Command or Power so to do If he have Power why so angry that he makes use of it If you know a better way teach it if not submit to this and acquiesee This our Author seems to contradict by opposing experience to the contrary and therefore f. 63. he desires that none would be offended if as his own apprehension he affirms that the Introduction of Liturgies was on the account insisted on the principal means of encreasing and carrying on that sad defection and apostacy in the guilt whereof most Churches in the World had enwrapped themselves A bold Charge I confess but not against us and much they have to answer for that impose and use such Liturgies and therefore I shall not be offended at this his Affirmation but shall grant him his desire and conclude upon the truth of it that if Idolatrous Superstitious erroneous and Heretical Liturgies Mass-Books call them what you will for such he must mean have been so powerful and effectual to keep out Truth and prevent the true Worship of God through most Churches in the World what should hinder but that Liturgies teaching nothing but what the Word of God teacheth nor prescribing any thing in the Worship of God but what is according to Scripture I must mind him that I plead for no other should be as powerful and as effectual for the keeping out of Heresie Idolatry Superstition and what ever is contrary unto sound Faith and Doctrine And that they have been so is as certainly verified and as plainly to be demonstrated in all Places where such Liturgies nay though happily not altogether such though I wish they were all reduced to such have been used as that which he affirms of erronious Liturgies § At the Conference that was before King James at Hampton-Court the Bishop of London put His Majesty in mind of what Monsieur Roguë the French Ambassador gave out concerning our Service and Ceremonies upon the solemn view and audience of them viz. That if the Reformed Churches in France had kept the same order among them which we have he was assured that there would have been many thousands of Protestants more there than now there are f. 38. If some Innocent Ceremonies were not commanded and others not so Innocent abolished what could hinder but that Shrines covering of Shrines Trindilles Rolls of Wax Pictures Painting and all other Monuments of feigned Miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry and Superstition long since razed out of the Walls and Glass Windows might be brought into use again If no Liturgies were established and imposed what should hinder but the use of the Service of Th. Becquet and Prayers having Rubricks containing Pardons or Indulgences and all other Superstitions Legends and Prayers should be again introduced And also the use of Hallowing Water Bread Salt Bells Candles on Candlemas-day Ashes on Ash-Wednesday Palms on Palm-Sunday the Font on Easter Eve Fire on Paschal and a Sepulcher on Good-Friday and several Masses contrary to the Form and Order of the Book of Communion all long since abolished in Edw. 6. and Queen Elizabeth's days and we may conclude confidently yet without Arrogancy that such Liturgies are warrantable and profitable and that as many as do walk according to such Liturgies neither overthrowing that which they have built by superinducing any damnable Heresies thereupon nor otherwise vitiating their Holy Faith with a lewd and wicked conversation Peace shall be upon them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God and I appeal to all that shall read this if I may not with as good a Warrant affirm that our Liturgy hath kept out Popery and its Trinkets as he affirm as he doth and certainly they are both equally and alike powerful towards the encreasing and suppressing of true and false Faith Doctrine and Worship And it cannot be denied but that since 1640. since our Liturgy hath been thus vilisied set at naught and disused but that whole swarms of Sectaries like the Frogs and Locusts in Egypt have overspread the Land and that open Profanation Blasphemy Atheisme more in vogue since than before We have hitherto been openly battering his Out-works his main and strongest Forts are yet behind Vide Act Vniform f. 82.140 Car. 2. viz. That Liturgies are a Humane Invention that they occasion neglect and disabilities 63. That they hinder the due exercise and improvement of Spiritual Gifts and it is accordingly done in the imposed Liturgy 67. It says expresly That the Ministers of the Gospel shall not use or exercise any Spiritual Gift in the Administration of those Ordinances for which provision is made in the Book 68. That the Imposition of a Liturgy to be used always as a Form in all Gospel Administrations which he says do consist in Prayer Thanksgiving Instructions and Exhortations sutably applied unto the special Nature and End of the several Ordinances themselves and the use of them in the Church 63. is an unwarrantable Abridgement of that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and therefore sin in the Use and Imposition thereof And as it is a Sin in others to abridge us of the Liberty purchased for us by Jesus Christ so it is in us to give it up and not to suffer in our Testimony for it 69. and then concludes That the great Rule of Administrations is That all things be done to Edification And this is the main End of the Ministry it self in all the Duties thereof that are purely Evangelical and what ever is contrary unto or a hindrance of Edification ought not to be appointed or observed in the Worship of God and such is the state and condition of this Imposed Liturgy in Church-Administrations for the Reasons mentioned c. 10. f 65. § By which it appears that one great Objection in their Esteem though opprobrious only against Liturgies is That they are an Humane Invention Be it so what then Therefore nothing of Humane Invention be it never so consonant and advantagious unto the Truth or the true Worship of God is to be necessarily and indispensibly used in the publick Worship of God If so then by the same Rule and Reason we may conclude that no Man must teach in private or preach in publick for that such Sermons such Catechisings are as truly the Inventions of the Brains of every Individual Person as Liturgies are of the whole Church or its Representative for be it that the Forms of Liturgies were never instituted nor commanded by Christ no more were the Forms of any Sermon or Prayers preached or prayed by particular Men since the days of Christ and his Apostles It is enough that the Subject Matter both of the one and of the other be according to Holy Writ And we may rest assured that as God will bless the Gifts and Labours of private Men in publick Prayers and Sermons so will he also bless the publick delivery of his Word and Mind by such stinted Prayers and such selected portions of Scripture as many learned pious and gifted Pastors
Scripture to suit with their own fancies they walk and dispute in Craftiness handling the word of God deceitfully and do not commend themselves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God by manifestation of the truth 2 Cor. 4.2 § Here I must call to mind the General Paraenesis or admonition laid down in the beginning of this Book viz. p. 4. without any particular reflection or respect unto this or that Author or Sect of any perswasion being as lyable my self to the lash thereof as any other if a transgressor In my opinion with submission to better Judgments all the Texts mentioned by this our Author do mainly if not meerly intend a Liberty from the Yoak and Curse of the Law For first Christian Liberty is opposed to Jewish Bondage and Servitude to that Yoak and Curse which lay upon them and from which the Gospel freed them Now that Gospel freed them and us first from the Curse of the Moral Law Rom. 8.1 3. Gal. 10.13 not from the obedience of that Law the obligation of it is Eternal and Indispensable Parents Ministers and Magistrates are as much to be obeyed now as then Secondly From the Yoak and Burthen of the Ceremonial Law Acts 15.10 28. This Law was abrogated at the death of Christ as to its obligation and though it was observed by the Jews for some time after even by St. Paul Acts 21.20 21 c. yet this observation was not necessary ex obligatione vi legis but voluntarily submitted unto in Christian prudence to gain the Jews Secondly This is that Christian Liberty which Christ purchased for us and the Bondage from which he freed us and would have us stand fast in the maintaining of it Gal. 1.4 And let us now see how candidly this Author deals herein with his Scripture Quotations Of this Liberty purchased for us by Jesus Christ so far as it relates to the Worship of God he makes two parts first a Freedom from those Pedagogical Institutions of God himself which by his own appointment were to continue only to the time of Reformation F. 69. this we will not question Secondly a Freedom from subjection to the Authority of Men as to any new Imposition in or about the Worship of God 1 Cor. 7.21 And the same Rule is given out as to our duty and deportment in reference unto both these Gal. 5.1 1 Pet. 2.16 f. 70. unto this second part of Liberty only I must crave leave to give check and ask what he means by New Imposition If by New Imposition be meant a new and false kind of Worship or Doctrines that are not agreeable to the word of truth but are plainly and clearly contrary thereunto I say so too but if thereby be meant a Liturgy and another cannot significantly be intended having set up that for his mark and instance not commanding nor expressing any new divised or other Doctrine or Worship than what is agreeable to the Gospel of Truth and other I defend not and his main force is bent against Liturgies in general I shall take Liberty to be a dissenting Brother until better informed If I should appeal to himself that if he had the same Liberty allowed him that he contends for would he not adorn and deliver this Gospel Worship Truth and Doctrines in his own dress of flourishing Retorick Eloquence and Expressions whereof he is a great Master And is the Liturgy any more or other than gospel-Gospel-Worship Truth and Doctrines expressed and made manifest by the various expressions of men as capable of the same knowledge and of the dictates and illapses of the same Spirit as himself O! but its Imposition and the necessity of its observance by virtue of that Imposition is the grand Pique indeed that cannot be digested it being in his Judgment very unreasonable to impose forms on others who desire to stand fast in the Liberty with which Christ hath made them free f. 31. God having never delegated his power to any to appoint or institute any thing in his Worship or about it that seemeth meet unto their Wisdom f. 50. this I take to be generally true that whatsoever is lawful to be used without Imposition may lawfully be imposed and as lawfully used when imposed therefore Imposition or not Imposition alters not the Case but is quite out of Doors then this Liberty rightly stated rightly understood and not wrested is not denyed to this Author nor unto any other that I know of no nor yet so abridged by the Liturgy but that he may have his desire and stand fast therein But how he will prove this Christian Liberty to extend to such Dimensions and Latitudes as he pretends a right unto hic labor hoc opus For though God never deligated his power to any without consideration of right or wrong to introduce a new or other false Worship yet sure this Author upon Second and better thoughts and considerations will not deny but that God hath delegated power to some on earth that are no Priests to regulate and Order some things in and about his own Worship that seemeth meet unto their Wisdoms that are not contrary thereunto as to appoint publick places for the Congregation to meet in and to see that they do meet accordingly and to appoint Pastors to read and Preach his word and Administer his Sacraments rightly and duly and to provide a maintenance that they that serve at the Altar may live of the Altar that all things may be done decently and in order among which some things Liturgies may justly claim a Room and to be imposed § Now let us examine his Scripture Proofs The first Text he brings to prove his Second Part of Christian Liberty having divided it into two parts as before viz. that we have a Freedom from Subjection to the Authority of Men as to any New Impositions in or about the Worship of God 1 Cor. 7.21 Art thou called being a Servant care not for it but if thou maist be made Free use it rather What of this Doth this prove that we have a Freedom from Subjection c. unto me any Sentence out of the Apocrypha Alcaron or Talmud might have been as good a Proof The Scope of the Apostle in that verse and indeed almost of that whole Chapter being only to perswade the Corinthians unto contentedness of mind in what Estate or condition of life soever they shall be called unto or placed in and therefore in the Verse immediately before he Commands that every Man abide in the same calling wherein he was called v. 20. and then follows art thou called to be a Servant c. and in the subsequent Verses he reasons it thus For he that is called in the Lord being a Servant is the Lords Free-man likewise he that was called being Free is Christs Servant v. 22. and then follows let every Man herein abide with God v. 24. By all which the Apostle only teacheth that all men ought to be contented with
there is something in Ordination or appendant to it which they receive from the King First Licence to be Ordained and Liberty to exercise what God hath Authorized them to do viz. to Preach Baptize c. In which Ordination also there is if not an Overt yet a tacite and implyed condition viz. Submission to the Imperative Constitutive Government of the present Church that doth permit them to be Ordained Licence them to Preach Establish them a maintenance c. All which if they expect from the Prince all the reason Imaginable that he should judge and appoint who should be capable of such Liberty and maintenance and appoint the qualifications or else if he should give the same Countenance Liberty and maintenance to Popish Priests or Jews why were he to be blamed if he had no Power nor Command from God to Judg to Licence or Tollerate Suppress or Prohibit Therefore if after Ordination and Admission into the Ministery they refuse to submit to the Established Government of the present National Church the same Authority that permitted them Ordination may for sound and good reasons as Warrantably deny them publick preferments and publick places for the exercise thereof for the Application of the Persons to the Charge is wholly in the Body of the Church and Magistrates Power which is one and the same thing whether you consider Independent or not ndependent Churches And I appeal to all the Congregations Presbyterian and Independent whether they will admit any into their particular Societies that will not submit to their Government Constitutive by consent And do not again Excommunicate those that after their admission do deny submission to their Constitutions I would have no man patient in causa laesae fidei yet it is Pauls Counsel and Practise in things indifferent to become all unto all and to be indifferently minded 1 Cor. 9 2â— Moderation what Wise man but approves in external Rites to fit himself to that Church wherein God shall call or occasion him to Live § I will make no severe reflections on any peccadilloes of any persons of any perswasion but believe that as they are all Heirs of the same Faith and of the same Salvation and all Brethren of Christ so they may all meet in Heaven and therefore will exhort all to Unity and and Peace and Love the last Legacy Christ left to Disciples viz. Love one another and I hope they all have the same Christian Love and Charity each toward other Paul and Barnabas Jarred yet Preached the Gospel and why not you Our love to God is more espetially manifested and signalized by our love to Saints for whom we ought to lay down our lives 1 Joh. 3.16 David a King and a man after Cods own Heart solemnly Protests all my delight is in the Saints on the Earth and in such as excell in Vertue 16 Psal 3. The proximity and near Relation that Saints have with Christ should encourage them whom he hath dignified with his own name and Power to prefer the Saints in love To Saul an Enemy David shewed kindness but his Soul clave to the Soul of Jonathan 1 Sam. 18.13 Gods Precepts and Saints Practise oblige us always to limit the specially of our Love to the Houshold of Faith if ye all have Faith towards God of which I make no question why then live ye not in love one towards another why so dissenting why such animosities each towards other scarce affording a good word one of the other I hope you have not so learned Christ Gods love to his Chosen so impartial that whether Graecian or Barbarian Bond or Free all are one in Christ Jesus Gods favours for Salvation are Extended to all Prince Pesant Prelate Presbyter Independent Conformist Non-Conformist Assenter Dissenter Liturgist or Antiliturgist however different among your selves in point of Discipline nothing in Doctrines fundamental All a like Redeemed by the Blood of Christ Sanctified by his Grace and Providence the ground of all Holy Love is the same in all the Image of God the Loadstone of all gracious Affections Apage imbelles quaerimonias A way then with all Animosities all evil speakings and murmurings one against another as if Ca-sirouna dogs â—â—ch to other Beware also of Partiality in affections towards one another must your Love and Testimonies thereof be limited only to place and outwâ—rd Eminency in our Church and of your own rank and perswasion only must Dissenters tho never so Rich in Faith be scarce vouchsafed your Eugè unless the same moment you give them your Vale meats scarce meet for the Dogs of your Flock To such I say with Paul despise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not 1 Cor. 11.22 Be Exhorted therefore without partiality to love each other in good earnest considering that our Love to the Brethren is the best Evidence of our Love towards God and the best Evidence of our Sincerity in loving and surest sign of true Gracious Love when it is Impartial to all tho Dissenting Brethren for if our Love be sincere and without dissimulation it will be impartial and will work no ill to the Brethren and is the very fulfilling of the Law It is not to be denyed but that tho the Body the Catholick Church be one yet it hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body whereof Christ is the Head 1 Cor. 12.12 whether Prelate Presbyter or Independent whether National or Congregational Churches are all Members of the same Catholick Body and therefore I do deem it very unbrotherlike if not unscholastick to stigmatizey either Conformist or Non-Conformist with the name of Seperatist or Schismatick because they all hold the Truth in Righteousness those names more properly belong to Dogs to evil Workers to the Concision of which we ought to beware and avoid 3 Phil. 2. the Conformist and Non-Conformist the Liturgist and Anti-Liturgist they all serve and Worship God in Truth and in Sincerity and give God thanks and are certainly Members of the same Body and neither ought to Esteem other Seperatist or Schismatick but the stronger to bear the Infirmities of the weaker they differing only in Circumstantials not in Fundamentals or things absolutely necessary St. John 3 Ep. Commendeth to Pious Preachers the Example of Gajus and Demetrius for their peaceable deportments towards the Brethren and their love of the Truth and Rebukes Diotrephes for loving praeheminence among the Brethren and for prating against them with usalicious words unbeseeming both Conformists and Non-conformists and not receiving them nor yet the love of the Truth but forbidding them that would and in as much as in them lyeth casting them out of the Church Take heed and by love serve one another for in this one word Love all the Law is fulfilled for if ye bite and devour one another take heed I say ye be not Consumed one of another 5 Gal. 13.14 15. FINIS I Have now done with our Friends at
