much St. Jerome tells us Though being none himselfe he was no great friend to Bishops And this was so seiâ—ed in the minds of men from the very Infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been to that time contradicted by any So that then there was no Controversie about the Calling The difficulty was to accommodate their Precedenciesâ— And the ‡ Ordine Primus whereof there was a necessity falling to the Roman Prelate by reason of the Imperiall Seat this was the very fountaine of Papall Greatnesse the Pope having his Residence in the Imperiall City So he Now for Answere hereunto First for the Authority of Bishops or Prelats over the Inferiour Clergie as he calls it first he must prove their Calling before he can make good their Authority Now Prelates have no such Calling from God And the Apostle saith ‡ No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron So Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec But that the Prelates have no such Calling from God the Prelate himselfe as before is noted doth as good as confesse saying § Among Bishops there was effectuall Subjection respectively grounded upon Canon and Posuive Law in their Severall Quarters Ergo this was not jure divino And if not where is their Authority then And therfore as the Prelate saith of the Popes Supremacy in being the Sole Living Iudge in and over the universall Church †Neither saith he hath he power from Christ over the whole Church to doe it nay out of all doubt 't is not the least Reason why De Facto he hath so little Successe because De Jure he hath no Power given So I may say as truly of all Prelates who challenge to be the living visible Iudges as before is shewed which is one maine part of their usurped Authority over the Ministry that they have no such Power from Christ over their severall Diocese Provinces or Quarters to doe it nay out of all doubt 't is not the least Reason why De Facto they have so little Successe because De Jure they have no Power given According to that in the Prophet * Behold saith the Lord I am against the Prophets that steale my word every one from his Neighbour Behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say He Saith Behold I am against them that prophecie false dreames saith the Lord and doe tell them and cause my people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord And this is the very case of the Prelates they are faise Prophets they steale Gods word from the people of God and instead thereof use their own word prophecying false dreames saying The Lord saith the Lord hath sent us we have our Calling and Authority from God over all Ministers we are the sole living visible Iudges in matters of Faith and Religion so as all must rest in our Iudgement according to our own Canons and Constitutions c. thus causing simple people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse yet the Lord hath not sent them nor commanded them they have no Calling and so no Power and Authority from God and therfore the Lord is against these false Prophets and because he hath not commanded them nor sent them therfore they shall not profit the people at all But Secondly the Prelate saith that his Prelaticall Iurisdiction over the inferiour Clergie was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of unity and Peace in the Church Now first for his Inferiour Clergie Clergie being appropriated to the Ministry is an abusive Monopoly and usurpation for all Gods people redeemed by Christ are his kleros his Lot or â—nheritance whereof the word Clergie is derived As Peter saith writing to the Presbyters ‡ Not as Lording over tâ—n kleron Gods heritage but as ensamples to the flocke So that the flocke of God are his kleros his heritage But to passe over this Secondly he tells us of an Inferiour Clergie he meanes his Priests and the rest as Archdeacons and so forth to the number of 7 Orders as they call them A rabble of Orders not unsutable to the Subjects of a Lord Prelate as being all of them of humane devise and institution of which their Hierarcâ—ie is made up another word of mans invention which some call rather ‡ Hierodoulia but what holy Orders Christ hath left in his Church we shall see anon Thirdly this was saith he a thing of known use and benefit Of the known use we have formerly spoken But now what 's the benefit Namely for the preservation of unity and peace in the Church How proves he this From S. Ierome who said That one was chosen over the rest in Sckismatis remedium to remedy Schisme in the Church But by the way these very words of Ierome doe argue that Prelates were of humane Institution for unus electus est one was chosen I â—rgo of men But lerome speaks more expresly which the Prelate wisely passeth over dry foot where he saith that Prelacy was set up humana praesumptione non Institutione Divina by humane Presumption and not by Divine Institution Well but had it that successe the Prelate speaks of Did it produce the fruitfull benefit of unity and Peaâ—e Or what unity Or what peace Indeed we find by wofull proof that this Hierarchy was the very egge of which the Cockatrice Antichrist was hatched so as the Hierarchy consisting of so many Prelates grew at length coâ—lescere to grow together into one Antichrists â—n body whereof the Ordine Primus came to be the head And herein unity and Peace are so conjoyned as they have made up one intire new Catholicke Church that whereof the Prelate professeth himselfe with the Church of England and of Rome and all other Prelaticall Churches in the world all other not Prelaticall as the Reformed Protestants beyond the Seas excluded as before is noted to be in all which this his Catholick Church as * elswhere he saith hath its existence Which Prelaticall Catholicke Church is the verâ—head and body of Antichrist Even as the Prelate tells us that the Ordine Primus the Roman Prelate having his Throne in Rome This saith he was the very fountaine of Papall Greatnesse So I may say The Prelacie or Hierarchie was the very fountaineâ— whenâ—e hath issued the maine Ocean of thâ—se ‡ many waters over which the Whore sitteth which though it be distinguished into many severall Seas of so many Prelates yes all make up but one Maine Sea as it were one Catholicke Church And this is that unity and Peace the benefit of both the constitution and preservation
