man more ignorant in spirituall things nor more sensuall then thirst after great places Libido dominandi bestia ferocissima It is with this lust after honour as with that of uncleannes the mind is so takē up with it that there is little roome for better thoughts and the spirit of God will not dwell in that soule which is filled with such vainities growes more and more emptye of grace For surely many are cast away by the deceitfulnes of Balaams wages And God knowes that it is too manifest that many in the Church of England have beene made drunke with those Romish dignities and rewards that remaine therein that men bewitched with these or the desire of them stumble into Arminianisme and other errours at the pleasure of them that can advance them such are the fruits of those great places in the Hierarchie For though the Duke were oft accused in Parliament as an open favourer of Arminianisme and a secret practiser by that and other meanes to advance Romish Religion other notorious crimes yet many divines continued his constant freinds and advocates and have directly or indirectly maintained propagated the same opinion and which is most miserable the cheife of that faction being Bishops and heads of Colledges are they which now beare greatest sway in Religion governe the Church of England silence and trouble whom they list and in a manner give lawes to the whole Church in his Majesties Dominions Neither can it be better til Achan be found out the corrupting and Romish places of the hierarchie and such unprofitable traditions and ceremonies taken away but ever worse and worse For these things that were at first held indifferent and ordained to make Papists come the sooner to Church and to keepe unitie and uniformitie are now got into the place of the Scriptures the Appealer alleadgeth the Articles wrested and Dr. Iackson certaine clauses of the booke of comon praiers for Arminianisme with such authoritie as if they were the words of the Apostles making the Church of England to meane what they list and her meaning or rather theirs to be sufficient authoritie in points of faith against them that bring Scriptures to the contrarie as the Church of Rome did of old to establish her tenets and when these and the like have beene questioned in Parliament some to encourage others to follow them have counsailed to reward them with Bishopricks denaries Maisterships of Colledges Rev. 2.14 or fat benefices wherein they deale like Balaam that taught Balack to laie a stumbling block before the children of Israel For when divines see these thus rewarded this workes upon corrupt nature which being prone to covetuouses and ambition first makes the differences seeme small or not worth opposition and then drawes the mind to run headlong into the same opinions and to thinke they doe well enough in the conformitie Hence also it comes that though forraigne Princes and States have oft desired aide of England that it would joine with them in serving the Pope and his champions as they served them nothing was ever effectually enterprised by the English because such Courtiers as secretly favoured Rome have ever beene flattered by the Bishops and Clergie when the Palatinate should have beene defended and after recovered by the swotd these flatterers hindered it by crying out of wars of Chtistian against Christian and saying it would bring in the Turke that it were better all should joyne against him and speake lesse of the Romish Antichrist or Romes ruine as also by extolling peace and King Iames his indeavouts by Embassages and treaties which all men said would come to nothing and but make the adversaries to gaine time deceive us and grow more resolute cruell and mightie And indeed it is impossible that the English Hierarchie should ever seeke Romes ruine and not rather hinder it all they can because the great places thereof are Romish and a Diocessan Bishop as they are now is no other then the Pope of a shire or province and to shew reasons why Rome should bee ruined were to argue against themselves trench upon their owne hierarchie and seeke to ruine it They teach that their Hierrarchie and Rites ought to be maintained now the Romish is but an excesse in these things which the nobilitie perceiving can find no reason why men should bee so hot against Rome The Hierarchie of the Old fathers was positive the English is comparative the Romish superlative for as some have proved if you grant the one to be lawfull the other followes to bee as lawfull save in the degree of impietie as in that between fornication and adulterie or incest And therefore it is that Bishops cannot endure that Princes and Nobles should know the charter of the Elders nor the mischeife of the Hierarchie that they beare more with Church papists and whoremongers then any such puritanicall spirits with grosse ignorance then such knowledge with such as would set up poperie then such as would pull downe the Hierarchie or that of Rome If such a one as the Duke hindered wars with Rome or her chife champion the Spaniard they wil be his helpers so he will but stick to them against the freinds of the Eldership And therefore the Hierarchie and traditions with doctrine and arguments that maintaine them are like the great river Euphrates that hindred the sacking of Babylon For heathen Babylon lying on the one side of Euphrates betweene Assiria and Chaldea was fortified by that river So that Cirus the first vanquisher thereof had not wonne it but by a device of drayning the river above by sundrie artificiall sluces giveing his men in charge whom he left before the Cittie that when they should observe the river to be decreased and fourdable they should presently take the opportunitie to wade over and suddenly surprise Babylon And the Hierarchie I say is like this river for Bishops and teachers with their doctrines are called rivers and fountaines Divers of these rivelets