JUS CAESARIS ET Ecclesiae vere dictae OR A TREATISE WHEREIN Independency Presbytery the Power of Kings and of the Church or of the Brethren in Ecclesiastical Concerns Government and Discipline of the Church AND Wherein also the use of Liturgies Tolleration Connivence Conventicles or Private Assemblies Excommunication Election of Popes Bishops Priests what and whom are meant by the Term CHURCH 18 Mathew are discoursed AND How 1 Cor. 14.32 generally misunderstood is rightly expounded Wherein also the Popes Power over Princes and the Liberty of the Press are discoursed By William Denton M. D. M. q. R. LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold by John Kersey and Henry Faythorn at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-yard 1681. TO THE READER IT is impossible but that the pressing home of such truths of such nature as this Treatise is compiled of must necessarily traverse and thwart the Interests grandeur profit and affections of some Men who have or are apart of the body of Government in this and other Nations and therefore no Man can be fit for such an incounter who is not above all hopes and fears it being almost impossible to find a Person so espoused to publick good and publick truths in which there shall not be some that will hate and threaten and persecute him when they apprehend that he shall oppose the design of their private Profit Grandeur Domination or other Interests tho but by demonstration of plain truths how necessary and clear and just soever they be according to Amos 5.10 They hate him that rebuketh in the Gate and abhor him that speaketh uprightly for which reason I must confess my self Impar negotio not in any measure so qualified and yet have attempted it * Dedisti timentibus te vexillum quo utuntur propter veritatem potentissimè Psalm 60. as boldly as if I were and tho I have suffered in this kind before by the foul mouths and bitter pens of R. P. I. S. P. W. and others and by tongues sans Nombre in all places and companies and tho I expect the same fate again for that great inquiries have been made and great diligence used to trace me from my youth to find out the Irregularities and Aberrations thereof which have not been few they have now spit their Venom and done their worst and I am at a point such revenge being at best but savage justice and I have learnt from 51 Esay 7. Not to fear the reproach of Men nor to be afraid of their revilings which can reach the Body only not the Soul Besides I am confident that neither God nor yet common humanity or common justice will permit Truth and innocent plain dealing to have such ill hap nor Vertue such misfortune even in this World that Fame and Infamy should always depend and be at the disposition of the black tongues and pens of Malevolents tho Ecclesiasticks or great Persons It is not my Person but the Truths which always carry their own Shields and Bucklers I have published that hath already galled some I shall here only commit to their considerations that to Calumniate the Defenders of Apostolick Doctrines and of the just rights and powers of Princes and Civil Magistrates is obliquely to Calumniate Christ himself and Kings and Supream Magistrates Defenders of the Faith themselves Darts many times being as equally fatal by a glance as if darted in a direct line my comfort is that Truth is alwayes pleasing unto God and in some sence is the Eternal Word of God and ought so to be acknowledged by every individual and falshood and untruths displeasing unto Him and unto all good and pious Men and no Man can receive injury from the Truth that doth not ground himself upon falshoods Truth being always one and the same thing and falshood infinite Truths ought to be submitted unto not out of constraint only but out of willingness and love to embrace them not only for the Evidence but for the Author and goodness of them and it is our duty willingly to resign our judgments to be captivated unto all kinds of saving Truths even to the extirpating of those presumptions prepossessions and principles of corruption which use to smother and cloud and adulterate Divine Truths And to calumniate punish or discountenance defenders of Divine Truths seasonably spoken doth not become nor is it wont to be done by any pious just or prudent Majestrates but the contrary and it is no Gospel Principle for any Man how great and how Ecclesiastick soever to stir up envy against another but upon sure and true grounds Zorobabel obtained honour and favour of King Darius and all his Nobles above his Competitors for wisdom for that he preferred and declared Truth to bear away the Victory above all things 3 Esdras 3.12 All the Earth calleth upon Truth Heaven blesseth it all Works shake and tremble at it and with it is no unrighteous thing Wine Women Kings are wicked and such are all their wicked works and there is no Truth in them and they shall perish in their unrighteousness Truth endureth and is always strong it liveth and conquereth for ever with her there is no accepting of persons or rewards but she doth the things that are just and refraineth from all unjust and wicked things and all Men do well like of her Works neither in her judgment is there any unrighteousness and she is the Strength Kingdom Power and Majesty of all Ages Blessed be the God of Truth At which Declaration all the People shouted and said great is Truth and mighty above all things It is also alike impossible to please all Men. I never put pen to paper with any such presumption or hopes the best Men and the best Christians is my chiefest design to gratifie but even in that also I fear I shall miss much of my aim and desires divers Men tho good Men having divers judgments and divers interests and according to divers Lights have divers understandings and Ecclesiasticks as well as others are subject to the Inchantments of Passion Ends Interest and Parties Tho I am no Prophet nor yet Son of a Prophet yet I do foresee that there is a Generation of Men worthy and learned who tho of different perswasions among themselves in affairs of their own function that yet will all unite and center in censuring of me as if I leapt out of my own Province into theirs to visit their transactions but I have learnt of St. Austin that it is arrogance in no Man either to seek or assert truth it being an equal Crime of the same nature both to conceal truth and divulge untruths The Protestant Clergy I doubt not but will acknowledge that it is evers Man's duty and concern to be a good Christian and as Christians their undeniable right to try Spirits and to examine by the Scriptures whether the things our Priests do teach us are so in truth or no. The Apostles themselves did subject their Preachments
to the judgments of their Auditors and I never heard that Protestant Divines did ever pretend to greater Abilities than they had or to any Infallibility and if we poor Laicks should not be left to our own free judgments and examinations what better choice can we make than to philip Cross or Pile whether to be Prelate Presbyter Independant Quaker or Phanatick Protestant or Papist Turk or Jew Wherefore hath God differenced us from Bruits by giving us light of Reason and of Conscience if others must have the guidance and custody of them and we be led Captive by the Reason and Conscience of other men We ought no more to rely on another man's light of Reason or of Conscience than on another man's eyes to see or legs to walk withall This were but to put a Cheat upon our selves and to cast the care of our Faith and Religion upon others as if not worthy our own care or concern or as if we be seduced they not we were to answer for it God's Precepts were not given to Popes Prelates Priests Councils Synods or particular Churches or to great Clarks only but to every Individual and every man ought to act according as he is perswaded in his own Heart we are Disciples only not Slaves Besides are not Laicks Priests also Is it not Gospel He hath made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father Rev. 1.6 and for certain the Holy Ghost and Learning are not the Clergies Peculiar § As to the Romish Clergy I have much more to say unto them not expecting any just or fair dealing from them for that they have treated us far worse than the Aegyptians did the Israelites for they held them in Bondage but four hundred and thirty years but the Roman Pontiffs have evilly treated us more than that time twice told treated us indeed after a very strange rate as if we could not tell ten or as if we did not know our right hands from our left Treated us as the Philistines did Sampson put out our eyes and then make sport with us our understandings must be captivated to the Popes bare ipse dixit whether with or against Reason or Scripture or indeed against our very Sences and we must be content to be led blindfold into the Abyss of ignorance and destruction where Abbaddon reigns and made believe it is our happiness so to be as if ignorance in good earnest were the Mother of Devotion Dominus Deus noster Papa like God on mount Sinai thundring out his Interdicts that none presume to go up into the Mount nor yet to touch but the border of it not so much as to peep into the Scripture without leave forsooth least we be shot thro with the dart of Ex-communication or drawn into the Inquisition tho all Scripture was given indifferently to all Men by Christ and his Apostles as their only Patent and Evidence for their Inheritance reserved for them in Heaven and is in its own nature profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction for Righteousness 2 Tim. 3.10 and tho we are commanded to search them for that in them we have eternal Life 5 John 39. But this ought to be no wonderment to any that they who have kept us blindfold so long should yet desire to keep us hood-winkt still Heroick and publick spirited minds tho long plaid upon and abus'd with shadow of Reason and usurped Powers will at length find words and reasons to ease and right themselves Every Man is too apt to indulge his own fancy and opinions yea and intitle God and his Word to the favouring of them also we shall be all saved or damned according to what our selves not what our Priests do believe and practise Publick refutation of errors tho long received and tho contrary to the design and interest of some and those no small ones hath in its own nature more of Candour and sweetness than of Gall and ought so to be esteemed He doth too proudly scorn his own imperfections and corrupted nature that blusheth to think that he can err and as they betray too much selfishness and weakness who dare not write or speak Truth so do they much more that for ends not good are afraid that Truth should come to light Nature hath not left the most beautiful flesh and blood without some moles some blemishes The Church on Earth tho lovely yet is not without her Naevi some blackness with her oomeliness and to flatter her Children in them is worse than to write a Satyr against them As Revenge is not more due to any Injuries than unto those that are committed against the Church so no Benefits are more valuable than those that are done unto the Church In all Writings great care ought to be taken to write nothing that might give offence nor to omit any thing that can be said in defence of Truth without suffering our Pens to run riot in any thing which by interpretation might be drawn into offence altho the malicious subtilties and prevaricating Wits of some hath made it appear that there can be nothing so moderately spoken which is not subject to depraved expositions My main design is to discover Truth sine formidine oppositi without respect or dread of any interest or party Amicus Praesul Amicus Presbyter Amicus Independens sed magis amica Veritas I am not ignorant how imprudent it is to disoblige or anger great Men or any Party or indeed any number of men I have tasted of that sowr grape already tho by endeavors only to find out Truth by discoursing of it but that Spirit is wretchedly mean that dares not write or speak Truth without a sneaking and pitiful Apology If we had those hungring thirsting and most ardent affections to all sincere uncorrupted and heavenly Truths which are proportional to that Spirit of Christ which is or ought to be in us there would not be such bitter Contests and Animosities as are amongst us for trivials things rather respecting Interest and Domination than the sincere Word of Truth which adds value and honor to every Asserter thereof but receives no value from any Man I have endeavoured quantum in me to do that right to all Perswasions as to urge what may most conduce to the making good of the same and what their cause will rationally bear and that in terms plain and perspicuous without School-tricks If I have missed of my aim the Reason is at hand Bernardus non vidit omnia no more Oraculous or infallible than themselves They that see best see at best but thro a Glass darkly even the Scribes the Wise and the Disputers of this World are many times both far from Certainty and far from Truth and no wonder Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World 1 Cor. 1.20 Elias cum venerit solvit dubia THE SUMME Of Mr. J. M. His TREATISE MR J. M. in his Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes denies the
them through their mutual Faith both theirs and his it is evident that one mans faith may by such assembling be helpful to another though not to justify yet to comfort and confirm when as they shall see their own experimental perswasions backed with the experiences and testimonies of others And though the experience of Gods Children together in the Word do sufficiently establish us in truths yet it is a confirmation not to be neglected that we have others of our Brethren from like experience with us to give testimony thereto And it were to be wished that such Christian Assemblies and Conferences were for this end more carefully used not forbidden No doubt the concent of Gods Children in the same truths would add unto us no small comfort and Confirmation Ferus in Math. 11. reports of a kind of conference in use among the Antient Heremites and Monks that they were wont to meet together and there freely to lay open each to other their several temptations means of resistance and gracious issue for counsel comfort confirmation c. An excellent example of the like we have in the worthy Preacher Mr. Richard Rogers of Essex in his 7 Treatises Treat 5. c. 13.14 If Paul that great Apostle hoped and expected to be somewhat holpen and comforted by the mutual faith of his own converts when they Assemble and meet together may not then the greatest of Gods Saints here be somewhat helped by the meanest of Gods People and who sees it not in experience that the People by such Assembling such conferences help their Pastors as well as themselves as Remembrancers as Incouragers as Provokers of their diligence and to emulation to Love and to good Works by being Whetstones and as it were Spurs unto them as men though generally of less knowledg yet sometimes of more feeling experience in the truth than many of their Ministers It will not then be unbeseeming our greatest Pastors or Prelates to encourage and to be seen in the Assemblies of Saints Let the Priests of Rome sit in the Assembly of Mockers and rejoyce But let Protestant Ministers count it their happiness and part of the performance of their Ministry to frequent the Company and Assembling together of such of his People as in whom he sees evidences of true faith and fear of God 10 Hebr. 24.25 not forgetting the Assembling of your selves together c. Nemo sibi soli nascitur No man whether of the Clergy or Laity Male or Female Literate or Illiterate hath Talents Gifts or Graces for himself only and to Napkin up but to dispence them for the good of others also To save Souls every man is or ought to be a Priest the Command is universal 19 Levit. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Brother and not suffer sin upon him so that in the Language of the Law not to Communicate what good we can to the Brethren is to hate them at the very heart doth not all the World Center in this Erranti monstrare viam to guide the blind and those that are out of the way to Communicate light to them that sit in darkness of mind knowledg to the ignorant Doth not every Parent teach his Children every Master his Servants and every Man his Friend and Neighbour in Arts and Sciences and shall less care be taken of the Eternal than of the Temporal condition of their Souls than of their Bodies To do good to all men and to help to save Souls is to Christians a Law moral never to be forgotten never to be omitted God being always pleased with such Sacrifice Besides it is not without great Example How many of the Laity in all Ages and Countries have by writing for the publick good propagated the Gospel of Christ as if some secret Instinct of Nature or some Illapse from Heaven had spirited them so to do To obviate here some usual Objections or calumnies It is frivolous to think that by the Laity thus ingaging that the Honour of the Clergy is thereby Ecclipsed or their profit diminished or that confusion in Government will ensue No no. But on the contrary their countenancing of such persons is their Honour demonstrating to all the World how unblameably they walk shewing joy of any helpers in the Lords Vineyard in gaining Souls to Heaven deeming it a pitiful muck-worm-spirit savouring too rankly of Earthly and too little of Heavenly-mindedness to ground their Honour and Veneration upon other Mens ignorance as the Papists do as if their more full and perfect knowledg should discover and judge of their defects and aberrations Our Protestant Clergy bids defiance to all such little durty Intrigues Let Rome appropriate that Glory that priviledge to her self and boast of their own Principle and Maxim that ignorance is the Mother of Devotion the Protestant Clergy scorn to be pettish and froward that the Laity contribute their Talents in participating of their charge their labour in the Lord. They know it is more agreeable to their calling to wish with Moses 11 Numb 29. that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them and that every man did think himself bound in Conscience to discharge a part of the common good of all Christians and did believe that the care of other mens Souls did concern them as well as the care of their own and that they ought to love their Neighbours as themselves When the Apostle took order to Ordain some on whom the burthen of Preaching the Gospel should be more particularly incumbent as a more peculiar duty upon them they did not thereby impropriate and confine Preaching or Instructing so wholly to those Persons only as to stifle and suppress all other mens Talents that were not Ordained that had been to limit the Holy one of Israel and to contradict their other more general Precepts viz. of speaking and consequently of writing to Edifycation that they might administer Grace unto the hearers and readers But they prudently considering that every mans care was no mans care they in their most wise and Christian care did more especially Ordain some whose duty it should be to serve at the Altar and attend on the Gospel alone whose voyces we were to hear as sent by God himself the better to keep the Office and Ministry in great veneration to the end of the World and that they should teach as e Cathedra as persons set apart and ordained to the office by Christ himself according to the promise made I will give you Pastors which shall feed you with knowledg and understanding 3. Jer. 15. and all people commanded to hearken unto their voices 17. Deut. 10.11 Let private profession and practice of Christianity improve never so much yet the great honour of worthy publick Professors can never be impaired but advanced thereby while the Gospel lasteth but this their right and great honour impeacheth not the general right which all