All these things are mine and to those that will fall downe and worship me I give them that is All that will be Prelates and so will be my Servants in oppressing Gods Word in persecuting Christs Saints and Ministers in exercising their Lordly Iurisdiction over the Consciences of Gods people captiving them with manyfold ceremonies of will-worship to â—hâ— destruction of Christs Kingdome of Mans Salvation and of that liberty from all Spirituall bondage the redemption from which cost Christ his best blood to those I will give rich Prelacies goodly houses and Palaces a Princely Traine and Retinue a Lordly Revenew and all the pleasures and contentments which the world can afford And thus we have found out the very Source of this Egyptian Nilus the prime Author and Patron of all such Prelacie as falsely pretends its Title to be de jure divino yea even from Christ himselfe It followeth in the Text ver. 24. And when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the two brethren Observe here of these Disciples as yet carnall some are ambitious and the rest envious For all of them before Christs Resurrection were ambitious of Prelacie as we read in the place forecited So as hence we may note that such as affect and are ambitious of Prelacie they are carnall men which savour the things of the flesh worldly minded such as the Apostle speaks of that § are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things They have a wisdome indeed but †such as is not from above but is earthly sensuall and develish as Iames speaketh And whereupon speakes he it In the former verse he had sayd If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth And this was the wisdome of these carnall Disciples they were ambitious and envious one against another yea they did a'ganaktein stomack and maligne one another in the point of Prelacy For ambition and envy are two inseperable twinnes like those of Hypocrates they are borne together live together and dye together And as Iames in the former place addeth For where envying and strife is there is confusion kai pan phaulon pragma and every evill worke Now to apply this to our Prelates what men in the world more ambitious of Prelacie and more envious one against another In those Primitive times at the first Councel of Nice what bundles and fardles of complaints did those Prelates bring one against another and all this arose from their ambition and 〈◊〉 each seeking precedency of his Sea before another And the fire was so kindled that had not Constantine the Emperour caused all the Bills of complaints to be cast into the fire together it had been enough to have set all the world in a combustion And the Prelate of Canterbury in his said Book confesseth * that the onely difficulty was to accommodate the places and precedencies of Bishops among themselves And afterwards what a hot stirre was between Iohn of Constantinople and GREGORY of Rome for the precedencie of their Seas and for the Supreme Headship it selfe And heretofore between the Prelates of Canterbury and Yorke for the universall Metropolitanship over all England But let us further hearken to what Christ saith But Iesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them But it shall not be so among you And Luke expresseth it thus The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise authoritie upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so All is to one effect Which is Christ here forbids his Disciples to exercise any such Dominion or Auhortity or Lordship either over one another or upon his Church as Heathen Princes doe use over their People And this he applies to their ambition of Prelacie which Prelacie he samples and parallells with the Dominion Authority and Lordship which Heathen Princes exercise over their people These words of Christ are so expresse and full that Bellarmine hath no other Shift to ward off the blow but to say that Christ here forbids his Disciples the exercise of all Temporall Authority and jurisdiction such as Heathen Princes used but not of spirituall Dominion and Lordship Authority and jurisdiction over the Church But it is more cleare then the Sun that Christ forbids here to his Disciples all manner of Dominion and Lordship either over one another or over the Church of God as over Gods Ministers and People First for Lordship over one another the said Arch-prelate of Canterbury confesseth Christ gave them none And secondly for Lordship over Gods heritage the Apostles themselves afterwards both disclaimed in themselves and condemned in others as we shall see hereafter And by the way by Bellarmines own confession all Temporall Lordship or Government is condemned in Prelates But now for our Prelates Quo jure doe they de facto exercise such Authority and Dominion such Lordship and Jurisdiction over Gods Ministers and People as differeth nothing at all from the State of Heathen Princes This Christ expresly forbids to his Disciples and therefore such as doe it are none of his Disciples nor yet any of their Successors But they will say They are Spirituall Lords and exercise a Spirituall Lordship over the Church But this bare Title of Spirituall is too short a cloake to cover the nakednesse of so poore a shift They call themselves Spirituall when they are the most carnall men in the world Thus did those false * Apostles deceitfull workers transforme themselves into the Apostles of Christ Thus Antichrist himselfe whom the Scripture intitles ‡ the Man of sinne and the Son of perdition will salve all by Styling himselfe Holy Father yea Holinesse it selfe But to come a little more close and home to our Prelates those Spirituall Lords wherein doth their Spirituall Dominion and Lordship differ from that of Heathen Princes For first they assume the Title of Prince to themselves as the Arch-prelate in High Commission most bravely and boldly alledged Psal. 45. 16. for which he borrows Bellarmines Glosse Princes then they must be But what Princes Spirituall Nay by their Lordships favour they are Temporall Lords For how els come they to sit in Parliament cheek by jowle with the Princes and Peers of the Realme And do they not in all points beare the Image and represent Heathen Princes in their State and Dominion Have they not their Stately Palaces as they Have they not their Attendants and Officers of their House as they Doe they not goe in Purple and Scarlet Silkes and Velvets and fine linnen and faire deliciously every day as they Have they not their Courts and Officers their Tipstaves Lictors and Prisons as they And doe they not exercise their Authority without subjection to any
Princes those titles riches and honours that we have are but sutable to our dignity and serviceable to our Principality Then was then and now is now These things some great Pontificians and Popes themselves have alledged ‡ But Bernard who was one of their owne writing to Pope Eugenius and telling him plainly and freely of all his Pontificiall Pomp and how unlike therein he was to Christ and his Apostles saith Scilicet sic factitabat Petrus sic paulus ludebat Did Peter I pray you doe thus Did Paul play such play Si anderem dicere Daemonum magis quam ovium pascua haec If I durst speake it these are the pastrues of Devils rather then of the Sheep Honori totum datum datur Sanctitati nihil aut parum All is given to honour but little or nothing to holinesse But he puts their allegation as I sayd before Absit inquiunt tempori non convenit What should holinesse doe say they It is not sutable for our times Thus Bernard But we need goe no further then to the Painter whom the Pope set a worke in his Gallery to draw the pictures of Peter and Paul who having painted their faces blushing redde and the Pope coming in to see his worke and asking him If Peter and Paul had such redde faces because he had so painted them No quoth he but if they were here now and did behold what a glorious rich and magnificent Successor they have they would blush as redde as now you see their pictures doe And his Holinesse was very well pleased with the Painters Conceit to see himselfe a braver man then ever poore Peter and Paul were whose Successor notwithstanding he boasts himselfe to be For what els but a Sweet Fable doth the Pope make of the Gospel as himselfe said And surely we cannot thinke that Prelates who are the limbs of this great Beast are of any other Spirit then Atheisticall such as the Head himselfe is of and which he hath derived to his Members Well hitherto we have heard Christs Sentence concerning Prelacy in the Church and that