blaspheme that worthy name wherby the poor in this world which commonly are the richest in faith are called Ia. 2. 6. that the Kings of the very Christian Nations would throw down their crowns and give up their power and strength unto the beast commit fornication wiâ—…h the W W Whore and at her instigation make war with the Lamb and at last be overcome by him Rev. 17. 14. 17. and be put down together with all their rule authority and power as very enemies though once his ordinance under his feet 1 Cor. 15. â—…4 25 I find also Ephe. 4. that he hath sit in his Church Apostles Pastors c. for the work of the Ministery and affairs of it but I no where find in his will and Testament that Christ intended the Magistracy as his Ordinance though undoubtedly in other cases the supreme ordinance of God to men whether in the Church or out of it for civil good to officiate so immediately in matters of Religion saith church order c. as to execute Church-discipline Church censure for â—…er Church disorders Church Divisions Church offences or so as to make all men within their jurisdiction and yet though their Churches be no true Churches neither so the CCClergy would have it to believe as the Church believes worship as the Church worships and be members of the Church whether they will or no if not to pray with them yet at least to pay to them or else to be excommunicated out of all they have and under the name of Hereticks dischurcht out of the world for so verily they do doctrinally at least who teach such false doctrine that men of false relegions whether heathens Jewes Turks or Pagans or men erring most grosly about the true as Papists or whatever else though never so submissive in all civil things to the civil Powers yet may not lawfully be licensed to live in civil States or in any Common-wealth under the Sun for by the same reason that Iews Turks Heathens Hereticks may not without sin be tolerated in one Nation but must ex officio be rooted out of it upon that meer account of denying and defying Christ which is as high as ever any Heretick went they may not without sin be permitted to be in another and so either some nations must sin in allowing these to live in them or else though de facto they cannot by reason of their number yet de jure they ought as far as they well can by Kings and Princes among whom few or none are so well acquainted as they should with what is Heresie and what truth to be driven quite out of the world and so the poor Iewes whose conversion the Priests pray for with much zeal and compassion must in quiet live no where at all that they may be converted but must belike be turned altogether into the sea Besides the notion of their being Christians adds nothing to mens power as Magistrates so but that if such magistrates as are Christians are Church officers as Magistrates then other Magistrates as heathen Magistrates must be Church officers as well as they and then how well that Christian Church is likely to be served and governed whose head Church-officers are Heathens a fool may see Yet whether the Magistracy be Heathens or Christians it matters not to the Church so long as they are the ministers of God and Christ to them and others too for civill good to punish evil doers that are injurious against the common or any mans proper weal Church-member or other in body goods or name by stealing lying murder defiling defaming defrauding c. whereby any are prejudic'd in point of their outward well being mean while whether he be the minister of God onely or Christ also and that not onely as God but God man also it matters not so long as he is an ordinance to us for civil good so that if any matter of Division of inheritances or of wrong and wicked lewdnesse be brought before the Magistrates committed whether by a church-member or any other it is all one reason wills that the Magistrate should hear it and be they Heathens or be they Christians who stand before him determine and destribute ac cording to the equity of his civil Law and as much as Mr. Baxter looks askew at this assertion p. 120. as if he thought the Magistrate were to do a Pagan no right against a Christian without partiality not favouring a Christian in a civil cause against a Heathen a Turk an Egyptian a Pagan so as to take the Christians part further then the equity of his cause in hand may justly call for it more then the others though the Magistrate himself also be a christian and a brother to the christian whose cause depends before him or a member of the self same congregation with him not balking to do civil justice against Church-members they deserving punishment as if the church were exempted from his jurisdiction in civil things because he is no christian but a heathen nor yet denying to do right to church-members if they be injured by others for if he do any of this I am sure he does no justice in his place whereupon Gallio the Depuputy Governour of Achaia who was not a little to be commended in one thing was no lesse to blame in another Act. 18. 17. in that when the Greeks in a rude and barbarous manner took Sostenes the chief Ruler of the Synagogue and beat him for letting Paul preach in it before his face and before the very judgement Seat too yet he cared for none of those things for those were the things that fell duly and directly under his cognizance as he was a magistrate and so the minister of God to men for good whether they be Christs disciples or no for the redresse of such civil abuses neither is Christ yet in his own person Luke 12. 13. 