Fathers and Governours within their several Families depending on them for Education life and maintenance Invict Christian Princes and Holy Bishops in their several distinct Provinces and Kingdoms in matters of peace and order and external Ceremony being publick Consciences in their several Dominions which are so many larger Bodies or Families yet none of these are absolute or infallible any further than they agree with a Superiour Soveraign will which alone being such is their Rule and guide communicating its Infallibity to them that follow it which all are bound to do Now who this Infallible Soveraign guide and judge is whether the Pope in his Chair and Bulls or Christ and his Scriptures written in the Bible and mens hearts and Consciences seems to be the Question between Rome and us The Roman Church affirms it belongs to the Pope being near and visible on Earth The Reformed will have it to belong to Christ who is far nearer to mens Souls though in Heaven With Protestants the Invisible Soul is correlate with God its Invisible Lord where is its rest and satisfaction With Papists it must be correlate to the Pope a visible judge and guide else it wanders in uncertainties like a lost sheep Or though both agree perhaps that Gods mind and will is the Law and Rule of the Soul yet they vastly disagree about its promulgation That is Gods will say the Papists what the Pope defines to be his will that his Scripture and sense thereof what he allows and nothing but the sense of the Pope must be the sense of God though never so sensual and Carnal or contrary to truth and to common sense But Protestants hold Gods mind and will to be and to have been knowable by men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at several times and several wayes Heb. 1.1 Not only in the time of the Old Testament and before by the light of nature and the Law and the Prophets and Angelical Revelations and Vrim and Thummim and Visions and Dreams But also in the last dayes by his Son in his Holy Gospel and other inspired Writs delivered to his Church and sufficiently attested to the sense and Conscience by Miracles and right Catholick Tradition And that it is the first and proper work and duty of all mankind as soon as they come out of their Infancy and Non-age as on the one hand to know the difference between God and the Creature and the right and wrong Soveraigns and Legislators of their Souls and to follow truth and vertue which are ever the Laws of the one and to shun vice and lyes which are the dictates and Impostures of the other so also carefully to discern between the Authority of the Master and the Servant or the Prince and his Officer between the Canonical Scripture which is the Divine will and Testament of Christ and humane Tradition which is the Testimony of his Ministers subject to and controllable by and by no means Superiour to the other for next to the confounding of God and Idols in our values who are so infinitely contrary The levelling of all distance and degrees between Master and Servant though subordinate and friendly is most absurd and abominable with all sober Christians saving them at Rome with whom the Authority of their Church or the Pope which with them is equivalent is usually exalted above the authority of the Holy Scriptures though the will and mind of Christ the undoubted and confessed Lord and Master And we also hold that truth in the General which is ever Gods will and mind may be well known by men divers wayes without the Pope As matters of fact and Tradition by the Testimony of honest men of good lives and clean hands and Holy minds and Inclinations free from all worldly ends and designes in their report For where God alone doth rule and possess the heart there we may be sure of truth and sincerity where any Carnal interest or Idol prevails instead there we are to expect lyes Legends and Impostures which are the Dialect of false Gods as truth is of the true God dwelling in the heart And in like manner by the Oaths of Credible Neighbours wherein God is called present to the heart and mouth and by the decrees and sentences of Magistrates and just Judges who in Scripture are called Gods and the General consent of Nations vox populi vox dei and by every mans diligence and search after Truth as after hid Treasure which God rewards and prospers Prov. 2.4 5. and his pains and study in History Languages Customs Criticism c. As in the use of means without which God is tempted But instead of all these methods with Papists the sole report and decision of a Pope though unlearn'd or swayed perhaps by Interest or Avarice or Ambition or Fear which mislead the heart and tongue from God and Truth shall nevertheless be relyed on as an Oracle Infallible more conclusive than the famous Delphick and the heart and Conscience in every man which were made to indent with God and truth be totally excluded and silenc'd in that Church under the notion and bear-skin of private Judgment and opinion which endangers all Yet Protestants resolve to follow the former methods in whole or in part let the Pope