negatively denyed to his Apostles as a thing heathenish and carnall and so which turnes Christs Spirituall Kingdome into a meere carnall and temporall yea profane and heathenish Kingdome But it shall not be so among you Ergo Prelates as before is noted are none of Christs Disciples and their Prelacie or Hierarchy none of his Institution or Ordinance but flatly forbidden and condemned by hm Now a word of the affirmative part of his Answere wherein the shews what manner of men his true Disciples must be Verse 27. c. But whosoever wil be great among you let him be your Minister and whosever wil be chiefe among you let him be your Servant The Summe is Christs Apostles and Disciples must be humble men and Servants to their brethren not Lords over them For these two are opposed one to the other Prelacy is for proud men humility for Christs Disciples Christs Disciples then and Prelates cannot stand together And pride is not the way to come to sit the next to Christs right hand but humility He that is most humble shal be exalted to the greatest honour As Christ saith here whosoever wil be chiefe among you let him be your Minister or Servant That 's the way to be the chiefe Lastly in the next words Christ sets himselfe for an example Even as saith he the Son of man came not be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many And the Servant is not above his Lord And as Christ humbled himselfe below all men So for that cause God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that in the Name of Iesus every knee should bow c. that is as Christ made himselfe the Servant of all So God hath made him now the Lord of all this is that Name above every Name So as In this Name to bow is not an hypocriticall and Superstitious bowing of the knee of the body when ever the bare Name Iesus is named when the Name Christ is nothing regarded but it is an acknowledgement that Iesus Christ is the Lord and Iudge of all to the glory of God the Father as there the Apostle speakes So as he there saith * Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Iesus Thus true humility is the way to honour in Christs Kingdome he that fits lowest at Christs footstoole here shall sit highest at his right hand in heaven So as this is not such an humility as was in the Monke that alwayes went hanging down his head untill at length he came to be Prior and then being asked why now he held up his head he answered I have now found the Keys of the Covent Nor as of another that being a Frier would cover his Table with a piece of an old Fisher-net in token of his humility but coming to be Abbat he cast away his Net and being asked why he said I have now taken the Fish Neither are Christs words so to be taken as the Pope stiles himselfe Servus Servorum Dei Servant of the Servants of God under which Title he hath made himselfe Dominus Dominantium Lord of Lords Nor because Pope Gregory was the first that styled himselfe Servus Servorum Dei and his next Successor but one Boniface 3. got the Title of Vniversalis Episcopus universall Bishop therfore Christ requires such an humility as aymes at temporall promotion But he is truly humble that denyes himselfe and tramples on the worlds preferments preferring Christs rebukes before the treasures of Egypt and to suffer afflictions with the people of God rather then to injoy the pleasures of sinne for a season This is that humility which brings us to that Recompence of Reward to sit at Christs right hand And thus much of Christs words wherein he declares his mind touching Prelacy so as he never thought it fittest to governe his Church by Prelates as the said Archprelate is not ashamed to bely him and so to blaspheme him Therfore the Hierarchy is no Institution of Christ and so not jure devino of divine Authority CHAP. III. Wherein sundry passages of the Prelate in his said Booke for the mainteynance of his Hierarchy and so for the disabling of the Authority and Evidence of the Holy Scripture are met withall FOr concerning the Scripture he hath writ a large Treatise or * Section of his Relation of almost 15 Sheets of paper wherein he extremely abuses the clearenesse and Sufficiencie of Scripture as wanting light enough of it selfe to show it to be the word of God untill the Authority and Tradition of the present Church doe light it And for proofe hereof he saith that God in his Providence hath kindled in it no light for that Thus belying and blaspeming Gods Providence It shal be sufficient to name and note this onely for the present the confutation thereof requiring a larger
good as the former and no better For what Laws of the Realme doth he account just Those that crosse any Prelaticall practises and Antichristian lawlesse courses of his Spirituall Courts Surely those are not to be ranked among the just Laws of the Realme those must needs be unjust Laws which are made to restraine the Infolencie and Lawlesse proceedings of Prelaticall Courts Which is the reason that now of late under this Archprelate Prohibitions out of the Kings bench to the High-Commission are so gueason so well Schooled are both Lawyers to move and Judges to grant any such thing Thus the Prelates practises are a sufficient Commentary of his owne words So as the Summe of this his whole passage is That his Church of England must submit her beliefe to her Arch Bishops and Bishops as visible Iudges left by Christ to governe and to determine all matters of difference in point of Faith and Religion and that according to Scripture too so farre as they crosse not her own Canons and those of the Catholicke Church wherein England and Rome are one and the Same one Church of one Faith of one Religion And all this if we may beleeve her Metropolitan the Church of England beleeves O miserable Church CHAP. IIII. Wherein some other Passages of the Prelate in his Booke touching the Authority of his Hierarchie are met withall and confuted by evidence of Scripture IN his * Epistle Dedicatory he hath these words She the Church of England practises Church-Government as it hath been in use in all Ages and all Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting both in and ever since the Apostles times and yet the Seperatist condemnes her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline So he A bold Speech and the more bold because most false and hath nothing but his bare Ipse dixit his naked affirmation as Authority sufficient Whence I note sundry particulars First that he calleth the Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall Government therof the Church of England A thing familiar with Prelates to make themselves the Church And such a Church as that of Rome the Pope and his Priests or Prelates are the Church as themselves affirme Whereas indeed as Iunius hath well distinguished â— they are not the Body it selfe of the Church but â—â—ennes or swellings grown up and so incorporated into the Body as overspreading it like a Leprosie it assumes the denomination of the Body And such are Prelates who in the Church of England are Strumae great swellings like the Kings Evill which are commonly next the Head or about the necke in the most principall parts of the Body Onely in this they will not be called the Kings Evill because they claime their Originall from Christ as before is noted and therfore though they be but certaine Abscessus or Apostemes and so indeed Apostatâ—s from the true Church of Christ which not onely deforme the Body but