is the true and right rule whereby Gods people ought to walke and by so doing they become indeed the true Church of Christ to whom he hath promised his presence and blessing yet notwithstanding such persons are for this to be accounted Schismatikes and to be excommunicated ipso facto as holding wicked errours Thus they open their mouthes wide to speake evill of the waies of God whereby also they appeare to be the very Images of the Beast that blasphemed the Tabernacle of God as is shewed before upon the sixth verse Further whereas the Apostles did ordaine divers Elders in every Church to whom they gave charge to feed the Flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers On the contrary these Prelates in stead of Elders to feed one Flock they do ordaine one idle priest to be fed of divers Flocks that is some to have two some three and some foure Benefices and this they are not ashamed to publish as appeareth in the 41 Canon by which it is allowed that Licences and Dispensation shall be granted to Masters of Arts and other Graduates to have plurality of Benefices so that they be within the compasse of 30. miles Concerning their Copes Surplices Crossing in Baptisme and other their foolish Ceremonies which they themselves acknowledge to be things indifferent yet those that refuse to use them through the tendernesse of their consciences are therefore greatly afflicted and persecuted so far are they unlike the Apostle who would not use necessary things that were offensive to his brethren as that they themselves will not onely use those things which are unnecessary but also in their use justly scandalous and offensive yea and compell their brethren also to use them which if they refuse they shall enjoy neither liberty nor worldly possessions How unworthy this their practise is for those that would be accounted Christians let the world judge certainly it is so contrary to Christian charity as that it is to be accounted Heathenish impiety and beastly cruelty and it is a Marke in their foreheads to testifie unto the world that they are those which our Saviour Christ speaketh of that should come in Sheeps clothing that is pretending themselves to be the Ministers of the Gospell and such as desire peace and unity but inwardly are ravening Wolves such as do sow strife and contention and by this meanes they grow rich filling themselves with the spoile of their Brethren whom they persecute as Lions Beares and Leopards fill themselves with their prey These and many other evils by their Canon Law established and to the dishonour of God and vexation of his people daily practised have been much opposed and the iniquity of them sufficiently manifested but as yet it remaineth like unto the Decrees of the Medes and Persians that may not be changed yea they boast and say like their old Mother that without their Laws the Church of Christ would run into confusion as if the Testament and Laws of Christ were not sufficient for the government of his Church and Kingdom Thus they open their mouthes and reproach the Almighty But he who sitteth in the Heavens laugheth them to scorne and will vexe them in his sore displeasure if they repent not By these few examples of their wicked practises I have briefly shewed that this Church of England still remaineth under the bondage of Antichrist and is ruled and governed by the Image of the Beast mentioned in this 13 Chapter which usurpeth that power which is onely proper to Christ Jesus And whereas it is objected in the behalf of the Church of England that it is fallen and separated from Babylon the universal Church of Rome and therefore it is the true Church of Christ and needs no other separation To this I answer that true it is that that great City is now divided into three parts as was foreshewed in the 16 Chapter of this prophesie and the Cities of the Nations that is the Nationall Churches whereof the Church of England is one are fallen from it but this is no argument that therefore they are the true Churches of Christ that are divided from Rome unlesse they be united and joyned to Christ and framed and built together according to the patterne prescribed in his Testament It is indeed an argument that this kingdom shall not long stand as our Saviour Christ teacheth Mat. 12. Every kingdom divided against it selfe is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it selfe shall not stand And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdom stand Thus by the division of this Great City Gods people may receive comfort and rejoyce in assured hope that the fall and destruction of Babylon is neare and that the Lord will shortly be avenged of their iniquities which should teach us to come out from amongst them that we partake not of their sins and so receive of their plagues and to have no fellowship with their unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprove them and stedfastly resist and fight against them So shall we receive the Crown of righteousnesse which God the righteous Iudge shall give at his appearing To whom be glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen REVEL 20.4 And I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshiped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his Marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years FINIS
