Bishop in a Diocess belonging to another whereby it should fall out that two Metropolitan Bishops should be in one and the same Diocess though he effect his purpose not by the help of Heathens or Tyrants as did Augustine but by the Royal Patent and Authorities of Christian Kings and Emperours who had greater Power allowed herein by Christian Councils by the 12 Canon of the General Council Chalcedon he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Balsamon a Balsamon Zonar in Can. 12. Concil Chalcedon explains it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was to be deposed and laid aside from his degree and any Bishop that was so made before the ratifying of this Canon were to be Nominal and Titular only and the whole Right and Power to remain in the Ancienter Metropolitan who was also to Ordain and Judge the other as the Arch-Bishops of Constantinople were Ordain'd notwithstanding their Grandeur by the Bishops of Heraclea where the See had been before though they through their Vicinity and Interest in Court were freed from this necessity by the favour and Prerogative of after Emperours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their Power given them from above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many are the Canons that Prohibit one Bishop to enter upon the Bishoprick of another saith the Scholiast upon the second Canon of the second General Council in Constantinople To pass by the 12 Canon of the second general Council of Carthage confirm'd in the general Council in Trullo and the 37. of the third confirmed in like manner and the third Canon of the 7th general Council or second at Nice which though it deviated in other points is firm in this and nulls the Election of Bishops made by secular power and not by the Bishops of the Province according to the mind of the first Council of Nice though it decreed awry touching the Adoration of Images in detestation of those that like Jews abus'd them too far on the other hand I shall content my self in the last place with the Decrees of the Council of Sardyca the most favourable to the Church of Rome and to the memory of St. Peter there of any other Council whatsoever whose judgment therefore it may be justly hoped they will stand to as they tender their own Interest which is wrap'd up in the same third Canon that secures our liberties Where in the case of a Bishop condemned by all his Brethren of the same Province from whose Sentence there was no Appeal by the 15th Canon of Antioch who yet believing his cause to be right was allowed this remedy that upon a state of his case to be transmitted from the Bishops that were Judges to Pope Julius their fellow Bishop of Rome Canon 10. the Pope had power repos'd in him either to order a re-hearing of the cause by other Bishops of the next Province saith the Scholiast a Balsamon in Can. 3. Concil of Sardic else the Bishop of Thessalonica might be summon'd to appear at Rome or by one sent from himself to represent his person and to joyn with them or else to confirm the former sentence according as he thought good Which Inch was made an Ell by the wonted ambition of the Roman See and two pretences for Rome's Soveraignty fram'd there from First that by this Canon all Bishops whatsoever throughout the World were to appeal to Rome Whereas it was only intended for such Provinces as were subject to Rome as several were in the West saith another Scholiast and what is said of Rome belong'd as well to the Archbishop of Constantinople for the Provinces under it a Scholia in Can. 3. Sardyc 31 Carthag apud Synodicon Edit Beveregii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of its equal Priviledges with Rome by several Canons Secondly that this Canon was one of the famous Council of Nice that went some years before to give it greater Authority which gave occasion to the Council of Carthage to examine this high Allegation and to send to the East for the Original Records of Nice and to detect the forgery in the face of the whole Council as afore where the Popes Legate was present and to decree against all Transmarine Appeals from Africa under pain of Excommunication through all the Churches of that Province as before Nor could Africa be more exempt from Rome than was our Brittain was also shewed Yet supposing Rome's right of Arbitration were no way hurt or forfeited by this device as good Titles may be lost when forgeries are us'd to support them and what was done out of choice and honour to the excellent Popes that Rome had in those dayes must be done to its modern Monsters forever by Authority of this Council yet themselves must own its Canons to be in force if they insist that others should and if so by the third Canon which contains this grant of honour to them Monk Augustine's entrance and setlement here in Brittain is greatly unsetled unless he had been call'd and invited hither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Bishops of this Province and their Brethren that is by the unanimous desires of the Brittish Clergy for want whereof see his danger Canon 1 and 2. He was to be depos'd from his Episcopal dignity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Balsamon as a very impudent person for this Intrusion and to be denyed all Christian Communion not only amongst the Clergy but also amongst them of the Laity and his pretence of being invited by the people to serve him in no stead and finally not to be capable so much as of Lay-Communion at his death the highest deprivation of a mans Christian state that could be worded A severity the Church never us'd but towards the highest misdemeanours against Christ and his Church that could be imagin'd or conceived If therefore they claim the benefit and priviledge design'd for them by this Council they must first quit all pretences to this Province and make what reparations they are able for their long and unjust usurpations maintain'd by their several Popes as Principals as well as by Augustine and his Successors as Instruments and Legates who else by this Canon are not to be reckoned amongst Christians as the old Brittains urg'd much less amongst Bishops or Popes For what impudence were it otherwise for persons who stand Excommunicate by a general Council which themselves most approve to clamour for obedience and subjection where none is due yea when no Christians can afford them so much as their Communion under such faults by the Canons of the Church for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the 10th Canon of the Apostles if a man pray with a person outlawed from Communion so much as in his house himself is to be excommunicated and Clergy also that shall do the same with Clergy depos'd are themselves to be depos'd from their Ministry together with them Canon 11. Or where is their honour and fidelity to their Countrey which vulgar breasts seldom
Zebadia the Ruler of the house of Juda for all the Kings matters v. 11. To assemble Synods and Councells about Sacred Affairs for settling the Ark as did David 1 Chron 13.2 For dedicating the Temple as did Solomon 1 Reg. 8. and reforming the Nation and bringing them back unto the Lord God of their Fathers as did Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19.4 To maintain their Command and Soveraignity in such matters not only over all the people in general 1 King 23.21 but over the High Priests themselves in particular by assigning their work and duty 2 King 22.8 12. Where Jehoshaphat layes command upon Hilkiah the High-Priest thrusting them out of their High-Priesthood for their Disloyalty as Solomon did Abiathar 1 King 2.27 And sparing them their Lives in courtesie to their Coat v. 26. And this their pious care and zeal for God and Religion which in the Popes account were little less than intermeddling in other mens rights is recorded in Gods account as their Eternal praise and honour and good service to their Countrey And like Josiah was there no King before him that turn'd to the Lord with all his heart and with all his Soul and with all his might Neither arose there any like him 2 King 23.25 And Jehoshaphat sought to the Lord God of his Father and walked in his Commandments and not after the doings of Israel Therefore the Lord established the Kingdom in his hands and all Juda brought to Jehoshaphat Presents and he had Riches and honour in abundance 2 Chron. 17.5 And the contrary neglect about the Worship of God in their wicked Kings and making their people to sin by their defection or ill example was the ruine of their Land 2 Chron. 36.17 And a Brand of Infamy upon their names in particular forever as the followers of Jereboam the Son of Nebat which made Israel to sin and therefore liker to Satan therein than to Gracious Kings and Fathers And what was thus their bounden duty and honour in the Kings of Israel to imploy their Authority and Government for God and his Church upon the like ground and proportion is the duty and interest of all Christian Kings for a Kingdom that becomes Christian becomes a Church thereby or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.5 the Heritage and Clergie of God a Christian Kingdom is a new Israel of God Gal. 6.16 and Christian Kings by consequence are heyres of the same Prerogative and Supremacy that did belong in Israel to the Kings of Israel where the High-Priests were subordinate in externals to the Kings and not the Kings to the Priests It is a contradiction to be a King and to be Subject wherein Popes are made Supreme Kings are made Subjects there cannot be two Supremes in the same Church or Kingdom and it were a great snare and Spiritual misery to be subjects under two contrary Soveraigns and to be bound in conscience to obey contrary injunctions and commands whereby inevitably their obedience to the one becomes their sin and transgression against the other Soveraign which is the condition of Roman Catholicks who own the Pope for supreme to the wrong of those Christians Soveraigns over them whose right it is whereby their conscientious Catholick obedience becomes unconscionable disobedience to their right Superiour It concerns and behoves them therefore and every other Christian subject in whom the word of Christ ought to dwell richly in all wisdom Col. 3.16 to be fully satisfied who is to rule them He that mistakes his Soveraign will mistake his Loyalty The Old and New Testament knows but two Soveraigns God or the King Christ or Caesar 2. Chron. 19.11 Math. 22.21 so the Jewish so the Ancient Christian Church so the Church of England held upon the Reformation when the whole Nation both Parliament and Convocation unanimously agreed that the Pope had no more to do in England than any other Bishop The Soveraignty of the Lord the Pope starting up when the Church began to degenerate strongly savours of a fifth Monarchy or an Antichristian erection Christ only is the Immediate Soveraign of the Inside of men in his Church Kings the Immediate Soveraigns of the outside in their Dominions the Pope or Prelate is Soveraign in neither Pet. 5.3 Rom. 13.1 therefore there is no obedience due from the heart and conscience to spirituall Governours but wherein they agree in their Doctrines with Christs mind and clash not in their outward order and Discipline with the rights of Christian Kings for delegates are to be obeyed in and for and not against their Principals and the soul is subject to none but to a supreme either the Lord Christ who is absolutely such or our Lord the King who is such in externals by Christs concession Prov. 8.15 subject also it is to Governours but for his sake and by his command that is to say it 's subject not to them but to him But it will be still objected what have Kings to do with Religion that wholly belongs to Spiritual persons and the Clergy and to the Pope the Patriarch in such matters and by consequence Supreme and it must still be answered and acknowledged That the substantial part of Christian Religion lyes out of the Horizon and Territory of Kings in another world as it were where yet none is Soveraign but Christ alone Popes and Bishops and Inferiour Priests being all officers and Ministers under him in this Kingdom all of equal degree and power without difference in their Authorities or Keys saving that in equity and merit they are foremost and chiefest who are most painful and faithful in this trust Kings well observe their bounds therein they do not as they ought not intermeddle in such matters between the soul and God as are of divine Institution or immortal importance they meddle not with the Priestly office and great would be the peace of Churches and of the world if the Pope did as little meddle with the Kingly they take not upon them to preach and publish the Laws and mind of Christ in his name and Authority nor to denounce wrath and War against offenders high or low nor of themselves to Excommunicate the unworthy from the Holy Society of Christs Church and all hopes of mercy till they repent and change nor to arbitrate as for Christ who are fit and worthy of Grace or pardon neither do they travel between Heaven and Earth upon messages between Christ and souls as the Angels upon the ladder being now Gods mouth to the people in wholsom Counsels and Instructions anon the peoples mouths to God in humble confessions or thanskgivings as neither did the Kings of Israel ever offer to enter the holy place or order the Shew Bread or Sacrifice or incense which might have been done with the same skill though not with the same Authority by Common persons as by Priests and hath been attempted by one or two but to their wo No under both Law and Gospel these offices did solely belong to
with the first in its adversity and contempt For every Religion expresses what honour it hath for the Deity it worships by the respect and honour it enjoyns to be paid to its Ministers and Attendants And amongst all degrees of Christians from the lowest to the highest neither Christ nor his Ministers can be said to be either lov'd or honour'd where both are not lov'd and honour'd equally if not above themselves And no man can despise the Ministers of his Religion without despising his Religion nor despise his Religion without despising himself for where is a man's self more than in his God or Idol If Christ and his Religion be to be honoured it is to be invited to sit equal with us in our Feasts if not above wherein no Church is more proportionable than this of England which hath its Minâ—stry so adequate and comporting with the several degrees and conditions of its Laity like Arteries with the veins along the body from the toe to the head But now far otherwise is it amongst Christians Teachers and Disciples when the world hath possessed their hearts And Christ dwells but at their tongues only many there are besides Quakers it is to be feared that would be well contented to be without any Gospel at all on condition to be Tith-free and judge no sort of men better to be spared or retrenched in this Commonwealth than Christs Ministers And if they had Power enough in their hands would judge an 100 l. per annum to be revenew enough or two much for any Bishop to support himself and Family and to keep Hospitality and relieve the poor and strangers and to defend the Church against its Enemies and not 10000 l. per annum too much for themselves to spend upon their lusts and Vanity And in some Nations the Lay sort Raign and Rule and the Clergy hold the stirrup or serve under revocable pay like other workmen and trained thereby to be as observant of the state as of God neither hath the degenerate Clergy been behind in over-reaching to the degenerate Laity in grudging and subducting especially in the Roman Church who conceived she never had enough untill she had all not only their Lands but their Liberties and all became her Tenants or Vassals or tributaries from the Plow to the Throne Now how would these two contrary lusts tear and destroy one another if God had not raised Kings to preserve the peace between them How would Religion and good literature all fall to the ground and Atheism and Barbarism or equivalent Ignorance and superstition come again in their place if Kings were not Nursing Fathers to secure their Rights and Defenders of the Faith to maintain their Priviledges and quietness to correct on the one hand the Idolatrous Avarice of some hard hearts who would starve the Lord Christ to cherish their Lord Mammon And to check the Hypocrisie and worldliness of others on the other hand who Christopher-like carry Christ upon their backs to begg mens hearts who make use of Purgatory and the world to come to gull men out of this present who call all men to be their Paymasters for the unvaluable unrequitable mysteries of the Gospel which they at best but counterfeit and make them Vassals for ever afterward upon the score of that Tribute and acknowledgement who claim a Supremacy over Princes not upon the score of the Pulpit and the Eternal obligations thereof which they quit but upon the score of their Chairs which was borrowed from the Throne and intended it should return to its subordination thereunto Though Spiritual Graces wherewith they are ill stock'd are above all Temporal reward as much as Salvation is above an Earthly Crown yet it doth not follow that the Instruments and conveyers of Grace are Superiours here in in this world to all that receive it by their Ministry The message and Author is but not the messenger Kings hear Gods word as Subjects to Christs whole word it is but not as Subjects to those that Preach it but their Masters rather It is an ill and Un-evangelical Inference and too much savouring of Antichrist from Spiritual Doctrines to raise Secular Superiority and to make wordly Rule and Ambition the chief end of the everlasting Gospel Ego Rex meus was a perfidious Traiterous crime in Wolsey to transfer his Masters honour and Soveraignty upon himself which is their great Disease at Rome and constant Boldness upon Christ A Pursiveant though sent from a King to Arrest a Peer is not Superiour in quality thereby to the Peer although his Authority and errand be we may as well conclude all Centinels to be Generals of the Field or every Chaplain declaring Christ will in a Sermon before the King to be Primate of the Church and every Christian who Conquers the world by his Faith to be Emperour of this world as Popes to be Supremes in Christian Kingdoms and Churches over mens souls and bodies because they are the Servants and Officers of Christ who is When St. Ambrose boldly durst suspend his Soveraign and Theodosius meekely yielded to the censure of his Subject there was no Superiority either lost or got by this in either both doing their parts of Servants herein the Bishop of fidelity about his Master's mysteries the Emperour of Submission to his Saviours Steward All orders and degrees in the Church are every one in the Postures of Servants to Christ and Servants to another for Christ his sake 1 Cor. 3.22 and he alone the only Master and Soveraign Math. 23.8 In this world it 's true it 's otherwise where some are Servants others are Masters some Rulers and others Ruled all to be regarded as unto Christ in their several Superiorities by Christians who are to serve and obey them all from the heart upon Christs account in addition to their Civil obligation which is correlative to their Civil Superiority for as we are Christians we serve none but Christ and those that Rule and Govern if Christians do it as his Servants and Pious Kings have justly esteemed it to be a greater Dignity to be Servants of Christ than Soveraignes of this world Whosoever therefore misguides or mis-governs his Inferiour or wrongs or deceives his Neighbour or disobeys or dishonours his Superiour Christian violates his Faith and duty first to his Heavenly Soveraign in his heart before he wrongs any other on Earth by his outward Act. And it is our concern and honour as to detect and shun all such as are Traytors and Faithless to our Saviour so dearly to embrace and love them from our hearts that are true But though Kings meddle not with the Substantialls of Religion or the rights of Christ yet with the out-side or Circumstantials that fall within their charge and cognizance they well may and must whatsoever in Church matters is of Temporal not of Eternal moment neither determined by Christ nor necessary to Salvation but conducing only to Order and Peace and Decency and good