14. nay nor yet by any Church-officers of his qua sic unlesse they be civil Magistrates also and then as in that capacity they must do that right that concerns them as such as meer church-officers to be judge in those outward cases and as therein the outward man onely is concerned for then Paul one of the chief Apostles and officers of the Church being then present might have taken upon him in the behalf of Sostenes and himself as the Pope and the PPPriesthood do for the most part in their religions to have determined for themselves in that civill dissention but Christ as man and his church as his Church are yet no judgers nor dividers over men but the Magistrate by Gods and if I say by Christs appointment it hurts us not is made as onely in such so the only judge and divider in such civil matters but if it be a question and a brabble about Heathenism Turcism Iudaism Christianism and about Religion worship and faith and Iesus and words and names as Antinomists Arminians Anabaptists Pelagians Socinians
what need else of causing the pulpit to be washed as I have heard one of our Kentish Clergy men did his after two tradesmen had preached there in his absence they think they are men meliore luto of some better mould and taller by far in Gods affections then the People are This conceit makes them go apart look upon themselves as sons of Anack their Brethren as Grashoppers shun commerce and society with them as with publicans and sinners In detestation of whom as not consecrated they say Odi Profanum vulgâ—…s and in a kind of proverbiall spel procul hinc procul este profani anâ—… as dislike of others so 2. Dislike of their own places is another cause of the Heresies of the Clergy the foot will be the hand or not of the body the hand will be the head or else will be no body at all the Servant regarding neither the Councell nor the command nor the Example of his Master who came not to minister to but to minister and gave in charge that there should be no dominion among his disdiples and bade them that meant to be greatest to be last and least would needs be above his Master and he that was sent greater then he that sent him and by this he entred exceedingly into error the Minister could not indure to be the foot to have the whole body of the Church stand above himself though sure if he were as a king is Major singulis yet he is Minor omnibus and must stoop to the vote of the congregation he could not bear it to be the hand onely to execute what the head directed in but he must be the head to give laws and ordinances of his own Corah could not be content with his place but sought the Priests Office the CCClergy could not be contented with such Shepheardship as the Gospel had at first but they must need be made Priests after that more pompous way of the law nor to be Priests onely in sensu diviso from all the Saints but they must seek the High Priests office too and have Arch-Patriachs Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops c. they could not brook it to be amonst the Saints as them that serve but they must be as they that sit at meat having all others to serve them and in no mean manner neither have some of their Holinesses been served when Kings and Emperours have stood bâ—…e before them bare foot at their dooâ—…s as Henry the fourth Emperour and his wife and son did at Pope Adrians gate before they were admitted to the speech of him and not onely so but held their stirrups also and lay down to have their necks trod upon by him as Frederick Barbarossa did to Pope Gregory saying non tibi sed Petro and was answered again by the proud Prelate et 〈◊〉 et Petro in a word have held it honour enough to kiss his feet In the state Absoloms ambition O that I were a Iudge was the cause of his rebellion and the same kind of aspiring mind after no lesse then all power both in heaven and earth Church and State too made the Clergy when time best served their ambitious turn to rebell so abominably against all civil power as not onely to exempt themselves fully from the jurisdiction of Temporal Princes but most wickedly to subjugate all civil power to such depency on them and their Lord God the Pope that when they have not been slaves to the Clergies Imperious will and carnal concernments he hath took upon him to act according to that power he claimes most blasphemously saying by me Kings raign to force them to surrender their crownes and sacrifice their lives too to his lust witnesse the case of King Iohn here in England and in scorn to kick off the crowns of Emperours with his feet and in testimony of their taking all civill power as well as spiritual to themselves Eugenius the second took on him within the Roman territory the authority of creating Earls Dukes and Knights as the Exarchate had done before him Helin p. 182. also Innocent the third held a councel in Rome in which it was enacted that the Pope should have the correction of all Christian Princes and that no Emperour should be acknowledged till he had sworn obedience unto him Helin p. 184. upon the same ambitious account Pope Boniface the eight by a general bull exempted the Clergy from all taxes and subsidies to Temporal Princes whereupon Edward the first put the Clâ—…gy out of the protection of him and his laws by which course the Popes bull left râ—…ring here in England He. G. p. 184. the same Boniface boasted one day in his pontisicâ—…l attire with the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven in his hand that all spiritual power was committed to him and the next day in the Robes of an Emperour with a naked sword born before him that all civill power was committed to him also ecce duo gladii hic yea after the translation of the Eâ—…pire from France to Germany the Popes began to make open protestation that the Pontifical dignity was rather to give laws to the Emperours then to receive any from them Helin G. p. 188. and as in the state ambition so in the Church the desâ—…re of a change from Membership to Mastership from Servantship to Lordship over the true Clergy is the true cause of the Clergies Heresie and Schism for being raised by earthly power and greatnesse they forgot the sal vation of souls sanctity of life and the commandements of God propgation of Religion charity toward men and to raise armes to make warre against Christians to invent new devises for getting money to prophane sacred things for their own end to enrich their kindred and children was their onely study saith Helin out of Guiciardine Geog. p. 188. 