Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	according_a	order_n	time_n	2,805	5	3.1681	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44790	The glory of the true church, discovered, as it was in its purity in the primitive time also, a manifestation how and when the apostacy came, and how long it hath continued in the Church of Rome, proved to be in it, because she differs in doctrin & practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes : published for this end, that people may be informed, and their understandings opened to discern of the times and seasons, and see the difference between the lambs wife and the mother of harlots / by one who desires that all may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, and walk in the light of the Lord, Francis Howgill.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1661 (1661)	Wing H3162; ESTC R38990	108,097	179

Secondly whether hath your Gospel been universally and publickly preached these sixteen hundred years or nay And is it the very same that was preached in the first hundred or two hundred years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the whores cup of fornication And then N●tions were Waters Seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds and Tongues which are the waters upon which your Church is Scituated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred years after Christ was manifested in the flesh Much might be said to demonstrate the Truth which is in hand that there hath been an apostacy the beginners whereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterward grew into a body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writers which have given a narrative of the first five hundred years declared that there was a great loss within 300. years but in five hundred years or less the very power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the form And though your Church pleads Antiquity for a Thousand years for these things a fore mentioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyne issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cains and Chores way for an example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Counsel that rose out of the waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great body of darkness some of the practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter ages So that the worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christs and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless number of vain Traditions Avemaries Creeds and Pater nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be collected that there hath been a great Diviation and apostacy from the Doctrine and practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches doctrine and practices in the first hundred years after Christ and if these things be found invented and without footing or ground then let them that are informed depart from them CHAP. III. But now to descend a little further nearer unto our own age to speak somthing to them which I believe look upon themselves to be Catholick and Apostolick in Doctrine and practice according to the Primitive time and order and that they are totally come out of the Apostacy THis I have to say to you which is my judgement and belief and that upon good ground that you are in many things in the Apostacy as hereafter I shall demonstrate and to tell you nakedly and plainly we look upon the reformation which was made in denying the Church of Rome to be but very weak and poor and feeble and imperfect comparatively with the Doctrine and practice and order in the Primitive times in so much that we judge upon good grounds that it cannot be parrelled with the Church in the Primitive times which I have spoke of before in that you have denyed the Pope to be the head of the Church and so are called Protestants So am I knowing that Christ is the head of the Church and ought to rule by his Spiritual Scepter and his eternal power in the hearts and consciences of people and in and over the true Church which is his body whereof he is the head and let all take heed who doth intrude and take upon them that which belongeth to the King of Kings and King of Saints as to matter of head-ship Regulation or Goverment for all power is committed unto him in Heaven and Earth and the Father hath given it to him and will not have any other have that Glory But whosoever seeks it must be condemned and his glory he will not give to another For the Lamb is worthy of glory and strength And though the Church of Rome be generally acknowledged to be in the Apostacy by them that are separated from them and that upon good grounds yet I say the Separation is in some little or smal part more in name then in nature more in form then in power more in some circumstantial things then in the very ground it self and very many of these Doctrines Practices Discipline and order as they call it I find to be upholden practiced and contended for which are found in the former I have mentioned First of all to instance that which is generally holden out by the reformed Protestants is that the writings of Mathew Mark Luke and John and the several Epistles is the Gospel which the Primitive Disciples and Ministers preached and published and which People did receive and by believing the found thereof were accounted Christians and believers We would have all to know the Gospel was preached to Abraham before Mathew or Mark or any of the Apostles writ a word Moreover we would have all to know that Christ had preached glad tidings to the captives and some of the Disciples had preached the word of the Kingdom before Matthew or Mark or Luke or John had wrote a word my reasons are divers Matthew Mark Luke and John must needs hear and see that done which they testified of before they writ and if Matthew Mark Luke and John be the Gospel the writings of them I intend then the Disciples could not preach it before it was given forth and if the Epistles be a part of the Gospel this the Disciples could not preach before it was written for Paul succeeded and was converted after divers of the Apostles had preached the Gospel so then doubtless the Disciples and Apostles had something to say and declare and p●blish before any of the new Testament was written and it is manifested that they were not sent out to preach the Law nor the ordinances of the first Covenant after Christ were offered up the end of the first So then there was something and is something which was preached by them and is to be published now to all that are made Ministers by the holy Ghost and that is in few words the power of God which was before the new Testament so

began to enter in and Judaism among the Christians brought in by their leaders and from the opinions of these and other antient Fathers who took their ground from the Law Tythes Easter Penticost and other things came to be introduced and brought into the Church Yet notwithstanding the doctrine and hard threats of some of the great Bishops of that time It was not a General received doctrine that tythes ought to be paid till about the year 800. Neither was any thing by the then Church determined or ordained touching the quantity that should be given though no doubt in many places the offerings of the devouter sort tenths or a greater part of their increase were given according to Ambrose doctrine and others And then at this time the offerings or gifts to the Church were disposed of in this wise being received into a common treasury one fourth part to the Priests out of which every one had his portion another fourth part to the relief of the poor and sick and strangers A third to the building and repairing places of publick meeting And the fourth to the Bishop and generally the Bishop lived in some Monastry his Clergy with him from whence he sent them to preach in the Countries and Diocess and there they received such offrings as were made and brought them to the Treasury So that by the way the Reader may take notice that the Priest had no such a peculiar interest in that which was given But now they claim all their meeting places since called Churches was builded out of the gifts of people and the poor was relieved and the widow But now Tythes taken by force three or four sold and people compelled to build repair their houses or Temples by force and the poor the widdow hath no share nay hath not many poor been cast into prison and widows goods spoiled by the Priests of this generation how unsuitable these practices are unto the Apostle let all judge nay they are proud of the antient Fathers and their words but they will not so such as come near them in example in any thing that 's good So for shame you Protestans leave forcing of maintenances and forcing of your wages and forcing to repair your Houses of worship and do not tell us of Church Church and Antiquity when you are far enough off their practice though they were in a declining state in this age I have been speaking of And although divers of the Fathers and Bishops and Popes in this age did declare that Tythes were due and ought to be paid their ground only taken from Moses yet none of the first eight generall Councils did ever so much as ever mention the name of Tythes or declare them a duty The ninth general Council held at Latteren under Pope Calixtus the second 1119 mentions tythes but speaks only of such as had been given to the Church by special consecration for at that time people being led to believe that their Tythes ought to be given to the poor did dispose of them to the heads rulers of religious houses who keeps open hospitality for the poor and for strangers they were esteemed holy and good Treasures for the poor who took care of distribution of them as is testified by Cassian But the Councel held under Pope Alexander the third Anno 1180. Seeing much given to the poor little to the Priests made a Decree to restrain peoples freedom and indeed by this time much wickedness was crept into these houses as Histories relates There was no Law Cannon or Constitution of any General Council as yet sound that did command tythes or expresly supposed them a duty of common right before the Council of Lateren held in the year 1215 under Pope Innocent the third about which time the Popes power was grown great powerful But still the people had greater mind to give them to the poor then to the Priest and made Innocent complain cried out against those that gave their tythes and first fruits to the poor and not to the Priests as hainous offenders At a Council held at Lions under pope Gregory the 10 in the year 1274 it was constituted that it should not thenceforth be lawful for men to give their Tythes at their own pleasure as they had done before but to pay all to the Mother Church But the great Decree which speaks most plain and till then nothing was given forth which did constitute them but rather supposed them as by former right was made at the Council of Trent under Pope Pius the 4th about the year 1560. They commanded tythes to be paid under the penalties of excommunication about the year 800 900 1000 and after tythes were called the Lords goods the patrimony of the poor according to Ambrose Jerome Chrysostoms Doctrine only borrowed from the Jews So thus in short I have shown that Tythes were never reckoned as due to the Clergy for a thousand years but they did give them as they would how much they would that without compulsion till the hight of popery and the power of darkness spread over all And since forcing Constitutions have been made by Councils of Priests And so you who looks upon your selves to be Ministers of Christ and to follow the Doctrine of the Primitive times for shame cease from those things of taking Tythes and giving tythes which was ordained and Constituted in the mid-night of Popery when the power of God was lost which should have opened peoples hearts both to the poor and to the Ministry and then this false Church began to force and compel or else they could not have subsisted for the Doctrine had little influence upon peoples hearts About the year 600 or soon after Gregory the first then the pope of Rome sent over Augustin the Monk into England by whom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted as they call it but it was but to popery he and his Clergy long time after followed the example of former ages living in Common upon the Offerings of their convers those that received them joyned into societies according unto the primitive practice by Gregories order and that they should in tenderness to the Saxon Church that they should still imitate the primitive times that they might not make their Religion burthensome But afterwards having brought a great part of the Nation to their faith they began to preach up the old Romane Doctrine that Tythes ought to be paid and having taught people that pardon of sin was merited by good works and the torments of Hell be avoided by charity then it was no hard matter to perswade them to give their tenths and Lands but also their outward Riches and the Clergy had almost got a third part of the Land into their hand As concerning Laws and Canons for tythes among the Saxons in England it is reported that in the year 786 two Legates were sent from Pope Hadrian the first to Off a King of

Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God from whence it hath been inferred by many that baptism of infants was absolutely necessary to salvation Christ spoke of that which did regenerate and make a new and clense the heart and of the clean water which the Prophet Ezekiel spoke of which he would pour upon his people visible water cleanses not the inside neither doth regenerate but the water which Christ giveth to every one that thirsteth to drink is the water of life and this washeth the inside and cleans the heart and this is the washing of regeneration which whosoever comes not to know connot enter into the kingdom of God because that which is defiled is shut out but they that do not look after the substance hath made an idol of the figure but the Chuch of Rome themselves which were the first inventers and setters up of this humane institution have said that this must be recieved by tradition and not from the Scriptures because it could not be proved as a commandment witness Claudius Espontius a Popish Bishop at a counsel at Pysoy in France 1500. and yet this Doctrine hath been held out to the Nations for Catholick and Apostolick which the Primitive Churches made no mention of neither the Apostles taught any such Doctrine but was preached up by such who went out of the light and from the power into the Nations which became as waters for the first ordainer of baptism of Infants and that they should have a Godfather and Godmother was Ignatius Bishop of Rome long after the Apostles daves when Rome was got up into pride and claimed authority over all Christian Churches to impose upon them what ever they listed for Doctrine and such dark things as these have been brought forth whereof mention might be made of many things and what unsavory words as Godfathers and Godmothers is used not only amongst them but also amongst the Protestants to this day who is Gods father or who is Gods mother is this Apostolick Doctrine as though God was begotten by generation indeed is it not Blasphemy to affirm such things and also to hold up such things all which demonstrates these things to be in the Apostacy And therefore you who profess your selves that you are come out of the Apostacy and are reformed Churches for shame leave off practising and pleading for the upholding such things which the Scriptures do not own or else the practice of the Saints in former ages will judge you And it hath been reckoned as absolute necessary to salvation and therefore Victor Bishop of Rome did institute that the children might be christened by a Lay-man or Lay-women in time of necessity because infants were often in danger as Polydore makes mention Lib. 4. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parish Churches LIkewise the Sign of the Cross and the Chrism are invented things which are in the Apostacy and therefore you who profess your selves reformed for shame leave off these things and come out of them and deny them Secondly Parishes and Parish Churches which were ordained and builded in the Apostacy and dedicated unto Saints which stand to this day both in the Church of Rome and in the reformed Churches so called and Church-yards which they call holy and consecrated ground to bury their dead in this is an invented thing and superstitious and yet it stands as an Apostolick order both among Papists and Protestants in the Primitive times in the dayes of the Apostles The Scriptures make mention of the Jews Temple at Jerusalem and of the Gentiles Idols Temples in which they worshipped the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who published the word of reconciliation and Christ the substance of all figures they gathered them that did believe of the Iews from the Temple and Temple-worship and the Gentiles from their Temples and Idols to worship God in the spirit and they met together in houses we read of no Parish Churches dedicated to Saints nor consecrated ground for they knew the earth was the Lords and the fulness thereof and was clean and good and blessed to them that believed and there was no dividing into Parishes then nor no compelling then Corinth was not divided into a Parish Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia and Smyrna and the rest were not all made into Parishes neither were them that believed not compelled or forced to come to the Christians meeting at Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia or any other place that we read of in the Scriptures and the Apostles were not confined nor their spirits were not so strait as to stay over one hundred or fifty families twenty years and call that their Parish between such an hedge and such a ditch and such a water and such a way as Parishes are now divided into though I say they had houses to meet in and preached the Word and brake bread from house to house and sometime by the sea-side they congregated and sometimes on an hill and at certain places they met together to worship God they went not back to the Jews Temple nor Gentiles Idols Temples neither forced any of their maintenance as to minister unto them by which all may see that these invented Churches and Church-yards for holy ground and Parishes are not Apostolical nor was no Catholick nor universal thing then in the Primitive times neither was there any command given to the Christians to do any such thing neither reprehension for not doing such things The first Church or Temple that we read of was consecrated by Pius Bishop of Rome in honour of the Virgin Prudentia and afterwards Calistus made a Temple to the Virgin Mary a place beyond Tibris and instituted a Church-yard in Apius his street and called it after his own name And Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome other places Churches and Church-yards to Curates and made Parishes and Diocesses to Bishops and commanded that every man should be contented with his prescript bonds and there was the beginning of Parishes Churches and Church-yards consecrated ground and in process of time when all Nations had drunk of the cup of fornication the Nations began to imitate their mother and to build and consecrate Temples and Churches and Church-yards to this Saint and the other Saint as is too too manifest through Christendom to this day And here 's the rise of holy Parish Churches which of late have been preached up for the house of God and the house of prayer which bears the name yet by which the Pope baptized them Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Mary Saint Hellen Saint Katherine Saint Gregory Saint Maudlen Saint Alban Saint Anthony Saint George Saint Margaret Saint Dunsto● Saint Clement Saint Christopher Saint Giles Saint Martine and painting and garnishing these houses with Images and pictures and hanging of flowers and boughes and garlands this came from the old heathen who sacrificed to Saturn and Pluto and this hanging up candles