meeting in one make a great river as many of them in a generall councell make a sea of doctrines canons and traditions the English hierarchie therefore having but a few Bishops and fewer canons and traditions then any popish Kingdom can not bee called a sea but is a great river and as a river oft parteth two Kingdomes or provinces pertaketh of both soiles watereth them both and keepes the one from invading the other so dothe the Hierarchie and the doctrines and traditions thereof which mistically lieth both to the Protestant and Romish shores watereth both is as pleasing and helpefull to Papists as to the reformation if not more the great power and places thereof are Romish so are the traditions canons and arguments they use to defend it they serve as well for the Papists as for the English Bishops for indeed they spring out of that sea out of the which the beast arose who alwaies alleadged the ancient customes and counsells and they naturally run againe into the same
against the Arrians They had almost decreed against Priests mariage that had not beene so well nor was well in such Councels as after decreed it against her and the word of God which is greater therefore the booke of Articles saith well That generall Councels may erre and sometimes have erred Art 2â— The same Councell made the Bishop of Rome a Patriarch and the first of the Patriarchs and so gave him a primacy of order before the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch who had like priviledges over the other parts of the Christian world but this was not so well because the Beast arose to his Antichristian greatnesse out of this sea of Fathers doctrine and Canons and from this small beginning of preeminence If the Church have taken on her to ordaine a feast for the blessed Nativity of our Saviour and another or two in memory of his resurrection and the comming of the Holy Ghost Esth 9.21 because indeed the Iewes did the like in a case of great deliverance from the conspiracy of proud Haman she must yet set bounds to her power and not think she may ordaine what holy dayes ordinances and ceremonies shee list as the Church of Rome hath done ordaining the feast of Candlemasse or the purification in place of that feast the Heathen kept to the Goddesse Febra the mother of Mars and so divers titular offices ordinances and Saâ—â—â—s dayes in place of those the Heathen celebrated to their hee-Gods and shee-Gods But leaving to make any further discovery of her presumptuous imitation of Iewes and Heathen in such cases because it is sufficiently set forth in a little booke called The root of Romish rites translated out of French into English let us take a little view of some ordinances and ceremonies received in the Church of England I deny not but the Church may ordain some orders for the decent worship of God as touching the time and place of meeting and reverent behaviour while the people are there that men should kneele and be uncovered in the time of prayer heare the word with silence and reverence when it is read or preached that a pulpit should be erected in a place most convenient for hearing a fit vessell set for Baptisme a Table and a Cup for the Lords Supper that people should come orderly and not confusedly to the same that collection should bee made for the poore in the best manner that may be that there should bee an uniformity in the manner of administring the Sacraments both in words prayer and ceremony and that as neere as may be to the institution and in that purity and simplicity wherein they were left us by the Apostles that so one may not doe these things after this manner and another after that and some come to say I like this 1 Cor 1.12 I that Ministers way best like those I am of Paul I of Apollo that the Pastors in every province shall meet once a yeare or so oft as need shall require to reforme abuses if any arise in doctrine or government Ordinances of this nature are not things meerly indifferent but convenient and necessary and doe not onely preserve peace and unity but even tend to the due performance of that which is commanded in the word directly or by consequence in such places as that O come let us worship and bow downe and kneele before the Lord our maker Psal 95. 1 Cor. 14. Let all things be done decently and in order There may and ought to be such orders and ceremonies but all are not thus necessary for the very Article confesseth Act. 34. Act. 20. that some be changed and abolished which cannot be said of such as are thus necessary and that nothing must be ordained against Gods word There ought to be nothing that may make Religion ridiculous or the word of none effect In the Church of England the Bishops will have an infant signed with the signe of the crosse In token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sin the world and the devill and to continue Christs faithfull souldier and servant unto his lives end Now what a mockerie is it to stand so strictly on this ceremonie when in the meane while they will not have such a one being come to be a man confesse the faith of Christ against the Arminians nor manfully contend for the faith against such Pelagian and popish opinions and when also they like a Minister the worse if in the pulpit hee strive to beate downe growing Arminianisme and Poperie in things controverted as if they were not things revealed matters of faith profitable for us to know and of great honor to God being knowne as that election is wholie of grace and not of foreseene faith and workes that the death and merit of Christ preached are more availeable for the conversion and salvation of the elect than of others that regeneration and conversion are of Gods grace and power and not of the will of man that those whom God electeth he calleth justifieth and glorifieth so that they cannot fall away finally that justification while wee live here and heaven after