gained to it when as they commanded the Parishes to buy it and then sells it them again that the Priest must have an offering at Easter also a token of a piece of lead a token that they are at unity with the Priest or else they may not have their bread and wine again for which they paid before and this hath been called a great mystery CHAP. XII Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and the Gospel BEfore the Law was given forth there were divers did offer sacrifice and buidled Altars unto the Lord as Seth Abel Melchizedeck Abraham Isaac and Jacob who pere guiders and directers of People in the way of righteousness who instructed their Families in the fear of the Lord But after the Law was given forth Aaron and his Sons and they were to offer sacrifice according to the command of the Lord and to perform the worship that God had appointed For that time and age at the Tabernacle and Temple there was Levites who bore the Ark and looked to the vessels and pitched the Camp and divâ—â— other services as singers and readers of the Law and Prophets on their Sabbath dayes and Porters and the like and all these petrained to the first Covenant and Priesthood which was to have an end both the Priesthood and the Law and the service thereof for it was but to continue till the substance came Now Christ being come the end of the Law for righteousness unto all that beleive made after the order of Melchizedeck and not by a carnal commandment he offered up himself once for all and became the Author of eternal Salvation unto them that believe put an end to the first Worship and Priest-hood Before he was offered up he chose Disciples unto him Twelve and also Seventy and endued them with Power and many did Believe through their words and they were not Men of great parts but as they were sitted by the Holy Ghost that gave them utterance and they were sent out not to Preach the Law but the Word of the Kingdom and many did Believe and grew and were confirmed in the Faith and after Christs Ascention the Holy Ghost was Poured forth upon them in a more ample manner and it did bring to their remembrance as Christ had foretold and they received great Gifts for the work of the Ministry some were Prophets some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and all made Ministers by the Spirit for the work whereunto they were chosen and many were converted and did believe then they that had the Word of God to publish travelled as they were led and Moved by the Spirit to publish the glad tydings of the Gospel and when the Believers were many and many young in the Faith they ordained Overseers or Bishops or Elders who were sound in the Faith to watch over them that were begotten but mark they were approved men and Faithful and of blameless lives not given to covetousness neither did tirannize over them in rigour but were apt to teach and instruct in love and gentelness and they that had been Ancient Laborers in Gods Work did so who had received a Gift to Minister unto others and as to be helpers in the Work of the Gospel and all that were ordained were ordained by the Holy Ghost although its true they had the consent of the Brethren and the Church in that thing and there were also Deacons ordained which served to look to the Widows and for the Ministration of the Poor and these were faithful men and had also a gift Stephen was one full of the Holy Ghost and these were helps unto the Apostles also theâ—e were some Faithful Widows who were examples to younger men and to instruct them and to be patterns unto them and all was as a body knit together in love and served the Lord and strengthened one another in the faith and served one another in love and all these forementioned served the Lord freely and willingly and not for rewards and gifts and benefices and earthly things this was the state and glory of the Church in that time in short and these are the Ministers we read of in the Primitive times But since the Apostacy hath entered in and the Power hath been denied of Godliness there is such a numberless number of names crept in we never heard of then and so many offices and yet none of that work done which the Ministers of Christ did but certain new invented things brought in for worship and service and the power despised and men seeking offices and great titles and great benefits and great revenues and the heritage of God is laid waste and the earth become like a wildernesse unplanted with good and the sheep is scattered And so all may compare these ensuing names and offâ—es with the Apostles dayes and the primitive Church and see if they be alike First of all The Pope his holiness Christs Vicar universal Bishop Metropolitan Bishop Lord Cardinals which were but Priests at the first ordained to baptize the Heathen who came to Rome when the seat thereof began to be had in honour but now they are swelled big and become Princes and the only men to govern States also Monks of divers orders and Friars of divers orders Hieroms order of Austins order Gregorys order Carmalite Friars Cross or Crouchet Fryors of Dominicks order of S. Frances order Benets order and all of these orders sprung up and were ordained in the midnight of darkness within this four hundred years at the most as were easily proved and Trinity order and Brigandine order of Jesuites and Hermites and Anthonies order and Clunisencies order And Nuns sprung up First of one St. Clara one order then Brigidia a widow in the time of Urban the fifth in the year 1370. and all these kind of orders were distitute of the true order of the primitive Church and their service was appointed by them that ordained them and these practised the patched inventious that were given them for worship which hath not concord with the primitive Doctrine but borrowed from the Iews or Heathen And all these kind of Offices and Officers have been acting their parts this many years and led people into superstitious blindness and further from the Lord then ever But to come to the reformed Churches so called and there is so many Officers and names but few that do accord with the Apostles times either in name or nature As Metropolitan Bishops Arch-bishops lord-Lord-bishops we heard not of Lord Timothy or Lord Titus Bishops before mentioned but to come on to other Orders Arch-deacons Deans and Chapters Prebends and these must attend on some old superstitious Buildings called Cathedrals or Ministers and there performs a service somewhat like the former these are injoyned their service like the Levites and Priests of old by turns and course as once in a month or two it may be and have a hundred or two hundred pounds in the year for the same and
and Higinus and Pius and Ansatus Soler and Elutherius all these were Bishops of Rome but many things began to creep in in their time but being kept under by the Romane Emperors they did not get much outward power because they had no outward compelling Laws to force their Institutions in divers things which were contrary unto the former Apostles Practices yet notwithstanding there was something of Truth and of the Power of it kept and they testified against the Idolatry of the Heathen and so suffered Death Severus succeeded in the Empire about the year 195. under whom was the fifth Persecution against the Christians who Raigned eighteen years in the beginning of his Raign he was somewhat favourable to the Christians but afterwards through the malitious suggestions and accusations of wicked men he was so enraged and incensed against the Christians that by proclamation he commanded through the Empire that no Christians any more should be suffered whereby a great number were destroyed and killed as Eusebius saith in his sixth book about the year 205. This Severus the Emperor was slain in Britain about the year 214. and was buried at York Aurelius Alexander Severus began his Raign about 224. at this time the Church had gotten some rest from persecution at this time the Christians had gotten some house or place to meet in in this time of rest in Rome and the Cooks and Tiplers challenged it to belong to them the matter being brought before the Heathen Emperour Severus he judged it to be more honest and reasonable that this place should be continued to the Christians to Worship God in then that the Cooks and Victuallers and Tiplers should enjoy it by this all may understand that there was no great Ministers Steeple-houses or places called Churches erected in Rome unto this time for the Christians although there be so much ado in this time about Steeple-houses and Ministers and Parish Churches within this latter age by them that are run into visible things have been so strongly pressed for a House of God and a Holy Church so that in this time the Christians had no Mass-houses with steeples and Crosses and Bells and Organs standing East and West which are pleaded for to be decent and Holy Institutions yet notwithstanding the moderation of this Emperor Calistus and Urbanus Bishops of Rome were put to death but yet the Bishops of Rome did not arrogate to themselves to be universal and these were not called Popes though divers superstitious things crept in and were allowed by the said Bishops and they were declining from the doctrine and practice of the Apostles in the first Century and this was about the year 226. Maximinius the next was chosen Emperor rather by the wilfulness of Soldiers then the will of the Senate he caused the sixth Persecution which was great against the Christians especially against the Leaders and Teachers hoping that when they were smitten the Sheep would soon be Scattered this was in the year 237. Pontianus Bishop of Rome was banished by his Emperour and many more Christians suffered under this Emperor and were put to death and more its likely would have suffered but the Lord shortned his dayes and his tyranty for he Raigned but three years The next Emperor was Gordianus in the year two hundred and forty who was more moderate towards the Christians so that the sixth Persecution ceased but after he had Raigned the space of six years he was slain by Philip the succeeding Emperor Philippus who slew Gordianus who was called the first Christian Emperor who slew Gordianus began with Blood he with his Son Philip governed the Empire seven years about the year 246. it is said this Philip with his Son and Family was converted by Fabianus and Origen it is said that both he and his Son was slain by Decius one of his own Captains and though being the first that brought in Christianity into the Emperial seat but the name of Christianity would not save him being out of the nature beginning with Blood it was required at his hands and Anthetius Bishop of Rome after Pontanius Damasus saith that this Bishop was put to death because he recorded the deaths of the sufferers and here was the beginning of that which they call the Legend of Martyrs in the Church of Rome The seventh Persecution began by Decius who succeeded Philippus in the year 250 by whom was moved a terrible Persecution against the Christians which is noted to be the seventh Persecution Fabianus being a married man and had a wife was chosen Bishop of Rome this Doctrine of Devils forbidding to marry was not yet brought in which the Apostle to Timothy Prophesied of no not in the Church of Rome not for 250. years after Christ So the Emperor Decius put him to death and gave forth a Proclamation that all that Prosessed the name of Christ should be put to death Origen suffered many bonds Wrackings Torments for Religion yet afterwards it is said he sacrificed to Idols and was excommunicated yet afterwards Repented And Nicephorus saith of this Persecution under the Emperor Decius that it was as easie to number the Sands of the Sea as them that Suffered under him Cheremon a Married Bishop fled with his Wife into the Mountain of Arabia and never was seen more the Prohibition of Ecclesiastical men or Ministers Marrying was not yet begun no not in the Church of Rome although they plead Antiquity for their Institutions and Practices the Emperor Raigned but two years and was slain by the Barbarian about this time divers Bishops suffered and others were condemned to the Mettal Mines Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was Banished these had no power yet to give forth Laws nor Inquisitions nor to force things upon People for they had not the outward Authority then though divers things which were unfound Crept in by little and little even amongst them About the year two hundred and fifty five Valerianus together with his Son Gallienus came to be Emperors who Raigned together at first they were moderate to the Christians for about two or three years insomuch that in the Emperors Court there were many Christians but afterwards being moved by an Egyptian was stirred â—p to Persecution which was about the year 259. this Emperor was stirred up to Persecute the Christians which was the eighth Persecution being Instigated by the Egyptian who was great in his Court telling the Emperor that the Christians was the cause of the evils of famine and plague upon the Empire divers Bishops and many hundreds were put to death besides Stephanus suffered with six more which were leading Men also Lawrence suffered who was pinched with fire tongues and laid upon an Iron Grate or Grid-iron red hot and so broyled to death In the sixth year of the Raign of Valerianus Gallianus having laid for the space of three years in Prison with Claudianus and Bossa his Wife were put to death for being Christians Likewise Fructuousus Bishop of Tarracona
THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY in the PRIMITIVE TIME Also A Manifestation how and when the Apostacy came and how long it hath continued in the Church of Rome proved to be in it because she differs in Doctrin Practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes Published for this end that People may be informed and their understandings opened to discern of the times and seasons and see the difference between the Lambs Wife and the Mother of Harlots By one who desires that all may come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved and walk in the Light of the Lord FRANCIS HOWGIL LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1661. TO THE READER OR Readers GReat hath been the Wisdom which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of his People and made known unto his servants through Ages wherein he hath made known his mind and will at sundry times and in divers manners sometimes by Types sometimes by Shadows and Representations sometimes by Dreams sometimes by Visions sometimes by Prophecy and there was not the least Ministration but it had a glory in it and the one living God manifested his mind unto the sons of men who feared his Name in every Generation and shewed unto them and signified his mind unto them what he was and shewed unto them how he would be worshipped and they that were obedient unto that which was made manifest in every Age and Ministration found acceptance with the Lord and the peace of God in their hearts After man had transgressed and gone from his Maker and lost the guide of his youth and broken Gods Covenant then blindness came upon him and a vail was betwixt him and his Maker and man increased and grew in an earthly part and lusted after earthly things whith fed and increased that part and the Image of God was lost in which the creature delighted yet notwithstanding such was and is the Love of God towards his Creation and to his workmanship that he did not utterly cast off man for ever but followed him to draw him back again out of the transgression to have unity with him who was his Maker and when man was gone into the darkness the Lord stooped so low as to come near him and to that state he was in and made a Covenant with man when mans heart was outward upon outward things and gave him commands outward and Statutes and Ordinances outward that he might worship therein which were shadows and types of some better thing to come and these were the Ordinances of the first Covenant which pertained to the changeable part that was above the seed but they typed forth more Heavenly things which was to be revealed in due time and when the seed came to be manifested and raised up they had an end and the cloud passed away and the day did spring forth in clearness and he brought forth which restored all that believe unto God viz. Christ Jesus then did God more clearly manifest himself in the earth through his Son who had the will of the Father and declared it who rent the vail and put an end to the shadows and blotted out the hand-writing and ended the types and figures and all that believed in him who was the end of them and the sum of all he overthrew the nature in them which was changeable unto which they pertained until the time of Reformation which was when he was sacrificed up a Propitiation for the sins of the whole world and they that did believe and received him came to be the Sons of God and declared the mind of God as it was revealed and as the spirit gave utterance and many did believe and did grow up and become of one heart mind and soul and worshipped God with one accord and in the spirit and in the power of the Father and separated from the Jewish worship and the form thereof and met together in the Power of God and glorified God and spoke of the things of his Kingdom unto all that waited for it freely and the Lord was honoured by them and glorified in them But soon after the mystery of godliness was brought forth the mystery of iniquity began to work and opposed the work of the Lord and transformed into the similitude and outward appearance and form and yet lived in the flesh and there began to be an apostacy and a deviation from that glory and power which was once revealed and Antichrist wrought with signs and lying wonders and got the words and hated the life and power and them that appeared in it and then they that were under his Government and Reign hated the Reign of Christ and said in their hearts we will not have him to rule over us though in words they confess him and then persecuted and drove the true Church into the wilderness and set up imitations and inventions and traditions and vain customs which they have called Apostolical and holy Institutions which are contrary unto Primitive Institutions and Ordinances onely brought in by them when darkness began to spread over the earth when the Bishops in the first three hundred years after Christ began to contend about dayes and times and meats and drinks and Rome began to claim superiority over all Churches called Christian and the Pope became as a Law-giver I have led thee through divers ages and times as briefly as possible may be to single out the Original and beginning of those things and who were the first Ordainers of them betwixt this and the Apostles dayes which are now accounted as holy Institutions The state and glory of the true Church in this Treatise thou wilt see before the Apostacy and the state in the Apostacy how she fled into the wilderness and how Mystery Babylon was raised and the false Church called her self visible many of her Doctrines and Practices which are contrary to the Primitive Church are here discovered and the Authors and formers made known whereby thou may come to see a difference in the Ordinances of the true Church and the Traditions and Inventions of the false Church which are too much contended for in this day by them who say they are come to the true Reformation according to the Primitive times but thou wilt see as thou compares but their practice with the Primitive times to be quite contrary and to be but smoke and that which has darkened the ayr clouded peoples understandings and hath led them into ignorance and darkness so that the way of Truth hath not been discovered unto many but the Lord is arisen and that which comprehends time is made manifest and all that which hath got up in the Apostacy is viewed and seen and laid open to the view of all that they may depart out of these things which are but the inventions and traditions of men in which Eternal Life is not to be had Read with meekness and