gained to it when as they commanded the Parishes to buy it and then sells it them again that the Priest must have an offering at Easter also a token of a piece of lead a token that they are at unity with the Priest or else they may not have their bread and wine again for which they paid before and this hath been called a great mystery CHAP. XII Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and the Gospel BEfore the Law was given forth there were divers did offer sacrifice and buidled Altars unto the Lord as Seth Abel Melchizedeck Abraham Isaac and Jacob who pere guiders and directers of People in the way of righteousness who instructed their Families in the fear of the Lord But after the Law was given forth Aaron and his Sons and they were to offer sacrifice according to the command of the Lord and to perform the worship that God had appointed For that time and age at the Tabernacle and Temple there was Levites who bore the Ark and looked to the vessels and pitched the Camp and div●● other services as singers and readers of the Law and Prophets on their Sabbath dayes and Porters and the like and all these petrained to the first Covenant and Priesthood which was to have an end both the Priesthood and the Law and the service thereof for it was but to continue till the substance came Now Christ being come the end of the Law for righteousness unto all that beleive made after the order of Melchizedeck and not by a carnal commandment he offered up himself once for all and became the Author of eternal Salvation unto them that believe put an end to the first Worship and Priest-hood Before he was offered up he chose Disciples unto him Twelve and also Seventy and endued them with Power and many did Believe through their words and they were not Men of great parts but as they were sitted by the Holy Ghost that gave them utterance and they were sent out not to Preach the Law but the Word of the Kingdom and many did Believe and grew and were confirmed in the Faith and after Christs Ascention the Holy Ghost was Poured forth upon them in a more ample manner and it did bring to their remembrance as Christ had foretold and they received great Gifts for the work of the Ministry some were Prophets some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and all made Ministers by the Spirit for the work whereunto they were chosen and many were converted and did believe then they that had the Word of God to publish travelled as they were led and Moved by the Spirit to publish the glad tydings of the Gospel and when the Believers were many and many young in the Faith they ordained Overseers or Bishops or Elders who were sound in the Faith to watch over them that were begotten but mark they were approved men and Faithful and of blameless lives not given to covetousness neither did tirannize over them in rigour but were apt to teach and instruct in love and gentelness and they that had been Ancient Laborers in Gods Work did so who had received a Gift to Minister unto others and as to be helpers in the Work of the Gospel and all that were ordained were ordained by the Holy Ghost although its true they had the consent of the Brethren and the Church in that thing and there were also Deacons ordained which served to look to the Widows and for the Ministration of the Poor and these were faithful men and had also a gift Stephen was one full of the Holy Ghost and these were helps unto the Apostles also the●e were some Faithful Widows who were examples to younger men and to instruct them and to be patterns unto them and all was as a body knit together in love and served the Lord and strengthened one another in the faith and served one another in love and all these forementioned served the Lord freely and willingly and not for rewards and gifts and benefices and earthly things this was the state and glory of the Church in that time in short and these are the Ministers we read of in the Primitive times But since the Apostacy hath entered in and the Power hath been denied of Godliness there is such a numberless number of names crept in we never heard of then and so many offices and yet none of that work done which the Ministers of Christ did but certain new invented things brought in for worship and service and the power despised and men seeking offices and great titles and great benefits and great revenues and the heritage of God is laid waste and the earth become like a wildernesse unplanted with good and the sheep is scattered And so all may compare these ensuing names and off●es with the Apostles dayes and the primitive Church and see if they be alike First of all The Pope his holiness Christs Vicar universal Bishop Metropolitan Bishop Lord Cardinals which were but Priests at the first ordained to baptize the Heathen who came to Rome when the seat thereof began to be had in honour but now they are swelled big and become Princes and the only men to govern States also Monks of divers orders and Friars of divers orders Hieroms order of Austins order Gregorys order Carmalite Friars Cross or Crouchet Fryors of Dominicks order of S. Frances order Benets order and all of these orders sprung up and were ordained in the midnight of darkness within this four hundred years at the most as were easily proved and Trinity order and Brigandine order of Jesuites and Hermites and Anthonies order and Clunisencies order And Nuns sprung up First of one St. Clara one order then Brigidia a widow in the time of Urban the fifth in the year 1370. and all these kind of orders were distitute of the true order of the primitive Church and their service was appointed by them that ordained them and these practised the patched inventious that were given them for worship which hath not concord with the primitive Doctrine but borrowed from the Iews or Heathen And all these kind of Offices and Officers have been acting their parts this many years and led people into superstitious blindness and further from the Lord then ever But to come to the reformed Churches so called and there is so many Officers and names but few that do accord with the Apostles times either in name or nature As Metropolitan Bishops Arch-bishops Lord-bishops we heard not of Lord Timothy or Lord Titus Bishops before mentioned but to come on to other Orders Arch-deacons Deans and Chapters Prebends and these must attend on some old superstitious Buildings called Cathedrals or Ministers and there performs a service somewhat like the former these are injoyned their service like the Levites and Priests of old by turns and course as once in a month or two it may be and have a hundred or two hundred pounds in the year for the same and

Tit. 7. parag 17. And whether this be not ridiculous and foolish to give for their armes the book with seven seales is not that a gross abuse of what is laid down in the Revelation as if the liberal Arts two whereof are Grammer and Fidling are typified by these seals which none were worthy to open but the Lamb And as for their habits and black gowns and black Coats these have been borrowed from Rome or else from the Chimerians a sort of people of old among the Jews who were Idolaters Hosea 10. 〈◊〉 Some of the Kings of Israel who drew people into Idolatry and countenanced Idolatrous Priests 2 Kings 23. Who were attired in black These were prophesied against by Hosea 10. chap 5. They were supprest by Josiah and Zephany chap. 14. saith he stretch forth his hand upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and cut off the remnant of Baal and the name of the Chimerims or black-coats with the Priests Jerome bids Nepotian being to enter upon the Clergy to avoid black attire In Tertullians time every one that did turn Christian or was made a Presbyter did renounce his gown which was the Romane vestment and afterwards the Clergy relinquisht dark coloured cloaks for Coats and the Clergy and Laity in fine were both alike habited And a Bishop was condemned of the Council of Ga●grae for introducing the fashon of long sad coloured Cloaks that was condemned by the Assembly unbeseeming the Priesthood all this is clear out of Tertullians writings de pallio with the notes of Salmasius thereon And all these things had but a bad Original and were never commanded by God And seeing they are made such Idols of ought no longer to be imitated but to be quite abolished But some may object though the original were popish and Antichristian yet since they are employed to better uses viz for distinction order and decency they may lawfully enough be retained To this is answered might not the Jews have given the same reason to their reformers that the Golden Calfs and their Groves might not be consumed and turned into ashes because they might be better employed to good uses afterwards or might not the Brazen Serpent have continued as well as the pots of Ma●na Yet when it was become an Id●l away it must go but the sum of all is all these habits attir's have been used for superstitious ends and pride and pomp and vain glory So they that retain them they do no more then the Levite that stole away Michals Gods from Mount Ephraim and set them up at Dan where Idolatry became a more publick worship So all this innovated superstitious trumpery is no way advantagious to the Church of Christ neither conduceth to any true order neither hath any congruity with the primitive times is to be denied by all that comes out of Babylon and out of the Apostacy into the primitive Order and the true Churches practice and the Saints example As for Parish Churches which I mentioned before some say it was the Decree of the Lattern Council in the year 1180. But Cambden saith that Dyonysius did onely distribute into Diocesses and others judge into Parishes and as concerning Church-yards to bury the dead its Original is Superstitious and all the ringing and singing and the reading before and over the dead is Iddlatrous and Superstitions Gaudentius saith that of old times and so saith the Scriptures they did bury their dead in their own ground which custome was taken away by Pope Innoteat the third he prohibited that any should cause themselves to be buried in unconsecrated ground forsaking the Sepulchers of their Fathers Hospinian saith that at last it became so superstitious in being buried in order near the Church that they judged it material even to their salvation De Orig. Temple lib. 3. chap. 1. The Waldenses said the uses of Church-yards is superstitious and invented only for Lucre sake and it is no matter in what ground any one is buried see Usher de Suc●es Eccles. Christ. chap 6. And how much there is of this superstition in England now and what excessive rates are paid for breaking up ground all is sensible of that it is only one of the Popish nets which is holden up to get money by And so I shall conclude these things and say with John Come out of of Babylon and be not partaker of her sins least you be partakers of her Pla●●es for the hour of her judgment is come and the time wherein her filthiness and loathsomeness shall be made manifest to the Nations and her skirts shall be uncovered and her abominable practises discovered of which in part I have declared unto all in this discourse that all may see the abominations and depart out of the snares that leads to death and these practises which tends to destruction THE END Claudius Espontius ordain●d a●a counsel at Pysoy in France that Infants baptism should be received by tradition because it could not be proved as a command from the Scriptures Ignatius Bishop of Rome was the first ordainer of Infants baptism and that they should have Godfathers and Godmothers c. Victor Bishop of Rome instituted that children might be christned by Lay-men and Lay-women in case of necessity Pius Bishop of Rome built the first Temple after the Apostacy in bonour to Prudentia Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome and other places into Parishes and Dioceses for Bishops Abraham and his Wife buried in Hebron in a piece of ground he bought Justinian the Emperour ordained that men should swear by the Gospel or Book called the Gospel and lay their hands thereon and kiss it saying So help me God Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all Churches should be Christned and should be anointed with oyl Clement Bishop ordained Confirmation of Children and said none was a perfect Christian if he wanted this and thus Children should be smo●e on the cheek signed with this Cross. * At Lions in France they apointed holy dayes to increase their Religion Boniface the fourth ordained Stephen Innocents Lawrence Michael Martin John Baptists and All Saints to be kept holy Corpus Christi day ordained by Urbanus the fourth Sylvester Bishop ordained Lammas day in memorial of Peters pain● Gregory ordained that Mass or short prayer should be said over the Tombs of the dead Gregory appointed wednesday and friday should be fasted Soulmass day was ordained by Odilo Sextus Commanded that no Lay-people should touch the Priests Garments Sabinianus ordained that people should come together to hear Service by ringing Bells John 22. Bishop ordained bells to be tol'd three times a day Singing of Mattens at set times Hierom appointed Pelagius the second commanded Priests to say them dayly ●elesphorus appointed that Lent should be kept before Easter and fasted Concerning Mass and Letany many Authors patched it up at sundry times Acts and Monuments vol. 2. Fol. 55. Euseb. lib. 6. chap. pag. 98. In his book de succes cap. 6. Acts and Monuments vol. 1. fol. 527. Fol. 653. Exodus 20. 7. Acts and Monuments vol. 2. fol. 701. De succes cap. 6. Acts 11. 29. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Eusebius lib. 4. chap. 22. Cyprian Epist. 27. 34. 36. Hom. 11. in actn Hom. 16. in Evan. and dist 5. de consecr Acts and Mon. p. 435. Acts and Mon. p. 536 537. Prosper de vita contempt lib. 2. chap. 14. Cyril de adorat in spir ver lib. 4. ad finem Origen homil 15 in Levit.

THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY in the PRIMITIVE TIME Also A Manifestation how and when the Apostacy came and how long it hath continued in the Church of Rome proved to be in it because she differs in Doctrin Practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes Published for this end that People may be informed and their understandings opened to discern of the times and seasons and see the difference between the Lambs Wife and the Mother of Harlots By one who desires that all may come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved and walk in the Light of the Lord FRANCIS HOWGIL LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1661. TO THE READER OR Readers GReat hath been the Wisdom which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of his People and made known unto his servants through Ages wherein he hath made known his mind and will at sundry times and in divers manners sometimes by Types sometimes by Shadows and Representations sometimes by Dreams sometimes by Visions sometimes by Prophecy and there was not the least Ministration but it had a glory in it and the one living God manifested his mind unto the sons of men who feared his Name in every Generation and shewed unto them and signified his mind unto them what he was and shewed unto them how he would be worshipped and they that were obedient unto that which was made manifest in every Age and Ministration found acceptance with the Lord and the peace of God in their hearts After man had transgressed and gone from his Maker and lost the guide of his youth and broken Gods Covenant then blindness came upon him and a vail was betwixt him and his Maker and man increased and grew in an earthly part and lusted after earthly things whith fed and increased that part and the Image of God was lost in which the creature delighted yet notwithstanding such was and is the Love of God towards his Creation and to his workmanship that he did not utterly cast off man for ever but followed him to draw him back again out of the transgression to have unity with him who was his Maker and when man was gone into the darkness the Lord stooped so low as to come near him and to that state he was in and made a Covenant with man when mans heart was outward upon outward things and gave him commands outward and Statutes and Ordinances outward that he might worship therein which were shadows and types of some better thing to come and these were the Ordinances of the first Covenant which pertained to the changeable part that was above the seed but they typed forth more Heavenly things which was to be revealed in due time and when the seed came to be manifested and raised up they had an end and the cloud passed away and the day did spring forth in clearness and he brought forth which restored all that believe unto God viz. Christ Jesus then did God more clearly manifest himself in the earth through his Son who had the will of the Father and declared it who rent the vail and put an end to the shadows and blotted out the hand-writing and ended the types and figures and all that believed in him who was the end of them and the sum of all he overthrew the nature in them which was changeable unto which they pertained until the time of Reformation which was when he was sacrificed up a Propitiation for the sins of the whole world and they that did believe and received him came to be the Sons of God and declared the mind of God as it was revealed and as the spirit gave utterance and many did believe and did grow up and become of one heart mind and soul and worshipped God with one accord and in the spirit and in the power of the Father and separated from the Jewish worship and the form thereof and met together in the Power of God and glorified God and spoke of the things of his Kingdom unto all that waited for it freely and the Lord was honoured by them and glorified in them But soon after the mystery of godliness was brought forth the mystery of iniquity began to work and opposed the work of the Lord and transformed into the similitude and outward appearance and form and yet lived in the flesh and there began to be an apostacy and a deviation from that glory and power which was once revealed and Antichrist wrought with signs and lying wonders and got the words and hated the life and power and them that appeared in it and then they that were under his Government and Reign hated the Reign of Christ and said in their hearts we will not have him to rule over us though in words they confess him and then persecuted and drove the true Church into the wilderness and set up imitations and inventions and traditions and vain customs which they have called Apostolical and holy Institutions which are contrary unto Primitive Institutions and Ordinances onely brought in by them when darkness began to spread over the earth when the Bishops in the first three hundred years after Christ began to contend about dayes and times and meats and drinks and Rome began to claim superiority over all Churches called Christian and the Pope became as a Law-giver I have led thee through divers ages and times as briefly as possible may be to single out the Original and beginning of those things and who were the first Ordainers of them betwixt this and the Apostles dayes which are now accounted as holy Institutions The state and glory of the true Church in this Treatise thou wilt see before the Apostacy and the state in the Apostacy how she fled into the wilderness and how Mystery Babylon was raised and the false Church called her self visible many of her Doctrines and Practices which are contrary to the Primitive Church are here discovered and the Authors and formers made known whereby thou may come to see a difference in the Ordinances of the true Church and the Traditions and Inventions of the false Church which are too much contended for in this day by them who say they are come to the true Reformation according to the Primitive times but thou wilt see as thou compares but their practice with the Primitive times to be quite contrary and to be but smoke and that which has darkened the ayr clouded peoples understandings and hath led them into ignorance and darkness so that the way of Truth hath not been discovered unto many but the Lord is arisen and that which comprehends time is made manifest and all that which hath got up in the Apostacy is viewed and seen and laid open to the view of all that they may depart out of these things which are but the inventions and traditions of men in which Eternal Life is not to be had Read with meekness and