this life are not of our works and merits but of Christ and on our part of faith in him yea of faith alone that worketh by love and is fruitfull in good works That Christ by one oblation of himself hath made a full satisfaction for the sins of all the elect that he is the only mediator of intercession in heaven that can heare us know our hearts and by whom wee may come to the Father and the only head of his Church to ordaine lawes binding the conscience that his Testament is sufficient in matters of salvation that there is much error and vanitie in the doctrine of Purgatorie Images and other points of poperie Now I say it is a meere mockery to enforce Ministers to signe everie child with the signe of the Crosse in token that he shall confesse the faith of Christ and manfully fight against such spirituall evils and enimies and yet to hinder any much more Ministers to confesse and defend the faith of Christ in these and the like points by disputes bookes and sermons and to pretend that knowledge of Gods truth in these points is curious and unprofitable not only in babes that have more need of milke but even in divines and men of knowledge and that in a time when Papists and Arminians strive so much to corrupt men in them And the mockerie is so much the greater Because they teach all to pray Wee give thee humble thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace On the feast of Simon and Iude. and faith in thee Increase this knowledge and confirme this faith in us evermore Granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth And touching the Apostles and Prophets grant us to bee joyned together in
excusable that they doe not pretend Peters chaire or that their Church cannot erre All which I urge not to drive men to helplesse opposition now much lesse to separation but to perswade all to seeke and pray for an effectuall reformation For can these things become necessary pleasing to God being coÌ„manded by authority which thus make the word ordinances of God of none effect are an unnecessary and a popish yoak and only pretended to be done unto edifying 1 Cor. 14. â—6 Indeed the Apostle saith Let all things be done unto edifying But these things as you have seene doe not edifie but hinder the free preaching of the Gospell in divers particulars as also diligent hearing faith knowledge and other graces nourish ambition temporizing lukewarmnesse and ignorance and withall carie this mischiefe along with them that be they never so unnecessary and hurtfull yet God must not have one servant to manifest so much no nor to speake in his cause For if any doe presently to choake him they brand him with the name of a Puritan and a factious fellow and if that will not serve they can suppresse him with power he is troubled and silenced the Church must bee deprived of him for stumbling at a popish ceremony though he be otherwise never so peaceable sincere learned painfull and powerfull when Diocessan Bishops were first ordained they had not this power much lesse in such cases In the booke of the ordering of Priests and Deacons they say there were alwaies Priests that must needs bee Presbyters in the Church If so what a mockery is it to retaine the name Priest as an order of the New Testament and neither distinguish that name from the sacrificers of the Law nor let them exercise the office of the Presbyters which was as well to rule their owne flocks as to preach and administer the Sacraments what a mockery is it to stand so much on the surplesse the hood tippet and square cap worne with such glory and superstition by the Papists and in the meane by all these things to bring religion out of square and deprive the Church of her better ornaments good Preachers Elders hearers faith knowledge humility zeale and other graces what a mockery is it to ordaine Can. 48. that no Curate or Minister shall bee permitted to serve in any place without examination and admission of the Bishop of the Diocesse or Ordinarie in writing under hand and seale Can. 51. That no strangers shall preach in Cathedrall Churches but such as are allowed by the Archbishop or Bishop Can. 52. That the names of all Preachers strangers that shall preach in any Church shall bee taken by the Churchwardens c. when all this is extended against few or none but such as stumble at some rites or ceremonies to keepe them from preaching and have them silenced and in the meane while divers ignorant and idle drones non-residents yea Arminian and popish teachers such as Doctor Price of Westminster lately deceased are admitted to have and hold the cure of soules and the Bishops use this their power to hinder the people from choosing zealous Ministers that subscribe to be their Pastors or helping Lecturers they reckon such dangerous and if they have got admission they shall be watched yea made offendors for a word Isa 29.21 and turned aside for a thing of naught If in the meane they will needs bee diligent they may with much adoe preach the Gospell and apply it against Poperie but not the whole counsell of God not a word against growing Arminianisme much lesse for the Eldership or against the Hierarchie and traditions What a mockerie is it to appropriate unto themselves and their Officials all Ecclesiasticall discipline and especially that sacred and dreadfull power of excommunication when in the meane they exercise it against few but such as are against their hierarchie rites and ceremonies or men that have failed to appear to answer for the opening of a shop doore on a holy day or some such triviall offence If a man plead necessity and want constrained him to it or that God saith Six dayes shalt thou labour c. neither reason nor the holy Scripture can be heard against their government and traditions but they know how to geere him out like the proud pharises that said Thou wast altogether borne in sinnes Ioh. 9. and dost thou teach us And indeed an