peculiar Ministers and Levites set a part by Gods Institution on purpose who were and are the Clergy of his Clergy and Heritage and the Priests to those in speciall that were and are his peculiar people and Priest-hood Exod. 19.6 Revel 1.6 The Church it self being Laick and common compar'd to these as was the World to the Church For no less is implied in the reason of those expressions where both the Christian and Jewish Church are said to be a Kingdom of Priests as in Exodus or Kings and Priests to God as in the Revelation they being in special manner Kings and Priests and Clergy from whom the name and title is deriv'd to others for some likeness and comparison for what the Copy is that is the Original much more And if Christs mission was not from Secular but Divine Authority so neither is the Institution of the Evangelical Priesthood from man but from God being sent from Christ as he was sent from God Joh. 20.21 Bishops and Presbyters being equally from Christs own Ordination and appointment though not of equal order and degree between themselves but in several respects the one Superiour and which may seem strange inferiour likewise to the other For the better understanding whereof the distinction between Spiritual and Temporal is to be remembered and considered in its Primitive and Apostolical acception and not the modern Roman sense who confound Heaven and Earth in their notions as they do in their values and affections the one referring to the present visible world the object of sense the other to the Church or Invisible world to come wherein Christians live here by Faith the Church being more excellent than this world as eternity is more than time and yet this world more excellent than the Church which is dead unto it in the estimation of sense as is the living more excellent than the dead Eccles 9.5 whereby is discoverable the several Superiorities between Episcopacy and Presbytery in the same person in whom both are co-incident as they are in every Bishop and those Elders in Timothy who for Ruling well and labouring also in the word and Doctrine were counted worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 where in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have a clavis to decide this difference for the habitude and Character of a Bishop is that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ruler or Prince as the Brittains term their Arcsh-Bishop of Carleon to Monk Agustine but that of a Priest or Presbyter is the form and quality of a Subject or Servant or Labourer which two notions greatly differ like God and Creature But then their several allotments or respective worlds are to be considered wherein the one and the other are said to labour or bear Rule And clear first it is that the Presbyters labour as a Servant under Christ in his word and Sacraments is within the Vineyard of the Church and therefore belonging to Eternity as the Church it self doth and that the Rule of the Bishop in the second place is Temporal by consequence and about order in this present world and the better preservation of the Temporal out-side of the Church for to affirm it to be a Spiritual Rule over the Church in its in-side which is Eternal and Christs own Peculiar Jurisdiction were very inconvenient and unsound And this Temporal Superiority over the Temporal part of an Ecclesiastical Community as to all Causes and persons that be within it for any Society whether Sacred or Civil can no more subsist or fare well without a Governour or a Chief than a body without a head continues in Bishops by Christs establishment till the rising of the Sun that is till the Civil Magistrate of that Province become Christian whose defect they before supplied as Guardians and then it doth set or cease but Heliacally as the Stars set in the morning in deference to a greater lustre that is better able to do their work continuing still in the same firmament and Sanhedrin under his Rayes and bound nevertheless by their office and duty to be ready to shine again without him as before in case of darkness or Eclipse as was said before And it well appears how the Christian Temporal Magistrates and the Church have understood one another in reference to their several bounds and limits by those parcels of Ecclesiastical Authority the one hath resum'd as his right and the other willingly quitted and yeilded thereunto as just upon his arrivall to Supremacy in Church as well as state For we never find him offering to touch any part of the Priestly office or the Power of the Keys nor to preach or Baptize or absolve or consecrate which acts and Authorities belong to another Spiritual Kingdom farr enough out of his Temporal Dominion and Jurisdiction But several parts of Episcopal Rule and Government have been rightly assum'd and yielded to him in Generall Counsels and in our Church of England in particular wherein he is declared supreme in all Causes and over all persons Ecclesiastical which was the Original Right of Metropolitans but since held by them as was fit not as Soveraigns any more but as subordinate to their Christian Magistrates And by this Hypothesis is resolvable whether Bishops ordain Priests as they are Priests or as they are Rulers which would make for the strength and re-allyance of the Protestant Interest For Bishops cannot Ordain of themselves without Priests to assist much less can Priests Ordain without a Bishop to preside where he may be had and Christian Kings offer not to resume as their temporal right any part of the Ordination or Consecration of either sort but only nominate our Bishops in the right of Patrons or Founders or as representers of the whole Community by whom they were in the Primitive Church elected as likewise in the Brittish Therefore the Priest who is but a Labourer is Inferiour and subordinate in this World to the Bishop who is a Ruler by Divine Order and designation not to be violated by any without the guilt and scandal of being Rebells against Superiours And the Bishop in his Chair as a Ruler is Inferiour to himself in his Pulpit as Christs Labourer and Preacher in reference to the other World For it is a higher excellency to be the least in Eternity than the greatest in time to subdue sin than to subdue the World Psal 84.11 Which yet is so as to Faith and reason and the Consciences of all sober men with their own yet not as to sense or the Law and course of this present life and general Practice whereby through humane infirmity very few yet not wanting in our times have been observed to be as ambitious of the labour of Converting Souls as of the honour and command of a Rich Bishoprick though the worst and Welsey himself at their dying hour have yielded to this Truth Whereby no Inferiour Minister that is diligent in his work and calling can have
the great esteem and contempt that Syberwid and Ansyberwid was and is in still amongst them that have kept their Language and Ancient Customs most free from Forreign mixtures for with such no man can fall under a worse or better character them of Syberw or Ansyberw no greater commendation have they for any man or woman than gwr or gwraig Syberw no greater note of Infamy and unworthyness than Ansyberw which they pronounce as Suber and Ansuber though writ with y which words whatever is their Etymology in their common acception carry a comprehensive signification of several good and evil qualities as ingredients And 1 it is manifest Syberw in the first surface denotes liberality as Ansyberw niggardness but then further it points at the cause and reason of both for 2 such a man is to be allowed Syberw that doth by all men as he would be done by and the contrary is Ansyberw so is he that takes greater measure to himself than he will afford to others so are all that can endure to fare richly while their Neighbours starve by them and Syberw is he that is watchful and resolute against all avaritious inequality and overreaching or unconcernedness for others that be in want and misery so that Syberw is just and mercyful as well as Liberal and Ansyberw unjust and merciless 3 It implies some inequality when a man strives to be kinder ro another than to himself and pinches himself in back and belly to be kind and liberall to many as I have known vety good Women who went habited scare above beggars and of proportionable abstinence in their diet who if they had worn all their large almes upon their backs from year to year which they valued above all gayety and good fare might have appear'd and far'd as splendid as any of their rank and know by this time they made a better choice and herein is the essence and formality of Syberwid and such an engrafted traditional honour and esteem there is for such amongst the Brittains that their names are mentioned with great and cordial dearness as if this were to be a Saint for faith and all vertues are presumed to be in that man or woman where this temper is found and though it may seem unreasonable or at least a work of Superogation to love another above himself yet they judge nothing to be a greater duty and content and blessing as indeed what is more Divine and Honourable and the source all noble actions and rewards exposeing life for Country c. and in their common bargains and measures they abhorr and dread precise and exact equality without some addition or voluntary overplus of kindness to another they deal with above the strict contract and they had rather abate of the price agteed than be disabled to give the said addition as their free guift over and above their bargain which they proverbially call rhád-duw or Gods Grace and Blessing And the giver is as Willing or rather more to give his Rhad-duw into the bargain than the other to receive it 4 It takes in conscience and the heart above all they 'l hardly receive it if it comes not from the heart and from no ends but as a free guift and he that is Ansyberw is therefore hateful with them because esteemed to have no conscience and he that is Syberw from the heart is call'd glan ei galon or clear spirited which is the loveliest Character they judge any man can deserve or receive and probably Syberw comes from Sobrius and Sobrius from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Etymology of it whereby it signifies the preservation of the mind and heart which is done they conceive by nothing more than Syberwid as the mind and soul is destroyed and corrupted by nothing more than Ansyberwid which is the same with Philauâ— or self love as appears by the premises so hateful with St. Paul and our Brittans and with all good men so that by this their imbred tradition received amongst all undegenerate Brittains both high and low they judge honesty and mercy and love to others above themselves as in the case of humility to be their self-preservation and chiefest Interest and surest method to prosper And no wonder they preferr'd this hearty Syberwid before all other vertues it being nothing else but that love which is the fulfilling of the Law or that charity from a pure heart which is the end of the commandment and the total of all Religion for what excellency or degeneracy is there in human or Christian nature that is not contain'd in Syberw and avoided in Ansyberw What is honour in Nobles honestum with Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Greeks humility and charity with Christians is all comprehended in Syberw And this Brittish Principle and Custom is so undoubtedly Apostolical and Primitive that nothing more is the root and cause of the Arrogance and troublesomness of Popery or of that hollowness and Hippocrisie that hath too much prevail'd in Modern Protestancy and Puritanism it self than the manifest want thereof Some of our degenerate Gentry ought to compare their ignoble and sinful constant healthing and swilling while they can hardly spare a glass of Water to Christ in their poor Neighbour with this sober and salvifical principle of their Progenitours who it is to be believed never met to r Gyrald Cambrens descript Camb. c. 9. drink but in relation to Cymmortha and these are so much Brittains they say in their servile imitations of forreign vitious Customs that the health of an Ansyberw or niggaâ—dly selfish person was never known to go round amongst them but only of the Syberw and generous This character of our Brittish Church in her Doctrines and Rites is exactly the same with that which Å¿ Epiphanius lib 3. in sine Epiphanius gives of the Primitive Catholick which the Church of England this day professes to follow and to retrive which is the same Church with the Ancient Brittish Church the Brittains and the English being the same People not only in Faith and worship but in Laws and bloud and greater alliance in Doctrine and Consanginity to be found between them than between Alexander and Clement modern Italians and Linus and Anacletus their predecessors Ancient Romans as may further appear The Brittish Church therefore appearing from undoubted evidence and their adversaries exceptions to be so sound and Ancient in the substance of her Orthodox Faith to impute schism to it for her distance or departure from the Roman her Junior or to ask where was your Church before Luther is a cavil not only ignorantly groundless but inpudently ridiculous if they pretend to be in their Sences that urge it They may with as much colour of reason object a separation in us from Prester-John or the Church of the Abyssines well known perhaps to our Fore-Fathers when they met at Jerusalem whither both resorted with whom as with all other Churches of Christendom and as many as are allowed
