or Jewish children For the question is still the same to wit if dead animal things used by the Jewes in their worship are to bee rejected by Christians in their divine service why doth hee onely remove Organs It is to be feared that if such another Night-bird grow as Apolonius that not onely Organs shall be taken away but Books also Tables Pulpits Deskes Garments and other things So that this Walachrian pratler will bee forced not onely to weary himselfe in standing but also immodestly to wander up and down naked This petty Law-giver then is too imperious against Magistrates who dares break in upon their right so rashly and Magisterially declare these things unlawfull which God hath not condemned but hath left free to Christians Besides the Harmony of Organs is usefull to hinder the confusion that many times is in singing The Magistrate indeed makes use of skilfull finging-men to regulate the tunes of the Psalmes but we find by experience that these are not sufficient to hinder the undecent confusion in singing Now if the Harmony of Organs be a decent help against this seandall who will not see that this Walachrian is a railing fellow who so injuriously rageth against Magistrates about an order not prohibited but of long continuance and profit Surely he that will but indifferently think that when there was no publick worship David did drive away the evill spirit from Saul by his musick On the contrary that Micha the Prophet stirred up the good spirit in himselfe He will confesse with me that Christian Minds may be cheered and modestly excited in divine worship as well by the musick of Organs as of voyces So then by this example we may see what wil be the end and effects of this holy and free legislative Church-power for which the Stilt-walker in Walachria doth so much contend to wit that some spirituall Night-bird out of idlenesse and his itching pride may whilst he is farting in his study conceive the creame of some new spirituality and then in his superlatively sacred Consistorial Affembly by the Cockes egge of contention to which presently the Classick Toads crawle together that by cherishing and sitting upon this egge at last the new Basilisk of Errour and dominiering may be hatched Such was the proceeding of this new Apolonian Monster daily such kind of Chickens will increase If all such kind of Vermin be not choked within their Consistoâ—all shell by a plenipotentiary presence before that by their breath and hissing they infect the aire all abroad to the destrnction of all that shall heare or see them The summe of all is this that now there is no speciall or any mysticall priviledge of sanctity in making Church-lawes and statutes from which pious Magistrates are to bee kept off For either these are ordinances of things necessary for salvation and divine worship all which are contained in Scripture and are the ancient Lawes of God not of their modern Church but who will say that it is unlawfull for godly Magistrates to make dicrees and command men to observe Christs Lawes Truly if wicked Magistrates would make such Lawes and enjoyn Curistians to keep the pure commands of Christ they should not be sacrilegious but most worthy of praise Or else the lawes which they make are of things indifferent which concerne the order and decency of the Church But because he confesseth himselfe these things to be free and no way binding the conscience whence I pray proceeds so great a holinesse in ordering things not properly holy but free Or as it often useth to be lawes are made of things faigned false and unusefull as we may see among Papists but these make the law-givers prophane not holy I might now seeme to have put a Bit in the mouth of this huge Beast of Walachrian-Popish-legislative-power but that there remaines yet a halter concerning the facred right of Dependency For the Walachrian Papist is so fruitfull in hatching new sanctities that just like a Potter he makes of the same clay first a Censeriall Platter and then a Legislative Chamber-pot that now nothing is more easie then whilst the wheele is turning there may be framed a cover fit for such a pot to wit the holinesse of Dependency for because it is the charge of Church-men to have care of her and so remove scandals from her Hence is begot among them the power of censuring then of making Lawes according to the spirituall and holy pleasure of the Walachrians Now Church-ordinances cannot be made cursorily in the Market-place Spargere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or streets for this were to shit as dogges do when they are running but there is need of preparation that this high spirituality might be uttered in Consistories Classes and Synods whence among Papists ariseth the sacred right of dependence However I confesse that there is some use of Ecclesiastik meetings yet this I l'e say that these are meere devices which the Walachrian Prates of their precise sanctity for hitherto it is not known by any example or command of Christ that it is a matter of such necessity and sanctity for making up of a Church that there should be meetings in Consistories Classes and Synods as if the Magistate must therfore be called sacrilegious if either hee hinder or joyne with them according to his authority for whilst they keep no moderation in these meetings but ascribe too much power to them they make a Pope of the Church or else run in infiâ—â—iâ—m which I thus demonstrate If a brother saith Christ wrong his brother Mat. 18. the matter must be composed between themselves if that cannot be two others must be imployed if they can do no good they must tell the Church and here Christ stays That is a great argument for Independents in that Christ goeth no higher then a partieular Church Oftentimes experience teacheth us that coÌ„troversies are thus better taken up then in Classes Synods because there they are better known in all their circumstances clearer from affections But the old new Papists wil none of this for so they should want much of their sanctities whence they pleasantly talk by way of comparisons If the Church that is the Consistory should erre then say they accoording to Christs command two or three Churches must be imployed and they wil make a Classis Here is a goodly increase for two or three brothers to be enlarged into two or three Churches This is the Popish increase who of one Peter the chiefe Pastor of the Church have made innumerable successors Popes and Peters as it were But if it should happen that the Classis should erre here the increase multiplies for then two or three Classes must be imployed which makes a Provinciall Synod and if this Synod also should erre then the Synods of divers Provinces must be assembled which make up a general Councel of that Kingdome or State But if this also erre then the Councels of divers Nations must be assembled
