473. mentioneth many good things that that Committee were preparing but being obstructed by A. B. Laud though then in the Tower and some other Bishops the Commons laid the ax to the root of all evil as * Tindal of the Obedienâ—â— of Christian Magist p. 114. Tindal of old called the Bishops looking upon them as the â—inderers of all good as Martin * Martin Bucer de regnâ— Christ l. 2. c. 1. Bucer told King Edward the Sixth and so instead of mending things they grew worse Heylin confesseth nay braggeth that Books against Arminianism which he saith is * Cypr. Anglic. Introduct p. 36. agreeable to the Council of Trent cap. de fructu Justificationis Can. 3 4 were suppressed Sure I am that Dr. Prideaux his Sermons which he had preached at Court were not permitted to be reprinted at Oxford because he would not yield to the obliterating of some passages in them against Arminianism yet several passages which he as Doctor of the Chair rased out of Mr. Chillingworth ' s Book were inserted and printed after the good old Doctor had put his hand to the license for its printing which Book is now highly commended though the Doctor openly disowned it in the Chair saying That he had been abused in that Book Mr. Cheynell being opponent upon this Socinian question An ratio sit fundamentum fidei But what are these things to the purpose now I answer 1. The Author of the Friendly Debate often printed and its continuation hath raked up things against some Nonconformists which were of longer standing 2. If some Clergy-men of these times preach or print or act as they did in those days it is directly to the purpose Let any judicious indifferent man read the Book intituled The causes of the decay of Piety and he will find much of the Soveraign drug planted here as the Jesuit said in A. B. Laud ' s time to purge the Protestants of their Heresie as they call our true Religion Let him read Mr. Fowler ' s two Books viz. his Free Discourse and his Design of Christianity and he will see whatsoever he pretends to the contrary that his endeavour if not prime design is to promote that most Antichristian Doctrine of the Papists viz. Justification of our persons before God by our own good works or inherent holiness and overthrow the true Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England to which 't is believed he hath subscribed denying the * Free Discourse p. 126 128 129 130 145. Imputation of Christs Righteousness in the sound sense of the Church of England sometimes calling it a false yea a grosly false notion thereof and sometimes a * Ibi. p. 141. sottish and mischievous Doctrine abusing those that hold it by branding them with the ignominious name of * Ibi. pag. 141 143. and Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 223. Antinomians affirming That our persons are justified before God by our own inherent holiness and good works and that faith * Free Discourse 159. Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221. as it includes sincere obedience justifieth our persons before God and to this end using and improving Bellarmine ' s arguments to the utmost And lest any should charge him with the Doctrine of the Church of England which he cannot but know is contrary to his Doctrine he endeavours to prevent it saying That those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the 39 Articles of our Church taking * Free Discourse Edit 2. p. 2. p. 191. that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed * But where doth the Church allow this liberty what do you mean by the Church it's contrary to the end of the Law of 13. of Elizabeth and of the fifth Canon by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And again p. 2. p. 305. he saith further thus What was said of General Councils we also most heartily acknowledg concerning our own particular Church viz. that we are bound by no means to oppose the determinations of the Governours and Representatives in disputable matters nor do they as hath been shewed require our internal assent to their Articles but enjoin our submission to them as to an instrument of peace only Lo here you may see what these Latitudinarians are â—a name which some I know not who have given them but whether they deserve it let others judg but such is the latitude of these men that they would have liberty for themselves to preach and print what Doctrine they please but would have none allowed to dissenters in points of Church-government and Ceremonies as may be evidently seen in his Free Discourse by which we may see what Broth and Beef his palate relisheth best But what is there no internal assent required to the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England and yet an unfeigned assent and consent to the use of the Liturgy and the Ceremonies and Rites thereof Are these more essential to the being of the Church of England than those Are the Ceremonies Rites and Liturgy more surely and certainly and indisputably grounded upon the Canonical Scriptures than the doctrine of Faith which concerns the Trinity justification of a sinner Christs satisfaction c. Have not all our 39 Articles been disputed nay do not some amongst us question whether there be a God and whether the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament be the Word of God and of divine authority and have not the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome which our Rulers have retained been from the first beginning of the Reformation here disputed and opposed by godly and learned Bishop Hooper and Mr. John Rogers and denied and detested even to the death by many godly Martyrs Do not all the Calvinistical Churches abroad join with the Church of England in maintaining the Articles of Religion which concern the confession of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments and yet reject the Liturgy Ceremonies and Church-government of the Church of England â—nd if only indisputable matters may not be opposed and all disputable ones may be opposed I pray what Article of our Creed and Religion may not be opposed by these men of the long name It is â—â—ear that though these men heartily subscribe to the 20 the 34 and the 36 Articles Whatsoever is not read in the holy Scripture nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of Faith Art 6 Church of England which are not Articles of Religion of the true Christian Faith because not contained in or proveable by the Word of God in their sense yet they give not an unfeigned assent and consent to the Articles of Religion concerning the Doctrine of Faith and the Sacraments for they take liberty they say 't is allowed them by the Church to interpret them as
so much holiness for as the Gospel teacheth us the spirit of Jesus is a good spirit an holy spirit a sweet spirit a lowly spirit a merciful spirit full of charity and love full of forgiveness and pity not rendering evil for evil extremity for extremity but over coming evil with good and remitting all offence even from the heart According to which rule if any man live uprightly of him it may be safely pronounced that he hath the Holy Ghost within him if not then 't is a plain token that he doth usurp the name of the Holy Ghost in vain Ye shall judg them by their fruits which if they be wicked and naught then 't is impossible that the tree of whom they proceed should be good Such were all the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appear by the story of their * See Dr. Prideaux his Introduction to History from p. 77. to p. 155. there you 'l read of Usurping Nimrods Luxurious Sodomites Aegyptian Magicians devouring Abaddons incurable Babylonians Bishops of Rome Lives and therefore they are worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets and false Christs which deceived the world a long while The Lord of heaven and earth defend us from their tyranny and pride that they never enter into his Vineyard again to the disturbance of his silly poor flock but that they may be utterly confounded and put to flight in all parts of the world And be of his great mercy so work◠in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost that the comfortable Gospel of his Son Christ may be truly preached truly received and truly followed in all places to the beating down of sin death †By K. Edward the sixth and Q. Elizabeth's Injunctions all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and Ecclesiastical persons were to the best of their skill to declare against the Bishop of Rome's pretended and usurped power and jurisdiction two times at least every year openly Art 1. but have not some of them really neglected it been ready to declare four times in the year for the Bishop of Rome's traditions inventions and dumb Ceremonies and that the Pope of Rome is not Antichrist the Pope the Devil and all the Kingdom of Antichrist that like scattered and dispersed sheep being at length gathered into one fold we may in the end rest togetogether in the bosom of Abraham Isaac and Jacob there to be partakers of eternal life through the merit and death of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Obj. But it may be objected by some that all this that is here in this Homily said against the Bishop of Rome and his Adherents may be said of some other Churches or at least against some other Bishops and their Adherents as have rejected the Bishop of Rome's authority as Mr. Mede observes that the Greek Churches have who imbrace the beasts impieties but refuse to be subject to him Ans To this I answer thus 1. with Mr. Mede and Dr. More that there may be little Babylons but Rome is Babylon the great they may be sister or daughter-harlots but Rome is the mother of harlots They may be little Misses but she is the great Whore other Churches may be corrupt in Doctrines of Faith and the Sacraments and the exercise of the Keys but none so corrupt as Rome is 2. If any Churches have retained too much of the Popes Doctrine Discipline Ceremonies Practises let them come out of Babylon that they partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues Apoc. 18. 