very few Glergy-Men or Bishops in England either in or out of the Universities that can shew any Authority of so ancient Standing or of to old a Style and Date as mine Nay we had no Scripture if Writing be not Preaching Besides if I should not thus teach my Ceremony Monger by the Press I could not Admonish him at all for my Pulpit is a narrow place though it stand alost and few Ceremony-Mongers desire to be cured For â—ike men that have filthy old Ulcers on their Legs they hate to be drest before folks they had rather It should Fester than be known There is not one word in the Ordination of Bishops in our Common-Prayer-Book or in Holy Writ that gives a Bishop more Authentick Orders to preach than a Presbyter or Priest only the King 's Maodate makes him the King's Commissioner But in reference to God or the People a Bishop has no better or fresher Character to Teach or Administer the Holy Sacraments than any Presbyter or than himself whilst he was but Presbyter Nor has any King or Parliament Bishop or Synod any Power any lawful Power to silence me for teaching Truth The Character is Indelible when they answer what I have Writ concerning Imprimatur's or Restraint of the Press in my late Speech without Doors they shall hear further from me For no Flesh alive has more Authority than our Lord Jesus and the Apostles had which was for Edification not Destruction to do good not harm to Advance not to Depress Truth to save Mens Lives Liberties and Properties not to destroy But some may object to me that the late King did silence me shut me out of my own Pulpit and banish't me from my House and Home my Self and my Family for three or four years last not only against Law Equity and Conscience but without Law or any Colour Process or Form of Law and yet I submitted in quietness and silence and made no noise in the World nor to the World not so much as Groaning or Complaining but far down silently To which I answer by confessing that it is all of it a great Truth and I was by Arbitrary Power and Oppression to my Damage some hundreds of Pounds thus silenc'd as a foresaid by Will and Pleasure a word from the Court ejected me from my Pulpit and my House but also a word from the Court recall'd me about a month before the Dutch Landed But to whom could I complain To the Throne I did without Remedy for that opprest me To the Righteous God I made my humble Appeal and he heard in Heaven his dwelling Place and laugh'd my Adversaries to scorn yea the Lord has had them in Derision and those that banish'd me from my House without Law and without a Cause are by God's Righteous Hand and Judgment turn'd out of their Houses and Homes and before they went recanted their Oppression towards me but going away in haste his Apostles could not hear me Restitution for the injustice There is a time for all things our Blessed Saviour had â—any things to say but even his Aposties could not hear them sometimes I writ against these Illegal Ceremonies in The Black Non-conformist seven years ago The times would not bear iâ— the Criminals would not hear Pâ—pery Popish-like Ceremonies were Rampanâ— My Soul did weep in seâ—et for their Pride they would not hear the Judgments of God are beginning at the House of God. I 'll now try again perhaps they will now hear But may some say Have a care of Scandalum Magnatum 〈◊〉 a care that your Book be not a Lybel and a Reflection apparent visibly apparent against great Men you might have whispered these things so private to them And have got a box o' th' Ear for my pains you mean by that particular Application whereas now none can be offended justly except his guilty Conscience make him confess that I have hit him home and that he is the Man. But clear Scriptures may some still urge shall not stand for Law in the King's Bench there you must follow the Course of the Court Ay ay I know it has been so but I hope thâ— New-Star Chamher-Court at that end of the Hall will now follow the Fate of that other Old Star-Chamber-Court condemned by 17 Car. 1.10 at the other end of Westminster-Hall For introducing an Arbitrary Power and Government the very words of the said Statute as an intolerable Burthen I will remember indeed that Lord Keeper North in his Speech when he introduc'd the new Lord Chief-Justice what shall I call Scroâ—â—s I think it was told him how easily he might notwithstanding the said Stature of Condemnation resuscitate and reâ—â—ve that old Star-Chamber by a Resurrection more glorious more extensive In the King's-Bench in its Cognizanâ—â— and Juriâ—diction then that old dead and by Statute damn'd Star-Chamber He was too true a Prophet witness their unconscionable unchristian unscriptural and illegal nec salvn tenemâ—nto Fines without Bowels of Compassion making a Man an Offender for a word and then ruine and undo a Man and his House a Man and his Heretage his Liberty his Rstate his Honour and sometime his Life in such an Arbitrary various and disagreeing Way to themselves as well as to Law thaâ— in the late famous Tryal of the Seven Bishops the Bench it self could not agree what was the Law of the Court. They all agreed that the Course of the Court and the Law of the Court were Synonimous one and the Phrase or Paraphrase but what was the Law or Gourse of the Gourt could not be deâ—lded Judge against Judge â—he Bench against the Bar Atturney that was against Atturney that is Soliâ—iter General that was against him that is and the most killing Arguments were Argumenta ad Hominem making the same Tongue in this Tryal Condemn and Eat its own Words in former Tryals viz. before they chang'd Places The Shot flew desperately from the Bâ—r to the Bench dreadfull doings there were however they kept a Pother Richard against Baxter and L' Estraâ—ge against Roger never made such a splutter At length to end the Contest the Wise Chief Justice went to Council and gravely ask'd the Advice of the Attorney Sir Sam but he was puzzled too and was Nonplus'd for the Course of the Law of the Court except for twelve years good Gentleman only by hear-say for sixty yeare more as he was told by an Old Stager that had been twice a Child and no man alive could remember that ever he was a Man In the right Sense the Vacation bâ—twixt the two Terms of Child-hood and Dotage was so very a shorâ— Vacation if any at all I Presume sayes one I presume sayes another I presume violently says a third nay if Presume he the Word then I presume also that in so presuming against Men's Lives and Liberties they were too Presumpruous Therefore do not you tell me of the Course of the Court of King's Bench if you know it you know