in that which is spiritual in thy self through which the things of God are made manifest for with that I have unity and in that as thou livest and walkest I bid thee farewell F. H. The Principal Heads treated upon in this following Discourse 1. THe State of the Church from the manifestation of Christ in the flesh to the end of the Apostles briefly discovered 2. The entring in of the Apostacy and the declination from that purity and Doctrine Worship and practise downward unto this present age and time 3. The Reformed and separated Congregations called Parochial proved in the Apostacy compared with the Primitive times in Worship and Practise 4. A few words unto all how they may come out of the Apostacy to the true Church which is in God the Lambs wife 5. Concerning Baptizing or sprinkling Infants 6. Concerning the sign of the Crosse and ordaining of Parishes and Parochial Churches 7. Concerning swearing by the Gospel as it is called and kissing the Book and Bishopping of Children the first Authors shewn 8. Concerning Fasts and Feasts and Holy dayes their Institutions and founders in the Apostacy 9. Concerning Priests Vestures and Garments and Bells their Authors shewn which are practised amongst Christians as Apostolick Institutions 10. Concerning the Mattens and singing of Psalms by course in Musical tunes and supplications and short Prayers called Lettanies their Authors shewn 11. Conrerning the Passeover and the Lords Supper and the Ceremonies about it 12. Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and under the Gospel 13. Concerning the ten Persecutions under the Heathen Emperours and how diverse vain Traditions and Institutions got up among the Christians in those times and Constitution amongst the East and Western Churches after the Apostacy was entered in the first 300. and 400. years after Christ. 14. Of the decrees of the Church of Rome and Ordinances which are held as Apostolick Institutions 15. Concerning the general Councils since the Apostles dayes which belonged to the Church of Rome their Decrees not infallible but are contradicting one another 16. Concerning the worship of God and whether Kings and Rulers ought to compel in Spiritual things declared and some Scriptures cleared and divers objections answered about this thing 17. Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the unlawfulness thereof discovered in the new Covenant in the Gospel times though the Apostates mingle the Ordinances of both together 18. Tythes in their first Institution unto whom they were due according to the Command of God declared And that Tythes are no way lawful to be received neither sought for by any who are Ministers of the new Covenant and the everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity 19. Respecting of Persons and Complemental bowings and worshipping one another and flattering Titles no good manners but are in the transgression and hath been antiently reproved and condemned 20. Universities and Schools of Natural Learning are of no use as to the making of Ministers of Christ in the Primitive times but a thing introduced and brought in in latter ages by the Apostates who had erred from the Spirit who then admired and set up natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make discourses speeches and Sermons to get money by and as they are holden up at this day are made an absolute Idol and as to their Practise it s generally known to be prophane and no way meet to advance the Church of Christ. CHAP. I. The State of the true Church from the manifestation of Christ in the flesh to the end of the Apostles dayes briefly discovered GOd according to his determinate will and everlasting Counsel in the fulness of time sent his onely begotten Son into the World to be the Light of the World and to be a Leader to the People and to be a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World Who obeyed the will of the Father in all things according as it was testified of him by Moses and the Prophets and as it was said by David concerning him in the volumn of thy Book it is written concerning me I come to do thy will O God Psal. 40. 7. And so he did as it was written of him he fulfilled all righteousness and ended all the Types and Figures and Shadows and Worship of the first Covenant as the Apostle testifieth of him Heb. 7. 12. The Law was changed and the Priest-hood changed in that they were but Figures and Shadows of Good things to come and in regard that they were faulty and did not make the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience but the bringing in of a better hope did and the better Covenant to wit the Covenant of life and peace which the Prophets by the Spirit had testified of from Moses to Samuel and till John and John likewise bore Testimony of him who was the Lamb o God that took away the sins of the world Joh. 1. 29. 36. And now he being come ●o whom the Prophers testified who was not made by a carnal Commandment as was Aaron and the rest of the Priests under the Law but after the power of an endless life offered up himself once for all putting an end to all the offerings of the first Covenant for the perfecting them that are Sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Now he being come into the fulness of time manifest according to the Testimony of the Prophets he fulfilled all things which the Prophets Testified of him and his works did Testifie of him that he was the Son of God Now he declared the will of the Father and discoursed with them who were Doctors and Ministers of the first Covenant declaring unto them divers times and shewing unto them in divers places that the Kingdom of God was at hand and to be manifest in power and testified of himself and the Father also with him and his works declared the same that he was the everlasting high Priest which put an end to all the first Priest-hood Covenant and Ordinances thereof and he preached the word of the Kingdom and declared against them who sticked behind in the figures and types and shadows and did reprove them to wit the professors of the first Covenant who were searchers of the Scriptures and said you will not come unto me that you may have life I am the bread of Life that came down from above and came to fulfill the Law and all righteousness and to publish the word of Faith which did not make void the Law but establish it which was new And so he said while you have the ●ight believe in the Light that you may be children of the Light And this he spoke to the Pharisees which had the Law and the Prophets and were acting in the Types and Figures which were shadows of the thing it self but not the very thing but he preached the very thing The word of the Kingdom the word of power and the word of life and many

were quickned by it in their hearts and minds who believed and heard the voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live Who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest professors and ordinance men and were for conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest professors and observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that was in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach and Disciple all Nations in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave power to cast out Devils and work Miracles Prophesied after a season the word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified And these who was sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received gifts from the holy Ghost for the work of the Ministery they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the power of God and the wisdome of God for the remission of sin and the word of faith they declared in the mouth and in the heart and went not to Tables of stone to direct people thither but to bring people to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who was commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministery and through their words which they declared many did beleive both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of Jews as did believe and separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in houses and other places Acts 20. 7. Chap. 28. 30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain places in Towns and Cities not onely at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Collosse The ssolonica Corinth and divers other places which were long to enumerate Act. 11. 9. Chap. 17. 1 2. Chap. 18. 4. But now mark this that by which the Apostle gathered them from the Jewish Temples and Priest-hood and the Gentiles from their ●dols Temples was by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel to wi● no● the Law nor the Ordinances of the first Covenant but the Power of God and the word of reconciliation for the first Covenant of the Jews made not the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience Neither the Gentiles Idols Temples nor Worships made them perfect as pertaining to the conscience but rather made them worse and more corrupted Heb. 9. 9. But the preaching and publishing of the word of reconciliation that did it was committed to the Disciples it was received and believed in by many both Iews and Gentiles as at Ephesus and elsewhere and they were made a habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes. 2. 22. Now mark this they preached not up the Letter of the Law nor that which was written in Tables of stone for the first Priest-hood that was ended and the Ministry of that and the vaile was over their hearts while Moses was read and their ability stood not in the litteral knowledge or in that which was written But they were able Ministers of the New Testament of the Spirit and so all that did beleive both Jews and Gentiles who received the word of Faith which was nigh in the mouth and in the heart Rom. 10. 8. They grew up in the knowledge of God and of his holy Sprit and great gifts grew amongst them as of Prophecy of speaking with Tongues of Interpretation and there was diversity of gifts and diversity of operations yet all by the same Spirit which the Apostles was made Ministers of and which they that did beleive and receive received gifts from it and knew the operation of it which wrought in them mightily to the throwing down the strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 4. And the principalities and powers of Darkness and to the translating and changing of them from darkness to Light and from Sa●ans power to the power of God even into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1. 13. And several Congregations in divers Places were all one body whereof Christ the life was the head in which they had believed and of whose power they had tasted grew up in knowledge and wisdom and gifts and the day of Christ approached which Abraham saw And they exhorted one another admonished one another and when they met togethere at several places every one according to the gift of God as he had received nor from the Letter but from the Spirit did and might admister to the edification one of another and to the building up and comforting one another in the most holy faith which gave them victory over sin which faith was ought in them by hearing of the word that was nigh them in the mouth and in the heart which was the word of consolation which was in the beginning Moreover when they met together they might Prophesie one by one and every one exercise his own gift to the edification and comfort of the body as the Spirit did lead them in order and if any went out from his measure he was judged by them that were in the Spirit Furthermore they that had beleived the Gospel which was published to them for remission of sin they grew up into great enjoyments and attainments in the righteous life of Christ which was manifest in them And though first they knew the Ministration of Condemnation and the sentence of death yet afterwards came to know the Ministration of the spirit and the sweet assurance ard Testimony of it bearing witness to the Spirit that they were the Sons of God and they were made heirs according to the promise Heb. 6. 17. and were made joynt heirs and co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdome which is immortal which fados not away and did come to know Mount Sion and the City of the Living God Heb. 12. 22. and it were large to speak of the glory and the transcendent excellency of the Church of Christ which became a purchased possession to him in the primitive times or the first hundred years after the manifestation of Christ in the flesh But take notice of this that them that were sent out who had received freely of the Father of Christ and of the Spirit Ministred freely as they had received freely without

making any Covenants or enquiries after wordly revenews but went from City to City preaching the Gospel of Christ freely as they had received without any conditions from the people And as many as beleived and received the Gospel did Minister freely their hearts being open unto them who had declared unto them spiritual things Acts 4. 34. Mat. 10. 8. c. So that we read of no compulsion or forceing maintenance from any of the Cities whether they beleived or not believed the Father took care of such harvest men and what they received was given freely and there was no complaint though often they denyed that which was profered to them and their care was to make the Gospel of Christ not burdensome or chargable but rather their hands should Minister unto their necessities Act. 18. 3. Again though divers gifts were given unto the Disciples before and after Christs ascention as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and some Elders or Bishops yet they were all made Ministers by the holy Ghost yet it were large to speak of the Power and of the wisdome and of the enjoyments of God in that day and time and of the gifts and of the order which was in the Church at that time But in a word the Son of God was made manifest and gave them an understanding and they knew him that was true Truth it self and Christ was revealed in them and manifested to them the hope of their Glory Col. 1. 27. Furthermore they came to see over the new Moons and Fasts and feasts and Dayes and Times and Meats and Drinks and nonecould judge of them or ought to judge of them in those cases for they saw the Body Christ for the man-child was brought forth and the woman was cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her head who brought forth the holy Child Jesus who saves his people from their sins In whom all Shadows Types Figures representations ends This in short was part of the glory of the Primitive Church which would be large to spake of as it was in the first State of its purity But hereafter some fuller thing the Lord may bring forth in his own time and day CHAP. II. Concerning the entering in of the Apostacy and the Declination from that purity of Doctrine Worship and Practice and when it began downwards from the entering of it in until this present age and time CHrist the true Prophet which Moses spake of whom the Lord raised up manifested in the fulness of time he prophesied and declared of false Prophets that should arise Mat. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which shall come unto you in sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening Wolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their fruits and in Mat. 24. 11. But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the age of the Disciples and John Testified 1 Joh. 2. 18. Little children it is the last times as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time they went out from us but were not of us and Chap. 4. 3. So they entered in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the remissions of sins And Jude he testified against such as was entered in who was in Cains way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had mens persons in admiration because of advantage And Peter said false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2. 2. And the Apostles wrote to Timothy the Bishop or overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in Hypocrisie forbiding to Marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. and again Paul in the 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural affection Truth-breakers False accusers dispisers of them that are good Traytors Heady High-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the truth having a form of Godliness but denying the power and as the same Apostle saith in another place was enemies to the Crosse of Christ And these went out into the world and this is 1400. years agoe and upwards Then the mystery of iniquity began to work and worught and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the ordinances of the first Covenant But they preached Christ in words and transformed into the form of the Apostles words but denyed the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucre sake and there was the beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the world and many followed their pernicious waies and there held the form but denyed the power and so indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the liberty of the flesh and held People in the Liberty yet prosylited them into a kind of a faith which was seigned and these kinde of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in request then they for filthy Lucre went out with the words and retained the form not the Jewish from altogether but the form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a head and to such a body and became such a number and yet gain-sayers and in Cains way for they were out of the power and out of that which mortifies the deeds of the flesh and they spred themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and People and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People have now got the name of a Church and the seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denied the Husband Christ the power of God her seate was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her seate And John said these were the waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her children against the free-woman the Lords spouse the Lambs Wife and made her fly into the Wilderness for a time times and half a time and she reached out her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of fornication within and she claimed

Christ to be her Husband and sate as a Queen and the Kings of the Farth John sa● in the Revelation drink of her Cup and bewitched by her Sorceries and then all the Nations becoming Water and unstable being drunk with fornication sraggered up and down and reeled up and down and stood in nothing being out of the power which should have stablished them And then a great Beast arose out of these Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People which are these waters with seven heads and ten horns and then these Apostatized Disciples or Ministers which preached for filthy Lucre and them that beleived them sheltered them under the Beast and cryed who is able to make war with the Beast and the Kings of the Earth gave their strength to the Beast which arose out of the waters and now the false Church gets upon him these that had the form of Godliness and out of the power and rides upon the Beast and he carries her and hath done this many years and she hath travelled in the greatness of his strength And then Laws began to be made about Religion and then began compelling we heard of none in the Primitive times nor in the true Church but now the false Church calling her self by the Free-Womans name and getting on the outward dress and habit and attire saith I am she have not I the form and ordinances which was practised in the Apostles dayes Who doubts of that may look into the Primitive times and see that I am conformable to the form which was amongst the first Christians in things that are outward And thus she hath deceived the Nations Rev. 18. 23. Now Rome look to thy beginning and read thy Original and view thy Antiquity We will grant thee every dram and every hour of time these thirteen hundred years and prove thee to be in the Apostacy in doctrine and practice from the Primitive time after the first hundred years after Christ was manifested in the flesh And Christendom look about thee for thou art measured and thy compass is seen If Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People have drunk the Whores Cup since Johus dayes as will be made manifest then what cause hast thou Rome to boast of Antiquity and universality for that doth the sooner prove thee to be a Harlor then the true Church and thy universality which hath long been boasted of proves thee no more to be the true Church of Christ then the sea can prove it self to be a Rock for if Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Languages and People universally be the waters that the Whore sits upon and the Beast rose out of the Waters Now read thy self we have measured thee as in the hollow of a hand and we have thee in the Apostacy clear thy self when thou can If the Beast compelled all both small and great to worship him and made war with all that bore not his Image then we have thee between us and the Apostles time as in a press for not such compelling was in the true Church by any Ecclesiastical or Secular power Instance if thou can from the Apostles writings any such thing or where Cains Weapons was lifted up or Creatures men and women killed by the Sword or destroyed with lingring torments in the time of the Apostles Now in that it is said the Church hath been universal to that more might be said Europe or some parts adjacent is not all the Earth and it is no where found since the Apostles that klling and compelling and forcing hath been but by thee and them that are at the best but in the Suburbs of thy City which afterwards I shall in brief descend to and so it is evidently known that thy Church so called hath been upheld more by cruelty and force then any sound Doctrine or Practice agreeable to the Apostles dayes Though thou may wipe thy Mouth and say I am clear we persecute none to death we have a Beast to ride upon and will make war for our City and will compell to our worship and institutions we 'l cry him up for the higher power and we will frighten people that who resists this resists the ordinance of God And he will kill and destroy and compel and force and we shall be clear and he will call us the holy Church and we will call him the higher Power And so it is clear and evident by what hath been said that thou art in the Apostacy as hereafter shall be manifested by name and practice First thy Ministers are not according to the Ministers of Christ in the Primitive times their call not such their practice no● such They were made Ministers in the primitive times by the holy Ghost and by the Spirit but yours by natural parts Tongues Arts Philosophy and Study and packing up Old Authors together to make a little discourse of and this must be called the Gospel Secondly the Ministers of Christ they preach freely not for gifts and rewards and Tythes but you have brought in Judaisme Tythes which belongeth to the first Priest-hood your Oblations Obventions your Mortuaries and these Invented and Introduced things to maintain your Ministers by Thirdly the Ministers of Christ did not compel any at Corinth Thessalonica Macedonia or any other Church to give them such and such maintenance by force who received not their Doctrine But you compel and force and have made that which you call the Gospel chargeable to the Earth where you have power 1 Cor. 9. 18. Fourthly your Doctrine is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the primitive times as that the real and substantial presence of Christs Body and blood after the consecration of Priests is in the bread and wine which may corrupt and so doth not the body of Christ do contrary to Christs Doctrine who saith he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood shall live for ever Joh. 6. 56. But you that eat that which you call his substantial and real Body and blood both it and you shall corrupt Fifthly of the unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse this sacrifice doth no good at all for where there is no blood there is no life and where there is no blood there is no remission saith Paul Heb. 9. 14. and so your sacrifice is abominable and an Idol and such an one as there is no mention made of in the Scriptures Sixthly of your Liturgy and publick prayers in an unknown tongue this is an unprofitable and a vain Worship and this is like your unbloody Sacrifice herein you are like Barbarians one to another and how should they that worship with you say Amen when they know not what you say you praying in an unknown tongue is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said 1 Cor. 14. and the 18 verse I thank my God I speak with Tongues more than you all verse 19. yet in the Church I had rather speake five words with my understanding that I might reach others also then ten thousand in an unknown Tongue