greatly in danger the life thereof yet the name of Church they challenge in peculiar to themselves But surely the true Church of Christ in England disclaimes communion with such a false Church as the Hierarchie calls it selfe Secondly he saith that his Church or Prelaticall Government hath been in all Times and Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting Here he finely excludes all the Protestant Reformed Churches as no Churches of Christ because they have weeded out those * bittet roots whereby many are defiled and rooted up those plants ‡ which our heavenly Father hath not planted to wit all Prelates with their Hierarâ—hicall Government which being rooted out of those Churches the Gospell blessed be God and so the true Church of Christ hath taken the deeper and firmer rooting and brought forth the more abundant ‡ fruits of holinâ—sse But the Prelate in thus unchurching all true Reformists is as good as his word which he openly spake at Dr. Bastwicks Censure in High-Commission saying The Protestant Churches beyond the Seas were no Churches as having no Bishops calling Calvin a plaine Rascall But so long as those Churches have the true Bishops namely Orthodox and Sound Pastors to feed their severall â—locks it is not the Arch-prelate that can so easily degrade them from being Christs true Churches as he can deprive those Ministers both of Ministry and Meanes who are obnoxious to his Church-Goâ—ernment Thirdly where he saith that his Church-Government hath been in use in all Ages and in all Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting both In and ever since the Apostles times although this be most false yet were it true it would not therupon follow that this his Church-Government is either Apostolicall or jure divino or from Christ For first every thing that hath been in use in the Apostles times and in the true Church of Christ is not therfore Apostolicke or such as the true Church of Christ alloweth of For we read that the Mistery of Iniquity began to worke in the Apostles times and even then there were § many Antichrists and that in the very midst of the Church in those dayes †And if Prelates shall prove to be those Antichrists which the Apostles detected and described by their qualities as will appeare anonâ— then because such Antichrists were extant and their Church-Government in use in the Apostles times will the Prelate therfore conclude such were Apostolicke and had their Originall jure divino Secondly neither can the Prelate ever prove that his Prelaticall Government as now of later and of long time it hath been is any thing like to the Church-Government exercised by those who took upon them to be the first Diocesan or Provinciall Bishops in those ages succeeding the Apostles He that shall read the Centuries Catâ—lagus Testiunâ— veritatis and other true Church Stories shall find as vast a difference between those poore ancient Bishops both in their manner of life and Church-Government and the moderne Prelotes since Antichrist mounted aloft in his Pontificalibus as the * Poet makes between the Silver Age and the Iron Age or as the ‡ Prophet shews between the brazen brest of the Image of the Babylonish Empire and the feet mixt of iron and clay And that Image may well resemble the State of the Spirituall Babylon or Hierarchy which had its rise of simple and small beginnings but by degrees Successively it grew and got strength and both height and bredth and so became at length of a blind Brooke a goodly navigable River so as the Church turned a City of Traffique and Trade in all worldly pleasures and riches as Babylon is described Revel. 18. and so the more worldly it grew the more wicked proud tyrannicall lordly and imperious and of a Militant Church turned Triumphant as the Prelate himselfe saith of Rome so as now the Church Government of the Prelates in regard of their great Courts and Consistories and doing all things without the Presbyteryâ— is as much unlike that ancient
Church-Government of those Bishops of old as our moderne Prelates themselves are unlike them in manner of life for these are persecuters of the Gospel those were persecuted and suffered Martyrdome for Christ Thus it is false that he saith that the Church-Government now in England was in usâ— in the Primitive Church For to instance in one thing In those ancient Times Excommunication was not used for every trifle nor done in a blind Court nor denounced by a dumb Priest But enough of this Fourthly whereas he saith And yet the Seperatist condemnes her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline First as for the Seperatist as he calls him I thinke the Prelate with this his Book and other his Prelaticall practises hath made more Separatists from his Prelaticall Church of England then ever any that hath sit in the Chaire of Canterbury ever since his Predecessor Augustine first sate in it Nor doe I see how any Christian living in England can with a safe Conscience have communion with that Church which professeth as the Prelate doth in her Name to be one and the Same Church with Rome of one and the Same Faith and Religion Yea were it no more but that the Church of England professeth to be a Hierarchicall or Prelaticall Church which in that very respect is no true Church of Christ it were argument and cause sufficient to Seperate from her And that because Secondly he that is a true Seperatist from her for the former respects may justly condemne her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline For first She exerciseth She professeth no other Discipline but that which Antichrist the Pope and the whole Antichristian Romish Church exerciseth and professeth and that in all points Cap a pied from top to toe And this her Discipline is Antichristian as being of Antichrist and so against Christ and exercised in the maintenance of Antichrist For instance The Prelaticall Church of England hath lately found out a Discipline to censure punish imprison fine excommunicate degrade deprive and all these together him that shall dare to deny the Pope and Prelates to be jure divino Dr. Bastwicke did thus and so the High-Commission served him as aforesaid What Discipline then in the world can be more Antichirstian or more forcible to drive Christians from having any more communion with that Church which exercising such an Antichristian Discipline how can She shift off the just condemnation of Antichristianisme which they shall cast upon her Againe Secondly the whole Discipline of the Church of England as it is the Discipline which Antichrist and his Church exerciseth and therfore Antichristian So it is that which hath no footing but is expresly forbidden in the word of God as Antichristian and Tyrannicall For the Church of Englands Discipline stands most upon the imposition of sundry Ceremonies of humane invention and Antichristian observation which She presseth upon all mens Consciences and for default of Conformity layes grievous Censures upon them as Excommunication and the like Now all such Ceremonies so imposed both Christ himselfe condemneth * In vaine they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men and the Apostle also throughout that whole Chapter of the Epistle to the Collossians doth charge Christians not to put their necks under any such yoake as whereby they are deprived of the benefit of Christs death and beguiled of their reward and spoyled of their Christian liberty and the like Againe