fact not the effect of the Apostles so that hee who is ordained and confirmed is the same after that he was before imposition of hands But the Apollonians bragge that they are Christs Embassadors This is an arrogant untruth for they have not obtained the gift of teaching in the Church after that divine and spirituall manner that Christs Legates did of old but by humane gifts and humane calling which according to Gods and Christs generall institution serve the now decayed Church that wants these gifts in which shee excelled under the Apostles You are Gods Embassadors and the Churches Patrons to whom for ever by speciall command the care of the Church under Christ is committed Which not to undertake is hainous impiety and to take it from you is sacriledge and now what I have said to the secular Nobility I also say to you that are Religious Ministers Contemne the boldnesse of Apollonius and his fellows for they are seditious and desire innovation They goe about to raise among themselves the Papall Hierarchy to the overthrow of your Honour they hunt after worldly glory and would have you lose the true honour of Christ All honour is due properly to Gods Word not to you Your Calling should put you in minde of your Ministery and burthen not of command and ruling Which of you will bee so proud with Apollonius as to bragge of an inseparable subjection under Christ so that hee truely heares Christ that heares you Let Apollonius be ashamed to bee so often convicted of falsehood that hee is so infabibly subordinate to Christ as if his authority with Christs were the same Lisien rather to Christ the Lord of the whole Church who by command and examples hath taught you not to seek after the Kingdomes of this world much lesse by the Church Apollonius seeks both to wit dominion in the Church and by the Church over Magistrates and the world too Christ said that Kings and Lords were to beare rule but not you Yet hee hath not driven out of the Church the higher power which is exercised with authority but hath forbid you to meddle with that which God hath granted to Magistrates The Pope hath so corrupted this command of Christ that by wresting of it hee first stript Princes of their authority in the Church and then from their temporall Dominions and so procured to himself the dominion of the Church then of the whole World This is it which Apollonius borrows of him Hee debarres Princes from having any authority in the Church from which Christ never debarred them On the contrary hee affects dominion and power over the Church and State which Christ never gave him but plainly forbid him Bee not therefore followers of Apollonius and his Disciples Christ and his Apostles were indued with supreme authority and what the Magistrate doth now by the Sword that could they doe by words and threatning that is to say kill and punish corporally They had power and aptitude to command all in the Church but not to obey notwithstanding they so ruled the Church that they both governed and were governed they taught and were taught they ordered and were ordered they sent and were sent Finally there was none of these things they did much affect for which these proud and contentious spirits strive as it were for Religion it selfe Stephanas and her family served the Church with their goods these were but vulgar people and as they called them Laicks yet Paul wills the whole Church which excelled in so many spirituall gifts to bee subject to them and such as they were for that work How farre was that government from this of Apollonius on whom the Christian Magistrate had beaped all sorts of benefits yet teacheth that hee must not bee subject to them but they to him that hee must not honour but contemne them â—ar 1. p. 30.31 for bee accounts him wicked and a Simonaick out of his Calderwood that shall adscribe any power over the Church to any man for his bounty and charges on the Church Which is a manifest blasphemy both against the Apostle and the Magistrate which neverthelesse these Walachrians esteem as a fine and choise sentence But they say that Christs Kingdome is not of this World Luk. 17.21 I grant it if they mean his internall Kingdome which Christ saith is within us But for externall things which serve for the building up of that Kingdome Christ never taught they were not of this world and surely hee had done that which was far from the nature of his Kingdome when making a whip of coards hee vindicated the purity of Divine worship Yea that Counsell which is given to Kings and Princes of the New Testament to Kisse the Sonne had been in vain but that I may not use my own words longer In comment Deut. 13.5 Let Calvin speak who thus writes God can be without the help of the Sword for the defence of Religion hee wills it not but what wonder is it if God commands the Magistrate to bee the revenger of his glory who will not have thefts whoredomes drunkennesse exempted from punishment nor suffer them In lesser faults it shall not bee lawfull for the Judge to cease when the worship of God is overthrown and all Religion shall so great a sin be cherished by connivence c Besides what can bee more prodigeous but it s in vain to contend by reasoning when God hath once pronounced what hee will have done Wee must necessarily yeeld to his inviolable decree Yet it is questioned whether or not this Law belongs to Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and farre different from earthly Empires And indeed there be some otherwise good men who think that our condition under the Gospel is not like that of the ancients under the Law Not onely because the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but also because Christ would not have his Church in the beginning to bee established by the Sword but whilst Kings in promoting of Christs Kingdome doe consecrate their owne work I deny that therefore the nature of it is changed And although maugre all worldly power Christ would have his Gospell to be proclaimed by his Disciples whem hee exposed as sheepe among Wolves having no other Armour but his Word yet hee did not tye himselfe to an eternall Law but that hee might force even Kings to his obedience and tame their violence and of bloody persecutors make them Patrons and Guardians of his Church In the beginning Magistrates exercised their tyranny against the Church because the time was not yet come that they should Kisse the Sonne and laying aside their violence should become Nursing Fathers to that same Church which they persecutediaccording to Isaiahs Prophesie which doubtlesse hath reference to Christs comâ—ing Nor is it to no purpose that Paul bids us pray for Kings and all that bee in authority hee gives a cause to wit That under them wee may live quietly in all godlinesse and honesty As
speake truth knowes that hee obtained this speciall right of Sanctity by the like mysterie of Vocation and that hee hath no other wayes almost bestowed it upon others I know that somtimes things are carried more conscionably and that the abuse of a thing takes not still away the use thereof yet this I dare say that because at this day are wanting men divinely inspired to call and because the bestowing of spirituall gifts is separate at this day from Imposition of hands though it be done by Christs command and for a spirituall end yet in respect of the manner modern vocation is meerly humane because the whole manner is fallible humane and oftentimes corrupted whence the effects must be also humane and oftentimes most vitious so that we have instead of Apollo Apollonius a Sophister for a Prophet a Sycophant for a Bishop But because this vocation is with Apollonius the chiefe Originall of moderne Church-spiritualitie least we should believe there is more in the effect then in the adequate cause I conclude that the power of excercising Church-affaires at this day is not of divine but of humane right and therefore Apollonius playes the Impostor who prates so at random of the sanctity of his Church-affaires and of the speciall spirituall right of exercising them he is not unlike to them that falsifie coyne who wash brasse leaden or iron pieces with a little silver or gold to impoverish others and inrich themselves I confesse that this is the old Popish garlick sticking close to many but he who will looke over the writings of all Divines as hee brags hee hath done may perceive that the most quick-sighted Reformers have found out long since that whatsoever is so highly talked of the speciall right of sanctity is nothing else but the secondine of the Romish mother and the pollution adhering to her sons since their nativity there is none more stubborne then the Stilt-walker who above all others delights in the polluted blood of that Romish Whore and sips up againe her excrements not being content with common Elogies he prides himselfe so much in the right of this priviledge that he affirmeth every where that the Ecclesiastick power is a kind of Majesty and hath in it some thing that is Regall I confesse that the name of Christians puts us in mind of our Kingly Office which as the Catechist saith consisteth in this that we strive against sin and subdue the lusts of the flesh and this is common to all Christians but the Stilt-walker not content with this Priviledge of a Ministeriall right of vocation he makes a right of commanding and raigning in the Church and that speciall censoriall and nomotheticall so that many times he calls this power under Christ imperiall selfe-sufficient absolute and regall I confesse they are but trifles which he spreads every where yet least he should seeme to be neglected because he is not laughed at it will not bee unpleasing to rub his eares a little Par. 1. p. 8. 25 c. Mat. 13. c. He is wonderfully pleased that Christ calls the Church his Kingdome which is not of this world but heavenly and the Kingdome of heaven whence he concludes that the visible Church is a Kingdome and that the Government thereof is like that of a Kingdome and because the power of this Government is in the Church-Rulers that therefore their power is in a manner Kingly such are the Popish enthymemes concerning a spirituall and Ecclesiastick Kingdome I answer here is a fallacy in the ambiguity of the word when they meane every where by the Church the visible Church for when Christ saith that his Kingdome is not of this world but heavenly he meanes the Catholike Church the greatest part whereof is in heaven and there raignes with Christ But because for the accomplishing of this Kingdome the visible Church here on earth is appointed and her Ministery therefore Christ transfers the name of the Kingdome of heaven to the affaires of the visible Church not as if he meant that the visible Church or her Ministery should be held for a Kingdome or for the Kingdome of heaven but by a knowne Metonymie he transfers the name of the effect and end to the efficient which leads to that end no other wayes then we use to say that a man labours for food and rayment whereas he workes for money not as if money were food and rayment but because by it these things are procured he deserves to be laughed at who in silver seeketh properly for food and rayment because figuratively it is called food and rayment as ridiculous are the Papists when they seeke in the visible Church a regall and celestiall Power and dominion because it is called the Kingdome of heaven for no other reason but because it is the medium by which we attain to that blessed Kingdome in heaven This is the old Papists Logick to seek for literall conclusions out of figurative speeches which art almost every where the Walachrian Bapist borrowes from them and chiefly in this Argument for because Christ calls the visible Church and its Government a Kingdome and of heaven figuratively he concludes that the Church-Rulers have a regall power and that they are really and simply heavenly Kings although I suspect that he wrote this and many other things but in jest yet I will drive out this joculary naile with another naile that any one may see the absurdity If the visible Church be the Kingdome of heaven truly and simply as Apollonius saith then I will infer that of necessity the Church of Midleburg is also literally the Kingdome of heaven which if so then I will conclude with another consequence that that Church is literally heaven for England and France are the Kingdomes of England and France Hence further I conclude that as often as the visible Church meeteth in the temple of Middleburg there heaven is literally and by another consequence as often as the Stilt-walker preacheth in that Church he preacheth in heaven then it must follow that while he is there with his Hearers he is not properly on the earth except he will mingle heaven and earth together And againe it will follow that because he is a Ruler in that Church and hath the power of censuring he is not only a King but the King of heaven too as Rhadamanthus is of hell How blessed then is Apollonius who if he doth not reigne in the earthly Consistory of Middleburg yet he is King of Middleburgian heaven Are not then the Magistrates of Middleburg stupid who yet doubt whether the Stilt-walker be worthy of the earthly Kingdome of his Consistory whom long ago they see to be King of heaven That he may reconcile these absurdities he will be forced to confesse that this word of the Kingdome of heaven is figuratively and improperly attributed to the visible Church But if Apollonius may with Papists expound figurative words literally there will be nothing certain in Divinity but Christians
