without a guyde is to be voide of Christ Iesus and his fanctifying spirite vnto the want whereof there is joyned no thing els but finall damnation both of body and soule Wherefore good my Ll. suffer the words of exhortation to enter into your soules The Lord is my witnes that I speake not vnto you without the consideration and reuerence due vnto your places It pityeth me to see the case wherein ye stande before the Lord for surely ye cannot as I haue sayd posiblie be saued so long as you hold on your course in consenting vnto ignorance and blindnes There is nothing but judgement merciles vnto those that deferre their turning vnto him Deceaue not your selues theÌ„ for as I shall answere before the Lord in the fearefull day of judgemeÌ„t I haue set before you the way of life the way of death Chuse life therfore that you may liue which you shall neuer doe except you do ridde your hands of the defence of this pestileÌ„t ministery coÌ„secrate theÌ„ to make vp the breaches of Gods sanctuarie Where you see how little beholding ye are vnto those wicked men the are your Chaplains who haue neuer made your estates knowen vnto you You may justly acconut those vngodly flatterers to be the greatest enemies you can haue For they are guiltie of your blood serue you almoste for no other vse than to hasten Gods judgements vpon you But their guilte and punishment shall not delyuer you in the daye of wrath for the soule that sinneth shall dye the death And therefore nowe that the light is made knowen vnto you let it not be your condemnation that * Iohn 3.19 light comming among you yet you loued darkenes more than light Well hetherto it appeareth how wrongfullie the fauorers of reformation are charged with enmitye vnto our state for laboring to haue the dumb ministery rooted out The next bane of our Church are nonre sidents Non-residency whereof all our Ll. Bb. are guilty the which corruption is so great that I do maruel with what face it can be tolerated in a Christian state And therefore I make no question whether the word of God maketh it lawfull for vs to endeuour that no suche vilanie be heard off in Israell anie more Rom. 10.14 The dumb Minister though intollerable hath yet some colour of his sinne because vnder the name of feeding he starueth the poore sheep But the bloodie non-resident hath no cloake to hyde his vilanie for he is so out of measure become impudent in his sinne that he dareth make an open profession of murther This sinne whereof the Papistes themselues haue long ago bene ashamed hath so kindled the wrath of God against our kingdome that I feare he wil be no otherwise pacified towards vs than by sending a sword through our land which may reuenge the blood of innocent soules which these 31. yeares hath benespilt lyke water vpon the earth by meanes of these professed murtherers and that vnder the profession of the gospell Though I preach 1. Cor. 9.16 sayeth the blessed Apostle I haue nothing to reioyse of for necessitie is layd vpoÌ„ me yea and wo is vnto me if I preach not the gospell This is spoken in the person of all true ministers But our non-residents haue dispensed with this necessitie by meanes of their degrees of their Chaplain-shipes and of their faculties And as for the woe denounced against them they haue a distinction at hande wherewith to delude that curse which is that although they caÌ„not be continuallie resident at euery one of their charges yet they are not all the yeare lightlye absent from all of them And although they do not continually preache at neyther yet they are not alwayes idle but at somtymes they doe preache either vpon their owne charges or els abroad where occasion is offered Now in their absence they do not prouide so euill for their people but that contrarye to the expresse will of the Lord * Ezek. 44 1. they place others in their steade to take the ouersight of the Sanctuary And whensoeuer they are absent from all their benefices it is not without some reasonable cause for at all such tymes they attend either in the Courte in the Vniuersitye or are otherwise necessarilie bestowed in their private or publick affaires Looke T.C. admo pag. 28 29 And as for the lybertie that one man should haue manye benefices it is necessary for the encouraging of stadents and the encrease of able men to withstand the common aduersary By all which speches of theirs we see to our grief the words of the holy Apostles to be verified in our wofull tymes viz. Ier. 18.1 Tim. 4.2 That in the Church of God there should be mockers in the last tymes which should walke after their owne vngodly lusts hauing their consciences burned with an hote iron men of corruptminds destitute of the truth 1. Tim. 6.5 which thinke that gayne