the Prelates in imposing their Ceremonies are Antichristian because in so doing they usurpe Christs throne and therein fitting doe exercise a Tyranny over mens Consciences intolerable to be borne which if men will not yeeld unto they doe in as much as in them lyeth make them Anathemaes shut them out of the Church by Excommunication c. And lastly their Excommunication not onely in regard of the matter and cause for which it is namely because men will not renounce Christs service to take the Tyrannicall yoake of Antichrists Ceremonies upon the shoulders of their Consciences but for the very manner of it as it is used in the Church of England is a Discipline Antichristian as being against that form of Excommunication which is prescribed in the word of God and was practised in the Apostolicall Churches It was Christs rule Tell it to the Church that is to the Congregation and if the Offender will not heare the Congregation he is Excommunicate by and out of the Congregation And the Apostles rule is for such Offenders as deserve Excommunication * I verily saith he as absent in body but present in Spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed In the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Whence I note that Excommunication is a Solemne businesse not to be inflicted for every trifling matter much lesse as the Pharisees did who excommunicated all those that confessed Christ nor to be done in a blind Court and by a single soled Priest nor the Offender to be released for the payment of his fees or by way of committing or the like all which are practised in the Discipline of the Church of England But Excommunication must not be but for a great offence nor done but by the whole Congregation nor released but upon the publique repentance confession and promise of reformation before the said Congregation where the offence was given and by whom the penalty is taken off Therfore the Discipline of the Church of England in this case is wholly Antichristian Lastly forasmuch as Prelates doe necessarily draw after them a Traine of Ceremonies as a Chaine of so many links wherwith they captivate ensnare and enslave the Consciences of men as their Motto is No Ceremonie no Bishop for they goe inseperably together like Tobie and his Dogge and the Church of England in her Discipline and Church-Service is wholly captivated by the Masters of such Ceremonies the Prelates and some Ceremonies are such as even doe deny the Lord that bought them as namely Altars and their Service and all the Ceremonies imposed upon the Conscience deny Christ to be the onely King of his Church all these taken together what between the Prelates and between their Ceremonies the Church of England and her Discipline is become Antichristian and therfore no marvail if for this cause good Christians that have knowledge and make Conscience doe Seperate from communion with any such Church CHAP. V. Wherein some other Passages of the Prelate are taken tripping though he would run away with it That his Hierarchie is Jure Divino HE saith * For the Calling and Authority of Bishops over the inferiour Clergie that was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of unity and Peace in the Church And so
whereof is to be ascribed to the Hierarchy of Prelates over their inferiour Clergy Thirdly where he saith Though S. Jerome being no Prelate himselfe he was no greâ—t friend to Bishops Hence I note onely the conceit of the Prelate that he thinks none can speake against Prelates but such as are none themselves as if it were onely a matter of envie But as the Poet said Dic mibi si fiâ—l tis Lâ—â— qualis erisâ— Tell me if thou thy selfe wert a Lion what manner of man wouldst thou be So the Prelate imagines that if any of those that speake against the Authority of Prelates were themselves Lions that is Lord Prelates they would be of another mind they would then say We Prelates have Authority over all Inferiour Priests Jure Divino we are the Sole visible living Iudges to determine and resolve all doubts in matters of Faith and Religion we are the Sole Masters of Ceremonies to bind all men to Canonicall obedience to all our Canons and Constitutions we enjoy honours pleasures riches ease delights of the world favours in Court and what not Thus the Prelate thinks all men would be of his mind were they in his Place And I thinke so too thus farre that they who take upon them the Prelacy they no sooner sit in that Chaire but it proves a Chaire of Pestilence unto them infecting and corrupting mans very reason and judgement so farre as to make him beleeve all is gold that glistereth Onely few come to that Chaire but such as are selfe-infected with their own imbred Plagues as pride Ambition Covetousnesse and that in a high Degree So as King Iames being once asked why he had made so many Bishops in Scotland and not one honest man amongst them all he replyed saying By his Saule there was never an Honest Man wad tack a Bishopricke And Histories tell us of many holy men that utterly refused Bishopricks And there is never a true Reformed Protestant Minister but hates a Bishoprick as he doth the Throne of the Beast But Fourthly saith the Prelate This to wit Anthority of Bishops was so settled in the minds of men from the very Infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been to that time in the 4th Age or Century contradicted by any No doubt but such a brave and bonny thing as a Prelacy would find Grace enough in the world and quickly sink down and settle in mens minds and affections But what 's this to the purpose as to prove it a Calling from Godâ— But this was saith he from the very Infancy of the Christian Church Surely the Prelacy in the very Infancy of the Christian Church either had no being at all iâ—rerum natura or was but a misshapen Embrio or infant in the Mothers belly as Esâ—â— was at the same time in his Mothers belly with Isaac yea and would have claimed the blessing of the birth-right too from Isaac because of his antiquity And did not this young Babe wrastle with 〈◊〉 in the wombe when the Apostle saith The Mystery of iniquity doth already works and this young Prelate wanted but time and opportunity to grow up to be a Nimrod even the great Antichrist as we shall see further anon So as to plead Antiquity of the Prelacy even from the very Infancy of the Christian Church is yet no good Argument to confirme their Authority to be jure divino For even Satans Kingdome had existence in the world before Christ was Promised And the Kingdome of heaven to wit of 〈◊〉 here is described to be such as no sooner was the wheat of the Gospell sowne but that wicked one had his Supersemination of Tares of manifold â—rrors such as sprung up even in the Apostles times the very Infancy of the Church But had not been till that time which the Prelate speakes of contradicted by any That I must now contradict For first as before is shewed Christ forbad it upon the first motion of it Secondly the Apostles of which we shall speake by and by mightily contradicted it and cryed it down as being that monstrous mystery of Iniquity And thirdly it was contradicted by sundry as by 〈◊〉 But you will presently say that Epiphanius ranks him even for that very opinion only that he held Prelates not to be de jure divino or that the Degree of a Bishop was no greater then that of a Priest in the Catalogue of Hereticks And so am I also content upon the same termes to be by the Prelates