by the bountie and favour of Constantine and his Princes the Bishop of Rome was made rich and great but so were other Bishops also And as he began to have a tribunall and courts and causes so did others also and thence grew corruption upon corruption contention upon contention appeale upon appeale division upon division He grew to be reckoned a Patriarch but the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch had the like priviledges given them which soone after was also bestowed on the Bishop of Constantinople because it was become the Imperiall Cittie as Rome had beene before And though the Greek Bishops would never acknowledge the Pope for their head because there was no reason they should yet they must needes confesse that his rising was theires Their rising and greatnes was but an imitation of his and so is that of the Archbishops of Toledo Paris Collen Mentz Trier Canterburie Yorke and others as also of the Bishops of Angiers London Winchester and Durham and all others in the Christian world according to the greatnes of the Provinces Cities and Countries whereof they obtained the title and jurisdiction The Pope was the Beast and Antichrist before he got the title of universall Bishop which made him theire head the grand Antichrist which hinders not but that before and since they by their office might be pettie Antichrists This would quickly appeare if men would trie the spirits trie the doctrines trie the callings and say The calling of Diocessan Bishops is it of God or of men But if Bishops may have their wills you shall neither trie their callings nor their doctrines by the Scriptures I wonder therefore that Princes and people of the reformed religion should have their doctrines and ceremonies in such admiration because of their persons and offices as if Gods spirit must needes be with them more then with others when they should rather thinke it to be lesse with them whose calling and dominion is not of God then with others and that if their doctrines traditions and ceremonies agree not with the Scriptures they cannot bee of God 2 Ioh. 9. Ioh. 8.44 Acts. 14.23 Act. 20.17.28 seing their authoritie and office that impose them is not of God but of the same spirit that ruleth in Antichrist they abide not in the government of Christ but are enemies to it For the Apostles ordained them Presbiters that is Elders in every Church by election Paul saith to the Presbiters to the Elders Take heede therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops the word is the same that is used 1. Tim. 3.1.2 and may be translated a Bishop or an overseer even as in the Greeke a presbiter is an Elder There were divers of them over one flock Therefore he saith To the saints that are at Philippi Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 with the Bishops and Deacons the presbiters were then the Bishops which is cleere by that I left thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine them Presbiters in every Cittie that is by election according to Act. 14.23 Act. 1.23 Chap. 6.5 and 1. Tim. 4.14 as Beza well proveth it Vers 6.7 in his Annotations on these places and so Paul addeth If any be blamelesse Act. 20. Phil. 1. for a Bishop that is the presbiter aforenamed must be blamelesse which is so cleere that Bellarm. that would faine denie it Bellarm. de Clericis lib. 1. c. 14. is forced to coÌ„fess that in all these three places the presbiters are called Bishops and consequently when Paul saieth 1. Tim. 3. He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a good worke that is the office of a Presbiter they were one and the fame as Hierom and others cited by Bellarmin have affirmed Otherwise Paull would not have them passed 1. Tim. 3. as he doth from the office of a Bishop to the office of a Deacon but first from the office of a Bishop to the office of a Presbiter and then to Deacons but there he only speakes of Bishops and Deacons because a Bishop and a Presbiter is one and the same thing It is true that Timothie was an Euangelist which is greater then a Bishop but as he is called a Bishop that is a presbiter Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was giveÌ„ thee by prophecie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbiterie Chap. 4.14 The presbiters ye see were then the Bishops that ordained presbiters that is Bishops and in that sense Titus a presbiter that is a Bishop was left to ordaine them presbiters in every Cittie that is Bishops but Titus was not a Bishop of Bishops for if any of them were taken in a fault the consistorie of presbiters were to looke to it Acts 20.28 So it is said against an Elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses 1 Tim. 5.19 which is not to set one over the rest to make a Bishop of Bishops but as if an Apostle should write to a senator of Venice against a Senator receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses which were to teach him and all Senators their dutie Christ saith of the holy Ghost Ioh. 16. he shall not speake of himself he shall take of mine to shew unto you to teach us that the holy Ghost bringeth no new doctrine or ordinance that stands not with the old for Christ changeth not he is the same yesterday and to day for ever But Paul saith of the Elders The holy Ghost hath made you Bishops this ordinance therefore is unalterable Hebr. 13. â—â— Act. 20. They ought to have the government and the honour due to Elders