be the better for it or else they would not do it nay they think it to be no Church till it be done for till then there is in it no preaching at least no administring of Sacraments yet both they administer in private Houses Other things there are as churching of Women after the Jewish Way of Purification as we keep a Day about it for the blessed Virgin which God never required at our Hands nor she ever desired but all is our Fancy after the Pattern of Popery there are also the private Communion private Baptism Burial of the Dead at Sea there was also a Form about healing or touching for the King 's Evil a Popish Foppery too but now quite out all which we omit speaking to having things enough besides to discourse upon so we must proceed to a second general Head namely the Discipline of the Church Of Church-Government THUS having spoken of Ceremonies we must now say something of the Government of the Church which is much after that of Rome Triplicat art whitak cap. 9. Hierarch Anachrys lib. 2. pag. 45. in the manner of Hierarcy by Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deans and Chapters then Chancellours Commissaries Officials c. These have been the Steps for Popes to ascend upon that Throne of Iniquity which they now sit upon these are of Man's Invention whether or not the Design was good I shall not dispute but certainly it hath proved fatal Staplet and Scalting Two of the great Champions of Rome both highly commend and in it do much approve of our Constitution and Practice Those Offices in the Church which are of God's Institution we have them named in Scripture Eph. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.28 God gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers The Apostles were universal Preachers of the Gospel immediately called by Christ who wrought Miracles and were infallible in Doctrine The Prophets did interpret and expound Scriptures by a Divine Light having the Gift of Tongues and of things to come The Evangelists were the Writers of the History of the Gospel inspired of God or else Preachers of the Gospel called by the Apostles and attended on them in their Journeys Pastors also called Bishops that is Overseers were Ministers settled in certain Churches to teach and govern them The Doctors or Teachers were Successors of Prophets whose Office it was to explain Scriptures and vindicate them from the Errours of Hereticks The Apostles instituted Elders or Presbyters for that 's the true Signification of the Word who also are called Bishops though not always some being only to rule the Church others also to preach Men chosen by the Church endued with Gifts and Authority above others who with the Pastors took care of the publick Doctrine administred Ecclesiastical Discipline and in the Churches Name were taken up with the Vocation of Ministers Acts 6. There were also Deacons to take care of the poor to visit the sick to maintain Hospitality and sometimes to preach the Word These are all the Offices in the Church we have in the Word of God for all are reduced under these Heads No Lord Pastour and Ministerial Pastour no Bishop of Bishop or Arch-bishop that is Prince Bishop no Deacon of Deacon or Archdeacon This is contrary to the Rule of Christ so expresly forbidding his Disciples to affect any thing of Dominion or Superiority of one over another and indeed those Offices named in that to the Ephesians are sufficient for the Church as 't is said in the 12th Verse for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ All besides this is of a Humane Superstructure Rectors Curates Vicars c. are Names Things and Limbs of the Roman Church most of the hyerarchical Officers are not for these good Ends. Now Bishops which answer to Watchmen Pastors Ezech. 23.27 and Elders in God's Word are but for one and the same Office We see it clearly out of that place of Scripture where 't is written how St. Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to come to him to Miletus in the Charge he giveth them he saith Act. 20.17 82. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God In this Text we have the three Names given to the same Persons those he sent for and speaks to are called Elders God made them Overseers v. 17. for that 's the Sgnification of the Word in the Original and what in other places of Scripture is translated Bishops is here rendered by the Word Overseers though in the Greek the Word be the very same and amongst the Translators was debated whether or not in this Place it should be Englished by the Word Bishop but upon Consideration that it might prejudice the Difference they make between Bishop and Pastor or Elder they made use of the Word Overseer which could not be taken notice of by those that understand no Greek this by the by then these Elders of the Church of Ephesus the Holy Ghost had made Bishops them he charged to seed the Church and do the Office of Pastors so that in the 28th Verse Pastors and Bishops are but one and the same and here by the way I shall make this general Observation how in the Exposition of a Text three things are chiefly to be taken notice of first The true Signification of the Word in the Original secondly The Scope of the Author in the Place Thirdly The Analogy of Faith and Relation to other Places of Scripture The first I have spoken of the second here is a Charge of St. Paul for those Elders to perform their Duty of overseeing and feeding their Flock 1 Pet. 5.1 2. which St. Peter asserts also to be the Duty of Elders whereof he owns himself to be one The third is the Analogy of this Place with others as that which Paul writes to Titus For this cause I lest thee in Greet that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 6 7. If any be blameless c. for a Bishop must be blameless In the 5 Verse he calls Elders and in the 7. Bishops the same Persons This is the divine Bishop of a divine Institution for as to the Diocesian Bishop 't is but an Humane and Prudential Institution and there is no such thing known in Scripture as it appears out of that Place to the Philippians St. Paul directs the Epistle to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi Chap. 1.1 with the Bishops and Deacons out of which Place after Jerome we may say that Philippi is one Town in Macedonia and as now Bishops are reckoned there is but one not many of one Town or City but here are Bishops of the plural Number of Philippi therefore the Pastors and Elders of the Place are meaned which also