is godlinesse 2. Thes 3.10 But I maruell what these mockers will answere vnto the holy Ghoste who commandeth that they who labour not 1. Cor. 4.12 must not eare and sheweth that it is required of the ministers of Christ that they be founde faithfull 1. Pet. 5.2 3. And I maruell what they wil aunswere vnto the Apostle Peter by whom they are enjoyned as they would receaue the incorruptible crown of glory wheÌ„ the great sheepheard of the sheep shall appeare to feed the flock of God that dependeth vpon theÌ„ caring for it not by coÌ„straint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a readie mynde not as thoughe they were lordes ouer Gods herrtage but that they may be ensamples to the flock And I do wonder what they will aunswere vnto the diligence which the apostle Paule vsed in teaching the people with whoÌ„ he was conuersant whose example al the ministers of Christ ar bound to follow 1. Thes 2.10 You are witnesses God also saieth the Apostle how holilie and vnblameably we behaued our selues among you that beleeue as you know how that we exhorted you and comforted and besought euerie one of you as a father his children that you would walk worthie of God who hath called you vnto his kingdom glorie Aâ—t 20.18.19 And againe in an other place You knowe saith he from the first day that I came vnto Asia after what manner I haue bene with you at all seasons seruing the Lord with all modestie and with manye teares and temptations which came vnto me by the lying await of the lewes and how that I kept nothing backe that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euerie house Well whether these cursed mockers will scorne at these godlye examples and labours of the blessed Apostles or no goe about to answere the matter by their childishe vnlearned distinctions it is not greatlie material Of this I am assured that as vnto al those places they haue not a
woord to answere according vnto truth so especiallie will they be dumb Math. 25.26 If they haue no talents they are Idols and no Ministers when the right vse of their talents if they haue anie are requyred at their handes And let all non residents and especiallye these tyrannous atheists or Prelates I meane vnderstād that if they will needs be rulers ouer gods houshold they are bund to giue the Lords familie their meate in due season yea Mat. 24.48.49 and to continue in feeding of them vntill the comming of their maister that when he commeth hee may finde them so doing Otherwise if lyke euill seruants they shall still continue to say in their hartes that their mayster doth deferre his comming and still continue to smyte their fellow seruants much more to pyne starue them their maister will come in a day when they looke not for him in an houre when they are not aware off and because in that daye hee findeth them not so doing as the holy Ghost speaketh that is because lyke faithfull servants hee findeth them not distributing vnto their fellowes their meate in due season hee will cut them off and giue them their parte with hypocrits where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And this will be their reward As for you my Ll. who winke at all the abhominations of these tyrannous murtherers and shewe not your selues mooued with the dishonor wherewith they staine true religion the misery which they haue brought vpon our Church the Lord bee mercifull vnto you For I see no way for you but as you allow the wicked course of these mē so you shall be partakers of their heauie damnation And as you cannot washe your handes from any of the bloode that is spilte in our Churche because your eyes haue seene it and eyther shewe no dislyke thereof or maintaine the same so of all other the murthers committed vpon the soules of men within England you are most guilty of this whereof the non-resident is the butcher because a great parte of this cruelty is cōmitted in our Church by your meanes Chaplainships for this is the sinne wherevnto you giue a cōmission and vnlesse ye delyuered the sword into the hands of these bloody tyrants their slaughter would not be so in vse among vs. For wheras many could not otherwise be qualified as they cal it to haue moe benefices than one you know that to be Chaplayne vnto a noble man or to the most of our Counsellors if not vnto all giveth a full libertie vnto this cruell and vnnaturall slaughter Insomuch as you bring this bloode vnto your houses and are not onely accessaries there-vnto but principall offenders therein Whatsoeuer then your Hh. will do in other points of the reformation of our Church it is plain that you can no longer suffer your places to be a couerture vnto this sinne in your godlesse Chaplaines except you would haue the Lorde and his