so Paul saith Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5.15 especially they who labour in the word and doctrine Next to the Apostles and Euangelists the Eldership was the place of greatest honour in the Church None of the Apostles are called Bishops but Elders they disdained not the title but reckoned it an honour 2. Ioh. 1. The Elder to the Elect Ladie and saint Pet. saith The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder the Greeke word signifies a fellow elder The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter Act. 15.8.22.23 The chosen menand decrees went out in all their names Some object that Bishops succede the Apostles and Presbiters the seaventie Disciples This is but a conceite For Presbiters were the Bishops ordained of God to succeede the Apostles Christ saith to them Loe I am with you alwaies to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 That is in their successors such as should teach their doctrine baptise and governe according to his ordinance the Eldership so they may have successors but not as they were Apostles and over Elders that is over Bishops for as Beza observeth the Apostles excercised no
dominion of Antichrist nourish superstition errour and ignorance are against Christs Kingdome and ordinances or in any particular make the word of none effect whence it must needes follow that because they like the Church of Rome 2. Thess 2.10 received not the love of the truth in these things therefore God must needes give them over to beleeve lies in other points and because in these things their feare toward God is taught by the traditions of men therefore the wisdome of their wisemen must needes decay Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 and perish A proofe whereof wee have seene in the Appealer now B. of Chichester Dr. Iackson and others justified in their errours by the reward they obtayned for them as also in their approved friend the Bishop of London who besides the erecting of Altars and Images hath not shamed to urge the Edict forbidding to write dispute or preach against the Arminians And to put Mr. Davis by the lecture at Christs Church because he would not subscribe to this that in baptisme orginall sin is wholie taken away in all Infants baptised Which is as much as to say that the Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato to overthrow all that the Scriptures say of Gods eternall election of some and leaving of others It is true that when the parish besought the Bishop to admit Mr. Davis answer was made he had not satisfyed his poser in that point of baptisme where one may see that whereas some say there must bee Bishops to trie such as would be admitted to cures or lectures this is but a mockerie the Bishops stand like great Andirens in a chimney which only serve for pompe and shew all the burthen lies on the creepers their Chaplaines which worke might be better and more uncorruptly performed by three or fower learned Ministers dwelling neere the parish and being such as doe the worke of Christ in their owne charges For though the Bishops have not yet put that to every one which was put to Mr. Davis certainly if their Hierarchie stand the power therof must needes increase till they force all to subscribe to these or worse things or suffer themselves to bee silenced And how prone divines are to follow and flatter them is manifest in this B. of London who being in high favour mighty and able to reward whom he list is flattered and humoured like a Pope by the Bishops Prelates and Preachers And because he is in such honour and authoritie therefore it is held great presumption to taske or question any thing he doth the Prelates that are best affected dare not lest they should be counted captious envious and factious puritanes ordinary Ministers are over-awed by his power And yet because some have adventured it he shamed not openly to complaine of them to the King Feb. 15. 1631. Ier. 6.16 in his last sermon on that text of Ieremie Stand ye in the waies and see c. And first to infer that the Lent fast may be called the old and good way that yet manie are so bold as to say wee wil not walk in it That disobedience to God is commonly accompanied with disobedience to the King and disobedience to the King with disobedience to God which is true but not as he meant it that they that doe not obey the Prelates in such things are disobedient to God and the King For if Prelates bind heavie burthens on men and strive to make them subscribe to errour whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto them more then unto God judge ye Act. 4.19 Againe he inferred from his text that if Kings doe not defend the Church God justly suffers the people to disobey them which is true if you take it of such Church Governours and ordinances as Christ ordained but not as the Bishop meant it of English Bishops and their power constitutious Rites and ceremonies as if he and a few such Prelates as himself were the Church of Christ making it a great greivance that any suffered to write or preach against their practises which is the only hell they seeme to feare or to have the benefit of a prohibition when they are plagued for it in the High Commission where in though he did not plainely threaten the King yet his speech glanced that way It is true that he said much for the authoritie of Kings obedience to them and against the disobedience of subjects