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
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-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-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
Church-Government of those Bishops of old as our moderne Prelates themselves are unlike them in manner of life for these are persecuters of the Gospel those were persecuted and suffered Martyrdome for Christ Thus it is false that he saith that the Church-Government now in England was in usâ— in the Primitive Church For to instance in one thing In those ancient Times Excommunication was not used for every trifle nor done in a blind Court nor denounced by a dumb Priest But enough of this Fourthly whereas he saith And yet the Seperatist condemnes her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline First as for the Seperatist as he calls him I thinke the Prelate with this his Book and other his Prelaticall practises hath made more Separatists from his Prelaticall Church of England then ever any that hath sit in the Chaire of Canterbury ever since his Predecessor Augustine first sate in it Nor doe I see how any Christian living in England can with a safe Conscience have communion with that Church which professeth as the Prelate doth in her Name to be one and the Same Church with Rome of one and the Same Faith and Religion Yea were it no more but that the Church of England professeth to be a Hierarchicall or Prelaticall Church which in that very respect is no true Church of Christ it were argument and cause sufficient to Seperate from her And that because Secondly he that is a true Seperatist from her for the former respects may justly condemne her for Antichristianisme in her Discipline For first She exerciseth She professeth no other Discipline but that which Antichrist the Pope and the whole Antichristian Romish Church exerciseth and professeth and that in all points Cap a pied from top to toe And this her Discipline is Antichristian as being of Antichrist and so against Christ and exercised in the maintenance of Antichrist For instance The Prelaticall Church of England hath lately found out a Discipline to censure punish imprison fine excommunicate degrade deprive and all these together him that shall dare to deny the Pope and Prelates to be jure divino Dr. Bastwicke did thus and so the High-Commission served him as aforesaid What Discipline then in the world can be more Antichirstian or more forcible to drive Christians from having any more communion with that Church which exercising such an Antichristian Discipline how can She shift off the just condemnation of Antichristianisme which they shall cast upon her Againe Secondly the whole Discipline of the Church of England as it is the Discipline which Antichrist and his Church exerciseth and therfore Antichristian So it is that which hath no footing but is expresly forbidden in the word of God as Antichristian and Tyrannicall For the Church of Englands Discipline stands most upon the imposition of sundry Ceremonies of humane invention and Antichristian observation which She presseth upon all mens Consciences and for default of Conformity layes grievous Censures upon them as Excommunication and the like Now all such Ceremonies so imposed both Christ himselfe condemneth * In vaine they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men and the Apostle also throughout that whole Chapter of the Epistle to the Collossians doth charge Christians not to put their necks under any such yoake as whereby they are deprived of the benefit of Christs death and beguiled of their reward and spoyled of their Christian liberty and the like Againe the Prelates in imposing their Ceremonies are Antichristian because in so doing they usurpe Christs throne and therein fitting doe exercise a Tyranny over mens Consciences intolerable to be borne which if men will not yeeld unto they doe in as much as in them lyeth make them Anathemaes shut them out of the Church by Excommunication c. And lastly their Excommunication not onely in regard of the matter and cause for which it is namely because men will not renounce Christs service to take the Tyrannicall yoake of Antichrists Ceremonies upon the shoulders of their Consciences but for the very manner of it as it is used in the Church of England is a Discipline Antichristian as being against that form of Excommunication which is prescribed in the word of God and was practised in the Apostolicall Churches It was Christs rule Tell it to the Church that is to the Congregation and if the Offender will not heare the Congregation he is Excommunicate by and out of the Congregation And the Apostles rule is for such Offenders as deserve Excommunication * I verily saith he as absent in body but present in Spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed In the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Whence I note that Excommunication is a Solemne businesse not to be inflicted for every trifling matter much lesse as the Pharisees did who excommunicated all those that confessed Christ nor to be done in a blind Court and by a single soled Priest nor the Offender to be released for the payment of his fees or by way of committing or the like all which are practised in the Discipline of the Church of England But Excommunication must not be but for a great offence nor done but by the whole Congregation nor released but upon the publique repentance confession and promise of reformation before the said Congregation where the offence was given and by whom the penalty is taken off Therfore the Discipline of the Church of England in this case is wholly Antichristian Lastly forasmuch as Prelates doe necessarily draw after them a Traine of Ceremonies as a Chaine of so many links wherwith they captivate ensnare and enslave the Consciences of men as their Motto is No Ceremonie no Bishop for they goe inseperably together like Tobie and his Dogge and the Church of England in her Discipline and Church-Service is wholly captivated by the Masters of such Ceremonies the Prelates and some Ceremonies are such as even doe deny the Lord that bought them as namely Altars and their Service and all the Ceremonies imposed upon the Conscience deny Christ to be the onely King of his Church all these taken together what between the Prelates and between their Ceremonies the Church of England and her Discipline is become Antichristian and therfore no marvail if for this cause good Christians that have knowledge and make Conscience doe Seperate from communion with any such Church CHAP. V. Wherein some other Passages of the Prelate are taken tripping though he would run away with it That his Hierarchie is Jure Divino HE saith * For the Calling and Authority of Bishops over the inferiour Clergie that was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of unity and Peace in the Church And so
