fact not the effect of the Apostles so that hee who is ordained and confirmed is the same after that he was before imposition of hands But the Apollonians bragge that they are Christs Embassadors This is an arrogant untruth for they have not obtained the gift of teaching in the Church after that divine and spirituall manner that Christs Legates did of old but by humane gifts and humane calling which according to Gods and Christs generall institution serve the now decayed Church that wants these gifts in which shee excelled under the Apostles You are Gods Embassadors and the Churches Patrons to whom for ever by speciall command the care of the Church under Christ is committed Which not to undertake is hainous impiety and to take it from you is sacriledge and now what I have said to the secular Nobility I also say to you that are Religious Ministers Contemne the boldnesse of Apollonius and his fellows for they are seditious and desire innovation They goe about to raise among themselves the Papall Hierarchy to the overthrow of your Honour they hunt after worldly glory and would have you lose the true honour of Christ All honour is due properly to Gods Word not to you Your Calling should put you in minde of your Ministery and burthen not of command and ruling Which of you will bee so proud with Apollonius as to bragge of an inseparable subjection under Christ so that hee truely heares Christ that heares you Let Apollonius be ashamed to bee so often convicted of falsehood that hee is so infabibly subordinate to Christ as if his authority with Christs were the same Lisien rather to Christ the Lord of the whole Church who by command and examples hath taught you not to seek after the Kingdomes of this world much lesse by the Church Apollonius seeks both to wit dominion in the Church and by the Church over Magistrates and the world too Christ said that Kings and Lords were to beare rule but not you Yet hee hath not driven out of the Church the higher power which is exercised with authority but hath forbid you to meddle with that which God hath granted to Magistrates The Pope hath so corrupted this command of Christ that by wresting of it hee first stript Princes of their authority in the Church and then from their temporall Dominions and so procured to himself the dominion of the Church then of the whole World This is it which Apollonius borrows of him Hee debarres Princes from having any authority in the Church from which Christ never debarred them On the contrary hee affects dominion and power over the Church and State which Christ never gave him but plainly forbid him Bee not therefore followers of Apollonius and his Disciples Christ and his Apostles were indued with supreme authority and what the Magistrate doth now by the Sword that could they doe by words and threatning that is to say kill and punish corporally They had power and aptitude to command all in the Church but not to obey notwithstanding they so ruled the Church that they both governed and were governed they taught and were taught they ordered and were ordered they sent and were sent Finally there was none of these things they did much affect for which these proud and contentious spirits strive as it were for Religion it selfe Stephanas and her family served the Church with their goods these were but vulgar people and as they called them Laicks yet Paul wills the whole Church which excelled in so many spirituall gifts to bee subject to them and such as they were for that work How farre was that government from this of Apollonius on whom the Christian Magistrate had beaped all sorts of benefits yet teacheth that hee must not bee subject to them but they to him that hee must not honour but contemne them â—ar 1. p. 30.31 for bee accounts him wicked and a Simonaick out of his Calderwood that shall adscribe any power over the Church to any man for his bounty and charges on the Church Which is a manifest blasphemy both against the Apostle and the Magistrate which neverthelesse these Walachrians esteem as a fine and choise sentence But they say that Christs Kingdome is not of this World Luk. 17.21 I grant it if they mean his internall Kingdome which Christ saith is within us But for externall things which serve for the building up of that Kingdome Christ never taught they were not of this world and surely hee had done that which was far from the nature of his Kingdome when making a whip of coards hee vindicated the purity of Divine worship Yea that Counsell which is given to Kings and Princes of the New Testament to Kisse the Sonne had been in vain but that I may not use my own words longer In comment Deut. 13.5 Let Calvin speak who thus writes God can be without the help of the Sword for the defence of Religion hee wills it not but what wonder is it if God commands the Magistrate to bee the revenger of his glory who will not have thefts whoredomes drunkennesse exempted from punishment nor suffer them In lesser faults it shall not bee lawfull for the Judge to cease when the worship of God is overthrown and all Religion shall so great a sin be cherished by connivence c Besides what can bee more prodigeous but it s in vain to contend by reasoning when God hath once pronounced what hee will have done Wee must necessarily yeeld to his inviolable decree Yet it is questioned whether or not this Law belongs to Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and farre different from earthly Empires And indeed there be some otherwise good men who think that our condition under the Gospel is not like that of the ancients under the Law Not onely because the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but also because Christ would not have his Church in the beginning to bee established by the Sword but whilst Kings in promoting of Christs Kingdome doe consecrate their owne work I deny that therefore the nature of it is changed And although maugre all worldly power Christ would have his Gospell to be proclaimed by his Disciples whem hee exposed as sheepe among Wolves having no other Armour but his Word yet hee did not tye himselfe to an eternall Law but that hee might force even Kings to his obedience and tame their violence and of bloody persecutors make them Patrons and Guardians of his Church In the beginning Magistrates exercised their tyranny against the Church because the time was not yet come that they should Kisse the Sonne and laying aside their violence should become Nursing Fathers to that same Church which they persecutediaccording to Isaiahs Prophesie which doubtlesse hath reference to Christs comâ—ing Nor is it to no purpose that Paul bids us pray for Kings and all that bee in authority hee gives a cause to wit That under them wee may live quietly in all godlinesse and honesty As
But that he may not here cosen the English and Netherlanders I fore-warn them that he in this lieth and cheateth them divers wayes He cites the 26. and 23. verses of that chap Act 15. but he who wil read all things attentively shal find that Luke sayth nothing of the Deputies of divers Churches as Apolonius feignes But chiefly observe his errour in alledging to prove this matter Acts 21.16 where it is recorded that with Paul going up to Ierusalem there joyned themselves some Disciples bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus with whom the Church had lodged but not a word of the Deputies of divers Churches and if any thing be found like this it is too much impudencie and stupidity to confound this going up with that Acts 15. For there is many yeares difference for this was almost in the beginning of Pauls Apostleship but that in the end because shortly after Paul was taken and carrid to Rome so that Davus here hath not well divided his times which is so much the lesse to be indured in one so proudly puffed up who is so luxuriant in urging his own Embassie his authority in preaching and his inseparable subordination to Christ So that there is nothing more likely then that this Walacheian doth belch every day out of the Pulpit in Middleburgh many absurdities and lies by authority who durst obtrude to the learned English both in writing and print such manifest falshoods Now that we may further search out in this sacred Assembly the pomp of a Synod we must see if we can find in Luke any thing of Order of Sessions of letters of credence of the choyce of a Moderator of the right of decision and many other things required in a Synod which the Pope hath finely painted out of whose fetches this our Pope is not a little proud so that hee bewitches the Magistrate with the sanctity of his Dependency Surely Luke makes no mention of these toyes which pride afterwards found out but on the contrary we see that the whole people were present at this Assembly For it is said Acts 15.4 that Paul and his company were received by the Church the Apostles and Presbyters Neither were they there onely to consult but also to decide and to determine For it is sayd v. 22. It seemes good to the Apostles Presbyters with the whole Church Neither is there any signe that matters were carried by votes neither was there any dispute about the Moderatorship There were so many Apostles and pillars of the Church present yet no man impaired the others authority as if there had been need of the Emperour to be there with his Scepter of the Pope with his Crosier staff but every one spake as occasion served sometimes Peter sometimes Paul sometimes Iames others being silent for all without law or command abstained from confusion and tumults so that when one spake the other held their peace None therefore of the Apostles did assume to himselfe any Judiciall power or prerogative such as is bragged of at this day Now if we look upon the event of the Councel there is nothing that favoureth of any pomp or Synodicall pride such as is at this day they concluded not proudly as the Pope doth but thus it seemes good to the Holy Ghost and to us Nor did they impose their ordinances upon all Nations but onely upon the Churches of Antiâ—ch and Syria which had imployed their help and Councel They were so moderate in commanding that they rather perswaded then commanded for in a familiar letter they wrot to them even concerning the piety of their Legats Judas and Sylas praying rather obedience from them then requiring it which they needed not have done if they had purposed with the Pope or the Stilt-walker to command with authority Lastly the lawes which they made were of things indifferent which they did not urge so rigidly as not to leave it free for any to doe as they thought good when occasion served as afterwards we know the Galatians Corinthians and Romans did violate these lawes when theâ— was no danger of offence as Calvin elswhere fitly sheweth This then is that holy Synod this is that first councell of Jerusalem of which both old and new Papists doe so much bragge in which if Apolonius shew me all the the toyes and spirituall requisites in Synods he shall be to me great Apollo such are The calling of Synods the chiefe of Deputies the Letters of credence the power of consulting and dciding the right of Moderatorship the pluralities collections of Votes whether Synods can make Lawes Dogmaticall or Diatacticall whether these Lawes are to be ratified by Magistrates whether Magistrates are to be present at Syneds or if they are to moderate Whether they are to have a sentence definitive or deliberative whether Church-ordinances may become Church-lawes whether they bind the conscience directly or indirectly Whether they oblige by a coactive spirituall power and innumerable other things which hee hath gathered out of the Popes Danghill for Jewels and with them hath stuffed his work Truly if he can draw these things out of this Apostolicall meeting hee will deserve to be made of a poore Walachrian Shepheard an English Bishop or a German Superintendent I can scarce think that this Assembly was a Classis in respect of outward things and not much otherwise to be accounted then if the Church of Snecana or Doccoma should in a different case consult with the Francian or Leowardian Church and should send two or three of their Church and receive from that Church a writing concerning things indifferent They commonly answer that all the Apostles were present which gave to this meeting the honour of a generall Councell I confesse that the authority of this Councell was so great that it exceeded all the Councels of the whole world and if at this day there were a councel in which so many yea if there were but one divinely inspired his authority should bee of greater account with mee then of all the wise men in the world But because it is disputed whether this was such a Synod as the Dependents at this day describe they are no lesse foolish that perswade this then if they should prove the Popes proud Scarlet Robe out of Peters Fishermans garment Truly if all the meetings in which CHRIST and his Apostles were present are to be accounted Councels there were many Councels in the Apostles times But they say more that this meeting did impose lawes upon the whole Church and therefore must be held for a Councell but this is false as I shewed before For if every meeting which ordaines and decrees such things as may be usefull for many Churches bee a Councell then sure many Confistories are to be held for Councels And now I have overthrown the Foundations of Popish Dependency not that I dislike the meetings and conference of one Church with another for the preservation of peace and truth when time and place shall