to sense then certainly the Stilt-walker the Metropolitan of the Walachrian Church should be very heavenly whom yet by these his patched peeces wee see to bee very earthly so that the leprosie of the earth sticks not only close to him but is also very familiar to most Kings of this heaven that if that heavenly Kingdome were not contained within compasse by the civill earthly Kingdome those Heavenly Kings would quickly destroy one another so that I may truly say that the earthly Kingdome sustaines that heavenly Kingdome or else it would fall to the ground Another fraud of his is in the other place where Christ saith my Kingdome is not of this world Christ was asked by Pilate if he were a King he confesseth that hee was a King but not of this world that iâ— hee would not exercise his Kingdome in this world hee addes a reason if my Kingdome were such my souldiers would fight for mee whence it appeares that Christ spoke plainly because hee said that he had such a Kingdome which hee did not exercise upon the earth as openly and properly hee did not but in Heaven when hee sat down at Gods right hand The Stilt-walker thinks that by this Kingdome of Christ is to be understood the government of the visible Church which if true then Christ had answered Pilate intricately and captiously because so taking it Christs Kingdom had been properly in the world and a part of the world yea in this Kingdome hee had his souldiers and in processe of time he got more for Kings and Emperours were made the defenders of this Kingdome and Church of Christ although then I should yeeld that in some respect the title of Christs Kingdome and of Heaven belong to the visible Church yet it were absurd in this place so to take it whereas it is here absolutely denied that this Kingdome is of this world but the visible Church chiefely that which the Walachrian deviseth is in the world and of the world and is too full of worldly corruptions And there is no lesse fraud in corrupting that place of Paul which hee preposterously cites with the Pontificians no man warring to God doth intangle himselfe with secular cares the words properly sound thus no man that warreth intangles himselfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please his Generall in which words the Apostle compares to souldiers the Preachers of the Word and also what hee saith that Elders who labour in the Word which consecrate themselves to the Ministery of the Word ought not to intangle themselves in the affaires of this life to wit in merchandizing husbandry and such like so that they intangle themselves and bee so carried away with the businesse and sweetnesse of them as with Demas to forsake their station for the love of this present world This is the plaine sense of that place in Paul how perversly it is corrupted I will now shew out of this place hee concludes that it is altogether unlawfull and unseemly for a Minister of the Word to care for the affaires of this world or any way to meddle with them which not only is repugnant to Scripture but is also a meer Popish fiction Paul indeed would not have preachers intangle themselves that is altogether involve themselves in secular businesse but not to touch them at all or totally to forbeare them hee commands no where Yet the practise of Christ and of his Apostles shew the contrary for I will ask whether fishing be a secular work of this life I think no man will deny it but the Apostles for the three yeares together that they were Christs disciples did still exercise their fishing yea they went to fishing after Christs Resurrection and who knowes whether they did not fish after the Holy Ghost was sent truly Paul himselfe after hee had long exercised his Apostleship at Corinth whilst hee was a preacher with Aquila hee exercised his mechanicall trade of making tents If Paul understood his law as this Walachrian wrests it then hee was a manifest breaker of his own law therefore it is a Popish fiction which this new Papist hath borrowed from the old ones when hee interprets these words so as if it were altogether unlawfull for preachers to meddle with secular businesse this error in length of time hath made Preachers idle and dainty yea it occasioned Antichrist for rich Christians considering with themselves that the taske of preaching was a difficult businesse and required a whole man by degrees they furnished them with so many things out of their own estates that they would have them bee altogether free from the care of things necessary belonging to their food or lively-hood For which end they built Monastries and cloystures and endowed them with great revenues in which the preaching Monkes might live plesantly and commodiously being free from all cares that so they might the more freely give themselves to their studies This institution at first though worldly yet was not evill but in processe of time covetousnesse possessed the minds of the Clergy that like spirituall harpyes they still affected and craved for more untill their covetousnesse grew to that height that the Pope alone became richer then all the Kings of the earth from which vice at last proceeded pride then lasinesse and neglect of theologicall studies and lastly all kinde of luxurie so that these Monasteries became brothell-houses and swine-styes of Sodomites all which sprung up out of the mis-understanding of that place which now the Stilt-walker goeth about to wrest against the Magistrate for because he thinks hee can by these delude ignorant people by perswading them that it is unlawfull and unseemly for preachers to meddle with secular affaires hence hee concludes as in a round that therefore it is unlawful for secular men to handle Church-matters for hee faines them to bee hogges only addicted to worldly things and of this life in which they are still intangled thus not only doth he injure godly Magistrates but impudently patroniseth his Ecclesiasticks for as it is known that many godly Magistrates have been very moderate both in mannaging of secular affaires and also matters belonging to Religion very zealous so experience teacheth that not a few preachers having neglected and contemned their duty in preaching have been so intangled with worldly businesse that as at this day it must not offend Christian eares if some preachers having broke their estates with Merchandizing and taking up money upon use have cheared godly Christians by turning bankerupts which shewes that this Walachrian is an impudent vermine who under pretence of avoiding secular affaires puts so great a difference between Civill Magistrates and Church-Men seeing he is convicted by these Walachrian examples and his own conscience that there is nothing which busie Church-men more affect then the affaires of this world Like to this is another which he is alwayes prating of The civill Power is Monarchicall the Ecclesiasticall should be alwayes Aristocratical ergo Civâ—â—
of people which being unfit for other imployment are of meane spirits and fit onely to consume victualls so the Poet describes the lazie Shepheard Tyterus stretching himselfe along in the shade and singing love-songs of his fair Amaryllis This pastorall sport Pope Hellebrand that spirituall Shepheard shewed when expecting that Honry the fourth Emperour should come to Canossa in an humble way he betooke himselfe to the tower of Mathildis that in the meane while he might delight himselfe with his Amaryllis Yet I do not think this Walachrian Shepheard will be proud of these pastorall vertues so that I doubt whether he will have applied to himselfe all that is commonly found in Shepheards So I will say of sheep Christs spirituall sheep differ much from our ordinary ones for these are bruitish foure-footed beasts wooll-bearers which can neither reason nor speake but onely bleat But although Lay-men among Papists are of little better account with their spirituall Church-men yet this I will say for Christs holy sheep that they differ much from bruit beasts not onely because his sheep are reasonable creatures but also that a sheep in Christs flock may become a Shepheard and a Shepheard a sheep which change were miraculous in other sheep but in Christs flock it is no rare thing for if to feed be to teach and rule as Papists say we shall finde that among the Apostles this was usuall that he who taught to day was taught to morrow for Apollos taught Aquila and Priscilla as a Pastor doth sheep but Aquila and Priscilla taking him apart did instruct him more particularly and of sheep became Shepheards but the Shepheard himselfe became a sheep Neither will the Stilt-walker deny but they oftentimes sit among sheep and disciples who are such proficients in their studies that they become Teachers and of sheep Shepheards I know this transformation is not liked by Papists because they will be alwayes Shepheards but never sheep Yet this is true in Christs spirituall flock that such a change oftentimes there is whence appeares the foolishnesse of Papists who from a metaphoricall title of Pastor conclude that they may do to Christs reasonable sheep what our common Shepheards do to their bruitish flocks Similitudes must never be drawne further then his meaning that useth them except we will go beyond the compasse The name of Pastor in Scripture is given to Kings to shew their moderation it is also given to Church-Rulers but with great restriction and prohibition to reigne Let Kings beare rule Mat. 20. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 5. saith Christ to his Apostles it shall not be so with you So Peter forbids Pastors to domineere but Papists are carried with a contrary spirit who from this title draw their authority over the Church For their Pastorall rod at this day is very imperious powerfull and regall and it hath two keyes fastned to it the one is preaching the other is jurisdiction or censuring which old and new Papists use as a sword to strike and push with but in a different way For the Pope being Antichrist and an old Sheep-stealer in Christs flocke cares no more for the preaching top of the Shepheard staffe for though in Scripture to feed be to preach and teach yet in the Popes and Jesuites exposition to feed is to be filent as a dumb dog For if any man be stout in preaching the truth he is oftentimes chosen to be of the Popes Conclave that his mouth may be stopped so that out of the Popes Court to feed is to teach but within his Court or Conclave to fied is not to teach but to be silent Bellarmine to wash of this blot saith it is not convenient that the Pope should teach by himselfe it sufficeth us if he teach by others whom he sends abroad as Paul did Timethy and Titus whom he left in Creet that he might from towne to towne ordaine Preachers This subterfuge of the Jesuit is pleasant but saine because Paul and the Apostles did not onely preach by others but chiefly by themselves the Pope never preacheth himselfe but by others however the matter be this is certain that the Pope contents himselfe with the sole judiciall top of his Pastorall staffe for although he doth not abase himselfe to preach yet in this he abundantly satisfieth his Pastorall Office in that he rules the whole Church of Christ by prescribing Lawes hearing of Princes Embassadours dividing Kingdomes and Crownes bestowing Lands out of the plenitude of his power waging warres for Peters Patrimony as Julius did excommunicating Kings and Princes as disobedient sheep and compelling them to come as supplicants to him and by setting all the Christian world together by the eares or if he be of a more moderate disposition then by erecting of obelisks building of Castles adorning of Theaters and Stages making of sumptuous feasts delighting himselfe with his Ganymedes and many things els by which he is thought to have abundantly satisfied his Pastorall charge so that Christians may easily see that this Romane Pastor is not onely a hireling but a thief also and a robber The Walachrian Popish Dwarf useth as yet both the tops of his Pastorall rod and because the judiciall is too weake to subdue and knock downe all as he pleaseth he prefers the preaching top as yet that if he dreame at home of any thing which may advance his Hierarchie this presently hee perswades the unwarie people by his declamations or if the Magistrates like rams push with their hornes and take upon them to reprove their Pastors more boldly then becomes brutish sheep to doe then out of the Pulpit openly he accuseth them of Atheisme and indirectly stirs up against them all the sheep that is the people that seldome doth he lay aside this top of his Shepheards crock except he grow hoarse and speechlesse Yet it is thought he takes not so much delight in his preaching rod but that with the great Pope he could be content to lay it downe if he could light upon a good Bishoprick in England or a Superintendency elsewhere that so hee might be silent by himselfe but preach by others The other top to wit judiciall is surely very sacred to him so that there is nothing more Pastorall with him then to have power of inspection into all matters to be present at all mens tables and affaires to intrap the honors and estates of all lastly to meddle with every worldly thing with his Pastorall crooke to rule all and be ruled by none in which hee doth finely imitate the Popes Pastorship but falls quite off from that of the Apostles and of Peter himselfe who prescribes to Pastors rule without command 1 Pet. 5. but this man requires command without rule which may end either in Papall tyranny or into a seditious Anarchy that each Pastor may doe what he please Againe this VValachrian Pope earnestly desires that to him as being a Pastor may be given authority and command without subjection but Peter on the contrary