Friends the one to persecute the other for slight pretences about things owned to be indifferent Were it not better and more secure to allow them publick places only I do not say preferments that all the World might hear their Doctrines and Preachments and punish or not punish accordingly if Papalins their Doctrines Tenets and Vows of Obedience to another Head and forreign Power being publickly known to all the World and as publickly professed and avowed by them for sound and true though in truth salse and erroneous Doctrines render them uncapable of Toleration because in their own very Nature they are destructive unto our Government King and Nation unto our Laws Liberties Religion and Worship and what were it else but to establish Idolatry and Superstition by a Law Besides the Pope pretends Right and Title to our very Church and Kingdoms In the dayes of Henry 8. the Earl of Desmond profered Ireland to the French K. the Instrument whereof yet remains on Record in the Court of Paris and the Pope afterwards transferred the Title of all our Dominions unto Charles 5th which by new grants was confirmed unto his Son Philip in the time of Queen Elizabeth with a resolution to settle this Crown on the Spanish Infanta c. and when times serve makes no bones by his Bulls and his Assassinates as much as in him lies to Crown and Vncrown our Kings and Queens and absolve their Subjects of their Obedience to them and to exhaust our Treasury as part of his own Patrimony to maintain the pride and luxury of his Court and Prelates And since we have in great part shaken off his Antichristian Yoak and Usurpations he yet continues to keep his Agitators and Spies here even at our charge and hath not ceased by his Bulls Jesuits Assasinates and Emissaries at once to destroy both King and Parliament and by the bold and impudent Impostures of his Priests and Jesuits perpetually to seduce corrupt and pervert from the right wayes of the Lord as many as they can of our Nobility Gentry and Pesantry not sparing the Royal Family making them turn Tenants for their Lives and Souls which they hold only at the will and pleasure of their Lord God the Pope and Tributary for their estates Whether therefore it be fit or reasonable to tollerate Men thus desperately set and Principl'd against this Church and State I submit to the wisdome of King and Parliament who are best able to provide for their own and the publick safety of our King and Kingdom As to that they nick-name and miscal their Catholick Religion more justly the most Catholick Heresie in the World it is such a piece of Linseywolsey-stuff interwoven with so many ridiculous Ceremonies borrowed from Jews Turks Heathens peculiar Absurdities Blasphemies Superstitions and Idolatries imposing not only on our Understandings but on our very Senses V. les Conformitez des Ceremonies c. A Leyde 1667. Traite des Anciennes Ceremonies c. 1 is 73. in owning the Scriptures to be the word of God and yet denying the free and common use thereof commanding to believe very Bread and Wine to be Flesh and Blood attributing infallibility to his Holiness by vertue whereof he may take away the Bread in the Eucharist from the Laity as well as he hath already deprived and cheated them of the Wine may make lying with other mens Wives no Adultery Robbing no Theft Killing Innocent men even Kings and Queens under pretence of Heresie no Murder whereof we have had sad experience even in these our dayes in sum who ever submits to the Popes infallibility renders himself Captive to be led into all Heresie and even to Hell it self as if the Scripture in good earnest had come from Heaven meerly to make the Pope optimum maximum et supremum numen in terris that he is sole Interpreter of all Scriptures and Judge of all Controversies and that his Tribunal and Gods are all one and 1000 more absurdities which in effect is to renounce Christianity and to yield blind obedience and implicite Faith to his ipsedixit and to become Antichristians For by their own Doctrines of Intention they have given us just cause to question their very Christianity for if they hold true to that Doctrine it 's impossible they should infallibly know that they have either true Pope true Bishop true Priest or that they are true Christians and therefore they may thank themselves and their own Doctrines if we allow them at best to be but Mungril Christians like those of Samaria who feared God yet served Idols and like those of Israel who swore by the Lord and Melcom And therefore not worthy to be called a Religion at least Christian unless by way of Complement and civility they Exalting the Pope above all that is called God endeavouring by the impudent impostures of Baals Priests to enslave whole Nations to his vile ends and purposes quo jure quâve injuriâ and all this under the Vizard of his false Religion All which considered I humbly conceive that no Tolleration is to be allowed Papists whether we respect either Church or State policy tho there are those among our selves for what good ends is past my understanding except to make us as very Mungrils as the Papists that would lead and wheedle us into a fair way of reconciliation by a School-trick of distinguishing between the Court and Church of Rome What Is it possible that Righteousness can have fellowship with Unrighteousness Can light have Communion with darkness Can Christ and Belial agree together What agreement can the Temple of God have with Idols Can we joyn our bodies to the very Mother of Harlots and not be one body with her From such we are commanded to come out and seperate not tollerate 52 Esay 11.31 Jerem. 1. 1 Cor. 6.16 2 Cor. 6.14.15 16 17 18. And then God will be a Father unto us and we shall be his Sons a d Daughters We are seperate we are come out for shame then let us not hanker after nor talk of returning to Onyons and Garlick nor with the Dog to his Vomit we are washed and cleansed from the dregs and silth of Rome and therefore never to return with the nasty and beastly Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire If Quakers they are as little to be indulged for reasons diametrically opposite for that the very Scriptures are not heartily and throughly owned by them nor are they a Rule of Faith unto them Indeed they have no known Rules no established Principles no Doctrine infallible to be Governed by the light within them being only the Rule and Guide of their Consciences which may be Hosanna to day and Crucifige tomorrow no Connivence no Tolleration due to those Religions whose Principles are unknown or destroy our Government If Presbyter or Independents the case as to them is far different they owning the same Scriptures for their Rule and Guide professing the same Articles of
Loving one another of Doing all things decently and in order of Laying Hands suddenly on no man and describing Qualifications sit for the same to be their Guide and Directions That the Bishops and Priests were chosen by Popular Election until the Days of Constantine and some time after hath been demonstrated out of St Cyprian and others Afterwards when Pride Ambition Covetousness Self-Interest and Affectation of Domination had more universally corrupted the Minds of men and after the Donations of Constantine had given more Honour and more Power to the Christians then more eminently began the Spirit of Antichrist to work and every Interest began to set up for it self and the Priests and Bishops began then to be chosen sometimes by the People or Brethren sometimes by the Emperors sometimes by the Emperors People and Clergy and sometimes by the Clergy and People according as the several Interests grew more or less potent till at last it devolved where now it is at Rome even on the Cardinals who are well advanced from being Parish-Priests of Rome to be Peers and Compeers with Kings and Princes Vid. Fra. Paolo Sarpi of Beneficiary Matters It is undeniable that the Popes themselves were so chosen An. Dom. 233. p. 158. sometimes by one Interest sometimes by another Cornelius the 20th Pope was made Bishop of Rome by Testimony of the Clergy and Suffrage of the People It is true the Council of Laodicea congregated An. D. 364. under Liberius the 35th Pope or according to Coriolanus An. D. 321. Ordained That it was not to be granted to the People that they should make choice of those that were to serve at the Altar c. 13. But what Right they had so to Ordain appeareth not Notwithstanding which Bishops were chosen by Popular Election after this Council as may appear by the Great Nicene Council Assembled according to Baronius 6 years after the Council of Laodicaea in their Synodal Fpistle to the Church of Alexandria and to the beloved Brethren of Aegypt Libia and Pentapolis apud Theodoret lib. 1. c. 9. And that they enjoyed the same Liberty before the Nicene Council is clear by St Cyprian Ep. 68. Sect. 4. The People obeying the Lords Commandments and fearing God ought to separate themselves from a sinful Ruler and not to intermingle themselves with a Sacrilegious Priest seeing they especially have power either to elect worthy Priests or reject unworthy All the Romans as well Laity as Clergy chose Leo the 45th Pope Pelagius the Second the 63d Pope was chosen by the People so was Gregory the First the 64th Pope And so was Vitilianus the 76th Pope § The Suffrages of the People are so clearly manifested by all Antiquity that Pamelius himself in Ep. Cypr. 68. saith We deny not the old Rite of Electing Bishops by which they were wont to be chosen the People being present yea rather by the Voyces of the People for that it was observed in Affrica is evident by the Election of Eradius the Successor of St Austin concerninig which there is extant his 100 Ep. In Greece in the Age of Chrysostom as appeareth by his Third Book of Priesthood In Spain by Cyprian and Isidore in his Third Book of Offices In France by the Epistle of Celestinus In Rome by those things which were spoken upon the Epistle to Antonianus yea every where else by the 87th Epistle of Leo and that this Custom continued until Gregory the First appeareth by his Epistle yea even unto the Times of the Emperors Charles and Lodowick as it is manifest enough out of the first Book of their Chapters And the same Pamelius in another place saith The Manner of choosing the Bishop of Rome was often changed First St Peter chose his Successors Linus Cletus and Clemens then Anacletus and the rest unto the second Schism between Damasus and Vesicinus were Created by the Suffrages of the Clergy and the People If Pamelius a Papist confess all this what need have we of farther proof tho Histories swell with more of like Proofs Besides the Antiquity the Reason that it ought to be so hath the general Gospel and moral Equity for its justification God having set down no certain Rule for the way of Election it is most just and equitable that the People should choose their own Pastors because their own Souls the most precious thing that ever God created were concerned therein and for that by their so Electing they were the more engaged more quietly to receive and more diligently to hear the Word of Truth from their Mouths more heartily to love and reverence their Persons and also more chearfully and bountifully to maintain their Pastors and Bishops whom they themselves had chosen Before Constantines Conversion which according to Baronius was about the Year 312. the Elections without dispute were made by Clergy and People both in the Eastern and Western Empires but after his Days and Donations there grew Disputes Animosities and great Troubles between several Interests about Elections and more especially about those of the Bishops of Rome In his Days succeeded 3 Bishops of Rome Sylvester Marcus and Julius all chosen by the Suffrages of the Clergy and People And though in the Choice of Liberius Successor to Julius Constantius intermedled not yet before that he did interpose in the East and cast Proclus out of the Church The truth is sometimes the power of Election was given to the Emperor by Pope Canons and Councils sometimes the Emperor devolved his power again to the Clergy P. Adrian Leo Clement all with a Council granted it to Charles Otho and Henry Senate and People The Custom of choosing by the Emperor continued from Vigilius to Benedict the Second in which space there were about Twenty Popes all Created by Imperial Authority And P. Adrian the First with a whole Synod gave to Charles the Great who confirmed the Donations of Pipin who gave the Possessions of the Exarch of Ravenna and also Pentapolis as a Patrimony to St Peter which first enabled and encouraged them to contend affront and set at nought Kings and Emperors in future Ages the Right and Power of choosing the Popes and disposing of the See Apostolick and granted to him the Honour of being Patricius and designed that Bishops in all Provinces should take Investitures from him and that a Bishop should be Consecrated by none unless he were first invested by the Emperor Theoderick de Niem saith De Jure Princip Imperii cited by the Bishop of Ely in Resp ad Apolog. c. 8. the Roman People granted to him and translated upon him all their Right and Power and according to their example P. Adrian with all the Clergy People and the whole Sacred Synod granted to the Emperor Charles all their Right and Power of Electing the Pope Here all Interests pretenders to have power of Election voluntarily without compulsion devolved all their Authority upon the Emperor Charles and consequently was then indisputably invested therewith which
Election of Bishops purporting that a Cathedral being vacant the Metropolitan should write unto the Chapter the Name of him who was to be promoted who should afterwards be published in Pulpit in all the Parish-Churches of the City on Sunday and hanged on the Door of the Church and afterwards the Metropolitan should go to the City vacant and examine Witnesses concerning the Qualities of the Person and all his Letters Patents and Testimonials being read in the Chapter every one should be heard that would oppose any thing against his Person of all which an Instrument should be made and sent to the Pope and read in the Consistory But such a Decree was too good to pass in that Packt Council which having too much publick respect to the publick Good even of their own Catholick Church Protestant Churches having not the same reasons to complain was oppsed by all Arts and Industry by the Bishop of Bertinoro General Laynez and by all the Pentioners and Favourites of the Court of Rome which by much was the major part for the many and great inconveniences that would ensue thereby And what were they Forsooth that such a Decree would be a Cause of Calumnies and Seditions and that thereby some Authorities long since taken away would be restored to the People Vâ—â— Ao 870. Distinct 73. Padre Paolo Defence 75. with which they would usurp the Election of Bishops which formerly they were wont to have that this was to bind the Authority of the Pope that he could not gratifie any one Just and pregnant Reasons I must confess to perswade unto Usurpation of the Right of others and therefore it could not pass The like Opposition was made against the Article concerning those who were to be promoted to the greater Orders in which it was also said that their Names ought to be published to the People three Sundays and affixed to the doors of the Church and that their Letters Testimonial ought to be subscribed by four Priests and four Laicks of the Parish alledging that no Authority ought to be given to the Laicks in these Affairs which are purely Ecclesiastical 725 726. what Right soever they had unto them In the Discourse also of the Reformation of Cardinals a Congregation was ordained on purpose to consult and find a means that Princes might not intermeddle in the Conclave in the Election of the Pope so jealous and unwilling are they to have any Laick great or small to come within their Verge their Scrinia sacra or to intermeddle in such their Concerns though they have none de Jure but their Priesthood but what they have either obtained by Power or usurped by Fraud or by the Supineness or Favours of Pious Princes But when some of the Council thought in order to Reformation to make a Constitution that no Bishop should have any Temporal Offices either in Rome or in the Ecclesiastical Dominions that even that also would be a great prejudice to the Ecclesiasticks of France Polonia and of other Countries and Kingdoms where they are Councellors of Kings and have the Principal Offices of which they would soon be deprived by the instigation of the Secular Nobility for their own Interests and therefore that String was not to be touched upon but left unto the Popes ordering Furthermore the Bishop of St. Mark in the Dispute about the Title of the Council of Trent had the boldness to aver that the Laicks are most improperly called the Church for that the Canons determine that they have no Authority to command but Necessity to obey and that the Council ought to Decree that the Seculars ought humbly to receive the Doctrine of Faith which is given them by the Church without disputing or thinking of it Petro Soave Polano 141. That is in Romish understanding that that Religion which the Pope Obedience unto him being made by them a true Mark of the Church doth please to give them ought to be embraced by the Laicks without dispute What is this else but plainly and grosly to mock the world and to think all men Fools and Cuddens but themselves and to perswade themselves that all their Absurdities should be believed without more ado What is this less than to perswade Rational men that they are Bruits Horses or Asses void of all understanding or that hearing they do not hear or that seeing they do not see or that perceiving they do not understand Qui vult decipi decipiatur § Thus have I unto the meanest Capacities made plain and evident both by Precept and Practice out of the Word of Truth the Title and Interest which the whole Congregation of Believers have unto the Appellation and Powers of the Church and unto Ecclesiastical Concerns without wresting or perverting any one Text of Scripture § Now the Pope would very much oblige us if he would vouchsafe unto us but only one plain Text to warrant the Powers he exerciseth and lays claim unto over the Laity or how he comes to be so essential to the Church as to be put into the very definition thereof It being plain downright nonsence if it be good manners to say so to aver that any one single person alone how great soever can suffice to make a Church a Congregation for that at least two or three are necessarily required to make an Assembly or Congregation Ecclesia or the Church even in its Natural and Grammatical Construction signifying a Plurality or Multitude be it Civil or Ecclesiastical And as it is a new so it is an absurd kind of Trope devised by the Romanists to make the Pope a single person to signifie the Church I know the Papalins are most excellent Artists most rare Alchymists surpassing even those our Brethren Roseae Crucis who are modest Mountibanks in respect of these Audaces Jesuitae for they took the whole Book of Genesis to found their Phanatick Chymaeraes upon but these can extract their extravagancies out of two or three words only viz. Pasce oves meas i.e. Feed my Sheep out of this Word Pasce Bellarm. hath extracted so many Quintessences so many Elixirs so many Legions of Diabolical or Antichristian Arguments for the Popes Pride and Grandeur that he can hardly desire any thing that these would not afford him will he be a King as well as a Bishop and will he have Temporal Power to be as extensive as his Spiritual Bellarmine assures him that it is so for that Christ said to Peter Pasce i.e. Regio more Impera Play the Rex at pleasure In the ancient Church when any Heresie disturbed the Truth and publick Peace a grave Assembly of Bishops and others were called and the Book of God fairly laid open before them and out of it were all Doubts determined Now Scriptures and Councils are needless Will the Pope be supreme Judge of all Controversies Lib. 4. De Rom. Pontif. C. 1. C. 3. Bellarmine thinks the Claim to be well grounded upon this Pasce Joh. 21.17 And it is
