in the time of King Lucius who desired Baptism of Pope Elutherius for himself and his people that he nor any Priest that came with him into the Isle of Thanet Bed l. 1. c. 26. did preach till they had license from the King But it is of courtesie not duty the Pope hath had much regard in England as appeareth in that his Legats and Nuncioes have had here entertainment But this was no more then they had in other places of the world where their usurped authority was rejected So in Asia and Africa This proveth nothing of any right he had in England for though this Realm hath admitted sometimes appeals to Rome yet you shall find that they have been oftner prohibited and the Popes Buls condemned and his excommunications slighted and his decrees rejected and that the King made Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Canons by Parliaments and Synods without the Popes leave As you may see in the daies of King Egbert and Alfred about the appeale of Wilfride Archbishop of York who was the first that ever appealed before the Norman conquest to the Pope and in whose behalfe the Pope sent Nuncioes to England with a Letter or Bull to restore Wilfride to his pluralities of which the King and great Councill of the Kingdome the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Clergy had divested him But they would not yield to the Popes desire to restore Wilfride til he had submitted himselfe and resigned those Monasteries he held which had moved the contention So after the Norman conquest in the reign of Henry the first Pope Paschalis put a new oath upon Archbishops to be taken when they received their Pall which Anselme the Archbishop having taken thought himselfe obliged to maintain the appellations to Rome but King Henry pleaded the fundamentall lawes which forbad any such appeals without the Kings licence and that they were a violation to the Crown and a Law was made that if any should bring the Popes letter or mandate in the Realm Rog. Hoved. in Hen. 2. he should be executed as a Traitor to the King and Kingdome and every one was forbidden appeals to the Pope It is true that Pope Nicolas grants to King Edward the Confessor and his successors that which he stood in no need of namely the protection of all the Churches in England and to make Lawes with the advice of their Bishops and Abbots in his stead for governing the same This was to make the world beleeve in after time that their authority in these things was derived from the Pope Malm. de gest Pontif. Vâ—d Mat. Par. an 1164. For we find that this was alwaies done by the Saxon and Danish Kings before any such Bull was sent from the Pope yea and disposed of Bishopricks without the Pope so did King William and Rufus his son and they counted themselves as Gods Vicar to govern the Church and to correct any wrong done in Ecclesiasticall Courts Acts of Clarendon which course the Kings of England after the Conquest alwaies followed and acted with the advice and assistants of their Parliaments as we may see in the daies of King Henry the second and by the Statutes of Clarendon which prevents popish jurisdiction by forbidding appeals and disposing benefices and Ecclesiasticall dignities Stat. of Carlile 25. of Edw. 1. But in the reigne of King Edward the first is a notable statute which declares the holy Church of England to be founded in the estate of Prelacy not Papacy and within the Realm of England not without it and by the King and his Peers not by Popes and forreign Bishops and that the Popes encrochments did aim at the ruine of the Church disinheriting of the King and destruction of the Lawes 16. of Ric. 2. c. 5. And in Richard the seconds reign it is set down that the Crown of England hath alwaies been and is free and in no subjection earthly but only to God and to no other and ought not to be submitted to the Pope It is true that King John resigned his Crown to the Pope but that was but done in his distresse he could not do that lawfully wherein the whole Kingdome had the greater share So many Emperours have taken their Crowns from the Pope as you have heard but this hath been done by some of them for greater solemnity and some for fear or out of superstition some to make their party the stronger against their enemies and the Pope hath crowned them but that of right he had any power over the Crown I find none Now for the second Question how Christian Religion came to be corrupted Rom. 1.8 Gild. de exid Conq. Brit. being at first clear as Romes was in its Primitive profession of it 1. It is true that England had a light of the Gospell as it is thought by Joseph of Arimathea and his colony of Christians that came with him to Glassenbury which was in the time of Tiberius the Emperours reign Peter came not to Rome till the second year of Claudius to lay any foundation of a Church there Nor do we find any plain face of a Church in England till King Lucius and his subjects were baptized as you have read by Fugatius and Damianus two Ministers that Elutherius the Bishop of Rome fent to do it at King Lucius his request The Church of Rome continued faithfull 350. yeers after Christ as I have shewed and kept her selfe untainted with heresie and was a covert and protection unto the professors of truth But after the Emperour Constantine and his successors turned Christians Clergy men grew into great favour at Court and so wealth and ease first begate security then covetousnesse then pride next ambition then devising of false tenets to maintain it and superstitions to uphold it then also heresies to mask or depose truth At last getting the title of universall Bishop the Eastern Church falling to decay the world looked on the Pope though not as upon one that should be their superiour in secular matters yet as one that should direct them in doctrines He by subtilty of the Schoolmen and policy and power sowed tares and though he seemed to keep the foundation yet built beside it kept up the truth in unrighteousnesse and delivered to the people by retaile what he pleased shut up the Scriptures and gave them humane traditions Now Princes and Priests being some perswaded of his piety and cozened by his hypocrisie others reverencing of his antiquity and dazeled with his dignity and others being remisse and idle were contented to enjoy the world in quiet and take any Religion that was offered them Thus the world was made dark by Babylons cup and had no feeling of the losse of truth no more then the Pope had except he were touched in his honours and profits But God had pity upon his Church and raised up now and then some to set up his truth as you have see And lastly Luther to oppose the Popes errors and
as by remembring his love expressed to us in his death than which none could be greater being endured for us while we were enemies Rom. 5.8 or the horrour of his death being most painfull shamefull fearfull enduring not only the spight of wicked men but an abstraction of the divine comfort for a time so that never was sorrow like his Lam. 1.12 all which was most properly due to us nor remembring the benefits of his death which concerns us as by it the sting of death is taken away though a stain is left the curse of the law is abolished it is to us no killing letter the exaction of the law is nullified we being not bound to every jot and tittle of it for our justification but our weak performances are excepted of God in Christ because we have a right to all Christs righteousnesse and a just claim in him to all the blessings of the law so that neither the corruption of nature can reign over us Rom. 6.14 nor sin bind us over to punishment everlasting and for temporall afflictions they shall all work to our good and glory as they did to Christs Rom. 8.28 Phil. 2.9 Mathe. How may one then rightly remember Christ in receiving the Sacrament and so become a faithfull receiver Phila. These do one include the other For as faith looks upon Christ and his benefits so remembrance cals those things to mind which faith beleeves so that this remembrance must be a beleeving remembrance that the Sacrament presents to us under seal the benefits of Christs death and passion It also must be a thankfull remembrance for those inestimable favours of which I told you Next it must be an obedient remembrance to what he hath commanded and now God in him entreats us to do out of love By all which you may discern how a communicant must be qualified and in what he must especially examine himselfe namely in faith which is the speciall condition of the covenant of grace of which the Sacrament is a seale Now faith must be considered in the cause the nature and the effects of it The causes of faith are the word which is the seed of it and the spirit which is the vertue of this seed both these brings light to discover the darkness of our naturall estate and the comfort in Gospell light Then next a power to regulate and conform us to its own rules and to subdue all opposition 2 Cor. 10.4 Now for the nature of faith it being convinced that the word is of divine authority it gives both an intellectuall assent to the truth of it because God doth avouch it and a fiduciall assent to the goodnesse of it for our own salvation and as to the Word so to the Sacrament which is the seal thereof which goodnesse breedeth in us a love longing and delight in the holy mysteries Upon which followeth an heavenly and holy effect of faith as to desire and hunger after the food of the soule and a strong conversion of it into our soules nutriment and growing in grace by the strength of it more and more Rom. 13. 