contradict or Curse as much as he please So Papists are led by Authority Forraign and often false Protestants by Truth Domestick and more sure They follow the Doctrines of men as did the Scribes and Pharisees heretofore we the voice of Christ and the Commandments of God as all Christs sheep ought to do Herein I say lyes the main difference between us and not so much in those other many points and and Articles wherein we are divided As Image-Worship Invocation of Saints Transubstantiation Purgatory Indulgences c. Which are and will be Learnedly and voluminously defended on each side to the Worlds end while each party resolves firmly to adhere to the God or Idol that either have chosen for their guide to the last gasp with stedfast zeal and constancy For if Protestants as well as Papists could believe the Pope or the Papists as well as Protestants did once believe Christ to be this Infallible Judge and guide all Controversie between us would soon cease and be laid asleep The whole Controversy lyes therefore in the choice or rejection in obedience or disobedience to the right guide or immediate Soveraign of the heart whether Christ or the Pope And exact obedience to the wrong becomes perfect disobedience to the right Superiour And that the Issue will lye here may further appear from each ones case stated by himself and their charge and imputation each against the other and from the state of the question naturally arising hereupon For the Protestants say they take Christ and Scripture and Conscience and what agrees thereto for the guide and rule of their hearts and judgments And that the Papists take the Pope and hold opinions and practices upon his Authority against
children before his face as it were by a just Judgement of God wherein it is likely the Popes had no more hand in the contrivance than Monk Augustine a few years after in the bloud of Bangor though some while after we find them openly and Traiterously destroying not Emperours only â—at the Empire of the East it self and despising and chopping the Kings and Emperours of the West as fast as Tarquâ—n did Poppies till they stumbled upon a Brittain And Holy Gregory kept fair Communion with this bloudy Phocas in Letters full of Honour and Respect nevertheless and his next or next Successor saving one who sate not half a year Boniface the third obtain'd from the Grant of Phocas that Universal Primacy wherewith they have troubl'd the World to this day which in others was Antichristanism by confession and yet themselves are the men A Phocâ obtinuit Bonifacius magna tamen contentione ut sedes B. Petri Apostoli que caput est Omnium Ecclesiarum ita diceretur haberetur ab omnibus He obtain'd with much ado of Phocas that the See of St. Peter which is the head of all Churches in their fansie should be so esteemed and accounted of by all d Platina in Bonifacio tertio They were and still are long studying and hammering for a square and proportionable Title and Foundation to bear this grand Fabrick of Universal Monarchy in the Church The house of Pudens and our Ruffina their Ancientest and Truest was too narrow The undoubted residence of St. Paul in their City was their most Honourable and Glorious Title but more serviceable for Salvation than for Supremacy for it made them but co-ordinate yea Junior to several Churches of Greece Athens Ephesus Thessalonica of the same Plantation Constantine's Imperial Graunt was Subject to change of time and Emperours to change of mind therefore no shoulders seem'd broader and fitter than St. Peter's to be their Atlas who yet if ever he came to Rome came thither upon the score of the Jews who were his peculiar charge as the Gentiles were St. Pauls as is plain from Scripture and their own e Spondan An. 51. n. 4. confession according to the appointment of God Gal. 2 7. and the decree of the Hierosolymitan Synod and their particular respective undertaking lest therefore by this they were at best but Popes of the Jews they 'l borrow help from St. Paul and both shall be their founders together in despite of God who made them Separate but then there are other Prerogatives since assum'd by that See of deposing Kings and Emperours and transferring Kingdoms which cannot be well derived from Fishermen and Tent-makers and Subjects Therefore it is a more adequate Title to be Christs Vicars by whom Kings Raign but because his Kingdom was not of this World nor his Mission while on Earth but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel The Roman Parasites discern that the Plaister is never broad enough for the sore till he is Vice-Deus or e Torturi Torâ—i p. 361. Vice-God on Earth as they begin to stile him in their dedications And this comes nearest to the Scriptures 2. Thes 2. Now it is not my design at present to display the great mischief and bloud-shed and confusion that did arise to Christian Kingdoms and Churches from this groundless Primacy nor the Enchantments upon souls by this Castle in the Air nor to examine whether Turcism or Popery have been the greater Nusance to Christendom or which was the greatest