in expressing the one sense of hearing he hath not excluded the other Besides faith comes by hearing either publick or privat reading Therefore Augustine warned the godly that they pray often and read the Scripture For when we pray sayth he we speak to God when we read God speaks again to us The most holy Ecclesiastick meanes then to beget and preserve faith in us is the reading of the Scripture and it is so much the more excellent in that it is not subject to the will or command of any man but most purely conveyes to us the liquor of divine Truth as it were out of a Fountaine of such uncorrupted sincerity that by reason of this sacred Function alone Christ commanded to heare the Scribes and Pharisees in all that they shall say But Apolonius doth not much strive about this spirituality and priviledge because there is in it nothing imperious but servile rather not would hee cry out that his sacred things were prophaned if perhaps the Magistrate should use this office of reading but would rather say that it is a testimony of civil servitude no otherwise then of old the Gibeonites y for deceiving Ioshâ—a were commanded to minister Wood and Water to the true Priests and Levits Next to reading is preaching Stapleton and the Jesuites are so proud of the priviledge of this Function that they claim a power to themselves to save souls for thus they reason No man can be saved without faith no man can have faith without hearing Gods word no man can heare without a Preacher no man can preach except he be sent to send belongs onely to the Governours of the Church Therefore they conclude That the care and power of saving depends on them By which Title they insult over all as if they were lay men if they offer to enquire more narrowly of matters of salvation as if the businesse of heaven did not belong to such This errour Apotonins breathes every where using almost the same weapons that the Jesuites doe to wit that modern preaching is the sanctified and spirituall meanes and by spirituall right Ecclesiastick belonging onely to Ministers by their right of Vocation But for others especially for worldly Magistrates it is neither lawfull nor possible I confesse that preaching is in some fort holy and usefull for the Church but hee that will compare the manner of it as it is at this day with that of the Apostles he will compare the shadow with the body for they were truly inspired by God and taught by God furnished with all the gifts of Knowledge Tongues Miracles by Divine authority as Christs Embassadours they preached and faithfully dispensed the Mysteries of God God speaking by them and therefore they abstained from all pleasing allurements of Arts and humane affections But at this day whasoever declamatory Art is in preaching it proceedes of humane and secular precepts with that pomp that now nothing in the Church is thought handsous but what savours of Quintilians Tropes or of Aristotles Metaphysicks This is no new thing for shortly after the Apostles departure the subtilties of Philosophers unknown to the Apostles were made use of to edifie the Church withall but with this successe that these Arts brought more darknesse then light into the Church for they layd the foundation of many errours and chiefly of Antichristianisme then springing up Which humane Artifices are now vented with such pride that all the Majesty of Gods word consisting in simplicity is by them obscured For although there is some use of these Arts against contradictors of the truth yet we know by experience that more contenttions differences and errours are raised then abolished by them â—â—ther did the Church ever fight with better successe then when the adversaries were confuted with pure Scripture Now if there be such failings in their vertues what shall we say of their vices We find by experience that they are destitute oftentimes of all things requisite by Paul in a Bishop and being armed with impudent Fore-heads as we see in Apolonius they rush upon this work with such pride that they make themselves spirituall holy Christs Legats and in a manner the Apostles fellows whereas they labour not alwayes to furnish the pure milk of Gods Word but rather to vent their own affections inventions and fictions and that with such eagernesse and quarrelling that they can scarce abstain from railing Though these things were mended according to the manner and example of the Apostles yet I would say that Apolonius is swelled with Antichrian pride and so are all our new Papists who place more holinesse and speciall spirituality in their preaching work then was ever held of old under the Levitical law or after under the Apostles For albeit that all were debarred from sacrificing except the Levits yet no man was hindered from preaching neither Princes nor Lay-people Moses Joshua David Solomon and other Princes did preach publickly When Josaphat Josiah and other Kings restored the worship of God they sent Priests Levits to teach and so they did likewise Lay-men When Religion was restored under Nehemiah Esdras and the Levits taught but it is added that Inshua and some of the people did publickly read and teach If this was of such speciall right as the Ecclesiastick and Leviticall Office of sacrificing entring into the Sanctuary separating and discovering of Lepers and other things which God granted to the Priests and Levits why was it so promicuously granted to the people Who will not say that the Levits and Apostles were irreligious and tramplers upon their owne holy Function in giving leave so promiscuously for men to preach that they hindered no man from it either publickly or privatly if hee was apt This may bee shewed by many examples Luke 2.46 First when CHRIST being about twelve yeares of age disputed publickly in the Temple with the Doctors For though he might justly doe this having a Divine calling thereto yet the Scribes and Pharisees knew not so much And indeed they were too proud of the priviledge of their Chaire and of preaching to suffer any much lesse a child to meddle with their y Office of preaching had they known that it was not lawfull for any to preach without the solemnities of calling but simply perceiving the gifts and aptitude in Christ to teach not being sollicitous whether he was called or not did make no scruple in permitting him to teach Such another place there is in Luke Luke 4.16 when Christ being at Naâ—â—reth took the Book and read and then preached all his hearers admiring him with attention Whence I gather that then there was no such need of writings to shew their Orders and Callings to preach but any man might preach that was apt For it is most certain that Christ had no ordinary vocation without which if it had been then so sacrilegious a thing to preach as Apolonius would now perswade us doubtlesse they had pulled Christ out of the Pulpit whom the Scribes and
delivers over to Satan but so that hearing of his repentance hee would not have the sentence pronounced put in execution But now if Paul had consulted with the Walashrian Divines a great question had been moved how the scandall given should be removed For it might seem fit that hee should bee debarred from the Supper for some long time or else some penitentiary punishments inflicted on him But Paul being ignorant of all these new invented Artifices as soone as hee heard of the sinners repentance writes It is sufficient for him that hee hath been reproved of many He wills them to comfort the sinner that he be not swallowed up with too much griefe He addes Whom you pardon I will pardon in the sight of Christ that wee may not be deceived by Satan because his cunning plots are not unknown to us This is true Divinity but farre different from that of the Popes and Walachrians who for lesser faults will not shew such lenity to the penitent but think that Christians must be tortured under pretence of removing scandall not that Christ might bee honored or soules saved but that hence domineering and profit might to them redound I confesse this is no new evill custome but ancient and shortly begot after the Apostles death For the Church-Rulers wanting the Apostolicall gifts of Miracles and of infallible preaching by which the Apostles as Divine Master-builders did curb all consasions being then destitute of the Magistrates help they found out divers Constitutions and remedies for preserving of the Churches peace and removing of standalls which though they had not divine and Apostolicall authority but were found out according to time and place yet through custome by degrees they became Lawes so that not onely did they pertinaciously insist upon them but oftentimes used more rigour to preserve them then in Christs open institutions that they doubted not in defence of them to lose their lives Now these Lawes consisted chiefly in the right of censuring and in Ecclesiastick penalties among which this was ordinary that if any had privatly or publikly offended he was debarred from the Sacrament untill he had satisfied the Church concerning the scandall given in which they were so rigid that oftentimes they would keep men off from the Communion three foure nay ten yeares and sometimes all their life especially if any through impatience of their tortures had denied Christ he was never again or with much difficulty admitted into the Church Which rigour Superstition did so confirme that afore the three hundreth yeare Marcellinus Bishop of Rome who because of his torments had denied Christ came humbly to the Synod of an hundred and fourescore Bishops at Sinuessa and begged pardon for his sin though afterward taking courage he suffered martyrdome for Christ as Cornelius Cyprian and others did So then this right of censuring was at that time so rigid that in many things it exceeded moderation And whilest the Rulers were too carefull of their owne and of the Churches honour the common sort of Christians out of too much credulity did superstitiously subject themselves to Church-Lawes Hence no moderation was observed either by the one in commanding or by the other in obeying which Cyprian and others saw long before the three hundreth yeare of Christ For hee reproving that rigid and penitentiall way of censuring writes thus I wish all may be brought back to the Church I pardon all I winke at many things I wish and desire a Recollection of our fraterniâ—ie I have alwast offended my selfe in to much pardoning offences So Chrysostome later then he writes plainly If God be so mercifull why should his Priest seem to bee so rigid For then they saw that Pastors exceed in their censures and rigorous commands of penitentiary penalties so that they confessed they were against their wills as it were carried headlong by a Turren into by wayes which they could not allow no knew not how to help by reason of the custome then received in the Church A though there might besome use of such Lawes then when Pastors and Bishops did promiscuously submit themselves and the rewards both of ruling and ruled Christians then were tortures benishments and a thousand deaths After that Emperours became Christians and Petern patrimony increased pride and prepostorous zeale ceised on the Teachers so that they ascribed as much to Church-inventions as if they had been Gods Lawes nor did they urge lesse obedience to them then if they had been instituted by Christ which we may chiefly see in Ambrose about the yeare 400. who of a civill Pâ—â—tor was suddenly made Bishop by Theodosius the Emperour Hee exceedingly vexed this Emperour with this censuring Ferula for some offence by him committed whereof notwithstanding hee repented Ambrose willing to let his master see the vigour of Ecclesiastick power forced him to sit among the penitents being secluded a while from the holy mysteries untill he had satisfied the Churches penitentiall rights and his humour which was too dangerous and rash a presumption For if this Spaniard Theodosius had not been then seasoned with that common superstition which fell out well for the Church that Church Lawes must bee obeyed as divine which had he been wise he might have seene that these were not ordained by God and his Apostles but introduced by custome and humane invention he might have by his owne power hipped Ambrase his Hierarchy by disanulling these Church-inventions and yet nâ—â— violating the divine constitutions of religion These were the fore-runners of growing Anâ—â—christ which afterwards increased more and more in Church-Rulers chiefly the Popes For in the yeare 490. Pope Anastasim durst excommunicate Anastasius the Emperour grandfather of Justinian that is debarre him from the Sacraments with Iohn Bishop of Constâ—â—â—â—ple Which censure notwithstanding that Emperour contemâ—â—ed having sent back the Popes Legates in a leaking ship on condition that they should not touch upon any part of the Greek shoare but deliver this message to the Pope That he must know the Emperâ—iâ— is to commâ—◠〈◊〉 the Pope The like censuring fact was performed by Pâ—pe Martin the first under Constantius the Emperour about the yeare 650. But the Emperour by Theodorus Calliopa commanded that Pope to bee brought to him in chaines who banished him into Pontus where he died miserably But Hildebrand or Gregory 7. out-matched all the rest in pride and boldnesse about the yeare 1080. who compelled Henry the fourth Emperour to come bare-footed through Ice and Snow in an humble manner to him that the Pope might receive satisfaction in his censuring right or else Henry had lost his Kingdome Hence then it is apparent that however this lesser Censure is brought into our Churches and permitted by the States yet it is not of divine institution but a meere humane invention which heretofore was devised upon a specious pretence but by reason of the pride and arrogancy of Church-men it hath hatched much mischiefe and will more doubtlesse if religious and wise
