delivers over to Satan but so that hearing of his repentance hee would not have the sentence pronounced put in execution But now if Paul had consulted with the Walashrian Divines a great question had been moved how the scandall given should be removed For it might seem fit that hee should bee debarred from the Supper for some long time or else some penitentiary punishments inflicted on him But Paul being ignorant of all these new invented Artifices as soone as hee heard of the sinners repentance writes It is sufficient for him that hee hath been reproved of many He wills them to comfort the sinner that he be not swallowed up with too much griefe He addes Whom you pardon I will pardon in the sight of Christ that wee may not be deceived by Satan because his cunning plots are not unknown to us This is true Divinity but farre different from that of the Popes and Walachrians who for lesser faults will not shew such lenity to the penitent but think that Christians must be tortured under pretence of removing scandall not that Christ might bee honored or soules saved but that hence domineering and profit might to them redound I confesse this is no new evill custome but ancient and shortly begot after the Apostles death For the Church-Rulers wanting the Apostolicall gifts of Miracles and of infallible preaching by which the Apostles as Divine Master-builders did curb all consasions being then destitute of the Magistrates help they found out divers Constitutions and remedies for preserving of the Churches peace and removing of standalls which though they had not divine and Apostolicall authority but were found out according to time and place yet through custome by degrees they became Lawes so that not onely did they pertinaciously insist upon them but oftentimes used more rigour to preserve them then in Christs open institutions that they doubted not in defence of them to lose their lives Now these Lawes consisted chiefly in the right of censuring and in Ecclesiastick penalties among which this was ordinary that if any had privatly or publikly offended he was debarred from the Sacrament untill he had satisfied the Church concerning the scandall given in which they were so rigid that oftentimes they would keep men off from the Communion three foure nay ten yeares and sometimes all their life especially if any through impatience of their tortures had denied Christ he was never again or with much difficulty admitted into the Church Which rigour Superstition did so confirme that afore the three hundreth yeare Marcellinus Bishop of Rome who because of his torments had denied Christ came humbly to the Synod of an hundred and fourescore Bishops at Sinuessa and begged pardon for his sin though afterward taking courage he suffered martyrdome for Christ as Cornelius Cyprian and others did So then this right of censuring was at that time so rigid that in many things it exceeded moderation And whilest the Rulers were too carefull of their owne and of the Churches honour the common sort of Christians out of too much credulity did superstitiously subject themselves to Church-Lawes Hence no moderation was observed either by the one in commanding or by the other in obeying which Cyprian and others saw long before the three hundreth yeare of Christ For hee reproving that rigid and penitentiall way of censuring writes thus I wish all may be brought back to the Church I pardon all I winke at many things I wish and desire a Recollection of our fraterniâ—ie I have alwast offended my selfe in to much pardoning offences So Chrysostome later then he writes plainly If God be so mercifull why should his Priest seem to bee so rigid For then they saw that Pastors exceed in their censures and rigorous commands of penitentiary penalties so that they confessed they were against their wills as it were carried headlong by a Turren into by wayes which they could not allow no knew not how to help by reason of the custome then received in the Church A though there might besome use of such Lawes then when Pastors and Bishops did promiscuously submit themselves and the rewards both of ruling and ruled Christians then were tortures benishments and a thousand deaths After that Emperours became Christians and Petern patrimony increased pride and prepostorous zeale ceised on the Teachers so that they ascribed as much to Church-inventions as if they had been Gods Lawes nor did they urge lesse obedience to them then if they had been instituted by Christ which we may chiefly see in Ambrose about the yeare 400. who of a civill Pâ—â—tor was suddenly made Bishop by Theodosius the Emperour Hee exceedingly vexed this Emperour with this censuring Ferula for some offence by him committed whereof notwithstanding hee repented Ambrose willing to let his master see the vigour of Ecclesiastick power forced him to sit among the penitents being secluded a while from the holy mysteries untill he had satisfied the Churches penitentiall rights and his humour which was too dangerous and rash a presumption For if this Spaniard Theodosius had not been then seasoned with that common superstition which fell out well for the Church that Church Lawes must bee obeyed as divine which had he been wise he might have seene that these were not ordained by God and his Apostles but introduced by custome and humane invention he might have by his owne power hipped Ambrase his Hierarchy by disanulling these Church-inventions and yet nâ—â— violating the divine constitutions of religion These were the fore-runners of growing Anâ—â—christ which afterwards increased more and more in Church-Rulers chiefly the Popes For in the yeare 490. Pope Anastasim durst excommunicate Anastasius the Emperour grandfather of Justinian that is debarre him from the Sacraments with Iohn Bishop of Constâ—â—â—â—ple Which censure notwithstanding that Emperour contemâ—â—ed having sent back the Popes Legates in a leaking ship on condition that they should not touch upon any part of the Greek shoare but deliver this message to the Pope That he must know the Emperâ—iâ— is to commâ—◠〈◊〉 the Pope The like censuring fact was performed by Pâ—pe Martin the first under Constantius the Emperour about the yeare 650. But the Emperour by Theodorus Calliopa commanded that Pope to bee brought to him in chaines who banished him into Pontus where he died miserably But Hildebrand or Gregory 7. out-matched all the rest in pride and boldnesse about the yeare 1080. who compelled Henry the fourth Emperour to come bare-footed through Ice and Snow in an humble manner to him that the Pope might receive satisfaction in his censuring right or else Henry had lost his Kingdome Hence then it is apparent that however this lesser Censure is brought into our Churches and permitted by the States yet it is not of divine institution but a meere humane invention which heretofore was devised upon a specious pretence but by reason of the pride and arrogancy of Church-men it hath hatched much mischiefe and will more doubtlesse if religious and wise
and so there shal be a National Councel if this suffice not then all the Nations of the world must be assembled and so wee shall have an universal or Oecumenical Councell But here Bellar mine is doubtfull Loc. de conc c. 2. for if the decision of the truth depend from the judgement and meetings of all nations of the world we shall never be certain because there will be alwayes some doubt whether some nation or other in the world hath not been omitted and not consulted with and because there is no Monarch that commands all the world he confesseth that there can be no Assembly of such a Councell so at last hee puts a period to the increase of Synodicall dependence as Apelles did who not being able to expresse the sweating of the horse back by his Pencill is said to have dashed his spunge against the picture and so to have expressed it Even so with the spunge of ignorance it was needfull to blot out the increase of dependency that hee might find an end of Synods For at last hee concludes that that is to bee accounted an Occumenicall Councell to which if not all the nations of the world come yet they might have come because none were excluded Though I confesse the Jesuits have found out a shorter and certainer way to bound in Dependency For they saw that this Synodicall Argument did increase in infinitum therefore Bellarmine that he might not leave the matter in suspence at last terminates the decision of all lawes and questions in the Pope either with or without a Councell so that indeed Antichrist is the end of Roman dependency The Walachrian Dependants doe execrate an Ecclesiastick Pope but chiefly the Civil whence necessarily the end of their dependency is either in infinitum or opinion or many Popes for if all controversies must be drawn from a brother to a brother from these to a Consistory from this to a Classis frō the Classis to a Provinciall Synod from this to a Nationall from a National to an Universall and this still greater and greater must not then this matter run in infinitum or else it will end in this opinion that he who judgeth last shall be thought to judge best whether his judgement be good or bad What else is this but to make Popes of so many Judges But it is unlikely that ever Christ ordained in his Church such a Judicature of controversies because it is absurd and setteth up that domination which Christ forbids in his Apostles Mat. 20. For by these meanes whether it be right or wrong the greater Synod will command the lesser this lesser the Classis and this the Consistory and the Consistory the brethren as it pleaseth and so by right of this Dependency the whole Church-government will be no order but Empire or tyranny for every inferiour will be forced by blind obedience to yeeld to his superiour I call that blind obedience not only when we must not enquire of the thing judged or to be judged which is the Popes practice but when such is the government of the Church that whether you find her error or not yet you must obey untill the Church-men shall say that they have judged amisse which will never be I will confidently say that this right of dependency is so absurd that the Walachrian never borrowed from Christ but from Antichriff It is commonly objected out of Mat. 18. where Christ himselfe instituted three degrees of dependencies from one brother to another from brother to brothers from brothers to the Church whence they collect by an argument à paribus that Christ also instituted the other degrees from the Church to the Classis from this to the Synod c. I answer that here a matter of priviledge is handled and that most holy but in priviledges words should be very plain neither must we give any thing to consequences or where the law doth not distinguish or adde must we adde any thing whence I gather that by Christs command men must not goe beyond these three degrees because he appoynted no more for Christ ascends no higher then from the three brothers to the Church which she weth that Christ by the word Church understands only a particular Cógregation not Classes and Synods even to the Oecumenical for it were too great a leap from three brothers to send Christians to the universall Councell if this were meant by the Church Again it is not likely that Christ under the name Church doth comprehend Classes and Synods because he there speaks onely of private quarrels to be taken up between brothers of which there is no need of meetings of Classes Synods even to the Oecumenical for then every day these Synods should be assembled because such controverfies may arise daily and if they did not arise the Walachrian Dependants would daily stir them up 2. For Dependency they alledge these words of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I will be in the midst of them But what they collect hence is of no validity For first it is known that all Consistories are not gathered together in Christs name nor Classes nor Councels but oftentimes two or three may be together reverently and in the feare of God when on the contrary a Classick or Synodicall Assembly may cast of all reverence of Christ So we see that when the two Disciples were to going Emmaus Luke 24. Christ was in the midst of them when as he hath not been present in greater Assemblies where contention hath been Therefore I say secondly that this consequence is weak because Christ promiseth that he will be present to two or three therefore he wil be much more present to ten a hundred or a thousand But thus the Walachrian after the Jesuits manner doth in a manner conclude but in this he is unsavoury as if he should argue that because Christ said there should bee peace and concord between two or three therefore there should be much more concord between ten or a hundred for as peace and order is not so easily kept in great meetings as in smaller so there is no necessity to think that truth or the decision thereof should be more exactly found in great then in small assemblies Not onely hath Nazianzen but also all times have taught that matters are not alwayes better judged in greater Church-meetings then in lesser so that necessarily either Christ performeth not his promise which is blasphemy or else the new Papists misunderstand Christs promise think foolishly when they conclude a priviledge of so great and exact smctity 1 Cor. 14.32 out of a promise not rightly understood The words of Paul seem to be plainer The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Whence they gather the divine right of assembling Consistories Classes and Synods For how shall it appeare better that the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets then when the ordinary Church-prophets
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
get wings with which they may flie higher which when they have got they take no longer delight in their former wives but like adulterers they begin to woe other women which are much more beautifull either because of rich Citizens or Citie commodities or for some others worldly respect And those spirituall husbands are oftentimes so impudently importunate that not onely do they use unlawfull wayes to obtaine their new Brides but make such haste also that before the former be lawfully divorsed they marry with the later Now I will aske this also if the Church be the Ministers wife how will it stand with the chastity of Wedlock that a busie Minister who loves other mens fruit better then his own should go to delight himself in other Provinces and leave his Church to other spirituall Husbands that they may performe the dues of Matrimony to her Is not he a Bawde to his own wife especially if by gluttony or sloth his meanes being spent this Husband of the Church be forced to saile to the Indies or some other part of the world to recover his losses in which case he forsakes his Wife and for the time joynes himself to a richer and lest shee should be forsaken like a Widow some other Husband succeeds in the place of the former who notwithstanding doth not suffer himself to be divorted totally from the former Wife but reserves a power to return to her if this later afterwards displease him Many things could be alledged against the Ecclesiastick marriages of Ministers and their Churches which seem to me so immodest that if it be true what these night-birds whisper that Ministers are the Husbands of their Churches all Churches will be accounted bawdy-houses and Ministers Bawdes or Whooremongers but enough of this title There is one thing remaining for establishing of Apollonius his Kingdom which I wonder that he who is in every thing the Popes Ape did not also borrow this of him there is a notable place in Jeremie Jer. 1.10 where God sending the Prophet as his Ambassador doth inaugurate him with this high elogie Behold this day I set thee over Nations and Kingdoms to pluck up and demolish to destroy and to overthrow to build and to plant c. If this elogie should be taken literally you would think it gave so much power to Jeremie that it might seem he had leave to command imperiously all Kings and Nations but Jeremie by his own example taught that this was not to be taken literally because he so performed that great Ambassie that floating through divers injuries opprobrious speeches prisons and many dangers he preached Gods judgements in great humility The Pope who strangely despiseth Gods word hath farre otherwise expounded this elogie for Sixtus the fifth in the Bull by which he excommunicated Elizabeth Queen of England in the yeere 1588. so takes these words that by them he assumes power to overthrow the whole Kingdome of England for performing of which he had Philip of Spaine ready as his executioner who by his mighty Fleet of a 150. Ships resolved then to invade that Kingdom and by the Popes command to extinguish all the Protestants but that paper-thunder vanished into the wind it appeares then by his Popes Bull what his spirituall power is that if he cannot by himself immediatly yet by his souldiers he may overthrow Kingdoms and Nations with the spirituall Sword of Excommunication and that by the same priviledge which Jeremie had who though he was the first possessor thereof yet took so small pride in it that he plainly shew by the moderation of his life that he could see no such thing in that priviledge as the Pope by his new interpretation draws from it but what can be expected else from Antichrist the man of sin and sonne of perdition the Walachrian Stilt-walker conscious of his own weaknesse durst never as I know apply this elogie to himselfe who notwithstanding seemes to observe his clandestine counsels and machinations which he is daily practising against the Magistrates of Middleburg they say that there is nothing he desires more then that he may once have power to overthrow and extirpate the Government of that famous City by the severity of which alone he perceives that his unbridled desire of domineering is curbed and though no catechisme is with him of greater esteeme as is thought then that he may recommend to trustie men the care to leave no occasion unattempted for overthrowing the foundations of that Government and dissolving the bands of their union yet I wil counsel him that he would not be too busie eager about this hemp work lest whilst he studies to weave this Church-web wherewith he may adorne himself sit â—â—st he end in a Magistrates rope wherewith he may hang himself I have briefly touched the elogies by which Papists do every where extoll the majesty of their Church some whereof are fained and not found in Scripture most are figurative and metaphoricall but all conditionall which shew not what Ministers are but what they should be to wit Pastors Leaders Fathers and Overseers of the Church and so they are to be accounted if they be endowed with gifts requisite for these Functions and use them aright wherefore when Teachers were divinely inspired the calling divine and imposition of hands effectuall Christians might lawfully rest in and give obedience to their Pastors and Leaders as unto faithfull Fathers Bishops and Ambassadors of Christ even as to God or Christ himself because they were infallible but this happinesse lasted not long for even whilst the Apostles were living false brethren crept into Churches who proud of their eloquence and vocation durst equall yea preferre themselves to the Apostles so that these Divine men then gave warning to Christians not to beleve absolutely every spirit but first to examine according to Scripture whether or not these spirits were of God If Christians then stood in need of such circumspection when there were so many infallible Teachers to whom they might in blind obedience safely trust their soules how carefull now must we be of our salvation when for the space of so many hundred yeers there hath been none found in all the world whom God hath so assisted with infallibility as that we may safely rely upon him the Pope hath now for a long time strangely bewitched the world in making Christians beleeve he is infallible and this supine credulity hath in Gods just judgement cast innumerable soules into hell nor is the Pope onely guity of this remerity there is no Monk or Priest so drunk as will not bragge of the character of his vocation and boldly cry out that he is a Captain a Watchman of souls as set over the souls of men a Houshelder of heaven an Ambassador of Christ which is performed by these brawlers with such eagernes oftentimes that they imprecate all curses against themselves and pawne their bodies and souls to the people if they teach or lead them otherwayes
Church belongs to the Preachers as Captaines for by this Simile all these vanish to nothing surely if he had diligently weighed these words of Christ Kings heararule but it shall not be so with you he would have found by them that the government of the Church belongs to Christ for the Disciples disputed not simply for rule but for rule in the Church whence I collect that Christ gave to Kings and Magistrates rule over the Church for what he denyed to the Apostles and Preachers that he hath granted to Magistrates for he said Kings beare rule it shall not be so with you but he denyeth to the Apostles rule over the Church ergo by the law of opposites he hath given and granted to magistrates rule over the Church I will expect how the Stilt-walker will elude this Argument taken from Christs own words it agrees surely with Calvins Paraphrase upon this place out of whose commentaries I will alleadge these few passages They are deceived then who extend this saying to all godly men promiscuously when notwithstanding out of the thing it selfe Christ teacheth that the Apostles were ridiculous who disputed for degrees of power and honour in their order because the office of preaching to which they were appointed hath no affinity with the Empires of the world c. But Christ hath set Pastors ever the Church not to command but to serve So the errour of the Anabaptists is refuted who exterminate out of the Church Kings and Magistrates because Christ denieth them to be like his Disciples whereas the comparison here is not between Christians and profane men but between their offices Besides Christ had not so much reference to the men as to the condition of his Church for it might be that he who was Lord over a towne or village upon necessity might be forced to undertake the office of teaching but it was sufficient for Christ to shew what the Apostolicall function did import and what it was not to meddle with And a little after I answer if we examine every thing Kings themselves do not rightly governe except they serve yet in this the Apostleship differs from earthly principality that Kings and Magistrates are not hindred by their service from ruling and with magnificent splendor and pomp to shew their eminency over their subjects so David and others c. And a little after Christ separates the Apostles from the order of Kings because the condition of Kings is different from that of the Apostolicall function There is yet one thing remaining concerning this argument to be touched to wit that Apollonius wrote this in jest not in earnest when he grants to the Magistrate supreme power and denieth it to Church-men he meant no such thing but in all this work he strives to make Preachers supreme and the Magistrates poore slaves for of himselfe and Preachers he saith every where That Christs Legats depend immediatly from Christ the Mediator exalted who have power to command with authority who have selfe-sufficient power under Christ and that regall Can any man have such a power except he that is supreme But that I may not seeme to dispute about words let us weiâ—â— the thing it selfe What doth agree more with supreme power then to be absolutely free and subject to none in any Common-wealth so as that he may not be punished though he do evill no not by the supreme power of that place but such doth he feigne all Preachers to be Their calling ought to be free and absolute they ought also to use freely and absolutey the preaching and censuring keyes it belongs onely to them to make and proclaime Ecclesiastick Lawes and to force the disobedient with punishment and excommunication And in all these as being formally Ecclesiastick he saith that the Ecclesiastick power of Preachers is so free that it is an way lawfull for the Magistrate who is supreme to meddle with them For if the Magistrate call that is by his paraphrase confirme if of himselfe and decisively he appoint Ecclesustick Lawes if by himself and by Ecclesiasticks he offer to punish Church-men yea if hee dare take off any Church-penalties inflicted upon any man or defend them who are thus oppressed when they appeal to them though the lawfulnesse of the penalty be questioned In all these cases he affirmes the Magistrate to be a tyrant and a trampler upon the Church-priviledges Christs spouse and which Christ bought with his blood Yea which is more par 1 p. 91 93 94. if the supreme Magistrate offer such things he saith that the Church-men have power to punish him with excommunication and that it is his duty as being a sheep of the Church to subject himself and all his to the Ministers This is the Stilt-walkers hierarchicall divinity which indeed makes of Ministers supreme Magistrates and of the supreme Magistrate a poore flave to Preachers Neither should the Magistrate permit Apollonius to delude them in saying that his power is onely in Ecclesiasticks and as he speaks formally internalls or externally internalls of the Church For this he saith every where That nothing canbe so secular par 1. p. 9. but that in some respest it belongs to the Ecalesiastick Court Whence it followes that there is nothing in the whole Empire in which the Magistrate can be free from the jurisdiction and censure of Church-men Nor is this of any moment which he saith that the Church inflicteth no punishment but spirituall and of excommunication almost which belong not to the body For all these are meer mockeries with which he would cover the turpitude of his intentions for all Ecclesiastick penalties chiefly the Walachrian have no other end but directly to wound mens reputations and so indirectly their estates and lives for liâ—â— and a good name go together who observes the seitious speeches writings and counfells which he daily hath with seditious Tertullus whom the Magistrates punished with disgrace but he useth him as his right hand may easily perceive that this Stiltwalker breaths no thing spirituall in his censure and Ecclesiastick government but all are carnall and corporall which the Magistrate should quickly feele if they would be carelesse and suffer him to obtain his will he hath the Pope for his Master in this fraud he by the same songs and as it were by the Syrens melody hath subjected to himselfe Monarchs by braging that he is the servant of servants and that gold and silver he hath none which yet he speaks falsly at this day he saith that he is altogether spirituall and that all his affaires are spirituall and therefore altogether different from the affaires of this life which belong not to the civill Court therefore hee hath made to himselfe a particular court and a particular hall in which though he doth every thing with barbarous pride yet he brags that there is nothing secular but all spirituall By which arts not onely hath he freed himself from punishment of the secular power to which by
