Benefices and betake themselves to some other of greater value A symmetrie with them herein is visible by the frequent practise of the Ministers of England 13. The Popish Priests though ordained to preach must have special Licence from the Prelates so to do So must the Priests of England 14. The Popish Priests are subject to be silenced suspended deprived and degraded by the Prelates as are the present Ministers of England 15. The Popish Priests are not of like and equal Power Degree and Authority amongst themselves but are some of them inferior to others herein as Parsons to Archdeacons Archdeacons to Lord Bishops Lord-Bishops to Archbishops So the Priests of England 16. The Popish Priests must be distinguished from other People by their Vestments as Surplice Tippet c. So must the Priests of England 17. The Popish Priests are tyed to a Book of stinted Prayers and a prescript Order devised by man for their Worship and Ministration So are the Ministers of England and that to such an one as is taken out of the Popes Portuis as hath been proved by divers That the Common-Prayer-Book in Edward the 6ths time was so you have his with his Councils Testimony for it thus they write As for the Service in the English Tongue it hath manifest Reasons for it and yet perchance it seemeth to you a New Service and indeed is no other but the Old the same words in English which were in Latine If the Service of the Church were good in Latine it is good in English How little different the Common-Prayer-Book now in use is thereunto they that wil take pains to compare the one with the other may be satisfied To these parallel particulars might be added sundry more wherein there is an exact symmetry betwixt the Popish Priests and the present Ministers of England but Ex ungue Leonem The sum of what we have been offering in this matter is this First Those Ministers that in their Names Offices admission into their Offices are not to be found in the Scripture are not Ministers of Christ act not by vertue of an Authority Office Power Calling received from him Secondly Those Minsters that in their Names Office admission into their Office are at a perfect agreement with the Ministers of Antichrist such are the Popish Priests acknowledged to be by those with whom we have to do are not the Ministers of Christ have not received any Power Office or Calling from him to act in the holy things of God But such as hath been abundantly demonstrated are the present Ministers of England Therefore these have received no Power Office or Calling from Christ and so are Antichristian Quod erat demonstrandum Secondly Those that receive their Power Office and Calling from a lord-Lord-Bishop and act in the holy things of God by vertue of that Power Office or Calling act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian Power Office and Calling But the present Ministers of England receive their Power Office and Calling from a Lord-Bishop and act in the Holy Things of God by vertue of that Power Office and Calling Therefore The consequence of the major or first Proposition is manifest the Office of Lord-Bishops is Antichristian therefore those that act by vertue of a Power Office or Calling received from them act by vertue of an Antichristian Power Office or Calling That the Office of Lord-Bishops is Antichristian one would wonder should be denied in such a day as this after so full a demonstration thereof by many Witnesses of Christ who have wrote so cleerly in this matter as if they carried the Sun beams in their right hand especially that it should be denied by persons of Presbyterian and Congregational Principles if indeed any of them do deny it To prosecute this matter to the uttermost is not our present intendment the intelligent Reader knows where to find it done already to our hand and if after all that hath been said any through self-love or fear of persecution will herein be ignorant we might say Let them be ignorant But we shall propose briefly a word or two in this matter 1. That Office that is not to be found in the Scriptures of the institution of Christ but is contrary to express precepts and commands of his is Antichristian But the Office of Lord-Bishops is not to be found in the Scriptures is contrary to express Precepts Therefore The minor Proposition consists of two parts 1. That the Office of Lord Bishops is not to be found in the Scripture of the institution of Christ He gave indeed Apostles Prophets Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4. 11. of Pastors and Teachers we reade Rom. 12. 7 8. Eph. 4. 8. Bishops also and Deacons without the interposition of any other order we find 1 Tim. 3. 12. Deacons we have appointed Acts 7. Elders Acts 14. 23. those who are Bishops we find called Presbyters Tit. 1. 5 7. and those who are Presbyters we find termed Bishops Acts 20. 28. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops but where the Office of Lord-Bishops was instituted by Christ we are yet to seek indeed some appearances of a spirit striving to ascend into this Chair of wickedness was seen in Diotrephes and others in the Apostles time but these were the Antichrists that were then gone abroad into the world The Scripture before mentioned Ephes 4. 11. speaks as fully to the Officers and Offices instituted by Christ as any we meet with Fail they in their deduction of their Office from hence and they will undoubtedly prove succesless in their attempts Let us then fix here a little mention we find here of Apostles Prophets Pastors and Teachers none at all either here or elsewhere of Lord-Bishops But perhaps their Office though they are called by another name is comprized in some one or other of these let that then be considered Are they Prophets that in the sence of the Spirit in this place they will not pretend to Are they Pastors or Teachers this is too great a debasement of their Lordships their Parochial Priests over whom they preside are supposed to be Officers in that degree What then are they Apostles Their Successors they do indeed boast themselves to be and are so accounted by their Abbettors and so doth the Pope himself but how prove they their Succession from them if they derive it through the Papacy who sees not the invalidity thereof How lubricous and uncertain is that their Succession how do they therein proclaim their shame and yield the matter in controversie what clearer Argument that they are Antichristian if the Pope be the Antichristian Head over many Countries as is by the generality of Protestants believed and will not by themselves be gainsayed But in what sence do they pretend to be the Apostles Successors do they succeed them as Christians that is not the thing in question they stand or fall in respect thereof to their own Master herein we have no controversie with them as