3. Gloriae secularis â—…ucupium a desire to be somebody Iudas Thudas Simon Magus are Instances of it which Simon sin'd and erred so grossely out of his vain glorious desire to be lookt upon as some great one as to offer to buy the gift of the holy spirit for money of which sin and error of Simon no men under heaven are more guilty then the CCClergy for as they endeavour to to get gifts and endowments for the honour office of ministry in the Church by laying out money at Schooles and purchasing to themselves degrees as if the spirit must undoubtedly gift men for the Ministry that mean to bestow themselves that way when once they are train'd up to be Masters of Arts in the university so to say nothing how they pay for their ordination and actual admission into the function it self when so fitted though themselves call it Simony or the sin of Simon to buy spiritual livings these with them we see are the gifts of the holy spirit yet such is their unsatiable greedinesse after glory and greatnesse in the world that as hateful a sin as Simony seems to be among them few of their
of himself he is God given over to strong delusion to believe lies that they may be damned because not receiving the love of the truth that they might be saved whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming 2 Thess. 2. denying the Lord that bought them and bringing on themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2. 2. * Viz touching of dead bo dies Num. 5. 2. eatingâ—… or touching the carcases of any forbidden fishes birds or beast Lev. 11. 24. 31. diseases as the leprosie Lev. 13. 8. running of issues Levit. 15. 2. and such like * for if he that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy that hath troden under foot the son of God Heb. 10. 29. therefore we had need to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard least at any time we let them slip for if the word spoken by angels was sure and stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was after confirmed to us by them that heard him Heb. 2. 1. 2. 3 whosoever shall be ashamed of me or my words of him will I be ashamed when I come in the kingdome of my father with my holy angels Mark 8. 38. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * as indeed I find thee to be of the whole Scripture which though Paul bids Timothy give attendance to the reading of 1 Tim. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. yet thou hast left off to read disswading others also from the reading of it as unprofitable as no other then the writings and inventions of men to keep the world in awe so that it cannot come to enjoy that liberty alias license for lewdnesse and fleshly lusts which thou promisest and pleadest for and that makes thee to be such a weather cock such a well without water such a wandring star althou art such a cloud tost to and fro with a tempest because thou hast no steady rule to steer by no whither goest thou to talke with or to take heed to to recall or to fix thee to any one point but onely the whisling multifarious fancies and foolish sigments of thy own aiery brain and unconstant spirit * Isa 8. 13 14. Eze. 11. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 20 21 * Heb. 10. 25. * all which will fall to the share of the silken snapsack to carry in the end * See how Mr. Baxter defines him out of Bullinger p. 259. Hereticum cum dico intelligosectarum Authorem qui ecclesiam scindis c. when I talk of an Heretick I mean an Author of Sects who rendeth the Church who pertinaciously proceedeth by false and erroneous doctrine to infrings trouble the unity of the Church and out of Viguerius Hereticus est qui relicta side et ec clesiae doctrina alicujus temporalis commodi gratia et maxime gloriae falsas et novas opiniones gigniâ—… vel sequitur ut vel 〈◊〉 maneat ab ecclesia divisus * sucâ—… words as none of you â—…ish PPPriestâ—… in CCChrist'ndome do can or ever did preach in for if your people Ask the Priest what they must do you say repent but be not baptized yea take heed every one of you that at any hand you be not baptized * Dr. Featley p. 161. * For Tent makers such as Paul was to make the Gos pel chargeless you are most ly too proud to be †Sine qua Christianismus non constat saith Calvin * Calvin inst lib 4. c 2. s. 1. verbi et sacramentorum Mi nisterium nobis perpetua â—…ssera dignoscende ecclesiae * divsion * which whether in the Antitype it be not that woman the CCClergy by whom the Kings of the earth have bin as Ahab by the other stirred up to aâ—…l mischief against the the truth may be seen moâ—…e clearly Rev. 17. * witness the case of Iohn Sawtrey the first English Martyr of whom we read thus viz. that Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury 1399 first denouncing him an Heretick 2 in the name of all his fellow brethren the Bishops and of the whole