him nothing is more ancient then to extoll the outward businesse of the Ecclesiastick Ministery for holy spirituall and divine among men * Part 1 p. 116 p. 119. So that every where hee cries out these affaires do belong to heaven not to earth and that the externall things of the Church reach unto the soule and lastly to bee of such a sublime nature that it is impossible the art of Ecclesiastick jurisdiction should be exercised by the authority of the Magistrate so that as often as mention is made of the * Choragium Ampullantur dressing of Church matters they in proud and haughty words affirme that sacred things are not to bee touched Of which notwithstanding there is nothing so high and difficult which is not easie enough to him that is but indifferently exercised For these are preaching and publick Prayer the outward administration of the Sacraments the making of Laws for the outward order of the Church the greater and lesser censure whereof this is by suspending from the Lords Supper that by separation from the whole body of the Church by the uttering of certain words Lastly Election and confirmation to Ecclesiastick Offices All which affaires at this day are known to be performed by ordinary gifts oftentimes in a humane and perverse way even by such who being void of all Christian vertues are laden with nothing else but wickednesse that Apollonius may obtrude superstition after a Popish manner when hee searcheth after such abstruce mysteries of spirituality in the outward works of Ecclesiastick dressing that hee might make men think that what is performed by the Ministeriall function of the Church is of a higher nature then mans capacity can reach unto Whereas the whole dignity of these things as they are performed at this day depends from Christs generall institution and from the common Law of Order Out of these lurking places being driven after the Popish manner he flies to Ecclesiastick Vocation and chiefly to confirmation by imposing of hands which though at this day it be defiled and variously spotted shewing no effects of spirituallity in those on whom it is conferred Yet hee would faine perswade us that it is of wonderfull efficacy for conferring of spirituall right and spirituall prerogative to performe the sacred Offices of the Church that it hath such a speciall prerogative so that hee accounts him * Part 1. p. 87. p. 71. sacrilegious whosoever being destitute of the rights of Vocation and Ecclesiastick Confirmation will offer to put his hand to those internally externall affaires of the Church which hee illustrates by the example of King Uzziah struck with Leprosie Out of which principles at last springs up the speciall Church-Government which though every man may see it to bee in the world and to bee exercised by too worldly meanes and that by them who after confirmation are oftentimes more carnall than any Lay-men yet hee will have us beleeve that this Government is not o◠this world not earthly but heavenly spirituall holy independent from any worldly power in it selfe absolute and as it were of its own * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power by reason of the inseparable subjection of Church-men to Christ as his Legates Whence belongs to them this right to hee Governours Captaines Pastors Fathers under which titles it is lawfull onely for them to proceed to Governe to feed to give laws to punish and that imperiously with power and authority Part. 2. p 323. in the formalities of the Church Whence hee makes a rupture irreparable between the power or government of Magistrates and of the Church Part. 1. p. 91. 93. p. 9◠Because they are so different in the subject end and meanes that he thinks heaven and earth will be confounded if the Magistrate should offer to touch the internall things of the Church For hee will not allow the secular power to bee in but onely about the Church which medleth with the circumstantialls of the Church onely as a separable accident which the Church may easily want and did want under the Apostles and time of the first Reformation So that as hee assevers the Christian and godly Magistrate hath no more to doe with Church-affaires then the wicked hath in respect of right except in cases extraordinary when the whole Clergie wants reformation but yet on this condition too that the judgement of this matter bee left to the Church-men But if the Magistrate should meddle with any thing which hee calls formally Ecclesiastick besides these cases hee cryes out openly that sacriledge and robbery is committed that the rights of Christs Spouse are violated for which Christ shed his blood yea that the state of the Church was happier under the crosse because of her free jurisdiction which then shee used then now if the Magistrate offer to intermeddle with the Church-affaires so that indeed hee counts no better then Gibeonites the religious Magistrates who were not to serve in but about the Sanctuary and were not to meddle with or touch any holy thing but being tide to servile obedience in furnishing necessaries were bound perpetually to acknowledge their fraud and prophanenesse Out of so many naughty rootes of Popery it is no wonder if in Apollonius and some of his followers this fruite proceed not onely in speaking evill of secular Rulers as often as they seeme to Clergie-men to stumble upon the rights of the Church but contrarily they dare in secular affaires prescribe to and command the Magistrate by their Pastorall authority so that no Catechisme seemes to them more holy than that they assure one another that the secular Magistrate is simply to bee debarred from all things which they account Ecclesiasticall and that they are not to be admitted into the meanest part of their modern Ecclesiastick spirituality so faire as they performe the Office of a Magistrate the top of which spirituallity if elsewhere they seem to touch that they must bee resisted with might and maine as profane men either directly or if strength bee wanting indirectly and cunningly Per cuniculos in their private or publick declamations to the people Sure Apollonius seemes in this work to sound the Alarum and by his example to stirre up turbulent Ministers to bee bold upon the Magistrate when opportunity serves and to shake off one time or other their vile and violent yoke I doubt not but such kinde of vermine lurke else-where but dull and as it were sticking fast in their shell of which notwithstanding none doth cherish such dastardly spirits Puliatus but that if this Black coat and rude Wallachrian shall finde good successe in a short time great store of such Zelots will every where appeare I will no more prophesie but now will produce the acts of Apollonius and his fellow Walachrians set out not a few years since which will teach us that long agoe they were resolved and purposed first to prescribe a Law to the Civill Magistrate in
