion that breake the faith, they breake the faith which transgresse the word. But if these men should know the right course (which in deed I cannot beleeue, because the scripture speaketh euidently, that God wil blind their eies and bow downe their backes &c.) O how high then were their sinnes which forsake the waies of life, & haue in the presumption of their owne heart sought Ioh. 9. 4 [...]. & 15. 22. out vnto themselues bye waies, and lead the people astray? with how many stripes are they worthy to be beaten?
[Page 156]Thus you see how this Gospell they te [...]ch you is taught in a strang [...] and false ministerie in the false Church; is ioyned to the throne of the beast of antichrist; is ioyned vnto al the abhominatiō & abhominable of the land; is taught by prescription, limitation and stint according to the Bishops iniunctions, decrees & traditions; vnto which yt is, together with the whole church both ministers & people, in bondage. You see how yt hath neither light nor power in yt to discouer and cast out these most grosse & damnable idolatries, how yt vtterly wanteth practise in this false Church, where (say CHRIST what he will) all must be after the pleasure of Antichrist. You see how therby the bodie hath not beene edified or led forth any one step toward perfectiō, but rather (as by Satans most strōg delusiōs) haue beene held therby in this egiptian bondage and babilonish confusion vnder Antichrist. You see the ministers of these wares, of what liuerie they are; how they are the marked waged seruants of Antichrist, the merchantmen of the who [...]e to carrie abroad her abhominable wares.
Now remaineth, that I discouer vnto you some of the gall, wherwith Isa. 19. 14. 15. their hony is mixed; some of the leauen, wherwith your milke is poisoned; that you may see how the Lord in iudgment hath mingled amongst them the Spirit of error, & giuē them vp to the Spirit of pride & fornication, and caused them to erre in al their waies, & made night vnto them for a vision, and darknes for a diuination; how the sunne is Micah. 3. 6. Isa. 59. 8 10. gone downe ouer your Prophets, and the day made dark ouer them.
Now that this may the sooner be brought to passe, let me verie briefly shew you: first what maner of CHRIST they teach you; then some few of the cheif heads of the infinite errors they teach. And this the rather, because they say they hould the foundation, and that there is nothing wanting amongst them but matters of lesse moment & of no necessitie, making some doctrines and some part of CHRISTS Testament fundamental & substantial, others accidental & such as may be altered and violate without any preiudice or danger to the soule: Yea such may the transgressions & errors be, as though they be obstinatly continued in, and openly taught after they be reproued and conuinced by the word of God, yea & the parties die in that estate without repētance of these transgressions or errors; yet may they hold the foundation, & be vndoubtedly saued. Of this mind were & still continue fiue of the verie principall & best esteemed ministers of Englād, both for learning and conscience: although there were alledged against the same these expresse scriptures Numb. 15. 30. 31. where yt is written that That soule that doth anie thing with an outstretched or high hand, whether he be borne in the land or a strā ger, the same blaspheme [...]h the Lord: therfore that person shall be cut off from amongst his people, because he hath despised the word of the Lord and made his commandement of none effect, that person shalbe vtterly cut off, his iniquit [...]e shall be vpon him. Exod. 23. 21. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 23. Ezek. 18. 26. where the Prophet concludeth, that when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes & cōmitteth iniquitie, & dyeth therin, he shall die for his iniquitie that he hath done. Likewise [Page 157] also our Sauiour CHRIST Math. 5. 1 [...]. 19. teacheth, that one iote or title of his word shall not passe, and that whosoeuer shall breake one of the least of his commandements & teach mē so, shalbe called least in the kingdome of heauen. And the Apostle [...]ames 2. 10. teacheth, that whosoeuer shal keep the whole law yet faileth in one, becōmeth guiltie of all. And how plentiful is the Apostle Paul in this point; that whoso teacheth otherwise, & yeildeth not to the wholsome words of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, & to the doctrine which is according to godlines, such are of corrupt mindes, destitute of truth &c. to be seperated 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. to be auoided Rom. 16. 17. to be reiected Titus 3. 10. As for offences and transgressions of the word, we haue a perpetuall rule Math. 18. 17. 2 Thes. 3. 14 If he transgresse he is to be admonished, reproued, Phil. 3. 15. censured: Yf he erre of ignorance, he is to be instructed with Rom. 14. meeknes, vntil God re [...]eale the truth also vnto him. But if he not only erre, but affirme & teach his error, wherby others are or may be infected; yt is time to looke to that GANGRENE, least yt fret further; yt 2 Tim. 2. 17. is time to purge out such leauē, least yt make sowre the whole lumpe. Gal. 5. 9.
But to hold as these men doe, and as they are driuen to doe when they plead for their whorish Church & antichristian ministerie, is not only to goe expresly contrarie to the whole scope of scriptures; to infringe & violate all Gods lawes & couenant; to hould (as in deed they teach) CHRIST a Sauiour without repentance; to make some part of the scripture more holy, more authentical, more true then other: in summe, to submit the holy scriptures & Testament of CHRIST to the wil & lust of man; to ratifie or abrogate them at his pleasure; to make this part of substance, that of forme, this fundamentall, that accidentall, this necessarie to saluatiō, that needles &c. But if the whole scripture 2 Tim. 3. 16. was giuen by inspiratiō of God, and is profitable to teach, to conuince, Prou. 30. 5. to correct, to instruct in righteousnes: If yt be the groundworke Psal. 19. 8. & 12. 6. & foundatiō of the Church, of our faith: if yt be the law & rule of our life, the light of our eies &c: yf e [...]erie word of God be holy, pure, Psal. 119. [...]ntire perpetuall; then is this di [...]p learning of theirs diuelish and blasphemous; that thus to couller & couer their wickednes, make some part Ephe. 2. 2 [...] of Gods word fundamental, substancial, necessarie, other accidentall, superficial, needles; especially where yt sheweth, reproueth, and condemneth their doinges; yea which make some sinnes openly & manifestly conuinced, yet ohstinatly continued & persisted in, without any repentance in this life, for all this, not to be mortall or deadly, as the papistes say & hould. Yet neuertheles wil these men be said to hold the foundation to saluation, notwithstanding that they disfranchise & reiect a great part of CHRIST Testament, and hould yt not as fundamental & necessarie, and make neither cōscience nor care to transgresse the same, and to bring in other lawes into the Church in stead therof: yea vpon that part which they would seeme to retaine, they build all this stubble, trumperie, & abhominations which haue beene recited from the beginning of this treatise. To conclude, though they [Page 158] remaine presumptuously obstinate in all these horrible transgression [...], if by any this their shameles ass [...]rtion (namely that they hold the foundation to saluation) be with neuer so playne proof of scripture denied, and they louingly admonished and exhorted; against such they whe [...] their viperous tongues, & powre out all the venome of their railings, reproches, slaunders, and most shameles lies (wherof their owne festered consciences accuse them) in their pulpyts & priuie meetings, machinating & deuising against them as against open professed enemies, and all because they reproue them of their counterfait walking, which they cannot nor dare not in any Christian and peaceable maner enterprise by the word of God to approue & iustifie.
But as you haue heard how they generally vse & esteeme y • word of God, so let me briefly shew you what kind of CHRIST they preach you. Generally and verbally they hold & confesse him in both his natures verie God & verie mā, to the word of their redemtiō & saluatiō as the papistes also doe, though somwhat diuersly, stumbling & contending rather about wordes then about any material difference whē they are pressed. For CHRIST they wil consesse their only redeemer, & fully & sufficiently to haue wrought their saluatiō, though by & by stumbling at the phrase of some scriptures, they will ioine vnto him their owne beggerie workes & merites &c. Both of them generally and verbally cōfesse CHRIST in his 3 offices viz. to be their only King, Priest, & Prophet: but when yt cōmeth to the practise & obedience, then they both with one consent send an embaslage after him saying, that we wil not haue this man to reigne ou [...]r vs; Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from vs, let vs breake his bandes & cast his cordes from vs; this is the heire, come let vs kill him, and let vs take his inheritance &c.
I know our english priestes wil haue many fine floorishes to hide this treacherie: as that they acknowledg him their only Priest & Mediator, to haue with that one oblation of his owne pretious bodie once offred, fully satisfied the iustice & appeased the wrath of his Father. Yea they acknowledg him to be the verie first fruites, & sanctifier of the whole heape, clothing all his with his righteousnes, & that he is entered into the heauens into the v [...]rie throne of God, & there offreth vp the praiers & maketh intercession for all them. Likewise, that he is heire and King ouer al both mē & Ang [...]ls, that he hath in this his (or rather oure flesh) vanquished al our enemies, Satan, sin, death & hel, & triumphed ouer them in that his crosse; that he is ascended vp on high & sitteth at the right hād of God, frō whence he shal come to iudge the quick & y e dead. And for his proph [...]cie, y t he is the end of al prophecies to whome they were directed, the fulnes and fountaine of al wisdome whome we ought to heare; and how by that his heauenly word he begetteth vs to life euerlasting &c.
These & many other comfortable & true doctrines they can & doe deliuer touching the offices of CHRIST; but all these you must vnderstand, & I pray you obserue wel (for so shal you cleerly espie their error [Page 159] & deceit) are still but what CHRIST hath done in his owne person for Psal. 45. his elect: here is not one word spoken what he doth in his elect: how Isa. 9. 7. he teacheth, sanctifieth & ruleth them by the scepter of his word, how Isa. 33. 22. he is a King, Priest, & Prophet heere on earth, & exerciseth the offices Deut. 18. here in his Church amongst his seruantes the Saints: how he is their Hebr. entire pastour, their teacher, their King; how he feedeth & reigneth in SION, Exod. 19. 6. yea & maketh all his children kings, priests, & prophets. Re [...]. 1. 6.
Kings, in y t he hath giuē them his word into their hearts & mouthes, wherby as w t a sharpe two edged sword they cut off sin, & fight against Heb. 4. 12. al errors; wherby they reigne ouer their owne affectiōs, subdue y t flesh, 1 Cor. 10. 4 5. 6. cast downe euerie imagination that is exalted against the knowledg of God, & bring into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of Christ; wherby they vnpartially censure, iudge & cast out al maner of sin as yt Math. 18. 17 ariseth & apeareth amongst them, binding their rulers in chaines and Psal. 149. their nobles in fetters of yron, executing vpō them the iudgments that Isa. 54. 17. are writtē; yea therby condemning euerie weapon & tongue that shal arise in iudgment against the truth: This is the heritage of the Lords seruants, this honor shalbe to al his Saintes. Priestes he maketh them, 1 Pet. 2. 5. in y t he annointeth them with his owne holy spirit, wherby they both Rom. 12. [...]. offer vp their praiers & praises through him vnto God, & their owne Psal. 141. 2. bodies & soules as liuing sacrifices vnto him daily; which is their reasonable seruing of God. Prophets he maketh them, in that he reuealeth his truth vnto them, & cōmandeth them to witnesse yt & spread yt forth in all places to his glorie.
One word of these heauenly effects in & amongst them of their dutie, Luk. 19. 27. obedience, loue, and faithfulnes they owe & ought againe on their Isa. 60. 12. parts to performe vnto him, they al this while shew not; and how without Psal. 2. this there is no comfort or benefit to be expected or receaued by Reuel 19. 15 Christ; without this faith, loue, & obedience, none can haue him a King vnto thē to rule & defend them, none can haue him a Prophet to teach & instructe them, none cā haue him a priest to sanctifie & blesse them, none can haue him a Sauiour. But al they that either acknowledg not the Lord Iesus Christ, or obey not vnto his eternal Gospel, but withhold 2 Thes. 1. 8. 9. the truth in vnrighteousnes, shalbe punished with euerlasting perditiō from the presence of the Lord, & from the glorie of his power, when he shal come to be glorified in his saintes, & to be made meruailous in al them that beleeue. But alas, how is yt possible y • they should know or see this beautie of y e King in Sion, whiles they remaine in Babilon? how is yt possible that they should teach this submission & obedience vnto Christ Iesus, when they themselues remaine the bondseruants & sworne soldiours of Antichrist in such maner as hath beene rehearsed.
How then in this estate should they stand the faithfull ministers of 2 Cor. 6. 25. Christ, or preach him sincerely? Can there be any accord betwixt C [...]rist Mal. 1. 6. & Antichrist? can they both reigne together in one Church? or these Isa. 1. 2. 3. 4 men stand ministers vnto both at one time. If Christ be their King ezek. 34. 14 vvhere is then his honour, where is his obedience? CHRIST reigneth Zach. 11. 7. [Page 160] ouer none but his owne seruantes, and them he ruleth by the scepte [...] of his holy word: but heere with them his scepter is wrested ou [...] of his hand, and a Scepter of reed giuen him, the canons of the pope, the Bishops iniunctions, and decrees of the high commission, by which your Church is wholy o [...]erruled, vnto which your king C [...]rist Exod. 23. 21 himself whiles he is amōgst you must be subiect, or els there is no place Ioh. 14. 21. for him. CHRIST giueth lawes vnto his seruants, & ordereth al things 1 Cor. [...]. 16. in his Church according to his owne will: but you giue lawes to your Ioh. 17. 8. CHRIST & set strange ordinances ouer his Church; yea you haue not Mat. 18. 20 anie one thing there either in order or administratiō, according to his Ioh. 8. 32. 36. Rom. 8. 15. 1 Cor. 5. Testament. Againe, CHRIST hath giuen ful power & libertie to all and euerie one of his seruantes, to put in p [...]actise whatsoeuer he commandeth, Math. 18. as also to reforme, to reproue, censure and cast out whatsoeuer is Ioh. 20. found to be cōtrarie & repugnant vnto his word, though al the powers in the earth or in hell withstand yt. But the CHRIST these men preach 1 Cor. 4. 20 you, is vtterly without power to put any thing of his owne will in practise, 2 Tim. 3. 5. but is sold as a bondslaue to these antichristian Bishops and preachers, his enemies. He cannot by vertue of his owne word & authoritie redresse any thing, be yt neuer so heinous or enormous: neither can he establish or bring in any thing that is wanting, be yt neuer so necessarie & important, without humble sute and attendance vnto the high Court of parliament, or vpon the high Court of commission. Yf they reiect his sute, though yt be by 30 ye [...]es together, and that in these two reasonable requests; that they would remoue their heinous & blasphemous idolatries from before his face, and giue him leaue to rule them by his owne offic [...]rs & lawes: yet must this poore CHRIST with all his seruants, euen the whole Church stil surcease the practise of the Gospel, and continue vnder these abhominations; yea (if he anger his Lords the Bishops much) he shalbe whipped with scorpions, with new rods; and this by the vniuersal consent of all his learned preachers in the lād, who are at a ful point & haue set yt downe as a resolute decree, not to stir a foot forward vntil they haue the princes power & the consent of parliament. Then they will bring him in with horsemen and charets, with belles & bonefires. How like you this your worthy King? trow you that euer PILATE araied him worse when they clad him in purple, put a scepter of a r [...]d in his hand, a crowne of thornes vpō his head, bowed the knee before him & hailed him a King, yea wrytt him one in three languages Hebrew, Greek & [...]: or the chief priestes and phariseis, when they b [...]indfolded him, buff [...]d & scourged him, spatt in his face & blasphemed him? or the people that with one consent demanded him vnto the death, preferred the seditious murtherer BARRABAS before him, haled him to the crosse, despighted & reuiled him vpon the crosse. A King he is without power, a King without lawes, a King without officers, a King without subiectes, yea a slaue he is made to euerie slaue. He hath strange officers, straunge lawes that he is not acquainted with set ouer him & imposed vpon him whether he wil or [Page 161] [...]o, which not only rule his heritage but ouerrule him a [...]ter their owne lustes. He is fashoned to the common welth, & not the cōmon welth vnto him: and in the Church he is but an idol king an idol Christ, and hath not there so much honour giuen him, as the players doe vnto their kinges vpon the stage.
And as for the priestly office he should execute amōgst thē, therein they abuse him yet worse: for a new ministerie they erect in stead of his: parsons or mercenarie rouing preachers, in stead of Pastors and faithful Teachers. As for the other rable that serue in stead of Elders with their multitudes of attendants, as also their other inferiour new found officers, would fill a booke but to describe thē & their offices. Thus make they him a minister after an other order thē that which he hath set downe in his Testament, then that wherunto he was annointed of his Father, & that with an othe, & that for euer. They impose also vpon him a new ministration & strange worship more displeasing vnto God then Nadabs fire, thē Vzzahs altar, euen al that idolatrous booke of that cōmon seruice, which he must (wil he nil he) administer in maner & forme abouesaid. Thus make they him a minifter Psal. 110. 4 of al their idolatries & abhomination; by him they offer vp vnto Heb. 7. God all this their wil worship, poperie & superstition: Moreouer they Gal. 3. 15. make him a mediatour of an other Testament then that of his owne, Heb. 9. 17. binding him to this english masse booke and to al the iniunctions of the BB s. the high commission & convocatiō house. Finally they make him a priest, a mediatour, a sauiour to all the prophane atheistes, idolators, miscreantes & wicked persons, coniurers, witches, heretikes & who not; al being receaued into the bozome of their Church, whom [...] they blesse in his name with his peace, to whome for mony they sell & deliuer their sacraments: and thus by al these waies they most impiously deny, & sacrilegiously defile y • holy priesthood of Christ. What kind of prophecie he exerciseth amongst them, may appeare by that which is already said. They make him tak [...] vpon him the ministerie of Antichrist, euen that the Pope left in the Land: they wil not suffer nor receaue his ministerie. which he hath in his Testament apointed for his Church. They set lawes not only ouer him in this ministerie they apoint him, but also ouer the Gospell yt self, both by aportionating how much of his word shalbe read, in what oder and time &c. And this order being through the yeere and permanent, they therby abrogate no small part of the Bible, and take yt cleane away from the Church, in that by their law they apoint what shalbe read for euer, casting the rest quite out of the Church, allowing yt no time or place to be publikely read. They bring in also in stead therof diuers apocrypha Deut. 4. 2. &. 12. 32. writings, and reade them in their Church in the place of canonical Prou. 30. 6 scriptures. They reade also as part of their publike ministerie Reue. 22. 18 of their Church not only their abhominable seruice booke, but the blasphemous iniunctions of their Bishops, and are not ashamed to preach and publikely to expound in the Church their fond Apocripha [Page 162] Cat [...]chismes. To cōclude they mussell & bridle vp their Christs mouth by publike law & power, forbidding him to teach any thing cōtrarie vnto, or to find fault with any thing by publike authoritie established or to be established, swearing him dayly to execute their iniunctiōs; thus ioining the Gospel to al the idolatrie, abhominatiō, blasphemie, & as you see, to all the sinne, iniquitie & mischief of the land, wherby they make Christ a false prophet, an idolater, a blasphemer, and guiltie yea a ringleader to al this ill.
Thus you see what kind of Christ they teach you, without powe [...], holines, truth: what kind of Gospel without freedome, without practise, without light. You see how they subiect Church, Gospel & Christ to the apostaticall chaire of Antichrist, making Christ both a minister to al their abhominations, and to iustifie and daw be them vp with the Gospell. Infinite were the labour to reckon vp all the forgeries they build vpō this foundation, this Christ, this Gospel; or to shew how these wretches munge, corrupt, peruert, wrast, falsifie & abuse y e scripturs, how they roile, yea poison the pure fountaines; or to recite the sundrie [...]. 34. [...]8. 19. errors they heerby fall into. For whiles they thus blasphemously 2. Cor. 2. 17 [...] 4. 2. denie in deed and practise the whole annointing of Christ, namely his three offices, his kingdome, priesthood, and prophecie; standing Gal. 1. 7. the sworne waged marked seruants of that aduersarie that Antichrist 2. Pet. 3. 16 that beast, these Bishops, deriuing their forged false ministerie from Ioh. 5. 23. them, prophecijng by their licence & limitation &c: therby they fla [...] ly 2. Pet. 2. 1. denie the kingdom, Priesthood, and prophecie of Christ: for two Mat. 6. 24. contrarie Maisters they cannot obey, they cannot be subiect both to Deut. 18. 2 [...]. Christ and Antichrist: two diuerse and contrarie ministeries they cannot execute, the ministerie of Christ and the ministerie of Antichrist at the same time, neither cā they prophecie in bot [...] their names &c.
Many are their forged cauillations which they invent vnto themselues to hide this their perfidy, all which (as not recking them wor [...]hie the reciting) I leaue to be refuted by their owne practise, comp [...] red to the word of God: as I might also vnto their owne alligations & excuses, God hauing so deuided their tongues, & made them so contrarie one vnto an other, as yt is an impossible thing to find two of thē of one mind; yea or any one of them con [...]tant in that he affirmeth. So are these accustomed to doe all things without ground or assurance, following the traditions, writings & examples of others, neuer looking how consonant they be vnto Godes word. This maketh them thus ignorant and blind in all the lawes and ordinances of Christ, touching the true gathering building and gouerning the Church of Christ, that they know not the doctrines euē of the beginnings of Christ, of repentance from dead workes, faith towardes God, of baptisme and laying on of handes: This maketh them not to know so much, as the stones wherof Christs Church must be built, nor the true foundation [Page 163] wherupō to build them, as you may see by that which hath beene said cōcerning their outward estate & practise; much lesse know they the true forme & fashion of the house, & least of all the true administratiō & ordinances therof; as apeareth euidently by their receauing of, & administring vnto this mōstrous confuse bodie of their profane rowtes of people; by their exercising this their false and antichristian ministerie, and that after such an idolatrous blasphemous symoniacal maner; as also by receauing Antichrists yoke, traditions, ordinances; Gal, 3. 15. wherby (as hath beene shewed) they deny Christ in the flesh, by denijng Gal. 2. 5. his offices his annointing: they denie his ministerie, his ordinances, his whole Testament, by receauing an other ministerie, other lawes then s [...]ch as he there hath prescribed: Or els they must affirme, that earthly mē may admit into & make members of the Church whome they please and wil; that they also may alter, add to, detract, yea abrogate and disanul what part of Christs Testament they lift; that they may erect a new ministerie, a new forme of administration of sacraments, of worship, of government: Of al which seuerally to intreat and set downe their particular errors and enormities, no pen of man sufficeth. I refer heerin the reader partly to that which heer is already vvritten concerning their ministerie, ordination▪ ministration, sa [...]raments, worship &c. but chiefly to his own [...] more neere view and diligent search of their doings by the light of Gods word.
They holde also, that the true Church of Christ may be built and established without the outward offices and gouernment he hath prescribed in his Testament: yea that in stead of them, yt may receaue a false and adulterate ministerie, be gouerned by other Officers and lawes then he hath appointed in his word. They holde that yt may be a true Church, though both ministerie, ministration and government be thus wholy corrupted and forged, and though yt haue neuer entred or smitten couenant with Christ, but stil and euer haue remained in subiection vnto Antichrist in one false shape or other; whose yoke (they hold) ought not to be cast off, to redresse any sin or abuse amōg them, or put in practise any more of CHRISTS Testamēt, then is by publike authoritie permitted; yea in this confusion, idolatrie, subiection, though neither the people be called vnto nor ioined in the faith, though neither ministerie, ministration nor any thing be aright according to the word amongst them, though their Church abound with all manner of sin, abhomination and abhominable persons, though they haue neither power to seperate the most vncleane, to censure or cast out anie offendor or off [...]nce, to redresse any thing be yt neuer so odious, hateful, and apparantly ill, nor yet haue libertie to put in practise any of Christs heauenly ordinances: notwithstanding all this they hold yt with maine force and outcries to be a true established church of Christ, though there be neuer a true stone nor any one pin or nayle o [...] the true tabernacle aright amongst them, as their [Page 164] adulterate ministerie, office, election, ordination, administration worship, sacramentes, pr [...]iers, fasting, abuse of the word read, abuse of the word preached (which they corrupt, roile, distort, peruert, wrast, leauen, falsifie, poison, abuse, prophane, abrogate, exclude at their wils) d [...]clare. Of all which what vnsound opinions they hold, their present practise compared to the word of God, manifesteth: yea they wil stil be the true Church & ministers of CHRIST, though they reiect his word, remaine obstinate in their sinne, defend, plead for, & iustifie the same, persecute, blaspheme, & mu [...]ther CHRISTS seruants that speake vnto them in the name of CHRIST & exhort them to amendement. Thus you may see into what hardnes & blindnes of heart & extreame vtter darknes the Lord hath cast these your Seers because they haue loued darknes more then light, neither haue trembled at his word, but walked in the presumption of their owne heart, committing arrogancie in their wrath. O how great is that darknes, when the verie light of your Church is such darknes, as yt is but that verie smoke of the bottomle [...] pit, when yt is duly examined. For as you haue heard al their worship, ministerie, praiers, sacraments, fastes, to be but counterfait & abhomination: so yet of all other you may perceaue this their preaching of the Gospell, to be most detestable & pe [...]nitious, euē the strongest snare & delusion of Satan, wherby he allureth deceaueth and holdeth captiue the miserable world in the chaines of transgression, error, idolatrie, abhomination & impenitencie, vnto iudgment.
This preaching of theirs as yt is exercised in a false ministerie a false Church, as yt proceedeth from the chaire of Antichrist; so is yt wholy subiect therunto, both the person & doctrine of the preacher. Their person either to be still approued & licenciate, or els silenced, suspended, depriued: their doctrine to be allowed or condemned as pleaseth their Lords Ordinaries (in whose pontifical brests and handes standeth the whole doctrine of the church of England) what they shal receaue, what they shal reiect; what they shall say, what they shal leaue vnsaied &c. The word of God, Church, ministerie, preaching and al, are wholy in the handes of these lawles [...]e Lordes, to abrogate, establish, bring in, [...]al. 1. 8. cast out, depose, suspend without controlement or accompt. A greater [...] Cor. 3. 13. power then euer was giuē vnto or exercised by any of CHRISTS Apostles, [...] Cor▪ 11. 1. who alwaies submitted their doctrine, practise, persons, vnto the Act. 5. 17. 11 trial and censure of the word, and that by any Christian. They neuer [...] Cor. 11. 23 exercised domiō o [...]er the faith of any, or layd anie other burden vpon the Church, thē what they either read in the word of God, or acknowledged to be the will of God. But heere in the Church of Engl [...]d yt is held a small thing to haue a strange ministerye, worship, lawes, orders, gouernment imposed vpon them; to haue a great part of Gods word quite banish [...]d the Church, the rest that is allowed them but by shredds & patches at [...]tarts & braydes; to haue their preaching by stint prescription, limitation; to haue the whole doctrine subiect not to the wil of God but to the wil of these their Ordinarie [...], who (they may be [Page 165] sure) wil allow no more & none otherwise, then shal agree to their apostatical throne. The ministers of this Church may not preach, the people beleeue, much lesse practise any more of the word of God, thē what is confirmed by these their Ordinaries.
The poore parish o [...] congregation where these priestes serue, may not meddle or haue to do with the election, administration or deposing of these their ministers: for why, they are lay mē & haue no skil, neither ought to intermeddle with ecclesiasticall affaires, or with the word of God. Be their minister neuer so blind, vnsufficient or vile a wretch, detected of neuer so horrible sinnes, yet may not they remoue him: their only help is to complayne to their Lord Ordinarie; in the meane while they must ioine to the wret [...]h in praiers, in sacramentes, yea still & for euer, if yt pleas [...] not their said Lord to giue eare to their complaint. Let their minister preach neuer such damnable or hereticall doctrine, wrest, peruert, corrupt, falsifie the scriptures neuer so violently and heinously, all the Church (no though there be all the priests in a countrie as at a Scene) hath no authoritie, nay is by expresse law forbidden to reproue this doctrine presently or publikely, or yet to forbid him to deale with the scriptures; their remedy is stil to complaine to their Ordinarie, and vntil yt please him to take order therin, the whole congregation is stil bound to frequent his heretical sermōs & ministerie: yea al the priestes of the land both pontifical and reformistes agree in this point & cōclude, that the lay people (as they terme them) ought not to intermedle either with y e deposing their minister, or reproof of hi [...] doctrine.
The one sort (as you haue heard) sendeth them to their Lords these Bishops, the other referreth them ouer for these & manie other cases vnd [...]r hand, to a prouincial or classical Synode or permanent councel of priests &c. Amongst whome all these affaires must be debated: & after they are agreed vpon the point, then their decrees to be brought forth, solemnely published & pronounced to the people, who must attend vpon, awayte & receaue these Oracles as most holy & canonical. They haue no remedie if they also be contrarie to the truth, but to appeale to a councel, in the meane while still ioyning to such a wretch, such an heretike, and that in the high profanatiō of Gods holy name, word & ordinances. But my purpose is not in this place either to refute the popish prelacie of the one sort, or the deuilish forgerie of the other (hoping to find a more fit place for both) so much as to shew, that euerie Christian congregation hath power in themselues, and of duty ought presently & publikly to censure any false or vnsound doctrine that is publikly deliuered or maintained amongst them, if yt be knowen & discerned vnto them; yea anie one member in the Church hath this power, whatsoeuer he be Pastor or Prophet that vttereth yt: as also to shew how far this their pulpet preaching differeth from that heauēly blessed exercise of expounding scriptures or prophecie in the Church of CH [...]IST.
[Page 166]The first me thinkes alreadie verie fully proued in all these places where our Sauiour CHRIST hath giuen vnto his Church and to euerie Mat. 18. 1 [...]. 18. particular congregation therof himself, his word, his power, with expresse charge to put in practise whatsoeuer he hath cōmanded them: 1 Cor. 5. 4. and threatned his wrath and displeasure against that whole congregation 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. which neglecteth or breaketh any of his cōmandements, or suffreth any seene transgression, or error, or incorrigible impenitent offendor: Zach. 5. 9. Also where he commanded all men to informe that Church Mark. 13. 34 wherof they are members, of fuch transgressions, offences, enormities as arise amongst them. This he in vaine had commanded, and they in [...]aine should do this, except he had giuē both absolute authority & expresse charge vnto the Church to redresse and take order in the same. In as many places al [...]o as he hath cōmanded the whole church & euerie Rom. 16. 17. member therof to watch, to scowte and obserue their teachers, to 1 Iob. 4. 1. trie the Spirits, to marke thē diligently which cause diuisiō & offences 2 Tim. 6. 3. 5 contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned; to seperate them [...] 2 Ioh. 9. 10. from [...]uch as teach after an other maner, or consent not vnto the 2 Tim. 3. 1. whol [...]ome wordes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST & to the doctrine which 2. 3. 4. 5. is according vnto godlines; to hold thē accursed that pe [...]uert the Gospell of CHRIST, or preach any thing besides that hath beene taught by CHRIST & his Apostles; to reiect an hereticke after one & the second Tit. 3. 10. admonitiōto; haue in a readines due vengeance against al disobediēce 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. 6. &c. In al these and sundrie other places most euidently apeareth, that CHRIST hath giuē ful power, absolute authoritie, and expresse cōmandement [...]. 6. 9. vnto his Church, euē to euerie particular congregatiō, to cen [...]ure both the persons & doctrines of their ministers, & of euery member of their said cōgregations. He sendeth them not heere [...]o these popish [...] Heb. 12. 22 &c. ordinaries, ne [...]ther yet to a prouincial Synode or a Classis of priests: there are other vses of Synods or councels, as shal in due place be declared. 2 Pet. 1. 1. They can neither ad to, nor diminish from the power of the Reu. 2. 26. Church, or execute & alter any part of the Churches dutie. Iosh. 7. 12. 25. [...]osh. 22. 18. 1 Cor. 5 6. 1 Cor. 12. 25. 27.
‡Moreouer, sith euerie member hath like interest in CHRIST, in his word the publike doctrine & ministration of the Church, and shall all be held g [...]iltie & punished for the publike transgressions & abuses of the Church; seing [...]uerie member is bound to the edification, seruice and vtilitie of the bodie; seing euerie member of the Church is commanded Mar. 13. 3 [...] 37. [...] [...]ob. 4. to watch, to trie the Spirits, to contend for the maintenance of the faith once indifferently giuen to all saintes, to auoide false teachers 1. Mark. 13. 5. 6. 2 [...]. 23. false Prophets &c. seing they are cōmanded not to follow the multitude Math. 7. 15. or mightie, in euil; seing they are commanded to reproue their [...]hil. 3. 2. brother playnly, to bind their sinnes by the word, euen their Princes Leuit. 19. 17 in those chaines and nobles in those fetters, to say to ARCHIPPVS looke Exod. 23. 2. to thy ministerie that thou hast receaued in the Lord that thou fulfil Luk. 17. 3. yt; yea though an Apostle or an Angel from heauen should [...]each either Psal. 145. other doctrine or after an other maner, then is in CHRISTS Testament Col. 4. 17 prescribed, to hold and pronounce him accursed. To conclude Gal. 1. 8. [Page 167] the point; seing the praiers, sacraments, sermons of such wicked pro [...]. 15. 8. [...] or hereticall ministers are sacriledg and abhomiuation in Gods sight, 1 Cor. 10. 17. 18. 20. and that all which communicate, ioine to, heare or suffer such ministers are alike guiltie of this sinne & sacriledg: who can doubt, but that euerie Christian hath power and authoritie in due time and place (not disturbing CHRISTS holy order in his Church) publikely to reproue any publike [...]ransgression of anie member of the Church, or of the whole Church; as also to di [...]couer and refute any error escaped or Iude 3. 10, deliuered in publike doctrine: yet this (as is said) in due time & order, giuing leaue and place vnto the Elders and Prophets of the said Congregation fir [...]t: who if they neglect or ouerpasse such publike transgression or error, then may any one of the congregation, or any Chri [...] tian who [...]oeuer; yea he ought to reproue such transgression and error, vnles he wilbe guiltie of betraying the faith of CHRIST, of the distruction of the whole congregation, knowing the danger of such leauen, the sodennes of the wrath of God for such things.
Heere will be grosly obiected, that the common people are ignorant, not able to iudg betwixt truth & error, disordered, variable, easie to be deuided & led into sects; and therfore they are not to intermedle with the iudgmen [...] and reproof of faults and errors escaped in the ministerie, or with the censuring their persons.
That their people are blind, ignorant, seditious, headstrong, I readily grant; neither ca [...] yt be otherwise, hauing such blind guides & co [...] rupt teachers as all they are. I grant also, that neither the people nor they ought in thi [...] estate to meddle with the word of God, or take his blessed name in their mouth, without most high and vnsufferable profa [...]ation of the same. But for the people of CHRIST, they are all inlightned Math. 6. 2 [...] ▪ with that bright morning star, that sonne of righteousnes. 1 Cor. 6. 11. The eye of their faith is single, and the whole bodie is light. They a [...]e Col. [...]. [...]. 13▪ an humble, meek, obedient people, they will heare and follow the true Rom. 12. 9. 10. &c. shepheard, but a stranger they will not heare. They reioice & loue e [...] nestly Gal. 4. 18. in the truth, & [...]a by no meanes be drawē to do any thing against 2 Cor. 13. 8. the truth. And therfore hath God amongst them bownd vp the testimonie Isa▪ 8. 16. and sealed vp the law: To them he hath committed the charge 1 Tim. 3. 15. and keeping of his holy oracles; to them and euerie one of them he rom. 8. 9. [...] ▪ hath giuen his holy sanctifi [...]ng Spirit, to open vnto them and to lead Ioh. 16. 13. them into al truth: to thē he hath giuē his Sonne to be ther King, Priest 1 Ioh. 2. 27. and Prophet, who hath made them vnto him Kings & Priests. But if Reuel 1. 6. they were so blind and ignorant as these men would make them, how could they then discerne truth from error, how could they approue truth, or refute error & transgression.
Happily for all this heere will be saied, that the common fort of CHRIST [...] seruantes either haue not this knowledg, or haue yt but in small measure; and therfore are vnfit to deale in the [...]e high matters, and can not doe yt orderly & soberly.
[Page 168]To this I answere, that they are to reproue no more then their assured Rom. 12. 3. knowledg leadeth them vnto. If they transgresse the limits either 1 Thes. 5. 14. of their knowledg in reprouing that which deserueth no reproofe, or 2 Thes. 3. 14 breake the established order of the Church by rashnes, intemperance &c. then are they for so doing subiect to reproofe & censure for abusing their libertie, for breaking order: the Churches of God haue no 1 Cor. 11. 16. custome to be contentious. But if they should be debarred of this 1 Cor. 14. 33 power, libertie and dutie because they are not so learned as the priests, and haue not beene at the vniuersitie &c. by that popish reason were the word of God to be shut vp from al lay men (as they cal them) that no man might reade or speake therof in his house or family, because they haue not knowledg to vnderstand yt & open yt after their schoole maner, the word of God being such an abysme of wisdome and of so great dignitie & reuerence, & that in al places alike. And should they not by this reason also shut yt vp from themselues, and from al men in 1 Cor. 13. 9. this life? for he that knoweth most knoweth here but in part, yea & of 1 Cor. 8. 2. that part he knoweth nothing as he ought to know. Phil. 3. 13.