confirmeth it to be the same Office as we said but just now out of Acts 20. 'T is a thing I here have no mind to discuss Mr. Clarckson of primitive Episcop one having lately done it so well where he clearly shews how Bishops were but Ministers of Parishes as formerly Cardinals were but Priests of Parishes in Rome and to this very Day every Cardinal assoon as he is made hath with that Dignity the Title of one Parish or other in or about Rome What is said of Timothy and Titus being Bishops one of Ephesus the other of Creet is amongst some a vulgar Error grounded upon the Subscriptions of the second Epistle to the former and of the onely Epistle to the later But those do not belong to the Epistles but are Additions to them long after the Time when they had been written they are no Part of those holy Writings as it appeareth out of the Subscription of that to Titus where is a Mistake of the Place which St. Paul could not commit and is confuted out of the 12th Verse of the last Chapter where St. Paul desires him to be diligent to come to him to Nicopolis for I have determined there to winter if the Epistle had been written from Nicopolis as 't is said in the Subscription he would have said I determined here to winter as of a Place where he was and not there as of a Place where he was not at that Time when the Epistle was written The Truth is both Timothy and Titus were Evangelists who went with him in his Journeys and when he had formed a Church he left one to set things in order whilest he was gone to preach the Gospel in some other Place as to Timothy 't is clear when he exhorteth him to do the Work of an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 therefore in his Epistles to them he chargeth exhorteth and doth direct them how to carry on the Work he had set them upon during his Absence and then come to him when and where he appointed them Here I shall not enter into a long Discussion only in few Words shall say how after holy Scripture the antient orthodox Doctors as Austin Jerome Ambrose and some of the Papists as Hugo Cardinal Anselm Lumbard Cusan Johan Parisens and others whose Words upon occasion we can produce hold the Distinction between Diocesian Bishops and other Ministers Elders or Pastors not to be jure divino but only jure positivo or Humane Right hence all Ministers by Decrees of ancient Councils ought to have Voices both deliberative and decisive in Councils as Gratian Duraren Gentilet exam Cone Trid. Pag. 216. and Gentiles do declare this last alledging the Councils of Nice Calcedon and Carthage and others Hierom's Words are well known and very remarkable In Tit. 1. Idem est ergo presbiter qui Episcopus Episcopi noverint se magis consuerudine quam c. The Elder is therefore the same as the Bishop and before there were in the Church Divisions through the Devil's Instigation and some said I am of Paul others I am of Apollo and others I am of Cephas Churches were governed by the common Consent of the Elders If any one thinks it is only our Opinion and not of Scripture that the Bishops and Elders are but one and the same and that one is a Name of Age the other of Office let him but read the Apostle's Words to the Philippians Paul and Timotheus the Servants of Jesus Christ to all the Saints which are in Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Let the Bishops know that they are greater than the Elders more by Custom than by the Lord's Institution and that in common they ought to govern the Church And to Evagrius so upon these Matters Cyprian is to be consulted who declares how from the Beginning of his being made Bishop he resolved to do nothing without the Advice of the Elders and the Consent of the People Every Plant saith our blessed Saviour which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Matth. 15.13 to be understood not only of Persons but also of Doctrines but now we speak of Persons The Lord Jesus declareth by himself how every true Commission must come from the same Hand I am come in my Father's Name John 5.43 and when he gives his Disciples their Commission he mentions by Vertue of what thus as my Father hath sent me so do I send you John 20.21 The Commission is originally from the Father and by the Son to the Disciples thence derivatively to others any other Commission is wrong so void and null This same Commission gives an equal Power to all and is of the same Extent for one as for the other wherefore let Prelates shew their Commission of Authority over their Fellow-ministers sure we are their Commission is not for but against it Luke 22.25 26. If they pretend to any other we say 't is not right but null and is insignificant Nothing of that Lording Office in the Place where ordinary and extraordinary Offices of God's Appointment are named Eph. 4.11 A poor Woman can say that when the Messiah cometh which is called Christ he will tell us all things John 4.25 yet he never spake of such Offices of Superiority as Lords Bishops Archbishops c. He is our Lord and Master yet gives us a wonderful Example of Humility John 13.13 14 15. elsewhere he bids us to learn of him but what To domineer over others or to be high above Fellow-servants or to assume Names or things of Superiority no such thing but Meekness of Humility for I am meek and lowly of Heart Matth. 11.29 Wherefore let Prelates be satisfied with the Rank which civil Authority hath given them as to an outward Respect but not to stretch out their Commission beyond Bounds lest they give cause to renew the Complaint of King Frederigo of Spain An. 1300. Episcopi Ceremonias c. As for Ceremonies saith he and such things as do serve to the advancing of the vain Glory of the Prelacy the Bishops take solemn Care for the promoting of these but of the Government of Souls and their eternal Salvation they are the very Plagues c. But we must leave off the Discourse about Diocesian Bishops and shall not meddle with it any further However let them not wholly engross to themselves all Jurisdiction and Ordination the whole Ecclesiastical Power and the sole Right of Ordination whereof the laying on of Hands which is an essential Part of it is called the laying on of the Hands of the Presbitery 1 Tim. 4.14 which is a collective Body not of one but of many so that for a Bishop wholly to arrogate it to himself is a great Abuse so 't is though one or two more be called if it be done pro formâ and for Fashion sake which is an owning that that thing ought really to be so though it be otherwise like one who is made to sign a
instead of adorning them as pretended broken Unity under the Notion of settling Uniformity All which mischiefs might easily be prevented if they would be prevailed to lay them aside They are inconvenient conveniency is esteemed when a thing after the consideration of all circumstances is found at least to bring with it more Good than Evil but our Ceremonies by Experience have brought more Evil than Good They can do hurt saith Beza but no good God knows saith Foxe they be the cause of much blindness and strife amongst Men they have been and still are notoriously abused unto Superstition The sum of the second Commandment is that in the Worship of God or Ceremonies thereabouts we are to devise nothing of our own head or borrow any thing of Heathenish or Idolatrous Rites our Ceremonies have an aptness to provoke to Superstition and Idolatry in Popish Countreys the Cross is an Idol Now as God hath forbidden to sowe the Field with mingled Seed Levit. 19.19 so in the Church there ought to be no mixture of Humane Inventions with God's Institutions Ceremonies borrowed from Idolaters such are Papists are vicious and superstitious Worship therefore not to be borrowed of them The Jews by God's Command Levit. 18.3 were not to live according to the Laws and Examples of other Nations The words of Pelicanus upon the place are remarkable God saith he by this one Law would have them cast away and abhor whatsoever in Worship had pleased the Gentiles much more care ought Christians to have of this who being taught to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth ought first and last to have abhorred the idle unreasonable and deceitful Forms and Rites of Idolaters which if the ancient Bishops had well considered the Church had never been pestered with so many prophane Rites and base Ceremonies by which it came to pass that some Christians differ little from Gentiles save in the Names of their Idols This is home and to the purpose this was commanded for detestation of Idolatry because Idolaters did so the Israelites may not do so In Ceremonies we must strictly hold to the Word of God least we transgress either in number or in form And the like Command is given in two several places of the New Testament 2 Cor. 6 14. Rev. 18.4 to shew we are bound to the same under the Gospel as they were under the Law nay God therein looks narrowly into the things that seems the least only that they should not be like the Heathens Ye shall not round the Corners of your Head Levit. 