in the world if we may give any credit to our owne histories which I take to be the first time of preaching of the Gospel here or at least to take a place in the Kingdome what ever men say of Paul Simon Zelotes Joseph of Aramathea preaching here which they may do and not constitute a Church here for the Apostles constituted not alwaies Churches where ever they came and preached the Gospel Moreover Hyreneus who lived Anno 170. in France in his lib. 1. cap. 3. adversus Heres mentions the Churches that were known then to be in the world but not a word of Britain Et neque in Germaniis fundatae Ecclesiae aliter credunt aut aliter tradunt neque in Hispaniis neque in Celtis neque in Egypto neque in Libya neque in Oriente neque hae quae in medio mundo sunt constitutae Sure if in his time had been any Church in England he should have knowne of it and would not have past it by in his enumeration of Churches 2. Lucius according to Harrisons Cronology whom Holinshed fellowes saith he began his Raigne 165. who did send to Rome Elvan and Meduin to Eleutherius the Bishop to send Ministers to instruct the people of this Land and baptize them who did send Eugatianus and Damianus who baptized the King with all his Family and People and therewith removed the worshipping of Idolls and false gods and taught the right means and way to worship the true God there were saith he in the bounds of Britain 28. Flamins and three Archflamins which were as Bishops and Archbishops or Superintendants of the Pagan or the gentile Religion in whose place they being removed were instituted 28. Bishops and three Archbishops of the Christian Religion one of the which Archbishops held his Sea at London to whom was subject Cornwall and all the middle part of England to Humber another of their Seas was at York to whom was subject the North part of Britain from Humber to the end of Scotland the third Archflamins Sea was at Carleon Arwiske in Clamorganshire to whom was subject all Wales He saith further this Kingdome was the first that openly that is indeed that did universally nationally received the Gospel Holinshed Lif. Lucius An Ancient Author I have by me saith one Pagan and Elybain were sent from Rome by Eleutherius who baptized the people untill all the Land was baptized going from Towne to Towne baptizing men more he saith King Lucius made two Archbishops and many Bishops Fox out of Monumetensis and others relates the same in his story of the Church Eleutherius as Platin saith lived about 171. Epistolam accepit à Lucio Rege Britanno c. Inibi erant pontifices 25. quos Flamines vocabant 1. That this is right Romish work contrary to the primitive practice none will deny I think 2. This was the first Nation that became a Nationall Church 3. It was made so under a Satanicall Government 4. From this it went unto other Lands and other then this was never in this Kingdome if there had been any Church or Ministry hear Lucius would never have sent to Rome to have some thence to baptize him 1. Ep. Clement Rom. Though corrupt yet is it Ancient In illis verò civitatibus in quibus olim apud Ethnicos Archiflamines eorum atque primi legis Doctores erant Episcoporum Primates poni vel PatrÃarchas ordinavit qui reliquorum Episcoporum judicia majora negotia quoties necesse foret in fide agitarent secundum Dei voluntatem sicut constituerunt sancti Apostoli ita ut nè quis injustè periclitaretur definirent Hence we may see the ground of Government of Archbishops and Bishops whence taken and how and when it did begin to be even within two years of the truth it selfe and no wonder our Nation continued so long under it that Bishops have pleaded the antiquity of their government Three things confirme this story 1. That Gregory who did send Austin into this Kingdome appointed that the Sea of York should have the same extent it had under Sampson the first Archbishop in Lucius time which succeeded the Archflamine whose Jurisdiction was all Scotland and part of England All the Bishops of Scotland since that time have fetched their consecration thence and swear Canonicall obedience to that Sea untill the year 1466. when as George Nevil was Bishop in whose time the Scots Bishops cast off their Canonicall obedience on this ground that in respect of the many and bloody warres between the two Nations the Metroplitan of York could bear no fatherly affection to his sons of Scotland 2. It is said that the Bishop of Meneva or Davids to which that of Caerleon was removed had seven suffragan Bishops under him at the coming of Austin unto the Land who gave him a meeting to compose differences between them being about an 600. 