he in all this space could bring vs no defence for them Wee cannot see by his owne reason seing they haue neither the true matter nor the forme of CHRISTES gouernment howe their gouernment should be held and esteamed the true and holie gouernment of Christ And then must that sequel which he so feareth needes followe that yt is an antichristian gouernment yoke such as the true Church seruantes of Christ may not beare and wittinglie stand vnder To perticulate all the seuerall corruptions abuses enormities of the gouernment of these antichristian Bishops is not in mie skil or power not knowing in anie measure their Cannons customes orders priueledges proceedings Onlie this in general I may affirme that of such pompeous stagelike popish mixt Courtes handling both ciuile ecclesiastical causes iudiciallie I neuer read through al the book of God or to belonge to Christes Church Especiallie exercising such absolute power iurisdiction ouer al Churches causes and persons ecclesiastical yea vsurping assuming and executing the whole power offices and dueties of al Churches yea euen the proper prerogatiues priuiledges only belonging to Christ himself To make impose or abrogate lawes To giue or rather sel licences dispensations to haue more benefices then one to marrie to eate flesh at tymes of restrainte c To cal sommon and fetch by coÌ„strainte al causes persons of the Church before them There to determine decree to censure silence suspeÌ„d sequester depose incarcerate punish by mulct what Minister or meÌ„ber of the Church they lust of their owne absolute aucthoritie without any controlement reprose or redresse The Church hauing no power or libertie to reprooue or refuse no not so much as call into question anie thing they do or decree to rebuke or censure these inordinate lawlesse fellowes for anie thing they doe either publickely or priuatly The Church must receiue obey as most holie whatsoeuer they decree or impose with al reuerence as the oracles of God though they be neuer so contrarie to the worde of God The Church or any other member of the Church in these Courtes be not permitted so much as to propounde or pleade their owne cause But are by them coÌ„pelled to their romish litigious course procedinges To speake pleade by a feed Advocate or Proctor after their popish order and custome Where for bribes fees al causes be they neuer so fowle corrupt are handled pleaded and proceede that I say not succeede And without such bribes fees no cause be yt neuer so iust and y e partie neuer so poore or innoceÌ„t hath audience or help Here being so many officers catchpolles attendantes to be feed pleased To all these rauenous Birdes with fingers the suetors sommoned become a pray But especially the faithful such as speak against and will not of conscience and faith vnto God stoope downe vnto their antichristian power or obey their vngodly decrees These shalbe worse vsed then any trayterous Papists or facinorous persons whatsoeuer who shall all of them by their purse or freindes escape well enough find fauour when these poore soules shall neuer geat out of their handes without wrack either of bodie or soule either death or denying the faith These though there be no direct matter euidence witnesses or accusers against them yet shall themselues be inforced to a corporal oth as they call it vpon and by a booke to answeare directly and truly to such articles and poyncts as shalbe propownded vnto them If they denie or make conscience either of the maner or matter of this oth then instead of godly instruction or christian persuasion they are forthwith committed to prison yea for the most parte to close prison there to remaine shut vp from al ayre exercise friendes dueties callings c vntill they either yeild to take this idolatrous blasphemous and impious oth or dye vnder their handes No baile maineprise help benefite or redresse by lawe by the Queenes Royal writtes or Courtes allowed to any that are committed by the leaste of this hellish Anarchie Whose lawlesse and insolent dealinges oppressions iniuries violence may not be caled in question or examined by anie ciuile Magistrates or Courtes All which they patronize by her Ma ties high or especiall Commission vnto them Although her Ma tie suffreth her Roial Prerogatiue to be handled considered of in some of these ciuile Courtes yea graunteth to all her free borne subiectes the benefite free vse of her Highnes lawes euen in anie cases or causes betwixt her Highnes and them according to the great Charter in the Magna Charta whervnto her Ma tie is sworne which Charter also these lawlesse Prelates most presumptuouslie and tyrannously violate breake vnder colour of her Ma ties Commission thus setting her Ma ties Commission against her Ma ties Prerogatiue Courtes Royal against that great Charter of the land against all her Highnes lawes yea against al the lawes of God the TestameÌ„t Kingdome of Christ. But to say as it is their procedinges are both against ther coÌ„mission if they might be dulie examined conferred thervnto and against her Ma tâ—es meaning Whose milde preceable iust gouernmeÌ„t in al causes that procead from her self assure vs that She would neuer wittingly graunt such a commission as shoulde be so preiudicial to her owne Crowne Royal dignitie to the estate of the Church and of the whole common wealth as this wherby these Prelates beare themselues their vngodly procedings is That power graunted vnto her Ma tie by ParliameÌ„t to appoinct aucthorize whom she shal thinck meet to execute vnder her al maner iurisdictioÌ„s priuiledges and preemineÌ„ces concerning ecclesiastical causes to her belonging is as also al other her Princely power aucthoritie alwaies to be vnderstood in the Lord so far as shalbe found consonant to his word For neither is there giuen neither may or wil her Ma tie take or exercise any furder or other power then the Lord her God giueth her In whom Kinges reigne of whom their power is diriued and holden by whom yt is circumscribed and limited to whom they shal as anie other persons accompt If then these Prelates and their antichristian Hierarchie these romish Courtes and their popish procedinges in the same be not fownde to be of God to haue anie warrant in his word or to belong to the ministrie gouernment of Christes Church then can no commission or humane aucthoritie whatsoeuer make them lawfull impose or enioyne them vpon the Church Neither ought anie Christian to obey them at the CommandmeÌ„t of any mortal maÌ„ Men must alwaies be obeyed in the Lord. Vnto whom when or wherein they be fownd coÌ„trarie or opposite there must God rather then meÌ„ be obeyed His indignation that caÌ„ cast both body soule into hel fire is more to be feared theÌ„ theirs that can but touch the body only To obey Gods commaundements and to refrayne