of the Spirit Charity Meekness Patience Temperance Sobriety long suffering the Heavenly joy and Peace of a good conscience void of offence towards God and man guided by that wisdom from above which is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality without Hypocrisie Gal. 5.22 James 3.27 But in an unlawful Contract and Whoredom of the soul with another Husband stooping below its Divine rank and kind to the Impuâ—e lust of an Earthly Creature whence proceeds a Monâ—trous equivocal bastard-brood of Spiritual-Carnal Mulats which must pass for right Christians without as to sense being hardly men within to reason but liker to a prophane show of Puâ—peâ—s consisting of bare sound and mimick imitation without life or truth or understanding or a vile Communion of Baptiz'd Apes and Consecrated Foxes and Wild Beasts sign'd with many signs of the Cross without any souls or true Christian Inclinations but wholly dead to the Heaâ—enly life and as exactly alive to the Earthly and Sensual and Devilish and its fruits and works lyes legends dissimulations Cruelty Murders Treasons which must pass for Catholick zeal and Orthodox Religion by the Laws and pleasures of their guides There being no heart or Conscience left within nor any pulses thereof without in modesty and sense of honour to direct and prompt to better things that being miserably lost and ruin'd according to the supposition by being ill bestow'd upon a man instead of Christ The original cause of this woful degeneracy being the changing of their Soveraign and taking the Pope instead of the Son of God for their Lord and absolute guide surrendring their hearts and Judgements and Consciences to him without reserve which is a Divine honour and homage due to none but God wherein as was said at first lies the Characteristical note of distinction inter Cordatos Protestantes between sober Protestants that make a difference between the Creator and the Creature and inconsiderate Catholicks that make none The least soyle of the soul by surprize from any Intemperance or unmortified lusts clogs and disorders it in its devotions and addresses towards its God the suffocation thereof by the habit of vice wholly alienates it from his life leaving it dead and senseless under the Power of Satan in trespasses and sins The reduction and moral extinction thereof by its slavish profession to a lawless Counter-Christ makes it as dead and senceless under another mixt Dominion of Christ and Satan that is to say of Antichâ—ist or a mock-Christ or of a meer man assuming Gods Infallible nature upon him through his pride or evil as Christ the true God did frayle human nature in his humility for good This is that Roman Idol which is the glory and fear of devout Romanists being a God devoid of all Divine Attributes without either much holiness for imitation or all-sufficient bounty for the relief or constancy and truth which endures for ever for the stay and trust of his Worshippers being but titular in the one but a Broker in the other starving and over-reaching these corrupting others as Satan whom he relieves with favours And in the third so shamefully mash'd with contradictions and non-obstante's ever and anon at every appearance of Lucre and advantage that a Weather-Cock in the English or the retentives of a Suckling in the Brittish Proverb cannot be more uncertain and unsteddy The truth is it is not he himself that is God and Governour but his Lust or Mammon which Governs him at whose beck he must change his Laws and Bulls and Canons and Decrees which seldom yielded to God or his Scriptures as good men their vain thoughts and lives at God's rebukes or wicked men their good thoughts and Intervals of sobriety at the Rules of their Whores And there is no other hold to have him fast and sure by but this alone which makes the Rich to be the Elect and the poor to be as Reprobates in that Church nor any lasting hold by this without exceeding all Competitors in the more zealous worship of out-bidding as several Princes and Prelates have known it to their smart and which ever carried the cause at Rome beteewn York and Canterbury as it also did between Canterbury and St. Davids and in most Controversies before or since where the heaviest purse seldom sailed to be the best cause Is he fit to be a Witness between party and party that will swear any thing against Truth or Conscience for a guift or boon Or to be a judge in Tribunals who is professedly for a bribe above Justice And is he only fit then to be sole Judge of Controversie in Gods Church for Peace and Union who is notoriously mortally sick of the same disease and Inclination and makes his Disciples stupidly believe it to be perfect health and holiness whereon they may venter their Salvation Or is it not in this as in other Idols that they that make them are like unto them or as in other offences against Magistrates where the receiver is as bad as the thief or against God himself where as Satan is highly Blasphemous in taking Divine honour to himself so Witches are no less damnably unreasonable and impious in giving it by their Covenants and recognitions Men are as responsible in their Reputations in their Worldly Affairs for heedless and gross trusts as for heady and gross mistakes for chusing a manifest wrong way having sums about them under their trust as taking some known Robber for their guide in the right The Antichristianism is not so much to be wonder'd at on the one hand that some proud Spirits at the Instigation of the Serpent should affect to be as God as on the other that any should be so Spiritually besotted as contrary to the indelible Allegiance of their Souls to God and the Truth Traiterously to own and Recognize them A Perversion that humane nature which is essentially tyed to the Election of good in the general is not capable of it self to fall into without some omnipotent curse from God upon it condemning it to believe strong lyes for it s too much neglect in loving sound Truths as the Apostle shews 2 Thess 2.11 12. Therefore these kind of Fishermen catch most in troubled Waters find most Proselytes amongst the grosly ignorant and vitious amongst silly women loaden with sin and shame and weak children led by sence and shows and Customs or disorder'd sinners shackled with guilt or drown'd in Debauchery or sunk in Despair or stupified with sorrow and discontent or blinded with ambition and vain glory and an high esteem for implicit faith in order to absolute and tyrannical government over mens Souls and Bodies who are entertain'd with false joyes and lull'd with false pardons and releas'd with false Absolutions and heal'd with false Cures and supported with false Comforts and canoniz'd with â—alse Glory And all these Impostures and deceits father'd upon God and Christ and his Catholick Church and his
move and have our being The first and last part of the Discourse are Unison and both practical and of more general use the midle Historical and Polemical and of no less use to several in these unsetled times to have the evidences of their Faith and Church as their Writings for their Lands to lye by them and their Children against any question that shall arise about the title Where known passages of History were necessarily to be rehears'd all possible conciseness is us'd which makes that part of the stile more obscure without a deliberate reading which yet is remedied by the Citations in the bottome of the Page referring to the Authors themselves And sometimes indignation against inclination rais'd the stile where the adverse objections or practice seem'd highly unreasonable or greatly pernicious having no enmity or disrespect to any person or party high or low but to their sin or ill example for their Recollection to prevent God's wrath and out of fidelity to the common Lord and judge of both The word Protestant is us'd as now it notes the Scriptural Apostolical Faith in opposition to Rome's corrupt Innovations and humane Inventions and in the sense explain'd page 488. Else it were very improper to stile our Brittish Faith Protestant which flourished here 1500 years before Luther was born The great and memorable Archbishop Vsâ—er whose memory ought ever to be especially dear to Brittains is often cited in His Book de Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Primordiis which after once naming is not repeated Which he writ at the command of King James as a Collection on purpose for such an use with great pains and judgment and truth and helpes several wayes and partilarly from the late chief Antiquary of Wales Mr. Rob. Vaughan of Hâ—â—-gwâ—â— with whom he corresponded It is not to be said that all is new or old either which is here deliver'd and intended for a compact systeme of satisfactions on this point under one view which before lay more dispers'd and undiscern'd and as some account also of innocence and patience in their defence which have not escap'd the censure of Improvidence and harder speeches and passages there being a Scaffold Priviledge ever due to Sufferers but this may be safely said that though the Notes were old and standing and ought so to be yet the Tune and management is wholly new and sincerely endeavour'd and design'd for the peace and concord of our Church and the stength and glory of our Nation and in all humility submitted to the candid eare and judgment of all Right Fathers and Sons of our Brittish Church of England Farewel A General Table of the Contents PART I. A Sermon touching Christs immediate Soveraignty over the heart and the usefulness of the Christian Doctrine to Societies being the occasion and foundation of the ensuing Argument SECT I. p. 43. The Controversie reduc'd to one single point in General of obedience to the right Soveraign of the heart and Protestancy found Loyal and Popery the contrary in its Principles and Practice SECT II. p. 68. Of the true Mother-Church to all Christians in respest of their In-side and of Rome'sVsurpations SECT III. p. 78. Of the true Mother Church to every Christian in respect of the Out-side and Rome'sVsurpations SECT IV. p. 123 Rome no Mother-Church to Brittain in respect of extraction or first Plantation of the Christian Faith but much Junior to it and more probably its Daughter SECT V. p. 134. The faith never fail'd in Brittain from the Resurrection to this present SECT VI. p. 143. Brittain had not the faith from Pope Eleutherius SECT VII p. 151. The description of the Old Brittish Church in its Doctrine and Discipline and Government and Traditions when Augustine the Monk made his Impression here SECT VIII p. 194. The face of the Roman Church about the same time and of Augustine's qualification and method for his pretended Propagation of the Gospel amongst the English And that the Nation are under no obligation to Rome for his work here but bound by their Christianity to abhor and detest it SECT IX p. 231. That the Gospel was planted among the English throughout their Counties by Brittish Ministry And that Augustine's Roman Plantation here came to nothing and no Bishop left in all this Land of Rome's Ordination but one and he a Simonaick and that the body of the Nation are old Brittains and our Princes especially and therefore by honour and nature bound to maintain the Rights of our Brittish Church against Forreign Enchroachments SECT X. p. 295. That all or most of the Kingdoms and Churches in this part of Europe received their first faith from Brittain yet Brittain pretends to no Supremacy over them upon that account and the Romanists â—loes de se in that kind of Plea SECT XI p. 346. Of the indirect methods of Rome in subjugating this and other Churches under it SECT XII p. 363. The change in Henry 8th rather a Restoration than Reformation and how commencing in Henry 7th and of the Inauspiciousntss of Popery to the Brittish Crown and the success and blessing of Protestant Counsels to this Nation SECT XIII p. 392. That the Primacy of the See of Canterbury as it is settled by our own Kings and Laws is Canonicall and Regular SECT XIV p. 436. That the Primacy of Canterbury as by the Pope and Monk Augustine is Schismatical and against the Canons of the Vniversal Church And of the several Nullities of the Church of Rome in England And how all their Clergy intruding â—here stand depriv'd of their Orders by the Canons of all the Ancient General Councils and their Laity that abet them of their Christian Communion by the same Authority SECT XV. p. 475. A short disquisition into the Cause and Character of the Roman Apostacy in its Leaders and Followers from History and Prophecy and Practice SECT XVI p 503. What the Roman Catholicks truly mean by the term Heretick they so liberally bestow on others and that none are greater Hereticks in Truth and reality than themselves and of their title Roman-Catholick which they so well like And old Rome and Brittain both Heathen and Christians compar'd with the Modern and that the yoak of Rome is not better to us than our present condition SECT XVII p. 562. Where the place of the undoubted true Church is out of whose Pale there is no Salvation And how to be of the Church in Heaven while we are on Earth Page 23. l. 24. read outside p. 177. l. 18 dele as p. 184. ult r. source of p. 204. l. 18. â— the p. 21 â—… l. 29. r. out of p. 237. l. 18. r. after aâ—lin 1â— d. a p. 29â— l. 10. r. of his p. â—08 l. 5. d. say p. 315. l. 18. r. at p. 319 l. 30 r. of Bede p. 358. l. 13. r. of a God p. 379 l. 21. r. soon began p. 392 l. â— r. like to p. 420. l. 10. r. and from p. 468. l. 2. r. where p. 482.
