kingdom where he ruleth by his vicaz the Pope but eueÌ„ among vs in the persons of our wicked Prelates And although Sathan was enforced to watche a long time for his opportunity ere he could bring the ministers of the gospell vnto lordship dominion A bout the year 320. for vnto the time of Pope Silvester Rome it self was without any lordship atal yet notwithstanding he was driuen to work that in the Church before ever he could aduance the maÌ„ of sin vnto the chaire of iniquity So that by means of this superioritye and worldlye dominion of the ministers of the word he began at the first to make the waye for the in bringing of the my sterie of iniquity which as the holy ghost testifieth 2. Thes 2.7 began to manifest it self in the age of the apostles And going on forwarde by degrees he so strengthened these plants of his owne graffing that he made theÌ„ to bee the instrnmentes by the strength and power whereof he convaied the whole bodie whereof they were the members head and al into the temple of God For in these wicked offices of Archb. and Ll. Bb. the man of sinne first began to manifest him self Cardinals were brought into the Romish church since it fel cleane away from Christ they are rather the pomp then the strength of that kingdome now he is especially vpheld through no other power but through their meanes by whom also the whole kingdome of Idolatrie and darknes vnder him is especially gouerned For the inwarde parts of that kingdome to wit the pestilent errors whereby he poysoneth the world would easily wyther and decay were it not that they are fostered nourished by these ruling members of Archb. Bb Who although when they were first brought into the church being therein ordained for good purposes as flesh bloud did imagine they were not nor could not be discerned to bee members of the Antichristian kingdome because that mystery was not then made fully visible yet euer since that bodie hath appeared we know them to bee members thereof in such sort as wheresoever they are maintained there the limbs and members of Antichrist are countenanced and vpheld But wee are not to think that Sathan by whome these offices of Archbishops and L. Bishops were firste invented doeth at all tymes and places vse them to the one and selfe same purpose hee knoweth full well that hee cannot alwayes effecte what he would do with them and therefore hee is content vntill conveniencye bee offered to bestowe them as he may But alwayes this is a ground hee hath some seruice for them in all ages At the firste planting of them and long after that hee did not vohold open Idolatry and manifest apostacy from Christ by their meanes hee coulde not doe it the times woulde not suffer him who thoughe otherwayes very corrupt were yet far from that vile dishonour of God Example heereof you may see in Pope Gregory the first of that name Anno â—04 and especially in all his predecessors whose superioritye and dominion hee could not so haue at commandement as he had the prelacy of all those that followed after him vnto this day And yet had he his turnes to bring to passe by their superiority though the most of them were vndoubtedly Gods deare children For he vsed their places as steps and degrees to advance Antichrist into his throne Now in that kingdome of the man of sinne since Rome became the cage of euery vncleane beast and the verye receptacle of Diuels he hath the Hierarchy at his owne commandement to accomplish his owne will by it vnto the full So can hee not haue it in England at this day The time will not suffer it her Maiesty and our state will not beare it and yet notwithstaÌ„ding he worketh by these Antichristian offices very mightely as we see in staying the course of the gospell and the establishing of the kingdome of darknes though not by meanes of anye publick Idolatry yet by the maintenance of ignorance blindnes and by the oppression of the church And in earth not simplie as hee is the second person in trinitie God aboue all blessed for euermore but as he is the sonne manifested in the flesh Christ god and man and so the head of his Church In respect of this regiment of his the worde of God speaketh of his kingdome 2. maner of wayes first it maketh the same to be everlasting secondlie it considereth of it as it is temporarie and to remaine for a tyme. In the former respect it cannot possible any wayes decay Of this aeternall kingdome of his the Angell Gabriell spake vnto the holye Virgine Marie after this sort Luke 1.31.32 Thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall be great shal be called the sonne of the most high the Lord God shal giue vnto him the thron of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be none ende Concerning the latter regarde of his kingdome the holy Apostle Paule writeth in these wordes 1. Cot. 25.24 Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered the kingdome vnto God euen the Father when he hath put down all rule and authority and power for he must raigne vntill he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Where the Apostle speaketh of the kingdome of Christ as it is temporarie and to continue only vnto the day of judgement no longer Nowe this temporarie regiment of his is also of 2. seuerall considerations For the worde speaketh of our sauiour Christ and his gouernmeÌ„t either as he hath all power in heauen and earth coÌ„mitted vnto him Mat. 28.19 Reuel 19.16 17.14 â— 5 and so he is called the Lorde of Lords the king of kings the prince of the kings of the earth because hee is Lorde of all kingdomes and common wealths to dispose and rule them at his pleasure euen as he is man or els it considereth his government as he which is the head ruleth his bodie which is the Churche heere vpon earthe by certaine offices and ministeries which hee hath appointed to be in his bodie to wit the Church for the gathering together of his Saints for the worke of his ministerie and the aedification of his bodie Ephes 4.11 In both these regards he is said in the day of judgement to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For whereas now as he is Lord of kingdomes and coÌ„mon vealthes he ruleth by the ciuill Magistrate otherwayes by his power even in the midest of his enemies he shall in the daye of judgement put an ende vnto this regiment when all his enemies are put vnder his feet and so deliuer the kingdome vnto his Father Again because in the day of judgement when we are all mett together wee shall not stand in neede of anie aedification so the