Clergy condemning digrading him from his priestly orders from all his priestly honors in token therof taking from him as he was a Priest the patent and chalice the authority of saying Masse the casul and vestment as a Deacon the book of the New Testament as a Subdeacon the Albe and Maniple as an Acolite the Candlestick and taper as an Exorcist the book of Conjuration as a Reader the book of the Church Legend of lies as Sexton the keyes of Church door and surplice and then rasing his crown and putting the cap of a lay prrson on his head delivers him up to the secular power saying pray be favourable to him who after burns him being called on by the Bishops in the City of London * Whether the magistrate be the minister of Christ as God onley or as Mediatour also I mean God man is a question about which I find some fill the world with a world of confusion viz. Mr. Gelaspie and Mr. Rutherford who are together by the ears about it and Mr. Baxter also who makes much more ado then needs p. 228. c. to prove that Christ exerciseth some of his Government as Mediator by Ministers and some by Magistrates by which if he mean that Magistrates are officers in Christs Church of Christs appointment I pitty his blindness when I read Eph. 4. where its shewed what officers Christ sets in his Church for the edifying and establishing thereof if he mean that the Magistrate is Christs officer and ordinance to the worldward for the Government of it under him and of the Church too as t is a part of the world so far as he doth yet administer in the world and judge it I will not greatly deny that howbeit that he as man yet judgeth the world and as Mediatour governs it as once he is to do by appointment from the father Acts 17. 31 at his appearing his kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 1. when he shall put that power in full execution for which he hath now but the commission when he shall return personally to set up and rule in that Kingdome which he is now gon to heaven to receive Luke 19. 11. 12. 15. c. when the Prince of this world for so Christ himself who is Prince of the world to come is pleased to call the devill now John 14. 30. who is dominus fac totum here by permission and rules over Kings Princes and People by the Beast and whore that rides it Rev. 17. to whom he hath given his seat power and great Authority Rev. 13. 2. shall once be judged and bound up in the bottomlesse pit from domineering over and deceiving the Nations any more that Christ I say yet judges the world as once he is to
as ignorantly as your selves own your practise though they disown and overturn one or two of the prime pillars and grounds you practice from that the third viz. Dr. Featley is killed as dead as a door-nayle by Mr. Den and that your selves and the other sticklers that still stand up in your cause are so miserably imbroiled in civil wars divisions diversities of design to bring about the same thing contradictions clashings Ayes and Noes among your selves that you can never make an handsome head against the truth till your matters hang more harmoniously together so that nought remaines in which you can hope unlesse your self excusing quarter crying Epistle to the Reader which is also answered can stead you but your forlorn hope of these three following Arguments which are more then half laid sprawling already and that tottered troop and ragged Regiment of Scufflers against Reason and that Scare-crow that comes up in the Rear of the Review and that Patheticall summons of all the Pastors to come in and succour you and oppose the growth of Anabaptism by preaching what they can against those Hereticks the Anabaptists but disputing no more with them because the effects of disputing with them are dangerous All which by then I have dispatch a little more dispute with whether I shall be more weary of writing or you of reading this as I know not well so it matters not much I shall its lâ—…ke give over then however First then to the first of your three Arguments that ensue Review The First is taken from the universall practise of the Church of God which the Adversaries would not hear of at the Disputation The grounds of it are expresse texts of Scripture Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you alway to the end of the world Iohn 14. 16. The Comforter shall abide with you for ever ver 17. The spirit of truth ver 26. Who shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you Iohn 16. 13. He will lead you into all truth The Argument is this To hold that Christs promise is not true is damnable blasphemy But to hold that the universall Church hath erred in so necessary a matter as baptism and that for so many hundred years is to hold that Christs promise is not true his promise of being with his Church of guiding it by the spirit into all truth Ergo To hold the Universall Church hath so erred is damnable blasphemy If the Anabaptists object That the Church of Rome useth this Argument for her traditions The Answer is That those traditions which she pleads for were neither universal nor doctrinal as this of baptism and therefore the exception against her was just and those errors which she defends by that were denyed to be of the universall Church But the Anabaptists can never prove that this practise hath not been universall or dare not say that this matter is not doctrinal Re-Review This Argument is so far from having any substance and weight in it toward the demonstration of the truth of infant-baptism that it is not so much as a Topicall syllo gism but meerly Sophisticall so that any that are never so little learned in Logick may discern