3. Rome was to be the Mother of Harlots she was the cause of this Idolatry before as Heathenish Rome for Onuphrius saith in Heathenish Rome were three Archflamins called Dialis Martialis Quirinalis He mentions only 15. more the rest it's like of them their memory perished with them For Flora that Romish Harlot being of those flamins mentioned of Onuphrius was as the remains prove of her Festivall among us of our 28. and came from Rome It came hereby to be the mother of Idolatry as it was Antichristian Rome the Jewes joyned Mosaycal Ceremonies and the Gospell the Gentiles Gentile Superstitions and the Gospell together 1. Cor. 10.20.21 Again in that Tertull. about the year 200. saith the Britains are subject to the true Christ but he saith not in the true way of Christ 1. Applic. That after the 200. year of Christ there is no proving the true Gospell Government from the practice of the then Churches they being fallen into a strange apostacy from the Gospell institution 2. As they fell somwhat from the practice so the corruptions added of the Papists to them make them abundantly the more uselesse to the Church Of the thrid Century were Origen An. 230. Cyprian An 240. Cornelius Rom. 250. Origen I suppose to be the first corrupted the order of Ordination in the Church taking it not from the People and Presbytery in which he ministred but from other Bishops of other Churches Pro hoc autem adversum eum inhumanus livor accenderit and the Bishops ordained the justification of their fact plead only Quod in praedicatione verbi satis clarè effloruerat Euseb l. 6. cap. 17. It appeares in that Zebenus the Bishop was so much offended at it 1. It was not according to the Gospell 2. It was not practised in the Churches 3. The Bishops then did not plead that it was proper to their function only and not to Presbyters as now This will more clearly appeare in that of Hieron ad Evagrium Alexandria à Marco ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper unum ex se electum in excelfiori
that he could make him partaker of his office by Ordination and Election of the Church Lastly What his office and his labor was is set down in the last words Shewing The office delegated to him was to teach the first Elements to Beginners But reserveth to himself the Instruction of the Perfect This agreed neerly to the Gospel Patern and was also practised in the Church of Alexandria before but on a better call from which Institution Origen like himself changeth and seeketh to destroy as after For Neoterics it is not my purpose to cite any but that ye may see Calvine on whose judgement and practice the foundation of the Presbyterie is laid thought otherwaies of it then those which succeed him do who for ought I understand did better discern the Estate of the Church under that way of Administration then those succeed him in it do or seem to do Calvine 1. Ep. Cor. 12.28 God hath set in the Church First Apostles Secondarily Prophets Thirdly Teachers he having spoken largely before and shewing much uncertainty or unresolvednesse how the differing Ministry is to be exercized in the Church in the end concludes thus Si quis dissentat facilè patior neque rixas propterea excitabo est enim difficile judicare de donis muneribus quibus tam dui jam orbata fuit Ecclesia nisi quòd vestigia tantùm vel umbra adhuc apparent If any saith he dissents I am well content nor will I therefore stir up contentions for it is hard to judge of the gifts and Offices of which the Church hath now been so long deprived so that the signes only or shaddowes as yet appeare of them If this be truth then we are to inquire further for the knowledge of the true forme of Church-discipline then Calvine went further then whom I think Presbytery proceeds not though with higher and greater confidence then he did go or were he living I presume would goe on his first discoveries from his owne words nor do I see any thing altered in the Offices or dispensations of them now under the Presbyteriall forme from that Calvine in his institutions hath proposed but rather in that we rest as in the full and perfect discovery of the way of God laying claime to a Jus Divinum for a conformation of it 14. I come now to speak a word of the Apostacy of Church-discipline in the Church Euseb 3. l. 26. cap. Vsque ad tempora Trajani virgo munda immaculata permansit Ecclesia corruptoribus veritatis divini verbi temeratoribus aut nunquam omnino extantibus aut etiam si qui fortè fuerant in occultis abditis hiatibus terrae delitescentibus ut verò Apostolorum chorus omnis illa aetas quae a Domino susceperat vivae voces auditum de hac luce discessit tum velut in vacuam domum falsae doctrinae impius se error immersit tanquam ubi nullus jam diutius census desensor existeret nudato ut aiunt capite corripientes arma mendacii oppugnare Apostolicam veritatem nituntur sed istud bellum intrinsecùs gerebatur Nicephorus Eccles hist l. 3. cap. 19. saith Heresies began about Ignatius time Euseb lib. 4. cap. 21. He saith Simon the son of Mary Cleophas was ordained Bishop Electus ab omnibus pro eo quód esset consobrinus Domini propterea autem tunc Ecclesia virgo vocabatur quòd nondum fuerat adulterini verbi subreptione corrupta sed Theobutes quidem quia repulsus non meruit Episcopatum ipse caepit in initio perturbare omnia corrumpere qui erat ex septem haeresibus in populo constitutis c. 1. Here is the time of the Churches continuance in it's purity or virgin estate 2. Here is the time and cause of it's Apostacy Theobutus an Heretike troubling and corrupting all things because he could not be advanced to the Episcopacy of Jerusalem Yet with the Apostle John we may say that Antichrist already wrought for in these times when the Church kept not the forme of sound words not calling their Ministers by their proper names they made way for Antichrist