Soveraigns have reduced the one the other and be first at peace till either the Pope conform to the will of Christ which we expect which would beget an unity of Spirit and Truth between us in the bond of peace or Christ to the mind and will of the Pope and have no Scriptures that shall signifie any thing contrary to his sense but that the Popes will shall be taken to be Christs Will where they interfere which is their aim in their engrossing the right of interpreting the Scriptures to their Church alone that is their Pope which would produce peace and union its true but such a carnall peace and slavish union as were worse than any War or Captivity or desolation whatsoever Purgatory indulgencies image worship Transubstantiation blind obedience Universal Monarchy over the whole Church c. let them be never so false or unreasonable or scandalous or absurd not only with all learned and sober men but with many of themselves in their secret thoughts and retirements yet because they support the Kitchin and adorn the Hall and carnal state and esteem of their Apostolick see they shall and must be owned and defended forever as Infallible Doctrines De fide more unalterable than the Laws of Medes and Persians by all her Catholick Sons as they tender their continuance within her Pale out of which with them there can be no Salvation and our worship and Liturgie shall be condemned as Impious and prophane till upon obedience and Submission to their Chair as was offered in Queen Elizabeths days they shall permit it to be Orthodox and Holy and to be used in our Churches without any alteration or further trouble and all our Protestant Doctrines which are the same in effect with Gods Holy Scriptures out of which they are drawn and built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner stone yet because they comport not with their carnal designs and greatness shall be condemned to be abjur'd as false and Heretical though the Authors of them Christ and his Apostles and his purest Church be involved with us in the same sentence and themselves in Gods wo and curse in the Prophet upon those that call good evil evil good light darkness and darkness light Esa 15.20 What Law of Nature or Nations or Conscience or Honour or Humanity or Civility or Faith or Plain-dealing which are indelible imbred instincts in Vulgar and Heathen Breasts much more in Christian and Generous will not the guides of that Church direct their charge to break and violate with assured hopes of Salvation and Immortal Glory for the feat so it tend to promote and advance their Holy Catholick cause which is with them as it were Gods last will and Testament which Abrogates and annuls all precedent wills the Eternal Laws of God and conscience being but obsolete or Corporation orders when they clash against the Infallible Bulls and paramount Oracles of his Holiness yea the contradiction shall be salved and heal'd and Christ by Interpretation which belongs to them is brought to say and sign their draught to be his own Will and meaning and their Atheime shall be fac'd with his Authority as Hypocrites do their Villanies with the cover of Religion as King Philip of Macedon is said to have made the Oracles to Phillipize and Prophesie for him What Civil War and combustion must this make in English and honest hearts who though they have a respect for Rome think fit nevertheless to reserve due Loyalty towards God and their Redeemer and their Country to be thus necessitated to offend against God and man to save their souls who in compliance with that Church and obedience to its commands and dictates upon perill of damnation must shocke the wise and settled Laws of their Nation and disturb publick peace and Union and bring fear and consternation upon their fellow Subjects that desire to live in quietness and slight and disparage the learned and Religious Clergy of this land and our unparallel'd Vniversities and disobey glorious and Paternal Counsels seal'd in bloud for Gracious Kings are Fathers to all their Subjects next to their own begotten and shame the cause of friends and fellow-sufferers loyally and sincerely defended to the last gasp in bloud and ruine and to give just cause of boast and triumph to others for early and wise fears and jealousies and fore-sight and at last reconcile the Nation by a secret judgment against themselves and profess the true Religion before men believed in the heart to be false by humane Patent and dispensation against Conscience And conceal a false Religion believed in the heart to be true And act to the prejudice of the professed before declaring for the intended like giving Hostile broadsides without an Hostile Flag against the Law of Nations and continue or forbear vitious living according to humane Indulgence and tedder above the fear of God Such twisted Arts and servile postures of the Soul set by God above humane reach and power such chymical sublimated hypocrisie and doubling to which all the Swords and Artillery of the World pointed and planted against a single breast ought not to be able to force a Coward to all Politicians and Head-pieces and Whisperers to gull and seduce a fool to though they may go down with more ease with French and Italian tempers innur'd by ill fate to absolute governments and cringes and Slavery how loathsome and repugnant and against the grain must they prove to any honest and generous and freeborne English spirit And whence can this Civil War and distraction arise but from some failer and breach and division of the allegiance of the heart in admitting some up-start usurper or Impostor to be co-ordinate and equal if not Superiour to Christ its natural Liege Lord and Soveraign which the Loyal part of the Soul will never be flattered or frighted to agree or yield to Thus the heart through its own folly suffers it self to be ever disturbed and racked between two contrary Potentates within its bowells God and Old Conscience command and approve of natural affection and truth and peace and love to Countrey and obedience to Parents and Kings and Mercy and Civility to all in Misery and Anxiety The Anti-god or New Conscience commands the contrary as a piece of Catholick zeal and Glorious hazard and self-denyal under pain of displeasure of the Holy See and St. Peter and St. Paul and exclusion out of the Pale of the Church and the like usual forms Plain therefore and evident it is that the whole Controversy between us and Papists is reduceable to one point touching the Right and Soveraignty of the heart and Conscience whose it is and ought to be whether the Lord Christ in my Text as we hold with St. Paul or the Pope and Successor to St. Peter as they maintain at Random If the Pope be God and Lord of the Soul and not Christ then we Protestants are much to blame in
denying our implicit obedience and submission to him But if Christ be God than we are safe and have the truth of our side and their errours are the more dangerous And both these Masters especially of contrary wills as it evidently appears cannot be obeyed together for there cannot be two Kings in the same Kingdom nor two Suns in the same Firmament nor two immortal Souls in the same man But it will be alledged as a Salve 1. That Gods commands in Scripture or Conscience bind not Christians but through the Pope who is to interpret them for us least we mistake and where they seem to cross his will to explain them otherwise to us or to dispense with our obedience in that Case which is an usual practice at Rome though it makes but one Master out of two and the Pope to be chief alone and Christ to stand but for a Cypher or as a Minor whose will is involv'd in his Guardian Viccar hereby the Sun is measured by the Dyal and not the Dial by the Sun It makes Conscience and Scriptures the greatest gifts of Heaven useless to Christians unless the Pope stand by in every place of the World to be consulted with by every Soul which is Christs mind in all cases and scruples And sets up man instead of Christ and confesses the Idolatry and gives up the Cause This contrivance of assuming power to interpret the mind and word of God against the plain sense thereof being the first known invention of Satan in Paradice who was the Father of Antichrist for which our Romanists ought to suspect themselves in the Imitation least they discover themselves too much 2. The second Salve will be that out of obedience to Christ who is in Heaven afar off they yield this obedience to the Pope as his Viccar on Earth as a more near and visible officer under him over them supposing not granting this feigned trust and Deputation It 's against the nature of any trust for him that is trusted to act contrary to the Interest of him that trusted him and to be followed against his Principal St. Paul would be followed by others as far as he followed Christ and no further 1 Cor. 11.1 The Radical cause of Popery lyes in the exclusion of the heart and Judgment and taking the outside to be the man and the measure of all concerns and values which by consequence must be Earthly and Carnal and answering only to the outward man But where the heart which is the man is the chief measure and faith in the heart the only evidence to judge by Christ in Heaven in his Majesty is more near and visible to such a Soul than his Holiness on Earth can be to any Roman Catholick doing Reverence to his Toe for the private end or principle that suggests this respect is nearer to his Soul than his person is to whom it is performed For our Conceptions within are nearer to us than the objects without and our actions proceed immediatly from our conceptions Princes respects and dread would be scant and inexpedient if their persons were no greater in our reasons and conceptions than they are to the eye and sense And were it true and certain that if such a Vicar were set by Christ over his whole Church which can never be proved yet out of obedience to the Soveraign we ought not to obey but shake off such an Officer that should lead us to Rebellion against him that is over him and us The Souldiers under command ought not to obey that General that went about to depose his Prince But if it could be supposed that a Prince did or could intrust any Officer with such absolute power as to interpret all commands and orders directed to him in his own sense against their plain and common meaning and to over-rule all his subjects against all the parts of their Allegiance at his pleasure to act against the known will of his Soveraign and neither to be accountable for such Treasons then the case were much altered for such a King had resigned his Crown in effect to such an Officer who were now to be absolutely obeyed without reservation of Allegiance to another And in such manner the Pope becomes Soveraign to such instead of Christ who believe he is to be obeyed against the Laws of God and men And St. Paul was mistaken in his Doctrine that Christ alone was that Lord and Soveraign and no other man but not mistaken however in his early praediction and warning that the time should come when there should be a falling away and a man of sin revealed who should exalt himself above all that is called God and as God sit in the Temple of God whereof every Christian Soul wherein Christ dwells by his Holy Spirit is so much the more for that the body of a Christian is Gods Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 and more yet the Christian Church which comprizes both And he manifestly St. Pauls Antichrist who sits and Lords it in such a Temple To trample under feet the Glories of this present World to despise the frowns and favours of Princes to adhere to God and Truth all must allow and confess to be highly pious and praise worthy and superlatively Heroick but to hazard all upon a Religion that is a manifest Irreligion and to make Conscience to act against Conscience and Truth to jar with Truth and God to be contrary to himself This were to fall into the like detestable abominations with them of old in St. Paul Who did evil that good might come of it whose damnation is just saith he Rom. 3.8 A fearful sentence from so mild a mouth or of some late zealots in our days who subverted our Laws and Government to exalt Christs Kingdom This were not courage or magnanimity but inconsiderate ignominious rashness condemnable in Shops and Markets This were not Catholick zeal or good Conscience but liker the strong Delusion of Antichrist 2 Thes 2.11 An Omen and fore-runner of further wrath and destruction to be inflicted by the jealousie and indignation of Heaven upon such as forget their Allegiance to their Redeemer preferring a deceiver before him who ought not to have been compared to the Son of God at all or the first mention of his blasphemous pretences to the Perogatives of Christ and his Soveraignty in mens hearts ought to have been attended rather with renting of cloaths and a suddain horrour and indignation and-a-God-forbid but that the needs of deluded souls which himself Redeemed with his precious bloud required the matter to be laid open and enlarged for their rescue and undeceiving but that daily experience teacheth as well as Antient memories that any lust or Avarice or Ambition or revenge or self end or the Sun and Moon or stocks and stones without keeping due watch and ward upon our hearts may and have often invaded and domineer'd in Christ Throne in the soul when deserted by God as much as this Romish perkin Warbeck whose