by the death of CHRIST or the mercy of God belonged vnto such as dye in their sinnes impenitent except peraduenture the Priestes prayers nowe the holines of the grownd and this christen buryal c may helpe him thus openlâ—e contradicting th'expresse word of God and hardening all the rest of your prophane Atheists Idolators whore-masters blasphemers in their sinnes Likewise in an other Collect where they desire God that they with that their departed brother may haue a perfect consummation blisse both in bodie soule what do they but pray for the Soule of the deade seing they burye all with this Collect and some must needes dye apparantly wicked and impenitent Yea what doe they hereby but establish a Purgatory or some such meane place for in Hel there is no redemption Thus whither doth not man wander whilest he followeth his owne inventions and forsaketh the straight pathes of the Lorde AS to their venal funerall Sermons they haue as litle grownde or vvarrant in the Scriptures as their Dirige and funeral Collects haue Wel may they deriue them from the funeral Orations of the Heathen Orators but no president they haue of the godlie in anie age so to bury their deade We reade of no such matter at anie of the Patriarches Prophets or godlie Kinges burial No nor at the burial of our Sauiour CHRIST of the Martyre Stephen of the Apostle Iames or anie of the faithful in those tymes yet were there as godlie religious learned and able men to doe yt then aliue remayning as they that thinck the best of themselues nowe if the holy Ghost had seene it so needful NExt fellowe your corrupt maner of administring the Sacraments the Font the Crosse in baptisme your Gossips and blasphemous Collects vsed to this Sacrament your Baptisme by weomen Bishoping with other heretical Collects of this booke when we shew you say whie the Fonte is an abhomination you shal knowe what to say How idolatrously the Font was inveÌ„ted brought into y e church hallowed the POPE is euident to all men Whether they fetched this from the Iewes Lauar Sea or Base we will not here dispute Sufficeth it vs that yt ys an idolatrous popish enchauÌ„ted hallowed relique wherin they put kept their enchaunted hallowed water and vsed yt to manie execrable idolatries Therfore yt is an abhominatioÌ„ to the Lord a detestable Idoll that ought to be vtterly abolished by the lawe of God and ought not to be vsed in his Church and worship Furder seing yt nourisheth the Papists the weake and ignorant in their fore-conceaued superstitioÌ„ and is an offence vnto the godly if yt were a thing in libertie yet ought is not to be thus vsed much lesse thus enioyned retayned by vertue of lawe vpon all Congregations And seing in the best imagination of yt it is not an instrument of anie more necessitie or vse vâ—to this Sacrament then anie other cleane and decent vessel seing also our Sauiour CHRIST hath not separated anie vessel or water to this vse We cannot see how a fewe men may be thus bold to command this vessel vpon all Churches by waye of lawe and to forbid all other vnto this vse For what is this but to restraine that which God hath left in libertie to coÌ„trole God and to make newe lawes for his Church And whie might they not by the same vsurped power bring in what vnnecessarie Ceremonies they list eueÌ„ al their fore-Fathers y e Iewes Popes infinite traditions aswel as these popish deuises Iewish ordinances aboue-said aswel as these popish idolatrous reliques of Fonte Bells Organs Musick Surplices Coapes Vestimentes Habites Hoodes Cappes Tippetts Tires c. BVt if these least litle thinges which they call matters indifferent wherein al men ought to obey proue so heynous in Gods eyes so pernitious to the whole Church what shal we thinck of their Simbolical Ceremonies tryflings iocolings that they haue added to their Sacracraments As vnto their Baptisme a Dialogue betwixt the Priest the Clarcke the God-fathers God-mothers and the Infant the signe of the Crosse the sanctifying or making holie their water c. Their fowre sortes of Baptismes Namely 1. Their publique Baptisme by the Priest c. 2. Their hastie Baptisme by weomen 3. Their Baptisme by supposition N. if thou be not baptised I baptize thee c. 4. And their Lorde the Bishop his Baptisme or Confirmation of CHRISTS baptisme Likewise in their Sacrament of the Supper their friuolous Leitourgie stinting the Priest when and how to stand at the North end of the Table what and when to saye and praye when to kneele when to tourne when to glory God c. Also the vayne Dialogue betwixt the Priest Clarcke and People Their altering the wordes of CHRISTS institution and deliuering yt after a popish maner The bodie of our Lord IESVS CHRIST vvhich vvas giuen for thee preserue thie Bodie and Soule vnto euerlasting Life c and that kneeling that they might adore the bread or at least retaine a taste of their former superstition in tyme of high poperie c. Of this Sacrament they haue also diuers kindes with diuers Leitourgies As publique or ordinarie Sollemne vpon certaine of their Festiuals And priuate or domestical Not here to speake of their other half Sacraments As their Penance or Commination vpon Ash-wednesday with their special Leitourgie therevnto Their Sollemnization of Mariage in the bodie of their Church vpon the Lordes daye or otherwise by the Priest with his booke and special Leitourgie with a Ring as the element to be laid vpon the Seruice-booke which doth hallowe yt in steade of holie Water with which ring the man must be taught of the Priest to wedd his wief c And the marryed offer vnto the Priest and Clarck TOuching the Crosse Mr. Giffard confesseth yt to be most blasphemously and horribly abused in Poperye they ascribing vnto yt power to driue out deuils and worshipping yt with deuine honor We looked that after his accustomed maner he should haue said But our Church doth not so thinck of or worship the Crosse Therfore you Brownists most impudent lye sclander c. But in steade of this he saith neuer a worde to the mattter in perticular Saue vnto Symbolical ceremonies in general he is of iudgment That the antient Churches immediatlie after th'apostles tyme did offend in taking ouer much libertie to ordeine ceremonies Symbolical Yet he doubteth not but verie reuereÌ„d godlie learned men ledd by th'example of those holye Fathers haue iudged it lawful for the Churches to ordeyne such Ceremonies We would first therfore knowe of those reuerend godlie learned and not of Mr. Giffard whie they nowe that al are Christian and no heathen amongst them retaine enioyne this superstitious signe of the crosse in th'administration of their baptisme Also whether they are not persuaded That our Sauiour Christes institution which the Apostles taught and deliuered vnto the Churches touching th'administration