it to be the fallacy called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ignoratio Elenchi in which is proved aliud a quaesito i. e. quite another thing then that which is by us denyed in which Illud infertur ut contradictorium negato quod revera non contradicit it doth not at all conclude the point in question for that you are to prove is not that it is damnable blasphemy to hold that the universal Church hath erred in baptism but that to deny infant-baptism is damnable blasphemy toward the direct and legitimate illustration of which bold charge wherewith you assault us viz. that our denyall of infant-baptism is damnable blasphemy you ought of right to have made this pro-Syllogism viz. To hold the universall Church hath erred in so necessary a matter as baptism is damnable blasphemy But to deny the lawfulness of infant-baptism is to hold that the universall Church hath erred in that matter of baptism Ergo To deny infant-baptism is damnable blasphemy The Major of which pro-syllogism we do not put you to the trouble of proving neither do we hold any such thing that the universall Church hath erred in baptism any more then you for the primitive Church did not erre in it though you do yet how do you belabour your selves here to prove what we deny not But the Minor of that pro-syllogism which we do deny as being indeed iâ—… it self most peccant and apparently false for to hold infant-baptism to be an Error is not to conclude the universal Church to have erred for the universall Church hath not held it the prove of this you evade and most serpentinely slide away from never medling with it at all unto a business you might as well have spared your pains in and fall a Syllogizing upon us in the self same sophisticall way as Rome doth for her Popes Supremacy and all other her traditions for thus say they indeed when they summon us back again to their fopperies sub paena damnabilis blasphemiae viz. To hold Christ promise is not true is damnable blasphemy But to hold that the universall Church hath erred is to hold Christs promise not true Ergo to hold the universal Church hath erred is damnable blasphemy So for the Popes Supremacy thus That which is above all the members hath Supreme authority over them all But the head of the Church is above all the members Ergo the head of the Church hath Supreme authority over all Which Syllogisms are both fallacious per ignorationem Elenchi for in this last theâ—…es concluded what is not questioned for the question is not whether the head of the Church have supremacy over all or no for none denies but that it hath but whether the Pope be at all that head that is it which we deny and they take perforce for granted from us before we have yielded it or themselves proved it and so proceed to have more mischief by it so again in the first the question is not whether the universal Church hath erred or no but whether Rome be that universal Church or no that cannot erre or whether those traditions she practises among which infant baptism is said to be one by Cardinal Bellarmine and is taken by Mr. Rogers to be the most reverent have bin universally practised or no which we deny that they were for the first Gospel Church knew none of them and so they are not universall which Romish Sillygisms the best Logicians among the Protestants are so far from answering so formally as you strive to do to the first of them in this place that they rather explode them as Silly and Sophisticall and so must I do yours which is not onely Istius-modi but in terminis the very same with the first of theirs
Anti-christians Pedobap tists Sectaries c. and about his law and about Heresie and spiritual Truth and Schism in the Church and Ministry and such like about which the eares of the civil powers have been dâ—…d by the usual addresses of the PPPriesthood unto them for help against Hereticks and Schismaticks and by their hideous outcries viz. of the Prelates against the Presbyters saying help O King and the Presbyters against the Sectaries help O Parliament all will be overspread with a Gangrene of Heresie Murder Murder c. O ye Magistrates restrain dipping in cold water as you will save the lives of your subjects and such stuff and folly as is powred out to the Magistrate by the Minister against men more true to Christ and Magistracy then himself I humbly conceive the Magistrate may lawfully and more acceptably to God then otherwise save himself so much labour as to let these matters alone yea he may do well to see that whatever Religion men be of that are under his civil power in each state whether Iewish Turkish Heathenish Popish Prelatical Presbyterian or Independent may not be injurious each to other without satisfaction in civil matters and to see that none commit any uncivil actions that are contrary to that common honesly and righteousnesse among men which men as magistrates are set to vindicate to see that none live be they of this or that Religion dishonestly without correction to see that none usurp Dominion over each others faith so as to make all men believe as some do whether they see ground to believe so yea or no by the civil sword to see that in order to their own eternal good they find out and walk in the way of truth themselves as it is in Jesus and when they are once assured that they are in the truth themselves to let that truth be verbally declared per se or per alios as much as they please but not forced upon others as their faith further then the light of preachings and discourses may prevail to fasten it on others consciences and to see that even enemies to the Gospel and true Church may have no