to be called Spiritual what the Holy Spirit doth or commandeth either by himselfe or mediatly For so the workes of Creation and all naturall things should be called Spirituall and so must all mans civill and naturall actions be called There is then another condition required to make a thing spirituall namely that it tend to the worship of God and salvation of soules These are Hope Charity but chiefly Faith and its seed Gods word then the reading and preaching thereof prayers Sacraments and their use and whatsoever God hath appointed for his worship and for begetting and strengthening of Faith And here again I will shew how Apolonius rageth with hatred as Papists doe against Magistrates The old Papists have perswaded Christians long since that matters of salvation and of holy worship belong not to Princes as being lay-men because they cannot attaine to that end but that these onely belong to Church-men as being spirituall by which cunning they first exempted themselves from the Civill power and then subjected Lay-men and Princes to their Church as all know This new Walachrian Papist walkes upon the same Stilts For hee sayth plainly We think that the Civill power can never bee drawn out of its owne kind and elivated to another end to be produced by it selfe Part 1. p. 47.49.52 c. which is not wholly naturall He also every where affirmes That the end of the Magistrate is not yea cannot nor must not be the procuring of mens salvation Ye he saith it is Pelagianisme for any to affirme that the Magistrate as a Magistrate can doe any thing towards the procuring of mans salvation but that he is worldly and is to medle onely with the things of this world As for salvation it is the sole worke of Church-men as being solely spirituall In this hee doth not onely play the Papist in removing godly Magistrates so farre from this spirituall end in procuring salvation but also openly resisteth the truth which he might have learned out of Calvin Calv. 2. in 1 Tim. 2.2 who compares Magistrates to the earth and plainly sayth that the propagation of Religion depends no otherwise from them then the producing of Corn from the earth Now every one knowes that the end and proper effect of the earth is to produce corne so that he who will now perswade us that the earth brings not forth corne and that it conferres nothing to this production or that this production is no wayes the end or effect of the earth will make himselfe ridiculous to Husband-men and Children Yet that is not made Spirituall whatsoever by Consequences depends upon this end or by winding or doubtfull wayes tend to this end We see this consequentiall dependencie of spirituall things to have been under the Leviticall Priesthood The Temple was holy and spirituall from this flowed the Spirituality of the Levites which served in the Temple From their spirituality came the spirituality of their garments and of the Temples utensils and lastly the touching of all things which were made sacred because they served for the worship in the Temple which though according to Gods prescript they were thus accounted I doubt not but the succeeding Levites added many things to increase their Spirituality which wee know were not of the same esteem The old Papists in multiplying of spiritualities did not onely imitate but also in many things exceed the Levites so that among them not onely is that spirituall which immediatly and primarily tends to the end of salvation and worship but whatsoever also hath reference to this end though a-farre off is in a manner honored with the same priviledge of Spirituality by them For example The Pope with them is most spirituall Hence whatsoever hath relation to the Pope as to the end is also spiritual So his Crown Keyes Cloake Shooes Hose Conclave Servants yea almost his Concubines Mules and Asses are accounted for holy and spirituall The Masse with them is chiefly spirituall From this every thing that hath relation to it as to the end is also spirituall Such are the Place Challice Water-Box Altar Veile Pictures Gifts Priest Deacon and whatsoever hath reference to this end though never so remotely The new Walachrian Papists are yet sitting upon their egges of spirituality if their Chickens be well hatched we shall have a wonderfull brood of Spiritualities at this day these are reckoned for spirituals at least not to be touched to wit right to preach and pray publickly to administer the Sacraments to censure to call to make Church-laws the right of Synods and Dependencies and which Apolonius lately hath hatched the power of collecting and distributing of Almes of each whereof I will hereafter speak This is sure that whatsoever God hath appointed for the salvation of soules is spirituall but if it bee collected from hence that all these things are spirituall which are referred to this as to the principall end there will arise a million of Spiritualities As if one would say the Bread in the Sacrament is spirituall because ordained by Christ for a spirituall use Hence some curious Caviller should doubt whether the Wheat of which the bread is made was not also spirituall Whether the Meale the Baker the Oven the Servant and Basket in which that bread was carried to the Consistory or whether the Keeper of it or Dish in which the Bread lay on the Table be not all spiritual For this vain Arguer will proceed the same way that Apolonius doth who faith that the use of the Supper is sacred and spirituall because of Christs â—â—â—ination and end will conclude that he also is eminently spirituall above all Preachers Proponents Doctors of Divinity Elders and Deacons because hee thinkes that by speciall right he may take that bread breake and distribute it If this intention of spirituality ariseth from the vicinity of the principall end then either some new Scotus must arise for these Walachrians or else Apolonius must be endowed with the Seraphicall Spirit of Scotus that he may unfold the quotlibeticall trifles which will arise in Walachria concerning the beginning end and degrees of Spiritualities an example of which I give in the Sacramentall bread for some will ask When will that Bread in the Supper first become spirituall Whether then when it is carried into the Consistory But so the Bakets Boy should be spirituall or else he shall prophane holy things because he toucheth that Bread Or is it then first when the Preachers being solemnly assembled in the Consistory they first tast the bread and wine to try whether it is made of good Corne and of a good relish And give me leave here to report what I heare of the Walachrian Divines whose custome is to meet the day before the Sacrament in their Consistory where they tast of the Loaves which are to be used in the Supper But because that dry spirituality would cheaâ— them and so stop their preaching spirit the wine of the Supper is brought by tasting of
Statutes and Ordinances by what milde name soever he calls them are to be held for Lawes For because they prescribe to Christians under most grievovs punishments what they must doe or not doe as I will hereafter shew who seeth not that these Ordinances have the nature of Lawes So that he playes the cunning Iougler in venting abroad his Holinesse For amongst other Artifices wherein these cheating Hucksters or Regraters doe abound this is one that walking in the darke under a Vizard or Vaile which they can turne as they will they use when they please to increase and lessen their Greatnesse in a minute so that they deceive the most cunning men that are as that they can scarâ—e think this to bee the same person which they see If it were the purpose of this VValachrian to learne this art of these Knaves I confesse he is a ready Scholler and deserves to weare Aristotles breeches in their Schoole But that he may not deceive the too credulous by this art in heightning and shortning suddenly the sanctity of his Lawes I will in few words expedite matter First I affirme that Church-men such as they are now have he legislative power in Church-businesses that is to make Lawes properly so called Neither is it materiall whether here we call them Lawes or Statutes for Statutes are Lawes When they prohibite punish promise command and obliege all to observe them But the failing of observation presupposeth a penalty Hence it is cleere that hee only hath power to make laws who hath power only to punish the breakers of Lawes Hence this whole legislative power is called jurisdiction which consists in constituting that is in making and executing the Law So that it is a common