Parker But he is there faulty â—n that he vapours such great matters of his modern Câ—â—rch gâ—vernemt which he knows to be so corrupted that it may he turly said what the Prophet saith of the worship in his 〈…〉 and thy Wins is mixed with mitter if Apolleniâ—â— should be 〈◊〉 to a feast where looking to drink Theologicall 〈…〉 should receive from his Hoast wine mixed with much water or pisse would he not complaine of wrong done him and of his cheasing Hoast who thrust upon him such stoffe for good 〈◊〉 after the same 〈◊〉 doth this Night-bird cheat Christians 〈…〉 of this corrupted Church government with that 〈◊〉 the Apostâ—es for his preaching is fallible yea in many things â—ugaâ—orie lying and blasphemous the use of the Sacraments cheifly of the Supper is vendible and serviceable to humane affections oftentimes he 〈◊〉 them to the impure and denies them to the worthie his preaching key is rustie and most unfit to open or 〈…〉 heaven against them to whom God faith in is open and openeth it to them against whom God saith it is sâ—â—t 〈…〉 Key such is he affects is nothing but an incroaching indirectly upon mens fame and estares and the corturer of the conscience in simple and superstitious men as for his legislative power it is nothing else but a spring of novelties childish scruples and feminary of strife or law sutes so that what one approves the other reproves what is ratified to day is abrogated to morrow and so one sute begets another alwayes For because these Walachrian whirlewinds have no certaine starres to direct them or rules of equity and justice which they may follow in working but doe all things at their pleasure so that he shall carry it who with fraud clamours and pertinacie drawes most votes to him hence it falls out very seldome as we see also among Papists that truth and equity prevailes amongst them but rather opinion which depending on the whirligig of mens dispositions and perverse affections with which they boile it s no wonder as experience sheweth if out of this legislative dependencie nothing proceed but what is prejudiciall to the Churches peace directly to the Civill indirectly Lastly their vocation as it is at this day is not only humane but also if the Walachrian be considered as the Stilt-walker useth it it is Simonaicall and defiled with much fraud and perversenesse and to speak freely the Stilt-walker hath no reason to upbraid Magistrates with the carnality of their meanes because he is forced to confeesse that there is no lesse carnality in his Ecclesiastick meanes and indeed in the end and intention of spirituality it yeelds to the Civill which though they use corporall meanes yet there is found in them such as directly tends to Gods worship and mans salvation In the Stilt-walker and such like vermine there is never any direct intent to Gods worship or mans salvation but properly to maintenance worldly honour and a fulfilling of their humours in such as obey or disobey them He scrapes together many things out of certaine circumstances which befell not to the Ecclesiastick but to the Civill power of which if these things be true that he saith he may constitute as formal a difference between the Ecclesiastical and Civill power as he can make between a Crow and a Swan out of their blacknesse and whitenesse yea between one Hen and another for an accident can make no essentiall difference especially such a one as may be common to both subjects The Civil power saith he may be in a child womâ—â— or wicked man it may bee also hereditary all which cannot befall the Ecclesiastick power hence he concludes that there is a formall difference between both these powers I answer if thence a formall or genericall difference should arise then doubtlesse the Kingdomes of France and England should differ formally because there only men here women also reign so these two Kingdomes should generically differ from the Kingdome of Poland because this is elective and not hereditary but those are successive this fiction should have some shew if hee spoke of such accidents as are not to bee found in Ecclesiastick power but most of them are found in Ecclesiasticks those great Ecclesiastick Levits from whom he is still borrowing his sanctity were they not born Levits and being children they had right to this sanctity Samuel the children of the Prophets Jeremie Christ John and Timothy were not hindred from the Church-service because they were children or as yet very young being furnished with gifts for that service it is not the infancy of yeares but of knowledge and piety that debars men from Church-functions in which how much Apollonius is defective this his unsavoury writing shewes who being now many years a Church-man yet is indeed but an old boy who hath not lived long Seneca but hath been long By the Prophetesses Anna Mary and others it appears that God hath not altogether debarred women from Church-affairs as this trifler perswades but when hee saith that Gentiles and wicked men could perform civill offices well hee saith nothing for in the end of the world many shall say have wee not prophesied in thy name and yet Christ will say to them I know you not Apollonius knowes that there are many preachers who are impious and hypocrites whom notwithstanding hee keeps not off from Ecclesiastick functions why then should Magistrates be kept off he hath much more such stuffe which I passe by as being of no validity His chiefe and most beautifull argument which hee often delights in is this Ecclesiastick power and government is heavenly because it is called the Kingdome of Heaven it is not of this world Mat. 13. Joh. 18.13 2 Tim. 24. â—or Christ saith my Kingdome is not of this world lastly no man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affairs of this life hence hee concludes that the civill government is altogether distant from Ecclesiasticall because that is earthly and of this world and they who serve the common-wealth intangle them selves with the affairs of this life yea as wee saw before like hogges they should wallow in them alone I answered before somewhat by the way to this fiction now I will more narrowly look into it for both the members of the antecedent is false and fallacious First I deny that visible Churches are the Kingdome of Heaven for then the Church of Middleburg should be Heaven indeed which is False as may appeare by this marke in that Christ saith men doe not marry nor give in marriage in that Kingdome but in that Apollonian heaven of Middleburg there are marriages daily I confesse that in the visible Church men are instructed and taught concerning the Kingdome of heaven that at length they may obtain it which businesse metonymically is called the Kingdome of Heaven but to conclude thence that the visible Church is properly the Kingdome of Heaven or that the things thereof are heavenly is two childish and repugnant
led by the Genius of that wicked Destroyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath offered violence to the Ghost of our Vedelius not without indangering the peace both of Church and State for not onely doth he rage against Vedelius but also against all Christian Magistrates in a large Booke and that so lavishly that he seemes to challenge to himselfe alone not onely the Dictatorship of ruling but of railing too he doth in generall speak evill of Magistrates but as it is thought tacitly flings all his darts against the Magistrates of Midleburgh but hee hath so cunningly contrived the matter as if hee had first casually found out the Errors and blasphemies of Vedelius which afterward bee presented to the Consistory of Midleburgh and then to the Classes of Walachria by whose intreaty hee undertook this taske forsooth unwillingly Hee hath adorned his work with a specious title to wit The Right of Magistrates in holy things as if hee were about to fight for the honour of Magistrates whereas he upbraides them every where inâ—uricusly with carnall violence with nullity and servility in Church-affaires So that oftentimes hee makes secular powers guilty of sacriledge and of trampling upon the blood of Christ if they offer to meddle with Ecclesiastick affaires besides what hee hath prescribed Now least this Walachrian should without controle write what hee pleaseth Philarchiae pruriginem against our famous Vedelius and all godly Magistrates I thought good to scratch with my pen his itching desire of ruling It is the part of your Highnesse to suppresse by your Authority this scab that it may not spread too farre I confesse I have in some places pulled him by the eares somewhat roughly but yet more modestly then hee deserved being no wayes desirous to wrestle with the shaddow of learning but as they are wont to doe who have the keeping of Lions they beat a Dogge that the Lion may be afraid so I thought good to beat this curre that I might keep the Lions whelps within their dens or grates Who would roare aloud other wayes but now whisper onely in corners As sure as the Sun shines this Walachrian device is borrowed from Popery and Printed to this intent that in Walachria or at least in Midleburgh Apollonius alone with a few Classick Elders and assistants might rule the rost I speak not heare out of partiality for this VVilliam Apollonius is not known to mee either by benefits or injuries let every man beleeve or not beleeve as hee pleaseth my purpose is no other then to make the device of this Apollonian Church sanctity absurd and ridiculous for it is not onely as like Popery as a Doves egge is like a Hens egg but also it intendeth the same end so that what the Pope doth openly and directly in challenging power over all secular Princes this man by an indirect way and cunning circuition doth obtain over his Magistrates and would make tryall of it if occasion served the truth of both which if I should in a short abridgement set down I hope it shal not trouble you to run over though perhaps your more serious imployments may deny you leasure to read the rest That old leven of Popery concerning the wonderfull sanctity and spirituality of the externall Ministery of the visible Church hath been trampled upon by all Orthodox men This the Pope the fatall enemy of Christ and the very Antichrist hath so dressed and polished that hee hath perswaded the world to beleeve that all Clergie-imployment is sacred and spirituall and that the Clergie themselves are all spirituall and holy Whence men were possessed with a superstitious conceit that it was neither lawfull nor possible for Lay-men to intermeddle with Ecclesâ—astick affaires that this charge belonged by divine and inviolable right to the Clergie or spirituall men onely That this was the fruite or effect of their Vocation and confirmation which imprints a spirituall and indelible character upon the soule and body of Clergie men by the priviledge of which they are preferred in holinesse to all other Christians as being but Lay-men That this game was borrowed from the ceremonies of the Jewish Synagogue and Gentilisme is apparent even to Papists themselves if they are not blinde but whosoever are conversant among the Romish Clergie will finde that this spirituall character is of such efficacy that for it a certaine honour of holinesse is ascribed not onely to the persons themselves though never so loud but even to their vestments and I doubt mee to their very excrements Ordination Which priviledge because it ariseth from their Calling and Confirmation hence it is that from the first originall of Antichristianisme sharpe disputations have been had concerning the right of Vocation and its dignity so that every one studyed how to snatch from each other the right and prerogative of conferring this sanctity This is most clearely seen in the election and calling of the Popes For not without divine appointment did the Pope preferre himselfe to all Monarchs by this pretext of spirituality Hence arose the fatall pride * Typhus of that seat and Bishop in preferring himselfe and his chaire in holinesse before all others and chiefly in substracting from the Civill Magistrate and arrogating to himselfe the right of his Vocation as it were by an uncontrouled and divine priviledge This arrogancy was foreseen by those excellent Emperours Justinian Mauritius Lodovicus Pius the Otho's See Plati a in the lives of the Popes and chiefly by Henry the third who curbed it by divers Laws and Penalties reserving to themselves the right of election of Popes untill Pope Hildebrand thrust Henry the fourth from this right asserting it to the Church as her sacred property and so having undergone this * Apotelesma perfect work of Antichrist and willing to shew his universall dominion he compelled this Emperour to come in an humble manner to him being then at Carnossa through ice and snow these are Platina's owne words The superstitious perswasion then of spirituality wherewith men were seasoned was the first rise of Antichristian pride In vita Greg. 7 from this proceeded afterward the separation of Church-men from other Christians as Laicks which exempted them at first from the power and command of the Civill Magistrate in Ecclesiasticall businesse Hence proceeded Ecclesiastick Courts of Justice which being one Empire within another and a Kingdome within a Kingdome it could not bee avoyded but that these two powers and jurisdictions must needs dash one against the other to wit the Ecclesiastick and Civill and this fell out many times with such eager contention that the Christian world trembled at it but by Antichrists fatall obstinacy the Ecclesiastick Government in this strugling obtained the Victory That now the Pope being advanced by his two swords and three Crownes he sleights the Scepters of all Emperours and Kings This is the type of Popery to which as an antitype answers Apollonius his Walachrian government for with
the prescript of Christs lawes But most specially the word Church signifieth the Congregation of all that have been or shall be saved from the beginning to the end of the world which is the heavenly Jerusalem that Iohn saw Rev. 21. to which appertain many Jewes and innumerable Gentiles Concerning this Church so did many Fathers write Austine thus De Catechud de C. 20. The Citizens of heavenly Ierusalem are all sanctified men who have been are or shall be The forme of this Church consisteth in a true union with Christ by Faith being spirituall mysticall and indissoluble which the holy Ghost expresseth divers wayes chiefly when he calls her Christs mysticall body of which he is the head and every true beelever a member and as it were flesh of his flesh Oftentimes also this Church is called The Spouse and Wife of Christ to signifie the true and inseparable conjunction and most fervent love of Christ to those that truly beleeve To this last Church properly belong these famous Encomiums that she is One Catholick Holy Spirituall Clean without spot or wrinkle that she is not of this world but heavenly that Christ for her hath shed his blood and prayed for her not for the world that she cannot erre or fall away because the gates of hell cannot prevail against her The ancient Papists and Jesuites that they might advance the dignity of the Romish Church among ignorant people Bell. de Eccles Milit. l. 3. c. 21. use to confound these acceptions acknowledging no other Church but the externall and visible the form of which they place in outward profession and government but specially in this That they are united in government under one head the Bishop of Rome which indeed is a meere fiction or Chymera long since exploded by Divines Nor is it to no purpose that the Popes creatures have found out this device fet by this trick they draw men superstitiously to admire and honour their Church in that they cry out every where that she is the Body Spouse House and Kingdome of Christ which cannot faile or erre out of which there is no salvation and infinite such passages which are true onely of the Invisible Catholick and true Church but not of any externall and visible nay not of all the visible together if it were possible they could be all united For outward and