these wicked offices of Archb. and Ll. Bb. the man of sinne first began to manifest him self Cardinals were brought into the Romish church since it fel cleane away from Christ they are rather the pomp then the strength of that kingdome now he is especially vpheld through no other power but through their meanes by whom also the whole kingdome of Idolatrie and darknes vnder him is especially gouerned For the inwarde parts of that kingdome to wit the pestilent errors whereby he poysoneth the world would easily wyther and decay were it not that they are fostered nourished by these ruling members of Archb. Bb Who although when they were first brought into the church being therein ordained for good purposes as flesh bloud did imagine they were not nor could not be discerned to bee members of the Antichristian kingdome because that mystery was not then made fully visible yet euer since that bodie hath appeared we know them to bee members thereof in such sort as wheresoever they are maintained there the limbs and members of Antichrist are countenanced and vpheld But wee are not to think that Sathan by whome these offices of Archbishops and L. Bishops were firste invented doeth at all tymes and places vse them to the one and selfe same purpose hee knoweth full well that hee cannot alwayes effecte what he would do with them and therefore hee is content vntill conveniencye bee offered to bestowe them as he may But alwayes this is a ground hee hath some seruice for them in all ages At the firste planting of them and long after that hee did not vohold open Idolatry and manifest apostacy from Christ by their meanes hee coulde not doe it the times woulde not suffer him who thoughe otherwayes very corrupt were yet far from that vile dishonour of God Example heereof you may see in Pope Gregory the first of that name Anno 604. and especially in all his predecessors whose superioritye and dominion hee could not so haue at commandement as he had the prelacy of all those that followed after him vnto this day And yet had he his turnes to bring to passe by their superiority though the most of them were vndoubtedly Gods deare children For he vsed their places as steps and degrees to advance Antichrist into his throne Now in that kingdome of the man of sinne since Rome became the cage of euery vncleane beast and the verye receptacle of Diuels he hath the Hierarchy at his owne commandement to accomplish his owne will by it vnto the full So can hee not haue it in England at this day The time will not suffer it her Maiesty and our state will not beare it and yet notwithstāding he worketh by these Antichristian offices very mightely as we see in staying the course of the gospell and the establishing of the kingdome of darknes though not by meanes of anye publick Idolatry yet by the maintenance of ignorance blindnes and by the oppression of the church And they are greatlye deceaued who thinke the members of the Antichristian kingdome to serue the Diuell in no steade when they are not joyned with their head and when he maintayneth not open warres against Christ Iesus by their meanes It is far otherwise For hee knoweth even vnder the profession of the gospell howe to employ them to his singular advantage as well as in the kingdome of the Pope and euen to the same purposes verye oftē For we know that the sway which he beareth in Babilon it selfe by Archb. and Ll. Bb. consists not onely in maintayning the open impicties I dolatry errors which are there held but a great part of his working power in them sheweth it selfe in suppressing the truth and in the tyrannous vpholding of those poore soules in miserable darcknesse who would gladly bee at the light were it not that they are kept in bondage and slauery by meanes of his foresaide instruments The lyke vse hath he for Archb. and Ll. Bb. in England at this daye Where hee defendeth errors maintaineth ignorance hindereth the truth and oppresseth the church yea persecuteth the Saintes of God to the losse of their goods and their libertie and euen vnto the blood by their power And if he cannot as yet tread down the ciuil magistrate and erect open Idolatry by thē it is because his time is not yet come For as I said hir Maiesty and our state can brook no such thing And I doe thinke that the men who exercise these Antichristian offices amongst vs would be hardly gotten to afforde him their help in these cases But when her Maiesty whose lyfe the Lorde continue vnto his glory the good of his church hir owne comfort is gone the way of all the world when our estate is some-thing more infected with popery then as yet it is and so the favorers of that Idolatry are crept into the seates of Archb. and Bb. see whether these members will not desire to bee joyned with their head It cannot bee otherwise For the Diuell by whom they were first instituted hath this purpose in retayning them in the true church that by their meanes when he findeth his opportunity he may either bring the church ouer whom they rule from the obedience of Christ Iesus vnto the bondage and slauery of Antichriste or els murther those that will not yeeld vnto that Idoll Compare them together Hee hath alwayes held this course King Edward Quene Maries dayes do testifie this vnto vs. And wee may well thinke that as when these members were first plāted in the church though the Archb. of Rome himself a long time maintained true religion in far better state than the Archb. of Cant. doeth nowe they never ceased vntill they were joined with Antichrist their head and had caried the true churche captiue with them vnto the same abhomination so now being cut off from their heade they will not be quiet vntill againe they bee engraffed into their proper and naturall bodie Now that they are the members of that body not of the kingdome of Christ besides all that hath bene spokē this reason may serue in stead of many Namely that Sathan never thinketh himselfe to haue fully erected Popery vntill such time as hee hath established the Hierarchye of Lorde Bishops For whereas popery consists of 2. especially pointes viz. the false religion and the false government of that sinagogue neither of those partes can be away where that kingdome is compleat absolute Entertaine the false religion of the pope deny the receauing of the hierarchie ye do not fullye yeeld vnto popery submit your selues fully vnto the Antichristian kingdom On the other side receaue the religion of Christ together with the government by pastors doctors elders deacons which he hath appointed in his word and you do fullye entertaine whatsoever belongeth vnto the kingdome of the gospell though you neuer know what the hierarchy of Bb. doth mean which could not