Impostures are less tolerable than the open Treason of a Cromwell or the Tyranny of the Turk because men may easier endure to be robbed than to be cheated and deprived of their purses or Estates against their will than of their Honour and understanding with consent And as it hath been largely proved that Popery consists in evident disobedience and Rebellion against the Right Heir and Soveraign of the heart And Papists in a greater concern to jump exactly with the old Sexton whose Clock went truer than the Sun so positively also further to clear and evince the Truth to be on the Protestant side in this main point and Issue which is the hinge of the Controversie between us I shall also instance how we Protestants Loyally adhere to our Right guide and Judge and how the heart in all our principles relies on God and none else and on Christ who is the sole foundation of the Church 1 Cor. 3 3 11. and the Rock whereon it is built against which the gates of Hell can never prevail Math. 16.18 We build our Faith upon the Holy Scriptures which are Gods word for hearts to rest on whose Divine Authority themselves dare not deny without being the most convicted Hereticks that ever disturbed Gods Church in any age however they Blaspheme and traduce them before the Vulgar We come to know the Scriptures to be Gods word being not present our selves at passages by the Testimony and tradition of others such a Testimony as is also Divine or nearest to Divine to be relied on by the heart Not upon the Testimony of the Church of Rome by any means who hath so much cracked her credit by legending forgeing expurgating c. for it were a great fault as well as folly in us who profess our Devotion to God and the Truth to confide in the Father of lies or such his followers but upon our own honest Christian Ancestors with other Churches especially the Primitive when most pure and Holy and therefore likest to God and to be believed by consequence from the heart and the rather when seconded with the Testimony of the Holy Spirit to Holy Livers who is God We believe our sences in their own Sphere in many points against the whole world because we believe God in them with our hearts who made our sences and speaks through them Prov. 20.12 We believe beyond sence and can see things absent as if they were present to us when we have Gods word to assure the same to our Faith and consequently to our hearts and can discern Christ present in the blessed Sacrament and the Bread to be present nevertheless in different respects and be assured of both in our hearts through the evidence and strength of God in whom our Faith and sences act and move But in a Religion without the heart as is the Roman It is hard if not impossible to conceive or imagine how any Sacrament of Bread can be at all amongst them without Transubstantiation in the Elements who will not and cannot admit of any other change by the heart and Faith which are not much in use in that Church in this or any other part of worship which shews the root and occasion of that monstrous errour in that carnal Catholick Church which cannot distinguish between the objects of sence and Faith and is observ'd to Apostatize herein from their own Antient Mass which doth We believe plain and manifest Truths of Scripture without need of guides against the Glosses or Sophistry or Authority of the whole world to the contrary for we believe God himself in them with our hearts who requires and deserves to be so believed because God himself leads us by the hand as it were yea with both hands in plain Texts of Holy writ on the one side and his manifest Instincts of good and evil on the other in such manifest duties And when God himself doth speak all the world must hold the tongue while the Sun is above the Horizon Stars and Candles which answer to guides and supplies abscond and give way Hawks and all other Birds quit the Air where the Eagle Towres what Stupidity were it in a man of years and knowledge of the City to ask the way from Charing-Cross to Temple-bar out of Reverence to his guide and distrust of himself in things obscure and Controversiall wherein neither we nor others can clearly and assuredly discern Gods mind and will for the heart to acquiesce in here we make use of Candles and guides and especially our lawful Superiours who are Gods deputies to direct us and all others that resemble God in their gifts or years or places or Major vote For the next to God is as God unto us when God himself cannot be heard and our hearts can rest on them but not with equal assurance as on plain and manifest duties as their importance also is not equal for there is a greater respect of the two due to the Principal than to his deputy In like manner in all Indifferent matters which are the proper Province of the Magistrate for where Scriptures end there humane Laws begin where God withdraws there his Deputies step in we submit to the determinations and publick orders of our lawful Governours as to Gods voice and Authority out of the obedience of our hearts to Christ present in our Superiours to our Faith and regard to the Churches peace which is his image and darling And they that refuse to submit and conform do it in adherence to their conscience as they pretend now conscience without a Rule is an Atheist as is the heart without the Lord and of no use like a Sun-diall in the dark It is not conscience but the Quakers dark-light within and the Rule is Christs Will or to come nearest to his Will which is the utmost satisfaction of the heart now whether we keep nearest to Christ in adhearing stiffly to private fancy or submitting modestly to publick Authority and Major vote is the Question which St. Paul puts of question 1 Cor. 14.33 For Christ is where peace and humility and order is and not where pride and strife and division are and are ever like to be while each prefer themselves not only before their equals which is pride but their Superiours likewise which is disobedience and contempt of Christ in his Magistrates added to it which all true Christian hearts will avoid more than death as being not from God as Papists truly object And so we Protestants hold no Principle or Opinion but what agrees with the mind of God and Christ which was the Rule and measure that was to be agreed upon by both to arrive at Truth and endeavour always to approve our hearts to Christ who alone is their Judge and Soveraign and no mortal man whatsoever believing and considering that as there can be no sin or vertue where there is no Law so a Law were to no effect or purpose without a Judge to reward and punish the observers
pronounce Joh. 20.23 nor the flock they feed 1 Pet. 5.2 their own but all is Christs own Mat. 28.18 1 Cor. 3.23 And they are but Earthen Vessels and meer Instruments and Ministers under Christ and Stewards of his Mysteries and Oracles 2 Cor. 4.7 The lustre of his own Power and presence obscures the Authority of these his Officers as the Sun doth Mercury by nearness who yet doing their duty aright and from the heart in his sight whether in preaching or threatning or absolving do all with his full Authority and what they bind upon Earth is bound in Heaven and whom they absolve upon Earth are absolved in Heaven and who Honours and despises them doth Honour and despise Christ himself to his high reward or peril 1 Thess 4.8 For the power and splendor of a right Minister of Christ lyes in being one and the same and incorporated together with his principal which is effected by the sincerity of his heart performing every part of his duty as in his sight and for his approbation only whereby his preaching shall become powerful and victorious and his Counsels Oracles and his threats thunders and his comforts present health and Salvation as if Christ himself spoke in him for then his sheep hear his voice Joh 10.3 There is not that sympathy and intelligence and corresponding responses between unisons of two Instruments when only one is touch'd as there is between Christ in the heart of sincere hearers discerning Christ in the hearts of sincere Preachers O the Glorious Enterviews and Heavenly contentions and killings of Grace and gratitude that occurr between two Christs in Master and Disciple in several respects and habitudes Speaking and hearing the words of Christ between them meek Majesty in the one lowlily imploring prostrate extasie in the other lovelily adoring and yielding For the Apostles had a regard to Christ as the judge of their preaching in the Consciences of their hearers as well as in their own Christ in both observing and overseeing the one and the other in their duties Therefore the Bereaens are commended by the Holy Ghost as Noble and Generous in that they did not receive with implicit Faith what St. Paul preached unto them but weighed and examined his Doctrine with their Consciences and Scripture as it were with eye and rule searching the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so Act. 17.11 For the Conscience of another is not our rule but our own neither shall we be judg'd hereafter according to the cure and sincerity of our Teachers but according to what was to be our own care and duty Therefore the Spirits of Prophets though inspir'd were to be tryed and judged by Rule or Christ in the Scripture by other Prophets and Christians that had not the same numerical inspiration 1 Cor. 14.29 32. And the Prophet of Juda was slain by God by a Lyon 1 King 13. for believing Gods word in another Prophet against Gods word to himself St. Paul considered that Christ had a throne in every Soul and accordingly addressed his preaching to stand or fall by it as that which could easily discern and judge between craft and truth 2 Cor. 4.2 We have renounc'd the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftyness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God for every mans Conscience ought to judge for it self of the Truths it hears and of the guides it trusts and chuses else truth and errour to be sav'd or damned by the one or the other were indifferent were one and the same unto us Therefore how many Souls there are so many Kingdoms there are and so many Christs in them to govern them here because he is their judge hereafter And nothing without us how right or good soever hath validity or being or naturalization in us till it be received and approved and re-enacted in every Soul for Atheism doth not annihilate God in himself but in the Soul of the Atheist As Faith doth not give being to Christ and Christian Truths but only in Believers hearts And the Soul can enact nothing rightly without the advice and Councel of its Superiour God and Christ in the heart which is its rule and in whom it lives and moves and acts And nothing can it act with right and validity nor satisfaction itself or safety from the sword of the Magistrate without or besides this rule For Rulers were ordain'd to be a terrour to evil works and not to good to correct the whoredoms and Idolatries of the Soul breaking out into vicious bastard Acts concieved by Idols and lusts admitted into those affections which were due to none but Christ her husband and guide And no Child is so lovely in the eye of a fond Parent as are the thoughts words and actions of Christians conceived between the Soul and Christ guiding her self by his word and Ministry and that not only in the sight of God and Governours and good men but to the Consciences of the worst sinners and much more to their own It 's a natural instinct in the Souls of all men good or evil which laughs at all humane Laws to the contrary to admit of nothing into their Creed or practice without consulting with the Rule that guides the heart whether it be Christ or Worldly Interest Neither would men at first have believed the Miracles of of Christ or his Apostles or received the Scripture without consultation first had by every one with God speaking to him in his senses or in his Conscience But the Church of Rome expects that Christians though subjects of Christs Heavenly Kingdom should receive her Laws and dictates implicity and without scanning or recourse had to Christ in the Conscience or private judgment which they utterly disallow and discountenance in diametrical opposition to Apostolical practice and common sense and instincts and the nature of the Soul and the Soveraignty of Christ the King of Souls which therefore is a manifest Antichristian invasion upon the Liberties of Jerusalem which is above our true Mother and the temple of the Lord Eph. 2.21 22. wherein we every where find Popes intruding If the inside of our British Churches that is our Souls owe Daughterly subjection to them at Rome It is either as they are Soveraigns of this Heavenly Jerusalem or as they are Ministers and Pastors If they arrogate the first then the charge of Antichrist against them is acknowledged and confessed with some ingenuity appearing in the Blasphemy If their pretended power over our spirits be only Ministerial and St. Paul and St. Peter never did nor could claim more over the inside of any Church 1 Pet. 5.3 why are not our Popes painful preachers to the Consciences of men If not ours yet of their own Italians Let that Rule and Canon of St. Peter whom they so much own for their Founder Judge between them and us which Church the Romish or
Brittish Rights and Priviledges as the Catholick Goths and Vandalls to succeed St. Peter The Conquerors and Conquered being the same persons in fiction but as much against the will of the one as with the desire and lust of the other like Jonas in the belly of the Whale But the English and Brittains are further one and the same people by Adoption of Laws more than by the power of the Sword and by Contracts and Treaties and Surrenders and Trust as Wives are the same persons with their Husbands The English therefore are bound to maintain the Rights and Immunities of the Brittish Church in point of Honour and Trust as well as for their own Concern and Interest When the a Liv. Decad. 1. l. 7 Campans could not prevail with the Romans to take their part against the Samnites who were too strong for them they surrendred their City and Country to the Romans and pleaded by their Embassadour Quandoquidem nostra tueri adversus vim c. vestra certè defendetis If you cannot be prevail'd upon to defend Our Interests against our Enemies we leave it upon you to defend your Own Tum jam fides agi visa deditos non prodi Then they conceived themselves bound by Faith to defend their charge and Prostrate allyes which was a greater tye upon their noble spirits than the preservation of their Empire and there is no spirit so mean nor a Hen upon any dunghill to be found without the like sence and concern and courage to power towards her young ones in like dependance And as a greater part of the Loegrian-Brittains came under the power of the Saxons by guift and alliance and by craft r Dolo non fero W. Malemsb lib 3. de gestis pontific Londin Dr. Heylin Help to History p. 37. more than by the Sword so when the Brittains of Wales agreed with Edward the first to accept a Prince of his nomination that were born in Wales Å¿ Dr Powel History of Wales and understood no English which proved to be his own eldest Son born about that time in Carnarvon Castle and ever afterwards the eldest Sons of every successive King of England this his Heading the body of that Nation with his own Son on the one hand whom they believed to be their own flesh and bloud on the other was a manifest Incorporation of Wales by the Intention of both in the person of the Prince several †Statul Ann. 12 Edw. 1.27 H. 8. c. 26. Acts of Parliament giving confirmation afterwards thereunto But which is the fullest completion of Union Both Nations are one not only by Law but by Bloud not in the Prince of Wales alone but in the King himself which is all in all He being bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh For our English Kings and Princes are now more Brittains than any of our Cambro-Brittains being Royal-Alban-Loegrian-Cambro-Brittains all in one and the same person and therefore more bound by Nature and Honour as well as Soveraignty to be zealous to assert the Ancient Liberties of the Brittish Church against Rome's Enchroachments and usurpations than any other Brittains whatsoever Now no persons can be imagin'd to be made one and the same by stronger tye than by such triple Union by bloud and by their wills and consent and by necessity whether they will or no And though generous natures are apt to be free and liberal yet what wiseman ever parted with his Birth-right or what person of spirit or honour ever relinquish'd or betrayed his trust and charge over the Rights of others out of liberality I shall conclude these Previous Observations against vulgar mistakes and comprize my subsequent Proofs in a passage of an Anonymons Author published in the late times reported to be Mr. Selden and very right in this Their courage at last revived and by divers Victories by the space of 200 years God stopped the hasty conquest of the Saxons the result whereof by Truces Leagues Commerce conversation and Marriages between both Nations declared plainly that it was too late for the Saxons to get all their bounds being predetermined by God and thus declared to the world In all which God taming the Britton's pride by the Saxon's power and discovering the Saxons darkness by the Britton's light made himself Lord over both people in the conclusion These Suppositions premised I come to Positive proofs for the Conversion of the English that it was by Brittish Ministry and not by Roman For some of our Incomparably Learned Writers give it almost for graunted though they sufficiently fortifie against the inconvenience that our English Christians stand not so secure from the danger of this Romish pretention as the Brittish do For the Brittish Bishops sayes the great and good Dr. Hammond u Dr. Hammond of Schism p. 113. still holding out against this pretention and that with all reason on their side if the title of conversion which the Romanist pleads for our subjection may be of any validity with him it must needs follow that the Whole Island cannot upon this score of Augustine's conversion be now deemed schismatical it being certain that the whole Island and particularly the Dominion of Wales was not thus converted by Augustine nor formerly by any sent from Rome or that observed the Roman Order as appears by the observation of Easter contrary ro the usage receiv'd at Rome but either by Joseph of Arimathea or Simon Zelotes as our Annals tell us most probably And this in the first place must needs be yielded by those that expect to receive any advantage by this argument But which is more if the Whole Island as well as the Dominion of Wales and the English as well as Brittish Sees may be equally proved to have had their conversion from Other hands and not from Rome it may seem worth while to shew this because it will fully stop the mouth of Rome as to this brag and quite remove all imputation and colour of Schism out of doors And the positive proofs for this may be rank'd under two heads 1 For a pure Conversion 2. a Mixt. By the first I mean a Conversion of the English Nation by men men of Brittish Extraction and Descent as well as Doctrine and Dissent to the Supremacy of Rome and its other errours that is by Brittains only without the assistance of any other Nation in this work By the second I mean a Conversion wrought by men of Brittish Principles Ordination Mission and equally opposite to the Roman way and order but of Different Extraction partly Brittish and partly of other Nations yea and of their own Touching the pure Brittish conversion of the English by the Ancient Brittains alone x Antiquitates Eccles Permultos Reges Anglo Saxonas conversos ante Augustinum nisi nostris externis fidem detrabamus p. 8. before the arrival of Monk Augustine little occurs in Bede but what he is forc'd now and then to drop and halâ—