a great wonder in his Judgment that the Pope was never thought infallible till this last age since this Pasce implies this also so clearly and if the Hereticks do not believe that his Holiness hath power to make new Articles of Faith and when they cry shame upon Pope Pius the Fourth for adding Twelve new Articles to the old Apostles Creed it is because they are ignorant and know not what Pasce signifieth In sum this one Word with them contains more Matter than all the Bible besides It works Miracles makes the Pope omnipotent gives him all power not only in Heaven and on Earth but even in Purgatory a place that God knows nothing of for if you ask by what Authority he takes upon him to pardon Sins and Souls after Death to give or sell the Saints Merits to dispence with Oaths to depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdoms or if he list to murder them c. If you look the Popes Lexicon as Dr. Potter well observes you shall find that Pasce expresly denotes all this Authority and enables him to be not only a Prince or a Pastor or Bishop but even a Butcher too by the self-same Logick for what is murdering of Kings and that by Mariana his quacunque arte less than savage Butchery For according to Sententia Baronii Cardinalis super excommunicatione Venetorum Ministerium Petri est duplex pascere occidere Feed my Sheep Joh. 21.15 16 17. Kill and eat Acts 10.13 dixit enimei Dominus Pasce oves meas Joh. 21.15 16 17. Audivitque è Coelo vocem occide manduca Acts 10.13 The Words I confess are plain and words of truth and their natural Sence obvious to every Capacity but such Conclusions and Deductions from them as are drawn by the Popes Partizans and Sycophants are strangely uncouth and utterly unknown to right Reason and so notoriously false that they carry their own Confutation in their Foreheads that they that run may read them and need no other Answer yet in their due place they shall be touched § But to return The Esteem and Powers allotted to the Brethren or body of the Church by the Apostles they did preserve unto themselves above 250 years after Christ which is very plain and manifest by the abundant Testimony of the most Antient Fathers and Old Canons as by Clement First Bishop of Rome who lived in or near the Apostles days by Tertullian and Cyprian who lived in the Third Century with divers others but because to cite the whole Caravan of Witnesses at large and in particular would make this very Paragraph swell into a Volume I forbear and shall only gently touch some of them hereafter that by them you may guess at the rest § As in the first and purest times the Name and Title of Church was common to all Congregations and Societies of Believers so unto them also according to all antient Records did belong also the Use and Propriety of the Goods which were called Ecclesiastical in which times the poor and the Ministers had their Food and Rayment from one common Fund or Bank and which is observable those were more principally provided for than these But not long after this excellent Use was perverted by the Subtilty of the Clergy and the poor put in the lowest place which according to the former Use ought to have continued in the first and chiefest And when the Name of the Church became appropriated to the Clergy only all other Christians being excluded then that was applied to few which belonged to all and that to the rich which first served for the poor In the beginning of those Times the Clergy having divided among themselves all the Revenues of the Church the Charges which before were and were called Ministeries and Offices of Spiritual Care the Temporalty and Profits being now most esteemed were now called Benesices and so long as the Old Canons remained that one man should not be Ordained unto Two Titles Titulus was the Old Word for a Church Many Ages after Christ A Bishoprick before the World was divided into Parishes was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Parish and whoever was Ordeined in and for one Bishoprick he could not belong unto two And for many Ages there were no Tithes paid or due but the Church and Clergy were maintained by the Oblations of the People and those by the old Canons divided into four parts none could have more than one Benefice But the Revenues being by Wars or Inundations diminished and become not sufficient for their Maintenance one Man might hold two yet so as that he should attend them both This was begun in favour not of the Man Benesiced but of the Church which because it could not have a proper Minister might have at least some other Service upon pretence of the insufficiency of the Benefice and that none could be found to serve in them they began to grant more of them unto one though no necessity appeared for the Service of the Churches and the Mask being taken away by little and little they were not ashamed to do it for the Man Benesiced But the World being scandalized thereat there was a Moderation used whereupon a distinction began of Men tied to Residence and not tied and of Benesices compatible and not compatible calling those of Residency incompatible one with another Trattato delle materie benesiciarie 144 145 c. and the other compatible with these and with themselves yet the Gloss of the Canonist to make a shew at least of Honesty always declared that many Benefices should not be given to one but when one is not sufficient for maintenance But they cut this Sufficiency very large proportioning it not to the Person but to the Quality not esteeming it sufficient for an ordinary Priest if it were not enough for himself the Family of his Parents three Servants and an Horse and more if he were Noble and Learned And it is strange how much they allowed for a Bishop in regard of the Decorum he was to keep For Cardinals it is sufficient to note the common Saying of the Court that they are equal unto Kings by which they conclude Aequiparantâ—r Regibus 144. that no Revenue is too much for them except it be more than enough for a King The Custom being begun and neither the World nor Equity being able to resist it the Popes reserved to themselves power to dispence with the Incompatible and to have more than two of the other But to find a colourable way to put this in practice they laid hold on Commendaes Commendaes a thing instituted at first to good purpose but after used to this end only For when by reason of Wars Pestilence and other such Causes the Election or Provision could not be made so soon the Superiour did recommend the vacant Church to some honest and worthy man to take care of it besides the care of his own until a Rector were provided who
Church nor the Lords Supper were instituted All which are capable of a very short Answer viz. It is certain and without dispute evident by the very Texts themselves Mat. 18.1 Mark 9.32 Luke 9.46 that Christ spake these words in a House in Capernaum unto his Disciples applying himself to them in particular but what Jews were there let the Texts be Judge But be it that a mixt multitude of Jews Gentiles and others for they all slockt after him and he ordinarily taught them even in the Temples and Synagogues though forbidden by the Jewish Magistracy to all which Christs Precept of Dic Ecclesiae was very applicable and by them very practicable though more especially and particularly directed to his own Church and be it that the Sacraments were not then instituted nor a Local or Formal Church constituted Christ being then in the Flesh governing it by his own sic dico sic jubeo yet without all peradventure converted Jews and Gentiles were at the very moment of their Conversion incorporated into Christs Body the Church though not yet Baptized which their Baptism did afterwards declare and manifest to all the World their open admission into Christs Church and their open Profession of the Gospel That Christ in the days of his Flesh and his Disciples were under the Legal Oeconomy is very true as to their Persons and Civil Concerns but then it is as true that his Gospel Precepts and Doctrines were not subject to that Legal Oeconomy but the contrary if otherwise the Gospel had never been preached unto them by Christ nor his Apostles nor ever could have been preached unto the utmost ends of the Earth as was foretold and promised Though neither Episcopal Presbyterian nor bid pendent Churches were then established yet Christ had his Church then in being though not so distinguished and to that Church he sent his Disciples and Auditors so to do when he said Tell the Church as best beseeming the Professors of him and his Gospel As to the consideration of Actions of Trespass only be it so that the Matters of Trespass only were in that Mandate of Christ to be considered yet even in those Christ would have all his Members so to govern and demean themselves as he there prescribes but if still the Offenders will be refractory and not submit to those Rules what then Then let him be to thee as a Heathen or a Publican i.e. pursue him in the Civil Courts of Judicature as if he were separated from your Company which is all the Excommunication that I know of and not a Brother in Christ be it the Sanhedrim or the Consessus viginti-trium-viralis or the Consessus trium-viralis to which all both Jews Gentiles and Christians were to yield Obedience § Notwithstanding all these plausible and various Interpretations of these plain Texts of Scripture devised purposely to obscure and to put false Glosses on plain Texts rather than to illustrate and give the Natural and Genuine meaning of them The Words in truth are a plain very plain Direction to the Church Christian i.e. the Congregation of Believers not excluding Jew or Gentile Publican or Heathen who were to observe the same when converted which though it was not so setled in Jury as it is now setled in Romish or Presbyterian Governments with all its Trinkets and Trappings yet sure it will never be denied but that wherever Christ taught and converted and so the Apostles after him that there was a Church of Christ and such a Church as was very easily capable and sufficient to execute and put in practice these Powers Documents and Directions set down Mat. 18.15 16. which were so very easie and familiar that the least esteemed in the Church might execute them under any Government throughout the whole Universe without the least clashing or enterfeering therewith viz. Christ spake these words in a House in Capernaum to his Disciples Mat. 18.1 Mark 9.33 Luke 9.46 where happily there might be a mixt multitude of Jews and Gentiles to all which Christs Precept of Dic Ecclesiae was very applicable though more especially and immediately to his own Church If thy Brother transgress against thee What then Goe and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother but if he will not hear thee What then then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them What then Tell it to the Church i.e. to that whole congregated Church or Assembly whereof thou and he are Members What then If he neglect to hear them let him be to thee as an Heathen or Publican i.e. Put him out or let him be no longer of your Congregation or Church and account him not as a Brother in Christ but let him be to thee as an Heathen or Publican i.e. Pursue him in the Courts of Civil Judicature as thou wouldst do any other that is not a Christian i.e. as a Publican or Heathen or as any other wrong-doer whereby it plainly appears that Christ by Dic Ecclesiae sends them to his own Congregated Church not Judicially to determine Differences but amicably and charitably to reconcile dissenting Brethren but if neither by themselves nor yet by the help and advice of two or three Brethren nor yet by the interposition or mediation of the whole Parish or Congregated Church Reconciliation cannot be obtained What then then implead him in Westminster-Hall in any Civil Courts of Judicature All which rightly considered makes not the least for Excommunication but rather shews that there was no necessity of introducing any other Government into the Church Christian the rest all belonging to the Civil Governments of Princes and States I am not ignorant what work what strange work Romish Hectors make of these two Words viz. Dic Ecclesiae i.e. Tell the Church i.e. Praelatis Ecclesiae i.e. to the Prelates of the Church according to many Popish Writers but till of late years no one understood it of the Pope alone or of any one single Person which is so demonstrable not only by the Text it self but by their old and antient Breviaries that it cannot be denied And therefore they would oblige us very much if they would satisfie us why in that Gospel which is read on the Tuesday after the Third Sunday in Lent where it was written in the old Breviaries Respiciens Jesus in Discipulos suos dixit Simoni Petro si peccaverit in te frater tuus vade corripe eum intor te ipsum solum c. Jesus looking upon his Disciples said unto Simon Peter if your Brother trespass against thee go and tell him his fault c. It was so read in the Antient Breviaries Breviar Rom. impress Par. 1492. per Joh. de Prato and in Breviar impress 1534. And why they have in their Breviaries Printed of late years viz. Breviar Clem. 8. Jussu recog
sent it by Stephanus and others signifying unto them that though he were absent in Body but present in Spirit had already judged as present him that had so done and therefore advised them in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that being gathered together and his Spirit with the vertue of the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Sathan Now it is observable that when St. Paul wrote this Epistle he was absent at Philippi a City of Macedonia and directed it not to any one single person Pope or other but unto the Church of God which was at Corinth and to them that were sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours He did not according to Romish Custom write by his Breves I excommunicate such a one and in one Scrap of Paper send as much as in him lieth Kings and Queens and Emperors nay whole Kingdoms and States to the Devil but he wrote to the Church a Collective Body that being gathered together with his Spirit they should deliver that Incestuous person to Sathan And again when he wrote his Second Epistle he directed it also unto the Church of God which was at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia declaring it sufficient to such a Man is this Punishment which was inflicted of many admonishing them to forgive and comfort him lest perhaps he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow whereby it is plain and not to be gainsaid that the Delivering of him unto Sathan be the Punishment be the Censure what it will it was inflicted by many 2 Cor. 2.6 Now if Paul an Apostle would not excommunicate or deliver unto Sathan at his own will and pleasure but would consult the Church that the Matter being transacted by common Authority and Approbation the Censure the Punishment might be performed by Common Consent It being most just and equal and of Moral Right that they who to morrow must deliver such a one to Sathan whom to day they account as a Brother dear in Christ should be fully satisfied why and wherefore Now how came Signore Papa alone to be entituled to exercise Powers greater than the Apostle Paul would use What hath he to do with it more than the rest of his Brethren If so interrogated I can make no other Answer but Ignoramus Moreover hath the practice of Christ's Vicars at Rome been correspondent to that of Paul the Apostle of such esteem and prevalency is publick consent with God himself even in the Affairs of the Church that though in his secret Decree Paul and Barnabas were to be set apart for the Work of the Ministry yet by God's own appointment were they separated after Fasting and Prayer to the same by the Church which was at Antioch Acts 13.2 Thereby teaching us not to despise the Office of the Church i.e. of the Multitude of Brethren where it may be had By these very small Hints it is easily discernable what a Nose of Wax the Papalins make both of Scripture and Tradition and Excommunication their great and terrible Thunderbolt even against Kings and Kingdoms not considering the little efficacy it hath What was the State of Venice and her Duke or Queen Elizabeth and her Dominions the worse for Romish Excommunications and Interdicts or what the worse the Kings of Spain for being excommunicated every Maunday Thursday And indeed what the worse his Holiness at Rome for being solemnly excommunicated every year by the Muscovite Fops § Some indeed of later days have intimated a great and just dislike of those who have hitherto endeavoured to hang Excommunication on some doubtful Places of Scripture but yet endeavour to settle it on another Basis viz. on the Nature and Constitution of the Church Christian as a Society Instituted by Jesus Christ whereby they say it is manifest that if Excommunication cannot be established upon some better and other Bottom than what hath hitherto been laid by their Predecessors on some doubtful places of Scripture it must necessarily decay and fall to the ground moreover they most ingenuously confess themselves unsatisfied as to any convincing Argument whereby it can be proved that any were denied Admission unto the Lords Supper who were admitted to all other parts of Church-Society and owned as Members in them § Though I have said enough already sparsim that if rightly applied doth demolish this Fabrick of Fundamental Right yet I will add a little and but a little more viz. that if by the Word Church in these Positions be meant only the Clergy met or not met in Councils Synods Consistories Convocations or Assemblies as the Representatives of the Church Assembled by their own power as by a Fundamental Right grounded on Christs Institution then to say no more is hereby justified Robert Bruce David Blake and those seventeen Scottish Ministers before-mentioned and their Tenets denying the King and his Council to have any Authority in Matters Ecclesiastical For certainly if God hath given them power of themselves to Assemble and Consult and make Laws and hath not withal given them Force and Power to put them in execution they have only a mock and ridiculous Authority which God never instituted nor ordained And if it be not so meant then they either say nothing to the purpose or equivocate But if herein by the Word * By the word Church may be meant either all Believers holding saving Truth in general of what condition or quality soever or else more striftly the collective Body of the Clergy for if we speak right of the Church Universal or this or that Particular Church as of Spain France England c. this Term may be taken in either of those two Sences Church be meant the Civil Power and Laity together with the Clergy then we are Friends and that Fundamental Right arising from the Constitution of the Church derived from Christ himself of Right belongs to the Commonwealth if Christian and to every congregated Number of Believers gathered in any Gentile State or People and united into one Society and not only to the Clergy thereof and the Laity are as capable and have as much Right to be of such Councils and Synods as the Ecclesiasticks Or that the Church be not semper and perpetuo a peculiar Society separate and distinct from the Commonwealth as certainly it is not or that the Officers thereof as limited by these Positions unto Teachers and Pastors injuriously enough if they pretend beyond Teachings Administrations of Sacraments Imposition of hands for Ordination and the publick use of the Keys are not only inflicters or executioners of Church-Censures as certainly they are not then the very Foundation of this Fabrick for the Support and Justification of Excommunication must necessarily fall to the ground It is true that every Church is a Society or Body Politick though every Society or Body Politick is not a Church every
answerable Practise it may certainly bring them to Heaven What the Particulars of this Liturgy should be I will not here meddle withal only thus If it contain any thing contrary to the Word of God it ought not to be and much less to be enjoyned and if it do the Magistrate must answer for it at the day of his Account and Dissenters thereunto not be blamed Therefore as he tenders the good of his own Soul it behoves him to take care that all therein be warrantable by the Word of God or at least no way contrary unto it and to leave nothing or as little as is possible upon a Moote Point Concerning our own established Liturgy I shall only say this in general for Justification thereof That whosoever consults it shall find no Point of Belief wanting in it absolutely necessary to Salvation and that the Method of it is incomparably good scarce capable of Melioration being but the History of Christ beginning with his Advent and so proceeding to his Nativity Circumcision Epiphany Passion Resurrection Ascention c. all very requisite at least if not absolutely necessary to be known and believed and all justified and made out by suitable Chapters Epistles Gospels Collects Prayers c. containing also a laudable and very reverend Form of Administring the Sacraments and the like for Marriage Burial of the Dead Ordination and Consecration of Bishops and Presbyters and all these according or at least not contrary to the Tenor of Holy Writ and therefore fit to be enjoyned and its use established and the disuse and abuse thereof to be discountenanced by the Magistrate If any be unsatisfied with any Part or Expression or Rite or Gesture or Habit or Vestment therein mentioned or therewith used I refer them to Judicious Hooker never yet answered and others for satisfaction it being not my design to justisie every Particular of this or any other Liturgy but to assert the necessity requisiteness and conveniency of Liturgies in general from the Antiquity and Universal Use of all Christian Churches in all parts of the World In rebus de quibus nil câ—rtislatuit Divina Scriptura mos Populi lâ—ei instituta majorum pro lege tâ—â—â—nd asunt August ad Casulanum which alone almost argues the necessity of it to be established by a Law of Nature or Moral Reason and not to be esteemed of as a thing indifferent that may or may not be used so necessary that without it I cannot see how any Prince can take general cognisance of the Religion of his People Take this also along with you in farther Justification of our Liturgy That by the Order contained in the Book of Common-Prayer on Sundays and Holy-days half an hour before Even-song so the Old Common-Prayer-Book and Canon as I remember or according to the Newer Books after the Second Lesson the Curate of every Parish ought to examine Children sent unto him in some Points of the Catechisme and all Fathers Mothers Masters Dames should cause their Children Servants and Apprentices to resort unto the Church at the time appointed there to hear and to be obediently ordered by the Curate until such time as that they have learnt all that in the said Book is commanded And when the Bishops shall appoint the Children to be brought