Christ spiritual holy whom Christ bought with his own blood Also when he speaks of the outward Ministery of his Church he saith That she being the Spouse and body of Christ hath certain priviledges sacred rights And sometimes he is so lavish in extolling the outward affaires of the visible Church that he affirmeth Christ to have shed his blood for those priviledges and rights just like a Jugler he goeth about to perswade the Magistrate that when he offers to meddle with the businesse of this Apolonian and visible Church without her order that he commits sacriledge against the true and invisible Church which is the Body and Spouse of Christ So that with no lesse immodesty doth hee keep them off from all outward Church-businesse then if they were Bawds or Pandors offering to deflower Christs holy Spouse if they goe beyond the bounds prescribed by him So that not only doth he contradict himselfe but by a Popish trick endeavoureth to set forth his Ecclesiastick jurisdiction perswading men that his Church which is indeed vislble is to bee accounted for the Spouse of Christ and therefore the Ministery of this Spouse to belong onely to him and his Clergy as if they were the brides Spirituall Paranymphs The other errour of the ancient Papists is that the honour and holinesse of the visible Church which is so largely extended is contracted by them to government and Governours of the Church for those they call properly the representative Church to wit their Bishops and Clergie So that if you ask them who are Church-men And which is properly the Catholick Church Where this spirituall dignity shineth They will not understand the whole body of the Church and all that are called holy 1 Cor. 1.1 o. who adore the name of Christ as the Apostles speak For from this honour they debarre all Christians as Secular and Lay-men onely for their Clergy as if they were consecrated by the Character of holy vocation they reserve the honour of Ecclesiasticall spirituality he then that will seek for the Catholick Church among Papists shall find her no where but in the Clergy that is in their Priests Bishops Archbishops Cardinals and lastly in the Pope to whose government and command if any refuse to be subject though he be never so strict an observer of Christs commands yet shall not be reputed a member of Christs Church For Bellarmine in the place above cited referres the Church government under Pastors and the Pope to the essence or formality of the Church Our Walachran Stilt-walker with his fellowes are not much unlike the Jefuites he is stâ—â—erying out that he strives for the priviledges and holy rights of Christs Spouse the Church the form of which hee placeth in outward profession But because hee perceived this dignity to bee common to the whole body of the Church of which the godly Magistrate is a part lest the mysticall priviledge of Church-holinesse be communicated to worldly carnall and secular Magistrates whose charge is of earthly not of heavenly things he doth accuratly distinguish after the Popish manner between the Church Represented which he makes the body of the Church abstracted from the Governours thereof and Representative which hee makes the Governours separate from the other members of the Church For whilst he gives to each of them incommunicable properties he doth fully distinguish them For these because of their ministration and dignity of ruling he makes the Eyes Eares Hanas and if he durst with Papists he would call them Heads Princes and Kings of the Church whose office is to goe before to oversee to rule with command domineeringly to compell and with authority to punish and no wayes to be subject to be ruled to beled yea not to be subordinate to civill Magistrates in Church matters but immediatly to depend on Christ and to be inseparably subiect to him As for the body of the Church Represented like sheep and subjects even Magistrates themselves as being the basest members which he is still upbraiding them with must modestly submit themselves be content to be ruled and taught and to acknowledge the spirituall power of the Church to which they and theirs must be subject So that in truth the Ministers are the Heads and Monarchs in Church-affaires as for Magistrates and all other Church-members they are onely the taile and meer vassals Every man may see how much different this is from the government of the Apostolical Church if they will but attentively read the Acts of the Apostles For if ever the Church-government were glorious holy it was under the Apostles for they were then the most holy Governours who knew very well the rights and priviledges of their government but yet they so ruled the Church that the whole Assembly was of one heart and one soule Acts 4.32 And they were so farre from contending about the priviledge of jurisdiction or from debarring the body of the Church from medling with Ministerial businesses that they permitted every man to exercise them if so be he were fitted without the solemnity of outward calling and gave way to the whole Body of the Church that is to all Christians to debate about and determine the most sacred affaires of the Church Nor was it held absurd though this Night-bird think it so now by these great lights of the Church for the same to call and to be called to send and to be sent to teach and to be taught to be above and to be under to rule and to be ruled to help and to be helped So that this Stilt-walker hath not borrowed from the Apostles that exact right of Church-government and the prerogative of power in the Church Representing upon the Church Represented that is upon the body and members of the Church but from the Pope the Roman Antichrist For he by a fatall Energie and efficacie of deceiving did first season Christians with an immoderate superstition of the visible Church and outward worship so that they attributed more to her then was fit the care of which afterward he transferred upon the Clergy alone as being consecrated for this work and withall deduced all that reverence to Church-men and the governours thereof as though they alone had right in Church-affaires from which other Christians as being Lay-men were debarred but afterward by degrees he transferred to himselfe the whole dignity of the Clergie and so at length became the Epitome of all Ecclesiastick dignity and sanctity so that now for many yeares hee is reputed and called the head of the Church yea the very Church representative by which he plainly shewes himselfe to be Antichrist That Roman Basilisk did not suddenly but by degrees peep out of small mysteries on whose egges because of late this Treverian doth sit if pious Princes doe not in time fore-see the cunning there will in stead of one arise many Antichrists For if the sanctity of the Catholick Church be in the visible Church if the sanctity of the visible
Church be in the representing Church that is in the governours suppose in the Consistory or Classis c. if the dignity of the Consistory be restrained to Ministers as the eyes and worthy of double honour in the Church for the Elders are for the most part but the Ministers foot-stools if the dignity of many Pastors reside at last in some one chiefe Pastor to whose dreames all other Pastors must subscribe either out of ignorance or negligence as you may see in the Walachran Classis who doth not now see that all the holinesse and jurisdiction of the whole Church flowes into this chiefe Pastor as into a sink-hole To whose impudencie and madnesse if no Minister dare or will make resistance if no Magistrate must under pain of sacriledge shall not he in the end be Pope of that Island or Province The third errour borrowed from the Papists is this they use to obtrude to us their visible Roman Church in stead of the Catholick and for the whole Church that part only which governeth and in lieu of the Church they recommend to us the government thereof Lastly under the title of government and the Apostolicall Church they thrust upon us all the fictions and dreames of their brain-sick Popes so that among them the Church-government is no more like that of the Apostles then a vizard is like a true face or a picture like a man Though this Stilt-walker be not as yet so impudent yet because he is continually brawling with the Magistrates as with worldly men about the right of making lawes in Church matters he doth plainly shew that he is of the Popes mind in imposing upon Christians this yoak and upon Magistrates themselves under pretence of Ecclesiastick dignity so that whatsoever the Apolonian Colledge in Walachran shall judge to be holy and to be fit or necessary for the Church Christs Spouse must be received with obedience under pain of excommunication Which licentiousnesse of Ecclesiastick Conventicles if the godly Magistrate cannot suppresse without sacriledge as he still cryes out who sees not but that Centaures and other ugly Mâ—nsters of Antichrist will quickly break out of these Dedalaean labyrinths Such births have come to light at Middleburgh already as I have shewed in the Preface Hence it is apparent that Apolonius playes the Pope in many respects under the name of the Church For in stead of the Catholick Church the true Spouse of Christ holy and invisible he obtrudes the visible Church defiled with many spots then promising that he will maintain the digniâ—y of the whole Church he fails upon the commendation of the Government and Governours thereof he slights and contemnes the body of the Church Lastly under pretence of a holy and Apostolicall government he endeavours to obtrude a human corrupt and Pope-like tyrannicall Discipline as I will shew hereafter Which Jesuiticall canvasse wares of Apolonius I would have the Reader diligently to mark For he deludes us no otherwise then if an Impostor should brag that he brings us Gold which proves but Tin and this Tin but Quicksilver and at last meer drosse or poysonable Arsenick CHAP. III. Of the divers acceptions of Sanctity AS the word Church so the word Sanctity is ambiguous There is no man so irreligious but highly accounts of the name of Sanctity Hence for a person or thing to be Sacred or Holy is among fearfull superstitious people of no small weight so that not onely Papists of old but also this new upstart as often as he speakes of the Church Church-men he stil vapours having the name of Sacred and Holy in his mouth under this veile he deceives ignorant people whilst he aimes at worldly authority which I will briefly make appeare The word Sanctity signifieth properly the inward and perfect integrity of a thing such as is in God eminently hence in Isaiah he is called Holy Holy Holy to whose nature because the blessed Angels and Soules in heaven come neerest they also are called Holy And although in regard of corporiety Christs humane nature is distant from the divine yet in respect of the incomprehensible priviledge of the Hypostaticall union by which it is personally united to the divine Nature it 's not to be doubted but that the Majesty and dignity of Christs glorious body sitting at Gods right hand in heaven is ineffable so that this body may be justly called Most holy Such are the bodies of Henoch and Elijah but in a lower degree inferiour to which is the heaven and place of the blessed all which notwithstanding are truly inherently and after their manner perfectly holy and free from all pollution This word is also transferred to many other things chiefly to the worship of God because this tends to the glory of the most holy God and is the mean by which men are brought into the possession of that true and perfect holinesse which wee shall enjoy in heaven hence the worship of God and the manner or meanes of this worship lastly the persons conversant about this worship are called and are so in some measure Holy But we must be cautious in using this distinction for the confusion of these things will easily beget pride in the presumptuous and Idolatry in the superstitious There is nothing more sure then that this deserves best the name of Holinesse which hath in it self a perpetuall and inherent perfection and ordination for promoting Gods worship and mans salvation For God is so holy that whatsoever hath him for its Authour and is ordained to his holinesse is to be accounted holy Such are the vertues which by the holy Ghost are infused into us as wisdome hope love and chiefly true justifying faith which therefore in Scripture is called Most holy because not onely is it holy and most divine in it selfe but whosoever also is endowed with it though he had been never so prophane before and most unworthy in the eyes of the world yet with God he is holy and elect because he is inseparably united to Christ but mystically by faith For though Faith doth not presently change a man as to be endowed with inherent sanctity yet he is brought to have a firm hope of attaining perfect holinesse in heaven the beginning of which he obtaines here by sanctification after the infusion of true faith so that the name of Sanctity doth very well belong to justifying Faith as having God alone who is most holy for its Authour and where-ever it is infused it causeth an inseparable holinesse in that man which is the reason that every where in Scripture true beleelvers are called the holy Elect. To these vertues succeeds Gods Word which having the most holy God for its Authour is in it selfe perfectly holy For how can any prophane thing be found in that word which is known to be uttered and written by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghost So that our most holy Faith is begot of this as of an immortall seed but here is the difference
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
liberty to adde new Ceremonies to the old Rites so this hath been the old Popish sport multiplying new Church-sanctities The new Walachrian Papists walk the same way For if you ask Apolonius What he calls the sacred Rites and Ceremonies of the Church he will not bee content with those which are directly in Gods Word for then there would be no use of legislative power in the Church but he will have those things accounted for Ecclesiastick Rites that are instituted out of a religious desire or affection For howsoever according to his wonted giddinesse hee defines elsewhere this matter more precisely Part. 1. p. 2 3 c. and withall contradicts himselfe yet in the beginning of his work thus he describes a Ceremony or sacred Rite That it is an action the goodnesse and praise whereof consisteth onely in the worship of God For because it is applied to divine worship in order to that religious will it hath sufficient honesty in which the Ceremony or holy Rite may lay its Foundation This exactly agrees with the Popish intentionall Sanctity Hee addes indeed The Church must diligently search that according to Gods word she appoint Rites and Ceremonies But this is to bee understood according to the Jesuiticall phrase and Diasect that Church-men onely must be Judges whether such or such things be consonant to Gods word or not It is too well known that the Romish Church is full of errours and that the whole dressing of Papall worship is Apostaticall not Apostolicall yet the Jesuites cry out that the Lutherans are liers in that the Church of Rome neither hath failed nor can faile and this they are ready to prove if the Pope may bee Judge in his own cause so that the Church of Rome can never be convinced of errour except she will confesse her errours which is impossible Apolonius playes the Cretian not much otherwise He confesseth that the Church cannot make Lawes in holy things or proclaime Geremonies but according to the Rule of Scripture which hee doth so interpret that the absolute power of judging what is consonant to Scripture is in the Church and Church-men For if any Lay Magistrate by his Authority enquire into Ecclesiastick Statutes or define Ecclesiastick matters or hinder Church-men from defining or making such things at their pleasure he cries out that this is Tyrannicall Simonaicall and Sacrilegious And that Lay-Magistrates like sheep ought modestly to submit themselves except the Clergie will not be reformed And of this also the Clergy must bee Judges For this will never agree with Apolonius his Divinity that the Civill Magistrate should bee Judge in Church-matters Which if true then who sees not a way opened to these new Papists for filling the reformed Churches with Rites and Ceremonies Neither is there any thing more easie then that these Bats should still dreame and finde out new Rites at which if the Magistrates wink there will bee nothing so repugnant to Scripture but will find assent and entertainment among the clergy nor any Monster so deformed which they will not thrust upon Gods people Witnesse the Walachran Classes where a giddy-headed Baawler hath cast out such prophane and seditious stuffe against worthy Vedelius and pious Princes And yet if hee lye not not onely the Consistory of Middleburgh but the whole Classis of Walaâ—rhria hath weighed proved and approved every thing The other thing wherein hee resembles Papists is this When he speakes of the Church sacred affaires he distinguisheth them into Primary and Secundary or dependents where surkes the old mystery of Popery For though Church-men have no liberty to institute primary sacred things yet they have power to impose upon Christians under pain of excommunication what by consequence flow from the former or seem to depend on them If this bee once yeelded to Apolonius and the Apolonian Church-Rulers nothing will be so absurd and prophane which may not put on the shew and Title of holinesse as often as it shall be taught that this is an Apendix of the prime sacred things The matter will be cleare by an example The prime sacred thing in the Church is the preaching of the Gospel Hence if it be gathered that these things are sacred also which necessarily depend from the former doubtlesse there will swarm abroad an innumerable brood of sacred things For there can be no preaching except there bee some Preachers Whence this necessarie consequence will follow That all Preachers even to Apolonius are sacred which I know he will not deny For there is nothing hee labours for more in all this work then to chalenge to himselfe the prerogative of sanctity above prophane Civill Magistrates But I will weave out this Web a little more It is impossible for a Minister to preach without a tongue lips and teeth Therefore it must follow that the tongue lips and teeth of the Minister are holy Now the tongue lips and teeth can frame no conception without the brain Ergo except Apolinius want braines his braines must bee also holy The brain can performe no function if the heart quicken it not by vitall spirits Therefore his heart and vitall spirits also must bee sacred The brain heart and tongue cannot operate except they be nourished by the Liver Veines and Intistines c. Ergo these also in the Preacher must be sacred I will not descend to the excrements of the body and make them also sacred by way of dependency onely this I l'e adde Apolonius can goe no where or stand to preach without feet whence it will follow that his feet are also sacred Now whereas it were immodest that he should come to Sermon bare-footed therefore he ought to be covered with a Cloak Breeches Stockins and Shooes for the better decorum will it not then follow that these also are sacred But what if the wayes be foule through which he walked and goeth up to the Pulpit with dirty shooes will not the Walachrian Divines be troubled with this quotlibeticall knot to wit whether the dirt and filth be not sacred I will not vilifie such things as are truly sacred I purpose onely to explode Apolonius his idle Appendices and sacred consequences by this one example He that will laugh at him may make triall in other things I will affirm this That no such liberty must be granted to any man much lesse to a giddy-headed Stilt-walker to authorize for sacred and holy whatsoever he dreames hath dependence from the primarie and true sacred Rites What mischiefe this produced among the old Papists may be seen by the infatuation of the people with this ridiculous and impious superstition For not onely are Monkes holy amongst them but also by this consequentiall inchantment their Hands Feet Gownes Hoods are kissed with strange veneration so that it is accounted a matter of no small sanctity and merit if one dye in a Monkes Gowne or lousie Wast-coat or if a superstitious Woman wrap about her head the holy Breeches of some Preacher to wit