Maxime among Lawyers that hee only hath this power who is invested with majesty and the supreame power For the Law is a decree of supreame Power and there is no constitution of Lawes without the power of punishing and executing without Empire or Principality there is no jurisdiction For they who can onely judge and have no power to execute such is inferiour Judges they want jurisdiction l. 5.15 D. de re jud l. sin c. ubi apud quem cogu in in t rest By which we may see what a troubler and confounder of the world the Power is who hath produced such Monsters So that hee hath made the Emperour a Hangman and an Inferiour to judge the Emperor for hee hath assumed to himselfe the highest Pawn in Church-matters and under this pretext to judge and determine of Magistrates But that he may not defile his Church-sanctity hee abstaines from execution and the use of the sword he carryes it indeed and shewes it to Princes as it were upbraiding them that hee hath snatch it from theÌ„ yet of himself he doth not draw except very seldome but commands Kings to draw it when he pleaseth Thus he grants Kings power to execute but hath snatcht from them the power of judging and ordaining So that now the Prince being divested of all power of judging wanders up and down like a great Hang-man or Gyant being armed onely for this end that hee might serve the Pope that most monstrous Tyrant Our Stilt-walker the Pope Ape in every thing flyers with the same wings He confesseth that he is subject to Princes but not in Church-matters For in these hee claimes right to make Lawes even for Magistrates which they must be bound to obey and to submit themselves and if they obey not he saith that he is armed with divine power of censuring and excommunication But if one take the boldnesse to deny obedience to the Statutes and Penalties that then the Magistrate is bound in duty to assist the Church-men with his sword at whose beck he must draw it to punish the refractory that they may keepe the Churches statutes Who seeth not here the idea of Poperie Among all Godly men it is beleeved that it belongs only to God to make lawes concerning things necessary to his Worship and Salvation For as God every where examines obedience so chiefly in his worship he will have us to adhere to his Lawes onely So that he accounts it stupendious boldnesse for any to worship him 1 Sam. 15. according to mens precepts He is so rigid in this Isa 29.13 that he will not only have the substance of his Worship but the very Rites and circumstances to bo observed according to his prescript as wee may see by the Samaritans who being returned home from the captivity were devoured by Lyons 2 Sam 17 because they worshipped not God and yet it is said there that they did worship God whence it appears that they observed the substance but neglected the rites and circumstances of his worship For which cause Priests were sent from Babylon who might teach them the Rites of his Worship better by which meanes they were delivered from the Lyons So it is cleere that the whole substance and necessary circumstances of divine worship must be sought onely from the mouth of God and his commands And because wee can consult with God no where but in the Scripture it is evident that nothing can be taken for Law or divine institution necessary for salvation but what is in plaine teaâ—mes set down in Scripture So that the Church hath no power legislative at all except in things not necessary and indifferent to which I will prescribe these Rules 1. Let not any Rites and Ceremonies be used in Divine Worship which doe not plainly agree with Gods Word and with that order and decencie fit for such a Worship The Pope here makes Religious Intentions his rules by which pretext he increaseth dayly ceremonies to that number that by them hee oppresseth Christians and exalts himselfe The Stilt-walker delirous to imitate this Papall power in multiplying Lawes prescribes also the same Rule which is so large and loose that he can dayly delight himselfe with dreams of new Lawes and Rites which hee may belch out and proclaime to his People that hee may upbraid their servitude I deny not but here and else-where he contradicts himself for he is so rigid that he calls it Superstition to make any act to be of holy use or to give it place in Divine Worship without a Divine Law Which I impute either to the mans giddinesse or to a desire he hath to deceive For if hee admit of no act in Religion but what is plainely contained in Scripture Why doth hee under paine of Sacriledge keepe off Religious Magistrates from making of Ecclesiastick Lawes in calling them sacrilegious if they offer to make Lawes for the Church without Church-mens assistance Is it not lawfull for pious Princes to command men that they observe Christs Lawes and Ordinances set downe in Scripture Is there such oddes whether this be enjoyned by Lay-men or Church-men so it be agreeable to Christs Lawes For the Treverian prates openly else-where that Magistrates must not make Church Lawes because they should
him nothing is more ancient then to extoll the outward businesse of the Ecclesiastick Ministery for holy spirituall and divine among men * Part 1 p. 116 p. 119. So that every where hee cries out these affaires do belong to heaven not to earth and that the externall things of the Church reach unto the soule and lastly to bee of such a sublime nature that it is impossible the art of Ecclesiastick jurisdiction should be exercised by the authority of the Magistrate so that as often as mention is made of the * Choragium Ampullantur dressing of Church matters they in proud and haughty words affirme that sacred things are not to bee touched Of which notwithstanding there is nothing so high and difficult which is not easie enough to him that is but indifferently exercised For these are preaching and publick Prayer the outward administration of the Sacraments the making of Laws for the outward order of the Church the greater and lesser censure whereof this is by suspending from the Lords Supper that by separation from the whole body of the Church by the uttering of certain words Lastly Election and confirmation to Ecclesiastick Offices All which affaires at this day are known to be performed by ordinary gifts oftentimes in a humane and perverse way even by such who being void of all Christian vertues are laden with nothing else but wickednesse that Apollonius may obtrude superstition after a Popish manner when hee searcheth after such abstruce mysteries of spirituality in the outward works of Ecclesiastick dressing that hee might make men think that what is performed by the Ministeriall function of the Church is of a higher nature then mans capacity can reach unto Whereas the whole dignity of these things as they are performed at this day depends from Christs generall institution and from the common Law of Order Out of these lurking places being driven after the Popish manner he flies to Ecclesiastick Vocation and chiefly to confirmation by imposing of hands which though at this day it be defiled and variously spotted shewing no effects of spirituallity in those on whom it is conferred Yet hee would faine perswade us that it is of wonderfull efficacy for conferring of spirituall right and spirituall prerogative to performe the sacred Offices of the Church that it hath such a speciall prerogative so that hee accounts him * Part 1. p. 87. p. 71. sacrilegious whosoever being destitute of the rights of Vocation and Ecclesiastick Confirmation will offer to put his hand to those internally externall affaires of the Church which hee illustrates by the example of King Uzziah struck with Leprosie Out of which principles at last springs up the speciall Church-Government which though every man may see it to bee in the world and to bee exercised by too worldly meanes and that by them who after confirmation are oftentimes more carnall than any Lay-men yet hee will have us beleeve that this Government is not o◠this world not earthly but heavenly spirituall holy independent from any worldly power in it selfe absolute and as it were of its own * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power by reason of the inseparable subjection of Church-men to Christ as his Legates Whence belongs to them this right to hee Governours Captaines Pastors Fathers under which titles it is lawfull onely for them to proceed to Governe to feed to give laws to punish and that imperiously with power and authority Part. 2. p 323. in the formalities of the Church Whence hee makes a rupture irreparable between the power or government of Magistrates and of the Church Part. 1. p. 91. 