before them for their Confirmation the Curate of every Parish shall bring or send the Names of those Children of his Parish which can answer to the Questions of the Catechisme And there ought none to be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as he can say his Catechisme and be Confirmed SOME REMARQUES UPON A DISCOURSE CONCERNING LITURGIES c. NOtwithstanding all the great Care Piety and Prudence of our Fore-fathers successively used Age after Age in compiling of so excellent a thing as a Liturgy and of which this Nation hath received so great benefit that it hath proved by experience to be what once Paul the fourth averred of his great Darling the Inquisition for the Avail against Heresie and defence of the Apostolick See the true Ram to keep out Heresie and Popery yet as of Elder so of more Puny Days but especially since 1640. there have been published Pamphlets sans Nombre villifying and condemning the Use and Imposition of Liturgies besides much Gall which hath dropt from many a bitter Pen against them by the By from Writers writing on other Occasions But of them all that have come unto my view none prima facie carries more shew of Reason and Learning than that which bears the Title of A Discourse concerning Liturgies and their Impositions published 1662. by a nameless Author To answer which would require a large Volume which not being my Work or Design here I shall only tanquam Canis ad Nilum touch and away give you a very short Sum and Account of his large Discourse containing above 170 Pages in Quarto in a small Print and say something to the most material Arguments only of it for there be many of his Averments and Postulata which if we should both give and grant yet would be rather Arguments for than against Liturgies as that Christ never instituted nor appointed Liturgies that the Apostles never used them nor yet the Fathers in the Purest Times For though Christ never Instituted Liturgies it is enough that he commanded Rem Liturgiarum the Matter Worship and Doctrines contained in our Liturgies for of such and such only I desire to be understood If such Reasoning may be allowed for currant Doctrine it will certainly prove as strong against Sermons and Administrations that he or any other preacheth and useth as against Liturgies for certainly Christ never appointed the Form though happily he hath the Matter of the one and of the other jam sumus ergo pares they are both on the same bottom Besides is it reasonable to think it fit that Christ in whom even whilst on Earth dwelled all the fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2.9 that had the Power of all Matter Form and Language and whatever he spake or thought was infallible should yet tie himself to any stinted Forms of Words The like say I for the Apostles in whom the Spirit also dwelt bodily as in Christ himself even after the same manner though not in the same measure witness those Emanations from their Words from their Touch from their Shadows curing Diseases by Handkerchiefs Aprons and Shadows and witness their Infallible Spirit that what ever they dictated as Truth was Truth and is come down as Scripture to us witness also the Cloven Tongues sitting upon each of them whereby they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and were endowed to speak with Tongues If the Apostles I say after all these Gifts and Graces so miraculously bestowed on them should have limited the Spirit by using stinted Forms happily they would not have been found so faithful in the House of God as was Moses Is it then rational from such Premisses to deduce this Conclusion that
Teachers and Fathers of the Church met together in the Name and Fear of God which is not without the Promise Mat. 18.20 of a Blessing with Prayers and Supplications inventing divising and ordaining for the Glory of God and real good of the Souls of Men have solemnly appointed to be gathered into an excellent Form and Method called a Liturgy to be solemnly read for Gods Glory and the Peoples Good when as Reading is as truly the Ordinance of God as preaching Deut. 31.11 12 13. Indeed if Liturgies did contain like stuff as that of the Alcoran or of the Romish Services or Credenda or Agenda Matters of Belief and Worship contrary unto Divine Worship Truths and Institutions then indeed they may justly be called Humane Inventions worthily to be condemned and demand who required these things And so to Worship and so to Sacrifice were no more acceptable to God than to slay a Man or to cut off a Dogs Neck or to offer Swines Blood Isa 66.3 or to bless an Idol And then indeed it might justly be said That they have chosen their own Ways their own Inventions and that they that delight in such Liturgies delight in their own abominations But for such like we contend not Ecclesiae non licet quisâ—â—â—â— instituere quâ—d Verbo Dâ—i scripto adâ—er setur nay against such our Church hath provided in terminis in the 20 21. Act made 1552. in the Innocent Time of King Edw. 6. viz. It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing ergo not Liturgies that is contrary to Gods Word written c. nor to enforce any thing beside the same to be believed for necessity of Salvation nay the very same Josiah-like-Prince in his Injunctions set forth in the second Year of his Reign 1547. commands his Bishops and other his Clergy at least four times in the Year to preach against Works devised by Mens Phantasies besides Scripture so far were our Pastoral Fathers of that time from countenancing Humane Inventions or putting any such thing into the Liturgy that they commanded that they should be preached against by all the Clergy and so did Queen Elizabeth in her Injunctions Anno 1559. which have been observed ever since § That Liturgies are a Provision of Means exclusive of that Provision of Means for the Accomplishing of those Ends in the Worship of God for which Jesus Christ hath made and doth continue to make Provision and therefore not allowable and are unlawful This Argument alone I must confess if true were enough of it self to confound and overthrow all Liturgies whatsoever there would need no other and therefore he labours hard to make it good alledging That the Administration of Gospel Ordinances in the Church consists in Prayer Thanksgiving Instructions and Exhortations sutably applied c. that he appointed Persons viz. Pastors and Teachers for the Regular Administration of them that the Furniture and Provision that Christ made for the performance of them is his bestowing of Gifts on such Persons called according to his mind to the Office of the Ministry enabling them unto and to be exercised in that Work But the Provision that Liturgies make is by a precise reading and pronouncing of the Words set down therein without Alteration Diminution or Addition and that toties quoties let so much go for currant and therefore exclusive the former unless it can be made appear that an Ability to read the prescribed words of the Liturgy be the Gifts promised by Christ for the discharge of the Work of that Ministry § This I conceive is no good Sequel and must be inquired into that those that composed our Liturgy or those that may compose a new one either were or may be Persons qualified and gifted for the Work of the Ministry and for edifying of the Body of Christ and consequently without exception and that the Subject and Matter of our Liturgy is or the Matter and Contents of another Liturgy may be either is or may be will make good my Assertion for Liturgies in general both for the Credenda and Agenda for Prayers Thanksgiving Instructions and Exhortations according to the Doctrine of the Gospel I think no sober Man will deny Now if the Persons and Matter be granted to be such then I conceive that it can be as little gain-said but that the composing of such Forms by such Persons is as truly a Gift and an Exercise of some parts of the Gifts of the Work of the Ministry as their composing of Prayers and Sermons and afterwards praying and preaching them without Book is by the several Ministers of the Gospel This or that Form of words and without Book or within Book cannot alter the Case For that which giveth the very Being to Sermons conceived Prayers c. is the Wit and Vnderstanding of Man and consequently they are many times corrupt and it is the like Wit and Understanding of Man that gives Being to Liturgies jam sumus ergo pares in this though happily they may have their reciprocal Excellencies and Preheminencies one over the other in this or that particular consideration I hope and am verily perswaded that this Author when he penned this Conclusion and Exception viz. And therefore exclusive the former unless that it can be made appear that an Ability to read the prescribed words of the Liturgy be the Gifts promised by Christ for the discharge of the Work of the Ministers did not intend to put tricks upon or abuse his Readers by equivocally wording of it For a Child or Heathen or Infidel or any other not called to the Ministry that hath newly learned his Horn-Book may have an Ability to read the prescribed Words c. And in such it cannot be expected that an Ability to read c. should be the Gifts promised And therefore he is not to be understood barely of an Ability to read which any Infidel or Child may do but of reading the publick Service of God by those whom God hath appointed and gifted to administer in his Temple and Church and by the Gifts that he doth not intend all the Gifts promised nor yet that reading is the Gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all other Gifts which are many and therefore cannot reasonably be intended that any one or if he mean all or more than one Gift should be instar omnium either instead or above all the other It 's enough for me if I can make it out that publick readings of the publick Service of God by the Pastors of the Church be one of his many Gifts or that it be an Ordinance appointed by God himself and that it is quodam sensu preaching or tant a monte I shall not in the least trouble my self to prove reading to be a Gift presuming that it will not be denied either by our Author or any other But I shall endeavour to make it appear that such reading such reading as we both do or should mean is an Ordinance
so but that they may all serve to one and the self-same general if not particular End and Effect and in our Case to the edification of the Church The Apostles indeed could not write with their Tongues but they did preach as well with their Pens when they writ as with their Tongues when they spake the Gospel of Christ and our usual publick reading of the Word of God with the rest of the Liturgy for the Peoples instruction by his good leave is Preaching Acts 15.21 22. Can any Man imagine or shew a Reason that reading it self is not one of the ordinary Means and Gifts which God hath appointed for the conveying of his Truths into the Hearts of Men which being received may be effectual for the saving of their Souls Belief in all Sorts doth come by hearing and attending to the Word of Life whether it be preached or read The Word it self whether read or heard some time convinceth the Judgment and perswadeth the Affections Sometime Truth is wrought in the Heart by private conference and instruction from private Persons so Apollos though an Eloquent Man and mighty in the Scriptures yet was taught the Way of God more perfectly by Aquila and Priscilla a Woman Acts 18.26 Some Truth is taught by those whom the Church hath publickly called to the publick reading or interpreting of the Word All these tend unto one and the same Glorious End viz. to the Knowledge of Jesus and him Crucified And as Preaching which is explaining by lively Voice and applied according to the Wisdom of the Speaker doth not in its own Nature justle out or prejudice the Efficacy of any other means or way of publick Instruction be it by Liturgy or otherwise or inforce the utter disability of any other means thought requisite in this Church for the saving of Souls So Liturgies in their own Nature are not exclusive of any other provision of Means that Christ hath ordained for the benefit and service of his Church as this Discourser avers For the saving Force of the Word is not restrained to any one certain kind of delivery but how ever the same shall come to be made known it hath its Force and Energy and doth ordinarily save by every Mean whether publick or private reading Liturgies or hearing Sermons or private Conference and Instruction whether they be premeditated or extemporary O! but though Liturgies are not in their own Natures exclusive of the use of other Talents yet the English Liturgy there is the grand Pique doth avowedly and expresly say That the Ministers of the Gospel shall not use or exercise any Spiritual Gift in the Administration of those Ordinances for which provision is made in the Book f. 67 68. And consequently the necessary and undispensable Use of Liturgies is directly exclusive of the Use of the Means provided by Christ and for the End for which the Liturgy is invented and imposed 63 67 68. And farther he saith That the Liberty which some say is granted for a Man to use his own Gifts and Abilities in Prayer before and after Sermon will he fears as things now stand upon due Considerations appear rather to be taken than given and is very questionable 42 43. And that however it concerns not our present Question because it is taken for granted by those that plead for the strict observation of a Book that the whole Gospel-worship of God in the Assembly of Christians may be carried on and performed without any such Preaching as is prefaced with that Liberty pretended 42 43. and for that many that are looked upon as skilled in that Law and Mystery of it do by their practise give another Interpretation of the intendment of its Imposition making it extend to all that is done in publick Worship the bare preaching or reading of a Sermon or Homily excepted 64. nor saith he is that the matter enquired into whether Ministers may at any time or in any part of Gods Worship make use of their Gifs but whether they may do it in all those Administrations for whose performance to the edification of his Body they are bestowed on them by Jesus Christ which by the Rule of the Liturgy we have shewed that they may not and he doubts not but it will be granted by those who contend for the Imposition of the Liturgy that it extends to the Principal Parts if not to the Whole of the publick Worship of God in the Church 64. § If all were true that is here alledged the day might probably be his own but me thinks in thus arguing our Author is not so candid as his other very Learned and Ingenious Writings speak him to be when he deals with others in Points of difference of a far more dangerous concern and consequence For though he cannot but most assuredly and demonstratively know that here all Ministers of the Gospel have not only a liberty but are expresly commanded to use and improve their Talents even in publick as often as they are called either to implore Blessings or deprecate Sins and Judgments to render Thanks or to discourse and enlarge themselves on all or any part of the Worship of God or Christian Doctrine and that it is the daily practise of them so to do throughout all the Kings Dominions yet for him to say that it is a Liberty rather taken than given and is very questionable and that upon what this Man says and that Man thinks or practises is not to be ingenious according to his old wont but to avoid all Sophistry and to come to the demonstration of the Truth this is meer matter of Fact and we cannot erre in it the demonstration of which will and must clear this Point and we must stand and fall thereby and therefore sit liber Judex together with the constant practise of the Church from the very Birth and first Introduction of our Liturgy unto this very day for we must take both together for that the constant and uninterrupted Practise Use and Custom is of that very great Force and Vertue as sometimes to wear out and obliterate the very Force and Vertue of an Enacted Law to the contrary The Matter of Fact alledged on his part is That the Liturgy says expresly that the Ministers of the Gospel shall not use nor exercise any Spiritual Gift c. but how or where to find this in the Liturgy I know not for I have turned it over once and again and cannot find the least footsteps of any such Prohibition yet I will not affirm that it is not there It 's possible I may have over-look'd it but grant it be in terminis as he hath worded it yet if from the first Institution of Liturgies the Use and Practise hath been contrary as most certainly it hath been and no Man ever questioned for using his Talents nay all commanded by Injunctions and Acts of Parliament to improve them and strict Inquiry made accordingly at the Bishops Visitations according unto Articles of
of Humane Authority then there are no things left for the exercise of Christian Liberty but only things indifferent among which Liturgies may be reckoned which Liberty if invaded or infringed by any Humane Authority A great Gospel priviledge is thereby infringed which ought not to be Then I must retort on them also and return their own Weapons upon themselves if every restraint in things indifferent be injurious to Christian Liberty then themselves are no less Injurious by their Negative Restraint viz. use no Liturgy wear not cross not kneel not c. like that Col. 2.1 touch not taste not handle not then they would have the World believe our Church is by her positive restraint unto the use of our Liturgies and Ceremonies therewith used let themselves be Judged whether it is more Injurious to Christian Liberty Publick Authority by mature advice Commanding what may be forborn or Private Spirits through humourous dislikes or at best not upon any demonstrative reasons forbidding what may be used the whole Church Imposing the use Or a few Dissenters requiring the forbearance of such things as are otherwise and in themselves equally indifferent for use or for forbearance Besides if I am not much mistaken the true Nature of Evangelical Liberty as intimated before consists chiefly if not wholly about things of a higher strain and Nature than of matters Indifferent and it will be very hard to prove by any one plain Text of Scripture without Wresting the Liberty so much contended for to be their Gospel and inviolable right when the Power of the Magistrate doth interpose Pro or Con. For if indifferent things be the only subject matter both of Publick Christian Authority and of Christian Private Liberty in every Individual Christian whereon to exercise themselves then the whole Gitt of the Contest will be whether Publick Authority or every Private Person be to be Indulged and Obeyed Judge even ye your selves Judge § Now the best way to my apprehension to understand what the Apostles in their Writings do mean and intend by the Words and Terms of Liberty and Freedom will be to consider them with their opposites viz. Bondage and Servitude and this St. Paul doth as in other of his Epistles so most fully and most plainly in his Epistle to the Galatians where he pursues these two opposite Terms Allegorically under the two Titles of two Mothers the one viz. Agar a Servant gendring unto Bondage the other viz. Sarah a Free Woman gendring unto Freedom thereby signifying the Two Testaments viz. the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace and thereby shewing that the Jews in respect of the Christian Church of the New Testament were as Children differing nothing from Servants but were under Tutors and Governours and in Bondage under the Rudiments of the World i.e. the Law or Ministry of Moses so called in respect of a more full and clear Doctrine in the Ministry of the New Testament Now the Law is a grievous Yoak which none can bear because First it did bind the Church of the Old Testament to the Observation of many and those very costly and burthensome Ceremonies and Sacrifices Secondly because it did bind every Offender to everlasting death Gen. 2.17.3 Gal. 13.3 it is a Yoak as it increaseth Sin not casually but occasionally and as it is the strength of it 1 Cor. 15.56 5. Rom. 20.7 8. and whose property it is to gender unto Bondage But after the fullness of time was come and Christ had Redeemed them that were under the Law they did then receive the Adoption of Sons God had sent forth the Spirit of his Son into their Hearts they were then no more Servants but Sons i. e. such as enjoy the liberty of Sons and were Free indeed because the Son had made them Free John 8.36 so Agar which typifieth the Law is in Bondage with her Children but Jerusalem which is above and typifieth the Gospel is free Gal. 4.25 26. Now Christian Liberty consists first in our being delivered from the Curse of the Law for the breach thereof and from the Obligation of the Law whereby it binds us to bring perfect righteousness in our Own Persons according unto do this and live Secondly From the Observation of the Ceremonial Law of Moses Col. 2.16 Thirdly It delivers from the Tyranny and Dominion of Sin For Sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 Fourthly Christian Liberty is to have a freedom in good things we are delivered from our Enemies that we may serve God in righteousness and holiness before him all the daies of our lives without sear Luke 1.47 75. and Paul saith where the Spirit is there is Liberty Cor. 12.3 17. Fifthly It consists in the free use of all the Creatures of God Whatever is sold in the Shambles that Ea◠asking no Questions for Conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 27. I have perused these and divers others if not all the places of Scripture urged by several of the Synagogue of the Libertines whereby they lay claim unto their exhorbitant dearly beloved and much Idolized Liberty to do what they list without controle or Inspection into their Actings in and about Holy things and do and whosoever shall soberly and seriously consider them together with their Contexts shall find them all to Center into their own one and the same most naturall and genuine sence and meaning viz. that by Liberty and Freedom in them mentioned is mainly if not meerly meant the Liberty from the Yoak Bondage and Curse of the Law it being a Spiritual liberty in all the parts of it freeing the true Christian from the Servitude of Sin and from all other Yoaks of Spiritual Bondage wherewith Sin hath intangled us and from which Christ the Author of this Liberty hath redeemed us and that the Law of this Liberty is the Gospel and that neither in the Texts of Scripture urged by this Author nor in any other that I know of is there any one Syllable of force to support the Liberty that this Author seems to plead for that is Impeached or Contradicted by the Imposition of sound Orthodox Liturgies Mostly all the Texts wherein Liberty and Freedom are but Named are generally Mustred up as a Cloud of Witnesses to shadow and shelter the Pleaders for their fancyed Liberty that under the pretence and umbrage of them and their corrupt glosses upon them they may with the better grace deny obedience to the Lawful Magistrate in Lawful things in and about the Worship of God and so use or rather abuse their true Gospel Liberty which no man can take from them for a Cloak to cover their Non-compliance with the Lawful Commands of the Civil Magistrate which indeed are the Commands of the National Church which to do is certainly not to approve themselves unto God Workmen that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 but by thus perverting and shaping Texts of
