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A05383 The holy pilgrime, leading the way to heaven. Or, a diuine direction in the way of life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian pilgrimage In two books. The first declaring what man is in the mistery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ. Written by C.L.; Holy pilgrime, leading the way to new Jerusalem Lever, Christopher, fl. 1627. 1618 (1618) STC 15538; ESTC S102377 58,859 294

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had rule and government in their hands And that they had povver also of ordination and imposition of hands it is likevvise apparent out of the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy the first Chapter For the Apostle speaking to Timothy sayth Doe not neglect the gift that is in thee vvhich is given thee for prophesy by the imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie Here allso the Presbyters had the right of imposition of hands And that they had the povver of Excommunication and Absolution it is likevvise manifest from the 5. of the 1. of the Corinthians and the 2. Chapter of the 2. Epistle vvhere the Apostle gives them the povver of casting the incestrous person out and upon his repentance receiving of him in againe By all vvhich Autorities of sacred vvrit it is sufficiently cleare and evident That the Presbyters had the Autoritie and povver of government and rule in the Church vvith the facultie also and abilitie of ordination excommunication and all this by Divine institution and expresse vvords of holy Scripture hovvsoever this right and their due vvas through the fraud and deceit of the Bishop of Rome and Romish Bishops aftervvards taken avvay from the Presbyters Wherefore the Defendent concluded● That if there were any difference betweene Presbyters and the Bishop of Rome which hee denyed that then the Presbyters in dignitie and honour exceeded and that greatly the Bishop of Rome Romish Bishops for all these Privileges of governement ord●nation and excommunication are in formall vvords given unto the Presbyters and no vvhere granted unto the Bishops And for farther illustration and proofe of this the Defendent with many other Arguments proved That Presbyters were better men then the Bishop of Rome if there were any difference The summe of which hee desire●h this Honorable Court to take notice of ●hat they may more ponderously wa●gh the businesse in hand and see the vanitie of the information And for the Arguments in briefe they are these They who are most obedient to the Precepts● Commands and Prohibitions of Christ and doe most diligently obey the Apostles admonitions they are and so ought to bee esteemed more worthy and excellent then such as regard neither of both But the Presbyters are more obedient to the Commands of Christ and doe more diligently obey the Apostles admonitions then the Romish Bishops Therefore they are more worthy excellent For the major no man can deny that knovves loyall and obedient Subiects to their Prince and his Officiers just commands are to bee preferred before Rebels and them that regard neither of both Novv Christ and his Apostles have commanded That all Ministers should feed the Flock of Christ deligently in preaching of the vvord administration of the Sacraments and that they should not be Lords over his inheritance Both which precepts and prohibitions the Presbyters do more exactly observe then Romish Bishops for they neither preach themselves nor will let others and are Lords over Christs inheritance which the Lord Iesus and his Apostles have pe●emptorily forbid Ergo the Presbiters are more worthie then Romish Bishops Againe That name which is and hath ever bene a name and title of Dignitie and Honour is to bee preferred before that which is a name of paine labour and sollicitude But the name of Presbyter or Senior is hath beene ever a name of Honour and dignitie and a title of mightie Emperors and Princes and the name of Bishop is a name and title of labour and travell Ergo the title and name of Presbyter is to be preferred before that of the Romish Bishops For the major none that are truly noble and learned can deny And for the minor to omit many other places it vvil evidently appeare to any that vvill looke upon the ●irst Epistle to Tim. and the 5. There the Apostle sayth The Presbyters that rule well are vvorthy of double honour So that it is apparent enough That honour and dignity is contayned in that name vvhich deserveth both reward reverence● respect And in the same Epistle the Apostle sayth Rebuke not a Presbyter but honour him as a Father● and speaking of Bishops he sayth He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a good worke Hee sayth indeed a good vvorke but a work notwithstandig full of care watchfullnes toyle and labour From all which it is ratifyed That the name and title of Presbyter is a name full of dignity honour and splendour and the title of Bishop a compellation or name full of labour anhelation solicitude and therefore to be preferred before the title of Bishop being farre more excellent Againe That name which whensoever it is ioyned with the name of Bishop hath alwayes the first place