93. p. 9◠Because they are so different in the subject end and meanes that he thinks heaven and earth will be confounded if the Magistrate should offer to touch the internall things of the Church For hee will not allow the secular power to bee in but onely about the Church which medleth with the circumstantialls of the Church onely as a separable accident which the Church may easily want and did want under the Apostles and time of the first Reformation So that as hee assevers the Christian and godly Magistrate hath no more to doe with Church-affaires then the wicked hath in respect of right except in cases extraordinary when the whole Clergie wants reformation but yet on this condition too that the judgement of this matter bee left to the Church-men But if the Magistrate should meddle with any thing which hee calls formally Ecclesiastick besides these cases hee cryes out openly that sacriledge and robbery is committed that the rights of Christs Spouse are violated for which Christ shed his blood yea that the state of the Church was happier under the crosse because of her free jurisdiction which then shee used then now if the Magistrate offer to intermeddle with the Church-affaires so that indeed hee counts no better then Gibeonites the religious Magistrates who were not to serve in but about the Sanctuary and were not to meddle with or touch any holy thing but being tide to servile obedience in furnishing necessaries were bound perpetually to acknowledge their fraud and prophanenesse Out of so many naughty rootes of Popery it is no wonder if in Apollonius and some of his followers this fruite proceed not onely in speaking evill of secular Rulers as often as they seeme to Clergie-men to stumble upon the rights of the Church but contrarily they dare in secular affaires prescribe to and command the Magistrate by their Pastorall authority so that no Catechisme seemes to them more holy than that they assure one another that the secular Magistrate is simply to bee debarred from all things which they account Ecclesiasticall and that they are not to be admitted into the meanest part of their modern Ecclesiastick spirituality so faire as they performe the Office of a Magistrate the top of which spirituallity if elsewhere they seem to touch that they must bee resisted with might and maine as profane men either directly or if strength bee wanting indirectly and cunningly Per cuniculos in their private or publick declamations to the people Sure Apollonius seemes in this work to sound the Alarum and by his example to stirre up turbulent Ministers to bee bold upon the Magistrate when opportunity serves and to shake off one time or other their vile and violent yoke I doubt not but such kinde of vermine lurke else-where but dull and as it were sticking fast in their shell of which notwithstanding none doth cherish such dastardly spirits Puliatus but that if this Black coat and rude Wallachrian shall finde good successe in a short time great store of such Zelots will every where appeare I will no more prophesie but now will produce the acts of Apollonius and his fellow Walachrians set out not a few years since which will teach us that long agoe they were resolved and purposed first to prescribe a Law to the Civill Magistrate in
Orthodox man but Apollonius for an Heterodox condemnes him He clears him from innovation this cries out that hee spreads abroad new Tares and poyson He saith that he asserts the truth but this that he defends sacrilegious falshoods He witnesseth by his hand-writing that Vedelius hath deserved well of the Church but this by many subscriptions shews that he is a betrayer of the Churches rites and a trampler upon the blood of Christ Lastly he saith that no Orthodox man should trouble him but this on the contrary by an Order of the Walachran Classis and of the whole Synod accuseth him as a destroyer of and a most bloody wolf to the Church Hath not then Apollonius in this somewhat of that lying spirit which deceived Kings so that he hath writ more of his Classiary brethren then they knew themselves which is ordinary among the Apollonian spirituall men One of these must be true to wit that either the Apollonians are convicted of ignorance negligence and false tenets or else that Vedelius Macovius Rivet were widely mistaken for my own part I had rather be sick with these men in divinity then to enjoy the best health with the Walachran Apollonius for he slights and despiseth all men weighing them in the ballance of his judgement as if he alone were the man that could hold the scales or were onely skilfull to note vice and to discern right from wrong Hee acknowledgeth that hee oweth much to Waleus and Thysius his Masters and yet he doth with Junius plainly reject them he contemneth Musculus he saith That Pareus and Gualter doe germanize it â—o much and that this cause is made so intricate by the Germans and Helvesians that you cannot finde any Idaea of exact divinity and that the English judgements are for the most part enslaved to great men and of our Diâ—mes you shall finde few that have handled this matter without admitting confusion and collaterall combination of both Powers In another place thus this troubles us that so worthy a man he understands Vedelius should esteem of the Reformed-Church-doctrine according to the testimony of some learned men c. Amesius Martyr Sybrand this honour he gives onely to Confessions Catechismes and formes of concord and yet he slights the Decrees of the Synod of Dort as humane and extorted from Ministers against their wills so that like a Snake feeding on naughty grasse he hisses at every thing as he pleaseth therefore the ghost of our famous Vedelius against which Apollonius pisseth hath no great cause to be angry since he is not ashamed to spit in the face of all learned men There is nothing that both sacred and profane Laws do more detest punish then the contempt of Princes and superior powers of which this Night-bird was not ignorant who presently in the preface desires the Magistrates good will for he saith that he carryeth a free spirit in the maintenance of their Magistracy and as it were calling God to patronize his dissimulation that with most fervent prayers he honours God for them when as notwithstanding with full cheeks he blows out contumelious speeches against Princes and Magistrates and as if he were another Rhadamanthus he assumes power to appoint what limits Magistrates must contâ—ine themseâ—ves within beyond which if they offer to goe he calls them Symoniacks and wicked and like irreligious Princes that they break in upon the rights and prerogatives of the Church with tyrannicall lust and violence for which prerogatives he saith Christ did shed his Hood and such Princes he calls civil Popes But whilst he divides this booty and power he acts the Lion in Aesop who dividing the Veneson with the Asse and the Fox he killed the Asse affrighted the Fox and so took all the booty to himself Apollonius here playes the Jugler and with counterfeit superstition deterres the Magistrate from touching any of the modern Ecclesiastick affaires For he teacheth that the power of the Magistrate is not in but about the Church and that the internalls of the Church doth not belong to him either formally or eminently or totally or partially that his power extends onely to the externalls and not all these neither but only the externals externally but not the externals internally for in these distinctions he is very exact and seemingly carefull of the conscience of Magistrates He warnes them that they beleeve not the judgements of the learned nor the authority of man in exercising of their power earnestly urging his decisions as consonant to Scripture among which these are some The power of the Civill sword is without the Spheare of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction The Godly Magistrate is not the prime member of the Church but of the baser sort yea of the basest That it is dangerous to call the Magistrate the Keeper or nursing Father of the Church because it is impossible for him to nourish the Church with true milk which is onely proper for Church-men That the Magistrate is onely a separable accident of the Church which may be present or absent without destroying the subject That the end and intent of the Magistrate was not the saving of soules but properly and onely the temporall things of this life That the office of the Magistrate