right deare and faithful seruant of CHRIST yet Sathan sifted him and he fell Yea we had thought that our Sauiour onlie had receiued this strength and defence against al temptations to sinne assaults c. And that al mortal men had bene dailye subiect to sinne temptation c that our reioycing might be of God and not of our selues and Gods glorie be shewed and perfected through our weaknes If these vanuties of the Bissops were true then might it indeed rightly be called a Confirmation for then such as had that were sure and sure there then to those should be no more vse of CHRISTES merites suffrings or mediation or of Gods mercye But because al men are coÌ„tinuallie prone vnto and euen enclosed and compassed about with sinne whilest they dwel in this mortal flesh and haue continual neede of Gods mercy and vse of CHRISTS merites suffrings and mediation Yea because we see wel nigh al those whom the Bisshops haue thus confirmed to be confirmed in al sinne and wickednes and euen the Bisshops themselues the aucthors of this deuise from whom al this vertue and holines should flowe fourth vnto others to be them-selues the verie synkes draynes of al abhomination corruption idolatrie superstitioÌ„ blasphemie and open transgression of al Gods lawes We are confident in the truth and power of our Lorde IESâ—S CHRIST to witnesse against these abhominable ordinances of Antichrist and against the Church of England for receiuing the same and maintayning the most impious blasphemous doctrines that ensue therof as is aboue proued TO the blasphemous Collects in your Sacraments Booke you wishe we were as weary in lying and sclandering as we should be to seeke finde out one such You haue in rememâ—rance the Collects wherin the Priest by th'aucthoritie committed vnto him doth absolue the sicke of al his sinnes You must not forget your two Cellects said ouer your deade brother The one wherin you praise God for receiuing to mercye his soule liued he or died he neuer so prophane blasphemouse and impenitent a wretch The other wherin you praye for him that you with him may haue a perfect consummatioÌ„ blisse both in bodie and soule Nowe to helpe your memorie a little furder we woulde desire you to consider better of that glorious Antheame you singe or saye in your publique Communion wherin with Angells Arch-Angells and al the companie of heauen you laude magnifie c Wherin we wil not demaunde of you howe whilest you remaine in the flesh you can haue such familiar conversation with those heauenlie souldiours and elect spirits of the faithful deceased that you together with them can praise laude God Nether wil we presse you with the papistical and curious speculations in making digrees of Angells Arch-Angells c. But we would here knowe of you howe manie Arch-Angells you reade of finde in the Scriptures And whether you knowe anie more heades of Angells then Christ himself Exept peradveÌ„ture your Church haue some especial prerogatiue froÌ„ the Apostatical Sea to make Arch-Bisshops and Arch-Angells Your Collect also in baptisme of Sanctifijng the floud Iordan and al other waters to the mistical washing away of sinne some saye sauoreth greatly of Poperye and retayneth the people in a superstitious opinion That the water vsed in baptisme hath holines some especial vertue in yt abâ—â—e common water especially wheÌ„ yt is thus blessed by the Priest and 〈◊〉 out of the hallowed Fonte c. But we wil not presse you herewitâ— nether yet stand to examine your Collect vpon your St. Michael all Angells-Day how you make Michael a creature and Canonize him amonge the Popes Saincts and worship him amongst together with all Angels This shalbe no blasphemie no Poperie in your Church Nether will we stand to vnrip your popish patched Letanie Or shew by what POPE and whie euery part therof was deuised and added And wherfore yt is good As for the quick the deade For al that trauaile by sea or by land For all weomen labouring with childe For all sicke persons and younge children all prisoners and captiues For Bishops Curates For lightnings and tempestes For plague pestilence and famine For battaile and murder and for sodeyne death c. All which things and what ells that you will request at his handes CHRIST cannot but graunt you when you so beconiure him By the mysterie of his holie incarnation by his holie natiuitie and circumcision by his baptisme fasting and temptation by his agonie and bloudie sweate by his Crosse and passion by his pretious death and buriall by his glorious resurrection and assention and by the comming of the Holy Ghost And sweetlie you entreat him by them all seuerally and ioyntely to deliuer you from the euils aboue-said and also from fornication and al other deadly sinnes In which Sofrage we wil not obserue y t you hold some sinnes deadlie and others not deseruing death because you peraduenture can shift it off with learning howsoeuer yt standeth in the Popes booke or they that made it thought of it Onely we obserue that this your holy Letanie is a most rare and especiall confection soueraigne good for all thinges at all times but especially in the morning and therfore it is so ofteÌ„ enioyned to be songe or said in your Church euerie weeke at their mattens Yet was there by what aduenture we knowe not an vnsauorie vnhappie Sofrage stollen into your Letanie in Kinge EDVVARDS tyme Against the tyrannie of the Bisshop of Rome and all his detestable enormities Which Sofrage because it was nether so Canonical or holie nether agreed vnto the rest could not be songe with theÌ„ in tune Or because it was ouer rough doctrine for sondrie of their weake brethereÌ„ that then loued yet loue the POPE anie thing that commeth from him with all their hearte Or ells that which is more likelie ouer plaine doctrine to make the people abhor all their Romish wares marchantmen The worthy Bishops most vigilant Pastors Gouernours of your Church to auoide these inconveniences of their pontificall aucthoritie dismissed yt thrust it quite out of their Lâ—tanie and vtterlie abrogated and razed it out of their Authenticall Leitourgie Wherin nowe it hath bene by these learned men corrected and this perrilous Sofrage thrust out it is impossible to finde ether heresie or blasphemie But caÌ„ there be more horrible execrable blasphemie then thus to coniure exercise Christ by his natiuity circumcisioÌ„ baptisme fasting by his agonie his sweate his crosse his death his buryal c what Coniurers or Enchaunters can exceede this where haue they learned thus to praye thus to dismember distort Christ or thus idolatrouslie to applie and abuse these outwarde thinges which he did or were donne vnto him in the fleshe Why might they not aswel beseech him by his growing in age his walking fleeping weeping c by his crowne of thornes the spondge nayles speare No meruaile