we are fallen and being enemies and opposers of Christ and his Kingdom it doth behoove us to know them to the end that wee may eschew them and their evill wayes and seek after the truth making strait steps unto the Kingdom of God Now that we our selves may make particular use hereof it is necessary for us to examine the Nationall Synod or Convocation consisting of the Prelacy and Clergie of the Land who whilst they remained under the yoke and bondage of the Church of Rome and whilst they exercised their power which was first given them by the Pope for and in the behalfe of that Church and Dominion they were the very Image of the first Beast before mentioned But being now separated from the Pope and Church of Rome they think as it should seem that their spirituall Pontificall power and authority which they exercise is lawfull and warrantable and to be submitted unto They being gathered together boast themselves to be the representative body of the Church of England and the true Church of Christ and that they have power to make Laws and Canons for Government thereof and for the worship of God which all men ought to yeeld obedience unto as appeareth by divers of their Bookes of Canons But we are not to take this upon their word but to make triall thereof by the Word of God whether it be true or false If the Word of God did give them such power and authority then indeed we were bound in conscience to yeeld already obedience to their Lawes and Canons But the most wise God and Disposer of all things who knoweth the vanity of mens mindes would not have his people to hold their faith in respect of mens persons and at their pleasure to alter and change the same and therefore did not give to any of his Ministers power to make Laws in matters of Religion and for the worship of God but gave them power onely to teach the Nations to observe the things which he had commanded them as in the 28. of Mathew the 19. and 20. verses And the Apostle Paul biddeth the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.1 to be followers of him as he followed Christ And in the same Chapter he also saith That which he had received of the Lord he delivered unto them Acts 15. Also the Assembly of the apostles and Elders of the Church of Ierusalem they would not impose any yoke of bondage upon the Churches of Christ but held it to be a tempting of God so to do as before hath been shewed And this agreeth with that in Deut. 12.32 Whatsoever I command you take heed you do it Thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom By which Scriptures it is plain that the chiefest Ministers of the Gospell had no such power as these Prelates presume to have as we shall finde by examining their particular Canons and Constitutions of which for examples I will onely note some few of their late and best reformed Book made Anno 1603. in the first year of the Kings Majesties reign by which it will be apparant that they passe the bounds of the Subjects of Christ and that they have no power from him to make such Laws but by so doing they usurp the place of God to reign in mens consciences for unto him onely it doth belong to make Laws in matters of Religion and for the worship of God to which men are onely bound to yeeld obedience without adding or detracting and that for this their presumption they are liable to the curse of God being indeed the Image of the Beast here spoken of that is originally sprung from the Dragon and hath received power of Law-making from him Concerning the first and second Canons wherein they pretend their zeal for the abolishing of all forraign power repugnant to the jurisdiction of the Kings Majestie over the Ecclesiasticall estate he being the highest power under God to whom all men owe most loyall obedience and that his Majestie hath the like authority in Causes Ecclesiasticall as the godly Kings had amongst the Iews To these I do most willingly assent and agree And further do desire that as the Pope so the Prelacy with all their Antichristian Adherents which usurp spirituall power and superiority above the Majestie of Christ Iesus being a strange and forraigne generation brought in and established in this Land by the Pope of Rome may also be abolished and cast out after him for by them the Pope lives in hope hereafter to be served as he hath been heretofore to the great vexation of the Kings and Princes of this Land yea to the losse of their Crown and lives But to be short I will proceed to mention some few of their Canons whereby iniquity is established for a Law and their beastlinesse discovered In the third Canon it is enacted that whosoever shall affirme the Church of England by Law established not to be a true and Apostolicall Church teaching and maintaining the doctrine of the Apostles that person shall bee excommunicated ipso facto That there are some yea many doctrines of the Apostles maintained in the Church of England I do not deny so there are in the Church of Rome But that the Ecclesiasticall state or spirituall body politike which is called the Church of England which consisteth of Arch-bishops Diocesan Lord-bishops Suffragans Deanes Arch-deacons Prebends Canons Chancellours Commissaries with the rest of the Clergie as heads and guides of that body to go before and the whole multitude of the Layitie as they call it which is