affirm there is no day-light before Sun-rising It s more agreeable to reason therefore to date it à priori from its first discernible causes and designs and dawnings The change being manifest the question is about the circumstances of time and Persons and first Authors or who were the first Instruments either knowingly and designedly or without their knowledge or intent that were primarily subservient to providence in this work For that God himself in his providence was the first cause and Author of our Restoration not in general as he is the cause of all events he permits in the World but by particular purpose and design appears by this that it was not the first design or purpose of any other that were imployed as chief Instruments in it And what men vigorously promote beside their intention and above their own belief of the possibility cannot be attributed to themselves but to that fatall power that controll'd and pushed them on For that King Henry the Eight had neither an Original inclination nor any full confidence of Power to make such a stupendious change in the World is evident from History and reason and more from this consideration that though himself have given proof and example when Popery was infinitely stronger then now it is and its Divine Impostures not so much detected as since they have been by Protestant light whereby its reputation and main strength and Authority is slighted and under-valued in the World yet there is no Christian King or Emperour this day in Europe how high or great soever of power or Spirit that if he had a mind and perswasion or provocation to do the like that can or dare think himself able to follow King Henry by his own single power to shake off a new Roman Empire revived in Popes by a mystery of iniquity or an Antichristian Maskerade and to Combat Spiritual wickednesses in Heavenly places as it were as he did without the special aid of Heaven Besides Henry the Eight never departed from the Roman Church or Religion but from its Court and secular Supremacy over Kings which could never belong to Religion nor to Church-men miserably chastizing his Subjects the last ten years of his life on either hand Papists for adhering to the one and Protestants for departing from the other But the Pope for all this Excommunicates him with that zeal and severity as if he had rejected both for he best understood his own Religion and mystery and that both were contained in that one which he deserted so we see the Roman Religion which King Henry professed in all its Points and Doctrines was condemn'd as Heresie in him for his denyal of subjection to the Papall Vsurpation though it became better a Vicar of Christ to wave his personal heights and Punctillioes out of Christian humility and self-denyal rather than banish so Orthodox and Catholick a King from the Church of Christ And the rather he being in the right wherein he differ'd from his holiness whereby it clearly appears that the best Roman Catholick is but a Heretick at Rome if he cross the Popes Interest and Supremacy as doth the King and Church of z Ranchin Review of the Council of Trent France to this day in great part And indeed there is no bar to mens souls from embracing Truth and Protestancy but this spiritual Tyranny of the Supremacy for being entirely set free from this the soul returns to Truth in time even against the Power of Custom and Education as the Pope well perceived and is known by experience and hath before been touch'd As the change could not be attributed to any first design in King Henry much less to Wolsey than whom perhaps none yet Contributed more to the destruction of Popery nor intended less Nor to Bishop Fox of Winchester that introduc'd him through his great favour in Court for siding with the Incestuous Marriage which was more a cause of the Restoration than either enabling Fox to raise Wolsey to destroy Popery against both their Wills Nor did Henry the Seventh in the least intend this change as may be presum'd when he directed this Marriage which the Pope for a large Sum approv'd and dispensed which was his fault and overthrow and not so much the Kings who by the Customs and insuperable ignorance of the Age might sincerely believe that the Pope had really such a Power as he assumed and Father'd upon God himself for his Author seeing therefore there is so little of man's design for this Restoration in the very men themselves that were the Insturments but all appears to proceed from fate and Providence the first Epocha and beginning and shore thereof is there best fixed where the Salt waters and fresh first meet where the hand from Heaven first layes hold on Instruments and Tools on Earth to begin its work And there are three Rules or postulaâ—'s to direct our observation about this to more certainty and steddiness 1. The Reference between the Model and the building or the Prophecy and the Issue for a house or an event there begins where these two begin to meet 2. A general belief that the Prophecy of the Restoration of the Brittish Crown was accomplish'd in Henry the Seventh and not so much in any other 3. The Sympathy and concomitancy ever between the Brittish Church and Crown in their standing and fall and rise The first Instrument and instance therefore was in K. Henry the Seventh his own Person in whom the Brittish line return'd the Mitre hastning after the Scepter he landed in Wales but with 2000. and fought against King Richard but with 5000. men The next appearing pulse of some change for Brittish advantage was the Person of Prince Arthur and the design of his name as the Historian observ'd but God chose another Instrument and occasion to bring this work to pass Prince Arthurs wife a weaker vessel and the Permission of her unlawful Marriage which proved the main downfall of Popery The fourth and fifth might be Henry the eight and Wolsey the one designing a Marriage of the King with the King of France's Sister to be revenged of the Emperour hindring his design to be Pope in Catherin and therefore contriving the scruple about Incest And King Henry readily embracing it out of conscience and prevention of more York and Lancaster breaches in the Royal line as he publickly avowed or love to Anne Bulleigne but with no design or intention towards the Reformation in either That is first observed to begin with Colet propagating it in Oxford and City and Court for Warner had that from him who promoted the same Principles in Cambridge where Cranmer had them who was the first that perswaded Henry the Eight to follow them which he said had saved him much charge if he had known them sooner and with Colet's Preaching none was better pleased than Henry the Seventh to whom therefore we Ascribe the dawning of our Reformation though the actual completion as to the
by Ambrosius in a solemn Assembly Cleri Populi of Parliament and Convocation to express this matter in modern Terms By which may be guessed the irregularity and invalidity of Adeodatus his Ordination which was Ordain'd only by one Bishop of his Province who had received his own from such as were no lawfull Bishops as before and of Theodorus Arch-Bishop the Restorer of the Romish Religion in England who was Ordain'd by none in all this Province and came hither with Tyrannical Power against the will of the Bishops of this Province and to displace such as were regularly Ordain'd and Consecrated by the Bishops of this Territory who had lawful Power as Ceadda Archbishop of York by name whereby himself in the sence of the Catholick Church in the Canons before recited was neither Bishop nor Priest nor within Christian Communion whereby the Authority of the rest by and after him Ordain'd and the nature of the whole Roman-Catholick-Church built in this land upon such rotten Pillars may be scann'd and judg'd of with trust that there is mercy and compassion with God for the sincere in heart and Vengeance and Indignation against insolent disturbers and Tyrannical Hypocrites Which by the way might be the occasion that our Politick Popes in the Controversies heretofore berween the Sees of York and Canterbury for Priority after both sides were craftily well squeezed and lurch'd in their Purses referr'd this matter out of their moderation to be ended and detetmin'd by our own Kings as Edward the third did it under his great Seal as before whereby some Authority was by the way acquir'd to his Romish See of Canterbury which before he well knew had none at all by Church Canons by the Royal Patents of our Soveraign Kings which are favour'd by General a Con. in Trul. Can. 38. Chalc. Can. 17 Councils else for Kings to meddle in such Ecclesiastical concerns had been to touch the Apple of the Popes eye and to incurr the displeasure of St. Peter and St. Paul forever to the manifest hazard of their Crowns and Souls as there are Instances good store in matters of less offence and far more Temporal in their natures But our Popes will not stand to any Council but take themselves to be above them all which is the true reason of the Schism between the Eastern and Western Church or indeed of the Schism and departure of Rome from the whole Christian Church the true Catholick being ever govern'd by Laws and Canons but the Roman-Catholick affecting to be absolute and to Rule all Churches by its own Arbitary Will and Lust The former Arguments from General Councils though they are sufficient to satisfie all honest and right Christians yet our Popes are no more concluded by them than was Cromwell by Magna Charta unless therefore the Nullities of the Romish Church in England be prov'd from their own Rules and Principles and from their own mouths against themselves they are not prov'd home enough as to them to instance in two or three So tender are they and averse from shedding of bloud or would at least somtimes be so Accounted that their Clergy cannot be present b Con. Lateran Can. 18. at a Sanguinary Tryal but if they have the ill fate to kill a man though through mistake and chaunce they become Irregular for it and depriv'd of their holy Orders irrecoverably Much more then are they forever unclerk'd by Murder whereof if our Augustine the Monk was manifestly guilty in principal manner not towards one but towards one or two thousand Innocents no men of Arms but of the Book and Gown and Prayer then the Orders he had or conferr'd after that on others as on Justus and Mellitus made Bishops by him after this fact came all to nought as to them in fact or desert and their whole Romish Church and Ministry by consequence but that he was principally guilty of the barbarous Murder and Massacre of our Brittish Monks at Bangor as before c Juell 5 part defence 438. who by good Relation came out Bare-foot and Bare-head to beg their lives and was present at the place to encourage the slaughter for the better propagating of the Romish Faith or at the least had a great hand in this bloud is not denyed by impartial Antiquaries yea those methods us'd by Romish forgeries to palliate his crime by corrupting Bede's text and also by Enthusiastical Hypocritical praedictions to father this execrable massacre upon the Spirit of God these Arts and devices are so far from excusing that they prove and fasten it the more upon him and in a very high and nefarious manner His Orders therefore and his after Actings in the See of Canterbury were all null by their own Rules And his Communion and much more his Fatherhood in the Christian Faith to be disown'd and detested by all English Christians and true Catholicks forever in their own defence Besides Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury at a Council at Herutford pass'd this Canon which ownes and espouses the like Canons of the Ancient Church with their penalties d H. Spelman Concil p. 153. Vt nullus Episcoporum c. That no Bishop Invade the Diocess of another but rest content with the Government of his own charge But such was Brittain towards Theodore and to the Pope that sent him as well as to his Successors that followed him as before is largely and fully prov'd the Faith here being planted by the Apostles or their followers among the Brittains and by the Brittains amongst the English Therefore Theodore the restorer of the Romish Faith in England stands condemn'd he and his new Church and Successors by his own Law and sentence as well as Augustine its first founder Withall Pope Gregory himself who was the first root and contriver of our English Popery allowes not his Augustine to entrench upon the Gallican Church or the Bishop of Arles his Jurisdiction because saith he that were against Scripture and the Ancient Institution of the Fathers pointing at the several Canons of Councils before recited and to thrust one's Sickle into another mans Harvest But Brittain was a Province ever more distinct and exempt from Rome than Gallia as before is prov'd Therefore Augustine for his Intrusion stands condemn'd by his Pope And his Pope by himself for sending him And Theodore and his Successors by the same definition Withall it is observable why yet Pope Gregory subjected our Brittish but not the Gallican Church to the Romish Jurisdiction of Monk Augustine because saith he e Bede lib. 1. c. 28. ab Antiquis praedecessorum meorum temporibus Pallium Arelatensis Episcopus accepit I find the Bishops of Arles to have had their Pall from Rome in the times of my Ancient Predecessors that is because France was subject to Rome Brittain before was not Now this modest and humble Pope declares in several of his lib. 4. Epist 76 83 178. 194. Antiquitates Eccl. p. 43 45. Epistles extant
Soveraigns have reduced the one the other and be first at peace till either the Pope conform to the will of Christ which we expect which would beget an unity of Spirit and Truth between us in the bond of peace or Christ to the mind and will of the Pope and have no Scriptures that shall signifie any thing contrary to his sense but that the Popes will shall be taken to be Christs Will where they interfere which is their aim in their engrossing the right of interpreting the Scriptures to their Church alone that is their Pope which would produce peace and union its true but such a carnall peace and slavish union as were worse than any War or Captivity or desolation whatsoever Purgatory indulgencies image worship Transubstantiation blind obedience Universal Monarchy over the whole Church c. let them be never so false or unreasonable or scandalous or absurd not only with all learned and sober men but with many of themselves in their secret thoughts and retirements yet because they support the Kitchin and adorn the Hall and carnal state and esteem of their Apostolick see they shall and must be owned and defended forever as Infallible Doctrines De fide more unalterable than the Laws of Medes and Persians by all her Catholick Sons as they tender their continuance within her Pale out of which with them there can be no Salvation and our worship and Liturgie shall be condemned as Impious and prophane till upon obedience and Submission to their Chair as was offered in Queen Elizabeths days they shall permit it to be Orthodox and Holy and to be used in our Churches without any alteration or further trouble and all our Protestant Doctrines which are the same in effect with Gods Holy Scriptures out of which they are drawn and built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner stone yet because they comport not with their carnal designs and greatness shall be condemned to be abjur'd as false and Heretical though the Authors of them Christ and his Apostles and his purest Church be involved with us in the same sentence and themselves in Gods wo and curse in the Prophet upon those that call good evil evil good light darkness and darkness light Esa 15.20 What Law of Nature or Nations or Conscience or Honour or Humanity or Civility or Faith or Plain-dealing which are indelible imbred instincts in Vulgar and Heathen Breasts much more in Christian and Generous will not the guides of that Church direct their charge to break and violate with assured hopes of Salvation and Immortal Glory for the feat so it tend to promote and advance their Holy Catholick cause which is with them as it were Gods last will and Testament which Abrogates and annuls all precedent wills the Eternal Laws of God and conscience being but obsolete or Corporation orders when they clash against the Infallible Bulls and paramount Oracles of his Holiness yea the contradiction shall be salved and heal'd and Christ by Interpretation which belongs to them is brought to say and sign their draught to be his own Will and meaning and their Atheime shall be fac'd with his Authority as Hypocrites do their Villanies with the cover of Religion as King Philip of Macedon is said to have made the Oracles to Phillipize and Prophesie for him What Civil War and combustion must this make in English and honest hearts who though they have a respect for Rome think fit nevertheless to reserve due Loyalty towards God and their Redeemer and their Country to be thus necessitated to offend against God and man to save their souls who in compliance with that Church and obedience to its commands and dictates upon perill of damnation must shocke the wise and settled Laws of their Nation and disturb publick peace and Union and bring fear and consternation upon their fellow Subjects that desire to live in quietness and slight and disparage the learned and Religious Clergy of this land and our unparallel'd Vniversities and disobey glorious and Paternal Counsels seal'd in bloud for Gracious Kings are Fathers to all their Subjects next to their own begotten and shame the cause of friends and fellow-sufferers loyally and sincerely defended to the last gasp in bloud and ruine and to give just cause of boast and triumph to others for early and wise fears and jealousies and fore-sight and at last reconcile the Nation by a secret judgment against themselves and profess the true Religion before men believed in the heart to be false by humane Patent and dispensation against Conscience And conceal a false Religion believed in the heart to be true And act to the prejudice of the professed before declaring for the intended like giving Hostile broadsides without an Hostile Flag against the Law of Nations and continue or forbear vitious living according to humane Indulgence and tedder above the fear of God Such twisted Arts and servile postures of the Soul set by God above humane reach and power such chymical sublimated hypocrisie and doubling to which all the Swords and Artillery of the World pointed and planted against a single breast ought not to be able to force a Coward to all Politicians and Head-pieces and Whisperers to gull and seduce a fool to though they may go down with more ease with French and Italian tempers innur'd by ill fate to absolute governments and cringes and Slavery how loathsome and repugnant and against the grain must they prove to any honest and generous and freeborne English spirit And whence can this Civil War and distraction arise but from some failer and breach and division of the allegiance of the heart in admitting some up-start usurper or Impostor to be co-ordinate and equal if not Superiour to Christ its natural Liege Lord and Soveraign which the Loyal part of the Soul will never be flattered or frighted to agree or yield to Thus the heart through its own folly suffers it self to be ever disturbed and racked between two contrary Potentates within its bowells God and Old Conscience command and approve of natural affection and truth and peace and love to Countrey and obedience to Parents and Kings and Mercy and Civility to all in Misery and Anxiety The Anti-god or New Conscience commands the contrary as a piece of Catholick zeal and Glorious hazard and self-denyal under pain of displeasure of the Holy See and St. Peter and St. Paul and exclusion out of the Pale of the Church and the like usual forms Plain therefore and evident it is that the whole Controversy between us and Papists is reduceable to one point touching the Right and Soveraignty of the heart and Conscience whose it is and ought to be whether the Lord Christ in my Text as we hold with St. Paul or the Pope and Successor to St. Peter as they maintain at Random If the Pope be God and Lord of the Soul and not Christ then we Protestants are much to blame in
or transgressors of that Law and Law-giver there is but one who can save and destroy James 4.12 The blessed Lord Jesus Judge of quick and dead at the last day whose deputies on Earth in the Interim are consciences in Private souls and Magistrates and Governours in publick bodies who are as the souls of such bodies whether Temporall in Externall or Ecclesiastical in more Internall matters and concerns who are all both Private and publick conscience Subject and accountable unto him who alone is Judge and Soveraign And therefore we can do nothing against Christ upon any mans Authority whatsoever and being found faithful to him the sole and Supreme Judge and Soveraign of our souls we trust to be found Gods Catholicks though we are but Hereticks to the Pope who is not our Judge rejoycing in mans aspersion while we have Gods Absolution to wipe it off for not he who commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.8 SECTION II. Of the true Mother Church in particular to all Christians in respest of their In-side and RomesVsurpation HAving shewed that no Christian Churches or persons are subject to the Pope while himself is not subject to Christ the right Superiour and Soveraign over all nor bound to offend against Christ to please his pretended Vicar all being bound to withdraw their Communion from him who shakes off the undoubted Soveraign over all I will further shew that though the Church of Rome were sound and un-corrupt in its Doctrines and Loyalty which it is very far from yet it neither is nor was ever any mother Church to our British Church nor can have any right or title to its subjection or obedience It never had any Original motherhood or superiority over us of right nor in fact at any time but by the Concession of our Princes imposed upon by its arts which they may justly recal and take away at their pleasure as hath been done So it appears it's themselves that necessitate us to desert their Communion out of Christian Loyalty to our Saviour by them first deserted and deposed in a treasonable manner and his glorious Majesty chang'd into the similitude of a Calf or a Mortal Creature that perisheth which is the first spring and root of the rest of their desperate and monstrous Errours which bear the manifest spots and tokens of Antichristianism in the strength and infallibility of their Delusions Though we can and ought to bewail and compassionate their condition and slavery yet to return to their bosome as to a Mother Church we understand not how it is our duty or sober obedience were it sound or healthy yet we doubt not but she hath angl'd several sincere and ignorant and unwary Sons of this Church with that bait We confess we have been pin'd and stary'd under her for hundreds of years as under a hard and cruel Stepmother while harbour'd by the Fathers of our Countrey imposed upon by her inchantments whose issue by her as by a second venter upon her divorce became appurtenant to the Father and are incorporated with the first stock and Family but sure we are she never teemed of our Brittish Churches who never were the Daughters of her womb nor sucked our first milk from her breasts For whether their inside or their outside or extraction be consider'd they appear to have no descent from Rome Neither can they instance or insist upon any other point or manner of Pedegree and derivation of one Church from another For as it is with every private man if his inside and Soul and Spirit be examined whence it came it came from above from the Father of our Spirits Heb. 12.9 and to return in peace to him that gave it is its utmost aim and bliss Eccles 12.7 If the outside or his body it came from the Earth whence it was first taken and whither it must return If his intermediate descent he springs and proceeds from Fathers and progenitors of the Flesh and owns their superiority and Discipline and honours their names and memories So it is with all Churches and Christian Societies By our inside we are not from below or from beyond the Sea but from Heaven Jerusalem above being our mother and Jesus our King the King and Lord of Souls By our outside we are under our own Kings and Governours on Earth as our Nursing Fathers and Mothers according to the Holy Prophecy As to our descent Old Christian Britannia is our Mother to whom the Antient Church of Rome is Junior in the Faith and much more any of her Perking Daughters or Clergy which shall be further proved in every particular And first as to the inside of all Christian Churches and of the Church of Rome it self if she will be a Church of Christ and of thousands in her that have not bowed the heart to any but to Christ known to God There is no Mother-Church to be accounted of but one only the Spouse of Christ expressed by name in Scripture Heb. 12.22 Not the City of Rome who rather is under ill report in them but the City of the living God The Heavenly Jerusalem which Gal. 3.26 is by the Apostle Stil'd the Mother of us all and which is free and answering unto Sarah whereas Jerusalem on Earth answers Hagar in her servitude and yet Jerusalem below is more a Mother of all Christian Churches than Rome it self or any other here below for Rome her self had her extraction thence her St. Peter and his Chair and the Gospel and Christ himself she and all must derive originally from Sion And if the Mother be not free much less her Daughters for no Soul or Church can be said to be free in her exile and servitude whiles she serves any other but her own natural Prince who is Christ alone the High Priest and Bishop of our Souls who is at the right hand of God in that Heavenly City and Assembly of the Faithful For Christ is the sole Monarch and Legislator in this Spiritual Kingdom and none are free Subjects here but those who obey him alone and no other Controller His will alone is the Law and measure of good and evil and duty and transgression He enacts and repeals and dispenses and absolves he alone can search and reward and punish Souls The everlasting concerns of Eternity and the secrets of mens hearts transcend all humane authority and cognizance and reach No secular Powers are to tread within this Temple but are to stand without in the Court though Christians and in the further Court of the Gentiles if Heathen or Antichristian Christs Deputies and delegates in this Heavenly work and Province are all Bishops and Curates who by their life and Doctrine set forth his true and lively word and rightly and duely Administer his Holy Sacraments who yet have no power or property or Authority but from him Neither is the word they preach 2 Thes 2.13 nor the Sacraments they administer 1 Cor. 4.1 nor the Absolution they