4. have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them 2. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland which Church in her 80th Article of Religion saith thus The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supream head of the universal Church of Christ that his works and doctrine do plainly discover him to be that man of sin foretold in the holy Scriptures whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightness of his coming 3. 'T is contrary to the Confession of Faith by the Church and Kingdom of Scotland and sworn to by King James and the Subjects of Scotland which saith thus But especially we detest and refuse the usurped authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Church the civil Magistrate and consciences of men The whole Confession is very considerable and imitable to be seen in the latter end of the Harmony of Confessions 4. Not to mention what other Churches hold of the Pope of Rome's being the Antichrist yet because Dr. Heylin finds so much fault with the 80th Article of Cypr. Angl. lib 4. p. 269. 273. Ireland and pleads so much for Romish erroneous Doctrines as taught by our first Reformers and Martyrs but most falsely as I have shewed in some points before I shall give their sense of this point as I find their sayings set forth by Mr. Fox in his Book of Martyrs in one Volume Walter Mantell in his Apology prayeth thus I beseech the living God which hath received me to his mercy and brought to pass that I die stedfast and undefiled in his truth at utter defiance and detestation of all Papistical and Antichristian Doctrine I beseech him to keep and defend all his chosen for his names sake from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome that Antichrist p. 1398. Q. Mary March 2. 1554. Bishop Hooper of whom Dr. Heylin boasts much to little purpose in his Letter of Consolation sent to certain godly brethren taken in Bow-Church-yard in Prayer and laid in the Counter in Breadstreet saith thus I have been sorry to perceive the malice and wickedness of men to be so cruel devilish and tyrannical to persecute the people of God for serving of God saying and hearing of the holy Psalms and the word of eternal life These cruel doings do declare that the Papists Church is more bloody and tyrannical than ever was the sword of the Ethnicks and Gentiles When I heard of your taking and what ye were doing wherefore and by whom ye were taken I remembred how the Christians in the Primitive Church were used by the cruelty of Be-like there are some Christned Heathens unchristned heathens in the time of Trajan the Emperour about 77 Christians of old looked upon and accused as Traytors and movers of sedition for serving the true God truly so now by Papists and such like years after Christs ascension into heaven and how the Christians were persecuted very sore as though they had been Traytors and movers of sedition whereupon the gentle Emperour Trajan required to know the true cause of Christians trouble A great learned man called Plinius wrote unto him and said it was because the Christians said certain Psalms before day unto one called Christ whom they worshipped for God When Trajan the Emperour understood it was nothing but Conscience and
acteth against and contrary to them By which saith he they do declare themselves to be none of the Church of Christ but rather of the Synagogue of Satan Yea he there tells his Wife That he called them with good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the Devil and that as their father the Devil is a lyar and murtherer so their Kingdom and Church as they call it standeth by lying and murdering therefore my dear Wife have no fellowship with them Ibid. Bishop Ridley in his Letter in Captivity calls the Church of Rome the Strumpet of Babylon and the Pope of Rome Antichrist Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1626. col 1. And in his Answer at his Examination to Bishop White he saith He cannot but confess with St. Gregory a Bishop of Rome also that the Bishop of that place is the very true Antichrist whereof St. John speaketh by the name of the Whore of Babylon And I say saith he with the said St. Gregory that he that maketh himself a Bishop of all the world is worse than Antichrist Ibid. p. 1650. col 2. And in his Communication with Dr. Brooks Bishop of Gloucester when he degraded him exhorting him to recant and submit to the Church of Rome he saith thus You know my mind concerning the usurped authority of the Romish Antichrist Ibid. p. 1659. col 2. And a little after when he would Bishop Ridley though when he was in his Pontificalibus he contended too much for the Surplice c. yet when he came to die he refused it and abominated it put on him the Surplice c. he inveighed against the Romish Bishop and all that foolish apparel calling him Antichrist and the apparel foolish and abominable Ibid. In his Farewell Letter to all his Friends he calls the Bishop of Rome the Babylonical Beast and the then Bishops of England thieves of Samaria Sabei Caldei These robbers have rushed out of their dens and have robbed the Church of England of all the aforesaid holy treasure of God they have carried it away they have overthrown it and instead of Gods holy word the true and right administration of Christs holy Sacraments as of Baptism and the other they mix their Ministry with mens fantasies and many wicked and â—â—godly traditions Ibid. p. 1674. And these Bishops he calls the Soldiers of Antichrist Ibid. p. 1675. col 1. And in his Letter to the Lords Temporal he saith thus I wonder my Lords what hath bewitched you that ye are so suddenly fallen from Christ unto Antichrist from Christs Gospel unto mens traditions from the Lord that bought you to the Bishop now of Rome I warn you of your peril be not deceived except ye will be found willingly consenters unto your own death For if ye think thus we are Lay-men this is a matter of Religion we follow as we are taught and led if our teachers and governours teach us and lead us amiss the fault is in them they shall bear the blame My Lords 't is true I grant you that both the false teacher and the corrupt governour shall be punished for the death of their subjects whom they have falsely taught and corruptly lead yea and their blood shall be required at their hands But yet neverthelss shall that subject die the death himself also that is he shall also be damned for his own sin For if the blind lead the blind Christ saith not the leader only but both shall fall into the ditch Shall the Synagogue and the Senate of the Jews trow ye which forsook Christ and consented to his death therefore be excused because Annas and Caiphas with the Scribes and Pharisees and their Clergy did teach them amiss yea and also Pilate their Consenters and doers are both guilty saith Bishop Ridley Ibid. p. 1675. governour and the Emperours Lieutenant by his tyranny did without cause put to death Forsooth no my Lords no. For notwithstanding that corrupt Doctrine or Pilates washing of his hands neither of both shall excuse either that Synagogue and Seigniory or Pilate but at the Lords hand for the effusion of that innocent blood on the latter day shall drink of the deadly whip * Bishop Gardners six Articles called the Whip with six strings I â—elieve he alluded to Ye are witty and understand what I mean Therefore I will pass from this to tell you that ye are fallen from Christ to his adversary the Bishop of Rome pag. 1667. And immediately after he tells them That he doth not in calling the Bishop of Rome Christs adversary or Antichrist rage or raile but speak the words of truth and sobriety And shews That that Church while it continued in the Apostles Doctrine was Apostolick and those that sate in that See might be called Apostolici but since that See hath degenerated from the trace of Truth and true Religion which it received of the Apostles at the beginning and hath preached another Gospel hath set up another Religion hath exercised another power and hath taken upon it to order and rule the Church of Christ by other strange Laws and Canons and rulers than ever it received of the Apostles the Apostles of Christ which thing it doth at this day and hath continued so doing alas alas of too too long a time since the time I say that the state and condition of that See hath thus been changed in truth it ought of duty and of right to have the names changed both of the See and of the Sitter therein As that See then for that true trade of Religion and Doctrine of Christs Apostles justly and truly was called Apostolick so as truly and justly for the contrariety of Religion and * Is this not directly contrary to A B. Laud's Doctrine in his Relation wherein pag. â—â—6 he saith That the Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion diversity of Doctrine from Christs and his Apostles that See and the Bishop thereof at this day both ought to be called and are indeed Antichristian The See is the seat of Satan and the Bishop of the same that maintaineth the abominations thereof is Antichrist himself indeed And for this cause this See at this day is the same which St. John calleth in his Revelation Babylon or the Whore of Babylon and spiritual Sodoma and Egyptus the mother of fornications and of the abomination upon the earth and with this Whore do spiritually meddle and lye with her and commit most stinking and abominable adultery before God all those Kings and Princes yea all Nations of the earth which do CONSENT TO HER ABOMINATIONS and use or practise the same Ibid. p. 1668. And in his Lamentation for the change of Religion in England he saith thus The head under Satan of all mischief is Antichrist and his brood and the same is he which is the Babylonical Beast Ibid. p. 1671. col 2. And in p. 1673 he calls King Edward the sixth that innocent that
