the discession from pure doctrine is not generall So a Church may by ministers neglect want Sacraments and by the tyranny of Princes want discipline yet if the Church be purely visible it hath ordinarily these three notes which indeed freeth it from maintaining error heresie and schisme though all three may possibly be in it 1 Cor. 1.11 and cap. 3.3 1 Cor. 11.19 provided alwaies that the heresie thrust it not into infidelity or cause it not to deprave the doctrines of faith as the Church of Rome hath and so is become adulterous and hereticall So it may be in some things schismaticall so far as to hurt charity not verity by taking occasion unjustly as the Separatists to depart from the Church but not giving occasion to the Church to depart from them as the Papists have done to us like the old Pharisees who gave just occasion to Christ and his Apostles to separate themselves from their traditions Therefore true doctrine is the chiefe note of a true visible Church whereby people are taught as Christs sheep to hear his voice John 10.27 and to continue in his and his Apostles doctrine Acts 2.42 which is the foundation of the Church Eph. 2.20 And for the Sacraments they are commanded by Christ himselfe Mat. 28.19 and Luke 22.19 So also is the administration of discipline set down by our Saviour Mat. 18.17 and used by St Paul 1 Cor. 5.5 upon the incestuous person So that the right use of these must needs be a note of a true visible Church Let the Papists brag of their tearm Catholike I am sure it no way agreeth to them neither in respect of the extension of their Churches bounds which is not universall nor yet in regard of their doctrines which are not according to the Catholike truths confessed by the primitive or orthodox Churches of old and therefore their word Catholike is no note for a true visible Church is not to be judged by a name but by the thing it ought to hold otherwise the Pope like Simon Magus might be thought the great power of God Acts 8.10 Nor doth their boasted antiquity make their Church the more true for many things were said of old which were not intended at the first as they were afterward used Mat. 5. It is not antiquity but his truth that is the ancient of daies that is the note of the Church Aug. Q. 14. vet No. Testam The devill is older then the Church and Idolatry and Paganisme is very ancient and the Jews and the Samaritans pleaded antiquity and held the Gospell of Christ but a novelty yet their Church was not the true Beside if antiquity be a note then the Church Christian and Jerusalem and that of Antioch where Peter taught and sate as superintendent for seven years must be accounted the true Church and not Rome which was planted since but the authority of religion must not be measured by time Cypr. lib. 2. cont gent. Nor doth duration prove it the better for it is neither a proper or inseparable note as appeareth Psal 47.7 8. Rev. 12. And truly the Church of Rome hath not had a continued duration for Bellarmin saith that a Church cannot subsist without a Bishop and the seat of Rome hath been often vacant by wars and schisms among the Popes themselves as hath been formerly shewed you Nor doth their amplitude and multitudes make any thing in this case for them for Satans Kingdome is larger then Christs and his numbers more then Christs little flock who are often like Noahs family in the Ark they have a many of the vulgar Chrysost ad pop Antioch the Church hath a few faithfull one precious stone is worth many toies Nor will succession of Bishops help them to a note for who succeeded Melchisedeck but Christ many hundred of yeers falling between Vid. Athan. laudem in orat Nazian and the place changed also for the Church is not bound to place or persons of men Nor can ordination prove a note since hereticks hath it as well as the true Church neither can we find their ordination alwaies good if Pope Jone was ordained or she ordained any And Liberius the Pope being an Arrian ordained Arrians also Nor doth unity passe for a note except in the faith under one mysticall head Jesus Christ for satan is not divided against satan and very theeves are united together Nor can their miracles prove their Church true because they are false and Antichristian 2 Thes 2.9 and are invented to maintain false doctrines Beside if they were true they were not alwaies a note of a true Church for not only heathen gods have done strange things to perswade their divinity Bel. lib. de notis Eccl. cap. 14. Socrat. hist lib. 7. c. 17. but even heathen men as Vespasian made a blind man see and a lame man walk Mathe. What Church do you hold hath these three notes Phila. The true Christian Protestant Church especially as it was constituted by the first reforming Princes in England for the doctrine thereof is built upon the holy scripture They administer Sacraments in their primitive purity and hold only two generally necessary to salvation i. Baptisme and the Lords Supper rejecting all the spurious Sacraments of the Church of Rome As confirmation which the Church of England did use in a laudable manner and might do much good by using it as it was but not as a Sacrrment for it kept young people in a care to render an account of their faith and Ministers and Parents to teach them Catechisme So pennance was injoined notorious offenders for satisfaction of the Church and to reduce them better manners and to beget fear and shame in others but never held it a Sacrament no more then it did matrimony or ordination As for the fift spurious Sacrament of Rome extreme unction they never used it because not instituted of Christ as a Sacrament It is true Mark 6.13 the Disciples anointed many that were sick with oile and they were healed and St James in cap. 5.14 adviseth them to use oile with praier for the sick but it was no consecrated oile as the papists use Bellar. lib. 1. de extrem unct cap. 3. nor applied for remission of sins to seven parts of their body But you will say we in England at this time want right discipline I answer It is true yet the Church doth maintain it in her doctrines and constitutions but she cannot use it in those times when the shepherd is smitten and the sheep are scattered or else combined against him that they may live at their own liberty without correction by the rod of discipline yea libertinisme is grown to such a height that the disciplinarians themselves who envied the Bishops authority dare not exercise the Presbyterian virge lest they also follow the Bishops dejection Mathe. Might not a Nationall Councill set all right Phila. No doubt it might with Gods blessing so that it were called and
bear or else they will not be well understood Vid. Preface to Ecclus Now being so done by the Church they must not be suspected by the children that their mother the Church would put poison in their milk or else they must try by learning the first language Hierom. in lib. cont Helvid Aug. lib. 15. de Civitate Dei cap. 13. whether it so or no and in the mean time receive them thankfully as they be and as doubts arise inquire for satisfaction And if this rule be not kept we shall beleeve either many or not any and be of many religions or of none Truely it is a lamentable case that children should suspect parents and more for the Church to give them cause to suspect her Deut. 17. For God commands the Jewes to sit down silent upon the definitive sentence of the Priests and no doubt so must we upon the Churches unlesse we mean to beleeve our selves more then either Church or Scriptures The variety in translation makes no considerable difference in the sense but like descant in Musick makes the ground plain note seem more grave and full or like the variation of the compasse makes the Pilot more studious to steer his course Mathe. Of what antiquity is the translation among us Christians Phila. Long before printing Bed lib. 1. hist cap. 1. For Bede tels us it was in five languages of the Britains And Vphila Bishop of the Goths translated it for his people Such Copies were among the Armenians Russians Socrat. lib. 4. c. 33. Eccius cap. de miss Lati. Agrip. de vanit scientiarum Ethiopians Dalmatians and Muscovites And these translations were allowed by the Nicen Synods decree that no Christian might want a Bible in his house So Chrysostom exhorteth people of his time Hom. 9. in Epist Colos and rightly cals them the physick for the soul And therefore we were better to lay out monie then want health and sell our cloak then want a Bible and have as good opinion of the Churches translation as of a Physitians prescription or an Apothecaries composition In this case we must beleeve our selves or some body else and why not the Church thy mother and thy nurse It is a great judgment of God upon men when they suspect the learned whose lips preserve knowledge and beleeve the ignorant and so the blind leads the blind I know some say the Apostles were ignorant men so they were at first but after Christ and the Spirit had taught I think they were the most learned men in the world In vain do men therefore preserve ideots before him to whom God hath given the tongue of the learned or to suspect antiquity and trust