fact not the effect of the Apostles so that hee who is ordained and confirmed is the same after that he was before imposition of hands But the Apollonians bragge that they are Christs Embassadors This is an arrogant untruth for they have not obtained the gift of teaching in the Church after that divine and spirituall manner that Christs Legates did of old but by humane gifts and humane calling which according to Gods and Christs generall institution serve the now decayed Church that wants these gifts in which shee excelled under the Apostles You are Gods Embassadors and the Churches Patrons to whom for ever by speciall command the care of the Church under Christ is committed Which not to undertake is hainous impiety and to take it from you is sacriledge and now what I have said to the secular Nobility I also say to you that are Religious Ministers Contemne the boldnesse of Apollonius and his fellows for they are seditious and desire innovation They goe about to raise among themselves the Papall Hierarchy to the overthrow of your Honour they hunt after worldly glory and would have you lose the true honour of Christ All honour is due properly to Gods Word not to you Your Calling should put you in minde of your Ministery and burthen not of command and ruling Which of you will bee so proud with Apollonius as to bragge of an inseparable subjection under Christ so that hee truely heares Christ that heares you Let Apollonius be ashamed to bee so often convicted of falsehood that hee is so infabibly subordinate to Christ as if his authority with Christs were the same Lisien rather to Christ the Lord of the whole Church who by command and examples hath taught you not to seek after the Kingdomes of this world much lesse by the Church Apollonius seeks both to wit dominion in the Church and by the Church over Magistrates and the world too Christ said that Kings and Lords were to beare rule but not you Yet hee hath not driven out of the Church the higher power which is exercised with authority but hath forbid you to meddle with that which God hath granted to Magistrates The Pope hath so corrupted this command of Christ that by wresting of it hee first stript Princes of their authority in the Church and then from their temporall Dominions and so procured to himself the dominion of the Church then of the whole World This is it which Apollonius borrows of him Hee debarres Princes from having any authority in the Church from which Christ never debarred them On the contrary hee affects dominion and power over the Church and State which Christ never gave him but plainly forbid him Bee not therefore followers of Apollonius and his Disciples Christ and his Apostles were indued with supreme authority and what the Magistrate doth now by the Sword that could they doe by words and threatning that is to say kill and punish corporally They had power and aptitude to command all in the Church but not to obey notwithstanding they so ruled the Church that they both governed and were governed they taught and were taught they ordered and were ordered they sent and were sent Finally there was none of these things they did much affect for which these proud and contentious spirits strive as it were for Religion it selfe Stephanas and her family served the Church with their goods these were but vulgar people and as they called them Laicks yet Paul wills the whole Church which excelled in so many spirituall gifts to bee subject to them and such as they were for that work How farre was that government from this of Apollonius on whom the Christian Magistrate had beaped all sorts of benefits yet teacheth that hee must not bee subject to them but they to him that hee must not honour but contemne them â—ar 1. p. 30.31 for bee accounts him wicked and a Simonaick out of his Calderwood that shall adscribe any power over the Church to any man for his bounty and charges on the Church Which is a manifest blasphemy both against the Apostle and the Magistrate which neverthelesse these Walachrians esteem as a fine and choise sentence But they say that Christs Kingdome is not of this World Luk. 17.21 I grant it if they mean his internall Kingdome which Christ saith is within us But for externall things which serve for the building up of that Kingdome Christ never taught they were not of this world and surely hee had done that which was far from the nature of his Kingdome when making a whip of coards hee vindicated the purity of Divine worship Yea that Counsell which is given to Kings and Princes of the New Testament to Kisse the Sonne had been in vain but that I may not use my own words longer In comment Deut. 13.5 Let Calvin speak who thus writes God can be without the help of the Sword for the defence of Religion hee wills it not but what wonder is it if God commands the Magistrate to bee the revenger of his glory who will not have thefts whoredomes drunkennesse exempted from punishment nor suffer them In lesser faults it shall not bee lawfull for the Judge to cease when the worship of God is overthrown and all Religion shall so great a sin be cherished by connivence c Besides what can bee more prodigeous but it s in vain to contend by reasoning when God hath once pronounced what hee will have done Wee must necessarily yeeld to his inviolable decree Yet it is questioned whether or not this Law belongs to Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and farre different from earthly Empires And indeed there be some otherwise good men who think that our condition under the Gospel is not like that of the ancients under the Law Not onely because the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but also because Christ would not have his Church in the beginning to bee established by the Sword but whilst Kings in promoting of Christs Kingdome doe consecrate their owne work I deny that therefore the nature of it is changed And although maugre all worldly power Christ would have his Gospell to be proclaimed by his Disciples whem hee exposed as sheepe among Wolves having no other Armour but his Word yet hee did not tye himselfe to an eternall Law but that hee might force even Kings to his obedience and tame their violence and of bloody persecutors make them Patrons and Guardians of his Church In the beginning Magistrates exercised their tyranny against the Church because the time was not yet come that they should Kisse the Sonne and laying aside their violence should become Nursing Fathers to that same Church which they persecutediaccording to Isaiahs Prophesie which doubtlesse hath reference to Christs comâ—ing Nor is it to no purpose that Paul bids us pray for Kings and all that bee in authority hee gives a cause to wit That under them wee may live quietly in all godlinesse and honesty As