with the diuell a covenant with hell by vertue wherof they stand bound to account the Lord and al his holy wayes to be enemies vnto them and their cursed proceedings For no man can pretend the gospel and word of God to be his enemie but he must needs also confesse that he hath bidden defyance vnto the Lord of heauen earth who accounteth himselfe to be loved and hated of men according vnto the affectiō which they bear vnto his a Luk. 12 26. Iohn 14.23.15 1. Iohn 2.5 word This hatred of God his word because th' aduersaries of reformation in England dare not avowe therefore as a foundation of the whole treatize following I lay downe this ground which they themselues wil not call in question Namely That the reformation whiche at this daye wee endevour to bringe into our Churche is moste vnjustly and wrongfully accounted an enemie vnto our state if it can bee prooved to be a matter approoued off and maintayned by the worde and gospell of IESVS CHRISTE Where I would gladly knowe two thinges of them First whether they judge that which we labour for to be according to to the worde or no They must answere that they cannot so thinke of it for if they did they woulde not stand against vs as they doe Secondly if they thought our cause to be good that is if they thought it to be according vnto Gods word I demaund of them whether notwithstanding the goodnes of our cause they woulde yet thinke vs that labor in the same to be enemies vnto the state or no Wee make no question but they haue a better opinion of vs. For whatsoeuer they saye of the cause they can report no otherwise of the favourers thereof thē of those that haue alwayes shewed themselues most faythfull and trustie towards their prince and cuntrie For although within these 31. yeres there haue bin many seditious and treasonable attempts vndertaken against her Majestie and the state by men of all sortes and degrees yet by the goodnes of God it cannot be shewed that any one hath had a hande in any of these practises and conspiracies who euer opened his mouth for reformation or any wise fauored the same And as for attempting any vndutifull or disloyall action in the promoting of the cause it selfe we haue bene so farre from being guiltye in that point D. Bancroft that one of the most shamelesse most impudent slanderers that are amongst al our aduersaries intending of set purpose to stain the cause and the fauorers of reformation with sedition and treason was enforced to passe by vs and to suffer the venime of his lying and slaunderous tongue to light vpon our brethren in the kingdom of Scotland which he would neuer haue done if with any couler he could haue fastened his slanderous vntruethes vpon vs the professors of his own cuntrie So that if we could discharge our hands of the cause we defend we doubt not but our aduersaries themselues would pronounce vs guiltles of all disloyaltie against our prince and cuntrie Seeing then it is cleare that reformation is therfore accounted an enemie vnto our state because it is supposed to haue no grounde in the worde of God and seeing the fauorers thereof are thought to be turbulent men not for anye thing that in a good matter they haue seditiously attempted but inasmuch as they labor to promote a cause that of it selfe is an enterprise daungerous vnto her Majesties crowne and dignitie we are for the clearing of the one and the other to see whether the endeuors of those who desire to haue the Churche of England otherwise reformed then hither to it hath bene be such as they require nothing in that whol worke but onely that whiche the worde of God commandeth to be put in execution The whiche course if they be founde to take then also doth it follow that neither they nor the cause maintained by them can with any couler be accounted enmity vnto the kingdome wherein they liue And here if I should demaund of the most that condemne both vs the cause wherein we stand what that is which is sought to be reformed in our Church VVhat equall judges our aduersaries are I dare be bolde to say that there is not one amongst ten of them that knoweth whether it be blacke or white that we would haue Wherein they do not onely shewe themselues to weigh the most precious and weightie jewell vnder the sunne with a most vn-eauen hande but also if we beleeue the holy Apostle to claim inheritance in the wages of vnrighteousnes 2. Pet. 2.12 inasmuch as they speake euil of those things which they know not The which course if they stil holde on the same Apostle telleth them the they shall perish through their owne corruption To the ende then it may appeare what that reformation is which we seeke for and which these men do account the enemie of our state it is to be vnderstood What we mean by reformation that by reformation we meane nothing els but the remouing of all those vnlawfull callings which are maintained in our Church and ministerie contrarie vnto the reuealed will and written word of the Lord our God and the restoring thervnto of all such offices and ministeries as the same God vnder the paine of his heauie displeasure requireth to be planted in his church when or whersoeuer hee raiseth fit men for those functions To speake more plainly by reformation we mean first the rooting out of our Church of al dumb and vnpreaching ministers all nonresidents Lord Archbishops and bishops commissaries officials chancellors and all the rest of the wicked offices that depend vpon that vngodly and tyrannous hierarchie of Lord Byshops together with their gouernment and whatsoeuer maim deformitie or want there is in our Church by meanes of them their plaees Secondly by reformation we meane the placing in euerie congregation within England as far as possiblie able men can be provided of preaching pastors and Doctors gouerning elders ministring Deacons with whatsoeuer health comlinesse and good order the Lorde by the faythfull labours of these officers would haue brought into his church And these are the onely matters that we meane by the reformation of our Church The which cause in both the parts therof is made so just and aequall by the word of God that the promoting of it can bee accounted the disturbing of no state that hath not determined with it selfe to maintaine the kingdome of Sathan and his prerogatiue For the word of God maketh it out of controuersie that neyther the expelling of dumb ministers L. Bishops c. out of the Churche nor the inducing of Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons into the same can be burdened with any thing contrarie vnto the welfare of princes and common-wealths vnlesse they wil also charge the Majestie of God with the same accusation And here we appeale from our aduersaries to the word are