their Vocation yet not so tyed as it were by a perpetual and unalterable Law that they may not be at Liberty to alter their Condition when just Cause so requireth and this he makes good by way of instancing the Condition of Servants with words of Consolation that though they are Servants to men yet they being once made partakers of that Grace of Christ may notwithstanding in Spirit and Truth serve the Lord Christ whose Service is perfect Freedom and withall teacheth that Liberty being far more Excellent and Commodious than Bondage is rather to be chosen when opportunely it may be had But in all this not one Syllable towards the making good of his Assertion viz. A Freedom from subjection to the Authority of Men c. He then proceeds to affirm that the same Rule is given out as to our duty and deportment in reference unto both these viz. the two parts of liberty divided by him as before which he endeavours to provo by Gal. 5.1 and 1 Pet. 2.16 but with what success will appear upon their Scanning stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us Free and be not intangled again with the Yoak of Bondage Gal. 5.1 I most willingly confess the force that this place hath for the justifying of his first part of Christian Liberty but as to the Justifying of the second part I conceive with submission to better Judgments that it is of no validity at all The Liberty here mentioned by Paul the Apostle of uncircumcision besides the general Intendment and respect it had to the general Freedom from the Obligation Bondage and Curse of the Law purchased by Jesus Christ it did more particularly respect Circumcision a part of the Mosaical Law which might have been performed in Titus as it had been before in Timothy had not saith Paul false Brethren who came in privily to spy out our Liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into Bondage Gal. 2.4 Bondage What Bondage Subjection to the Authority of Men commanding Lawful things about the Worship of God Nothing less but Bondage by binding them to a necessary observance of the Ceremonial Law by teaching the necessity of Circumcision which before Christ was a Sacrament and a Seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 But after the death of Christ till the destruction of the Temple it was a dead Ceremony yet some time used as a thing indifferent After the Destruction of the Temple when the Church of the New Testament was planted amongst the Gentiles it was a deadly Ceremony and ceased to be indifferent imposing it upon him and Titus making it a meritorious cause of Salvation and teaching Justification and Salvation was partly by Christ and partly by the Law thereby intending to overthrow the Gospel of Christ Gal. 1.7 against this Bondage this Doctrine Paul Preached behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5.2 that is if you be Circumcized believing that Circumcision shall be a Meritorious cause of your Salvation and go back from your Christian profession and Liberty Christ shall profit you nothing And that which Paul saith here of Circumcision in particular he means generally of the whole Law for I testifie again to every Man that is Circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Christ is become of no effect to you whosoever of you are Justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace v. 3 4. Therefore saith Paul stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us Free and be not intangled again with the Yoak of Bondage v. 1. That this is the most natural and genuine if not only sence of this portion of Scripture will not I think be denied by any Protestant but what farther use he can make of this for the Justifying his Second part of Christian Liberty without stretching and wresting the words beyond their meaning is past my understanding I am sure it is not safe nor warrantable to impose any other sence on the Apostles words than what he meant and is clear and evident After such a deceitful way of handling Scripture it would be no hard task to prove by Scripture that there is no God that Prophets are Fools and that Spiritual men are mad Hos 7. But we proceed to his other places of Scripture which are but two more and examine if he hath dealt any more candidly in alledging them viz. 1 Pet. 2.16 and Acts 15. which we will examine as they lye in Order the first of them is that of St. Peter which he hath only quoted as he hath done the rest in Figures and not set down at length without making any Application of them the words are As free and not using your liberty for a Cloak of malitiousness but as the Servants of God But by what construction to make this Text favour or make good his Assertion viz. A freedom from subjection to the Authority of men as to any new Imposition in or about the Worship of God I must confess my Self to be Impar Negotio and I believe it to be past his Skill also without wresting the words beyond their Natural meaning However I will give my Essay by declaring the plain genuine sence of the place and freely leave the Reader to Judge and make out the rest This Verse is relative being the Close or Period of somewhat before prescribed but more especially of the three last Verses immediately going before which relates unto and respect obedience and submission to Government The Text and Context lye thus together Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as unto them as are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the Praise of them that do well for so is the will of God that with well doing he may put to silence the ignorance of Foolish men as free and not using your liberty for a Cloak of malitiousness but as the Servants of God Honour all Men Love the Brother-hood fear God honour the King 1 Pet. 2.13.17 The Apostles when they Preached the Gospel-Doctrine of Christian Liberty At which false Teachers in those dayes did and some in these our dayes do take advantage from the very name of Liberty to teach the new Converted Christians under that pretence to despise their Governours and Government did take and amongst them our Apostle doth here take occasion from that ground to endeavour to prevent the abuses and misconstructions of the Glorious and wholsome Doctrine of Christian Liberty by teaching that Christian Subjection and obedience under the term of well-doing was very consistent with the Doctrine of Christian Liberty and therefore he shews it to be the will of God that they should submit to every Ordinance of Man that by such submission such well doing they may put to silence the ignorance of Foolish Men viz. false Teachers
set up that which was wholesom even a Liturgy as the chief Turn-key to let in and to keep out both the pure and impure sound and unsound containing a wholsom form of sound words able to prevent the return of the lately expelled Romish Corruptions which was accompanied also with other helps as Commands from the King by Proclamations Injunctions Visitations Instructions Acts of Parliament and indeed what not that a wise and well-meaning Council could suggest for the advance of a more pure Reformation all little enough so strangely and so universally had the former Leaven and Poyson of Idolatry and Superstition wrought in the hearts and minds of the generality of this Nation which Antidote and Remedy was found to be so effectual both for the expelling Idolatrous and Superstitious Worship under which this Nation had long and heavily groaned and also for the Propagation of more pure gospel-Gospel-truths and worship that Queen Mary was no sooner quietly Seated on her Throne but that even by the advice of her Popish Council she nulled all that her Brother had done in that behalf because they had by experience found it so effectual for the keeping out of Romish Doctrines and Worship and therefore by a Statute 1º Mary 2º repealed the Statutes of 5 and 6 Edw. 6.1 which had been frivolous to have done had they not found the real effects of it to their prejudice nay of such admirable force and vertue was the use of that Liturgy found to be in those days and in that conjuncture of affairs that the wisdom of the very next succeeding Princess who happily had as wise a Council as ever any of her Predecessors had and therefore most likely to be best acquainted with the Avail and effects thereof thought it then also the best and most avaliable means that possible could be found by the Ecclesiastical and Civil wisdom of those days in order to the Readvancement and propogation of the true reformed Religion so happily begun in the days of her most excellent Brother to repeal what Queen Mary had done and to re-establish what Edward 6 had done according to an Act of Uniformity made 1º Eliz. by all which and by much more that might be justly alleadged it is demonstrable that the cause was Antecedent to the Imposition the Popish Mass-Book before the reformed Liturgy If our Author be not yet satisfied in this matter of Fact that at the first reformation scandal and other necessary circumstances were Antecedent unto the Imposition of the Liturgy I shall then beg the favour of him but a little to look back upon the 6 Ch. of his own Book fo 36.39 and consider if according to his own Heraldry his own draught of the Pedegree of our Reformation and Liturgy if he give not the Precedency to the Scandal the Mass-Book so great a Scandal that it may be justly called a Catholick scandal or Heresie against the very Scripture it self and not to the Imposition which certainly is as demonstrable as that Car. 1. was before Car. 2. And confesseth that the scandal and Reformation then did somewhat resemble the Scandal and Imposition mentioned 15 Acts. For after he hath pleased himself in summing up some ends and some considerations which he conceives the then present Reformers had in framing of our Liturgy he then says And this afterwards accordingly they meaning the Priests did reading the Service-Book instead of the Mass c. which is a plain Confession that the Mass and consequently the Scandal was before the Imposition of our Liturgy rejecting out of the Offices before in use what can be more plain such things as were directly contrary to the Articles of Faith professed in the Reformation in hand Translating of what remained into English it being before in Latine Another plain demonstration with such supplies and alterations as the rejection of those things beforementioned made necessary f. 39. And thus almost every Line gives precedency to the Scandal before the Imposition And indeed its impossible it should be otherwise for without all peradventure the Corruptions to be Reformed must preceed the Reformation and consequently be Antecedent to the Liturgy He also there confesseth that indeed somewhat there was in this Case meaning the Reformation and the Imposition of the Liturgy not much unlike that insisted on the entrance of this Discourse viz. ch 1. Between the believing Jews and the Gentiles mentioned Acts 15. the more like they are the more it Justifies our Liturgy He proceeds yet further on in making the Parallel and Similitude between the Scandal in the days of the Apostles and the Scandal in the days of our Reformers which still justifies them and their Reformation together with their Liturgy tho he is pleased to make other Inferences as that because the use of those necessary things imposed Acts 15. ceased so should now the use of our Liturgy and that it seemed to be the Aim of our first Reformers f. 39.40 But where this Aim of our first Reformers doth appear non constat idem est non esse non apparere But were it so in truth yet this is not our case for the same grand reasons that prevailed with our Reformers to introduce and impose a Liturgy are still in full force and vertue to continue it viz. to prevent the return of Popish Worship and Administrations in the publick service Intus existens prohibet Alienum § It is also observable that besides the Popish Scandal which was Antecedent to our Liturgy which alone was cause sufficient to introduce a Counter-Mine a Liturgy there were Scandals of another nature Antecedent also and prevalent enough to introduce the same and that to be confirmed by Act of Parliament and that under penalties not small For tho before the Liturgy was made reviewed and confirmed by Edw. 6. He had set forth one uniform Order of Administring the Holy Communion in both kinds yet all people being in a manner left to themselves to give and receive the Holy Eucharist being only under general directions and that as yet but by Proclamation only that what about the placing of the Alter or Table and what about the manner of giving and receiving of it it caused great Schisms and Factions and gave great occasions to the grand Adversaries the Papists to reproach us that we could not so much as agree where or how to set the Table nor how to give or receive the Eucharist when set some taking and placing it one way and some another Miles Hubard display of Protestants f. 81. which gave occasion unto some prophanely enough to call it our Oyster-Board which White of Lincoln charged on Bishop Ridley the like did Weston Prolucutor of the Convocation 1 Mary reproach Lattimer withal telling him that Protestants were like Apes not knowing which way to turn their Tails And it is Recorded in the Register Book of Petworth that many at this time affirmed the most blessed Sacrament of the Alter to be of little regard
that in many places it was irreverently used and cast out of the Church and many other Enormities committed which they seconded by oppugning the established Ceremonies and it is not improbable but that if the Liberty here pleaded for were granted but that the same disorders and confusions would also return and therefore for these also amongst many other reasons Antecedent also as for avoiding diversities of Formes and Opinions and for establishing Consent touching true Religion and Worship and for removing of some Offences taken by Calvin and his followers whose design it was to have this as well as other Churches to depend on his direction It was thought fit by our Learned and prudent Governors both of Church and State the better to settle peace and truth and to keep out Error and Superstition to Establish a Liturgy and Rubrick As Reformation was a Work most glorious so it was a work most difficult because it was to Null and cancel such Customs and usages in Divine Worship as tract of time Age after Age for many Generations had made so habitual and had taken such deep root and Impressions in the Hearts and Souls of the People of all sorts from Father to Son that in humane reason it appeared almost impossible And therefore a Work not to be undertaken by blew-Apron or Tradesmen nor yet by giddy Phanatick Multitude nor indeed by any but by the Supream Magistrate and therefore a Work fit only for a King and such a King only as was fit for such a Work fit to match the Empress of Abominations and of the World and such a King proved Henry the 8th Having great courage and great understanding and great resolution without which requisites he could never have done what he did § As our Author in his sixth Chapter hath given us his Account of the Reformation and of the Introduction of our Liturgy not without some unbeseeming reflections on so great so good a Work to make the better way for the design of his Book so I shall take leave to give you also a short account thereof for the better Justification of our Liturgy and leave the Reader to Judge and favour which he please Tho Henry the 8th from his Cradle lived in an Antichristian Age and Church so that he suckt in the very Milk of the Mother of Harlots and Abominations and tho he made great havock of the Blood of Saints and Martyrs scourging them to Death with his Six knotted-Whip of Articles And tho he made great havock of the Popes Power and Patrimony wrongfully so called and not excrescences For indeed Monasteries c. That he destroyed and took away were for the most part exempt from Episcopal Jurisdiction and wholly depended on the Pope who was not so much the rightful Head of the Church then as was this Henry the 8th and therefore were not so essentially belonging to the Church as were the Bishops and their Patrimony yet it cannot be denied but that he left the Officers and Fathers of the Church that were more truly so the Bishops in many respects in a better condition then he found it both in respect of the Polity and the Endowments of it and also in order to a Reformation of Doctrine and Worship the Polity was mended in that he banished the Power of the Pope and setled it on himself to whom it did more rightfully belong and on his Bishops moderated the extream Severity of the Six Articles abolished the superstitious usages observed on St. Nichola's day all which may abundantly be seen in the Church History and by his Proclamation of Sept. 19. 1530. by a Publick instrument of the Convocation dated March 22. after acknowledging him to be Supream Head of the Church of England as also by several Acts of Parliament viz. H. 24.8 c. 12.25 H. 8. c. 1.20 21. and 28. H. 8. c. 10. In Order to a Reformation H. 8. first permitted the Bible to be Translated by Mr. Tyndall Anno 1530. afterwards Martyr But some Bishops having ill Characterized him to the King it was afterwards suppressed But the Popes Authority declining about the year 1536. the King issued out an Order for a New Translation indulging in the Interim the use of a Bible then passing under a feigned Name of Mathews Bible not much differing from Tyndalls which came forth Anno 1540. which was called the great Bible and sometimes Coverdales Bible or Translation the publick uses thereof and of all other Translations was interdicted 1542. and so continued without leave of the King or Ordinary first had until Edward 6. repealed that Statute and introduced the publick use thereof again according to Miles Coverdales Translation which doth not much differ from Tyndalls from this Translation doth our Liturgy derive the Translations of the Psalms and other Portions of Canonical Scripture since which time we have had two other more exact and refined Translations one in Queen Elizabeth her time called the Bishops Bible another in King James's time that the Psalms and other Portions of Scripture in our Liturgy were not altered in Queen Elizabeths days according to the best Translation then extant was because it could not be done without altering the whole Frame of the Liturgy which the Sages of those times thought not prudent to endeavour by reason of the different temper of those Parliaments in which it had always some potent Enemies but why they were not lately altered with our Liturgy and as the Scotch Liturgy before had been I can give no account If the last Translation be the most perfect why were they not made Conformable to that and so compiled if it be not the best why is it commanded to be used at all H. 8. by his Injunctions 1536 and 1538. abolished Church Holy dayes and Holy dayes in Harvest time he banished the Popes Supremacy and asserted his own he forbade Images and Pilgrimages commanded Prayers in the Mother-tongue and every Parish to provide a Bible in English and to place it in the Quire for every Man to Read therein and no Man to be discouraged from it but to be exhorted thereunto the Lords Prayer to be Learned in English Sermons to be made Quarterly at least with Instructions not to trust in Works divised by Mens fantasies besides Scripture as in wandring to Pilgrimages offering of Money Candles or Tapers to feigned Reliques or Images or Kissing or Licking the same saying over a number of Beads not understood or such like Superstition and therefore all such Images to be pulled down that that most detestable offence of Idolatry may be avoided the commemoration of Tho. Becket to be quite omitted Fox 1247 1250. In farther Order to a Reformation in points of Doctrine he first caused his Convocation Anno 1537. to Compose a Book expounding the Creed the Lords Prayer the ten Commandments the Avy Mary and the seven Sacraments more agreeable to the truth then formerly and it was called the Institution of a Christian Man But this Book lay