was onely of earthly not of heavenly things That the Magistrate as a Magistrate cannot execute any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall worke because it is impossible that hee should bee elevated above his own nature which is altogether worldly carnall and corporall Or if he seem to doe any Ecclesiasticall businesse that this hee doth onely objectively not formally imperatively not elicitively in respect of worldly circumstances and not in regard of the substantials of the Church And that they who will attribute more than this to the Magistrate incline to Pelagianisme Lastly he speakes every where of the Magistrate as of a naturall and carnall man of whom Paul saith That he is not subject to the Law of God nor can be nor doth he comprehend the things of Gods Spirit Hee cites often Gersom Bucerus who was to cunning in these trifles and withall insenced King James against him so that he was like to suffer had not the States protected him But this our Apollonius unwilling to yeeld to any man so bold is ignorance hee leapes over all the tearmes of Bucerus and railes against his own Magistrates and States subscribing to no mans opinion except Calderwoods the sum of which he else-where cites out of him Kingly authority saith he is onely measured according to the Churches benefit yet he doth warne Church-men that they should not trust too much Magistrates for he compares them to a crafty servant but Church-men to a generous Horse openly warning his fellow-Ministers that they suffer not the Magistrates to ride them any more and that their main aim was to bring them under subjection But if once they get the Mastery that Ministers shal never be able hereafter to shake off the civill yoak So then Apollonius thinkes
conscience sake and hee warnes us to hearken and obey the Governours of the Church Hence they collect if the Magistrates lawes can bind the conscience whereby God will have us obey them then the Church laws also must bind Christian consciences for them also we are enjoyned to obey If I were to cut this knot I would say that there is great oddes between these two commands for the holy Ghost in plain tearmes commands every soule to obey the civill Magistrate for conscience sake As for Church-Rulers he commands honour and obedience to bee given to them but he doth not enjoyne every soule to this nor for conscience sake For those restrictions the maintainers of Papâ—â—â— Hierarchy doe attex or knit by their consequentiary threeds but to such consequentiary Divines it falls out as it doth to unskilfull accountants who reckoning with counters doe unskilfully transferre from one place to another the counter Whence proceeds so great a change in the summe that they are quite mistaken in the reckoning But my prime answer shall he this There is great difference between the obedience due to civill Magistrates and to Church-governours For God hath appoynted the former to be his Embassadours and Vicars upon earth and Gods in his name under which Tittle hee giveâ— them this power that not onely every soule but also for conscience is bound to obey them that is absolutely not onely as they command justly and lawfully but as they command Therefore he hath armed them with the sword that they may force men For if the civill Magistrate command things either just or Indifferent the subject is bound to obey for conscience If hee commands what is unjust the subiect is not bound to performe but to submit either by suffering the punishment or by flight but the obedience due to Church-Rulers is farre other for they are not to bee obeyed absolutely because they command but conditionally if they command lawfully For these Spirituall Rulers must be tried if they are of God or not For if they enter not in at the doore the straight way but unlawfully by a back-doore become Shepheards Captaines and Rulers they are not to be obeyed but reiected as hirelings and wolves Again if they enter in lawfully so that they sit with the Scribes in Moses his Chaire and yet wil mingle the leven of their Traditions they are to be avoyded as blind guides yea to be cast out as unsavoury salt and to be trod under foot Christ himselfe commanding as I will hereafter shew more fully so that here now we may see another Legislative Divinity quite different from that of the old and new Papists for the Pope hath long since perswaded Christians that every soule must be subject to him even of Princes as to the universal Steward of the Church and that for conscience sake they are bound to obey his Edicts absolutely for which end hee hath armed himselfe also with the temporal sword for he carries two that he may shew himselfe to be the transcendent sword-bearing power of Paul by which right he claimes to himselfe such absolute power in the Church that though sometimes he creeps in like a Fox and reignes as a Lion yet he will bee absolutely obeyed till he die like a Dogge The same is the ground of the Walachrian Jurisdiction For the Stilt-walker doth not on this lay the foundation of speciall and divine right of law-giving that hee is a lawfull Pastor and commands things lawful for so he should be subiect to every mans examination but upon this priviledge that hee is the Captain Leader Shepheard and Embassadour of Christ in which Authoritative and Regall power he so reioyceth that he openly confesseth the Magistrates themselves to bee subiect to his lawes and that it is not in their power to make Church-lawes so that hee doubts not to accuse them of tyranny if they presume of themselves to command Church-men or to question or abrogate Church-ordinances so that the Walachrian Papists chiefe drift is under pretext of legislative power to dominiere over Magistrates and to prescribe lawes not onely in Church but in civill affaires also as shall seeme best to the Walachrian supercilious spiritualities Many examples of this matter doth the Stilt-walker shew at Middleburgh whereof some I have mentioned already I will adde one more of which hee vapours much elsewhere in his patcht book Heretofore the Magistrates of Middleburgh as they say ordered that in the Church Organs should be used for regulating the tunes in singing of Psalmes This gave occasion to the Walachrian to â—reprove the Magistrate and as they say hee did shamefully in his Pulpit inveigh against this order shewing the indignity and erroneousnesse thereof to the people not without scoffs And because he was not ashamed to set down in this book the summe of his reasons which he impudently used against his own Magistrates it shall not be amisse by the way to refell them First he sayth very imperiously that this order is very repugnant to Divine Right and the Churches practice His prime argument is That Organs were used in the Iewish Temple whence he concludes that hee digges up againe Indaisme who brings Organs into Christian Churches How frivolous this reason is any indifferently learned may see For I ask if every thing used in the Jewish Temple be unlawfull in Christian worship I suppose he will not say so if he be wise For either there must be no Christianity or God must create new Elements for in the Jewish worship were not onely Organs Cymbals and Tymbrels but Gold also Silver Garments Silk Wooll Water Bread Wine and many other things He ought then to have declared more particularly what was precisely ceremoniall and not to be used when we see that every thing is not to be reiected He instanceth that Christians should at least omit these things which served for the worship of the Jewish Temple For because God destroyed that Temple he gathers by an unanswerable Argument as he calls it that what was used in the worship of that Temple was abolished and should be removed from Christian worship But here againe he feeds his Reader with toyes for if we must use nothing in Christian worship which was ordained for the Jewish worship why doth he use Churches In the worship of the Temple there were not onely Organs but the Book of the Law also and Water Bread Wine a Table an Ark Seats Pulpits Stones Linnen c. Why doth he not also desire the removal of these things The very singing of Psalmes is borrowed from the Jewish worship Epist ad Hooper sayth Martyr Why is not this also reiected by the Law-giver Apolonius He instanceth That Pipes and Organs are dead things and wind Instruments and as it were Rattles fit for such children and stiffe-necked people as the Iewes but these become not Christians I answer the Stilt-walker hath so little breath or spirit in his Assertions that he produceth nothing that hurts these pipes