and precedencie that name is most excell●nt But the name of Presbyter when it is ioyned with the title of Bishop hath ever the precedencie Ergo it is to be preferred before it For the major the adversaries cannot deny it For they conclude and establish the precedency and preminency of Peter before the o●her Apostles because he is often first named And for the minor the vvord of God declares it illustriously as may be seene in the 20. of the Acts and the first of Titus and the fif●h chapter of the first of Peter In all vvhich places the names of Presby●er and Bishop being ioyned together Presbyter is ever first named To all this Peter calls himselfe a Presbiter The same doth Saint Iohn as if all Ecclesiasticall dignity vvere placed in that name But there are many arguments yet remayning to prove the dignitie of Presbyters to bee above that of Bishops if there be any difference betvveen them For They to whom in the most difficult controversies of the Church and greatest dissentions the Primitive Christians had ever recourse and who the spirit of God did in a special maner assist and who made Decrees by which the Church of God to this day is to be regulated and governed and who the Apostles themselves made their sociats and companions in both Generall and Provinciall Counsels and the which had the next place unto the Apostles in their Assemblies they are more worthy and to be had in greater honour and veneration then the other Ministers of the Church which are neither by name nor place knowne in those holy meetings But the Presbyters are such and Therefore the Presbyters are more worthy and excellent then Bishops As for the major the adversaries cannot doubt of that vvhich bestovv dignity and honour upon their Bishops according to the place and degree they had in the first Councels And for the minor none can doubt of it vvho hath read the 15 of the Acts● and the twentyeth chapter of the same book But they that desire to be satisfied concerning this argument at large the Defendent desireth vvould read any of his books● Lastly That the dignity of the Presbyters may yet appeare above ●he title of Bishops it is thus evident Those to whom the Keyes
eternall life they testifie of mee And in the 3. of the Acts ver 22 23. S. Peter brings all men unto Christ to be taught by him not in somethings onely but that Prophet must be heard in all things and no other in Gods matters must be listened unto the words are these For Moses truely sayd unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto mee him shall you heare in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shal come te passe that every Soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And in the 12. of Iohn vers 48. our Saviour sayth He that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my Words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spake the same shall judge him in the last day And therefore doth it not stand with all good reason that we should guide square our lives and actions by that word and rule onely by which we shall at the last day be judged Paul in the 2. of the Rom. ver 16. sayth That the secrets of mens hearts shall at that day be judged according to his Gospell shall not all our doctrines yea and our whole Religion be squared and regulated by the same all good reason vvould dictate so They have Moses the Prophets sayth Abraham● let them heare him saith he Luc. 16. ver 29. We have Christ and his Apostles we are onely to heare them in all things not the Fa●hers not the traditions of the Elder● not the use customes of former ages if they dissent from the holy Scriptures and vvritten word of God For the great Doctor of his Church telleth the Saduces saying Yee erre not knovving the Scriptures Matth. 12. vers 24. indeed from the ignorance of the Scriptures commeth all error they that follovv the Scripture for their guide can never stray or straggle from the right vvay neither have they need to borrovv the candle of the Fathers to be directed by so long as the glorious Sun of the vvord shineth so clearly and it was the eternall praise and commendations of the more noble Bereans that they did dayly search the Scriptures vvhether the things the Apostles taught vvere so or no. Acts 17 ver 11. and Paul is greatly honored vvith this applause in the 26. of the Acts ver 22. that he taught no other things then those vvhich the Prophets and Moses did say should come te passe And so Christ taught his Apostles Luc. 24 that all things ought to be fullfilled concerning him vvhich vvere vvrit in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes So that the Scriptures alone are the Foundation of all our religion and to say that the meaning of the Scriptures can not be knowne without the Fathers is an unsufferable wickednes done unto that holy booke and an infinite contempt and disgrace of it to say it hath need of the ayde of man to support it Christ vanquished the Devill by the Scriptures Matth. 4. drove away the Saduces Matth. 