snug and played least in sight as long as the six Articles were in force and afterwards was Corrected by the Kings own Hand and approved by the Convocation Assembled 1543. and published under the Title of a necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian Man He likewise commanded all Curates to teach the Lords Prayer the Creed Avy Mary and the ten Commandments in English and also the Bible in English to be placed in every Parish Church by his Injunctions Anno 1536 1541. Then by his Injunctions May 6. 1546. he caused an Extract to be drawn out of the Latine Service containing many of the best and most edifying Prayers which with the Letany he caused to be made English that the People might the better understand the Prayers of the Church which was called his Primer so far and farther did this great Spirited Prince proceed towards Reformation sweeping away some of those many Romish Rubbish and Corruptions wherewith Religion was then Tainted with a fierce Beesom of Destruction which none durst to have attempted or gone about as the posture of things then stood at home and abroad but a Prince able to match the very Mother and Mrs. of those very Abominations in sierceness and haughtiness of Spirit of whom it is storied that he never spared Man in his Anger nor Woman in his Lust And thus did God by fomenting an evil spirit between two such fierce Enemies unto the truth and purity of his Church and worship turn the malice and mischief of his Churches Enemies unto his own Glory and his Churches use and advantage and by his providence and disposal made use both of their Persons and Purposes even against their own wills to his own most Righteous and wonderful ends secretly and mightily directed their wicked designs and Machinations to the Comfort of his Church and chosen in the Accomplishing whereof he shall ever be admired by all those that Believe that they who in succeeding Ages shall gather themselves against Syon and say let her be defiled and let our eyes see it may themselves fear and tremble to be gathered as Sheaves into the Floor and the Daughter of Syon to arise and thrash them with Horns of Iron and Hoofs of Brass Henry 8. Having by thus breaking the Ice made some way towards Reformation tho happily not Intentionally unto what followed marched of the Stage of this World unto the Generation of his Fathers to give an Account unto the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as all his Predecessors had before done and all his Successors must do of all the things he had done in the Flesh whether they were good or whether they were evil his Son Edw. 6. Ascends the Throne Inheriting his Fathers Crown but not his Vices who Josiah-like both in Minority and Piety took care in Cunabulis in the very Infancy of his Reign that his Council should consult and use all their endeavours to make a more Gospel-like and through Reformation in which he did not patrizare as his Sister Queen Mary did after him march furiously with Fire and Faggot nor yet according to the advice that Calvin who fond of his own Chymara and Pettish at all Princes that in Reformation would not tread in his Steps gave to the Protector viz. to go on without fear or wit but proceeded therein pacatè and consultò well knowing that his Father by the rough handling of his Wives of the Pope and of other great Princes and Persons provoked and lest many great and bitter Enemies to his Crown and that more he should raise against himself on the score of his intended Reformation but he considered withal that Dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet that Alterations begun and founded in Wisdom and prosecuted with care would continue firm and durable Therefore he and his Grave sages were not as some of more puny dayes were for the violent pulling up of root and branch plant and build who would and who could but they took all things into consideration As that tho Reformation ought to be yet could not be without the Alteration of long received and Established Laws and Orders Rites and Ceremonies such as had been from Generation to Generation an Impediment unto Piety and true Gospel Worship and unto which the generality of the People were wedded having been Trained up therein from their Cradles that as the change of all Laws and more especially of such as related to Religion ought very circumspectly to be proceeded in Laws as all other sublunary things being subject to Imperfection and many times grounded and made on Sandy and unsure Foundations and wrong Suggestions that many times tho they be enacted as behooful yet in Experiment and Practise prove very Inconvenient and dangerous if continued that Experience daily finds just reason to abrogate many Laws tho of long standing and Laws that are expedient for one Age not to be so for another that sometimes alteration of Laws tho from the worse to the better which was the case of our Reformers and Reformation is many times attended with Inconveniences and those very considerable and therefore wise Legislators do not always choose nor enact that nor all which is most behooful but that which is most behooful and may be practised with least disturbance to the quiet State of the Church or Kingdom David knew many things fit to be done in his Kingdom yet for great reasons of State would not do them himself but when he lay on his Death Bed left them in Charge with his Son to do saying thou art a wise Man do thou according to thy wisdom 1 King 2.6.9 Therefore our prudent and pious Josiah did as early as he could abolish such things as might be abolished and establish others as might be received with least disturbance and most approbation of the Peoples minds and without danger leaving other some to be cancelled and abrogated by himself if God had lent him longer life and sit opportunities or by his Successors if God so pleased or by disusage through tract of time Did not Christ and his Apostles Steer the same moderate course when they introduced Gospel Worship whilst they dispensed for a season with Circumcision and other Ceremonies in the Proselites of the Gate which afterwards became absolete meerly through tract of time and disusage Did not Circumcision continue in the Church for the Succession of 15 Bishops next Succeeding the Apostles having been all Circumcised And might not our Reformers for the same reasons justly retain such Innocent Ceremonies as they did declaring as they did declare might not Naaman the Syrian go Innocently into the House of Rimon the Idol Temple not to VVorship but to do his Master service declaring publickly as he did I know that there is no God in all the Earth but in Israel thy Servant from henceforth will offer neither burnt Offering nor Sacrifice unto other Gods but only to the Lord. 2 King 5.15.17 This most excellent Prince tho he were
do thwart the designs and interest of some that never think they have Domination enough must there not therefore be a slacking of some severities when for want thereof the peace of the Church is thereby endangered Indeed Pope Adrian the 6th in his Letter dated 25 of Nov. 1552. to the Dyet at Noremberg by his Nuntio advised sar otherwise in the cause of Luther exhorting them to proceed unto sharp and fiery Remedies to cut the dead Members from the Body as Antiently was done to Dathan and Abiram to Ananias and Saphira to Jovinian and Vigilantius and as their Predecessors did to John Husse and Jerom of Praghe in the Council of Constance whose example in his esteem they ought to follow He Wrote Letters also almost to all the Princes of the same purport and tenour terming Martin a Phanatick or Frantick Man The same Council did his Nuntio most vehemently reinforce unto them by 7 mighty reasons as he thought mentioned in his instructions But when he endeavoured to give them satisfaction as to Reformation of the Centum gravamina of the scandals and grievances of the Church and Court of Rome Preached against by Luther and spoken against by all the Empire He was then of another mind and then forsooth the Disease being inveterate and multiplyed it was necessary to proceed slowly in the Cure and to begin from things of greater weight to avoid confounding of all by desiring to do all together and the Court of Rome only was to reform them and they were to rest content with promises only so that Centum gravamina were but gently to be touched not to be rooted out no need of quick and sharp Remedies for the extirpating of them but the Dyel well observing that the Nuntio took wrong measures of good and evil only as they had relation to the Profit Honour and Power of the Court of Rome and not to the necessities of Germany and to the advancement of true Religion and Piety and deeming that the conservation of the peace of Church and State ought rather to incite to do the good that is easie to be executed than to support the evil that is hard to be indured they resused to use such Keen Remedies and that for most weighty and urgent reasons § The plain and demonstrative truth and medium is that as whatsoever is absolutely necessary for real advance and propagation of the Gospel or for the Establishing or well Governing of the Church of the New Testament ought strictly to be asserted so about things indifferent or that are of a middle nature between sit and necessary and not absolutely so there ought to be no Strife no Contention no Crusadoes no Inquisitions no unreasonable severities used considering that Non-Assenters are Heirs of the same Common Salvation and who otherwise do agree in the Fundamentals of the same Common Faith in one Kingdom there being no Reasons that the Consciences of Men sound in Doctrine and Holy in Life and Conversation and willing to Conform tho not to every petit Ceremony yet without any scandalous difference should be Rackt and Ensnar'd by Oaths and Subscriptions unto things doubtful not absolutely good nor yet absolutely necessary and without which the Doctrine would be as pure and the Polity as Excellent as now it is Imposition of such severities for such things where Episcopal Government bears Sway seems to me to disparage and debase even that most Excellent Regiment it self as if that could not Subsist or Flourish except the Mouths of some other Learned and Painful Labourers and Husband-men in Gods Vineyard be Sealed up by Wiles and Snares Certainly Episcopal Government stands not upon such Lame Crutches as that the abatement of some few Rigors in things at best but Indifferent should endanger thereby the overthrow thereof it needs not Certainly it needs no such Artifices for its Establishment it being no more for the Support and Honour of Episcopal Government to have Men Preaching the sincere Word of Truth and living accordingly to be silenced and accounted their Opposites Than it is to have some Conformists to assert it with their Tongues and with their Pens and yet be a reproach to it by being Dumb by their Non-residency by their Lives and Conversations or that it is for others to Drink Swear and Prophane to avoid the Name and Censure of being Puritanical or Presbyterian and that they may be reputed Prelatical But be it a great sin in the Governors and Fathers of our Church to be instrumental to stop the Mouths and hinder the use of Gospel Talents in many of the Inferior Pastors upon slight and slender occasions yet it is a greater Crime for such Inferior Pastors to deprive themselves and their Flocks of the same Gospel Priviledges upon the same or like niceties for that they ought to be more unwilling to separate themselves from the Communion of the Church to which they are called by stopping their own Mouths than to be cut off from the Commonwealth wherein they live It is impossible but that Offences must come 17 of Luk. 1.18 of Mat. 7. and therefore it is impossible that all visible Ministerial Churches or the Polity of them should be pure and uncorrupt or that all should be Israel that are of Israel and therefore some unworthiness in Members and some Corruptions in Officers and some Offices in the Church tho not absolutely necessary may with good Conscience be born withal and that some Errors at least in the Discipline and External Rites may be tollerated seeing there may be the Temple of God tho Prophaned A Holy City without a Wall A Field of the Lord tho the Enemy Sow Tares Look back and Consider that the Jewish Church was stained with almost all Enormities of a higher Nature both for Manners and Faith and yet unto the same all Israelites and Jews whatsoever without difference were Compelled by King Josiah and others when the People of God Worshipped the Calf in the Wilderness when they Adored the Brazen Serpent when they served the Gods of Nations when they Bowed themselves to Baal when they Burnt Incense and Sacrificed unto Idols and for which Gods Wrath was Kindled against them and the Prophets justly Condemned them yet there was pure Corn tho mingled with Tares A Church of some sound tho mingled with some unsound Members which will be unto the Harvest untill the end of the World till the Angells the Reapers come and gather the Tares to be Burned with unquencheable Fire Therefore all Parties and Men of different perswasions ought seriously to Consider that the best Men are but Men at the best alike Subject to Passions and Frailties to have their Affections misperswaded and their Judgments misguided some to have knowledge without Zeal others to have Zeal without knowledge that the greatest Clerks are not always the Wisest men and therefore that both they that have and they that have not the truth or best Pollity on their side in Differences and Disputes of
milites tuos subtrahis and a little after requirat ergo Dominus meus piissimus quis prior imperatorum talem legem dederit subtilius extimet si debuit dari And concluding in the end what it is that he desires of the Emperor saith unde per eundem tremendum Judicem deprecor ne illae tantae lachrimae tantae orationes tanta jejunia tantaeque elemoslnae Domini mei ex qualibet occasione apud omnipotentis Dei oculos fuscentur sed aut temperanda pietas vestra aut mutando rigorem ejusdem legis inflectat such humble and decent remonstrance well-becoming a Pious Bishop or Pastor deserves not to be termed by Bellarmine A sharp reprehension But what follows is yet more worthy to be considered Ego quident jussioni subjectus eandem legem per diversas partes terrarum transmitto quia lex ipsa omnipotenti Deo minime concordat ecce per suggestionis meae paginam Dominis nuntiavi utrobique ergo quae debui exolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui pro Deo quod sensi minime tacui By which humble expressions it appears that it was not a sharp reprehension but rather an humble and respective remonstrance which hath no agreement with the Doctrine wich Bellarmine hath published wherein he makes the Pope Supream Temporal Monarch and the Princes of the World less than his Vassals as his words do necessarily infer altho they dare not yet avow it in express terms Consider Reader whether Gregory calling himself so often the Emperors unworthy Servant and his saying that as one that acknowledgeth himself subject to his Commandement he had sent abroad into divers parts of the World a Law which in his conscience he held not to be just And that other saying of his that in so doing he rendred unto the Emperor that obedience that was due unto him whether I say these Speeches do agree with the Doctrine which Bellarmine hath published who ever desires to know more of Gregory's modesty prudence and submissive deportment towards his Lord the Emperor may receive full satisfaction if he please to read his 64th Epistle I shall end this with this observation of Bellarmines great subtilty in that he forbears to quote the place it self of Gregory being so exact and subtle in his Allegation of other places But what if Pope Gregory did sharply reprove him It was but his duty Quatenus a Bishop which priviledge belongs to all Bishops as well as to the Pope as being in the same Commission viz. Tell Judah of her sins and Israel of her transgressions so it is but according to the duty of all Priests to dispense the word of truth be therewith displeased who will And all being granted it makes nothing at all for the Impery of Popes over Princes His next Fortress Ch. Novit examined is the Chapter Novit which because it most particularly concerned John King of England you shall have the true ground and History thereof This Chapter Novit de Judiciis was indeed admirably well designed and well Calculated for Papal Grandeur and Impery but not in the least what pretence soever was held out for the just right of Kings or of any other Mode of Civil Government good of Christians or glory of God It was designed purposely by Innocent the Third to trample on the necks of Kings as once that Monster Alexander the Third did on the prostrate neck of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa blasphemously arrogating to himself for his warrant Psalm 91.13 Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet as if David more than 1000 years before there was any Pope should particularly Prophesie of Popes And he followed this blow with all the might he had by endeavoring to put it in practice on John King of England and Philip Augustus King of France But the truth is he wanted the Welch-mans Back-sword with two Edges for he neither had the true Bilbo-blade Temporal Power sufficient to force obedience nor yet the Sword of the Spirit Rightful Authority to do what he did He only sent out his Voice yea and that a mighty voice by thundring out his abominable Excommunications which only proved to be vox praeterea nihil Take the Scene and History as it then lay After long Wars between Philip Augustus King of France and Richard King of England About Anno Dom. 1199. Richard died and his Brother John surnamed Lackland succeeded him either by the Nomination or appointment of his Brother as some affirm or by Usurpation upon Arthur who was Son to Geossery another Elder Brother of his But those Territories which John possessed in France submitted themselves to the Dominion of Arthur followed the faction of the French King and was supported by him But at length about Anno Dom. 1200. by means of a Marriage between Lewis Son and Heir and Successor of the French King and Blanche of Castile King John's Sisters Daughter of which Marriage issued afterwards St. Lewis A Peace was concluded between Philip and John wherein Arthur was likewise comprised upon this Condition that John should do Homage to Philip for the Dominions of Brittany and Normandy and Arthur should do Homage for the same unto John After this upon some occasion that fell out Arthur was put in Prison by his Uncle the King of England and there died Anno Dom. 1203. and the common opinion was that he was murthered by his Uncles command whereupon Philip Augustus as Chief Lord of the Fee caused John to be cited to Paris and upon default of his appearance condemned him and confiscated those Territories which he held of him and went afterwards with an Army to seize them into his hands by force John pretended that this was directly against the Peace and Treatise between them and made his complaint to Innocent the Third who commanded both the Kings upon pain of Excommunication to keep Peace and to surcease from War and sent also a Legate unto them for that purpose John for whose advantage this Commandment was did gladly embrace but Philip found himself much grieved and took great exceptions against it and so did the Prelates of France in this behalf unto whom Innocent the Third made that answer contained in the Chapter Novit Philip for all that desisted not from his former purpose but went on and conquered by the Sword all the Territories that the English at that time possessed in France neither could the Pope prevail any thing by his Commands In the year 1208. Innocent the Third Excommunicated John and Interdicted his whole Kingdom which continued six years and three months yet did not John yield to obey the Pope in that he required of him The Pope sent Pandulphus his Legate into France to Philip to perswade him to make War upon John Philip made his preparations accordingly and many Barrons of England combined themselves with him but in the mean time Pandulphus coming into