or quicken either or like Pipes in an Organ Dead and Dumb as of themselves yet sounding out aloud the high praises of their God in his Church when they are filled with his Breath and Holy word and spirit However when these inward conceptions of mens spirits bud and break out in Births James 1.15 and land in another World in the Territories of Earthly Soveraigns who like God are both Omniscient and Omnipotent in their own Dominions and precincts Here the case is far otherwise Here Earthly Magistrates have their free Liberty and Authority to arrest and take as in the out-side and purliews of the soul whether they be Christian or Heathen as well the one as the other in their several capacities and Characters Heathen Kings being Gods Deacons Rom 13.4 or his Ministers in the State to preserve the peace of God and man by frowning upon all vice and sin and wicked lewdness Act. 18.14 which is spiritual Idolatry and War against God in the heart provoking his vengaence and judgement against a land and to Protect and praise them in every good work and vertue which is the amicable and loyall deportment and worship of righteous souls towards God whereby he is won to be favourable in his blessings and protections not only to them and their seed but to the whole land though less deserving for their sakes Gen. 18.32 And Christian Kings being the Fathers and Bishops of the Church and Christs undoubted Viccars on Earth in all the outward affairs of that Holy Polity to preserve its beauty and order and the holiness of its Communion against blemishes and scandals according to the Rules of Christ Christian Kings I say cannot be denyed to be the Fathers of the Church according to Gods own mind in Esa 49.23 Prophecies like to Faith being the evidence of things not seen given their right stiles and Titles to persons and degrees as yet not in being as if they were And as they are Fathers so they are Bishops and Overseers of Christs Flock the Church in things without as other Holy Bishops are in things within as it was declar'd by our Constantine the first Christian Emperour in the first and great general of Counsel of Nice of 318. Primitive and the best tried Bishops the Church ever had Nemine contradicente not one dissenting or disliking the expression either then or since but our Romish Popes of late after the Church began to slumber and degenerate And Viccars on Earth they all are severally in their own Kingdoms by the Popes own confession for so Eleutherius early declares in his Epistle to our Lucius the first Christian King in the world about the year 170. if it were the Act of Eleutherius or about the year 110. if the Act of Evaristus according to a. Usher de Britan. Eccles Primordiis p. 34. Ninius or sooner according to b. Usher de Britan. Eccles Primordiis p. 34. Paulus Jovius which though it be not Authentick in all its parts and purposes yet because some of our Kings might send to some of the Popes of Rome then Famous in the world for their uprightness to be Brotherly advised about some points of their Government unless our difference from them about Easter as well as the East might interrupt such correspondence or Communion and the Epistle passes for true and Authentick amongst many of our Romanists therefore the Testimony and citation in it touching Kings being Gods Vicars in their Territories is firm however and binding against them to the full And St. Paul doth no less in the Principles he layes down in my Text by which every master is Christs Vicar to his own Servant and by consequent proportion every King is Christs Vicar to his own Subjects for the Apostle would have tied obedience upon Subjects toward Christians Kings if they had been in his time in being in the same from and tenour as upon Christian Servants here towards their Christian Masters as is observed by a right learned Person towards whom they are to do all from the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto Christ himself this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as implies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as the master is is over the Servant in his Civil capacity his Civil Lord and Master so is he over him in his Christian capacity a Christian Servant as Christ is over Christians and Subjects Masters and Kings by consequence being Christs Image or similiude or Lievtenants or Viccars as the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies The same Apostle exhorting every soul to be subject to the higher Powers Rom. 13.1 amongst whom are comprehended Ecclesiastical persons as well as lay saith St. Chrysostom If those Powers become Christian as they are now with us they become the Vicars of Christ by consequence to all their Christian Subjects of the Clergy as well as Laity and were his Holiness a liege Subject of this Kingdom our King would be inevitably Christs Vicar on Earth unto him as he is undoubtedly to all English or Brittish Roman Catholicks who yet suffer themselves to be seduced by him who is no Viccar of Christ to them as such to withdraw their Christian obedience from him who truly is and Unchristianly and disloyally to disown his Supremacy over them who is as truly Christs Vicar over them in this world as he is their Christian King or they his Christian Subject Which is also agreeable to right reason as well as Scripture for there is a great difference between the Inside and the Outside of any Church or particular Christian which are in two several Kingdoms under two distinct Governments the one Heavenly and Eternal as is the soul the other Earthly or Temporal as is the body of which two they are severally made For such actions of the Soul as are concrete to the body and of use and moment in this present world only and not contrariant to Divine Institution and are circumstantiated with time and place whereby they become visible facts preceptible by mens senses and open to the view and cognizance of humane Authority though they be concerning matters Christian or deportments and behaviours and wears to be used within the Church and in time of service the same are not properly Spiritual as they are vulgarly call'd especially with them at Rome whose whole Religion is about the outside or Heavenly or Eternal and Invisible and belonging to Salvation which is equivalent but they carry a Temporal or Secular or Carnal nature in them and belong therefore to Temporal Jurisdiction to each Crown they are under and by no pretence to Rome but where Rome hath a temporal Authority to order them in her own Subjects but with us they belong to our Brittish Thrones and Tribunals and to Ecclesiastical Courts where they concern Christian and Temporal where they concern Civil Society and to the Kings Subjects as witnesses and Juries upon the place and not to any Forraign Chair or Rota or Pack of strangers to make
profit of the difference and laugh at the follies and credulity of the appellants The Supremacy of the King in all Causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal being that which hath been learnedly evinced by our Writers and is solemnly recogniz'd every day in Gods presence in Prayers and Oaths according to the settlement of our Laws by the Wisdom of the Nation But though this inside of the Church be properly Secular and Temporal because visible yet the Secular Causes which belong to the determinations of Christian Secular Authorities are well and orderly distinguishable into Ecclesiastical and Christian or Temporal and Civill as the whole Commonwealth may be considered either as a Society of men or a Society of Christian men or Church In the first respect as men all are Subject to their own Kings and Laws in matters of life limb and property whether they be Christian or Holy or Heathen and Antichristian as they were before Christ came into into the World and must be to the Worlds end For Magistracy is Gods Ordinance whom all men therefore are to be subject to from the heart which alwayes attends what God appoints though manag'd by a Claudius who was weak and infamously credulous or Nero who for his cruelty was believed by many to be Antichrist for to such the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul command obedience and subjection not only for fear of wrath and power but for Conscience sake and the fear of God Rom. 13.5 1 Pet. 2.14 16. For they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 Yet on this undoubted unforfeitable right of Earthly Kings and Governours according to their several Constitutions by the Laws of their Kingdoms the Pope like a fift Monarch hath ever and still doth affect and design new incroachments as before upon the King of Heaven and spiritual pretences of Superiority Not only by exempting his Subjects and Clergy from secular subjection assuming to be the mother of the Child that 's not her own but also through his Emissaries and influence in the time of his Reign and Power in bringing the Lives of Subjects to the Stake and their States into Forfeiture from their Posterity for Opinions and the Heads and Crowns of Kings themselves to the like danger for the like insufficient cause Absolving Subjects of their Allegiance which Christ binds on every Soul and leading them into perjury and Rebellion which God forbids and damns being not only Traytors against Heaven and Earth therein but which is infinitly worse Traitor-makers as Satan is worse than a sinner and as many Traitor-makers by their Doctrine and what lyes in them as there are Subjects or Polls in any Kingdom they would absolve and seduce Which made the Nation joyn unanimously against their methods not only by Acts of Treason since the Reformation but of premunire long before A very Apostolical and comely deportment in a chief Professor of Christian Holiness and vertue that he and his Missionaries should deserve to be thrust and shoulder'd out like Pests by a wise and a Religious people and their Friends and the door made fast against them with the strongest Barricadoes that could be thought of Hanging and Drawing and Quartering Yea many of his own Confessors and Martyrs our Native Roman-Catholicks to this day who sincerely adhere to all his other Doctrines though Flead Alive with penalties and inconveniences for it yet disclaim and desert his infallible guidance in this particular and would be ready to venter Lives and Fortunes for their Laws and Countrey against any Invasion of the Land though countenanc'd or authoriz'd by the Pope for though such Loyalty be looked upon at Rome with an evil eye as hath lately appeared in the Irish Excommunications for the like principle and profession of Allegiance yet they are resolved to be true to their King let who will call them Hereticks for being honest Subjects And this their Resolution must be grounded either upon Policy or vain glory to avoid the danger as well as the Infamy of Rebellious principles or upon Conscience to God which only is true honour I am apt if I do no wrong to believe the last and to acknowledge and own all such by Consequence as true English Protestants as any in our own Church for preferring Conscience before the Pope which as I have proved is the chief point in difference between Papists and Protestants And the rather if they deal alike with the rest of their opinions which set us at distance from one another by the same rule which if it be good and right must hold in the rest as well as this dismissing all other Tenets that are excepted against and have no support from God or Conscience or the Scripture but the bare Authority of the Pontifical Chair For being so dangerously and perfidiously deceived while trusting to its judgement and of right interpreting in a case so evident and plain and Important as Neck and Estate and Salvation can amount to If they will suffer themselves again to be over-rul'd to differ from their Brethren upon no reason of Conscience but this bare Authority alone whereof they have had tryal of its fidelity and the old sophisme of believing as that Church believes This cannot be counted worthy and filial piety and well weighed Religion in them but a negligent unadvisedness equivalent to plain fault and folly especially there being present suffering and future hazard in the Case according to the known Proverb The Friend that deceives me once it is his fault twice it is my own All differences in our Religion being thus easily compos'd between us if they stand constant to their good principle throughout its consequences as reason binds them to and there will be no reason else to believe or trust their Loyalty what a day of bliss would it be to them and us to go hand in hand together like Christian as well as English brethren to their Churches and ours what peace to themselves in their concerns both within and without what tears of joy would it cause in their Protestant Tenants and dependants who would willingly resigne their lives to see that blessed day what acclamation and bone-fire throughout the Nation for the restoration of its strength and Union what Ecchoes and Halelujahs amongst the Angels of Heaven that delight in mens Salvation and return from Errour But should they offer to make themselves and us and the Nation happy with such a Festival How must they expect to be well lash'd for this by their Old Friends for Hereticks and Schismaticks and Apostates from the Holy See besides the ignobleness of changing and being unconstant to which I shall not now reply But those of them that through Gods Grace assisting them nowithstanding such discouragements and obstacles that will be leaders and examples to their brethren in such paths of Peace and Life and count it Glory and magnanimity to adhere to truth through shame and calumny and but an Heathenish
in general and to all Nations in particular that it is not his will we should be led by strangers more than by guides of our own flesh and bloud for this cause Christ took upon him humane nature when sent by God John 17.3 to direct the world For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels for this purpose Heb. 2.16 which though greatly Holy is yet Forraign to ours and as it were of another Country and their best messages seldome received by the best Christians without fear and horrour and suspition Luk. 2.9 Math. 28.45 But he took upon him the seed of Abraham being sent unto his own John 1.11 And in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren to be the better fitted for Sympathy towards us on his part and the belief thereof on ours Heb. 2.17 18. In like manner in sending his Apostles for the conversion of Nations the first fruits in every Nation that were converted to Christ were appointed for Bishops and Teachers as soon as might be to convert their Brethren and the Supemacy over the Gentile Churches not entail'd upon a Jewish line and succession forever as our first Teachers but upon the Natives themselves in every City and Country when fitted for it to Govern and direct their people and every Province to have its own Metropolitan chief within it self and unsubordinate to Foreigners And it is likewise observed that the needs of every Country in point of food and Raiment and Physick is best supplied from within it self and whether it be for the health or interest of this Nation to delight to wear forraign Liveries above its own I shall not now dispute and but that the Witchcraft and fascination that is in errour doth Seal up the Intellect it deludes less dispute there would be with all sober minds but that we have Governours of our own Nation praised be God fitted as likely for ability and compassion to be faithful guides to their Inferiour Brethren as the greatest Angels of the Church of Rome to whom were it alwayes certain they would prove good Angels we are not so near and dear as to our own Pastors who are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh And that our own wise Kings and Parliaments have and can make as wholesom Laws for this Church and State as the Conclave ever can or did how far and how dear soever fetched and bought To alledge as the Romanists do that Christ had his fix'd Officers his Apostles and Bishops in his Church before there were any Christian Kings which cannot be denyed that St. Peter was the chief of these Apostles which also may be granted for peace-sake as to his precedence but not any Jurisdiction that the present Popes are the successors of St. Peter in all his Authority and Holiness whether they follow him as he followed Christ or not and therefore are Superiours to all Christian Kings and Princes in their own Teritories as well as at Rome in all affairs relating to Religion is such a broken Title such a far-fetch'd Etymology and derivation of Authority as only fully proves the Antichristian humour of exalting themselves above every thing that is called God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Majesty as the word may imply which is the Jaundize that overspreads the face and vitals of that Church all over but cannot satisfie the conscience of any sober English Christian to relinquish and renounce his manifest allegiance and Subjection to his own Prince and Church to whom it is due to bestow the same to his own wrong and Spiritual danger as well as Temporal upon a forraign Power to whom it is not due and to rob his King to maintain a cheat For neither are our Brittish Churches more Subject to the Chair of Rome than is the Crown of France to the Crown of Spain which it had long a mind to but never any right neither if degrees and dignities be compared are Crowns to be Subject to the Mitre but the Mitre to the Crown For Kings if Heathen are without the Church and therefore not Subject to the Pope were he a lawful Vicar of Christ for what have I to do to judge them that are without them that are without God judgeth 1 Cor. 5.12 13. neither do they forfeit their Soveraignty by being Christian Kings by any colour or pretence of St. Peters supremacy St. Peter himself being judge who writes to his fellow Elders to feed the flock of God which was among them 1 Pet. 5.1 2. and to be subject for the Lords sake to the King as supreme for so is the will of God 1 Pet. 5.1 2. There is no where less love and honour from the heart to that blessed Apostle St. Peter no not perhaps in Hell than amongst them at Rome an out-side love or Philauty for Secular ends and designs they may have for him beyond any such as the Ephesian Silver-smiths had for Diana by which they had their wealth Act. 19.24 25. or Turks for Christs Sepulcher which turns to account unto them which is not their love to St. Peter but to themselves and bellies for if they had the least love and honour from the heart in Christ to his name and dignity they would rather chuse to starve or beg than face their frauds and cheats upon all degrees of men with his name and Authority or make him a complice or an Author to all their impious Usurpations and Rebellions against the Kings both of Heaven and Earth against his mind and principles as before For St. Peter himself from whom Popes derive all the power over Kings they can pretend to yea Christ himself from whom St. Peter had his and the whole Christian Church in his divine person while he was on Earth did submit to Magistrates and Presidents acknowledging their Power to be from Heaven John 19.11 and his Kingdom not to be of this world Joh. 18.36 as his pretended Vicars cannot also be by consequence for a Deputy cannot have more Power than his Soveraign St. Paul commands every soul to be Subject or subordinate to the higher Powers Rom. 13.1 which St. Chrysostom upon the place as before extends to Apostles and Ecclesiasticks as well as Lay and with good reason for no Crime can be Treason where is no Subjection and gives the title of excellency to Festus an Heathen President Act. 26. as St. Luke to Theophilus a Christian Luk. 1.3 an evident argument that neither would have denied the title of Majesty to a King and much more to a Christian King for as Servants gained no outward liberty by becoming Christians but continued Servants after as well as before their conversion 1 Cor. 7 20 21. So neither do Kings lose their Prerogatives or Supremacy by being Christians but are to be received into the Christian Society or Church in the same degree and quality they had in the Civil or State Superiour to all Inferiour to none And the Texts therefore that command