visible Churches do no lesse many times differ from the true and invisible then a Swines-stigh doth from a pure Flocke of Sheep or a chaste Spouse from an impudent Whore For all times have taught us that the externall Congregations of men worshipping God under the old and new Testament are subject to many vices and errours which was not only manifest in the Churches of Corinth Rev. 2. c. 2. of the Galatians in the Apostles time but also in those Asiatick Churches to whom Iohn in the Revelation writes who were not then only ballasted with vice and errours but also shortly after fell away totally The small Congregation of the Apostles gathered by Christ was not so pure but had one amongst them who at last was known to be a Divell the child of perdition Truly if externall and visible Churches either each one or all be the Body and Spouse of Christ will not they bestow on Christ a very impure and deformed Spouse which is burdened with so many rotten members of the Divell Bellarmine that he might avoyd this absurdity feignes that those wicked men are not properly true members of the Church but are to be esteemed as nailes and haires I wonder he doth not tell us of lice also running among the haires of Christs Spouse Indeed the Jesuits Fables concerning the Church and Spouse of Christ are improper when they give her such an ugly head of haire intangled and made up of wicked men and sonnes of hell much like the disease among the Polonians called Plica For if the wicked be the haires of Christs Spouse it must follow that the haires of Christs Spouse must be burned with everlasting fire which indeed were monstrous and abominable that Christs Spouse should have a head like Mednsa's whose hairs were infolded with snakes for it is plain that in the visible Church oftentimes are found not onely Lay-men but Clergy-men also that are the very generation of Vipers if all these are in the Church of Christ as haires the Spouse of Christ should not be pure and faire but deformed and laden with an ugly head of haire consisting of the sonnes of Satan Other Jesuits say that these wicked men are in the Church Body and Spouse of Christ not as members and parts but as corrupted humours and imposthumes but the same absurditie will arise For this is known that visible Churches for the most part doe consist of hypocrites and wicked men but how absurd is this that Christ should have such a Body such a Spouse which continually hath putrid soares running which hath every day filthy imposthumes growing and sordid ulcers still increasing which will hardly be healed up into a skarre I confesse that sometimes the title of Holinesse and other notable Elogies are given to the externall congregations of Christians but this is spoken either improperly or because of Gods worship exercised among them or else out of the judgement of charity because of the elect and true beleevers found in these Congregations So we call that a â—eap of corn where some good corn is found though the most part be chaffe tares and filth But hee who will bragge that there is as much purity and worth in such a heap as in a heap of clean corn purged from chaffe and filth is an Impostor and deserveth to be laughed at This is the first faliacy which the Jesuits admit in the word Church that they might draw men into a superstitious reverence of the visible Romish Church This new Popish Walachran with his fellowes harp altogether upon the same string that they may induce men to admire their visible Church he distinguisheth indeed exactly between the Church visible and invisible and he shewes in many pages that those notable priviledges doe properly and onely belong to the invisible not to the visible Church But this he seems to have done cunningly to deceive the English as if he dissented from the Papists whereas he is indeed every where the Popes Champion fighting with his weapons for he transferres all the praises and priviledges of the invisible Church upon the visible for through all his hodge-podge against Vedelius he speaks of the right government in the visible Church of the power and offices of the visible Church as publick preaching and praying administration of the Sacraments calling to the Ministery censure and publick excommunication the giving of lawes and finally the whole furniture of the outward Ministery which every one knowes to be the externall and visible businesse of the visible Church yet he every where commends this Church calling her the House Body and Spouse of
Popes school he trumpets out every where the power of the Apostolicall Keyes with so great pride of Jurisdiction and of commanding power that the Popes Keyes and those of Apolonius seem to bee made by the same Vulcan which want nothing but a little better polishing which in time will be done For who ever will turne over the Papists writings and these of Apolonius shall see that whatsoever the Pope proudly bragges of concerning his Hierarchy in the right of Peters succession the same doth Apolonius and the new Walachrian Papists proudly challenge in right of Apostolicall succession Nor do I deny but this hath been too common among divers reformed teachers to be somewhat superstitiously affected with this right of the Keyes and of Excommunication which is not to be wondred at seeing some of the Reformers had been bred in the Romish Church whose Botchers shop was filled with such old trash of Jurisdiction it could scarce be otherwise but that the most part being born there must smell of that mother But afterwards some others treading in their foot-steps and prouder then the former did too much advance this Ecclesiastick power of the Keyes So that we must confesse it hath fallen out with many Reformers as it doth with those who goe about to purge out the Garlick which they have eate who though they doe what they can to purge and remove it yet they cease not to smell more or lesse of it This may bee seen in many chiefly in our Walachrian Stilt-walker who above all others delighting in the menstruous blood of his Romish mother and smelling so rank of it boasts so proudly every where of the power of the Keyes that you shall scarce find his equall whose fooleries that I may now refell this I say That there is nothing more certaine then that Christ in promising the Keyes to Peter and the Apostles did conferre on them no vulgar thing but what was both new rare and excellent and by which he would exalt them above humane reach as it were when he gave them this power of heavens Keyes Whence it is not likely that by these is meant so small and easie a matter as the Church at this day exerciseth For what great or rare matter is this if a Church-Ruler or Preacher say at this day the Kingdome of Heaven is open to thee if thou beleeve if thou beleevest not it is shut against thee Not onely was this the ancient preaching but almost every ordinary man in the Church can say so Yea whoever reads the Scripture or heares but a childe reading them hee exerciseth this judgement of himselfe and useth the Key For if he see any disobedient hee will judge that heaven is shut against him if hee repent not If again hee see him convert he will judge that heaven is opened and so will use this Key Neither must Church-men think that they have now more power in using this Key For we finde by experience that Clergy Assemblies Consistories Classes or Synods are no more powerfull in denouncing this judgement then any private man being intent on the thing and carefull to search out the truth so that wee find by experience that one Lay-man hath judged better and hath made better use of this Key then a whole Synod For though Apolonius prate much concerning the speciall assistance of the holy Ghost yet we finde no other effects thereof then what the Pope boldly bragges concerning his infallibillity and yet hee is the lyingest faisister that ever the world saw So then these Church-men are very oftentimes deceived who bragge so much of the power and certitude of the Keyes Let Apolonius witnesse then which no man is a more impudent bragger of this power of the Keyes except the Pope and yet by his preaching Key he hath produced so many lies that he may seem to carry not the Key of Heaven but of Hell with Apollion And that you may not think this to be a personall errour except he will also â—e in this lo the whole Walachrian Classis hath coÌ„ ented to these fictions so that hence appears the false judgement of the Church in the use of the preaching Key because not onely it is not of greater force then a private Christian mans iudgement but oftentimes of lesse validity For at this day the iudgement of Church-men is so corrupted with affections that we may beleeve many whom they condemn to hell shall surely enioy heaven and on the contrary they shall goe to hell whom they iudge worthy of heaven by their Key How ever the matter be it cannot be evidently proved that now Church-men have any greater power in using the Keyes of Heaven then any particular member of the Church whilst in their Sermons their threatnings and promises of life eternall are conditionall Whence it is not likely that Christ gave so little right as this to the Apostles under the glorious title of the Keyes of heaven and of so solemne a promise but that there was in this some high matter and peculiar to the Apostles onely which I place in this because they were the first Heralds of salvation performed now by Christ and of heaven opened by him which was never proper before nor after to any of Gods Embassadours Before the work of salvation was performed salvation was hoped for but then heaven was in a manner shut as yet After Christs Ascension it was truly opened And this priviledge the Apostles had that they were the first witnesses hereof Besides before that time heaven was shut against the Gentiles who as it were by a partition wall were debarred from entring thither so that no man nay not the greatest Prophets before this had power to open heaven promiscuously to all Gentiles the Jewes being forsaken This matter was so high and rare that even the Apostles though illuminate by Gods Spirit came to know this when it was late and not without Miracles too which being understood they without wearisomnesse by a divine wonderful rapture contemning all dangers carried the Gospel almost through all the world so that Thomas himselfe as grave Authours witnesse preached and travelled as farre as India Which indeed was notable and nothing else but the opening of heaven To this was added their infallible power of preaching that they sayd nothing but by Gods prescription For the preaching Key which Christ promised and gave to his Disciples was so excellent and divine that with it he gave unto those first Patriarchs of the Church graces by which they delivered the truth infallibly so that not onely did they shew Heaven opened but by their infallible doctrine as with a Key did open it to every one and declared it infallibly by their divine power of judging to whom it was opened or shut so that what they bound and shut on earth was truly bound and shut in heaven And contrarily This power after the Apostles ceased For what they once opened remaines open nor can it be shut again by any The Pope
same especially being present in spirit with them though absent in the body I saith he though absent in body but present in spirit have judged as being present c. And again You being gathered together and my spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus c. There was then besides the ordinary and brotherly Office of censuring a more grievous correction under the Apostles peculiar only to those divinely-inspired men by reason of their speciall gifts with which being then armen could when need was strike with blindnesse or death or deliver over to Satan stubborn and blasphemous sinners Now if Apolenius think himselfe by vertue of his vocation a Successor to this power we will expect that hee also will give sight to the blind feet to the lame raise the dead command the Divels and deliver mens bodies to bee tortured by them We may see by his Writings that if he could enjoy his own Genius sometimes he would revenge himselfe upon the civill Magistrate with this great Excommunication except they abstain from his Spiritualities But let him know that I doe not much feare if they be delivered over to Satan by him but let him rather feare lest if with Sceva's sonnes hee undertake this exorcisme rashly he heare the evill spirit say Iesus I know and Paul I know but Apolonius who be you So that he be forced to stye away with them having not onely lost his Stilts narrow Chapines but also stript of all his Cloathes Thus I have briefly set down what was the ordinary right of censuring in the Church appoynted by Christ and I have shewed that it was not Judicial or of speciall right but common and brotherly consisting in a verball and brotherly reproofe and in separation from privat Commerce I have shewn also that besides this common way of censuring there was under the Apostles a more heavy correction which they used not against any kind of sinner but onely against such as were infamous for stubbornesse or some heynous offence in troubling and polluting the Church of Christ which then was remarkable and truly divine as depending on the power of the Keyes and divine gifts of which there was such efficacie in those being inspired by God that whatsoever they intended against sinners was not onely ratified in heaven but on earth also had its effect This Apostolicall and terrible kind of censuring how ever it was necessary and usefull for the Church in its infancy whose beginnings Christ would not have to be maintained by the Sword yet he suffered this to dye with the Apostles untill at last it brought Kings themselves to yeeld subjection and of bloody persecuters made them the Churches Patrons preservers and nursing Fathers according as David Esay had prophesied before which being fulfilled a more rigid way of censuring was again revived in the Church by the ordinary power of Princes and Magistrates with which he armed them not onely for preservation of naturall society among men but chiefly to maintain the Church of Christ intire here on earth For though Princes lawes and punishments of themselves they pertain not to the conscience yet accidentally they build up and defend Christs Kingdome whilst they set up that outward and rigid discipline and help the Church against wicked and refractory men who could not by brotherly