superstitious and truly Magical abuse of it And Disputation the 38. Thes 2. p. 208. he saith further thus For seeing that Idolatry is nothing else than to attribute to the Creatures that honour that is due to God alone and those virtues which are proper to God it is manifest that all they whosoever they be that ascribe to Creatures and most of all to Inanimate Creatures the Divine Properties and the proper effects and benefits of God or Christ do manifestly make Idols of those Creatures and whoever they be that do earnestly desire or expect these benefits from them do commit gross Idolatry And Mr. Perkins in his Order of Causes of Salvation and Damnation upon the second Commandment p. 63. in 4to saith thus Satanical means I call those which are used in the producing of such an effect to the which they neither by any express rule out of Gods Word nor of their own nature were ever ordained I pray let these things be humbly and meekly considered and withal remember that there is an Amen said to the use of the sign of the Cross which is a prayer as appears in the Office of publick Baptism and the Church-Catechism I do not charge our men with it but humbly submit it to their serious consideration and desire them if any shall think they are concerned hereby to go about to clear themselves from that is here charged upon the Papists they do not as the practise of some hath been answer so as to acquit the Papists too and justifie the ungodly but rather abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. and abolish that which is amiss or hath but the real appearance of that which is evil to godly sober judicious and consciencious men Vpon the whole matter 't is Queried I. WHether among the Conformists to the Discipline and Ceremonies there be not as many Nonconformists to the Doctrine of the Church of England that is against Popery holding if not all yet many of these false Doctrines renounced as there are Nonconformists to the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church of England II. Whether those Conformists in name that are Nonconformists in deed to the Doctrine of the Church of England that is against Popery be not more dangerous and likely to disturb the peace of the Church and Kingdom by Preaching and Printing and endeavouring to bring in Popery than those Nonconformists to the Rites and Ceremonies and Declarations enjoined but are real Conformists to the Articles of Religion of the Church of England which only concern the Doctrine of Christian faith and the Sacraments which is all the Subscription was enjoined by the ancient Law 3 Edw. 6. c. 11. 13 Eliz. c. 12. III. Whether the twentieth Article of the Authority of the Church since the first clause hath been added by the Bishops and the thirtyfourth Article of Traditions especially seeing Dr. Heylin saith in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus pag. 20 21. That authority to decree Rites or Ceremonies and authority in Controversies of Faith contained in the twentieth and thirtyfourth Articles of Religion the Church of Rome never challenged more and the third Article concerning Christs descent into Hell if it be expounded other way than that of the Apostles Creed to which assent is given in the eighth Article and the thirtysixth Article of ordering the consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons seeing the Order of Diocesan Provincial and Oecumenical Bishops distinct from and superiour to Preaching-Presbyters hath been by Papists contended for to be of Divine right or institution and yet hath been denied by sound Protestants as appears by the History of the Council of Trent and is by Archbishop Laud and his party made essential to the being of a Church which saith Adam Coutzen a Romish Priest in the second Book and eighteenth Chapter of his Politicks is the readiest and easiest way to cheat the Protestants of their Religion and Ordination by Protestant Preaching Presbyters is denied to be valid and yet Ordination of Popish Priests is allowed to be good be against Popery or may not in fine bring in the whole body of Popery if not timely prevented especially when that which Mr. Fowler * Free Discourse second Edition pag. 2. p. 191 saith shall be seriously considered viz. that those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of our Church taking that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed †p. 2. p. 305. by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth Subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And that the †What liberty is that to interpret them as they please and contrary to the Grammatical and common sense of them as Dr. Jeremy Taylor did the Ninth and Johannes de Sancta Clara Archbishop Laud's Fovourite did all the Thirty-nine Governours of the Church require not their internal assent to the Articles of the Church of England and yet require an unfeigned assent and consent to the Ceremonies and Declarations by them invented and injoined as the Act for Uniformity shews as if they were more necessary and essential to the being of the Church of England than those substantial and fundamental Truths that are contained in the other Articles of our Christian Religion Most especiall◠seeing * Gretzer de Festis l. 1. c. 2. Gretzer a Romish Priest calls the conforming part of the Clergy of England Calvino-Papistae Calvin-Papists as was noted before in the Epistle to the Christian Reader IV. Whether for the prevention of Popery it be not necessary to authorize some known Orthodox Nonconformists who stand not in awe of Bishops as Conformists do to license Books against Popery Arminianism Socinianism and Anabaptism and for defence of the Articles of Religion of the Church of England at least whether it be not more convenient and safe to authorize such Nonconforming Divines than it is to authorize Bishops Chaplains to license Books seeing in A. B. Lauds time they suppressed the printing of many Orthodox Books and Sermons and licensed many Heterodox and Popish Arminian and Socinian Books as may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Cyprianus Anglicus and they may do the like or the same or worse hereafter FINIS The Christian Reader is humbly desired to correct these ERRATA'S which escaped in the Printing in the Authors absence IN the Epistle p. 1. l. last in the Marg. r. Presbytery p. 11. l. 32. r. riots p. 12. l. 29. these words he faith it is a dangerous decert to say that Creatures may be adored and is contrary to Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down to them which are not the words of Bishop Sparrow but of Thomas Rogers upon Art 31. and should have been put in the Margent against Bishop Sparrow's former words then should follow what Bishop Sparrow saith p. 391. thus and hs calls the Sacrament c. p. 20. l. 5. marg r. Balduin l. 12. for dixerit r.
by God Mr. Cartwright upon the place referreth the sigh of the Cross to the mark of the Beast Dionis Carthusianus Vpon Revel 13. 13. saith That conformity to the Doctrine and life of Antichrist is the mark of the Beast and upon this account did * Vid. General Confession of Faith of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland to be seen at the end of the Harmony of Confessions King James renounce and detest the Bishop of Rome's five bastard Sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrine added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God 'T is observed by Mr. Mede that one may receive the number of the name of the Beast that is his impieties and yet not receive the mark of his name that is not subject himself to his authority Which is exemplified in the Greek Church who imbrace the same form of impiety derived from the Dragon or the Idolatry of the Latins and yet refuse to be subject to the Latin Bishop or to bear his name So may others refuse to subject themselves to the supreme authority of Antichrist and to be called Papists and yet they may imbrace his Altars Images Fasts Feasts Ceremonies forms of Worship Government Laws Number yea and many of his Antichristian Doctrines and like well of much if not of almost all of that he holds and doth and yet will be called Protestants and take it very ill at the Papists hands when they call them Calvino-Papistae Calvin-Papists that is partly Papists and partly Protestants such as hold with the Papists and yet profess with the Protestants Mungrels as Bishop Abbâ—t called them in his Sermon above have great charity for professed 〈◊〉 but crâ—el hatred for real Protestants account true Calvinism heresie yea little less than Treason as Knot the Jesuit told some of our Mungrels but gross Popery yea blasphemy in doctrine to be but errour and more tollerable than Presbytery and Popery in practise to be indifferent and therefore lawful and commendable Many of these Heresies and errors I have renounced are by some of our Mungrels called the Doctrines of the Heylin's Introd to his Cyprianus Anglic. Church of England and Books have been printed if not licensed to confirm it but very falsely and slanderously except by Church of England they understand a faction for sure I am that the true and whole Church of England â—olds soundly against all these ensuing false Doctrines renounced Only her doctrine at least practise about Apocriphal Scriptures is not I fear so full and clear as I believe it might be Some mens plausible Sermons are abroad which are by too many persons swallowed down without due examination 'T is said by one a learned man That God doth only * Dr. Till Ser. offer grace in his Gospel but he forceth none to receive it To prevent mistakes I say and acknowledg 1. That God doth not force men against their wills to accept of the grace and assistance that he doth offer them but I deny that Quo minus tolerabilis est eorum inscitia qui Evangelium communiter ita Offerâ—i fingunt ut promiscuâ— liberum sit omnibus salutem fide amplecti Calvin in 1 Cor. 2. 14. God doth only offer assistance or grace to his children for though he do not convert them against their wills whether they will or no yet he takes away their hearts of stone and gives them hearts of flesh and makes them of unwilling to become willing in the day of his power Psal 110. 