endure a short space To make this short space a thousand years or else to put in so many years of the Popes government over Rome before Antichrist come who shall forsooth revolt from his Obedience It seemes rather the dream of a waking man then to hold any likelyhood of Truth Howsoever it resteth even by Viâ—gas consent notwithstanding his cunning combination of two states of Rome that under Paganisme and that under Antichrist with a thousand years between that Rome must have continued Christian for sundery Ages before her Desolation and for ought doth yet appear the present Monarchy which she claims to exercise over the Christian World is the Mystical Babylon out of which Gods People are called For the better clearing whereof let us consider the Description that is made of this Babylon by the Angels and our Saviour Christ himself more distinctly to see whether it doe agree to the present estate of Rome or no The Angel tells Iohn in the last Verse of the former Chapter The woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth and before Verse 5. upon her forehead is a name written Mysterie Babylon the great Touching this greatness I may spare my pains to speak much there is a learned Book of Iustus Lipsius which he intitles Admiranda marvells touching the greatness of Rome not long after in concurrence thereto there was another made by Thomas Stapleton our Countreyman Professour at Lovaine which he intitles Vere admiranda Marvels indeed touching the greatness of the Church of Rome wherein by comparison he indeavours to shew that for largeness of Extent strength and power over Princes themselves honour yielded unto it the greatness and magnificence of the Romane Church doth far surpass the Roman Empire These two books were both printed together and set forth at Rome against the year of Jubilee 1600. as if the Papacy laboured to carry in her forehead the name Great Babylon For the reigning over the Kings of the Earth by this great City which is another point of the Angels description It is true that heathen Rome had anciently in the borders and confines of the state sundry Kings that held their Kingdomes of her Such were the Herods Aretas and Agrippa mentioned in the New Testament but these were neither in number nor dignity nor in the absolutenâ—ss of their subjection to be compared with those that the now Rome reigneth over And no great marvel if the Roman Emperour armed with thirty or fourty Legions had many Kings at command saith Stapleton but that the Pope being altogether unarmed should give Lawes to the Kings of the Earth and either advance them to their Kingdomes or depose them who would not account worthy of great marvel true but the Angel shewes us the true reason the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings at once with the beast c. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his Will and to agree and to give their Kingdome unto the beast until the Word of God shall be fulfilled And consider I pray you here the manner how they have given their Kingdomes to the beast Vpon the Election of any new Pope they send a solemne Embassage to profess their Obedienee to him And one of those which is extant in Print as great a Monarch as any the Christian World hath Offers himself and all his Kingdomes his Seas Firm lands Islands Armes Forces Treasures Ships Armies whatsoever he is whatsoever he hath whatsoever he is able to doe and falling down at the Popes feet as a most obsequious Sonne he acknowledgeth and confesseth him to be the true Vicar of Christ our Saviour on Earth the successour of Peter the Apostle in that See the head of the Vniversal Church the Provost Parent and Pastor of all Christians praying him and humbly beseeching him that he would receive all whatsoever be hath offered to the profit defence of the Church into his Pâ—otection and Patronage And these words c. are said with a gesture corespondent the Embassador falling down upon his knees let Lipâ—ius if he can with all his reading in Story shew us such an Example of any King subject to old Pagan Rome It is true that Nero accounted it for his highest Glory to have set the Crown upon Tiridates the King of the Armenians head in the City of Rome with great state and pomp But let us see saith Stapleton If the Majesty of the Church of Rome hath not had an equal part of this glory yea and a greater and then he reckons how Pope Leo the third gave the Empire to Charles the great and how other Popes conferred to others a great many other Kingdomes One thing he forgets that neither Nero nor any other Emperour of old Rome ever Crowned any with his feet as Celestine the third did Henry the sixth nor caused him to hold their stirrops or kiss their feet much less set their feet upon their neckes as Pope Adrian the fourth and Alexander the third did to the Emperor Frederick And that we may not spend more time in proving that the present Papal Rome reigneth over the Kings of the Earth the Merchants of Babylon