vertue of any Authority derived to them from him are not Ministers of the Gospel but Thieves and Robbers Joh. 10. 1. from whom 't is the property of the Sheep to flee ver 4. But the present Ministers of England come not in by the Door Therefore That they come not in by the Door viz. by vertue of any Authority derived to them from Christ is evident If they have received any such Authority or Commission from him they have received it either mediately or immediately the latter will not be asserted nor without the working of Miracles should it so be would it to the world's end be made good 'T is the former must be fixt upon viz. That they have received their Authority or Commission mediately from Christ but to as little purpose for those that receive Authority to preach the Gospel mediately from Christ have it from some particular instituted Church of Christ to whom power is soley delegated for the electing of their own Officers according to the tenour of the ensuing Scriptures Acts 6. 5. 14. 23. These men as it 's known have no such Authority pretend not to it have it in derision come barely with a Presentation from a Patron and Ordination Institution and Induction from a Lord-Bishop things forreign to the Scripture and impose themselves upon the people whether they will or no. 2. 'T is not lawful to hear them as Gifted-Brethren 1. The most of them are not gifted nor 2. Brethren being Canonical-Drunkards Swearers Gamsters c. 3. The best of them cannot by Saints in respect of Gospel-communion be so accounted for 1. There was never any giving up of our selves each to other according to the will of God and primitive Example whence such a Brotherhood doth result 2. We cannot as things stand perform the duties of Brethren to them according to Mat. 18. nor will they or can they in the state in which they stand to us 3. If we acknowledge the best of them for such we must also acknowledge the worst of them for 1. They are all Members of the same Church 2. Profess themselves to be one Brotherhood so sayes their Rime upon the Lord's Prayer Our Father which in Heaven art And mak'st us all one Brotherhood c. Nay 3. we cannot so acknowledge them but we must also acknowledge the Bishops for our Reverend Fathers for theirs they are which how abhorring it is to any tender enlightned soul may easily be conjectured But to hear this Plea speak its uttermost let it be granted they are Brethren and may be so esteemed They are Brethren that walk disorderly or they do not That they walk disorderly cannot be denied by such as pretend to Reformation If submitting to Ordination or Re-ordination by a Lord Bishop covenanting and protesting with detestation against a Reformation according to the Scripture and the best Reformed Churches to own as consonant to Scripture a Lyturgy or stinted Forms of Prayer in the Church and read them to wear the Surplice c. be disorderly walking they are the very best of them beyond contradiction to be reputed in the number of disorderly walkers And so after due admonition according to the Scripture and a perseverance in their sin to be separated from by vertue of positive and express Precepts of Christ Mat. 18. 2 Thess 3. 6. Now we command you Brethren in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition he received of us With what vehemency authority and holy earnestness doth the Apostle press separation from Brethren that walk disorderly We command you and we command you in the Name of the Lord Jesus and we command you Brethren by vertue of our relation to each other and that love and endearment that is betwixt us as Brethren that you withdraw your selves c. I scarce know any one thing pressed by the Apostle with greater vehemency than what is here instanc'd in wherein we have also an undeniable convincing Argument that the persons of whom we are treating walk disorderly Those that walk not after the tradition received from the Apostles we may adde and the Primitive Church for above three hundred years after Christ but according to the traditions of the old Bawd and Strumpet of Rome are such as walk disorderly But the present Ministers of England walk not after the Tradition received from the Apostles but after the Traditions of the Whorish-Church of Rome Therefore they are such as walk disorderly What Apostolical Tradition have we for stinted Forms of Prayer or Lyturgies in the Church did they frame any those that are ascribed to some of them are all spurious as hath been over and over proved for Surplice crossing in Baptism and many other gewgaws used by them if they have any Apostolical written tradition for these things let them produce it and we shall lay our mouths in the dust and for ever be silent as to a charge of this nature If they have not as there is nothing more certain they are disorderly walkers if the Apostles Argument be valid We command you to withdraw from such as walk disorderly But who I pray are these disorderly walkers how shall we know them they are sayes the Apostle such as walk not after the tradition received from us CHAP. III. A third Argument proving the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers of England produced That they act by vertue of an Antichristian Office and Calling proved Their perfect agreement with the Popish Priests in seventeen Particulars demonstrated That the Office of Lord Bishops is Antichristian proved The Testimonies of the Ancients produced Whence the Antichristianism of the Office of the Ministers of England is evinced An Objection answered Argument 3. THose that act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian Power Office or Calling are not to be heard but to be separated from but the present Ministers of England act in the Holy Things of God by vertue of an Antichristian Power Office or Calling Therefore The Major is evident For 1. The Power Office and Calling of Antichrist is opposite and contrary unto the Power Office and Calling of Christ Not to separate from such as act by vertue of such an Office-Power is to stand by and plead for Antichrist against Christ 2. It s unlawful to attend upon the teachings of Antichrist therefore upon the teachings of such as act by vertue of a Power derived from him 3. Christ calls and solemnly charges his upon the penalty of most dreadful Judgments to separate from every thing of Antichrist Rev. 18. 4. and 14. 9 10 11. 4. There is not a command in the Scripture enjoyning Saints to take heed of being deceived to try the spirits because many Antichrists are gone abroad into the World but is an abundant demonstration of the truth of this Assertion 5. The institution of Officers of his own by Christ to be continued in the