wrong to the spouse of Christ to be slain or defil'd to be pillag'd or divided For all Churches heretofore from one end of the Earth to the other were all as loving Sisters of one and the same Family under one and the same roof tyed to one another in a lovely knot and Union of mutual charity and preference and still might be if by the mercy of God and zeal of Christian Princes this common disturber were raised from being Servus Servorum an Hebraism for a great slave to be equal in Vote and Authority in Publick Councils to other Metropolitans and Primates his Reverend Brethren who otherwise hinders all with his proud humility and detestable Union of slavery But my scope and purpose only is to vindicate our own Rights and Liberties and to unmask this Bishop and his Clerks who come as thieves in the Coat of Christ and St. Peter to steal away our Crowns and Mitres and to seduce wel-meaning people and unwary Grandees to assist them in the Robbery out of Conscience and to burn and destroy us as Hereticks out of zeal for keeping our own against this their Phocacian Monopoly and Usurpation which c Whâ—lock not in Bed l. 2. c. 8. Monk Augustine and his Successors were sent hither to execute amongst as many as they could abuse and deceive For what fair obligation upon Conscience which is ever correlative and corresponding with Gods will can this Intrusion on the Fights of Neighbouring Kingdoms and Churches have which is so expresly forbidden by the Laws of God and Nations and the Canons of the Universal Church Can God be contrary to himself or one Catholick Church to another or the same Lord Christ be both the Avenger and Patron also of such as over-reach their Brethren or remove bounds and Land-marks Doth not Conscience bind them rather to aid their injur'd Neighbours against these holy Robbers and to study reparations wherever they were miss-led to be accessory and assisting to such Burglaries upon the Innocent If it be good Catholick Religion and Conscience to swallow hand over head any Tradition oâ— gloss that shall produce a Commission from God against his express Will and Precept to the contrary Then Adam and Eve were commendable Catholicks in hearkning to the Serpent to the ruine of themselves and their posterity and we in protesting from plain Scripture against such glosses and suggestions culpable Protestants Protestancy is not a name of Schism but of Duty and eternal Allegiance of the Soul to God and Truth against Atheism and falsehood and the works and words of the Devil in any shape The Act that pass'd at Germany about an 100 and odd years ago in protesting from manifest Scriptures against gross Errours counterfetting Divine authority was a duty in general 1500 years before and more and will be still to the Worlds end The vow of Baptism makes every Christian a Protestant from the Font. Nothing more makes Roman-Catholicks and Cardinals and Popes than a Carnal forgetfulness and abhorrence from such Protestantism It is not believing as men would have but as God in his word and will would have us to believe that makes true Catholicks and Christians for Christians are to resist temptations whereof the most prevalent love to be cloathed with God and Religion fatuus the Latine for a fool is conjectur'd to be deriv'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade one that is easily won to believe any Lie or Legend or Imposture Old Adam and
are more intent for peferments in the Church than for the Kingdom of Heaven or adorning such dignities with life and Doctrine who can hold their peace at the abominable sins of men whereby God is offended and roare to purpose at the least injury done to themselves as if done to Christ such are Gods Enemies and not his Priests the Ringleaders of the wicked and not Popes of the Church traitors not succcessors of the Apostles Rebels not Ministers of Christ And for our Brittish Customs they were and are Primitive and Catholick and Oriental and not Roman We observe with solemn fast the holy week in Lent called Grawys from n Leges Howeli Dha apud Spelman quasi garw-wysg different and rough attire as is conceived then us'd especially therein Dydh Mercher y Brà d and Dydh Gwener y Croglith that is as we term those two days Wednesday wherein he was betrayed and Friday with the lessen of the Cross and from thence all the n Usher 882. Baronius An. 34. n. 47. Wednesdays and Fridays of the year saving Pentecost as Bede confesses of us and the strict practice rhereof with the devouter sort is fresh in memory this and other Brittish Customs having escaped better under Popery than under the pretended Reformation of the late War whereas its well known the Church of Rome stands condemn'd and censur'd in her Clergy and laity the one to be depriv'd the other to be excommunicate by the 6th o Conc. in Trull c. 55. c. Plin. lib. 10. Epist 97. Generall Council for fasting upon the Saturdays 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to the Ancient tradition of the Church and the Apostolical Canon of like severity It 's no wonder therefore if the Church