of Iustin Athenagoras Tertullian c. that nothing hath been more hurtfull to the Churches then that they were forced in times of persecution to exercise their worship privately and in vanite under ground for from thence were raised divers calumnies as that their wives were common amongst them in the darke that they had Thyestean suppers and did feast one with another upon a childs flesh whom they killed which seems to have arisen from misunderstanding the supper For cleering themselves from these crimes they found no better remedy then by publishing all the parts of their Church-businesse and therefore invited Princes themselves to be eye-witnesses of them The precise superstition of concealing and separating Church-businesse was the seed of Antichrist which by a fatall progresse at last exalted that Romish Out-law above all that are called gods 2 Thes 2. and Monarchs of the world which pride because the Walachrian doth admire and follow he thinks to walk in the same high Chapins but he is faine to fall to childrens stilts yet because he brabbles so much of his spirituality which we see is not to be found in the object that is in the Church-businesse it selfe I will go on to inquire whether there is any right of speciall sanctity in the Agents themselves that is in the Church-men For however Apollonius seeks for the lurking holes of sanctity in the object and businesse of the Church yet every where he stayes in the vocation and priviledges with which Church-Governours being adorned excell in sanctity all Christians whether private Lay men or Magistrates so that now we must inquire what prerogative of â—â—â—ctity there is in Church-Governours for performance after any singular manner these Church-functions which he believes ariseth from the dignity of moderne vocation this he presenting to all Magistrates as Minerva's target goeth about to turn them into stones that they may not see what the matter is whence it may be needfull to trie De vocatione what mysteries of holy Church spirituality lurketh in moderne vocation There is nothing that God recommends so much to men as Religion and his Worship which not onely hath he revealed to them but also prescribed and hath ordered that at all times there should be some which should preserve it and instruct men in it so that God in Paradise did not disdaine to be the first Preacher himselfe after this he raised up many at all times whom he imployed as his Ambassadors whom he adorned with so many badges of his Embassie that every one who was not wilfully blinde might see that these were truly Gods Vicaâ— Extraordinaria whose words were no lesse to be obeyed then if God himselfe had spoken from heaven Among these excelled the Prophets and Apostles whom he exalted with extraordinary gifts above humane condition and after a wonderfull manner sent them abroad to preach I confesse that some things were ordinary amongst them when they were exercised in the Schooles of Samuel Esaiah Eliah and other Prophets the children of the Prophets for this function but in Amos and others GOD had oftentimes rejected all ordinary means and whensoever he sent abroad these ordinary men for this work he furnished them with so much power of his spirit that in the gifts of infallibility and miracles they were to be admired and feared of all the world for though wicked men would or might have doubted of their divine vocation yet by their effects and manner of preaching they could easily be convinced to confesse that which â—â—â—bornly these men dissembled so that hence Paul raiseth this generall Maxime How can they preach except they be sent Not as if he meant Rom. 16. that all those were sent by God as his Legats who could preach for this had been a starting-hole for innumerable Cheaters neither was this his meaning that no man though never so fit and furnished with Gods Spirit should be permitted to preach untill he were confirmed by the outward pomp of vocation as at this day the old and new Papists foolishly practise but that Christians might thence firmly gather that there was a true and divine vocation where there was a true divine inspiration and miraculous preaching such as the Apostles wondred was in many places among the Gentiles and the Jewes did not a little storm at This was an extraordinary vocation so divine and powerfull that such as God had chosen for this function were more then men and as it were the Gods of the world yet God did not binde himselfe to such a Law that all whom he designed for his worship should be still called extraordinarily and thus gifted whence it came to passe that the Apostles did accustome Christians to the ordinary way of calling least when this extraordinary manner of calling did faile there should want good Ministers and consequently Preaching and divine Worship or least for want of order wicked men should creep into the Ministery and so confusion should grow in the Church Ordinaria Hence were begot those ordinary rules of calling by which care was taken that none but fit men were admitted into Ecclesiastick Functions and all occasions of precedency or dominion were cut off against which mischief the chief and first builders of the Church could find no better remedy then that Ministers should be called by the consent and approbation of the whole Church in which we see the Apostles wonderfull moderation and spirituall modesty for such was their dignity in the Church and exuberance of all spirituall gifts that they could easily by reason of their authority and infallible judgement appoint and send abroad Governours to whom people might have safely submitted themselves without the suffrages of the inferiour sort and such as were not divinely inspired but yet because they had the spirit of modesty they took not upon them this prerogative nor did they account that vocation ratified except it had been performed by imposition of hands votes lots fastings prayers and by the concourse and consent of all the members of the Church This is so pregnant an example of modesty popular government in that most happy age of the Church Act. 1. Act. 6. part 1. p. 159. that Apollonius and his Bucer were troubled at it That the Apostles gave too much power to the people because of the Churches infancy But they smell too much of Popery who make that the infancy of the Church which was her manhood and greatest strength And this was the more to be admired when the complement and confirmation of callings was performed by imposition of hands this custome being borrowed from the ancient Jewes For though Elders and perhaps all could promiscuously lay on hands yet it was known that then great vertues did arise from the imposition of the Apostles hands which vertues were presently seen in him on whom their hands were laid For on them Christ had powred out such a plentifull measure of his Spirit that their garments handkerchiefs yea the
Magistrates cannot rule the Church This argument also is made up of divers lies for it is false that the Civill Government is alwayes Monarchicall the Government of our Country is Aristocraticall such also is that of the Venetians Helvetians and others another lye is that the Church-Government is alwayes Aristocraticall because under Heli Samuel Macchabees and others it was Monarchicall yea in the New Testament it was not still Aristocratical but oftentimes Monarchicall For I ask when Christ lived upon the earth and ruled the Church whether the Church-government was not then Monarchicall Doubtlesse it was if ever it was Again when Paul alone was at Antioch and in Syria was not then the government of that Church Monarchicall For who was to be compared with so great an Apostle Lastly when John the Apostle was alone in the world for he lived longest had not then the Church on earth a notable Monarch Surely if such a Doctor at this day could be found in the world he should be as it were the Monarch of the Church and worthy to whom the whole Christian world should rise and give honour Whence the Pope makes no bad consequence in calling himself the head and Monarch of the whole Church and not Kings and Princes because they rise and give honour to him if it be true what he brags that hee is Peters successor and endowed with the gifts of infallibility as well as Peter But because experience teacheth that he wants all Peters gifts chiefly that of infallibility and on the contrary to be nothing els but a monster and load of all vices hence it is that he is a meere Impostor and a mocker of Christianity and Princes are miserably deluded in yeelding so much to so unworthy and wicked a man All then that the Stilt-walker babbles for Oracles are meere lies But this I will add that though Christ and his Apostles were by right Monarchs of the Church yet they still ruled the Church with that moderation that their government seemed rather Aristocraticall then monarchicall so that hence it appeares there is no necessity that he should alwayes rule monarchically who hath the right of Monarchie for he may use it aristocratically If this be true of Ecclesiasticks why should it not also hold in civill Princes that though they be Monarchs yet they may handle Church-matters in an Aristocraticall way as oftentimes Kings do And so the Kingdome of the Church shall not be monarchicall though a Monarch live in it ruling Aristocratically He ascribes much strength to this Ram which he is still shewing as if it had exceeding great Hornes whereas indeed it is a horn-lesse calfe The power formally Ecclesiastick depends immediately from Christ the Mediator the Churches husband who gave Apostles Prophets Teachers par 1. p. 37. and Pastors to his Church but not Magistrates Ephes 4. And hath placed this power in the Church Mat. 18. But Magistrates are not the Church whence he gathers that the Magistrates office is neither requisite nor belonging to the Church and consequently that it appertaineth no wayes to them to use the Churches power He parted this one Argument into divers I have gathered his fooleries together in one bundle that I may fling them downe together First wee must note that this is an old and oftentimes refuted device of his in perswading us that Ecclesiastick power hath for its author Christ the Mediator and Spouse of his Church but not the Civill Power I have shewed before and now will more at large demonstrate that this is a most notorious lye His principall Argument is par 1. p 37 that while Christ lived on the earth he did all Church functions either by himselfe or by his Apostles but did not meddle with the Magistrates office but refused it and prohibited it to his Apostles whence Anabaptist-like he concludes that Magistracie hath neither Christ for its Author not belongs to the Church all which are a meere heape of lyes For first I aske whence learned he that no Function is required for the Church till the end of the world but what Christ must discharge either by himselfe or by his Disciples living upon the earth The Scripture saith no such thing but is the meere fiction of Apollonius otherwise let him tell me when did Christ or his Apostles performe the Precentors part in the Church because Martyr doubts whether in the Apostolicall Church there was any use of publique singing which wee borrowed at best from the Jewish Church many offices ceased in the Churches upon the Apostles departure to supply which Necessity hath gathered together many things mans industry hath found out without any sin or blemish if Antichrist had not corrupted all with multitudes His other lye is that Christ and his Apostles did not here discharge the Magistrates office that Fiction I have already refelled for they used a co-active externall power equivalent to the sword Christ with a whip purged the Temple Mat. 21. John 8. he suffered the judgement concerning the Adulteresse to be referred to him with his word he cast to the ground the Souldiers that came to apprehend him and chiefly when on the day of Palms sitting upon an Asse he rid to Jerusalem in a Princely but humble pompe suffering the acclamations of the People and their garments to be spread in his way Mat. 21. as if he had been a King which is so manifest that Mathew adds Zacharies Prophesie to be fulfilled Behold thy King cometh to thee meeke c. So the Apostles inflicted in the Church corporall punishments as death blindnes c. All which evince that however they despised and avoided the pride and earthly pompe of Civill government yet the office it selfe they discharged in the Church when necessity required But saith he Christ being exalted gave to the Church gifts and offices necessary for it among which the office of the Magistrate is not mentioned whence he concludes that this is not requisite fore difying of the Church I answer among these offices mention is made of Governours 1 Cor. 12. and of Rulers Rom. 12. which Calvin and Aretius on those places shew to have been censures of life and manners supplying the Magistrates office Lastly suppose that in those places no mention is made of Magistracie did he therefore not ordain it Yea Peter did plainly institute this and chiefly Paul Rom. 13. and 1 Tim. 2. as I have at large shewed before neither needs he tell us that Christ himselfe gave these offices by himselfe but Magistracie he commended onely by the Apostles this is but a frivolous cavill for he sent the Apostles onely immediately then the Apostles instituted the other functions and after them Timothy Titus and others whence it appeares that Christ the Mediator being exalted is no lesse the author of Magistracy then of Church offices because that by a most famous Elogy of the same Apostle is ratifyed in the name and authority of Christ exalted by whose government alone
now all things in heaven earth and under the earth are ordained and ruled as I have often shewed He objects that these offices and gifts were given to the Church but not Magistracy I answer that these were given indeed to the Church or in the Church as it is said 1 Cor. 12. but Ephes 4. the Apostle sayth that they were given to men using a generall word so Paul gave and instituted to the whole world the office of Magistracy but under them also to the Church because he makes him to have the charge of every soul except he will say that Churchmen want foules whence it followes that Paul hath also subjected the Church to the Civill powers so that she must be by them defended in good things and punished in evill What wise man then will deny that Christ hath instituted Magistracy and hath not given it to the Church when as he by Paul hath ordained the Magistrate for his alone Legat upon earth to whom alone he will have all soules be subject and therefore Ecclesiasticks also and that for conscience sake by whose sword and authority he will have the Church defended in good things all these are so cleare in this place of Paul and in other Scriptures that by no meanes can they be darkened I know this Divinity doth not please the Stilt-walker who is possessed with papisticall furie that the Magistrates office is not Ecclesiasticall that is necessary for the edification and conservation of the Church yet he rather placeth this office without the Church not within or in it par 1. p. 24. because that phrase is too ambiguous to him and repugnant to Divine right and therefore placeth the Magistrates office onely about the Church or Churchmen so that he speakes no other wayes of Magistrates then Heccius and other Cornuted Asses of Luther who comming to the Conference at Wormes was not presently admitted into the full Assembly where the whole Quire was of holy Church-men but was lead first apart into a private closet which these Cornuted Beasts said was well done and according to Scripture for it is written Without shall be Dogs and Witches Not much more reverently doth this Walachrian prate of godly Magistrates whom every where he fasteneth to the cares of this world as carnall men but elevates the Church and Churchmen