way appointed by him to the end of the World Eph. 4. 11. 6. That there is not one promise of a blessing in the whole Scripture upon persons atending on such a Ministry with innumerable things of the like tendency and import that might be produced if needful are such a basis upon which the truth of the major Proposition stands as cannot be easily shaken or removed The Minor wants not sufficient demonstration First The present Ministers of England are either from Christ or from Antichrist There is no medium a Linsey-woolsey-Ministry that is partly of Christ partly of Antichrist as 't is not to be proved by Scripture so will it not be abetted That they are not from Christ hath in part been proved already and may farther be evinced 1. Their Names are forreign to the Scripture Where reade we of Deacons in their sence Priests as distinguished from Christians in the New-Testament Deans Cannons Petty-Cannons Prebendaries Arch-Deacons Lord-Bishops Parsons Vicars c. these are onely found in the Popes Pontifical whence they are derived So are 2. Their Offices Deacons attending Tables we reade of but Deacons Praying Preaching Administring Sacraments so called by vertue of an Office-power an order of the first step to the Priesthood we find not Priests in the Old-Testament both true and false we reade of in the New Saints are so called First in respect of analogie to the ritual Priests of old whose prerogative it was to come near to God Deut. 21. 5. to whom through Christ Saints have access with boldness Ephes 2. 18. and 3. 19. Jam. 4. 8. Secondly in respect of their union and engrafture into Christ the great High-Priest over the House of God Thirdly in respect of that analogy there is betwixt what Christ hath done for them as Priest and by his Spirit worketh in them He offered up Sacrifice so do they Psal 116. 17. and 141. 2. Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 14. He was crucified died so are they Rom. 6. 6 7 8. c. Gal. 2. 20. Fourthly as Priests they are anointed to the participation of do thereby attain to a kind of holy and intimate communion with Christ in all his glorious Offices Rev. 5. 10. But an Office of Priesthood in men for the Ministry of the Gospel that are to be bounded by men in that their Office must preach what they would have them and cease when they would have them as is the case of the present Ministry of England the Scripture is a stranger to So is it 3. to their admission into this their office viz. by a lord-Lord-Bishop without the consent of the Congregation in which they act as Officers The very truth is both in their Names Office and admission thereunto the present Ministers of England symbolize not with the Ministers of Christ but the Popish order of Priests so that if these do act by vertue of an Antichristian office-power then do they as he that runs may read in the ensuing parallel particulars 1. They are both called and own themselves Priests which though some may make light of yet considering that it is a term borrowed either from the Priests of the Law the assertion of such a Priesthood being a denial of Christ come in the flesh or from the Priests of the Heathen in conformity to whom as the Druides of old our Priests wear their white Garment or Surplice or from the Antichristian Church so called of Rome Such idolatrous superstitious names being commanded by the Lord to be abolished Hos 2. 15. Zech. 13. 2. wants not its sufficient weight the retention whereof being also a sore suspition of too great a compliance with if not a willingness to return to that from whence they are derived Of the same mind with us herein is Hierom upon the 2d of Hosea the Hebrew Doctors Kimchi and Aben-Ezra the Caldee Paraphrast Ribera though a Jesuit Zanchi Danaeus Sanctius Polanus Rivet and almost all that write upon the said Scripture The last mentioned viz. Learned Rivet hath these words in his Corollaries from Hos 2. 15 16. There are many names which in themselves are good enough and might be used but God abhorreth the use of them because they have been abused to Idolatry he instanceth indeed in the word Mass but Priest or Altar being of the same allay upon the same foot of account is to be rejected The reformed Churches in Helvetia in their harmony of Confessions are of the same mind The Ministry say they and the Priesthood are things far different the one from the other he himself viz. Christ remaineth only Priest for ever and we do not communicate the name Priest to any Minister lest we should detract something from Christ 2. The Priests of Rome must be first Deacons ere they are Priests So must the present Ministers of England 3. The Priests of Rome must be ordained to their Office by a lord-Lord-Bishop or his Suffragan So must the Ministers of England 4. The Priests of Rome must at their ordination be presented by an Archdeacon or his Deputy with these words Reverende Pater c. Reverend Father I present these men unto thee to be admitted unto the order of Priesthood So are the present Ministers of England 5. The Priests of Rome must be ordained to their office according to their Pontifical devised by themselves the Priests of England according to their Book of ordering Priests and Deacons which is taken out of the Popes Pontifical as is evident to any that shall compare the one with the other and as hath been long since confest by some of themselves in an Admonition to the Parliament in Queen Elizabeths dayes in their second Treatise 6. The Popish Priests must kneel down upon their knees at the feet of the lord-Lord-Bishop that ordains them and he must say to them blasphemously enough Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose sins ye remit or forgive they are remitted whose sins ye retain they are retained which exactly accords with the fashion of ordaining the Priests of England 7. The Popish Priests are not ordained in and before the Congregation to whom they are to be Priests but in some Metropolitan Cathedral City several miles from the place So are the Priests of England 8. The Popish Priests take the care of souls though not elected by them from the presentation of a Patron by the institution and induction of a lord-Lord-Bishop and do not the present Ministers of England the same 9. The Popish Priests wait not the Churches Call to the Ministry but make suit to some Prelate to be ordained Priests giving mony for their letters of Ordination So do the present Ministers of England 10. The Popish Priests are ordained to their Office though they have no Flock to attend upon So are the Priests of England 11. The Popish Priests must swear Canonical Obedience to their Ordinary So do the present Ministers of England 12. The Popish Priests may at their pleasure without the consent of the People resign and give over their
