author desires only to be understood chap. 9. Quest. 5. and such infallibillity to be in a Presbytery that the Laws thereof ought not should not be debated in a counsell this also by this oath denyed and that justly To exclude therefore chiefly the Popes authority is his Majesty to be accounted Supream in all causes and over all persons that is hath jurisdiction and power over all men whether Clergy or others not the Pope When God instituted the Church oâ— the Jews the Priests and the Levits had their orders and laws for their spiritual government as clear and open as the Presbytery can plead for in the new Testament yet that Kinâ—s had power over them and made Laws for them and were obeyed of by them is clear to him that not manum sub pallio 3 It is in his Majesties own dominious his jurisdiction is bounded within the limits of his own territories right and dominions All which considered it is no derogation to Christs honour to accept that oath but consequentially a supperiater and upholder of it Thus much of the third and last ordinance we undertook to defend in the beginning which was prayer Laus Deo dedit enim vâ—lle etiam perficere Si quid novisti rectius istis utere si non his utere mecum FINIS ERRATA OF the errours that happened in the printing of this treatise these following are some of these viz. p. 7. l. 16. r. slighting p. 11. marg l. 1â— r. use p. 17 l. 16. r. altered 27. r. fondly p. 18. l. 7. r. Instâ—â—â—â— p. 21. l 25. r. such laws p. 29 33. r. commanded p. 29. l. 7. r. will not p. 33. l. 1. r. regard p. 39. l. 1. r. creature p. 41. l. 36. r compleated p 45 l. 35. r. benâ—â—ecessi p. 53. l. r. persecutâ—on p. 57. l. 10. r. perform without p. 62. l. 33. r. own p. 73. l. 23. r. inlarge p. 81. l. 30. r. Adoption p. 86. l. 6 r. praedicantisses p 104. l. 9 r. Word p. 150. l. 9. r. explanatory p. 107. l. 26. r. intâ—lligentâ—a p. 118. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 159. l. 16. r had p. 169 l. 1. r. refute p. 173. l. 17. r. but and 18. r. grand p. 177. l. 3. r. Mâ—tta l. 25 r. were not p. 181. l. 21. r. p. 193. l. 5. r. Some p. 2. 13. l. 26. r. lively p. 252 l. 13. r. concupiscence p. 255. l. 22. r. Bâ—vt Noble p. 266 l. 13. r. feast p. 275. l. 33. r. vigorous p. 277. marg l. 28 r veneras l. 40. r. 111. p. 214. l. 25. serve p. 288. 22. r. sacred p. 294. l. 18. r. bulk l. 25. r. fonts p. 30.7 marg l. 5. r. pleading l. 11. r Offer them p. 328. l. 16. r. sacred p. 294. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 361. l. 2. r. Guisel marg l. 3. r. Antiepiscopal p. 37.5 l. r. repealed p. 383. l. 10. r. figurat ea 25. r. per visum marg l. 3. r. 24. permittitur l. 13. r. 23. p. 10. l. 5. r. Reipturis p. 422. l. 10. r. praestat p. 490. l 11. r. Mathew The other faults are left to the Readers charity and inquisition the Author being necessarily detained from the presse A small Coâ—ncell being called and gathered at Spir. March 15. 1629. decreaed severall things against the Catholick Doctrine to maintain the Tenets of the now Church of Rome as the Communion under one kind c Which decree was opposed by severall of the German Princes wht cast in a Protestation against it in writing those that subscribed that were called Protestants whence the pose of the word came to be given to all that protest or declare against the errours of the new Church of Rome Syn. Trip. pag. 51. Thes. 10. His Majesty pag. 5. to M. Hen. His Mâ—jâ—sties Declar for â—ffaiâ—s Eccl. In an indiâ—ect sence she may preach and teach theiâ— neccesity for he that resisteth lawfull commands â—â—neth against Coâ— If Kings and Princes do tolerate such it were best not to let them know it meekness never doing good to their humour If they be suffered by Law they will have lawless meetings as appeared whereever they were Those that reason our no being gospel Ministers because we are not called as the Apostles were may argue that we are not men since we were not made as Adam was From that charity love that burned always in him towards Christ and his Church he was cast to hungry Lyons by Trajan August An. Clâ— 1556. Altare Christia num pag. 8. Ex. â—ren lib. 3. c. 3 â— 5. Those in some points teach one and the same doctrine Epist. con Manich. c. 4 tom 6. Calv. Inst. lib. 4. S. 15. For Act. mon. p. 34 Ex Eus. lib. 3. c. 3. Carnifrira na Prophetarum The broacâ—er of this doâ—t iâ—e was â—ill Hethingâ—on by Trade a Box maker Theâ—e might have been another argumentâ— given for since the wrâ—â—ing of al is they appear no Churches but nâ—sts of wasps Traytors all our Hereticks being of one stamp and carrying Treason in their bosoms ' as appears by their seditious and murtherous and Treasonable attempts in London jan 6. 1660. They being now un Churched by Law I wish it may be my happinesse to be the last in this Kingdome that shal have ever occasion to handle this Question more I know so much of all or most of them this I desire it heartily Gffiâ— Beat. Ma. ad Mat. pag. 18. meaning Tho Bec. a fancy impudent Rebel yet made a S. by the Pope Apolog. par 5 c 13 D. 1. 