are now resolved That all the Kingdomes of the Earth are the Popes insomuch that the best Title that any Prince can have to his Crown is Dei Apostolicae sedis gratia by the grace of God and Apostolick See And Cardinal Bellarmine recognizing his works retracts that which might seem to Cross this title about the Popes dividing the new world to the Portugals and Spaniards And tempers that which he had said that Christ himselfe whose Vicar the Pope is had no temporal Kingdome and lastly asserts more roundly contrary to his former opinion viz. That the Church may deprive infidels of their Dominion which they have over the Faithfull yea albeit they do not endeavour to turn away the Faiâ—hful from the Faith Howsoever she doth not alwayes so because she wanteth strength or doth not judge it expedient but questionlesse if those same Princes do goe about to turn away their people from the faith they may and ought to be deprived of their Dominions I shall not need to call to rememberance here what Faith or infidelity is at this day in the Roman Language when Paul the Fift teacheth the Catholickes that they cannot take the Oath of Fidelity salva fide Catholica with safety of the Catholick Faith which shewes that if the Pope may deprive infidels of their Dominions how much more such as are Christians being thereby more under the verge of his Authority concerning the Popes ruling over the Kings of the Earth this may suffice The Angel which in the begining of this Chapter proclaimeth the fall of Babylon saith that all Nations have drunke of the wine of the wrath of her Fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed
sorrow is taken out of Isaiah 47. 7 8. The wayling of the Merchants of this Babel and the store and preciousnesse of her Merchandize is borrowed from the like Description of the Costlyness of Tyrus Ezekiel 27. The inrecoverable ruine of this Babel shewed in the end of this Chapter by the signe of a great Milstone cast into the Sea is taken out of Ier. 51. Where the Prophesie of that it self against Babel is appointed to be bound to a Milstone and cast into the river Euphrates which ran through the old Babell with this word Thus shall Babel sinke and shall not rise from the evil which I will bring upon her These Prophecies were accordingly accomplished as you may see in Daniel for she is related in a great Feast made by Belshazzar to a thousand of his Lords wherein he would needs bring forth the Vessels of Gods House for his Nobles and Concubines to quaff in God wrote his Doom with a hand upon the wall of his Banquetting-house and the same night the Medes and Persians under Darius and Cyrus entered the Citie slew the King and proclaimed libertie to Gods People to return into their Countrey and reedifie the House of God as you may see and thus came Babel the Glory of Kingdomes as it is called Esay 13. 19. to Confusion But this is the literal Babel whereunto there is a reference in this Text What now is the Mystical Babylon which here Gods People are bidden to leave Questionlesse some City answering to this in State in Glorie in Oppression of the People of God neither must we take it for the buildings onely and houses but for the State also and Policy as besides the Evidence of the Type of old Babel so taken by the Prophets and the common use of all Authours in like Case doth lead us There be two Opinions recited by Cardinal Bellarmine in this matter one that it should be the communitie of all the wicked and reprobate But this hath no manner of agreement with the Circumstances of the Text This is not seated on seven hills nor hath it seven Kings five fallen one being and another to come nor will those things that are foretold of the destruction of Babel agree to this Exposition and is rejected by the learned of that side And himselfe names another which he approves for the better viz. that here by Babel is meant the Citie of Rome As that was in Saint Iohns time for as he shewes out of Tertullian Look as old Babylon was the head of that Empire whose King persecuted and lead into captivity the People of God so did Rome then This is not onely Bellarmines judgement but Salmeron Viegas and others of that side that Babylon is Rome They do well to yield to the clear evidence of truth so clear in deed as it would be too shameful impudence to deny it For what City was there which in Saint Iohns time could have the addition of great but onely Rome or did rule over the Kings of the earth or to omit all other Arguments was seated on seven hills Septemque una sibi muro cirnundedit arces It may be said Constantinople also is set on seven hills and not unfitly for it was built in Emulation of Rome called new Rome but not till some Ages after Saint Iohns time we need not spend more words in a plam matter having our Adversaries own Confession Babylon is Rome and old Rome yea saith Bellarmine Heathen Rome persecuting Rome Hear I beâ—eech you Right Honourable and beloved to observe well not what