for Saints to pray in a form 't is lawful either because they have not the Spirit or that having the Spirit he is not a sufficient help to them in their approaches to God If the first they are not Saints Rom. 8. 9. to assert the second is little less than Blasphemy besides its direct opposition to Rom. 8. 26. As for the third viz. that Forms of Prayer imposed are but meer Circumstances of VVorship and not parts thereof it cannot be proved The contrary thereunto is evident That which is made so the condition of an Action that without it the Action is not to be done is not a Circumstance of it but such an Adjunct as is a necessary part thereof But Forms of Prayer imposed are so made by that their Imposition Therefore c. Sacrificing of old on the Altar at the Tabernacle and Temple was part of the Worship of God that they were to perform this Worship only at those places being once commanded was not a Circumstance of that Worship but as real an essential part thereof as sacrificing was The case is the same here Prayer is commanded so is the use of these Prayers which are as really by vertue of that Command made alike parts of Worship But 2dly That the Lyturgy or Common-Prayer-Book is no essential part of Worship is utterly denied by the present Ministers of England who make it not only a part but the principal part to which Preaching must give place and be omitted if they have not time for both yea the whole of the Worship of God which being performed they suppose they have served him acceptably without more ado and if omitted whatever else is done God is not worshipped at all And thus far of the first Argument for the demonstration of what we are in the disquisition of viz. That the present Ministers of England are Idolaters The sum whereof is this Those that worship God in any other way than he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him are Idolaters But the present Ministers of England worship God in another way than he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him viz. in the way of the Common-Prayer-Book which that it is not of Divine Prescription hath been demonstrated Therefore To which we add Argument 2. Those who act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Office-Power received from Idolaters and offer up to him a Worship meerly of humane composition once abused to Idolatry with the Modes and Rites of Idolaters are guilty of the sin of Idolatry But the present Ministers of England act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Office-Power received from Idolaters and offer up to him a Worship meerly of humane composition once abused to Idolatry with the Modes and Rites of Idolaters Therefore The Major or first Proposition carrying a brightness along with it sufficient to lead any one into the belief of the truth thereof one would think might be taken for granted Two things are asserted therein 1. That such as act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Office-Power received from Idolaters are themselves such at least in respect of that their Office-Power so received by them That Jeroboam's Priests were all of them Idolaters we suppose will not be denied Supposing some one or more to Act in the Worship of God by vertue of an Office-Power received from them were these to be accounted in that respect Idolaters it seemeth so nor can there be the least pretence of reason to the contrary Certainly such as act by vertue of Authority committed to them in matters Civil from Rebels are equally guilty of Rebellion as those from whom they derive that their Authority The case is here the same 2. That such as offer up to God a Worship meerly of humane composition once abused to Idolatry with the Modes and Rites of Idolaters are Idolaters If these be not such I must profess I know not who are That there are few or none that worship the creature terminative will not be denied the most of Idolaters in the world are such upon the account of their worshipping the true God through Mediums of their own devising with Rites and Modes that never entered into the heart of God to prescribe To assert that any should symbolize with Idolaters herein who are soley upon this foot of account such and not be guilty of the sin of Idolatry is absurd and irrational The Major Proposition then as was said may be taken for granted Such as act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Office-Power received from Idolaters and offer up to God a Worship meerly of humane composition once abused to Idolatry are Idolaters Whether this be true of the present Ministers of England is in the next place to be considered of which briefly 1. That the Romish Church so called are Idolaters their Worship in the complex thereof Idolatry will not we suppose be denied by any that call themselves Protestants the most learned of whom have asserted and proved it so to be If any of our Reverend Fathers are of another mind we would entreat them to construe to themselves a Copy or two of Verses composed by Persons of Eminency in that Combination of men and then give us their second thoughts which are usually better than the first Thus some of them O felix Puerpera Nostra pians Scelera Jure Matris Impera Redemptori VVherein the Virgin Mary is not only prayed unto but Christ in his Exalted state is subjected to her Authority which is not only a spice of Idolatry but also some of the most horrid Blasphemy imaginable Their praying to Images Adoration of Saints c. is known Take a taste hereof in the ensuing Instances thus then they speak O Crux spes unica Auge piis constantiam Hoc passionis tempore Reisque dona veniam In which the Cross it self is invocated as their only Hope to bestow pardon upon the guilty patience and constancy upon the Godly And who comes not in the least short hereof for Blasphemy and Idolatry Bonarous the Jesuite Lib. 3. Amphitrial Honor. l. 3. cap. ult ad Divinam Hallensem Puerum Jesum saith as followeth Haereo haec inter meditans interque cruorem Thomas de Aquino 3a parte Sum Quaest 25. Arti sayes Sequitur quod eadem reverentia exhibeatur imagini Christi ipsi Christo cum ergo Christus adoratur adoratione latriae consequens est quod ejus imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda The Image of Christ he tells you is to be worshiped with the same worship that Christ is Yea Bellarmine de Imag. cap. 21. says Imagines Christi Sanctorum venerandae sunt non solum per accidens impropriè sed etiam per se propriè ita ut ipsae terminent venerationem ut in se considerantur non solem vicem gerunt exemplaris In which he asserts what I had