more than I know or than the Judges know when the course of the Court was Arbitrary and out of Course But if it keeps its due course and pretend to no Dispensing Power in Abrogâ—ting the Laws of God and Christ and right Reason I fear them nor for I hope in God that I shall never by preaching Truth Transgress but a Truth may be a Lybel as one of the Lawyers urg'd in the said Tryal Yet the Learned Gentleman notwithstanding his De Libel ' famos talk'd without Book and against Truth and Law like an Oxford-Apothecaâ—y For Truth being an Attribute and property Divine as light is of the Sun and whence radiantly and virtually all light proceeds can never be any art of the Constitution of a Libel Defamatory And therefore all the Stâ—tutes to which Scandalum Magnatum has any Reference whether that of 3 Edw. 1.4 or those two of Richard 2d Queen Mary or Queen Elizaabeth are only against such as tell false Tales or false News whereby Discord may arise c. So that in the 〈◊〉 place nothing can be a Libel but what is false and then it may be false and yet no Libel If it do not tend to Discord and consequently be malicious or Seditious as to say a Noble Man is wet to thâ— Skin came to his Country House wore black-clothes c. all which may be falâ—e and yet no Lybel To say a Judge or Justice gives false Judgment though it be True may be so circumstantiated that it may be justly Punishable as a Mis-behaviour but he shall not suffer by Law as a Lybeller if it be apparently True. To say a Lord is ignorant of Latine or as one said in the said Tryal We are ignorant of Law Latine whether he said false or true is no Lybel though I had said it it may be false indeed but no Lâ—bel because it tends not to Discord but though it should tend to Discord it is impossible to be a Libel if it be true though it may be sawey and unmannerly because we must not imagine that a Lord is ignorant of any thing he must be an infallible Man in England though the Italian Pope be not so acknowledged Wise doings the while But the Learned Judge Sir J. Powel then in the said Case very honesily and judiciously affirm'd it for a Law that a Lybel must be false false Tales it is not else within the Sâ—atures on which Scandalum Magnatum is founded and still the course of the Court varled from Lawâ— never was the Punishment of a Libeller or Honour-wounder a vecuniary Muict but 'till K. James always the Body by Imprisonment c. repayed and repair'd Wounded-Honour nay by 1 and 2. Phil. Mar. 3 the greatest Scandalous Wâ—rds against the King or Queen were only Punished by Bâ—dily Punishment which a man might have bouâ—ht off whether the King would or no with too not ready Money neither the Bill was not drawn upon him upon fight thereof buâ— any time within a Moneth so tender were our Ancestors of undoing Mâ—â— so â—ill Words even against the King much more tender not to undo a Man and his House for a frall Word against a frail Subject though a Lord. Honour if it he â—ase and Dâ—eggs is not Honour and consequently not wounded or hurt but if it be true Honour it is like the best Spirits Airy and Sâ—triâ—ual it can neither be Bougâ—t nor Sold nor ever was it known in England that so much as a Knighthood could be so base an Alloy as that an â—surer or Scrivener oâ— 10 l per Cent could purchase it till the Poverty of Scotland coupled with an empty Exchequer and a King liberal to Prodigality to his Countrey-Men was glad to make poor Shifts to earn a Penny this for one of making Honour so Mercenary â—hat some Gentlemen scorn'd to be Knights whilst another rich Dame would give 1000 l. to be Lady Baronet that so shâ— might take â—he Wâ—ll of her Grand-Dame But enough concerning Lybels you 'll find none here nor any thing struck at but Sin and Folly and neither of them are Ingredients in the Constitution of true Honour except Honour can be Mâ—das'd as he Exceâ—fiastical Fellows do Sins turn aâ— they can touch to Gâ—id calling it by a Word they borrowed from Father Peter and Rome Commuring or Comâ—nutation of Penance a Word that buys Perriwiggs at Doctor-Commons as fâ—â—ly as it is And if any Expression of mine in this Dâ—scourse seem too Airy sometimes for so grave and solemn a Subject it is neither forc'd nor affected Nature will have its Course But as it is easier to pick a Quarrel than to end it so it is easier to find Fault than to mâ—nd 〈◊〉 and cannot a Man be sober except he be sad Nor Grave except he be dull Nor have I permitted one Wâ—rd to pass with more Bâ—iskness of Air or Stile then just what was necessary to keep mâ— Reader awake and is not it as Pardonable at least as that dul Parenthesis by some Preachers so often Inculcated do no sleep there Which is the more Unconscionable Start and State whâ—n he had rock'd them asleep before with his heavy and drowzâ—e Lullabâ—e None can expect â—hat my Stâ—e should be smooth in the Sinewy and Argumentative Part it is not to be done But be it as it may it the Subject matter be solid and weighty let my Sâ—ile shift for it self I am not fond on 't yet blunt as it is I will neither change it with thee Dâ—owzie Mr. Phlegmatick Nor yet with thee that 〈◊〉 test Frowning and Centuring there I see thee Formal Mr. Hypochondriack The CHARACTER of a CEREMONY-MONGER CHAP. I. Concerning Bowing to the Altar to the East THe Cringes and Bowings of the Papists to the Altar is in Adoration of their wafer God that 〈◊〉 there they think Enthron'd and is by the Homilies of the Church of England frequently styled Idolaâ—ry and the Act of a Fool. But the Cringes and Bowings of my Ceremony Monger to the Altar to the East wheâ—â— there is nothing he must confess whatever he has secretly 〈◊〉 here neiâ—her more nor better than what is in the Wâ—ll in the Bâ—â—frey or the Body of the Church therefore some call him a Fool but like Merry Andrew though he act like a Fool he is more Knave than Fool and though â—ry Noddy pretends that he nods to nothing yet the old Dotard does not play the Fool for nothing but he is as well paid for playing the Coxcom in his silly Superstition as the best Merry Andrew of them all For it is well known what an Influence Papists had in the three last â—â—â—gns of B. Laud. the two Castiemains and Father Peter who not being able to bring in Popery or a Bishop â—llis into a Protestant Church and Protestant Preferment the Laws Excluding such therefore they encourâ—ged any â—â—â—ly Superstition that was a Quid pro Quo and as like Popish Idolatry as Twins of the same