incorrigible swearer fornicator drunkard blasphemer or heretike may more easily escape their power then such a Puritan as they terme him And if he offer to prove that in this or any other thing belonging to their government or ordinances they are somewhat Antichristian Doctor Lambe or any like monster may live more peaceably amidst all his known abominations then such a wicked Puritan heretike as they call him And in the meane while they are ashamed to make the name of a reformation as odious to all as it is to themselves and even to glory in their Church as the most pure and Apostolike that ever was since the Apostles not counting it in those Pastors and people that zealously and religiously preach and heare the word to have it followed for the Prelates would not have such counted to be the Church of England nor scarce of it but themselves assembled in a Synod which they call the Church representative or as they are considered with all their traditions and all the most conformable observers and maintainers of them These make that Church that so glorifieth her selfe like Laodicea Rev. 3.17 that said I am rich and increased with goods have need of nothing and knew not that shee was wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Wherein they that are so mighty in power and so able to reward men cannot want flatterers and learned champions and so the great places of the hierarchy serve to corrupt men and to make them mould religion after such mens pleasures as can advance them like as wofull experience hath also shewed in the Arminians Isa 29.13.14 Their feare towards God hath beene long taught by the precepts of men and so because they as the Papists received not the love of the truth in matter of the Eldership Hierarchie traditions ceremonies 2 Thess 2.10 therefore God gave them over to strong delusions to beleeve popish and Arminian lies and because they received not the love of the truth against those Arminian errours God that is ever just must needs give them over to greater blindesse and error Such are the fruits of the Hierarchie and the humane invention and defence thereof Reverend Hooker as they call him shall in those cases bee of more authority with these men then St. Paul so much are they wedded to the traditions and ceremonies of their Church All these traditions inventions officers Courts and superstitious rites were not invented much lesse proposed to be received as lawes in the time of the Fathers as now by the
word And though in England the hierarchy and her traditions and injunctions have not had so many and so bad fruits because it hath not reigned so long yet as wee have seene for the time they have beene if not alike yet very injurious to Gods kingdome and the good of the Church It helpes them not to say that some great Divines in other Churches have approved them or counted them tollerable For strangers cannot so well see the fruits of them and bee sure that if they were brought into the Reformed Churches of Germany and France divers would bee found to receive them and give arguments of their necessarie use they are so full of honour and profit For we have lately seene it in Scotland and we know the Scriptures say Deut. 16.19 Gifts blinde the eyes of the wise This made them thinke it a sufficient authority that the ancient Church invented and used diocessan and provinciall Bishops though in a manner different from ours that not onely Councels but even Emperours and Kings confirmed and augmented their authority and that much good might bee done by the same When first King Edward and after Queene Elizabeth came in the Nobles and people were almost all Papists and it was thought they would bee the sooner drawne to Church if Bishops and their power and authority were retained having still their Courts Chancelours Officials Deanes Subdeanes Quiristers Organs Surplesses and other habits the crosse in baptisme kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament bowing toward the Altar and divers other ceremonies For this end also the forme of Common Prayer Service was little altered but taken out of the Masse-booke and put into English which makes many Papists in Germany and France say sure the Romish is the true and right religion else the heretikes in England would never have received so much of it for some have avouched it to my face that the service there is nothing but the Masse in English others that it wants nothing but the consecration These things thus retained it was also thought that popish Kings and Princes would be the lesse offended what marvell seeing the Iesuites themselves are so well pleased with the ceremonies and service that I heard one of them God is my witnesse herein make it his hope that the maintenance of them against the Puritans Quovadis Sect. 4. would make England the sooner returne to Rome in the rest Mine eyes and eares saith Bishop Hall can witnesse with what approofe and applause divers of the Catholikes royall as they are termed entertained the new translated Lyturgie of our Church Which is the lesse wonder Cambden in an 1560 seeing Pope Pius the 4. sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbot of S. Saviours to Queene Elizabeth offered to confirme the English Liturgie by his authoritie if she would yeeld to him in some other things Indeed it pleased them so wel that for the first eleven yeares of Queene Elizabeth L. Cooke de Iure Regis Ecclesiastico Fol. 34. Papists came to the English Churches and service as the Lord Cooke sheweth All which things prove it to be a poore brag of some who thinke it a good justification in the common prayer booke that Papists have approved it and could never finde any fault in it As it is true that there are many godly and zealous men and some others also who thinking it a glory to be of their party are more of faction then well grounded knowledge and love to Christ against the forme