Office of sacrificing was not more But he is much deceived For under the Levits the right of circumcising was in common and not proper to the Levites they killed and ate the Passeover when no Levit was present Iohn 4.1.2 1 Cor. 3. Acts 6. In the New Testament Christs Disciples are said to baptize without any difference Paul in expresse and plain tearmes sayth that he was not sent to baptize and rejoyced that hee had not baptized many of them The Apostles laying aside the Deacons Office did claime to themselves the Function of praying and preaching but never a word of Baptisme or administration of the Supper Neither hath this any shew of truth which commonly they object that Christ Matth. 28.19 did joyne preaching and Baptisme by an indissoluble knot For I ask To what preaching did Christ tye Baptisme Whether to the Apostolicall alone which hee there solemnly instituted or simply to publick preaching If to the former then our modern Preachers are too blame in that they preach not Apostolically and yet challenge the speciall right of baptizing out of this place but if to this they offend in taking away the right of preaching from Proponents and publick Preachers And whreas wee have proved that God hath debarred no man from publick preaching if he be gifted it followeth that the right of baptizing doth not belong to Church-Preachers alone Iure Divine So that hence it is plain that our modern Divines doe out of this place argue no otherwise then if heretofore the Princes of the Jewes had sayd that to them alone the right of circumcising was given by God because it was solemnly sayd to Prince Ioshua by God Jos 6.2 Make to thy selfe knives of stone and circumcise the Children of Israel c. The same reason is of the Supper I confesse Christ instituted and celebratad the first Supper but it is no where sayd that this was made a perpetuall Law that no man might doe so but he who is specially sanctified yea the contrary appeares rather in celebration of the Supper which was then usuall in Corinth when as yet corruptions had not crept in among them For as in divers places they met together to worship so there they celebaated the Supper and Love-feasts so that the richer sort among them brought from home their meat and drink by which first the rich and poore feasted together in common then breaking the bread and distributing it with the wine among themselves they did solemnly declare the Lords death which simple way of celebrating the Supper without ceremony so long as it wanted scandall was never reproved by the Apostles nor after but for scandals and abuses Whence I collect that then ceremoniall sanctity was not knowne among them for want of which they suppose the Sacrament to bee prophaned consisting in this that none but the Bishop alone who labours in the Word must consecrate the Bread break and distribute it for it is not likely that the Bishop was present in all these meetings for if he had been present the Corinthians had not beene so exorbitant as to prophane the use of the Supper with drunkennesse and other sinnes or if such disorder had happened upon the connivence of their Rulers doubtlesse the Apostle had severely reproved such Bishops as the authors and fautors of all that mischiefe But whereas there is no foot-step of any such matter it is likely that even under the Apostles the Rulers were not alwayes present in their Churches nor alwayes president at the administration of the Supper And therefore our modern sacramentall sanctity of speciall right was not known to them Hence I say that custome hath conferred many things upon the Church-Rulers which have been common among Christians for order sake and decency Upon this grew the pride of the Rulers that they challenged that to themselves of right which they enjoyed upon meere courtesie whence at last sprung up that violence and superstition which begot Antichrist This may bee seen in the Pope who though he was so bountifull of Baptisme that hee granted it to Midwives yet of the Supper he made an Idoll and a Sacrifice by whose mysticall Spirituality he so befooles the world that upon the priviledge of bestowing this which hee claimes solely to himselfe hath subjected to him all the Princes of the earth too superstitiously fearfull From his institution ariseth whatsoever the Moderne new Papists tumultuously struggle for about the right of administring the Sacraments that they perswade ignorant men that they are shut out of heaven and out of the Church if they bee debarred from the use of them The right of conferring which because with tooth and naile they maintaine belongs to them alone that by this pretence they might dominere over the soules and consciences of all men every one nill he will he being desirous to save his soule is forced at last to fawn upon Church-men as the guardians of sacred things and the arbitrators of the eternall salvation of soules This is not much unlike the insolency of a bold and deceitfull Butler who will threaten the Cash-keeper yea the Master of the House himselfe that he shall have no victuals or drinke except hee will give him leave to put his hand in the Money-bagge as often as he pleaseth That the great Romish Antichrist by such trickes hath attained to his tyranny experience doth shew That our Stilt-walker is his very Ape I have already declared and shall more fully make it appeare in what followeth Censura disciplina Ecclesiastica The right of preaching praying publickly and administring the Sacraments is not so sacred to Apolonius as the priviledge of censuring and the right of Ecclesiastick Discipline of which he bragges every where and chiefly Part 2. page 1 2 3 c. For this he sayth is the spirituall meanes of Reformation and jurisdiction of the outward Ecclesiastick Court the noblest act of which is Excommunication He calls that a free power which is subject to no mans pleasure a Regall power a spirituall compelling power a spirituall Rod and Sword to which all Magistrates are bound to submit themselves what is theirs So that none is better seen in the Records of the Popes Hierarchy then this Treverian He deserves a Calfe of the Pope but being not yet cleane from Grammaticall filth hath rashly broke in upon the subtilties of Scotus or Dionysius for he distinguisheth out of Cluto Bellarmine Cicestriensis and other Patriarchs of his Divinity Church-discipline into the lesser censure which he calls that of the Publican of the inward Court of the preaching Keyes of loosing and binding but of juridiciall and of Ecclesiastick Discipline The Jesuits would be glad to see Apolonius well knockt about the head with his monstrous distinctions hee is so fine and well versed in these that no Trichotomist can bee more acute Although I am content in this Art to yeeld to the Stilt-walker yet it will bee no hard matter this way to make out
then Gold is like Drosse For the old Censure first instituted by GOD and used by the Jewes was practised by Apostolicall Churches and that by the command of Christ and his Apostles This consisted first in verball reprehension which all were bound to exercise and that by divine right Levit. 19.17 Heb. 3.13 1 Thess 5.11 12 13 14. Secondly in Separation when they withdrew themselves from their company and avoyded the conversation of such as were not bettered by admonition and reprehension Mat. 18.15.16 1 Cor. 5.9.10 11. Which separation was made for two causes First that by this the contagion of sinne might bee avoyded Secondly that the sinner seeing himselfe despised might be ashamed and so might hence take an occasion to repent The Jewes in Christs time by vertue of this Censure alone debarred Publicans and sinners from their companies in privat whom they could not keep out of the Temple who therefore reproved Christ because he did eat and drink and keep company with Publicans and sinners whose institution Christ did not absolutely reprove but corrected shewing that it was not simply unlawfull to converse with Publicans and sinners but lawfull when any furnished with the gifts of instructing admonishing and reproving like a Physitian cures them of their evils and spirituall maladies This Doctrine Paul urgeth 2 Thess 3.6.14 where hee teacheth that we must not converse with them who live disorderly that being by this separation contemned they might be ashamed but that they should bee excommunicated out of the Church or debarred from Divine worship and meanes of salvation wee read not in Scripture but rather to admonish them to reprove them as brethren but not reject them as enemies And as he teacheth in 2 Tim. 2. v. 25. we must use them with lenity although they make resistance This is the ancient Censure grounded on Divine Precepts and the practice of Antiquity of most Divine right and most fit to remove sinne and scandall out of the Church which had it continued all Ecclesiastick tyranny had been removed out of the Church neither had so much carelesnesse and contagion of scandals fallen among Christians especially their Rulers For each Christian being sollicitous of his own and neighbours salvation by admonishing reproving and separating them when need required hee had removed from his brethren sinnes and scandall yea even from the Doctors themselves by right of this fraternity as we see how Paul reproved Peter when he walked not uprightly and how Aquila and Priscilla did instruct and admonish that famous Teacher Apollos But now here we see the Churches infelicity for the Pride of the Doctors especially among Papists hath taken away this old Censure because it gave too much power to all and singular Christians whom they began to account for Lay-men and thought it unworthy that the care of great businesse should be committed to every member of the Church But Clergie-men took all this upon themselves and made that Office peculiar to themselves which God had granted to all and singular Whence arise these mischiefes which we see this day in the Church First in that the common sort of Christians laying aside all care of the Church and holy mysteries give themselves totally over to worldly businesse leaving the Office of censuring to Ministers altogether Secondly in that the Clergy are so puffed up with this prerogative that they thinke themselves the onely Judges of censures and Manners and that they are armed with such power as if they could by divine priviledge open and shut heaven bind and loose and make of a Christian a prophane man and a Publican which perswasion as soon as it possessed mens minds it first brought Ecclesiastick tyranny into the Church and at length begot Antichristian Popes who by this power of censuring hath subjected to himselfe all Christians especially the Kings of the earth As we may see in that wicked Hildebrand of whom we spoke before who about the yeare 1080. forced Henry the fourth Emperour a man of a degenerate spirit and who had committed adultery with the Whore of Babel Platina to make a journey bare-footed through Ice and Snow to him being then at Canassa where for three dayes togother he did humbly intreat to bee admitted which he could not obtaine without the intercession of dishonest Mythildes and her Ruffians by whose mediation he was admitted at last to fall down at that wicked Popes feet and to receive pardon I confesse at this day the Popes pride is not so great because out of the Revelation wee are taught that many Kings now forsake the Whore and spoyle her But whatsoever he doth at this day in his intollerable pride he doth it under the sole Title of the Sword and of the power of Censuring whose thunder-bolt is Excommunication And though this mocker of all holy things knowes and beleeves that this his thunder is not more valid then a Fart yet he perswades the timerous superstitious people and they beleeve him that it is a thing of great spirituality and force So that one who was too superstitious seeing with what pomp excommunication was denounced at Rome cried out that doubtlesse hee was thrust out of heaven whom the Pope thus excommunicated For he is a pleasant Actor in this Play which is performed with strange running up and downe of Church-Ruffians and the Popes Parasites with great jangling of Bells with a wonderfull kindling of fires and Torches and a sudden putting of them out and although in this he doth nothing but what with as great dexterity is performed daily by Stage-players in their Tragedies yet by a fatall efficacy of error he hath so prevailed with Princes that they beleeve him to be a most holy Father whom they see and often confesse to be a most wicked knave and that his excommunication is a matter of wonderfull force and sanctity albeit they know that hee debarres them not from heaven but from their earthly goods except they resist him by force of armes The chiefe places out of which heretofore the Antichristian Gyants did beat out the Popes Ecclesiastick thunder of the greater Censure are these Matth. 16.19 Matth. 18.17 18. Iohn 20.21 23. 1 Cor. 5.4.5 and that is of chiefe account which Christ promised to Peter in giving him the Keyâ—s of the Kingdome of Heaven that is power to forgive and retaine sinnes and to bind that in Heaven which is bound on earth this is commonly thought to bee given to Peter and the Bishops of Rome by speciall priviledge with which Title the Pope is so proud that he carries the Keyes in his Armes as if he were that Door-keeper or Claviger of hell mentioned in the Revelation and so ascribes to himselfe alone as being Peters successor this power of the Keyes By the perswasion of this superstion he hath subjected the whole world to him For so he threatens that hee will shut Heaven gates against all those who will not obey him The Walachriah Stilt-Walker being instructed in the
bragges that this right remaines onely for him as being Peters successor and so commonly his subjects beleeve But this is an impudent lye fit for Antichrist Our Apellonians doe indeed convince the Pope of sacriledge for his bragging thus and yet they themselves are more impudently puffed up with this power of the Keyes For they confesse and in effect prove that they cannot preach infallibly and yet they cry out that he is guilty of sacriledge who doubts of their possessing their Key now Which impudency is farre greater then that of the Pope For he assumes to himselfe the right of opening heaven because he saith that he hath an infallible Key and truly Apostolicall But these will have the same right ascribed to them and yet doe confesse that they are not infallible Although hee bee an Impostor who promiseth to open the Treasure making shew of having that Key which hee hath not yet hee is a more impudent Impostor who cries out that hee will open the Treasure and yet confesseth that either he hath no Key or if he shewes any Key it is so unfit and rusty that it cannot open the Lock For because the moderne preaching Key wants true spirituality which is the infallibility of truth it is to be accounted a dead body or like a Clock which is moved about with wheels But these are set on work by the weight of honour and gain No otherwise can wee think of the Judiciall or Censoriall Key which in the Apostles by reason of their gifts and power was alwayes just and effectuall For they had a most divine certitude of Judicature so that they conferred Heaven upon none nor debarred any from it but by a sure knowledge and revelation so that assuredly Heaven was shut against them whom they bound and whose sins were retained on earth and it was certainly opened to them whom they loosed and pardoned It is sufficiently evident that these gifts and power were in the Apostles All which as most rare and exceeding humane reach were promised to the Apostles under the power of the Keyes which is apparent to all who will not shut their eyes wilfully against the light of truth Whence it is cleare that the Keyes are terminated in the Apostles because those conditions with the gifts which I spoke and which make up the Jurisdiction of the Keyes are ceased with them So with as great right they make the Apostles Office permanent and perpetuall in the Church as the use of these heavenly Keyes So that it is frivolous and ridiculous for Apolonius and the Pope to bragge so much of the power of the Keyes as though hee had power to shut and open heaven to binde and loose on Earth what is bound and loosed in Heaven Whereas hee knowes not whom he shall certainly shut out of heaven or shut in And oftentimes perversly hee looseth and judgeth worthy of heaven whom God bindeth and shutteth out of heaven And contrarily he excludes from heaven whom God thinkes worthy of Heaven so that he who compares the vizard of our moderne Censure and Excommunicacion to that of the Apostles seemes no otherwise to play the foole then the Jewes did who were wont to prate strange things of the sanctity of their Temple and fought for the honour thereof against Titus till they were destroyed And yet they might have known had they not been blind that that was not the old Temple of Solomon because it wanted Urim and Thummim and all the benefites of Divine presence and assistance which made up the particular sanctity of that Temple But there seemes to bee a plainer place Matth. 18.17 Tell the Church and if hee heares not the Church let him bee to thee as a Publican and Heathen In which words they say Christ hath given to the Church Judiciall Ecclesiastick power of excommunication which at this day is in use both amongst the old and new Papists The vanity of this conceit will bee easily seen if wee doe but observe that Christ in these words doth not instruct his Disciples as they were to be the over-seers and Rulers of the Church but onely taught ordinary things which are common to all Christians by the right of fraternity according to that generall Rule given to all by GOD Deuter. 17.19 Thou shalt not hate thy brother but sharply reprove him neither shalt thou suffer any evill in him Which Law CHRIST here sheweth must be kept not onely when a brother shall offend God or others but then also when he wrongs us which brotherly duty Christ will have wisely to bee exercised and with moderation lest this reproofe may seem to proceed from revenge or evill words by which the mind of the injuring brother may bee exasperated hee will have the brothers offence to be covered and not to be divulged but will have the difference to be taken up in private between brother and brother by two other brothers whose admonitions if the offending brother slight Christ permits not that the brother offended shall forsake the brother offending but then will have the brothers offence brought out in publicke that it may be made known to all the Church not to stirre up all odiously against him but that they might save him and that he who could not be brought to concord by the reproofe of one or more brothers may be brought to it by the admonitions of some in the Church or all Which endeavour of the Church being brotherly and charitable if the offending brother goe on to contemne the offended brother is not onely permitted but also commanded to esteem of the other at a Publican and Heathen that is that he shall have no private commerce with him as the Apostle describes and declares this act 1 Cor. 5.9.11 and 2 Thess 3.6.14 For Christ alludes to the custome that then was among the Jewes and of which we have already spoken Hence now it appeares that the old and new Papists have shamefully corrupted this place in turning this brotherly and charitable duty into an authoritative and judiciall Office and very insolently have appropriated the word CHURCH to the Rulers and Over-seers of the Church onely Tell the Church that is saith the Papist tell the Bishop which is truly a foolish interpretation unworthy of refutation Tell the Church that is say our new Papists tell the Rulers of the Church which is an unaccustomed acception of this word For they cannot produce one place out of Scripture in which the word CHURCH is appropriated to the Rulers onely I know the Walachrian Stilt-Walker babbles much every where of the Church representative and that the word Church is given to the Rulers thereof because they represent the Church But because hee learned this not out of Scripture but out of Popish writings the inventors of this I answer him briefly That to him who sayes much and proves nothing of right no priviledge belongs which as it is true in humane things so much more in Divine and sacred matters Whence I now
alwayes agreed in this that Discipline is necessary in the Church which we confesse yea we urge and shall urge so king as God will spare our life But for the manner and forme thereof it is to be left free for every Church that she may use the forme which will build up and not which may shake and overthrow thus he who in another Epistle to count Lodovic Witgensteinius thus writes Whereas you reckon Church Discipline among the outward meanes of salvation although I doe not altogether reject it yet I beseech your excellencie not to take it ill if I shall say somewhat of this matter which by many at this day is controverted and if the ambitious rigidnesse of some men be not tempered by the prudet authority of Princes they will raise greater troubles then will be easily appeased and will bring into the Church a new tyrannie as intollerable as that of the Popes We all confesse that Churches cannot subsist without Discipline and that it is altogether necessary that it bee religiously ordained and preserved But for the forme of this all men doe not agree your men place the maine point of Discipline in excluding from the Communion besides they propose a certain time for those who are excluded how long they must abstaine and that they may maintain the Discipline they say there is need of an Ecclesiastick Senate to which men of all rankes and orders yea Princes themselves must be subject But these things are of such a nature that godly and well affected men doubt much of the truth of them for it is demanded not without cruse if the Lords Supper instituted by Christ for a Symboll of Christian Society and Communion and to preserve Faith should be converted to any use not onely different but quite contrary to Christs institution so that it becomes the instrument of exclusion and dis union and the torturer of consciences Againe whether this doth not fight against Pauls rule who commands every one to prove himselfe and not to make curious scrutinies over other mens Consciences Besides whether it be not a hard an unjust case that a sinner who seriously repents and whom Christ feedes with his owne body and bloud as being doubtlesse received into favour should be driven from the Table yea prohibited that hee shall not declare the Lords death publikely with the Church whereof he is a true Member Moreover is it not like a Monster to set up two Magistrateships among the same people and a little after Hence then arise the hornes of new tyramie and by degrees ambitious Ministers will list up the crest who may easily draw the assessors to side with them when as they are the chiefest among them And that I doe not speake this without reason your excellencie will understand if you will be pleased to enquire diligently what tryals these your Ministers have already made among your people For some men notable for piety and goodnesse have been commanded by them to abstaine from the Supper who could never yet know why they were commanded this but this seemed a sufficient answer to those new Lords of other mens faith that they could not admit them with a safe conscience Must therefore a godly man abstain from the holy Communion and neglect his duty in preaching the benefit of Christs death for the conscience of a peevish and importunate Minister The Popish Bishops are more tollerable towards us who treely shew the cause why they account us Schismatics Excommunicates neither doe they hinder us from clearing our selves what shall we hope for then when they have established their Kingdome Whereas the first fruits of their Discipline for which they so much quarrell are such I think it were much fitter that Ministers containe themselues within their bounds and that they leave to Magistrates what belongs to the Discipline of life and manners I know they object that the Magistrate doth not alwayes his duty and therefore there is need of another Senate who may contain them within compasse But I deny this consequence whereas they cannot prove what they say by any example Prophericall or Apostolicall It is indeed the Ministers part to reprove the vices and corrupt manners of Princes and Judges to admonish them of their duty as the Prophets did of bad But I never yet read that they should subject them to any other Magistrate to receive punishment or excommunication because they were negligent in their office or offended by their old example It is certaine the Prophets never did any such thing Of the Apostles we need not speake for in their time there were no Christian Magistrates which was the cause of making blders in the Church that should have inspection of mens manners which ought also to be done at this day under tyrannicall Persecutors of the Faith But there is a farre different reason of our Churches who have by Gods special favour christian Princes which though they have their blemishes yet Ministers should maintain their authority and not make publike spectacles of them At last in the end of the same Epistle This I rather wish that the confusion which is brought in by some Innovators may by degrees be abolished which will bee easily done if those who are of a right moderate opinion may be suffered to live quietly and to propose their thoughts freely for others to judge And let Divines be sent away from governing the state from medling with councels of Warre matters of the court to the Pulpit and the Schooles which is their proper ground and wrestling place There is yet another Epistle of the same Gualter worth the noting in which writing to Beza he sets down these heads of the whole controversie 1. Whether the Lords Supper which hee calls the Symboll of communion a joyfull and publike thankesgiving for the benefit of redemption performed to us should serve for excommunication and so be converted to another use then what Christ hath shewed or the Apostles delivered to us 2. Whether such as repent should be for some time debarred from the use of it when they desire with the Church to declare the Lords death 3. Whether it is not sufficient for him that comes to the Lords Table to prove himselfe and to finde in himselfe a lively faith joyned with the spirit of serious contrition and repentance 4. Whether where there is a christian Magistrate there ought to be set up a Presbytery wch may have power over the public Discipline of many to remove frō the cómunion whom they think have deserved it These things I say seeme to be the chiefest which are controverted in this cause for I suppose we differ not about Infidels the enemies of christian Religion impenitēt siners whose incurable cn̄tumacy is too wel known Now of the first some not without cause doubt when they see how dangerous it hath been in all ages to abuse Gods Ordinances though with a good zeale nor can I see why out of that should