19.27 neither shalt thou mar the Corners of thy Beard We are commanded to keep our selves from Idols 1 John 5.21 and from Idolatry and Appearances of it or to have any thing to do with what hath been or is abused to Idolatry Such as I said before are our Ceremonies and so because unprofitable unnecessary dangerous hurtful and inconvenient ought to be abolished But this is not all they are unlawful because Will-Worship which is so expresly forbidden in the Word of God Deut. 4.2 which we must never add to nor diminish from God commanded Moses Heb. 8.5 See that thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount The true Worship is that appointed by God and the false is that not appointed by God for there is but two kinds of Worship First True and Good Secondly False and Evil That is the same which he hath commanded This is that which he hath not commanded and certainly Man's Inventions he hath not commanded but forbidden Tertullian saith That is forbidden which is not permitted That is we must account that not to be permitted by the Word against which any reasons out of the Word may be given though there be no particular Word against it Though there were free-will Offerings whence they would set up Will-Worship yet they were to be of such things as were manifestly known to be prescribed by God's revealed Will and so not the Offering but the undertaking of it at such a time or in such a measure was left unto the free Choice of Men according to occasion 'T is no Will-Worship to pray thrice or seven times a day to Preach once twice or thrice on Sabbath-day to Pray and Preach are necessary Duties but how often that comes under the necessary Circumstances of God's Worship as to Time and Place Prayer is expressly allowed by God's Word and the determination of it as to this or that time is to be ruled by Reason and these are the things which fall under that 1 Cor. 14. Such things are allowed as accessary parts of outward Worship but not such as Cross or Surplice Now all Humane Ceremonies imposed and observed as parts of God's Worship are unlawful and this is the true question We must Ceremonise saith Pelicanus only according to God's Word and Vrsin all feigned Worship is forbidden all Worship which is not of God but is set up by Men when Worship or Honour is feigned to be done to the true God in some work which he hath not enjoyned And Zanchi saith We may not Worship God with any other Worship though it be in the kind of External and Ceremonial than that which he hath required in the Holy Scripture to be worshipped by us These Ceremonies are Superstitious and this makes them also unlawful Now saith Vrsin Superstition is that which addeth Humane Inventions to Divine Precept 'T is a Will-Worship which is more than is appointed by the Law of God On Acts 17.4 saith Dr. Fulk And Perkins saith On the second Command Superstition is Worship of God without his Commandment they cannot wipe off the imputation of Superstition seeing they judge them necessary in their use though indifferent in their nature Thus a Minister may not read without a Surplice nor Baptise without the Sign of the Cross but their Superstition appeareth the more in that they make them to be significant Ceremonies which we shall have farther occasion to speak of They divide their Ceremonies into single and double and threefold the former are those whose use is only for Decency and Order the others serve also for Edification by some profitable signification but if all circumstances belonging to Time Place Persons Instruments of sacred Actions be sacred significant Ceremonies then not only the Clock but the leaden Weights of it not only the Ground which they do stand upon but also the Rushes by occasion strewed upon it the Besom the Minister's Black Cap or Perriwig his Beard c. shall be holy significant dumb and speaking Ceremonies dumb because unprofitable speaking idly in such a place When an Image of the blessed Virgin spake to Bernard in the Church Good morrow Bernard good morrow he answered O Madam you forget your Sex it is not lawful for a Woman to speak in the Church Just so should be silenced our idle significant Ceremonies the more because the Gospel is the
perfect law of liberty Jam. 1.25 These Humane significant Ceremonies are in some kind a Sacrament which none but God may institute nay they wrong Sacraments for it argues them of some imperfection as if in God's Institution something had been wanting that was necessary to be supplied by Men when they are used to teach any spiritual Duty by their mystical signification they usurp a chief part of the Nature of Sacraments and without those Rites the Sacraments signifie the same things as Christ and our Duty to him so that every Humane Invention appropriated to God's Service ordained and instituted to teach any spiritual Duty by mystical signification is unlawful The second Commandment forbiddeth to make the likeness of any thing whatsoever for Religious Use Now significant Ceremonies are external acts of Religious Worship even as they are used to further Devotion and therefore being invented by Man are of the same Nature with Images by which and in which God is worshipped but only such outward means must be used in God's Worship which he himself hath allowed no means may be used to stir up Devotion and to put Men in remembrance of good things but only those which God hath ordained and this directly brings us to the question between Protestant and Papists who would have Images Crosses c. to be the Books of ignorant People and to instruct them in their spiritual Duty though the Prophet calls them teachers of lies Habak 2.18 and another a Doctrine of Vanities Jer. 10.8 15. and the work of Errors This made Dr. Fulk against Saunders the Jesuit deny this Argument That Images are profitable because they teach us good things for nothing is profitable in Religion but that which is instituted by God for otherwise we might bring the Gallows into the Church which puts us in mind of God's Justice Our Saviour condemneth the Pharisees for three things First Their washing was preferred before the Commandment Secondly It was Hypocritical Thirdly 'T was a vain Worship and Ceremonies become Superstitious when they are occasion of Superstition when we think them necessary as if without them the Ordinance was imperfect as those Washings in which they placed a Holiness and Signification even as 't is done in our Ceremonies which are lookt upon as Helps to Devotion as Papists say of their Crucifixes Images Beads c. When all is said this matter of Ceremonies brings the question so far as to Images in Churches and therefore they make use against us of Bellarmin's Arguments against Calvin And Bishop Andrews doth not mince the matter In his answer to the 18 chap. of Card. Perâ—â—â— reply for he saith the Church hath power to