making any Covenants or enquiries after wordly revenews but went from City to City preaching the Gospel of Christ freely as they had received without any conditions from the people And as many as beleived and received the Gospel did Minister freely their hearts being open unto them who had declared unto them spiritual things Acts 4. 34. Mat. 10. 8. c. So that we read of no compulsion or forceing maintenance from any of the Cities whether they beleived or not believed the Father took care of such harvest men and what they received was given freely and there was no complaint though often they denyed that which was profered to them and their care was to make the Gospel of Christ not burdensome or chargable but rather their hands should Minister unto their necessities Act. 18. 3. Again though divers gifts were given unto the Disciples before and after Christs ascention as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and some Elders or Bishops yet they were all made Ministers by the holy Ghost yet it were large to speak of the Power and of the wisdome and of the enjoyments of God in that day and time and of the gifts and of the order which was in the Church at that time But in a word the Son of God was made manifest and gave them an understanding and they knew him that was true Truth it self and Christ was revealed in them and manifested to them the hope of their Glory Col. 1. 27. Furthermore they came to see over the new Moons and Fasts and feasts and Dayes and Times and Meats and Drinks and nonecould judge of them or ought to judge of them in those cases for they saw the Body Christ for the man-child was brought forth and the woman was cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her head who brought forth the holy Child Jesus who saves his people from their sins In whom all Shadows Types Figures representations ends This in short was part of the glory of the Primitive Church which would be large to spake of as it was in the first State of its purity But hereafter some fuller thing the Lord may bring forth in his own time and day CHAP. II. Concerning the entering in of the Apostacy and the Declination from that purity of Doctrine Worship and Practice and when it began downwards from the entering of it in until this present age and time CHrist the true Prophet which Moses spake of whom the Lord raised up manifested in the fulness of time he prophesied and declared of false Prophets that should arise Mat. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which shall come unto you in sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening Wolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their fruits and in Mat. 24. 11. But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the age of the Disciples and John Testified 1 Joh. 2. 18. Little children it is the last times as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time they went out from us but were not of us and Chap. 4. 3. So they entered in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the remissions of sins And Jude he testified against such as was entered in who was in Cains way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had mens persons in admiration because of advantage And Peter said false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2. 2. And the Apostles wrote to Timothy the Bishop or overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in Hypocrisie forbiding to Marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. and again Paul in the 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural affection Truth-breakers False accusers dispisers of them that are good Traytors Heady High-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the truth having a form of Godliness but denying the power and as the same Apostle saith in another place was enemies to the Crosse of Christ And these went out into the world and this is 1400. years agoe and upwards Then the mystery of iniquity began to work and worught and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the ordinances of the first Covenant But they preached Christ in words and transformed into the form of the Apostles words but denyed the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucre sake and there was the beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the world and many followed their pernicious waies and there held the form but denyed the power and so indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the liberty of the flesh and held People in the Liberty yet prosylited them into a kind of a faith which was seigned and these kinde of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in request then they for filthy Lucre went out with the words and retained the form not the Jewish from altogether but the form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a head and to such a body and became such a number and yet gain-sayers and in Cains way for they were out of the power and out of that which mortifies the deeds of the flesh and they spred themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and People and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People have now got the name of a Church and the seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denied the Husband Christ the power of God her seate was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her seate And John said these were the waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her children against the free-woman the Lords spouse the Lambs Wife and made her fly into the Wilderness for a time times and half a time and she reached out her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of fornication within and she claimed
Seventhly your Doctrine of Purgatory an invented and an imagined thing as to clense from sin this is contrary to the Primitive Doctrine the blood of Christ clenseth from all sin John 1. 7. and your distinctions of mortal and venial sin is to blind people withal for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Eightly Of worshiping and invocation of Angels and Saints as mediators between us and God this is contrary to the primitive Doctrine there is one Mediator between God and man even the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. and he alone makes intercession for all them that beleive Heb. 7. 25. and the Angel reproved John Rev. 22. 8 9. when he would have worshiped him and said unto him see thou do it not for I am thy fellow Servant c. and the Prophet said thou art onr Father though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us Isay. 63. 6. Ninthly of Reliques and sacred Images this is contrary to what the Lord spake by the Prophets Lev. 26. 1. ye shall make you no I dols nor graven Image neither rear you up a standing Image neither shall you set up any Image of stone in your Land to bow down unto it Deut. 6. 22. neither shalt thou set thee up any Image which the Lord thy God hateth and Ezek. 6. 4 and your Images shall be broken and Rom. 1. 23. there they were condemned that changed the glory of the incorruptable God into an Image made like to corruptable man c. Thus you may plainly see your Idolatrous Image worship is forbidden and condemned in the Law Prophets and new Testament and as for your Reliqne worship you have neither command nor example for it from Christ nor his Apostles Many more things might be enumerated which is found among you in the Apostacy as your voluntary poverty and feigned humility and your wilful vows and many more things which are found to be contrary to the Church of Christ which must be turned from and denyed if ever you come to know the everlasting Gospel which is to be preached again to the Nations by which they must be brought out of all this Apostacy Furthermore as to the practice and Discipline of the Catholick Church as it is called which pleads for antiquity we find it not consonant and agreeing to the Churoh in the primitive times the first hundred years after Christ. As for the vestmeuts your Priests wear at certain times one on this manner another on that your Ecclesiastical men or Church-Officers of several ranks and orders such we find not in the primitive times in that which may be truly called primitive And for the invented holy dayes and their eves for fasting and feasting we find no such things in the Primitive Times and such a service for such a day and such a worship for such a day we find not in the first hundred years after Christ. And for your Lent which one of your Fathers invented and this was his ground because God had the tenth of the increase or Tythes due to himself and for his Ministers under the Law therefore it was necessary that the tenth part of dayes should be allowed as Tythes to the Lord O grosse ignorance and palpable blindness midnight it self came upon you in the time of your visibillity when the True Church was fled into the Wilderness As though the Lord was not Lord of all dayes and as though all dayes were not his and to be used to his glory And your prohibiting meats and distinguishing of meats one holy for such a day another for such a day flesh one day and fish another day as though there were not the flesh of fish or one thing were clean and another unclean And this invented trumpery hath been observed for Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine but by whom we must needs tell you by the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People upon which the Whore sits and out of which the Beast rose And we will grant you antiquity enough this many hundred years and yet we will prefer the Primitive times before you and bring their Doctrine and practice to reprove you though we do not desire to go in Cains way and to kill Creatures that are out of the Doctrine of Christ and contrary to Apostolick and Catholick Doctrine which wrestled not with the flesh and blood but with spiritual wickedness whose weapons were not carnal but Spiritual and yet they had great might in them and threw down by these weapons that which never could be by Carnal 2 Cor. 10. 4. Again your forbiding to marry which is reckoned by the Apostles Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Devils and contrary unto that the Apostles Doctrine was marriage is honorable in all estates the bed undefiled Heb. 13. 4. And seeing you plead Peter was at Rome and Peters chair and that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed him and hath the Keys as Peter had Why do you exclude the chief Bishops as you account them from marrying and divers other orders seeing Peter had a wife and seeing that it is Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine before you could claim the name of visible Church that a Bishop should be the husband of one wife and should not be covetous nor no striker nor given to Wine nor filthy Lucre c. But since the Bishop of Rome hath appropriated to himself to be the head of the Church and the chief Bishop over all the Catholick Church It hath been manifested how much covetousness and covetous practices hath been acted as money for Pardons and Indulgences and get money for the living and the dead and the invented Purgatory hath filled your coffers and your meritorious works have been sold at a dear rate In so much that a poor Woman who hath lost het husband and he deceased must pay ten shillings for a mortuary that he may be prayed for or some of your merits may be accounted to him which you have in store as a stock to sell to any who come with a prize in their hand And from whence have you all these Tythes have yoâ— not borrowed them of the Jews And yet you are no Jews and such things we do not read among the Iews were Tytheable as Pigs Eggs Hens and Geese to omit greater matters and the smoak passing up the chimneys and that which you call your Peter pence And this is contrary to the Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine which Peter would have been ashamed to ever have mentioned either amongst Iews or Gentiles And now I would ask you a question or two seeing John saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness the woman that was cloathed with the Sun who brought forth the man-child What cause have you to boast of visibility or universality Now when were you in the wildernesse if your Church hath not been so then it demonstrates that your Church is nor the woman cloathed with the Sun for she did fly into the wilderness as with the wings of an Eagle
Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God from whence it hath been inferred by many that baptism of infants was absolutely necessary to salvation Christ spoke of that which did regenerate and make a new and clense the heart and of the clean water which the Prophet Ezekiel spoke of which he would pour upon his people visible water cleanses not the inside neither doth regenerate but the water which Christ giveth to every one that thirsteth to drink is the water of life and this washeth the inside and cleans the heart and this is the washing of regeneration which whosoever comes not to know connot enter into the kingdom of God because that which is defiled is shut out but they that do not look after the substance hath made an idol of the figure but the Chuch of Rome themselves which were the first inventers and setters up of this humane institution have said that this must be recieved by tradition and not from the Scriptures because it could not be proved as a commandment witness Claudius Espontius a Popish Bishop at a counsel at Pysoy in France 1500. and yet this Doctrine hath been held out to the Nations for Catholick and Apostolick which the Primitive Churches made no mention of neither the Apostles taught any such Doctrine but was preached up by such who went out of the light and from the power into the Nations which became as waters for the first ordainer of baptism of Infants and that they should have a Godfather and Godmother was Ignatius Bishop of Rome long after the Apostles daves when Rome was got up into pride and claimed authority over all Christian Churches to impose upon them what ever they listed for Doctrine and such dark things as these have been brought forth whereof mention might be made of many things and what unsavory words as Godfathers and Godmothers is used not only amongst them but also amongst the Protestants to this day who is Gods father or who is Gods mother is this Apostolick Doctrine as though God was begotten by generation indeed is it not Blasphemy to affirm such things and also to hold up such things all which demonstrates these things to be in the Apostacy And therefore you who profess your selves that you are come out of the Apostacy and are reformed Churches for shame leave off practising and pleading for the upholding such things which the Scriptures do not own or else the practice of the Saints in former ages will judge you And it hath been reckoned as absolute necessary to salvation and therefore Victor Bishop of Rome did institute that the children might be christened by a Lay-man or Lay-women in time of necessity because infants were often in danger as Polydore makes mention Lib. 4. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parish Churches LIkewise the Sign of the Cross and the Chrism are invented things which are in the Apostacy and therefore you who profess your selves reformed for shame leave off these things and come out of them and deny them Secondly Parishes and Parish Churches which were ordained and builded in the Apostacy and dedicated unto Saints which stand to this day both in the Church of Rome and in the reformed Churches so called and Church-yards which they call holy and consecrated ground to bury their dead in this is an invented thing and superstitious and yet it stands as an Apostolick order both among Papists and Protestants in the Primitive times in the dayes of the Apostles The Scriptures make mention of the Jews Temple at Jerusalem and of the Gentiles Idols Temples in which they worshipped the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who published the word of reconciliation and Christ the substance of all figures they gathered them that did believe of the Iews from the Temple and Temple-worship and the Gentiles from their Temples and Idols to worship God in the spirit and they met together in houses we read of no Parish Churches dedicated to Saints nor consecrated ground for they knew the earth was the Lords and the fulness thereof and was clean and good and blessed to them that believed and there was no dividing into Parishes then nor no compelling then Corinth was not divided into a Parish Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia and Smyrna and the rest were not all made into Parishes neither were them that believed not compelled or forced to come to the Christians meeting at Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia or any other place that we read of in the Scriptures and the Apostles were not confined nor their spirits were not so strait as to stay over one hundred or fifty families twenty years and call that their Parish between such an hedge and such a ditch and such a water and such a way as Parishes are now divided into though I say they had houses to meet in and preached the Word and brake bread from house to house and sometime by the sea-side they congregated and sometimes on an hill and at certain places they met together to worship God they went not back to the Jews Temple nor Gentiles Idols Temples neither forced any of their maintenance as to minister unto them by which all may see that these invented Churches and Church-yards for holy ground and Parishes are not Apostolical nor was no Catholick nor universal thing then in the Primitive times neither was there any command given to the Christians to do any such thing neither reprehension for not doing such things The first Church or Temple that we read of was consecrated by Pius Bishop of Rome in honour of the Virgin Prudentia and afterwards Calistus made a Temple to the Virgin Mary a place beyond Tibris and instituted a Church-yard in Apius his street and called it after his own name And Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome other places Churches and Church-yards to Curates and made Parishes and Diocesses to Bishops and commanded that every man should be contented with his prescript bonds and there was the beginning of Parishes Churches and Church-yards consecrated ground and in process of time when all Nations had drunk of the cup of fornication the Nations began to imitate their mother and to build and consecrate Temples and Churches and Church-yards to this Saint and the other Saint as is too too manifest through Christendom to this day And here 's the rise of holy Parish Churches which of late have been preached up for the house of God and the house of prayer which bears the name yet by which the Pope baptized them Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Mary Saint Hellen Saint Katherine Saint Gregory Saint Maudlen Saint Alban Saint Anthony Saint George Saint Margaret Saint Dunstoâ— Saint Clement Saint Christopher Saint Giles Saint Martine and painting and garnishing these houses with Images and pictures and hanging of flowers and boughes and garlands this came from the old heathen who sacrificed to Saturn and Pluto and this hanging up candles