be made a tormenter of mens consciences which serves to preserve and confirme Faith and to comfort afflicted consciences and son these ends was ordained by God I hope you will bear with us patiently if in this we differ from you And a little after In the second held there is yet a greater difficulty for though we know that one should be excluded yet wee see no reason why he upon his repentance should bee longer suspended from the Communion for seeing the Lords Supper is a publike thanksgiving and belongs to the Confession of Faith we thinke it a hard case that a Christian should be forbidden to doe that which in it selfe is just holy and a Christians chiefe duty you rely upon that place Matth. 18. of which much may be said but for brevities sake I forbeare But let us yeeld that such an excommunication is there commanded yet by that place can be meant no longer time then till he confesse his repentance and acknowledging his fault desire reconciliation with the Church For he that said Let him be to thee as a Publican and Heathen the same commands us to forgive our offending brother seventy times seven times by which precept there the Church is bound I hope you will not deny for there also you will say Excommunication is handled For why should the Church which consists only of Christians be more rigid in punishing of offences then becomes private men Or by what reason shall she call him a stranger from the Lords Family whom the Lord himselfe of the Family hath received into grace We would faine see some example to prove that God will not presently receive converted Penitents Did not that prodigall sonne publikely offend against his Father his elder Brother the whole Family yea against heaven it selfe Did not he give scandall both at home abroad yet upon his repentance and confession of his sinne his Father presently pardons him restores him to his former dignity honours him being restored with the ring of reconciliation and for him will have that fat Calfe killled that hee might feast and rejoyce with his whole Family Why then should we debarany longer from that joyfull and saving feast of the Church those that make the same confeshon with her why then should we exact new satisfactions But there is danger you 'l say least they counterfeit repentance I confesse it But shall we avoid this danger if whole yeares they be kept off from the Communion Truly no length of time will reclaime a wicked Hypocrite Neither let us feare to be deceived whilest we imitate God the Fathers Gentlenesse If Hypocrites deceive us it s to their own danger they will to themselves eate and drinke damnation we shall be blamelesse But I beseech you Brother may not we our selves bee deceived and in our rash zeale exclude him from the Supper who being truly converted Christ feedes with his owne body and bloud How unfitting is it to cast him into a new sorrow whom the Sonne of God will have to rejoyce in him How shall we excuse that rigidnesse in rejecting him whom the Lord receiveth into his armes Here surely we may fear lest wee be found companions of that naughty servant who having obtained mercy of his Master used his fellow servant hardly c. And shortly after what you write concerning setting up of Presbyteries in Churches we will easily admit where there is no Christian Magistrate For some there must be by whose authority they may be contained in their duty who are apt to offend lest Religion bee exposed to scorn among strangers But under Christian Princes this care will bee fitter and safer committed to them who sit at the sterne of Government And I know not how safe it may be to create a new Magistrateship for many inconveniences may follow which are tedious now to renearse But this I cannot dissemble in the Palatinate the greatest scandals fell out by the fault of the Elders erected there And who I pray will endure such censures hereafter who suffered the Sicilian an impure Sodomite and a most pestiferous calumniator to escape unpunished that hee might not be drawne before the lawfull Judges For they thought it fit to proceede slowly that they might be the Judges of that mâ—tter Upon this reason an Italian one well knowne to you and a good man excused them when I objected this example to him Now what is it to claime the Magistrates office to themselves iâ— this be not Mans ambition truly is unsatiable and few are found who grow not insolent upon any power committed to them And if we will look upon ancient stories we shall finde that the greatest and most dangerous scandals of the Church proceeded from the Bishops and other Ministers which wee may now see in Germany among the Lutheran superintendants who think they may do any thing being armed with too much power but what shal we hope of them who in Heydelberg plead this cause This one boldnesse doth suffâ—ciently admonish us by which they accuse all men of Atheisme that will not subscribe to their opinion and indeed such men as excell in faith doctrine and holinesse of life If then we feare least a new tyrannie be set up in the Church upon these principles who will say our fear is without cause But as I wrote else-where wee will not hinder them to enjoy their own meaning who thinke they can profitably use this forme of Discipline We only tell them this that they must not goe about to put or to thrust the same shooe upon every mans foot and for a point yet in controversie and whose forme cannot bee every where the same pull the Churches asunder and by making new controversies make themselves ridiculous to the common-enemy To this purpose serves that which Bullinger wrote in a certain Epistle to Peter Dathenus where amongst many other passages he writes thus What we think and what we have ever thought of Churches discipline you cannot be ignorant whereas we have briefly touched it in that confession of the Helvetian Churches but lately published wee never taught that there should bee no Church Discipline at all which we confesse to be needful Concerning the manner and way of this Discipline all men are not nor have not been of the same opinion Our Church never mingled Christs mysticall Supper with Church-Discipline neither hath she been for ought I know therefore accused of impiety by any one neither had we ever a Presbytery or any such Ecclesiastick Senate which examined Communicants or admitted to the Communion or excluded from it sinners those I mean who by their comming to the Supper after serious and grave admonitions do as it were promise amendment of life and desire to give thankes with all their hearts for their redemption We think that wicked men and such as offend the Church should be curbed some other way and amended For we suppose and believe that the Lords supper was instituted by him not to be a Fan
or sive to sift and winnow men one from another but to be a Synaxis that is a coagmentation society communion and conjunction to collect and gather together sinners I meane those who feele the burthen of their sins and confesse them and beleeve that they are pardoned by Christs death therefore now they come to the Supper to thank him c. This opinion brother should not seeme to you a novelty lately devised by us whereas in High Germany the Church of Tigurum which hath been accounted the chiefe of the reformed hath alwayes been of this opinion she began to be planted in the year 1519. and afterwards as for that worthy man Zuinglius of blessed memory the first restorer of these Helvetian Churches he hath left us nothing to be exercized in this Church which wee have not carefully observed till this day neither did we ever study to bring in changes or innovations in Church-matters knowing what dangers may hence arise among the People how many scandals schisms may hence proceed and how this would give occasion to our Adversaries to reproach us But Zuinglius would never mingle the mysticall Supper with Ecclesiasticke Discipline Hee would never turne that gratulatory Supper of the Lord and joyfull commemoration of mans redemption into a sad punishment of such sinners who confessing their sinnes make hast to go to Christ whom they beleeve to have obtained pardon for them by delivering up his body and shedding of his blood and beleeving this that he invites them to this sacred and mysticall Supper He added that it is sufficiently known what Guests Christ admitted to his first Supper which was doubtlesse the most absolute of all And that it it unfitting we should be quicker sighted then the Son of GOD himself who perfectly knowes the hearts of the Sonnes of MEN alone Or that we should otherwise judge of his Supper then we have precept or example from him He touched some thing of this matter in his friendly Exposition to Luther in the 2. Tome of his Workes fol. 359.6 and in the progresse of the same Epistle Neither saith hee doth Musculus vary a whit from this who was an excellent Instrument of Christ and a famous Doctor of the Church Minister of the Church of Berne and Professor of Divinity For what he wrote of Church-Discipline in his common places under the Title of the Minister of Gods Word is known to all Out of all this it is cleere that in this matter I differ not in opinion either from Zuinglius or from the Churches or Doctors of the Helvetian Churches who either now live or have lived in governing of the Church these 50 yeares c. These are the testimonies of Divines which I thought good to set down at large not that I seek for any help from them to confirme this truth but because I was willing to shew that if this cause were to be defined by the votes of learned men there are not wanting many of the prime and most excellent Reformers who hitherto fore have maintained the same opinion with us have affirmed the same things which I have defended already against the Stilt-walker and will defend yet except I be convinced by better arguments out of Gods Word For this is evident that these Walachrian whirle-windes beleeve not certainly what they write but as they are infected with pride and superstition that is with Antichristian poyson Wherefore that I may put an end at last to this Discourse I will gather together these Walachrian Popish Keyes of Apollonius into a bundle and with the rest of Antichristian trash whence these were taken I will fling them into a corner left this Treverian like another tragicall surie go on to hurt and disgrace as he hath begun all Christians and chiefly Godly Magistrates The right of making Lawes hath affinitie with the power of censuring For censure hath place only upon Delinquents there is no Delinquency but against the Lawes Therefore that these Hierarchicall men might take occasion to use their censuring power enough against Christians divers Lawes like so many traps were to be proposed to them which being transgressed the censuring power might be exercised Thus the Pope maintaines his tyrannie he hath long since prescribed so many Lawes to Christians that neither the whole Bible nor the body of the Civill-Law are to be compared to the Popes decrees it is impossible for men to live without fault or other Hence proceeds the Popes right of punishing and then his bounty in pardoning whereby hee remits and dispenses with the penalty but first money must be payed and they that hath eyes may see that this Antichristian shop is artificially surnished for the Popes honour and profit Our Stilt-Walker hath finely learned the same mechanicall way of cheating out of his Institutions for not only doth hee vent the corrupted power of his Church-censure but because he perceived that he could have no occasion to censure except there were many Lawes against which Christians might offend Hence above other things he strives to maintain the wonderfull sanctity of the power in making Lawes of which I will discourse a little And first note the mans giddinesse which like a Leprosie hee hath drawn from the Jesuites in sometimes affirming sometimes denying the same thing either out of forgetfulnesse or impudence For in many places he maintaines that the Church hath power to make Lawes which Christians are with all humility to observe which power hee saith is holy and so free that Christ shed his bloud for it and cryes out that the Magistrate will become sacrilegious if hee hinder Church-men in this And else-where also he doth fiercely and in plain tearmes defend that the Church hath no right to make Lawes For saith he the servant ought not to make lawes for the Family but the Master himself Who seeth not here I and nay and a plaine contradiction I confesse this our old cheater is not so simple as not to use meanes by a frivolous seavill to escape for hee addes that the Church Lawes are not properly Lanes but onely Statutes or Ordinances which art hee learned out of the same School of the Pope who being that whore in the Revelation clokes by her whorish impudence her impurity and hithinesse with honest pretences It is ordinary with Bellarmine to call Idolatry veneration of the Saints the Popes tyrannie Peters pastorall power and so boundlesse is the Popes impudence that though in his Festival perambulation he shines with Gold and Jewels yet hee cryes out openly Gold and Silver have I none I confesse our Stilt-walker is but a Dwarse to the Pope yet in this as in other things he imitates him to that het speakes one thing but thinkes and beleevet another thing For though hee confesse that his Lawes are not properly Lawes yet hee knowes that hee speakes this only pro forma to delude the credulous For in truth he thinkes and with tooth and naile maintaine that his Ecclesiasticke
bee made by spirituall jurisdiction So that necessarily some mystery of spirituality must lye hid in Church-men that the same Lawes of the same things whether these things bee necessary or indifferent may become spirituall if they be given from spiritual that is Church-men but profaine if given by Godly Magistrates This the Stilt-walker did not learne from Calvin but of the Jesuires who are wont to begge much of the spirituall sanctity of their Churches So that Calvin eloquently taxeth them for this whose words I here subjoyne By this pretence false Bishops doe burthen consciences with new Lawes that they are spirituall Legislators appointed by God lib. 4. inst q. 10. s 6. since the government of the Church is committed to them Hence Apolonius may see his disease much like the Popish Scab It is well knowne for what end the Pope doth strive so much for this spirituality in making Lawes For hee would not seeme to be the man he is to wit Antichrist and the destroyer of his Masters Lawes But by pretending spirituality hee challengeth to himselfe power to declare what is properly agreeing to Christs Lawes what not But in saying this doth not belong to Lay-men how can hee prove it when Christ saith Drinke ye all of this Hee saith Drink not all of this CHRIST saith to the People search the Scripture Hee saith search them not under paine of death Again Marriage is honourable among all men the Pope saith it is dishonourable and more unlawfull among Clergie-men then Fornication Many such Lawes hath the Pope given us out of the Holy Scripture But by the helpe of his interpreting Spirituality The Stilt-walker hath publikely manifested that he understands also that Maxime thus That the actions of Divine Worship are to bee taken onely out of Gods Law to wit According to the POPES Dialect that Apolonius and such Spirituall men as he onely are to explaine what is properly to be taken out of Gods Law But civill Magistrates must have no hand in this This is the new mysterie of iniquity which these walachrian Jouglers are breeding that by the priviledge of their powerfull Preaching to them onely must belong this spirituall legislative power of preclaiming Lawes and Statutes every day not against or besides Scripture For this were a disgrace to these new Papists but according to Scripture yet conditionally that under pain of sacriledge no Lay-men presume to enquire into those holy Church-lawes at least not to ordaine or being ordained to abbrogate them of themselves For it is not the part of a good sonne thus to enquire into his Fathers actions but to obey the Lawes however prescribed as being spirituall and given by spirituall men If once godly Magistrates suffer themselves to be blinded with this efficacie of errour in a short time as under the Pope by pretending holy Scripture all kinds of falshoods will bee obtruded upon them that if the Stilt-walker doth not act his Comedy in Walachria as Becholitus did at Monaster yet at least in out confederate Provinces hee must have two separated formes of government whereof the one must be independent from the other yea repugnant in contrary lawes That these things are intended by our new Papists under their spirituall liberty of the legislative power is most apparent as I have shewed already Secondly it is not enough to adhere to the Scripture in ordaining new ceremonies of divine worship but the Church must now take heed that she be not too liberall in inventing of such For as man naturally grows proud by greatness of spirit so of mean dejected spirits ariseth superstition then wil-worship and if we be not wary at last idolatry For seldome here is there a mean kept but men goe from one degree to another which Paul sheweth in the false Apostles who going about to betray the Colossians liberty they first enjoyned them not to eat then higher tast not lastly touch not For it is more strictnesse to abstain from touching then from tasting and again from tasting then from eating so we see in Popery that of small beginnings and those not evill have arisen ceremonies which still increasing are become a yoke more heavie then that of the Jews If the Walachrian Classis did not earnestly desire this they would not be so hot in urging a sacred and spirituall liberty to prescribe lawes to the Church The third thing that I would have to be observed is that lawes be not too rigorous for they are only of things indifferent which properly concern not religion but order only changeable circumstances which to urge with such imperiousnesse is not the part of a Father but of a tyrant An example of greater moderation cannot bee had then that which is extant in the Apostolicall Church For when they were all assembled at Jerusalem to deliberate about the peace and lawes of the Church although they had full power Acts 15. yet they used so little rigour and authority that they determined or ordained nothing but by the consent and decree of the whole body of the Church And they used such moderation in giving Lawes to the Syrian Churches that they did as it were by an intreating way recommend them and left in a manner freedome to every Church to observe and to abrogate them when they became needlesse as I will shew in that which followes Hee that seeth Paul ordaining rites and ceremonies will easily observe that he was carefull of nothing more then that the consciences of Christians might not be oppressed with the yoak of Lawes For thus he sayth This I say not the Lord of this I have no precept This I say to you not by way of command but of counsell judge you if it be decent So at last he concludes that nothing was more averse from his custome or the custome of Apostolicall Churches then to strive eagerly or too imperiously in commanding rites or ceremonies as even then presaging the domintering pride of Church-men which hee would shake off and teach Christians moderation in the observation of things indifferent so that it is to be admired how mens perverse heat of ruling cannot be curbed by his example and admonitions so as not onely mean men but some of great worth have been carried headlong with too much heat A notable example of this we may see in Hooper Bishop of Glocester recorded by Peter Martyr He was so much moved at the wearing of a Surplusse Bishops Cap and other ceremonies which were the Reliques of Popery then in England that he threatned to forsake his Bishoprick whose preposterous fervency learned Martyr appeased in a most wise Tract Worthy Calvin himself when he was first called to Geneva did contend so eagerly with his Magistrates about the circumstance of unlevened bread in the Lords Supper to shew his aversnesse frō Judaisme that rather then he would yeeld suffered himself and his Colleagues to be banished from thence but of this he repented afterward which he did shew when hee
warned the Church of Geneva and other Churches afterward by his writings not to strive about that or any other ceremonies If the Bishop of Rome according to these Rules be examined it will easily appeare that hee is Antichrist For not onely without Scrripture doth he burthen Christians with innumerable decrees and lawes but he is so rigid in maintenance of his Lawes that hee is more severely punished for the most part who denieth obedience to his Statutes then he that transgresseth Gods expresse commands The Stilt-walker followes him close at the heeles whilst he doth so eagerly contend for the right of making Church-lawes so that he cries out Christs blood and all holy things to be prophaned if this power be granted to Lay-men or if Church-men in this be any wayes hindered For who but an Impostor will goe about to perswade men that there is such a mysticall holinesse in ordaining things indifferent as whether we may pray covered or uncovered standing kneeling or sirting with our eyes looking upward or downward what day the congregation must meet whether early or late in what place in what garments must men pray and preach whether at night after Christs example or by day the communion must be given whether the wine must bee powred out into silver or glasse whether levened or unlevened bread must be used whether onely the Preacher must give the Sacraments or the Elders also and any religious man as it was in use among the Apostles whether he only is to preach that is called by imposition of hands or others also who sometimes are better able though accounted but Lay-men whether the right of consecration that is of imposition of hands belongs onely to the Minister or to all the Elders also and other members of the Church so that confusion be avoided and innumerable other things which touch not the substance nor necessary rites of divine worship in ordaining of which whereas there is nothing so eminent but may not be determined easily by lay-men as they call them especially by civill Magistrates yet he so swels with the pretended sanctity of this unspeakable mystery that he wil have us bleeve they overthrow religion and piety who think or doe otherwise in this then he pleaseth Besides in this also hee imitates the Pope for that he is almost more rigid in arguing and venting his Ecclesiastick Lawes then those that are truly Divine This hee upbraids elswhere to the Pope as Antichristian but in this he runs from the Limepit and falls still into the Coal-pit or as wee say he leaps out of the frying-pan into the fire For they say that it is ordinary for this Treverian to beget new dreames especially such as serve for establishing the majesty of the Church and treading downe that of the State in which hee is so zealous that hee contends more about the not observation of Christs Nativity and other Festivall dayes about driving the Harmony of Organs out of the Church about the most spirituall holinesse of Deaconship and other trifles then he is about the whole passion of Christ or urging of his merits so that a whore doth not scold more against an honest woman then hee doth against both Magistrates and Ministers if they crosse him in his trifles On the contrary he offends not that abuseth Magistrates openly or privatly though he be never so infamous seditious an extortioner a cheater and the sink of all wickednesse Yet he is not so cunning in hiding his Popish leprosie but the scabs which he covers in one place he discovers in another He inveighs much against the Pope for making such lawes as bind Christian mens consciences and yet such is his giddinesse not only doth he lavishly extoll the sanctity of Legislative power but every where so prates of the necessity of his lawes that he openly matcheth them with the Lawes of Christ For he cries out that the Lawes and Statutes of the Church at this day are of such authority that if any refuse to obey them he is to be punished with the greater and lesser censure by the Church which every man my see toucheth mens consciences For what more grievous punishment can he denounce against a whoremaster an adulterer a Blasphemer and an open despiser of divine lawes but to punish him with his censuring Rod and excommunication Besides there can be no greater punishment then to be excluded from heaven but if we will credit Apolonius he is excluded from heaven whom he excommunicates I beleeve the Stilt-walker laughs here within himself as often as he affeights simple men with the terrours of his censure which hee knowes to be mockeries and used by him for no other end then to reigne over mens estates bodies and consciences But I now esteem of this thing as it is and as each holy man can judge of it Surely if the greater excommunication be the punishment of Ecclesiastick lawes if excommunication be the Key that truly shuts heaven as the Walachrians say who sees not that the conscience is touched with this when he shall find that heaven is locked against him with the Popes or Stilt-wakers Key except he will subscribe to the ordinances and devices of the Walachrians I confesse Apolonius is not so unskilfull an actor in this Papall Stage-play but he can with a fine distinction cleare himselfe of this blemish for he sayth That punishment is not inflicted for a Law or thing which is indifferent but for contumacie As if a Magistrate should say that the murtherer is not executed for cutting the innocent mans throat but because he died y upon it But I deny that this is contumacy when one resists stoutly and constantly the idle devices of Church-men whether they be obtruded by Apolonius or the Walashrians or the Pope there was never such authority in a lyer as to make a lye become a truth Therefore when the Church obtrudes a falshood or commands a thing indifferent as necessary because she deceiveth he is not contumacious who in this case resisteth the Church but the Church is contumacious herselfe which perseveres in her falshoods So this Walachrian Mom is alwayes dancing upon the Popes Scaffold inlarging the borders or fringes not onely of his preaching and censuring but also of his legislative garment so farre that he would perswade us that he offends as grievously who obeyes not the corrupted word and decrees of his Church as he that resisteth the plain Oracles of Christ He feignes that there is an unseparable subordination between himselfe and other modern preachers of his stamp and Christs and consequently such a selfe-commanding and imperious power of teaching and charging Gods people with no lesse authority then if Christ himselfe commanded so that it is commmon with these pratlers to perswade men with the Pope That they heare Christ who hear them and reject Christ who reject them That the Stilt-walker may see this rash assertion to be taken out the Popes Schoole hee shall doe well to
