whereof is to be ascribed to the Hierarchy of Prelates over their inferiour Clergy Thirdly where he saith Though S. Jerome being no Prelate himselfe he was no greâ—t friend to Bishops Hence I note onely the conceit of the Prelate that he thinks none can speake against Prelates but such as are none themselves as if it were onely a matter of envie But as the Poet said Dic mibi si fiâ—l tis Lâ—â— qualis erisâ— Tell me if thou thy selfe wert a Lion what manner of man wouldst thou be So the Prelate imagines that if any of those that speake against the Authority of Prelates were themselves Lions that is Lord Prelates they would be of another mind they would then say We Prelates have Authority over all Inferiour Priests Jure Divino we are the Sole visible living Iudges to determine and resolve all doubts in matters of Faith and Religion we are the Sole Masters of Ceremonies to bind all men to Canonicall obedience to all our Canons and Constitutions we enjoy honours pleasures riches ease delights of the world favours in Court and what not Thus the Prelate thinks all men would be of his mind were they in his Place And I thinke so too thus farre that they who take upon them the Prelacy they no sooner sit in that Chaire but it proves a Chaire of Pestilence unto them infecting and corrupting mans very reason and judgement so farre as to make him beleeve all is gold that glistereth Onely few come to that Chaire but such as are selfe-infected with their own imbred Plagues as pride Ambition Covetousnesse and that in a high Degree So as King Iames being once asked why he had made so many Bishops in Scotland and not one honest man amongst them all he replyed saying By his Saule there was never an Honest Man wad tack a Bishopricke And Histories tell us of many holy men that utterly refused Bishopricks And there is never a true Reformed Protestant Minister but hates a Bishoprick as he doth the Throne of the Beast But Fourthly saith the Prelate This to wit Anthority of Bishops was so settled in the minds of men from the very Infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been to that time in the 4th Age or Century contradicted by any No doubt but such a brave and bonny thing as a Prelacy would find Grace enough in the world and quickly sink down and settle in mens minds and affections But what 's this to the purpose as to prove it a Calling from Godâ— But this was saith he from the very Infancy of the Christian Church Surely the Prelacy in the very Infancy of the Christian Church either had no being at all iâ—rerum natura or was but a misshapen Embrio or infant in the Mothers belly as Esâ—â— was at the same time in his Mothers belly with Isaac yea and would have claimed the blessing of the birth-right too from Isaac because of his antiquity And did not this young Babe wrastle with 〈◊〉 in the wombe when the Apostle saith The Mystery of iniquity doth already works and this young Prelate wanted but time and opportunity to grow up to be a Nimrod even the great Antichrist as we shall see further anon So as to plead Antiquity of the Prelacy even from the very Infancy of the Christian Church is yet no good Argument to confirme their Authority to be jure divino For even Satans Kingdome had existence in the world before Christ was Promised And the Kingdome of heaven to wit of 〈◊〉 here is described to be such as no sooner was the wheat of the Gospell sowne but that wicked one had his Supersemination of Tares of manifold â—rrors such as sprung up even in the Apostles times the very Infancy of the Church But had not been till that time which the Prelate speakes of contradicted by any That I must now contradict For first as before is shewed Christ forbad it upon the first motion of it Secondly the Apostles of which we shall speake by and by mightily contradicted it and cryed it down as being that monstrous mystery of Iniquity And thirdly it was contradicted by sundry as by 〈◊〉 But you will presently say that Epiphanius ranks him even for that very opinion only that he held Prelates not to be de jure divino or that the Degree of a Bishop was no greater then that of a Priest in the Catalogue of Hereticks And so am I also content upon the same termes to be by the Prelates counted for an Hereticke But Secondly himselfe confesseth S. Ierome to have contradicted their Authority as we noted before saying that their Institution was meerly of humane Presumption Yea and thirdly Augustine that Famous light was of the same mind with Ierome So as some of the Learned in the * Councel of Trent alledged both of them in this point So that contradicted it was and had been and that by many and some of them as Christ and his Apostles of Divine and Infallible Authority So as without all Controversie Prelaticall Authority over other Ministers is no Calling of God at all which we now come more fully to shew by the Testimony of the Apostles both in their Doctrine and Practise CHAP. VI Wherein is shewed that according to the Scripture Preshyters and Bishops are all one without difference so as he which is a Presbyter is called Episcopus a Bishop and a Bishop a Presbyter THe first place of Scripture that proves this is in Acts 20. where the Apostles called together the Presbyters or Elders of the Church of Ephesus as ver. 17. which Elders or Presbyters in v. 28. he calls Episcopus saying Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flocke over the which the Holy Ghâ—st hath made you Episcopous that is Overseers as our English renders the word or Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood From which words it is manifest First that Presbyters and Bishops are all one and the same Order Calling and Office Secondly that in the Church of Ephesus there were many Bishops or Presbyters Thirdly that they had their Calling from the Holy Ghost Fourthly that their Office was to feed the Flock of God over the which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers And for this Cause such are called elsewhere * Pastors and Teachers right Shepheards indeed that feed the Flocke of God Now will our Prelates say First that they are those Episcopi What more contrary to their Canons and practise For First they doe not allow that every Presbyter be called a Bishop nor to be of the same Order Calling and Office For they say that the Order Calling and Office of a Bishop or Prelate is distinct and different from that of the Presbytery Secondly the Prelates have an old Canon that there must be but one Bishop in one City or Diocese But here we see the Church of Ephesus that one City had many Bishops in
it even as many as there were Presbyters Thirdly our Prelates can never prove their Authority and Office to be from the Holy Ghost either from any inward calling or outward Not from an inward calling because first it is not any zeale of Gods glory or desire to win soules to God but it is the strong bias of ambition and covetousnesse pride and vaine glory and love of the world that draws them to a Bishopricke Nor Secondly is it an outward calling from men For as in respect of God they have run afore they be sent So in respect of Man they come before they be called Yea they provide and prepare a long time before for such a Purchase For they heap up by hook or crock 3 or 4 Fat Livings they seldome Preach at any of them nor keep Residence or Hospitality but hoord up full Bagges Sculke at the Court â—gratiate themselves with those in greatest Grace and when the Chaire is voyd they bring out their Bagges and so they ar the onely qualified men for such a Dignity They are well known to be no Puritans So as neither according to their own ancient Canons which were framed according to the practise held in the Apostles dayes when the People had a voyce in the election of their Pastors have the Prelates an outward calling to their dignities For instance when Mr. Moutague was to be installed or I wot not what they call it in Bow Church and the Tipstaffe according to the Ancient custome in that Case with his Mace proclaimes open liberty for any that can come and except against the worthinesse of that Man one stood forth and made his exception which though it was both legall and very materiall yet he was borne down and the matter never came to tryall but was carryed with a strong hand for the new Prelate Thus I say they have no lawfull nor truly formall or yet Canonicall outward Calling Yea besides that they are notorious Simonists either purchasing that dignity with a great Summe of money or procuring it obsequio by obsequiousnesse or Court-Service and attendance or by a wager or the like all which are branches of Simonie they doe also play the egregious hypocrites For when the Question is asked them Vis Episcopare Wilt thou be a Bishop he answers Nolo No forsooth And this is done three times A meere mock-holiday For if the wretch were taken at his word he were undone Fourthly neither doe our Prelates affect the Bishopricke for that end that those Bishops of the Church of Ephesus were exhorted unto by the Apostle namely to feed the Fock of God Yea besides that their ayme and desire is not for the Office and worke of a true Bishop as the Apostle saith * He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke which is principally to feed the Flocke of God as also ‡ Peter exhorteth for they look not to the duty but after the dignity as Chrysostome and ‡ Bernard have noted of old Thou seest saith Bernard all Ecclesiasticall zeale to boyle and pant aftâ—r their Dignities onely c. as we noted before besides this I say it is a thing impossible for them to feed the Flocke of God For some of them have foure or five hundred Flocks within their Diocese some moreâ— some lesse which they never once in all their life bestow one fothering upon onely the Prelate in his Trienniall Visitation that is once in 3. yeares visites perhaps halfe a dozen Churches where he comes not to feed the Flockâ— with one Scrap of a Sermon but to fill his pouch with his poore Ministers double Procurations and his paunch with their good Cheere But our Prelates will answere as our Non-residents doe in that case that though themselves doe not feed the Flocke yet their Curates doâ— it for them For say our Prelates and that according to their Collect for Bishops and Curates all the Ministers in their severall Diocese are their Curates to feed so many Flocks Thus by this reckoning the Prelates are the most egregious Non-residents of all other And thus we see how not onely unlike but directly contrary all Prelates are to those Bishops of the Church of Ephesus and that in all and every of those particular and remarkable respects forespecified out of the Apostles own words And therfore by that place of Scripture Prelates though they have usurped most unjustly the Title of Bishops yet they have nothing in them of true Bishops indeed and therfore are never able to prove that they are Bishops jure divino For they which are Bishops jure divino are lawfull Pastors set over their particular Flocke to feed the same with the wholesome food of the word but Prelates call themselves Diocesan Bishops having so many Flocks as they neither doe nor ever are able nor ever intend to feed them Nay instead of feeding them they restraine and inhibit all Ministers to feed their Flocke at all in the Afternoone on the Lords dayes nor at any time to feed them with sound and wholsome and comfortable fâ—od of the Doctrines of Grace and Gods free love to his Elect in giving Christ for them effectually to Redeeme them and certainly to bring them to that eternall glory in heaven which God from all Eternity had Predestinated them unto So as without this sound preaching of Grace no Flock can be Savingly fedde Prelates therefore are Wolves to destroy not Shepheards to feed the Flocke of Christ A Second place of Scripture proveing a Presbyter and a Bishop to be all one in Order Calling and Office is in Tit. 1. 5. c. For this Cause saith the Apostle to Titus I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City as I had appointed thee If any be blamelesse c. For a Bishop must be blâ—melesse as the Steward of God not Selfe-willedâ— c. Here againe we plainly see that those who are the Presbyters or Pastors set over the Flock of God are here called Bishops by the Apostle Whence in is evident that in the Infancy of the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles themselves and that by Order from Christ and from the Holy Ghost all Presbyters or true Pastors of severalâ—Congregations as aforesaid were called Bishops or Overseers as the Greek word signifieth And this was kâ—ta poâ—n in every City and Towne in Creete especially where there was a Congregation of Christians Titus was appointed by the Apostle to ordaine such Elders or Bishops And in Centuries we read â—ow in some Countries there was never a Towne or Village but it had a Bishop in it which Bishop was the Pastor there And the severall qualities required in those Presbyters or Bishops are in the same Chapter set down by the Apostle which because we touched before upon occasion I will not here insist upon But those qualities are such as our Prelates willingly leave to those poore Presbyters