will be made branches stones trees chickens sheep fish fruits grasse corn and what not Of Preachers and Church-men there will be made not onely Kings Pastors Captaines Housholders as they will have but servants wolves dogs pillars stones bell-ringers pipers walls flames candle-sticks fires and many more to which the Holy Ghost compares them So that if hee should shake the budgets of most abstruse Divinity he cannot compose these things but he shall be laughed at by all This is his errour in that he will out of figurative speeches draw literall conclusions as if out of painted gold he would make a reall crowne of gold Much of this kind he spreads every where chiefly Part 2. p. 28. he doth plainly dispute for the Kingly censuring power of Church-men For saith hee the jurisdiction of the Church is called the right of the keyes and the Churches key is called Davids key which was regall whence he concludes That the jurisdiction of the Church is regall I answer These things are spoken figuratively and to be ascribed to Christ onely if they be taken properly not to the moderne Church which properly wants the keyes of heaven as I shewed elsewhere The chiefe errour is in this that with the Pope he makes of the keyes the Scepter and regall Crowne If all be Kings that have the right of the keyes then the Key-bearers of Temples Cities Hospitalls of Bedlems and of all Cells shall be Kings And whereas he saith that Davids and Christs key is regall and that therefore such is the key of the moderne Church it is all one as if I should say there was a King who carried the keyes of the City therefore all are Kings afterwards who carry those keyes How false this is appeares in Peter who first and properly received these keyes and yet he was a poore Fisher-man not a King Surely if Apollonius had Peters true key yet Christ would forbid in him all Kingly state and pride Mat. 20. saying The Kings of the earth beare rule but it shall not be so with you But Mat. 18. Christ gave to the Church power of judicature which saith he is kingly I answered elsewhere that in this place Christ did not bestow on the Church the right of judicature but only to intercede and to compose differences For the power of judging one to be a Publican or Heathen he gives properly to a Brother not to the Church and so every private man should have regall power Truly if all be Kings that judge there will be innumerable Kings in the same kingdome If Apollonius play not the foole he was a King long since because he carried the keyes and judged many things after his manner His chief argument is out of that place Mat. 28. Christ sending his Disciples to preach speaks first of his regall power saying All power is given to me in heaven and in earth he concludes also from his regall power saying I will be with you till the end of the world thence he gathers That the power not onely of Christ but also of the Church and therefore of Ministers is regall O wonderfull Lindanus indeed and other Papists are ridiculous in their devices but what Jesuite at this day is there of any braine who will not burst with laughter when he shall see and think of these Apollonian scientificall demonstrations to wit that Calvinists by such fictions doe seek after power to reigne in the Church which they have hitherto execrated in the Pope Christ the King of Kings speaking before and after of his Kingly power commanded the Apostles to teach and baptize Ergo he made them Kings and indowed them with Kingly power If Apollonius were as quick-sighted in both his eyes as Lynx he could not see this consequence He reasons thus out of his foolish Dialectick As often as Kings speaking of their Majesty command their Heralds to publish their will and Letters Patents they presently of Heralds become Kings that Herald were worthy of Hellebore who would thus conclude especially if the King in plaine termes should tell his Messenger Although my other servants may command and domineere in their Offices yet I forbid thee to do so neither will I permit thee to reigne for this is the sense of Christs words Mat. 20. The Kings of the Nations beare rule but it shall not be so with you So we need not stay any longer in the Walachrian devices whereas we may every where see that the Pope and Apollonius are both of one minde to wit that they have regall power howsoever Christ and the whole Scripture contradict it but by a Jesuiticall quirk he tells us that their power is not secular carnall or despoticall for these husks he leaves for the Magistrate reserving to himselfe the pure flower of spirituality but Ecclesiasticke holy and celestiall which because it proceeds not from the speciall sanctity of their Church-Discipline as the object nor from the dignity of modern vocation as I have now shewed we must henceforth search into the other lurking holes of the Walachrian Church sanctity least these rattle-mice hide themselves any longer in their under-ground caves of spirituality Therefore having overthrowne the chiefe foundations of the Walachrian sanctity and dominion which are the spirituality of their moderne Discipline and the mysticall sublimity of their calling now I will pursue the Arguments which the Stilt-walker still useth to purchase authority to himselfe among the ignorant which with the Papists he borroweth from the Epithetes and names given to Preachers in Scripture by which he strives to establish his regall majesty in the Church in this playing the canvasse Merchant with Papists which that the Reader may see I will first in generall point at three of his ordinary fallacies 1. In that the most titles are figurative and metaphoricall Fallaciae in titulis out of which he raiseth literall conclusions by which he must needs fall into a thousand absurdities for if this be admitted in Divinity that every one interpret as hee pleaseth figures similitudes and metaphors which are found in Scripture there will be nothing certaine but we may infer any thing out of any thing by this reason I may easily of Apollonius and his other Preachers make stocks stones yea brute beasts for Church-Doctors are called in Scripture Pillars Foundations and watchfull Dogs now we know that Pillars are made of stocks and stumps of trees Foundations of stones and that Dogs are brute and impudent beasts whence the folly of old Papists appears who have erected their whole Hierarchy out of parabolicall and figurative Scripture phrases as famous Marnixius hath merrily demonstrated and because he could find no other new way to set up his regall power therefore the VValachrian Papist walks altogether in his Predecessors foot-steps Apollonius his other errour is that of indefinite Propositions he makes exclusive and understands simply what is spoken respectively this he borrowed also of the Jesuites for Bellarmine commonly thus concludes Christ gave
for Kings are called Fathers Lords 1 Tim. 5. Paul bids Timothy honour old men because of their gray haires as Fathers so the title of Father is given to Bishops but from hence to infer an absolute dominion and a priviledge to obey no man is childish for if we would contend about this word the King shall be the Bishops Father and the Bishop the Kings Father he shall also be an old mans Father and againe the old man shall be his Father so the one shall not obey but command the other Hence will arise Anarchie wherefore we must againe consider that figurative phrases must not be too much stretched Paul improperly attributes to himselfe the title of Father and yet he had many prerogatives by this title none is properly Father of the Church and of Beleevers but God by whose Word as by seed we are regenerated Paul himselfe confesseth that he is a sower and a planter who will not say that it is improper for a husband-man to be called Father of corne or trees Yet the Apostles had this priviledge because by instinct from God they produced that divinely inspired word which begets alwayes faith He also glorieth in this to the Galathians that he particularly as a Father had first of all converted them and had made them a Church though in this paternall right Paul had many Prerogatives yet we see that in his Government he was farre from pride and imperiousnesse wherefore the Stilt-walker againe imitates the Papists that under this most common right of Father by which he is rather a Paedagogue then a Father of the Church croaks so loud of his imperiall and kingly power that he will have himselfe preferred to all Magistrates for the word which he preacheth is but a strange kind of seed which he casts nor is it infallible as that of Pauls but corrupted and very lying in many things Neither doe we thinke the Stilt-walker so old as that he was the first Founder of the Church of Middleburg so that he wants all the prerogatives by which Paul claimes to himselfe paternall right how ridiculous then is this figurative and personated Father of the Church in making Magistrates but children and his sons whose Father he cannot be but by a very remote reason and in inveighing so eagerly against them that he seditiously moves the people to rob them of their honours and estates and then goeth about to excommunicate them with his censuring key that is to exclude them out of hezven it selfe We did here jest among our selves that these Walachrian Fathers were of the race of those Cats which Philosophers write use to bite and devour their young chite which they bring forth so that the female cats do extreamly hate the male cats or sires of their young chits not suffering them to touch or come neare them If this Walâ—chrian be such a monstrous Father he will not wonder if hereafter the Churches as mothers doe abhorre and drive him away as an unnaturall Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He wonderfully swells with the title of Legat for which he quotes 2 Cor. 5.20 which Beza translates we are Embassadours the word in Paul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and properly signifieth we are Presbyters but this our night-bird delighting himselfe in this interpretation of Beza cries out every where that he is Christs Embassadour for although Paul presently place the exercise of this Embassie in Prayers and humble perswasion yet this Walachrian rattle-mouse desiring alwaies to chirp louder in his caves under ground then the howles doe cry at Athens concludes from hence every where that he is invested with this title of Christs Embassadur by an authoritative and powerfull Jurisdiction above all Magistrates For he saith in the place quoted that Magistrates are no where called Christs Embassadours but onely Ministers and Vicars of God In this his device hee varieth much from his owne Calvin who very where honoureth Magistrates with the title of Gods Legats and surely had he well weighed what he wrote he would have seen that more belongs to the Magistrate then to Church-men because they have the title of Vicar which is more then Legat For I searce beleeve that Apollonjus will willingly assume to himselfe the title of Christs Vicar least he should make himselfe too like the Pope of Rome who despising the title of Legate calls himselfe Christs Vicar so that we may laugh at Apollonius his giddinesse who would out of the greater title fasten upon Magistrates the lesser dignity but contrary on Church-men greater honour out of the lesser title But here the Stilt-walker seeks out another mote for he makes a strange distinction between Gods Kingdome and Christs or between Christs Kingdome of mediation and creation making that much more worthy and holy then this whence he collects that he is farre to be preferred to all Magistrates because these are onely Gods Legates but he is Christs Legate as being the Mediator exalted as if he would have something more worthy and holy then God himselfe I confesse I envy not this extortioner of phrases that every novelty may please him onely this I say that this his device is nothing to purpose for Paul in 1 Cor. 15. describing Christs Kingdome as Mediator saith that by right and in recompence of the work of mediation as it were by which he did exceedingly humble himselfe was given to him the chiefe honour as being God and man not onely to fit at the right hand of God the Father but that also by a wonderfull dispensation the Father from that time hath submitted all power and bestowed on Christ the Mediator which he will not lay downe before the end of the world and after judgement will deliver it up to his Father This the Apostle calls a mystery and I confesse I am ignorant of it yet I adore it Hence this assertion of the Walachrian Papist falls to the ground For if Christ after his Ascension alone reigne in heaven earth and under the earth as the Apostle speaks then it must follow that all Kings and Magistrates even Turks and Gentiles belong to Christs Mediatorie Kingdome and that they are the Vicars and Legats of Christ the Mediator for how can they be the Legats of any other Prince when as he alone reignes every where So that of necessity the Walachrian Commentators must hatch some other fiction whose practice I compared elswhere to Swine turning up dunghills Now I adde that to expresse this Impostâ—r by the picture of a Heg is an Egyptian Hieroglyphick for this is the property of that filthy beast to have cloven feet as the cleane beasts have with which they are alwayes dividing dirt and clay yet never divides or freeth it selfe from filth because naturally it delights in dirt Even so we see the Walachrian hereticks dividing their fooleries with many distinctions like impure hogs parting the dirt with their cloven hoofs and yet they never free themselves from their errors The Walachrian chiefe
then they should though some of the wiser sort smell that these are meere Impostors of which they brâ—gge yet by this their often bragging it comes to passe that the people casting aside all care of salvation in their supine negligence commis the most precious treasure of their soules and of life eternall to blind guides whom the blind people following innumerable souls must needs fall into the pit of destruction The Stilt-walker stretcheth out every where the same way he is not content to receive honour for his well-doing and to be accounted the faithfull man he shews himself to be which Paul speaks of true housholders but though he perceive his own giddines and every one sees his childishnesse yet by the force of his vocation or as the old Papists say by the character he ascribes to himself every where a right to do and teach in the Church by authority and power which he and his followers brag of for no other end but to induce the people to blind obedience to subscribe all that he shall say and command Which if he obtain it will not only come to passe that they shall rest in his authoritative lies and deceits with which his mingle-mangle is filled but also if I be not deceived in the mans nature scarce will that Church continue 14 dayes together in one theologicall opinion For because he prides himself in this that like a bee he flies through all meadows but wanting the true sting of Judgement it must needs be with him as with the changeable Camelion on what tree or plant soever he sits he puts on the shape and colour thereof whence he must daily produce new dreams all which if his sheep and sons are bound to receive by his commanding and authoritative power surely a giddy progenie must arise of such a giddy father and a family fit to be sent to Bedlem Howsoever he may fasten upon ignorant people his fictions Naviget Antyceras yet we here in Frisia cannot believe that he shall so far blind the Magistrates and Governours of Middleburge as not to see his potestative and authoritative frauds and knaveries for the name of Middleburge-Governours is famous here and in other Provinces even in this regard in that by their Mariners they so brake the strength of the terrible name of Dunkirk-Pirats in one year that this one City did shew they might be extinguished whom we thought had been unconquerable And chiefly in that they being troubled with the malice and treachery of strangers on all sides by their happy wisdome have overcome all impediments to the liberty and benefit of the State shewing invincible courage among so many difficulties deserving to sit in the Conncel at the Hague for the common defence of their country so that the Deputies of our Province have long confessed that they seldome repented to have subscribed to the judgement of that City for though at present their advise may seem somewhat hard yet time hath made it appeare that their counsels have oftentimes proved most just and wholsome But I wonder that a City of such constant prudence doth suffer so long such a Viper as as we see by his writings to lurk in their bosome which is still labouring to cast out amongst them the poyson of dissention and to trouble them either with Ecclesiastick or Politick hissing that he might shake and overthrow the foundations of that Government The famous State of Amsterdam was brought once into such a hazard by