the kings of the earth because hee is Lorde of all kingdomes and common wealths to dispose and rule them at his pleasure euen as he is man or els it considereth his government as he which is the head ruleth his bodie which is the Churche heere vpon earthe by ceratine offices and ministeries which hee hath appointed to be in his bodie to wit the Church for the gathering together of his Saints for the worke of his ministerie and the aedification of his bodie Ephes 4.12 In both these regards he is said in the day of judgement to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For whereas now as he is Lord of kingdomes and coÌ„mon-vealthes he ruleth by the ciuill Magistrate otherwayes by his power even in the midest of his enemies he shall in the daye of judgement put an ende vnto this regiment when all his enemies are put vnder his feet and so deliuer the kingdome vnto his Father Again because in the day of judgement when we are all mett together wee shall not stand in neede of anie aedification so the meanes thereof by the preaching of the word the administration of the sacramentes c. shall cease the government of Christ also as far as it is performed by these meanes shall cease And so in this respect hee is said to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For after that day hee will no longer governe and rule vs which are the members of his body by meanes as he now doth but he which is the Lamb Looke Reu. 7 1â— 21.22.23 22 â— being in the middest of the throne of God shall immediatlie governe vs by himself and bring vs to the liuelie fountaines of waters Now the kingdome of Christ being taken in this latter sence for that government of the Church ordained vnder the new testament wherby he which is the sonne being manifested in the fleshe to take vpon him the regiment of his owne house doeth nowe from heauen by the operation of his spirite guide and governe his Church is such as no part thereof must be administred by any offices or officers saue onely by those whome in his worde he hath apointed therevnto The which case standeth vpon such manifest grounds of aequitie and iustice that their madnes is apparantlie wicked who go about to attempt the contrarie For seeing no office can haue anie place in the kingdome and bodie of Christ viz. the Church which is not a * Rom. 12.6 1. Cor. 12. â— 14.27.28 member thereof and seeing our Sauiour Christ hath not left his Churche vnperfect but absolute and compleat of all hir members otherwise he should bee an vnperfect builder of his house and far more vnperfecte than Moses is saide to bee Heb. 3.3.6 the contrarie wherof is testified of him in the word the enterprise is intollerable that anie man shoulde adde of his owne invention vnto that which is most perfect wherevnto that which is added being impertineÌ„t must needes be altogether a burthen vnprofitable and noysome vnto the bodie Because our Sauiour who is the head of his bodie giueth lyfe onely vnto the members of his own appointment making insomuch as if you go about to bring into his kingdome bodie those officers which were not ordained and apointed in the word of God to bee therein you bring in these things that appertaine not vnto the kingdome of Christ Nowe according vnto these grounds Archbard â—b doe not belong vnto the kingdome of Christ let vs see vnto what regiment these offices of Archb. and Bb. do belong whether vnto the gouernment of christ or vnto the kingdome of the beast You see if they apertaine vnto the Church of Christ that they wer ordained members thereof in the written worde will of God Heere then we will not be the judges let our aduersaries speake theÌ„ selues whether their offices be apointed in the new testameÌ„t or not for therin must they be mencioned if they belong vnto the kingdome of Christ and are the members of his bodie What wil their answere be in this point Surelie they muste confes that from the beginning of the new testament vnto the latter end of it there is not a word spoken of Ll. Arch b. and Bb. So that whensoeuer or by whomesoeuer they had their originall they haue it not from our Sauiour Christe and his word Because he hath ordained no members of his bodie and no offices of his Kingdome since the written worde of the newe testament was penned Whervpon we must needs conclude that they belong not vnto his kingdome Naye wee go further and say that Ll. Archb. and Bb. are so farre from hauing their callings warranted by the word that their verie names much more their offices are by the same made detestable and odious vnto the church as shall presentlie appeare As for their callings the corruption thereof is so great that they the puritie of the gospell together with the liberty of the church cannot stand together Concerning the puritie of the Gospell their callings pollute the same 2. maner of wayes and infringe the libertie of the church by as many Firste they will bee Ministers and civill magistrates too that is they wil bee ministers of the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of the world all at once Whereby they declare vnto vs that they thinke it not sufficient to bee as their * Mat. 10.24.25 Iohn 18.36 maister was who affirmed his king dome not to be of this worlde that is that he was not manifested in the flesh to intermedle with the execution of civill functions but to be ruler of a kingdome that consisteth in an other manner of gouernment and dominion than the kingdomes of the world doe Whose example in this point all his true ministers muste needes followe vnlesse they will make a shamefull defection from their maister vnto whome being heere vpon earth though he were the lord of all his creatures it had bene vnlawfull to haue taken vpon him the function of the civill magistrate And therefore we reade that when the multitude woulde haue made him king Iohn 6.15 he withdrew himself out of the way because that hee was not sent hyther to deale in anye thing but in the worke of mans redemption and so if as a Magistrate hee had intermedled with the dispensation of civill things be had not contained himself within the limites of that calling wherevnto he was anointed with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes Not that the calling of the Magistrate being Gods ordinanceis a thing vnlawful in it self but that the Lord hath so apointed that hee which is to be the minister of the glad tidinges of the gospell cannot be the minister of ciuill justice and execution By reason that these two ordinances of the magistracie ministerie though proceeding both of them from the Lord do yet flow from him in a diuerse consideration and respecte For the ciuill magistrate is the Lords
