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A49813
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A treatise relating to the call, work & wages of the ministers of Christ as also to the call, work & wages of the ministers of antichrist : wherein a testimony is born ... / Thomas Lawson.
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Lawson, Thomas, 1630-1691.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing L728; ESTC R34510
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85,782
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120
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what Glorious things Christ will do and what Glorious things he hath done but to know his Energy inward effectual Operation at present a present coming out of Babylon to the new Jerusalem this is not preached up In a word they are such Trumpeters give such an uncertain Sound as that their Hearers are not at all Alarum'd not all Arm'd not at all Arm'd against Abaddon Apolyon the old Destroyer but the strong man Arm'd keeps the House hath rule in the Heart in this state man makes a shew of Religion and Worship Thus Man-made Ministers are stained with the Defilements of Doctrinal Errors and as John said Whosoever Transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God 2 John 1.9 So consequently hath nothing Habet omnia qui habit habentem omnia that is He hath all that hath the Haver of all so such as are out of Christ's Doctrine they are Heterodox Heretical yea and according to John's Doctrine Atheistical 20. True Ministers were and are Instruments in the hand of the Lord to bring men to Righteousness and Eternal Life out of the Dungeon of Death Darkness and Unbelief Acts 26.16 17 18. If they had stood in my Counsel saith the Lord and had caused my People to hear my Words then they should have turned them from their Evil Way and from the Evil of their Doings Jer. 23. But Man-made Ministers who creep into the Ministry without a divine Call for earthly Ends through the strength of natural Abilities they are like the Mountains of Gilboa without Dew and Rain so barren and unfruitful and cannot enrich others 2 Sam. 1.21 Yea they are like the Cramp-fish whose stupifying and benumming Quality say Naturalists issues from the Fish to the Hook then to the Line then to the Angling-Rod then to the Hand then to the Body of the Fisher and so benums him and takes away all use and feeling of his Limbs such like is the benumming deadning and stupifying Quality of Man-made Ministers but such as come in the living virtue of Truth they make alive unto God such as receive their Testimony and bring them to have all their Sences exercised to the discerning of Good and Evil. 21. Such as are called of the Lord in the influence of his Power they are carried on in the Performance of their Testimonies contrary to the Stream and Current of mens Wills the Lord opens their Mouthes and Man cannot shut them they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men-pleasers God rather than men is to be hearkned unto and obeyed But Man-made Ministers who intrude into that Work as a Trade to get a Living by eyeing the Fleece more than the Flock these have been and are like dead Fish driven on by the Stream and Current of humane Commands and Appointments as their Mouthes are opened by man so by the Injunctions of Man they are shut Such as have been called of man have done the Work of man hoisting up their Sails to every Wind complying with every Power that came up bending unto the Forms of Worship by them appointed as Records fully testifie King Henry the 8th denying the Popes Supremacy brought the Clergy of England into a Praemunire for their compliance with the Paepal Power the Clergy in a Convocation resolved upon a Humble Sumbmission in writing and gave the King one Hundred Thousand Pound for a Pardon in which Submission they stiled the King Supream Head of the Church Thus the Clergy being beheaded got a new Head denying the Pope acknowledged the King to be their Head Bakers Chron. Not long after the Clergy took an Oath To Renounce the Pope and his Authority and to be true and loyal to the King his Heirs and Successors So God me help and all Saints said they After him succeeded King Edward the sixth in whose Reign the Book of Common-Prayer was commended to the Nation and established and received by the Clergy instead of the Latin Mass Now upon the Translating of the Latin Mass-Book into English in this Edwara's days there was a Rising in Devonshire the King wrote in this manner to quiet them As for the Service in the English Tongue perhaps it seems to you a new Service when indeed it is no other but the old the self-same Words in English which were in Latin saving a few