shake his most inward theologicall Budget and to free himselfe of this circle and labyrinth which here I will interlace and because I shall touch here the crown both of old and new Popery I will so compose my selfe to gravity as that I shall seem to jest in a matter of so great weight as this For I will ask whether hee that heares Apolonius teaching and commanding heares alwayes Christ If he affirmes this then he will be Pope and infallible If he denies this for out of this his book we know that the Stilt-walker teacheth many falshoods then I wil ask further when shal Christians be certain that Apolonius speaks truth He wil answer that then when he speakes according to Scripture Well but I will ask again Whether he speake alwayes according to Scripture If he sayth I then he is Pope and infallible If he sayth no then I aske again When doth he speak according to Scripture Hee will answer that then when according to his skill in languages hee weighes the Phrases searches out the circumstances of place and clears all by parallell places Very good But I ask a again whether Apolonius doth this alwayes well If he sayth I then he is Pope infallible if he denies I will ask again when shall we know that Apolonius doth well He will answer that then when he studieth diligently and prayeth devoutly for we must hope that then God assists him that he may not deviate from the truth But here a double question will arise First how it is knowne that he alwayes preacheth and prayeth well For he that reads these his patched peeces will finde that a great part of his prayers and paines are intended to overthrow the civill Magistrate and to procure to himselfe rule and command in the Church but I will yeeld that good Apolonius doth all things well I will ask then again if he though he pray and labour well doth alwayes preach truth If he doth then he is infallible as the Pope If he doth not I will ask again How may we certainly know that Apolonius whilst hee laboureth and prayeth hath the infallible grace of the Spirit God no where in Scripture promiseth this to Apolonius and our modern Law-givers This indeed was true in the divinely-inspired Apostles and Prophets but that this is true in the Pope is the lye of Apolonius and all his Jesuits And if this Walachrian Pompion should presume to brag so much of himselfe his owne booke would refute him in writing of which though he laboured most spiritually yet it is plain that he hath in it uttered many blasphemous and notorious lies Here then having catched him I will hold him fast and wil convince him of fraud in saying that Christs commands are obeyed when he is obeyed commanding as he sayth in Christs Name except he will fall into this absurdity in saying that he who heares Apolonius lying heares Christ in Apolonius commanding which I suppose he will think is blasphemy Hence then it is cleare that Apolonius is a deceiver who would perswade the credulous that his own and his Walachrian Ecclesiastick Dictates and Commands are to be accounted the Dictates and commands of Christ whereas Christians cannot be certainly induced to beleeve this upon any sure ground Yea it is certain both by these Walachrian sayings writings that Christ speakes not in them for he is alwayes true and these are full of lies and blasphemies but rather the spirit of Antichrist who is a lier But here is one hole through which he may escape hee will say perhaps that he submits his preaching to the judgement of the Consistory and because what Apolonius there determines is approved by so many Prophets it is very just that the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets and so the people must beleeve Apolonius prophesying But here again I ask whether all is truth that is determined by the Consistory of Middleburgh If he affirmes it then this Consistory is infallible as the Pope If he denies it I will ask how he knowes that the Consistory doth not erre He will answer that he knowes it by the approbation of the whole Walachrian Classes for thus hath he proceeded in canonizing his patcht book But I ask again whether that be infallible what the Walachrian Classis approveth If hee affirmes it their this Classis is infallible as the Pope But I doe not think that then other Classes of Zealand will yeeld this to the Walachrian Spirituality that whatsoever they determine must be infallible If he denies this then I ask again How shall I know that the Walachrian Classis doth not erre He will say I suppose if all the other Classes of Zealand that is the Synod shall approve it I will ask him If whatsoever the Synod of Zealand shall determine be infallible I beleeve the Synod of Holland and of the other Provinces will deny this nor will they acknowledge the Papall infallibility of the Synod of Zealand From hence perhaps hee will ascend to the Synod of all the Provinces then to the Nationall after to the Generall and last of all he will mount up in infinitum So that the Stilt-walker will find no out-let except hee conclude in the Pope alone to whose judgement we must submit whether hee erre or not saith Bellarmine because he is subject to no mans authority and correction but is to bee left to Christs judgement alone which shall bee in the end of the world The Walachrians every where breathe this Antichristian spirit who though conscious of fallibility and error yet are still crying out that obedience must be yeelded to their Church-ordinances under pain of excommunication They confesse indeed that they are not infallible and permit Christians to examine their doctrines and ordinances but yet will not have the Magistrates to abrogate or appoynt any thing except the Clergy refuse to be reformed The judgement of which ease must remain in Clergy-men so in truth opinion and Popish perswasion is the very foundation of this Walachrian Legislative power thus all by an implicit faith must beleeve that their governours how ever at other times they may erre yet now they doe not erre or if they do erre yet they must not be resisted by the modest sonnes of the Church but obeyed Surely this opniion differs much from that moderation of the Apostles whō Christians absolutly were bound to beleeve by reason of their infallibility yet the one did not absolutely beleeve nor did the other absolutely require it but submitted their doctrine and ordinances to every ones examination so that it is intollerable that a rabble of unskilfull fellowes at this day should domineere over the Clergy and by divine right forsooth enslave Christian mens consciences to yeeld obedience to their toyes But here I will remove one seruple which hath much troubled the minds even of some good Schollers Rom. 13. Heb. 13. The Apostle wills every soule to be subject to the Magistrate for
conscience sake and hee warnes us to hearken and obey the Governours of the Church Hence they collect if the Magistrates lawes can bind the conscience whereby God will have us obey them then the Church laws also must bind Christian consciences for them also we are enjoyned to obey If I were to cut this knot I would say that there is great oddes between these two commands for the holy Ghost in plain tearmes commands every soule to obey the civill Magistrate for conscience sake As for Church-Rulers he commands honour and obedience to bee given to them but he doth not enjoyne every soule to this nor for conscience sake For those restrictions the maintainers of Papâ—â—â— Hierarchy doe attex or knit by their consequentiary threeds but to such consequentiary Divines it falls out as it doth to unskilfull accountants who reckoning with counters doe unskilfully transferre from one place to another the counter Whence proceeds so great a change in the summe that they are quite mistaken in the reckoning But my prime answer shall he this There is great difference between the obedience due to civill Magistrates and to Church-governours For God hath appoynted the former to be his Embassadours and Vicars upon earth and Gods in his name under which Tittle hee giveâ— them this power that not onely every soule but also for conscience is bound to obey them that is absolutely not onely as they command justly and lawfully but as they command Therefore he hath armed them with the sword that they may force men For if the civill Magistrate command things either just or Indifferent the subject is bound to obey for conscience If hee commands what is unjust the subiect is not bound to performe but to submit either by suffering the punishment or by flight but the obedience due to Church-Rulers is farre other for they are not to bee obeyed absolutely because they command but conditionally if they command lawfully For these Spirituall Rulers must be tried if they are of God or not For if they enter not in at the doore the straight way but unlawfully by a back-doore become Shepheards Captaines and Rulers they are not to be obeyed but reiected as hirelings and wolves Again if they enter in lawfully so that they sit with the Scribes in Moses his Chaire and yet wil mingle the leven of their Traditions they are to be avoyded as blind guides yea to be cast out as unsavoury salt and to be trod under foot Christ himselfe commanding as I will hereafter shew more fully so that here now we may see another Legislative Divinity quite different from that of the old and new Papists for the Pope hath long since perswaded Christians that every soule must be subject to him even of Princes as to the universal Steward of the Church and that for conscience sake they are bound to obey his Edicts absolutely for which end hee hath armed himselfe also with the temporal sword for he carries two that he may shew himselfe to be the transcendent sword-bearing power of Paul by which right he claimes to himselfe such absolute power in the Church that though sometimes he creeps in like a Fox and reignes as a Lion yet he will bee absolutely obeyed till he die like a Dogge The same is the ground of the Walachrian Jurisdiction For the Stilt-walker doth not on this lay the foundation of speciall and divine right of law-giving that hee is a lawfull Pastor and commands things lawful for so he should be subiect to every mans examination but upon this priviledge that hee is the Captain Leader Shepheard and Embassadour of Christ in which Authoritative and Regall power he so reioyceth that he openly confesseth the Magistrates themselves to bee subiect to his lawes and that it is not in their power to make Church-lawes so that hee doubts not to accuse them of tyranny if they presume of themselves to command Church-men or to question or abrogate Church-ordinances so that the Walachrian Papists chiefe drift is under pretext of legislative power to dominiere over Magistrates and to prescribe lawes not onely in Church but in civill affaires also as shall seeme best to the Walachrian supercilious spiritualities Many examples of this matter doth the Stilt-walker shew at Middleburgh whereof some I have mentioned already I will adde one more of which hee vapours much elsewhere in his patcht book Heretofore the Magistrates of Middleburgh as they say ordered that in the Church Organs should be used for regulating the tunes in singing of Psalmes This gave occasion to the Walachrian to â—reprove the Magistrate and as they say hee did shamefully in his Pulpit inveigh against this order shewing the indignity and erroneousnesse thereof to the people not without scoffs And because he was not ashamed to set down in this book the summe of his reasons which he impudently used against his own Magistrates it shall not be amisse by the way to refell them First he sayth very imperiously that this order is very repugnant to Divine Right and the Churches practice His prime argument is That Organs were used in the Iewish Temple whence he concludes that hee digges up againe Indaisme who brings Organs into Christian Churches How frivolous this reason is any indifferently learned may see For I ask if every thing used in the Jewish Temple be unlawfull in Christian worship I suppose he will not say so if he be wise For either there must be no Christianity or God must create new Elements for in the Jewish worship were not onely Organs Cymbals and Tymbrels but Gold also Silver Garments Silk Wooll Water Bread Wine and many other things He ought then to have declared more particularly what was precisely ceremoniall and not to be used when we see that every thing is not to be reiected He instanceth that Christians should at least omit these things which served for the worship of the Jewish Temple For because God destroyed that Temple he gathers by an unanswerable Argument as he calls it that what was used in the worship of that Temple was abolished and should be removed from Christian worship But here againe he feeds his Reader with toyes for if we must use nothing in Christian worship which was ordained for the Jewish worship why doth he use Churches In the worship of the Temple there were not onely Organs but the Book of the Law also and Water Bread Wine a Table an Ark Seats Pulpits Stones Linnen c. Why doth he not also desire the removal of these things The very singing of Psalmes is borrowed from the Jewish worship Epist ad Hooper sayth Martyr Why is not this also reiected by the Law-giver Apolonius He instanceth That Pipes and Organs are dead things and wind Instruments and as it were Rattles fit for such children and stiffe-necked people as the Iewes but these become not Christians I answer the Stilt-walker hath so little breath or spirit in his Assertions that he produceth nothing that hurts these pipes
so require But I would not have men think with these new Papists that there is such necessity in this worke as if Gods worship could not subsist without it or that there is such an inward sanctity in it that pious Magistrates must not meddle therewith It is commonly objected that civill Magistrates could not be present at Ecclesiastick meetings because in the Apostles times there were none such among Christians but besides that this is doubtfull this is at least certaine that the Apostles did so govern the Church that they admitted the whole body in managing Church-affaires which because it consisted of many Lay-men it is apparent they were not so precise as to think any man unworthy because of his secular calling or unfit to manage all Church-businesse as I will hereafter shew more at large But let pious Magistrates know that of old under Christ and his Apostles the coactive and principall power of the Church resided miraculously in those governours and because this miraculous power is now ceased in the Church-rulers and resideth ordinarily in pious Princes that it is their part to be chiefe and to be Presidents in all Church-Assemblies not as if they were to doe what they please against Law which is the direct practice of the old Papists and indirectly intended by the new under the vizard of Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction But that being furnished with the gifts of piety and prudence they may be at this day the Churches Eyes Eares and Hands and may every way benefit her chiefly in such places where the Apolonians that can turn themselves into all shapes hunt after command and worldly honour and by their seditious pens and tongues teach Christians to be sawcy and rebellious to pious Secular governours whom if they keep under according to their just and divine authority they will case Christians of many inconveniences and shall exceedingly benefit them The Scripture speakes of many other things which belong to the Ministery which are To assist the poore with their prayers and comforts to help poore widowes with their counsell and with such things as they want to visit the sick and to cure them if they can These works God exceedingly commends but because they are servile therefore Apolonius leaves them for holy Lay-men whom commonly they call Visiters of the sick he reserves for himselfe whatsoever hath in it superlative spirituality and jurisdiction to which he hath lately transferred the right of collecting and distributing almes to the use of the poore For although hitherto all good men have thought it a benefit that Magistrates have out of their own purses helped the poore members of the Church and taken care for them Yet the Stils-walker by his seraphicall acute wit finding out some inconveniences that may redound to him and his colleagues if this power should be in the Magistrate he sharply contends for this holy priviledge as being a part of Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction and therefore is sayd publickly in writing to have in an imperious way signified to his Magistrates that they have no right to collect and distribute and that it is unlawfull for them hereafter to thrust their prophane Secular sickle into this sacred corn He is sayd also to become so untoward that with his Walachrian Classiaries he hath forbid the Deacons of all the Walachrian Churches that they should upon any order from the Magistrate gather almes for the Irish I confesse that I cannot being so far off fish out every thing exactly yet because the rumor of this Paradox and summe of his reasons are come hither to us such ridiculous delight there is in this inquisition that although I make haste yet I cannot but a little touch upon these trifling conceits which he hath divulged He doth not think almes in it selfe to be properly holy that is the gift exhibited by Christians which in Scripture is called properly spiritual sacrifice For he seeth this to be common to all Lay-men and of the Dative case which case the Pope exceedingly abhors For Bellarmine feignes that he is poore and that he hath nothing but what is given to him by Christians for the use of the poore Whence one sayd of old not unpleasantly that the Pope was a Participle of the Ablative case From whence doubtlesse the Stilt-Walker learned as he hath other things to contend for the spirituality of almes not that he exceeds in giving but onely in receiving and in the right of distributing that which is none of his the quality whereof I wil briefly discusse First in a juggling way he supposeth that the sanctity of Churchaâ—mes doth wonderfully exceed that of Lay-mens so that these are prophane and worldly not appertaining properly to Christs Kingdome but the others are most holy Whence hee concludes that they are to be handled onely by holy men that is Church-men and not Lay-men Now he placeth the ground of sanctity of these Church-almes in this that they are given by the holy or faithfull men of the Church and for the use of holy men in another Church that is of the faithfull so that here ariseth a heavenly sanctity of Church-almes from the terminus à quo to wit the faithfull givers and from the terminus ad quem to wit the faithfull receivers whence necessarily must proceed the sanctity of the terminus per quem to wit that this holy thing must not be medled with but by holy men Now ordinary sanctity wil not suffice for this such as is found in all believers and therefore in pious Magistrates although this be accounted most holy in Scripture yet such is the Stilt-walkers Philosophy that he reckoneth this for none or at least only for a privative sanctity which is unfit to handle those holy almes but he admits here onely Ecclesiastick or positive sanctity of Deacons or comparative of Elders or at last superlative This is the whole Eleemosynary dreame which the Walachrian dreamed in the Vatican or in the Popes Castle of S. Angelo I will not spend much time in dispelling these smoakes yet I will shew the absurdity of this foolery that honest men may laugh at it For I ask if the civill Magistrate doe bestow as much money for the use of the poore as the Church can bestow whether this mony shall be holier if it come out of the Churches treasure then if out of the Magistrates If he denies this then the fiction of Church-monies sanctity will faile If he affirmes it then it will necessarily follow that in the Churches treasure there lurketh some mystery of holines which can make that the same money which is given by Lay men is prophane but by the Church sacred and holy which is a meere Jewish and Popish fiction Again if the sanctity of Church-money ariseth from the terminus à quo that is of the faithfull giver then necessarily it ceaseth if he be not holy who gives it Whence Apolonius and his Deacons must be very carefull that nothing come into their treasure that is not holy
still holy who give and receive yet I cannot see how with their sanctities they can beware of the terminus per quam for not onely may that objective sanctity be violated if Lay-men touch the almes which he much feares but many other doubts will arise to wit whether if the Preacher himselfe or Deacon be a thiefe or a knave such mischances they say fall out somtimes in Walachria shal not that sanctity then be altogether prophaned Again if that money should be sent over to Ireland or elswhere and cannot be touched or handled but by holy men whether this treasure can without sacriledge be committed to a Servant Post or Money-changer For it seldome falls out that in such sore of men is found positive or comparative much lesse superlative holinesse which if required so rigidly to the receiving and distributing of this Elâ—â—mosynary collection innumerable accidents will fall out among the Walachrians by which they will bee forced to pollute their own sanctity so that the Stilt-walker hath borrowed from the Pope that rotten Impostor all these lurking holes of sanctity who every where hath scraped together Chymeras that he might blind Lay-men as it were with the smoke of sanctity and might bring them into subjection to himselfe Apolonius had never been so contentious for this vizard of sanctimony if hee had not been willing rather to imitate Antichrist then Christ For Christ excellently understood how great the sanctity of almes was which by holy men was given to holy men yet hee was so little sollicitous that this sacred money should passe onely through a sanctified hand that he committed this busines to Judas whom he knew to be a Divel whereat it had been as easie to him to have committed this to some more holy If he will preferre Judas a Thiefe a Traytor a Divell in sanctity to the pious Magistrate the Stilt-walker for me may enjoy his owne paradox He spends much time in commending the example of the Apostolicall Church in which Almes were handled onely by Ecclesiastick persons as Deacons and no wayes by Lay-men who then were no part of the Church but her enemies this he cries out is to be held for an inviolable and perpetuall law But I have shewed already that in this Apolonius playes the foole for the Apostles did not any thing concerning the circumstances of divine worship which were changed in processe of time yea they themselves did change them otherwise let him tell me why first did Christians bring their goods and lay them at the Apostles feet and afterwards this custome was abolished Why at first had the Apostles care of the poore and charge of the Tables and afterwards eased themselves of this care Why againe as occasion served did they take this care upon them Why were Bishops of old Paul himself maintained by the collections of the church afterwards stipends were received of Lay-men as now it is Do Christians at this day violate Pauls precept 2 Cor. 6.3 whilst they goe to law one with another about worldly busisinesse which he forbad the Corinthians grievously reproving them Custome and time can change many things in the circumstances of worship for main causes without offence If we beleeve Apolonius Lay-men were not admitted into the Church under the Apostles if this be perpetuall why are they not now kept out Who seeth not a plain cause of this change Of old they were not admitted within the Church because they were enemies and wolves after wards they were admitted because they became friends keepers and nursing Fathers of the Church The like must we say of Almes the Apostles did not demand them of any without the Church the reason because they were enemies they would not take them Now because they may without controlment give and as faithfull members of the Church will give them why should their bounty be rejected But saith he this is Arminianisme and so all the offices of divine worship may to the ruine of religion be transferred upon Lay-men As though forsooth Arminius desired the ruine of religion who however he had his errors yet in this he was the friend of Religion because he was a stout enemy against the Pope For he if ever there was any in the world is the over-thrower of Christs worship and religion Now whereas the Stilt-walker doth in every thing imitate him he hath also borrowed from him this whorish impudencie imposing upon another the ruine of Religion which hee himselfe by all the meanes hee can endevoureth to overthrow But in this hee followes his old masters the Pharisees in casting odious names upon the truth as they injuriously called Christ a Nazarite a Samaritan a Carpenter Surely Religion should not be ruined if godly Magistrates at this day being furnished with faith and spirituall gifts should performe and help all the Offices of the Church in which I have shewed there is no speciall sanctity now which should cause them to forbeare if they had fit gifts and the matter it selfe required it in this case Religion should no more perish then when Saul was among the Prophets Apolonius is afraid lest his pride will bee brought down for like a new Papist he will have some mysterious sanctity to lye hid in his Church-businesse not to be medled with except by Church-men of his own stamp Which device because he sees his lay-men to despise herailes and is more foolishly mas then heretofore Moses his servant when he saw Eldad and Medad prophesie in the camp being but ordinary men which he conceived to be an absued thing and disgracefull to Moses therefore sayd Moses forbid them but Moses being possessed with a better spirit then the Stilt-walker at this day Num. 11. answered would to God all did propheste However these things are consonant to truth yet he needs not fear that godly Magistrates have either leasure or desire to thrust themselves upon Church-businesse and confufedly to performe them they have left this care for order sake to Preachers to whom for this end they have collected Stipends and a privat life but yet they must not beleve that Magistrates are not to look into Church-businesse nor to care for religion and if need be to perform religious duties and to punish negligent and gâ—ady-hearded Ministers as their hirelings The Magistrates of Middleburgh did think of nothing lesse as they say then to put off the care of the poor or to forbid the Church or the Dâ—acons to meddle with it as the Stilt-walker accuseth them in his writings but onely to crosse Apolonius in his Popish pride which was That the care of the poore belonged onely to him and his Church-men by sacred and divine right and with such rigor that he openly writes that Magistrates do oppose Gods word the divine right of the Church and their nationall oath and 〈◊〉 they give occasion to wrong divine worship and Religion if they offer to undertake the care of the poore either alone in the Churches name