to rise in a unspeakable manner little thought they that their allusions to the legall Ministry and naming the Evangelist Pontifex from Aaron the Pastor Sacerdos from his sons and the Teacher Minister from the Levits was the name means and way by which Antichrist at his inthronment should take up The same may be said of Ignatius if the word Episcopus be not adulterous and put in for Evangelist which I suppose came thus to passe the whole Governments being rightly called Episcopacy as said of Judas Acts 1.20 Let an other take his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now in time the senior Presbyter or Government by way of eminency was called Bishop though à principio non fuit Hyreneus requires in Presbyters lib. 4. cap. 43. successionem Episcopatus Those wrote now mentioned here in this tract Clement Rom. whos 's 1. Epist is strangely corrupted and divers other spurious writings go under his name written long since vide Scult Anno 90. Ignatius Policarp Epist Anno 70. Dionysius Areopag who is questioned for his antiquity the very things he is questioned for prove it many waies And Scultetus after all the objections he had made against his antiquity saith Quiscunque autem Dionysius iste fuerit antiquus fuerit necesse est quòd ipsa ecclesiastica ordinationis forma docet c. In his Medulla Theolog. Patrum he is said to be about an 80. In the second Century corruptions began to increase much Justinus 130. Hogesippus 190. the 5. Books passe under his name now have only the History of the Jewes destruction and nothing of the Apostolicall traditions as the right Egisippus is said by Eusebius Nicephorus and others to have Ireneus 170. Clem. Alex. 200. Tertull. Anno. 200. some would 160. Tertull. de proscrip advers haeret complaines of the Lay Peoples taking the Ministry on them saith Qui hodie Presbyter cras Laicus Againe he shewes in his time began the corruption of the Church by a mixture of societies crying out Pariter adeunt pariter audiunt pariter erant quis Cathecumenus quis fidelis incertum est 1. See in the beginning it was only of Catechists and Believers that they came in one place together were taught together and prayed together what would he say of our Societies in which all altogether do these and more also receiving Sacraments also together 2. He calls these Societies only then the Societies of Heretikes 3. The devill of this was such he observes it was not knowne who was a believer who a Catecumenus may not we say to him as the Pharisees to Christ in saying this thou reproachest us also and no people ever were more guilty of reproach hence then we in this Kingdome are About this time in this Kingdome was set up the first Nationall Church in the world the first Archbishops and their suffragans
at all 3. Hence the condition propounded to all old and yong rich and poor is That unless they become as little children sit among them learn among them c. bearing the image of the heavenly Infancy of Christ as of Adam they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven that is the Churches Society 1 Cor. 15.49 he that cannot deny himself in this is not fit for the kingdom That we may see we are not left onely to this Traditional Exposition onely but that we have Divine Authority more fully to confirm the same by see James 2. ver 1 7. The Objections are many against this the Scriptures abounds with as many Answers The Objections may be reduced to two chief heads 1. Do ye think old men will be made children and sit with children and endure to sit with them 2. Will rich men sit on Mats and poor men sit in Chairs what dishonor were this to greatness 1. This is one thing makes the entrance into the Kingdom so difficult Luke 18.17 Matth. 19.23 2. God respects not any mans person for his greatness 3. It is according to the will of God that goodness in his presence should be honored not riches 4. Hence the richest man of the world cannot be Christs disciple unless he thus deny himself But to the Scripture James 2.1 1. It is necessary to let you know That this Epistle was written to men out of Church society as this we are in whose meetings the Church Order or Discipline was not observed in which greatness not goodness was looked on 2. The Apostle reproves this corruption in the Jews and tells them This was an injury offered to the faith of Christ which is worthy of more honor then any thing else and make a man more honorable before God though not before the world 3. He shews in Church Discipline no respect of persons is of God to be permitted 4. That in Church-meetings before God onely faith is had in esteem and to be honored so that the way of the Church and of God are quite contrary to the world and our Church-way which is according to the world and not the word Ver. 2. 