Isay but what Saint Iohn what the Angels what our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe doe tell and relate in this Chapter touching the fall of this Babel or Rome It is confessed if Babylon be Heathen Rome that is now falne and hath been above a thousand years agoe and consequenty thenceforth it is become An habitation of Devils the hold of every foul spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful bird for these are by the Angel conjoyned with the fall thereof in the 2 Verse will Bellarmine and his fellowes now confess this to be so I trow not But because it may be some body else will that we may speak not only to the men but to the matter Observe that the ruine of Babylon here spoken of is so described as to be sudden in one day in one houre her desolation is not only without recoverie but even Consolation like to the throwing of a stone into the Sea so as neither Musick nor Minstrel nor the sound of a Quern or any Crafts-man nor the voyce of a Bridegroome or a Bride nor light of a Candel shall be found in her any more This cannot agree with the Conversion or the Subversion of heathen Rome for all these things are yet left now to be found there and if men will not wilfully shut their eyes they must me thinkes needs see that this Desolation did not then come upon Rome nor is yet come upon her And therefore it is not Heathen Rome but after the embracing of Christian Religion which is to fall and consequently that out of which Christs People are called Viegas of likelyhood was aware of this and therefore hath devised another shift to escape by He saith Rome is here to be taken in a double estate That before it received Christs Faith and that which shall be in Antichrists time when as Saint Iohn saith in this and the former Chapter It shall revolt from the Bishop of Rome and from the Faith as he saith a little before Antichrists coming or at least at the beginning of his Kingdome Rome shall be grown proud and secure so as to say I sit as a Queen and then by the ten Kings mentioned in the former Chapter who had given their Kingdomes unto her shall she be ruined and burnt c In this Exposition the revolt that he tells of from the Obedience of the See of Rome is a Fancy of his own and hath not the least ground in St. Iohns Vision That the revolt from the Faith whereof the Apostle Paul speaks 2 Thessalonians 2. is the very Apostacy of Antichrist the man of sinne and sonne of perdition that Rome in Antichrists time shall be secure and account her self to sit as a Queen and then be destroyed by the ten Kings that formerly had served and obeyed her this is very true as being â—xpresly so laid down in the 16. and 17. Vers. of the former Chapter But that which befell the Iewes in the looking for the Kingdome of Christ when it was already among them happeneth to Viegas and those of his side They fondly look for Antichrist the last head of the beast whereupon the Babylonian Harlot sitteth above a thousand yeares after all the former and consider not that this beast is one Principality under divers forms of Government whereof five being fallen in Saint Iohns time one then in being and the other to
greatnesse after the doctrine and the example of our Saviour should chiefly stand in humbling themselves And that the Bishop of Rome did by intolerable ambition challenge not only to be the head of all the Church dispersed throughout the world but also to be Lord of all kingdoms of the world as is expressely set forth in the book of his own Canon-Lawes He became at once the spoyler and destroyer both of the Church which is the kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian kingdomes as an universal Tyrant over all The particulars of whose actions to that end are there related viz. The Bishop of Rome stirring up subjects to rebell against their Soveraigne Lords even the Son against the Father pronouncing such Schismaticks and persecuting them who resused to acknowledge his above-said challenge of supreme authority over them discharging them from their oath of fidelity made not only to the Emperour but to other Kings and Princes throughout Christendome The most cruell and bloody wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all kingdoms the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian men being slain by Christians the losse of so many great Cities Countries Dominions and Kingdomes sometimes possessed by Christians in Asia Affrick and Europe The miserable fall of the Empire and Church of Greece sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom into the hands of the Turks The lamentable diminishing decay and ruine of Christian Religion and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly which is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Rome's own favourites and friends to be seen claiming also to have divers Princes and Kings to their vassals liege men and subjects c. behaving themselves more like Kings and Emperours in all things then remained like Priests Bishops and Ecclesiastical or as they would be called spiritual persons in any one thing at all c. and so concludes with an exhortation of all good subjects knowing those the speciall instruments of the Devill to the stirring up of all Rebellion to avoid and flee them Is not this a full description of the pride of that man of sinne 2 Thess. 