as the Tayle to follow those Heads that this politicall Body is the Spouse and Church of Christ as they affirme in their seventh eighth and ninth Canons that I do deny For first if it were true that they are the Ministers of Christ which is his Church we should finde warrant for them in his Testament wherein is set down the Ministers which he hath set in the Church namely Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and also their office and administration But in all the New Testament no Arch-bishops nor Lord-bishops no Deanes nor Arch-deacons Prebends Priests nor Canons no Chancellours nor Commissaries and other their Court-officers nor any such administration as they challenge and execute can there be found they are a strange generation that is risen up out of the earth for earthly-minded and vaine men have invented them and therefore the body which consisteth of them cannot of right bee acknowledged to bee the Body of Christ whose Ministers in respect that they are called according to the Commandement of Christ are from Heaven But it is indeed the Image of the first Beast whose mouth was as the mouth of a Lyon his body like a Leopard and his feet as the feet of a Beare an ugly compounded and deformed monster And as their names are strange and different from the Ministers of Christ so is their practise contrary they are not servants to the Flock and Church of Christ
and sweare to be of his Dominion and under his Banner to fight against Christ and his Saints What this Marke is and what is the maner of giving and receiving of it is now to be declared For proofe of this look no further then in the 36 Canon of the Church of England An. 1603 The Prelacy and Clergie being as hath been before shewed assembled with authority to make laws did ordain that every Bishop in his Diocesse should carefully observe that none should preach or execut the functioÌ„ of a parish Parson Vicar or Curate in any Parish but he that would swear to observe their Lawes and Canons and thereupon should receaue the letters of orders of the Bishop of the Diocesse which letters of orders signed and sealed by the Bishop is the Marke of the Beast here mentioned and doth testifie in the behalfe of the bearer thereof that he is their sworne servant under holy orders either a Priest a Deacon or a half priest c. and that he is a man found capable meete for the cure and charge of soules and therefore to what parish soever these tried lads are sent to doe service upon sight of this marke they must be receaued without ony oposition upon penaltie of the law upon those that shall refuse them Here may be obiected that this marke is only receaued by the Clergie and not by the people of all sorts rich and poore bond and free according to the text I answer that all persons which receaue the false Preists doe likewise receiue and submit to that authoritie which sent them and also the marke by which they are sent as is-evident when a Priest cometh to take possession of a parish to which he is apointed by the Bishop he is not receaued upon his word nor because he tolleth the bell and and putteh on the Surplice and useth other Cerimonies enioyned him by the Prelate But shewing the foresaid Marke of the Beast they receaue both him and it and communicate with him thus all both smal and great rich and poore bond and free that submit unto their apointed Preist receaue a marke in their foreheads by receaving and submitting to him For as our sauiour Christ faith of his Apostles and Ministors He that receaueth you receaueth mee and he that Heareth you heareth me Luke 16. Iohn 20. So those that receaue heare and ioyne in fellowship with these false Ministers doe heare receiue and joyne to the false power which sent them and the marke by which they are sent whereas it is said that they receaved the marke in their foreheads or right hand thereby was shewed that this marke should be an aparent testimony that they were servants of the beast and that they were of that band which had ioyned hands made a league to walke in the wayes of destruction Further it is said Vers 17. And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke of the Beast or the naâ—e of the Beast or the number of his name Here is propounded three conditions and whosoever had not one of them thereby to be known to be of that Kingdom might not buy or sell or have any thing to do amongst them For the better understanding hereof let us minde that although these three Beasts in respect of their severall power and jurisdiction did differ one from another the Catholike Church being the chief and the Pope inferiour to her and the Image of the Beast as it were a servant or handmaid inferiour to them both yet notwithstanding they were one body being joyned and knit together by the power of the Dragon and have so farre prevailed over the Nations as that they have brought all both small and great rich and poore bond and free to bee in subjection to their Kingdome which beareth the name of the holy Catholike Church or Sea of ROME 〈…〉 14.8 â—1 but the Holy Ghost calleth it BABILON THE GREAT CITIE for as the materiall Babylon was a City which dwelled upon many waters which caused her to abound in riches and treasure so this mysticall Babylon this great Citie of Rome I meane the Ecclesiasticall State is said also to sit upon