displeasing to the people then to have in-acted that no Bishop should be chosen without his will so long did this right remain to the people in the midst of other palpable corruptions Now for Episcopall dignity what it was see out of Ignatius who in his Epistle to those of Trallis confesseth that the Presbyters are his fellow Counsellers and fellow benchers And Cyprian in many places as in the 6. 41. 52. Epist. speaking of Presbyters calls them his Compresbyters as if he deem'd himself no other whenas by the same place it appeares he was a Bishop he calls them Brethren but that will be thought his meeknesse yea but the Presbyters and Deacons writing to him think they doe him honour enough when they phrase him no higher then Brother Cyprian and deare Cyprian in the 26. Epist. For their Authority 't is evident not to have bin single but depending on the counsel of the Presbyters as from 〈◊〉 was ere while alledg'd and the same Cyprian acknowledges as much in the 6 Epist. and addes therto that he had determin'd from his entrance into the Office of Bishop to doe nothing without the consent of his people and so in the 31. Epist for it were tedious to course through all his writings which are so full of the like assertions insomuch that ev'n in the womb and center of Apostacy Rome it selfe there yet remains a glimps of this truth for the Pope himselfe as a learned English writer notes well performeth all Eâ—…clesiasticall jurisdiction as in Consistory amongst his Cardinals which were originally but the Parish Priests of Rome Thus then did the Spirit of unity and meeknesse inspire and animate every joynt and sinew of the mysticall body but now the gravest and worthiest Minister atrue Bishop of his fold shall be revil'd and ruffl'd by an insulting and only-Canon-wise Prelate as if he were some slight paltry companion and the people of God redeem'd and wash'd with Christs blood and dignify'd with so many glorious titles of Saints and sons in the Gospel are now no better reputed then impure ethnicks and lay dogs stones Pillars and Crucifixes have now the honour and the almes due to Christs living members the Table of Communion now become a Table of separation stands like an exalted platforme upon the brow of the quire fortifi'd with bulwark â—…and barricado to keep off the profane touch of the Laicks whilst the obscene and surfered Priest scruples not to paw and mammock the sacramentall bread as familiarly as his Tavern Bisket And thus the people vilifi'd and rejected by them give over the earnest study of vertue and godlinesse as a thing of greater purity then they need and the search of divine knowledge as a mystery too high for their capacity's and only for Church-men to meddle with which is that the Prelates desire that when they have brought us back to Popish blindnesse we might commit to their dispose the whole managing of our salvation for they think it was never faire world with them since that time But he that will mould a modern Bishop into a primitive must yeeld him to be elected by the popular voyce undiocest unrevenu'd unlorded and leave him nothing but brotherly equality matchles temperance frequent fasting incessant prayer and preaching continual watchings and labours in his Ministery which what a rich bootie it would be what a plump endowment to the many-benefice-gaping mouth of a Prelate what a relish it would give to his canary-sucking and swan-eating palat let old Bishop Mountain judge for me How little therfore those ancient times make for moderne Bishops hath bin plainly discours'd but let them make for them as much as they will yet why we ought not stand to their arbitrement shall now appeare by a threefold corruption which will be found upon them times were spreadingly infected men of those times fouly tainted writings of those men dangerously adulterated These Positions are to be made good out of those times witnessing of themselves First Ignatius in his early dayes testifies to the Churches of Asia that even then Heresies were sprung up and rife every where as Eusebius relates in his 3. Book 35. chap. after the Greek number And Hegesippus a grave Church writer of prime Antiquity affirms in the same Book of Euseb. c. 32. that while the Apostles were on earth the depravers of doctrine did but lurk but they once gon with open forehead they durst preach down the truth with falsities yea those that are reckon'd for orthodox began to make sad and shamefull rents in the Church about the trivial celebration of Feasts not agreeing when to keep Easter day which controversie grew so hot that Victor the Bishop of Rome Excommunicated all the Churches of Asia for no other cause and was worthily therof reprov'd by Irenaeus For can any sound Theologer think that these great Fathers understood what was Gospel or what was Excommunication doubtlesse that which led the good men into fraud and error was that they attended more to the neer tradition of what they heard the Apostles somtimes did then to what they had left written not considering that many things which they did were by the Apostles