2. in exalting himselfe above all Kings and Princes and that son of perdition being understood actively who was the cause of the perdition or losse of so many thousands of Christian mens lives And in the sixth part of the same Sermon you have a more particular relation of the Bishop of Rome's blood-shed accoding to the description of that Harlot Revel 17. 6. in these words viz. And as these ambitioâ—s usurpers the Bishops of Rome have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian blood shed by the rebellims of ignorant subjects against their naturall Lords and Emperours whom they have stirred thereunto by false pretences so is there no Countrey in Christendome which by the like means of false pretences hath not been over-sprinkled with the blood of subjects by rebellion against their naturall Soveraigns stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome c. And in conclusion as the Sermon often entitles the Bishops of Rome unsatiable wolfes and their Adherents Romish greedy wolfes so doth it in speciall call the See of Rome the Babylonicall beast in these words viz. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindnesse ignorance and superstition of the English in King Johns time and how much they were inclined to worship the Babilonical beast of Rome and to fear all his threatnings and causelesse curses he abused them thus c. I have transcribed these the more largely out of the Book of Homilies both that such as have rejected them as Popish may see their errour and those that now so much favour the See of Rome that they call such language railing may have their mouthes stopped being it is from the mouth of the Church of England in her Homilies which is a good warrant for her sons to say after her Let the Reader judge whether these passages do not confirme rather then contradict or be contrary as Doctor Heylene saith to the Articles of Ireland and the Primates judgement of the See of Rome I shall only alledge one passage more and that is in the conclusion of the second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday viz. Wicked and nought were the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appear by the story of their lives and therefore worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets and false Christs which deceived the world a long while the Lord defend us from their Tyranny and pride that they may never enter into this Vineyard again but that they may be utterly confounded and put to flight in all parts of the world And he of his great mercy so work that the Gospel of his Son may be truly preached to the beating down of sin death the Pope the Devill and all the kingdome of Antichrist c. This latter passage is only produced by Doctor Heylene as an evidence that the Pope is not declared to be Antichrist either here or any where else in the book of Articles or Homilies which how the force of it can be extended so farre beyond its own sphere both not appeare For his principal argument that he finds here the Pope and Antichrist distinguished as much as the Devil and the Pope 'T is answered The destiuction here is not between the Pope and Antichrist but between him and his Antichristian kingdom for the words are not the Pope the Divell and Antichrist but and all the kingdome of Antichrist That Universality all comprehending both head and members And if we should allow a Duumvirate in the Pope and Devill for the government of that kingdom one as the visible head the other as the invisible or the one him that reigneth the other by whom he receiveth power so to do Rev. 13. 4. both might be thus owned without infringing the title of either Howsoever 't is not the arguings from such niceties in the placing of words which the book of Homilies are not strict in as might be shewed in several instances but the observation of the scope and drist of the place the comparing it with others the concurrance of the judgement of severall eminent Bishops afore-cited who cannot be imagined to declare against the doctrine of it will carry the sense of it accordingly with the judicious and unbiassed Reader and so much for the book of Homilies Unto which I might also adde the opinion of some learned men liveing and dying within the outward communion of the Church of Rome To instance onely in Padrio Paulo who wrote the History of the Councill of Trent After whose stabbing by an Emissarie from Rome many of the Clergy of Venice brake out into that application calling that See Impura insana superba meretrix pestis ac lues mortalium and her ruine to be expected according to Rvelat 18. Some of the verses are printed at the end
