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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35696	Jus Cæsaris et ecclesiæ vere dictæ 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, excomminication, election of popes, bishops, priests what and whom are meant by the term church, 18 Matthew are discoursed : and how I Cor. 14. 32. generally misunderstand is rightly expounded : wherein also the popes power over princes, and the liberty of the press, are discoursed / by William Denton ...	Denton, William, 1605-1691.	1681 (1681)	Wing D1066; ESTC R9164	326,898	268

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 naus●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 Vrc●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

an Unity of Discipline or Coactive Laws full power of Jurisdiction or Independant Judicature is not seated in any one Church or Person Pope or other to whom all other Churches and Persons must vail Bonnet and submit but the same power is in each of those Churches and this they maintain against the Romanists the English Priests and Jesuits who do not only hold this Unity of Independent Judicature to be necessary to the Constitution of the Visible Catholick Church but that of necessity it must be radically in one person to wit the Pope on whom as upon the Head and Fountain the unity of the Holy Catholick visible Church doth depend and for this reason they put his Holiness into the definition of the Holy Catholick Church and contrary to this the Protestant Divines do maintain That the Church of England and all other National Churches have a Discipline of Government and Judicature within themselves Independent of any other Person Church or Power And this is the Drift and Scope both of Bishop Bilson Dr. Jackson and others in their several Treatises § That which P. N. contends for in the Congregational termed also the Independant way is this viz. That those who are called out of the World by the Ministry of the Gospel have power given them by Christ being a competent Number to gather themselves together in his Name and judge their Warrant to be from 18. Mat. And a Church so gathered becomes a Body or Spiritual Corporation and being joyned thus by mutual Assent of each Person have power one over another as in all Fraternities and liberty from Christ to choose their Officers censure Offenders make Canons and Orders in circumstantials for regulating their Affairs And they further say as the Church-Catholick in general so each parcel of it each particular Church hath Christ also for its Head and in such a union with him and such existence in him even as a Church 1 Thes 11. as that if Persons making up this Body be considered distinctly and as incorporated one with another only and not in their relation to Christ also as one with them and chief in the midst of them 18. Mat. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them they are not a compleat Body or Spiritual Politie And upon this account it is they profess their dependency to be upon Christ alone for the government and manage of this his Kingdom and thus being dependent upon Christ their only Law-giver 4. Ja. 12. Who is the wisdom of the Father and best knoweth how to govern his own House they profess themselves Independent in respect to the Authority or Sovereignty of any other Person Church Synod or meer Ecclesiastical Power whatsoever yet notwithstanding they own and submit to Magistrates in Matters and Causes both Ecclesiastical and Civil as an Ordinance of God and so far as God hath given the Civil Magistrate Authority to command and require But finding in the Books of God that there are some things of so misterious and of so Spiritual a Nature