3. He worketh in them to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. 2. I acknowledg that Reprobates may finally resist the ineffectual grace of God 3. I affirm that the elect of God to Salvation shall not cannot finally withstand the effectual grace of God but that they shall at one time or other be effectually called converted and eternally saved And 4. That God who hath from all eternity elected them to the end everlasting Salvation hath also appointed them to the means conducing to the attainment of it as Faith in Christ Repentance for sin sincere obedience to the Law of God and perseverance in the same to the end Though I have not used many Arguments to confute every particular Error that would have been Voluminous yet I have sufficiently confuted them and proved that Papists and Protestants Religion differ or that the Church of Rome and Protestants hold a different Religion which was the main design of my undertaking and in alledging the Doctrine of the Church of England I should I conceive if I had done no more he thought to have done enough to convince if not professed Papists yet those that pretend to be the most dutiful Sons of the Church of England that these Doctrines are not Protestant but rather Popish and at least contrary to their Professions Subscriptions and Declarations as well as to Gods word and keep others from imbracing and imbibing and spreading of them If by alledging the Sermons Speeches and Writings of any learned Conformist heretofore I have displeased any of our great Conformists now I hope they will excuse and pardon me and blame them that printed and licensed them or themselves or others that have traduced or suffered the Truth to be bespattered or gainsayed or undermined by any Pelagian Arminian Socinian or Popish writer upon any pretence whatsoever And now my prayer to the God of Peace and Truth for England is That Gods true Religion may be setled here in its power and purity and that all Popery in Doctrine and Discipline and Worship may be burned with fire Revel 17. 16. that is as learned Dr. Moor expounds the place utterly consumed and to this end that God who hath the hearts of Kings and all men in his hands would incline the heart of our King and Parliament and all sorts of people to deny themselves and resign up themselves wholly to be guided by the will of God revealed in the Canonical Scriptures which ought to be the rule of all mens actions as our Book of * Homil. for Rogat on Week Part 3. p 230 Homil against Wilful Rebellion Part 6. p. 318. Homilies plainly declares which saith thus In Gods word Princes must learn how to obey God and to govern men in Gods word Subjects must learn obedience both to God and their Princes Is our reverend Fathers of the Church would stick close to the sound and necessary Articles of Religion established which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments to * Anno 3 Edw. 6. c. 11. which only all Ministers were bound to subscribe and give their assent and countenance men that do so and discountenance all those that hold or vent any Doctrine against the same and not stand too much upon those things which they have devised to uphold their own worldly power and interests and abate those things that are not of themselves or by Divine institution
the whole Hierarchy which rides upon the Roman Empire that is rules it is a man doth that rides upon an horse and is carried supported and maintained by it There is no person or persons to whom the proper â—â—â—ks of the Babylonical Beast or Antichrist doth so properly and truly agree as to the Pope or Popes of Rome with the Popish Hierarchy and Clergy The Woman or great Whore that is the Church of Rome with her Beast with two Horns Revel 13. is in Revel 17. described 1. Generally 1. That she is a great Whore that is an abominably Idolatrous * The Church of Rome is an Idolatrous Church an Harlot as the Scripture calls her so saith our Church Homily against the peril of Idolatry Part 3. p 69. Church 2. That she sitteth upon many waters that is that she ruleth many people v. 1 15. 3. That the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the inhabiters of the earth been made drunk with the wine of her fornication that is with her Idolatries v. 2. 2. More particularly and thus 1. More obscurely 1. By her rule and government She sits upon a scarlet coloured beast full of the names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns that is the whole Roman Empire as Idolatrous with a Pagan Antichristian Idolatry that is she had the †The Emperour of Germany is the Popes Advocate sworn to defend the Pope and Church of Rome The Pope makes him swear to defend the Church of Rome to banish Hereticks and to have no company with the wicked to maintain by all means possible the dignity of the Bishop of Rome and all priviledges granted to the Church of Rome as Sleiden â—hews in his Commentaries l. 2 〈◊〉 2â— 25 26. rule and government she turned him she curbed him she spurred him she made him do what she would for the upholding of her self for the maintaining and propagating of her false Doctrine and worship and caused him to make War and Laws against those that would not obey her Decrees and submit to her power that is she guided and exercised an Imperial powerful bloody and blasphemous enemy to Christ and his Church v. 3. 2. By her pompous and whorish apparel and ornaments and the woâ—â— was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and deckt * Homil. against the peril of Idolatry p. 69. to be seen in Article 15. p. 〈◊〉 hujus with gold and precious stone and pearls that is was a very proud and imperious and bloody Whore And so is the Pope and so are his Cardinals arrayed 3. By her inticing and intoxicating cup wherewith she allures and prepares her foolish lovers to spiritual fornication that is to Idolatry and falseness to Jesus Christ and his Interests Having a * But may it not be understood and intended of her specious pretences of Orthodoxy devotion decency and order with which she induceth her lovers to drink of her abominable cup to swallow her Heterodoxies Superstitions and Usurpations and Idolatries golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication The golden cup saith Pareus upon the place are the Popes golden titles wherewith he hath hitherto commended to the world the 〈◊〉 of his fornication viz. Pope holy Father Father of Fathers Pastor of Pastors his Holiness Christs Vicar Sâ—â— Peter's Successor c. It refers literally to the Popes triple Crown and rich Cope glittering with pearls and precious stones and to his Cardinals rich robes saith Dr. H. More 4. By her Name as Whore v. 5. and upon her forehead was her name written Mystery Babylon the * Which implies as Mr. Mede in his Comment upon Revel 14. that there may be and are other little Babylons petty Harlots with whom the inhabitants subject to each of them may be defiled with spiritual adultery i. e. Idolatry great the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Which is an allusion to impudent and notorious Whores who had their names not only written upon their cells to be known at home but also upon their foreheads to be known abroad too as Seneca Controvers 2. l. 1. and Tertullian Lib. de pudicitia plainly shew and such an one is the Pope and his Church of Rome she is not Babylon Literal but Mystical that is she is a very impudent and notorious Idolater and the mother that is the conceiver the bringer forth and the nourisher of all Idolatries and Idols in the world and the word mystery shews that it cannot be understood of Rome-Pagan as some Papists would have it but must be understood of Rome-Christian in profession as Idolatrizing with Christian objects And one reason is because this beast comes after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other that is after the Christian Emperour and is the last for it goeth into perdition Revel 17. 8 10 11. 5. By her extream cruelties barbarities and bloody tyrannies and persecutions murders and detestable enormities Revel 17. 6. And I saw a woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus And this hath been abundantly manifested in the Popes of Rome and their agents whom they rid ruled and spurred on to most bloody and cruel murdering of the Saints of Jesus under the names of Waldenses Albigenses Wicklivists Hussits Lutherans Calvinists Hugonots Puritans and other names condemned and destroyed by the Pope of Rome's authority instigation or approbation as Hereticks or Schismaticks because they would not drink of the Church of Rome's whoring cup. Of which you may read in Mr. Fox his Books of Martyrs Mr Fuller's Holy War Sleiden's Commentaries the Supplement to Philip de Comines History where is described Papists bloody and treacherous murdering of thousands of Protestants in Paris and the parts adjoining and the relations of the bloody and barbarous Massacres in Ireland and the Vallies of Piedmont promoted by the Pope and acted by Papists Reverend Dr. Prideaux in his Sermon intituled Gowries Conspiracy upon 2 Sam. 20. 1. p. 13. saith thus Let us depend upon it as long as there is a Pope and a Devil Princes professing the Gospel shall never be secured from Gowries and Garnets And a little after that he saith thus I have gleaned these few scatterings by the way out of their own Doctrines to prove that their Doctrine directly warranteth Treason let the Traytors be what they will and that none can be an absolute Papist but if he throughly understand himself and live under a Christian Prince that hath renounced the Popes authority must needs being put to it be an absolute Traytor No persons under heaven have been more bloody and cruel to sincere Professors of pure Christianity than the Popes of Rome and Papists that they are not still the same we have no good reason to believe but more cause to take heed of them 2. She is described more plainly 1. By the Beast that carrieth her on which she rides that is the Roman Empire