But that he may not here cosen the English and Netherlanders I fore-warn them that he in this lieth and cheateth them divers wayes He cites the 26. and 23. verses of that chap Act 15. but he who wil read all things attentively shal find that Luke sayth nothing of the Deputies of divers Churches as Apolonius feignes But chiefly observe his errour in alledging to prove this matter Acts 21.16 where it is recorded that with Paul going up to Ierusalem there joyned themselves some Disciples bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus with whom the Church had lodged but not a word of the Deputies of divers Churches and if any thing be found like this it is too much impudencie and stupidity to confound this going up with that Acts 15. For there is many yeares difference for this was almost in the beginning of Pauls Apostleship but that in the end because shortly after Paul was taken and carrid to Rome so that Davus here hath not well divided his times which is so much the lesse to be indured in one so proudly puffed up who is so luxuriant in urging his own Embassie his authority in preaching and his inseparable subordination to Christ So that there is nothing more likely then that this Walacheian doth belch every day out of the Pulpit in Middleburgh many absurdities and lies by authority who durst obtrude to the learned English both in writing and print such manifest falshoods Now that we may further search out in this sacred Assembly the pomp of a Synod we must see if we can find in Luke any thing of Order of Sessions of letters of credence of the choyce of a Moderator of the right of decision and many other things required in a Synod which the Pope hath finely painted out of whose fetches this our Pope is not a little proud so that hee bewitches the Magistrate with the sanctity of his Dependency Surely Luke makes no mention of these toyes which pride afterwards found out but on the contrary we see that the whole people were present at this Assembly For it is said Acts 15.4 that Paul and his company were received by the Church the Apostles and Presbyters Neither were they there onely to consult but also to decide and to determine For it is sayd v. 22. It seemes good to the Apostles Presbyters with the whole Church Neither is there any signe that matters were carried by votes neither was there any dispute about the Moderatorship There were so many Apostles and pillars of the Church present yet no man impaired the others authority as if there had been need of the Emperour to be there with his Scepter of the Pope with his Crosier staff but every one spake as occasion served sometimes Peter sometimes Paul sometimes Iames others being silent for all without law or command abstained from confusion and tumults so that when one spake the other held their peace None therefore of the Apostles did assume to himselfe any Judiciall power or prerogative such as is bragged of at this day Now if we look upon the event of the Councel there is nothing that favoureth of any pomp or Synodicall pride such as is at this day they concluded not proudly as the Pope doth but thus it seemes good to the Holy Ghost and to us Nor did they impose their ordinances upon all Nations but onely upon the Churches of Antiâ—ch and Syria which had imployed their help and Councel They were so moderate in commanding that they rather perswaded then commanded for in a familiar letter they wrot to them even concerning the piety of their Legats Judas and Sylas praying rather obedience from them then requiring it which they needed not have done if they had purposed with the Pope or the Stilt-walker to command with authority Lastly the lawes which they made were of things indifferent which they did not urge so rigidly as not to leave it free for any to doe as they thought good when occasion served as afterwards we know the Galatians Corinthians and Romans did violate these lawes when theâ— was no danger of offence as Calvin elswhere fitly sheweth This then is that holy Synod this is that first councell of Jerusalem of which both old and new Papists doe so much bragge in which if Apolonius shew me all the the toyes and spirituall requisites in Synods he shall be to me great Apollo such are The calling of Synods the chiefe of Deputies the Letters of credence the power of consulting and dciding the right of Moderatorship the pluralities collections of Votes whether Synods can make Lawes Dogmaticall or Diatacticall whether these Lawes are to be ratified by Magistrates whether Magistrates are to be present at Syneds or if they are to moderate Whether they are to have a sentence definitive or deliberative whether Church-ordinances may become Church-lawes whether they bind the conscience directly or indirectly Whether they oblige by a coactive spirituall power and innumerable other things which hee hath gathered out of the Popes Danghill for Jewels and with them hath stuffed his work Truly if he can draw these things out of this Apostolicall meeting hee will deserve to be made of a poore Walachrian Shepheard an English Bishop or a German Superintendent I can scarce think that this Assembly was a Classis in respect of outward things and not much otherwise to be accounted then if the Church of Snecana or Doccoma should in a different case consult with the Francian or Leowardian Church and should send two or three of their Church and receive from that Church a writing concerning things indifferent They commonly answer that all the Apostles were present which gave to this meeting the honour of a generall Councell I confesse that the authority of this Councell was so great that it exceeded all the Councels of the whole world and if at this day there were a councel in which so many yea if there were but one divinely inspired his authority should bee of greater account with mee then of all the wise men in the world But because it is disputed whether this was such a Synod as the Dependents at this day describe they are no lesse foolish that perswade this then if they should prove the Popes proud Scarlet Robe out of Peters Fishermans garment Truly if all the meetings in which CHRIST and his Apostles were present are to be accounted Councels there were many Councels in the Apostles times But they say more that this meeting did impose lawes upon the whole Church and therefore must be held for a Councell but this is false as I shewed before For if every meeting which ordaines and decrees such things as may be usefull for many Churches bee a Councell then sure many Confistories are to be held for Councels And now I have overthrown the Foundations of Popish Dependency not that I dislike the meetings and conference of one Church with another for the preservation of peace and truth when time and place shall