2. Apolog. c. 1â— Not that Coloss. in the Isle of Rhodes most Geographer is making this to be the City written to not that this Epistle speaking of Laodicea Hierapolis Cities of Nâ—tolia as boâ—dering upon Colos. and near to each other intimates the same these 3. Cities were overthrown together by an Earthquake A.C. 68. Pisc. in loc Terrent He flourished Ann. Chr. 385. An upstart Preacher in the audience of some of the Authors Parish defâ—nding the Contraâ—y Dâ—ctrine did occasion the staâ—ting of this Question next Sabbath and shewing it to be the Doctrine of Devils one gave the Author freely hish and never to hear such Teachers more It is wished the Reader reap the like profit * * Discessuri ab invicem Apostoli normam praedicationis in commune constitu unt Cyp. ex Alst. Chi Symo. c. Iob is said to have flourished Anno 2330. Moses brought the people 〈◊〉 of Aegypt An. 2453. He came out of his afflictions An. 2332. * * April 6. Anno 1654 There was a solemn fast kept at Oxon for rain there being none for a long time together whereby the corn was much in danger before the Churches broke up there was a great and a plentiful shour and moderate rain a great while after whereby the fields did laugh and sing Charity here begun at home * * Witness their
the filling up of the House and eating of the Supper for it was now ready and yet the Table was not filled I dare say the Son of Ieffes place was not empty None who is like Gods own heart but will appear fâ—rst in â—ods House and at his Worship Probably many might excuse themselves or pretend other businesse at this invitation but the Servants could not help it onely rold their Lord that what had been concluded of him was performed by them The Master being herewith provoked charges the Servants the third time to go to the High-wayes and Hedges and compell them they had bidden and invited and exhorted and perswaded them before now they must take no excuse but Compell and by some circumstances in the text he that wanted a wedding garment appears to be of the number so forced and by this was the house filled and the Lord contented The guests were clean but not all one was found unfitted for such a table he is charged with it He had nothing to say for himself he knew that the servants told him they must do it and that by their Lords direction and therefore he urges not their compulsion as a reason of his own unpreparation they were to bring him in but he must fit himself for so noble a company and plentifull entertainment Now that the Master here is the Lord Jesus or Christ the Kings Son and that the feast are those ways and Ordinances by which Christ feeds both Jew Gentil them were first bidden and them that lay in the lanes and hedges and that the servants are the Ministers of the Church by whose Preaching and Doctrine they are called to come to the Lord Christ for Salvation is granted almost by all and how often the man without the wedding garment in chains is set at the Chancel door to perswade Communicants to a worthy receiving of the Lords Supper is knovvn to all So that there is no need to quarrel with the Word but rather fear the thing and not put the Church to compulsion which denotes the utmost of her power of which afterward to reduce her members family or children to obedience and compell them to come in to her Ordinances For we are not speaking oâ— her compelling those that are not or were not members of her body as the Spaniards and Iesuites are said to have done with the poor Indians driving them like droves or flocks to the Font or Baptistery and then brag of the multitude of their Converts Let us now come to the point and that the Church hath power to compell any that is of her body I mean such as never were cast out by her for all others are their own Apostacy from her takes not away her relation from them to come to her Ordinance seems to be true doctrine by these Arguments following 1. From that spiritual and powerfull efficacy and blessing that she knoweth goes along with her ordinances God will go along with his own institution and the Spirit may and often doth in the ordinance melt the heart that is otherwise cold and hard that conscience that may be pretendeded against the Ordinance may be broken or enlightned if it be real and that rancor against the Preacher may be slain with the sword of the Spirit Those that came to take Christ Iohn 7 47. and he that was sent to insnare him were both so taken with his words that they were almost if not altogether made his Disciples 2. From that danger that may incur to her whole body if she suffer one to fal off at his own pleasure for that one may open a door to another and both go several waies and each draw Proselytes after them Similitudo exemplum maxime movent and againe quod exemplo fit id etiam jure fieri putant