and their Candlemas dayes this came of the Gentiles and Pagans who honoured their false God Saturu and their Altar which they have builded in this Temple and their tables upon which they offer and set their sacrifice these Boniface the third commanded that they should be covered with linen clothes and here was the beginning of these kinds of orders so that as I said before most of theâ—e things in and about the worship which hath been since the reign of Antichrist and since the Whore hath sate as a Queen they have been either borrowed from the Jews or else from Pagans and Heathens and the mother of Harlots hath put these things off for Apostolick institutions these many hundreds of years and divers other things which are in and about the Parish Churches your many crosses in and about them of wood and stone your baptized bels and consecrated pulpits and sonts and hour-glasses and soft cushions to preach on all these the Scriptures makes no mention of not in the Christian Churches the first two hundred years after Christ. Now Protestants who have denied the Church of Rome and their practices which was contrary to the Primitive and the Scriptures look about you and see how you are sticking yet in Babylon and buying yet the merchandize thereof and as for your holy ground called your Church-yards which you only judge fit to bury the dead in and would compell all to come thither because there are many Officers in and about this Temple who are greedy of rewards so that they would not miss any thing that might be commodious unto them and so would compell all to come there for their gain But Abraham was the first we read of that made any place of burial in Hebron which he bought so Ephron an Hittite for thirty shekels of silver and there was he and his wife buried and this was no Parishyard neither did he leave any Priest or Clerk that we read of to receive wages and fees and for ringing a bell and reading and singing over the dead and so for shame you who profess the Scriptures and the Apostolick order and institutious of Christ come out from among all this trumpery and wait that you may come again into the order of the Gospel and the primitive order which hath been talked of these many years and yet not known CHAP. VII Concerning swearing by the Gospel and kissing a book and that which is commonly confirmation or Bishoping Children things invented contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and are in the Aopstacy IN the first Covenant the Jews were commanded to swear by the Lord and oaths were observed by the Jews that were in the first Covenant which was faulty Heb. 8. 7. which Ordinance did nor make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience and so there came to be an end of that Covenant and the better was brought in which stood upon better promises and then the Priest-hood Law first Covenant and the ordinances thereof which was only to continue till the time of Reformation H. b. 9. 10 by Christ the everlasting Covenant came to be made manifest the everlasting offering who perfected them that are sanctified who is the oath of God the end of oaths and of all strife and contention his Doctrine was Sweaâ— not at all Mat. 5. 32 24 35 36 3â— neither by the head nor 〈◊〉 nor Books nor Gospel nor any other thing but that yea should be yea and nay nay in all things and James an Apostle of Christ Jesus who knew the New Covenant which was everlasting which saw over the ordinances of the first Covenant of the Jews saith Above all things my brethren sweare not at all neither by heaven neither by the earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and vour nay nay lest you fall into condemnnation James 5. 1 2. and this was Apostolical and Catholick Doctrine in the Primitive Churches But afterwards the faith being lost which once was delivered to the Saints and the power lost they began to set up oathes again imitating the Iews and bringing the commands of the Iews who were under the first Covenant as their Ground But this was in the Apostacy And Justinian the Emperour appointed first that men should swear by the Gospel or book called the Gospel and lay their hands thereon and kiss it saying So help me God and here Christendom may see who are in the Apostacy and who were the first instituters of this Swearing and the manner thereof which the teachers of these latter ages do ignorantly press for an ordinance of God In the primitive times they that had the word of reconciliation who had received the holv Ghost and gift of prophesie and were made able Ministers of the Spirit who had discerning and saw by the Spirit who was fitted for the work of the Ministry and fit to be Elders and helpers in the Church they laid hands on them in Gods power and they received the holy Ghost but now since the Apostacy came in this kind of Imagination of laying on of hands one Hypocrite upon another who are out of the power who have not received the holy Ghost neither they upon whom their hands are said but afterwards it came to be a custom and a holy rite to be performed upon Children Sylvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all that were Christned Churches and Chalices should be anointed with oyl And Fabianus commanded that it should be renewed every Munday and Thursday Clement the first ordained that Children that were Christned should be anointed with Chrisme and he also instituted the Sacrament as it is called of Confirmation or as it is now called Bishoping and did suppose that no man was a perfect Christian if this Rite and Ceremony was omitted and for this cause it hath been judged and lookt upon as Catholick Doctrin both by the Church of Rome and the Protestants that the holy Ghost is more plentifully given them by the hands of the Bishop and on this wiâ—e in the first Institution thereof it was only administred by the Bishop First he asked the name of the child making the sign of the Cross in his forehead saying I sign thee with the token of the Cross and confirm thee with the Chrisme of Salvation in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. and smote the cheek of the Child softly but if of greater age which was to be confirmed the Bishop gave a sharper stroak that he might remember this great mystery and here you may see how these things came in and the traditions and inventions and precepts of men have been and are taught for Doctrine and Apostolick institutions many of which are upholden in the reformed Churches so called unto this day and so people are kept in blindness in a multitude of traditions and heathenish customes and their minds led out from seeking after the living God CHAP. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and holy dayes THe Jews in
not in the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christ went out into the World and the World went after them and so lost both Power and form of Godliness and invented things some from the Heathen and much from the Priests under the Law Sextus the first commanded that the Corporis should be of linen cloath only and that of the finest and purest and forbad that Lay-men should handle the Hallowed Vessels and namely Women were Prohibited hallowing the Priest Vestures and Altars and Cloaths diversity of vestures of sundry orders were muchwhat taken from the example of the Hebrew Priest-hood was practised and ordained by S. even Bishop of Rome And Sabinianus decreed first that the people should be assembled together to hear Service at certain hours by ringing of bells And John the 22. Bishop of Rome ordained that bells should be roled every day three times and that theâ— every man should say three times Aâ—emary as Polidore saith Lib. 6. The invention of bells was from imitation of the Hebrews because the high-Priest had in the skirts of his uppermost garments little bells to ring when he was in the holy place within the vaile And the banners and trophies which are hung up in Churches were taken from the Heathen which did bear them to signifie the Conquest of their enemies and these have been set up in the Churches so called by some of the Bishops of Rome to declare as they said the triumph of Christ over death and hell Now all Nations who are called Christians look to your original and from whence these practices have risen and those things are continued even amongst the Protestant Churches are either from the Iews or from the Heathen or from the Apostatized Bishop of Rome long after the dayes of the Apostles and so these Hoods and Surplices and Caps and Bonnets and Cowls and Tipets and Miters and canonical Coats and Girdles and divers strange attires it is like to prove these things we must have Aarons breeches brought in and the linnen Ephod and his Sons Girdles and Coats and Bonnets and the high-Priests Mitre and all these Candlesticks for a Gospel proof CHAP. X. Concerning Mattens and singing of Psalms by course in musical tunes and supplications and short prayers called Letany THE Jews under the Law had many Officers which belonged to the Temple-worship among which were singers as the sons of Corah and the sons of Asaph and Exrahites and chief Musitians c. and divers Psalms were given forth by the Spirit of God by David and others upon several occasions sometimes after victories and sometimes when he felt the presence of God and the working of his power and who were eye-witnesses of his wonderous works as the rest of Israel was many times as at the dedication of the Temple and also when they came out of captivity Neh. 7. 44. chap. 12. 27. 42 43. Psal. 149. 3 150. 3 4. and all these Singers of songs pertain to the Temple and the first Covenant and to that Priest-hood which could not continue by reason of the faultiness thereof Heb. 8. 7. and because all these things did not make perfect as pertaining to the conscience and was but to continue for a time untill the time of Reformation and then an end of the Temple Priests and Worship of the Singers and Porters and Organs and stringed Instruments as in matter of worship an end was put to all these when he was offered up that perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified And the Christians and true Believers in the primitive times who had received the spirit in which they did Rejoyce in and with what words the Spirit was pleased to utter and they that had received the Holy Ghost did joy in the Holy Ghost and they that did sing sang in the Spirit and with the Spirit and with understanding from the feeling of the living which they had in their hearts of Gods presence and his assurance and he that had a Psalm might sing but all the Church did not sing together a Psalm was a gift of the Spirit every one had it not there was diversity of Gifts and diversity of Operations Prophecy Interpretation and a Psalm were Gifts which were received from the Spirit and not by tradition 1 Carinth 14. 15. Ephes. 5. 19. James 5. 13. And they that overcome and were redeemed from the Earth who had followed the Lamb who had given them victory over sâ—n death and the Grave they sang a new song which none could learn but those whose names were Written in the Lambs Book of life Rev. 14. 1 2 3. chap. 19. 1. 6. and these were the songs of the redeemed which God had delivered our of their Enemies Hands and they were witnesses of his Wonderous Works and praised the Lord in the Spirit and with understanding and did not get a form of words of Davids words which he spake after his victories and Triumphs over his enemies and also they prayed in the Spirit and with understanding and spoke as it gave utterance and as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and were not limitted as how Short or how Long but as the Spirit gave utterance and not limited to hours and set times but when the Spirit of God which they had received moved thereunto and then their Prayers were accepted and were as sweet incense Rev 5. 8. chap. 8. 3. 〈◊〉 and were not stinted to set hours but as they saw in the Wisdom of God and were moved by his Spirit But since the Apostacy that the Spirit hath been lost by many and the power and some of form retained and then they began to imitate three times a day and seven times a day but Mattens at set times and hours was appointed by Hierom as Polydore and others say Also the Heathen they had Mattens as Apuleus saith which they sung at divers times of the day and so sorted the hours of the day for sacrifices which they did offer unto their Idols Pelagius the second was the first that Commanded Priests to say them dayly and said as the just man falleth seven times so by instant prayers and Mattens he might as often rise and amend Urbanus the second ordained the Mattens called the Ladies Mattens to be said daily and confirmed them in a Councel which he had at Mount Clear in France and Damasus Bishop of Rome gave Commandment that Martens should be said or sung in all Churches and added Gloria Patri to the end of every Psalm Damasus also instituted that Psalms should be said or sung by course Damasus also Commanded that the Creed should be said every hour And Vitilianus invented the decent tunes wherewith the hymns be sung and joyned the Organs but there was divers and sundry manners of prayers and forms and Mattens and singing devised by many as Bennets Monks had one use and Bernard another and Dominicks brethern had one order by themselves and every provincial Bishop made a several use in
hardly stir from thence till they die except some greater advance offer it self also Commissaries Procters Parotters and these are subservient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batchelors of Divinity Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchelors of Art Graduates under-graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsons Vicars Priests Curates and Church wardens all which titles and names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning office work or Doctrine and notwithstanding all these orders and sorts who are fitted by humane learning or natural study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the word of righteousnesse neither hath the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to the weary nor to turn the sinner from his sins and thus the form of things titles and names are holden up but who seeks after the power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Literal Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the ministration of the Spirit few is acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if they be not Persecuted So in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dayes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and practice divers of which I have touched upon to the intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the mist of ignorance and come to worship God in spirit and truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevails not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their life neither walk after their example so take but a few more Institutions which is called Apostolick to this day among them called Christian Churches Clatus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this tittle that is greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be Blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sextus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained Holy Water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in Christians houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the Communion should be laid upon an Altar and that Lay people should not touch the Holy vessels nor the Holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the ninth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147 after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that Crism should be Ministred as Baptism and that Children should have God-fathers and God mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on the Sunday Urbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained Church-yards to be hallowed and forbad marriage of Priests Pontianus the eighteenth Bishop ordained that Psalms and Mattens should be sung in Church night and day to drive away evil spirits Sextus the twenty fourth Bishop in the year 222. after Christ ordained that Priests should wear Holy Garments as Coops and divers other things in imitation of Aaron and then came up surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Foelix the twenty sixth Bishop of Rome ordained division of Parish Churchres and Diocesses to Bishops Leo the Emperor gave Commandment that all Images and Pictures of Saints should be taken out of the Churches for the avoiding of Idolatry but the Bishop of Rome withstood the Emperor the Emperor for his confirmation of taking of Images away called a Councel of Bishops about three hundred and thirty and they ordained and decreed that all Images should be taken away and burned in the 740. But in the year 769. Gregory the third called a Council together at Rome near a thousand Bishops and condemned Leo the Emperor and three hundred Bishops for taking Images out of the Churches and yet the former Counsel and this all of one Faith and Church which they use to say could not erre and the latter decreed they should be adored and Worshiped with all reverence Boniface the eighth he gave licence to the mendicant Friars to hear the private Confession of sins that people should confess to them Pope Alexander gave commandment that the Sacrament should be made of the Sweet Bread and commanded that water should be mingled with wine Innocentius the third ordained that People should confess their sins to a Priest once a year in the year at the least And these kinds of Decrees stand for Apostolical to this day among the Apostates and the reformed Churches so called do own many things that are too near a kin to them and preffeth them for Ordinances and holy Institutions yea in many Countries the self same things are both owned and practised in many particulars which I have mentioned before in other parts of this Book and are looked upon as divine service and holy Worship which the Ministers of Christ who have the word of reconciliation to publish are ashamed of knowing them to be such things as never was practised nor holden out by Christ or his Apostles but are brought in since darkness hath over-spread the Earth and the Power of God hath been lost And at the first Institution thereof though there might be some shew of a good intention in the formers of them but now they are become absolute Idols and however at the first some of the things mentioned might seem to some to be indifferent yet now being prest of necessity as the Ordinances of God they are become Idols and ought to be thrown away and departed from by all that professeth the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the worship of God in the Spirit For the Lord God hath drawn away his presence out of all formal and visible appearance since Antichrist and the false Church hath got them on for a Garment and to cover themselves withall to the deceiving of the Nations And now in this the day of his power hath appeared in a more mysterious and secret and hidden way and in a more spiritual appearance Into this deceit cannot enter nor transform and therefore all Babylons Merchants are angry and Antichrists followers are full of Wrath and the Dragon cast out floods after the heir and her that brings him forth and makes War with her Seed but the Lord is putting on her Beautiful Garments and Marrying her to himself and she shall reign and her Seed who are born of the Spirit when she that sat as a Queen upon the