of the Interdict writ by Padrio Paulo and translated out of Italian into Latin by Bishop Bedell who was often an ear-witnsse when he lived in those parts of divers learned men producing that of 2 Thes. 2. the man of sin who exalts himself above all c. and shall sit in the â—emple of God c. both as an argument that the Bishop of Rome is the person sitting and that those who are oppressed and tyrannised over by him are the Church of God and from thence rejecting any application to Mahumet and fixing it upon the Bishop of Rome some questioning Is it he or shall we look for another others saying as the Jewes of the blind man This is one very like him but many This is he which puts me in mind of the confident assertion of Cardinal Perron who affirms that whosoever maintaineth this wicked doctrine that Popes have no power to put Kings by their supreme thrones they teach men to beleeve that there hath not been any Church for many ages past and that indeed the Church is the very Synagogue of Antichrist and the Pope in good consequence to be the Antichrist which Oration the Cardinal himselfe addressed to King Iames upon a supposition it might have converted him See King Iames Preface to the defence of the right of Kings Now whereas both sides as you have heard are agreed upon the place to be Rome which checks the phansie of such as would apply it to Constantinople or to persons that never were at either I shall only confirm it out of one of the Popish Writers who hath quoted most of the rest to save the Reader any farther labour if he hath a mind to satisfie himself in it 't is Tyrinus the Jesuit in his Commentary upon the 17. Revelat. Where comparing the vision of the beast with 7 heads and 10 hornes cap. 13. with that of the 17. and granting it to be meant of the same like Pharaoh's dreames the seven eares of corne and the seven kine were both one then for the vision there he saith by the great harlot whose Mystical name is Babylon cannot possibly be meant of any other then Rome 't is plain saith he she sits upon seven Mountains and raigns over the Kings of the earth which can agree to no other city besides And urgeth that place of Saint Peter 2 Peter 5. 13. the Church which is at Babylon salutes you to be meant of Rome for as Bishop Andrewes observes rather then Peter should not be at Rome which they have slender or no proofes for out of Scripture but yet is of great consequence to the Papacy they will confesse it to be Babylon And though 2 Thes. 2. he saith the Temple of God where the man of sinne sits is Ierusalem yet here his seat of Babylon must be Rome Produceth the expresse Testimonies of the Fathers for it Lactantius Tertullian Ierome Ambrose Augustine c. and saith he even our hereticks meaning the Protestant Writers for after the same way he calls heresie so worship we the God of our Fathers and in conclusion produceth most of his own associates the Writers of the Church of Rome Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine Bozius Zuarez Salmeran Alcazar unto which I may adde Baronius 'T is most certaine saith he by the name of Babylon the City of Rome is signified Ribera in his Commentary upon it saith the same adding also all things fitly agree to it and somewhat that can be applied to no other then Rome as The seven heads are seven hills and The City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Viegus saith We conceive wheresover Babylon is mentioned in the Revelation it signifies Rome and all things in the 17. and 18. Revel very fitly appliable to it According to that of Bellarmine formerly quoted and Lessius who saith Iohn calls Rome Babylon as being the figure of Rome and by his words he elearly sheweth it to be Rome All which may well give a check to the Novelty of some among our selves who without the ballast of sound or sollid judgement have been carried about with the winds of other imaginations which yet I could easily believe some Popish Agents upon second thoughts have had their hands in to get it driven off the further from their shore Though how farre not-withstanding our aforesaid Writers and these are from an agreement in the above-said hath been made apparant in the two former Treatises viz. Those of the Popish Writers would have it Rome while it was Heathen and the fall to be with the Hearhen Empire and ours Rome since it became Christian and the fall yet to come Those of ours who in defence of our Ordination from the scandal of Antichristian by its passing through the See of Rome have endeavoured to take off that See from being such in the aforementioned places as it was a needlesse refuge so the cure is worse then the disease And those who have with the Popish Writers yeelded the man of sin and the son of perdition by that manner of expression to be meant of a single person were not forced to it for it may notwithstanding be meant of a successive race of men in one place and government non de unitate individui sed speciei according to the like instance in Scripture Esa. 23. 