passed ouer or punished by some lighter trifling chasticement wilfull murther ofteÌ„ pardoned theft if yt be aboue 13 peÌ„ce punished by death yea this sin is punished not only in the persoÌ„ of the theefe who that wise King saied if he should steale seuen times may yet liue satisfie with his body or goodes but in the persoÌ„s of al such as this their vniust law iudgeth anie way accessarie which extendeth so far as manie honest meÌ„ may for this trifle for buynig or receauing part of these stollen goodes be also put to death forfait al the lands goodes they haue wherby their wiues children families are punished also vtterlie vndone And thus by this their pollicie are manie theeues made for one not to speake of al this guiltles blood that is vpon the head of the magistrate Iudg officers Iurie and the whole land by this meanes what should â—… stand to particulate their infinite transgressioÌ„s of Gods lawes eueÌ„ in their ciuil estate which is in much worse case then manie heatheÌ„ nations which neuer knew God or his Christ. Al this ariseth of this immunitie from the order gouernment censure of Christ in his Church froÌ„ the inordinate authoritie the apostaticall church giueth vnto Princes magistrates they assume vnto themselues so that the saying of the prophet concerning the proude Kings of Babel is now rightly verified in them Thow didst say with thy heart I wll ascend into heauen aboue the starâ—… of GOD almightie I wil exalt my throne wil sit in the mountaine of the congregation in the sides of the north I wiâ—…l ascend aboue the heigth of the clowdes I wil make my self equall vnto the most high For see whiles they take power to reiect that holie gouernmeÌ„t order officers lawes that Christ our King hath ordeined and apointed to his Church they stretch their hand also presume further to eâ—…ect a new gouernmeÌ„t new orders lawes officers ministry ministratioÌ„ c. And what is this but both to reprooue Christs lawes and to reiect his yoke from them also to take Christs offices throne Sâ—…epter from him whome the Lord hath set vpoÌ„ the throne of Dauid to order stabliâ—…h yt with iudgment iustice lâ—…id the key of gouernment vpon his shoulder that what he openeth no man should â—…hut and whâ—…t he shutteth no man should open How gâ—…eat theÌ„ is their pride presumptioÌ„ y t are so far â—…roÌ„ obeijng seing Chriâ—…s lawes executed as they vtterly abrogate them tâ—…ke thâ—…m out of the way set vp their owne idol diuisâ—…s in the stead of theÌ„ So far are they froÌ„ taking lawes at him as their King Lord as they giue lawes of him as King Lord. Is not this to denie nay to put an end to his ministerie kingdome to his ministery by taking away y t which he established bringing in a new into the church to his kingdome by abrogating his lawes offices ordinances by bringing in establishing their owne In so much as through y e odious flâ—…tery of these their priests some of them haue suffered themselues to be called the supreme head of 〈◊〉 Church in earth as though Christs Church had one head in earth an other in heaueÌ„ or that Christ were not the head of his Church here in earth also But the wretched Priests would excuse this iâ—…audible blasphemie with this interpretatioÌ„ which yet they expresse not 1. vnder Christ as though Christs Church might haue two heades an vpper an vnder head one aboue an other were not this to make her a monster like their Church which hath mâ—…nie heads vpoÌ„ them writteÌ„ names of blasphemy as supreme head of the Church primate Bishop metropolitane Bishop Lord Archbishops grace Lord Bish. Archdeacon c. Al which heads but especially that their supreme head of the church may they say make lawes for the church And al this execrable blasphemy they hide vnder the title office of the ciuil magistrate who in deed is Gods blessed ordinance Neither wil these lymmes of y e Deuill be satisfied with any humble acknowledgmeÌ„t of y e ciuil poweâ—… or with anie christiaÌ„ submissioÌ„ vnto thâ—…â—…ame but wil extort by othe an allowance subscriptioÌ„ vnto this their vngodly power blasphemous titles antichristian decrees proceedings c. It wil not suffice to confesse that God hath made the ciuil magistrate the keeper of the booke of the law to see both y e tables therof obserued by al persons both in the Church coÌ„mon welth so hath power ouer both church coÌ„mon welth but they must haue this indefinite pâ—…oposition granted them That a Priâ—…ce hath power to make lawes for the Church By which word making is implied or rather as y e general estate both of church coÌ„moÌ„ welth shew expressed plainly that they meane that y e Prince may deuise make new lawes for the Church such as are notheard of in that booke of God By lawes they meane any traditions ordinances customes c. which are not prescribed in CHRISTS TestameÌ„t otherwise why should they vse these words or vâ—…ge that power of making lawes A godly Prince is bound â—…o Gods lawe made the keeper therof not the controler the seruant not the Lord. God hath in that booke made most perfect necessary lawes both for Church coÌ„mon welth he requireth of the King magistrate to see these lawes executed and not to make new He that makâ—…th any new lawes taketh vnâ—…o him the office of God who is the onlie law maker al men of what estate soeuer arâ—… but Gods creatures sâ—…uaÌ„tes subiectes to his law Moses â—…oshua Samuel Dauâ—…d 〈◊〉 made no new lawes but reuâ—…ued executed the olde lawes which God had made These examplâ—…s that miserable man high traâ—…tor to God his Prince ROBERT SOME citeth to prooue y â— Pâ—…nces may make laweâ—… for the church coÌ„â—…on welth tâ—…erby indâ—…uoring to 〈◊〉 hold her Ma â— and the honorable Magistrates of this land in this presumptuous breach of al Gods lâ—…wes in this church coÌ„mon welth by causing theÌ„ to ratiâ—…ie publish y e vngodlie decrees which that blasphemous high CommissioÌ„ hath made or shal heerafter make vnder this pretext that Christian Princes haue power to make lawes for the Church Whiâ—…h CommissioÌ„ al their proceedings because they caÌ„ no way be iustified by the law of God TestimeÌ„t of Christ but are directly coÌ„trarie vnto the same as shal straight way be prooued therfore y â— old lymme of Antichrist that crowned horne of the Beast that T. C. breatheth out of the mouth of the dragoÌ„ most hâ—…llish blasphemie against Christs 〈◊〉 theÌ„ that dwel in the heauen accusing Christs blessed order maÌ„ner of gouernmeÌ„t of sedition tumults disobedience vnto the ciuil estate as giuing the raines to the pâ—…oples vnbrideled inordinate appetites which can not be restâ—…eined subuerting
the Bishops iniunctions and decrees of the high commission by which your Church is wholy oâ—…erruled vnto which your king Câ—…rist himself whiles he is amoÌ„gst you must be subiect or els there is no place for him CHRIST giueth lawes vnto his seruants ordereth al things in his Church according to his owne will but you giue lawes to your CHRIST set strange ordinances ouer his Church yea you haue not anie one thing there either in order or administratioÌ„ according to his Testament Againe CHRIST hath giuen ful power libertie to all and euerie one of his seruantes to put in pâ—…actise whatsoeuer he commandeth as also to reforme to reproue censure and cast out whatsoeuer is found to be coÌ„trarie repugnant vnto his word though al the powers in the earth or in hell withstand yt But the CHRIST these men preach you is vtterly without power to put any thing of his owne will in practise but is sold as a bondslaue to these antichristian Bishops and preachers his enemies He cannot by vertue of his owne word authoritie redresse any thing be yt neuer so heinous or enormous neither can he establish or bring in any thing that is wanting be yt neuer so necessarie important without humble sute and attendance vnto the high Court of parliament or vpon the high Court of commission Yf they reiect his sute though yt be by 30 yeâ—…es together and that in these two reasonable requests that they would remoue their heinous blasphemous idolatries from before his face and giue him leaue to rule them by his owne officâ—…rs lawes yet must this poore CHRIST with all his seruants euen the whole Church stil surcease the practise of the Gospel and continue vnder these abhominations yea if he anger his Lords the Bishops much he shalbe whipped with scorpions with new rods and this by the vniuersal consent of all his learned preachers in the laÌ„d who are at a ful point haue set yt downe as a resolute decree not to stir a foot forward vntil they haue the princes power the consent of parliament Then they will bring him in with horsemen and charets with belles bonefires How like you this your worthy King trow you that euer PILATE araied him worse when they clad him in purple put a scepter of a râ—…d in his hand a crowne of thornes vpoÌ„ his head bowed the knee before him hailed him a King yea wrytt him one in three languages Hebrew Greek 〈◊〉 or the chief priestes and phariseis when they bâ—…indfolded him buffâ—…d scourged him spatt in his face blasphemed him or the people that with one consent demanded him vnto the death preferred the seditious murtherer BARRABAS before him haled him to the crosse despighted reuiled him vpon the crosse A King he is without power a King without lawes a King without officers a King without subiectes yea a slaue he is made to euerie slaue He hath strange officers straunge lawes that he is not acquainted with set ouer him imposed vpon him whether he wil or â—…o which not only rule his heritage but ouerrule him aâ—…ter their owne lustes He is fashoned to the common welth not the coÌ„mon welth vnto him and in the Church he is but an idol king an idol Christ and hath not there so much honour giuen him as the players doe vnto their kinges vpon the stage And as for the priestly office he should execute amoÌ„gst theÌ„ therein they abuse him yet worse for a new ministerie they erect in stead of his parsons or mercenarie rouing preachers in stead of Pastors and faithful Teachers As for the other rable that serue in stead of Elders with their multitudes of attendants as also their other inferiour new found officers would fill a booke but to describe theÌ„ their offices Thus make they him a minister after an other order theÌ„ that which he hath set downe in his Testament then that wherunto he was annointed of his Father that with an othe that for euer They impose also vpon him a new ministration strange worship more displeasing vnto God then Nadabs fire theÌ„ Vzzahs altar euen al that idolatrous booke of that coÌ„mon seruice which he must wil he nil he administer in maner forme abouesaid Thus make they him a minifter of al their idolatries abhomination by him they offer vp vnto God all this their wil worship poperie superstition Moreouer they make him a mediatour of an other Testament then that of his owne binding him to this english masse booke and to al the iniunctions of the BB s. the high commission convocatioÌ„ house Finally they make him a priest a mediatour a sauiour to all the prophane atheistes idolators miscreantes wicked persons coniurers witches heretikes who not al being receaued into the bozome of their Church whomâ—… they blesse in his name with his peace to whome for mony they sell deliuer their sacraments and thus by al these waies they most impiously deny sacrilegiously defile y â— holy priesthood of Christ. What kind of prophecie he exerciseth amongst them may appeare by that which is already said They make him takâ—… vpon him the ministerie of Antichrist euen that the Pope left in the Land they wil not suffer nor receaue his ministerie which he hath in his Testament apointed for his Church They set lawes not only ouer him in this ministerie they apoint him but also ouer the Gospell yt self both by aportionating how much of his word shalbe read in what oder and time c. And this order being through the yeere and permanent they therby abrogate no small part of the Bible and take yt cleane away from the Church in that by their law they apoint what shalbe read for euer casting the rest quite out of the Church allowing yt no time or place to be publikely read They bring in also in stead therof diuers apocrypha writings and reade them in their Church in the place of canonical scriptures They reade also as part of their publike ministerie of their Church not only their abhominable seruice booke but the blasphemous iniunctions of their Bishops and are not ashamed to preach and publikely to expound in the Church their fond Apocripha Catâ—…chismes To coÌ„clude they mussell bridle vp their Christs mouth by publike law power forbidding him to teach any thing coÌ„trarie vnto or to find fault with any thing by publike authoritie established or to be established swearing him dayly to execute their iniunctioÌ„s thus ioining the Gospel to al the idolatrie abhominatioÌ„ blasphemie as you see to all the sinne iniquitie mischief of the land wherby they make Christ a false prophet an idolater a blasphemer and guiltie yea a ringleader to al this ill Thus you see what kind of Christ they teach you without poweâ—… holines truth what kind of Gospel