reproofe be taken off from the pollution of sinne and scandall So that now every man may see that the greater and lesser censures are nothing else but the filthy secundine of that impure mother of the Romish Church and spots cleaving to our Churches from that Nativity which notwithstanding this walachrian Impostor vents abroad for most holy and extells as most spirituall things But to him that will look narrowly it is cleere that all this judiciall and censuring businesse which is urged by the Walachrians and defended under a divine and most holy title is not instituted by Christ or his Apostles but by Man which being by the ancient Papists set out in divers dressings at last brought forth the Pope that great Antichrist and in short time among the Reformed will beget many Antichrists the contemners of civill Magistrates and Princes except they prevent this in time Heretofore divers of the first Reformers being holy and provident men did fore-see this who therefore did their best to extinguish this Antichristian Leaven as their Writings witnesse Therefore for their sakes who perhaps are ignorant of this I will here sub joyne what they have written concerning this matter which may seeme to make very much for our purpose The words of Gualter in a certaine Epistle of his to Carolus Ionvilleus of Geneva are these But if we must speak of excommunication that was never totally and generally condemned by us for it is commanded by our Lawes whereby they are excluded from our private societie and from the enjoying of our publike Pastours who despising publike and private admonitions doe not live according to the Rules of Christianity but that any should bee debarred from our holy Assemblies or the Lords Supper was never practised in our Church nor in many others which notwithstanding no man hitherto could justly accuse eyther for want of purity in Faith and Doctrine or for licentiousnesse of conversation For no man hitherto hath demonstrated by fit and firme arguments that that should be the Symboll of exclusion or Superstition which was ordained to be the meanes of conservation of the Churches unity for which cause the Antients called it a convention or meeting Therefore I wonder my most deare Ionvill why you should say that I bring in a new and unheard of Paradoxe besides all mens expectation in these calamitous times of the Church For why should that be called new or unheard of which hath been received in our Church now from the beginning full 50. yeares Surely Suinglius of blessed memory the first Reformer of Religion among the Helvetians hath written the same things expresly in his friendly Exposition to Luther which we at this day teach and think And though the same was most strictly joyned in friendship and love with Oecolampadius yet hee would never bring into the Church of Tigurum suspending from the Supper and afterward But what Bullinger my Master and reverend Father did think of this matter his Booke against the Anabaptists will abundantly witnesse and chiefly what he writes in c. 9. l. 6. c. What shall we neede to speak of Musculus who whilest the Churches of high Germany did flourish more then they do now taught in Ausburge and afterward in Berne with great applause He every where admonisheth Ministers to bee carefull rather to gather then to exclude any And hee so handles this matter upon the first of the Corinthians that it is cleere he is of our opinion I could adde to these the example of the Church of Constance c. and a little after in our age many learned and godly men have conferred about this matter often times and they have
will be made branches stones trees chickens sheep fish fruits grasse corn and what not Of Preachers and Church-men there will be made not onely Kings Pastors Captaines Housholders as they will have but servants wolves dogs pillars stones bell-ringers pipers walls flames candle-sticks fires and many more to which the Holy Ghost compares them So that if hee should shake the budgets of most abstruse Divinity he cannot compose these things but he shall be laughed at by all This is his errour in that he will out of figurative speeches draw literall conclusions as if out of painted gold he would make a reall crowne of gold Much of this kind he spreads every where chiefly Part 2. p. 28. he doth plainly dispute for the Kingly censuring power of Church-men For saith hee the jurisdiction of the Church is called the right of the keyes and the Churches key is called Davids key which was regall whence he concludes That the jurisdiction of the Church is regall I answer These things are spoken figuratively and to be ascribed to Christ onely if they be taken properly not to the moderne Church which properly wants the keyes of heaven as I shewed elsewhere The chiefe errour is in this that with the Pope he makes of the keyes the Scepter and regall Crowne If all be Kings that have the right of the keyes then the Key-bearers of Temples Cities Hospitalls of Bedlems and of all Cells shall be Kings And whereas he saith that Davids and Christs key is regall and that therefore such is the key of the moderne Church it is all one as if I should say there was a King who carried the keyes of the City therefore all are Kings afterwards who carry those keyes How false this is appeares in Peter who first and properly received these keyes and yet he was a poore Fisher-man not a King Surely if Apollonius had Peters true key yet Christ would forbid in him all Kingly state and pride Mat. 20. saying The Kings of the earth beare rule but it shall not be so with you But Mat. 18. Christ gave to the Church power of judicature which saith he is kingly I answered elsewhere that in this place Christ did not bestow on the Church the right of judicature but only to intercede and to compose differences For the power of judging one to be a Publican or Heathen he gives properly to a Brother not to the Church and so every private man should have regall power Truly if all be Kings that judge there will be innumerable Kings in the same kingdome If Apollonius play not the foole he was a King long since because he carried the keyes and judged many things after his manner His chief argument is out of that place Mat. 28. Christ sending his Disciples to preach speaks first of his regall power saying All power is given to me in heaven and in earth he concludes also from his regall power saying I will be with you till the end of the world thence he gathers That the power not onely of Christ but also of the Church and therefore of Ministers is regall O wonderfull Lindanus indeed and other Papists are ridiculous in their devices but what Jesuite at this day is there of any braine who will not burst with laughter when he shall see and think of these Apollonian scientificall demonstrations to wit that Calvinists by such fictions doe seek after power to reigne in the Church which they have hitherto execrated in the Pope Christ the King of Kings speaking before and after of his Kingly power commanded the Apostles to teach and baptize Ergo he made them Kings and indowed them with Kingly power If Apollonius were as quick-sighted in both his eyes as Lynx he could not see this consequence He reasons thus out of his foolish Dialectick As often as Kings speaking of their Majesty command their Heralds to publish their will and Letters Patents they presently of Heralds become Kings that Herald were worthy of Hellebore who would thus conclude especially if the King in plaine termes should tell his Messenger Although my other servants may command and domineere in their Offices yet I forbid thee to do so neither will I permit thee to reigne for this is the sense of Christs words Mat. 20. The Kings of the Nations beare rule but it shall not be so with you So we need not stay any longer in the Walachrian devices whereas we may every where see that the Pope and Apollonius are both of one minde to wit that they have regall power howsoever Christ and the whole Scripture contradict it but by a Jesuiticall quirk he tells us that their power is not secular carnall or despoticall for these husks he leaves for the Magistrate reserving to himselfe the pure flower of spirituality but Ecclesiasticke holy and celestiall which because it proceeds not from the speciall sanctity of their Church-Discipline as the object nor from the dignity of modern vocation as I have now shewed we must henceforth search into the other lurking holes of the Walachrian Church sanctity least these rattle-mice hide themselves any longer in their under-ground caves of spirituality Therefore having overthrowne the chiefe foundations of the Walachrian sanctity and dominion which are the spirituality of their moderne Discipline and the mysticall sublimity of their calling now I will pursue the Arguments which the Stilt-walker still useth to purchase authority to himselfe among the ignorant which with the Papists he borroweth from the Epithetes and names given to Preachers in Scripture by which he strives to establish his regall majesty in the Church in this playing the canvasse Merchant with Papists which that the Reader may see I will first in generall point at three of his ordinary fallacies 1. In that the most titles are figurative and metaphoricall Fallaciae in titulis out of which he raiseth literall conclusions by which he must needs fall into a thousand absurdities for if this be admitted in Divinity that every one interpret as hee pleaseth figures similitudes and metaphors which are found in Scripture there will be nothing certaine but we may infer any thing out of any thing by this reason I may easily of Apollonius and his other Preachers make stocks stones yea brute beasts for Church-Doctors are called in Scripture Pillars Foundations and watchfull Dogs now we know that Pillars are made of stocks and stumps of trees Foundations of stones and that Dogs are brute and impudent beasts whence the folly of old Papists appears who have erected their whole Hierarchy out of parabolicall and figurative Scripture phrases as famous Marnixius hath merrily demonstrated and because he could find no other new way to set up his regall power therefore the VValachrian Papist walks altogether in his Predecessors foot-steps Apollonius his other errour is that of indefinite Propositions he makes exclusive and understands simply what is spoken respectively this he borrowed also of the Jesuites for Bellarmine commonly thus concludes Christ gave
get wings with which they may flie higher which when they have got they take no longer delight in their former wives but like adulterers they begin to woe other women which are much more beautifull either because of rich Citizens or Citie commodities or for some others worldly respect And those spirituall husbands are oftentimes so impudently importunate that not onely do they use unlawfull wayes to obtaine their new Brides but make such haste also that before the former be lawfully divorsed they marry with the later Now I will aske this also if the Church be the Ministers wife how will it stand with the chastity of Wedlock that a busie Minister who loves other mens fruit better then his own should go to delight himself in other Provinces and leave his Church to other spirituall Husbands that they may performe the dues of Matrimony to her Is not he a Bawde to his own wife especially if by gluttony or sloth his meanes being spent this Husband of the Church be forced to saile to the Indies or some other part of the world to recover his losses in which case he forsakes his Wife and for the time joynes himself to a richer and lest shee should be forsaken like a Widow some other Husband succeeds in the place of the former who notwithstanding doth not suffer himself to be divorted totally from the former Wife but reserves a power to return to her if this later afterwards displease him Many things could be alledged against the Ecclesiastick marriages of Ministers and their Churches which seem to me so immodest that if it be true what these night-birds whisper that Ministers are the Husbands of their Churches all Churches will be accounted bawdy-houses and Ministers Bawdes or Whooremongers but enough of this title There is one thing remaining for establishing of Apollonius his Kingdom which I wonder that he who is in every thing the Popes Ape did not also borrow this of him there is a notable place in Jeremie Jer. 1.10 where God sending the Prophet as his Ambassador doth inaugurate him with this high elogie Behold this day I set thee over Nations and Kingdoms to pluck up and demolish to destroy and to overthrow to build and to plant c. If this elogie should be taken literally you would think it gave so much power to Jeremie that it might seem he had leave to command imperiously all Kings and Nations but Jeremie by his own example taught that this was not to be taken literally because he so performed that great Ambassie that floating through divers injuries opprobrious speeches prisons and many dangers he preached Gods judgements in great humility The Pope who strangely despiseth Gods word hath farre otherwise expounded this elogie for Sixtus the fifth in the Bull by which he excommunicated Elizabeth Queen of England in the yeere 1588. so takes these words that by them he assumes power to overthrow the whole Kingdome of England for performing of which he had Philip of Spaine ready as his executioner who by his mighty Fleet of a 150. Ships resolved then to invade that Kingdom and by the Popes command to extinguish all the Protestants but that paper-thunder vanished into the wind it appeares then by his Popes Bull what his spirituall power is that if he cannot by himself immediatly yet by his souldiers he may overthrow Kingdoms and Nations with the spirituall Sword of Excommunication and that by the same priviledge which Jeremie had who though he was the first possessor thereof yet took so small pride in it that he plainly shew by the moderation of his life that he could see no such thing in that priviledge as the Pope by his new interpretation draws from it but what can be expected else from Antichrist the man of sin and sonne of perdition the Walachrian Stilt-walker conscious of his own weaknesse durst never as I know apply this elogie to himselfe who notwithstanding seemes to observe his clandestine counsels and machinations which he is daily practising against the Magistrates of Middleburg they say that there is nothing he desires more then that he may once have