Church to beare witnes against you that you haue conspired against the blood of your countrimen and people And as your Hh. are bound in the sight of God to washe your hands from the maintenance of this sinne in your fore named seruantes that in a good conscience you may testifie before the Lorde and say Deut. 21.7 Our hands haue not spilt this blood where of our Chaplaines are guilty neither haue our eyis seene it So also are you bounde to detest both the same all other the impieties that raygne in our Church by meanes of these wicked Prelates and their gouernment Whose very callings are so directly against the word of God that possiblie they cannot stand in the Church of Christ without the intollerable oppression therof and the impeaching of whatsoeuer liberty almost the Lorde hath lefte vnto the same in his worde And when I consider the great iniury that is offered vnto the Lorde and his Church by meanes of this wicked Hierarchie and whatsoeuer dependeth therevpon I cannot but thinke it a strange matter that the oppugning of so intollerable a corruption should bee hardlye thought off much lesse accounted vnsufferable in a Christian state For these corruptions of Ll. Archbishops Bishops Commissaries Archdeacons Chancelors c. were altogether vnknowen in the Church of God vntill the kingdome of Christ fell in the ages by past to decay and Sathan in the ruines thereof began to laye the foundation of that monarchie of his wherein Antichriste at this daye doth beare rule That these thinges maye bee the better vnderstood and that it may be made knowē whether the offices of Archb. Bb. with the reste of that stampe belong vnto and had their beginning from the kingdome of Christe or els sprang vp when Sathan began to lift his hand for the erecting of Antichrists throne and so appertaine vnto his gouernment we are to consider what is meant by the kingdome of Christ in the decay whereof we affirmed these offices of Archb. and Bb. to haue had their original beginning By the kingdom of Christ then generallie taken we vnderstād that regiment and superioritie which the Lord Iesus hath aboue all principalities that are either in heauen or in earth not simplie as hee is the second person in trinitie God aboue all blessed for euermore but as he is the sonne manifested in the flesh Christ god and man and so the head of his Church In respect of this regiment of his the worde of God speaketh of his kingdome 2. maner of wayes first it maketh the same to be everlasting secondlie it considereth of it as it is temporarie and to remaine for a tyme. In the former respect it cannot possible any wayes decay Of this aeternall kingdome of his the Angell Gabriell spake vnto the holye Virgine Marie after this sort Luke 1.31.32 Thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall be great shal be called the sonne of the most high the Lord God shal giue vnto him the thron of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be none ende Concerning the latter regarde of his kingdome the holy Apostle Paule writeth in these wordes 1. Cor. 25.24 Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered the kingdome vnto God euen the Father when he hath put down all rule and authority and power for he must raigne vntill he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Where the Apostle speaketh of the kingdome of Christ as it is temporarie and to continue only vnto the day of judgement no longer Nowe this temporarie regiment of his is also of 2. seuerall considerations For the worde speaketh of our sauiour Christ and his gouernmēt either as he hath all power in heauen and earth cōmitted vnto him Mat. 28.19 Reuel 19.16 17.14 ◠5 and so he is called the Lorde of Lords the king of kings the prince of
kingdom where he ruleth by his vicaz the Pope but eueÌ„ among vs in the persons of our wicked Prelates And although Sathan was enforced to watche a long time for his opportunity ere he could bring the ministers of the gospell vnto lordship dominion A bout the year 320. for vnto the time of Pope Silvester Rome it self was without any lordship atal yet notwithstanding he was driuen to work that in the Church before ever he could aduance the maÌ„ of sin vnto the chaire of iniquity So that by means of this superioritye and worldlye dominion of the ministers of the word he began at the first to make the waye for the in bringing of the my sterie of iniquity which as the holy ghost testifieth 2. Thes 2.7 began to manifest it self in the age of the apostles And going on forwarde by degrees he so strengthened these plants of his owne graffing that he made theÌ„ to bee the instrnmentes by the strength and power whereof he convaied the whole bodie whereof they were the