wherwith the whole world is now so deeplie delighted wholy carried away nothing els being welcome or acceptable vnto their earthly séses or ytching humorous eares which caÌ„not bâ—…ooke wholsome doctrine or suffer the wordes of exhortation I haue not desired to speake in the wordes taught by humane wisdome but in the words taught of the Holie Ghost From which where I haue swerued as my vnsanctified lippes no doubt too ofteÌ„ haue or which wherin I haue abused as fooles knowe not to vse a parable aright I humbly craue the Christian correction rather then the pardon of the reader for yt ought to goe before and shall be more profitable vnto me Great euerie way shal â—…he benefite hereof be both to me to the whole Church I being instructed shal through the grace of God both repent learne to amend my faultes the Church shall reape the fruits of Gods graces much more plentifullie in others which if I may any way stir vp I shal not iudg my labour wholy lost The diffuse and disorderly handling of these points will also no doubt be yrksonne vnto the Reader neither in deed take I anie pleasure therin but let that be partly imputed to the confuse subiect â—…ou know what BABEL signifieth but chieflie to my waÌ„t of skill that knew not how to do yt better I am coÌ„tent to beare that blame so others may reape anie good by the rest If some vnperfect senteÌ„ces or superfluous repetitions arise in the reading attribute those to his weakned memorie that is but a litle cherished as also to the incoÌ„uenience of the place through the iniquitie of the times where such was the rage of the enimie as he might not keepe one sheade by him whiles he was writinge of an other hauinge also as euill meanes to reuise or retract that he had written so no woÌ„der though manie thinges escaped which might with more dilligence haue beene preuented Let these also be the writers blame deseruedlie which he for thy good thinketh not much to sustaine But now remaineth the verie Argument subiect of this Booke w ch of â—…l other will be most disliked held most odious heinous of all sorts of men who wil neuer endure to heare the magnificence of the false Church wherin they haue so long beene nouriâ—…hed in so great delight reprooued cast downe So throughlie are they intoxicate vvith the wine of her abhominations and all their senses bownd in the fetters of her fornications that they haue no eies to see eares to heare or hearts to beleeue the truth But especiallie the shipmaisters the marriners merchantmen and all the people that reigne row are caried in this false Church they will neuer indure to see fire cast into her theâ—… wil neuer indure to suffer losse of their daintie pretious merchaÌ„dise but rather will raise vp no small tumultes and stirres against the seruantes of God seeking their blood by all subtill violent meanes as we reade in the scriptures their predecessors haue alwaies donne accusing them of treason troubling the state schisme heresie and vvhat not But vnto all the power learning deceipt rage of the false Church vve oppose that litle Booke of Gods vvorde which as the light shall reueale her as the fire consume her as an heauy milstone shall presse her and all her children louers partakers abettors downe to hell which Booke we willinglie receiue as the iudge of al our controuersies knowing that all men shall one day that ere long be iudged by the same by this Booke who so is found in error or transgression let them haue sentence accordinglie Neither let the dreadfull seuere iugments of GOD be lesse feared or esteemed because they are pronounced by a frayle weake man or that man or messenger be hardlier entreated or iudged too seuere because he doth deliuer the message of his Lord. The Lord assuredlie doth ratifie in heauen whatsoeuer he pronounceth heere or earth neither hath anie seruant of GOD power to alter change his maisters wil they cannot loose that he bindeth or lighten his yoke Let then that state people or person that findeth himself greeued at anie thing heere said first inquire the truth therof in the word of GOD so giue credit obedience accordingly for wheÌ„ the Lion roreth vvho should not feare when the Lord hath spoken vvho should not prophecie Let him that heareth therfore heare and he that leaueth off let him leaue off yet let all know the Lion roreth not in the forest if no pray be present neither the young Lion out of his denne if he be not about to take And when the Lion of the Tribe of IVDA is once raised vp vvho shall then find Argumentes to plead or vveapons of defence yt is a most fearfull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing GOD. Great is the mercie of GOD that bloweth the trumpet and giueth warning before he â—…ring the euill vpon vs yea great is his mercie patience that yet continueth to speake knock and call we hauing so long skorned his messengers despised his words c. Only now let all men in whome is anie feare or loue of GOD anie care of their owne saluation tremble at the word of GOD let them be warned feareâ—… leâ—… them ponder their owne waies depart from euill least the finall wrath of God preuent them Let them consider the further they go on iâ—… error the further they depart from the truth and the harder they shall find yt to returne Let them not be perswaded to continue in euill by the authoritie wisdome pretended learning or holines of anie neither by the numbers and multitudes after they haue once heard or seene the error of their way the Lord keepe all his from presumptuous sinne Long hath that great milstone of the Lordes fearfull iudgmentes beene lift vp on high in the eies of all men ouer this presumptuous confuse BABEL wherin they continue long hath the Lord called commaunded all his people to goe yea to flee out of her Many they see by Gods mightie hand escaped deliuered and marching with the banner of the Gospell displaied before all the inchanters of Egipt PHARAOH his troupes Let the rest no longer â—…empt GOD or be held vnder the dint compasse of this dreadfull milstone by anie perswasions but let them saue their soules out of this accursed false Church with all speed whiles yet grace and time is offred and ioine themselues vnto the faithfull seruantes of CHRIST vnder his conduct Gospell that he may lead them out of the howse of this spirituall bondage into the gloriâ—…us libertie of the sonnes of GOD vnto that desired TZION there together to serue God lead their liues in holines according to Gods owne wil to the comfort assurance of their owne soules the glorie of his name Amen Let the vniust do vniustlie yet and
of the elders whiles yt was inlightned with the burning lamps of Gods spirit and that the Book was receaued and opened of the Lamb whiles CHRIST sate vpō the white horse his owne holy word that they remained togeather in that heauenly order vvher in CHRIST had placed bestowed euerie member the Apostles those excellent workmē had planted left them being fitly coupled ioined togeather by euerie ioint for the seruice help of the whole according to the effectual power that is in the measure of euerie part vntil Satan I say that auncient enimie of our happines had that great sword giuē him vvherwith he made stil shal make bloudye war raise vp greeuous persecutiō against the woman her seed without vvithin vvhiles they slept were negligēt sowing his darnel of errors and tares of discord amongst them raising vp sectes through the ambition and vainglory of some drawing others into schisme through pride and hypocrisie others into heresies through their headstrong vnbridled asfectiōs al into his snare through the general default of al who slacked their duties kept not their orderly watch one ouer an other and iointly ouer the whole as they were cōmanded prescribed by the Apostles But as the age that arose after Ioshua those Elders of his time vvas sone corrupted and forgate the ordināces of their GOD and the great thinges the Lord had done for their forefathers so these sone fell frō the Apostolike order and left their primitiue diligence care The people vpō a superstitious reuerence preposterous estimatiō vnto their teachers and elders resigned vp al thinges euen their du◅ie interest libertie prerogatiue into their handes suffering them to alter dispose of all thinges after their owne lustes without inquirie or controlemēt vvhervpon the true patterne of CHRISTES Testamēt so highly and with so great charge incōmended by the Apostles vnto the fidelitie of the vvhole Church was soone neglected and cast aside especially by these euil work mē these gouernours who some of thē affecting the preeminēce sought to draw an absolute power into their owne hādes peruerting those offices of more labour care into swelling titles of fle◅hly pompe and vvorldly dignitie Thus vvrought the mysterie of iniquitie yea so far were manie of them caried with a vaine opinion and ostentation of the excellencie of their giftes as they vnder holy pretextes of doing good vnto others sought al◅o vnder this cloke a iurisdiction and regencie ouer other congregat◅ons also which was easily obteyned the people thr◅ugh the iust iudgmētes of GOD being now so bewitched and blinded with their sweet tongues that they easily condiscended Then were these caled Bishops of such a Citie and if they were cities of rule to which any territories townes or hamletes in the countrie belonged then were they called Bi◅hops of such a Diocesse c. had vnder them inferiour or countrie Bishops as also Deacons subdeacons Thus the whole Church growing remisse negligēt both people officers that heauenly patterne left by the Apostles was soone violate and vpō new pretences more more innouate For hereby was a wide gap opened to al licenciosnes disorder the people growing dissolute the priestes as they terme them proude so that religion with was erwhile so irksoome to flesh and blood so mightily persecuted by Sathan and all the princes of the world grew now so plausible to all sortes of men so pleasing to their affections appetites that the great Princes of the world and all their realmes countries flowed apace to the Church in this estate the gates and entrie being as ill kept without as the watch within So that vpon this increase there were manie of these citie Bishops wherby the pride of some could not heerwith be satisfied vntil they had gottē them a new dignitie namely to be Archbb s. ouer all the BB s. in a Prouince or countrie Heer were also new Deacons Archdeacons erected Yet was not the ambitious thirst of some thus stanched but they aspired yet to a more high degree preeminēce so that there must now be picked out fowre principal cities vvhich must carrie 4. Patriarches These had yet higher power thē the Archb s. and were erected to see to the gouernment discipline as they call yt of al Churches in respect or rather in despite of those 4 beastes vvhich had so many eies and vvings and ◅tood day and night about the throne of GOD. but they vvere rather those 4 angels vvhich stood vpon the 4 corners of the earth holding the 4 windes of the earth that the windes should not blow vpon the earth neither on the sea nor on any tree But Sathan hauing yet a further reach ceased not heere but euen amongst those 4 he stil cōtended to set vp one chief which variably fell out somtimes to one somtimes to another vntil at length the lot rested vpō the Sea of Rome vvhere the papacie being vpholdē by mixed with the Empire and in the end swallowing yt vp became the very throne of An◅ichrist vvhere he sitteth in his exaltatiō to vvhome the key of the bottomles pyt vvas giuen vvhich being by him set vvide open the smoke of his cannons deuises trumperies and abhominations darkned the funne poisoned the aire the Locustes Scorpiōs that came out of this pit out of this smoke the multitudes and swarmes of monkes fryers cannons vagrant mendicant preachers parish priestes c. so pestered and prisoned euerie tree so stung enuenomed euerie conscience as they could beare no fruite neither brooke any wholsome doctrine Thus Antichrist being now established and fortified in the midst of his strengths his councel of Cardinals his Metropolitane Archbishops Palatine Lord BB s. in euerie countrie he now receaued the great charter of his prerogatiue infernal euen the Dragon his power throne and auctoritie He now boldly opened his mouth against God blaspheming the tabernacle of CHRIST them that dwel therin innouating and changing all thinges after his owne ◅ustes the ministerie gouernment orders worship thus exalting himself against al that is called GOD sitting in the temple of GOD as GOD shewing himself that he is GOD causing all men to worship his miage to receaue his mark to buy his vvares c. bringing ◅orth his harlot vpon the stage of the vvorld stately mounted vpon his beastly power pompously araied and gorgiously decked and adorned the more to allure intise vvhose cup of fornicatiōs was caried far neere to many nations people and tongues so that the kings of the earth committed fornication with her the inhabitants of the earth vvere drunkē with the vvine of her fornications which she conueied vnto them by the handes of her merchantmen vvho are vvax◅n ritch vvith the abundance of her pleasures Yet in al this defectiō corruptiō apostacie hath GOD