2 Pet. 2.2 Next a sympathy with Christs members in their griefs and joies Then a readinesse to every good work and a strong repulse of evill upon which followeth affiance in God hope in his promises peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost and a continuall fructification in an holy life by the strength of the Word and Sacrament while we walk here in this wildernesse of sin as the Israelites did in the strength of Manna and the Rock-water till we come to the land of everlasting rest Mathe. I thank you for your patience and resolutions of my generall and disordered queries I shall make bold hereafter if God give leave and you will affoord me your assistance in resolving me to trouble you with some other more particular cases But before I part I desire you since there is such divisions among us to tell me what Church you think most safest for one to cleave unto in life and death and what congregation is best to associate my selfe withall Phila. I suppose you find by what hath been said that the Protestant Church is the soundest for doctrine and therefore hold you to their principles of doctrine as they have been set forth and maintained by our * The 39. Articles of the Church of England Church of England in the time of King Edward the sixt and Queen Elizabeth and her successors And for matters of discipline it is to be wished that some were setled among us for the suppressing voluptuous living and libertinisme But if it may not be had let us be content with the Gospell preached and pray for reformation As for the Congregation you speak of I hold the publike generally best because Preachers in Churches will make more conscience of what they preach then those of the private conventicles or chambers except it be some that are forced to make such places their refuge to exercise their ministry which in conscience they cannot give over though prosecuted much like as the primitive Doctors were persecuted Mathe. But they that do preach in publike some are of one opinion some of another as Prelaticall Presbyterian and Independent Phila. Let no titles trouble you but trie the spirits whether they be of God by their teaching faith and an holy and good life Let men impose upon others or take up what names they please to themselves be thou content to be a Protestant Christian And for mens private opinions except they publish them to seduce others they must stand or fall to their own master And for joining your selse to a Congregation I will give you no advice but only since you have liberty given use it to the best advantage for your soule by hearing ministers of the soundest judgement and most edifying And because all Congregations are mixed it is best to consort with those that are the most pious in their lives and unanimous in their worship of God Mathe. But some say the learned are not the right Preachers but the plain man though a Tradesman who preacheth by the spirit Phila. Surely the learned are more to be trusted for the soule as a learned Physitian for the body but they go by rule others by rote so do these mechanick preachers they despise learning as some do riches because they despaire to get and so they entitle the spirit to their ignorance of which the spirit is no author but the devill and mans presumptuous sins for the spirit never imploied any about his Church but either he made them able by infusion which they cannot prove he hath them or else by acquisition He gave Isaiah the tongue of the learned as well as Bezaleel and Aholiab the gift of handicraft So Christ took plain men to preach his Gospell but he made them learned by the gifts of the Holy Ghost which he hath not done these So he imploied Paul the learned and
write Parishes were bounded and divided in England Then comes Severinus the first who was confirmed in his Chair by Isacius the Exarche of Italy For then the choice of the Clergy and the people of Rome was not much esteemed Theodoretus was the son of Theodorus Bishop of Jerusalem for as yet spirituall men did marry He was adverse to the heresie of the Monothelites who held Christ had but one will as God and man yet we find it otherwise Mat. 26.39 Not my will but as thou wilt Pope Martin was an enemy to the same heresie and suffered banishment for it by Constans the Emperour and had his tongue cut out Hist Magd. can 7. c. 10. and his right hand cut off and now the Chair of Rome was void of a Bishop fourteen months Eugenius first ordained Bishops to have prison houses to correct the crimes of the Clergy Next Vitelianus who admitted Organs in the Church to sing Psalms withall Next followed Adeodatus in whose time the signs in heaven threatned judgements for Idolatry Plat. in vita Domni 1. And in his time the Saracens spoiled Sicily Domnus succeeds who first brought the Church of Ravenna to be obedient to the Church of Rome and all that did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were counted Churches of a strange head Agatho succeeds him in whose time the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus assembled the sixt Councill of Constantinople and condemned the Monothelites This Agatho in his Fpistle to this Councill Antichrist more plainly appearing maintained that the Chair of Rome never erred nor can and that all that will be saved must hold Romes traditions and receive her constitutions as if from Peter himselfe He condemned the marriage of Priests and setteth up the Masse Next followeth Benedictus the second in whose time the foresaid Emperour Const Pog. gave away the power of electing or confirming Popes of Rome from himselfe and the Exarche of Italy to the Clergy and people of Rome which after proved hurtfull to the Empire Sergius the first refused to subscribe the Acts of the Councill of Constantinople Plat. de vita Sergii which Justinian the second had called He was a great Masse-monger John the seventh refused to give answer to the Embassadors of Justinian the second who desired union between the East and West Churches about the marriage of the Clergy and the equality of the Patriarch of Constantinople in dignity with the Bishop of Rome which the sixth generall Councill had decreed contrary to the Popes tenets and constitutions but he liked better still to deny such marriages though contrary to Gods word and to hold up his superiority formerly given by the Emperour Phooas And after him Constantine the first who suffered at Nicomedia his feet to be kissed by the Emperour Justinian the second Acts 10.26 though Peter would not suffer Cornelius who was but a Centurion to worship him on his knee He also declared the Emperour Philippicus an Heretick and commanded his name to be razed out of the Role of Emperours because he had abolished the picture of the Fathers of the sixt generall Councill Antichrists impudence by persecuting Christian Emperours out of the Temple of Sophia This shewed Antichrists violence beginning to work to some purpose After him comes Gregory the second who excommunicates the Emperour Leo Isaurus for abolishing images and drawes away many Countries in Italy from his obedience forbidding them to pay tribute contrary to Christ his masters rule who said give to Caesar what is Caesars Mat. 22.21 Gregory the second succeeded him in place and manners and by a Councill at Rome Func com in chro lib. 8. confirms worshipping