and dispensation of selling Pardons and Indulgences to his Cardinals saying to them as Christ said to his Apostles Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained As the Apostles truly were and are the root and foundation of the Christian Church and all jurisdiction so the Cardinals falsely pretend themselves to be and truly they are the very basis and foundation of the Romish Religion and Hierarchy and therefore the root and foundation of that superstition and impiety which being derived originally from Rome hath diffused it self into all the Christian world by them As 't is the priviledg of the 12 Apostles to be as it were 12 stars set in that crown which is mentioned Revel 12. so 't is the special priviledg of the Popes Cardinals to have their names written in the crowns of their Prince the Pope as witnesseth Jacobatius de Consil num 153. There was a twofold state and condition of the Apostles 1. They were Apostoli urbis affixed as it were to the City Jerusalem where they were to abide till * Till they received the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost they were endued with power from above but afterwards they were Apostoli Orbis So likewise the Cardinals in imitation and affectation of like honour are stiled Cardinales Vrbis Orbis They remain as it were affixed to the City of Rome until they are endued with power from above i. e. till they are sent out by the Pope as his Nuncio's and Legates into the Kingdoms of the World As the Apostles in respect of their spiritual Fatherhood are fitly answerable to the 12 Patriarchs who were the Fathers of all the Israelites according to the flesh so the Pope's Cardinals are called Patres spirituales Ecclesiae As the Apostles having supreme authority in the Church may in some sense be said to be the Judges of the world and to sit upon twelve Thrones to judg the twelve Tribes of Israel So the Cardinals make their Consistory of their Apostolical See to admit of no appeal but to be of such a Coelestial sublimity that 't is equal to the Tribunal-seat of God and therefore they are stiled Judices Orbis and they do exercise all Civil and Ecclesiastical power over the City and people of Rome which the Patriarchs did in the Literal or the Apostles in the spiritual Jerusalem There is not one of the Titles which the Apostles had but they are emulous of or else to be the image of that kind of Government which was before their lives remarkable in the City of Rome Both which Considerations are incident to the right discerning of that Antichrist who is not only to resemble some ancient Government of Rome but also to be that Synagogne of Satan mentioned Rev. 2. 2 9. which say they are Apostles but are not which say they are Jews but are the Synagogue of Satan The first number of Cardinals in their first institution is chiefly to be considered as that which doth most remarkably characterize Antichrist in his first original Now they were instituted as their own Authors * Gondisalnus de origine Cardinalatus Onuphrius Panvin de praecipuis urbis Romae Basilicis Pol. Virgil l 4. de inventoribus rerum c 9. Bibliothecarium Damasum Platina â—aron An. 378. say in the time of Pontiani Marcelli Rom. Pontif. but Isidore Muscovius saith of the Cardinals thus But others more warily have affirmed that they were first created in the time of Sylvester the first in the â—ear 314 who as they say ordained a Colledg of Cardinals according to the similitude of the Senators c. About which time the Pope divided the City and people of Rome into 25 Titles or divisions in each of which division * When these Parishes were made Diocesses then were these Priests made Cardinals saith Polidore Virgil by having a formal power and jurisdiction added to them as is apparent by like testimony of Volateranus there was a Parish-Church erected for the administration of Baptism and in every one of these Churches a several Presbyter was assigned and appointed who was called afterwards Cardinal When these Parish-Priests degenerated into Cardinals and were made a Colledg and corporation exercising a new kind of super-Episcopal jurisdiction in and over these Churches then was the birth of Antichrist then did Antichrist truly really and locally sit in these Christian Churches at Rome and from thence his Pseudo-Apostolical authority hath been obtruded and imposed upon other Churches There were in Rome according to the sense literal 25 Gates and according to the sense spiritual 25 Churches for Baptism and 25 Pastors placed in those 25 Churches and 25 Cardinals sitting and ruling in them and 25 Titles Tribes or Parishes belonging to them Jerusalem was in compass 1200 furlongs in which Christ did first and chiefly erect his Church and Hierarchy For the number 12 having 1000 of furlongs added to it is the true solid measure of an imaginary Cube which compass is equal to the compass of the City Jerusalem so the number 25 having 1000 of furlongs added to it is the true The number twenty-five notes the seat of Antichrist solid measure of that imaginary Cube whose compass is equal to the compass of the City of Rome 25000 Furlongs will make 14 miles and half and almost half a quarter which agreeth to Rome The Apostles creed which is the sum of the 12 Apostles Doctrine of Faith which Christs Church believes divides it self into 12 Articles the Papists have added 13 more and made the number of their articles of faith 25. For whether we take the Doctrine of the Council of Trent it self to be the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of Rome or that Creed which was composed by Pope Pius the fourth according to the Doctrine decreed in that Council in either of these the number of 25 is as remarkably applicable to the Romish Faith as the number 12 to the Apostles Creed And 't is their whole faith Sacrosancta oecumenica Tridentina Synodus ejus fidem confiteamur ejus decreta semper servemus Responsio patrum Semper confiteamur semper servemus Cardinal a Lothoringia Omnes ita credimus omnes id-ipsum sentimus omâ—â—s Acclamationes patrum in fine Concillii pag. 396. consentientes amplectentes subscribimus Haec est fides beati Petri Apostolorum haec est fides Patrâ—â— haec est fides orthodoxa Responsio Patrum Ita credimus ita sentimus subscribimus I pray mark this all along that the Pope of Rome divided the City of Rome into 25 Parishes and in thâ—â— placed 25 Presbyters which were first The number of Cardinals was 25 in St. Jerom's time as appears by his words upon Ezek. 11. 25. Hodie in Ecclesia quae est Dom. Dei called Parish-Priests afterward they were called Cardinal-Priests to whom was given a larger power and that these are parts of his body and his Apostles And I pray mark this
or else to receive or imbrace them P. 22. Origen saith That in the Commonwealth of the Jews the Carver of Idols and Image-maker was cast far off and forbidden lest they should have an * Occasions of Idolatry forbidden occasion to make Images which might pluck certain foolish persons from God and turn the eyes of their souls to the contemplation of earthly things And again in another part of his Book against Celsus he saith thus It is not only a mad and frantick part to worship Images but also once to dissemble or wink at it Athanasius saith that the invention of Images came of no good but of evil and whatsoever hath an evil beginning can never in any thing be judged good seeing it is altogether naught Lactantius saith That no Religion is in that place wheresoever any Image is For if Religion stand in godly things and there is no godliness but in heavenly things then be Images without Religion P. 23. Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus who lived 390 years after Christs ascension writeth to John Patriarch of Jerusalem thus As I entred into a certain Church to pray I found there a linnen cloth hanging in the Church-door painted and having in it the Image of Christ as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well what Image it was therefore when I did see the image of man hanging in the Church of Christ contrary to the authority of the Scriptures I did tear it and gave counsel to the Keepers of the Church that they should wind a poor man in the said cloth and so bury him And afterwards the same Epiphanius sending another unpainted cloth for that painted one which he had torn to the said Patriarch writeth thus I will you will the Elders of that place to receive this cloth which I have sent by this bearer and command them that from henceforth no such painted cloths contrary to our Religion be hanged in the Church of Christ For it becometh your goodness rather to have this care that you take away such scrupulosity which is unfitting for the Church of Christ and offensive to the people committed to your charge Upon which the Homily notes as followeth 1. That Epiphanius judged it contrary to Christian Religion and the authority of the Scriptures to have any Images in Christs Church 2. That he rejected not only carved and molten Images of Christ or of any other Saint but also * Such as are in many Church-windows and walls painted Images out of Christs Church 3. That he regarded not whether it were the Image of Christ or any other Saint but being an Image would not suffer it in the Church 4. That he did not only remove it out of the Church but with a vehement zeal tare it in sunder and exhorted that a Coarse should be wrapped and buried in it judging it meet for nothing but to rot in the earth following therein the example of good King Hezekiah who brake the brazen Serpent to pieces and burned it to ashes for that Idolatry was committed to it 5. That Epiphanius thinketh it the duty of vigilant Bishops to be careful that no Images be permitted in the Church for that they be * Occasions of scruple or offence are not to be permitted in the Church occasions of scruple and offence to