Waters shall have an end and the Dragon shall be laid hold on and Chained up and the Beast and false Prophet be cast into the Lake for ever Blessed are they who keeps in the Faith and patience till these things be fulfilled their hearts shall rejoyce and their tongue praise the Lord and magnifie him whose throne is established in the Heavens and his Kingdom is over all And although there was a defection from the Faith and practice of the Apostles in the first two hundred years after Christ yet doubtless there were many who lived and died in the Faith and suffered as Martyrs in the time of the great Persecutions by the heathen Emperors and many who could not nor did not sacrifice to their Idols suffered death and under-went cruel torments by the Heathen who were in the Dragons power for the Testimony of a good Conscience for confession of Christ Jesus and although divers of the Bishops of Rome and other places did bring in things which they instituted as matter of worship so people was darkned by them yet in the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors many of them suffered Death and thousands of the Christians besides but deceit crept in by degrees and invented things were brought in by the Leaders of the People but these things that were invented were prest to be observed in their Diocesses and Parishes which they had made and sat down in but there was little compelling yet till the Dragon gave his power to the Beast and it was 650 years before ever the Bishops of Rome did climb up unto their heigth as to claim the title of the Universal Bishop or head of the Church or challenged Supremacy over all Christian Churches yet before this time abundance of Darkness was entred in and the power was much lost and divers innovations were brought in for Ordinances divers of the Jews Ceremonies and divers of their institutions which belonged to the first Priest-hood and these were prest upon the Churches by several leaders or Bishops as Apostolick Ordinances which had no concurrence with the Primitive Church in the firist hundred years after Christ as hereafter may be shewn in diverse things wherein they were Apostatized from the life and Power of God and from the practice of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture and of the Churches planted in the Apostles dayes CHAP. VIII Something concerning the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors of Rome FOR the first three hundred years after Christ who was born in the reign of Augustus Cesar then Emperor of Rome and was rejected and crucified by the Jews in the seventeenth year of the Raign of Tiberius Cesar then Emperor of Rome who Raigned eight years after Christ was crucified when Pilate gave sentences against and delivered to the Jews the said Pilate was banished by the Emperor and afterwards he killed himself in which time Stephen the Martyr was stoned to death by the Jews and the same day Stephen was stoned Dorothees saith Nicanor one of the Deacons suffered with two thousand Christians more in his Raign about this time Paul was converred The next Emperor that succeeded Tiberius Cesar was Cesar Caligula who commanded his Image to be set up in the Temple at Jerusalem to be worshiped as God Herod who Mocked Christ with his souldiers and set him at nought was banished and died miserably he likewise put forth Caiaphas the High Priest and afterwards in the fourth year of his Raign Caligula was slain Claudius Nero succeeded him and Raigned thirteen years a grievous Tyrant and an hater of all good by him was James the Son of Zebedee Martryed and Symon and Pemenius the second of the seven Deacons Martyred and Thomas who Preached to the Medes and Persians was slain with a dart in his Raign about this time Simon Zelotes who Preached in Africa was crucified Andrew and Matthew the one crucified and the other slain with a spear Matthias and Philip the one was crucified and the other stoned to death About the 62. year after Christ James the Son of Alpheus called the Brother of Christ was stoned to death with many more and Mark slain at Alexandria Domitius Nero began his Raign about the sixty seventh year after Christ he Raigned fourteen years Emperour of Rome under him was the first of the ten Romane persecutions he caused the Christians of all ages sects and sorts to suffer he commanded Rome to be set on fire in tewlve places and to avoid the infamy thereof he accused the Christians with it and caused them to be persecuted and put to death and in the latter end of his raign Paul was put to death for the Testimony of the Faith of Christ. In the year sixty nine this Nero was afterwards proclaimed by the Senate of Rome an enemy to all Mankinde and condemned to be drawn through the City and to be whipt to death for fear of which he fled and afterwards slew himself and the Church had rest for a season from persecution after him In the ninety sixth year began Domitian the Emperor to raign who began the second persecution who was a blasphemer against God and an Idolater In his dayes was Simon Bishop of Jerusalem crucified and John the Evangelist Banished into the Isle of Patmos but after the death of Domitian he was released by Pertinax this Domitian the Emperor fearing the coming of Christ again commanded that all that could be found of the stock of David in Jury should be slain and many false accusations was brought against the Christians and the Inquisition was this Swear the truth whether thou art indeed a Christian and if they confessed they were condemned and put to death for that alone Clement succeeded Anaclatus the Bishop of Rome and after him Everistus who was Martyred under Trajanus in the 102. year after Christ. In the Raign of Trajanus the Emperor began the third persecution of the Christians Simon who was said to be Christs Kinsman was Bishop of Jerusalem and Ignatius Bishop of Antioch who suffered Martrydom in the raign of Trajanus in the year 111. with many other of the Christians who were destroyed in this Persecution the Church of Rome was not so highly exalted as afterwards she usurped Authority neither were the Officers thereof nor Bishops so corrupt as afterwards they came to be both in Doctrine and Practice Marcus Antonius Verus began the fourth Persecution in the year 162. in whose time a great number who professed Christ suffered cruel deaths in Asia and in France and other parts amongst whom was Policarpus the Bishop of Smyrna this Persecution continued thirteen years The Church had some rest under the raign of Lucius Antonius Comodus and then the Christians began to wrangle and jangle about the celebration of Easter and about observation of times and Feasts and run into things outward and contended about them and so weakned themselves and hurt one another Alexander Bishop of Rome succeeded Everistus and Telesphorus succeeded him likewise
with two Deacons were burned the same year for being Christians this Valerian the Emperor Raigned seven years and was taken in the War by the King of Persia who made him his Block to take Horse on to his dying day and though the Christians in this time were much Darkened yet they were much more justiffed in the sight of God then the Heathen Emperors who came all or most of them to a woful End for their Cruelty and Tyranny and Murther for the hand of the Lord who distributes Justice equally to every man according to his Works found them out and Gallianus the Son of Valerianus who joyned with his Father in Persecution had many earthquakes and thirty rebellions and insurrections raised in his time in the Empire in nine years time and this stopt their Persecuting of the Christians somewhat And after Gallianus the Emperor succeeded Claudius who Raigned two years and after him Quintilianâ—s the Brother of Claudius who continued only seventeen dayes about the year 274. in this time the Christians had some rest from Persecution The ninth Persecution began under Aurelianus who began his Raign mildly but soon after moves the ninth Persecution about this time many Christians suffered and some of the Bishops of Rome and Sixtus and Dionysius and many others in the middle of his Raign there was a Council of the Christians at Antioch the Emperor seeming not to be against it nor them but afterwards he was about to seal an Edict for further Persecutions of the Christians but he was so terrified with thundering and lightning that it stopt his tyranny in the sixth year of his Raign he was slain about the year 276. After him succeeded Tacitus who Raigned but six Months and Florianus Raigned next who Raigned but sixty dayes and after him Raigned Marcus Aurelius Probus who Raigned six years and four Months in this time there was no Persecution but the Christians had rest as in matters of Religion but he was slain by his souldiers in the year 248. Carus with his two Sons Carinus and Numerianus succeeded Probus in the Empire the Raign of which Emperors continued in all but three years Carus was slain with lightning and Numerianus was also slain and Carinus the other Son Raigned alone in Italy with much Wickedness who afterwards was slain by the hands of the Tribune at Rome so that from the latter end of the Raign of Valerianus unto the Raign of Dioclesia there seeming to be about forty four years in which there was little Persecution of the Christians but they had rest and enjoyed their Worship in quiet and they were kept under sufferings and the Law and did not exercise Authority over the consciences of the rest as afterwards they did when they came to have Power in their hands although as I said before divers things were brought in by the Bishops of Rome in this time which were much disagreeing from the Apostles dayes yet they held part of the true Worship and bore a Testimony against the open prophaness and cursed Idolatry and Pride of the Heathen Emperors who killed one another for the Impeiral Seat and in this Testimony that they bore for God I Beleive they were accepted and had peace with God The tenth Persecution began under the Raign of Dioclesian which was in the year 289. this was the last Persecution against the Christians which was horrible and grievous that never was any Persecution before or since comparable unto it for the time which it continued which was the space of ten years together though there were more Emperours which had an hand in this Persecution yet principally it beareth the Name of Dioclesian This Dioclesian the Emperor took unto himself Maxillianus to be Partner with him in the Empire those two Emperors chose two others to themselves that is to say Gallerius and Constantius whom they called Cesars Gallerius was sent into the East parts against the Christians and Constantius to the West to Britain these two last Raigned moderately and did not Persecute the Christians for about 10. years so they Prospered in their Wars abroad but afterwards by reason of their victories were puft up with pride in their hearts they Ordained a triumph at Rome after which triumph Dioclesian gave commandment that he himself should be worshiped as God and said he was Brother to the Sun and Moon and so commanded the People to kiss his feet which afterwards when the chief Bishop of Rome got up into pride and claimed superiority over all the Christian Churches having got the Authority of the Dragon commanded the Emperors and Kings then to kiss his feet and so in this the Pope hath imitated the Heathen Emperor who was the greatest Persecutor that ever we read of But to return to Dioclesian he began a great and grevious Persecution of the Christians which was the nineteenth year of his Raign in the year of Christ 103. he commanded all the meeting places of the Christians to be spoyled and the Books of the holy Scriptures to be Burned he sent out a Proclamation for casting all the Bishops and Elders into Prison in his Empire and constrained them by several torments to Worship Idols and so great Persecution there was among the Christians and grievous torments they suffered because they would not offer sacrifice to Idols one Nobleman at Nicom pluckt down the two Emperors Proclamations against the Christians not fearing the Emperors who were then in the City for which act he was put to most bitter death afterwards they were so mad that they sought to destroy all the Christians in the World it can hardly be expressed with words what numbers suffered and what Blood was shed throughout all the Regions and they cast the Christians among the Lions Bears and Leopards who were kept Hungry for that purpose and them that the wild Beast would not Devour they slew them with the Sword and threw them into the Sea Cerena the Wife of Dioclesian he killed because shee was a Christian two thousand were burnt in one place many suffered in Phrygia and were burnt with the whole City in this Persecution likewise in France Spain and Brittan so that some Rivers were Coloured with Blood one thousand slain sometimes in one day and they slew them by ten twenty sixty and sometimes an hundred Men Women and Children Damasus Beda Oratius Honorus and others do testifie that there was slain in the space of one Month seveâ—â—een thousand Persons likewise Peter Bishop of Alexandria and three hundred more were slain with axes there Mauritius was slain with 6666. Victor with 360. were slain in the City of Troy the Christians notwithstanding all this Persecution did increase and though a Cloud was over many and darkness entred in in part respectively to what had been in the first Century yet they were the best Witnesses for the Lord in their generations and the Christians did increase so that the two Heathen Emperors were tired with Persecuting and gave up their
Empire and led a Private life having Raigned one and twenty years which was in the year 305. these two latter Emperors Maximinius and Constantius who were called Cesars now became the Emperors of the whole one in the East and the other in the West Maxentius was set up Emperor by the Souldiers and goes against Maximinius the Emperor who sent Severus his Son to War against him which Severus being slain Lycinius Caesar was chosen in the room so that Maximinius Constantius and Maxentius continued the tenth Persecution after Dioclesian and his partner had given over saving Constantius and esepcially his Son Constantius were kind to the Christians Constantius Chused those who refused to offer Sacrifice and commit Idolatry to be in his Court and Banished the Heathen Idolaters as unfit for his service that were Traitors to God and this was about the year 311. On the other hand Maximinius the Emperor and his partner was very Wicked in Idolatry and Cruelty God struck him with a great Plague in the Belly and secret parts which purrifying broke our with swarms of Lice which caused such a stink that the Physitian could not endure the same wherefore he slew the Physitian and by the anguish of his Disesase he slacked Persecution making confession that his Persecuting of them had brought this upon him and so acknowledged his offence and the Infidels divers exalted the God of the Christians yet afterwards being incensed against the Christians this Emperor set up Decrees afresh to Persecute the Christians whereby many Bishops and others were Martyred here was no titles of Lord Bishops and arch-Arch-Bishops not yet in the first three hundred years neither was there any Pope then that did lay claim to supremecy over all the Churches neither had these Bishops whole Counties and Provinces for their maintenance neither all Rome Constantinople Antioch and Jerusalem and all People therein for their Dioceses but them only of the Christians who believed in each of those places but afterwards in the great Persecution there followed great famine and pestilence on the Heathen which caused the Persecution to cease and caused Maximinius to revoke his Decrees and punished the Inchanters that incensed him against the Christians Maxillianus who was joyned in the Empire with Dioclesian who laid down the Goverment of the Empire endeavoured to have slain Constantius the Emperor that he might have got up again into the Empire but failing of his enterprize was slain of Constantius Maxentius this time Reigns wickedly and tyrannically at Rome which caused the Romans to entreat Costantine to come against Maxentius for his Wickedness who made War against him and upon a Bridge made of boats over the River Tyber he was intraped by Constantine and drowned in Tyber and thus the Righteous Judgements of God at last came upon them for their Blood and cruelty as a recompenence and a reward for their deeds but Constantine set forth Decrees of favour to the Christians Marcellinus was Bishop of Rome about the tenth year of Dioclesian in the Persecution he sacrificed to Idols and was excommunicated by three hundred Bishops but afterwards was killed in the Massacre of Dioclesian Marcellus succeeded and one Lucina a rich maid of Rome dying made Marcellus her heir and gave him all her substance and from that time saith Pollidore lib. 1. the Bishops of Rome were greatly enriched and so began to grow up in earthly honours higher and higher But Constantine the Emperor about the year 318. caused a Cross to be made of Gold and precious stones and to be born before his Army instead of a Standard when he went to fight against Maxentius Maximinius and Lucimus these were the least Persecutors of the Christians in the Romane Monarchy which this Constantine did vanquish and set the Christians at liberty who had been Persecuted about three hundred years and so afterwards this Cross others began to Imitate and set up in their Churches and became a flat Idol notwithstanding after this some Persecution was stirring in the Eastern Counties yet in Rome and the Western parts and there was no general Persecution for many years and also in the East part he subdued those Tyrants and we read of no Persecution against the Christians untill the time that John Wickliff suffered which was when the Spirit of the Heathen was entred into the Bishops of Rome and Popes who had retained the name of Christian but lost the life and the Power he began with fire to Persecute the Members of Christ. But long before this time the Wisdom and Power of God was much lost among many of the Bishops of Rome and also divers others that the Apostacy was entred in and they made great contentions about Easter and about dayes which should be Fasted and some was for two and some was for three and some was for forty dayes all the Churches of Asia and their Bishops was for keeping it the fourteenth Moon as Eusebius saith lib. 5. For Asia observed the Feast of Easter and they called a great Council together and decreed that it should be observed the fourteenth Moon upon what day soever in that week the Moon fell and appointed fasting dayes and Meetings and Synods in all parts met together about this trivial matter in the year 199. At Rome likewise there was a Synod gathered together wherein Victor the fourteenth Bishop was President and the Eastern Churches decreed it the day aforesaid and fastings before it and a Western Church decreed it to be the day wherein Christ rose from death to Life but Victor Bishop of Rome with the adjoyned Congregations pronounces flatly all the Westren Churches to be excommunicated Persons and gives them up to Sathan so that it became a Proverb that the Bishop of Rome must judge all and be judged of none this was about the year one hundred ninety nine after Christ when they had respit from Persecution And Iraeneus Bishop of Lyons he was of Victors mind that it ought to be celebrated on the Sunday only yet reproved Victor Bishop of Rome Peters successor as they say for cutting off all the Churches of God in Asia for such a trivial thing And Policarpus and Anisatus contended about trivial things and although there was much good in them both yet this weakned the Christians and led the minds of People out into the observance of outward things and neglected the life and the Power Lucius the two and twentieth Bishop of Rome about the year 255. and Stephanus who succeeded him a great contention in their time about baptism the matter was whether they that returned from any heresie should be rebaptized or be received in with Prayer and laying on of hands only and so here was a great jangling and contention about outward things which were geting up as Idols And Cyprian Bishop of Carthage judged that Hereticks had no way to be purged from Error but by baptism but Stephanus was greatly offended with Cyprian for this After Stephen Xystus succeeded and