Idols be placed together If they that worship the Beast his Image may be said to be in the Church of God and their seede outwardly within the couenant TheÌ„ the most abhominable and execrable may be said in this estate members of Christ washed purged with Christ his bloude sanctified and led by his Sprit in assurance of saluation For none can be said to be within the Church but the members of the Church And whomsoeuer we may affirme to be within the Church those so longe as they contynue in that estate we are also to iudge assuredly saued for anie thing to vs reuealed or knowen to the contrarie But if al these be most diuelish heresies directly contrarie to the whole truth of God if they be most execrable blasphemies such as christians abhor but to heare TheÌ„ let the aucthors and spreaders of these doctrines tremble for feareful iudgments remayne them HIs slie distinctioÌ„ or euasion rather wherby he diuideth the Church of Rome into two parts the Pope and his adherents And the nations vnder the tyrannie of the Pope doth rather bewray the thick darcknes of his heart wherin he is held with chaynes vnto iudgment and his giddye amazednes then anie way cleaâ—e him of these heresies and blasphemies aforesaid His first vnderstaÌ„ding of the Church of Rome is the Pope his lawes his worship which hath bene deuised by himself his adherents and al that worship him or receiue his marcke These he saith are the Apostasie seduced to damnation and not the Church of CHRIST otherwise then thus that the Pope the Cardinals and al that worship the Beaâ—t be false christiaÌ„s by profession bredd in the Church and contynuing in yt their seede not excluded from the Couenant What a delphick Orakle is this What strange repugnancie contradiction is here betwixt euerie worde of this his cleare Proposition How can the Pope and his adhereÌ„ts be said to be that Apostasy seduced to damnation not the Church of CHRIST and yet by the same mouth in the same sentence at one and the same instant be pronownced to contynue in the Church and their seede not be excluded from the outward couenant Can they be said to be vtterly departed from the faith from Christ from his Church which is meant by this word Apostasy and yet to remaine in the Church How hangs this together May they be pronounced seduced to damnation and not the Church of Christ and yet both they remayne in the Church and their seede not to be excluded from the seale of the couenant There ought none to remayne in the Church but such as are by outward profession and obedieÌ„ce members of the Church Neither ought the childreÌ„ of anie be baptized in their infancie except one of their Parents be a member of the Church The Pope then his Cardinals and adherents remayning in the Church their seede thus baptized as members seing none ells may either remayne in the Church or be baptized How may they thus be pronounced seduced to damnation and not to be the Church seing they are confessed to be outward members of the Church THe second vnderstanding of the Church of Rome is of al those compaines of people ouer whom the tyraÌ„nie of the Pope hath hertofore extended and doth at this daye Or those things which were giuen by CHRIST which remaine in the same this he saith is not the Church of Rome but the Church of God If by the people and tyrannie he here meane such persons as though their bodies were vnder the cruel haÌ„des of the Pope his Bishops or Prelates yet they kept their bodies soules vndefiled with their idolatries and abhominations and free from their antichristian yoke counterfeite Ministrie and ministration and haue on the other side faithfully kept practized the things which are giueÌ„ by our Sauiour CHRIST in his Testament these people indeed can at no hand be said the Church of Rome these are the true Church and seruants of Christ witnessing fighting through the faith of the Gospel against the Pope the Church of Rome and al their antichristian cleargie and religion But what is this to proue the kingedome of ENGLAND or other nations which haue beene and are defiled with the idolatries and abhominations of the Church of Rome in that estate to be the true Church of God but rather the quite coâ—trarie seing these faithful witnesse against them and haue no fellowship or communion with them The Church of Rome we reade Reuel 17. to be caled that great whore that sitteth vpon manie waters That great Babylon the mother of whoredomes abhominations of the earth with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication and th'inhabitants of the earth haue bene droncke with the wyne of her fornications mingled vnto them in her golden cup. We reade there verse 15. that the waters where the whore sitteth are people multitudes natioÌ„s tongues We reade also that the Beast the false Prophet shal deceaue y e people of the earth and cause theÌ„ to set vp worship the image of the Beast and to slaye al that wil not so doe And cause al both smale and great riche poore free bonde to receaue a marcke in their right haÌ„des or in their fore-heades And that no maÌ„ might buy or sel saue he that had the marcke of the Beast Wee reade furder more That all that receaue the Beastes marcke that worship him or his image shal drincke of the wyne of the wrath of God With what shame then caÌ„ this marcked Priest goe about to proue the Church of Rome to be y â— true Church of God Or those nations which haue coÌ„mitted fornication with her receaued her Ministrie wares abhominations that haue receaued the marcke and erected the image of the Beast and worshipped the Beast and his image in this time of their poperiâ— to be esteemed the true Church of CHRIST His 3 stowte reasons wil not al proue this poynte Though they held many poyntes of true and sounde doctrine yet the many heresies they held those as this man himself in an other place of his booke confesseth Fundamental doe poyson and leauen the whole lumpe There is no heretick that holdeth not some truth As to their holy Sacrament of Baptisme yt being deliuered by a false ministrie after a false maner with new adulterate elements of salt oyle chreame c with their magical incantations signes c and that to opeÌ„ idolators can no waye giue them christendome as this Popish Priest supposeth Or if this Baptisme in the Popish Church be an holy Sacrament true seale of the couenant then would we knowe of Mr. GIFFARD or his learned abettors whie their other Sacrament of the Supper or Altare should not also be held in the same accompt Or how the Church may be said to haue one true holy and auaileable Sacrament to be receaued an other so blasphemous and execrable as is