or Bishops as most sutable for those Apostolick Times and Persons Content they are to take the Name of Bishop upon them but for the qualities there required they are not Prelaticall enough such as will â—uit with a Lord-Bishop For those were poore Bishops or Overseers and Feeders of one Flocke in this or that City but these are Lord-bishops over a whole Diâ—â—â—se as before is noted To these places we might adde others as Phil. 1. 1. With the Bishops and Deacons Where the Apostle nameing no more Orders but of Bishops and Deaconsâ— the same which he nameth and describeth in the forecited places 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. makes it cleare unto us that by those Pishops in Philippi he meanes the same in kind that were in Ephesus and Creete to wit so many Presbyters as were also called Bishops or Overseers And naming Bishops which were at Philippi it argues there were many Bishops of that one Church as we noted before of the Church of Ephesus And in other places also they are called Elders For 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule will be counted worthy of double honour maliâ—ta oâ— kopiontes especially thâ—se that take greatest paines in the Word and Doctrine Now those Elders Chap. 3. he calls Bishops Implying they are both oâ—e as also that there were many of those Bishops in the Church of Ephesus where Timethy then was And those Presbyters or Bishops some were more industrious in the word and Doctrine did kopian labour more hard therein as the word signifieth then ordinary and therefore such the Apostle would have to be counted worthy of double honour Now is it thus with our lord-Lord-Bishops First do they kopian â—oyle hard at Gods Plough to use Laâ—imers Comparison do they desire no more honour but such as is proportionable to their paines in Preaching Gods word Tussi their honour is according to the honour of the City whereof they are Lord-Bishops as the Prelate himselfe ‡ tells us The Honours of the Church should follow the Honours of the State or according to the greatnesse of their revenâ—â—s or according to their great favour and place in Kings Courts and not according to their yeares or vertues or good deserts which are neither required in them nor respected of them Thus still all along quantum abludunt how much distance is there and what infinit disparity between our Lord Bishops and Scripture-bishops And lastly these Bishops so called by Paul are called also by Peter Praesbyteri Presbyters or Elders where he saith ‡ The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker of the glory that shal be reveald Feed the Flocke of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof Episcopountes not by constraâ—nt but willingly not for filthy luore but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flocke And when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare ye shall receive a Crown that fadeth not away Where First he notes the Ministers and Pastors by the Title of Presbyters or Elders as also he stiles himselfe He saith not My Lords or Right Reverend Fathers or the like Secondly he useth no imperious language unto them but saith parakalo I exhort or beseech you Not as the Prelates to their Priests These are to will and require you upon paiâ—â—e of Episcopall Censure c. Thirdly the thing he exhorts them unto is to â—eed the flocke of God committed to their Charge But our Lord-Prelates command their inferiour Ministers to feed their flocke as sparingly as may be as at the most to preach but once upon the Lords day or once a moneth will serve and for Catechising in the afternoone altogether to forbeare expounding and for the sound food of the Doctrins of Gods free Grace which is the very Summe of the Gospâ—l never to preach of them at all as being too Puritanicall and the like Fourthly He exhorts them to feed each his own Flocke Feed the Flocke of God which dependeth on you He saith not Flocks as if one Presbyter or Bishop were set over many Flocks or Congregations as our Lord Bishops are as is noted before Fiftly he exhorts them to oversee their Flockâ— not for filthy lucre but of a free and ready mind But our Lord Prelates and their Curate Priests are of another mind as being hirelings and noe true Shepheards so as it is with them No penny no Pater noster they looke more to their tithes then to their taske and more after the sleece then for the good of the flocke Sixtly Not as Lords over Gods Heritage yea Mud oâ—s katakurieâ—ontes nor as Lording it ever Gods Heritage The same word is used in Mat. 20. 25. Mark 10. 42. Where such Heathen-like Lording is by Christ himselfe forbidden his Disciples as * before is sheâ—ed But the Pontificians and so our Lordly Prelates say that this word katakurieuein signifieth onely a tyrannicall Lordship which they doe not use I answere that in Luke kurieuâ—in to Lord it at all is forbidden And being put for katakurieuin it noteth that all manner of Lordship over the Flocke of God is forbidden to Christs true Ministers Nor can the Prelates whether Pontifician or Protestant in Name so easily cleare their Lordly Dominion over Gods people from Tyranny For even our great Prelate himselfe sticks not to charge the Church of Rome with ‡ Tyranny And can he discharge himselfe of it Wherein comes the Primate of the Church of England short of the Papall Tyranny but in this that the Pope tyrannizeth over the universall Church of the great world and the Metropolitan or Metropolitician of all Enâ—land tyrannizeth over that whole Church which the Pope called the other world The difference I say is onely in the Magiâ— Minus which alter not the nature of the thing For for the Popes Inquisition the Prelate hath his High-Commission by the Law whereof though he cannot bring his Heretick Puritans to the Stake attended with fire and fagot as the Popes Inquisition doth yet he can make their life more miserable then death it selfe by his pecpetuall close Imprisonments and the like Nor wants he either Canons and Ceremonies as snares to catch nor Pursuivants as Beagles to hunt out the poore Sheep and to hale them to his Shambles for refusing to be fed with such hemlocke instead of Gods wholesome word Yea where his High-Commission cannot reach to suck the blood and crucifie the bodies of Christs Servants as upon the Pillory he can easily remove the Cause into another Court where himselfe sitting a grand and Powerfull Swaying Judge will satisfie his blood-thirsty longing And as in * another place of his Booke he twitteth the Church of Rome for being a Tryumphant Church Saying Now She must be a Triumphant Church here Militant no longer So no lesse Triumphant hath the Prelate made his present Prelaticall Church of
their Office was to water those Churches which the Apostles had planted to comfort confirme establish the hearts of Christians newly converted to the faith of Christ So as if Timothy and Titus had been Bishops either Diocesan or Parochiall then the Apostle in sending them to this and that Countrey to this and that Church in farre distant Countries should have been an Author of Non-residence a thing much controverted in the ‡ Councel of Trent and the best learned did maintaine that Residence of Bishops was de jure divino They were no Bishops therefore but Euangelists And thus the Scripture it selfe shews plainly that those foresaid Postscripts are meere forgeries and counterfeit stuffe though our Prelates are glad of any shred to patch up their Pyde Motley Coat withall But they alledge againe for themselves that Titus was left in Creet to ordaine Bishops in every City Ergo Ordination of Ministers belongs properly and solely to Bishops For Answere Is this a good Argument Titus Ordained Ministers in Creet Ergo Ordination of Ministers pertaines to the Office of every Diocesan Bishop But they must bring better proofe that Titus was a Diocesan Bishop otherwise I deny their Argument Secondly Suppose that Titus did alone ordaine yet this being a case of necessity and in the infancy of the Church is it therfore to be made a Generall Rule Thirdly if they were Diocesan Bishops whom Titus ordained in every City in Creta then Titus was an Arch-bishop at least and no small one neither for there being an hundred Cities in Creet called therefore e katómpolis the hundred-City-Ile But for Arch-bishops our Arch-prelate confesseth they are not Iure Divino Or els for Titus to ordaine such Bishops as the Prelate meaneth he could according to ancient Canons of Councels have had 2 or 3 other Bishops joyned with him But if they had been Bishops whom he is sayd to Ordaine the word should rather have been teleiosai or so to Consecrate then katastesai to ordaine because a Diocesan Bishop is not ordained but consecrated as they call it so as such a Bishop is not an Order or Calling as before is shewed But to shut up this Titus was no Bishop and therfore our Prelates Argument from Titus his Ordaining of Ministers is too weake a foundation to build their high Towring Hierarchie upon Againe they alledge the power that Timothy and Titus had to Censure delinquents Ergo Prelates Courts are Iure Divino This Argument is like the former and concluds nothing for them Nor had Timothy and Titus their Courts and Consistories their Apparitors and Pursuivants their dumb Priests to sit in Court to Excommunicate and the like Nor were their Censures like to those of our Prelates as before we have shewed about Excommunication either for the matter or manner or end But Titus had a Commission tà leÃponta epidiorthosai to set in order the things that are wanting What then Ergo it is an Office of Prelates to set the Church in Order by adding such Ceremenies or Canons as are wanting As the Prelate saith in his said Booke that he had * taken all that paines for an Orderly Settlement in the Church But besides the reasons aforesaid that Titus was no Diocesan Bishop for our Prelates to make their pattern by they must consider that the full latitude of the sense of epidiorthosaâ— which our English turnes to set in Order is to set those things in Order or in integrum restituere to restore and reduce them to their former estate wherein at the first they were ordered Now Titus had received his rule from the Apostle for whatsoever he was to set in Order which rule comprehended such things as were wanting The Apostle left it not to Titus to doe what he would but o'â— ego soi dietaxamen as I had appointed thee Thus nothing will frame well the Scripture will not speak one good word for our Prelates But they take their wings and flie to the Revelation where the Bishops are called Angels as Rev. 1. 