novelty and love to hear no more then they know already and so bring the Scriptures into question the Churches doctrin into suspition and the true knowledge of God to be disregarded For we have little reason to mistrust the Churches translation except she be notoriously proved to be a deceiver and a patronesse of adulterous faith or maintain opinions contrary to the truth of which the Church of Rome was guilty and from which the Protestant Church is refined of whose fidelity if we now doubt we must either fall to Atheisme or back Papisme or be overrun with Barbarisme Mathe. But how shall we find the sense of Scripture Phila. If you mean in things necessary to faith and manners Esa their sense is plain to an ordinary capacity as was prophecied If you mean the sense of difficult places there if we use diligence and yet fall into error there is no danger in it because it is not necessary and therefore he that erreth and he that erreth not may both be saved holding the points necessary to faith and fact If men therefore would look upon Scripture not as the tree of knowledge with the eie of curiosity but as the Tree of Life affording all things necessary to their salvation John 15.26 the saving sense would soon be found especially if men when they read would pray for the spirit who can best explaine his own writing Mat. 11.25 for they are indeed spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.12 So if they would lay by carnall thoughts and selfe opinion and receive it with meeknesse as a little child or a new born babe purged from the corruption of our naturall birth by repentance and preparednesse to beleeve the Gospell for no other end then for gods glory and one souls happinesse not desiring so much to increase as to better conscience Mathe. But if I doubt of thesense who shall be judge Phila. If the Scripture be a perfect rule to judge there needs no other judge of it And if it be not a perfect rule who can one trust to judge in matters of faith having no perfect rule to judge by The sense therefore is found by analogy and lying parallel with other parts of Scripture and with those axioms collected therefrom and generally agreed upon Therefore if any sense that I gather from it run contrary to the Lords Praier in matter of devotion or to the Commandements in matter of action or to the Creed in matter of faith I may suspect it so if that sense crosse any other place of Scripture evidently that sense may justly be thought to be adulterate Surely S. Paul aimed at some such thing when he bad Timothy hold fast the form of sound words which if men do they may hold both peace and truth For as a naturall man finds out a truth by reason so doth a Christian find out saving Truth true Religion and a true Church by the Scripture which is the perfect rule for that purpose and so it may be a judge of those things now Rom. as well as it shall be at the last day and as well as mans reason nature or by art may be a rationall though not a personall judge of other things Mathe. What need have we then of Preachers Phila. 1. To remember people of what they have been taught 2. Heb. 2.1 2 Pet. 1.13 To stir them up to do what they have not practised 3. To confirm and establish them in what they have beleeved Acts 8.14 and cap. 14.21 22. 4. To convert those that are not converted 5. To edifie and build them up farther in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ Acts 20.32 6. To explaine difficult places of Scripture 7. To confute the adversary to truth Isa 54.13 For though it be prophecied they shall be all taught of God which John 6.45 Christ makes good and expounds it ver 46. not that any one hath seen the Father that is immediatly taught of the Father but by that more clear medium the Son of God and his Ministers which the world never knew before which ministry must stand to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 till the mystery of God be finished and the number of the elect be accomplished It is a great presumption for men to
bound to take the Law as a rule of his conversation But why did not then Christ abolish the Law as well as fulfill it Mat. 5.17 or why doth the Apostle say that he doth not by his preaching up faith to justifie a man Rom. 3.31 make void the Law but establish it surely by accepting it for a rule of an holy life though not either to justifie or condemn us but to walk according to it out of love to righteousnesse Rom. 7.22 Again 18. They say a man is not bound to pray except the spirit moveth him yet Paul saith pray continually and Peter bids us be sober and watch to praier as if it were a duty and if we look upon it as a duty then we are to do it without expecting farther incitation by immediat infusions So they say that the spirit works in hypocrites by gifts and graces but in Gods children immediatly but then they need not take heed it seems to the sure word of prophecy as saith St Peter which he prefers for the Churches establishment before that of revelation calling it a more sure word of prophecy 2 Pet. 18 19. So they pretend that a Minister that hath not this new light cannot edifie them that have it I wonder then how the Apostles edified the Church who had not this new light or dark lanthorn rather of vaine opinions for I have shewed you that they are contrary to the Apostles doctrins or if their light were the most saving grace of God yet a man that hath it not may edify others by preaching salvation to others though himselfe be a castaway So they say no Christian ought to be prest to the duties of holinesse This is to make the world beleeve that there is no need of preaching 2 Tim. 4.2 yet St Paul bids Timothy to preach in season and out of season and Titus to rebuke and exhort with all authority Tit. 2.15 Mathe. What other Sects troubled the Protestant Church Phila. The Arminians revived the heresie of Pelagius Britto who lived in the daies of the Emperours Arcadius and Honorius who held that men by nature might fulfill the whole Law of God and denied originall sin and said that men were sinners by imitation only of Adams not by carnall propagation contrary to Psal 51. And that children had no need of baptisme for remission of sin and that the Godly men in Scripture that confessed their sins did it for example sake rather then out of guiltinesse whom St Augustine sufficiently confutes and their tenets were condemned by the fift Councill of Carthage in the year 419. as hereticall Also by the Milevitane Councill in Numidia The patron of the Arminians was one Jacobus Arminius professor of Divinity at Leyden in the Low Countries in the year 1605. his followers are called Remonstrants Now as Pelagius being driven from Rome came into England and infected it with his errors though by the travels of Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent hither by Caelestinus Bishop of Rome the land was freed from his poison So Arminius infected England by his writings and his well-wishers such as Conradus Vorstius but was reasonably well stopt by the diligence of King James in sending over certain learned and grave Divines to the Synod of Dort Yet neverthelesse these errors have found many favourers in England though they are against Scriptures and the Articles of the Church of England As concerning prepestination they deny it by saying that it is only the will of God to save them that beleeve and persevere and that there is no other decree of election contrary to Acts 13.48 as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved and Eph. 1.4 he hath chosen us to salvation before the foundation of the world So Ro. 8.30 whom he hath predestinated them he hath also called So they say election is of faith not of persons but Paul saith God hath called us according to his purpose in Christ before the world 4. That election of us to faith presupposeth in us honesty and humility and a disposition to eternall life whereas it is election that causeth such vertues and not they election Ephes 2.3 4. for by nature we are only given to fulfill the will of the flesh and are by nature the children of wrath as well as others but God who is rich in mercy Rom. 9.11 hath quickned us c. for election is not of works but of him that calleth for he loved us first 1 John 4.10 So 5. They say election is not unchangeable but a man may withstand Gods decree Mat. 24.24 but Christ saith the elect cannot be seduced for Christ loseth not those that are given to him John 6.39 and therefore the chaine holds from election to glorification Rom. 8.30 which certainly is the joy of Gods people that their names are written in heaven Luke 10.20 and therefore none can charge them nor condemn them Rom. 8.33 So 6. They make election generall which is a contradiction Rom. 9.18 God hath mercy on whom he will And to some it is given to know the mysteries of Christs Kingdome not to others Mat. 13.11 to babes and not to the worldly wise Mat. 11.15 16. Mathe. What farther errors hold these Arminians Phila. They say that the cause why God sends his Gospell to one people and not to another is not only Gods good pleasure but because one nation is more worthy then another Deu. 10.14 15 yet Moses told