such a Wasp as this but the Senate by their authority thrust him out of their hive and so restored peace to the Church and State The Walachrian Metropolis shews an example of rare moderation which having got among them a more troublesome Drone have hitherto used no severity but suffer him to grow dull in his own humming so that we have great hopes the Church there shall never be infested with this New Popery for she having such famous Patrons and Nursing-fathers will easily escape the plots of such turbulent fellows as these Walachrians are lest new Popery creep first out of that corner of our confederate Common-wealth where the Popes tyrannical dominion was driven out first I have hitherto done what I can to hinder it and in this last Chapter will proceed to stop the progresse of it CHAP. VII Of the Magistrates duty in Church-businesse WE have hitherto seen the Stilt-walkers eloquence in extolling their modern Ecclesiastick businesses which is done by them who in Walachria are called Church-men and Spirituall as among the Papists Clergy-men And we have shewed that there is not in all their Church-discipline any thing sacred particularly or specially as to keep off Christians by any right of sanctity from exercising them if they be furnished with gifts fit for them And that there is now no manner of inauguration by speciall Divine right for any man to exercise alone these Affairs authoritavely or potestatively as he speaks For Vocation Election and Consecration by Imposition of hands at this day are meerly humane and corrupted means in which we see by experience there is no Spirituall efficacie for they are performed by Simony fraud and wicked wayes that seldome is the fittest man chosen but commonly such as promises bribes and favour promoteth Imposition also of hands retaining the forme but not the force of the ancient institution is not found to conferre any Spirituall gifts only we find that such as have obtained the pomp of external Vocation are puffed up with Apollonian and Papistical pride as if they were filled with new and infused sanctity that is As soon as young Fellows are freed from the lash of the Schoolmasters rod having got Ordination and the priviledge of Ecclesiastick character within three dayes after they think themselves more spirituall then all the Magistrates and common Members of the Church But if they want the knowledge of Tongues Sciences and good Arts they are not found by Imposition of hands to be made more learned Yet if any before his Vocation be a Trifler Cheater Drunkard or wine-bibber it seldome falls out that afterward he leaves these vices but only hides them warily lest he lose his Ministerial stipend A fit example we see in this Walachrian Papist who long hath bragged of the right of his Church-calling and yet hath not forgot to lie cheat and blaspheme the Magistrates I know that in the Apostles time the matter was otherwise because of the plenty of spirituall gifts but now such is the Churches poverty by reason of mens corruptions and Gods just judgements that having lost that true and pure grain with which at first Christians were fed we are at this day reduced to husks of the dispensing of which this Walachrian Night-bird doth now brag much more then they did of their pure corne he deserves the title rather of a swineherd then of a shopherd and fitter for a hogs-sty then for a sheeps-coat He truly that will seriously weigh the matter shall confesse with me
that no otherwise then among Papists despair makes a Monk for many at this day for fear of poverty and out of a desire to raise their fortunes apply themselves to Divinity as to some Mechanicall trade neither have they any other intention more spiritual then to enjoy a fat Benefice and may be freed from the stink of Mechanical sweat and fear of starving Presently aspiring higher they insinuate themselves under pretence of sanctity into rich mens houses and so stuffe themselves with worldly wealth more wary then Christ who did not allow so much as one bag to the Apostles his ambassadors but these arm themselves against poverty both with publike and private bags The hope of which good fortune arising from the Calling of the Church or Imposition of hands it s no wonder that they place in them a spirituall power which so suddenly change their fortune But it is plain to them that will look into this more narrowly that the whole force and sap of Ecclesiastick dignity floweth from the Magistrate for except from them the Treasurer receive a command to pay them their Stipend scarce would any Vocation or Consecration of the Church move so effectually the Ecclesiastick spirit but it would be easily stopped and choked as it were with the silver quinsey I will instance the truth of this by one example of the Stilt-walker which was here told us The Senate of Middleburg had resolved some years ago to pacifie those superlatively spirituall Bees at that time making a strange tumult within the hive with a silver or money-medicine in which Marnixius saith Church-bees take wonderfull delight giving order to the Treasurer to bestow on each Minister of their City 100 Florens for an extraordinary gratuity This bounty comming so unlooked for did exceedingly please them hoping it would prove annuall or hereditary but these Governours of the City had made an expresse law That no reward or benefit should be bestowed out of the publike stock upon any man for his life or for ever but upon condition of recalling it if it stood with the publike good Yet there is no certain or perpetuall possession there of any gift which is conferred by the Town-bounty but whosoever enjoys any such benefit he is bound yearly to petition for the continuation thereof which if out of pride or carelesnesse it be neglected ipso facto the benefit ceaseth and another may beg it This law was prudently made for by long experience it was observed that these perpetuall possessions of offices or benefits in subjects caused pride and carelesnesse so that they seemed to despise their benefactors This law then not being observed and the necessity of burthens comming on occasioned a cessation of this benefit in Ministers There the Stilt-walker as if he had been fed with garlick and his underlings sent messengers to the Magistrates to sollicite them then they began to check them and in their pulpits at last yea in the streets and high-wayes and in every house and conventicle to rage and raile and revile them as wicked Atheists and enemies to Religion and such as indirectly went about to overthrow all Divine worship by withdrawing food from the Ministers and in muzling the mouth of the Oxen that tread out their corn lastly plotting all means to cause sedition But the Magistrate being nothing moved at all this their spirituall pride and anger at last grew calâ— and all their froth vanished into the air If this be true which I will not assever it shewes that the principall foundation of Ecclesiastick spirituality among the Walachrians is not in the heart or mouth or in the head on which there was Imposition of hands but there where Judas his devotion lay in the bag For every Philosopher knows that the chief organ or sense is there which when it is moved â—â—iveth all the other organs Nâ—w because the Ecclesiastick bag being touched all the preaching censuring and thundring spirits grew so quickly hot in these Walachrian Clergy-men that they wrong all sorts and functions I am of Erasmus his judgement of whom Sleiden writes that being asked of the Duke of Saxony why there was so much trouble in the world at Luthers preaching answered that Luther undertook a hard task for he touched the Popes crown and the Monks belly shewing that the whole spirituall heat of old popery consisted in the honour and pride of the Pope and great Bishops and in the belly or food of inferior Priests and Monks And now let this my jesting discourse serve for a preface to what I am now to speak in this last Tract in which Apollonius hath opened all the boxes of subtleties that he might make a formall and specificall distinction between Ecclesiastick and Secular officers or as he speaks between the Ecclesiastick and Secular power which he so divides that he placeth this as a star in heaven but the other on the ground which two he thinks can no more be united then heaven and earth so that secular men as secular can no more meddle with Church-businesse then one standing upon the ground can touch the heaven Thus like an Exorcist he makes a circle of Ecclesiastick internals and of internall externals