Christ Church He was not long Provost but he was promoted to be Bishop of Kilmore where I being then the Dean it gave me the occasion to be more known to him In relation to the Liturgie of the Church of England he gave this direction viz. to observe whatsoever was enjoyned in the Rubrick without addition or diminution not to be led by custome but by rule And in speciall he ordered that the whole Doxology to the blessed Trinity Glory be to the Father c. should be alwayes read by the Minister alone without the respond of the people and the like for the Psalms Te Deum c. with the rest appointed to be read between and after the Lessons though the custome had prevailed otherwise in most Churches The Communion Table was placed by him not at the East end but within the body of the Chancell and for other Innovations elsewhere introduced he observed them not His judgement being that those were as well Non-conformists who added of their own as those who came short of what was enjoyned as he that addes an inch to the measure disownes it for a rule as well as he that cuts an inch off He was a careful observer of the Lords Day both in the publick and private at one of the clock in the after-noon he had then the Book of Common-Prayer read in the Irish tongue in the Church for the benefit of the Irish at which he was constantly present himself who in that little space had obtained the knowledge of the language And as the New Testament had been long before translated into Irish so had he caused the Old Testam to be accordingly was almost ready for the press And Whereas Doctor Heylene hath censured the late Primate very liberally for his approbation of the Articles of Ireland he must take Bishop Bedell into the number also who was so much for them that I was present when at the examination of an able Minister then to be ordained he did in the Church examin him in each or most of the Articles in a solemn meeting of the Clergy of that Diocesse for that end at least 2 full hours whereby our votes might be also given for his approbation At his Courts of Iurisdiction he frequently sate himself where he caused alwayes some of the Clergy if any were there to sit covered on each side of him with liberty to give their opinion in each case and at a sentence he asked their votes man by man In some degree reducing then his Episcopall to a Synodicall Government according to the Primates proposall by way of accommodation an 1641. It was his custome usually on the Lord's dayes to preach upon those select portions of Scripture commonly called the Epistles and Gospels of the day At the Visitations he usually preached himselfe The Procurations were bestowed in defraying the charges of the Ministers and the rest given to some pious uses After dinner and supper a Chapter was constantly read at his Table and some time spent by him in opening some difficulties in it The publick Catechisme he had branched out into 52 parts whereof he appointed one to be constantly explain'd in the Afternoons in each Church within his Diocess He was very indulgent to the Irish Natives in the preferring and encouraging of them for the Ministery and yet such was their Ingratitude i. e. the Popish party that in that horrid rebellion 1641. they exempted him not from their rapine but seized upon his cattle pillaged his house ransack't and spoyled his Library put him into a Castle standing in a Lough called Lough-outre about a mile and a halfe from his house where he was imprisoned that winter And at length being permitted to come out died in a poor house of one who was an Irish-man and a Protestant and continued faithfull to him by whose means an Hebrew manuscript Bible of his which he brought from Venice was preserved and is now in Emmanuel Colledge Library in Cambridge He was buried acccording to his own appointment in the Church-yard of the Cathedral of Kilmore where he had caused his wife and son some years before to be buried His judgement being against burials in Churches as an abuse introduced by pride superstition I conclude only with this if the Moderation of this Bishop had been observed elsewhere I believe Episcopacy might have been kept upon its wheeles A Letter of Sir Henry Wotton's to the late King in the behalf of Bishop Bedel when he was desired by the Archbishop of Armagh to accept of the Provostship of Dublin Colledge in Ireland which hath been lately published in the Life of Sir Henry Wotton May it please your most Gracious Majesty HAving been informed that certain persons have by the good wishes of the Arch-Bishop of Armagh been directed hither with a most humble Petition unto your Majesty that you will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedell now resident upon a small Benefice in Suffolk Governour of your Colledg at Dublin for the good of that society and my self being required to render unto your Majesty some testimony of the said William Bedell who was long my Chaplain at Venice in the time of my employment there I am bound in all conscience and truth so far as your Majesty will vouchsafe to accept my poore judgement to affirm of him that I think hardly a fitter man for that charge could have been propounded unto your Majesty in your whole Kingdom for singular erudition and piety Conformitie to the rites of the Church and Zeal to advance the Cause of God wherein his Travels abroad were not obscure in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians For may it please your Majesty to know that this is the man whom Padro Paule took I may say into his very soule with whom he did communicate the inwardest thoughts of his heart from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all Dâ—vinity both Scholastical and positive then from any that he had ever practiced in his dayes of which all the passages were well known to the King your Father of most blessed memory And so with your Majestie 's good favour I will end this needlesse office for the generall fame of his Learning his Life and Christian temper and those religious labours which himself hath dedicated to your Majesty do better describe him then I am able Your Majestie 's most humble and faithfull Servant H. WOTTON A Postscript Mr. Thomas Pierce hath in an Appendage to a late book of his printed five Letters wrot unto me by him in each of which I cannot but much acknowledge his respects to me To the four first I gave little else but brief returnes of the like to him which consisting chiefly either in the asserting of the nearnesse of his judgement to the Primate's or the remotenesse of Mr. Barlee's I did not conceive it fitting for me to interpose and where there was a professed full agreement it was no good office in
words or which cannot without the help of a variety like those weak stomacks or distempered in their health that cannot relish one dish twice but must at each meale have the inventions of men imployed to give them various nay in danger of losing their stomack if they hear of them before they come suddenly before them Now in this I would not be understood to discourage any persons in exercising themselves this way and striving to perfection in this gift which I do much commend only as those that learn to swim have help at first of some supporters but afterward come to swim without them Children at first have their Copies their paper ruled their hands held but in time do it of themselves and so there is an expectation that you that are of ability should grow in knowledge and utterance this way but for the weaker sort is it not better they should use a staffe then slip and are not the Major part of this kind like men with weak sights needing the help of Spectacles To whom by denying them a set Form are we not injurious accordingly Though those we call weak may possibly by their fervency and ardency of affection be said of as Saint Paul of himself when I am weak then am I strong and Gods strength perfected in their weaknesse The prevalency of a prayer being not in the elegancy and loftinesse of the stile but in the sighes and groanes and inward workings of the heart like that of Nehemiah and Hanna though their voice were not heard In a word an Vniformity in the publick prayers of the Church to be observed in each congregation would tend much to the unity of hearts and spirits among us which Saint Paul commends as the more excellent way and the end of coveting all gifts whatsoever viz. a Composure of a Form for the publick service of God by the joynt assistance of the most learned and pious from which the most eminent gifted person might not depart more then the inferiour I speak not of prayer before Sermon and after when each may take their liberty though therein the Dutch and French Church are strict also but of some consent in the manner of Administration of Baptisme the communion and other offices in the publick that might be owned by us all in Common as the form of the Church of England which as it hath been a means to continue a unity in other reformed Churches at this day so I believe would be a means for the reducing it with us even a setled peace both in Church and State which ought to be the prayer and principall endeavour of every good Christian. So much for the declaring and confirming the Primates Iudgment of the use of a set form of prayer in the publick Now unto his for the more easie reception of it I shall here adde the votes of some whom the contrary minded at least the most pious of them will not gainsay I shall not mention the judgement and practice of the worthy Ministers and Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes some of whom were put to death for approving and using the â—orm which was then extant being one of the Articles put in against them Of these it will be said they walked according to the light then given them I shall therefore trouble the Reader onely with a few testimonies of godly and eminent men who lived within our own memory some of them reckoned among the Non-conformists or old Puritanes yet in this particular fully concurring with the Primate Mr. Richard Rogers Preacher at Walbersfield in Essex whom I well remember and have often seen his constant attendance at the publick prayers of the Church In his pioâ—s book entituled the seven Treatises In that Chapt. of publick prayers He thus beginneth If that mind be in us with the which we have been taught to come to all holy exercises and so to be prepared for them who doubteth but that we may receive much help by them yea and the better a man is the more he shall profit by them c. Some have thought all set forms of prayer are to be disliked and such onely to be offered up to God as by extemporary gift are conceived and uttered And that the Minister should use no set form of prayer but as they are moved by Gods spirit I answer It is a foul errour so to think For as there be necessary things to be prayed for of all men and alwayes and those are the most things which we are to pray to the Lord for so there may be a prescript form of prayer made concerning all such things which being so what letteth that in the reading of such forms either of confessing of sinnes request or thanksgiving what letteth I say that the â—earers hearts may not profitably go on with the same both to humble to quicken and to comfort For is the reading it self unpure when the Minister in his own behalf and the peoples uttereth them to God I speak not ye see of the matter of prayer but of reading it for if the matter be erroneus and naught the pronounceing of it maketh it not good any more then the reading doth and if it be good and pure being uttered or pronounced the reading cannot hurt it or make it evill And as the Church in the Scripture did and doth sing Psalmes upon a book to God and yet though it utter a prescript form of words I hope none will say that it is a sin to do so the heart being prepared In like manner to follow a prescript form of words in praying is no sinne and therefore ought not to be offensive to any c. And further they may know that in all Churches and the best reformed there is a prescript form of prayer used and therefore they who are of mind that it ought not to be must seperate themselves from all Churches Also if a set form of prayer were unlawful then neither were the Lords prayer which is a form of prayer prescribed by our Saviour himself to be used And so he proceeds to perswade all good Christians to lay aside contention and endlesse and needlesse questions about this matter and with well order'd hearts and minds to attend unto and apply to themselves the prayers which either before Sermon or after Sermon are uttered or the other which through the whole action of Gods worship are read in their hearing c. So much Mr. Rogers Now this book of the seven Treatises hath been since epitomized by Mr. Egerton and entituled the practice of Christianitie which hath an Epistle of Doctor Gouge before it in a high commendation of it Now at the conclusion of that he hath added Certain Advertisements concerning prayer in which his or both their judgements in this subject are declared accordingly viz. That it is lawfull and in some cases expedient to use a set form of prayer Question saith he is made by many of the lawfulnesse or at least of the
endure a short space To make this short space a thousand years or else to put in so many years of the Popes government over Rome before Antichrist come who shall forsooth revolt from his Obedience It seemes rather the dream of a waking man then to hold any likelyhood of Truth Howsoever it resteth even by Viâ—gas consent notwithstanding his cunning combination of two states of Rome that under Paganisme and that under Antichrist with a thousand years between that Rome must have continued Christian for sundery Ages before her Desolation and for ought doth yet appear the present Monarchy which she claims to exercise over the Christian World is the Mystical Babylon out of which Gods People are called For the better clearing whereof let us consider the Description that is made of this Babylon by the Angels and our Saviour Christ himself more distinctly to see whether it doe agree to the present estate of Rome or no The Angel tells Iohn in the last Verse of the former Chapter The woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth and before Verse 5. upon her forehead is a name written Mysterie Babylon the great Touching this greatness I may spare my pains to speak much there is a learned Book of Iustus Lipsius which he intitles Admiranda marvells touching the greatness of Rome not long after in concurrence thereto there was another made by Thomas Stapleton our Countreyman Professour at Lovaine which he intitles Vere admiranda Marvels indeed touching the greatness of the Church of Rome wherein by comparison he indeavours to shew that for largeness of Extent strength and power over Princes themselves honour yielded unto it the greatness and magnificence of the Romane Church doth far surpass the Roman Empire These two books were both printed together and set forth at Rome against the year of Jubilee 1600. as if the Papacy laboured to carry in her forehead the name Great Babylon For the reigning over the Kings of the Earth by this great City which is another point of the Angels description It is true that heathen Rome had anciently in the borders and confines of the state sundry Kings that held their Kingdomes of her Such were the Herods Aretas and Agrippa mentioned in the New Testament but these were neither in number nor dignity nor in the absolutenâ—ss of their subjection to be compared with those that the now Rome reigneth over And no great marvel if the Roman Emperour armed with thirty or fourty Legions had many Kings at command saith Stapleton but that the Pope being altogether unarmed should give Lawes to the Kings of the Earth and either advance them to their Kingdomes or depose them who would not account worthy of great marvel true but the Angel shewes us the true reason the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings at once with the beast c. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his Will and to agree and to give their Kingdome unto the beast until the Word of God shall be fulfilled And consider I pray you here the manner how they have given their Kingdomes to the beast Vpon the Election of any new Pope they send a solemne Embassage to profess their Obedienee to him And one of those which is extant in Print as great a Monarch as any the Christian World hath Offers himself and all his Kingdomes his Seas Firm lands Islands Armes Forces Treasures Ships Armies whatsoever he is whatsoever he hath whatsoever he is able to doe and falling down at the Popes feet as a most obsequious Sonne he acknowledgeth and confesseth him to be the true Vicar of Christ our Saviour on Earth the successour of Peter the Apostle in that See the head of the Vniversal Church the Provost Parent and Pastor of all Christians praying him and humbly beseeching him that he would receive all whatsoever be hath offered to the profit defence of the Church into his Pâ—otection and Patronage And these words c. are said with a gesture corespondent the Embassador falling down upon his knees let Lipâ—ius if he can with all his reading in Story shew us such an Example of any King subject to old Pagan Rome It is true that Nero accounted it for his highest Glory to have set the Crown upon Tiridates the King of the Armenians head in the City of Rome with great state and pomp But let us see saith Stapleton If the Majesty of the Church of Rome hath not had an equal part of this glory yea and a greater and then he reckons how Pope Leo the third gave the Empire to Charles the great and how other Popes conferred to others a great many other Kingdomes One thing he forgets that neither Nero nor any other Emperour of old Rome ever Crowned any with his feet as Celestine the third did Henry the sixth nor caused him to hold their stirrops or kiss their feet much less set their feet upon their neckes as Pope Adrian the fourth and Alexander the third did to the Emperor Frederick And that we may not spend more time in proving that the present Papal Rome reigneth over the Kings of the Earth the Merchants of Babylon are now resolved That all the Kingdomes of the Earth are the Popes insomuch that the best Title that any Prince can have to his Crown is Dei Apostolicae sedis gratia by the grace of God and Apostolick See And Cardinal Bellarmine recognizing his works retracts that which might seem to Cross this title about the Popes dividing the new world to the Portugals and Spaniards And tempers that which he had said that Christ himselfe whose Vicar the Pope is had no temporal Kingdome and lastly asserts more roundly contrary to his former opinion viz. That the Church may deprive infidels of their Dominion which they have over the Faithfull yea albeit they do not endeavour to turn away the Faiâ—hful from the Faith Howsoever she doth not alwayes so because she wanteth strength or doth not judge it expedient but questionlesse if those same Princes do goe about to turn away their people from the faith they may and ought to be deprived of their Dominions I shall not need to call to rememberance here what Faith or infidelity is at this day in the Roman Language when Paul the Fift teacheth the Catholickes that they cannot take the Oath of Fidelity salva fide Catholica with safety of the Catholick Faith which shewes that if the Pope may deprive infidels of their Dominions how much more such as are Christians being thereby more under the verge of his Authority concerning the Popes ruling over the Kings of the Earth this may suffice The Angel which in the begining of this Chapter proclaimeth the fall of Babylon saith that all Nations have drunke of the wine of the wrath of her Fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed
Petrarcha An. 1347. in Epist. 18. c. applies the prophesie of the Babilonish harlot to Rome not Heathen but Papal the then Court of Rome in these words Tu es famosa dicam an infamis meretrix fornicata cum Regibus Terrae illa equidem ipsa es quam in spiritu sacer vidit Evangelista illa eadem inquam es non alia sedens super aquas multas i. e. Thou art the famous should I say or infamous harlot which hast committed fornication with the Kings of the Earth thou art the very same which in the spirit the holy Evangelist saw i. e. Iohn thou art I say the same and not another sittingupon many waters c. Besides throughout these ages from the year 1100. how many were there of those whom the See of Rome called Waldenses whom Reynerus confessethto have filled France Spaine Italy and most of those Western parts they with one mouth declared accordingly thousands of them suffering death by that See upon that account whom we find then in most points consenting with us and declaring against most of the errours of the Church of Rome being guiltlesse of those scandals put upon them by Sanders Cocciâ—s and specially F. Parsons which are fully cleared by the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh in his book de Eccles. Christi Success statu p. 159. even by the testimony of their own Authours their witness agreeing not together For Iohn Wickleiffe our Countryman one of great learning and piety 't is known sufficiently to have bin his judgment and declaration as those succeeding him Iohannes Purveius Iohn Hus Savanorola and divers others long before Luthers time after which it was more generally received in the reformed Churches and the most learned men of each whom time would fail me so much as to name Only as we have given you the votes of our own country-man and others while they lived under the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome so let me adde the votes of the most eminent of our English Bishops since the withdrawing our selves from him that it may the rather appear that the judgement of the Primate concurres with the rest of his brethren before him Bishop Iewell that learned Bishop of Sarisbury in his Exposition of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians cap. 2. is very large in the application of the whole prophesie to the See of Rome as that of the vision of Saint Iohn concerning Babylon p. 373. c. Concludes that Antichrist shall not be a Iew but a Christian not a King but a Bishop and a holy Father and should weare a Mitre For on whom saith he should an Army of Priests attend as Gregory the great a Bishop of Rome prophesied of Antichrist but upon a Bishop and an universal Bishop at least one so claiming that universality see his recollection of the whole pag. 319. wondring any man should doubt of it 't is so apparent And what he saith p. 279. viz. that he knew what he should speak would be ill taken of many such affection they bear to him whom the Apostle deciphers to be Antichrist though I shall say nothing but what the holy scriptures and learned writings of the Fathers have left unto us and which the Church of God hath at this time proved to be true will be found I fear also in many of this age whose inclinations are too much declared in the defence of that See in this particular Bishop Abbot one of his successours Bishop of Sarisbury in that book of his called Antichristi demonstratio which were his Lectures at Oxford is as full also Wherein at his entrance having spoken of the name of Antichrist and given some descriptiption of him he addes these words All which are most fitly to be applied to him whom with Gods assistance we shall demonstrate to be the very Antichrist I say the Bishop of Rome who arrogates unto himself to be the head of the Church of Christ and his Vicegerent c. and p. 92. wonders at the blindness of men like Owls at noon day not to see it accordingly Arch-bishop Whitgift in his defence of the Answer to the Admonition often applies the Title of Antichrist to the Bishop of Rome as a thing taken for granted See Tract 8. p. 349. where having spoken much of him before he thus concludes I know that those Sects and Heresies gave strength unto Antichrist and at the length were one speciall meanes of placing him in his throne even as also I am perswaded that he worketh as effectually at this day by your stirres and contentions whereby he hath and will more prevail against this Church of England then by any other means whatsoever Therfore it behoveth you to take heed how you divide the Army of Christ which should unanimitèr fight against that Antichrist That he means the See of Rome none can doubt Whosoever shall read Bishop Andrews his Tortura Torti cannot but conceive his judgement to be the same Where he hath many of the observations which have been mentioned already from the situation on seven hills and the 7 head governments And p. 183. upon the grant on both sides that Babylon is Rome he states the question for the time and resolves it cannot be Rome Ethnick for then it had been no prophesie it being at that time a persecutor of the Christians and a shedder of the blood of the Saints which Saint John then had the experience of himself with divers other arguments from her inchantments manner of destruction making merchandize of soules the persons which shall burn her which could not agree to Heathen Rome Adding to be the same beast which hath horns like the lamb sits in the Temple or Church of God exalts himself above all that is called God one that was not in being in Saint Johns time pretendeth to to the working of miracles and so concludes that though Rome Christian may not go into perdition yet Rome Antichristian shall which hath been drunk with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Iesus c. Bishop Bilson on in his book of the difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion delivers his judgement often accordingly as a matter out of controversie affirming the Tyranny of Rome to be the power of darknesse and kingdom of Antichrist applying the pride of the Papacie to that of the man of sin exalting himself in the Temple of God 2 Thessal 2. It was saith he the ancient device and drift of Antichrist to make himself mighty when it was first attempted by Hildebrand Greg. 7. and now coloured by the Papists with the name of Religion p. 527. 817. c. Bishop Hall that elegant and pious Bishop of Norwich hath much to this purpose dispersed throuh his works No peace with Rome Sect. 1. Look on the face of the Roman Church she is Gods and ours look on the back she is quite contrary Antichristian Sect. 22. shall we ever grow to that height of madnesse
the judgement of Arminius Now that the Divines of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas do generally accord also in it need not to be inserted being sufficiently known such as Daneus Franciscus-Iunius Tilenus Morneus Viguierus Rivetus Chamerus etc. The Reformed Church of France have made it one of their Articles in their confession as â—e may find in Chamier Paustrat Cathol Tom. 2. lib. 16. de Antichristo cap. 1. where he gives you the words of the 31 Article conceived in Synodo Papinsensi owned by him to be the confession of the reformed Churches in France in these words following Whereas the Bishop of Rome having erected to himself a Monarchy over the Christian world doth usurp a Dominion over all Churches and Pastors and hath rose to such a height of pride as to call himself God will be adored and all power to be given him in heaven and earth disposeth of all Ecclesiastical things defines Articles of Faith saith the authority of the Scripture and the interpretation of it to be from him maketh Merchandize of soules dispenseth with vowes and oathes institutes new worships of God As also in civil affaires treads upon the lawful authority of the Magistrate in giving taking away translating of Empires We do believe and assert him to be the very proper Antichrist son of perdition foretold in the word of God the scarlet harlot sitting on seven mountains in the great city which hath obtained a rule over the Kings of the earth and we do expect when the Lord according to his promise and as he hath begun will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and at length abolish with the brightnesse of his coming And Maresius in his preface to the Answer of Hugo Grotius his Observations upon the 2 Thes. 2. and other places gives us the like Article agreed upon in Synodo Nationali Gapensi Anno 1604. which hath very little or no difference from the former and so needlesse to be repeated Which do fully agree with the Synod of Ireland by by the Arch-bishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergy there in the Convocation holden at Dublin 1615. num 80. viz. The Bishop of Rome is so farre from being the supreme head of the Vniversal Church of Christ that his works and doctrine do plainly discovar him to be the man of sin foretold in holy Scripture whom the Lord shall consnme with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightnesse of his coming The former Synod may possibly be undervalued with some by bearing the name of Presbyterian but seeing it consents with the latter which was Episcopal why may it not be an introduction to a further moderation betweene them in other matters And it stands but with justice that if Presbytery have had a hand in the match of Episcopacy with Popery which seems to have been without consent of parties it should upon this evidence be the more forward in assisting in the divorce Now in regard that above-said Article of the Church of Ireland confirmed by the judgement of the late Primate hath been objected against by Doctor Heylene for that as he saith there is no such doctrine in the book of Articles nor in any publick monument or record of the Church of England but the contrary rather â— shall cite some passages out of the book of Homilies which are approved by the book of Articles as a larger declaration of the Doctrine of the Church of England and leave it to the Readers judgment In the third part of the Sermon of good works speaking against the Popish singing of Trentals and the superstitious Orders in the Church of Rome introduced to serve the Papacy these words are as followeth viz. Honour be to God who did put light in the heart of King Henry the eighth to put away all such superstitions and Pharisaical Sects by Antichrist invented c. which can be meant of no other but the See of Rome by the words not long after viz. Let us rehearse some other kinds of Papistical superstitions c. In the second part of the Sermon of salvation speaking against the Popish opinion of justification by works these words are as followeth Iustification is not the office of man but of God for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works neither in part nor in the whole for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God etc. and so accounts it not the doctrine of a Christian that sets forth Christs glory but of him that is an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and a setter forth of mans vain-glory c. And that passage in the third part of the Sermon against the perill of Idolatry p. 69. I leave to the Readers judgement if the sense can be understood otherwise then of the See of Rome in these words following viz. Now concerning popish excessive decking of Images and Idols with painting gilding adorning with pretious vestures pearles and stones what is it else but for the further provocation and inticement to spiritual fornication which the Idolatrous Church understandeth well enough For she being indeed not only an harlot as the Scripture calls her but also a foule filthy old harlot for she is indeed of ancient yeares and understanding her lack of nature and true beauty and great lothsomnesse which of her self she hath she doth after the custome of such harlots paint her self and deck and tire her self with gold pearle stone and all kind of pretious jewels that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them may please the foolish fantasie of fond lovers and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her Who if they saw her I will not say naked but in simple apparel would abhorre her as the foulest and filthiest harlot that ever was seen According as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great strumpet of all strumpets the Mother of whoredomes set forth by Saint Iohn in his Revelation Apoc. 17. who by her glory provoked the Princes of the earth to commit whoredome with her c and it followeth pag. 77. And it is not enough to deck Idols but at the last come in the Priests themselves likewise decked with gold and pearle and with a solemn pace they pass forth before these golden puppets and fall down to the ground on their marrow-bones before the sehonourable Idols and then rising up again offer up odours and incense to them c. He that reads the whole cannot judge of it to be meant otherwise then of the Papacy And if the fifth and sixth part of the Sermon against wilful rebellion be viewed there will be found such a large narration of the pride and ambition of the Bishop of Rome that there will not need any further help to an application of that 2 Thes. 2. to him which thus beginneth viz. After that ambition and desire of dominion entred once into Ecclesiastical Ministers whose
greatnesse after the doctrine and the example of our Saviour should chiefly stand in humbling themselves And that the Bishop of Rome did by intolerable ambition challenge not only to be the head of all the Church dispersed throughout the world but also to be Lord of all kingdoms of the world as is expressely set forth in the book of his own Canon-Lawes He became at once the spoyler and destroyer both of the Church which is the kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian kingdomes as an universal Tyrant over all The particulars of whose actions to that end are there related viz. The Bishop of Rome stirring up subjects to rebell against their Soveraigne Lords even the Son against the Father pronouncing such Schismaticks and persecuting them who resused to acknowledge his above-said challenge of supreme authority over them discharging them from their oath of fidelity made not only to the Emperour but to other Kings and Princes throughout Christendome The most cruell and bloody wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all kingdoms the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian men being slain by Christians the losse of so many great Cities Countries Dominions and Kingdomes sometimes possessed by Christians in Asia Affrick and Europe The miserable fall of the Empire and Church of Greece sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom into the hands of the Turks The lamentable diminishing decay and ruine of Christian Religion and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly which is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Rome's own favourites and friends to be seen claiming also to have divers Princes and Kings to their vassals liege men and subjects c. behaving themselves more like Kings and Emperours in all things then remained like Priests Bishops and Ecclesiastical or as they would be called spiritual persons in any one thing at all c. and so concludes with an exhortation of all good subjects knowing those the speciall instruments of the Devill to the stirring up of all Rebellion to avoid and flee them Is not this a full description of the pride of that man of sinne 2 Thess. 2. in exalting himselfe above all Kings and Princes and that son of perdition being understood actively who was the cause of the perdition or losse of so many thousands of Christian mens lives And in the sixth part of the same Sermon you have a more particular relation of the Bishop of Rome's blood-shed accoding to the description of that Harlot Revel 17. 6. in these words viz. And as these ambitioâ—s usurpers the Bishops of Rome have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian blood shed by the rebellims of ignorant subjects against their naturall Lords and Emperours whom they have stirred thereunto by false pretences so is there no Countrey in Christendome which by the like means of false pretences hath not been over-sprinkled with the blood of subjects by rebellion against their naturall Soveraigns stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome c. And in conclusion as the Sermon often entitles the Bishops of Rome unsatiable wolfes and their Adherents Romish greedy wolfes so doth it in speciall call the See of Rome the Babylonicall beast in these words viz. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindnesse ignorance and superstition of the English in King Johns time and how much they were inclined to worship the Babilonical beast of Rome and to fear all his threatnings and causelesse curses he abused them thus c. I have transcribed these the more largely out of the Book of Homilies both that such as have rejected them as Popish may see their errour and those that now so much favour the See of Rome that they call such language railing may have their mouthes stopped being it is from the mouth of the Church of England in her Homilies which is a good warrant for her sons to say after her Let the Reader judge whether these passages do not confirme rather then contradict or be contrary as Doctor Heylene saith to the Articles of Ireland and the Primates judgement of the See of Rome I shall only alledge one passage more and that is in the conclusion of the second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday viz. Wicked and nought were the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appear by the story of their lives and therefore worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets and false Christs which deceived the world a long while the Lord defend us from their Tyranny and pride that they may never enter into this Vineyard again but that they may be utterly confounded and put to flight in all parts of the world And he of his great mercy so work that the Gospel of his Son may be truly preached to the beating down of sin death the Pope the Devill and all the kingdome of Antichrist c. This latter passage is only produced by Doctor Heylene as an evidence that the Pope is not declared to be Antichrist either here or any where else in the book of Articles or Homilies which how the force of it can be extended so farre beyond its own sphere both not appeare For his principal argument that he finds here the Pope and Antichrist distinguished as much as the Devil and the Pope 'T is answered The destiuction here is not between the Pope and Antichrist but between him and his Antichristian kingdom for the words are not the Pope the Divell and Antichrist but and all the kingdome of Antichrist That Universality all comprehending both head and members And if we should allow a Duumvirate in the Pope and Devill for the government of that kingdom one as the visible head the other as the invisible or the one him that reigneth the other by whom he receiveth power so to do Rev. 13. 4. both might be thus owned without infringing the title of either Howsoever 't is not the arguings from such niceties in the placing of words which the book of Homilies are not strict in as might be shewed in several instances but the observation of the scope and drist of the place the comparing it with others the concurrance of the judgement of severall eminent Bishops afore-cited who cannot be imagined to declare against the doctrine of it will carry the sense of it accordingly with the judicious and unbiassed Reader and so much for the book of Homilies Unto which I might also adde the opinion of some learned men liveing and dying within the outward communion of the Church of Rome To instance onely in Padrio Paulo who wrote the History of the Councill of Trent After whose stabbing by an Emissarie from Rome many of the Clergy of Venice brake out into that application calling that See Impura insana superba meretrix pestis ac lues mortalium and her ruine to be expected according to Rvelat 18. Some of the verses are printed at the end
Phygellus Hermogenes and Diotrephas but as in neither of them doth there appear any sanctified grace of the spirit so we do not read it caused any suspension of the vertue of their ministerial acts to the receivers or that the Apostles gave order for any reiteration of them personal faults not voyding Acts of Office and so why should the like be a prejudice to it in these succeeding Ages Receiving supposeth a gift but 't is as the giving of a summe to a Steward by his Lord not to his own private use but for the dispensing of it to the family And to say no more there are some learned Interpreters do apply that passage 1 Iohn Chap. 2. 20. to an ordained Ministery yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth Beza 's words upon the place are these the same anointing he could not with a more cleare Testimony have adorned the Pastors and Teachers from whom they were instructed and daily as yet are then to say they were taught by the holy Ghost had bin formerly c. Piscators words are these The anointing teacheth i. e. the Ministry of the word or the Holy Ghost efficacious by the preaching of the Gospel wherefore the Ministery ought to be in a great esteem with us Ye see they do not understand by this Vnction or anointing signifying the Holy Ghost an immediate teaching or inspiration as by some Enthusiasme but immediately through the Ministery ordained for that end by a Metonymy as they say of the Adjunct the oyntment for the hand which applyes it or delivers it to you and the teaching you all things is meant of all things necessary to salvation the credenda and agenda which by the Ministery had bin so fâ—lly taught them that they needed not to be taught by Saint Iohn again here If any shall object as it hath been nnto me that of Saint Augustine lib. 15. de Trinit cap. 27. Quomodo ergo Deus non est qui dat Spiritum Sanctum imò quantus Deus est qui dat Deum neque enim aliquis discipulorum ejus dedit Spiritum Sanctum orabant quippe ut veniret in eos quibus manus imponebant non ipsi eum dabant quem morem in suis praepositis etiam nune servet Ecclesia c. i. e. How should not he be God who gives the Holy Ghost nay how great a God who gives God for neither any of his disciples gave the holy Ghost they prayed indeed that it might come upon those on whom they imposed hands they did not give it themseles which custom the Church now observes c. 1. In the words before these he speaks of a double giving of the Holy Ghost by our Saviour the one on earth after his resurrection the other from heaven after his Ascension upon the day of Pentecost now in relation to the latter in those extraordinary gifts of the spirit the words objected have their principal application which doth not concern that we have in hand which is only of the former being meant of successive ministerial authority for the ordinarie dispensing of the office Secondly whereas he saith the Church hath observed that custome in imposition of hands to pray for the persons reciving of it hath bin formerly acknowledged to be one sense of that clause viz. by way of impetration Take the gift of the spirit pro dono infuso so we use the words per modum impetrationis take it pro officio so we use it per modum collationis ministerially conferring the power of executing the office of a Minister there is no contradiction but that in the same act there may meet a collation of the office with authority to execute and an impetration for the persons receiving an assistance of the spirit in the executing of it which in the old in junction immediately followed in a prayer for the person ordained accordingly so that the custome and intention of our Church is no other then what was in Saint Augustines time not presuming to give the Holy Ghost in the latter sense only praying it might be given of God to him but only in the former So much for opening of the first clause in ordination Receive the Holy Ghost which rightly understood is not such a rock of offence as some have taken it to be in the disuse of it The second clause is whose sins thou forgivest they are forgiven whose sins thou doest retain they are retained At which as much if not more offence hath been taken then at the former as if it savoured of Popery which â— shall give you the Primates sense of also That it may be retained in ordination and attributed safely to the office of the Ministery without the least savour that way which no man that knew him and what Popery is but will acquit him of the least grain of it Thus far it will be granted by all sober persons 1. The Ministers may be said to remit sins by way of preparative to it in being the instruments by preaching the word of reconciliation to dispose men towards it in bringing them to repentance whereby they are capable of it 2. By way of Confirmation in exhibiting the seales of remission in the Sacraments according as one well glosseth upon these words 'T is Gods act onely to forgive sins but the Apostles are said to do it not simply but because they apply the means appointed of God for that end viz. the word and Sacraments What is there more in forgivenesse of sins then in reconciliation of God and man now ye find this given to the Ministery 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word or ministery of reconciliation Gods act onely authoritate propria by his own supreme authority the Ministers act potestate vicaria as a substitute in Christs stead and the word doth include the Sacraments also as in our usual speech the Letters Pattents doth the Seale affixed to them as the Ministery doth the whole ministerial office 3. Declaratively in testifying this grace of God and declaring Gods good pleasure accordingly upon repentance unto the person like that of Nathan to David or Saint Peter to his Auditory Acts 3. as Ferus saith man doth not properly forgive sin but doth declare and certifie that it is remitted of God so that absolution received from man is as much to say behold my son I certifie thee that thy sins are forgiven thee I declare unto thee that God is at peace with thee which I relate the rather out of him both for his being a writer of the Church of Rome and that this passage is purged out of his book by them as erroneous as may be seen by comparing the Edition of Mentz with the Edition at Antwerp 1559 and 1570 Which agrees with that in the Articles of
old had under the Law in curing the Lepers who therefore accordingly may be said to forgive and retaine sins whilst they shew and declare they are forgiven or retained of God So the Priests put the name of the Lord upon the children of Israel and were commanded to blesse the people in saying The Lord blesse thee but it was the Lord himself that blessed them according to the next words and I will blesse them And thus in these four things I leave it to be calmly considered of if the Ministers have not power left them by Christ in relation to forgivenesse of sins and with these limitations whether that part of the old form of the words of Ordination might not be continued also which seems to me to be explained in the next following them viz. And be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word and Sacraments c. through both which the graces of the Holy Ghost and remission of sins are conveyed and sealed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost According as in the words at the Communion used to the recipient the former clause was added in Q. Elizabeths dayes to give the more full sense of the latter And let not any by this Moderate expression extenuate the office of the Ministery as Bellarmine would by this inferre that any Lay-man Woman or Child may absolve as well as the Minister as we have among our selves too many of that judgement For it consisteth not in speech but in power or Authority he being as the officer of a King Authorized to make Proclamation of his pleasure Every man may speak one to another to the use of edifying but to them is given 1 Cor. 10. 16. power to edification God hath made them able Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit That from them it comes 1 Thess. 1. 5. not only in word but in power also and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance which accordingly hath been experimentally found that howsoever another may from the Scripture shew as truly unto the penitent what glad tidings are there intended to him yet to drooping and doubting soules it hath not been so efficacious in quieting them and giving satisfaction to their consciences either in sicknesse death-bed or otherwise as by the Ministery ordained and commissionated for that end That as 't is their office to pray and exhort you in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God so having listened to that Motion and submitted your selves accordingly 't is their office to declare and assure unto you in Christs stead that God is reconciled with you All which appeares to be the ancient doctrine of the Church of England by what is publickly declared in the exhortation before the Communion to be read sometimes at the discretion of the Minister which is the recitd and approved by the Primate as followeth And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet conscience therefore if there be any of you which by meanes aforesaid i. e. Private examination and confession of sinnes to God cannot quiet his own conscience but requireth further Councell and Comfort then let him come to me or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods word and open his grief that he may receive such Ghostly Councel Advice and Comfort as his Conscience may be relieved and that by the Ministery of Gods word he may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoyding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse And now let the Reader judge if Dr. Heylene hath not cause to repent of his rash censure of the Primate in his late book p. 108. as if in this part of his Answer to the Jesuite he had as he saith in this particular utterly subverted as well the doctrine of this Church as her purpose in it c. when those two arguments which himself urgeth from the words of Ordination and the exhortation at the communion are produced and defended by the Primate also What would he have he saith the doctrine of the Church of England is that The Priest doth forgive sins authoritativè by a delegated and commissionated power committed to him from our Lord and Saviour doth not the Primate say the same that 't is not only declarativè but designativè not only by way of information out of the word of God as another understanding Christian may do to the penitent that his sins are pardoned but he doth it authoritative as having a power and commission from God to pronounce it to the party and by the seale of the Sacrament to assure the soule of the penitent that he is pardoned of God which no other man or Angel can do ex officio but the Minister of Christ according to that of the Apostle To us is committed the word of reâ—couciliation this is the summe of the Primates judgement He that would have more must step over into the Church of Rome for it I shall only make a trial whether Doctor Heylene will so conclude against Mr. Hooker as he hath against the Primate who in his sixth book of Ecclesiasticall Policy consents fully with him where after his declaring that for any thing he could ever observe those Formalities which the Church of Rome do so esteem of were not of such estimation nor thought to be of absolute necessity with the Ancient Fathers and that the form with them was with invocation or praying for the penitent that God would be reconciled unto him for which he produceth Leo Ambrose Ierome c. p. 96. He thus declares his judgement viz. As for the Ministerial sentence of private absolution it can be no more then a declaration what God hath done it hath but the force of the Prophet Nathan's absolution God hath taken away thy sins then which construction especially of words judiciall there is nothing more vulgar For example the Publicans are said in the Gospel to have justified God the Iewes in Malachy to have blessed the proud man which sin and prosper not that the one did make God righteous or the other the wicked happy but to blesse to justifie and to absolve are as commonly used for words of judgement or declaration as of true and reall efficacy yea even by the opiâ—ion of the Master of sentences c. Priests are authorized to loose and bind that is to say declare who are bound and who are loosed c. Saint Ierome also whom the Master of the Sentences alledgeth directly affirmeth That as the Priests of the Law could only discern and neither cause nor remove Leprosies so the Ministers of the Gospel when they retain or remit sinnes do but in the one judge how long we continue guilty and in the other declare when we are clear or free Tom 6. Comment in 16. Mat. So saith Mr. Hooker when conversion by manifest tokens did seem effected Absolution