of Rome denies the Authority of this Council 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p Scholiast in loc For it went like a Sword through their heart to find themselves charg'd and impeached of going contrary to the Apostolical Canon And though the Church of Brittain in the West and of Africa in the South and of Millain at her doors agreed with the Eastern and Apostolick followed by this Council yet this Universal consent must not prevail the single Church of Rome Schismatically dissenting from the whole Church in her traditions must be Catholick nevertheless and her Customs to be observed equally with the Scriptures The Asiatic custome of singing a Carol to Christ about Cock-crowing mention'd in Plinie p L. 10. Ep. 97. in his Epistle to Trajan the Emperour in the first Age of the Church is retain'd amonst us to this day in our Plygains or Pulgains as we term them Though we look upon the material Cross as a great rarity which at Rome they Idolize and are beholding to our St. Helena for any naile or part thereof they have to shew and honour that bearing as the Church's Coat of Arms yet our true sense and Religious use thereof appears in our Remembrances and obligations by it to brotherly love and charity having no other word to express welcome which ought to be from the heart but Croeso which is deriv'd from the Cross mae chwi groeso you are welcome in the Cross Though they believe no Purgatory yet at the death of their Friends it is usual with them to wish the party Deceas'd a good Resurrection Duw a Ro iddo Ailgyfodiad da God grant him a good Resurrection an Ancient q Epiphanius in Aerio practice in the Eastern Church much abus'd by them at Rome to their secular profit as usual None have firmer beliefs of the Immortality of the Soul and of the other World than the Ancient Brittains nor greater detestation and Dicipline against lying even in Children which the Roman Church indulges in her Records and Liturgies and chiefest Saints r Cyn gywired a'r Ancor Brittish Proverb as honest and true as an Anchorite Eremitas Anachoretas abstinentioe majoris magisqve spirituales alibi non videas Grald Cambr. Descript Cambr. c. 18. They had likewise besides Eremites and Anchorites of the stictest sort their Nuneries for Christ's Virgins and Abbeyes for Monkes not such as our Western Modern Orders of St. Benedict St. Francis or St. Domnick but far Ancienter and after the Rule in the East and Å¿ Usher p 110. Aegypt so much extoll'd in in the Ancient Fathers and especially in St. Chrysostom's Homilies all along not begging their Bread or being a burden to others but earning their Livelihood with the work of their hands and spending the rest of their time in Study and mutual Edification renowned in History for their great Sanctity and Learning yet it was not counted unlawful for any of their Clergy to Marry for St. Patrick was the Son of †Idem p. 818. Calphurnius a Deacon who was the Son of †Idem p. 818. Potitus a Presbyter And u Spelm. Concil Arelat Restitutus the Brittish Archbishop at the Council of Arles was a Married man and so was St. Hilarie his friend as well as St. Philip and St. Peter In their Tonsures which is also an x Bed l. 3. c. 25 exception by Augustin's party against them if they had any they followed the manner of the East which shaved the forehead not the Crown as did our Romanists who were as much dissatisfied with Theodorus of Tarsus St. Paul's City who being design'd Archbishop of Canterbury to revive and promote the Roman Interest in Brittain quite lost well nigh was y Bed lib. 4. c. 1. fain to stay four Months at Rome before his setting out into his dignity that his Haire might grow fit to be shaved after the Roman mode being well contented to part with an old lock for a new Throne which proves the Greeks to be as far different from the Romans as our Brittains in this Rite Episcopalem vero Confirmationem prae alia gente â—otus populus magnopere petit x Cambrens Descriptio Cambr. c. 18. no Nation had Episcopal Confirmation more in esteem and so desired by all as the Brittains saith Cambrensis whose Archbishops did Consecrate their Suffragans and were Consecrated by them in their own Province And never sought to Rome for their Pall as did several other Nations as Pope Gregory did a Cambrens Itmerar Cambr. lib 2. c. 1. acquaint his Augustine in answer to his 7â— Question directing to take no Superiority over Arles because ab Antiquis praedecessorum meorum temporibus pallium accepit that Archbishop did use to receive his Pall from Rome and therefore was not to be depriv'd of the Authority which once he had obtained a Cambrens Itmerar Cambr. lib 2. c. 1. Britanmarum vero Omnes Episcopes tuae fraternitate committimus But he 'le give leave to his Augustine to bring all the Bishops of Brittain under him who by consequence and in the Popes opinion and diligent search never had any Pall from Rome which by the Principles of the b Bed l. 2. c. 28. 7 â—