But they are to vnderstand that God hath not giuē vs his word that yt should be perfected or receaue grace from vs, but y t yt should bring 1 Cor. 4. 7. grace vnto vs, build vp & accomplish our faith, & nourish vs vnto eternal life; that yt should be milke to the weake & vnexpert, strong meate to them of riper age. According to this word who so speaketh not, yt is because their is no light in them. By this word what so is reproued or affirmed, the basenes or ignorance of the speaker is not to be regarded: [...]ames. 2. 1. it no way diminisheth any thing from the dignitie & truth of the word; to which (as the only obiect) the Church is to cast their eye. As for these learned diuines of our age, I refer them vnto, or rather oppose vnto them the wisdome & word of God, who you see hath giuen vnto al his seruantes this libertie & power; yea rather hath layd vpon them this charge & duty, to reproue & censure any error or transgression which is committed by the whole Church or any member of the Church contrarie to the word of God, by the same word.
But yet are not our learned Reformists satissied: for [...]oe, they fetch a reason somwhat more subtilly (though altogether as far frō the truth as the other) from 1 Cor. 14. 32. where yt is [...]aid The Spirits of the Prophets ar [...] subiect to the Prophets, therfore conclude they, that the people are not to reproue, iudge, or cēsure the doctrine of the minister, but only an assembly of ministers, a schoole of Prophets as they call yt.
Before I shew their grosse mistaking & peruerting this place of scripture, I dismisse their Argument by denying the consequent therof. That because the Spirit of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets; y t is, such as haue the gift of vtterance & expounding scriptures ought principally & especially to iudg of that exercise, and to speake in that exercise as in way of prophecie: Therfore the whole Church besides nor any member therof ought not to reproue, and censure such errors as haue escaped the Prophets & are reuealed vnto them. And for this [Page 169] I insist in the former reasons & expresse places of scripture alledged. Very hard yt were, that y t heauenly and most blessed exercise of prophecie which was instituted of God for the singular comfort & general inlightning of the whole Church, should through the pride and Gal. 5. 9. arrogancie of a few, be turned to the vtter subuersion of the faith of 2. Tim. 2. 17 the whole Church, and the desolation therof. For what part can T [...]. 1. 10. there be pure, where the doctrine is not sound? or what can be more Ioh. 4. 42. miserable then to see with others mens eies, to beleeue vvith other Gal. 6. 4. mens hearts, yea to be brought into that slauerie and subiection, that they must receaue and beleeue whatsoeuer the prophets or ministers speake and agree vpon, be yt neuer so dissonant and repugnant to the word of God. This were right after the manner of the Atheists of these daies, to hire into their parish a learned preacher, though al the rest of the parish be neuer so blind, prophane, wretched, yet where this burning lampe is, they are all in happy state and safe inough; because they haue the Gospell preached amongst them, they are a famous Ioh. 5. 39. & 10. 37. 38. &. 18. 20. 21. Church. But our Sauiour Christ & his Apostles submitted their ministerie & doctrine to the trial, censure and iudgment of al, by the scriptures; yea & most commended and reioiced in these hearers that were most diligent to examine and try their doctrine. And I would Act. 17. 11. faine know what iniurie yt were vnto any, if the Church stil reteined 1. Thess. 5. 21. that libertie, not disturbing the holy order therof. But these priestes, they will not only not submit their persons & doctrine to the censure 2. Cor. 1. 13. of the Church where they administer (for they must haue a iurie of clarkes a Classis of Priestes to goe vpon them) but they bind their poore Church to their lipps, and build yt vpon themselues, and vvith their blazing light strike al y e r est of their hearers & followers sta [...]ke blind.
Now let me returne to this place of the Corinths which they so falsely interpret, miserably misuse, and most perniciously peruert. The prophets they giue out to be vnderstood of such ministers only, as haue the gift of preaching (as they call yt) holding yt lawful for none els to speake of the scriptures by way of interpretation and prophecie, especially to expound them in the Church or Congregation. This exercise spoken of heere by the Apostle, they say is vnders [...]ood of such propheticall ministers only, is instituted only for such, and belongeth only vnto such. The place of such exercise, they terme a schoole or colledg of prophets.
Heerupon they abuse this heauenly glorious exercise, in that they shut yt vp amongst a few of them, shut out the people from yt vtterly, making yt like OSYRIS mysteries: Besides that they heere amongst themselues vnsufferably corrupt all the scriptures they intreate of, by their Rhetorical figures, deuisions, demonstrations, humane & traditional writings, wherin all their vniuersitie learning consisteth. This place they most pernitiously peruert, in that from hence they deriue their Prophetical Conuenticles and Classical Synods, assuming heerby [Page 170] into their owne hands the key of al knowledg, and shutting vp the scripturs, yea all Gods graces, euē the holy Ghost yt self amongst thē selues in these their schooles of prophets: as also into their Classes of select priests the sc [...]pter of Christ and absolute gouernment of al churches, to whome yt is left but to receaue & execute the reuerēt decrees of this famous Classes of priestes.
And now let this [...]cripture wherupō they build al this stuffe be duly [...]. Cor. 14. searched & pondered, & you shall find yt in all these things direct & flat against them. First that the prophets there spoken of by the Ver. 1. 12. 13. Apostle, that are to speake in and iudg of this exercise were not only ministers, is gathered by the whole scope of the chapter, where euerie brother is incited to emulate spiritual gifts, the rather that they might prophecie and helpe to edifie the Church; this gift by manie reasons being preferred to all other gifts, & prooued far most excellēt both in yt self & to others &c. Moreouer in this exercise of prophecie which was instituted for the instruction and comfort of all, the Apostle saith that Three Prophe [...]s may speake in due order, one after an other at one time, & Ver. 29. y e others are to iudg &c. Three ministers I am sure in any one church there cannot be that by office are to attēd vnto the ministratiō of the Rom. 12. 7. 8. word. The pastor & the Teacher are the only offices that I now know appointed to the ministerie of the word; & therfore euen by this place, more besides the ministers of the Church may speake in the way, yea in this publike exercise of prophecie. Neither ought this to seeme strange in the eares of anie that knowe what belongeth to the exercise Luk. 10. of prophecie or order of the Church: It is no other thing thē Christ Act. 8. 4. &. 11. 20. hath instituted & the Apostles euerie where taught, and that by most sensible reasons. For as the bodie consisteth of manie members, & al the members haue not one office &c: so the members of the Church Rom. 12. 6. being diuers & hauing receaued diuers gifts, are (according vnto the 1 Pet. 4. 10 grace that is giuē to euerie one) to serue the Church, or rather y e Lord with the same, as good disposers of the manifold grace of God. If they haue the gift of prophecie, then are they to exercise yt according to the proportion of faith, speaking as the wordes of God alwaies, keeping themselues within the bound of sobrietie & truth: who so doth otherwise is subiect to censure & reproofe. We see the practise heerof not only in Corinth but in Antiochia & Rome, & no doubt by the same rule in other churches. In Anti [...]chia we reade of sūdrie prophets & teachers, Barnabas, Symeō, Lucius, Mana [...]en, Paul. Act. 13. 1. & 15. 32. of Iudas & Silas, that exhorted & taught in that Church. That there were sundrie also that taught in Rome, appeareth Philip. 1. 14. 15, & [...].
Neither hath this beene strange euen vnder the law: we see God Deut. 13. 2. & 18. 20. &c. chose his prophets of al tribes, whose doctrine was to be tried by Gods word. Their prophecies of future things, by the euent: we see our Sauiour Christ his Apostles & disciples did the like throughout al the cities & synagogues of the Iewes.
Yf vnto this yt be answered that our sauiour Christ was Lord of the [Page 171] law & of the Temple, and so might doe his pleasure (for the proph [...]ts Apostles & disciples what they did was also by the commandemēt of God) and so none of these examples to be made presidentes vnto vs without the like warrant. I graunt well, neither would I ground vpō these examples if either they were cōtrarie to any law of God, or that there were not expresse warrant in the Testamēt of Christ & in y e other scriptures, that such as haue the gift of prophecie may and ought to exercise their gift in the Church of Christ. To that end I brought these examples, to shew that yt was a thing vsual amongst the Iewes and not contrarie to anie law, as Doctor SOME & almost al the priests of the land very ignorantly and falsly giue out. For neither can they prooue that yt was vnlawfull for any besides the priests to reade or expound the scriptures, or vse exhort [...]tion and praier in the Temple & publike Synagogues of the Iewes, neither yet that yt only belongeth to the ministers of the Chu [...]ch vnder the Gospel, vnlesse we wil take their bare affirmation for proof.
But as vnder the law I haue alledged manie examples to the cōtrarie, 1. Kings. 8▪ 2. Chro [...]. 34. &. 35. Chap. so might I bring more. Solomon praied, [...] exhorted in y e Temple. If they think to euade by saijng they were prophets, & did yt by especial warrant; I doubt they cannot prooue Iosiah a prophet. Againe I would aske them, whither this especial warrant were priuate and knowen only to themselues, or publike and knowen to the people & state also? Publike they cannot shew yt, for then would they neuer haue resisted the message and slayne the prophets &c. If yt were only priuate and knowen to the prophets only, then what was this to the state or people? the priestes would neuer haue suffred them in this maner to haue vsurped their office. Againe our Sauiour Christ (if yt had beene contrarie to the law) would neuer haue done yt, or caused his disciples to doe yt; who were no where reprehēded for teaching, but for their doctrine only, as apeareth by the examinatiō of our Sauiour CHRIST before the high priestes: neither were anie of his disciples troubled for teaching in any of the cities and synagogs where he sent them.
After his death also, when the Apostles accustomably taught and Act. 4. &. 5. Chap. praied in the temple, being brought before the councel, they were not reprooued (though they were ig [...]orant and ba [...]e men of occupation in their eies) because they taught & praied publikly, but because they taught the righteousnes and glorie of that Christ whome they had so vniustly murthered and put to death; and were not forbidden simply not to teach, but not to teach in his name. So you see yt was not Christs warrāt that stood thē in any stead for the allowāce of this actiō either before magistrates or people who knew or acknowledged not Christ but abhorred him & put him to death. Yf yt had beene cōtrarie to the law for any but priests publikely to teach, pray &c. both our sauiour Christ and his disciples should haue heard of yt no doubt at the handes [Page 172] of these carping cauilling phariseis, & of those malicious murtherous priestes. But we see the Apostles were euerie wh [...]re permitted to teach through all the synagogs of the Iewes, inso much as the rulers of the synagogue at [...] sent vnto Paul & Barnabas, willing them if they had Act. 13. 15. any exhortation for the people, to say. This they would neither haue permitted nor done, if yt had beene contrarie to their law. By [...] warrāt these rulers did yt not; for, [...] his name sake they persecuted & afterward stoned him. Let this perilous paradoxe then at length be gained Tha [...] others which haue the gift of prophecie besides the ministers, may publikly [...] or exhort in the Church.
Now remain [...]th to be shewed, that this exercise of prophecie belongeth to the whole Church, and ought not to be shut vp in this maner amongst the priests only, the people being shut out eithe [...] to speake or heare. This the Apostle in this▪ 14 Chapter plentifully proueth by many reasons, & plainly a [...]oweth in direct words. Reasons may be drawē from the verie exercise of proph [...]cie yt self, which is nothing els now with the Church, then an expounding & interpretation of scriptures. This light I am sure they wil grant ought not to be hid vnder a bed or bushell; neither to be shut vp amongst a few, as these Anab [...]ptistical preachers vse in their cōuenticles at this exercise. There are no eare secrets Ma [...]. 10. 27. Ne [...]em. 8. 8▪ or hiddē mysteries which are to be kept close, but are to be p [...]oclaimed & published vpon the house top.
The endes also of this exercise of prop [...]ecie shew, that yt belongeth to the whole Church, and none of them ought to be shut out. The [...]er. 3. 5. 31 24 endes are the edification, exhortation, & comfort of the whole bodie. what a pride & insolencie, yea crueltie is yt in these men, that would assume vnto themselues only this bountiful grace of God, and debarre [...] from the same, and that the verie Church, to whome yt belongeth & for whome yt was instituted; whē the Lord alloweth euē strangers & vnbeleeuers to come vnto yt, lifting vp the Sonne of man therby [...] ▪ 11. 10. [...]. 8. 13. [...]. 3. 14. as a standard to other nations. What enemies thē are these men vnto the glorie of God and contrarie vnto all men, that would take from them this most blessed meanes of their saluation.
The Apostle also in expresse wordes declareth, that this exercise belongeth to the whole Church. V [...]r. 23. 24. If (saith he) when the whole Church is come together vnto the same, & all speake tongues, there come in also they that are ignorāt or vnbeleeuers, wil they not say that ye are mad? but if al prophecie & there come in an infidel or idiote, he is conuinced of all, he is iudged of all &c. The 26. Ver▪ also: what is then brethren? when ye come together euerie one of you hath a psalme [...]ath doctrine &c. Likewise Ver. 31. For you may all by one euerie one of you prophecie, that all may learne and all may be comforted. What can be more manifest & direct then these places, that this exercise of prophecie belongeth to the whole Church, & that euerie faithful man [...]ath here freedome and powe [...] both [...]o be present and to speake also as [...]eed [...]equireth, and God reuealeth vnto him.
[Page 173]Are not also al the carnal reasons of these phariseis takē away, which alledg the ignorance of the most part, or confusion, if al might be suffred to speake. To the one, no mā is to speake but as the words of God, according to the proportiō of faith within the boundes of sobrietie & truth; his wordes must be to edification, els he faulteth & is iudged for them. For the confusion that might herevpon arise if all should haue power to speake: It is not here said that euerie one which hath power 1 Cor. 10. 23▪ Gal. 5. 13. 1 Pe [...]. 2. 16. V. 40. V. 33. should at al times vse this power: that which is lawful is not alwaies expedient: Christians are to vse their libertie to the edification, & not the confusion of the Church; for God is not the author of disorder but of peace, as in all the Churches of the Saintes. They then that thus pre [...]mptuously either innouate or abuse this blessed ordināce of CHRIST, find fault with & controule the commandements of God, and charge God with confusion, who is the author of this exercise, order, libertie.
But D. SOME hath by the priuiledg of the Church of Englād published yt vtterly vnlawful for any that is not a minister, to deale with the interpretation of scriptures, what giftes soeuer God hath giuē him thervnto; and saith, these absurdities would ensue therof: that wo [...] may then also preach in the Church▪ that those men that thus speake in way of prophecie vsurpe the ministers office with Corath, offer vzziahs incense, & may also by this meanes enter into the Councel chamber, and intrude into the ciuil magistrates office; for to giue councel also is euerie Christians dutie &c.
What can be more blasphemously & reprochfullie repugnant to the word & order of CHRIST, who you see is the author of this exercise in this maner, & hath for euer left yt as a cōmandemēt vnto al churches: For (saith the Apostle vers. 37.) If any man seeme to be a Prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledg what I write vnto you, because they are the commandements of God &c. But if anie man be ignorant, let him b [...] ignorant: Therfore my brethren couet ye to prophecie, and to speake with tongues forbid not: Let al things be done comely, and according to order.
For D. SOMES first absurditie; womē are expresly forbidden to speake by way or in the exercise of this proph [...] in the Church vers. 34. 35. So then this is but a reproch of his owne absurd brayne, to bring th [...] truth into slaunder.
That such as speake in this exercise of prophecie doe not anie way vsurpe the ministers office, hath beene largly shewed by the discour [...] of this whole Chapter. Neither hath▪ he brought any peece of a reason to proue, that only ministers ought to speake of the scriptures in [...]he Church.
For his third impi [...]us & odious calumniation; that such as presume to speake in the Church not being ministers, may as well intrude into the Councel chamber & magistrats [...]; yt is in yt felf so false, foolish & absurd, as yt deser [...]eth none answere. It is but the venome of his serp [...] [...]ongue, the Add [...] poison that is vnder his lipps, wher [...]y [Page 174] he seeketh to draw the truth of CHRIST and the professors therof into hatred. He might as wel say, that because CHRIST hath made vs all Kings & Priests vnto him, therfore we will heere vsurpe the ciuill magistrats and ecclesiastical ministers office. These are but the malicious collections & vaine conclusions of his idle head & graceles heart, thus to blaspheme the holy ordinances of CHRIST, to call yt Anabaptistical, the deprauing of the holy scriptures, abusing of the auditors, disturbing both of Church & common welth, calling such Christian assemblies as practise this cōmandement [...] conuenticles, although he neuer in his life was present at any of their exercises, nor is able to charge any one of them with any one [...] error, as they by his owne mouth are able to charge him & all this antichristian ministerie of England, which exercise a ministerie without a lawfull calling thervnto by vertue of their inward calling, which is their learning & sufficiencie; as though CHRIST did not know the end, vse & measure of the gifts he hath giuen them. In the Church of CHRIST there are none suffered to speake by way of prophecie, but such as haue the gift of prophecie: and to forbid such to [...]peake, were to stop vp the conductes & springs of the Church, or rather of Gods graces, wherby the Church should be watered and refreshed: so far is this exercise from d [...]prauing the scriptures or abusing the auditorie. The rest of his vituperie he hath layd vpon CHRIST the author of this exercise▪, and to him shall answere for the same at that day of reckoning & accompt.
Yf none but Ministers may speake publikly in the Church by way of prophecie, how should the people haue trial of the gifts of any? how should any ministers in this generall apostaci [...] and departure, be r [...]stored? yea how should there euer be any other then now are? For if the people may not heare their gifts, how should they iudg them? [...]f they may not vtter their gifts, how should the people heare them? Heere I shall by both sorts of our priestes, aswell Pontifical as [...] be answered; that the law is not so generall, but that there are exceptions vnto the same. The Pontificall will alledg; That their mother the Vniuersitie, their father the Bishop, haue authoritie to giue licēce to preach in any Church whersoeuer they become before th [...]y be either full ministers, or haue any office as the engli [...]h Deacon or half priestes, the cathedral Prebends, the commō Curates or rouing Preachers: Amōgst which you must note a double mysterie. Some of them are full ministers without either certayne cha [...]ge, place, or office. Others haue a certayne, yea a pastors charge and office, and yet are not full ministers: of which sect are the Prebendes & ciuil Doctors, who may haue parsonages, and yet be no ministers.
The Reformists they wil likewise answere me; that their mother the Vniuersitie she hath power to giue lea [...]e to preach vniuersally through all Churches, and also the Select Cl [...]ssis: yea peraduenture this schoole of Prophets as [...]embled, haue power to admit some one pick [...]d [Page 175] mā to their mysteries which is no priest, & to giue him leaue to speake amongst them; yet hereof I doubt, and therfore wil not stand; and thus may the people by both sides haue triall of their gifts.
Great reason that they which ma [...]e the law should also make and take [...]xceptions at their pleasure. But wel, what booteth this trial that they allow the people, when neither of them giue the p [...]ople liberty to iudg or reproue their doctrine? when both sides, both▪ Bishops and this new Classis take vpon them to make ministers without the people, without any charge, place, or office certayne? But let this matter rest: I would know of both or any of them, what this their mother they so much boast of is? & where she had this high authority aboue other women?
H [...] they wil with one voice answere, that the Vniuersities are the seminaries of religion, of the ministerie of the land; the schooles and colledges of learning, wherin the sonnes of the Prophets are trained vp, as they were in Naiot [...], in Beth [...]l, Iericho, Ierusalem & Cori [...]th.
If the [...]ree be knowen by the fruite, the Cockatri [...]e by the poisoned egges, the Viper by the spawne, th [...] nest by the birdes; then let the religion and priestes of the land shew what kind of seminaries & colledges these Vniuersities are. If these be the b [...]st fiuite and famousest men (that are instructed in nothing but to corrupt and cauill against the truth) then let them take heed, for the axe is layd to the roote of the tree &c. Yf also these your vniue [...]sities be compared to these cities whither these faithful mē repaired (because of these famous Prophets) to be instructed in the lawes of God, we shall find thē more like to the Sodomitical colledges and fellowships of the idolatrous monkes and Friars, brethren of a birth, euē by both parentes; then vnto the holy assemblies of the Prophets. And this will appeare if we compare them either in the persons assembled, or in the maner & endes of their education & trayning.
What the sonnes of the Prophets were, is alreadie shewed; namly godly men that rep [...]ired to the cities where these famous Prophets were most resident, to be instructed in the law of God. But the persons that resort to these vniuersities are the children of all the profane in the land, that repaire thither to be instructed in heathen & vaine artes, wherby they may get their liuing; or if they studie diuinitie (as they call yt) they make an occupation of yt: It is but for their belly, for worldly promotion, and not for the glory of God, as the greedy [...]eeking after their ecclesiasticall liuings by the one sort, the selling o [...] their cunning and letting forth their tongues to hire of the other [...]ort, declareth.
These holy companies of prophets mentioned in the scriptures, wer [...] trayned vp in the law of God, liued orderly in the feare of God together with their wiues & families. But these vniuersitie colledges are a misseline row [...]e of very young men for the most part & boies together▪ [Page 176] leading their liues in idolatrie, confusion, disorder; spending their liues in vanitie, follie, idlenes, liuing neither in the feare of God, nor in any well established order of his Church, neither in any lawful calling in the cōmon welth. They are forbidden in these societies to liue in holy wedlock: Yf he be maried, he may not there enter: if he being entered marye, he may not there tarye. An endles discourse y [...] were but to recite their seuerall idolatrous profane vsages, mysteries, othes, vowes, ceremonies; all which euidently shew frō whence they had their originall; namely from Antichrists chaire, to which they haue euer serued, & stil in all places doe serue, fighting stowtly vnder his banner against the faith & Church of CHRIST, supplijng him cō tinually with fresh soldiours to carrie abroad his marchandise, & set abroch the deceits of Satan.
Neither are they more like vnto the Churches of CHRIST, then vnto Reuel 18. 2. [...] Ioh. 1. 7. 2 Cor. 6. 14 the schooles of the Prophets: the Church of CHRIST is no cage of such vncleane & hateful birdes, of their frie & ofspring: the churches of CHRIST haue no such colledges, societies, fellowships; y e Churches of CHRIST haue no such heathenish & idolatrous customes, exercises, vsages, othes, vowes, ceremonies; they haue no such prophane arts, 1 Tim. 1. 4. & 4. 7. & 6. 3. 4. 5. 20. 21. [...] Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Act. 20 [...] Cor. 4. 2. Math. 23. 7. Act. 14. 23. vaine education & literature; they haue no such degrees & ostentatiō of learning, neither are there found either Bachelors or Doctors of diuinitie: Their Pastors and Teachers are chosen for their knowledg, grauitie, godlines of life: they haue no such fastuous & blasphemous titles, but are called to a labour and a charge; for the faithfull performance wherof, they rather desire to be commended, then to be thus greeted in the market place. As they are by the Church wherin they serue, called to this office; so are they orderly & reuerently ordeined by and in the same Congregation, with fasting & praier &c. and not araied in scarlet with the habite, hood, tippet, cornerd cap, with their maces and beadels proclaiming before them, and such a traine of the popes clarkes young and old following them through the streetes till they march to the place where they play their prises: Neither are they in this maner dubbed Doctors by the deliuering a booke vnto them, sworne vpon a booke to their fathers fidelitie & their mothers mysteries, adopted their sonne by a ring & a kisse, or enthronized in a chair with many o [...]her ceremonies and made Doctors of diuinitie, Doctors Act. 20. 28 [...] [...]. 5. 2. in name & title only, without any certaine office or Church wherin & whervnto to administer.
For this title of diuinitie, I know not how to giue yt vnto anie mortall [...]. 2. 9. man without blasphemie, CHRIST only excepted, in whome the fulnes of the Godhead dwelleth bodily. The english of Christian religion & profession of the Gospell and faith of CHRIST, I can well away Reuel 13. 1. Reuel 17. 3. with and dig [...]st: but this english romish abstract of diuinitie, I am assured came from the same forge that their title of the supreme head of the Church did, and cannot with all the glozes, scholions, & learned interpretations they can deuise, be made other then most [Page 177] high blasphemie against the sacred persō of Christ, who is the only vniversal Doctor of al his disciples, & of al true religion. And euil may Math. 23. 8▪ 10. D. S. either defend or patterne his Doctorhood by S t. Paul, who in the same verse by him alledged 1 Tim. 2. 7. sheweth a lawful calling, a lawful & certaine office, & also a sincere & faithful administration therof. But now as S t Paules Apostolick office is ceased, the Church being established and deliuered to other certaine offices: so if Pauls Apostolike roome or Doctorship (as he caleth yt) were voide, I suppose D. SOME not the fittest man in the world for yt: although (if yt be as I heare) he cā be no l [...]sse thē an apostle by his offices, he being a Pastor, yf not a double or plurified non resident Pastor of many churches; a Doctor you see by priuiledg and stile, and a Deacon I meane also at Ely▪ And what was or could any Apostle be more; Yet seing al these are but forged stuffe, and that he hath neither anie true office in the Church, neither any true calling thervnto &c. we can take him but for a false Apostle at the best, if he sit not in an Apostataes chaire, that I say not an Apostataes gowne some where els; & so leaue him e [...]ther to repentance, or to follow his predecessor to his apointed place.
But by following this bird ouer far, I had almost beene trained frō the nest. I was shewing what litle affinitie there is betwixt the churches of Christ and these vniuersities, these Colledges of clarkes, these schooles of Prophets. In the Churches of Christ the names and offices of Chancelor, vice▪ Chan [...]elor, Commiss [...]ry, Proctors, Taskers, Bedels, Prouosts, Maisters of Colledges, vice Maisters, Boweers, Deanes, Fellowes, &c. are all strange and vnheard of; as also their seueral statutes, customes, ceremonies, their manner of degree [...] and disputing for their degrees and order of teaching, which were no smal labour but to reckon vp.
All which as they are strange to the Church of Christ, who find not in all Godes word any of these offices, degrees, statutes, orders, customes, ceremonies, vowes &c. neither any such vniuersities, colledges, societies of schollers: so (seing they haue no groūd in the word of God, no fellowship or communion with the Church) I see not why they should haue any more tolleration then their elder brethren the monks, who eueri [...] way had as great shew of holines [...]nd couler of vtility to the Church as they, or t [...]ese other cath [...]drall coll [...]giate dennes haue, yea and might both as soone and as well haue beene purged of their Masse and latine seruice, as these are: so that the same end that is befallen the one remaineth the other. The lord is not pleased with any voluntarie religion. That building that hath not the word of God for the foūdatiō, though yt be dawbed with neuer so great cunning Ezek. 13. 11. &c, and learning, and vndershored with neuer so great pollicie and power, though yt be built as high as B [...]bel, yet shall yt assuredly fall, Math. 7. 26 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Eph. 4. 13. 14. 15. 16. Eph. 5. 8. 9 10. 11. 12. and the greater shalbe the fall therof. As there is no building without the word of God for the foundation; so is there no fellowship or communion out of the Church of God. And therfore no such confused colledges, no such idolatrous assemblies as are not gathered [Page 178] vnto Christ but vnto Antichrist, as liue not in that Christian order & fellowship which Christ hath apointed to all his seruants in his Church, but leade their liues in antichristian disorder in Babilonish, if not Sodomitish confusion; no such heathen schooles wherin youth is not trained vp in the feare, knowledg, and order of CHRIT, but in vaine Eph. 6. 4. [...]. 22. 6. arts, superstition, idolatrie, disorder &c. haue any foundation in the word of God, any fellowship with or allowance in the Church of God.
But heere wil the vniuersitie Knights draw me within the cōpasse of these two absurdities: First that I condemne all good arts and literature; then, that I quite driue them out of the world by taking away the schooles of the same, wherin youth might be trained & brought vp.
Nothing lesse, I with my whole heart allow of any art or sciēce that is consonāt to the word of God, & to the doctrine which is according to godlines: only the curious & heathen artes, prophane & vaine babblings and oppositions of science falsely so caled which they professe & wherwith they poison & co [...]upt al the youth of the lād, I abhorre, because God condemneth.
As for schooles to teach the tongues or any laudable or necessarie art, I wish them in abundāce; y t if yt were possible not only the youth, but euen the whole church might be trayned therin: I with my whole heart wish, that al the Lords people were Prophets: such an enemie am I to true knowledg & learning, that I would not haue yt any longer kept secret in a mysterie, but euen proclaimed vpon the house top in euerie Citie & in euery street: yet stil & euer with this caution, that these schooles both be in an established church (I meane in such places where the Saintes liue together in the faith, order, obedience and communion of CHRIST) and not in such monkish, idolatrous, confused, idle, profane colledges and fellowships as theirs are: Likewise that the tongues or sciences be heere taught in an holy, sanctified, reuerend, graue maner, and not in such an vnsanctified vaine maner as they vse: So shal the earth be ful of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea: for in the Church of Christ are al his springs inclosed, which by this meanes should runne at euerie conduct, and water the whole land abundantly, whereas now they lye in miserable darknes, wholy ouergrowen with brambles & briers.
And surely I euen with maruaile wonder, how these men can be so blinded, to compare these wicked idolatrous societies to the assēblies of the proph [...]ts, or vnto the Church of Christ, when you see they haue nothing common with them or like vnto them, either in the people assembled, doctrine taught, manner of teaching & learning, or order of life; when they vtterlie want warrant in the word of God for such kind of Colledges, societies and schooles, these hauing beene deriued either from the heathens, Egiptians, Greekes, Persians that had their peculiar colledges and schooles to their peculiar sects, or els haue is [...]ued [Page 179] out of the smoke of Antichrists inuentions out of the bottomles pit. They alwaies haue beene & stil are the verie hyues & nurseries of these armed poisoned Locusts & venemous Scorpions, I meane either that false ministerie of Antichrist, euen al the gouerning & teaching priestes as Cardinals, Arch-bish. Bish. Suffragan [...]s, Archdeacons, Chan [...]lors, Com [...]issaries, Ciuil Doctors, Aduocates, Proct [...]rs, [...] rouing Ministers & Preachers, parish Priests &c. or those coūterfait religious hypocrites, monkes, Friers, Nunnes, Clarkes, or (as we now of late call them) schollers. Al which haue in innumerable multitudes from time to time and at all times swarmed and issued out of these hyues into the face of the whole earth, corrupting and destroijng eueri [...] greene thing, poisoning the pure fountaines of Gods word with their accursed gloz [...]s, d [...]epe learning, subtil & figuratiue interpretations, darkning the sonne and infecting the aire therwith; as also with the blasphemous traditions of their king [...] that Angel of the bottomles pyt. They haue alwaies most pestilently fought vnder this their captaine against the Lambe his Gospell & Church, plentifully furnishing and continually supplijng all the offices & roomths belōging to that huge Midianitish host of Antichrist: the leaders, captaines, and officers wherof, are & euer haue beene wholy taken out of these Ser [...]liaes, euen frō the Pope [...] person to the lowest Priest.
How they are reformed by hauing this english portesse their seruice booke in stead of their olde masse-booke, may partly by that which is aboue written concerning the same, appeare: but more manifestly, by taking a view of some of the blasphemous idolatrous customes which still remaine in practise with them in the same maner as they did vnder the Pope: all or any of which yt is not heere my purpose any further to describe. It sufficeth me to haue shewed them to be confused, idolatrous, vnchristian, vnlawfull assemblies and societies; so far from being to be compared vnto, or iustified by the assemblies of the Prophets or that heauenlie exercise of proph [...]cie now in the Church of CHRIST, as they are not to be suffered in a Christian common welth. And therfore he [...]re againe once more I conclude; that both these vngodly assemblies, as also the cathedral dennes and colledges, ought by as good right to be abolished, as their other brethren and sisters of a birth the monasteries & nunries are, seing they all want foundation in the word, had one and the same hellish original, had and these still reteine the same blasphemous incurable abus [...]s, which can by no way be reformed but by their vtter dissolution.
Thus haue we through the mercie of God by the light of his word taken a sleight vie [...] of the nestes of these vncleane birdes, and haue therby seene both what maner of schooles, & what kind of Prophets these are: we haue seene how euil this 14 of the Corinthians fitteth either these vniuersitie and cathedral Colledges, or these new deuised Cōuenticles of p [...]opheticall priests: we haue scene how wickedly they corrupt, peruert, abuse that scripture & holy exercise. Now yt remaineth [Page 180] but in a line or two, cōpare their publike preaching in their Synagogues to this heauēly exercise of prophecie instituted in the churches of Christ.
First these parish priests or hired preachers al of them preach vnder their ordinaries licence stint & limitation, as hath beene shewed. Thē they are prescribed their time when to begin. They haue a prescript place like a tubbe called their pulpyt, for y e most part able to receaue no more then one person, except yt be a suggestor or prompter, as in some special places: Neither doe they ordinarily speake any more thē one, & he for the most part disputes to the howerglasse, which being runne his sermocination must be at an end. Preach this priest neuer so vnsound corrupt or heretical doctrine, there is no present or publike controulement or retractation to be had. Handle he the scripture neuer so vnsufficiently or vnsauorilye, peruert, mistake, or falsifie he yt neuer so grieuously, there is no amendes or supplie of others to be looked for, none els being suffered to speake. The Church hath no power either to approoue or reprooue any doctrine deliuered thē, be yt neuer so consonant to, or dissonant from the word of God.
Here would not be forgotten also the sweete psalmodical harmonie of the Vultures, Crowes, Gleades, Owles, Ge [...]se; of the Leopards, Beares, Wolues, Dogs, Foxes, Swine, Goates (pardō me for thus y e holy Ghost termeth & likeneth the proph [...]ne cōfuse multitudes assembled in the false Church) All these together with one accord sympathie & harmonie sing some pleasant ballade, or els vnto DAVIDS melodious Harpe some psalme in [...]ime (I say not rithme now or meetre) wel concinnate to the eare (though neuer a whit to the sens [...], purpose or true vse of the psalme) before the sermon, to stir vp the spirit of their worthy priest or preacher: Who being thus [...]apt or rauished with this harmonie, goes to his geare in forme aboue [...]aid, vvhere his mouth distilles, & his lips drop downe such olde parables, such premeditate & wel studied & chosen sentēces, as shal displease no partie, vnlesse he be of too suspitious a nature; or howsoeuer I warrant you he hath his learned priuiledged author, and that at his fingers endes for his discharge. Thus haue you briefly seene the vsual order of your publike prophecie. If you compare yt now to the rules and orders set downe by the Apostle for that blessed exercise vnto al churches in that 1. Cor. 14. ver. 26. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33: then may you iudg of your selues what is right or amisse, and ease me of further trouble to raue in this filthie doung, and to bring this counterfait stuffe in particular to the triall. Great were the labour and far exceeding my slender capacitie, especially my decaied memorie, but euen summarily to recount all the principall and speciall heades of their falfe doctrines & false practise, from whence flow infinite errors and enormities, euen as the innumerable drops of a fountaine▪ yea but to prosecute and goe forward in this disordered mane [...] to search out and [...]me vp those which yet are wanting. All which I rather leaue to the [Page 181] more diligent & fruitful inuestigatiō of such as God hath endued with a greater i [...]dgment & more cleare sight, confessing my self both wearied & ouercharged with the greatnes of the worke. For whiles I haue indeuored but to giue you as yt were a blush of their coūterfait & antichristian ministerie, and to shew the error of their educatiō, election, ordin [...]tion and administration throughout, of the blasphemous and idolatrous worship they vse, of their sacrilegious and adulterate sacramēts, their prostituting & selling them the Gospel themselues, of their profanation of praier, the name and word of God both read and preached, abrogating & excluding part, mankeling, dismembring, distorting, peruerting the rest to th [...]ir idol feasts, sacramēts, marijng, burijng, visiting, churching, charming the fields: how they preach the word by stint, limitation, subiectiō both of themselues & their doctrine to their antichristiā ordinaries, whose apostati [...]al throne they vphold & dawbe therwith, as also gild & adorne the whore the false Church, ioining yt to all the abhomination & sin of the land, hiding, stealing, concealing, obscuring, wrasting, munging, corrupting, leauening, selling the Gospel; as also their abusing, counterfaiting, peruerting the holie exercise of prophecie. Al which when I had but lightly touched & discouered according to my purpose, hoping that so I might haue made an end of this odious and yrksome argument, these things being so manifest & heinous in themselues that I need not stād either to proue or disproue them, or to shew the indignitie, danger & enormities that ensue therof: Euen then lo is the whole word of God, the Law & the Gospel presented vnto me, most wretchedly corrupted, abused, violate, & troden vnder foot by them, by your preachers I say, euen your learnedst best Good men that you so esteeme of: I still speake & would be vnderstood of the generall & publike errors & transgressions of this Church, which if I [...]hould goe about to particulate, I could not hope to liue vntil I had made an end.
And that you may not think I speake by the figure hyperboie, as they vse: I earnestly bes [...]ech any one in whom [...] is any sparke of light, grace, conscience, loue or feare of God, to consider & examine by the word of God, or rather to lament & deplore with me the through corruptiō & vniuersal transgression of al Gods lawes both in the Church & cōmon welth, as the present estate of ech doth shew. The one I hope this present treatise shal somwhat reueale & discouer: the other shal be as manifest, if by this light with a single eye you but pervse y e publike lawes, iudgments, pleas, trials, customes, orders, trades, estates, degrees (still I speake generally of the whole body which hath not from the crowne of the head to the sole of the feet one sownd parte, but all is full of wounds, swellings, vlcers, corruption) so that he that feareth God cannot in this cōmon welth keepe a good cōscience, & liue amōgst them, whether he buy, sel, lend, borrow, hire, worke for hire, giue, take, sue or be s [...]ed▪ The Lawes, Courts, Iudges, Iuries, Aduocates, generally all estate [...] from the highest to the lowest are so throughly corrupt.