and some other things in the book of Common praier So is it as true that there are many both of the Clergy and laity and some both learned and godly such as sincerely love the preaching and power of the Gospel that yet hold the booke of Common prayer both tolerable profitable and necessarie and are not willing to heare any thing to the contrary and therefore God may say of our times as of those wherein Ieremy lived Ier. 5.1 Run to and fro and see now if yee can finde a man that seeketh the truth I would desire such to take a few things into consideration Where first I must acknowledge that though divers faults are found in the book of common prayer which makes it so agreeable to the Papists for there is scarce a Church papist in England that doth not applaud and admire it yet doe I not finde it so corrupt as some would make it In it wee finde this prayer O God from whom all holy desires all just counsailes and all good workes doe proceed give c. this is certainly translated out of the Romish Liturgie yet is it in it selfe so faultlesse that I will not dispute against him that thinkes hee may daily say it either with a congregation or in private and so many other of the prayers that is if he doe not the lesse but rather the more hearken to Gods word in all points otherwise his prayer will certainly be abominable But if all the prayers be as uncorrupt why doth Dr. Iackson with the consent and approbation of the Bishops Pro. 28.9 Dr. Iackson 1. part alledge divers of them for points savouring of Arminianisme and Poperie and if they bee so necessary to salvation as some make them other reformed Churches are but in an ill case that have them not so was the primitive Church also especially for three hundred yeares Howsoever what need is there so much to flatter the Papists as to translate prayers out of their Masse book and do so many things in service after their forme when God saith 1. Sam. 15.22 Isa 1.12 Obedience is better then sacrifice Who hath required this at your hands which are now so far from making them come the sooner to Church unles it be to continue papists there and false brethren to us that they hence draw arguments to strengthen them in their religion saying sure theirs is the true religion or else these parts of it would not be so constantly defended against the puritans and in the meane that kept out which Queene Mary ordained should be razed out of all bookes of Rites used in the time of Henry 8 and Edward the 6 Hist of the Councel of Trent pap 385. wherein God is prayed To deliver the Kingdom from sedition conspiracie and the tyrannie of the Pope Can not other common praiers be made as good The french Churches have some that are used in the pulpit by him that preacheth and no other that so he may not make a sufficient Religion service of praier nor account the cure to be served without preaching In them they pray Deliver thy Churches from the mouthes of ravening wolves and all hirelings who seeke their owne ambition and profit and not the exaltation of thy holy name and the salvation of the whole flock This also is ordinary before sermon to pray that the word may be then preached in that puritie and sinceritie wherein it was left by the Apostles and Prophets So that
the preaching of the word is not hindered by their praiers Whereas in many Churches they have nothing on the Lords day but the common prayer which many both of the Clergie and people doe so highy extoll that they make an entrie Religion of it and not only neglect but even despise preaching in respect thereof Many nonpreaching Ministers make it the pretext of their idlenes and others of their nonresidence and pluralities saying the people have one to read prayers and the service is performed And that say many is sufficient if they had no more It is to no end to tell them that God saieth My people are destroied or lead into Captivity for lack of knowledge Hos 4.6 Rom. 10.17 that faith comes by-hearing and preaching that certaine of the praiers are for knowledge for they yet dare say it doth more hurt then good therefore they are all for common praier which divers worldlings usurers drunkards whoremongers and other earthly and prophane people second and confirme making it their whole Religion and admiring it above measure because it doth not tax and touch their sins as preaching doth it serveth not for doctrine reproofe correction and instruction as preaching the scripture doth which therefore they have in contempt and hinder and slander the same and all the truest freinds and followers thereof and yet in the meane while they would not only be thought the better sbjects but the better Christians and the fitter to be Churchwardens yea and to beare greater offices in the Church and common wealth they count themselves more truly religious then the greatest preachers and hearers because they thinke they love the common praier booke better and it serves them for a Religion and a cloake of scoffing persecution and some of them to be Church Papists and false brethren under the name of protestants whereas if the commò praier booke were not or there were only such like common praiers as are used by the French and dutch in the pulpit they could not but make more profession of love to preaching and hearing of Gods word otherwise they would appeare to bee either without Religion or more open adversaries of our Religion and so lesse dangerous In the French and dutch Churches they are not troubled with such dumbe Ministers nonresidents Church papists and prophane mockers they that have least Religion speake no hurt of knowledge preaching and hearing for if they should they know all men would crie out of them as of papists or Atheists and order would quickly be taken with them by the Elders they could not passe as ours doe for the better men and fitter for offices The Bishops see all this and yet favour them the more of the two