of people which being unfit for other imployment are of meane spirits and fit onely to consume victualls so the Poet describes the lazie Shepheard Tyterus stretching himselfe along in the shade and singing love-songs of his fair Amaryllis This pastorall sport Pope Hellebrand that spirituall Shepheard shewed when expecting that Honry the fourth Emperour should come to Canossa in an humble way he betooke himselfe to the tower of Mathildis that in the meane while he might delight himselfe with his Amaryllis Yet I do not think this Walachrian Shepheard will be proud of these pastorall vertues so that I doubt whether he will have applied to himselfe all that is commonly found in Shepheards So I will say of sheep Christs spirituall sheep differ much from our ordinary ones for these are bruitish foure-footed beasts wooll-bearers which can neither reason nor speake but onely bleat But although Lay-men among Papists are of little better account with their spirituall Church-men yet this I will say for Christs holy sheep that they differ much from bruit beasts not onely because his sheep are reasonable creatures but also that a sheep in Christs flock may become a Shepheard and a Shepheard a sheep which change were miraculous in other sheep but in Christs flock it is no rare thing for if to feed be to teach and rule as Papists say we shall finde that among the Apostles this was usuall that he who taught to day was taught to morrow for Apollos taught Aquila and Priscilla as a Pastor doth sheep but Aquila and Priscilla taking him apart did instruct him more particularly and of sheep became Shepheards but the Shepheard himselfe became a sheep Neither will the Stilt-walker deny but they oftentimes sit among sheep and disciples who are such proficients in their studies that they become Teachers and of sheep Shepheards I know this transformation is not liked by Papists because they will be alwayes Shepheards but never sheep Yet this is true in Christs spirituall flock that such a change oftentimes there is whence appeares the foolishnesse of Papists who from a metaphoricall title of Pastor conclude that they may do to Christs reasonable sheep what our common Shepheards do to their bruitish flocks Similitudes must never be drawne further then his meaning that useth them except we will go beyond the compasse The name of Pastor in Scripture is given to Kings to shew their moderation it is also given to Church-Rulers but with great restriction and prohibition to reigne Let Kings beare rule Mat. 20. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 5. saith Christ to his Apostles it shall not be so with you So Peter forbids Pastors to domineere but Papists are carried with a contrary spirit who from this title draw their authority over the Church For their Pastorall rod at this day is very imperious powerfull and regall and it hath two keyes fastned to it the one is preaching the other is jurisdiction or censuring which old and new Papists use as a sword to strike and push with but in a different way For the Pope being Antichrist and an old Sheep-stealer in Christs flocke cares no more for the preaching top of the Shepheard staffe for though in Scripture to feed be to preach and teach yet in the Popes and Jesuites exposition to feed is to be filent as a dumb dog For if any man be stout in preaching the truth he is oftentimes chosen to be of the Popes Conclave that his mouth may be stopped so that out of the Popes Court to feed is to teach but within his Court or Conclave to fied is not to teach but to be silent Bellarmine to wash of this blot saith it is not convenient that the Pope should teach by himselfe it sufficeth us if he teach by others whom he sends abroad as Paul did Timethy and Titus whom he left in Creet that he might from towne to towne ordaine Preachers This subterfuge of the Jesuit is pleasant but saine because Paul and the Apostles did not onely preach by others but chiefly by themselves the Pope never preacheth himselfe but by others however the matter be this is certain that the Pope contents himselfe with the sole judiciall top of his Pastorall staffe for although he doth not abase himselfe to preach yet in this he abundantly satisfieth his Pastorall Office in that he rules the whole Church of Christ by prescribing Lawes hearing of Princes Embassadours dividing Kingdomes and Crownes bestowing Lands out of the plenitude of his power waging warres for Peters Patrimony as Julius did excommunicating Kings and Princes as disobedient sheep and compelling them to come as supplicants to him and by setting all the Christian world together by the eares or if he be of a more moderate disposition then by erecting of obelisks building of Castles adorning of Theaters and Stages making of sumptuous feasts delighting himselfe with his Ganymedes and many things els by which he is thought to have abundantly satisfied his Pastorall charge so that Christians may easily see that this Romane Pastor is not onely a hireling but a thief also and a robber The Walachrian Popish Dwarf useth as yet both the tops of his Pastorall rod and because the judiciall is too weake to subdue and knock downe all as he pleaseth he prefers the preaching top as yet that if he dreame at home of any thing which may advance his Hierarchie this presently hee perswades the unwarie people by his declamations or if the Magistrates like rams push with their hornes and take upon them to reprove their Pastors more boldly then becomes brutish sheep to doe then out of the Pulpit openly he accuseth them of Atheisme and indirectly stirs up against them all the sheep that is the people that seldome doth he lay aside this top of his Shepheards crock except he grow hoarse and speechlesse Yet it is thought he takes not so much delight in his preaching rod but that with the great Pope he could be content to lay it downe if he could light upon a good Bishoprick in England or a Superintendency elsewhere that so hee might be silent by himselfe but preach by others The other top to wit judiciall is surely very sacred to him so that there is nothing more Pastorall with him then to have power of inspection into all matters to be present at all mens tables and affaires to intrap the honors and estates of all lastly to meddle with every worldly thing with his Pastorall crooke to rule all and be ruled by none in which hee doth finely imitate the Popes Pastorship but falls quite off from that of the Apostles and of Peter himselfe who prescribes to Pastors rule without command 1 Pet. 5. but this man requires command without rule which may end either in Papall tyranny or into a seditious Anarchy that each Pastor may doe what he please Againe this VValachrian Pope earnestly desires that to him as being a Pastor may be given authority and command without subjection but Peter on the contrary