all Languages As Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Jehoshua Joshua or Jesu all one Hebrew word Besides That Holy Text doth not say in the Name Joshua but in the Name of Joshua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but my Ceremony-Moneer does not bow at the proper Name of our 〈◊〉 or Joshua to wit Emmanuel or God with us which 〈◊〉 both his â—ivinity and Humanity nor at the found of the word Christ Messiah c. but stands as unconcern'd and as 〈◊〉 as a Stake Besides he does not how the Knee but like the Papists nods his Head or puts off his Cap or Hat as the Popish Jesuites do when they Preach every time they mention the word Jesu if they do not forget which they commonly do and as commonly Sin if that Foppery be a Duty Besides That Text says Every Knee shall bow in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth but there are no Knees in Heaven and those in Graves in the Earth and under the Earth are too stiff to how Come 't is Nou sense and Ridiculous all over and as a very Specimen of my Fop as any other For as there is no Scripture to Vouch for him so no Reason What shal Christians be like that Hystaron Proteron Herb. which Physicians as toolishly call Filius ante Patrem The Son before the Father Do we well to blame the Arrians for placing the Father above the Son Do we well to believe the Unity and Equality of the Holy Trinity And yet do we bow at the Name of the Second and not at the Name of the First and Third Person of the Holy Trinity Nay Is Christ divided do we pay more Reverence to the Name Joshua the Nâ—me of my Foot Boy then to the Holy Name of Jesu namely Messia Christ or Emmanuel For shame do not pretend a reason for such Foppish Adoration And if neither Holy Writ nor right Râ—ason be of thy side Mr. Ceremony-Monger thy Canon will be noll'd by the Statutes the Acts of Uniformâ—â—y that makes it very Penal even deprivation 〈◊〉 for thee to follow thy Trade of making Coremorâ—es which God never made nor the King and Parliament or right reason ever made Besides there are several 〈◊〉 of Provisors and then he incures also a Premâ—ire to set up the Miâ—re above the Crown the Bishop and Priest above the King and the Convecation-house above westminster-hall And this Sawey and Priestly Petulaney deriv'd from Rome makes my Ceremony-monger many times very troublesome to the State and to the Crown which he will obey like Thomas a Beckâ—t with a salvo honore Dei that is many times as far as he list and when he list or in any thing that is for his own ends and his own honour nor a jot further of which I shall give no late instances here of those that could strain at a Gâ—at when against their Interest though for and against Gods glory and yet could swallow a Camel if sent from that Court if it would but advance their Dominion and sway or at least not hinder it witnesses their publishing in Churches the Sports that may be used on the Lords Day c. when this Spirit possesses my Ceremony-monger he is not only troublesome but dangerous and insufferable which will make me repeat some oâ— my own Speech Printed Anno 1681. p. 3.4 In Vindication of my Book called the naked Truth though I am no Erastian concerning the Keys the the Keys of the Church which some said was true but unseasonably urg'd surely 't is now seasonable what was then said to the Arch-deacon viz. And first like a Churchman of the old stamp he will permit his Majesty to come into the Church that 's more kindness than old St. Ambrose Bishop of Milan would show sometimes to the great Emperour Theodosius when he did not do as he would have him to do nay this Arch-deacon opens the doors himself to let his Majesty into the Church but he will nor trust him with the Keys as who should say we will open the Church doors to your Majesty and come in and welcome whilst we continue good friends But they that keep the Keys and can open the Church-doors to let his Majesty in can also whilst we have the keeping of the Keys upon displeasure lock him out well for this very trick and for another late Scotch trick it I were a Privy Councellour I would advise his Majesty as Head of the Church and the Governour thereof to keep the Keys of the Church in his Pocket or hang them under his Girdle if it be but because this Prclatical Champion this same pitiful Arch-deacon like another Pope or Sr. Peter wâ—â—â— keep the Keys of the Church and will keep his Majesty from them and we would fâ—â—â— perswade him that our Laws to use his words p. 2. of the Proeme Excludes the purely Spiritual Power of the Keys from the Supremacy of our Kings except it be to see that Spiritual Men do their Duty the 〈◊〉 Belike this same Arch-deacon carries the Leges Angiâ— the Laws of England in his belly and greedy gut for I am suâ— he carries the◠〈◊〉 or no where he carries not these bulky Lâ—ws of England in his 〈…〉 no gues in his brains For I pray Good D D. where goes our Laws 〈…〉 â—urely Spiritual Power of the Keys from the Soptemacy of our Kings if our Kings â—ke good King David or whâ— King Soloman shouâ— have a mind to be â—cclesiaâ—tes In the days even of Popery I never heard of a King shut our even from the Toppâ—n-Pulpit if he had a mind to climb so high stone Henry the 3d. made 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 â—he Pulpit took his Text Psal 85.10 Righteousness and Peace have kiss dâ—each other and then in his Sermon ad Cierum to the Leâ—rned Mâ—ks of the Cathedral Church of Winchester when he had a little self end too as some Pulpiteers have also had in the case namely to Câ—jole the said Monks to Elect his Brother Athelmar Bishop of Winchester Paraphrasing and enlarging upon his Text and saying to use his own words 〈…〉 To me and other Kings who are to govern the people belongs the rigour of Judgment and Justice to you who are men of quiet and Religion Peace and Tranquillity And this day I hear you have for your own good been savourable to my requâ—â— With many such like words I do not know whether the King had got a License to Preach from a Bishop It seems the Clergy then too would favour Kings in what was for their own good and if it were for their own good would also permit the King to take a Text and preach in their Cathedral Church how hard hearted or strait-lac't soever our Archdean proves and will not suffer our Kings to have the Keys neither of the Church nor Pulpit I say therefore some Kings would therefore keep the Keys of the Church themselves and trust never a D. D. of them