according to the VVord of God and swear to a Worship that is meerly of humane devising that have nothing of the essentials of a Ministry of Christ to be found upon them may be accounted of as his Ministers and be adhered to 15. VVhether such as shall so do be not guilty of casting contempt upon the Institutions of Christ and disobedience against his Royal Edicts commanding them to separate from persons of such a complection To which many others of the like nature might be added CHAP. X. Arguments for the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers of England 1. From the supposed Precept of Christ Mat. 23. 1. whether the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 1. were Magistrates or Ministers debated If Ministers that their Office and Calling was lawful proved That Christ neither commands nor permits his Disciples to hear them proved 2. From the practice of Christ and his Apostles 3. From Phil. 1. 15. 4. From their preaching truth 5. From Judas his preaching 6. From their being good men 7. From the practice of Learned and Good men in former dayes and now 8. From the Magistrates command 9. From the pretended Plea of their being true Ministers because they convert souls 10. From persons not knowing whither to go to hear Fully answered HAving hitherto been upon the confirmation of the Truth asserted by us viz. That 't is not lawful for Saints to hear the present Ministers of England we come now to consider what is in this matter objected by our dissenting Brethren This is that they say Object 1. Christ commands or at least permits his Disciples to hear the Scribes and Pharisees who were men as corrupt in their Doctrine as vitious in their lives as the present Ministers of England can be supposed to be Mat. 23. 1 2. Therefore it is lawful to hear these Answ This being the main Objection used by our dissenting Brethren in this day as it was by others in times past their very Achilles in this controversie we shall speak the more largely to it Many things are supposed by the Objectors and taken for granted and must be so by all that judge any weight to be in what is from this supposed command of Christ argued which they will never be able to prove and yet are the very basis upon which the stress of the Objection lies As 1. 'T is supposed that the Scribes and Pharisees here spoken of were in the Ministerial Seat Teachers and Expounders of the Law which at first view seems to be a difficult task for any to demonstrate That some of the Scribes and Pharisees which were particular Sects among the Jews as is known were so cannot be denied that these here mentioned by our Saviour are such is not so evident They are expresly said to sit in Moses Seat not Aarons who though he were of the Tribe of Levi yet was not the Ministerial but Magistratical Seat committed unto him To the Posterity of Aaron did the Office of Priesthood appertain as is known to all that have but in the least turned aside to consider of this affair nor is it altogether frivolous that is by some observed That these Scribes and Pharisees are especially charged with the omission of Judgment and Mercy things most nearly relating unto the Office of Magistracy to whom it doth especially appertain to look thereunto Now will it in the least follow That supposing Christ enjoyned his Disciples to attend upon the Scribes and Pharisees acting as Magistrates and conform to what is justly and righteously prescribed by them as such That therefore it 's lawful to attend upon the present Ministers of England But let this be granted Suppose 2. The Scribes and Pharisees to be the Preachers and Expounders of the Law in that day the Seat mentioned to be a Ministerial Seat yet this will not at all help them in the matter in controversie except it be granted to them that the Scribes and Pharisees were not a lawful but a false Ministry that had surreptitiously climbed up into this Ministerial Seat for who sees not the invalidity and nothingness of this Argument 'T was lawful to hear the Scribes and Pharisees which were the lawful Church-Officers of that day of the appointment of the Lord acting by vertue of an Authority derived from him Therefore 't is lawful to hear persons that have not any such Authority from Christ but are meer Intruders and Ministers of Antichrist as the present Ministers of England have been proved to be Now this upon that supposition that they were Ministers we cannot yeild for these Reasons 1. The Pharisees are expresly said to be Priests and Levits John 1. 19. and this is the record of John when the Jews sent Priests and Levits from Jerusalem to ask him Who art thou ver 24. And they that were sent were of the Pharisees which were the ordinary lawful Ministers of that day 2. These of all others were most apt to question the Authority of such as taught the People So when John appears Preaching and Baptizing and professes to them that he was not the Christ nor Elias nor Prophet who was expected by the People of the Jews they immediatly question his Authority John 1. 25. Why baptizest thou then which they could not be supposed to have the face to do if they themselves of all others had been the greatest Intruders Nay 3. When they question Christ himself about his Authority he asks not them From whence they had theirs which doubtless upon that occasion he would have done had they not been lawfully seated in the Seat they did possess but from whence John had his who was esteemed as a Prophet 4. We have the Lord Jesus many times crying out above all others against the Pharisees condemning them of Pride Hypocrisie Avarice c. but not the least tittle of the usurpation of Moses-seat is by him charged upon them or in the least intimated which doubtless would have been had they been guilty thereof But let this also be granted that we may hear this Argument speak its uttermost The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat this Seat is a Ministerial Seat and they sit not here by vertue of any lawful Authority but are meer intruders what follows from hence why this if it were lawful to hear the Scribes and Pharisees persons vitious in their lives corrupt in their doctrine having no lawful call to the place they possessed then it undeniably follows that it 's lawful to hear the present Ministers of England though they have no lawful Authority or Call to the Office they assume It must it seems then 3dly be granted that when Christ sayes What they say unto you do he is to be interpreted to command or at least to permit an attendance upon their Ministry But this is that we deny and dare confidently aver That it never entered into the heart of Christ to permit much less to command any to attend upon the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees Nor