which doctrine he pressed not against the Papists whom he scarce named in his sermon so far is he from the old way of Protestant preaching but against such as he esteemes puritans and in such cases as were agitated the last Parliament also in prohibitions forbidding the convincing of the prelacie or their government traditions and ceremonies Arminianisme or any other points of revived Pelagianisme or poperie as an enemie of calling Parliaments of other proceedings in such cases That he said that this was a fit subject for the court for there never was disobedience abroad but there was a Court conventicle at home which was the head or cause of it striking at them Who as he said as well in State policie as in matter of Religion find out new waies and will not walke in the old and good pathes which was not so true of them against whom he intended it as of his bosome freind the late Duke of Buc or of himself and his faction as the sequell wil manifest and namely that they have traduced and wrested the most honest counsailes and indeavours of the most noble Counsellours and wisest Parliaments under pretences of maintaining the prerogative a trick that they have rather learned of Davus in the Comedie then of Christ in the Gospel or if of any in the Scriptures then of proud Haman who for his hate to Mordecai Esth 3.6.8 said unto the King touching the Iewes It is not for the Kings profit to suffer thē or of the high Preists Scribes and Pharises who with praevaricating devices would prove Christ and his Disciples that convinced them of errour and malice to bee enemies of Caesar and such as forbad tribute In the primitive Church when Christians talked of the Kingdom of Christ and the comming thereof in the free power and use of the Gospel and ordinances of Christ their enemies perswaded the Emperours that this doctrine endangered the Imperiall government the taking of the Empire from him and was against his prerogative So when any talke of the restoring of Christs Kingdome and ordinances in the government of Parochiall * Or Elders Bishops and of the abolishing of Diocessan and Provinciall Bishops and their unprofitable traditions and ceremonies the English Prelates say this endangers the Regall authority and is against the Kings prerogative and government yea that is to refuse the old paths the good way of God and their King and impudently say non ambulabimus in ea wee will not walke in it as the Bishop inferred on that text
ornaments of the Ministers and Altars it appeareth not by bookes onely but by statues and pictures that they are so changed that if the Ancients should returne into the world they could not know them Therefore he concluded that to bind all to approve the Rites which the Church of Rome used might be reprehended as a condemnation of antiquity and of the use of other Churches His discourse displeased but the Bishop of the five Churches justified him If English Bishops would but with the Friar consider the consequences that follow their inforcing of their Rites they would not bee so extreame in them And indeed in those wherein they differ from the Reformed Churches they doe but mocke the Christian world while with the Papists they hold that they ought to be so strictly received and reverenced and yet abrogate others more necessary Pag. 163. seeing as one saith of the Papists they grant not to the people the election of the Minister which certainly was an Apostolicall institution continued more then eight hundred yeares but deny it to them with as good right as the Papists doe both that and the use of the cup which had beene continued as long It is a seemly thing to see the Temples where Christians use to meet in good repaire frequented with grave devout humble and religious behaviour in the worship of God the table covered with cleane linnen when the Sacrament is administred the cup decent and not of the basest metall But these and the like things are the more acceptable to God when the Church is not spoiled of her better ornaments diligent preaching and hearing soundnesse in the faith knowledge zeale and holinesse of life For if the Temples be never so glorious in structure the table of the finest wood and workmanship the cup of gold the Ministers in glorious vestments the service full of grave and devout ceremonies and all things else in the most plausible manner for outward ornament God is but mocked for all these if those better ornaments be neglected and despised When the Church of Rome began to abound in wealth and authority to have pluralities to maintaine their dignities to leaue poore hirelings in their cures to neglect soundnesse in doctrine knowledge and the like graces that they might seeme no lesse religious they began in stead thereof to be exercised in new manners of devotion See Plessis myst of iniquity pregress 24. looking out of relickes traditions and ceremonies to erect stately Temples Organs and Altars to guild and adorne them with images of Saints to have golden Chalices and wooden Priests to multiply feasts and holidayes to invent new orders and formes of will-worship to use all severity in bodily worship devout posture and demure cariage and to make all men conformable in those things to ordaine a world of superfluous constitutions But how was God mocked in all these while they did eate out religion For people being taken up in those his ordinances were the lesse regarded and while the