things taken out so fond that it had been a shame to have heard them in English Thus the Common-Prayer came to be established Histor Magdiburg After him succeeded Queen Mary who being a Papist commanded the Mass to be sung again in Latin and to be used in all Churches so called The Kingdom was absolved and reconciled to the Church of Rome by Cardinal Pool Monasteries were re-edified first Fruits and Tenths were restored to these things Priests and People generally complied they took an Oath to be true to St. Peter to the Church of Rome to the Pope their Holy Father and to Persecute to their power all Opposers saying So help me God and the holy Evangelists Notwithstanding all these Oathes and Resolutions in the Year 1559. Queen Elizabeth coming to the Crown she with her Parliament made an Act for Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments the Title of Supream Head of the Church was confirmed to her the Popes Supremacy denyed and of the Number of above nine Thousand Priests Bishops Deans Prebends Masters of Colledges Arch-Deacons Abbots formerly sworn to Popery not above one Hundred and twenty refused to take an Oath against Popery so turned from their Religion to the Protestants Religion because the Queen set it up notwithstanding in Queen Mary's dayes they had burned some Hundreds for resusing to bow to Popery After her King James confirmed the Common-Prayer-Book puting out Canons and Constitutions for Fonts Tables Carpets of Silk Pulpits Copes Surplices Hoods Gowns with standing Collars strait Sleeves wide Sleeves Tippets square Caps that People might know such and such and Honour them The long Parliament denyed the Common-Prayer and by a Synod of Priests set out a Directory for publick Worship in the Year 1644. the generallity of Ministers conformed and inveighed against the Common-Prayer-Book as Popish calling it Rags of Rome dregs of the Whores Cup the English Mass c. In the Year 1653. Oliver Cromwell being made Protector he made Provision for the Clergy for their recovering of Tythe and other Dues as they pretend upon which they called him A good Nursing Father In the Year 1658. Richard Cromwell was made Protecter the Clergy in a Petition called him their Joshua Petitioning him to lead them into the Promises Land and what was that but into rich Benefits and Augmentations The King being restored the Directory cast out as indirect and the Common-Prayer enjoyned how generally entertained by the Clergy notwithstanding the grievous Reflections of many of them against it I need not mention Aencas Sylvius a private Man wrote many things against Popery after being made Pope and called Pius he undid what he
speaking of those words silver gold have I none said Behold the Riches of those who were Priests of Christ but let us quickly apply these things to our selves who are prohibited by the Law of Christ if we have any regard thereunto to have Possessions in the Country and Houses in the City What do I say Possessions or Houses No not to multiply Coats or Money if we have Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Orig. Hom. 15. on Levit. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250. testified That the Church maintained many Poor and that her own Diet was sparing and plain and all her Expences full of Frugality Cypr. Epist 27 34 36. Prosper testified further That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to participate of the Goods of the Church for saith he they that have of their own and yet desire to have somewhat given them do not receive it without great Sin Prosp de vit contemplat lib. 21. In these dayes all Necessities of Indigent Ministers of the Poor of the Banished of such as were condemned by the Heathen Emperors to work in Mettal-Mines c. were supplied and relieved by Free and Voluntary Contributions distributed by the Deacons for that end appointed The said Cyprian about the Year 250. speaking familiarly of this thing called the Brethren that cast in their Monethly-Offerings Fratres Sportulantes from the Word Sportulae which the Heathen Romans used for Salaries Wages Fees for Judges and Ministers of Courts of Judicature This they borrowed from the Heathen Romans and applied to their Monethly-Collections Selden In the Apostles dayes Satan tryed the Ship of the Church Teachers and Hearers and as many as he found unsound Leeking as I may say he spouted into their Hearts the stinking Stream of Covetousness but in succeeding Ages the Devil that infernal Sea-Monster Physeter swallowed up the Ship of the Church in the whirle-Pool of Apostacy Ignorance Pride Covetousness as the Apostle foretold About the Year 310. one Lucina a devout Maid of Rome dying made Marcellus Bishop of Rome her Heir and gave him all her great