Dionysius writes unto him how that all Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia and the bordering Nations how great Synods had decreed that they would not communicate with them because they rebaptized Hereticks and saith further the greatest Synods of Bishops hath decreed that such as renounce any heresie should first be instructed and then Washed and Purged of their impure leaven and thus they Wrangled and Jangled about things with one another and brake into Fractions notwithstanding many of these men Suffered under the merciless Cruelty of the Heathen Emperor likewise they excommunicated one another and called Councils and censured one another and hurt the spreadng of Truth amongst them that believed in the Name of Jesus all this is to shew that they were declining and coming to loss in this time though so near the Apostles time and though they suffered under the Emperors and found peace with the Lord yet many practices and institutions were made which are not according to the Primitive times which ought not to be binding to all generations afterwards because of the Antiquity of them as the now called Church of Rome would have all to receive as Apostolick Doctrine But to return to Constantine the Emperor when peace was established in the Empire he set forth a general Proclamation or Edict not constraining therein any man fro any Religion but giving liberty to all men to exercise their Religion whether Christians or others which thing was taken well by the Romans and all wise men this Licinius joyned with Constantine in the Government of the Empire and seemingly favoured the Christians and joyned with Constantine in setting forth an edict for the Christians liberty yet afterwards he had great hatred towards Constantine and conspired his death rejecting the Christian Religion and Persecuted them who said he would become an Enemy to the Christians for that in their Meetings and Assemblies they prayed not for him but for Constantine so cast the Christians into Prison and Persecuted them within his Dominions and many were put to death but at length he was slain after several battels between him and Constantine by the souldiers in the year 324. Constantius the Emperor the Father of Constantine dyed a natural death and was buried at York Dioclcesian died at Salena as some say by his own Poyson in the year 319. he was the chief of the seven Tyrants in the tenth Persecution Maximinian the second who was hanged at Mazilla by Constantine in the year 310. Thirdly Galerius who was plagued with a terrible disease Severus the fourth was slain by Maximinian the father of Maxentius the wicked Tyrant who was Banished by Constantine in the year 318. The sixth was Maxentius who dyed not long atfer in the year 320. Lastly Licinius was overcome by Constantine and slain about the year 324. And thus the Lord Plagued the cruelty of the Heathen Emperors who knew not God but hated his appearance and rewarded them according to their deeds The Christians in these three hundred years wherein was the ten Persecutions they were sufferers under the Power of the Dragon who ruled in the Emperors and then they were not Persecutors having not the outward power in their hand but when they had the outward power then they turned Persecutors especially the Bishops of Rome when they had the outward power on their side then they were worse then Constantine the great who gave liberty to all Christians and others to Worship God without forcing of any as their actions following afterwards makes it appear for being countenanced by the Emperor they grew proud and lordly and increasing in power and outward Authority though set up at first by the Emperor at last excluded him for having any Authority or Power over the See of Rome as after a season may be made appear In the year 367. Damasus was Bishop of Rome 18. years Also in the first three or four hundred years before ever the Bshop of Rome did get so high as to be called universal Bishop abundance of Darkness spread over and abundance of Idolatry and superstitious things was invented and abundance of Orders as Friars and Monks and Monasteries and Nunneries wherein they were diverted from the order of the Gospel and a great Apostacy came in In the year 260. Anthony is called the Father of the Monks who followed the Example of Paulus born at Thebes in Egypt who retired himself to a private Gave under the foot of a Rock in the seventh Persecution by Decius And one called Basil is said to be the first that built Monasteries and ordained vows of Poverty Chastity and Obedience and these are called the Monks of Basils Order and are bound to abstain from all kinde of Flesh and here began this Doctrine of Devils contrary to the Doctrines of the Apostles of Christ. The next who prescribed Orders was Augustine born in the year 350. this order was called Austin Fryars they wear a Lethern girdle to distinguish them from the Monks the first Order of the Eriars was Mendicants the third that Prescribed Orders was Benedict in the year 472. and out of this Order did spring the Monks of Benedict and divers other Orders which I have mentioned before in the former part of the Book The fourth that Prescribed Orders was Francis of Assis these are called Franciscans or Grey Friars their rule and order was confirmed by Innocent the third these are the fourth Order of Friars Mendicants or begging Friars and from this order sprung Friars Miniries and Capouchen Friars Miniries were ordered by Franciscus de Pola and Capouchens were ordained by one Matthew Basa of Acona The Jesuites were first founded by Ignatius Loyolla born in Navar they were first confirmed by Paul the third The Nuns first Author was one Clare the Daughter of Asses who forsoke her Fathers House and devised an Order of religious Women who vowed Poverty and Virginity they were confirmed by Honorius the third but many of these being mentioned and their Practices which are contrary to the Primitive time is mentioned before in this Book and so let them pass and to return to the Bishops of Rome but divers contentions and sects began to breake forth and the Bishops not only of Rome but of Alexandria and Nicomedia and Miletus and one clashing against another Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Eusebins Bishop of Nicomedia and many Bishops in other places joyning one to one side and one to another and envying one another insomuch that as Eusebius saith a man might have seen not only the Presidents and chief Rulers of the Churches envying one against another with spightful approbrious Terms and also the Multitude severed into parts that the Christian Religion was openly derided of all Men and so called Councils and Synods and condemned one another and excommunicated one another as Hereticks and so went out of the Long-suffering and Patience and forbearance which the Apostle exhorted unto And so no less then four hundred years many run wholly out into contention about
dayes and Meats and Drinks some Running this way and some that way and forging things upon the Apostles and Churches in Asia saying that John the Disciple gave them an order to observe Easter the fourteenth day of the Month And Rome and the Western parts alledge Peter and Paul for their Author how they left them this tradition both alike true for this came up more by custom then any injunction from the Apostles or tradition either for they condemned such things in their life time and called them beggarly rudiments such as inhabit at Rome they began to make fasts and fasted three weeks before Easter excepting the Saturday and the Sunday Illyricum Greece and Alexandria began their fasting dayes six weeks before Easter and that they call fourty dayes fasting or Lent others begin to fast seven weeks before Easter Yet in all the while they use abstinency but onely fifteen dayes and hath intermission amongst those dayes and yet calls these fourty dayes fasting or Lent so that they disagreed in the time disagreed in the months disagreed in the dayes and times and in the abstinence and contended about these things or for life and death and excommunicating one another and judging one another Hereticks and at last when they got power killed one another and stirred up the Emperours one against another and this in the 350 or 400 years after Christ. And all this fasting was but from some meat as though some had been clean and some unclean some abstained onely from flesh and fed onely upon fish and abstain from all other Creatures others upon fish and fowls of the Air affirming their Original is of the water and so no flesh and others some fasted till nine of the Clock and then eat of divers sorts as they pleased and here was their fast and their Lent about which all this contention and stir all which practices are condemned in the Apostles writings and such ignorance and hypocrisie for the Kingdom of God stands not in meats and drinks and yet the Protestants and them that calls themselves reformed will needs presse these things as holy Institutions when as it is manifest when the Christians in former dayes began to judge one another about these things and strive and bite one another and devoure one another and they lost the power and then Mystery Babylon began to rise these things became her Merchandize and these practices became to be called Christianity which Christ and the Apostles would have been ashamed of And about the Sacrament great contention arose as about the time and the manner some did receive the bread and wine every Sabbath day yet Alexandria and Rome do not use it Yet the Egyptians joyning to Alexandria and the Inhabitants of Thebes they had another order they did receive it when they had banquetted and filled themselves with delicates and then received their Communion and so they judged one another in these things In Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia they baptize only on the Easter holy dayes Likewise in Hellas Jerusalem and Thessalia their service they said with Candle-light likewise in Caesaria Cappadocia and at Cyprus the Priests and Bishops expound the Scripture on the Saturdayes and Sundayes by Candle-light as Socrates saith Lib. 5. In this time it is said the Customes and observations were so many that none was able to find two which did retain one Order of the service At Caesaria in Cappadocia they receive not into communion such as sin after Baptism and even so the Macedonians in Hellespont did the same The Phrygians allow not of two Marriages The Original Authors of so great diversity of services rights and customes were Bishops which governed their Churches at several times and such as do like of such practices have commended them to posterity for Laws and such vain and frivolous Contentions did arise in this age whereby it is manifest the Apostacy from the life and power of God was great and Gods wisdome and the Unity of the Spirit was wanting and Philosophy and customary practise was their chief Foundation And one Bishop exiled another and complained to the Emperors and banished one another and so the sheep was made havock of and starved and scattered and the name of Christ and Christian came to be evil spoken of by the many fractions and contentions that were amongst them But to return to the Bishops of Rome after the raign of Constantine in which persecution ceased many Superstitious Injunctions and Idolatrous practices were set up in the first five hundred years which I shall not much trouble the Reader with further then what is already said But divers other things were brought in afterwards more gross then the former Gregory called the Great the Bishop of Rome of whom it is said of all that went before him he was the basest or worst and of all that came after him he was the best It is he that brought in this Title among the Roman Bishops to be called the servant of Gods servants but by his practise he proved a Lord over Gods servants consciences and over their faith he made an Act that Priests should not marry a wife and he ordained a book called the Service or Letany which goes under the name of Gregories Mass-book to be recived in all Churches After the death of him Fabianus was Bishop who continued scarce 2. years he was the last of the Roman Bishops who had not the Title of universal Bishop or Head of the Church he was the last of sixty five Bishops before the first Pope he died in the year six hundred and five Palagius the first was the 69 Bishop of Rome in the year 355. he ordained that Hereticks and Shismaticks should be punished with temporal death there was 65 Bishops before Boniface the third who was the first Pope and since there hath been 179 Popes Boniface the third who succeeded Fabianus was the first Pope he reigned but one year and did more hurt in that year then Gregory could do in many before he obtained of the Emperour Phocas that he and his Successors after him in the See of Rome above all other Churches should have the preheminence and that the Bishop of Rome should be the head of all the Churches of Christ in Christendom alleadging this frivolous and reasonless reason that Saint Peter had left to Saint Peter his successors in Rome the Keyes of binding and loosing for before this Constantinople Asia and other Churches their Bishops had some stroak and divers times many of the Bishops of Rome were reprehended by the rest but now obtaining this Decree of Phocas he began to take head over all other Churches and this Phocas to aspire to the Empire of Rome he murthered his own Master and Mauritius the Emperour and his Children so Phocas somewhat fearing and willing to have Boniface his favour gratifies him and condescends to all his petitions and grants him to be universal head Bishop over all Christian Churches and there was
the first rise of the Pope But Phocas for his murther was justly rewarded for Heraclius the Emperour cut off his hands and feet and cast him into the Sea but Rome would not so soon loose her supremacy once given as the giver lost his life and ever since that time the Popes have holden defended and maintained the same by all force pollicy and cruelty that possible can be this was in the year 606. And so the Bishop now became Pope his rise was not because of his holiness or righteousness or doctrine or holy practices suitable unto Peter whom he saith he succeeded for his Doctrine and practice Peter had condemned the same things before Boniface was but his rise was by a Heathen Emperor who had Command over a great party at that time and so by the force of his edict he claims authority Vitilianus the eleventh Pope in the year 657 he confirmed that practice which was set up before by some other of the Bishops of Rome that organs should be set up in Churches Paschal in the year 817 was the first that appointed Cardinals to be in number 70. Adrian the third the 47 Pope in the year 884 ordained that the Emperour of Rome from thenceforth should have no more to do with the election or confirmation of the Pope but that it should be left wholly to the Romane Clergy So now that which first gave the Pope power to wit the Emperour he now throws off the yoak and if the Emperour please not him hath stirred up the people to mannage war against him and against divers Princes as may be seen in the histories of latter ages Sergius the third was the first who ordained bearing of Candles in the feast of the purification of Mary thence called Candlemas day Calistine the second in the year 1143 was the first inventer of cursing or anathamizing any who received not his Ordinances with Bell Book and Candle Innocent the third 1198 was the first that brought in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation and imposed auricular confession upon the people Clement the fifth 1350 was the first that sold indulgencies and pardons Sixtus the fourth 1471 brought in the beads to be numbred when they prayed authorized the Ladies psalter Leo the tenth in the year 1553 set Indulgencies and pardons on sale in Germany and France which things caused Luther in Germany and Zunglius amongst the Switzers to write against the Popes Ministers and afterwards questioned many points of the Popish Doctrine upon which the Pope burned Luthers writings and condemned him for an Heretick and Luther burned the Popes Canon Law at Wittenburg and declared the Pope to be a persecutor and a very Antichrist The Inquisition began first in Spain which was set up by the Papists there to terrifie the Moors who had inhabited Spain for 760 years and so long Spain was governed by the Emperour of the Moors in Africa until the year 1492. And after this time the inquisttion began against the Moors which was not