which that dry spirituality is moistned This also is boldly reported that the Pastor and his Elders in that spiritual Classis have tasted so largely of the Wine the day before that there was none left for the next day and that the Preacher with his Elders were scarce in ease to administer the Supper But I reject this as a Fable for my part I doe not think that Apolonius will confesse that bread to be spirituall though it be made by tasting somewhat neerer to the Supper because the Keeper of it must be spirituall or else there would be a prophanation of holy things For hee with his wife doubtlesse is as nimble to tast the bread before as the Preachers themselves I ask further Whether then it become spirituall when it is put upon the Table for the Supper because then it is much neerer to its end But here again an absurdity will arise the Keeper ought to bee sacred and spirituall or else he shall prophane sacred things because he brings the bread and toucheth it when he puts it on the Table It remaines therefore that onely then the bread becomes spirituall when Apolonius toucheth and breaketh it for then it seemes to bee neerest to its end But now again there wil arise a new Catalogue of quotlibets for out of the propinquity of the principall sanctity which is in the bread there will arise divers degrees of spiritualities for the neerer that every part toucheth that spirituall end so much the neerer it is to spirituality and therefore because of the object becomes more spirituall So that now it is plain that neither Apolonius his feet nor legges nay nor his shoulders nor head are in holinesse to be compared to his hands because not they but these alone doe immediatly touch that spirituall object But if one will argue more subtilly he will say that not all the hand is equally spirituall but the singer poynts by which the bread is touched and broken are more spirituall then the rest and because the skin doth most of all immediatly touch the bread it will follow that this is the most spirituall of all the parts but the Cuticula or Epidermis doth touch yet more immediatly except this little skin be lost by some accident and so perhaps is covered with gloves then sure the Leather which immediatly toucheth the bread must have most spirituality Therefore Apolonius cannot be so ignorant of quodlibeticall Philosophy but must needs perceive that out of this finall objective spirituality by reason of the divers degrees of vicinity that there are divers degrees of spirituality in that which medleth with the object The solution of these Riddles if Apolonius can bring out of Divinity let him but I to leave these trifles say that there is a third thing required to spiritulity which is the Mannâ—â— Though that onely is to be called spiritual which hath God or the holy Ghost for its Authour whether mediatly or immediatly and which properly is ordained and tendeth to Gods worship and saving of soules yet we can explain rightly how much one thing or person is more spiritual then another but it is by the Manner whereby we see more or lesse sparkles of spiritual light for as he is most Princely on whom the Prince doth bestow most favours and badges of Majestie So he is most spirituall in whom shines most the dignitie and holinesse of the Spirit Which is apparent in the Prophets and Apostles of whom no body doubts but that they exceeded all others in the priviledge of spirituality But this also was evident in them because they were chiefly furnished with spiritual gifts by Christ For they were truly his Embassadours It were an absurd thing if the King should send an Embassadour abroad not furnish him with such things as are requisite for his Embassie even so had it been dishonorable for God to have Embassadours not qualified with all spiritual gifts Whence we may see the difference between the Levits the Prophets For they being ordained for the ordinary service of the Priesthood had only outward sanctity they wanted oftentimes the inwards gifts of holinesse and of the Spirit For they were wicked ignorant and deceitful neither did they any miraculous thing The high Priest indeed gave Oracles by Urim and Thummim but this depended rather from the Breast-plate Ark and Propitiatory then from the High Priest himselfe It was otherwise in the Prophets and Apostles for they were sent from GOD Not from Men nor by Men and that by a most spirituall Vocation Whence they were highly graced with the gifts of the holy Ghost For their life was holy their Doctrine and Writings iâ— fallible and they excelled in the power of Miracles Lastly there were none then in the Church except such as maliciously shut their eyes who did not see that they were truly spirituall and Christs Legates So that the Title of Spirituality did most properly belong to them which conditions ceased upon the Apostles departure From hence again appeares the impudence of the old Papists who so proudly bragge of their Spirituality and yet have never a Badge of the Spirit in them as we may see in the Pope who is the Epitome of all Romish Spirituality who as it is well known not onely fraudulently possesseth his spiritual Chaire but is also destitute of all spirituall gifts For his life is impious and his Doctrine false and deceitfull Lastly he doth no miracle but is himselfe a Miracle and wonder to the world in respect of his pride and wickednesse The new Walachrian Papist wrote this whole Booke of his owne Spirituality and of the Magistrates Carnality and almost in every third page he calls himselfe Christs Legat and bragges of his spirituality which pride he learned from Antichrist his predecessor having the Jesuits for his only Masters whence I can easily convince him of the like impudence For to say nothing of the Spirituality of his vocation which is now truly humane let him tell us where are now the Badges of his spiritual and Apostolick Embassie For Paul saith that they are carnall not spirituall who are contentious and puffed up but what vice more familiar among the Walachrian Ministers which appeares by this one writing of Apolonius Else-where Paul sayth that they are carnall who know not the Word of God The Stilt-walker seemes to have gone through humane Writings with old Papists but he never laboured with Apollos to be powerfull in the holy Scriptures Lastly he affirmes this of the lives of Modern Ministers that they are very foully spotted but this hee doth not much regard onely he upbraids Vedelius with this that Professors also defile their Doctoral Function with feasting and drunkennesse The fallibility of Doctrine imitates the spotted life of Church-men For all are forced to confesse that their preaching word is fallible with which Badge of Embassie the Apostles were chiefly honored because they preached and wrote infallibly All of them prate much of this thing as
now all things in heaven earth and under the earth are ordained and ruled as I have often shewed He objects that these offices and gifts were given to the Church but not Magistracy I answer that these were given indeed to the Church or in the Church as it is said 1 Cor. 12. but Ephes 4. the Apostle sayth that they were given to men using a generall word so Paul gave and instituted to the whole world the office of Magistracy but under them also to the Church because he makes him to have the charge of every soul except he will say that Churchmen want foules whence it followes that Paul hath also subjected the Church to the Civill powers so that she must be by them defended in good things and punished in evill What wise man then will deny that Christ hath instituted Magistracy and hath not given it to the Church when as he by Paul hath ordained the Magistrate for his alone Legat upon earth to whom alone he will have all soules be subject and therefore Ecclesiasticks also and that for conscience sake by whose sword and authority he will have the Church defended in good things all these are so cleare in this place of Paul and in other Scriptures that by no meanes can they be darkened I know this Divinity doth not please the Stilt-walker who is possessed with papisticall furie that the Magistrates office is not Ecclesiasticall that is necessary for the edification and conservation of the Church yet he rather placeth this office without the Church not within or in it par 1. p. 24. because that phrase is too ambiguous to him and repugnant to Divine right and therefore placeth the Magistrates office onely about the Church or Churchmen so that he speakes no other wayes of Magistrates then Heccius and other Cornuted Asses of Luther who comming to the Conference at Wormes was not presently admitted into the full Assembly where the whole Quire was of holy Church-men but was lead first apart into a private closet which these Cornuted Beasts said was well done and according to Scripture for it is written Without shall be Dogs and Witches Not much more reverently doth this Walachrian prate of godly Magistrates whom every where he fasteneth to the cares of this world as carnall men but elevates the Church and Churchmen above the world even to the Skies but these are meere chimera's the Scripture on the other side doth so extoll Magistracy as a thing perpetuall in the Church and so necessary that it cannot be parted from her and without this shee cannot subsist but must wither no otherwise then corne that wants earth as Calvin speaketh which I will shew hereafter more at large He prates every where that the Church under the Apostles and at other times wanted the civill Magistrate but these are Lyes which I have already refuted and will hereafter refute more and if this impossibility should fall out that the Church were totally destitute of civill government yet it should not cease to be an office in the Church and as it were a part necessary for the constitution thereof for as a body that hath lost a foote remaines yet without that foote but lame being destitute of a necessary part so the Church may consist without Magistracy but not long and that with much difficulty for presently there would arise Anarchy and every one would do as he listed which because Apollonius doth what he can to bring into his City under hope of a new Popery hence arise so many railing devises by which he endeavours to hisse out the Magistrates as meere worldly men that they must not meddle with Church-businesse how ever the matter be because the Church hath often wanted godly Teachers Sacraments and other things requisite for her I might also as well inferre that these belong not to the Church but are accidents circumjacent which were most absurd to the Stilt-walker Perhaps he will object if this were true then Christ had made the Churches power imperfect and lame which must depend from an outward civill power but this is repugnant with Mat. 18. tell the Church where he hath furnished her with full power I answer That all these are Jesuiticall fictions which they have devised for their Hierarchy and which he hath borrowed from them for first I deny when Christ said tell the Church that he understood by these words as if he had armed Church-men being discriminated from Lay-men with full power of exercising Government among themselves excluding the Magistrate For I said before that by the word Church is understood in Scripture any kind of meeting whether meerly Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiastick and Civill yea any tumultnary Assembly called together to determine businesse Act. 19. Act. 15. and oftentimes the whole body of the faithfull in opposition to their Rulers somtimes the body of the Church with their Rulers but never for ought I know the Rulers separate from the body Now here Apollonius must needs goe to consult with the Delphick three-footed stool that he may divine to us what Christ meant here by the Church seeing he did not define it in this place nor do we see it elsewhere explained in Scripture Apollonius doubtlesse with the Papists having a watchfull eye over his merchandise rather understands it of the Church-Rulers for this is all his care that this wonderfull Ecclesiastick power by many windings and turnings being snatched from the body of the Church and chiefly the Magistrate may be setled onely in the Governours as in the Center that is in the Consistory and because Deacons are onely positively Church-men as bellowes in a paire of Organs Elders onely comparatively as the pipes which of themselves sound not hence at last the whole power ends in Preachers superlatively Ecclesiastick as if they were Masters of the musick and so sing and play upon that Ecclesiastick Organ that every pipe shall yeeld no other sound then what pleaseth these Organists Thus the old and new Papists doe play the Philosophers upon this there tell the Church as if Christ had meant tell the Pope or the Clergie or the Preachers of the Gospell but of this never a word in Matthew yea it is contrary for Christ being so understood should have named a Judge who was neither then nor long after in the world What an absurdity had it been for Christ to have said to the godly that you may free your consciences from strife with your brother go to the Consistory or Church-Rulers which were not then nor to be in many years after Whence it is more likely that Christ by the Church meant there a Judge or Arbitrator in controversies indefinitely and as I said elsewhere without any expresse quality that is such a one as they could repaire to whether consisting of Ecclesiasticks and Civill Magistrates as the Sanhedraham was then or onely of Ecclesiasticks as afterwards under the Apostles or of Civill Magistrates as was in the Church after Magistrates became Christians
Provinces were silent Universites were a sleep learned men commended this one Apollonius was found out one Wallachran Classis which was well pleased with restlesse sloth Idle imployment slothfull businesse yet Apollonius â—ould not trust his businesse with a sinall Wallachran target he defends himself with the large sheeld of the whole Synod and States of Zeland For this he prefixed to his fables this tract was published according to the fourty sixt article of the Church politie established by the authority of the States of Ze land as if this rapsodie had been published by order of the whole Sinod and of the States also I warrant you before Apollonius was known Vitilitigator and borne the Synod pre-ordained that this make-bate or slandeter Apollonius injurious to all good men chiefly to his own Magistrates should without punishment cast abroad his fooleries and swelling words This cannot be true though Apollonius were the Phoenix and fairest of all birds which Heredotus writes doth appear every seventy yeare wee will rather beleeve that he expresseth the nature of Aetna which they say burneth and vomiteth every 70th yeare bals of fire Truly no man hath escaped the burning chalke of his most railing tongue Naphtam sometimes for fashion sâ—ke hee honoureth our famous Vedelius with the Title of Master Professor Master Doctor our worthy Brother and somtimes he calles him sacrilegious full of naughty tares a Parisite a Lyer a Wanton who trampleth on the Churches labours and rites and on the blood of Christ who spreads abroad his poyson and many more such as these to which the Apostle seemeth long agoe to have answered shall curssing and blessing proceed out of the same mouth and shall a fountaine send out of the same place both bitter and sweet water This wisdome descends not from above but is earthly carnall and devillish To these Apollonius addes further we think it neither safe nor lawfull for a few small questions about Church-government to raise troubles but now Vedelius was dissipating the holy rites of the Church and the liberties which Christ hath purchased with his own blood hee had subjected to the yoake of forraigne power hee means of the godly Magistrate secretly spreading his poyson hee gave occasion to Princes not very religious he seems to tax the Magistrates of Middleburgh that they should in their tyrannicall lust flye upon the the rites of the Church It may be asked why all other Churches and Classes sat down when the Church was in such danger he preferring himselfe to all others answers boldly Truly I like not that any of our side in whom the zeale of Gods House is grown cold in a cause of this moment should be luke-warme sit down and say nothing as though he alone of all the notable zelots should bee consumed by the fervent heat of Gods house whom the unbridled lust of railing and custome of lying hath driven to write which hereafter I will shew by divers examples and will prove it by a famous one in this place He feines that the Magistrate of Deventrie suppressed this tract of Vedelius Anno. 1638. which afterwards Vedelius published in our Vniversitie being but twice boyled coleworts That this is a meer fiction is cleare by Dr. Rivers letters concerning this tract which he wrot at the Hague the 28 of February 1638. so that this Davus hath not well distinguished his times for how in the beginning of this yeare could Dr. Rivet at the Hague see and allow this tract of Vedelius if at that time it was suppressed by the Magistrate at Deventre For either Vedelius published it without the knowledge and consent of the Magistrate which is absurd or else the Magistrate did quickly retract his purpose of suppressing it which had been no lesse temerarious and absurd or else it is false what Apollonius saith to wit that either they did or were willing to suppresse it as may be seene by all the circumstances For if Vedelius was such a raverious woolfe against the Church of Christ that then the Magistrate did suppresse his virulent writings what boldnesse was it according to the principles of Apollonius his Hierarchy for the Magistrate to fall upon a businesse of this consequence without the Clergies advice what supine negligence was it that all Divines in all Universities should be silent like dumb doggs untill this Lobster-eating-curre Hylax should first bark from the remote Walachran isle against Church-robbing so that not onely doth he accuse our University professors for too much stupidity and want of prudence in that they did not observe Vedelius his poyson but preferred such a sacriledgious blasphemer to be divinity professour but also accuseth Macovius and Rivet of perversnesse who by their letters openly approved and commended Vedelius his tract and opinion but if Apollonius had not maliciously winked with one of his eyes he would have been more tender of the honour of such worthy men But one were as good seeke for foode in the fire as for modesty in Apollonius Vedelius prefixed to his booke the letters of Macovius and Rivet which Apollonius would not see But that every good man may see them and hee too against his will I 'le set downe a few passages out of them Worthy Sir your disputation concerning the civill Magistrate against Bellarmine I have read with so much the more diligence by how much the more exactnesse it was written c. I doubt not but you 'l do on acceptable work to those that desires to know these things more exactly c. I confesse that by this your learned tract I am resolved of those things I doubted before and am instructed in divers passages which I knew not c. thus far Macovius Rivets judgement is more large which is this I have read and weighed the theologicall disputation concerning the Magistrate against Bellarmine which that famous and learned man N. Vedelius published c. I testifie that I have observed nothing in his answers and resolutions which in my judgement doth not agree with the doctrine of all reformed Churches concerning the same argument but especially that in those passages which hee hath alledged out of my Comentaries upon the Decalogue hee hath not wronged mee but hath fully expressed my meaning and I adjudge his opinion to bee very true c. Therefore by this my hand-writing I would testifie to all men that hee hath deserved well of the Church and who by his most learned lucubrations hath sufficiently proved how farre hee is from the wayes of Innovators c. Hee asserts the truth without prejudicing those things which belong to the Ministers of Gods word and the Church-governours according to Canonicall Scripture and the Ecclesiastick Canons deduced from thence neither can I see any reason why Orthodox men should in this businesse trouble him Thus Rivet Now let the Reader judge whether these men or Apollonius be made Sure they are diametrically opposite for he commends Vedelius for an
it a main peece of sanctity to sow perpetuall strife and make a breach between the Magistrates and Ministers as if it were a holy duty in Ministers to demand and take from godly Magistrates all the benefits they can but still to beware of their deceipts and treacheries the Reader cannot be so stupid as not to smell out the mockes and reproaches of Apolonius through his whole work against religious Magistrates some of which I will now set downe that every one may see what kind of vermin this Apolonius is who like a Wasp or Hornet goeth about to sting not onely our famous Vedelius but Macovius also Rivet his own Masters the best Divines of Christendome the Nationall Synod and the High and Mighty States themselves yet notwithstanding this giddy head who pretends a maiden-like modesty in the end of his Preface thus writes I seriously affirme that concerning this cause I have almost brought nothing of my own but have robbed the Lucubrations and Coffers of other men and have collected whatsoevr Divines have scatteringly sayd of this subject Thus like Proteus sometimes he lookes like a Lion and sometimes like a Buck He is a shrill Trumpeter of his own vertues every where but chiefly in this place where he subjects himselfe to all learned men when as indeed he exalts himselfe above them all So that he slights almost every man in comparison of himselfe how ever I will not envie this Locust the honour which he affecteth to wit that hee hath skipped over many mens Gardens and gnawed their Flowers this I 'le say freely that he hath taken more pains to turn over negligently humane writings then diligently the holy Scriptures as I wil hereafter make it appeare I confesse indeed that he like a Hog or like Aesops Cock hath laboriously turned over the Dung-hills of Popes School-men Jesuites Apostates and Sophisters perhaps that he might find out the Jewell of Truth which if he thought in-glorious to find in the neighbouring and pure Medowes of holy Scriptures as being lesse spirituall which I suspect hee deserveth to be defiled with their stench and filth and to be laughed at by all learned and godly men It is enough for me that I have made Apolonius his dissembled modesty and shamefastnesse appear but withall his Dogs face and impudency towards all The mans mad pride might be tolerated if he could any where else shew us his skill in Grammer or Logick but he who hath either a mind or leasure which I confesse are wanting to me to turn over all his patched Peeces shall find that he harps an hundred times on one string like a ridiculous Fidler so that one would nauseat to heare him He is so little versed in Latin phrases that he deserves to be whipt by Priscian for his many solicismes for he useth frequently the word coerciva for coercitiva A great deale he hath of such barbarous stuffe which the English cannot bear c. Now for his Logick although with a wide mouth he promise great matters yet he playes but a Canvasse Merchant imitating every where that Parasite in Plautus I sell ridiculous sayings goe too come and cheapen cavils flatteries and phantasticall perjuries I purpose not to run through all his labyrinths he cannot follow the guide of his own thread I will briefly contract his foolish circumlocutions thus The Church of Christ is holy and spirituall Therefore all her affaires and chiefly her government is holy and spirituall From hence he gathers this consequence Ergo the government businesse of the Church which he calls Church-dressing belongs onely to the Saints or spirituall men that is Ministers because they by speciall priviledge of their vocation are sanctified and consecrated From hence also he drawes out another confectary thus Ergo These Church-affaires belong not to Godly civill Magistrates because they were not sanctified to this work but are altogether unfit as being but mean members of the Church worldly whose power is dispoticall or Lordly Architectonicall and corporall earthly not heavenly which can produce no spirituall effect or touch the soul These are the Coleworts which he so often in his madnesse sets down to us I will handle each of them in order But first let the Reader be fore-warned that this whole Apolonian Fable for Church-government which he begins is so like the Popish Scheme that almost they differ in nothing save oneâ—y that with the Pope this is an old Comedy and a thing in possession but among the Apolonian Walachrans there are new Actors and a thing onely in expectation Surely such is the affinity every where of their principles assertions and argumentations that whosoever will but compare the Fictions of old Papists with these new ones will easily finde that the same Romish Church was mother to them both I confesse Apolonius is not so unskilfull of cheating or juggling but for fashions sake he hisses at Popery and by this trick he cleares himselfe from Arminianisme but brands our famous Vedelius with it This is the old trick of Heretickes and of all Novalists and as it were whorish paintings wherewith they paint their deformed scabs There is nothing wherein the Papists have more deluded the world then under the name of Church-holinesse and spirituality by which superstitious pretences the Pope hath gotten to himself the government of the whole world which web this our Apolonius hath begun again and hath made up the whole wooffe of the same threads so that almost in every page he casts abroad the lofty words of Church-holinesse and modern-spirituality Ampullas Therefore I hope my pains will not be lost if briefly I delineate the acceptions of these words lest the yoyson which lurketh under these guilded Mushromes Beletis may strangle the unwary CHAP. II. Of the divers acceptions of the CHURCH THe word Church in Scripture sometime signifieth every Congregation or Assembly of men gathered together whatsoever be the manner or end of their meeting So that seditious concourse of men at Ephesus against Paul is by Luke called the Church Ecceesia Acts 29.38 38. twice in that place is this word used for that tumultuous Assembly of seditious men But more specially it notes the Assemblies of men gathered together for the publick worship of God whether this Assembly be great or small So Paul honours private meetings at home by the name of Ecclesia or Church as those private meetings in the houses of Stephana and others for private devotion Now the forme of these Churches doth not properly consist in the mysticall and internall union with Christ but onely in the externall union which these men have among themselves when they meet to worship Christ and to make profession of their faith the chiefe heads of which consist in the preaching reading expounding or any ways meditating in the word of God in administring the SacrameÌ„ts upon occasion lastly in exercising the workes of charity among themselves as Christs Disciples did living according to
Church be in the representing Church that is in the governours suppose in the Consistory or Classis c. if the dignity of the Consistory be restrained to Ministers as the eyes and worthy of double honour in the Church for the Elders are for the most part but the Ministers foot-stools if the dignity of many Pastors reside at last in some one chiefe Pastor to whose dreames all other Pastors must subscribe either out of ignorance or negligence as you may see in the Walachran Classis who doth not now see that all the holinesse and jurisdiction of the whole Church flowes into this chiefe Pastor as into a sink-hole To whose impudencie and madnesse if no Minister dare or will make resistance if no Magistrate must under pain of sacriledge shall not he in the end be Pope of that Island or Province The third errour borrowed from the Papists is this they use to obtrude to us their visible Roman Church in stead of the Catholick and for the whole Church that part only which governeth and in lieu of the Church they recommend to us the government thereof Lastly under the title of government and the Apostolicall Church they thrust upon us all the fictions and dreames of their brain-sick Popes so that among them the Church-government is no more like that of the Apostles then a vizard is like a true face or a picture like a man Though this Stilt-walker be not as yet so impudent yet because he is continually brawling with the Magistrates as with worldly men about the right of making lawes in Church matters he doth plainly shew that he is of the Popes mind in imposing upon Christians this yoak and upon Magistrates themselves under pretence of Ecclesiastick dignity so that whatsoever the Apolonian Colledge in Walachran shall judge to be holy and to be fit or necessary for the Church Christs Spouse must be received with obedience under pain of excommunication Which licentiousnesse of Ecclesiastick Conventicles if the godly Magistrate cannot suppresse without sacriledge as he still cryes out who sees not but that Centaures and other ugly Mâ—nsters of Antichrist will quickly break out of these Dedalaean labyrinths Such births have come to light at Middleburgh already as I have shewed in the Preface Hence it is apparent that Apolonius playes the Pope in many respects under the name of the Church For in stead of the Catholick Church the true Spouse of Christ holy and invisible he obtrudes the visible Church defiled with many spots then promising that he will maintain the digniâ—y of the whole Church he fails upon the commendation of the Government and Governours thereof he slights and contemnes the body of the Church Lastly under pretence of a holy and Apostolicall government he endeavours to obtrude a human corrupt and Pope-like tyrannicall Discipline as I will shew hereafter Which Jesuiticall canvasse wares of Apolonius I would have the Reader diligently to mark For he deludes us no otherwise then if an Impostor should brag that he brings us Gold which proves but Tin and this Tin but Quicksilver and at last meer drosse or poysonable Arsenick CHAP. III. Of the divers acceptions of Sanctity AS the word Church so the word Sanctity is ambiguous There is no man so irreligious but highly accounts of the name of Sanctity Hence for a person or thing to be Sacred or Holy is among fearfull superstitious people of no small weight so that not onely Papists of old but also this new upstart as often as he speakes of the Church Church-men he stil vapours having the name of Sacred and Holy in his mouth under this veile he deceives ignorant people whilst he aimes at worldly authority which I will briefly make appeare The word Sanctity signifieth properly the inward and perfect integrity of a thing such as is in God eminently hence in Isaiah he is called Holy Holy Holy to whose nature because the blessed Angels and Soules in heaven come neerest they also are called Holy And although in regard of corporiety Christs humane nature is distant from the divine yet in respect of the incomprehensible priviledge of the Hypostaticall union by which it is personally united to the divine Nature it 's not to be doubted but that the Majesty and dignity of Christs glorious body sitting at Gods right hand in heaven is ineffable so that this body may be justly called Most holy Such are the bodies of Henoch and Elijah but in a lower degree inferiour to which is the heaven and place of the blessed all which notwithstanding are truly inherently and after their manner perfectly holy and free from all pollution This word is also transferred to many other things chiefly to the worship of God because this tends to the glory of the most holy God and is the mean by which men are brought into the possession of that true and perfect holinesse which wee shall enjoy in heaven hence the worship of God and the manner or meanes of this worship lastly the persons conversant about this worship are called and are so in some measure Holy But we must be cautious in using this distinction for the confusion of these things will easily beget pride in the presumptuous and Idolatry in the superstitious There is nothing more sure then that this deserves best the name of Holinesse which hath in it self a perpetuall and inherent perfection and ordination for promoting Gods worship and mans salvation For God is so holy that whatsoever hath him for its Authour and is ordained to his holinesse is to be accounted holy Such are the vertues which by the holy Ghost are infused into us as wisdome hope love and chiefly true justifying faith which therefore in Scripture is called Most holy because not onely is it holy and most divine in it selfe but whosoever also is endowed with it though he had been never so prophane before and most unworthy in the eyes of the world yet with God he is holy and elect because he is inseparably united to Christ but mystically by faith For though Faith doth not presently change a man as to be endowed with inherent sanctity yet he is brought to have a firm hope of attaining perfect holinesse in heaven the beginning of which he obtaines here by sanctification after the infusion of true faith so that the name of Sanctity doth very well belong to justifying Faith as having God alone who is most holy for its Authour and where-ever it is infused it causeth an inseparable holinesse in that man which is the reason that every where in Scripture true beleelvers are called the holy Elect. To these vertues succeeds Gods Word which having the most holy God for its Authour is in it selfe perfectly holy For how can any prophane thing be found in that word which is known to be uttered and written by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghost So that our most holy Faith is begot of this as of an immortall seed but here is the difference
that she might feele or at least worship the dependencies of that primary holinesse How-ever the matter is I think this to be undoubtedly true That outward Church-rites are not therefore to be held sacred because of their order or reference to Religion and Worship CHAP. IV. Of SPIRITUALITY IT remaines that we examine the word of SPIRITUALITIE For although both old and new Papists doe too much betray their owne fleshly lusts yet they proclaime with full Cheekes every where their SPIRITUALITY and make it in a manner all one with SANCTITIE which notwithstanding differ in this That what is truly holy is alwayes good but that which is spirituall is sometime evill for Paul speakes of spirituall wickednesse in the aire I here take it in a good sense and in these three I make the forme of Spirituality to consist First it must have God for its Authour Secondly the end of it must be Gods worship and the salvation of soules Thirdly it must be done after a spirituall manner The Stilt-walker is large in exagerating this and scrapes together so many things out of Parker that he who will give credit to what he prates there of Church-matters may doubt whether Apolonius hath any flesh yet left about him or whether hee and his Walachrians bee not transformed into pure spirits long a goe For nothing is to be found in their Church-matters whether they bee words or things but they must be accounted spirituall For who is so meanly learned as will suspect any carnality to be left there where so many Spiritualities meet together by speciall vertue of their Function and vocation What I speak is true as is plain by the old Papists where not onely by vertue of Ecclesiastick Calling and Office wonderfull spirituality is ascribed to the Clergy but especially when they come to the Pope the head of their spirituality such is their superstition that they think him to be and so they call him a GOD and in a manner a Meere Spirit so that if he sweare forsweare drink whore and if this Roman Locust leap from one adulterous bed to another yet scarce will any bee induced to beleeve otherwise but that he is holy and spiritual still For because they think by reason of the dignity of his Function that he is altogether sanctified and Deified they will not be easily induced to beleeve that hee can lose his spirituality This madnesse by degrees in Gods just judgements possessed mens mindes which lest Apolonius should renew among the Protestants I will more largely explain every particular of what I have sayd First this is most certain that what hath not God or the holy Spirit for its Authour deserves not the Title of Spirituality and the more immediately and clearly any thing proceeds from Gods Spirit so much the more properly is that to bee called Spirituall For as that is called Kingly which the King immediatly doth speaketh with his own mouth writeth with his own hand so these things are to be esteemed divine holy and spirituall properly which are immediatly done by God So Christs vocation and inauguration is most spirituall For to him onely he spake from heaven Thou art my Sonne so God himselfe pronounced the Law on Sinai Such was the Apostles immediate vocation from Christ so the word of God in Scripture and true faith begot of that seed are chiefly to be accounted spirituall And although in things concerning faith God useth the work of man yet the effect God properly reserveth for himselfe and produceth it 1 Cor. 3. Yet this must not be taken so precisely but that these things also are to be reckoned spirituall which God worketh by instruments if so bee they are such instruments as are known to bee Gods Pen-men and Embassadours such as the Prophets and Apostles were who as they were truly Gods Embassadours so the things were divine holy and spirituall which God by them did speake write and doe Hence not only was it usuall to the Prophets in teaching to say Thus sayth the Lord but of such Messengers that is true which Christ said to the Apostles He that heareth you heareth me For as that is called Princely which the Princes Embassadour doth in his name and by his command even so whatsoever the Prophets and Apostles Gods immediat Embassadours did or taught is no otherwayes to be accounted then if God himselfe had spoken from heaven so that in them was true spiritually But where the gifts required for such an Embassie cease it is certaine that there also ceaseth the dignity and spirituality of that Embassie or else becomes much inferiour Now the honour of a Divine message consisteth in two things First that he have a Patent or Letters of Credence for though one should performe the Kings command yet if he hath not this command to shew for his imployment he is not to be accounted the Kings Agent but which sometimes hath been done ought to bee punished as a Cheater Secondly this is required in a Divine Message that the Messenger or Agent have full instructions of all things that concern his imployment and that he goe not beyond the bounds of his Embassie he that wants either of these conditions deserves not the title of a Divine Embassadour These conditions were fully in the Prophets and Apostles and therefore were truly Gods Embassadours and spirituall All the Doctors of the Church at this day come farre short of this dignity because they want both these priviledges as I will afterward shew Hence appeares the Popes falshood who though hee hath no Letters of Credence to shew for his employment by reason of the vitiosity of his Calling who almost like a Thiefe creeps in at the back dore and though he doth so performe his Embassie that he goeth beyond his Commission and tramples on it yet he bragges with such boldnesse that he is Christs Embassadour that not content with this Title will be called Vniversall Bishop and Head of the Church yea Christs Vicar upon Earth by which hee shewes his Impudency and Antichristianisme Our new Walachrian Papist no lesse boldly calls himselfe familiarly Christs Embassadour whereas he knowes and should acknowledge that in performing his Masters Embassie he violates oftentimes his commands Wee see also in his book much railing many absurdities and plain falshoods which he thrusts upon his Readers these he cannot have from his Master CHRIST but rather from his predecessor the Pope from whom also he borrowes his pride in puffing himselfe up with the Title of Spirituality so that not onely doth he equall but in many things preferre himselfe to the Apostles For hee sayth that the Spirituality of his Church-businesse is such that the Magistrate cannot attain to it making his power over the Church so absolute that he will have it to be Regall and other things of which the Apostles never dreamed as I will more fully shew hereafter And this is the first condition of Spirituality from the Author yet every thing is not
bragges that this right remaines onely for him as being Peters successor and so commonly his subjects beleeve But this is an impudent lye fit for Antichrist Our Apellonians doe indeed convince the Pope of sacriledge for his bragging thus and yet they themselves are more impudently puffed up with this power of the Keyes For they confesse and in effect prove that they cannot preach infallibly and yet they cry out that he is guilty of sacriledge who doubts of their possessing their Key now Which impudency is farre greater then that of the Pope For he assumes to himselfe the right of opening heaven because he saith that he hath an infallible Key and truly Apostolicall But these will have the same right ascribed to them and yet doe confesse that they are not infallible Although hee bee an Impostor who promiseth to open the Treasure making shew of having that Key which hee hath not yet hee is a more impudent Impostor who cries out that hee will open the Treasure and yet confesseth that either he hath no Key or if he shewes any Key it is so unfit and rusty that it cannot open the Lock For because the moderne preaching Key wants true spirituality which is the infallibility of truth it is to be accounted a dead body or like a Clock which is moved about with wheels But these are set on work by the weight of honour and gain No otherwise can wee think of the Judiciall or Censoriall Key which in the Apostles by reason of their gifts and power was alwayes just and effectuall For they had a most divine certitude of Judicature so that they conferred Heaven upon none nor debarred any from it but by a sure knowledge and revelation so that assuredly Heaven was shut against them whom they bound and whose sins were retained on earth and it was certainly opened to them whom they loosed and pardoned It is sufficiently evident that these gifts and power were in the Apostles All which as most rare and exceeding humane reach were promised to the Apostles under the power of the Keyes which is apparent to all who will not shut their eyes wilfully against the light of truth Whence it is cleare that the Keyes are terminated in the Apostles because those conditions with the gifts which I spoke and which make up the Jurisdiction of the Keyes are ceased with them So with as great right they make the Apostles Office permanent and perpetuall in the Church as the use of these heavenly Keyes So that it is frivolous and ridiculous for Apolonius and the Pope to bragge so much of the power of the Keyes as though hee had power to shut and open heaven to binde and loose on Earth what is bound and loosed in Heaven Whereas hee knowes not whom he shall certainly shut out of heaven or shut in And oftentimes perversly hee looseth and judgeth worthy of heaven whom God bindeth and shutteth out of heaven And contrarily he excludes from heaven whom God thinkes worthy of Heaven so that he who compares the vizard of our moderne Censure and Excommunicacion to that of the Apostles seemes no otherwise to play the foole then the Jewes did who were wont to prate strange things of the sanctity of their Temple and fought for the honour thereof against Titus till they were destroyed And yet they might have known had they not been blind that that was not the old Temple of Solomon because it wanted Urim and Thummim and all the benefites of Divine presence and assistance which made up the particular sanctity of that Temple But there seemes to bee a plainer place Matth. 18.17 Tell the Church and if hee heares not the Church let him bee to thee as a Publican and Heathen In which words they say Christ hath given to the Church Judiciall Ecclesiastick power of excommunication which at this day is in use both amongst the old and new Papists The vanity of this conceit will bee easily seen if wee doe but observe that Christ in these words doth not instruct his Disciples as they were to be the over-seers and Rulers of the Church but onely taught ordinary things which are common to all Christians by the right of fraternity according to that generall Rule given to all by GOD Deuter. 17.19 Thou shalt not hate thy brother but sharply reprove him neither shalt thou suffer any evill in him Which Law CHRIST here sheweth must be kept not onely when a brother shall offend God or others but then also when he wrongs us which brotherly duty Christ will have wisely to bee exercised and with moderation lest this reproofe may seem to proceed from revenge or evill words by which the mind of the injuring brother may bee exasperated hee will have the brothers offence to be covered and not to be divulged but will have the difference to be taken up in private between brother and brother by two other brothers whose admonitions if the offending brother slight Christ permits not that the brother offended shall forsake the brother offending but then will have the brothers offence brought out in publicke that it may be made known to all the Church not to stirre up all odiously against him but that they might save him and that he who could not be brought to concord by the reproofe of one or more brothers may be brought to it by the admonitions of some in the Church or all Which endeavour of the Church being brotherly and charitable if the offending brother goe on to contemne the offended brother is not onely permitted but also commanded to esteem of the other at a Publican and Heathen that is that he shall have no private commerce with him as the Apostle describes and declares this act 1 Cor. 5.9.11 and 2 Thess 3.6.14 For Christ alludes to the custome that then was among the Jewes and of which we have already spoken Hence now it appeares that the old and new Papists have shamefully corrupted this place in turning this brotherly and charitable duty into an authoritative and judiciall Office and very insolently have appropriated the word CHURCH to the Rulers and Over-seers of the Church onely Tell the Church that is saith the Papist tell the Bishop which is truly a foolish interpretation unworthy of refutation Tell the Church that is say our new Papists tell the Rulers of the Church which is an unaccustomed acception of this word For they cannot produce one place out of Scripture in which the word CHURCH is appropriated to the Rulers onely I know the Walachrian Stilt-Walker babbles much every where of the Church representative and that the word Church is given to the Rulers thereof because they represent the Church But because hee learned this not out of Scripture but out of Popish writings the inventors of this I answer him briefly That to him who sayes much and proves nothing of right no priviledge belongs which as it is true in humane things so much more in Divine and sacred matters Whence I now
are subject to the Consistorial and these to the Classick Prophets the Classick to the Synodal in infinitum and so a greater Prophet must command the lesser subject to him These are the Enthymems of old Papists with which the Stilt-walker doth exactly correspond for polishing the right of his Dependency I answer that he makes a Mountain of a Mole-hill who wil wrest all this out of Pauls words for this is not his meaning that the fewer Prophets should alway subscribe to the vote of the greater number this were a rotten paradox which brought in Antichrist because we find many times that the opinion of one lay-man hath been sounder then of many Clergy-men Neither wil this follow out of Pauls words that the Prophets of lesser authority should be alwayes subject and obedient to those of greater authority This were true indeed if there were present one that were divinely inspired he truly were to be preferred before a thousand others and all others not divinely inspired were to submit to him But whereas divine inspiration is ceased no such superiority or preheminence must be placed in any one to which absolutely other Prophets must be subject For howsoever the Stilt-walker prates with the Papists of the abundant assistance of the spirit which lay-men ought to hope are in their Leaders and Pastors when they meet together in the Consistory Classis or Synod that so hee may procure to himselfe blind obedience yet this is certain that there is no such promise extant which shall continue for ever And all ages teach us that oftentimes dangerous aad most hurtful poyson hath proceeded from them that excell in number and authority as may be seen in the rising and progresse of Antichristianisme So that doubtlesse there is another meaning of Pauls words then this Popish one For he speakes of the government of the Church of his time In 1 Cor. 14 32 c. which was farre different from that which is now as Aretius notes At this day the Minister alone doth all and takes upon him whatsoever is judiciall that hee alone may preach with authority as for other Church Prophets they like women must hold their peace in the congregation neither doe they doubt but he shall be severely punished in Walachria who though a Prophet should take upon him either privatly or publickly to reprove Apelonius for his errours and lies though he deserve it if he were not curbed by the Magistrate So that the whole marrow of modern Dependency chiefly of the Walachrian obttude upon Christians every one of which is now a Prophet what they please and if perhaps hee shall be found in an errour then to betake himself to the Consistorials such Prophets as himself then to the Classiairies as we see in this work at last to Synods of all which if the greater part should be mad with the Stilt-walker all other Prophets must be forced whether it be right or wrong to submit to these mad men It was farre otherwise among the Apostles as Paul intimates in this place every one performed his own part some did speake with tongues others did interpret others did rule the Church as Governours and Captaines others gave almes Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. not onely of the Church goods but of their own also some did give comfort others healed the sick others did prophesie neither was this done sparingly or by a few so that not one did take upon him the Office of preaching by authority as the Walachrian would have it but many had the gift of prophesie for God then did so abundantly powre out his Spirit that oftentimes in the congregation they might see one suddenly inspired by God and furnished with the gift of prophesie who before sate among the common sort Yet because Paul was furnished with all spiritual gifts excelling all others in Apostolical dignity lest the Church should imploy too many Prophets without order he prescribes these lawes that by turn every one should utter his prophesies and revelations whilst others hold their peace And left the people should be wearied with too long exercise that they should not prophesie above three at a time lastly that they doe not give themselves to strife and quarrelling For they prophesied by the inspiration of the holy Ghost alone they should never utter contrariety though they spake divers things and in a different way and degree of revelation as might be seen in the Prophets of old an example of this is recorded by Josephus in two famous Prophets Ezekiel and Ieremiah this prophesied at Ierusalem under Zedekiah that King Zedekiah should be carried captive into Babylon the other being captive in Babylon foretold that Ierusalem should be taken and that Zedekiah should not see the King of Babylon These two prophesies did seem to be contradictory but yet by experience both were found true for Zedekiah came captive to Babylm as Ieremie prophesied and yet did not see it as Ezekiel-foretold because the King of Babel had put out his eyes before he was carried away So it fell out among the Apostles that though they preacheddivers things and in a divers way yet they all uttered the same thing Thus then it was alwayes true what the Apostle here saith The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets so long as they met together being inspired by the holy Ghost For it is impossible that they should not agree among themselves but as soon as the false Apostles did mingle themselves with those who were divinely inspired and when with them began to quarrel Alexander the Copper-Smith Hymeneus Diotrephes speaking evil words then it was no wonder if dissentions did arise among them and that the spirit of the true Prophets did never submit themselves to false Prophets If these things fall out then when men divinely inspired were present how much more intollerable is it that some Walachrian babling fellows should at this day meet together and think that by right of dependency the spirits of all men must be subject to them There be some that expound Pauls words thus The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets that is to the writings of the Prophets or the Scripture so that the meaning is all the spirits and sayings of the Prophets are to be examined according to the Scripture as the analogy of faith which interpretation is true indeed but makes nothing for the Walachrian independency which goeth about to set up Popish Hierarchy to wiâ— that whatsoever the Treverian Rat dreams the Consistorial Rattle-mouse must approve and what is liking to them must bee received by the Classick Owle by whose consent it will finely fall out that the spirit of the Prophets bee subject to those Prophets that is the Apolonian Prophets must meet in Consistories Classes and Synods as often as they please that there they may perhaps compound old quarrels and beget new ones or at least spend victuals For the perswading of the holinesse of dependency they ascribe much
to sense then certainly the Stilt-walker the Metropolitan of the Walachrian Church should be very heavenly whom yet by these his patched peeces wee see to bee very earthly so that the leprosie of the earth sticks not only close to him but is also very familiar to most Kings of this heaven that if that heavenly Kingdome were not contained within compasse by the civill earthly Kingdome those Heavenly Kings would quickly destroy one another so that I may truly say that the earthly Kingdome sustaines that heavenly Kingdome or else it would fall to the ground Another fraud of his is in the other place where Christ saith my Kingdome is not of this world Christ was asked by Pilate if he were a King he confesseth that hee was a King but not of this world that iâ— hee would not exercise his Kingdome in this world hee addes a reason if my Kingdome were such my souldiers would fight for mee whence it appeares that Christ spoke plainly because hee said that he had such a Kingdome which hee did not exercise upon the earth as openly and properly hee did not but in Heaven when hee sat down at Gods right hand The Stilt-walker thinks that by this Kingdome of Christ is to be understood the government of the visible Church which if true then Christ had answered Pilate intricately and captiously because so taking it Christs Kingdom had been properly in the world and a part of the world yea in this Kingdome hee had his souldiers and in processe of time he got more for Kings and Emperours were made the defenders of this Kingdome and Church of Christ although then I should yeeld that in some respect the title of Christs Kingdome and of Heaven belong to the visible Church yet it were absurd in this place so to take it whereas it is here absolutely denied that this Kingdome is of this world but the visible Church chiefely that which the Walachrian deviseth is in the world and of the world and is too full of worldly corruptions And there is no lesse fraud in corrupting that place of Paul which hee preposterously cites with the Pontificians no man warring to God doth intangle himselfe with secular cares the words properly sound thus no man that warreth intangles himselfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please his Generall in which words the Apostle compares to souldiers the Preachers of the Word and also what hee saith that Elders who labour in the Word which consecrate themselves to the Ministery of the Word ought not to intangle themselves in the affaires of this life to wit in merchandizing husbandry and such like so that they intangle themselves and bee so carried away with the businesse and sweetnesse of them as with Demas to forsake their station for the love of this present world This is the plaine sense of that place in Paul how perversly it is corrupted I will now shew out of this place hee concludes that it is altogether unlawfull and unseemly for a Minister of the Word to care for the affaires of this world or any way to meddle with them which not only is repugnant to Scripture but is also a meer Popish fiction Paul indeed would not have preachers intangle themselves that is altogether involve themselves in secular businesse but not to touch them at all or totally to forbeare them hee commands no where Yet the practise of Christ and of his Apostles shew the contrary for I will ask whether fishing be a secular work of this life I think no man will deny it but the Apostles for the three yeares together that they were Christs disciples did still exercise their fishing yea they went to fishing after Christs Resurrection and who knowes whether they did not fish after the Holy Ghost was sent truly Paul himselfe after hee had long exercised his Apostleship at Corinth whilst hee was a preacher with Aquila hee exercised his mechanicall trade of making tents If Paul understood his law as this Walachrian wrests it then hee was a manifest breaker of his own law therefore it is a Popish fiction which this new Papist hath borrowed from the old ones when hee interprets these words so as if it were altogether unlawfull for preachers to meddle with secular businesse this error in length of time hath made Preachers idle and dainty yea it occasioned Antichrist for rich Christians considering with themselves that the taske of preaching was a difficult businesse and required a whole man by degrees they furnished them with so many things out of their own estates that they would have them bee altogether free from the care of things necessary belonging to their food or lively-hood For which end they built Monastries and cloystures and endowed them with great revenues in which the preaching Monkes might live plesantly and commodiously being free from all cares that so they might the more freely give themselves to their studies This institution at first though worldly yet was not evill but in processe of time covetousnesse possessed the minds of the Clergy that like spirituall harpyes they still affected and craved for more untill their covetousnesse grew to that height that the Pope alone became richer then all the Kings of the earth from which vice at last proceeded pride then lasinesse and neglect of theologicall studies and lastly all kinde of luxurie so that these Monasteries became brothell-houses and swine-styes of Sodomites all which sprung up out of the mis-understanding of that place which now the Stilt-walker goeth about to wrest against the Magistrate for because he thinks hee can by these delude ignorant people by perswading them that it is unlawfull and unseemly for preachers to meddle with secular affaires hence hee concludes as in a round that therefore it is unlawful for secular men to handle Church-matters for hee faines them to bee hogges only addicted to worldly things and of this life in which they are still intangled thus not only doth he injure godly Magistrates but impudently patroniseth his Ecclesiasticks for as it is known that many godly Magistrates have been very moderate both in mannaging of secular affaires and also matters belonging to Religion very zealous so experience teacheth that not a few preachers having neglected and contemned their duty in preaching have been so intangled with worldly businesse that as at this day it must not offend Christian eares if some preachers having broke their estates with Merchandizing and taking up money upon use have cheared godly Christians by turning bankerupts which shewes that this Walachrian is an impudent vermine who under pretence of avoiding secular affaires puts so great a difference between Civill Magistrates and Church-Men seeing he is convicted by these Walachrian examples and his own conscience that there is nothing which busie Church-men more affect then the affaires of this world Like to this is another which he is alwayes prating of The civill Power is Monarchicall the Ecclesiasticall should be alwayes Aristocratical ergo Civâ—â—
from Christ What was that Not only to receive the bread broken and eat but to take break eat drink distribute among themselves with reverence For he saith that all this rite which he received from Christ he delivers to them I wonder whence this superstitious partition should arise that the Pastors alone under pain of sacrilege must have right to receive break and distribute the Bread with the Wine and that other Christians must only receive eat drink and examine themselves well before as a certain Divine speaks for although he enjoyns the whole Church with the Bishops that they should each one prove themselves yet the moderne Hierarchie assume also this priviledge to themselves of prescribing to others power to trie themselves whereof they are to be Judges but to trie themselves they think they are not liable to but that they may without any proofe at all thrust in upon the Sacrament For by vertue of their speciall spirituality they may dispense with trying themselves and with all their vices He that doth not smell this Popish Garlick he is certainly a dull-nosed Divine Therefore I gather out of this place that Pasters alone have not right to take bread in the Supper to breake and distribute it and that it is no sacriledge if a Deacon Elder or faithfull Magistrate or any other member of the Church that is a godly man do the same I confesse that for orders sake and decency in processe of time these solemne actions were appropriated to preaching Ministers but this did not proceed from any divine precept and therfore if any be so superstitious as to believe in case the Pastor be dead absent or sicke that a Deacon Elder or any famous member of the Church had minister the Sacrament he seems to me to have licked not onely the outward but the inward rine also of the Masse Briefly I will say this Apollonius can finde nothing in the ancient Leviticall worship which by speciall right he can transferre as sacred into the moderne Church-discipline For all the affaires of this moderne government which he counts so specially holy were under the Levites not of any speciall right but common to all Magistrates He took these rather from the Papists but so unfitly that both Priests and Levites may laugh at him His last dart against Magistrates is cleft into divers parts filled with poyson of malice and contempt Magistracie is onely a separable accident of the Church it consisteth of the basest Members of the Church whence hee concludes that it is a most unworthy thing that the Magistrate should guide the Church and perform Church-businesses I answered before that Apollonius did againe pre-suppose a falshood that in the Apostles time and at other times the Church wanted a Magistrate of whom againe I will discourse Now I will explode this Philosophers consequence he thinks that to be a separable accident which can be a way without the destruction of the subject whether it be a substance or an accident by which shilosophie he can make at his pleasure an accident of a substance to wit if a thiefe take away Apollonius his cloak from him then it will be an accident if in his purse hee hath ten Crownes and his purse-bearer steale one because Apollonius his purse remaines with the rest of his money that crowne will bee then not a substance but an accident so that the Stilt-walker must not be moved if he somtimes have such a losse seeing it is but the losse of an accident nor will the thiefe deserve any great punishment who did not steale a substance but an accident If we may prate so in Divinity then the written Word of God will prove an accident separable from the Church because without it the Church hath been sometime the Apostolick office will be an accident of the Church because the Church was sometime without it and is now againe and let me speak without blasphemy Christs actuall passion and incarnation will be a separable accident of the Church because it was onely in the fulnesse of time and now long since hath ceased So absurd then is this Philosophie What if Magistracy be accidentall to the Church Will it therefore follow that the Magistrate can do nothing in the Church Are not accidents the originall of all operations without which substances can do nothing For though a coal burneth yet it burneth not without a fiery quality and heat I will not urge further this absurdity of Apollonius because I know that he is more affraid of this secular accident then he hath hope in an Ecclesiastick substance so that accidentally he vexeth himselfe and in vaine in thrusting this accident out of the Church which if it were absent by the concourse of Ecclesiastick substances on a sudden heat and cold bodies moist and dry would bring in again the old chaos so that I may truly say against Aristotles Tenent the secular accident sustains the Ecclesiastick substance or els it would fall to the ground But now I will passe from the accident to the substance For the Stilt-walker is such a wonderfull Philosopher that of Magistrates he can on a sudden make an accident and againe a substance for he makes them members of the Church but of the meanest or vilest sort the reason is because Paul saith set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church 1 Cor. 6.4 whence by a Walachrian paraphrase he concludes that at all times the meanest members of the Church are to be Judges part 1. p. 14 15. wherefore by inverting the Proposition he collects that whosoever are Judges are to be accounted for the meanest members of the Church though they had been heretofore the most learned of the Church Thus doth hee use the Scripture like a nose of wax that he may perswade us that Magiftrates are to be esteemed no better then Asses as the Papists compare Magistrates and Kings to the Asse on which Christ sate I do not think the Stilt-walker wrote this in earnest for they say that he earnestly endeavours to place his Legate a latere on the bench directly that so he may sit in it also indirectly But now I will shew how he handleth the Scripture irreverently and abuseth this place of Paul that he may make it serve his phancie This I will cleare by a plaine explication of the words there was an ill custome among the Corinthians that Christians went to law one with another about worldly businesses which controversies they did not take up among themselves but had them decided by Magistrates that were Infidels and Enemies of Christ Paul as hee ought to have done reproves this custome and like a good Physitian prescribes remedies to mend it one whereof was above the rest that they should lay aside their quarrels and rather suffer losse for if all Christians were of this moderation rather to suffer losse then to go to Law all occasions of quarrell would be cut off But the Corinthians wanted this
preach what they list make Lawes as they think good at last censure when and whom they will This he thinkes was absolutely done under the crosse and because hee perceives that Magistrates doe meddle with these affaires by reason of the fleshly corruptions and sins which they observe are introduced in these things by Church-men Hence surfeiting with this peace like the dull Oxê in the Port he wisheth for a saddle and with the Horse desires to plough the ground hee thinkes the Church was happier under the crosse when she had no Magistrates then now when she hath such This I will confesse if the Churches happinesse consists in this that new Walachrian Papists domineere in her as they please but this is a childish happinesse For youths are glad when in the absence of their Parents they manage the estate and Family as they will and they wish it might be so still whereas things are never more unhappily managed in the family then in such a case So that it is a Proverb among us when things are in a confusion there is none at home but the children How happy this Ecclesiasticke selfe-government is without the Magistrates inspection may bee seen in Popery where the Magistrate being thrust out onely Church-men rule but how happily When there is nothing there except miserable butcheries both of bodies and soules The Game was not much unlike this which the spirituall king Becholtius played at Munster swelling there with as great pride as the Pope doth at Rome who wanted nothing to make him happy but continuance if the Stilt-walker thirsteth for this he deserveth to consume away with despaire Hee speakes too freely of the Churches happinesse under the crosse Apollonius thinkes it no trouble to leane upon cushions stuffed with other mens bloud and as they say subdue Alexander at the Table if hee had seene but a farre off the whips roddes wounds and tortures all his courage would quickly be cooled I have insisted somewhat long upon this discourse not as if I disliked the Worship of Christians or the lawfull Church-government but that I might shew the impudent foolerâ—es of the Walachrian Stilt-walker whose purpose is not to maintaine true Religion but to introduce a new Popedome therefore I hope impartiall Judges will not thinke I have done amisse that I have with laughter exploded his unsavourie fraudulencies not that I mock at true holy matters but because I would tread downe the Walachrian swelling leven of Popery For no godly Magistrate intends to overthrow the Churches true order to defile the sacred things of Religion or to destroy them this were a madnesse fit for Libertines Atheists from which I am very averse Neither do I thinke that any godly Minister doth seriously beleeve there is such abstruse spirituall sanctity in the affairs of modern Church Discipline as this Walachrian Rat dreameth out of the Iesuites writings read by him without judgement for this were to thrust upon Magistrates in stead of truth the Legends of Frances or the Ottoman trifles of the Turkish Alcheran which we saw lately whom no wise man wil beleeve except he be carryed headlong by Superstition or violently compelled to confesse disseble that to be true which he knowes is false such is the impudency of these Walachrian sticklers who are not content to perswade christians to esteem of that which the Scripture recordeth hath beene by Christ ordered in matters of Religion but they will have men also beleeve chiefly that in the worke wrought in the persons working and in other circumstances there doe lurke wonderfull and secret worth of holinesse with which they so bewitch ignorant men that neglecting the kirnell of truth they doe nothing almost but licke the outward rine of holinessâ— by which madnesse it comes to passe that Church-men are puffed up and obtaine too much respect which is that they hunt for and account superstition Religion I will freely appeale here to the conscience of godly Ministers who will here confesse ingenuously I know that in the whole outward worke of Church-government at this day there is not any such internall mysticall spirituall and untouchable holinesse for where doth this lurke the word of God is read the Psalmes are sung by all prayers are said either by heart or in the booke the Text of Scripture is explained by a humane manner and way knowne to all he that is haptised is besprinkled with ordinary water in the name and after the ordinance of God Men sit at the table common bread and wine are distributed â—ats and drunke by all concerning the order of administring the Sacraâ— eats care is taken that confusion may be avoided they that transgresse in the Church are admonished and reproved or by publicke authority are seperated from the communion of Christians The gifts and alines of Christians are received and as much as can be are bestowed on the poore All these things I rehearse as they are done in a most simple manner and come as neare as may be to the Apostles custome from which wee see how far every day the Wallachrians depart so that almost there is not greater corruption in Popery then there is among them in matters of censure c. Will any ingenuous man say that in these there is such abstruse mysticall sanctitie or in the Ministers themselves and if this were necessarily in them who will say that it proceeds from moderne vocation they are men that choose that call that lay on hands and although the Church at this day useth imposition of hands prayers fastings and other meanes yet Christ never promised that he would so concurre by his Spirit with these actions that the same effects should be prounced which the Apostle she wed by their vocation neither will any man except he be superstitious affirme that he hath upon imposition of hands received suddenly the gifts of tongues and sciences and if this Wallachrian smatterer should brag any such thing of himselfe experience and his owne act ons will refute him who then seeth not that the Stiltwalker is a foole who in such things seeks for the lurking holes of speciall sanctitie that he may beg a domineering power in the Church to the overthrow of all Religionâ—â—â— true piety If it were lawfull to bewith men with such fictions what may not wee beleeve of Magistrates for as soone as they are chosen to the supreame government although they were private men before now on a sudden they become Gods holy Logats Vicegetents and servants every soule to them is presently subject the Sword to them is committed with the power of life and death nest her matters it how they obtaine this power whether by right or wrong how they use the sword whether justly or unjustly and although they since against God yet they must be obeyed by their subjects except they will resist Gods ordinance and bring judgement on themselves Lastly they become Gods not by humane but divine right Who then will wonder if Hered