as being ever verie conformable and lesse dangerous to the Hierarchie so carefull are they that there may be nothing in their Church like the Eldership ordained of God Churchwardens and sidemen are but a mockerie of it these places being given to all sort of men drunkards and others when the parson also is a tiplar a nonresident or preacheth little there is a flock strangely governed And thus the word of God is made of none effect by the Hierarchie the traditious thereof and namely by the much defended Tit. 1.13 and admired book of common praier thus these ordinances of mē turne from the truth as Tit. 1.13 It wil be objected the abuse of any thing in Religion should not take away the use of it which you grant I doe so but that is in the things ordained of God as the Eldership the Lords prayer the use of the Psalmes and some formes of blessing Nomb. 6.23 Rom. 16.24 1. Cor. 16.23 like those Nomb. 6.23 Rom 16.24 Which being common prayers serve to justifie the use of a few such common praiers as may be in the reformed Churches but not the hierarchie never ordained of God nor a service booke taken out of the Romish liturgie in such a time and for such reasons as it was serving men for a whole Religion and thus making the word of none effect For if those reasons had beene good of drawing the papists the sooner to Church c. there are not the same now when almost all goe to Church the Recusants though many are nothing in comparison of those times and by Romish subtiltie the booke of service is turned to doe hurt to our religion as abovesaid Now to call for the use of the service book and extoll it is nothing else but to temporise with popelings to emulate knowledge preaching and writing and to provide one naile to drive out another at least in such points as touch mens corruptions in doctrine and practise which was a sleight used of old by the Romish clergie for when the Prelates saw preaching discovered their errours and tirannie they to put off that and yet to seeme no lesse religious fell to extoll the use of their service and masse and cried out for devotion peace and obedience to the Church and above all for praier wherein divers flattering and ambitious preachers and even most of the English Bishops themselves follow them apace and that in these daies while men complaine of corruption in the clergie and the increase of Arminianisme and poperie witnes Dr. Cousens his cousening devotions approved by the Bishops and divers sermons Speeches and practises of theirs to the like purpose But marke what God saith He that turneth away his eare from the hearing of the Law even his praier shal be abomination Pro. 28.9 What will become then of their devotion who not only turne away their owne eares but even the eares of others also frō hearing the oracles of God both in this point of the Eldership and in those maine points of the Gospel touching Gods free grace and power in election conversion perseverance c. It troubles them much that men should have knowledge preach or write in these points while in the meane they can let the contrarie doctrines passe in the books of the Appealer Dr. Iackson and others these trouble them not in a time when papists Arminians strive to infect Princes people with such Pelagian and popish opinion God commands to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints Iude. 3. they yet presume that it may be forbidden in these cases so the people be stirred up to praier peace and obedience to the Church I know the daylie exercise of praier may be much urged but by whom by men that sincerely love preaching and hearing in all things that God hath revealed taught and do not set the ordinances of God one against an other that is doe not urge praier as enemies of preaching in many points like the papists norn aemulation thereof as those that oppose praier to preaching to eat out knowledge and bring-in blind devotion these have but a forme of Godlines and scarce that wee had need to pray continually that God would purge rid the
conversion of his power and not of mans free will that men doe beleeve and persevere because they were predestinated though they be plainly taught in the Scripture yet they will not have them nor the like points cleared by Preachers in Pulpit nor Print nor by Divines in the Vniversities no not in a time when Papists Arminians corrupt men in them but they must be left to them the Fathers and Rulers as if diocessan Bishops never ordained of God being many of them Courtiers swolne with ambition depending on the interests of favourites such as the Duke parties in such factions corrupted with flatteries contesting against the endeavours of Parliaments daily busied at the Councell table in the Star chamber or high Commission Court should better know how to cleere and determine these and other high points then Preachers that study nothing else but Divinity and are not led by such particular interests There is no man that hath but an indifferent judgement and any sparke of true love to Gods Kingdome but will say it is impossible that these men or their flatterers should bee fit Iudges or give just lawes to men in such cases yet they governe all in Synods and elsewhere and if they have but colourable pretences like the Papists who doe resist or question them These are they that ruling all and having many things in their gift are sure to be flattered and followed in Court Synods and Vniversities and if as the Appealer doth they can but alledge the opinion of Bishop Bancraft or any such politician Prelate like themselves they care for no better authority Onely strengthned by the secular arme they know how to prevaile by power All which considered it is no marvell that they have decreed so many things to so little profit yea to so great damage to the Church and kingdome of God And all true Christians are the rather to take heed of them and their decrees and not