sometime of an other minde you must thincke it was before he had so neere friendship with or was imployed in such trustie seruices by his Lord of Londō Who as also his Lords grace must not be driuen to proue euerie thing they affirme that were enough to put young diuines vnto their pontifical mouth is sufficient warrant to all the Churches in England Yet I would of their curtesie they would giue vs their Schismatiks that cannot be so satisfied leaue to doubt though we wil not contēd whether their Caling Consecration and this their Power first came not from the Pope For albeit we haue heard that the offices of Prouincial Bishops Arch Bishops Metropolitanes where almost when this general defection from the gospel so much foretold of began to breake out and appeare longe before the Pope obtayned his Supremacie ouer al other Churches and Ministers Yet might it be that this maner of their caling solemne consecration and lardge irregular power of his Lords Grace Lord Bishops sprong from their vnholie Father the Pope Who when he was inthronized by Sathan had receiued the Dragons high commission to be his Vicare general in earth could not of his fatherhoode but prouide for these his natural childrē and bestowe them in his garrison Cities as his Tetrarches Lieutenants Tribunes with magnificent titles priuiledges power and authoritie to rule in his name and absence euen as his owne engrauen image ouer all Realmes Countries Territories within their Fathers dominiōs For as we haue also crediblie hearde there was neuer a Lorde Arch-Bishop or Lorde Bishop with such titles priuiledges power hearde of before the Pope created them Notwithstanding because wee haue these thinges but bie hearesay and would be lothe to affirme of things so vnsure we wil content our selues to haue proued and shewed the Arch Lord Bisshops to be no true Ministers of the gospel and Church of CHRIST and therfore of themselues antichristian from whom or howsoeuer they rise it skilleth vs not Neither shall it auaile them though they haue broken their faith and schismed from the Pope cast off his yoke renownced his vsurped power and tyrannie when they themselues are rounde to vsurpe retaine and exercise if not the same yet as antichristian enormous a power as the Pope retayning the same Courts Officers Cannons constitutions priuileges ouer all Churches Ministers causes doctrines censures they themselues not being subiect to the censure of anie Church exercising their aucthoritie and commandementes contrarie vnto and aboue all lawes both of God and of their Prince whose Royall Courts and writts are not of power to baile anie one committed by the leaste of their hierarchie assuming vnto themselues both the swordes exercising together and at once both ciuile and ecclesiasticall offices c. How well they aduance the Gospel of CHRIST that blaspheme the same and pronounce the rules ordinances and ministrie therof intollerable and persecute all such as either speake against them or for yt Let the tyrannous hauocke they make in the common wealth of poore christians in the prisons of the land shewe How wel by the liuelie worde they cut downe all idolatrie heresies and popish abhominations let the seruice-booke and publick worship of their Churche shewe Which whilest with a stronge hande they obtrude vpon euerie conscience as also impose vpon the Church is not this to tyrannize and exercise a Lordship ouer the faith and conscience Or to speake as he doth is this nothing but to execute the external discipline to make and impose a newe Leitourgie for the whole administration of the Church Or is it likelie that this marcked Minister of ANTICHRIST knewe what the outward gouernment of CHRIST in his Church meaneth that saith yt concerneth not the conscience Is there anie more dreadful or reuerend action on earth amongst men then the iudgmentes of CHRIST in his Church which are al most holie and true Or doe not these concerne the conscience Doth not euerie action of which there are such certaine lawes set by CHRIST himself nearelie concerne the conscience to doe it according to the same when the least abuse neglect or swaruing from the rule euen in the least circumstance that is enioyned in the least censure doth so deface the action is so offensiue preiudicial do not those actions which are donne for the saluation of soules that are said to binde in heauen not concerne the conscience Or doe not those rules which are giuen for the direction and preseruation of the publick communion of the whole Church and priuate conuersation of euerie member therof without the obseruation of which rules there can be no order no dutie either publick or priuate no holie walking in anie caling kept concerne the conscience Except Mr. Giffard can imagine such a Congregation and such members therof as either neuer sinne and so need no watching ouer admonition reproof Or ells such a Church and members therof as make no conscience of anie thing as when they sinne will not amend wil not heare admonition or suffer reproof which is the meanes giuen of God to bring them to amendement Yet Mr. Giffard maketh this holie outward gouernment of CHRIST ouer and in his Church not to concerne the conscience the myserable diuines of this age not to be of necessitie to the beeing and preseruation of a Church the blasphemous Bisshops of this land not to be a thing tollerable with manie other reprochfull blasphemies of the same which are not of anie christian almost to be hearde or repeated much lesse pronounced and defended These husbandmen are they that caste the Sonne and heyre out of the vineyarde that wil not haue him reigne ouer them but take the regiment into their owne hands deuising and erecting a newe forme of gouernement vnto the Church as these their popish Courtes Cannons Customes Officers declare and persecuting with al hostility and tyranny all such as pleade for Christes gouernement and wil not subiect their bodies and soules vnto their antichristian yoke But yet for all this they exercise no Lordship ouer the faith and conscience though they vsurpe exercise and impose this strange ministrie ministration and gouernement in and ouer the Church All this saith Mr. Giffard is but th'administration of exernall discipline and concerneth not the conscience especiallie if it be seared with a whote Iron as Mr. Giffard is Wherfore we doe impudentlie and wickedlie sclander when wee therfore conclude that the Bishops be antichristian and whosoeuer is ordayned by them hath his ministrie from Antichrist and from the Deuil What kinde of ministrie your Lord Bishops exercise and aucthoritie they vsurpe by that which is alreadie written the reader may iudge or at leaste hath a direct way shewed furder to examine What kinde of rule they keepe or as you call it discipline they execute remaineth to be tryed in the fourth principal transgression Where if you make not a better defence for it then you haue donne for their