all with them no not the Pope himself But what if I prove that our Kings at their Coronations have at the same time been ordain'd Clergy-men they are no more excluded then by our Laws from the power of the Keys then Mr. Archdeen or the Pope himself What is Ordination but the ordering designing or setting a Man a part to some office if to the Ministry then there are certain significant Words to that purpose and what more significant words for Ordination to the Priest-hood or making a Man a Clergy man than those the Bishops uses to our Kings namely with Unction Anthems Prayers and Imposition of Hands as is usual in the Ordination of Priests with the same Hymn come Holy Ghost Eternal God c. The Bishop saying also amongst other things Let him obtain favour of the people like Aaron in the Tabernacle Elisha in the water Zacharias in the Temple give him Peters Key of Discipline and Pauls Doctrine Which last Clause was pretermitted in times of Popery from the Coronation of Hen. 6. till Charles 1. and Charles 2d lest it should imply the King to be more a Clergy man and Ecclesiastical Person than these Archdeacons could afford him but our Gracious King Charles 2d and his Father at their Coronations had the antients forms of crowning Kings reviv'd and in the Anointing the Bishop said Let those Hands be Anointed with Holy Oyl as Kings and Prophets have been Anointed and as Samuel c. Then â—he Arch-bishop and Dean of Westminster put the Coif on the King's Head then put upon his Body the Surplice saying this Prayer O God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords c. And surely of old the very Pope himself look't upon our Anointed Kings as Clergymen else why did the Pope make Hen. 2 his Legate De Latere here in England the usual office of the Archbishop of Canterbury usually styled Legati Nati Therefore Mr. Arch-deacon you talk like an unthinking Black-coat stockt with a little superficial Learning when you say our Laws exclude the King from the Keys of the Church to which he has as good right as your D. D. Divinity ship And indeed to give the Man his due he is glad afterwards to confess that Constantine and the Eminent Christian Emperours called Councels and approv'd their Canons Then by your leave dear D. D. They also for the same reason might upon occasion and if they had seen cause also disprove the same who then was Papa of old Pater Pa-trum surely no other but he that is PaPa I mean Paâ—ter Pa-triae All the Male-Administrations in Ecclesia stical Government take their Rise and Original from our Ignorance of the Power of the Keys or who are the Clavigers Key-keepers or Porters to let them in and turn them out of the Church The bulky Clergyman called a Bishop an Ordinary or a Diocesian he we say keeps the Church-Keys he Excommunicats and Excludes Sinners out of the Church and he alone receives them and lets them in but that 's false the sneaking Register and Surrogate do that Job Ay But who entrusted a Bishop alonâ— to be the Church-Porter Door-keeper or Church-key-keeper Where is his Commission Where is his Authority and who gave him this Authority For it is evident in Holy Scripture that God never gave him any such Commission Place Office or Authority to keep the Keys of the Church any more than the Speaker of the House of Commons or Chair-man to a Committee has power to turn out of the House or let in any of his Fellow-Members For does a Bishop differ from another Presbyter more than the Chair-man from the rest of the Committee or he that gives the Rule of the Court at Session differ from the rest of his Brethren and Fellow-Justices he is no better man nor the more learned wise nor more honest a man though he be Ordain'd to be the mouth of them that 's all to to speak what they put into his Mouth The Speaker takes too much upon him to speak the Sense of the House 'till the Majority of Votes has given him Instructions and Commissions to pronounce a Sentence or the Sense of the House or to turn any Member out of the House of Commons he has no such Authority he is the Speaker indeed and is look't upon as the wisest and fittest Man for that place it should be so it is not always so one or other of the Members must be chosen Speaker or Chairman and have precedency for Orderâ—salte and to avoid confusion but he no otherwayes differs from other Members except only that the Honourable Speaker is the Honourable Mouth that 's all after the Members have chosen and ordain'd him and the King has confirm'd him Even so a Bishop has no new Character confer'd upon him more then when he was but a Presbyter or Elder save only the Kings Ordination or Mandate or Conge d' Estire The Eâ—â—ction of the Dean and Chapter is a meeâ— mockery as aforesaid besides the playing with the Edgeâ—ools and mocking of God. Bishops and presbyters used to be chosen just as Parliament Men are chosen by the Majority of the Vows of the people as shall be more particularly proved in the 〈◊〉 in the Chapters concerning Bishops and Ordination Thus Paul and Barnabas were chosen and ordain'd by the whole Church Acts 13.3 Perhaps the chief Church-members laid their Hands upon or ordain'd the Ministers Missioners or Messengers of the Church but the worst Member had as much power and vertue to ordain a Messenger Elder or Bishop as the best Bishop or presbyter if the Majority of Votes had ordain'd and so appointed as is clear from Scripture and the practise of the primitive Church and shall be more particularly insisted upon in the Conclusion of the Chapter of Ordination Ordination What is it more then chusing approving or setting a Man a part for an Office to do business relating to this life or a better I will not say in Church or State or as a Clergy-man or Lay-man for these are idle ungrounded vain and odious names of distinction where God and Holy Scripture never made any such distinction and has not only confounded our notions of things but has been and yet is the cause of most of our Confusions in what Men mischievously distinguish and call Church and State which are not two things nor two distinct Bodies if you make them so you must make two Kings and two distinct Heads to these distinct Bodies and that is one too much And if you make a Clergy-man and a Lay-man two distinct sorts of persons you make a Man that God never made And if so Then Clergy-man I must Catechize you Who made you so God It is false For God in Holy Scripture does not call the Preachers but the Hearers not the Bishops Presbyters and Minister's the Clergy but the Hearers and Flock are God's Clergy 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. The Presbyters which are amongst you I exhort who am also