obedience and submission to Heathen Magistrates do command the same much more to Christian And manifestly condemn the Pope as Antichristian in denying it And as in the World or the Kingdom of God they were Gods Deacons or Liturgists as they are stiled Rom. 13.4 6. or his Ministers for the encouragement and discouragement of Vertue and Vice v. 4. So in the Church or the Kingdom of Christ they are Christs Ministers to serve him with their Authorities in maintenance of Holiness and Order which is vertue in its highest degree and extirpation of Scandals which is Vice and Confusion under greatest aggravation Which trust and supremacy they bore in the Church of God in all Ages under all dispensations in Old Israel or the Jewish Church and New Israel or the Christian Gal. 6.16 For so Aaron gave place to Moses and Nathan though inspir'd counts himself but the servant of his King nevertheless bowing himself with his face to the ground when he came into his presence as his deportment is recorded not for naught by the Spirit of God 1 King 1.23 27. And such was the power and influence of the Kings of Israel in matters Ecclesiastical that the whole state and face of the present Church and the fate and destiny of the land it self is usually comprised by Scripture in one word in the Character of the Kings heart that reigned whether it was right with God or not When it sayes that such and such Kings did that which is good or that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and what was like to follow from such example for no face or figure of Heaven can be more benigne or fortunate No Comet so portending and ill boding to a Nation as a wakeful or a supine Prince in Mercy or Judgment appointed over it that eyes all himself in his Charge or trusts too far to others The Prince is the first and Master wheel even in the Church that gives motion and Order to all the rest all will be at a stand or out of order when this is He is the Architect in the building and ordering both of Tabernacle and Temple according to his Pattern from God he sets all to their proper work and erects and dedicates both the one and the other and places Aaron and Levi in their several Stations each one afterwards to look to their own work and duties of Instructing Sacrificing attoning interceding that God may dwell in the Camp or State as the Life and Soul and Strength there of And their care of Gods Church was not a free will Offering or a generous work of Super-erogation in the Kings of Israel which was their praise and honour to mind and attend and not their guilt to neglect and leave to others but it was the principal indispensable point of their trust and charge For Old Israel might be said to be more a Church than a Kingdom being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lot and Inheritance the Clergy or spiritual Kingdom of God The rest of the Heathen World being revolted from him and kept in slavery under the Prince of the power of the Air Ephes 2.2 And therefore the Governour of such a Nation was more the head of a Church than the King of a Countrey being truly both the one and the other the one supremacy being common to every Heathen Prince but the other proper and peculiar to Rulers in Israel For God himself by particular condescention was King of Israel 1 King 8.7 And men came to be Kings by his permission and allowance as his Vicars and Lieutenants to maintain his Worship and Honour wherein the peoples happiness as well as their Prerogative did consist In the World he was the best and completest Prince that had most of the Councellor or Captain in him to suppress all disorder and violence at home by Laws and all invasions and dangers from abroad by Arms and Courage But in Israel he was the best King that had most of the Priest and Bishop in him to win God of his side They conquered their enemies in the field then best when they served God best at home Their Victories and Successes depended not so much upon their Bow and Chariot or the Conduct of their Generals or the Courage and Number of their men as upon having the Lord of Hosts on their side to go along with their Armies which Blasphemous Lives never had the Happiness to procure that Rule of our Saviour that directs how to prosper in the World being true as well before as since his coming But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Rightousness and all things shall be added unto you Mat. 6.33 For it was their sins that gave valour and prevalence to their enemies and despondency to themselves Then was there War in the gate when they sought after new Gods Jud. 5.8 The children of Ephraim carrying Bowes turn'd their backs in the day of Battel because they kept not the Covenant of God Psal 79.9 And it was their Piety and Repentance made them miraculously Victorious when over-match'd Yea the Heathen Historian observes and confesses the like touching the Roman Empire that its progress and success was founded in sincere zeal for their Gods as its decayes and overthrow to arise from profane remissness and easie Luxury Upon good reasons therefore as well of Conscience and Equity to approve themselves Faithful and Loyal to Gods Honour and Interest to whom Kings are immediate Subjects as they expected the like Fidedelity and Loyalty from their people appointed to be their Subjects as of publick wel-fare and prosâ—erity to their Nation obliging Arguments with riâ—ht Princely dispositions We find the best Kings of Israel and even Heathen Kings when sober chiefly to imploy their Royal Authority and Power about matters Ecclesiastical to suppress Idolatry to reform Abuses to settle wholesom Laws and Fences about Doctrine Worship and Discipline in Gods Church To put down high places Groves Idolatrous Altars Sodomites-houses and all strange Religion as did Josia 2 Kings 23.4 5 6 7. And other Kings to break in pieces the Brasen Serpenâ— though made by Moses when abused to Idolatry as did Hezechia 2 King 18.4 To send able Teachers throughout the Land as did Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 2.8 to Dedicate and Repaire and Purifie the Temple as did Solomon 1 King 8.29.6 and Joash 2 Chron. 24.4 and Hezechia 2 Chron. 5. To institute the Feast for the Dedication of the Temple as did the Macchabees 1 Macch. 4.56.59 which our Saviour honour'd with his presence Joh. 10.22 To restore the celebrating of the Passoever to its Ancient Rite 2 King 22.21 To appoint a Faâ—r to save his Nation as did the King of Niniveh with success Jon. 3.7 10. To decree Blaspheming Hectors to be cut in pieces as did the King of Babylon when converted Dan. 3.29 To appoint Judges in Causes Ecclesiastical as well as Temporal 2 Chron. 19.8 Amaria the Chief Priest in all matters of the Lord and
example before men belongs to Christian Kings to regulate by discretion with the advice of their Clergy Numb 27.21 Mal. 2.7 for their Transitory Nature makes them more allyed to this present world where Kings are Soveraigns than their bare Connexion to Holy duties doth make them appurtenances to the other immortal world where Christ only Raigns and Rules For Instance whether it be more decent to perform Divine service in a Gown or Surplice or in a Cloak or Querpo whether with the people having all their Hats on as do the Jewes or the Minister as the French or all bare both Minister and People as usually amongst us whether kneeling or sitting be the best and seemliest postures at several Offices before men for it is clear before God that the heart is all in all whether a Bason at the Ministers Elbow be more comly than a Font or whether the Font stand best in the Chancel with the other Table for the other Sacrament or at the Church door in token of our entrance by it Whether the Cross may be used in Baptism or the Ring in Marriage Whether the King have not power to found and endow Churches and to alter Sees and to translate the Metropolitan from one place to another as he thinks fit for any new convenience or redress These things are nominally spiritual but really secular and belong to Christian Temporal Jurisdiction which no way intrenches herein upon Divine Institution or Soveraignity which hath left out such matters and causes free for Christian Kings to regulate even in the Church and Temple as did the Kings of Israel The Church being part of their state and Province where Kings and Subjects are Christian and the one to order every thing to the Lord Christ whose Deputies and Vicars now they are and the other to obey them in all such their Orders from the heart as to the Lord Neither is there any peril of Soul or Salvation by such transitory matters as wears and postures of the Body where they are not ordained for to honour or acknowledge Idols and false Gods there may be great danger in contention 1 Cor. 11.16 and disobedience to those Divine and Eternal Laws which command obedience and Conformity to humane Neither are the Circumstances of Religion made equal hereby to the substantial parts thereof being observed to such several Ends and intents sufficiently distinct and different as are the Authorities that appoint both the one and the other God himself in those and Kings as his Deputies and delegates in these though many mens too much placing their Heaven and zeal and humour and scruples upon Ceremonies and shadows make them substances as to themselves For the difference between Time and Eternity or the Body and the Soul or sense and faith or word and sword or Heaven and Earth or peace of Conscience and the peace of the Kingdom is not more fixt and manifest and unconfounded than is that between the inside and outside of the Church the one lying within the Perambulation and Jurisdiction of Divine Soveraignty the other of humane neither of the Popes over us in England nor the latter but only there where he is a Temporal nor the former even at Rome it self where so he is And O! the Unchristian Arts and Methods that have been us'd by Popery all along both above and under-board according as it was high or low to wrest this Ecclesiastical Supremacy and Prerogative from Christian Kings which is their manifest and undoubted right and chiefest Glory in their Temporal Crowns and a peculiar Talent for their management in order to an Eternal Sometimes openly and above-board by an impudent pretence of Plenitude of Power when they had none at all they have eagerly endeavoured to hook unto themselves our Kings Royal Priviledges about Investures and nomination of Bishops and the Crowns off from their heads which is too well known For any ones Temporal right that had any reference or Relation towards the Church was straightway the undoubted Appurtenance of St. Peters Chair under that pretence they caus'd King Henry the Second in the Controversie about the exemption of the Clergy which was an absolute invasion of his Royal Government and Authority to be whipt and stript by his Subjects like a Malefactor in Bridewell for the good of his Soul and in breach of his Royal Trust and Dignity to allow Appeals to Rome to heal his wounded Conscience Their poisoning Attempts and Invasions and Powder-plots against Queen Elizabeth and King James are fresh in Memory When open Arts can do no good they 'l work their Ends in Masquerade and smaller undertakings Here possessing Quakers and raising Sects to resist and Blaspheme our Religion and Government There endeavouring to get more considerable Instruments into power to promote their Romish Interest in Protestant Shapes with greater succcess and lesser noise because less discern'd to corrupt our hopeful Clergy and destroy honest men under-hand and imbroile the Nation by widening the differences between Protestants which were ready to close and multiplying Non-conformists whether they would or not For it is obvious and easie to observe that all or most of our Presbyterian Dissenters of the younger sort throughout the Nation did see their Errour and desert their Party upon the Restauration of our Church And that the Elder sort were no less convinc'd from the experience of late confusions but that it was harder for the one than for the other in point of Reputation to change and walk contrary on a suddain to their former Actings And the secret enemies of our Protestant peace and union laid hold of this advantage as Non-conformists alledge and cast in politick Provisoes and obstructions to make their Repentance harder still if not impossible to the trouble of our Government and the joy of Rome Some ambodextrous Pens like Mountebanks upon a Stage shall publickly wound and confute and presently heal and defend the Church of Rome as faithfully as any of her own Inquisitors and as safely as any of our own Authors by this double stile falling fiercely upon their first Deserters and such as begin to espy and loath any of its grosser Errours enough in time if not so carefully prevented and discourag'd to cause a general defection throughout the host because they are not perfect Protestants in a moment able to see and relinquish all her Corruptions at first waking And therefore the sincere Irish Clergy shall be rigorously chid for beginning an Orthodox Allegiance in disobedience to their Church and violation of their Oaths And the Jansenists for defending Catholick Doctrines with the like sincerity to Christ and dis-rellish to the Pope And the Distinguishers of the Church of Rome from its more corrupt Court as Pestiferous and rash beginners or some Ho-body Hoyes and no right Sons of the one Church or of the other against all Principles of Christian Charity which forbids to quench the smoaking Flax or break the bruised Reed as also against common humanity and
Conversion of the Isle of Man to the Brittish Culdees Usher 642. Man together in a miraculous manner which was his Christian retaliation to his enemies Whose reward is great with God and the greater by this that he hath the less of praise from men his very Adorers since his plantation was long obscur'd by a Romish Fog that still lasts upon it never ceasing to defame and traduce his Divine work with Superstitious descriptions and unworthy Legends though intended perhaps for Honour In 451. †Usher p. 978. Gildas Albanius born at Arcluit in Beda's time called Alcluid that is a Town upon the River Cluid now Dunbritton Inhabited then by the Brittains preach'd to and converted the North parts of Scotland beyond the Hills whether Ninias before had not reach'd And after him in 565. St. Columba of Irish Birth and Brittish Doctrine and Institution assisted by u Idem 540. Constantine Duke of Cornwall repenting of his Adulteries and Murthers upon the reproofs of Gildas Badonicus and taking orders perfected the Conversion of the Picts Serfus one of the Culdees and consequently of Brittish either Birth or Principle promoting the same work as far as the Orcades About the Year 560. St. Kentigerne y p. 686. Nephew to King Arthur and Founder of St. Asaph returned to his Bishoprick of Glasco and preached first the Gospel to the English though enemies permitted upon (f) Histor Brit. lib. 8. C. 9. M. Westm 489. submission and fealty under Octa and Ebusa Sons of Hengist newly conquer'd by Aurelius Ambrosius to live in that Brittish Territory between the Friths and the Wall where they suffer'd the Brittains before being worsted by them to reside upon like submission About 596 what by divisions among themselves what by great invasions by Gormond from Ireland as well as by the Saxons in their bowels what by a great and Epidemical Plague and Jaundize and the entrance of Monk Austin the greatest Plague of all two of their Candlesticks were removed Thadiock Arch-Bishop of the See of York and Theon of London being forc'd from their Sees and charge with the Clergy and Gentry from their Estates and Homes to retire for their safety into the parts of Wales and Cornwall and Ireland very probably none staying behind but the Peasantry at the Terms and for the conveniencies and interest of the conquerour York faring best of the two Sees for the Cambrian (m) Usher p. 1005. Kingdom or Cumberland called Valentia with Scotland or old Albany which formerly had been parcels of the See of York stood yet entire and safe under the Protection of their own Kings and Princes who were able to defend their Religion and Territories both from Pagan and Romish Encroachments about this time infesting them But in the See of London and the body of Lhoegr as the Brittains still call England the Inhabitants that remain'd behind Tributaries to the Saxon Conquerour were to retain their Faith between the heart and God after their Clergy were expell'd by the procurement of Rome as is to be suspected unless some lurked behind in cognitò as is usual for their comfort and assistance or the Pagan Conquerours as we shall see anon gave them toleration of Religion either by Grace or Articles as did Irmericus in Kent and Penda in Mercia and Kerdic in West Saxony c. whereof Bede takes little notice though he could not and doth not wholly conceale the passages But then as the loss of one sense adds strength to the other and the shutting of one eye enlarges the others Candle Ireland grew rich and famous upon this dispersion and accession of learned men into its Teritories for refuge whereby it became about this time the University as it were of these Western parts of Europe for the Christian Orthodox Religion and term'd Insula Sanctorum the Island of Saints whither recourse was made for Spiritual knowledge from all parts and Kingdoms and Wales and its Sees and Abbies was no less stock'd with choice of Able-men and particularly the famous Monastery of Bangor-is-y coed where we find about this time above two thousand learned Monks living together in a holy Fraternity all Subject to the Metropolitical See of St. David whither the Chair was removed from Caerleon by the Authority of King Arthur and a Synod about the year 521 These in 602 gave Augustine the Monk a meeting about Worcester where the pretended Supremacy of the Church of Rome with its superstitious Innovations were Synodically disclaimed and rejected Augustines design being to seize our Brittish Churches as it were by occupancy and to subject them to Rome under colour of Conversion For that their Sees were made too hot to hold Thadiock and Theon at the arrival of Augustine or not long before is some Argument that the Pagan fury was made to burn the fiercer with Roman-Catholick bellows and that the believing Brittains who needed not their Conversion must veil their Ancient Metropolitan Chair of St. David or Caerleon likewise to an upstart See of Romes erection as Austine expected this manifestly proves and discovers it was their Temporal Dominion and superiority which by them is call'd the Catholick Faith that was the chief aim of Rome by all Inhumane and Unchristian Arts to propagate here in Brittain And if we were constrained to submit in part and for a time to their yoke and superstition when the Crown in our Kings for a time was miss-led by their influence and were freed from the same yoke in H. 8. when the Crown was better rectified by Providence we stand as we were holding fast our Liberty with a better conscience than they could usurp it from us being now under no Tye or obligation to Rome either for our Faith or errours not for our first Faith which we never had from them nor for some latter superstitions which we restor'd back unto them continuing a right Church from first to last because when we were at the worst we were as Orthodox as themselves who corrupted us and recovering our clearness again from their forc'd mud and mixture we continue as well English as Brittains now mutually Incorporated to profess the same Faith which was planted here above sixteen hundred and odd years ago not only before Lutâ—er was born but before Rome it self had its Christian being SECTION VI. Brittain had not the Faith from Pope Eleutherius THe first point being thus clear'd It becomes as clear we had not our Faith from Pope Eleutherius by King Lucius and were the Epistle and the Persons contemporary it makes more against them than for them whereof the sum is this You desired of us to send you the Roman Laws which you would use in the Kingdom of Brittain we can never disallow Gods Laws but may Caesars You have lately by Divine mercy received the Law and Faith of Christ you have with you in the Kingdom both the New and Old Testament whence by the advice of your Peers and the Council of