power to overthrow and extirpate the Government of that famous City by the severity of which alone he perceives that his unbridled desire of domineering is curbed and though no catechisme is with him of greater esteeme as is thought then that he may recommend to trustie men the care to leave no occasion unattempted for overthrowing the foundations of that Government and dissolving the bands of their union yet I wil counsel him that he would not be too busie eager about this hemp work lest whilst he studies to weave this Church-web wherewith he may adorne himself sit â—â—st he end in a Magistrates rope wherewith he may hang himself I have briefly touched the elogies by which Papists do every where extoll the majesty of their Church some whereof are fained and not found in Scripture most are figurative and metaphoricall but all conditionall which shew not what Ministers are but what they should be to wit Pastors Leaders Fathers and Overseers of the Church and so they are to be accounted if they be endowed with gifts requisite for these Functions and use them aright wherefore when Teachers were divinely inspired the calling divine and imposition of hands effectuall Christians might lawfully rest in and give obedience to their Pastors and Leaders as unto faithfull Fathers Bishops and Ambassadors of Christ even as to God or Christ himself because they were infallible but this happinesse lasted not long for even whilst the Apostles were living false brethren crept into Churches who proud of their eloquence and vocation durst equall yea preferre themselves to the Apostles so that these Divine men then gave warning to Christians not to beleve absolutely every spirit but first to examine according to Scripture whether or not these spirits were of God If Christians then stood in need of such circumspection when there were so many infallible Teachers to whom they might in blind obedience safely trust their soules how carefull now must we be of our salvation when for the space of so many hundred yeers there hath been none found in all the world whom God hath so assisted with infallibility as that we may safely rely upon him the Pope hath now for a long time strangely bewitched the world in making Christians beleeve he is infallible and this supine credulity hath in Gods just judgement cast innumerable soules into hell nor is the Pope onely guity of this remerity there is no Monk or Priest so drunk as will not bragge of the character of his vocation and boldly cry out that he is a Captain a Watchman of souls as set over the souls of men a Houshelder of heaven an Ambassador of Christ which is performed by these brawlers with such eagernes oftentimes that they imprecate all curses against themselves and pawne their bodies and souls to the people if they teach or lead them otherwayes
respect of their secular power are so ordained by God and restrained that they onely can and should meddle with carnall and secular things of this world and by no meanes with spirituall and such as may of themselves procure the peoples eternall salvation which is both false and blasphemous against Magistrates and God himselfe This he learned not of the Apostles but from the Master-builders of Romish Babylon they as I have often said handle the Scripture irreverently taking out of them what they will and adding to them what they list when it is said to Peter when thou art converted confirme thy Brethren they expound this by adding thou Peter alone shouldst confirm all thy Brethren nor thou onely but all the Bishops of Rome also alone who are thy successors shall have the same right to confirme all thy Brethren that is to judge spoile and pervert all Kings and Kingdomes of the world In this phrase spoke the old Romanists which this new Papist hath finely learned of them the Scripture speakes simply that the Magistrate or higher power is ordained by God to defend and maintaine publike peace and tranquillity Rom. 13. It saith also we must obey for conscience sake and that he is the rewarder of them that doe well and that he bears the sword to punish the evill doers not discriminating whether it be secular or Ecclesiastick good or evill which is subject to this power This Walachrian night-bird willing to free himselfe in his Church-businesse from this power he trumpets out with swelled cheeks that God hath appointed Magistrates in his Word to worldly affaires onely and that he containes them as such within the businesse of this life and of temporall tranquillity yea that he hath ordained that they must not meddle with the things of life eternall nor aime at them or properly procure them because it belongs not to them to bind the conscience Is not this to corrupt and wrest the Scripture That we may see what a monstrous paradox this is I will shew the absurdities thereof 1. If God ordained the Civill Magistrate for intent and with this restriction then it followes that all Magistrates doe well in neglecting despising and not procuring what belongs to Worship and Religion for he that so performes his duty as to follow the prescript and order that God hath set downe he performes his duty well but the consequence is blasphemous and absurd Ergo. 2. If the Stilt-walkers opinion be right then Magistrates are worthy of praise and reward when they lay aside the care of Religion and are provident onely in the corporall things of this world and profits of this life such as were the Gentiles and wicked Emperours and Kings who had little or no care of Religion these followed Gods Ordinance exactly but this consequence is impious and blasphemy Ergo. 3. If the Stilt-walker be in the right then Josua Solomon Josias and all good Princes who were carefull to restore Religion did evill and deserved punishment because they went beyond their office and Gods command which was to forbeare medling with Religion and to remaine within the affaires of this life but the consequent is absurd and blasphemy Ergo. 4. If the Stilt-walker be in the right then the order and power of the Magistrate is the most monstrous thing in the world God makes and ordaines all things for himselfe even the wicked for the evill day all are from God by God and to God nor is there any thing which hath God for its author that hath not for its chiefe and proper end Gods glory which is no where more advanced then when true Religion is advanced Whence I gather that the Ordination of Magistrateship is most perverse because God did expresly ordain this that it should not meddle with Religion but containe it selfe within the dunghills of the world whence it will follow that Magistracy is not properly ordained for Gods glory but the consequent is blasphemous Ergo 5. If God hath shut up the Magistrate within this end and prescription then he hath strangely perverted his owne order where so often he hath armed Kings and Princes and hath commanded them that they should meddle with his Worship and Religion for this end he gave the Law to Moses the Book of the Law to Josua and he hath prescribed and commanded many other that leaving their secular affaires they should be chiefly carefull about matters of worship and salvation as we may see in one Solomon all which God hath done against the first institution and ordination of the politick power which inconstancy to attribute to God is blasphemy Wee must then rather ascribe giddinesse to the Stilt-walker who obtrudes so false an Ordinance of God to men concerning the power and office of Magistrates Lastly if it be Gods perpetuall Law that the Magistrate as such must not meddle with Religion by himselfe and properly then it is very absurd that in the Scripture so many contrary commands are found such as Psal 2. and now O Kings kisse the Son c. Esa 40. Kings shall be nursing Fathers c. 1. Tim. 2.2 Paul bids us pray for wicked Kings that under them we may live peaceably with honesty and piety whence it is apparent that God is so farre from debarring Civill Magistrates from the care of Religion and piety that on the contrary he commands and will have it their chiefe businesse to promote Religion and his Worship Hence the Stilt-walker willing to award this blow brings out his satchell of distinctions that with his canvasse smoke he may blind the Readers eyes for first he saith Paul doth not shew that the end of Magistracy is to look to the good of the Church because there hee speakes of wicked Princes who then intended no such thing but rather the contrary I answer men doe not alwayes intend in their offices the end prescribed by God yet on the contrary they often resist and yet neverthelesse it is true that they should follow the end prescribed by God if they would doe well this Paul saith to be tranquillity and piety which those wicked Princes then intended not but they should have intended and Christians ought to hope and pray that they would intend it If the Stilt-walker would understand the matter let him look on himselfe he knowes that he seldome intends the salvation of mens soules in his Ministery but rather maintenance worldly honour and revenge on all them whom he thinks doe not sufficiently regard his sanctity such are chiefly the Magistrates yet I believe hee will have no man doubt but that the end and intent of his Church-Discipline is properly the salvation of soules let him say the same of the Civill power At last he confesseth that Paul here shews the end of the Magistrate prescribed by God to be the promotion of piety but least he should seem to yeeld any thing out of the Scripture to the Magistrate in sacred affaires he interposeth an army of distinctions for
saith that among the offices of the Church there were Governours and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presidents or Bishops Which offices because they were separated from the generall government of the Apostles it is not to be doubted but that they consisted in the speciall power of censuring and curbing of Christians Rom. 12. against Ataxie and alse of defending the Church Whom therefore Aretius thinks were Laics who had inspection over mens manners Lib. 4. Instit c. 20. and discharged the office of Magistracie So Calvin saith that there were grave men who had charge of manners which is all one with the Civill power that under these may be commended every kind of just government Lastly I will prove by a necessary reason that there were then in the Church who judged of secular matters that is were Magistrates For we know out of 1 Cor. 6. that there were among Christians controversies about secular business Hence I necessarily collect that their Judges were either within or without the Church If they were without onely then the Corinthians did well in going to them or else they must have left them still unjudged But the former is repugnant to Pauls reprehension the latter to equity and reason Hence necessarily it followes that within the Church there were such as decided controversies or might have decided them and I pray what else were these but such as Magistrates at this day So that here I hold this Walachrian Batt by both his wings fastned with ten-peny nailes to the doores of his Church where having discovered his deformity he may spend his dayes in biting and chirping But what if it were as certaine as the Walachrian would have it that there were not Civill Magistrates under the Apostles and consequently that then there were no right and operations of non-entities how will his Logick prove that it must be so continually except he will perswade us that Magistrates should be alwayes infidels and enemies of the Church because they were such under the Apostles which assertion were impious and monstrous and contrary to experience For three hundred years after Christ Emperours as it was fore-told kissed the Son Psal 2. were made the Churches nursing Fathers and Patrons as it was apparent in Constantine and others Whence we see the Stilt-walkers madness for he disputes no other wayes then if I should say of Nebuchadnezzar so long as he was a beast he was unfit for government and therefore had no command in his Kingdome Hence I should collect that this was perpetuall and that he never had his Kingdome againe whereas we know that as soone as he was restored to his reason he was also restored to his kingdome and honour and betooke himselfe to his ancient government or if a Master of a Family should be unfit to rule his house because he is distracted in minde so that he must guide it by some other but if he recover his health who will say that he must not return to guide his family again This is the intent of these Walachrian Sophisters because impious Magistrates were sometimes mad and unfit Fathers to guide the family of Christs Church that therefore now they are still unfit although they be restored to their wits and albeit that God hath honoured them with faith piety knowledge prudence and all other gifts fit for a Father yet they must be accounted mad still and must be kept out of the Church bound fast in Bedlam that these unnaturall sons alone might rule as they please I will rather thus reason because Magistrates did not in the Apostles time rule the Church which they alwayes should have done by Gods owne institution because they were Infidels and enemies therefore now they are bound to rule her in that now they are made by faith tutors and nursing fathers of the Church This is all one as if we should say of the Israelites that they must never use husbandry and mechanicall trades because God for 40 yeares together sent them Manna from heaven and kept their utensils from wearing so that neither their clothes nor shooes were worne for experience taught the contrary And although perhaps many would have been well content to have been idle and to enjoy that benefit still yet as soone as they went over Jordan Josh 5. Manna failed them and their utensils began to weare whence they were forced to returne to their agriculture and mechanick trades I will then hence inferre since Magistrates are become Christians they are to be admitted into the whole ancient right which out of the Old Testament we have shewed what that was So that there is now nothing in the whole Church-government which is not lawfull to them by Divine right both for matter of action rule and care This is not my opinion alone but Calvin himselfe every where infinuates this in his Writings Although Christ would not have the beginnings of his Kingdome to be helped by the sword Com. in Deut. 13.5 c. yet he had not prescribed to himselfe an eternall law but at last he forced Kings to obey him c. and of persecutors made them keepers and patrons of the Church Magistrates at first exercised tyrannie against the Church because the time was not yet come that they should kisse the Sonne of God and having laid aside all violence should become nursing fathers of her whom they persecuted In his Commentarie upon 1 Tim. 2. he saith that Magistracie in the Church is as the earth by whose fertility as the corne is procreated so by the Magistrates office the Church is nourished In his Comment on Mat. 20. saith that by this command of Christ we see the Anabaptists fury in excluding Magistrates from the Church of God for it may be that he who was Lord of a towne or village might also in case of necessity performe the function of a Teacher It is then plaine that this man was of a far other opinion then the Walachrians who under pretence of hostility exercised by Nero in the Apostles time against the Church goe about to debar Magistrates for ever from medling with Church-business This was the cunning of growing Antichrist to keep off Magistrates from Church-affaires as being holy and not to be touched so that like another Aeolus he swaggers alone in the Church court Neither have there been wanting at all times some Hermaphrodites halfe men soft and effeminate Princes who with Sardanopalus laying aside all their masculine vigour have submitted themselves to Ecclesiastick whores Such was among the rest Theodosius the younger who wrote to the Synod of Ephesus That it was unlawfull for any man who was not in the catalogue of holy Bishops to meddle with Church queries But much more carelesly Basilius the Emperour who in the 8. Synod said That no Laey-man of what dignity soever ought to move questions in Church-matters this belongs to the Patriarchs Bishops and Priests who have power to bind and have the Church keyes and not to