Rule blows will never cure his Blindness Besides Uniformity is an unnatural impossible and therefore an irrational wicked and vain attempt Go teach God to make a new Heaven with Uniformity of Stars and Skies spangled uniformly they are now all of different Forms and Features Go reach him to make Men uniform they are all now of different Forms and Features Go teach him to make a new Earth and set a new Face on it The Landskip now looks so much the more lovely by the Variety which God and Nature seems to delight in And wilt thou thou silly Ceremony monger and Projector be wiser than God If thou hadst seen our blessed Saviour sometimes stand and pray sometimes kneel and pray sometimes ly on a Bed or Couch and eat the Holy Supper sometimes fall on his Face and pray if thou hadst seen this variety thou wouldst have Excommunicated him then caplass'd and jalled him if thy fierceness had not kick't him and spurn'd him up hadst thou but had an Act of Uniformity to back thee We are bound to honour God with our Substance In Works of Charity the greatest Duty but how much when and how in particular is left to the discretion and liberty of every Man no rule of Imposition is or can be made about it We are obliged to honour God with our Bodies the least thing in true Worship for bodily Exercise profiteth little but how much when and how in particular is lest to the discretion and liberty of every Man no Rule of Imposition is or can be made about it Then you 'l say the Church of England was mistaken in one of her XXXIX Articles that says The Church has power to appoint Ceremonies And also the King and Parliament were mistaken in the Act of Uniformity that enjoint all Bishops and Clergy-men on pain of Deprivation to subscribe assent and consent to all and every thing as true which is contained in the Common-Prayer Book Here is a heavy Charge Convocation-House and Parliament-House both upon my back but come one at once and I 'le deal with them both one after another as well and as fast as I can First then I say in general that any Decree under Heaven that is either unlawful or Impossible to be obeyed is not at all Obligatory This is so plain that it needs no further Proof it is like the Light of the Sun self-evident if the Sun shine no man doubts it but he that is blind or winks on purpose lest he should be convinc'd And as to that Article viz. The Church has power to enjoin Ceremonies it confounds all the Ceremony-mongers amongst us And in all my Travels Reading and Discourses I never met with any Man Bishop Priest or Lay-man that ever did could or durst explain what is there meant by Church If it be taken for the Clergy either in or out of Convocation or Synod viz. That they have of themselves a Jus Divinum a Divine Right to enjoin Ceremonies to the People of England they all incur a Praemunire that claim such a Power and justly for they there by set up a Legislative power independent of and distinct from the King and Parliament the only Legislators and is of most pernicious Consequence and found to be so in all Ages And by the Statutes of Provisors made both by Popish and Protestant Kings and Parliaments condemn'd as most pernicious and insufferable by invading the only Legislative power Kings Lords and Commons the great Fundamental of our Government and setting up a Thing called A Church independent of and equal with or above the State and bearding the State if it be so bold as not to please them or should dare to displease them Better it is not to be a State than to be such a pitiful State at this precarious rate that dare not but be Priest-ridden Our Noble Ancestors in Popish Times scorn'd the motion and were true English Men This distinction of Church and State is a Popish and pernicious distinction two higher powers is one too much But if by the Church in that Article be meant the King and Parliament the Representatives of the whole Body of the people the Convocation and Canon-makers will by no means acknowledge that for that makes them Cyphers and as many people account them useless Tools And never did King and Parliament neither make Laws coercive in matters of Religion or Uniformity in Religion but Confusion Divisions Schisms Tumults Sedicion Blood Ruine and civil Wars were the dismal consequences in England whereas there would be none of these no dissentions no penalties no complaining in our Streets if the Legislative power unsuborned by Priest-craft make no Laws but what are proper for their cognizance and for the peace welfare good manners and good abearing in the State And then where there is no Law there can be no Transgression and those odious Names of Dissention and Sedition Conformist and Nonconformist will find an eternal Grave I 'le give but one Instance in that same Act of Uniformity which requires all Clergy-men to give their assent and consent to all and every thing for Truth which is contained in the Common-prayer Book But who made the Kings and Parliaments of England infallible Popes since the Church of England confesses she may Err And how irrational and unaccountable is it for men that confess their ignorance and yet with the same mouth will vote a Law or Imposition of their Sense in Religion upon all Mankind under their Jurisdiction For ought they know they may command and enact that all Clergy-men shal assent in their Judgments and consent in their Wills to a palpable error lie or untruth or else take their choice to starve lie down and die for Farm they may not Thrash they cannot and if they Beg they are sent to Bridewel And this is our very case this day We may not chuse what Chapters for Lessons what Collects Epistles and Gospels we list to read but must read those that are appointed for the day And the last year they were all falsly appointed or else those words in the Common-prayer Book are false that fixes and ascertains Easter Sunday the Aera or beginning of the Account whence all the Lessons Collects Episties and Gospels are computed nominated and appointed But that is not only silly and uncertain but false and contradictory in the Common-prayer book and therefore both the said Aera's cannot be true As for example by one Common-prayer Book Rule the last Easter Sunday should have been kept upon April 8 because Easter Sunday whence all other Feasts Lessons Collects are computed all the year after is always the first Sunday next after the first Full Moon which happens after March 25 which was April 8 last past But by another Rule in the Common prayer Book it was and so we kept it upon April 15 last past They cannot both be true but one of them is a Mathematical untruth and which no body can deny yet Bishops and