20. and 2. 1 c. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus say they was the Bishop to wit the Diocesan Bishop But first they must prove that Ephesus had a Diocesan Bishop before they can conclude he was that Angel For every Angel is not a Diocesan Bishop For then All Ministers being called Angels because Gods Messengers should be Diocesan Bishops which our Prelates cry out against but if they be false Ministers or counterfeit Bishops though they be Angels yet they are of those Angels of darknesse which transforme themselves into Angels of light as the Apostle speakes and which we mentioned before But hath Ephesus now gotten a Diocesâ—n Bishop What 's then become of all those Bishops of Ephâ—sus whom the Apostle called together 〈◊〉 20. 17. 28 Of which we spake before How come they now all to be moulded up into one Angel one Diocesan Bishop But our Prelates must bring us better proofe from Scripture then so for their Diocesan Bishop unlesse they will have him some Angel dropt from the Clowds And saith the Apostle if an Angel from heaven preach otherwise then what the Scripture teacheth let him be accursed But they imagine this Angel is the Diocesan Lord Bishop because he stands single and alone To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus not To the Angels as many But doe theâ— noâ— know that it is familiar with the Scripture to use the singular number for the plural Doth not every one of the ten Commandements run thus Thou shalt not c. when every Mothers Sonne is meant And why not so here Nay it is so here for though he write as to one v. 1. yet v. 7. he concludes the Epistle thus He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches And such is the style and manner of every one of those 7. Epistles to the seven Churches so as under one is meant every one yea all the Churches Now will our Prelates hence conclude that because an Angel herd is named and that which is written particularly to one concerneth all the Churches that therefore this Angel was the Diocesan Bishop Surely then he must be an Arch-bishop as comprehending all the Churches And so also must every one of the other Angels of the Churches which would make a confusion But if the Prelates were not selfe-blinded they might discerne the reason why the Holy-Ghost puts an Angel for many For thus it holds proportion with the Vision shewed to Iohn Chap. 1. 12. 20. This Vision of the Seven Starres and Seven Candlesticks and Seven Angels and Seven Churches is called a Mystery And a Mystery is a Secret which comprehends more then is expressed And so here when one Angel is named we are to understand all the Angels of that Church to whom in the name of one the Epistle is written nor â—onely to all the Angels but to the Churches under the name of one Angel So as in one
are comprehended many for it is a Mystery yet one is mentioned Chap. 2. 1. because I say it holds proportion with the vision Againe if by the Angel here they would have to be understood a Diocesan Bishop then they must prove that this Diocesan hath a lawfull Calling as Sent of God Otherwise he is no Angel that is no Messenger no Angel sent of God Or if they say This Angel was sent of God let them prove him to be a Diocesan Bishop And thus they are brought into a Circle and cannot find the way out But they alledge againe That one here notes unity which cannot be without a Diocesan Bishop And therefore a Diocesan Bishop was set up for that end to be a Head of unity for the conservation of Order and Peace in Schismatis remedium for a remedy of Schisme Insomuch as our Arch-prelate as is before noted holds a necessity of one Ordine Primus for the unity and peace of his Catholicke Church Now for answere briefly this being partly touched before true it is that one here is a mysticall note of unity so as in the Angel of the Church of Ephesus is comprehended the whole Church of Ephesus both Ministers and People But one here doth not signifie one Diocesan Bishop Neither is one Diocesan Bishop in a Diocese nor one Metropolitan in a Province or Kingdome nor one Ordine Primus in the whole Catholicke Church of necessity to preserve unity in the Church 'T is true indeed that the Prelates new Catholicke-Church which is Prelaticall may need such a Head as one Ordine Primus to preserve it in unity and peace this being also very usefull for the inlarging of the Tower of Babel for which the Prelate hath so laboured for Peace in the Church of England under the Headship of his Primacy so as had he none to oppose or contradict his wicked practises for the setting up of Popery but all did quietly submit and conforme to his Canon his Babylon would goe up apace and prosper even as * when the old world was all of one language the Tower of Babel went up a maine till God confounded their worke in the division of tongues but the true Catholicke Church of Iesus Christ hath one Bishop of there Soules which is Christ who is that Ordine Primus that ‡ unites the whole body every joynt and every member that is not onely every particular beleever but every particular Christian Congregation is knit to the whole in and under that one Head And so this Body groweth and this building goeth up notwithstanding all the mouths of contradiction and of malicious Sandballets that seek to hinder it Whereas it is not so with the building of Babel For one small breath of the mouth of God in his word breathed by one poore Minister is able to blast the building and therefore the builders cry out against such Fellows as troublers of the State and movers of Sedition And they cannot be in quiet nor their building goe up untill such make-bates be silenced or made our of the way And therefore they labour with the Prince when themselves want power and Law to dâ—e with such as Constantine did with Athanasius Athanasius was the onely man that refused to hold Communion with a sort of Arian Bishops which caused a great gappe in that unity and peace in the Church which Constantine so much desired Well what 's the remedy He thereupon was easily moved to send Athanasius away into banishment and then he thought all would be quiet and in peace But by the way Truth must be looked unto in the first place otherwise what peace For that a false peace and the moeher of farther discord for the which truth is lost And even our Prelate himselfe in his said Booke doth often harpe upon these two strings together Truth and Peace a good harmony were they rightly meant and that his Truth were not made of a Wolfes gut which will never agree with a string made of a Sheeps gut as he pretends his Peace to be But this by the way And whereas they alledge the Prelacie to be a remedy of Schisme Heare ô heavens and hearken ô earth is not the Prelacy the grand Schismaticke I mean not onely in being the most busie and usuall make-bate in all Civil States dividing Prince and People but in setting up a new and false Catholicke Church altogether seperate from and holding no communion with yea excluding all Reformed Churches not Prelaticall as no members of the Catholicke as indeed they be not of the false Catholicke all Prelacie drawing to one Head of the Papacy and that by a necessity of one Ordine Primus as before is noted But to draw to a Conclusion The last Allegation which I note they make is that S. Marke was Bishop of Alexandria Ergo Episcopall Iurisdiction is an Apostolicall Tradition and so jure divino And for this they alledge the Testimony of Ierome where he saith At Alexandria from Marke the Evangelist the Presbyters alwayes chusing one from among them and placing him in a more eminent degree called him Bishop Whereupon the Prelate thus inferres So even according to S. Jerome Bishops had a very ancient and honourable Discent in the Church from St. Marke the Euangelist and this saith Ierome was a Tradition Apostolicke So the Prelate But first for Ierome we noted his words before of such Bishops saying They were set up by humane presumption and not by divine Institution and consequently not by Apostolike Tradition For Apostolicke Tradition is farre from â—umâ—ne presumption So as it is humane presumption to make that Apostolicke Tradition And for S. Marke * Ecclesiasticall Story tells us that Marke was the first that preached the Gospell which also he writ at Alexandria But the Story saith not that Marke was Bishop of Alexandria And the Prelate must marke that he was an Euangelist as also Iereme saith for he wrote the Gospel And the History saith he was ‡ a follower of Peter the Apostle Which if true it makes it more probable that it was that Babylon in Egypt whence Peter wrote his Epistle where he saith The Church that is at Babylon saluteth you and so doth Marcus my Son then that Peter was then at Rome which the Papists to make Peter to have been at Rome are content should be that Babylon from whence he writ And if they will needs have it so let them have it with the whore of Babylon to boot But this by the way But be it that Marke was at Alexandria he was there onely as an Euangelist and to doe the Office of an Euangelist of which we have Spoken before Bishop he was not as the Prelates would have him for that we have already proved to be in their sense condemned both by Christ and by his Apostles and therfore is neither an Institution of Christ nor a Tradition Apostolicke And therefore what ever the Presbyters at Alexandria began to