So then due separation and distinction is to be made now between the parts and degrees of liberty and Captivity and how much of the Talent these laid out they may be computed to have had from Brittain and how much from Rome It was demonstrated before from their own exceptions that the Brittains had the Christian Catholick Faith Entire and Complete amongst them saving the Easter Calendar and the Roman Tonsure and Baptism-spittle and subjection to the Pope and the love of lyes and Legends and growing superstition which followed the hearts resignation from God to man and this was the case of Bede and all his Disciples as well as of Willibrord and Winifrid yea of all the Plantations in the Churches of England and Germany who had the substantial part of Catholick Religion entirely derived to them and undeniably from the Brittains as from the fountain head but as for the mud and mire and misery of Idolatry Superstition and spiritual bondage and slavery which they received by way of Augmentation to it none can deny but that solely and Eternally all that is owing to the Church of Rome Schismatically disturbing the Plantations of Brittain If it be an obligation that the Enemy hath sowen his tares in the same feild where the Master sowed good seed Math. 13.28 Therefore all English and Germans were true and perfect Christians as many as were ever so upon the score of the Brittains only but Roman-Catholicks upon the score of Rome But it is replyed if they had not their learning nor Doctrine yet nothing is more express in the History but that they had their License and Authority to Preach the Gospel to the German-Heathens from the Pope by which Wilfrid was made a Bishop and Winifrid Legate of Germany with the honour of the Pall which also was conferred on Egbert Archbishop of York who first set the others on For answer it were hard if settled Churches could not obey Christ in Converting Souls or confirming Brethren by the obligation of charity without particular leave and License from the Pope or that Ignorant souls must perish Eternally upon any neglect in procuring or unreasonableness in the vending and price for such a License Can Antichrist be far from such Merchandizing besides the two Ewaldi d Bede l. 5. c. 11. Spondan An. 694. 696. began and ended their Ministry without such License and their Martyrdom was honoured with Miracles e Ubbo Emm. lib. 4 p. 131. Bed 5. c. 11. And Suidbert took no mission but from Wilfrid in England There is some further mystery to be found in this License office we 'le search into it by degrees we meet in the story three helping hands which contributed their several assistances to the German Conversion The Kings and Major-Dome's of France the English at home the Pope at Rome f Ibidem Magdeb. Cent. 8. c. 10. p. 822. Pipin and Martel and Charlemain did good service with Armes and bounty subduing the Heathen obstructors and founding Bishopricks to encourage the promotors The g Bonifacij Epistl English at home had publick fasting and prayer that God might bless their Ministry upon the Saxons and Germans their own flesh and bloud themselves besides their labour and pain hazarded their lives daily in the work and several perished out-right in it But the Pope assisted only with his License and Aurhority and Letters of recommendations and Palls which with Romanist is more than all yet he spared them little Money for Winifrid h Spondan A. 724. n. 2. had his necessaries towards cloths and Books and subsistence supplyed and sent him out of England the Pope cannot be therefore justly said to do much more herein than Poets towards Heroes by extolling their noble works at home with pleasure which the other did abroad amidst dangers and difficulties many have praised Robin-Hood who never shot in his bow but unless he had parted with treasure as did Charlemain or taken part of the labour he could do no more nor so much for he was not skilled in the German Language as our English or Saxons were but he had as great an aim to their subjection as we had for their Salvation i M. Westm A. 609. Phocas his Patent for the Universal Bishop was not to lye Idle And when as they win many sincere and unwary souls to this day to surrender themselves to serve their ends how much more might they then when their Arts were less detected and Politicians love to have holy and sincere men for their Instruments to work with and the ambitious shal be tamper'd with according to their inclination to set such on and preferments and Palls shall begin all as Egbert for such service as also for bringing over the Scots and Irish from their Brittish Traditions to Subject themselves to Rome k Baron Tom. 9. p. 110 hath a Pall conferred upon him at York which from Paulimus his departure for about 30 years that See had wanted l Usher p. 87. H. Lhuyd frag p. 55. Elbodus was wrought off to betray North-Wales to be under Rome with the like bait of honour to be made Archbishop there and they are never weary at these temptations And so through m Bede lib. 5. c. 11 Pipin the Popes great favourite Willibrord is brought to Rome for his Consecration there and likewise Winifrid is prevailed upon by such encouragements to sow Rebellion having