22 and S. Iames by the Scriptures put an end unto the great controversy of the Churches at Ierusalem set the Churches of the Gentiles free for ever from all Ceremonyes vvhatsoever but those God himselfe had appoynted Acts 15. and onely by the Scriptures did Paul resolve all questions So that according to Gods ovvne instruction and direction vvhich must ever be obeyed and listened unto the Scriptures onely soly must bee the Iudge Law square rule of all our religion vvords actions Not the Autority of the Fathers not the traditions of men not the practice custome of the ancient and the name of Antiquity For they that shall preferre these things before the Word of God or at least affirme that these Holy Oracles and Divine records cannot be understood vvithout the Fathers do not only blasphemously disgrace and contemne the Holy Scriptures but neglect the great Prophet vvhom vve ought to heare in all things so that listening unto the voice of men before the vvords of this great Prophet accusing the Scriptures of obscurity and saying they are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks is great impiety contumacy against God most injurious to the Holy Scriptures All which the Prelats being so highly guilty of the Defendent will never be a frayd to charge them with it that they are disgracers contemners of Holy Scripture withall that they are very ungratefull to the King their master invaders of his Prerogative Royall all which he shall make also evidently appeare to this honorable Court and how unwor●hily yea prophanely they have abused not onely the King their now Soveraigne but his most excellent Father of pious memory And that they are invaders of his Prerogative it i● most certayne not onely by the Statuts Lawes of the Kingdome but by this very information For by the Lawes Statuts specified before with many others it is solemnly inacted That whatsoever Autority is here exercised under the King in his Dominions whether it be Spirituall or Temporall whether by Archbishops Bishops or any Ecclesiasticall men it is meerly in by and from the King and so ought to be acknowledged and that all jurisdictions superiorities all privileges and preeminencies spirituall and Ecclesiasticall are annexed unto the Imperiall Crowne so to be acknowledged And whosoever doth not acknowledge that all jurisdiction and Autoritie both Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth flow immediatly from the Kings Majest● as supreme head under Christ in these Churches and in his Kingdomes as the Statutes declare at large is ipso facto in a praemunire and under his Majest high displeasure For it is the Prerogative of Princes and the priviledge that onely agrees to Kings and Potentates to be absolute in their Dominions and that all other jurisdictions superiorityes exercised by any other in their Kingdomes are derived from them and that of themselves they have none but as from the Kings So that it is arbitrary and in the Princes power to have or not to have such jurisdictions and preeminencies under them And that they may abdicat or annihilate them when they please And whosoever shall deny this or clayme any right of Government to themselves in Princes Dominions jure Divino are delinquents against their Kings and Masters and by our Lawes and Statutes they are proclaymed enimyes of the King and his Prerogative Royall that is true the mouth of the Law hath spake it And therefore the Defendents booke cannot be called a Libell without the Lawes first be proclamed such for the lawes say That all such persons as shall challenge any Autority unto themselves in his Majest Dominions but from the King are delinquents against his Majest and invaders of his prerogative Royall his Highnesses enimyes and so they are Now that the Prelats are such they sufficiently declared it in the censure of the Defendent For he reading
the maner of his worship that must also bee as he commandeth not as wee vainly conceive For he hath sayd Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven image or t●e likenes o● any thing in Heav●n above or in the earth beneath thou shalt not bow downe to it or worship it By which precept for the very maner of his worship it is not le●t to our disposing that we should ●fter our inventions serve him Neither is ●ee to bee served any other way or by any other meanes then hee hath in his Word prescribed which is a large commentary upon th●t text So that no man that hath eyes can pretend any longer that hee seeth not the trueth And among all learned and Orthodoxe Divines this is accorded and assented unto● That ●hose that by their owne inventions as by Images Cr●cifixes Altars Ceremonies or Syllable● and letters or whatsoever other meanes serve him without expresse command from God goe about to worship him are Idolaters● and such worship is idolatry and of this kind of service adoration are the Samaritans guilty of whom it is sayd that they vvorshipped the true God and so they did in many things according to the Lavv of Moses and had Circumcision and the Passeover and looked for the Me●sias to come B●t because they added their ovvne inventions to that vvorship and brought in their ovvne devices vvith it and set up a vvill vvorship t●erefore the● vvere esteemed the enimies of God and proclamed idolaters Yee vvorship sayth Christ you knovv no● vvhat So that they that according to their ovvne pretences and inventions