true seede they that are borne after the fleshe persecuting them that are borne after the spirit It was shewed that wee are his seruantes and subiects to whom wee obeye That this yoke and bondage of Antichrist breaketh the wedlocke breaketh the Couenant with CHRIST CHRISTES loue and Couenant beeing no longer bounde or plight to vs then wee keepe faith to him which faith is forfeited and warre ended by yeilding and standing in bondage to Antichrist by taking and bearing his yoke which bondage and yoke was shewed and proued to be the badge of Antichrist the marcke of the Beaste which al the miserable multitudes vpon which the Harlot the false Church sitteth are compelled to receiue in their foreheades or in their handes wherbie the children of mounte Sina are knowen from the children of Ierusalem that is aboue and is free with al her children For al which children our Sauiour Christ hath purchased a ful and perfect libertie at a deare and pretious price hauing giuen vnto al his children the arrhabon of his spirit not the spirit of bondage but the spirit of adoption as sonnes And where this spirit is there is libertie For if wee be sonnes then are wee free and no bond seruantes For the bond seruaÌ„t abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer It was also shewed him to be a blasphemous error to say That to beare Antichristes yoke and gouernement is the lot of CHRISTES Church To conclude it was made plaine vnto him how fowllie he misvnderstoode abused falsified and peruerted those places of the Songe by him alleadged to proue that blasphemous error So that if Mr. G. would either haue bene aduertised or advised to make and put difference betwixt ciuile bondage and subiection and an antichristian bondage and yoke betwixt bodilie oppression and spiritual subiection Or would dulie haue pondered our opinions reasons and proues Or would haue bene admonished of his former dotages and errors he could not againe in these poyntes thus boldlie haue râ—sisted the euident truth turned away the direct scriptures vniustlie chardged and blasphemed vs persisted in his old dâ—â—estâ—ble errors tunne headlong into newe more and vnsufferably abused and peruerted the holy scriptures therevnto WE neuer denied and therfore may euil be chardged to hold That the Church might not be held in ciuile bondâ—ge bodily oppression persecution c by wicked vngodly guides both ciuil and ecclesiastical But what of this may it herevpon he concluded that therfore the Church may be held vnder Antichristes yoke in ecclesiastical or spiritual bondage There is no such consequeÌ„ce of this yet this is the state of the question propounded by Mr. G. in his first answeare And this he there endeuored to proue by this reason as also by the places of the Songe And nowe againe laboureth to bring to passe by an odde subtile diâ—tinction or diuision of his owne deuising and by sondry moe places of scripture He diuideth this antichristian yoke into two sortes a strict yoke and a lardge yoke His strict or proper yoke he saith is only spiritual and inwarde where the faith and conscience are burdened be in subiection to receiue Antichrist his lawes and worship The lardger yoke is when the Pastors of the Church doe vsurpe more then they ought in externall gouernment or tyrannously abuse the power committed into their hâ—nds This he calleth som antichristian yoke The first he saieth cannot be borne without falling from the freedome we haue in CHRIST The second as the lot of the Church may be willinglie suffred and wittinglie borne and yet remayne the Church of CHRIST and this by sondrie places of scripture he endeuoreth to proue First vnto his distinction or diuision of an antichristian yoke into straight and lardge outward and inwarde we acknowledge yt without the compasse of our reading or vnderstanding Wee stil affirme that no yoke or gouernement but only Christes may be borne or receiued of the true Church We furder saye and already haue proued that al the lawes and ordinances of Christes Testament howe outwardly and smale soeuer they may seeme concerne the conscience and that the wilfull omission and transgression therof bondeth both bodie and soule vnto iudgment without repentance So likewise we hold that euerie antichristian yoke chardgeth and bindeth the conscience both bodie and soule It being opposite vnto and a transgression of CHRISTES lawes and ordinances And therfore wonder how these Academical diuines these pleaders for iniquitie dâ—re hatch vs these poysoned distinctions of lardg and straight antichristian yokes the one binding the other not concerning the conscience Except they can shewe Gods lawe Or ells some transgression of Gods lawe that bindeth and chardgeth not the conscience Vntil Mr. Gif can doe this he must giue vs leaue not to receiue his curious distinction of lardge and straight yoke outward and inward Wee thincke also his reason somewhat hardlie constrayned when he concludeth because Antichrists yoke is spiritual Therfore onlie inwarde Wee call yt spirituall because yt commeth as also Antichrist himself doth by the effectual worcking of Sathan As also because it is wholly about spiritual and ecclesiastical actions and procedings But shal we therfore say yt is onlie inwarde Might not by these reasons the whole visible Church yt self al the publicke ministration actions and ordinances therof as also euerie person member therof be said only inward because they are al said spiritual Againe it semeth that Mr. G. litle vnderstandeth what an Antichristian yoke is that termeth euerie sinne and disorder arising in the Church an antichristian yoke We confesse the Church may transgresse of negligence or ignoraÌ„ce yea so suffer such vngodlie presumptuous persons Ministers to abuse their power for a ceason yet this is not willingly to beare or wittingly to receiue anie antichristian yoke neither cease they herevpon to be true Churches whilest they despise not admonitioÌ„ neither refuse to repent being reproued Yet this we saie the Church greatlie sinneth in suffring such presumptuous inordinate persons whom they ought to cast out And if so be the Church either want wil and refuse to cast them out being admonished or want power and be not able to cast them out being discouered but it brought in subiection remayneth in boÌ„dage to these guides yt ceaseth in this estate vnto our iudgment to be the true Church of Christ. And nowe to the scriptures Mr. G. bringeth that the true Church may wittingly and willinglie be brought into bondage of some antichristian yoke Ezech. 34. Ierem. 5. 31. Ier. 20. 1. Ioh. 7. 13. Iohn 9. 22. First wee say that these Ministers were by office and caling true Ministers of the Temple but their Ministers by office and calling are not and so no comparison Then we say that these were now so wholly degenerate and apostatate in Iehoiakim and Zedechiahs tymes and the whole state so corrupted and fallen from God into