wherewith they are Intrusted by God for the defence of his and their People than Popes ever could or can unsheath their Spiritual Weapons in defence of Pride and ambition and scandalous Encroachments Excommunication being intended by Christ and his Apostles to better ends than they apply it to separate between the precious and the vile between scandalous and holy Christians and to cut off putrid parts with grief and compassion to preserve the Communion of Saints and the health and honour of the whole and not to defend proud and ambitious heights and sacrilegious invasions and Usurpations over Churches more Orthodox and more ancient than themselves with Unevangelical revenge and recalcitration after fair eviction Which is the abusing of Christs Ordinance to ends contrary to what he intended and the taking of Gods name in vain for which they will not be held guilt-less yea to have Excommunicated themselves rather by humble acknowledgements and reparations to their power for their wrongs and oppressions to Christ and souls and Churches had been the right Catholick use of their keyes and the surest sign of Salvation to the best and chiefest of their Church Neither is it needful by our Hypothesis and state of our case to defend the Reformation from the charge of Schism and departure from the Catholick Church thereby as they suppose and cry aloud against us for the alteration made by Henry the Eight cannot be called the Reformation of a Religion we derived from Rome by Inferiour Authority against superiour by the daughter correcting the Mother Church Irregularly but our lawful Restoration rather to our Ancient Rights and possessions from which we were wrongfully disseis'd and barr'd The deliverance of our Brittish Church after long captivity and disfiguration to its primitive liberty and health and beauty by just means from the violent hands and Spiriting Arts of Rome much Junior to it in faith and much impurer and unsounder than the true Church of Rome for these last thousand years Our Case I say is not so much Reformation as Restoration which no man of sence or honesty or conscience can find fault with and much less they at Rome who are pleas'd with their deliverance from the long Tyranny of their Exarchs though procur'd by unlawful and pernicious means as before but we had ours through lawful Authority without any wrong or hurt to others or our Superiours and with much right to our selves much less can we be tax'd or blam'd by any at home that have been long kept out from their own rights by Tyrants or Rebels or Oppressors who are bound in all Equity and Honour and Compassion to espouse rather and Assist so just a Cause before any others whatsoever according to Dido's temper in the Poet making the Case of Aeneas in Exile her own Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco The Pope had no more Original right and title to our Brittish Sees how long soever Usurped than Cromwell had to the Brittish Crown Whoever else may envy or hinder or undermine our recovery of our just freedom and liberty they that through Gods mercy have had the like Restoration and deliverance ought not either in Honour or Civility or Humanity to do it nor if themselves appear to have the greatest share and benefit therein without manifest hazard of their Judgement for by revolt to Popery Princes quit no less their external Supremacy in holy Church the choycest Jewel in their Crown than by Apostacy to Heathenism not more by the parity of the Idolatries than by their own Act and Resignation For they cannot longer hold the same in the Catholick-Roman without being Excommunicate as undutyful and they let go their hold thereof in the Protestant Christian by Excommunicating themselves as unkind and unwise Nor if after all this they be found to Act both against Gods revealed will and fate therein or the secret Decrees and discernable purposes of his Providence against it whereof the one was made as clear as the Sun before and the other will afterwards appear as clear as the Moon which is next unto it can they ever be thus unnatural to their own Church and Nation out of vain glorious kindness to forreign cheats without fighting against God as well as their friends to the certain overthrow and ruin either Temporal or Eternal or both of the weaker side Therefore the sharp and searching judgement of the great Arch-Bishop Bramhal could soon espy that the plea of the Antiquity and Independancy of our Brittish Church in the Controversy between us and Rome strikes the cause dead forever at one blow Not that being exempt from the pretences of a Junior Church once animated with Empire to step before her betters we are not bound nevertheless to hold Communion with every good Church of Christ where and when we may yea with Rome it self if it return'd to its Ancient purity and subjection to our Saviour as on the other hand to shun others as we do Rome that were guilty of the like Corruption and Apostacy which flight and distance we are wont to observe in our moral and natural Communion and converse as well as Christian embracing or shunning good or evil Company for our safety or credit as wholesome or Pestilential Air for Health as well as sound and unsound Churches out of Allegiance to Christ our common Lord or fear of scandal and partaking in their sins and judgments by our Complyance For our Communion though it be our great duty as Schisme is a great sin yet it is not in our absolute power and dispose in the general without any other Rule or reason to incline us to be of this or that Church but our own fancy and humour no we are acted by necessity in great part therein for it is a necessary tye upon us to embrace good and relinquish evil and corrupt Communion and to be guided by Christs will and not our own as our rule and standard and to shun all whom his word Excommunicates and to communicate with all whom his word approves For to approve whom Christ condemns or condemn whom Christ approves is not in the power of any Christian that ownes Christ for his Soveraign All the part that we have in our own power is the exercise of every mans Conscience and private judgment under the guidance of Christs rule which they hate the least mention of at Rome as impious and Haeretical and leading to a private spirit the root of all evil errours in the Church and comparing the lives and state of Christians and Churches by this general rule of Christ and this particular eye of our Souls to put our Communion in execution according to Christs mind and to embrace his friends and to shun his enemies and to like and dislike as we are to do all our other Affairs in him from our hearts according to my Text. For let there be no private judgment to distinguish between private good or evil or between the guides themselves we are
Church and their own rules and principles first it is several wayes against the Canons in respect of their Invasions of the rights of other Metropolitans which was adjudg'd a Photii Nomoc. Tit. 1. p. 20. infamous and mulctable before that in the Council of Chalcedon and in Trullo power was yielded to the Emperours to erect or to translate Metropolitical Chaires and also against the Canons in respect of many Illegal Ordinations which made the Romish Church null in Law in England several wayes besides those nullities in fact and event we have before instanc'd Many are the Canons of the best and Ancientest Councils and the most general and Oecumenical that the Church of Christ ever had which condemn the first Entrance of Augustine and his Pope Gregory and the Re-entrance of Archbishop Theodore and his Successors upon our Brittish Church and Provinces under no less penalties than deposition or degradation of their Clergy from their several States and Dignities and Excommunication of their Laity from Christian Fellowship besides the making all their Ecclesiastical Acts and Ordinations to be utterly void and null to all intents If this were of any value or moment with them of the Church of Rome who boast and crack of a great respect they have above others for Fathers and Councils and Ancient Traditions but experience too much discovers it is all with Reservations and Provisoes that they offer not to touch or reflect upon their Church in any of its grossest errours or most enormous misdemeanours for if they do it in the lest the Canons of the Universal Church shall have no more respect at their hands than the Canonical Scriptures which are not allowed to have any sound or sense where they cross and disagree from the private interpretation of their Church I say private and suspicious because notoriously savouring of private ends and carnal designes and Worldly ambition and self-love above any Church or Haeresie whatsoever in all their Commentaries and Expositions and every point and Article of their Faith and Government wherein they differ from us Or they shall be openly disown'd and rejected for no lawful Councils either in whole or in part according to their liking or disliking of particulars who yet call for implicit obedience to their own petty Authorities and decrees how contrary soever to Common sense or reason while themselves dispute and contradict the power and jurisdiction of far greater Superiours acting and decreeing with the special assistance of the Spirit of God So that as to such Roman-Catholicks who are wedded and guided by their wills and Idols more than Truth or Conscience the Testimonies and Canons I shall produce will prove but Pearls ill cast yet with this advantage and satisfaction that they shall drive and force them either to submission or to rebellion either to confess and acknowledge themselves to be convict Schismaticks and Sacrilegious Robbers and Oppressors and their Popes and Missionaries depos'd and condemn'd in all their Titles Holy Orders and pretences by the Holy solemn Laws and Canons of the Universal and undoubtedly Catholick Church of Christ or manifestly detect themselves to be Antichrist in this as in their other practices and the Invaders of Gods Regiment and power in all its formes and varieties of of appearance as of God the Creator in disposing the Kingdoms of the World of God Redeemer in Lording over Souls and Consciences so of God the Holy Spirit and Sanctifier in slighting Scriptures and General Councils Which last part it is to be fear'd they 'l chuse to take as being thereto too much inclin'd by their Principles being one main cause if not perrhaps the principal that the spirit of truth and concord hath withdrawn it self in lamentable manner from Christian Churches and Councils these several last hundreds of years in whose Assemblies it cannot well appear with liberty and without diminution of its Divine Honour and Glory when its promis'd assistance to Gods Church gathered together in his name must be eftsoons check'd and controll'd by the Negative will and lust of one man that sets up himself above Both and the Interest of Rome made the mark to steer by instead of Truth and Holiness and Gods holy spirit thereby necessitated either to countenance Errour and Tyranny by its presence or to stand out whereby is left but a Carcass of a Church and not a Church for a Church without Gods spirit is but as the body without the Soul the one as ready moulders into errour and corruption as the other into stench and rottenness as is the condition of the Modern Roman Church too visibly The first Canon I shall instance in shall be the third General Council held at Ephesus than which hardly any president can be more apposite to the Case of Rome and Brittain and that Councill's determination upon the complaint of Cyprus against Antioch where three points may be observ'd 1. The state of their case and grievance 2. The sense and resentment of the Council 3. The decree and redress 1. Their complaint to the Council by Declaration and the Affirmation of their Bishops then and there present was that the Bishop or Patriarch of Antioch did send and Consecrate Bishops for the Isle of Cyprus in violation of their Ancient Rights and Customes The occasion of this encroachment was as is noted by Balsamon and Zonaras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon a pretence and imitation of the Duke of Antioch under the Romans sending thence a Deputy Governour for this Isle The plea of the Cypriots was as is imply'd in the Canon an Ancient immemorial right of chusing and consecrating their own Bishops among themselves On the other hand the Bishop of Antioch had his Patriarchal dignity and the Supremacy of St. Peters Chair to insist on from whom he deriv'd by undoubted Lineal Succession Now if this Controversy had come before the Pope of Rome and his Conclave or Lateran or Tridentine Council it is easie to coniecture who had gone by the worst but not so easie to know whom the prey should have been adjudg'd to whether to Antioch or rather to Rome her self although the other were the acknowledg'd Chaire of St. Peter establish'd for 7 years at Antioch at the lest before ever he arriv'd at Rome 2. But the sense and resentment of their wrong by this great Council is very remarkable who took this matter into their cognizance and Judicature though no lesâ— than the Patriarch of the East and as great as the Pope takes himself to be was one of the parties to aâ—ide their censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus they represent the mischief and consequence of this encroachment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A new kind of Schismatical attempt in defiance of the Apostolical Laws of the Church and Canons of the Holy Fathers and striking at the common Liberty of Christendom yea the Spiritual Spiritual Liberty of men Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ himself by his bloud hath purchas'd for us