Church belongs to the Preachers as Captaines for by this Simile all these vanish to nothing surely if he had diligently weighed these words of Christ Kings heararule but it shall not be so with you he would have found by them that the government of the Church belongs to Christ for the Disciples disputed not simply for rule but for rule in the Church whence I collect that Christ gave to Kings and Magistrates rule over the Church for what he denyed to the Apostles and Preachers that he hath granted to Magistrates for he said Kings beare rule it shall not be so with you but he denyeth to the Apostles rule over the Church ergo by the law of opposites he hath given and granted to magistrates rule over the Church I will expect how the Stilt-walker will elude this Argument taken from Christs own words it agrees surely with Calvins Paraphrase upon this place out of whose commentaries I will alleadge these few passages They are deceived then who extend this saying to all godly men promiscuously when notwithstanding out of the thing it selfe Christ teacheth that the Apostles were ridiculous who disputed for degrees of power and honour in their order because the office of preaching to which they were appointed hath no affinity with the Empires of the world c. But Christ hath set Pastors ever the Church not to command but to serve So the errour of the Anabaptists is refuted who exterminate out of the Church Kings and Magistrates because Christ denieth them to be like his Disciples whereas the comparison here is not between Christians and profane men but between their offices Besides Christ had not so much reference to the men as to the condition of his Church for it might be that he who was Lord over a towne or village upon necessity might be forced to undertake the office of teaching but it was sufficient for Christ to shew what the Apostolicall function did import and what it was not to meddle with And a little after I answer if we examine every thing Kings themselves do not rightly governe except they serve yet in this the Apostleship differs from earthly principality that Kings and Magistrates are not hindred by their service from ruling and with magnificent splendor and pomp to shew their eminency over their subjects so David and others c. And a little after Christ separates the Apostles from the order of Kings because the condition of Kings is different from that of the Apostolicall function There is yet one thing remaining concerning this argument to be touched to wit that Apollonius wrote this in jest not in earnest when he grants to the Magistrate supreme power and denieth it to Church-men he meant no such thing but in all this work he strives to make Preachers supreme and the Magistrates poore slaves for of himselfe and Preachers he saith every where That Christs Legats depend immediatly from Christ the Mediator exalted who have power to command with authority who have selfe-sufficient power under Christ and that regall Can any man have such a power except he that is supreme But that I may not seeme to dispute about words let us weiâ—â— the thing it selfe What doth agree more with supreme power then to be absolutely free and subject to none in any Common-wealth so as that he may not be punished though he do evill no not by the supreme power of that place but such doth he feigne all Preachers to be Their calling ought to be free and absolute they ought also to use freely and absolutey the preaching and censuring keyes it belongs onely to them to make and proclaime Ecclesiastick Lawes and to force the disobedient with punishment and excommunication And in all these as being formally Ecclesiastick he saith that the Ecclesiastick power of Preachers is so free that it is an way lawfull for the Magistrate who is supreme to meddle with them For if the Magistrate call that is by his paraphrase confirme if of himselfe and decisively he appoint Ecclesustick Lawes if by himself and by Ecclesiasticks he offer to punish Church-men yea if hee dare take off any Church-penalties inflicted upon any man or defend them who are thus oppressed when they appeal to them though the lawfulnesse of the penalty be questioned In all these cases he affirmes the Magistrate to be a tyrant and a trampler upon the Church-priviledges Christs spouse and which Christ bought with his blood Yea which is more par 1 p. 91 93 94. if the supreme Magistrate offer such things he saith that the Church-men have power to punish him with excommunication and that it is his duty as being a sheep of the Church to subject himself and all his to the Ministers This is the Stilt-walkers hierarchicall divinity which indeed makes of Ministers supreme Magistrates and of the supreme Magistrate a poore flave to Preachers Neither should the Magistrate permit Apollonius to delude them in saying that his power is onely in Ecclesiasticks and as he speaks formally internalls or externally internalls of the Church For this he saith every where That nothing canbe so secular par 1. p. 9. but that in some respest it belongs to the Ecalesiastick Court Whence it followes that there is nothing in the whole Empire in which the Magistrate can be free from the jurisdiction and censure of Church-men Nor is this of any moment which he saith that the Church inflicteth no punishment but spirituall and of excommunication almost which belong not to the body For all these are meer mockeries with which he would cover the turpitude of his intentions for all Ecclesiastick penalties chiefly the Walachrian have no other end but directly to wound mens reputations and so indirectly their estates and lives for liâ—â— and a good name go together who observes the seitious speeches writings and counfells which he daily hath with seditious Tertullus whom the Magistrates punished with disgrace but he useth him as his right hand may easily perceive that this Stiltwalker breaths no thing spirituall in his censure and Ecclesiastick government but all are carnall and corporall which the Magistrate should quickly feele if they would be carelesse and suffer him to obtain his will he hath the Pope for his Master in this fraud he by the same songs and as it were by the Syrens melody hath subjected to himselfe Monarchs by braging that he is the servant of servants and that gold and silver he hath none which yet he speaks falsly at this day he saith that he is altogether spirituall and that all his affaires are spirituall and therefore altogether different from the affaires of this life which belong not to the civill Court therefore hee hath made to himselfe a particular court and a particular hall in which though he doth every thing with barbarous pride yet he brags that there is nothing secular but all spirituall By which arts not onely hath he freed himself from punishment of the secular power to which by