the people committed to their charge To these some other good Notes might be super-added as 1. that Epiphanius Had A. B. Laud been Patriarch there he might possibly have been fined 1000 l. and deprived of his Bishoprick and been bound to his good behaviour for time to come for so doing as Mr. Sherfield the Recorder of Salisbury was for taking down the pictures of the Trinity in painted glass and setting up white glass in the place of it in St. Edmonds Church there as Dr. Heylin relates l. 3. pag. 228 229 230. was out of his own Diocess and yet he brake down the Image and tare it to pieces 2. That he gave notice of it after he had done it to the Patriarch of Jerusalem whom it chiefly concerned to look to it 3. That he willed him to will the Elders of that Church upon the door of which the painted cloth was hung to take that unpainted cloth he had sent for that for that painted one he had torn and command them that from henceforth no such painted cloths be hanged in the Church of Jesus Christ But the Homily goes on p. 24. and saith That whereas Images began at that time secretly and by stealth to creep out of private houses into the Churches and that first in painted cloths and walls such Bishops as were GODLY AND VIGILANT when they espied them removed them away as unlawful and contrary to Christian Religion as did here Epiphanius to whose judgment you have not only St. Jerome the Translator of his Epistle and the writer of the History Tripartite but also all the LEARNED AND GODLY Then will it not follow that they that set them up and plead for them are not learned and godly Clarks and not godly and vigilant Bishops that do not what they can to remove them CLARKS yea the whole Church of that age and so upward to our Saviour Christs time by the space of above 400 years consenting and agreeing And P. 25. St. Augustine saith Such as worship the dead are not CATHOLICK CHRISTIANS He esteemeth worshipping of Saints Tombs and Pictures as good Religion as gluttony and drunkenness He alloweth greatly Marcus Varro affirming that Religion is most pure without Images and saith himself that Images be of more force to crooken an unhappy soul than to teach and instruct it and that Images in Churches do by and by breed error and Idolatry P. 26. and p. 27. Jerome upon Jer. 10. saith That the errors of Images have come in and passed to the Christians from the Gentiles by an heathenish use and custom Where note saith the Homily That St. Jerome and Eusebius agree that these Images came in among Christian men by such as were Gentiles and accustomed to Idols and being converted to the faith retained This well considered why may we not wonder that some of our first Reformers wholly bred up in Popery reformed so much and did not retain all the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome seeing as much may be said for them as for those they retained and the grounds and reasons upon which they rejected some would if men would be ruled by right reason and religion reject those they retained yet some remnants of Gentility not throughly purged We see saith the Homily Act. 15. That the Jews being newly converted to Christianity would have brought in their Circumcision whereunto they were so long accustomed with them into Christs Religion with whom the Apostle St. Paul had much ado for the staying of that matter for which there was more to be said than for Images yea or humane Ceremonies But a man may most justly wonder of
Images so directly against Gods holy word and strait commandment how they should enter in And P. 28. Serenus Bishop of Masile a godly and learned man who lived about 600 years after Christ seeing the people by occasion of Images fall to most abominable Idolatry brake to pieces all the Images of Christ and Saints that were in that City and was therefore complained of to Gregory the first of that name Bishop of Rome who was the first learned Bishop that did allow the having of Images in Churches that can be known by any writing or history of antiquity But though he permitted that Images should be in Churches yet he forbad worshipping of them as appears by his Epistle to Serenus yet blames him for breaking of them upon whose authority they were set up in Churches but they fell presently all in heaps to manifest Idolatry by worshipping of them which Bishop Serenus not without just cause feared would come to pass Now if Serenus his judgment thinking it meet that Images whereunto Idolatry was committed should be destroyed had taken place Idolatry had been overthrown for to that which is not no man committeth Idolatry But of Gregories judgment thinking that Images might be suffered in Churches so iâ— were taught that they should not be worshipped what ruin of Religion and what mischief ensued afterward to all Christendoth experience hath to our hurt and sorrow proved by the schism arising between the East and West Church about the said Images next by the division of the Empire into two parts by the same occasion of Images to the great weakning of all Christendom Whereupon last of all hath followed the utter overthrow of the Christian Religion and noble Empire of Greece and all the East-parts of the world * And by this means Antichrist got into the Saddle and his Throne and the increase of Mahomet's false Religion and the cruel dominion and tyranny of the Saracens and Turks in worshipping of them P. 30. and 31. Constantine the fifth after the example of Leo his Father kept Images out of the Church called a Council of all the learned men and Bishops of Asia and Greece who decreed that it is not lawful for them that believe in God through Jesus Christ to have any Images neither of the Creator nor of any creature set up in Temples to be worshipped but rather that all such things be by the Law of * Cum quid prohibetur prohibentur illa omnia per quae pâ—â—â—enitur 〈◊〉 illud God forbidden and for the avoiding of offence ought to be taken out of Churches But Paul Bishop of Rome and Stephen the third refused to obey the Emperours Decree and assembled another Council and therein condemned the Emperour and his Council of Heresie and made a Decree that the holy Images of Christ and the blessed Virgin and other Saints were indeed worthy of honour and worshipping And P. 33 Not only the simple and unwise were ensnared with Images but now the learned and Bishops fell to worshipping of Images For 't was decreed in the East also in Irene's and Theodora's time that Images should be set up in all Churches of Greece and that honour and worship should be given to them and now ye may see that come to pass which Serenus feared and Gregory the first forbad in vain viz. that Images should in no wise be worshipped Again 't is hard yea impossible any long time to have Images publickly in Churches without Idolatry And P. 34. At Eliberi a notable City in Spain the Spanish Bishops called and held a Council and there decreed in Article 36. thus We think that Pictures ought not to be in Churches lest that be honoured or worshipped which is painted on walls And Canon 44 they say thus We thought good to admonish the faithful that as much as in them lyeth they suffer no Images to be in their houses but if they fear any violence of their servants at the least let them keep themselves clean and pure from Images if they do not so let them be accounted none of the Church There was another Council in Spain called Concilium Tolletanum 12 which decreed against Images and Image-worshippers And P. 36. The Bishop of Rome Excommunicated the Emperour because he opposed his Images and chose Charles King of France to be Emperour because he succoured his Images Then the Nobles of Greece chose Nicephorus to be Emperour he and Scaurus the two Michael's Leo and Theophilus and other Emperour opposed Images And when Theodorus Emperour would have agreed with the Bishop of Rome at the Council at Lions and have set up Images He was by the Nobles of the Empire of Greece deprived and another chosen in his place And P. 40. All Images as well ours as the Idols of the Gentiles are forbidden and unlawful in Churches 1 Of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Deut. 4. As in thâ— first part of this Homily Isa 40. 3. Part. To paint Christ for remembrance of his death is forbidden in the second Commandment For 1. because his body is a creature in heaven therefore not to be represented by an Image in the service of God 2. An Image can only represent the manhood of Christ and not his Godhead which is the chiefest part of him both which natures being in him unseparable it were dangerous by painting the one part from the other to give occasion of Arianism Apollinarism or other Heresies 3. Sith that in all the Scriptures which speak so much of him there is no shew of any portraiture or lineament of his body it 's plain that the wisdom of God would not have him painted A. B. Ushers Sum of Ch. Relig. p. 231. Act. 17. Hab. 2. 2. Of Christ for he is God and man and you cannot paint the Godhead P. 41. and p. 42. Images are lies therefore they are not Lay-mens Books And again If true Images of Christ and Saints could be made yet they are unlawful to be made and see up in Churches to the great and unavoidable danger of Idolalry Primitive Christians were complained of that they had no Images in their Churches Hence 't is inferred there that they took all Images to be unlawful in the Church or Temple oâ— God and therefore had nonâ— Which is a good negative argument for matter of fact And P. 44. The Primitive Church which is especially to be followed 〈◊〉 most incorrupt and pure had publickly in Churches neither Idols 〈◊〉 the Gentiles nor any other Images as things †Observe that the Homily saith before That they are not simply unlawful but for their offence as being occasions of Idolatry then it will follow that occasions of Idolatry and so of other sins are directly forbidden in Gods Word directly forbidden 〈◊〉 Gods Word But 't is objected Thâ—â— Images are not absolutely forbidden to be made but only that they should be made to be worshipped and thâ—â— therefore we may have Images so 〈◊〉 worship them not for