Substance From that time forth saith Polydor lib. 6. the Bishops of Rome were greatly enriched and then came to be puft up with Pride Which Riches the Apostles denyed Sylvester was Bishop of Rome about the Year 314. When Constantine the first Emperor that embraced the Christian Faith the Son of Constantius and Helene offered him a Golden Scepter he refused it as a thing not fit for a Priests Function Sabel Euseb Chron. While the Church was under Persecution by the Roman Emperors it remained in much Purity of Doctrine and Conversation a time of Sufferings is a time of Seriousness But Constantine the Great embracing Christianity his Empire turned Christians by the Lump whether Nominal or Real let the Wise in Heart judge the Fan being over Carnal security Ease Pride Covetousness and Ambition grew up in the Garden of the Church After the Church came under Christian Princes saith Jerom in Power indeed and Riches she became greater but less in Virtue Tom. 2. in vita Malchi Constantine saith Hospinian gave great Gifts and Donations to Churches Of which thing Mantuan said Caesar hic in nostram gestaus pia pectora gentem Immensas donavit opes vasa aurea fundos Vnde Sacerdotes magnis proventibus ancti Through Constantine the Clergy grew most Wealthy Possessing Lands and Gold also in Plenty This Constantine gave to Sylvester Bishop of Rome the City Rome and great Lands and Dominions thereabouts also a Triple Crown in token that he made him Supream Head over all Churches in Asia Africa and Europe as some of their own Writers mention though others question it At the time of this Donation a Voice was heard from Heaven Hodie venenum funditur in ecolesiam This Day Poyson is poured into the Church Hermannus Gigas Napier Bishop Jewel on Hag. And the same Words were written in the presence of many upon a Wall in the Lateran Palace as saith Maleolus Nauclerus Napier 'T was a true Saying of Aug. Marl. on Acts. 20.35 Religio peperit divitias et filia devoravit Matrem that is Religion brought forth Wealth and the Daughter devoured the Mother Sylvester was the first if Histories may be credited who let in a Deludge of Mass-Priests Orders Ornaments Temples Singing-men Sacrifices Sanctuaries Vestiments Oyntments Surplices Miters embroidered Garments under this pretence 1. That Christian-Religion might not seem inferiour to Heathenism in outward Lustre and Pomp. 2. That the Pagans by the likeness of these Rites with theirs might be the more easily drawn to Christianity Pareus on Rev. 8. Must Evil be done that Good may come of it Was letting in Streams of Babylon the Way to lead others out of Babylon Had it not been more Christian-like if he had said I must not go to them they must come to us Yet all was not hereby quite spoiled the Star called Wormwood fell but upon the third part of Rivers and Fountains Rev. 8. All were not Imbittered thereby nor Corrupted This Constantine the Great demolished Pagan Temples caused Churches so called to be built enriched them with great Gifts and Possessions and gave to Sylvester and to his Successors as several testifie the City Rome and the Lordship of Italy and translated his Imperial Seat to Bizantium from his Name called Constantinople Sylvester advised that the Revenues of the Church should be divided into four Parts whereof one was to go to the Maintenance of the Bishop the Second part to the Priests Deacons and to the rest of the Clergy the Third part to the repairing of places of publick Worship the Fourth part to the Poor Impotent and Strangers But in all this there was no mention of Tythe which the Clergy now hath seized on and People are forced to maintain the Poor and to Contribute to Repair their Churches so called and upon denyal greatly Suffer for the same Honest Wickliff having his Eyes in measure opened to see the Evil that spread as a Leprosie in the Church through Constantines bounty bare Testimony saying Constantine the Emperor and Bishop Sylvester committed great Error through their enriching the Church For this and other Articles the Council of Constance a City of Helvetia under Pope John the Twenty fourth pronounced this Wickliff a Heretick and commanded his Bones to be digged out of the Earth and Burned Sum. Conc. et Pontif. Though in this Sylvester's Day much was amiss in the Church yet little in comparison of after Ages for the bottomless Pit was but as I may say beginning to smoke his Day was but as the drop of a Bucket to the main Ocean to ensuing Dayes the Mid-night of Apostacy wherein Doctrinal Errors and Covetous Practices darkned Sun and Air spoiled the Glory of the Primitive Church If I should Particularize what vast Sums of Money went out of England in the Dayes of Popery to the See of Rome it would seem incredible As