your Kingdom you may select holy and blameless Laws which may be enacted and supported not by any Forreign but your own Authority who are Gods Vicar in your Kingdom and represent his power to your People But not a word about Lucius his Baptism or the Nations conversion which it rather plainly pre-supposes Nor was it unbeseeming in a first Christian King much less the forfeiture of the Liberties of his Brittish Church and Kingdom forever to ask the advice of Neighbouring Churches or such excellent Christians as the Popes of Rome in those times were about the settlement and Government of the Church in his Dominion and the answer and the event do shew there was no such danger for the Popes answer is Protestant and Orthodox that the King is Christs Vicar in his Kingdom and the head of the Church which he may well Govern with his own Authority without depending upon Forreign provided he took along the Law of God and the opinion of his sages for his Rule and help the advice to be theirs the Acts of Governing to be his own which with the present Church of Rome is unsound and Heretical Doctrine for it 's the Land that moves with some and not themselves when they are sailing from it And it appears by event the Popes did never intermeddle in the Government of this Church or State yea that they were such strangers to us all along to the time of Pope Gregory who sent Austine hither that by his questions and clinches about the English he met at Rome in the Market Angli Angeli Deira Dei ira King Elle Halelujah it appears whether we were Pagans or Christians here in Brittain he did not very well know but some Papists are grown willing of late to relinquish this part of their pretence and to allow this Epistle to be counterfeit because so contrary to their present Doctrines and seditious principles more than for the considerable reasons Sir H. Spelman layes down against it which Mr. Prynne takes upon him to disallow and answer to severally but the other part of the story though thus crack'd in credit that Lucius was Baptiz'd together with all the Land by Eleutherius his Emissaries must stand nevertheless which yet is wholly improbable and contrary to all sense and reason for the Brittish Church in Augustines time was found so uniformly unlike in all its rites and customs to the Roman if the Roman observations in the time of Augustine and Eleutherius were the same that one may easily believe that the fair Nothern Nations are so many Colonies of Blackamoores as believe Brittain to be regenerated by the Baptism of Rome to which Mother it held so little resemblance in any of its Ecclesiastical features For one of the main points in difference between the Brittains and Austine we find in Bede lib. 2. c. 2. was about their Ceremonies of Baptism then that known and lasting difference and contention about Easter and their abstinence on Wednesdays and Frydays not on Saturday as was and is observ'd at Rome against the sense and Custom of the Catholick Church there being as little Conformity between this Church and that in the heads and guides as well as the whole body of the People in the former rites Our Deacons varying from them in point of tonsure our Priests and Bishops in that of Marriage our Arch-Bishops in the Characteristicall Badge and livery of the Pall which these Churches never fetch'd or wore in token of compliance or dependance on that Church as shall be further proved in every particular out of their own or better Authors so that they may be justly ashamed as much of the Second part of this lye and pretence touching the Baptism of our King and Kingdom as they are of the first touching the Epistle where by the way it may be observ'd with abhorrence and detestation what unworthy Arts and Methods this holy Roman-Catholick Church makes no conscience to use to compass its Unchristian Ambition and Supremacy over Kingdoms and Nations where it can find the least colour or occasion what lyes they scruple not to Father upon all manner of men the living and the dead even on their best Popes and the Apostles and the Virgin Mary and Christ and God himself so their Carnals ends and Grandeur may be advanced thereby and what forgeries and falsehoods have they not foisted into all manner of books and Records and Histories to promote their Dominion hook or by crook particularly into our Brittish in the time of Ignorance and their Kingdom of darkness extending once to all parts and Persons Geoffrey of Monmouth affirming that that he did not compile but only Translate into Latine his History out of a Brittish Manuscript which Gualter Arch-Deacon of Oxford brought over hither from little Brittain whereas that Gualter attests likewise in the close of that very book that he Translated a A mysi Cualter Archiagon Rydychen a droes y Llyfr hwn or Lladin yn gymraâ—g I Walter Arch-Deacon of Oxford Translated this out of Latine into Welsh Histor Brittan Galfr'd Monm M. S. Cambro Brit. the same out of Latine into the Brittish tongue by which device the Enemies of the Glory of our Brittish Church and Nation have to the wrong of the first and to help on their vain Supremacy by any Art or shift shuffled in this passage touching Lucius into ours as the other touching Constantine into other Histories that both were Baptized by Popes Eleutherius and Silvester by all means because the one the first Christian King the other the first Christian Emperour and both brag 's equally true as likewise that Dubritius Arch-Bishop of Caerleon in King Arthurs time was Apostolicae sedis legatus not unlike another of their fictions of the Popes sending the Pall to St. Patrick to make him Arch-Bishop of Ireland under Rome though a Pall in Ireland was never heard off till the time b Cambrens Topograph Hiber C. 17. of Malachias Anno. 1152 and to the diminution of the Second clogg'd the Archievements of the great and Religious King Arthur with their unworthy Legends and Fables as with a designe that the one with the other might in time be of equal credit which hath induc'd some blind to lead the blind to believe there was no such King In so much that Buchanan well knowing and seeing the contrary in the Records of his own Nation could not forbear to make a digression on purpose to vindicate his name and story which in other c Ubbo Emmius Rer. frisic Hist lib. 3. Nations concerned in that History is acknowled'd as well as in the Scottish and our own in a just indignation against the underminers of the fame of so great a Hero d Buchanan Rer. Scotic lib. 5. Reg. 45. p. 151. But some light and occasion perhaps they had for their Monkish Invention in that very probably Lucius was Baptized by one from Rome viz. e Usher cap. 3. p. 31. seq Timotheus
Bede lib. 3. c. 25. Key upon him in-displeasure and shut him out of Heaven whereupon Bishop Colman Wilfrids Respondent and the third from Aidan being discountenanced in his tradition by the Kings revolt retired with most of his Brittish Disciples to Ynis-bo-find in Ireland the Authority of his other Doctrines being much weakened and several scandalized at this victory of confident Ignorance over godly sincerity So well do our Romanists agree with their predecessors in Titus c. 1. v. 9 10. vain talkers and deceivers who subvert whole Houses Churches for filthy Lucres sake The Brittish planters however had continued in the North 30 years Aidan 20 Finan 7 Colman 3 a sufficient time and space for the sowing of the everlasting Gospel amongst those Nothern English throughly which continued as to its substance amongst them from that time to this But it was not enough thus to wound the Brittish Church but they had breaches in their own to heal and make up their Roman Plantion was so decayed and extirpated even in Kent its last retreat and their successions and Ordinations so fully defeated and interrupted that as we had occasion often to observe there was but one Bishop in all the k Bed l. 3. c. 28. Isle of Brâ—â—tain then and he afterwards a Simonaick that was not of Brittish Ordination A full demonstration of the recovery of the whole Brittish Church from the Roman yoak at that time before Theodore's arrival to be Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Anno 668. And herein Bede's disingenuity appears out of wonted envy to the Brittains that he hath not discovered who consecrated these new English-Brittish-Bishops over all the land whether Aidan or Finan who were Metropolitans of York all the while though they us'd no Pall and chose their residence in Lindisfarn or Helyge or Holy Island as the learned l Usher c. 5. p. 78. Vsherâ— proves out of Stephanus Bedes Cotemporary in Wilfrids life or whether they were Consecrated by Ced at London the old Metropolitan See which Canterbury had for some time invaded Therefore a new consultation is now to be taken for Rome's revival in England Oswi being now fully of the Roman way and Egbert King of Kent m W. Malmesbury de Gestis Angl. c. 3. Bed lib. 3. c. 28. lib. 4. c. 1. advise together and send to Rome for help to procure an Archbishop thence for Canterbury to ordain other Bishops throughout the Land of a Roman Race and Stamp Wiggard is sent as was said and never returned Then Wilfrid after him who is ordained by Agilbertus Archbishop of Paris bred in Ireland as afore who making too long a stay The meek and humble Ceadda Brother of Ced is sent to Deus Dedit at Canterbury to take his Ordination such as it was being himself Ordained and Consecrated but by one Bishop as afore who being dead before Ceadda could arrive at Canterbury he is over-rul'd to go to Winchester to Bishop Wini who though of the Roman way but French takes two Brittish Bishops to joyn with him in the Consecration of Ceadda to be Archbishop of York n Bed lib. 3. c. 23. there being no other Roman Bishops left then in the land Therefore the Pope makes hast to raise the Tabernacle of the English-Roman-Church which was quite fallen to ground Adrian a Roman is pitch'd upon but refuses out of modesty but inward motives are as well discover'd by subsequent events as Italian pretences then Theodorus a Graecian of Tarsus St. Paul's City is pitch'd upon and Consecrated by Pope Vitalian which argued him to be wise in his Generation and design for all England receives and submits to him o Idem lib 4. c. 2. say our Histories and to none that came from Rome in like manner Eastern Theodore better suiting with the humour and hopes of the Brittish Chuâ—ch than Roman Adrian who comes to England nevertheless along with Theodore and is made Abbot of Reculver to be a Spy upon our Greek Archbishop lest he should comply too much with the Brittains who liked and used Greek Customs But Theodore forgets his own Church and Country which all men love for the sake of dignity and takes Roman Tonsure which occasioned his stay at Rome for some Months for the growing of the Hair on the forhead which the Greek Tonsure shav'd off and as it were to remove all suspition of his Inclination after Greek rites more than Roman becomes the fiercest persecutor of any other of our Brittish Customs and Ordinations sends for Ceadda before him questions him for his Consecration as unlawful because not from Rome But he meekly answers p Bed lib. 4. c. 2. Voce humillimà saith Bede si me inquit nosti Episcopatum non ritè suscepisse libenter ab Officio discedo quippe qui neque me unquam hoc esse dignum Arbritrabar sed obedientiae caus jussus subire hoc quamvis indignus consensi If you know saith he that I have not been made Bishop Arch-Bishop in right manner I am ready and willing to quit the Office for indeed I never judg'd my self worthy of it but out of meer obedience being commanded to under take it I yielded thereto though unworthy whereupon Theodore would not depose him but only complete his ordination after the Roman manner But Bede delivers not the truth therein for it s known to himself he was laid aside for this and q lib. 4. c. 3. Wilfrid put in his place to be Archbishop of York and he retir'd to his Monastery in the North from whence he was invited by Wolfer to be Jaruma's Successor at Lichfeild where a magnificent Church as likewise at Shrewsbury in the same Diocess bears his name and memory to this day But to observe the proportions of this Roman Reformation here pride overcomes humility and a slavish Forreigner turns an upright Native out of his Right and dignity by his holiness order and justice But Wilfrid was scarce warm in his seat but he was outed by Egfrid Oswi's Svccessor his Queen and the Clegy all joyning against him for his a G. Malmesb. de Gestis Pontific lib. 3. de Episc Eborac Spelm. Concil p. 157. avarice and pride and pompous retinue and pluralities of Abbeys and Gold and Silver Plate c. and Theodore his Creator joyning with the stronger side against him which shewed the root of his Apostacy and by what Lust and humour he was prevail'd upon by the Arts of Rome to trouble and subvert the Brittish Church and himself Heaven frowning upon this unhappy Revolution Anno 664. with Comets and total b Usher p. 1164. Bede lib. 4. c. 13.5 20. Eclipses and unheard of b Usher p. 1164. Bede lib. 4. c. 13.5 20. Plagues and Sickness and Famine 40 or 50. together b Usher p. 1164. Bede lib. 4. c. 13.5 20. tumbling themselves from Rockes into the Sea out of weariness of such a life And though Will. Malmesbury saith that England was c G.
confidence in their Cut-throate-fathers and are call'd to severe and sharp account for the errours of their teachers and their own yet most clear and undeniable it is that the People have a good zeal in General for the true God and Religion yea are more sincerely stedfast in their errours amidst poverty and torture and double Tithes and payments and death it self than many knowing Protestants are for the true Religion which they shrink from and change upon any appearance of advantage or disadvantage as often as the Moon he that is sincere and earnest in a false Religion aims at the true in the General and in his conscience But he that lives contrary or slights the Religion which himself professes and believes to be true declares himself of no Religion or understanding for contradiction added to Atheism is the Outlary of all reason and honour The Irish therefore are the more to be regarded and tender'd by us under their Ignorance and spiritual disorder because curable and not to be neglected for what wrong or temporal mischief soever they have done to us or themselves in the time of their blindness and seduction lest we be justly guilty of the unjust calumny against the Ancient Brittains towards the Saxons but we are to be zealous of their Reformation whether we be English or Brittains if English we are their debters their Learned and Pious Ancestors have done the like and more for many of ours whom they taught the first Gospel when they lay in Heathenish Ignorance and the shadow of death And much more if we are Ancient Brittains for our Ancestors taught theirs and love descends and it belongs to a Husbandman to be more careful of his plantation than to a stranger therefore we are bound to intreat and beseech them especially their Learned and sincere Clergy that love the Salvation of their charge more than absolute Dominion over them and their remaining afflicted Gentry and Nobility in the name of God and the bowels of Christ and that we may the better prevail even upon our knees before them that they will be merciful to their land and to their own souls and Posterity and as they have of late to some trouble own'd our Soveraign in Temporals that they would also own Christ in Spirituals instead of the Pope and holy Scriptures instead of lyes and Bulls and Legends and conscience more than deceitful guides and Popery will have its end in Ireland and the Ignorance and misery of that poor Nation in soul and body and Estates together with it as we hope and trust They are as able to overthrow the pretended Infallibility of the Pope in the latter and grosser errour as they have done effectually in the first And they 'l meet their old Religion which St. Patrick taught in the Protestant Church of Ireland and England Protestant truth and Irish sincerity will make excellent Christianity The Learned and Pious Dr. Sall is worthy of everlasting honour amongst all good Christians for his great and leading example in this point amidst great discouragements And as for some other of their guides who are like to be most cross and averse against this Petition of truth and love who if they are not fowly belyed delight in the Impliciâ— saith of their Female charge as well as their Male the chastity of the soul and body from God and purity being the chief sacrifice and triumph that Satan and his Ministers delight in we are not so desirous of their company or Communion till by better reformation they assure us of their belief of any God which we doubt not in the least of the rest of their seduc'd Brethren And by this second Instance appears the difference between the Religion of the Irish under its first Plantation by the Brittains and it s after Cultivation by the Romanists by the one they became the Glory of Western Christendom for Christian life and Learning by the other the reproach and scorn of the World and Pitty of all good men for their Ignorance and wildness And the English from the time of King Ina and the Brittains while under their Power till the Reformation were well nigh as much beholding to Rome for their like improvement in knowledge And Rome hath accomplish'd most of her Conquests over Churches and Souls by this mist of Ignorance to set off mistakes and cheats Adimit rebus nox atra colorem darkness destroys differences a Serpent shall be taken for a Rope a Pool for a Meadow a Statue for a living man an enemy for a Friend a King for a Subject in the dark And so the first currant mistake by the help of this politick Ignorance that hath advanc'd and supported the Empire and credit of that Church to this day is that they make their Proselytes believe that their Church is the same with Jerusalem wich is above descended down to Rome the Mother of us all the Church of the living God out of whose Pale or Bosome there is no Salvation to be expected For so all degrees and Converts to that Church by the Bull or Test of Pius quartus must profess and swear the Holy Catholick Church in Heaven and Earth mention'd in Creeds to be their particular Roman Church which begets it great Authority and veneration from those which can believe this to be true and heretofore brought great resort and Treasure and Honour to that City several Kings and Princes leaving their Crowns and Kingdoms to end their dayes at Rome as it were in Heaven or Abraham's bosom So Bede saith of a Bede lib. 4. c. 5. Oswi that he was grown so perfect a Catholick that had not his Disease prevented he resolved to go to Rome to leave his Bones there to be sure of Heaven Which the Monkish corrupter of the Brittish History directly affirms of Cadwaladr last King of the Brittains the absurdity of which dream and forgery tending to exalt the Honour of Rome and the abuse of our Saints and worthies most evidently appears by comparing Bede and Geoffrey of Monmouth together For he with all others allows Cadwaladr to be the Son of Cedwalla or Cadwalhan King Edwins Chrony and Antagonist born the same day and brought up b Hist Britt l. 12 c. 1. in the Court of Northwales to years of manhood together That Edwin recovering Northumberland by the defeat and death of Edelfred after long exile and falling out with Cadwalhan who would not allow him to wear a Crown beyond Humber but at peril of his head and then siding with the Roman faction conquer'd Wales and drove out Cadwalhan beyond the Seas holding the Countrey in subjection for 17 years but was overthrown at last and kill'd by Cadwalhan in the year 633. being the 47 year of his Age c Bede l. 2. c. 20. saith Bede as Cadwalhan was of the same Age by consequence and Cadwaladr his Son born and in being about this time or else according to Bede he never could be born For according to
him in the following year 634. Calwalhan is kill'd by d Idem l. 3. c. 1. Oswald or though he lived many years after according to Geoffrey and M. Westminster as before yet according to them also his Son Cadwaladr lived not beyond the year 688. whereof the last eight are supposed to be spent in Rome out of his great devotion to that place and Church and whence his bones were to be brought back when the Brittains were to recover their Ancient Rule over this whole Isle But others will have him to go to Rome sooner in the time of the great Plague whâ—ch fell out in the year 664. saith Bede and if he lived 8 years longer to die in 672. But had he lived to an 100 years of Age or more if possible to the year 731. being the year Bede e Idem l. 5. c. 24. pen'd his History yet it is not to be believed that Cadwaladr went to Rome in all that time or that he or his Countrey-men had any more respect then for the Religion of Rome than for Heathenism For Bede expresly affirms the Brittains to have continued their enmity to Rome to the time he was f Ibid. writing his History and as appears elsewhere much longer For whereas the Irish and the Picts and Monastery of Hy it self were reduced sooner Anno 716. g Usher 702. by Egbert to conform to Rome in the Controversy about Easter and other Rites by Consequence yet the Brittains saith Bede never would yield nor did in all his time who long surviv'd Cadwaladr whom for their obstinacy in refusing the Roman Tonsure and the other Rites of Rome he stiles h Bede l. 5.23 Capita sine Coronâ heads without Crownes a signe they were not Block-heads without Brains to be so imposed upon by Rome as he and others were Now to reconcile this pilgrimage of honour and devotion with that contempt and enmity that was in all our Brittains towards them of Rome who were but as Church Robbers and Murderers and Schismaticks i Idem l 2. c. 20. Conc. Sardyc can 1. 2. and Pagans in their sight the same time passes any ordinary skill without the help of a strong implicit Faith that can swallow and believe Contradictions The Brittains and all sound Christians measur'd Religion not by the Sanctity of places but the purity of the heart and mind And good lives and examples wheresoever they were met Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt change of Air doth not change the mind St. Paul best tells what will change the mind if it be set on things above and not on things below Col. 3.2 on God and not on the World which is done by Heavenliness of mind and constant hearty Prayer and sincerity to God in all our Actions This was Davids Art to lift his Soul to Heaven Psal 25.1 That was by the means of Prayer saith the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the place And Prayer without the heart is no Prayer but as a body without the Soul which is their prime devotion at Rome whereby distance from Cod is professed as it were on purpose for by the exclusion of the heart and understanding they come not near him when they pray and if they are far from God in that means which sets other men nearest how far must they be from Heaven at Rome in the rest of their Actions that are not so Divine The next Imposture on men and Churches and Princes by the help of Ignorance is not unlike the former whereby the man arrogantly passes for his Master the pretended Vicar of Christ for Christ himself or more the lusts of the Pope for the Laws of God and Material Churches and their Rights and Revenues are the same with the Spiritual Church and Temple where none are to be concern'd but the Priesthood and none are Priests but the Pope alone or those that have their Mission from him And therefore when our Princes insisted upon any Ecclesiastical Right or Investiture of Bishopricks they were scar'd with his Holiness Letters k Eadmer Hist Nov. l. 3. p. 50. minding them to know the right difference between a Pallace and a Church And no wonder their Impostures and encroachments prevail'd so much being carried on jure divino and people kept in Ignorance and not suffered to espy any difference between the will and displeasure of the Pope and the will and displeasure of God Almighty And who could withstand him that had the Authority and power of God and Christ for all he did Though he had not them in truth yet having them in the opinion or the belief and fear of the parties deceived it was equivalent And so they rob'd our English Kings of their Prerogatives and well nigh of their Crownes and made them their Instruments to wrest their Sees and Churches from the Brittains It sometimes falling out between these great Combatants the Pope and the Prince as between two Cockes in fight whereof the one having blinded the other never ceases pecking at his Crown and brains till he receive from him an unexpected fatal blow raising himself up thereto by the hold and wrong of his Adversary such were our Statutes of Premunire Mortmain and Provisors wherewith Rome had been long before stagger'd before Henry the Eight appearâ—d to clear the pit This counterfeiting and changing of Heaven and Earth and Christ and man and Scripture and Craft to compass wordly ends and designs much resembles their evil Art who counterfeit the coyns and great Seals of Princes for the like ill purposes if high Treason against man with high Treason against God might so much as be compared And so I pass to the fift general head and supposition delaying the proofs of the nullities of the Church of Rome in her orders and Communion for her Intrusion here to its proper place SECTION XII The change in Henry the Eight rather a Restoration than Reformation and how commencing in Henry the Seventh and of the Inauspiciousness of Popery to the Brittish Crown and the success and blessing of Protestant Counsels to this Nation THat King Henry the eighth his relief and redress both of Crown and Church from Popish Usurpation and Enchroachment was just and providential and likewise Brittish and that the Prosperity and glory of this Nation is remarkably pointed out by the finger of God to any that will attend to ly and consist in the pursuite of the like defence and vindication of our Brittish Church from the attempts of Rome wherein I intend not to be so large as upon the former heads or to take upon me the defence of the Ecclesiastical rights of our Crown which is fully done by abler Pens And indeed our Kings themselves are best able to defend themselves as well as others in their Rights with that Sword which was not given them to bear in vain which they can draw out with a far safer conscience against the Invaders of their Prerogatives and power