as he speaks within which if any Lay-man offer to set his foot he shall be presently smitten with Vzziahs leprosie or vexed with a devil Upbraiding the Magistrate if he venture to break in upon the preaching censuring legislative chiefly Sacramentary busines that he is Simoniacall wicked a Tyrant a trampler upon the right and laws of Christ a violator of Christs spouse yea a trampler on Christs blood lastly a Monster and a Secular Antichrist These he every where sets down as orthodoxall Dictator-like and therefore saith that Musculus Macovius Vedelius and so many as disagree from him contradict sound doctrine have wide shooes they cover their shame with figleaves as Adam and that they ere the parasites and flatterers of Magistrates the poysonable betrayers of the Churches rights and liberties So that no stable can be fuller of dung then this work is of Apollonian flowres of railings against godly Magistrates the Fathers of their Country And although to speak freely these are childish toyes what he utters here with such eagernesse yet I will gather together in a heap all his foolish chantings upon this businesse that the Reader may see in an epitome all to be of no validity what he spues out here against Magistrates The summe of his Arguments tends to this That he may shew Ecclesiastick functions to differ generically and totally from those of the secular power because they differ in the Author end object meanes part 1. p. 47. p. 4â— 94. subject and other things Now he proves all by asking still the things in question that is meer fictions and chimaeraes which he borroweth without judgement from Papists and sellers of trifles As for the Author he saith that the secular power and Government belongs onely to the Kingdome of God as Creator
respect of their secular power are so ordained by God and restrained that they onely can and should meddle with carnall and secular things of this world and by no meanes with spirituall and such as may of themselves procure the peoples eternall salvation which is both false and blasphemous against Magistrates and God himselfe This he learned not of the Apostles but from the Master-builders of Romish Babylon they as I have often said handle the Scripture irreverently taking out of them what they will and adding to them what they list when it is said to Peter when thou art converted confirme thy Brethren they expound this by adding thou Peter alone shouldst confirm all thy Brethren nor thou onely but all the Bishops of Rome also alone who are thy successors shall have the same right to confirme all thy Brethren that is to judge spoile and pervert all Kings and Kingdomes of the world In this phrase spoke the old Romanists which this new Papist hath finely learned of them the Scripture speakes simply that the Magistrate or higher power is ordained by God to defend and maintaine publike peace and tranquillity Rom. 13. It saith also we must obey for conscience sake and that he is the rewarder of them that doe well and that he bears the sword to punish the evill doers not discriminating whether it be secular or Ecclesiastick good or evill which is subject to this power This Walachrian night-bird willing to free himselfe in his Church-businesse from this power he trumpets out with swelled cheeks that God hath appointed Magistrates in his Word to worldly affaires onely and that he containes them as such within the businesse of this life and of temporall tranquillity yea that he hath ordained that they must not meddle with the things of life eternall nor aime at them or properly procure them because it belongs not to them to bind the conscience Is not this to corrupt and wrest the Scripture That we may see what a monstrous paradox this is I will shew the absurdities thereof 1. If God ordained the Civill Magistrate for intent and with this restriction then it followes that all Magistrates doe well in neglecting despising and not procuring what belongs to Worship and Religion for he that so performes his duty as to follow the prescript and order that God hath set downe he performes his duty well but the consequence is blasphemous and absurd Ergo. 2. If the Stilt-walkers opinion be right then Magistrates are worthy of praise and reward when they lay aside the care of Religion and are provident onely in the corporall things of this world and profits of this life such as were the Gentiles and wicked Emperours and Kings who had little or no care of Religion these followed Gods Ordinance exactly but this consequence is impious and blasphemy Ergo. 3. If the Stilt-walker be in the right then Josua Solomon Josias and all good Princes who were carefull to restore Religion did evill and deserved punishment because they went beyond their office and Gods command which was to forbeare medling with Religion and to remaine within the affaires of this life but the consequent is absurd and blasphemy Ergo. 4. If the Stilt-walker be in the right then the order and power of the Magistrate is the most monstrous thing in the world God makes and ordaines all things for himselfe even the wicked for the evill day all are from God by God and to God nor is there any thing which hath God for its author that hath not for its chiefe and proper end Gods glory which is no where more advanced then when true Religion is advanced Whence I gather that the Ordination of Magistrateship is most perverse because God did expresly ordain this that it should not meddle with Religion but containe it selfe within the dunghills of the world whence it will follow that Magistracy is not properly ordained for Gods glory but the consequent is blasphemous Ergo 5. If God hath shut up the Magistrate within this end and prescription then he hath strangely perverted his owne order where so often he hath armed Kings and Princes and hath commanded them that they should meddle with his Worship and Religion for this end he gave the Law to Moses the Book of the Law to Josua and he hath prescribed and commanded many other that leaving their secular affaires they should be chiefly carefull about matters of worship and salvation as we may see in one Solomon all which God hath done against the first institution and ordination of the politick power which inconstancy to attribute to God is blasphemy Wee must then rather ascribe giddinesse to the Stilt-walker who obtrudes so false an Ordinance of God to men concerning the power and office of Magistrates Lastly if it be Gods perpetuall Law that the Magistrate as such must not meddle with Religion by himselfe and properly then it is very absurd that in the Scripture so many contrary commands are found such as Psal 2. and now O Kings kisse the Son c. Esa 40. Kings shall be nursing Fathers c. 1. Tim. 2.2 Paul bids us pray for wicked Kings that under them we may live peaceably with honesty and piety whence it is apparent that God is so farre from debarring Civill Magistrates from the care of Religion and piety that on the contrary he commands and will have it their chiefe businesse to promote Religion and his Worship Hence the Stilt-walker willing to award this blow brings out his satchell of distinctions that with his canvasse smoke he may blind the Readers eyes for first he saith Paul doth not shew that the end of Magistracy is to look to the good of the Church because there hee speakes of wicked Princes who then intended no such thing but rather the contrary I answer men doe not alwayes intend in their offices the end prescribed by God yet on the contrary they often resist and yet neverthelesse it is true that they should follow the end prescribed by God if they would doe well this Paul saith to be tranquillity and piety which those wicked Princes then intended not but they should have intended and Christians ought to hope and pray that they would intend it If the Stilt-walker would understand the matter let him look on himselfe he knowes that he seldome intends the salvation of mens soules in his Ministery but rather maintenance worldly honour and revenge on all them whom he thinks doe not sufficiently regard his sanctity such are chiefly the Magistrates yet I believe hee will have no man doubt but that the end and intent of his Church-Discipline is properly the salvation of soules let him say the same of the Civill power At last he confesseth that Paul here shews the end of the Magistrate prescribed by God to be the promotion of piety but least he should seem to yeeld any thing out of the Scripture to the Magistrate in sacred affaires he interposeth an army of distinctions for