1. He shews in whom it was done in two men exemplarily 2. Where it was done and that was in their Synagogue 3. How it was and that was by placing one in a place of note a chair and the other on the Mat at his footstool 4. For what the one hath his good place and that is for his Apparel and gold Ring and the other is placed meanly because he have no better clothes 1. In which God reproves all carnal respect in Spiritual things either to disesteem the godly because poor or to honor others in the Church because rich Here let no man think that I write this to shadow the greatness or Authority of any in the Common-weal to whom God commands for conscience obedience of his people they having their Authority and Institution from God for the good peace and weal of the State in which we live Ver. 4. God condemns them for partiality and Ver. 5. Opposes the riches of the Saint to the natural mans riches and saith He is rich in faith far exceeding worldly goods and tells them They are also chosen of God though they condem them and imply That it is a grievous thing before God in Gods house to set up earthly glory and depose that that is the glory of the kingdom which thing is not according to God nor godliness And then tells them The poor are heirs of the kingdom and that the place and honor thereof may belong to them as to any other and to take it from him is to rob him of his inheritance as to take a rich mans possessions were to rob him Ver. 7. He shews them their error by representing the ungodly practice of graceless great men and thence shews how unfit they were to be honored in the Church 1. They were persecutors of those believers drawing them before Judgement-seats 2. They blasphemed that worthy name by which they were called by railing against accusing and condemning Godliness to the world 1. As to the Church that they give honor to none in the Church until they have that in them makes them honorable for the honor in the Church cometh from God first 2. Not to dishonor God or Godliness in a poor man for his poverty 3. To Christians not to imitate the Pharisees in their corruptions by seeking to have the chief places in Synagogues but to be content with that place Christ the Lord of the Church shall place thee in It is illustrated Luke 14.8 10. when called to a wedding that is to the Society of Christ in the Gospel sit not down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the chief place v. 10. but sit down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lowest lest one more honorable then thou c. I believe that were the Jewish customs known better of us then they are many Gospel mysteries would be unfolded which now are hid the variety of words imply a diversity of matter intended as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which God reveals that we without the Jews shall not be made perfect God will again come to honor that people to the world in these and many other things But the Scripture shews That a man must first sit in the lowest place and continue there until called higher that is to the higher means of grace when he should have honor of all I may say of this Scripture as the Apostle of another Doth God take care of Oxen so doth God take care of feasting onely here in feasting was but the bark the Church order the pith though I do not say but it serves to direct men in that also which is as the shell to the kernel Jam. 1.9 makes a sweet application of these things to the poor That though they were poor in the world yet by grace came to be exalted above worldly advancements Ver. 10. the rich they are exhorted to rejoyce in that they are made low that they have a heart to become children to see grace in a poor Saint set up above greatness in himself and his heart not oppose it For its hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven and 1 Cor. 1. Not many rich not many wise c. so that the mercy is the greater to those rich men are called and thus indowed with an humble minde and nature thus overcome in them by grace 1 Cor. 15.41 Tertul. in his book de Resurrectione carnis applyeth There is one glory of the sun another of the moon another of the stars to the differing estates of the Saints in the Church but if not to them if to the Saints in heaven it shews that there 's an agreement between the glory of Saints in heaven and those in earth those of the third Mansion of men shine as the Sun those of the second of youth as the Moon those of the first as
people lived untill John the Baptist Ver. 9. He sheweth that the covenant made with man under the Gospel should be far differing from that made with the Israelites in Egypt and therefore called a new covenant to which the old should give place decay and vanish away 1. The ministry under the new covenant or rather new administrations of the covenant is said to be a more excellent ministry Christ himself being the high Priest and Mediatour and not Moses intimated ver 2. nor Aaron 2. Having better promises Exod. 6. v. 6. it was to bring them from the burdens of the Egyptians and redeem them and bring them into the Land of Canaan This to be heirs of the Kingdom of heaven and redeemed from hell 3. A better covenant in that under it they have the Laws of God written in their hearts and mindes under Moses in stony Tables 4 Shewing That God would under these administrations have none to be his people in communion but such as had his Law that is of Faith written in their hearts The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ And so sheweth that the Gospel covenant or the administrations of the covenant under the Gospel admitted not of a Nationall Society and in this the new covenant is said to excell the old this