29. Usher p. 69. Paulinus for York and to r Bede l. 1. c. 28 29. Usher p. 69. Siagrius of Augustodunum or Autun advancing his Seat thereby to be next in Dignity to Lyons And in like manner to several other with Canting Epistles touching their use and the Office of them that are exalted to wear them at proper seasons The first conditions that attend it were 1. It was to be given to none but first upon the score of Å¿ Greg. lib. 7 Epist 5. c. 5. Epist 114. high merit 2. Nor without great t Ibid. entreaty 3. And without u Ibid. Platina in Leone secundo all Fee which last came to be dispens'd with after it was well rung into credit by other Arts and divine additional definitions of it that it was taken from x Pontif. Rom. Clem. p. 8. 86. off the body of St. Peter having vertue in it y Innocentius â—tius de Officio misse l. 1. c. 51. Pontif Rom. Ibid. to give plenitude of Archiepiscopal power to the wearer And by this time lest the cheapness should bring it into contempt it was not parted with but for a great and round sum and an Oath z Antiq Eccl. in Deneo p. 302. of Allegiance and particular fidelity to the Pope and to be a Pontif. Rom p. 89. buried with every Archbishop and purchas'd b Gratian distinct 100 a new within three Months upon pain of suspension and deprivation Thomas c Eadmer Histor Nov. lib. 4. p. 98. Archbishop of York half broak himself in the time of Henry the first to gain it to have his will against the Archbishop of Canterbury Walâ—er Grey d Math. Paris 1215. p. 463. Bishop of Worcester laid down 10000 l. Sterling now 30000 l. to be translated by it to the See of York The Bishops of Mentz e Fox Acts and Mon. vol. 1. p. 223. used to purchase it at 1000. then 20000 25000 and 27000 Florens Our Archbishops of Canterbury and York came at last to a certainty of f Godwin Catalog p. 133. 5000 Duckets and the rest of the Bishops to a known proportion for their Investitutes which in 40 years compass were computed in Henry the 8th's time g Antiquitates Ecclesiasticae p. 326. to amount to one hundred and sixty thousand pounds Sterling Now this last Title by Pall the Ancient Brittish Church never heeded as appears by Pope Gregory's Confession upon search of his h Bede 1. 28. Registers before and therefore that allegation in i Girald Cambrens Itinerarium Cambr. lib. 2. c. 1. Cambrensis and Hoveden of 25 Archbishops of St. Davids who succeeded St. David and used a Pall till Sampson who carried it to Dole is inconsistent with that utter enmity that continued some hundreds of years between the Romish and the Brittish Church unless as the Learned Vsher k Usher p. 74 75. proves it be understood of Sampson of York that went over to Dole as Pope Innâ—cent himself could tell k Usher p. 74 75. and not of Sampson of St. David who might have had a Pall remaining at York from the guift of Emperours as usual and not of the Pope whose Supremacy here was not then acknowledg'd Neither were our Metropolitans the less Metropolitans for the want of the Roman Pall for they had all other requisites saving l that one which is sufficient and the rather because they were as Perfect Metropolitan Bishops as the Pope himself before the time of Pope Marcus who first us'd a Pall because upon the Summons of Constantine the great they Sate as Archbishops and were so allowed of by the great Council of Arles and by Pope Sylvester himself or his Deputies who made no exceptions then against their dignities and sitting as we can read or hear of which was several years before the time of Pope Marcus the first Founder of the Pall And therefore their Metropolitan rights which were firm and valid so long before in the esteem of those two great powers who were able to create and abrogate such dignities Emperours and great Councils could not be infring'd in after Ages for want of that suspicious new mark and Livery Apoc. 13.16 17. that was to be far fought and dear bought and after all impertinent and Insignificant for the Brittains had not Faith or Brains to believe all the Lyes and false suppositions that are required to support the Credit and Veneration of this Pall. 1. That it was taken from off the body of St. Peter as is alledg'd by the Pope m Antiq. Eccl. 302. in Deneo or his Deputy for him at the Altar that being moulder'd into dust and ashes so long time agoe Nor 2. that his dead body were it in visible being could by this contact communicate such sanctity and authority to a patch of Wollen Cloth 3. That this Cloth sanctified by such Contact can alone conveigh to Archbishops their lawful power of Ordination and the rest of their Archiepiscopal Authority 4. That it cannot invest the Successor with the same power but by a Canonical Flannel Act must be buried out of the way as useless For a touch of a Loadstone serves to attract many needles one after another and the Father's Cloak may serve his Child or some poor body after his death 5. n Pontific Rom p. 68. That all Consecrations of men and Sacraments are void and useless without this ragge upon which the Authority of the Archbishop depends as the Ordinations of Ministers and Bishops upon the Authority of the Archbishop and all their lawful Consecrations of Sacraments upon the Authority and validity of their Ordinations Nor 6. That the Primitive Church for the first three hundred or five hundred years was no Church and had no lawful Governours nor Metropolitans nor Bishops nor Ministers either to Ordain or Consecrate Successors or to Preach the Word or to administer Sacraments with a right Calling because they had not this Roman Pall. All these fundamental points of the new Roman-Catholick Faith could not go down with our Orthodox and sober Ancestors But since the Church with them at Rome hath got new marks and definitions and Palls and Fees are now its measures aâ—â—Touchstones instead of Christ and the Heart This Controversy is now reducible to a narrower compass to a Dilemma and a short Issue The Dilemma this The Brittish Churches and their Metropolitical Sees and Authorities upon Monk Augustâ—â—â—'s Arrival hither were for want of Palls which 〈◊〉 implyed against them by Pope Gregory either all null and void and vacant or not If the latter then Pope Gregory and Augustine his Missionary were manifest Schismaticks and worse as shall be furher shewed for Invading Sees and Consecrating and Ordaining Ministers and Bishops in other 〈◊〉 Dioceses against their wills and rights and the Canons of the universal Church But if the former be true that they were no Churches of Christ nor lawful Sees nor Metropolitans whatever was
half a word spoaken to any of our Gracious Princes by our Reverend Bishops in behalf of a long oppressed Church would make Wales also a full sharer in the Common liberty and benefit of the Reformation They being the first sufferers in Europe for their early opposition against the Supremacy and Superstitions of Rome several hundreds of years before Martyn Luther was born or heard off and therefore more fit to be considered notwithstanding former enmities who ever was in fault in a Protestant Church and a Polite and curious Nation that hath a fam'd regard for Antiquity in stones and marbles The visible and distinct Remnant of the Ancient Brittains in Wales whom Rome hath endeavoured these 1000 years to suppress and destroy in their fortunes and faith and fame and value and love with several of the English being the most Ancient standing and living Monument and Record against Popery in this our Western World Must that Ancient leaven that gain is godliness and Superiority hook or by crook over Ancienter Churches be retained with scandall for ever in the best of Reformed Churches Is there none that will speak but for themselves none against themselves and purse and pride for conscience Justice and the interest of Protestantism And yet I believe the Brittish Church had rather rest in Patience as they are than arrive at any deliverance or redress or liberty by any means unpeaceable or unamicable much less indirect Neither can their rights and Priviledges be further withheld from them without deserving and Incurring the Censures and Anathemaes of General Councils manifest and unanimous in their defence which if they are not to be regarded wherefore are they Read or Printed and not without some defiling approbation of a most unrighteous and an unconscionable Popish Sentence past against them and their Successors without cause and with as little colour against all faith and Truth and promise of Protection leaving them in the Lurch in the midst of their trust and submission against the use and Custom and Instinct and honour of all Patrons and Creatures whatsoever but his Holiness alone Withall hard usage is more tolerable from an Enemy than from a friend and from the corrupt Roman Church where tyrannical and ambitious principles are so openly professed and own'd than from a neighbouring Orthodox Church of Christ who suck'd the breasts of the Brittish or others at least who had been nurs'd and nourished by her Milk Neither was it the Intention or practice of the Roman Court that Churches should remain concluded for ever by any of its Sentences whether just or unjust as appears in the frequent contests heretofore between the Arch-Bishops of York and Canterbury for Primacy where after both parties were well spunged and squeezed by decrees and Sentences for each the right of precedency reverted after all where it ran before in its former Channell If a Pope predecessor exempted York from Canterbury upon a considerable feeling The Next Pope his Successor who had no share in that Boon is troubled in Conscience if well illuminated by a splendid present from the adverse side till Canterbury were righted and the Ghost of Austin appeas'd At last this Controversy was referr'd by the Pope to the pleasure and decision of our own Kings whose Original right to judge of this Cause was now remarkably estabished in the Crown by this concession and president from what motive soever it proceeded for it thwarted two of their chiefest fundamentalls their Profit and their Incommunicable Judicature of Church matters which they seldom quit where they have either cowardly or credulous Kings to deal with And so we find that the wise and valiant King Edward the third put an everlasting period to that Controversy under his great a Sr. Roger Twisden Histor Vindicat. p. 21 22. Seal As any of his Protestant Successors being better enlightned and Brittishly allyed may give due redress to the Ancient See of St. David in like manner if they please and also unite Canterbury to London as it was ever at first The Extinction of great and Ancient Sees being Sacriledge but their Translation from that place to this the undoubted right of Princes which is the third point That the Protestant Constitution and Confirmation of the Primacy of Canterbury is according to the b Photii Nomocanon Tit. 1. c. 20. Concil Eph. Can. 8. Concil in Trullo Can. 38. Concil Chalced. Can. 12. 17. Canons of the Universal Church as well as the Law of this Land which is sufficiently cleared before and hereafter and more at large and irrefragably by several great Writers of our Church particularly Dr. Hammond and Archbishop Bramhall to whom they are referred who have a mind to meet more Instances and Presidents on this point And our Romanists of any men should not except or regret at the Constitution of our chief Chairs by the Authority of our lawful and Brittish Kings whose first power and footing here was by the aid and assistance of Conquerours and Invaders to the wrong of this Church For though the Pope first pointed out London who had the same right to dispose of the Crown as of the Chaire yet the Influence of King Ethelbert settled the Primacy at Canterbury as some of the Norman Kings wrested that of St. David to it by meer force and power If therefore they believe in behalf of themselves that Kings may constitute or translate Metropolitan Sees against old Right and Canons much more may they do the same with Right and Canons of their side For lawful Kings in their own Territories succeed in that power which was given or restor'd by General Councils to Christian Emperours to make what Alteration and translations of Sees and Primacies as they should see cause The Emperours and Metropolitans both agreeing and consenting that before any new Metropolitan See should be alter'd that the Mother Church should be satisfied and understand from his Majesty under his hand that he was not surpriz'd or sollicited or misled by others in what he did as well might be the Case of Canterbury in its Confirmation by our English Kings in the darkness of Popery before the Reformation but that he did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his own accord and choice and for a just and convenient cause either out of respect to the Dignity of the new place or City or out of particular honour to the personal vertue and merits of its present Prelate or for some publick benefit and advantage to the Church in general as Balsamon Notes on the 38 Canon of the General Council in Trullo whereby it appears that it is still in the power and Authority of the Kings of Great Brittain to settle continue or translate this Primacy by their Laws to what place they please and to restore the same to London where it formerly was if by any just cause they shall be mov'd thereunto Either 1. out of respect to the 6th Canon of the great and venerable Council of
Nice upon which the Rights of London stood founded when they were Schismatically Invaded by a high hand from Rome and for many years wrongfully detain'd and usurp'd Or 2. to cut off all pretence and colour of subjection or dependance of this Church upon Rome and all occasion of stumbling to the weak Sons of the Church of England and Ignorant in History who are misled to believe that Rome is the Mother Church of Brittain because it was undoubtedly of Canterbury which is now the reputed Mother Church of all England And by consequence that our Reformation was Schismatical and scandalous the Daughter judging and rejecting the Mother the Inferiour the Superiour and of ill consequence to be approved by Princes Whereas Rome Originally never came to be a Mother to our Brittain so much as in pretence but only by Schisme and incroachment most fit and just to be remedied by Princes in discountenance of wrong and disobedience Because 3. The Learned of the Church of Rome dayly hit our Prelates of that See in the Teeth and the Unlearned likewise harbour evil opinions and surmises concerning them and forbear not to vent and utter them as if they were Vngrateful and Parricidial in their Actings against their first Founder and Maintainer whereby some of themselves also might be discourag'd and cool'd in their zeal against the Romish Vsurpation to which their honour'd predecessors owed Allegiance Whereas Augustine the first founder had his maintenance and dignity and ways of acquisitions from the Brittish See of London whereof Canterbury is parcel or the same and owed Canonical obedience and the rights and fortunes of his Successors to the Brittish Church to whom they are ultimately to refund if these are to refund to them as to the right and first owners Because 4. it would be a great strength and but a due and just vindication of Protestantism or the Apostolical Ancient Brittish Church after such long abuse and wrongful suffering by Rome and a New face and reviving glory to old Brittain to recover its Pristine right and condition in Church as well as State and Name and worthy of a share in those Solemn Consultations appointed as it were by providential instinct for its further Union in Laws and Government to the everlasting honour of that Prince in whose Reign it should be recorded to be accomplished Or 6. to make our chief See in Brittain hold some better proportion with the like in Neigbouring Kingdoms as Remes or Toledo whom in Universities and Colledge Endowments we far exceed to our Glory to be a fit preferment for some of our Princes or chiefest Nobles hereafter for the great support of the Church Or at least 7. that the name and memory of Monk Augustin the first Author of this disorder by his Infamous Schisms and murders which Reign'd so many hundreds of years in such glory under the darkness of Popery should set at last in due obscurity under the Sun-shine of Protestantism Which considerations are recounted not out of any design or desire of Innovation though into a Pristine right or to restore the bone into its due place with pain and danger that hath been so long out of joynt and well serves for use though not rightly set Though the whole design and plea of the Church of Rome be that a bone rightly set and settled and fully useful ought to be dislocated to the hazard and cripling of the whole to be in the wrong posture it once was for a time for their advantage and benefit But to solve scruples and unravel scandals and pluck up all misapprehensions by the roots whereby any might be deluded by any pretences of Equity or conscience or filial Reverence for a Mother-Church into a favourable opinion of Romish slavery Or if any be prick'd in conscience for the wrong done to Rome at the Reformation let the same prick reach to the wrong done before to Brittain by Romes Schismatical Invasion which no prescription of time or years could give right to and then all will be in right order as at first they were and ought to be and the first right owners shall have their due and old Trepassers their censure and rejection yea as by good providence they now are and stand for it ought to be well known and understood that the See of Canterbury as it stands Established is not a Roman but a Brittish See and consequently Exempt from all Romish Superiority or dependance by an Original Birth-right and Immunity and therefore forbiden by our Laws and Synods to use or wear any Pall or Liâ—â—â—y or Legatine power of Rome's bestowing and settled by our Brittish Soveraigns in Christ-Church Canterbury as effectually and Canonically as at St. Pauls in London which all Christians of Brittain whether of Protestant or Catholick stamp and Character may now with a safe and good conscience pay due submission and obedience to as they ought without Schism or scandal or forfeiture of their Christian Dignities and Orders and Communion by the Canons of the Universal Church hereafter to be recited which before they could not For though Schism be objected by the Romanists to the Episcopals as by the Episcopals to the Presbyterians and Non-conformists yet the Pope in Brittain and his Romish Convâ—â—â—clâ—s set up by craft or â—iolence over our Churches which lay out of his Jurisdiction ever were the Original Schismaticks and the first Patterns and ill examples of disobedience against Right Superiours against so many good Laws of the Catholick Church that do Excommunicate and depose them for it And nothing in all likelyhood hath or doth more foment and châ—â—ish our remaining divisions in the Land and Sâ—â—â—s in the Church than Jealousie of Popery and it spâ—â—ted hankerings and designs to reduce men again under the old yoak of Rome so much dâ—restâ—â— and justly abhorr'd by the whole Nation If All in Trust and Eminency could fully satisfie men's fears and Suspitions of their unfeigned adherence under God and the King to their Brittish Mother-Church in opposition and detestation of all Forreign Corrivals for Superiority It were strange and justly unexpected if all parties throughout this miserably divided Nation would not soon joyn hearts and hands and Church-meetings with one another in an entire and indissolvable Union and Brotherhood to the Infinite joy and happiness of Prince and People SECTION XIV That the Primacy of Canterbury as by the Pope and Monk Augustine is Schismatical and against the Canons of the Vniversal Church and of the several Nullities of the Church of Rome in England And how their Clergy Intruding here stand depriv'd of their Orders by the Canons of all the Ancient General Councils and their Laity that abet them of their Christian Communion by the same Authority BUt the Supremacy of the See of Canterbury by the Popes Authority alone as our Romanists would have it without the Authority of the Kings of England is Infamously Schismatical and irregular and against the Canons of the universal