above the world even to the Skies but these are meere chimera's the Scripture on the other side doth so extoll Magistracy as a thing perpetuall in the Church and so necessary that it cannot be parted from her and without this shee cannot subsist but must wither no otherwise then corne that wants earth as Calvin speaketh which I will shew hereafter more at large He prates every where that the Church under the Apostles and at other times wanted the civill Magistrate but these are Lyes which I have already refuted and will hereafter refute more and if this impossibility should fall out that the Church were totally destitute of civill government yet it should not cease to be an office in the Church and as it were a part necessary for the constitution thereof for as a body that hath lost a foote remaines yet without that foote but lame being destitute of a necessary part so the Church may consist without Magistracy but not long and that with much difficulty for presently there would arise Anarchy and every one would do as he listed which because Apollonius doth what he can to bring into his City under hope of a new Popery hence arise so many railing devises by which he endeavours to hisse out the Magistrates as meere worldly men that they must not meddle with Church-businesse how ever the matter be because the Church hath often wanted godly Teachers Sacraments and other things requisite for her I might also as well inferre that these belong not to the Church but are accidents circumjacent which were most absurd to the Stilt-walker Perhaps he will object if this were true then Christ had made the Churches power imperfect and lame which must depend from an outward civill power but this is repugnant with Mat. 18. tell the Church where he hath furnished her with full power I answer That all these are Jesuiticall fictions which they have devised for their Hierarchy and which he hath borrowed from them for first I deny when Christ said tell the Church that he understood by these words as if he had armed Church-men being discriminated from Lay-men with full power of exercising Government among themselves excluding the Magistrate For I said before that by the word Church is understood in Scripture any kind of meeting whether meerly Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiastick and Civill yea any tumultnary Assembly called together to determine businesse Act. 19. Act. 15. and oftentimes the whole body of the faithfull in opposition to their Rulers somtimes the body of the Church with their Rulers but never for ought I know the Rulers separate from the body Now here Apollonius must needs goe to consult with the Delphick three-footed stool that he may divine to us what Christ meant here by the Church seeing he did not define it in this place nor do we see it elsewhere explained in Scripture Apollonius doubtlesse with the Papists having a watchfull eye over his merchandise rather understands it of the Church-Rulers for this is all his care that this wonderfull Ecclesiastick power by many windings and turnings being snatched from the body of the Church and chiefly the Magistrate may be setled onely in the Governours as in the Center that is in the Consistory and because Deacons are onely positively Church-men as bellowes in a paire of Organs Elders onely comparatively as the pipes which of themselves sound not hence at last the whole power ends in Preachers superlatively Ecclesiastick as if they were Masters of the musick and so sing and play upon that Ecclesiastick Organ that every pipe shall yeeld no other sound then what pleaseth these Organists Thus the old and new Papists doe play the Philosophers upon this there tell the Church as if Christ had meant tell the Pope or the Clergie or the Preachers of the Gospell but of this never a word in Matthew yea it is contrary for Christ being so understood should have named a Judge who was neither then nor long after in the world What an absurdity had it been for Christ to have said to the godly that you may free your consciences from strife with your brother go to the Consistory or Church-Rulers which were not then nor to be in many years after Whence it is more likely that Christ by the Church meant there a Judge or Arbitrator in controversies indefinitely and as I said elsewhere without any expresse quality that is such a one as they could repaire to whether consisting of Ecclesiasticks and Civill Magistrates as the Sanhedraham was then or onely of Ecclesiasticks as afterwards under the Apostles or of Civill Magistrates as was in the Church after Magistrates became Christians
Alexander and other Monarchs dreamed of themselves that they exceeded humane pitch when they had such infinit power and had the command over so many lives and bodies of subjects so that if superstition can puffe up any with pride it may have a place among Magistrates whom not opinion or superstitions perswasion but Gods Law and manifest oracles make Gods and such as have the charge of all mens soules Yet there is no godly Magistrate so madde I know as thinkes not himselfe to be a man and subject to all humain infiâ—mities that by his supream power hee hath not obtained any suddain sanctitre or divinity but that they are the fame what they were before â—â—â—ly made more honourable and bound to a new service of the State They that have any higher conceits of themselves are mad and deserve with proud Herod to be smitten by the hand of an Angell with Lice and Vermine If then such pride is unseemly and unlawfull for Magistrates to whom both divine and human Lawes have given power to reigne and beare role with power and to have the supreame authority let the old Roman and new Wallachrian Papists be ashamed who place the whole strength of divine worship and Religion in this that spirituall dignitie may â—ecrâ—â—e to them also a superstitious respect and a power grounded on seigned priviledges by the charge which they have of sacred things and the mercinary performing of them so that in this the unhappinesse of human affaires is to be lamented In that from the best things doe most cammonly arise the worst corruptions For whom God hath expresly set over the preservation of Order worship Modesty and Pietie they 〈◊〉 given occasion of Confusion Pride Impietie and contempt of divine worship as experience of all times doe shew God of old made the â—â—vites holy by consecration by his Law and by an accumulation of many honors on them but who knows not that in processe of time of them have proceeded wicked men despisers and overthrowers of Religion Hee gave Vrim and Thommim to the High Priest and speciall priviledges as to the Keeper of the most sacred things but what more hideous mâ—nsters could there be in the world then some of them were It was the High Priest with his company Jer. 23. who would have treacherously put Jeremiah to death excent Abican the Magistrate had resisted Caiphs and the Chiefe Priests put Christ to death unjustly Acts 20. It was Anonius the High Priest whom Paul called a Whited-wall and that deservedly because he went about treaâ—herously to murther him the Scribes and Pharisees had the key of knowledge and a right to sit in Moseâ— his chaire but the world could not shew more pernitious monsters whom Christ for often cursed After the Apostles time for a whilâ— the Bishop of Fome did excellently maintain Religion as we know out of Histories but afterward by degrees Antichrist proceeded of them as wee see at this day in Popery What wonder if the same fall out now That of the reformed Wallachrians there arise a seditious crew breathing Anarchie or papisticall Hierarchy with the contempt of godly Magistrates and the open blasphemy of Potentates I purpose not to wrong the piety and esteem of all there are many godly Ministers who deserve honour whose moderation doth abundantly testifie that they are exceedingly displeased with the wranglings and quarrells of proud men about their devised sanctities they place their chiefe honour in modesty integrity of life and simplicity of doctrine but because the minde of man out of innate corruption is bent upon error except it be strengthened 〈◊〉 the extraordinary assistance of Gods Spirit which God hath seldome done and it is certaine that now for so many hundreth yeares he never did it Hence godly men have endevoured alwayes to finde out and prescribe â—emedies against this spreading disease or carruption of true Religion an evill so fatall that scarce could any Age be so provident as to keepe it from ruinating it selfe and breeding its own moth because it seemed to stand upon firme pillars and to be shut up within a strong Bulwark Our Reformers in the beginning did write Confessions and Catechismes that they might preserve the purity of Doctrine the Laws and Ordinances of Church-Government for the better ordering thereof have not been more exactly looked into as they say then in Zeland where the States by their approbation have ratified the Ecclesiastique Polity The Hollanders and Frislanders have not as yet attained so much happinesse upon a just suspition as they would have it lest this peevishâ— and extravagant kinde of men alwayes seeking one law our of another should deduce right out of right and should force the Law givers by their own Laws and Statutes to become servile by their consequentiast windings and ambiguities Yet as we see in this 〈…〉 Magistrates were never more railed against then there where Apolloniâ— himself confesseth the best Church policy is erected there were never greater rebellions any where then there where the Magistrates have out of piety and gentlenesse most favoured the Clergy so that this like an incurable sicknesse seemes to increfe by the cure Before I give off writing I will briefly according to my ability shew by what meanes this Leprosie and increasing evill may be met with least the force of Religion be weakened by contempt or by reason of too much respect given to the Clergie Instead of Religion we have superstition between these quicksands the Ship of Christs Church hath alwayes with much difficulty failed so that comming too neer either of them she hath indangered her self or made shipwrack This the care of the Magistrate may prevent in matters of Church Discipline Laws and Vocation Let this be held sure in the first place that the Modern Church Ducipline is of order not of Divine right properly or spirituall whose effects are none except on them who are bewitched with superstitious perswasions or are moved with the reverence of the Order but in others who are stubborn it is no wayes effectuall except by the Magistrates secular force it be supported for what had excommunication or discipline been except under the Apostles miraculous force and feare of punishment had curbed the refractory this now passeth to the Magistrate by an ordinary way At this day also the order censure and discipline of the Church had been nothing if refractory and disordered persons were not contained by the awe of the Magistrate and feare of the Sword It had been an unworthy thing in the Church to have excluded the Apostles in whom was the force of all government they are guilty of the same error who at this day would separate the Magistrates Authority from the Church which is indeed the foundation of all order and discipline wherefore godly Magistrates should be confident of this that it is in their power now to give vigour and life to Ecclesiastick order and discipline whence it belongs to them to prescribe Laws
that they have afterward doubted whether pietie true Religion or the Spirit of God could be there where they saw order right and modesty so shamelesly violated he that will truely consider the truth of this will he not bee of my opinion that it will prove a most unjust and calamitous thing if liberty be granted to such meetings to prescribe Laws for mens Consciences and force Christians to observe what they please under pain of the greater and lesser excommunication If this superstition once get hold of Magistrates surewâ—ll Religion Protestants must look for no other Religion then Popery There is no other remedy for this evill but to hinder such Church-men from meeting thus often the end of which meetings can bee none else but to beget one quarrell out of another and to seek out a period for Ruling Let not theâ— the Civill Power be absent not that there you may sit as harmelesse Constitoriall Lambâ— among the cornuted Rams for â—o the Stiâ—â—-walker will by plurality of Votes cunningly deride you but that sitting in the higher seat as Gods Vice-gerents and having the supreme power to which God hath subjected every soule you may take charge of Ecclesiastick soules also least they leaving the charge of soules should gape 〈◊〉 secular businesse and lay shares against your Government Vocation remaines the lurking hole of all sanctitie from this 〈◊〉 Wallâ—thrians earnestly desire to keep the Magistrates by right of 〈◊〉 or at least of 〈…〉 and imposition of hands But wee have shewed that these are fained things to afright men As for the right of election the â—â—â—â—t-Walker though unwillingly grants to the Magistrate Imposition of hands is nothing but a consequence or appendix of vocation neither is it of such a seperated and precise right but that the Apâ—â—â—â—es sometimes used it sometimes not and sometimes it was permitted to divers that were not Preachers as an indifferent ceremony so that Calvin sheweth how the Elders did promiscuously impose hands but pride and custome did at last conferre this upon the Bishop to remove which evill this will bee the remedy that confirmation by imposition of hands may not be superstitiously done by the Preacher but sometimes by the Elder the Deacon the Magistrate or any Christian who is of a knowne godly life and not alwaies one but sometimes more that the old simplicity being restored it may abolish Popish superstition If the Magistrate will effect this by his authority he will cause that inchantment of Ecclesiastick superstitions sanctity of speciall right to cease and will hinder the spirituall knaveries of some Clergy men which are solemne there in their Vocations as I have often shewed and experience doth daily teach us especially that superstition shall cease which the Stilt-walker strives to taint all men with that it is not lawfull for Magistrates to choose their Ministers under paine of Sacriledge and being chosen to remove them without the consent of the