15. Tyre shall be forgotten 70 years according to the days of one King i. e. of one Kingdom viz. The Empire of the Caldeans which after Nebuchadnezar and his successors Evelmerodach andâ— Belshazar was given to the Medes and Persiaus and Dan. 7. 17. the 4 beasts are 4 Kings i. e. the four successive Empires the Chaldean Persian Grecian Roman as the seven Kings do accordingly Rev. 17. signify seven succeâ—â—ive governments and so the man of sin may be meant accordingly not of a particular man but of a race of men succeeding in that Tyranny as when they say the Pope is the Head of the Church they do not limit it to this or that particular Pope but mean it of the continued succession from S. Peter Neither is the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any more force for the limitation of it to one man there 2 Thes. 2. then it is in Luk. 4. 4. Man lives not by bread only or Mark 2. 27. The Sabbath was not made for man both includeing all mankind or 2 Tim. 3. ult That the man of God may be perfect c. which is not confined to one but takes in all the Ministery For which or any thing else concerning this controversie which I shall not enter into I shall referre the Reader to Bishop Downham Bishop Iewel Bishop Abbot with others from whom he may receive full satisfaction Only thus much in confirmation of the Iudgement of those two Reverend and eminent Bishops a Vindication of it from the aspersion of singularity and novelty THE Late Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH'S judgement of the sense of that place Heb. 6.
the Lord sanctify themselves Chap. 24. 5. called young men of the Children of Israel sent of Moses who offered the burnt offerings and sacrifice unto the Lord and this is usually interpreted to be the First-borne and that of the principall of the families instead of which the Levites were afterward taken see Numb 3. 12. And what a setled Priesthood there was in Moses and Solomons time to the Captivity and after it upon their return who knows not see Mal. 2. A speech to the Priests and for that five hundred-yeer gap betwixt the Old Testament and the New when the Prophets ceased yet a Priesthood continued that the service of God then was not to put to the charity of Passengers as beggars are by the high way but some were appropriated to it Ieroboam that forsook the Temple yet retained a Priesthood though of his own corrupt appointment Obâ—ect That of the Law was a Priesthood but we speak of a Ministery Resp. 1. We stand not upon words or Titles neither doth the Apostle for as 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9. he calls the Priests of the Law Ministers and their office a Ministration so he implies that the Ministers of the Gospel might have that Title of Priests 1 Cor. 9. 13. by taking his Argument for their maintenance from the Priests Altar and Temple as they that serve at the Altar partake of the Altar even so hath God ordained that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel and the name hath only grown ignominious by the Church of Rome's retaining it whom if by way of distinction they had been called by us sacrificers as Bishop Downham observes there had been no offence in it All that read the Fathers know it is the term used by them whose Tractates of the Ministery are intituled De Sacerdotio And the Apostle makes it only a change of the Priesthood Hebr. 7. 12. not a nulling of it upon which change of a ministration none presumed of themselves to officiate without an Ordination Iohn Baptist who was the preparative voice of the Gospel was ordained to it and his disciples were set apart by him our Saviour did the like in ordaining first Twelve for preaching and baptizing and then 72 after them when one of the twelve was lost no other stepped into his place without a solemne choice of him Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. 23. wheresoever they came and converted any nation were carefull of ordaining Successors Saint Paul as his last gives that charge to Timothy and Titus after him and in all Ages of the Church from the Primitive times both in the Greek and Latine Church it hath been observed to this day successively So that for such as would have no such office of a Ministery by ordination but all men left to themselves to officiate at their pleasure we may say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 16. We have had no such custome neither the Churches of God or as Eliphaz to Iob cap. 5. 1. call now if there be any will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn where is there any such President in all the reformed Churches The Israelites would have a King as all other nations These are upon the contrary singularity 'T is true the New Ierusalem Revel 21. 