of images Zacharias the first followes who set up Pipinus to be King of France and thrust Childericus the right heir into a Monastery about 733. Stephanus the second followeth whom Pipinus releeveth from the siege of the Lombards and bestoweth upon him great dominions which the Church of Rome claimeth falsely as the gift of Constantine Yet for all his kindness when he came to be Godfather to King Pipins son he suffered both him and his eldest son Charls to kisse his feet hold his stirrop and walk his horse and at last was carried on mens shoulders Paulus the first succeeds him and is as bad as he and he threatens the Emperour Const Copronymus with excommunication except he restore the images of the Saints which he had demolished After him succeeded Constantine the second who had never taken holy orders After him succeeded Stephanus the third who by a Councill he called at Rome condemned the seventh generall Councill of Constantinople convented by the Emperour Copronymus condemning the worshipping of images He made Charlemain repudiate his wife Berthra daughter to Desiderius King of the Lombards left he should withdraw his affections from Rome Then followed Adrian the first upon whom Charlemain bestowed more dominions after he had first rid himselfe of the Kingdome of the Lombards in Italy anno 776. This Pope was a great patron to images as now Irene the Empresse of the East was a patronesse and so was the Councill she called at Nice She was deposed by her son but she got his eies put out and so he died in prison Now the Eastern Empire began to fade and wane and declines to the West For Leo the third succeeding him whom Charlemain confirms in the Chair of Rome against all his enemies For which favour Leo declares him Emperour of the West which none before ever took upon them and crowned him And afterward it grew to a custome that the Emperours received their Crown from the Popes of Rome But as yet it stood firm that no Pope should be elected without the advice and investment of the Emperour of the West But this held not long Func com l. 9. for Stephanus the fourth succeeding Leo the third was elected without the consent of Ludovicus Pius son of Charlemain Paschalis the first succeeds him without consent of the Emperour also which he excused by Embassadors because the Clergy and people of Rome had compelled him to receive it The Emperour to avoid trouble granted that Rome should afterward chuse their own Bishops But Gregory the fourth following would have the Emperours consent but others following did accept it without Sergius the second succeeds Gregory who was the first Pope that changed his Christian name because it was odious viz. os porci Hogs mouth He put Agnus Dei in the Liturgie Leo the fourth succeeds who was a great builder Edelwolphus King of England performing a vow at Rome grants to Leo the 4th a penny in every house in England that kindled a fire in it a warriour against the Sarazens as well as a Bishop In his time the first Cardinall called Athanasius was condemned for neglect of his calling who was a Presbyter but the first Cardinall that we read of except in the counterfeit decretall Epistles before Pope Sylvester After Leo the
fourth succeeds Pope Joan or John the eight born in Mentz went to Athens in mans apparell came to Rome and was to the Popedome advanced proved with child delivered as she was going to the Church of Lateran of whom Anastasius a Chronologer who lived about this time maketh no mention for shame of the fact but passed it Benedict the third honoured much the funerals of the Clergy with his own presence and desired the Bishops might by the whole Clergie Nicolaus the first succeeds him who suffered the Emperour Ludovicus the second to alight and lead his horse by the bridle a full mile He permitted divorces without consent of parties as the Anabaptists do and or dained that the Clergy should not be subject to civill Magistrates seats of Judicature And that none should receive the Sacrament from a married Clergy man and that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall meetings unlesse some point of faith were to be handled and the common service of the Church to be in Latine in all Churches but dispensed with Sclavonia and Polonia He added to the Liturgie the Hymn of Glory be to God on high Hadrian the second succeeds who proudly commanded the King of France Carolus Calvus to let Hircmanus Bishop of Laudunum to appeale to Rome after his condemnation by a Councill in France but he refused However John the ninth his successor crowned him Emperor and after him Balbus and then Crassus all three named Charls Hadrian the third ordained that the Clergy and people of Rome should chuse their Pope without attendance upon the Emperours allowance or leave And that after the death of Carolus Crassus who died without succession that the imperiall title and government of Italy should belong to an Italian Prince which bred great contention and debate among the Princes and much trouble to the Chair of Rome every Prince striving to advance him to it that was most friend to himselfe Stephanus the fifth followed who ordained that whatsoever the Church of Rome appointed was to be perpetually observed Pormosus succeeds him who crowned the Emperour Arnulphus and then Boniface the sixt was next Then Stephanus the sixt who offered great violence to the dead body of Formosus cutting off his fingers and disanulling his ordination yea and his crowning the Emperour Arnulphus and set up Albertus Marquesse of Tuscia in his stead Now Antichrist appears more then ever before by putting down and setting up Emperours Romanus succeeds him and nuls the decrees of Stephanus Theodorus succeeds him and alloweth them againe John the tenth nuls the decrees of Stephanus the sixt and alloweth them of Formosus How were these men led infallibly by the spirit Sergius the third who again took up the body of Formosus after eight yeers and beheaded it He loved Marozia and on her begot a son who was afterward made Pope and called Iohn the twelfth Pope Iohn the thirteenth committing adultery was slain by the womans husband but first deposed by a Councill called by Otho the first Emperour Leo the eighth succeeds who finding and being weary of the sedition and insolence of the Roman people resigned the chusing of Popes to the Emperour Iohn the fourteenth succeeds who first brought in baptizing of bels and he called the great bell of the Church of Lateran by his own name Iohn Then Gregory the fifth who after much trouble by the advice of the Emperour O ho the third The seven Electors of the Empire appointed made a constitution of seven Electors to chuse the Emperour for the time to come which continueth still namely the Bishops of Mentz Colen and Tryer the Count Palatine the Duke of Saxony and the Marquesse of Brandenburgh and in case of difference the King of Bohemia Next followed Sylvester the second Platina a great scholler but a Magician He enquired of the devill how long he should live Pope he did answer him till he said masse at Ierusalem which fell out at a Chappell so called at Rome where this Pope saying masse in Lent was stricken with a feaver of which he died Mathe. But yet we hear of no great persecutions Phila. True Why no great persecution yet by the Pope because yet the Church was of one language and none stands up against the corrupt tenets of Rome Mathe. Why do you then reckon up this bedroll of Popes Phila. Because you may know how and by whom corruption crept in which corruption being contradicted by some whom God enlightned then began persecutions Mathe. I pray now go on Phila. I have not nor shall trouble you with all of them but with some who have acted things very remarkable Therefore after Sylvester the second and divers other Popes Leo the ninth called a Councill against Berengarius who denied transubstantiation Nicolaus the second followed who forced by a Councill Berengarius to recant who did yet afterward wrote against transubstantiation He was poisoned as other Popes before him Alexander the second followed who denied to rule as Pope without the Emperours consent For which he was beaten in a chamber by Hildebrand in his pontificials and cast into prison where he died Hildebrand called Gregorius the seventh succeeds He called the marrigâ—e of Priests the heresie of the Nicolaitans and receiving Ecclesiasticall preferments and offices from Lay men though Princes symony About