so cruel at first as afterwards it began to be against the Protestants and is now accounted the greatest violence and torture and the greatest Tyranny and severest kind of persecution upon the Earth insomuch that many papists abhor the very name and mention of it and to the death withstand the bringing in of this slavery amongst them the extremity and rigor of this inquisition untill the year 1609. in Philip the third King of Spains time notwithstanding though the Moors did make a shew of the Papists Religion because of the Inquisition yet eleven hundred thousand of them was forced to quit the Country it was so dreadful And all these kind of Ordinances and Institutions before mentioned compare them with the Scriptures and the cruelty and severity which hath been exercised towards them who could not receive them none who have their eyes open in any measure but must needs conclude that all this is in the Apostacy and so all who prosess reformation flee from these things and from this Spirit and from this Church who forces and kills all them that oppose who are under his power and why should any plead for the holding up of those practices as good and warrantable when as so many has been killed about them and so many has been led from the life and power of godliness while they received and practised these humane inventions vain and customary traditions for the Doctrine of Christ and for Apostolick Ordinances and must it not needs be concluded them who would tye people up and bind men to observe such and such things as is mentioned before in this book and persecute for not observing that they are they who draws back to perdition and keeps people from laying hold upon eternal life Many more vain practises and Doctrines which have been brought in since the Apostles dayes might be mentioned but in that which is said already the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy both in life doctrine and practise from the Apostles time downward untill now that which is called the Catholick Church in Rome is in it And likewise diverse of them who are separated from her sticks too much in these things because of the custom Tradition and Antiquity of them In part I have shewn their Antiquiry and their rise and also shewn that which is more antient then they from which they have swarved to the intent that all may come out of Babylon and drink no more of the cup nor buy no more of the Merchandize nor wear no more the harlots cognizance nor the false Churches at tire but that all may come to see before this heap of dark confusion and beyond the vain observations which hath been introduced which maketh no man through the observation thereof more acceptable unto God but rather twofold more like children of the wicked one who abode not in the truth CHAP. XIIII Something further of the Decrees and Ordinances of the Church of Rome which are holden out for Apostolical Ordinances POpe Paul about the year 757 condemned the Councel at Constantinople for condemning worshipping of Images he wrote a book of the worshipping and vitility of Images calling them the Laymens Kalendar Pope Adrian about the year 770 cloathed the image of Saint Peter with silver and covered the Altar of Saint Paul with a pall of gold and condemned them for Hereticks who kept Peter and Pauls Doctrine which declared against idols Pope Nicholas about the year 858 enlarged the Popes Decrees equaling them to the writings of the Apostles he decreed that service should be said in Latine And although by the Emperours the Pope was first elected yet now having got head did climb up so high in power and pride and arrogancy endeavoured that no Emperour should be crowned without his leave in Germany And Pope Clement the fifth excommunicated Andronicus Peleologus Emperour of Constantinople as a Heretick because he would not suffer the Greek Church to appeal to
wholsome Institution amongst you And so for shame let all that profess Reformation and the Doctrine of godliness and the faith of Christ and the practise of the Apostles as their example Come out of things which the Harlor hath invented and say as Abraham said to the King of Sodom That he would not take a shoe-latchet least he should say he had made Abraham Rich So let them that professes Reformation not keep a shoe-larchet nor one lap of the Whores garment nor any piece of her Ornaments that she may not boast any more that we are made rich by her merchandize so purge out horn and huff and all the old leaven out of your hearts and out of your Assemblies and come to believe in Christ the true light that lighteth every one that comes into the world that he may be your Law-giver whose Institutions are spiritual and his Ordinances heavenly which makes perfect and clean and pure the comers there unto and so let the old Româ—sh tâ—ash and foolish Ceremonies about worship alone many of which are borrowed from the Heathen and judge not any for departing from them nor perâ—ecute none for not observing of them for who so doth will manifest themselves to belong to the City which is to be overthown and to be in the Apostacy and not Members of the true Church of Christ the Lambs Wife And many more things which stands yet amongst them called Christions as set discourses hath been set up â—â—lled homilies And the aâ—oresaid W. H. shews the ground wherefore they were devised Some complained that their Churches and Universities were spoiled with error as many are at this day by which there was a want of able Pastors four Sermons were appointed by publick order in the year only and certain homilies was devised by learned men and confirmed for sound Doctrine by the Clergy who made them and the Authority of the Prince which homilies were appointed to be read by Curates of a mean understanding and them that had but mean pay as five mark or twenâ—â— Nobles a year of which sort we had many in England in the year 1640. I desire we have no more leâ—st more ignorance abound and these homilies were to be read after a certain number of Psalms read and the Leâ—any and an Epistle and Gospel and it may be Aâ—hâ—nasius or Nicene Creed and this was the worship which hath been holden out even amongst the reformed as spiritual worship all which while people has been exercising themselves in those things they have been further and further off from God and the knowledge of his truth which is manifest to them that believe not by the Injunctions and Ordinances of men but by holy Spirit which leads out of all Error Superstition and deceit and all that believes in it comes to be taught of the Lord and worship in that which is pure and are acceptable in his sight CHAP. XV. Something Concerning the General Councils since the Apostles dayes though they have been all of one faith and though it hath been said the Church could not err all which of the several Councils belonged to the Church of Rome yet see the difference IN that which some call a Council or a Synâ—d at Jerusalem Acts 15. when some dissention arose because of some of the Phariâ—ees that believed and yet would needs Judge it needful for all that believed to be circumâ—iâ—ed So they that stickt in the outward Types and Figures would needs lay yoaks upon the necks of them who were come to the substance So the Apostles Elders and Brethren coming together seeing the state of the matter stood not disputing years together as the Council of Trent forty years but they as they saw in the wisdom of God sent some chosen men from Jerusalem to the Gentiles to certifie the Gentiles by the Spirit of the Lord that they abstained only from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from Fornication from which if you keep your selves you shall do well Acts 15. they pressed not upon them the ordinances of the Jews neither the custome of the Gentiles in the unbelief which since this the Church of Rome hath done and diverse Councils appertaining to her hath cumbred people with multitudes of things and heavy yoaks some borrowed from the Jews in the unbelief and some from the Heathens in the unbelief and prest their Institutions and inventions as Ordinances of Christ upon all the Members of the Church which are so many and so innumerable and all contrary to the Primitive Church And they have been of the nature of those Councils that David speaks of Psal. 2. who took Council against the Lord and against his Anointed and that was a Council which condemned the Son of God Christ Jesus and these Councils though Rabbies and great men yet they â—rred from the life But to come downward amongst the Doctors and Bishops of that which they call the Catholick Church the Council that was held at Carthage under Cyprian decreed that those who were baptized by Hereticks ought to be baptized again which others called it error And that Councils proceedings was condemned The Niceâ—e Council decreed flat Idolatry about worshipping of Images and the Council at Constantinâ—ple condemned that proceedings and their decrees The Council of Basil as Albeâ—â—us Pâ—igius saith decreed against all reason and against the Scriptures The Council of Armenium decreed for the Aâ—meâ—iaâ—s that Christ was not God The Council of Calcedon which was one of the four that Gregory the great compares to the four Gospels that the Decrees were as sure and Constitutions as certain infallible as the Scripture yet Pope Leo did not stick to condemn it and all them as unadvised And these Councils has been one against another and the multitude of their votes is brought for great proof not only amongst the Romanists but also amongst them that are separated from them so Councils have erred and hath opposed one another yet and the Popes and Bishops of Rome to Leo the fourth abrogated and made void the Acts of Adrian yet they both said they were Peters successors and infallible And Stephanus Bishop of Rome made void the Acts and decrees of Formosâ—s and Sabinian the Pope commanded that Gregories Mass and all Pope Gregories writings should be burnt And all of these said they had the Keyes to bind loose and yet one bound that which another had loosed and another loosed that which the former had bound and yet all these claimed infalibility The Council of Carthage Decreed that the Bishop of Rome should not be called high Priest nor chief of Priests nor the head of the Church but following Councils have stiled him chief Priest chief Bishop and head of the Catholick Church The Eliberine Council Decreed that no Images should be set up in the Churches nor worshipped nor the walls painted Likewise the Council of Constantinople before mentioned decreed that Images were not to be suffered in the
Churches or Meeting places but on the other side the second Nicene Councils determined that Images were not only to be placed in the Churches but also to be worshipped and the pope said that Images were to be Lay-mens Calenders The latter Council under Julius the second did repeal the Decrees of the Pisan Council The Basil Council deterrmined that a Council of Bishops was above the Pope but the Lattern Council under Leo Decreed that the Pope was above the Council and they decreed also that he that should think otherwise should be held for an Heretick and yet the Bishops and Abboâ—s in the Council of Basil aforesaid Decreed that they that judged that the Bishops were not above the Pope were Hereticks and yet these Councils the Church of Rome layes claim to to be of their Faith and Church and yet one making void what another had decreed The same Council did with an uniform consent remove the Pope Engeâ—ius and put Amidius in his place But Engenius vilifies the Councils decrees and condemns them The Council of Trent commanded that Bishops should teach the people and should have no more benefit for preferment then one place But since they have made this decree void and now whole Countries is too little and the Protestants imitates the same and does not teach the people and so of what validity have these Councils been worth or of what force hath the Decrees been of mutable men who have been tossed up and down like waters need I nominate the several Convocations and Councils that hath been amongst the reformed Churches as they are called and their Synods one while decreeing this the next throwing it down again And yet all these will lay claim to be Ministers of the True Church and persecute as Hereticks to death them who owns not their Changeable Decrees and mutable Institutions but such hath been the Arogancy and pride of her that hath set as a Queen upon the waters that she must be the only Judge and then the Prophets must be slain Pope Julius said no Council is of any credit unless it be confirmed by the Church of Rome And Boniface the eighth saith that no man in the world can be saved unless he be subject to the Romane Church And Pope Paschal thus said as though said he any Council could make Laws for the Church of Rome and all Councils do subsist by it and receive their strength from it and that wâ—h the Pope approveth or disapproveth And so all Confederacies Councils of men who are out of the life and power of God doth decree that which brings the Seed of God into bondage Now Rome look to thy infallability and thy universality which thou so much cryest up and thy unity one while sets up one thing another time throws it down again when it wil not sâ—rveparticular interests and what a stir has here been amongst them that call themselves reformed in these latter ages one setting up this another that sometimes this service for a worship then the next calls it Idolâ—trous then another service and this Ceremony and the other Ceremony and this Pater noster and the other Creed this Caâ—echism and the other Caâ—echism these Articles of Faith the next Synod make them void and so leads people into distraction and madness and this Caâ—on and the other Institution one while its Idolatrous another while Sacred and Holy And thus people has been led up and down many generations too and â—ro up and down and persecâ—tion about Changeable Mutable and alterable things and the life which redeems out of the world up unto God has not been sought after And so all that looks to have peace and to enjoy the Testimony of Gods blessed Spirit come out of this Babylon this City of confusion whose seat is â—rected upon the sand whose Foundation is laid in the waters and faith upon the humane institutions of men which are variable and subject to Mutation and come to know the Rock of Ages and the unalterable Council of the Lord and the wisdome of the most High to rule in your hearts wait in the Immortal Light of God which is within that you may see over all these Mountains of darkness which is risen up in the Apostacy and over all the Institutions Decrees Statutes Ordinances and Inventions of men to before all these things were and come to him who is the beginning of the Creation of God who is that quickning Spirit by which all that believe are raised out of death to be partakers of the Life which is Immortal which fades not away and the Lord will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Away with all Types and Figures Shadows and Vails humane Institutions and Ordinances of men Ceremonies and vain superstitions Traditions which God hath no pleasure in which doth not profit at all and whatsoever leads the mind into visible things from the invisible God is to be thrown aside as a menstruoâ—s Cloath and as the breath of abominable things which God will confound because he hath no pleasure in them for the life is risen and the vail of the covering is rent which has been spread over all Nations the night is gone the day is come and appeared in brightness the shadows are past away and the morning of Righteousness is appeared the Son of God is come who has given his flock an understanding in whom life and blessedness and peace and everlasting Consolation resideth and resteth upon his People for ever more CHAP. XVI Something concerning the worship of God whether that Kings and Rulers now in Gospel times have any power from God to compel or force about Spiritual things declared and some Scriptures answered which hath been perverted by them who are in the Apostacy to maintain the Beasts power and the false Churches worship under the raign of Antichrist VVHen the Lord brought Israel out of the land of Eygpt by a strong hand and an outstreched arme he made a Covenant with them and gave forth a Law at Mount Sina by the hand of Moses the Judge of Israel and statures and Ordinances which Israel should walk in who were as a family who came of one stock and the Laws and Statutes which were then given forth was concerning civil things as concerning man and man and betwixt a man and his Neighbour and for the Government of whole families and the Camp of Israel And likewise Laws and Statutes which concerned the worship of the true God which may be read at large in Exodus Numbers and Dâ—uteromony and that worshipped not the true God according to the command given in the first Covenant which was outward were to have Judgment executed upon them according to the Law and Moses over Israel and the rest of the Judges were to see the Laws and Statutes Executed upon the transgressors and if any were an Idolater worshipped a false God or a Blasphemer were to be stoned to death or Sabbath-breaker was to be