Seventhly your Doctrine of Purgatory an invented and an imagined thing as to clense from sin this is contrary to the Primitive Doctrine the blood of Christ clenseth from all sin John 1. 7. and your distinctions of mortal and venial sin is to blind people withal for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Eightly Of worshiping and invocation of Angels and Saints as mediators between us and God this is contrary to the primitive Doctrine there is one Mediator between God and man even the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. and he alone makes intercession for all them that beleive Heb. 7. 25. and the Angel reproved John Rev. 22. 8 9. when he would have worshiped him and said unto him see thou do it not for I am thy fellow Servant c. and the Prophet said thou art onr Father though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us Isay. 63. 6. Ninthly of Reliques and sacred Images this is contrary to what the Lord spake by the Prophets Lev. 26. 1. ye shall make you no I dols nor graven Image neither rear you up a standing Image neither shall you set up any Image of stone in your Land to bow down unto it Deut. 6. 22. neither shalt thou set thee up any Image which the Lord thy God hateth and Ezek. 6. 4 and your Images shall be broken and Rom. 1. 23. there they were condemned that changed the glory of the incorruptable God into an Image made like to corruptable man c. Thus you may plainly see your Idolatrous Image worship is forbidden and condemned in the Law Prophets and new Testament and as for your Reliqne worship you have neither command nor example for it from Christ nor his Apostles Many more things might be enumerated which is found among you in the Apostacy as your voluntary poverty and feigned humility and your wilful vows and many more things which are found to be contrary to the Church of Christ which must be turned from and denyed if ever you come to know the everlasting Gospel which is to be preached again to the Nations by which they must be brought out of all this Apostacy Furthermore as to the practice and Discipline of the Catholick Church as it is called which pleads for antiquity we find it not consonant and agreeing to the Churoh in the primitive times the first hundred years after Christ. As for the vestmeuts your Priests wear at certain times one on this manner another on that your Ecclesiastical men or Church-Officers of several ranks and orders such we find not in the primitive times in that which may be truly called primitive And for the invented holy dayes and their eves for fasting and feasting we find no such things in the Primitive Times and such a service for such a day and such a worship for such a day we find not in the first hundred years after Christ. And for your Lent which one of your Fathers invented and this was his ground because God had the tenth of the increase or Tythes due to himself and for his Ministers under the Law therefore it was necessary that the tenth part of dayes should be allowed as Tythes to the Lord O grosse ignorance and palpable blindness midnight it self came upon you in the time of your visibillity when the True Church was fled into the Wilderness As though the Lord was not Lord of all dayes and as though all dayes were not his and to be used to his glory And your prohibiting meats and distinguishing of meats one holy for such a day another for such a day flesh one day and fish another day as though there were not the flesh of fish or one thing were clean and another unclean And this invented trumpery hath been observed for Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine but by whom we must needs tell you by the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People upon which the Whore sits and out of which the Beast rose And we will grant you antiquity enough this many hundred years and yet we will prefer the Primitive times before you and bring their Doctrine and practice to reprove you though we do not desire to go in Cains way and to kill Creatures that are out of the Doctrine of Christ and contrary to Apostolick and Catholick Doctrine which wrestled not with the flesh and blood but with spiritual wickedness whose weapons were not carnal but Spiritual and yet they had great might in them and threw down by these weapons that which never could be by Carnal 2 Cor. 10. 4. Again your forbiding to marry which is reckoned by the Apostles Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Devils and contrary unto that the Apostles Doctrine was marriage is honorable in all estates the bed undefiled Heb. 13. 4. And seeing you plead Peter was at Rome and Peters chair and that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed him and hath the Keys as Peter had Why do you exclude the chief Bishops as you account them from marrying and divers other orders seeing Peter had a wife and seeing that it is Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine before you could claim the name of visible Church that a Bishop should be the husband of one wife and should not be covetous nor no striker nor given to Wine nor filthy Lucre c. But since the Bishop of Rome hath appropriated to himself to be the head of the Church and the chief Bishop over all the Catholick Church It hath been manifested how much covetousness and covetous practices hath been acted as money for Pardons and Indulgences and get money for the living and the dead and the invented Purgatory hath filled your coffers and your meritorious works have been sold at a dear rate In so much that a poor Woman who hath lost het husband and he deceased must pay ten shillings for a mortuary that he may be prayed for or some of your merits may be accounted to him which you have in store as a stock to sell to any who come with a prize in their hand And from whence have you all these Tythes have yo● not borrowed them of the Jews And yet you are no Jews and such things we do not read among the Iews were Tytheable as Pigs Eggs Hens and Geese to omit greater matters and the smoak passing up the chimneys and that which you call your Peter pence And this is contrary to the Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine which Peter would have been ashamed to ever have mentioned either amongst Iews or Gentiles And now I would ask you a question or two seeing John saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness the woman that was cloathed with the Sun who brought forth the man-child What cause have you to boast of visibility or universality Now when were you in the wildernesse if your Church hath not been so then it demonstrates that your Church is nor the woman cloathed with the Sun for she did fly into the wilderness as with the wings of an Eagle

his Diocess and all was confirmed by the Bishop of Rome Telesphorus appointed that Lent should be kept before Easter and added another week to it which we call Quinquagesima and this week he commanded Priests to fast more then the Laity and thus one runs into one invention after another and hath brought in all this mountain of darkness so that the practice of these things since the Apostles dayes hath been much-what corrupted and imitation at the best without life and are either from the Jews and their worship or from the Heathen or from their own inventions and imaginations which are so many in their Mattens and their prayers that at last Beads where glad to be got to tell them and so all who view these things and sees them to be in the Apostacy come out from among them and them that are joyned to Idols let them alone and keep your selves from them and compare but the worship and practice of the primitive times in the Apostles days with all this which hath been brought in since part of which is here demonstrated and much more might be said but you will see that these practices are not Apostolical neither agreeable with the purest times but people have been corrupted with them and made twofold worse than before And as concerning the Mass and Letany which are used in many congregations there hath been so many Authors about patching them up that they are almost past numeration but take a short hint of the forming of them up near unto the Apostles time although they did celebrate the Sacrament as it was called it was done with little mixture or ceremony but only repeating the words of Christ and after the consecration they joyned to it the Pater noster Celistinus ordained some prayers that the Priest should say when he re-vesteth himself to Mass or putting on his clothes and began Judica me Domine c. And in the Church of Greece they sang when the people assembled together Damasus instituted the confession at the beginning of Mass And Gorgius caused confession to be said nine times over in the Latin Church Gregory in Excelsis is ascribed unto Telesphorus and Hilarus And also Telesphorus ordained Epistles and Gospels and Damasus divided them as they are read at this day in the reformed Churches And Anastasius commanded that People should stand at the Gospel Marcus ordained the first part of the Creed to be read after it was made by the Councel of Nice and the second part and Spiritum Sanctum that the Councel at Constantinople composed Eutichianus instituted the Offertory to be sung while the people offered something to the poor Galasius made the prefaces in the beginning they used but one An●ekius added the Snactus out of the Prophet Esay Burning of incense that which was occupied in the Old Testament by Aaron and the Pannims in their superstitious rites Leo the third ordained it to be had in the Latine Church and privity of Mass called the Common was made by divers persons as Gallatius made reigitur Satitius added Communicantes and Alexander made qui pridie hanc igitur Leo joyned to it Gregory annexed three petitions in the same Dies qui nostros c. Innocentius Priests in the upper part of the Church called the Quire should kiss one another that Pax should be born to the people blessed with hands and challices came out of the Hebrew Ceremonies Christ at his ascention blessed his Disciples and Surgius from this ordained Angus Dei seven hundred years after Christs ascention to be sung of the Clergy at the time of Communion and often turning the Priest to the Altar and wheeling about when he saith Dominus vobiscum or Oratis Fratres these came from the Hebrew rites When the Mass is ended the Deacon turns to the People and saith Ita missa est which words are borrowed from the Pagans they were used in the Sacrifices of Isis that when the Sacrifices was done this was the Watch-word that the People might depart and of this sprang the custom of singing Ita missa est signifying that all service was ended Mass is an Hebrew Word signifies an Oblation and sacrifice with all circumstances concerning the same Alexander inhibited that they should not sacrifice but once in a day Telesphorus ordained three Masses to be said on Christmas day the first at midnight when Christ was born the second in the morning when the Shepherds visited him the third further on the day as at the third hour Foelix decreed on that Mass might be said but in places consecrated and none was to meddle with the mysteries of consecration but the Priest Anaclatus ordained that no Mass should be said but in the presence of two in the least least the Priest should say in vain to bare walls Dami us vobiscum the Lord be with you when none were present and so on this wise one piece and scrap was added to another with much more which I shall not trouble the Reader with by which Peoples minds have been drawn from attending on Gods Spirit to hearken to these foolish ceremonies and invented charms and so have been led out into ignorance and into the region of the shadow of death where many have taken up their habitations and Babylons Merchants these many hundred years have traded with such Merchandize under the name of Apostolical Ordinances and holy Institutions CHP. XI Concerning the Passover and the Supper THE Passover was a command of God by Moses unto Israel while they were in captivity in Egypt which God manifested his wonderous works in the land of Egypt and in the field of Zoan for their deliverance Exod. 12. 3 4 5 6 7 8. That every family shall take to them every man a Lamb according to the house of their Fathers a Lamb for an house and where the family was little the Neighbours were to joyn with him ver 21. Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said unto them draw out and take a Lamb according to your families and kill the Passover and ye shall take a bunch of Hysop and dip it in the Blood that is in the basin and sprinkle the lintel and the two side posts of the door with the Blood and none of you shall go out of doors untill the morning ver 22 23. The Lord will pass through to smite the Eyptians and when he sees the Blood upon the lintels and posts he will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you and ye shall observe this thing as an ordinance for thee and thy seed forever ver 24. And it shall come to pass when the children shall say unto you what means this service ye shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lords Passover who passed over our Houses in Egypt and smote the Egyptians And this was the Ordinance which was performed and this is that Passover which Christ sent his Disciples to prepare according to the time

prescribed because it became him to fulfill all Righteousness and he being not yet sacrificed up this offering was not ended but now he being offered up this is to be witnessed in the Spirit and in the hearts of his people who are marked and bear his spot when a destroyer comes to execute vengeance upon the Wicked he passes over his Seed which bears his Image And when Christ came with the twelve and sate down in the place appointed in the even the same night he was betrayed And he said unto them I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer Luke 22. 15 17 19. And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave it unto them saying this is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me likewise also the Cup after supper saying this is the Cup of the New Testament for you in my blood ver 20. and this he gave as a sign a token to the Disciples that as often as they did eat the bread drink the Cup they should remember him and it should shew forth his death till he came again and this was practised by the Disciples according as Christ had said unto them therefore the Apostle said 1 Cor. 11. 23. That I receive of the Lord that delivered I unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night he was betrayed took Bread and brake it and said take eat this is my Body which is broken for you after the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying this Cup is the New Testament in my blood this do ye as often as ye do it in remembrance of me ver 24 25. For as often as ye eat this Bread and Drink this Cup ye shew forth his death till he comes and so he pureth them upon examination ver 28. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup ver 29 For he that eats and drinks unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body But Believers grew in the knowledge of the mystery which was revealed through the Spirit and came to see beyond these outward things and things visible 2 Cor. 4 28. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal So that which was given for a sign to be observed in remembrance of Christ till he came was visible to wit the bread and the Cup which he gave to the Disciples at supper which they were exercised in for some time in the time of weakness while their eyes and minds where much outward but they came to look at things which are beyond time and things they saw which are not seen in time but things that were Eternal and this they sed upon and so the Corinthians grew up in the Life and knew the flesh of Christ and his Blood and they did eat his Flesh and Drink his Blood and had Life in them now they which eat his flesh and drink his Blood need nothing to put them in memory of that which they already enjoy and possess and so the Apostles brought them to a further examination not to look at things visible but to examine themselves whether they were in the Faith for he that is in the Faith is in that which is visible Prove your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Now they who came to witness Christ in them knew the Resurection and the Life in them and witnessed the Life of the Son of God to live in them and they in it and this was a further state then looking at visible things which was in remembrance only of his death and blessed are they who have an eye to see and an heart to believe these things And now the Apostle spake unto wise men and bad them judge what he said 1 Cor. 10. 15. So that novices or them that were young or Babes had hardly been able to discern if he had spoken such things to them but he spoke to wise men which could judge of what he said and ver 16. thus he said the Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ and the Bread which we break is it not the communion of the Body if Christ ver 17. for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread and that one Bread was Christ who said I am the Bread of Life and this they witnessed and these are great mysteries and them whose eyes are towards visible things cannot see them And what a noise and a stir hath been made these many hundred years and what killing and persecuting about things that are seen And since the Mysterie hath been lost and the key which opens the Mysterie how people have waded in the dark till they have lost themselves and are sunk down into utter darkness as hath been manifest about visible things which do corrupt how many have been killed about this Bread and this Cup which are visible since the Apostles daies and how many Institutions and Laws have been made about this and have foughten like Swine about the husk and discerns not the life neither the Lords Body It is endless to declare what stir they make about this Bread and this Wine in the Church of Rome which I shall not now stand to particularize much but however after the Priest have consecrated it they conclude it to be the very Body and Blood of Christ and yet a thing which may be seen and that is a temporal thing and so gave it names past numeration And what work they have made about times and dayes when it was fi● to be received and how many Decrees have been made about these things Anaclatus caused a Decree to be made that all was to come to it under pain of Excommunication And Victor denounced that those should be interdectid from all service when they should receive the Sacrament that would not be reconciled to their Neighbours of all Gurdges and hatred Again Clepheranius one hundred years after Anaclatus commanded that all that professed Christ or bare the name of Christians being of the age of twelve or fourteen years should at least once a year at Easter receive the blessed Sacrament Fabianus decreed that they should receive it three times in a year and Innocentius the third decreed it should be kept in the Church that it should be ready at all times least they that were sick should want the spiritual comfort of it And Honorus the third confirmed the same And Austin concluded the Eucharist to be of absolute necessity for Infants And what a stir hath been in the reformed Churches so called about this And what disorderly work and what high Imputations they have

Waters shall have an end and the Dragon shall be laid hold on and Chained up and the Beast and false Prophet be cast into the Lake for ever Blessed are they who keeps in the Faith and patience till these things be fulfilled their hearts shall rejoyce and their tongue praise the Lord and magnifie him whose throne is established in the Heavens and his Kingdom is over all And although there was a defection from the Faith and practice of the Apostles in the first two hundred years after Christ yet doubtless there were many who lived and died in the Faith and suffered as Martyrs in the time of the great Persecutions by the heathen Emperors and many who could not nor did not sacrifice to their Idols suffered death and under-went cruel torments by the Heathen who were in the Dragons power for the Testimony of a good Conscience for confession of Christ Jesus and although divers of the Bishops of Rome and other places did bring in things which they instituted as matter of worship so people was darkned by them yet in the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors many of them suffered Death and thousands of the Christians besides but deceit crept in by degrees and invented things were brought in by the Leaders of the People but these things that were invented were prest to be observed in their Diocesses and Parishes which they had made and sat down in but there was little compelling yet till the Dragon gave his power to the Beast and it was 650 years before ever the Bishops of Rome did climb up unto their heigth as to claim the title of the Universal Bishop or head of the Church or challenged Supremacy over all Christian Churches yet before this time abundance of Darkness was entred in and the power was much lost and divers innovations were brought in for Ordinances divers of the Jews Ceremonies and divers of their institutions which belonged to the first Priest-hood and these were prest upon the Churches by several leaders or Bishops as Apostolick Ordinances which had no concurrence with the Primitive Church in the firist hundred years after Christ as hereafter may be shewn in diverse things wherein they were Apostatized from the life and Power of God and from the practice of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture and of the Churches planted in the Apostles dayes CHAP. VIII Something concerning the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors of Rome FOR the first three hundred years after Christ who was born in the reign of Augustus Cesar then Emperor of Rome and was rejected and crucified by the Jews in the seventeenth year of the Raign of Tiberius Cesar then Emperor of Rome who Raigned eight years after Christ was crucified when Pilate gave sentences against and delivered to the Jews the said Pilate was banished by the Emperor and afterwards he killed himself in which time Stephen the Martyr was stoned to death by the Jews and the same day Stephen was stoned Dorothees saith Nicanor one of the Deacons suffered with two thousand Christians more in his Raign about this time Paul was converred The next Emperor that succeeded Tiberius Cesar was Cesar Caligula who commanded his Image to be set up in the Temple at Jerusalem to be worshiped as God Herod who Mocked Christ with his souldiers and set him at nought was banished and died miserably he likewise put forth Caiaphas the High Priest and afterwards in the fourth year of his Raign Caligula was slain Claudius Nero succeeded him and Raigned thirteen years a grievous Tyrant and an hater of all good by him was James the Son of Zebedee Martryed and Symon and Pemenius the second of the seven Deacons Martyred and Thomas who Preached to the Medes and Persians was slain with a dart in his Raign about this time Simon Zelotes who Preached in Africa was crucified Andrew and Matthew the one crucified and the other slain with a spear Matthias and Philip the one was crucified and the other stoned to death About the 62. year after Christ James the Son of Alpheus called the Brother of Christ was stoned to death with many more and Mark slain at Alexandria Domitius Nero began his Raign about the sixty seventh year after Christ he Raigned fourteen years Emperour of Rome under him was the first of the ten Romane persecutions he caused the Christians of all ages sects and sorts to suffer he commanded Rome to be set on fire in tewlve places and to avoid the infamy thereof he accused the Christians with it and caused them to be persecuted and put to death and in the latter end of his raign Paul was put to death for the Testimony of the Faith of Christ. In the year sixty nine this Nero was afterwards proclaimed by the Senate of Rome an enemy to all Mankinde and condemned to be drawn through the City and to be whipt to death for fear of which he fled and afterwards slew himself and the Church had rest for a season from persecution after him In the ninety sixth year began Domitian the Emperor to raign who began the second persecution who was a blasphemer against God and an Idolater In his dayes was Simon Bishop of Jerusalem crucified and John the Evangelist Banished into the Isle of Patmos but after the death of Domitian he was released by Pertinax this Domitian the Emperor fearing the coming of Christ again commanded that all that could be found of the stock of David in Jury should be slain and many false accusations was brought against the Christians and the Inquisition was this Swear the truth whether thou art indeed a Christian and if they confessed they were condemned and put to death for that alone Clement succeeded Anaclatus the Bishop of Rome and after him Everistus who was Martyred under Trajanus in the 102. year after Christ. In the Raign of Trajanus the Emperor began the third persecution of the Christians Simon who was said to be Christs Kinsman was Bishop of Jerusalem and Ignatius Bishop of Antioch who suffered Martrydom in the raign of Trajanus in the year 111. with many other of the Christians who were destroyed in this Persecution the Church of Rome was not so highly exalted as afterwards she usurped Authority neither were the Officers thereof nor Bishops so corrupt as afterwards they came to be both in Doctrine and Practice Marcus Antonius Verus began the fourth Persecution in the year 162. in whose time a great number who professed Christ suffered cruel deaths in Asia and in France and other parts amongst whom was Policarpus the Bishop of Smyrna this Persecution continued thirteen years The Church had some rest under the raign of Lucius Antonius Comodus and then the Christians began to wrangle and jangle about the celebration of Easter and about observation of times and Feasts and run into things outward and contended about them and so weakned themselves and hurt one another Alexander Bishop of Rome succeeded Everistus and Telesphorus succeeded him likewise

and Higinus and Pius and Ansatus Soler and Elutherius all these were Bishops of Rome but many things began to creep in in their time but being kept under by the Romane Emperors they did not get much outward power because they had no outward compelling Laws to force their Institutions in divers things which were contrary unto the former Apostles Practices yet notwithstanding there was something of Truth and of the Power of it kept and they testified against the Idolatry of the Heathen and so suffered Death Severus succeeded in the Empire about the year 195. under whom was the fifth Persecution against the Christians who Raigned eighteen years in the beginning of his Raign he was somewhat favourable to the Christians but afterwards through the malitious suggestions and accusations of wicked men he was so enraged and incensed against the Christians that by proclamation he commanded through the Empire that no Christians any more should be suffered whereby a great number were destroyed and killed as Eusebius saith in his sixth book about the year 205. This Severus the Emperor was slain in Britain about the year 214. and was buried at York Aurelius Alexander Severus began his Raign about 224. at this time the Church had gotten some rest from persecution at this time the Christians had gotten some house or place to meet in in this time of rest in Rome and the Cooks and Tiplers challenged it to belong to them the matter being brought before the Heathen Emperour Severus he judged it to be more honest and reasonable that this place should be continued to the Christians to Worship God in then that the Cooks and Victuallers and Tiplers should enjoy it by this all may understand that there was no great Ministers Steeple-houses or places called Churches erected in Rome unto this time for the Christians although there be so much ado in this time about Steeple-houses and Ministers and Parish Churches within this latter age by them that are run into visible things have been so strongly pressed for a House of God and a Holy Church so that in this time the Christians had no Mass-houses with steeples and Crosses and Bells and Organs standing East and West which are pleaded for to be decent and Holy Institutions yet notwithstanding the moderation of this Emperor Calistus and Urbanus Bishops of Rome were put to death but yet the Bishops of Rome did not arrogate to themselves to be universal and these were not called Popes though divers superstitious things crept in and were allowed by the said Bishops and they were declining from the doctrine and practice of the Apostles in the first Century and this was about the year 226. Maximinius the next was chosen Emperor rather by the wilfulness of Soldiers then the will of the Senate he caused the sixth Persecution which was great against the Christians especially against the Leaders and Teachers hoping that when they were smitten the Sheep would soon be Scattered this was in the year 237. Pontianus Bishop of Rome was banished by his Emperour and many more Christians suffered under this Emperor and were put to death and more its likely would have suffered but the Lord shortned his dayes and his tyranty for he Raigned but three years The next Emperor was Gordianus in the year two hundred and forty who was more moderate towards the Christians so that the sixth Persecution ceased but after he had Raigned the space of six years he was slain by Philip the succeeding Emperor Philippus who slew Gordianus who was called the first Christian Emperor who slew Gordianus began with Blood he with his Son Philip governed the Empire seven years about the year 246. it is said this Philip with his Son and Family was converted by Fabianus and Origen it is said that both he and his Son was slain by Decius one of his own Captains and though being the first that brought in Christianity into the Emperial seat but the name of Christianity would not save him being out of the nature beginning with Blood it was required at his hands and Anthetius Bishop of Rome after Pontanius Damasus saith that this Bishop was put to death because he recorded the deaths of the sufferers and here was the beginning of that which they call the Legend of Martyrs in the Church of Rome The seventh Persecution began by Decius who succeeded Philippus in the year 250 by whom was moved a terrible Persecution against the Christians which is noted to be the seventh Persecution Fabianus being a married man and had a wife was chosen Bishop of Rome this Doctrine of Devils forbidding to marry was not yet brought in which the Apostle to Timothy Prophesied of no not in the Church of Rome not for 250. years after Christ So the Emperor Decius put him to death and gave forth a Proclamation that all that Prosessed the name of Christ should be put to death Origen suffered many bonds Wrackings Torments for Religion yet afterwards it is said he sacrificed to Idols and was excommunicated yet afterwards Repented And Nicephorus saith of this Persecution under the Emperor Decius that it was as easie to number the Sands of the Sea as them that Suffered under him Cheremon a Married Bishop fled with his Wife into the Mountain of Arabia and never was seen more the Prohibition of Ecclesiastical men or Ministers Marrying was not yet begun no not in the Church of Rome although they plead Antiquity for their Institutions and Practices the Emperor Raigned but two years and was slain by the Barbarian about this time divers Bishops suffered and others were condemned to the Mettal Mines Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was Banished these had no power yet to give forth Laws nor Inquisitions nor to force things upon People for they had not the outward Authority then though divers things which were unfound Crept in by little and little even amongst them About the year two hundred and fifty five Valerianus together with his Son Gallienus came to be Emperors who Raigned together at first they were moderate to the Christians for about two or three years insomuch that in the Emperors Court there were many Christians but afterwards being moved by an Egyptian was stirred ●p to Persecution which was about the year 259. this Emperor was stirred up to Persecute the Christians which was the eighth Persecution being Instigated by the Egyptian who was great in his Court telling the Emperor that the Christians was the cause of the evils of famine and plague upon the Empire divers Bishops and many hundreds were put to death besides Stephanus suffered with six more which were leading Men also Lawrence suffered who was pinched with fire tongues and laid upon an Iron Grate or Grid-iron red hot and so broyled to death In the sixth year of the Raign of Valerianus Gallianus having laid for the space of three years in Prison with Claudianus and Bossa his Wife were put to death for being Christians Likewise Fructuousus Bishop of Tarracona

Dionysius writes unto him how that all Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia and the bordering Nations how great Synods had decreed that they would not communicate with them because they rebaptized Hereticks and saith further the greatest Synods of Bishops hath decreed that such as renounce any heresie should first be instructed and then Washed and Purged of their impure leaven and thus they Wrangled and Jangled about things with one another and brake into Fractions notwithstanding many of these men Suffered under the merciless Cruelty of the Heathen Emperor likewise they excommunicated one another and called Councils and censured one another and hurt the spreadng of Truth amongst them that believed in the Name of Jesus all this is to shew that they were declining and coming to loss in this time though so near the Apostles time and though they suffered under the Emperors and found peace with the Lord yet many practices and institutions were made which are not according to the Primitive times which ought not to be binding to all generations afterwards because of the Antiquity of them as the now called Church of Rome would have all to receive as Apostolick Doctrine But to return to Constantine the Emperor when peace was established in the Empire he set forth a general Proclamation or Edict not constraining therein any man fro any Religion but giving liberty to all men to exercise their Religion whether Christians or others which thing was taken well by the Romans and all wise men this Licinius joyned with Constantine in the Government of the Empire and seemingly favoured the Christians and joyned with Constantine in setting forth an edict for the Christians liberty yet afterwards he had great hatred towards Constantine and conspired his death rejecting the Christian Religion and Persecuted them who said he would become an Enemy to the Christians for that in their Meetings and Assemblies they prayed not for him but for Constantine so cast the Christians into Prison and Persecuted them within his Dominions and many were put to death but at length he was slain after several battels between him and Constantine by the souldiers in the year 324. Constantius the Emperor the Father of Constantine dyed a natural death and was buried at York Dioclcesian died at Salena as some say by his own Poyson in the year 319. he was the chief of the seven Tyrants in the tenth Persecution Maximinian the second who was hanged at Mazilla by Constantine in the year 310. Thirdly Galerius who was plagued with a terrible disease Severus the fourth was slain by Maximinian the father of Maxentius the wicked Tyrant who was Banished by Constantine in the year 318. The sixth was Maxentius who dyed not long atfer in the year 320. Lastly Licinius was overcome by Constantine and slain about the year 324. And thus the Lord Plagued the cruelty of the Heathen Emperors who knew not God but hated his appearance and rewarded them according to their deeds The Christians in these three hundred years wherein was the ten Persecutions they were sufferers under the Power of the Dragon who ruled in the Emperors and then they were not Persecutors having not the outward power in their hand but when they had the outward power then they turned Persecutors especially the Bishops of Rome when they had the outward power on their side then they were worse then Constantine the great who gave liberty to all Christians and others to Worship God without forcing of any as their actions following afterwards makes it appear for being countenanced by the Emperor they grew proud and lordly and increasing in power and outward Authority though set up at first by the Emperor at last excluded him for having any Authority or Power over the See of Rome as after a season may be made appear In the year 367. Damasus was Bishop of Rome 18. years Also in the first three or four hundred years before ever the Bshop of Rome did get so high as to be called universal Bishop abundance of Darkness spread over and abundance of Idolatry and superstitious things was invented and abundance of Orders as Friars and Monks and Monasteries and Nunneries wherein they were diverted from the order of the Gospel and a great Apostacy came in In the year 260. Anthony is called the Father of the Monks who followed the Example of Paulus born at Thebes in Egypt who retired himself to a private Gave under the foot of a Rock in the seventh Persecution by Decius And one called Basil is said to be the first that built Monasteries and ordained vows of Poverty Chastity and Obedience and these are called the Monks of Basils Order and are bound to abstain from all kinde of Flesh and here began this Doctrine of Devils contrary to the Doctrines of the Apostles of Christ. The next who prescribed Orders was Augustine born in the year 350. this order was called Austin Fryars they wear a Lethern girdle to distinguish them from the Monks the first Order of the Eriars was Mendicants the third that Prescribed Orders was Benedict in the year 472. and out of this Order did spring the Monks of Benedict and divers other Orders which I have mentioned before in the former part of the Book The fourth that Prescribed Orders was Francis of Assis these are called Franciscans or Grey Friars their rule and order was confirmed by Innocent the third these are the fourth Order of Friars Mendicants or begging Friars and from this order sprung Friars Miniries and Capouchen Friars Miniries were ordered by Franciscus de Pola and Capouchens were ordained by one Matthew Basa of Acona The Jesuites were first founded by Ignatius Loyolla born in Navar they were first confirmed by Paul the third The Nuns first Author was one Clare the Daughter of Asses who forsoke her Fathers House and devised an Order of religious Women who vowed Poverty and Virginity they were confirmed by Honorius the third but many of these being mentioned and their Practices which are contrary to the Primitive time is mentioned before in this Book and so let them pass and to return to the Bishops of Rome but divers contentions and sects began to breake forth and the Bishops not only of Rome but of Alexandria and Nicomedia and Miletus and one clashing against another Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Eusebins Bishop of Nicomedia and many Bishops in other places joyning one to one side and one to another and envying one another insomuch that as Eusebius saith a man might have seen not only the Presidents and chief Rulers of the Churches envying one against another with spightful approbrious Terms and also the Multitude severed into parts that the Christian Religion was openly derided of all Men and so called Councils and Synods and condemned one another and excommunicated one another as Hereticks and so went out of the Long-suffering and Patience and forbearance which the Apostle exhorted unto And so no less then four hundred years many run wholly out into contention about

dayes and Meats and Drinks some Running this way and some that way and forging things upon the Apostles and Churches in Asia saying that John the Disciple gave them an order to observe Easter the fourteenth day of the Month And Rome and the Western parts alledge Peter and Paul for their Author how they left them this tradition both alike true for this came up more by custom then any injunction from the Apostles or tradition either for they condemned such things in their life time and called them beggarly rudiments such as inhabit at Rome they began to make fasts and fasted three weeks before Easter excepting the Saturday and the Sunday Illyricum Greece and Alexandria began their fasting dayes six weeks before Easter and that they call fourty dayes fasting or Lent others begin to fast seven weeks before Easter Yet in all the while they use abstinency but onely fifteen dayes and hath intermission amongst those dayes and yet calls these fourty dayes fasting or Lent so that they disagreed in the time disagreed in the months disagreed in the dayes and times and in the abstinence and contended about these things or for life and death and excommunicating one another and judging one another Hereticks and at last when they got power killed one another and stirred up the Emperours one against another and this in the 350 or 400 years after Christ. And all this fasting was but from some meat as though some had been clean and some unclean some abstained onely from flesh and fed onely upon fish and abstain from all other Creatures others upon fish and fowls of the Air affirming their Original is of the water and so no flesh and others some fasted till nine of the Clock and then eat of divers sorts as they pleased and here was their fast and their Lent about which all this contention and stir all which practices are condemned in the Apostles writings and such ignorance and hypocrisie for the Kingdom of God stands not in meats and drinks and yet the Protestants and them that calls themselves reformed will needs presse these things as holy Institutions when as it is manifest when the Christians in former dayes began to judge one another about these things and strive and bite one another and devoure one another and they lost the power and then Mystery Babylon began to rise these things became her Merchandize and these practices became to be called Christianity which Christ and the Apostles would have been ashamed of And about the Sacrament great contention arose as about the time and the manner some did receive the bread and wine every Sabbath day yet Alexandria and Rome do not use it Yet the Egyptians joyning to Alexandria and the Inhabitants of Thebes they had another order they did receive it when they had banquetted and filled themselves with delicates and then received their Communion and so they judged one another in these things In Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia they baptize only on the Easter holy dayes Likewise in Hellas Jerusalem and Thessalia their service they said with Candle-light likewise in Caesaria Cappadocia and at Cyprus the Priests and Bishops expound the Scripture on the Saturdayes and Sundayes by Candle-light as Socrates saith Lib. 5. In this time it is said the Customes and observations were so many that none was able to find two which did retain one Order of the service At Caesaria in Cappadocia they receive not into communion such as sin after Baptism and even so the Macedonians in Hellespont did the same The Phrygians allow not of two Marriages The Original Authors of so great diversity of services rights and customes were Bishops which governed their Churches at several times and such as do like of such practices have commended them to posterity for Laws and such vain and frivolous Contentions did arise in this age whereby it is manifest the Apostacy from the life and power of God was great and Gods wisdome and the Unity of the Spirit was wanting and Philosophy and customary practise was their chief Foundation And one Bishop exiled another and complained to the Emperors and banished one another and so the sheep was made havock of and starved and scattered and the name of Christ and Christian came to be evil spoken of by the many fractions and contentions that were amongst them But to return to the Bishops of Rome after the raign of Constantine in which persecution ceased many Superstitious Injunctions and Idolatrous practices were set up in the first five hundred years which I shall not much trouble the Reader with further then what is already said But divers other things were brought in afterwards more gross then the former Gregory called the Great the Bishop of Rome of whom it is said of all that went before him he was the basest or worst and of all that came after him he was the best It is he that brought in this Title among the Roman Bishops to be called the servant of Gods servants but by his practise he proved a Lord over Gods servants consciences and over their faith he made an Act that Priests should not marry a wife and he ordained a book called the Service or Letany which goes under the name of Gregories Mass-book to be recived in all Churches After the death of him Fabianus was Bishop who continued scarce 2. years he was the last of the Roman Bishops who had not the Title of universal Bishop or Head of the Church he was the last of sixty five Bishops before the first Pope he died in the year six hundred and five Palagius the first was the 69 Bishop of Rome in the year 355. he ordained that Hereticks and Shismaticks should be punished with temporal death there was 65 Bishops before Boniface the third who was the first Pope and since there hath been 179 Popes Boniface the third who succeeded Fabianus was the first Pope he reigned but one year and did more hurt in that year then Gregory could do in many before he obtained of the Emperour Phocas that he and his Successors after him in the See of Rome above all other Churches should have the preheminence and that the Bishop of Rome should be the head of all the Churches of Christ in Christendom alleadging this frivolous and reasonless reason that Saint Peter had left to Saint Peter his successors in Rome the Keyes of binding and loosing for before this Constantinople Asia and other Churches their Bishops had some stroak and divers times many of the Bishops of Rome were reprehended by the rest but now obtaining this Decree of Phocas he began to take head over all other Churches and this Phocas to aspire to the Empire of Rome he murthered his own Master and Mauritius the Emperour and his Children so Phocas somewhat fearing and willing to have Boniface his favour gratifies him and condescends to all his petitions and grants him to be universal head Bishop over all Christian Churches and there was

Rome And when any Kings or Princes had displeased him he hath excommunicated them and given away their Kingdomes to some other teaching their people to rebell and also instigating other Princes to make war against them and to kill one another for trifles and if any displeased him he caused many Kings to do penance and to pay great summes of money to get an absolution from excommunication and the Rule and power of the Empire which gave him first his being to be universal Bishop and to be called Pope he hath raised war often against and if he like not the Election of the Emperour he hath deposed them and one he brought into such subjection that he caused him to hold his stirrop a thing that the Emperour was not accustomed with he happened to hold it on the wrong side for which he received a sharp reproof by his holiness Likewise some difference being between Pope Innocent the fourth in the year 1250 and the Emperour Frederick the second the Pope would not be reconciled though the King of France strongly interceded and offered full satisfaction for all pretended wrongs would go out of his Empire if the Pope could not endure him there never to return into Europe again so as that his son with the popes approbation might but succeed him in the Empire which the Pope would not do And how England and diverse Nations hath been troubled with his oppression is well known and what exactions and great sums of mony there hath been enhaused and squeezed out of the Dominions where he had power the Nations well remembers to maintain the pride of his Court at Rome which abounded with all manner of vitiousness in so much that it was grown to that height that Vincentius Clemence the popes Legate said it was now too late and past reforming But to take the Legates own words as follows against his Master the pope and his Court W. H. in his book called a description of England in the 136 page saith thus that this Vincentius Clement in the year 1452 being Legate for the pope was here in England about the popes business and hearing that the Clergy had given the King two tenths for the repaying of his losses which he had sustained in France and for the recovering of Bou●deox this Legate Vincenti●s coming into the Convocation house he earnestly required the Clergy to be no less favourable to their Spiritual Father the Pope and their Mother the See of Rome then they had been to his vassal and inferiour meaning the King and in his speech in the Convocation he shewed them how that his holiness the pope was much disturbed and in daily danger of his life by cut-throats varlors and harlots which did much abound as he said in Rome but the Clergy in the Convocation slighted his speech and said how should we contribute towards the suppression of such whenas he and such as you continually uphold them I grant saith the Legate that there wanteth just reformation of many things in the City of Rome which would have been made sooner but now it is too late and past reforming nevertheless I beseech you send the Legate to write unto his holiness the Pope to request him that he would abandon and leave that Baby●on which is but a sink of mischief and of all ungodlinesse and keep his Court elsewhere in some place of better fame and this is the Legates testimony of the seat of the Mother Church of Rome Besides many of her own Members in England in the year 1245 do manifest what exaction has been upon this Nation as may be seen in a supplication written in the names of the Nobles and Commons of England to Pope Innocent the fourth shewing how many Subsidies and taxes had been levied and sent out of the R●alm and how they had been liberally paid they complaining also how he sent Italians and forraigners to possess their Churches and Benefices in England who had no regard of peoples souls and so were no good Shepherds as they said and how the Italians received threescore thousand Marks by the year besides other vails and excises they do reap more rents then the King himself and so when he could not have his subsidies and raise all the sums which he exacted from year to year Pope Innocent perswades the French King to make warre with the King of England for his not condiscending to the pope in all things although he was then one of his sons and of his Church but enough of this it were large to enumerate the actions and cruelties the oppressions which hath been done in that which is called Christendom since the Emperour gave unto the Pope his power and how much idolatry supersttion her●sie and Doctrines of Devils hath been spread over the Nations these many hundreds of years and how many have been put to cruel death for not obeying and conforming to the said Doctrines and practices Injunctions and Ordinances and how many he this falle Church hath stirred up to kill one another and destroy one another about these things which hath been put upon people under the name of Divine Authority and holy subjection and Apostolical Institutions by what as i● written all may see that these things are in the Apostacy and in the fall in the cu●se and in the night of darknesse wherein all this wickedness hath been wrought by the false Church which the Lord God will reward double and dry up her waters under which she sits and make her seat desolate and throw down her pride who hath drunk the blood of the Martyrs and shed the bloud of the Saints and devoured the Lambs of Christ and made merchandize of souls and therefore all who are in part departed from her stay not in the Suburbs but come out of her-City and the Adjacent places thereof that ye be not partakers of the Judgement which is to come upon her But Oh abundance of darkness remains yet in the Nations and even in the Protestant Churches who hold up things yet which was invented by her insomuch that one belonging to the Church of Rome Dionysius Petavius 〈◊〉 Cardinall layes claim to the Ceremonies which were practiced in England in the Bishops time For saith he in his book called the History of the World the Religion of England and Doctrine is Calvinis●● the Doctrine of Geneva but the Ceremonies are of Rome as they were practiced in England in the year 1640. In the time of Leo the fourth Edelw●lphus King of England went to Rome for performance of a vow that he had made and was courteously received and accepted by the Pope Leo For which cause he ordained atribute to be paid yearly to the Pope to wit a penny sterling for every house in England that kindled a Fire New Protestants look to your Easter reckonings you have denied the Popes supremacy and yet Vicars and Parsons receives his tribute of every house that kindles a Fire and this stands yet as a good and

about Spiritual matters for the worship of God But we never read of any called Christians that did so untill Pelagius a Bishop of Rome or Pope when the Emperour had given Boneface the third this power to be called the Chief Bishop and head universal over all Christian Churches Then he begun to make temporal Laws to punish about Spiritual things And Pelagius made a decree that Hereticks should be punished with Temporal death about 555 years after Christ So let all Princes Magistrate and Rulers who denies the Church of Rome in her Apostacy follow not her example but leave every one free to the Lord in Spiritual matters as concerning his Worship for to him must every one give an account in his own day when it shal be required from which the wicked shall not be able to fly Another Objection But then it may be said what power will you allow unto Magistrates that profess the Name of Christ Or how far have they Authority from God to punish evil doers and encourage them that do well Answer It is said by me Kings Rule and Princes decrees Justice there is a ruling by him and that is a ruling in the power of God in him He that rules in the power of God measures equal justice unto all men and ruleth by the good and wholsome Laws which are made by the will of God which is according to Gods witness which he hath placed in every mans heart and such a one is a Temporall head over the temporal body ruleth in Righteousness in temporal things But Christ he is the head of the body that is spiritual which is his Church Now the Law is against the lawless as against Liers Swearers Stealers Cursed speakers Murderers Man-slayers Man stealers Violence and Oppression and Deceit and that which tends to the hurt and destroying of the Creation And he that is the Executor of the Law ought to inflict temporal punishments for temporall facts provided that every punishment be suitable to the transgression and go not beyond it and in so doing he rules for God and the sword is to be turned against that which doth evil and to keep peace amongst all men and to keep down all strife and Contention Quarrelling and fighting and keeping the unruly from devouring and destroying one another And this is to rule for God in a Nation in the Creation and to countenance the honest upright and quiet and meek and this is a praise unto them that do well and this is that which would keep the Nations at peace And here Governors and Rulers comes to be blessed when the Princes thereof rules in Righteousness and when people live under them a holy godly and quiet life But when Godliness Holiness Righteousness is counted as a crime and wickedness and violence and iniquity set up that Nation is near a judgement and for the iniquity of Rulers Kings and People many fruitful Lands hath the Lord made barren and that which is for the well-being and preservation for the universal good and all people therein all people ought to render obedience unto such Command for conscience sake and all people ought ●to obey Rulers and Governours in that which is good and lawful and warrantable in the sight of God unto all just commands to yeild obedience not for wrath but for conscience sake For so the Lord requires which will be acceptable and pleasing in his fight And all Magistrates who are Christians ought to be paterns of Holiness and Righteousnesse to their people and to admonish exhort and reprove the prophane and ungodly and to the worship of the True God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth It is the duty of every true Christian who is a King and a Priest unto God CHAP. XVII Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the unlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in Gospel times Though Apostates mingle the Ordinances of both together denying all oaths proved to be no new Doctrine IN the beginning when God Created the Heavens and the Earth all things that are therein by the Word of his power and set the bounds the habitations thereof separated betwixt Light Darkness And when man was Created in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them Now the Image of God consists in Righteousness Holiness Equity long suffering Patience Goodnesse Mercy and Truth the Glory thereof is unspeakable man being in this Image there was no trangression nor sin nor sorrow man was bound unto his Maker by the Power in which he was made yea he was in a capacity to Fear Love Honour Obey and Worship his Maker from the virtue of that Power and Principle which God had placed in him which some ignorantly calls the Law of Nature But that is not the intention of my discourse to contend what it was but to shew that man was at union with God and bound unto him by that which God had placed in him in which his wisdom power and dominion stood to rule over all the Creatures life was in him there was no death then in this the Obligation stood not in outward written commands or ordinances but it stood in that which was internal and invisible this was before the transgression here was no Oaths yet nor outward Covenants made nor outward Ordinances But after man had transgressed and eaten of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil and gone from the power and broken the Covenant he lost his wisdome and folly entred he lost his dominion and weaknesse entred he lost his knowledge and ignorance entred and an earthly part and a mutable came to have Dominion not that this was evil in it self being subjected by the power and word in its place and in the state wherein it was good but man being gone from the power and from the Covenant joyned to something out of it and out of the mind and listened to that which should have been ruled over that became a Leader which God never appointed and this led mans heart from the invisible God of life and light who is immutable to lust after visible things and mutable and earthly things and into instability And so his heart and mind and affections became more and more to be alienated from the Lord and his understanding more darkned yet such was the love of God unto mankind that he did not wholly cast him off here but followed him with his mercies and promised the Seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head and so it did yet the Adulterers generation in the transgressing nature were great and fast and there was but few before the flood in comparison of the Multitude who bore the Image of God and few in a generation as Abel Enock Seth and the rest went after the Imaginations of their own hearts and set up Images and Idols and also after the Flood when the

and Princes may take warning by this King Richard not to fulfil the cruel and bloody desires of their Prelates And Chrysostome who was Bishop of Constantinople in commendation of whom much is said in the Ecclesiasticall histories he blameth them greatly that bringeth forth a book to swear upon charging Clerks that in no wise they constrain any body to swear whether they think a man swear true or false saying that it is a sin to swear well now I mentioned before it was an Emperor that commanded first that men should swear by it book this Chrysostom reproves so hereby it may be seen by these examples it is no new doctrine to deny all swearing and there hath been a people very many years in the Low Countries that have denied swearing in any matter therefore their yea and nay stand in Courts of judicature equal with an oath they being men generally of known integrity whose yea is yea and nay nay in all places and matters If they that despise Moses Law died without mercy of how much more sorer punishment suppose ye shal they be thought worthy of who treads underfoot the Son of God c. and disobey his commands teach others so to do they shall be shut out of the Kingdom of God have no part with the obedient who keeps Christs commands through temptations and sufferings and are not offended at them neither counts them grievous they only are happy and shal inherit everlasting life Likewise Jerome who was an antient Father and Teacher in the Church which all the Protestants owneth upon that place the 5 of Mat. and 37. ver 5 James 12 These are his words It was permitted under the law to the Jews as being tender and as it were infants that as they were to offer Sacrifices to God least they should Sacrifice to Idols so they might swear by God not that it was rightful so to do but because it was better to swear by the Lord then by false Gods devils but the great Evangelical sincerity and truth admits not of an oath since every true saying is equivolent thereunto In like manner doth Theophilact an antient Father of the Church whō the Protestants owns have often cited his doctrine for proof upon the place in controversy saith Learn hence that then under the law it was not evil for one to swear but since the coming of Christ it is evil as is circumcision in sum whatever is judaical for it may become a child to suck but not a man So that oaths pertained to the Jews who were under the changable Covenant the mutable Covenant which continued but for a time till the Seed Christ the oath of God was revealed and where he is revealed and witnessed all the Judaical Types and Figures and changeable Ordinances hath an end Likewise Ambrose upon the 118. Psalm he saith None doth swear a right but he that knows what he swears and the Lord hath sworn and will not repent upon Psalm 110 Ambrose saith let him then swear who cannot repent of his oath and a little after the said Ambrose saith do not imitate him in swearing whom we cannot imitate in fulfilling And indeed the principal solution given by him is swear not at all and the aforesaid Waldenses who condemned all maner of swearing as unlawful they made it their care to avoid swearing and lying and hereby they did give sufficient caution against all inconveniences which may come thereby as to government in general for where a testification or assertion is made without an oath is as sure as if it had been sworn to And Bishop Usher doth esteem that place of Matthew the fifth swear not at all to be a sufficient plea for the Waldenses against swearing And therefore they who have any esteem of the aforesaid Authors and of their doctrine must not condemn the Quakers as for novelties or for broachers of new Doctrine For Reynerius one of the popish inquisitions saith amongst all the sects which are or have been there is not any more pernitious to the Church meaning the Church of Rome then the Waldenses and that for three reasons 1. Because of their antiquity secondly because of their universality thirdly in that they did profess it no way lawful for a Christian to swear on any occasion which doctrine was contrary to the Church of Rome which made Rinerius Jansenius two papists so much envied the Walden ses in this thing about keeping the commands of Christ And yet notwithstanding all this cloud of witnesses both in primitive times after ages diverse who suffered as Martyrs did hold the same also the many testimonies of them who have died in the faith yet many are so wilful and so peevish and so envious against every thing which they cannot joyn unto as that they will brand this Doctrine for Novelty and Heresie Let such consider how they will condemn this doctrine and yet justifie Christs words and them which have been reckoned as Fathers and Marryrs and as Orthodox found in the faith by all except the Church of Rome who too much imitates the Jews yet are no Jews and they have been the chief criers up of oaths and swearing afterwards gives dispensations to them that breaks them and therefore all who reckons your selves as Christians keep to the doctrine of Christ and the doctrine of the Apostles who were followers of him and run not back to the Jews ordinances w●h continued but til the time of reformation and you that reckons your selves a● Protestants for shame leave off that Doctrine which hath been brought in by the Apostates who hath mingled things together without having respect either to time or age or people And so have run back to the Jews and brings those commands injunctions wch pertained to the Jews layes them as yokes upon the necks of Christians remember what the Apostle said to the Galathians concerning the works of the Law concerning Types and figures Gal. 1 2. If ye be circumeised Christ profits you nothing and an oath was a type as well as circumcision to the Jews and what if I say of all swearers who hath no better ground for so doing then the Jewish oaths which were types and testifie unto every one that he that takes an oath swears at all is bound to keep the whole Law Christ profits him nothing And so ler all people who fear the Lord and doth believe that they have received Christ in their hearts the end of the Law for Righteousness not turn back to the changeable Covenant again least he who is the everlasting Covenant say unto them who hath required these things at your hand and also raise up his swift witness to condemn them who transgresses his pure and holy and righteous commands and would compel others so to do CHAP. XVIII Tythes in their first institution unto whom they were due according to the Command of God declared and

that Tythes are no way lawful to be received neither sought for by any who are Ministers of the new Covenant and the everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity TO omit Abrahams giving tythes or the tenth part to Melchizedeck after the overthrow of his enemies And Jacobs vowing to give the tenth when he should inherit the land of Canaan because a voluntary promise only bindeth him that promiseth and a free gift from one to another is no command neither binding to all generations because Abraham gave the tenth part to Melchizedeck freely of the spoil he had taken and that but once not of his Families labors or industries but of the spoil This was a voluntary and a free thing both in Jacob and Abraham if Jacob had not vowed he had not sinned if Abraham had not given the tenth part of the spoil he had not sinned So this is no command or binding example unto future Generations especially of them that pretends they are Ministers of the second Covenant and the Gospel but a very feeble and a poor thing for them to alleadge Tythes were never commanded to be paid by the Lord to any but Israel whose Law was given forth 400 years after the promise as saith the Apostle neither were ever payable but by the Jews in the Land of Canaan and to Levies tribe only and to the Jewish Priests that had no inheritance allotted them by the Lord of all the land of Canaan or beyond Jordan but only tythes or the tenth part among their Brethren that only according to the command of the Lord Deut. 18. 4. Ezek. 45. 13. For the office of the Priesthood and for the service of the Tabernacle At the giving forth of the Law after Israel came out of Egypt God chose Aaron his Sons for the office of the Priesthood and the rest of the tribe of Levi for the service of the Tabernacle God gave unto the Levites by commandment all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their service and the Levites out of their tithes were to offer up to the Lord a tenth part of the tiths and give it unto Aaron the Priest for himself his Sons and no other portion had the Levitical Priests out of the tiths but the tenth of the tenth As for the rest of the Tythes they were for the Levites that did serve at the Tabernacle and for strangers for fatherless and widows Moreover the tenth of the tythe the Priest had the first ripe fruits of the ground of Wheat of Barley of Figgs Grapes and Olives of Pomgranates and Dates at what quantity the owner pleased a heave offering also of Corn Wine and Oyl fleece were given to the Priests at the 60 part sometime the 50 at the devotion of the owner But how comes it to pass that they that pretend another Priesthood then this should receive the 10 of all of unclean beasts as Pigs and Foals and of such things as we never read of Tythable under the Law of Eggs Geese Turnups and the tenth of the wood for Faggots for the fire and yet are not of this Priesthood but pretends to be Bishops and Elders in the Christian Church so they cannot distinguish of the time neither of the Ministration neither of service and worship that belongs to each Covenant else they would be ashamed to claim title to Aarons tyths and the Levites that was given to them that had no portion among their Brethren in the Land But these Bishops Presbyters and Priests hath a great part of some Counties Diocess for their revenue and their inferior offices tyths of such things as were never tythable under the Law so what damnable deceit hypocrisyis this Is it any other but the Popes yoke an absolute Apostate for hundreds of years and must this be received injoyned as Apostolical doctrine Oh for shame let it never be mentioned among them that calls themselves Ministers of Christ neither of any who professeth themselves to be Christians But to return to the Levitical Priesthood no tyths did the Priest receive under the Law of the people For those belonged to the Levites 〈◊〉 18. 2. that were appointed over the Tabernacle to bear it to take it down and to ser it up to serve Aaron and his Sons to keep the instruments thereof and for the better ordering of things they were divided into three parts the Coathites the Gershonites and the Mararites and these received tythes of the people delivered the Priests did not all so our tythe-●aking priests are contrary to the Law and first Covenant and the Gospel also And therefore are to be looked upon as no other then antichristians but to return to Aarons priesthood in the first Covenant they grew multiplied then the Priests were divided into 24 ranks or courses of wch our Prebends Deans and Chapters takes their example or imitation so to serve by their turns at Cathedrals as they are called or else from the Church of Rome which is worse but the latter I am rather inclined to believe because there was no such name of any Ministers among the Jews neither in the primitive Church truly so called but the Priests gave attendance to execute their office and burn incense as his turn came and hereupon Zecharias who is said to be of the course of Abiah Luke 1. The Levites that were singers were divided into 24 ●anks also or courses of which I believe the present Queristers or Surpless-men doth imitate and will bring the Levites for a proofconcerning their office but we cannot receive Judaism for Christianity neither their practice for Apostolical Ordinances in the Church of Christ. The Priests and the Levites being separated for the work of the Lord in the Tabernacle Temple ministred according to the command ordinances of the first Covenant which were only Figures of things to come and shadows of things that was but to continue until the time of reformation then they all had an end both the priesthood Levites and their service and office and maintenance tythes ended as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews the Priesthood is changed and the law is changed by which they received these Tythes for the work aforesaid But to descend and to come unto the Primitive time we shall see whether tythes were paid or no to Gospel-Ministers in the second Covenant In the fulness of time God raised up another Priest Christ Jesus who was not of the Tribe of Levi nor consecrated after the order of Aaron for he pertain'd to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar He obtained a more excellent Ministry and of a greater a more perfect Tabernacle not of the former building he being the sum and substance of all the figures under the first Covenant he put an end to first Priesthood with all its shadows and Carnal Ordinances and changing the Priesthood which had a command to take Tythes of

their Brethren there was made of necessity also a change of the Law and a disanulling of the Commandment going before Christ Jesus when he had finished his Office upon earth by fulfiling all righteousnes he offered up himself through the eternal spirit sacrifice unto God without spot The Apostles and Ministers who were made partakers of the divine nature and of the word of reconciliation did not look back to the former Ordinances of the first Priesthood but testified an end was put to them witnessed again the Temple wherein the Priests Ministred Paul and likewise Stephen was stoned to death against circumcision saying It was not that of the Flesh and against all the outward ordinances of that Covenant called them carnal preached up Christ Jesus his doctrine the new and living way wch was not manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing they preached freely the ever lasting Gospel and did not desire or require setled maintenance but were Ministred unto only by them who had believed their report were turned to Christ Jesus and were made partakers of spiritual things though they often denied that which was given unto them Here was no Tythes spoken on either to the Jews or Gentiles who believed At Jerusalem and there abouts such was the love and unity of heart among the Saints in the Apostles time that all things were in common none wanted So likewise the Church gathered by Mark at Alexandria in Egypt followed the same practice and the Church at Jerusalem and Philo Judeus saith in many other provinces the Christians lived together in societies In the Church of Antioch Galatie and Corinth the Saints possessed every man his own Estate where the Apostle ordained that a weekly offering should be made of the Saints that every one might offer freely of that which God had blessed him with which was put into the hands of the Deacons of the Churches whereby the poor was relieved and other necessary services were supplied In the next age monthly offrings were made not exacted but freely given as appears plainly by Tertullian in Apologet. chap. 29. where he upbraids the Gentiles with the piety and charity of the Christians he saith Whatsoever we have in the Treasury of our Churches it is not raised by taxation as though we put men to ransom their Religion But every man once a month or when he pleaseth himself gives what he thinks good for no man is compelled but left free to his own descretion and it is not bestowed in vanity but in relieving the poor and for maintenance of poor Children Deffitute of Parents and aged people and such as are cast into Prisons for professing the Christian faith And this way of contribution continued till the great persecution under Maximinian and Dioclesian about the year 304 as Eusebius witnesseth and so doth Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others Also about this time some Land was given to the Church by them that believed and the revenue thereof was distributed as other free gifts were by the Deacons and Elders to the poor for the fore mentioned uses but the Bishops or Ministers medled not with them Origen saith It is not lawful for any Minister to possesse Lands given to the Church to his own use Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250 also testifieth the same sheweth how the Church maintaineth many poor and that her own diet was sparing plain and her expences full of frugality Prosper saith also that a Minister able to live of himself ought not to desire any thing to be given unto him and he that receiveth it doth it not without great sin The Council at Antioch Anno 340 finding that much fault had been among the Deacons to whom it properly belonged to distribute the offerings or free gifts where there was need which they detained for their own covetous ends the Council did ordain that the Bishop might distribute the Goods but required that they took no part thereof to themselves nor to the use of the Priests using the Apostles words having food and rayment be therewith content Chrysostome notes who lived about the year 400 that Christian converts joyned in societies and lived in Common after the example of the former Saints at Jerusalem by whose writings it doth appear that three was not the least mention made of Tythes in that age The Church at this time living altogether by free offerings of Lands Monies and Goods the people were much pressed to bountifull Contributions for holy uses as may be seen in the writings of Hirome and Chrysostome who brought the liberality of the Jews in their payment of Tythes for an example beneath which they would not have Christians determine their charity Chrysostome saith I speak not these things as commanding or forbidding they should give more Yet as thinking it fit they should not give less then the tenth part And Hierome also doth admonish them to bounty and charity towards the poor not binding at all to offer this or that part leaving them to their own Liberty yet pressing them not to be shorter then the Jews in their tenths Ambrose who was Bishop of Milane about the year 400 preached up tenths to be offred up for holy uses as the phrase was then But his Authority he produceth wholly from Moses writings Likewise Augustin Bishop of Hippo joyns and agrees with Ambrose in this thing but from the Law given to Israel take their whole Doctrine and threatned them with great penalties and heavy Judgments from God that did not give their tenths But yet take notice to what end they required them that the poor might not want and saith God hath reserved them for their use So by this time love did grow cold in many and the power of God was much wanting which would have kept the hearts of people open in love and mercy to their members And therefore they were much prest on and threatned by the Bishops to give their tenths Not that the Bishops had any better ground but only the Jewish Law for their foundation and so in process of time this Doctrine came to be received many following the opinion of the antient Fathers yet hitherto it was not laid down as a positive Doctrine to pay them as the Jews did but onely brought the Jews for an example that Christians should not pay less Leo called the great about the year 440 who reigned twenty years he was very earnest in stiring up mens devotion to offer to the Church but speaks not a word of any quantity Severin also 470 stirred up the Christians in Panona to give the tenth to the poor Likewise Gregory not only admonished the payment of Tythes from Moses Law but also the observing of Lent which he reckoned as the tenth of time in the year And this he would have given unto God saying we are Commanded in the Law to give the tenth of all things unto God And thus Ignorance