retain as Ceremonies of Baptism Chrisme Salt Candles Exorcisms Ephata and the consecration of Candles all Popish Trash used in Baptism This is the same Author who in another place saith That we are heard not because of the prayer that is made but because of the place in which it is made A strange infatuation in some Men when once they are engaged in a way of Superstition If God had not raised some opposers of Ceremonies most Popish Ones might happen to have been brought in again but as Chamier saith We are to regard not only what is brought in but what may be brought in for with such Authority is challenged the yoke though not certain yet wavering and indeed as to Images in Bishop Laud's time under King Charles Crucifixes were brought into some Churches and Chappels amongst others into that of Litchfield which made so much noise on the account of the Lady Eleonor Davies persecuted upon that same occasion To palliate the use of these Popish Ceremonies amongst us it must not be said they are not abused in our Churches as they be amongst Papists who can tell us pretty Tales when we object they have amongst them the Idolatrous Things Customs and Places of the Heathens 'T is true say they but they abused them to Idolatry but we have converted them to a better use to a better Worship of the true God Instead of their Mars God of War we have our Christian Champions we disown their Neptune but have St. Nicholas a Christian Saint who protects those that go upon Waters Their Pantheon or Temple of all their Gods we dedicated to the Virgin and to all our Saints and much more of such stuff 'T is to be wished that Lesson was not appliable to us in matter of Ceremonies we may say Papists abuse them but not we this is no good reason whilest in the mean while we have them in our Churches Let us not deceive our selves our Alteration Institution Intention or what you please doth not alter the Nature of the thing an Idol of Baal is an Idol whether in Babylon Jerusalem or Samaria So a superstitious Ceremony is superstitious whether in Rome or in London The Nature of a Ceremony doth not consist in the Institution it doth not so much as entitle to Decency The Whiteness or Decency of the Communion-table-cloth doth not arise out of the Institution but out of the habitude of the thing which if it was foul and nasty would not be Decent let all the Institution do what it could that the Minister should not turn his Back but his Face to the Minister when he Preacheth is not this Comeliness in the natural aptness of the action without Institution Is there no Decency in this Or can the Institution of the contrary be Decent The same we may say of People hearing a Sermon sitting or standing and not all along upon their Faces We know there is Moral and Ceremonial Worship but Divine Ceremonies as such are parts of God's Worship for every species or kind as it is a species is part of his genus Divine Ceremonies as such are species of Religious Worship wherefore we must have a care not to mix humane Ceremonies with those that are Divine What is said about Institution may be spoken of Intention Papists say the Intention in the use of Ceremonies makes them lawful or unlawful then they must be sure every one that useth them hath a good Intention which 't is very difficult for them to know they being not searchers of the Heart Besides we know how foully the Doctrine of directing the Intention is abused by Papists 'T is to be wished this case did not come up to us and we were not too far engaged with them in this point for to say Papists retain Jewish and Pagan Ceremonies for Superstition but we not so is but a bare Assertion and 't is sure we retain Popish Ceremonies I do not see why they should not amongst us as well as amongst them tend to Superstition We own the Popish Religion doth chiefly consist in an outward shew and superstitious Ceremonies and if in these things we trade with them and receive five we might as well receive five hundred and 't is unknown what at last we may come to The door is open
Several things might hereupon be observed against the Rashness and stroug Presumption of such Writers who go about to blame that which God approveth in this Man's Opinion Hezekiah was a silly Man who knew nothing when he might have done much better but trimming about God's Worship was not in fashion in his time yet he was a Prince not wanting to ask Counsel of the Lord upon occasion as we read of he did after Rabshakeh's Blasphemies surely he acted not out of his own Head about the great Design of Reforming in the Beginning of his Reign seeing he had several Prophets to advise with at that time as Isaiah Hosea and Micah he was one of the best Kings of Judah whom Dr. Morton blameth for running into such an Extremity as to break in pieces the brazen Serpent yet by the Dr's leave the Spirit of God saith this is one of the things wherein he did that which was right in the Sight of the Lord whether right or wrong let the Dispute be between God and the Doctor but without any farther enlarging upon this I content my self with setting down an Observation which several Years ago an ingenious Man made upon the very Words The meaning saith he is this the Disease of Idolatry is more easily cured in that Church which doth lively express the Face and full Body of those Churches which were infected with many Errors and declining in many things to Superstition than in Hezekiah's Church at that time most purely reformed To vindicate our retaining a Trash of Popish Ceremonies we could not but therein justifie that Party and make use of their Words and Reasons but not being therewith satisfied we go yet farther and claim a near Relation with that Mother Church which the Word of God calls a Whore and a great one too and I wonder why we should brag of being her Sons and what Profit or Honour we may gain by owning in one respect or other to be descended from her Yet it is too true we do it it is strange to see how fond some of our Church-men are of their Hierarchy and what a Pother they keep about the Validity of Ordination and Episcopal Jurisdiction that to prove they have it amongst them in a lineal and uninterrupted Succession from the Apostles which is a very high Pretence for they would some of them have their Prelacy derived from the Apostles to make it of a divine Right they must assert they have it by the means of Popish Bishops which is to plead the some continued Descent of Bishops as Papists do of Continual Successors of Peter and indeed 't is a wonder to see how the Author of the Conferences troubles himself and how much ado he keeps in the second Conference against the Papist to shew the Difference about the Validity of Ordination and the Power of Jurisdiction which the Papists would have to be two different things distinct and separable arising out of a different Principle but the other on the contrary would have them be together and the same Act that conserreth the one also to give the other and therein great pains are taken to shew that this present Opinion of the Church of Rome and Council of Trent is new and much different of what it was before that time 'T is very true one and the same Act doth confer both Ordination and Jurisdiction but why to trouble one self to quote a Legion of Popish Authors and to propose several Questions why some Popes did so and so But to what purpose raise so much Dust And all this in spight of Papists to affirm Ordination