either in Scripture or Ancient Fathers or Councils is it express'd that the Pope of Rome is this Chief that all Churches and Provinces are Bound to know and own for such for then this controversy of Supremacy were decided past all further dispute But what Metropolitan or Patriarch then is recommended to us in Scripture or Tradition to know and obey for such My Text and the 34 Canon of the Apostles answers this Question and resolves us whom we are to look upon as our chief both in Heaven and Earth For Christ is that Invisible Chief in Heaven we are to know and serve in all we do from the heart And on Earth the Primate of every Province and not the Pope over all was Him that all Christians in the Ancient and truly Catholick Church were bound to Know and own and obey as their head before Magistrates became Christians And the Pope of Rome is there quite forgot and not mention'd in the lest and at such a time as his Authority and Supremacy had been by all means to be salv'd or heeded if it had been then but a point of any right or order in the belief of the Apostolical Church which is now so great a point of Faith in the Roman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Bishops of every particular Nation ought to Know Him who is Chief amongst themselves and to count Him as their Head And to do nothing beyond their particular concern and duty without Him nor he either to do any thing without the advice of them all for so peace and concord shall be attain'd and preserv'd and God shall be glorified Whereby is evident that the Primitive Ecclesiastical state of Christendom was as its present civil is Aristocratical and not Monarchical where several Provinces had their several Bishops or Primates for their Ecclesiastical Princes As now-a-dayes several Kingdoms are under their own several Kings and States and no one Prince Supream or as a civil Imperial Pope over all the rest But in comparison of one another all were equals and unsubordinate to one another as to power and subjection though not to order and precedency And in their own Territories Monarchical or supream within themselves And if the State of the Church was so and so to be preserv'd by this Canon although the state civil was different and Monarchical all Christian Kingdoms and Provinces being then under one Emperour as he that hath read St. Cyprian or St. Hierome can make but little doubt what reason is there that the State Civil and Sacred being now equally Aristocratical the harmony should be dissolv'd and all should become slaves against right and Laws and Canons to please the Pride and sin of one He that drives at an Universal Monarchy is and ought to be taken by every Prince and State as a publick enemy The reason is the same in Church as well as State Yea there is president for Universal Monarchy in States but none in the external Church but only Prophecyes and warnings of Antichrist that should be such Now for Rome to be Soveraign as she pretends and every Metropolitan Church to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Chief and unsubordinate within its own Province according to right and Ancient customes is a manifest contradiction and inconsistency Both cannot be true together but the last was proved to be most true by as great a testimony and suffrage as Earth can afford the consent of several General Councils the greatest that ever met and in the best and purest times And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per omnia autem manifestum est This is universally manifest is the manner of wording of this point in this Canon as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manifestum namque est quod per singulas quasque Provincias in the other like unto it both in the Originals and their own Roman Translations Therefore if the one be so manifestly true the other of Rome's Supremacy is as manifestly false Let them shift off the consequence of Antichristianism as they can Yet Baronius a Spondanus An. 325. n. 32. would prove the Supremacy of Rome out of this very Canon as what will they not venter before they 'l part with their chiefest Idol but his offers are meer Cavil and Petitio Principii or begging of the Question contrary to the context and the design of this great Council and contrary also to the text in whole and in part The design being to strengthen the Authority of the Bishop of Alexandria against Meletius and Arrius who ordain'd Bishops for themselves within his Province against his will and consent which Consecrations were as Schismatical being done against his License in Egypt as the like were if done at Rome or Italy against the Authority of the Pope Both of Ancient custom having the like Authority within their proper Province and the Foundation of the Decree being the equality of Alexandria with Rome as likewise with Antioch in this respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where equality is suppos'd its absurd to imagine the same in the same respect to be subject and supream for that were inequality and contradiction Besides the union and strength of the Churches Government and Discipline that whosoever is excommunicate in one Province should stand so with all the rest is not grounded upon the necessary Dominion of One over all the rest which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Popery and one of its Master errours against the mind of our Saviour and the known state of the Primitive Church and the union and the peace of all Christendom but upon the Brotherly love and communion suppos'd amongst all Christian Churches in the 5th Canon of Nice wherein appears the difference between Ecclesiastical and Civil Polities of those times and this The Laws and Sentences of these being of force only within their own Territories by right of Empire but of those every where without through the bond and union of love And they at Rome bound to observe the decrees of their neighbouring Churches as well as these of It which imports mutual subjection to one another by mutual humility and excludes the proud conceit of Soveraignty in any one over the whole The whole Church in this respect being as one Province by the fiction of love and unity which in other respects was several and distinct by local limits as before One not by the dominion and supremacy of any one over all the rest which is the Carnal aime and Antichristian Tyranny of Rome but by the submission of all the parts to the Interest of the whole which is right Christian liberty and the harmonious Communion of Saints The act and deed of one being as the act and deed of all where the publick weal of the Church of Christ was concern'd And the ambitious swelling Supremacy of Rome is as much contrary to the Text of this Canon both in whole and in its parts as it was to the connexion and
want that make it their blind study and zeal to enslave this Ancient free Church and Nation with their own Souls and judgments and likewise their posterity to a titular degenerate Church that stands depos'd and Excommunicate in all their Clergy and Laity for disobedience to Christian Laws by all the general Councils that have met both the best and worst by 1. Nicenum Concilium Can. 6. Anno Christi 325. 2. Constantinopol 1 um Can. 2. Anno Christi 381. 3. Ephesinum Can. 8. Anno Christi 431. 4. Chalcedonense Can. 12. Anno Christi 451. 5. 6. Quini-sextum in Trullo Can. 55. Anno Christi 681. 7. Nicenum secundum Can. 3. Anno Christi 788. 8. Constantinople 4 tum Can. 1 12. Anno Christi 871. Besides Nullities from Invasion which the true Catholick Church of Christ in all Ages hath so much abhorr'd The Roman-Catholick Church in England hath several Nullities in the Ordinations of her chief Clergy all along had their entrance been Caanonical and with Invitation Not to mention Monk Augustine's own Ordination the first pretended Archbishop which against so many Councils he went over Seas to receive from the hands of Etherius Bishop of Arles by the order of his Pope when there were Bishops enough in Brittain who had right to do it and without whom the Ordination was invalid and of no effect by the Canons as well as his whole clerical degree and all his Christian capacity was under disability by his Intrusion unless c Concil Arelat Can. 2. he had remain'd in France in the Province wherein he was Ordain'd Therefore Mellitus and Justus whom he ordain'd alone the one for London the other for Rochester were no Bishops in Law because ordain'd by him that was none himself and by him d Concil Arelat Can. 20. alone without other Bishops to assist which was also against the Canons as shall further appear Laurentius his Ordination the next Archbishop of Canterbury after Augustine was null and void several wayes because Ordain'd by Augustine himself for his Successor in his life-time which Act of his was contrariant to the 23th Canon of the Council of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That a Bishop ought not to ordain and constitute his own Successor after him in his life-time for if any such thing be done such Act or constitution is void and null but let him rather observe the Laws of the Church which prescribes such promotion to be no otherwise legally made but by a Synod and the suffrages of Bishops who after the death of the Predecessor have power and Authority to chuse for successor him they shall esteem most worthy The 76 Canon of the Apostles is interpreted by Scholiasts to the same effect And this Act was the more inexcusable in our Puny Augustine because the great St. Augustine to whom it was a grief to be chosen Bishop of Hippo in the life-time of his Predecessor through Inadvertence or Ignorance of the Canon had provided a Canon in the Council of Carthage confirm'd afterwards in a general Council that the Decrees of Councils should be read at all Ordinations for the future to prevent the like Inconvenience It was likewise void because done by Augustine who himself was no lawful Archbishop and also done by him alone which was a further Illegality as before Neither could Mellitus who was no Bishop because ordain'd by Augustine be a lawful Archbishop in the third place nor Justus in the fourth by the same reason nor Paulinus Archbishop of York because ordain'd by Justus Nor Honorius a fift Archbishop of Canterbury because Ordain'd by Paulinus nor Felix Bishop of the East-Angels if Ordained by Honorius which is an Additional Argument for the ascribing of the Conversion of that Province to Brittish Ministry Thus having prov'd the Ordinations of such Archbishops of Canterbury as were Italians to be nul and void which was the first foundation of the Romish-Catholick Faith in England Adeodatus the 6th Arch-Bishop who was an English-man but not of the Brittish or Oswaldian Northern Ordination which was the same but of the Romish being Ordain'd by one single Bishop Ithamar Bishop bf Rochester as before because there were no more left of the Roman way throughout the Isle his Ordination was also void as well as the rest by several Canons of the Church whereof I shall recite a few in such Order as shall give a further sight and prospect of the Government and Ordinations of the first Primitive Church followed by no Church more exactly than by our own Ancient Brittish the first Canon shall be the fift of Sardyca by which it appears a Bishop was to be chosen by the People and all the Bishops of the same Province meeting Synodically and what care is there taken least any one should be unsummoned or unacquainted with an Ordination that was to ensue as if all were void if any one were neglected or passed by And the description 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a lawful Synod for such a purpose in the 16 Canon of Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so to be understood that then and there a Synod is Right and Perfect were the Metropolitan himself is present as well as the rest of his Brethren For neither were to Act without the other by the 34 Canon of the Apostles before Cited which Orders the Bishops of every Nation to know their Metropolitan and Chief on the one hand and to esteem him as their head or their Ecclesiastical Prince And on the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that the Metropolitan should do nothing without their advice and liking for so Concord and Unanimity should be Established and God should be glorified through Christ in the Holy Spirit Which is all comprizâ—d in the 4th Canon of Nice A Bishop ought to be Ordain'd by all the Bishops of his Province if it be possible but if this be Impracticable through some urgent necessity or two great distance of place there must certainly be three Bishops at the least gather'd together at the place and they to have the Proxies of those that are absent and so to Proceed to Ordination but the Confirmation of the Elect must ever belong in every Province to the Metropolitan By which is understood the Right Original meaning of the first Canon of the Apostles generally practiz'd at this day whereby a Bishop is to be Ordain'd by two or three Bishops And that Originally Bishops were to be Chosen and Consecrated and Confirm'd by the whole Communalty of their Province as well Lay as Clergy as is evident out of Cyprian and the 13 Canon of Laodicea which altered that custom and is acknowledged by the Scholiast upon this Canon and by the Principal parts of the Community which answer to the whole and by the King and Head of the Community which represents them all so our Brittish Bishops were chosen in a Synod saith Cambrensis and we have shewed before that our Metropolitans were David by King Arthur Dubritius
blessed Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and Divine Truths to the contrary reproached as Heresies and all wayes and Arts yea fire and faggot us'd to â—ar them out least their slaves and captives should be undeceived and set free by them and so become unmanageable whereby their Conquest over Souls shall be at peace and the misery and slavery of mens immortal Spirits turn to account and the enriching of their Holy Church A provocation against Heaven of long continuance enough to raise new Goths and Vâ—â—â—â—â—s against their Church and State but that the prosperity it enjoyes is a greater plague and desolation than the Sword can bring The Spiritual servitude of the Soul under Idols far exceeding the outward slavery of the body under Conquerors as much as Apoplexy exceeds sleep or the pangs of Conscience the pain of the Teeth To live in the causes of damnation being a greater misery in reason than to endure the execution there being nothing of Gods hand or justice in the one being our own mala culpae as there is in the other being Gods mala penae or the correction which he sends and inflicts and therefore the less tolerable evil of the two if properly evil Further correction therefore can do little good upon them It must be the Infinite mercies of God and the zeal of Christian Princes that must do good upon them against their wills as it is expected by diligent a Divine Dialogues p. 226. searchers into Divine Prophecies that some great Prince will be shortly rais'd by God to cast a Vial of wrath upon their glory And they have a common Tradition in France saith b Review of the Council of Trent by W R. a French Roman-Catholick Writer that some of the Carolingians of the Race of Charlemaigne shall have an Emperour of France Charles by name who shall be Prince and Monarch over Europe and shall reform the Church and State But the Glory of such a Cure and Deliverance being as it were the Redemption a new of those whom Christ redeem'd from Spiritual slavery seems more probably reserv'd for this Isle above any other whatsoever as before And so since our Island is become Great Brittain again and the true Religion is recovered with our Brittish Line and Monarchy which were fallen together it is to be conjectured from foregoing Instances of Providence upon this Monarchy that such of our Princes as will appear favourers of Popery are like to be the most unfortunate and inglorious and unbelov'd acting therein against the grain and fate of this Empire as those of the contrary design and activity as having Providence of their side the most successful and renowned and the darlings of God and men SECTION XVI What the Roman-Catholicks truly mean by the term Heretick they so liberally bestow on others And that none are greater Hereticks in Truth and reality than themselves and of their Title Roman-Catholick which they so well like And Old Rome and Brittain both Heathen and Christian compar'd with the Modern And that the yoak of Rome is not better to us than our present condition BY their condemning Protestants so confidently for Hereticks because they believe not after the manifest errours of their single Church though they profess to believe after Christ and his Scriptures and his true and purest Catholick Church they do but call others such what they make and convict themselves to be thereby It hath been ever the Custom or craft of men when sin or Satan or any vile design hath possess'd the Throne of their heart instead of Christ to imploy his Name and Laws and Power against not the enemies of Christ and the truth but the opposers of that lust or private Interest which succeeds him Upon which score the Soberest and Holiest Protestants though Catholicks with God are Hereticks with the Pope for opposing his Christ that is his Carnal Will and Grandeur which rules his heart instead of its right Soveraign For if Christ and his mind did reign therein such Hereticks as right Protestants are would soon be embrac'd for Christian Brethren And he that judges of Heresie contrary to Christs mind and will finds the first Heretick in himself The right method heretofore to judge of Heresie was the Holy Scriptures for a rule and holy Churche's Authority proceeding by such a rule or Scriptura animatae or Christ himself speaking in men But with some now a dayes one mans absolute will and pleasure and his worldly concerns and acquisitions a Haereticus arguitur qui monitus non restituit bona Ecclesiae Spondan Anno 794. n. 6. whether just or unjust or Libido Sainct fiâ—ata or a speaking Antichrist is the only rule and touchstone for to run cross to the one out of Allegiance to the other shall more involve in Rebellious Heresie than the other Install in Orthodox Loyalty and this in uniform agreeableness to the Hypothesis touching the right and wrong Soveraign we are upon And the reason in Scripture why a Heretick is to be finally avoided is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.11 or the condemnation of his own heart in changing his Soveraign which is manifestly discernable in his Conversation by all Christians that hold to their Heart-Loyalty and by the sleepy Intoxicated party it self if of a loyal inclination after two or three admonitions or else belike never The Portuguees General us'd the like Divinity in the Field in a passion as these do in their Schools and Pulpits who when the Auxillary English too tamely suffered as he conceived the advance of the Enemy towards them cry'd out in indignation the English Hereticks have betrayed us But when after a suddain Volley three stories high they clear'd the field with but-end he then confessed and vowed with as great content that the English Hereticks were excellent Christians So that Protestants by dexterous application are not out of hope but that they may retain their Heresies and be Catholicks nevertheless upon an Orthodox Tribute to an indulgent Pope who is not averse to tolerate publick Stews and License Incest c. upon the like terms But in several respects and considerations none are gâ—eater Hereticks in all desert and reason than our Roman Catholicks who are first at criminaâ—inâ—â— who in the first place slight the whole Canon of Scripture and forbid it to several as a dangerous book next to Heretical which no Father 〈◊〉 â—he Church oâ— any Council ever did and the gâ—eatest Hereâ—icks that ever were have been bâ—â—ded and condemned for no more but clashing against a few certain Texts and parcells thereof Who next renounce the whole Catholick Church which all Christians in their Creed profess to believe saving that degenerate rump and shadow thereof they at Rome have to shew Allowing none to be Metropolitans without their Palls c Concil Lateranens Can. 18. none to be Bishops or Ministers any where without Ordination deriv'd from them c Concil Lateranens Can. 18. none to have Authority to
a high degree who serve not their enemies with that measure as they have been and would again be serv'd by them had they power but though Papists are as Antichristian Idolators to them for a Christian Brother may be an Idolator according to St. Paul 1 Cor. 5.11 and they but as stubborn Hereticks at worst to Papists yet they have been never brought to the stake for their unsound opinions and practice by the writs of their own Invention nor to Tyburn ever but for their Treasons against the State They look upon Protestants but as Dogs though far better Christians than themselves But Protestants take them for what they are but have no malice to their persons though they abhor their errours and the severity of our Laws against them is only to secure our selves from their cruelties and unquietness For where Christ and the heart are excluded as in the Romish Church too much naught but burning and destroying all dissenters as Hereticks serves the turn when it is within their power and is never out of their Study and Inclination when it is not And O the malice they shew towards those that revolt from them to the Truth And this wisdom and temper descends not from above but is Earthly Sensual and Devilish as before Jac. 3.15 And what can be the cause of this Hellish Inhumanity towards Christian Brethren but the want and absence of the heart and Conscience or which equally destroys it the giving of it to the Pope instead of Christ whereby a Papist is of a piece with the Pope in all things which yet adds not one Cubit to his Stature nor to his virtue or Graces or humanity or Eternal Protection but he is still on Earth as he was before as a Christian is one with Christ in Heaven and partaker on Earth of his meek and gratious and Heavenly dispositions It 's another-guess perfection to be United to Christ than to the Pope which is the true difference between a Protestant and a Papist the one puts on Christ the other puts on the Pope by their several resignations of their private Wills and Judgements It 's more Heavenly and Divine to be of Christs mind and disposition than of the holy inquisitions ' A mans heart or his Will or his end aâ—e much allyed and ever go together and it ever chuses and adheres either to God or to an Idol And such is the man as his choice of his Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He whose heart and end is joyn'd to Christ and Heaven is Holy and Heavenly as Christ is if to any Creature such as is the Will of the Master will be the Will of his Man also To be a Roman-Catholick therefore makes not a Disciple of Christ but a Mute or a resign'd Vassal of the Pope whose Will and height and carnal Interest must therefore be the Law of Heresie and distance and hatred and damnation with such a one And what crosses the Pope's gain or Authority is laesa Majestas or Ecclesiastical Atheism or high Treason against the Roman Heaven to be vindicated and destroyed by the Angels of that Heaven with utmost zeal and fury And BABYLON is observ'd more zealous and severe for its Idol than SION for its God the reason is for where Christ is out of the heart Offenders find no Mediator or mercy And herein the Popish far out-does the Turkish zeal in cruelty Truth can better breath in Turkie than at Rome and the horns of the Mahometan Antichrist are less curst in this respect than those of the Roman Satan was not a Lyar but a Murderer also from the beginning from whom the Romanists prove their descent as well by their stakes and fire-piles as by their Legends and dispensations And it is remarkable to use conjectures with submission on mystical Scriptures Of the Beast with two horns like a Lamb and speech like a Dragon that its special mark and Character was to make fire come down from Heaven Revel 13.12 13. as of the other Beasts with 7 heads and ten horns to overcome Gods Servants with the Sword v. 1.7 And which of these Beasts is Antichrist and who meant by either is the question 1. It s out of question that with the Ancients the Empire that should succeed the Roman should be Antichrist whether it be the Popish which takes place and precedence of the German or Turkish or both for both de facto have in great part succeeded it 2. That the number 666 pointed at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as clear from Jreneus who lived near a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan the Apostolical times to know their key and secret tradition about this mystery Now there are three parts to be considered in the old Roman Empire The Magistracy Militia and the Mitre or its civil Authority its Military Conquests its Heathenish Idolatry It s civil Authority wherein several Kings succeeded it or rather were restored to their own by its fall cannot be Antichristian because Ordain'd and approved by God To be a terrour to evil workers and encouragement to the good Rom. 13.3 But the other two parts of Imperator and Pontifex Maximus might well descend to Antichristian successors by Gods just Judgement to be both a scourge and an intoxicating Cup for degenerate and divided Christians The first probably falling to the share of the Turk who hath made such Conquests over the Saints by his Sword such havock in the Churches of Christ by his Victories v. 7. being the same Beast with the Roman Heathen Empire in effect which Conquered all in like manner with the Sword but was wounded by Constantine and other Christian Emperours but afterwards is heal'd again of that deadly wound v. 3. to whose recovery the â—ope did contribute v. 12. The residence of both being Rome new and old And the special confidence and Character of the Turk being his Sword where with he does all And their Priests never read nor expound their Alcharon in their Mosch's but with a naked b Ricold contra sect Mahomet c. 10. Sword in their hands or hanging by for Terrour And Mahomet Prophesied his Sect should last as long as it could keep the Sword and no longer But the Popes bid as fair to the succession and reviâ—ing of the Heathenish Pontificat of Rome as well as of the Apostate Jewish as both were Enemies tâ— Christianity in the garb of Religion anâ— Ecclesiastical Authority For they wave the name of Bishop used amongst Christians and chuse that of Pontifex in 〈◊〉 with Heathen's only and never met in any Canonical Scripture neither are they deficient in Heathenish Polytheism having errected a Pantheon of as many tutelar Saints and Patrons to be call'd on as there were Gods at Rome withal as the Turk is the Heathen-Roman Power recovered so the Pope is the Image of both v. 15. as well in Empire and Dominion far and wide as in cruelty and shedding the bloud of Christians And yet this Infernal