this time William the Conquerour came into England This was brought to passe by the thunder of excommunications which made the Emperour Henry the fourth travell to Rome in the hard winter to get absolution from the Popes curse Vrbanus the second excited Princes to war against the Turks who had got Jerusalem This he did in a Councill held at Cleremount in France and by divers Princes recovered it for a while But this war made Christian Princes so weak both in power and purse that the Pope more easily brought them all under his girdle Paschalis the second succeeds him who at the Church of Lateran had a scepter put into his hand and girded with a girdle having seven seals and keies hanging at it signifying his power of binding and loosing shutting and opening sealing and resigning and judging He excommunicated Henry the fourth the Emperour and excites his son Henry the fifth against him He took up the corps of Henry the fourth and kept it above ground five yeers Well did the Bishop of Florence write in this Popes time that Antichrist was born and manifested to the world and therefore he was silenced by the Councill of Florence which this Pope called and his book burnt You see how persecutions began now upon Emperours and Bishops This Pope would not crown Henry the fifth Emperour unlesse he would give over his right of investment of Bishops by the staffe and ring but the Emperor laid hold of him and his Cardinals and compelled him to do it and the Pope solemnly divided the holy Host between him and the Emperour and wished that he might be divided from the Kingdom of
was learned He like some schismaticks now accounted humane learning heresie and so they may see their error is popish while they condemn learning as if it were popery Next comes Sixtus the fourth Innocentius the eight Alexander the sixt who imprisoned and banished many Cardinals Then followed Pius the third and next Julius the second who by the Emperour Maximilian and the King of Spain and France's aids spoiled the Venetians of many territories yet he received them again into favor and so discontented the Emperour and the King of France that they thought to depose him by their Councill at Pisa But he called another Councill at Rome which disanulled all they did at Pisa He lived in wars all his time Leo the tenth succeeds him He endevoured to suppresse Martin Luther but could not Adrianus the sixt followed and threatned the Duke of Saxony for maintaining Martin Luther Clement the seventh succeeds who poisoned many and was poisoned himselfe Paulus the third followeth whose authority in England was abrogated by King Henry the eighth who called himselfe supreme head in his own dominions in all causes Ecclesiastick and Civill He cursed King Henry the eighth of England therefore and interdicted the Kingdome ratified the order of Jesuites and called a Councill at Trent where the Protestants would not appear because they said that Councill was not lawfully called and the Pope sate Judge who was the party they were to accuse of errors and abusing the Church He carried the Councill to Bononia Iulius the third followed who brought it back again to Trent and sent in Queen Maries daies Cardinall Pool to absolve England from the interdiction of Paul the third But havock was made in England of Protestants Paulus the fourth followed who hated Charls the Emperour who resigned his government to his son Ferdinand and died in a Monastery The Pope approved not this election but Ferdinand esteemed not of his approbation Pius the fourth followed In his time the Councill of Trent called by Paul the third was dissolved which had sate six yeers only of eighteen But before that he sent an Embassador into England to invite the Clergy to that Councill but Queen Elizabeth would not suffer him to land Nor would the Germans send any Scotland also revolted from popery He massacred Protestants at Montalto in Italy to the number of eighty because they met at an house to hear a Sermon They were drawn out one by one and their throats cut but none recanted their Religion Pius the fifth followed who with the Venetians and the King of Spain and his own aids overcame the Turks at Lepanto under the conduct of John of Austria Gregory the thirteenth followed He founded a new Colledge for Jesuites and gave it great revenues to bring up schollers to convert the Germans The Guises faction and the Queen Mother made an horrid massacre in Paris of the Protestants whom they called Huguenots 1572. Which act this Pope commended and sent Charls King of France 40000. Duckats to set forward the war against them This Pope set forth a new Kalender Sixtus the fift followed who excommunicated the King of Navar and the Prince of Condie both Protestants Now was Henry the third killed by a Frier Clement the eighth absolved Henry the fourth King of France from the excommunication of Sixtus the fifth upon his abjuration of the protestation by his Orators which King was slain by a proselyte of the Jesuits called Ravilack Mathe. I desire to know how the Protestant Religion came in and whether it be ancient and how it hath been persecuted by the Pope his adherents whether Princes or Prelates and by what heresies opposed for the Papists still upbraid us that our Religion was begun by Luther who began an innovation in the time of Pope Leo the tenth Against whom Henry the eighth of England did write and obtained the title from the Pope of Defender of the faith Phila. You are to understand that the substantiall points of the Protestant Religion are the same which are grounded upon Scripture and maintained from the Primitive times by the Church Christian but obscured in tract of time by divers heresies and popish traditions which like tares and weeds over-grew the good seed which yet still appeared in divers places of the field of the Catholike Church plain enough to prove a visible being both of the truth and professors of it till the Protestants made a more full declaration of it by refining the old truths from the drosse of heresie and popish superstition Mathe. I desire to have a more plain view of those hereticks that turned from Gospell truths And secondly how the Pope sell off being that the Roman Church did oftentimes excommunicate those hereticks And thirdly how the Protestants came to reform themselves they being once in the bowels of the Romish Church Phila. You know I have shewed many already among the persecuting hereticks yet it shall not be irksome to me if it be not to you to view them a little better especially the Manicheans who sprung up before Arrius with which heresie Augustine was entangled but the Lord God that bringeth good out of evill converted him by the pains of Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he became a great light to Gods people and a confuter of that cursed heresie Manicheus opinions were that there were two beginnings one evil and the other good which is all one as to say there be two Gods No wonder if their patron Manes called himselfe the Holy Ghost Maniches as Montanus did if he proceeded from such principles This Manes forbade flesh and wine neglected the old Testament ascribed the sin of man not to his free will Vid. Aug. cont Mani but necessity because he said mans body was made of the substance of the Prince of darknesse He died a fearfull death Theo. l. 4. c. 4. For as Arrius voided his guts at a draught-house before he came to dispute against the truth so this Manes was sent for being a Persian by the King of Persia to cure his son who died in his hands and he was imprisoned but escaped yet heard of in Mesopotamia was taken and flead Socrat. l. 1. c. 21. and his skin stuffed and set up at the gate of the City Mathe. Sir lest it be too much trouble to you and no great benefit to me to recite all the heresies I desire only the chiefe of them which do directly oppose true Religion Phila. I intend so and therefore first I will shew you the ancient heresies and then the modern that you may see how far the latter are raked out of the former We find some holding God to be like a man because Gen. 1.21 God is said to make man after his image Anthropomorphites but that in the soule and the endowments thereof wisedome and righteousnesse The Author of this heresie was one Ardaeus a Syrian Then followed the Messalians called Euchitae because they thought the whole duty of