more then the weapons of the Churches warfare which are not carnal used towards them to make them friends and as to those who walk in truth whoever they are or shall but be supposed by the successive representatives Princes or Powers to walk in the way of truth to see that they be countenanc't but not too much maintenanc't because Christs disciples nor cockt up to all the honour and preferment and places of trust and advantage above their fellow subjects to the ingendring of jealousies and emulations in others that may be happily though not so neer the truth of Christ yet as trusty to the State as themselves for that too often choaks the Church but onely that with an indifferent impartial hand as men whether in Church or out being otherwise honest and able and of publique spirits not selfish nor covetous nor cruel c. may seem fit to be intrusted with such and such places so they may be chosen and disposed of thereunto in a word to see that such as make prayers and supplications and intercessions and giving of thanks for all men for Kings and such as are in authority living in all godlinesse and honesty may as well as others and others also as well as they living soberly and honestly though not Godly in Christ Jesus nor worshipping in way of truth but falsly may live a quiet and peaceable life without persecution as to confiscation bonds or death for doing and denying according to the dictates of their own though yet blinded conscience and that men of all Religions may live without molestation one from another any more then by meer manifestations of their light one to another at seasonable times in wayes of query disputation and preaching and then to leave all men to worship God according to their several wayes even misbelievers Hereticks and Iewes themselves and others that yet believe not in Christ but deny him till the Lord lend them light by the word of truth and to stand or fall to their own master Christ Jesus to whom every conscience shall give account of it self at last who if any man hear his words and believe not nor receives but rejects them judges him not here either by himself or the civil magistrate or by his Church any further then to non-communion with them yet by the word that he hath spoken unto him will judge every man at the last day Thus it is most evident the magistrate whether Christian or Heathen is to do and not otherwise viz. to give protection to men as men living honestly so berly and justly without respect to their Religions whether true or false And as to Religions to allow Tolleration to all men to practise according to their principles the practise of whose principles is not directly destructive to the true Religion common honesty civillity morallity righteousnesse and the peace and safety of the Common-wealth as some mens principles are if put in practise yet verily I know none among Christians at least save those of the two Spiritualties vix the Rantizing PPPriest that in his precincts which is the whole world could he catch it would have no tolleration for any way of worship but his own and the Ranting Prophet who would have toleration of all and more too not onely all Religions but all as well unciuill unnatural lewd abominable as irreligious actions which nature it self cries shame on among beasts magistracy finds it self an ordinance of God to give correction to among heathens for those men are now acting upon the stage of whom Iude speaks when he saies Iude 10. what they know naturally as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves the principles of that old PPPriest and this new Prophet if practised in the hight of them are utterly inconsistent with the standing of truth in the world untrampled viz. that of the Priest and also with the standing of very manhood among men of civility in civil states of the common-health of the Common-wealth it self viz. that of the Prophet the one is so far from owning any power to be a terror to evil works and incouragement to good that despising all Government and speaking evill of dignities he holds that there is at all neither good nor evil nor better nor worse amongst works but all alike and then good Lord how fast must iniquity dishonesty unrighteousnesse and incontinency thrive and abound upon earth to the ripening of iâ—… for the sickle when it shall be acted with allowance from such a principle as this viz. that there is now no iniquity at all this man would have the civil power allow all Religions and good Manners too but allowes of none at least thinks he needs use none himself and is for a Toleration of all truth in the world thoughall truth is the intollerablest thing in the
spiritual gifts shall be lost for lack of buying if a fee be lookt for yea how few are dispensâ—…t freely and fairly from the spirit and not rathet from the slesh i. e. some base corrupt rotten fleshly respect and selfish end or other in the spiritual patrones how little or no spiritual preferment is there to bigger benefices Bishopricks or what ever ecclesiasticall dignity in any almost of the three Hierachies but it s either bruitishly bought for money or basely beg'd for some trencher service or bestow'd on men quâ—… befriended more then qua befitted with Gospel spirits for Gospel service or in some sinister way of legerdemane or other most paultrily purchased but specially under the Papacy where si nihil attuleris ibis Hemere foras Calvin saies vix cente simum quodque beneficium in papatu sine Simonia conferri c. searcely every hundredth benefice is bestowed at this day in the Papacy without Simony as the old writers desined Simony I do not say that they all