members head and al into the temple of God For in these wicked offices of Archb. and Ll. Bb. the man of sinne first began to manifest him self Cardinals were brought into the Romish church since it fel cleane away from Christ they are rather the pomp then the strength of that kingdome now he is especially vpheld through no other power but through their meanes by whom also the whole kingdome of Idolatrie and darknes vnder him is especially gouerned For the inwarde parts of that kingdome to wit the pestilent errors whereby he poysoneth the world would easily wyther and decay were it not that they are fostered nourished by these ruling members of Archb. Bb Who although when they were first brought into the church being therein ordained for good purposes as flesh bloud did imagine they were not nor could not be discerned to bee members of the Antichristian kingdome because that mystery was not then made fully visible yet euer since that bodie hath appeared we know them to bee members thereof in such sort as wheresoever they are maintained there the limbs and members of Antichrist are countenanced and vpheld But wee are not to think that Sathan by whome these offices of Archbishops and L. Bishops were firste invented doeth at all tymes and places vse them to the one and selfe same purpose hee knoweth full well that hee cannot alwayes effecte what he would do with them and therefore hee is content vntill conveniencye bee offered to bestowe them as he may But alwayes this is a ground hee hath some seruice for them in all ages At the firste planting of them and long after that hee did not vohold open Idolatry and manifest apostacy from Christ by their meanes hee coulde not doe it the times woulde not suffer him who thoughe otherwayes very corrupt were yet far from that vile dishonour of God Example heereof you may see in Pope Gregory the first of that name Anno â—04 and especially in all his predecessors whose superioritye and dominion hee could not so haue at commandement as he had the prelacy of all those that followed after him vnto this day And yet had he his turnes to bring to passe by their superiority though the most of them were vndoubtedly Gods deare children For he vsed their places as steps and degrees to advance Antichrist into his throne Now in that kingdome of the man of sinne since Rome became the cage of euery vncleane beast and the verye receptacle of Diuels he hath the Hierarchy at his owne commandement to accomplish his owne will by it vnto the full So can hee not haue it in England at this day The time will not suffer it her Maiesty and our state will not beare it and yet notwithstaÌ„ding he worketh by these Antichristian offices very mightely as we see in staying the course of the gospell and the establishing of the kingdome of darknes though not by meanes of anye publick Idolatry yet by the maintenance of ignorance blindnes and by the oppression of the church And in earth not simplie as hee is the second person in trinitie God aboue all blessed for euermore but as he is the sonne manifested in the flesh Christ god and man and so the head of his Church In respect of this regiment of his the worde of God speaketh of his kingdome 2. maner of wayes first it maketh the same to be everlasting secondlie it considereth of it as it is temporarie and to remaine for a tyme. In the former respect it cannot possible any wayes decay Of this aeternall kingdome of his the Angell Gabriell spake vnto the holye Virgine Marie after this sort Luke 1.31.32 Thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall be great shal be called the sonne of the most high the Lord God shal giue vnto him the thron of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be none ende Concerning the latter regarde of his kingdome the holy Apostle Paule writeth in these wordes 1. Cot. 25.24 Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered the kingdome vnto God euen the Father when he hath put down all rule and authority and power for he must raigne vntill he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Where the Apostle speaketh of the kingdome of Christ as it is temporarie and to continue only vnto the day of judgement no longer Nowe this temporarie regiment of his is also of 2. seuerall considerations For the worde speaketh of our sauiour Christ and his gouernmeÌ„t either as he hath all power in heauen and earth coÌ„mitted vnto him Mat. 28.19 Reuel 19.16 17.14 â— 5 and so he is called the Lorde of Lords the king of kings the prince of the kings of the earth because hee is Lorde of all kingdomes and common wealths to dispose and rule them at his pleasure euen as he is man or els it considereth his government as he which is the head ruleth