in the bozome of their Church c. so if we by the rules of Christs TestameÌ„t duly examine this their flanting ministerie wherof their Church so boasteth I doubt not but that we shal find them as counterfeit prodigious antichristian and rightly fitting to this monstrous confuse bodie of the multitudes this harlot their Church sittetâ—… on Which ministerie to describe in their coullers were a fitter Argument for a stage play to bring forth these hypocrits out of their dennes and to make them play their partes in the light then for any sober christiaÌ„ discourse who abhor to raue in their vncleane cages filthy kennels yet that they may the sodainlyer apeare of what soâ—… they are we the soner haue done with them let vs first coÌ„sider what maner of officers CHRIST hath apointed in the Church of God then how thâ—…se ought to enter then how to administer and so briefly by these rules examine the ministerie of their Church of England The ministerie apointed vnto the gouernmeÌ„t seruice of y e Church of CHRIST we find to be of two sortes Elders Deaâ—…ons the Elders some of them to giue attendance vnto the publike ministerie of the word sacrameÌ„tes as the Pastor Teacher the other Elders together with them to giue attendance to the publike order gouernmeÌ„t of the Church the Deacons to attend the gathering and distributing the goodes of the Church Now these Officers are first duly proued examined compared by to these rules set downe in the Testament of CHRIST both in apparant graces by the manifestation of the spirit as also in al vnreproueable conuersation witnessed wel aproued vnto that flock of which they are chosen to serue attend This done with praier fasting they are chosen ordenied in the same CongregatioÌ„ by publike consent They being thus chosen ordeined by all are now diligently faithsully to execute their office vnto all not preiudicing the libertie of any â—…mbitiously assuming any inordinate authoritie or abusing or neglecting their office neither holding or executing yt in regard or in respect of person but vprightly and indifferently performing yt vnto all men as in the eies of God whose word they purely and sinâ—…erely teach faithfully precisely obserue to their vttermost knowledg and power If in any thing they transgresse or offend they are as well as any other members liable to the censure of the Church which is to reproue depose or excommunicate them according to the qualitie of the sinne estate of the offenders c. Now to come to the ministerie of the Church of England which is so manifold diuers as I know not how to begin to describe yt But let yt first be diuided into these 3 sorts 1. Reigning or Gouerning 2 Seruing 3 Collegiate 1. Of the reigning gouerning minifters are Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops Arch-Deacons Chancellers Commissaries all of the high Commission as likewise such ciuil Doctors Proctors Registers Scribes Pursuiuantes Sumners as attend vpon their Courtâ—…s of faculties prerogatiue Archies delegates c. 2 Of the seruing sort are Parsons Vickars Curates hireling Lecturers vagrant mercenarie Preachers house priestes Chaplens half-Priestes or catechisers Church-wardens sidemen questmen paâ—…ish Clarkes 3 Of the ministerie colâ—…egiate are Lord Bishops Deanes Sub-Deanes Prebendaries Canons petie ChaÌ„nons Gospellers Pistellers Singing meÌ„ Singing boies Vergiers Sextines This diuisioÌ„ I suppose wil wel neere suffice for their officers But now how to diuide or distinguish their offices I know not I am so vnlearned ignorant of such great secrets high misteries Neither yet haue I skil to â—…arshial theÌ„ in their degrees of honour which I haue heard say they haue both in the coÌ„mon welth in their schooles as â—…eir Primate their Mettopolitane graces their Palatine Lordbishops 〈◊〉 their Baronny Lordships al which I weene be Peeres of the realme 〈◊〉 estates of the Land Now there are also certayne Doctors of diuiâ—…tie Bachelors of diuinitie which haue many great priuileges â—…ogatiues of the cappe the skatlet gowne the hood the habbite the â—…pet c. the ring the chaire the one of theÌ„ being a Kinghts fellow â—…e other an Esquires in any ground in England Also how capable â—…ese are by statute of how many benefices I cannot tell Neither haue I the cunning to deriue their genealogies and pedeâ—…ies as they tooke beginning in the ages succeeding the Apostles in â—…e first 4. or 500. yeres only because I want that deep learning I must â—…ntent my self to goe to that old book of Gods word There in deed â—…emember Reuel 9. that I read of a Sar that fell from heauen vnto the â—…rth which had the key of the bottomles pyt giuen vnto him who â—…hen he had opened that bottomles pyt there arose the smoke of â—…e pyt as the smoke of a great fornace wherwith the Sunne and â—…e aire were darkned Out of which smoke of the said pyt I read 〈◊〉 at al these monstrous armed crowned poisoned Locustes Scorâ—…oÌ„ns issued c. Now as they tooke beginning with Antichrisâ—… vnder â—…eir king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apolluon so tooke they increase together with him â—…or when Sathan had enthronized him giueÌ„ him his high CoÌ„missioÌ„ 〈◊〉 made him his LieftenaÌ„t general in earth c. then these his Peeres 〈◊〉 câ—…ptaines compassed about guarded his throne did miracles â—…efore the Beast deceauing with the effectual power of their errors â—…l such as receaued the Beastes marke or worshipped his image and â—…ried forth his image far an neere and set yt vp in al places where his â—…rson could not be coÌ„pelled al both smal great rich poore 〈◊〉 receiue the Beastes mark worship his image this I read in the 13 â—…f the Reue. Now in the 16. Chapter of the said booke after that yâ—… viâ—…s of Gods wrathful iudgmeÌ„tes had beene powred out vpoÌ„ the earth â—…oÌ„ the sea vpoÌ„ the riuers fountaines ef waters vpoÌ„ the Sunne vpoÌ„â—…e Throne of the Beast vpon their great riuer Euphrates I read that â—…ese vncleane spirites that came out of the mouth of that Dragon â—…nd out of the mouth of that Beast and out of the mouth of that false â—…rophet â—…hich are y c spirites of Deuils working miracles should goe â—…rth vnto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather â—…em vnto the battel of that geat day of God almightie yea and in â—…e 17. of the Reuelation that they should cause these kings those ten â—…ornes to hate the whore to make her desolate and naked to burne â—…e whore with fire euen that faire harlot of whose cup they haâ—…â—…runke and with whome they had coÌ„mitted foâ—…ation so many â—…eares before and to giue their kingdomes power and authoritie vnâ—…o the Beast vntil the woâ—…des of God be accoÌ„plished In the 19. 20. â—…hapters of this
they keep an holy feast abstaine from laâ—…our c. Moreouer by this Book are the priestes to administer their â—…cramentes by this Book to Church their women by this Book to â—…arry by this Book to visit housle the sick by this Book to burie the â—…ead by this Book to keâ—…p their Rogation to â—…ay certaine Psalmes and â—…raiers ouer the corne and grasse certayne gospels at croâ—…sewaies c. â—…his Booke is good at al assaies yt is the only Book of the world He 〈◊〉 can but orderly distinctly reade this Booke may get a liuing by 〈◊〉 It is no maruaile though they be sworne to and by this Booke â—…any great thinges might be said of this Book how yt was made by â—…ertayne learned Bishops afterward godly Martyres and how some â—…f the Martyres vsed part of yt as the Letany the night before 〈◊〉 suffered c. Well vvho translated yt vve vvill not contend For â—…e thing yt self yt is euident to be abstracted out of the Popes blasâ—…hemous masse-MASSE-BOOK and how consonant yt is vnto the word of â—…od remaineth to be examined and shall through Gods grace by the â—…iscussing of some particular pointes though not of euerie singular erâ—…or for that were an endles labour apeare so shall neither the marâ—…yres vse coÌ„mend nor our dislike condemne but Gods word be Iudge â—…f all To let passe therfore what in times past this Book hath beene and â—…ow yt hath beene vsed either by the Pope or those Bishops vve find â—…t now to be the very ground worcke of their faith Church and miâ—…isterie in place to them of the vvord of God as from whence they â—…etch all their direction for all thinges yea herein aboue the word of â—…od in that from hence they fetch not only their rules wherby to doe â—…hinges but eueÌ„ the verie things themselues that they do as their Leiâ—…ourgies c. So far is this Book froÌ„ being subiect to the word of God as â—…t in al things ouerrulâ—…th the word of God dismeÌ„breth rendeth corâ—…upteth peruerteth abuseth yt to their stinted Mâ—…tteÌ„s Euensong to theiâ—… dayes fastes feastes c. yea the word of God mâ—…y not be taught buâ—… where this book hath first beene read and hath had the preeminence This booke in their Churches must haue the soueraintie yt may not be gainsaâ—…ed or controld or if yt be the word of God must giue plaâ—…e that priest called corâ—…m nobis lessoned and scholed if he wil not be conformable depriued of his priestdome if he be found stout or conâ—…macious theÌ„ is he cast into prison to coole him vnâ—…il his stomake comâ—… downe that he make sute vnto his Grace or some other L. Bishop hiâ—… Ordinarie and enter bonde to be conformable or silent Moreouer this booke in that yt standeth a publike prescript continued Leiturgy not as yet to come to the particulars or meddle with the blasphemous contentes therof but to speake generally of yt as if 〈◊〉 were the best that euer was deuised by mortal man yet in this place vse being brought into the Church yea or into any priâ—…ate house 〈◊〉 becometh a detestable idol standing for that yt is not in the Church oâ—… God consciences of men namely foâ—… holy spirituall and faithfuâ—… prayer yt being nothing lesse but rather abhominable and loth somâ—… sacrifice in the sight of God euen as a dead dogg Now vndâ—…r the law might neither any corrupt or any vnlawful sacrifice with any seene blemish be offred at the Altar nether any part of any beast â—…hough whilâ—… yt liued neuer so sufficient being slayne before yt be brought vnto 〈◊〉 Altar yt was abhomination vnto the Lord. Euerie sacrifice must be brought quick new vnto the Altar there be sâ—…ayne everie morning and euening how much more in this spiritual Temple of God wheâ—… the offringes are spiritual and God hath made al his seruantes Kings priestes to offer vp acceptable sacrifices vnto him through 〈◊〉 CHRIT who hath thervnto giueÌ„ them his holy spirit into their hearts to helpe their infirmitâ—…es and â—…each them to crie ABBA Father Hoâ—… much more hath he which ascended giueÌ„ graces to thoâ—…e his seruanâ—… whome he vseth in such high seruices to the repairing of the Sainâ—… the worke of the ministerie and the edification of the Church vnto whome God vseth theÌ„ as his mouth the Church againe on the othâ—… side vseth them as their mouth vnto the Lord. Shall we think thâ—… God hath any time left these his seruantes so singly furnished destitute of his grace that they cannot find words according to their necessities faith to expresse their wantes and desires but need thus to be taught line vnto line as children new weaned from the brestes what when to say how much to say and when to make an end to say thâ—… collect at at the beginning that at the end that before the tother afteâ—… this in the morning that at after noone c. How like children or raâ—…her like mas king fooles are these great clarkes dressed shew they nâ—… hereby that either they haue no faith or elâ—… are such infantes as 〈◊〉 haue more need to be fed theÌ„ to diuide the portioÌ„ vnto others Knoâ—… they trow we what praâ—…er or the spirit of God meaneth Praier I take 〈◊〉 be a confident demanding which faith maâ—…eth thoâ—…ow the holy 〈◊〉 â—…ccording to the wil oâ—… God for their present wantes estate c. How now can any read prescript stinted Leitouâ—…gie which was penned many yeares or daies before be said a powring forth of the heart vnto the Lord or those faithful requestes whâ—…ch are stirred vp in them by the holy Ghost according to their present waÌ„tes estate of their heartes or church vnlesse they can say that their heartes church stand in â—…he same estate now so still to their liues end shal continue without â—…ither further increase or decrease change or alteration as they did â—…hen yea that their childers children shal also so continue to whome â—…hey leaue and incommend this Leitourgie vnto the worldes end What 〈◊〉 strange estate is this that alwaies thus standeth at a stay The way of â—…he righteous Solomon saith shineth as the light that shineth more â—…nd more vnto the perfect day as on the contrarie the way of the â—…icked is as the darknes they know not wherin they shall fall Our Sauiour Christ saith that if we gather not we scatter The Apostle 〈◊〉 willeth the new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the â—…ord that they may grow therby vntil they come to the measure of â—…he age of the fulnes of Christ saith the Apostle Paul Now then if â—…hey their church increase not in the measure of knowledg grace â—…olines c. yt is an infallible signe that they haue not the Spirit of God If thâ—…y do increase why