the nations doe he forbiddeth them also to bee called and tearmed by their titles I know what hath beene obiected by the Archb. vnto these thinges and will againe bee said if it be not prevented namely that our Sauior forbiddeth tyrannous lordship and tyrannous bearing of rule in the former place not just vpright and lawfull government Where I beseech your Hh. to lend me your attention you shall see the intollerable boldnes of this man in peruerting the truth who is not ashamed whēsoeuer it may be for his behoofe to teach points of doctrine meere directly against the words mind of the Lord Iesus I demand then of him whether our Sauiour Christ did not in the place afore cited so aunswere his disciples in the pointe whereof they doubted as hee did fullie resolue them He dares not deny it I am sure For in pointes that are needfull to be knowen reuealed our Sauiour being demāded one thing doeth not frame his answere vnto that whereof no question is made and so leaue his church vnsarisfied What was the question then Was it whether any of them should rule lyke a tyrant was it whether any of them should gape after promotion no such thing For they knew well enough that it was very gainlesse for them to demaund of our sauiour which of them should be a tyrant which of them should abuse his lawfull superioritie or whiche of them should be an ambitious prelate they knewe well enough that he would allow no such dominiō and preheminence Besides the apostles we may well think were not so blinde as to demand any such question of their maister Nowe then they demanding no such thing at his handes to what end should he tell them that they should not be tyrannous rulers They made no question of any suche matter therefore a resolution of that which they called not into controuersye was nothing to the purpose but left them as doubtful as they were before Wherefore wee are to conclude that as the question was concerning lawfull preheminence bearing of rule his negatiue answere being frained vnto their question denieth vnto them not only a tyrannous and an ambitious prelacie wherof they made no question but euen that dominion preheminence which of it self is lawfull in thē who by the ordinance of God are capable of it to wit in the civill magistrate And whereas the Apostles dreaming of a worldly kingdom might alledge for themselues that their demand was not altogether without ground because they contended for no other superioritie then was allowed off in the rulers of worldlie kingdomes our maister Christ answereth that obiection and telleth them that although it bee lawfull for ciuill gouernours to beare rule ouer their fellow officers and collegues that is ouer ciuill magistrates and althoughe it bee lawfull for them to beare lordlie rule and authoritie and to haue highe stiles and titles yet among you that are Ministers of the Gospell it shall not bee so saieth he And to perswade them herevnto Luk. 22.27.28 he bringeth in his owne example who came to serue and not to beare rule in the ministery of the new testament Making it also knowne vnto them and to all his true ministers that although they were according vnto his example to serue and not to exercise dominion all the time of their being vpon earth in publishing the gospell Verse 29.30 yet there was a kingdome prepared for them wherein they should haue an especiall preheminence But as for anie dominion here vpon earth if they would be his true disciples they were to look for none but to be as he was and to take the Ministerye vpon them on the same condition that hee did viz. to serue and not to beare rule therein Of all these things then wee doe conclude that this threefold corruption of our Archb. and Bb. First in vsurping vpon the government of the civill magistrate secondlie in claming vnto themselues those highe names and titles which belong vnto worldly honors and promotions lastly in the lordlie preheminence and superioritie which they vsurpe ouer the whole body of the Church within their diocese in generall and ouer their fellow ministers in particular is altogether a matter to be detested of all true christians as abhominable and odious in the presence of the Lorde And seeing our head Christ Iesus granteth vnto his body this libertle that al the members thereof should be servants and not lordes therein as he himself did serue not beare rule in the kingdome of the gospell and hath giuen all true ministers this priuiledge that none of them shoulde rule ouer the other it muste needs be that this lordlyke gouernment which our bishops arrogate vnto themselues ouer the church of God and the Ministers of it cannot in it selfe though it were never abused but bee preiudiciall vnto the liberties of the church and the ministers thereof Therefore my Ll. maintaine the Hierarchy of Bb. as long as you will you vpholde thereby nothing els but the tyranny and bondage of the church together with a chiefe and an especiall portion of the kingdome of Antichrist For as this pestilent Hierarchy hath bene proued not to appertain vnto the kingdome of Christ so your Hh. are to know that the same belongeth vnto no other body then vnto that regiment whereof the sonne of perdition is the head For vnto the kingdome of Christ as you see it doth not belong to the kingdome of the world that is vnto the civill magistracie it cannot appertaine for it would bee accounted an ecclesiasticall constitution and not any civill regiment To Mahometisme or to any other heathnish Idolatry it cannot belong because it is onely retained among those that pretend the name of Christ and are eyther the true churche in deede or at the leaste doe wrongfully retaine the name of the true churche Now vnto the true church it doeth not belong as we haue already proued because it is a government cōsisting of those offices which the head neuer ordained to be in the bodie and consisteth of suche members as would beare rule and not serue in the ministerie of the Gospel We must then place them in deede where of right they ought to be that is in the false sinagogue which vniustly arrogateth vnto it selfe the name of the true churche of God and that is in the kingdome of Antichriste the Pope Whose kingdome must begin in the church of god and not among the heathen as it was expresly fore tolde by the apostle Paule 2. Thes 2.5 Sathan therefore being to lay the foundation of this antichristiā kingdome within the churche and temple of God that hee might with more colour afterwardes pretend the name of the churche began by little and little to poison the ministers of the gospell with worldlye promotion and superiority and so from small beginnings brought the Hierarchye vnto that height of pryde wherein wee see it at this day not only in his own