chosen and called by Christ to be an Apostle commissionated by him to preach but the present Ministers of England are not so as hath been proved So that this is not at all to the business in hand Object 6. But there are some good men amongst them and such as belong to God may we not hear good men To which briefly Answer 1. That there are some amongst the present Preachers of this day that are good men we shall not stand to deny Yet 2. We crave leave to say That they are all of them such as are sadly polluted and defiled by their Complyance in respect of their standing in the Ministry Antichristian whose teachings Saints have no warrant to attend upon 3. The greater hopes we have of their goodness the more cautelous should we be of encouraging them in a false way that they by our relinquishment of them and separating from them after we have discharged all other duties we are satisfied are incumbent upon us to perform towards them may come to see their sin repent and do their first works that God and we may again receive them 4. Yet the goodness of any as to the main is no warrant for any to hold communion with them or attend upon their teachings There are Brethren that walk disorderly whom 't is the duty of Saints to separate from that the very best of the Ministers of England do so will not be denied The Incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. was as to the main for ought I know a good man yet were not the Saints at Corinth to hold communion with him till upon his repentance he was again received 2 Cor. 2. 6. 5. 'T is utterly unlawful to communicate with a devised Ministry upon what pretext soever 6. So is it for any to partake in other mens sins as hath been proved but every usurped Ministry is the sin of him though never so holy a person that exerciseth it Object 7. But many Learned and Good men and such as in conscience could not conform to the Ceremonies of the Church of England have in dayes past and do now hear the present Ministers thereof To which we answer 1. That the greatest Scholars and most accomplished for humane Wisdom Parts yea visible Holiness have not been alwayes on the Lords side following him in paths of his own appointment but many times have been found the greatest Persecutors and Opposers of Christ the most stupendously ignorant of the Will of God in respect of the Truth and Work of their Generation of any persons in the world Witness the Scribes and Pharisees the Learned Rabbies and Profound Doctors of that day with what virulency did they oppose Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel preached by him 2. That persons of as great Holiness and renown for Learning and all manner of Accomplishments as learned Ainsworth Cotton c. have been and are of the same apprehension with us in this matter Not to mention the Reformed Churches who generally renounce the Ministry of the Church of England not admitting any by vertue of it to the charge of souls as they speak But 3. To the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8. 20. if they speak not according to this Rule though Angels for knowledge and holiness they are not to be received or heeded One word from the Lord is of more weight to hearts made truly tender than the Example of an hundred Professors can be 't is possible these may erre be yea and nay but so cannot the Truth of God which is alwayes the same and will abide so for ever 4. The Apostle hath long since determined this case 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ So far as Saints follow Christ I may and ought to follow them but no further So that the Learning Parts or Holiness of any that attend upon the present Ministers of England is no warrant for me so to do nor will ever be a satisfactory answer to that enquiry Who hath required these things at your hands Object 8. But the Magistrate commands us and ought we not to obey Magistrates Answer 1. That Magistrates have no power to command in matters of instituted Worship where Christ is silent or to govern in his Church is affirmed by many 2. The Commands of Magistrates when contrary to the Will and Way of Christ are not to be subjected to This case is long since stated and resolved by the Apostle Acts 4. 19 20. and 5. 29. and Spirit of the Lord breathing long before in his renouned Witnesses Dan. 3. 16 17. and 6. 10. nor is it denied by any that are sober or juditious Whether the hearing of the present Ministers of England be contrary to the Word of God the Will and Way of Christ we leave from what hath been offered to the considerate Reader to judge And shall onely adde what was long since asserted by Augustine in this matter who August do Verb. Domini Serm. 6. was herein fully of the same mind with us Sed timeo inquies ne offendas Majorem time prorsus ne offendas Majorem non offendes Deum Quid enim times ne offendas Majorem Vide ne forsan major sit isto quem times offendere Majorem certe noli offendere quis est inquies Major eo qui me genuit a an ille qui Teipsum creavit qui enim resistit Potestati Dei Ordinationi resistit sed quid si illud jubeat quod non debes facere timondo postestatem ipsos humanarum rerum gradus advertite si aliquid jusserit Curator nonne faciendum est tam et si contra Proconsul jubeat at non utique contemnis potestatem sed eligis Majori servire nec hinc debet Minor irasci si Major praelata est Rursum si aliquid ipse Proconsul jubeat aliud subeat Imperator numquid dubitatur in illo contemptu illi esse serviendum Ergo si aliud Imperator aliud Deus quid judicatis solve tributum est mihi in obsequio rectè Sed non in Idolio in Idolio prohibet quis prohibet Major Potestas Da veniam tu cancerum ille gehennam minatur He tells us plainly that such as fear to offend their Superiours should much more fear to offend God who is greater than all The Emperours and Monarchs of the VVorld threaten us with a Prison if we disobey them the LORD threatens us with Hell upon our disobedience of Him Object 9. But the Ministers of England are true Gospel-Ministers for they convert souls which the Apostle makes the Seal of his Ministry or Apostleship Therefore it is lawful to hear them To this we say That the Ministers of England are true Gospel-Ministers is absolutely denied by us what is offered in this Objection proves nothing 1. Paul makes not the Conversion of the Church of Corinth singly a sufficient Demonstration or convincing Argument of his Apostleship he only useth it as what was most likely to win and