yt is vsed according to his ordinance yt neuer being so â—…pened touched or heard without great fruit yt being the verie tree â—… riuer of life with the abundaÌ„t fruites flowing graces wherof the â—…hole church is nourished watered that therfore the like commaÌ„â—…nt or blessing is of their leauâ—…ned Leitourgies or because God 〈◊〉 the infancie of his church prescribâ—…d certaine scripturâ—…s and psalâ—…es to be read sung vpon their sabath day solemne feastes c. yea â—… at other times of their great affliction oppression calamitie cauâ—…d certaine coÌ„fortable 〈◊〉 to be read in the assâ—…mblie sor the â—…rengthning of the faithful both that they should not be dismaied at 〈◊〉 greatnes coÌ„tinuance of these troubles or think theÌ„ straÌ„ge or els â—…ppose that God were either offâ—…nded with or vnmindful of theÌ„ or 〈◊〉 â—…is mercies c. that therfore now they may vpoÌ„ such feastes saboâ—…s daies times troubles enioyne that I no more meÌ„tioÌ„ their owne â—…auened leitourgies these or any other scriptures by stint measure 〈◊〉 iniunctioÌ„ law vpoÌ„ thâ—… church of God now Is the church of God 〈◊〉 in wardship such infaÌ„cie shut vp as vnder a garrisoÌ„ that yt must â—…ue such Tutors rudimentes Is not Christ now dead risen and â—…ended and hath freed his church from such tutelship he himself now becomming their lawgiuer and minister in person and hath now giuen them his holy word Spirit to administer wisdome vnto them in al freedome to vse the same his word according to his wil their owne occasions vnto his glorie and their comfortes And what can now be a greater bondage to the church iniurie vnto Christ and vnto the Spirit of God then thus to limit to stint circumscribe the church of God the ministerie of Christ the spirit of God by apportioning rating enioyning by way of subiection commandemeÌ„t this scripture in this number quantitie for this day feast fast calamitie c. where haue they any rule for this in the TestameÌ„t of Christ They wil say yt sufficeth that they haue warraÌ„t for yt in the old Testament where these perscript limited scriptures at such daies feastes times occasions were commanded inioined in the church c. But I hope they caÌ„ put differeÌ„ce betwixt the estate lawes of the church vnder Moses now vnder Christ that they wil not now reserue â—…eviue and apply those lawes belonging to the TeÌ„ple the ministerie therof now to the church ministerie of Christ. But they take not these to be ceremonial lawes but â—…ather morall which commandeth scriptures to be read praiers to be made in the church of God these scriptures which they inioyne are such therfore may so be vsed True yt is the moral law both commanded the name of God to bâ—… called vpon and the word of God to be read c. and this to al tiâ—…s estates persons indifferently as wel to that ministery vnder the law as to this vnder the gospel leauing the particular maner order therâ—…f to the wisdoÌ„ directioÌ„ reuelation of the holy Ghost from time to time as seemed good vnto him Now yt pleased God to giue those rudimentes of the vse of certaine scriptures psalmes c. to the ministerie of that church commanding such scriptures to be there read vpon such daies occasiones c. such psalmes to be sung by such Leuites of such an order of ASAPH HEMAN or IEDVTHVN to be sung in such a time with such musickes such instrumentes c. Al which I am sure they cannot deny to be inseperably ioyned vsed to those scriptures in that Temple and ministerie and were meerly ceremonial now vtterly abrogate with that Temple and ministerie and no way belong to the ministerie or Church of Christ. Those stinted lawes and customes I say I would not be vnderstood of the precious word of God wherof euerie iode and title abideth for euer and is of vse and fruite in the church of God which scriptures and figures are not without their especial profite in their spiritual sense and vnderstanding al and ech of which scriptures are now freely to be vsed withouâ—… stint or limitation in the Church of Christ as his spirit giueth wisdom grace and vtterance and not to be restreined and aportionate by way of prescription and commandement without the losse of Christian libertie of the truth of the Gospel the abusing the word of God vnto idolatrie making yt an Idol But heere they wil say that the reading of the scriptures and â—…inging of Psalmes is also coÌ„manded in the Church of CHRIST This â—…ath beene long since granted yet no such stinted and limited reading â—… singing thus thus much this day at that time c. as they inioine â—…ell yet seing they are still coÌ„manded though at our libertie what â—…heÌ„ to reade or sing them many of them being godly praiers we may â—…et pray by the booke and by written praiers As this word prayer by 〈◊〉 general constructioÌ„ may be vnderstood I graunt they may be called â—…raiers in that they conteine fit matter rules instructions for praier â—…nd were to that end by the holy Ghost written yet can they not be â—…ied our praiers or my particulaâ—… praier because they neither expresse â—…ur present wantes according to the present estate of our heartes neiâ—…her can be said the liuely graces worke of Gods spirit in vs so much â—…s the power of Gods word and Spirit vnto vs. My meaning is they â—…re not dâ—…awen or powred out of our heartes as out of a fountaine buâ—…â—…ather drawen out of the fountaine of Gods word powred into our â—…eartes as a vessel therfore can not be said our praier which must proâ—…eed from the present estate of our heart They are not our wordes by â—…s offred vnto God but Godes word by him offred vnto vs therfore â—…annot be said our praiers But ô how hard a thing is yt for carnal men to discerne spiritual â—…hinges They can by no meanes be made to put difference betwixt the â—…ord of God and their Apocryphâ—… Leitourgies which they falsly vaunt to â—…e according to the word of God betwixt reading singing praying 〈◊〉 the present liuely graces of Gods Spirit in vs and their old â—…enned dead writinges betwixt Gods word to vs instructing vs accorâ—…ing to our infirmities by way of petition and our wordes vnto God by â—…aithfull praier And this vale being layd ouer their eies and heartes â—…hese blind guides â—…ot only affirme but condemne thinges they know â—…ot the one in setting vp their owne rotten Leitourgies abusing the â—…ord of God to in the same c. the other in crying out with open â—…outh against such as reproâ—…e them and will not partake with them â—…n their idolatrie Insomuch as Doctor ROBERT SOME confesseth very â—…illingly and freely that he was amased when he heard vs affirme that â—…art of holy
shal haue recouered your senses froÌ„ the amazement wherinto you were smitten with this strange Doctrine touchnig praier to a further consideration of the matter to see if you can bring any better reasons or repaire these in your third booke against the poore persecuted seruantes of Christ whome you vntruly accuse blaspheme publish for Anabaptists what not in these youâ—… priuiledged poisoned writings I haue sufficiently as I hope shewed the vnlawfulnes of bringing into or reading in the church these stinted numbred praiers and set seruice in their written diuised Leitourgies both because they wanâ—… warrant in the Testament of Christ practise of the Apostles and are contrarie to the same being Apochrypha not the liuely graces of Gods Spirit being contrary to al the rules of praier yea to the Spirit yt selâ—… christian libertie not being drawen from the Spirit of God in vs according to the necessities present estate of the church or of our heartes as the Spirit giueth vtterance but rather teaching the Spirit wordes vsurping the office therof in the consciences of meÌ„ yea setting stintes lawes vpon the Spirit church prescribing this thus much to be said this day in the morning at afternone thus many collectes or Pater nosters heer a Creed a Tâ—… deum c. I haue shewed the supertition idolatrie abhominacion of the best of theÌ„ how they are buâ—… as a dead stinking carion not a liuely acceptable sacrifice vnto the Lord so abhominacion wil worship not required at our handes so superstitioÌ„ brought into standing in the church of God for that they are not namly as rules lawes of the church as holy praiers and incense of the Saintes as the liuely graces present worke of the Spirit so idolatrie I haue shewed that those scriptures vsed in them do no way iustifie theÌ„ no more then they doe the masse-booke or a Coniures magical incantatioÌ„s which haue also holy psalmes scriptures as vnreprooueable praiâ—…rs but rather that they make theÌ„ the more heinous in that they so rende mangle peruert the scriptures to such blasphemous abuses I haue shewed that such written stinted stuffe cannot be said the praiâ—…rs oâ—… the Saintes neither do any good either instruct or help the weakâ—… coÌ„sciences of any but are rather the very leauen poison of their heartes soules the very cradles and cushions of these graceles Priestes Atheistes to rock them asleepâ—… in their sinnes securitie neuer touching the heart or conscieÌ„ce but teaching them to prate ouer vpon the booke or by rote their certayne nuÌ„ber of wordes to the Lord as though the booke were their heart vtterly quenching the Spirit of God and al the light that is in them They make theÌ„ bâ—…leeue that this prescript praier is good at this time that at an other time this when they rise or at dinner the tother when they goe to supper or to sleepe this when they are sick that is special good to be read or saied at the point and hower of death Thus abuse they misleade men keep them wholy from the exercise of the Spiâ—…it of God in them from the searching and powring out theyr heartes â—…efore the Lord from the due confession sorrow repentance for â—…heyr sinnes froÌ„ the true knowledg or any vse or benefite of that blesâ—…ed benefite holy exercise of praier and wholy from receauing any â—…crease blessing or grace froÌ„ God as the preseÌ„t estate of their church â—…heir faith soules sheweth euideÌ„tly being by their stinted Leiâ—…ourgie â—…coÌ„sidered at the best that they can imagine or speake for theÌ„selues â—…ept at a stay alwaies in one estate hauing neither more nor lesse of â—…ods grace but eueÌ„ the self same stil. Thus are they neuer led forth â—…ne step towardes perfection vntil a new Leitourgie be made where â—…hey haue al thinges prescribed both what to doe how to doe what 〈◊〉 say how much to say wheÌ„ to say wheÌ„ to make an end Thus iugâ—…le they mock with God behold how the Lord deludeth deâ—… them withholdeth the early latter rayne of his blessinges froÌ„â—…eÌ„ the coÌ„tinual spring haruest of his fruitful gracâ—…s they being â—…holy emptie destitute therof depriued of light truâ—… knowledg â—…ea coÌ„mon sense feeling their consciences being seared as with an â—…ote yron their heartes paued hardned in their sinnes which they â—…oÌ„mit â—…ueÌ„ with gâ—…eedines hauing left theÌ„ no sight iudgmeÌ„t or power 〈◊〉 theÌ„selues to discerne betwixt good euil nether to looke or know â—…hat 〈◊〉 wil of God is for any thing they doe or leaue vndone Neither â—…aue they power to practise yt but depend wholy vppon others for al 〈◊〉 things to theÌ„ they goe to inquire as they say so yt is without any â—…oubt so yt must be done without any coÌ„traditioÌ„ Thus is their faith â—…at inwrapped faith of the papistâ—…s to belâ—…ue as the church 〈◊〉 without knowing what y â— church belâ—…eueth to beleeue doe â—…s such a preacher such a Rabbine beleeueth doeth Ó he is a learâ—…ed an holy maÌ„ he would not doâ—… otherwise theÌ„ wel for al the world â—…uch a Martyre made this such a maÌ„ that yt caÌ„not be but good say â—…od what he wil. They see with other meÌ„s eies speak with other mens â—…outhes pray beleeue with other meÌ„s heartes Thus doe they al by â—…rescript custome traditioÌ„ without regard to y e rules of Gods word â—…hus build they their house faith vpon thâ—… sandes thus are they by â—…heir blind guides deluded led out of y e way thus are they cast into â—…tter dâ—…knes held in y e chaines of sinne vnto iudgmeÌ„t their haÌ„des â—…ies heartes al their senses powers being fast bouÌ„d by thesâ—… Egipâ—…iaÌ„ in chaÌ„tâ—…rs their delusions And now that we haue thus largely set â—…ut the vâ—…lawfulnes inconuenieÌ„ces of al prescript Leiâ—…ourgies that all 〈◊〉 prâ—…tences may be remooued out of the way me thinkes yt â—…s now time to returne to this Leiâ—…ourgie of â—…he church of ENGLAND and â—…o consider somwhat more particularly of yt wherby we shal discerne â—…hat kind of faith they haue professe exercise AND HERE IN to dealâ—… with euery particular error therof or to medâ—…le with the patcheries innumerable trumpeâ—…ies therin or al their â—…rosse sollies more then childish euen apish triflinges or their friâ—…olous constitutions customes wheruÌ„to they bind lesson the paâ—…ish priest to say his matteÌ„s eueÌ„song in order to begin with this confession throughout the yeare nay throughout their life TheÌ„ cometh the priestes general pardon thorough the power that his lord Bishop hath comitted vnto him so he proceedeth to his stinted psalmes Lessons with his certaine of Paternosters euer among of CREEDES their forged patcherie coÌ„moÌ„ly calcd the Apostles Creed or SYMâ—…OLE ATHANASIVS CREED the NICENE CREED sometimes sayde in prose