buy them with ready mony but shew me one of twenty that cometh to a benefice without some by commendation some either kindred or alliance promoteth and some the authority of their parents some by doing of pleasures do get themselves favour Finally benesices are given to this end not to provide for the Churches but for them that receive them therefore they call them benefices by which words they do sufficiently declare that they make no other account of them but as the beneficial gifts of Princes whereby they either get the favour of their souldiers or reward their services I omit how these rewards are bestowed upon Barbers Cooks Moil-keepers and such dreggish men And how judaical Courts do ring of no matters more then about benefices so that a man may say that they are nothing else but a prey cast afore dogs to hunt after Is this tolerable even to be heard of that they should be called Pastors which have broken into possession of a Church as into a farm of their enemie that have have gotten it by brawling in the law that have bought it for money that have deserved it by filth services which being children yet scantly able to speak have received it as by inheritance from their uncles and kinsmen and some bastards from their fathers But this is more monstrous that one man I will not say what manner of man but truly such a one as cannot govern himself is set to govern six or seven Churches A man may see in these dayes in Princes Courts young men that have three Abbacies two Bishopwricks one Arch-bishoprick but there be commonly Canons laden with with five six or seven benefices whereof they have no care at all but in receiving the rev nues Inst. lib. 4. cap. 5. Sect. 6. etc. Thus they yea the Popes studied nothing more saith Helin Geog. p. 184. then to advance their Nephews for by that name the Popes use to call their bastards hence came the saying of Alexander the third viz. the laws forbid us to get children and the devil hath given us Nephews in their stead and though Lâ—…her add Calvin were themselves men of more moderate minds then to purchase preâ—…eminencies titles dignities to themselves yet though somewhat better then at Rome it hath been too bad among the Successors of both in Clerical capacity as to that corrupt kind of climbing to the chiefest punctillioes of earthly eminency they canattain toâ—…yea verily there 's very few of them but they are Papalis Ambitionis homines of Popely aspiring minds seeking superiority gaping after glory of this world not that to come liking to be lookt upon with distinction as men not like other men as men of worth when their worth lies more many times in what they have then what they are affecting to be applauded for their very Sermons to be humb'd when they come to a period in order to which I blâ—…sh to think how they were wont to pause and look foâ—…'t in university pulpits and sometimes too when to their greater shame they went without it and to be thankt for their great pains when they have done thus surfeiting upon self-conceit and being drunk with affectation they erre in affection to the rule of faith for how can yâ—… believe saith Christ when ye receive honour one of another and seek not that honour that cometh from God onely Iohn 5. this honour from beneath is the very element in which and not in God save as they are his creatures these Chaâ—…aelens the CCClergy live move and have their being The aâ—…r of popularity is the breath by which the Heretick lives vain glory the stirroy by which he mounts into such magnitude and towers so high as to overtop not onely all other people but all other Princes also of the earth and to exalt himself above all that is worshipped and called God he lackâ—… to make himself a name like to the name of the great men that are on the earth for the name of Minister or Servant to so plain and disrespected a Master too as the Master Christ was whose name was cast out as evil who made himself of no reputation and would have all hisServants specially the Servants of all his Servants to be of the same mind and follow him through scorn shame suffering and not be above him here if they mean to reign with him hereafter this was too mean a name for him to be known by he must be Dominus Dominorum here KKKing it over the Kings of the earth Paschalis the first caused the Priests of certain parishes at Rome by reason of the neernesse of his person their presence at his election and to honour their Authority with a more venerable title to be called Cardinals they are now Mates for Kings and numbred about 70 Helin Geog. p. 182. And howbeit Christ forbad his ministers the seeking of glory from men in this world as not the time for them to come to the crown in or to any thing but the cross yet his desire was Dicier hic est to be cryed up by the people as Supreme Moderator in all the matters of Christs Church and civil State too against the plain will of the old master in his word and to be sought after as a new Master Our Saviour saith of the Pharisees they loved the praises of men and the present priesthood of the Protestant nations lay this to our charge who are Christs Messengers and Servants to his Churches whom they call Anabaptists calumniating us so far as we are zealous and follow on according to the many covenants which both they and we have taken to reform fully by the word as if we sought nothing but glory and to be seen of men and meerly to make our selves Masters of a sect and such like which if we do we shall dearly answer for the sin of seeking and serving our selves of Christs service at the last as well as they but me thinks if blindnesse in this