Clergy I confesse that when these men become moderate the matter should be handled by their counsells in common but if this come to passe what we see in the Stilt walker and his company that the whole strife be about preheminence that what the Magistrate approves the Church-men by right or wrong disapproves that they may obtain to themselves the whole Church-government if in election of Ministers their intent be to choose such as by secret catechisings and promises they have tyed to them in promoting the Ecclesiastick Liberty as they call it that is to say the Popish Hierarchy which at this day is called the holy Mystery of the Wallachrian Vocation In such a case why should not the Magistrate use his authority which not only Solomon and others did but the Apostles also being supreame and plenipotentiaries who suffered indeed the Church to choose men by prayers lots imposition of hands so long as order continued sincerely but as soone as the people by their carnall choice began to erre and false Apostles intruded themselves perversly and violently when Alexander the Smith Hymeneus and Elymas and other deceivers stirred they failed not by their miraculous Monarchicall authority which they had to force them all to their duty This power is now in godly Magistrates and by them in the Church Who will dreame this to be sacriledge if in calling of a Minister Church-men should desire him who is most unfit looking to their owne private interests who if they be stubborne even to the Churches ruine I say who will thinke it sacriledge if the Magistrate use his authority in procuring betimes for the Church an able man Againe if by fraud such a Foâ— as wants spirituall gifts should creep in and strive mainly for preheminence and goe about to overthrow the civill government sow quarrells and hunt for popular applause that he may raise sedition against the Magistrates when they will not flatter him in his pride who will debarre the Magistrate from curbing such a man with his authority and compelling him to submit to Divine Ordination that is obey the secular Sword not that he should be still thrust out of his Ministery which Solomon did and some of our age Many remedies may be against this evill so that there is no necessity alwayes to use desperate remedies against desperate diseases First let the fault be mended by some mulct or penalty not that ridiculous Church one that the censurer should reprove in words and the party censured shall satisfie with words againe or laughter but let the mulct bee pecuniary which will vex the Church-mans soule Let a command be laid upon the Treasurer to detaine some part of his yearly stipend for neglecting his Ministery and not discharging his duty I know there is no Minister so spirituall as will not feare this sensible penalty There is a higher degree which they say in Ecclesiastick Policy is ordered in Zeland among their acts that who though upon just cause shall stirre up any party in the Church against the Magistrate he shall be silenced from his Ministery in that place and never to be admitted thither again Let it not be amisse if they borrow a remedy from the Gentiles even from the Pope himself as Solomon of old did gold and wood from the Tyrians and Gentiles for the building of his Temple Among the Lacedemonians and Athenians they had their Ostracisme and Petalisme by which they used to banish from their Cities for ten yeares together not those that were infamous but whom the favour of the people made suspected of affecting the tyranny This banishment was not dishonourable nor perpetuall for after the expiration of ten yeares they returned This was the effect thereof that by their long absence they ceased to be burthensome to the State and lesse feared The like custome at this day the pope or Bishop useth when hee seeth any man either for his vertue or preposterous zeale or else for some tolerable fault to be any where suspected or burthensome he sends him away to some
Pharisees would not acknowledge for an extraordinary Prophet The like we read of Paul who on the Sabbath day at Antioch Acts 13. being unknown first heard the reading then the Rulers of the Synagogue sent to him saying Men and brethren if you have any word of exhortation to the people say on Upon which occasion he made an excellent Sermon there If then the sanctity of preaching had been sostrict sure it had not been so easie a matter for Paul to preach without controlment Apolonius in some places shewes at large that Paul was known there For out of his singular skill in Scripture he thinkes that this was Antioch of Syria where hee was well known But hee is shamefully deceived and feeds his Reader with falshoods For Luke expressly sayth that this was not Antioch of Syria but of Pisidia where hee was not yet knowne for that lyeth in Syria over against Cyprus about the Bay of Issicum by the river Orontes But this of Pisidia was over against Attalia at the foot of Mount Taurus and is distant in longitude from the other at least an hundred miles Hee is then as much deceived as if he had confounded Lyons with Leyden which errour is so plain that children may find it out and surely it is not to be suffered in a man so higly puffed up and presumptuous who like a Scribe or Pharisee durst prescribe to the English what they thought of doubtfull and abstruse things when he saw not that which was before his feet For because he knew that this would hinder his fiction if Paul being a stranger should be admitted to preach there he found no readier way then to confound that which the holy Ghost had so exactly distinguished either out of ignorance or out of â—â—lice which he might have easily seen by the circumstances if hee had not shut his eyes For they are sayd to have sat down Then That the Rulers of the Synagogue sayd to them c. For if this had been that Antioch of Syria where he was known they had not suffered him to sit so farre from the Rulets as an ordinary man among the people Therefore they onely conjecturing that Paul had the gift of preaching did not much enquire of the precise and speciall right of calling So the Fable in Aesop may be fitly applied to him of the Asse affecting principality over the other beasts hee covered himselfe with the Lyons skin at which sight the beasts were affrighted but the cunning Foâ— laughed to see how he betrayed himselfe by his long eares and voyce For he brayed like an Asse and did not roare like a Lion I thinke the learned English did no otherwise laugh when they saw this Night-bird with such authority determining of all sacred things as if he were some great Councellor of holy matters whom they found to lye in so plain and ordinary things The like we read of those of Beraea Acts 17. who not knowing of Pauls vocation and finding his doctrine consonant to Scripture did easily acknowledge him for a Teacher There is a more evident example in Apollos Act. 18.24 who being an Alexandrian was admitted to preach at Ephesus being known by no priviledge of vocation but onely famous for this That hee was cloquent and powerfull in Scripture except you will confesse that the hands of the Presbytery were layd upon one unfit and not sufficiently learned For it is known that he had no solemne vocation for the holy Ghost records that Aquila a Mechanick and Priscilla his wife after they had heard him a-part to have taught the way of the Lord more perfectly which differs much from Apolonius his speciall sanctity of preaching who not onely would have kept off Apollos from preaching but if Aquila the Mechanick and Priscilla a woman had dared to instruct him not onely would he have gruntled but with his Rod and Pastorall Sword he had thrust him out of the Church and had it been in his power out of heaven too This case also is notable Acts 11.20 that certaine Cyprians and Disciples of Cyrone being dispersed by the death of Stephen preached to the Greekes at Antiâ—ch as it were in a private zeale which appeares y from hence because the Church of Jerusalem hearing suddenly of this sent Barnabas thither that hee might enquire as of a thing unknown Neither doth it appeare that he made any enquirie concerning their speciall right of Calling but seeing the effects of their Doctrine and the grace of GOD hee rejoyced and approved their endeavours These things being thus performed by the Apostles doe agree with the ordinary institution of teaching in the Church which was that every one that was apt might have leave to teach and prophesie in the Church so it be done orderly one after another onely women were to bee debarred from this exercise for the better decorum Whence it is cleare that under these great divinely-inspired Rulers of the Church the mystery of preaching was not of such speciall right and spirituality as the Treverian Stilt-walker with the Papists would make us beleeve But by a pretty cavill he would faine escape For he distinguisheth between Charitable or Edifying preaching as hee calls it and powerfull or potestative which is with the power of the Keyes and of Gods Legats that sayth he is lawfull for all this onely for Ministers as Gods Legats This invention of his though childish yet I will discusse at large because the businesse here agitate is not of Goats-wooll but of greatest authority in the World under pretence or at least presumption of which our moderne Preachers spue out their railings and reproaches against Princes States and their owne Magistrates and the Pope hath by this subdued the whole world whom the Stilt-walker imitating doth oftentimes urge that he is Christs Embassedour to the people By which he assumes such power to himselfe that he thinkes he preacheth with the same authority that Gods Messengers did so that he who heares him heares Christ who rejects him rejects Christ With which vizard if he deceive Gods people as the Pope hath done it will bee an easie matter for him to babble out his dreames and the affections or fooleries of his distempered minde in stead of Oracles To prevent this I will drive the Night-bird out of his dark holes where hee endeavours to hide his deceits I grant first that Christs true Legat hath very great priviledges and that his Authority is such that wee must obey him no otherwise then Christ himselfe But I deny this to belong to our modern Preachers though never so godly much lesse to the Stilt-walker to be Christs Messenger For to obtain the right of Christs Embassâ—dour two things are required First that he be sent by God to discharge his Embassie in Gods Name Secondly that he be furnished with Gifts requisite for this employment Which two things God hath inseparably united in his Embassâ—dours Hence it is that Paul sayth How shall they preach except
shake his most inward theologicall Budget and to free himselfe of this circle and labyrinth which here I will interlace and because I shall touch here the crown both of old and new Popery I will so compose my selfe to gravity as that I shall seem to jest in a matter of so great weight as this For I will ask whether hee that heares Apolonius teaching and commanding heares alwayes Christ If he affirmes this then he will be Pope and infallible If he denies this for out of this his book we know that the Stilt-walker teacheth many falshoods then I wil ask further when shal Christians be certain that Apolonius speaks truth He wil answer that then when he speakes according to Scripture Well but I will ask again Whether he speake alwayes according to Scripture If he sayth I then he is Pope and infallible If he sayth no then I aske again When doth he speak according to Scripture Hee will answer that then when according to his skill in languages hee weighes the Phrases searches out the circumstances of place and clears all by parallell places Very good But I ask a again whether Apolonius doth this alwayes well If he sayth I then he is Pope infallible if he denies I will ask again when shall we know that Apolonius doth well He will answer that then when he studieth diligently and prayeth devoutly for we must hope that then God assists him that he may not deviate from the truth But here a double question will arise First how it is knowne that he alwayes preacheth and prayeth well For he that reads these his patched peeces will finde that a great part of his prayers and paines are intended to overthrow the civill Magistrate and to procure to himselfe rule and command in the Church but I will yeeld that good Apolonius doth all things well I will ask then again if he though he pray and labour well doth alwayes preach truth If he doth then he is infallible as the Pope If he doth not I will ask again How may we certainly know that Apolonius whilst hee laboureth and prayeth hath the infallible grace of the Spirit God no where in Scripture promiseth this to Apolonius and our modern Law-givers This indeed was true in the divinely-inspired Apostles and Prophets but that this is true in the Pope is the lye of Apolonius and all his Jesuits And if this Walachrian Pompion should presume to brag so much of himselfe his owne booke would refute him in writing of which though he laboured most spiritually yet it is plain that he hath in it uttered many blasphemous and notorious lies Here then having catched him I will hold him fast and wil convince him of fraud in saying that Christs commands are obeyed when he is obeyed commanding as he sayth in Christs Name except he will fall into this absurdity in saying that he who heares Apolonius lying heares Christ in Apolonius commanding which I suppose he will think is blasphemy Hence then it is cleare that Apolonius is a deceiver who would perswade the credulous that his own and his Walachrian Ecclesiastick Dictates and Commands are to be accounted the Dictates and commands of Christ whereas Christians cannot be certainly induced to beleeve this upon any sure ground Yea it is certain both by these Walachrian sayings writings that Christ speakes not in them for he is alwayes true and these are full of lies and blasphemies but rather the spirit of Antichrist who is a lier But here is one hole through which he may escape hee will say perhaps that he submits his preaching to the judgement of the Consistory and because what Apolonius there determines is approved by so many Prophets it is very just that the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets and so the people must beleeve Apolonius prophesying But here again I ask whether all is truth that is determined