many waters which the Holy Ghost expoundeth to the People and Nations as in the seventeenth Chapter and 15 verse The Waters on which the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues And these Waters have been the means of the flowing and increasing of the wealth and riches of this Citie so that their Merchants that is the Prelates have grown rich and become the great men of the earth by trafficking in them also the Ship-masters which are the Parish Priests and all Ship-men and mariners which are the inferiour guides and Ecclesiasticall Officers have gathered crums and waxed rich thereby and therefore at the destruction of this great Citie shall stand a farre off and shall howle to see the desolation thereof and their owne gaine taken away for from thence-forth no man will buy their commodities any more Here note that these foresaid spirituall persons are the sellers and the Lay-people are the buyers and the wares which are bought sold in this kingdom called spirituall as pardons for sin and indulgences of divers sorts which is a speciall commodity and bringeth in abundance of treasure also their Pistling Gospelling Chanting Homeling Massing which must be maintained with the Tithes or Tenth of all things which they usually call the maintenance of the Ministery Also the Sacrifices unacceptable to God and well-pleasing to the Divell which are daily offered at their Altars and at divers Images of Saints also the body of their Maker and Saviour besides Marrying Baptizing of Children Churching of Women Houseling the sick burying the dead these and many such like are the spirituall Wares sold in this Kingdom which have particular prizes set on them Now so it is that these wares are priviledged that none may either buy or sell them save he that hath the Marke of the Beast or the name of the Beast or the number of his name What the Marke of the Beast is hath been before shewed Secondly the name of the Beast is to be considered For the manifestation whereof let us consider and minde that those which did preach and professe Christ and his doctrine are said to have and to â—eare his Name The Lord Christ Iesus said unto Ananias in a Vision concerning Paul That he was a chosen Vessell to beare his Name before the Gentiles and Kings Acts 9.15 and the Children of Israel By the Name of the Lord here was meant that Paul should preach the doctrine of Christ and those that beleeved by his Preaching were said to believe in the Name of Christ and were therefore baptized into his Name and called Christians Acts 11.26 The Disciples were first called Christians in Antioch Also the Disciples and followers of Christ are said to have the Lambs Fathers Name written in their foreheads According
and helpers of their joy but they are authours of their woe challendging and exercising Lordship and Dominion over their faith for in stead of a due administration of the Word of God they have mingled a cup of fornication for the people to drink that is devised a forme of Book-worship with Orders Rites and Ceremonies which they have imposed on the people under the title of Divine Service and which they must observe without adding thereto or taking any thing from it as in the 4 6 7 8 and 14. Canons Further they are not painefull Preachers but lazy Lords they are not followers of Christ and of his Word but are contemners thereof casting it behinde their backs and will not be reformed nor ruled by it they are Law-makers much like Nebuchadnezzar for as he would destroy all that would not worship his golden Image So whosoever doth refuse to yeeld obedience to their Lawes shall bee most severely punished as is plaine by divers penalties annexed to their Canons In consecrating and ordaining Priests they are like to Ieroboam for as he consecrated whom he would of the basest of the people to be the Priests of the high places which he had set up so do they ordaine for the most part ignorant fellows to be their Parish Priests and inferiour Ministers wherein though they do most absurdly yet will they not bee contradicted as we may see by the 57 Canon where it is said whosoever shall refuse to communicate with a dumb and unpreaching Minister Let him be excommunicated And although their owne Doctours complaine and cry out against it yet they will not amend amongst the rest it is worthy to be observed what their own great Champion profound Master Hooper faith viz. That both Arguments from light of nature Laws and Statutes of Scripture the Canons that are taken out of ancient Synods the decrees and constitutions of sincerest times the sentences of all antiquity and in a word every mans consent and conscience is against ignorance in them that have the cure and charge of soules If it be so how unreasonable and beastly is it for the Prelates to ordain allow and approve of such for the Ministers of Christ of which there are many hundreds in the Land whom the Prelates are not ashamed to forbid to expound the Scriptures as in the 49 Canon where it is said that some of their Parish Priests shall not take upon them to expound in their cure or else-where any Scripture or matter or doctrine but shall onely study to read c. It is greatly to be wondred at that so many grave heads as were gathered together and sate consulting about these matters should breed and bring forth such