themselves profest to be done only for the present and of meer indulgence to some scrupulous converts of the Circumcision but what they writ was of firm decree to all future ages Look but a century lower in the 1. cap. of Eusebius 8. Book What a universal tetter of impurity had invenom'd every part order and degree of the Church to omit the lay herd which will be little regarded those that seem'd to be our Pastors saith he overturning the Law of Gods worship burnt in contentions one towards another and incresing in hatred and bitternes outragiously sought to uphold Lordship and command as it were a tyranny Stay but a little magnanimous Bishops suppresse your aspiring thoughts for there is nothing wanting but Constantine to reigne and then Tyranny her selfe shall give up all her cittadels into your hands and count ye thence forward her trustiest agents Such were these that must be call'd the ancientest and most virgin times between Christ and Constantine Nor was this general contagion in their actions and not in their writings who is ignorant of the foul errors the ridiculous wresting of Scripture the Heresies the vanities thick sown through the volums of Justin Marâ—…yr Clemens Origen 〈◊〉 and others of eldest time Who would think him fit to write an Apology for Christian Faith to the Roman Senat that would tell them how of the Angels which he must needs mean those in Gen. call'd the Sons of God mixing with Women were begotten the Devills as good Justin Martyr in his Apology told them But more indignation would it move to any Christian that shall read Tertullian terming S. Paul a novice and raw in grace for reproving S. Peter at Antioch worthy to be blam'd if we beleeve the Epistle to the Galatians perhaps from this hint the blasphemous
strook through the black and settled Night of Ignornnce and Antichristian Tyranny me thinks a soveraigne and reviving joy must needs rush into the bosome of him that reads or heares and the sweet Odour of the returning Gospell imbath his Soule with the fragrancy of Heaven Then was the Sacred BIBLE sought out of the dusty corners where prophane Falshood and Neglect had throwne it the Schooles opened Divine and Humane Learning rak't out of the embers of forgotten Tongues the Princes and Cities trooping apace to the new erected Banner of Salvation the Martyrs with the unresistable might of Weaknesse shaking the Powers of Darknesse and scorning the fiery rage of the old red Dragon The pleasing pursuit of these thoughts hath oft-times led mee into a serious question and debatement with my selfe how it should come to passe that England having had this grace and honour from GOD to bee the first that should set up a Standard for the recovery of lost Truth and blow the first Evangelick Trumpet to the Nations holding up as from a Hill the new Lampe of saving light to all Christendome should now be last and most unsettl'd in the enjoyment of that Peace whereof we taught the way to others although indeed our Wicklefs preaching at which all the succeding Reformers more effectually lighted their Tapers was to his Countrey-men but a short blaze soone dampt and stifl'd by the Pope and Prelates for sixe or seven Kings Reignes yet me thinkes the Precedencie which GOD gave this Iland to be the first Restorer of buried Truth should have beene followed with more happy successe and sooner attain'd Perfection in which as yet we are amongst the last for albeit in purity of Doctrine we agree with our Brethren yet in execution and applying of Doctrine home and laying the salve to the very Orifice of the wound yea tenting and searching to the Core without which Pulpit Preaching is but shooting at Rovers in this we are no better then a Schisme from all the Reformation and a sore scandall to them for while wee hold Ordination to belong onely to Bishops as our Prelates doe wee must of necessity hold also their Ministers to be no Ministers and shortly after their Church to be no Church Not to speake of those sencelesse Ceremonies which wee onely retaine as a dangerous earnest of sliding back to Rome and serving meerely either as a mist to cover nakednesse where true grace is extinguisht or as an Enterlude to set out the pompe of Prelatisme Certainly it would be worth the while therefore and the paines to enquire more particularly what and how many the che◅We causes have been that have still hindred our Vniforme Con◅ to the rest of the Churches abroad at this time especially when the Kingdome is in a good propensity thereto and all Men in Prayers in Hopes or in Disputes either for or against it Yet will I not insist on that which may seeme to be the cause on GODS part as his judgement on our sinnes the tryall of his owne the unmasking of Hypocrites nor shall I stay to speake of the continuall eagernes and extreame diligence of the Pope and Papists to stop the furtherance of Reformation which know they have no hold or hope of England their lost Darling longer then the government of Bishops bolsters them out and therefore plot all they can to uphold them as may bee seene by the Booke of Santa