came to us by their means as if the Ordination which is amongst some forreign Protestant Churches was not valid because not derived from Popish Bishops which Communion of Rome since for these several Hundred of Years came to be so abominably corrupt with Heresie Idolatry doth not deserve the Name of a Church for the true Doctrine of the Gospel in many essential Points is not preached nor the Sacraments another true Mark of Christ's Church truthem and according to the 19th of our 39. Art the Romish Church is no true Church of Christ But what then of all this Ordination If we be so fond to have it of them we must take it for what they give it and no more that is for a doubtful thing in a word that the Nation is on a sandy Bottom for Papists who make a Sacrament of it say the Efficacy or it s really being so doth depend upon the Intention of the Priest Bishop or Administerer thereof So then if during that long and continual Succession one Bishop had not an Intention to ordain such and such then such and such so ordained were not really ordained and all since by them ordained had no Ordination at all themselves so could not ordain others Now who can assure our Bishops that going back so many Degrees their Predecessors were intentionally and lawfully ordained That some of them were ordained without an Intention to ordain it is very possible and that the strictest Papists cannot deny now they cannot give it better than they had it and to speak as modestly as can be the Case remains doubtful whether Ordination or no Ordination Besides that some Cheats may happen to have stept in during Confusions pretending to have been ordained though they never were Now I ask is it worth the while for an Uncertainty and a doubtful thing so much to stoop to or court the Romish Church as to say that whether they will or not whether their Ancestors had an Intention or no yet we are their humble Servants and have received Commission and Ordination from them When Water conveyed to us is through the Fault of the Pipes become corrupt is it not not lawful for us to leave it off and go to draw at the very Spring So in matter of Ordination and Commission to preach the Gospel after such an universal and abominable Apostacy and Corruption of the church of Rome who will give no Bread without Poison no Ordinance of God in its Purity and without insufferable Abuse and Depravation Are we not allowed there to leave it and return to the first Institution and purge the Filth of Human Inventions Additions and Defilement have we not done so in matter of the Lord's Supper Have we not done so in point of Baptism who of us would receive the Lord's Supper after the Popish way or have his Child christned with all the Trash and Fopperies by them used in Baptism The like we may say of Ordination when God was pleased in the time of Reformation in an extraordinary manner to reveal his Truth to our Forefathers I do not say they that had been ordained in Popery should be reordained again but for those whom God raised to be Instruments to preach the Gospel should they have gone to Babylon for Ordination where it was so corrupt No they betook themselves to the first Institution and so settled a
Ministry amongst them as at this Day 't is amongst most forreign reformed Churches But all this doth tend to unchurch all Protestant Churches beyond Seas that want Bishops because for want of a right Ordination they must have no Ministry thus their Ministers must be Intruders seeing they preach and administer Sacraments without a lawful Calling So the Marriages they bless are but Concubinages the Children they christen are not lawfully baptized and to shew by Experience this is the Opinion of some here have we not from time to time specially of late invited and exhorted several Outlandish Ministers to be as actually they have been reordained and so we set our Hands to what Papists said of them they were no Churches a thing as uncharitable as unpolitick for this hath been their only Way to get leave here to preach the Gospel and if a Popish Priest should turn Protestant here we would not so much as desire him to be reordained whereby we plainly own Popish Ordination to be good but that amongst Reformed Churches not so This is not the only Abuse we have in these Matters if Ordination and Jurisdiction be together and conferred by the same Act why then are they separated in the same Subject We have seen lately a valid Ordination deprived of the Power of Jurisdiction in the Case of the Bishop of London which at other times hath also been the Case of others 'T is known how the King as Head or Governour of this Church and excepted Infallibility a Shaddow of a Pope doth suspend or command Bishops and others to be suspended ab Officio or a Beneficio and sometimes of both for in many of these things we are so fond of the Beast as to make use of his Language as if the English Tongue was so barren as to want Words to express such things Whilest we disown Reformed Churches to be true Churches on the contrary the Church which is become a Synagogue of Satan and for all her abominable Errors in Doctrine and Practice we must own to be a true Church with saying she holds all essential Points of Faith whence they take this Advantage that then she may not and must not be charged with Idolatry which is an Errour not only in Practice but also in Judgment for we believe that as there is one God and but one God so he alone ought to be served with a religious Worship exclusively to every Creature and 't is sad to see how to defend that Diana Hierarchy and to shew how the Communion of Rome had Right to convey to our Bishops a valid Ordination and a Power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction we must whether or not she be so make her a true Church or else she could not have conveyed it but Papists do press on either they have not all essential Points of Faith which our Church-men grant they have or else they must be cleared of the Charge of Idolatry I say it again 't is sad to see them reduced to Shifts as first to say by that is meaned no more than that Rome owneth all the antient Creeds when those Creeds are but a short Epitome of the Articles of our Faith for several other things are implied therein but expressed in several Parts of Scripture out of which those Creeds were compiled and though they may be reduced under some of the Heads of these Creeds yet they want Enlargement Thus we see in the Time of Arrius when he had published his abominable Heresie what Enlargements upon the Apostolical Creed were made by the Council of Nice in their Creed and that of Athanasius so though no new Creeds were compiled when Nestorius Eutiches and such Arch-hereticks spread their Poison the Councils assembled against them made Canons and Enlargements upon the true Christian Faith concerning those Points And as this sheweth how the few short Articles of our Faith contain more than they express in relation to the Person of Christ the like may be said in Matters of his Grace which were so fully and clearly enlarged upon by Austin Prosper Fulgentius and other Orthodox Divines who did write against Pelagians and Semipelagians See farther what another Shift we make to come off with saying that the Commandments are no Articles of Faith I well know the Distinction between things to be done and things to be believed so as to say that to honour my Father and my Mother is not an Article of Faith