of Iustin Athenagoras Tertullian c. that nothing hath been more hurtfull to the Churches then that they were forced in times of persecution to exercise their worship privately and in vanite under ground for from thence were raised divers calumnies as that their wives were common amongst them in the darke that they had Thyestean suppers and did feast one with another upon a childs flesh whom they killed which seems to have arisen from misunderstanding the supper For cleering themselves from these crimes they found no better remedy then by publishing all the parts of their Church-businesse and therefore invited Princes themselves to be eye-witnesses of them The precise superstition of concealing and separating Church-businesse was the seed of Antichrist which by a fatall progresse at last exalted that Romish Out-law above all that are called gods 2 Thes 2. and Monarchs of the world which pride because the Walachrian doth admire and follow he thinks to walk in the same high Chapins but he is faine to fall to childrens stilts yet because he brabbles so much of his spirituality which we see is not to be found in the object that is in the Church-businesse it selfe I will go on to inquire whether there is any right of speciall sanctity in the Agents themselves that is in the Church-men For however Apollonius seeks for the lurking holes of sanctity in the object and businesse of the Church yet every where he stayes in the vocation and priviledges with which Church-Governours being adorned excell in sanctity all Christians whether private Lay men or Magistrates so that now we must inquire what prerogative of â—â—â—ctity there is in Church-Governours for performance after any singular manner these Church-functions which he believes ariseth from the dignity of moderne vocation this he presenting to all Magistrates as Minerva's target goeth about to turn them into stones that they may not see what the matter is whence it may be needfull to trie De vocatione what mysteries of holy Church spirituality lurketh in moderne vocation There is nothing that God recommends so much to men as Religion and his Worship which not onely hath he revealed to them but also prescribed and hath ordered that at all times there should be some which should preserve it and instruct men in it so that God in Paradise did not disdaine to be the first Preacher himselfe after this he raised up many at all times whom he imployed as his Ambassadors whom he adorned with so many badges of his Embassie that every one who was not wilfully blinde might see that these were truly Gods Vicaâ— Extraordinaria whose words were no lesse to be obeyed then if God himselfe had spoken from heaven Among these excelled the Prophets and Apostles whom he exalted with extraordinary gifts above humane condition and after a wonderfull manner sent them abroad to preach I confesse that some things were ordinary amongst them when they were exercised in the Schooles of Samuel Esaiah Eliah and other Prophets the children of the Prophets for this function but in Amos and others GOD had oftentimes rejected all ordinary means and whensoever he sent abroad these ordinary men for this work he furnished them with so much power of his spirit that in the gifts of infallibility and miracles they were to be admired and feared of all the world for though wicked men would or might have doubted of their divine vocation yet by their effects and manner of preaching they could easily be convinced to confesse that which â—â—â—bornly these men dissembled so that hence Paul raiseth this generall Maxime How can they preach except they be sent Not as if he meant Rom. 16. that all those were sent by God as his Legats who could preach for this had been a starting-hole for innumerable Cheaters neither was this his meaning that no man though never so fit and furnished with Gods Spirit should be permitted to preach untill he were confirmed by the outward pomp of vocation as at this day the old and new Papists foolishly practise but that Christians might thence firmly gather that there was a true and divine vocation where there was a true divine inspiration and miraculous preaching such as the Apostles wondred was in many places among the Gentiles and the Jewes did not a little storm at This was an extraordinary vocation so divine and powerfull that such as God had chosen for this function were more then men and as it were the Gods of the world yet God did not binde himselfe to such a Law that all whom he designed for his worship should be still called extraordinarily and thus gifted whence it came to passe that the Apostles did accustome Christians to the ordinary way of calling least when this extraordinary manner of calling did faile there should want good Ministers and consequently Preaching and divine Worship or least for want of order wicked men should creep into the Ministery and so confusion should grow in the Church Ordinaria Hence were begot those ordinary rules of calling by which care was taken that none but fit men were admitted into Ecclesiastick Functions and all occasions of precedency or dominion were cut off against which mischief the chief and first builders of the Church could find no better remedy then that Ministers should be called by the consent and approbation of the whole Church in which we see the Apostles wonderfull moderation and spirituall modesty for such was their dignity in the Church and exuberance of all spirituall gifts that they could easily by reason of their authority and infallible judgement appoint and send abroad Governours to whom people might have safely submitted themselves without the suffrages of the inferiour sort and such as were not divinely inspired but yet because they had the spirit of modesty they took not upon them this prerogative nor did they account that vocation ratified except it had been performed by imposition of hands votes lots fastings prayers and by the concourse and consent of all the members of the Church This is so pregnant an example of modesty popular government in that most happy age of the Church Act. 1. Act. 6. part 1. p. 159. that Apollonius and his Bucer were troubled at it That the Apostles gave too much power to the people because of the Churches infancy But they smell too much of Popery who make that the infancy of the Church which was her manhood and greatest strength And this was the more to be admired when the complement and confirmation of callings was performed by imposition of hands this custome being borrowed from the ancient Jewes For though Elders and perhaps all could promiscuously lay on hands yet it was known that then great vertues did arise from the imposition of the Apostles hands which vertues were presently seen in him on whom their hands were laid For on them Christ had powred out such a plentifull measure of his Spirit that their garments handkerchiefs yea the
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
the keyes to Peter Ergo to Peter alone Christ said to Peter seed my sheep and when thou art converted confirme thy Brethren Ergo this power he gave to Peter only to feed his sheep and to strengthen all his Brethren of the whole world and which is all one to reigne over all the people and Kings of the earth whence he leaps with ease to the Pope Peters fuccessor that he may conclude these inspeakable priviledges to belong to him alone the Stilt-walker doth excellently well follow this Jesuiticall Divinity for as often as he finds in Scripture that Teachers are called Bishops Captains Fathers c. he presently concludes that this right belongs alwayes and absolutely to Ministers alone as we shall see in what followeth His third fraud is that of conditionall propositions he makes absolute and applies to himselfe those priviledges which belonged onely to the Apostles or at this day appertaine to them under a condition onely who have things requisite for these priviledges this is the play of old Papists when the Church is called the mother of Christians which title belongs onely to the Catholike and truly Apostolicall Church they understand this of all the Church or at least of their Romish When it is said of Teachers He that heareth or rejecteth you heareth or rejecteth Christ which is onely true absolutely of the Apostles and of infallible Preachers they understand this of themselves chiefly of the Pope although they confesse him to be a most impure monster This VValachrian Papist speaketh in the same dialect whatsoever in Scripture is said of the Church of preaching of vocation of censuring and of the keyes being holy and spirituall as under the Apostles this he interprets of his moderne Church and Discipline in which he is as sottish as if some Caiaphas or Ananias who were wicked High Priests in the time of Christ and of Paul had ascribed to themselves the praises and titles that were given to Aaron Eleazar and Zadoc who then lived when the holy of holies and all the sacred things of the Temple did shine with divine honour which in Christs time were polluted with many spots and vices and not only did they lose the circumstances but almost the whole substance of sanctity or if some Impostor and Money-changer should brag that his coyne were sound and currant which being brought to the touchstone the gold-weights or triall of defraying of charges will bee found to be base metall adulterated coyne and to be washed light and clipped what I have now said in generall I would have to bee observed for in every Epithete that the Papists brag of you shall find nothing but sophistry The Stilt-walker prides himselfe every where in this title 1. Titulus membrum principale that he is the eye eare hand and the Prince a Member of the Church whence he goeth about to perswade unwary men that to him and such as he belongs an Authoritative Government in the Church I answer that these titles are no where to be found spoken plainly of Preachers but are consequentially onely drawne out of Scripture which way of demonstration as we have said is not sure but inclining to error But if this were spoken plainely it were a figurative speech and metaphoricall which if wrested imprudently would beget many absurdities suppose one to be an eye eare nose and hand in the Church what wise man will thence conclude that whatsoever belongs to these Members in the body belongs to him The eye is most tender round inconstant and moveable it alone sheds tears it shews in what we delight and is the window of impudency The nose is in the middest of the face jetting out swelling breathing in and out ayre and pride and the instrument of indignation so if I should philosophically speake of the eares hand and other members many things will be raised which may belong to Apollonius but with disgrace he will say I suppose that it is the property of the eye to see and to direct of the nose to smell of the eares to heare of the hands to work whence the dignity and office of Ministers may be borrowed but who will perswade us that these similitudes do note onely vertues and not vices in Ministers but if we should grant that there be eyes in the Church to see eares to heare and that the chiefe parts are appointed for chiefe functions by what art can he perswade us that this Prerogative belongs to Preachers onely Paul truly in two places speaks excellently of the diversity use and consent of the principall and servile parts of mans body and of the Church but he that will diligently weigh all things shall finde no where that it was Pauls meaning in those places to give to Preachers and Ministers alone the honor of being alwaies principall parts as eyes nose eares c. in the body of Christ that they might thence climbe up to the top of pride and domineering but he rather urgeth the contrary that most honor is to be given to those that are lesse worthy and more weake because of necessary use nor doth he define any thing else but that to him is due in the Church the honor of chiefe member but yet without pride and command on whom God hath bestowed chiefe gifts for serving and looking to the Church in which though the Apostles did miraculously excell yet they never so bragged of their principality but that they yeelded a parity and in some things a superiority over themselves even to those members that were lesse worthy so far was that Apostolicall Government from pride that no absurdity or disgrace followed if one and the same man to day were an eye to morrow but an eare now the foot then the hand and sometimes the knee that is they applyed themselves to any office as time and need required Who will not then storm to heare a VValachrian Stilt-walker so insolently bragging of these titles as if he were subject to none in Church-businesse nay not to the Magistrate though he be the chiefe of all because he thinks the title of eye eare nose and hand belongs to him by the right of his office whereas we may see by his writings that if he be the eye he is pur-blind or else blood-shot if he be the nose he is a snotty nose if the eare he is troubled with the singing of sedition and pride or else he is thick of hearing lastly he is become mad with the intoxicating wine of Church-majesty Marejetice lymphatus so that neither hand nor foot can rightly performe their duty so that he seems to be fit enough to bee the neck or throat or if you will the Cuckow of the Romish Church The title of Bishop Seer or Overseer is honorable Episcopi Ezech. 83. the Church Teachers are also called lights in a candlestick or on a hill out of all which Papists gather that they have authoritative right to judge and know all things whence at last
proceeds Kingly Power I answer all these titles are figurative of which this only followes That it is the Teachers office to take care of Christian mens salyation and to fore-warne them of destruction which is not properly an imperiall but a servile office for he that was the Overseer of Boaz his husbandry is called a servant Ruth 2. Ruth 2. he were a foole that should thinke himselfe a King or a man of authority because hee carrieth a torch or a lanterne before another or because he is hired to watch on a Tower or at a Becon perhaps the Stilt-walker will tell as that he is no ordinary inspector or link-bearer or a common watch-man but an Ecclesiastick and an honourable one because Paul faith that the office of a Bishop is a worthy office and that Preachers are worthy of double honor The answer is easie I deny not but the office of a Bishop is honourable but hence it followeth not that therefore Bishops must domineere for so the basest members of our body and which serve for necessity should be chiefe in the body because Paul saith that the greater honor is given to the weaker 1 Cor. 12.13 and more uncomely members of the body I do not think that Apollonius is such a dastard as to perswade Christians to be subject to womens commands against Gods Law and natures because the Apostle saith that the greater honor belongs to the woman as the weaker vessell but what if overseeing and Ecclesiastick inspection should conferre Kingly authority by what consequence will it be proved that this right belongs to Preachers only for it is plaine by many places of Scripture that the burthen and office of a Bishop is not onely ascribed to ordinary Preachers Act. 20. 1 Tim. 5.17 but also to all Elders yea it belonged to Deacons under the Apostles so that here Kingly power is not to remaine in the superlative sanctity of Pastors but it must passe to the comparative of Elders and positive of Deacons I need not then tell that it was common to all Lay-men and the Church-members under the Apostles to teack and consequently to exercise the office of a Bishop however the Stile-walker may cunningly goe about to unfold himselfe of these yet this is sure that Episcopall dignity did of old belong by a certaine preheminence to the Apostles and not now to Popish Bishops because by this right the Bishop of Rome excerciseth regall power but he can have no leisure to teach Christs people This new VValachrian Papist by this his unsavory writing shewes that he wants either power or will to provide for and give light to Gods people being hee is convicted of so many falshoods whence it may bee justly concluded that though Kingly power were contained under Episcopacy yet it belongs not to him as being no Bishop The title also of Governour and Leader is often used among Papists Prapositi Ducis 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.17 Christians are commanded to give double honour and to obey those that are set over them whence they conciude that Ministers must be presidents and chiefe in Church-businesse and that therefore they are subject to none nay not to the Magistrate I answer if there were such Governours and Captaines as there were then of whom Paul speakes this the consequence might have some shew because they were unblameable and infallible and therefore were true lenders and presidents but if we look upon old Papists they are seducers if on this Walachrian Divine with his Classis because their errors and blasphemies are so many who will account them leaders they are blind leaders whom Christ wills us to avoid least we fall with them into the ditch Againe if we should yeeld this also that there are true Captaines and Presidents in the Church who will thence grant to them a perpetuall presidency and dominion over Christians May not a president or leader come sometimes behind and be led They that know military affaires whence this metaphor was taken know that it is ordinary that he who leads a company to day and goeth before is led to morrow and comes after now hee should bee laughed at who should argue that he must never come after because he went once before or that he must never obey because he once commanded for so every one must be a Monarch and all must run into confusion wherefore I have often said that under the most spirituall Government of the Church in the Apostles time there was no such maxime that he who was once a ruler and leader must alwaies be so but it was ordinary to lead and to be led to go before and after to be uppermost and lowermost I know that Government is not answerable to the Popish pride who will alwaies be before and uppermost yet it agrees very well with Pauls precept who wills us to be obedient to our leaders Heb. 13.27 but he presently adds because they watch for our soules whence the Walachrian Papist may see that this title of Captaine doth not patronize his regall pride for Paul saith plainely that Preachers are such Captaines as are bound to watch over us but there is no man so ignorant of military matters who knowes not that they are the common and lower sort of fouldiers who are tied to keep Centinell or Watch So that this Stilt-walker ridiculously goeth about to make himselfe a Generall or Monarch of a poore stipendary souldier The name of Angel also is used 4. Augâ—â— to shew their Ecclesiastick principality but this word properly signifieth a Messenger And who will brag himselfe to be a King because he is a Messenger I confesse the dignity of heavenly Angels and Spirits is great but Apollonius is said to be too carnall to live an Angelicall life except he meane by his subtill inventions of new Popery to strip Thomas of his title of Angelicall Doctor They pride themselves more in the name Pastor Pastorâ—â— whence Bellarmine drawes the Popes mighty Majesty over all Christian Monarchs For because it was said to Peter Feed my sheep he concludes that to Peter belenged the right of feeding all sheep And because that right was given to Peter he inferres that it was also given to the Pope as to Peter that he should feed all Christs sheep But with him to feed is to rule and to be fed is to be ruled Hence he proveth that it appertains to all Monarchs as being sheep to be fed that is to be ruled and to the Pope to feed and rule Kings according to Virgils Verse Tytere coge pecus This device pleaseth the new Popish Walachrian for he speaks so often of his authoritative office of feeding that of his Shepheards crooke he makes a sword yea a regall Scepter I answer The title of Pastor is figurative therefore by an ill consequence do Popish Pastors draw to themselves whatsoever is found in earthly Shepheards and sheep At this day Shepheards are a mean and servile kind
then they should though some of the wiser sort smell that these are meere Impostors of which they brâ—gge yet by this their often bragging it comes to passe that the people casting aside all care of salvation in their supine negligence commis the most precious treasure of their soules and of life eternall to blind guides whom the blind people following innumerable souls must needs fall into the pit of destruction The Stilt-walker stretcheth out every where the same way he is not content to receive honour for his well-doing and to be accounted the faithfull man he shews himself to be which Paul speaks of true housholders but though he perceive his own giddines and every one sees his childishnesse yet by the force of his vocation or as the old Papists say by the character he ascribes to himself every where a right to do and teach in the Church by authority and power which he and his followers brag of for no other end but to induce the people to blind obedience to subscribe all that he shall say and command Which if he obtain it will not only come to passe that they shall rest in his authoritative lies and deceits with which his mingle-mangle is filled but also if I be not deceived in the mans nature scarce will that Church continue 14 dayes together in one theologicall opinion For because he prides himself in this that like a bee he flies through all meadows but wanting the true sting of Judgement it must needs be with him as with the changeable Camelion on what tree or plant soever he sits he puts on the shape and colour thereof whence he must daily produce new dreams all which if his sheep and sons are bound to receive by his commanding and authoritative power surely a giddy progenie must arise of such a giddy father and a family fit to be sent to Bedlem Howsoever he may fasten upon ignorant people his fictions Naviget Antyceras yet we here in Frisia cannot believe that he shall so far blind the Magistrates and Governours of Middleburge as not to see his potestative and authoritative frauds and knaveries for the name of Middleburge-Governours is famous here and in other Provinces even in this regard in that by their Mariners they so brake the strength of the terrible name of Dunkirk-Pirats in one year that this one City did shew they might be extinguished whom we thought had been unconquerable And chiefly in that they being troubled with the malice and treachery of strangers on all sides by their happy wisdome have overcome all impediments to the liberty and benefit of the State shewing invincible courage among so many difficulties deserving to sit in the Conncel at the Hague for the common defence of their country so that the Deputies of our Province have long confessed that they seldome repented to have subscribed to the judgement of that City for though at present their advise may seem somewhat hard yet time hath made it appeare that their counsels have oftentimes proved most just and wholsome But I wonder that a City of such constant prudence doth suffer so long such a Viper as as we see by his writings to lurk in their bosome which is still labouring to cast out amongst them the poyson of dissention and to trouble them either with Ecclesiastick or Politick hissing that he might shake and overthrow the foundations of that Government The famous State of Amsterdam was brought once into such a hazard by such a Wasp as this but the Senate by their authority thrust him out of their hive and so restored peace to the Church and State The Walachrian Metropolis shews an example of rare moderation which having got among them a more troublesome Drone have hitherto used no severity but suffer him to grow dull in his own humming so that we have great hopes the Church there shall never be infested with this New Popery for she having such famous Patrons and Nursing-fathers will easily escape the plots of such turbulent fellows as these Walachrians are lest new Popery creep first out of that corner of our confederate Common-wealth where the Popes tyrannical dominion was driven out first I have hitherto done what I can to hinder it and in this last Chapter will proceed to stop the progresse of it CHAP. VII Of the Magistrates duty in Church-businesse WE have hitherto seen the Stilt-walkers eloquence in extolling their modern Ecclesiastick businesses which is done by them who in Walachria are called Church-men and Spirituall as among the Papists Clergy-men And we have shewed that there is not in all their Church-discipline any thing sacred particularly or specially as to keep off Christians by any right of sanctity from exercising them if they be furnished with gifts fit for them And that there is now no manner of inauguration by speciall Divine right for any man to exercise alone these Affairs authoritavely or potestatively as he speaks For Vocation Election and Consecration by Imposition of hands at this day are meerly humane and corrupted means in which we see by experience there is no Spirituall efficacie for they are performed by Simony fraud and wicked wayes that seldome is the fittest man chosen but commonly such as promises bribes and favour promoteth Imposition also of hands retaining the forme but not the force of the ancient institution is not found to conferre any Spirituall gifts only we find that such as have obtained the pomp of external Vocation are puffed up with Apollonian and Papistical pride as if they were filled with new and infused sanctity that is As soon as young Fellows are freed from the lash of the Schoolmasters rod having got Ordination and the priviledge of Ecclesiastick character within three dayes after they think themselves more spirituall then all the Magistrates and common Members of the Church But if they want the knowledge of Tongues Sciences and good Arts they are not found by Imposition of hands to be made more learned Yet if any before his Vocation be a Trifler Cheater Drunkard or wine-bibber it seldome falls out that afterward he leaves these vices but only hides them warily lest he lose his Ministerial stipend A fit example we see in this Walachrian Papist who long hath bragged of the right of his Church-calling and yet hath not forgot to lie cheat and blaspheme the Magistrates I know that in the Apostles time the matter was otherwise because of the plenty of spirituall gifts but now such is the Churches poverty by reason of mens corruptions and Gods just judgements that having lost that true and pure grain with which at first Christians were fed we are at this day reduced to husks of the dispensing of which this Walachrian Night-bird doth now brag much more then they did of their pure corne he deserves the title rather of a swineherd then of a shopherd and fitter for a hogs-sty then for a sheeps-coat He truly that will seriously weigh the matter shall confesse with me