Clara the Popish Preist in defence of Bishops which came out piping hot much about the time that one of our own Prelats out of an ominous feare had writ on the same Argnment as if they had joyn'd their forces like good Confederates to support one falling Babel But I shall cheifly indeavour to declare those Causes that hinder the forwarding of true Discipline which are among our selves Orderly proceeding will divide our inquirie into our Fore-Fathers dayes and into our Times HENRY the 8. was the first that rent this Kingdome from the Popes Subjection totally but his Quarrell being more about Supremacie then other faultinesse in Religion that he regarded it is no marvell if hee stuck where he did The next default was in the Bishops who though they had renounc't the Pope they still hugg'd the Popedome and shar'd the Authority among themselves by their sixe bloody Articles persecuting the Protestants no slacker then the Pope would have done And doutles when ever the Pope shall fall if his ruine bee not like the sudden down-come of a Towre the Bishops when they see him tottering will leave him and fall to scrambling catch who may hee a Patriarch-dome and another what comes next hand as the French Cardinall of late and the See of Canterbury hath plainly affected In Edward the 6. Dayes why a compleate Reform was not effected to any considerate man may appeare First he no sooner entred into his Kingdome but into a Warre with Scotland from whence the Protector returning with Victory had but newly put his hand to repeale the 6. Articles and throw the Images out of Churches but Rebellions on all sides stir'd up by obdurate Papists and other Tumults with a plaine Warre in Norfolke holding tack against two of the Kings Generals made them of force content themselves with what they had already done Hereupon follow'd ambitious Contentions among the Peeres which ceas'd not but with the Protectors death who was the most zealous in this point and then Northumberland was hee that could doe most in England who little minding Religion as his Apostacie well shew'd at his death bent all his wit how to bring the Right of the Crowne into his owne Line And for the Bishops they were so far from any such worthy Attempts as that they suffer'd themselvs to be the commō stales to coun tenance with their prostituted Gravities every Politick Fe◅ch that was then on foot as oft as the Potent Statists pleas'd to employ them Never do we read that they made use of their Authority and high Place of accesse to bring the jarring Nobility to Christian peace or to withstand their di◅oyall Projects but if a Toleration for Masse were to be beg'd of the King for his Sister MARY lest CHARLES the Fifth should be angry who but the grave Prelates Cranmer and Ridley must be sent to extort it from the young King But out of the mouth of that godly and Royall Childe Christ himselfe return'd such an awfull repulse to those halting and time-serving Prelates that after much bold importunity they went their way not without shame and teares Nor was this the first time that they discover'd to bee followers of this World for when the Protectors Brother Lord Sudley the Admirall through private malice and mal-engine was to lose his life no man could bee found fitter then Bishop Latimer like another Doctor Shaw to divulge in his Sermon the forged Accusations laid to his charge thereby to defame him with the People who else was thought would take ill the innocent mans death unlesse the
of all men he had onely the Bishops his enemies found God lesse favorable to him after he was Bishop then before for his last 16. yeares would come at no Bishops meeting Thus you see Sir what Constantines doings in the Church brought forth either in his own or in his Sons Reigne Now lest it should bee thought that somthing else might ayle this Author thus to hamper the Bishops of those dayes I will bring you the opinion of three the famousest men for wit and learuing that Italy at this day glories of whereby it may be concluded for a receiv'd opinion even among men professing the Romish Faith that Constantine marr'd all in the Church Dante in his 19. Canto of Inferno hath thus as I will render it you in English blank Verse Ah Constantine of how much ill was cause Not thy Conversion but those rich demaines That the first wealthy Pope receiv'd of thee So in his 20. Canto of Paradise hee makes the like complaint and Petrarch seconds him in the same mind in his 108. Sonnet which is wip't out by the Inquisitor in some Editions speaking of the Roman Antichrist as meerely bred up by Constantine Founded in chast and humble Povertie 'Gainst them that rais'd thee dost thou lift thy horn Impudent whoâ—…e where hast thou plac'd thy hope In thy Adulterers or thy ill got wealth Another Constantine comes not in hast Ariosto of Ferrara after both these in time but equall in fame following the scope of his Poem in a difficult knot how to restore Orlando his chiefe Hero to his lost senses brings Astolfe the English Knight up into the moone where S. John as he feignes met him Cant. 34. And