serve God worship they kno● not vvhat and therefore are idolaters and all such Divine vvorship as is not prescribed by God such service is idolatry Of vvhich kind nature is altar-vvorship crucifix-vvorship image-vvorship table-vvorship place vvorship ceremony-vvorship bread-vvorship ●yl●able vvorship and all such like-worship and indeed all vvill-vvorship and vvhether or no the Prelats be not advancers of altars and crucifixes place-vvorship ceremony bread-vvorship and such trash let all the Kingdome judge And all t●ese are Popery saving t●e vvorshipping of altars for the Defe●dent yet never savv the Papists so basely idolatrous as to vvorship a naked altar indeed vvhere there is a Crucifix upon an altar they bovv but never to the altar or table alone as he is most confident the Papists themselves vvill acknovvledge and therefore so grosse the Prelats are in their Popish performances that they exce●d them in idolat●y And so it is● that those that are most vainly superstitious amongst them they are in the readyest vvay to prefermen● and others of a contrary minde most contemned and vilipended vvhich shevveth sufficiently vvhat favoures of Popery the Prelats are Yea for all maner of Poperie they affect it defend it● mayntayn it and the Authors and abe●ters of it As for a president a base esteeme of Holy Scriptures preferring the Fathers Autority before them in vvhich they are as impiously Popish as Bellarmin himself or any other Papist They hold also their ovvne Episcopall Autority to be Iure Divino Likevvise they hold a reall presence in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that the Church of Rome is a true Church and vvhat hold they not that the Church of Rome hold●th not And for all maner of superstition they so advance it as no man that vvill not be superstitious can live among them or can enjoy either his Ministry if he be in orders or if hee bee a laick as they terme him his libertie Novv for superstition it is described amongst the learned to bee vvhen men doe any thing in religion supra id quod statutum est to be vvise in Gods mat●ers above that vvhich is vvritten and vvhere can any of them shevv their cappings and crouchings and standings kneelings and a thousand such Iackanaps tricks commanded in Scripture as they novv use in vvhich notvvithstanding they place all holinesse and religion and the neglect of the least of vvhich fopperies makes all men thought not onelie prophane but causeth unto them severe punishment yea utter ruin many times Where hath God commanded in any place to kneele in the receiving of the Sacrament to leave Christs example and the blessed Apostles and to follovv Antichrists his vvicked Disciples vvho are the cursed enimies of ●●e Lord Iesus vvhere hath he commanded to turne tables into altars and to doe vvorship unto them or to venerat the Table or the vvals of a Church or to turne their faces to the East or to cap and bovv at ●he name of Iesus As for that text vvhich is often abused in the 2. of the Philippians there is no ground in that for that impious adulation and vaine Ceremony for if as they vvould have it by that an outvvard vvorship of the body be at the name of Iesus to be yeilded then by the same text also there is a● orall and audible confession to be made in the publick assembly for as it is sayd at the name of Iesus every knee shall bovv so it is there likevvise sayd at the name of Iesus every tongue shall confesse Iesus is the Lord vvhich thing vvas never yet practised in any Church of the vvorld nor by the Prelats themselves and vvould bring such a confusion into all Congregations as vvould perturbat all Holy duties and bring men into an inevitable bondage and circulation of obedience vvhich could never bee ended and by vvhich the Heresy of the Entichites vvould againe of necessity be revived vvhich the Defendent doth not thinke the Prelats as vvell as they seeme to love prayer vvould vvillingly assent unto and yet by severe consequence it vvould necessarily follovv if that Ceremony upon that text be founded and this part of obedience the Prelats have yet fayled in and therefore have served God hitherto to the halves Withall this is a great indignitie to Iesus Christ to worship him more by one name and title then an o●her and indeed it is a meete mockerie of the Lord Iesus so to trifle with some of his attributes who is equallie by all to be honoured and reverenced beeing one and the same person God blessed for ever by which or in which of his titles soever his dignitie is expressed And no Kin● or Prince would take it we●l at his Subjects hands if they should slight any of his Royall titles or give lesse veneration to the one then to the other Neither is that all but he would also take it for a great contumelie and ind●gnitie done to him and thinke it not far from treason as he well might if his Subjects should give equall reverence and honour to any of his Subjects that they doe to him much more if they should honour his greatest enimie with the same veneration that they doe him Yet all this is perpetrated by this idle Ceremonie against the Lord Iesus and that Divine Honour which is given to God himse●fe is given not onely to his Servants