now all things in heaven earth and under the earth are ordained and ruled as I have often shewed He objects that these offices and gifts were given to the Church but not Magistracy I answer that these were given indeed to the Church or in the Church as it is said 1 Cor. 12. but Ephes 4. the Apostle sayth that they were given to men using a generall word so Paul gave and instituted to the whole world the office of Magistracy but under them also to the Church because he makes him to have the charge of every soul except he will say that Churchmen want foules whence it followes that Paul hath also subjected the Church to the Civill powers so that she must be by them defended in good things and punished in evill What wise man then will deny that Christ hath instituted Magistracy and hath not given it to the Church when as he by Paul hath ordained the Magistrate for his alone Legat upon earth to whom alone he will have all soules be subject and therefore Ecclesiasticks also and that for conscience sake by whose sword and authority he will have the Church defended in good things all these are so cleare in this place of Paul and in other Scriptures that by no meanes can they be darkened I know this Divinity doth not please the Stilt-walker who is possessed with papisticall furie that the Magistrates office is not Ecclesiasticall that is necessary for the edification and conservation of the Church yet he rather placeth this office without the Church not within or in it par 1. p. 24. because that phrase is too ambiguous to him and repugnant to Divine right and therefore placeth the Magistrates office onely about the Church or Churchmen so that he speakes no other wayes of Magistrates then Heccius and other Cornuted Asses of Luther who comming to the Conference at Wormes was not presently admitted into the full Assembly where the whole Quire was of holy Church-men but was lead first apart into a private closet which these Cornuted Beasts said was well done and according to Scripture for it is written Without shall be Dogs and Witches Not much more reverently doth this Walachrian prate of godly Magistrates whom every where he fasteneth to the cares of this world as carnall men but elevates the Church and Churchmen above the world even to the Skies but these are meere chimera's the Scripture on the other side doth so extoll Magistracy as a thing perpetuall in the Church and so necessary that it cannot be parted from her and without this shee cannot subsist but must wither no otherwise then corne that wants earth as Calvin speaketh which I will shew hereafter more at large He prates every where that the Church under the Apostles and at other times wanted the civill Magistrate but these are Lyes which I have already refuted and will hereafter refute more and if this impossibility should fall out that the Church were totally destitute of civill government yet it should not cease to be an office in the Church and as it were a part necessary for the constitution thereof for as a body that hath lost a foote remaines yet without that foote but lame being destitute of a necessary part so the Church may consist without Magistracy but not long and that with much difficulty for presently there would arise Anarchy and every one would do as he listed which because Apollonius doth what he can to bring into his City under hope of a new Popery hence arise so many railing devises by which he endeavours to hisse out the Magistrates as meere worldly men that they must not meddle with Church-businesse how ever the matter be because the Church hath often wanted godly Teachers Sacraments and other things requisite for her I might also as well inferre that these belong not to the Church but are accidents circumjacent which were most absurd to the Stilt-walker Perhaps he will object if this were true then Christ had made the Churches power imperfect and lame which must depend from an outward civill power but this is repugnant with Mat. 18. tell the Church where he hath furnished her with full power I answer That all these are Jesuiticall fictions which they have devised for their Hierarchy and which he hath borrowed from them for first I deny when Christ said tell the Church that he understood by these words as if he had armed Church-men being discriminated from Lay-men with full power of exercising Government among themselves excluding the Magistrate For I said before that by the word Church is understood in Scripture any kind of meeting whether meerly Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiastick and Civill yea any tumultnary Assembly called together to determine businesse Act. 19. Act. 15. and oftentimes the whole body of the faithfull in opposition to their Rulers somtimes the body of the Church with their Rulers but never for ought I know the Rulers separate from the body Now here Apollonius must needs goe to consult with the Delphick three-footed stool that he may divine to us what Christ meant here by the Church seeing he did not define it in this place nor do we see it elsewhere explained in Scripture Apollonius doubtlesse with the Papists having a watchfull eye over his merchandise rather understands it of the Church-Rulers for this is all his care that this wonderfull Ecclesiastick power by many windings and turnings being snatched from the body of the Church and chiefly the Magistrate may be setled onely in the Governours as in the Center that is in the Consistory and because Deacons are onely positively Church-men as bellowes in a paire of Organs Elders onely comparatively as the pipes which of themselves sound not hence at last the whole power ends in Preachers superlatively Ecclesiastick as if they were Masters of the musick and so sing and play upon that Ecclesiastick Organ that every pipe shall yeeld no other sound then what pleaseth these Organists Thus the old and new Papists doe play the Philosophers upon this there tell the Church as if Christ had meant tell the Pope or the Clergie or the Preachers of the Gospell but of this never a word in Matthew yea it is contrary for Christ being so understood should have named a Judge who was neither then nor long after in the world What an absurdity had it been for Christ to have said to the godly that you may free your consciences from strife with your brother go to the Consistory or Church-Rulers which were not then nor to be in many years after Whence it is more likely that Christ by the Church meant there a Judge or Arbitrator in controversies indefinitely and as I said elsewhere without any expresse quality that is such a one as they could repaire to whether consisting of Ecclesiasticks and Civill Magistrates as the Sanhedraham was then or onely of Ecclesiasticks as afterwards under the Apostles or of Civill Magistrates as was in the Church after Magistrates became Christians
is of another court to wit carnall and altogether absurd and insociable for this is all his care that he may free himselfe from the power of the sword which he doth exceedingly execrate but I have shewed already that there is no such difference or disparitie between the Civill and Ecclesiastick power but rather conjoyned by God and so coupled that the one cannot subsist without the other but yet so as in marriage the Ecclesiastick must be subject to the Civill as the wife to the husband for the Apostle saith that every soule must be subject to the Civill powers and therefore the Church and Christians who are soules and to whom properly the Apostle wrote this command But I finde no where that every soule must be subject to the Church-Rulers for it were absurd and against Gods Ordination even as if the husband should be forced to be subject to his wife this was Antichrists invention as John fore-told who paints him out as a woman and a proud whore clothed in scarlet Apoc. 12.17 c. armed with a cup and inchanting wine with which she hath so bewitched Emperours and Monarchs that she hath subjected them like beasts to her and sits upon them which we truly see in the Pope who is a Church and indeed a woman and whore with her superstitious devises of sanctity hath so bewitched Princes that laying aside their manly and husband-like strength like uxorious men have given to the Pope and the Whore all the strength of their Dominions and government but he like a Hecuba or imperious Woman hath compelled them not onely to kisse her Thumbe but basely her very feet too a most monstrous thing which rose from this that they cast off the care of Religion and of Church busines at home the Magistrates committed them as if they had nothing at all appertained to them to the Churchmen no otherwise then if the husband should commit the whole busines of the Family to his wife only contenting himselfe with feeding of his own belly or as the Historians report like uxorious Ninus who for three dayes onely gave to his wife Semiramis the command and government of his whole Kingdome but what fell out She presently with rewards delights and diverse cunning wayes did so entice the Peeres of the Kingdome that before the three dayes end Ninus was murthered and the whole Empire came to his Wife so it fell out with those uxorious halfe-men in spirituall things as soon as Princes by their sloth neglect Gods worship and religion or being affrighted from them as not belonging to them with childish feares commit them to Ecclesiastick women the purity of Religion doth not continue long and the Peace of the Civill State is also disturbed which is not onely true in the Popes Dominions but also in some neighbouring Kingdomes of late Apollonius his other demonstrative argument followeth the power of the Magistrate saith he is architectonicall with command and coactive power but the Ecclesiastick power is ministeriall without command for it is said Mat. 20. The Kings of the Gentiles beare rule it shall not be so with you ergo these two powers differ altogether nor can they be mixed In this Argument if any where he playeth the Juggler and Witch as Poysoners use to cover their venemous Medicaments or Pills with gold so doth hee use the Scriptures so the Devill used it by depraving it with a purpose to deceive Christ when hee tempted him First he sets downe a true Maxime that the Magistrates power is Architectonicall which Paul confirmes not onely Rom. 13. but hitherto no man hath questioned it except the old Papists and the Walachrians agreeing with them but that this matter may not lurke in obscurity I will in few words declare wherein this Architectonical power consists This power doth not require that he who possesseth it should or can do all things by himselfe that he should be exempted from all lawes subject to no counsell or reason so Bellarmine speakes injuriously of the civill Power calling it despotical or domineering which power should be barbarous and tyrannicall from this kind of reproaches our Stitewalker can scarce refraine himselfe But the Architectonicall power doth not require that none should be absolutely subject to any except to God For so none should have this power properly except he that had all the Monarchs of the world in subjection to him but there was never yet such a Monarch on earth whence Paul did prophecy well of Antichrist 2 Thes 2. that such should his pride be as that he shall exalt himselfe above all that are called Gods or Monarchs This we see in the Pope who saith that he is subject to none except to God alone and that all Monarchs are subject to him For he obeyes none he commands all saith Bellarmine This power indeed were chiefly Architectonicall but it is seldome or never given therefore the Architectonicall or Supreame power commonly described consisteth in this that one hath chiefe power within his owne precincts subject to none other but on the contrary all are subject to him none excepted so that there he alone can prescribe command and compell with power to punish and force if need be Thus Pharoah describes it when under him he bestowes upon Joseph Architectonicall power over all Aegypt Gen. 41.44 I am Pharoah without thee no man shall lift up his hand or foot in the Land of Aegypt he exempted him not from his owne power nor did he free him from the law and justice but except himselfe he subjected all men and all things to him so God describes the supreame regall power that it had right over their sons and daughters their servants and cattell 1 Sam. 8. finally over the goods of their Subjects not that hee could doe all that he pleased for in this he should doe ill and tyrannically but that he had power according to the rules of justice to take notice of all things to order and put them in execution for so the Lawyers say that there is no Empire without Jurisdiction no Jurisdiction without power of examining judging and executing such is the Architectonicall power which if he understood well and if hee wrote seriously not ironically he confesseth doth belong onely to Magistrates as the title of his book the Right of Majesty sheweth but he mocks Magistrates as I will shew by and by The other member of the antecedent is that Church-men want altogether this Architectonicall power and that therefore the whole power Ecclesiastick should hee Ministeriall and without command which Maxime precisely taken is false because I shewed before that Christ and his Apostles when they ruled the Church had an Architectonicall and supreme power which they exercised in the Church sometimes but not with any externall pompe nor alwayes But it is objected Matth. 20. that Christ said the Kings of the Nations beare rule it shall not be so with you for then they disputed about precedency in Christs
divine right he is subject but on the contrarie by his counterfeit humility and verball service he is flowne so high that now he gives and takes away Kingdomes and Empires and hath compelled the greatest Monarchs of the earth like horse-boyes to hold his bridle and stirrups yea to yeeld their necks as a stirrup for him to tread upon and humbly to kisse his feet Although the Stilt-walker be many miles distant from this height yet he is no lesse tickled with the thought of the event thereof then Alchymists with hope of making gold upon which though they waste their estates till they turn beggars yet they are still affected with that imaginarie gain the desire whereof doth still renew in them and their minds grow sick with curing of them but enough of this argument Hitherto he hath fought indirectly now he flings his dart directly taken from the Leviticall worship For he thinks it is most certain that God in the Old Testament under the Levites made an insociable rupture between the civil and ecclesiastick powers which difference he thinks to be morall and perpetuall and ought now to be religiously observed I have divers times spoken of the vanity of this argument now I will more particularly shew its absurdities and falshoods First I say it is false that God hath put a difference between Secular and Church-men properly he made indeed a difference between the Levites and other tribes that whether they were secular or ecclesiastick being not Levites they were debarred from the office of Priesthood if on the contrary they were Levites although they were secular they were not kept off as we see in Samuel Eli and others in whom the secular and ecclesiastick government were united I hope the Stilt-walker will not deny that the most divine Prophets were Church-men and yet they could not sacrifice nor perform Levitical functions if they had not been Levites for God chose them out of all tribes So that here we see the Stilt-walker betakes himself again to his old trick of lying in labouring to perswade us that God had put a difference between all secular and ecclesiastick persons which is his fiction whereas it is now known that this difference was between some secular and ecclesiastick persons and the sole Levites so that this cannot help the Walachrian Preachers except they will shew that they alone are the true Levites and that all other secular men are of other tribes Secondly it s known that all this difference was ceremoniall in the businesse of the Priesthood which God by an expresse law had tied to the temple and so likewise all the Levites but now it is certain that all this was ceremoniall and tyed to the temple as we may fee in the Epistle to the Hebrews which consisted in entring into the Holy of holies lawfull only for the High-Priest in keeping of the Ark and other things in sacrificing within the temple on the altar and other things which God prescribed how they were to be performed by the Levites alone But now we see that the Temple is overthrown and all these sacred things abolished and all sacrifices ceased with Christs passion who then sees not that this speciall Leviticall priviledge is also ceased and abrogated so that if the true Levites should arise again they would confesse that the Temple and sacred Ceremonies being abolished their speciall is also ceased because it should be now of no use Out of this we may see what a stiffe Levite the Walachrian is who elsewhere so fearfull to dig up again Judaisme that he could not endure the harmony of Organs in churches here he is more light then the ancient Levites and will reserve the Levitical sanctity of speciall right though the temple with all its sacrifices and ceremonies be abolished But let us yield that there remains at this day among Christians a Leviticall separation must he therefore do what he pleaseth in appointing the sacred rites of Divine worship this was not lawfull in the old and true Levites If the High-Priest had said to the other Priests it is lawfull only for me to enter into the Holy of holies therefore you must not enter into the holy place they had denied this because God had otherwise appointed If the Priests had said to the people and Magistrates it 's lawfull only for us to sacrifice therefore it is not lawfull for you to come hither to see these sacred things to pray to teach in the temple to celebrate the passeover and circumcision and to perform other parts of divine worship they had been laughed at by the Magistrates because God had not allotted all those things by speciall right to the Levites nor had he prohibited them to the people and Magistrates Here I hope the Walachrian Levite will see his own unsavoury licentiousnesse which he learned with other things from his masters the Papists who that they might adorn the dressing of the Church-service with the greater pomp to catch simple soules they have borrowed most of them from the Levitical Priesthood such as they pleased but so that they fitly adorned their Comedy The Levites of old were consecrated and set apart for holy duties so are the Clergie there they had their holy vestments so these they had their sacrifices so these their unbloody sacrifice of the Masse which no Lay-man must touch they had their High-Priest so these their Pope the High-Priest were a crown the Pope wears 3 crowns the High-Priest had a breast-plate the Pope hath Peters cloak the Levites had their sanctum sanctorum the Popes conclave is his sanctorum sanctorum in the Leviticall holy of holies was the Ark and Propitiatory in the Popes conclave is Peters chair There be many other sacred things which I confesse I am ignorant of there was one chiefly among the Levites which was the Vrim and Thummim in the Holy of holies whence God gave his infallible oracles by the High-Priest so when the Pope fits in his conclave and in Peters chair he saith that God by him gives infallible oracles not in all things as Bellarmine confesseth for that were too palpable a lie but in matters of faith and generall manners so that if the Pope should deliver every day an hundred oracles out of his conclave which were plainly false yet he should be alwayes free from falshood either because he failed only in the determination of a particular fact or by what meanes soever he were convinced of lies yet he shall never erre from that infinite scope of veritie which is the generall prescription of faith and manners so that if in the conclave the Pope should play the wanton with his whore as it fell out in the Delphick temple and not his Oracles but his Mistresses should thence be delivered to the Church we must not doubt but that it is of most high holinesse whatsoever issues out of that most holy place So then every one may see that the acts and scenes of old Popery are most finely