as the Papists at this day prate the Apostles had done unwisely in commanding Christians so absolutely to obey Magistrates for they might have known had they known this new divinity that Church-men as Christs Legats especially in formall Church-matters are not any wayes subject to the Magistrate but to Christ immediately Paul hath no such cautions and exceptions whence I collect that he knew them not but that they are devised Must all then obey the Magistrate Act. 5. and in all things What if he command that which is evill as not to preach Christ or to commit sinne must we not then say with the Apostles We ought rather obey God then men Therefore the Magistrate is not absolutely to be obeyed in every thing Whence it followeth that this law of Paul concerning obedience to Magistrates is not generall To remove this scruple I will observe these following passages There is an obedience which is most absolute admitting of no conditions or exceptions such as is due to God in all things whose will is alwayes just and therefore the rule of justice because it is impossible that that should not be just which God who is justice it self commands Therefore we must alwayes yield absolute obedience to God because he commands it The same power also was eminently in Christ God and man therefore it is said that he taught as one who had authority and not as the Scribes for though he suffered his commands to be examined because of mens ignorance yet he was to be obeyed absolutely as it was said from Heaven Hear him not only because he commanded what was just and right but also because he commanded absolutely The like obedience was due to the Prophets and Apostles who were divinely inspired but it was ministeriall for though they were not God yet because the infallible Spirit of God kept them from erring hence absolute obedience was yielded to them so that if such now were in the world absolute obedience must be yielded to them by all and in all things But there have been none such now a long time although the Pope brags this of himself falsly as Antichrist As for the Magistrate he must also be absolutely obeyed in all things agreeable to Gods word or not repugnant to it such are things indifferent You I say perhaps that in these things we must obey Preachers and all who propose them ergo they are of equall authority with the Magistrate I answer there is great odds because we obey those only for commanding what is right but we obey the Magistrate because he commands and because it is right which he commands for God hath given to them a coactive power and the sword by which they command with authority and can by right of their office compell all subjects without exception to fulfill his just commands which supreme power belongs only to them by divine right which is here insinuated by the Apostle But as for evil and unjust commands which are flatly opposite to Gods law although the subject is not bound to obey them yet he is bound by this law of Paul to be subject to him either by counsel and prayer in removing the Prince from his evill purpose or in flying away or if they cannot do these in suffering so did the Apostles and chiefly those famous young men who seeing the Kings wicked edict endeavoured to perswade the King with reasons when they could not do these nor could they flie they were cast into the furnace Here appears the supreme civil pâ—wer in commanding not only what is good but also what is evil Dan. 5. with authority For though in commanding evill they deviate from the object for which they shall be punished by God yet they erre not in using their absolute power with which they are invested by Divine right Hence then appeares the great difference that is between the Civil and the Ecclesiastick power which the Papists strive still to confound 1. In that every Civil power whether great or small new or old of what quality soever it be or by what name soever it is called if so be it bear the sword it is divine having God for its author otherways that saying of Paul were not true The powers that be are ordained by God But among Church-men there be functions which have not God for their author nor the Scripture for their authority such are Arch-deacons Arch-bishops Metropolitans Abbots Canons Cardinals and such like proud names of offices are not to be acknowledged but rejected 2. In the Civil power it matters not how one hath got the sword whether lawfully fraudulently or forcibly as oftentimes I confesse it is more just to obtain government by lawfull means for such can command with a better conscience but in respect of the power it 's no matter nor is it fit for a Subject to be too carefully inquisitive in this but he ought to obey and acknowledge Gods ordinance wheresoever he seeth the force of the sword For how could Paul truly say The powers that be are ordained of God and whosoever resists them resists Gods ordinance It is otherwise in Ecclesiasticks if any enter in at the back-door by symony or fraud Christ saith he is a thief and must be accounted and avoyded as a robber but no wayes to be obeyed or acknowledged for a Pastor 3. If he too rigidly command good things or indifferent or if he command unjust things to which the Conscience is not bound the Subject must not tell him that the things which he commands are not necessary but unjust therefore we will not or we are not bound to obey but on the contrary Subjects must obey or if they obey not he hath the sword he may by divine right force them But in Ecclesiasticks all their power is conditionall If they teach rightly command justly and according to Christs prescript then they must be obeyed for Christs sake but if they erre and command that which is evill we must not obey but resist them we must drive them out and forsake them as the Scripture shews every where In Ministers it is required that they be found faithfull Believe not every spirit but prove the spirits if they be of God So Christ commands to hear the Scribes whilst they sit in the Chair and injoyn what is good but withall he bids us take heed of their leven and if they should go quite out of the way he will have us leave those blind leaders of the blinde lest we fall into the ditch All which do shew that there is no necessity of obeying Church-men but only conditionall obedience is requâ—â—ed for God hath not given them a coactive power to compell Christians absolutely but it is lawfull for every Christian to examine the life and doctrine of their Pastors and if he find them to be repugnant to Gods word he may resist them contradict them and if he have the Magistrates power he may depose them or if he haue not to depart