discourse then this of mine will admit Againe he saith ‡ If there be a jealousie or doubt of the Sense of the Scripture we must repaire to the Exposition of the Primitive Church and submit to that or call and submit to a Generall Councel c. Now if he shall quarrell this Scripture and those words of Christ forementioned as being either jealous or doubtfull of the sense thereof and so send me to the Primitive Church or call me to a Generall Councel for the determination of this point what shall we say For in no case can he yeeld the Scripture the honour to be sole Judge of controversies in faith And for the Primitive Church which he meanes namely that which came after Christ and his Apostles that he will say had Bishops or Prelates And for a Generall Councel that by his own verdict must consist of Prelates and so then shal be Judges in their own cause Therefore herein I must tell him plainly that first for the Primitive Church which was that of the Apostles never any one of them was a Prelate or Diocesan Bishop as we shall see more anon Secondly the next ages of the Church succeeding that of the Apostles knew no such Lord Bishops or Prelates as are now adayes with their Traines and Courts And when they began to get Prelacies old Hierome reprooved them and so did others Thirdly never any Generall Councel yet concluded that Prelates were jure divino Fourthly For a Generall Councel now to be called for the determining of this controversie which must consist onely of Prelates I deny them to be competent Iudges in this Case For by the Prelates own Confession * No man ought to be both party and Iudge in his own Cause And again the ‡ Prelate is too strict and Canonicall in tying all men to the decision of a Generall Councel and to yeeld obedience unto it yea although it determine a matter erronious in the Faith Now then if a Generall Councel of Prelates should determine that Prelates are jure divino although it be erronious yet according to the Prelates Rule all must yeeld obedience and submit thereunto And then we are gone if we commit this matter to a Generall Councel But we will passe by these and come to some other of his passages for his Prelacy He saith ‡ I beleeve Christ thought it fitter to governe the Church Aristocratically by Diverse rather then by one Vice-Roy Aâ—d those Diverse he makes to be Prelates or Hierarchs or rather Archprelates Now except he verily beleeve that Prelates are the best men in the world how can he beleeve that Christ thought is fittest to governe his Church by them For Aristocracie is a Government of the best men Aristoi Optimi and therefore called Optimates most honourable for their vertues But are Prelates so Doth their extreme pride ambition covetousnesse voluptuousnesse idlenesse hatred and suppressing of Gods word persecution of Gods Ministers oppression of Gods people even all that professe godlinesse and extreme both injustice and cruelty without all Law or Conscience in Censuring poore innocent soules that come before them doe these their vertues make them to be the best men for Christ to thinke the fittest by whom to governe his Church unlesse in this respect Christ might thinke it fittest that seeing he thought it fittest to keep his true Church his little stoâ—ke alwayes under manifold tryalls of afflictions and persecutions as being the exercises of all that will live godly in Christ Iesus and the way through which they must goe into the Kingdome of God therefore for this very cause he might thinke it fittest to suffer Satan to set up Anticrâ—ist in the Temple of God with his Traine of Prelates who should prove the most vengable Instruments of persecuting and oppressing Gods true children of all other men in the world And this I beleeve to be true And againe I beleeve this to be true also that Christ thought it fittest to governe his true Church Aristocratically that is by the best men because he hath so expressed himselfe in his word Why Where and who be those best men Let my Lord Prelate have patience and I will shew him a cleare ground of this my faith such as he can never shew for his blind faith Those best men that Christ thought is fittest to governe his Church by are the severall Ministerss rightly qualified and lawfully placed over their Severall Congregations respectively And they are called both Presbyteri and Episcopi Presbyters or Elders and Overseers or as Prelates falsely style themselves Bishops But how are these o i aristoi the best men Because Christ requires such to have the qualities of the best men What be those First such a Bishop or Overseer must be blamelesse the husband of one wife not therfore one tyed from Marriage which is for Antichrists Priests vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not given to wine no strikâ—r not greedy of filthy lâ—â—re but patient not a brawler not covetous c. And in Titus Not selfe-willed not soon angry a lover of good menâ— sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithfull word that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainesayers Such therefore as call themselves the onely Bishops to exercise Lordship over many Ministers and Congregations and are proud heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God cruell strikers with their High-Commission-weapons soone angry and never appeased againe not lovers but persecuters of good men not such as hold fast the wholesome word but suppresse it all they can forbidding others to convince the gainesayers as those of the Arminian party and the like and cutting off the Eares of those Ministers that should dare to reprove the Prelates notorious practises and attempts in setting up a false Idolatrous and Anchristian Religion for Christs Religion and such like such I say how can the Prelate beleeve to be of those diverse whom Christ thought it fittest to governe his Church by Againe another passage of his is this * She the Church of England beleeves That our Saviour Christ hath left in his Church besides his Law-booke the Scripture visible Magistrates and Iudges that is Arch-bishops and Bishops under a gracious King to governe both for Truth and Peace according to the Scripture and her owne Canons and Constitutions as also chose of the Catholick Church which crosse not the Scripture and the just Laws of the Realme So the Prelate In the next passage before the Prelate makes profession of his own Faith concerning Christs thought for Prelaticall Government and here he tells us what is the Faith of the Church of England about the same new Article of his beliefeâ—â— And not unlikely it is â— that the Prelaticall Church of England is of the saine beliefe with her learned Champion and great Metropolitan But the faith both of the Prelate and his Church
good as the former and no better For what Laws of the Realme doth he account just Those that crosse any Prelaticall practises and Antichristian lawlesse courses of his Spirituall Courts Surely those are not to be ranked among the just Laws of the Realme those must needs be unjust Laws which are made to restraine the Infolencie and Lawlesse proceedings of Prelaticall Courts Which is the reason that now of late under this Archprelate Prohibitions out of the Kings bench to the High-Commission are so gueason so well Schooled are both Lawyers to move and Judges to grant any such thing Thus the Prelates practises are a sufficient Commentary of his owne words So as the Summe of this his whole passage is That his Church of England must submit her beliefe to her Arch Bishops and Bishops as visible Iudges left by Christ to governe and to determine all matters of difference in point of Faith and Religion and that according to Scripture too so farre as they crosse not her own Canons and those of the Catholicke Church wherein England and Rome are one and the Same one Church of one Faith of one Religion And all this if we may beleeve her Metropolitan the Church of England beleeves O miserable Church CHAP. IIII. Wherein some other Passages of the Prelate in his Booke touching the Authority of his Hierarchie are met withall and confuted by evidence of Scripture IN his * Epistle Dedicatory he hath these words She the Church of England practises Church-Government as it hath been in use in all Ages and all Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting both in and ever since the Apostles times and yet the Seperatist condemnes her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline So he A bold Speech and the more bold because most false and hath nothing but his bare Ipse dixit his naked affirmation as Authority sufficient Whence I note sundry particulars First that he calleth the Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall Government therof the Church of England A thing familiar with Prelates to make themselves the Church And such a Church as that of Rome the Pope and his Priests or Prelates are the Church as themselves affirme Whereas indeed as Iunius hath well distinguished â— they are not the Body it selfe of the Church but â—â—ennes or swellings grown up and so incorporated into the Body as overspreading it like a Leprosie it assumes the denomination of the Body And such are Prelates who in the Church of England are Strumae great swellings like the Kings Evill which are commonly next the Head or about the necke in the most principall parts of the Body Onely in this they will not be called the Kings Evill because they claime their Originall from Christ as before is noted and therfore though they be but certaine Abscessus or Apostemes and so indeed Apostatâ—s from the true Church of Christ which not onely deforme the Body but greatly in danger the life thereof yet the name of Church they challenge in peculiar to themselves But surely the true Church of Christ in England disclaimes communion with such a false Church as the Hierarchie calls it selfe Secondly he saith that his Church or Prelaticall Government hath been in all Times and Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting Here he finely excludes all the Protestant Reformed Churches as no Churches of Christ because they have weeded out those * bittet roots whereby many are defiled and rooted up those plants ‡ which our heavenly Father hath not planted to wit all Prelates with their Hierarâ—hicall Government which being rooted out of those Churches the Gospell blessed be God and so the true Church of Christ hath taken the deeper and firmer rooting and brought forth the more abundant ‡ fruits of holinâ—sse But the Prelate in thus unchurching all true Reformists is as good as his word which he openly spake at Dr. Bastwicks Censure in High-Commission saying The Protestant Churches beyond the Seas were no Churches as having no Bishops calling Calvin a plaine Rascall But so long as those Churches have the true Bishops namely Orthodox and Sound Pastors to feed their severall â—locks it is not the Arch-prelate that can so easily degrade them from being Christs true Churches as he can deprive those Ministers both of Ministry and Meanes who are obnoxious to his Church-Goâ—ernment Thirdly where he saith that his Church-Government hath been in use in all Ages and in all Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting both In and ever since the Apostles times although this be most false yet were it true it would not therupon follow that this his Church-Government is either Apostolicall or jure divino or from Christ For first every thing that hath been in use in the Apostles times and in the true Church of Christ is not therfore Apostolicke or such as the true Church of Christ alloweth of For we read that the Mistery of Iniquity began to worke in the Apostles times and even then there were § many Antichrists and that in the very midst of the Church in those dayes †And if Prelates shall prove to be those Antichrists which the Apostles detected and described by their qualities as will appeare anonâ— then because such Antichrists were extant and their Church-Government in use in the Apostles times will the Prelate therfore conclude such were Apostolicke and had their Originall jure divino Secondly neither can the Prelate ever prove that his Prelaticall Government as now of later and of long time it hath been is any thing like to the Church-Government exercised by those who took upon them to be the first Diocesan or Provinciall Bishops in those ages succeeding the Apostles He that shall read the Centuries Catâ—lagus Testiunâ— veritatis and other true Church Stories shall find as vast a difference between those poore ancient Bishops both in their manner of life and Church-Government and the moderne Prelotes since Antichrist mounted aloft in his Pontificalibus as the * Poet makes between the Silver Age and the Iron Age or as the ‡ Prophet shews between the brazen brest of the Image of the Babylonish Empire and the feet mixt of iron and clay And that Image may well resemble the State of the Spirituall Babylon or Hierarchy which had its rise of simple and small beginnings but by degrees Successively it grew and got strength and both height and bredth and so became at length of a blind Brooke a goodly navigable River so as the Church turned a City of Traffique and Trade in all worldly pleasures and riches as Babylon is described Revel. 18. and so the more worldly it grew the more wicked proud tyrannicall lordly and imperious and of a Militant Church turned Triumphant as the Prelate himselfe saith of Rome so as now the Church Government of the Prelates in regard of their great Courts and Consistories and doing all things without the Presbyteryâ— is as much unlike that ancient