by the Consistory of Middleburgh If he affirmes it then this Consistory is infallible as the Pope If he denies it I will ask how he knowes that the Consistory doth not erre He will answer that he knowes it by the approbation of the whole Walachrian Classes for thus hath he proceeded in canonizing his patcht book But I ask again whether that be infallible what the Walachrian Classis approveth If hee affirmes it their this Classis is infallible as the Pope But I doe not think that then other Classes of Zealand will yeeld this to the Walachrian Spirituality that whatsoever they determine must be infallible If he denies this then I ask again How shall I know that the Walachrian Classis doth not erre He will say I suppose if all the other Classes of Zealand that is the Synod shall approve it I will ask him If whatsoever the Synod of Zealand shall determine be infallible I beleeve the Synod of Holland and of the other Provinces will deny this nor will they acknowledge the Papall infallibility of the Synod of Zealand From hence perhaps hee will ascend to the Synod of all the Provinces then to the Nationall after to the Generall and last of all he will mount up in infinitum So that the Stilt-walker will find no out-let except hee conclude in the Pope alone to whose judgement we must submit whether hee erre or not saith Bellarmine because he is subject to no mans authority and correction but is to bee left to Christs judgement alone which shall bee in the end of the world The Walachrians every where breathe this Antichristian spirit who though conscious of fallibility and error yet are still crying out that obedience must be yeelded to their Church-ordinances under pain of excommunication They confesse indeed that they are not infallible and permit Christians to examine their doctrines and ordinances but yet will not have the Magistrates to abrogate or appoynt any thing except the Clergy refuse to be reformed The judgement of which ease must remain in Clergy-men so in truth opinion and Popish perswasion is the very foundation of this Walachrian Legislative power thus all by an implicit faith must beleeve that their governours how ever at other times they may erre yet now they doe not erre or if they do erre yet they must not be resisted by the modest sonnes of the Church but obeyed Surely this opniion differs much from that moderation of the Apostles whō Christians absolutly were bound to beleeve by reason of their infallibility yet the one did not absolutely beleeve nor did the other absolutely require it but submitted their doctrine and ordinances to every ones examination so that it is intollerable that a rabble of unskilfull fellowes at this day should domineere over the Clergy and by divine right forsooth enslave Christian mens consciences to yeeld obedience to their toyes But here I will remove one seruple which hath much troubled the minds even of some good Schollers Rom. 13. Heb. 13. The Apostle wills every soule to be subject to the Magistrate for
proceeds Kingly Power I answer all these titles are figurative of which this only followes That it is the Teachers office to take care of Christian mens salyation and to fore-warne them of destruction which is not properly an imperiall but a servile office for he that was the Overseer of Boaz his husbandry is called a servant Ruth 2. Ruth 2. he were a foole that should thinke himselfe a King or a man of authority because hee carrieth a torch or a lanterne before another or because he is hired to watch on a Tower or at a Becon perhaps the Stilt-walker will tell as that he is no ordinary inspector or link-bearer or a common watch-man but an Ecclesiastick and an honourable one because Paul faith that the office of a Bishop is a worthy office and that Preachers are worthy of double honor The answer is easie I deny not but the office of a Bishop is honourable but hence it followeth not that therefore Bishops must domineere for so the basest members of our body and which serve for necessity should be chiefe in the body because Paul saith that the greater honor is given to the weaker 1 Cor. 12.13 and more uncomely members of the body I do not think that Apollonius is such a dastard as to perswade Christians to be subject to womens commands against Gods Law and natures because the Apostle saith that the greater honor belongs to the woman as the weaker vessell but what if overseeing and Ecclesiastick inspection should conferre Kingly authority by what consequence will it be proved that this right belongs to Preachers only for it is plaine by many places of Scripture that the burthen and office of a Bishop is not onely ascribed to ordinary Preachers Act. 20. 1 Tim. 5.17 but also to all Elders yea it belonged to Deacons under the Apostles so that here Kingly power is not to remaine in the superlative sanctity of Pastors but it must passe to the comparative of Elders and positive of Deacons I need not then tell that it was common to all Lay-men and the Church-members under the Apostles to teack and consequently to exercise the office of a Bishop however the Stile-walker may cunningly goe about to unfold himselfe of these yet this is sure that Episcopall dignity did of old belong by a certaine preheminence to the Apostles and not now to Popish Bishops because by this right the Bishop of Rome excerciseth regall power but he can have no leisure to teach Christs people This new VValachrian Papist by this his unsavory writing shewes that he wants either power or will to provide for and give light to Gods people being hee is convicted of so many falshoods whence it may bee justly concluded that though Kingly power were contained under Episcopacy yet it belongs not to him as being no Bishop The title also of Governour and Leader is often used among Papists Prapositi Ducis 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.17 Christians are commanded to give double honour and to obey those that are set over them whence they conciude that Ministers must be presidents and chiefe in Church-businesse and that therefore they are subject to none nay not to the Magistrate I answer if there were such Governours and Captaines as there were then of whom Paul speakes this the consequence might have some shew because they were unblameable and infallible and therefore were true lenders and presidents but if we look upon old Papists they are seducers if on this Walachrian Divine with his Classis because their errors and blasphemies are so many who will account them leaders they are blind leaders whom Christ wills us to avoid least we fall with them into the ditch Againe if we should yeeld this also that there are true Captaines and Presidents in the Church who will thence grant to them a perpetuall presidency and dominion over Christians May not a president or leader come sometimes behind and be led They that know military affaires whence this metaphor was taken know that it is ordinary that he who leads a company to day and goeth before is led to morrow and comes after now hee should bee laughed at who should argue that he must never come after because he went once before or that he must never obey because he once commanded for so every one must be a Monarch and all must run into confusion wherefore I have often said that under the most spirituall Government of the Church in the Apostles time there was no such maxime that he who was once a ruler and leader must alwaies be so but it was ordinary to lead and to be led to go before and after to be uppermost and lowermost I know that Government is not answerable to the Popish pride who will alwaies be before and uppermost yet it agrees very well with Pauls precept who wills us to be obedient to our leaders Heb. 13.27 but he presently adds because they watch for our soules whence the Walachrian Papist may see that this title of Captaine doth not patronize his regall pride for Paul saith plainely that Preachers are such Captaines as are bound to watch over us but there is no man so ignorant of military matters who knowes not that they are the common and lower sort of fouldiers who are tied to keep Centinell or Watch So that this Stilt-walker ridiculously goeth about to make himselfe a Generall or Monarch of a poore stipendary souldier The name of Angel also is used 4. Augâ—â— to shew their Ecclesiastick principality but this word properly signifieth a Messenger And who will brag himselfe to be a King because he is a Messenger I confesse the dignity of heavenly Angels and Spirits is great but Apollonius is said to be too carnall to live an Angelicall life except he meane by his subtill inventions of new Popery to strip Thomas of his title of Angelicall Doctor They pride themselves more in the name Pastor Pastorâ—â— whence Bellarmine drawes the Popes mighty Majesty over all Christian Monarchs For because it was said to Peter Feed my sheep he concludes that to Peter belenged the right of feeding all sheep And because that right was given to Peter he inferres that it was also given to the Pope as to Peter that he should feed all Christs sheep But with him to feed is to rule and to be fed is to be ruled Hence he proveth that it appertains to all Monarchs as being sheep to be fed that is to be ruled and to the Pope to feed and rule Kings according to Virgils Verse Tytere coge pecus This device pleaseth the new Popish Walachrian for he speaks so often of his authoritative office of feeding that of his Shepheards crooke he makes a sword yea a regall Scepter I answer The title of Pastor is figurative therefore by an ill consequence do Popish Pastors draw to themselves whatsoever is found in earthly Shepheards and sheep At this day Shepheards are a mean and servile kind
of people which being unfit for other imployment are of meane spirits and fit onely to consume victualls so the Poet describes the lazie Shepheard Tyterus stretching himselfe along in the shade and singing love-songs of his fair Amaryllis This pastorall sport Pope Hellebrand that spirituall Shepheard shewed when expecting that Honry the fourth Emperour should come to Canossa in an humble way he betooke himselfe to the tower of Mathildis that in the meane while he might delight himselfe with his Amaryllis Yet I do not think this Walachrian Shepheard will be proud of these pastorall vertues so that I doubt whether he will have applied to himselfe all that is commonly found in Shepheards So I will say of sheep Christs spirituall sheep differ much from our ordinary ones for these are bruitish foure-footed beasts wooll-bearers which can neither reason nor speake but onely bleat But although Lay-men among Papists are of little better account with their spirituall Church-men yet this I will say for Christs holy sheep that they differ much from bruit beasts not onely because his sheep are reasonable creatures but also that a sheep in Christs flock may become a Shepheard and a Shepheard a sheep which change were miraculous in other sheep but in Christs flock it is no rare thing for if to feed be to teach and rule as Papists say we shall finde that among the Apostles this was usuall that he who taught to day was taught to morrow for Apollos taught Aquila and Priscilla as a Pastor doth sheep but Aquila and Priscilla taking him apart did instruct him more particularly and of sheep became Shepheards but the Shepheard himselfe became a sheep Neither will the Stilt-walker deny but they oftentimes sit among sheep and disciples who are such proficients in their studies that they become Teachers and of sheep Shepheards I know this transformation is not liked by Papists because they will be alwayes Shepheards but never sheep Yet this is true in Christs spirituall flock that such a change oftentimes there is whence appeares the foolishnesse of Papists who from a metaphoricall title of Pastor conclude that they may do to Christs reasonable sheep what our common Shepheards do to their bruitish flocks Similitudes must never be drawne further then his meaning that useth them except we will go beyond the compasse The name of Pastor in Scripture is given to Kings to shew their moderation it is also given to Church-Rulers but with great restriction and prohibition to reigne Let Kings beare rule Mat. 20. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 5. saith Christ to his Apostles it shall not be so with you So Peter forbids Pastors to domineere but Papists are carried with a contrary spirit who from this title draw their authority over the Church For their Pastorall rod at this day is very imperious powerfull and regall and it hath two keyes fastned to it the one is preaching the other is jurisdiction or censuring which old and new Papists use as a sword to strike and push with but in a different way For the Pope being Antichrist and an old Sheep-stealer in Christs flocke cares no more for the preaching top of the Shepheard staffe for though in Scripture to feed be to preach and teach yet in the Popes and Jesuites exposition to feed is to be filent as a dumb dog For if any man be stout in preaching the truth he is oftentimes chosen to be of the Popes Conclave that his mouth may be stopped so that out of the Popes Court to feed is to teach but within his Court or Conclave to fied is not to teach but to be silent Bellarmine to wash of this blot saith it is not convenient that the Pope should teach by himselfe it sufficeth us if he teach by others whom he sends abroad as Paul did Timethy and Titus whom he left in Creet that he might from towne to towne ordaine Preachers This subterfuge of the Jesuit is pleasant but saine because Paul and the Apostles did not onely preach by others but chiefly by themselves the Pope never preacheth himselfe but by others however the matter be this is certain that the Pope contents himselfe with the sole judiciall top of his Pastorall staffe for although he doth not abase himselfe to preach yet in this he abundantly satisfieth his Pastorall Office in that he rules the whole Church of Christ by prescribing Lawes hearing of Princes Embassadours dividing Kingdomes and Crownes bestowing Lands out of the plenitude of his power waging warres for Peters Patrimony as Julius did excommunicating Kings and Princes as disobedient sheep and compelling them to come as supplicants to him and by setting all the Christian world together by the eares or if he be of a more moderate disposition then by erecting of obelisks building of Castles adorning of Theaters and Stages making of sumptuous feasts delighting himselfe with his Ganymedes and many things els by which he is thought to have abundantly satisfied his Pastorall charge so that Christians may easily see that this Romane Pastor is not onely a hireling but a thief also and a robber The Walachrian Popish Dwarf useth as yet both the tops of his Pastorall rod and because the judiciall is too weake to subdue and knock downe all as he pleaseth he prefers the preaching top as yet that if he dreame at home of any thing which may advance his Hierarchie this presently hee perswades the unwarie people by his declamations or if the Magistrates like rams push with their hornes and take upon them to reprove their Pastors more boldly then becomes brutish sheep to doe then out of the Pulpit openly he accuseth them of Atheisme and indirectly stirs up against them all the sheep that is the people that seldome doth he lay aside this top of his Shepheards crock except he grow hoarse and speechlesse Yet it is thought he takes not so much delight in his preaching rod but that with the great Pope he could be content to lay it downe if he could light upon a good Bishoprick in England or a Superintendency elsewhere that so hee might be silent by himselfe but preach by others The other top to wit judiciall is surely very sacred to him so that there is nothing more Pastorall with him then to have power of inspection into all matters to be present at all mens tables and affaires to intrap the honors and estates of all lastly to meddle with every worldly thing with his Pastorall crooke to rule all and be ruled by none in which hee doth finely imitate the Popes Pastorship but falls quite off from that of the Apostles and of Peter himselfe who prescribes to Pastors rule without command 1 Pet. 5. but this man requires command without rule which may end either in Papall tyranny or into a seditious Anarchy that each Pastor may doe what he please Againe this VValachrian Pope earnestly desires that to him as being a Pastor may be given authority and command without subjection but Peter on the contrary