stately Temples were erected in Cities Rev. 12. the Church was faine to flee into the wildernesse while the beauty of the outward stones were maintained 1 Pet. 2.5 the living stones were trodden under feet and despised while lights were set up in Churches people sate in darknesse and ignorance while traditions were observed Gods word was the lesse respected and in time could neither bee obeyed nor heard while the tables and Priests were adorned men of knowledge and other the best gifts were least esteemed while dead images of Saints were set up in the Church beautified and worshipped the true and living Saints such as the Waldenses Hussites and Calvenists were persecuted and martyred and the very faith it selfe called heresie Looke now a little upon the Church of England see how they abandon the cause of religion abroad and at home despise and persecute such as seeke that the ordinances of God may be restored Elders received Popery Arminianisme pluralities and non-residency excluded the true faith preached and maintained in Sermons and Lectures knowledge faith zeale and other graces nourished and increased and in the meane seem no lesse religious fall to building Temples Organs Tables Altars to satiate if it were possible the Clergy with titles of honour jurisdictions vestments revenues and riches and because a Bishop precedes a Baron to thinke that nothing is too much to maintaine his state that is not too much for a Baron and so for Deanes and Doctors according to their degrees and places which are the nurseries of pluralities and non-residency To call for observation of ceremonies canons fasts holidayes externall gesture and devotion and whatsoever else is commanded or practised in their constitutions and customes wherein though they doe not yet abound so much as the Papists yet it is the only religion in credit and fashion and as if Christ had ordained Bishops to looke to nothing else it doth and will eate out true religion and sincerity Howsoever while Prelates and others having pluralities to maintaine their dignities and leaving poore hirelings to serve their cures those better ornaments are neglected and persecuted are not these tokens that God is mocked by them I know well it is most irksome to Prelates to heare of these things they thinke no man should dare to manifest them and especially that the Eldership ought to be restored according to Gods ordinance They live as if they shunned no other plague nor feared any other purgatory then a reformation This fils their soules with Fiery indignation and makes them to be redeemed from it breake out into threats inquisitions and persecutions that they may overcome their tormentors by censures imprisonments exemplary punishments fines and torments Howsoever if they can but by flatteries invectives whisperings and other shifts keep the King and Councell so ignorant and blinde in those things that they may remaine firme on their side they care for no more But may not a man protest as plainly for God and his Church as the French Ambassador did for the priviledges of France and the French Churches in the Councell of Trent that protestation angred the Prelates but he defended it saying That those were ignorants Hist of the. Councel Pag. 771. 774. who having seene nothing but the Decretals lawes of 400. yeares did thinke that there were no Ecclesiasticall lawes before them that if any would reforme the King by the Decretals he would reforme them by the decrees and leade them also to more ancient times not onely of S. Austen but of the Apostles also Wherein the King justified him Now as the hierarchy and ceremonies make not for the true service of God but serve to eate it out by degrees as the Romish did so neither doe they make for the service of the King and State but are against it and very pernicious for every Nobleman and Ruler as appeareth 1. Because while they are by them kept from the knowledge of Gods truth in matter of the
man more ignorant in spirituall things nor more sensuall then thirst after great places Libido dominandi bestia ferocissima It is with this lust after honour as with that of uncleannes the mind is so takē up with it that there is little roome for better thoughts and the spirit of God will not dwell in that soule which is filled with such vainities growes more and more emptye of grace For surely many are cast away by the deceitfulnes of Balaams wages And God knowes that it is too manifest that many in the Church of England have beene made drunke with those Romish dignities and rewards that remaine therein that men bewitched with these or the desire of them stumble into Arminianisme and other errours at the pleasure of them that can advance them such are the fruits of those great places in the Hierarchie For though the Duke were oft accused in Parliament as an open favourer of Arminianisme and a secret practiser by that and other meanes to advance Romish Religion other notorious crimes yet many divines continued his constant freinds and advocates and have directly or indirectly maintained propagated the same opinion and which is most miserable the cheife of that faction being Bishops and heads of Colledges are they which now beare greatest sway in Religion governe the Church of England silence and trouble whom they list and in a manner give lawes to the whole Church in his Majesties Dominions Neither can it be better til Achan be found out the