as there is a denyall of Christ in deeds But what it is to deny that Iesus is the Christ This is a point indeed very considerable To deny that Iesus is the Christ is to deny that Iesus is the Auointed King Priest and Prophet So as never any were anointed to all these 3 Offices And therefore Christ was said to be ‡ anointed above his fellows And for that cause he is called here o' Kristòs The Anointed Now then to deny that Iesus is the Christ is to deny that Iesus is the onely King the onely High Priest and the onely Prophet of his Church But to apply this doth the Pope and so our Prelates deny that Iesus is thus the Christ Yes they do First for the Pope it is manifest that he denyes Iesus to be the only King of his Church because himselfe takes upon him to be King over the Church sitting as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God as before is shewed Secondly he not onely sets up other High-Priests in heaven as whom he makes Mediators of Intercâ—ssion and so he denyes Christs High priesthood in heaven whose Office alone it is to make Intercession within the vâ—ile as was typed by the High Priest Heb. 9. but the Pope also makes himselfe the High Priest on Earth in forgiving of Sins and in Sacrificing and offering up a Breaden Christ for a propitiatory Sacrifice wherein also every Masse-Priest usurps Christs Priesthood on the Crosse And Thirdly he denyeth Iesus to be the onely Prophet to teach his Church taking upon him to be the Sole Oracle and unerring Iudge in matters of Faith These might be inlarged but I hasten And a word in things so cleare is sufficient Now for our Prelates Do not they too deny that Iesus is the Christ Doe not they deny him to be the only King of his Church by their usurping of his throne and dominion over the Consciences of Gods people in matters of faith and Religion by imposing their manifold Canons and Ceremonies as before is shewed And Secondly do they not deny that Iesus is the onely High Priest while themselves with the Pope and their false Priesthood take upon them to forgive Sins Yea and doe they not labour to come home to Rome in setting up their Altars with their Priests which must needs have a sutable Sacrifice some Host so as thereby Christ is denyed to be the onely High Priest who offered up himselfe on the Crosse once for all Thirdly and Lastly doe they not deny Iesus to be the onely Prophet of his Church while themselves usurpe the Office of being Iudges of the Sâ—ripture and of the Controversies of Faith making their Dictates to be received for Doctrines and their determinations though in things erronious in the Faith to bind all men to peace and obedience Which being so the Conclusion is that as the Pope is the grand Antichrist so Prelates are so many Antichrists For saith the Apostle Who is a lyer but he that denyeth that Iesus is the Christ He is Antichrist And thus we see how these hypocrites who are so Superstitiously and Idolatrously devout in their worshiping of the Name JESUS prove themselves notorious Antichrists in denying Iesus to be the Christ to be the only King Priest and Prophet of his Church CHAP. IX Wherein the Prelates usuall Allegations out of the Scriptures by them perverted or other by them pretended are answered AS there hath been no Heresie nor Hereticke so grosse but he could alledge some Scripture or other for the maintenance of his Heresie if his own carnall sense might be the Intepreter and Iudge So our Prelates though their pretended Title of Iurisdiction be in some cleare Scriptures so expresly condemned both by Christ and his Apostles as hath been shewed as were sufficient to confound them and put them to perpetuall silence yet they leave no Stone unturned under which they might find but some worme for a baite to deceive the Simple Fish And therfore where they find but the least shadow or appearance or resemblance which may present to their fancy and imagination some aëry Image of their Hierarchie that they set up for all men to adore Now let us see what starting holes they find out for themselves in the holy Scripture First they alledge those Postscripts in the end of Pauls Second Epistle to Timothy and of that to Titus where in the one Timothy is said to be first Bishop of Ephesus and in the other Titus first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians These say they were Diocesan Bishops ordained by the Apostle And here say they we have Scripture for it Ergo we Bishops have our Authority Iure Divinâ— To both which places I answere First That those two Postscripts are no part of Canonicall Scripture or of the holy Text For as the learned Beza hath well observed they were not found in the most ancient Greek Copies nor yet in the vulgar Latin Translation no not to this day These were additions of some Monks that were made some hundred yeares after the Apostles So as in Ieromes time they were not extant as the Translation that goes in his Name can testifie which hath no such Postscrips Secondy our former and ancienter English Translations though they have those Postscripts yet they are put in a small character different from that of the Text that all men may take notice they are no part of the Text Although our All-Innovating Prelates of late have in the newer Impressions inlarged their Phylacteries in putting those Postscripts in the same full character with that of the Text that the Simple might beleeve they are Canonicall Scripture Thirdly Timothy and Titus are no where in Scripture called Bishops Fourthly Suppose they were such Bishops as the Scriptures approve of as before is shewed doth it therefore follow that they were Diocesan Bishops Lording over the Presbyters as our Lord Prelates doe Let them shew us that But fiftly it is cleare by Scripture that Timothy and Titus were neither Dioceâ—an Bishops nor yet Bishops of a particular Congregation such as the Scripture commends unto us Not Diocesan Bishops for first as yet there was no distribution of Diocese that came in afterward And secondly they were not tyed to any Residence either Diocesan or Parochiall And neither as yet was the Church divided into Parishes Now the reason why Timothy and Titus were no such Bishops is because they were * Euangelists whose Office was to attend upon the Apostles and to be sent by them now to one Church now to another and that in remote Countries and farre distant one from another where they stayed no longer then the Apostles thought expedient having occasion to imploy them in other places as we may read Tit. 1. 5. and 3. 12. Phil. 2. 19. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 16. 18 19. and 12. 17 18. Col. 4. 7 8 1 Thess. 3. 2. 5 and in sundry other places So as Timothy and Titus and other Euangelists
humane Law and in their own Names as absolute and independent Lords as those Heathen Princes did Thus have they not with the Beast their Syre in the * Revelation made a perfect Image of the first Beast to wit of the Heathen Empire from top to toe whose whole forme and State of Dominion they set up in their Prelaticall Hierarchie Doth not the ‡ Beast which cometh out of the earth having two hornes like a Lamb but speakes as a Dragon which is the Papall Hierarchie exercise all the power of the first Beast before him namely of the Roman Emperour there described yea and cause the Earth with all that dwell therein to worshâ—p the first Beast that is to subject themselves to the Throne and Authority of the Hierarchie which is now invested with an absolute Imperiall independent power which yet they blush not to affirme to be jure divino and from Christ himselfe How can any thing be more diametrically contrary to Christs words here It shall not be so among you Yes saith this Shamelesse Beast it shal be so with us and this Imperiall jurisdiction we doe and will exercise over the People As they doe indeed Yea these Spirituall Lords do not only exercise all the power of the first Beast as of Heathen Princes over the bodies and goods of men by imprisoning fyning undoing of Men and their whole Families yea and faggotting also the deare Saints and Servants of God onely by a pretty conveyance making the Civil Magistrate to be their executioner as the High Priests having condemned Christ delivered him over to the Secular Power to Pilate the Roman Governour but they also usurpe and exercise a most transcendent and Tyrannicall Dominion over the Soules and Consciences of Gods people as whose Canons and Constitutions even their whole Canon Law written in blood signified by their red Inke like to Draco his Laws which for their cruelty were sayd to be written in bloodâ— are most cruelly pressed upon the peoples soules for a full conformitie to all those humane Rites and Ceremonies of their will-worship in their Divine Service as they call it A bondage infinitely more bloody and cruel then that of Gods people of old under the Egiptian Taskmasters And yet not withstanding all these things is this their Lordly and Princely Jurisdiction jure Divino from Christ Or are Prelates herein the Apostles Successors Were the Apostles ever such Princes Lived they in such Palaces Kept they such Courts Did they imprison persecute and undoe Gods Saints Did they make any Canons or Laws for will worship Did they presse so much as any one ragge of a Ceremony of their own devising upon the Conscience of any of Gods people Nay did they not expresly forbid and condemn it Not as Lords over Gods Heritage saith * Peter to the Presbyters Not as having dominion over your Faith saith ‡ Paul to Gods Ministers and People Yea this was also one branch of that Dominion which the Heathen Emperours exercised over the people namely to force their Conscienses in matters of Religion ‡ Darius made a Decree that none should make any request to God or Man for 30. dayes save to the King alone § Nebuchadnezzar proclaimes his Commandment that all should fall downe and worship his golden Image And Iulian the Apostata would force the Christians to offer sacrifice to his Idols or at least to cast but a little incense upon the fire before them And such as refused were sorely persecuted punished yea put to death And doe not the Prelates exercise the like Dominion over mens Soules I say even to the utter undoing and exterminating of all those that refuse to submit their necks to such an Antichristian yoake Nay doe they not fast Chaine to their Tyranny all Ministers that take their Oath of Canonicall obedience even as Temporall Princes take an Oath of Allegiance of their Subjectsâ— Only here is the difference the Subjects are by their Oath bound to the Prince to obey him according to Gods Law and the Laws of the Land but Prelates by imposing the Oath of Canonicall obedience doe exact of all Ministers absolute and unlimited obedience to all their Canons not onely those in being although they be both contrary to Christs Law and are not authorised by the Law of the Land but to whatsoever other Canons they should in time frame and compose Which was one great Coale that hath caused the Smoaking out of all the Prelates out of our neighbour Countrey Thus we see that the Prelates exercising the like yea even the same Authority and Dominion which the Heathen Princes used in all points over their People are here flatly and expresly forbidden by Christ himselfe So as their Prâ—lacie is so farre