or Jewish children For the question is still the same to wit if dead animal things used by the Jewes in their worship are to bee rejected by Christians in their divine service why doth hee onely remove Organs It is to be feared that if such another Night-bird grow as Apolonius that not onely Organs shall be taken away but Books also Tables Pulpits Deskes Garments and other things So that this Walachrian pratler will bee forced not onely to weary himselfe in standing but also immodestly to wander up and down naked This petty Law-giver then is too imperious against Magistrates who dares break in upon their right so rashly and Magisterially declare these things unlawfull which God hath not condemned but hath left free to Christians Besides the Harmony of Organs is usefull to hinder the confusion that many times is in singing The Magistrate indeed makes use of skilfull finging-men to regulate the tunes of the Psalmes but we find by experience that these are not sufficient to hinder the undecent confusion in singing Now if the Harmony of Organs be a decent help against this seandall who will not see that this Walachrian is a railing fellow who so injuriously rageth against Magistrates about an order not prohibited but of long continuance and profit Surely he that will but indifferently think that when there was no publick worship David did drive away the evill spirit from Saul by his musick On the contrary that Micha the Prophet stirred up the good spirit in himselfe He will confesse with me that Christian Minds may be cheered and modestly excited in divine worship as well by the musick of Organs as of voyces So then by this example we may see what wil be the end and effects of this holy and free legislative Church-power for which the Stilt-walker in Walachria doth so much contend to wit that some spirituall Night-bird out of idlenesse and his itching pride may whilst he is farting in his study conceive the creame of some new spirituality and then in his superlatively sacred Consistorial Affembly by the Cockes egge of contention to which presently the Classick Toads crawle together that by cherishing and sitting upon this egge at last the new Basilisk of Errour and dominiering may be hatched Such was the proceeding of this new Apolonian Monster daily such kind of Chickens will increase If all such kind of Vermin be not choked within their Consistoâ—all shell by a plenipotentiary presence before that by their breath and hissing they infect the aire all abroad to the destrnction of all that shall heare or see them The summe of all is this that now there is no speciall or any mysticall priviledge of sanctity in making Church-lawes and statutes from which pious Magistrates are to bee kept off For either these are ordinances of things necessary for salvation and divine worship all which are contained in Scripture and are the ancient Lawes of God not of their modern Church but who will say that it is unlawfull for godly Magistrates to make dicrees and command men to observe Christs Lawes Truly if wicked Magistrates would make such Lawes and enjoyn Curistians to keep the pure commands of Christ they should not be sacrilegious but most worthy of praise Or else the lawes which they make are of things indifferent which concerne the order and decency of the Church But because he confesseth himselfe these things to be free and no way binding the conscience whence I pray proceeds so great a holinesse in ordering things not properly holy but free Or as it often useth to be lawes are made of things faigned false and unusefull as we may see among Papists but these make the law-givers prophane not holy I might now seeme to have put a Bit in the mouth of this huge Beast of Walachrian-Popish-legislative-power but that there remaines yet a halter concerning the facred right of Dependency For the Walachrian Papist is so fruitfull in hatching new sanctities that just like a Potter he makes of the same clay first a Censeriall Platter and then a Legislative Chamber-pot that now nothing is more easie then whilst the wheele is turning there may be framed a cover fit for such a pot to wit the holinesse of Dependency for because it is the charge of Church-men to have care of her and so remove scandals from her Hence is begot among them the power of censuring then of making Lawes according to the spirituall and holy pleasure of the Walachrians Now Church-ordinances cannot be made cursorily in the Market-place Spargere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or streets for this were to shit as dogges do when they are running but there is need of preparation that this high spirituality might be uttered in Consistories Classes and Synods whence among Papists ariseth the sacred right of dependence However I confesse that there is some use of Ecclesiastik meetings yet this I l'e say that these are meere devices which the Walachrian Prates of their precise sanctity for hitherto it is not known by any example or command of Christ that it is a matter of such necessity and sanctity for making up of a Church that there should be meetings in Consistories Classes and Synods as if the Magistate must therfore be called sacrilegious if either hee hinder or joyne with them according to his authority for whilst they keep no moderation in these meetings but ascribe too much power to them they make a Pope of the Church or else run in infiâ—â—iâ—m which I thus demonstrate If a brother saith Christ wrong his brother Mat. 18. the matter must be composed between themselves if that cannot be two others must be imployed if they can do no good they must tell the Church and here Christ stays That is a great argument for Independents in that Christ goeth no higher then a partieular Church Oftentimes experience teacheth us that coÌ„troversies are thus better taken up then in Classes Synods because there they are better known in all their circumstances clearer from affections But the old new Papists wil none of this for so they should want much of their sanctities whence they pleasantly talk by way of comparisons If the Church that is the Consistory should erre then say they accoording to Christs command two or three Churches must be imployed and they wil make a Classis Here is a goodly increase for two or three brothers to be enlarged into two or three Churches This is the Popish increase who of one Peter the chiefe Pastor of the Church have made innumerable successors Popes and Peters as it were But if it should happen that the Classis should erre here the increase multiplies for then two or three Classes must be imployed which makes a Provinciall Synod and if this Synod also should erre then the Synods of divers Provinces must be assembled which make up a general Councel of that Kingdome or State But if this also erre then the Councels of divers Nations must be assembled
and so there shal be a National Councel if this suffice not then all the Nations of the world must be assembled and so wee shall have an universal or Oecumenical Councell But here Bellar mine is doubtfull Loc. de conc c. 2. for if the decision of the truth depend from the judgement and meetings of all nations of the world we shall never be certain because there will be alwayes some doubt whether some nation or other in the world hath not been omitted and not consulted with and because there is no Monarch that commands all the world he confesseth that there can be no Assembly of such a Councell so at last hee puts a period to the increase of Synodicall dependence as Apelles did who not being able to expresse the sweating of the horse back by his Pencill is said to have dashed his spunge against the picture and so to have expressed it Even so with the spunge of ignorance it was needfull to blot out the increase of dependency that hee might find an end of Synods For at last hee concludes that that is to bee accounted an Occumenicall Councell to which if not all the nations of the world come yet they might have come because none were excluded Though I confesse the Jesuits have found out a shorter and certainer way to bound in Dependency For they saw that this Synodicall Argument did increase in infinitum therefore Bellarmine that he might not leave the matter in suspence at last terminates the decision of all lawes and questions in the Pope either with or without a Councell so that indeed Antichrist is the end of Roman dependency The Walachrian Dependants doe execrate an Ecclesiastick Pope but chiefly the Civil whence necessarily the end of their dependency is either in infinitum or opinion or many Popes for if all controversies must be drawn from a brother to a brother from these to a Consistory from this to a Classis frō the Classis to a Provinciall Synod from this to a Nationall from a National to an Universall and this still greater and greater must not then this matter run in infinitum or else it will end in this opinion that he who judgeth last shall be thought to judge best whether his judgement be good or bad What else is this but to make Popes of so many Judges But it is unlikely that ever Christ ordained in his Church such a Judicature of controversies because it is absurd and setteth up that domination which Christ forbids in his Apostles Mat. 20. For by these meanes whether it be right or wrong the greater Synod will command the lesser this lesser the Classis and this the Consistory and the Consistory the brethren as it pleaseth and so by right of this Dependency the whole Church-government will be no order but Empire or tyranny for every inferiour will be forced by blind obedience to yeeld to his superiour I call that blind obedience not only when we must not enquire of the thing judged or to be judged which is the Popes practice but when such is the government of the Church that whether you find her error or not yet you must obey untill the Church-men shall say that they have judged amisse which will never be I will confidently say that this right of dependency is so absurd that the Walachrian never borrowed from Christ but from Antichriff It is commonly objected out of Mat. 18. where Christ himselfe instituted three degrees of dependencies from one brother to another from brother to brothers from brothers to the Church whence they collect by an argument à paribus that Christ also instituted the other degrees from the Church to the Classis from this to the Synod c. I answer that here a matter of priviledge is handled and that most holy but in priviledges words should be very plain neither must we give any thing to consequences or where the law doth not distinguish or adde must we adde any thing whence I gather that by Christs command men must not goe beyond these three degrees because he appoynted no more for Christ ascends no higher then from the three brothers to the Church which she weth that Christ by the word Church understands only a particular Cógregation not Classes and Synods even to the Oecumenical for it were too great a leap from three brothers to send Christians to the universall Councell if this were meant by the Church Again it is not likely that Christ under the name Church doth comprehend Classes and Synods because he there speaks onely of private quarrels to be taken up between brothers of which there is no need of meetings of Classes Synods even to the Oecumenical for then every day these Synods should be assembled because such controverfies may arise daily and if they did not arise the Walachrian Dependants would daily stir them up 2. For Dependency they alledge these words of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I will be in the midst of them But what they collect hence is of no validity For first it is known that all Consistories are not gathered together in Christs name nor Classes nor Councels but oftentimes two or three may be together reverently and in the feare of God when on the contrary a Classick or Synodicall Assembly may cast of all reverence of Christ So we see that when the two Disciples were to going Emmaus Luke 24. Christ was in the midst of them when as he hath not been present in greater Assemblies where contention hath been Therefore I say secondly that this consequence is weak because Christ promiseth that he will be present to two or three therefore he wil be much more present to ten a hundred or a thousand But thus the Walachrian after the Jesuits manner doth in a manner conclude but in this he is unsavoury as if he should argue that because Christ said there should bee peace and concord between two or three therefore there should be much more concord between ten or a hundred for as peace and order is not so easily kept in great meetings as in smaller so there is no necessity to think that truth or the decision thereof should be more exactly found in great then in small assemblies Not onely hath Nazianzen but also all times have taught that matters are not alwayes better judged in greater Church-meetings then in lesser so that necessarily either Christ performeth not his promise which is blasphemy or else the new Papists misunderstand Christs promise think foolishly when they conclude a priviledge of so great and exact smctity 1 Cor. 14.32 out of a promise not rightly understood The words of Paul seem to be plainer The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Whence they gather the divine right of assembling Consistories Classes and Synods For how shall it appeare better that the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets then when the ordinary Church-prophets