22. meant heaven is found without a Temple and a Priest because Christ shall then give up his kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15. i. e. the manner of this present government by the Scepter of his word and Seale of Sacraments and then God shall be all in all but till then a setled Ministery must be continued Secondly if no successive ordained Ministery why doth Saint Paul spend so much time in exhorting to a future provision for them 1 Cor. 9. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. can we think it was only for himself and such then living who expected Martyrdome weekly why such large directions for the qualification of such as were to be ordained by his Successors in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus surely it was written for our instruction now Thirdly consider what conclusion must be the issue of the contrary our Saviour pitied the people when they were like Sheep without a Shepherd That which is every mans work is no bodies As in reason the office of the Ministery must be weakly and negligently done when no persons are appointed to make it their study and sabour fo when gaps are thus opened for any person may not Iesuits and such lik Agents creep in under other forms and privily bring in damnable heresies to the seducing of the hearers I am loth to imagine that this should be at the bottome of this assertion that so with the more specious pretext they might take away the maintenance as indeed one must follow the other for if there be no need of a setled ordained Ministery what use of a setled meanes alotted for it If any shall stumble at that speech often in the mouthes of some Isa. 54. 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord he may be satisfied by this double Answer 1. It was fulfilled in that time of our Lord and Saviour teaching them immediately by himself which he expounds accordingly Iohn 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me c. 2. The Lord is said to teach when he doth it by a Ministery sent by him according to that of Ierem. 3. 15. I will give you Pastors after my own heart that shall feed you with knowledge and understanding c. fulfilled under the Gospel And we grant that though the proposal of the doctrine is by the Minister yet the illumination of the mind and the rectifying of the heart through it is from God Object If that of Saint Peter 1 Eph. 4. 10. he objected As every man hath received the gift so let him minister the same as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God Answ. I conceive it is not meant the gift of preaching but of Almes The words immediately before are these Vse hospitality one to another without grudging there is the manner and then in these words As every one hath received the gift so let him minister is implyed the measure of it agreeing with that of Saint Pauls injunction 1 Cor. 16. 2. Let every one lay by him to that end as God had prospered him c. That these temporal things are the gift of God the fourth Petition of the Lords Prayer shewes sufficiently And that collections of these and giving them to the poor is called a ministring to the Saints See 2 Cor. 8. 4. cap. 9. 1. and stiled grace cap. 8. 19. and what other sense can there be of that cap. 9. 8. God is able to make all grace abound but of temporall blessings as the next words shew to multiply your seed sowen and minister bread for your food V. 10. and they may be called the
Christ Church He was not long Provost but he was promoted to be Bishop of Kilmore where I being then the Dean it gave me the occasion to be more known to him In relation to the Liturgie of the Church of England he gave this direction viz. to observe whatsoever was enjoyned in the Rubrick without addition or diminution not to be led by custome but by rule And in speciall he ordered that the whole Doxology to the blessed Trinity Glory be to the Father c. should be alwayes read by the Minister alone without the respond of the people and the like for the Psalms Te Deum c. with the rest appointed to be read between and after the Lessons though the custome had prevailed otherwise in most Churches The Communion Table was placed by him not at the East end but within the body of the Chancell and for other Innovations elsewhere introduced he observed them not His judgement being that those were as well Non-conformists who added of their own as those who came short of what was enjoyned as he that addes an inch to the measure disownes it for a rule as well as he that cuts an inch off He was a careful observer of the Lords Day both in the publick and private at one of the clock in the after-noon he had then the Book of Common-Prayer read in the Irish tongue in the Church for the benefit of the Irish at which he was constantly present himself who in that little space had obtained the knowledge of the language And as the New Testament had been long before translated into Irish so had he caused the Old Testam to be accordingly was almost ready for the press And Whereas Doctor Heylene hath censured the late Primate very liberally for his approbation of the Articles of Ireland he must take Bishop