much St. Jerome tells us Though being none himselfe he was no great friend to Bishops And this was so seiâ—ed in the minds of men from the very Infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been to that time contradicted by any So that then there was no Controversie about the Calling The difficulty was to accommodate their Precedenciesâ— And the ‡ Ordine Primus whereof there was a necessity falling to the Roman Prelate by reason of the Imperiall Seat this was the very fountaine of Papall Greatnesse the Pope having his Residence in the Imperiall City So he Now for Answere hereunto First for the Authority of Bishops or Prelats over the Inferiour Clergie as he calls it first he must prove their Calling before he can make good their Authority Now Prelates have no such Calling from God And the Apostle saith ‡ No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron So Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec But that the Prelates have no such Calling from God the Prelate himselfe as before is noted doth as good as confesse saying § Among Bishops there was effectuall Subjection respectively grounded upon Canon and Posuive Law in their Severall Quarters Ergo this was not jure divino And if not where is their Authority then And therfore as the Prelate saith of the Popes Supremacy in being the Sole Living Iudge in and over the universall Church †Neither saith he hath he power from Christ over the whole Church to doe it nay out of all doubt 't is not the least Reason why De Facto he hath so little Successe because De Jure he hath no Power given So I may say as truly of all Prelates who challenge to be the living visible Iudges as before is shewed which is one maine part of their usurped Authority over the Ministry that they have no such Power from Christ over their severall Diocese Provinces or Quarters to doe it nay out of all doubt 't is not the least Reason why De Facto they have so little Successe because De Jure they have no Power given According to that in the Prophet * Behold saith the Lord I am against the Prophets that steale my word every one from his Neighbour Behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say He Saith Behold I am against them that prophecie false dreames saith the Lord and doe tell them and cause my people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord And this is the very case of the Prelates they are faise Prophets they steale Gods word from the people of God and instead thereof use their own word prophecying false dreames saying The Lord saith the Lord hath sent us we have our Calling and Authority from God over all Ministers we are the sole living visible Iudges in matters of Faith and Religion so as all must rest in our Iudgement according to our own Canons and Constitutions c. thus causing simple people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse yet the Lord hath not sent them nor commanded them they have no Calling and so no Power and Authority from God and therfore the Lord is against these false Prophets and because he hath not commanded them nor sent them therfore they shall not profit the people at all But Secondly the Prelate saith that his Prelaticall Iurisdiction over the inferiour Clergie was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of unity and Peace in the Church Now first for his Inferiour Clergie Clergie being appropriated to the Ministry is an abusive Monopoly and usurpation for all Gods people redeemed by Christ are his kleros his Lot or â—nheritance whereof the word Clergie is derived As Peter saith writing to the Presbyters ‡ Not as Lording over tâ—n kleron Gods heritage but as ensamples to the flocke So that the flocke of God are his kleros his heritage But to passe over this Secondly he tells us of an Inferiour Clergie he meanes his Priests and the rest as Archdeacons and so forth to the number of 7 Orders as they call them A rabble of Orders not unsutable to the Subjects of a Lord Prelate as being all of them of humane devise and institution of which their Hierarcâ—ie is made up another word of mans invention which some call rather ‡ Hierodoulia but what holy Orders Christ hath left in his Church we shall see anon Thirdly this was saith he a thing of known use and benefit Of the known use we have formerly spoken But now what 's the benefit Namely for the preservation of unity and peace in the Church How proves he this From S. Ierome who said That one was chosen over the rest in Sckismatis remedium to remedy Schisme in the Church But by the way these very words of Ierome doe argue that Prelates were of humane Institution for unus electus est one was chosen I â—rgo of men But lerome speaks more expresly which the Prelate wisely passeth over dry foot where he saith that Prelacy was set up humana praesumptione non Institutione Divina by humane Presumption and not by Divine Institution Well but had it that successe the Prelate speaks of Did it produce the fruitfull benefit of unity and Peaâ—e Or what unity Or what peace Indeed we find by wofull proof that this Hierarchy was the very egge of which the Cockatrice Antichrist was hatched so as the Hierarchy consisting of so many Prelates grew at length coâ—lescere to grow together into one Antichrists â—n body whereof the Ordine Primus came to be the head And herein unity and Peace are so conjoyned as they have made up one intire new Catholicke Church that whereof the Prelate professeth himselfe with the Church of England and of Rome and all other Prelaticall Churches in the world all other not Prelaticall as the Reformed Protestants beyond the Seas excluded as before is noted to be in all which this his Catholick Church as * elswhere he saith hath its existence Which Prelaticall Catholicke Church is the verâ—head and body of Antichrist Even as the Prelate tells us that the Ordine Primus the Roman Prelate having his Throne in Rome This saith he was the very fountaine of Papall Greatnesse So I may say The Prelacie or Hierarchie was the very fountaineâ— whenâ—e hath issued the maine Ocean of thâ—se ‡ many waters over which the Whore sitteth which though it be distinguished into many severall Seas of so many Prelates yes all make up but one Maine Sea as it were one Catholicke Church And this is that unity and Peace the benefit of both the constitution and preservation
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