Israel that God chose their fathers out of meer love And Christ said that Chorazin and Bethsaida were a worse people then those of Tyre and Zidon Mat. 11.21 So they say that God ordained Christ to die without any certaine determination of saving any particular man or people Isa 53.10 yet Isaiah saith that when he shall make his soul an offering for sin that he shall see his seed And Christ saith I know my sheep and I lay down my life for my sheep So they teach that God did not intend to establish a new Covenant of grace with man by Christs blood but to make any covenant with man whatsoever either of works or grace But Christ is called the surety of a better estament than was before viz. of works Heb. 7.22 whereby we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption of Christ So they say that all are received into grace and favor alike in the Gospel-covenant and none shall be condemned for originall sin and yet Christ saith I pray not for the world but for those thou hast given me out of the world They say also that God confers equally the benefits of Christs death to men but the cause why some men have them and not others is by reason of their free will chusing it and not of Gods singular gift of mercy effectually working thereunto yet St Paul saith it is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So they say Christ died not for those whom
years after Meses Acts 7.27 It is true the Scripture saith he was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians but their learning consisted rather in the hieroglyphick emblems then in letters And though there were Magicians and wise men among them before Josephs time Psal 105.21 Gen. 41.8 yet they are said to learn wisedome of Joseph and might also of the Patriarchs being in Aegypt four hundred years who had by tradition the sciences from Sheth which afterward might be called the learning of the Aegyptians who at that time had the Israelites in bondage and so took the name of learning to themselves But these books of Moses are most clearly divine and authentick declaring an history from the Creation for two thousand years forward with excellent revelation of divine oracles which teach men to know the true God 3. They be the word of God because it treateth of those works which are proper only to God and of which none can give evidence but the spirit of God and such as are inspired therewith As of the creation of the world the preservation and destruction of it the restauration of it again the qualifying of the Church with divine Oracles and religious services typicall and spirituall morall ceremoniall judiciall honouring it with unparalleld miracles declaring mans eternall redemption and by prophecies of the state of the Church to the worlds end Mathe. This proofe being taken only from Scripture will not suffice some who beleeve them not for their own sakes Phila. It is true such therefore may be confirmed of the truth of them from prophane writers who testifie of their truth and antiquity if they had rather beleeve such then the Scriptures themselves the Fathers or Ecclesiastick writers For many prophane Authors attest what is written in them as Homer and Plato and others Homer Plato Ovid. Hieron Aegypt Berosus Epolemus Plut. in l. ratio brutorum Vid Euseb l. 9. c. 34. de prop. Evangel Lactan. l. 4. c. 6. speak of the Creation others of the long lives of the Patriarchs as Ephorus and Alexander the historian before the flood others of the drowning of the world others of the Tower of Babel as Alydenus so Damascenus of Abrahams travels Plutarch of Noahs Dove so Pliny of Moses miracles Diodorus Siculus of Moses and Strabo with much reverence as well as Dionys Longinus The Sybils prophecied of mans Redeemer Suetonius in the life of Nero speaks of Christs miracles and Pliny of the wise mens star Macrobius of Herods massacring the infants of Bethelem Mathe. All this proves only the historicall part to be true Phila. If we beleeve the history to be a divine truth we cannot well doubt of the doctrinall part being interserted one with another and both of them equally attested by divine miracles both of Moses the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles which miracles being from the divine power would never have been produced to attest false doctrines in Scriptures therefore the Scriptures in doctrine as well as in history is the word of God But beside the rare modification of them sheweth them no lesse For though they transcend reason yet they deliver nothing contrary to right and pure reason nor any thing contrary in nature though things above nature Again the doctrinal part of them is agreeable to the nature of God is who Goodness Righteousnesse Love and Truth and Holinesse yea they discover to man all his secret corruptions which is the property only of God to do nor doth it in any thing contradict it selfe being rightly understood though written by divers men in divers ages and therfore surely were indited by that one eternall Spirit who is Unity in Verity as wel as Unity in Trinity Farther it shews man a way to be saved from sin and damnation without annihilating the Justice of God or making his mercy degenerate into fond pitty for want of satisfaction to his justice and this surpasseth the wisedome of Angels and men yea the effects of it are divine for it brings rest to a troubled mind which no book else can do and satisfieth mans knowledge in things worthy of faith and affords as much and more reason why we should beleeve them then any book beside Therefore the wisest and soberest men of all ages have consented to it and thousands of godly Martyrs have sealed it with their pious lives and constant deaths Vid. Martyrol Mathe. I pray give me some proofe that the Scriptures have as much reason and more to be beleeved then other writings Phila. 1. Because we can find no just exception against the Writers in regard of their abilities or their integrities and upon the same ground we beleeve all other Historiographers But if you say you know not whether those are the Authors of the books that are entitled to them as Moses and Paul I say you have as much reason to beleeve that as that any ancient writer is the Author of his own book 2. We may rather and ought rather to beleeve them then others not only because of the excellency of their matter as I said before but also because the Authors of them had no selfe interest in writing these books as either of gain or glory favor or the friendship of men nay they were content with labor and travell poverty and persecutions scorns and infamy misery and death Therefore certainly they be the Word of God Cyril 10. and so to be beleeved To call the Authors of them into question were to outdo Julian the Apostate who would not deny that Luc. Philo. and scoffing Lucian who did not deny Paul to be the Author of the second Epistle to the Corinthians twelfth chapter though he scoffs at his professed extasie Indeed they may challenge as much beleefe of their authors in this point as any writing both because they have been so successively delivered continually so mentioned and generally so acknowledged by all parties Mathe. Doth God declare himselfe in all the books of Scripture alike Phila. No but in some more historically as in the five books of Moses In some more my stically as in the Prophets In some more clearly as in the New Testament but in all instructively both for faith and manners perfectly and sufficiently Mathe. Why are some called Canonicall and some Apocryphall books Phila. They are called Canonicall which are the rule of faith and manners namely for us to beleeve and practice and they are numbred by the Church to begin with Genesis and to end with the Prophet Malachy for the Old Testament And the New Testament begins with St Matthew and ends with the Revelation of St John And all these are the subject of our faith but not all for our practice Mathe. Why so Phila. Because many precepts in it are temporall as the Ceremoniall Law some for the Jewes particular state only as the Judiciall Lawes the equity whereof we may observe though not according to the letter as we are bound to observe the