Ceremony-monger What a Slave to priest-craft was stout King William the Conquerour when Aldred Arch-bishop of York requir'd a Boon of him which the King was so bold as to deny whereupon the Arch-priest curst him and flung away in a rage out of the Room The King kneel'd and said he would never rise till the Arch-Bishop would come and absolve him The Courtiers begg'd for they durst not lay hold on his Laun sleeves nor lay violent Hands upon a Clerk but with much adoe and much humble Intercession they perswaded him at length to return and to forgiâ—â— thâ— poor kneeling King and humble penitent No quoth the Bishop let him Kneel that he may know what it is to vex St. peter and me at length the King granting the Business a Money matter the Arch-biâ—hop did loose him absolve him and bid him rise The King in all other things was wise enough but being bigotted by priest-craft and priest-ridden he was craz'd with a foolish Notion and Superstition Nay he would not fight nor invâ—de England till the pope gave him his benediction a Bâ—nner with a Wafer-God inclosed in a Golden-crucifix and also one of the Hairs that once came from St. Peters Head. People can scarce imagine the Imperious force of a silly Ceremony and Superstition even amongst Men otherwise wise even at this day amongst us meerly by blind Devotion and Implicite-Faith in a filly Ceremony-monger because like as I said before the filly Image and unthinking Black Coat makes a great Figure in the Church and which Nebuchadnezzar the King had ser up But if they pretend that Jus divinum is the necessary attribute of Lawn Sleeves and that all the little things he commands are Law and Gospel God help his Noddle and keep him from a praemunire A Bishop may possibly be a good Man and a good Schollar though made when popery Influenc'd the Throne and some of them made so for the unlikeliest Merits that ever advanc'd a poor heart But if he were not a good Schollar a good preacher or a good Linguist before It is not probable that the Conge Deâ—slyer let it be got how it will can Improve either his parts or his Learning The King's Mandate can make a Man a Bishop or Lord a Barronet but all the Kings Mandates in Christendom cannot make him a better Schollar a better Man or a better Linguist this I can demonstrate by my own Knowledge Acquaintance and Experience that they that knew not Syriack Arabick nor Hebrew before they got the Conge-deslier are as iguâ—tant and unlearned Linguists as they were when they only were 〈◊〉 not a joâ— the â—ore improv'd by the Kings Mandate in any Knowledge except that of their great now Rents nay without a Miracle their buâ— Employments from the Parliament-house to the Council-board or to â—rmations or Visitations must hinder their learned Studies For Lawâ— Sleeves cannot make I man a Linguist thâ—â— was none before panâ—s pretend I know not what nor they neither Episcopal Character but a young Bishop a Novice-Bishop a Boy-Bishop and unlearned Bishop is a Bâ—y a Novice â—till his Bishoprick cannot make him more Learned though it may make him more Right Râ—verend I grant then he was when but an ordinary Presbyter In short This Ceremony-monger is that Cumbersome Baggage that Pesters the â—hip of the church in a Calm and helps to sink it in a Storm but what Cares he Let the Church or State sink or Swim so he can but save his own Cargo and himself in the Long-Boar Nay like an uoruly Beast when he has drunk his fill he blunders and puddles the Fountain with his Fect that so the Streams may be muddy this makes a Lean and Cadaverous Clergy the whole Protestant World cannot sample such a jejune Crew he does well to stand up for penâ— Laws and to bring Men with a Constable and a Warrant into his Church to hear him read his Plagiary Noâ—es or else he might read them to the Walls and his Sexton being conscious to himself of his own Emptinesâ— and Demerit for they must be very hungry that without force and constraint feed on lean Carrion and cold Cramb's Therefore he Caresses and Hugs a Patron that has a good Living in his Gift he is his Man of Mettal I have read an Oration in praise of Judas I am apt to think a Ceremony-monger made it because he admires any Man that carries the Bag and in his heart loves Popery because like him it makes Money of its God and yet hates plain down right Popery in England because it in capacitates a Church-man and is inconsistent with a Dignatory Ecclesiastical For though he be of no Religion in good earnest yet I 'le trust him for a sure Stake against baresac'd Popery whilst the current of the Laws of Preserment runs strong against it He 'll never kiss the Pops Toe I 'll warrant you whilst he lives in hopes to make Men kiss his own Golden Slippers Thus my Ceremony-monger loves Religion and God too as the Lyons and other Beasts of the Wilderness love him who seek their Meat from God Psal 104.21 Nay he can fast and pray too and keep Thanksgiving days as the State calls in show but in his heart is as Hypocritical therein as the Emperour Charles the 5th Who Ordain'd publick Prayers and Fasts to be made to God throughout his many Dominions for the deliverance of Pope Clement the 7th from Captivity when he himself had taken his poor Holiness Prisoner and kept him Captive in the Castle of St. Angelâ— in Rome Thus Mocking God as the Dean and Chapter does in choice of a Bishop as aforesaid after they have received the Kings Mandate to choose N. N. and begging the a 〈…〉 ce of the Holy Ghost in their Election of a fit Man to that holy Office when they knew well enough their Man befare hand fit or unfâ—hcy can neither will nor chuse thâ—â— like Ephraim Hos 11.12 compassing God about with 〈◊〉 and the House of Israel with deceit Thus the crafty Fox the Emperour Tiberius Mockt Heaven by Commanding Common prayers should be said throughout the whole Empire for his safe Conduct in a Progress he never intended to make pro itu reditu says Suetonius supplicationes indixit cum non intenderet Thus the Ceremony-monger is always crying up the Church the Church meaning himself and such as himself for whatsoever a doe he makes about Establishing the Church ' â—is the wages it brings him which makes him bustle like King Hiram's Servants in hewing Timber to build a Temple for that God which they never knew nor cared for being a lover of his own Will-Worship his own Will and pleasure more than a lover of God. Uniformity he cries and one Mouth meaning his own for with his Mouth he shews much love but his â—eart like Ezâ—kiâ—ls Auditors goeth after his Covetousuess Yet as Covetous as he is he will sometimes be as liberal as a Prince to propagate