meanes thereof by the preaching of the word the administration of the sacramentes c. shall cease the government of Christ also as far as it is performed by these meanes shall cease And so in this respect hee is said to deliuer the kingdome vnto his father For after that day hee will no longer governe and rule vs which are the members of his body by meanes as he now doth but he which is the Lamb Lonke Reu. 7.17 21.22.23 â—2 5. being in the middest of the throne of God shall immediatlie governe vs by himself and bring vs to the liuelie fountaines of waters Now the kingdome of Christ being taken in this latter sence for that government of the Church ordained vnder the new testament wherby he which is the sonne being manifested in the fleshe to take vpon him the regiment of his owne house doeth nowe from heauen by the operation of his spirite guide and governe his Church is such as no part thereof must be administred by any offices or officers saue onely by those whome in his worde he hath apointed therevnto The which case standeth vpon such manifest grounds of aequitie and iustice that their madnes is apparantlie wicked who go about to attempt the contrarie For seeing no office can haue anie place in the kingdome and bodie of Christ viz. the Church which is not a * Rom. 12.6 1. Cor. 12.8.14.27.28 member thereof and seeing our Sauiour Christ hath not left his Churche vnperfect but absolute and compleat of all hir members otherwise he should bee an vnperfect builder of his house and far more vnperfecte than Moses is saide to bee Heb. 3.3.6 the contrarie wherof is testified of him in the word the enterprise is intollerable thatanie man shoulde adde of his owne invention vnto that which is most perfect wherevnto that which is added being impertineÌ„t must needes be altogether a burthen vnprofitable and noysome vnto the bodie Because our Sauiour who is the head of his bodie giueth lyfe onely vnto the members of his own appointment making insomuch as if you go about to bring into his kingdome bodie those officers which were not ordained and apointed in the word of God to bee therein you bring in these things that appertaine not vnto the kingdome of Christ Nowe according vnto these grounds Archb. aâ—d â—b doe not belong vnto the kingdome of Christ let vs see vnto what regiment these offices of Archb. and Bb. do belong whether vnto the gouernment of christ or vnto the kingdome of the beast You see if they apertaine vnto the Church of Christ that they wer ordained members thereof in the written worde will of God Heere then we will not be the judges let our aduersaries speake theÌ„ selues whether their offices be apointed in the new testameÌ„t or not for therin must they be mencioned if they belong vnto the kingdome of Christ and are the members of his bodie What wil their answere be in this point Surelie they muste confes that from the beginning of the new testament vnto the latter end of it there is not a word spoken of Ll. Archb. and Bb. So that whensoeuer or by whomesoeuer they had their originall they haue it not from our Sauiour Christe and his word Because he hath ordained no members of his bodie and no offices of his Kingdome since the written worde of the newe testament was penned Whervpon we must needs conclude that they belong not vnto his kingdome Naye wee go further and say that Ll. Archb. and Bb. are so farre from hauing their callings warranted by the word that their verie names much more their offices are by the same made detestable and odious vnto the church as shall presentlie appeare As for their callings the corruption thereof is so great that they the puritie of the gospell together with the liberty of the church cannot stand together Concerning the puritie of the Gospell their callings pollute the same 2. maner of wayes and infringe the libertie of the church by as many Firste they will bee Ministers and civill magistrates too that is they wil bee ministers of the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of the world all at once Whereby they declare vnto vs that they thinke it not sufficient to bee as their * Mat. 10.24.25 Iohn 18.36 maister was who affirmed his kingdome not to be of this worlde that is that he was not manifested in the flesh to intermedle with the execution of civill functions but to be ruler of a kingdome that consisteth in an other manner of gouernment and dominion than the kingdomes of the world doe Whose example in this point all his true ministers muste needes followe vnlesse they will make a shamefull defection from their maister vnto whome being heere vpon earth though he were the lord of all his creatures it had bene vnlawfull to haue taken vpon him the function of the civill magistrate And therefore we reade that when the multitude woulde haue made him king Iohn 6.15 he withdrew himself out of the way because that hee was not sent hyther to deale in anye thing but in the worke of mans redemption and so if as a Magistrate hee had intermedled with the dispensation of civill things he had not contained himself within the limites of that calling wherevnto he was anointed with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes Not that the calling of the Magistrate being Gods ordinance is a thing vnlawful in itself but that the Lord hath so apointed that hee which is to be the minister of the glad tidinges of the gospell cannot be the minister of ciuill justice and execution By reason that these two ordinances of the magistracie ministerie though proceeding both of them from the Lord do yet flow from him in a diuerse consideration and respecte For the ciuill magistrate is the Lords liuetennant and messenger in respect that the Lord is gouernor and ruler of all his creatures and especiallie of men and therefore hath apointed the civill magistracie to keepe them in that outward obedience which he requjreth at their handes Now the minister is the Lordes messenger in an other regarde viz. In respecte that the Lord offereth peace and reconciliation vnto men if they * 2. Thes 1.9 beleeue and obeye his gospell Vnlesse therefore we would make the Lord to be the Redeemer of mankinde in that respect that hee is the Creator and the gouernor thereof so confound the decree of the gouernmeÌ„t of the creatures with the decree and ordinance of mans redemption we cannot without the breach of the Lords holy will confound these two callings together And surelie by how much the work of mans redemption from the aeternall wrath of God is more excellent than the worke of the creation and government of the creatures by so much the more detestable and odious doe they manifest themselues who being as they would be accounted ministers of that reconciliation made