counted for an Hereticke But Secondly himselfe confesseth S. Ierome to have contradicted their Authority as we noted before saying that their Institution was meerly of humane Presumption Yea and thirdly Augustine that Famous light was of the same mind with Ierome So as some of the Learned in the * Councel of Trent alledged both of them in this point So that contradicted it was and had been and that by many and some of them as Christ and his Apostles of Divine and Infallible Authority So as without all Controversie Prelaticall Authority over other Ministers is no Calling of God at all which we now come more fully to shew by the Testimony of the Apostles both in their Doctrine and Practise CHAP. VI Wherein is shewed that according to the Scripture Preshyters and Bishops are all one without difference so as he which is a Presbyter is called Episcopus a Bishop and a Bishop a Presbyter THe first place of Scripture that proves this is in Acts 20. where the Apostles called together the Presbyters or Elders of the Church of Ephesus as ver. 17. which Elders or Presbyters in v. 28. he calls Episcopus saying Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flocke over the which the Holy Ghâ—st hath made you Episcopous that is Overseers as our English renders the word or Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood From which words it is manifest First that Presbyters and Bishops are all one and the same Order Calling and Office Secondly that in the Church of Ephesus there were many Bishops or Presbyters Thirdly that they had their Calling from the Holy Ghost Fourthly that their Office was to feed the Flock of God over the which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers And for this Cause such are called elsewhere * Pastors and Teachers right Shepheards indeed that feed the Flocke of God Now will our Prelates say First that they are those Episcopi What more contrary to their Canons and practise For First they doe not allow that every Presbyter be called a Bishop nor to be of the same Order Calling and Office For they say that the Order Calling and Office of a Bishop or Prelate is distinct and different from that of the Presbytery Secondly the Prelates have an old Canon that there must be but one Bishop in one City or Diocese But here we see the Church of Ephesus that one City had many Bishops in
the Lords day which is an open proclaiming of Warre against God against Christ against his holy Laws against all holinesse against our Christian vow in Baptisme against the good Laws of the Land and Acts of Parliament and against the very bonds of all Civill and Natural Societies And thus our Prelates are the most notorious Lawlesse men onely excepting the Grand Antichrist the Pope unlesse in some things they doe outstrip him that ever were in any Age of the world Further two wayes more doe the Prelates prove themselves to be o`i a'nomei those Lawlesse men As first in hanging the Keys of Scripture at their Girdle saying that the Credit and belieâ—â— of Scripture to be the word of God doth necessarily depend upon the Authority and Tradition of the present Church as the prime inducing cause to that belâ—â—f This our great Prelate in his said Book boldly affirmethâ— and often repeateth saying withall that the Scripture hath not light enough in it selfe is not sufficient to shew and prove it selfe to be the word of God So as the whole Authority of Scriptureâ— depending upon Church-Tradition and Authority is necessarily made subject to Episcopall Power and so consequently the Law of God contained therein shall not be Divine unlesse it please their good Lordships to give their good word for it and to make it of so much credit by the vote of their Authority and Tradition as that men may beleeve it to be Gods Law And upon this ground it is that if the Prelates shall pronounce the 4th Commandement not to be Morall for the sanctifying of a Seventh day yea the first day of the weeke for Sabbath and that Servants and Children are not bound to yeeld obedience to their Masters and Parents on that day in Case Civil or Ecclesiasticall Authority shall dispense with them to be free that day for their Sports then all men must be of their opinion that those Commandements are none of Gods Commandements The second way whereby Prelates doe shew themselves Lawlesse men is by denying the Scripture to be Iudge in Controversus of Faith For the said Prelate peâ—emptorily saith * I absolutely make a lawfull and free Generall Councel Iudge of Controversies by and according to Scriptures Which By and according to the Scriptures come in by the By and are meere Cyphers For by these words he either meanes That By and according to the Scriptures hee absolutely makes c. which is most false for by and according to the Scripture no Generall Councel is Iudge of Coneroversies Neither by and according to the Scriptures hath the Prelate power absolutely to make a Generall Councel Iudge of Controversies or els by these words he doth but cast a â—yst before his Readers eyes to make him beleeve upon the first rebound of his words that he makes Scripture the Rule for Generall Councels to determine Controversies by Whereas he meanes no such thing For elswhere he hath sundry speeches to the contrary as ‡ The Churches Declaration can bind us to peace and externall obedience where there is not expresse letter of Scripture and sâ—nce agreed upon And againe If there be a aâ—ealâ—usie or doubt of the sense of Scripture a Generall Councel must judge the Difference onely Scripture must be the Rule Now if Scripture be doubtfull and not cleare how can it be a rule to others to judge by But if Scripture be sufficiently and aboundantly cleare in it selfe in resolving of matters of faith for salvation how come men to take upon them to be Iudges But that the Scripture it selfe should be Iudge the Prelate in no case in no place of his Booke will allow of that Onely he confesseth that the Scripture is a * Iudge but without light Sufficient visible but not living not speaking but by the Church So as the Iudge he makes upon the matter both blind and dead and dumb As the ‡ Papists make it a dead letter and Leaden or Lesbian Rule that so they may set the Church above it to be Supreme Iudge Thus our Prelates if they will allow their Primate to speake for them have made the Scripture and so Gods word of no Authority in and of it selfe when it must depend both for its Authority and Sense upon the Church and that the Prelaticall Church or that Catholicke wherein the Church Prelaticall of England and of Rome are one and the Same Are not the Prelates then next after the Pope those Lawlesse men branded here by the Apostle under the name of that Lawlesse one We come now to the Sixth note of Antichrist in the Text which isâ—that he at God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Now the ‡ Temple of God properly according to the New Testament the ancient Temple of the Iews being abolished is the Soule and Conscience of every beleever or true Christian namely a Spirttuall Temple Now all that beare but the beare name of Christians as Papists doe doe also participate of the bare Name of such as are the true Temples and so in that respect Antichrist is said to sit in or upon or over the Temple of God For sitting argues a Seat Chaire or Throne which Antichrist sets up in the Soules and Consciences of all Papists Sitting and raigning as King over them in all matters of faith So as thus he makes himselfe a Spirituall Lord or King over them And thus by Antichrists sitting is understood his raingning as the Scripture doth often use this Terme as Revel. 