Burden so much too heavy for any single Shoulder that they are forc'd to perform the great Acts of a Bishop in Ordinations Confirmations Excommunications Absolutions c. only by Foppish as well as Popish like Implicite Faith seeing with other Mens Eyes and hearing with other Mens Ears that it is no wonder that they err so often Oh! but the Wages then must be divided as well as the Work Flesh and Blood cannot bear this Doctrine No it cannot therefore Flesh and Blood cannot enter neither into the Kingdom of Heaven But a Bishop of all others ought not to consult with Flesh and Blood and self-Interest which above all things in the World does bribe Mens Judgments that they cannot because they will not give their Assent and Consent to so great a Truth King Charles I. was tenaciously in love with Bishops as now in England constituted even to death so great was his Opinionatree in the Case â—nd yet he says they were not Bishops Jure Divino by Divine Right and yet neither contra Jus Divinum But I think quite contrary viz. that â—here is nothing in Scripture more plain than that Bishops are Jure divino and nothing more plain than that the Bishops in Engâ—and now constituted are contrary absolutely contrary to Jus Diviâ—um or Divine Right so far as they act like Novices in Implicite Faith Tim. 3.3 A Bishop must neither be a Novice nor given to filthy â—ucre For any Bâ—y-Bishop any ignorant and unlearned Bishop is as â—ood as the best in those Acts of Implicite Faith any Novice can see â—ith other Mens Eyes and hear with other Mens Ears any Novice can and the greater Novice the fitter too believe as others believe without any other Reason Therefore since the Holy Scripture says a Bishop ought not to be a Novice if he be a Novice that sees but by Implicite Faith then tell me count them if you can How many Novices have we in England that do all their greatest Acts by Implicite Faith This is as bold a Stroke you 'l say as ever was and yet not a jot too bold to strike at so Grand so Poppish so Popish a Folly as Implicite Faith by which it must be granted and cannot be denied our protestant Bishops do all their mighty Businesses and is the cause of such a contemptible and ignorant Glergy ill grounded Excommunications and Absolutions and â—apias's thereupon and such unscriptural irrational and Blind Confirmations perswading the Ignorant that they are fit to receive the other Sacrament of of the Lord's Supper when they know nothing of the Creed and sometimes were never listed or matriculated into Mother-Church by the Initiating Ordinance of Baptism But that is the Fault of the Person not of the Constitution If that were true it might be amended but it is false for it is not the Fault of the Person only but the Fault of the Constitution which obliges no Bishop in his Office and performance of these great Episcopal Acts but only to the knowledge of a Novice or implicite Faith. Nay if our Constitution did oblige him it would oblige him to Impossibilities for his Work is more than any Mortal can perform in propriâ personâ and the great charge of Souls which he takes upon him more terrible if his Conscience be awake or not brib'd with the Wages it must be sensible that no Plety Parts or Prudence can possibly discharge except as now by implicite Faith which any Bay aâ— Child aâ— Nevice can perform as well as the best It was Covetousness therefore and Ambition that first made Bishopricks so large for the sake of making all the Bishops Lands therein one Man's Monopoly and also made Bishops Consciences so large as to gape and swallow all the relishing Bit was so gustful and grateful to a greedy Gut but from the beginning it was not so Now every County must have a Bishop nay sometimes two or three or four Counties will scarcely hold one great Bishop nay to them too must be added sometimes a Rich Deanery Is it not strange that a Bishop should be a Deacon again for the Mony sake and a Parson again by Commendum for the sake of some bulky Parsonage like Wiggin in Lancashire in Commendum held by Dr. Cartwright Bishop of Chester now advanc'd to be a non-such Protestant Reader in Popish France and Curat to a Popish Prince in the Protestant Chappel in the Castle of Merli And I am perswaded they will have the Grace to blush if it do not also make their heartsake before I have done at the horrible Burthen they have undertaken which the Shoulders of the strongest and ablest Apostles of Christ never did or durst renture to take upon themselves no Mortal ever did or can discharge it but in this Novice way by Proxy or blind Implicite Faith God in his Mercy forgive them they know not what they do Philippi nay Jerusalem a little scanty City not so big and populous as Colchester by half and yet had several Bishops at a time therein Philip 1.1 To all the Saints which art at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons How many Bishops of London at this rate must there needs be in London not to mention the three Counties of Hartford Essex and Middlesex into the bargain Ay but the House of Lords will not hold so many Bishops No I grant There are Bishops â—now there already as some have laid and angerly grudge that we Clergy-men who are as much represented in the House of Commons as any Commoners in England and make as great a bustle at an Election of Members to get Men for our turn should also be represented in the other House which no other Commoners are and that my Lords the Bishops are tried by their Peers that is by their Equals Commoners but the Lords are Conciliarii Nati It is part of their Inheritance to be the King's Councellors and a Seat in the House of Lords is part of their Estate and State. But such Men talk like those that say that we had English Parliaments before Bishops and Abbots sat in the House of Lords and many Statutes the Judges say are good Law tho made in several Parliaments excluso Clere the Lord-Bishops and Lord-Abbots being shut out of Doors and not permitted into the House of Lords nay the Lord Abbots that had as good and as antient Right to sit in the House of Lords as Lord-Bishops are Long ago and to this day excluded Notwithstanding my known Devotion to my Lords the Bishops I confess I have not skill enough to answer such Reasons and Records It behoves them that have more wit and are more concern'd than I to give this a Rational Answer I consels my Ignorance but my Devotion to them is well enough known And I cannot deny but that the Bookish-men as my Lords are bred and usually Fellows of Colledges by that state they take upon them in the Colledge all but themselves going bare to them if they do but
where the Man Died or else a Pâ—erogative Case by the bona notabila of the value of Five or Ten Pounds old doings there were Wherefore the said Council made a Decreâ— Can. 6. That no Bishop should be made in a Village or little Town for which one Presbyter might well suffice because it is not necessary to make a Bishop's See there least the Name and Authority be rendred contemptible There were Three Hundred and Fourty Bishops there which exceeded the Number of the General Council of Nice and they took care for the Honour of their own punction yet they add That when the People in a Town shal grow so Numerous a Hundred and Fifty was the Common stâ—â—â—or a Presbyter's Care and Cure Then that Village deserves to have a Bishop and ought to have one By this Rule London had need have more than Fourty Bishops And this would wher Industry and make Mâ—u Sâ—udy to be Work-men that need not to be ashamed least the People should never chuse them as of old they did whereaâ— now if they can but Buy an Advowson or next Avoidance or a Patron c Let the People go whilstle they are their Feeders and Pastors in Spich of their â—eeths But how can Men Rellish what is Craâ—n'd down their Throats as Capon 's are serv'd or given them with a Horn like a Drench This makes an Immortal Feud and Disgust generally betwixt the Physiâ—k's Patients and their Ecclesiastical not Father's but Farâ—iers that force open their Mouths and pour down what they please thus are the People Treated like Bruâ—es rather than Men and Christians they are like to be good ones But what cares the Reading Don of the Pulpit He crys I am Instituted and Inducted come to your Parish Church the Horse and the poor Aâ—s must Graze where he is Ty'd I 'le feed you in spight of your Teeth Ay and Starve us too in spright of our Teeth There is neither Reason nor Religion for this If he were never so good a Physitian of Souls all he says is accepred with Prejudice and Disgustful for let his Potion be never so wholesome It goes against any Wife-mans Stomach to be Drench't this is the Fault also of our Conâ—â—â—â—ution and wonderful are the Inconveniences that follow this as Antmosiâ—es Eâ—ernal betwixt Minister and People Suits at Law about his Maintenance for they Pay as they Heat only so much as they are forc't to and as for the Care of their Souls they 'l trust him no more than they will their Boâ—ies with a Physiâ—ian of another Mans choosing Patron 's will lose nothing by parting with their Advowson's not a Farthing honestly yes you 'le say he may make it a Portion for his Daughter or to his Waiting-Maid to a poor Parson that will Leap at her But this is the worst of Simonies and such never thrives no more than other Symonists a Curie attends it and blasts all this Smock Symony In other Symonies Money makes the Mare to go but in thâ— the Jâ—de make the Parâ—on Ride that must otherwise have gone on Foot. Besides the most of the Livings in England are in the Kings Gift At the Chancellours or the Bishops or the Universities few have private Patron 's except Noblemen Gentlemen and Papists the former are all tâ—o Noble to Câ—yn their Advowion's and the lâ—st the Papiâ—is are very unfit nay they are by Law Incâ—pâ—câ—ared after Conviction Iâ— is certain that wherever the Carcase is there will the Eagles be gâ—thered together every Man that is at a loâ—s for Preferment or for greatâ—r Preferment will be sure to inquire which is the way thither And if Symâ—ny Smock Symony or a Ceremony be the way and the Dooâ— thither the Clergy make Application it is their great Aim and Study thence comes the common Ignorance Lazinâ—â—â— Dâ—ed and Duil Freaching or rather Reading because it is â—asie most in equest with the great Dâ—n's that can do not better and is therefore more acceptable than the best But If you make Merit the only way to preferment then you will haâ—â— a 〈◊〉 Learned Loving and Lovely Clergy that will go Hâ—nd in Hand and Heart in Heart with their People and nothing though◠〈◊〉 good for them but now what they get is only got with Scrambling in all places especially in â—luralitiâ—s By Pluralitles I do not mean Two or Three Parishes for one Paâ—ish may be Ten times more a Plurality as S. Andâ—â—ws Hoâ—â—born than Twenty Norfolk or Essex Livings in some Places And I wish that the Right Reverend Clergy man who was so Saâ—acious at some little Animals are to leave the failing House and the efore left his Seat in the High Commission Court least iâ— he stay'd any longer it had fallen upon his Head would also be as Sagâ—cious as to leave his Incoâ—sistent Pluralities what Sence is it for a Bishop to be a Deacon For the due joining of which two words in Coustruction Subintelliâ—itur Avaritia And by way of Parenthesis now I have Named that High Commission Court I cannot but remember one word used by my old Fâ—iend Lord Jeffery soon after in my Lord of London's case repeated viz. â—â—ptim we do all things here quoâ—h he Raptim rashly in haâ—â—e without thinking without consiâ—eration without Wâ—â—â—ing without so much as a Clark or Register Ay the Wiser for litera Scripta Manet but enough of that and of Bishops at present CHAP. IV. Of Ordination c. I Never could understand any thing by Ordination but what Arch bishop Crâ—nmer makes it a setting apart Bishops as a Constable a Justice or a Judge is Ordain'd for some special work And the greaâ—er and more Sacred the work is the greater and more Sacred is the Ordination The Church the whole Church did this in the Gospel Times and long after so sayes Ierom. Requiricur in Saâ—â—dote ordinando etiam populi praesentia the Peoples presence is necessary when men are Ordain'd not as here by a Mockery of this Ancient Cuâ—tom Ordaining Men in a Congregation who are as Ignorant as the Bishop in Reference to their Person Conversations Learning or Abilâ—les but in the Purâ—st and Primitive Times they were always Oâ—â—aâ—n'd by the Church as well as in the Church and sometimes by Laying on of Hâ—nds of the Pâ—esbytery alone as Titus and sometimes by the whole Church as Barnabas and Paul the Laying on â—f Hâ—nds was only a Jewish Custom or Ceremony Pointing out the Persion Ordain'd It was not the hands did any thing none are so foolish to think that â—xâ—ept Vertue could go out by touching as when our Saviour touchen the Woman not willingly which had an Issue of Blood none are so Blasphemously silly as to pretend hâ—t indeed the â—ign is taken often for the thing Sâ—gnified as for this Câ—use Bow I the Knee to the Faâ—her and sine stantibus non staret mundus and neglect not the Gift of God that was given thee by the Laying on of the Hâ—nds of the