will have the younger sort to be subject to the Elders but presently adds that they should all submit themselves to one another and to be humble so that I must oftentimes say the Apostles were such Shepheards who were content to be uppermost and lowermost to rule and to be ruled but Papists are such who think it blasphemy and Simony if in Church-matters they be subject to any except to Christ alone immediately The title of Housholder is almost of the same authority 6. Oâ—conemi 1 Cor. 4.1.2 Mat. 24. Part. 1. p. 354. by which the Stilt-walker every where brags and denies that he is subject to the Magistrate for he saith That Ecclesiastick and Pastorall causes are to be judged onely by Ecclesiastick Authority and that it is absurd they should be judged by Civill Power For though he confesse that in some cases Church-men may be subject to the judgement of the Magistrate yet he thinks this is onely extraordinary and when the Clergie will not be reformed and that then the matter must bee judged not by the Magistrates but by Church-men alone as being Masters of the Familie This Divinity he had from Bellarmine who saith that the Pope is the generall Master of the Church-Family Mat. 24.48 who therefore obeys none but commâ—nds all and that by right of this Oeconomie hee is subject neither to Magistrates not to a Generall Councell which the Jesuite finely gathers out of the parable of the housholder for saith Christ if that servant shall begin to drinke and to beat his fellow-servants the lord of that servant will come to which Bellarmine Heare you not who is the Popes judge He faith not he shall be judged by a Councell but his lord will come therefore he is left to be judged by Christ It 's no wonder that the Jesustes do delude Christians with such old-wives fables for they know that the Popes strength now consists not in perswasion but in coaction it 's more to be wondered at that such a â—â—ght-bird should creep out of the Walachrian Classis who being destitute of all secular power dare utter such like yea greater fooleries for the Pootifician fopperies end in Monarchie but the Walachrien in confusion and anarchie For if by the right of Ecclesiastick â—economie no Preacher is subject to the Magistrates judgement but that he depends immediately from Christ It will follow also that he is not subordinate to the Exclesinstick except their immediate dependency from Christ be broken The Stilt-walker will say that this oeconomicall right is not broken by Ecclesiastick subjection 1 Cor. 14. for then the spirit of the Prophets iâ— subject to the Prophets all which depend immediately from Christ which is not repugnant to oeconomicall liberty This faction I have elswhere touched and I will more fully hereafter refell it I ask now whether the Pastor or Housholder of a particular Church who makes such a decree which the housholders of the same or of another Church say is unjust and therefore abrogate it be delivered by authority or not If he say I then he resists the light of nature which teacheth that that hath not absolute authority which may be abrogated by another Judge If he say No then he is forced to confesse that those Housholders of God such as these Walachrians boast themselves to be have no absolute right because by the right of dependency as I said before the Consistory can judge the Brethren the Classis the Consistory and the Synod the Classes and so in infinitum Surely if Paul meanes by these words the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets that we should alwayes rest in the greater number of suffrages as in a truth defined by such Housholders as are at this day then Christians will be forced against science and conscience oftentimes to submit to it which is both false and unjust for how often doth this fall out which Calvin complaines of the Councell of Trent namely that a hundred horned Asses may agree by their votes in a falshood if ninety nine on the other side stand for the truth that greater number must decide I warrant you a matter of such weight Neither should they except here that they were false Bishops and that it is otherwise in those that are pious and reformed For even among such there will be found no certainty except they be all divinely inspired and infallible as under the Apostles or one at least which the Jesuites but falsly say is the Pope and so in this they end all controversies But the Walachrian Juglers because they dare not assever this they must necessarily run round so that they as Masters of the Family must and must not still be believed For however they may perswade unwarie people that their commands are authoritative and unblameable and that therefore they must be obeyed yet if by learned men they be brought to the scales or touchstone they will be forced to confesse that in many things they fall foule and deceive others which we may even see in these patched peeces of the Stilt-walker which not onely this proud Housholder of Christ vents abroad for Oracles but he hath taken for his defence the whole company of Classiaries whom the reader may see have assented to lies blasphemies and toyes It is most sure that now neither in the Church nor in the whole world are there any such Pastors or Housholders to whom she can or should be absolutely subject but the judgement of this remaines in the examination of every one according to the ballance of Gods Word alone I know that a great many Christians are in this point either out of carelesnesse or out of superstition very supine to believe their Preacher in many things with an implicit faith but this supine carelesnesse costs the losse of innumerable soules so that these authoritative and domineering Housholders are to blame who hunt after honour out of Christians blind obedience If the VValachrian Papists had considered with what restriction that elect vessell Paul had given to himselfe the title of Housholder 1 Cor. 4.1.2 the Stilt-walker had not so often to patronize his pride alledged this title for Paul also in that place useth the title of Minister or Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rowe so that he makes himselfe an inferiour rower But how absurd were it for one to brag that he is a rower or boat-man appointed by the King to sit and rowe in the lower seat The Apostles that were divine Mariners in Christs ship were not ashamed to confesse this of themselves although they were Housholders by an incommunicable prerogative yet they were very farre from pride because they confessed that they would rowe and sit in the lower seat The name Father also containes honor and authority but not always command paternall right is most properly in naturall fathers for it is absolute and indissoluble bâ— similitude it is given to many
also shewed a great measure of spirituall gifts in themselves so that not without cause their authority was great in the Church yet not as Christs proper and immediate Legates but of the Apostles yet they were divine and excelled in the gifts of the Spirit Since their departure that glorious way of calling and conferring of gifts by imposition of hands ceased that scarce three hundred yeares after Christ did there any whit of this rare vocation remaine yea Antichrist breaking out in the place of gifts all sorts of corruption and vices succeeded And yet if we look upon the lights of ancient times namely Austin yea Bernard in the yeare 1300. shining as a light in Cimmerian darknesse we must confesse that this Walachrian Jugler is but ice to compare to those fires of whom I think none durst venture to proclaime himselfe Christs immediate Legate as this trifler every where doth He is like those Painters Luke 2. which picture the Virgin Mary in Princely robes and with rich hangings because she was descended of the royall blood of King David of whose riches she had nothing when Christ was born but was destitute of all riches The titles that remaine are as blasphemous as fallacious 9. Pontisicis the Apostle in that notable place to the Hebrewes willing to exalt above all humane reach Christs incommunicable and ever to be adored vocation Heb. 5.4 to his eternall Priesthood and Mediatorship for the whole race of mankinde doth chiefly illustrate it by the excellency of the manner which he declared by the typicall calling of Aaron in glory exceeding the inauguration of all the Leviticall High Priests that succeeded him which notwithstanding the manner of Christs eternall Priesthood did infinitely excell in that he received his inauguration not from any earthly man but from heaven for to none of the Angels was it said Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee of which the Apostle speaks plainly when he saith Heb. 1.5 no man takes unto himselfe this honour but he who is called of God as Aaron was and Christ whence it is apparent that it is temeritie for any man after Christ to take upon him the priviledge of this title yet Antichrist the old Romish Pope durst doe it priding himselfe in this as in many other things that he hath succeeded Christ as his Vicar and high Priest in the Militant Church Our Stilt-walker following the foot-steps of his Predecessor doth not indeed as yet brag that he is high Priest but desirous to make an impression of the excellency of his preaching function upon unskilfull and superstitious people he is so often commending it that he would have all men believe what the Apostle speakes of Christ alone and Aaron to be meant of himselfe and such as he for he takes this for a generall rule that no man is called to a sacred function except also this belong to him that he hath not assumed this honour but hath received it of God This indeed did appeare in Aaron typically in Christ truly But he that will search for this in the Popes naughty vocation or in that vicious and humane calling of Apollonius as I have described it will wrong Christ 10. Titâ—â—â— spousi quad sit maritus Ecclesiae and will make us believe that to be true which we see and know to be contrary Apollonius thinks it also no meane title for a Bishop to be called the Bridegroome and Husband of the Church if this be true they will suppose that the Church whose lesser and meaner part is the Magistrate must bee subject to the Minister as a wife to the husband because it is plainely said to the woman thy will shall bee subject to thy husband But these parabolicall allusions are of little weight among wise men if in Scripture sometimes the title of Husband or Bridegroome were given to Ministers but it is so farre from this that in it we find the Baptist conferring this honour on Christ alone that he is the Bridegroome because he hath the Bride reserving to himselfe the title of friend onely which modesty is farre different from the pride of moderne Papists who boldly prate that they are the Bridegroomes and therefore have the Bride I think that it is more injurious to Christs incommunicable honour for one to call himselfe a Vicar Bridegroom or Husband then the Ministeriall head of the Church Concerning the indignity of this last many books have been written against the Pope whereas notwithstanding it is evident that this involves no dishonour to Christ if he have under him a Ministeriall held but it containes obscoenity for one to be called Vicar Bridegroome or secondary Husband of Christs Church upon earth But I will not spend time about this as any great matter I will only drive this Walachrian Papist to quotlibetary fooleries by which he may with his old friends delight or vex himselfe For first I will aske if a Pastor or Preacher be the Bridegroom or Husband of the Church what kind of Husbands were the Apostles who had no particular Church but had the care of all If he say they were not Husbands or Bridegroomes which they themselves would have easily acknowledged he will make them lesse worthy then the Walachrian night-birds but if on the contrary he doe confesse it he will bring upon them the suspition of bawdrie as though they had power every where to lie with other mens wives Which monster Mahomet in his Alcoran did challenge to himselfe that according to his propheticall majesty he might have power to leap into every womans bed Againe if he saith that the Church is married to ordinary Pastors I aske whether it be not an unseemly thing for one woman to have many husbands which no Law doth allow and yet in this spirituall marriage there is nothing more common for many Churches have two three foure Pastors and perhaps the Church of Middleburg hath many more and consequently husbands which if he shall make use of as his Vicars to lie with his wife Apollonius himselfe will make her to be suspected of adultery except he be assured that she will be loyall to him as the cheif husband yet he shall carrie the hornes when he gives way to his colleagues as his underlings to make use of her But if one Church be duly married to one husbands I aske again if any thing can be more proper for marriage then indissolubility but in this holy and spirituall wedding there is nothing more absurd for no sooner doe young men leave the Schoole but out of the heat of their youth they begin to be suiters neither is there any Church so meane and poor to which they will not make suite as if shee were the fairest Bride in the World if so be shee will confer upon them a pastorall Cloak and a stipend but this is not with any intention to stay alwayes with this wife but like insects they gather company till they can
fact not the effect of the Apostles so that hee who is ordained and confirmed is the same after that he was before imposition of hands But the Apollonians bragge that they are Christs Embassadors This is an arrogant untruth for they have not obtained the gift of teaching in the Church after that divine and spirituall manner that Christs Legates did of old but by humane gifts and humane calling which according to Gods and Christs generall institution serve the now decayed Church that wants these gifts in which shee excelled under the Apostles You are Gods Embassadors and the Churches Patrons to whom for ever by speciall command the care of the Church under Christ is committed Which not to undertake is hainous impiety and to take it from you is sacriledge and now what I have said to the secular Nobility I also say to you that are Religious Ministers Contemne the boldnesse of Apollonius and his fellows for they are seditious and desire innovation They goe about to raise among themselves the Papall Hierarchy to the overthrow of your Honour they hunt after worldly glory and would have you lose the true honour of Christ All honour is due properly to Gods Word not to you Your Calling should put you in minde of your Ministery and burthen not of command and ruling Which of you will bee so proud with Apollonius as to bragge of an inseparable subjection under Christ so that hee truely heares Christ that heares you Let Apollonius be ashamed to bee so often convicted of falsehood that hee is so infabibly subordinate to Christ as if his authority with Christs were the same Lisien rather to Christ the Lord of the whole Church who by command and examples hath taught you not to seek after the Kingdomes of this world much lesse by the Church Apollonius seeks both to wit dominion in the Church and by the Church over Magistrates and the world too Christ said that Kings and Lords were to beare rule but not you Yet hee hath not driven out of the Church the higher power which is exercised with authority but hath forbid you to meddle with that which God hath granted to Magistrates The Pope hath so corrupted this command of Christ that by wresting of it hee first stript Princes of their authority in the Church and then from their temporall Dominions and so procured to himself the dominion of the Church then of the whole World This is it which Apollonius borrows of him Hee debarres Princes from having any authority in the Church from which Christ never debarred them On the contrary hee affects dominion and power over the Church and State which Christ never gave him but plainly forbid him Bee not therefore followers of Apollonius and his Disciples Christ and his Apostles were indued with supreme authority and what the Magistrate doth now by the Sword that could they doe by words and threatning that is to say kill and punish corporally They had power and aptitude to command all in the Church but not to obey notwithstanding they so ruled the Church that they both governed and were governed they taught and were taught they ordered and were ordered they sent and were sent Finally there was none of these things they did much affect for which these proud and contentious spirits strive as it were for Religion it selfe Stephanas and her family served the Church with their goods these were but vulgar people and as they called them Laicks yet Paul wills the whole Church which excelled in so many spirituall gifts to bee subject to them and such as they were for that work How farre was that government from this of Apollonius on whom the Christian Magistrate had beaped all sorts of benefits yet teacheth that hee must not bee subject to them but they to him that hee must not honour but contemne them â—ar 1. p. 30.31 for bee accounts him wicked and a Simonaick out of his Calderwood that shall adscribe any power over the Church to any man for his bounty and charges on the Church Which is a manifest blasphemy both against the Apostle and the Magistrate which neverthelesse these Walachrians esteem as a fine and choise sentence But they say that Christs Kingdome is not of this World Luk. 17.21 I grant it if they mean his internall Kingdome which Christ saith is within us But for externall things which serve for the building up of that Kingdome Christ never taught they were not of this world and surely hee had done that which was far from the nature of his Kingdome when making a whip of coards hee vindicated the purity of Divine worship Yea that Counsell which is given to Kings and Princes of the New Testament to Kisse the Sonne had been in vain but that I may not use my own words longer In comment Deut. 13.5 Let Calvin speak who thus writes God can be without the help of the Sword for the defence of Religion hee wills it not but what wonder is it if God commands the Magistrate to bee the revenger of his glory who will not have thefts whoredomes drunkennesse exempted from punishment nor suffer them In lesser faults it shall not bee lawfull for the Judge to cease when the worship of God is overthrown and all Religion shall so great a sin be cherished by connivence c Besides what can bee more prodigeous but it s in vain to contend by reasoning when God hath once pronounced what hee will have done Wee must necessarily yeeld to his inviolable decree Yet it is questioned whether or not this Law belongs to Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and farre different from earthly Empires And indeed there be some otherwise good men who think that our condition under the Gospel is not like that of the ancients under the Law Not onely because the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but also because Christ would not have his Church in the beginning to bee established by the Sword but whilst Kings in promoting of Christs Kingdome doe consecrate their owne work I deny that therefore the nature of it is changed And although maugre all worldly power Christ would have his Gospell to be proclaimed by his Disciples whem hee exposed as sheepe among Wolves having no other Armour but his Word yet hee did not tye himselfe to an eternall Law but that hee might force even Kings to his obedience and tame their violence and of bloody persecutors make them Patrons and Guardians of his Church In the beginning Magistrates exercised their tyranny against the Church because the time was not yet come that they should Kisse the Sonne and laying aside their violence should become Nursing Fathers to that same Church which they persecutediaccording to Isaiahs Prophesie which doubtlesse hath reference to Christs comâ—ing Nor is it to no purpose that Paul bids us pray for Kings and all that bee in authority hee gives a cause to wit That under them wee may live quietly in all godlinesse and honesty As
Orthodox man but Apollonius for an Heterodox condemnes him He clears him from innovation this cries out that hee spreads abroad new Tares and poyson He saith that he asserts the truth but this that he defends sacrilegious falshoods He witnesseth by his hand-writing that Vedelius hath deserved well of the Church but this by many subscriptions shews that he is a betrayer of the Churches rites and a trampler upon the blood of Christ Lastly he saith that no Orthodox man should trouble him but this on the contrary by an Order of the Walachran Classis and of the whole Synod accuseth him as a destroyer of and a most bloody wolf to the Church Hath not then Apollonius in this somewhat of that lying spirit which deceived Kings so that he hath writ more of his Classiary brethren then they knew themselves which is ordinary among the Apollonian spirituall men One of these must be true to wit that either the Apollonians are convicted of ignorance negligence and false tenets or else that Vedelius Macovius Rivet were widely mistaken for my own part I had rather be sick with these men in divinity then to enjoy the best health with the Walachran Apollonius for he slights and despiseth all men weighing them in the ballance of his judgement as if he alone were the man that could hold the scales or were onely skilfull to note vice and to discern right from wrong Hee acknowledgeth that hee oweth much to Waleus and Thysius his Masters and yet he doth with Junius plainly reject them he contemneth Musculus he saith That Pareus and Gualter doe germanize it â—o much and that this cause is made so intricate by the Germans and Helvesians that you cannot finde any Idaea of exact divinity and that the English judgements are for the most part enslaved to great men and of our Diâ—mes you shall finde few that have handled this matter without admitting confusion and collaterall combination of both Powers In another place thus this troubles us that so worthy a man he understands Vedelius should esteem of the Reformed-Church-doctrine according to the testimony of some learned men c. Amesius Martyr Sybrand this honour he gives onely to Confessions Catechismes and formes of concord and yet he slights the Decrees of the Synod of Dort as humane and extorted from Ministers against their wills so that like a Snake feeding on naughty grasse he hisses at every thing as he pleaseth therefore the ghost of our famous Vedelius against which Apollonius pisseth hath no great cause to be angry since he is not ashamed to spit in the face of all learned men There is nothing that both sacred and profane Laws do more detest punish then the contempt of Princes and superior powers of which this Night-bird was not ignorant who presently in the preface desires the Magistrates good will for he saith that he carryeth a free spirit in the maintenance of their Magistracy and as it were calling God to patronize his dissimulation that with most fervent prayers he honours God for them when as notwithstanding with full cheeks he blows out contumelious speeches against Princes and Magistrates and as if he were another Rhadamanthus he assumes power to appoint what limits Magistrates must contâ—ine themseâ—ves within beyond which if they offer to goe he calls them Symoniacks and wicked and like irreligious Princes that they break in upon the rights and prerogatives of the Church with tyrannicall lust and violence for which prerogatives he saith Christ did shed his Hood and such Princes he calls civil Popes But whilst he divides this booty and power he acts the Lion in Aesop who dividing the Veneson with the Asse and the Fox he killed the Asse affrighted the Fox and so took all the booty to himself Apollonius here playes the Jugler and with counterfeit superstition deterres the Magistrate from touching any of the modern Ecclesiastick affaires For he teacheth that the power of the Magistrate is not in but about the Church and that the internalls of the Church doth not belong to him either formally or eminently or totally or partially that his power extends onely to the externalls and not all these neither but only the externals externally but not the externals internally for in these distinctions he is very exact and seemingly carefull of the conscience of Magistrates He warnes them that they beleeve not the judgements of the learned nor the authority of man in exercising of their power earnestly urging his decisions as consonant to Scripture among which these are some The power of the Civill sword is without the Spheare of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction The Godly Magistrate is not the prime member of the Church but of the baser sort yea of the basest That it is dangerous to call the Magistrate the Keeper or nursing Father of the Church because it is impossible for him to nourish the Church with true milk which is onely proper for Church-men That the Magistrate is onely a separable accident of the Church which may be present or absent without destroying the subject That the end and intent of the Magistrate was not the saving of soules but properly and onely the temporall things of this life That the office of the Magistrate was onely of earthly not of heavenly things That the Magistrate as a Magistrate cannot execute any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall worke because it is impossible that hee should bee elevated above his own nature which is altogether worldly carnall and corporall Or if he seem to doe any Ecclesiasticall businesse that this hee doth onely objectively not formally imperatively not elicitively in respect of worldly circumstances and not in regard of the substantials of the Church And that they who will attribute more than this to the Magistrate incline to Pelagianisme Lastly he speakes every where of the Magistrate as of a naturall and carnall man of whom Paul saith That he is not subject to the Law of God nor can be nor doth he comprehend the things of Gods Spirit Hee cites often Gersom Bucerus who was to cunning in these trifles and withall insenced King James against him so that he was like to suffer had not the States protected him But this our Apollonius unwilling to yeeld to any man so bold is ignorance hee leapes over all the tearmes of Bucerus and railes against his own Magistrates and States subscribing to no mans opinion except Calderwoods the sum of which he else-where cites out of him Kingly authority saith he is onely measured according to the Churches benefit yet he doth warne Church-men that they should not trust too much Magistrates for he compares them to a crafty servant but Church-men to a generous Horse openly warning his fellow-Ministers that they suffer not the Magistrates to ride them any more and that their main aim was to bring them under subjection But if once they get the Mastery that Ministers shal never be able hereafter to shake off the civill yoak So then Apollonius thinkes
Ecclesiastick Chaire but some also have leapt out of the Bakers Weavers and Shoo-makers shops into the Pulpit and some of Mechanicall Tylers or Brick-layers have become grave Ministers I confesse that this is no other thing then what Christ did shew in the Aposties when he chose Disciples out of Fisher-men Publicans Tent-makers and all sort of Mechanickes onely this I say that if the Modern Church-discipline be ordered according to the Leviticall as Apolonius prates then Christ shewed a bad example and the Walach ian Novalist hath preposterously followed in excluding other stockes doth not tye the hope of Ministerial Church-sanctity to one stock alone But now I will deale bountifully with the Walachrans and will permit them to defend their cause with the old peculiar Levitical Rites But by what Art can they evince that to be of speciall right and sanctitie in the Christian Church which among the Levites was not of peculiar but of common right with the Magistrates and people Indeed all Levites were born with this priviledge to handle and touch the things of the Temple to offer Sacrifice to put on holy Vestiments to eat the holy Bread and other things which God expressly declared in his Law The High Priest had a peculiar priviledge to enter into the Holy of Holies to put on the holy Miter and Breast-plate which not onely was unlawfull for the people to doe but even for the Prophets themselves except in some extraordinary case but which of the high Priests upon this pretence durst exclude out of the whole Temple all other Priests which not onely of the Magistrates but even of the people themselves would have endured this If under pretext of Templebusinesseâ— and sacrificing these Levits durst have excluded all other Tribes and the whole people of Israel as uncleane and prophane from all other businesse of divine worship they had done no lesse absurdly then if they had cast out of their Tents and separated from all holy men the whole people as leprous Therefore the Levits were to contain themselves within the prescript of Gods Lawes nor were they to extend the pretext of Sanctity further then God had coÌ„manded I will not for certainty affirm that they have not been somtimes so immoderate in enlarging the prerogatives of their holinesse as that they have not chalenged somewhat never expresly granted by God for ambition seemes to be an innate evill in Church-men yet this I dare say that the old Levits were never so bold as to deny to Kings and the whole people many things which belonged to the worship and exercise of Religion such were in the Temple private and publick preaching and praying celebrating of the Sacraments making Lawes and Statutes of Ecclesiastick businesse judging and determining of Ecclesiastick causes curbing and punishing Priests even the high Priests when they failed in their Functions Lastly bestowing power upon Clergy-men to exercise their holy Function and taking the same away again 〈◊〉 all which I will make cleare hereafter by examples If this Wallachrian Iugler had weighed this well he had not so boldly obtruded upon the unwary the example of the ancient Leviticall worship for maintenance of his Church-discipline For he deales no otherwise then if some contentious Fellow should breake into ones House and should by certain Deeds shew that his Parents and Ancestors had right to some Benches or Stooles in that House by covenant or bargain whereas by the same Deeds it appeareth that either the Benches were worn or demolished or else that the right of possessing them was long since lost He notwithstanding violently seizeth not onely on the Benches but likewise driving out the inhabitants upon the whole House Surely whatsoever by speciall right heretofore belonged to the Levits and Clergy in the old Law is now known to be abolished and whatsoever holy Functions at this day remaine are not now peculiar to the Levits but common to all So that if now the Stilt-walker would plead his cause among the Levits they would shut him out of their Synagogue But because I am to speake more at large of this hereafter I will say no more at present of the acceptions and conditions of Sanctity till after I have touched one errour Lastly we must observe that the right of ordination of holy things belongs onely to God If we goe beyond his prescript with what specious pretext soever things or rites bee honoured they are not to be accounted truly sacred or holy For as all inherent sanctity and perfection is in God and flowes from him so likewise by his sole ordination things are called Relatively sacred or holy in divine worship From this Rule the Pope hath much deviated 2 Thess 2. who by his sole priviledge by which he is lawlesse and Pauls Antichrist extolling himselfe c. takes upon him liberty to sanctifie or as they call it Canonize as he pleaseth Men Places Dayes and things so that his subjects verily beleeve that what hee declares to be holy is holy indeed Hence it is that not being content with Jewish Rites and Ceremonies of the ancient Church doth daily devise new ones which hee thinkes may conduce to his honour and profit so that for a long time he hath opppressed Christians with the insupportable yoak of Ceremonies neither doth he this without some pretext of equity Bellarmine in some places stoutly affirmes that the Pope never yet introduced any Rite or sacred Ceremony into the Church which is not contained in holy Scripture But here hee useth a three-fold caution First that whatsoever frivolous interpretation the Pope giveth must be held consonant to Scripture which custome Philip Marnixius deriding in his Bee-hive shews out of Lindanus whom he calls Blindâ—sinus that there is no Rite so ridiculous in the Popes Histrionical Church-dressing for which they shall not find out some place of Scripture out of which it is coyned when the Popes Alchimisticall power of interpretation is added which can convert the frivolous drosse of his trifles into the pure gold of Sanctity But when he findes this way troublesome he useth this as a generall Maxime in the second place That that must bee counted a holy Rite and ceremony which is done with a good intention and for a holy use And as if this were not sufficient to refute Lutherans hee addes in the third place That these things may bee held for sacred Rites and Ceremonies which the Church judgeth to depend and in a manner to flow from those prime mysteries contained in Scripture by which trick the Pope doth wonderfully cheat the whole world that whensoever he produceth any Novelty to oppresse Christian Liberty which cannot be found in Scripture hee will have it to flow thence by way of consequence or by some connexion to depend from it Now because the Scripture defines no where how this dependency may be deduced from it hence it came to passe that there was no end of sacred dependences For each Pope took upon him this
speake truth knowes that hee obtained this speciall right of Sanctity by the like mysterie of Vocation and that hee hath no other wayes almost bestowed it upon others I know that somtimes things are carried more conscionably and that the abuse of a thing takes not still away the use thereof yet this I dare say that because at this day are wanting men divinely inspired to call and because the bestowing of spirituall gifts is separate at this day from Imposition of hands though it be done by Christs command and for a spirituall end yet in respect of the manner modern vocation is meerly humane because the whole manner is fallible humane and oftentimes corrupted whence the effects must be also humane and oftentimes most vitious so that we have instead of Apollo Apollonius a Sophister for a Prophet a Sycophant for a Bishop But because this vocation is with Apollonius the chiefe Originall of moderne Church-spiritualitie least we should believe there is more in the effect then in the adequate cause I conclude that the power of excercising Church-affaires at this day is not of divine but of humane right and therefore Apollonius playes the Impostor who prates so at random of the sanctity of his Church-affaires and of the speciall spirituall right of exercising them he is not unlike to them that falsifie coyne who wash brasse leaden or iron pieces with a little silver or gold to impoverish others and inrich themselves I confesse that this is the old Popish garlick sticking close to many but he who will looke over the writings of all Divines as hee brags hee hath done may perceive that the most quick-sighted Reformers have found out long since that whatsoever is so highly talked of the speciall right of sanctity is nothing else but the secondine of the Romish mother and the pollution adhering to her sons since their nativity there is none more stubborne then the Stilt-walker who above all others delights in the polluted blood of that Romish Whore and sips up againe her excrements not being content with common Elogies he prides himselfe so much in the right of this priviledge that he affirmeth every where that the Ecclesiastick power is a kind of Majesty and hath in it some thing that is Regall I confesse that the name of Christians puts us in mind of our Kingly Office which as the Catechist saith consisteth in this that we strive against sin and subdue the lusts of the flesh and this is common to all Christians but the Stilt-walker not content with this Priviledge of a Ministeriall right of vocation he makes a right of commanding and raigning in the Church and that speciall censoriall and nomotheticall so that many times he calls this power under Christ imperiall selfe-sufficient absolute and regall I confesse they are but trifles which he spreads every where yet least he should seeme to be neglected because he is not laughed at it will not bee unpleasing to rub his eares a little Par. 1. p. 8. 25 c. Mat. 13. c. He is wonderfully pleased that Christ calls the Church his Kingdome which is not of this world but heavenly and the Kingdome of heaven whence he concludes that the visible Church is a Kingdome and that the Government thereof is like that of a Kingdome and because the power of this Government is in the Church-Rulers that therefore their power is in a manner Kingly such are the Popish enthymemes concerning a spirituall and Ecclesiastick Kingdome I answer here is a fallacy in the ambiguity of the word when they meane every where by the Church the visible Church for when Christ saith that his Kingdome is not of this world but heavenly he meanes the Catholike Church the greatest part whereof is in heaven and there raignes with Christ But because for the accomplishing of this Kingdome the visible Church here on earth is appointed and her Ministery therefore Christ transfers the name of the Kingdome of heaven to the affaires of the visible Church not as if he meant that the visible Church or her Ministery should be held for a Kingdome or for the Kingdome of heaven but by a knowne Metonymie he transfers the name of the effect and end to the efficient which leads to that end no other wayes then we use to say that a man labours for food and rayment whereas he workes for money not as if money were food and rayment but because by it these things are procured he deserves to be laughed at who in silver seeketh properly for food and rayment because figuratively it is called food and rayment as ridiculous are the Papists when they seeke in the visible Church a regall and celestiall Power and dominion because it is called the Kingdome of heaven for no other reason but because it is the medium by which we attain to that blessed Kingdome in heaven This is the old Papists Logick to seek for literall conclusions out of figurative speeches which art almost every where the Walachrian Bapist borrowes from them and chiefly in this Argument for because Christ calls the visible Church and its Government a Kingdome and of heaven figuratively he concludes that the Church-Rulers have a regall power and that they are really and simply heavenly Kings although I suspect that he wrote this and many other things but in jest yet I will drive out this joculary naile with another naile that any one may see the absurdity If the visible Church be the Kingdome of heaven truly and simply as Apollonius saith then I will infer that of necessity the Church of Midleburg is also literally the Kingdome of heaven which if so then I will conclude with another consequence that that Church is literally heaven for England and France are the Kingdomes of England and France Hence further I conclude that as often as the visible Church meeteth in the temple of Middleburg there heaven is literally and by another consequence as often as the Stilt-walker preacheth in that Church he preacheth in heaven then it must follow that while he is there with his Hearers he is not properly on the earth except he will mingle heaven and earth together And againe it will follow that because he is a Ruler in that Church and hath the power of censuring he is not only a King but the King of heaven too as Rhadamanthus is of hell How blessed then is Apollonius who if he doth not reigne in the earthly Consistory of Middleburg yet he is King of Middleburgian heaven Are not then the Magistrates of Middleburg stupid who yet doubt whether the Stilt-walker be worthy of the earthly Kingdome of his Consistory whom long ago they see to be King of heaven That he may reconcile these absurdities he will be forced to confesse that this word of the Kingdome of heaven is figuratively and improperly attributed to the visible Church But if Apollonius may with Papists expound figurative words literally there will be nothing certain in Divinity but Christians
hee saith that this end is not immediate proximate proper which it may by its selfe produce but onely by accident by the Ministers of the Church and of piety so that though the Scripture should say a hundred times that the end of Magistracy and the chiefe intent of the Magistrate is the care of Religion and advancing of salvation this will not a whit move the Stilt-walker for he on the contrary will say that he hath no right to these sacred affaires but he must continue in his proper end which is the care of peace and worldly good things but matters of salvation are an improper end remote by accident for obtaining of which he of himselfe doth nothing but to procure that it may be done by Christians especially by Preachers to wit if he build faire Churches bestow large stipends upon Ministers get good bread and generous wine for the Lords Supper the taste whereof may warme the Preachers spirits if they affoord good tables and plentifull feasts and invite oftentimes the Preachers thither that shaking off the gravitie of mechanicke sobriety their spirits may bee made fine and subtill for pumping out the starrie spiritualities of their Church-Discipline which things when they have fallen out heretofore according to his desire I doubt not but he hath oftentimes said to himselfe of his discipline as the Pope once said of Christian Religion How much honour and profit hath this fable of Christ brought us How much honour and delights are conferred upon us by this fable of the wonderfull sanctity of Church-Discipline The indignity of the thing and the manifest corruption of Scripture have driven me against my will to break this jest upon the VValachrian fained sanctity of their Church-Discipline and Doctrine I wish that before he had abused this excellent place of Paul with so many childish subterfuges he had read Calvins Commentary upon this place which for fashions sake he so much esteems that he calls him his Calvin but here truly he rejects and neglects him as a stranger for rarities sake I will set downe here a few passages If then any care either of the publike peace or of piety or of honesty move us let us remember that a care must be had of them he meanes Magistrates by whose Ministery so many excellent things come to us If one ask whether we should pray for Kings by whom we reap no such thing I answer that our wishes tend to this that being ruled by Gods Spirit they would begin to be Ministers of those good things which heretofore they have deprived us of c. For this principle must be alwayes remembred Stilt-walker pricke up your eares that God hath ordained Magistrates as well for the preservation of religion as of publike peace and honesty no otherwise then the earth is ordained for procreation of food Therefore as we praying for our daily bread beseech God that he would fructifie the earth with his blessing so in those former bounties we ought to looke upon the ordinary meanes which he hath in his providence set up c. Besides let Princes and all Magistrates be warned here of their duty for it is not sufficient if in rendring to every man his due they suppresse all injuries and cherish peace except also they study to promote religion and by honest discipline to compose mens manners For David doth not exhort them in vaine to kisse the Sonne Esay 49. nor doth Esay in vaine call them nursing fathers of the Church Therefore let them not flatter themselves if they neglect to afford their help in maintaining divine worship As these passages are notable and godly so they are diametrically opposite to this Walachrians fictions So farre is he from denying the care of religion to belong to the Magistrate properly proximately by it selfe as the Stilt-walker prates that he rather shewes him to bee principally ordained by God to take care of religion and that not remotely improperly and by accident but properly and by himselfe except this Walachrian Papist will perswade us that it belongs to the earth improperly remotely and by accident to produce fruits so that if we weigh this matter with an even hand we shall finde that Calvin ascribes more and greater parts to the Magistrate in promoting religion and salvation then to the Ministers themselves Rom. 13. For these are onely considered as husbandmen and sowers of the seed but the Magistrates as the earth But as we know the earth is the more proper and neerer cause of corne which receiveth the seed into its bosome some and ripens it then the husbandmen who rest after they have sowed and removed what may hinder the growth thereof even so Calvin either wrote unwisely or els he hath made the civill Magistrate the prime chief efficient cause of religion procuring of salvation I have been somwhat large about the end of the civill and Ecclesiastick power that I might refell all the Stilt-walkers fooleries he truly deales no otherwise with Magistrates then Circe in Homer did with Vlysses his Fellows whom though they were other ways prudent men yet she is said to have changed them with her singing and rod into hogs so that they could not lift up towards heaven their brissly necks and this she did to make them her slaves Even so this Impostor that he might reigne alone in his Ecclesiastick Kingdome by his preaching rod indeavours to make beasts of Magistrates that they may believe the care of heaven and salvation belongs nothing to them but that it exceeds their capacity and that they have abundantly discharged their office if they have thought onely with Martha of corporall earthly and culinarie things and like hogs wallow perpetually in things fading and onely fit for the belly leaving high and heavenly matters to Church-men The third difference between the civill and Ecclesiastick power he placeth in the meanes which they use which he feignes to be most different and as farre as heaven is from earth The power of the Magistrate saith he exerciseth its judgment after a carnall way by a corporall sword by a force externall coactive and armed but for that of the Church after a spirituall manner by censure reproofe suspension and excommunication And elswhere he calls these meanes sanctified and spirituall so here againe he considereth his Church-businesse and government as heavenly and spirituall but the secular as carnall and earthly I answer Here Apollonius fills his bag-pipes of lies againe that he may adorne the fringes of his Church-government For both the Members of the antecedent are false and fallatious that the falshood may be found out I will aske whether hee thinks the meanes which the Magistrate useth which wrongfully he calls carnall to be quite void of spirituality so that they neither have nor can have it Againe whether the Ecclesastick meanes chiefly those of the Walachrian Church-government be such as have no corporality or carnality in them If he affirmes that and denies this sense
not I will make thee a God to Moses but contrarily I will make Moses a God to thee whence wee see that God from the beginning did not purpose to commit the supream care of the world and of the Church to church-men but to secular Magistrates for hee knew that things would not be well guided by church-men as appears by Aaron who when Moses was absent but 40. dayes was of such a soft and effeminate spirit that presently upon the prayers and menaces of the people turned the whole worship into Idolatry this was the cause that when Christ was asked of the Apostles concerning government hee permitted it to Magistrates but denied it precisely to church-men so that in this famous title of God all church-men are subject to the civill powers and all civill powers are to rule the church-men for these are called only Angels but they gods who will not confesse men to bee subordinate to Gods and Gods to have superiority over men I doubt not but Apollonius will here murmur with himselfe that the Prophet did so unwisely bestow this title upon Magistrates when out of the principles of Walachrian divinity this title of God belongs rather to church-men than to Magistrates for these as sheep should be subject to their ecclesiastick pastors Magistrates are only earthly Kings but cleargy-men are beavenly Magistrates are Legats of God the Creator church-men of Christ the Mediator exalted lastly Magistrates are carnall and worldly but churchmen are spirituall and holy who seeth not from hence that churchmen come neerer to God than Magistrates and that therefore the name of God belongs more justly to them So that wee need not doubt but in time the Stilt-walker will mend this magnificat as his predecessor the Pope did who not being content with the titles of Bishop pastor and president in which the Walachrian for the time rejoyceth hath assumed to himselfe also the title of God so that now hee is stiled our lord god the Pope but that our proud Ministers may not rise to this height among protestants I hope the Magistrate will take care whilst hee shall consider that hee alone by divine gift and right doth possesse this title of God which bee cannot without sacriledge impart to Ministers by which also is admonished that hee is subject to none but to God only and that there is nothing so spirituall so holy and so heavenly under his jurisdiction if it be humane but that it is subject to his power which will more appear by that famous place of Paul where not only hee is honoured with the name of God but also is endowed with the priviledge of Divine preheminence Among other elogies 2 Pet. 2.13 Rom. 13 1 that is notable one which is given to the Magistrate by Peter and chiefly by Paul where the great dignity of the civill power upon earth is described which hee placeth in three 1. That there is no supereminent power armed with the sword which is not subordinate to God and by him ordained for he saith that all powers which bear the sword are ordained by God and hee that resisteth them resisteth the Ordinance of God therefore every such by what name soever it is called bearing the sword hath God for its author so that the Apostle doth not permit any man to enquire who or what hee is that useth this power nor how hee hath attained to it nor indeed how hee useth it but absolutely commands to give obedience civill whether to the King as chiefe or to governours it was then known to the Apostles that the Emperors by fraud and violence invaded the Empire and that they used their power tyrannically against Christians so that if this generall rule had suffered any exception he would have mentioned it but both the Apostles do absolutely make this law That whosoever possesseth the sword he is ordained by God nor must any doubt of his power This did Abraham and Isaac well understand when they came within the jurisdiction of Abimelech Perhaps the fear of God is not in this place They doubted of the Kings piety and justice but yet they prepared themselves to obey even till death They will kill me for thy sake say they Thou shalt say thou 〈◊〉 my sister So Pompey when he went out of his own ship into the King of Egypt's barge in which he was treacherously murthered he rehearsed this sentence Whosoever entreth into the house of a Tyrant he is his servant though he entred a filee-man This then is sure wheresoever there is a superior power bearing the â—â—â—â—d no man ought to enquire how he hath obtained it which is the form of it how he useth it at least not too curiously oâ— with an intent to resist For however the faults of his government are not from God but are displeasing to him yet the civil order is still from God So that whosoever out of his own private motion resisteth this he resisteth God himself and hasteneth vengeance upon himself The other is That he subjects every soul to the higher Powers Origen â—y every soul understands the Naturall man but he trifles Paul understands every man which in Scripture is ordinary Act. 3. 27 for every man hath a soul Now the Apostle said rather every 〈◊〉 then every body because men in respect of their bodies differ much but in respect of their souls they are all uniform Whence Chrysostome upon this place Though he be an Apostle though a Prophet though an Evangelist this subjection doth not overthrow piety Whence in appears that no man upon what pretence soever who is under anothers jurisdiction can free himselfe from the government of the Civil Magistrate whether he be Clergy or Lay rich or poor learned or unlearned no condition excuseth him from obedience These named famous Patriarks and as it appeared afterward more excellent then King Abimilech himself yet confessed humbly that even to death they were subject whilst they were under his jurisdiction Who more worthy then Christ yet he subjected himself to Caesar and Pilate impious Magistrates It is then an unworthy thing for any man to exempt himself from the Civil power under pretence of sanctity or religion or any prerogative for this is flat repugnant to Pauls generall maxime That every soule should be subject none excepted The third thing is That he commands subiection in all and obedience to Magistrates so that he will not have them resisted not only for punishment but also sor consoience because he that resisteth the Magistrate resisteth the ordinance of God and hasteneth judgement against himself which to do is against a good conscience All these are emphaticall and shew how absolute the Civil power is over all and in all things because absolutely it commands all without exception to be subject and absolutely commands subjection without any restriction Wherefore if there had been so many cases in which subjection was not to be given to Magistrates suppose in spirituall and ecclesiastick matters