though it be a Rule of my Obedience But that doth not hinder but that one and the same thing may be a Commandment and an Article of my Faith and we ought not to attempt to teach God how to speak in his holy Word None may deny but that to have no other God before the Lord is a Commandment and that not to bow down before the Likeness of any thing in Heaven or in Earth or in the Waters is a Commandment but also none must deny that we ought to believe there is one God alone to be worshipped and adored which is the first Article of our Faith when alas all these narrow Steps might easily be avoided with laying by the Design of holding a Succession of Ordination and owning the Truth in that the Church of Rome is no Church as wanting Purity and Truth of Doctrine and right Administration of the Sacraments according to the Institution and striking at the very Fundamentals of our Faith We may justly call it as our Lord calleth the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 Some who called themselves Jews or the true Church though that Name did not in the least belong to them So let our Friends to Popery speak of it all the good they can as all the Evil against Presbyterians the one shall never be a jot the better nor the other the worse for their talking against the Unreasonableness and Injustice of such Proceedings We appeal to some of the true Sons of the Church as none can deny Mr. Thomas Rogers to have been in his Analysis of the 39 Articles which he asserted to be the true Doctrine of the English Church and dedicateth it to the then Archbishop of Canterbury he doth not as some others slight forreign Churches but brings in their several Confessions of Faith to shew how they agree and concur with him in his Assertions in several Places he gives them their due Title of Reformed Churches and is not ashamed to quote the Augustan Saxon Bohemian Swevick Helvetick Basil Gallick Belgick Wittemb c. Confessions to shew the Harmony and Consent of all Protestant Reformed Churches against that of Rome Now those Churches are known to agree with Presbyterians not only in Doctrine but also about Church Government Worship and Discipline yet none of them is so unjust imprudent and uncharitable as to say they had rather to be Papists than Presbyterians and Dissenters Mr. Rogers calls the forreign Churches our Godly Brethren in forreign Countreys pag. 103. and the Romish Church the Antichristian Synagogue of Rome pag. 127.
are Breeders of to give them their due they are the Burthens of the Church the Blemish of God's Ordinances the Scourge of good Preachers the Brood and Hopes of Popery the rejoycing of the Prophane the Grievance of the Good and the Seed of Dissention so then it is an unwarrantable Presumption to bring them in the Case can be no better illustrated than with the Parable in the Gospel where the Lord Jesus is said to be like a Man taking a far Journey Mark 13.34 who left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his Work and commanded the Porter to watch The Church we must understand to be his House where we observe no Authority but that which is given and no Work but that which is left and over these the Porters must watch that no other Authority be intruded nor other Work be done To this belongs what St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 10.13 We will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the Measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us It would be very strange if during the Absence of the Lord and Master of a House some of the Servants would introduce other Rules and other Works to be done than what he commanded to be observed If such Attempts be so odious and against Rule and Reason in worldly things what must it be in God's House Thus much I could not forbear taking notice of in my way now we return to our Evidences Peter Martyr comes next who though a Divinity Professor at Oxford yet was a Forreigner born he adviseth the Ministers of Poland to keep such Order in the Administration of Sacraments as differeth most from the Toys and Ceremonies of Papists and if from the Heart we hated Superstition certainly we would do our Endeavour clean to put out and deface all the Footsteps and Monuments thereof Further he saith there is somewhat more hard I confess of those Garments they call holy and which somewhat troubleth me that I wonder they are so strictly retained and he himself refuseth to wear the Surplice for he saith when I was at Oxford I would never use those white Garments in the Quire though at that time I were a Canon I had no reason for it but that wich then moved and doth still move me and perhaps may justly move you is how that is not to be done which shall confirm what my Conscience cannot allow of and those things he calleth meer Relicks of Popery The Wirtemburg Confession saith it is not lawful either to restore the old Ceremonies of the Law or to devise new ones to shadow forth the Truth already laid open or brought to light by the Gospel as in the Day-light to set up Candles to signifie the Light of the Gospel or to carry Banners or Crosses to signifie the Victory of Christ thorough his Cross 'T is added no mystical Rites which carry some Mystery or Signification in them though not otherwise impious as namely such as should be Parts of God's Doctrine or kind of Sacraments but only because such Laws as belong to Order and Decency are lawful But why any longer to stand upon some particular Evidences we have with us a whole Cloud of Witnesses for beyond Sea Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bullinger to whom some Letters from Lady Jane Grey are to be seen at Zurich Danaeus Sadeel Chemnitius Zesperus Mullerus Chamier Musculus c. besides some we named before and all I shall conclude with several Passages of that excellent Epistle a purpose and by Order from the Elector Palatine by Zanchius written to Queen Elizabeth which doth begin thus Most Gracious and most Christian Queen We have not without Grief understood that the Fire of Contention about certain Garments which we thought had been quenched long ago is now again to the incredible Offence of the Godly as it were arised from Hell and kindled afresh in your Majesties Kingdom and that the Occasion of this Fire is because your gracious Majesty being perswaded by some otherwise great Men and carried with a Zeal but certainly not according to Knowledge to retain Unity in Religion hath now more than ever before resolved yea doth command that all Bishops and Ministers of the Church shall in Divine Service put on the white and linnen Garments which the popish Priests now use in Popery to the perpetual Disgrace of your renowned Majesty which thing being so I see not how your gracious Majesty can with good Conscience propound again the Garments in Question and other things of that kind smelling as yet of popish Superstition and once banished out of the Churches to be taken on again and therefore all things are to be called back as much as may be to the Rule of God and to the Former and Apostolical and to the more pure and simple Form of Religion Finally if as the Apostle commandeth we are to abstain not only from all Evil but from all Appearance of Evil to what End I beseech you most Renowned and most Godly Queen should those things be brought in again into the Church of God by the Prince's Commandments which are contrary to the Gravity of the Apostolical Worship which smell of the popish Superstition which do not serve to the Edification of the Godly nor to Order nor for Ornament except that which is whorish which lastly can bring no Profit but on the contrary many Evils to the Church c For though they be not evil or unclean in their Nature yet because of the former and late Abuse they are not altogether free from Uncleanness certainly it cannot be denied but that at least they will give Occasions of many Evils and very grievous Superstitions now the very Occasions also of Evils are to be avoided This is to tempt God We ought most Religious Queen to have nothing to do with the Papists in matter of Religion save in those things which they have common with the Apostles Why I beseech you were some things otherwise Godly reproved and blamed in Scripture that they had not taken away Temples and Churches for Divine Service in the Mountains or high places which were built by holy Fathers before the building of the Temple Now which is the better to follow the Godly Simplicity of the Apostles or the ungodly Pomp of Papists This recalling of such popish Garments will be a greater Evil then peradventure it may be seen even to the very wise Men at the first Sight therefore to recal these stinking Garments and other Rubbish of the Popish Church into the Church of Christ at this time what is it but to give Papists an occasion and the best that may be to confirm and harden themselves and theirs in their Superstitions and also to help them therein And who knoweth not that these Garments are a Part of the Houshold Stuff of the Romish Seducer and to bring them into the Church of Christ What is it else but to provoke God to Anger and
the Complement of some of our Bishops how he was the wisest and most learned King since Solomon's Time which Learning and Wisdom whatsoever he after God owed to Buchanan whose Principles he soon forgot here and his Friend's Kindness there upon ascending on the Throne he became another Man a Puritan that is one according to the Principles of the Church of Scotland was odious to him In a publick Declaration he allowed Sports upon the Lord's Day which afterwards was revived and confirmed by his Son and that made Scotch men say they had sent up a good King but thorough Flattery he had been spoiled and he himself could not forbear to say how glad he was to be here amongst the Clergy that gave him a great Respect when in Scotland every Minister was allowed freely to speak to him and may be sometimes allowed to tell him things which he did not like Here we had Hooker afterwards Bishop of Glocester who opposed Cap Rochet and Surplice and stood much against such things which Opposition of his made a great Noise in those Days so I shall not stand upon it but come to Latimer in his third Sermon before King Edward he said that the Lutherans in Germany made a Mengle Mangle Hotch Potch of Popery with true Religion meaning their Ceremonies Bishop Jewel approved of Tertullian's Judgment against Garlands because they were worn by Heathens and upon his Death-bed he declared he would not grieve any of his Brethren who were of contrary Opinion concerning Ceremonies for at that time several did so Pag. 412. and Dr. Fulk in his Repeal of Heskin's Parliament saith Jewel had no Pleasure to minister in Coapes for though he was a Bishop he might condemn some superstitious Ceremonies in in England as Cardinal Cajetan condemned many superstitious Ceremonies in the Church of Rome for when he died he said he would not be buried in a Church as we have it in his Life prefixed before his Commentaries upon Joh and the same Bishop in his Epistle to Queen Elizabeth before the Defence of his Apology he prays to God that she may live to abolish all Groves and high Places in England He was no great Approver of such things Bishop Pilkinton said it is our Fault generally that we differ no more from Papists in all our Ministry and Dr. Bilson alloweth and approveth those that cannot by any means digest one Dram of Popish Ceremonies As for Dr. Fulk he declareth that he which saith our Form of Service is not sufficiently differing from the Papists sheweth his Zeal in Detestation of Idolatry and in another place we abhor whatsoever hath but a Shew of Popery and in his Rejoynde to Martial he saith that the Ceremony of the Cross once taken up with good intent being grown into so horrible Abuses is justly refused of us and 't is reported of him that rather than he would wear a Surplice he with his Pupils went out of St. John's College in Cambridge and hired in Town Chambers for them and himself Mr. Perkins in his Explication of the Decalogue specially upon the second Commandment in his golden Chain in his Treatise of Idolatry is positive how all Worship all things obtruded under the Name of Worship without any Exception if they be not commanded of God are unlawful and superstitious Worship some other Churchmen there are whom we omit to speak of and amongst them there are of another sort who though they be for the generality yet they are against some particular Ceremonies as Dr. Whitgift against significant Ceremonies I omit the Testimonies of those who all along from the Beginning declared against Ceremonies because being Parties they ought not to be of either side Evidences or judges Now to draw towards a Conclusion of the whole we are loth to own the Reformation of other Churches to be as good as ours so we will stand meerly upon our own Ground and may not we upon the Occasion say with Solomon Ecces 4.10 woe be to him that is alone we make a Difficulty to own or joyn a thing as unpolitick as uncharitable with Reformed Churches beyond Sea as those that once were in France are now in Switzerland Geneva Holland the Palatinate Hessen Bremen and other Parts of Germany who agree amongst themselves and others in Bohemia Hungary Poland c. and with the Vaudois that Mother Church whence the Gospel passed into most Parts of Europe and such a Church as was never stained with Popish Abominations which no other Protestant or Reformed Church can say and so in no Necessity of Reformation hence some Popish Authors as Seissel Archbishop of Turin and others do write they were always Hereticks for by Authentick Writings of above 800 Yerrs ago it appears they as to Doctrine Worship and Church Government held the same thing as now do which is the same as in Holland and other Churches I mentioned but just now and we must believe they had and have the Spirit of God as well as we And 't is to be observed they had some different Instuments in the Work of Reformation though they corresponded and advised one with another so all these embraced one and the same Way of Reformation and we differ from them As to the other Way of Reformation according to the Lutherans we cannot commend it as the best neither do we in Doctrine joyn with them in every thing as Vbibuity Consubstantiation c. and in Ceremonies they retain more than we own though to say the Truth the Reformation in Luther's Time was purer than after some modern Lutherans having defaced that which was done at first As for Ceremonies Luther was against but kept some which in time he intended to have removed by Authority of Magistrates as Crucifixes Images but because Carolostadius stirring up the People threw them down without Delay that vexed him and stopped his Resolution his Reason was to stop the Mouths of Slanderers who accused Protestants of Tumults and Sedition yet in some places amongst them they have them not In all such things the Glory of God more than our Passions is to be minded which is not when under the Notion of Uniformity Unity it self is ruined and when Tooth and Nail men stand for such Ceremonies as ours as much as for the Fundamental Points in Religion which argues neither Prudence nor Charity rather a Spirit of wilfulness and contradiction you shall have and do because you will not Why do we say that amongst Papists it is held a greater Wickedness to omit Auricular Confession than to live impiously to eat Flesh in Fasting Days than to live in Fornication to work on Saints Holy Days than to act Mischief their Practice shews us the cause for they punish more severely the Breach of their Ordinances than of God's Laws if we do the like about our ceremonies if we refuse to admit or do deprive a Godly Learned Man and Laborious Minister meerly because he cannot conform and if we take in any