in the same and heareth not the voice of strangers 2. It makes no Lawes without Gods word 3. That the traditions of the Church cannot bind conscience except they be consonant to Gods Word 4. That Christ hath made full satisfaction for sin and he that saith there is any other way to salvation or to abolish sin denieth Christ 5. That Christ is not received corporally in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 6. That the Masse offered up for the quick and dead is contrary to the Word of God and disgracing the sacrifice of Christ 7. That Christ is only to be invocated as Mediator between God and man 8. That the Scripture sheweth no such place as Purgatory for the purging of soules after death and therefore all popish Ceremonies as Dirges Lamps and Tapers profit not the dead at all 9. That pictures and images of Saints are not to be set up in Churches or to be worshipped 10. That Matrimony is not denied to any order of men but by the word of God permitted to all men and because fornication is forbidden therefore single life is not to be forced upon people All which propositions were defended by Oecolampadius Bucer and others against all opposers and therefore ratified by the Senate and it was decreed that Masses Altars and Images should be abolished In memoriall of this Reformation they caused a pillar to be set up engraven with golden letters with the time when it was done namely 1528. many other Cities as Strousbrough Basil and Geneva followed their example But many other Towns popishly affected did side with Ferdinand the Emperours brother and Deputy in Germany to suppresse this Reformation in Berne and Zurik These Towns were the Lucernates Vrani Suitenses Vnternaldii and Tugiani who much abusing the Reformed Tigurines and Bernatas made them so angry that they stopped the waies to those five Towns that no victuals could come to them Upon this the five unreformed made war upon them and had the better in which skirmishing Zuinglius was slain and his body abused cut in pieces and burned yet the Reformed continued in their religion and peace was concluded by the mediation of the King of France and some Cantons of Switzerland Mathe. But how came England to be Protestants Phila. Henry the seventh King of England had two sons Arthur and Henry Prince Arthur the eldest married Katherine daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and died without issue Then Henry the eighth his brother being King of England by the advice of his Counsellors and Nobles married the said Lady Katherine that so her dowry might not be carried out of England Which match though contrary to Gods Word was dispensed withall by Pope Julian the second and so continued twenty years Now Charls the fifth Emperour being in England promised to marrie the Lady Mary daughter to Henry the eighth by the said Queen Katherine which the Emperours Councill misliked because that the Lady Mary was begotten by King Henry and his brothers wife and so illegitimate therefore the Emperour forsook the match and married the King of Portugals daughter called Isabel Upon this King Henry's mind began to be troubled and the more because he foresaw that there could be no firm succession to the Crown by children so begotten He propounded therefore this question to all the Universities of Christendome viz. whether his marriage were lawfull they all agreed it was not therefore the King sought a divorce and desired the Popes consent The Pope sent Cardinall Campeius into England who together with Woolsey Cardinall of York was by his authority to judge the businesse Woolsey was inclined to the divorce till he perceived the Kings mind was bent to marry Anne Bulloin who was a Lutheran Of which he advertizing the Pope he sent for his Embassador Campeius who returned to Rome without determining the Kings cause But the King by Doctor Cranmers advice and the Civilians had Queen Katherine divorced therefore the Pope cursed King Henry and his Kingdome of England And the King abolished the Popes authority and tyranny in his Kingdome and enjoined that he should in his dominions only be called Bishop of Rome and that himselfe should be acknowledged supreame head of the Church of England This was the beginning of Reformation of popish abuses as in dissolving of Abbies and Monasteries in England and Wales though Henry the eighth continued in Romish doctrines To the number of 645. vid. Cambden Mr Fox his Martyro p. 2. and many blessed Martyrs were put to death in his time for professing the contrary even after he had abolished the Bishop of Romes authority as Lambert condemned by King Henry himselfe and also of many others by his authority and ministers such as Collins Cowbridge Leiton Puttedew Peke do testifie as also his setting out the six Articles maintaining page 1296. 1. Transubstantiation And secondly that the communion in both kinds is not necessary to be received And thirdly against Priests marriage And fourthly for vowing single life And fifthly Anno 31. regni H. 8. for maintaining the Masse and also sixthly auricular confession to be necessary Which Articles were commended to Commissioners to be put in execution and many good men suffered who held tenets contrary thereunto as Doctor Barns Heirom Garret Marbeck Filmer Testwood and Person and Bennet Kerby Clark Mendelsham and Mistrisse Anne Askew and others burned at Windsor and Ipswich in London and Kent all which shew that though King Henry the eighth did abolish the power of the Pope in Civill and Ecclesiastick matters in England yet popish doctrine was still maintained Mathe. I pray tell me how the Pope came to have such great authority in England in Civil and Ecclesiasticall affairs 2. How Englands Religion came to be corrupted which at first it seems was pure Rom. 1.8 as Romes faith was before the Pope turned Antichristian 3. How the Reformation went on which was revived by King Henry the eight so far as abolishing popish jurisdiction Phila. For the first you may find that the Pope came in by connivance of peaceable and quiet Princes who not discerning the Popes policy after Phocas the Emperour had made him universall Bishop how he did work upon Princes of weak judgement as also upon such as he found to be superstitious or that were litigious and stood in need of his help and so did wind himselfe by intrusion and used his possession with tyranny But this intrusion could never be warranted by any just claime through possession or submission to him in tract of time by custome or prescription the foundation of his first authority being surreptitious for we cannot find any Brittish or Saxon Kings that have obliged themselves or this Kingdome submissively to the Pope But you may find that when Austin the Monk was sent into England by Pope Greg. 1. to bring the Clergy to the ceremonies and service of the Roman Church not to make Christians in England which was done many hundred years before
King Henry the eighth to imitate his successors by abolishing his authority in England Now then to your third Question How Reformation went on after King Henry the eighth I have shewed you though that King did write against Luther and abolished the Popes power yet he persecuted the Protestants and those that professed Luthers doctrin of which there were many by reason of his books dispersed in England Luther himselfe was much troubled The Pope sends forth his roaring Bull against him he answereth it and appeals to the next generall Councill But his doctrine was very acceptable to good Christians generally though in some points they differed from him He died in Islebia in the County of Mansfelt Febr. 17. 