innovating of his Testament examine which you shall soone perceiue if you looke but what CHRISTS perpetual ordinances offices officers and lawes for the guyding ordering and gouerning of his Church be prescribing euerie one their place dutie limites ioyntly seuerally and not finde your ministerie registered there but a strange Leitourgie and worship borrowed from the Pope which came out of the bottomlesse pit confesse your sacriledge in suppressing CHRISTS whole ministerie and ordinances and erecting an other for the perpetuitie of his euen to euerie naile and pyâ— The holy Ghost sheweth that only to be his ministerie till we be all a perfect body in him and his whole ministerie and ordinances a kingdome that cannot be shaken Hebr. 12. Ephes. 4. a commandement to be kept vndefiled till the apearing of IESVS CHRIST his Scepter an euerlasting Scepter the Sonne as faithfull in his house as MOSES a seruant in the Tabernacle who made all things according to the paterne So that it is to be woÌ„dred Mr. GIFFARD should think anie part of Christs gouernment should not be perpetuall that was giuen by his Apostles the master buylders and layers of the foundation wherby all actions should be tried to y e worlds end May not Mr. Giff. as wel cal into question the perperuitie of the Testament as the lawes rules for the gouernment of his Church Now if your whole false Hierarchie Offices Officers Lawes Worship be plainly other theÌ„ CHRISTS as in our other writings are proued and shame will inhibit you to denye how can you be so drunke with the cup of the Whores fornication to think you haue no constitutions lawes or traditions which are a part of worship and against such rules of CHRISTS gouernment as the Apostles haue prescribed for the ordring of his howse and the same ordeyned for all Churches til we become all a perfect bodye in him But if Mr. GIFF. wil shew himself so voide of al conscience and truth to say al their traditionall worship and Antichristian Offices and ordinances be neither part of their woship nor constitutions disanulling the ordinances of Christ yet wil be confesse I doubt not this kinde of worship and gouernment to be imposed as matters to binde the conscience being all the â—eruice of God they haue seeing hee woulde also haue all that obserue them not to be censured and excommunicat for this merchandize yt were a sore matter a man should be cut off from Christ and his Church gyuen ouer to Satan and the iâ—dgment ratified in heauen against soule and bodye for a matter that byndes not the conscience As though the soule bodye howsoeuer some things perteine to the one or is done by the one as proper worke thereof were not both to be counted wheÌ„ the conscience shalbe opened to answere for all done in both or by eyther of both even whatsoeuer wee haue done in soule and bodye and Calvine would but diuide the soule and the bodye in Ciuile causes But Mr. Giffard would goe a note further namely that in the seruice of God in such causes as the transgression deserue excommunication to be no matter bynding the conscience But it may be Mr. Giff. doth suppose that except the constitutions ecclesiasticall be such as righteousnes be commanded to be fought in the doing them and forgiuenes of sinnes and merit by them all is wel Then besides the other abuses granted he must be demanded whither those traditions of the Fathers which our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples refused to obserue were imposed as meritorious whervnto wee answere No For in the superstitious washings of cuppes of beddes with al such trincketts wee see to be no such matter Marke 7. and Christs words in saying they layde the commaÌ„demeÌ„ts of God aside to set vp their owne traditions doth shew wherin the sinne was namelie to do and obserue such things of vaine glorie superstition or custome as God had not inioyned them and to leaue vndone the lawes and commandements of God which sinne is your transgression at this day Reade therfore the 7. of Marke 15. of Mathew more diligently Further those superstitious traditions Gal. 4. Colos. 2. the obseruing wherof were the denyall of Christ were neither held meritorious nor iustificatioÌ„ sought by them manie of them being Iewish ceremonies sometimes as rudiments commanded of God now abolished and no further burden to be layde in such outward thinges no We reade not that the law of God yt self was eyther commanded or so obserued as to seeke righteousnes by yt Now then to the matter Mr. Giff. thinketh CHRIST and his Apostles did well in refusing to obey the traditions of the Fathers at the Pharisies commandement and so must confesse it lawful and a dutie of vs to refuse to obserue your Iewish cerimonies and Romish superstitious traditions which are so manie as euen your whole Leitourgie and worship conteine nothing els Gods lawes and ordinances not only left vndone but al that pleade for them and seeke to walke in them persecuted with deadly hatred And how Mr. Giff. will proue that there is no adding or diminishing to or from the word of God by imposing and creating more lawes then God hath made in his vvorship and gouernment of his Church but such as bee made part of the vvorship or bynde conscience or bee meritorious or against such rules of his gouernment as bee perpetuall though I take all your orders lawes vvorship in this compasse yet howe you can poue this I know not for looke againe vpon the scriptures Pro. 30. 5. 6. Deâ—â— 4. 2. 12. 32. and. Gal. 3. 15. Reuel 22. 18. 19. and you shal finde that to add superordeine innovate or diminish or take anie thing from the lawes of God already prescribed for his vvorship were to abrogate his lawe to laye further burdens then hee hath layde to make his lawe vnperfect and set our selues in his seate yea vvhatsoeuer wee put to vvhich hee hath not commanded or whatsoeuer wee inhibit that hee hath commanded is here forbidden For this saith the Lorde Ye shall put nothing vnto the vvord vvhich I command you neither shall you take ought therefrom that you may keepe the preceptes of the Lorde your God vvhich I commande you Deut. 4. 2. And that this was as well in the outwarde ordinances of the Temple as in the iudgments is plaine in the first verse Againe in the 12. Chap. 32. VVhatsoeuer I command you take heede you do yt Thou shalt put nothing therto nor take anie thing therfrom and in the Prouerbs Euerie vvord of God is pure put nothing vnâ—o his vvordes lest hee reproue thee and thow bee found a lyer Now the scripture speaking so absolutely and generaly against al addition or detraction to or from his ordinances Mr. Giff. ouershooteth himself of his bare word to contradict and limit so expresse commandementes for these scriptures saith hee are against adding of humane preceptes and lawes to bee kept as partes of Gods