his bodie which is the Churche heere vpon earthe by certaine offices and ministeries which hee hath appointed to be in his bodie to wit the Church for the gathering together of his Saints for the worke of his ministerie and the aedification of his bodie Ephes 4.11 In both these regards he is said in the day of judgement to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For whereas now as he is Lord of kingdomes and coÌ„mon vealthes he ruleth by the ciuill Magistrate otherwayes by his power even in the midest of his enemies he shall in the daye of judgement put an ende vnto this regiment when all his enemies are put vnder his feet and so deliuer the kingdome vnto his Father Again because in the day of judgement when we are all mett together wee shall not stand in neede of anie aedification so the
A TREATISE WHEREIN IS MANIFESTLIE PROVED THAT REFORMATION AND THOSE that sincerely fauor the same are vnjustly charged to be enemies vnto hir Maiestie and the state WRITTEN BOTH FOR THE clearing of those that stande in that cause and the stopping of the sclaunderous mouthes of all the enemies thereof ZEPHANIAH 3.18.19 After a certaine time wil I gather the afflicted that were of thee and them that beare the reproch for it behold at that time will I bruise al that afflict thee and I will saue her that halteth and gather hir that was cast out and I wil get them praise in al the land of their shame At that time wil I bring you again and then wil I gather you for I wil giue you a name and a praise amōg al the people of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. 1590. To all those that sincerelie loue the Lorde Iesus and seeke the 〈◊〉 estate of his kingdoms and namelie in the brethren throughout Englande VVales Ireland IOHN 〈…〉 knowledge 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 with al other 〈…〉 THE Cluds of England beloued in the Lorde to wit Peace and prosperity haue now of a long time to be 〈◊〉 all estates among vs for the most part that in stead of our thankfulnesse vnto God for his great vndeserued blessings they haue caused our land to bring forth most strange effects vnto the dishonour of the Lords name the hinderance of his truth the lykelie ruine of his Church and the generall griefe and discouragement of all his children VVe knowe wel enough what kyndnesse the Lord hath generallie shewed vnto our kingdome at such time as we little deserued the same and what thankfulnesse wee haue repayed him again our practise doth evidentlie testifie It is not yet manie yeares aboue 30. since we were matched yea King Philips mariage and ouermatched with strangers readie daye and night to haue the same crueltie shevved vpon vs whiche that proude and bloodie nation the Spainyard doth now the second tyme purpose to execute But our God deliuered vs from that imminent bondage The blessing is to be remembred especiallie seeing the kindenes was then shewed vnto our state when not onelye the whole kingdome being moste shamefullie fallen from God to the worship of deuils was ouergrowne with the weeds of Idolatrous poperie and superstition but euen those plantes graffed among vs by the diuels owne hande were so highly accounted off that rather thē they should not haue their ful growth in England they were watered with the blood of the saints of God Behold here O England thy deliueraunce from bondage in the day wherein thou didst deserue captitutie and looke for an heauier yoke if thou continuest to be vnthankful But what do I speake of this outward libertie seeing the other freedome of the soule bestowed vpon vs at the same instant doth vtterlie obscure this blessing and make it seeme nothing in comparison The Lord therefore that al the glorie of his kindnes towardes a rebellious nation might indeede be his owne and that he might justly require the fruit of thankfulnesse at our handes together with the government of hir right excellent Majestie brought vnto vs the inestimable treasure of his Gospell which to this day he hath continued contrarie vnto our deserts Howe this gospell was at that time and nowe is receaued among vs it shal be partlie declared afterward Since the enjoying thereof how vnthankfullie soeuer our state hath entertayned the same it is well knowen that in regarde of outwarde peace and prosperitie this land hath bene in our dayes the miracle of al the kingdomes in the earth For the Lord hath from heauen commanded the blessing of outward plentie to be with vs in al that we haue set our handes vnto Deu. 28.11.12 and as for our peace it hath beene such as other nations haue bene glad to borrow the same from vs which also we haue bene able to lend vnto them And although the Lord to testify his wrath against the abuse