being the ground of the covenant and being to go before it This is illustrated in that when Christ set up the Gospel Church he called men out of the National Church requiring that men first should be taught and beleeve before they be added to the church in which was plainly the vanishing of the old and the administrations of the new set out So that to maintain a Nationall church is to abolish the new and set up the old covenant and is Judaising being quite contrary to the tenour of the Gospel administrations Ver. 10. The holy Ghost sets down the time when the administrations of the new covenant take place that is after those dayes viz. after that Moses Ministry should have an end then the new covenant should take place and begin Ver. 11. It is said They shall not teach every man his neighbour and his brother saying Know the Lord as under the old covenant for all shall know mee from the greatest to the least The Eposition some make of these words to elude the true sense of them is That in the last days there shall be such abundance of knowledg that all shall know God but if we apply the words before or after this it s easily refuted as that all shall have it written in their hearts or that God will be merciful to the unrighteousness of all and not remember their sins any more is a thing I think that none will dare affirm when all that have this knowledg here spoken of written in their hearts shall have 1. Note that these words were to be fulfilled after the date of the old Covenant under the Administrations of the New in the Apostles times or in all times to come in which the true Gospel-Dispensations under the New Covenant shall be administred and have no respect more to time to come more then the Apostles times past 2. The words all shall know me are not to be understond only as a prophesie of the abundance of knowledg to be revealed of God under the Dispensation of Grace but also are to be understood as a conditional thing that was required of all even the least Christian the Infant in Christ before he could enjoy Communion of the Gospel Administrations with the Saints this is clearly held out 1 John 2. l 3. I write to you fathers who are here said to be the greatest because ye have known him which is from the beginning and then after I write to you little children because ye have known the Father and these are here called the least who without this knowledg are uncapable of being writ unto or preached unto in the Gospel way how much more unfit are they then for other more spiritual exercises And hence the Apostle shews That the New Covenant requires the least Christian to have the knowledg of God in him or he is not to be admitted a Church Member or accounted a Covenanter with God This knowledg and Communion with God shall have forgive-of sins and iniquities with it which make the knowledg of God sweet in its soul to it Quere Are none to be admitted Members under the New Covenant but those have the Law written in their hearts and have their iniquities pardoned Resp All that are true Members have and all that are admitted should have 2. The condition of making Members must be something visible the Church being not able to judg of the invisible estate of men 3. Here the condition is contained in the 11. Verse which is That the least Member shall have a knowledg of God and be able to manifest it to the Church whether it be in his heart or not God only knoweth 3. To make him a Covenanter he is to profess his faith in God according to the knowledg he hath of God in which he is said to take God to him to be his God and so became a visible Member of the Church 4. This Covenant was made with the Gentiles drawn from Idolatry 2 Cor. 6.16 And after the great defection made under Antichrist it comes to be made again at the beginning of the estate of the new Ierusalem Rev. 21.3 which time is yet to be I desire that it may be seriously considered how this making National Churches doth wholy destroy not only Christian priviledges but how it also makes void much of the Scriptures which are by this means as good as razed out of the Book of God As in the Scriptures that speak of the world as opposed to the Church 1. I desire those that maintain National Churches to shew where the world is in this Kingdom that they account wholly to be of the Church or a Church Iohn 15.29 I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Iohn 17.9 I pray not for the world Vers 6. I pray for them thou hast given me out of the world 1 Cor. 11.32 That ye should not be condemned with the world and elsewhere be ye not conformed to this present evil world 2. I desire to know how these Scriptures can be made right use of or be rightly applyed to the use of Saints until these are divided one from the other 3. How this doth hinder the Manifestation of the Calling of Saints and the Manifestation of their love to God and Graces 4. Now it hardens wicked men while there is no difference made between Saints and them in Church Privildges and how it suddens the hearts of Saints 5. How the Glory of God in the Saints is obscured by these means whom God hath endowed as it were with glorious light to shine to the world by 6. How the government of the Church can otherwise be then confused