homines She is therefore to appear with her rod in her hand as it were to correct the sawciness or stubbornness of any of her Children lest others take example and write after the copy or walke after their steps Once make it lawfull for a man to fall from the Church Ordinances without a real cause and that is to be discovered afterward and we shall quickly see others following after him out of wilfulness or malice for what Governour Government Preacher or Sermon can there be in the world that will please even all good men 3. From that power that Christ hath left to his Church in his last Will and Testament Die Ecclesiae tell it to the Church is the last refuge for an offended Brother Tell it to the Church Mat. 8.17 if that will not bring him to an acknowledgment of that real offence that he hath given for a zeal is only there supposed let him be to thee as a Heathen the Church hath here and elsewhere as in its own time shall be discovered a power to excommunicate out of the Church which is a delivery over unto Sathan 1 Tim 1.18 any of her body that gives a real and just offence to any of her members and will not make satisfaction so much as by repentance Now what greater offence can there be given to a Christian faithfull man than to see the ordnances the feals of the covenant that which is the power of God to save him that means that God hath appointed ordained instituted as standing Laws never to be repealed to the end of the World slighted raiâ—ed at carâ—ed at believe it if ever the Church did hear a cause she must hear this especially when she understands that not an Enemy hath done this but one that saies he hath affinity with Christ yea is a part of him if this tongue cannot be perswaded to say I repent the Church ought to deliver it over unto Sathan that it may learn not to blaspheme so that she may either compel him or thrust him out either make him learn or turn him out of her Schoole and that excommunication is no stingless Bee shal be discovered in its own time and place The like also teacheth the reformed Churches particularly the Church of Helvet Art 23. where speaking of publick places set a part from the worship of God declares that so many as do despise them and separate themselvee from them they are contemners of true Religion and are to be compelled by the Pastours and GodlyMagistrates In this case the Church officer may repair to the civil Magistrate if he be a Church member for redress to surcease stubbornly to separate and absent themselves from sacred assemblies by which they understand the publick temples of the Church It may be easily foreseen that the man who thus separates himself will pretend conscience for his separation The mixt congregation possibly will defile his holy heart and his conscience perswades him that the doctrin generally approved by the Church of England is not according to Godliness and he verily believes that our Churches being builded by Papists are Dens of theives And if he be made to come the sinne hee
constituted these extraordinary calls are no warrant for men in our dayes to assume that office for Christ now and afterwards more plainly appoints them to give power to others for the execution of those things having made it an Ordinance and from them and by them to continue to the end of the world And now as these people have constituted themselves a Church and have in that notion by man or woman received the Ordinances of the Church cast out and took in in the times of a Church long agoe constituted we pronounce them to be no Churches but nurseryes of Faction and prusumptuous Boasters That they are no Churches we shall endeavour to prove so clearly as we hope any indifferent or unprejudiced reader will not long halt between two opinions They appear to be no Churches For 1. They have no Bishops Preists Ministers or Teachers call them what they please deriving their authority from the Apostles of Christ. The Apostles were the masters of our Israel ordained by Christ to preach the Gospel to all Nations and where they Taught they Ordained and appointed Ministers for the Ruling and Governing of that Church and gave them power also to Ordaine others For this cause saies Paul to Titus I left the in Crete the same place now called Candy that thou shouldest set in order things that art wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed Tit. 1.5 The word Elder in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters or Priests he must ordain Priests he cals them Bishops v. 7. Titus was therefore left in Crete to Ordain Bishops or Priests in every City that the Gospel might be purely taught and the Sacraments administred Thus holy Polycarpus Saint Iohn's Disciple was placed by him in the Church of Smyrna Ignatius that had his name given ab igne charitatis he was also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being born of God was the second Bishop of Antioch next Peter For Peter ruled that Church 7. years and afterwards came to Rome An. Christ. 