Ments conferred upon him over the head of the lawful Bishop of the place because given to hunting and raised into an Arch-Bishoprick and Primacy which may not seem strange when the chief Master of this part of the confederacy the Pope himself arrives at his Grandeur for him and his successors through acting and encouraging Rebellion n Magd. c. 8. c. 9 p. 544. Math. Westm An. 726. seque Pope Gregory the third Excommunicates his Liege Sovereign Leo Isaurus and forbids him Tribute and subjection in the West upon a difference between them in the point of worshiping Images wherein yet the Pope was in the wrong and the Emperour in the right but the true reason was the Pope was weary of his Exarchs at Ravenna and he had now an interest and a back with the Major-Dome's of France to secure his Treason o Baron Tom. 9 p. 79 Magd. cent 8. c. 10 p. 684. by entring into a League with them while the Emperours subject who shall be well rewarded and exalted in time for it for Chilperick and the Royal line of Clodoveus the first Christian King of France shall be deposed by the next p Spondan A. 751. Pope Zacharia for no cause but Innocence and dulness to make Rome for Pipin to be not a Protector but a perjur'd Usurper of the Throne wherein our q Ubbo Emm. Coronam Septrumque Pipino c. Spond 75 752. Boniface and r Magd. Cent. 8. c. 10. p. 725. Burchard Å¿ Spond A. 791. n. 3. though Sainted at Rome were equally
to trust then Mahomet shall pass for as good a Prophet as St. Peter and the Alcharon be equal to the Bible for to the blind all colours are the same But regulated Conscience is not a private Spirit wherein God himself speaks who is greater than all the World where it is kept pure from Worldly ends and Idols for nothing is more publick and Catholick than Conscience or reason or right or duty or holiness or justice which are synonymous and carry universality and eternity in their conceptions by reason of the Divine Impression and Authority they partake and answer to And nothing constitutes more a private Spirit than private ends and carnal designs and self advantage and profit and filthy lucre made chief ingredients in duties Doctrines and Religions with which Worldly and sordid mixtures the Roman Faith in all its parts is too well known to abound which unworthy copulations are discernable by the weakest judgments and condemn'd and hated by the most universal suffrages and censures of God and men An Infant can discerne them in his neglectful Nurse an Elephant in his unjust Feeder Clownes in States-men and Politicians and are abhorr'd and declaim'd against by Heathen Philosophers in their Schools and Christian in Pulpits and are those moral wild beasts that all Laws humane and Divine and right Discipline and education and all rules of honour are mainly bent to discover and hunt and chase out of all Societies and converse and hearts Besides a private Conscience proceeding in all its converse according to Christs mind Interest and direction and doing nought that is disallowed by him is Christ himself by fiction personated and acted and defended which is as far from a private Spirit as the East is from the West or the will of God from the ends and lusts of man It being not more natural and congruous in Christ himself to delight in good men and to abhorre the Congregations of the wicked and carnal and scandalous than it is for his faithful Servants and Trustees and Representatives who bear their Masters person and concern and holiness upon them by such a fiction to express and imitate by their own Communion and election of Societies the mind and Inclination of their Lord and soon to discern who are his Friends or Enemies or Traitors and Loyal Subjects in his Kingdom and vigorously and and indispensably to embrace the one and shun the the other for Servants act according to an accountable trust the Master being Lord of his own rights to remit or indulge out of favour as he pleases which is not lawful for the Servant to presume And this skill and instinct and shadows of private judgment to discerne friends from strangers to their Masters is visible in Domestick Creatures emblemes of fidelity who are Courteous to acquaintance but severe and unsociable to such as are not so till by converse and familiarity they prove their unity and friendship and take away private judgment and discretion the distinction and difference between faithful and unfaithful Servants Subjects Christians Churches wholly falls to the ground and Christians and Catholicks are set below the Irrational Creatures And for the Church of Rome to blast good Consciences that find out its faults as private Schismatical Spirits and to extol their own Carnal designes and Trade and Merchandize of godliness as Catholick Religion holy pure and publick and eternal is too visibly one of the uniform symptomes of their Antichristianism whereby they confound Heaven and Earth the Church and the World and reconcile yea change Mammon into Christ and Christ into Mammon Withall equal and coordinate Churches or Christians as we now suppose Rome and Brittain to