scandalous and ignorant Drone because he conformeth as it too often happeneth if Drunkards Swearers Fornicators Sabbath-breakers be let alone if a Man for not coming to the Offering or refusing to pay his Groat be fined or excommunicated and then the Writ de excommunicato capiendo be issued out yet in the mean time one who lives in open and notorious Drunkenness Whoredom and Adultery be winked at do we not prefer our Tradition before the Commandment For Abuses in things of this Nature I shall bring an Evidence without Exception a darling Son of the Church Dr. Andrews in a Sermon of his before he was a Bishop preached to the Convocation Truth forceth these Words out of him The Church Censures now a days do only touch the Purse Evil doers when they have paid their Fees return Scotfree if no Money then have at the Offenders with the Episcopal Sword presently at one Blow they are cut off from the Church and delivered over unto Satan proclaimed Publicans Heathens Anathema for the most ridiculous things and against every good Man these brutish Thunderbolts do fly up and down and only to be feared of the Purse so let become what it will of God's Law Man's shall be executed though contrary to Right and Reason Yet I think Man ought to consider that the Church is a Society in order to Salvation rather than to buying and selling or Depredation 'T is an imperfect Body except Christ the Head be comprehended and his Right of Ruling and making Laws asserted By these Laws he hath left us a Freedom from the Yoke of Ceremonies for the Body as for the Soul not only an inward Liberty of Mind and Conscience but an external Freedom of Body and outward Man from such Rites in Worship as have not his Stamp such are our Popish ones that are evil from the Beginning and most taken out of the Mass-book and the Ceremonial All this he saith according to Truth only we must add how those Popish Dregs we do retain are of the same Nature with those we left off and were by him condemned In every thing we perform about Religion it is our Duty to obey Ordinances and use the means which God hath appointed God indeed can work without but we have no warrant to think he will In this case we are sure to be tied by a Commandment and encouraged by a Promise if we go the contrary way it will be with us as with the People of Israel about Manna they were told upon the Sabbath there would be none they would not believe but try they went and found none Exod. 16.16 27. V. 19 20. They were charged upon Week-days to leave none till the Morning but they would do it but it bred Worms and stank So it will befal any one that goes out of God's Way and follow their own they shall find no Instruction no Wisdom no Comfort or if there be any it will stink be of no Use and come to-nothing let us take notice of what the Prophet saith Isa 1.16 Put away the Evil of your doings He doth not enjoyn to take away the Works but the Evil of them as if he had said sacrifice still according to the prescribed Rules chuse a Sacrifice without Blemish for the matter offer it according to the Rites I appointed as to the manner but bring also a reformed Life an humble Heart a Submission to and Conformity to my Ordinance and bring nothing of your own but Obedience from the Heart wherein hitherto ye failed It is a Sin not to do well and to do ill Ignorance excuseth though not from the whole yet from the measure of Punishment but in those who sin against Knowledge namely that God hath not commanded but rather forbidden such things 't is a double Sin and with a Witness many Stripes for the Servant who knows the Master's Will and doth it not and I think we may truly say no Nation was ever more severely punished than the Jewish because they sinned against greater Lights 't is not enough to know the Truth but also we must obey it This whole Discourse I can no better conclude than with some few Observations upon the 14th Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans I wish it to be read more than it is and what is therein contained better observed for it doth justly fit and reach our Case the whole being reduced to the great Rule of Charity great I may call it Rom. 13.10 for it is the fulfilling of the Law Charity now a-days is much talked of but little practised we are all agreed about the Speculation and Theory but the whole Difficulty lies in coming to the practicable Part thereof Which that it may be well ought to be universal in every thing we do according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.14 Gal. 4.9 Let all your things be done with Charity however it will never do if Men stand upon Punctilios and Niceties and say tell us which hath been told a thousand times what ye would have and in case we think fit to grant you some of the things you desire will you joyn with us as to the rest This is pertinaciously to defend a barren and unprofitable Ground and this kind of Capitulations do not become the truly noble Spirit of Christian Religion ye keep the Doors shut upon us do but level all the Rubbish of out-Works those Humane Buildings to make way for us to come into the Body of the Church which whether we come or not 't is your Duty to do and that once being over you have done your Part and if after it we do not come in you may lay the Blame at our Door but not only you keep Men from Church but also stop all approaching to it you shut them out of the Places that are accounted the Springs of Learning as Vniversities to hinder them from qualifying themselves for publick Service in the Church you will not allow them Wells to drink Waters out of their own but of your own not so much as allow them to draw together with you but upon such hard Terms and Conditions as are unjust and they cannot accept of Thus all Schools Universities Places Preferments Offices whether ecclesiastical or civil ye do wholly monopolise to your selves Well this by the by but to come to St. Paul he exhorteth not to despise or condemn one another for things indifferent he instanceth it in two things that may serve for all of the same Nature namely eating or not eating some kinds of Meats keeping or not keeping some certain Days which were the Dispute of the Times and though they may be indifferent of themselves yet by the Access of some Circumstances become unlawful as may be when Men stand too much and lay too great a Stress thereupon which makes the Apostle call it weak and beggerly Elements Gal. 4 9 10 11 and condemn it when he saith Ye observe Days and Months and Times