71. The succession of Bishops I would have none offended at the word suppose what other name they will only this is the antient Word from Peter or any other Apostle was a certain sign of a true call into Holy Orders among the Antients Let us suppose a man Ordained by the present Bishop of Canterbury and let it be inquired what power he had to do it he shews it from Abbot Whitgift and so upward for a thousand Years the Records of that Sea being known until you come to Augustin the first Bishop of Canterbury Then ask who gave him power to Ordain for that Office he names you Gregory a holy Catholick Bishop Rome not yet being Antichrist servus Serverum Dei as he called himself He again was Ordained by Pelagius he by Benedictus he by Iohn he by Pelagius the First he by Vigilius he by Sylverius he by Argapetus Anno Christi 535. and so upward for 400. years or more until you come to Alexander the great An. Chr. 121. He was Ordained by Evaristus he by Anacletus he by Clemens he by Cletus he by Linus and he by Saint Peter the Apostle of our Lord the First Bishop of Rome who after he hâ—d ruled the Church of Antioch 7. year in which City the Apostles and Disciples were first called Christians Acts 11.26 came An. 67 in the 14. Year of Nero the Emperours Reign to Rome by whom he was crucified with his head downwards and all the Bishops after him until Elutherius were put to death by Heathen Emperours for he was the first of 13 Bishops that dyed a naturall death It is said of him Est Primus Episcopâ—rum Româ—norum qui non perjit morte violenta By this Bishop Lucius who Reigned in England Anno Christi 180. had some knowledge of the faith and Doctrine of the Gospel Bring this succession down again from Peter to Linus from him to Cletus from him to Clemens and so down for 400 years to Gregory who sending Augustin into England set up his Bishops seat first at Dover then removed it as the Gospel prospered unto London whence he was removed to Canterbury where his continued succession remains unto this day In all those places he taught the Gospel and Ordained Priests or Ministers and gave them power to Ordain others Planted Teachers in Winchester York Carlisle and from these again as from fountains came the Authority of Ordination to water other dry parts of the Nation about them and so from age to age was it delivered untill it came upon the Authours head by unquestionable Authority Now let us ask one of these Mechanicks By whom were you constituted and appointed a Church-Officer to exercise the power of the Keys if you say from Christ we deny it for he Ordained none but his Disciples if from his Disciples show or produce your Warrant for Ordination was given to them and by their hands given to others that the succession might be preserved unto the end of the World So Saint Iames the Apostle sate Bishop in the Church of Ierusalem Evodius was Bishop of Antioch next Peter next to him Ignatius and to Theophilus and downward If we had the Register of the Church of Crete in which place Titus was set to Ordain Elders in every City and then ask one By whom were you appointed to dispence the Word and Sacrament and exercise the power of the Keys by such a one he by him and he by him and so you should fal on Titus himself And Timothy who was Ordained by the same Apostle the First Bishop of the Church of Ephesus had a charge in the Epistle sent unto him to commit the Doctrine to faithful men that they might be able to teach others 2. Tim. 2.2 Which Commitment is by laying on of hands that being the Ceremony for translating the power viz. the Authoritative of Teaching from one person to another as afterwards shall be discovered which Commitment Timothy must not be too rash in but weigh and examine what manner of man he is 1 Tim. 5.22 For a Bishop must be blamelesse sober apt to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 Or if it be a Deacon that Tim. so Ordain the lowest authoritative Office in the Church he must be grave 1 Tim. 3.8 Which Office of Deacon-ship if they use well they may be through their faith in God receive a higher Office called a purchasing to themselves a good degree 1 Tim 3.13 Which may truly bear this construction that good degree though a low one shall make them esteemed of God and esteemed so wel of his Church as to make him a Presbyter or a Bishop for that that Office was made a step to that of the Priest-hood is clear both in gospell and Church-History A Deaconship being only a Probationers place for it and according as the Church gave them a Benegessit for the one they received the degree of the other But what authority had Timothy to
Churches constituted for they have no Sacraments this follows upon the former and rises morally from it where there is no Minister or authoritative Officer there can be no Sacraments they being the Seals of the Covenant of grace which is made unto believers either when they are incorporated or confirmed in the body of Christ which is the Church Ephes. 1.23 Thy are also called broad seals of heaven that of the spirit being the private by which the receiver is assured of the pardon of his sins Now to the private Christian did Christ never give the keeping of or the power of delivering those seals The People were never Lord-chancellours of these things whether singly or collectively taken therefore they cannot give nor dispence them to another Iohn the Baptist was called from God immediately to baptize so were the Apostles by Christ who Ordained none nor Baptized none but them while the Church of Christ was constituting God was pleased so to do but after the Baptists death and the Apostles call no such extraordinary acts but all must receive now that power from the hands of the Apostles by Ordination The Church may say to those men when they come to dispence the Seals Peter I know Paul I know Stephen I know Nicanor I know Timothy I know Titus I know but who are you if you say you were or are Ordained by Christ he Ordained none but his Disciples if you were Ordained by his Disciples show it by your Commission wee shal know whether Baptisme be from Heaven that we may believe or from men that we may not be mistaken in it Possibly the peoples Election and deputation is produced for this authority which is to be equally regarded as he who should come with a Commission from a mans own son for the Father to execute the power or Office of Justice of the peace which is to be scorned his Son having no power to grant such Orders or give such Offices The power of Ordination search the Scriptures was never granted to the people neither in the Old nor New testament We find indeed Micha Iudg. 17. having a House of Gods and an Ephath and a Teraphim consecrating one of his sons for a Priest though of the tribe of Ephraim of which tribe Mosâ—s spoke nothing touching the Priesthood He afterwards Consecrated a Levite to be his Priest verse 12. which was an Office peculiar to the Sons of Aaron not to the Levites in common but who gave Micha the power of consecration how can he consecrate any Priest at all this moved him vers 6. In those days there was no King in Israel but every man did what was right in his own eyes there being no Magistrate or Governour to keep the people in awe An Ephraimite may consecrate and offer Sacrifice and the Worship of God being contemned through the disorder of the times a Levite is forced to wander for a place and assume the Priesthood The want of Government was the cause of this and other evils that followed upon it The self-same cause is the reason of the irregularity that hath lately been in England touching Micha's even Peoples ordination of Priests which power was never given to him nor them In one thing Micha is to have his due applause he would have none to offer Sacrifice in his House a priestly Office before he were consecrated i.e. before he were ordained Priest he had read in the Law what Sacrifices Duties were appointed in the designation of men into that Office his Son nor the Levites not being of that line unto whom by a natural succession the Office belonged he saw a necessity of making them Priests for he must worship God and if they be Priests they must be consecrated he knows nor how or where to procure another â—â— therefore takes the Authority to himself of Consecration And truly such Priests as he made and himself that made them and the Worship they gave by him and the gods they worshipped too were suitable to each other Even such are they though in this particular worse who will offer to design or depute any to be their Priest or Minister who are not of that line to whom by a moral Succession that Office onely belongeth by their being deputed and set apart for that Office by the Sacrifice of Prayer and Supplication and with the ceremony of Imposition of Hands by those who have received that power by Apostolical Tradition Possibly he may produce his own Gifts of Holiness Utterance Aptness to teach Courage Zeal with all other Gifts that are possible to qualifie men inwardly for that Office and indeed may shew a Call from God which he supposes ought to be sufficient to testifie that his Baptism is not of men or to demonstrate that he is a man sent from God authoritatively to teach and administer the Sacraments to his Church But the Church values not those in this nature for so Paul was qualified also and Barnabas qualified and called of God for that Office yet God will have them to be constituted authoritative teachers in the sight of the Church by the Laws that were by him appointed for the Church viz. by Ordination or Imposition of hands Act. 13.3 So Stephen Nicanor Philip c. Acts 6. were men of honest report full of the Holy ghost and wisedome yet the lowest Office in the Church cannot they neither do they offer to perform