of his blessings hath somtimes chastened vs with some taste of famine and threatned diuers times to take awaye our peace yet whensoeuer wee haue had but one deare yeare in all our quarters hee fullie recompensed the dearth thereof with the vnexpected abundance and plentie of the next And if you look vnto our enemies that haue risen vp either at home or abroad to disturbe our quietnes they may bee trulie saide to come against vs one waye and to haue fallen before vs seauen So that if within the circuite of heauen you woulde see a kingdome wonderfullie blessed with outward peace and prosperity Englād must be the pattern thereof And I woulde to God that this were the onelie president that England doth afforde vnto vs and our posterities But alas it is far other wise For as the Lords blessings haue bene multiplied vpon vs so hath our vnthankfulnesse augmented it sense out of measure Consider the state of religiō at this day see what a grateful cuntrie Englande hath bene vnto hir God The Lord by the mouthes of his seruantes and by his fore-named blessings hath these 31. yeares besought and earnestly intreated yea wooed as it were al estates among vs to looke vnto their owne soules to day wrile it is called to day and to lay a sure hold vpon him while he may be found by a thorow receiuing of the Gospel together with the ministers thereof and by shewing kindenes vnto his desolate house But what hath England answered Surelie with an impudent fore-head The hath said I wil not come neere the holie one Englands reformation And as for the building of his house I will not so much as lift vp a finger towardes that work nay I wil continue the desolations thereof And if anie man speaketh a worde in the behalfe of this house or bewaileth the miserie of it I wil accounte him an enemye to my state As for the gospel and the ministeries of it I haue already receaued al the Gospels and al the ministeries that I meane to receaue I haue receaued a reading Gospel and a reading ministery a pompous Gospel and a pompous ministery a Gospel and a ministery that strentheneth the hands of the wicked in his iniquity a gospel and a ministery that will stoupe vnto me and bee at my beek either to speake or to be mute when I shal thinke good Briefly I haue receaued a gospel a ministerie that wil neuer trouble my conscience with the sight of my sinns which is al the gospels and al the ministeries that I meane to receaue I wil make a sure hand that the Lords house it I can chuse shal bee no otherwayes aedified than by the handes of suche men as bring vnto me the foresaid gospel and the foresaid ministery Loe heere Englands thankfulnes beloued foral the mercies and kindnes whiche hir God hath vouchsaued vnto hir And tell me in thy conscience whether thou
the kings of the earth because hee is Lorde of all kingdomes and common wealths to dispose and rule them at his pleasure euen as he is man or els it considereth his government as he which is the head ruleth his bodie which is the Churche heere vpon earthe by ceratine offices and ministeries which hee hath appointed to be in his bodie to wit the Church for the gathering together of his Saints for the worke of his ministerie and the aedification of his bodie Ephes 4.12 In both these regards he is said in the day of judgement to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For whereas now as he is Lord of kingdomes and coÌ„mon-vealthes he ruleth by the ciuill Magistrate otherwayes by his power even in the midest of his enemies he shall in the daye of judgement put an ende vnto this regiment when all his enemies are put vnder his feet and so deliuer the kingdome vnto his Father Again because in the day of judgement when we are all mett together wee shall not stand in neede of anie aedification so the meanes thereof by the preaching of the word the administration of the sacramentes c. shall cease the government of Christ also as far as it is performed by these meanes shall cease And so in this respect hee is said to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For after that day hee will no longer governe and rule vs which are the members of his body by meanes as he now doth but he which is the Lamb Looke Reu. 7 1â— 21.22.23 22 â— being in the middest of the throne of God shall immediatlie governe vs by himself and bring vs to the liuelie fountaines of waters Now the kingdome of Christ being taken in this latter sence for that government of the Church ordained vnder the new testament wherby he which is the sonne being manifested in the fleshe to take vpon him the regiment of his owne house doeth nowe from heauen by the operation of his spirite guide and governe his Church is such as no part thereof must be