about Spiritual matters for the worship of God But we never read of any called Christians that did so untill Pelagius a Bishop of Rome or Pope when the Emperour had given Boneface the third this power to be called the Chief Bishop and head universal over all Christian Churches Then he begun to make temporal Laws to punish about Spiritual things And Pelagius made a decree that Hereticks should be punished with Temporal death about 555 years after Christ So let all Princes Magistrate and Rulers who denies the Church of Rome in her Apostacy follow not her example but leave every one free to the Lord in Spiritual matters as concerning his Worship for to him must every one give an account in his own day when it shal be required from which the wicked shall not be able to fly Another Objection But then it may be said what power will you allow unto Magistrates that profess the Name of Christ Or how far have they Authority from God to punish evil doers and encourage them that do well Answer It is said by me Kings Rule and Princes decrees Justice there is a ruling by him and that is a ruling in the power of God in him He that rules in the power of God measures equal justice unto all men and ruleth by the good and wholsome Laws which are made by the will of God which is according to Gods witness which he hath placed in every mans heart and such a one is a Temporall head over the temporal body ruleth in Righteousness in temporal things But Christ he is the head of the body that is spiritual which is his Church Now the Law is against the lawless as against Liers Swearers Stealers Cursed speakers Murderers Man-slayers Man stealers Violence and Oppression and Deceit and that which tends to the hurt and destroying of the Creation And he that is the Executor of the Law ought to inflict temporal punishments for temporall facts provided that every punishment be suitable to the transgression and go not beyond it and in so doing he rules for God and the sword is to be turned against that which doth evil and to keep peace amongst all men and to keep down all strife and Contention Quarrelling and fighting and keeping the unruly from devouring and destroying one another And this is to rule for God in a Nation in the Creation and to countenance the honest upright and quiet and meek and this is a praise unto them that do well and this is that which would keep the Nations at peace And here Governors and Rulers comes to be blessed when the Princes thereof rules in Righteousness and when people live under them a holy godly and quiet life But when Godliness Holiness Righteousness is counted as a crime and wickedness and violence and iniquity set up that Nation is near a judgement and for the iniquity of Rulers Kings and People many fruitful Lands hath the Lord made barren and that which is for the well-being and preservation for the universal good and all people therein all people ought to render obedience unto such Command for conscience sake and all people ought â—to obey Rulers and Governours in that which is good and lawful and warrantable in the sight of God unto all just commands to yeild obedience not for wrath but for conscience sake For so the Lord requires which will be acceptable and pleasing in his fight And all Magistrates who are Christians ought to be paterns of Holiness and Righteousnesse to their people and to admonish exhort and reprove the prophane and ungodly and to the worship of the True God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth It is the duty of every true Christian who is a King and a Priest unto God CHAP. XVII Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the unlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in Gospel times Though Apostates mingle the Ordinances of both together denying all oaths proved to be no new Doctrine IN the beginning when God Created the Heavens and the Earth all things that are therein by the Word of his power and set the bounds the habitations thereof separated betwixt Light Darkness And when man was Created in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them Now the Image of God consists in Righteousness Holiness Equity long suffering Patience Goodnesse Mercy and Truth the Glory thereof is unspeakable man being in this Image there was no trangression nor sin nor sorrow man was bound unto his Maker by the Power in which he was made yea he was in a capacity to Fear Love Honour Obey and Worship his Maker from the virtue of that Power and Principle which God had placed in him which some ignorantly calls the Law of Nature But that is not the intention of my discourse to contend what it was but to shew that man was at union with God and bound unto him by that which God had placed in him in which his wisdom power and dominion stood to rule over all the Creatures life was in him there was no death then in this the Obligation stood not in outward written commands or ordinances but it stood in that which was internal and invisible this was before the transgression here was no Oaths yet nor outward Covenants made nor outward Ordinances But after man had transgressed and eaten of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil and gone from the power and broken the Covenant he lost his wisdome and folly entred he lost his dominion and weaknesse entred he lost his knowledge and ignorance entred and an earthly part and a mutable came to have Dominion not that this was evil in it self being subjected by the power and word in its place and in the state wherein it was good but man being gone from the power and from the Covenant joyned to something out of it and out of the mind and listened to that which should have been ruled over that became a Leader which God never appointed and this led mans heart from the invisible God of life and light who is immutable to lust after visible things and mutable and earthly things and into instability And so his heart and mind and affections became more and more to be alienated from the Lord and his understanding more darkned yet such was the love of God unto mankind that he did not wholly cast him off here but followed him with his mercies and promised the Seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head and so it did yet the Adulterers generation in the transgressing nature were great and fast and there was but few before the flood in comparison of the Multitude who bore the Image of God and few in a generation as Abel Enock Seth and the rest went after the Imaginations of their own hearts and set up Images and Idols and also after the Flood when the
that Tythes are no way lawful to be received neither sought for by any who are Ministers of the new Covenant and the everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity TO omit Abrahams giving tythes or the tenth part to Melchizedeck after the overthrow of his enemies And Jacobs vowing to give the tenth when he should inherit the land of Canaan because a voluntary promise only bindeth him that promiseth and a free gift from one to another is no command neither binding to all generations because Abraham gave the tenth part to Melchizedeck freely of the spoil he had taken and that but once not of his Families labors or industries but of the spoil This was a voluntary and a free thing both in Jacob and Abraham if Jacob had not vowed he had not sinned if Abraham had not given the tenth part of the spoil he had not sinned So this is no command or binding example unto future Generations especially of them that pretends they are Ministers of the second Covenant and the Gospel but a very feeble and a poor thing for them to alleadge Tythes were never commanded to be paid by the Lord to any but Israel whose Law was given forth 400 years after the promise as saith the Apostle neither were ever payable but by the Jews in the Land of Canaan and to Levies tribe only and to the Jewish Priests that had no inheritance allotted them by the Lord of all the land of Canaan or beyond Jordan but only tythes or the tenth part among their Brethren that only according to the command of the Lord Deut. 18. 4. Ezek. 45. 13. For the office of the Priesthood and for the service of the Tabernacle At the giving forth of the Law after Israel came out of Egypt God chose Aaron his Sons for the office of the Priesthood and the rest of the tribe of Levi for the service of the Tabernacle God gave unto the Levites by commandment all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their service and the Levites out of their tithes were to offer up to the Lord a tenth part of the tiths and give it unto Aaron the Priest for himself his Sons and no other portion had the Levitical Priests out of the tiths but the tenth of the tenth As for the rest of the Tythes they were for the Levites that did serve at the Tabernacle and for strangers for fatherless and widows Moreover the tenth of the tythe the Priest had the first ripe fruits of the ground of Wheat of Barley of Figgs Grapes and Olives of Pomgranates and Dates at what quantity the owner pleased a heave offering also of Corn Wine and Oyl fleece were given to the Priests at the 60 part sometime the 50 at the devotion of the owner But how comes it to pass that they that pretend another Priesthood then this should receive the 10 of all of unclean beasts as Pigs and Foals and of such things as we never read of Tythable under the Law of Eggs Geese Turnups and the tenth of the wood for Faggots for the fire and yet are not of this Priesthood but pretends to be Bishops and Elders in the Christian Church so they cannot distinguish of the time neither of the Ministration neither of service and worship that belongs to each Covenant else they would be ashamed to claim title to Aarons tyths and the Levites that was given to them that had no portion among their Brethren in the Land But these Bishops Presbyters and Priests hath a great part of some Counties Diocess for their revenue and their inferior offices tyths of such things as were never tythable under the Law so what damnable deceit hypocrisyis this Is it any other but the Popes yoke an absolute Apostate for hundreds of years and must this be received injoyned as Apostolical doctrine Oh for shame let it never be mentioned among them that calls themselves Ministers of Christ neither of any who professeth themselves to be Christians But to return to the Levitical Priesthood no tyths did the Priest receive under the Law of the people For those belonged to the Levites 〈◊〉 18. 2. that were appointed over the Tabernacle to bear it to take it down and to ser it up to serve Aaron and his Sons to keep the instruments thereof and for the better ordering of things they were divided into three parts the Coathites the Gershonites and the Mararites and these received tythes of the people delivered the Priests did not all so our tythe-â—aking priests are contrary to the Law and first Covenant and the Gospel also And therefore are to be looked upon as no other then antichristians but to return to Aarons priesthood in the first Covenant they grew multiplied then the Priests were divided into 24 ranks or courses of wch our Prebends Deans and Chapters takes their example or imitation so to serve by their turns at Cathedrals as they are called or else from the Church of Rome which is worse but the latter I am rather inclined to believe because there was no such name of any Ministers among the Jews neither in the primitive Church truly so called but the Priests gave attendance to execute their office and burn incense as his turn came and hereupon Zecharias who is said to be of the course of Abiah Luke 1. The Levites that were singers were divided into 24 â—anks also or courses of which I believe the present Queristers or Surpless-men doth imitate and will bring the Levites for a proofconcerning their office but we cannot receive Judaism for Christianity neither their practice for Apostolical Ordinances in the Church of Christ. The Priests and the Levites being separated for the work of the Lord in the Tabernacle Temple ministred according to the command ordinances of the first Covenant which were only Figures of things to come and shadows of things that was but to continue until the time of reformation then they all had an end both the priesthood Levites and their service and office and maintenance tythes ended as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews the Priesthood is changed and the law is changed by which they received these Tythes for the work aforesaid But to descend and to come unto the Primitive time we shall see whether tythes were paid or no to Gospel-Ministers in the second Covenant In the fulness of time God raised up another Priest Christ Jesus who was not of the Tribe of Levi nor consecrated after the order of Aaron for he pertain'd to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar He obtained a more excellent Ministry and of a greater a more perfect Tabernacle not of the former building he being the sum and substance of all the figures under the first Covenant he put an end to first Priesthood with all its shadows and Carnal Ordinances and changing the Priesthood which had a command to take Tythes of
their Brethren there was made of necessity also a change of the Law and a disanulling of the Commandment going before Christ Jesus when he had finished his Office upon earth by fulfiling all righteousnes he offered up himself through the eternal spirit sacrifice unto God without spot The Apostles and Ministers who were made partakers of the divine nature and of the word of reconciliation did not look back to the former Ordinances of the first Priesthood but testified an end was put to them witnessed again the Temple wherein the Priests Ministred Paul and likewise Stephen was stoned to death against circumcision saying It was not that of the Flesh and against all the outward ordinances of that Covenant called them carnal preached up Christ Jesus his doctrine the new and living way wch was not manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing they preached freely the ever lasting Gospel and did not desire or require setled maintenance but were Ministred unto only by them who had believed their report were turned to Christ Jesus and were made partakers of spiritual things though they often denied that which was given unto them Here was no Tythes spoken on either to the Jews or Gentiles who believed At Jerusalem and there abouts such was the love and unity of heart among the Saints in the Apostles time that all things were in common none wanted So likewise the Church gathered by Mark at Alexandria in Egypt followed the same practice and the Church at Jerusalem and Philo Judeus saith in many other provinces the Christians lived together in societies In the Church of Antioch Galatie and Corinth the Saints possessed every man his own Estate where the Apostle ordained that a weekly offering should be made of the Saints that every one might offer freely of that which God had blessed him with which was put into the hands of the Deacons of the Churches whereby the poor was relieved and other necessary services were supplied In the next age monthly offrings were made not exacted but freely given as appears plainly by Tertullian in Apologet. chap. 29. where he upbraids the Gentiles with the piety and charity of the Christians he saith Whatsoever we have in the Treasury of our Churches it is not raised by taxation as though we put men to ransom their Religion But every man once a month or when he pleaseth himself gives what he thinks good for no man is compelled but left free to his own descretion and it is not bestowed in vanity but in relieving the poor and for maintenance of poor Children Deffitute of Parents and aged people and such as are cast into Prisons for professing the Christian faith And this way of contribution continued till the great persecution under Maximinian and Dioclesian about the year 304 as Eusebius witnesseth and so doth Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others Also about this time some Land was given to the Church by them that believed and the revenue thereof was distributed as other free gifts were by the Deacons and Elders to the poor for the fore mentioned uses but the Bishops or Ministers medled not with them Origen saith It is not lawful for any Minister to possesse Lands given to the Church to his own use Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250 also testifieth the same sheweth how the Church maintaineth many poor and that her own diet was sparing plain and her expences full of frugality Prosper saith also that a Minister able to live of himself ought not to desire any thing to be given unto him and he that receiveth it doth it not without great sin The Council at Antioch Anno 340 finding that much fault had been among the Deacons to whom it properly belonged to distribute the offerings or free gifts where there was need which they detained for their own covetous ends the Council did ordain that the Bishop might distribute the Goods but required that they took no part thereof to themselves nor to the use of the Priests using the Apostles words having food and rayment be therewith content Chrysostome notes who lived about the year 400 that Christian converts joyned in societies and lived in Common after the example of the former Saints at Jerusalem by whose writings it doth appear that three was not the least mention made of Tythes in that age The Church at this time living altogether by free offerings of Lands Monies and Goods the people were much pressed to bountifull Contributions for holy uses as may be seen in the writings of Hirome and Chrysostome who brought the liberality of the Jews in their payment of Tythes for an example beneath which they would not have Christians determine their charity Chrysostome saith I speak not these things as commanding or forbidding they should give more Yet as thinking it fit they should not give less then the tenth part And Hierome also doth admonish them to bounty and charity towards the poor not binding at all to offer this or that part leaving them to their own Liberty yet pressing them not to be shorter then the Jews in their tenths Ambrose who was Bishop of Milane about the year 400 preached up tenths to be offred up for holy uses as the phrase was then But his Authority he produceth wholly from Moses writings Likewise Augustin Bishop of Hippo joyns and agrees with Ambrose in this thing but from the Law given to Israel take their whole Doctrine and threatned them with great penalties and heavy Judgments from God that did not give their tenths But yet take notice to what end they required them that the poor might not want and saith God hath reserved them for their use So by this time love did grow cold in many and the power of God was much wanting which would have kept the hearts of people open in love and mercy to their members And therefore they were much prest on and threatned by the Bishops to give their tenths Not that the Bishops had any better ground but only the Jewish Law for their foundation and so in process of time this Doctrine came to be received many following the opinion of the antient Fathers yet hitherto it was not laid down as a positive Doctrine to pay them as the Jews did but onely brought the Jews for an example that Christians should not pay less Leo called the great about the year 440 who reigned twenty years he was very earnest in stiring up mens devotion to offer to the Church but speaks not a word of any quantity Severin also 470 stirred up the Christians in Panona to give the tenth to the poor Likewise Gregory not only admonished the payment of Tythes from Moses Law but also the observing of Lent which he reckoned as the tenth of time in the year And this he would have given unto God saying we are Commanded in the Law to give the tenth of all things unto God And thus Ignorance