and peculiar to holy Worship that Christ hath reserved the sole Menage thereof to be ordered by himself as expressed in his Word and no otherwise Now although the Magistrate may and ought to require of his Subjects due obedience to such duties yet ought he not by any Laws or Statutes that he shall enact in this kind either add alter or diminish any thing Christ hath established either in the substance or necessary circumstance thereof and if he shall so do the Churches are required of the Lord the one Law giver who is able to save and to destroy 4. James 12. not to be subject 2 Colos 20. And it is a sin for them through fear of Man or the like temptation to observe and keep such Statutes and for this they bring 6. Mich. 16. For the Statutes of Omri are kept and all the works of the House of Ahab and ye walk in their Councils c. And in this sense only they profess themselves subject to the Civil Magistrates supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs and go no further and in this also reserve to themselves the sole judgment of what matters are thus meerly spiritual and appertaining to the Worship of God So that if the Christian Magistrate shall out of a good intention appoint Ceremonies or such like helps for the stirring up our dull minds and to make the Worship of God more edifying or shall appoint a day to be observed as sacred in the Remembrance of the Birth or Resurrection of Christ or to the Honour of the blessed Virgin or holy Apostles if the Magistrate for better government of the Church establish Arch-bishops Bishops Chancellors c. or any Officers that are not appointed by Christ himself they will by no means submit but choose rather to suffer which they term Passive Obedience Thus far P. N. from his own Mouth and under his own Hand to me verbatim § But those Reverend Authors Bilson and others considering the Civil Magistrate is highly responsable being appointed by the Lord as Custos utriusque tabulae if any matters of impiety in respect of God as well as unrighteousness in respect to Men be permitted or countenanced by him therefore he is to see to it that his People be not seduced into Errors Heresies or hurtful Opinions tending to prophaness and disloyalty And God having trusted him with Authority in these things it must of necessity also belong to him to judge what Crimes fall within his Province and Cognizance and accordingly to apply himself as the Minister of God for incouragement to those that are good and to execute wrath upon them that do evil And not to be looked upon as only a by-stander Impedimenta removere as P. N. would have him or to execute only what the Ecclesiasticks have decreed by their Censures or in their Synodals as some others though the Name of Independent was not then in common use § Others as Mr. John Robinson in his Apology in Justification of the same Tenets endeavours to prove the same averring That by Intendment of the Scriptures speaking definitely of visible Ministerial Churches no other is to be understood ordinarily at least than one Congregation met together in one place in such competent numbers as that they may all hear and understand one another 18. Mat. 17 20. If he neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church for where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them And when you are gathered together and my Spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 All that believed were together and had all things common 2. Acts 44. And they were all with one accord in Solomons Porch 5. Acts 12. Then the Twelve called the Multitude of the Disciples unto them c. and the saying pleased the whole Multitude 6. Acts 2 5. When ye come together therefore into