design In whole for how can the Supremacy of Alexandria and Antioch and other Metropolitans which it establishes consist with their subjection For so they were Supream and absolute within themselves and not Supream And likewise in its parts as appears from the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for likeness in priviledge and customes implyes equality in that respect for if Rome had the Supremacy then they were not like neither would the example and Instance fit Withall the Bishop of Rome is mention'd in the Canon with no more respect or character of dignity and Superiority than the Bishop of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set as equal and parallel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this not from forgetfulness or Irreverence in the Council towards the Bishop of Rome but from Truth and Justice as appears when in the following Canon it establishes Priviledges to Aelia being as much old Jerusalem as modern Rome is old Rome though neither the one nor the other built upon the place and ground the former Cities stood on yet there the Council is very careful to remember and salve the rights and Superiorities of the Metropolitan of Caesarea which was Soveraign to it yet mentions Rome the Soveraign of all Churches according to our Romanists without any such proviso or distinct respect at all which argues either that the Council were not of the same sentiment with our Romanists touching Rome's Supremacy so much pretended or that the Council was unjust and unmannerly towards Rome and her Rights but Civil towards Caesarea yea it is much rather to be thought that the Arrogant pretences of Rome are vain and groundless if not mad and ridiculous For if the sence of the Romanists were true it would follow thereupon that Alexandria and Antioch and all other Metropolitans should be Soveraign to all the Churches in the World as well as Rome yea to Rome it self as much as It to them For Rome is Soveraign of all say they but several others are as Rome saith the Canon therefore equally Soveraign to all other Churches in the World and to Rome it self by consequence whereby Rome by their gloss becomes both Supream and not Supream to other Churches such absurdities they will rather force upon the Canon and themselves than allow it to be understood in its natural plain and genuine sense that all Metropolitans are equally Soveraign and unsubordinate each in their several Provinces Alexandria in the South Antioch in the East Rome in the West over such places as are subject to it a Scholiast in Can. 3. Concil Sardyc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Scoliast not over Millain b Praefat. Monastic Anglic. part 1. next door unto it much less over Brittain so far out of its reach or knowledge but as c Ruffin lib. 1. c. 6. Ruffinus hath it about 12 or 1300 years ago together with another most Ancient Edition Et ut apud Alexandriam in urbe Româ consuetudo servetur ut vel illi Aegypti vel hic Suburbicariarum Eccliarum sollicitudinem gerat that the one should rule all in Egypt and the Bishop of Rome over the Suburbicarian Churches that is over the Territories within the Liberties of the Praefect of Rome and his deputy which some say were these four Picenum Tuâ—cia Latium Valeria others that they were 10. comprehending the South of Italy with Sicilia which last by Imperial prerogative was for a while taken from it and added to the then Patriarchat of Constantinople with several others it had gain'd in Greece as an accession Neither had Baronius reason to be so angry with Ruffinus for his gloss whom he scarce forbears to call a Heretick and Schismatick there being no signes of spite or want of Authority and skill and sufficient information in this his assertion and he was both d Non minima Pars doctorum Ecclesiae Gennad de Ruffino an Ancient Father and an Historian of the Church lived at Aquileia in the neighbourhood spent e Hierom Apol. adv Ruffinum l. 2. c. 1. 30 years in the East having his birth or extraction f Idem Proaem in Jeremiam from our Brittish Isles as St. Hierom affirms as his name and intimate acquaintance c. with Caelestius and Pelagius further imports which made him more fit and qualified to answer for Brittain as well as for East and West As his suspicious opinions less fit to provoke the Pope whom he is rather g Usher p 204 205. accused by St. Hierom to have flatter'd for protection and to clip his Holiness Title and pare his dominions in a matter of fact and practice where the falshood if any had been soon hiss'd at by thousands was not the right way to insinuate into his Holiness favour or to maintain his own repute Rome being thus reduc'd within her due bounds and limits and Brittain with other Churches restor'd to her rights and priviledges according to best and Ancient Canons Apostolical and Oecumenical and the Bishops of Brittain being as was shewed before in the possession of their Sees as the 7 Bishops of the Brittains in Bede or forc'd out by Heathen Invasion and Roman craft and cruelty conspiring together against them as in the Case of Theonus h Hierom Apol. Cont. Ruff. l. 2. Thadioc and Ceadda The several Nullities of the Roman-Catholick Church in England will the easier appear in order The first Nullity is from this 6 Canon of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is an universal manifest principle that if any one be made a Bishop without the consent of the Metropolitan of that Province this great Synod decrees such a one to be no Bishop But Augustine took upon him to be a Bishop here in Brittain without and against the consent of our Brittish Metropolitans as he was told to his face Synodically and the Case is sufficiently evident by his Forreign Ordination and forcible intrusion Therefore he was no Bishop by this Law and his Consecrations of Mellitus and Justus Bishops of London and Rochester were void and null yea such Consecration and Ordination was a second nullity of the orders and dignities of all three by the 35 Canon of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A Bishop is not to presume to confer Orders out of his own Diocess in Cities and Villages that are no way subject to him And if he shall appear to have done so against the mind and will of them to whom those Cities and Villages do belong let him be depos'd for the same and all them likewise who were ordain'd by him which reaches in equity to Etherius Bishop of Arles who by Pope Gregorie's Orders ordain'd Augustine a Bishop for this Isle against the consent of the Bishops in it as well as to Augustine and his several Bishops ordain'd here by him who were all no Bishops and the Priests ordain'd by them no Priests with other scandalous consequences and further nullities
Eve in hearkning to the Serpent against Gods word were the first Types of credulous Papists Christ the reformed Adam in siding with plain Scripture against the glosses of the Serpent was the first example of wary Protestants All Religion and Irreligion consists either in turning from the Creature to God to the exaltation and righting of the Soul or from God to the Creatures to its overturning to be in dishonourable subjection to the body its slave to its great wrong and misery This Novel Supremacy therefore being so manifestly unjust for its matter and trespass upon the rights of Soveraigns and Churches and so ungodly and scandalous for the motive and manner of its prevalence being founded in the like Pride that tumbled the Angels into Hell as Pope Gregory affirms it of his Competitor in the like impatience and despair that keeps them in it And carried on with the like love of lyes and murder and seduction as makes them intrude and wander out into our Air and prevailing upon many by the like Arts either as a Catholick Angel of light to seduce the unwary and superstitious or as a bountiful Prince with glorious offers of Palls and Caps and Dignities to win the proud and servile to comply and worship and terminating in the like everlasting damnation both to them and their followers 2 Thess 2.12 Phil. 3.19 hath enough in it hereby to dis-ingage all sober and considering English-men from any necessary zeal or tye of Conscience to subjugate themselves or betray their Church and Countrey into such dangerous and unworthy slavery Yea it were to be hop'd at first sight to dispose Italian zeal and ambition concern'd if it would but lay hand upon heart either to let us alone to enjoy our Ancient rights without wrong or trouble as all would wish to themselves and therefore ought to permit the same to others or at least to let God and Christ and Catholick Religion alone as not to bring his holy name and glory which is to be honour'd above all we have to countenance their sin and wrong to their just rebuke But that from the character of such an Apostatical Church in Prophecy which is praescient History any regard to the heart and Conscience or fear of Blasphemy is the least to be expected yea the exclusion of the one and admission of the other to be rather alwayes met as the sum and total of such Religion as the practice sufficiently confirms and fulfills the Prophecy For what Herogliphick or Emblem could more lively describe such a Church where at once the Heart and Soul is excluded and yet sanctity and zeal profess'd than that of the beast with two horns like a Lamb and speech like a Dragon Rev. 13.12 For what is any Society of men devoid of Conscience and private judgment and common Justice whose part is suum euique tribuere neminem laedere but a meer rout of Ravenous beasts or as they are describ'd elsewhere men of corrupted minds 1 Tim. 5.6 For where the mind is corrupted and dead and the body alone alive what there remains but a beast in humane shape Of the same Herd are those who are deliver'd over to a reprobate mind or a mind void of judgement like Salt that hath lost its savour or those in the Prophet whose eyes are blinded and their hearts hearden'd that they neither see with their eyes nor understand with their heart Joh. 12.40 For an useless eye is equivalent to no eye and an unconscionable Soul to no Soul at all as a depos'd King is a living man but a dead Prince so a reduc'd Conscience dethron'd by lusts or the Tyranny of any Church or Gods desertion is no Conscience A Soul subject to man more than God is no Soul as are all such who by force or choice are to obey man against the Truth Wherein as was proved at first the master-errour of Popery did consist Men of depos'd Souls or silenc'd Consciences in Scripture account are beasts But the other part of the character or a profession of Holiness and zeal included as well as good Conscience excluded is set forth by the other notes Hornes like a Lamb and Speech like a Dragon That is this beast is as Christ for arrogated Holiness and authority and yet as Satan or the Dragon or Serpent in Paradice for destructive seduction Good God! what a monstrous profession of Christians is here painted which in vulgar blazonry would signifie a Church hearted Beast armed Christ and langued Satan And the two horns and not seven as had the other may note that the Roman Empire had more of Gods blessing and approbation though counted Beast for its violence for God blessed the 7th day but so he did not the second Gen. 1.8 And the Roman Empire enlightned and civil'd the Countries it subdued but far otherwise it was with the Empire of Popery The Roman Religion upon this Prophetical supposition being all Christ without for Satan or the Dragon mostly tips his temptations with Religion and nothing of heart or Soul within is a Sphynx or a riddle itâ—s a Religion and no Religion The last because where there is no heart there can be no Lord no God no Bible no Religion no Salvation The first because the Pope alone serves for all for heart and judgement and God and Christ and Church and Bible and Salvation He declares all Faith allows all Scriptures decides all Controversies and where private Conscience is not to be consulted or regarded nor Scripture without his sense what makes good or evil amongst such but his pleasure only Lyes and Perjuries and Murders and Treasons and Blasphemy in favour of that Church and approv'd by them can be no sins but rather meritorious works by this Hypothesis For how can it be otherwise where there is no place or vote for Conscience to except and all power is in him alone acknowledg'd to approve and judge Beasts or un-soul'd men being not capable of faults or misdemeanours Now how can those be true Christians who are not men and how men who want Souls for where is the Soul if it be given away from Christ to any mortal whatsoever For the hearts and judgements that is the Souls of Papists are absolutely subject to the Pope but of Protestants only to Christ and truth the one are holy from the heart to Christ as Christs servants the other without a heart to their Pope or guide as the Servants of men And this Diminutio Capitis or Moral or Legal Annihilation of the Eternal soul by such a sinful profession of absolute Subjection to a mortal Creature hath the like effect and influence upon mens Acts of Worship and Religion as if it were its Physical and real extinction for not to appear is not to be and not to be valued or regarded is not to appear Not that the soul ceases to act as a soul in this its degradation or to cut out means for ends by its work of reason But that