17. 1. 3. 15. and 18. 7. And so in other places of Scripture by sitting is understood raigning as Heb. 1. 13. 1. Rev. 1. 13. Now that the Pope doth thus set up his throne and sit and raigne in the Consciences of men who are the Subjects and vassalls of his Spirituall Kingdome himselfe cannot will not deny And he sits as God that is assumes and exercises that power and authority over the Conscience which appertaines to God to Christ alone And thus he makes shew that he is God as to whom God hath committed all his Power and authority unto As the Pope calls himselfe Vice-God Christs Vicar and the like usurping whatsoever Titles of Power Christ hath in the Scripture as we read of Leo 10 in the Councel of Lateran calling himselfe the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah and the like And Bellarmine blusheth not to say and therein to Blas-Pheme that what soever is attributed to Christ in the Scripture is communicated to his Vicar the Pope And thus is fullfilled that which Christ foretold * Many shall come in my Name saying I am or I am Christ and shall deceive many Thus for the Pope that man of Sinne that Sonne of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himselfe abâ—ve all that is called God or that is worshiped that Lawlesse one that as God sits in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is Godâ— Now for our Prelates are they not herein
as there is a denyall of Christ in deeds But what it is to deny that Iesus is the Christ This is a point indeed very considerable To deny that Iesus is the Christ is to deny that Iesus is the Auointed King Priest and Prophet So as never any were anointed to all these 3 Offices And therefore Christ was said to be ‡ anointed above his fellows And for that cause he is called here o' Kristòs The Anointed Now then to deny that Iesus is the Christ is to deny that Iesus is the onely King the onely High Priest and the onely Prophet of his Church But to apply this doth the Pope and so our Prelates deny that Iesus is thus the Christ Yes they do First for the Pope it is manifest that he denyes Iesus to be the only King of his Church because himselfe takes upon him to be King over the Church sitting as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God as before is shewed Secondly he not onely sets up other High-Priests in heaven as whom he makes Mediators of Intercâ—ssion and so he denyes Christs High priesthood in heaven whose Office alone it is to make Intercession within the vâ—ile as was typed by the High Priest Heb. 9. but the Pope also makes himselfe the High Priest on Earth in forgiving of Sins and in Sacrificing and offering up a Breaden Christ for a propitiatory Sacrifice wherein also every Masse-Priest usurps Christs Priesthood on the Crosse And Thirdly he denyeth Iesus to be the onely Prophet to teach his Church taking upon him to be the Sole Oracle and unerring Iudge in matters of Faith These might be inlarged but I hasten And a word in things so cleare is sufficient Now for our Prelates Do not they too deny that Iesus is the Christ Doe not they deny him to be the only King of his Church by their usurping of his throne and dominion over the Consciences of Gods people in matters of faith and Religion by imposing their manifold Canons and Ceremonies as before is shewed And Secondly do they not deny that Iesus is the onely High Priest while themselves with the Pope and their false Priesthood take upon them to forgive Sins Yea and doe they not labour to come home to Rome in setting up their Altars with their Priests which must needs have a sutable Sacrifice some Host so as thereby Christ is denyed to be the onely High Priest who offered up himselfe on the Crosse once for all Thirdly and Lastly doe they not deny Iesus to be the onely Prophet of his Church while themselves usurpe the Office of being Iudges of the Sâ—ripture and of the Controversies of Faith making their Dictates to be received for Doctrines and their determinations though in things erronious in the Faith to bind all men to peace and obedience Which being so the Conclusion is that as the Pope is the grand Antichrist so Prelates are so many Antichrists For saith the Apostle Who is a lyer but he that denyeth that Iesus is the Christ He is Antichrist And thus we see how these hypocrites who are so Superstitiously and Idolatrously devout in their worshiping of the Name JESUS prove themselves notorious Antichrists in denying Iesus to be the Christ to be the only King Priest and Prophet of his Church CHAP. IX Wherein the Prelates usuall Allegations out of the Scriptures by them perverted or other by them pretended are answered AS there hath been no Heresie nor Hereticke so grosse but he could alledge some Scripture or other for the maintenance of his Heresie if his own carnall sense might be the Intepreter and Iudge So our Prelates though their pretended Title of Iurisdiction be in some cleare Scriptures so expresly condemned both by Christ and his Apostles as hath been shewed as were sufficient to confound them and put them to perpetuall silence yet they leave no Stone unturned under which they might find but some worme for a baite to deceive the Simple Fish And therfore where they find but the least shadow or appearance or resemblance which may present to their fancy and imagination some aëry Image of their Hierarchie that they set up for all men to adore Now let us see what starting holes they find out for themselves in the holy Scripture First they alledge those Postscripts in the end of Pauls Second Epistle to Timothy and of that to Titus where in the one Timothy is said to be first Bishop of Ephesus and in the other Titus first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians These say they were Diocesan Bishops ordained by the Apostle And here say they we have Scripture for it Ergo we Bishops have our Authority Iure Divinâ— To both which places I answere First That those two Postscripts are no part of Canonicall Scripture or of the holy Text For as the learned Beza hath well observed they were not found in the most ancient Greek Copies nor yet in the vulgar Latin Translation no not to this day These were additions of some Monks that were made some hundred yeares after the Apostles So as in Ieromes time they were not extant as the Translation that goes in his Name can testifie which hath no such Postscrips Secondy our former and ancienter English Translations though they have those Postscripts yet they are put in a small character different from that of the Text that all men may take notice they are no part of the Text Although our All-Innovating Prelates of late have in the newer Impressions inlarged their Phylacteries in putting those Postscripts in the same full character with that of the Text that the Simple might beleeve they are Canonicall Scripture Thirdly Timothy and Titus are no where in Scripture called Bishops Fourthly Suppose they were such Bishops as the Scriptures approve of as before is shewed doth it therefore follow that they were Diocesan Bishops Lording over the Presbyters as our Lord Prelates doe Let them shew us that But fiftly it is cleare by Scripture that Timothy and Titus were neither Dioceâ—an Bishops nor yet Bishops of a particular Congregation such as the Scripture commends unto us Not Diocesan Bishops for first as yet there was no distribution of Diocese that came in afterward And secondly they were not tyed to any Residence either Diocesan or Parochiall And neither as yet was the Church divided into Parishes Now the reason why Timothy and Titus were no such Bishops is because they were * Euangelists whose Office was to attend upon the Apostles and to be sent by them now to one Church now to another and that in remote Countries and farre distant one from another where they stayed no longer then the Apostles thought expedient having occasion to imploy them in other places as we may read Tit. 1. 5. and 3. 12. Phil. 2. 19. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 16. 18 19. and 12. 17 18. Col. 4. 7 8 1 Thess. 3. 2. 5 and in sundry other places So as Timothy and Titus and other Euangelists