from being sure divino of divine Authority as that it is an open rebellion against Christ and his Kingdome and a very trampling of his words under their feet But it shall not be so among you Againe for the words in Luke The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so Ye shall not be called e'uergétai Benefactors or Gracious Lords as some Translations render it In which word or Title Christ forbids all such Titles to be assumed by his Apostles as are Heathenish or such as did set forth the magnificence pompe and State of Heathen Princes or such Titles as the Scripture doth not give to Gods Ministers Now it was not unusuall with the Heathen to call their Kings who were the greatest tyrants and oppressors of the People * Benefactors or the like in flattery of them Thus they did incrustare vitia parget or roughcast their vices as the Poet speakes And it seems the Popes learned of the Heathen this fashion of changing of their Names as if he were deformed to call him Formosus if cruel Clemens c. But for Prelates are they not called Euergetae Benefactors your Grace your Honour Right reverend most Reverend Father in God My Lord My Reverend Discesan My Patron and Benefactor Our Metropolitan Primate My Ordinary and many such like devised Titles no where to be found in Scripture but serving to bolster out their Pontificiall pride All such Titles Christ forbids to his Disciples here as elswhere also ‡ Be ye not called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are brethren And call no man Father upon Earth such Fathers as Prelates are called for one is your Father which is in heaven Neither be ye called Masters for one it your Master even Christ But the Prelates will say Distingue tempora Distinguish the times the Apostles were poore the Church was then but in the Infancie Swadling clouts might serve the Turne but now we that are the Successors of the Apostles are men grown and know how to use the honours pleasures and preferments of the world being cast upon us and being now promoted to be
in this point is notoriously erronious as both is proved before and which the Prelates own words here will sufficiently convince of fashood For first Christ left none when he went into heaven but his Apostles and Disciples such as he inspired with his Spirit to instruct and governe his Church But the Prelate a * little after confesseth that one of these visible Iudges Arch-bishops and Bishops are infallible Therfore Christ left no such Iudges and when he went into heaven there were no Prelats extant nor yet hatched and therfore Christ cannot be so much as thought much lesse beleeved to have left any such visible Iudges as the Prelate mentioneth Secondly it cannot be safe to beleeve that Christ left any such to be visible Iudges in matters of faith and Religion who are in their judgement not onely erronious but in their affections malicious against Christ and his word and his trile Church For the universall and constant practise of Prelates and especially ever since Antichrist hath been exalted in his Throne in persecuting the Professors of the Gospell doth proclaime them to be of the malignant Church and of ‡ the bendwoman that where of Babylon whose â—eed doth persecute the true Church and Children of God and therefore Christ would never appoint such to be visible Iudges in matters of Faith and Religion in his Church Thirdly the Prelate in making such visible Iudges besides Christs Law-booke the Scripture as he saith doth hereby deny and exclude the Scripture from being the Sole Iudge in all matters of Faith and Religion And the Church of England formerly before this her Metropolitan started up was of this beliefe that the Scripture was the Sole Iudge and Rule of Faith and admitted of no other Iudges to sit on the same Bench with it This the many learned works of our English Divines yet extant can abundantly testifie Therfore except the Church of England hath lost her wits and hath no more grace left her then the grace and faith of Canterbury she cannot be so madde as to beleeve Christ left any such visible Iudges as her Prelate speakes of Fourthly it can never be beleeved of any sensible man much lesse of any even common Christian that Christ would leave notorious hypocrites to be Iudges in matters of Religion who under a faire pretence of Truth and Peace doe labour utterly to destroy both Truth and Peace in his Church As here the Prelate names Truth and Peace as the end of his Hierarchicall Government but his practises doe prove him to be the greatest enemy both of Truth and Peace that ever Sate in the Chaire of Canterbury For first for Truth as the Truth of the Doctrines of Grace layd down in the Articles of Religion of the Church of England hath he not in the Declaracion before those 39 Articles but set forth in the Kings Name for all must be under a gracious King baffled it making the Articles to speake nonsense or in the language of the Delphick Oracle ambiguous that may be taken either way as favouring the Arminian aswell as the Orthodox so as by this meanes his Arminian Crew may prove their Heresies out of those Articles aswell as the Orthodox can the Truth Is this visible Iudge then for Truth Againe how doth he suppresse all preaching of the Doctrines of Grace by terrifying Ministers in all the Visitations of these visible Iudges So cleare it is that he governes for Truth Secondly for Peace What Peace I pray you hath either the Church or State of England had since this Polypragmatick began to stirre and stickle both in Church and State Nay what Peace hath the Neighbour-Kingdome had since his Arme hath been imped out to put his hot coale under the Eves of that Church also So as now when Scotland burneth is 't not time for England to looke out and to cast on water and to quench the fire not with more fire to consume all but by quenching the coale that both first kindled and still fomenteth the flame Thus we see what a Governour here is under a Gratious King For Truth and Peace But fiftly he addeth According to the Scripture This is something And yet as good as nothing for he immediately annexeth And her own Canons and Constitutions Canons enough to batter the Scripture and Constitutions to undermine and blow it up For what Scripture can stand in any force where his Canons come And much more where these Canons of his Church of England are seconded by his Catholike Church Wherein his Church of England and that of Rome are become according to his * own words one and the Same Church of one and the Same Faith and Religion And thus indeed the Church of England may enter Common with Rome in her Canons as namely in her Canon Law and so make Corpus Cononicum the Rule whereby to governe this new Corporation of the Two Churches now become one againe So as let but the Canons of the Church of England be seconded with those of her Prelates Catholicke Church and then all Scripture is gone in Common Law So vaine is it that with Scripture he names and yoakes his Canons of England and Rome by which his Figures of value he conjures the Scripture within the circle of a meere Cypher But Sixtly he concludes with this qualification which crosse not the Scripture and the just Laws of the Realme But first for the Scripture who shal be Judge whether the Canons doe crosse it Who but the Canon-makers and Canon-masters the Prelates And will they trow you turne the mouth of their own Canons against themselves Nay their Canons though never so crosse to Scripture yet are like to Darius his Decree which though against the Scripture yet rather then it shal be broken Daniel must to the Lions denne to try whether the Lions or the Kings Decree be more cruell So the Prelates Church Catholick Canons are like the Laws of the Medes and Persians all the Daniels in the world shall rather to the Lions denne then the Canons be reversed To give but one instance for many That Canon De Haeretibus comburendis Of Burning the Hereticks which is one of those speciall Canons of his Catholick Church and a most damnable Canon as any in all the packe and such as if Christ and his Apostles were now upon the earth and did Preach as once they did they should by vertue of that Canon be brought to the Stake as Christ was by the High Priests * Law to his Crosse that Canon I say though it crosse the Scripture as being against all true Chistians whom this Canon calls Hereticks and burnes for the Scripture-sake yet shall it not be for ever in force so long as there is one Hereticke remaining upon the face of the earth and one Pope or Prelate to discharge the Canon But the Prelate addes And the just Laws of the Realme If the said Canons crosse not the just Laws of the Realme This is as
Apostles to afflict persecute and oppresse all true Religion with all the true Preachers and Professors therof and so prove themselves to be of those of whom Christ foretold his Disciples saying * They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will thinke that be doth God Service And surely the Prelates grounding their usurped Authority upon Christ which they so exercise in afflicting and oppressiing Christs Ministers and people must needs consequently conclude that this their persecution is a speciall part of Gods service to conclude then the Parable as these Prelates have their good things here and nothing is left them but a ‡ fearefull expectation of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the Adversaries so as they shall not find a drop of mercy in Hell who would not shew a crumme of mercy here but contrariwise shal be tormented with more scorching flames then Dives by how much their wickednesse here exceeded his So Gods faithfull Ministers as they receive their evill things here and especially at the hands of Antichristian Prelates whose malice and cruelty against them exceedeth all other in the world so they shal be sure to receive a most glorious and unfading ‡ Crown of Glory which the Lord the Chiefe Shepheard the righteous Iudge shall give unto them at that day nor to them onely but to all those that love his Appearing CHAP. VII Wherein is shewed that the Prelates are no lesse contrary to the Practise of the Apostles whose Successors notwithstanding they pretend to be then they are to their Doctrines as hath been proved FOr the more cleare demonstration hereof we will consider the Practise of the Apostles in a twofold notion 1. the Practise of their Ministry 2. the Practise of their life and conversation First for their Ministry that also we consider in a double respect 1. of Doctrine 2. of Discipline Of these being to speake we will first consider the Apostles two wayes 1. as they were Apostles and 2. as they were Ministers First as they were Apostles to speake in a strict and proper sence they left no Successors behind them For as Apostles 1. they had their immediate Calling from Christ 2. they did * see Christ with their bodily eyes 3. they were inspired immediately from Christ with Apostolicall Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost ‡ which led them into all truth so as their judgement was infallible they could not erre 4. they were made the Pen-men of the Scripture 5. They had a power given them to appoint Euangelists to attend their Apostleship in the Gospell to settle and water where the Apostles had planted and where they appointed them 6. They had ‡ immediate direction from the Holy Ghost where to preach at such or such a time 7 They had their § Commision immediately from Châ—â—st which was to preach the Gospell throughout the world though the †Holy Ghost did more particularly dispose of them to severall Countries Now in all these respects the Apostles as Apostles left no Successors behind them For after the decease of Apostles and so also of the Euangelists some whereof writ the Gospell and some preached the Gospell and did other things at the Apostles appointment whereof we shall have occasion to speake more anon their Office of Apostles and Euangelists ceased So as never since they lived have there beene any Apostles or Euangelists properly so called Though in a generall notion all true Preachers of the Gospell in asmuch as they have a Calling from God being sent of him though mediately by the Church may be called Apostoli that is sent as the Apostle called Epaphroditus ‡ A'póstolon the Philippìans Apostle which our English translates a Messenger because they had sent him to him as they are called in the selfe same respect Aggeloi * Angels or Messengers and they may be called also for the same reason Euangelists because they are Preachers of the Gospell But I say strictly and properly the Apostles onely were called Apostles and the Euangelists Euangelists for the reasons aforesaid So as after their decease the ordinary Ministers of the Word which God appointed to succeed them in their Ministry were called Pastors and Teachers as Eph. 4. 