in that Ordination from the Apostles Upon this ground the Church hath reason to deny their Authority and we deny that they have power to administer Sacraments the bread that they brake is not the body of Christ the cup they offer is not the Communion of the blood of Christ shed for the remission of sins they have not received this power of the Lord because not from his Apostles of causing Bread to be by faith beheld as the body of Christ nor Wine to represent the blood of Christ. In a word let us see how or when they received power from the Apostles otherwise they must passe for counterfeits and cheats and the offence so much the more hainous as it 's a counterfeiting the Great Seal of Heaven to bring Christs Spouse and her children in an errour in matters of so gâ—â—at concernment as the Seal of the Remission of their sins but she knows his hand and though they should come with never so much show of humility nay confirm their calling by miracles she is not she will not believe it Christ her Husband hath forewarned her that such should come and charged her not to heed them not follow them but shun them and avoid them 3. Should we Church those segregated Congregations as now constituted we must and are to un-Church all the Churches that now are or that ever have been in the Christian World They taught and teached the contrary they maintained and dyed for the contrary they walk Autipodos to one another there is a great diversity in their walking thus constituted as
Either 1. Strictly for those Precepts Sayings Sermons Exhortations that he gave made left behind in the World when he was visibly dwelling among men in the shape and form of a Servant and whosoever lets these words dwell in them they shall be like men dwelling upon a Rock the water may come about them but it shal never hurt them they may come about their feet but never swell up to the head the wind may blow but not a hair of his head fall to the Earth Mat. 7.27 2. Largely for all the Words Sayings Prophesies Sermons that were spoken by all whom he commissioned to preach after for the whole Doctrine of the Old and new Testament rejecting nothing nor turning out of doors of the great and capacious building of our souls no Word no Scripture since we can see the Image of Christ upon them all we know that Orally and Vocally or Verbally Christ made no Psalm yet here they are put down as the Words of Christ for they were truly Prophetically and spiritually made by him they are a part of that holy Book called the Word of Christ not excluding the other persons but including for it hath various titles according to the purpose and pleasure of the holy Ghost It is the VVord of God Ephes. 6.17 It is the VVord of the Lord 2. Thes. 2.3.1 It is the VVord of Life Phil. 2.16 and here it is the VVord of Christ. In those other places the Son is not excluded quod necessario subintelligitur non deest and here the Father with the Spirit are concluded That the whole body of the Doctrine of the Scriptures and what ever is contained therein may be called the word of Christ though Christ might not be yet come in the flesh may be thus demonstrated 1. They were all uttered and spoken by his spirit or they were written by that spirit that came from him Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy ghost 2. Pet. 1. ult Now the Holy ghost is sent by the Father in his Sons name Ioh. 14.26 and the Son sends the Holy ghost again from the Father Ioh. 15.26 It was this Spirit that put words in the mouth and mind of Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob David Solomon Iehosophat Iob Daniel Ieremiah VVhat shall I say the time would fail to speak of Gideon Barack Sampson Peter Paul and Iames the Lords Brother all which were acted by one and the same spirit which proceedeth from the Father and the Son prompting them and dictating to them the things Councels prophesies that are recorded in the Oracles of God 2. They did all of them hold him out to the VVorld or to the Sons of men speak of him Abraham saw his day Iohn 8.56 Moses wrote of him Ioh. 5.46 Isaiah saw him born of a Virgin Isa. 7.14 and told the VVorld of it Isa. 9.6 Ieremiah saw the children of Bethlem slain for him Ier. 31.15 He was seen from the top Tower of divine speculation giving eyes to the blind and ears to the deaf Isa. 35.5 He was sold for thirty pieces of silver Zacch 11.13 he was seen scourged mocked and crucified Isai. 53.4 5. he was seen to rise from the dead the third day Hos. 13. 