it even as many as there were Presbyters Thirdly our Prelates can never prove their Authority and Office to be from the Holy Ghost either from any inward calling or outward Not from an inward calling because first it is not any zeale of Gods glory or desire to win soules to God but it is the strong bias of ambition and covetousnesse pride and vaine glory and love of the world that draws them to a Bishopricke Nor Secondly is it an outward calling from men For as in respect of God they have run afore they be sent So in respect of Man they come before they be called Yea they provide and prepare a long time before for such a Purchase For they heap up by hook or crock 3 or 4 Fat Livings they seldome Preach at any of them nor keep Residence or Hospitality but hoord up full Bagges Sculke at the Court â—gratiate themselves with those in greatest Grace and when the Chaire is voyd they bring out their Bagges and so they ar the onely qualified men for such a Dignity They are well known to be no Puritans So as neither according to their own ancient Canons which were framed according to the practise held in the Apostles dayes when the People had a voyce in the election of their Pastors have the Prelates an outward calling to their dignities For instance when Mr. Moutague was to be installed or I wot not what they call it in Bow Church and the Tipstaffe according to the Ancient custome in that Case with his Mace proclaimes open liberty for any that can come and except against the worthinesse of that Man one stood forth and made his exception which though it was both legall and very materiall yet he was borne down and the matter never came to tryall but was carryed with a strong hand for the new Prelate Thus I say they have no lawfull nor truly formall or yet Canonicall outward Calling Yea besides that they are notorious Simonists either purchasing that dignity with a great Summe of money or procuring it obsequio by obsequiousnesse or Court-Service and attendance or by a wager or the like all which are branches of Simonie they doe also play the egregious hypocrites For when the Question is asked them Vis Episcopare Wilt thou be a Bishop he answers Nolo No forsooth And this is done three times A meere mock-holiday For if the wretch were taken at his word he were undone Fourthly neither doe our Prelates affect the Bishopricke for that end that those Bishops of the Church of Ephesus were exhorted unto by the Apostle namely to feed the Fock of God Yea besides that their ayme and desire is not for the Office and worke of a true Bishop as the Apostle saith * He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke which is principally to feed the Flocke of God as also ‡ Peter exhorteth for they look not to the duty but after the dignity as Chrysostome and ‡ Bernard have noted of old Thou seest saith Bernard all Ecclesiasticall zeale to boyle and pant aftâ—r their Dignities onely c. as we noted before besides this I say it is a thing impossible for them to feed the Flocke of God For some of them have foure or five hundred Flocks within their Diocese some moreâ— some lesse which they never once in all their life bestow one fothering upon onely the Prelate in his Trienniall Visitation that is once in 3. yeares visites perhaps halfe a dozen Churches where he comes not to feed the Flockâ— with one Scrap of a Sermon but to fill his pouch with his poore Ministers double Procurations and his paunch with their good Cheere But our Prelates will answere as our Non-residents doe in that case that though themselves doe not feed the Flocke yet their Curates doâ— it for them For say our Prelates and that according to their Collect for Bishops and Curates all the Ministers in their severall Diocese are their Curates to feed so many Flocks Thus by this reckoning the Prelates are the most egregious Non-residents of all other And thus we see how not onely unlike but directly contrary all Prelates are to those Bishops of the Church of Ephesus and that in all and every of those particular and remarkable respects forespecified out of the Apostles own words And therfore by that place of Scripture Prelates though they have usurped most unjustly the Title of Bishops yet they have nothing in them of true Bishops indeed and therfore are never able to prove that they are Bishops jure divino For they which are Bishops jure divino are lawfull Pastors set over their particular Flocke to feed the same with the wholesome food of the word but Prelates call themselves Diocesan Bishops having so many Flocks as they neither doe nor ever are able nor ever intend to feed them Nay instead of feeding them they restraine and inhibit all Ministers to feed their Flocke at all in the Afternoone on the Lords dayes nor at any time to feed them with sound and wholsome and comfortable fâ—od of the Doctrines of Grace and Gods free love to his Elect in giving Christ for them effectually to Redeeme them and certainly to bring them to that eternall glory in heaven which God from all Eternity had Predestinated them unto So as without this sound preaching of Grace no Flock can be Savingly fedde Prelates therefore are Wolves to destroy not Shepheards to feed the Flocke of Christ A Second place of Scripture proveing a Presbyter and a Bishop to be all one in Order Calling and Office is in Tit. 1. 5. c. For this Cause saith the Apostle to Titus I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City as I had appointed thee If any be blamelesse c. For a Bishop must be blâ—melesse as the Steward of God not Selfe-willedâ— c. Here againe we plainly see that those who are the Presbyters or Pastors set over the Flock of God are here called Bishops by the Apostle Whence in is evident that in the Infancy of the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles themselves and that by Order from Christ and from the Holy Ghost all Presbyters or true Pastors of severalâ—Congregations as aforesaid were called Bishops or Overseers as the Greek word signifieth And this was kâ—ta poâ—n in every City and Towne in Creete especially where there was a Congregation of Christians Titus was appointed by the Apostle to ordaine such Elders or Bishops And in Centuries we read â—ow in some Countries there was never a Towne or Village but it had a Bishop in it which Bishop was the Pastor there And the severall qualities required in those Presbyters or Bishops are in the same Chapter set down by the Apostle which because we touched before upon occasion I will not here insist upon But those qualities are such as our Prelates willingly leave to those poore Presbyters