Bedell into the number also who was so much for them that I was present when at the examination of an able Minister then to be ordained he did in the Church examin him in each or most of the Articles in a solemn meeting of the Clergy of that Diocesse for that end at least 2 full hours whereby our votes might be also given for his approbation At his Courts of Iurisdiction he frequently sate himself where he caused alwayes some of the Clergy if any were there to sit covered on each side of him with liberty to give their opinion in each case and at a sentence he asked their votes man by man In some degree reducing then his Episcopall to a Synodicall Government according to the Primates proposall by way of accommodation an 1641. It was his custome usually on the Lord's dayes to preach upon those select portions of Scripture commonly called the Epistles and Gospels of the day At the Visitations he usually preached himselfe The Procurations were bestowed in defraying the charges of the Ministers and the rest given to some pious uses After dinner and supper a Chapter was constantly read at his Table and some time spent by him in opening some difficulties in it The publick Catechisme he had branched out into 52 parts whereof he appointed one to be constantly explain'd in the Afternoons in each Church within his Diocess He was very indulgent to the Irish Natives in the preferring and encouraging of them for the Ministery and yet such was their Ingratitude i. e. the Popish party that in that horrid rebellion 1641. they exempted him not from their rapine but seized upon his cattle pillaged his house ransack't and spoyled his Library put him into a Castle standing in a Lough called Lough-outre about a mile and a halfe from his house where he was imprisoned that winter And at length being permitted to come out died in a poor house of one who was an Irish-man and a Protestant and continued faithfull to him by whose means an Hebrew manuscript Bible of his which he brought from Venice was preserved and is now in Emmanuel Colledge Library in Cambridge He was buried acccording to his own appointment in the Church-yard of the Cathedral of Kilmore where he had caused his wife and son some years before to be buried His judgement being against burials in Churches as an abuse introduced by pride superstition I conclude only with this if the Moderation of this Bishop had been observed elsewhere I believe Episcopacy might have been kept upon its wheeles A Letter of Sir Henry Wotton's to the late King in the behalf of Bishop Bedel when he was desired by the Archbishop of Armagh to accept of the Provostship of Dublin Colledge in Ireland which hath been lately published in the Life of Sir Henry Wotton May it please your most Gracious Majesty HAving been informed that certain persons have by the good wishes of the Arch-Bishop of Armagh been directed hither with a most humble Petition unto your Majesty that you will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedell now resident upon a small Benefice in Suffolk Governour of your Colledg at Dublin for the good of that society and my self being required to render unto your Majesty some testimony of the said William Bedell who was long my Chaplain at Venice in the time of my employment there I am bound in all conscience and truth so far as your Majesty will vouchsafe to accept my poore judgement to affirm of him that I think hardly a fitter man for that charge could have been propounded unto your Majesty in your whole Kingdom for singular erudition and piety Conformitie to the rites of the Church and Zeal to advance the Cause of God wherein his Travels abroad were not obscure in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians For may it please your Majesty to know that this is the man whom Padro Paule took I may say into his very soule with whom he did communicate the inwardest thoughts of his heart from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all Dâ—vinity both Scholastical and positive then from any that he had ever practiced in his dayes of which all the passages were well known to the King your Father of most blessed memory And so with your Majestie 's good favour I will end this needlesse office for the generall fame of his Learning his Life and Christian temper and those religious labours which himself hath dedicated to your Majesty do better describe him then I am able Your Majestie 's most humble and faithfull Servant H. WOTTON A Postscript Mr. Thomas Pierce hath in an Appendage to a late book of his printed five Letters wrot unto me by him in each of which I cannot but much acknowledge his respects to me To the four first I gave little else but brief returnes of the like to him which consisting chiefly either in the asserting of the nearnesse of his judgement to the Primate's or the remotenesse of Mr. Barlee's I did not conceive it fitting for me to interpose and where there was a professed full agreement it was no good office in