fitted according to Judaisme Apollonius seeks the like among the Protestants but hitherto for ought I know he hath not found them We should wish surely Par. 1 p. 391 that according to the liberty of the Walachrian heaven under which he is born and educated and accustomed to all kinds of boldnesse he had called a boat a boat and an egge an egge for it is not safe for us to be always in such danger Who will not pity Vzza who was struck dead by touching the Ark only which was not to be touched Was not Sauls fact destructive in daring to sacrifice partly out of feare and partly out of impatience for Samuels long staying whereby he fell not only into the displeasure of Samuel but also of God himself What Prince will not tremble to see Vzziah struck with leprosie for touching that which he should not have touched Quid apud reformates sanctum sanctorum whereby whilst he lived he was deprived of his kingdome and when he died of the Kings sepulcher So then the Stilt-walker will do a most acceptable work if he will hereafter unfold what things in his Church-government are not to be touched I could never yet find the place of holy of holies among Protestants except it be among the Walachrians Apollonius his study where with his Tertullus and other conspirators he is secretly plotting to overthrow the Magistracie of Middleburg and to erect a new Papal hierarchy Though the Consistory be a conventicle of superlative Spirituality there yet it doth not seem to me to deserve the name of the Holy of Holies because the Keeper with Women dogs do familiarly go in thither and then there must be also so many Holy of Holies as there be Churches therefore in this point the Walachrian Judaisme is fallen into a swound Now Levites have no externall sacrifices peculiar except they will have the Masse with Papists Spirituall sacrifices are Almes Prayers Psalms which are called the calves of the lips and the whole reasonable service of God which is commanded as common to all Christians So that we are sure Magistracie cannot be removed from all these by reason of any special sanctity For who will say that it is unlawfull for Magistrates to pray in the Church He may saith the Stilt-walker but not publikely Then sanctity here consisteth in a circumstance to wit the same prayers uttered in private are holy in a common manner but in a speciall manner holy if they be said by the Minister in publike This subtile difference is no where mentioned in Scripture but the Walachrian Levite differs much from old Judaisme their sacrificing was a speciall priviledge not only in publike but in private also for if they had granted to them that were not Levites to sacrifice privately in the temple reserving the right of sacrificing publikely to themselves the Levites had polluted their sacrifices But if it be so sacrilegious a thing for the Magistrate to pray publikely in the Church and like women to be silent why not only is leave given to Magistrates but also to women to sing openly and with a loud voice in the church for this also is a spirituall sacrifice of praise In this surely he seems to prostitute his sacrifices unlesse he will say that this liberty is also taken away from Christians because it is the Precentor whose singing hath the speciall priviledge of sanctity whose tune the whole Congregation followeth but so the Precentor also should be received among those that have the speciall right of sanctity but I think this Mechanical smell will be too Goatish for Apollonius to make him partaker of the authoritative and speciall right of preaching stacte I confesse there is small difference because this man only in of the book sings the Psalms and sacred hymns but the other not willing to be a clerk in the book prayeth there without book yea I believe oftentimes without the Bible whatsoever the Apollonian spirit is able in his heat to some out There are indeed very godly prayers set out by Calvin and other Divines in their Catechisme for this purpose that all the people may be acquainted with them and so may be uttered by one spirit the Pastor going before which use many times the Church in Synods hath established but these things are vulgar and come too neer that strait and bookish spirituality of the Precentors to satisfie the spirit of the Stilt-walker that most servent Zelot This lastly is a wonder That he placeth speciall sanctity in publike prayer when under the ancient Levites Anna Samuels mother Solomon at the dedication of the temple K. Ezek. in Christs time the Pharisee and Publican did pray publikely in the temple I confesse that the busines of prayer hath bin sometimes upon special cōmand cōmitted extraordinarily to some as to Isaac Moses Noe Daniel and Job but this was no Levitical or ordinary priviledge but proceeded from the person whether ecclesiastical or civil as he was most in Gods favour It were to be wished that all they to whom the Magistrate hath out of his bounty given charge to pray publikely may not be only fit to do that modestly but also acceptable to God for their piety for in many there is such a confused babling and such an impuritie in their hands that we may feare lest by such messengers the Church-prayers prove detestable to God I conclude that there was no speciall sanctitie in prayers under the Levites why then should it be under these new Levites He seeks for prerogative in Preaching and saith Praedicatio that it is lawfull in private for all men to preach but in publike only for Ministers for this is authoritative and potestative and by right of the Legat that is only edifying Much more such stuffe he hath devised upon this matter but without Scripture so that here again sanctitie consists in the circumstance much different from that of the ancient Levites for if the High-Priest had placed his special sanctity in this that he entred publikely and by day-time into the Holy of Holies but he granted to the rest of the people that privately and in the night-time like rats they should creep into the holy of holies he had certainly polluted his sacred mysteries This new Levite is no lesse ridiculous who gives leave to Magistrates Lay-men and women to preach privately the same Word but reserves to himself the circumstance of preaching publikely in the Pulpit This circumstance was not of such sanctitie among the Levites much lesse among the Apostles for they would not have been so bountifull as to grant to every one who was fit leave to preach publikely so that they did not forbid women to prophesie with their heads covered if occasion served otherwise let Apollonius resolve me how Paul who elswhere bids women be silent saith expresly A woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head For Paul doth not give charge of that which was never
saith that among the offices of the Church there were Governours and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presidents or Bishops Which offices because they were separated from the generall government of the Apostles it is not to be doubted but that they consisted in the speciall power of censuring and curbing of Christians Rom. 12. against Ataxie and alse of defending the Church Whom therefore Aretius thinks were Laics who had inspection over mens manners Lib. 4. Instit c. 20. and discharged the office of Magistracie So Calvin saith that there were grave men who had charge of manners which is all one with the Civill power that under these may be commended every kind of just government Lastly I will prove by a necessary reason that there were then in the Church who judged of secular matters that is were Magistrates For we know out of 1 Cor. 6. that there were among Christians controversies about secular business Hence I necessarily collect that their Judges were either within or without the Church If they were without onely then the Corinthians did well in going to them or else they must have left them still unjudged But the former is repugnant to Pauls reprehension the latter to equity and reason Hence necessarily it followes that within the Church there were such as decided controversies or might have decided them and I pray what else were these but such as Magistrates at this day So that here I hold this Walachrian Batt by both his wings fastned with ten-peny nailes to the doores of his Church where having discovered his deformity he may spend his dayes in biting and chirping But what if it were as certaine as the Walachrian would have it that there were not Civill Magistrates under the Apostles and consequently that then there were no right and operations of non-entities how will his Logick prove that it must be so continually except he will perswade us that Magistrates should be alwayes infidels and enemies of the Church because they were such under the Apostles which assertion were impious and monstrous and contrary to experience For three hundred years after Christ Emperours as it was fore-told kissed the Son Psal 2. were made the Churches nursing Fathers and Patrons as it was apparent in Constantine and others Whence we see the Stilt-walkers madness for he disputes no other wayes then if I should say of Nebuchadnezzar so long as he was a beast he was unfit for government and therefore had no command in his Kingdome Hence I should collect that this was perpetuall and that he never had his Kingdome againe whereas we know that as soone as he was restored to his reason he was also restored to his kingdome and honour and betooke himselfe to his ancient government or if a Master of a Family should be unfit to rule his house because he is distracted in minde so that he must guide it by some other but if he recover his health who will say that he must not return to guide his family again This is the intent of these Walachrian Sophisters because impious Magistrates were sometimes mad and unfit Fathers to guide the family of Christs Church that therefore now they are still unfit although they be restored to their wits and albeit that God hath honoured them with faith piety knowledge prudence and all other gifts fit for a Father yet they must be accounted mad still and must be kept out of the Church bound fast in Bedlam that these unnaturall sons alone might rule as they please I will rather thus reason because Magistrates did not in the Apostles time rule the Church which they alwayes should have done by Gods owne institution because they were Infidels and enemies therefore now they are bound to rule her in that now they are made by faith tutors and nursing fathers of the Church This is all one as if we should say of the Israelites that they must never use husbandry and mechanicall trades because God for 40 yeares together sent them Manna from heaven and kept their utensils from wearing so that neither their clothes nor shooes were worne for experience taught the contrary And although perhaps many would have been well content to have been idle and to enjoy that benefit still yet as soone as they went over Jordan Josh 5. Manna failed them and their utensils began to weare whence they were forced to returne to their agriculture and mechanick trades I will then hence inferre since Magistrates are become Christians they are to be admitted into the whole ancient right which out of the Old Testament we have shewed what that was So that there is now nothing in the whole Church-government which is not lawfull to them by Divine right both for matter of action rule and care This is not my opinion alone but Calvin himselfe every where infinuates this in his Writings Although Christ would not have the beginnings of his Kingdome to be helped by the sword Com. in Deut. 13.5 c. yet he had not prescribed to himselfe an eternall law but at last he forced Kings to obey him c. and of persecutors made them keepers and patrons of the Church Magistrates at first exercised tyrannie against the Church because the time was not yet come that they should kisse the Sonne of God and having laid aside all violence should become nursing fathers of her whom they persecuted In his Commentarie upon 1 Tim. 2. he saith that Magistracie in the Church is as the earth by whose fertility as the corne is procreated so by the Magistrates office the Church is nourished In his Comment on Mat. 20. saith that by this command of Christ we see the Anabaptists fury in excluding Magistrates from the Church of God for it may be that he who was Lord of a towne or village might also in case of necessity performe the function of a Teacher It is then plaine that this man was of a far other opinion then the Walachrians who under pretence of hostility exercised by Nero in the Apostles time against the Church goe about to debar Magistrates for ever from medling with Church-business This was the cunning of growing Antichrist to keep off Magistrates from Church-affaires as being holy and not to be touched so that like another Aeolus he swaggers alone in the Church court Neither have there been wanting at all times some Hermaphrodites halfe men soft and effeminate Princes who with Sardanopalus laying aside all their masculine vigour have submitted themselves to Ecclesiastick whores Such was among the rest Theodosius the younger who wrote to the Synod of Ephesus That it was unlawfull for any man who was not in the catalogue of holy Bishops to meddle with Church queries But much more carelesly Basilius the Emperour who in the 8. Synod said That no Laey-man of what dignity soever ought to move questions in Church-matters this belongs to the Patriarchs Bishops and Priests who have power to bind and have the Church keyes and not to
preach what they list make Lawes as they think good at last censure when and whom they will This he thinkes was absolutely done under the crosse and because hee perceives that Magistrates doe meddle with these affaires by reason of the fleshly corruptions and sins which they observe are introduced in these things by Church-men Hence surfeiting with this peace like the dull Oxê in the Port he wisheth for a saddle and with the Horse desires to plough the ground hee thinkes the Church was happier under the crosse when she had no Magistrates then now when she hath such This I will confesse if the Churches happinesse consists in this that new Walachrian Papists domineere in her as they please but this is a childish happinesse For youths are glad when in the absence of their Parents they manage the estate and Family as they will and they wish it might be so still whereas things are never more unhappily managed in the family then in such a case So that it is a Proverb among us when things are in a confusion there is none at home but the children How happy this Ecclesiasticke selfe-government is without the Magistrates inspection may bee seen in Popery where the Magistrate being thrust out onely Church-men rule but how happily When there is nothing there except miserable butcheries both of bodies and soules The Game was not much unlike this which the spirituall king Becholtius played at Munster swelling there with as great pride as the Pope doth at Rome who wanted nothing to make him happy but continuance if the Stilt-walker thirsteth for this he deserveth to consume away with despaire Hee speakes too freely of the Churches happinesse under the crosse Apollonius thinkes it no trouble to leane upon cushions stuffed with other mens bloud and as they say subdue Alexander at the Table if hee had seene but a farre off the whips roddes wounds and tortures all his courage would quickly be cooled I have insisted somewhat long upon this discourse not as if I disliked the Worship of Christians or the lawfull Church-government but that I might shew the impudent foolerâ—es of the Walachrian Stilt-walker whose purpose is not to maintaine true Religion but to introduce a new Popedome therefore I hope impartiall Judges will not thinke I have done amisse that I have with laughter exploded his unsavourie fraudulencies not that I mock at true holy matters but because I would tread downe the Walachrian swelling leven of Popery For no godly Magistrate intends to overthrow the Churches true order to defile the sacred things of Religion or to destroy them this were a madnesse fit for Libertines Atheists from which I am very averse Neither do I thinke that any godly Minister doth seriously beleeve there is such abstruse spirituall sanctity in the affairs of modern Church Discipline as this Walachrian Rat dreameth out of the Iesuites writings read by him without judgement for this were to thrust upon Magistrates in stead of truth the Legends of Frances or the Ottoman trifles of the Turkish Alcheran which we saw lately whom no wise man wil beleeve except he be carryed headlong by Superstition or violently compelled to confesse disseble that to be true which he knowes is false such is the impudency of these Walachrian sticklers who are not content to perswade christians to esteem of that which the Scripture recordeth hath beene by Christ ordered in matters of Religion but they will have men also beleeve chiefly that in the worke wrought in the persons working and in other circumstances there doe lurke wonderfull and secret worth of holinesse with which they so bewitch ignorant men that neglecting the kirnell of truth they doe nothing almost but licke the outward rine of holinessâ— by which madnesse it comes to passe that Church-men are puffed up and obtaine too much respect which is that they hunt for and account superstition Religion I will freely appeale here to the conscience of godly Ministers who will here confesse ingenuously I know that in the whole outward worke of Church-government at this day there is not any such internall mysticall spirituall and untouchable holinesse for where doth this lurke the word of God is read the Psalmes are sung by all prayers are said either by heart or in the booke the Text of Scripture is explained by a humane manner and way knowne to all he that is haptised is besprinkled with ordinary water in the name and after the ordinance of God Men sit at the table common bread and wine are distributed â—ats and drunke by all concerning the order of administring the Sacraâ— eats care is taken that confusion may be avoided they that transgresse in the Church are admonished and reproved or by publicke authority are seperated from the communion of Christians The gifts and alines of Christians are received and as much as can be are bestowed on the poore All these things I rehearse as they are done in a most simple manner and come as neare as may be to the Apostles custome from which wee see how far every day the Wallachrians depart so that almost there is not greater corruption in Popery then there is among them in matters of censure c. Will any ingenuous man say that in these there is such abstruse mysticall sanctitie or in the Ministers themselves and if this were necessarily in them who will say that it proceeds from moderne vocation they are men that choose that call that lay on hands and although the Church at this day useth imposition of hands prayers fastings and other meanes yet Christ never promised that he would so concurre by his Spirit with these actions that the same effects should be prounced which the Apostle she wed by their vocation neither will any man except he be superstitious affirme that he hath upon imposition of hands received suddenly the gifts of tongues and sciences and if this Wallachrian smatterer should brag any such thing of himselfe experience and his owne act ons will refute him who then seeth not that the Stiltwalker is a foole who in such things seeks for the lurking holes of speciall sanctitie that he may beg a domineering power in the Church to the overthrow of all Religionâ—â—â— true piety If it were lawfull to bewith men with such fictions what may not wee beleeve of Magistrates for as soone as they are chosen to the supreame government although they were private men before now on a sudden they become Gods holy Logats Vicegetents and servants every soule to them is presently subject the Sword to them is committed with the power of life and death nest her matters it how they obtaine this power whether by right or wrong how they use the sword whether justly or unjustly and although they since against God yet they must be obeyed by their subjects except they will resist Gods ordinance and bring judgement on themselves Lastly they become Gods not by humane but divine right Who then will wonder if Hered
in this how and on whom they are to be observed that simple men may not rashly be deluded with the false perswasion of sanctity or with the mercenary collation of holy Offices or deniall thereof mens mindes be disquieted or the holy things of Religion be profaned This was surely the chiefe criginall and foundation of the Popes mighty power and the base contempt of Princes that hee armed himself with a power of censuring and excommunitating by reason of the carelessenesse of simple Lay-men and the superstitious gentlenesse of Magistrates to which the Wallachrian incendaries hope that they also will come and so doe every where all the new Hierarchicall Papists but they shall never come to it if by your authority it be established that nothing be absolutely comitted to Church-Rulers or Ministers concerning the deniall of the common Sacraments or the conferring of them nothing concerning receiving into the Church or excommunicating thence but that all these things be judged and ordered by you So you shall by your supreame power bring to passe that the malice of ill-minded Papists shall not hurt the consciences fame goods and lives of godly men and that the wicked perversnesse of seditious Incendiaries may never hinder the sincere labours of godly Ministers in preserving of Religion promoting of mans salvation and in maintaining the true order and decency of the Church this benefit also with many more will be had by your presence that new Papists will be hindred from profaning the Supper and all holy things there is nothing more common among these Out-laws then to prescribe Laws of sanctity to others which they themselves will scarce touch with one of their fingers They seeme to have taken this from the Levites who as Christ told them by keeping of the Sabbath profained it For they did labour and performe all the work of burchers whereas the Sabbath commanded them to rest But this was unavoydable and belonged to their worship but the Papists enormity is neither necessary nor unavoydable but Arbitrary and agreeing to the Popes evill custome who indeed prescribes innumerable laws to Christians but he himselfe is lawlesse that when he sins he must not be thought to sin for who dare excommunicate the Pope If hee lead a thousand soules to bell who will say to him what dost thâ—â— because he hath power to dispense and to forgive all Who knows not that he hath dispensed all things to himself aforehand this Leprosie comes creâ—ping by degrees upon the new Papists they command Christians that they come not to the Supper till they be examined they make inquiry into every mans life and manners not that they might help or ease their mindes for this care they have cast off but that they may shew their power and may intrap every mans estate and good name but if they quartell among themselves with violent malice if they brawle and fight with all disgracefull names if they also are scandalously drunk if they play the merry Greeks or be convinced of notorious fraud yet who will think that they will offer to come to the Supper without examining themselves every one of them dispenseth with his own corruptions But if the matter be committed to the censure of the Consistory or Claâ—â—s they doe but as Affes claw or bite one another The censurer will say Brother thou hast offended He that is censured will answer with laughter Brother I have sinned but not I alone you also c. doe you remember so the matter is hushed up ridiculously and daubed over with a dirty pensill What else is this but to profane all sacred things therefore it is necessary that your supreme power be present with penalties and the terrour of the sword which may curb such Aâ—axes and teach the Ministers not to prostitute their holy mysteries Now I come to their Legislative power and dependence which as a most holy thing the Wallachrian Papists will have free to themselves but I have shewed before that there is no divine right in them The Apostles indeed had meetings but they were popular with the presence of all the Members in which there appeared no pride or arrogancy at all but order But now pride hath found out the arrogant names and inventions of Classes Synods Provincialls Nationall Vniversall and the rest unknown as I shewed before to the Apostolicall Churches Neither doe we find that the Apostles made many Laws there or rigid or necessary which might lay a yoke upon Christians and give occasion to will-worship but they did stoutly every where forbid such least it should be said to Christians what the fals Apostles urged 1 eate not then taste rot lastly much not Besides the Apostolicall meetings were extraordinary for the supreme power resided in the Apostles miraculously which shewed it self when occasion served Many were present who had the gifts of Prophesie of Tongues of Government of discerning spirits and a full measure of the Spirit so that there was no need then of contentions and quarrells for seeing all were moved by one holy Spirit it was easie for the spirits of the Prophets to be subject to the Prophets and to agree among themselves Hee that will compare to those Divine meetings the modern Conventicles of Papists were as good compare the running together of Beares Porters and Pedlers to the assembly of the seven wise men of Greece Nazianzen was not the first that observed but experience of all times hath taught us that the chiefe use of Clergy-mens meetings is to spend victualls or by setling of one quarrell to raise many more for because every one thinks that he is Christs Legat subject immediately to him under no mans command and full of the Holy Ghost Hence it falls out seldome that the one will yeeld to the other in matter of spitting quarrelling and contending untill they that are more moderate though they excell the rest in piety wit and other gifts being wearied with their brawlings dismisse the businesse and suffer by connivence the worser cause to prevaile this might be seen even in the first Nicen Synod where there had been no end of contentions had not the Empâ—rour â—eâ—n President in the higher seat by whose authority notwithstanding the contentious Church-men were not hindered from exhibiting to the Emperors bundle of Petitions and papers full of reproaches brawlings and quarrells how that hee might ease himselfe of their burthen flung them all into the fire if it were thus with Church men when the Emperor was there present armed with the sword what will not fall out there where lumps of rank 〈◊〉 shall meet together without the mixture of secular salt Such are oftentimes found among the Wallabrians as may be seen by this work It is most sure that there are no such contentions and disorders as are in their Consistory and Classicall meetings so that it hath been still troublesome and scandalous for moderate Christians to be present amongst them And many have taken such offence at them