follow that not only nominally but also really and essentially there may be Bishop Quâ—â—dams without Bishopricks and that they have not their authority granted them only from the King but from Christ or some other power But I had thought that his Majesty had been yielded by Episcopalians to be supreme Pastor or Head-shepherd under Christ over the Church within his Dominions and might as well as Bishops seeing they are but his Curates or Commissioners to see that all Ecclesiastical matters be ordered according to the will of Christ revealed in his Word commit as much as in him lyeth not only the power of Ordination but the care of part of the flock committed to him to ordained Ministers that is ordained Presbyters by other ordained preaching Presbyters and institute them Pastors of that little part of his great flock but it seems the Bishops will be chief under Christ here as the Pope of Rome would be of all the World but indeed neither he nor they as such are of Christs institution but only of mans as might be proved by the Bishops acknowledgment in King Henry the Eighth his time to be seen in the Bishops Book in Fox his Acts and Monuments p. 1037. in one Volume But to go on against what points of Popery do they preach Papists themselves 't is well known write very zealously and learnedly against some points of Popery as do the Dominicans against the Franciscans and Jesuits yea even in some of those points of Popery wherein some long-named men agree-with them I find learned Dr. Abbot * afterwards made Bishop by learned King James in a Dr. Heylin in his Cypâ— Anglic l. 1. p. â—â— Sermon before the Vniversity of Oxford preached at 〈◊〉 Peters upon Easter-day 1615 saying thus Some are partly †He aimed at Laud as Heylin saith in his Cypr. Anglic. l. 1. p. 66 67. Romish and partly English as occasion serveth them that a man may say unto them noster â—s an adversariorum who under pretence of truth and preaching against the Puritans strike at the heart and root of faith and Religion now established among us This preaching against the Puritans was but the practise of Parsons and Campians counsel when they came into England to seduce young Students when many of them were afraid to lose their places if they should professedly be thus the counsel they then gave them was That they should speak freely against the * Those that do so now do the Jesuâ—â— anâ— the Devils work Puritans and that should suffice and they cannot pretend that they are accounted Papists because they speak against the Puritans but because they are Papists indeed they speak against them if they do at any time speak against the Papists they do but beat a â—â—ttâ—e about the bush and that softly too for fear of troubling or disquieting the birds which are in it They speak of nothing but that of which one Papist will speak against another as against Equivocation the Popes * As Bishop Buckridg A. B. Laud's Tutor did Heylin's Cypr. Angl. l. 1. p. 48. Temporal Authority and the like and perhaps against some of their blasphemous speeches but in the point of Free-will Justification Conoupiscence being sin after Baptism inherent righteousness certainty of Salvation the Papists beyond the Seas can say they are wholly theirs and the Recusants at home make their * As they did of Dr. Cozens and some others as 't is said in the Epistle to Mr. Prin's Quench-coal p. 40. brags of them and in all things they keep themselves so near the brink that upon all occasions they may step over to them Now for this speech that the Presbyterians †Which was Laud ' s in his Sermon at St. Maries preached about seven weeks before as Heylin â—stews ubi supra are as bad as the Papists there is a sting in the speech which I wish had been left out for there are many Churches beyond the Seas which contend for the Religion established amongst us and yet have approved and admitted the Presbytery And after which saith Heylin having spoken something in justification of Presbyteries he proceeded thus Might not Christ say what art thou Romish or English Papist or Protestant or what art thou a Mungrel or compound of both a Protestant by Ordination a Papist in point of Free-will inherent righteousness and the like A Protestant in receiving the Sacrament a Papist in the Doctrine of the Sacrament What do ye think there are two Heavens if there be get you to the other place your selves there for into this where I am ye shall not come The Learned and Loyal Lord Faulkland who lost his life in his late Majesties service at Newberry made a speech in the beginning of the old long Parliament much to the same purpose p. 3. Mr. Speaker He is a great stranger in our Israel who knows not that this Kingdom hath long laboured under many and great oppressions both in Religion and liberty and his acquaintance here is not great or his ingenuity less who doth not both know and acknowledg that a great if not the principal cause of both these hath been some Bishops and their adherents Master Speaker a little search will serve to find them to have been the destruction of unity under the pretence of Uniformity to have brought in superstition and scandal under the titles of reverence and decency to have defiled our Church by adorning our Churches to have flackned the strictness of that union which was formerly between us and those of our Religion beyond the Sea an action as unpolitick as ungodly And Pag. 7. of the same speech he saith further thus As Sir Thomas Moor says of the Casuists their business was not to keep men from sinning but to inform them Quam prope ad peccatum siâ—e peccâ—to liceat accedere so it seemed their work was to try how much of a Papist might be brought in without Popery and to destroy as much as they could of the Gospel without bringing themselves into danger of being destroyed by the Law Mr. Speaker to go yet further some of them have so industriously laboured to * As Dr. Pocklington doâ—â— in his Altare Christianum pag. 50. deduce themselves from Rome that they have given great suspicion that in gratitude they desire to return thither or at least to †Vide Heylins Cyp. Anglicus meet it half way some have evidently laboured to bring in an English though not a Romish Popery I mean not the outside only and drâ—ss of it but equally absolute a blind * Vide Kellets Tricennium p. 330. Supplement to Laudensium Autocatacrisis p. 65. dependence of the people upon the Clergy and of the Clergy upon themselves and have opposed a Papacy beyond the Sea that they might settle one beyond the water Nay common fame is more than ordinarily false if none of them have found a way to reconcile the opinions of Rome to the preferments
Orthodox Carleton's place at Chichester who wrote against Mountagues Books and Popish Goodman who * Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 446. lived and died a Papist was made Bishop of Gloucester in Orthodox Smith's place who opposed Laud in his Altar-worship there yea though A. B. Abbot was by Laud's means sequestred from the execution of his office and his authority committed to such hands as were no favourers of the Genevean faction they are Heylin's own words of which Bishop Laud as Heylin * Cypr. Angl. l. 3. p. 170. saith informed the King that A. B. Abbot was the head viz. to Mountain Bishop of London Neile Bishop of Durham Buckeridg Lauds Tutor Bishop of Rochester Howsâ—â— Bishop of Oxford and himself Bishop of Bath and Wells or any two of them yea when Laud was gotten uppermost and had gotten stout-hearted Williams Bishop of Lincoln into the Tower and had his Spies upon Orthodox Hall Bishop of Exceter and Davenant Bishop of Salisbury two of those learned Divines which were sent by King James to the Synod of Dort and had almost and did what he listed in promoting those of his party and suppressing those of the Genevean party as Dr. Heylin evidenceth yea brags in his Cyprianus Anglicus yet I say he never durst put those five Arminian points to the hazard of decision by the Convocation though he had a great mind to it as appears by his moving the Duke of Buckingham about it and his consulting with Bishop Andrews about it as Dr. Heylin relates in his Cyprianus * Lib. 2. p. 133. 'T is probable he first advised and then ordered the Catalogue of the most eminent Divines distinguished according to their perswasions by the Letters O and P made him fear the Convocation and therefore take his other courses which brought himself and others to ruin Cyp. Angl. l. 2. p 133. And the eighth Article objected against him viz. That there must be a blow given to the Church such as hath not been yet given before it would be brought to conformity Cyp. Angl. l 5. p. 512 513. might be brought to prove his fear of the Convocation as is said Anglicus least they should be condemned by our Convocation as well as they were by the Synod of Dort and by Bishop Carleton Dean Sutcliff Dr. Featly Mr. Goad Mr. Yates Mr. Ward Mr. Burton Mr. Rouse and Mr. Pryn asunder that the encounter seemed to be betwixt a whole army and a single person as Heylin writes in his Cyprianus Anglicus l. 2. p. 155. and by Dr. Prideaux in the Chair in the Divinity School at Oxford as they had been by learned Dr. Humphries Dr. Holland and Dr. Abbot before him and by Dr. Whitaker Mr. Perkins Dr. Davenaut and Dr. Ward and many more at Cambridg and by many more in the Universities and elsewhere in Cities Towns and Country Parishes And were never declared either by any Convocation at or since the first reformation or by any Parliament except in Queen Maries reign to be the Doctrine of the Church of England And for further confirmation of this truth that those five Arminian points condemned by the Synod of Dort to which Synod King James sent several Learned and Orthodox Divines who joined with the rest of that Learned Synod in condemning and rejecting all those five Armanian points which