11. and somtimes Presbyters or Elders and Overseers or Episcopi set over their severall Congregations respectively as aforesaid and somtimes ‡ uâ—pereta or dÃakoni Ministers of the Word as the Apostle often styles himselfe So as in the Second place we come to speake of the practise of the Apostles as they were Ministers of the Gospel whose examample all true Ministers imitating are said to be their true Successors But before we speake thereof one Objection crosseth us in our way which is this We noted before that one peculiar priviledge and badge of an Apostleâ— properly so called was that he had the Holy Ghost immediately inspired into him by Christ so as it led him into all truth that he could not erre in his preaching or writing of the word of God Now it is Objected that the promise of * Christs Spirituall presence and so of the Holy Ghost is made to the Apostles but to all the succeeding generations of all their true Successors to the end of the world Upon which promise but most falsely applyed the Pope doth build his Imaginary Infallibility of a power of not erring in the faith For Answere hereunto briefly First neither the Pope nor any Prelate have any thing to doe with this promise For they have no Calling from Christ as hath been proved and they are Antichrists and so led by another spirit to wit of him of whom they have their Calling and thaâ— is of the great red Dragon as remaines yet further to be cleared Secondly concerning this promise made immediately by Christ to his Apostles that he would be with them to the end of the world and that the Holy Ghost should lead them into all truth we must distinguish between the Aposâ—les and all Succeeding true Ministers First this promise was actuaâ—ly fullfilled to the Apostles so as they neither erred in their preaching nor in their writing of the word of God and the substance of all their preaching so farre as it is necessary for the salvation of Gods Chruch to the end of the world is by them left in writing to be a rule of our faith and the ground of all holy and saving knowledge Now then all true Ministers succeeding the Apostles in all ages and also all true Beleevers though they neither receive the Holy Ghost inmiediately from Christ as the Apostles did nor are any to expect to receive it in that extraordinary way yet all true beleeving both Ministers and People doe receive the Holy Ghost But how By what meanes The Apostle tells us ‡ By the hearing of Faith preached that is by hearing the Gospell which is the ground of Faith preached we receive both faith
and the Holy Ghost Now as we received the Holy Ghost by hearing of Faith preached So this Spirit of God doth guide us into all truth by and according unto the Scripture And as the Holy Ghost is as I may so say § begotten in us by the Seed of Gods word Sown in our hearts though properly we are begotten again by the Holy Ghost so this Holy Ghost is as it were nourished and preserved in us by and through the word of God even as the light of the Lamp is nourished by the Oyle or as the breath goeth with the voyce or word spoken or as the blood hath its course in the veins or the vitall Spirits have their Sâ—at in the heart or as the Animall Spirits in the braine when they are derived into all the parts of the body in the Arteries and veines so as all the members are thereby actuated and moved And as the Philosopher saith of naturall bodies * A'panta trephétas tois aâ—utois e'x o`pér e`isi All things are nourished by selfe same Substance whereof they are begotten or have their beginning or beeing So in a sort it may truly be said that as we begin Spiritually to live by the Holy Ghost through Faith by the Preaching of the word of God So this Holy Ghost in the severall graces and operations there of is preserved and as it were nourished in us by the continuall ministration of the food of the same word in our Soules Or in a word the Holy Ghost hath no operation in us either for instruction or illumination or consolation or corroboration of any Grace in our Soules but in and by or according to the word of God So as besides Gods written word there are no revelations of the Spirit to be expected in Gods true Church Secondly therefore the promise of the Holy Ghost to Christs true Church and Children succeeding the Apostles even to the end of the world is made good to all and every particular member of Christs Mysticall body whether Ministers or People so as in the matter of their faith and whatsoever appertains to their salvation they are by Christs Spirit guided into all truth being led by the rule and light of Gods word which to those that are in Christ never goes unaccompanied with the Holy Ghost For even as * so many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of Godâ— So as If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his So none are led by the Spirit of God but those that are led by the word of God And therefore as Christs Spirit dwells in all his so his ‡ Word also For these two are inseperable the Holy Ghost teaching us no other things but what we find written in the word of Christ To which purpose Christ saith When § the Spirit of Truth is come be will guide you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake Now the whole Scripture is Christs word this the Holy Ghost receiving from Christ revealed to his Apostles or as Christ saith †brought to their remembrance and the Apostles commited those things to writing as the Holy Ghost directed them for our both instruction and remembrance So as if * any Speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Whatever Spirit men bragge of not indurcing the Law and Testimony of the Scripture it is without light a counterfet Spirit a lying spirit And this is that very Spirit of Antichrist and of his Prelates who to advance their own Canons and Decrees and to cry up their usurped Antichristian Authority in taking upon them to be the onely visible Iudges in matters of faith as * before we have noted of our Prelate of Cantâ— as if they had the Spirit of Infallibility and were the onely men of Gods Privy Counsell and the onely Privilegiats not to erre doe so much depresse viâ—ifie and cry down the Authority and Sufficiencie of the Scripture as if it were a ‡ dumbe dead and blind Iuâ—ge having not so much light in it as is sufficient to demonstrate it to be the word of God but what it must be beholden to the Authority and Tradition of the present Prelaticall Churchâ—or But â— ye blind Guides § To the Law and to the Testimony for while ye Speake not accordiag to this word but contrariwise blaspheme the same it is a manifest signe that there is neither light nor ‡ life in you Come we now to prosecute the remainder of the former particulars propounded the second generall whereof is the Practise of the Apostles as they were Ministers of the Gospell whose example all true Ministers imitating are said to be their true Successors And first of this Practise in regard of Doctrine to wit in their Ministy of the Word and Sacraments First for their Doctrine it was sound and sincere the very word of God which they preached with all diligence and good Conscience exhorting other Ministers also to the like diligence and faithfullnesse in preaching as 2 Timâ— 4. 1 2. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ c. Preach the word be instant in season out of season c. Thus did the Apostles But doe our Prelates thus First do they preach diligently Are their Sermons any more then 2 or 3 Festivalls in the yeare And doe they preach sound Doctrine Nay as the Apostle there saith They will not indure sound doctrine they neither preach it themselves nor permit others And instead of exhorting Ministers to be diligent in preaching and teaching the people they flatly forbid them to preach so ofâ—en as twice on the Sabbath or to expound the Catechisine for instructing the People Thus they are enemies of Gods word and so of the salvation of Gods people Are these men then Successors of the Apostles Againe for the two Sacraments the Apostles administred them duly according to ‡ Christs institution not varying one title from it they neither detracted any thing from iâ— nor added ought of their own inventions Now doth the Prelaticall Catholicke Church wherein that of England and of Rome are both one and the same and doe professe one and the same faith and Religion as our great Prelate saith noted before thus Now Romes detractions and additions we all know But what hath the Prelaticall Church of England done in this kind 1. Doe they not detract both from Christs institution and from the dignity of the Sacraments while they set dumb Priests no better then Masse-Priests to administer Doe they not detract from Baptisme while they doe as much debase it in comparison of the Lords Supper as they doe exalt this which they * call the Great Eucharist in comparison of that Do they not administer that neere the Belfrey or Church-door the lowest part of the Church as they estimate it