to say it is either necessary to have Bishops or a thing indifferent seeing they so much endanger the faith and that in these respects it greatly concernes the faith and all the faithfull to have their government abolished and the Eldership restored lest by them as by the Bishops in the Church of Rome religion come to be corrupted It will be objected the most ancient Councels were governed by Bishops I answer that otherwise Popish errours could not have beene established nor so long maintained against the truth that at first Presbyters had their voices in them that Bishops of old differed little from Presbyters had pastorall charges and were not like ours but onely began to decline and therefore I wonder not that Nazianzen so long since observed that there came little good yea much hurt of them and that contentions have alwayes beene encreased by the Episcopall assemblies as also Bishop Iewel proves in many particulars In an Epistle annexed to the history of the Counc of Trent I wonder not if in our dayes some Bishops are learned affect some good things make some good bookes and tollerable constitutions For some of them have beene great Divines Pastors and of a good conscience in many things but might not a man have found the like in some of the Sadduces Heredians Arrians 〈…〉 Pâ—pists and other heretikes that is take them out of their heresies in such things as they hold common with other Iewes or Christians yet many things determined by them were dangerous so must it needs be in the diocessan Bishops of England who are of a humane law and heretikes in matter of the Eldership if not Arminians Therefore in this cause that may be said of them which Paul 4. said of the Bishops of his time that it was a vanity to assemble 60. Pa. 339. Bishops of the least able and 40. Doctors of the most insufficient as was twice done already in Trent and to beleeve that by those things could bee well regulated All which considered who can thinke that the Hierarchy or any Synod of English Bishops can be for the service of God In the meane the Churches or at least many thousands in them in their practice receive the hierarchy ceremonies and traditions Pari pietatis affectu ac reverentiae with like affection of piety and reverence as the written word of God and many with greater There are foure pillars that uphold the Hierarchy 1. Traditions and ceremonies 2. Spirituall ignorance and blinde devotion in the Nobility and Laity For that makes them take it for granted that Bishops and obedience to their traditions are de jure divino hence proceedes a 3. Riches and authority and from these a 4. reciprocall resolution combination with such Statesmen as the Duke and his confederates so to maintaine each others cause against al accusers as if they were one and they each others Advocates And as a branch of this the severe suppression of all bookes and complaints that discover their errors or practices There is no need to prove further that the three last are against the service of God it will suffice to shew that they are against the service of the King and State But first of ceremonies and traditions received in the Church of England Histor of the Councell of Trent pag. 259. It is remarkable that when some German Protestants for feare received those appointed in the Interim saying after they were indifferent Others whom necessity had not compelled said it was true that indifferent things concerne not salvation yet by meanes of them pernicious things are brought in and going on they framed this generall conclusion That ceremonies and rites though by nature indifferent doe then become bad when he that useth them hath an opinion that they are good or necessary Which hath beene proved of them in England and that generally they are men popish neutrall or of least sincerity that stand most for them as for the best meanes to uphold the hierarchy because they know that rule to be true No ceremonie no Bishop which as it seemes is the reason that the Bishops looke to little else though that bee to confesse that they serve for nothing but to uphold their owne traditions and ceremonies wherein they are very zealous like the Trent Bishops that anathematized them that say that the ceremonies Pa. 574. vestments or externall signes used in the Masse are rather incitements to ungodlinesse Pa. 548. then offices of piety Where if by ungodlinesse you understand superstition and ignorance the Trent censure is extreame harsh the rather because Antonius of Veltelina a Dominican had proved unto them that the Rite of Rome had beene received to gratifie the Pope but not in all places and by a booke called Ordo Romanus that it hath had great alterations not onely in ancient times but even in the latter ages also that the Roman Rite observed within 300. yeares is not that which is now observed by the Priests in that City For the vestments vessels and other
ornaments of the Ministers and Altars it appeareth not by bookes onely but by statues and pictures that they are so changed that if the Ancients should returne into the world they could not know them Therefore he concluded that to bind all to approve the Rites which the Church of Rome used might be reprehended as a condemnation of antiquity and of the use of other Churches His discourse displeased but the Bishop of the five Churches justified him If English Bishops would but with the Friar consider the consequences that follow their inforcing of their Rites they would not bee so extreame in them And indeed in those wherein they differ from the Reformed Churches they doe but mocke the Christian world while with the Papists they hold that they ought to be so strictly received and reverenced and yet abrogate others more necessary Pag. 163. seeing as one saith of the Papists they grant not to the people the election of the Minister which certainly was an Apostolicall institution continued more then eight hundred yeares but deny it to them with as good right as the Papists doe both that and the use of the cup which had beene continued as long It is a seemly thing to see the Temples where Christians use to meet in good repaire frequented with grave devout humble and religious behaviour in the worship of God the table covered with cleane linnen when the Sacrament is administred the cup decent and not of the basest metall But these and the like things are the more acceptable to God when the Church is not spoiled of her better ornaments diligent preaching and hearing soundnesse in the faith knowledge zeale and holinesse of life For if the Temples be never so glorious in structure the table of the finest wood and workmanship the cup of gold the Ministers in glorious vestments the service full of grave and devout ceremonies and all things else in the most plausible manner for outward ornament God is but mocked for all these if those better ornaments be neglected and despised When the Church of Rome began to abound in wealth and authority to have pluralities to maintaine their dignities to leaue poore hirelings in their cures to neglect soundnesse in doctrine knowledge and the like graces that they might seeme no lesse religious they began in stead thereof to be exercised in new manners of devotion See Plessis myst of iniquity pregress 24. looking out of relickes traditions and ceremonies to erect stately Temples Organs and Altars to guild and adorne them with images of Saints to have golden Chalices and wooden Priests to multiply feasts and holidayes to invent new orders and formes of will-worship to use all severity in bodily worship devout posture and demure cariage and to make all men conformable in those things to ordaine a world of superfluous constitutions But how was God mocked in all these while they did eate out religion For people being taken up in those his ordinances were the lesse regarded and while the stately Temples were erected in Cities Rev. 12. the Church was faine to flee into the wildernesse while the beauty of the outward stones were maintained 1 Pet. 2.5 the living stones were trodden under feet and despised while lights were set up in Churches people sate in darknesse and ignorance while traditions were observed Gods word was the lesse respected and in time could neither bee obeyed nor heard while the tables and Priests were adorned men of knowledge and other the best gifts were least esteemed while dead images of Saints were set up in the Church beautified and worshipped the true and living Saints such as the Waldenses Hussites and Calvenists were persecuted and martyred and the very faith it selfe called heresie Looke now a little upon the Church of England see how they abandon the cause of religion abroad and at home despise and persecute such as seeke that the ordinances of God may be restored Elders received Popery Arminianisme pluralities and non-residency excluded the true faith preached and maintained in Sermons and Lectures knowledge faith zeale and other graces nourished and increased and in the meane seem no lesse religious fall to building Temples Organs Tables Altars to satiate if it were possible the Clergy with titles of honour jurisdictions vestments revenues and riches and because a Bishop precedes a Baron to thinke that nothing is too much to maintaine his state that is not too much for a Baron and so for Deanes and Doctors according to their degrees and places which are the nurseries of pluralities and non-residency To call for observation of ceremonies canons fasts holidayes externall gesture and devotion and whatsoever else is commanded or practised in their constitutions and customes wherein though they doe not yet abound so much as the Papists yet it is the only religion in credit and fashion and as if Christ had ordained Bishops to looke to nothing else it doth and will eate out true religion and sincerity Howsoever while Prelates and others having pluralities to maintaine their dignities and leaving poore hirelings to serve their cures those better ornaments are neglected and persecuted are not these tokens that God is mocked by them I know well it is most irksome to Prelates to heare of these things they thinke no man should dare to manifest them and especially that the Eldership ought to be restored according to Gods ordinance They live as if they shunned no other plague nor feared any other purgatory then a reformation This fils their soules with Fiery indignation and makes them to be redeemed from it breake out into threats inquisitions and persecutions that they may overcome their tormentors by censures imprisonments exemplary punishments fines and torments Howsoever if they can but by flatteries invectives whisperings and other shifts keep the King and Councell so ignorant and blinde in those things that they may remaine firme on their side they care for no more But may not a man protest as plainly for God and his Church as the French Ambassador did for the priviledges of France and the French Churches in the Councell of Trent that protestation angred the Prelates but he defended it saying That those were ignorants Hist of the. Councel Pag. 771. 774. who having seene nothing but the Decretals lawes of 400. yeares did thinke that there were no Ecclesiasticall lawes before them that if any would reforme the King by the Decretals he would reforme them by the decrees and leade them also to more ancient times not onely of S. Austen but of the Apostles also Wherein the King justified him Now as the hierarchy and ceremonies make not for the true service of God but serve to eate it out by degrees as the Romish did so neither doe they make for the service of the King and State but are against it and very pernicious for every Nobleman and Ruler as appeareth 1. Because while they are by them kept from the knowledge of Gods truth in matter of the