will have the younger sort to be subject to the Elders but presently adds that they should all submit themselves to one another and to be humble so that I must oftentimes say the Apostles were such Shepheards who were content to be uppermost and lowermost to rule and to be ruled but Papists are such who think it blasphemy and Simony if in Church-matters they be subject to any except to Christ alone immediately The title of Housholder is almost of the same authority 6. Oâ—conemi 1 Cor. 4.1.2 Mat. 24. Part. 1. p. 354. by which the Stilt-walker every where brags and denies that he is subject to the Magistrate for he saith That Ecclesiastick and Pastorall causes are to be judged onely by Ecclesiastick Authority and that it is absurd they should be judged by Civill Power For though he confesse that in some cases Church-men may be subject to the judgement of the Magistrate yet he thinks this is onely extraordinary and when the Clergie will not be reformed and that then the matter must bee judged not by the Magistrates but by Church-men alone as being Masters of the Familie This Divinity he had from Bellarmine who saith that the Pope is the generall Master of the Church-Family Mat. 24.48 who therefore obeys none but commâ—nds all and that by right of this Oeconomie hee is subject neither to Magistrates not to a Generall Councell which the Jesuite finely gathers out of the parable of the housholder for saith Christ if that servant shall begin to drinke and to beat his fellow-servants the lord of that servant will come to which Bellarmine Heare you not who is the Popes judge He faith not he shall be judged by a Councell but his lord will come therefore he is left to be judged by Christ It 's no wonder that the Jesustes do delude Christians with such old-wives fables for they know that the Popes strength now consists not in perswasion but in coaction it 's more to be wondered at that such a â—â—ght-bird should creep out of the Walachrian Classis who being destitute of all secular power dare utter such like yea greater fooleries for the Pootifician fopperies end in Monarchie but the Walachrien in confusion and anarchie For if by the right of Ecclesiastick â—economie no Preacher is subject to the Magistrates judgement but that he depends immediately from Christ It will follow also that he is not subordinate to the Exclesinstick except their immediate dependency from Christ be broken The Stilt-walker will say that this oeconomicall right is not broken by Ecclesiastick subjection 1 Cor. 14. for then the spirit of the Prophets iâ— subject to the Prophets all which depend immediately from Christ which is not repugnant to oeconomicall liberty This faction I have elswhere touched and I will more fully hereafter refell it I ask now whether the Pastor or Housholder of a particular Church who makes such a decree which the housholders of the same or of another Church say is unjust and therefore abrogate it be delivered by authority or not If he say I then he resists the light of nature which teacheth that that hath not absolute authority which may be abrogated by another Judge If he say No then he is forced to confesse that those Housholders of God such as these Walachrians boast themselves to be have no absolute right because by the right of dependency as I said before the Consistory can judge the Brethren the Classis the Consistory and the Synod the Classes and so in infinitum Surely if Paul meanes by these words the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets that we should alwayes rest in the greater number of suffrages as in a truth defined by such Housholders as are at this day then Christians will be forced against science and conscience oftentimes to submit to it which is both false and unjust for how often doth this fall out which Calvin complaines of the Councell of Trent namely that a hundred horned Asses may agree by their votes in a falshood if ninety nine on the other side stand for the truth that greater number must decide I warrant you a matter of such weight Neither should they except here that they were false Bishops and that it is otherwise in those that are pious and reformed For even among such there will be found no certainty except they be all divinely inspired and infallible as under the Apostles or one at least which the Jesuites but falsly say is the Pope and so in this they end all controversies But the Walachrian Juglers because they dare not assever this they must necessarily run round so that they as Masters of the Family must and must not still be believed For however they may perswade unwarie people that their commands are authoritative and unblameable and that therefore they must be obeyed yet if by learned men they be brought to the scales or touchstone they will be forced to confesse that in many things they fall foule and deceive others which we may even see in these patched peeces of the Stilt-walker which not onely this proud Housholder of Christ vents abroad for Oracles but he hath taken for his defence the whole company of Classiaries whom the reader may see have assented to lies blasphemies and toyes It is most sure that now neither in the Church nor in the whole world are there any such Pastors or Housholders to whom she can or should be absolutely subject but the judgement of this remaines in the examination of every one according to the ballance of Gods Word alone I know that a great many Christians are in this point either out of carelesnesse or out of superstition very supine to believe their Preacher in many things with an implicit faith but this supine carelesnesse costs the losse of innumerable soules so that these authoritative and domineering Housholders are to blame who hunt after honour out of Christians blind obedience If the VValachrian Papists had considered with what restriction that elect vessell Paul had given to himselfe the title of Housholder 1 Cor. 4.1.2 the Stilt-walker had not so often to patronize his pride alledged this title for Paul also in that place useth the title of Minister or Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rowe so that he makes himselfe an inferiour rower But how absurd were it for one to brag that he is a rower or boat-man appointed by the King to sit and rowe in the lower seat The Apostles that were divine Mariners in Christs ship were not ashamed to confesse this of themselves although they were Housholders by an incommunicable prerogative yet they were very farre from pride because they confessed that they would rowe and sit in the lower seat The name Father also containes honor and authority but not always command paternall right is most properly in naturall fathers for it is absolute and indissoluble bâ— similitude it is given to many
errour is that rashly and most falsly they assume to themselves the title of Christs Legate no other wayes then the Jewes of old bragged of the Temple and the Papists now of the Church That one may be the Kings Embassadour two things are required that he may carrie his badge and may shew his Letters of credence that he is the Kings Embassadour The other that he may have his instructions concerning the Kings will and command so that when he wills he may shew all things ready for his Embassie For if either of these be wanting the whole honour of his Embassie failes so that if one take upon him to be an Embassadour and having the badges yet go beyond his commission either out of ignorance or malice he shall not be a true Legate Againe if one do faithfully deliver the Kings will as a Legate and yet have no right or any thing to shew for his Embassie he also is not to be accounted the Kings Embassadour and it hath oftentimes been seen that such Legates have been punished by Princes as Impostors If according to this rule the Pope be examined he will be found to be Antichrist If you ask for his Letters Patents of Embassie he will tell you that he sits in Peters chaire and that from person to person from Peter to himselfe this right was derived to wit by true election and many other things with which he belyeth his Letters of credence If you make inquirie into his instructions though many Popes were nothing but Monsters despisers of divine and humane Lawes yet they say that he is infallible by the vertue of his Chaire that he hath all Lawes within the cabinet of his brest This fiction is thrust upon men under many ambiguities and now for many hundred yeares hath so prevailed in Popery that he who doubts to yeeld to thus shall be compelled to yeeld to arguments taken from excommunication prison faggots and death This is the old Popery The new Walachrian Papist brags much more unseemingly of his Embassie because he is forced to confesse that he hath no Letters to shew for his employment nor any wayes so instructed as to deserve the name of Christs Embassadour for I will aske him what certaine badges hath he to shew that he is Christs Legate he will doubtiesse say he hath badges or markes in that he was chosen by the Church that is elected and ordained to preach by an outward company of men professing Christ but this is to prove the same by the same for then the question will be where did Christ say that he would account him for his Legate who is chosen and ordained at this day to preach by an Assembly of Christians If there were now such a King who should acknowledge for his Embassadours such as should take upon them this function by some evill and sinistrous wayes he should be held an inconsiderate Prince and little carefull of his honour How unworthy a thing is it then to suspect this of Christ so great a Monarch that he would so prostitute the glorious right of his Embassie in holy things that he should presently acknowledge for his Vicars and Legates who can shew onely the externall pomp of Vocation This fiction was long since exploded among the old Papists yet wee deny not but they had some kind of calling but because it was not justly performed and according to Christs prescript it is therefore accounted as none Though I will not ascribe the same degree of impudencie to those Walachrians yet if Apollonius will confesse what he knoweth there is nothing more certaine then that the whole manner of Vocation there is humane and oftentimes carnall so that I thinke it a most unworthy thing that Christ should be so loose and profuse in bestowing the honour of this Embassie whereas it is as easie in a Brokers shop of old cloaths to find a sute for a noble man as it is there by force or favour to acquire through Apollonian spirituall Arts the title of Christs Legate Now for matter of instruction If it be demanded I have shewed before that there is no man at this day who dare say he is infallible For as soon as the Scribes in their preaching departed from the chaire or reading of Moses in Christs time they did easily admit the leaven of their owne traditions in their doctrine of which Christ will have us take heed though neverthelesse he will have us hearken to them so long as they sit in Moses his chaire that is continue in the simple reading So this writing of Apollonius shewes what is done in the Walachrian Classis who placing the authority of his Embassie not in reading but in declamatory preaching hath been divers times convicted by me of errour and found to have departed from the instructions of his King whence he seems to me to be no lesse sottish when he obtrudes a corrupt calling and fallible preaching for Christs true Embassie then if he would pay his debts by painting on a piece of board the figures and colours of divers coynes and so give them to his creditor instead of paiment Here is no obscure report that the Ecclesiastick spirituality of Apollonius is so ruinous there that not onely out of the positive sanctity of Deacons the comparative of Elders but which is a wonder from the superlative of Preachers this shamefull disgrace hath proceeded Versuram facere fore cedere that some there out of a base intent to defraud men tooke up money upon use to pay their creditors and plaid bankerupts If it please Apollonius to help his Colleague with such a paiment that he may bestow upon him a large sum of painted money on a board I will give him leave to use his bounty yet he shall no more satisfie his creditors there by paying painted money for true then by obtruding upon us here the shadowes and pictures of his calling and preaching when he would shew us the uncorrupt honour of his Embassie Paul indeed and the Apostles might glory that they were Christs Embassadours because they were sent immediately neither from men nor by men whence they were furnished with the badges of their vocation with piety of life infallibility of doctrine and power of miracles This Embassie of Christ as being an Apostolicall function was onely in them and ended in them The dignity of Evangelists was somewhat lesse who wrote from their mouths as Luke or taught Act. 1.1 as Timothie whom Paul confesseth to have heard the doctrine of salvation from his mouth among many witnesses and warnes him that he should commit it to faithfull men 2 Tim. 2.2 and apt to teach such was Titus These were not Christs immediate Legats but the Apostles to whom notwithstanding it belonged to speak with authority as Calvin translates it or with command as Beza For although their Embassie was much different from that of the Apostles yet so long as they lived they could have recourse to them They