[Page 182]Not to speake heere of the particula [...] sinnes, the heigth, qualitie & vniuersalitie of them, which were infinite; let the idolatrous & blasphemous worship, yea the idolatrous & blasphemous oathes, publikly admitted, giuen, required and receiued of all persons in all causes, so contrarie to the law of God in the maner, & all the circumstances shew how soundly the fir [...]t Table of the law is taught in the Church of England: Not to speake of the common and vsual swearing, forswearing, blaspheming, cursing for euerie trif [...]e & cause, yea without anie cause, vsed through the whole land without controlement, rebuke, censure, punishment. Let the generall prophannesse, excesse in gluttonie, in apparel; let the idlenes, wantonnes, vanitie, with the idolatrie aboue spoken of & vsed vpon the Lords day shew, how well the fourth commandement is taught and obserued in the Church of England. Let the common ryot & headstrong disobedien [...]e and contempt of al the children and seruants, euen of al the youth of the land, the due punishment wherof is here neither spoken of, nor executed; let their profane, vaine, idle educatiō shew, how wel the 5 Cōmandement is taught and obserued in the Church of England. Let the continual open iarres, fraies, murther, bloodshed in euerie corner of the land without either censu [...]e or p [...]nishment, yea the vsual pardons that they giue for the same shew, how well the sixth Commandement is taught in the Church of England: Not heere to speake of the cōmon contentions, wrangles, iarres, sutes, wrongs; of the wrath, heartburning, malice, enuie, cursed speaking, reuiling, nicknaming, reproching, blaspheming, that are rife amongst them: Let the general vnclennes, whoredome, adulterie, which neuer abounded more in SODOME (so that almost there is not one amongst them that hath his wife chast or their bed priuate) Let their maner of punishing & purging this sinne shew, how wel they teach and keep this commandement: Not here to speake of their exquisite arts and curiositie in setting out their beautie to the view, their prodigious shapes, whorish atyres, dissolute & immodest behauiours, entising and alluring wordes wherwith they prouoke vnto lust, all which in this Church are made no sinnes but matters of comlines, curtesie, loue &c. And that your grauest & best conscienced preachers think not themselues in this case without blame, let them examine their corrupt consciences, how m [...]ny of their cheif hearers & deuou [...] proselites they know both men & women, that know such crimes ech by other, and yet for filthie lucre or fleshly respects continue together. Let the publike open general thefts, violence, robberies, wrongs, and either their permission, or their corrupt and vnlawfull punishing the [...]ame shew, how the eyght cōmandemēt is tought. Not here to speake of the priuy & more secret, nay truly of the opē falshode, deceit, couē in all trades, offices▪ callings, estates, degrees, persons. What should I [...]tand to prosecute the rest. Let the generall deceit, swearing, forswearing, backbiting, slaundering; the insatiate coueting, lusting &c. shew [...]ow well they teach & obserue the other lawes. And as they deale with [Page 183] the lawes and iudgmentes, so handle they in like maner the [...]rophets, which are the faithful expounders of the lawes: al which to demonstrate in particuler, were an endles & vnacheuable laboure.
And if these general corruptions, errors, transgressiōs be so infinite, what is to be thought of their perticuler personal errors which they in their publicke doctrine and daily ministery sparse abrode, euen as that flood of bitter wate [...]s which the Dragō casteth forth of his mouth and the miserable people of the earth swallow vp, partly through their general blindnes, partly through their seruile subiection, which haue not the power or libertie publikely to controule or censure any error, be yt neuer so blasphemous. Whervpon is come about, that euerie one taketh boldnes to vtter in their pulpyts what him listeth (so he speake not against any thing by publick authoritie established) he may handle the word of God after his owne fancie, and abownd in his owne sense. Whervpō arise such an innumerable heape of errors, so m [...]nie diuerse, variable, inconstant & contrarie opinions amongst them, that (as the ignorant papistes say) yt is impossible to find two of them in one mind and iudgment, yea in any two Churches of the land to heare the same doctrines taught, because in deed they preach either their owne dreames and phantasies, or els their lucubrations out of humane writings, who are almost of as diuers & sundrie opinions as themselues. Yet if any of these authors be with the BB [...]. priuiledg, then are they authentick, irrefragable, called by both sides the faith of the Church of England, and not to be impugned or gainsayed without the censure of most high presumption. Thus hath God in his iust iudgment deuided the tongues & confounded the language of these Babiloni [...]h builders, that they almost agree not in or vpon any thing; one preaching one thing, an other the quite contrarie; one building after this sort, another after that; one calling for this law, this thing, an other for that. Thus is their kingdome deuided, their estate confused, and their house shal shortly be left vnto them desolate.
Many and innumerable excuses, shifts, cauils, they daily knit, wea [...]e and forge to couer their detestable dealings, and hide their waies from the Lord, both by peruerting the scriptures thervnto, and diuerting them by their sophistrie and putting them away, be they neuer so directly against them: with all which their poisoned diuises yt is not my purpose nor yet in my power here to meddle, they being already so infinite, and their forge daily going to frame new. Only this from the mouth of the Lord I warne al men of. They are but Cockatrice egges Isa. [...]. that they disclose & hatch, but spiders webbes that they weaue: their egges are full of deadly poison, he that eateth of them dieth, he that is but sprinkled with them or treadeth vpon them, is as if he were stung with a Viper or Scorpion: their webbes shall not be for cloth, neither shal they couer thēselues with their deeds: their workes are the works of iniquitie, and the worke of violence in their hands &c. The work & the workmen shalbe consumed together. The▪ wall & th [...] dawbers [Page 184] shall both fal and be ouerthrowne in the storme of the Lords wrath: all Ezek. 13. Amos 9. their turning of diuises, though they build as high as heauen & dig as deep as hell, shall not couer them from the eies or defend them from the hand of the Lord; but rather as the Prophet saith in an other place, they shall pull al downe vpon their heads by the same meanes wherby they thought to vphold yt. For (saith he) this iniquitie shalbe vnto them as a breach that falleth, as a swelling in an high wall whose breaking cōmeth sodainly in a moment; the sentence is gone out from the Lord, yt [...]asteneth to be performed: BABILON shal fall & be vtterlie destroied Isa. 47. together with al their substance, people, pleasures: euil cōmeth vpon her, and she shall not know the morning therof: destruction shal fall vpon her sodainly ere she be aware: the multitude of her diuines and inchanters shall neither deliuer her from, nor discouer vnto her these euils; but they shalbe as stubble, and the fire shall burne them together with her.
This is the end of all their cunning & learning; which you see they employ not to publish and proclaime the Lords truth, so much as to suppresse & darken the same; hoping therby to hide their owne counterfait dealing, which the Lord wil haue no longer couered, but reuealeth their wickednes vnto all men, that those which haue any feare or loue of God, or care of their owne saluatiō, might saue their soules frō [...]. [...] 4. their murtherous mouthes, and follow the deceitful miserable guides no further in the crooked mooueable p [...]thes of their inuentions, no [...] stay any longer in the steppes of that flocke, but to come forth from Prou. 5. [...]ong. [...]. 6. 7. amongst them vnto that true shepheard of ISRAEL which so graciously seeketh & calleth them that he may bring them to Zion that Citie of ioy, that mountaine of holines, that heauenlie inclozed paradise where he feedeth & watereth his kiddes with the fruits and water of that [...]ree & that riuer of life; which so far passeth that earthly garden or parke where ADAM was first plac [...]d, as that excelled the wildernes of Kadesh, or as the heauen passeth the earth, or in deed as the true substance the shadow & type. Which grace that you may find & apprehend as yt is the chiefe end of this my present writing, so is yt my continual pra [...]er vnto the Lord; herein resting & being assured of this, that all CHRISTS sheepe will heare his voice, but a false Propher or a stranger they will not heare or follow.
Such are al these your ministers & preachers apparantly proued vnto you to be, by all the markes which God in his word hath set down [...] to know them by. False Prophets they are, in that they perswade vnto 1 [...]rror 2 transgressiō 3 idolatrie 4 apostacie Deut. 13. 2. False Prophets they are, in that they prophecie vnto this sinfull land in this corrupt estate pe [...]ce & prosperitie. l [...]r. 28. 8. False Prophe [...]s they are, in that couer all the [...]inne of the land with the name of the Lord, of the church, Gospel, Sacraments &c. Ier. 7. 4. & 18. 18. Micah. 2. 7. False Prophets they are, in that they dawbe the muddy wall of this corrupt & apostaticall estate, with their vntempered sermo [...]s Ezek. 13. 10. &c. False Prophets they are, in [Page 185] that they prophecie in the name of so many Baalims, Baal Bishop, Baal Patron & those Baalims to whome they stand chaplens. Ier. 23. 13. False Prophets they are, in that they prophecie for hire, & sel their cuning Ezek. 13. 4. 19 Mi [...]h. 2. 11. & 3. 11. Math. 10. 8. False Prophets they are, in that they handle not the word of God sincerely & faithfully, but ioine yt to all the wickednes of the lād &c. Ier. 23. 28. 29. 1 Thes. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Ezek. 34. 18. False Prophets they are in that they blow not y e trumpet, but yeild vnto the enemie & are scilenced at their cōmandement Ezek. 33. 6. Isa. 56. 10. Ier. 1. 17. False Prophets they are, in y • they are mē pleasers, vailers, pillow sowers Ezek. 13. 18. [...]al. 1. 10. False Prophets they are, in y • with their sweet tōgu [...]s they allure, deceaue, nourish and hold all the prophane people in idolatrie and sinne Ier. 23. 17. 31▪ 32. Strangers they are from the cōmon welth of [...], in that they are not gathered to CHRIST their head, but stand members of the fa [...]se Church vnder Antichrist. Ephes. 2. 12. Mat. 12. 30. Strangers they are, in that they execute a strange office, vnheard of in the Church or Testament of CHRIST. Rom. 12. 7. 8. Strangers in that they are not called of God vnto their office, but entred & ascended an other way Ioh. 10. 1. [...] c. Heb. 5. 4. Nu. 16. 5. 40. Stragers they are, in that they ex [...]rcise a counterfait, antichristian, rouing, idolatrous ministrie in the fal [...] Church Deut. 32. 17. 2 Chron. 11. 15. Amos. 5. 26. Iude. Strangers, in that they haue th [...]ir original f [...]ō the apostatical chaire of Antichrist which they still guard & vphould, figh [...]g vnder his flag against CHRIST his Gospel & the faith [...]ull witnesses therof. R [...]u▪ 9. 3. 12. Reu. 13. 13. 14. & 16. 1 [...]. Blind false guides and seducers they are, in that they lead the people in the wa [...]es of darknes and death, promising them liberty, reformation &c. when they themselues stand bonds [...]ruants of corruption. Prouer [...]. 2. 13. &c. Math. 15. 14. Hebr. 6. 1. 2 Pet▪ 2. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7. False builders & dece [...]tfull work men, in that they neither gather vnto nor build vpon the true foundation, CHRIST and his word; but gather vnto & build vpon [...] & his traditions, and so destroy thesoules of al that are built in this their Church. 2 Corint. 1 [...]. 13. [...] Cori [...]t. 3. 9. &c. Ephes. 2. 20. 21. 22. They are powred out in the error of Bala [...]m for wage, in that they sel their diuinitie to Gods enemies Iude. 11. The way of Caine they follow in that they murther the faithfull by daily reproches vitupe [...]ie and slaunders. Iud▪ 11. [...] Ioh. 3. 12.
The truth of the [...]e things you may read & see in the scriptures: the proof of al these you may see in their standing, doctrines, practise, duly compared vnto & truly examined by the rules of Gods word. Now yt r [...]maineth that you be warned & obey the calling of God, & disterminate your selues from amōgst them, least you despise the grace of God against you [...] owne soules, and he giue you vp to their delusions.
Let such as take offen [...]e at my sharpe maner of writing against these their esteemed learned preachers before they condemne my spirit [...] yt, whether these iudgments be the Lords or no. Then let them examine vnpartially whither these men be not vnder the same, in such [...]aner as I haue said. As for me, what am I that I should alter, or what [Page 186] is man that he should control [...] the Lords iudgment [...]s in loosing that which he bindeth, or holding in veneration that which he hath in detestation, or to giue titles vnto any in their sinne: that were to call CHRIST execrable, yea to make my self guiltie of the same sin & iudgment which the Lord now cōmandeth me to denounce against them. Of the affection & intent of my heart, I make the searcher of al hearts Iudg, euen whether I desire not their saluation as mine owne. They that iudg the medecine too sharpe, & me an austere & vnskilful physician, should do well for the first to examine the ingredients by that heauenly herbal, and the whole confection together by the practise of that great physician and his disciples. For the ingredients I haue prefixed vnder euerie branche & leafe, the bough & roote where I gathered them. For the composition & confection, I haue desired to follow our Sauiour CHRIST in his conferences, where he reproued the priests, Scribes & Phariseis of his time whiles he liued heere amongst them in the flesh, desiring you to pervse the 21. 22. 23. chap. of Ma [...]. comparing them to the other Euangelistes and vnto zach. 11. I haue also followed the Prophets & Apostles, who alwaies dealt most sharply with the false Prophets and false Teachers of their times, how great estimation or shew of learning soeuer they caried, and haue le [...]t vnto vs perpetuall doctrines to doe the like, both to watch, discouer & auoide false Prophets which shall arise within the Church; as also to bayte the wolfe from the fould, and not to suffer him to enter, much lesse to teach or exercise anie office there, come he neuer so disguised in sheepes clothing, wrapped in Samuels mantel, or in a rough hayrie garment to deceaue. Yf their examples for their incomparable preeminence be not allowed me to follow, yet their doctrines cannot be so taken from the least of Christs seruants: For a p [...]rticular instance I insi [...]t among many other scriptures vpō Zacar. 13. 2. 3. Verses: where they may see an expresse warrant for this my maner of dealing w t these maner of mē, as also the [...]oueraigne vertue & effect of this sharpe medecine▪ olde corrupt sores must not be cured w t skinning plaisters or sweet ointmēts: If I should obey their ambitious appetite therin, I should destroie both thē & my self: their seared consciences must be wounded, their rough garment and counterfait ministerie which they for gaine & vainglorie so corruptly execute, must be plucked from them, they shewed the heigth of their sinne & the wrath of God due vnto the same for the high prof [...]nation of his holy name & word, & the misleading & murthering so many soules &c. that so they may (if they belong to Gods election & to CHRISTS kingdome) be humbled for their sinnes, and betake them to some more godly trade of liuing, vntill CHRIST thinke them worthy, and call them to the worke of his ministerie. This grace & effect with my whole heart I wish them; beseeching thē in the meane while not to fixe their eies vpon my basenes and ignorance which bring the message, so much as vpon their owne miserable estate & the message that God vouchsafeth euen by me to send them, least they be offended [Page 187] at my basenes & folly (which is euetie way greater then they [...]ā imagine or I vtter) & so in the pride of their owne wisdome and presumption of their owne hearts in disdayning me, they stumble at the words of God, & despise his grace against their owne soules. The basenes of CHRISTS choice hath euer beene no small offence to the learned Pha [...]seis & their proselites, that he should begin his glorious ministery & kingdome in GALILE, and that amongst a sort of the most despised simple artificers, leauing & reiecting the great learned Phariseis, Scribes & Priests, who where the greatest enemies and persecutors of him & his Gospel &c. The scripture also speaketh euidently that in these latter daies, when the viall [...] of Gods iudgments shalbe powred vpon the false Church, that the most part of the men that haue receaued the marke of the Beast and worshipped his image shall not repent of their works, but breake out into noisome & greeuous sores & botches [...]nd shallbe so tormented with hea [...]e, that their tongues shalbe smitten with venemous bli [...]ters, that they shal blaspheme the God of heauen for their paine & sores &c. The truth of this prophecie, and terror of these iudgmentes, I behold (with griefe) executed euen vpō the cheefest & learnedest of your ministerie, striken with such blindnes as they grope their way in the noone light, and reele like drunken men in their pathes: they are hardned with ambition and couetise as they can find no grace, nor place to repentance: yea (that I euen tr [...]mble to thinke of) possessed which such madnes, as they that sometimes to our seeming sought reformation and the kingdome of CHRIST IESVS, are now become of al others the most pernicious en [...]mies therof, daily stud [...]jng for new ca [...]illes and shiftes to hide their wretchednes, and to keep back and misleade the people, yea to weaken and discourage the hearts & handes of such as in the loue, feare, & truth of God haue begi [...]ne to build the Lords Temple; despising, accusing, slandering, reproching them worse then euer the Amonites & Samarita [...]es did the Iewes; yea euen blaspheming the truth of the Lord, when they see they can by no meanes preuaile against yt. For all which their impious deeds & hard sayings, they shal shortly giue accompt to him that is cōming with thowsands of his saints.
THVS HAVING discored vnto you the true estate of the people, ministerie, worship & ministration of the church of England: yt remaineth now that we take a litle view of the [...] gouernmēt & ordinances of this their Church: which though they may partly appeare by that which is already written concerning other pointes, yet if they be brought a litle neerer the light, and compared to these orders & ordinances that our Sauiour CHRIST hath set downe in his last wil & Testament, and incommended to his Church for euer; then shal they most e [...]idétly & easily be discerned of all men; no labor, learning or power can then any longer iustifie, couller, or vphold them.
Great hath beene their craft▪ & manifold their deuises to couer their [Page 188] antichristian practises, and to vphold this their ruinous and tirannous kingdome (I had need expresse my me [...]ning to be of their false ecclesiasticall regiment, the kingdome of the Beast, least they be my interpretors & draw me within dager of treason, so like are they vnto their predecessors the Priests & Phariseis, so apt (as the Prophet saith) to lay a snare for him that rebuketh in the gate, & to cōdemne him as guilty for the word &c.) First they sought to darken the true light, by terming this heauenly gouernment of CHRI [...]T and holy ord [...]rs & ordinances of his Testament The outward discipline vsed in the primitiue Churches, especially in the time of Lent &c. then to keepe the Magistrates & the people vtterlie from all sight & knowledg hereof, both by inhibiting all their priests to preach therof, and not suffring any such places of scripture as make expresse mention therof to be so much as read in their Church, as [...]om. 12. 1 Cor. 15. & 12. 2 Cor. 2. Eph. 4. 2 Thes. 3. 1 Tim. 3 & 5. Ti [...]. [...]. much lesse to be sincerely expounded & made knowen vnto the Church, y t they can at no hand away with scilencing, suspending, emprizoning such of their forsworne priests as meddle with such matters. Yea the wretches perswade the magistrates, that yt would breed an innouation, if not a subuersion of the whole state, hinder the course of the common law, cut off the ciuil, quite extinguish the cannon law, that yt would raise continual schismes, contentions, and vnapeaseable troubles and tumultes; that yt would innouate and alter the regiment of the cōmon welth, and draw yt to an Aristocra [...]ie or Democrati [...] &c.
These things these vncleane deuilish spirits th [...]t are come & speake out of the mouth of the Dragon, blow into the ciuil magistrates [...], and breath into their hear [...]es, who being a great deale more pollitike then religious (the Lord knoweth with what truth & sorrow of hear [...] I speake yt) are not able to discerne this most impious & high blasphemie against God and his CHRIST, from sacred veritie; but because yt is▪ plausible to the flesh, rightly agreeth to the present corrupt estate both of Church & cōmon welth, and in nothing disturbeth the strong man tha [...] holdeth thē al in peace, they readily i [...]brace yt, publish & maintaine their deuilish decrees, giue their power vnto the Beast, wherby he warreth against CHRIST his Gospel & saints. And thus are they drawen by them into the great day of God almightie euen against CHRIST and them that are of his side, whome they daily persecute and murther in [...]heir prisons; and therfore shalbe slayne with that sharpe sword of him that rid [...]th vpō the white horse; they shal in the iust iudgment of God▪ [...]e made a pray euē a quarry & a feast to these vncleane spirits, to these greedie rauenous foules, which (as that scripture saith) shall feed & [...] their rauenous appetites vpō them, yea these vncleane spirits shal draw them together with the Beast and the false Prophet into battel against CHRIST & against his armie of saints.
These blasphemous wretches (not to darkē only bu [...] to reproch the truth yet further) proceed & giue out, that the heauēly order & ordinances which Christ hath apointed in his Testamēt y e gouernmēt of his [Page 189] Church (which they call discipline) are but accidental, & no essential marke of y e established Church, but that yt may be a Church planted without them, yea that the true Church of Christ may take an other order of gouernment, other ordinances then Christ hath apointed in his Testament; that this order of Christs gouernment is neither permanent, perpetual, nor necessarie, but that yt is in a Christian magistrats power to keepe out Christs gouernment, & to erect & establish an other after their willes.
These hellish & blasphemous doctrines doe al the Priests & Preachers of the lād giue out & publish, els could they not either esteeme the Church of Englād in this estate as yt receaueth Antichristes yoke this popish hierarchie in the true Church of Christ, neither would they exercise any ministerie in this Church in this estate, or sue vnto and stay for the Prince and parliamēt to bring themselues vuder Christs sa [...]red gouernment.
But the Pontificals proceed yet further to open their mouthes vnto more accursed blasphemie, which would make a Christian heart to rend his clothes, to heare that Christs blessed order wherin the Apostles▪ planted & establis [...]ed the first churches, is not only not necessary, but intollerable now vnder a christiā Prince, as bringing not only al these publike perturbations & mischiefes vnto the common welth which are aboue recited, & they haue suggested vnto the magistrates; but also innumerable other incōueniēces which would proceed yf the people should haue election of their owne ministerie & Church offic [...]rs; if the affaires of the church should be directed by a councell or companie of Elders; if the doubtes of the churches should be decided by an assembly of other churches (which they cal a Synode & a Councel) if faults should be censured by excommunication &c. Thus is Antichri [...]t exalted & openeth his mouth against God & al his ordinances. Thus are the tongues of the false Prophets fe [...] on fire of hell.
Many other impossibilities are there brought by y e Potificals against y e Reformicts, why this their course which they seeke to bring in by parliament ought not & cannot be admitted in this land. Al which because they neither concerne nor hinder the truth, but rather through the mercie of God stoppe & make head to the new diuised forgeries of these Reformistes, I w [...]llingly passe ouer in s [...]ilence, leauing the deuided kingdome to t [...]ie out the matter amongst themselues.
Yet now before I proceed further, let me in a word or two giue yo [...] warning of the other sort of enemies of Christs kingdome, y • Phariseis of these times, I meane these your great learned Preachers your Good meu that sigh & grone for reformation, but their handes with the fluggard denie to worke. These counterfaites would raise vp a secōd erro [...] euen as a second Beast, by so much more dang [...]rous by how much y [...] hath more shew of the truth. These men instead of this grosse antichristian gouernment which is now manifest & odious vnto all men, would bring in a new adulterate forged gouernmēt in shew, or [...]ther [Page 190] in despite of Christs blessed gouernmēt, which they in y • pride, rashnes, ignorance and sensualitie of their fleshly heartes most miserably innouate, corrupt and peruert, both 1 in the verie thing they seeke, 2 in their maner of seeking yt, 3 in the people ouer whome they would set yt, 4 & in their manner of exercising yt.
The thing yt self they innovate & corrupt, in that they add new deuises of their owne; as their Pasto [...]al [...] their Sacraments, their set cōtinued Synods, their sele [...]t Cl [...]sses of ministers, their setled supreame councel.
Their false manner of seeking yt is manifest, in that they seeke to bring Christ in by the arme of flesh, by suting & supplicating to his vassals and seruantes (if so be they will haue them or can imagine them Christians, that haue not or will not suffer Christ to reigne ouer them by his owne lawes & ordinances) or if they iudg them not Christians, then they seeke, sute vnto, & stay vpō his enemies vntil they wil suffer & allow Christ to re [...]gne ouer his Church according to his owne wil & Testament. This is not; Ki [...]e the sonne least he be angrie, and ye perish in the way: Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand; and if they refuse & speake euil of the way, to shake of the dust of the feet against them: this is not to bring Christ in by the power of his owne word and spirit as yt hath wrought in their heartes t [...]ue r [...]pentance and conversion, by shewing them the error and danger of their waies, and by calling them vnto the right practice of the Gospell. Nay in stead of this, these men wil not only continew suting to such despisers where God calleth them away; but stay the whole land in their idolatrie from receiuing Christ, vntil these men wil permit them: yea they vvil so sweeten the matter and so allay yt to their fleshly appetites, as [...]rist shalbe framed vnto the common welth and not the common welth vnto C [...]rist: they shall still retaine and exercise this their vngodly diuelish power to giue lawes vnto Christ and his Church, and to receaue or permit no more of his lawes then standeth with their good liking, so they wil but receaue this their new diuised plattforme, and put downe the Bishops.
They also make no other choice, n [...]ither seeke further argument [...] of faith & repentance in the people ouer whome they would set this their pretended gouernment. These men still vvould haue the whole land to be the Church, and euerie parrish therin a particular Congregation of the same. These men would haue all redressed by vertue of one parliament one day, and not by vertue of the word preached: which, as yt hath with them no power to effect any thing, so expect they not any fruites therof, but take in all the common welth, euen al the Queenes subiectes into this th [...]ir Church vnder CHRISTS gouernment and protection, for so would they beare them in hand, that such this reformation which they seeke, is.
Their false maner of exercising this their pretended discipline, may [...] app [...]re by the weake and fearfull practise of some of their forward [Page 191] men; who that they might make a faire [...]hew amongst their rude ignorant parishners, in stead of CHRISTS gouernmēt set vp their counterfait Discipline in and ouer all the parish, making the popish Chur [...]hwardens & periured Questmen Elders: And for M r. Parson himself, he takes vnto him the instrumēt of that foolish shepeheard, his pastoral staffe or woodden dagger of suspension, wherwith he keepeth such a floorishing, as the flies cā haue no rest; yea by your leaue, if any poore man in the parish offend him, he may peraduenture goe without his bread & wine for that day.
Their permanent Synods and councels also which they would erect (not heere to speake of ther new duch Class [...] for therin is a secret) should only consist of Priests or Ministers as they terme them; people of the Churches be shut out, and neither be made acquainted with the matters debated there, neither haue free voice in those Synods & Councels, but must receaue & obey without contradiction whatsoeuer those learned Priests shall decree. These Synods & Councels shall haue absolute power ouer all Churches, doctrines & ministers, to erect, ratifie or abrogate, to excommunicate or depose at their pleasures: Their decrees are most holy without controulement, vnlesse yt be by the Prince or the high Court of Parliamēt: Not [...]eere to speake of their solemne orders obserued in these councils and Synodes, as their choice by suffrage amongst themselues of their Archisynagogo [...], or Rector Chorj, their president (as they call him) propownder or moderator of their councell; about which their predecessors haue had no small stir, vntil their holy Father the Pope put an end to the strife by getting the chaire.
This stusfe they would bring in againe vnder colour of reformatiō, [...]hese & many more their leauened corrupt writings of discipline, and their supplications vnto the Parliament, d [...]clare: With what pernicious forgeries, what kind of sacrilegious profanation of Gods holy ordinances, shal more playnly appear [...] whē we haue s [...]t downe the truth of CHRISTS institutiō, which is the only arch-type and true patterne of all true builders & buildings; which who so at any hand transgresseth, either in matter or maner (as they speake) is to be reproued as an euill workeman, and his work to burne, seeme yt to haue neuer so great an [...]iquitie, holines & v [...]ilitie in pretence. The auncient waies of the Lord are the only true waies; whatsoeuer is second or diuers, is new & false. This I say, because both these factions of our pontifical and reforming Priests haue sought rather to the broken pitts & drie cisternes of mens inuentions for their direction and groundworke, then vnto the pur [...] fountaine of Gods word.
The first sort most gro [...]ly drawe al their water from that most [...] drayne and poisoned sinke of the papistical corrup [...]ion, as is to be seene by their whole ministerie, worship, ministration, gouernment &c. because yt in all pointes accordeth [...]o their antichristian prelacie, idola [...]rie, pride &c. and only be [...]t agreeth to the corrupt estate of this realme, vvhich hath so long beene made dronke with the vvhores [Page 192] cuppe, that they can now taste or brooke no other liquor.
T [...]e other sort, they fetch their reformation from the primitiue defectiō, when the ministerie began to vsurpe & grow into vnlawful superioritie and iurisdiction; when they began to decline from the true patterne of CHRISTS Testament, and grew bold to innouate: as to set vp a new & antichristiā ministerie, as their Prouincials, Bishops, Archbishops, Archdeacons, Metropolitanes, Patriarchs, to take the whole regiment of the Church into their hands, to gather councils of Bishops, to make new decrees &c. All which proceedings, as I find them defected from the rules of CHRISTS Testament, so far dare I boldly pronownce them (their proceedings I meane leauing their persons to the Lords iudgment) wicked & vngodly, not looking vnto or respecting the learning or holines of the men, how ancient & how manie soeuer. From these ancient defections haue these learned reforming Priests drawen their platforme of reformation, as best suting to the estimation of their persons, the admiration of their learning and holines, and not greatly opposite to the sinfull estate of the land, especially as they in thei [...] wisdomes would vse the matter; who (I dare vndertake for them good men) would not molest or offend anie of welth or authoritie, liue as they list; neither need they be so afraid of the thunderbolt of ex [...] munication, they wil I warrant you proceed to yt with a leaden heele, especially ag [...]inst such men.
And for the r [...]st which seemes so strange in their eares, as their Pas [...]ors and Elders for their Parson & Questmen, their Synodes in stead of their Commissaries courts, their high councels in stead of the high cōmission; let them neuer be afraid, for by that time they are acqu [...]inted with the new names, they shall not finde the iurisdiction halfe so strange as yt seemes: It wil be troublesome to none but to their Lords the BB. their courts & attendants, and the dombe ministers; in deed their cake is dough if this geare this sweeping new reformation come in.
As for these new officers these Elders, they shall be but of the welthiest honest simple men of the parish, that shal sit for ciphers dombe by their Pastor & meddle with nothing, neither poore soules shal they know more then they say. As for the ordering of all things, y t shalbe in the Pastors hands only, especially in some chiefe men who shall be these presidents & rulers of Synodes & councels, and so the p [...]ople be kept as far from the knowledg & performance of their duties as euer they were: for so long haue the Priests (for so still I call all false and antichristian ministers) vsurped and deteined the sole regiment of the Church in their hands, as yt wilbe a verie hard matter for the people euer to recouer their libertie ag [...]ine.
You see how the one side (the Pontificals I meane) prescribe in their qui [...] possessiō & reiect al claime the people can make, refuting them by M [...]hiauels cōsiderations & [...] his Politikes in stead of the new Tes [...]amēt, alledging I wore not how many pollitike incōuenie [...]ces in way of Barre.
[Page 193]The other sect (or factiō rather) these Reformi [...]s, howsoeuer for fashiō sake they giue the people a litle libertie to sweeten their mouthes, & make thē beleeue that they should choose their owne ministers (for further right in the censuring their ministers, or in the ordering the affaires of their churches they allow not, as hath beene sayd) yet euen in this pretended choice doe they coozen & beguile thē also, leauing them nothing but the smoky windy title of election only; inioyning them to choose some vniuersitie clarke, one of these colledg birds of their owne brood, or els comes a Synode in the necke of them, and [...]dnihilats the election whatsoeue [...] [...]t be.
They haue also a trick to stoppe yt before yt come so far; namely in the ordinatiō, which must (forsooth) needes be done by other Pri [...]sts: for the Church that chooseth him hath no power to ordeyne him: And this makes the mother Church of Geneu [...] and the Duch classes (I dare not say the secrete classes in England) to make ministers for vs in England.
And these ministers when they are come ouer, are receaued and esteemed as Angels in hell, & shine as bright starrs in these smoky Egyptian fornaces, wherin the miserable people of the land are kept in most harde seruitude, daily new taskes layd vpō them by this spiritual [...] Antichrist: so far are these new guides (whome they trust) frō leading them freely with the Lordes banner of the Gospell displaied before them, as you see they would be glad of anie of Pharaohs cōditions, their suite at the best intendement and vttermost course being but to worship God in Egipt, & to haue these tyrannous taske-maisters their Lord Bishops & their attendants takē from them. Most willing they are with al their people to remaine in spiritual bondage to the ciuil magistrate (I would not heere be misvnderstood of that lawful bodily obedience which al Christians owe in al lawful things vnto the ciuil magistrate.
But these vncleane spirites are gone out vnto the Kinges of y e earth to gather them into battell against God & his Christ, to make th [...]m not only to cast Christs bandes from them, but to tie him in their b [...]ndes; keeping awaie vpon their regal authoritie what part of Christs lawes they lyst from the Church, and laying what lawes of their owne they lyst vpō the Church. Alas what a dangerous & fearful abuse of their authoritie is this? they are not made Kinges to reigne ouer Christ or to giu [...] him lawes, but to honour and worship the sonne, to cast downe their Scepters at his feete, not to disturbe or hinder his saintes from the free and sincere practise of his Testament, but to incourage them and goe before them therin, as king Dauid did, dauncing & recoicing Psal. 2. Psal. 10 [...]. 14. 15. before the Arke. Princes are equally bound to the keeping of all Godes lawes as the meanest or any other, & shal for the brea [...]h therof not escape the iudgment of that Lion of the tribe of Iud [...], wh [...] wil Deut. 32. 4 [...]. tread vpon Princes (as the prophet saith) as clay when he treadeth the great winepresse without the citie. This is the portiō of al the Lordes Reuel. 14. [Page 194] enemies, to this banket doe these false Prophets with their perfidie and [...]latterie bring them, that they cannot endure to be reprooued of God himself by his word, to which they can at no hand endure to be made subiect. Therfore they hate & persecute him that rebukerh in Am [...]s, 5. 10 the gate, they abhor him that speaketh vprightly, and rule all thinges after their owne lustes.
And sure, euē this incorrigible pride & wickednes of Princes & magistrates which would by no meanes be brought to the obedience of the Gospel, first draue the Anabaptistes into their deuili h conceits of thē, that no Prince or magistrate could be saued; afterward, th [...]t thei [...] veri [...] office & functiō are vtterlie vnlawful in the kingdome of Christ: which wicked heresies as they haue no ground in y • word of God (the [...]. 13. ciuil magistracie being the blessed ordinance of God for the defence of Christs Gospel & Sainctes, & therfore al humble obediēce therunto 1. Pet. 2. 13. Tit. 3. 1. cōmāded as vnto the Lord himself, & this both by our Sauiour Christ [...] owne exāple, & the continual exhortations & cōmādemēts of his Apostles in al their epistles vnto the churches) so cā these Anab [...]ptistical heresies no way be better refuted & takē out of the hearts of al mē at once, thē by the humble submissiō of Princes & magistrates vnto the Reuel. 21. 24. Throne & Sc [...]pter of Christ, thē by bringing their glorie & honour vnto y e church according to the cōfortable prophecies of the scriptures. Isa. 60. 3. 10. 11. Isa. 65. 25. O what [...] cōfort were this to Christs poore lābes, to [...]ee the Liō so humbled as to eate hay together with thē in the mountaine of the Lord, & not to liue of y e rauine & spoile of y • poore sheepe, so as they dare not come aneere thē for their fiercenes. What a ioy were yt to see Gods ordināces thus vnited, to see Moses & Aaro [...] brethren, & this in the glorious spirituall Temple of God, where Christ shalbe Hhimmanuel, God with vs, rule, guide, feed, & sanctifie vs euery one in their callings. O what a heauenlie communion should this be, what a beautie▪, what a ioy to the whole earth.
But ô how far are we from this cōfort, our magistrates frō this happines, [...]euel. 16. 13 14. whiles they giue their eare to the serpent speaking out of the mouth of the false prophet, that blasphemeth Christ & his ordinances, [...]. [...]7. 17 Heb. 10. 29 2. Thess. 2. Reue. 13. Dan. 7. Re [...]. 14. 12. & accuseth his saints vnto thē; whiles they giue their power vnto the Beast y t trāpleth Christs Testamet vnder their feete, & coūteth y • blood therof as a cōmō thing; y • setteth vp the image of his owne deuises & causeth al mē of al degrees to worship the same: & al such as in feare & faith vnto God refuse so to doe, those in al hostile māner they confiscate, persecute, imprison, inclose, make away, without ani [...] equal hearing of their cause, or once bringing yt to light. This, their blasphemous writings & sermōs, y e publike worship & estate of their church, their prisons generally through London & the land, declare. They haue published in their writings That the orders & ordinances which Christ hath in [...]is Testament left vnto [...]is Church, were but temporarie whiles [...]he Church [...]as vnder heathen tyrants; and that where the Gospel is embraced by a Christian Prince, they are not onli [...] [...] but inconvenient, yea intollerable, as bringing the vtter subuersiō of the land, [Page 195] [...] vp tumul [...], & [...] & withdrawing the people from obedience vnto their magi [...] & a nūber of such like execrable mandible blasphemies. Reade that most blasphemous Pare [...]thesis of T. C. esteemed the Bishop of Winchester, beginning at y e73 page vnto y • 84 of y t his Booke which he writ against the Libeller MARTIN MARPRELATE. The wickednes & falshood of whose deuilish calumniations y • they may euē sodenly appeare, I wil adresse my self to prooue vnto him by the vndoubted euidēce of Gods word y [...]strange Propositiō which he so cōfidently cōdē neth, & in way of reprochful chalēge to al Christs seruātes propoūdeth: namelie, That there ought throughout al [...]ges & estates of y • world in al places, to be one & y • same forme of outward gouernmet in al true churches of Christ vnto the worlds end. Scilicet: tha [...] Apostolike priminue patterne lef [...] vnto [...] in Christs new Testament & none other. And this through the assistance of Gods spirit by direct scriptures, without anie wrasting or peruerting the same. Which being done, by that time (I hope) the innocencie of such as seeke this Christian order and communion in sinceritie, as also the blasphemie of them that depraue the order & accuse the seekers therof, shalbe euident to al men. I am not ignorant in what a sophistical Saducaical manner this horned Bishop hath propounded his questions, quite from the state of the controuersie and drift of his reproches subsequēt. The deceit & error wherof may be more fitly laid open after this difficult proposition (which he and his associates with such tyrannie impugne) is prooued.