errour is that rashly and most falsly they assume to themselves the title of Christs Legate no other wayes then the Jewes of old bragged of the Temple and the Papists now of the Church That one may be the Kings Embassadour two things are required that he may carrie his badge and may shew his Letters of credence that he is the Kings Embassadour The other that he may have his instructions concerning the Kings will and command so that when he wills he may shew all things ready for his Embassie For if either of these be wanting the whole honour of his Embassie failes so that if one take upon him to be an Embassadour and having the badges yet go beyond his commission either out of ignorance or malice he shall not be a true Legate Againe if one do faithfully deliver the Kings will as a Legate and yet have no right or any thing to shew for his Embassie he also is not to be accounted the Kings Embassadour and it hath oftentimes been seen that such Legates have been punished by Princes as Impostors If according to this rule the Pope be examined he will be found to be Antichrist If you ask for his Letters Patents of Embassie he will tell you that he sits in Peters chaire and that from person to person from Peter to himselfe this right was derived to wit by true election and many other things with which he belyeth his Letters of credence If you make inquirie into his instructions though many Popes were nothing but Monsters despisers of divine and humane Lawes yet they say that he is infallible by the vertue of his Chaire that he hath all Lawes within the cabinet of his brest This fiction is thrust upon men under many ambiguities and now for many hundred yeares hath so prevailed in Popery that he who doubts to yeeld to thus shall be compelled to yeeld to arguments taken from excommunication prison faggots and death This is the old Popery The new Walachrian Papist brags much more unseemingly of his Embassie because he is forced to confesse that he hath no Letters to shew for his employment nor any wayes so instructed as to deserve the name of Christs Embassadour for I will aske him what certaine badges hath he to shew that he is Christs Legate he will doubtiesse say he hath badges or markes in that he was chosen by the Church that is elected and ordained to preach by an outward company of men professing Christ but this is to prove the same by the same for then the question will be where did Christ say that he would account him for his Legate who is chosen and ordained at this day to preach by an Assembly of Christians If there were now such a King who should acknowledge for his Embassadours such as should take upon them this function by some evill and sinistrous wayes he should be held an inconsiderate Prince and little carefull of his honour How unworthy a thing is it then to suspect this of Christ so great a Monarch that he would so prostitute the glorious right of his Embassie in holy things that he should presently acknowledge for his Vicars and Legates who can shew onely the externall pomp of Vocation This fiction was long since exploded among the old Papists yet wee deny not but they had some kind of calling but because it was not justly performed and according to Christs prescript it is therefore accounted as none Though I will not ascribe the same degree of impudencie to those Walachrians yet if Apollonius will confesse what he knoweth there is nothing more certaine then that the whole manner of Vocation there is humane and oftentimes carnall so that I thinke it a most unworthy thing that Christ should be so loose and profuse in bestowing the honour of this Embassie whereas it is as easie in a Brokers shop of old cloaths to find a sute for a noble man as it is there by force or favour to acquire through Apollonian spirituall Arts the title of Christs Legate Now for matter of instruction If it be demanded I have shewed before that there is no man at this day who dare say he is infallible For as soon as the Scribes in their preaching departed from the chaire or reading of Moses in Christs time they did easily admit the leaven of their owne traditions in their doctrine of which Christ will have us take heed though neverthelesse he will have us hearken to them so long as they sit in Moses his chaire that is continue in the simple reading So this writing of Apollonius shewes what is done in the Walachrian Classis who placing the authority of his Embassie not in reading but in declamatory preaching hath been divers times convicted by me of errour and found to have departed from the instructions of his King whence he seems to me to be no lesse sottish when he obtrudes a corrupt calling and fallible preaching for Christs true Embassie then if he would pay his debts by painting on a piece of board the figures and colours of divers coynes and so give them to his creditor instead of paiment Here is no obscure report that the Ecclesiastick spirituality of Apollonius is so ruinous there that not onely out of the positive sanctity of Deacons the comparative of Elders but which is a wonder from the superlative of Preachers this shamefull disgrace hath proceeded Versuram facere fore cedere that some there out of a base intent to defraud men tooke up money upon use to pay their creditors and plaid bankerupts If it please Apollonius to help his Colleague with such a paiment that he may bestow upon him a large sum of painted money on a board I will give him leave to use his bounty yet he shall no more satisfie his creditors there by paying painted money for true then by obtruding upon us here the shadowes and pictures of his calling and preaching when he would shew us the uncorrupt honour of his Embassie Paul indeed and the Apostles might glory that they were Christs Embassadours because they were sent immediately neither from men nor by men whence they were furnished with the badges of their vocation with piety of life infallibility of doctrine and power of miracles This Embassie of Christ as being an Apostolicall function was onely in them and ended in them The dignity of Evangelists was somewhat lesse who wrote from their mouths as Luke or taught Act. 1.1 as Timothie whom Paul confesseth to have heard the doctrine of salvation from his mouth among many witnesses and warnes him that he should commit it to faithfull men 2 Tim. 2.2 and apt to teach such was Titus These were not Christs immediate Legats but the Apostles to whom notwithstanding it belonged to speak with authority as Calvin translates it or with command as Beza For although their Embassie was much different from that of the Apostles yet so long as they lived they could have recourse to them They