be are not judges of one another where they separate from one another for Par in parem non habet potestatem is a rule in Law but act severally therein according to their respective duties and allegiance to their own liege and Superiour who is Christ the head and judge of both in the other World and in this also by a free and general Council which both parts ought for peace and unity to submit to which thereby becomes Superiour to both either by Divine Institution and custom Ecclesiastical or by their own consent and agreement as in the Case of Arbitrators And accordingly such general Synods have censur'd and sentenced and Excommunicated persons Churches Provinces Priests Bishops Patriarchs and Popes themselves when they walk'd awry from Christ's Rule As the first General Council at Nice against Arrius Priest of Alexandria The second at Constantinople against Macedonius Arch-Bishop of that See The third at Ephesus against Nestorius another Constantinopolitan Arch-Bishop the fourth at Chalcedon against Eutyches Dioscorus c. Priests and the fift at Constantinople against Diodorus and Theodorus Bishops reviving Origens errours and the sixth Oecumenical or general Council in Trullo at Constantinople against other Bishops and amongst them against the whole Church of Rome its Clergy and Laity for departing from the Catholick tradition of the Church about their Saturday fast wherein the Brittish Church was ever Orthodox with the rest of the Ancient Christian World as was shewed But the Church of Rome will allow of no Council or Canons or Fathers that shall offer to check its errours nor Scripture it self but with its own sence and Interpretation thereof whereby it shall be sure not to cross its Interest Being a manifest and notorious example therein of disobedience and Irregularity to all its Superiours and the most Schismatical Church in the Christian World for Baronius a Spondan An. 692. n. 5. cannot deny that the Greek writers declare their sence that the breach of Communion between the Greeks or Eastern and the Latine or Western Church of Rome was upon the disobedience of the Popes to yield and submit to the Council in Trullo wherein it had all other Churches of the World and the Canons of the Apostles of its side and undoubted Apostolical tradition mentioned in most of the Ancient Fathers as b Idem An. 34. n. 47. Baronius cannot and doth not deny A Church therefore that deserves to be shun'd and disown'd as scandalous for that and its other innumerable corruptions and infamous Usurpations and gross Idolatries and particularly its Blind Obedience and Implicit Faith that allows and directs to put confidence in man the head and fountain of all its damnable errours and superstitions whereof all that communicate with it must be approvers and partakers by the terms and Injunctions of its Communion which requires them to be all receiv'd as Catholick Articles and Doctrines and all contrary Truths to be abjur'd as Heresies whereby it becomes impossible for any understanding sober Christian to be at the same time within her Communion and pale and out of the curse of God Esa 1.5 20. Therefore it were lost and needless labour as to them or our selves to go about to disprove all their imputation and charge of Schism against us or to prove on the
General Council regulates the Controversie about Easter for Peace and Unity against great traditions p. 16â— The Brittains left their Eastern observation of Easter in submission to the Council of Arles and Nice p. 164. 166. The difference between Rome and Brittain about Easter at Augustine's entrance was Astronomical not Doctrinal like our stiâ—o novo veteri saving that the Monk and his party pretended the Golden Number to have been a tradition of St. Peter p. 167. The like Ignorance Parallel'd in a modern Enthusiaâ—â— p. 168. Rome justifies the old Church of Brittain to have been Orthodox throughout because it had no more to except against it in Doctrine but this Easter difference p. 169. The Brittish Church took the 7 Churches of Asia for her Pattern in the first division of her Sees according to some of the Heathen Flamins and Archflamins according to others not so probable p. 170 All holy and good Bishops were Successors of St. Peter and all Carnal and corrupt Successors of Judas in the Brittish estimation p. 171. An account of several Ancient Customes and Traditions of the Brittish Church differing from the Roman and agreeing with the Catholick Church And Rome condemned in her Clergy and Laity in General Councils for not observing some of them 172. Of Wednesday and Friday in the Holy Week and their Brittish names and Grawys or Leâ—t ibid. Of their Plygains or solemn Carolls on Christs Nativity befor break of day still continued p. 173. What honour they had for the Cross how they Prayed for the dead their great beliefs of the Immortality of the Soul and detestation of lying ibid. Of their Eremites and Nunneries Their Monks followed the Rule of Aegypt and the East p. 173 174. Their Clergy might marry p. 174. Their Bishops were chosen by Clergy and people their Archbishops by their Kings and Synods and Parliaments p. 169 And never sought to Rome for Palls or Ordinations p. 175 They differed from Rome in their Tonsuâ—es if they had any at all p. 174. Their singular esteem of Episcopal blessing or Confirmation p. 174. 