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 V●● 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

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-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

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 quis●●●● instituere qu●d Verbo D●i scripto ad●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

appointed by God and practised by his People And if it appears that both Precept and Practice doth abet and favour the Liturgists then I hope our Author will not be so peremptory in casting Aspersions on Liturgies § First consult the Old Testament and you shall find that Moses gifted no doubt himself took the Book of the Covenant and read in the audience of all the People and therefore publick Service and they said all that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient Exod. 34.7 Likewise the command to the King Deut. 17. was That when he sate upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book c. and shall read therein all the days of his life c. v. 17 18 19. The like command was to the Priests and Elders of Israel to whom Moses delivered the Law written That when all Israel Men Women Children Strangers come to appear before the Lord thy God in the Place where he shall choose thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing of Sermons in those days there is no mention to the end and Liturgies are to the same end that they may hear and learn and fear before the Lord your God Deut. 31.9 10 11 12. Moreover of Reading and of the success and benefit thereof the Scripture farther witnesseth That when the Book of the Law had been some time missing and was afterwards found the good King Josiah which heard it but only read by Shaphan tore his Cloaths and confessed that great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us and thereupon went up into the House of the Lord and all the Men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he read in their Ears all the Words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord c. 2 Chr. 34.18 19 c. whereby it is abundantly manifest that here was not only a Command performed according to Deut. 31.13 Thou shalt read this Law but repentance wrought by only reading of the Word the like effect I mentioned before Exod. 34.7 Again the Solemn and Religious manner of reading and hearing the Law and the Comfort and Instructions the People received thereby is plainly and in terminis set down Nehem. 8. And all the People gathered themselves together as one Man c. and they spake unto Ezra the Scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses c. And Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the Congregation and he read therein from the Morning until the Mid-day before the Men and the Women and those that could understand and Ezra the Scribe stood upon a Pulpit and opened the Book in the sight of all the People and therefore publick Service and Ezra blessed the Lord the great God and all the People answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands also day by day from the first day to the last day viz. seven days he read in the Book of the Law of God v. 1 2 3 4 5 6.18 There is also a Promise of blessing annexed to it That the Deaf shall hear the Words of the Book of the Lord Isa 29.18 and a Command from the same Prophet Seek ye out the Book of the Lord and read Ch. 34.16 § Having now out of some few of many places of the Old Testament made good the Precept and the Practise of the Old Prophets Kings and Priests let us now see what the New Testament Christ and his Apostles will afford us that by two such unquestionable and immutable Witnesses every word may be established first That Christ himself is of the same Opinion with the Prophet appears by Luke 16.31 where he saith That if they would not hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one arose from the dead Nay how often doth Christ send the Scribes Pharises and Saduces unto the Scripture saying How readest thou or have you not read as in the matter of pulling the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day Mat. 12.3 So concerning Divorces Mat. 19.3 The Peoples crying Hosanna Mat. 21.16 and concerning the Stone which the Builders refused 42. and the Resurrection of the Dead C. 22.31 nay when he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read Luke 4.16 and Paul coming to Antioch went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and sate down and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogne sent unto them that if they had any word of Exhortation to the People to go on then Paul declared and laid the condemning of Jesus to the charge of those that dwelt at Jerusalem and their Rulers because they knew him not nor yet the Voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath-day Acts 13.14 15.27 28. So the Apostles and Elders being solemnly met together in Council at Jerusalem declared that Moses of old time had in every City them that preached Christ being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath-day Acts 15.24 By which it seems in the esteem of the Apostles and Elders in those days that reading was esteemed preaching and the result of their meeting being written in an Epistle and delivered to the Churches and read they rejoyced for the Consolation 30.31 Likewise the Apostle Paul required that those things which any one Churches Affairs gave particular occasion to write might for the Instruction of all be published and that by reading and therefore commands That when this Epistle is read among you that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that likewise that ye read the Epistle to Laodicea Col●s 4.16 the like charge he gave to the Thess 15.27 I adjure or charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the Holy Brethren 1 Thes 5.27 so you see that the Charge is peremptory or with great vehemency and therefore I shall confidently say with St. John Blessed is he that readeth because the Word it self doth pronounce him so if he also observe the same Rev. 1.3 Adjurations we find none in use amongst Gods Servants save when some duty of weight is charged upon the Adjured And so Paul uses it here adjuring to performance of it and thereby notising unto us of how great necessity and use to Gods People is the reading of Scriptures in the Congregation neither is it to be limited to this Epistle only for that all Scriptures have the same Author and are of the same use to the Church of God and the like charge is given for other Scriptures Coloss 4.16 Now consider the Use in all Ages to Jewish Church Nehemiah and others as before give Testimony for their times and no doubt but after-times continued it Josephus against Appian In unaquaque septimana ad legem audiendam conveniunt universi Every Week they all come to hear the Law and records the