God we reade whē he first erected his tabernacle amongst the Isra [...], set downe in the mountaine the perfect patterne of al things euē to the least instrument, hooke, or tape vsed therin; as also the whole Ex [...]. 25▪ 40. composition and vse of euerie thing belonging therunto, with all the ordinances therof. He left nothing to the wil or discretion of Moses Heb. 8. 5. Heb. 3. 1. Chro. 2 [...]. 11. & [...]. whose commendation was, that he was found faithful in al his house as a seruant for a testimonie of thinges to be spoken. The like vve reade of David in the distribution of the orders and functions of the Priests and Leuites: Of Solomon and Zerubabel in the building the material Temple. We see (I say) how perfectlie the Lord set downe y e matter and forme, the number assize, place, order and vse of euerie thing belonging to his Tabernacle and Temple. We see vvhat absolute lawes he set downe for euerie thing there to be done; how i [...]lous he was ouer his sanctuarie, and what seuere iudgm [...]ntes he shewed vpon them that transgressed the least of his ordinances; as the exāples of Nadab, Abihu, Corath, Ely and his sonnes, vzza & sundrie others, the deportation of both the kingdomes with the destruction of the Temple, and at length the vtter desolation therof, shew. And may we suppose that God is lesse carefull, prouident, absolute ielous ouer this his glorious Temple vvhich consisteth of the bodies and soules of his deare [...] Saintes for the structure, instrumētes, forme, order & ordinances of this which abideth for euer, thē he was of that other vvhich consisted but of stone and wood▪ vvhich was to abide but a [Page 196] time & was but a type and shadow of this? If we so thinke, let the new Testament of our Sauiour CHRIST conuince vs; wherin is left vnto vs a most liuelie and expresse patterne for all things, with the fit mould wherin euerie thing ought to be formed & cast, most perfect & direct lawes & ordinances for the number, place, order, vse & direction of al things belonging vnto CHRISTS Church. Can anie imagine vnto themselues that God is lesse louing vnto, delighted in, or ielous ouer this Temple wherof his owne only deere sonne is builder, minister, & head, then he was ouer that base earthen Temple (for so in respect of the incomparable glorie of this I may call yt) wherof MOSES was the builder &c. Can anie imagine the ministrie, orders & ordinances of CHRISTS Church deliuered by the sonne himself, ratified & cōfirmed by the voice of God from heauen, by manie miracles and wonders on earth, of lesse congruence, necessitie or accompt, then those of that Tēple deliuered by Angels? or that God hath giuē now greater power or priuiledg to anie mortal creature, Prince, or minister in this church to neglect, alter, violate or innouate any of Christs lawes, or bring in & set vp anie of their owne in this Church, then he did then to MOSES, DAVID, SOLOMON in that Temple. If these lawes be of greater force, estimation, perpetuitie, both in regard of the dignitie & preeminence of Christ the minister of the things administred, & of the place, I meane the spiritual Temple; yet if the word spoken by Angels was sure, and▪ euerie transgression & disobedience receaued iust recompence of reward; If that word might at no hand either in the building, reformation or administration, euen in the least & vilest things (as the ashes of the Altar which had their apointed place i [...]struments & ministers) be neglected, brokē or innouate by no mortall man of what estate or degree soeuer, vpon what occasion or pollitike respect soeuer, without some warrant from Gods owne mouth that gaue the Law: how shall they escape, or where shal they stand, that not only neglect & violate, but despise, reproch, and innouate the whole established order & ordināces that Christ hath set downe in his Testamēt for this his church? Shal not this be to make God more louing, gracious, prouident, careful, ielous ouer that material Temple, that shadow, thē he is now ouer this his Church the substance, and to prefer the shadow to the substance, that Temple to this Church? Should not this be to prefer the person & Testament of MOSES, to the person & Testamēt of Christ, inasmuch as they make the one to be deliuered and confirmed with a great deale more authoritie, maiestie, power then the other? were yt not to make MOSES more absolute & faithfull in his house, then Christ in his Church, inasmuch as MOSES left a perfect Tabernacle & Testament, and did see & gaue charge that al the ordinances therof should be most precisely kept & obserued? But Christ belike hath left an vnperfect Church and Testament, in as much as he hath not taken full order for the ministerie, gouernment, orders, and ordinances therof: yea though he haue in his Testament set downe orders & lawes for all [Page 197] these things, yet they are not so authentike ▪or irrefragable as those of Moses, Princes & States may according to their pollicies receaue, reiect or innouate these &c. Were not this to prefer the ministerie of Leuy & those outward ordinances and beggerlie rudiments in dignitie, to the sacred ministerie and ordinances of Christ, inasmuch as they are made more holie, congruent, necessarie & inuiolable then Christs? But the holie Ghost throughout the whole epistle to the Hebrewes handeling this verie subiect, conuinceth, instructeth, and exhorteth the Iewes to leaue al superstitious foreconceaued opinions of their Temple, ministerie, & ordināces, & wholy with reuerence to embrace & behaue themselues in the Church, ministerie & ordinances of Christ. Herevnto he perswadeth by the incomparable excellencie, glorie, pr [...]eminence, perpe [...]uitie of Christs person, Church, ministerie, Testament, which can neuer be shakē or remoued, compared vnto the weakenes, basenes, impotencie & vanitie of MOSES person, that Temple, ministerie & Testamēt which were temporarie, caduke, to be abolished and to giue place vnto these which they but prefigured wherevnto they led and serued, this being the beginning & the end of their erection. Manie most graue exhortations and weightie charges doth the holie Ghost there giue vnto vs concerning the reuerence, feare, faithfull, holie, obedient, diligent, orderlie & constant walking & behauiour that we ought to shew in the Church of Christ vnto his word & Testamē [...], drawing Argumentes both from the vnspeakeable glorie, maiestie, excellencie, beawtie, ioy of Christs church, a [...] also from the terror & seuerity of God who is the iudg & beholder of this church against all inordinate walkers & contumatious offendors therin. From euerie word almost of which epistle may an argument be drawen, to proue the inuiolable excellencie & perpetual necessitie of Christs orders and ordinances left in his Testament for the building, direction, & gouernment of his Church.
It will▪ not heere helpe them to say that the ministerie & gouernment of Christ are eternall in respect of the couenant & end, in that they lead to the kingdome of heauen, or in respect of the perpetuitie of the doctrine of the Gospell, or in respect of the inward rule & worke his holy Spirit hath in our heartes, and is not vnderstood of the perpetuitie and necessitie of that outward order of gouernment & administration left and practized by Christs Apostles. These ignorant cauils will not helpe them. For this self same couenant of life euerlasting touching the end had the Iewes and all the faithful that euer were. They were all [...]aued through faith in Christ seene & apprehended by the eie of faith, though not yet exhibited in the flesh vnto them. The difference of the couenant thē was not in the e [...]d to which yt tended, so mu [...]h as in the present Church, ministerie, things administred, orders, ordinances, worship, worshippers &c. the couenāt being made to these outward ritual figures and ceremonies, but vntil the substance should be Ihewed, and Christs heauenlie Church & ministerie erected, to which then the Iewes & al men were called, to which now the couenant is only made.
[Page 198]As for the truth & perpetuitie of the doctrines & of the gospel, they were the same from the beginning that they are now: Christ was before all beginnings that wisdome & word of God; Christ was the fulfilling of al the Prophets who foreshewed of him. But if they meane by doctrine & Gospell that heauenly ministerie, sacramentes, exercises, and cōmunion of the Church which are peculiar vnto the Gospell according to the rules prescribed in Christs Testament, then is the question graunted me; without the due obseruati [...]n of which rules, they can haue no true ministerie, sacraments, exercises, communion, Gospel, as I shall straight way shew.
Now as fo [...] this inward gouernment & sanctificatiō they speake of, where Christ reigneth in their hearts by the power of his Spirit &c. I say that the Spirit of God may not & cānot be seuered from the word of God. They that openly & willingly breake the least of Gods lawes, boast of a false gift when they speake of their inward sanctification. Christ doth not reigne in the heart of anie that wil not submit all their outward actions to be ruled by him also. Christ will haue the whole man both bodie & soule to serue him: he parteth not with Antichrist or Beliall. This is one of the Anabaptistical errors, wherby the reforming prea [...]ers defend their popish ministerie. They say they haue Christ [...] inward calling to the ministerie, in that they haue gifts, learning and fitnes; therfore though they want his outward calling (which they say is not of the substance of the ministerie) yea though they haue a false antichristian outward calling, yet are they to be esteemed as the minister [...] of CHRIST. Might they not as tollerably, yea with lesse offence both to God and man, vsurpe the magistrates chaire without a calling (inasmuch as yt is of no such excellencie or worthines as the heauenlie ministerie of CHRIST) because they haue wisdome and fitnes &c.
But to returne againe to our purpose. This inward gouernment & sanctification of the Spirit had the faithful Iewes before Christ came in our flesh, and before they were called to the Church and ministerie of Christ: Therfore either these are no answeres, or els the whole scope of that epistle to the Hebrues is vaine [...], for all these things the Iewes enioyed before: they had the same couenant of saluation, the same perpetuall true doctrines & Gospel, the same inward gouernmēt & sanc [...]ification of the Spirit that we haue: Only because they wanted the heauenly practise & ministerie of the Gospel, the heauenly orders, exercises, and cōmunion of the Church of Christ, they were called from those ritual types & figuratiue shadowes wherby in their infancie and [...]onage they were trained & shut vp, vnto the open sight and cleare beholding of the glorie of the Lord with open face, all vailes being takē away, and vnto the free & orderlie practise of the same Gospel according C [...]l. 3. & 4 [...]. 2 Cor. [...]. to Christs new Testamēt, al trumperie traditions being abolished.
With what extreame desire haue all the Prophets longed after, and great delight written of the excellent beawtie, heauenlie gouernmēt, [Page 199] inuiolable order of this Church? How often hath Dauid in his Psalmes remembred the same? with what admiration hath he expressed the absolute perfect structure of that compact citie? as Salomon also liuelie described the beawtie, pretiousnes & iuncture of al her parts. How plentifully haue the Prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, zachariah and others euen with an open eye described the whole forme of the building of this Church? as also all of them giuē euident testimonies of the perpetuitie of the gouernment & ordinances therof. How oft doth Dauid exhorte the Saint [...] to celebrate y • excellencie & perpetuitie of Christs gouernmēt & throne? by how many testimonies doth he extoll & proue the same, as is euerie where found in the psalmes; sundrie wherof, the author to the Hebrewes, as also the other Apostles in their sermons & writings haue vsed, both to proue the excellencie, necessitie & eternitie of, and to draw mē vnto this heauenly gouernment of CHRIST in his Church.
The prophet Isai [...]h in the 33 of his prophecie v [...]rs. 20. &c. willeth the [...]ewes in al their calamities to behold Sio [...] that citie of their assemblies▪ to cause their eies looke vpon Ierusalem that quiet fould, that tent that shall neuer be disseuered, of whose pins or stakes not one may be taken away, neither shall anie of the coards therof be broken; but there the mightie IEHOVAH shalbe vnto vs in place of floods & of broade riuers wherin shal passe no naui [...] with oares, neither shall anie great ship pass [...] through yt, for IEHOVAH is our reuenger, IEHOVAH is our Lawgiuer, IEHOVAH is our King, he shall saue vs. What can be said more plainly [...]or the inuiolable perpetuitie both of the order & forme of building, and also for the gouernment, administratiō & ordinances of CHRISTS Church? Of al which as God himself is the author, so you see he voweth to be the defendor and reuenger against all the power of tyrants o [...] anie mortal man whosoeuer.
Likewise the prophe [...] Da [...]iel in his 7 chapter after he had beene shewed the calamitie, tyrannie & oppression done vnto the Saintes by the 4 beasts, but especially by that presumptuous horne that liuelie figure & foretreader of Antichrist, whose mouth spake presumptuous words against the most high, and consumed the [...]aints of the most high, that thought he might chāge the times & the law into whose handes they were for a season deliuered &c. After these visions Da [...]iel was shewed how this presumptuous horne was consumed & destroied with y • fiery streame that proceeded from the ancient of daies, and how this vnlawfull dominion was taken from the other beasts and giuen to him that came f [...]om heauē, and hauing finished the ful redemption of his [...]aints, & being ascended vp againe and set at the right hand of his Father, there was giuen vnto him dominion and glorie and a kingdome▪ that all people nations and tongues should serue him; whose dominion is a perpetual dominion that passeth not away, & his kingdome is [...]euer corrupted Ver. 14. Also Ver▪ 27. What cā be more di [...]ect for the perpetuity of the gouernmēt & ordinances that Christ hath left & apointed in his new Testament for his ch [...]rch? which whosoeuer presumeth to▪ [Page 200] again [...] or violate, much more to innouate or change, shall he not be vnder the same sinne damnatiō & curse with this presumptuous blasphemous horne.
The Prophet zachariah also in the eleuenth of his prophecie sheweth, that all CHRISTS [...]heep are gouerned and kept vnder our cheif shepeheards pastorall staues Beawtie & Bands. All other are out of his protection, deliuered vp in his wrath to be guided by the instruments of foolish & idol shepheards, whose right arme shalbe without strength and whithered vp, their right eie shalbe vtterlie darkened, there shall be no light in them. Both these shepheards & their flockes, euen all such as are misled by & with them are giuen vp of the Lord to vtter destructiō because they cast the Lords coards from them & would not be bound in his bands, their soule abhorred the Lord they would not haue him to reigne ouer them, therfore his soule abhorred them he gaue them vp to their owne lusts & insnared them in their owne pollicies. For all the wisdome of all flesh without the Lord is madnes, their most exquisite plattes of gouernment which they can deuise vnto themselues, are but the instruments of foolish sheepheards to their owne perdition & of as manie as are gouerned by them.
These things are so manifest in that Chapter, the true shepheard, gouernment, & sheepe, as also the false shephearde, gouernmet, & sheepe with the diuers endes of both being there described, the one in y e person of our Sauiour & his disciples, the other in the Priests, rulers, phariseis & people of the Iewes, with their verie maner of reiecting & betrai [...]ng him so liuelie set downe; as none can cauill at the [...]e things or mistake them [...]o grosly againe, as one of these foolish shepheardes D. SOME hath done, taking his chapter to be vnderstood of the estate of the Iewes in zecheri [...]hs time, the 1 [...]. & 13. verse of [...] person & wages. Who if he had but compared this chapter in yt self, much more to the discourse of the Prophet precedent & subsequent, but especially to the euident euent & perimplishing in & by our Sauiour Christ Math. 21. 23. 24 26. Chapters, he would neuer haue iustified tithes by the 12 & 13 verses of of this eleuenth Chapter of zechariah. If any doubt of the interpretatiō of these two staues [...] & Bands, let him consider the allegorie how shepheards vse their staues & hookes; or rather let him waigh the 7 ver. where he shall find that Christ with these staues fed, gouerned, and defended those sheepe his Father gaue him, as also verse 14 the interpretation & end of the staffe B [...]ndes, how there can be no true cōmunion where they are not knit together in the faith, order, gouernment and loue of Christ. But if he compare this prophecie to the euent & fulfilling therof by our Sauiour Christ & his Apostles that called al men from the shadowes & figures of the Temple vnto the kingdome & Church of Christ; he shall manifestlie see, that this sense in all things accordeth, and no other can be made to agree to the words and Argument of this Prophet in this Chapter.
Note [...] might plentifullie be drawen & manie waightie Arguments [Page 201] framed from these allegories, as also frō the e [...]ymologie of these words to shew the excellencie, amenitie, pleasantnes, comlines, congruence, vtilitie, necessity, perpetuity of CHRISTS pastorall gouernment of his Church; and how disorderly and vnnaturall a thing yt were for the sheepe to disobey, especially to controule and teach their shepheard. But I hope the iudgments denounced in that chapter for such faultes, and the plaine demonstration of the danger, error, folly, horror of all other gouernments and instruments▪ whatsoeuer, may suffice to satisfie the godly in this point, and to restraine them from such presumption and rebellion, either to reiect or to innouate or alter CHRISTS holy gouernment, order and ordinances. As for the vnperswaded and disobedient, I leaue them to their accompt when they shall see him whome they haue perced through come with clowdes: and in the meane while will addresse my self to prooue by sundry expresse places of the new Testament, y • the ordinances the Apostles left for the building, administration & gouernment of the Church, are the cōmandements of God, perpetual, inuiolable, to be obserued, and not to be willingly neglected or changed vnto the worlds end.
Our Sauiour CHRIST hauing fini [...]hed whatsoeuer was needful here vpon earth to be [...]one in his person either for the worke of our redemption, or for the remouing & abolishing all the legal shadow [...]s & ceremonial worship, or for the ratifijng his Gospel▪ the gathering, plā ting & establishing his Church▪ hauing chosen, apointed, and perfectly instructed his Apostles of all things belonging thervnto: In the 28 chap. according vnto Mathew Vers. 1 [...]. 19. 20. he vsed this speach vnto them And [...]esus comming spake vnto them saying, all authority in heauen & in earth is giuen vnto me; Go therfore teach ye all the nations, baptising them into the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And loe I am with you all daies vntill the consummation of the world Amen. Omitting the sundry necessary circumstances and manifold profitable doctrines that might from this scripture be obserued and drawen to hold me to the present purpose, we heere may see not only the Apostles personal power and authority, but the warrant and dignity of all things they taught or did in this brief of their commission and ministery, which we heere see to be deriued from & founded vpon our Sauiour CHRISTS sacred person and soueraigne power. We heere see whome they were to teach, whome to baptise, how to baptise, how and what to [...]each the baptised, and how to leaue such as they had thus taught, gathered, and instructed. In summe, we here [...]ee the very maner and order of winning, receauing, gathering, ordering, instructing, building vp and establishing the Church of CHRIST. We heere see all the orders and ordinances which the Apostles practised in, and left vnto the Churches by our Sauiou [...] owne mo [...]th pronounced to be his Commandements, and those per [...]etuall, such as he will haue to continue and be obserued of all his [Page 202] seruantes vnto the worlds end. We see them no [...] onlie commāded vnto his Apostles that they should practise and teach them in their time, or in time of per [...]ecution; but he chargeth his Apostles to teach all churches all Christians to keepe and obserue them at all times vntill the consummation and end of the world; giuing vnto al his seruantes and churches the same power to practise and obserue all these his comandementes, that he gaue vnto his Apostles: plighting vpon such their faith and obedience his presence & protection vnto them, in these wordes And loe I am with you all daies vntill the consummation of the world; sealing the truth both of these his commandemetes and ordinances and also of this his couenant and protection vnto all ages with this his authentike seale, with this word of all truth, Amen. So that me thinkes all the blasphemous reproches and cauils of al sortes of enemies vnto the sacred inviolable gouernment and order of our Sauiour CHRIST deliuered and practised by his Apostles in his churches, are vtterlie by this one place of scripture (if so be there were no more to the same effect) taken out of the way: both they that denie the continance or necessitie heerof in all ages and places, & they that would make these Apostolike ordinances but matters of forme, not matters of faith or of substance (as they speake) they being heere confirmed & commanded by that Lord of all truth of all power in heauē and in earth.
Peraduenture that old Saducee that [...]hus sophisticallie hath propounded these questiōs in that 74 leafe of his answere vnto MARTIN, will stūble (as he ordinarilie doth at the word of God) at these wordes [al things whatsoeuer I haue cōmanded you] collecting, that because the Apostles had not as yet receiued the exp [...]esse rules & commandments for al the things they afterward taught & practised, that therfore this commandement cannot be vnderstood or applied to such things as they afterward taught, and so nothing or litle serueth to the outward forme of gouernment & order of the Church.
Although yt were not hard from this verie place necessarilie to cō firme the intendement & commandement of all the ordinances and rules which the Apostles after taught & prescribed vnto the churches euen by that which is heere expressed concerning the ministerie, baptisme &c. which heere are commanded al churches to be obserued in that manner as the Apostles taught them? which ministers, sacramēts & ministerie could not in and by these churches be had or practised without the obseruation of these rules & ordinances, as the election, probation of such ministers by the flockes where they are to administer &c. which were not al that time set downe by the holy Ghost or practised by the Apostles as yet. Although I could also shew that our Sauiour Christ had alreadie instructed his Apostles that he had chosen and set a part to that worke, of all things belonging to his kingdome Act. 1. 2. and had giuen thē his holie spirit in abundāt measure to this their ministerie which should teach them al things & b [...]ing al things [Page 203] to their remembrance ( Ioh. 20. 22.) which he had tould thē; Yet mine Ioh. 20. 22▪ awnswere heere is y t if our sauiour Christ in these wordes ( Al whatsoeuer [...] haue commanded you) had respect onlie vnto such precepts as he had then at that time giuē thē, & not vnto al other things which he should afterward reueale vnto thē by his holy spirit also; yt were both cōtrarie to their commission & charge they deliuered, which (as is saied) vvas that they should win, gather together, build, order, instruct & establish his Church according to the rules & cōmandements of his wil & Testament, which could not at al be done by thē if al these lawes & rules were not alike cōfirmed of, & cōmāded by him: as also if these words Al whatsoeuer [...] haue comanded &c. should so be restrained, yt were to make the other holie lawes & ordināces which he afterward shewed to his Apostles, & they by the same spirit both shewed & recorded vnto the churches of Christ, of lesse valew and authoritie then those former; to make some part of holie scripture more true holy & authentical thē other: yea yt were vtterlie to abrogate & disfrāchize these latter scriptures. Furthermore I suppose yt were a hard matter for anie man to dis [...]sse & set downe what things Christ had at that time taught these Apostles, & what he had as yet cōcealed. So that this cauil can no way put off this most direct and expresse place, let me therfore proceed to others.
The Apostle Paul. 1. Tim. 5. 21. chargeth Timothy before God & the Lord Iesus Christ & the elect Angels, that he k [...]epe these things without preiudice, doing nothing according to inclination &c. Also Chap. 6. ver. 13. he vseth these wordes vnto him [...] cōmand thee before God that [...]uickneth al things & Christ [...]esus that testified before Pontius Pilate that good confession, to keepe the commandement without spot vnrebukeable vnt [...]l the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ, which in due time that blessed & onlie mightie, that King of Kings and Lord of Lords shal shew &c. Likewise 1 Cor. 14. 37. he hath these wordes If anie mā seeme to be a prophet or spiritua [...] let him acknowledg the th [...]ngs I write vnto you because they are the cōmā demētes of God: but if anie man be ignorāt, let him be ignorāt. With what greater authoritie or waight of wordes could the Apostle either confirme or incōmend vnto the Church in all ages these cannons & ordināces which he in these epistles hath set downe for the building, order, gouernment of all churches, of al the officers people & actions of the same to be religiously & inviolably kept as the cōmandemēts of that great dreadfull God, as the lawes of that our Lord and King vntill his appearing in glorie. Who can anie longer doubt (that vvil either rest in the manifest testimonies of the holie Ghost, giue credite to the resolute affirmations, and eare to the vehement charges of the Apostle, or that will duly expend either the general scope of these epistles, or dulie weigh the manifold rules in particular and the manner of deliuering them) that these cannons and ordinances are the absolute lawes and holie commandements of CHRIST for the building and gouernment of his Church, so necessarie, inviolable, perpetuall, [Page 204] as without which or with anie other his Church can neither be built nor kept. Are not all these p [...]rticular rules for the seueral offi [...]es, persons, qualities, for their maner of election, probation, ordination, administration, &c. set downe in way of cōmandement and law with as great authoritie, credite & reuerēce as anie other part of Christs Testament or Gods word? So that the Apostles whole ministerie may with as much right or reason be called into doubt or question, as these cānons & ordinances which the Apostle euerie where cōfirmeth with the same authoriti [...] that he doth all his writings 2 Cor. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 11. [...]. 2. 2 Th [...]s. 2. 15. Colo [...]s. 2. 5. and sundrie other places which were long to recite. Moreouer how carefully and by how many reasons haue the Apostles incommended these orders & statutes vnto the whole Church & vnto the chief workmen & builders therin? what perfect lawes hath he set downe in those his epistles vnto Ti [...]othie and Titus those two excellent workmen his trained & exercised children, whome he therfore calleth his natural & right begotten sonns, and especially commendeth them vnto the Churches, as to the Corinthians epistle 1. Chap. 4. vers. 17. For this caus [...] [...]aue I sent vnto you Timotheus which is my beloued sonne & faithfull in the Lord, who will put you in remembrance of my waies which in CHRIST as I teach euerie where in euery Church: And vnto the Philippians chap. 2. 22. but ye know th [...] proofe of him because as a sonne vnto his father he hath serued with me vnto the Gospel. yet notwithstanding al this their promptnes & experience, we see what carefull charges the Apostles layd vpon them, most precisely & exactly to obserue all these rules in al their actions of y e Church & towards al mē; that they keepe that expresse patterne of wholsome words that they had heard of him in the faith & loue that is in CHRIST IESVS, calling these rules the expresse patterne or engrauē forme or delineation of all things belonging vnto or to be done in the Church, charging them of their fidelity and loue both vnto CHRIST IESVS and vnto those whome they are to build, to keep and alwaies to haue this true patterne and forme before their eies in all things they doe, commending yt for the soundnes & wholsomes therof both to the builder [...] & the builded therby.
For yt being the true patterne, forme, mould for euerie thing, euery part, euerie member, whervnto they ought to be compared, fashioned & cast, neither can the partes haue anie right shape, neither the whole any true forme, if they be not framed and built according to this patterne; and then how should the building either stand or agree vnto yt self? much lesse please the Lord & owner of the house whē he seeth yt thus spoiled and destroied. Therfore yt behooueth both the builders, and euerie one that is built, to consider diligentlie after what maner & order he buildeth, and is built.
For this cause the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 3. hauing shewed how soundlie the Apostles as wi [...]e Maister builders had laied the foundation, exhorteth all that are to succeed & build vpon that foundatiō, to looke well how they build vpō yt; for this foundatiō wil beare nothing but gold, [Page 205] siluer, pretious stones, they may not build in this house their hay, timber, stubble. Euerie mans worke heere shalbe made manifest, the day shall declare yt because yt shalbe reuealed in the fire, which shall trie euery mans worke of what sort yt is: Yf vpon this trial by this light yt be fownd answerable to that heauenly patterne of CHRISTS Testamēt▪ yt then abideth to the praise & comfort of the workman. But wherin any of these builders shal in any part of their worke, whether in matter or maner (as they v [...]e to speake to couller their transgressions) euen in the least thing be fownd to haue swerued frō the true patterne, by this light; if then vpō such discouery made vnto them they suffer not these their workes to burne, acknowledging, forsaking, and repenting their such errors and transgressions, and withdrawing others from the like, they shal not only destroie themselues by this their presumptuous sin, but al such as after this discouery & reproof made, remaine with them and ioine vnto them in this their presumptuous sinne. For (saith the Apostle) these m [...] corrupt or destroie the Tēple of God which is holy, which Temple ye are, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: If any mā corrupt or destroie the Temple of God, him shal God destroie &c.
Wee see with what waightie, graue & plentiful reasons, exhortatiōs & proues the Apostle affirmeth and confirmeth these things by euerie verse of that chapter, yea almost by euery word of the verse (which carry a seuerall consideration and especiall force in themselues) but especially from the 8 verse vnto the end. He there setteth downe the persons of the Apostles as a perpetuall example vnto all builders vnto the worlds end: The practise of the Apostles as the true only foundation, th [...] e [...]resse patterne for al buildings, yea for euerie thing in euery true building vnto the worlds end. Which foundation & patterne he deriueth not from & confirmeth not by the authority of man, but by the authority of CHRIST, shewing that yt is not in mans power either to la [...] any other foundation, or alter this that is laid; calling yt but one & the same in all places, euen as CHRIST is one & the same, and calling euerie part of the word they deliuered fundamental as part of the verie foundation of this building, and maketh not (with the learned Pharisies and schoole Diuines of our age) some part of CHRISTS Testament fundamental & substantiall, other parts therof accidental, formal, not necessary, not of substance or es [...]ence, who thus with the deep learning of Satan abrogate what part of CHRISTS Testamēt they please, build their owne stubble diuises, destroie the worke of God together with their owne soules & y • soules of as many as are built or led by thē. And therfore the Apostles h [...]ere calleth al builders & buildings to this one only foundation of CHRISTS word & Testamēt, charging them to make yt of all their actions whatsoeuer the only rule & foundation; and not as these false builders of the Church of England doe, who reiecting the true patterne of CHRISTS Testamēt in al things they do or goe about, yet vainly boast that they hould the foundation, preach & practise the Gospell of Christ sincerly &c. although (as is said) they reiect what [Page 206] part of Christs Te [...]tament they list as not fundamental, substantial, [...], abrogate the whole patterne of the Apostles practise, & mowld & lay vnto themselues a new patterne a new foundation, making not only new rules, lawes, orders for the gouernment & whole administration of the Church, but a new ministerie, new officers, new actions which are not read or heard of in the Testament of Christ; yt neuer as [...]et being agreed amongst them what part of Christs Testament they allow & hold for the foundation & for the Gospel. But in deed to say as yt is, the foundatiō & gospel of their Church is not yet layed to either side; for though they all at this present generally embrace the Popes canons & decrees o [...] the high commission as the foundation, certaine allowed writinges and priuiledged bookes for the Gospell of their Church; yet keep the Prelates in their hand to coyne & forge new lawes new doctrines, what & when they please, as also the Reformists they sue to Prince & parliamēt y t they might be allowed to make & bring in yet other new lawes & doctrines as far frō the true patterne as these, as (whē they are compared thervnto) will app [...]are. But the Apostle heere as he teacheth but one foundatiō, so teacheth he yt the groundworke both of the whole church & of euery part therof & actiō therin, calling al builders herevnto, charging them to take yt for the foundation of all their doings, without which whatsoeuer they doe or enterprize seeme yt neuer so necessarie or expedient in their eies, yet is yt but as an house without a foundation, which not being laid vpō the rock but vpon the sandes of mens wisdome, wante [...]h a groundworke, & therfore cannot stand.
He willeth them therfore to be sure of this foundation before they build, yea and to loke care [...]ully how they build vpon yt, because their worke shalbe manifested, declared, tryed, reuealed in the day in the fire. This day shal manifest and declare all their whole building both within & without, the whole forme and order therof: Al things when they are reproued of this light are manifest, for yt is the light that maketh all things manifest. This fire not only trieth & reuealeth al counterfait stuffe, but burneth and consumeth the same: their wood, hay, stubble cannot be vnreuealed in this day, or vnconsumed in this fire. To which wood, hay, stubble, he likeneth al the deuises & pollecies of mans wit, how prudent or pregnant soeuer th [...]y seeme: and therfore vpon the diuers ends of such buildings and builders, he exhorteth by the reward and eternitie of the one vnto the faithful and carefull keeping the true patterne; by the terror & losse of the other he dehorteth from all negligent, but especially al wilfull and presumptuous transgression of the same, shewing Gods vnpartiall examination and iudgment of euery mans worke: which by how much yt is so deare vnto the Lord, so pretious in his sight; by so much yt behoueth all men to be the more carefull therof, whose transgressions therin shall be the more hainous.
This worke he calleth the Temple of God, which Temple we haue aboue shewed in the type to be built in euerie thing according to the [Page 207] patterne shewed in the mount. How much more then ought yt in the true substance to be built in euery thing according to the heauenly perfect patterne of Christs Testament, wherin we haue the whole mind and will of CHRIST as the Apostle saith in the last words of the second chapter of this epistle? Now the Apostle heere saith this Temple of the Lord is holy; but euen in the figure might no strange or poll [...]ed thing enter, yt was an abhomination vnto the Lord, how much more in this excellent spiritual house ought no fleshly deuises of our owne (which are wholy corrupt & altogether defiled) to be brought; but the wisest deuises of men being set in the place of the wisdome of God or brought into his Temple, are not only foolish, idle, vaine, but abhomination to the Lord, such as corrupt, destroie and deface the Temple of God, because the deuises of man cannot be ioined with the thoughts of God: God needeth not the aduise or councell of man. The wisdome of man is alwaies to rest in the wisdome of God; wherin he proceedeth further, yt is turned to folly and rebellion, & made a snare vnto themselues. Now then (seing the Church of Christ is the Temple of God, and the Temple of God is holy, and is corrupted & destroied whē man presumeth therin to be wise aboue that he ought, or hath warrant to be wise) the Apostle from all these places and euery word therof vseth reasons & exhortations to exhort all men that enter into this Temple to obserue their feet [...], that they be more neere to heare thē to offer the sacrifice of fooles: for the Lord is more delighted with obedience then sacrifice; he will be sanctified in all that come neere vnto him, & wilbe serued in this [...]is Temple with reuerence and feare, for euen the Lord our God is a consuming fire.
But our learned Priests treading in the steppes of their predecessors the false Prophets, are so far from being moued with reuerence and feare because of the Lords holy Temple, that they from hence draw arguments to iustifie their transgressions, and embolden themselues therin by the titles of the Church and Temple of God. Say they the Churches of Corinth, Gallati [...], Asia had sundrie faultes, yet are they pronounced by the Apostle the Churches of CHRIST: therfore much more they that teach not circumcision, denie not the resurrection &c. Though these arguments be largelie answered in an other place, yet heere would be obserued (besides the po [...]son that they gather from these examples to tollerate and commit sin therby) how litle they vnderstand the estate of these Churches, chardging the whole Church with the errors of some few, whome the Apostles the [...]e cōfuted. But if some of these were the errors of the whole Church (as we doubt not but the Church may, doth, and shal whiles yt is in this life erre) y [...]t if yt shall persist in error after yt shall be by the word of God conuinced and reproued, then we may say with the Apostles heere; that such corrupt and destroie the Temple of God, euen so manie soules as are by them and together with them thus misled, wherof this building consisteth.
[Page 208]Therfore the Apostle heere (as in sundrie other places) admonisheth the whole Church & euery member therof carefully to looke to their builders & guides, that they lead them in the right waies of the Lord, and build them according to the true patterne of CHRISTS Testamēt, to follow them no further then they follow CHRIST & haue his word for their warrant: from which when they swe [...]ue or transgresse, and being admonished will not returne, then is the whole Church to excommunicate such a Pastor, leader, builder whosoeuer, and to sepe [...]ate him or as many as cleaue vnto him or follow him in this estate. The argument the Apostle vseth is of no lesse waight then the saluation of their owne soules, which otherwise shóuld be destroied & corrupted by them. He willeth them neither to be led away with y e shew of wisdome, vtilitie, pollicy, holines, nor any pretences wherwith they shall couer their error, neither with the estimatiō of their persons, authority, wisdome, learning, vertue &c. For if they teach otherwise & come not to the wholsome wordes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, and to the doctrine which is according to godlines, they are puft vp knowing nothing. As for their person & office, they are not to rule ouer, so much as to build vp our faith, for by faith we stād: they are not Lords ouer the heritage, but seruants of the Church; for Paul, and Apollo, and Cephas are ours, and we Christs, and Christ Gods.
But see, whiles I thought but to haue touched the generall argumēt of this Chapter, to proue that the Church of Chri [...] ought to be built in all things according to the wil of Chrift as he hath set downe in his Testamēt (othérwise yt cā neither be said his howse, nor y e builders therof or builded therin his faithfull seruantes) See how before I wist or would, I am drawne into particulars as into a whirlepoole & bottomles gulph of knowledg, whiles I thought but to haue drawne but a litle water at the brinke in the shallow vessel of my vnderstanding and crazed memory: which though they be no way able to breake vp these vnmeasured depthes▪ or orderly to deliuer but that litle God giueth me to see in them; yet I doubt not but many infallible Arguments may from this Chapter be drawen without any violence or wresting to proue the necessity & perpetuity of that forme & order of building & gouerning Christs Church, which he by his Apostles hath set downe in his Testament. Now let me proceed to confirme this Proposition by other reasons drawen from other places of scripture.
As yt hath beene shewed that there can be no true building without that only true foundation & expresse patterne of the Apostles practice in Christs Testament, that all other foundations, formes, buildings, builders are deceitful & false, and wil not abide the fiery trial or stand in Gods sight; so if we consider the manner how the holy Ghost instructeth vs in other places vz. 1 Cor. 12. Ep [...]es. Rom. 12. vve shall there see the cōgruence, necessity, perpetuity of the order & gouernmēt which Christ hath in his Testamēt prescribed. We there reade this his Church compared to an [...]umane body, which consisting of diue [...]s members, [Page 209] must of n [...]cessitie haue them duly placed and knit together in their [...]ight order & srame: We reade there that as God createth, fashioneth, placeth and knitteth together the memb [...]rs of this our earthly b [...]die without taking coūcel of one or another; so in like wisdome & power he createth, prepareth, ordereth, disposeth, cōmingleth, cōtempereth al the members of this his heauenlie bodie according to the rules of his T [...]stament by the manifestation of the spirit in euerie one. But now [...]uen common sense teacheth how far the wisest man vpon earth is from being able to make vnto mans bodie the least m [...]mber therof euen but one haire white or blacke, much lesse to knit the members together by iointes & sinewes in their due place & function: How thē can dust and a [...]hes imagine to make vnto the spirituall bodie of Chri [...] new strāge members & knit them as strāgely together by new iointes and synewes. We reade in the [...]e chapters, that the ministers & officers appointed by our Sauiour Chri [...]t in his Testamēt, are the principal mē bers of this publike bodie of the Church; his ordināces & lawes there set downe, the iointes and sinewes wherby the members are fitly knit vnto the whole bodie, euen as the curtaines of the tabernacle by their strings and hookes.
But now as no mortal man can make, fashion, dispose or knit together these humane members of a naturall bodie, so much lesse can he make anie other members serue in the places of the true natural mē bers, or by anie meanes place, fastē, and knit these as by ioints and sinewes vnto and in a mans bodie. What vse should a man haue of an eie of glasse, a nose of waxe, an hand of brasse, a foot of wood? what congruence, coherence, proportion, sympathie, feeling, compassion should these haue with the other members? what learning or art can knit these by iointes, sinewes, vaines artures? or draw one & the same [...]kin ouer them as a couering, or fasten yt vnto them as vnto or together with the true and natural members? Yf mans wisdome cannot [...] this in a frai [...]e humane bodie of earth and clay, what possibilitie thē is there to bring this to passe in the spiritual bodie of Christ? what communion what commixture can there be betwixt heauen & earth, betwixt light and darknes, betwixt spirituall & carnal things? how thē is yt possible to knit or make agree the earthly darke carnal diuised members and lawes of man, to the heauenlie lightsome spiritual bodie of Christ? Yea albeit this could be supposed to be brought to passe (then which nothing cā be more fonde thē to imagine, more wicked then to attempt) vvhat kind of strange and monstrous bodie should [...]hey now make vnto Christ, by knytting vnto him strange members, such as belong not to his bodie? Yf an humane bodie should haue growing vnto yt anie other then the true members that belonge vnto a man, were not [...]uch a creature to be held a monster and not a man. As for example; if yt had manie heades in steade of one, if yt Reuel. 1 [...] ▪ should haue feete like a Beare, a mouth as a Lion, the rest like a Leopard &c. who (that had anie sight or sense) could take & esteeme this [Page 210] for the natural bodie of a man? muchlesse for the comely beawtiful amiable bodie of Christ or of his Bride: were not this to be liker vnto the bodie of Antichrist that Beast, of that whore that monster? what then i [...] the presumption, reb ellion & furi [...] of those Prelates that dare enterprise not onlie to cast away the true and naturall members, but in the place of them to plant these adulterate monstrous members, and that (as they would make themselues and others beleeue) in the bodie & Church of Christ. Againe what an astonishment & madnes hath inuaded and possessed these learned reforming Priests, that confesse the want of al Christs true members (I meane such officers as he hath ordeined for the building and gouerning his Church) that complaine likewise of the vnlawfulnes and antichristianitie of these members which now grow vpon this bodie and gouerne the same; and yet discerne not themselues to be of these mōstrous antichristian members, euen the ministerie & mouth of that Beast [...], hauing the same orginal, shape and forme with them, being all come out of one smokie forge &c: yea and for all this mistake that beastlie bodie of the harlot their Church that beareth, groweth vnto, and consisteth of these members, for that heauenlie bodie that true spowse & established Church of Christ; as though Christs bodie Christs Church could grow vnto and consist of these false members, or be said built and established without the true members. What strange paradoxes are these, yet are they euen the forwardest positions they can be drawen vnto.
But we are taught in these scriptures, that Christs bodie consisteth not, neither can his Church be built with such strange Antichristian mēbers, or with anie other then those which he hath there prescribed for the gathering the Saints into one, for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ &c. From which Scriptures infinitie reasons (if we would enter into particulets) might be drawen to prooue the necessitie, congruence and perpetuitie of these officers & ordinances there prescribed to the ministerie, gouernment and seruice of his Church. But that vvere to handle the vvhole platforme and o [...]der of Christs Testament, the excellencie and perfection wherof but slightly to describe, as yt far exceedeth my slender capacitie, so not being to this present purpose, I haue onlie indeuored to vse such general reasons as might prooue this generall Propositiō That the gouernment and ordinanc [...]s that Christ in his Testament hath set downe and apointed vnto his Church are necessare, onlie fi [...] and perpetuall, and that the true Church of Christ can or may no more receaue anie other office [...]s, gouernment and ordinances, then the bodie of a man can receaue other members, the members an other order or temperature, then that which God hath assigned. Which I hope by these places is so manifest, as I need stand no longer to inforce the necessitie and onlie fit congruēce therof vnto the bodie & members of the church; by shewing either the comelines, beautie, features of the Chucch when yt is thus furnished of these true members, and the members [Page 211] thus placed, built together, ordered and vsed. The necessitie of these, let common sense and experience in the bas [...] patterne of our owne naturall bodie shew, how ill we could either admit anie other then those members that God hath apointed thervnto, or spare anie of those members [...], or haue them kept from their true vse and peculiar function, or placed in anie other order or place, or knit togethe [...] with anie other iointes, sinewes or vain [...]s then God hath disposed for them. But the heauenlie spirituall beautie, order, congruence and vse of these members thus commixt and contempered, [...]et the 4▪ 6. and 7 chapter of Solomons song declare: From all which together [...] euerie member apart, the vse, administration, and benefite therof; as also from the disorder, infinite inconueniences and mischeises that would ensue of the reiecting of this or receauing any other order, gouernment, administration, might infinite and seuerall arguments be drawen to proue the absolute necessitie of the one, the v [...]ter inhibition & vnfitnes of any other.
But heere now fitly commeth a certaine obi [...]ction of the aforesaid D. R. S. [...]o be answered: Sa [...]th he Yf that outward forme of discipline were of the essence of the Church; then where that forme of discipline either was or is not, there was and is no Church, which is a gross [...] absurditie: My reasons are, Samaria had not that forme of discipline, but yt was a famous Church Actes 8. Antiochi [...] had not that forme of discipline, yet yt was a floorishing Church: The greatest part of reformed Churches in Christendome haue not that forme of discipline, yet they are accompted holie Churches of all but of the Papistes and [...].
What his Doctorhood meaneth by these disguised termes of the discipline & essence of the Church I vnderstand no [...], and therfore wil leaue them where I [...]ind them, eschewing (according to the Apostles rule) such profane inanitie of words and oppositions of science falsly so called, which som [...] pro [...]essing, haue erred about the faith. But if he by these reasons suppose to haue impugned the necessitie and perpetuity of CHRISTS holie gouernment & order wherinto the Apostles built all Churches, and which they left vnto all Churches; I shal then brief [...]ly shew how far he faileth of that purpose, and reasoneth quite to a new and diuers question, and therfore can therby conclude nothing against this: For our qu [...]stion heere is not, whither the Church may not sometime vpon some necessities b [...] without this order or some part therof for a season, but whither the Church may receaue anie other forme of gouernment in stead of this. So that if he had prooued that the Churches of Samaria and Antiochia had receaued anie other forme of gouernment and order then this Apostolick; then had he in deed said somwhat (although a particular instance or two may not take away or draw vs from a generall law and perpetuall rule. But he trifling about the name of a Church, quite forsaking the question, would inser from the [Page 212] ambiguitie of the word, that because a Church vpon some necessitie [...] may for a season be without this [...] ord [...]r and gouernment▪ therfore they may reiect this an [...] take an other according to the pollicies of the time & place. How diuersly the church is read in the scriptures (not heere to stand of the etymologie of the word ecclesia) me thinkes this great diuine should not be ignorant: how som [...]times yt is read for all the Saints in heauen and in earth; sometimes for all the Saints dispersed or gathered heere in the whole world; som [...]times for a companie of faithfull people ioined together in the [...] & cō [...]union of the faith, indeuoring to proceed into the order of CHRIST, and in the same faithfully to walke together: But cōmonly yt is taken for a companie of such faithful thus entered couenant, established & walking in due order according to the rules of Gods word; of which kinde of Church we al this while reason. For their church of England is not now vnestablished as Samaria and Antiochia were at these times he speaketh of, but yt is established into an order ministerie and gouernment, though according to the Popes cannons & not according to the Testament of CHRIST. So that he might as well haue reaso [...]ed from anie of the oth [...]r readings of a Church, and gained as much; scilzt: that becausè all the Saints in heauē are called a Church, yet they haue not Pastors, Teachers &c. therfore the Church of CHRIST may be established w tout these: as also al the dispersed Saints are called a Church yet haue not this order & gouernment; therfore &c. Samaria & Antiochi [...] at their first calling to the faith had not this established order and gouernment, yet were held famous & floorishing Churches; therfore the Church may be established into an other forme of order and gouernment then that of CHRISTS Testament: this if he conclude not, he gaineth nothing; this if he conclude, I denie his Argument. It followeth not because the Church is not alwaies thus established, therfore yt ought not to be thus established.
The Churches of Samaria and Antiochia [...]either can be shewed to haue receiued anie other order or gouernment, or to haue neglected this; but the contrarie apeareth of Sam [...]ria Act. 9. 31. where Luke recordeth, that the churches throughout al [...]udea, Galile & Samaria had peace, being built & proceeding in the feare of the Lord, and were replenished with the comfort of the holy Ghost. What thinketh D. S. now? was not Samaria built & established in this order? vnles he can shew that the Apostles built the Churches in anie other order; and then frō this place may he also conclude, that the Churches in Iudea & Galile were not thus built, this scripture not secretly shewing that [...]oth they were all built alike, & that there was but one order of building amongst the Apostles in these wordes being edified or built. Me thinks this place also sheweth some letts that sometime may hinder the Churches frō this holy order; namely, the tyrannie of wicked magistrates who persecute the Church in such sort as they cannot safelie meete & assemble to make choice of ministers, or to exercise [...]nie ministerie. But wee see the [Page 213] churches here vpō the first meanes neglected not either to attaine vnt [...] or exercise this order (and that without staijng for the Magistrates p [...]sion) and were in so doing replenished with the comfort of the holy Ghost. Neither yet appeareth h [...]ere the certaine time when Sa [...]aria was thus built. It is not vnlike that yt was established into this order, euen Actes. 8. (that he speaketh of) when they receaued the gifts of the holy Ghost at Peter and Iohns being there, who yt is to be iudged likewise, rather helped to bestow those gifts in order to the edifijng of the whole, then left them (hauing fit gifts for these offices) in disorder, which had beene great sinne both in the Apostles & in the Church of Sa [...]aria.
The like also is to be thought of the Church at Antiochia Act. 11. they being called to the faith were a long time instructed by the Apostles Barnabas and Paule▪ God so blessed their labours as that Church grew famous, and many Prophets resorted thither from Ierusalem▪ May we then by D. SOMES bare affirmation without any proofe affirme that this Church being so long & excellently instructed by these famous men, hauing so greatly profited in the faith & knowledg of Christ aboue many other Churches which had this or [...]er, that they yet should thus long be kept from yt more thē any other Church, being more fit then many, yea thē any other Church at that time, saue Ierusalem: This were not only cōtrary to the practise of Paul & Barnabas in al other churches, but contrarie to the rules of Christs Testament. But if we would stand vpon the point, yt were not hard to proue that Antiochia was then established into order: we see they there administred vnto the necessities of other Churches, and sent Paul and Barnabas vpon this their busines, which they hauing fulfilled returned back againe to Antiochia; from whence by the whole Church they were at the commandemēt of the holy Ghost sent out with imposition of handes. Afterward when they had planted and established manie Churches in Asia into this order, they returned thither againe & there remained a long time vntil they w [...]re againe sent to Ierusalem about the question of Circumcision; which being debated, they with other famous men returned & abode in the Church of Antiochia, preaching & teaching the Gospell with great ioy, comfort, and blessing. Yet in none of these places we find mentioned that after Act. 11. they were established into this order; but we see that there and in all these places they executed the duties, and had the full power of a church established. Therfore except we wil make the practise of the holy Ghost cōtrary vnto yt sel [...], we are not to doubt but this An [...]iochia also was established in this order. Doth not D. SOME then vnsufferably both falsifie and peruert these scriptures, in affirming that these churches had not that established order amongst them, concluding from their example that the Christian order and gouernment of Christs Testament is neither necessarie nor perpetuall.
But to conclude & shut vp the point at once, he bringeth the greatest pa rt of the reformed Churches of▪ Christendome which haue not this [Page 214] christian order & gouernment (which he termeth forme of discipline) yet are accompted holy Churches of al but Papists, and Anab [...]ptists. Doth he not heere very learnedly proue the question by the question: if his church be of God, l [...]t him approue yt by Gods word, otherwise though he should fetch the Popes broade seale also (from whome he borroweth this argument) yt would not serue his turne. With the estate of other Churches I am not acquainted, and therfore will not meddle: but how well this holy church of England is reformed, you parly may perceaue by that which is aboue said; and more euidently may, if you measure yt by the rules of CHRISTS Testament, according vnto which yt hath no one thing in due order or frame: So that why either Papists or Anabaptists should denie yt, I cannot see; yt being an vncleane hould or prison of euerie vncleane bird, of euerie fowle and hatefull Spirit, except yt be as that kingdome diuided in yt self, because yt consisteth of such iarring and disagreeing spirits. Neither can I see how any (that knoweth or wil be instructed what a true established Church of CHRIST is) can anie longer mistake that adulterous Church of England that sitteth vpon all the confuse peopl [...] as vpon manie waters, that is liker vnto Zennacheribs tumultuous campe, then vnto the wel ordered and established Church of CHRIST, which hath nothing cōmon with CHRISTS Church but the ve [...]ie name only. For the true Church of CHRIST, we find vpon her all the markes of that harlot and of that Beast, whose members, image, yoke she carieth, and hath cast off Christ [...] yoke from her necke, despising his word, persecuting and murdering his seruants. Wherfore vntill she bring vs either better Arguments or better fruits, we are so far frō honoring her with the title of a Church, as we are not abashed to rēder vnto her as she hath rendred vnto vs; & to double vnto her double, according to her workes; and in that cup wher [...]n she hath mixed, to mingle to her y e double. So far are we from giuing that authoritie vnto her in this presumptuous sin, as to draw an argument from, or be induced to thinke by her example, that because she casteth off CHRISTS yoke & beareth Antichrists, therfore the holy order & ordinances of CHRIST for the building, ministery, & gouernment of his Church is not perpetuall, necessarie, or alwaies expedient.
I grant that the true Church of Christ may sometimes vpon some necessities be without this holy order for a season, as in the first gathering of the Saints, especially now when we are not to expect anie such miraculous or extraordinarie giuing of Gods Spirit as was in the primitiue times, whē we cannot sodenly either be made fit for these high offices, or haue such perfect knowledg and probation ech of others giftes and co [...]uersation as is required thervnto. Also in time of persecution when the Church cannot peaceably meet either to chuse or exercise anie ministerie, or that their chief and principall members be held from them in prisons, or at such time as the chief Elders are taken away either by death or otherwise fall away. In these and such like times the Church may for a season vpon necessitie so inforcing [Page 215] be without this established order: but this is neither willinglie to neglect yt, nor presumptuously to reiect yt. Heerehence yt followeth not that this holie order is not alwaies necessarie, because yt is not nor cannot be alwaies executed: So they might conclude all Gods lawes not alwayes necessarie, perpetuall, or expedient, because they are not or cannot be alwayes practised by vs. Should our infirmitie, sinne o [...] default take away the stabilitie or truth of Gods ordinances? This would as wel follow of this their reason, as the other: that because the Church of CHRIST may at sometimes be without this established order of CHRIST and yet be held the true Church, therfore that prescribed order of CHRIST is not perpetuall, alwaies necessarie, or conuenient: thus laijng the default vpon CHRISTS sacred ordinances, as though they were notalwaies holy necessarie & conuenient, which in deed is due to vs an [...] our infirmitie and inhabilitie to receaue or exercise such a gratious blessed ministerie, or to walke in this heauenly order.
Nothing is more sure then this, the true Church can be established into no other order, yt can receaue none other officers or lawes then are in CHRISTS Testament prescribed. This hath beene already manifestly proued & yet further might be, by as many places of scriptures as either the true or false Church is spoken of, the true of false ministerie, the true or false ministration; as either CHRISTS kingdome or anie of his offices are spoken of, or Antichrists presumption and forgerie: as yt hath beene proued by the true patterne of the house wherby euery part therof ought to be [...]ramed and put together according to the will of the Lord of the house, otherwise the house will neuer hang together or be to the owners liking or the builders praise. Likewise yt hath by the necessitie, congruence, coherence of the true and natural partes and members of the bodie beene proued, how that no other can be added, without making yt a monstrous bodie; neither the true members be otherwise knit together, placed, disposed, vsed, without the destruction of the whole bodie: and this much more of that spiritual house and bodie of CHRISTS Church; which being so perfect, pretious, comely, excellent, cannot admit to be shaped, fashioned, framed, disposed after the fa [...]sies of earthly men, who the best of them that euer was (alwaies excepting the head of the Church) in his best consideration, was but a member of the Church. Neither was there euer power giuen to anie of them, whether Prince or Prophet whosoeuer or authoritie to alter, neglect, or bring in an [...]e pinne or hooke (euē the least thing) or so much as the place therof in the Tabernacle, Temple, or Church of God.
How often doth the Church in the song of Solomon say My belo [...]ed is mi [...] & I am his; & how often doth she charge all her freinds to stay w tout, & not to stir vp her welbeloued vntil he please? how oftē doth she vow to keepe her self wholy vnto him? how often doth he againe repeate the amiablenes, comlines, beawty, congruence, fea [...]ures, fr [...]itefulnes, plea [...]antnes [Page 216] of all her partes euen from top to toe? how greatly he is delighted in her, and how the Kings of the earth should be tyed in her ra [...]ters &c. Doth not he say that Solomon & earthly Princes may put or let out their vineyeards (not being able themselues to till and dresse them) to be dressed & trimmed to their seruants, reseruing to themselues a rent &c. But his vineyard is alwaies before him, he is able to til, dresse, and keepe yt euery whit himself, he neither letteth yt out to hire, nor suffreth anie to part or possesse the fruite therof with him.
How many Arguments then might be drawen either from the perfection, diuine order &c. of the partes of the Church, from the faith, loue, chastitie▪ obedience vnto CHRIST as to her husband Lord King? Likewise how many from his absolute power, authority, possessiō ouer her wholly by the right of an husband Lord King. How many reasons might be drawē from the absolutnes & wisdome of his lawes, the graciousnes & peace of his heauenly gouernment & order (which cannot be willingly infringed or broken without rebellion; nor changed & altered without presumptuous treason) to proue the perpetuity, necessity, and fit congruēce of those officers & ordinances that he [...] his Testament hath prescribed for the building, ministery, and gouernmēt of his Church and of euery member therof, whither Prince or minister ouer whome CHRIST reigneth by equal right, and euen the [...]ame iurisdiction that he doth ouer the least. There is no exception or acceptation Isa. 60. 12. Ioh. 3. 36. Luk. 19. 27▪ of persons with God: That nation & that kingdome that will not ser [...]e him shall perish, and those nations shalbe vtterly destroied: He that obeieth not the Sonne shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth vpon him: Those that will not haue him to reigne ouer them he iudgeth and destroieth as enemies. CHRIST reigneth by his owne officers, which yt is lawfull at no hand for his true subiects either to disobey, alter▪ or reiect. Subiects and seruants are not to giue, but to take lawes at their King & Lord: God hath made his Sonne Lord and h [...]ire of al things, and hath giuen him a name aboue euery name, that Phil. 2. 1 [...]. &c. at the name of IESVS euery knee should bow both of h [...]auenly things & earthly things and things vnder the earth, and euery tongue should confesse that IESVS CHRIST is the Lord vnto the glorie of God his Father, because all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father that Io [...]. 5. 23. sent him.
O how great then is their wickednes, how pernitious their councell, who (for filthy lucre sake) perswade Princes that they are not only not subiect themselues in person to the lawes & spiritual censures of Christ in his Church; but that they are not bownd to admit that order of gouernment prescribed in his Testament (which they shuffle off with the terme of outward discipline) in their landes? May not, yea doe not Princes by this meanes bouldly breake all Gods lawes, and disanull anie of them at their pleasures? breake that they may follow their owne hearts lusts, fulfilling the inordinate appetites therof, wallowing [Page 217] & glutting themselues in all fleshlie pleasure, vanitie, & exce [...]e, committing what wickednes they wil without admonition, censure or reproofe (I would heere still be vnderstood of the ecclesiastical spiritual censures by the word) May they not yet proceed further and disanul which of Gods lawes they list, either in common welth or Church? In the common welth, when they both abrogate all Gods iudicial lawes & cut them off at one blow, as made & belonging to the cōmō welth of the Iewes onlie (as though God had no regard of the conversation of other Christians his seruantes also) or els had left some other peculiar lawes for the manners of the Gentiles, or had left them in greater libertie to be and to make lawes & customes vnto themselues. Heervpon yt commeth to passe, that so manie wicked vngodlie lawes and customes are decreed; that the whole order & course of iudgment & iustice is constuprate & peruerted, that so manie capital mischeifes as God punished by death, as blaspheming the name of God, open idolatrie, disobedience to parents, are not by law punished at al; incest, adulterie either passed ouer or punished by some lighter trifling chasticement; wilfull murther oftē pardoned; theft (if yt be aboue 13 pēce) punished by death: yea this sin is punished not only in the persō of the theefe (who that wise King saied if he should steale seuen times, may yet liue & satisfie with his body or goodes) but in the persōs of al such as this their vniust law iudgeth anie way accessarie; which extendeth so far, as manie honest mē may for this trifle for buynig or receauing part of these stollen goodes, be also put to death & forfait al the lands & goodes they haue; wherby their wiues, children, & families are punished also & vtterlie vndone. And thus by this their pollicie are manie theeues made for one; not to speake of al this guiltles blood that is vpon the head of the magistrate, Iudg, officers, Iurie, and the whole land by this meanes▪ what should [...] stand to particulate their infinite transgressiōs of Gods lawes euē in their ciuil estate, which is in much worse case then manie heathē nations which neuer knew God or his Christ. Al this ariseth of this immunitie from the order, gouernment, & censure of Christ in his Church, & frō the inordinate authoritie the apostaticall church giueth vnto Princes & magistrates, & they assume vnto themselues: so that the saying of the prophet concerning the proude Kings of Babel is now rightly verified in them. Thow didst say with thy heart, I wll ascend into heauen aboue the star [...] of GOD almightie, I wil exalt my throne & wil sit in the mountaine of the congregation in the sides of the north, I wi [...]l ascend aboue the heigth of the clowdes, I wil make my self equall vnto the most high.
For see, whiles they take power to reiect that holie gouernmēt, order, officers, lawes that Christ our King hath ordeined and apointed to his Church, they stretch their hand also & presume further, to e [...]ect a new gouernmēt, new orders, lawes, officers, ministry, ministratiō &c. And what is this but both to reprooue Christs lawes, and to reiect his yoke from them, & also to take Christs offices, throne & S [...]epter from [Page 218] him, whome the Lord hath set vpō the throne of Dauid to order & stabli [...]h yt with iudgment & iustice, & l [...]id the key of gouernment vpon his shoulder, that what he openeth no man should [...]hut, and wh [...]t he shutteth no man should open.
How g [...]eat thē is their pride & presumptiō y t are so far [...]rō obeijng & seing Chri [...]s lawes executed, as they vtterly abrogate them & t [...]ke th [...]m out of the way, & set vp their owne idol diuis [...]s in the stead of thē? So far are they frō taking lawes at him as their King & Lord, as they giue lawes of him as King & Lord. Is not this to denie, nay to put an end to his ministerie & kingdome? to his ministery, by taking away y t which he established, & bringing in a new into the church; to his kingdome, by abrogating his lawes, offices, ordinances, & by bringing in & establishing their owne: In so much as through y e odious fl [...]tery of these their priests, some of them haue suffered themselues to be called the supreme head of [...] Church in earth, as though Christs Church had one head in earth & an other in heauē, or that Christ were not the head of his Church here in earth also. But the wretched Priests would excuse this i [...]audible blasphemie with this interpretatiō (which yet they expresse not) 1. vnder Christ, as though Christs Church might haue two heades, an vpper & an vnder head one aboue an other: were not this to make her a monster like their Church, which hath m [...]nie heads, & vpō them writtē names of blasphemy, as supreme head of the Church primate Bishop, metropolitane Bishop, Lord Archbishops grace, Lord Bish. & Archdeacon &c. Al which heads, but especially that their supreme head of the church, may (they say) make lawes for the church, And al this execrable blasphemy they hide vnder the title & office of the ciuil magistrate, who in deed is Gods blessed ordinance.
Neither wil these lymmes of y e Deuill be satisfied with any humble acknowledgmēt of y e ciuil powe [...], or with anie christiā submissiō vnto th [...] [...]ame; but wil extort by othe an allowance & subscriptiō vnto this their vngodly power, blasphemous titles, antichristian decrees & proceedings &c. It wil not suffice to confesse that God hath made the ciuil magistrate the keeper of the booke of the law, to see both y e tables therof obserued by al persons both in the Church & cōmon welth, & so hath power ouer both church & cōmon welth; but they must haue this indefinite p [...]oposition granted them That a Pri [...]ce hath power to make lawes for the Church. By which word making is implied, or rather (as y e general estate both of church & cōmō welth shew) expressed plainly that they meane that y e Prince may deuise & make new lawes for the Church such as are notheard of in that booke of God. By lawes they meane any traditions, ordinances, customes &c. which are not prescribed in CHRISTS Testamēt; otherwise why should they vse these words or v [...]ge that power of making lawes. A godly Prince is bound [...]o Gods lawe, made the keeper therof, not the controler; the seruant not the Lord. God hath in that booke made most perfect & necessary lawes both for Church & cōmon welth: he requireth of the King & [Page 219] magistrate to see these lawes executed, and not to make new. He that mak [...]th any new lawes taketh vn [...]o him the office of God, who is the onlie law maker: al men of what estate soeuer ar [...] but Gods creatures, s [...]uātes, & subiectes to his law. Moses, [...]oshua, Samuel, Dau [...]d, [...]. made no new lawes, but reu [...]ued & executed the olde lawes which God had made. These exampl [...]s that miserable man & high tra [...]tor to God & his Prince ROBERT SOME citeth to prooue y • P [...]nces may make lawe [...] for the church & cō [...]on welth, t [...]erby ind [...]uoring to [...] & hold her Ma •. and the honorable Magistrates of this land in this presumptuous breach of al Gods l [...]wes in this church & cōmon welth, by causing thē to rati [...]ie & publish y e vngodlie decrees which that blasphemous high Commissiō hath made or shal heerafter make, vnder this pretext, that Christian Princes haue power to make lawes for the Church▪
Whi [...]h Commissiō & al their proceedings, because they cā no way be iustified by the law of God & Testimēt of Christ, but are directly cō trarie vnto the same (as shal straight way be prooued) therfore y • old lymme of Antichrist, that crowned horne of the Beast that T. C. breatheth out of the mouth of the dragō most h [...]llish blasphemie against Christs [...] & thē that dwel in the heauen, accusing Christs blessed order & māner of gouernmēt, of sedition, tumults, disobedience vnto the ciuil estate, as giuing the raines to the p [...]oples vnbrideled & inordinate appetites which can not be rest [...]eined, subuerting al magis [...]racie & the whole order of the common welth.
Had that beast anie religion that thus blesphemed Christs ordināce? haue not the heathen at al times thus reproched & accused the word of God & Gospel of Christ? Yet what is more free of these crimes, then this order they so accuse, wherof Christ himself is the author & preseruer. Is yt not the f [...]llowship & communion? & haue such sinnes anie f [...]llowship with him? Before anie can enter or be receaued [...]nto this f [...]llowship, he must be renewed by repentance, denijng all his fleshly conversation concerning the time p [...]st: he must be begotten by that immortall seed: he must b [...] borne againe of water and the Spirit, and [...]ter as a new borne babe and as a child wained from the br [...]sts: he must leaue al his venome and fiercenes, & become as a meeke lambe obedient vnto his sh [...]pheardes. At what time anie is found disobedient and headstrong or incorrigible, he forthwith loos [...]th his place in this communion and fellowship, he is seperate & cast out.
As for their ord [...]r of their assemblie, yt is not [...]multious or con [...]ntious, but r [...]ther an heauenlie schoole of all order, sobrie [...]ie and modest [...]e, which the A [...]gels with great delight b [...]hold, euerie one there knowing his calling, place & boundes, which he wi [...]hout pres [...]t b [...]ame may not breake; as fr [...]e, but not hauing that libertie as a cloke of wick [...]dnes, but as the s [...]ruantes of God; whose law is heere purelie & sincerelie taught, eu [...]ry [...] & degree instructed how they ough [...] [...]o walke & behaue th [...]mselues towardes God & men in al maner cō uersation: [Page 220] Nothing more or more oftē inculcate, thē to yeild due honour, obedience, submission vnto all magistrates, parentes, superiors, & that not for fashiō sake or ignorantly, but as of knowledg, faith & cōscience towardes God. Hereunto, as also vnto al other duties they are continuallie instructed, exhorted; whosoeuer transgresseth is admonished, censured, and (without present repentance & amendment) dulie cast out of this fellowship & communion, where no inordinate walking or contumacious persons are suffered.
Who then but that old Sathan or some sonne of his, could thus accuse the lambes the babes these litle ones of Christ of rebelliō, seditiō, tumult &c? what mouth els could reproch and blaspheme that heauenlie gratious blessed order of Christ in his Church of subuerting cō mō welths, destroijng ciuil magistracie & gouernmēt? without which holie ordinance & magistracie as there can be no Church, no assemblie, no execution of law, no callings, no trades, no order, no safetie amongst men; so without this instruction, gouernment & holie order of the Church cā no estate no magistracie be blessed of God, because without this they can neither know nor execute their duties, neither walke holily or lawfully in their callings, or doe anie thing that may please God. Who then but these vncleane spirits that speake out of the mouth of that Dragon, & out of the mouth of that Beast, & out of the mouth of that false prophet, could in this māner disioine those that God hath so ne [...]rlie ioined? widowing & spoiling the Church of that comfort and assistance she should haue of the ciuil magistrate, depriuing the ciuil magistrates of that instruction & ioy they should haue in the Church.
As we haue aboue alledged, that nation or common welth, Prince, magistrate, estate, degree, persō whosoeuer that submitteth not to ou [...] Lord Iesus Christ to be wholy gouerned by his word both bodie & soule in al things whatsoeuer without anie exception, reseruation, or polli [...]ike respect; that nation, Prince, magistrate, person, soule shall be vtterlie destroied amongst Christs enemies. So Christ may not neither wil be fashioned or framed to anie common welth, pollicie o [...] pleasure of anie Prince: he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings; al the kingdoms of this world are his, & he shal reigne for euermore: those that are no [...] vnder his Scepter of grace, those he will rule with a red of yron, those shal be broken as a potters vessels. So far then is this heauenlie and blessed gouernmēt of Christ in his Church by his word (to which euerie soule that will be saued must be subiect) frō being the ouerthrow of anie common welth or lawfull estate therof, that you see yt is the only foundation of the one, and stablishment of the other, a perfect rule for both, to which all lawes, pollicies, states, degrees, persons in al actions must be framed and subiect. To which whatsoeuer is contrarie or transgressing, whither common welth, common, cannon, o [...] ciuil lawes, their Iudges, pleaders, courts, must either be reformed or consumed therby. No titles, pollicies, pleas, or prerogatiues can excuse [Page 221] them from or before that Iudge who vpholdeth, gouerneth, and iudgeth all things by that his word, and with the same [...]ifteth and fanneth out whatsoeuer is found contrarie to his will. To which gouernment & trial of his word because they will not submit their persons & proceedings, therfore with one consent all the estates & degrees of the land, Prince, priests & people hate him, & send by their elders an embassage after him, that they will not haue him to reigne ouer them, accusing his gouernment of innouation, dangerous to their state, pernitious to the whole land &c. Thus take they boldnes to breake his bāds and cast his yoke from them, to transgresse his lawes, change his ordinances, and to breake the euerlasting couenant euen that Testament purchased for them and sealed vnto them with that pretious blood of the giuer: Therfore hangeth the wrath of God ouer them, the day of his vengeance hasteneth, feare and a pit & a snare are vpon them: He that flieth from the noise of the feare shall fall into the p [...]t, and he that commeth out of the pit shalbe taken in the snare, for the windowes from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth doe shake: The earth is vtterlie broken, the earth is quite burst in sunder, the earth is moued exceedingly, the earth shall reele too & froe like a drunken man and shalbe remooued like a tent, and the defection therof shalbe heauy vpō yt, so that yt shall fall & rise no more because the land is defiled vnder the inhabitants therof; for they transgresse the lawes, they change the ordinances, and breake the euerlasting couenant.
THERE REMAYneth yet an other question of this ould captious Sadducie, wherin he requireth to haue noted vnto him some particular Churches either in the Apostles time or since, wherin y • whole gouernment of the Church was practised only by Doctors, Pastors, Elders and Deacons and none other, and that in an equalitie without superioritie in one aboue an other.
To satisfie his demands in this cauilling question (which euidently apeareth to be made rather for a snare then anie godly edifijng) I hold neither lawfull nor expedient, vntil he haue acknowledged & yeilded vnto the former: namely; vnto the necessity & perpetuity of that order of gouernment and administration which CHRIST in his Testament hath prescribed, which he hath miserably violated, reiected and blasphemed. That in this estate to shew him the treasures and ordinances of this spirituall Temple is vtterly forbidden and vnlawfull, appeareth Ezek. 43. 10. 11. in these words Thow Sonne of mā shew vnto the howse of Israel this [...] whē they shal be ashamed of their wickednes, that they may measure the patterne; when (I say) they shalbe ashamed of all they haue done, make knowen vnto them the forme of the howse, and the constitution therof, the goings out therof, and the cōming in therof, and the whole forme therof, and all the statu [...]es therof, and all the figures [Page 222] therof, and all the lawes therof, & describe them before their eies, that they may keep the whole fa [...]hion therof, and al the ordinances therof, and do them. Therfore vntil he haue repented and forsaken his antichristiā ministery, vnlawfull Lordship & iurisdictiō, I hold it not lawfull whilest he re [...]aineth in and will not come out o [...] Babel to reason or iangle with him concerning the heauenly & most holy ordinances of Sion which he doth but blaspheme & reproch with his vngodly mouth that is op [...]ned to all impietie. That yt is not expedient vntill he haue yeilded vnto the former question to answere this, is manifest. For to what purpo [...]e were yt to reason with him how these officers of Christ [...] Church ought to administer & gouerne, when he vtterly denieth that in the Church of England such offices & iurisdiction were tollerable: So that yt could no way edifie him, but rather minister matter of cauil vnto his blasphemous mouth, who seeketh nothing els in this captious (yet with al most ignorant & fond) vaine questiō. We ought not to cast our pearles before swine, or to expose the Lords holy truth to reproch. This is my answere to him conc [...]rning his second question.
Yet to remoue these stumbling blockes out of the way of others, & to rid them out of the snar [...]s which this Spider hath wouen; I will through Gods grace briefly [...]hew them the errors & follie of this cauilling question, cheifly in these 3 pointes therof. First in that he requireth some particular Churches by name, wherin this whole gouernment of the Church was practised &c. 2 whē yt was practised by Doctors, Elders Pastors, Deacōs only & none other 3 where these practised yt in an equalitie without superioritie in one aboue an other. In the first point he stumbleth & cauilleth at this, because in deed no church that euer was or shalbe vpon earth hath or can fully execute this gouernment of CHRIST (but haue beene and shalbe subi [...]ct to many def [...]lts, many transgressions) taking here the gouernment of CHRIST for his whole reuealed will in his word and Testament; to the faithfull obseruation of euery title wherof the Church is by couenant bound (where by the way must be noted, that this carping Pharisey knoweth in his corrupt & festered conscience what CHRISTS true gou [...]rnment is, which he so mainly impugneth, namely that righteous Scepter of his holy word) which in deed b [...]cause none of the primitiue Church [...]s that the Apostl [...]s planted & gouerned could euer fully keep, but haue beene subiect to manie faltes and reproofes; therfore this man would conclude this gouernment of CHRIST to be an vnnecessarie & impossible thing, which God neither would command nor we cā performe. Wherin his wick [...]dnes and impietie yet proceedeth a degree [...]urther then that of the [...]ollerating Pri [...]sts; who would excuse & defend their most hainous transgressiōs by y e sinnes & d [...]faltes of other Church [...]s; this man therby would vtterlie abrogate and disanull th [...] whole law of God, and Testament of Christ, by which the Church ought to be gouerned, vnto the faithfull practise and obseruation wherof the whole [...]hurch is bownd. Can the infirmity & sin [...]f any mortal creatur [...]s ta [...]e [Page 223] away the truth and st [...]bilitie of Gods lawes, of Christs Testament? might he not as wel conclu [...]e, no Church or member of the Church hath at any time put in practise al Gods lawes, a [...]d to sa [...] (as yt is) are not able to keepe anie one of them, t [...]erfore the lawes of God are not p [...]rmanent, necessarie, nor now commanded because no Church can keepe them all: such reasons are not worthie the refuting.
The second part of his questiō, where he demandeth to know where this gouernment of CHRIST was practised by Doctors, Pastors, Elders & Deacons only & none other, is so full o [...] vanitie & follie as yt deserueth none answere. For my part, I neuer read nor heard of any such Church: I euer thought that euerie member of the Church without exception or exemption of anie one person, had beene all alike bound to the obedience of Gods word, the practise of CHRISTS gouernment, to be instructed & ruled by him in all things, euery one walking within the bounds of his calling: I neuer thought that the practise of Christs gouernment belonged only to these officers; I rather thought yt had beene their dutie & office to haue s [...]ene this gouernment faithfully & orderly practised by all the members of the Church. Why we [...]ee Christs ecclesiastical gouernment is not only tied to the publike actions of the whole congregatiō; but extend [...]th to euerie action of euery Christian, wherof CHRIST is the beholder and Iudg▪ yea and for euerie knowne transgression and disobedience hath due vengeance ready, whither by reproof or excōmunication: I euer thought that the execution of Christs gouernment and iudgments had belonged to the whole bodie of the Church which assigneth the publike ordering therof, as the ministery &c. to the proper and fit members, ech one in their due functions; not hereby resigning vp her power & authority & gouernment wholy into their hands, but still reseruing the right in the whol [...] body together; & in euery member apart. So that if these officers or anie of them transgresse, the church reserueth power to euery member freely ( [...]ccording to the quality of the offence & the rules of the word) to admonish and reproue, the whole to censure & excōmunica [...]e such officers so offending. Which officers in execut [...]ō of their office & funct [...]ō, do rather reserue this liberty and power to the whole Church and euerie member therof in due order, thē any way diminish or plu [...]k away the same frō the least. It were a disorderly part & against n [...]ture for any member to arrogate the power of the whole body vnto yt self: Such presumption was not heard of in the church of CHRIST vntill Antichrist sprong vp, neither wil yt be remoued vntil he be aboli [...]hed. Elders are apointed to see the gouernment & order of CHRIST obserued▪ not to take yt al into their hands. One other grosse error and ignorance in this branch is to be obseru [...]d, that is, he numbreth the D [...]acons amongst the gouerning officers of the Church▪ this he neuer le [...]rned in Christs Testament; well may yt be the practise of the Church of Rome & England where are such iolly archdeacons and ruffling Deanes. The Deacons office in the Church is, to gather & distribute, not to gouerne.
[Page 224]The third point in this cauilling questiō is, to know where these officers aboue said practised that gouernmēt in an equalitie without superioritie in one aboue an other. It hath beene euen now shewed how this gouernment belongeth & is committed to the whole bodie, how their office consisteth to teach the Church how to practise yt & to see yt obserued by al in due order, and not ambitiously to assume yt wholy into their owne hands. For the rest, though there be a communion in the Church, yet there is no equalitie. The Church knoweth how to giue honour & reuerence vnto their Elders, especially to them y t labor in the word & doctrine. The Church of CHRIST is taught to obey & submit vnto their leaders, to acknowledg them that labour amongst them & that are set ouer them in the Lord, & to admonish them, and to hold those in superabundant loue for their worke sake: The Elders also amongst themselues know how to giue honour one vnto another by going before; yet al this without preiudice to themselues that giue, or detrimēt to him that receaueth yt, without the losse of the least iote of their owne libertie, or puffing him vp, or setting him in anie vnlawfull authoritie. They giue yt to his labor, diligence, vertue and desert; which ceassing, they straight withdraw their praise, & in the stead therof vse exhortation, admonitiō, yea (if need be) censure. All the parts of mans bodie are not alike esteemed and vsed; we haue much more care and tendernes ouer the eies then of the hands or feet, yet may not the eye heerby refuse to doe seruice and attend to the hand or foote in all their busines and affaires, neither may yt disturbe the least member of the bodie in their peculiar office & functiō, or intrude into their place. The eye guideth & directeth the hand, shewing how yt ought to doe the worke: the hand againe washeth, wipeth, and doth all louing helpe yt may vnto the eye. Both eie & hand & euerie other part of the body are distinct members, yet so knit and ioined together in the bodie, as they do their due seruice vnto the eie, & ech vnto other in the whole, not confounding the order of nature, nor disturbing ech other in the worke. The Church hath like care to see that inuiolable order and temper of the members in CHRISTS bodie dulie preserued: the honor they gi [...]e to one member is not the dishonor of another, or hinderance of the whole bodie. The Church neither doth neither may giue immoderate honour either in fastuous swelling titles of vanitie, or any inordinate authoritie to anie member; that would rather puffe vp the flesh then cheare vp the spirit. All the gifts God hath giuen any member, are to the seruice of the whole bodie: he that will be greatest must be as the least, he must wash the feet & not haue his feete kissed of the least: all superioritie is heere comprised within the bounds of Christian order & modestie. Humilitie goeth before and is the compagnion of honor: honor is not heere conferred to lift vp the hear [...]s of the greatest aboue the least, but rather for their coūsaile, care, loue, seruice vnto al; yt is willingly giuen vnto such by all: Ambition & vainglorie are heere carfully auoided both by the g [...]ers & receauers: who so seeketh [Page 225] the primacie with Diotrephes is heere [...]uggillate & layd open, resisted 3 Ioh. 9. & rebuked of al, as that Antichrist that Lucifer: y e greatest Elder of the Church, the Pastor, is but a seruant & steward of the house, not Tit. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Lord of the heritage; but a member, not Lord of the bodie; to be honored for his excellent place in the bodie & giftes of God; to be reuerenced for his fa [...]thfulnes, labour, and diligence. Yet this must euer be remembred, his honour consisteth in his seruice, his seruice belongeth vnto al; so that the least member of the bodie hath like interest in him, as he in the least member: the l [...]st member hath like libertie and f [...]eedome with him in Christ, though not like gifts or function of Christ.
AND NOW this strange & troublesome Proposition is thus proued That Christs Church can be established into no other order, or gouerned by any other officers or ordinances then Christ in his Testam [...]t hath prescribed, & that these great impediments & difficulties are also remooued out of the way; me thinckes yt time, & heere a fit occasion offred, to goe in hand with the examination of the present established gouernmēt of the Church of England. And heere to begin with the Antichristian authoritie of the chiefe rulers (namelie the Bishops) which they would beare away & hide v [...]der this word Superioritie: of their lineage, petigree, original you haue aboue heard, as also of their strange manner of offices and consecration; and somwhat also of their power generally, and from vvhence they deriued yt: but let vs now a litle further consider therof.
First they take vpon them ech one of them to sit vpon (as they call yt) or to gouerne many hundred churches, others of thē many thowsands; one of them as Pope, or Primate ouer al: they make & depose ministers by their absolute authoritie; they make and disanul lawes: th [...]y ratifie or rei [...]ct vvhat scriptures they list; they confirme or refuse what doctrines they list; they make what kind of vvorship, ministration they list; they chāge, innovate, coine, alter, bring in, cast out what and whome they list, without checke or controulement. The truth of al these need no other proofe then their present estate; the warrant of anie of these I am sure cannot be shewed in Christs Testament: therfore I doubt not at one word to call them all diuelish & Antichristiā. To confute thē seuerallie were a labour both needles & troblesome, they being of themselues so apparantlie odious; yet this brieflie in a word.
One man cannot stand a Bishop vnto diuers churches at one time, no more then one eye can be a 1 member, & 2 doe the function at one time to diuers bodies, 3 in diuers places; no more then one candle can be put in two or mo diuers candlesticks, 2 in diuers howses, 3 and shew light vnto them al at one time. Thus are Bishops in their office, place, ministerie, called members, yea the eye of the bodie, lights, and the Math. 5. 14. Reuel. 2. 1▪ candle of the howse: the Church yt self also c [...]lled the bodie, the candlesticke [Page 226] in the scriptures. No one shepheard can attend, watch, feed, ouersee two or more flockes at one time in diuers places: no watc [...] mā Ezek. 34. Act. 20. can keep watch in diuers Cities at one time. Bishops are called shepheardes, watchmen; the Church, a flock, a citie in the scriptures. Be [...]ides, CHRIST hath established an other quite contrarie order; not one watchman or shepheard ouer manie churches, but manie watchmen ouer one Church; & yet hath giuē power & cōmanded euerie mēber to watch, & al litle enough. Mo [...]eouer yt is CHRISTS only office now to walke in the midst of the 7 goldē Cādlesticks, he holdeth the 7 stars in his owne right hand, he is the arch-Bishop and visiter of all Churches [...]euel. 1. & shepheardes: CHRIST is the head ouer the vniuersall & euerie particular bodie of his Church; he hath giuen this office to no mortal man in earth; they are al but members of some one bodie, though diuers in functiō & dig [...]itie, as the eie, hand, foote &c. yet al but mēbers of the bodie to which they serue: euerie member being circumscribed within the limites of their place, office, function. One member cānot place, displace or cut off an other, this ought to be done by the whole bodie, as in the name & power of their head CHRIST: vnto euerie one 2. Cor. 5. of which congregations CHRIST hath giuen this his power, to be executed according to the rules of his word: CHRIST is the Bridegrome, he only hath the Bride: but the frendes of the Bridegrome they I [...]h. 3. 29. stand and heare and reioice exceedinglie for the Bridegromes voice. [...]eue. 5. CHRIST is that slaine liuing Lābe that hath obteined to take y t sealed written Booke out of the right hād of him that sitteth on the throne, and to open the same. All Elders, Angels, and the whole host in heauen & in earth fall downe on their faces & giue glorie to the Lambe▪ Lames. 4, [...]2 CHRIST is the only Lawgiuer vnto his Church, and hath giuen mos [...] heauenlie perfect lawes in his Testamēt vnto his Church, & hath sealed his Testament with that his blood, so that nothing may be added vnto, or taken there from. He neuer gaue to anie mortal man power to make new lawes, but hath commanded all men faithfullie to keep those lawes which he hath made, within the limits of their calling. It is onlie the office of the holy Ghost to teach the S [...]ints to pray, to giue [...]om. 8. 26, 27. 1. Ioh. 2. [...]7. wordes according to the wil of God, to fill their mouthes with new [...]onges, which they, as sweete odors & incense day & night offer vp vnto God through CHRIST.
What then and how great is the sinne of these presumptuous shepheardes, these blasphemous antichristian Bishops that climbe vp and intrude into the place, office, and roome of CHRIST? that take his spowse from him, and al his ministers, officers, orders and ordinances from her: that alter, abrogate, bring in, cast out what and whome they [...]st &c. that take the office of the holy Ghost vpon them, and not onlie set vp in the Church of God their moulten egiptian calfe, cast [...]n y e old mould of the masse booke (saue a litle new annuled & ingrauen with a few of their owne diuises) b [...]t thrust this filthv idoll vpon mens con [...]ciences as their praiers, yea vpon God himself, as al the seruice and [Page 227] worship they wil allow him in his Church. See whither these be not the vndoubted markes of Antichrist that aduersarie? search the prophecies & the scriptures whether this be not that verie abhomination of desolatiō? lift vp your eyes, to the destructiō, hauo [...]k and wast thes [...] aduersaries haue made in the sanctuarie, how they roare in the midst of the congregation, & haue there set vp their bāners & signes, & lift Psal. 74. vp their axes vpon al the Lordes plantes, & broken downe with their malles al the beawtiful sieling & carued worke, haue cast the Lordes sanctuarie into the fire, haue raced yt to the ground, & haue profaned the dwelling place of his name: they are resolued in their hearts to doe violence, and to destroy them altogether, and haue brought in al maof filthy abhominable thinges into the sanctuarie. When they find these thinges in this estate, then let him that readeth consider; let them that be in the citie, and wil saue their soules, flee into the mountaine.
There belongeth no reformation to this estate, euen that reformation which these counter fait preachers pretēd, is altogether as yl. You see what in ordinate antichristian power they still retaine in the priests hādes: in al their parishes, the pa [...]son or minister (as they cal him) must rule all and be aboue the whole [...]ocke, who may controwle him or withstand him in nothing, either in doctrine, or practise, be yt neuer so ill. They must complaine to the Synode, classes, or councel of pri [...]ts: which synodes, classes, councels, must consist wholy of ministers, [...]e people shut out, and those haue absolute power ouer al churches, persons, matters, causes, to debate, define, determine, decree, ratifie, di [...]anull what they list, by permission of the high Court of Parliament, which hath supreme power ouer the Church and all councels and causes therof, vt supra: otherwise, vntill by this court these decrees be taken away, all churches are burdened and must stand subiect vnto them.
But let vs now returne to the execution of this mōstrous antichristian power of the BB [...]. This extendeth euen to al the whole practise, worship, ministerie, orders, ordinances, iniunctions, decrees, lawes of their Church alreadie made, and heerafter to be made, and therfore are infinite, and passe any man or creature whatsoeuers setting downe in particular. A great labour yt were to recken vp all their consti [...]utions and cānons which they haue fetched from I wote not what old councels, or rather from th [...]ir holie Father the Pope, or the heape of their ciuil lawes & customes which they haue receaued frō their mo [...]er of Rome; al which are pleaded, iudged, sould by these Lords Bishops, their chāc [...]llors, [...]eanes; ciuil Doctors, Proctors, aduccates, pleaders brawlers, archdeacōs, cōmissaries in their Courts of faculties Ar [...]s, prerog [...]tiue▪ delegates, & in their commissaries court (not heere to spake of y e wel head, y t euer rūning spring of al mischief, their Spanish i [...]quisitiō or english high cōmissiō, yt deserueth especial mētion by yt [...]lf. These lawes they take for y e foūdation of th [...]ir church in stead o [...] [Page 228] Christs new Testament: these courts giue the whole direction vnto, and execute all the censures of & for this Church, whether yt be excōmunication, s [...]spension or mulct, M r. Archdeacon & masse Commissary bea [...]e no small sway. It were long & ha [...]d to relate the diuers orders, processe & maners of pleading that belong to these courtes, that is no small secret, yt is no easie occupation, many a mans liuing dependeth theron: yt is no small calling to be but a pursuyuāt or cursetor of these courtes: (I say not so of the parators & sumners that belong to the cō missaries court:) heere are all things plead [...]ble & vendible fo [...] money, but without money heere is no man will open his mouth, be the cause neuer so iust. For money you may heere haue expedition or delay of iudgmēt, with [...]undry shifts & euasions which I want skill to vtter. For money you may haue priuiledges, dispensations, licēces, to eate fle [...]h, or to marry at forbidden times, as in the holy time of Lent &c. priuatly in the night, in some secret place, sodenly without consent of parents, yea without banes as king, & by what Priest you will; also to haue many benefices, & in sundry other cases, wherof these courtes exercise iurisdiction, as of precontractes, adulteries, testaments, and sundry other that I know not of. All which & whatsoeuer, an auncient Bishop of this land hath vndertaken to defend by Christs new Testament: wherfore vntil we see his profes I dare not giue sentence against them, or pronounce them antichristian. His proofe is drawen from 1 Tim. 5. 19. Against a priest or elder receaue no accusation vnder 2 or 3 witnesses. Heere (saith he) is an accuser, here is a person accused, heere are witnesses examined, heere is a iudgment & deciding of the matter; therfore heere is an exercise of a iurisdiction and a maner of a court. To make yt yet more sure, he takes away an obiecton that lay in his way; namely, that yt was not Timothy his court only, but iointly exercised with the residue of the Elders that had the gouernment. This (he saith) cannot be, because the wordes are direct [...]d to Timothy only.
It is pitty MARTIN his presse was gone before this reason had an answere, so should he not haue lost his due shame for the same. But was there euer l [...]le portion of scripture so violently wrested, distorted, peruerted, and that by an old Bishop? I am deceaued if he fetched not this reason from the schoole of Sorbon: for either my memory faileth me, or I haue read their citatiōs also by sumners pursyuants &c. prooued by Gen. 3. 9. Adam where art thow? Well to the point: I cannot rest either in his trāslatiō or interpretatiō of this verse, they are both corrupt & popishly fals [...]: The text is Against an Elder receaue not accusatiō except in 2 or 3 witnesses. [...] cannot heere allow the word Priest, nor spare the words exceptin: his interpretation is most grosse & false, contrarie to the whole scope and phrase both of that chapter & the whole epistle, preiudicial to the perp [...]tuity & true practise of the commandement. For if this lawe were directed to Timothy only, and that the other Elders & the Church were shut out in the examination and censuring of such faultes; then how could the Church or any member therof now haue any vse of this [Page 229] commandement? I neuer heard of any speciall bequest Timothy made to these Lord Bishops aboue all other, neither can I see from hence, why they should vsurpe this iurisdiction ouer their superiors; namely ouer the parish Priests & parsons that stad for Pastors, these Bishops (if they haue any office) being put Elders. So thē by this rule the Parson should keep court ouer the Bishops, & not the Bishop ouer so many Parsons. But to say the truth, this reason would much better fit the Pope, in whome this supreme iurisdiction ouer al Churches and Elders should in one persō be bestowed, as by his sai [...]ng yt was in Timothy, rather then vnto so many Bishops, who all cannot haue that sole peculiar authoritie which belonged vnto Timothy alone, from which so many worthy Bishops were then shut out.
But why should this commandement belong more to Timothy alone, th [...]n all the other commandemēts in this chapter (that I say not in this epistle) which was wholy written & directed to Timothy; there was bare shift whē this was made the only reason: and now further, why should this commandement more thē al the rest of this chapter, of the maner of rebuking elder men, and elder women, honoring widowes &c. be tied more to Timothies person & office, yea or to the persons & office of elders? may none reprooue an Elder, but a Lord Bishop? or (as the reformists would haue yt) but a synode or councell of Priests? It is plentifully aboue proued, that the whole Chu [...]ch hath power to obserue, reproue, censure their greatest Teachers & Elders, or why should this rule of hearing and receauing yl reportes so solely belong to Timothy, or to other Elders, more then the contrarie commandement going next before, of the honour care & loue due to Elders. I hope they can be content to be honored, prouided for, and loued of the whole flocke, especially for their desert and vertue; surely so must they be contented to be reproued and censured of all, when by euill life they deserue yt.
This commandement in deed willeth all Christians to be carefull what reportes and tales they heare or [...] of their Elders, and that they be sure they haue good & lawful proofe in two or three witnesses &c: other christians had eares, mouthes, and hearts which had need to be gouerned as well as Timothie. I graunt well that publikely in the Church the [...]rial and censuring of Elders ought ch [...]efly to be done by the Elders of that Church, but this neither preiudicing the libertie of anie, euen the least, freely to obiect or speake what he knoweth to be blamed, either in the Elder accus [...]d, or in the publike action by the other Elders that trie & examine; much lesse to the secluding & shutting out th [...] whole Church, with these wicked Priests, euē both these factions Pon [...]ifical and Reform [...]ts, who both of them would assume the whole gouernment of the Church into their owne hands, at the least vtterly debar the congregatiō, where these things are amisse, to intermeddle. The Church must receaue what they amongst themselues: haue decreed, whither in their brawling courtes, whither in their Se [...]ct classes.
[Page 230]The publike censuring of anie member, whither Elder or other, is an action of the whole Church: whervnto (if yt vse the most fit members or officers) should such officers and members herevpon arrogate the whole action, interest & power to themselues, secluding the whole bodie the Church, whose officers & members they are? As when [...]he body vseth the eye, y e mouth, the feete, to see, sp [...]ake, goe, is not the whole bodie of consent with these actions, and said to see, to speake, to goe, although to these particular actiōs yt vs [...]th these particular members? what a dismembring of the bodie, and rending of the Church would these ambitious Priests make? who the one would withdraw all publike actions of the Church into their popish (Courtes, the other into their conuenticles & synodes of Priests.
As for reproofe by admonition, anie member of the Church hath free power also to reproue the greatest Elder of the Church, according to the quallitie of his offence: if his offence be priuate, priuatly; if publike, publikely: Yea he is bound by the law of God so to doe, and not to suffer sinne in him; yet this within the bounds of modestie & order; as if there be others present more fit to doe yt, to giue them time and place, but if they neglect yt, or doe yt amisse, then to vse his power, yea to doe his dutie.
Now thē seeing the whole Church hath this power to censure faultes in their hands, and that yt properly belongeth vnto them (as we shall haue many occasions hereafter to shew) and that these Elders are but ministers & seruants of the Church, substituted to this & other functions. Seing also euery one, euē the least member in the Church, hath interest, power & freedome in & ouer this or any actiō of the Church, to approue or orderly to reproue any action or person of the Church, and that publikly if need so require; how cā any from this place draw▪ that the reproofe of Elders only belōgeth to Elders; or how could this popish prelate collect, that this power was only giuen to Timot [...]y, when Timothy and the Apostles themselues were subiect to the reproofe of the least, where these transgressed from the word & wil of God: how could he from hence deriue his absolute power ouer all Churches & Priests, when no such thing is heere by this commandement giuen to Timothy? how could this old dreamer from hence deriue, or hereby defend these romish brawling bawdy courts, with all their popish cānons, customes, pleadings, pleaders, euen al that swarme of vermine that liue & attend vpon the same courts? I hope if we granted him his owne most false interpretation; that Timothy had sole power, and by vertue of this commandement exercised absolute iurisdiction ouer the whole Church & the other Elders; that yet he did yt not after this antichristian vngodly maner as he and his brethren Bishops doe, by such mercenarie romish Doctors, pleaders, proctors &c. which are to couller & plead the most vile hatefull causes which a christians eare abhorreth to heare of, or by such wicked blasphemous customes, othes, purgations &c. These I suppose he can not proue to be vsed in Timothies courte, neither can he [Page 231] deriue any of this doung from that holy cōmandemēt of God; for thē [...]ight euery christiā keepe such a court ouer & against BBs. &c. seing they may reproue and rebuke the greatest Bishop in the Church, that transgresseth against the word of God. No let him looke into the 9. chapter of the Reuelation, & there he shall see his owne & al these poisoned armed locusts original to haue come out of the smoke of the bottomles pyt &c. Further to discusse the poperie, wickednes, & folly of this reason, or the vnlawfullnes of these antichristian courts, were labour needles: they being so grosse of thēselues, ▪as by the first bringing the heauenly light vnto them, they are discouered therby, & chased away as the darknes of the night by the sunne rising, the grosse vapours by the wind. They haue no foundation of the word, and therfore must needs fall: the word of God wil beare no such rotten stubble and filthy doung, therfore I leaue ▪this reason to remaine to his perpetual shame, and the shame of all the brood & houshold of Anak: who if they could be drawē but to any peaceable opening the booke of God, but with y • least christian (I would not now be vnderstood of any learned Priest of the opposite faction, who hauing deriued all their ministerie & ministration from them, and exercising the same vnder them, cā neuer preuaile against their fathers, as in all their conflicts hath beene seene, because in deed they take not the whole cause and right groundworke▪ therfore they cannot further the Gospel, or bring glory to God: But if the least Christian whome both factions so depise & perfecute, might haue but free & orderly triall with either or both sides and factions, I doubt not but God would giue such blessing and power to his word which he would put in their mouthes, as their counterfait and wicked dealings should be discouered: yea albeit both sides hate the light and flee this christian peaceable triall (wherby they plainly bewray of what Spirit they are) though they digge as deepe as hel to hide their deuises, y [...]t God will disclose them, and that euen by their owne pennes and tongues, rather then he will want instruments.
An other fleshly reason he bringeth frō the lawfulnes of these courts, & y t is frō the Princes authority, A christian Prince that alloweth the free course of the Gospel cōmandeth them: therfore euery godly subiect ought to obey thē.
The Gospel cānot haue free course, whiles these antichristiā courts, Bishops, ministery stand: yf the Gospel had free course, they should all be abolished: But is this a Bishoply or Christian reason? a godly Prince commandeth them▪ therfore they ought to be obeyed? why haue Princes authoritie to command what they list? or if they doe, ought christians to obey any vngodly decree? I had thought that both they ought to cōmand & we to obey in the Lord alwaies: but especially may Princes bring in any new ordinances at their pleasure into the Church of CHRIST? what ▪can the Pope say more for his sackfull of traditions? make you this vnlawfull in the person of the Pope that maketh some more shew of learning, knowledg, and religion, and hath his learned councell of cardinals about him, and yet make yt lawfull in a christian [Page 232] Prince to innouate or abrogate the Testament of CHRIST in this maner? to bring in or keepe out of the Church what ordinances they list? you shew your self a faithfull watchman and Bishop ouer the Church & vnto your Princes soule, y t suffer such rule to be kept in the Church without blowing the trumpet of Gods word against yt, that suffer your Prince thus to runne into, and remaine in the wrath of God vnadmonished, vnreproued. You learned this of no true Prophets, no faithful Bishops; let yt remaine then vpon you for an vndoubted marke of a false Prophet, a Balaamite, a wolfe, a murtherer of soules. And as for your authoritie, know (seing yt hath no better ground in the world of God) yt shall all fall to the ground: al the Princes of the world or powers of hell [...]hall not be able to vphold yt; Babilon shall fall and all her [...]eu. 18. 17. pompe shall vanish, though her princes and shipmasters or bishops, and all her mariners, ministers, and marchandmen howle and wayle therfore: for the God that condemneth her is a strong Lord: as for the King of Egipt he is a man and not God almightie, and their horses [...]a. 31. [...]. flesh, but not Spirit: wherfore when IEHOVAH shall stretch forth his hand, the helper shall fall and the helped shall fall, and all these shall faile together.
Let vs now proceed to the censures of the church of England, which wholly consist in the Bishops hand, who executeth them by himself or his Commissarie: they are not exercised for obstinacie ioyned to sin or error, but lightly (if not altogether) for contempt of their courtes, either in not appearing at, or obeijng their commandements and decrees; or els for some transgressions against their idoll seruice booke, in speaking against yt or against their ordinarie or his stubstitute M [...]. Commissarie, or the parish priest or such like; or els for not obseruing their idoll holy daies; or not receauing with their parson; or not hauing their children baptised &c. For these and such like they shalbe conuented and very seuerely punished either by mulct or excommunication or imprisonmēt: there are no other sins amongst the people that deserue excommunication, they haue other punishments for sin besides excōmunication, as to fine them & punish them by the purse. Neither in deed know I many sins that they vse to enquire after, except yt be adultery and fornication; there are no more sins worthy of ecclesiasticall censure: But these they punish very sore; for if he will not pay for the shooijng Mr. Commis [...]aries mare, he may peraduenture do his pennance before al the Sodomites in the parrish in a white sheete, whiles Mr. Parson is reading his seruice book to them, or els his sermon. But if he speake a word in Mr. Cōmissarie his eare, and wil stand vpon his purgatiō, then must he get as bad brothels as himself to sweare by Mr. Cōmissaries booke, that they think in their corrupt conscience that he is cleare. This done, and cost of the court discharged, then (haue he beene neuer such a whoremaister all his life time, or beene neuer so manifestly or often detected or taken in this crime) yet is there no credit to be giuen to anie proofe▪ in respect of [Page 233] the othes of these his so domiticall companions that cleare him by othes: & this is called his purgation. I am ashamed & abhor, but to thinke in my heart of that proofe of adulterie they require, or els all complaint or suite is vnauaileable. Thus doe these holie fathers the Bishops make adulterie either a laughing, or els a pecuniarie matter; purging and expiating yt by periurie or [...]korne.
They haue also a censure of suspensiō, & this is diuersly vsed; somtimes towardes their Priests and Preachers, by the Bishops; somtimes by these Priests towardes their parishioners. It is vsed towardes the Priests when they breake their orders inioyned them and wherunto they are sworne, or are contumacious to their Ordinarie or his substitut [...]s or Commissarie &c, when they refuse to weare such garmentes as are enioyned thē, or to read thei [...] seruice orderlie, or to administer the sacramentes after anie other manner, or refuse to burie the dead, & to Church women with the booke, or if they preach anie doctrine against anie thing by publike authoritie enioined; then for such faultes is his Ordinarie to suspend him from preaching or ministring for a season, vntill he be-brought into order, or become confo [...]mable, or els to depriue him and disanul his orders and ministery. The Priests, they execute this suspension against open offendors, such as are not in loue and charitie with their neighbours, and by vertue hereof keepe them from the sacrament of the supper, vnlesse they get Mr. Chancelor or Mr. Commissaries commandment vnto the Priest to receaue thē. Yet in the meane while they are admitted to their publike prayers &c.
To the first kind of Sus [...]ension al the Priests generallie (except yt he some od man in the la [...]d) submit, & yet such a one ioineth vnto these other Priests as brethren, though he hold the Bishops and their power antichristian, & they submit both their ministerie & the Gospel vnto the Bishops power & censure. To the second kind in the hand of the Priests they al wholy cōsent, in somuch as some of the cheife maisters of this faction in their bookes of church discipline, haue set yt downe for a cannon and rule, to suspend some such from the sac [...]amēts, who haue committed some publike sin and persisteth obstinatlie in the same, a [...]ter publike reproofe, whome notwithstanding they still hold as a member and a brother with them, and ioine vnto in their common praiers, exercise of the word, and other mutual duties as contribution for the poore.
First this suspension of theirs must needes be held the instrumēt & [...]oole of that foolish shepheard, because yt is not found nor heard of in all the practise or writings of the Apostles, neither in al the Testament of Christ, where y [...]t a perfect gouernment and direction for the Church is s [...]t downe. Thē if yt be a cēsure of the Church, yt is a publike censure, because we see they are openlie kept backe from participation of the publike communiō. If yt be a publike censure, yt must be for sin publikelie knowen: but Christ & his Apostles haue set downe [Page 234] vnto the Church one only other course to be takē for publike sinn [...]s, namelie, when he refuseth to heare the voice of the Church, or rather Mat. 18. 17. of Christ in his Church, to proceed forthwith to excōmunicatiō. Therfore in this case of open obstinacie in publike sin, if suspensiō be vsed, yt not onlie taketh the place of excommunication, but keepeth away y t onlie true course which Christ hath instituted; & therfore is a meere [...]orgerie and an idolatrous diuise, and hath no place in the church of Christ.
Yf a [...]ie heere obiect, that excommunication being the extreamest & most seuere cēsure of the Church, and an vtter cutting off, therfore yt ought to be proceeded vnto with great pitie, patience, and long suffring, trijng al meanes before we cut off a mēber: In regard wherof they in their wisdome and pitie thinke yt expedient, first to trie & vse this censure of suspension before they proceed to cast him quite out, proouing if this may draw him to repentance.
My answere is, that we cannot be more wise, patient, louing, tēde [...] lie kind, then our God is, or then God wil haue vs to be▪ If we seeke to exceed or goe beyond these rules and boundes that he hath set vs downe, we are vainlie pu [...]fed vp in our fleshlie mind, our wisdome is turned to follie, our pitie into crueltie▪ our loue into hatred, our patience into transgression, wherby we destroie both our selues, & such as we seeke to saue. God looketh for obedience rather then sacrifice at ou [...] handes: he needeth no direction or instruction from vs: ou [...] wisdome is to rest in the wisdome of God, to be wise, patient, & louing as he wil haue vs wise, patient; and louing. Yf, or when he commandeth to smite, yt is not in mās powe [...] to sp [...]re or stay, so should we pull the wrath of God vpō our owne heads also: we breake no loue whiles we execute Gods lawes vprightly: as yt is sin to preuent, so is yt to foreslowe the Lordes iudgmentes. Excommunication is not mans, but Gods iudgmentes, though God haue committed yt vnto the church as to his ministers. God hath set downe the whole processe and due time & maner of sentence therof: he hath left nothing therin to the discretion of the Church, wherby to make al men the more to stand in awe & t [...]ēble at so dreadfull a sentēce of so terrible a Iudge. When the sinne is come to that ripenes prescribed, then is excommunicatiō due, & to be pronounced: but when publike sin is orderly & publikly reproued, & yet still the partie offending remaineth impenitent, and will not confesse & forsake his sin, but despising the exhortation and censure of the Church, he harden his heart in his sin; then is sin at th [...]t prescribed ripenes apparantly: Therfore▪ then the Church cannot, neither hath in their power to protract or defer the sentence of excommunication anie longer vpon anie hope or further trial, because they haue already had that triall which God alloweth. They therfore should now sin greeuously against the iustice & maiestie of God, they should draw themselues into Gods wrath, hardē y e heart & destroie the soule of the other, yea [...]uē opē a gap & wide doore vnto [Page 235] the whole church to sin, who seing such foreslacking of iudgment, would take boldnes, vpō hope to find repentance time inough. They that giue anie further time vpon pitie, or anie other fleshlie reason, cōdemne the Lord of cruelty & rashnes, who giueth no further time, after publike reproofe & exhortation despised. So that to y t [...]eaden [...]ule of proceeding to excommnnication with a leaden heele whē the sin is thus ripe, I oppose this golden rule, to remooue sinne out of the church with the wings of a Storke, & the wind vnder their wings: yet Zach. 5. first that the Epha be lifted vp betwixt the earth▪ & the heauē, that the sin be publikly seene, publiklie censured.
Now for this same new found cēsure of suspension which they (these Reformists) would bring in & exercise in stead of excommunicatiō or (as they pr [...]tend) as a preparatiue to excommunicatiō, wherby they may first be shut out from the holiest of all, out of the chancel, where the Priest by sole authoritie raigneth, & so by degrees proceed to excommunication, to shut him out of the church also, if he repent not; what doth this their wisdome & pi [...]ie, but comdemne the Lord of follie & crueltie, or rather shew forth their owne presumption & follie y t thus forsake & condemne the waies of the Lord as vnequall, by bringing in & following their owne waies, as more equall.
How can these forgers th [...]se coyners of religion seeme & sue to cast out the heape of humane traditions, as contrarie, & such as cannot be ioined vnto, or with the Testament of Christ, & yet bring in these forgeries of their owne? for so I may iustlie cal them from whencesoeuer they haue deriued them, if not from the booke of God. But least I be noted of preiudice, to find fault with the thing I know not, & to condemne before I haue conuinced; let vs in a word or two see, how thi [...] timber of these accordeth to the rest of the building, and vpon vvhat socket or foundation yt standeth.
This suspension we find to be a publike seperation & putting away of some opē offendor & vnworthie receauer frō the Table of y • Lord by the Pastor before excōmunication, he yet being held a member of their Church, cōmunicating with thē in praiers, cōtributiō &c. Heere I must not be vnderstood of the yonger sort which are not as yet admitted to the Table of the Lord, the seed of the faithful of thē called Cate [...]umenoi; but of such as haue beene partakers therof, and are vnder the censures of the Church. Let vs now see how lawful yt is for the whole Church, but especiallie for anie one mēber, as of his owne sole authoritie, to shut out such members from the Table of the Lord, before, or otherwise then by excommunication. That this may be done, let vs see wh [...]t the Table of the Lord is.
The Apostle thus defineth yt: The cup of blessing which we blefs [...], is yt not the communiō of the blood of CHRIST? the bread which we breake, is yt not the communion of the bodie of CHRIST? because we manie are one bread, one bodie, for al participate of one bread. Heere we see this Table or Sup [...] of the Lord, a liuelie and most comfortable s [...]mbole of our communion [Page 236] with CHRIST, as also ech with other in Christ; excellently shewing vnto vs the meanes & mauer of our redemption, to stir vs vp vnto thankfulnes, to reioice in our God & praise his name therfore, to the generall strengthning of all our faithes, and to the mutuall binding vs together in all holie duties and loue &c. Here we see the Table of the Lord to be publike, free, open & alike cōmon to all Saints, ech one hauing a like interest, necessity, vse, comfort therof, the least as wel & asmuch as the greatest, CHRIST hauing alike died & paied one and the same ransome for them all, that they all might haue a like interest in him, feed and feast through one and the same Spirit, faith, hope, ioy in him. Which interest, power, ioy &c. no mo [...]tall man, not the whole Church, much lesse any member therof, no nor hell gates shalbe able to plucke from the least member of CHRIST, whiles he remaineth and abideth in the body. A most vnnaturall part were yt in the mother to plucke away the brest from the child, wherby yt should be nourished▪ but though y e mother might do this & murther her owne child without blame; yet the whole Church cannot driue away or keep out the least of these mēbers frō any publike action of the Church, much les [...]e seperate them frō this heauēly comfort, free publike cōmunion, whiles they remaine members of CHRIST, & are not cut off from his body.
Further, seing this Table is called The communion of the body & blood of Christ, as also the communion of the whole church, who can keepe back any such member as still remaineth in the body of CHRIST, in his Church, without depriuing him of this cōmuniō of CHRIST & of the Church, and so of life: for except they [...]ate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood, they can haue no life in them. But these men keepe them from the body & blood of CHRIST, from the communion of CHRIST and of the Church, therfore also frō life yt self; and so in seeming to correct him lightly, they kill him out right, for more then this can they not do by this orderly excōmunication which they hold so rigoious.
Such as shall cauil at these words Except ye shall eate the flesh of the Sonne of man &c. saijng that I popishly abuse the place, let them cauil: though I acknowledg that many thowsands that neuer attained y e symbole of the supper, yet do feed of that body & blood of CHRIST by faith vnto eternall life; yet this I say, that such as by censure are put backe from the Table of the Lord▪ are cut from the communion of CHRIST & of his Church, and so from life: For if he haue not communion with Christ and his Church, he can haue no life: he cannot be both thus s [...]perate from their communion, and haue yt together. They that pluck away the seale, cancell the deed; but they pluck away the seale of the couenant, in that for his sin they debarre him from this comfortable communion, which is yet more then the seale, in that yt bringeth such present effect and comfort; Therfore they (as far as man can doe) cut him from Christ & his couenant, by this their idol suspension.
Now then hauing thus shut him out of their cōmunion, how should they hold him in ythauing? thus cut him off from Christ, and the bandes [Page 237] that should bind him to Christ & to the Saints, how can they hold him a member of Christ, a Saint, or admit him as a brother amongst them in their praiers, ministery, contribution? This is very strange diuinity, to shut him out, and yet to hold him in; to cut him o [...]f from the body, & yet to hold him of the body: this may by logick be proued, but yt neuer can be proued by Christs Testament.
Yet is there an other as strange a mysterie in the matter, which I neuer learned in Christs Testament: and that is ho [...] a member that is publikly cō uicted of, and remaineth obstinate in opē sin, should be shut out from the Table of y e Lord, & yet be receaued & admitted as a member, vnto the other ministe [...]ie of the Church; as to praiers, contribution &c. belike the other ministery & praiers of the Church are not so holy as this supper, y t such an offendor is held vnworthy to cōmunicate in, & therfore is shut out from the one; but he is worthy inough for, & therfore is admitted vnto the other: this is a strange censure, a strange case as euer I heard of. I had thought y t after the sin grew once publike, being knowne & dealt with by the Church, if then such offenders remaine obstinate, they had beene forthwith to be cut off, & cast out as dead withered branches, & not to be thus halfe shut out & halfe kept in, halfe cut off & halfe remaine, seperate frō the supper, admitted to the ministery of the word & praiers. This is to make him halfe a brother & halfe no brother, halfe a christian & halfe no christian.
But yet further, seing this suspension is a publike censure of the Church for publike sin, a seperation from publike exercises & actions &c. how chance yt is thus put in one mās power, who by his absolute authoritie may keep back any one of the [...]locke from the Table of the Lord, without the cōmandemēt, yea the [...]riuitie of the whole church; yet this me thinkes is the strāgest of al, & neuer heard of in y e church & Testament of Christ. Christ hath giuen and committed his power to censure fault [...]s & persons, as also the interest, possession, and gouernment of all officers & actions to the whole Chur [...]h (I meane to euery such particular congregation) and not vnto one particular special man aboue the rest or more then the rest. Euery particular member of the Church hath like interest in the publike actions and ministery of the Church, like power to censure the offences of the whole Church o [...] the greatest minister therof, in due order and time (as hath already in this treatise beene often & plentifully proued) and therfore cannot in this maner be kept backe by any one man, as of his sole authority any more then they may keep back that man whatsoeuer he be. I [...]peake not this to raise contentiō betwixt these where there ought to be loue and reuerence, so much as to note out the popish pride of these pharisaicall Reformers, that take vpon them to be Lords ouer the Church and this feast: wherof, if they were as good as they would be taken to be, they were but seruants and guests at the best. The Church yt self can neither receaue nor cast out a member as of themselues: they doe yt by the power and commandement of Christ; they must see faith & [Page 238] profession therof, before they receaue; they must see sin & obstinacie before they cut off: vntil these be seene, the whole Church nor all the men of the world haue not power to receaue or put by any one; yf they doe, the actiō is voide, and the iudgment & wrath of God resteth vpon them for that sin, vntil they repent therof. Likewise also when this profession of faith, or this obstinacie in sinn is found in any, then cannot the whole Church or all the men of the world keep out or keep in such, without incurring the iudgment & wrath abouesaid. How great then is the sin & iudgment of these popish Priests, that not only pluck away the power of the Church from them, but euen the power & office of Christ from him, and assume yt into their owne hands? who thus dare innouate and abrogate Christs Testament, reiect his wholsome excommunication as too rough, bring in their deadly suspēsion in place therof, and with that idol toole of that foolish shepheard, smite & keep out whome yt pleaseth them, and as long as they list? Zach. 11. 15.
Their olde popish reason y t they bring from the power of the keies, hath beene aboue refuted in y e discouery of their absolutiō, & proue [...] to be tied neither to the person or office of any man, more thē to euery faithfull member & seruant of Christ, by the power of Gods word &c.
Yet haue I also sometimes read in some of their bookes of Church discipline (as they tearme yt) some other reasons for yt; namely, from y e law of seperation for vncleannes: such as were defiled by y e dead, by creeping & vncleane things, by issues &c. were to absta [...]e frō the Tabernacle for a season, yea the Priest also vpon suspicion of leprie or other fowle disease might seclude such a one for certayne daies, as we read in the bookes of the law plentifully; frō whence they deriue both this power of the Pastor, & the censure of suspension. I haue there read also (or els my memorie greatly faileth me) drawē frō Mat. 5. 23. 24. verses because he that had iniuried or offēded his brother was taught by our Sauiour Christ first to make satisfaction & be reconciled, thē to offer his gift &c. that therfore such as had done wrong vnto▪ or were not in charity with their neighbours, are by the Priests to be kept from the Altar, whervpon they inchanted & offred their breaden God, and now they popishly apply to the cōmunion table, & from hence draw their suspē sion. But because I haue not their bookes with me, & would be loth any way to iniurie them or charge them falsly, I will briefly shew the insufficiencie of these reasons, and so proceed, [...]asting to an end.
From those Leuitical lawes wherby the Priests secluded such as they suspected of vncleane diseases, vntill proofe were made one way or other, may no conclusion be drawen, that therfore the Pastor now may suspend such as he suspecteth, or rather knoweth to be infected with incurable deadly & [...]bstinate sin, from the communion board &c. In the Leuiticall tabernacle y e priest [...] did nothing without prescript lawes, there was nothing left to his discretion, he had his certaine signes set him downe whervpon to seclude, whervp on to pronounce cleane, as also whervpon to pronounce vncleane. But now vnder the Gospell [Page 239] where that priesthood and those lawes are quite taken away, we haue now no such cōmandements of suspecting or suspending. The causes heere of seperation are not bodily but spirituall, not diseases of the bodie, but diseases of the soule, sinne: which sinne when yt publikely appeareth, & obstinacy be added to the same, when yt is publikly vewed & censured; then hath the Church a prescript law & commandemen [...] to excōmunicate & to cast out; not the Pastor to suspend such an vncleane person▪ therfore betwixt these suspensions (as they call them) that vnder the law, & this vnder their gospel, is no proportion or comparison; that being done according to Gods prescript lawes, this altogether without warrant of the word, except peraduenture they doe yt by warrant of these leuiticall lawes, or els [...] see no cause they should thus bring them for the maine proofe of this their suspension; which if they do, thē are they leuitical Priests also, for none els might meddle with the administration of those lawes; then are they also vnder the shaddow, vnder the law, not vnder Christ, grace, the Gospell. The lawes of the Leuiticall ministery cannot be exercised by the ministery of the the gospel, neither any of them now receaued, without y e losse of Christ. A dangerous thing yt is thus violently to wrest and misapply these Leuitical lawes, figures, ceremonies, or to build vpon the same such stubble woodden diuises as they doe, as their tithes, offrings, purifications, feasts, suspension (not to speake of their ministeriall vestures, holy cemitory synagogues, with all the Iewes implemēts therof, wherby they innouate or rather abrogate the Testament of CHRIST, coine & forge a new ministerie, a new worship, a new Gospell; for the Gospell of Christ only accordeth to his owne ministerie, and the ministerie of Christ to his owne Gospell: the Gospell of Christ may neither be added vnto, nor diminished from the legal ceremonies and figures, whiles they are soberly vnderstood and rightly applied, giue a good light and gratious▪ instruction: but when they are thus rashly allegorized according to the phantasies of men, and boldly applied to maintaine their diuises, the [...] become they vnto them a stone to stumble at.
The other reason from Ma [...]h. 5. 23. 24. is altogether as false, and yet rather more corrupt. Our Sauiour there teacheth, that God requireth mercie & not sacrifice; sacrifice with bloody hands or an euill heart is▪ abhomination vnto God: He therfore there exhorteth, that they first make cleane their hands from oppression, and make peace with their neighbour, then purge their heart and make peace with God by sacrifice according to the lawes Leui [...]. 6. 5. Num. 5. 7. 8. this doctrine still remaineth & belongeth to euery Christian, euen to the Pastor himself▪ The Lord abhorreth all hypocrisie, he looketh not to Caines sacrifice neither is pleased with Balaams Altar: he will haue all that approch vnto him, to draw neere with a true heart, their hearts being sprinkled from an euill conscience, and washed in our body with pure water &c. But what of all this? what place is heere found to suspension▪ o [...] what power is here gi [...]en to the Pastor to seperate from the cōmunion [Page 240] table in this maner? v [...]les (as the papists doe) they take themselues for sacrificing Priests, their cōmunion table for the altar: this their priestly power deriued from these Leuiticall lawes is aboue answered. I would here know of these allegorisers what the alt [...]r in the law signified, and what our Sauiour CHRIST here meant by the altar, if not the whole worship of God, & with what se [...]se they can thus popishly vnderstand yt of & applie yt to their communion table only, shutting them from that, admitting them to their praiers and other exercise. Heere me thinkes their answere is ready; because the sacrifice of CHRISTS body is there remembred & resembled. It is well; and will they shut such from the communion of the sacrifice of CHRISTS body, whose praiers [...] will offer vp vpon that golden altar? might the Priests vnder the law receaue and burne the odours vpon the incense [...]ltar, whose sacrifices they refused at the brazen altar for burnt offrings? whosoeuer for vnclennes &c. was seperate, was seperate frō the whole tabernacle & al the ministerie & exercises therof. How then can these blind & fooli [...]h [...]. 22. 3. Pharisies thus halfe Chri [...]t, to make him a minister, an aduocate, an altar for the praiers of such to whome he is no sacrifice, no minister at th [...] brazen altar, whome he driueth from his table from his communion, and will neither giue his body vnto them, nor suffer them to be knit with his members vnto yt. What maner of iuggling, what kind of fast and loose is this? what shall we thinke of the e [...]tate of these men that are thus suspended? they being halfe driuen from CHRIST, halfe receaued vnto Christ, halfe cast out of the Church, halfe admitted in. What is this estate like vnto, if not to the popish purgatorie? these men being neither wholy Christs, nor wholy Satans: And surely seing they wil with the papists frō hence take this popish Priestly power vnto the [...]selues, as also this fond toole of suspension, I see not why they should dissent from them in the third, namely in the purgatorie.
By this time I hope you perceaue what kind of stuffe this their ce [...] sure of suspension is, which both the sorts of these Priests generally allow of and receiue. You see how euill yt accordeth to the heauenly frame of CHRISTS Testament and Church: you may also by this which hath generally beene saied touching the most reformed vse of yt in the hands of these supposed Pastors (that should be) iudg what kind of [...]oole and weapon yt is in the hands of these popish Prelates the BB [...]. you may see by the exercise of yt vpon any priuate member, what an odious and intollerable thing yt were to be e [...]ercised vpon the Pastor or other ministers of the Church, especially at the pleasure and lust of one man: now let vs proceed to their excommunication.
This is executed by one man or his Commissary in their courts (as hath been said) neuer for any sin or error (for such matters they either let passe, or punish by the temporall sword, by fines, imprisonment, or penance &c.) But their excommunication is altogether exercised for contumacie: as for not obeijng their summons, or for not satisfijng the iudgment of their cou [...]ts, namely for not paying these rauenous voultures, [Page 241] these officers the [...]r fees, or not paying the mulcts that are inflicted vpon thē in their Courts &c. And as yt most cōmonly ariseth but about these money matters, so is yt in effect but a money matter yt self: you shal find M r. Commissarie if he see yt cōming no vnreasonable man, he had as leeue take your money himself as an other should, for this he knowes yt shalbe dispensed with for money, either in his court or some where els. The forme of this excommunication I cannot set downe, but I weene yt be in manner of a writte in latine, as also the Absolutiō therof proclaimed in y e name of the Bishop or archbishop after the order of their mother Church of Rome: these their spider webbes of their ecclesiasticall lawes & iurisdiction extēd not but vnto the smaller and common flies, the magistrates & greater personages are wholy exempt from them.
The other sect of these Priests, the counterfait Reformists, they also would exclude the Church from this & al other ecclesiastical cēsures, assuming thē wholy into their owne hāds, either into the Priests hāds with his silly presbitery or eldership, which he ouerruleth at his pleasure in euerie particular congregation, or els into their synodes and councels, which haue power ouer al churches & euery mēber & actiō the [...]of, to excommunicate & absolue, to make and depose, to ordeine & abrogate, without the p [...]iuitie & cōsent of the Churches, other thē of their Preachers or Priests. Thus both sides subuert the libertie of the Church, & peruert the ordinance of Christ, the one sort by corrupting, the other by vtterlie reiecting the vnpartial vse of true excōmunicatiō by euerie Christiā cōgregation according to the rules of Chri [...]s Testament, as intollerable & a mischiefe to this common welth.
We haue aboue larglie prooued, the necessitie, stabilitie, perpetuitie of that order and gouernment which Chri [...] in his Testament hath set downe for the building & direction of his Church. By manie places of scripture & reasons we haue shewed, how that order & gouernmēt onlie best accordeth and fitteth to the Church of Christ, in al places & times whatsoeuer: and how the Church can neither receaue other orders and lawes, or change these which Christ hath giuē, without cas [...]ing off CHRISTS yoke, & disan [...]lling his Testament; CHRISTS Testament and Church being for euer in all places one and the same. We haue also [...] places of this presēt writing shewed, how CHRIST hath giuen vnto his Church his spirituall power and authoritie, with the sharpe two edged sword that proceedeth out of his mouth, to cut off all transgr [...]ssion and error, as also all trespassers and heretikes that remaine obstinate and impenitent in their sinne; and hath giuen them straight cōmandement vigilantly & vnpa [...]tially to vse the same sword and power vnto the worldes end. The necessitie of which power, though yt were not confirmed by so manie direct and expresse places of scripture; yet might yt to a [...] men appeare, in that without the same they cā neither receaue CHRIST, who is neuer seuered frō his power; neither can they keepe sound anie communion, when they h [...]ue not [Page 242] the power to [...]ast▪ out & seperate the plaguy & leprous from amongst them.
Moreouer, we haue shewed how this power of excōmunication election, ordination &c. is not committed into the hands of one particular person, as the Pope and his natural children our Lord B [...]hops now vse yt; nor yet into the hands of the eldership only, or of the Pastors of many particular congregations (as the reforming▪ preachers would haue yt) so much as yt is giuen & committed to the whole Church, euen to euery particular congregation, and to euery member therof alike: To which holy spiritual power of CHRIST, euery member of the Church & seruant of Christ must be subiect alike, without exception or exemption of person. How contrary then vnto God & preiudiciall vnto his Church, is the blasphemy & pride of those mē, which thus presump [...]uously opē their mouthes against heauē & all the ordinances of God, pronouncing this spiritual & heauenly censure of excōmunicatiō duly executed by the church according to the wil & cōmandement of Christ (as the only meanes for the preseruation of the whole Church and of the parties so excommunicate) to be intollerable in a christian realme, preiudiciall to Princes and Magistrates; yea that popi [...]hly assume this sword of CHRIST, this power of his Church into their owne hands, and therwith of their owne sole authority smite some, exempt others as they lust themselues: whose monstrous & enormous abuse of this heauenly ordinance, cānot by the pen or mouth of any be so liuely discribed, as yt is with great letters to the view of all men ingraued and exposed in the daily practise of their Commissaries courtes, the court of high cōmission &c. But that all the pretextes of this their odious blasphemy and pride may at once be plucked from them, let me in a word or two by expresse scriptures shew what true excommunication is, by whome, vpon whome, and how yt is to be executed.
We reade 1 Cor. 5. Titus 3. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Excommunication to be an vtter disfranchizing, and publike cu [...]ting off of all conuinced obstinate offendors from all interest in CHRIST & all cōmunion with his Church, in the open congregation. We reade in the said 1 Cor. 5. as also Math. 18. 17. Math. 28. 20. Rom. 16. [...]7. 2 Thess. 3▪ 6. 14. the power & execution of this censure of excōmunication to be cōmitted to the whole Church, else why should the Apostle charge & blame the whole Church for y • neglect therof, and command the whole Church to execute yt? why should our Sauiour CHRIST command his disciples to admonish their br [...]thtē whē they offend, and if they repent not, to complaine vnto the church. He sendeth them not heere vnto the Pastor▪ to complaine vnto him, nor vnto the Bishop, high commission, Presbutry, Synode or Councel to cōplaine vnto them for redresse; neither yet comitteth he here or in any other place of scripture this action vnto them, or commandeth them as by vertue of their office to do yt. But (as may euidently appeare in these and sundry other places of scripture) both this publike casting out & receauing in of any member, is committed and [Page 243] belongeth vnto the whole Church & euerie member therof iointly together, & is not especiallie or solely committed to anie one or anie some of them anie more then vnto al the rest. We see also the Pastor, & al the teachers & other members of the Church subiect vnto this censure▪ yea & the church where these members make such offence, is to proceed against them, to auoide them, to excommunicate them. Read for further proofe of this Gal 1. 8. 9. 2 Ioh. 9. & [...]. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 17. &. 3. 5. Coloss. 4. 17. Phillip. 3. 2. 17. 18. 19. So that although y e church performe this action by the Pastor, as a member most fi [...] th [...]r vnto; yet neither the Pastor gayneth, nor the Church looseth anie right or interest in this action heerby, because we see euidently the church hath power to doe this action without a Pastor, yea against their Pastor,
The maner of thi [...] excommunication, we in the said 5 of y e 1 Corinth find to be done in the publike congregation where the whole church is assembled, & not in anie courtes or Bishops howses; in the name & power of our Lord Iesus Christ, & not in the name and power of a Lord Bishop or arch Bishop, in the vsuall tongue of that congregation as yt may best edifie, and not in the romane tongue after their popish maner in forme of a writ. This cēsure is not done before y e fault be publikely knowne, either in the first committing of yt, or els by processe for contemning admonition, neither before the partie offending be duly convinced, admonished & exhorted: But when the sin thus appeareth & becommeth publike, the sinner is thus convinced, admonished, exhorted, & still continueth obstinate & impenitent; thē is the Church without delay or pa [...]tialitie to proceed, by the power of our Lord [...]esus Christ with one consent to cast o [...]t such a one, & deliuer him vnto Sathan for the humbling of the flesh, y t the spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord; yea to auoid f [...]om themselues both the contagion and iudgmentes following his sin.
Now then seeing this censure of excommunication is an especiall part of the iudgment, power, & Scepter of Christ; seing Christ hath committed yt vnto his Church, euen vnto euerie Christian congregation▪ whether yt be established in order, or yt be indeuoring into o [...]der, as a most necessarie meanes to preserue & keepe them in the v [...]itie of the faith & godlines, without which power & the due executiō therof yt is impossible to k [...]epe a [...]e communion; how great is their sin against Christ & his Church, that thus presumptuously wrast the sword out of Christs hand, & take yt into their owne furious handes, that thus vtterly depriue the Church of all vse of yt, saue that they smite & wound the poore lambes and seruantes of CHRIST with yt, or rather with that great sword giuen vnto their father the deuil to shed innocent blood.
But especially what iniurie doe they vnto their Princes and magistrates, that thus depriue & exempt thē frō the heauenlie gouernmēt of Christ (if so be this their ecclesiasticall discipline & Church gouernment be the true gouernment of Christ (as they vaunt and giue out) doe [Page 244] they not heerby manifest, y t either Princes and magistrats are not the seruantes & subiectes of Christ, or els y t thēselues haue y e great charte [...] of Antichrist as well as their sire the Pope, to dispense with the breach of Gods lawes, & to assoile Princes & magistrates from the obedience and reuerence of Christ? Or els peraduenture with their deepe learning they are able to prooue. THAT CHRISTIAN PRINCES AND MAGISTATES, EITHER CANNOT SIN in such māner to deserue excommunication, or els are not liable to the same iudgmentes of God, as other Christians are for the like transgressions; or els that Christ hath not made one and the same co [...]enant with al mē, but hath apointed one way for Princes & magistrates to be saued, an other way for inferior Christiās of lower callings. But if the couenant & law of God be one & the same vnto al men▪ if al men ought to be alike liable to the law of God, & subiect to the sacred person & Scepter of Christ; if rebellion be as the sin of witchcraft, & transgression as idolatrie; yf Christ be an vpright and vnpartiall Iudge; if Topheth be prepared of olde, if yt be prepared euē for the King deep and large &c. Then most dangerous and damnable is the perfidie and f [...]atterie of these prophets that not only pronounce peace vnto wicked magistrates in their sin, but exempt Christian magistrates from subiection and obedience vnto the Scepter and gouernment of Christ in his Church, wherby they draw thē into battel against Christ. For if they be not vnder his Scepter of grace, then are they vnder his yro [...] [...]od, wherwith he wil bruise them to sheardes. Yf they be his subiects, then doth he reigne ouer them, & that by his owne lawes: but if they wil not haue him to reigne ouer them, then commeth he against thē and iudgeth them as his enemies. This is the good seruice these men doe vnto their magistrates, to bring them into the wrath of the Lion of the tribe of Iuda: this is the care these good shephardes haue of the soules of their Prince & magistrats, to suffer them to runne on in their sin without coercion or reproofe; yea to depriue them of the onlie meanes & cure that God in his mercie & wisdome hath prouided for al his seruants in that estate.
But these pollitike diuines make Princes beleeue that yt is no small iniurie & derogation to their persons & office to be subiect to the reproofe & censute of Christ in his Church. Excommunication of magistrates (say they) was an instrumēt to bring y [...] neckes of Emperors & Princes vnder the Popes girdle, the onlie meane wherby he became so dreadful to al men, & got to himself so great authority: therfore our english Pope & L. Bishops, though they stil retaine in their hādes this popish thunderbolt of excommunicatiō; yet so warily doe they vse yt, as they wil not affray Princes or great personages therewith.
Alas, & cānot these learned Bishops in al this light & free passage of the Gospel they bost of, as yet discerne or put difference betwixt Christs most lawfull sacred spiritual power, and the Popes vsurped diuelish carnall powers? should not magistrates be subiect to the first, because they ought not to endure or suffer the second? Hath not God spoken [Page 245] from heauen; This is my beloued Sonne, heare him? and againe; Therfore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name, that in the name of IESVS euery knee should bow &c and euery to [...]gue confesse, that IESVS is the Lord? and speaking vnto the Sonne, he saith Thy throne Ô God to the world of worldes, the Scepter of thy kingdome is a rod of righteousnes: and in an other place I haue annointed my King vpon Zion mine holy mountaine &c. Giue he [...]d therfore ye Kings, be ye disciplined ye Iudges of the earth, serue the Lord in feare, reioice in trembling: kisse the Sonne least that he be angire, & ye perish in the way. It were long to recite the expresse scriptures which euery where shew, that all Kings and Magistrates ought to be subiect to the Scepter and censure of CHRIST in his Church, to bring their glorie & honour thither, and cast downe their crownes before him, of whome they receaue & hold their crownes, euen by homage tenure, frō whome they deriue al thei [...] power, & therfore w t all their power ought to serue him, vnto whome they shal accompt. All the godly Kings of whome we read in the scriptures, haue beene bownd and subiect vnto the lawes of God and censures of the Church, in their calling, as any other. How earnestly did DAVID beseech the Lord, that he would seek out his seruant, when he erreth, as a sheepe? that the righteous might smite him, for that shalbe a benefite; that they might reproue him, for that shalbe as a cheefe oyntment. As Kings enter into the Church, and are made members of CHRIST by profession & true practise of the faith; so when they fall and depart from the same faith, and will▪ not be reduced by admonition and reproofe, they are no longer to be held of the faith of the Church, but are as any other, to receaue the iudgment and censure of CHRIST, to be cut off and cast out as withered branches; and this as the only remedy of their saluation for the humbling of their flesh &c▪ Yf Kings be subiect to the instruction and admonition of the Church [...]s Dauid, Asa, I [...]oshaphat, Ezekiah &c. were; why should they not also with Vzziah (when the running vlcer [...] of fretting & incurable sinne appeare vppon them) be cut off from the how [...]e of the Lord, and seperate from the cōmunion of the Saints as he was, least they defile more, & make the whole offrings and companie abhominable vnto the Lord. Yf in that materiall Temple, where the worship consisted in externall ceremonies, no degrees of persons were exempted from the obseruation of the lawes, the King himself might not enter with his vncleannes vpon him, but as you see was cast out according to the law? how much more in this spirituall howse of CHRIST, ought they to be subiect to the lawes and iudgments of CHRIST, as well, yea and rather more then any other.
To this they obiect, because the King is the cheefe & supreame gouernor here in earth ouer all persons and causes as well of the Church as of the commō welth, vnto whome euery soule must be subiect: therfore cannot the whole Church, much lesfe any member therof (all being his subiects) censure, iudg, or excōmunicate the Prince, the placing, [Page 246] punishing, and deposing of whome, only belongeth vnto God, by whome Kings r [...]igne.
O how great is the blindnes of these Phariseis, that cannot put difference betweene the spirituall iudgments of CHRIST in his Church, & the temporall or rather corporall iudgments of the magistrate in the cōmon welth? but most grossely and wickedly oppose the one against the other? Might they not as well reason, and vpon the same grounds conclude, that the Prince is no member of the Church, neither y t the Church hath any cōmunion with him, because he is supreme gouernour of the Church, and all the Church are his subiects? yea doe they not as much, whē they giue vnto Princes s [...]ch blasphemous titles, popi [...]h prerogatiues & dispensatiōs, as SVPREME HEAD OF THE CHVRCH, to make lawes for the Church concerning the worship, ministery, ministration & whole gouernment of the Church, and those such as are not read of in the booke of God, & to be exempt from the iurisdiction & cēsure of Christ in his church? Now which way in this estate can they make the Prince a subiect of Christ or member of his Church, whē both in titles, power, & pregatiue they exa [...]t Princes into the chaire of Christ, or (to say as yt is) rather into the chaire of Antichrist. But to come to this pollitike impediment and intollerable inconuenience that would ensue, if Princes should be subiect to the excōm [...]nication of y e church, then say they he should be subiect to the Church, and so subiect to his subiects. I denie the sequele of their Argument: for this censure is not the censure of the Church, so much as of CHRIST in his Church: so that though CHRIST vse the ministerie of his Church, the Church the ministerie of some most fit memb [...]r vnto this action, y [...]t is y [...] still the censure & iudgment of CHRIST, vnto which euery seruant of CHRIST & member of the Church must be subiect. So that they might as well reason, that the Prince is subiect to the Church &c. because he must be subiect to the Gospell; which is also the ministerie of the Church. The least member of the Church is not subiect to the church, neither to follow yt further then yt followeth CHRIST. But whiles some, without all feare of God haue indeuored to draw, and others not doubted to yeild that honour which is due vnto God▪ vnto the persons of men; herehence hath al this exaltation of Antichrist & pride of the prelac [...]e arisen; yea these impious collections and blasphemous conclusions against Christs holy ordinances ensued: to such a measure and heigth is this sin now growen, that they not only cast off Christs yoke them selues, but assoile Princes of their allegeance vnto him; yea proclaime this most peaceable & spiritual censure of CHRIST, to be sed [...]ious, intolle [...]able, contrary vnto the magistracie &c.
Then which assertion what can be more heathen & barbarous? Is yt not to set their state expresly against Christ? yea Christ against God? cannot these carnal men consider, that Christ himself whiles he was heere on earth, as also his Apostles, were subiect in al lawfull things vnto the ciuile magistrate, & taught the churches so to be vnto the worlds end? [Page 247] yet both CHRIST & his Apostles gaue perpetuall & often commandements for the diligent & vpright vse of this spiritual censure vnto the wo [...]lds end. Are they so Anabaptisticall to thinke, y t there neuer were or should be magistrates of the Church? or thinke they that these lawes were made for the church, before the magistrates were called to the faith? were not Nicodemus, Ioseph of Aramathia, Sergius Paulus, Cornelius▪ Dionisius, Erastus &c. magistrates, and called to the faith? yet in their tune was the vse of excommunication inioined, and practised. No where can they shew in all the Testament of CHRIST any exception or immunity of any one person from this spirituall censure & gouernment of CHRIST, which is no way contrary vnto the temporal estate & ciuil degree of the Prince or magistrate.
Who though they be excōmunicate, yet still retaine their ciuil estate & dignity wherin God hath placed them, and still are reuerenced and obeied of the whole church, as such magistrates whome God hath set ouer them: only members of the Church they cannot be held, whiles they presumptuously trāsgresse, or obstinately disobey CHRISTS voice. It is not in the power of the Church to receaue or cast out any member, before they see faith or transgression▪ accordingly▪ nor yet hath the Church power to keepe in any member, longer then he keepeth the faith & walketh orderly. So then vntil they can proue that there can be no magistrates but such as are of the church, or that this ecclesiastical excommunication is a depriuing & deposing of the ciuil magistracy, they do but reproch the truth, and seduce the magistrate. As these spirituall iudgments extend not vnto, so the Church that pronounceth & executeth the same, no way medleth with the office or person of the Prince, or magistrate. They are taught not to lay violent hands vpon the Lords annointed▪ but to be obedient vnto the death. It alwaies hath beene the custome of the Pope & his ofspring, to encroch both vpon Churches and Princes, to assume this antichristian power ouer both into their hāds, to bind & to loose, to curse & assoile whome they list. Neither can I see the sin of these Antichristian BBs. these ympes of the Pope to be lesse in discharging Princes from this holy censure of CHRIST, thē [...]heir Sires was in tyrannizing & oppressing them therwith: neither yet how these men can beate downe the tyrannous vsurped power of the Pope, when they ass [...]me into their owne hands, and execute the self same power ouer the whole Church and all the ordinances therof without accompt or [...], as hath beene plentifully shewed in all this discouery, and yet more shall appeare, if we now take a litle view of th [...]ir Commission, which is the very abisme & golph from whence spring & flow all these innumerable enormities, into euery pa [...] of this whole land their Church.
THIS INDEFINITE monstrous Commission I (hauing neuer seene their letters pattents or any copie therof) cannot othervise describe, then by certaine appa [...]ant circumst [...]nces: as the men of [Page 248] whome yt consisteth, and that haue the chiefe rule therof; the persons & causes ouer which this Cōmission is set, and hath iurisdiction; and the maner of vsing their sayd power.
The Commissioners are certayne ecclesiasticall & ciuile persons; as first the Primate of England [the Arch-b: of Canterburie] then I suppose the Metropolitane of Yorke, with certaine other Bishops, as London, Winchester, &c. certaine Deanes, Arch-deacons & Chancelors, with sundry especial ciuile Doctors &c. The ciuil persons of this Commission are now of late dayes some few of her Ma ties honorable Councell, the two chiefe Iudges: certaine Courtiers; as the two Maisters of her Maiesties requests; certaine chosen Aldermen, & the Recorder of London; certaine other officers about the Citie; as the Li [...]ftenant of the Tower, the post-Mr. & sundry other that I know not, not hee [...]e to recite that rabble of aduocates, proctors, scribes, pursuyuāts, attending thervpon.
These thus ioined in this high great Commission, haue (or at the least exercise) by vertue therof absolute power & iurisdiction ouer the whole Church of England and euery particular congregation of the same, and ouer eu [...]ry minister & member of the same, euen ouer al the Q. Subiects. They also exercise finall iurisdiction & absolute power ouer all causes ecclesiasticall whatsoeuer, to handle and determine, to visite, enquire & punish, to make new lawes, orders, decrees, and to inioine the same as authentike vpon all Churches, as, & before the holy oracles of God. They haue power also to assume any cause or plea out of any other of their inferior spiritual Courtes (as they call them) into their owne hands, to ratifie or disanul any thing there done. They haue power also to erect and to authorise new litle high Commissions in any Citie of the land, where yt pleaseth them: only with this exc [...]ption; that they alwaies acknowledg the supreme power of their parent at Lambeth. Yet further this great high Commission hath absolute power ouer sundrie (and what not) ciuil causes, insomuch as they feare not to meddle with matters belonging to the Q. crowne or pre [...]ogatiue roial, or to any of her Courts of plea whatsoeuer: yea they haue not doubted to intercept caus [...]s belonging vnto, & depending in the high Court of parliament, if Mr. PENRY in his app [...]ale say true. Th [...]y haue power to cite, summon or conuent by their pursuyuants & cursitors, what person of the land eith [...]r man or woman at any time when they please: they haue power to command all the Q. officers, as Maiors of Cities, Sherifs &c. to serue & attend, watch & ride, by day or by night vpon their busines whatsoeuer: also to apprehend, to incarcerate, or to deliuer out of prison, what person or pe [...]sons, how innocent or flagitious soeuer, vpon their barre warrant, without further enquire or delay: yea they haue power to fetch vp any of these officers before thē from their charge in her Maiesties seruices, & there also to ymprison them, if they so thinke good. They haue power to authorize these rakehel [...]obbers their pursuyuants, to herry, molest or attach any of the Q. [Page 249] [...]aithful subiectts they list, to breake open & [...]ansack their houses by day or by night, to spoyle & carie away what and whome they please without controulement, their warrants being made indefinite, without anie certaine perscription or limitation.
Wel, & being thus furnished with this power, they come together at Reuel. 9. 7. 9. their Session as charrets armed to the batt [...]l, a great tayle of officers & court of a [...]tendants being assēbled, the apparance wherof exceedeth I suppose that of the Vaticane at Rome, no praier vsed before, neither the booke of God opened in this their ecclesiastical councel. The parties conu [...]nted are to attend, being called to appeare before them: before whome being come, what affaires soeuer they haue, whither of a whole Church, or of manie congregations, what office or degree soeuer they be of, they must there stand their head [...]s discou [...]red before them, no place giuen them with or by these Commissioners. Yf they be to propoūd, speake, or complaine of any thing, they mu [...]t doe yt by the officers of this Courte, their Aduocates, Proctors, R [...]gisters, Scribes seou [...]dum modum & formam, and that to no small charge by that time all these voultures haue their fees: otherwise thē by these they may not plead in this Courte: the iudgments of this Court they must receaue without contradictiō or gaynsaijng; there is no appeale, no help [...], no m [...]anes to reu [...]rse the same, be they neuer so vni [...]st. Any oth [...]rs that are blamed and accused vnto this Courte, haue not he [...]re pl [...]ce to answere vnto such things as shalbe obi [...]cted against them by their accusers, b [...]ing brought face to face, or to defēd themselues according to equitie: but heere they shall hardly know their accusers, or accusations at anie time, vntil they haue taken an othe to answere truly vnto such things as shalbe demāded of thē in that Court; wherby they are driuen to accuse themselues, and so minister matter abundantly vnto their aduersaries. The othe that is heere administred is, that laying their hand or; finge [...]s vpon a booke, they sweare by God & by the contents of the booke, to answere truly vnto such things as shalbe demanded of them, and so kissing the booke their othe is accepted, & no further leisure giuen to consider what th [...]y answere vnto their demandes. But if anie make conscience, or denie to receaue this idolatrous wicked othe (which though yt be proued vnto them to be n [...]uer so vnlawful, and contrarie to the commandement of God. Deut. 6. 13. & De [...]t. [...]0. 20. to be neuer so superstitious in deuising & adding, yea in inioyning ceremonies where God in these lawes hath made none, but cōmanded to sweare without anie ceremonies by the name of God only; though yt be proued to be neuer so idolatrous, in ioyning any thing vnto or with God, in swearing by any thing besides or with God; though the fearful curse of God be shewed to be denoū ced against such mane [...] of swearing & swearers, by the Lords prophets in these words, They that sweare in the sin of S [...]maria, & that say, thy God O Dan liueth and the way of Beerschebah liueth, euē they shal fal & neuer [...]ise vp againe; and in an other place, that the Lord will cut off al that sweare [Page 250] by IEHOVAH as they sweare by [...]: be this othe prooued neuer so vnnecesfarie, the cause not requiring anie such triall; be yt proued neuer so vnnatural, yt being to accuse thēselues, & y • vnto their aduersaries) yet wil these graceles Bishops inforce this othe; first by way of perswasion, by Abrahams & Iaacobs exāples, who caused the one his se [...] uāt, y e other his sonne to sweare, putting their hād vnder their theigh &c. and by the Angels lifting vp his hād vnto heauē to sweare. If vnto the fi [...]st they be answered, that Abrahā & Iaacob ioyned not this ceremony vnto the othe, so much as to exact the fidelitie & performance of the othe, seijng God himself sware vnto Abraham without this ceremonie Gen, 15 & 17; as also Ishaac sware, & Iaacob sware without this ceremonie Gen. 26. 31. & Gen. 31. 53; so that there cā be no law drawen or exāple made of Abraham & Iaacob heerin, especially seing this was before the law was giuē: but now we [...]aue an absolute law giuen of God for the forme of othes, frō which law we ought not to swerue. Yf vnto the secōd, namely the Angels lifting vp the hād vnto heauē whiles he sware yt be likewise answered; y t no law cā be inforced frō hēce, or any new ceremony inioyned in swearing, nothing being done heere contrarie to the law of God, neither any example giuē to breake or alter y • law giuē of God, seing now both al superstitious ceremonies & idolatrous othes are forbiddē vs, by our Sauiour Christ & his Apostles: Math. 5. 34. 3. 5 Mat. 23. Gal. 4. 9. Col. 2. 20. Their next reason is drawē frō the Princes priuiledg; y t the Prince hath power to make lawes of indifferēt things, & is therin to be obeied: this maner of othe is shewed to be no indifferēt thing, but altogether vnlawful & prohibited for the reasons aboue alledged. [...]. Cor. 6. 12 But if yt were a thing indifferēt (as they suppose) so to sweare or not so to sweare, yet were yt not lawfull for any mortal man to bind that by way of law, which God hath left in our libertie; much lesse to bring in new ceremonies or diuises into the worship of God: for so might al the Popes traditiōs be brought in & iustified. Whē these reasons wil not serue to perswade o [...] assure the conscience, thē these holy fathers, these tēder hearted christian BBs. are driuē to their last argumēt wherby they vphold their antichristiā throne, Viz. the ciuil power & authoritie which is committed into their murtherous handes.
Then are they forthwith committed vnto close prison, there to remaine vntil they either yeild, or die; and this without respect of age, sexe, or degree, especially if they be convēted for refusing or speaking against the BBs. Popelike authoritie, antichristian decrees, idolatrous iniunctions &c: such▪ with mortall hatred they persecute, much more [...]hen they doe the most hainous malefactors & traiterous Papists: such they opēly publish to be sectaries, scismatikes, heretikes, Anabaptists, disobedient to magistrates, seditious, conventiclers &c. and al because they will not beare Antichristes yoke, nor carie the Beastes marke, nor bow downe vnto & worship his image. Such therfore they hunt & pursue a [...]rode by their spia [...]s & pursyuants, and hauing caught thē, vse with al e [...]quisite tyranny, neuer suffring thē to depart out of thei [...] [Page 251] hāds, vntil they either deny y e faith, or be fetched frō thē by the Lords peremptorie messenger, Death. Long yt were to relate their fine spanish arts to molest these constant witnesses & faithfull seruāts of Christ when they get them in their prisons, by shutting them vp long close, by causing them to be produced and indicted at the general sessions vpō the statute of recusansy, hauing made some of the Iudg [...]s on their part; although this statute was made for Christs and her Ma ties. [...]nemies, the Papists, recusants of all christian veritie. When vpon this statute they haue gotten them indicted, and vpon the execution therof cast into prisons; yet he [...]re their malice ceaseth not, but although they be the Q. prisoners in her execution, yet will they (contrarie to all law) assume them back againe into th [...]ir handes, and by th [...]ir sole authoritie without anie cause alledged, commit them perpetuall close prisoners, therby to shorten their liues, and to cut off all meanes either of their owne maintenance from them, or wherby they might any way satisfie the Que [...]ne. Thus play they with poore Christians as the catte doth with the mo [...]se, boldly committing them vnto and taking them f [...]om the seculer powers at their owne pleasure; abusing the Queenes lawes and most faithfull subi [...]ctes at their owne lust, without checke or controulement, they being subiect and liable to no lawe. To such a heigth is this strange Romish spanish Court now growne, vnder colour of [...]eforming [...]cclesiasticall abus [...]s, that yt vsurpeth absolute power ouer al law [...]s, caus [...]s, persons, [...]; yea and becommeth the very fountaine or synke rather, from whence flow al errors, abuses, and disorders into the whole lād, yt being the very bane & poyson both of the church and common welth, that [...]uer going forge of Sathan, wherin he daily mint [...]th al his antichr [...]stian new deuises & decrees for this monstrous harlot the false Church, that Senate wherin all their affaires are cons [...]lted, that Councel wherin all their decrees are concluded, a Synode wherin all causes are debated, a schoole wherin al questions are disputed, a fayre wherin all their wares are sould. This monstrous Court taketh vtterly away the power and stoppeth the course of Gods word, of his Church, and of the godly lawes of the land: preiudicial yt is to the prerogatiue of the Prince, to the iurisdiction of her [...]oyall Courts▪ to the libertie of her free subiects, & to the great Cha [...]r of England, as their practise euidently sheweth. How contrarie yt is vnto God, & vnto al the rules of his word, euen by this summarie recitall & insufficient description of their doings, at the first reading may appeare to al men that wil bring them to the light. So barbarous is th [...]ir power, so odious their proceedings, as no apologie cā be made for them, vnlesse by the same they wil also iustifie the authoritie of the Pope, and proceedings of the spanish inquisition; both vvhich yet heerin they exceed, in that this Court hath power to make lawes & o [...]dināces for al churches without their consent, which the Pope cannot doe: as also, in that this Court hath power & iurisdiction ouer many, & almost al ciuil causes, which the spanish inquisition hath not.
[Page 252]Let not my words be wrasted or misconstrued to the reproch of these honorable personages, & such ciuile magistrates as are of this Cōmission; whose ciuil offices & persons we from our hearts vnfainedly honour and reuerence: yet can the authority of their personages no way iustifie the vnlawfulnes of this Commission, or hide the vngodlines of the BBs. proceedings therin; with whose crafty practises we suppose they are not made acquainted, being tised into this Cōmission by the sub [...]ilty of the BBs. (who suppose to fortifie their anti [...]hristian power & popish regiment, by the authority and countenance of the these honorable & reuerend men) whome they perswade that they shal do much good herein: before whome they bring none, but the most heinous & fowle causes, as incest, plurality of wiues, papistry &c. neuer suffring them to looke into the secrets & mysteries of their kingdome, or to heare the iust complaints of the Q. oppressed subiects by their tyranny. These (as is aboue said) they wil not suffer so much as to expose their griefes vtter their wrongs, or to plead & defend their owne cause before these c [...]uil magistrates, no not in this their owne courte, where the Archbishop is in his exaltation, and their chiefe aduersaries are Iudges; so fearful are they least the light should breake forth, and all their packing and wickednes be bew [...]aied. But he that discloseth all secrets, will (I doubt not) shortly reueale all their doings, and make them as odious as they are now honorable. At which time, such as now ioine to them and vphold them, shall stand far off for feare of their torments, when the wrath of God shalbe reueled from heauen against all the impiety and iniustice of these men that withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes: For sure, if the Prince & Magistrats but knew the vnlawfulnes of this Cōmission, [...]ither in the persons, power, or practise therof, they would [...]oone withdraw their power f [...]om the beast, and would not in this maner vphold or [...] vnto the throne of Antichrist, that forgeth wrong bes [...]des law.
The ecclesiasticall persons of this Commission we ha [...]e by express [...] scriptures shewed, neither to be true ministers of the Gospell, neithe [...] true members of the Church of Christ. Both which though they were, yet could they not receaue or exercise such antichristian power & inordinate authority ouer all, or any one congregation of Christ; much lesse in the estate they stand. For the ciuiil magistrates that are of this Commission, though they may as members together with those congregations whervnto they are ioined, iointly with the whole Church exercise such spiritual power to censure faltes, discusse matters, and determine of such affaires as belong vnto & arise in their congregations &c. yet can they not (as by vertue of their ciuil office) exercise these spirituall censures & power, which Christ hath giuē & belongeth vnto the whole Church▪ much lesse assume into their owne hands, and plucke from the whole Church this power which Christ hath giuen them. So then all the persons of this Commission, both ecclesiastical & ciuil, are [...]tterly vncapable of this inordina [...]e power & iurisdictiō; which being [Page 253] so mon [...]trous & heinou [...] ouer al churches, al [...] causes, persons & doctrines; to ratifie, or di [...]anul, erect or pull downe, bring in, or cast out of the Church, handle & hold plea of many ciuile causes also, and that after so blasphemous & vnchristian a maner, by administring & enforcing their idolatrous booke othe, by prohibiting somuch as to speake for themselues or in their owne causes, by inflicting penalties & fines, by incarcerating whome & for what they list, and there deteining them as close & as long as they list, and that without bayle, mainprise, or trial: which monstrous confused power, belongeth rather vnto, & is more fit for y t Antichrist, that Beast; and vnto the false church, then vnto any member of CHRIST, or of his church. God hath pur difference (though no disagreement) betwixt th [...] [...]hurch, and the cōmon welth, betwixt the ministers iurisdictiō, & censures of ech of them; hauing set vnto ech sort their due bounds, officers and limits which they ought not after this maner to transgresse or confound, making I know not what cōmixture of persons, offices, causes in this monstrous Commission, where the ciuil magistrate is made a Iudg & minister of ecclesiastical causes; their church ministers, of ciuill & cōmō welth matters, & al vnder pretext of the cōmission of y e Prince: who because he hath power ouer all causes & persons both of the Church & cōmon welth; [...]herfore these mē suppose that he may make what new lawes, decrees & orders for both Church & common welth that he list, & change the ordinances & decrees of God at his pleasure, especially if he be a christian Prince; for then he is no way bownd to the lawes of God or limits of his calling.
But against such deuilish doctrines we haue oftē in this treatise proued, that though the Prince be placed of God in the most high authority both o [...]er y e church & cōmon welth here vpon earth, yet he is but [...]he seruāt of God, circumscribed with lawes, as one that shal render an [...]ccompt, & be iudged before the Lord of all his doings, as any other. Though the Prince haue the booke of God [...]ōmitted vnto him, with charge to see yt duly executed by euery one in his calling, yet hath he [...]t to keepe & obserue, & not to breake or chāge. We haue also proued all the lawes of God to be most holy, inuiolable, and al sufficient both for the church & cōmon welth, & the perfect instruction of euery officer & member of the same in their seueral duties & callings: so that nothing is now left vnto a [...] mortal man, of what high dignity & calling soeuer, but to fulfil & execute the will of God in his word, in their places & callings: which word being now perfected in y e heauenly ministery of Christ, nothing may be added to, or takē from the same, without most high sacriledg & impiety, & the vtter abrogating of CHRISTS Testamēt: no new deuise (how holy or necessary [...]oeuer to our earthly seeming) is now to be brought in, or required at our hands, our obedience being more acceptable vnto God then our sacrifice. Which way [...]en can this strange monstrous Cōmission, neuer read nor heard of in the new Testament of Christ, or whole word of God, so vnlawfull in the [Page 254] persons y t are y e Cōmissioners, in the power & authority they exercise, & in al their proceedings; so pernicious to y • whole church, so dir [...]ctly contrary to y • word of God, & to y • vtter subuersiō & taking out of the way y • whole Testamēt & ordināces of Christ; how may this cōmissiō (I say) be set o [...]er y • whole church, or be iustified by y e Princes authority?
But to proue y t this ecclesiastical high Cōmission is no antichristian vngodly or new diuise, Mr. SOME hath taken some paines, & bestowed vpon vs a few reasons, such as they are. Saith he, this Cōmission is deriued from our gracious soueraigne Q. ELISABETH, to whome the Antichrist 1 of Rome is a professed enemy, and is directed to honorable reuerend & wise men of the clergie & temporalty▪ therfore yt is not antichristian. Againe sundry branches of this Cōmission are godly, as to 2 preserue Gods religion whole & sound from popery, Anabaptistry &c. to meete with & suppresse notable disorders, as incests, polygamies, oppressiō of the ministers &c. and to giue defence & countenance to the good: therfore this Cōmission is very godly. Thirdly, high Commissions 3 were directed from Iehos haphat King of Iuda, and from Artaxerx [...] King of Persia; therfore the high Commission of England is no new deuise 2. Chron. 19. Ezra. 7.
By the first reason it should seeme that M r. SOME supposeth that there is no Antichrist but the Pope of Rome; neither any thing to be Antichristiā, which commeth not from him: otherwise [...]here wil be litle sequele of this reason; that because the Q Maiestie directeth this cōmission to honorable & reuerend men of the clergie & temporalty, therfore the high Cōmission is not antichristian or vnlawfull. Might not by this reason King Dauids Commission or letters mandatory vnto Ioa [...], for the murthering of Vriah be accompted good, because king Dauid was a most godly Prince, if so be that the goodnes of any mortal man might make that which is euill good, or iustifie any vnlawfull action. We heere reason not of the goodnes of any mens persons [...], so much as of the vnlawfulnes of this Cōmission, which by so many reasons being proued such, can neither be iustified by the Princes authority that dir [...]cteth yt, nor by the goodnes of any to whome yt is ▪directed, but remaineth altogether vnlawful for the one to graunt, for the other to accept. Yet for the persons of these Cōmissioners, we haue shewed the ciuil personages & magistrates to be vtterly vncapable of any ecclesiastical functiōs, whiles they retaine these ciuil offices, much more of such vnlawful & vngodly authority & iurisdiction ouer so many churches, as they execute in this Cōmission. As for the honorable reuerēd clergie this Doctor speaketh of, if we had said nothing concerning their office & ministery before, yet this his popish tea [...]me of clergie (wherby he segregateth the ministery from the rest of the church, or els only would ha [...]e them to be the Lords heritage) sufficiently bewraieth frō what forge they al came, & plainly sheweth them to haue come from their holy father the Pope, begotten and borne vpon their mother of Rome, such a Lordly Clergie or clearal Prelacy not being before heard [Page 255] of, or r [...]ad in the Te [...]tamēt of Christ: and so by this reason the high Cō mission is like to proue antichristian, this honorable reuerend clergie which beare al the rule in this Commission, being so immediatly deriued, and directly discended from that Antichrist of Rome. And as for this popish distinction, betwixt the clergie & the laitye; I refer him to reade with due consideration Act. 26. 18. & 1 Pet. 5. 3.
There is as litle sequele of his second reason; that because this Commission hath some good branches, as to purge Gods religiō of popery, anabaptistry, to punish & to suppresse notable disorders, as incests, polygamies, oppression of ministers: therfore this whole high Cōmission is good & godly. Might not the most vngodly councels y t euer were, be thus defended & iustified? because they decreed not some, but many good things? Might not any sect or heresy be thus also defended & iustified? because they hold & teach many good things? yet iudge we such ecclesiasticall councels & assemblies antichristian, which haue no warrāt from the word of God, where the holy ghost is not both the author & ruler. Therfore vntill this high Cōmission be approued either by president or rule, we must still hold yt antichristiā & vnlawful. And now touching these faire pretexts wherwith this sepulchre of all rottennes is guilded, this deepe graue is couered, as with flowers & greene grasse; let euen these fairest shewe [...] therof be examined and proued by [...]hat which hath bene said touching their seruice-booke, & ministery, what a pure worship & holy ministery this Cōmission preserueth and maintaineth. Let the cōmonnes of ince [...]ts, polygamies, adulteries, for [...]ication & al vncleannes y t aboūdeth in the land, shew the great good y t this cōmission doth in the land: yea let their profane & vngodly order that they take for the suppressing & punishing these crimes, shew what a holy coūcel this is. The Lord cōmandeth odious & vnnatural incests & al adulteries to be puni [...]hed with death: the high Cōmission punisheth the most hatefull incests & poligamies by prisons or by the purse. As for such incest as is not in marriage & other adulteries they are but peccadilia, punished by doing penance in a white sheete, or els by some lesse mulct w tout impri [...]onmēt. Moreouer, this cōmission punisheth y e most high & execrable idolatries by prisons & forfaiturs, making yt a pecuniary matter, cōtrary to the law of God Deut. 1 [...] ▪ & Deut. 7.
Now let vs come to Mr. SOMES 3 argumēt, where by scripture he doth approue this high Cōmission to be no new diui [...]e. King Iehoshaphat and king Ar [...]axerxes directed high Cōmissions. Iehoshaph [...]t (saith M r. SOME) in these words. In Ierushalem did Iehoshaphat s [...]t of the Leuites & of the Priests & of the chiefe of the families of Israel, for the iudgmēt & cause of the Lord. And they returned to Ierushalem, and he charged them saying &c.
How ignorantly, if not corruptly D. S. hath inuerted this text, both in the words & distinctions, may appeare to any that wil compare yt to the orginal. He hath inuerted the wordes thus, in that he saith [for the iudgment & cause of the Lord] where the text is [for the iudgmēt of y • Lord, & y • ▪ plea, or strife] Lemischphat Iehouah velarib. He hath inuerted [Page 256] the di [...]tinctions in these words And they retur [...]ed to [...], and [...]e [...] them sa [...]ng. In which [...] he hath put a periode, where the t [...]xt is cō tinued in the verse without distinction, and hath made a litle [...], where should be an hebrew periode; beginning the verse where he [...]hould not, rēding part of the [...] verse, & giuing yt to the ninth: wherby he hath dism [...]mbred & confounded the text (as shal by & by appeare) by misplacing this word IEHOVAH, and putting yt after both the iudgment & the plea, he hath giuē or rather takē occasion to thinke, that this was but one entire commission, consisting of ecclesiastical & ciuil persons ioi [...]d together, and y t this cōmission had authority to handle & decide both ecclesiastical & ciuil causes; whereas in deed [...]he word IEHOVAH is ioined to the word [ Mis [...]] of purpose to put differēce betwixt the ecclesiastical & politicall iudgments, which are expressed in the 10 verse; the 11 verse also shewing the distinctiō both of these iudgments & Iudges: for ecclesiasticall matters sending to the people Amariah the high Priest to the Temple & to the ministers therof, the Priests & Leuites: for pollitike & ciuil causes, sending the people to Zebadia, & to those heads of y e families mencioned in y e [...] verse, here called Schi [...] rulers or Iudges: which verse he also hath most corruptly deliuered, both by misplacing the wordes of the text, and conueijng in words of his owne, especially in these words [& the Leuites shal be officers before you] where the words lye in the text thus [ & Iudges Leui [...]s [...]efore you.] wherby he craftily would collect, that y e Leuites executed ciuile functions, and so our Bishops and Priests may be Lords Iudges, Iustic [...]s of peace, & hold iurisdiction of ciuil causes; & this rable of romish ciuilians, aduocates, proctors &c. might be officers in the stead of Leuites. Further, his rash inuerting the hebrew distinctions in the latter end of the [...] & beginning of the 9 verse, he hath so royled & cōfounded y e t [...]xt, as no mā can vnderstand who they were that returned to Ierushal [...]m (or rather as the text is when they sh [...]uld returne to Ierushal [...]) whither these iudges Cōmissioners (as Mr. SMOE calleth them) or the other Iudges & people of the land, that in cases of doubt should returne to Ierushalē, according to the law & cōmandement of God. Deut. 17. 8. 9. to enquire at the priests or at y e chief Iudg &c. But D. S. hauing thus troubled & roil [...]d the pure fountaine with his f [...]te, would now giue vs this muddy water to drinke: that this cōmi [...]ion (as he termeth yt) at Ieru [...]alem was s [...]t ouer all the Cities, Iudges &c. of the whole land, and that these cōmissioners were they that returned to Ierushal [...]m. By which scripture thus deliuered & vnderstood, he would shape and erect this his Lords Grace high Commission. But let vs now euē a litle compare them together, and see what likenes there is betwixt [...] proceedings in Ierushalem, and theirs in this high commission.
Iehoshaphat set Iudges in the land through all the strong cities; he set [...]. 5. in Ierushalem of the heads of the families of Israel, appointing amongst th [...]m one chiefe Iudg for al ciuil affaires, and the Kings busines, as the Kings [...]. He cōmanded also, & caused the Priests to remaine [Page 257] in their due course at Ierushalem, to studie & teach the law of God diligently: and to see this duly done of them, he set the high Priest ouer them, to be the chiefe in all matters of the Lord. What of al this? what new thing is heere done, or besides law Exod. 18. Num. 1 [...]. Deut. 1. That the Prince al [...]o is charged, and of dutie ought to see the ministers of the church to doe their dutie & teach the law of God diligētly & sincerely, we reade Deut. 17. 1 Chron. 28. 2 Chron. 29. & 30. & 35. This did Ieho [...] & no other thing. Now in that he placed yt at Ierusalem, yt was according to the cōmandment of God, who had chosen that place to put his name there, that the law might proceed out of Zion, & al people flow thither to worship God, & heare his word. But in al this Ie [...] hath neither commixt, nor confounded the ciuil and ecclesiasticall offices in one cōmission; neither erected any new ecclesiastical ordināce, besides those which God in his word had prescribed; or peruerted or diuerted any ordināce that God hath instituted. But in this high Cōmission of the church of Englād is an opē cōmixture & confusiō of ciuil & ecclesiastical offices & causes; a new diuised ordināce with new officers, new proceedings, and a strange course not heard or read of in the whole word of God. Yea by this Commission they pervert and turne away the whole practise of al the ordinances of Christ in his Church
Neither will that great commission which Artaxerxes gaue vnto He [...] the Priest, any vvhit more either couller or warrant this monstrous high Commission of theirs, granted vnto their chiefe Priest & arch-Bishop: which Commission, if yt should haue reached ouer far; yet had yt rather beene to be imputed vnto y e ignorāce of the heathē King that knew not the lawes of God, then to haue beene alledged or vrged as an exāple for vs to follow in the sáme euil, especially now vrder Christs most perfect absolute Testament & ministery in his church. But what was this commissiō of Artaxerxes that D. SOME so enforceth? Artaxerxes granted vnto Hezra leaue by cōmission to carry vp with him vnto Ierusalem al such of Israel and Iuda, as were willing to goe, together with al such vessels, instrumēts, gold, siluer, or free gifts, as should be giuē vnto the seruice of God by thē in Babilo [...]: as also that being come to Iernshalem, he should set Iudges & arbiters, that might both diligētly teach and see the lawes of God duly executed. What is in this Commission found contrarie to the law of God; or what did Hezra by this commission contrarie to the law of God? Yt wil heere be said, that Hezra being a Priest, had ciuil and ecclesiastical power committed vnto him, & by vertue of this commission exercised both ciuil and ecclesiastical iurisdiction &c. we see manifestly in the 23 & 25 verses that the kings commission had relation wholy to the law of God, that Hezra being a man prompt therin, should see al things done in the Tēple at Hierusalem & in the kingdome of Iuda and Israel, according to the law of God; yet heere is no commission giuen him to execute both ciuil and [...]cclesiastical offices in his owne person, neither reade we, or may vve [Page 258] (without sin) imagine that euer he did so; for that had beene an heinous breach of all Gods lawes, an vnsufferable confusion of al Gods ordinances; who as he hath in his word alwaies put difference & distinction betwixt the ciuil & ecclesiastical estates, so hath he vnto ech seueral office, apointed seueral ministers to attēd. Mōstrous therfore & most vngodly is that commission, where both these estates & offices are mingled & cōfounded in one. Antichristiā & beastlike is that person, that sitteth as chiefe of this Cōmission, & exerciseth both ciuile & ecclesiastical iurisdiction, by the cōmandement of any mortal creature, yt being so directly repugnant to the lawes of God, and the Testamēt of Christ, so pernitious to the Church of Christ, vtterly peruerting & diuerting al the ordinances therof, & subuerting the whole libertie, powers, censures, & duties of the whole Church, and of euerie mēber & minister therof. Euil thē may this mixt cōfuse ecclesiastical high Cōmission be cōpared vnto, or approued, by this godly cōmissiō of Artaxerxes; or this popish supremacie, inordinate power, & ciuil iurisdictiō of this high Arch-Priest or Bishop, by y • person of Hezra: who most painfully & sincerely taught y e law of God, most precisely practised y e same within the boūdes of his calling, most modestly & faithfully behaued himself in al things, as the scripture beareth recorde.
The 26 verse, where the disobediēt & the offendors are commāded to haue due iudgment & executiō according vnto the law of God, & qualitie of their offence, cā by no common reason, much lesse by any Christian iudgmēt be said to be cōmanded to be executed by Ezra his person. The Priestes office (as we haue said) was to teach the law, & to exhorte al persōs to the obediēce of the same; but their office was not to erercise ciuile iurisdictiō, or to execute ciuil iudgmētes: these were to be performed by ciuil magistrates. Neither may these iudgmēts of death, eradication, mulct of goods, of bandes, by this cōmandemēt of Artaxerxes (who no doubt vsed such words in this cōmission as agreed to the lawes & iudgmentes of Persi [...], rather then of knowledg in Gods law) be made either ecclesiastical censures, or any way be executed in any Christian pollitike regiment, otherwise thē they are found to accord with the lawes & iudgments of God prescribed in his word. But this new diuised high ecclesiastical Commission doth not only cēsure & punish al faultes of their churches, by these iudgmēts & penalties, but doth inflict thē in what measure & manner they lust vpon al persons, for al cawses whatsoeuer; whether cawses of religion, as opē idolatrie, popish masse &c. or contempt of their iniunctions & decrees, in not resorting to their worship & sacraments, or administring them after any other māner, thē they haue prescribed &c. whither for ciuil offences, be they neuer so hainous & abhominable, as most odious incests, adulteries, polygamies &c. Al these by this commission are punished by the purse & by the prison; for the law of God for idolatours & adulterers were al to sharpe: therfore this holy councel (guided belike by some better & wiser spirit) haue found out this more mitigate course, repressing these sinnes. But if any vpon faith and conscience [Page 259] towards God, refraine their idolatrous deuises, there can for such be found out no kind of hostility, confiscation, perpetual close imprisonment, sufficient for their faultes.
Thus no way can this high Cōmission of the church of England, be iustified by these examples of [...] & Artaxer [...]es, neither hath yt any more defence in the new Testament, where is no mention of any such councel or Court set ouer all churches & ouer euery méber, minister, cause, affaire & cēsure therof to impose, depose, determine, iudge, censure, punish at their pleasure whome & what they lust, without cōtradiction or controlement. We reade in the practise of the Apostles, of a synode or councell of [...]undry churches for the deciding of controuersies & doubtes, where certaine chosen Elders of the churches are thervnto assembled, together with such faithfull of any church as will be present, without shutting out of any of them: neither are these Elders here gathered in any such stagelike or pontisicall maner, as these our Prelates are in this Cōmission; but in this christiā councel or assembly ech one hath free liberty and place to relate or debate his owne cause, without interruption or preiudice: neither is any thing heere decre [...]d by the wil of any man, but only by the wil of God, & that vpon euident demonstratiō of the word; otherwise, no credite or obedience giuen to any thing they set downe or determine. During y e time of which coū cel, & at any time after, w tout any preiudice, any christiā hath freedome and liberty, in due time & place, not disturbing the peaceable order of Christiā assemblies, to speake according to the word of God, either in approbatiō or reproofe of any thing to be done, or done in y t councel. Which councel or synode, as yt hath not power to erect or bring in any new decrees or ordināces into the church, besides those which are prescribed in y e booke of God (which are alsufficiēt for al times & occasions vnto the worlds end) so hath not this councel any power or authority ouer any church, or any member of the church, to censure, excō municate, erect or depose any. This councel or assembly is only ordained for the helpe & quiet of churches, to discusse questiōs & to decide doubtes, as they fall out & arise; that so all churches in all places might walke by one rule in the vnitie of the spirit. This coūcel is not permanent, or alwaies setled in one place, but to be vsed by any Churches at any time or place vpō due occasions. Neither is this councel so subsisting of the presbitery, ortied to the persons of any, that the least mēber of Christ is therby shut out, not suffred to heare or to speake, or any way preiudiced: neither is any Church by this councell either depriued of their high power & authority, which Christ hath giuē to euery seuerall congregatiō alike, or forestalled frō the due execution therof towards any member of their congregation, or cause that ariseth amongst thē. But (as is said) this councel is only a broth [...]rly & peaceable meeting of sundry churches, for the better & more as [...]ured deciding & discussing of doubtes and questions that arise, leauing the whole practise & due execution of al things, to euery particular congregation, in that order & maner that Christ hath prescribed in his Testament.
[Page 260]These occasions, rules, and proceedings of Synodes, councels, or meetings of diuers Churche [...], we find left vnto vs in that holy patterne Act. 15. where though the chiefe builders y • Apostles themselues were, yet euen there were al things handled with this order, modesty, sobriety, freedome &c.
But now if we compare their high ecclesiastical Commission vnto this holy councell and meeting, how vnlike in al their orders, proceedings and actions shall yt be found? Their Commission being made a continuall setled permanent Court, hauing strange Iudges, aduocates, officers, iuri [...]diction, pleas, processe &c. vsurping and exercising supreme power & absolute authority ouer al churche [...], ministers, persons, lawes, doctrines, to ratifie or disanull, to establish or reiect, to erect or depose whome & what they lust, executing al the censures & offices of the Church, changing, bringing in and setting vp what they please, shutting out the sentence of all Churches & Christians, allowing them neither interest, electiō, voice or presence in this their councell, thrusting their decrees and constitutions as most holy vpon all Churches & the consciences of all men with an high & strong hand, to be receiued without contradiction or question, adiuring, exam [...] ning, suspending, deposing, fining, emprisoning, persecuting with all hostility all such as receaue not their constitutions, & submit not vnto their power. Now let any christian iudge, whether this Commission be not more like vnto the high court of the Beast, then vnto an holy peaceable orderly assembly of christiās, met in the feare of God, and guided by his Spirit to enquire & search out Gods wil, and humbly to rest in the same.
The ciuill magistrats power or presence can no way i [...]stifie this Cō mission, or their proceedings, being found so directly contrary to the Testamēt of CHRIST, vnto which yt is now lawfull for no man or Angel to superordeine, alter, or pluck away any thing, without hainou [...] sacrilege. This monstrous cōmixture then of these distinct powers in one court or person, together with this confuse practise, barbarous hauock & tyranny they make & exercise ouer Gods heritage & Christ [...] poore seruants, doe euidently denote, and, as by the very steppes, trase out vnto all men, the person, throne, and power of that Antichrist, that aduersary, that beast, accordingly as they are described & foreshewed vnto vs in the scriptures. Math. 24. 15. 2 Thess. 2. how Antichrist should presume into the very place and office of CHRIST, shewing himself in the Church of God as God, by changing the lawes and Testament of CHRIST, and by bringing in new ordinances, new ministery, worship &c. Reuel. 13. & Reu. 17. 12. 13. 14. 17. how Antichrist being thus exalted, the Dragon should giue him his power, his throne, & his great authority; as also the Kings of the earth; yea such Kings as had before burnt the whore with fire, should giue vnto the Beast their power & authority, wherwith he should fight with the Lamb, & make wa [...] with the Saints opening his mouth vnto blasphemy against God, and his tabernacle, [Page 261] and them that d [...]ell therin, setting vp his blasphemous image in all pl [...]ces &c.
Now as we haue by the light of Gods word, in this litle y t hath beene s [...]ied, euidently found & seene these Bi [...]hops, their courtes & gouernment to be wholy antichristian, & vtterly vnlawfull, but especially this their high court of Cōmissiō, to be most blasphemous, y e very throne of the Beast, vtterly cōmingling cōfounding & subuerting al Gods ord [...]nances, all estates, and offices both of Church & cōmon welth, the whole liberty of Christians, the power & duties of the church: so likewise if we by the same rules, but as lightly examine & measure the secret classes, the ordinary set Synodes, & councels of ministers (as they terme them selues) which these Reformists now priuily bring in, and would openly set vp; they shall no doubt be found as new, strange, and antichristiā, as preiudicial to the liberty of the Saints, & to the power, right, and duties of the whole Church, and as contrary to the Gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, as these other, what shew soeuer of former antiquity, or of present necessity they may pretend. And this, if they be compared in the persons assembled, and causes for which they are assembled, and which they handle in the se [...] continued times & place of their meeting, in their order & maner of proceeding & iudgment in t [...]eir decrees & power, vnto that perfect patterne of all christian councelles Act. 15. will forthwith appeare.
The persons assembled in these councels are only ministers, al other Christians being shut out, and allowed neither place, voice, or consent among them. The causes for which they are assembled, and which they handle, not being doubtes or questions which arise in the Churches, but al the affaires, offices, and duties of the Church, & that without making the Churches priuy wherfore they assemble, or what they will t [...]ere handle. The time & place of these councels, they (without the wil & priuity of the Churches) make setled, continual▪ permanent; not leauing to the Church either the liberty when and where to keepe these councels, or whome to vse in these councels. The order & maner of their proceeding and iudgment, is, first to choose & erect amongst thē a Prolocutor, Moderator, or Iudg, to gouerne & order this action, who & whē they shall speake, and when they shall cease &c. where the matters being debated, the greater part preuaileth and carri [...]th the iudgment. Their decrees are per [...]mptory, irreuocable, most holy, inviolable, to be receaued & embraced of all Churches without contradiction or scruple, no power left to any Church to examine, refuse, or reuerse the same, be they found neu [...]r so contrary to Gods word, but only either by the same councell, or by act of Parliament: in the meane while they all must practise & obey these decrees. The power of these councels is ouer all Churches, persons, causes, doctrines, to giue the right hād of fellowship (as they terme yt) or to send the bill of diuorce, to ratifie or rei [...]ct, whome & what they will.
This councel also executeth al the censures & duties of the church; [Page 262] as to make or depose ministers, to censure, excōmunicate &c. To conclude, as all these councels haue & exercise power & iurisdiction ouer the ch [...]rch, so are they in authority one aboue an other: as the Synode aboue the Classes, the Councell aboue the Synode, to confirme, abrogate, or disanul whatsoeuer constitutions or actions the other ha [...]h made. Yea (as some report) vpon the e [...]ormities & abuse [...] y t did arise in these coūcels & assemblies of Bishops, were deuised & erected these new strange orders & degrees of Bishops, Arch-bishops, Patriarches, Popes, and all their substitutes & courtes. From which strange councels, offices, ministery, courtes, haue flowed forth and daily spring, all these strange popish [...]ntichristian orders, decrees, innumerable diuises & traditions, daily innouations, continuall changes in the worship of God, all the proceedings of the Church & of the whole Testament of CHRIST; whiles men re [...]t not in the wisdome & councels of God, but presume to be wise aboue that they ought to be wise, some attributing vnto their Clergye (as they call them) others to the Prince, others to the Church more then inough, none yeilding vnto CHRIST that which is his due: namely, to suffer him to gouerne his whole Church by such officers and lawes as he hath in his Testament prescribed; but rather in the presumption of their owne hearts they will set ouer him & his Church such lawes & officers, or at the least assigne vnto him such lawes & offi [...]ers, as they thinke best to accord, and iudg most meet for their pollicie: as though CHRIST could be a minister or mediatour of any other Testament, thē of his owne; or that any mortal men may alter, change, neglect or re [...]ect CHRIS [...]S Testament, without his fearfull wrath & heauy indignation for the same.
Wherfore, seeing the whole church & al the proceedings therof must be built vpon CHRISTS Testament; seing euery [...]oule and euery action shalbe iudged by CHRISTS Testament; seing nothing is pleasing vnto God, or wil stand before the face of CHRIST, that is found disagreeing to CHRISTS Testament; seing also euē by this litle search & superficiall view we haue takē of the present estate, and pretended reformation of this their church of England, all things appeare to be out of frame, stil in the olde corruption, and (at the best) but enclining to the primitiue & ancient defections from CHRISTS Testament, nothing being aright or according to the will of God amongst them: seing we find all those scriptures that haue foreshewed of An [...]ichrist & his proceedings, liuely fulfilled amongst them, al the markes of that painted deccitful harlot, the false & malignant Church, to be fownde vpon them; as also all t [...]e vials of Gods wrathfull iudgments to be powred forth vpon them, and al their doings. Finally, seing God vouch [...]afeth both to discouer, and to call al men forth out of Babilon, by proclaiming of his glorious Gospel, and yet offr [...]th more grace before he let fal the heauy milstone of his finall indignation vpon them al to grind them to dust, and to presse them to the bottome of hel, b [...]ing ready to receaue all that come forth vnto him, to esteeme, guide, and defend them as his deare children: It [Page 263] behooueth al such, in whome in any care of their owne saluation, any feare of God, or loue of that appearing of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, to Reuel. 18. preserue their soules & bodies pure from the idolatrie and abhominations of the false Church, to saue themselues from this wicked & peruerse generation, by comming out from amongst them, & fleeing out Act. 2. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 17. zach. 2. 7. Reuel. 14. of Babel, and by gathering themselues vnto the Lambe in mount Sion, there amongst & together with his chosen called faithful seruants vnder his banner & conduct to fight in all patient & constant maner that good fight of faith, holding forth the word of life against al the works & powers of darknes, not abhorring the crosse of CHRIST, or louing in his seruice their liues vnto the death, but being alwaies ready to do or suffer according to the will of God, following the Lamb wheresoeuer he goeth: that so he may lead them in the waies of life & peace, and at length bring them to the full fruition of that endles happines which he hath prepared for all his in his Fathers kingdome, there to rest with him in perfect ioy for euer & euer.
Which grace that they may find, as I haue not spared my poore endeuour ( [...]hough therby I haue exposed my self to present peril & open reproch, by the violent hands & virulent tongues of these malignant aduersaries) to blow the trumpet, awakē & admonish all, that yet some might be saued: so shall not cease, whiles yet God preserueth me aliue amongst them, euē [...]n my continual praiers, incessantly to beseech the Lord to shew this mercie vnto his chosen; who because they are only knowē vnto himself, I shal not cease to hope & wish that euē the greatest enemies might be of this number: that whereas now they stād the waged marked seruants of Antichrist, they might by vnfained repenrance, wash away those stigmatical skarres, be mustered & inrolled in the Lambs Booke of life, hauing his Fathers name writtē in their foreheads: to whome be praise in the Church by CHRIST IESVS through [...]ut all generations for euer Amen.