Mercland and Elsewolf King of Northumberland who made a Decree that the people of those two Kingdomes should pay tythes By this it may be seen chat tythes were not reckoned as due for many hundred years and indeed were never due in the second Covenant So these things that are so pleaded for by these hireling Priests of this last age which hath no better plea then antiquity for their tyths and forced hire may be convinced that antiquity without truth is nothing and yet the antiquity of the Churches in the primitive times condemns these practises so that let all Protestants deny these introduced institutions and the popes wages forced tythes and hire which is Antichristian A cloud of witnesses might be brought out of the antient Fathers who testified against them and diverse Martyrs as Walter Brute and John Wickliff who suffered Martyrs for testifying the truth against the Idolatry and superstitions of that age Selden in his History of Tythes saith that before the year 800 or there abouts there is not any general Law that yet remains in publick and is of credit which ordained any payment of tythes in the Western Church for the Eastern never any Law that hath been observed mentions them So in the first giving of tenths was by the perswasion of some of the Fathers formentioned for the poor and service of the Church and they were only the free offering or free gift of the people as almes which were brought into the Common Treasury first disposed of by Deacons for the service of the Church But they being found faulty it were ordered decreed in a Council that the Bishop or overseer should dispose of them to wit the offerings but they were not compellable who did not offer this or that part but were left free to do as they had freedom only exhorted and threatened with the judgments of God if they suffered the poor to lack or be in want The predecessors of the Protestants the Bohemians being descended from the Waldenses forementioned did professe that all Priests or Ministers ought to be poor and to be content with the free gift or what the people freely offered them So saith AEneas Silvius in his Bohemian History and it is one of John Wicklifs Articles for which he was censured viz. that tythes were a free gift as among Christians or only pure alms and that the Parishoners may for the ●ffence of their Curates detain and keep them back and bestow ●hem upon others at their own will and pleasure And this proposition aforesaid is maintained by John Husse in the said Book of Martyrs pag. 461. That the Clergy are not Lords and possessors of Tyths or other Ecclesiastical goods but only Stewards and after the necessity of the Clergy is once satisfied they ought to be transported to the poor At Geneva Tiths of all sorts are taken up for the use of the state and laid up in the publike Treasury Ambrose Bishop of Millain as zealous a man for Church Priviledges as we hardly read of the like Ambrose Epist. 3. s●ith If the Emperour have a mind to Church Lands he hath power to take them There is none of us interposeth the poor may sufficiently be maintained by popular Collections let them not create us envy by taking of those Lands let them take them away if they please It may be observed at this time that the Ministers were not maintained by setled Tythes like the Priests of our time but both they and the poor were relieved by Oblations of the people and by such Lands as were given by the Emperours to the severall Churches So it was upon this account that Ambr●se thus speaks And William Throp of whom I made mention being examined in the year 1407 being brought before Thomas Aurandel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Chanceller then of England gives a clear Testimony against tythes how that they were no Gospel maintenance In his Answer he saith in the new Law neither Christ nor his Apostles took tythes of the people nor Commanded the people to pay tythes neither to Priests nor Deacons and Christ and his Apostles Preached the Word of God to the people and lived of pure almes of the free gift But after Christs Assention when the Apostles had received the Holy Ghost they travelled with their hands and afterwards he saith Paul when he was full poor and needy Preached among the people He was not chargious unto them but with his hands he travelled not only to get his own Living but also to relieve others that were poor and needy And further he saith Tythes were given in the old Law to Levites and Priests but our Priests come not of L●vi but since Christ lived and his Apostles by pure alms or else by the travell of their hands At the which the Bishop said Gods curse have you and mine for this Teaching and further William saith those Priests that challinge to take Tythes dinies Christ come in the flesh unto which the Bishop said heard ye ever Lossel speak thus And further William saith that the covetousness and pride of the Priests destroys the vertue of the Priesthood and also stireth up Gods vengeance both upon Lords and Commons who suffer these Priests Charitably And the Arch-Bishop said Thou judgest every Priest proud that will not go a●ayed as thou dost By God I deem him to be more meek that goeth every day in his Scarlet Gown then thou in thy threed bare blew Gown An answer much like a Tything Priest but I refer the Reader to the whole Testimony of William Throp which is large in the Book of Martyrs David Pareus in his Comentary upon Gen. 28 2. 22. saith Tythes or tenths were freely arbitrary a man might give them a man might vow them or he might not as he pleased before the Law But under the Law they were commanded to be given to the Priests and Levites hence saith he our Clergy men infer if they were so of Old then they are so now But this doth not follow saith he they had a Divine Ceremonial right but that is now ceased they had Tythes as a Compensation of that lot they should otherwise have in Land ours not so ours have Towns Villages Mannors yea Countries and Provinces nor is there any end of their insatiable Covetousness and he concludes when the Leviticall Priesthood did cease then did the right of that Priesthood cease and the right of Tythes did revert to God as Governour and Soverain of the World Great and Large are the testimonies that might be given both out of ancient and modern Writers who were the clearest in their judgements in their age against Tythes how that they were no Gospel maintenance neither of Divine right do belong to any Ministry under the Gospel who professeth Christ come in the flesh What I have said in this particular might be sufficient seeing so large things by other pens have been declared But I am the more willing to instance divers Authors

Bedemontane Protestants have preserved their Religion incorrupt longer then any Church with a ministry indowed with Tythes Hire in the World And likewise the Primitive times never wanted able Teachers as the best Histories say although they lived either upon their labour or the free Offering of them that were converted and was not so disquieted with politicall complying opinions and curiosities and nicities and distinctions and contentions until Constance began to inrich and give Lands and great reveneus to the Church And then they began to side and controvert in State matters and grew into Pride Idleness and Fulness insomuch that Histories say a voice was heard from Heaven This day poyson hath been shed in the Church So you Protestants view over your Fathers whom the Ministers hath talked on And so now if they will own their practice so as to walk in it and let them never be reckoned as Ministers of Christ more who cannot be content with his allowance and let forcing alone about maintenance and the Tythes alone to the Priest of the first Covenant and let bargining alone for wages and seek not hire of them you work not for and if your Gospel will not maintain you you have good cause to question it whether it be the very same the Apostle preached and the Primitive Fathers and never such a cry be heard more among people for maintenance and hire for wages and Tythes But he that hath the Gospel let him preach the Gospel and live of the Gospel not upon Tythes and forced maintenance and set stipends for the Gospel condemns this a cloud of witness is against it both in former and latter ages yea it is inconsistent unto reason to require Tythes in this age by the Ministry First the Levites were one of the twelve Tribes if they were not the twelve part of the people but so is not the Priests now Secondly they had no portion among the rest of the Tribes but the Teachers and Priests now have equal to other men in Lands and Revenues Thirdly The Priests were but to have the tenth of all clean things but now clean and unclean Beasts Birds and Fowls Piggs Eggs Turnups and every thing which were not Tythable under the Law Fourthly their service was great at the Tabernacle and Temple and in time of the war and sojourning it is not so with Priests who staies over a few families all their life long Fifthly Seeing the service is abrogated for which the Levites had Tythes and none of the service performed now no reasons that tyths should be required now when the work is not done unto which the tythes belonged Sixthly the Levites were of Aarons priesthood of which tribe Christ came not but of the tribe of Juda but these priests are not after Aaron nor Levi neither their successors therefore hath no right to tythes Seventhly that which was given by the command of God only to Aaron and his Sons and Levites and never to any other priesthood or Ministry Now seeing the Law is changed and the priesthood changed Christ being come these priests are unreasonable who demanded them contrary to the command of God which belongs only to that priesthood CHAP. XIX Respecting of persons and Complemental bowings and worshipping one another and flattering titles no good manners but are in the transgression and hath been antiently reproved and condemned ALthough this Generation have so far run after every invention and vain custome and tradition into complements and flattery and deceit and respecting of persons which is a thing in high esteem as a piece of good breeding and education and good manners accounted not only among the prophaner sort but even among Christians so called who have conformed unto every vain custome of the Nations Yet they that know the life of Christ cannot do so and they that abide in his doctrine must not do so though things be never so applauded by fallen men whose glory is in that which is earthly Yet God beholds not nor looks not as man but his thoughts are contrary to mans in that state and that which the Sons of men in the fallen estate do highly esteem of is disesteemed by the Lord. The best manner of walking is that which the Lord directs and leads into which is pure and holy and incorrupt and the Saints practise who were taught of God is the best example to follow and their manner and deportment among the Sons of men are chiefly to be followed Although that which is from below doth and hath ever disesteemed their way and the honour that comes from above although the Heathen had many Lords and many Gods Yet it was said to Israel thy God is but one and him shalt thou bow unto alone and reverence his Name Israel was not to follow the vain customes of the Nations neither follow their example who served not the living God with their hearts multitudes are not to be followed in doing evil Custome without Truth is but a bad plea antiquity with unrighteuosnesse is but bad proof that which leads into degeneration is not to be minded but that which leads into restoration and innocency The Redeemed of the Lord and the Israel of God now who works after the directions and leadings of Gods holy Spirit upon whom peace resteth are otherwise taught then to follow vain customes which begets one another into pride and deceit and unbelief Christ reproved the Pharisees for seeking honour one of another and told them they could not believe who sought it Was it reprovable then is it commendable now are there not many that seek it now Yes that which is offended when it is not complemented and bowed unto seeks it and would have it and is in the unbelief what capping and cringing what bowing and scraping in which many spends much of their time what complements and fained speeches is daily invented and gestures and Ceremonies of which there is hardly any end which people runs into now who calls themselves Christians many generations before cannot paralel it and yet this must be counted good manners and be reckoned as such Oh! The Lord is grieved with these things and they are abominable in his sight will provoke the Lord to anger if they be persisted in and the honour which is from above they despised And what invented words and names which puffs up the proud minds is people run into and like Ephraim in the transgression seeds upon wind and that which will vanish as a buble and pass away as a morning dew God will stain it all and the pride and glory of all flesh and bring contempt upon all the honourable of the Earth for the Saints knew who were come out of the respect of persons that the fashion of the world and the custom● and manners and glory and honour and esteem thereof should pass away and that all that come to the beginning again to union with God must die to all these things which is got and entred

latter ages by the Apogates who had erred from the Spirit who then admired and set up natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make discourses speeches and Sermons to get money by and as they are holden up at this day are made an absolute Idol and as to their Practise it s generally known to be prophane and no way meet to advance the Church of Christ. CHrist Jesus the Everlasting High Priest and Minister of the Tabernacle when he was manifest in the fulness of time to fulfill the work which was given him to do of the Father he chused unto him twelve Disciples which believed in him men who were not brought up at Universities neither had studied Philosophy nor natural Tongues but some Fishermen and such as were illiterate to be Ministers of the glad tidings of the Gospel of peace to the Nations and their ability stood in the Spirit where the ability of all the Ministers of Christ now standeth viz. not in the Letter not in Philosophy not in natural Languages not in Gramar and Musick but in the Spirit which qualified them and from whence they received abilities to declare the word of Righteousness and by it they had skill to divide it aright and to give every one their Portion and to minister to every one suitable to their state in which they were and they were skilled in the word of Righteousnesse and many did believe through their Testimony though they had not the wisdome that was from below nor much read in natural Languages and some not learned at all yet they wanted not wisdome and utterance and words meet and suitable to declare and demonstrate the Heavenly mind of Christ although it is true many of the Jews and learned Rabbies opposed them and set them at nought the Philosophers Stoicks and Epicures resisted yet they desired not to be approved in that wisdome which man Teacheth but in the wisdome which is from above which the natural man with all his natural parts does not understand and natural men with their naturall parts despises the simplicity of the Gospel and they seek qualifications which the Lord never sought and such will not heed the qualifications which is laid down by them that were Ministers of Christ for they that had received the Spirit and were made Ministers by it were qualified by it and their holy conversations preacht unto others they were vigilent they were watchful they were sober they were in Temptations and Tryals but their lives were of good report no covetous persons seekers for their gain from their Quarters no Lords over mens faith nor Masters over mens Consciences but were servants unto all for Christs sake not like the Ministers in these dayes who will assume the office but has not received the gift of God neither are so qualified or fitted as they were who had no Universities nor Schools of Learning and these are they that cries up Natura Tongues and Languages as the chief Abilities of a Minister of Christ and that none are fit to dispence the word of God but such who are bred up and educated in these things and such in former daies dispised the Cross of Christ and the simplicity of the Gospel and set up Tongues above it and so do they now But let us consider whether soon after the Primitive times they had any such Universities or seven years prentiships as they have now or whether it was their practise to be studying these things which be bu● natural and whether they did esteem them as any way helpfull to the Ministry But that I may not be mis-understood I know each Language and each Tongue hath a proper signification and is not evil in themselves Schools of learning I am not against natural Languages they may be servicable for natural uses natural transaction in civil affairs betwixt Nation and Nation man and man but as they are extolled and cried up to be nurseries of piety and to fit men for the Ministry as to make it effectual is utterly false and more mischief is learned and impiety practised in these Universities then in any other parts of the Nation and indeed it is one of the main props and pillars of Antichrists Throne and Kingdome and that which upholds his seat And that they only are the only fitted and called men to Minister who have natural Tongues and have read a little in a few Heathen Authors and thereby is able to comment and make a discourse to the hearing of the ear but Gods witness is not reached at all and such dispises the spirit and sets light by them that enjoy it which clearly evidences they are out of the power of God which was among the first Christ●ans who received the Spirit and spoke from it which is only sufficient and able to make a Minister of Christ So let us see what antiquity saith Gaudentius de mor. secul Justinian saith We do not read that ever the antients did ever openly in Schooles Teach Philosophy since they did rather abhor it And saith a good Author I would fain see a man that could shew that Christians either before or in the time of Justinian did openly teach Philosophy And Hadrian Saraviah informs us the Primitive Christians had no Accademicall Schooles like to those now adayes yet there was one at Alexandria but in these Schooles they read only Catachristicall Lectures and we do not read of any Universitie of the Waldenses Albigenses and Bohemians for most of their Ministers were Tradsemen and Handy-crafts men and did not spend their time in reading tongues or studying Authors Herrald anaimad in ar nob The Christians in the Primitive times living excluded from all honours and Magistracies did neglect these Studies which were for the discharge of civil imployments because that Sophisters and Philosophers were the principal Enemies of Christianity Therefore upon this Account they condemned also all Politie Learning they condemned Tragedies and Comedies and other poetical writings being the main part of humane Learning as Judging they did not conduce to solid knowledge Tertullian Liber de Idolatr page 138 139. Judged that Schoole-Masters professing learning were guilty of great Idolatry because they only explained names and Genealogies and Fabulous Acts of Heathen Gods and generally believers in those dayes harbered a very bad esteem of Natural Learning generally the Christians were provoked thereunto because the Gentiles did upbraid them that the Teachers were Illiterate persons as Combers of woolls Weavers Fullers and the like These things being objected a-against the Christians The Christians on the other side rejected all Learning as an useless thing and no way advantagious to Salvation though their adversaries boasted of it Origen Lib. 3. saith the Christians did declare that men of any Condition might be saved Servants Idiots and Rusticks and such as the World valued as fools and that God did confound the wise in their own wisdome and Selsus as Origen in his Book saith that Christians