none effect and they * perish with the using are good for nothing being after the Commandements and Dâ—ctrines of men they have but a meere shew of wisdome in will-worship and humility and hypocrisie in not sparing the body and onely serve to satisfie the flesh Arguments Sufficient to any one that feares God and hopes to be saved by Iesus Christ to * Beware of being Spoyled and made a prey as the word signifieth of being ‡ heguiled of their reward by such a bondage and Slavery Thus the Apostle so damning all manner of Rites and Ceremonies imposed on the Conscience in the worship of God so as he shews it to be a very Apostacy from Christ of such as hold not the Head with what face can our Lord Prelates the great Masters of all manner of Superstitious and Idolatrous both Iewish and Heathenish Romish and Antichristian Ceremonies beare themselves to be the Successors of the Apostles while not onely they erect such Superstitions but with all rigour impose them upon mens Consciences as a most insupportable burthen and intolerable bondage and with all severity and cruelty inflict terrible punishments upon those that refuse to performe the Tasks of such Egyptian Taskmasters Or how dare they affirme that they have such their Iurisdiction from Christ while in so doing usurping such a Power over mens Consciences they thrust Iesus Christ out of his Throne But we shall have occasion to speake more of this hereafter Thus we see in the meane time what kind of Vice-Roys of Christ and Successors of his Apostles the Prelates prove themselves to be in Lording over the Consciences of Gods people by their Superstitious Ceremonies and Romish Rites But perhaps they will object the Apostles determination Act. 15. concerning the Gentiles newly converted to Christianity that they should abstaine from eating of blood and things strangled which was a Mosaicall Rite To which I answere First that the Apostles in the § same place do shew that that burthen of Legall Ceremonies was removed by the death of Christ and buried in his Grave Secondly they did this in regard of the Iews which dwelt among those Christians for the time being for peace-sake untill the †Christian Iews were better confirmed in the faith and knowledge of Christ Thirdly they did it by the speciall direction of the ‡ Holy Ghost for the reason alledged So as that example being extraordinary and for the time of the Infancie of the Gospell it is no rule for us to follow now after so long a shining forth of the Gospell And I might adde this moreover that the Apostles did not this alone but with the whole Congregation the Presbyters or Elders and Brethren being â—oyned with them Whereas our Prelates though they confesse that a * Generall Councel hath no immediate Institution from Christ to determine Controversies but that it was prudently taken up in the Church from the Apostles example Act. 15. yet for all their prudence in taking up that which belongs not unto them they shew themselves very unfaithfull while they follow not the example of the Apostles in determining alone and not with the whole Congregation and therefore Christians have the lesse reason to captivate their faith to Prelaticall Decrees either in a Generall Councel where the Pope of Rome and of Canterbury are the rulers of the rost or in a Convocation where the Pope of Canterbury is Prime Primate Metropolitan and All who without the Holy Ghost which is never given to any such Antichristian Assemblies whatever they decree in point of faith or otherwise be it never so erronious yet they enjoyne obedience thereunto by all men as our ‡ Prelate affirmeth But he will not be so easily beaten off from his Ceremonies For in his § Epistle Dedicatory he tells the King That Ceremonies are neâ—essary for the setting out of Gods worship His Great Witnesse to the world that our heare stands right in that Service of God to wit the inward worship Take this away or bâ—ing it into contempt and what light is there left to shine before men that they may see our Devotion and glorifie our Father which is in heaven And to deale clearely with your Majesty these thoughts are they and no other which have made me labour so much as I have done for Decency and an Orderly Settlement of the externall worship of God in the Church which cannot be without some Ceremonies c. For Ceremonies are the hedge that feare the Substance of Religion c. And a great weaknesse it is not to see the strength which Ceremonies adde even to Religion itselfe c. So and much more the Prelateâ— Whence it appeareth that had he not Ceremonies to garnish his worship of God as he calls it the world could not see how right his heart stands nor yet see his good works because instead of good works perverting Christs word he puts his Devotion and his Devotion stands in his Ceremonies which he saith must not be too few for then they leave his Service naked and therfore to avoyd that he must have both a Surplice and Hood and Cope to cover that nakednesse So as all his light is in his Externall worship shining forth in his brave Garbe of Ceremonies as that of the Pharises in their broad Philacteries So as without this men in truth could not so easily see the pride vanity Superstition and hyprcrisie which lurketh in the Prelates â—â—re and bewrayeth it selfe in his many inventions of Superstitious Ceremonies the very Ideas and Idols of his profane heart And Antiquity was the Mystery of Iniquity if that will doe them any pleasure This we generally touched before in the Third Chapter But for the Second That the Prelacie is this Mystery of Iniquity let us a little examine what is meant by this Mystery of Iniquity This Mystery of Iniquity is opposed to the Mystery of Godlinesse of which the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 3. 16. Iniquity is opposit to Godlinesse but both Godlinesse and Iniquity are called a Mystery Yet in a different respect The Mystery of Godlinesse is so called because of its deepnesse and difficulty to be understood but by Gods * Spirit reuealing the same but the Mystery of Iniquity is so called because Iniquity is vailed under a pretence and shew of Godlinesse by which ‡ many are deceived § whose names are not written in the booke of life As Christ saith Many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many And thus doe all Prelates come in Christs Name while they pretend Christs Authority and usurpe Christs throne over his People And the great Antichrist is so called because though he be against Christ yet he saith he is for Christ as being Christs Vicar even as Antichristus in the Greeke is a compound word the Preposition Anti signifying both for or instead and against And so is Antichrist in pretence for Christ but in practise
also as in all the rest at least petty Gods Sitting in the Temple of God shewing themselvs to be so many Gods As for their materiall Princely Thrones in materiall Temples they have them set up in great State But this is nothing to that Throne which they have set up and wherein they sit and raigne over the Consciences and Soules of Gods people their multitude of Canons and Ceremonies being so many Laws by which they rule over them and so many bonds or Chaines whereby they hold them in Spirituall bondage And thus they sit also as God in the Timple of God shewing themselves to be God in saying they are Christs Vice-Roys and the Apostles Successors having Authority from Christ to exercise that their Iurisdiction and Power over Gods People who are the living Temples of the living God Thus we see all along how this Army of Priests as Gâ—egory and others call them the Prelates do follow their Captain and King Antichrist step by step in all his properties here described by the Apostle The last thing we propounded here to speake of is That Apostacie must goe before to strow the way to the full revealation of the Mystery of Iniquity and so of Antichrist which Apostacie was partly and primarily the Prelacie I say partly and primarily For partly the removall of the Imperiall Seat from Rome to Constanâ—inople by Constantine and partly the decaying and declyning of the Empire and partly the defection of sundry Kingdomes from the Empire made way for Antichrists greatnesse to which he grew not but by degrees and that through many Ages Yet the prime foundation of his Babylonian Tower was layd in the Apostles own times they labouring to hinder it all they could but not prevailing herein they preached and writ against it and so forewarned Gods people to beware of it And this foundation so long agoe begun to be layd was the Prelacie or rather the Spirit of Prelacie which had a time of working even while the Apostles lived and became to be as it were an Embrio or little Masse but did not receice the forme of a body till afterwards and was long a growing up untill it came to the full stature Now I say the spirit of Prelacie was the very beginning of the Apostacie which was Antichrists way-maker But how doth it appeare that this spirit of the Prelacie began to worke in the Apostles dayes And then secondly how will it appeare that this spirit of the Prelacy was and is an Apostacie For answere First that the Prelacie began to get life in the Apostle time it is manifest by sundry places of Scripture As 2. Cor. 11. 20. Ye suffer saith the Apostle to the Corinthians if a man bring you into bondage if a man devoure you if a man take of you if a man exalt himselfe if a man smite you on the face Now the Apostle meanes here of those immediately mentioned before to wit false Ministers whom he calls false Apostles deceitfull workâ—rs is transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ v. 13. 15. These as young Prelates would be Apostolicâ—ll men and they have the qualities of Prelates they Captivate Gods people as before they devoure take exalt themselves smiteâ— just Prelate-like And for brevity to omit sundry other places we find one pretty briske Prelaticall man in 3. Iob. 9. 10. his Name was Diotrephes and he did beare himselfe according to his Name as one of Iupiters nurslings his qualities are these 1. He loveth to have the preeminence 2. he receiveth not the Apostles and brethren 3. he prateth against them with malicious words 4. he neither receiveth the brethren and forbiddeth them that would 5. he casteth them out of the Church Loe here a pretty well grown Prelaticall Child a pregnant Sparke to make a Lord Prelate of For all his Properties are proper to a Prelate for a Prelate first loves the preeminence 2. though he pretend to Succeed the Apostles yet his deeds shew that he hates both their Doctrine and Example persecuting them in their true Successors 3. he receiveth not the brethren yea 4. he so hates the very name of holy brethren that he forbids all men to receive them and 5. he casteth them out of the Church he playes fy gib with his thunderbolt of Excommunication I might insist more and inlarge all these particulars but this may suffice to shew that the Spirit of the Prelacie was stirring in the wombe of the Church even while the Apostles lived Now for the Second it is no lesse true that the Spirit of the Prelacy was and is an Apostacy from Christ This first appeares by the Apostles former words of falling away first which made way for Antichrist And this began in the Prelacie for the Prelacy is the setting up of a new Church a new Kingdome turning Christs heavenly Kingdome into an earthly and the Spirituall into a carnall and the Kingdome of Grace into a Kingdome of terrene glory and the Church militant into a Church malignant and triumphant as before is noted and the true Catholicke Church which we beleeve to consist of all the Elect onely Christs living members into a new Catholicke visible Church of all nominall Christians tagge and ragge Papists and others and in a word the Church of Christ into the Church and Synogogue of Antichrist Is not here then a fearefull Apostacie and falling from Christ Time calls me off and therefore I must be very briefe I will adde therefore but one place more for the proofe of this That Prelacy is Apostacy from Christ It is in 1 Io. 2. 18. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Loe here is an Apostacie and it is of certaine Antichrists that were then sprung up even many Antichrists But how doth this concerne our Prelates Let us looke but a little lower and as before we found them wrapped in the Swadling Clouts of the Mystery of Iniquity So here we shall behold them in the very robes of Antichrist For v. 22. Who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Iesus is the Christ He is Antichrist c. Now what is it to deny Iesus to be the Christ Surely we must so take these words as we hold the Analogie of faith and so as they crosse not the Mystery of Iniquity which we shewed before to be a denying of Christ under a colour of confessing him Now then there is a twofold denyall of Christ one in words another in works So the Apostle saith of such * They porfesse that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate So