semper valuit ut quae cunque ab hoc consensu confirmata videam mihi sacrosancta immutabilia videantur Bishop Carleton de Consen eccles cap. 11. cap. 277. and humble Christians do and ever did the constant clear and concurrent which is the truly Catholick testimony of the Church in which so much of the truth Spirit and grace of God hath alwaies appeared amidst the many cloudings of humane infirmities to be far beyond any meer humane record or authority in point of establishing a Christians judgement or conscience in any thing that is not contrary to the evident command of the written word of God However some mens ignorance and self conceited confidence like bogs and quagmires are so loose and false that no piles never so long well driven and strongly compacted by the consent and harmonious testimonies of the most learned writers in the Church can reach any bottom or firm ground in them whereon to lay a foundation of humane belief or erect a firm bank and defense against the invasion of daily novelties which blow up all and break in upon the antient and most venerable orders practises and constitutions of the Church where ever they are yet continued which being evidently set forth to me by witnesses of so great credit for their piety diligence fidelity harmony integrity constancy and charity I know not how with any face of humanity or Christianity to question disbelieve or contradict Under which cloud of unsuspected witnesses I confess I cannot but much acquiesce and rest satisfied in those things which others endlessly dispute because they have not so literal and preceptive a ground in Scripture Quod universa tenet ecclesia nec consiliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi autoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur August cont Donat. l. 4. In Concil Loodic Melito Episc Sard. missus ut autographa ubique decernat c. Constabit id ab Apostolis traditum quod apud ecclesias fuerit sacrosanctum Tert. ad Mar. l. 4. however they have a very rational exexemplary analogical and consequential authority from thence which is made most clear as to the minde of God by that sense which the Primitive Doctors and Christians who lived with or next to the Apostles had of them and by their practise accordingly in the ways of Religion Thus the Canonical Books of the Scripture especially those of the New Testament which no where are enumerated in any one Book nor as from divine oracle any where commanded to be believed or received as the writings of such holy authors guided by the dictates or directions of Gods Spirit we own and receive as they were after some time with judgment and discretion rejecting many other pretended Gospels and Epistles antiently received by the Catholike Church and to this day are continued So also in point of the Church Government How in right Reason Order and Religion the Churches of Christ either in single Congregations and Parishes or in larger Associations and Fraternities ought to be governed in which thing we see that sudden variations from the Churches constant patern in all ages and places hath lately cost the expence not onely of much Ink but of much blood and have both cast and left us in great scandals deformities and confusions unbeseeming Christian Religion The like confirmation I have for Christians observing the Lords day as their holy Rest or Sabbath to the Lord and their variating herein upon the occasion of Christs Resurrection from the Seventh day or Jewish Sabbath which is not so much commanded by Precept as confirmed by Practise in the Church so in the baptising of the Infants of Christian Parents who profeâ—s to believe in Jesus Christ onely for the means of salvation to them and their children which after Saint Cyprian Saint Jerom and Augustine affirm to have been the custom of the Catholike Church in and before their days so as no Bishop or Council or Synod began it Cypr. ep ad Fidum Aust ep 28. And no less in this of the peculiar distinct calling order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Afric in Con. Carth. 1. anno 419. Some things in the Church are setled by Canon others by custom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Con. Nicoen office and succession of the Ministry Evangelical In all which if the Letter and Analogy of Scripture were less clear than â—t is so that the doctrines of those particulars which are among Christians counted divine were â—ike Vines and Honey-suckles less able to bear up themselves in full authority by that strength and vertue which they receive from the Scripture Precept where undoubtedly their root is and from whence they have grown shooted out so far and flourished in all Churches yet the constant judgment and practise of the Church of Christ which is called the pilâ—ar and ground of truth are stayes and firm supports to such sweet and usefull plants which have so long flourished in the Church of Christ whose custom may silence perverse disputes of corrupt and contentious minds And indeed doth fully satisfy and confirm both my believe and my religious observation of those particulars as sacred and unalâ—erable Nor hath any of those things Eucharistia sacramentum non de aliorum manu quaÌ„ prasidentium sumimus Tertul de Coro Mil. Impositionem manuuÌ„ qua Ecclesiae mininistri in suum manus initiantur ut non invitus patior vocari Sacramentum ita inter ordinaria Sacramenta non numero Calvin Inst l. 4. c. 14. sect 2. Amb. l. 5. ep 32. ad Valentin Commends that sentence which the Emperours Father had wrote touching judicatories and Judges in Church matters In causa fidei vel Ecclesiastici muneris eum judicare debere qui nec munere impar nec jure dissimilis constanter assero more clear evidence from Scripture or Catholick practice than this of the calling and succession of the Ministry of the Gospell hath wherein some men after due tryall and examination of their gifts and lives made by those who are of the same function and are in the Church indued with a derivable Commission and Authority to ordein an holy succession of men in the Ministry for the Churches use are by fasting prayer and solemn imposition of hands in the presence of the faithfull people publikely and peculiarly ordained consecrated set apart sent and authorised in the power and name of Christ to preach the Gospell to all men to administer the holy Sacraments and respectively to dispense all those holy duties and mysteries belonging to Christian Religion among Christian people that is such as profess to believe that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of Sinners Which holy and most necessary custom of ordaining some fit men by others of the same function to be Ministers in the Church hath not only the unanimous consent and practise of the Orthodox Christians and purest Churches in all ages from the Apostles times But no Hereticks or Schismaticks who owned any
reformed Church and that true Religion which the Ministers of this Church have professed and preached in many years And this not upon light and unexamined presumptions not upon customary traditions and the meer ducture of education not upon politick principles and civill compliances with Princes or people but upon serious grounds as solid and clear demonstrations as can by right and impartiall reasonings be gathered from the Word of God and in cases of its obscuritie or our own weaknesse from that light which the consent and practise of the primitive and purest Churches of Christ hath held forth to us in points of Faith doctrine and in all good orders or manners becomming Christians either in their private moralities or their publique decencies In this integrity innocency and simplicity which neither men nor divels can take from us we are sure to be destroyed if it must be so and to be delivered from an ungratefull generation of vipers Matth. 3.7 who think it enough to destroy those who have been a means of their being and life as Christians if our injuries and bloud could be silenced with us yet the very dust of our feet Matth. 1◠14 will be a testimony against such men at the last day of judgement when it shall be more tolerable for any Christian people under heaven than for these in England since among none clearer truths have been taught or greater workes done or better examples given than have been here by the Ministers of this Church Where hath there been under heaven more frequent Ministers merit of this Nation and more excellent preaching where more frequent and yet unaffected praying where more judicious pious and practicall writing where more learned and industrious searching out of all divine truths where more free and ingenuous declaring of them so as nothing hath been withheld or smothered where more devout holy and gracious living where more orderly harmonious and charitable agreeing than among those that were the best Bishops the best Ministers and the best Christians here in England Adorned with these ribands fillets and garlands of good words good works and good bookes must the Ministers of England like solemn victimes and piatory sacrifices be destroyed onely to gratifie some mens petulancy insolency covetousnesse and cruelty who list to be actors or spectators in so religious massacres 2. Considerations touching the Ministers of England humbly propounded But O you excellent Christians of all ranks and proportions If there be yet any ear of patience left free to hear the Ministers plea and apology if calumny hath not obstructed all wayes of justice or charity if slavish feares have not so imbased your piety and zeal for the Christian reformed Religion that you dare not seem no not to pity the Ministers of it if the separations and brokennesse of Religion in our unhappy times have not wholly blinded your eyes and baffled your judgements so that you have lost all sight both of true Church and true Ministry here in England I humbly desire that before the true and ancient Ministers be cashiered and quite destroyed these things may be considered 1. Whether it be a just proceeding to impute the personall failings of some men to the whole function and profession whether at that rate all Judges Magistrates and Commanders may not be cryed down as well as all Ministers Since where there are many there are alwayes some that are not very good 2. Whether it be fitting to condemne and destroy any men in any of their rights to which they pretend either of office or reward and that by Laws both divine and humane without a fair and full hearing what can be said for them or whether any man would have such measure meted to themselves 3. Whether Pride in some Lay-men of their gifts Envy in others against the welfare of the Ministers of Christ Covetousnesse in others as to their maintenance Profanenesse in others against all holinesse Ambition in others to begin or carry on some worldly ends and secular projects Licentiousnesse in others against all religious restraints Impatience in others to see any govern without or besides themselves Malice and spite in others against this as all other reformed Churches Hopes in others by our confusions to introduce their superstitious usurpations Whether I say these and the like inordinate lusts and motions in mens hearts as their severall interests lead and tempt them may not be great causes and influentiall occasions of these violent distempers which break out thus against the generality of the Ministers and the whole calling of the Ministry in this Church Yea what if all odious clamours and calumnies against them and their calling have no more of truth in them than a Jewell hath of dirt in it when filth is cast upon it whose innate firmness preserves its inward and essentiall purity What if nothing be wanting to the innocency and honour of the Ministry of this Church but onely patient and impartiall Judges pious patrons and generous protectours which was all St. Paul wanted when he was accused of many and grievous crimes by the cruell and hard-hearted Jewes which were his Countrey men and for whom he had that heroick charity as to wish himself Anathema from Christ that they might be saved Whether ever any Ministers of learning honesty and piety that had done so much for the religious welfare of any Christian Nation as the able Ministers of England generally have done for many ages were ever so rewarded by Christians or whether ever it entred into the hearts of religious men so to deal with their Ministers as some now meditate and design It were good for men how metald and resolute so ever they seem to be in carrying on their designs to make some pause and halt before they strike such a stroak as may seem to challenge Christ Severissimè punit Deus cum paenalis nutritur impunitas Aust and fight against God whose stroakes against men are heaviest when they are least visible and his wounds sorest when men have the least sense of their contending against him The perswasions and confidences of men may be great in their proceedings * Act. 26.9 Act. 9.4 as was in Saul persecuting when yet their zeale is but dashing against the goades or thornes and a meer persecuting of Christ himselfe which will in the end pierce their own souls through with many errors What if notwithstanding many personal failings in Ministers as men their function calling and Ministry be the holy institution and appointment of Jesus Christ transmitted to these times and this Church by a right order and uninterrupted succession as to the substance of the power and essence of the authority The talents or gifts were Christs and from Christ delivered to his Servants the Ministers of the Church though some of them might be idle and unfaithfull whose burying them in the earth or wrapping them up in a napking at any time was no wasting or imbezling of
its severall parts as to Chr. Religion p. 398 Ferity and Barbarity without Literature p. 400 The Devils despight against good learning in the true Church p. 401 The glory of the Gentiles tribulary to Christ p. 402. Enemies to learning are enemies to Religion both as Christian and as Reformed p. 405 Learned defenders of true Religion of ancient and later times p. 407 Illiteratenesse betrayes a Nation to brutishnesse p. 413 Of gracious Christians that are not Book learned p. 415 431 Learning in Ministers necessary p. 416 1. for the work 2. for the benefit of the unlearned Answer to the Objection that Christ and the Apostles were unlearned p. 419 The Objectors have no Apostolicall gifts p. 420 Holy men inspired yet used acquired gifts of learning p. 423 Of Books or monuments of learning their excellent use in the Church p. 425 A plea for the nurseries of good learning specially the two famous Vniversities of England p. 432 VIII Objection The fifth Cavill or Calumny Against Ministers as Incroachers upon Liberty and Conscience as Monopolisers of Religion and denyers of that toleration which is desired p. 436 Answ Of true Christian Liberty p. 437 The true Liberty of the creature how limited by God p. 439 Of false Liberty p. 441 Liberty of Superiors and Inferiors p. 442 The Devils affected Liberty p. 444 True Christian Liberty consists with and is conserved by good government in Church and State p. 445 False liberty destruct to the true p. 447. Of licentiousnesse and intolerable toleration p. 448 Coercive wayes in Civil and religious societies appointed by God p. 450 How Christian moderation differs from loose and profane toleration p. 451 Christians must not be Scepticks and unsetled p. 452 True temper between Tyranny and Toleration p. 453 A means to preserve Truth and Peace amidst different opinions p. 455 Some toleration is but a subtiler persecution p. 458 Best Christians strictest in loose times p. 460. IX Objection The sixth Cavill or Calumny Against the maintenance of Ministers setled by way of Tithes p. 463 Answ The Antidecimal spirit p. 464 Of Sacriledge p. 465 Of Tithes as given to God and his Ministers by the devotion and law of this Nation p. 466 Of Tithes as Judaical Ceremonial Typical p. 469 Of Tithes before the Mosaick Law p. 472 Of Tithes as due to Christ and his Evangelical Ministry p. 473 Tithes not Popish nor Antichristian p. 474 Of Tithes put into Lay tenure and pensions p. 476 Of Tithes as too much for Ministers p. 478 Plea for the married Clergy p. 478 Antidecimists factors for Romish Celibacy or single life of Ministers p. 479 The Romish policy to overthrow the setled maintenance of Ref. Ministers p. 483 Covetousnesse a gâ—eat hinderance of Reformation p. 484 True piety large hearted and open handed p. 487 Of the poverty and unsetled maintenance of primitive Bishops and Presbyters p. 489 The honest Farmer satisfied in pâ—int of Tithes p. 491 Sacriledge a wound to Conscience and pest to Estates p. 494 The work and honâ—r of the Ministry recommended to the Gentry p. 496 The burden and mischief likely to follow the taking away of setled maintenance from Ministers p. 499 The plot to starve the Reformed Religion p. 501 Of Ministers support by Mechanick trades p. 502 Sordid spirits are most against Ministers p. 503 Generosity of good Christians to the Clergy p. 504 The Jesuitick genius is Antidâ—cimall p. 505 The insolency of avarice it chiefly against Ministers p. 506 Worthy Ministers merit their maintenance p. 507 Ministers comfort in poverty p. 509 Their plea for their rights by law and merit is no Tithe-coveting nor uncomely p. 510 Their trust in Gods all-sufficiency p. 512 Digression Answer to scruples touching Churches locall or places set apart to holy uses p. 513 Of Ministers using some solemn forms in holy duties p. 518 X. Objection The seventh Calumny or Cavill Against Ministers as seditions turbulent factionâ— p. 520 Answ Of Ministers civil conformity p. 521 Pragmatick Ministers injurious to themselves and their calling p 524 The errors of some not imputable to all p. 525 The peaceable temper of the best Ministers p. 526 A touch of the Engagement p. 528 Just protection requires due subjection in piety prudence and gratitude p. 530 The courage and freedom of Ministers in their proper sphear and calling p. 531 Ministers the lest they flatter men the more they love them and deserve to be loved and protected by them p. 535. XI Objection The eight Cavill or Calumny It is dangerous now to plead for or protect the Ministry and Ministers of the Church of England p. 537 Answ Mans cowardise in Religious concernments p. 537 Ministers submit their persons and calling to the vote and sentence of this Nation p. 538 The merits which the Ministry hath upon this Church and Nation p. 539 Eight particulars summarily alledged for Ministers p. 540 Ministers hope and expect better measure from this Nation than extirpation or oppression p. 545 Ministers infirmities beyond their adversaries strength p. 547 Eminent Bishops and Presbyters formerly in this Church p. 549 The hopefull succession yet remaining p. 550 Antiministeriall boasting and insufficiency p. 547. 552 Addresse to those of the Military order wise and valiant souldiers cannot bee enemies to the Ministry p. 553 Ministry to be preserved in reason of State p. 554 Pathetick to true and worthy Ministers in their sufferings or fears p. 556 Sympathetick with godly Bishops and Ministers p. 561 Excitation to primitive constancy and patience p. 568 Ministers ought to recant publiquely if conscientious to fraud or falsity p. 570 Exhortations of Ministers to unity p. 575 To speciall diligence and exactnesse p. 578 Peroration recommending the Ministry to publique love and protection p. 580 1. From true policy p. 582 2. From the light of Nature p. 583 3. From its excellency and necessity p. 586 Conclusion Excusing the Authors prolixity freedome and fervour p. 587 Deprecating offence and craving acceptance of all execellent Christians p. 590 FINIS Christian Reader these and some other Errata's have escaped the care used in Printing and are against the Authors and Printers will left as exercises of thy judgment and candor in reading and amending Errata in the Epistle pag. line read for p. l. r. f. 1. 12. r. distempers for enemies  28. beyond for being 5. 30. motive for motion 6. 7. outvied for outvived 10. 12. Prince f. Princesse  25. soon for far 21. 1. revolutions for Revelations 24. 23. support f. wisdom 28. 4. dele by esteem  22. gentle for great 42. 7. their for the  8. setling for setting 43. 15. wantonly Errata in the Book pag. line read for margent p. l. r. f. m. 3. m. explorant for explicant 5  Non dii f. mordii 9. 36. r. conscientiously 19. m. putredo 21. 19. Add so much as the law c. 25. 26. pathetick for politick 49. 23. formation for sumation 59. 25. piercing for pitifull   〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 62. m. Reg. Jur. f. Reg. Jacob. 107. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 114. 23 peculiar f. popular 117. 43. body for badge 120. 41. del men 123. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 223. 14. looseness f. baseness 225. 28. adultery for adulterate 233. 8. than their gifts can doe good 237. The first Cavill 236. m. m. Stob. f. Amb. 241. m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 243. 10. their beauty 251. 6. add not strongly 260. m. turba Remi 260. 41. Add no more just arguments 274. m Imitarores f. incitatores vigiles for igitur 275. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congrua 278. 3. add of them 279. 3. temperament for temperance 287. Prov. 11.14 f. Rom. 273 7. wrestling f. wresting  20. power Ministeriall 378. m. Artibus 384. 22. Inspiratoes 388. 9. tine weed for true weed  r. shewing for shining 400. m. cum non c. 406. 8. beleever for unbeleever 493. 3. yet it were for if it were 430 1. ashes for ages 431. 36. del not and read can be good 440. 41. sinfull bondage 463. 2. bends for binds  35 terrier  43. thifty 466. men for mention 469. 25. del with a good will and 470. 25. in piety f. impiety 477. 37. collections for customes 481. 12. impurity for imparity 492. 18. ad give him 520. 93. add most promising c. 538. 7. r. vain babling for vain blessings 539. 37. fervent prayers 541. 21. terrors for errors 547. 11. r. odde pieces 549. 35. r. mortal Angels 575. m. unity for verity  2. dele would be 577. 24. undertaking for understanding 578. 18 spread for spend 584. 16. medling f. mudling 590. 5. mee for men 593. 25. Censure f. answer 594 27. so many f. so may