is of another court to wit carnall and altogether absurd and insociable for this is all his care that he may free himselfe from the power of the sword which he doth exceedingly execrate but I have shewed already that there is no such difference or disparitie between the Civill and Ecclesiastick power but rather conjoyned by God and so coupled that the one cannot subsist without the other but yet so as in marriage the Ecclesiastick must be subject to the Civill as the wife to the husband for the Apostle saith that every soule must be subject to the Civill powers and therefore the Church and Christians who are soules and to whom properly the Apostle wrote this command But I finde no where that every soule must be subject to the Church-Rulers for it were absurd and against Gods Ordination even as if the husband should be forced to be subject to his wife this was Antichrists invention as John fore-told who paints him out as a woman and a proud whore clothed in scarlet Apoc. 12.17 c. armed with a cup and inchanting wine with which she hath so bewitched Emperours and Monarchs that she hath subjected them like beasts to her and sits upon them which we truly see in the Pope who is a Church and indeed a woman and whore with her superstitious devises of sanctity hath so bewitched Princes that laying aside their manly and husband-like strength like uxorious men have given to the Pope and the Whore all the strength of their Dominions and government but he like a Hecuba or imperious Woman hath compelled them not onely to kisse her Thumbe but basely her very feet too a most monstrous thing which rose from this that they cast off the care of Religion and of Church busines at home the Magistrates committed them as if they had nothing at all appertained to them to the Churchmen no otherwise then if the husband should commit the whole busines of the Family to his wife only contenting himselfe with feeding of his own belly or as the Historians report like uxorious Ninus who for three dayes onely gave to his wife Semiramis the command and government of his whole Kingdome but what fell out She presently with rewards delights and diverse cunning wayes did so entice the Peeres of the Kingdome that before the three dayes end Ninus was murthered and the whole Empire came to his Wife so it fell out with those uxorious halfe-men in spirituall things as soon as Princes by their sloth neglect Gods worship and religion or being affrighted from them as not belonging to them with childish feares commit them to Ecclesiastick women the purity of Religion doth not continue long and the Peace of the Civill State is also disturbed which is not onely true in the Popes Dominions but also in some neighbouring Kingdomes of late Apollonius his other demonstrative argument followeth the power of the Magistrate saith he is architectonicall with command and coactive power but the Ecclesiastick power is ministeriall without command for it is said Mat. 20. The Kings of the Gentiles beare rule it shall not be so with you ergo these two powers differ altogether nor can they be mixed In this Argument if any where he playeth the Juggler and Witch as Poysoners use to cover their venemous Medicaments or Pills with gold so doth hee use the Scriptures so the Devill used it by depraving it with a purpose to deceive Christ when hee tempted him First he sets downe a true Maxime that the Magistrates power is Architectonicall which Paul confirmes not onely Rom. 13. but hitherto no man hath questioned it except the old Papists and the Walachrians agreeing with them but that this matter may not lurke in obscurity I will in few words declare wherein this Architectonical power consists This power doth not require that he who possesseth it should or can do all things by himselfe that he should be exempted from all lawes subject to no counsell or reason so Bellarmine speakes injuriously of the civill Power calling it despotical or domineering which power should be barbarous and tyrannicall from this kind of reproaches our Stitewalker can scarce refraine himselfe But the Architectonicall power doth not require that none should be absolutely subject to any except to God For so none should have this power properly except he that had all the Monarchs of the world in subjection to him but there was never yet such a Monarch on earth whence Paul did prophecy well of Antichrist 2 Thes 2. that such should his pride be as that he shall exalt himselfe above all that are called Gods or Monarchs This we see in the Pope who saith that he is subject to none except to God alone and that all Monarchs are subject to him For he obeyes none he commands all saith Bellarmine This power indeed were chiefly Architectonicall but it is seldome or never given therefore the Architectonicall or Supreame power commonly described consisteth in this that one hath chiefe power within his owne precincts subject to none other but on the contrary all are subject to him none excepted so that there he alone can prescribe command and compell with power to punish and force if need be Thus Pharoah describes it when under him he bestowes upon Joseph Architectonicall power over all Aegypt Gen. 41.44 I am Pharoah without thee no man shall lift up his hand or foot in the Land of Aegypt he exempted him not from his owne power nor did he free him from the law and justice but except himselfe he subjected all men and all things to him so God describes the supreame regall power that it had right over their sons and daughters their servants and cattell 1 Sam. 8. finally over the goods of their Subjects not that hee could doe all that he pleased for in this he should doe ill and tyrannically but that he had power according to the rules of justice to take notice of all things to order and put them in execution for so the Lawyers say that there is no Empire without Jurisdiction no Jurisdiction without power of examining judging and executing such is the Architectonicall power which if he understood well and if hee wrote seriously not ironically he confesseth doth belong onely to Magistrates as the title of his book the Right of Majesty sheweth but he mocks Magistrates as I will shew by and by The other member of the antecedent is that Church-men want altogether this Architectonicall power and that therefore the whole power Ecclesiastick should hee Ministeriall and without command which Maxime precisely taken is false because I shewed before that Christ and his Apostles when they ruled the Church had an Architectonicall and supreme power which they exercised in the Church sometimes but not with any externall pompe nor alwayes But it is objected Matth. 20. that Christ said the Kings of the Nations beare rule it shall not be so with you for then they disputed about precedency in Christs
Kingdome and Christ said absolutely to the Apostles that were to bee Rulers of the Church you should not reigne but serve whence hee gathers that the whole government and power of the Church should be without command and rather with service these are the enthymems which hee after a Jesuiticall manner hath patched together I answer That I cannot read in that place the Stilt-walkers fiction to wit that the whole power or government of the Church should be without command or Architectonicall power alwaies For if he say that the whole power of the Church was in the Aposties to whom he speaks here he asks the thing in question or at least supposeth it For the chiefe part of Ecclesiasticall power and government is alwaies as I said in the Magistrate and in the supream power whence it fell out that in the Apostles time this Architectonicall power resided in Christ and his Apostles miraculously because the ordinary Magistrates were enemies 2. I deny that this Law which he gave here to the Apostles was perpetuall at least it cannot be shewed out of this place that what Christ there commanded his Apostles doth belong alwaies and to every Minister of the Church this will be cleare by an example When Christ sent Apostles he said to them take not a staffe or bag nor money nor two coats nor houses would he allow them but whatsoever house they came into they should abide there till they departed c. all this he commanded the Apostles that were to be Rulers in the Church when hee sent them to that purpose For except one will allow the institution of Monks of Beggars of nastie Anchorites which are ridiculous among Papists every one may see that these precepts are not perpetuall and common to all Preachers This literall exposition should not be welcome I think to the Stilt-walker and his Walachrian Papists to have never above one coat to be without money in their purse and to have neither a house of their owne nor hired but hop to and fro like locusts If so many Lawes so solemnly delivered to the Apostles the Church-Governours are not perpetuall and necessarie to the Church It will be a difficult thing out of the circumstances of the place to draw a just difference by which it may appear that this Law is perpetuall and common to all Ministers which if he should effect with his rusty instruments he will never make this to be true that what was prohibited to the Apostles or Bishops was prohibited to the whole Church For many absurdities will arise they may not meddle with secular affaires nor wear rich soft and Court-garments nor wander from place to place nor bee abroad sometimes in the Country about their businesse Must none of those things be done by anie in the Church They be frivolous fictions which arise hence in that the Walachrian Papist thinkes that nothing is Ecclesiastick or belonging to the Form and Government of the Church but what is concluded in the Consistory or Quire of Preachers alone the Scripture contrarily makes Kings and Magistrates the chiefe part of the Church to wit tutors and nursing fathers and as Calvin saith as it were the earth in spirituall husbandrie let me shew by a simile or two the stupiditie of this Walachrian it is all one as if one resolving to be a husband-man provideth seed horses and instruments fit for husbandry have also Plowmen Waterers and Planters in a readinesse and thinks that he is now persectly furnished for husbandry whereas he hath not Land or Fields to sow his seed in or play the husbandman upon he doubtlesse will bee laughed at as a foole and one altogether ignorant of agriculture Mat. 13. I confesse that out of Christs Parable all men are as the ground into which the seed is cast but this is not repugnant to Calvins Simile for private men are but little clods separated from one another in the ground on which the seed immediately falls but the Magistrate is considered as the generall ground which if it did not containe all the clods together they could not fructifie but would fall away and the seed wither in them So fitly doth this Simile of Calvins expresse the Magistrates office in the Church and the Stilt-walkers stupidity who is still striving to thrust the Magistrate out of the Church I will use another Simile which Paul intimates 1 Cor. 4. when he calls Preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Rowers in the lower seat of the Church whence he considereth the Church visible as a Ship Now who will imagine a Ship in a tempestuous Sea without a Master or Mariner Christs Church then must have a Master or Steers-man It is asked who this is The Stilt-walker sayth it is he and his Preachers because they are Captaines and Governours and many other prating Speeches which I have heretofore refuted I say that they are not even because Paul calls them Rowers and that of the lowest ranke in this Ship who ever saw in the Kingsship or Gally that the naked Rowers and those of the inferiour ranke tyed to their Oares should have the command of the Ship This stands not with reason and experience and if the Stilt-walker did not perceive this absurdity the law of Christ would convince him for he as the Master of the Ship said you Rowers must not do so that is I will not have you to beare rule in my Ship Hence then it appeares that to whomsoever the government of the Ship belongs it belongs not ordinarily to the Preachers by the Princes own expresse will now there remaines nothing but that this Ship of Christ either want a Master or else some other must be sought for besides the Preachers who cannot be her Masters the Walachrian to award this blow saith that there is no Master which is the scope of his whole argument that he may drive out of the Church architectonicall power and may place it only about the Church but the absurdity of this will appeare out of this Simile it is incongruous to imagine a great Ship in the vast Sea without a Master or Pilot or to conceive such a Master who is not within the Ships decks but without them flying about like a Coot or Sea-mew These opinions of the Walachrian are chimaeras and monsters the Master then should be within the ship and if this night-bird were not purposely mad he would see that this can be no other then the Magistrate because he confesseth himself that the Magistrate is the head and father of the people But if he should again deny what hee hath granted Paul would convince him who makes the Magistrate the generall governour of every soul that is of this ship of Christs also So that here al the Stilt-walkers false opinions tumble down together towit That the Architectonicall power should be without the Church that the Magistrates supream regiment cannot be within the Church but that all the power and government of the