sure neither he nor they would have done if they had been the Doctrine of the Church of England were not the Doctrine of the Church of England read King James his Declaration against Vorstius wherein he writes thus to his Ambassador Sir Ralph Winwood Trusty and Welbeloved c. You shall repair to the States-General with all possible diligence in our name telling them that we doubt not but that their Ambassadors which were here about two years since did inform them of a forewarning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make unto them in our name to beware in time of * Arminians called seditious and heretical Preachers seditious and heretical Preachers and not to suffer any such to creep into their State Our principal meaning was of Arminius who though he were late dead yet had he left too many disciples behind him Declarat pag. 350. of his Works That Vorstius hath published such monstrous blasphemy and horrible Atheism in a scandalous Book fit to be burnt and the Author punished and that Arminius late Divinity-Reader at Leyden was but of little better stuff who though he be dead hath left his sting yet living among them Ibid. p. 350 351. And in pag. 355. he saith thus in his Letter to the States-General We had well hoped that the corrupt seed of that enemy of God Arminius did sow amongst you some few years since had given you sufficient warning to take heed of such infected persons seeing your own Country-men divided into factious upon this occasion a matter so opposite to unity which is indeed the only â—roâ— and safety of your State next under God as of necessity it must by little and little bring you to utter ruin if wisely you do not provide against it and that in time Ibid. p. 355. It is true it was our hard hap not to hear of this Arminius before he was dead and that all the Reformed Churches of Germany had with open mouth complained of him But as soon as we understood of that distraction in your State which he left after his death behind him we did not fail to use some such speeches to your Ambassadors as we * That is those above named to beware of seditious and Heretical Preachers thought fittest for the good of your State which we doubt not but they have faithfully reported unto you For what need we make any question of the arrogancy of these †Arminians called Hereticks or atheistical Sectaries Hereticks or rather Atheistical Sectaries among you when one of theâ— at this present that is Bertius a Scholar of Arminius as he described and called him in his former Letter to his Ambassador Ibid. p. 354. remaining in your Town of Leyden hath not only presumed to publish of late a blasphemous * Bertius his Book de Apostasia Sanctorium called a blasphemous Book Book of the Apostasie of the Saints but besides hath been so impudent as to send the other day a copy thereof as a goodly present to our Archbishop of Canterbury together with a Letter wherein he is not ashamed as also in his Book †To say that the Doctrine therein contained is agreeable to the profession and Doctrine of the Church of England a gross lye to lye so grosly as to avow that his Heresies contained in the said Book are agreeable with the religion and profession of our Church of England for these respects therefore have we cause enough very heartily to request you to root out with speed those * Arminianism Heresie and Schism Heresies and Schisms which are beginning to bud forth among you which if you suffer to
unnecessary thing that Idolaters do in Exod. 23. 24. Levit. 18. 13. Levit. 19. 27 28. Deut. 12. 30 31 32. Deut. 14. 1 2. and this reason given them for it For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the earth And are we not commanded to come out of Babylon the Church of Rome that we partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues Revel 18. 4. Are we not as dear children to follow Christâ—â— Mat. 16. 24. Ephes 5. 1. And are not his modes of Worship better and freer from scandal suspicion and appearance of evil than Antichrists If not let 's speak out plainly in words at length and not in figures But they preach much against Popery Well blessed be God for it I am glad with St. Paul that Christ is preached though it should be out of envy and strife and contention supposing to add affliction to his bonds I am glad that Popery is preached down in sincerity and hatred thereof or only in design pretence or on purpose to add affliction to Nonconformists bonds which is verily suspected For when his Gracious Majesty declared liberty for Nonconformists before this last time 't is well known that a man of the long Name was up at Oxford with Non fuit sic ab initio and others elsewhere and now presently after his Majesties last Declaration with Licenses was not the Kingdom filled with their sound of Popery Popery Popery as if to license sound Protestant Divines to preach who are most against Popery were to tollerate Popery Papists had the same liberty before it that they had after it but not a word of complaint against Popery before Nonconforming Protestants to â—eremoâ—ieâ— â— had liberty granted to preach the Truth and worship God without their ceremonies and rites not one new Law made nor one old one executed against Papists and Popery these twelve or thirteen years last past but new Laws made and old ones never intended against Nonconformists and the pure Worship of God their Religious meetings made rioters and riotous and men yea the vilest of men hired to inform against them for doing good and Justices of the Peace severely censured for not punishing Gods people for serving of him as he hath commanded them That 't is strongly suspected that Presbytery and purity and verity hatâ— been more hated and feared than Popery and that the Pope and his power is more feared than real and most Antichristian Popery But however and by whomsoever Popery is preached down I rejoyce yea and I will rejoyce But who are the men that preach it down what parts of Popery do they preach down how many dignified Clergy-men do preach it down Are there not more aspiring men do preach and print much of it up and those promoted and many deserving men that preach it down neglected if not discountenanced was not Dr. Cozens twice indicted and the Indictmens found and complained of in Parliament for uttering these words That the King was no more supreme Head of the Church of Vide Articles against him and the Parliaments Censure of him England than the boy that rubs his Horse-heels And 't is said he got off by flying of which necessity he hath since made a virtue and gotten to be Bishop of Durham Was there not a Book called Dr. Cozens his Devotions in which Mr. Prin saith There were twenty Popish Errors printed and that the Reformers Prin ' s Quench-coal Epist to King Charl. 1. p. 10. of our Church took away all Religion and the whole service of God when they took away the Mass Hath not another written a Book for the observation of Holy Lent as a * See Bishop Sparrow's Rationale p. 143 144 145. 5 Eliz. c. 5. vide Rastal Titleship p. 378. Religious Faest contrary 't is said to the intent if not to the express words of the Law Let any judicious and impartial man read Bishop Sparrow's Rationale upon the Common-prayer Book and judg what Popery he writes against therein P. 273. he saith 'T is the duty of people to receive the Sacrament kneeling for it is a sin not to adore when we receive this Sacrament And p. 391. he saith It is a dangerous deceit to say that creatures may be adored and is contrary to Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down to them Them as Rogers calls the Sacraof the Lords-Supper an * Thomas Rogers upon Article 31 saith that 't is a Fable to say that the Mass is a Sacrifice The Sacrament is not a Sacrifice but only a Commemoration of that Sacrifice offered on the Cross Art 31. unbloody Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice of the Death of Christ And p. 395 396 he saith That this Sacrament should be received fasting though Christ instituted it immediately after Supper for which he gives this reason It is for the honour of so high a Saerament that the precious †Is this for or against Transubstantiation body of Christ should first enter into the Christians mouth before any other meat And p. 89. he saith That by Curates here i. e. In the prayer for Bishops and Curates are not meant Stipendiaries as now it 's used to signifie but all those Parsons or Vicars to whom the Bishop who is the chief Pastor under Christ hath committed So Dr. Heylin speaks in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 9. s. 10. the Cure of Souls of some part of his Flock and so are the Bishops Curates The Bishop with these Curates a flock or congregation committed to their charge make up a Church By which words I humbly conceive the * To hold Bishops Jure Divino and especially essential to the being of a Church as A. B. Laud did Cypr. Anglic. p. Divine right of Diocaesan Episcopacy is asserted and thereby the Kings Supremacy impreached for if the Bishops be the chief Pastors under Christ Adam Contzen 1. 2. Pol. c. 18. Rastal Title-crown p. 17. Sir Edward Cooks de jure Regis Ecclesiast fol. 8. Dr. Heylin saith that there are 26 Cathedral Churches or Episcopal Sees in England Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 291. and the A B. of Canterbury is accounted Primate and Metropolitan of all England Heylin Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 249. to whom the Cure of Souls is by Christ committed the King cannot place and displace them as he pleaseth and grant their authority for so long or so little while as he pleaseth as the Law and Law-givers say he may And this will follow that the right Reverend Father in God the Lord Primate of all England is the Head-pastor and the other 25 Reverend Bishops the A. B. of York being in respect of him but as one of the other are the chief Pastors and all the rest of the Ministers of the Church of England are but their Curates And then also it will