administred by any offices or officers saue onely by those whome in his worde he hath apointed therevnto The which case standeth vpon such manifest grounds of aequitie and iustice that their madnes is apparantlie wicked who go about to attempt the contrarie For seeing no office can haue anie place in the kingdome and bodie of Christ viz. the Church which is not a * Rom. 12.6 1. Cor. 12. â— 14.27.28 member thereof and seeing our Sauiour Christ hath not left his Churche vnperfect but absolute and compleat of all hir members otherwise he should bee an vnperfect builder of his house and far more vnperfecte than Moses is saide to bee Heb. 3.3.6 the contrarie wherof is testified of him in the word the enterprise is intollerable that anie man shoulde adde of his owne invention vnto that which is most perfect wherevnto that which is added being impertineÌ„t must needes be altogether a burthen vnprofitable and noysome vnto the bodie Because our Sauiour who is the head of his bodie giueth lyfe onely vnto the members of his own appointment making insomuch as if you go about to bring into his kingdome bodie those officers which were not ordained and apointed in the word of God to bee therein you bring in these things that appertaine not vnto the kingdome of Christ Nowe according vnto these grounds Archbard â—b doe not belong vnto the kingdome of Christ let vs see vnto what regiment these offices of Archb. and Bb. do belong whether vnto the gouernment of christ or vnto the kingdome of the beast You see if they apertaine vnto the Church of Christ that they wer ordained members thereof in the written worde will of God Heere then we will not be the judges let our aduersaries speake theÌ„ selues whether their offices be apointed in the new testameÌ„t or not for therin must they be mencioned if they belong vnto the kingdome of Christ and are the members of his bodie What wil their answere be in this point Surelie they muste confes that from the beginning of the new testament vnto the latter end of it there is not a word spoken of Ll. Arch b. and Bb. So that whensoeuer or by whomesoeuer they had their originall they haue it not from our Sauiour Christe and his word Because he hath ordained no members of his bodie and no offices of his Kingdome since the written worde of the newe testament was penned Whervpon we must needs conclude that they belong not vnto his kingdome Naye wee go further and say that Ll. Archb. and Bb. are so farre from hauing their callings warranted by the word that their verie names much more their offices are by the same made detestable and odious vnto the church as shall presentlie appeare As for their callings the corruption thereof is so great that they the puritie of the gospell together with the liberty of the church cannot stand together Concerning the puritie of the Gospell their callings pollute the same 2. maner of wayes and infringe the libertie of the church by as many Firste they will bee Ministers and civill magistrates too that is they wil bee ministers of the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of the world all at once Whereby they declare vnto vs that they thinke it not sufficient to bee as their * Mat. 10.24.25 Iohn 18.36 maister was who affirmed his king dome not to be of this worlde that is that he was not manifested in the flesh to intermedle with the execution of civill functions but to be ruler of a kingdome that consisteth in an other manner of gouernment and dominion than the kingdomes of the world doe Whose example in this point all his true ministers muste needes followe vnlesse they will make a shamefull defection from their maister vnto whome being heere vpon earth though he were the lord of all his creatures it had bene vnlawfull to haue taken vpon him the function of the civill magistrate And therefore we reade that when the multitude woulde haue made him king Iohn 6.15 he withdrew himself out of the way because that hee was not sent hyther to deale in anye thing but in the worke of mans redemption and so if as a Magistrate hee had intermedled with the dispensation of civill things be had not contained himself within the limites of that calling wherevnto he was anointed with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes Not that the calling of the Magistrate being Gods ordinanceis a thing vnlawful in it self but that the Lord hath so apointed that hee which is to be the minister of the glad tidinges of the gospell cannot be the minister of ciuill justice and execution By reason that these two ordinances of the magistracie ministerie though proceeding both of them from the Lord do yet flow from him in a diuerse consideration and respecte For the ciuill magistrate is the Lords