if one should doe the same thing in a gown or in a cloak in a long black Divines cloak or in a scarlet and militarie coat For so the old Papists play with this their formality who being secure of the possession of their spiritualitie have very frequently this changing of gowns among them that upon the changing of the gown the formall sanctity is also changed For it is not unusuall that he who is to day a Church-Cardinall to morrow laying aside this gown and changing his habit become a Secular Prince So that some are Church-men in the morning Secular-men after dinner nor is the Stilt-walker as yet so secure of his own holiness as to play so openly especially in the superlative sanctity but in the comparative he useth the same bounty when he calls Consuls and Senators to the Eldership who therefore must either in the same or in another gown be in the morning Aldermen in the afternoon Church-men He is so rigid in his preaching superlative holiness that he will not impart it to proponents although now they be half-men but to them alone on whom there hath been imposition of hands whence the authoritative and sacramentall dignity proceeds I confesse this fiction is not without a beginning and some shew also for it is taken from the Levites in whom there was an innate and genuine sanctity by Gods Ordination whence arose this difference that one and the same thing being touched or handled by a Levite it was holy in Priesthood by reason of the sanctity of the person but it was prophane being handled by him who was no Levite So in those first worke-men of the Arke and Tabernacle Bezaliel and Aholiab whom God had filled with his Spirit and dedicated for this worke The same worke might have been done by others as it was in Solomons Temple which worke had been objectively holy but they were not done formally holily that is by holy men and for this work sanctified as Bezaliel and Aholiah were The Walachrian Legendary from this beginning tooke his fable which we would confesse might have some shew if he could himselfe without laughter assever that modern Vocation and chiefly his Walachrian had in it any divine thing except the common institution of Vocation and the end as for the manner he knowes himselfe that it is so worldly and carnall that no other wayes is a cloak or gown bought in a Brokers shop of old ware then there this speciall right of sanctity So that if hee would lay aside his dissembling vizard hee would say with Scevola in Cicero that hee wonders when one sooth-sayer sees another why hee doth not laugh for the office of sooth-saying was of great authority and honour and the ignorant people had a wonderfull opinion of it but that most learned man knew well that in the secrets of soothsaying there was no true soliditie because they collected uncertaine trifles from the chatring feeding and flying of birds Even so I am sure that this Walachrian amongst his fellowes if hee may with freedome will oftentimes laugh for cheating simple men with such a fine fiction that there is in his Vocation wonderfull sanctity which hee knowes himselfe to bee none at all or if there be any it is spoiled with his evill devices So that oftentimes hee is not called who is best gifted but whom favour and promises promote Whence wee need not wonder that no spirituall effects at this day doe follow upon this Vocation and Imposition of hands but oftentimes carnall as of pride nnd envy surely hee seeks water in a pumaice-stone who out of so prophane a Vocation doth hunt for speciall sanctity and thinkes that it is introduced and infused into men If in modern Vocation and Imposition of hands there were any thing like that expresse Ordination or Leviticall separation ordained by Gods owne Law or if it were any wayes to be compared to the speciall calling of Bezaliel and Aholiab or to that notable calling of the Apostles which spirituall gifts and eminent sanctitie either followed or went before then there might bee some shew of obtruding the speciall right of sanctity although the Apostles had an humble opinion of their own authority and would not brag of it 1 Cor. 3. But because this calling wants all these gifts and prerogatives and is deprived of them by reason of the wicked fraud of Church-men what else is this then as I said to boast of riches by having a board full of painted money Their Vocation indeed hath the outward forme of that Vocation which was in the Apostles time though in many things corrupted they have also Imposition of hands after their manner but although all things were done without fraud lawfully and as neare the Apostles manner as could bee yet there were no certaine reason to inferre that they have speciall and certaine sanctity who have this calling as the Walachrian brags because there is not any speciall promise extant in Scripture that all who are called after this manner must bee holy in a speciall manner therefore it is folly and Superstition to believe this so firmly because faith is Superstition which hath not for it Gods expresse promise and suppose God had promised that this should bee because Gods promises are conditionall to wit if men doe not by their corrupt actions hinder his grace hence it is that Gods bounty at this day is many wayes hindred that from the Vocation and modern Imposition of hands especially the Walachrian there can proceed no store of spirituall gifts much lesse any permanent sanctity of speciall right no more then health followes upon Popish breathing and annointing as daily experience sheweth There is no Vocation then at this day so holy and lawfull as to confer any speciall priviledge of sanctity or make any man after a speciall manner sanctified and Ecclesiastick but the whole right depends now from the gifts So that there is a lawfull calling and right for performing of all sacred things where God hath bestowed gifts and aptitude whatsoever the party be whether Church-man or Lay-man modern vocation confers nothing else but order and a power to perform these businesses of divine worship which may be done by any man who is fitted but he that is called is bound to do it because he is hired no otherwise then in a ship which simile Paul useth 1. Cor. 4. all promiscuously may row if they will or if there be need but he that is the Boat-man or is tyed to the lower seat is bound torow by the Law or because he is hired 1 Tim. 5 which seems to be Pauls opinion who saith that Bishops who labour in the Word that is spend their whole life in thus labouring are worthy of double honour that is both of honour and profit because hee adds presently thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne for the Labourer is worthy of his hire Whence it appeares that Presbyters are not so
also shewed a great measure of spirituall gifts in themselves so that not without cause their authority was great in the Church yet not as Christs proper and immediate Legates but of the Apostles yet they were divine and excelled in the gifts of the Spirit Since their departure that glorious way of calling and conferring of gifts by imposition of hands ceased that scarce three hundred yeares after Christ did there any whit of this rare vocation remaine yea Antichrist breaking out in the place of gifts all sorts of corruption and vices succeeded And yet if we look upon the lights of ancient times namely Austin yea Bernard in the yeare 1300. shining as a light in Cimmerian darknesse we must confesse that this Walachrian Jugler is but ice to compare to those fires of whom I think none durst venture to proclaime himselfe Christs immediate Legate as this trifler every where doth He is like those Painters Luke 2. which picture the Virgin Mary in Princely robes and with rich hangings because she was descended of the royall blood of King David of whose riches she had nothing when Christ was born but was destitute of all riches The titles that remaine are as blasphemous as fallacious 9. Pontisicis the Apostle in that notable place to the Hebrewes willing to exalt above all humane reach Christs incommunicable and ever to be adored vocation Heb. 5.4 to his eternall Priesthood and Mediatorship for the whole race of mankinde doth chiefly illustrate it by the excellency of the manner which he declared by the typicall calling of Aaron in glory exceeding the inauguration of all the Leviticall High Priests that succeeded him which notwithstanding the manner of Christs eternall Priesthood did infinitely excell in that he received his inauguration not from any earthly man but from heaven for to none of the Angels was it said Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee of which the Apostle speaks plainly when he saith Heb. 1.5 no man takes unto himselfe this honour but he who is called of God as Aaron was and Christ whence it is apparent that it is temeritie for any man after Christ to take upon him the priviledge of this title yet Antichrist the old Romish Pope durst doe it priding himselfe in this as in many other things that he hath succeeded Christ as his Vicar and high Priest in the Militant Church Our Stilt-walker following the foot-steps of his Predecessor doth not indeed as yet brag that he is high Priest but desirous to make an impression of the excellency of his preaching function upon unskilfull and superstitious people he is so often commending it that he would have all men believe what the Apostle speakes of Christ alone and Aaron to be meant of himselfe and such as he for he takes this for a generall rule that no man is called to a sacred function except also this belong to him that he hath not assumed this honour but hath received it of God This indeed did appeare in Aaron typically in Christ truly But he that will search for this in the Popes naughty vocation or in that vicious and humane calling of Apollonius as I have described it will wrong Christ 10. Titâ—â—â— spousi quad sit maritus Ecclesiae and will make us believe that to be true which we see and know to be contrary Apollonius thinks it also no meane title for a Bishop to be called the Bridegroome and Husband of the Church if this be true they will suppose that the Church whose lesser and meaner part is the Magistrate must bee subject to the Minister as a wife to the husband because it is plainely said to the woman thy will shall bee subject to thy husband But these parabolicall allusions are of little weight among wise men if in Scripture sometimes the title of Husband or Bridegroome were given to Ministers but it is so farre from this that in it we find the Baptist conferring this honour on Christ alone that he is the Bridegroome because he hath the Bride reserving to himselfe the title of friend onely which modesty is farre different from the pride of moderne Papists who boldly prate that they are the Bridegroomes and therefore have the Bride I think that it is more injurious to Christs incommunicable honour for one to call himselfe a Vicar Bridegroom or Husband then the Ministeriall head of the Church Concerning the indignity of this last many books have been written against the Pope whereas notwithstanding it is evident that this involves no dishonour to Christ if he have under him a Ministeriall held but it containes obscoenity for one to be called Vicar Bridegroome or secondary Husband of Christs Church upon earth But I will not spend time about this as any great matter I will only drive this Walachrian Papist to quotlibetary fooleries by which he may with his old friends delight or vex himselfe For first I will aske if a Pastor or Preacher be the Bridegroom or Husband of the Church what kind of Husbands were the Apostles who had no particular Church but had the care of all If he say they were not Husbands or Bridegroomes which they themselves would have easily acknowledged he will make them lesse worthy then the Walachrian night-birds but if on the contrary he doe confesse it he will bring upon them the suspition of bawdrie as though they had power every where to lie with other mens wives Which monster Mahomet in his Alcoran did challenge to himselfe that according to his propheticall majesty he might have power to leap into every womans bed Againe if he saith that the Church is married to ordinary Pastors I aske whether it be not an unseemly thing for one woman to have many husbands which no Law doth allow and yet in this spirituall marriage there is nothing more common for many Churches have two three foure Pastors and perhaps the Church of Middleburg hath many more and consequently husbands which if he shall make use of as his Vicars to lie with his wife Apollonius himselfe will make her to be suspected of adultery except he be assured that she will be loyall to him as the cheif husband yet he shall carrie the hornes when he gives way to his colleagues as his underlings to make use of her But if one Church be duly married to one husbands I aske again if any thing can be more proper for marriage then indissolubility but in this holy and spirituall wedding there is nothing more absurd for no sooner doe young men leave the Schoole but out of the heat of their youth they begin to be suiters neither is there any Church so meane and poor to which they will not make suite as if shee were the fairest Bride in the World if so be shee will confer upon them a pastorall Cloak and a stipend but this is not with any intention to stay alwayes with this wife but like insects they gather company till they can