sit in the seat of God I have a Heart like the Heart of God Ezek. 28.2.6 whilst he exalteth himself above all that is called God above all Magistrates to the Abasure of Gods Lieutenants above measure and much more than he ought attributing that to themselves which is proper and peculiar unto God only Were not our first Parents so tempted by Sathan ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3. I admire Gods insinite patience and mercy yet wonder that they have hitherto escaped the Judgment of Herod and have not long ere this been eaten up of Vermin because to this very day they have not given God the glory by expunging all such expressions bordering so near upon nay indeed are the quintescence of Blasphemy out of their extravagants and Decretals Canons and Authors when by their Indices Expurgatorii they have obliterated and expunged many Divine Truths out of the Antient Fathers and Books nay out of God's own Commandements out of his own Decalogue written with his own finger on Tables of Stone and split another into two that the same number might still remain And are they thus Hogen Mogen in words only Have not their Acts and Enterprises been answerable What say you to deposing of Kings of Emperors or if any thing in Magistracy may be more transcendent To speak of Kings of Italy France England Translating their Kingdoms oft attempted sometimes executed is but to speak them modest in pride and haughtiness these in their esteem being but Dii minorum Gentium what thing you of the deportment of Alexander the Third towards the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa doth it not proclaim him in pride Luciferian Such facts read many in the Cardinal de Rom. Pont. Lib. 5. c. 8. not related only but justified as done de Jure and pleaded as evidence to prove that the Pope hath Supream Power Temporal on Earth tho not directly yet in Ordine ad Deum for all Spiritualia How long Lord Holy and Just dost thou not avenge the Abasures of thy Lieutenants upon that false Prophet Stir up O Lord the Spirit of Princes that once the lofty looks of that proud man may be brought low Who is there amongst the Lords Anointed ones whose heart the Lord hath inclined to be an instrument of his vengeance upon this Pater omnium fornicationum Abominationum terrae his God be with them And if hereto the offering of the People be not willing unworthy they to see the peace and welfare of the everlasting Gospel But that I may not in the least prevaricate with my Lord Cardinal Bellarmine so great a Prince so great a Scholastick nor yet seem in the least to imitate him in his equivocating arguings of which I so much complain I shall joyn issue with him upon his own Instance viz. For the Pope is able to do all that is necessary to the conducting of Souls to Paradise Perche puo five t●tto questo che è necessario à condurre●i ' anime in Paradiso puo ' levare tutti gli impedimenti che il mundo o' l' demonio con tutta la loro fozza o' astutia and can take away all the Impediments which the World or Devil can lay in the way A doughty Prince doubtless To answer which I must preliminarily once more Interrogate His Holiness Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts Who hath given understanding to the Heart Is it the Inspiration of His Holiness or of the Almighty that giveth understanding Wilt thou then disanul his Judgments Wilt thou rob him of his glory that thou maist seem righteous or that thou maist be Dominus fac totum To conduct the Soul of an Infant into Paradise which is yet in the Mothers Womb and cannot be brought forth alive necessary it is one way or other to make it partaker of Grace can the Pope do it I trow not For neither can he institute a Sacrament for this purpose nor grant that the Child should be cut out of the Mothers Belly and therefore the Pope cannot do any thing necessary to conduct this Soul into Paradice According to like Romish Doctrine a man being Actually in some mortal sin and in this State deprived of his Wits cannot be saved unless he recover his wits again and repent himself can the Pope restore him to his wits again I trow not and yet according to their own Doctrine it is necessary for this Mans Salvation But if he can he shall have my Vote to be Doctor to all the Bedlams in the World Nothing more necessary to Salvation than the Internal motions of the mind Can the Pope influence the Hearts of men by secret Heavenly suggestions and illapses of the Spirit Can he speak unto the Hearts of men in a Dream in a Vision in the Night when deep sleep falleth upon them in slumbrings upon the Bed Can he then open the Ears of men and seal their Instruction All these and much more can and doth God do that he may withdraw Man from his purpose and hide pride from him Job 33.14 15 16 17. No no the fining pot is for Silver and the Furnace for Gold Prov. 17.3 But God only searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins Jer. 17.20 and Ch. 20.12 And their own St. Thomas denyeth that the Pope hath any power over the hearts and minds of men If Bellarmine will not believe nor Scripture nor St. Thomas yet I hope he will believe himself who in his own Book de Rom. Pont. makes a long discourse prescribing limits to the Pope's Authority and touching many things which the Pope cannot do oportet mendacem esse memorem Infinite indeed are the things which are necessary for the conducting a Soul into Paradise which are not subject to the Pope's Authority If He can remove all Impediments which the World and the Devil can lay in the way with all their Subtilty why then doth he not convert all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks Nay can they save their own Souls by removing all Impediments c. then can the Devils too some of them so peerelesly vicious full of all unrighteousness not in their own Persons only but like Jeroboam making Israel to sin St. Paul is too nice and too modest when he reckons Fornicators Adulterers Effeminate Covetous Extortioners 1 Cor. 16.9 10. among the damned Crue Let not the Laws Curse touch them except they be found unholy profane Murtherers Parricides Sodomites Perjured what not Nor he reputed the Man of Sin except he be found amongst Bishops Christian as Ahab amongst Kings of Israel a sine pare a none such that have sold themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. Ly their own Chroniclers Martin Polon Anno 986. Platina in Bonifac. 7. in Sylv. 2. in Benedicto 9. Martin Polon Anno 1042. Beno Cardin. de vita gestis Hild. or were their Popes many such Necromancers in express league with the Devil purposely Sacrificing unto him Masters of that Hellish Art to