of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons concerning their Persecution in the Epistle of Clemens or the Church of Rome to the Church of Corinth in the Writings of Ignatius Justin Martyr Clemens Tertullian Origen Cyprian and their contemporaries there is not only an utter silence of such a thing but Assertions wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppsit thereunto Tertullian sayes expresly Illuc suspicientes Christiani manibus expansis quia innocuis capite nudo quia non crubescimus denique sine monitore quia de pectore oramus Apol. cap. 30. The Christians in those dayes he tells us looking towards Heaven not on their Common-Prayer-Books with their hands spread abroad c. prayed to God without a Monitor because from their hearts And in several places he testifies that they praised God in a way of Prayer and Thanksgiving according to their abilities Indeed Claudius de Sainctes and Pamelius two Popish Divines tell us of Lyturgies composed by the Apostles James Peter and Mark Of Peter's and Mark 's Cardinal Bellarmine himself not only takes no particular notice but upon the matter condemns them as supposititious and spurious which that they are is abundantly demonstrated by learned Morney and no more need be added thereunto There are some also fathered upon Basil Chrysostome and Ambrose but as these lived about the years 372 381 382 in which time many corruptions had crept into the Churches of Christ so the spuriousness thereof as being falsly fathered upon the persons whose names they bear may easily be demonstrated 'T is already done to our hands by learned Morney in his Book De Missâ l. 1. chap. 6. Durantus himself the great Lyturgy-munger acknowledges That neither Christ nor his Apostles used any prescribed Forms but the Lords Prayer and the Creed that they used these he sayes but proves not nor will it ever be proved to the worlds end That about the year 380. Theodosius the Church being rent by Heresies intreated Pope Damasus at whose election though the contest was betwixt him and Ursinus a Deacon of the Church there were not fewer than one hundred thirty seven persons slain that some Ecclesiastical Office might be made which was accordingly done by Hierome and approved by Pope Damasus and made a Rule The unlikelihood of this latter part of the Story is manifest Theodosius was too well acquainted with the Spirit of Prayer than to go about any such thing had he judged it necessary having assembled the great Council of Constantinople wherein were not less than an hundred and fifty persons convened Is it probable this good man Theodosius would in so momentous a concern rather consult with one single person than such an Assembly as were by his Authority met together and yet should this be granted it would not from hence appear that at this time there was any Lyturgy devised and imposed all that is pretended to be done by Hierome was the appointing an Order for the reading of the Scriptures which is another thing to the imposition of Forms of Prayer in Worship There is one passage in Socrates his Ecclesiastical History l. 5. c. 21. who lived about the year 430. that carrying an undeniable evidence with it that at that time there were no Lyturgies we cannot pass over in silence 't is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he tells us that among all the Christians in that age scarce two were to be found that used the same words in Prayer Not to tire the Reader in this disquisition Though one part of the Lyturgy was not long after introduced by one Pope and another part by another yet till Gregories time who to the honour of Lyturgies be it spoken was the very worst of all the Bishops of Rome that preceded him viz. about the year 600. was there any considerable use or any imposing of them Yea till the time of Pope Hadrian which was about the year 800. was it not as I find by publick Authority imposed Then indeed the Emperour Charles the Great being moved thereunto by the foresaid Hadrian by his Civil Authority commands the use of a Lyturgy viz. Gregories Lyturgy as is thought to which he compels his Ministers by Threats and Punishments the usual attendancies and support of Lyturgyes ever since their production in the world The sum is That in as much as first it cannot be proved the contrary being most manifest in the Scripture that any Lyturgy was enjoyned by Christ or his Apostles or in use in the first Churches planted by them 2dly It is evident that for the first four hundred years and more after Christ there was no Lyturgy framed nor any by solemn Authority imposed to the year eight hundred it follows undeniably from hence That to worship God in the way of a Lyturgy or stinted Forms of Prayer is to worship him in a way that is not of his appointment To which we adde 2. That Worship which is an obstruction of any positive duty charged by Christ to be performed by the Saints is not a Worship that is of his appointment But this is undeniably true of the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship Therefore That Christ did upon his Ascention give unto his Church Officers as signal characters of his Love to and Care of it will not be denied Ephes 4. 11. is an evidence hereof beyond exception That to these Officers He gave Gifts and Qualifications every way suiting the imployment which he call'd them forth unto cannot without a most horrid advance against the Wisdome Faithfulness Love and Care of Christ towards the Beloved of his Soul be gainsayed That be not onely expects but solemnly charges upon these Officers an improvement of the Gifts bestowed upon them for the edification of his Body is evidently comprized and very frequently remarked in the Scripture 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. To imagin after all this that any Worship should be of the institution of Christ that should shut out of doors as unnecessary the exercise of the Gifts given by him to be made use of in the solemn discharge of the Worship of his House is such an imputation of folly to him as may not be charged upon any person of an ordinary capacity or understanding Yet this is righteously to be imputed to him absit Blasphemia if the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship be a Worship of his appointment The exercise of the Gift of Prayer to mention no more being wholly excluded hereby Nor will it in the least take off the weight of this Argument to say that liberty is granted for the exercise of this Gift before and after Sermon For 1. The whole Worship of God may according to these mens principles be discharged without any Sermon at all and its manifest it is frequently so at one time or other in most of the Assemblies of England 2. Those their Prayers are also bounded and limited by the 55th Canon of the Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical 3. We had alwayes thought