began to enter in and Judaism among the Christians brought in by their leaders and from the opinions of these and other antient Fathers who took their ground from the Law Tythes Easter Penticost and other things came to be introduced and brought into the Church Yet notwithstanding the doctrine and hard threats of some of the great Bishops of that time It was not a General received doctrine that tythes ought to be paid till about the year 800. Neither was any thing by the then Church determined or ordained touching the quantity that should be given though no doubt in many places the offerings of the devouter sort tenths or a greater part of their increase were given according to Ambrose doctrine and others And then at this time the offerings or gifts to the Church were disposed of in this wise being received into a common treasury one fourth part to the Priests out of which every one had his portion another fourth part to the relief of the poor and sick and strangers A third to the building and repairing places of publick meeting And the fourth to the Bishop and generally the Bishop lived in some Monastry his Clergy with him from whence he sent them to preach in the Countries and Diocess and there they received such offrings as were made and brought them to the Treasury So that by the way the Reader may take notice that the Priest had no such a peculiar interest in that which was given But now they claim all their meeting places since called Churches was builded out of the gifts of people and the poor was relieved and the widow But now Tythes taken by force three or four sold and people compelled to build repair their houses or Temples by force and the poor the widdow hath no share nay hath not many poor been cast into prison and widows goods spoiled by the Priests of this generation how unsuitable these practices are unto the Apostle let all judge nay they are proud of the antient Fathers and their words but they will not so such as come near them in example in any thing that 's good So for shame you Protestans leave forcing of maintenances and forcing of your wages and forcing to repair your Houses of worship and do not tell us of Church Church and Antiquity when you are far enough off their practice though they were in a declining state in this age I have been speaking of And although divers of the Fathers and Bishops and Popes in this age did declare that Tythes were due and ought to be paid their ground only taken from Moses yet none of the first eight generall Councils did ever so much as ever mention the name of Tythes or declare them a duty The ninth general Council held at Latteren under Pope Calixtus the second 1119 mentions tythes but speaks only of such as had been given to the Church by special consecration for at that time people being led to believe that their Tythes ought to be given to the poor did dispose of them to the heads rulers of religious houses who keeps open hospitality for the poor and for strangers they were esteemed holy and good Treasures for the poor who took care of distribution of them as is testified by Cassian But the Councel held under Pope Alexander the third Anno 1180. Seeing much given to the poor little to the Priests made a Decree to restrain peoples freedom and indeed by this time much wickedness was crept into these houses as Histories relates There was no Law Cannon or Constitution of any General Council as yet sound that did command tythes or expresly supposed them a duty of common right before the Council of Lateren held in the year 1215 under Pope Innocent the third about which time the Popes power was grown great powerful But still the people had greater mind to give them to the poor then to the Priest and made Innocent complain cried out against those that gave their tythes and first fruits to the poor and not to the Priests as hainous offenders At a Council held at Lions under pope Gregory the 10 in the year 1274 it was constituted that it should not thenceforth be lawful for men to give their Tythes at their own pleasure as they had done before but to pay all to the Mother Church But the great Decree which speaks most plain and till then nothing was given forth which did constitute them but rather supposed them as by former right was made at the Council of Trent under Pope Pius the 4th about the year 1560. They commanded tythes to be paid under the penalties of excommunication about the year 800 900 1000 and after tythes were called the Lords goods the patrimony of the poor according to Ambrose Jerome Chrysostoms Doctrine only borrowed from the Jews So thus in short I have shown that Tythes were never reckoned as due to the Clergy for a thousand years but they did give them as they would how much they would that without compulsion till the hight of popery and the power of darkness spread over all And since forcing Constitutions have been made by Councils of Priests And so you who looks upon your selves to be Ministers of Christ and to follow the Doctrine of the Primitive times for shame cease from those things of taking Tythes and giving tythes which was ordained and Constituted in the mid-night of Popery when the power of God was lost which should have opened peoples hearts both to the poor and to the Ministry and then this false Church began to force and compel or else they could not have subsisted for the Doctrine had little influence upon peoples hearts About the year 600 or soon after Gregory the first then the pope of Rome sent over Augustin the Monk into England by whom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted as they call it but it was but to popery he and his Clergy long time after followed the example of former ages living in Common upon the Offerings of their convers those that received them joyned into societies according unto the primitive practice by Gregories order and that they should in tenderness to the Saxon Church that they should still imitate the primitive times that they might not make their Religion burthensome But afterwards having brought a great part of the Nation to their faith they began to preach up the old Romane Doctrine that Tythes ought to be paid and having taught people that pardon of sin was merited by good works and the torments of Hell be avoided by charity then it was no hard matter to perswade them to give their tenths and Lands but also their outward Riches and the Clergy had almost got a third part of the Land into their hand As concerning Laws and Canons for tythes among the Saxons in England it is reported that in the year 786 two Legates were sent from Pope Hadrian the first to Off a King of
Mercland and Elsewolf King of Northumberland who made a Decree that the people of those two Kingdomes should pay tythes By this it may be seen chat tythes were not reckoned as due for many hundred years and indeed were never due in the second Covenant So these things that are so pleaded for by these hireling Priests of this last age which hath no better plea then antiquity for their tyths and forced hire may be convinced that antiquity without truth is nothing and yet the antiquity of the Churches in the primitive times condemns these practises so that let all Protestants deny these introduced institutions and the popes wages forced tythes and hire which is Antichristian A cloud of witnesses might be brought out of the antient Fathers who testified against them and diverse Martyrs as Walter Brute and John Wickliff who suffered Martyrs for testifying the truth against the Idolatry and superstitions of that age Selden in his History of Tythes saith that before the year 800 or there abouts there is not any general Law that yet remains in publick and is of credit which ordained any payment of tythes in the Western Church for the Eastern never any Law that hath been observed mentions them So in the first giving of tenths was by the perswasion of some of the Fathers formentioned for the poor and service of the Church and they were only the free offering or free gift of the people as almes which were brought into the Common Treasury first disposed of by Deacons for the service of the Church But they being found faulty it were ordered decreed in a Council that the Bishop or overseer should dispose of them to wit the offerings but they were not compellable who did not offer this or that part but were left free to do as they had freedom only exhorted and threatened with the judgments of God if they suffered the poor to lack or be in want The predecessors of the Protestants the Bohemians being descended from the Waldenses forementioned did professe that all Priests or Ministers ought to be poor and to be content with the free gift or what the people freely offered them So saith AEneas Silvius in his Bohemian History and it is one of John Wicklifs Articles for which he was censured viz. that tythes were a free gift as among Christians or only pure alms and that the Parishoners may for the â—ffence of their Curates detain and keep them back and bestow â—hem upon others at their own will and pleasure And this proposition aforesaid is maintained by John Husse in the said Book of Martyrs pag. 461. That the Clergy are not Lords and possessors of Tyths or other Ecclesiastical goods but only Stewards and after the necessity of the Clergy is once satisfied they ought to be transported to the poor At Geneva Tiths of all sorts are taken up for the use of the state and laid up in the publike Treasury Ambrose Bishop of Millain as zealous a man for Church Priviledges as we hardly read of the like Ambrose Epist. 3. sâ—ith If the Emperour have a mind to Church Lands he hath power to take them There is none of us interposeth the poor may sufficiently be maintained by popular Collections let them not create us envy by taking of those Lands let them take them away if they please It may be observed at this time that the Ministers were not maintained by setled Tythes like the Priests of our time but both they and the poor were relieved by Oblations of the people and by such Lands as were given by the Emperours to the severall Churches So it was upon this account that Ambrâ—se thus speaks And William Throp of whom I made mention being examined in the year 1407 being brought before Thomas Aurandel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Chanceller then of England gives a clear Testimony against tythes how that they were no Gospel maintenance In his Answer he saith in the new Law neither Christ nor his Apostles took tythes of the people nor Commanded the people to pay tythes neither to Priests nor Deacons and Christ and his Apostles Preached the Word of God to the people and lived of pure almes of the free gift But after Christs Assention when the Apostles had received the Holy Ghost they travelled with their hands and afterwards he saith Paul when he was full poor and needy Preached among the people He was not chargious unto them but with his hands he travelled not only to get his own Living but also to relieve others that were poor and needy And further he saith Tythes were given in the old Law to Levites and Priests but our Priests come not of Lâ—vi but since Christ lived and his Apostles by pure alms or else by the travell of their hands At the which the Bishop said Gods curse have you and mine for this Teaching and further William saith those Priests that challinge to take Tythes dinies Christ come in the flesh unto which the Bishop said heard ye ever Lossel speak thus And further William saith that the covetousness and pride of the Priests destroys the vertue of the Priesthood and also stireth up Gods vengeance both upon Lords and Commons who suffer these Priests Charitably And the Arch-Bishop said Thou judgest every Priest proud that will not go aâ—ayed as thou dost By God I deem him to be more meek that goeth every day in his Scarlet Gown then thou in thy threed bare blew Gown An answer much like a Tything Priest but I refer the Reader to the whole Testimony of William Throp which is large in the Book of Martyrs David Pareus in his Comentary upon Gen. 28 2. 22. saith Tythes or tenths were freely arbitrary a man might give them a man might vow them or he might not as he pleased before the Law But under the Law they were commanded to be given to the Priests and Levites hence saith he our Clergy men infer if they were so of Old then they are so now But this doth not follow saith he they had a Divine Ceremonial right but that is now ceased they had Tythes as a Compensation of that lot they should otherwise have in Land ours not so ours have Towns Villages Mannors yea Countries and Provinces nor is there any end of their insatiable Covetousness and he concludes when the Leviticall Priesthood did cease then did the right of that Priesthood cease and the right of Tythes did revert to God as Governour and Soverain of the World Great and Large are the testimonies that might be given both out of ancient and modern Writers who were the clearest in their judgements in their age against Tythes how that they were no Gospel maintenance neither of Divine right do belong to any Ministry under the Gospel who professeth Christ come in the flesh What I have said in this particular might be sufficient seeing so large things by other pens have been declared But I am the more willing to instance divers Authors
Tit. 7. parag 17. And whether this be not ridiculous and foolish to give for their armes the book with seven seales is not that a gross abuse of what is laid down in the Revelation as if the liberal Arts two whereof are Grammer and Fidling are typified by these seals which none were worthy to open but the Lamb And as for their habits and black gowns and black Coats these have been borrowed from Rome or else from the Chimerians a sort of people of old among the Jews who were Idolaters Hosea 10. 〈◊〉 Some of the Kings of Israel who drew people into Idolatry and countenanced Idolatrous Priests 2 Kings 23. Who were attired in black These were prophesied against by Hosea 10. chap 5. They were supprest by Josiah and Zephany chap. 14. saith he stretch forth his hand upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and cut off the remnant of Baal and the name of the Chimerims or black-coats with the Priests Jerome bids Nepotian being to enter upon the Clergy to avoid black attire In Tertullians time every one that did turn Christian or was made a Presbyter did renounce his gown which was the Romane vestment and afterwards the Clergy relinquisht dark coloured cloaks for Coats and the Clergy and Laity in fine were both alike habited And a Bishop was condemned of the Council of Gaâ—grae for introducing the fashon of long sad coloured Cloaks that was condemned by the Assembly unbeseeming the Priesthood all this is clear out of Tertullians writings de pallio with the notes of Salmasius thereon And all these things had but a bad Original and were never commanded by God And seeing they are made such Idols of ought no longer to be imitated but to be quite abolished But some may object though the original were popish and Antichristian yet since they are employed to better uses viz for distinction order and decency they may lawfully enough be retained To this is answered might not the Jews have given the same reason to their reformers that the Golden Calfs and their Groves might not be consumed and turned into ashes because they might be better employed to good uses afterwards or might not the Brazen Serpent have continued as well as the pots of Maâ—na Yet when it was become an Idâ—l away it must go but the sum of all is all these habits attir's have been used for superstitious ends and pride and pomp and vain glory So they that retain them they do no more then the Levite that stole away Michals Gods from Mount Ephraim and set them up at Dan where Idolatry became a more publick worship So all this innovated superstitious trumpery is no way advantagious to the Church of Christ neither conduceth to any true order neither hath any congruity with the primitive times is to be denied by all that comes out of Babylon and out of the Apostacy into the primitive Order and the true Churches practice and the Saints example As for Parish Churches which I mentioned before some say it was the Decree of the Lattern Council in the year 1180. But Cambden saith that Dyonysius did onely distribute into Diocesses and others judge into Parishes and as concerning Church-yards to bury the dead its Original is Superstitious and all the ringing and singing and the reading before and over the dead is Iddlatrous and Superstitions Gaudentius saith that of old times and so saith the Scriptures they did bury their dead in their own ground which custome was taken away by Pope Innoteat the third he prohibited that any should cause themselves to be buried in unconsecrated ground forsaking the Sepulchers of their Fathers Hospinian saith that at last it became so superstitious in being buried in order near the Church that they judged it material even to their salvation De Orig. Temple lib. 3. chap. 1. The Waldenses said the uses of Church-yards is superstitious and invented only for Lucre sake and it is no matter in what ground any one is buried see Usher de Sucâ—es Eccles. Christ. chap 6. And how much there is of this superstition in England now and what excessive rates are paid for breaking up ground all is sensible of that it is only one of the Popish nets which is holden up to get money by And so I shall conclude these things and say with John Come out of of Babylon and be not partaker of her sins least you be partakers of her Plaâ—â—es for the hour of her judgment is come and the time wherein her filthiness and loathsomeness shall be made manifest to the Nations and her skirts shall be uncovered and her abominable practises discovered of which in part I have declared unto all in this discourse that all may see the abominations and depart out of the snares that leads to death and these practises which tends to destruction THE END Claudius Espontius ordainâ—d aâ—a counsel at Pysoy in France that Infants baptism should be received by tradition because it could not be proved as a command from the Scriptures Ignatius Bishop of Rome was the first ordainer of Infants baptism and that they should have Godfathers and Godmothers c. Victor Bishop of Rome instituted that children might be christned by Lay-men and Lay-women in case of necessity Pius Bishop of Rome built the first Temple after the Apostacy in bonour to Prudentia Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome and other places into Parishes and Dioceses for Bishops Abraham and his Wife buried in Hebron in a piece of ground he bought Justinian the Emperour ordained that men should swear by the Gospel or Book called the Gospel and lay their hands thereon and kiss it saying So help me God Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all Churches should be Christned and should be anointed with oyl Clement Bishop ordained Confirmation of Children and said none was a perfect Christian if he wanted this and thus Children should be smoâ—e on the cheek signed with this Cross. * At Lions in France they apointed holy dayes to increase their Religion Boniface the fourth ordained Stephen Innocents Lawrence Michael Martin John Baptists and All Saints to be kept holy Corpus Christi day ordained by Urbanus the fourth Sylvester Bishop ordained Lammas day in memorial of Peters painâ— Gregory ordained that Mass or short prayer should be said over the Tombs of the dead Gregory appointed wednesday and friday should be fasted Soulmass day was ordained by Odilo Sextus Commanded that no Lay-people should touch the Priests Garments Sabinianus ordained that people should come together to hear Service by ringing Bells John 22. Bishop ordained bells to be tol'd three times a day Singing of Mattens at set times Hierom appointed Pelagius the second commanded Priests to say them dayly â—elesphorus appointed that Lent should be kept before Easter and fasted Concerning Mass and Letany many Authors patched it up at sundry times Acts and Monuments vol. 2. Fol. 55. Euseb. lib. 6. chap. pag. 98. In his book de succes cap. 6. Acts and Monuments vol. 1. fol. 527. Fol. 653. Exodus 20. 7. Acts and Monuments vol. 2. fol. 701. De succes cap. 6. Acts 11. 29. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Eusebius lib. 4. chap. 22. Cyprian Epist. 27. 34. 36. Hom. 11. in actn Hom. 16. in Evan. and dist 5. de consecr Acts and Mon. p. 435. Acts and Mon. p. 536 537. Prosper de vita contempt lib. 2. chap. 14. Cyril de adorat in spir ver lib. 4. ad finem Origen homil 15 in Levit.