dyed in their hope and trust for us for whose sake he 'l continue his goodness to their seed but though his wrath ebb'd 800 years his Grace and mercy wherein he delights to abound and exceed hath not stowed yet full 200 years or is he unable to perfect what he hath begun He that can work a Resurrection from the dead cannot he accomplish a Restoration to a living and surviving People yea and great confusion to all opposers of it No good man ought to envy or hinder the longed for mercies of God to a Nation no great man can and if having his descent alike from the same People how can such be deem'd either good or great but rather miserably unnaturall and deservedly unfortunate and improsperous Earthly Potentates may not give stop to God's tides King Edgar tryed but fail'd their timely retreat will be their greatest safety and Wisdom how many mistaken Politicians have been drowned and Shipwrack'd in such clandestine contrary Councils No Emperour on Earth can command it to be night after the Sun is risen where God is for us we need not fear any seduc'd Dust and Ashes that may appear against us It is likewise most impossible in reason unless in case of Gods great desertion and extraordinary curse The radical difference between Protestants and Papists as was Stated from the beginning and Instanc'd in all along lyes herein that the one take Christ the other the Pope or his pretended Vicar for their Messia or the Lord of their Hearts and Judgements The Protestants who live by faith as all true Christians do and ever did hold firm their Allegiance to their invisible Soveraign in Heaven The Papists who love to live more by sence and show through dis-regard to Faith and the Heart change their Heavenly Soveraign for a visible Christ on Earth which Rebellion can never succeed nor be done no not when it is done already Should not be in the holy Language is shall not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thing shall not be done say the Sons of Jacob touching the Ravishment of their Sister Dina already committed Gen. 34.7 The Soveraignty of Christ and the Allegiance of the soul to God and the Truth are Divine Eternal Establishments not to be alter'd by human pleasure they can no more be changed by the corruption of men or the combination and Clandestine Counsels of Conclaves and Politicians and seduced Grandees than the Constitution of Kingdoms or the Laws of Nations be repealed and changed by Conventicles of Pismires some rash attempt may be made while mens souls are besides themselves or drunk and intoxicated with Idols and vitious Customs but to no more effect than casting caps against the Moon which can never reach it or spitting against the wind which returns into the face or defiance of the Laws and Government by a strong Knot of High-way-men whose end in all likely-hood must be Repentance or Hell and Tyburn Which is further confirm'd by good Authorities the King of Prophets within the Church Psal 2. Why do the Heathens or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.12 rage and the People Imagine a vain thing The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed or Messia saying Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us away with these invisible fanatick Lords and Laws of Souls and Consciences Let none in Heaven or Earth be obeyed in matters of Religion or Conscience but a Pope in Temporal matters but a Prince He that sitteth in Heaven shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision to shew the Pittiful ridiculousnes and vanity of such void attempts And the Prince of Philosophers without the Church in his Golden Book of vertue and vice perceiv'd and affirm'd this Truth that the one is in it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commendable and lovely and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eternally deformed and censurable let men or Laws conspire what they can to the contrary And the unanimous consent and suffrage of all mens Souls and Counsciences to this particular points at the true cause hereof an indelible immediate Allegiance in every heart to God and the truth alone and a deafness to all other Forreign power whatsoever against him Yea and an accuser of it self under any such delinquency For Children and Clownes shall discern and condemn such disloyal deviations in their Prince whom they reverence and the Prince in himself being above all but not above the Soveraign of his heart Men of Honour or Reverence arriveing or supporting their Grandeur by the means and countenance of Vice upon the like Loyalty shall be despis'd by every mouth in the Streets and the Consciences of troubled silent Servants at home that dare not and of their own that dare and will reprove This loyalty and disloyalty against Heaven is such an eternal unalterable measure of mens Misery and bliss that Chast rags will not envy the condition of unclean Silks and Sattin but those shall often wish for the peace and pure content of these The Soul till drown'd in Lusts or gagg'd by Antichristian Tyranny never skrinks from its Heavenly Loyalty while it is a Soul it is for Christ It never deserts this Soveraign till it morally ceases to be a Soul Which is the reason a priori that Popery or the seduction of men from their Loyalty to Christ to slavery to a Mortal can never be well promoted without Debauchery which must first precede to extinguish the Soul Its obedience afterwards shall be blind implicit and servile like that of beasts that have no understanding nothing shall be its Conscience and Religion more but its Carnal Interest and gain and pleasures and complyance with its new false Christ for a false Salvation for human Nature cannot dispense to be without all Religion and Superstition too Its state and condition therefore is a state of enmity and rebellion against God whose Laws it neither is nor can b◠subject to Rom. 8.7 And therefore all its Actions and designes are null and void and damn'd in Law and also in Fact when Gods patience is out either by its timely or eternal Recantation either by Repentance here or durance hereafter for all cross and Irregular wills must at last come up to Christs will the judge of quick and dead either with or against their wills and know their true Soveraign at last either by life or death Rom. 8.6 13. Whereby the true ground appears for our Reduction of this Controversy from the beginning to one single point of obedience or disobedience to the right Soveraign of the heart For so doth the wisest of Kings reduce all Divine and human concern and wisdom into one Principle of Loyalty to God The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Prov. 1.7 And not only the beginning but complement and perfection For he is the wisest and soberest Christian who hath not the Pope but Christ most
s insensibly received and admitted into its rest at last and then and there lost forever and found forever in the Bosom of the Immense Ocean so is it most an end with every Christian soul at the beginning and progress and end of his Christian Race who is as sure to reach to his rest and glory in the bosom of God forever as Rivers to reach the Sea which they are reaching every day nearer and nearer as they move towards it in the channel that leads unto it and is the very same Element with it To conclude if all could be perswaded and won to walk up to this short and Catholick Rule which reaches all Nations and Churches and Conditions and Vocations and degrees to discharge all their duties to one another from the heart as unto Christ there would be more truth and veracity in the World not only towards Brethren but towards enemies and strangers who have Christ in mens hearts to hold in their behalf any promise pawn'd and made unto them the violation whereof carries as much of Atheism and contempt of Christ within the heart as dishonesty without towards him it wrongs There would be more meekness and patience towards enemies and persecutors if not for their sakes yet for Christs who commands forgiveness and love to enemies More obedience or submission to all Governours to the best for Christ's sake and their own to the worst for Christ sake however being our necessary duty and their due Almes There would be more love and readiness to help one another by Counsel or Purse or Prayer instead of eating and devouring one another by Craft and Power when it shall be consider'd that every benefit or wrong we do to our Neighbour without we do both in a higher degree and greater edge to Christ himself within our hearts to our Eternal reward or reckoning This would make men true Christians and Loyal Subjects and tender Fathers and Governours and just Masters and right members in their respective Communities and Societies and trusts and Genuine Sons of the Church not only of England our Mother on Earth but of Jerusalem above the Mother of us all in Heaven to the saving of our Souls Infallibly when the whole stock of Mountebank Indulgencies shall faile to effect the Cure This little Commandment well observ'd would be the Harmony of the World set Heaven and Earth in Tune again and God at peace with his Creatures and plant joy and concord and the peace of God which passeth all understanding in every Kingdom in every City in every Family in every Breast And that Angelical Prophetical Anthem at our Saviours Birth would recover its Truth and Power in the World And Glory should be to God on high and on Earth peace and good will towards men FINIS A Particular Table of the Contents PART I. MOral experiments proving the Body to be as nothing in comparison of the Soul pag. 1 2 11. Masters and Princes Symbols of Christ how 4. How the Stature of a Christian reaches from Earth to Heaven p. 5. The Heart is never without its God p. 7. 20. Sincere Heathens and Carnal Christians compar'd and which preferr'd 7. Outside Duties in Religion necessary though nothing when compar'd to the Inside p. 8. None ought to vilifie their own Faith before a fair and open Renuntiation ibid. Sincere and dangerous mistakes arising from the comparative excellency of the Soul above the Body p. 9 Monkery and Non-conformity compar'd p. 9 10. How a thought of the Soul true or false is preferr'd before Estate Health and Life p. 11. Three properties requir'd to Act from the heart p. 12. Of force about Religion p. 13 14. Both good and bad men are for pleasure and the difference and the necessity of Divine Grace to set the will free p. 14 15. The Heart is for God and Christ and none beside why How p. 16. seqq Two reasons why the heart is so and how the Soul is Correlate to God p. 19. seqq An Irrefragable proof of the Deity from wicked mens experience and why it operates not upon some p 20 21. The Scheme and Hypothesis of the Christian Faith out of St. Paul and Creed and Fathers and Baptismal Vow p. 21 22. The right rule to chuse or avoid Communion with Churches p. 23. The Christian Hypothesis the best foundation and support of Societies p 23 24. A description of a true and right member of a Society p. 25. seq Honour is more than Life Conscience more than Honour what more than Conscience p. 27. Of a false member and of self-love how sordid and destructive of it self p. 28. seqq What makes good Men good Subjects good Rulers p. 31. seqq The great Rule of doing as we would be done by fenc'd and exalted by the Text p. 32. seq Blind obedience and implicit Faith in the Church of Rome to Superiours fairly examin'd and found unsound and unworthy p. 32. 33. seq What is Truth p. 37. Which the greater sin Tyranny or Rebellion p. 38 39. Plenitude of Soveraignty and Liberty consistent p. 40. Christs Divinity prov'd against Socinians p. 41 42. SECT I. An Exhortation to adhere to the Church of England against Rome p. 43. seqq The way to be Infallible p. 44. Worship in an unknown Tongue excludes the heart p. 44. seq Men are to be Infallible for themselves first for their Brethren next p. 47. The Controversy consists in the Election of a right or wrong Infallible guide p. 47. This Question stated in the sense of both parties p. 48 49 51. All other Controversies would end if this were decided p. 51. Obedience to the wrong is disobedience to the Right Soveraign ibid. Three Questions propos'd to find out the true p. 52. The heart cannot be without a guide Christ or sin or man of sin p. 53. The Principles of Government with the last p. 54 55 No Law of Christ or Conscience or Countrey must be heeded against his Authority and Interest p. 56 57 The Soul is Gods Temple and the Pope instead of Christ affects to be Soveraigâ— there p. 61 62. Great folly and danger to hearken to a Perkin Warheck p. 63 64. The Principles of Protestants how they prove the uniform Loyalty of the heart to Christ as the right Soveraign p. 63 64. How the Brittish Church knowes the Scriptures to be Gods word p. 64. How our Controversies about things indifferent are decidable by these Principles p 65 66. Christ is the Judge of quick and dead and who are his Depuâ—â—â—â—on Earth 47 67. And nothing to be acted against him by â—â—â—s Authority p. 67. Such as be Hereticks with the Pope but Catholicks with God are in no danger p. 67. SECT II. Rome no Mother Churâ—h to us not Loyal to Christ her Soveraign p. 68 69. Every Church may be consider'd three wayes 1. According to its Inside 2. Outside 3. Or extraction p. 69. Jerusalem above not Rome is the Mother Church to all Christians in respect of their inside
Spirit and of Rome's disobedience to general Councils p. 368. No Church more led by a private Spirit than Rome why ibid. What a needless labour it is for the Church of Brittain to defend it self against Romish imputation of Schisme clear'd by several Instances p. 372 373. The Reformation commenc'd in its causes with H. 7th p. 374. seqq His Restoration Prophecyed of p. 375. Dr. Colet Founder of St. Pauls School began to preach against Superstitions and Legends Accus'd for Heresie liked by Henry the 7th Warner had his Principles from Colet Cranmer from Warner Henry 8th from Cranmer p. 377. seqq A strange alteration of the state of the Nation with King Henry the 7th p. 379. Of the hand of God and man in the Reformation Most Instruments acted against their first intention p. 381 382. The Spirit of Henry the 8th not to be parallel'd p. 381. Excommunicated by thy Pope though a Catholick and with right of his side ibid. The favour and frown of Providence upon this Nation according to its disposition against Popery or for it observed remarkably p. 384. seqq K. Henry 8. how Great p 385. Queen Mary unfortunate Ibid. The success and Fame of Q. Elizabeth p. 386. Whence are our troubles and ill successes p. 387. Cromwells police and successes ibid. The fate and humour of this Nation against Popery p. 388. What will cure this Nation probably p 389. 435. Rome and Brittain mutually and differently fatal to one another p. 389. seq English more inexcusable than Forreign Papists p. 389. 390. SECT XIII Of our Brittish Archbishopricks London York and Caerleon or St. Davids p. 393. seq How Metropolitical Sees began p. 396. Emperours honour'd the place of their birth and Seat of Empire p. 397. 398. Of the Roman pall which at Rome gives all their Authority to Patriarchs and Archbishops And how our Brittains had no faith for it Archbishop Sampson's Pall at York was Imperial not Papal p. 402. 403. â—ees and Pals at Rome constitute a Church instead of Christ and the heart p. 404. How Rome hath Unchurch'd her self by her new Principles p 404. 405. It 's hard to determine where the Brittish Primacy was de facto easie where de jure Ibid. The reasons for York Ibid. Perterna the name of Constantine's Pallace there what it signified p. 406. The Antiquity and merits of York not Inferiour to Rome or Antioch c. 40â— How unworthy it is to advise Princes to desert the rights of their Country p. 409. The Title of London p. 410. How greatly wronged by Rome p. 411. The Title of Caerleoni Ibid. Cressy's exception against the Welsh Epistle in Sir H. Spelman invâ—ild p. 412. Where the Primacy was of right p. 413. Originally emmently Our Kings are Primates of the Temporal part of the Eternal Church and Christ of the Eternal p. 415. The practice of Sea-men decides this point Ibid. An old appetite in Mitre and Crown to reunite p. 416. The different respects of Christian and Antichristian Mitres to the Crown Ibid. The fate of this Church observed to follow that of the Crown Ibid. The Revolutions of the Primacy of York p. 417. The duration and Period of the Archbishoprick of London p 419. Why Monk Augustine did not settle his Archiepiscopal Chair at London according to the first directions of the Pope and that London suffered pobably for its adherence to the Brittish Faith p. 420. 421 206. The primacy in Henry 8. was restored to Brittain though not to London p. 422 423. Bede's testimony that the faith never failed in Brittain p. 423. Some of the Sees in Wales erected since the Saxon Invasion others from King Lucius ibid. The See of St. David never Subject to Canterbury till Henry 1. and that by force and an unjust sentence of the Pope How first brought to be under Rome 424. 425 426. Sir H. Spelman bewails the wrong of the See of St. David how it may be remedied and why p. 427. How the Pope made advantage by the contests of our Metropolitans p. 427 429. Left them at last to the decision of our Kings p. 432 Kings have power by the Canons to alter and translate Metropolitical Sees p. 431. The Primacy of Canterbury a stumbling-block to some not versed in History to believe Rome to be a Mother-Church to Brittain and consequently our Reformation to be Schismatical and not fit to be countenanced by Princes for the disobedience how answered and remedied p. 433. Papists the first Schismaticks here and the causes of our divisions and troubles p 435 SECT XIV Rome will stand to no Councils that are against it p. 437. Yet calls for Obedience to its Bulls ibid. The probable cause why the Spirit of truth hath withdrawn from the latter Councils of the Church p. 432. Cyprus exempted from Antioch by the General Council of Ephesus and how the case of Brittain as to Rome's pretence is exactly the same p. 439. seqq Of the 6 Canon of Nice Our Brittish exemption confirmed by it because our Sees were before in being and proved by Ruffinus his sence thereof who was of these parts and knew our rights 443. seqq Rome's pretence of Supremacy if true overthrowes this and all General Councils if false proves it self to be Antichristian p. 444. 438. several Churches besides Brittain supreme within themselves p. 447. â—â—wes â—orgery openly detected in the Council of Carthage and its Supremacy shut out ibid In the Church as well as State men are bound to know their Chief and who this is p. â—49 The Government of the Primitive Church was Aristocratical when that of the State was Monarchical and the Pope would have it now Monarchical when the Governments of the World are Aristocratical and co-ordinate p. 450. The difference between the Ecclesiastical and Civil Powers as to extent of Authority heretofore p. 452. The several nullities of the Roman Church in England And how their Clergy stand deprived of their holy Orders and the danger of the Laity that abet their Intrusion proved at large by undoubted Canons of General Councils and particularly their beloved Council of Sardyca by which they are not to be reckon'd amongst Christians as the Ancient Brittains in Bede stifly insisted p. 456 to 465. Of other particular Nullities in the Ordinations of Romish Bishops here p. 465. seq The truly Catholick Church was govern'd by Laws the Roman-Catholick would be above all Laws and Canons p. 4â—0 The Nullities of the Romish Church here prov'd out of their own Rules and Principles p. 470. seqq The argument against their H. Orders Contracted p. 475. SECT XV. How Christendom is infected by such lawless examples of Popes made consistent with Holiness p. 477. How they make themselves incurable p. 479. Papists are more Pope's people than Gods people ibid. The cause and occasion of their Apostacy from History and how parallel for cause and effect to the fall of Angels p. 480 489. The advice of the Wesel to the Fox had been their Cure p