which despiseth these things despiseth not Man but God but our Translation is he therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God And this despising God in his Vicar is called 1 Sam. 15.23 a kind of Idolatry Here are two very geat Clerks very opposite each to other How shall we poor Laicks now behave our selves when so great School-men cannot agree the point one accounting it a meritorious Act to resist and the other Rebellion and a kind of Idolatry not to obey Christ's Vicar First Gerson wrote 150 years before Bellarmine's answer came out being in a quiet and sedate temper not ingaged in any disputes and consequently without Bias and void of passion on the other side Bellarmine then living and deeply ingaged in that great Controversie between Rome and Venice about Temporal and Ecclesiastical Power and consequently more subject to passion and Interest very strong Biasses Let us now consider his Texts of Scripture and reasons the first is the part of the same Luke 10.16 as before and must in part receive the same Answer viz. he that despiseth you despiseth me which words were undoubtedly spoken to the Seventy Disciples which represented the Preachers which were to publish Christs Doctrine and not to Peter singly so that what power soever devolves by this Text on Christs Vicar it is but in common with the rest of his Fellow Priests and Bishops so that he can challenge nothing peculiar to himself from this Text. To this Text we will oppose and leave to their consideration Matth. 25.45 that at the day of Judgment Christ will say to the Reprobate Quatenus in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me and likewise we shall oppose the 18. Matth. 6. But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his Neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea so that there is Authority of Scripture to shew that Christ takes it for an injury done unto himself that is done unto the least of his Faithful Servants But of Christs Vicar not one word not so much as once named in the whole Bible a term never heard of till about Anno 666. So that he which despiseth c. is alledged out of its natural sence by Bellarmine and in as much ye did it not c. alledged in its proper sence for that admonition or correction is indeed a work of Charity and incumbent on all Christians so it be done with prudence and with due observance of circumstances And on the contrary cum Authoritate imperare cum potentia is against Charity Besides the very construction of the words qui vos spernit c. cannot possibly bear it no more than Dic Ecclesiae can reasonably be understood of the Pope a single person for I never understood that Popes had Pigs in their Bellies tho I will not swear what Pope Joan had in her Weem when she was Delivered of a Son in the open Street as she went to St. John Laterans So that the 10. Luke 16. is to be understood of all Ministers in General among whom I will not deny His Holiness Quatenus a Priest or Bishop to have a right in Common with the rest of his Brethren but no other or greater For in the beginning Bishops and Priests were all one their Institution Commission Imploy and Duties were all one and the same and how when and by whom they came to be differenced and distinguished and an Ecclesiastical Regiment erected and regulated by * Canon Law Laws of their own making whereby they have Metamorphos'd it from a Democracy of all the Brethren together to an absolute Ecclesiastical Monarchy nay Tyranny of a Pope at Rome is not very hard to trace tho very hard to remedy If a Quaker like a bold Britain should Pilgrim it to Rome and there reprove and rebuke the Pope of Popish errors Superstitions and other false Doctrines and that by plain Scripture And the Pope should despise and scorn him not enduring sound Doctrine certainly at the day of Judgment qui vos spernit c. would be laid to the Charge of His Holiness and not unto the despicable Quaker assuredly whoever despiseth the word of truth tho in the mouth of the least of God's little ones despiseth Christ Teachings are not truth because uttered by the Supream Bishop Christ's Vicar the Head of all Christendom but because they are grounded on Scripture the word of Truth and so carry their own awe and warrant with them To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isay 8.20 but they that will not hear Moses and the Prophets as no perverters of Scripture will will not be perswaded tho one arose from the Dead Luke 16.31 If the Apostles or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel than that which they have preached may not only be despised but accursed Gal. 1.8 then may not the Pope be despised that thus troubles the Church and labors to pervert the Gospel of Christ The next Scripture which he useth at the same rate is Qui haec spernit non hominem spernit sed Deum 1 Thes 4.8 He that despiseth these things despiseth not Man but God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit How is it possible that this citation can be to the purpose St. Paul assisted with the Holy Spirit applied qui haec spernit to such things there spoken by himself who could not erre v. 2 3 4 5 6 7. viz that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and honor not in the lusts of concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God c. How then can it now be applied to the Pope who for certain hath no other assistance of the Holy Ghost than the rest of his Brethren Neither yet hath he said himself nor his Sycophants for him that he hath any extraordinary Assistance of the Holy Ghost saving only when he doth determine a matter de Fide ex Cathedra and not when he gives Orders in a Stable How can he then freely and righteously according to their own Doctrine in a Decree or an Extravagant which is not in a matter of Faith say qui haec spernit c. he that despiseth these things c. When the Pope shall teach and command Gods own Indubitable Precepts we will not complain of him if he add with all that he that despiseth c. but to equal Popes to St. Paul and their Decrees and Extravagants to Canonical Scripture and make them subservient to their Dictates and Expositions Is not this to make them lyable to the Plagues denounced against them that add or diminish from Gods word Rev. 22.18 And is it not a strange Phanatick presumption and
obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls c. Not considering that the word Rulers in St. Paul's dialect doth signifie Feeders and Leaders which be the two signs and duties of good Shepards And yet we do not deny but that the Messengers and dispencers of God's Mysteries by Preaching the word Administring the Sacraments and Rights useing the Keys have their Internal and Spiritual Regiment over the Souls as well of Princes as of others But be it that St. Paul saith so altho in truth there 's a great disserence between posuit vos Episcopos and posuit Episcopos between he hath made you Overseers and hath made Overseers And what are these Overseers or Bishops commissionated to do Nothing but to feed the Flock of Christ But be it as they would have it yet nothing can possibly be concluded out of this place that the Pope is above Princes or above the Church any otherwise than any other Bishop is which position is Heresie at Rome But from hence we may conclude that all Bishops have their Authority immediately from God which happily will be as little acceptable at Rome as the other § That place also of Hebr. 13.17 is not meant of the Pope in special but of Bishops in General yea and of all Pastors and Curates also so that it makes nothing for the Pope in particular so far forth as those that are set over our Souls and do truly watch for the good of our Souls by speaking unto us the word of God so far we are to submit to both Pope and Presbyter but no manner of colour to conclude from hence the Pope to be above all Temporal Princes The word here also signifies Leaders as well as Rulers and is to be understood so here for it follows v. 7. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their Conversation If we must mark and imitate them then surely they must be Leaders to direct us and not Rulers to Tyrannize over us But whether the word signifies Leaders or Rulers it advantages the Pope and Cardinals nâ—â—hing at all for that they are not thereby meant but all that be Christians and Godly Preachers And the obedience here required is no Corporal subjection to their persons but an inward likeing and embracing of their Doctrine And whom they call Rulers here St. Paul 2 Cor. 4.5 maketh Servants we Preach not our selves but Christ Jesus to be Lord and our selves your Servants And 2 Cor. 1.24 Not that we have Dominion or Rule over your Faith but we are helpers of your Joy And Christ's charge was Mark 10.42 43. and Luke 22.25 The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but so it shall not be among you c. And Christ himself was amongst them as he that doth serve Their very function then is to Serve not to Rule their Brethren to feed not to domineer or Tyrannize over the Flock of Christ say or write what or who can or will they will hold the conclusion with Bellarmine that the Pope as Supream Prince Spiritual may change Kingdoms take them from one and give them to another when he shall think it necessary for the Salvation of Souls § Should I dig and rake deeper into the Sink and Pit of Romish rubbish and Errors I should but find it bottomless full of Lyes and Errors backt with Impudency and Obstinacy maugre all that can be said against them and therefore will draw towards an end and conclude from what hath been already written and from what sollows viz. That the Popes of Rome together with their Principles and Doctrines Practices and Trinckets Dâ— Row Pâ—nt Lib. 5. â— 6.7 8 John 8.44 are the silthy spawn and product of their Father the Devil and the Lusts of their Father the Devil they do He was a Murderer from the beginning and so are they both in Practices Principles and Doctrines witness the Inquisition the Popes Slaughter-house their being often drunk with the blood of Saints not sparing Kings nor Emperors no nor yet men more righteous than themselves and that by Mariana his quacunque arte which could proceed from no one that was not Spirited by the Devil and abode not in the truth because there was no truth in him no more have they John 8.24 having erred from the Faith first delivered to the Saints and forsaken the right way and gone astray witness their whole Scheme of false Doctrines their Twelve new Articles of Faith and other false Doctrines of that packt Conventicle at Trent and those Twelve Blasphemous Articles of Jo. Baptista * Mat the end of the book Poza a Spanish Jesuit his Creed and the New-Politick-Gospel-Light of Cardinal Palavicini in his History of the Council of Trent Collected by one of their own Communion their Jesuits Morals c. when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own he is a Lyar and the Father of it Rome a la mode they are his spawn and Children and do his works witness their cheating Auricular Confession foolishly called Sacramental there being nothing of a Sacrament in it the Pick-lock of all the secret Councils of all the Kingdoms of the World holding out that Regicides and the greatest sinners of the World shall go plum to Heaven if but Confest and Absolved tho but in Articulo Mortis by their Priests their own Complices and Confederates in the same Crimes witness also their lying Legends their * Vile Mr. 〈…〉 Forgeries Forgeries their false cheating Miracles their coyning contrary Creeds in the dayes of Constantine and Constantius their raking out the Bowels and intrails of Old Authors Fathers and Councils their Doctrines of Equivocation of Infallibility and Probability their Clementines Extravagants and Decretals for if they were of God they would hear his Word and therefore they hear them not because they are not of God v. 47. for it is impossible that such monstrous horrid Principles and Doctrines such abominable impostures should proceed from any other Spirits but from the Spirits of unclean Devils Lâ—ke 4.33 for had they been born of God his Seed would have remained in them which would have preserved them from those Legions of Diabolical Principles and Practices they now stand indicted and are found guilty of To these great truths bears farther Testimony their own hand writing of Ordinances against themselves even their own Authors and Councils Witness not only their allowance for Fornication non obstante Gods own command to abstain from Fornication 1 Thesâ— 4.3 Acts 15.21 Ch. 21.4.25 nay not only barely to abstain but to Flee from it â— Cor. 6.8 non obsbante the Apostle imputed it as a great sin to the Corinthians that there was Fornication amongst them 1 Cor. 1.5 and non obstante it be expresly declared by the Apostles that the Body was not for Fornication 1 Cor. 6.18 but for the
shall be accounted for a Law and hath confirmed it with an accursed Canon viz. that if any man shall say that by the Commandment of God or of necessity all and singular the Faithful of Christ ought to receive both kinds let him be Accursed They are not herewith content but they will impose upon us Five other Sacraments which God never ordained for Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist Christ Instituted commanded and practised but for those other Five Supernumerary Additionals they are of Papal and not of Christs Institution Of the same Parentage is their leaving out of their ordinary Catechisms one Commandement of the Decalogue written with the Finger of God himself lest it should rise up in Judgment against them for their Idolatries and Superstition Non obstante Gods command Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add unto the word that I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandment of the Lord your God which I command you and Non obstante Rev. 22.18 19. If any man shall add to these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and from the things which are written in this Book Which Devillish Arithmetick of adding and subtracting to and from Holy Writ being diametrically opposite to Gods Holy Word must proceed as the rest from their Father the Devil For had they acted and decreed by the Spirit of truth he would have led them into all saving truth But these are so far from that that they hold the Truth in unrighteousness and thange the Truth of God into Lies even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith 2 Tim. 3.8 And in as much as in them lies do make void and null the everlasting Gospel of Christ and set up a new one of their own as one of their own Communion hath collected out of Palavicim's History of the Council of Trent All which considered I cannot but wonder and stand amazed with what confidence the Papalins can preach and write so contrary to the Word of truth of both Testaments with any hope to be believed of others or to be saved themselves thereby being forewarned by the Apostles themselves that tho they themselves or an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel than that which we have preached let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Let these suffice for should I rake farther I should cloy the Reader usque ad nausâ—am to make scrutiny into their other Doctrines Services and Ceremonies all of the same Father the old Serpent the Devil their Idolatry Pargatory Pardons Indulgencies Merits Works of Supererogation Transubstantiation Incredible Miracles Reliques Prayers for Souls departed Sacrifices for the Dead Pilgrimages distributing their Worship in their publique Masses to so many Saints of their own making more Prayers by many to Mary than to Christ and those to make yet more ridiculous in an unknown tongue and not without ridiculous Gesticulations Consecrations Exorcisins Whisperings Sprinklings Censings c. all phantastical tricks and juglings more besitting the Stages of Piginello or Merry Andrew than the Temple and Service of God Almighty § Do they bely themselves Papists imitate the Heathen in their Worship or do they not in their Worship imitate the very Heathens or have they not borrowed many of their absurd Ceremonies from the Worshippers and Sacrificers of the Heathen Gods Carol. Patin Imperat. Roman Numismata Edit Argentine 1671. so 296. inter nummos Caracallae tells us that the fourth Picture or Medal represents the Poutifical Insigns or Emblems viz. the Lituus or Divining-Staff the Secespita or Sacrificing-Knife the Vrceolum or Flagon the Capedo or Vessel for holding of Incence and the Aspergillum or Sprinkling-bush or Asperforium a Vessel with small holes to sprinkle the Holy-water The Romans used these in the Ceremonies of their Sacrifices The Lituus the constant Sign Note or Embleme of the Augur furnished us with the form of our Pastoral and Episcopal-Staff The Secespita used by the Flamins of both sexes where by the way take notice there were Religious Orders both of Men and Virgins and by the very Pontiffs their Sacrifices or when the Popae Popes slew the Victims as an Instrument unused in the Christian Religion because our Sacrifice is unbloodied The Patera which used to hold the Praecordia of the Victim retaineth the name of Patera in our Religion and is employed for the holding the body of our Saviour Christ The Vrceolus when great was called Vrcâ—um and was appropriated for the holding of Oil Wine Milk and Honey Our Priests use Vessels like to these for the holding of wine and water whilst they celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass The Capedo or Capedunculus differs very little from the Simpulum so called from its holding the Incence was used by the Priest or Pontifex in their Offering The Aspergillum was used by that Age when the people purified with Holy-water then called Aqua lustralis and we in our time retain the same Thus Virgil hath it Aeneid lib. 6. Ossaque tecta Cado texit Chorineus alieno Idem ter socios purà * Verbum lustrale circumtulit undâ Spargens rora leni ramo foelicis Olivae Lustravitque viros dixitque novissima verba Chorineus did his bones in brass inclose And thrice about with Holy-water goes Purging his friends which sprinkingly he cast From happy Olive boughs then spake his last So Ovid 2. Fast Ah nimium faciles qui tristia crimina caedis Tolli stuminea posse putatis aquâ Ah silly souls that deem the guilt of murder Purified may be by Popes (a) Popes Holy-water Holy-water Lustration was nècessary to sacrifice without which they could not sacrifice nor exercise any Religious Rites So Juno returning from Hell was purged by Iris before she went to Heaven Ovid Met. lib. 4. In omnibus sacris Sacerdos quum diis immolat rem divinam facit prius corporis ablutione purgatur c. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. c. 17. § The Romish Ordinance of Hallowing and Consecrating Consecrations and Exorcisms and Exorcising relates and appertains to many things as it plainly appeareth Every seventh day which we call Sunday when there be many people in the Church assembled the Priest exorciseth as they term it first Salt after Water And when he hath mixed the Salt and the Water together he sprinkleth the People therewith which springling is believed to give health both to Body and (b) Haec Aqua benedicta deleat mihi mea delicta according to the Monkish Rhyme Soul and to drive away the deceits of the devil and purify not only Men but also things without life For it is cast upon the ground and on stones