absurd and impious Canons If there were nothing else this allowance of dumb Ministers is sufficient to shew the vanity of their mindes and the darknesse of their foolish hearts So that wee may truely say of them that when they professed themselves to be most wise by exalting and making themselves equall with God in making Laws for the government of his House the Church even then they became most foolish and voide of judgement As for the best sort of their Parish Priests which are men of learning and gifts they must also be confined within their limits they must worship God according to the rules prescribed them by these their spirituall Fathers as in the 38 Canon If any Minister shall omit to use the forme of prayer or any of the Orders or Ceremonies prescribed in the Communion Book let him be suspended and if he do not conforme within the space of a moneth let him be deposed The absurdities and blasphemies contained in that Comon Prayer-book are many which having been discovered and laid open by divers Treatises already published in print I will omit onely this I will adde that in the imposing of that Service Booke or any other this great iniquity is committed by the imposers thereof That they do exalt themselves both against Christ who is ascended into Heaven and hath given gifts to his Ministers Ephes 4.1 11 12. for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the Church his Body and also they exalt themselves against the Holy Ghost who onely hath power to help our infirmities Rom 8.26 and to furnish men with gifts to worship God aright Further their Preachers may not teach against their corrupt Church state and Ministry though they know it to bee Antichristian nor against the forme of worship prescribed in the said Common-prayer Book nor against the ceremonies nor the Government of the Church of England by Arch-bishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that beare office in the same nor against the manner and form of making and consecrating Bishops Priests or Deacons nor against the Laws and Ordinances Ecclesiasticall established in the said Church whosoever transgresseth in these things shall be excommunicated ipso facto as is plaine in the 4 6 7 8 and 54. Canons Thus by excommunicating and cursing they labour to maintaine and defend their corruptions but not one jott of Scripture dare they shew and no marvaile seeing the whole Scriptures are against mens inventions and traditions of which nature these abuses are being left here by the Pope and retained and renewed by his Prelates As they may not teach against these things so on the contrary they may not teach the true and right way which Christ hath prescribed in his Testament how we must worship God nor how the true Church of Christ ought to be gathered and constituted the Ministers thereof ordained nor the manner how it ought to be governed as appeareth in the 9.10 11. and 12. Canons By which we may see in what bondage their Preachers are kept they must hide their Talent in the earth and put their candle under a Bushed lest men by the light thereof should come to the knowledge of the truth and believe it Also it is to be observed as a generall rule that none good or bad learned or unlearned can be suffered to receive their Orders of Priesthood or Deaconship or be admitted to preach or execute a Ministery in their Parish Churches unlesse they sweare to conforme to the worship and ceremonies prescribed by these Prelates and also submit to their Anti-christian rule and government which they challenge to themselves as being Lords over all Thus by swearing they make their inferiour Priests to sell themselves to worke wickednesse which trick they have cunningly devised to bring the Land in subjection to these Antichristian yoke And upon the taking of this Oath they receive the Prelates Marke which is called in this Chapter the Marke of the Beast which is understood to be the Letters of Orders under the Prelates hand and Seale to testifie that they are made Priests or Deacons according to the Order and Canons prescribed in that behalfe in this their Convocation as we may see in the 36 48
and 50 Canons And for refusing to worship them in these things many are put back and those that formerly have been ordained for refusing so to do which they call revolting have had their penall Laws executed upon them which is Suspension Degradation and Excommunication and after these many other afflictions in body goods and name being accounted factious and seditious persons that have no right to buy or sell their Wares Concerning the people whereof the Church of England consisteth it is necessary that we finde them such as the Scriptures do require otherwise they canâ—â—â— be accounted the Church of Christ and to this end observe these few places following Ezeck 44.19 Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh shall enter into any Sanctuary And the people of Israel for suffering such uncircumcised strangers to enter into the Sanctuary of the Lord hee calleth them a rebellious people that had poluted his Sanctuary and broken his Covenant And in the 23 verse The Lord teacheth his Ministers to put difference betweene the holy and prophane the cleane and uncleane And according to this was the practise of the Apostles in the Primitive Age who by preaching