next association was in the Temple at praier time and at breaking of bread in their houses Acts 2.46 that is in their private oratories or upper rooms set apart for holy occasions of which there was no use when Churches were built except for devotion of the private family Another meeting you find Acts 4.23 where God shook the place where they were assembled and they were all filled with the holy Ghost Another meeting you find Acts 6.2 about choosing the seven Deacons of whom Stephen was one who was the first Martyr that suffered death for Christ Acts 7.58 Then began persecution to wax hot by reason of Sauls being too zealous for the Law of Moses Acts 8.4 and so the Church was scattered but he was converted Acts 9. Then had the Church rest and multiplied exceedingly ver 31. and spread very farre and at Antioch they were first called Christians Acts 11.26 Then Herod Agrippa to curry favor with the Jewes Acts 12.2 killed James and imprisoned Peter but God smote him in the midst of his vain glory Acts 12.23 The next speciall meeting of the Apostles was Acts 15.16 the first Councill that ever was who determined the great Question of circumcision negatively that it should not be imposed on the Gentiles Other meetings there were in divers places according as the Church increased and was transplanted in divers regions as Acts 20.7 at Troas Mathe. But had they any publick meeting places called Churches in those times Phila. The first they had were those oratories which the Jewes had on tops of their houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called the upper rooms which though the Romans called caenaculum or a banquetting room because it was like their feasting rooms on the tops of their houses yet neither the Jewes nor Christians used it but in religious devotions And therefore where Christ eat the Passeover and celebrated his last supper was held a place sacred though appertaining to some private house of some of the disciples In this place some say that Christ appeared to his disciples on the day of his Resurrection Nicepho Bed de locis Sanct. to 3. c. 3. and on the eighth day after to Thomas with the rest and that here James was made Bishop of Jerusalem by the Apostles and the seven Deacons elected and the first Councill held Cyr. Hieros cat 16. Acts 15. And Saint Cyril cals it the upper Church of the Apostles where the Holy Ghost descended also upon them Acts 2. And it may possibly be the place prophecied of as being neer to mount Sion Psalm 50.2 out of Sion God appeared in perfect beauty in which Psalm the spirit also seems to refuse carnall facrifices which was Gospel-like doctrine Also it is prophecied that out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of God out of Jerusalem to which many people shall flock and so they did Acts 2. And thus his foundations were laid in the holy mountains and he hath shewed that he loved the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob Vide Hier in Epitap Paulae epi. 27. because he i. Christ was there produced by the Gospels promulgation which never came from the Temple though divulged from a place neer to Sion which place was enclosed afterward if we may beleeve antiquity with a faire Church called the Church of Sion In process of time as the Church Christian increased no doubt they built places of recess for the worship of God as well as the Jewes had Synagogues whose religion was estranged as much from the religion of the Roman Empire as the Christians was and in these places they did ordinarily assemble to perform divine duties unlesse they were hindred by necessity Mathe. I pray give me some instances of these Phila. We read that as at first they had their upper rooms for oratories so afterward they had places of worship built in fields Euseb eccles hist lib. 2. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they heard the Scriptures interpreted and had severall classes for men and women and sung Psalms and had distinctions of Bishops and Deacons We see also in Pauls Epistles that he salutes some with their houshold only as Aristobulus and Narcissus Assyncritus Rom. 16. Oecume in in Rom. 16. and Col. 4. and Phlegon But others he saluteth with the Church at their house i. all those that there commonly assembled So he salutes Nymphas Col. 4.15 and Philemon and Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16. which sheweth their houses or part of them dedicated to pious uses in common So Theophilus to whom St Luke dedicates his Gospel Hiero. in ep 2. ad Galat. Clem. in Recog lib. 10. and Acts of the Apostles did dedicate his house at Antioch to this purpose this was about thirty eight years after Christ And Eusebius reports that St Mark had divers Churches in Alexandria in his history lib. 2. cap. 16. So St Paul at Corinth as we may collect from 1 Cor. 11.22 saying have ye not houses to eat and drink in or do you despise the Church of God So Joseph of Arimathea and his Colony of Christians built the Church of Glassenbury in England Hist Angli which being burnt was built again by King Henry the second his Letters Patents So Crescens caused a Church to be built at Vienna So in 79. Eus l. 3. c. 4. there was a great Church built at Ephesus by St John saith Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 20. And many were built also in Rome by the Apostles means Euseb l. 2. c. 25 And surely the reason of this dedicating places to holy worship was because Christians being taught by Scriptures that the majesty of God is most sacred and incommunicable so those things by which they worshipped should not be made common And indeed therefore Christians were well admonished by an ancient holy Writer Clem. in epist ad Corinth that we ought to do all things as God had expressed them to be done in regard both of times when and persons whereby and places wherein that so we may be accepted of him all these we find in the first hundred years after Christ Mathe. I pray go on and give me a further light Phila. We find Ignatius reproving Trajan in a Church lib. 3. cap. 19. as Nicephorus reports And 117. the Emperor Adrian commands Christian Churches to be built Dion in Adri. and forbade to place the Images of the Romane Gods therein And Ignatius writing to the Magnesians Vid. Epist ad ad Philad chargeth them to meet in one place to use one common praier with one heart as coming to one Temple of God one Altar and one Christ So we find Polycarpus receiving the Communion in a Church at Rome in the year 169. And Theophylus Antiochenus Eus l. 5. c. 25. in his Epistle to Autolycum saith that as the sea hath Ilands that are fruitfull so the world hath Synagogues called
one Ardaeus a Syrian Then followed the Messalians called Euchitae because they thought the whole duty of man consisted in praiers not hearing by which St Paul tels us that faith is begotten by which praier must be offered up They were also called Enthusiasts because when they were transported they thought the spirit was infused into them Theo. l. 4. c. 7. so that they needed neither holy discipline for the body as fasting nor doctrine for the soule Apollinaris followed who denied Christ to have any humane soule but that his divinity supplied the place of it But then Christ was not perfect man Donatus Bishop of Numidia held that the Catholick was bounded among those of his society in Africa and that no baptisme was rightly administred but by them The wildest branch of this heresie was the Circumcilionists who would cast themselves down from clifts and rocks and into fire and water out of assurance that it was martyrdome and fruits of their faith Our Quakers are like them Aug. con Donat. Collyridiani worshipped the Virgin Mary and offered cakes to her Epiph. cont haeres as the Jewes did to the Queen of heaven and as the Papists do adore her as a mediatrix There were some also after these that said Joseph knew Mary after she had borne Christ because of the word in Mat. 1.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till which word signifieth never oftentimes As 1 Sam. 15.25 So Mat. 28.20 Samuel saw Saul no more till the day his death i. never So 1 Sam. 6.23 Michal had no child till the day of her death and all the Fathers generally hold she was a perpetual virgin and so have taken those words of the Apostles Creed born of the Virgin Mary as if of one that ever was a virgin Yea some of them have argued it from Ezek. 44.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of allegory that as the East gate of the Temple was to be shut up that no man might enter in nor go out there but the Prince So was the blessed Virgins body made the Temple of the Holy Ghost and her womb only for the ingresse and egresse of Messiah the Prince And though that some of the disciples were called Christs brethren as James and Joses Simon and Iude we know that those were so called in Scripture that were but Cozen germans and so these might be the sons of Iosephs brother or sisters or of Maries sister as Iames is said to be the son of Mary Cleophas Danaeus de heres fo 224. Epiph. de heres fol. 166. Or some might be the sons of Ioseph by a former wife if he were eighty yeers of age before he was contracted to Mary and so the more unlikely to know her after the flesh These hereticks were of the same mind with Nestorius and Helvidius who succeeded them But these were called from their opinion Antidicomarianitae After them sprang up the Seleucians that said that the Chaos of which God made the world was coeternall with God and that Angels created the souls of men Aug. and that Christ did not carry our nature up to heaven as it is said Acts 2.34 and cap. 3.23 Rom. 8.34 Ephes 1.20 but that he left his body in the body of the Sun These received not baptisme by water They denied the resurrection of the body and said only that was performed by succession of generation which it may be they borrowed partly from Plato and Pythagoras Himeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.18 Pelagius affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the law of God contrary to Rom. 8.7 And denied originall sin contrary to Psal 51.5 and that it came not by propagation but imitation of Adams sin and that children need not be baptized for remission of sin Aug. con Pela and that the holy men that confessed sin did it rather for example of humility then for any necessity or guiltinesse Nestorius followed who denied the personall union of the divine and humane nature of which the blessed Virgin was the medium or mean and in that respect only called the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mother of God because she brought forth him that was by union both God and man inseparably and Nestorius would have her called only the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mother of Christ and therefore condemned by the first Councill of Ephesus and banished by Theodosius the Emperour and his tongue rotted in his mouth Eutyches confounded two natures in Christ humane and divine by saying that the divine swallowed up the humane and so Christ had only the divine nature He was condemned by the generall Councill of Chalcedon where sate 630. Fathers and the Emperour Martianus and it was decreed That the natures of Christ though united yet were not confounded Next followed those that worshipped the crosse and divers images which filth the Church of Rome hath licked up together with the worship of reliques One Godescalcus a Dutch man said that by predestination men were forced both to do good and evill About 1100. yeers after Christ a kind of monomachy arose between the Greek and Latine Churches about the bread in the Sacrament whether it should be leavened or unleavened The Greek Church was called Fermentarii the Latine Azymitae the first did leven it the other did not After this one Petrus Abolandus a French man said the Holy Ghost was the soul of the world and not of the substance of God the Father Almericus also of France said that God was the essence of all creatures and that they all should be converted into God again The Paleneni about Tholouze in France affirmed that a man might attain to such perfection in this world that he might be void of all sin and that such were not subject to any Civill or Ecclesiastick power that they had no need of praier and fasting or any exercise whereby grace may be increased These laid some grounds upon which the Anabaptists build now Others under a colour of Religion and charity made all things common and women also These surely began the Family of Love About 1600. years after Christ sprang up the Anabaprists but before I come to speak of them and others following from their time I must tell you according to your question how and when the Protestants came in and how persecuted by Papists and opposed by hereticks and schismaticks Mathe. I thank you for your remembrance and entreat you so to do Phila. You must take notice that the Protestant Religion hath been maintained in her doctrine from the beginning of the Primitive times First by the Bishops of Rome themselves for the first 300. years after Christ and many of them were Confessors and Martyrs though their pride began to appear 100. years before in Zepherinus and other Bishops following him as hath been declared before But after that they were grown rich and potent by the favour of Emperours and got
called Dunce of the Town in Scotland where he was born but of a most subtile wit But God still stirred up some to maintain the cause of his truth As Arnoldus de nova villa a Spaniard who held in his time That the devill had seduced the world from the truth of Christ That the faith then commonly taught was the faith of devils That Christian people were led by the Pope to hell That the Cloisters had no charity and falsified the doctrine of Christ That the Ministers did not well to mix Philosophy with Divinity That masses are not to be celebrated nor that Priests ought to sacrifice for the dead All which the Protestants hold Gulielmus de Sancto Amore a Master of the University of Paris applied all the texts of Scripture that make against Antichrist to the Pope and his Clergy and proved the Friers to be false Prophets and writ against their wilfull poverty shewing that Christ when he said Mat. 19.21 Go and sell all thou hast and give it to the poor did not intend actuall but habituall poverty namely that we should not impoverish our selves when no need requireth but that in our affections we should be ready so to do when the confession of Christ and his glory shall require it that then we be ready to leave all for his sake So say the Protestants also But this man was condemned for an heretick and exiled and his books burnt So Laurence an English man and a Master of Paris 1300. and Peter John a Minorite and Robertus Gallus a Dominican Frier wrote that the Pope was Antichrist and Rome was great Babylon and that the Pope was an Idoll that had eies but would not see the abominations of his Church for desire of riches So the Protestants hold likewise Robert Gostred Bishop of Lincoln would not admit at the Popes command for an Italian boy to be one of the Prebends of his Church but writ to him that it was a devilish sin to defraud the people of the preaching of the Word by setting those in place that could not perform the Ministeriall office but only take the milke and wooll of Christs sheep He prophecied in his sicknesse that the Church should not be delivered from Romes Aegyptian bondage but by a bloody sword So think the Protestants Marsilius Patavinus affirmed that the Pope had not authority over other Bishops much lesse over the Emperour 1400. lib. defens pacis and that the Pope and the Clergy should be subject to Magistrates and that the head of the Church is Christ and that he never appointed any Vicar to be universall head thereof that Bishops ought to be chosen by the Clergy and that the marriage of Priests is lawfull and that St Peter was never at Rome that the Church of Rome is a den of theeves and that Popish doctrine leads to eternall death So hold the Protestants also Michael Cesenas Provinciall of the Grey Friers writ against the Popes pride and supremacy and cals him Antichrist and Rome Babylon the great whore drunk with the blood of the Saints that there were two Churches one of the wicked very flourishing wherein the Pope reigned the other of godly men afflicted over whom Christ reigned So hold the Protestants This man had many followers The Pope cursed him and burned many of them as they did also the Protestants John Wickliffe a Professor of Divinity in Oxford in King Edward the thirds time wrote many learned books of Logick and Philosophy Morality and Divinity and of the speculative Art He discovered the error of the Papists about Sacraments and so made himselfe many enemies But he had many friends and followers beyond the seas as John Huss and Jerome of Prague In whose defence fifty four Nobles of Moravia writ sharp reprehending the popish party for taxing Bohemia and Moravia with heresie Mr Moor. And many Nobles of England about the year 1385. did maintain Wickliffs doctrine namely Lord Montague Lord Clifford Earle of Salisbury Lord Latimer and Nevill Mathe. What were the points of Wickliffs doctrine Phila. That the substance of bread and wine remained in the Sacrament of the Altar after the words of consecration 2. That it is not found that Christ instituted or confirmed a Masse 3. That it is presumption to affirm that the children of the faithfull dying unbaptized are damned 4. That in St Pauls time there were but two orders of Clerks namely Elders and Deacons 5. That the causes of divorcement for spirituall consanguinity or affinity are not founded on the Scriptures 6. That he which is in the Church most serviceable and humble is Christ neerest Vicar in the Church militant 7. That if extrme or corporall unction were a Sacrament neither Christ nor his Apostles would have omitted it 8. That whatsoever the Pope commandeth without a cleare deduction from the Scriptures is to be accounted hereticall 9. That it is folly to beleeve the Popes pardons 10. That it is not necessary to beleeve the Church of Rome to be the supreme head of other Churches 11. That a Priest may preach the Word of God with authority from the Pope 12. That the Church of Rome is the synagogue of Satan nor is the Pope the Vicar of Christ nor of his Apostles 13. That if any man enter into a private Religion he is made thereby the more unfit to serve God The Protestants follow these positions John Huss the Bohemian followeth Wickliffe in time and doctrine for which he was burnt by the Councill of Constance though he was promised safe conduct His great offence was that he appealed to Jesus Christ which they took for a contempt of the Apostolike See Some report of this good Martyr that though they burnt the Goose for so Huss signifieth yet out of his ashes should rise a Swan so Luther signifieth that should trouble them worse then he had done So Luther did indeed Jerom of Prague died also as did John Huss about the year 1415. Hieronymus Savonarala an Italian Monk was a great adversary to the popish Clergy yet preaching nothing but the plain word of God as touching 1. The free justification in Christ through faith 2. That the communion ought to be administred in both kinds 3. That popish pardons were of no effect 4. Denied the Popes supremacy 5. Preached against the filthinesse of the Cardinals and Clergy 6. That the Keies were not only given to Peter 7. That the Pope did neither follow the life nor doctrine of Christ and that he attributed more to his own pardons then to Christs merits and therefore was Antichrist 8. That the Popes excommunications are not to be feared and he that doth fear them is excommunicated of God 9. That auricular confession is not necessary All which he stood unto with two Friers who were all three hanged openly and then burned And now began the Art of Printing which did ruine the Pope more then preaching Martin Luther was by the speciall providence of God called