corrupting and Romish places of the hierarchie and such unprofitable traditions and ceremonies taken away but ever worse and worse For these things that were at first held indifferent and ordained to make Papists come the sooner to Church and to keepe unitie and uniformitie are now got into the place of the Scriptures the Appealer alleadgeth the Articles wrested and Dr. Iackson certaine clauses of the booke of comon praiers for Arminianisme with such authoritie as if they were the words of the Apostles making the Church of England to meane what they list and her meaning or rather theirs to be sufficient authoritie in points of faith against them that bring Scriptures to the contrarie as the Church of Rome did of old to establish her tenets and when these and the like have beene questioned in Parliament some to encourage others to follow them have counsailed to reward them with Bishopricks denaries Maisterships of Colledges Rev. 2.14 or fat benefices wherein they deale like Balaam that taught Balack to laie a stumbling block before the children of Israel For when divines see these thus rewarded this workes upon corrupt nature which being prone to covetuouses and ambition first makes the differences seeme small or not worth opposition and then drawes the mind to run headlong into the same opinions and to thinke they doe well enough in the conformitie Hence also it comes that though forraigne Princes and States have oft desired aide of England that it would joine with them in serving the Pope and his champions as they served them nothing was ever effectually enterprised by the English because such Courtiers as secretly favoured Rome have ever beene flattered by the Bishops and Clergie when the Palatinate should have beene defended and after recovered by the swotd these flatterers hindered it by crying out of wars of Chtistian against Christian and saying it would bring in the Turke that it were better all should joyne against him and speake lesse of the Romish Antichrist or Romes ruine as also by extolling peace and King Iames his indeavouts by Embassages and treaties which all men said would come to nothing and but make the adversaries to gaine time deceive us and grow more resolute cruell and mightie And indeed it is impossible that the English Hierarchie should ever seeke Romes ruine and not rather hinder it all they can because the great places thereof are Romish and a Diocessan Bishop as they are now is no other then the Pope of a shire or province and to shew reasons why Rome should bee ruined were to argue against themselves trench upon their owne hierarchie and seeke to ruine it They teach that their Hierrarchie and Rites ought to be maintained now the Romish is but an excesse in these things which the nobilitie perceiving can find no reason why men should bee so hot against Rome The Hierarchie of the Old fathers was positive the English is comparative the Romish superlative for as some have proved if you grant the one to be lawfull the other followes to bee as lawfull save in the degree of impietie as in that between fornication and adulterie or incest And therefore it is that Bishops cannot endure that Princes and Nobles should know the charter of the Elders nor the mischeife of the Hierarchie that they beare more with Church papists and whoremongers then any such puritanicall spirits with grosse ignorance then such knowledge with such as would set up poperie then such as would pull downe the Hierarchie or that of Rome If such a one as the Duke hindered wars with Rome or her chife champion the Spaniard they wil be his helpers so he will but stick to them against the freinds of the Eldership And therefore the Hierarchie and traditions with doctrine and arguments that maintaine them are like the great river Euphrates that hindred the sacking of Babylon For heathen Babylon lying on the one side of Euphrates betweene Assiria and Chaldea was fortified by that river So that Cirus the first vanquisher thereof had not wonne it but by a device of drayning the river above by sundrie artificiall sluces giveing his men in charge whom he left before the Cittie that when they should observe the river to be decreased and fourdable they should presently take the opportunitie to wade over and suddenly surprise Babylon And the Hierarchie I say is like this river for Bishops and teachers with their doctrines are called rivers and fountaines Divers of these rivelets meeting in one make a great river as many of them in a generall councell make a sea of doctrines canons and traditions the English hierarchie therefore having but a few Bishops and fewer canons and traditions then any popish Kingdom can not bee called a sea but is a great river and as a river oft parteth two Kingdomes or provinces pertaketh of both soiles watereth them both and keepes the one from invading the other so dothe the Hierarchie and the doctrines and traditions thereof which mistically lieth both to the Protestant and Romish shores watereth both is as pleasing and helpefull to Papists as to the reformation if not more the great power and places thereof are Romish so are the traditions canons and arguments they use to defend it they serve as well for the Papists as for the English Bishops for indeed they spring out of that sea out of the which the beast arose who alwaies alleadged the ancient customes and counsells and they naturally run againe into the same