1546. where he was born Mathe. How thrived the Protestant Religion after Luther Phila. Beyond the seas fell out great troubles A Councill was called at Ratisbone to end controversies of Religion but no agreement and so the Emperour referred the controversie to the next generall or provinciall Councill of Germany but still the popish side desired to suppresse Luthers doctrine but yet decrees against Protestants were suspended yet the fire of malice broke out against them for Henry Duke of Brunsick invaded their Cities the Duke of Saxony resists him in the name of all the Protestants confederate at Smalcaldy and won all his dominions The Emperour and the King of France make peace and both covenant to join to restore the Romish Religion which cost France and Germany great troubles for the King of France sent Minerius Governor of Provence against the Waldenses of whom you have heard who dwelt in some part of that Countrie as in Merindol and Cabriere They of Merindol for fear fled into the woods He spoiled and burned their Towns left desolate Cabriere was delivered upon composition but yet none were spared but some killed in Churches some burned in barns some smothered in caves others sent to the Gallies others starved in the woods But God strook Minerius with a sad disease a fire scorched him within his limbs rotted made bloody urine and died in torments The Emperour Charls the fifth by policy suppresseth these Princes that upheld the Protestants as the Duke of Saxony and others as the Landgrave of Hesse About the year 1546. when the Councill of Trent was gathered to convene where the Emperour and the Pope made a league against the protestants and the Pope gave 200000 Crowns to make war against them to the Venetians and maintained an army for a while to cut them off The Emperour laboured hard with many of the Princes to submit to the Councill of Trent as also the free Cities and in hope they would he desired that the Councill of Trent which was carried from Trent to Bononia might come to Trent again which they refused upon which the Emperour disanulled all they did at Bononia and said he would take care of Religion himselfe And to this end consulted with Princes and Bishops about it who drew out a book of Reformation called Interim to which few would consent and many fled away to other Countries because they would not allow it As Musculus preacher of Ausburgh fled to Switzerland Brentius from Suere to the Duke of Wirtembergh Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius from Germany to England The Pope himselfe would not allow it without correction because it allowed the marriage of Priests and the use of the Sacraments in both kinds though it maintained the rest of the Roman Religion But especially the City of Magdeburgh withstood the book nor acknowledged the Councill of Trent Mathe. How went things now in England Phila. King Edward the sixth now reigning the masse was there forbidden by Parliament and a Book of Common Praier set forth in the English tongue with an order of administration of Sacraments Bonner Bishop of London and Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for their obstinate defence of Romish doctrine were imprisoned But King Edward dying Queen Mary let them out and made great havock of the Protestants and restored the Popes supremacy and the masse in England and got the Parliament to crave absolution of the Pope and Cardinall Pool to absolve the Realm See Fox his Martyrology She neither spared Bishops Ministers nor common people nor spared those who had set her forward to obtain the Crown Her persecution was sharp but God shortned it by her death and Queen Elizabeth whose death was intended succeeded her Mathe. How thrived the Protestants cause now in England and other Countries Phila. In England popish Religion was abolished and the Popes supremacy disanulled King Edwards profession followed Anno 1. Eliza. and his Book of Common Praier allowed again by Parliament But Ferdinand the Emperour succceeding Charls the fift would endure no alteration of Religion and Henry the second King of France would not admit it neither but moved persecution but he being killed by the splinter of a spear at Tilting Francis the second his son succeeds and marrieth Mary Queen of Scots of the Guisian Family which Family endeavoured to abolish the Protestant Religion in France and sent an army into Scotland too for the same purpose which by the aids of Queen Elizabeth was forced to retire This King of France by the advice of the Guisians called a nationall Councill at Orleance under colour to settle Religion But there the Prince of Condie was seized upon and accused of practise against the King But this King shortly died and the Prince of Condie was cleared by a Parliament at Paris and young King Charls the ninth was committed to the care of the Queen Mother and the King of Navar. These governors appoint a disputation by the advice of the States of the Realme at Poyssie 1561. which was four years before Calvin died where Theodore Beza preacher of Geneva and Peter Martyr and Marlorat and the protestant party had the better and the popish side as the Cardinall of Lorain and others concluded with them that Christians do eat in the Sacrament spiritually by faith the body of Christ which died for for us although the Doctors of Sorbon would not agree thereto and so that disputation broke off After which the number of protestants increased and much fear there was of uproars But the Queen Mother assembled the estates at St Germane and made an Edict in January that the professors of the reformed Religion should assemble to hear sermons without the Town and unarmed which grieved the Guisian and popish faction who sought to get the King and Queen Mother into their hands and prevented the King of Navar from the reformed Religion upon hope to have the Kingdome of Navar restored to him againe by Philip King of Spain at the Popes mediation In the mean time the Duke of Guise raiseth an army First Civil war in France and murdered 1500. hundred poor unarmed protestants at Church in the Town of Vassiace neer Champaign Then came to Paris and seized on the King and Queen Mother at Forteblew and
spoken before An old Sect 130 years ago Secondly Apostolikes because they wandered about without staves shooes or mony They washed each others feet and left houses wives and trades They grew chargeable to the common purse they put away their wives when they pleased at last were excommunicated by the rest of the brethren as idle vagabonds The third were Separatists because they sequestred themselves from the world and brave cloaths marriage meetings feasts and musick and arms looked sad and sighed much The fourth were called Catharists because they pretended purity without sin and said children had no originall sin and denied them baptisme and would not say the Lords Praier The fifth were Silentes because they seldome spake The sixth were called Enthusiasts who said the gift of prophecy by dreams came to them and therefore would lie much in trances like Mahomet when he was in a paroxisme or fit of the falling sicknesse or like our Quakers They said Anabaptisme was holy but childrens baptisme came from the devill The seventh were called Liberians or Libertines who misunderstanding the liberty of Christ to be worldly and carnall thought themselves free from paying rents tributes or tithes though Christ paied tribute to Caesar and also took liberty to commit all uncleannesse The eighth were called Adamites because they thought themselves in the state of innocence and therefore accounted cloaths to be a sign of the curse and therefore went naked as did the old Adamiani 300 yeers after Christ in their Conventicles or Hupocausta under ground caves which were warmed by secret furnaces or stoves in which place they stood naked men and women The ninth sort were called Hutites from their author Iohn Huta These denied Christs divinity with the Arrians The tenth were called Augustinians who conceived there was no entrance into Paradise till Augustin the Bohemian opened it forgetting that Christ said to the thiefe on the crosse this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The eleventh was the Beuckeldians who said that it was an holy thing to have many wives at once forgetting Mal. 2.14 where it is called trechery against the wife of thy youth of which covenant God is the witnesse The twelfth was the Melchiorists who of one Melchior Hoffman their Prophet at Strausborough whom they look for to come with Elias at the day of judgement and hold that Christ was not conceived and born of the blessed Virgin Mary but only passed through her as water through a conduit in which they agree with the old Eutychians The thirteenth were the Georgians so called of David George the originall of the Familists who thought himselfe a greater Prophet then Christ and that he would rise three yeers after his death and restore the Kingdome of Israel but he was never heard of since The fourteenth were Menorists so called of one Menor a Frisian by whose name for a certain time they were generally called These differed not in doctrines from the rest no more then did the Muncerians and Hutites Some were founded as I have shewed upon ancient heresies some of them hold the same opinions with the rest but have added more