us who are to be fed and stand in need of loosing These words as if they were golden and pleasing to the Popes pride are oftentimes cited by the Jesuites and the Stilt-walker out of them part 1. p. 265 266. as if they were very notable doth every where repeat them for this is properly his intent to strike a superstitious feare in Magistrates that they may abstain from the Church-government that he and his may the more freely domineere and use Papall Tyrannie Yet there have been now and then famous and generous Princes who by their masculine carriage have curbed these whores and made them betake themselves to their distaffes especially those of Rome by prescribing Lawes to them and forbidding them the priviledge of caling Among others Justinian the Emperour who had well deserved of the Civill Law about the yeare 500. he made divers Lawes concerning the election of Popes by which he commanded the Church of Rome that they should not think of calling a Pope except they paid a summe of money and should by way of Petition ask leave of him to choose Such an order was prescribed to Gregorie the Great by Mauritius but he being murthered with his sons by Phocas about the yeare 600. gave occasion to Boniface the third to become Antichrist who then was first called and held the head of the Church Then the Empire strugled to get out and the Popes licentiousness increased untill after the 800. yeare it was again repressed by Charles as appears by the Institutes of Ludovicus Pius Otho and others concerning this matter but chiefly about the yeare 1070. Henry the third Emperour a generous Prince caused the people and Clergie of Rome to take an oath that they would never afterward meddle with electing the Pope untill first they had obtained leave of the Emperour which law within ten yeares after Pope Hildebrand did utterly overthrow bringing his sonne Henrie the 4. unto subjection whom he compelled at Canossa to come on his knees to him as may be seen in Platina and Onuphrius There hath been alwayes strange stubbornness in the Pope and Church-men in making of Lawes and inflicting of punishments by name spirituall but indeed corporall against which many times generous Princes have strugled untill by a fatall violence the Pope at last got the masterie This Ambrose first began to put in practice who by Theodosius of a Praetor was suddenly made a Bishop whom afterward he vexed very much with divers penitentiall inventions that if the Emperour had not for the greater good of the Church endured it then it might have given occasion utterly to destroy the Church Pope Anastasius was more impudent who durst excommunicate the Emperour by whom he was justly punished This boldness increased in Nicholaus and others so that they durst resist the Emperour to his face as Onuphrius brags Generous Princes at last lost their vigour in that they would not command these Church-witches to be brought to them in chaines thrust them from their Bishopricks punish them with exile and death Lastly in that they did not rule all things in the Church-discipline according to their authority and will when they saw how they were handled against Law and Justice Besides their power lasted so long over the calling and decrees of Councels that Church-men could doe nothing without their beck and Suffrages and Princes were too blame in that they did not curb by their authority the in-bred stubbornness of contention in those spirituall men and did not interpose their judgement in the most serious affaires of the Church and of Religion slighting the infinite quarrells of Ecclesiasticks Bellarmine cites examples out of Brevic. Collat. that in Austines time there was a great question between the Orthodox and the Donatists which could not be composed by Divines but at last was ended by Marcellinus notary and Tribune to the Emperour Constantine the younger The same reports out of Socrates Socrat l. â— c. 10. that under Theodosius the younger Divines had disputed long concerning the controversies of Religion which could not be taken up by the Synods Theodosius then commanded that every one should deliver to him the forme of his Religion which being read and weighed he prayed and at length chose the Orthodox opinion rejecting the rest and commanded that alone to be observed Bellarmine doubts of the credit of Socrates for how could he know saith he what Cesar did in his closet He thinks these things fell out upon the prayers of Theodosius by chance rather then by providence for if he prayed to God saith he it was rather that he would pardon him for putting his sickle into other mens corne in that he thrusted himself rashly upon this Church business So it is plaine that the old Papists and new Walachrians speak with one mouth and play upon the same strings But I on the contrary out of this conclude that this mysterie of iniquity was not knowne to those famous and pious Princes that they must doe nothing precisely under pain of Sacriledge in ecclesiastick business For had they understood that this was so ordained in Scripture they had abstained and so many Pious Doctors of the Church with whom they lived had not so easily granted this to them But histories tell us that all contention about this arose from the Bishop of Rome who was driven to this by his pride and antichristian fate With whose arrogancie the Walachrian Stilt-walker itching now againe hath published so many absurdities falshoods and blasphemies against Pious Magistrates which I have hitherto touched that I am glad to have got out of the dirty and thornie place of his fooleries But that I am in the last place to shew the acuteness of his distinctions wherein he every where abounds which though I have scatteringly refuted yet here as in an abridgement I will briefly point at for whilst he counterfeits modesty he seems to bestow bountifully on the Magistrate power in Church business but this he doth so inconstantly and carelesly that presently he puts some obstacle or other by a petty distinction least he should seeme to have yeelded too much Such is this above the rest that he grants leave to the Magistrate to handle Church matters objectively not formally by which distinction he will easily obtain that if he hath done all Church-business he hath done none because he hath done ecclesiastick things par 1. p. 91 but not ecclesiastickly or as ecclesiastick The vanity of which device consists in this that of a circumstance and base accident he makes a forme for he will have so great force and efficacie in modern vocation chiefly among the Walachrians that it introduceth a new form into a man or as the Papists speak a new character which pierceth into the soule so that one and the same thing being handled by a Magistrate is not ecclesiastick but being done by a Church-man or one that is called it is formally ecclesiastick Which difference seems no greater to me then