reason to envy the higher condition and temporal honours of Superiours in this World having such great reward and honour in reserve from God for his own work And we see the Soul it self though never so excellent or extensive to be content in this life with less room and port than the body and an Idiot may have a greater presence than a Rabbi though the one have its name from restraint and narrowness the other from Amplitude of person and endowments and Davids great spirit which encountred Bears and Lyons and Goliah's had but a narrow Case And St. Paul who overcame the world by his Ministry is said by some To be weak in presence and in his speech Contemptible 2 Cor. 10.10 And were not Christ the only Master and Rewarder and Judge and King and his Priesthood but in the Character and Condition of Labourers and Stewards under him and not the Lords and proprietors of his blessed word and Mysteries who were able or sufficient to requite their spirituals Is the tenth of an Estate or thousands of Rams or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or the whole World were one sole owner of it a sufficient price or present for the Gospel or for Christ or for pardon of sins and peace of Conscience and the Souls Salvation What Kings or Emperours were too good to bow and prostrate themselves before Popes if they preach'd or any right Minister of the Gospel were their comfortable messages their own and not their Heavenly Masters Yet though they are but Instruments and servants under Christ are they not to be left without honour and esteem and maintenance from men and that not mean or scant for their work sake though they be to expect their full reward and portion from none but God For the reason and Civility of Nations though they reserve the Glory and honour to the chief Authors of their deliverances and victories yet leaves not the Messengers of good Tydings without their due respect and presents God alone is our supream King and Father preserver and our Earthly Superiours and Benefactors and Delieverers are but Instruments under him And though the respect that is due and congruous to the principal be not payable to the Instrument yet by all Laws and Instincts of Gratitude and Conscience and Customes of Nations Instruments under God of Benefits Kings Fathers Conquerours Benefactors receive that proper and meet acknowledgment and return that is their due yet Instruments are by no means to step into the Throne or usurp or arrogate the Royalties of their Principals but must rest content with that Tribute of respect and honour that is due to their subordinate Ranks and Stations though they are the Conveyers under God of Spiritual which infinitely exceed all temporal benefits and mercies And great and remarkable is the difference between the Pains of the Clergy and the payments and rewards of the Laity in the Ancient and Primitive times when Christ was more in the heart and the World less towards what it is and hath been in the degenerate times of Christianity when the World began to have more of mens hearts than Christ St. Peter though the Prince of the Apostles and Founder of our great and Wealthy Popes was not worth a Groat upon the score of his Function for so is his answer to one begging his Alms Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have give I thee Act. 3.6 And yet all Rich Christians then that had either Land or Houses sold and parted with all and laid them at his feet c. 4.34 35 37. so great was the clearness of the one and the gratitude of the other and the care and preferrence of the Community and of the poor in both And St. Paul laboured night and day to get his living while he preach'd the Gospel of God unto others 1 Thess 2.9 Yet bears them record That they were ready to pluck out their eyes if possible to give them to him Gal. 4.15 A good Argument that they that would not spare their Eyes much less would spare their Purses for his sake as others more remote cannot erect Temples though miracles of the World for magnificence sufficiently answerable to the merits of his memory And the Apostolical abstinence was closely followed by the succeeding Heroes of the Primitive Church As Origen and others who preferr'd Hearts before Purses and fared hard and went barefoot while they had Nobles for their Converts which is not to be attributed to Sullenness or Melancholly or Vain-glory but either to the strict observation of our Saviours Rule Freely have you received freely give more binding in those times of Miraculous assistance Or to an aime of trampling this present World under their their feet and encouraging their Christian followers in their poverty and persecutions as the Emperour Severus us'd to walk bare-head in snow and rain to hasten the tardy March of his Armies Or to the Eternal Rules and decencies of giving and receiving which require the one part to forget their merits the other never to forget their benefits more lively exerted in them who by extraordinary Grace were better fitted to represent the several parts of God to the life whereof the Giver is ever one as the Receiver is of the Creature and the Receiver when he requites and repayes puts on again the Giver and the Giver becomes as a Creature to be in a capacity to receive which is a remarkable shadow and footstep in nature of the Incarnation and both parts of God could not be acted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by such unbounded zeal and thankfulness in both in imitation of Gods bounty who giveth liberally and is so far from upbraiding that he hazards the denyal of his existence and being with the inconsiderate for his silence and withdrawing But extraordinary times being not presidents for ordinary that the Clergy now should labour Gratis or the Laity hold all in Common as then they did as the manner of living in a Siege not a Rule for the manner of living when God sends Peace and plenty This noble strife and generous contention between Liberality and Refusal in Primitive Hearers and Teachers was stated afterwards and compos'd by Divine and Apostolical intimations not only That of the Labourer being worthy of his hire but that more express establishment Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should have by the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 Where the Evangelical maintenance is equall'd if not indentified with the Levitical which is known not to have been scant and prosperity and a Curse annex'd from God besides upon all that were just or unjust in paying or withholding their Tithes and Offerings Mal. 3.8.9 10. And further yet We wish you did reign that we also might reign with you 1 Cor. 4.8 Where it is implyed that it is but just and fit that the Ministers of the Gospel should partake and share in its highest prosperity and advancement who are sure to smart
in that Church for sincere and true members of Christ by the searcher of their hearts and ours we trust by mutual offices of Prayer and Charity we hold Communion in the General And a particular rent or schism cannot be conceived without some particular Vnion or Subjection preceeding and it sufficiently appears â—ow little there was of old between Rome and Brittain for how can an Arm be out of joynt from that part with whom it was never In. They themselves who accuse first are Schismaticks unavoidably especially our deluded English and Brittish and Irish Roman-Catholicks born under the same Allegiance believing in the same Christ that refuse to joyn in communion and worship with their own Mother Church much more Ancient and pure than that of Rome which were it less corrupt than it is they unworthily prefer before her against proverb and practice for home is homely be it never so homely and you shall not meet a child of that folly that will prefer a pompous Countess before his poor Mother But so truly Catholick and Apostolick and free from all foul and loathsome Idolatries and Superstitions are the Sacraments of our own Church that if they once tasted with us the milk of their own chast Mother they would never covet Forreign breasts that have an ill name any more nor be so earnest with us to prefer manifest poison before it And the cause of their delusion that should nevertheless be so zealous to persevere in such unnatural ignoble obstinacy and disobedience so destructive to themselves must needs be more than humane 2 Thess 2.11 But our Communions and separations are not in our own power but we are to take and leave as God directs and God directs to hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 The unity of the Spirit and not the unity of the Flesh that is to select such for our Christian Brethren to associate with them in dear fellowship who express by their Conversation that they are dead to this present World and self ends by their Faith and conformity to the cross of Christ and live in Heaven by their holy conformity to his Ascention which is a state of the Spirit and Grace and the right Catholick Church But to avoid and separate as much as may be in this World from such as are Earthly carnal sensual selfish scandalous and especially if such by their Doctrine policy profession designe and principle for such are enemies to the cross of Christ and a state of confederacy with the flesh wholly asymbolical and contrary to the nature of such a Church a Christian is to hold Communion with so St. Paul explains and expressly decides this case Phil. 3.17 18 19. shewing that such whose God is their belly whose Glory is their shame who mind Earthly things are not to be followed but shunned be their brags never so Christian and Catholick and why are they to be shunn'd because they are enemies to the Cross of Christ which they abuse and profane to compass Worldly ends and grandeur and Christs subjects ought not to correspond with his enemies not only upon the score of Loyalty but Interest and safety for the end of both will be destruction v. 19. And the reason why he and such as walk'd as he did were to be followed and embrac'd is because he followed Christ in his Cross as is implyed by the contrary Antithesis v. 17 18. because he also followed him in his Resurrection and Heavenly life as it is expressed in these words v. 20. For our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour This is the Catholick Church where all that will joyn with it shall be sure to find Salvation by it And in like manner he directs the Romans 16 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the heart of the simple A prophetical Description of the Roman Church Apostatizing into Roman Catholick and preferring Titles befere Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or good words presignifiing their meek and holy and publick pretensions and title of servant of servants Fathers Confessors Apostolick See c. and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faire speeches or rather blessings their easie Absolutions and innumerable Indulgences Ceremonious crossings of all things and persons The like rule is given to Timothy and to all Bishops and every Christian in him If thou observe any make a Trade and Merchandize of the Gospel Supposing gain to be godliness from such withdraw thy self 1 Tim. 6.5 Which markes and characters of true or false Christians though they are less heeded and regarded by the guides of the Church of Rome and their credulous Disciples than by their more observing neighbouring Churches who know that Simon Magus the Father of the old Gnosticks pointed at by the Apostle v. 20. was more certainly at Rome and left his successors behind him than Simon Peter The wonder is the less because gifts and lusts more blind the eyes of the receivers and Actors than the standers by Neither do these Apostolical warnings alone but the woful experiences that back them deterr us from their communion above any other We held communion heretofore with the Eastern Church and that of Jerusalem without spiritual hurt or damage to our selves and our communion with the Ancient Gallican Church in the West added strength and comfort to us The Churches of Scotland and Ireland though by Civil Governments they were under different Kings and them not often friends yet by the Christian faith they were one piece with our Brittish Church defending our cause against Rome and Augustine with equal concern But when we began to acquaint our selves with Rome when it was better than now it is we gain'd nought but wounds and defilements and misfortunes by it There Pelagius with Celestius had his fall and ruine when with like good intentions as some other learned men in after Ages he went about to alter Divinity into a moral Philosophy to fit the needs of Christians there who lived short of men and were but hardned the more in their sins by the Evangelical Doctrines of free grace an evident symptom of their ripeness for Divine vengeance as appeared by the dismal sacking of Rome shortly after Anno 410 †Inter Augustinianas Epist 142. Hieronymianas which he elegantly describes in his Epistle to Demetriades There Wilfrid imbib'd the principles of avarice and ambition wherewith he corrupted his Brittish Institution and brought troubles upon himself as well as others and more disturb'd than promoted the plantation of the Gospel amongst the Saxons carried on then by Brittish industry There St. Patrick and Palladius Sons of the Brittish Church and of contrary Doctrines and Customes to Rome as appeared in their plantations yet