to them Many others there were as the Henerobaptist Gastius de Ana. Exord p. 20. that baptized himselfe daily if the weather were temperate Others did follow Servetus who not only denied baptisme to children but denied the deity of Christ who was burnt at Geneva in the year 1553. Hist of Anab. p. 53. Others sottishly abusing Christs words except you become like children you cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven would turnble and battle in their own dung and play like children and innocents and lie with one another but I beleeve not very innocently Calv. contra Libert Some denied the resurrection of the body Deukius held Origens error that in time the devils and wicked men should be saved Others set all Christian duty in praier like the old Euchytae Others so left all things to God that they neglected the means God appointed Vid. Hezychi Stephan Budaeum Others held that all that were not plunged in water were not rightly baptized whereas the Greek word in the New Testament for baptizing signifieth washing or sprinkling as well as plunging as Mark 7.3 and Heb. 9.10 And if the Scriptures gives a word of divers interpretation no doubt but it was that the Church might use such a form in baptizing as the word admits or as the region and weaknesse of the party baptized permitteth Mathe. But do our Anabaptists now among us hold such hereticall opinions Phila. I beleeve all do not hold alike but take them together or severally you shall find all or some either to have a tincture of old heresies or else newly dipped into other colours divers from the truth Mathe. I pray make that appear Phila. Some of them hold that Christ shall come from heaven 1000 years before the generall judgement and shall raign with the Saints upon earth and shall destroy all the wicked viz all that are not of their sect And this before Christ come they have endeavoured to put in practice and so they prove Millenaries and somewhat worse Others hold that they are the communion of Saints and that all those that have been notorious sinners and excommunicate may not be restored again upon their repentance and so they be Novatians Yet this is but a pretence for I find their practice contrary for they do either account their own sins none or else favour them in the punishment Others say that in the true Church there are no scandalous livers and if so it wil be hard to prove their Church to be true though they say the Church is bounded in their societies and therefore separate from all other Christian assemblies therein shewing themselves Donatists Some again of them hold that Christ took not his flesh of the Virgin Mary And so held also the Priscilianists Others of them hold that it is lawfull for the people to lay violent hands on the magistrates and depose and slay them how supreme soever they be and so are plain Jesuits Some of them hold that election is of foreseeen faith and that man hath free will of himselfe to refuse or accept Gods grace and that a true beleever may fall away totally and finally from grace and so are Pelagians contrary to St Johas tenet 1 John 3.9 Others say that there ought to be a parity in the Church of ministers contrary to St Paul who saith that without all contradiction the lesse must be blessed of the greater Heb. 7.7 and therefore left Titus in Creet to ordain Elders i. ministers in every City Also that Church Service and Ceremonies are superstitious and that the Church of England is no true Church and therefore must be left and in this they be Brownists Mathe. How came these into England Phila. After this sect had continued in Germany a long time but not above ten years in any full vigour Gastius de
separation from it the symboll of faction Therefore the ancient Writers counted those that would not be subject to them to be worse then infidels for they held the Church had her externall being and constitution by Bishops and they that did not communicate with Episcopacy were not in the Church Yea more Cyp Ep. 27. in Ep. ad Flo. Pupianum Clem. Ep. 1.3 Ruff. transl Russinus is so bold to say that all Priests Clergy men people nations and languages that would not obey their Bishops should be shut from the communion of the holy Church here and of heaven hereafter Mathe. Many found fault as much with the Liturgy as with Episcopacy Phila. They found none but fained some They pretended that set forms of praier were not to be used in the Church neither considering the authority antiquity nor the conveniency of it First not the authority as that it was appointed by God himselfe Num. 6.23 where the Priests are appointed to blesse the people in a set form of words So Deut. 26.13 the people are injoined a set form of praier after the paiment of his tiths Nor do they consider that the book of Psalms are all set forms of praier or praise and delivered to chiefe Musitians to be set to divers instruments to praise God withall 1 Chron. 16.7 and 1 Chron. 25.3 and 2 Chron. 30.21 and Ezra 3.11 Nor do they discern that Christ gave his Disciples a set form first giving it them as a pattern in the first year of his ministry Mat. 6.9 and in the third year of his ministry gives it them as a praier expresly to be used Luke 11.2 when you pray say Our Father which praier is not of extempore conception neither for we may find in old Jewish Euchologues most of the petitions not that Christ need to borrow of any but he did it to shew that truth was his freehold wheresoever he found it and to teach us to subject our selves to the spirit in ancient truths rather then to affect extempore raptures Nor do they perceive the antiquity of set forms in the N. T. Church for we find St James the first Bishop of Jerusalem was the first setter forth of Liturgies and he placed there by the Apostles So Titus was left in Creet to set in order things than were wanting and what things they were being they had the Gospell and Sacraments let any man tell you except they were Church Rituals Ignatius also Bishop of Antioch taught his Church Liturgies and Doxologies as appears by the Ecclesiasticall histories He lived in the first hundred years after Christ and from that Church of Antioch Trip. hist l. 10. c. 9. where men were first called Christians Liturgies were derived to other Churches as to Rome it selfe For Gregory the first being Bishop of Rome brought in the form of the Greek Letanies in that Church so that our Liturgy primarily commeth from the Greek Conc. Ancyr 1. tom Con. Conc. Meter not the Latin Church but if it did yet whatsoever is good in it may be used by any Christian Church except we think it not fit to worship Christ because he was sometimes consessed by the devils mouth Nor do they see the convenience of it St Paul did namely that we may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 And Mr Calvin approved it very much writing to the Protector of England in K. Edw. the sixths time that there should be a form of Church Service from which Ministers might not depart in the exercise of their functions that there may be an help to the simplicity of some and a remedy against the levity of others that affect innovations and for the clearer appearance of the unanimity of all Churches among themselves I know they say also that set forms of praier hindereth the gift of the spirit in ministers which would utter it selfe freely but that it is bound up by reading a set form But considering that the minister is the mouth of the people to God I conceive it convenient that the people know what he sollicites God for that they may the more comfortably join with him in praier Nor can I see how the Church is more edified by extempore praier than a set form since the Church is edified as well by Sermons composed as sermons preached Besides the spirit of the Church may edifie her members by her composures as well as any one member may edifie any part of the Church by his voluntary conceptions and expressions which may be done for ostentation or may want consideration and discretion also Nor doth set forms limit the spirit any more then extempore raptures neither in the minister nor people Not in the minister for he hath divers times in private devotions and before and after his Sermon to enlarge himselfe farther as occasion requireth And for his being stinted by the Liturgy there is no reason but he may since the spirit of the Prophet must be subject to the Prophets in their prophecying 1 Cor. 14. and then why not in praying by