in the best construction to be an humane law â—…estraining and inhibiting the sober and â—…oly vse of those creatures which God hath put in our libertie But â—…s the truth in deed is and as their present practise without all conâ—…radiction declareth yt is as yt is vsed with them a burdenous idolaâ—…rous tradition a papisticall and romish custome being vsed after that â—…uperstitious abhominable manner that I haue abouâ—… declared a speâ—…iall and solemne part of their worship a great and principall action of their Church as the solemne bidding and keeping of that shewâ—…th How can this doctor then say yt concerneth not the conscience â—…o not the publike actions of the Church the worship and seruice of God praier fasting concerne the conscience or may such trumperie â—…raditions be brought into the Church or laid vpon the conscience â—…e learneth nâ—… such doctrine of M r. CALVINE who alloweth no humane diuises no Apocrypha traditions to be brought into the Church of God how holy pregnant or necessarie soeuer they may seeme to be Yet in handling this point he hath vnhappily stumbled at I vvote â—…ot vvhat old prescriptions and auncient erronious customes of keeâ—…ing a solemne memoriall of the birth death and resurrection of CHRIST vpon their peculiar daies yerely as also the feast of Pentecost when the Apostles receiued the holy Ghost c. He also alloweth of Apâ—…crypha Leitourgies viz. â—…set stinted forme of numbred publike praiâ—…rs to be brought into and vsed in the Church and this as yt should â—…eeme because he would not be thought a Nouatian or an Author of â—…ew Religion c. But see how he hath therby both insnared himself opened a gap for other like trumperie to be brought into y e church â—…vhich may easily carrie both as great shew of antiquitie and of godines as these He hath therby also giuen a verie pernitious president â—…nto other ages as apeareth in the miserable estate of our common â—…velth who are a great deale more ready to follow him in his errors â—…ransgressions then to imitate him in his godly vertues laborious and â—…oly life Me thinkes also that M r. CALVINE in the other part of this â—…oint concerning such lawes as pluck away any part of our Christian â—…ibertie or inhibite restraine that which God hath put in our power â—…ath greatly departed from himself therin For hauing very truly set downe that yt is heinous presumption in any mortall man to restraine or make lawes of such things as the Lord hath left in libertie he straightway least he should offend or keepe back ciuil magistrates froÌ„â—…eceauing the Gospel inuenteth a pollitike distinction betwixt y e outward or ciul Court the Court of conscieÌ„ce saying that this outward Court respecteth men only bindeth not the conscience of the doer but the outward actions only the other concerneth matters belonging vnto God therfore bindeth the conscience Thus hath he both lost intangled himself vtterly ouerthrowen all his former doctrine CONSCIENCE HE defineth from the second of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… to be a certaine feeling or remorse within our selues according to the knowledg of Gods wil which doth continually present vs accuse or acquit vs before the iudgment seat of God Although this definition be somwhat of the scantest as making the conscience of man extend no further then his present knowledg which yet we read in the scriptures stretcheth much further namly to the vvhole liâ—…e of man wherin God as in a book writeth aly thinges done in this mortal life which booke he often openeth not vntil the final iudgmeÌ„t but suffereth men to run on die in their sinne without feeling vntill then he plucking away all vailes lets set al their sinnes that euer they haue committed in thought word or deed in order according to their indignitie before them vvhervpon in horror of conscience the scripture setteth out and describeth their fearfull desperate estate vnto our capacitie shewing that in that day they shall euen desire the rockes to fall vpon them the seas to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. c. If our consciences were only charged but with the sinnes which we coÌ„mit against our knowledg theÌ„ ignorance of Gods lawe excuseth the breach therof then were the ignorant in far most best estate and had the cleerest conscience then needed we not to pray for pardon for our ignorant sinnes c. But because our conscience in this life cannot be touched vvith or accuse vs here of more then we know to be sinne for as the Apostle saith without the law we liued but when the commandement came sinne reuiued but we died therfore to aâ—…oide further controuersie I rest in this his description which me thinkes also maketh vene fully against himself for we see how the knowledg of the law reuiueth sinne maketh yt out of measure sinful But to come to the point M r. CALVINE saith that by the ciuil lawes the conscieÌ„ce is not bound but the outward action only Yf he meane thus that the conscience is not subiect to the ciuil Magistrate but the bodie only he saith true If he meane that the ciuill Magistrate can but looke vpon the outward action in the keeping or breach of his law he saith true For man no not the whole Church can enter into Gods seat to search and iudge the conscience the inward affections of the heart c. Man can but behould and iudge the outward actions according to the law of God for if they could then should no hipocrites creepe into or remaine in the Church The heart and conscience vntill by outward actions yt be reuealed is not only liable vnto but searched by and iudged of God And this we see as well in the lawes of the first Table as in the lawes of the second Whiles I resort and vvalket together vvith the Church and vvorship God to all outward seeming vnreprouablie though I be inwardly neuer so great an hypocrite vntill my sinne apparantly breake out the Church can no more censure me then the ciuill Magistrate can punish me before I haue broken the law So then we see the secret conscience is as far out of the reach censure iudgment of the Church as yt is out of the Magistrates hand vntill some fault or offence be made But if M r. CALVINE meane as his wordes and whole scope intâ—…nd that the conscience is not charged with the law of the outward Court but vvith the outward action only then surely he greatly erred For this doctrine is most dangerous and false as discharging the conscience froÌ„ the whole second Table vnto vvhich yt is as much bound as vnto the first Neither can vve keep or please God in the first that vvalke not vvith a good conscience towardes all men in the second Our praiers are abhominable that are offred with handes ful of blood â—…r vvith our
wordes which the Lord of hostes sendeth ◅n his spirit by the ministrie of his seruantes resisting the holy Ghost a◅ their forefathers haue done persecuting at all handes and smiting with the fist of wickednes such as speake vnto them in the name of God for the redresse and amendment of their liues THVS HAVING seene these solemne fastes what kind of stuffe they are let vs now a litle while turne our eies to the publike Sacramentes of this famous Church of England Which that they may the sooner appeare let vs see in a word or two what the ordinance of Christ is cōcerning the outward administratiō therof Wee find in his Testament vnto euerie true Sacrament required 1. a lawful minister of the Gospel to deliuer them 2. a faithful people or their seed to receaue them 3. the outward elemētes forme of wordes which our Sauiour Christ hath ordeined therunto As in baptisme to baptise them vvith cleane vvater in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Vnto the supper of the Lord are required the elemēts of bread and wine which bread after thankes giuing is to be broken and to be deliuered with such vvordes of exhortatiō as are thervnto prescribed and the cup to be deliuered in like manner Now where any of these vvanteth either a lawful minister of the Gospel to deliuer thē a faithful people holy congregatiō ioyned together in the faith and order of Christ to receaue them or any other forme of administration either in the elementes or order be vsed then our Sauiour Christ in his Testament hath inioined to be vsed we may boldly affirme that such are adulterate false Sacramentes And now let vs but euen as briefly compare these Sacramentes of the Church of Englād to these rules They there haue to begin with an antichristian Romish ministerie such as the Pope left them as is abouesaid a profane cōfuse people their seed to receaue them For who with them that is able to pay for the Chrisme is not baptised the seed of heretikes witches coniurers c. who with them is not admitred to their communion of the supper that wil pay his offertorie And to come to their forme of administration what a sort of fond trifling ceremonies are added to their Sacramentes as to their publike baptisme yt must be done in their coniured hallowed Font with a special Gospel taken o◅t of the 10 Chapter after Mark the water being wel coniured hallowed to the mystical washing away of sinne c. special Gossipes called and chosen which are godfathers godmothers which must publikely there vndertake for y t child that he shall forsake the deuil al his workes cōstantly beleeue Gods holy word obediently keep his commandementes Where after this prety dialogue betwixt the parish priest the parish clarke these godfathers godmothers which answere for the infant the priest baptiseth yt in the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost and of the holy Crosse chargeth these godfathers c. to teach the infant the Creed Lords praier tenne commandementes All which when he can say haue learned also some of that worthy Catachisme which is set out for that purpose then must he be brought to the Bishop to receaue his second Baptisme which they cal Bishoping or confirmation wherunto also he must haue a new Godfather c. Then after ◅e hath beene posed by the Bishop wh◅ther he cā say his geare aboue prescribed the childe kneeling downe this reuerēd B◅ layeth his holy hands vpō his head saith a certayne Collect ouer him cōfirmeth his former baptisme giuing him his blessing dismisseth him Yet is there a third and fourth kind of baptisme in the Church of England namely the hasty baptisme done by the midwife who if she see the childe in peril and like to dye before yt can be brought to the Church then is she to bestir her giue the child the christendome least yt neuer come in heauen and this baptisme is warranted by their seruice-Boke to be lawful and sufficient baptisme and the Priest finding yt orderly done by the cunning midwife is to publish yt in the Church to be verie good allowable and to commend them that so orderly did yt at that time of necessitie But if the Priest vpon the examination of the matter find that the midwife was not cunning in this trade but for haste or feare forgot or left out some of her accomplementes then must he according to the ◅orme prescribed in their publike baptisme proceed with the Godfathers Godmothers c. saue that whē he cōmeth to dip yt he must say N. If thou be not baptised already I baptise thee c. And this may be termed baptisme by supposition Their other sacrament of the supper also is not free of the like found trifling superstitious additions and is by their SERVICE-BOOK diuided into 2 sortes publike of al together in their Synagogue priuate in their houses called the communion of the sick In their publike communiō the Priest araied in his ministerial vesture is placed at the north end of the Table and there is to read his certayne He is there nurtured vvhen to turne to the Table when to the people when to stand when to kneele vvhat and vvhen to say The people after they haue offred to the priest are in their place to kneele downe to say and answere the Priest at his turnes times as is prescribed in their masse-Masse-book vvhere after Sr. priest hath taken a say and begun to the people he deliuereth vnto them as they kneele their maker after the old popish manner altering the wordes and forme of institution deliuered by our Sauiour and his Apostles saying THE BODY of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which was giuen for thee c. It were long to set downe their preambles and seuerall Collectes at this their communion as at their Christ-masse day their Easter day Assention day vvhite-sunday Trinitie sunday and how the whole queir priest people glorie God with Angels Archangelles and all the companie of heauen c. and after they haue receiued the priestes blessing they are all dismissed with peace But now their priuate communion or housling of the sick is after a more cursorie briefe maner with a short litle pistle gospel and nothing so manie Pater nosters Creedes Collectes Anthemes nor such solemne exhortations because the sick desires to haue yt with him out of the vvorld He must prouide the implementes and some of his frendes if he may be so much beholding vnto them to take part with him But if his disease be such or fauor not such as that he cannot get them vnto him th◅ yet may he the Priest dispatch the matter together and yt shalbe neuer the lesse wholsome to the sicke man These are the holy sacramentes the Church of England boasteth of which how
children of death hel c. These thinges ought not to be forgotten or as the budget at our back to be cast behind vs but both with griefe to be remembred y t we vile wretches should so highly haue profaned Gods name with them of the false Church also with ioy that God hath shewed this mercie vnto vs to redeeme deliuer vs out of these snares of SathaÌ„ but especially to coÌ„sider wheÌ„ we come to y e supper of the Lord both what y e thing is we do receiue how with whome in what manner we ought to receaue yt Now if we be ignorant of the doctrines of baptisme but much more if we haue not receaued baptisme how should we be held worthy receiuers of those high misteries of y e body blood of our Lord Iesus Christ The watch rules of the word are ill kept in that Church which admitteth any much more many into their coÌ„munioÌ„ w t out ful assuraÌ„ce of their baptisme But what kind of Church is that which consisteth wholy of a people vnbaptised for so by his argument are al they that were baptised in the popish churches And then al the land being such at the first receiuing of the Gâ—…spel as they imagine to themselues how should an vnbaptised people chuse from amoÌ„g themselues able ministers to baptise Is yt not likely that this famous scholler knew ful litle what belonged either to the Church ministerie or sacramentes of Christ that wrote this learned discourse hath not the Church of EnglaÌ„d gotteÌ„ a worthy champioÌ„ that thus learnedly defendeth her her proceedings with one word of his mouth pronounceth al such Brownists as denie this their Câ—…rch of England euen the eldest daughter of the Church of Rome together with her mother to be the true spouse of Christ and therfore both reprooue by the word of God refraine according to the same word al their abhominations suffring in al patieÌ„t maner whatsoeuer may be done or said against vs for the same by the handes of these Cainites mouthes of these Balaamites rather theÌ„ defiling our soules with their abhominations Which as yt were a wearines for any man but to recite and bring to light these hellish mistes and fogs these secret mysteries of their ministerie and worship which they exercise in their Temples so is yt an impossibilitie for this learned clerke with al his cunning or the greatest priest of them to defeÌ„d the same when the light of the word is but once brought vnto them so sodainly are they therby discouered of what sort they are Let theÌ„ therfore that thus contend for their whorish Church approue and iustifie hereby the word of God and theÌ„ surely I wil yeild them to deserue the garland of a bishoprick or els let them assure themselues y â— yt is neither their tyraÌ„nie railing or sophistrie can either couer or excuse their shame from his fierie eies with whome they haue to do or lay that blame reproch vpon others which they indeuour To returne therfore againe to that from which we haue beene somwhat with drawen by these occurrentes yt remaineth that we proceed in the examination of the publike ministration of this famous Church of England Of their sacrameÌ„tes we haue heard but they haue besides these certayne half sacrameÌ„tes or high misteries vnto which belong set prescript communions which to performe execute are no small part of the priestes office Not to speake of their orders or iniunctions which are fower times in the yeare to be solemnely read not to repeat their sacrament of Peonance with their bitter curses and comminations going before their Lent fast They haue yet the holy sacrament of marriage solemnly kept in the holy church for the most part vpoÌ„ the Lordes day an especial Leitoâ—…rgie or coÌ„munioÌ„ framed to the same This action is to be done by the priest c. who instructing the parties to be ioined in wedlock whaâ—… to say when to pray c. teacheth the man to wed his wife with a ring In the name of the Faâ—…her the Sonne and of 〈◊〉 â—…oly Ghost which ring must before by the man be layd vpon the seruice booke together with his offring vnto the priest Clarke The booke serueth in stead of holy water to hallow the ring The ring thus hallowed serueth in stead of an element to this sacrament being ioined to these wordes In the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost especialy when al the collectes special psalme blessinges are said by the priest the maried couple deuoutly kneeling in the meane while at the communioÌ„ table c. But here wil be answered that the reformed better sort of priestes wil not marry with the ring here must then be noted that they breake their other of their Cannonical obedience which they tooke before the Bishop when they receiued their priesthood Moreouer y â— for their default herein they are to be censured and reproued by their Church namly their CoÌ„missarie his Court before whome such defaultes are to be presented by the Churchwardens questmen vnles they also will be forsworne for company Moreouer these reformed well conscienced priestes though they reiect this ring as an idolatrous relique yet dare they not by the word pronouÌ„ce the vnlawfulnes therof that others also might leaue detest the same That would cost blowes the Bishop would not suffâ—…r that therfore they for the peace of their Church ioine to them in the coÌ„munion c. that vse this execrable idolatrie But well let me not discourage them in well doing least vve take them not ofteÌ„ in that fault leaft if the Bishop once heare of yt yt then become but a matter indifferent theÌ„ they for the peace of the Church the sauing their benefice their skinnes whole vse yt againe for companie But heere in the meane time I would know of y e learnedest of them where they find in the old or new Testament that marriage is an ecclesiastical action belonging to the worship of God in his Church to be done by the minister as part of his office function that in the Church but especially vpoÌ„ the Lordes day with such a set Leitourgie of Collectes exhortations psalmes anthemes blessings framed to the purpose I hope they found not this in the 4 Chapter of the booke of Ruth yet I doubt not but both Booz and Ruth were godly persons and very lawfully famously maried They vsed no priest in this busines nor yet made yt a matter belonging to the tabernacle or worship of God I haue alwaies found yt the parentes office to prouide mariages for their children whiles they remaine in their charge gouernmeÌ„t and that the parties themselues affianced betrothed ech other in the feare of God the pâ—…esence of such witnesses as were present and that in their parentes or other priuate houses without running to
not make marchandise of the word and open portsale of the Gospell offring their cu nning and selling their tongues like the orators and lawyers of the co mmō welth setting a price of the Gospell and compounding for their bellies before hand with the gluttons profane people to whome they administer alwaies readie vpon the hearing of a better bargaine to remoue as we haue aboue said of their parsonages deanries bishopricks and al other ecclesiastical liuings of their Church of England vntil they arriue vnto the archbishoprick of Canterburie to be Primate and Metropolitane of all England That only office is as their pole-star fixed and vnmooueable vnto and by which they direct all their course And now I leaue to your iudgment whether any such Bal◅ites and Sinioniaks can truly and sincerely preach the Gospel But all this they wil hide and salue with these two allegations that the workman is worthy of his hire and that if they should not thus cōpound the people are so vircharitable and couetous as they should want maintenance for food raiment bookes To the former yt hath already in a peculiar discourse beene shewed that the ministers of the Gospell should neither be maintained with Iewish tithes nor Balaams wages much lesse bargaine and bartre in this manner be their owne caruers To the other if the people want that charitie as not to administer vnto such of their earthly things which trea◅ out y e corne yea grind prepare and diuide vnto them their food portion and administer vnto them spirituall and heauenly things then are they vtterly vnworthy of the Gospell then belongeth not the Gospell vnto them Then why doe they administer the Gospell and stand heardes to these gadarenes why cast they their pearles before such swine why doe they sel the Gospell stand ministers yea prostitute y e body blood of Christ for wage to such open vnworthy as haue neither faith nor charitie As for their apparel yt is either too nice curious or els too affec◅ed and framed as the rough garment to deceaue For their diet they are so far from suffring these necessities and di◅tresses that famine hunger cold nakednes that labour and painfulnes c. which the Apostle susteined as they are rather of those feasters the Apostle Iude speaketh of which feed themselues without all feare Yea these ◅ycophants these trencher priestes will most cunningly insinuate into some great or noble mās house where they are sure to be wel fed and safe from all stormes euen the meanest of them will neuer be without their good hosts dames where they may lay their knife aboard fil their belly of the best Infinite are ◅heir ar◅es both to get retayne such friēds neuer were there in any ◅ge such priests for the welthie sort but as for the poore these pharise is will haue no medling with them further then whiles they bring their offringes or pay their tithes Sure they will be to haue Christ a cooke vnto them as for hauing him to be their King y e shall be but by way of inscription in a peece of paper or in the pulpit some time yet euen there meddle they as litle with Christs offices as may be Now for their bookes where in deed lieth all their learning and cunning without which they are as blind as moles as mute as fishes yt is no maruaile though they cal for them for therin consiseth ◅all their glorie he that can most learnedly fetch out his sermon ◅frō◅thē and preach their notes in manner of discourse he is the only man he hitteth the point aright though the text be neuer touched or broken vp Neither is yt a smal matter that wil ◅urnish one of these learned preachers of bookes they wil not stick to bestow more welth in their studie then many a godly christian and good house keeper hath to maintaine his familie to relieue his neighbours with But they edifie and build vp the Church heerby which is much more pretious then earthly sustenance I beleeue yt wel for vpon such sandy foundations is both their owne faith and their whole Church built and not vpon the sure rock of Christs Testament vvhat good and sound stuffe they pick from thence partly may appeare by the discussing of sundrie errors which euē the chief verie best of a◅ their writers haue held partly shall more appeare when we come to the examination of their pulpe◅ doctrines Only in this place I set downe my simple iudgment that yt were much better for the whole Church and themselues also that for prophecie doctrine they la◅d aside all authors and betake them wholy of all handes to the booke of God So should that booke be more soundly vnderstood and opened euerie word and leafe of the tree of life haue his due vertue so should they see with their owne eies and not with other mens speake with their owne tongues c. so should they and their whole auditorie haue greater assurance for the things they doe or leaue vndone so should there be many fewer of these blind guides these traditional preachers Furthermore heer is to be obserued how these priests or preachers not only take their licence to preach at their lordes these antichristia Bishops handes againe at their pleasure are deposed scilenced submit their doctrine to their censure the Gospell to th◅ir limitation prescrip◅iō preaching nothing that may breed either y e BB s dislike or their owne vnquiet c but with their sermons deck vp adorne the whore heale the wound of the beast curse reproach and slander Christs most faithful seruātes blesse Christs enemies euē al the prophane of the land Finally they therwith dawbe vp al the sinne of the land ioine the Gospell to all the abhomination of the time The former part of these hath beene often shewed need neither proofe nor repetition their b◅e with their paper licence their o◅he o◅ canonical obedience their publike iniunctions c. declare The other part their present administration the lamentable estate of the whole land being through their deceit so deeply set and strongly held in apostacie transgression and ignorance manifesteth without further proofe Let the grosse idolatrie miserable seruitude to the antichristian yoke of these Bishops the more then Babilonish confusiō the Sodomitish pride excesse the opē pe◅uerting of iudgment iustice the through corruption of all estates the deluge and height of sinne neuer heard nor read of the like in any nation or time going before shewe what Kind of Gospell they preach or rather how they preach the Gospell There is no man so sinful and wretched that will come and heare their cunning in the pulpit whome they sēd not away with
of election only inioyning them to choose some vniuersitie clarke one of these colledg birds of their owne brood or els comes a Synode in the necke of them and â—…dnihilats the election whatsoeueâ—…â—…t be They haue also a trick to stoppe yt before yt come so far namely in the ordinatioÌ„ which must forsooth needes be done by other Priâ—…sts for the Church that chooseth him hath no power to ordeyne him And this makes the mother Church of Geneuâ—… and the Duch classes I dare not say the secrete classes in England to make ministers for vs in England And these ministers when they are come ouer are receaued and esteemed as Angels in hell shine as bright starrs in these smoky Egyptian fornaces wherin the miserable people of the land are kept in most harde seruitude daily new taskes layd vpoÌ„ them by this spiritual 〈◊〉 Antichrist so far are these new guides whome they trust froÌ„ leading them freely with the Lordes banner of the Gospell displaied before them as you see they would be glad of anie of Pharaohs coÌ„ditions their suite at the best intendement and vttermost course being but to worship God in Egipt to haue these tyrannous taske-maisters their Lord Bishops their attendants takeÌ„ from them Most willing they are with al their people to remaine in spiritual bondage to the ciuil magistrate I would not heere be misvnderstood of that lawful bodily obedience which al Christians owe in al lawful things vnto the ciuil magistrate But these vncleane spirites are gone out vnto the Kinges of y e earth to gather them into battell against God his Christ to make thâ—…m not only to cast Christs bandes from them but to tie him in their bâ—…ndes keeping awaie vpon their regal authoritie what part of Christs lawes they lyst from the Church and laying what lawes of their owne they lyst vpoÌ„ the Church Alas what a dangerous fearful abuse of their authoritie is this they are not made Kinges to reigne ouer Christ or to giuâ—… him lawes but to honour and worship the sonne to cast downe their Scepters at his feete not to disturbe or hinder his saintes from the free and sincere practise of his Testament but to incourage them and goe before them therin as king Dauid did dauncing recoicing before the Arke Princes are equally bound to the keeping of all Godes lawes as the meanest or any other shal for the breaâ—…h therof not escape the iudgment of that Lion of the tribe of Iudâ—… whâ—… wil tread vpon Princes as the prophet saith as clay when he treadeth the great winepresse without the citie This is the portioÌ„ of al the Lordes enemies to this banket doe these false Prophets with their perfidie and â—…latterie bring them that they cannot endure to be reprooued of God himself by his word to which they can at no hand endure to be made subiect Therfore they hate persecute him that rebukerh in the gate they abhor him that speaketh vprightly and rule all thinges after their owne lustes And sure eueÌ„ this incorrigible pride wickednes of Princes magistrates which would by no meanes be brought to the obedience of the Gospel first draue the Anabaptistes into their deuili h conceits of theÌ„ that no Prince or magistrate could be saued afterward thâ—…t theiâ—… veriâ—… office functioÌ„ are vtterlie vnlawful in the kingdome of Christ which wicked heresies as they haue no ground in y â— word of God the ciuil magistracie being the blessed ordinance of God for the defence of Christs Gospel Sainctes therfore al humble obedieÌ„ce therunto coÌ„maÌ„ded as vnto the Lord himself this both by our Sauiour Christâ—… owne exaÌ„ple the continual exhortations coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts of his Apostles in al their epistles vnto the churches so caÌ„ these Anabâ—…ptistical heresies no way be better refuted takeÌ„ out of the hearts of al meÌ„ at once theÌ„ by the humble submissioÌ„ of Princes magistrates vnto the Throne Scâ—…pter of Christ theÌ„ by bringing their glorie honour vnto y e church according to the coÌ„fortable prophecies of the scriptures O what â—… coÌ„fort were this to Christs poore laÌ„bes to â—…ee the LioÌ„ so humbled as to eate hay together with theÌ„ in the mountaine of the Lord not to liue of y e rauine spoile of y â— poore sheepe so as they dare not come aneere theÌ„ for their fiercenes What a ioy were yt to see Gods ordinaÌ„ces thus vnited to see Moses Aaroâ—… brethren this in the glorious spirituall Temple of God where Christ shalbe Hhimmanuel God with vs rule guide feed sanctifie vs euery one in their callings O what a heauenlie communion should this be what a beautie what a ioy to the whole earth But ô how far are we from this coÌ„fort our magistrates froÌ„ this happines whiles they giue their eare to the serpent speaking out of the mouth of the false prophet that blasphemeth Christ his ordinances accuseth his saints vnto theÌ„ whiles they giue their power vnto the Beast y t traÌ„pleth Christs Testamet vnder their feete couÌ„teth y â— blood therof as a coÌ„moÌ„ thing y â— setteth vp the image of his owne deuises causeth al meÌ„ of al degrees to worship the same al such as in feare faith vnto God refuse so to doe those in al hostile maÌ„ner they confiscate persecute imprison inclose make away without aniâ—… equal hearing of their cause or once bringing yt to light This their blasphemous writings sermoÌ„s y e publike worship estate of their church their prisons generally through London the land declare They haue published in their writings That the orders ordinances which Christ hath inâ—…is Testament left vnto â—…is Church were but temporarie whiles â—…he Church â—…as vnder heathen tyrants and that where the Gospel is embraced by a Christian Prince they are not onliâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but inconvenient yea intollerable as bringing the vtter subuersioÌ„ of the land 〈◊〉 vp tumulâ—… 〈◊〉 withdrawing the people from obedience vnto their magiâ—… a nuÌ„ber of such like execrable mandible blasphemies Reade that most blasphemous Pareâ—…thesis of T. C. esteemed the Bishop of Winchester beginning at y e73 page vnto y â— 84 of y t his Booke which he writ against the Libeller MARTIN MARPRELATE The wickednes falshood of whose deuilish calumniations y â— they may eueÌ„ sodenly appeare I wil adresse my self to prooue vnto him by the vndoubted euideÌ„ce of Gods word yâ—…strange PropositioÌ„ which he so coÌ„fidently coÌ„deÌ„neth in way of reprochful chaleÌ„ge to al Christs seruaÌ„tes propouÌ„deth namelie That there ought throughout alâ—…ges estates of y â— world in al places to be one y â— same forme of outward gouernmet in al true churches of Christ vnto the worlds end Scilicet thaâ—… Apostolike priminue patterne lefâ—… vnto 〈◊〉 in Christs new Testament none other And this through the assistance of Gods spirit
purse Neither in deed know I many sins that they vse to enquire after except yt be adultery and fornication there are no more sins worthy of ecclesiasticall censure But these they punish very sore for if he will not pay for the shooijng Mr. Commis◅aries mare he may peraduenture do his pennance before al the Sodomites in the parrish in a white sheete whiles Mr. Parson is reading his seruice book to them or els his sermon But if he speake a word in Mr. Cōmissarie his eare and wil stand vpon his purgatiō then must he get as bad brothels as himself to sweare by Mr. Cōmissaries booke that they think in their corrupt conscience that he is cleare This done and cost of the court discharged then haue he beene neuer such a whoremaister all his life time or beene neuer so manifestly or often detected or taken in this crime yet is there no credit to be giuen to anie proofe in respect of the othes of these his so domiticall companions that cleare him by othes this is called his purgation I am ashamed abhor but to thinke in my heart of that proofe of adulterie they require or els all complaint or suite is vnauaileable Thus doe these holie fathers the Bishops make adulterie either a laughing or els a pecuniarie matter purging and expiating yt by periurie or ◅korne They haue also a censure of suspensiō this is diuersly vsed somtimes towardes their Priests and Preachers by the Bishops somtimes by these Priests towardes their parishioners It is vsed towardes the Priests when they breake their orders inioyned them and wherunto they are sworne or are contumacious to their Ordinarie or his substitut◅s or Commissarie c when they refuse to weare such garmentes as are enioyned thē or to read thei◅ seruice orderlie or to administer the sacramentes after anie other manner or refuse to burie the dead to Church women with the booke or if they preach anie doctrine against anie thing by publike authoritie enioined then for such faultes is his Ordinarie to suspend him from preaching or ministring for a season vntill he be-brought into order or become confo◅mable or els to depriue him and disanul his orders and ministery The Priests they execute this suspension against open offendors such as are not in loue and charitie with their neighbours and by vertue hereof keepe them from the sacrament of the supper vnlesse they get Mr. Chancelor or Mr. Commissaries commandment vnto the Priest to receaue thē Yet in the meane while they are admitted to their publike prayers c. To the first kind of Sus◅ension al the Priests generallie except yt he some od man in the la◅d submit yet such a one ioineth vnto these other Priests as brethren though he hold the Bishops and their power antichristian they submit both their ministerie the Gospel vnto the Bishops power censure To the second kind in the hand of the Priests they al wholy cōsent in somuch as some of the cheife maisters of this faction in their bookes of church discipline haue set yt downe for a cannon and rule to suspend some such from the sac◅amēts who haue committed some publike sin and persisteth obstinatlie in the same a◅ter publike reproofe whome notwithstanding they still hold as a member and a brother with them and ioine vnto in their common praiers exercise of the word and other mutual duties as contribution for the poore First this suspension of theirs must needes be held the instrumēt ◅oole of that foolish shepheard because yt is not found nor heard of in all the practise or writings of the Apostles neither in al the Testament of Christ where y◅t a perfect gouernment and direction for the Church is s◅t downe Thē if yt be a cēsure of the Church yt is a publike censure because we see they are openlie kept backe from participation of the publike communiō If yt be a publike censure yt must be for sin publikelie knowen but Christ his Apostles haue set downe vnto the Church one only other course to be takē for publike sinn◅s namelie when he refuseth to heare the voice of the Church or rather of Christ in his Church to proceed forthwith to excōmunicatiō Therfore in this case of open obstinacie in publike sin if suspensiō be vsed yt not onlie taketh the place of excommunication but keepeth away y t onlie true course which Christ hath instituted therfore is a meere ◅orgerie and an idolatrous diuise and hath no place in the church of Christ. Yf a◅ie heere obiect that excommunication being the extreamest most seuere cēsure of the Church and an vtter cutting off therfore yt ought to be proceeded vnto with great pitie patience and long suffring trijng al meanes before we cut off a mēber In regard wherof they in their wisdome and pitie thinke yt expedient first to trie vse this censure of suspension before they proceed to cast him quite out proouing if this may draw him to repentance My answere is that we cannot be more wise patient louing tēde◅lie kind then our God is or then God wil haue vs to be If we seeke to exceed or goe beyond these rules and boundes that he hath set vs downe we are vainlie pu◅fed vp in our fleshlie mind our wisdome is turned to follie our pitie into crueltie our loue into hatred our patience into transgression wherby we destroie both our selues such as we seeke to saue God looketh for obedience rather then sacrifice at ou◅ handes he needeth no direction or instruction from vs ou◅ wisdome is to rest in the wisdome of God to be wise patient louing as he wil haue vs wise patient and louing Yf or when he commandeth to smite yt is not in mās powe◅ to sp◅re or stay so should we pull the wrath of God vpō our owne heads also we breake no loue whiles we execute Gods lawes vprightly as yt is sin to preuent so is yt to foreslowe the Lordes iudgmentes Excommunication is not mans but Gods iudgmentes though God haue committed yt vnto the church as to his ministers God hath set downe the whole processe and due time maner of sentence therof he hath left nothing therin to the discretion of the Church wherby to make al men the more to stand in awe t◅ēble at so dreadfull a sentēce of so terrible a Iudge When the sinne is come to that ripenes prescribed then is excommunicatiō due to be pronounced but when publike sin is orderly publikly reproued yet still the partie offending remaineth impenitent and will not confesse forsake his sin but despising the exhortation and censure of the Church he harden his heart in his sin then is sin at th◅t prescribed ripenes apparantly Therfore then the Church cannot neither hath in their power to protract or defer the sentence of excommunication anie longer vpon anie hope or further trial because they haue already had that triall which God