funeral Sermons ouer for the deade You confesse a maner of visiting the sicke prescribed but you demande of vs where we haue seene it practized by or vrged at their handes which are able and diligent Pastors by these that haue the gouernment of your Church Wee answeare that it sufficeth to be commanded and prescribed by your seruice-booke vnto all your Ministers and Churches to the diligent obseruation wherof all ful Priestes are sworne Furder your Church-Wardens Sidemen are sworne to present all defaultes therin at the Arch-Deacons or CoÌ„missaries Courtes So that no marueyle though this booke be founde in the handes of the most diligent able Priestes reading yt ouer weomeÌ„ at their Churching ouer the maried ouer the sicke ouer y e deade and where not And for Mr. Giffards satisfying we giue him to weite that as learned Priestes as he haue vsed this booke to the visitation of the sicke And nowe we would knowe of him whie these able Priestes should haue more libertie to pray by the the direction of the spirit for and with the sick according to their present estate theÌ„ they are allowed by those that haâ—e the gouernment of your Church in the publique praiers of the whole Church according to the present estate therof To conclude we would knowe of him by what warrant in Gods worde the Church can prescribe enioyne such a forme of visiting c. As to their Absolution which Mr. Giffard so slilye would passe ouer without speakinh anie worde therof Let the Reader vnderstand that nothing can be more popish or blasphemous then yt is where a sacrilegious Priest taketh vpon him by the authoritie committed vnto him to absolue the sicke from all his sinnes Hath anie mortal man power to forgiue sinnes Or is it not the office of God alone Hath the Priest power to forgiue al sinnes such as are not made vnto him What horrible blasphemie is this To him that hath power to forgiue all sinnes to him we may make our prayers and supplications him only may we worship Hath the greatest Minister of the Church any more power to retaine or loose the sinne of the least member then the said member hath to bind or loose his sinne Doth not this rule of our Sauiour aswel extend vnto him as to the least in the Church If thie brother sinne against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgiue him Hath not the Church power to reproue and cast out their Pastor if he so deserue Is not al this binding loosing donne by the worde of God and not by anie power or excellencye of man Hath not the worde of God the like power and effect against sinne in the mouth of the least of Gods seruants as in y e mouth of the greatest Let this Collect then wherbie the Priest in their Leitourgie by the power committed vnto him absolueth the sick of al his sinnes remaine one witnesse amongst manie other of their Poperie and vntil more come of most high blasphemie Mr. GIFFARD taketh verie heinouslie at our handes this phrase of housâ—ing with the Sacrament terming yt a false packing in vs and goeth about to purge his Church therof by shewing how yt denieth al y e wicked blasphemous corrupt doctrines of the Papists touching the Lordes Supper And also denieth that a man is of necessitie to receaue yt at his death Thus euer with his impertinent matters he vvith-draweth and shrinketh from the present question We must therfore still call him backe to the poynte and demaund of him what warrant in CHRISTS Testament their Church hath to institute a priuate Communion or to administer the Supper of the Lord in anie other place theÌ„ where y e church is assembled This if he can doe then indeed we haue faulted in caling yt an Housel But if he can shewe no warrant for this priuate domestical Communion then we must still blame this action as popish superstitious and irregular what doctrines soeuer they hold of the Lordes Supper besides Againe though they exhort and perswade the sick person that this Sacrament is not then of necessitie Yet if he be so superstitious to require it the Priest then is bownde of necessitie to deliuer yt him though there be no more to receaue then they two And what is this but to nourish superstition or to make the Sacrament so deliuered of great value proffit vnto them Thus iugleth toyeth your Church with the holy things of God at her pleasure THe Papistes you say that invented the Purgatorie had also their blasphemous diriges prayers for the deade But we are more then impudent in lying to terme the prayers which you vse at burials such seing your Church denieth the Purgaâ—orie prayers for the dead c. We will not requite you with euil wordes but let the proofe of these matters declare who is a lyer and impudent We would therfore first knowe of you where you haue learned to make the burial of your deade an ecclesiasticall action part of the Pastors office and to make it an especial part of your worship if not of the POPE Then where you learned to burie in your Hallowed Churches and Church-yardes as though you had not fieldes and grounde to bury in with a special Dirige and leitourgie with praiers Singers Ringers Mourners Beades-meÌ„ c if not of the POPE It were too longe to shewe the originall and processe of this superstition with the great aduantage that coÌ„meth to the Priestes therbie It were needles also to shewe howe this your Leitourgie Dirige and prayers are fetched and peiced out of the POPES Portesse It were curious to relate the watching preparing arraying crossing dressing the corps to the graue also the array of the Mourners with all the superstition of the Heraldes the attyre of the Priestes aud Clarckes with their tymes and place when and vvhere to receaue vvhen to rest when to singe to reade to praye when and with what wordes to cast on the first shouel of earth by the hand of the Priest the graue being made easte and west c. Onely this in general we say that all these deuises seing God no where commandeth them in his worde are vayne superstitious and fond as whereby Gods name is highly taken in vayne prophaned and abused yea his holy spirit most impiouslie blasphemed despighted For whilest the whole land is of their Church and they bury all that dye in their Church of their natural death after this maner with this Leitourgie but such as dye of any violent death how christianly soeuer they vouchsalf not thus to burye pronouncing in the Collect they vse whilest earth is casting on that God in his mercy hath taken to himself the Soule of that their deare Brother or Sister departed they therbie iustifie the most wicked gracelesse impenitent vvretches Atheistes blasphemers Idolarours Papists Anabaptists Heretickes Coniurers that dye in their sinnes as though such could haue anie benefite