175. Their resort to the East and Jerusalem whithâ—r St. Helena went and Pelagius and St. David and Teâ—law and Paternus and the three last ordained Bishops by that Patriarch p. 176 177. The Antient Greek Fathers are Records of our Brittish Ecclesiastical Antiquities why p. 177 178. The Homilitical customes of the Brittish Church p. 178. Their respect and Loyalty to their Princes whom yet they reprov'd for their scandals and of the Brittish Valour for their Countrey and from what Principle and a Passage from K. Henry 2d to the Emperour of Constantinople concerning them p. 178 179 180. The respect of Brittish Princes and Gentry towards their Clergy p. 181 182. Of the Brittish Charity in Commerce with one another with an account of Syberw q. d. ys berw valdâ— Scaturiens Effluens and ansyberw wherein they plac'd all practical Religion and irreligion to this day and of their Cymortha's prohibited by King Henry 4th what they were with application to some of our Brittish Gentry p. 182 â—83 seqq The present Church of England profesies the same with the Ancient Brittish the people are more the same Nation than Italians are Old Romans p. 186. The Romanists have no colour to impute Schism to the Brittish Church nor to ask where was our Religion before Luther p. 187. The character of the false Apostles agrees with Modern Rome p. 189 190 198. Communion with the Church of Rome when best unsuccessful to Brittain p. 190 191. The Romanists shook off the Greek Exarchs their lawful Governours by unlawful means and blame us for doing the same to unlawful Governours by lawful means 192 193. The Brittains more offended with the Romanists their fellow Christians for Robbing them of their Sees than with the Pagan Saxons who rob'd them of their Countrey p. 193 194. SECT VIII Monk Augustine's Learning and Principles and Elocution for his Work and his Cases of Conscience sent to Rome whether a woman being with Child might be Baptiz'd c. p 195. seq Of his direction to purifie Idol Temples with Holy Water and the consequences of this errour p 197. His Elocution p. 201 His method of Propagation combination with Heathens against Christians false Miracles Massacres p 203 219. seq London averse to him and his followers why p. 205 206. His Miracles and his Companions p. 207 209. His exceptions against the Brittains 209 210. The Calumny rais'd against the Brittains of denying the Gospel to the Saxons confuted p. 210. seq And how the snare was laid p. 225. Of Gavel kind or Gavel Kent the Tenure of Kent p. 217. Of Christ-Church Canterbury an Old Church of the Brittains and Bede's partiality in concealing the Conversion of Kentish Saxons by Brittish Clergy p. 218. Who were permitted after the first storm was over to continue in England till Augustine's Arrival p. 215. Romanists Schismatics here unavoidably p. 220 221. An account of the reason of Augustine's unnatural Combination with Heathens against Christians in a Brittish Proverb p. 221 222. There was no need of Augustine's coming hither p. 223. What had been his duty p. 224. Empire and profit was Rome's design here not Religion p. 225 223. The Monks of Bangor murder'd by Augustine's procurement p. 226. seq The Brittish Princes reveng'd their deaths p. 228. The effects of an Idol set up in the heart in Christ's stead p. 229. The English cannot take Augustine for their Apostle why p 230 203. SECT IX The Gospel from its first planting never failâ—d in Wales Cornwall Cumberland Scotland p. 232 423. Conquerours destroy the Nobles and Gentry not the Communalty p. 233 The Trunk and body of the Nation was alwayes Brittish under Roman Saxon and Norman Conquerours Ibid. The Montâ—ossian Family of Brittish descent p. 234 How several parts were yielded to the Saxons upon terms p. 235. 236. 237. A Brittish Church in England under the Saxons p. 238. 239 c The Brittish tongue preserved amongst the Communalty in Wales upon the score of the Gospel p. 240 243. A Proposal of charity â—or Brittish Servants in London p. 243 244. The Saxons forward to Unite with the Brittains by Intermarriages p. 244. seqq Why more of Brittish extraction in England than of any other p. 247. more discernible in the nobility and Royal bloud p. 248 249. Invasions compared to inundations and feavers how p. 249. 250 English can succeed in Brittish rights and exemptions as well as Goths and Vandals in St. Peter's Roman Chair p. 251 252. How the English are bound in Honour as well as interest to defend the old Brittish rights p. 252. and especially our Princes p. 253. The precedent discourse summed in the words of an Anonymous writer p. 254. Some Learned men conceived not the English so safe from the pretences of Rome about their faith as the Brittains in Wales but without ground p. 254. 255 A great or most part of the English Nation converted to