the Word gathered none but such as beleeved and voluntarily submitted themselves to walke according to the profession of the Gospell and if any did cunningly creep into the fellowship of the Saints and not walke accordingly they were to be cast out by the Church as in the 1 Cor. 5. Likewise the Apostle Paul he separated the Disciples of Ephesus from those that beleeved not so the Apostle taught the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.14 15 c. Be not unequally yoked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse And what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidell And what agreement hath ehe Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from amongst them and be ye separate faith the Lord and touch not the uncleane thing and I will receive you Now if we compare the Church of England with these Scriptures we shall finde that the practise and proceedings thereof hath been and is contrary The people thereof for the most part are such as visibly and apparantly live in all kinde of licentiousnesse and in their workes deny God being abominable and disobedient For these Lordly Prelates being armed with the Sword of Civill authority and having the Law of their side they have not laboured by painefull preaching to draw men to the obedience of the faith and to the fellowship of the Gospell apart from the prophane and wicked that speak evill of the waies of the Lord but they have compelled and inforced all sorts of people both religious and prophane not onely such as feare God but also such as feare him not by bodily punishments to be conformable to the profession which is by their Canon Law established in this Church As if the Word of God that Sword of the Spirit were not mighty enough in operation for the gathering together of the Saints That this is their practise is plain by the 90. and 114. Canons where it is said that Ministers and Church-wardens must present all persons above the age of thriteen years that come not to the Church and receive the Sacraments after which presentation if they doe not conforme they shall bee excommunicated imprisoned and have their goods attached This is the means which hath been used for the gathering of this Church of England whereby they have confounded and mingled them together whom God hath commanded to be separated wherein what do they lesse then think themselves wiser and stronger then God The Word of God is the seed whereby the Church of God is begotten and those that are begotten by any other means are bastards and not Sonnes for as that Woman is an Harlot which hath Children by any but her lawfull Husband so that Church whose members are gathered by any other way or means then by the Word of Goâ— perswading and moving their hearts the same is not the Church of Christ But this hath been the manner of gathering the Church of England and therefore it is unworthy to be adorned with the title of the Church but ought to be accounted the Image of the first Beast before spoken of that is of Great Babylon which is an habitation of Divels an hold of foule Spirits and a Cage of every unclean and hatefull Bird. And for confirmation hereof by the testimony of their own mouthes let us but consider the estimation which the members of this Church have one of another Some there are amongst them who for making more conscience of their waies then the rest are in dirision called Puritans or Precisians these on the contrary seeing the ungodly conversation of the rest of their brethren esteeme them as wicked prophane carnall and unregenerate men such as for the most part are mockers contemners and evill speakers of the truth and in whom is no appearance of Religion and the feare of God and therefore they distinguish the better sort from these prophane persons by the name of Professours This is the estimation which they have one of another which is a manifest note that they are not come into the order of the Church of Christ I deny not but there are many amongst them that are the Saints and Servants of Christ that are godly and zealous people which so far as they know they labour to yeeld obedience to the Commandements of Christ and although by meanes of their Guides which make them to erre and go astray keeping them in ignorance of this doctrine yet it shall go well with them Such persons I say as fitt stones for the building of the Church of Christ but so long as they remaine in this confusion they can no more be said to be the true visible Church of Christ then a heap of stones fitted for a building can be said to be a House therefore they must be separated from the wicked and placed together according to the order prescribed by Christ Jesus and practised by his Apostles as in the New Testament before they can be so esteemed As these Prelates will have this Church of England to be accounted the true Church of Christ so they will have the true Church of Christ to be accounted false schismaticall and hereticall as in the 9. 10. and 11. Canons by which it doth appear that if any people separate from this corrupt Church state and joyne together apart from the wicked and prophane to walke in all the waies and ordinances of Christ prescribed in his Testament acknowledging Christ Iesus to be the onely King Lord and Law-giver in matters of Religion and the worship of God which