14. Psal. 16.10 Ion. 1.17 he was seen to intercede at the right hand of God Dan. 9.17 he was seen coming in the clouds to judge his people Iude 14. his Birth his Reign his Nature his Suffering the cause of his Suffering the profits of his sufferings the height of his Power the extension of his Kingdom was made known to the world to Simeon before he embraced him else he would not nay could not have beheld him as the Lords Salvation Luk. 2.30 that is he through whom God appointed salvation to come by Christ himself commanded the Jews to search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 as if he had said If you do not find by the Scriptures the properties acts signs tokens of the true Messias spoken of by the Prophets to agree with and in me then believe me not They speak so fully and so largely of him of his Kingdome strength and power that almost it is nothing else but the word of Christ as if he himself were speaking of himself the things concerning himself Every Prophet in his turn prophesied and spake of him untill Iohn and he pointed him with his finger saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the Lamb of God they held him out unto the World in Prophesies and Types the Baptist held him forth to the World in flesh and bones yet fleshand blood revealed it not to him neither but the spirit which he sent before to restifie of those things that should come to pass and that they might be brought by those sayings to believe on the Son of man he brought indeed glad tidings vere magnum id est majus quom humana capit intelligentiam that said To you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Gloria in excelsis he plainer that said Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World 3. They were all of them ratified and fulfilled of him confirmed and established by him Not a Iota or Title that was foretold of him but was to the height accomplished of him ut impleretur that it might fulfilled which was spoken in the Scriptures is a usual phrase with the Evangelists As Ionas was three days and three nights in the Whales belly so was the Son of man in the bowels of the earth As the Serpent was lifted up that the Israelites beholding it might be cured of those wounds the fiery Serpents had given them so must the Son of man be lifted up on the Cross that whoso beholds him might be saved from the stings of that old Serpent called the Devill and Sathan Revel 12.9 He is the true Melchizedec who meets the faithfull returning from the slaughter of their sins and comforts them with bread and wine and blesseth them yea and they shal be blessed There was one Text and it seems but a mean one yet he wil not dye nay rather he cannot dye until it be fulfilled for at the last gasp he cryes out Ioh. 19.28 I thirst Quodnam Genus Sermonis he that could endure mockings scourges buffettings nay nailing to the Cross cast out of the land of the living and near to be made free among the dead cannot he endure a little thirst This thirst it seems is more then naturall that death it self cannot quench he is a thirst and Heaven and earth shall perish before he drink not those hands feet that in this his condition we would think should rather smite him spurn at him must be imployed to fetch reach him drink Ut impleretur all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken in that Scripture Psal. 69.21 In my thirst they gave mee Vinegar to drink which when he had done then Consummatum est all was finished if it had not been the truth
countries The power of excommunication ought to proceed from one who hath authority over that Church from which the party is excommunicated now the Pope what ever power as another Bishop he hath in his own Diocesse there is no power he can in the least lay claim to over other places They being by God put under the goverment of others over whom the Pope or Bishop of Rome hath no power and therefore cannot excommunicate Quest. 2. Whether kings ought or can be excommunicated Untill the days of Gregory the seventh Bishop of Rome the Imperial Crown was never touched with the thunder of excommunication of him it is written hic primus Imperatorem excommunicavit potestatem constituendi Imperatorem sibi arrogavit and indeed after him it was the usual practise of the Romish Bishops to extinguish the light of Imperial Majesty by disobliging subjects from their duty and allegiance to their lawfull princes by letters of excommunication Queen Eilzâ—beth of blessed memory was excommunicated by three Popes successively viz by Pius the fifth Gregory the thirteenth and Septus the fifth but that is no great wonder for her Father Henry the eight was so sentenced before her with all his protestant Children Yet of late the Popes mouth is something stopped that he seldome doomes and his arme in some measure dryed up that he cannot draw out this sword so often as formerly not because he wants will but because he wants no wit knowing that now the world is grown so wise as not to regard his threatnings However there is a generation known by the name of Presbyters or Guiless whose doctrine joyns to the popes in this touching the excommunication of Kings My â—oul never knew Treason but as our Saviour knew sin viz. by speculation only I am affrayd to see the word King and the word excommunication stand together le ts alter phrase and speake of the