the spirit of the Church representative which composed the Liturgy And for the spirit in the people it is no more limited by a set form then by a sudden conceived praier for their spirit being equally intent upon this is as much limited as by that and so as the peoples spirit is subjected to the ministers in his praier so much more ought the spirit of the minister be subjected to the spirit of the Churches corporation I have seen many ridiculous pamphlets against the Liturgy more fit for wast paper then to be answered I spoke enough before of this matter in answer to some heresies Some do object that it containeth not praier for all occasions yet I think if they would well consider the Letany they can hardly add any thing to it though upon every particular petition therein they make as long a praier as the whole Liturgy Mathe. But the ceremonies are more offensive then the Liturgy Phila. They need not if people would consider the paucity the indifferency and the power that the Church hath to impose things indifferent For first there was but three the Surplice for the Minister the Crosse for the Baptized and kneeling for Communicants three innocent ceremonies as many of the complainers themselves have confessed in the opinion of wise men yet have they been violently opposed by many that cannot find the medium between affirmative and negative superstition but either rush into the gulfe or dash upon the rock The Praecisian he will have no ceremony without speciall warrant from Scripture like the Sadduces The Papist on the other side will have them necessary to divine worship though not set down in Scripture like the Pharisees traditions of the Elders Between both these lieth a middle way to walk in Zanch. de sacra Script p. 262. bounded with the authority and liberty of the Church in imposing and using
of Princes want discipline yet if the Church be purely visible it hath ordinarily these three notes which indeed freeth it from maintaining error heresie and schisme though all three may possibly be in it 1 Cor. 1.11 and cap. 3.3 1 Cor. 11.19 provided alwaies that the heresie thrust it not into infidelity or cause it not to deprave the doctrines of faith as the Church of Rome hath and so is become adulterous and hereticall So it may be in some things schismaticall so far as to hurt charity not verity by taking occasion unjustly as the Separatists to depart from the Church but not giving occasion to the Church to depart from them as the Papists have done to us like the old Pharisees who gave just occasion to Christ and his Apostles to separate themselves from their traditions Therefore true doctrine is the chiefe note of a true visible Church whereby people are taught as Christs sheep to hear his voice John 10.27 and to continue in his and his Apostles doctrine Acts 2.42 which is the foundation of the Church Eph. 2.20 And for the Sacraments they are commanded by Christ himselfe Mat. 28.19 and Luke 22.19 So also is the administration of discipline set down by our Saviour Mat. 18.17 and used by St Paul 1 Cor. 5.5 upon the incestuous person So that the right use of these must needs be a note of a true visible Church Let the Papists brag of their tearm Catholike I am sure it no way agreeth to them neither in respect of the extension of their Churches bounds which is not universall nor yet in regard of their doctrines which are not according to the Catholike truths confessed by the primitive or orthodox Churches of old and therefore their word Catholike is no note for a true visible Church is not to be judged by a name but by the thing it ought to hold otherwise the Pope like Simon Magus might be thought the great power of God Acts 8.10 Nor doth their boasted antiquity make their Church the more true for many things were said of old which were not intended at the first as they were afterward used Mat. 5. It is not antiquity but his truth that is the ancient of daies that is the note of the Church Aug. Q. 14. vet No. Testam The devill is older then the Church and Idolatry and Paganisme is very ancient and the Jews and the Samaritans pleaded antiquity and held the Gospell of Christ but a novelty yet their Church was not the true Beside if antiquity be a note then the Church Christian and Jerusalem and that of Antioch where Peter taught and sate as superintendent for seven years must be accounted the true Church and not Rome which was planted since but the authority of religion must not be measured by time Cypr. lib. 2. cont gent. Nor doth duration prove it the better for it is neither a proper or inseparable note as appeareth Psal 47.7 8. Rev. 12. And truly the Church of Rome hath not had a continued duration for Bellarmin saith that a Church cannot subsist without a Bishop and the seat of Rome hath been often vacant by wars and schisms among the Popes themselves as hath been formerly shewed you Nor doth their amplitude and multitudes make any thing in this case for them for Satans Kingdome is larger then Christs and his numbers more then Christs little flock who are often like Noahs family in the Ark they have a many of the vulgar Chrysost ad pop Antioch the Church hath a few faithfull one precious stone is worth many toies Nor will succession of Bishops help them to a note for who succeeded Melchisedeck but Christ many hundred of yeers falling between Vid. Athan. laudem in orat Nazian and the place changed also for the Church is not bound to place or persons of men Nor can ordination prove a note since hereticks hath it as well as the true Church neither can we find their ordination alwaies good if Pope Jone was ordained or she ordained any And Liberius the Pope being an Arrian ordained Arrians also Nor doth unity passe for a note except in the faith under one mysticall head Jesus Christ for satan is not divided against satan and very theeves are united together Nor can their miracles prove their Church true because they are false and Antichristian 2 Thes 2.9 and are invented to maintain false doctrines Beside if they were true they were not alwaies a note of a true Church for not only heathen gods have done strange things to perswade their divinity Bel. lib. de notis Eccl. cap. 14. Socrat. hist lib. 7. c. 17. but even heathen men as Vespasian made a blind man see and a lame man walk Mathe. What Church do you hold hath these three notes Phila. The true Christian Protestant Church especially as it was constituted by the first reforming Princes in England for the doctrine thereof is built upon the holy scripture They administer Sacraments in their primitive purity and hold only two generally necessary to salvation i. Baptisme and the Lords Supper rejecting all the spurious Sacraments of the Church of Rome As confirmation which the Church of England did use in a laudable manner and might do much good by using it as it was but not as a Sacrrment for it kept young people in a care to render an account of their faith and Ministers and Parents to teach them Catechisme So pennance was injoined notorious offenders for satisfaction of the Church and to reduce them better manners and to beget fear and shame in others but never held it a Sacrament no more then it did matrimony or ordination As for the fift spurious Sacrament of Rome extreme unction they never used it because not instituted of Christ as a Sacrament It is true Mark 6.13 the Disciples anointed many that were sick with oile and they were healed and St James in cap. 5.14 adviseth them to use oile with praier for the sick but it was no consecrated oile as the papists use Bellar. lib. 1. de extrem unct cap. 3. nor applied for remission of sins to seven parts of their body But you will say we in England at this time want right discipline I answer It is true yet the Church doth maintain it in her doctrines and constitutions but she cannot use it in those times when the shepherd is smitten and the sheep are scattered or else combined against him that they may live at their own liberty without correction by the rod of discipline yea libertinisme is grown to such a height that the disciplinarians themselves who envied the Bishops authority dare not exercise the Presbyterian virge lest they also follow the Bishops dejection Mathe. Might not a Nationall Councill set all right Phila. No doubt it might with Gods blessing so that it were called and impowred by authority and consisted of men orthodoxall and of just minds and of moderate temper who would make Gods