whether any of them should rule lyke a tyrant was it whether any of them should gape after promotion no such thing For they knew well enough that it was very gainlesse for them to demaund of our sauiour which of them should be a tyrant which of them should abuse his lawfull superioritie or whiche of them should be an ambitious prelate they knewe well enough that he would allow no such dominiō and preheminence Besides the apostles we may well think were not so blinde as to demand any such question of their maister Nowe then they demanding no such thing at his handes to what end should he tell them that they should not be tyrannous rulers They made no question of any suche matter therefore a resolution of that which they called not into controuersye was nothing to the purpose but left them as doubtful as they were before Wherefore wee are to conclude that as the question was concerning lawfull preheminence bearing of rule his negatiue answere being frained vnto their question denieth vnto them not only a tyrannous and an ambitious prelacie wherof they made no question but euen that dominion preheminence which of it self is lawfull in thē who by the ordinance of God are capable of it to wit in the civill magistrate And whereas the Apostles dreaming of a worldly kingdom might alledge for themselues that their demand was not altogether without ground because they contended for no other superioritie then was allowed off in the rulers of worldlie kingdomes our maister Christ answereth that obiection and telleth them that although it bee lawfull for ciuill gouernours to beare rule ouer their fellow officers and collegues that is ouer ciuill magistrates and althoughe it bee lawfull for them to beare lordlie rule and authoritie and to haue highe stiles and titles yet among you that are Ministers of the Gospell it shall not bee so saieth he And to perswade them herevnto Luk. 22.27.28 he bringeth in his owne example who came to serue and not to beare rule in the ministery of the new testament Making it also knowne vnto them and to all his true ministers that although they were according vnto his example to serue and not to exercise dominion all the time of their being vpon earth in publishing the gospell Verse 29.30 yet there was a kingdome prepared for them wherein they should haue an especiall preheminence But as for anie dominion here vpon earth if they would be his true disciples they were to look for none but to be as he was and to take the Ministerye vpon them on the same condition that hee did viz. to serue and not to beare rule therein Of all these things then wee doe conclude that this threefold corruption of our Archb. and Bb. First in vsurping vpon the government of the civill magistrate secondlie in claiming vnto themselues those highe names and titles which belong vnto worldly honors and promotions lastly in the lordlie preheminence and superioritie which they vsurpe ouer the whole body of the Church within their diocese in generall and ouer their fellow ministers in particular is altogether a matter to be detested of all true christians as abhominable and odious in the presence of the Lorde And seeing our head Christ Iesus granteth vnto his body this libertle that al the members thereof should be servants and not lordes therein as he himself did serue not beare rule in the kingdome of the gospell and hath giuen all true ministers this priuiledge that none of them shoulde rule ouer the other it muste needs be that this lordlyke gouernment which our bishops arrogate vnto themselues ouer the church of God and the Ministers of it cannot in it selfe though it were never abused but bee preiudiciall vnto the liberties of the church and the ministers thereof Therefore my Ll. maintaine the Hierarchy of Bb. as long as you will you vpholde thereby nothing els but the tyranny and bondage of the church together with a chiefe and an especiall portion of the kingdome of Antichrist For as this pestilent Hierarchy hath bene proued not to appertain vnto the kingdome of Christ so your Hh. are to know that the same belongeth vnto no other body then vnto that regiment whereof the sonne of perdition is the head For vnto the kingdome of Christ as you see it doth not belong to the kingdome of the world that is vnto the civill magistracie it cannot appertaine for it would bee accounted an ecclesiasticall constitution and not any civill regiment To Mahometisme or to any other heathnish Idolatry it cannot belong because it is onely retained among those that pretend the name of Christ and are eyther the true churche in deede or at the leaste doe wrongfully retaine the name of the true churche Now vnto the true church it doeth not belong as we haue already proued because it is a government cōsisting of those offices which the head neuer ordained to be in the bodie and consisteth of suche members as would beare rule and not serue in the ministerie of the Gospel We must then place them in deede where of right they ought to be that is in the false sinagogue which vniustly arrogateth vnto it selfe the name of the true churche of God and that is in the kingdome of Antichriste the Pope Whose kingdome must begin in the church of god and not among the heathen as it was expresly fore tolde by the apostle Paule 2. Thes 2.5 Sathan therefore being to lay the foundation of this antichristiā kingdome within the churche and temple of God that hee might with more colour afterwardes pretend the name of the churche began by little and little to poison the ministers of the gospell with worldlye promotion and superiority and so from small beginnings brought the Hierarchye vnto that height of pryde wherein wee see it at this day not only in his own kingdom where he ruleth by his vicar the Pope but euē among vs in the persons of our wicked Prelates And although Sathan was enforced to watche a long time for his opportunity ere he could bring the ministers of the gospell vnto lordship dominion About the year 320. for vnto the time of Pope Silvester Rome it self was without any lordship at al yet notwithstanding he was driuen to work that in the Church before ever he could aduance the mā of sin vnto the chaire of iniquity So that by means of this superioritye and worldlye dominion of the ministers of the word he began at the first to make the waye for the in bringing of the my sterie of iniquitie which as the holy ghost testifieth 2. Thes 2.7 began to manifest it self in the age of the apostles And going on forwarde by degrees he so strengthened these plants of his owne graffing that he made thē to bee the instrnmentes by the strength and power whereof he convaied the whole bodie whereof they were the members head and al into the temple of God For in