to be short at last his guid him brings Into a goodly valley where he sees A mighty masse of things strangely confus'd Things that on earth were lost or were abus'd And amongst these so abused things listen what hee met withall under the Conduct of the Evangelist Then past hee to a flowry Mountaine greene Which once smelt sweet now stinks as 〈◊〉 This was that gift if you the truth will have That Constantine to good Sylvestro gave And this was a truth well knowne in England before this Poet was borne as our Chaucers Plowman shall tell you by and by upon another occasion By all these circumstances laid together I do not see how it can be disputed what good this Emperour Constantine wrought to the Church but rather whether ever any though perhaps not wittingly set open a dore to more mischiefe in Christendome There is just cause therefore that when the Prelates cry out Let the Church be reform'd according to Constantine it should sound to a judicious eare no otherwise then if they should say Make us rich make us lofty make us lawlesse for if any under him were not so thanks to those ancient remains of integrity which were not yet quite worne out and not to his Government Thus finally it appears that those purer Times were no such as they are cry'd up and not to be follow'd without suspicion doubt and danger The last point wherein the Antiquary is to bee dealt with at his owne weapon is to make it manifest that the ancientest and best of the Fathers have disclaim'd all sufficiency in themselves that men should rely on and sent all commers to the Scriptures as all sufficient that this is true will not be unduly gather'd by shewing what esteeme they had of Antiquity themselves and what validity they thought in it to prove Doctrine or Discipline I must of necessitie begin from the second ranke of Fathers because till then Antiquitie could have no Plea Cyprian in his 63. Epistle If any saith he of our Auncestors either ignorantly or out of simplicity hath not observ'd that which the Lord taught us by his example speaking of the Lords Supper his simplicity God may pardon of his mercy but wee cannot be excus'd for following him being instructed by the Lord And have not we the same instructions and will not this holy man with all the whole Consistorie of Saints and Martyrs that liv'd of old rise up and stop our mouthes in judgement when wee shall goe about to Father our Errors and opinions upon their Authority in the 73. Epist. hee adds in vaine doe they oppose custome to us if they be overcome by reason as if custome were greater then Truth or that in spirituall things that were not to be follow'd which is revel'd for the better by the holy Ghost In the 74. neither ought Custome to hinder that Truth should not prevaile for Custome without Truth is but agednesse of Error Next Lactantius he that was prefer'd to have the bringing up of Constantines children in his second Booke of Institutions Chap. 7. 8. disputes against the vaine trust in Antiquity as being the cheifest Argument of the Heathen against the Christians they doe not consider saith he what Religion is but they are confident it is true because the Ancients deliver'd it they count it a trespasse to examine it And in the eighth not because they went before us in time therefore in wisedome which being given alike to all Ages cannot be prepossest by the Ancients wherefore seeing that to seeke the Truth is inbred to all they bereave themselves of wisedome the gift of God who without judgement follow the Ancients and are led by others like bruit beasts St. Austin writes to Fortunatian that he counts it lawfull in the bookes of whomsoever to reject that which hee finds otherwise then true and so hee would have others deale by him He neither accounted as it seems those Fathers that went before nor himselfe nor others of his rank for men of more then ordinary spirit that might equally deceive and be deceiv'd and oftimes setting our servile humors aside yea God so ordering we may find Truth with one man as soon as in a Counsell as Cyprian agrees 71. Epist. Many things saith he are better reveal'd to single persons At 〈◊〉 in the first and best reputed Counsell of all the world there had gon out a Canon to divorce married Priests had not one old man Paphnutius stood up and reason'd against it Now remains it to shew clearly that the Fathers referre all decision of controversie to the Scriptures as all-sufficient to direct to resolve and to determine Ignatius taking his last leave of the Asian Churches as he went to martyrdome exhorted them to adhere close to the written doctrine of the Apostles necessarily written for posterity so farre was he from unwritten traditions as may be read in the 36. c. of Eusebius 3. b. In the 74. Epist. Of Cyprian against Stefan Bish. of Rome imposing upon him a tradition whence quoth he is this tradition is it fetcht from the authority of Christ in the Gospel or of the Apostles in their Epistles for God testifies that thosi things are to be done which are written and then thus what obstinacie what presumption is this to