by blessing him Indeed the words in Greek are both the same but ordination is expressed by another word Acts 14.23 and when they had ordained them Elders in every Church and had praied with fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a divine institution not holding up of hands in a choice of any Vid. Act. 10 41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they commended them to the Lord Or if you will say that Timothies ordination though spoken of twice yet it only shewes that St Paul and the Presbyterie were associate in the work you will hardly find Calvin so to interpret 1 Tim. 4.14 in his Institutions But be it so * Chryl hom 13. in 1 ad Tim. cap. 4. that Presbyterie was a companie of Elders whereas Calvin saith they were Bishops yet you cannot by that prove that preaching Elders were of the same antiquitie with the Apostles except you take the Apostles themselves only for such Elders nor yet that preaching Elders saving the Apostles were of equall authoritie with Bishops Mathe. I pray Sir make that forth to me that Elders or Presbyters were not of equall antiquity and dignity with Bishops Phila. You are to observe that both the Office of Bishop and Elders were both at first included in the Apostles only as 1 Pet. 5.1 the Apostle Peter there cals himselfe a co-Elder while he exhorteth Elders yet that proveth not that Peter was only an Elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more then it proveth that those Elders to whom he then wrote were all Apostles for none durst join themselves to the Apostles in commission Acts 5.13 till they had ordained and appointed them and therefore no doubt those that ministred had their approbation and appointment first from them except they had an immediate call from God as Paul had from heaven and Ananias in a vision to go and baptize Paul But their ordinary way was to give commission by laying on of hands and ordination Therefore we read Acts 6.3 that they appointed the seven elected Deacons and laied their hands upon them though they had the Holie Ghost before that Acts 6.3 yet had no commission to officiate that dutie till then Acts 6.6 So also Barnabas and Saul was separated by command from the Holie Ghost to the particular work to which God had appointed them and they were separated by the imposition of hands fasting and praier and to that work approved So we find that Barnabas and Saul ordain Elders in every Citie at Lystra Iconium and Antioch Acts 14.22 23. till which time we read not of the word Elders nor of ordination which power of ordination so far as I see was ever kept in the hands of the Apostles and such whom they made superintendents over many Churches So Paul having made Titus superintendent or Bishop over Creet appointed him to ordain Elders in every Citie Calvin Institu lib. 4. cap. 3. which power I find not given to every inferiour Presbyter nor yet to many of them associated without a superintendent I know some may say that those that sent Barnabas and Saul were not Apostles I answer though none of the twelve yet of the second order namely Apostolicall Prophets such as are spoken of Eph. 4.11 not by foretelling things to come but by expounding the divine oracles Ambrose in 1 Cor 12. who in that time were no lesse than Bishops for we read not of any of the 72 Disciples nor of any other meer Presbyters that ever took upon them imposition of hands and therefore when Philip had converted some people at Samaria the Apostles sent Peter and John to lay their hands on them Acts 8. by which they received the Holie Ghost by an holie consignation Eph. 1.13 not for miraculous operation Mathe. What other difference is there between Bishop and Presbyter Phila. As they were more ancient that by them Presbyters might be ordained so they were of more dignitie and authoritie then any meer Presbyters This dignitie and authoritie the Apostles kept to themselves a while First because as yet the Church was not setled Secondlie because at first few or none were found fit for that office But at last lest equalitie and paritie should breed schisme they set up superintendents or Bishops Hieron in Tit. c. 1. Ep. ad Evagri who did excell other Presbyters both in conferring rewards and also in censuring manners as in Tit. 1.5 he had power to ordain So they had a jurisdiction coactive and corrective transmitted to them from the Apostles as Timothy is bid by St Paul to charge some that they preach at Ephesus no other but sound doctrin 1 Tim. 1.3 and to restrain prophane and vain bablings 2 Tim. 2.16 And Titus is also authorized by S. Paul to put some to silence Tit. 1.11 as well as to rebuke others v. 10. yea to excommunicate some Tit. 3.10 Hieron 〈◊〉 Luciferi By this means faction was prevented which else likelie might have made in time as many schismaticks as Priests some people crying up Paul others Apollos others Cephas 1 Cor. 1.12 The Apostles therefore set up Bishops in divers Cities who were succeeded by others in place and authoritie still above Presbyters Aug. cont Manich. Epi. c. 4. to 6. which succession hath kept people still in the lap of the Church whose prosperity hath much depended upon their power and dignitie And that there hath been a continued succession of them the Ecclesiasticall histories sufficientlie declare And that they have been alwaies in higher dignitie then Presbyters must needs be allowed or else the Apostles left the Church in unwarrantable paritie contrary to Christs example who gave the twelve Apostles an higher title then the 72 Disciples Luke 10. and so did they set others above Presbyters And these we find sometimes called Apostles i. of the second order Gal. 1.19 So James the Lords brother was called an Apostle yet he was none of the twelve and also many other called so 1 Cor. 15.7 which were not of the twelve neither This no doubt was in regard of their precedencie as Epaphroditus was called the messenger or Apostle of the Philippians Phil 2.25 Theod. in 1 Tim. 3. and what is that saith Theodoret but their Bishop namely of that Church The twelve are alwaies in Scripture called the Apostles of Jesus Christ because they had from him their immediate divine mission but others that had only Apostolike ordination they are only called Apostles or Apostles i. Bishops of such Churches as Gal. 1.19 and 2 Cor. 8.23 And this appears further that such Apostles were Bishops because Christ commends the Angell of the Church of Ephesus for trying those that said they were Apostles but were not These that were tried could be none of the twelve for they were all known to that Angell if they were at that time living but it is most like to be some that like Diotrephes sought the preheminence of an Apostolicall Bishop which was above the
The politie of the Jewes being contained in the Law of Moses Deut. 21.19 it was necessary the Judges should be assisted by those that had the most skill in that Law 3. This preeminence followed the same family by inheritance and birth-right so not with us yet the order that God set for some to rule over others is not lightly to be refused since God saw it was the best order rather then to leave them to a generall equality of Priests therefore the Sanhedrim it selfe consisted not of all that would come in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of seventy choice men But it is plain that the Leviticall discipline doth set a form of divers degrees among Ministers by the evident wisedome of God which may justly be imitated by the Christian Churches rather then parity which God never approved Mathe. But Christ used no such way of superiority himselfe nor setled any such as we read of Phila. It is true Christ used none such himselfe for he came to serve and give his life for the world Mat. 20. yet at that time he was head of the Church and was a King to rule a Prophet to teach and a Priest to clense But his Kingdome was not worldly and therefore he would not reign over his Church by his bodily presence So he was the disciples Lord and Master even then John 13. and all power in heaven and earth was his then but he did not challenge it til his resurrection Then he took the Scepter and Kingdome declaratively which he only exerciseth by inward and spirituall power and grace but leaves the externall government to others and keeps the spirituall effectuall and celestiall Kingdome in his own hand which by his spirit in his ordinances he conveieth into the hearts of his people and this Kingdome belongs only to the person of Christ and they that think that any man or corporation of men whether the Pope or the Presbytery succeeds Christ in this Scepter they be highly deceived And for the externall government he left it to the Apostles who had the mind of Christ and they did as I have shewed you They were 1. Greater then others in Christs favour alwaies hearing him 2. In gifts of the spirit far above others Acts 2. and in doing miracles 3. They received their abounding measure immediately from the Holy Ghost others received their measure mediately from their preaching baptizing or imposition of hands They shewed their superiority also by charging 2 Thes 3. commanding to Timothy and Titus ordaining contributions 1 Cor. 16. threatning 2 Cor. 13. so St John doth Diotrephes and their delivering up to Satan they that followed them durst not be so bold though the Pope is Ignat. ad Romanos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Ignatius saith I enjoin nothing to you as Peter and Paul did they were the Apostles of Christ but I the least So in another Ep. ad Trallianos he saith I command not as an Apostle but I keep my selfe within my measure Yet the Apostles after they had trained up men by their doctrines letting them accompany them in their travels they then left some in one place as Timothy at Ephesus Titus at Creet and gave them authority to ordain ministers and govern the Church and therefore they were superiour to others for equals have no power over their equals Mathe. But I find Christ forbidding superiority Mark 10. and the Apostles associating others with them in electing to offices Acts 6. and assembling Councils Acts 15. and imposing hands 1 Tim. 4. and in excommunicating Phila. It is true that upon the two brothers request to be the chief favourites in his Kingdome which they supposed would be an earthly dominion and being rejected the other disciples disdaining them the Lord tels them that they should not use civill jurisdiction over one another as the Gentiles did but he doth not deny degrees or diversity of administrations to them but he thereby instructeth them how to use the authority given of God 2 Cor. 10. not for subversion but edification so that hereby he forbids them compulsive dominion or violent jurisdiction over their brethren but to leave that to the secular power Also to be ready to humble themselves to the meanest and of the lowest degree to win them to the Gospell but that all ministers are by that place proved to be equall I understand not and that because as I have said they used power and authority above others which they would not have done if Christ had forbidden it yet I conceive the Apostles among themselves were of equall authority and towards the brethren they carrried themselves more like fathers than Lords or Masters Now for their associating other with them It is true that many places of Scripture seem to make for it viz. that they had the concurrence of Presbyters and others called a Presbytery in their severall dispensations which will not be found so if well examined For first in the choice of Matthias Acts 1. it is not expressed that the Church intermedled only Peter acquainted the rest that one must be chosen in the room of Judas but whether all the Disciples or the Apostles only named Barnabas and Matthias is not fully expressed for it is said they appointed two and praied and cast lots which actions are most likely to be performed by the Apostles who were led thereto by the spirit of God for certainly an Apostle might not be chosen by men however they might put men in election for it therefore God shewed which he had chosen viz. Matthias and he was accounted with the twelve Apostles I beleeve Peter and the rest might have chosen whom they pleased but then it would have seemed partiality and beside they had not yet the Holy Ghost poured upon them and therefore rather committed the choice to Gods providence Acts 6.2 So the seven Deacons by appointment of the Apostles were chosen by the multitude but approved by the Apostles ver 6. which men were at that time only confirmed in that office of trust to distribute the Churches stock impartially to the Grecists and Hebrew widowes not to teach or baptize and though Philip did so at Samaria yet he did it as an Evangelist not a Deacon so here is not any appearance that these were appointed by such a Presbyterie We grant that the people did use to shew their consent in elections by holding up of hands which was never held mysticall or sacred as imposition of hands and ordination is Socrat. l. 4. c. 30 as appeareth in the peoples choice of Ambrose to be Bishop of Millane who was before Lievetenant of the Province for that he had by good perswasions quieted the tumult that was made by the people about chusing a Bishop After which both the Emperor and they desired the Bishops to lay their hands upon him so that it is evident the people nor lay-Presbyters were associated in ordination or in imposition of hands So
consent among themselves or by the chiefe Bishop among them So there were two Synods summoned in Asia about reformation of the Church and ordaining Bishops Others at Ancira in Galatia and in France and at Antioch against Montanus Others at Rome about the celebration of Easter But when the Emperour Constantine turned to the Christian faith he called the generall Councill of Nice in Bythinia against Arrius who denied Jesus Christ the Son of God to be of the same substance with the Father which opinion was there condemned and accursed and Easter day setled to be kept upon the Lords day and not on the Jewes fourteenth of Nisan And so Councils were usually called till the Pope usurped the power striving to wrest it from the Emperour and to set himselfe above Councils But had Charls the fift dealt as roundly with him about the Councill of Trent as the Emperour Sigismund did in the Council of Basil it had not been twenty five years in calling nor so long in sitting and so little good done But that they governed the Church by Councils it may appear from the great Councill of Nice Concil Nic. Can. 5. Con. Ant. Ca. 20 which decreed that there should be in every Province a Synod twice a year So concluded the Councill of Antioch so did the first Councill of Constant Can. 2. So the Council of Chalcedon Can. 29. So the third Council of Toledo Can. 18. So the second Councill of Turo Can. 1. And so good and approved was this government that when the Synod of Antioch sixty years before that of Nisen had condemned Paulus Samosatenus for heresie and he would not yeeld up his Church but kept it by violence they complained to the Emperour Aurelianus an heathen and he drove him out to his shame from Antioch Mathe. Why then are Bishops so much cried down in these latter times Phila. 1. By that spirit that lusteth to envy And 2. By selfe love which if it cannot swell us to be as big as others we do strive like Satan to pull down others to be like our selves 3. By covetousnesse which loves to part Christs coat or to cast lots for it many had rather cloath themselves with the Churches means then Christs merits and wrap themselves warm in his coat rather then trust to the purchase of his Crosse These are the motives whatever the pretences are or else why was not the Abby and Bishops lands reserved to pious uses I beleeve the Commonwealth was more rich by the Churches leases then ever she was by the Churches purchases The Farmer then grew from a Yeoman to a Gentleman and most of the purchasers are now fallen from Gentry to beggery But beside all this it is no wonder if that be cried down in these times of Libertinisme Hieron in 1. Epist ad Titum which was set up for the preventing of schism and heresie whose ground is alwaies pretended liberty of conscience which kind of people are alwaies adverse to Christ and his Spouse the Church and therefore ever persecute the overseers of the flock Cypr. Ep. 55. that they may the better adorn themselves with the ruines of the Church and are no doubt the followers of the great Antichrist and forerunners of the last apostacy of this world since the Church hath been governed by them Simler de rep Helvet fol. 148 for 1500 years and upward or by none or else by a disorderly confusion as we see in those Churches who have cast off Episcopacy as in Switzerland where a Lay man is President of their Consistory And at Zurick and Basil their Consistories are wholly Lay and Ministers are only to advise Yea in other places Ministers are not so much as assistants so that they may use their Ministers like minstrels and chuse whether they will hear them or no for they have no power nor hardly a right derivation of their ministry from the order of Christ and his Apostles Mathe. Whether can you derive your own aright having originally received it from Rome by Popish Bishops Phila. You think it seems that our Bishops took their ordination there at first or that there were no Bishops in England to ordain others but they must needs travell to Rome for it or take it from Rome by delegation and if so you take our Bishops and ministry to be meerly antichristian But suppose we had it from thence that will no more prove our ministry antichristian or popish then our very Bible Gospell or Baptisme if we received it from thence For superstition cannot annihilate the ordinances of God given at first from Christ no more then building stubble upon the foundation can destroy it or than a spring water is utterly spoiled by running from a rock through a clay But our Bishops and Presbytery we derive from the Apostles as we do also our Protestant doctrine professed which though held in unrighteousnesse in the Church of Rome like a captive for a time yet at last redeemed it selfe and came to light and shewed it selfe the true child of God begotten at first in Rome by the word of truth from which shee deviating the truth chose another foster-mother to dwell withall that will maintain her with goods and life and not forsake her to the death So our Bishops and Clergy came not at first from Rome though Rome hath made bold to invade the Church of England But for the first three hundred years after Christ the Pope had nothing to do out of his own Diocesse as may be seen by the Councill of Ephesus order Con. Ephes p. 1. act 7. made in the behalfe of the Cyprian Bishops against the Patriarch of Antioch who challenged their ordination That Councill decreed that the Cyprian Bishops should not be violated in their right and also that no Bishop should busie himselfe afterwards in anothers Province or invade others priviledges Ruff. hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 6. which they enjoied from the beginning By which the Bishop of Rome was shut up within his owne City and Suburbs And we find for certain that the Brittish Bishops did not acknowledge any obedience due from them to the Pope Spel. Conc. anno 601. which they must needs have done if they had their ordination from him and they had reason to stand upon it being Brittany was the elder Church planted by Joseph of Arimathea in Tiberius Caesars time Gild. de conq Brit. and Peter came not to Rome till the second year of the Emperor Claudius to settle that Church Mathe. How came the Brittish Bishops to be consecrated Phila. Some think by those that came with Joseph of Arimathea into England having Apostolike authority such as Simon Zelotes who was crucified in Brittany Jerom. in Catal. script Eccles Others think that some were ordained by Fugaâ—ius and Damianus whom Elutherius Bishop of Rome sent to baptize at the request of King Lucius himselfe and people And if it were so there is no reason to
only those for whom Christ died that he might sanctifie them Eph. 5.16 but as he took not the nature of Angels so he died not for them Not for the good for they needed no sanctification by redemption though a preservation in their standing by the vertue of him in whom they were first called to immutability of estate who was the first born of every creature because he was eternally born of God before any creature was made Col. 1.15 and by him they were made and therefore must hold their estates but yet they cannot be of the redeemed Church in regard they were never captived nor did ever fall from nor fall out with God and so need him that was only a Mediator between God and man of whom this Church consisteth which is one holy Catholike Church built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the head corner stone This is the subject of all the benefits which God hath afforded us in Christ through his spirit and is called one because it is the one only mysticall body of Christ and hath but one faith to knit it to Christ and one spirit to agitate it one God by whom it is called to worship him and to be glorified of him one love by which all the members are gathered among themselves and one salvation the felicity thereof and one bond of divine love in Christ toward her in which respect she is called his friend his beloved and his Spouse So it is called Catholike in regard of the universall largnesse of it being tied to neither persons time nor place Therefore it is either ignorantly or arrogantly assumed by the Papists who call their Roman Church Catholike whereas it wants the Catholike extension of it as well as the Catholike truths of it So it is called holy because it hath a most holy and sanctifying head by which sin is not imputed and her corruptions by the Holy Ghost by degrees taken away that she may be presented to God without spot or wrinkle Eph. 1.27 So it is called Propheticall and Apostolicall because she is founded upon their doctrine Eph. 2.20 Now the parts of this Church are triumphant or militant The triumphant is that part which now triumpheth with Christ the head of the Church over all enemies and enjoieth with him all gladnesse and felicity of soule and after the resurrection shall enjoy the fulness of it in soule and body united That the soules of the just after death do enjoy heavenly felicity is plaine because it is said Rev. 7.15 that the soules of the dead were before Gods throne in white robes serving God day and night and because Christ promised the theefe that time he died that his soule should be with him in Paradise Luke 23.43 which Paradise St Paul calleth the third heavens 2 Cor. 12.2 4. And it is said Heb. 12.23 that the spirits of just men are in the heavenly Jerusalem and therefore when this tabernacle is dissolved i. our bodies we have an house in heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 or else St Paul had little reason to desire dissolution if not to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 But yet all this proveth nothing for the Popes canonization of Saints whose memoriall is esteemed of all good men and their examples imitated but we find no Scripture for their canonization nor for those honors the Pope gives them As 1. To be written in a Catalogue thereby commanding them to be called Saints 2. By calling on them in the praiers of the Church 3. By dedicating to their memory Temples and Altars 4. By offering any sacrifice in their honor And 5. Celebrating daies festivall to their memory 6. By setting up their pictures 7. By reserving their reliques to worship And all this must be done by the Pope and none else Bel. de heatitud sanct lib. 1. cap. 7. and 8. say his flatterers and he cannot err therein yet St Paul saith that only God knoweth who are his not the Pope for he canonizeth hypocrites whom he by his indulgence hath flattered to hell in their life time and then placeth them in heaven when they are dead though their souls be in the place of torment This kind of canonization came up by Pope Leo the third Bel. ut supra about eight hundred years since and then Antichrist was detected and so canonization is Antichristian So is their giving to them religious worship which in Scripture is neither commanded nor given by any good man farther then by esteeming them of blessed memory Luke 1.44 or by praising God for them Gal. 1.5 or by imitation of their faith and vertue yea Angels have refused it at the hands of men and Apostles also as Acts 10.26 and 14.15 and Rev. 19.10 and 22.8 And as bad is their doctrine of Saints interceeding for us for there is but one Mediator who maketh intercession in whose name only we expect salvation Acts 4.10 and receive remission Acts 17.31 He is a perfect Mediator and needeth nor requireth any copartners 1 Cor. 1.13 and Heb. 12.2 Beside Aug. lib. 10. conf cap. 42. Amb. de Isaac cap. 8. Aug. in Psal 118. who can insure us that the dead departed have any cognizance of our state or praiers Isa 63.16 surely Christ is our mouth to speak to God and our eie to see him and our hand to offer to him and that praier that is not offered by him is so far from blotting out sin that it becomes sin it selfe therefore the worshipping of Angels forbidden by St Paul Col. 2.18 is unlawfull and the invocation of Saints as bad Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis agenda since the dead know not what the living do and that true Christians beleeve not on Peter himselfe but in him upon whom Peter beleeved as Aug. saith well in his book of the City of God lib. 18. cap. 58. But worse is the religious worship of their images though there may be a civill use of them for adorning of houses or keeping of them in memory Aug. de civit dei cap. 14 in Psal 36. in Psal 113. or painting of them historically But to set up their images or pictures in Temples and holy places under pretence of instructing the ignorant as did Pope Gregory the first they have degenerated to superstition and idolatry as Serenus Bishop of Massilus forewarned that Pope nor would suffer any to be in his Churches however those logs of which the images were made have better fortune then their fellowes who being as good as they yet are laied behind the fire There was none in Churches in the time of Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea about the year 330. But the first painting of Church wass was done by Pontius Paulinus Bishop of Nola who painted the Churches with the story of the Israelites Sunset in the wildernesse to deter the people from gluttony that came to the annuall Feast of St Faelix But surely he hath no religion that worshippeth an image though the image