bee true if the hierarchye belonged vnto that kingdome of Christ Seing then that the kingdome of Christ and true religion may be absolute perfecte though the offices of Ll. Archb. and Bb. bee not joined therevnto and seeing that where these are not retayned some part of Popery is wanting it followeth that L. Archb. and Bb. doe appertaine vnto the regiment of the beast and his Idolatrie not vnto the religion and kingdome of Christ The consequence whereof is that they who labour and striue for the maintenance of those coruptions in our church labour and striue for the vpholding of a part of the kingdome of Antichrist the pope The continuance of whose members amongest vs serueth to no other purpose then to keepe possession vntill the head hath gotten him sufficient force to invade both the true churche of God and the throne of the civill Magistrate in our kingdome And surely if this Hierarchy vnder whose winges Popery hath growne so fast within these 20 yeares doth stande anye long time in England I looke for no other effect to come from it but these two First a toleration for men to professe popish Idolatry Tolleration of Popery Secondly vpon the grant heereof I look that by little little the state of her Maiesties crown which the Lord forbid should be brought in bondage vnder the Antichristiā authority of the pope If you graūt the former the latter must needs follow For let it once be sene that popery hath gotten such strength among vs that after 31. yeares banishment wee haue bene violentlie enforced compelled to receaue the same againe into our bosomes and you shall then perceaue that it will bee an easie matter for the Pope and his hirelings to bring the crowne of England to stoup vnto Antichrists Myter And as the lykly ruine of hir Maiesties estate must needs ensue vpon the quiet profession of popery within any parte of her dominions so out of question the continuance of this Hierarchye will so increase the nomber of Papists among vs that of force whether wee will or not they will haue the libertye of their idolatrous consciences in their Idoll service They that knowe howe their nomber haue augmented within these 16. yeares in our state and how Sathan hath framed his instruments meet for this purpose may easilie judge that there is som reason why this feare shoulde bee conceaued The members never thinke them selues well placed when they are not annexed vnto the heade Either then remoue these members or vndoubtedly they will one day bring whatsoever is committed vnto their gouernment and make the same subiect thrall vnto that head for the seruice whereof they them-selues were appointed Where it is saide that the offices of Archb. and Bb. cannot stand in the church without the infringing of the liberties thereof and that they are mēbers of the body of Antichrist I know it wil be objected that many good men even since the last reuealing of the gospel supplied these places as M. Cranmer M. Hooper M. Latimer M. Ridley M. Bale c. whom if we should account either to be vsurpers ouer their fellow brethren and the rest of the church of God in their time or to haue continued in Antichristian callings the matter will bee thought strange and hardly taken Whervnto the answere is this That for their callings it cannot be denied but they were the offices of the Antichristian kingdome And for the men themselues they coulde not possiblye anye wayes continue in them without the breach of Gods ordinance and the impeaching of the libetties of the Churche in some measure For in some sort they did rather beare rule than serue in the ministery of the gospell And yet notwithstanding all these imperfections we think these men to haue bene such as for whome we are to giue the Lord harty thankes not that they were Ll. Bishops but that they faithfully labored in the ministery of the gospell and sealed the same with their blood In respect whereof also wee accounte their memory to be blessed and reverend amongst posterities But what is all this vnto the Bishops of England at this day Are they Latimers Are they Cranmers Ridleyes Hoopers Though for some causes I could wish they were yet I thank God frō my hart that they are not For then their Hierarchy would not so soone fal to the ground as now I hope it will But alas it may grieue anye christian hart to consider the differences that are between these vpstart corrupt tyrantes that nowe raigne ouer our church those ancient sincere fathers Compare them together but onelye in one pointe and you shall see how lamentablie they differ Those reverend men of God M. Cranmer M. Latimer M. Hooper c. hauing by great striuing recovered our church though a dead church out of the handes of tyrannous murtherers laboured by all meanes possible to put life into it by the preching of the word that being aliue made strong they might also restore it vnto liberty Our Bb. on the other side what do they Surely rather then the church vnder their jurisdictions should recover hir liberty Iudge good Readers their whole care is how they may murther the same I sclander them not For rather than they will suffer any to bee over gods people who doth instruct them in those things that concerne the lyberty of the church and the tyranny of the popish government * They haue stopped the mouthes of so many faithfull teachers within these 6. yeares that the proofe of this point is needlesse Iohn 6.63 they will violently thruste al such teachers from their flocks and place Idoles in their stead And what is this els but to murther the church rather than it shoulde not bee in bondage vnto them For they that bereaue the church of the word preached take away the very life therof The words that I haue spoken saieth our Sauiour are spirite and life And I appeale in this place vnto the consciences of our Prelates whether if all the prechers in England sought the ouerthrow of their hierarchie they would not thrust thē al out of their places rather then the church should be deliuered from their antichristian jurisdiction It is plain they would T.C. Admon pag. 28.29 For B. Cooper maketh the putting downe of Ll. Bb. to be the plain ouerthrow of the church And reading is preaching saieth the Archb. VVhitgift pag. 569.574 Better then for the church to stād by these quiet reading murtherers then to be ouerturned by seditious teachers The case therefore is manifest that they loue our church so wel as rather than they shoulde not beare rule therein they wil see the hart blood of it that being therby tamed it may content it self with any tollerable seruitude Look then what differēce there may be betwene desperate murtherers the carefull phisitions of mens soules betweene merciles tyrants and the pitiful fathers of the churche the very same