dyed in their hope and trust for us for whose sake he 'l continue his goodness to their seed but though his wrath ebb'd 800 years his Grace and mercy wherein he delights to abound and exceed hath not stowed yet full 200 years or is he unable to perfect what he hath begun He that can work a Resurrection from the dead cannot he accomplish a Restoration to a living and surviving People yea and great confusion to all opposers of it No good man ought to envy or hinder the longed for mercies of God to a Nation no great man can and if having his descent alike from the same People how can such be deem'd either good or great but rather miserably unnaturall and deservedly unfortunate and improsperous Earthly Potentates may not give stop to God's tides King Edgar tryed but fail'd their timely retreat will be their greatest safety and Wisdom how many mistaken Politicians have been drowned and Shipwrack'd in such clandestine contrary Councils No Emperour on Earth can command it to be night after the Sun is risen where God is for us we need not fear any seduc'd Dust and Ashes that may appear against us It is likewise most impossible in reason unless in case of Gods great desertion and extraordinary curse The radical difference between Protestants and Papists as was Stated from the beginning and Instanc'd in all along lyes herein that the one take Christ the other the Pope or his pretended Vicar for their Messia or the Lord of their Hearts and Judgements The Protestants who live by faith as all true Christians do and ever did hold firm their Allegiance to their invisible Soveraign in Heaven The Papists who love to live more by sence and show through dis-regard to Faith and the Heart change their Heavenly Soveraign for a visible Christ on Earth which Rebellion can never succeed nor be done no not when it is done already Should not be in the holy Language is shall not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thing shall not be done say the Sons of Jacob touching the Ravishment of their Sister Dina already committed Gen. 34.7 The Soveraignty of Christ and the Allegiance of the soul to God and the Truth are Divine Eternal Establishments not to be alter'd by human pleasure they can no more be changed by the corruption of men or the combination and Clandestine Counsels of Conclaves and Politicians and seduced Grandees than the Constitution of Kingdoms or the Laws of Nations be repealed and changed by Conventicles of Pismires some rash attempt may be made while mens souls are besides themselves or drunk and intoxicated with Idols and vitious Customs but to no more effect than casting caps against the Moon which can never reach it or spitting against the wind which returns into the face or defiance of the Laws and Government by a strong Knot of High-way-men whose end in all likely-hood must be Repentance or Hell and Tyburn Which is further confirm'd by good Authorities the King of Prophets within the Church Psal 2. Why do the Heathens or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.12 rage and the People Imagine a vain thing The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed or Messia saying Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us away with these invisible fanatick Lords and Laws of Souls and Consciences Let none in Heaven or Earth be obeyed in matters of Religion or Conscience but a Pope in Temporal matters but a Prince He that sitteth in Heaven shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision to shew the Pittiful ridiculousnes and vanity of such void attempts And the Prince of Philosophers without the Church in his Golden Book of vertue and vice perceiv'd and affirm'd this Truth that the one is in it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commendable and lovely and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eternally deformed and censurable let men or Laws conspire what they can to the contrary And the unanimous consent and suffrage of all mens Souls and Counsciences to this particular points at the true cause hereof an indelible immediate Allegiance in every heart to God and the truth alone and a deafness to all other Forreign power whatsoever against him Yea and an accuser of it self under any such delinquency For Children and Clownes shall discern and condemn such disloyal deviations in their Prince whom they reverence and the Prince in himself being above all but not above the Soveraign of his heart Men of Honour or Reverence arriveing or supporting their Grandeur by the means and countenance of Vice upon the like Loyalty shall be despis'd by every mouth in the Streets and the Consciences of troubled silent Servants at home that dare not and of their own that dare and will reprove This loyalty and disloyalty against Heaven is such an eternal unalterable measure of mens Misery and bliss that Chast rags will not envy the condition of unclean Silks and Sattin but those shall often wish for the peace and pure content of these The Soul till drown'd in Lusts or gagg'd by Antichristian Tyranny never skrinks from its Heavenly Loyalty while it is a Soul it is for Christ It never deserts this Soveraign till it morally ceases to be a Soul Which is the reason a priori that Popery or the seduction of men from their Loyalty to Christ to slavery to a Mortal can never be well promoted without Debauchery which must first precede to extinguish the Soul Its obedience afterwards shall be blind implicit and servile like that of beasts that have no understanding nothing shall be its Conscience and Religion more but its Carnal Interest and gain and pleasures and complyance with its new false Christ for a false Salvation for human Nature cannot dispense to be without all Religion and Superstition too Its state and condition therefore is a state of enmity and rebellion against God whose Laws it neither is nor can b◠subject to Rom. 8.7 And therefore all its Actions and designes are null and void and damn'd in Law and also in Fact when Gods patience is out either by its timely or eternal Recantation either by Repentance here or durance hereafter for all cross and Irregular wills must at last come up to Christs will the judge of quick and dead either with or against their wills and know their true Soveraign at last either by life or death Rom. 8.6 13. Whereby the true ground appears for our Reduction of this Controversy from the beginning to one single point of obedience or disobedience to the right Soveraign of the heart For so doth the wisest of Kings reduce all Divine and human concern and wisdom into one Principle of Loyalty to God The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Prov. 1.7 And not only the beginning but complement and perfection For he is the wisest and soberest Christian who hath not the Pope but Christ most
being not the same what need more answer to it but a motion to be dismissed because the Plaintiff against us is not the same with the old Roman Church and if he were neither hath It nor ever had nor pretended any right of Supremacy over us in Brittain This I say was never the claim of old Christian Rome but the sally and invention of the Antichristian which are as much the same Church as a Wolf and a Lamb are the same Creature It cannot be denyed but that they have still amongst them the ruins and rubbish of old Christianity as well as the other of old Rome and both under like defacement And severall good Creeds and Canons of Councils and Scriptures it self if men were suffered to come at it conveyed unto them from the former Inhabitants or from St. Paul or from Brittain which with the sincerity of the heart may serve we trust to the Salvation of many thousands under that captivity as the wardrob of Comedians might serve honest men for good warmth and covering however by them imployed but to counterfeit persons and passions for a Livelyhood by the Hypocrisie to use that word in his Original and first notation For though Christ and Trinity and other Orthodox Articles of our Faith have place and mention amongst them yet it is not for their sakes so much as in order to their own Carnal designs to give them better countenance amongst deluded Christians what more then is their credit or respect thereby than of parcels of our Scripture standing in the Alcharon and as the Creatures groaning under the bondage of corruption Rom. 8.22 and longing to be deliver'd into Christian and Protestant Libertie and true sacredness from serving or countenancing the lusts and Impostures of Tyrants and false Prophets where Christ it is true is named with no less respect than at Rome but Mahomet among them as the Pope amongst these preferred before him in which preference the essence of Popery and its difference from Protestantism doth consist as before was proved Not to descant more on the servitude of the rest of their Christian Doctrines the Worship and Mass-Book of Modern Rome is not the same as was in use before with the Old but strangely altered and depraved with innumerable Superstitious additions and vain Repetitions Prohibited by our Saviour Matth. 6. Begun particularly and most remarkablely of any another by Pope Gregory who sent Augustine and Vitalian who sent Theodore hither but consummated at last by several Popes into a perfect Oglio and mixture of Judaism and Christianity such as the Alcharon it self was fram'd to be by the heads of Sergius and Mahomet And which is also as remarkable our Gregory pretended extraordinary assistance of Gods Spirit in the recourses of a Pigeon at his ear a Math. West An. 605 Spondan An. 604. n. 5. no less than Mahomet by which allegation in his behalf his Books escaped being burnt and served as he had served the old Statues and Monuments of Rome And for the alterations of their Mass by these two Popes particularly we have the Testimony of their own Platina in the lives of the one and the other b Platina in Gregorio prime Antiphonarium diurnum quam nocturnum composuit Introitum litanias stationum quoque magnum partem c. ejus quoque inventum ut novies Kyrie Eleeson caneretur Haleluja He composed their Antiphonary for day and light the Introitus their Lettany and a great part of their Stations the Repetition of Kyrie Eleeson and Halelujah nine times over was his patticular invention and whereas their Liturgy now requir'd to be us'd in their Vulgar tongue as it had been before the Latine tongue being disused at Rome from about the year 580. he so delighted to continue their service in the Latine now unknown to the vulgar and far therefore from the heart and understanding which is the true genius of Popery that he hides and cramps it further from them with unintilligible charms and Repetitions in Greek and Hebrew And in a Solemn Synod of 25 Bishops Establishes his Superstitious Innovations in sustulit quae nocitura multa etiam addidit quae profutura fidei nostrae videbantur He laid aside much of the Ancient formes as contrary and destructive and added many new in their place as more agreeable to their Modern Faith For how could their Ancient Sober and Orthodox Liturgy well agree with his Heathenish conceptions touching purifying Idol-temples with holy water as we heard before out a Bede l. 1. c. 30. of Bede And his Intercessions for Trajan's Soul in b M. Westm An 592. Hell which perhaps brought Purgatory in time in request and fashion in that new Church and with his new stress laid upon the great vertue of Wollen Palls whereon all their Ordinations and Consecrations and Archiepiscopal and Patriarchal Authorities and consequently their whole New-Roman Church depends Non bene conveniunt c. Sober and grave Religion and Worship and such unjustifiable Doctrines and pueril Infatuations how could they well agree Neither was Vitalianus the other great Restorer of the Romish Religion in England wanting in the like humour to alter and change the simplicity of their Roman Service which before kept close to the Scriptures chiefly for themselves acknowledge this their new mode of Liturgy had not been before in use c Platin in Caelestimo 1 mo ante fieri non consuevit perlectâ enim Epistolâ Evangelio finis Sacrificio imponebatur So that nothing by consequence can be imagined to be more the Liturgy of Ancient Rome than our own common Prayer as it is reformed out of the Mass by retaining the Old-Roman flower and casting away the New-Roman-Catholick bran and trash So that the Popish Religion ought not in any right or reason to be call'd Roman but a new Gothic Church as we find about this time their Ancestors and Founders the Gothes to agree and Symbolize with them Gothi d Platin. in Gregr. 1 mo Gregoâ—â— opera rediâ—re ad unionem Catholicae Ecclesiae or indeed the Gregorian Religion as they also term their Calender as well in respect of the great alteration made thereof at Rome by Pope Gregory both in Doctrine and Worship from the Ancient and Orthodox Roman Church as also of its propagation throughout Churches by his means and missions to the great e Antiquiâ— Eccles p. 42. corruption of Christendom and particularly amongst us in Brittain to the great wrong of the English who before had been rightly grounded and principled in the right and truly Catholick Faith by Brittish Ministry And here we have the Incunabula the first spring and beginning of Popery whose first entrance through Monk Augustine by Commission from this Pope Gregory was under no good Planet or Circumstances being near about the time that Pope Boniface was declar'd the Universal Bishop oâ— Antichrist in the sense of Pope Gregory in the Case of another as before and
promoted by and promoting that Authority here in contempt and breacâ— of all the Laws and Canons of the Catholick Church and the rights of this particular And attended in the Heavens above with dismal signes and prodigies as the like was never seen before Tanta hoc â—eâ— pore prodigia f Platina in Gregor 1 mo quanta nunquam antea Comeâ—es perlucidus puer quadrupes c. which last might serve as a significant Emblem of this new Religion which serv'd to make men Babes in knowledge and Beasts in heart and conscience And accompanied on Earth below so uniform are its Antichristian Symptomes with another parallel Deceiver in the East the prophet Mahomet both alike feigning the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost by a Pigeon at the Ear wherein Gregory was not taught by Mahomet who was Junior to him and born in the year of Monk Augustine's landing here But rather Mahomet might have heard or borrowed it from Gregory or both perhaps been taught the Art by one and the same Tutor But both Reignes the Mahometan and the Gregorian have much the same Epocha and Horoscope And both began to prevail the one in the West the other in the East in the duske and twilight of that long and Greenland night that was to prevail by Gods permission and secret judgement over the whole face of the Christian Church for the space and duration of eight or 900 years or more to count from the year 600 when the Western part thereof first began to the dawning of our Restoration in Henry the seventh as before The success of this Romish Plantation among us being answerable to its first manner of entrance and proving in the end the Eclipse of the true Religion before in the Land and it self a degenerate sort of Christianity falling short of sober Heathenism in many respects Of which that of St. Paul may be rightly applyed And the times of this Ignorance God wincked at but now Commandeth all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 About the dead time of this dismal long night of Popery that is about the years 900 to 1300. answering to the hours from 12. to 3. in the morning The dreams of Purgatory and Transubstantion first possess'd mens fancies and dead Ghosts and Specters and Hobgoblins began to fry and skreek in Purgatory and to cry for help from private Masses And the Franciscan and several other Melancholly Orders to walk bare-foot up and down like Noctambulon's or night walkers in their sleeps and shirts And men stumbl'd upon many Tutelar Gods and Patrons groping in the dark for the true and still us'd Candles at Noon-day throughout their Worship without any need as it were further to prove that it is a time of night amongst them And the Dreams of Nunnes and Monks were rehears'd in Pulpits instead of godly Sermons as the g Bradwardin in Prefat in lib. de causâ Dei Deriving his name or descent I suppose from Brordordhun Castle in Herefordshire belonging to the Family of the Vaughans Profoundest and greatest Clerks then hardly abstain'd from their own in their Writings and the eyes of all both Clergy and Laity sealed up in a deep sleep of implicit Faith And the Host went from Street to Street with a Bellman and the Popes Rid sleepy Kings and Emperours For in the year eleven hundred Hildebrand or Pope Gregory the seventh depos'd the Emperour Henry the fourth And another took his Crown from King John while he was nodding About the same time Canterbury oâ—erlay St. Davids and in Thomas Becket began to sting our Princes that had given it warmth and being But the Fornications and other works of darkness in that time are not to be nam'd or number'd the peculiar concomitant of this fleshly Haeresie as they say to this day scarce reckon'd or censur'd for a sin for its commonness amongst the chief Saints of this dark perswasion And this dark season serv'd as well for Robberies of all sorts of Goods Lands Houses Churches throughout the Isle which were secur'd and appropriated to Sanctuaries and Monasteries by the same dark Arts they were committed till about the time of Ricâ—ard the second several were awakned out of their first sleep with the â—â—r as was Wickliff and Sir Joâ—n Old-Castle Lord Cobham and the Lollâ—rds who were desirous to rise before it was day and to reform these abuses before it was Gods appointed time But all between that and morning fell asleep again as fast as ever till dawning of day in the Henryes 7. and 8. of Brittish race which last finding himself thin and unattended expected more respect and observation for saith he in a speech h Hall 24. H. 8 fo 205. We thought that our Clergy of our Realm had been our Subjects wholly but now we have well perceived that they be but half our Subjects for all the Prelates at their consecration make an Oath to the Pope clean contrary to the Oath they made to us so that they seem to be his Subjects and not ours And began then to take course to recover his Spiritual Subjects whom the Pope stole from him and to rouse and awaken both Court and Kingdom against the Burglaries they committed upon others in the dead of night anâ— to seize upon the stolen Gooâ—â— which in England seldom â—evert to the right owners and to Discipline the whole Fraternity into better dependance upon their Soveraign burning several in the hand to make them cry God save the King instead of the Pope and as i Sinnych Saul â—x Rex some affirm arraigning Thomas â—ecket of high Treason against Henry the second after he had been prayed to in Heaven for about 400 hundred years to heal his people of the seditious influence of his Canonization By this time it was Sun-rising and the Gospel appear'd in our Horizon and in the English tongue and in Edward the 6th and Queen Elizabeth and King James after some Eclipse encreased in ful lustre to a perfect day that all eyes were open and sluggards began to rise and understand themselves and to be asham'd of their somnolent Religion yea the chief Calebs and Spies and Writers of the Roman Church by peeping into our Hemisphere and reading our Heretical Books as they reproach them became strangely alter'd and enlightened ever afterwards in stile and learning as well as our selves for the Polite World ows all its knowledge to Protestantism as it former Barbarous Ignorance to Popery but to their greater guilt and Condemnation with those in the Gospel That had eyes and would not see and ears and would not hear their hearts through love of its Idol more than God and the Truth being out of order But since the weather in our English Church hath been dark and cloudy for some years through the contrivance and malignity of some evil spirits Infesting our Air and troubling our Elements recommending poison to Grandees in Marriage Wine and Treaties to dispose them to old drowsiness and a far