alloweth They therfore should now sin greeuously against the iustice maiestie of God they should draw themselues into Gods wrath hardē y e heart destroie the soule of the other yea ◅uē opē a gap wide doore vnto the whole church to sin who seing such foreslacking of iudgment would take boldnes vpō hope to find repentance time inough They that giue anie further time vpon pitie or anie other fleshlie reason cōdemne the Lord of cruelty rashnes who giueth no further time after publike reproofe exhortation despised So that to y t ◅eaden ◅ule of proceeding to excommnnication with a leaden heele whē the sin is thus ripe I oppose this golden rule to remooue sinne out of the church with the wings of a Storke the wind vnder their wings yet first that the Epha be lifted vp betwixt the earth the heauē that the sin be publikly seene publiklie censured Now for this same new found cēsure of suspension which they these Reformists would bring in exercise in stead of excommunicatiō or as they pr◅tend as a preparatiue to excommunicatiō wherby they may first be shut out from the holiest of all out of the chancel where the Priest by sole authoritie raigneth so by degrees proceed to excommunication to shut him out of the church also if he repent not what doth this their wisdome pi◅ie but comdemne the Lord of follie crueltie or rather shew forth their owne presumption follie y t thus forsake condemne the waies of the Lord as vnequall by bringing in following their owne waies as more equall How can these forgers th◅se coyners of religion seeme sue to cast out the heape of humane traditions as contrarie such as cannot be ioined vnto or with the Testament of Christ yet bring in these forgeries of their owne for so I may iustlie cal them from whencesoeuer they haue deriued them if not from the booke of God But least I be noted of preiudice to find fault with the thing I know not to condemne before I haue conuinced let vs in a word or two see how thi◅ timber of these accordeth to the rest of the building and vpon vvhat socket or foundation yt standeth This suspension we find to be a publike seperation putting away of some opē offendor vnworthie receauer frō the Table of y ◠Lord by the Pastor before excōmunication he yet being held a member of their Church cōmunicating with thē in praiers cōtributiō c. Heere I must not be vnderstood of the yonger sort which are not as yet admitted to the Table of the Lord the seed of the faithful of thē called Cate◅umenoi but of such as haue beene partakers therof and are vnder the censures of the Church Let vs now see how lawful yt is for the whole Church but especiallie for anie one mēber as of his owne sole authoritie to shut out such members from the Table of the Lord before or otherwise then by excommunication That this may be done let vs see wh◅t the Table of the Lord is The Apostle thus defineth yt The cup of blessing which we blefs◅ is yt not the communiō of the blood of CHRIST the bread which we breake is yt not the communion of the bodie of CHRIST because we manie are one bread one bodie for al participate of one bread Heere we see this Table or Sup◅ of the Lord a liuelie and most comfortable s◅mbole of our communion with CHRIST as also ech with other in Christ excellently shewing vnto vs the meanes mauer of our redemption to stir vs vp vnto thankfulnes to reioice in our God praise his name therfore to the generall strengthning of all our faithes and to the mutuall binding vs together in all holie duties and loue c. Here we see the Table of the Lord to be publike free open alike cōmon to all Saints ech one hauing a like interest necessity vse comfort therof the least as wel asmuch as the greatest CHRIST hauing alike died paied one and the same ransome for them all that they all might haue a like interest in him feed and feast through one and the same Spirit faith hope ioy in him Which interest power ioy c. no mo◅tall man not the whole Church much lesse any member therof no nor hell gates shalbe able to plucke from the least member of CHRIST whiles he remaineth and abideth in the body A most vnnaturall part were yt in the mother to plucke away the brest from the child wherby yt should be nourished but though y e mother might do this murther her owne child without blame yet the whole Church cannot driue away or keep out the least of these mēbers frō any publike action of the Church much les◅e seperate them frō this heauēly comfort free publike cōmunion whiles they remaine members of CHRIST are not cut off from his body Further seing this Table is called The communion of the body blood of Christ as also the communion of the whole church who can keepe back any such member as still remaineth in the body of CHRIST in his Church without depriuing him of this cōmuniō of CHRIST of the Church and so of life for except they ◅ate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood they can haue no life in them But these men keepe them from the body blood of CHRIST from the communion of CHRIST and of the Church therfore also frō life yt self and so in seeming to correct him lightly they kill him out right for more then this can they not do by this orderly excōmunication which they hold so rigoious Such as shall cauil at these words Except ye shall eate the flesh of the Sonne of man c. saijng that I popishly abuse the place let them cauil though I acknowledg that many thowsands that neuer attained y e symbole of the supper yet do feed of that body blood of CHRIST by faith vnto eternall life yet this I say that such as by censure are put backe from the Table of the Lord are cut from the communion of CHRIST of his Church and so from life For if he haue not communion with Christ and his Church he can haue no life he cannot be both thus s◅perate from their communion and haue yt together They that pluck away the seale cancell the deed but they pluck away the seale of the couenant in that for his sin they debarre him from this comfortable communion which is yet more then the seale in that yt bringeth such present effect and comfort Therfore they as far as man can doe cut him from Christ his couenant by this their idol suspension Now then hauing thus shut him out of their cōmunion how should they hold him in ythauing thus cut him off from Christ and the bandes that should bind him to Christ to the Saints how can they hold him a
this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of Artaxerxes who no doubt vsed such words in this coÌ„mission as agreed to the lawes iudgmentes of Persiâ—… rather then of knowledg in Gods law be made either ecclesiastical censures or any way be executed in any Christian pollitike regiment otherwise theÌ„ they are found to accord with the lawes iudgments of God prescribed in his word But this new diuised high ecclesiastical Commission doth not only ceÌ„sure punish al faultes of their churches by these iudgmeÌ„ts penalties but doth inflict theÌ„ in what measure manner they lust vpon al persons for al cawses whatsoeuer whether cawses of religion as opeÌ„ idolatrie popish masse c. or contempt of their iniunctions decrees in not resorting to their worship sacraments or administring them after any other maÌ„ner theÌ„ they haue prescribed c. whither for ciuil offences be they neuer so hainous abhominable as most odious incests adulteries polygamies c. Al these by this commission are punished by the purse by the prison for the law of God for idolatours adulterers were al to sharpe therfore this holy councel guided belike by some better wiser spirit haue found out this more mitigate course repressing these sinnes But if any vpon faith and conscience towards God refraine their idolatrous deuises there can for such be found out no kind of hostility confiscation perpetual close imprisonment sufficient for their faultes Thus no way can this high CoÌ„mission of the church of England be iustified by these examples of 〈◊〉 Artaxerâ—…es neither hath yt any more defence in the new Testament where is no mention of any such councel or Court set ouer all churches ouer euery méber minister cause affaire ceÌ„sure therof to impose depose determine iudge censure punish at their pleasure whome what they lust without coÌ„tradiction or controlement We reade in the practise of the Apostles of a synode or councell of â—…undry churches for the deciding of controuersies doubtes where certaine chosen Elders of the churches are thervnto assembled together with such faithfull of any church as will be present without shutting out of any of them neither are these Elders here gathered in any such stagelike or pontisicall maner as these our Prelates are in this CoÌ„mission but in this christiaÌ„ councel or assembly ech one hath free liberty and place to relate or debate his owne cause without interruption or preiudice neither is any thing heere decreâ—…d by the wil of any man but only by the wil of God that vpon euident demonstratioÌ„ of the word otherwise no credite or obedience giuen to any thing they set downe or determine During y e time of which couÌ„cel at any time after w tout any preiudice any christiaÌ„ hath freedome and liberty in due time place not disturbing the peaceable order of ChristiaÌ„ assemblies to speake according to the word of God either in approbatioÌ„ or reproofe of any thing to be done or done in y t councel Which councel or synode as yt hath not power to erect or bring in any new decrees or ordinaÌ„ces into the church besides those which are prescribed in y e booke of God which are alsufficieÌ„t for al times occasions vnto the worlds end so hath not this councel any power or authority ouer any church or any member of the church to censure excoÌ„municate erect or depose any This councel or assembly is only ordained for the helpe quiet of churches to discusse questioÌ„s to decide doubtes as they fall out arise that so all churches in all places might walke by one rule in the vnitie of the spirit This couÌ„cel is not permanent or alwaies setled in one place but to be vsed by any Churches at any time or place vpoÌ„ due occasions Neither is this councel so subsisting of the presbitery ortied to the persons of any that the least meÌ„ber of Christ is therby shut out not suffred to heare or to speake or any way preiudiced neither is any Church by this councell either depriued of their high power authority which Christ hath giueÌ„ to euery seuerall congregatioÌ„ alike or forestalled froÌ„ the due execution therof towards any member of their congregation or cause that ariseth amongst theÌ„ But as is said this councel is only a brothâ—…rly peaceable meeting of sundry churches for the better more asâ—…ured deciding discussing of doubtes and questions that arise leauing the whole practise due execution of al things to euery particular congregation in that order maner that Christ hath prescribed in his Testament These occasions rules and proceedings of Synodes councels or meetings of diuers Churcheâ—… we find left vnto vs in that holy patterne Act. 15. where though the chiefe builders y â— Apostles themselues were yet euen there were al things handled with this order modesty sobriety freedome c. But now if we compare their high ecclesiastical Commission vnto this holy councell and meeting how vnlike in al their orders proceedings and actions shall yt be found Their Commission being made a continuall setled permanent Court hauing strange Iudges aduocates officers iuriâ—…diction pleas processe c. vsurping and exercising supreme power absolute authority ouer al churcheâ—… ministers persons lawes doctrines to ratifie or disanull to establish or reiect to erect or depose whome what they lust executing al the censures offices of the Church changing bringing in and setting vp what they please shutting out the sentence of all Churches Christians allowing them neither interest electioÌ„ voice or presence in this their councell thrusting their decrees and constitutions as most holy vpon all Churches the consciences of all men with an high strong hand to be receiued without contradiction or question adiuring examâ—…ning suspending deposing fining emprisoning persecuting with all hostility all such as receaue not their constitutions submit not vnto their power Now let any christian iudge whether this Commission be not more like vnto the high court of the Beast then vnto an holy peaceable orderly assembly of christiaÌ„s met in the feare of God and guided by his Spirit to enquire search out Gods wil and humbly to rest in the same The ciuill magistrats power or presence can no way iâ—…stifie this CoÌ„mission or their proceedings being found so directly contrary to the TestameÌ„t of CHRIST vnto which yt is now lawfull for no man or Angel to superordeine alter or pluck away any thing without hainouâ—… sacrilege This monstrous coÌ„mixture then of these distinct powers in one court or person together with this confuse practise barbarous hauock tyranny they make exercise ouer Gods heritage Christâ—… poore seruants doe euidently denote and as by the very steppes trase out vnto all men the person throne and power of that Antichrist that aduersary that beast accordingly as they are described foreshewed vnto vs in the scriptures Math. 24. 15. 2 Thess. 2. how Antichrist should presume into the very