that Christ having given Gifts unto men did require the use of those Gifts at all times when ever persons were called to the performance of that Service for which they were designedly given by him by vertue of the forementioned Precepts When Christ hath given a Gift of Prayer unto his Children and charged them to stir up the Gift given and not to napkin their Talent we had verily thought that when ever they had been called forth to the performance of that duty he did really intend and expect that they should be found in the exercise of the Gift given and see as yet no reason to change our apprehensions in this matter But 3dly The Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is a Worship of which we find no footsteps in the Scripture nor in some centuries of years after Christ as hath already been demonstrated Whence it follows that 't is a Worship of pure humane invention which is not onely not of Christ's appointment but contrary to the very nature of instituted Worship as is proved in our first Argument and to very many Precepts of the Lord in the Scripture Exod. 20. 4 5. Deut. 42. 12. 32. Prov. 30. 16. Jer. 7. 31. Mat. 15. 9 13. Mark 7. 7 8. Rev. 22. 18. The mind of God in which Scriptures we have exemplified Lev. 10. 1 2 3 4. Josh 22. 10. c. Judg. 8. 24. 2 King 16. 11. 1 Chron. 15. 13. 4. That Worship which is not necessary for the edification comfort or preservation of the Saints in the Faith and Unity of the Gospel is not of the institution of Christ But such is the Worship of the Common-Prayer-Book Therefore The Major or first Proposition will not be denied The Lord Jesus having freed his Disciples from all obligations to the Ceremonies of the Law institutes nothing de novo but what he knew to be necessary at least would be so by vertue of his institution for the ends assigned which was the great aim of Christ in all Gospel-Administrations Ephes 4. 7 to 15 Col. 2. 19. Acts 9. 31. Rom. 14. 14 15. 1 Cor. 10. 23. and 14. 3 4 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 4. That the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is not necessary for the edification comfort or preservation of the Saints in the Faith and Unity of the Gospel whatever is pretended by its admirers might many wayes be demonstrated Take one pregnant instance instead of all that will make it exceeding manifest The Churches of Christ for the first four centuries of years and more after his Ascention knew not any thing of such a Worship as hath been already demonstrated not to mention the Reformed Churches at this day to whom it is as a polluted accursed abominable thing yet than those first and purer Churches for Light Consolation truth of Doctrine Gospel-Union hitherto there hath not been any extant in the world more Famous or Excellent no nor by many degrees comparable to them But we shall not further prosecute this Argument enough hath been said to demonstrate that the Common prayer-Book-Worship is not of the appointment of the Lord Therefore such as worship him in the way thereof worship him in a way that is not of his prescription If the former notwithstanding all that hath been said be scrupled by any we refer them to Tracts written by Smectymnuus V. Powel to a Treatise entituled A Discourse concerning the interest of words in Prayer by H. D. M. A. the Common-Prayer-Book unmask'd as also to a Treatise lately published by a Learned but nameless Author entituled A Discourse concerning Lyturgyes and their imposition In which that matter is industriously and largely debated Object If to what hath hitherto been proposed it be said That the Lyturgie or Common-Prayer-Book is no essential part of Worship but meerly circumstantial Praying 't is true is part of Worship but praying in this or that Form is not so but meerly a circumstance thereof And therefore though it be true that the present Ministers of England worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book yet it follows not that they worship him after a way that is not of his appointment To this we answer 1. That many things are strenuously supposed as the basis upon which the weight of this Objection is laid which the Framers thereof knowing to be no easie task to demonstrate do earnestly beg us to grant unto them Which being matters of greater moment than many are aware of we shall not part with on such easie terms 'T is supposed first That there are some things in the instituted Worship of Christ that are meerly circumstances thereof as such Secondly That it is lawful for Saints to pray in a Form Thirdly That Forms of Prayer imposed are but meer circumstances of Worship and no essential parts thereof Fourthly That Circumstances of Worship as such are not determined by the Lord in the Scripture but left to the wills of men to determine therein as they shall judge meet All unproved Of the last we have already spoken and shall not here reassume the debate thereof Touching the first That there are some things in the instituted Worship of Christ that are meerly Circumstances thereof as such we crave liberty to deny which till the proof thereof be attempted may suffice Circumstances in the Worship of Christ attending Religious Actions as actions we grant but Circumstances of Worship as such will never be proved To infer that because time and place with sundry things of the like nature are Circumstances in Worship therefore there are Circumstances of Worship as such is frivolous Those things being the attendments of religious Actions common to any civil actions of the like nature to be performed by the sons of men no action to be managed by a Community can be orderly performed by them without such an assignment of time and place Publick Prayer being so to be managed as a religious Action hath the Circumstances before mentioned attending it and so it would were it a meer civil action to be performed by a Community though it related not at all to the Worship of God 2. That 't is lawful for Saints to pray in a Form i. e. to tie themselves to a written stinted form of words in prayer is not yet proved not like to be 't is too large a field for us to enter into nor is it needful to do so till it be proved That to pray in the form of the Common-Prayer-Book or imposed devised Lyturgies is so yet in transitu we crave leave humbly to offer that to pray in a form as before explained is altogether unlawful being 1. A quenching of the Spirit of Prayer 2dly A rendring useless the donation of the Spirit as a Spirit of Prayer unto the Children of God 3dly Directly opposit unto the many positive Precepts of Christ before instanc'd in of stirring up the gift given to us of God improving the talents he hath been graciously pleased to entrust us withal 4thly If it be lawful