magistrate and in our discourse we shall unâ—e stand the cheiâ— Magistrate of Genevah since it is mantained by the Patriarch of that see It seemes neither Christian nor rational to bring magistrates under this censure For 1 Grant that the supreme magistrate might be excommunicated for any cause we should find him sentenced for no cause As â—t was a custome of the Bishop of Rome to censure Kings and Emperours at every time he took distate so these Guisels as they stand in opposition to Episcopacy haveing passion and spleen as natural to them as the faculty of breathing should at the fiâ—st supposed offence and they will ever be offended except they be highest divest majesty of its grandeur by their citations irreverent admonitions and frequent yea causeless Excommunications 2 It may open a doore for Treason and rebellion and countenance it by law to make the supreme magistrate by law no better then a Heathen and the Christian Governour no other in his dominion then the gerat Turke in his may provoke Spirits to attempt that which at this time we will not name They distinguish that they may not be mistaken that they excommunicate not the magistrate but â—he Christian cunning gamesters may not another say he kills not or rebells not against the Prince but an excommunicated person cunning executioners we have seen the sad events of such distinctions and the obâ—erver of them deserves to be civily excommunicated or banished or delivered over to the Executioner rather then he should have any opportunity of performing his desires or of uttering his mind in this particular seeing it is so destructive to all peace and order 3 The Church never could be bettered by magistrats excommunication this ordinance is appointed for the preserveing of the Church in peace and for the honour of the Gospel which ends we may know shall never be obtained by this How the Excommunications of the Emperour by the Bishops of Rome did make for these ends both the Emperours and the Popes know what quarrels underminings scandals to religon would be between the incensed King and the furious Guisel is easy to be foreseen 4 The arguments brought to defend this Papal practise are such as have no strength in them Is it not think you a neat knack of a Guisel that he can deliver the magistrate over unto Satan cast him out of the Church as a rotten member and all his subjects must be made behold him no better then a meere Heathen and yet not hurt the magistrate at all nor rob him of that majesty which officially is in him The story of King Uzziah is brought in to Justify their practise mentioned 2 Chro. 26.18 but when the sequele of that History is observed they will find it farre different from Judicial excommunication his being cut off from the house of the Lord was for his leprosie no leper being admitted thereunto and indeed by this Instance it is discovered what was said before for by reason of his naturall leprosie he was not only debarred the house of the Lord but also deposed from his throne which act indeed the Pref. might and we have cause to suspect would do when they have judicially excommunicated the magistrates so that by this meanes they would procure to themselves the power of pulling down one and setting up another That passage of Ambrose toward the Emperour Thedosius is much talked of but when all parts of it are considered it was nothing lesse then Pres. Excommunication That distinction of the Magistrates being but a man is worthily to be delivered over unto Satan he is more then a man We read that he is worth ten thousand mâ—n 2. Sam. 18.3 and when in Scripture it can be produced that 2 wicked Saul and idolattous Iereboam a Murtheâ—ous Manasseth or ungodly Iehoahaz undergoing the 〈◊〉 of the Church of the Iewes they shall have liberty 〈◊〉 against wicked magistrates the Church of the 〈◊〉 otherwise the distinction of good and bad 〈◊〉 amounts to nothing Saul was a wicked Prince but we ought to look upon him as the Lords annoynted and in that regard fear to touch his person or smite him with the tongues Saul must be untouched because he is King must be reviled made a Heathen nay possibly murthered because he is Saul say rebells Now which shall we follow God or man It is true excommunication is an ordinance of God so is the shedding of the blood of them who hath shed blood Gen. 9.6 Why was not Saul put to death then slaying the Lords Priests Kings are in Scripture looked upon with a watchfull eye by God that none harm them is not Saul a prophane wretch a notorious murtherer one forsaken of God Yet who can stretch forth there hand against him and be guiltlesse 2 Sam. 26.9 And though they should deserve stripes yet they are not to be stricken for equity Prov. 17.26 for against him there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 yea who ought to say what doest thou Eccle. 8.4 not excluding a just reproof or admonition for so John the Baptist reproved Herod